News – Rock the Vote: Afghanistan (1/2)

Afghanistan

Rocking the vote in Afghanistan comes with its own set of peculiarities. With a people used to different traditions and inexperienced in voting, something many of us take for granted, one can see some humorous and some sad things as the UN folk start registering people to vote. One thing I’m concerned with is that in many households, men dominate over women. The less educated women are more likely to vote however their husbands tell them to, which could weaken the representation of females in that country for at least the first few rounds. And with the elections being forward to June, the rush to prepare is on. Bush must have elections in one of his pet project countries before his own election comes along.

Yup, he’s innocent. And no, you can’t see the investigation results. Take our word for it. That’s what the US military is saying in the case of the US pilot who killed nine Afghan children with an air strike. I’d love to believe them, but until they release the goods, I’m not just taking the word of the big wigs on this without proof being out.

Iraq

The upcoming election season is likely to be a bane for Iraq. Obviously, Bush wants to show progress in his efforts overseas. So, like Afghanistan below, things are likely to be rushed and enacted prematurely. It increases the likelihood of bad things happening.

Israel/Palestine

A series of rebuttals on Max Hastings’s ‘A Grotesque Choice'(in yesterdays news). See what three papers have to say.

Spain

Spain Mourns ‘Our September 11’? I wouldn’t go so far, but I suppose that some might. The death toll stands at just under 200, with nearly 1,500 wounded. No small event to be certain. Investigators say there were ten blats in total, each about 22 pounds of explosives. Spain’s government continues to level their attention primarily on ETA, nodding at the possibility that alQueda was involved.

The disaster has brought forth an outpouring of support on the net, not unlike what happened after 9/11. Hopefully Spain will use it better than we did.

What the Spanish Papers say.

Haiti

Police break up a rowdy demonstration calling for Aristide’s return. Two are killed, six injured in that. Meanwhile, Aristide plans to travel to Jamaica for a visit, edging closer to the country he used to run.

US

Susan Lindauer, former congressional aide, has been charged with giving secret information to Iraqi Intelligence agents. The heart of the allegations are centered around the year 1999 to 2001, a year before the US invasion of Iraq. I think the prosecutors are being soft on this one. She’s charged with conspiracy, acting as an unregistered foreign-government agent and taking money from a government that supports terrorism. At most she faces 25 years in prison. I’m surprised they didn’t’ go for full on treason.

The top weapons tested in the US isn’t sure if Bush’s multi-billion dollar missile shield will work. And it is set to be deployed this year. Air Force Lt. Gen. Ronald Kadish, who is in charge of fielding it, brushed off questions of its effectiveness by raising the classified deflector shield. Question is, who do we have to fear when it comes to missiles? No country that is likely to attack us has the capability to strike the US. Except perhaps Korea, but even there we don’t know just what they have. Why are these billions being wasted on something that isn’t necessarily useful in this day and age? I’d feel safer if that money went toward border and port security.

Massachusetts takes a step toward marking marriage as between a man and a woman in their constitution, limiting homosexuals to civil unions. This is but one vote, however. To make an amendment, will take quite a long time and three more votes. Two by the legislature, one by the people.

California’s Supreme Court ordered San Francisco to stop giving out marriage licenses to same sex couples. The Mayor is cooperating, but has not acceded the fight.

What’s amusing is that, after Bush has complained about Kerry’s negative campaign, he’s ready to start into it himself. Why is it that whenever someone in politics claims the high moral ground, they subsequently trip and fall right off it? I think people tend to forget what the high moral ground is for. You get up on it, then you stay up on it, practicing what you preach. Right? And Kerry his right back. You know, I’m starting to lose the desire to vote for either of those chuckleheads and I don’t particularly care for Nader either. When will this country ever produce a candidate I can connect with?

Could it be that Roy Moore could run as early as this year for Prez on the independent ticket? Doubtful, but it could be a cure for those Nader-vote-grabbing blues by siphoning some votes off the Republican side if he does.