Blogging the democratic revolution
Maidan is reporting staunch French opposition to the inclusion of Ukraine to the EU, despite approval by others. Poland, Germany, and France, with Lithuanian participation, are conducting intensive discussions, having received something more than cooperation within the framework of neighbourhood policy from the European Union. As reported by ProEuropa, based upon the Polish Gazeta.Pl., “the virtually completed text of the Polish-German-Lithuanian proposal for Ukraine has met opposition from France. Paris prefers that relations with Yushchenko be contained within ‘the borders of the European Union politics of neighbourhood policy and the so-called plan of action,’ developed during Viktor Yanukovych’s office.” A…
Nathan reports that the media has received its orders from the goverment to show the shining light on them and give as little coverage to the opposition as possible. Who would have guessed?
In a marathon-length press conference on February 3, Kremlin political consultant Gleb Pavlovsky laid certain Russian markers in Eurasia ahead of the George W. Bush-Vladimir Putin summit and, by the same token, seized the moment to announce a major redefinition of Russia’s policy in the “post-Soviet space.” Russia has revealed details on its new three-point foreign policy, which includes heavily interfering in neighboring states including the CIS and Baltics, and attempting to become a world power again. 1) Belarus represents an optimal model of integration with Russia, whereby the regime’s ultimate political reliability will override other issues. “We are totally…
A few days ago the now late President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo died. Most disturbingly, his son was given immediate successorship to his father, despite violating their constitution. The UN told them not to do that, so what happened in response? They hastily changed the constitution. Opposition leaders and The African Union are calling this a “coup.” I would tend to agree, especially after this new piece of news: Togo has banned public rallies after decreeing two months of national mourning for President Gnassingbe Eyadema, who died on Saturday. The opposition has called for a two-day strike to protest at…
I just noticed that the ZUBR website has available for download Gene Sharp’s “From Dictatorship to Democracy.” How cool! I love free stuff.
Nathan is posting daily entries in the elections in Central Asia. Check out his update for today as well as yesterday.
Regime Change in Iran gathers from the Iranian Press Service that the mullahs are reacting angrily because they are openly worried that President Bush will support and popular uprising in Iran. Mr. Bush????????s backing for the Iranian people comes as a proposed project to organise referendum on the future of the Iranian regime. It has has received strong support from the Iranians, both inside and outside as well as from large segments among republicans and monarchists. At the same time, green lights have been open to Iranian dissidents in the United States as well as in Europe. According to well-informed…
The Sunday Times has an article that details how Lukashenko is tightening his grip following Ukraine’s Orange Revolution. Via: Siberian Light. Andy notes that things are not about to get easier, now that Lukashenko is taking over the KGB.
Just when you think you’ve run into an information dead end, Neeka pops out all sorts of background, stories, interviews, and connections. It looks like the death of Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania is definitely not being heeded as coincidental on that side of the world. UPDATE: And it looks like a prominent community activist is voicing out that she thinks there should be more inquiry into the death: TBILISI, February 7 (RIA Novosti) – Irina Sarishvili-Chanturia, a prominent Georgian community activist, suspects Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania was murdered. As soon as she announced it, she was harassed with anonymous telephone…
John Burgess posts an article about a uniquely Saudi way of handling terrorists: This is a pretty interesting piece. It give a gimpse at a very Saudi way of dealing with problems. Social pressure????????from families as well as religious figures????????is applied to would-be terrorists. It????????s also the method used to resolve many issues that are not aptly handled with Western legal or policing techniques, like child abductions.
David McDuff posts an interview dealing with the culture clashes of eastern Europe and “Old Europe.” Here’s the excerpt: The notion that Ukraine or its new president-elect are now the darlings of the EU is almost laughable. The EU would have completely ignored this crisis had it not been for the new accession states–Poland and Lithuania in particular. The EU has completely ignored the abuses of the cryto-Stalinist regime in neighboring Belarus for years. The last thing EU bigwigs want is another “eastern entanglement” especially one that will cause any unpleasantness with Russia. The European left is furious with the…
Arthur Chrenkoff has posted his good news from Afghanistan roundup part nine. I hope you havea few hours set aside!
