ニューデリーのオブザーバー研究基金会(Observer Research Foundation)の研究者P V Ramana は言う、刑務所の襲撃事件“事実上通って心をこめて(電話の線と電線を断ち切って、道を封鎖 して爆破することを含む)と高度の協調がとれているのが類似して(数百名の武装反乱の分子が 1つの地区で多数の目標を襲撃する)の継続を襲撃することを訓練して画策したのだ。”
数年来、南アジア左翼の武装反乱を起こす分子はずっと“小型の革命区を”を議論している。 (compact revolutionary zone,CRZ)。このいわゆる“小型の革命区”はネパールからインド 北部のハルの国に比べて賈爾克を横切る汗の国はと蒂斯格爾(Chhattisgarh)を切って、ずっと 南部の安徳拉邦(Andhra Pradesh)まで(へ)延びている。見たところ、1本の連続した回廊を作 り上げることを計画する。(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 この記事は英語版を読んだほうがわかりやすい鴨。インド地名の中国語訳は滅茶苦茶なので。 ttp://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/HC30Df01.html Delhi fears only jihadis as Maoists rampage By Sudha Ramachandran
As worrying as the scale of Maoist attacks is the dramatic increase in the geographic spread of their influence. In the early 1990s the number of districts affected by varying degrees of Maoist violence stood at just 15 in four states. This figure rose to 55 districts in nine states by the end of 2003 and shot up to 156 districts in 13 states in 2004. At least 170 districts (of a total of 602 districts in the country) are said to be under Maoist influence today.
In a poll published earlier this week, just 1 percent of respondents cited him as their choice for prime minister when Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi steps down in September. Even among Democratic Party supporters, a mere 2 percent backed their party chief for the nation's top job, the poll by the Nihon Keizai business daily showed.
Danielle Brian, POGO's ED, testifies before congress.The Project On Government Oversight follows a rich tradition of assuring that the government continues to work for the people it represents. Our nation was founded on the very principle that representation and accountability are fundamental to maintaining a strong and functioning democracy. Today, these principles espoused by our founding fathers are under attack as our federal government is more vulnerable than ever to the influence of money in politics and powerful special interests.(後略)
Chinese enterprises have long complained bitterly about tax privileges enjoyed by foreign investors, who have to pay income tax at only 15% compared with a 33% rate for domestic firms. But the legislature continues to dither over the drafting of a law that would unify these rates. It worries that setting them at a level close to the foreign tax rate might considerably reduce revenues, but that doing so much above 15% might scare away foreign investment.
One theory is that a unified rate of around 25% will be set this year, with the increases for foreign companies to be phased in over five years.
A common feature unites France's underclass rioters and the rebellious students, as well as the election of the far-right Jean-Marie Le Pen into the run-off of the 2002 presidential election. This is the failure of the French political class over the past 20 years to tell it straight: to explain to the electorate what is at stake, why France needs to adapt, and why change need not bring only discomfort. This failure has bred a political culture of reform by stealth, in which change is carried out with one hand and blamed on outside forces?usually globalisation, the European Union or America?while soothing words about protecting the French way are issued on the other. After a while, the credibility gap tears such a system apart. The French voted for Mr Le Pen in part because they were fed up with the stale mainstream political class. The banlieues exploded because unemployed minorities were fed up hearing that they did not belong. The students and trade unions are in revolt because they do not trust the government to protect them.
The only argument against our decision that seems to me to have force is that a paper whose scepticism about government drips from every issue should have been sceptical about Mr Bush's government and its ability to do things properly in Iraq. This is correct: we should have been, and we were. But when the choice is between bad options and worse ones, a choice must still be made. Great enterprises can fail?but they fail twice over if they take away our moral courage and prevent us from rising to the next challenge.
戦争や紛争というものは、彼によれば:
Another candidate could be a miscalculation by a bigger country elsewhere?China, say, over Taiwan?of the opportunities provided by American weakness and transatlantic divisions.
Are these thoughts more apocalyptic than realistic? History suggests not. In the early 20th century, embryonic globalisation was suffocated not by economics but by politics; and the consequence was the bloodiest century the world has ever known. That's why this departing editor wishes fervently that his successor's time will see a redoubled American effort in Iraq, a revival of help from other countries in dealing with that conflict and with others, and a firm acknowledgment by politicians everywhere that the case for international engagement and openness needs to be made continually. It will certainly be made by The Economist.
ttp://www.strategypage.com/qnd/thai/articles/20060331.aspx The King and Us March 31, 2006: One thing keeping the Islamic rebellion in the south from gaining wider support is the respect and affection older Moslems have for the king.
RCP転載:NYTは壊れた時計みたく、ごくたまに正しいこともあるのだ By アン・クールター ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー アメリカの有名な極右の女性評論家(日本に良い例がみつからない、西村シンゴの女性版と でもいうか、なんというか・・桜井女史をよりアグレッシブにしてタバスコを効かせたよう なもの)の書いているニューヨークタイムズ糾弾の評論で軽く読むとおもすろい鴨。
NYTの小泉評価についても少しだけ触れている。
One year before elections in Japan, the Times was predicting defeat for Koizumi, a loyal friend to President Bush and an implacable supporter of the war in Iraq.
Reporting on the unpopularity of the Iraq War in Japan, the Times said "polls indicate that the population is against an extension" of Japanese troops serving in Iraq and that the opposition vowed to withdraw troops. Indeed, "some members of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's own party have been calling for the troops' withdrawal."
And then in September 2005, Koizumi's party won a landslide. The Times described this as mainly a victory for the prime minister's idea to privatize the post office, explaining that Koizumi had won "by making postal privatization -- an arcane issue little understood by most voters -- a litmus test for reform," thus confirming the age-old political truism, "Most elections hinge on arcane, obscure issues voters don't know or care about."
(日本についての中国の軍事的脅威) While no country save Taiwan (and, increasingly, Japan) likes to admit it publicly, there is today a “great game” underway for primacy in Asia, and the nations in the neighborhood are learning how to play it. The region’s two most powerful democracies-- India and Japan--are clearly taking steps to modernize their militaries, as well as to deepen their bilateral ties with one another, at least in part as a check against Chinese power.
(インドとアメリカの軍事的戦略提携) Forcing Beijing to worry about defending its western flank from air attack would provide an advantage to the United States. Toward that end, aerial exercises and even a U.S. air presence in northern India should be the focus of strategic dialogue. In addition, more cooperation in the realm of sea-lane protection, and dissuasion of the pursuit by China of a blue water capability should be a starting point for the relationship.
(オーストラリアの立場、ANZUS協定) The exception to this strategic convergence is China. Over the past few years, Australian Foreign Minister Downer has intimated that the ANZUS treaty does not extend to a U.S. conflict with China over Taiwan. Other Australian politicians similarly have stressed the soothing effects of the rise in trade with China.
This state of affairs should hardly be surprising; Canberra increasingly sees its economic future in China, and has greatly benefited from China’s voracious appetite for natural resources.
On the other hand, Australia’s long-standing security priority has been to prevent the rise of Chinese hegemony. If China’s Australian charm offensive wears off, Canberra could pivot very quickly to a more hedged China policy. It certainly has the infrastructure in place to do so, given its close relations with both Japan and the United States.(このパラ↑、要注意!)
(韓国・・・) America’s biggest problem in deterring and defeating China in a potential conflict remains ready access to the fight, and U.S. policymakers have essentially concluded that the ROK will be of no help in such a scenario. This has led to further doubts about the future utility of the decades-old alliance between Seoul and Washington. (この文章↑は、ここまで明確に書いちゃって、良いんでしょうかねえ?)
(ブルーメンソールのアジア分析の結論) China is working to undermine America’s bilateral alliances. And it is having some success with South Korea, as well as providing countries such as India with the opportunity to play Beijing and Washington off against each other or at least compete for their courtship. For the United States, preventing China from making further progress should be a central element of strategy in Asia.
It is France anticapitalist and officialized which expressed Tuesday, with the support of part of the opinion. It is true that only 36 % of the French would make confidence to the free enterprise, against 74 % of the Chinese, 71 % of the Americans, 67 % of the British (the Barber, March 25-26): a survey to be brought closer owing to the fact that the quarter of the employees works in the public sector and that the civil servant, largely represented at the Parliament, remains the ideal of the 15-30 years.
This fear of competition is in the heart of the tension. The owner is seen like the man of turpitudes, and the Fair labor standards act as the crowned book. The antiones behave as if they feared that this contract, by creating jobs, their belief shakes. But this motionless France cannot any more be satisfied with epousseter the mummy of the socialist model. Even the old Eastern European countries, Bielorussia with share, converted at the market and the risk. ・・・・ ・・・・ The time of the barbarians
To tell the truth, France lets itself see in a worrying state. The archbishop of Paris, Mgr Andre Vingt-Trois, made a good diagnosis, Sunday: "the blocking of the democratic institutions, the intimidation, the forced vote, the decisions removed with the snatch, the destruction of the intellectual tools, books and instruments of work, all that functioned in Europe at the XXe century, Germany and Russia. Our democracy should have shame to see re-appearing in its centre the phantoms of totalitarianism."
QUESTION: Okay. I would like to switch the topic a little bit. About the recent revealed Sujiatun concentration camp where it is said thousands of Falun Gong practitioners were killed for their organs, what is the State Department's comment about that?
MR. ERELI: Well, obviously, any such reports are taken very seriously by us. We haven't been able to confirm them. We have contacted the Government of China about them. The Chinese have publicly denied the allegations. We've made the point that a further investigation would be helpful. We urge that it be done. So at this point, they are basically unconfirmed reports and we've raised them and we've urged a full investigation.
For three years the insurgency attempted to establish its dominance in outlying cities such as Fallujah, Mosul, Tal Afar, Ramadi, Husaybah, Haditha, Samarra, Balad, Taji, Najaf and elsewhere, and failed.
Attacks in all areas of Iraq are down or even, and Baghdad has seen an increase in attacks by 8% over the past two weeks. Soldier's Dad provides a briefing slide of the distribution of attacks in Baghdad, and notes the high violence in the Mansur District.
