that other States provide, DO NOT USE THEM. It is
a fine line between legality and illegality and it is very
likely one may cross it, if they do not know what they
are doing and how to use those weapons. Also, do not
inhibit the investigations. An International Crime has
occurred and knowingly disturbing evidence or
intentionally impeding the investigation by blocking
access to the scene of the crime is unlawful under
International Law. The situation in Ukraine has burst
so much beyond reason that the ICC has to indict and
to press charges regardless of whether the political
situation readily allows for the apprehension of the
political, military or militia leaders, officers or war-
lords responsible. Do not let again something like this
pass with minor civil litigation; send a clear unequivocal
message that this behavior is not acceptable in the
Europe of 2014.
Even if there is the tiniest of probabilities for a passenger
plane to get hit while overflying war theaters, the relevant
air traffic scheduling authorities should change the planes'
routes to avoid such geographic areas. It is not worth risking
peoples' lives, however small the risk...
In view of the 2016 Presidential Elections, a superb, constructive
and benefiting development would be for an agreement to be
struck between both major Parties to come up with a joint ticket.
This could potentially lead to a thaw of inter-Party relations with
accompanying major theoretical and practical advantages:
First, the Chambers of Congress would be able to work much
more cooperatively and agree on passing legislation on pressing
and burning issues more readily. Second, the billions of dollars
that would, otherwise, be spent on campaigning and electioneering
could be donated, instead, by the Super PACs and other private
organizations to support other causes.
Here is a suggestion for some of the posts, based on observed
evidence of effectiveness and a feeling that they may be positive:
President: Michigan Governor Rick Snyder;
Vice President: Either Joe Biden or John Kerry
At State: Hillary Clinton
At Defense: John McCain and Carl Levin
At Health: Barack Obama and a Health Care Provider CEO;
The ACA is here to stay and a pair consisting of a
strong theoretical advocate that knows the Law inside
out together with a person that is very familiar with
the implementation issues at company level will enable
good future regulation and legislation for impovements.
At Education: A joint Democratic-Republican nomination with
no vested interest either in teacher unions or in
private for-profit education. Here, my opinion is
that the mandate should be about 1. Increasing
again State funding for public education and re-
making it a State priority expenditure; 2. Reducing
questionable bureaucratic add-ons, such as incessant
assessments and needless piling of extra administrator
levels (if some believe they can do a better job, they
should be in the classroom to the direct advantage
of students; not telling other people how to apply
their pioneering methods and techniques); 3. Finally,
refocusing education on its main subjects and objects:
Students, Teachers, Parents and the Subject Matter
that makes participants and recipients more
informed and better Citizens.
Hamas must accept a ceasefire, recognize the State of
Israel and lay down its weapons. In return, Israel must
reconsider its position towards recognizing the Unity
Palestinian Administration and allow the political arm
of Hamas to participate in a constructive way in intense
negotiations towards finding a permanent and viable
solution, avoiding sabotaging moves, questionable
under International Law. There is simply no other way,
no other possible alternatives. MUTUAL RESPECTFUL,
CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT and PEACE through
honest COMPROMISE is a one-way street. DO IT NOW
FOR THE SAKE OF (y)OUR KIDS.
The World is poorer today... Nadine Gordimer
is with us no more...
Follow this girl and write down a million times on the
streets of Jerusalem her message of Peace, Fraternity
and Co-Existence. Send to your political and military
leaders, including your Prime Minister, the message
loud and clear, because you are the only ones with the
force and the power to do so: These lands are not mine
or yours or theirs, these lands belong to the Universe,
to all of us, because me and them and you, we are all
departing tomorrow and we want to leave to all our
children and to their children a land full of beauty and
a World full of harmony and a humanity full of the
noblest of feelings of fraternity, of tolerance and of
peaceful coexistence; not an injured and violated youth
and a scorched, bombed and uninhabitable planet...
Unfortunately, in India prosecuting a few offenders is
not going to be anywhere close to sufficient as regards
the plight of the female population. It sounds like the
mentality of large part of the population is such that
radical changes, starting with a vigorous educational
campaign and a social awareness ``onslaught", are
absolutely necessary. As things stand, in this largest
democracy on earth, right now it is safer to be a cow
than a girl or a woman...
