(no subject)

I can accept that they are unsure if Saddam is currently alive or dead. I can even accept that they're not entirely sure of where he might or might not be, if he is alive. Things in Iraq have been chaotic since the invasion, and Saddam was known for being paranoid about his movements even before the first Gulf War.

But this is unacceptable:


Where is Saddam Hussein?
U.S. officials aren’t talking, but it’s not clear that they know, anyway. The United States has not determined whether a videotape broadcast on Abu Dhabi TV claiming to show Saddam on April 9 is authentic. And the United States has not yet searched the ruins of a residence bombed April 7 where intelligence reports indicated Saddam might be meeting with top advisers.

This taken from an FAQ on MSNBC.com. Link is here: http://www.msnbc.com/news/895836.asp?0cb=-91a133943#1

How can they not have yet searched a residence bombed back in *April*??? I know we're having manpower problems, but dayamnnn... Please, Tom-chan, or somebody, tell me this is incorrect and whoever wrote that FAW has been too lazy to update it properly. Please.

Half serious, half frivolous

When I saw the title of this article
http://www.msnbc.com/news/1002825.asp?0sl=-23 I thought at first it was yet another attempt on Taiwan's part to insist its people want to be a separate nation and try to garner world support. Since this always pisses China off to no end, I could understand why the US is trying to dissuade Taiwan's leaders from doing it right now. We're trying to negotiate with China on some very important topics, and we don't need China's leaders in a bad or warlike mood.

But after reading the article, I don't see the problem. The referendum is to ask China to please stop pointing missiles at what is supposedly part of it's own country, and to agree not to use force against Taiwan. If China really does regard Taiwan as a natural part of it's territory instead of a conquered land, it ought to do this. I know China's leaders will probably find this referendum impudent at best, but Taiwan does have a point.

Another part that disturbs me is this: "China has made clear that it would regard a Taiwanese referendum on any issue to be a step toward independence."

How else is Taiwan to let China know how it feels and what it needs? As far as I know - and I may well be wrong - China does not currently allow Taiwan to elect any representatives to it's main government. Not even a lowly advisor of some sort. China may not be big on freedom of expression, but there's got to be some means for the people's voices to be heard. I thought the rule of the people was what Communism and Socialism were *supposed* to be all about. :p

So referendums are a necessary tool.


Of course, I may be a trifle biased, since I think Taiwan *ought* to have independence if the people want it. ^_^ But even with the "one-China" policy, they have to let Taiwan's people have some say in their affairs, or it's just not going to work.



Water Fairy

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