Will
Europe Bring Chaos to the World Order by Dethroning America?
President George W. Bush’s “charm offensive”
in Old Europe largely fizzled, but that was okay. The issues
that divide the United States and the European Union are still
there, and that's good. The EU still wants Washington to join
the Kyoto Protocol climate treaty and the International Criminal
Court, while planning to sell weapons to China and still criticizing
American policy in Iraq. In opposing the EU on all these issues,
the Bush administration is acting wisely in defense of U.S.
national interests. - American Economic Alert
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EU
Aims to be Global Military Superpower
AMID a trans-Atlantic row over its determination to resume arms
sales to China, the European Union has outlined plans to become
a military superpower and close the defence technology gap on
the US. - RaiderNews
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India
and China Banks Cut Dollar Exposure
The extent to which Indian and Chinese banks are cutting their
exposure to the ailing US dollar was revealed yesterday in data
from the Bank for International Settlements. - IndiaDaily
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Who's
Really Running Syria?
For Arab, European and U.S. officials trying
to pressure Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon, a key
mystery is how much control Syrian President Bashar Assad
actually has over his country.
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Syrian
Army Evacuates Bases in Lebanon
Syrian soldiers flashed victory signs and
waved automatic rifles as they drove eastward through Lebanon's
mountains on Wednesday, pressing ahead with their evacuation
of positions they have held for almost three decades and allowing
for the Lebanese army to take their place.
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US
Again Threatens Iran
The United States warned of Iran on Tuesday
that it will consider possible actions against Iran if Iran
does not fulfill its obligations to stop its sensitive nuclear
activities.
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Europe
To Start On Fusion Reactor By End Of Year
The European Union wants to start building
the world's first nuclear fusion reactor by the end of this
year, with or without an international agreement, the bloc's
research chief said on Monday, renewing a call for talks with
rival host Japan.
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The
Armageddon Nominee
Despite a round, bespectacled face, ruddy
cheeks and a thick, drooping blonde moustache that give him
an avuncular appearance, Bolton is known to be confrontational,
combative and humorless.He began excoriating evil in the Reagan
administration when, despite a lack of experience in developing
countries, he held a series of posts in the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID) before winding up as one
of Attorney General Edwin Meese's top aides -Jim Lobe/TomPaine.com
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Three
neighbors, plus one
The escalation of tension between the US
and Syria and Iran will dominate the fate of the region in
the near future. The regional countries face the reality that
regional politics is no longer independent from the realities
of world politics of the era following September , 200.The
relations among Turkey, Syria and Iran are exemplary in this
sense -Dr Bulent Aras/Asia Times
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Harsh
words for US anti-terror strategy at Madrid conference
The US anti-terrorism strategy has come in
for sharp criticism at an international conference that opened
here, as Spain prepared to commemorate the one-year anniversary
of the deadly train bombings in the capital.Several members
of the Club of Madrid, the body organising the three-day symposium
on terrorism and democracy, and other participants warned
that the United States' use of force and curbs on civil liberties
risked being counterproductive -New Straits Times MY
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Alamo
Heroes Seem Foolish
"Liberty" is an easy word to say, but it
is a hard word to live up to.Freedom has little to do with
financial gain or personal pleasure.Accompanying freedom is
her constant and unattractive companion,"Responsibility."
Neither is she an only child. "Patriotism" and "Morality"
are her sisters. They are inseparable; destroy one and all
will die -Chuck Baldwin/Gulf
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Many
Overseas Worried by Bush's U.N. Pick
President Bush's nomination of a tough-talking
conservative as ambassador to the United Nations set off ripples
of worry in some of America's allies Tuesday.Critics who had
hoped Bush would tend more carefully to ties with overseas
friends in his second term feared the selection of John R.
Bolton called into question the president's intention to do
so
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Italy
steps up 'row' with US
According to the Times of London, "Italy
reportedly paid more than $6 million for Signora Sgrena's
release, which was negotiated by Signor Calipari himself."
But, the Turkish paper Zaman reports that "members of the
Iraq Islamic Army who abducted [Sgrena] state that they refused
the ransom money offered for the journalist's release." (a
media overview) -Christian Science Monitor
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Bolivia
President Withdraws Threat to Quit
Bolivian President Carlos Mesa withdrew his
threat to quit on Tuesday, defying warnings by indigenous
leaders of a new wave of street protests that would paralyze
the impoverished country. Mesa had presented his resignation
on Monday, but Congress voted near unanimously to reject his
offer to quit, as even opposition leaders feared that the
respected historian's departure could bring even greater chaos
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Brent
crude price hits new record
The UK's Brent crude oil hit a new record
high of $53.5 a barrel in London trade on Tuesday.The increase
came amid rising demand for heating oil as cold weather hit
the US northeast, while a weaker dollar encouraged speculative
fund buying -BBC
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Eruption
At Mt.St.Helens
Mt.St.Helens sprung back to life Tuesday
afternoon with perhaps the largest eruption since the volcano
became active again in the past six months.Video from our
sister station KATU-TV in Portland showed a large steam and
ash plume rising as high as 36,000 feet from the volcano's
crater at the height of the eruption, with the cloud drifting
off to the east and northeast -KOMO TV
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