Forget beisbol. This was yakyu at its best, and the inaugural World Baseball Classic belongs to Japan. They won the WBC as a +900 favorite, according to Docsports.com. べいすぼるなんか忘れろ、これは最高のやきゅうなのだ、とにかくWBCは日本が勝ったのだ。
【北京・西岡省二】ロシアのプーチン大統領は21日、中国を公式訪問し、北京で胡錦濤国家主 席と会談した。両首脳はイランの核問題などで協調を確認する共同声明に署名した。また両国は 東シベリア油田の太平洋パイプライン建設で、中国への「支線」敷設に向けた調査実施を盛り込 んだ協定書に署名した。ただ協定書では支線の敷設は明言しておらず、ロシアは従来通り、ロシ ア極東ルートを求める日本との両にらみ戦術を維持した。(後略) 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 http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/business/14150415.htm Putin commits to gas supplies for China MIKE ECKEL Associated Press
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans Tuesday to step up energy supplies to China with a gas pipeline opening within five years, but there was no word of an agreement to build a separate pipeline sought by Beijing to deliver Siberian oil to China. ・・・・ But the commitment might be a politically motivated promise that Moscow can't keep, because western Siberian reserves are already stretched thin, according to Valery Nesterov, oil and gas analyst with the Troika Dialog investment bank in Moscow.
"I don't see where Russia in the foreseeable future can pile up these resources," he told The Associated Press. "Russia is saying it has markets. In a way, it's a form of pressure on Europe," he said.
Opposition Leader Kim Beazley said a Labor government would force internet service providers (ISPs) to block violent and pornographic material before it reached home computers. 労働党の党首Kim Beazleyはインターネットの暴力的記事やポルノグラフィックな題材が家庭 の子供たちに与える悪影響を防止するため、ISPレベルのフィルタリングを義務つける法案を 検討しているとした。
He said the current system, which required ISPs to offer all subscribers cheap or free filter software for their own computers, was not working. 現行のオーストラリアの法規制ではISPは利用者に無償あるいは安価に、利用者のPCに導入する フィルター・ソフトを提供しなければならない。労働党は、このシステムが上手く動いていない という(後略) 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 どういうわけかサヨクはこういうのが大好きなようで、官憲によるネットの規制に手を出した いらすい。(クリントン時代にはTV用のVチップという話があった。アニメやゲームの規制は 常にフェミ系議員の話題になる)
Many would therefore be happy seeing Washington suffer a setback, to deter such interventions in the future.
But people should be careful what they wish for. A domestic nationalist backlash against the policies that led to the war is brewing, with implications for how the US will deal with Europe and the rest of the world down the road. Like it or not, American power and involvement are necessary to the proper functioning of world order, and the kind of role that a post-Iraq United States may play is very much up for grabs.
These voters were mobilised by September 11 to support two wars in short order; while they remain loyal to the president, perceived failure in Iraq will turn them in a more openly isolationist direction. Democratic voters, meanwhile, have been moving in an economically nationalist direction and are gearing up for a big fight with America's leading trading partners in Asia.
Voters in both parties have become more sympathetic to calls for closing America's borders and reducing immigration. Many in Europe are eagerly awaiting the end of the Bush years, but it is not clear that a Democratic administration will be more broadmindedly internationalist.
Taiwan has been building their own version of the American JSOW (Joint Stand Off Weapon) Also called the AGM-154A, the Taiwanese version is called the Wan Chien. Taiwan recently made a very public announcement about Wan Chien, which was another way of sending a "don't attack us" message to China.
JSOW is basically a smart bomb with wings. That enables it to glide up to 70 kilometers from the aircraft dropping it, to a target on the ground. Range is about 25 kilometers if dropped from low altitude. JSOW also contains more elaborate fins and software that enables it to follow a specific route. Like the wingless JDAM smart bomb, JSOW uses GPS and inertial guidance (as a backup) to find its target. Like JDAM, JSOW hits within 30 feet of its aiming point. The U.S. pays about $250,000 for each JSOW. The Taiwanese could use their Wan Chien. JSOW as a form of HARM to take out the latest Chinese air defense radars, by adding additional sensors to the guidance system.
Taiwan is also building its own version of HARM, called Tien Chien 2A. JDAM technology is a lot simpler than these two other projects, and Taiwan could easily design and build its own.
In the mid-1990s, more alternative media sources began to come into their own, including internet-based sources, and media sources like Fox News Channel and the Weekly Standard.
This began to get stories around the mainstream news outlets, a classic case being the debunking of the memos used by CBS in its 2004 report on President Bush's Air National Guard service ? often forcing other mainstream media outlets to cover the story.
But the massive scale of Russia’s promises to China raised questions about whether it would deliver on Tuesday’s accord. The pipelines would cost up to $10bn (?8.2bn) to build and, under the agreement, Russia would supply China and the Asia Pacific region with 60-80 billion cubic metres of gas, twice China’s total consumption in 2004.
Claude Mandil, executive director of the International Energy Agency, the consuming countries’ energy watchdog, warned Moscow that it would be unable to meet its obligations to European consumers if it did not focus its investment spending on infrastructure in Russia. IEAの部長であるClaude Mandilは、露西亜は国内のエネルギーインフラに投資しない限り、中国と 欧州とのエネルギー供給の約束を果たすことができないだろうという。
“Given European gas prices, it is unlikely that Gazprom lacks adequate capital to make the necessary investments but it appears that investment flows are directed at mega projects and acquisitions in its customers’ markets or overseas,” Mr Mandil writes in today’s Financial Times. 「欧州の天然ガスの価格を考えれば、露西亜のガズプロムが適切な投資を出来ないという事はない のだが、しかし投資の行く先が海外市場やメガプロジェクトに向いている」
Gazprom dismissed the IEA criticism. Mr Kupriyanov said the agency’s estimates did not include some of the recent fields Gazprom had brought on line. He said Gazprom planned to spend about $11bn on its gas fields and infrastructure this year. ガズプロムはIEAの批判を否定し、同社は今年、$11Bを投資してガス供給やインフラを改善すると いう。
>>32 But despite several high-profile promises, Moscow has dragged its feet implementing joint projects such as a planned eastern oil pipeline.
Although Russia's oil and gas reserves are huge, they are not bottomless.
And there are other buyers - notably Japan and Europe. 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 各紙を眺めてみると、このBBC特派員、Alexander Koliandre氏は、そういうプーチンの 抜け目のなさというか油断のならないところを承知しているような文章を書いていて、 鑑識眼が鋭いように思われ。
Instead of insurgency the talking points have changed to how Sunnis might soon become victims of an ethnically hostile Iraqi army in a Civil War. Going from a boast of conquest to a portrayal of victim is usually an indicator of something. In my view, the shift of meme from the "insurgency" to a "civil war" is a backhanded way of admitting the military defeat of the insurgency without abandoning the characterization of Iraq is an American fiasco. It was Zarqawi and his cohorts themselves who changed the terms of reference from fighting US forces to sparking a 'civil war'. With any luck, they'll lose that campaign too.
【ロンドン22日共同】英警察当局は21日、与党、労働党(党首、ブレア首相)が昨年5月 の総選挙資金として実業家らから巨額融資を受けた問題で、叙勲に関する法律違反の疑いで捜 査に着手したことを明らかにした。(後略) 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 http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1736590,00.html Loans-for-lordships scandal deepens as police investigate 英・ガーディアン Wednesday March 22, 2006 The Guardian
In the statement issued during a five-hour meeting at Westminster, the NEC attached no blame to Tony Blair or his fundraiser, Lord Levy, but said it would "resume its rightful responsibility" for overseeing donations and loans, and would conduct an internal review which would establish "lessons to be learned for the future".
On Monday the party revealed that it had received £13.95m in loans from 12 donors, including four who were later nominated for Labour peerages. Sir Gulam Noon, founder of one of Britain's biggest Indian food companies, yesterday became the last of the four to withdraw from the nomination process in the wake of the furore.
Chai Patel, one of those who loaned money, said yesterday the option remained open to turn his loan into a donation later on. Dr Patel told Radio 4's Today programme that Lord Levy had met him after the general election to ask for help. "At that meeting I agreed to a donation - £1.5m. A few days later he phoned to tell me I could donate the money as a loan rather than as a donation. I was told that would be the preferred way to do it."
The bulk of the heavy lifting is being done in Baghdad and north-central Iraq. Iraqi police claim to have arrested the (unnamed) leader of Jamaat Al-Tawhid w'al-Jihad (Unity and Jihad Group), which is Zarqawi's origninal terrorist group and predecessor to al-Qaeda in Iraq. Several of Al-Tawhid w'al-Jihad's leaders have been killed in the past in northern Iraq, including Abu Azzam al-Iraqi and Suleiman Khalid Darwish.
The Interior Ministry also reports it has recently arrested 21 members of the insurgency throughout Iraq. The Iraqi Army detained thirteen more insurgents after receiving a tip from a "known al-Qaeda member who had turned himself in to authorities."
Pamela Hess provides an update from Samarra and background on the insurgency in the troubled city, and states "the attack on the Golden Mosque has tipped public sympathy in the favor of Iraqi government forces." Swarmer "was meant to go after reports of terrorist training camps in the outlying areas." Bill Putnam is embedded with the 101st for Swarmer and provides more pictures of the operation. ttp://billroggio.com/archives/2006/03/iraq_operations_upda.php#more
To enhance their own indispensability, Iraqi stringers exaggerate the danger to Western journalists (which is real enough, but need not paralyze a determined reporter).
Dependence on the unverified reports of local hires has become the dirty secret of semi celebrity journalism in Iraq as Western journalists succumb to a version of Stockholm Syndrome in which they convince themselves that their Iraqi sources and stringers are exceptions to every failing and foible in the Middle East. The mindset resembles the old colonialist conviction that, while other "boys" might lie and steal, our house-boy's a faithful servant.
Some officials, citing evidence from highly classified satellite feeds and electronic eavesdropping, believe the Iranian regime is playing host to much of Al Qaeda's remaining brain trust and allowing the senior operatives freedom to communicate and help plan the terrorist network's operations.
And they suggest that recently elected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may be forging an alliance with Al Qaeda operatives as a way to expand Iran's influence or, at a minimum, that he is looking the other way as Al Qaeda leaders in his country collaborate with their counterparts elsewhere.
