Adieu Mandela
Que d'éloges pour ce fils de chef tribal devenu militant, incarcéré pendant 27 ans au large de Cape Town, ou entre les barreaux il gardait le regard fixe sur l'avenir de sa patrie, une nation divisée entre tribus et races, qu'il était presque facile de voir sombrer dans le chaos et la terreur. Or sa vision était autre, et l'histoire connut un autre dénouement. Et voilà pourquoi ils étaient réunis en grand nombre, entre les gouttes en ce printemps africain. Et cette communion extraordinaire de chefs d'état, souvent rivaux, chantait à elle seule les louanges d'un personnage presque messianique, qui était pourtant le premier à avouer les erreurs de son humanité.
Autant de leçons apprises pour un seul homme, des leçons d'une certaine utilité au reste d'entre nous. Pour rendre hommage au premier président noir sud-africain, le premier président noir Américain, un des 100 chefs d'états présents, le plus important rassemblement du genre. Parmi eux certes David Cameron et Barack Obama, mais Raul Castro et Robert Mugabe aussi, et quelques instants après avoir échangé une rare poignée de main avec le frère du Commandante, Obama avait un certain message à leur transmettre: "Trop de gens se déclarent solidaires avec la lutte de Madiba pour la liberté, mais ne tolèrent pas les voix contestataires chez eux". Entendu M. le vice-président chinois?
Sous la pluie les indigènes faisaient leur deuil comme seul il leur semble possible, soit en chantant et dansant, arborant les couleurs le l'ANC. Voilà depuis des jours qu'ils en faisaient de même chez Mandela, autour d'un amoncellement impressionnant de fleurs et de symboles de la lutte. Certes leurs chants étaient parfois trop bruyants pour ces orateurs, la plupart ennuyeux, et viraient parfois en huées, lorsque le président Jacob Zuma prenait la parole. Mais il ne pouvait-il y avoir de plus vibrant hommage à cette démocratie qui a, contre vents et marées, pris racine au sud du grand continent?
Cinquante ans après Robben Island, 25 ans après avoir partagé notre une de numéro de fin d'année et 20 ans après sont prix Nobel de la Paix, Nelson Mandela retrouvait le repos au son des vuvuzelas dans le stade ou il avait fait sa dernière apparition publique. Il n'aura été, somme toute, qu'un homme, la nation qu'il laisse à son sort n'étant pas des plus paisibles, sans parler de sa propre famille, proie aux déchirements depuis plusieurs mois. Mais un être d'une rare catégorie tout de même.
The new struggle in Ukraine
After the Great Berlin Wall came tumbling down, an empire col- lapsed and the dust settled, many countries behind the old Iron curtain were at long last ex- posed to free markets and democracy, and rushed to apply to join the European Union and NATO. Not all did how- ever. Despite the novelty and opportunity to break from the past and oppression, some felt more comfortable stay- ing within the Soviet, later CIS-sphere of influence, such as Belarus. Most were anxious to break their chains, notably Baltic states which had been culturally and otherwise been traumatized by Moscow.
The Ukraine, so close to Russia but longing for Western influence, found itself struggling to defined itself, caught in the faultlines of empire, in an Eastern European no mans land, between two ideological zones it couldnt choose be- tween, ending up split- ting itself as a result. Last week, after years of flirting with the West, it bowed to the irresistible forces pulling along the Eastern border, where Russia was once more flexing its post-Soviet muscle, at least economically. This was palpable as Vilnius held a summit long-expected to welcome a number of post-Soviet countries within the EUs realm, among them Moldova, Azeribaijan and Georgia, but chief among them what could become Europes second-largest country.
The European Union suspects Vladimir Putins Russia continues to pull the economic strings in order to keep Ukraine in its sphere of influence, as Russophile President Viktor Yanukovych chose to put on hold a historic association agreement with the EU, the first stage to eventual membership. Russia has been trying to influence Ukraine with a combination of carrot, such as the promise of further trade deals, and stick, by carrying out shipment inspections at the border this year, an ominous warning of more to come if Kyiv sided with the EU. Putin made clear that to have Ukraine sign a deal, instead of joining its own group with Belarus and Kazakhstan, would pose a big threat to Russias economy. In fact he says main industries from agriculture to car and aviation manufacturers would suffer from the flood of European goods. We are not ready to open our gates to European goods, he said. Do we have to choke entire sectors of our economy for them to like us?
The turnaround came days after Kyiv chose to keep incarcerated former opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko, against the wishes of the continents Western powers. The figure of the 2004 Orange revolution, imprisoned for abuse of power, said she would start a new hunger strike, as the streets of the capital which in time had grown wary of the de- cade-old struggle were once again the scene of reminiscent rallies and clashes with police. She called for the overthrow of the government.
Violent clashes over the weekend, accompanied by national strikes, prompted the opposition to call for snap elections as world capitals deplored the crack down. A new tent camp has been erected in the centre of town as flag-waving protesters defied authorities to put an end to their rejuvenated movement amid the presidents call for peace and calm in our big Ukrainian family. I would like to underline this: there is no alternative to the creation of a society of European standards in Ukraine and my policies on this path always have been, and will continue to be, consistent, Yanukovych declared, in an effort to calm the movement. But I would be dishonest and unfair if I had not taken care of the most dis- advantaged and vulnerable, who may carry the brunt during a transitional period.
While the protesters called for a European future without Yanukovych, Euro- pean officials indicated they would not immediately shut the door on a future deal. It is up to Ukraine to freely decide what kind of engagement they seek with the European Un- ion, said European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Com- mission President Jose Manuel Barroso, adding Moscows influence shared the blame for torpedoing the talks. We strongly disapprove of the Russian position and actions. German chancellor Angela Merkel had a more direct message for Moscow: The cold war is over.
This week, as pressure mounted following the weekend crack- down, officials temporarily flirted with the possibility of a snap election. Protesters meanwhile dug in for the long haul and indicated they were- nt budging until Ukraine signed an agreement with the EU, remaining hopeful the country wasnt about to turn its back on the West. After negotiations with many influential European politicians we are positive that Europe is still interested in Ukraines euro-integration," said boxing champion and opposition leader Vitali Klitschko. The doors have not been closed yet. However, it depends on us if we will ever be a part of Europe or not.