It is contradictory and disturbing for a Prime Minister to
call the family of an innocent victim offering sympathies
for the loss and assurances of a swift, honest and fair
investigation and rigorous prosecution of perpetrators,
and less than a week later to send the armed forces to
kill comparably innocent sons and daughters of other
families as collateral damage in a conflict that, perhaps,
he did not have the greatest responsibility in starting,
but, undoubtedly, has had great possibility in avoiding.
Unfortunately, not only has he not undertaken any
effort to that effect, but, on the contrary, at times, he
has adopted decisions and allowed actions that he
certainly must have known would have a destructive
effect by flaring tensions.
Call your counterparts, start negotiations, make brave,
daring and generous concessions and reach a permanent
agreement for the sake of both communities' children.
You are old enough to discount short term political costs;
think of the future of Israelis, Palestinians and the East
Mediterranean Region, think of the future of all our
children, their development, their well-being, their
right to live decently without constant fear and of their
children's future. Look beyond your short remaining
time on this planet, look into what comes next.
STOP killing each other's most innocent.
Eduard Shevardnadze is with us no more.
I hope HMS Queen Elizabeth will not perpetuate wars
of the past or fight new wars in the future, but rather that
it will get the chance to fortify International Peace and
Security in the Spirit of Our Charter and that its Sailors
and their Officers will use this majestic vessel in the best
traditions of helping Humanity in their most difficult
hours and in their direst need. May you always sail safely.
Powerful global banks: Unbounded, Unchecked
Criminality. Σκοτώνω και Πληρώνω. Simple as that...
If it was deemed OK and legitimate for Russia to annex
Crimea, based on a local referendum, then why would it
not be legitimate for the Kurds to do the same in Iraq
or Turkey, for the Scots to do the same in the U.K., for
the Basques to do the same in Spain, for the Serbian
enclaves to do the same in Bosnia-Herzegovina or in
the Serb regions in Kosovo and the list goes on and on
and on and on and blood spills on and on and on...
and the World has made zero progress and has taken
insignificant steps towards fraternity, humanity and
coexistence after the second big war...
For the sake of all your children, sit down and reach a
viable, permanent solution, rather than periodically
killing each other's most innocent. When are you going,
at last, to peek into an internal, however small, light
of humanity, grace, generosity, magnanimity,...........
How can one take European solidarity and European
determination and steadfastness seriously???
The British Prime Minister trying to convince his counterparts
in the European Union that changes are needed and engaging
in political disagreements and struggles inside the block's organs
to advance the Union in a direction that he sees the most
beneficial for both the U.K. and for the E.U. as a whole is
a noble and commendable effort and not to be taken lightly
or criticized cheaply. On the other hand, the continuous
reference on the part of various leaders and members of the
British political scene of withdrawing from the Union or of
taking unilateral actions inside the Union or continuous
unimplemented threats of holding referenda for similar
reasons are not helpful to Britain, nor are they constructive
for the goals of advancing, modernizing or solidifying the
Union in times when these developments are necessary.
I strongly applaud the move by the United States to signal its
intention to stop the production and the purchases of all anti-
personnel landmines and to eventually accede to the Ottawa
Convention. It is the right thing to do and the militarily
strongest nation on earth should have done it a long time
ago. The BBC reports that 161 States are bound by the Treaty.
Let us make them 193 starting with the Permanent Members
of the Security Council.
Honestly, if your country falling out of Government control
and being ready to fall apart into pieces is not ground enough for
the formation of a ``salvation" or ``unity" government or other
emergency administrative measures, then I would not even
know why these terms exist or in which situations it would
be appropriate or necessary to apply them... The perplexing
attitude of Prime Minister Maliki of an almost nonexistent
country, sticking to inexplicable statements about ``respecting
the ``democratic process"" in this almost non existent State,
having a Government that is almost in the fringe of what would
be deemed, at least for legal purposes, noneffective, seems to
suggest that he has altogether lost touch with reality and that
he is looking at things through completely distorting glasses...