ダライラマにテレグラフの記者がインタビューしたもの。 "Fundamentalism is terrifying because it is based purely on emotion, rather than intelligence," the 70-year-old monk said at the seat of his government-in-exile in the northern Indian hilltop town of Dharamsala. 「原理主義というのは、基本的に知性ではなく、感情に根ざしているので、手がつけられない」
"It prevents followers from thinking as individuals and about the good of the world. 「原理主義は、その信者に個人としての考えを捨てさせ、世界の善に対する考えを捨てさせる」
"This new terrorism has been brewing for many years. Much of it is caused by jealousy and frustration at the West because it looks so highly developed and successful on television. Leaders in the East use religion to counter that, to bind these countries together." 「新たなテロリズムは何年も前から吹き荒れている。その多くは、TVに見る先進国の世界が繁栄 に満ちていることへの妬みやフラストレーションによっている。東側世界の指導者が、宗教に頼 り、諸国をまとめようとしている」
テロリズムを人間的に扱うべきである、とダライラマは言う。 "Otherwise, the problem will escalate. If there is one Bin Laden killed today, soon there will be 10 Bin Ladens. Awesome. Ten Bin Ladens killed, the hatred is spread; 100 bombed, and 1,000 lose members of their families." 「そうしないならば、問題はエスカレートする。今日、ビン・ラーデンが殺戮されるなら、直ぐに その跡を継ぐ10人のビン・ラーデンが現れるだろう。その10人のビン・ラーデンが殺されるなら、 憎しみが広がり、100の爆弾投下や1000の家族のメンバーが失われるだろう」
ブッシュ大統領について: "He is very straightforward," said the monk. 彼はとても率直なひとだ
"On our first visit, I was faced with a large plate of biscuits. President Bush immediately offered me his favourites, and after that, we got on fine. On my next visit, he didn't mind when I was blunt about the war.
"By my third visit, I was ushering him into the Oval Office. I was astonished by his grasp of Buddhism." 「三度目にはオバール・オフィスに案内された。私は彼が仏教を理解していることに驚かされた」
ダライラマが有名人との会見を求めているとの批判に: "I never asked people like (US actor) Richard Gere to come, but it is foolish to stop them," he told the Telegraph. "My attitude is to give everyone some of my time. If I can contribute in any way to their happiness, that makes me happy." 「私はリチャード・ギアのような人に、会いにきてくれとか頼んだことはないけれど、来る人を 拒むことは馬鹿げている」「私は誰にでも会うし、誰であれその人の役に立つならそれは私にと って幸いだ」
"It is fascinating. In the West, you have bigger homes, yet smaller families; you have endless conveniences -- yet you never seem to have any time. You can travel anywhere in the world, yet you don't bother to cross the road to meet your neighbours," he said. 「西欧では大きな家に少人数の家族が住んでいて驚く。便利さはエンドレスのようだ。しかし十分 な時間がないようだ。西欧では人は世界の何処にでも旅行できるが道路を渡って隣人に会いに行か ないようだ」
"I don't think people have become more selfish, but their lives have become easier and that has spoilt them. They have less resilience, they expect more, they constantly compare themselves to others and they have too much choice -- which brings no real freedom." 「人々が利己的になっているとは思わない。しかし生活が便利になり、そのことが人をスポイル している。自制することなくより多くを求め他人との比較を行なう。余りにも多くの選択肢があ るが、そのことが真の自由をもたらすわけではない」
But the Japanese government has allowed the Dalai Lama to enter the country on condition that he does not engage in any political activities. すかす日本政府は(中国に遠慮して)国内での政治活動をしないとの条件をつけている
Counting all Senate seats, those on the ballot in '06 and those not up this year, the Crystal Ball currently projects 51 Republicans, 45 Democrats, with 4 Toss-Ups--totals that suggest modest Democratic gains this year.
(中国の軍事予算の膨張) What passes for a Chinese parliament earlier this month approved a 14.7% increase in its annual defense budget. After a meeting with Australia's foreign minister during her recent visit to that country, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said: "China should undertake to be transparent about what that means."
(中国のアメリカを標的にする核ミサイル開発) Sharing that doubt is Peter Rodman, assistant secretary of defense for international security policy. In recent testimony before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, an advisory panel set up by Congress, he noted China has at least 10 varieties of ballistic missiles deployed or under development, some of which will be able to reach virtually the entire continental U.S.
(中国のイランへの武器売却) China is also a seller of weapons. In recent years, it has replaced Russia as Iran's leading supplier of conventional arms, providing Tehran with artillery pieces, tanks, Seersucker surface-to-surface missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles targeted on the Strait of Hormuz, F-7 combat aircraft and rocket-propelled mines.
(中国のスーダンでの石油開発、武器売却) About 70% of Sudan's oil exports go to China, and now account for 10% of China's oil imports. China owns most of an oil field in Darfur and has flooded Darfur with anti- personnel mines. It also has supplied Sudan with tanks, artillery, helicopters and fighter aircraft. Chinese helicopter gunships reportedly operate from airfields operated by Chinese oil companies. Blood for oil, anyone?
(ブッシュ大統領はこれらの問題を胡錦涛と議論すべきだ) We do not know what Hu and President Bush will discuss during the Chinese leader's first state visit. We can hope it will include these items and other Chinese moves that, as the diplomats might put it, have been "troubling."
FRBのバーナンキ議長は物価安定の数値目標を明示する「インフレ目標」の導入論者。コア PCEの上昇率を前年比1―2%に抑えるのが好ましいと主張している。(後略) ttp://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/main/20060401AT2M0100D01042006.html ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー When volatile food and energy costs are stripped out, the increase in the so-called core PCE price index -- the inflation gauge favored by the Fed -- was steady at a 1.8 percent.
"As far as inflation goes, this was as good as you could possibly get," said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors.
このメンバーが見もので、主催はHasan NesrAllah(レバノン、ヒズボラ指導者)で: If you're not familiar with this conference, it's basically a gathering of all kinds of thugs you can think of; pan-Arab racists, Ba'athists from Iraq and Syria, Sadrists, Islamists (including Khalid Mish'al of Hamas this time). この会議を知らない人の為に説明すると、これは基本的に、武装派やテロリストの全員集合なの である。汎アラブ人種主義者、イラクとシリアのバース党の党員、サドル派、イスラム過激派、 それに今回はハマスのKhalid Mish'alまで参加している。
There are a number of things to note about this political conference of the "resistance". The first is that its participants consists of Baa'thists and Sadrists with a lot of coverage by Arabic media networks like Al Jazeera. Second, it's principle spokesman is Hasan Nesrallah, of Hizbullah who is described by Iraq the Model as being a pet "raised equally by Damascus and Teheran". Third, the conference is advocating a "two-track" approach. Track one is the armed resistance. Trace two is insurgency via the "political way". Says Nasrallah: "I respect those who chose the political way but I urge them to respect the resistance and not to interrupt its work".
Although Iraq the Model doesn't seem to think much of the insurgent's conference characterizing it as a collection of losers, it's noteworthy that they are belatedly trying to create the classic national liberation model, which always had three pillars: a national united front guided by a core ideological cadre with an insurgent army under its control with a cross border sanctuary. The Sunni insurgency of 2004 was a failed attempt to defeat America using only one leg; the military leg. Zarqawi saw this was a forlorn hope especially after the new Iraqi Army came on line and, as pointed out elsewhere, began a shift towards the notion of political warfare in early 2004. I think that the insurgent conference is an indication that this strategy is going mainstream. The new theory is that the key to defeating America is a coordinated politico-military campaign. Unfortunately, the US arrived at this conclusion somewhat before Zarqawi and has been waging a politico-military campaign of its own since the beginning. Haltingly perhaps, and with many mistakes, but basically pursuing the correct strategy.
UIAの中の政治的な現状は: "Daoud's call is supported by at least 60 percent of Alliance members of parliament," another senior Alliance official from another group within the bloc told Reuters. "We need another 24 hours before starting the battle" to pressure Jaafari into resigning, he added
"Alliance officials said the seven key groups inside the bloc, known to diplomats as the G7, met on Thursday and Friday and decided by four to three to give Jaafari days to persuade Kurds, Sunnis and secular leaders to rally behind him or quit."
ということなので、ジャファリ首相が方針転換するか、辞職するかを迫られている模様。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー こうした状況から見ると、先日のサドル派武装派へのアメリカ軍の参加した攻撃は、イラク政府や 政党への、アメリカ(と多国籍軍)からの政治的メッセージ(干渉)と見るのが正しいと思われ。 ビル・ロジオに拠れば: The strike against Sadr's Mahdi Army militia in the Hayy Ur neighborhood last Sunday was certainly the opening salvo of the campaign to bring the militias to heel.
Qassim Dawoud, who leads an independent bloc of Shiite parliamentarians inside the United Iraqi Alliance, joined several Kurdish, Sunni and secular politicians who for weeks have been saying that al-Jaafari is too divisive a figure to lead the fractured country through this crucial period.
"I urge him to step down for the sake of the Iraqi unity, for the sake of the political process, for the sake of the formation of the government," Dawoud said. 「イラク統一の為、イラク政治プロセスの進展の為、新政権樹立の為に彼は辞任すべきだ」
The left-leaning Guardian came up with the tale of Martin - vegetarian frontman for the rock band Coldplay - joining forces with David Cameron, the trendy new face of the once-staid Conservative party of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. ttp://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/6/story.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10375689
Oil prices appear headed back toward $70 a barrel, a level not seen since Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast and sporadic shortages sent gasoline at the pump above $3 a gallon nationwide. #こまったことにこれはエイプリルフールのネタではないような。
"I don't think we should be the first to leave, just due to our own circumstances," he told an Asahi television talk show. 朝日TVに出演した麻生外相は「日本の自衛隊が最初に撤退すべきとは思わない」と述べた
"It is extremely important to coordinate things, and withdrawing together would be the most desirable." 「物事を(関係各国で)調整する事は大変重要で、ほかの関係国と一緒の撤退が望ましい」
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has repeatedly said that Japan would have to carefully consider the situation in Iraq before deciding on a troop pullout. 小泉首相はかねてから再三にわたってイラクからの自衛隊撤退には状況の検討が必要と述べている
Asked whether the withdrawal would take place by the time Koizumi's term as prime minister ends in September, Aso -- himself a leading contender for the job -- said that would depend on how stable Iraq had become. 小泉首相退任の9月に撤退があるかとの質問に、外相はイラクの状況の安定度次第とした。
"The biggest idea is whether a government can be formed or not," he said, indicating that it was possible the decision on withdrawal may be made by Koizumi but the actual withdrawal overseen by his successor. 「最も大事なことは、イラク政府が成立するかだろう」と述べて小泉首相が撤退の決断をしても、 実際の撤退は後継首相の下で行なわれることがありえることを示唆した。
Two weeks ago, Aso was quoted as telling Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer that the situation in Iraq did not permit a decision on when to withdraw the troops. 二週間前にオーストラリアのダウナー外相に、イラクの状況は何時撤退すべきかを決めることを 許さないと述べたとされる。
The top trade union organization in China plans to unionize 60% of foreign companies by the end of this year, a senior union official said March 30. 中国の労働組合のトップは今年末までに外資企業の60%に組合を作る計画であるとした。
Sun Chunlan, vice-chairwoman of the government-controlled All-China Federation of Trade Unions, set the goal for local union leaders at a two-day working conference that ended in Beijing 政府の機関の一部である全中国労組連合の副会長Sun Chunlanが北京のカンファレンスで明らかに した計画で、労働組合組織化の数値目標を示したもの。
She said industrial bases and high-tech industrial development zones will be targeted and the conditions of these establishments will need to be investigated before unions could be established. According to official figures, China has low union membership in foreign companies. 副会長は産業地域やハイテク産業の労組の組織化を目標とするとし、中国の外資企業の低い労組の 組織率を高めるため調査が必要とした。
Two top Japanese officials called China a military threat on Sunday and rebuffed conciliatory gestures by Beijing over a disputed war shrine, in comments likely to heighten tensions between the two nations.