Critics say the country's leader is seeking short-term relief by not upsetting Russia instead of looking for long-term economic gain through the EU. The Ukrainian president had claimed the timing was simply off. As soon as we reach a level that is comfortable for us, when it meets our interests, when we agree on normal terms, then we will talk about signing, Yanukovych told a TV station. When this will happen - soon or not so soon - time will tell. I would like that time to come as soon as possible.
Ukraine fears it has much to lose from turning its back on Moscow by joining the EU, an apparent zero-sum game played on the fringes of the continent. The calculations are complex, as are the countrys economic ties. While the EU is Ukraines largest trade partner, as a single country Russia is the top market, and the Ukraine still does 60% of its business with the former Soviet bloc, the old ties that still bind. It wouldnt be the first time a post-Soviet country backed out of such a deal, Armenia choosing earlier this year, after a visit by Putin, to join Moscows customs un- ion, a decision European officials made clear was incompatible with member- ship in the EU.
Ironically the EU is more of a draw now, dis- playing signs of economic recovery, with unemployment numbers down overall. In the meantime the opposition, which lost its no-confidence vote, had its work cut out re- moving the president, even if the current leader was ousted in the Orange revolution. There are few legal mechanisms to oust the president or form a compliant government unless Yanukovych suddenly decides to cooperate with the opposition, explained Baylor political scientist Serhiy Kudelia. Given the oppositions revolutionized demands, such cooperation remains unlikely and the legal way out of the crisis is still un- clear. This may further inten- sify pressure on opposition leaders to resort to extra-judicial actions in the near future.
New tensions in Eastern Seas
The aerial dogfight over contested airspace and waters of the East China Sea brought a familiar chill to the regions geopolitics and served as a reminder both of other claims and Americas challenge in changing the course of its foreign policy, as the White House set out to do. It was hardly the first time the regions capitals exchanged harsh words over the fate of small islands near valuable undersea gas fields in the region, but Beijings decision to establish an air defence identification zone over the area promptly brought the war planes of four different countries zig zagging these tense skies, Japanese, U.S. and South Korean fighters choosing to defy Chinas declaration, while Chinese fighters later scrambled to tail U.S. planes.
While Japanese commercial aircraft chose to ignore the zone, or Chinas request it receive flight plans in ad- vance, U.S. carriers American and Delta werent as carefree, agreeing to notify the Chinese in a move Washington stressed had nothing to do with recognizing the newly-established zone. It was in this tense environment the U.S. vice-president visited the region this week, while U.S. and Japanese vessels geared for war games, adding an extra layer of volatility to the situation. U.S. military officials on the ground however downplayed the dispute, and imposition of a special air zone.
We are going to continue with our operations in international airspace as we always have, said Vice Admiral Robert L. Thomas, commander of the U.S. 7th fleet, on a carrier fresh from participating in rescue efforts in the Philippines. Its about international norms, standards, rules and laws. When anybody makes an extreme claim it is really an imperative that the inter- national community can continue to operate in accordance with international law and not be distracted. Joe Biden later backed the general saying Beijing's move would have "no effect on American operations".
Japanese officials criticized the Chinese move as a profoundly dangerous act that may cause unintended con- sequences in the area, while Sec. of State John Kerry said this unilateral action constitutes an attempt to change the status quo in the East China Sea. Escalatory action will only in- crease tensions in the region and create risks of an incident. Chinese officials argued establish- ing such zones was hardly a precedent and hoped planes flying into the zone would comply, air force spokesman Shen Jinke adding Chinas air force is on high alert and will take measures to deal with diverse air threats to firmly protect the security of the countrys air- space. Japanese Prime minister Shinzo Abe said his country would resolutely by calmly deal with Beijings attempt to change the status quo.
The crisis has once again shown the U.S. president has his work cut out trying to smoothen relations with friends and foe alike. Even though at the beginning he hoped to be a transformative president, both domestically and abroad, he has failed to deliver on each, says Aaron Da- vid Miller of the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars. Some argue theres a correlation between these failures and a recent study which for the first time in 40 years has a majority of Americans saying their countrys influence is on the wane. The East Chine Sea dispute is hardly the only one in Asia, waters in the South China Sea also leaving countries such as China and the Philippines clashing over claims.
The Chinese envoy to Manila said it was his countrys right to impose such zones, but added one was- nt immediately being contemplated for the South China Sea. This week we are reminded of the territorial claims contested at the top of the world as well as Canada makes its case to expand its water boundaries over 1.7 million kilometres of Arctic sea floor. The U.S., Canada, Russia and Denmark have been collecting precious data over re- cent years to lay their claims on various parts of the North.
Nouvelles manifs en Thailande divisée
Depuis le renversement du premier ministre Thaksin Shinawatra en 2006, peu de développements politiques ne sont pas analysés à travers le prisme du coup détat dans le pays des sourires. Lévénement lui-même a causé une déchirure nationale et déclenché multes manifestations, parfois violentes, entre chemises rouges fidèles à lancien dirigeant, et chemises jaunes. En 2010 ces dernières paralysaient le centre de la capitale lors déclats parfois violents qui ont fait plusieurs douzaines de victimes. Puis lan dernier lorsque Yingluck Shinawatra, sa soeur, a été élue au poste de premier ministre, la réaction a été immédiate: la première femme au poste dans lhistoire du pays ne faisait que figure de masque féminin aux yeux des anti-Thaksin, qui promettaient de la poursuivre pour parjure.
Ils sont catégoriques, depuis le pays est dirigé par un homme en exil. La nouvelle ronde déclats na donc pas tardé lorsquune loi damnistie, considérée par plusieurs comme un moyen de permettre le retour du dirigeant exilé, a été présentée. Malgré son rejet au Sénat, le projet a à nouveau provoqué dimportantes manifesta- tions de la part des jaunes, prenant plusieurs ministères dassaut et faisant appel à la démission de Yingluck.
Cette fin de semaine de nouvelles scènes de violence se sont emparées de la rue, les chemises jaunes et rouges en venant aux coups, même à des échanges de tirs, faisant quatre morts et plus de 250 blessés avant l'intervention de l'armée. Yinluck a refusé de dissoudre le parlement, annonçant plutôt lextension de mesures de sécurité spéciales à lensemble de la capitale afin de tenter de rétablir lordre. Mais alors que la dirigeante demandait à la population de ne pas se joindre à des manifestations illégales et de respecter la loi, les contestataires redoublaient les appels à la désobéissance civile tout en encourageant la foule à prendre tous les ministères après avoir pris les départements des finances et des affaires étrangères dassaut.
