World Opinion Roundup

Online News From Around The World

In his weekly discussion, washingtonpost.com staff writer Jefferson Morley conducts a freewheeling tour of the best of Internet news sites from Afghanistan to Beijing to Mexico City to Paris to Zimbabwe.

Remember when genocide in Darfur was the "world's worst humanitarian crisis?" Since the devastating tsunami hit South Asia, killing more than 150,000 people, the suffering in Sudan has been bumped from the international list of priorities. Although Colin Powell recently presided over a north-south agreement in Kenya and the situation in Darfur doesn't occupy its once prominent place on the front pages, the situation in Sudan remains one of the most serious facing the international community.

Read today's column:Tsunami Wipes Darfur Off Priority List (World Opinion Roundup, Jan. 18)

Roundup brings the diversity of the global online media to your screen, presenting today's news and views from journalists, pundits and commentators from every continent. We'll talk about America in the eyes of the world, compare journalistic practices, analyze politics and perspectives, examine the nature of news and debate styles of journalism.

A transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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Jefferson Morley: Welcome all.

Before we get going, a couple of reminders. Questions/comments that contain links to stories in the international online media will get preferential treatment. Share what you know with others.

Questions/comments longer than 150 words are less than likely to get answered.

If you'd like to receive the World Opinion Roundup via email, send a message to jeff.morley@wpni.com and put the word "subscribe" in the subject line. Your address will not be share with any other party.

Now let's talk.

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Washington, D.C.: I just saw the movie "Hotel Rwanda" last weekend and it was an amazing and eye-opening movie. I've been thinking about it all week.

Are you aware of any situations that exist in the world, today, where genocide is taking place under the radar of our world news?

Jefferson Morley: Try reading my column today on Darfur, the western region of Sudan in Africa. Something quite close to genocide is going on there. It is not occuring "under the radar" of world news. It is taking place in plain view.

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washingtonpost.com: Tsunami Wipes Darfur Off Priority List (World Opinion Roundup, Jan. 18)

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Oregon: Who, in the world, is taking the Iraqi elections seriously besides the insurgency which hopes to effectively set the fools who dare go to the polls straight? Moneyed Iraqis are leaving, and no one has a clue who they're electing. When nothing good comes of this election (and perhaps many things bad) how will Bush be able to defend this seminal moment?

Jefferson Morley: A lot of people are taking the Iraqi elections seriously. After decades of fake elections, many Iraqis are looking forward to the elections.

The following is from Professor Juan Cole's Informed Comment Blog

"A poll published in the al-Mada newspaper suggested that 2/3s of registered voters in Baghdad intended to vote on January 30. I would not make too much of this finding. Baghdad has a population of 5 million, with about 2 million Shiites and nearly a million Kurds, the populations most enthusiastic to vote. The poll is skewed toward likely voters, since it is reporting the attitudes of those who have already bothered to register. ... We expect big Shiite and Kurdish turnouts."

Cole notes that the central question is whether the election will reflect national will if very few Sunnis (about 20 percent of the population vote).

I don't think many Iraqis share your assumption that nothing good will come of this election. Many hope that it will lead directly to the end of the U.S. occupation. At least one ranking U.S. military officer expects the election to result in a new government that will ask the U.S. to leave.

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Washington, D.C.: Hello, and good MLK Jr. Day to you.

What do you make of the New Yorker story about the U.S. eyeing Iran?

Jefferson Morley: I have no doubt its true. My belief is reinforced by the rhetorical, blustering response of Pentagon spokesmen. THe fulminate about Hersh in ad hominem terms but fail carefull avoid disputing any of his factual assertions.

The Iranians generally feel confident about their situation vis a vis the United States. Their allies are doing well in Iraq and Afghanistan. The U.S. military has zero--zip--ability to launch major combat operations against them in the near future.

In the following commentary (linked below), the editors of Iran News, a reformist newspaper, see the Hersh article as a reflection of a divided administration struggling to come up with a way to hurt Iran but lacking credible threat.

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washingtonpost.com: Iran News on Seymour Hersh

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Kandy, Sri Lanka: Hello,

Juan Cole's Web site Informed Comment Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion (Informed Comment) is excellent from my point of view.

Please recommend another.

Thank you.

Jefferson Morley: Thanks Kandy. As you can see I'm a fan of Informed Comment also.

