A cracking story and an important warning against the privatisation of the most delicate of tasks: Fears about bioterrorism have prompted new efforts by corporations and governments worldwide to build defenses against germ attacks. But some of these arrangements themselves raise security issues. Consider the spirited global contest to corner the franchise on providing halal…
Obama finds a bankrupt Afghan policy (so he keeps it going)
Ahmad Wali Masoud, former Afghan Ambassador to Britai, and one of the six brothers of the slain Afghan legend Ahmad Shah Massoud, tells the Daily Beast that American backing for Hamid Karzai is leading to possible revolution: Why did they pump billions of dollars into this country through one man, but do not promote political…
Palestine not for sale
I just signed this statement: The US Palestinian Community Network calls upon all organizations, associations, and Palestinian and Arab community groups, as well as solidarity organizations, and individuals, to sign on to the below statement rejecting the resumption of direct negotiations, in the midst of ongoing Israeli structural racism and violence inflicted upon Palestinians, to…
Yes, racism is in Australia
The first step to fixing racism in Australia is acknowledging it exists. A fine piece by Emily Howie in today’s Melbourne Age.
Standing up to Murdoch’s dodgy tactics
Who’s afraid of the Murdoch press? Most political leaders in the West seem incapable and unwilling to take on the old man’s institution, a collection of bigotry, contradictions and pro-war sentiment. Such nobility in great wealth. Every day brings new gory details in the News of the World scandal: The Home Office abandoned plans to…
What happened to Ban Ki-Moon in Sri Lanka? (hint; not much)
The failing of the UN towards the Tamils in Sri Lanka is both shameful and predictable. This is a conflict that continues to receive virtually no global media coverage despite up to 40,000 Tamils being massacred last year: During the Vietnam conflict, the US military developed some creative ways to increase the numbers of Viet…
Few easy steps to Mid-East failure
A handy PowerPoint guide to the currently fruitless Middle East “peace” talks.
Poll: half of Israeli teens don’t want Arab students in their classroom
Hello, apartheid state: Sixty four percent of… Israeli teens aged 15 to 18… say that Arab Israelis do not… enjoy full equal rights in Israel, and from that group, 59 percent… believe that they should not have full equal rights, according to a special survey prepared for the “Education in the Digital Age” conference held in Haifa on Monday.…
Wasted dollars and lives in Iraq
The latest estimate by Joseph E. Stiglitz and Linda J. Bilmes is that the Iraq war has cost US$3 trillion and beyond.