Si les fonctionnaires ne cessent pas leur travail, nous prendrons tous les ministères demain, a déclaré devant la foule Suthep Thaugsuban, un ancien dirigeant du Parti démocrate, principal parti de lopposition. Ce que nous voulons, cest nous débarrasser du système Thaksin. Avant la fin de semaine, malgré les mots amers et les manifestations bruyantes, les actes étaient demeurés relativement paisibles, Yingluck écartant initialement lutilisation des militaires. Mais ça na pas duré. Visé par un mandat darrestation, Thaugsuban est parvenu à sadresser aux foules aux nez et à la barbe des forces de lordre.
Son discours était plutôt provocateur. Laissez les gens se rendre à tous les ministères afin dempêcher les fonctionnaires de servir le régime Thaksin, dit-il. Une fois que ce sera fait on pourra sen prendre à lhôtel de ville. Pour Yingluck cependant il ne sagit pas de "régime Thaksin" mais bien dun gouvernement élu démocratiquement. Des élections ne risquent dailleurs que de ré-élire un parti majoritaire, Puea Thai, qui a remporté les quatre derniers appels aux urnes. Yingluck na d'ailleurs eu aucune peine à survivre à une motions de censure, mais ses appels au dialogue sont tombés sur des oreilles de sourds.
«Je propose aux manifestants darrêter de manifester et de quitter les bâtiments officiels», a-t-elle déclaré appelant à «trouver une solution» au courant dune journée où les manifestants ont privé le quartier général de la police de courant. Le porte-pa- role des manifestants Akanat Promphan a cependant indiqué que le siège des ministères allait se poursuivre. «On ne peut pas lui faire confiance».
Cette semaine les tensions ont baissé d'un cran après le démantèlement des barricades par les policiers à temps pour fêter l'anniversaire du roi, mais une reprise des hostilités était attendue suite aux célébrations malgré les appels au calme et à l'unité de sa majesté.
Is this the year the Natives rise?
After the Occupy movement in 2011 and Quebec protests last year, is this the year Canadas Aboriginals maketheirvoicesheard? Since October a swelling protest movement has paralyzed rail lines and brought drum beats in shopping malls, even blocking international bridges between Canada and the U.S. to draw attention to Native and environmental rights. But it was the silent protest of a native chief best known for repeatedly bringing the terrible conditions on her reserve to a national attention that has galvanized the movement called Idle no more.
Its mission statement is a reminder of other sweeping protests of recent years, the grassroots movement calling on all people to join in a revolution which honours and fulfils indigenous sovereignty which protects the land and water. As protests swelled to a National Day of Action in December, Chief Theresa Spence of the stricken reserve of Attawapiskat, where a year earlier she had declared a third state of emergency in three years, announced she was beginning a hunger strike. Away from the blockades and direct actions of the protesters on an island near Parliament Hill, Spence has been pursuing her hunger strike into the new year awaiting her meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who agreed to meet with native leaders this week.
It is his policies in particular the movement is targeting, Idle no more claiming it wants to stop the Harper government from passing more laws and legislations that will further erode treaty and indigenous rights and the rights of all Canadians. Held Friday, on the latest day of nationwide protests, the gathering faced the threat of boycott when Spence initially said she would not attend because the governor general would be absent. In order to avoid further protest which organizers said would target economic interests, the Queen's representative eventually agreed to hold a ceremonial meeting with the chiefs. But some band members refused to take part in either, dividing the movement and threatening more direct action.
While the movement drew international attention with Spence, it hardly started with her, four Saskatchewan women first raising their voices about Bill C-45 in October, fearing legislation would erode native rights and spreading their concerns on social media, one Facebook site claiming 45,000 members. Thats usually how modern day protests have caught fire. Among the changes sparking concern were amendments to Canadas Indian Act making it easier opening treaty lands and territory. Changes to the Navigation and Protection Act they say removed protections to most of Canadas waterways while the Environmental Assessment Act allows a faster approval process for projects potentially harming the environment.
The Harper governments environmental policies have come under fire over the last year, from an overhaul of laws cancelling some 3,000 environmental assessments overnight to cuts to programs monitoring air and water quality. They are occurring at a time Canadas focus on making oilsands available to U.S. and international mar- kets have irked environmen- talists criticizing pipeline routes and pollution tied to the resource. Early in the New Year the prime minister agreed to meet with native leaders including Spencer, but protests have carried on, participants remaining skeptic the talks with bring any changes. Over the weekend some 350 protesters gathered on the interna- tional bridge in Cornwall, already involved in native protest action during a dispute over the arming of border guards in 2009, closing it for hours. In Kingston protesters blocked rail lines, delaying passenger service for hours, while roads from the Northwest Territories to B.C. were also shut as a result.
Idle No More activities will not stop until we reach our two goals: Indigenous sovereignty (Nation to Nation relationship) and protection of the land and water (Social and Environmental Sustainability), the movement stated on the week- end. Once we reach these goals, we will continue to work to protect them. In essence, Idle No More is here to stay.Boosted by a social-media-educated youth, the movement offers many similarities with its predecessors, such as the Occupy movement, experts say. They are both diffuse, grassroots movements with no central organizing structure, says Jeffrey Denis of McMaster University. Al- though there have been distinct triggers and key organizers in different regions, like Occupy, Idle No More has taken on a life of its own and it is difficult to keep track of all the events. However he adds: Idle No More activists have been clearer in identifying concrete actions that can be taken right now to put us on that path.
Tom Flanagan of the University of Calgary says the movement is different from the Oka crisis or other Native protests over the last years and decades as This is the first time there is a simultaneous uprising from coast to coast. While Spence has been praised by some former leaders, such a former prime minister Paul Martin, as an inspiration for her stand, the chief and her predecessors at Attawapiskat First Nation have also come under scrutiny after an audit of the federal funding spent by the community found supporting documents often lacking for the $104 million given to the band between 2005 and 2011. Spence has been chief since 2010. Accounting firm Deloitte said about 80 per cent of some 500 transactions did not have adequate supporting documents. Funding was ear- marked for services includ- ing housing, infrastructure and education but as a result it wasnt possible to tell if it was properly spent. There is no evidence of due diligence in the use of public funds, including the use of funds for housing, wrote Deloitte.
