World of opinion
On the U.S. war in Afghanistan:
A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths a statistic, argued the late Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. For the United States and its NATO allies, the killing of 52 Afghan civilians, at least 12 of them young children and two women, May 28 in another airstrike is merely another statistic in the “war on terror.”
And if the killing of civilians in the bombing of a residential compound in Helmand drew angry protests and “warnings” by President Hamid Karzai, they were predictably followed by “sincere apologies” by the coalition saying “top priority is given to prevent civilian casualties and it takes such cases very seriously.” Karzai thunders he has repeatedly warned the coalition against air raids that kill innocents and this is his “last warning” to the coalition. And the White House says it takes “Afghan concerns very seriously,” adding, “we work very hard to avoid civilian casualties.”
We have been here before of course. We have seen many such “warnings” by the Afghan president and many such “apologies” by the coalition. Media pundits and human rights groups will express their “outrage” for a day or two and move on. Little will change on the ground. The farce goes on – until there is another airstrike killing more innocent people.
The truth is, the world has grown weary of this decade-long war and doesn’t really care two hoots whether it’s Taliban insurgents or innocent civilians who are wiped out by the indiscriminate U.S.-NATO bombings. …
What’s going on in Afghanistan today is resistance against occupation. And the Afghans will fight for a thousand years without worrying about consequences or the brute power of the adversary. This is a game that no one, including the Russians and British, has won in Afghanistan. The U.S. must learn from history. It’s in its own interest to end this conflict and leave while it can – with dignity. Dialogue is the only way out.
Arab News, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
http://arabnews.com
—
On G8 promises:
As leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations wrapped up a two-day summit in Deauville, France, they made new promises of billions of dollars for Arab states in support of their political transition and growth efforts.
However, considering the poor record of the G8 in fulfilling its international aid promises over the past years, it is debatable whether the huge sum will be delivered in time and in full. …
No wonder that some non-governmental organizations dub G8 summits a “promise machine”. It is reasonable to doubt if this is just another batch of empty promises unless these countries can deliver on their existing commitments to help fight poverty in Africa. The new aid package may be timely, but the statement did not provide breakdowns of how much aid each G8 country will provide, nor when the funds will be put in place.
Worse still, there are growing concerns that the group’s new aid promises for the Arab world might risk detracting attention from the existing commitments to the poorest in the world, especially in Africa. …
Of course, the G8 countries still offer the majority of global development funds, but though still enjoying the reputation as a “rich club”, G8 members today are not in their best financial shape. …
With the collective rise of emerging economies, the Group of 20 (G20) is gradually replacing the G8 in dealing with a number of global challenges.
If the G8 wants to make a difference with their relatively declining strength and global dominance, the group should, while making new promises, first fully deliver on their past development, health and hunger pledges, and make up the existing default to win the trust of the world.
China Today, Beijing
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn
—
On Yemen on the brink:
Osama bin Laden may be dead, but the movement which he inspired is still capable of flourishing in failing states. The seizure of the Yemeni coastal town of Zinjibar by armed men who are thought to include members of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula comes after months of demonstrations against President Ali Abdullah Saleh. These have pitted the president’s praetorian guard against young street protesters and militias loyal to Sadiq al-Ahmar, leader of the largest tribal confederation, the Hashed. Intense fighting in the capital, Sana’a, has pushed Yemen to the brink of civil war. Acting as mediator, the Gulf Cooperation Council has proposed the resignation of Saleh, who has been in power for 33 years, followed by a transition period leading to elections. …
Adding to the pervasive sense of chaos is the fact that the anti-government protesters are backed by the commander of the first armored division, General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, thus splitting the army. … Oil exports are down by a third and water supplies are running out.
The president argues that he is the only bulwark against the collapse of the state (opposition leaders have accused him of allowing the seizure of Zinjibar to reinforce this point). In fact, he has become a liability. The sooner he goes, thus allowing the GCC proposals to be implemented, the better. There is little that outsiders can do to manipulate Yemen’s complex internal power structures. But the threat which its chronic instability poses to Saudi Arabia, the largest oil producer, and the wider world is all too clear.
The Telegraph, London