politicsnews

In the last weeks I saw many jokes, movies and cartoons about the coming war in Iraq.

Not all of them are very tasteful, but this particular one I found quite amusing. Have your sound on (Quicktime).

Balkenende does it again!

See this nice parody at Baatsen.com:

"Het moest maar eens afgelopen zijn met dat gekibbel."

A very interesting site is Arts & Letters Daily. It's motto is 'Veritas odit moras' which means 'Truth hates delay'. It contains links to many interesting articles, often about politics.


You can also find such beauties as Why Computers Should be Kept Out of the Classroom or this article of George Orwell on English language and politics.

Always nice, a little bit of Photoshop. From David Rietveld.nl.

As we discussed the subject a couple of times last week, I thought it might be interesting to read the original UN resolution 1441.

Although quite formal, it's surprisingly readable for this type of document I think. The structure is classic:

The Security Council,

Recalling all its previous resolutions, in particular [...],
Recalling also its resolution [...]
Recognizing ...
[...]

Commending the Secretary-General and members of the League of Arab States and its Secretary-General for their efforts in this regards,
Determined to secure full compliance with its decisions,
Acting under Chapter VII of the Carter of the United Nations,

1. Decides that Iraq has been and remains in material breach of its obligations [...]

[...]
5. Decides that Iraq shall provide
UNMOVIC [...]
[...]
14. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

Article in Trouw today: "Nawijn should resign":

"Minister Nawijn heeft jammerlijk gefaald. Hij wist wat de moeilijkheden waren. Desondanks heeft hij verwachtingen gewekt bij een kwestbare groep. Bij die mensen kan hij nu niet meer aankomen met de boodschap: jammer dan, maar het feest gaat niet door. Nawijn dient daarom terstond op te stappen."
"Minister Nawijn failed miserably. He knew what the problems are. Still, he gave vulnerable people false hope. He can't go back to them now and saying: too bad, there's nothing I can do for you. Nawijn should therefore immediately resign."

Politicians are by nature a bit opportunistic, and I believe that's okay. But as a minister from a party that 'promised' to be 'tough on foreigners' Nawijn made himself utterly ridiculous by promising to have a look into the faith of thousands of asylumseekers and then being stopped by the cabinet. But hey, what's new.

I am not sure why I dislike him that much; much more than other LPF politicians. Maybe because he should know better; after all he has been working as a civil servant for asylum cases etc. He should know what type of pain this opportunistic false promises can causes in hundreds of families. There are no easy solutions!

I'm sure sometimes politicians have to be tough; that's how life is. But playing this kind of games is quite another thing: the guy is just plainly incapable.

Truly a brilliant move of France, Germany and Belgium to veto preparations for preparing defense for Turkey in case of a war.

I mean -- that's what the Alliance is for, isn't it? If there's a potential war at the other side of Europe, who cares that Turkey wants some defense?

Hmm -- sorry if I see this a bit too negative. But I think it's one thing not to agree on attacking Saddam Hussein, quite another matter to danger to relationships in Nato in such a way. Lord Robertson seems to be a little bit optimistic:

"It is serious that after three weeks, we have not got an agreement. But a lot of people are working very hard to make sure an agreement takes place, and I’m confident that if people look at the serious implications of not getting a decision than that will, I hope, give an impetus to providing a solution and getting a consensus."

America's secretary of state Collin Powell will today give a much anticipated speech to the Security Council.

It will start at 16:30 and it's supposed to be a 'multi-media presentation'.

I'm happy to see that the NOS will have a life-stream of the speech online. It's an important event, that's why I was so surprised yesterday.

Didn't see the State of the Union live -- it was a little too early for that. In these uncertain times it's good to stay up-to-date; it's nice that the transcript of the speech is online.

"Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, members of Congress, distinguished citizens and fellow citizens, every year, by law and by custom, we meet here to consider the state of the union."

As usual the VVD was the big winner among voters living abroad. They won 30% of the votes.

The Economist had an article about the influence of expatriates on national elections a few weeks ago. It's available online (for free).

"As a rule of thumb, though, émigrés are nationalists, even though they may at the same time be loyal citizens of their adopted country (96% of Australia's Croats are naturalised, and not known as lukewarm in their Ozziness). Perhaps the strength of nationalist feeling has something to do with feelings of guilt among those fortunate enough to live abroad, especially when the home country is under some kind of threat. Perhaps it has something to do with not having to live with the consequences of nationalism pur et dur. Perhaps it is because exile sharpens the sense of the country left behind. Issues may simply seem clearer from afar. In any event, absence certainly seems to make the heart grow fonder—and fierier."