Critics say this is a recurrent problem in reserve spending, the report itself recommending stricter enforcement measures and better First Nations record-keeping. And more money could be coming from the government on native is- sues after the Federal Court recognized metis and non-status Indians in Canada as "Indians" under the Constitution. Canada spends more than any other country on its Aboriginal people, former Mulroney chief of staff Norman Spector told CTV. Something is amiss. Spence defended her actions, calling the report a distraction on the current issues striking Native communities. I remain steadfast on my journey and will not allow any distractions at this time to [waver from] the goal set forth, Spence said in a stated response.
While Native chiefs gathered in the nations capital to meet with the prime minister officials from two Alberta Indian bands, Mikisew Cree and the Frog Lake First Nation, arrived to ask for a judicial review of the environ- mental provisions in both C-45 and C-38, citing Supreme Court rulings recognizing Ottawa must consult with Native groups about decisions impacting their communities and resources.
Veilles de pourparlers sur la Centrafrique
Lannée a bien mal commencé en République centrafricaine, les rebelles menaçant de répéter les gestes devenus trop familiers afin dévincer le pouvoir pendant que Bangui faisait appel à laide de la communauté internationale et particulièrement celle de Paris. En effet ce nétait pas pour protester contre un geste quelconque des troupes françaises installées dans leur pays mais justement pour condamner leur inaction que plusieurs manifestants centrafricains prenaient lambassade de France pour cible alors que la rébel- lion frappait aux portes de la capitale, elle qui avait repris les armes en décembre pour protester le non respect daccords de paix avec le pouvoir.
Lorsque des troupes françaises ont éventuellement été envoyées en renfort, cétait pour protéger les expatriés plutôt que le régime. Comme lors des rébellions précédentes les troupes du Tchad voisin sont venues soutenir la présidence croulante de François Bozizé, barricadé chez lui comme la plupart de la population alors que les rebelles prenaient une telle emprise sur le territoire de cette petite république de 5 millions dâmes que les révoltés estimaient la prise de la capitale inutile. Pourquoi alors que, selon la coalition rebelle du Séléka, le pouvoiramanifestement"perdu le contrôle du pays.
Les rebelles, dont on connait encore très mal le nombre ou larsenal mais dont la confiance gonfle à chaque étape qui se termine souvent par la déroute ou la fuite des troupes nationales - démoralisées -, auraient dailleurs à se buter aux renforts tchadiens, dernière ligne de défense avant Bangui. Cette rébellion mettait à première vue fin à cinq ans de tentatives dun processus de paix qui avait tenté de terminer un cycle infernal de coups détats et de rébellions multiples, formant une instabilité coûteuse économiquement. Mais alors que les rebelles refusaient les premiers appels aux pourparlers, poursuivant leur progression dans plusieurs ville stratégiques, dont la ville diamantifère de Bria, semparant du tiers du pays tout en faisant appel aux forces de sécurité du pays de déposer les armes, ils changèrent de cap et décidèrent de rejoindre la table de négociation. Un geste plutôt inhabituel.
Cette semaine lors de pourparlers au Congo, les deux parties s'entendaient sur un accord de sortie de crise, comportant un cessez-le-feu et la nomination d'un premier ministre issu de l'opposition. Le général Bozizé avait gagné le pouvoir en 2003 par la force, avec le soutien du Tchad, allié de longue date dont les troupes resteront sur le territoire pendant plusieurs années. Alors que Bozizé avait apporté une certaine stabilité au coeur dun pays où des rebelles congolais avaient commis de nombreuses atrocités, son putsch avait chassé le premier président élu suite à des élections multipartis, Ange-Félix Patassé, en 1993 après 33 ans dune série de putschs qui avaient écarté nombre de dirigeants. Le premier cinq ans seulement après lindépendance, geste de Jean-Bedel Bokassa, qui tiendra 14 ans avant de connaître le même sort. Son successeur tiendra à peine deux ans avant dêtre chassé à son tour.
Va-t-on éviter un nouveau cycle de violences dans ce pays que même Amnesty a dénoncé à ti- tre de pouvoir trop faible pour faire face à la rébellion? Tout va dépendre de la période de l'après-sommet, de nombreux rebelles regrettant que le président reste en poste. "Le départ de Bozizé nest pas négociable. Il ne veut pas partir mais il na pas les moyens de rester, avait précédemment déclaré un porte-parole. Ce dont nous devons parler avec les chefs dEtat dAfrique Centrale, cest des conditions du départ de M. Bozizé.
Les rebelles avaient rejeté une première proposition dintégrer des membres de la rébellion au gouvernement, menaçant davancer sur Bangui en accusant le pouvoir dy commettre des exactions contre la population civile. Les rebelles accusent le président de crimes de guerre et crimes contre l'humanité. Mais les groupes internationaux, dont UNICEF, accusent les deux camps de poser des gestes extrêmes, lorganisation estime que plus de 300 000 enfants et jeunes Centrafricains sont affectés par les violences, les rendant plus vulnérables au recrutement.
Pour lhexagone, les anciennes notions de pré-carré sont officiellement des choses appartenant au passé. Le président français rappelait que la France nest pas présente en Centrafrique pour protéger un régime, refusant catégoriquement dintervenir dans les affaires intérieures dun pays. Il faut dire que Paris est déjà engagé au Mali, y envoyant des troupes cette semaine pour cibler "les terroristes" qui tiennent le nord du pays. C'était après avoir laissé entendre que des troupes africaines auraient été préférables pour une telle offensive.
Pakistan's new Bhutto awaits
While he remains too young to run during this springs elections, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari chose the fifth anniversary of his mothers assassination to make a key speech on his vision of Pakistan, in fact launching his political career as the heir of the countrys most enduring dynasties. Bhuttos speech took place in front of some 200,000 Pakistan Peoples Party members and supporters near where Benazir Bhutto and her father were buried, at the family mausoleum near Larkana, ending years of waiting in the wings as PPP chairman while the widower of the late two-time premier served as president.
Called a criminal by some, Asif Zardari has nonetheless managed to outlast many predecessors, putting him in course to become the first elected leader to complete a full term in office and ensure a peaceful transition. Benazir sacrificed her life to uphold democracy, Bhutto said referring to his mother, who was killed in 2007 while campaigning. The bea- con of democracy continues to shine. So too does the rich tradition of dynastic politics, some pointed out, something Pakistan has in common with rival India and nearby Burma, in a year where Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of the countrys founder, finally acquired a political seat after years of prison arrest.