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw paid a surprise visit to Baghdad on Sunday to discuss efforts to form a unity government.
"We're going to urge that the negotiations be wrapped up," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said as she and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw flew overnight to the Iraqi capital for meetings with the current interim government and ethnic and religious power brokers. 「私たちは政権樹立のネゴをまとめるように求める」とライスタン
Straw said the choice of leaders is up to Iraqis alone, but neither he nor Rice disguised the blunt nature of their mission.
"There is significant international concern about the time the formation of this government is taking and therefore we will be urging the Iraqi leaders we see to press ahead more quickly," Straw said. ストロー外相は首相の選択はイラク人の仕事だが「これには大きな国際的関心が寄せられている。 政権樹立が早期になされるように求める」 ttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060402/ap_on_re_mi_ea/rice_staw_iraq
ttp://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2006/63990.htm Remarks With British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw En Route to Baghdad, Iraq Secretary Condoleezza Rice En Route to Baghdad, Iraq April 2, 2006
国務省ファイル:バクダッドに向かう途中で、ライス国務長官、ストロー外相の記者会見 (部分抜粋) QUESTION: Well, are you going to see Jafari, and what will you say to him if you do? バクダッドでジャファリ首相と会見するか?
SECRETARY RICE: Yes, we will see Prime Minister Jafari. We'll see all of the leaders. I think we've seen most of these people on most of our trips and we'll see the entire leadership, and Talabani and Jafari and Hakim and, you know, the list -- they'll give you the list, but it's a predictable list. ジャファリ首相始め全ての指導者に会う。タラバニ大統領、ハキム氏などを含む。
In terms of the message, the message is going to be the same to everybody, that there really needs to be a government that is strong and a unifying force for the country and that can act on the challenges that the Iraqi people face and act on those challenges expeditiously. And that message is not going to change, whoever we're seeing. イラクの人へのメッセジは統一イラク政府が、強い政府が早急に必要だということ。 イラク国民の期待にこたえ行動できる政府が必要だ。
QUESTION: Could I ask you both whether it's the view of the United States and Britain that Prime Minister Jafari is now a part of the problem and he'd best serve his country by stepping aside? ジャファリ首相は今は問題児であるか? 彼は辞任すべきなのか? (ストロー外相がイラク首相を決めるのはイラク人だとして、この質問をかわす)
SECRETARY RICE: And I'm not going to talk about confidential communications one way or another, if we did or we didn't. We have from time to time shared views with different leaders in the country, all leaders in the country. I just want to say a word about Ayatollah Sistani. I don't think there's anyone for whom we have greater respect than Ayatollah Sistani. He's been a voice of reason at difficult times for the Iraqi people. He's been someone who has urged unity for the country, who has used his position of considerable authority in the Shia community to urge an Iraq that would be tolerant and inclusive of all Iraqis. And so we have enormous respect for him. 私は多くの指導者と討議を行なっていて、それは公開できないものも多い。シスタニ師 について触れておくと、シスタニ師以上に我々の尊敬を受けている人はいないし彼は常 にイラクの危機にあって理性を代表してきたが、彼はイラクの統一を唱えている。彼 はシーア派のなかで影響力を発揮しており、私たちは大変な尊敬をしている。
QUESTION: Thanks, Madame Secretary. For both of you, do you get the impression from all of the different ethnic groups that they're still committed to a unity government? And it seems as if part of the jockeying right now is really between the ethnic groups themselves, particularly within the Shia community. Are you thinking of reaching out to some of the more hardline clerics like al-Sadr to see if perhaps they can play a more productive role than they're playing right now? Thank you. イラク統一に全ての宗教宗派や民族各派がコミットしているのか?対立があるようにも みえる。サドル師が過激な立場を修正すべきと思うか?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, it's certainly our view that all of the leaders with whom we will be speaking are still very committed to a national unity government. That's what they're saying. That's the way they're behaving when they meet with our ambassadors. I don't think there's any doubt that they're committed to a national unity government; it's just that this process is very difficult in getting there. 私たちの会う全ての指導者はイラク統一政府にコミットしている。それに疑いは無い。
I don't see at this point -- we're not going to meet with Muqtada al-Sadr. Let me make that clear. But the process is one that can be inclusive of all Iraqis who are devoted to a unity government and who do not intend to use violence to back up their claims. And that's really the issue about Muqtada al-Sadr and the Jaysh al-Mahdi militia, where I think it would be hard to claim that violence is not still in his arsenal. 私たちはサドル師に会う予定は無い。しかし、それとは別に政治プロセスは誰であれ 包含的であるものなのでイラク統一政府に貢献し、暴力で主張を行なおうとしない人 を拒否しない。これがサドル師やマハディ軍の問題なのだが。
April 2, 2006: What you see in the Iraq news, is not what you get. The news business demands startling headlines, to attract eyeballs. It's business, as the eyeballs are rented to advertisers to pay for it all. But the reality of the news is less startling, and consists of trends. These are the current trends in Iraq. イラクのニュースというものは、読んでも意味が無い。ニュース・ビジネスは衝撃的なヘッドラ インを必要とする。人々の注目を集めるために。ニュースは広告主の為に人々に注目されてなん ぼのビジネスであるのだから、それが全てなのだ。ニュースのリアリティというものは衝撃的で はなくて過去からのトレンドを伴うものだ。以下に現在のトレンドを解説する。
スンニ派はサダムの時代までイラクの特権的地位を占めていたがイラク戦争でそれらの利権を失 い、それが彼らの戦う理由である。アラブの文化には「損切りして次に向かう("cut your losses and move on")という考えは無いので、恨みが長引く。それであってもスンニ派も徐々にそうし たトレンドを認めざるを得なくなっている。
QUESTION: What was your message to Jafari, and how did he, if in any way at all, react to yesterday's call from some of the Shiites for him to step down? ジャファリ現首相に伝えるべきメッセージはあるか?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, he is quite focused on the -- as you see what he said, on the fact that, you know, he was nominated by the United Iraqi Alliance. And that's right, he was. And the one thing that we've been emphasizing with the Shia is that we don't have any desire to try to interfere with or reverse somehow the result by which the Shia get to nominate the prime minister because obviously the UIA is the largest bloc; they get to nominate the prime minister. 彼はUIAにノミネートされた首相で、その指名プロセスに干渉するつもりはない。
But the message to all of the parties, but the Shia, is that there are two parts to this process: One is you nominate; the other is that person has to be able to form a government of national unity. And thus far, Jafari has not been able to do that. Now, maybe he will be able to do it, but the urgency is that whoever is going to be the prime minister candidate is actually able to bring enough of the other votes on board to have a government of national unity. しかし、シーア派はじめ全ての政党にいいたいことは、首相の指名があって、ついでイラク 統合にむかって動き出すべきときであるのだが、ジャファリ首相はそれができていない。 今や彼はそれが出来るのかもしれないが、ここには緊急性があって首相候補は支持者を集め 統合イラク政府を樹立しなくてはならない時だ。
And so it's rather ironic because but for the overhang of the violence, this is a process that goes on all around the world as coalition governments are formed. But the Iraqis have to realize that there's particular urgency to their case because they are trying to use a government of national unity to disable those who are trying to stoke sectarian violence. 連立政権の構成は何処の国でも困難だが、暴力の問題がかかっている。イラクの人が理解す べき事は、今は緊急性があってイラク統合政府が宗教対立の暴力を防ぐ為に樹立されて動き 出さなくてはならない。
"The big manufacturers' index was slightly lower than our expectations of 21-23, but the overall data is not bad and I think the relative weakness is just a temporary phenomenon," said Koji Fukaya, chief economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.
The Economic Strategy Institute(ワシントンDC)というのはちょっと毛色の変わったシンク タンク(?)でWebサイトを見てもそれが解ります。ttp://www.econstrat.org/
Where We Are Going
Over the past decade, ESI has had a major influence on the conclusion of the NAFTA and Uruguay Round negotiations, U.S. economic and trade policy towards Japan, China and Europe, and telecommunications, international aviation, and other important economic and trade issues. ESI has also helped shape strategy for a number of multinational corporations. ttp://www.econstrat.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=50
April 3 (Bloomberg) -- French students, preparing a fifth day of nationwide protests against a new youth-labor law tomorrow, may turn to increasingly disruptive tactics, barring highways and railroads. 5日めを迎えるフランスの学生暴動は、ハイウェイや鉄道の妨害などを計画するなど更に悪化す る恐れが。
Having already marched on the streets in a March 28 protest, students are becoming more disorderly. Tactics already adopted include erecting barricades on the ring round around Paris, staging sit ins at highway toll booths leading to and from major routes to the south and blocking rail stations in Paris and Marseille. 3月28日のパリ市内のデモ行進に加えてフランスの学生たちは、さらに騒動を起こす恐れがあり 既にパリ環状道路でのバリケード妨害やハイウェイの料金所ブースの座り込み、パリとマルセイ ユ鉄道駅での妨害行動などを行なっている。
すかす、こうした抗議行動はフランス経済への悪影響は大きくないと見られており、 ``From an economic point of view, we don't see any impact at this point,'' Finance Minister Thierry Breton said at a March 31 press conference. 財務相のThierry Bretonは「経済の観点から見れば、いまのところ影響は無い」と3月31日の記者 会見で述べている。
Hudayf Azzam, 35, who claims close contacts with the fighters, said on Sunday: "The Iraqi resistance's high command asked Zarqawi to give up his political role and replaced him with an Iraqi, because of several mistakes he made.
"Zarqawi's role has been limited to military action. Zarqawi bowed to the orders two weeks ago and was replaced by Iraqi national Abdullah bin Rashed al-Baghdadi." Azzam's late father, Abdallah Azzam, was known as the "prince of mujahedeens" and advised bin Laden, the head of al-Qaeda.
この情報をもたらしたAzzamの義父のAbdallah Azzamは「ムジャヒディーンのプリンス」として知 られ、ビン・ラーデンのアドバイザーである。Azzamは「ザルカウィの役割は軍事行動にのみ制約 された。ザルカウィは二週間前にこの命令に従い、地位をイラク人に譲った。新しい指導者はイラ ク人のAbdullah bin Rashed al-Baghdadiである」という。
Azzam said he regularly receives "credible information on the resistance in Iraq. He said al-Zarqawi had "made many political mistakes", including "the creation of an independent organisation, al-Qaeda in Iraq". "Zarqawi also took the liberty of speaking in the name of the Iraqi people and resistance, a role which belongs only to the Iraqis," Azzam said.
