Politiques


Focus New Orleans

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KATRINA: RESPONSE TIMELINE

Stormy weather brings down hawks
The Observer 11/09/05

" In a Provençal village at the beginning of August, I met a tourist from New Orleans who said his home town lay almost five metres below sea level and that one of these days a disaster was inevitable. This was several weeks before anybody had sight of Hurricane Katrina. My acquaintance's advice to 'see New Orleans while you can' was overtaken by events.

He was one of many Americans who had opted for Provence rather than risk encountering bombers in London. Disapproval of the French for being 'cheese-eating surrender monkeys' over the Iraq war has given way, in certain circles, to recognition that they were right. The irony that flood prevention and rescue work in New Orleans suffered from a diversion of resources to Iraq has been noted… "

The Steady Buildup to a City's Chaos
WaPo 11/09/05

" …Instead, confusion reigned at every level of officialdom, according to dozens of interviews with participants in Louisiana, Mississippi and Washington. "No one had access. . . . No one had communication. . . . Nobody knew where the people were," recalled Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt, whose department did not declare the Gulf Coast a public health emergency until two days after the storm… "

Katrina 'cover-up' alleged
Herald Sun 09/09/05

" OFFICIAL US admonitions against broadcasting images of cadavers in New Orleans floodwaters have prompted charges that America's media helped cover up the slow US response to Hurricane Katrina… "

Leaders Lacking Disaster Experience
WaPo 09/09/05

" Five of eight top Federal Emergency Management Agency officials came to their posts with virtually no experience in handling disasters and now lead an agency whose ranks of seasoned crisis managers have thinned dramatically since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks… "

Let the People Rebuild New Orleans
The Nation 08/09/05

" …There are already signs that New Orleans evacuees could face a similarly brutal second storm. Jimmy Reiss, chairman of the New Orleans Business Council, told Newsweek that he has been brainstorming about how "to use this catastrophe as a once-in-an-eon opportunity to change the dynamic." The Business Council's wish list is well-known: low wages, low taxes, more luxury condos and hotels. Before the flood, this highly profitable vision was already displacing thousands of poor African-Americans: While their music and culture was for sale in an increasingly corporatized French Quarter (where only 4.3 percent of residents are black), their housing developments were being torn down. "For white tourists and businesspeople, New Orleans' reputation is 'a great place to have a vacation but don't leave the French Quarter or you'll get shot,'" Jordan Flaherty, a New Orleans-based labor organizer told me the day after he left the city by boat. "Now the developers have their big chance to disperse the obstacle to gentrification--poor people." … "

For Bush, a Deepening Divide
WaPo 07/09/05

" When terrorists struck on Sept. 11, 2001, Americans came together in grief and resolve, rallying behind President Bush in an extraordinary show of national unity. But when Hurricane Katrina hit last week, the opposite occurred, with Americans dividing along sharply partisan lines in their judgment of the president's and the federal government's response… "

Multiple failures caused relief crisis
BBC 07/09/05

" The breakdown of the relief operation in New Orleans was the result of multiple failures by city, state and federal authorities… "

Post-disaster contracting rush leads to confusion
GovExec 06/09/05

" As federal, state and local agencies deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, contractors are navigating emergency procurement rules that go into effect when the normal, paperwork-heavy process would cause unacceptable delays… "

New Orleans Levees and Floodwalls: Hurricane Damage Protection
Congressionnal Research Report 06/09/05


Afrique de l’Ouest : L’approche stratégique US 

A Strategic U.S. Approach to Governance and Security in the Gulf of Guinea
CSIS 07/05


Chine : Démonstration de force en mer de Chine 

Chinese warships make show of force at protested gas rig
The Japan Times 10/09/05