"Iran is becoming more and more radicalized and more willing to turn a blind eye to the Al Qaeda presence there," a U.S. counter-terrorism official said.
Eta announces permanent ceasefire Basque separatist group Eta has announced a permanent ceasefire from 24 March, Basque media reports say. http://news.bbc.co.uk/
Third, I'd stop insulting readers. As Malone notes, many newspapers lean left; they're out of touch, as numerous surveys demonstrate, with the attitudes of most Americans. Often, like George Clooney (spokesman for another declining industry), they celebrate this disconnect. They shouldn't. People don't like being preached to, or manipulated, and they are increasingly unwilling to pay for that now that they have alternatives. So stop; give them the news, with as little bias as possible.
Fourth, I'd get readers involved. I'd incorporate readers and bloggers into the reporting, fact-checking, and revision of news stories. I'd be generous about handing out credit, too -- people will do a lot for a little bit of ego gratification. With digital cameras, cameraphones, etc., all over, there's usually somebody on the scene when something happens. I'd take advantage of that. I'd also take advantage of readers with special expertise in particular areas -- in fact, I'd build a roster of those people and use them as color commentators on stories in their areas. If union rules interfered, well, see above.
The bottom line is that there's plenty of market space for the news business, so long as it sticks to its core competencies of actually, you know, reporting news accurately and well. But the Daily Planet model of newspapers -- or, worse yet, the model shown in today's New York Times or San Francisco Chronicle, places where behavior that Perry White would never have tolerated is, sadly, routine -- is on its last legs. There's no reason that newspapers can't remain competitive -- no reason, at least, outside their own management.
US President George Bush intends to invite Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, a known Elvis Presley enthusiast, to the former estate of the rock legend in Tennessee, the US Ambassador to Japan said today.
Thomas Schieffer told Koizumi today that Bush intends to invite the premier to the US this year, with a possible trip to Elvis’s home, the US embassy said.
In July of 2005, Presley was named one of the top 100 "Greatest Americans," following a vote organized by Discovery Channel. In the vote, Presley ranked ahead of all entertainers and in 8th place behind Presidents Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, plus Martin Luther King Jr. and Benjamin Franklin. (このランキングからみると大統領並みの地位ですねえ)
On the third anniversay of the Iraq war, the MSM keeps bombarding us with stories and statistics trying to compare this war to the carnage in Vietnam, trying to make us think that US soldiers are dying at an alarming number due to Bush's failures.
George W. Bush ・・・・・・5187 (2001-2004) Bill Clinton ・・・・・・ 4302 (1993-1996) George H.W. Bush ・・・・・6223 (1989-1992) Ronald Reagan ・・・・・・9163 (1981-1984)
Even during the (per MSM) utopic peacetime of Bill Clinton's term, we lost 4302 service personnel. H.W. Bush and Reagan actually lost significantly more personnel while never fighting an extensive war, much less a simulaltaneous war on two theaters (Iraq and Afghanistan). Even the dovish Carter lost more people duing his last year in office, in 1980 lost 2392, than W. has lost in any single year of his presidency. (2005 figures are not available but I would wager the numbers would be slightly higher than 2004.)
Taken all together, it is clear to see that the military is actually doing a fine job and suffering very low casualty rates. It also shows that our enemies are not quite as efficient as the MSM and world press would like them to be.
The West should avoid conferring legitimacy on Mr. Lukashenko's presidency. The elections are not free and fair, and the West should announce its governments do not view Mr. Lukashenko as a legitimate head of state.
Intelligence communities need to step up monitoring Belarus' relations with rogue states. This should also include investigation of its criminal activities, such as arms smuggling, illegal arms trading and possibly money laundering.
The regime's more heinous acts, such as political killings, should have consequences. Interpol should begin criminal proceedings against Mr. Lukashenko and his supporters and Western courts should freeze Belarusian state assets in the West.
Strong pressure for change from the democratic opposition within Belarus and from foreign countries may prove effective in dislodging Eastern Europe's last Soviet-style dictatorship. 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ー 本文の中では秘密警察によるスターリン体制国家の酷い検閲、弾圧、人権侵害などを糾弾してい る。野党の活動は禁じられ、政治活動参加者は拘束される。新聞は検閲され、時に閉鎖され外国 メディアの活動は制限される。べラルーシの状況は相等酷いようなのだけれど、国内メディアは 殆どその状況を伝えないので、日本国内ではそういう状況は知られていないと思ふ。まるで冷戦 当時の東欧のようにみえる。
So why is China now facing a far greater ecological danger than the one those Western countries experienced when they went through similar phases of rapid development in the 20th century? The reason is that in the UK and the US, individuals had ownership rights over their local environment, even if they weren't always enforced. Ordinary Chinese, on the other hand, have never had those rights.
Efficient water use is closely linked to rights of property afforded by the English common law, for example, as all landowners may demand that water flowing past their land remains in decent, natural condition. The remedies available are injunction against polluters, enforceable by law and carrying a prison sentence for breach; and importantly, the polluter is responsible for compensating the owner for any loss and restoring the water to its former quality.
New or higher taxes will fall on vehicles with engines of over 2 liters, disposable wooden chopsticks, planks for wood floors, luxury watches, golf clubs, golf balls and certain oil products.
In 2004, total accumulated foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States was $1.5 trillion on a historical cost basis, or some $2.7 trillion at today market value. This represents approximately 10% of the total current market value of all publicly traded firms. Total outlays to acquire or establish U.S. businesses were $96 billion in 2004 alone. This includes both funding from foreign parents or from existing U.S. affiliates.
Sectoral Facts
About a third of FDI in the U.S. is held in the manufacturing sector. Some 14% of FDI is invested in the financial services sector. Asian and Pacific FDI holdings in the U.S. manufacturing sector amounted to 12.3% in 2004.
Geographic Facts
European firms account for 70% of direct investment in the U.S. The UK is the largest single foreign investor in the U.S., with some $252 billion invested (16% of the total stock of foreign direct investment in the U.S.)
Asia and the Pacific firms had the next highest level of investment in the U.S., at approximately $219 billion (14% of U.S. investment).
Japanese investors account for 12% of foreign direct investment in the U.S., and rank second to the UK. The Netherlands, followed closely by Germany and then France, hold the next biggest positions.
Direct investment from Latin American investors totals some $86 billion; while large absolutely, this is 5.6% of total foreign investment in the U.S. (中略) The UK's $252 billion investment represents almost a fourth of total European investment in the United States.
Japan accounts for 80% of investment from the Asia-Pacific region, reaching around $177 billion.
Chinese direct investment in the U.S. is minimal, and does not register on the Department of Commerce data release. That should change with the 2005 Lenovo acquisition of IBM Personal Computing Division. Hong Kong investment in the U.S. totals $1.8 billion.
Taiwan investment in the U.S. was about $3.2 billion in 2004. Some analysts have speculated that part of this total may be transit investment by China.
The Bush administration hasn't been blind to these shifting alliances, but it has chosen to regard them as part of the normal give and take of international diplomacy. That's understandable so long as these maneuvers don't interfere excessively with U.S. policy objectives, in particular its efforts to establish stable democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have of course been tending to their own relationships in Asia.
America's long-standing allies in the Pacific will remain so for a long while yet. Canberra and Tokyo renewed their friendship with America during Secretary Rice's visit to Asia last weekend. The U.S.-India alliance is clearly on the upswing. And some relationships, such as the one America is cultivating with Indonesia, are on the mend.
Even Russia and China recognize the risks that U.S. exasperation might pose for them. But when two authoritarian regimes set about to play diplomatic games, the possibility for mischief can never be ignored.
WSJ/OPJ:書評:インスタプンディット氏の新著について 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 WSJの無償で読めるOPJにある書評コーナーで、エコノミストのワシントン駐在員がインスタ プンディット氏の新著 "An Army of Davids." を評したものだけれど、多くの部分がイン スタ教授であるグレン・レイノルズ氏の説明に宛てられている。
"The secret of success in both business and politics in the twenty-first century," Mr. Reynolds writes, "will involve figuring out a way to capitalize on the phenomenon of a lot of people doing what they want to do, rather than as in previous centuries figuring out ways to make lots of people do what you want them to." ・・・ ・・・ The David army envisioned by Mr. Reynolds may well, in the long run, end up beating the Goliaths of big media and big government into submission. In the meantime, let's hope for a more modest goal: that it can make them a little better at doing their jobs.
March 23, 2006 Hillary Clinton: Our Favorite Victim By Richard Cohen
In order to understand what's going on with Hillary Clinton, it helps to recall a woman who lost her head and therefore her life in 1793: Marie Antoinette. She is probably best remembered as the spoiled princess-cum-queen who said, ``Let them eat cake'' -- a remark (the ``Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job" of its day) that would have shown how callous and out of touch she was, if she had ever said it. She did not.
In her own time, though, it was not merely what she supposedly said that defamed her and made her so unpopular, it was also her alleged behavior. She was manufactured into an Austrian-born slut who, as Stefan Zweig put it in his classic biography, was (falsely) ``guilty of every crime, every form of moral corruption, every perversion.'' It was necessary to have someone like her to embody the greed and corruption of the upper classes. It was necessary, in fact, to have a woman because male sexuality is, let's face it, not all that interesting. Contrast her, in fact, with her husband. Louis XVI was king and he, too, died on the guillotine but he, sad fellow, is mostly forgotten. ・・・・ ・・・・ Some scrutiny of a possible president, even a mere senator, is expected, even required. But for one person to be so loved, so hated, and of such compelling interest -- so much more a celebrity than, say, John McCain -- suggests that more than politics is involved. Like Marie Antoinette, Hillary has emerged as the repository of so many fears, so much dread, such aspirations -- so much good and bad -- that we have to look past her office or her ambitions and suggest, strongly, that something deeply Freudian is at work. It was Freud, after all, who spoke for all men (and many women) by asking, ``What do women want?'' Now -- some fear, others hope -- we may finally have the answer.
But the president clearly has not lost sight of the enormous importance of the Iraqi mission, to U.S. security as well as to his presidency. Pressed repeatedly to say when American forces would leave the country entirely, he finally answered: "That will be decided by future presidents and future governments of Iraq." Not the most politic response, perhaps, but one that shows Mr. Bush remains committed in the theater where U.S. commitment, and leadership, are still desperately needed.
