2008 Woodie Awards
International Updates
Brian O'Connor
Issue date: 10/13/04 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Iraqi Insurgency Seen as a Grave Issue for Allawi
With an understaffed police force, an untrained army, and a pool of investors uninterested in an insecure nation, Iraqi Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi faces myriad problems in his fledgling nation.
As the entire world watches the progression, and all too often the retrogression of Iraq, Allawi addressed his concerns for the nation. Although he asserts that the national elections slated for January will be unfazed by the violence gripping the nation, Allawi admitted that Iraq is in a very precarious situation. Nations that once salivated over the prospect of a democratic Iraq are now far from eager to invest in the country. After President George W. Bush asserted that Iraq was "liberated" in May 2003, companies scrambled to invest in the nation and its copious oil reserves. As the nation crumbled in the face of a violent insurgency and an angry population, many of the former investors abandoned their hopes for growth in the nation.
After asserting the might of the 100,000 officer-strong police force a few weeks prior, Allawi rescinded from his optimistic tone in front of the Iraqi National Assembly last week. He admitted that security is a crucial concern for the interim government since rampant violence can all but thwart the survival of the nation after the regime of Saddam Hussein.
"It's clear that since the handover, the capabilities are not complete and that the situation is very difficult now in respect to creating the forces and getting them ready to face the challenges," said Dr. Allawi. "The police force is not well equipped and is not respected enough to lay down its authority."
Protesters Rally as France Accepts American Nuclear Waste
On the eve of a transaction of over 300 pounds of nuclear waste from the American government, French citizens and worldwide environmental activists clamor against the trade citing concerns of potential terrorist attacks.
The waste, weapons-grade plutonium, is en route to a secure French port where it will be reprocessed for fuel. Enough material to create 20 atomic bombs, many citizens are concerned over the shipment of that much hazardous material through the Atlantic Ocean. After various oil spills caused by tankers in the world's waterways, many groups are wary about the safety of transporting hazardous cargo over the world's waterways. The transfer of waste, a Clinton-era decision between the United States and Russia over dismantling the nuclear weapons programs of both countries, was postponed after the events of September 11th, 2001 due to concerns over future terrorist attacks.
Despite the concerns over terrorism and environmental issues, the French government is more than happy to accept the waste: the United States does not currently possess the technology to recycle nuclear waste into fuel, and the state-sponsored energy company Areva expects to make over $250 billion by the end of negotiations.
Cambodian Government Makes Motions to Try Khmer Rouge
In an agreement made with the United Nations, the Cambodian government enacted the creation of a tribunal to bring members of the 1970's-era regime to trial.
After years of legal hurdles, the last measure required to create a tribunal was enacted last week. The measure still faces ratification by the Cambodian senate, a measure viewed to be more formal than legal. While the tribunal can now legally occur, fundraising remains a challenge to the government. An estimated $57 million dollars are required to execute the trials, a bill that is expected to fall on the shoulders of the international community.
"What we were waiting for has been achieved today," said Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The 107 members present in the 123-seat National Assembly unanimously voted towards ratifying 26 amendments required for the establishment of the court that plans to bring justice to the families of the 1.7 million Cambodian citizens killed by the communist regime in the early seventies.
Most Cambodians are enthusiastic about the tribunals, despite the number of surviving officials from within the Khmer Rouge. The leader of the party, Pol Pot, died in 1998, and very few senior officials are either alive or in custody. Seven members of the party are set to face the court, while only two of them are in the hands of the current Cambodian government.
Sudan Receives Further Scrutiny from United Nations
From 19 months of fighting, over 50,000 Sudanese people lay dead from the tribal and guerilla warfare gripping the nation. Amid international outcry and possible intervention, the Sudanese government faces even harsher criticism over their ambivalence towards the crisis facing their nation.
On the eve of a conference in Libya over the fate of Sudan, the United Nations called on the government again to curb the violence gripping the western area of Darfur. The UN claims that a cease-fire between pro-government and rebel forces fell apart within the past few weeks after receiving little support from the government in Khartoum.
The pro-government militia known as the Janjaweed is responsible for thousands of deaths within the nation -- clearing entire towns and villages of people through intimidation and murder in efforts to curb the rebellion facing the nation. These attacks have spurned harsh criticism from the United Nations, leading the organization to adopting oil sanctions against the nation if such attacks continue.
As the situation in Darfur worsens, the Libyan government is organizing a summit within their nation on the issues facing Sudan. The nearby nations of Chad, Egypt, and Libya are scheduling a date for the discussions aimed at diffusing the issues of Sudanese citizens seeking asylum in their countries, and the state of Sudan itself.
