A group calling itself the Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed responsibility for the twin attacks in a statement posted on a Web forum used by Islamic militants. It said the attacks were in revenge for the deaths of those who carried out the Sinai bombings last year and for the subsequent arrests of thousands of people. The claim's authenticity could not be verified.
The group _ whose name refers to a Palestinian militant who worked alongside Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and died there in 1989 _ was one of several that claimed responsibility for the Sinai attacks at the resorts of Taba and Ras Shitan.
Prime Minister was keen that India benefits from Japan's experience in energy efficiency as together the two countries would be the world's fourth largest consumer of energy resources.
Meanwhile, India is keen on benefiting from Japan's know-how in the railways sector, which is Tokyo's area of core competence. Japan's Special Terms of Economic Partnership (STEP) scheme offers loan for up to 40 years at 0.4 per cent interest and that approximately $5 billion will come from this for the high-speed railway freight corridors between Delhi and Mumbai as well as Delhi and Kolkata.
"Because, Bush is, indeed, a world dictator whose hands are stained with the blood shed by innocent civilians," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted a spokesman of the DPRK's Foreign Ministry as saying. "Peace can never settle in the world as long as Bush stays in power."
SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea launched a short-range missile Sunday morning toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, South Korean intelligence officials said, confirming a Japanese media report.
Citing a U.S. military source, the Seoul officials said the missile was fired north of Hamhung, North Korea.
April 30, 2005: South Korea is buying eight updated P-3B aircraft from the U.S. These aircraft will equipped to put them on par with the US Navy’s P-3C Update III configuration. The eight airplanes are being taken from the US Navy’s excess inventory of aircraft. The P-3B last flew with the US Naval Reserve in the early 1990s before being replaced by the P-3C Update II.5. The South Korean navy currently operates the P-3C Update III.
The upgrade of these airplanes includes a complete sensor suite and data management system plus a ground support system. Also included is a service life extension on the airframe, including a rebuild of the airplanes’ wings. The dollar value of the contract has now been set at $496 million. South Korea wants more capable naval reconnaissance aircraft to deal with the dozens of North Korean submarines, particularly mini-subs, it might have to face in war time.
1. Democracy or Pseudo Democracy in China ? 2 . Economic Boom or Doom ? 3. Development or Destruction? 4 . Unemployment, Poverty, and Social Unrest … 5 . Death Penalty.. 6. Health and Aids.. 7 . Human Rights- a farce 8 . Freedom of information… Conclusion:
SFG:中国では(原因は何であれ)抗議行動は増大する。政府が手綱を取る事は難しくなる By Kathleen E. McLaughlin ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー これは、一応、4月後半の中国の北京や上海の反日デモ、暴動について評論しているもの なのだけれど、反日云々という理由なぞ論じるに足りない、とするもので、おもすろい。
Refer to East Asia whatever way you want because it does not matter anymore. By December, East Asia will be East Asia only in name, once events in Kuala Lumpur lead to the conception of a broader Asia. This new, emerging Asia will be the key mover and shaker of the decades to come.
May 1, 2005: Australian combat troops, as part of their training before going to Iraq, use a computer game that enabled them to drive their armored vehicles through a computer version of the their AO (Area of Operation) in Iraq. The simulation looks pretty realistic, much like video games civilians play. In fact, the Australians used a commercial computer wargame. Steelbeasts Pro is licensed to the Australian army for such training. The game is quite realistic, and, most importantly, has tools the troops can use to make it even more so. Using one meter resolution satellite photos, the games editing tools allow the troops to reconstruct their AO. Thus equipped, the troops can run realistic simulated combat missions before they even get to Iraq. Thus their first actual patrols will be over familiar territory, and there will be fewer surprises when they actually get to Iraq.
hp&ex=1115006400&en=938307b207d41544&ei=5094&partner=homepage On Eve of Talks, North Korea Thought to Test Missile By BRIAN KNOWLTON International Herald Tribune Published: May 1, 2005
NYT(IHT):北朝鮮が短距離ミサイルを発射
"We're not surprised by this," Mr. Card said, appearing to play down the military significance of the test. "The North Koreans have tested their missiles before." But as to their motivation, he told CNN, "I think they're looking to kind of be bullies in the world."
ホワイトハウスのスタッフ主任であるAndrew Cardは「我々はこのミサイル発射で驚かない。彼ら は以前にもミサイルを発射している」しかし彼はCNNに語って「北朝鮮は、世界の中の乱暴者の イメージを与えたいのかと思う」 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ttp://news.ft.com/cms/s/3763e364-ba6e-11d9-a27b-00000e2511c8.html N Korea ‘missile launch' condemned by US By Anna Fifield in Seoul and Chris Swann in Washington Published: May 1 2005 19:36 | Last updated: May 1 2005 19:36
He has completed the overhaul of the Labor Party into a modern, centrist organization that has lost its utopianism and its once-durable habit of losing elections. Blair and his chancellor of the exchequer, Gordon Brown, have overseen a remarkable economic boom in Britain as continental Europe has slumped. Blair is committed to Britain's being a bridge between Europe and the United States and a catalyst in developing a political equivalent to the economic interdependence of globalization.
日本とインドが、これまで協力関係を深めることが、どうしてそれ程難しかったのだろうか?1998 年のインドの核実験は両国の経済関係を冷却化させた。しかしながら、より広範な問題は、過去の 日本が、インドのことを、真剣に考えてはこなかったという事である。( Tokyo just didn't take India seriously.)1990年代のインドの経済改革以前は、日本は社会主義的経済体制のインドには 興味がなく、最近の時代においては、日本の投資家達はインドの悪名高い官僚主義や規制万能主義 に嫌気がさしていた。こうしたことを全部まとめて、小泉首相のインド訪問は大きな利益があると いえよう。日本からの新たなる投資の可能性は、インド政府をして、さらに経済の改革に向かわせ るものでもあり、それはインド経済の効率化につながろう。
“Chinese GE researchers who have released GE rice without adequate biosafety precautions are failing to protect farmers and the Chinese public. They need to remember that GE rice is illegal because it hasn’t been shown to be safe for health or environment and because it may have major negative economic impacts,”
The newspaper industry, already suffering from circulation problems, could be looking at its worst numbers in more than a decade. Circulation numbers to be released today by the Audit Bureau of Circulations probably will show industrywide declines of 1% to 3%, according to people familiar with the situation -- possibly the highest for daily newspapers since the industry shed 2.6% of subscribers in 1990-91
The biggest publishers may show the largest declines: Gannett Co., which owns about 100 newspapers, says it will be down "a couple of points" from last year's levels. Circulation at Tribune Co.'s Los Angeles Times is likely to be off in excess of 6% of its most recently reported figures. Belo Corp.'s Dallas Morning News expects to report daily circulation down 9% and Sunday circulation down 13% from the year-earlier period. All projected figures are for the six months ended in March. The Wall Street Journal, published by Dow Jones & Co., expects to report today that total circulation for the six-month period declined 1.5% to 2.07 million.