原子力開発と軍備製造部署にたいして、文書の隠蔽や証拠の隠匿を指示したもので 「化学、生物爆弾の証拠を残さないように」といっている。 (Removing prohibited materials and equipment, including documents and catalogs and making sure to clear labs and storages of any traces of chemical or biological materials that were previously used or stored.) 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 イラクのサダム政権のアーカイブで機密解除されたものの「まとめサイト」があって: ttp://blogs.pajamasmedia.com/iraq_files/ IRAQFILES - Overview
One of the things that we have to value is that that we do have a media, free media that’s able to do what they want to do and I ? you ask me to say something in front of all the camera here [laughter]. Help over there will ya? I just got to keep talking and word of mouth, there’s blogs, there’s internet, there’s all kinds of way to communicate which is literally changing the way people get their information and so if you’re concerned I would suggest that you reach out to some of the groups that are supporting the troops, that got internet sites and just keep the word moving. ttp://www.exposetheleft.com/2006/03/22/bush-mediacoverage/
Building capable coalitions for different purposes is the name of the game. Will NATO in future operate as the crucial hub of such a global and varied network of alliances? The Europeans have until that November summit to decide.
This week, the U.S. Secret Service said that about $15,000 in supernotes had passed through the Philippines last year, brought into the country by Chinese and Taiwanese nationals. A Secret Service official declined to identify the source of the notes, other than to say that they were from a country "which the United States cannot go into."
The editor, John Micklethwait, 43, who is British, has been the magazine's New York bureau chief, set up its office in Los Angeles and now runs the United States desk from London.
The magazine, founded in London in 1843 by a Scottish hat maker to promote free trade, has a worldwide circulation of more than 1 million, with more than half (569,000) in North America. It now sells more than three times as many copies in America as it sells in Britain.
Micklethwait has also co-authored four books with Adrian Wooldridge, The Economist's bureau chief in Washington. 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 The Witch Doctors: Making Sense of the Management Gurus John Micklethwait (著), Adrian Wooldridge (著) ハードカバー (1996/01/15) Times Books
A Future Perfect: The Challenge and Hidden Promise of Globalization John Micklethwait (著), Adrian Wooldridge (著) ペーパーバック (2000/12) Random House Inc
The Company John Micklethwait (著), Adrian Wooldridge (著) ペーパーバック (2005/01/07) Phoenix mass market p/bk
The Right Nation: Conservative Power in America John Micklethwait (著), Adrian Wooldridge (著) ペーパーバック (2005/06) Penguin USA (P)
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun named a member of parliament and former feminist leader prime minister on Friday, the presidential Blue House said.
The Bush administration told China yesterday that it will be looking for concrete actions to lower trade tensions between the two nations in advance of a U.S. visit next month by Chinese President Hu Jintao. ブッシュ政権は昨日中国に対して、胡錦涛主席の4月の訪米に先立ち、貿易摩擦を和らげる為の 確固たる措置を講じるようにと告げた。
"This is a time for results," Gutierrez said in an interview with The Associated Press. "We will be very candid abour our expectations and about where we believe that action needs to take place in order for China to achieve that role as a responsible stakeholder" in the global economy. 商務長官のGutierrezは「今は結果が求められている時だ」と延べた「中国が責任あるステークホ ルダーとして振舞うべく、積極的に行動をとるべきであり、我々はそれを率直に期待している」
March 24, 2006 Of Course It's a Civil War By Charles Krauthammer
Today's big debate over Iraq seems to be: Is there or is there not a civil war? Yes, say the defeatists, citing former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, a man with an ax to grind against the current (elected) government that excluded him.
No, not really, not yet, not quite, say U.S. officials and commanders, as well as Iraq's president, also hardly the most neutral of observers. ・・・・ ・・・・ By definition that is civil war, and there's nothing new about it. As I noted here in November 2004: ``People keep warning about the danger of civil war. This is absurd. There already is a civil war. It is raging before our eyes. Problem is, only one side '' -- the Sunni insurgency -- ``is fighting it.'' ・・・・ ・・・・ Civil wars are not eternal. This war will end not with an Appomattox instrument of surrender. It will end when a critical mass of Sunnis stops supporting the insurgency and throws in its lot with the new Iraq.
How does this happen? The stick is military -- the increased cost in the Sunni blood of continuing the fight. But the carrot is political -- a place at the table for those Sunnis, some of whom are represented in parliament, who are prepared to abandon the insurgency for a share of power, a share of oil income and a sense of security and dignity in the new Iraq.
One woman who had come to protest from the Seine-Saint-Denis region, which experienced the worst of last autumn's youth riots, said: "There are now kids in the worst areas of the suburbs who are being born into families where the parents have never worked. It is desperate."
アメリカの保守系ラジオ・トークショー番組でのVictor Davis Hanson アメリカのリベラル・メディアが何故おかしくなっているのかについて
Victor Davis Hanson on the tripartite nexus of Congressional leadership, media elite, and the celebrity fringe criticizing the war effort. ttp://radioblogger.com/#001497
URLのサイト(ラジオブロガー)は興味深い番組のトランスクリプトやオーディオをうpして いるサイト。Hugh Hewitt とVictor Davis Hansonの対話を記述しているもので、ここでは 雑誌TIMEのバクダッド駐在所長で、時々CNNなどにも出てくるMichael Wareの無茶苦茶な報道 について語っている。
Victor Davis Hanson は多くのことを述べているだけれど、そういうアウト・オブ タッチ のお花畑ジャーナリストが生まれるアメリカのジャーナリスト教育やエリート意識について触 れていて「手を汚すような現実の仕事をしたことのないエリート気取りの若い連中」が駄目駄 目の報道をしているのだと切って捨てる。リベラルな大学→リベラルな報道機関というコース でお花畑が量産されるのだという。
HH: So with this in mind...again, I stress he's the Baghdad bureau chief of Time Magazine, at one time the most influential magazine in the West, I believe. What is the disease in the media? Where did it come from?
VDH: I think it came to be frank between the journalism schools, the academic training of a lot of the people, and this affluent, elite culture, to be frank, that comes out of the unversities on the left and right coasts, that's divorced from the tragic view, because these people are not...they don't open hardware stores. They don't service cars. They've never worked physically with their hands. They have an idea in this international culture of the West that somehow, all of their affluence, all of their travel, all of their freedom came out of a head of Zeus, and it's not dependent on the U.S. military, the United States role in the world. They have no appreciation for the very system that birthed and maintained them. And they've had this sort of sick cynicism, nihilism, skepticism, and the height of their affluence and leisure, that they don't have any gratitude at all, which is really one of the most important human attributes.
Humility to say you know, I'm very lucky to be a Westerner, and have certain freedoms. And that's why he cannot appreciate what we're trying to do in Iraq, because he has no appreciation of the very idea that he can jet out of Baghdad anytime he wants on a Western jet that's going to get him safely to a Western country, where he's going to be protected, that the people in Iraq want that same thing that he doesn't seem to appreciate.
And that's...I know I'm sounding a little emotional, but that's been one of the most depressing aspects of this entire media...you did a great service to the country, Hugh, by having him on your show, and having him admit to something that we all suspect. But that hysteria and that anger and that predjudice was very valuable for people to see.
中国の人民解放軍は1952年に映画スタジオ「8月スタジオ(August First Film Studio)」を つくり、それ以来中国の映画制作の主要なスタジオとして活躍してきた。中国ではプロパガン ダ宣伝や訓練用の映画の役割が重要視され、また副業のビジネスとしてあ(娯楽用)映画制作 が重要視された為に、人民解放軍が映画スタジオを経営してきた。
While the government has forced the army to sell off most of its business interests in the last decade, the August First Film Studios are still army owned, and trying to make a comeback. It's cheap to make movies in China, and the army facilities are among the most spacious and well equipped in the country. In addition, the army can quickly summon thousands of soldiers as extras, and has a huge stock of military props.
日本金澤地方法院在志賀核電廠訴訟中,判定該核電廠可能因為預期外的大地震,為害附近居民 安全,下令目前運轉中的二號機停機。這是日本司法界首次判定,依照國家耐震安全基準設計建 蓋的核電廠,耐震安全有問題,此判決也引起全國各地對國家核能耐震安全基準的質疑。(後略) 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://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/24/AR2006032400742.html Japanese Nuclear Reactor Ordered Shut Down By CHISAKI WATANABE The Associated Press Friday, March 24, 2006; 10:41 AM
But a string of safety scares has prompted analysts to ask whether Japan is over-reliant for its energy on a potentially dangerous industry.
While Japan holds a good reputation for public safety, its nuclear industry has suffered several setbacks in recent years.
This includes an accident at a plant in Tokaimura in 1999 caused by workers trying to save time by mixing excessive amounts of uranium in buckets, which killed two people and injured hundreds, and the temporary suspension of all 17 of Tokyo Electric Power Co's (Tepco) plants in April 2003 after it admitted falsifying safety records.
In 2004, Japan suffered its worst-ever nuclear power accident, when hot water and steam leaking from a broken pipe at a nuclear plant run by Kansai in western Japan killed five workers.
Satoshi Fujino, public relations officer at the Citizens' Nuclear Information Centre in Tokyo, has said the roots of the problems are two-fold: inadequacy in government regulation and a culture within the industry's management of covering up mistakes.
“This is a very significant verdict,” said Aileen Mioko Smith, director of Green Action. “There are some power plants in Japan that are seismically even worse than this one.
ttp://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.24108,filter.all/pub_detail.asp Understanding Strategy: A Delicate Dance America Must Learn to Comprehend Chinaa??s Culture and Tactics By Dan Blumenthal, Christopher Griffin Posted: Friday, March 24, 2006 ARTICLES Armed Forces Journal (April 2006) Publication Date: April 3, 2006”
At the height of the China threat debate, a handful of sinologists brought academic rigor to the study of Chinese strategic culture and produced exceptionally insightful accounts of how Chinese strategists view their security environment. By the end of the decade, these works established the mainstream view on Chinese strategic culture. ・・・ ・・・ But Chinese strategic culture predicts that this asymmetric distribution of power is not completely to Chinaa??s disadvantage. The Chinese term for the a??hegemona?? translates literally as a??bully power,a?? and Chinaa??s strategists believed that the hegemonic position of the United States would drive the other powers to create a multipolar world. This declinist view of American power held that as long as China could a??bide its time and hide its capabilities,a?? in the words of paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, it would stand poised to benefit in this emerging world order.
