Jueves, 4 de mayo de 2006 (Continuación)

MundoOriente Próximo

By Simon Tisdall (THE GUARDIAN, 04/05/06):

When America's world changed after 9/11, President Pervez Musharraf adapted faster than most. He severed Pakistan's official links with the Taliban, backed the US war on al-Qaida terror, and set about taming lawless tribal areas abutting the Afghan border. Gen Musharraf became George Bush's favourite Muslim.But Washington memories are short and, five years on, the relationship grows rocky. The US has echoed Afghan claims that Pakistan lacks zeal in combating cross-border operations by "Talibanised" extremists in Waziristan and elsewhere. Officials mutter darkly about "inconsistent performance" and "poor execution" in catching al-Qaida renegades.

An unannounced US air strike inside Pakistan in January left Gen Musharraf looking weak (and 18 people dead).…  Seguir leyendo »

EuropaUnión EuropeaUE a debate

By Timothy Garton Ash (THE GUARDIAN, 04/05/06):

Europe is a small continent full of small countries. Increasingly, its future will depend on the ability of these small countries to think big. The current holder of the presidency of the EU is Austria (population: 8.2 million); thereafter the club will be chaired by Finland (5.2 million), Germany (82 million), Portugal (10.6 million) and Slovenia (2 million).Four small to one big. As the EU enlarges into the Balkans, the ratio of sprats to sharks will increase. One of the most supremely ludicrous moments in recent European history came in 1991, when Jacques Poos hurried to inform the Slovenes, then trying to break away from Slobodan Milosevic's Yugoslavia, that small countries had no future in Europe.…  Seguir leyendo »