Mr. Murdoch said young people essentially relied on the Internet for news, and unless the newspaper industry recognized these changes, it will "be relegated to the status of also-rans."
ttp://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110006633 Soccer Field to Killing Field and Back A roundup of the past month's good news from Afghanistan. BY ARTHUR CHRENKOFF Monday, May 2, 2005 12:01 a.m. EDT
Japan and the European Union joined forces on Monday in urging North Korea to return quickly to six-party talks on its nuclear ambitions, scrap its nuclear reactors and improve its human rights record.
In the past month alone, four reporters for major newspapers have been ousted, and a columnist was suspended, for ethical missteps. The drip-drip-drip of disclosures about sloppiness, fabrication and plagiarism have further eroded the media's reputation, leading to a one-strike-and-you're-out policy at many outlets.
Media bosses are getting tougher on wayward staffers not just because of a greater sense of professionalism, but because outsiders -- led by bloggers and other critics -- have stepped up the pressure. In the Internet age, there's no rug under which to sweep these problems.
He's usually in bed by now. I'm not kidding. I said to him the other day, "George, if you really want to end tyranny in the world, you're going to have to stay up later."
"We have, after all, a very strong alliance with South Korea and a very strong alliance with Japan. Of course, the United States maintains significant, and I want to underline significant, deterrent capability of all kinds in the Asia-Pacific region," she said. "So I don't think there should be any doubt about our ability to deter whatever the North Koreans are up to. But that doesn't mean that it is not a serious problem and that the North Koreans should not come back to the six-party talks because all of their neighbors consider this to be a problem. This is not just between the United States and North Korea."
The two instances of CCP-KMT cooperation in the 1920s and the 1930s may lie in the distant past, but let's look at the Double Ten Agreement between the CCP and the KMT that was signed after the end of World War II.
中国共産党と国民党の合作は1920年代にも1930年代にも試みられたが、戦後の国共合意(Double Ten Agreement)が典型的だ。
The first article said, concerning the basic guidelines for peaceful nation-building: Both sides acknowledged the war against Japan had come to a successful end, and that a new stage of peaceful nation-building was about to begin that required the joint efforts of both sides, making peace, democracy and unity the first priority. Under the leadership of chairman Chiang, there would be long-term cooperation. Civil war would be avoided, and an independent, free and peaceful new China implementing the three principles of the people would be established.
In order to realize this peace, the US sent General George Marshal to China for three-way negotiations between the KMT, the CCP and the US. Although the Marshal Plan was successful in Europe, the negotiations in China were hijacked by China. Not only was there no peace, but war intensified, killing 8 million of Chiang's bandit troops, while the US ambassador was recalled to Washington.
If the US is encouraging CCP-KMT peace talks for the sake of peace only, they should not forget this 60-year-old lesson. At the time, China's intellectuals were also divided by China's united front. Most believed the CCP's lies about peace, and they suffered for it later. When the CCP had "liberated" China, it did not implement peace. On its own initiative, China entered the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Nor was there peace domestically, as violent political movements leading to the unnatural deaths of 80 million people were used as a means to maintain a hold on power.
A New U.S. - Japan Security Structure: Defining Japan's Role RSVP | | Send to a Friend Date:May 5, 2005 Time:9:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Speaker(s): Hon. Fumio Kyuma MP, Liberal Democratic Party Hon. Fukushiro Nukaga MP, Liberal Democratic Party Hon. Seiji Maehara MP, Democratic Party of Japan Hon. Masao Akamatsu MP, Komeito Party James Bodner The Cohen Group Balbina Y. Hwang Policy Analyst, Northeast Asia, Asian Studies Center, The Heritage Foundation Host(s):Peter Brookes ttp://www.heritage.org/press/events/ev050505a.cfm
・UltraProxy for Anti-Censorship and Provicy ・Anti-Blocking and Anti-Filtering Email
About Us Founded by a group of successful entrepreneurs, renowned scientists and engineers in high-tech who dedicated to providing technologies and service for people to exchange information on Internet freely and safely, UltraReach is the first company with a mission that offers Internet technology and service immune to the national Internet censorship in China.
"There are grounds now to believe that North Korea may test a nuclear device already in June," the head of the Russian lower house of parliament's foreign affairs committee, Konstantin Kosachyov, was quoted as saying by the RIA-Novosti news agency on its Web site.
"Attempts by the United States to exert pressure on Pyongyang as well as U.S proposals to submit this issue to the U.N Security Council are counterproductive and could knock North Korea out of talks completely," the Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.
Hill told the press, "The future of the talks is very much uncertain," and there are signs that Beijing is losing heart, too. Diplomats in Beijing say China's President Hu Jintao has postponed a visit to Pyongyang planned for this month because Kim has refused to return to the talks. "Hu won't go unless the trip is guaranteed to be a success," says a Chinese advisor to the Foreign Ministry.
ttp://slate.msn.com/id/2117846/ Worse Than 1984 North Korea, slave state. By Christopher Hitchens Posted Monday, May 2, 2005, at 10:48 AM PT
MSNslate:オーウエルの1984よりも悪い、北朝鮮
Kim Jong-il and his fellow slave masters are trying to dictate the pace of events by setting a timetable of nuclearization, based on a crash program wrung from their human property. But why should it be assumed that their failed state and society are permanent? Another timeline, oriented to liberation and regime change, is what the dynasty most fears. It should start to fear it more. Bravo to President Bush, anyway, for his bluntness.
Which brings up the question of whether China can continue to accrete economic and political power. The opening up of China to foreign investment by Deng Xiaoping 25 years ago has worked wonders. Japan, which has poured investment into industrial estates, complete with worker dormitories, has made China a huge back shop for producing Japanese -designed products at globally competitive prices. Taiwanese Chinese led the way with their investments in the 1980s. Then came the Americans and the Europeans.
But there is a lot of artificiality to this foreign-financed economic boom. Despite efforts by Beijing to create a commercially viable banking system, China's big banks are still overrun by party hacks who try to use lending for their own purposes. The much vaunted decision to bring in foreign banks to force reform through competition, is looking less and less attractive to foreign investors as the Chinese banks try to protect themselves by reserving the most prosperous territories, in Beijing and the coastal cities, for themselves. An article in the Far Eastern Economic Review broke the news early this year that some of the more developed regions are facing a labor shortage, particularly of workers who have skills and managerial talent.