Another Web site I like a lot for first hand information about Iraq is the Iraqi Press Monitor. Everyday this site summarizes in English a variety of news stories from Iraq's leading newspapers.

See the link below.

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washingtonpost.com: Iraqi Press Monitor

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Austin, Tex.: Have you seen much reaction to the story that the administration may be making serious plans to attack Iran? The BBC was giving it a lot of attention yesterday.

Jefferson Morley: The administration would clearly like to step up the pressure on Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions. As I said before, the Iranians feel confident in their ability to deter a U.S./Israeli attack. They may be blowing smoke somewhat but their strategic position is certainly stronger than it was two years ago.

Remember Iran is far larger than Iraq. Iraq has 25 million people. Iran has 69 million

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Munich, Germany: I can't say that I disagree with you regarding the absence of press coverage and general interest in Darfur over the last couple of weeks. Prince Harry, on the other hand, has gotten quite a bit of attention for his bad fashion sense in the German and U.K. press.

Has there been any interest in the states regarding this group of guys who wanted to rid the world of a despot in Equatorial Guinea in return for oil concessions? (Arrogant Thatcher burns the fingers that snapped for chilled white wine (Timesonline, Jan. 14))

Apparently, after pleading guilty to partly financing a coup attempt, Sir Thatcher is leaving South Africa to join his wife and kids in Texas.

Jefferson Morley: The Mark Thatcher has not received a lot of attention in the United States, though I did see it featured in Yahoo news the other day. That is the exception.

Prince Harry's National Socialist fling certainly got more attention.

Thanks for the link.

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California: Thank you so much for reminding people about Africa, and the large number of people who have lost their lives there. Please don't also forget the millions of people suffering from HIV in Africa and elsewhere. If only there could be the same attention to the HIV victims in Africa as there has been to the tsunami victims.

Jefferson Morley: You're welcome.

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Washington, D.C.: It's my understanding that the Kosovo bombing was effective because the Serbs owned a lot of things made of concrete, and because there are fewer things made of concrete in Darfur, bombing would be less effective there. However, since the crime on the ground involves genocide on a large scale, wouldn't the use of Napalm against the aggressors be justified?

We can't permit another Battle of Mogadishu, Somalia. Smart bombs won't work. People are being killed on a grand scale. Why can't the U.N. just say enough is enough and put an end to genocide in Africa?

Jefferson Morley: Napalm is cruel and sophisticated tool of terrorism. To use it in Darfur would be the height of folly and fortunately no is considering it.

Bombing the jinjaweed militias would also be ineffective.

What is needed is a peacekeeping force that can protect the civilian population from the militias who are terrorizing them.

The United Nations cannot act as long as China threatens to veto any serious sanctions against their business partners in the Khartom regime.

The United States cannot (a la Kosovo) pull together an international coalition to take action in an Arab country because it has zero credibility after overblowing the threat of Iraq's weapons and mass destruction and its policy of torture, as implemented at Abu Ghraib.

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Prague, Croatia: Isn't it true that the only reason Darfur was receiving any attention was because those being massacred were Muslims? The Arab-occupied government in Sudan has been slaughtering black African Christians and Animists for 20 years and the U.N. does nothing.

Jefferson Morley: I'm not sure how you manage to be in Prague and Croatia at the same time. Or do you commute?

No, I do not believe that it is not true that the only reason Darfur is receiving attention is because the victims are Muslims.

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washingtonpost.com: The question from Prague should be designated as Czech Republic.

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Anonymous: The Memory Hole

has excellent links to forgotten news stories. We need to remember history lest we repeat it.

The Bush administration and his supporters all seem to think if Iraq was a democracy, all would be well.

But, who remembers Yugoslavia? Yugoslavia was a democracy and Milsovec was freely elected. But look at the genocide he wrought.

I'm scared Iraq may become another Yugoslavia.

Jefferson Morley: Thanks for the link, Anonymous. I will check it out.

Btw, if anybody out there has doubts about reader's suggested links, please let me know.

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Marion, Ky.: Germany is building a strong defense in terms of military equipment. Do we know what they have? Of course this is done under the cloak of the E.U.

Jefferson Morley: I'm sure we know Germany's military equipment. I'm equally sure the United States is not worried about it.

