Viernes, 19 de mayo de 2006 (Continuación)

MundoOriente Próximo,

By Ronnie Kasrils and Victoria Brittain. He was head of intelligence in the African National Congress's armed wing and is now South Africa's intelligence minister; he is writing in a personal capacity. She is co-author with Moazzam Begg of Enemy Combatant (THE GUARDIAN, 19/05/06):

Western leaders are frustrating democratic elections in Palestine by withholding aid, and using collective punishment, an economic siege and starvation as political weapons in their efforts to get the Hamas government to accept their terms of business with Israel.

Never in the long struggle for freedom in apartheid South Africa was there a situation as dramatic as in Palestine today: even though children were killed for resisting a second-class education; the liberation movement's leaders were locked up for decades on Robben Island; new leaders were assassinated; church leaders were poisoned; house demolitions and forced removals were frequent; and western governments told South Africans who their leaders should be, and what their policies should be.…  Seguir leyendo »

MundoOriente Próximo

By Jonathan Steele (THE GUARDIAN, 19/05/06):

Tony Blair's folly in taking Britain to war in Iraq is blood under the bridge, a blunder that cannot be reversed. But Blair made a second mistake that is less often discussed. He should have withdrawn British troops from southern Iraq as soon as it was clear that they were not serving a useful purpose. Instead, out of the same "strategic" motive of wanting to show George Bush that Britain was Washington's most faithful ally, Blair has kept British forces long after he needed to. He was wrong to send British forces in. He is wrong not to take them out.…  Seguir leyendo »

ReflexionesPensamiento, Cultura y Ciencia

By Mark Lawson (THE GUARDIAN, 19/05/06):

Let me begin by making clear that this opinion column contains opinions and that readers should not be misled into thinking that these views are facts. The column might also, however, intermittently contain facts, and it is important that these should not be confused with opinions. In order to guard as far as possible against misunderstanding, this article will classify sentences according to a simple code: O for opinion, F for fact.

The need for such a disclaimer paragraph had never occurred to me until this week. Travelling in America, I watched a discussion on NBC's Today show about whether the producers of the movie The Da Vinci Code should submit to a request from religious lobby groups to begin the film with a caption pointing out that audiences are watching a work of fiction (F).…  Seguir leyendo »

EuropaUnión Europea, ,

By Polly Toynbee (THE GUARDIAN, 19/05/06):

To launch a political hot potato like a new nuclear energy policy at a CBI dinner was no way for Tony Blair to start this debate. Gifting business this apparent sweetener looked like the final scenes of Animal Farm: the other Labour animals were obliged to press their noses against the CBI window hoping to overhear this vital conversation as their leader caroused with the farmers. It was yet another example of his defiant take-it-or-leave-it, jumping-the-gun policy making. It is not a way to persuade doubters.

Nuclear power may or may not be necessary, but it has always been clear that Tony Blair intended to put himself on the nuclear side.…  Seguir leyendo »

EuropaUnión Europea, ,

By Joan Ruddock, labour MP for Lewisham Deptford (THE TIMES, 19/05/06):

THE PRIME MINISTER wants to persuade us that Britain has no alternative but to build a new generation of nuclear power stations. He is wrong.

The focus on nuclear distorts the energy debate. Securing energy supplies and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are rightly at the top of the political agenda, but they have to be considered in relation to the whole energy mix and not just to the 8 per cent provided by nuclear power. The Prime Minister says the facts are stark, and contrasts past self-sufficiency in gas with future dependence on imports.…  Seguir leyendo »

MundoAmérica,

By Gerard Baker (THE TIMES, 19/05/06):

WHEREVER TWO or three politicos gather in the US these days, you can be sure the talk turns pretty quickly to the 2008 presidential contest. The next contest always seems to come around sooner than you think and with the view rapidly gaining currency that the Bush presidency is already in effect over, the succession talk can’t come soon enough.

But there’s something very odd about the conversations among Republicans and Democrats, a widening disconnect in the estimations of the prospects of the long-time Democratic favourite, Hillary Clinton. On the Republican side, Hillary’s procession towards the Democratic nomination (and perhaps the presidency) is assured, woven into the national landscape, written in the stars.…  Seguir leyendo »

ReflexionesNuevas Tecnologías

By Ben Macintyre (THE TIMES, 19/05/06):

I HAVE A FRIEND who has fallen in love with the satellite navigation system in his car. His sat-nav has a female American voice. My friend thinks she may be from the Midwest. He calls her Charlene. He likes the way she tells him what to do, coaxingly, but with complete conviction. Sometimes he deliberately takes a wrong turning, just to make her cross. Charlene is lovely when she’s angry, he says. But then, when he gets to where he is going and she purrs “You have reached your destination”, he feels fulfilled. He loves Charlene.…  Seguir leyendo »