As to Chinese politics, overtures like the smooth courtship of Taiwan last week are mixed in with such bizarre events as last month's Internet-fueled assault on Japanese shops and factories. Beijing claimed that it wasn't responsible, a strange admission for a government that routinely arrests people who complain about abuses of the party's power. China's gains are quite obvious and should be welcomed. But China will remain unstable until it finally decides to give its people political rights.
In the wake of its defeat in World War II, Japan accepted the judgment of the international war-crimes tribunals that resulted in punishment of tens of thousands of Japanese citizens, including the execution of more than 1,000. Furthermore, in the 1950's and 60's, Japan paid war reparations to other countries in Asia of approximately $2 billion (equivalent to about $120 billion today). Japan also provided more than $60 billion of economic assistance to China, even though the governments in both Beijing and Taipei renounced the right to demand formal reparations. All this is part of "history" that China chooses to ignore. (日本は戦争裁判の結果としての1000人以上の「戦犯」の処刑を含む数万人の処分を 受け入れたし、日本のアジア諸国への戦時賠償は20億ドル(今日の貨幣価値で12兆円)を支払った。 中国に対しては6兆円規模の経済支援をしてきた。中国はこれら全てを無視している)
China's autocrats can't seem to accept that Taiwan is a democracy in which the people have voted for Mr. Chen twice, and against Mr. Lien. They also must think they can act kindly toward Taiwanese politicians they favor while aiming hundreds of missiles at the island and recently passing a law that threatens war if Taiwan moves toward formal statehood.
評している中国の小説というのは、以下のもの: “My Life as Emperor,” by Su Tong (Hyperion East; $24.95) “Big Breasts & Wide Hips,” by Mo Yan (Arcade; $27). Mo Yan’s “Red Sorghum,”
Mo Yan’s portrait of Chinese history has met ire on the mainland. Goldblatt quotes one critic as calling the novel “a sycophantic, shameless work that turns history upside down, fabricates lies, and glorifies the Japanese fascists and the Landlord Restoration Corps.” The Japanese forces, whose invasion is the principal event of “Red Sorghum,” are relatively shadowy in this novel; but even a Western reader insensitive to the fine points of the civil conflict that placed Mao in power must notice that in this book Communist programs and propaganda are played mostly for laughs, and that the most praiseworthy men, the Sima brothers, are associated with the old, bourgeois regime and the Nationalist Army. Mo Yan’s fate is to operate on the edge of official constraints; the novel, nearly a half-million words long as first published in 1996 in China, has undergone trimming and rearrangement right up to this translation, based upon “a further shortened, computer-generated manuscript supplied by the author.”
Pakistan does not have a lot to offer, because they apparently have not perfected a nuclear missile warhead themselves. Another indicator of the difficulty of missile warhead design are the many reports of American, Russian and other countries that discovered serious flaws with their missile warhead designs after they believed they had gotten them to work.
If China can refrain from using the opposition leaders’ visits to snipe at Mr Chen, they could help to reduce some of the antagonism generated by the anti-secession law. China is worried about the negative reaction to the law not only in Taiwan and America (where it was predictable) but in Europe (which is debating lifting its arms embargo on China). The Chinese authorities may well be in a mood for showing a bit of goodwill. The shame is that they still cannot bring themselves to do so directly to Mr Chen.
中国が陳水扁の政敵の、国民党党首を招くことで彼を攻撃するにせよ、この動きは中国が反国家分 裂法の成立によって国際的に傷つけた自らのイメージの修復に役立つところがあって、反国家分裂 法のダメージは台湾とアメリカにと留まらず、欧州でも中国への悪影響を起こしていた。中国政府 はいくらかの善意を示してみたというところだが、中国の直接対話の相手が陳水扁では無いところ は、その限界。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー この数年でセンスが少し怪しくなったような希ガスのエコノミストだけど、まあバランスの取れた 評論。すかす、少しばかりの善意(a bit of goodwill)というのは賛成できない。善意に見せかけ た悪意というべきでは。エコノミストは比較的、中国に好意的な見方をしてきたが、それは誤って いたかも。
"But the greatest threat to the alliance is the absence of a common approach to Beijing. The Taiwan 'problem' will only grow worse as a democratic Taiwan becomes increasingly confident of its identity as a free, de facto independent state. There is no prospect on the horizon that the Chinese regime will drop its belligerent attitude towards the Strait, a position that establishes the nationalist credentials upon which its legitimacy rests. If the United States backs down from its commitment to Taiwan, its position of preeminence in Asia will be irreparably damaged--a prospective outcome that should horrify Canberra. While Washington needs to focus on building allied support for its China policy, Canberra must realize its role is not to mediate between Beijing and Washington, but rather to help ensure that China’s rise is indeed peaceful and that the United States maintains its preeminence in Asia."
We must respect American power, and also acknowledge that the world sometimes has much need of it. As Sir Michael Howard, wisest of British strategic thinkers, often remarks: "If America does not do things, nobody else will." We should acknowledge the limitations of the UN. The pitiful performance of many international peacekeeping contingents, not least in Afghanistan, highlights the feebleness of what passes for European security policy.
Yet it still seems reasonable to question the optimism currently prevailing among Washington's neocons, because this remains founded upon a woefully simplistic vision. It is true that, in some chronic, unstable regions, some bad governments ? those of the Taliban and Saddam Hussein ? have been removed by the Americans. But the fragile advantages gained will be lost, unless Washington can match its boldness in the deployment of military power with a new sensitivity to alien cultures, matched by far more subtle political skills.
Japanese seek U.S. support on sanctions By Bill Gertz THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Representatives of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea have appealed to the Bush administration to support sanctions on Pyongyang until the communist regime provides a full accounting of the missing Japanese. Teruaki Masumoto, head of an association of family members whose relatives were taken to North Korea, said he thinks Pyongyang is lying by claiming that his sister Rumiko died in 1981. Rumiko Masumoto was 24 when she was abducted by North Korean agents in 1978. Pyongyang said the abductees were forced to teach Japanese to North Korean intelligence officers. ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・以下略
ttp://www.nysun.com/article/13260 Congress Probes Routing of Funds To Suspect Firms BY CLAUDIA ROSETT - Special to the Sun May 4, 2005
NYSun:アメリカ議会の調査委で明らかにされる、O-f-F疑惑マネー転がしの実態 By クラウディア・ロセット
WASHINGTON - Investigators looking into the U.N. oil-for-food program, poring over documents provided to Congress here, are discovering that vast sums intended for humanitarian purposes in Iraq were rerouted through a global web of companies with links to terrorist funding and arms trafficking.