Now that the legs of his chair are trembling and crumbling,
the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki remembered that
there is actually something called ``unity" and is urging the
people of Iraq to unite. Maliki, good night...
1. No one in the World has a duty to support Governments
that exist only for the enrichment and the empowerment
of individuals.
2. Every one in the World has a duty and the responsibility
to hold sacred and abide by the Laws of Armed Conflict
and Human Rights Law and all relevant International
Treaties and Protocols, especially those reflecting Customary
Law. In particular, executing prisoners of war cannot be
tolerated.
3. 300 or, for that matter, 1,000 U.S. Special Forces are not
going to provide any help to the Diplomatic Mission in
such an unstable and volatile situation, which may erupt
to an all out war and the creation of new States. The U.S.
President has a responsibility and would do wisely to
withdraw all U.S. Citizens and personnel from the Embassy
in Baghdad right away and suspend Diplomatic Functions
pending further developments. The safety of people comes
before all else. Do not tell us you were not able to foresee
the chaos and start idiotic, interminable discussions in
the media of whose fault it was after the damage is done.
This international criminal, instead of feeling fortunate
that the International Court of Justice has not been vested
with the appropriate powers to arrest and indict him on
the gravest of International Crimes of planning, initiating
and waging a war of aggression with the gravest and most
damaging of consequences for humanity, under false and
fabricated pretenses, has the shamelessness and the audacity
to argue in Intenational Political Affairs in a way reminiscent
of the catastrophic arguments and the catastrophic influence
that the handgun, rifle and weapon lobbies do in American
domestic affairs. Enough is enough is enough; at which point
is he going to realize that his opinion is not only undesirable
and not needed, but, in addition, when he was in charge
and had the chance of making the World a better place
for future generations, he failed both his countrymen and
the World community as a whole utterly and miserably...
For Minister Lavrov to make insightful remarks on Iraq
is very constructive. For Minister Lavrov to be learning
some lessons from his analysis and the criticisms that he
formulates when it comes to applying them to the foreign
policy of the State of which he is in charge would have
been much better indeed...
Just a message to Hamas: Those of us that do think that
you could engage constructively and, perhaps, decisively
in the efforts of the Palestinian President on behalf of the
Palestinian People in the difficult road to Statehood are
watching carefully all your moves in the region and would
like to see a firm commitment to the Universal Values of
Peace, Fraternity and Cooperation. Moving towards
engaging or, even, allowing or condoning, acts by ill
meaning outside forces to poison even the tiniest
existing understanding between the Israeli and the
Palestinian sides is completely detestable and utterly
unproductive and, not only is it going to lead you
politically nowhere, but it is also going to deprive you
of the outside political support that is key to attaining
your political aims.
While it is true that attendees at the World Cup games should
show courtesy and respect towards others, the Brazilian President
should not use her years as a young freedom fighter and her
pleas on behalf of families and children to deflect her own
personal, her Government's and FIFA's despicable directors'
responsibility for all relevant issues that the Brazilian fans
are justifiably not happy about and that they are chanting
and demonstrating against. After all, her imprisonment had
the ultimate goal to restore to her fellow countrymen these
fundamental rights of criticism and protest. It's just that,
when one becomes older, one tends to feel more comfortable,
more conformist and to forget the substance of what they
had so vigorously fought for as a younger, freer-thinking
person...
Congratulations and Good Luck to the newly elected Premier
Kathleen Wynne of Ontario. My first advise to her, as far as
meaningful and substantial reform priorities to make our
neighboring Province better administratively go, would be
to drastically reduce bureaucracy and cut middlemen in
every sector of public and private business. One hears by
Ontarians, occasionally, stories that remind one of the terribly
unmanageable bureaucratic labyrinth that existed in Greece
before some of the troika directives were implemented and
the German consulting teams arrived. Such things should
not occur on this side of the Atlantic where the administering
apparatuses are much younger and could preserve quality,
speed and efficiency with much less sacrifice.
If the Michigan Legislators cannot properly serve the
public in the most basic of ways - in issues pertaining to
the public's safety - then they have no place serving at
all. Being a legislator means finding ways to compromise
and to act; not just getting paid lavishly and generously
while failing to act. Unfortunately, it seems, again, like
we'll be relying on the Governor's instinct to do the
right thing and on his analysis alone to deliver...