" Five Chinese naval ships, including a guided-missile destroyer, were spotted Friday morning near the Chunxiao gas field in the East China Sea, where Japan and China have a dispute over demarcation, the Maritime Self-Defense Force said. An MSDF P-3C patrol plane spotted the five vessels around 9 a.m. about 290 km northwest of Kume Island, Okinawa Prefecture. It is the first time Japan has spotted Chinese warships near the gas field, although its research ships have often been sighted in those waters, the MSDF said. The ships' mission was unknown. The group consisted of a 7,940-ton Sovremenny-class guided-missile destroyer, two 1,702-ton Jianghu I-class guided-missile frigates, a 23,000-ton replenishment vessel and a 6,000-ton missile observation support ship, according to the MSDF. The ships' sighting comes amid rising bilateral tensions after a Chinese consortium said last month it could begin drilling for natural gas in the field as early as this month despite Japan's calls not to do so. "We perceive it to be an intentional act, not a chance occurrence," a senior official at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry reckoned, adding that the matter would be brought up the next time the two nations hold working-level talks on the drilling issue. "

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Chinese president defends human rights record in face of criticism
CP 09/09/05

" …Hu emerged from a meeting with Prime Minister Paul Martin to face tough questions from reporters about China's treatment of dissidents, Falun Gong members and Tibet. As hundreds of protesters rallied outside Parliament waving banners and playing loud music, Hu argued that China is committed to human rights.

"The Chinese government has traditionally attached a great deal of importance to the question of human rights," he said.

"The progress China has achieved in this area is evident for all to see.... In the future, we will continue to make new efforts toward further improvement and safeguarding of human rights."

But he argued that because of their different histories and cultures, Canada and China have different views of human rights… "

Côte d’Ivoire : L’avertissement de Kofi Annan 

Côte d'Ivoire: Kofi Annan accuse les dirigeants de "détruire" le pays
AFP 10/09/05

" Le secrétaire général de l'Onu, Kofi Annan, a accusé les dirigeants politiques ivoiriens de "détruire" leur pays et évoqué de nouveau la menace de sanctions internationales pour "les faire bouger".

"Je ne comprends pas ces leaders ivoiriens, ces hommes qui estiment qu'ils sont capables de diriger un pays, qui cherchent à devenir président d'un pays qu'ils sont entrain de détruire", s'est indigné M. Annan dans un entretien diffusé par Radio France Internationale (RFI).

RFI avait diffusé jeudi un extrait de cet entretien qui lui était accordé avec la télévision francophone TV5 et à l'hebdomadaire français l'Expresss. M. Annan y déclarait notamment que la tenue d'une élection présidentielle cruciale ne "va pas être possible" le 30 octobre en raison du retard dans les préparatifs.

Dans cet entretien, M. Annan constate qu'"il y a un blocage" dans la situation en Côte d'Ivoire. "Chaque partie attend l'autre. Ils ont signé plusieurs accords. Ils signent facilement mais pour mettre en application c'est autre chose", a affirmé M. Annan qui s'est prononcé en faveur de sanctions contre la Côte d'Ivoire.

"Si c'est ça qu'il faut pour les faire bouger, le Conseil de sécurité doit l'appliquer", a-t-il dit… "

October elections "not possible", Annan
IRIN 09/09/05

" In a new blow to hopes for an imminent peace in Cote d'Ivoire, UN chief Kofi Annan has said that key elections slated to heal the nation's strife cannot technically take place as scheduled on 30 October.

Annan blamed all sides for the latest hitch in the three year stand-off sparked by a failed coup in September 2002, in an interview with Radio France International on Thursday which is to be aired this weekend.

"It's not going to be possible [to hold the election] because the political leaders and parties have not cooperated," said Annan… "


Etats-Unis : Attaques nucléaires " préemptives "

Pentagon Revises Nuclear Strike Plan
WaPo 11/09/05

" The Pentagon has drafted a revised doctrine for the use of nuclear weapons that envisions commanders requesting presidential approval to use them to preempt an attack by a nation or a terrorist group using weapons of mass destruction. The draft also includes the option of using nuclear arms to destroy known enemy stockpiles of nuclear, biological or chemical weapons… "

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Beyond Goldwater-Nichols: U.S. Government and Defense Reform for a New Strategic Era
CSIS 09/05

