Debt, Unemployment, Inflation

This is very sharp opinion on the other picture of recent G20 summit in London. It sounds more honest to not use : Stability, Growt, Jobs as slogan of the summit but: Debt, Unemployment, Inflation, says the opinion.

I quote part of opinion showing how terrible situation is America facing rightnow:

"The addiction to new cash injections was chronic. The US had allowed itself to sink into an abject lifestyle. It sold more and more billions in new government bonds in order to preserve the appearance of a prosperous nation. To make matters worse, private households copied the example of the state. The average American now lives from hand to mouth and has 15 credit cards. The savings rate is almost zero. At the end of the Bush era, 75 percent of global savings were flowing into the US.

The president and the head of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, knew about the problem very well. Perhaps the Americans even knew just how irresponsible their actions were -- at any rate, they did everything they could to hide them from the world. Since 2006, figures for the money supply -- in other words, the total number of dollars in circulation -- have no longer been published in the US. As a result, a statistic which is regarded by the European Central Bank as a key indicator is now treated as a state secret in the US.".

Read the full of opinion here

A Last Chance for Two States Solution

Roger Cohen, in NY Times, writes about proposal on Mideast peace to President Obama that signed by 10 former senior officials in US.

There are four core items in the proposal:

"The first is clear U.S. endorsement of a two-state solution based on the lines of June 4, 1967, with minor, reciprocal, agreed land swaps where necessary. That means removing all West Bank settlements except in some heavily populated areas abutting Jerusalem — and, of course, halting the unacceptable ongoing construction of new ones.

The second is establishing Jerusalem as home to the Israeli and Palestinian capitals. Jewish neighborhoods would be under Israeli sovereignty and Arab neighborhoods under Palestinian sovereignty, with special arrangements for the Old City providing unimpeded access to holy sites for all communities.

The third is major financial compensation and resettlement assistance in a Palestinian state for refugees, coupled with some formal Israeli acknowledgment of responsibility for the problem, but no generalized right of return.

The fourth is the creation of an American-led, U.N.-mandated multinational force for a transitional period of up to 15 years leading to full Palestinian control of their security".

They call the proposal as "a last chance for a two-state Israel-Palestine agreement.”

It sounds realistic for President Obama if his Administration gives serious efforts to mediate lasting peace between Palestine and Israel.

Climate Cange: Radical Change on U.S. Policy

I remember how difficult U.S. representative was in saying 'yes' to Bali Road Map on Climate Change that issued in Bali of Indonesia, Dec, 2007. Now, as Obama Administration begins to work, clean energy becomes major issue in U.S. dealing with high cost fuel energy. Important amount of economic stimulus package that has been signed by President Obama will go to deal with clean energy and climate change issues.

There is no doubt that the impact of climate change affects our planet more serious than anytime before. While Victoria of Australia has been hitted by bushfire, flood attacked the other place of the country. London has lived the worst snow attacks in previous month. Our planet at whole is in serious impact of climate change.

I think that U.S. moving forward on climate change issues will be part of solution to the serious impact of climate change that we face. If all countries have same intention on the issue, our earth will be better place for all, now and in the future.

Back To The Track

U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton said that American national security based on three D: Defence, Diplomacy and Development.

She plays key role in two of them. Her first visit as Secretary of State to Asian Countries: Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and China will bring the two missions. The issues like American forces in Japan, economic recovery, developing stronger ties with Indonesia and North Korean nuclear program will be her talks with the officials in these countries.

I think U.S. is in serious efforts to back to the track in its foreign policies that has been worsen in recent eight years of Bush administration.

Different Voices from Iraq and Afganistan

There were different voices in Iraq in one side and Afganistan in the other. Talking in Munich several days ago, President of Afganistan admitted that the situation in Afganistan after 7 years of what so called 'war against terrorism' is still terrible. He offered dialogue to Taliban. Yesterday, at least 20 people were killed in Taliban attack to the building of justice ministry.

Meanwhile, the situation in Iraq seems to be improved. Iraq Prime Minister, Nuri Al Maliki vocally asked US no to make so much intervention to entire Iraq affairs. The newest election in Iraq is also relatively carried out in condusive situation. If Iraq succeeded in building stable domocratic country, it will be good news of the region.

How much mideast need stable democratic countries in facing so many latent conflicts in the region.

What a Paradox

It is the first time in American history; black president leads the U.S. Administration. President Obama not only welcomed by American people who voted him in the poll but also people around the world. It is amazing victory, amazing chance for hope and change.

But at same time, America faces one of the wosrt crisis in its history. Economy crisis is worse that it is predicted. Multi billion dollar of economy stimulus are now being debated in senate to bring U.S. exit from crisis.

It is no doubt that U.S will not be single player anymore in world affairs as the former US Presiden insisted to be in eight previous years.

