Archive for the 'Foreign News' Category

The Joke Is On Us

December 21, 2007

On Thursday, June 28, President Umaru Yar’Adua took the unprecedented step of declaring publicly his personal assets.

Coming barely one month after he assumed office, the step is unparalleled because he is the first Nigerian president, military or civilian, to declare his private assets publicly. That he is not under any legal obligation to do [...]

Will Peter Obi Ever Get Justice?

June 7, 2007

Peter Obi
 
One question that has concentrated the minds of many Nigerians since the April elections is how to avoid, in the future, the colossal fraud that seriously blemished the exercise. To be sure, this is not an entirely new question. Long before the elections were conducted, pundits, with the benefit of hindsight, proffered many solutions.
 The [...]

Iraq: The making of another Vietnam

April 26, 2007

In Iraq, as it happened in Vietnam more than three decades ago, the counterinsurgency clock is, slowly but inexorably, ticking against the US
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Robert Gates, US Defence Secretary, is reputed for his level-headedness. Ordinarily, he seldom blows his top even when faced with challenging situations. But the hell-hole that is Iraq is giving him the jitters.  [...]

US-China Dialogue: What Prospects?

March 8, 2007

Chinese President Hu Jianto (left) with US President, George Bush

The US-China dialogue signals desire by both countries to address economic issues that have dogged their relationship for so long. But do they have the political will? 
Mr Al Gore, America’s former vice president, reputed for his perspicuity, lived up to the billing recently. Answering a [...]

Celebrating Pyrrhic Victory

March 6, 2007

After five years of sabre-rattling, the Bush administration is surprisingly celebrating the triumph of diplomacy in its dealings with North Korea. 
The communist country on February 13, agreed to shut down its nuclear program, an agreement
Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, describes as “tentative.” Indeed, when dealing with
Pyongyang, no agreement is etched on stone.
Yet, Washington’s [...]

UN Job: Did Obasanjo Block Okonjo-Iweala

March 3, 2007

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s former Finance Minister
 
A Vietnamese friend drew my attention to the story last week. A politically discerning lady and a journalist with over ten years experience, we struck a relationship in our very first week in
Cardiff. Since then, discussion of international politics has become our pastime.
When the new UN Secretary-General, Mr Ban [...]

President Bushes Sabre-rattling

March 2, 2007

 President George W Bush. Source: www.flickr.com
Once again, the US President, George W. Bush is rattling the sabre in the Persian Gulf. But this time, he is threatening to attack Iran, having wrecked Iraq.    The cover story of New Statesman magazine last week, titled “Ready to attack,” alleged that the US has completed preparations for [...]

US Duplicity In Iraq

March 1, 2007

 US soldiers abusing an Iraqi. Pix – www.aljazeera.com
In many ways, the United States’ misadventure in Iraq and the conduct of some of its troops, continue to question the claim of many Americans to superior moral conduct.  Perception of the US, under President George Bush’s watch, as a rogue state is increasing, and the duplicitous manner [...]