Pakistan's assurances don't make sense

From here, it looks like assurances from the new Pakistan government that peace negotiations with Taliban-linked insurgents in the south will not imperil U.S. forces battling for control of Afghanistan cannot be believed. Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, a leading member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said yesterday that he has been assured by Pakistan that any deals will not lead to attacks on U.S. forces in Afghanistan by insurgents hiding across the border. "If you are dealing clearly with tribal leaders who are peaceful and simply want to make sure that their region is not affected by terrorism or the Taliban or al-Qaida, of course they are the people who are appropriate to negotiate with," he said. "But on the other hand, I do oppose agreements with militants. I oppose agreements with the Taliban, I oppose agreements with Al-Qaeda." NATO officials in Afghanistan recently have expressed alarm about increased attacks during peace talks with the rebels, according to the Reuters international news service. While it would be nice to think that insurgent armies operating outside of government control in Pakistan's lawless border region do not have any political ambitions, it doesn't make sense. The Taliban guerillas have already tasted statehood and mangled Afghanistan in the years before the U.S. invasion after the Sept. 11 attacks -- the fact that they have reconstituted themselves means that their struggle is continuing. Pakistan's new leadership wants to reach agreements with the rebel groups, contrary to recommendations from the United States, which wants the groups defeated militarily. In fact, the United States backed Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's dictatorship for years because he promised to battle insurgent elements.

Olmert resignation looks certain

Now that his main coalition partner has called for him to step down, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's dramatic years in office look to be just about over. Olmert is trying to negotiate peace deals with the Palestinian Authority and Syria at the same time he is facing a criminal investigation into cash contributions he received from an American businessman. Barring a spectacular breakthrough in the next few months, Olmert cannot possibly reach a successful conclusion to any peace deals while he is facing an almost certain indictment that impugns his honesty. Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak of the Labor Party, currently defense minister in the Kadima-led coalition, said Wednesday that Olmert should step down, at least temporarily, until the corruption allegations were resolved. Barak's demand would cause the coalition to collapse if Labor bolts, and trigger a new parliamentary election. Olmert's term runs until 2010 unless he loses his majority in the Knesset, Israel's parliament. Barak made the statement at a press conference called one day after a New York businessman testified in court in Israel that he gave Olmert envelopes containing thousands of dollars in cash.

Time for caution in Nepal

Nepalis may be dancing in the streets of Kathmandu today after the special national assembly abolished the country's monarchy and ushered in a republic, but the really hard work begins now. Elimination of the monarchy, which the assembly did on a 560-4 vote, was only the first step, and was the chief demand of Maoist insurgents who agreed to end 10 years of fighting and join the goverment. The Maoists, who still have not dissolved their army, are now the largest party in the assembly. Nepal's King Gyanendra, who just a few years ago was revered as a incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the Hindu god of protection, was ordered to vacate the Kathmandu palace within 15 days. So far, so good. But this only is Day 1. Nobody who remembers Chairman Mao, the communist who led the revolution that took control of China in 1949, believes the Maoist rebels will be content with a government that depends on the consent of the governed. China still doesn't have that, 59 years later.

The word of the day is "untrue"

Notice how you never heard the word "untrue" in all the bombast from Bush administration insiders over the recently published tell-all book by former White House press secretary Scott McClellan? Longtime Bush backers had nothing but criticism for McClellan, a former Bush loyalist from Texas, who says in his new book that President Bush deliberately misled the American people on the justification for the Iraq war. "It was all about manipulating sources of public opinion to the president's advantage," McClellan writes, calling the buildup to the war "a propaganda campaign." He is the first Bush insider to write a book criticizing his former boss, but he will hopefully not be the last. Two terms of arguably the worst president in U.S. history should bring many more harsh assessments from insiders, as it has from political observers. But Bush supporters couldn't resist getting their cuts in, blasting McClellan for writing "What Happened -- Inside the Bush White House and Wasington's Culture of Deception." Current press secretary Dana Perino, who replaced McClellen in 2006, called the book "sad." Former White House counselor Dan Bartlett said McClellan is going to lose all his friends. Former press secretary Ari Fleischer said he was "heartbroken and stumped" by the book. Perino also said Bush himself was 'puzzled and disappointed' by McClellan's book. But they never said McClellan wasn't telling the truth.

What the heck is this?

The report on sexual abuse of kids by international aid workers and peacekeepers is unbelievable, and not in a good way. The report released Tuesday by Save the Children UK, a British charity, found "significant" levels of abuse of children during emergency situations, the Reuters international news service reported. Can this possibly be true? What's wrong with people? The report said the United Nations is investigating reports of abuse by its soldiers in locations such as Haiti, Liberia, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Reuters said. But the United Nations is but one of 23 humanitarian, peacekeeping and groups accused of sexual abuse in three countries -- Haiti, Southern Sudan and Ivory Coast. The report called for the establishment of a global organization to monitor anti-abuse efforts and develop strategies to combat it. Strategies to combat it? Are there any countries where such conduct is acceptable? Is so, how about keeping those soldiers out of the peacekeeping forces? And, aren't they soldiers? How are they able to get out in the society unsupervised to have sex with children? If this is true, maybe the United States should reconsider putting its soldiers under U.N. command in emergencies.

Zimbabwe threatens to expel U.S. ambassador

Apparently outraged by comments by U.S. diplomats, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe threatened to expel the U.S. ambassador as an historic runoff election campaign began in this southern African nation. Mugabe also accused the United States of interfering in its internal politics after Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazier said opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai had won a majority of votes in the first round. Mugabe called Frazier's statements "disgraceful." But Mugabe has squandered his reputation as a rebel and continues to be determined to hold onto power at any cost, including the lives of his countrymen. Dozens of Tsvangirai have been killed in post-election violence, reportedly directed by the government. Inflammatory rhetoric from Mugabe does not make any of his abuses go away. The 84-year-old Mugabe has led Zimbabwe since it achieved independence from Great Britain in 1980, but his party lost control of parliament for the first time in the March 29 elections.

Zimbabwe opposition leader returns, calls on Mugabe to resign

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who outpolled longtime president Robert Mugabe in the first round of presidential voting in March, called on the longtime leader to resign today as he returned to the troubled country. Tsvangirai plans to contest a runoff election scheduled for June 27, according to the Associated Press. He left Zimbabwe shortly after the election to lobby other African nations for support when the vote count was delayed, raising the specter of fraud. The final official vote count, released five weeks later, showed Tsvangirai ahead, but not by enough to avoid a runoff. Tsvangirai claims he won outright but contends the government tampered with the results. The opposition leader landed in Harare on Saturday and immediately visited a hospital where he visited supporters injured in a wave post-election violence he blamed on the Mugabe government. "I return home to Zimbabwe with a sad heart," he said after the hospital visit, according to the AP. "I have met and listened to the stories of the innocent people targeted by a regime seemingly desperate to cling to power." Independent human rights groups back Tsvangirai's account of the violence, saying the ruling party has beaten and killed his supporters in an effort to keep Mugabe in power. Mugabe, who has headed Zimbabwe's government since independence from Britain in 1980, had been acclaimed worldwide for policies encouraging racial reconciliation and providing opportunities for the country's black majority. But he later was accused of using violence and fraud to hold onto power as the country's economy collapsed, plunging millions into poverty.