With the responsibilities come the risks, one outlined in a speech honouring the sacrifices made by politicians and activists in a country with a record of political violence. One growing scarier by the day in fact. While the aftermath of 9-11 has been obvious in neighbouring Afghanistan it has left deep marks in Pakistan as well, where some 45,000 have died in terrorist-related violence since, according to government figures, many in over 300 suicide bombings. According to the Daily Beast U.S. intelligence rates Pakistan among the countries most likely to fail by 2030.
How long you will go on killing innocent people? ... if one Malala will be killed, thousands will replace her, he said of a 15-year-old schoolgirl and activist for girls education shot in October and currently recovering in Britain. One Benazir was killed; thousands have replaced her. As he spoke helicopters hovered overhead at a rally protected by some 5,000 officers. While he will be months short of the age of 25, the minimum requited to run, during this springs elections, he is expected to have an impact in a year the country faces eco- nomic troubles and violence, while the party is slammed by corruption allegations.
Adding to the mix this week were renewed tensions with India in the sensitive Kashmir. Putting Benazirs son on a stage makes political sense. Its a very poignant and emotional moment still for many people, Osama Siddique, a professor at Lahore University of Management Science, told the Guardian, but he added it was hard to visualise Bilawal in a key position any time soon.
Its a reminder the transitions to a new dynastic heir are sometimes quite lengthy when they do occur. Bhutto paid tribute to his grand-father, using the slogan of the late populist who led the country in the 1970s before his assassination, describing the PPP as representing food, clothes and shelter for all. A new Bhutto is emerging today in the shape of Bilawal who has vision of his mother and grandfather, and people are excited, said Bhutto spokesman Aijaz Durrani. Theres more reasons why the upcoming vote will have a familiar ring, like many before it the election will pit the Bhuttos against the party of Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted in 1999 but could come back for a third term as prime minister.
While America man- aged to prevent disaster with a last-minute deal to avoid default and reopen the government, it remained a prisoner to the causes of its 16-day shutdown - one for every trillion dollars of debt it owes - and had to swallow only its latest lesson of humility in the face of international criticism. At first it seemed like it would be short, and limited to a few closed parks, museums and late cheques, but even at that early stage the U.S. government shutdown sent a rather curious message to the world about the state of the global superpower.
Then the signals became more critical, as President Barack Obama cancelled a trip to an Asian summit some wondered: would the crisis which introduced words such as furlough affect foreign policy as well, and ultimately the projection of U.S. power abroad? Before long the alarms became sustained and disturbing, especially on the financial front, as business experts the world over worried about the possibility of a U.S. default if elected officials failed to vote on raising the debt ceiling before a critical and recurring fiscal cliff which only underlines Americas dependence on foreign capital.
Chief among them, Chinas warning the U.S. had better come to its senses and avoid a financial calamity experts warned would make the 2008 crisis pale in comparison. China af- ter all is the worlds largest holder of U.S. government bonds, a staggering $1.3 tril- lion, followed by Japan. The warning came among others from the International Monetary Fund and ratings agencies such as Standard & Poors and Fitch, which placed Americas triple A credit rating on negative watch. The financial alerts came among what critics saw as signs of deteriorating U.S. influence, from indecisiveness on whether to strike Syria for its use of chemical weapons to a failed special ops mission which sought to capture al-Qaida-linked extremists in Somalia.
The U.S. has also been criticized by trade partners including Brazil, Mexico, France and Germany for the recent spy scandal. A matter of perception perhaps, but the business community feared the very real impact of a possi- ble default, turning the circus on the Hill into the possible nightmare in the street, notably Wall Street, driven down initially by the failure of one attempt to clear the budget gridlock, before soaring upon hearing about a bipartisan Senate deal to settle the dispute. But until the very end the political fault lines which had tied a bill to keep the government running to health care laws prevented a resolution, and emotions remained raw on the Republican side, especially for the Tea Party-backed author of a 21-hour filibuster-style protest many associate with the shutdown, Senator Ted Cruz, who said he would not prevent a vote on the deal presented to Congress, but regretted it under its form.
It appears the Washington establishment is refusing to listen to the American people, Cruz said. The deal that has been cut provides no relief to the millions of Americans who are hurting because of Obamacare. In its initial reaction to the deal, the White House said there were no winners after the shutdown. The American people have paid the price, officials said. And may pay it all over again in the future, critics points out, the agreement allowing the government to raise the debt limit until the next deadline, February 7th.
If all we achieve is a repetition of this charade we will not have achieved much, told AP Henry Aaron of the Brookings Institution. Meanwhile friends and foe alike poked fun at the American spectacle, Chinese media and an adviser to the Commerce Minister saying the gentle- men on Capitol Hill were unconcerned how their monkey business was impacting the world and undermining Amer- icas international image. Canada meanwhile served notice, in its Throne Speech, that while its financial situation was more endearing it couldnt let its guard down and an- nounced measures to balance the budget and enshrine in law its successful and prudent approach by introducing balanced-budget legislation... In spite of continuing risks from beyond our shores, our Government is leading the world by example, the gloating speech by the governor general read. Canada is now among only a few countries in the world with a triple-A credit rating.
This week Sec. of State John Kerry quipped the teasing at world meetings was so pronounced officials were offering to buy him lunch. Probably nothing has done more damage to Americas credibility in the world, our standing with other countries, than the spectacle that weve seen these past several weeks, Barack Obama said the day following the deal on the shutdown, which hap- pened to be international con- flict resolution day. Its encouraged our enemies, its emboldened our competitors, and its depressed our friends who look to us for steady lead- ership. Ironically, with the spectacle now in the past - even as America shudders to uncover the damage done by the last days - foes of Obamacare can finally find ammunition in the painful rollout of the program, marked by crashed websites and low initial sign-ups. This week, while reporting the number of half a million registrations to date, Obama stressed there was no excuse for the glitches that have made the rollout a near-fiasco. No- bodys madder than me, he said.
Theres no sugar coating - the website has been too slow, people have been getting stuck during the application process and I think its fair to say that nobodys more frus- trated by that than I am.And while the Dow Jones initially rebounded as the shutdown came to an end, analysts were weighing the tally of a crisis Obama says slowed the countrys growth. Not all rating agencies let America off the hook either, Fitch keeping tis watch and Chinese agency Dagong lowering its rating for U.S. currency despite the deal struck in Washington.
The fundamental situation that the debt growth rate significantly outpaces that of fiscal income and gross domestic product re- mains unchanged, it re- ported. Hence the government is still approach- ing the verge of default crisis, a situation that cannot be sub- stantially alleviated in the foreseeable future. This sentiment was shared by the man who stood at the helm of the Fed for 20 years, Alan Greenspan, in an interview with the BBC. He said he feared only more stalemates ahead, adding compromise in Washington was far from being within reach.