As a result "the resistance command inside and outside Iraq, including imams, criticised him and after long discussions demanded that he be confined to military action". "Zarqawi pledged not to carry out any more attacks against Iraq's neighbours after having been criticised for these operations which are considered a violation of sharia [Islamic law]," Azzam said.
"I call on Jaafari to step down as nominee for prime minister because ... the candidate ought to secure a national consensus from other lists and also international acceptance," Jalal al-Deen al-Saghir told Reuters as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was urging Iraqi leaders to find consensus.
RCP転載評論:欧州社会民主主義(ユーロ・ソーシャリズム)の死 By パトリック・ブキャナン ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー フランスやドイツの経済停滞や社会問題の突出にかんがみてブキャナンの書いている死亡診断書 とでもいうべきもの。バイアスのきつい評論で賛否がありそうなものだけれど、いっていること は解らないでもない。
What is happening in Britain and France is happening across Europe: the unwinding of the social welfare state. "Are the good times really over for good?" wailed Merle Haggard, decades ago. In Europe, the answer to Merle's question is, "Yes, they are."
To finance these maternal welfare states, European regimes take 40 percent or even 50 percent of the economy in taxes, as compared with a U.S. federal, state and local tax bite of 33 percent.
Having cut defense spending and consigned their security to the Americans, the European regimes, one after the other, are finding they no longer have the tax revenues rolling in to sustain the benefits they have promised right up unto death.
What is coming is a time of continuous and constant cutbacks of benefits in every First World country. Public employees will have to work longer for less today and less tomorrow when they retire.
Except for those who can stay in the hunt in the Global Economy, the peoples of all Western nations will have to give up dreams of the good life and compete with the hungry young of the Second and Third Worlds. Their lives are going to be harder than their parents', and their retirements harsher.
ttp://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/02/world/asia/02robot.html In a Wired South Korea, Robots Will Feel Right at Home By NORIMITSU ONISHI Published: April 2, 2006 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 世界で無線通信がもっとも発展している韓国がSF(サイエンスフィクション)小説 にでも出てきそうなことを、現実化するために急いでいるとニューヨークタイムズ (NYT)が 2日(現地時間) 報じた。(後略)
Gay-Themed Film Gives Closet Door a Tug By NORIMITSU ONISHI Published: March 31, 2006
BASEBALL; South Korea At Classic: No Title, Much Pride March 20, 2006 - By NORIMITSU ONISHI (NYT) - Sports
Asia: South Korea Opposes Move To Revise Japan's Constitution March 2, 2006 - By NORIMITSU ONISHI (NYT)
LETTER FROM SOUTH KOREA; Campaigning for Human Rights, and Fishing for Souls February 24, 2006 - By Norimitsu Onishi (NYT) ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー オーニシ記者の記事は全くバランスを欠いた異様なものばかりだけれど、こういうのを延々と 掲載し続けるNYTの編集も、完全にバランスを失っているように思われ。
【モスクワ3日共同】3日付のロシア週刊紙ノーバヤ・ガゼータは、ソ連崩壊後の1990年代 にウクライナからロシアに移管された戦術核弾頭のうち、行方が分からなくなっている250発 が、イランに密売された可能性があると伝えた。(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 ttp://en.rian.ru/world/20060403/45139994.html RIA Novosti, Russia - 2 hours ago Ukraine did not sell warheads to Iran - defense ministry
ttp://www.mosnews.com/news/2006/04/03/noukriran.shtml MOSNEWS, Russia - 11 hours ago Russia Unaware of Ukraine’s Nuclear Supplies to Iran ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー エイプリル・フールのネタかと思わせる記事で、大手通信社や新聞社は取り上げておらず問題 にしているのはロシア国内メデイア位のものらすい。共同通信は何でこういうのに飛びつくの か良くワカラン。
SHENZHEN, China ? Persistent labor shortages at hundreds of Chinese factories have led experts to conclude that the economy is undergoing a profound change that will ripple through the global market for manufactured goods. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 深センや広東省の海外への輸出向け工場で労働力不足が顕著になってきており、一部の低付加価 値の労働集約的な製造業(玩具その他)を他の国に移してより高付加価値の製造にシフトする動 きがあると報じる記事。ただし長い記事で、労働力不足は局部的な現象にすぎないという専門家 の批判も記事後半にちょっとだけ掲載。
The Times--like many newspapers--feeds off anonymous sources, especially if the leak trashes the Bush administration. A Times reporter spent months in jail for refusing to reveal an anonymous source, and the newspaper happily ran leaked, classified information about the wiretapping of international conversations with terrorists. ・・・ Yet, the Times and others continue to embarrass the business with this kind of transparent nonsense. ・・・ The media's credibility has become so strained that partisans on both sides have to admit in good conscience that they're unsure of what's real. Obviously, this isn't good for a democracy. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 新聞などのアメリカのメデイアがどんどん(保守とリベラルに)二極化して、プロパガンダチック な記事ばかり掲載すれば、読者には何が真実かわからなくなってしまう。
April 3, 2006: Until recently, the three services of Japan's "self defense forces" have been strictly autonomous. There was no such thing as "jointness" and each service chief reported directly to the civilian leadership. This situation was the result of a deliberate decision to avoid "unification" of the armed forces, given the country's history of militarism. This despite the extraordinary state of inter-service rivalry between the old Imperial Army and Imperial Navy. This is about to change.
The Self-Defense Agency, the equivalent of a Ministry of Defense, recently created the equivalent of a "Chairman of the Joint Chiefs," and this officer will shortly take "command" of all three services. The long-term goal is to integrate as much of the administrative side of the self-defense forces as is possible, including procurement, logistics, and so forth. For now, however, the authority of the "chairman" will be limited to operational matters, under the watchful eye of the Prime Minister.
This is an extraordinary, and long overdue, reform. During World War II, and before, the army and navy (there was no independent air force) would regularly refuse to cooperate, even when the lack of cooperation hurt both services. Each service, for example, had its own fleet of cargo ships and tankers, and would not coordinate their use, letting ships return empty, for example, rather than move some material for the other service. Both services often developed plans that contradicted each other, even through both services were on the same islands threatened with attack by the United States. There was more cooperation post-World War II, but not to the degree that was required to make the most of Japan's military forces.
April 3, 2006: Since the 911 attacks, AWACS type radar aircraft have emerged as a key asset for security at public events. 911事件の後で、空域のテロの警戒の必要性からAWACSレーダーシステムの重要性が高まりオリン ピックなどの大型イベントの警備にも必須のものになっている。
AWACS ( airborne early warning and control aircraft) were securing the skies. These so called high visibility events (HVEs), which also include political events like the gathering of government heads at the 60th anniversary of the Normandy landings or the visit of Pope Benedict to Cologne/Germany in 2005, put increased demands on global airborne early warning aircraft fleets. For example 25 to 30 percent of the French AWACS fleet's current assignments have a HVE content. The next major event in this regard is the upcoming soccer World Cup in Germany in June and July 2006, for which Germany has already requested airborne early warning coverage through the NATO fleet of E-3 aircraft.
QUESTION: China and Australia signed today a nuclear agreement, an agreement obviously U.S. didn't support. Do you have any comment? 記者:オーストラリアと中国がウランの輸出協定を結んだが?
MR. ERELI: Well, it's not a question of U.S. supporting or not supporting. This is a deal between Australia and China. I would note that it's subject to an agreement on safeguards, which addresses the issue of how the fuel will be used. I would also note that China is a member of the NPT. So this is an agreement that I think meets every reasonable standard and that's how we see it. 回答:それはアメリカがコメントすべき事項ではない。両国の取引でありアメリカは 支持するとかしないとかいう立場に無い。中国はNPT加盟国で核拡散防止に責任を持つ。 そのため、両国の協定はそうした国際基準の枠組みの中のものと思う。
Q About -- on the news that we heard this week of a number of headless bodies being found along a road in Baghdad. I was wondering what more you could tell us about that, what you know about the victims, and who the perpetrators were?
GEN. THURMAN: Okay. I did understand that question, and what I would tell you -- we have not confirmed that report. We went to multiple sites to look for the 32 headless bodies that was reported to our headquarters, and we did not find anything; nor did any of the local citizens that were in these areas could verify that anybody had ever been in there. So I look at that report as completely false right now.
March 27: 30 Beheaded Bodies Found; Iraqi Death Squads Blamed BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 26 ? The bodies of 30 beheaded men were found on a main highway near Baquba this evening, providing more evidence that the death squads in Iraq are becoming out of control.
このブログの読者が、イラク報道で無茶苦茶な記事の多いNYTをあざけって、以下のように書い ている(笑) Next week's NY Times stories from Iraq:
BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 5 ? Iraqi heroin addicts are hiding their needles in theater seats, providing more evidence that the death squads in Iraq are becoming out of control.
BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 6 ? Iraqi militia members are driving through Baghdad with their headights out and beheading anyone who flashes their lights at them, providing more evidence that the death squads in Iraq are becoming out of control.
BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 7 ? This guy I know in tech services says there's a new computer virus that originated in Iraq providing more evidence that the death squads in Iraq are becoming out of control.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12015267/site/newsweek/ Europe Needs Its Own Koizumi Timing is critical. Japan first pushed financial reform, which forced labor reform. In Europe, labor reform came first, inciting mass protest. By Angel Ubide Newsweek International
Freedom in Afghanistan, say goodbye Taliban Free elections in Iraq, Saddam Hussein locked up Osama’s staying underground, Al Qaida now is finding out America won’t turn and run once the fighting has begun Libya turns over nukes, Lebanese want freedom, too Syria is forced to leave, don’t you know that all this means
Chorus Bush was right! Bush was right! Bush was right!
Democracy is on the way, hitting like a tidal wave All over the middle east, dictators walk with shaky knees Don’t know what they’re gonna do, their worst nightmare is coming true They fear the domino effect, they’re all wondering who’s next
Repeat Chorus
Ted Kennedy ? wrong! Cindy Sheehan ? wrong! France ? wrong! Zell Miller ? right!
Economy is on the rise kicking into overdrive Angry liberals can't believe it's cause of W's policies Unemployment's staying down, Democrats are wondering how Revenue is going up, can you say "Tax Cuts"
Repeat Chorus
Cheney was right, Condi was right, Rummy was right, Blair was right You were right, we were right, “The Right” was right and Bush was right Bush was right
c 2005 Pool Guy Music (ASCAP), All rights reserved.
ラミレス石油相は今回2社を接収した理由について「ベネズエラの法律に沿うことを拒んだため」 としてます。2社の油田はあわせて1日に10万バレルの石油を生産し、現在はベネズエラの石油 公社が管理しているということです。ベネズエラで外国企業の油田が接収されるのは、チャベス政 権になってから初めてで、ほかの外国会社は、すでに新しい契約を結びなおすか、油田の採掘権を 返還したということです。今回の一連の措置は、世界第5位の石油輸出量を背景に反米姿勢を明確 にするチャベス大統領が、石油産業への権益と影響力を確保しようとする思わくがあるものとみら れています。 ーーーーーーーーーーー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.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4873202.stm Venezuela takes back oil fields BBC
In an interview on state television, Minister Rafael Ramirez said the government took over the fields operated by Total and Eni on Saturday. "We are waiting for a resolution with these operators after they exhausted the possibility of entering into the mixed companies," Mr Ramirez added.