" A new CSIS report outlines drastic recommendations needed to improve U.S. national security policymaking and execution on an interagency basis and to the Department of Defense. The second phase of the "Beyond Goldwater-Nichols: U.S. Government and Defense Reform for a New Strategic Era" report calls for a more responsive government that can adapt to unpredictable challenges and work as one cohesive unit rather than through disparate parts. "Much of the United States' national security structure was built in an era of predictable, relatively static threats," states the report. "Today we face adaptive, highly-agile opponents with flexible doctrine, short chains of command, and rapid internal processes. Coherence and agility are natural enemies, and it is no small trick to make any structure the size of the U.S. government either coherent or agile." … "

Our Strange Foreign Policy
National Review Online 09/09/05

" For all the national angst over Afghanistan and Iraq, historians will come to appreciate that sometime after 2001 the United States embarked on a radically different, much riskier, and ultimately more humane foreign policy — one of both pulling in our horns while at the same time promoting risky democratic reform in targeted areas.

Such a complex and hard-to-define change explains why conservative realists are chagrined by its Wilsonian traits, even as leftist isolationists are equally furious that it is imperial. Mainstream out-of-power Democrats don’t like what we are doing because of George Bush, while traditional Republicans stay the course mostly because it is now the party line… "

Etats-Unis : Les retombées politiques de Katrina

Prescott links global warming to Katrina
The Observer 11/09/05

" John Prescott sparked controversy yesterday by linking America's refusal to tackle climate change to the devastation of the New Orleans hurricane.

The Deputy Prime Minister caused potential embarrassment for Britain by drawing a parallel between the US city destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and island states that scientists believe are under threat of being swamped.

In a speech in Berlin, he also criticised the US for failing to sign the Kyoto protocol on climate change, which is aimed at slowing global warming by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases… "

Powell slams Katrina aid
Daily Telegraph 09/09/05

" COLIN Powell, the former US secretary of state seen as a potential leader of the Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts, has joined the chorus of Americans criticising the disaster response at all levels of government.

"There have been a lot of failures at a lot of levels – local, state and federal," Mr Powell said in an ABC interview yet to be broadcast… "

GOP Leaders Launch Inquiry on Katrina Preparation and Response
WaPo 08/09/05

" … Republican leaders moved to try to contain the political fallout from Katrina, forming a joint House-Senate review committee of senior lawmakers who will investigate the government's preparation and initial response to the catastrophe. Democrats called again for an independent probe similar to the investigation of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks… "

Katrina underscores Bush's isolated style
KR 08/09/05

" … Bush has a long record of avoiding critics, rewarding loyalty even in the face of failure and shunning - even punishing - those who disagree with him. It's a management style that shapes how he governs - disdaining compromise with Democrats in Congress, for example - and one that brushes off whole sectors of the American electorate.

That could come back to haunt him, as is now evident in the two problems - Iraq and Katrina - that together have sent his approval ratings to the lowest levels of his presidency and threaten his second-term agenda.

His style of isolating himself from unwelcome voices pleases his core supporters, who don't want him to compromise, but it sacrifices the broader public appeal that helped Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton weather second-term setbacks. One new poll, from the independent Pew Research Center, suggests he is losing support even from Republicans and conservatives... "

Chaotic Week Leaves Bush Team on Defensive
NYT 05/09/05

" Perhaps not since Richard M. Nixon faced Vietnam-era tumult abroad and at home has an American president had to meet quite the combination of foreign war, domestic tribulations and political division that President Bush now confronts, from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf Coast to Capitol Hill… "

Killed by Contempt
NYT 05/09/05

" …What caused that paralysis? President Bush certainly failed his test. After 9/11, all the country really needed from him was a speech. This time it needed action - and he didn't deliver.

But the federal government's lethal ineptitude wasn't just a consequence of Mr. Bush's personal inadequacy; it was a consequence of ideological hostility to the very idea of using government to serve the public good. For 25 years the right has been denigrating the public sector, telling us that government is always the problem, not the solution. Why should we be surprised that when we needed a government solution, it wasn't forthcoming?… "


Irak : La constitution à petits pas

Amended Iraq constitution awaits final approval
Reuters 09/09/05

" Iraqi lawmakers confirmed on Friday that a final amendment had been made to the draft of a constitution and that it would be formally approved and sent to U.N. officials for printing in the next couple of days.