This gradual dissolution of U.S. hegemony would bring China other advantages. While the United States tied itself down in various wars, it necessarily revealed its disposition and vulnerabilities. Through study and understanding, China can respond to the changing American way of war without ever revealing how it would fight. Chinese strategists thus studied the 1991 Persian Gulf War closely, inspiring many commentators to conclude China must prepare for a??local war under modern high-technology conditionsa?? by investing in weapons systems that would directly undermine major U.S. capabilities.
The growth of the insurgency in Iraq from early 2004 presented China with welcome evidence that the declinist view was right after all and that the U.S. was making mistakes that would lead to its fall like all bully powers before it. China also decided the time was ripe to take advantage of those mistakes.
The essential theme that would guide Chinese diplomacy in this period was a variation on the peaceful rise theory, as China could offer itself as a normal diplomatic alternative to the United States. Whereas U.S. envoys demanded cooperation against terrorism, Chinese diplomats focused on economic cooperation. Likewise, China could build on its traditional policy of offering a friendly hand to countries that fell crossways of the U.S. human rights agenda.
Using this approach, China reinvigorated the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Following the massacre of Uzbek protestors in May 2005, China organized an SCO joint statement calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Central Asia(ry ・・・ ・・・ As Chinese historical theory predicts, the United States will increasingly find its military and diplomatic options hemmed in while China develops its military and political capacities. This is, as Chinese strategists would say, the tide of history.
A document dated April 2 2003 from Iraq's foreign minister to Saddam said the attack would not begin until the US 4th Infantry Division, which had become stranded on ships in the Mediterranean after Turkey refused to cooperate in the invasion, arrived around April 15. This helped the US military to give the impression that the invasion was still some way off, in order to catch Saddam's regime by surprise, the Pentagon report said. In fact, the US military began the attack before the division was in place and the Iraqi capital fell on April 9.
One of the documents, which purports to be a summary of a letter sent to Saddam Hussein's office by a Russian official, claims that Moscow had "sources inside the American Central Command in Doha" ? the U.S. military's headquarters during the war ? which Russia used to convey American intentions and troop movements to Baghdad.
Analysts said the revelations could be some of the most damaging to bilateral relations since the end of the Cold War, and while they cautioned that Moscow may have an explanation for the disclosures, they noted that some of the details were so sensitive that they would be hard to justify.
QUESTION: Yes, do you have anything about a meeting between U.S. and South Korean new representative for six-party talks?
MR. ERELI: Just a little bit. The Republic of Korea Vice Foreign Minister, Mr. Chun Young Woo is in Washington, March 23rd through 24th -- yesterday and today. Yesterday he met with Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Robert Joseph, as well as with his counterpart in the six-party talks Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill. They discussed ways to move the six-party talks forward. This afternoon, the Vice Minister will meet with our counselor Philip Zelikow for further discussions.
QUESTION: Do you have any timetable toward six-party talks?
MR. ERELI: I do not. We'd like to see them resumed as soon as possible.
The Harvard Kennedy School of Government logo has mysteriously disappeared from the disgracefully shoddy paper recently co-authored by its academic dean Stephen Walt. (The “logo” remains in the Harvard Abstract to the paper. And the report is still listed as one of the JFK “Faculty Research Working Paper Series.”) Additionally, there is a semi-disclaimer at the start of the paper which was not there originally: “The two authors of this Working Paper are solely responsible for the views expressed in it. As academic institutions, Harvard University and the University of Chicago do not take positions on the scholarship of individual faculty, and this article should not be interpreted or portrayed as reflecting the official position of either institution.” Ed Lasky 3 22 06 ttp://www.americanthinker.com/comments.php?comments_id=4695
As China moves ahead steadily in the global marketplace, its ultimate success will depend not just on its buying power. Among other things, China must have a free press and a judicial system based on the rule of law rather than political power. One highly public test of both will be whether the Chinese authorities release Zhao Yan, who has been in jail for nearly 18 months on specious charges that he revealed state secrets to The New York Times. ・・・・ ・・・・ By now, it should be clear to the Chinese authorities that American leaders and the international news media are not going to forget this case. Zhao's plight should remain on the agenda for President Hu Jintao's first official visit to Washington next month. A better outcome would be for China to follow up on the withdrawal of the charges against Zhao and release him immediately.
Currently, only a handful of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds focus on Japan. Late last month, investors lost one of those options when mutual-fund giant Fidelity Investments closed its Japan Smaller Companies fund to new shareholders.
All told, U.S. investors have poured nearly $2.8 billion into Japan-focused mutual funds for the 12 months ended Jan. 31, according to investment-research firm Lipper Inc. They have put even more -- some $4.5 billion -- into Japan-focused exchange-traded funds, which resemble index-tracking mutual funds but trade on an exchange, like stocks.
Now, index-provider Russell Investment Group is in advanced talks to license its Russell/Nomura Prime Index, which tracks the performance of Japan's 1,000 biggest stocks, for an ETF to be launched in the spring. The Prime Index had an annualized return of 44.36% for the year ended Feb. 28, and 7.6% over the past five years.
The largest and oldest Japan-specific exchange-traded fund is the iShares Morgan Stanley Capital International Japan Index Fund, offered by San Francisco-based Barclays Global Investors' iShares unit. The fund has garnered nearly $13.7 billion since its launch in 1996, and is now one of the largest international ETFs. Its underlying MSCI index is comprised of some 279 stocks, and aims to capture 85% of the total market value of the Japanese stock market. The ETF returned 24.65% in 2005, and about 4% annualized over the past five years.
Index-fund giant Vanguard Group entered the international ETF arena with three offerings last year. Of those, the Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Vipers seeks to track the performance of the MSCI Pacific Index, which holds around three-fourth of its assets in Japanese stocks.
431 名前:名無的発言者 メェル:sage 投稿日:2006/03/25(土) 14:13:46 <ホワイトハウス報道官と記者の実際の会話> Q: The Chinese say that their president's visit here will be a "state visit" and in your announcement it was referred to simply as "a visit." So what will be the formal status of the visit?
McClellan: Well, uh, I mean... let me mention a couple of things on that. Because I think, I think... when President Hu comes to visit, and each visit, in our view, is unique. And my understanding is that when President Hu travels to a foreign country... the Chinese refer to that as a state visit, but there will be a number of activities that will be taking place... He will be accorded full military honors when he comes and... President Hu and his wife will be the guests of President and Mrs. Bush for lunch here at the White House...
Q: Just lunch and not dinner? Not dinner?
McClellan: It's an official visit. It's a visit. That's the way I would describe it.
Q: Is there going to be a state dinner?
McClellan: Well, I, again, I would just say... each visit to the United States is a unique one...
Q: Help me with that... terminology-wise. What's the difference? State visit? Official visit.? Is there anything in protocol... I mean what are we talking about here?
McClellan: I just described it as, uh, the president looks forward to the visit of President Hu and…each visit is unique...
安倍と晋の3の外のいかなる人は日本の首相になってすべて小泉の後で政府の基調を変えて、特に 中日関係の上にある。福田と康の夫はと中国の指導層が最も“温和だ”の政治の人物に関係する のだと思われて、彼は自分の選挙に立つ首相を否定して、しかし渡辺の恒雄は彼の立場がすでに 軟化を始めたと語っている。最近の世論調査の中で、福田と康の夫は13%の支持率を得て、安倍晋 三に次ぐ。(章田) 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 ttp://news.ft.com/cms/s/d6403772-ba49-11da-980d-0000779e2340.html Media baron weighs into Japan PM succession By David Pilling in Tokyo Published: March 23 2006 08:59
Tsuneo Watanabe, chairman and editor-in-chief of the Yomiuri newspaper, the biggest daily in the world with a circulation of 10m, said on Thursday that either Yasuo Fukuda or Kaoru Yosano could still pip the popular Mr Abe to the prime ministership in September. 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 中国新聞の参照しているFTの記事というのが反日風味のDQN記者、David Pillingの書いているも のというのは笑わせる。中国のメディアもDavid Pillingも、日本国が中国と同じ長老支配の国 だと勘違いしているらすいので、これも矢鱈おかすい。
To see where sushi’s most important raw ingredient comes from, we asked 50 top sushi restaurants in 10 cities where they get their fish. Here’s a sampling of what we found.
一部分だけ紹介すると:
LOS ANGELES Matsuhisa、R-23、Sushi Nozawa、Sushi Sasabune、Sushi Tenn NEW YORK BondSt、Geisha、Jewel Bako、Morimoto、Sushi Yasuda SAN FRANCISCO Anzu、Hana Japanese Rest.、Kabuto、Koo、Ozumo Restaurant WASHINGTON Kaz Sushi Bistro、Makoto、Sushi-Ko、Sushi Taro、Tako Grill
Taiwan's main opposition party is building a consensus on an $11 billion U.S. arms package that has long been delayed by political wrangling, according to the party's leader.
Ma Ying-jeou, chairman of the Nationalist Party, said the party was working with other opposition parties to put the issue to a vote in the Legislative Yuan.
The evaluation of the weapons deal would be based on Taiwan's defense needs, the state of relations with China, Taipei's financial capabilities and public opinion, added Ma, whose party favors closer ties with China.
"supplied the Fedayeen Saddam with silencers, equipment for booby-trapping vehicles, [and] special training on the use of certain explosive timers. The only apparent use for all of this Division 27 equipment was to conduct commando or terrorist operations."
About a dozen reinforced concrete buildings line the front edge with a large parade field, concrete and steel obstacle course and even a shooting range within its confines. The camp has many modern amenities, including running and heated water, a large kitchen and electricity. Some buildings had ceiling fans and central air conditioning.
According to those orders, the Fedayeen Saddam was "to start planning from now on to perform special operations (assassinations/bombings) for the centers and the traitor symbols in the fields of (London/Iran/self-ruled areas) and for coordination with the Intelligence service to secure deliveries, accommodations, and target guidance." The execution of the plan would take place in several steps. After the IIS selected 50 "fedayeen martyrs," they were to receive training at an IIS school. Those who passed the tests would be assigned targets. "The first ten will work in the European field (London). The second ten will be working in the Iranian field. The third will be working in the self-ruled field."
