Archive for November, 2006
More delays
For few years the crisis in Darfur caused the lifes of tousend peoples. Militia forces backed by the government practiced genocide. During this period the world was practically ineffective. But finally, after open criticism of the Secretery General, The UN Human Rights decided to hold speciel session:
GENEVA, Nov 30 (Reuters) - The United Nations’ top human rights body agreed on Thursday to hold a special session next month to investigate violations in Sudan’s Darfur region.
The call for the meeting, to begin Dec. 11 or Dec. 12, was backed by at least 28 of the 47 member states of the Human Rights Council, which has focused heavily on the Arab-Israeli conflict since it was created in May.
It is beyond my understanding why can’t they meet today, tommorow the latest; why this speicel session need to be delayed for two weeks, during which more children will be murdered. Wasn’t the delay of several years, when the council and its predecessor were busy condemn Israel, long enough?
Don’t wait until december 11th, Act Today!
Technorati Tags: The UN - The UN Human Rights Council - Darfur - Genocide
Making it Kosher
This is a long due and very much welcome change:
CHICAGO - The Conservative Jewish movement, the faith’s American-based middle ground between liberalism and orthodoxy, is nearing a leadership decision that seems likely to permit openly gay rabbis and same-sex unions.
The Rabbinical Assembly Committee on Jewish Law and Standards which last tackled the issue in 1992 meets in New York next week, its 25 members reviewing an issue that has already rent many Christian churches and simmers across Judaism.
Technorati Tags: Same Sex Marriage - Conservative Judaism
Foresight
I want to make something clear, I am not a conservative. I think that today’s conservatives are worse than today’s liberals. I think that they are, if anyone destroys this country, it will be the conservatives because they do not know how to preach capitalism, to explain it to the people…because they do nothing except apologize and because they are all altruists. They are all based on religious altruism and on that combination of ideas, you cannot save this country.
Ayn Rand, 1979
It is somewhat sad to see that even before Reagan and before the Republican become the majority in the house, with the promise to reverse the "New Deal" devastating effect on the individual liberties, they were predetermined to what they become. And as in many other cases Ayn Rand had the intellectual courage to face this reality and expose it, for what it was.
(Via The Liberty Papers)
Technorati Tags: GOP - Ayn Rand - Objectivism - Social conservatism - Capitalism
Different way to tell a story
I’m reading, with great pleasure, Chingiz Aitmatov’s book - The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years
There are many ways to tell a story, Personally I prefer the one made with love.
Technorati Tags: Chingiz Aitmatov - Borat - Sacha Baron Cohen - Kazakhstan - Story Telling
I told you so
About a month ago I suggested to look at the positive points of Lieberman’s joining the Israeli government. I suggested that, among other factors, being in position of responsibility tend to moderate harsh Ideologies. Politicians, and Lieberman is much more a politician than a statesman, are much more opportunistic than they tend to portray themselves - which is very important in order to manage democratic regime.
I was therefore pretty proud at my self when I read this report:
Suleiman held separate meetings yesterday with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Defense Minister Amir Peretz, Deputy Prime Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and with Minister of National Infrastructures Binyamin Ben-Eliezer.
Suleiman is no other than the Egyptian’s chief intelligence, the same Egypt that Lieberman suggest bombing not long ago…
Technorati Tags: Avigdor Lieberman - Political Games - Diplomacy - Israel - Egypt
Russians Intrigues
It is becoming dangerous to be a former Russians abroad. It seems like a great material for conspiracy theories, I only wonder how long it will take before someone will blame the Mosad for this 
Technorati Tags: Russia - Mosad - Conspiracy Theories - Litvinenko - Yegor Gaidar
New habit?
Complementing Mr. Annan become an Habit in this blog. Today’s compliments are due to his criticism on the UN Human Rights Mockery Council:
GENEVA (Reuters) - Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Wednesday the United Nations’ new human rights body risked becoming deadlocked by the same political maneuvering that sunk its discredited predecessor.
In a statement to the third session of the Human Rights Council, Annan urged member countries that are "truly determined to uphold human rights" to stand out against violations wherever they occur even if they risked angering regional allies.
What I liked particularly was:
"There are surely other situations, besides the one in the Middle East, which would merit scrutiny at a special session…I would suggest that Darfur is a glaring case in point," he said.
Well said Mr. Annan!
Technorati Tags: The UN - Kofi Annan - The UN Human Rights Council - Darfur - Israel
Emerging legacy
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Franklin’s Contributions to the Conference on February 17 (III) Fri, Feb 17, 1775
It is somewhat early to discuss the legacy of Bush’s presidency. It is impossible to determine which of the actions and policies of this administration will have the longest, and most devastating effect on the future of America. However we can start to identify, even if somewhat scattered, some of the less obvious results of the Bush-Cheney reign; and most importantly we need to look for the best next president to undo most of them.
What will be the most important , the hardest to reverse , action? would it be the failed campaign to destroy Al-Qaeda? Would it be the incompetent strategy to fight terrorism? or maybe it will be domestic policy that will have the longest lasting effect. One of many such as the compassionate conservatism that was many thing but compassionate or conservatism. Would it be the campaign against civil liberties that include wiretapping Americans without warrant or the Military Commission Act?
The list is of achievement is long and hard to choose, but one pattern is rising behind the fog of all of these - Cheney crusade to destroy the the checks and balances - those who by far the most effective in protecting our civil liberties:
"In 34 years, I have repeatedly seen an erosion of the powers and the ability of the president of the United States to do his job," Cheney said on ABC in January 2002. "I feel an obligation…to pass on our offices in better shape than we found them to our successors."
In the future we might destroy Al-Qaeda, we might secure the borders and terrorist might be to afraid to attack American targets. However in what price will we achieve this victory? will it be the destruction of those liberties we tried to protect?
In the next election we should examine each candidate - will he, or she, intend to protect the government or our liberties.
Technorati Tags: Wiretapping - Military Commission Act - Bush - Cheney - War on Terror - Liberty - Compassionate Conservatism - Big Government - Al-Qaeda
From the archive
I just came across with old interview with Milton Friedman about limited government, free market and the concept of freedom which I would like to share with you. It will requires about 28 minutes of your time to watch - and its worth the time, mostly for you Tzvika and Noam!
So, without further ado, lets watch the interview:
Technorati Tags: Milton Friedman - Small Government - Libertarianism - The Free Market - laissez-faire capitalism
The anti-colonialist knight
Something is wrong in the world where Israel is being condemn for annexing a territory 25 years ago while Sudan’s president fighting against colonialism:
Sudanese President Umar Hassan al- Bashir today rejected a proposal for the United Nations to assume joint command over a peacekeeping force in Darfur and said he would only accept UN assistance to African Union troops.
…
“UN troops have never come to Africa and played a positive role,” Bashir said. “Sudan should not be the first African country to be re-colonized,” he said later.
I wonder if the buffoons in the UN human rights mockery council would consider Hitler and the Nazi’s as violating human rights, or are the keeping this definitions to Israel alone. Enough time was wasted condemning Israel and playing diplomacy with the war criminals in Sudan; It is time to stop this madness and set clear ultimatum to Sudan - accept the peacekeeping force as is, or face the consequences!
Technorati Tags: The UN - The UN Human Rights Council - Darfur - Genocide - Diplomacy