Governor Snyder and President Obama, if it is at all in
the purview and the jurisdiction of the State and of the
Federal Government, you should jointly intervene to
stop this charade of creditors trying to dissolve one of
the most valuable, not just financially, but, morally
and spiritually assets of our Flagship City. No one
should be allowed to lay a hand for financial reasons,
private interest and personal gains on the immeasurable
treasures and the cultural heritage of the Detroit Institute
of Art. Such collections can be destroyed and liquidated
overnight, and they do not count in Wall Street, apart
from what they cost, or, rather, how much they may
materially enrich, but they take a long long time and
painstaking effort and resources to assemble and they
offer cultural richness, spiritual joy and aesthetic
pleasure to generations and they make people better.
In all seriousness, one thing that Barack could do to leave
behind an ethically commendable political legacy and a
very useful practical tool for future U.S. Presidents and
other World Leaders is to empower the International
Criminal Court to decisively, promptly and successfully
pursue and indict World Leaders and individuals carrying
grave personal responsibility for the threat or use of force
in International Affairs against the sovereignty, territorial
integrity and political independence of States and for
disturbing by such actions International Peace and
Security. Such a decision is long overdue and would
have had as a fortunate byproduct preventing idiotic
crusading leaders from engaging their nations in
aggressive wars that lead them and the World to worse
places than they had been before, at worst, and absolutely
nowhere, at best...
In the United States every other day psychiatrically unstable
and socially challenged individuals enter campuses, businesses
and shopping malls and shoot innocents at will. In India, every
other day low class uncivilized brutes and uneducated males
are raping and hanging helpless women at will and an incompetent
and, oftentimes, complicit administration and an unwilling,
antiquated and impotent justice system is looking from afar
as its own citizens and subjects are brutalized and left literally
hanging for the undertaker...
Iraqis have realized that it is not worth sacrificing their
lives to repel an armed onslaught by ISIL. After all, why
would security forces fight when they realize that their
strives have no effect on their own livelihood and only
serve to defend a fortified compound in Baghdad, where
an incompetent President and an incompetent, ill
intentioned and ill meaning Prime Minister are amassing
humongous fortunes and a formidable political power,
laying the groundwork and readying themselves to jump
ship and live lavishly in a foreign capital, when the Iraqi
boat finally sinks?
As free-thinking political beings, given the relatively recent
pre-Obama (un)American experiences, we cannot abide by
the doctrine ``when the President does it, that means that it
is not illegal". Therefore, regardless of the merits of the
Bergdahl case (or lack thereof), we cannot accept the President
and the Secretary of Defense not abiding by the relevant Law
(especially so since Barack is supposed to be a gifted Lawyer
and a Progressive Politician and, thus, should know better).
Despite President Rousseff's proclamations, and regardless
of whether the World Cup will prove to be a big success,
it is indisputable, by any measuring standards, that an
expenditure of the order of $11B for a single tournament
is out of any reasonable proportions. In my opinion the
largest portion of the blame should be attributed to the
FIFA Governing Body that are so used to graft and easy
money-making of outlandish proportions that they have
become accustomed to demanding disproportionate effort
and disproportionate sacrifices from the organizing
countries. Football should again revert to being a
``people's" sport, with organization being more focused
on the game itself, rather than on the politics, the publicity
and the commerce tantalizing and vandalizing the game.
Too much to ask from Blatter and his thugs, I suppose...
A sad day for Africa. The unanimous selection by the States
of a tortured Continent, that has suffered discrimination more
than any other, of a beacon of intolerance and of discrimination
as a U.N. General Assembly Presidential hopeful is a sign that
the Mother Continent's leaders are not asking enough from
themselves and are unable to rise above and beyond ordinary
pettiness and mediocrity and to safeguard universal values.
The only ``racism" that the despicable Blatter is very
much concerned about is the one that might result by
his opening his Swiss bank accounts, together with
those of other FIFA officials, publicly tearing their
clothes and vocally and loudly proclaiming their
alleged ``love" for the sport, and revealing to the
World and all football fans what it is that they really
love and how they have been managing shamelessly
as a personal fiefdom the World's most favorite sport.