#Stephen F. Hayesの書いているものによれば、サダム政権は外国人(パレスチナ人その他)を #テロリストに養成するとともに、イラク軍の中から選んだメンバーを訓練してアフガニスタン #やパキスタンなどにテロリストとして送り出すというテロの輸出に手を染めていたという。
According to one non-Western official who closely follows Iran's progress, engineers at a pilot plant in Natanz are likely to start crucial testing to ensure that the centrifuges and the pipes connecting them are properly vacuum sealed in the next couple of days. イランの計画に詳しい非西欧国の外交官によれば、イランのナタンザにある実験プラントで エンジニアが、来る数日のうちにガス拡散濃縮装置のテストを行なうべく準備作業を進める という。
They are likely to begin feeding uranium hexafluoride gas into a series of 164 connected centrifuges within about two weeks, the official said. エンジニアらは2週間以内に6弗化ウランを装置に装填し164個の濃縮装置を稼動させるだろう という。
"If you can do one centrifuge, you can do 164," said Emyr Jones Parry, British ambassador to the United Nations. "If you can do 164, you probably do many more. That means you have the potential to do full-scale enrichment. If you can do enrichment up to 7 percent, you can do 80 percent. If you can do 80 percent, you can produce a bomb." 英国の国連大使であるEmyr Jones Parryは「1個の濃縮装置を稼動させることができるなら164 個の濃縮装置を稼動させることもできる」「164個の濃縮装置を稼動させることができるなら、 恐らくもっと多くの装置も可能だ。それは可能性としてフルスケールのウラン濃縮が可能だと いうことである。7%の濃縮が可能なら80%の濃縮も可能になる。80%の濃縮ができれば原爆 を作ることができる」と述べた。
Howard Kurtz discussed the subject of the media's coverage of Iraq yesterday on the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. There's a good deal worth reading, but here's the takeaway from Blitzer's final quetion: きのうのCNNシチュエーションルーム番組の中で
BLITZER: Very briefly, is there any sign of a backlash against the mainstream media because of our coverage of what's happening in Iraq? メインストリームメディアへのイラク報道への抗議と言ったものがあるのだろうか?
KURTZ: Yes, among conservatives, among military family members and others. A lot of people, as we saw that woman from West Virginia, blaming us for the situation there. 保守派、軍人の家族、そのほかにはそれはある。多くの人がイラク報道について抗議している。
If Kennedy is re-elected this year, this term will almost certainly be his last. His retirement will bring endless tributes from liberals and diatribes from conservatives. The Chappaquiddick references will be dusted off, along with references to cheating at Harvard and overindulgence in food and drink ? and then, once the hoopla around Kennedy’s departure has died down, they’ll be put away, maybe for good.
B企業規模が対等ではないが、恐らく対等合併を目指すものになる。アナリスト等は好意的評価 であり、ニュース発表後の株価もそれを反映。 On Friday, Lucent shares rose 24 cents, or 8.5 percent, to close at $3.06, while Alcatel gained 25 cents, or 1.6 percent, at $15.70, both on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was about four times normal for both companies
George Calhoun, professor of business and technology at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, said he thinks Lucent needed more scale given that "every time they turn around, they're looking at bigger, more powerful customers on the other side of the table."
Ikenson predicted that the senators would back away from making a move this week and await the outcome of a state visit by Chinese president Hu Jintao in April, but with many other anti-China bills also tabled in Congress, the pressure for action is mounting. He compared the rhetoric in Washington to furious objections to the takeover of US ports by Dubai Ports World last month. 'I look at the Dubai Ports situation - Congress turned into a mob. Everyone wanted to be seen as doing something about it. I think the same dynamic could take hold on the trade issue.' 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 来週に、対中輸入課徴金を課す法案が出される可能性は少なそうだけれど、今のアメリカ議会 のムードは保護主義的に傾いている(UAEの港湾施設買取が否定されたのがその象徴)から、何 らかの改善案が中国側から出てこない限り、この問題が収まらないということのような。
The United States deplores today use of force by Belarusian authorities against peaceful demonstrators in Minsk. We express our deep concern for the individuals who were injured and detained. We call on Belarusian authorities to refrain from further use of force and arrests against those exercising their legitimate rights to assembly and expression.
We urge authorities to immediately release all those being held for expressing their political views.
The practical implications of the senators' differences may be limited for now. Senator Graham said that he wanted to see the results of President Hu Jintao's visit to the White House in late April and what the Treasury decides in its review at the end of April of whether China manipulates its currency.
That suggests Senator Graham is also willing to take a wait-and-see approach and will not press for a vote in the next five days. ・・・・ ・・・・ Clyde Prestowitz, a long-time Washington trade analyst and the president of the Economic Strategy Institute, a research group favoring a more confrontational American trade policy, said in Hong Kong on Wednesday that while strong opposition from President Bush to broad trade legislation reduced the odds of significant changes in American trade law this year, the Schumer-Graham bill still had a chance if the sponsors push it forward.
ttp://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7050/620/320/gazeta.jpg (ロシアの新聞からの)おもすろい写真があって、その解説は: Col. Gen. Vladimir Achalov and Col. Gen. Igor Maltsev, both former high-ranking officers involved in Soviet rapid-reaction and air defense forces are seen at an awards ceremony with Iraqi Defense Minister Sultan Hashim Ahmed in early March 2003, less than 10 days before the start of the war. (イラク戦争開戦直前の2003年3月にロシア軍のウラジミール・アカロフ、イーゴール・マルツェフ の両高官がイラクの国防大臣・サルタン・ハシム・アーメッドから勲章を授与された際の写真)
外交面での順調な滑り出しから首相の支持率は就任後に急速に高まっており、投票終了直後に発 表された主要テレビの出口調査では、3州とも各州の連立与党が過半数を維持する見通し。(後略) 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 ttp://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5712710,00.html German State Elections Strengthen Merkel Sunday March 26, 2006 10:46 PM By STEPHEN GRAHAM Associated Press Writer
AP:ドイツの補選はメルケル政権を強化する結果に
``It was a good day for the grand coalition and for Mrs. Merkel,'' Bernhard Vogel, a veteran Christian Democrat, said on ARD public television. ``There are no longer any real hurdles so long as the main parties can agree.''
Merkel's pragmatic, consensual approach and a flurry of well-received foreign trips have sent her approval ratings soaring since she replaced Social Democrat Gerhard Schroeder as chancellor in November.
She has also struck good working relations with her former political foes, especially Vice Chancellor Franz Muentefering, who masterminded Schroeder's abrasive campaign last year.
However, analysts point out that Merkel's government has yet to tackle divisive issues such as reforming the creaking health service and deciding what role nuclear power will play in meeting energy needs. 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 メルケルの社会民主党(SDP)との協調を考えた政権運営が、いまのところ順調な支持をもたらし ているようで、シュローダー路線からの穏やかな修正軌道が始まったかどうかというところなの かすらん? とりあえず、選挙後のような国政混迷を避けるというのを優先しているような。 すかす「ドイツのサッチャー」の真骨頂を発揮してはいないわけで、今後が見物鴨。
U.S. military spokesmen declined comment on the accusations but issued a statement describing a raid by Iraqi special forces, with U.S. advisers, on a building that was not a mosque in roughly the same area. It said 16 insurgents were killed. アメリカ軍はシーア派の政治家の非難にコメントしていないが、発表した声明の中でイラク軍の 特殊部隊がアメリカ軍のアドバイスを得て16人の武装派を殺戮したと述べた。
Police said U.S. forces clashed with the Mehdi Army militia of radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, killing 20 fighters. シーア派サドル派のマハディ軍(武装派)がアメリカ軍と衝突して20人が死傷したと警察は言っ ている。
With Baghdad under night curfew it was impossible to pin down what happened. But unusually strident anti-U.S. coverage on government-run state television showed a fierce confrontation between the ruling Shi'ite Islamists and the U.S. administration. バクダッドの夜に起こった事件の詳細は不明であるがイラク政府の支配するイラクTVは常になく アメリカ軍に批判的なトーンになっている。シーア派の政治政党とアメリカ軍の意見の不一致を 感じさせる。
A spokesman for Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said the premier was "deeply concerned" and had called the U.S. commander in Iraq, General George Casey, who said there would be a full inquiry. アル・ジャファリ・イラク首相の広報官は首相がこの事件に「強い関心を持ち」アメリカ軍指揮 官に完全な事実究明を要求したと述べた。 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 ジャファリ首相はサドル師の支持派なので、こうした動きは理解でき、それは予想の上でアメリ カ軍がシーア派の武装派にお灸をすえたようにも見える(?)
この施設に誰がどのような理由で収容されていたのかは明らかではないが、米軍があえてこのよ うな措置を取ったことからみて、イスラム教シーア派とスンニ派の宗派間対立に絡んだ違法な収 容施設だと判断したようだ。 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://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=23270 U.S. arrests 40 Iraq Interior Ministry troops holding 18 hostages in secret bunker, as 30 killed in Baghdad レバノン・ディリー・スター Compiled by Daily Star staff Monday, March 27, 2006
U.S. troops on Sunday arrested at least 40 Iraqi Interior Ministry troops holding 17 foreigners in a secret bunker complex, while at least 18 Iraqis were killed after U.S. troops clashed with a Shiite militia. The developments came hours after 30 bodies, most of them beheaded, were found on the main street of a village north of Baghdad.
A Reuters reporter who approached the bunker complex on Sunday was turned away by Shiite militiamen.
American troops last year found 173 mostly Sunni Arab prisoners held in a secret Interior Ministry bunker. They showed signs of torture and malnourishment.