Meanwhile the crisis has only exacerbated a backlash against politicians of all stripes, a CNN poll this week saying 12 percent of Americans thought Congress was doing a good job, a number near its historic low of 10 percent, set in Sep- tember. According to one USA Today poll no less than 47% of Americans would replace nearly every single member of Congress in nexts years Congressional election. Consumer confidence reflected the hang ups over the shutdown by dropping to its lowest level since the end of last year. In addition: "The number of consumers that negatively mentioned the federal government in October was the highest in the more than half a century history of the (consumer sentiment) surveys.
Like the countrys geography, the Filipino insurgency forms an archipelago, one of dispersed and sometimes conflicting rebel groups, making any peace effort a struggle for Manila. There was a reminder of this recently as one group excluded from the current peace drive, the latest - initiated last October -, not only took up arms but paralyzed a city of a million and regional hub of the contested south of the country. That is where not only an Islamist, but also a Marxist insurgency, rages on after decades of conflict with the central government.
As it launched its latest peace drive, the government hoped to include both rebel movements, themselves a gathering of splinter groups and rival factions, to bring stability to the archipelago, but its hard enough bringing all the Islamist groups to the table alone, some still clutch- ing weapons and holding on to dreams of an independent south. The group responsible for storming Zamboanga, a major city of Mindanao, resulting in the deaths of dozens while forcing thousands to flee, taking some 100 hostages along the way, unilaterally declared independence and complained it was never included in the tenuous peace process, the latest in a string of attempts to end the fighting in the countrys volatile south. Nur Misuari, the 71-year-old leader of the group, is said of being upset his faction of the Moro National Liberation Front was left out of talks altogether.
While the army was closing in on the group this week, the rebels managed to set hundreds of buildings on fire and take hostages, but fighters were being rounded up in the face of superior military firepower. In one particularly curious incident, a police chief was made hostage him- self after being brought in to negotiate freeing a number of captives. In the end Senior Supt. Jose Chiquito Malayo negotiated his own freedom, persuading the 23 rebels to hand their weapons, which they did, releasing their prisoners.
Still the incident was a reminder of the long arduous work ahead to bring peace to the tense region. The recent fighting was in fact far from being the only instance of resistance to the peace effort. In February rebels from the Philippines travelled by boat to the island of Borneo in Malaysia, in a clash which killed some 60 people, creating diplomatic tensions between the neighbours. Splinter groups are hard to bring together in the name of peace because they are ruled at the clan level, Ramon C. Casiple of the Insti- tute for Political and Electoral Reform tells the New York Times.
The power structure of the clans and tribes transcends the power of the political groups, he said. Whatever group they are aligned with, their allegiance is to their clan. The peace agreement would create a semi-autonomous zone in the south of the country, giving the Moro Islamic Liberation Front greater say in its regions of the south.
The predominantly Muslim region would have its own police, budget and receive a share of wealth from natural resources. Sharia law would be applicable to Muslims. In exchange the re- bels would have to disarm and renounce independence goals. But a variety of militant groups, from the Al-Qaida linked Abu Sayyaf, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, to the Khilafah Islamiyah Movement have yet to abandon dreams of ruling their own land in this region awash with weapons. And the Philippines army has come under stern criticism for its handling of this weeks crisis, critics saying the soldiers have responded too violently, often catching civilians in the crossfire.
There had been attacks on civilians before in the bloody Syrian conflict which has claimed over 100,000 lives and sent two million refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries, spreading a humanitarian crisis throughout the region. There has even been quite conclusive evidence of a previous chemical attack, that red line Western powers warned could not be crossed without consequence. But there hadnt been anything like this, not on this scale. Images of rooms and streets littered with otherwise unbloodied bodies, over 1,400 of them in all including over 400 children ac- cording to Sec. of State John Kerry, left news rooms across the world debating whether to place them on the cover or not.
The graphic photos showed lifeless men, women, and small children, sometimes wrapped in white sheets, with survivors barely able to breathe, their bodies twitching some- times violently, all vic- tims of what the UN says was clearly a chemical at- tack, but could not say by whom. The U.S. however did not hesitate when it came to as- signing the blame for what Kerry called inconceivable horror as he listed the evidence intelligence agencies held with high confidence showing the Assad regime had gassed its own people.
Preparing their bat- tle plans with what they said was certainty Syria had committed the unthinkable, Western powers readied their war machines, London putting forward a UN resolution authorising all necessary measures to protect civilians in Syria. But a decade after the Iraq war, this would not prove to be an open and shut case for intervention. As expected the resolution went no- where and Britains call to arms would suffer a historic blow.
Over the weekend U.S. President Barack Obama said that af- ter carefully weighing his decision he found the U.S. should strike Syria for what he called the worst chemical attack in the 21st century, but would seek congressional approval to do so. The Assad regime saw this as a small victory and sign of indecisiveness by the commander in chief. By the be- ginning of the week Obama had won the support of key mem- bers of Congress, the president insisting the red line that had been crossed hadnt been his alone, but one that defined by the international community. A familiar refrain to those recalling the months leading to the invasion of Iraq. UN Sec. General Ban Ki-moon warned military intervention could spark turmoil in a region already facing an acute refugee crisis, the agency putting the number of internally displaced people to 5 million.
If it is shown chemical weapons were used in Syria, however, he said the Security Council should then unite and act to respond to such an outrageous war crime. Obama had concluded early on there was little doubt the regime was responsible for the attack Damascus has been accusing the rebels of carrying out, and stated the regime had carefully planned it, but the president added he would seek to avoid a lengthy engagement such as Iraq and instead consider alimited, narrow act to deliver a clear message to Assad. A recipe for failure to some observ- ers, but to others, the least terrible option available to the president.
Its important for us to recognize that when over 1,000 people are killed, includ- ing hundreds of innocent children, through the use of a weapon that 98 or 99 percent of humanity says should not be used even in war, and there is no action, then were sending a signal that that international norm doesnt mean much, Obama said. But this would have to take place without Britain, whose parliamentarians ultimately voted against a strike against Syria, reflecting a public opin- ion where two-thirds were against military action against the Middle-Eastern country.