The fresh clues to the money trail are emerging from a House hearing that focused last week on BNP Paribas, the French bank picked by the United Nations to service the bulk of the U.N.-supervised deals. At the hearing, one of its officers acknowledged a number of what he characterized as "mistakes" in the handling of funds under the oil-for-food program.
O-f-F取引業者の選択には国連が関与し、拒否権を持っていた。しかし、資金転送された第三者の会 社はサダムの手先であるようなビジネス・パートナーが含まれている。例えばドバイの会社である Al Wasel & Babel General Tradingは国連に認められた契約業者であるが、キックバックなどでサダ ムに資金を提供する一方、地対空ミサイルをイラクに輸入しようとして阻止されている。このAl-Wasel & Babelの取引資金の一部は、第三者の会社、Al Douhに転送されていて、この会社は南アフリカの サダムの取引先の会社である Falcon Tradingからも資金転送を受けている。この会社はオーナーが アメリカ国内でイラクへの経済制裁に反対する、政治家へのロビー活動を行っている。さらに、この 会社からEast Star Trading Companyに資金が転送され、これはケイマン諸島に登記されたペーパー 会社で、Pacific Inter-Linkの関連会社で、どちらもCommodities House Investmenに所有される。 East StarにはサウジアラビアのPrince Bandar Bin Mohammed Bin Abdulrahm Al Saudガ所有する会社 Al Riyadh International Flowersからの資金転送もうけている。 (中略) BNPパリバ銀行の第三者の会社への資金転送は調査が進行中であり、更に詳細な事実が明らかにされ るものと見られる。
アメリカの国益はこの地域の長期的な安定にかかっている。マイクロな(政策)レベルでは、アメ リカは日中領国に、ドイツがフランスやポーランドとしているような歴史教科書の共同研究委員会 を作ることを推奨することができようし、マクロなレベルではアメリカは日本を台湾問題に巻き込 むことに慎重(can be cautious about involving Japan)であることができよう。それは今年の 前半にアメリカが共同声明で行っていることである。
アメリカが暫く(拡大ASEANに)出席してこなかったことは、そこにアメリカの友人がいて、何が 起こっているかを理解している限りにおいてアメリカの戦略を進めるのに役立ち得るのである。こ の12月のサミットで、いま欠けているのはアメリカの長期戦略である。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 筆者は前の国防省次官補、現ハーバード教授で著書に"The Power Game: A Washington Novel," (Public Affairs, 2004)がある。
Said Chen, "In a factory [in Dongguan], you are paid at most 1,000 yuan a month. But [in the coal mine], I earned 2,000 yuan a month. Eight hours a day [there] is much better than over 10 hours in a factory [here]."
For China's legions of migrant workers, their hard work is the only way to cast off their families' poverty. However, the continuing failure of many to be paid on time and in full will ultimately discourage them from even attempting to better their lot. In the PRD, the labor shortage this development could cause is already apparent.
Industry analysts have warned that China's construction of electric power plants has reached a growth limit and urged the country to make immense efforts to conserve in a bid to deal with a continuing electricity shortage.
発電所の建設が、増大する需要に追いつかないので電力不足が継続する見込みである。
China's output of electricity increased by 281.8 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) in 2004, about 50% of the world increase in electricity output in that year. But the present speed of China's power construction is already very fast and may have reached a limit in terms of growth rate. Therefore, the country should pay more attention to energy conservation and control of domestic demand, according to industry experts.
ヘリテージ財団:韓国の議員補欠選挙でのウリ党の敗退に注目 by Balbina Y. Hwang ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー へリテージ財団のサイトにうpされているメモで、先日の国会議員の補欠選挙でウリ党が敗退 した事に大いに注目している評論。
In crucial by-elections held on April 30 in South Korea, the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) won a resounding victory, taking five out of the six available seats in the National Assembly. The by-election results are a serious political blow to President Roh Moo Hyun and his Uri Party, which was weakened in March when it lost a slim parliamentary majority after five Uri legislators were forced to resign for electoral law violations. The Uri Party’s failure in every race in the by-elections?including seven mayoral and gubernatorial posts and 31 local council seats?will not only change the power structure in the National Assembly for the next three years, but also the nation’s political landscape.
Conclusion President Roh, who is not eligible to run for a second term, faces many challenges before the next presidential elections in December 2007. His party’s weakened position will make the road ahead even more difficult. In addition to increased tensions over North Korea’s nuclear program, rising conflict with Japan over territory and history, and ongoing uncertainty about China’s role in the region, South Korea’s economic growth is expected to slow over the next year. On the bright side, despite being a disappointment for Roh and the Uri Party, the by- election proves that the Korean people are holding their leaders to account for their policies and that democracy continues its march forward in South Korea.
ttp://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/ イラク・ザ・モデル ブログ Al-Sabah is conducting a new opinion poll and till no 1590 people have said their opinion about this question:What is the task Jafari's government has to handle first?
The Qur'an, read in its Arabic form, is an amazingly powerful piece of prose. Its words resonate and flow in a poetic manner that is almost hypnotic. I challenge anyone to read one of its early passages (Even in English) without failing to be impressed or moved by its linguistic mastery. And its a hundred times more powerful in its original Arabic language.
Unfortunately It is marred by its later passages which advocates war and jihad. However, these are the passages that many fail to view in their historic context, and which are abused today by the Wahhabists, whom in turn, use them to justify their Jihadist political agenda. I'm sure that if the prophet were to be alive today, he would have reconsidered including these passages in the form they finally appear to us, 1500 years hence after.
Officials told Reuters news agency that the suspect became al-Qaida operations chief two years ago, and that he could provide leads to the whereabouts of top leader Osama bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri.
"Only two questions are being asked, over and over, and in different shifts: 'Where is bin Laden?' and 'What were your plans?'" said a senior intelligence official with intimate knowledge of the interrogation.
closely monitoring a recent stream of satellite photographs of North Korea that appear to show rapid, extensive preparations for a nuclear weapons test, including the construction of a reviewing stand, presumably for dignitaries, according to American and foreign officials who have been briefed on the imagery.
In this case, a senior intelligence official who specializes in nuclear analysis and has seen the images said, "you see them stemming the tunnel, taking material back into the mine to plug it up." "There's grout and concrete that goes into the hole, and normally you don't see that in a mine. A mine you want as open as possible." "There's a lot of activity," he added, "taking stuff in as opposed to taking it out." He described the site as isolated and rugged, with enough of a mountain extending above the hole to contain a weapon equal in force to the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. officials are monitoring recent satellite photographs of North Korea that appear to show extensive preparations for a nuclear weapons test, The New York Times reported on Friday.
Until Kim is confident enough to make a decision to open his nation, the outside world will have to remain vigilant, probing, and patient until he's really ready to deal.