Economists said the results paint a rosy picture of Japan's economic outlook and bode well for growth in the January-March period. "We expect consumption will get stronger and stronger toward the end of this year and economic growth will continue," said Takuji Aida, chief Japan economist at Barclays Capital, adding that gross domestic product could rise 2% to 3% this quarter. 日本経済の1−3月産業産出が好調な見通しでありバークレィズ・キャピタルの主任エコノミストで ある会田卓司氏によれば「年末にむけて消費が強くなると予測する。経済回復が持続する」
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's all-industries index for January rose 1.4% from December to a seasonally adjusted 106.7, registering the strongest level of economic activity since 1988, when the government started using the current statistical format. 日本政府の経済産業省は1月の全産業産出(季節調節済み)は12月から+1.4%の106.7となった。 この値は1988年、統計を取リ始めて以来のもっとも強い値である。
"The report confirms that the economy, which expanded robustly in the fourth quarter last year, remains on a solid growth path," said Paul Sheard, chief Asia economist at Lehman Brothers. 「この報告は昨年4Qに高度成長した日本経済が引き続き堅調である事を示す」とリーマンブラ ザーズの主任エコノミスト、Paul Sheardがのべた。
"Overall, today's data confirm that the Japanese recovery is rapidly expanding its reach," Mr. Aida said. 会田氏は「全体として今日のデータは日本経済の回復が急速であることを示す」と述べた。
"My view is that the China market was performing so poorly without any fundamental reason," Liu said. "I think people have been wrong to be negative in the past few years."
"I strongly believe that if you invest today, in two or three years' time your money will be doubled," said Liu, who manages the approximately US$250 million (euro208 million) that Atlantis invests in Chinese stocks listed in Hong Kong and the mainland. 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 中国経済の成長率が引き続き高い値を示しているので、こういう強気論も出てくると思われ。 すかす、こういう見方はマーケットの主流とは限らないような・・・まあ、市場には常に熊と 雄牛がいるわけで。
From events in the past, I don't really expect any gratitude to be shown by either Sunni or Shi'a leaders for actions taken by the US to protect them against the depredations of militias. There might be some "gratitude" but what's more important is simply keeping people quiet and safe. Just my opinion.
If the move is a concerted campaign against the radical militias, this indicates the U.S. and Iraqi Army are calculating there is enough 'space' to take on a second front; the security forces can safely handle both the Sunni led insurgency and combat operations against Sadr's Madhi Army. Another possibility is the rogue militias can no longer safely be ignored, as their actions have now exceeding the threshold of tolerable violence and threaten to plunge the nation into civil war.
It should be remembered Sadr's Madhi Army was thoroughly routed in Najaf during the Summer of 2004, with an estimated 2,000 plus of his fighters killed during a U.S. and Shiite assault on his forces. Sadr may have a following, but there are plenty of Shiites who do not support his antics, including the most powerful Shiite in Iraq, Ayatollah Sistani.
What Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, has called "phase two" of her term will begin this week after three regional elections yesterday left the balance of power in her left-right coalition intact. 選挙の勝利によってメルケルの連合政権は、今週からその「フェーズ2」が始まる。
1) Timing. Though he's with the mainstream of his party on the big-ticket social issues, McCain has parted ways on key tactical fights (campaign finance, global warming, torture, tax cuts) at inopportune times.
2) Location. Because McCain has spent his whole political career in Washington, he has made enemies with some of the most powerful people in the Republican Party establishment - and just about every act of defiance has been broadcast far and wide.
3) Demeanor. McCain praises Hillary Clinton, works with Ted Kennedy and co-writes legislation with enemy-du-jour Russ Feingold. He's even known for cozying up to liberal reporters.
4) Memory. Elephants will never forget McCain's bitter primary battle with President Bush or his speech equating Jerry Falwell with Louis Farrakhan.
QUESTION: Change of subject. There are differing stories coming out today on the Sadr city attack against the mosque with cleric al-Sadr as well as the whole front page story here in the Washington Post in an editorial written by Michael O'Hanlon of Brookings. Have you read that editorial? Do you have any comment?
MR. MCCORMACK: Well, I have not read the op-ed, sorry to say. In terms of the incident in Baghdad, I know our military commanders have addressed it. I know the Iraqis have spoken to it as well. This was an Iraqi operation. U.S. forces were in support and the Iraqis were going after a cell of individuals who were suspected of committing acts of violence as well as kidnapping individuals. They took action against them. And it is my understanding from our Embassy in Baghdad that the operation was not -- did not take place in a mosque. I know that that's been something that's been out there, but we understand from the Iraqi as well as U.S. officials that it did not take place in a mosque. 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 広報官の答弁はそつのない如何にも国務省的のもの。ブルッキングス研究所のオハンロンの書い ているWaPoの評論というのは↓
Up to 1.5 million local government workers are planning to strike on Tuesday, closing thousands of schools and disrupting travel in what unions say will be the biggest action since the 1926 General Strike.
Both sides miss the larger point. Creating the expectation of permanent employment for any worker is usually a bad idea. A contract between employer and employee should last only as long as each party is content with the arrangement. That's called a free market.
The administration of President George W. Bush will face mounting pressure to take tougher action against China over the value of its currency with the introduction on Tuesday of legislation that would all but force the US Treasury to brand China as a currency manipulator.
If a country were found to have a “misalignment”, it would be given six months to move towards a resolution of the problem. If it failed to act, the administration would be required to use a range of sanctions that would include blocking any increase in the country’s voting rights at the International Monetary Fund, and barring the country from receiving insurance and guarantees for US investors offered by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, a US government agency that supports US companies investing abroad.
The US Treasury has angered many lawmakers by refraining from branding China a currency manipulator in its twice-yearly reports to Congress on exchange rates and trade. Frustration has been building in Congress over the administration’s gentle, diplomatic efforts to convince China to revalue its currency.
The Grassley-Baucus legislation is likely to receive wide support in Congress and is intended in part to draw away support from more draconian legislation that would impose 27.5 per cent tariffs on all Chinese imports to the US. 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 ブッシュ政権は、いままで大変古典的な自由貿易擁護論の立場を取ってきたのだけれど、貿易不均 衡の度合いが大きくなりすぎ、為替問題は議論され始めて何年にもなるのに一向に改善の兆しが みえないので、議会が強硬化している。そんなに簡単には収まらないような気もする・・
"It is sad and disappointing that this happened," said Chung Kwang Suon, a professor of finance at Chung-Ang University in Seoul. But he added that the investigation "shows that law enforcement is strong and active," something investors should find encouraging.
Despite the bored faces, this was the most dramatic campaign Israel has ever known "If I win today," promises Ehud Olmert, "I'll never smoke a cigar in the prime minister's office."
In Israel, the cigar is seen as a sign of self-indulgence, of ostentation, of hedonism. Netanyahu and Barak also smoked cigars, and their terms as prime minister went up in smoke quickly. Olmert is not keen to follow in their footsteps. 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 self-indulgence【名】 わがまま、身勝手、気まま ostentation【名】 見せびらかし、見え hedonis【名】 快楽[享楽]主義
We do not yet know. History will judge whether we can succeed in ``establishing civilized, decent, nonbelligerent, pro-Western polities in Afghanistan and Iraq.'' My point then, as now, has never been that success was either inevitable or at hand, only that success was critically important to ``change the strategic balance in the fight against Arab-Islamic radicalism.''
Fukuyama's book is proof of this proposition about the lack of the plausible alternative. The alternative he proposes for the challenges of 9/11 -- new international institutions, new forms of foreign aid and sundry other forms of ``soft power'' -- is a mush of bureaucratic make-work in the face of a raging fire. Even Berman, his sympathetic reviewer, concludes that ``neither his old arguments nor his new ones offer much insight into this, the most important problem of all -- the problem of murderous ideologies and how to combat them.''
Fukuyama now says that he had secretly opposed the Iraq War before it was launched. An unusual and convenient reticence, notes Irwin Stelzer, editor of ``The Neocon Reader,'' for such an inveterate pamphleteer, letter writer and essayist. After public opinion had turned against the war, Fukuyama then courageously came out against it. He has every right to change his mind at his convenience. He has no right to change what I said. 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 いうまでもなくWSJ・OPJに掲載されたフクヤマのブッシュドクトリン批判への反論で、クラスハマー の評論としてはもうひとつ切れ味が。すかす、彼の言っている目の前のジハーディストの脅威に対す る軍事的対応の必要性を軽く見すぎている、という批判は一理あるような。ただ、フクヤマにしてみ れば、目前の政策論争よりはもう少し長い期間をみた歴史に中でのポスト・ブッシュの論理に興味が あるのだろうけれど。
March 28, 2006: China's Communist Party is using nationalism to distract Chinese concern for government corruption. But this is backfiring, especially when it comes to anti-J apanese attitudes. Japan is a major trading partner, and source of investment and technology. While Japan has armed forces only a tenth the size of China's 2.3 million troops, Japan's GDP is larger, and its military technology is far superior. The Japanese are reshaping their armed forces, to deal with possible Chinese military moves. This makes China vulnerable to a highly capable military force right next door.
ttp://www.geocities.jp/riverbendblog/ Girl Blog from Iraq... let's talk war, politics and occupation. バグダード在住のイラク女性、リバーベンドが綴る戦争・政治・占領を話題にした ブログを日本語に翻訳しています。
htp://online.wsj.com/article/SB114357444164210347.html?mod=home_whats_news_us The Fed's Statement March 28, 2006 2:36 p.m.
The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to raise its target for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 4-3/4 percent.
The slowing of the growth of real GDP in the fourth quarter of 2005 seems largely to have reflected temporary or special factors. Economic growth has rebounded strongly in the current quarter but appears likely to moderate to a more sustainable pace. As yet, the run-up in the prices of energy and other commodities appears to have had only a modest effect on core inflation, ongoing productivity gains have helped to hold the growth of unit labor costs in check, and inflation expectations remain contained. Still, possible increases in resource utilization, in combination with the elevated prices of energy and other commodities, have the potential to add to inflation pressures.
The Committee judges that some further policy firming may be needed to keep the risks to the attainment of both sustainable economic growth and price stability roughly in balance. In any event, the Committee will respond to changes in economic prospects as needed to foster these objectives.