The government would act accordingly Prime Minister David Cameron said after the defeat. As the U.S. said it would go it alone if necessary, France, the first country to call for an intervention against the country and seek to arm Syrias rebels, reiterated its support for a strike, but later said it too would sum- mon lawmakers. But for Cameron, the loss was the source of a major embarrassment, the prime minister having failed for the first time since the 18th century to rally the troops for war, falling short of securing the support of parliament. As expected, attempts to get the Security Council to back firm action had also failed given opposition by veto-holding China and Russia.
Moscow and Paris meanwhile sent warships to the region, joining a gathering of U.S. vessels carrying cruise missiles of a possible long-distance strike aimed at teaching Assad a lesson rather than seeking regime change. Syria meanwhile, where it is suspected the leadership has been anticipating military action for months, called the US charge a total fabrication while Russias Putin urged Washing- ton to fully present the evidence, calling the gas attack a provocation by those who want to drag other countries into the Syrian conflict. Even a limited strike could have much wider regional implications as Iran warned it would respond to any attack against its ally, and Israel prepared for being in the receiving end.
An Iranian law- maker threatened just that as Tehran upped the rhetoric in a crisis testing the young Rohani presidency. The Zionist regime will be the first victim, told local media Hossein Sheikholeslam. In an interview this week with French media Assad suggested French interests could be the subject of reprisals in case Paris participated in a strike, a message also meant for Washington as Congress weighed its decision. Russia and China warned a strike would have catastrophic consequences for the region. Attempts to bypass the Security Council, once again to create artificial groundless excuses for a military intervention in the region are fraught with new suffering in Syria and catastrophic consequences for other countries of the Middle East and North Africa, said foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich in a statement.
Overall experts were still struggling to understand the logic be- hind Assads use of chemical weapons. The Syrian army had turned the tide of rebel gains in June by recapturing the town of Qusayr, on the border of Lebanon, where the government feared the further implications of a war which had already brought violence to its cities. But since the rebels had re- bounded with new gains, bring- ing the fight to the suburbs of Damascus, where the chemical attack took place. Syrian officials could be overheard discussing the implications of the attack on a phone conversation captured by U.S. intelligence. The Russian president called the U.S. charge utter nonsense", a rebuttal sustained during a G20 summit which left many of the participants divided on Syria. What would make Assad risk using chemical weapons he must have known would bring the wrath of the international community and almost certain airstrikes? Did he?
What makes military and strategic sense to Assad may not make military and strategic sense to us, military analyst Emile Hoyakem told the New York Times. Assad is fighting his own fight on his terms and on the timing of his choosing. He may have made a mistake this time - perhaps he didnt mean to kill that many, or assumed the international community had become less sensitive - but it doesnt mean that it didnt make sense from his perspective. After all, didnt the world stand idly by when Saddam Hussein gassed his Kurdish population 25 years ago, killing more than ten times as many people? But as the rebels regained their strength, more radical elements joined them, making any post-strike scenario one to contend with.
As for removing Assad, that could change the balance of power entirely and even spark further ethnic attacks according to Stratfor. It is far from certain that sectarian carnage would end with Assads demise, it would possibly even intensify wrote Robert Kaplan, amid re- ports of Islamic rebels targeting a Christian village. But as the British step back showed, there was little appetite for a strike among many, and some were critical of the half-measures being considered, including some rebel elements, who regretted the midway approach Obama seemed to be considering. Its good and not good, because the strike would not be lethal to the Syrian regime, a Free Syrian Army officer told Global Post.
Its been four months since Nigeria declared a state of emergency in the violent northeastern part of the country, and confusion about the whereabouts of the leader of Boko Haram added to a spike of violence since his alleged demise, claiming dozens of lives, have only shaped a more chaotic state of affairs in parts of Africas most populated country. Adding yet another dramatic twist to events are suspicions members of the hunted group are resorting to cannibalism to survive.
Has the outbreak of violence sought to dispel rumors of Abubakar Shekaus death, claimed by security forces in August, or was it staged to show the militant groups continuing potency? It wouldnt be the first time Shekau, the former n.2 of the organization until leader Muhammad Yusuf was killed in police custody in 2009, has been reported killed or injured, leading many observers to doubt claims of his death last month, after what officials said was an earlier injury suffered during a gun-battle.
The circumstances of Yusuf's own demise had been foggy until well after his death and to some remain unclear today. Since Shekaus alleged demise some 100 people have been killed in the Muslim state of Borno the group has been targeting for years, leaving 3,000 dead in its wake since 2009. This week Boko Haram fighters were suspected in the death of some 20 people in two villages, after a weekend they killed 38 others, including members of rival vigilante groups in Borno, which borders Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
The vigilantes have taken it upon themselves to pick up arms to combat Boko Haram, to show they will no longer be intimidated by them, but some- times commit their own acts of violence against the population. The attack came as gruesome details of previous attacks by the group were being reported. Dozens of victims from the Borno village of Dumba were reported to have had their throats slit and eyes gouged out in an attack whose methods were said of being preferred to shooting, to avoid attracting the attention of security forces out in great numbers in the state. While the group has been spreading carnage in the state it has been increasingly squeezed by the special task force soldiers brought in since the introduction of the state of emergency and there are indications, leaderless or not, some of its members resources have been diminished to the point some are resorting to cannibalism to survive.
The sensational report is alleged in the testimony of a suspected member of Boko Haram who said he managed to flee members of a group he feared would kill him to survive after what he described as acts of cannibalism. Momodu Bukar told media he left the group after it became stranded with no supplies and members started dying from lack of food. I thank God that I escaped because I would have been slaughtered by now to provide meal for my col- leagues at the camp, he said, after claiming he witnessed killings to feed the surviving members of the group.
It all started last Monday when three of the combatants in camp died of acute hunger, and it became obvious that all of us will die if action was not taken, he said. The leader of the group, Abu Omar, directed that a non-combatant member be slaughtered to provide meal for the rest. The meat provided meal for the combatant for just two days and another person was killed in the same manner on Wednesday. So, it became certain that I might be the next person since I am also a non-combatant member. The state emergency in place in Borno also applies in the states of Yobe and Adamawa in predominantly Muslim northern Nigeria.
But while Boko Haram is largely considered an extremist islamist organization seeking the imposition of Sharia law, with possible ties to al-Qaida, it did not hesitate to kill Muslims militants in bloody attacks in Borno. Over the weekend president Goodluck Jonathan told Euro- pean officials the group had been weakened and sought to correct notions the country as a whole was out of control due to militant action. Boko Haram is being progressively weakened but we are not resting on our oars," he said. We will continue to do everything possible to achieve greater security for all who reside within our borders. But that was before the latest killings showed the group still has the means to attack.
