Blogging the democratic revolution
A major characteristic of authoritarian regime????????s whose domestic policies have created instability is the seeking of legitimacy through its foreign policy. In the case of Syria, it has raged against Jews as the enemy, the evil, that is the true source of the people????????s suffering. It has supported terrorist groups like Hezbollah for years, seeking…
A Romanian girl cools off during a heat wave in Bucharest. Romanian children are being targeted to serve as police informants by the secret police. Source: Reuters, via Yahoo! In the last two days the Romanian media published information????????s about the children network of the Securitate (Communist Intelligence). Till now, there have been rumors of…
Given the events of the past several weeks, it is easy to conclude that Ukraine????????s fragile democracy is in danger. Indeed it is. But to admit this is not the same as concluding that the Orange Revolution is over. Whether or not the Orange Revolution has ended (or is about to end) depends largely on…
East Timor’s new Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta has been sworn in a new cabinet in at a ceremony in Dili. The ceremony marks further progress towards a return to order for the country, which was hit by serious street violence and unrest. Factional fighting erupted three months ago, leaving at least 21 people dead and…
Above are two images taken from Neo-Nazi websites operating in Russia. The first urges the viewer to ???????Protect your Motherland! Protect your Loved ones!??????? from the scourge of dark-skinned people. The second asks the view to remember that their ancestors refused to hand over Russia to the Germans, yet they seem to be handing over…
Yes, there is such a thing! Daniel at Venezuela News & Views has links and a great essay of his own describing this actual phenomenon. He explains that how the creepier you are, the more likely you are to think that toting a Kalashnikov is cool. He’s got the yucky photo of the foremost practitioner…
Moderate democratic socialist President Michelle Bachelet of Chile looks to be slightly edging toward the right, given a recent cabinet shuffle. Three cabinet officials, from education, economy and interior have been replaced. This follows recent street protests from students who were demaning that the government raise funding and bus fares for education. It was the…
I think it would be pretty tough to stick to an editorial line here at Publius given the wide array of opinions on the subject among the contributors. Even when we agree, there are points of disagreement on specifics. So what I’ve tried to do is get a response from several of the contributors so…
This is one of my all-time favorite magazine covers. A hot babe hoisted up in the middle of Lebanon’s Cedar Revolution, flashing only peace signs (and unfortunately little else). The girl at the top of this blog’s banner does the same. Democracy stirs in the Middle East, along with something else. Now that’s inspiration. The…
Hezbollah has just announced that is ready for all out war with Israel, according to CNN. The declaration was made after Sheik Hassan Nasrallah’s home was bombed and Hezbollah’s headquarters were destroyed by Israel. Mr. Nasrallah is the leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon. As I have followed the rapid escalation of events in Israel, I…
Stefania got it right. Israel did nothing other than protect itself. Remember that Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said two years ago, that when the Party of God will be ready, it will attack the cities inside Israel (and so they did, for the first time ever!) and kidnap its soldiers, to show the Arab and Muslim…
Cuban communist dictator Fidel Castro is probably on his last legs. Rumors of the tyrant’s demise are circling like vultures over dead carrion. According to Val Prieto at Babalu blog, citing some items in The Miami Herald, the communist press on the island prison is giving considerable prominence all of a sudden to Castro’s no-good…
It seems that half world has not yet realized that a new war has been declared by the arab and Islamic nations against Israel. This war is aimed to the total destruction of the Jewish state. Let’s not forget that this time these nations’ regimes have the atomic bomb and that they might launch it…
On July 13, 1994, a group of over 70 Cubans attempted to flee Castro’s Gulag on board of a tugboat named “13 de Marzo”. They was unable to leave the waters belonging to Cuba because the regime’s state security thugs were ordered, by the thug-in-chief Fidel Castro, to sink the boat. 41 people died, among…
Democratic revolution is spreading across the world, in the greatest news and megatrend story of possibly the century. But for those of us who are already in democratic regimes, we sometimes wonder if there is much more we can do except watch and applaud. There is partisan political activism, of course, but that isn’t for…
I am writing this piece in response to the many allegations circulating in the Web regarding the Zidane-Materazzi case. One version has already been told, so I want the readers to read the other,too. There is an ongoing inquiry opened by the FIFA to find out what has really happened betwen the two players. In…
Supporters of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in another protest. Source: The Scotsman Defeated Mexican presidential candidate, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, is not going down without a fight. He refuses to accept the results of the July 2 election. It was a hard fought presidential race and he lost by a narrow margin, which has got…
They’re probably not true. Val at Babalu blog has the best — and some very funny – stuff here. Just click and keep scrolling.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived in Afghanistan yesterday. He met with President Karzai and discussed issues relating to Afghanistan????????s collaborative efforts with the international community to suppress the Taliban resurgence and the country’s efforts to curb the cultivation of opium poppy. Also, he met with US military commanders and NATO officials to discuss plans for…
According to the Jerusalem Post, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert has declared the latest attack by terrorist group Hezbollah an act of war. Israel has confirmed that two IDF soldiers were kidnapped, and they are currently searching for them in Lebanon. You can buy the IDF some pizza and soda, although it would seem to me…
As millions around the world I was glued to the TV watching the World Cup final when Zin????dine Zidane headbutted Marco Materazzi. My instant reaction was “what could Materazzi possibly have said to prompt such a reaction?” I didn’t judge Zidane, contrary to the statements of commentators who just couldn’t help themselves in condemning in…
On Monday, Russian forces killed Shamil Basayev, the Chechen terrorist responsible for the Beslan attack, in counterinsurgent operations in Ingushetia. Ingush Deputy Prime Minister Bashir Aushev confirmed his death. “Fragments of the bodies of two militants were found on the scene of the explosion. Basayev’s body has been identified through some of the fragments, including…
While the Bush administration has lost its ability to assert itself internationally, the void in cohesive diplomatic power combined with fluctuating energy markets has created the opportunity for problematic relationships to develop outside of the Western spheres. China, a country high on energy demand and human rights abuse, and Russia, supplier of ever more tainted…
The Italian national team landed yesterday evening (Italy local time) at Pratica di Mare airport, Rome. They have been awarded by the Italian institutions (it was hard to me to see Prodi and company to award my players). Then, they walked in the streets of Rome on board of a bus, waving Italian flags and…