エコノミストの多くは「Still, possible increases in resource utilization」というフレーズ に注目していて、バーナンキがインフレを見る尺度にこれが大きなものであることに触れている。 全体のトーンは、インフレファイターとしては鳩派なのではないかという解釈も。後一回ないし 二回で、利上げが打ち止めになる可能性を言う人もいる。最低でも後一回の利上げはありそうで 5月の利上げはほぼ確定。
イラクのシーア派はUIA(United Iraqi Alliance)という最大政党を作っているのだけれど、こ のUIAは一枚岩というわけでもなくて、その内部は、@ハキムの指導するSCIRI(Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq)、Aジャファリ首相を指導者とするDawa派閥、Bサドル 師の勢力、Cal-Jabiriの指導するFadhila派閥、などに分かれる。(Dr. Raphaeliの分類)
One possibility under investigation, the prosecutors said, is that Mr. Kim helped Hyundai Motor win government approval to expand its three-story office building in Seoul to a 21-story building.
The surveys, issued by Israeli media after voting ended, gave centrist Kadima 29-32 seats in the 120-member legislature, putting it in a good position to form a coalition government, with 20-22 seats going to centre-left Labour and 12 to the right-wing Likud.
The far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party was projected by two exit polls to get 14 seats, besting Likud.
ttp://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/HC29Dh03.html Mar 29, 2006 How the US-Japan alliance will shape Asia The following interview is excerpted, with permission, from the March issue of The Oriental Economist (TOE).
(日本と中国、韓国との「歴史問題」について) TOE: How do you evaluate the "history" controversy raging in the region?
Armitage: It is very troublesome. But it's become bigger than it should be. The "history" issue is, it seems to me, a symptom of a divisive nationalism that exists throughout Northeast Asia. China, Japan and the two Koreas are all caught up in this. But behind this is a process we've never seen before in the region: two major powers - roughly equal - occupying the same space at the same time. So for many, it is uncomfortable.
In the face of arguments from China, it has become very difficult for a Japanese prime minister to not visit Yasukuni shrine. But, if China were to pull back from much of its rhetoric, I would hope that Japanese politicians and the public would correspondingly respond.
Having said that, I really think Tokyo should resolve the textbook issue. I know that not many of the controversial books are purchased. But even those few distorted books affect the minds of young Japanese, and that is not healthy. If the textbook issue were clearly dealt with, it would dramatically show that Japan has moved on, accepted its past without in any way justifying the past, and is now concentrating on building new relations with its neighbors.
(アーミテイジは日本の特定の「歴史教科書」が歪曲されているといっていて、これはちと問題)
TOE: Let's talk about North Korea. Were you angry in 2002 when Koizumi suddenly announced that he would visit North Korea?
Armitage: Absolutely no. In fact, he was kind enough to inform me of his plan, and we really appreciated that. We knew before many in Japan knew. Ambassador Howard Baker and I promptly informed secretary of state [Colin] Powell. The prime minister assured me that none of our interests would be harmed. Secretary Powell quickly informed President Bush, and then the secretary called me and said that the Bush administration was confident that Prime Minister Koizumi would protect our joint interests.
Armitage: They are a good exercise. We have five of the six parties of a common mind, that North Korea should not have nuclear weapons. That's a good starting point. It provides a good reason for us to get together a talk. I think the process is very worthwhile. Having said that, it is not going very far, very fast. The same splits that existed in the Bush administration when I was in office still exist.
I give my highest compliments to Chris Hill, the State Department's new Asia chief. He is doing a tremendous job. But he has the same problems that we faced when Jim Kelly and I were there.
この表現から推測してアーミティジは現在の6者協議に大きな期待を持っていないような気もする(?)
TOE: What problems did you face?
Armitage: There is a fundamental disagreement over how to approach the North Korea problem. There is a fear in some quarters, particularly the Pentagon and at times in the vice president's office, that if we were to engage in discussions with the North Koreans, we might wind up with the bad end of the deal. They believe that we should be able to pronounce our view, and everyone else, including the North Koreans, should simply accept it. This is not a reasonable approach.
Those of us at the State Department concluded: from the North Korean point of view, the nuclear issue is the only reason we Americans talk with them. Therefore, the North Koreans would be very reluctant to let go of the nuclear program. We knew it was going to be a very difficult process. But you have to start somewhere. You start by finding out what their needs and desires are, and seeing if there is a way of meeting those needs and desires without giving away something this is sacred to us.
TOE: Ultimately, will we have to live with a nuclear North Korea?
Armitage: That is a very real possibility. North and South Korea are getting closer and closer. No question about that. And China is enormously investing in North Korea, and North Korea has become somewhat stronger economically. It is not tottering on the edge of collapse as it was a few years ago.
South Korea has become more and more involved in the North's economy. Many people in the South have concluded that Pyongyang would never attack South Korea. So, slowly on a de facto basis, we are seeing unification taking place between the two Koreas. There is nothing official about this process. It is facts on the ground, and the facts are visual to the naked eye.
(朝鮮半島統一の可能性) TOE: You seem optimistic about the two Koreas coming together.
Armitage: I wouldn't call it optimistic. At some point, a unified Korean peninsula could cause some complications for the US-Japan relationship. Korea has a robust population, relatively young. A unified Korea would have a huge military. And Korea would be a country that, very fairly, has often been described as a "shrimp among whales". I wouldn't blame Koreans if they were to decide that they do not want to be a "shrimp among whales". The desire to end that role that history seemed to impose on them would be understandable.
TOE: Concerning China: Does the United States fundamentally have a policy of containing China, working with Japan and India, and maybe Vietnam?
Armitage: No. I really mean that. Look at the facts. Look at the enormous level of American foreign direct investment in China, for example. And look at the fact that we have trained hundreds of thousands of Chinese engineers and other technocrats in American universities. We continue to do so. Our actions hardly seem to be those of a country trying to contain China. We do not have a policy to contain China.
All of us involved in the Pacific - Japan, South Korea, India, the United States - all of us, have a big stake in seeing China arise on the world stage in a peaceful, benign fashion. None of us know how China will emerge. China might choose a neo-mercantilist approach - a zero-sum approach. That attitude would amount to: "If it is good for Japan and India, it is bad for China."
The other approach would be: "A rising tide will lift all boats". In that case, China would view the economic vitality and strength of India and Japan, and the US, as good for China. As long as all of us involved in Asia have the latter view, there is a good chance to integrate China into the system.
EHUD OLMERT, ACTING PM AND KADIMA LEADER オルメルト、カディマ指導者
Today, Israeli democracy has spoken its piece, in a loud and clear voice. Israel wants Kadima. At this moment, I am looking toward Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem to the man who started it all, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. He is still our prime minister.
[To the Palestinians...] We are prepared to compromise, give up parts of our beloved land of Israel, painfully remove Jews who live there, to allow you the conditions to achieve your hopes and to live in a state in peace and quiet.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, LIKUD LEADER ネタニヤフ、リクード指導者
We have no doubt the Likud has suffered a tough blow. I intend to continue along the path we have only just begun in order to ensure this movement is rehabilitated and takes its rightful place in the nation's leadership.
We know that our way to achieve peace and security is the right way. We are not bending with the winds of fashion. We know that our way is the only way. The way that can base the security... and ensure, for all of us, a secure future.
JERUSALEM, Wednesday, March 29 ? Israelis voted Tuesday to bring to power a new centrist party, Kadima, which is committed to a further pullout from the occupied West Bank.
有権者は西岸地区からの引き上げを政策としている中道の政党、カディマを指示した
At the same time, Israelis turned away from the right, and Mr. Olmert should be able to carry out his plan for another withdrawal, unilaterally if necessary, from the West Bank to reduce the costs of the continuing occupation.
The Labor Party, which supports a West Bank withdrawal, was second, with 20 seats, giving it a strong position to bargain with Kadima for a powerful role in a coalition government.
A big surprise of the election was the far-right Russian-oriented Israel Beiteinu Party led by Avigdor Lieberman, which benefited from Likud's implosion and which took Russian votes that would have gone to Mr. Sharon. The party won 12 seats, one less than the religious Shas Party.
11.15PM: The major conclusions to be drawn from the election (Ynet): - Kadima will likely form the next government, but would not be as powerful as it had hoped - The Likud has collapsed, and may end up as the fifth-largest party overall - Avigdor Lieberman's Israel Our Home has become the third largest party - The Pensioners' party scored a major surprise with a much higher total than expected - The 17th Knesset may be one of the most split ones in history and would likely feature a fragile coalition
Kadima: 28 Labor: 20 Shas: 13 Israel Our Home: 12 Likud: 11 National Union-NRP: 9 Pensioners party: 7 United Torah Judaism: 6 Meretz: 4 Arab parties: 10
11.05PM: Definitely a victory for the center-left bloc, with 62-66 seats, while the Right got 48-51. I have to say that I did not pick it; I thought that the Right would do far better. The big surprises were the relatively good showing of Labor, the magnitude of Likud's fall from grace, and the performance of the Pensioner's party.
France's Liberation compares Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin's handling of yesterday's protests against the controversial employment law which makes it easier to hire and fire young workers - known as the CPE - with the way in which former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher dealt with the 1984-1985 miners' strike.
フランスの極左リベラシオンは、仏首相を昔の英国のサッチャーにたとえて・・
Germany's Die Welt sees a wider tide of woe washing over Europe, symptomatic of its inability to adapt to modern times. The daily links the mass strikes in France to pension strikes by council workers in Britain and ongoing industrial action in Germany.
ドイツのヴェルトは欧州に広まる政治的不安定性を憂慮する論調
Austria's Der Standard agrees, saying the French strikes have probably "dealt a deathblow to the contentious labour reforms in their present form".
オーストリアのスタンダードは欧州の労働法規改革がこれで駄目になるのではと書いている
Spain's El Pais says "France is living through a real psychodrama".
スペインのエル・パスはフランスがリアルの心理劇のようなものだという
According to Romania's Cotidianul, the protests show that France is still an "anti-model" in the EU. ルーマニアのコチディアヌルは現状を見ればフランスはEUの反面教師だという
"The children of the republic, though rebellious, are just cowardly rabbits", it says.
It doesn't matter what the state of the Bush Presidency may be two years from now, McCain will beat the overwhelming Democrat favorite, Senator Hillary Clinton, in just about every scenario. It's possible a moderate like former Virginia Governor Mark Warner could beat McCain, but the bottom line is that any Democratic nominee is almost a certain loser to Senator McCain running as the GOP nominee. (A caveat to that rosy scenario for Republicans is a brutal nomination battle where McCain manages to capture the nomination but angers enough conservatives to give Democrats a window for victory)
One can therefore see a certain "relaxation" of the Arab media as regards Israel, which after decades of seeing its very existence denied is now beginning to be treated as a "normal" country. This relaxation is certainly due to the decisive step represented by the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza (which earned Ariel Sharon the unique accolade for an Israeli leader of the applause of the UN General Assembly) which proved that, though it was an imperfect solution, Jerusalem was looking for a way out of the crisis.