Japan suspects North Korea preparing for nuclear test? (updated PM 5:36) 2005/5/6 TOKYO (AP)
AP:日本の防衛庁は北朝鮮の核実験を懸念
Japan's Defense Agency has information indicating possible North Korean preparation for a nuclear test, an agency official said Friday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, refused to specify the information or its source. An official at the Foreign Ministry said Japan was exchanging information on North Korea with "concerned countries," but did not confirm that there were signs of an imminent test
10. The JAS.39 Gripen. 9. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. 8. F-15C Eagle. 7. F-16C Fighting Falcon. 6. Su-27 Flanker. (This was built to counter the F-15) 5. F-14D Tomcat. 4. Eurofighter Typhoon. 3. Dassault Rafale. 2. F-35. (This plane will be the new F-16 in ten years.) 1. F/A-22 Raptor.
(前略) It's time for the United States to take more notice. America may still be Asia's dominant military power, but its economic role is receding as China advances. Unfortunately, Asian policy, long a stepchild for the Bush administration, has been further marginalized, thanks to the exit of the State Department's most respected Asia hands, Richard Armitage and Mitchell Reiss. Paul Wolfowitz's move to the World Bank leaves a similar void at the Pentagon.
Japan For years, the United States has urged Tokyo to cast off its postwar pacifism and play a larger role in regional defense. Japan's current prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, is happy to oblige. But he has combined a more assertive military stance with an embrace of right-wing nationalism that offends and alarms the Asian nations that suffered wartime Japanese aggression and atrocities. His repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo have been particularly provocative; the shrine is where top Japanese war criminals are among the honored and the country's Asian conquests are celebrated.
In this context, it was a mistake for Washington to encourage Japan recently to declare a security interest in matters concerning Taiwan, a former Japanese colony. Beijing seized on this declaration, along with Japan's bid for a permanent United Nations Security Council seat, as a pretext for permitting three weekends of anti-Japanese violence last month. Beijing achieved its purpose of throwing Tokyo onto the defensive, but is wrong to oppose Japan's Security Council bid and reckless to stir up past grievances. China and Japan, Asia's two biggest economic powers, need to work out a healthier relationship, and Washington should be actively looking for ways to help them.
このコンテキストにおいて、アメリカが日本の旧植民地である台湾への安全保障について共通の 関心を宣言するのは誤りである。中国はこの宣言に反発して、また日本の安保理・受任理事会入 り反発して、先月の反日暴動事件を起こした。中国は日本に防衛的な立場をとらせることには成 功したとしても、過去の問題を言い立てて常任理事会入りに反対するのは誤っている。アジア の二大経済大国である中国と日本は健全な関係を維持すべきでアメリカはそれを実現するために 積極的に動くべきである。 (中略) Washington must adjust to a rising China. The future peace and prosperity of Asia depend on it.
・EDITOR'S NOTE FOR SPECIAL ISSUE ON CHINA-MONGOLIA RELATIONS ・BEIJING'S GROWING POLITICO-ECONOMIC LEVERAGE OVER ULAANBAATAR ・FUTURE CHALLENGES FOR THE PRC AND MONGOLIA: A MONGOLIAN PERSPECTIVE ・SINO-MONGOLIAN RELATIONS FROM BEIJING'S VIEWPOINT ・MONGOLIA DRIFTS AWAY FROM RUSSIA TOWARD CHINA ・"PAN-MONGOLISM" AND U.S.-CHINA-MONGOLIA RELATIONS
Jonathan West, an Australian who is associate professor of Harvard University's Graduate School of Business Administration, said Australians believed China would buy Australia's products - food, commodities, energy, raw materials - and Australia would buy China's labour-intensive manufactures.
"I think that story is dangerously wrong," he said in a keynote address yesterday. "Yes, there are great opportunities to sell to China. But China is also emerging as a strong competitor in the things we want to sell to the world."
ttp://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/000813.html May 05, 2005 A few words, though, before we begin. If any of you think only the Christian women of Lebanon walk around without their own portable tents, forget that. It’s isn’t even close to true. My hotel was on the Muslim side of Beirut and I saw almost as many modern-looking women on that side of the city as I saw in the Christian areas. Even Hezbollah doesn’t mandate the veil or the hijab.
Secondly, the Muslim factor played a bigger part than ever before -- and a damaging one for British democracy. Cities with large concentrations of Muslim voters all registered strong votes against Tony Blair and for anti-war candidates of any other party, however extreme. It looks as though many Muslims still obey their community leaders and imams and vote en bloc. As the proportion of Muslims grows, due to a higher birthrate and immigration, we are seeing this behaviour affecting more and more seats, as politicians make greater efforts to appease Muslim demands. Labour has already promised a new law to restrict “incitement to religious hatred” which nobody except the Muslims wanted. Now that the imams have flexed their electoral muscle, we can expect the Islamic shopping list to grow over the next few years.
Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Ban Ki Moon are also concerned that the situation would worsen if North Korea takes "an additional measure," the official said.
中国と韓国の外相は北朝鮮状況について、北朝鮮が「追加の行動を行うこと」に拠る悪化に 懸念を示した
The official did not elaborate, but Li and Ban were probably referring to reports that North Korea may test a nuclear weapon or reprocess old fuel rods by shutting down a graphite-moderated nuclear reactor in the Yongbyon site. Li and Ban met on the sidelines of foreign ministerial talks of Asian and European countries, which began in Kyoto on Friday. After the talks, Li told reporters, "We'll keep in contact with North Korea and make efforts for the early resumption of the six-nation talks."
A senior U.S. envoy asked Chinese officials last week to cut off North Korea's supply of oil as a way of pressuring the government to return to disarmament talks. But the Chinese rebuffed the idea, saying it would damage their pipeline, according to U.S. officials briefed on the talks.
ttp://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2005/May/theworld_May131.xml§ion=theworld NBC television, without citing sources, said the US military has drawn up plans for a possible preemptive strike against North Korea should Pyongyang appear ready to test a nuclear weapon. The Pentagon has had B2 stealth bombers and F15e fighter jets on alert in the Pacific since September, as part of a contingency plan, the report said, adding that US allies in the region strongly oppose the military option.(AFP)
"The South Korean Government has been aware since the late 1990s that a tunnel was being dug in the area," an unidentified senior government official was quoted as saying Friday by the Joongang daily. "We have been closely monitoring the work, but there has been no sign indicating preparations for a nuclear arms test," he said.
A military intelligence official also said on condition of anonymity that Kilchu is inhabited by a considerable number of residents who would be easily exposed to fallout from a nuclear test. He noted that in August 1998, US media revealed military intelligence findings based on satellite photos that North Korea was constructing a tunnel at Kumchangri, 40 kilometres north of the Yongbyon nuclear complex, which could be a nuclear production and/or storage site.