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Chantilly, Va.: Why were the sergeant's defense lawyers not permitted to ask questions of those Iraqis who gave tape depositions? Haven't read any news accounts or heard of any new accounts where the defense lawyers got to ask them questions?? If the defense lawyers did question them, what questions were asked?? This looks like the most one-sided trial we have seen in a long time ... it sure was more important than the Scott Peterson thing, yet Americans seem to be just sitting back and watching this young man and other young men and women "take the fall" for officers and people in the intellegence community and Pentagon who directed this ... I cannot and will not believe this young man thought up all this stuff on his own, even though he had cell guarding experience and if he did think it up on his own, why in the world did he photograph it knowing these pictures would eventually get out? I hope The Post keeps up the pressure to get to the bottom where the "truth" is bound to be!

Jefferson Morley: The Graner trial is just the opening episode in a what promises to be a long process of legal accountability for the Abu Ghraib abuses. People may be just "sitting back and watching" at this point. But the question of who authored the torture policy will be addressed.

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Atlanta, Ga.: Any new news about efforts to rebuild Haiti? Is anything substantial taking place?

Two different perspectives on the same topic:

Sakafet.com
Haiti Progres

Jefferson Morley: I must admit the answers to your questions are:

I don't know and I don't know.

Thanks for the links. I will investigate.

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Indianapolis, Ind.: After just viewing Barbara Boxer and Condoleezza Rice's cat fight just a few minutes ago, it doesn't appear much is going to change with world sentiment toward the U.S. Rice is still not admitting that this dislike towards the U.S. had anything to do with her or the prez.
How is the rest of the world looking at Rice's new secretary job?

Jefferson Morley: Now, let's be charitable to Rice.

It would not be easy for an incoming Secretary of State to admit that the policies she favors have driven the standing of the United States to an all time low in most countries.

As for what the rest of the world thinks of her, I previewed this issue in a column in November.

Here's the link.

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washingtonpost.com: Fear of Condi

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Oslo, Norway: By last week's chat, I can tell you feel very strongly about Israel giving up the West Bank and Gaza Strip for the creation of a Palestinian state. Would you also support Iraq and Syria creating Jewish states within their borders with sections of Baghdad and Damascus as their capitals?

Jefferson Morley: No, I would not favor creating Jewish states in Baghdad and Damascus, mainly because very few Jews would want to live there. If you are Jewish, would you move from Oslo to Damascus?

I didn't think so.

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Wheaton, Md.: Since Abbas is new, many think it is unreasonable for Israel to demand a crackdown on the attacks. Wouldn't it also be unreasonable to expect Israel to hold back its defensive counter-terrorist actions? Fair is fair.

Jefferson Morley: I wouldn't say its unreasonable for Israel to ask for a crackdown, just unrealistic.

First, The militant organizations clearly enjoy broad support among the Palestinian population. If Abbas is going to achieve anything, he cannot alienate all of those people immediately by addressing Israel's security concerns first.

Second, given the popular support for the militant organizations, Abbas would have trouble launching, much less sustaining, the type of operations Israeli envisions.

Third, Israel can continue its counterterror operations but if, as the militarily dominant party to the conflict, does not help Abbas produce real benefits on the ground for the majority of Palestinians, he will not retain popular support and Israel will not have a negotiating partner.

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Quebec, Canada: Last week, I saw you use the phrase "traditionally Palestinian lands." Since there has never been a Palestinian state, could you please define the term? Would Jordan be included?

Jefferson Morley: When I said "traditionally Palestinian lands" I was referring to those cities and towns and surrounding areas where Arabs have lived for hundreds, if not thousands, of years: Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus etc.

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Caracas, Venezuela: Since you're a self-proclaimed "liberal," please explain why liberals in America say and do almost nothing about the atrocities being committed by the Sudan's government, yet scream "war crimes" every time Israel kills a terrorist?

Jefferson Morley: I know a lot of liberals in America and I can't think of a single one who ignores Darfur and screams "war crimes" when Israel kills a terrorist.

Its true there are people in America who have ignored Darfur. It took the Bush administration 18 months to put the issue before the U.N. Security Council.

And there are people who charge Israel with "war crimes." The last time that happened in a big way was when Israel invaded the refugee camp at Jenin. After the siege was investigated, it was clear that there had been brutal fighting that included legally dubious Israeli tactics like using Palestinian civilians as human shields, but the abuses involved did not rise to my definition of "war crimes."

What liberals are you talking about Caracas?

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Jefferson Morley: Our time is up.

Thanks for all the questions.

Look for the next World Opinion Roundup next Tuesday.

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