In Morocco, Le Matin thought: "The Israeli elections on Tuesday could be a starting point for the relaunch of the Middle East peace process". The daily cited numerous Israeli opinion polls, and put its money on a win for Ehud Olmert but warned, "It is still too early to know if the US administration will encourage a Kadima government to re-open peace talks with the Palestinians, or allow one to pursue its policy of unilateral separation".
The inaugural edition bore the craggy features of Cui Jian, China's Bruce Springsteen, glaring in lurid red and gold from the front page. Also mentioned on the cover was Muzimei, a mainland writer whose steamy online sex diary earned her infamy and saw her weblog banned.
QUESTION: Have you seen the story about how the Administration is not particularly fond of the Iraqi Prime Minister and would like to see somebody else get the job?
MR. MCCORMACK: I've seen a lot of stories out there, George. And look, the bottom line here is that the Iraqi people are going to be the ones who choose the next Iraqi prime minister. It is for them to decide. They're going through a political process right now. There's a lot of bargaining. There's a lot of back and forth, not only about who will fill what job but also about what the platform of this government is going to be. So there's a lot of work going on behind the scenes and I expect that that is going to continue in the coming days.
That said, we are urging the Iraqi political leaders to move forward quickly and form a government of national unity, not because of what the U.S. expects but that's what the Iraqi people expect. They held an election, they put their trust in these political leaders and they expect them to move forward and form a government of national unity that is acceptable to all Iraqis and that has strong leadership. And who fills what position is going to be a decision for the Iraqi people and the Iraqi political leaders to make.
#流石に国務省はあからさまに首相選びに干渉するとはいえないような。
(イスラエル選挙結果についてのコメント)
MR. MCCORMACK: Well, Joel, you bring up the issue of the recent elections in Israel. Certainly, we congratulate President Olmert on the apparent victory of Kadima. I don't think the results will be actually certified and final for quite some time, but it's I think -- the votes are in. And we look forward to working with the next Israeli Government. We have worked over the years very well and very closely with the succession of Israeli governments. They are now going to enter into a process of government formation and also during that process come up with a platform for that government, and we will during this period of time, I am sure, be in contact with them about their thoughts on a variety of different issues, including the one that you raise.
Our views on the issues of borders and settlements and related issues are clear. They're unchanged. And just one additional bit of information. I expect that Elliot Abrams and David Welch would probably be traveling to the region in the near future. I think they're probably on their way and they'll be holding consultations in the --
"I will make it clear to the president that our relationship is vital on a variety of fronts. One such front is the economy and we expect that country to treat us fairly," "Encouraging China to move more rapidly to a more market-based, flexible exchange-rate regime is Treasury's No. 1 priority,"
(ゴアの主張) As some have said, "We are operating the Earth like it's a business in liquidation." More mechanisms to incorporate environmental and social externalities will be needed to enable capital markets to achieve their intended purpose--to consistently allocate capital to its highest and best use for the good of the people and the planet.
(エコノプンディットの批判) As others have said, you can put lipstick on her but she's still a pig. Authoritarian religion masquerading an economic theory of "sustainability" is still authoritarian religion -- and Al Gore is no economist.
UPDATE: And by the way, in case you missed it, Al is suggesting he be allowed to take over the National Income Accounts and re-do the definitions in accordance with his religion (oh, sorry -- I meant his "politics").
This would be about as effective as forcing public conservation of energy by re-numbering all of society's room thermometers -- you know, so that the old "room temperature" of 72 degrees is replaced by something "too hot" -- maybe 76 degrees or so. That would do it, no? 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 経済学の名を借りて、エコノプンディットのいう(religion)を語る論者は矢鱈に多くて、その 別名は("politics")であるらん。日本では格差社会だのニートだのという新興宗教が。
Mr. Ahmadinejad's defiant rhetoric is based on a strategy known in Middle Eastern capitals as "waiting Bush out." "We are sure the U.S. will return to saner policies," says Manuchehr Motakki, Iran's new Foreign Minister.
Mr. Bush might have led the U.S. into "a brief moment of triumph." But the U.S. is a "sunset" (ofuli) power while Iran is a sunrise (tolu'ee) one and, once Mr. Bush is gone, a future president would admit defeat and order a retreat as all of Mr. Bush's predecessors have done since Jimmy Carter.
この記事についている挿絵(顔から見てジョン・ケリーらすい)が秀逸。 Wednesday, March 29, 2006 The "Waiting Bush Out" Policy
292 名前:名無しさん@6周年 投稿日:2006/03/30(木) 20:34:59 ID:7GxdviH70 >>262 "Besides, it's a historical fact that millions and millions and millions of people have been slaughtered in China."
The Paris Opera canceled a world premiere today after staff walked out to express their support for part-time workers in the entertainment industry.
The premiere of Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho's ``Adriana Mater,'' an opus ordered by the French capital's theater for its modern Bastille opera house, was called off just hours before it was due to open ``despite long negotiations'' with unions, according to an e-mail received by ticket-holders.
Now Kadima, a political project in its infancy, had to follow in the footsteps of Sharon without knowing what Sharon would do, with Hamas in power and the Iranian threat at Israel's doorstep. Perhaps even Sharon himself did not know what demons he had awakened, what opportunities he had created, when he left Gaza to Hamas, and what steps he should next take. What we know now is that once Sharon left Kadima, the Israeli public lost its appetite for change.
With Israel now encircled by Iran's proxies and Islamist fanatics, the last thing the country needed was an inconclusive result. It got just that. It will reap the whirlwinds of its apathy.
Audio for this story will be available at approx. 6:00 p.m. ET このオーディオファイルは東部時間・午後6時以降にうpされる。
Talk of the Nation, March 30, 2006 ・ Two Asian giants, China and Japan, are struggling to get along. Their issues include disputed oil rights, military buildups, national pride, and the legacy of the second world war. Neal Conan leads a discussion on how the growing power struggle in Asia affects the rest of the world.
Guest: Ezra Vogel, professor of Social Sciences Emeritus at Harvard University; former director of the Fairbanks Center for Chinese Studies; former director of the U.S.-Japan program at the Center for International Affairs; author of Japan Is Number One; editor of Living with China.
In Russia, there recently appeared a website selling an easy to use hackers kit called WebAttacker. For $15, the buyer got an easy to use bit of software that enables the user to hack into, and take over, other people's computers. That makes it possible to carry out theft via the Internet, as well as provide parking spaces for files.
[ワシントン 30日 ロイター] ニューヨーク・タイムズ紙は30日、ボルテン次期 大統領首席補佐官は、政府の方針をより強く示すため、スノー財務長官の更迭を望んでい ると報じた。 ttp://news.www.infoseek.co.jp/world/story.html?q=31reutersJAPAN208054&cat=17 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 A prominent Republican in Washington who consults often with the White House said Mr. Bolten, who is to assume his duties next month, wants Mr. Bush to replace the Treasury secretary, John W. Snow, with someone who can more forcefully communicate the administration's message that the economy is strong. This Republican was granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations within the administration.
Speculation about Mr. Snow's departure has flared and receded periodically for more than a year, and it returned after Mr. Bush's announcement on Tuesday that Mr. Bolten, the White House budget director, would succeed Andrew H. Card Jr. as chief of staff.
Names circulating in Republican circles as possible candidates for the Treasury post included Henry M. Paulson Jr., the chief executive of Goldman Sachs; John J. Mack, the chief executive of Morgan Stanley; and Richard D. Parsons, the chairman of Time Warner. ttp://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/30/politics/30bush.html?_r=1&oref=slogin (Chief of Staff Is Expected to Shake Up 2 Key Teams By ELISABETH BUMILLER Published: March 30, 2006)
Prices for gold, silver, and platinum are at the highest levels since the early 1980s. And then there's once-lowly copper. The red metal has set new all-time highs, finishing Mar. 29 at almost $2.46 a pound, yet another record. Aluminum and zinc are trying to get into the game, too, having recently exceeded their highs of the 1990s. And the metals bonanza of 2006 follows three previous years of rising prices. 金、銀、プラチナが80年代以来の最高値、銅も値上がり、鉛、アルミ、錫も上昇気配。
China Construction Bank and Bank of ChinaChina's big state banks are still not operating on a commercial basis despite the injection of billions of dollars of government bail-out funds and the sale of substantial stakes to foreign investors, according to International Monetary Fund research.
An IMF working paper published on Thursday says that the banks' working practices have hardly changed, with many still lending large amounts to state-owned companies with little or no pricing on the basis of commercial risk.
木曜日に公開されたIMFのワーキングペーパーによれば中国の銀行の経営姿勢には変化が見られず 依然として商業ベースでの危険度のリスクアセス無しに国営企業への多額の融資を行なっている。 (後略) 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 ttp://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.cfm?sk=18952.0 Progress in China's Banking Sector Reform: Has Bank Behavior Changed? Author/Editor: Podpiera, Richard
IMF:中国の銀行セクターの改革:中国の銀行の行動は変化したか?
Summary: Substantial effort has been devoted to reforming China's banking system in recent years. The authorities recapitalized three large state-owned banks, introduced new governance structures, and brought in foreign strategic investors. However, it remains unclear the extent to which currently reported data reflect the true credit risk in loan portfolios and whether lending decisions have started to be taken on a commercial basis.
We examine lending growth, credit pricing, and regional patterns in lending from 1997 through 2004 to look for evidence of changing behavior of the large state-owned commercial banks (SCBs). We find that the SCBs have slowed down credit expansion, but that the pricing of credit risk remains undifferentiated and banks do not appear to take enterprise profitability into account when making lending decisions.
Controlling for several factors, we find that large SCBs have continued to lose market share to other financial institutions in provinces with more profitable enterprises. The full impact of the most recent reforms will become clear only in several years, however, and these issues should be revisited in future research. (このサマリー以外の本文(25ページ)は有償で$15だという。IMF料金高すぎ)