Dieu sauve la reine? Le roi et ses sujets apprécieraient également une telle garantie par les temps qui courent sur le vieux continent. Les difficultés financières en Europe ne font pas seulement descendre dans la rue les critiques de gouvernements accusés davoir mal géré la crise, mais également ceux de monarchies jugées trop coûteuses et de plus en plus détachées des souffrances de leurs sujets.
A travers le continent les dépenses liées aux familles royales ont souvent été revues à la baisse alors que gonflait la crise reliée à leuro, exigeant aux monarques de se faire plus petit. Mais malgré les efforts damaigrissement a sein de la cour dEspagne, les ratés de Juan Carlos et de sa famille ont fait descendre quelques milliers de manifest- ants dans les rues cette fin de semaine pour faire appel à la fin de cette monarchie datant du cinquième siècle et dont la saveur bourbonne remonte à presque cinq cents ans.
Alors que le palais Zarzuela avait déjà commencé à retrancher ses dépenses en 2010, une première, en sabrant le budget de 10 million deuros (soit le quart de celui de la famille royale britannique à lépoque) denviron 9 pourcent, la multiplication des scandales en période de crise a créé un tollé à travers la péninsule ibérique. Lan dernier une partie de chasse à léléphant du roi au Botswana, où il sétait blessé, avait créé tout un choc en période de ralentissement économique, forçant Juan Carlos à présenter des excuses historiques.
Mais plus récemment lenquête pour corruption de son gendre Inaki Urdangarin, qui a également exposé la fille cadette à des accusations, a fait chuter la popularité de la royauté en Espagne, où avant le scandale déjà 42% seulement disaient approuver le rôle du souverain. Outre-Manche même si un mariage grandiose relativement récent a réchauffé le coeur des sujets britanniques, Sa Majesté la reine dAngleterre a également dû couper dans les dépenses, de manière à perdre le pre- mier rang au palmarès des monarchies les plus dispendieuses du continent.
Une étude publiée lan dernier révélait que le coût de la famille royale avait chuté de 35 millions à un peu moins de 30 millions de livres, laissant le trône de la plus coûteuse monarchie du continent à la reine Beatrix des Pays-bas, avec un peu plus de 30 mil- lion de livres. Suivaient la famille royale de Norvège (19.6 millions de livres) au troisième rang, de Belgique (11 millions de livres) au quatrième et de Suède (10.8 millions de livres).
Malgré sa huitième place, celle dEspagne na pas réussi à calmer la colère de la rue suite aux scandales reliés aux coûteux occupants du palais Zarzuela. Le Bourbon, au travail! criaient les manifestants, qui font appel à lavènement dune troisième république. Personne na élu le roi, déclarait une militante du parti écolo-communiste, nous voulons un référendum: ça serait la manière juste et démocratique de savoir ce que veut le peuple.
Ce genre de plebiscite est de plus en plus réclamé. La Jamaique doit prochainement aller aux urnes pour décider de lavenir de ses liens avec la famille royale britannique. En 1999 les Australiens avaient rejeté la république par un vote de 54,5%.
As a furious debate on whether or not to arm Syrias rebels marked the second anniversary of that Middle Eastern countrys ongoing crisis, violence also marked the 10th anniversary of the war in Iraq, while the stark realization set in that the billions poured into stabilizing that country may in fact have achieved very little. This week dozens were killed in mainly Shia areas of the capital on the day of the anniversary, the worst outbreak of violence in half a year. This came days after a series of attacks against government buildings killed some 20 people in Baghdad, an apparently coordinated offensive including an attack against the justice ministry in the latest attempt to provoke further sectarian conflict a decade after the fall of Saddam Hussein and weeks before parliamentary elections.
In some areas this led to the postponement of the vote for a few months. Car bombs and suicide attacks were a preamble to an attempt to storm the ministry which ultimately failed, but this has only been the latest attempt against government institutions in a country where a persistent Sunni militancy has maintained instability. During the weekend violence swept other cities when a car bomb near the mostly Shia city of Basra killed 10 people.
Years after the war in Iraq, the aftermath is that of a divided country despite the nation-building that followed the invasion of the country in 2003. While human relations remain frayed after the regain of power by the Shia majority after decades under Sunni dictatorship, even the structural building leaves to be desired according to a recent report. A U.S. auditor on reconstruction in the war-rocked country concluded the $60 billion poured into Iraq by the U.S. in fact achieved little and resulted in some $8 billion in plain waste. In his report before Congress Stuart Bowen cited limited positive effects due to corruption, poor security and insufficient consultation with local officials.
As the U.S. prepared to withdraw all remaining combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014, where it has already spent 50% more than in Iraq, Bowen said the Iraqi experience served as lesson for other rebuilding operations else- where. The general belief across each group is that the relief and reconstruction programme should have accomplished more, that too much was wasted, and that the lessons derived from the Iraq reconstruction experience should drive improvements to the US approach to stabilisation and reconstruction operations, he said.
Iraqi officials have been critical of the reconstruction effort, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki telling Bowen about misspending of U.S. money, regretting such a programme could have brought great change in Iraq. The report also cited Kurdish official Qubad Talabani criticizing Americas approach to the countrys many problems. You think if you throw money at a problem, you can fix it. It was just not strategic thinking, he said.
A terrific amount by any countrys standards, the $60 billion was only a fraction of the estimated $2 trillion the conflict cost the U.S. A U.S. study said this week that with interest the expenses could even triple down the road. The death toll was itself simply staggering, some 134,000 Iraqi civilians and 5,000 U.S. troops losing their lives, possibly even contributing to four times that amount of civilians casualties, according to the Costs of War Project by the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University. The combined human and financial cost of wars resulting from the 9-11 attacks, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, was in the 272,000 to 329,000 and $3.7 trillion range.
The report cited little gains from the war in Iraq, which it said traumatized the country as a whole, giving new life to Islamist militancy, setting back womens rights and weakening an already frail healthcare system. Most of the reconstruction money was in fact spent on security or lost in fraud or waste. Threats of escalation in Syria and reports the regime considered using its chemical weapons to survive had an air of familiarity in Iraq where the countrys Kurds marked the 25th anniversary of Saddam Husseins gas attack on Halabja, killing an estimated 5,000 people.