Abbas al-Bayati, a member of the drafting committee from the Shi'ite majority, confirmed comments by Sunni negotiators that the various factions had agreed to alter a text agreed on Aug. 28 to meet Sunni concerns about Iraq's place in the Arab world.

"The problem was the identity of Iraq and now it is solved by adding a sentence saying that Iraq is an active member in the Arab League," Bayati told Reuters.

The wording was agreed at a meeting with leaders of the non-Arab Kurdish minority on Thursday, he said. No further changes would be made and the text would be approved at the next sitting of the National Assembly, probably on Sunday… "

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Iran's strategy in Iraq
WashTimes 07/09/05

US could leave Iraq in two years, says president
Mail & Guardian 10/09/05

" Iraq President Jalal Talabani on Friday warned that an abrupt withdrawal of United States forces from his country "could lead to the victory of the terrorists in Iraq" and make Iraq more vulnerable to interference from neighbouring countries.

But in a speech at the Brookings Institution, a think tank in Washington, Talabani hinted that if all goes well, the US-led coalition could leave within two years… "

Iran : Quelles solutions pour sortir de la crise ?

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Iran's strategy in Iraq
WashTimes 07/09/05

Rice says Iran's referral to UN Security Council 'reasonable option'
Daily Star 10/09/05

" The United States expects Iran will be referred to the UN Security council over fears it may be developing nuclear weapons, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said. Rice appealed to China, Russia and India to join the United States and the European Union in pushing Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions… "

Rice asks China, Russia, India to support UN action against Iran
Hindustan Times 10/09/05

" Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is asking Russia, China and India to support the United States in threatening Iran with sanctions for refusing to halt its nuclear programme. "Iran needs to get a message from the international community that is a unified message," Rice said at a news conference Friday. The message, she said, is that it is not acceptable for Iran to enter into negotiations with the Europeans on living up to its international obligations, and then to back out. Iran refused to accept a US-backed European Union offer of economic concessions to halt suspicious nuclear activities, and Rice said a drive to round up support for UN Security Council consideration of Iran's behaviour was under way. "We will be working with our colleagues on this," she said. Approval is not assured in the Security Council even though French President Jacques Chirac has grown impatient with Iran. For one thing, China historically has opposed sanctions, Russia's stance is uncertain, and either one can kill a resolution with a veto. "

N-deal at risk if India doesn't support US vs Iran
The Indian Express 10/09/05

" A sweeping new U.S.-India nuclear agreement is at risk if New Delhi doesn't work with Washington to punish Iran for its nuclear weapons-related activities, influential U.S. congressmen said on Thursday. The lawmakers, who must approve key aspects of the deal that is one of President George W. Bush's top legislative priorities for 2005, faulted the administration for not getting a definitive commitment from India to cooperate on Iran before the nuclear agreement was announced on July 18. Bush, in a controversial policy shift, promised nuclear-armed India full cooperation in developing its civilian nuclear power program in return for New Delhi's commitment to adhere to international non-proliferation regimes. "New Delhi must understand how important their cooperation and support is to U.S. initiatives to counter the nuclear threat from Iran," said Rep. Tom Lantos, senior Democrat on the House of Representatives International Relations Committee. "

EU ready to call for Iran’s UN referral
Jang 10/09/05

" The European Union is ready to call for Iran to be brought before the UN Security Council as a "clear signal of concern" over Tehran’s nuclear activities, according to a confidential document obtained by AFP on Friday… "

OPPOSITION TARGETS IRANIAN OIL FIELDS
Middle East Newsline 09/09/05

" The Iranian opposition has targeted oil fields in the Islamic republic.

Several oil fields were bombed around the southwestern Iranian city of Ahwaz last week. Iranian officials said the bombings on Sept. 1 were the work of Arab separatists.

Officials reported three explosions in what led to the suspension of operations at five oil wells in the Khuzestan province. They said the bombings were connected to the outbreak of the Arab insurgency earlier this year in southwestern Iran.