Thailand will host the World Cup qualifying match between Japan and North Korea that FIFA ordered moved from the communist state because of fan violenc
More than 6,200 sailors from the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group will deploy from San Diego May 7 to conduct operations in the Central and Western Pacific. They will support the global war on terrorism with joint and combined operations, according to the Navy. The Nimitz strike group includes Carrier Air Wing 11, Destroyer Squadron 23, the missile cruiser USS Princeton, the guided missile destroyers USS Higgins and USS Chafe, the USS Bridge, and the attack submarine USS Louisville. Nimitz carries approximately 3.5 million gallons of fuel to support more than 70 aircraft and three escort ships, and enough weapons and stores for extended operations without replenishment. The flight deck covers 4.5 acres and is nearly seven stories above the water. The Nimitz group's last deployment included support for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.
LAタイムズ:北朝鮮の核問題は、二国間交渉以外にはない By Barbara Demick ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー LAタイムズの北朝鮮核問題の解説と論説をかねたような長い評論で、エンゲージメント以外の 手法はないのだから、二国間交渉で金正日と取引しろ、というもの。
"The closer this gets to a crisis stage, the more pressure that will be on the Bush administration to forget the semantics game and talk to them directly," said Scott Snyder, a senior researcher with the Asia Foundation in Washington. "If they are going to get any deal that sticks, the Americans will have to talk to Kim Jong Il because that's who we're making the deal with. It can't all be done through Beijing by remote control."
Some believe North Korea is more interested in improving its negotiating position before a return to talks where it wants to extract more economic and political concessions in exchange for disarmament.
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific James A. Leach, Chairman
109th Congress, 1st Session
April 20, 2005: 10:30 a.m.., 2172 Rayburn House Office Building Hearing: Focus on a Changing Japan Hearing Notice, The Honorable James A. Leach, Thomas U. Berger, Ph.D., Leonard Schoppa, Jr., Ph.D., Mr. Richard B. Katz ttp://wwwa.house.gov/international_relations/109/kat042005.pdf
また、「こうした行為が安定の名のもとに自由を犠牲にし、欧州大陸を分断し不安定にした」と も語った。 ttp://news.www.infoseek.co.jp/top/story.html?q=20050507it16_yomiuri ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー But in his speech, Mr. Bush indirectly acknowledged that the United States and Britain shared some blame for the annexation of the Baltics, noting that the 1945 Yalta agreement, in which Europe was carved up by Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin, was in an "unjust tradition" of earlier treaties like the Munich and Molotov-Ribbentrop pacts.
"We have a robust deterrent capability and no one should mistake what our capability is," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters during a visit by President Bush to Latvia. "We do have concerns about North Korea," he said. "It is shared by our partners in the region. North Korea would only further isolate itself if it took such a provocative step."
交渉を再開することで、シリアを中東和平の大きな枠組みに引き込むべきだ。それによってパレス チナ問題の解決への道も広がるはずである。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー The United States, Japan and other Western investors should seize the opportunity at this time in history to find a creative way to support the reformers in Syria, and they should learn who to support, who not to support and who to try to pressure into change. ・・・ We stand at a dangerous and hopeful crossroads in the course of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, a conflict that cannot be separated from a discussion of Syria's future. Many feel that it would be political suicide for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel to right now open a Syrian-Israeli peace track involving returning the occupied Golan Heights to Syria. That's because it is not possible for the Palestinian-Israeli peace track to proceed with Hizbullah, a client of Syria and Iran, doing everything it can to disrupt the peace process.
What all parties need most now is not the immediate resumption of Syrian-Israeli negotiations, but a palpable thaw in relations, a firm direction away from support for terrorism accompanied simultaneously by significant gestures of cultural and economic rapprochement. This, combined with subtle American efforts to engage and support Assad, are key ingredients that would help bring Syria into the circle of an enlarged peace process, and this eventually will deal a final death blow to state-supported terrorism in the Arab Middle East. (Marc Gopin) ttp://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=5&article_id=14880
In a story published by Al-Watan Saudi newspaper (7/5/205) there are strong evidence that the Saudi Whabi terrorists continuously providing men and money via Syria to the terrorists in Iraq. The story is about two (26 years old) Saudi men who went to Iraq via Syria. They joined the terrorists there and killed either by suicidal attacks or confrontation with the forces there.
Citing evidences, the government said these terrorist groups are the Kayin National Union (KNU), Ywet Sit-led Shan State Army (SSA), Kayinni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and expatriate Sein Win-led National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB).
ハーバードの法律の学院の社会とネットワークセンター(Berkman Center for Internet & Society) の執行長John Palfreyは、 4月14日に中国の国家管理の構造と手段(China’s State Control Mechanisms and Methods)の講演を、中国経済・安全保障審議委員会(China Economic and Security Commission)で行った。その前半部分を掲載する。
私はJohn Palfreyで、現在ハーバードの法律学院の社会とネットワークセンター(Berkman Center for Internet & Society)の執行長で、法律の講師の身分です。
Volcker said Friday that Congress has to restrain itself from requiring certain acts and information from current or former IIC members as it conducts hearings into Oil-for-Food. "It is essential that it also protect the integrity and the confidentiality of the independent investigating committee," Volcker told reporters in New York, saying the probe involved "highly sensitive matters." "Lives of certain witnesses are at stake," he added. "We're not playing games here, we are dealing, and let me just emphasize this, in some cases, with lives."
We have Annan's and Malloch Brown's categorical assurance on that Volcker found nothing criminal in combing through the UN system. What is there in Parton's box of documents that may be worth killing witnesses for?
ttp://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050508/nysu015.html?.v=9 NEWSWEEK: Report From Intelligence Council Urges Coherent System to Explain How Iraq War Is Going; Will Help U.S. Forces React Faster to Insurgent Tactics Sunday May 8, 10:24 am ET Suicide Bombers Coming From Outside Iraq; Trained by Al-Zarqawi Network, But Carry Out Missions Independently
Hard-core Baathists and foreign jihadists are continuing the fight without the defectors. U.S. intelligence sources say an overwhelming percentage of the insurgency's suicide bombers have come from outside Iraq-in particular, Syrians, Saudis, Pakistanis, Moroccans and Algerians. Newly arrived recruits are trained and prepared by a network under the control of Al Qaeda's top man in Iraq, Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, although local chapters of his group appear to have considerable autonomy in planning and carrying out missions, report Baghdad Bureau Chief Scott Johnson and National Security Correspondent John Barry in the May 16 issue of Newsweek
Top aide for Zarqawi has been captured by the Iraqi forces North of Baghdad. Ghasan Al-Rawi and another two of his top supporters have been arrested 10 days ago. They provided logistic, financial and safety support to Zarqawi. They are involved in numbers of terrorist attacks and organizing others. ・・・ He was admitted and investigated in Ramadi which provided safe heaven to many terrorists. Irrespective of his illness he is not more than Saddam in hiding.