It is high time they came clean and let an impartial,
outside and independent authority or Court to
investigate their notoriously improper wheelings
and dealings on the backs of the sport's fans and
of the game.
Mr. Hague's and Ms. Jolie's campaign to secure an
International climate in which rape will not be in
the picture as a weapon against the innocents in
war is noble and praiseworthy. I would add that
all States, and especially so the Western powers,
should take their commitments in proscribing
War as a means of resolving International issues
very seriously, and should proceed boldly in the
direction of empowering the International Criminal
Court with the jurisdiction in and the responsibility
for prosecuting aggression and War related crimes.
War crimes will a fortiori be eliminated if War as
a conflict resolution technique is eliminated.
I hope that the new Israeli President, despite his personal
convictions, will follow in President Peres' footsteps and
try to contribute to a relaxation of tensions and to the
building of substantial confidence and understanding
between the Israeli State and the Palestinian Authority,
that will eventually lead to the creation of a Palestinian
State.
Congratulations and the best of luck in serving under
difficult circumstances and in challenging times, that
are requiring courageous decisions and bold measures,
along with determination, to achieve lasting peace.
Κοιτώντας τον, καμία αμφιβολία δεν είχα ότι τα τρώει
ακόμα. Απορώ πως νόμιζε ότι υπάρχουν σκεπτόμενοι
άνθρωποι που θα χρησιμοποιούσαν παρελθόντα χρόνο
για τις ακράτιές του...
On the anniversary of D-Day French Political idiocy,
insensitivity and shallowness surpassed all expectations:
Mindlessly and shamelessly, Laurent Fabius declared
that French jobs are more important than strictly
implementing an embargo in assault weapons sales
on Russia, the only State that, in a rather sensitive
epoch in European History, has disturbed the delicate
status quo with utter disregard for International Law
and in violation of existing Treaties. Perhaps, France
and Fabius have forgotten the danger of repeating the
gravest of past mistakes and of, instead of steadfastly
demanding return to the status quo ante, resorting to
appeasing International violators and aggressors.
The Michigan Legislature did the right thing for the people
of Detroit and for our State. Despite their conservative
leanings, led by the vision of Governor Snyder and his
passion and dedication for defending the integrity and
well being of the City and the State first and foremost,
above and beyond Party politics and Party interests,
they approved a much needed relief package that is
going to, hopefully, return Detroit on a path of healing,
reconstruction and development. The ball is now back
on the court of the City's political and civic leaders and
its inhabitants that will, hopefully, analyze carefully and
digest the lessons of the recent past and avoid repeating
the mistakes that led to the desperate conditions that
forced the, fortunately timely, intervention by a, luckily
well meaning and good intentioned, Governor.
A stinking body of despicable aging bureaucrats, who are
destroying with every opportunity granted the most popular
sport on the planet, are trying the diversion technique
of focusing attention on another despicable politician of
the sport to deflect attention away from their gross
dereliction and disservice to the sport and from their
multiple erroneous decisions based, most likely, on personal
rewards, illicit gains, graft and, perhaps, other undivulged
activities. What a shame...
CLEANSE FOOTBALL. REFORM FIFA and UEFA.
On the anniversary of the massacre, it is time a civilized
State did the right thing required by ethos and standards
of accountability and publish the true numbers and the
names of those that perished to both honor their memories
and start a frank discussion on their contributions to
the evolution and the development of the Chinese polity,
economy and society.
The fundamental philosophical question in this case is clearly
whether property and sanctity of property should be placed
above the value of human life. Since the killer set an ambush,
it cannot be argued that the incident came down to threat
to one human life versus threat to another. But even more
elementarily, if one fears for his property, should one not
take measures to protect his belongings more closely by, e.g.,
installing better locks, anti-theft equipment and/or hiring a
security company, rather than proceed to leave a door open
and a valuable item in sight in order to set a trap and kill
the thief or thieves?