Patricia Marie, a spokeswoman in Paris, confirmed by phone that negotiations with the state had faltered and that employees from Petroleos de Venezuela, better known as Pdvsa, were now on the company's Jusepin oil field. But she said that Total, whose main investment is in the heavy-oil region, hoped to renew negotiations with Venezuela.
it immediately conducted a study of the North Korean economy. Investigators found that the country's official revenues couldn't cover a "black hole" of about $500 million?equivalent to half the country's annual exports. Pyongyang was plugging that shortfall in its balance sheet, the experts concluded, through a broad network of criminal business dealings.
マカオのDBAの北朝鮮関連の口座は50余りで偽名口座だという。 BDA announced it was cutting all ties with Pyongyang and froze nearly 50 accounts linked with North Korean companies and institutions?including nine belonging to presumably high -ranking members of the Pyongyang government. A U.S. official tells NEWSWEEK that at least some of the names on the frozen accounts, both corporate and individual, were not the real names of the assets' owners.
日本について以下のような記述がある。 Japan, where Pyongyang reaps an estimated $300 million a year from illicit activities, is starting a crackdown of its own. One Japanese court has eliminated a tax exemption once granted to Pyongyang-related organizations. And financial regulators have been subjecting money transfers to the North to closer scrutiny. But like the Chinese, the Japanese are worried that pushing too hard could result in North Korea's collapse, with all sorts of undesirable knock-on effects for the region.
For their part, the Americans say they're just trying to get North Korea back to the negotiating table, and that the sanctions are a way of pressuring them to give up their nukes, rather than to foment regime change. Finding the right balance will be tricky?but in the meantime, Pyongyang will continue to feel the pinch.
It was not certain when parliament would convene as Sunday's election, called three years early and boycotted by the opposition, left 38 seats empty because unopposed candidates did not get the 20 percent of the eligible vote required to win.
The constitution says all seats must be filled before parliament can meet, but it must meet within 30 days of a general election.
Most of the empty seats are in opposition strongholds, leaving the prospect of by-elections failing to fill them within the time limit
WSJ/OPJ:イスラム帝国の夢 BY EFRAIM KARSH ーーーーーーーーーーーーー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のページにある評論で、もともとはコメンタリー誌に掲載された ものという。筆者は英国ロンドン大学、キングス・カレッジの研究者。 (Mr. Karsh is head of Mediterranean Studies at King's College, University of London) イスラム帝国のあり方、その支配原理や他宗教とのかかわりについてオットマン帝国をひいて 歴史的な説明をしている。
マホメッドの風刺漫画事件についてのハマス指導者のKhaled Mash'alの言葉を引いて:
"Hurry up and apologize to our nation, because if you do not, you will regret it," declared Khaled Mash'al, the leader of Hamas, fresh from the Islamist group's sweeping victory in the Palestinian elections
These historical claims are in turn frequently dismissed by Westerners as delusional, a species of mere self-aggrandizement or propaganda. But the Islamists are perfectly serious, and know what they are doing.
西欧側から見れば、無論それは誇大妄想の馬鹿なアイデアであるけれど、
As we have seen, however, Islamic history has been anything but reactive. From Muhammad to the Ottomans, the story of Islam has been the story of the rise and fall of an often astonishing imperial aggressiveness and, no less important, of never quiescent imperial dreams. Even as these dreams have repeatedly frustrated any possibility for the peaceful social and political development of the Arab-Muslim world, they have given rise to no less repeated fantasies of revenge and restoration and to murderous efforts to transform fantasy into fact. If, today, America is reviled in the Muslim world, it is not because of its specific policies but because, as the preeminent world power, it blocks the final realization of this same age-old dream of regaining, in Zawahiri's words, the "lost glory" of the caliphate.
Nor is the vision confined to a tiny extremist fringe. This we saw in the overwhelming support for the 9/11 attacks throughout the Arab and Islamic worlds, in the admiring evocations of bin Laden's murderous acts during the crisis over the Danish cartoons, and in such recent findings as the poll indicating significant reservoirs of sympathy among Muslims in Britain for the "feelings and motives" of the suicide bombers who attacked London last July. In the historical imagination of many Muslims and Arabs, bin Laden represents nothing short of the new incarnation of Saladin, defeater of the Crusaders and conqueror of Jerusalem. In this sense, the House of Islam's war for world mastery is a traditional, indeed venerable, quest that is far from over.
Only when it is defeated, and when the faith of Islam is no longer a tool of Islamic political ambition, will the inhabitants of Muslim lands, and the rest of the world, be able to look forward to a future less burdened by Saladins and their gory dreams.
Today, we get that word. The Pentagon is saying now that Iran tested an older version of the Scud missile family last week and not any new ICBM development. What was launched in last week’s much publicized Iranian media event was, in fact, a Shahab-2 with a range of 310 miles. The Shahab-2 is the Iranian designation for the Scud-C variant of the Russian design. ttp://inbrief.threatswatch.org/2006/04/irans-stealth-advances-the-ira/
During Jill's captivity we remained silent regarding the efforts of many within the US government to secure Jill's release. As some have assumed the government was lax in its efforts, I'm delighted today to acknowledge how extensive the government's effort was.
国王との会見の後でタクシン首相は、明らかに泣きはらした眼で、声を詰まらせて: "I seriously need to apologize to the 16 million people who voted for me to be prime minister," と述べて退任することを明らかにした。 "It's time for all of us to express in unity our loyalty for the King," ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー この記事には、タクシン首相退任の裏事情のようなものがいくらか書いてあって:
But instead of delivering a new mandate, the vote revealed an erosion of the premier’s popularity, particularly in Bangkok, where 54 per cent of voters cast “No” votes as a form of protest. 選挙はタクシン首相に信任を与えるのではなく、首相の人気に衰えのあることを明らかにした。 特にバンコクでは54%の有権者がNOの投票を行なった。
Korn Chatikavanij, deputy leader of the opposition Democrat party, said Mr Thaksin’s move was a “first step” towards political reform but left big questions unanswered. “If we have a Thai Rak Thai government, with all the seats in the house, what kind of political reform process will we see?” he asked. “And how are we going to move towards an unbiased investigation into all the corruption allegations made against Thaksin and Thai Rak Thai?”
ttp://www.nautilus.org/fora/security/0592Asher.html Policy Forum Online 05-92A: November 15th, 2005 "The North Korean Criminal State, its Ties to Organized Crime, and the Possibility of WMD Proliferation" By David L. Asher
CONTENTS I. Introduction II. Essay by David L. Asher III. Nautilus invites your responses ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー DPRK probably ran a current account deficit of at least $500 million. Moreover, North Korea's accumulated trade deficit with the ROK and China alone since 1990 is over $10 billion. North Korea has not been able to borrow on international markets since the late 1970s and has at least $12 billion in unrepaid debt principal outstanding. Yet, until recently - at least - it has managed to avoid self-induced hyper-inflation (which should have occurred given the need to reconcile internal and external monetary accounts, even in a communist country). Instead, the street stalls in Pyongyang and other North Korean cities seem to be awash in foreign made cloths, food, and TVs and the quality of life of the elite seems to have improved.
What's apparently filling the gap and accounting for the apparent improvements to the standard of living for the elite? The short answer as I see it: Crime. And if I am right, then the criminal sector may account for as much as 35-40% of DPRK exports and a much larger percentage of its total cash earnings (conventional trade profit margins are low but the margin on illegal businesses is extremely high, frequently over 500%).(後略)
(La Presse de la Manche) Of all the countries in Europe, France is the most fearful, the most apprehensive, the one that is scared of tomorrow. 欧州でもフランスはもっとも明日を恐れ、心配し、怖がっている
(La Croix) It is a particularly French characteristic, that the world does not envy us, that we are able to tear ourselves apart ruthlessly, to confront each other harshly. 世界がうらやましく思わない国というのがフランスの性格になり、我々は互いに冷酷に、荒々しく対立 し、分裂することができる(という性格になった)
(Les Echos) Four days after Jacques Chirac's televised address, it is still difficult to tell which path will lead us out of the crisis. シラク大統領TV演説から4日たったが、依然としてこの危機 がどちらに向かうのか不明である
(Liberation) Chirac hoped he would extinguish the fire, but he has revived it. シラク大統領は火消しを試みたが、かえってそれを復活させた
(L'Humanite headline) The CPE: Out for the count but still standing. 新労働法:モノの数には入っていないけれど、それでも並んで待っている
Then who will gain from all this? Not the protesters, because even if they win, eventually they lose.
It's a relief though, isn't it, that someone wants to reform things? It’s a huge relief ? to the Socialist opposition. Reform is essential if France is to avoid ruin. Everybody knows that.
I feel very uncomfortable thinking of Chirac as the good guy in all this. Can you help me feel better? Yes! Chirac is not a good guy. He’s a very old, corrupt guy who’s enraptured by a younger bad guy ? Villepin ? who supplies Chirac with huge amounts of bad advice.
Do the French media get that they have a generation of spoiled brats on their streets? No. The French press is far more fascinated by the nostalgic parallel with May 1968, back in the day when a demo was a demo, and by the current transient political drama, which of course looks a lot like farce.
When will this end? We’re talking “French government” here, so surrender, however artfully disguised, can’t be far off.
In the coming months and years, there will be even more French demonstrations ? by students, by Muslims, by farmers, by Muslim student farmers.
In the end, George Will, Bill Buckley and Francis Fukuyama may well be right in saying that the peoples of Iraq have no desire to agree to anything but to hate one another.
But they are not necessarily right. There is nothing in the situation that forbids the achievement of the vision described in the Iraqi constitution. There is nothing that guarantees it either. Success will depend, in my opinion at least, not upon grand political principles, but on the skill of the Americans and Iraqis who are striving for a political solution. Is it difficult? Yes. Is it impossible? No.
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Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s interior minister, on Wednesday sought to distance himself from his country’s discredited political establishment by calling for constitutional reform as the crisis over labour reforms intensified.
Mr Sarkozy’s condemnation of the “poverty of the political debate” and the “opaque decision-making process and insufficient responsibility” of the French system, is thinly veiled criticism of Jacques Chirac, president for the past 11 years, whom he aims to replace in next year’s elections.
His call for constitutional reform, including a stronger parliament and more accountable president, will also boost his image as the candidate of “rupture”, or break, with a discredited political and social system despite being a top member of the government for five years.
Referring to trying to bridge the divide between voters and their politicians, he said: “More than one out of two voters today no longer relates to their elected representatives.”