More and more stories blame Iraq's Sunni Arabs for the terrorism, corruption and tyranny in Iraq, and other parts of the Middle East. This is part of a trend, the growing popularity of Arabs taking responsibility for their actions. This is a radical concept in Middle Eastern politics. For several generations, all problems could be blamed on other forces. The list of the blameworthy was long; the United States, the West, Colonialism, Infidels (non Moslems, especially Jews), Capitalism, the CIA, Israel, Democracy and many others too absurd to mention. Giving up this crutch is not popular in the Middle East.
Oil wealth has made it possible to sustain, for decades, the belief of all these conspiracies to keep the Arab people down and powerless. But the invasion of Iraq, and the overthrow of Saddam, forced Arabs to confront their long support for a tyrannical butcher like Saddam. Here was a dictator who knew how to play the blame game, and position himself as an Arab "hero." Saddam's supporters turned to terrorism to restore themselves to power. Two years of killing Iraqis has shamed an increasing number of Arabs into admitting that this is an Arab problem, not the fault of the United States (who, in the most popular delusion, should have waved a magic wand and made all problems in Iraq disappear.)
Prof. Liang Zhongtang suggests in his article that the data is too unreliable. The uncertainty in the population data and the fertility level ・・・・ Liang's bottom line is that China's population figures are unreliable because of pressure on lower level cadres to meet family planning goals.
The result is faked population counts that result in a serious undercount of population, exaggeration of the already serious sex ratio imbalance and an underestimate of overall female fertility (total children per woman over a lifetime). PRC official figures put it currently at about 1.6 or so. Liang finds population data so unreliable, he says that what can say is that for the period 1980 - 2000, overall fertility averaged 2.3 or even higher if an adjustment is made for the undercount. Currently, Liang guesses that total overall fertility is about or just below the replacement rate of 2.1, significantly higher than the official number. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 中国の現在の出生率は政府公表の1.6よりは大きな2.1くらいにになるというのが、この研究者の推測。 こういう基本データが信用できないあたりは、いかにも中国。
ttp://news.ft.com/cms/s/4213cb28-be95-11d9-9473-00000e2511c8.html "We requested a more proactive role by the Chinese government to resolve this situation peacefully," a South Korean official said. "We believe China has the biggest influence. We believe that they can do more." ・・・ China insisted its influence was limited. "China has done a very good job but China alone is not enough," Mr Li told reporters. (5、7、フィナンシャルタイムズ)
this week the subcommittee is expected to begin releasing voluminous details of oil contracts with Charles Pasqua, a former French Interior Minister and onetime close associate of French President Jacques Chirac's who has categorically denied any involvement. Among others to be named are a member of British Parliament, a right-wing politician in Russia and a former senior aide to Russia's President, Vladimir Putin.
As the Bush Administration awaits the subcommittee's revelations, sources tell TIME that the U.S. has warned several foreign embassies in Washington that their nationals may soon be identified as suspected wrongdoers. The White House also urged the subcommittee to delay airing the Russian names, at least until after President Bush's return this week from his meeting with Putin.
(Source: China Daily/Agencies) ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 胡錦涛とノムヒョンの会談のニュースが半日位遅れて、しかも外電記事のチャイナディリー の転載記事の新華社転載という奇妙な形で掲載されている。自国の指導者のサミット記事と しては大変異例と思える。この記事の最後の行には: The United States said on Saturday it had a "robust" ability to deter North Korea in the face of worries that the country might be planning to test a nuclear weapon. と、北朝鮮の核実験の可能性と、その場合のアメリカの厳しい対応の可能性を示唆する一行 がついている。
Across town at investment bank Morgan Stanley, its China-watching economist Andy Xie also sees an economic machine going at high speed towards a crash, similar to the meltdown that hit Asian economies in 1997.
"China is an export and investment-driven model and the connection between exports and investment is basically that the state banking system takes the money earned by exports and puts it into investment regardless of returns," Xie says. "That model is likely to last until the crisis." ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー SMHのビジネス欄にある、中国経済の先行きに関する警戒的な記事。急激な市場の崩壊を 予想するものではないのだけれど、経済成長でつみあがった金融のアンバランスが無視でき ないレベルに来ているとする。アメリカとの貿易摩擦への対処も必要なので、舵取りが困難 な状況になってきている。
Looming ahead, perhaps in 2007 when a year or two of vanishing profits finally cause a contraction in business activity, is China's first serious slowdown in years, one that could bring new kinds of pain, the CLSA economist says.
"Since mid-April, special food rations for Pyongyang residents have been suspended, and they are getting increasingly anxious," a North Korean official involved in trade with China said. He said food rations for people on the outskirts of Pyongyang had been cut off since the start of the year. This is the first time since the height of the reclusive country's food crisis in 1998 that residents in the capital have had their rations cut.
国立シンクタンクKINU(Korea Institute for National Unification)のDr. Seo Jae-jinは 国際支援機関が、今年始めから食料支給を止めているのが理由の一つではないかという。しかし 別の可能性として、ピョンヤンの住民への特別扱いをやめたかもしれない、とした。
"I think Koizumi will visit the shrine again this year, while carefully considering the timing,'' Hidenao Nakagawa of the Liberal Democratic Party told a TV talk show.
MOSCOW. May 9 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Hu Jintao, at a meeting in Moscow, "went through the entire agenda of bilateral relations, but paid special attention to issues of building up trade and economic cooperation," a top Kremlin aide said. クレムリンのプーチン大統領の側近に拠れば、会談は中ロ二国間関係全般に及ぶものであったが 特に貿易と経済協力に焦点があった。
The North Korean nuclear issue did not come up at the meeting, presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko told reporters. 北朝鮮問題は話題にならなかったと側近が語った。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー まあ、ロシアと北朝鮮の相談をしてもしょうがないともいえるけれど、韓国との提携に比べて 差が有りすぎのような。
Russian President Vladimir Putin today thanked Chinese leader Hu Jintao for the aid Chinese people offered to Russian soldiers during World War II, and for tending soldiers' graves in China. Soviet forces briefly fought in Manchuria against the Japanese, entering after the US bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945. (後略)
What is Japan’s potential military might? Can it be a superpower again? This is one question that rarely is asked when one looks at the Asian landscape, mostly because India and China have caught most of the headlines.