The mainstream media hadn’t really gotten it yet, but those Christians protesting that they didn’t get the ability to vote hit the streets in Baghdad: ”We are protesting because we have been deprived of our right to participate in the elections,” said Shameil Benjamin, a member of a Christian party called the Democratic Assyrian Movement. ”There were irregularities and we felt that the injustice was inflicted on us.” A spokesman for Chaldean and Assyrian parties, William Warda, said the irregularities prevented 200,000 people from voting. The demonstrators gathered outside the Green Zone, which houses the offices of the interim Iraqi…
Today he would have been 94. I don’t think it’s hard to understand why I would idolize President Reagan, given the nature of this website. Like so many people, I need to pay my tribute to him for what he did in the name of freedom. Some of my favorite quotes: How do you tell a communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin. My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I just signed legislation which outlaws Russia forever. The bombing begins in…
I never thought that I’d see it on Instapundit before checking my blogroll, but Nathan has some pictures of demonstrators showing orange at protests in their respective countries. Alright, back to the game. I couldn’t wait to post that, but no more for today!
Aussiegirl found this article reporting another suspicious death in Georgia: GEORGIA was yesterday plunged into crisis after it was revealed a political associate of dead prime minister Zurab Zhvania had apparently committed suicide. There were fears of a return to the old Soviet ways of dispensing with political foes by alleged accident or suicide after the third death in the government in as many days. Zhvania, a moderating force in the Georgian government, and a colleague died apparently of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a faulty heater last week. Georgy Khelashvili, 32, a political associate of Zhvania, was found dead…
I was starting to run out of things to post (just look below this one), but luckily, Discoshaman has made his Ukraine update for 02/06. Lots of stuff in there relevant to the new political situation.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said something funny today: “Obviously we have concerns … it is important that Russia make clear to the world that it is intent on strengthening the rule of law, strengthening the role of an independent judiciary, permitting a free and independent press,” Rice told a news conference in Warsaw, during a stopover en route to Turkey. “These are all the basics of democracy.” Drudge’s headline was even better: Rice: U.S., Europe Ready to Move On… Says Russia should respect democratic traditions… The comedy! The hilarity! Just take a look at the tradition of democracy in…
Pejman notes an article in the Washington Post that recognizes how Sunni groups are willing to participate in writing the new constitution of their country. Influential Sunni Arab leaders of a boycott of last Sunday’s elections expressed a new willingness Friday to engage the coming Iraqi government and play a role in writing the constitution, in what may represent a strategic shift in thinking among mainstream anti-occupation groups. The signs remain tentative, and even advocates of such change suggest that much will depend on the posture the new government takes toward the insurgency and the removal of former Baath Party…
Big Pharoah from Egypt posts why he hopes that the “Iraq tsunami” of democracy doesn’t hit Egypt just yet: Several people emailed me right after Iraq’s election telling me that they hope that Egypt would one day witness such a day. I too hope this but I have to be very cautious as to when I wish that to happen. A quick look at Egypt’s current opposition entities is enough to install tremendous fear within me. Today there is no viable attractive opposition in Egypt that could replace the rule of Mubarak. I am sure that my country has a…
John Burgess posts an article relating that the biggest threat to Arab countries is terrorism. If you read no other article today, read this one. … Do read it. And note that it????????s being published in a Saudi paper. I suggest you all do that.
i-Newswire, 2005-02-06 – Movements are afoot in both the House and Senate to pass legislation that would enable the U.S. government to support foreign and domestic pro-democracy groups opposed to the current Islamic republic of Iran. Aides for Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said the senator is drafting legislation that would resemble a bill he introduced in the last congressional session, the “Iran Freedom and Support Act.” Though the language in the new bill is being worked out, it is expected to echo the prior bill in that it would include financial assistance for opposition groups. The original bill did not…
Fayrouz Hancock of Live From Dallas posts about over 100,000 villagers who did not receive voting materials in the elections this past Sunday. For fear of this post being way too long, just go to the link and check it out. There are several updates to the situation. During the last two days, I’ve been following the news of the Christian villages in Mosul that didn’t get the chance to vote. The real reason is still unclear. There are 100,000 eligible voters in those villages. Those voters are disappointed by not being able to vote. I don’t blame them. ……
One of the more interesting stories I have been reading lately is how a village of Iraqis fought back against insurgents threatening them with violence. MARK WILLACY: That’s right, Tony. The Iraqi police have investigated a case in the village of al-Mudhariya, which is just south of Baghdad. The villagers there say that before the election insurgents came and warned them that if they voted in last weekend’s election, they would pay. Now the people of this mixed village of Sunni and Shia Muslims, they ignored the threat and they did turn out to vote. We understand that last night…