-- Statement by the President -- Preface -- U.S. Human Rights and Democracy Strategy -- Purpose and Acknowledgements -- Africa -- East Asia and Pacific -- Europe and Eurasia -- Middle East and North Africa -- South Asia -- Western Hemisphere -- 2005 Human Rights and Democracy Achievement Award Winner -- Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2005 - 2006 (PDF) -- 04/05/06 Fact Sheet: Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2005 - 2006
The second meeting of the Global Internet Freedom Task Force (GIFT) "discussed practical and constructive strategies to advance Internet freedom," said Under Secretary for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs Josette Shiner, who chaired the April 3 meeting. "The Internet, a powerful force for advancing knowledge and spreading information, is increasingly a target for censors," Shiner said. (後略)
More than 100 business executives joined Wu Yi, China's vice premier and economic trouble-shooter, on an American tour that began Tuesday in Hawaii and is scheduled to cover 13 states. The trip is expected to result in multibillion-dollar orders for Boeing aircraft, auto parts, computer software, telecommunications equipment, grain, cotton and soybeans and other products, officials and state media reports said.
The biggest action is on the trade front, with China expected to order at least 80 new Boeing aircraft, mostly single-aisle 737 models, state media reported. It could also commit to unprecedented purchases of agricultural commodities and cutting-edge telecom equipment needed to upgrade its fixed-line and mobile phone networks.
"There's an increasing demand for exchanges to have cross-border abilities," says Neil Katkov, an analyst at Celent LLC, a financial-industry consultancy. "It's encouraging that there are people at the TSE thinking about these competition issues."
NASCAR said NBC confirmed it was sending Muslim-looking men to a race, along with a camera crew to film fans' reactions. The NBC crew was "apparently on site in Martinsville, Va., walked around and no one bothered them," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Wednesday.
"It is outrageous that a news organization of NBC's stature would stoop to the level of going out to create news instead of reporting news," Poston said.
"Any legitimate journalist in America should be embarrassed by this stunt. The obvious intent by NBC was to evoke reaction, and we are confident our fans won't take the bait," he said. 「アメリカの正統派のジャーナリストはこういうことを許すべきではない。NBCの狙いは反感を煽っ てニュースにすることで、私たちは信じているのだが、NASCARファンはその手には乗らない」
At the same time, Chinese society has always placed a premium on female appearance, with the meinu (the beauty) featuring as a stock character in poetry and art; even 2,000 years ago Han dynasty princesses were buried with a bewildering array of makeup dishes, mirrors and combs, carefully laid out for the use of the departed soul. During the Cultural Revolution the Red Guards were hostile to makeup precisely because it was so deeply rooted in Chinese culture. まあ文革で化粧が非難されたのは有名だけど・・
The two most successful international companies in China currently are Tokyo-based Shiseido and L'Oreal, which recently purchased Yue-Sai, a strongly branded domestic manufacturer based in Shenzhen.
The qualified support from Mr. Biden and Mr. Kerry elated administration officials, who said they now believed they could build on the momentum from the hearings to try for a vote as early as May or June. Committee officials said a vote might be delayed until July, however. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーー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OpEdには昨日、ウイリアム・コーエンが米印同盟戦略を高く評価した評論を書いている ttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB114420173435717309.html?mod=rss_opinion_main A Pretty Good Deal For America By WILLIAM S. COHEN April 5, 2006; Page A20
One of the most important successes of President Bush's foreign policy is the progress being made in building a strategic partnership between America and India,
What a slap in the face to those who argue that freedom isn't a universal value. The anti-Thaksin campaign was populated by many middle-class Thais, who, in more normal circumstances, might have been found at shopping malls rather than on the streets demanding democratic rights. These aren't the sort of folks who you'd imagine waving banners and chanting "Thaksin: Get Out!"
Today's middle classes are demanding their rights to transparent government and individual freedoms -- even in Asia, where democracy only began to take root in recent history.
In an example of the difference between the two versions, the original minutes quoted a state bank-holding company executive as saying Citigroup Inc. had proclaimed one Chinese bank "a total mess." The sanitized version of the minutes has him quoting Citigroup as saying that the Chinese bank's "internal management is poor."
According to the original forum minutes carried online, some participants used the event to defend China's overhauls. Xie Ping, head of China SAFE Investment Corp., or Central Huijin, a state-run company that oversees China's major banks, addressed widespread complaints that China has sold stakes in its banks too cheaply to foreign investors. He said Huijin agreed to sell a 9% stake in China Construction Bank to Bank of America Corp. and other strategic investors for 1.15 yuan (14 U.S. cents) per share -- or $3 billion -- after Citigroup had refused to pay more than one yuan a share, proclaiming the Chinese bank "a total mess." ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 秘密議事録がうpされたサイトのひとつは2ちゃんのような大衆参加のBBSのようで、そういう ところに国の行政の隠している情報を暴露するというのは新しい政治的策略の手法なのかすらん?
Some experts say that the real target of America's new financial crackdown isn't Pyongyang but Beijing, which is Kim Jong Il's most important patron.
The American sanctions campaign puts the Chinese "in a very delicate situation," says Lee Dong Bok, a former South Korean intelligence official who is active in a human-rights group called the North Korea Democratization Forum.(後略) ttp://msnbc.msn.com/id/12114822/site/newsweek/page/3/
The Arab world is rich in natural resources and has a tradition of entrepreneurship, but the economic performance of Arab countries has been very poor over the past few decades. To illustrate, in a briefing paper recently published by the Swedish think tank Timbro, Johan Norberg notes that almost 300 million Arabs produce less than 40 million Spanish. Inferior financial institutions and excessive reliance on public investments and state interventions have created a bad business environment. アラブの国々3億人のGDPをあわせても、4000万人のスペインのGDPに及ばない。問題は 金融機関の弱さと政府に依存する経済だ。
But the seldom told story of economic success in postwar-Iraq shows us how Muslim countries can grow if they are willing to open up markets and use oil as an economic commodity rather than a political weapon. その経済が民営化され、金融機関がまともに動くと、イラクのように経済成長が見込める。 http://ideas.repec.org/p/upf/upfgen/683.htmlにあるアラブ経済報告書を読んでもらうと わかるが、アラブの経済は政策によって活力を奪われている。イラクにはこのような問題が なくなってきた。
According to the report "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq October 2005," GDP per capita has more than doubled between 2003 and 2005. Compared to pre-war levels the increase was 31 percent. And the future looks bright. According to the Brookings Institution Iraq Index the Iraqi economy is expected to have a real GDP growth of 49 percent in the period 2006-2008. なぜ戦前と比べても31%の伸びを示しているのだろう?
The democratization of Iraq has meant that both foreign and domestic businesses can operate in a freer economic environment. Although media seldom report about this, the Iraqi economy is rapidly growing 自由な経済環境が整ったため、国内外の資本がイラクで正常に動けるからだ。
(NYTなどがその発言を評価していることについて) Federal appeals-court judge Laurence Silberman once shrewdly described this media practice as the "Greenhouse effect." He was referring to the fact that a Justice who voted in politically correct fashion would receive laudatory coverage by New York Times reporter Linda Greenhouse, the alpha liberal of the Supreme Court press pack. If the Justice typically joined with conservatives, however, he'd soon find himself characterized as somebody else's clone, or not very bright, or a traitor to his race, or some other derogation.
The project, championed by Mayor Gavin Newsom, is intended to boost the city's technology credentials and help bridge the digital divide between the Internet haves and have-nots.
Those bidders were MetroFi Inc., Razortooth Communications LLP, NextWLAN Corp., Communication Bridge Global Inc. and SF Metro Connect, a nonprofit group backed by Cisco Systems Inc. and IBM Corp.
The city panel that issued its recommendation Wednesday evaluated bids based on criteria such as financial stability, the area of Internet coverage and an oral interview. The Google-EarthLink duo was ranked first by a relatively thin margin over MetroFi, which offers citywide Wi-Fi in Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and Cupertino.
Newsom has a close relationship with Google. He's friends with the company's co-founders and has joined them on a chartered jet from Switzerland
It remains to be seen whether residents will use the Wi-Fi system as a replacement for their wire-based Internet connections. Early fears by the mayor that the telecommunications industry would fight the project by filing lawsuits have yet to materialize.
Yahya Rahim Safavi, commander-in-chief of the Guards, was speaking to state television during a week of naval war games in which Iranian forces have announced the successful testing of new weapons, including missiles and torpedoes.
"The Americans should accept Iran as a great regional power and they should know that sanctions and military threats are not going to be benefit them, but are going to be against their interests and against the interests of some European countries," Safavi told state television.
この発言は軍の演習で魚雷とミサイルのテスト成功を発表するTV演説の中でされたもので、アメ リカはイランの中東における地位(great regional power)を認めろといっているもの。もしも アメリカが経済制裁すれば海峡を封鎖すると脅迫している。 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ーーーーーー ttp://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=16174 ミドルイースト・オンライン Iran hypes war games in Gulf oil corridor
"The export of 20 million barrels (of petrol) through the Straits of Hormuz highlights the significance of the region, where the maneuvers are held," said the commander of Iran's powerful ideological army. 「ホルムズ海峡を通じて2000万バレルの石油が輸出されている」と軍事演習を行なった最高司令官が 指摘した。「このように重要な地域であるので、その場所で、われわれは軍事演習を行なったのだ」
“We believe that the presence of [U.S.-led forces] in the region is a threat to Iran”, Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi told reporters at the end of week-long naval exercises by his forces in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman. 「我々はアメリカの中東への駐留をイランへの脅威と信じる」
“We hope that the countries of the region would bring about security in the Persian Gulf once foreign forces leave”, Safavi said. 「アメリカの指揮する外国人の軍隊が撤退して、湾岸各国がペルシャ湾の安全保障をになうことを 望んでいる」
He said that he hoped that the West got the message of the military exercises by his forces, as they were “closely watching it” from “their 125 warships in the Persian Gulf region” and “their spy satellites”. 令官は西欧がイランの軍事演習のメッセージを理解することを望むと述べ、イランの軍隊は「ペル シャ湾の125のアメリカ艦船やスパイ衛星で監視されているのだから」とのべた。
“Security and tranquillity in the Persian Gulf region is in the interest of all nations, in particular those whose industries and livelihood is dependent on the energy of this region”, he said. 「ペルシャ湾の安全保障は全ての国の関心であり、特にその国の産業のエネルギーをこの湾岸からの 輸出に頼っている国について、そうだ」
“The Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf are … the corner stone of [Iran’s] defence. The Strait of Hormuz counts as a point of economic control and pressure in the transfer of energy for aggressive powers from beyond the continent that want to endanger the security of the region”, General Safavi said. 「ホルムズ海峡とペルシャ湾はイランの防衛の要である。ホルムズ海峡は経済のコントロール・ポイ ントである。中東の安全に脅威を与える国への、この地域からのエネルギー輸送に圧力を加えること のできる場所である」
(東京での非公式6者会議) QUESTION: Can you tell us about Assistant Secretary Hill's trip to Tokyo, where he and his counterparts from the six-party talks attend a private conference? Do we expect him to have a direct conversation with his counterparts, especially North Korean counterparts, or even a meeting? ヒル交渉代表が東京に行くが北朝鮮代表との直接交渉はあるのか?