How have we reached a point in our country, where, in some
States, it may be legal for a blood-thirsty murderer to even
set up traps to entice people onto his property with the intent
to kill under protection of the law, in a way more casual and
more matter-of-fact than even that employed by deer hunters
in Northern Michigan?
I am wondering whether this specific ``fire-fighter" had ever
even thought how such acts square with his duty to help and
protect fellow citizens... Was he perhaps so clueless and
mentally deranged as to think that his primary professional
responsibility consisted, instead, of igniting fires at the exact
right moment to maximize casualties?
Governor Snyder, push the deal through! The entire State
is lending a hand and we want to make this a signalling
turning point for the fortunes of our State's Flagship City
and one of the Midwest's culturally richest and most
historically significant cities and for its and all Michigan's
Citizens and visitors.
As taxpayers we support the State and Federal prison
systems in incarcerating and feeding and taking care
of many criminals for life as society deems fit to do
for the protection of others. However, no one, neither
here or anywhere else, is thrilled to witness primitive
and uncivilized executions 1700 and 1800's style by
modern day authorities, nor is anyone particularly
happy to dispose of even more State and Federal
resources in supporting an antiquated execution
apparatus or pay legal and restitution fees to unjustly
executed, cruelly punished or otherwise mishandled
death row inmates and their families. STOP THE
CHARADE OF DEATH SENTENCES NOW!
The system is broken and it simply makes no sense.
Two important domestic issues. The President is sending
a highway care bill to Congress. PASS THIS BILL as soon
as possible. It is a must-win-win-win: a matter of safety,
infrastructure, economic development and job creation,
not only short-term in terms of the construction projects
involved, but also long-term, as far as physical, along
with virtual, infrastructure and its state affect business
and entrepreneurial opportunities and initiatives.
Second, it may be just me and I do understand both sides
of this issue relatively well. However, I am puzzled and
unable to discern the reason why not very much thought
is being directed towards the long-term consequences
of fracking. More concretely, even though I have heard
much talk about whether it causes moderate tremors
or not, people do not seem to be worried about long term
serious consequences to the stability of the ground
on which they reside. Also, even though I have heard
many discussions about competition for water and
other resources, especially in the southwest where those
resources are scarcer, I have not heard any analysis or
study certifying that some of the Nation's best agri-
cultural lands are not going to be affected long-term by
the possibility of hazardous chemicals under pressure
finding eventually their way higher up close to the
surface where the crops, vegetables etc. are supposed
to draw their resources and nutrients from. Are we safe?
A mesmerizing cocktail of oil, a deep inhalation of
natural gas and, perhaps, some savory grains of
beginning dementia due to old age, has led the
ex-Chancellor to ignore everything that his mental
state is still allowing him to remember. Right now,
there are many more decent places one can celebrate
a birthday at, rather than choose to fade off in such
disgrace...
It seems that for the Kremlin, two States or Blocks
of States being like-minded or cooperative instead
of opponents, aggressors and belligerents is
incomprehensible. Otherwise, how could one
interpret the remarks that ``the EU should be
ashamed for following Washington's lead" when
the sanctions constitute a warranted response to
International Gangsterism by a Goliath against
an almost demilitarized and impotent neighbor?
To have your character assassinated presupposes that you
have a part of character that is still alive and, in the case
of this uncivilized and brute congressman, this assumption
simply contradicts evidence... Good riddance.
I respectfully disagree with President Obama's position on
this issue and I understand that, despite his true political,
economic and military thoughts, Prime Minister Netanyahu
has a hardline portion of the Likud electorate that he must
cater to. In my opinion, the reconciliation between Fatah
and Hamas is a positive development for both the Palestinian
and the Israeli People and offers new opportunities on the
ground. It is promising for the long-term stability and
security of the region and, potentially, if handled correctly
by both sides and the International Community, could be
a catalyst for a comprehensive agreement that will involve
all parties, even those most belligerent in attitude. It would
be a revolutionary development indeed, if something along
the lines of the following document, with mutual concessions
in the spirit of good will, were deposited with the Secretary
General Ban in good faith by both parties after the joint
Palestinian Administration is formed, and its tenets and
promises upheld until a more comprehensive and lasting
accord is agreed upon and implemented:
