Dec 29, 2006 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
From AP: Israel ready for any 'whisper of peace'.In an apparent gesture to Syria, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Thursday he is open to "any whisper of peace" from Israel's enemies.
Syria has recently signaled it would like to reopen peace talks with Israel, which broke down seven years ago. Olmert has rejected the offers, citing Syria's support for anti-Israel militant groups in Lebanon and the Palestinian areas.
In a speech to graduates of an air force pilot's course, Olmert indicated he is softening his opposition.
"The state of Israel is open to any whisper of peace from our neighbors and across our borders," he said.
This is another in a series of recent capitulations by Olmert. As Charles Johnson put it, the Olmert cave-in is nearly complete. There's not much left, short of giving Ahmadinejad some GPS coordinates as a good-faith measure.
From Reuters: Olmert suggests Palestinian prisoner release.Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert suggested on Sunday he could release some Palestinian prisoners this week, even though Gaza militants have yet to free a captured Israeli soldier. ...
Israel has also recently hinted at more flexibility over the release of Palestinians responsible for violence against Jews -- those who it says have "blood on their hands."
From AP: Israel to remove West Bank roadblocks.Israel agreed Monday to remove some of the military roadblocks that have hindered Palestinian travel in the West Bank, one of several gestures aimed at boosting moderate President Mahmoud Abbas in his bitter struggle with the militant Islamic Hamas.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert approved streamlining checkpoints and removing roadblocks "to strengthen moderate (Palestinian) elements," according to a statement from his office. Olmert has already offered $100 million in frozen tax income to Abbas and indicated he might release some Palestinian prisoners. ...
Removing roadblocks has also stirred opposition. Only a fraction of the more than 400 permanent barriers in the West Bank would be taken down, but the Israeli army commander in the West Bank, Brig. Gen. Yair Naveh, warned in a closed meeting that even that would aid Palestinian militants in attacking Israelis, according to security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private.
UPDATE -- Dec. 29: A welcome reversal on the prison exchange issue ... for now. AP reports: Israel won't free Palestinian prisoners. (via LGF)Israel rejected Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' request for a quick release of prisoners to bolster nascent peace moves, saying Friday that Palestinian militants must first free a captured Israeli soldier.
The decision was a setback for the moderate Palestinian leader as he jockeyed with the radical Islamic Hamas group for popular support in the increasingly turbulent West Bank and Gaza. Abbas had hoped Israeli concessions would strengthen his argument that talks — not violence — are the Palestinians' best hope for achieving a state.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, himself fighting low approval ratings, has sought in recent weeks to re-energize his government with a push to revive long-stalled peace efforts with the Palestinians.
The Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot reported Friday that Olmert was prepared to hold back-channel talks to resolve the intractable disputes that derailed previous peace efforts, including the final borders of a Palestinian state, the status of Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees. Olmert spokeswoman Miri Eisin declined to comment on the report.
Dec 29, 2006 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
From CNN: Iraqi appeals court upholds Hussein death sentence.The Iraqi High Tribunal's appellate chamber on Tuesday upheld Saddam Hussein's death sentence in the Dujail massacre case, Judge Aref Shaheen announced. Shaheen said the court's decision was the final word in the case. The toppled Iraqi dictator's execution must take place before January 27, Shaheen said. Iraqi law requires a death sentence to be carried out within 30 days. On November 5, Hussein was sentenced to death by hanging for his role in the 1982 killings of 148 people in Dujail, a mostly Shiite town north of Baghdad. Hussein's attorneys appealed, and the appellate chamber began reviewing the case December 5. Hussein's chief defense attorney, Khalil al-Dulaimi, said he had heard about the decision, but said it came from "an illegitimate and unconstitutional court." "We are not surprised by this crazy ruling," al-Dulaimi said. The lawyer, speaking from Amman, Jordan, said three other members of the defense team met with Hussein on Tuesday before the decision was announced and described him as being in high spirits. Under international law, most governments have the power to stay any executions, but Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has said his government would not do so in Hussein's case. The White House released a statement praising the court's decision. "Today marks a milestone for the Iraqi people's efforts to replace the rule of a tyrant with the rule of law," said Scott Stanzel, deputy White House press secretary. "We look forward to seeing the written judgment. Saddam has received due process and the legal rights that he denied the Iraqi people..."
From CNN: Baathists: 'Grave consequences' if Hussein's hanged.The Baath Party, the political movement that ruled Iraq during the Saddam Hussein era, is warning there will be "grave consequences" if former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is executed. Saying it would hold the United States responsible, a message appeared on al-basrah.net Tuesday that read: "The Baath and the resistance are determined to retaliate in all ways and all places that hurt America and its interests if it commits this crime." If the execution is carried out, the largely Sunni-Arab Baathists said they also will retaliate against members of the Iraqi High Tribunal. And they vowed a complete shut-down of peace negotiations between the Baathists and coalition forces. The Baathists have been operating as part of the insurgency against the U.S. and its allies since Hussein's regime fell in 2003.