With an understaffed police force, an untrained army, and a pool of investors uninterested in an insecure nation, Iraqi Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi faces myriad problems in his fledgling nation.
As the entire world watches the progression, and all too often the retrogression of Iraq, Allawi addressed his concerns for the nation. Although he asserts that the national elections slated for January will be unfazed by the violence gripping the nation, Allawi admitted that Iraq is in a very precarious situation. Nations that once salivated over the prospect of a democratic Iraq are now far from eager to invest in the country. After President George W. Bush asserted that Iraq was "liberated" in May 2003, companies scrambled to invest in the nation and its copious oil reserves. As the nation crumbled in the face of a violent insurgency and an angry population, many of the former investors abandoned their hopes for growth in the nation.
After asserting the might of the 100,000 officer-strong police force a few weeks prior, Allawi rescinded from his optimistic tone in front of the Iraqi National Assembly last week. He admitted that security is a crucial concern for the interim government since rampant violence can all but thwart the survival of the nation after the regime of Saddam Hussein.
"It's clear that since the handover, the capabilities are not complete and that the situation is very difficult now in respect to creating the forces and getting them ready to face the challenges," said Dr. Allawi. "The police force is not well equipped and is not respected enough to lay down its authority."
Protesters Rally as France Accepts American Nuclear Waste
On the eve of a transaction of over 300 pounds of nuclear waste from the American government, French citizens and worldwide environmental activists clamor against the trade citing concerns of potential terrorist attacks.
The waste, weapons-grade plutonium, is en route to a secure French port where it will be reprocessed for fuel. Enough material to create 20 atomic bombs, many citizens are concerned over the shipment of that much hazardous material through the Atlantic Ocean. After various oil spills caused by tankers in the world's waterways, many groups are wary about the safety of transporting hazardous cargo over the world's waterways. The transfer of waste, a Clinton-era decision between the United States and Russia over dismantling the nuclear weapons programs of both countries, was postponed after the events of September 11th, 2001 due to concerns over future terrorist attacks.
Despite the concerns over terrorism and environmental issues, the French government is more than happy to accept the waste: the United States does not currently possess the technology to recycle nuclear waste into fuel, and the state-sponsored energy company Areva expects to make over $250 billion by the end of negotiations.
Cambodian Government Makes Motions to Try Khmer Rouge
In an agreement made with the United Nations, the Cambodian government enacted the creation of a tribunal to bring members of the 1970's-era regime to trial.
After years of legal hurdles, the last measure required to create a tribunal was enacted last week. The measure still faces ratification by the Cambodian senate, a measure viewed to be more formal than legal. While the tribunal can now legally occur, fundraising remains a challenge to the government. An estimated $57 million dollars are required to execute the trials, a bill that is expected to fall on the shoulders of the international community.
"What we were waiting for has been achieved today," said Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The 107 members present in the 123-seat National Assembly unanimously voted towards ratifying 26 amendments required for the establishment of the court that plans to bring justice to the families of the 1.7 million Cambodian citizens killed by the communist regime in the early seventies.
Most Cambodians are enthusiastic about the tribunals, despite the number of surviving officials from within the Khmer Rouge. The leader of the party, Pol Pot, died in 1998, and very few senior officials are either alive or in custody. Seven members of the party are set to face the court, while only two of them are in the hands of the current Cambodian government.
Sudan Receives Further Scrutiny from United Nations
From 19 months of fighting, over 50,000 Sudanese people lay dead from the tribal and guerilla warfare gripping the nation. Amid international outcry and possible intervention, the Sudanese government faces even harsher criticism over their ambivalence towards the crisis facing their nation.
On the eve of a conference in Libya over the fate of Sudan, the United Nations called on the government again to curb the violence gripping the western area of Darfur. The UN claims that a cease-fire between pro-government and rebel forces fell apart within the past few weeks after receiving little support from the government in Khartoum.
The pro-government militia known as the Janjaweed is responsible for thousands of deaths within the nation -- clearing entire towns and villages of people through intimidation and murder in efforts to curb the rebellion facing the nation. These attacks have spurned harsh criticism from the United Nations, leading the organization to adopting oil sanctions against the nation if such attacks continue.
As the situation in Darfur worsens, the Libyan government is organizing a summit within their nation on the issues facing Sudan. The nearby nations of Chad, Egypt, and Libya are scheduling a date for the discussions aimed at diffusing the issues of Sudanese citizens seeking asylum in their countries, and the state of Sudan itself.