<海軍力> Japan arguably has the second-best navy in the Pacific, centered around four helicopter -carrying destroyers, nine guided-missile destroyers, 34 destroyers, and 18 diesel- electric submarines. A large number of these ships (two of the guided-missile destroyers, 13 of the destroyers, and nine of the submarines) have entered service were since 1995, making this a very modern force. The rate of ship construction has held its own with China (which has added eight destroyers, 12 frigates, and 10 submarines in that timeframe), and this is with Japan arguably holding back. (アメリカについで太平洋でNo−2という評価)
<空軍力> Japan’s air force is similarly modern, and is built around the F-15J (a variant of the F-15C) and the F-2 (a stealthier version of the F-16 with four additional hardpoints). The total quantity of the F-15J force is about 200 aircraft (counting the combat-capable F-15DJ two-seater). Currently, 130 F-2s are authorized (中略)
This is smaller than the 380 Su-27/Su-30MKKs in the Chinese air force, but Japan has a huge advantage, in airborne early warning aircraft, over China, having operated E-2s since the 1980s, and is now acquiring the E-767, four of which are currently in service. China might have four A-50 Mainstay aircraft in service as of 2005, but this is a huge if, and they are trailing Japan by 15 years in learning how to use them. (中国に比べて数で劣るが質で勝るという評価のような)
<日本の軍事力の弱点:(海外)展開能力のなさ> The major military obstacle is the fact that Japan does not have power projection capabilities. This could be changing. One of the proposals for new warships includes 13,500-ton helicopter-carrying destroyers that look like a small aircraft carrier. These "destroyers" are actually in the same weight class of the European “Harrier carriers” (the British Invincibles, the Italian Garibaldi, the Spanish Principe de Asturias, and the Thai Chakri Narubet-classes).(後略)
<日本の軍事力の根本問題:憲法の規制> Japan also faces a major political/legal obstacle . Since the surrender to the United States in 1945, Japan has taken a low key approach to military matters, choosing a strictly defensive posture. In fact, Japan’s efforts in the 1980s to build a carrier were scrapped after political protests. Japan also has a very strict “no nuclear weapons” policy. That said, Japan reprocesses plutonium for its many nuclear power plants, which gives it the ability to make nuclear weapons if it needs to, and it does have a strong space-launch capability (many ICBMs have become the means to launch satellites and other vehicles into space). Japan could have a working nuclear weapons capability in one year should they decide to.
<総合評価> The underlying truth is that at this time, Japan is arguably the strongest power in East Asia ? and it is at this point with one hand tied behind its back. Should Japan be pushed to the point where it feels it needs to use all the military power it is capable of generating, it could readily become a superpower in military terms. Its tradition is of a highly-trained, professional force that can be a fierce adversary (as it demonstrated during World War II) would be there, and this has long worried Japans neighbors. The only reason Japan is not a superpower is because it has chosen not to pursue that course. ? Harold C. Hutchison (現在、東アジアで最強の軍事力。日本が意思するならば、スーパーパワーになる可能性は充分)
連合通信の伝えたところに拠れば、匿名の韓国高官は「北朝鮮が核実験の準備をしている という兆候はない」とした。また高官は、アメリカ政府から北朝鮮の核実験準備の情報を 受け取っているとする話を否定した。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ttp://english.yna.co.kr/Engnews/20050510/610000000020050510161335E4.html 2005/05/10 16:13 KST (2 LD) No signs of N. Korea preparing nuclear test detected: high-level official
BEIJING. May 10 (Interfax-China) - China is opposed to putting any pressure on North Korea to force it to agree to the resumption of the six-nation talks on Pyongyang's nuclear program, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
ttp://belmontclub.blogspot.com/ Tuesday, May 10, 2005 Battle on the Syrian Border ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 別の話題で、日本人警備員がテロリストに拉致されている事件は、イラク関係ブログでは結構 取り上げられていて、オーストラリア人の拉致事件と共に行方が注目されている。日本政府の 対応と共に、斉藤氏の弟さんの言葉が、そのまま報道されている。
Saito's brother, Hironobu, urged Tokyo to stay the course. "If the Japanese government decides it's best to stay in Iraq, I will support (that). ... I do not expect the Japanese government to waver for the sake of my brother," he said.
The sources were unable to quantify the losses, but the Web sites of the National Police Agency, the Self-Defense Forces and the Defense and Foreign ministries have been taken down repeatedly. Japanese universities and companies such as Sony Corp.'s subsidiary in China have also fallen prey to hackers posting anti-Japanese slogans in Chinese.
"The insurgents we're fighting today are not the guys getting $50 to put [a roadside bomb] on the side of the road," regiment commander Col. Stephen Davis said. "These are the professional fighters who have come from all over the Middle East. These are people who have received training and are very well-armed."
Beijing's apparent unwillingness to go along with Mr. Bush's backup plan to squeeze North Korea takes away the crucial pressure point that Mr. Bush's aides have been counting on. It also suggests that the strategy of threatening to go to the United Nations Security Council - which Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has begun to discuss - could fail.
"Our sense is there is a great debate going on in Beijing right now, which is intense and divisive," one senior administration official said on Tuesday. "Their game worked fine when the North Koreans were talking" with the other five nations - China, South Korea, Japan, Russia and the United States. But now, the official noted, "North Korea is saying it is a nuclear weapons state, and they say they want to go into mutual arms reduction talks."
"From the US perspective, the key message is that we believe that we should have our own activist engagement with Southeast Asia and that a policy to try to limit or restrict China would be both foolish and ineffective," he said.
Chase, the Marine officer, said local people were supporting the Americans' efforts. "We are getting a lot of information from the locals in the area and a very positive reception. They are giving up locations of where these people are hiding out, and each one drives another operation," he said.
Arthur Chrenkoff reports that the appointment of a Sunni as Minister of Defense has caused the “dam to break”, and Sunnis are now flocking to join the military:
“Iraqi Arab Sunnis started heading for the army enlisting centers to join the new Iraqi Army. This was evident by the long lines and large crowds of young men outside these centers in the largely Sunni area of Baghdad. This is the main reason for the increase in the terrorist activities in and around these centers…
Ahmend Mahmud, age 30, from Aathamiah came to the enlisting office to join the new Iraqi military. "I came because I desire to join in protecting the peace and my country," he said. Adnan Hussein from Meqdadieh who was in the old Army said; "Since the fall of the old regime I had no employment to feed my kids, thus I decided to join the new military, which pays a decent wage, and I heard a number of (Sunni) religious leaders call for us to join the new army". Luaai Ahmed from Aathamiah said, "I voluntarily enlisted in the new military because I wanted to and upon advise from my relatives". ttp://billroggio.com/archives/2005/05/bringing_it_on_1.php