MR. MCCORMACK: No plans for a meeting with North Korean counterparts. He's going over there primarily to have bilateral consultations and also talk to, I believe, a South Korean representative as well. So he's going to have a number of diplomatic contacts. At the same time, there's, I believe, an academic conference ongoing in Tokyo. I think he's probably going to attend that for a short period of time. But it's not -- the intent of the trip is not to have a contact in the context of this academic conference with a representative of the North Korean Government. 北朝鮮代表との直接交渉は計画に無い。彼の訪問の目的は二国間での各国との対話でとくに 韓国との話し合いがあるだろう。彼は幾つかの国の代表と話すであろうけれど、基本的に東 京の会議は外交交渉ではなくアカデミックな会議である。だから北朝鮮代表との交渉を目的 としていない。
QUESTION: So while there are no plans to -- do you want to shut the door on that possibility and say he wouldn't meet with a North Korean counterpart while they're both in the same place? 計画はされていないにせよ、同じ場所に北朝鮮代表がくるわけだが、交渉は拒否するとの意図 であるのか?
MR. MCCORMACK: There are no plans to meet with him, Saul. If they do in fact meet or have some contact beyond saying hello and being polite to one another, we'll let you know. 計画がされていない。北朝鮮代表とヒル代表が接触することがあれば、それが単なる挨拶以上 のものであれば、後ほどの記者会見であなた方に知らせる。
“In the past two years, some adherents of the old system have taken the discussion about negative [social and economic] phenomena and have redirected it into opposition to market reforms,”
“For the next five years, the crucial issue will be whether or not we can push forward reform and improve the market and legal environment,” he said.
「今後の5年間の重大な問題は我々が市場の改革と司法の改善を推し進められるか否かである」
“Will we continue the dual national policies of reform and opening that were set 20 years ago by Comrade Xiaoping? Scholars, economists, business people and all circles of society must offer an answer,”
“The government is still managing many things that it should not manage or cannot manage well, using huge resources to lift the GDP growth rate in spite of low economic productivity or environmental destruction,” said Prof Wu.
Officials should focus instead on areas where they could actually make a positive contribution, such as providing education, an effective legal system and macro-economic stability, he said.
Tokyo has concluded that Kim Chol-jun, identified by North Korea as the husband of Japanese abductee Megumi Yokota, who according to the North married Mr. Kim in 1986 but committed suicide in 1994, is not a North Korean as Pyongyang has claimed but an abducted South Korean, several sources in Japan said yesterda
"After conducting DNA tests on family members of five abducted South Koreans, one matched the DNA of the daughter of Mr. Kim," said a source yesterday. Tokyo officials obtained DNA samples from Kim Hye-gyong, the daughter of Mr. Kim, in 2002 during an interview in Pyongyang. Starting in February, Tokyo collected DNA samples of the family members here in order to test its suspicion.
Tokyo officials are currently consulting with Seoul before they will make an official announcement on their findings. The issue could put strain on inter-Korean relationships as North Korea showed sensitivity over the abductee issue at a recent reunion of separated Korean families.
A North Korean company, Jokwang Trading Co., long believed to be a front for illicit activities, closed its headquarters on the fifth floor of an office building near the bank. Most of its personnel have relocated to Zhuhai, just across the border in China proper, business sources here say.
HARBIN, China -- More than 200,000 Chinese filed through the remains of Japan's notorious Unit 731 here last year, visiting the ghosts of World War II. In exhibits mounted throughout the bleak headquarters building, they saw wrenching descriptions of biological warfare experiments carried out on thousands of Chinese prisoners from 1939 to 1945.
The fire ate all the books, many Korans (Muslims Holly Book) were on the floor either burned or half burned, some workers were cleaning the shop, which the fire turned all its walls and roof into black; Khalid was standing in the middle of the shop, sad and scared, “I can not say any thing, I afraid to say any thing that will make every thing worse, thanks God that we are all alive and no one was hurt”, Ani said.
It is unclear how long the policy will last. In the meantime, new imports may be in limbo. But Mr. Visot of Hachette Filipacchi is philosophical about it.
"If you don't like the rules," he said, "you don't play the game."
Cong. Lane Evans, a Democrat from Rock Island, represents Illinois' 17th Congressional District. このサイトのニュースやプレス・レリースには当該記事が見当たりません ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー それどころかローカル・ニュースに以下↓の記事があります(病気でリタイア表明)
U.S. Rep. Lane Evans, an Illinois Democrat who has battled Parkinson’s disease for more than a decade, will not run for re-election. “This is a tough day for me,” Evans, 54, said in a statement. He added that he has “come to recognize that the time needed to address my health makes it difficult to wage a campaign and carry out my work as representative.” ttp://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=11176 (Rep. Evans Retires by Andrew Davis 2006-04-05)
H.RES.759 Title: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of Japan should formally acknowledge and accept responsibility for its sexual enslavement of young women, known to the world as "comfort women", during its colonial occupation of Asia and the Pacific Islands from the 1930s through the duration of World War II, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Evans, Lane [IL-17] (introduced 4/4/2006) Cosponsors (1) Latest Major Action: 4/4/2006 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
Ozawa is expected to strive to restore the party's credibility during the remainder of Maehara's term through September, and to enable it to vie again with the LDP in major elections slated for next year, Japanese media said.
He also mentioned in his policy paper a vision to improve ties with neighboring countries such as China and South Korea.
Ozawa, bearing an aggressive manner and a tough image, is known for having stirred up Japanese politics on and off by breaking up and forming various political groupings either in power or otherwise since the 1990s. Enditem
The leadership battle has revived speculation that the party, an amalgam of conservatives and former socialists, could fracture. 民主党は保守系と社会主義者のアマルガムなので党首選 もそういう事情を反映する
Ozawa was an early advocate of clarifying the military's ambiguous status under Japan's pacifist constitution, as well as a more equal diplomatic partnership with the United States and a bigger role for Japan in Asia. 小沢氏は日本の平和主義であいまいにされている 軍事力=自衛隊の憲法の中での明確化や対米平等パートナーシップを早くから主張してきた政治家
To differentiate himself from Koizumi, who has worsened ties with China and South Korea by visiting a controversial war shrine, Ozawa is now stressing "coexistence" in Asian diplomacy. 小泉首相との差別化について、小沢氏は今では中国韓国とのアジア外交での共存を主張している
My take: The latest "Bush leaked" story -- which doesn't hold up very well when you look at the actual story -- is basically a "spoiling attack" by the NYT and other media who fear subpoenas in the Libby case. As with all their efforts on this front, it's likely to backfire. The more they say that leaks are bad, even as they rely on politically motivated leaks from insiders for their bread and butter , the more vulnerable they become.
That's why the Plame affair has been more damaging for them, long-term, than for Bush. Bush will be leaving in a couple of years, but the Times and other media will be living with the world they've created, and I predict that their position in this regard will be no better if a Democrat is elected in 2008. ttp://instapundit.com/archives/029568.php
"The report shows a tighter labor market and implies solid gains in income from employment which will support consumer spending," said Nigel Gault, U.S. economist at Global Insight. "But at the same time, a tighter labor market raises nerves about wage inflation." ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー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.nikkei.co.jp/kaigai/us/20060407D2M0702E07.html 3月の米雇用者、21万1000人増・失業率4.7% 日本経済、4、8
The wage number actually decelerated a bit in March, but the Fed can not be comfortable with the pace at which the labor market is moving to/through full employment. We are not anywhere close to the 1999/2000 labor market tightness, but we are certainly moving in that direction. -- Stephen Stanley, RBS Greenwich Capital
Fed will remain concerned about tightening "resource utilization." The overall picture -- robust growth with some threat of higher inflation -- suggests that the Fed will raise interest rates at least two more notches to 5.25% by the end of June. -- Nigel Gault, Global Insight
Meager wage growth combined with a falling unemployment rate will keep investors asking questions about the "resource utilization" justification for future FOMC rate hikes -- Drew Matus, Lehman Brothers
We believe wage pressures are unlikely unless we see further declines in the unemployment rate, or at least until the low unemployment rate has been sustained for a considerable period of time. -- Stephen Gallagher, Societe Generale
This report underscores the self-sustaining nature of the recovery with broad based job gains and firming income trends. -- John Ryding, Conrad DeQuadros, Elena Volovelsky of Bear Stearns
Stocks pitched lower Friday amid concerns that a tightening labor market could compel the Federal Reserve to boost rates higher than investors had hoped.
○噂で言われていた「ザルカウィが指揮官から格下げされて軍事指導のみにされた」というのが ほぼ確認された。ザルカウィの後任はイラク人のスンニ派である。 (months of rumors, it's pretty much been confirmed that al Qaeda-in-Iraq leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi has been demoted. )
This mosque is one of the headquarters of the SCIRI and its clerical wing in Baghdad, even that Abdul Aziz al-Hakeem's son Ammar al-Hakkem preaches occasionally in this mosque when sheikh Jalal is not available.
どうもSCIRIの反サドル派の本部を爆破、という感じらすい。
The attack was no doubt carried out by al-Qaeda but the target was chosen from the powers across the borders. オマル氏の推測は、爆破計画が入念な手馴れたものであることからアルカイダの犯行で、このモスク を選んだのはサドル派を支援するシリアやイランの勢力の指示であろう、というもの。
The city of Nago in central Okinawa agreed to host the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma air station after Japan's Defense Agency decided to relocate a planned runway to keep flights away from residential areas. The deal marks a major step toward a final agreement between Japan and the United States on redeploying U.S. troops in Japan.
"The agreement today is extremely significant," Defense Agency chief Fukushiro Nukaga told a news conference. "The Futenma relocation plan had been up in the air for 10 years."
QUESTION: This is regarding the base relocation talks in Japan. They're able to get -- the Japanese Government and the local authorities were able to come to an agreement regarding the relocation of Futenma Base to Camp Schwab. And do you think that this time there'll be some forward movements in the talks?
