Beyond the Bubble...
Bush visits UK as costly Iraq situation worsens
With intelligence showing anticipated demonstrations against George Bush's UK visit to be potentially violent, 1 in every 9 policemen in England and Wales has been assigned to protecting the US President at a cost of £7 million to UK taxpayers. It was also announced last week that Britain will cut its aid to rainforest preservation because of the cost of the war. Talks between Bush and Blair are expected to focus on an exit strategy from Iraq, which may see NATO supervising the return to Iraqi self-government. A suicide bombing at an Italian base in Nasiriyah last week has placed further pressure on the US-led coalition, with Japan's refusal to send troops following in the wake of the withdrawal of the UN and the Red Cross.
Labour may readmit Livingstone
Ken Livingstone may receive a early reprieve from the 5-year ban he received from the Labour Party for running independently for Mayor of London in 2000. It is speculated that Nicky Gavron, the current Labour candidate for London Mayor, may step aside should Livingstone return to the party.
Al-Qaeda attack in Turkey
Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for attacks on 2 Istanbul synagogues on Saturday, killing 23.
Telegraph up for sale
The Daily Telegraph is up for sale after its owner Conrad Black, facing investigation by US financial authorities for receiving certain irregular payments, resigned as Chief Executive of media empire Hollinger. The major potential buyer is Richard Desmond, owner of the Express titles, as well as certain adult magazines.
Hodge apologises
Margaret Hodge saved her job as Children's Minister with a donation of £10,000 to a charity for former offenders and an apology to an abuse victim whom she called an "extremely disturbed man" following a BBC investigation of sex offences in her former constituency of Islington.
Serbian elections fail again
Serbian Presidential elections failed for the 3rd time in a year to produce a valid result, with the 36% voter turnout well below the required 50%. Tomislav Nikolic, a Milosevic-linked hardline nationalist, led the polls.
British hostage alive
Colombian rebels have released a video tape showing 7 hostages, including Briton Mark Henderson, to be alive after 2 months in captivity, but asking for the government's help in securing their release.
And finally...
The inhabitants of the Fijian village of Nubutautau last week staged a ceremony of apology for their ancestors' killing and eating a British missionary in 1867. They presented the missionary's descendants with 100 sperm whale teeth in the hope of lifting a curse on the village.
Robert Porter, ex-president of the Harvard Republicans and an M.Phil student in political theory at New College, responds to opponents of the visiting US President.
It is easy to caricature Bush as a trigger-happy cowboy eager to overstate claims and flout the international community in order to hasten his self-interested war-mongering. Yet in reality he has articulated a coherent strategy for national and international security amidst changing global threats. In carefully-crafted speeches and documents, Mr. Bush has outlined a detailed doctrine of pre-emptive action to confront gathering threats before they become certain tragedies. His administration has advocated and acted on an internationalist vision involving the promotion of liberty and democracy without cultural condescension - making economic, military and moral commitments to create the conditions in which new democracies can flourish in every part of the world.
In contrast, opponents to such principles have been unable to articulate a viable alternative strategy to truly address the key global issues of the day. As a result, Democrats in the U.S. are increasingly regarded as the party of "protests, pessimism and political hate speech". As John McCain recently reminded leftist critics, "partisan anger is no substitute for moral clarity".
Here in Britain, a message being circulated throughout Oxford's email lists invites students to participate in a "day of civil disobedience" whose primary aim (rather than any sort of productive policy discussion) is to show "that it is possible to protest and cause disruption while having fun at the same time". It requires that "people bring their own ideas and their own desires" since "there ain't no leaders in a [protest] party!" George Bush's policies are controversial precisely because he is trying to achieve constructive political ends and a broad vision for American internationalism. As one newspaper recently noted, "another word for this is leadership" - something Mr. Bush's critics, at home and abroad, have failed to provide.
13th Nov 2003