Looks like Old Man 2006 got to the lever first. From CNN: Hussein executed, Iraqi TV stations report.Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been executed, according to two Arabic language media outlets. Hussein was hanged before dawn on Saturday in Iraq, at about 6 a.m. (10 p.m. Friday ET), the U.S.-backed Al-Hurra television reported. Al-Arabiya reported that Barzan Hassan, Hussein's half-brother, and Awad Bandar, former chief justice of the Revolutionary Court, were hanged after Hussein. All three were convicted of killings in the Iraqi town of Dujail nearly 25 years ago. Earlier, Munir Haddad, a judge on the appeals court that upheld the former dictator's death sentence, and an adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki each confirmed the paperwork needed for Hussein's execution had been prepared late Friday. "All the procedures have been completed," Haddad said. At the same time, a U.S. district judge refused a request to stay the execution. Attorney Nicholas Gilman said in an application for a restraining order, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Washington, that a stay would allow Hussein "to be informed of his rights and take whatever action he can and may wish to pursue." Haddad had called Gilman's filing "rubbish," and said, "It will not delay carrying out the sentence," which he called "final."
Dec 21, 2006 | Dollars & Crosses
A Commercialized Christmas Carol by Wayne Dunn
What anti-commercial Ebenezers need is a little chain-rattling visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past.Dickens' A Christmas Carol by Michael Marriott
Of all the works written about Christmas, perhaps the most influential, save Clement Moore's poem, The Night Before Christmas, is Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Published in 1843, the story of the curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge has entertained millions with its altruistic message of Christmas giving by the rich to those unable to buy their Christmas goose.
It's a Commercial Life by Wayne Dunn
Whenever I hear that familiar Yuletide condemnation "Christmas is too commercial," I recall George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life" wishing he'd never been born. For just as he didn't realize the positive impact he'd had on others, the anti-commercial brigade doesn't realize the positive impact commerce has on Christmas.Dec 21, 2006 | Dollars & Crosses
Irvine, CA--In the so-called "war on terrorism," we supposedly only face a small number of isolated killers, whose goal of creating Taliban-style regimes is thoroughly rejected by an overwhelming majority of Muslims in the Middle East. "Yet," says Elan Journo, junior fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute, "Lebanon is poised to fall into the hands of the murderous jihadist group Hezbollah--thanks to mass street demonstrations. How can this happen?"
"Contrary to Washington's evasions, in reality huge numbers of Muslims in the region support the jihadist cause of totalitarian Islamic world domination, and they want vicious killers such as Hezbollah to rule them. That is why, for more than a week, hundreds of thousands of people, out of a tiny population of four million, have been demonstrating in the streets of Beirut.
"Hezbollah, which was elected to office and won control of three ministries in Lebanon's government, now wants total control--and its followers are encouraged. After all, Washington said that it wanted the people of the region to express their 'political conscience.' The people have spoken: they demand 'Death to America, Death to Israel.'
"The situation in Beirut is another illustration of the wide popularity of the jihadist goal. Islamists have gained power in the Palestinian territories and in Iraq, and have become a major force in Egypt's parliament.
"The enemy we face is an ideological movement--including the regimes that support it--not isolated 'terrorists.' Refusing to recognize that, Washington has absurdly insisted on bringing elections, rather than defeat, to our enemies--and thereby made them stronger."Dec 19, 2006 | Dollars & Crosses
Irvine, CA -- In response to a proposed merger between United and Continental, as well as reports that US Airways is considering a merger with Delta, politicians criticized the companies and called on the Justice Department to block any consolidation in the airline industry.
House Representative James Oberstar, for example, says the government should not allow any airline mergers because they would only benefit stockholders and airline executives. Senator Frank Lautenberg, echoing the anti-merger sentiment in Congress, opposes any merger that the government deems not "good for the flying public."
"But politicians have no right to interfere with the mergers of airline companies--or any other companies," said Dr. Yaron Brook, president of the Ayn Rand Institute.
"Mergers are a legitimate business strategy used to cut costs, improve efficiency, gain customers, grow sales, and increase profits. All companies, including airlines, should be free to decide whether to merge or break up; if customers do not like the prices or practices of the merged company, they are free to take their money elsewhere."Dec 12, 2006 | Dollars & Crosses
From Cox and Forkum:
From CNN: Annan chides U.S. in farewell speech.Kofi Annan had some strong words Monday for the United States in his farewell speech as secretary-general of the United Nations. ...
"When power, especially military force, is used, the world will consider it legitimate only when convinced that it is being used for the right purpose, for broadly shared aims, in accordance with broadly accepted norms."
There are few greater compliments for America then being chided by Annan for not kow-towing to world opinion. Annan went on to say:As things stand, accountability between states is highly skewed. Poor and weak states are easily held to account, because they need foreign assistance. But large and powerful states, whose actions have the greatest impact on others, can be constrained only by their own people, working through their domestic institutions.
That gives the people and institutions of such powerful states a special responsibility to take account of global views and interests, as well as national ones. ...
In fact, it is only through multilateral institutions that states can hold each other to account. And that makes it very important to organize those institutions in a fair and democratic way, giving the poor and the weak some influence over the actions of the rich and the strong.
Allow me to translate: By "some influence over the actions of the rich and the strong" Annan means "the legal force to counteract the sovereignty of America." Good riddance to Annan. Too bad the U.N. itself won't follow him.
