~ASEAN must stiffen its resolve on Burma

~ASEAN must stiffen its resolve on Burma

Yangon has for too long been allowed to take advantage of the
wobbles that have plagued the grouping's approach to engagement

Until Myanmar's military junta decides one way or another
whether it intends to retain the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2006,
the wobbly indecisiveness of members of our regional grouping
will continue to make it an object of international ridicule.

It should be obvious that at this stage it is simply not
realistic to expect the junta, which has ruled with an iron fist
for a long time, to make responsible decisions.

It is also obvious that ASEAN has no "Plan" if Yangon goes to
Vientiane intent on taking its turn as chairman no matter what.

It has been evident to the rest of the world -- though
apparently not to some parts of Southeast Asia -- that Myanmar
does not have ASEAN's interests at heart. And it never will
unless ASEAN formulates a plan to enforce its will. The fact is,
ASEAN will never achieve its goal of facilitating democracy in
Myanmar so long as it allows its members to hide behind and
manipulate its oft-cited doctrine of non-interference.
-- The Nation, Bangkok

;DAGENS NYHETER;
ANPAk..r..
Others-U.S.-rights
U.S. double standards
JP/6/Others

U.S. double standards

Criticism against the Guantanamo military prison is growing,
also in the U.S. And the dilemma is evident: the Americans demand
that others respect what they do not live up to themselves.

For example, they demand that others must disarm, or refrain
from procuring nuclear weapons, while at the same time not living
up to their own commitments in accordance with the Non-
Proliferation treaty.

The U.S. is publishing annual reports about the state of human
rights in different parts of the world while at the same time the
prisoners at Guantanamo live in limbo.

To have such double standards is in practice to undermine the
possibility to get support from the surrounding world for the
rights you consider yourself to have.
-- Dagens Nyheter, Stockholm

;THE IRISH TIMES;
ANPAk..r..
Others-Jackson
Jackson trial I
JP/6/Others

Others-Jackson

If any other 46-year-old had been so open about his
friendships with young boys, how he enjoyed inviting them to
sleepovers and, ultimately, sharing a bed with them, then his
behavior might have seen him face the law years earlier.

However, there is no other 46-year-old quite like Michael
Jackson. No one else who has so traded on the persona of an
emotionally stunted man-child; whose life, from childhood to
middle age, has been viewed by the public as a bizarre soap
opera; and whose questionable habits were so often interpreted by
the public as forgivable eccentricities.

The singer has returned to his three children, even after
testimony revealed the sad details of how the mother of two of
them has signed away her parental rights. Jackson himself is
someone whose childhood has quite obviously left him
psychologically damaged.
-- The Irish Times, Dublin

Jackson trial II

Throughout the trial, Jackson had his hardcore supporters, but
it's safe to say they were only a fraction of the fan base he
once commanded. Jackson's weird behavior and freak-show lifestyle
had alienated the others long since -- and, we suspect, led most
to conclude as the trial approached that he was guilty on some or
all of the charges.

But the jury disagreed. Because of that requirement for
unanimity, the verdict simply can't be attacked in any meaningful
way. It stands alone in a way that even Supreme Court decisions
can't match.

"Not guilty" isn't the same as "innocent," several jurors were
quick to add. They found Jackson's lifestyle repellent and
believed him to be guilty of something.

They just didn't feel the prosecution had proved its charges
beyond a reasonable doubt. As a result, the case is closed,
Michael Jackson's free -- and the nation's will move on, fully
trusting the considered judgment of, in Shakespeare's phrase, 12
"good men and true."
-- Grand Forks Herald, Grand Forks, North Dakota

:THE EGYPTIAN GAZETTE;
ANPAk..r..
Others-Iraq
Iraq violence
JP/6/Others

Iraq violence

It is unlikely that spiraling horrendous deeds in Iraq are
carried out by locals, though there are many disillusioned among
them. The key casualties of the latest bombings have been
innocent compatriots braving unstable conditions to make ends
meet.

Likewise, it is implausible that self-style Arab jihadis (holy
warriors) are the perpetrators of such acts, which cannot be
described as resistance fighting. They are apparently the work of
hither-to-unknown quarters keen to perpetuate Iraq's nightmare.

No Iraqi, whatever his/her leaning may be, stands to benefit
from seeing the country sliding deeper into such horrifying
anarchy. It is a short cut to a civil strife. Such acts also give
the U.S.-led occupation troops the pretext to stay in Iraq
allegedly to maintain security.
-- The Egyptian Gazette, Cairo

Dismissal of S. African deputy

By dismissing (his) popular deputy and heir apparent, South
African President Thabo Mbeki has demonstrated that he will not
let personal friendship and loyalty stand in the way of what is
good and proper.

Deputy President Jacob Zuma has not been tried for crimes,
leave alone convicted. But a court found his financial adviser
and friend, Schabir Shaik, guilty of corruption and fraud.

It must have been a difficult call to make. President Mbeki,
indeed, noted that he had worked closely with his deputy for more
than 30 years.

Yet Mbeki did not hesitate to take action when dear ally and
friend was caught up in corruption allegations.
-- Daily Nation, Nairobi

Bush and global warming

You would think President Bush would be sweating bullets under
that security blanket he keeps burying the United States under
every time he's asked about global warming.

Earth to George: The science is clear. Well-respected members
of the scientific community have spoken. We can't afford to
research this subject to death. That kind of wait-and-see
approach could very well be the death of us. And good old Planet
Earth.

Our president says the United States is already doing
something about the problem. But we're not doing enough. We need
to invest more dollars -- more energy -- into finding
alternatives to fossil fuels.

We need tougher limits on greenhouse-gas emissions. And we
need our president to crawl out from under that blanket and lead
the charge.
-- The Express-Times, Easton, Pennsylvania