MR. MCCORMACK: I have seen those news reports and I think at this point the Department of Defense is reviewing the proposal from the Japanese side and I think that they'd be in a better position to give you a detailed read of where -- what their thoughts on the -- what their thoughts are on that proposal.
ttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-2123563,00.html Bombers in disguise kill 79 at Shia mosque ロンドン・タイムズ By Jenny Booth and 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ーーーーーー このテロ事件については犯行声明がなく、解釈が様々で、報道機関の見方も一定していないような。 確かなことは、@宗教派閥対立があり、A政治的対立にも関連したテロと見られ、BSCIRIが攻撃 された、といったこと。イランの外相がこのテロを強く非難しているのも印象的。
The fault here is primarily with the Pentagon, which has behaved quite well on the military battlefield, but abominably in political combat, which is equally important. (これはペンタゴンの責任である。軍事戦闘では優秀なペンタゴンは、同じくらい重要なメディア のなかでの政治闘争で駄目駄目である)
If the practice of taking along journalists in the first weeks of the war was so successful, why not do the same on operations like this one? It would have been invaluable to have had a top reporter see the real scene, and then the fabricated one a couple of miles away. Such a report would have been devastating to the terrorists, and would have done more to educate the American public than any subsequent briefing. ・・・・ ・・・・ Alas, as things currently stand, the only reporters who stay with a story long enough to get it right are the top bloggers, and the only citizens who have enough patience and attentiveness to wait before drawing conclusions are the readers of the blogs. (今ではイラク状況を継続的にヲチして報告できるのはブロガーだけと言う有様である。こうした ブログを辛抱強くヲチしている市民だけが状況を把握できる)
Which is why I read the dead tree media less and less, and spend more and more time in front of the damn monitor. (そういうわけであるから、私はどうしょうもない駄目なメディアの記事を読むことが少なくなって その文だけ、ネットのブログを読むことが増えている)
Takeo Hoshi of the University of California at San Diego and Anil Kashyap of the University of Chicago (“Zombie lending and depressed re-structuring in Japan”, NBER working paper, March 2006). などの議論を紹介して:日本のポスト・バブルの経済不況がかくも長く続いたのは、政府や金融 機関がゾンビ企業に(倒産しないように金融的な)餌を与え続けた為である、とする。ただし、 ここではアメリカ航空業界に政府が金融的支援をすることの可否を論じているのだけれど。
CHINA: Professor hits back at critics on the Internet Yuan Weishi writes that 'freedom of academic activity must be protected' in online response to critics South China Morning Post Friday, April 7, 2006 By Vivian Wu
Professor Yuan wrote the article in response to front-page criticism of his views by government-appointed Marxist historian Zhang Haipeng. He then submitted it to the resurrected Bingdian Weekly, the China Youth Daily supplement that was shut down for five weeks earlier this year for publishing Professor Yuan's opinions.(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ー 袁偉時のここで書いている評論は義和団事件やアヘン戦争の解釈や位置づけをめぐる、大変テンシ ョンの高い気迫に満ちたもので、読んで面白い。政府の御用学者の公式中国史観の解釈に真っ向か らディベートを挑んでいて、スリリングなところが。義和団事件を愛国的などと言うのはトンでも ない誤りだという。
Economic growth in China will cool in 2007, with increased growth in Europe and Japan picking up the slack for the global economy, a draft of the International Monetary Fund's World Economic Outlook suggests. IMFの世界経済見通し報告書は2007年A中国経済が冷却化し欧州と日本で成長が高まり世界の経済成 長を支えると予測した。
China's growth is expected to slow to 9.5 percent in 2006 and then drop to 9 percent in 2007, its lowest level since 2001, according to sections of a March 7 draft of the report. 中国の成長率は2006年が9.5%、2007年に9%に鈍化するとした。(後略)
It is not too much to ask of future Japanese prime ministers that they pay homage to their war dead at an alternative shrine untainted by the atrocities of the country's past. Even Tsuneo Watanabe, influential editor-in-chief of the traditionally conservative Yomiuri newspaper, has now joined forces with Japanese moderates in openly opposing prime ministerial visits to Yasukuni.
China's communist rulers, meanwhile, must stop announcing rigid conditions for the resumption of dialogue. The public statement of such conditions by Beijing makes it politically awkward for any of Japan's prime ministerial hopefuls to comply, and impossible for the nationalists among them. As Japanese officials have pointed out, it is more practical to discuss your differences in a meeting than to insist that they be resolved before you meet.
ttp://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2006/hrg060405p.html Islamist Extremism in Europe HEARING before the COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION Wednesday, April 5, 2006
○ヨーーロッパにイスラム過激派のテロが引き続き起こる可能性は高い The level of frustration and alienation among many members of Europe’s Muslim communities has not abated. At the same time, the risk of another terrorist attack perpetrated by Islamic extremists in Europe remains high.
○今後ヨーロッパでイスラム過激派のテロが起こればムスリムへのバックラッシュは酷いことになろう If there is another attack, the popular backlash against Muslims in Europe will be severe.
○国務省の欧州担当次官補、ダニエル・フレイドは、欧州諸国が断固たる態度を示さないことが事態 を悪化させるといっている Many European governments hesitate to take action against extremist preaching in the name of defending religious tolerance and free speech. They often fear that crackdowns will only drive radical elements underground. Extremists take advantage of European freedoms to proselytize and recruit from radical mosques and they have taken over several major mosques.
○宗教や民族対立を煽る言論を禁止するなどの後ろ向きの方法で欧州は対処を考えているが、その方法 は行き止まりにしかたどり着かない The European debate can fall into a trap of seeking a defensive solution, such as formulas to define and ban hate speech. These kinds of legal bans may well be a dead end. A better solution is to develop norms that challenge and expose extremist thought as with other forms of anti-democratic ideology. ttp://foreign.senate.gov/testimony/2006/FriedTestimony060405.pdf
In January 2005, Hersh revealed that the USA was conducting covert operations in Iran to identify targets for possible strikes. This was dismissed by both US government as well as the Government of Iran. However, US government has not categorically denied that US troops have been on the ground in Iran. Hersh also claimed that Pakistan and USA have struck a "Khan-for-Iran" deal in which Washington will look the other way at Pakistan's nuclear transgressions and not demand handing over of its nuclear proliferator A Q Khan, in return for Islamabad's cooperation in neutralising Iran's nuclear plans. This was also denied by officials of the governments of the US and Pakistan. ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Hersh
この併合には大変良いことが多くあって、不法移民がなくなるだけでなく、アメリカはメキシコの油田 を所有し、アメリカの住宅・不動産開発業者にはとても大きな進展地が開け(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ーーー (A Modest Propsal)というのは、ジョナサン・スイフトの書いた有名なアイルランドの不幸を軽減 する為の提案書をもじっている。スイフトのオリジナルは: (A Modest Proposal: For Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland from Being a Burden to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick,)
The polls open at 0800 on Sunday (0600GMT) and close at 2200 (2000GMT). They are open again from 0700 (0500GMT) to 1500 (1300 GMT) on Monday. (月曜日、日本時間で22時すぎに 出口調査発表が予想される)
Initial results are expected by Monday evening. Exit polls will be released soon after voting finishes.
Despite Pyongyang's haphazard efforts to reform the decaying economy, many analysts say that Mr Kim's regime has little choice but to allow further economic change if it wants to tackle the widening income disparities that could lead to social unrest.
Furthermore, US financial sanctions in response to alleged counterfeiting and money laundering could be propelling further economic change.
Western visitors to Pyongyang say the supply of foreign currency has become worse since the US measures were imposed last September.
Even if change is coming from the bottom up, it signals that pressure is building to move away from traditional central planning, says Mr Shepard.
"A lot of the change that we are seeing is not proactive change but du jour change - it's the North Korean way of controlling change and ensuring that it still gets its cut," he says. "But at least it shows that [the regime] is aware of what is going on."
The New leader of Japan's largest opposition party suggested on Sunday that the 14 Class-A war criminals be separately enshrined from the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, Kyodo News reported.
"So-called Class-A war criminals should not have been enshrined at Yasukuni, which honors the war dead," Ichiro Ozawa, president of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) said on TV, "If Yasukuni is back on form, I think a prime minister and the emperor could offer prayers there."
and mechanism of this explosive interceptor device are vague. From the briefing provided by US sources, Defense Update understands that Trophy is design to form a "beam" of fragments, which will intercept any incoming HEAT threat, including RPG rockets at a range of 10 ? 30 meters from the protected platform.
"The leaders of the parties within the Shiite alliance will meet Sunday to discuss the Jaafari issue and arrive at a solution," a political source close to the negotiations said.
Jaafari has been facing immense pressure from members within the alliance as well as the Kurdish, Sunni and the secular political factions to withdraw his candidacy. シーア派、クルド族、スンニ派、世俗派のジャファリ支持は低下し、辞任圧力が They accuse him of failing to stop the sectarian killings that have left hundreds dead in recent weeks. 宗教対立暴動に手が打てていないことが非難されている
Jaafari however has refused to step aside, but was ready to decide his candidature on the floor of the parliament. しかしジャファリ首相は辞任を拒否している
"I will stick to the result of the democratic process and reject any bargaining over it," he told journalists recently, adding "if parlimament asks me to withdraw then I will." 民主的手続きで選ばれたのだから辞任しない。議会が罷免するのなら辞めるが。
The working conclusion of previous essays states that in the 21st century the ROK-U.S. alliance creates more losses and less gains. 先の評論で検討してきたように、21世紀にあっては米韓同盟は利益が少なく、より多くの損失をうむ (後略)
Last month, the party-controlled legislature postponed consideration of a broad property- rights measure that had been expected to become law. And officials have sent mixed signals about efforts to overhaul the state-run financial system and permit foreigners to play a larger role in the once tightly controlled banks and securities firms.
Debate over those issues was the backdrop for the forum, which was convened on March 4 by the China Society of Economic Reform, a research institute run by the State Council. About a dozen officials, senior economists and legal experts took part in the daylong session, which was intended to provide a sampling of candid views to inform government leaders, including Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. ・・・ ・・・ The most provocative comments at the session were made by He Weifang, a legal scholar at Beijing University who, unlike most of the others present, is a known critic of one-party rule.
Mr. He said the "entire party power structure" violated China's Constitution because it exempted itself from constitutional controls. He said he favored splitting the Communist Party into rival parties and stripping it of its control of the military. ・・・ ・・・ Sun Liping, a leading sociologist at Tsinghua University, said the Chinese elite had become more like an oligarchy while the bottom rungs of society were ever more susceptible to populism. He argued that the old nostrum that fast development was good for everyone was useless in the current environment.
"Leftists in our society are saying absurd things," Mr. Sun said. "But as elite intellectuals, we cannot deny that they have a solid basis for saying them."
He Weifangの発言の記録は伝統的な共産党支配を支持する左派のWebサイトやチャットで注目を集め た。それは右派の政府高官や学者の発言と共に共産党支配の転覆を図ろうとするものだという。た だし議事録全体からは、そうした気配は感じられないのだが。
会議参加者の一部は中国の抱える多くの問題、例えば貧富の格差の増大などは指導者が急速な経済発 展ばかりを求めるためだという。北京大学のGuanghua School of Managementの副学長デ、幾つかの 大手企業の役員であるZhang Weiyingは胡主席は「調和のある社会」の建設を求めて急速な経済発展 を進め、そのために非調和社会にいたる、とする見方は誤りだという。