Dateline Davos: Obama's World

It was a very interesting talk. Christiane Amanpour, CNN Chief of International Correspondent, hosted a panel debate in Davos, Switzerland, aired in CNN, Feb 2. The Panelists were Foreign Minister of France, Iraq, Iran, Prime Minister of Kenya, Defence Minister of Afganistan and Director of IAEA. They talked about world and international affairs after Obama toke office as President of USA.

Read full transcript of the talk here.

Uncompleted Approach

Talking in 45th Munich Security Conference, Vice President of America, Joe Biden emphazises that world has changed and therefore we also must change.

US administration wants to hear, talk and build a better and more secure world for all. He will talk with Iran and Russia; work seriously to achieve lasting peace between Palestine and Israel; and continue to support Afganistan and Iraq to be a stable country.

The message of the speech is clear. The right way to solve the conflict is by engaging all parts in the conflict in talk, not isolating them. Unfortunately, niether US or EU will talk with Hamas. It is very difficult to solve the Palestine-Israel conflict without talking with Hamas because Gaza is still under control of Hamas and other resistance forces there.

US, Please Give Us Answer!

Time has changed, but international order hasn't. USA and its allies remain control everything. Israel got unconditional support from them. And that means, injustice will be alive for more time.

This is 4th day of Israel airstrike to Gaza strip. More than 300 civilians died. And the attacks continue. No country, no international body can stop the strikes. They have no enough brave to stand against USA and its allies.

For how long again, will this injustice be alive? US can give us answer.

OBAMA: Person of the Year 2008

TIME Magazine named Barack Hussein Obama, President-Elect of USA as the Person of the Year 2008.

I quote TIME:

In one of the craziest elections in American history, he overcame a lack of experience, a funny name, two candidates who are political institutions and the racial divide to become the 44th President of the United States.

It is really exellent achievement. After being elected as President of US, he is now in real challenges to change the world. Israeli-Arab conflict, Iraq instability, Iran nuclear program and high tension of military-politic in Afganistan are hot issues that wait smart and right treatment. I hope that Mr. President will complete his achievment by his success in solving these acute problems.

Obama

America backs to the right path. History has been made there by Mr. Obama. He is elected as first President from afroamericans. Please, stop military existance in Irak and Other countries. Prove that you are new hope for a better world, Mr. President!

5th Year of War in Iraq

After 5 years of American war on Iraq, almost 5 million Iraqis have been displaced. 4.987 American troops were killed. 655.000 Iraqis died. 83 % of inhabitants have no access to clean water. 84 % of school bulding have been demaged. 2 millions children continue to face threats including poor nutrition, disease and interrupted education. Trillions of dollar have been spent to cost the war.

Inspite of this facts, Mr. Bush claimed victory. He will --before end of this year-- leave the administration, but it seems that American troops will not leave Iraq. The sufferances of Iraqi people will continue in longer time.

When uncle Sam falls ill

When uncle Sam falls ill, most people at home are infected. When USA faces economic problems, most countries in the planet also pay the costs.

Property sector crisis in US seems to affect whole economy not only in America but also entire the world.

"Financial crisis in USA not only causes poverty to millions people in America but also negatively affects economy of the world. More than that, it may be getting worse to military occupation to other countries", wrote an analyst.

Three Trillion Dollar War

Joseph Stiglitz, the winner of Nobel Prize in economics, 2001, and Linda Bilmes, lecturer in public policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, counted 3 trillion dollar as cost of US war on Afganistan and Iraq.

They wrote :

"From the unhealthy brew of emergency funding, multiple sets of books, and chronic underestimates of the resources required to prosecute the war, we have attempted to identify how much we have been spending - and how much we will, in the end, likely have to spend. The figure we arrive at is more than $3 trillion. Our calculations are based on conservative assumptions. They are conceptually simple, even if occasionally technically complicated. A $3 trillion figure for the total cost strikes us as judicious, and probably errs on the low side.".

I think that the root of terrorism that the wars have been fought for will be extremely eliminated, if this huge amount of money spent worldwide in building education infra-structures, combating hunger, helping poor people, reconstructing disaster areas, spreading borderless human friendship etc.

Fresh Leader

Mr. Barack Obama inspires some people. "Change We Can Believe In" as major theme of his campaign in long race to White House reflects his vision, image and youthfull soul. He reachs big support from new voters of Americans.

In this fast changing world, we need fresh leader, not just in matter of ideas but age and power of struggle.

We, in Indonesia, need new generation of leader. Next 2009, we'll deal with second straight-parliament and president election in the country. Our public sphere remains full of old faces of politician. We need fresh leader to become starter of big changes, to maximize war against corruption, poverty and lack of human development.

As new democratic coutry, it's big challenge to the young, fresh and clean politician in Indonesia to fight in the next 2009 race to be President of Indonesia. Is that possible? We'll wait untill 2009.