Iranian parliament Nezam Mola-Hoveizeh said the attacks were supported by foreign elements. Mola-Hoveizeh did not identify them, but officials said the reference was to neighboring Iraq… "

Iran Nuclear Abilities Limited
Arms Control Today, Paul Kerr, Sep 2005

" Tehran’s Aug. 1 announcement of its decision to restart its uranium-conversion facility near Isfahan has raised concerns that Tehran intends to produce highly enriched uranium (HEU) for nuclear weapons. But three recent U.S. intelligence assessments suggest that Iran’s limited technical capabilities mean that it would take Tehran between six and 10 years to be able to produce nuclear weapons even if it committed to that course and it were allowed to operate its nuclear facilities freely… "

WMD, Terrorism, and Proliferation
Testimony Before Subcommittee on Prevention of Nuclear and Biological Attack
Committee on Homeland Security
CFR 08/09/05

" Contrary to many Western assumptions, Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons does not stem from irrational ideological postulations, but from a judicious attempt to craft a viable deterrent posture against a range of threats. It is often argued that Iran’s dangerous and unpredictable neighborhood grants it ample incentive for acquiring nuclear weapons. However, it is hard to see how persistent volatility on Iran’s frontiers can be ameliorated by the possession of such weapons. Instability in Afghanistan and Central Asia may be sources of significant concern forIran’s defense planners, but nuclear weapons can scarcely defuse such crises. A more careful examination reveals that Iran’s nuclear program has been conditioned by a narrower but more pronounced set of threats. Historically, the need to negate the American and Iraqi threats has been the primary motivation. In more recent times, the simmering concerns regarding the stability of a nuclear-armed Pakistan have similarly enhanced the value of such weapons to Iran’s planners. In the end, for Iran this is a weapon of deterrence not one that is to be given to terrorist organizations or brandished to gain diplomatic leverage in the region… "

Pakistan for peaceful solution to Iran N-row
Jang 08/09/05

" President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Wednesday said Pakistan supported efforts to resolve the issue of Iran’s nuclear programme through negotiations. Meanwhile, Islamabad offered to mediate between Tehran and international community to seek a peaceful resolution of the issue… "

Nuclear Weapon Is Years Off for Iran, Research Panel Says
NYT 07/09/05

" A leading British research institute said Tuesday that Iran was at least five years away from producing sufficient material for "a single nuclear weapon," and that it could make one only if it chose to ignore international reaction and "throw caution to the wind."… "

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Iran takes over Pipelineistan
Asia Times 10/09/05

" … Geopolitically, as a key energy supplier to China as well as India's major supplier, Iran will be in a more than enviable position. Its political relations with both China and India are excellent. Its trans-Caspian alliance with Russia is iron-clad, as both countries are dead-set, in diplomatic language, not to allow "other great foreign powers" to penetrate the Caspian. And Tehran will do all it takes to position itself, long term, as a key supplier to Western Europe as well. This means a peaceful, non-confrontational solution to the nuclear issue will be in the interest of all players involved. But not necessarily in the interest of Washington. "

Nucléaire : Deal Etats-Unis-Inde et fureur du Pakistan 

Faulty Promises: The U.S.-India Nuclear Deal
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace - Policy Outlook 21/09/05

" At their July summit meeting in Washington, D.C., U.S. President George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced potentially major departures in U.S. and Indian nuclear policies. President Bush promised to win congressional approval to change U.S. nonproliferation and export control laws and policies that heretofore have blocked full nuclear cooperation with India. In seeking to end restrictions on such cooperation, the United States wants India to be accepted globally as a responsible possessor of nuclear weapons even though India will not join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). For its part, India committed to "assume the same responsibilities and practices" as the acknowledged nuclear weapons states. This includes distinguishing India’s military nuclear facilities from civilian ones and putting all civilian facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. India also agreed to extend its moratorium on nuclear testing.

The nuclear deal was hatched by a handful of top officials from both governments. The key U.S. officials involved—Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Undersecretary Nicholas Burns, and counselor Philip Zelikow—minimized interagency review, congressional briefings and international consultations. Rice, Burns, Zelikow, and, ultimately, President Bush had made up their minds to lead a bold departure from long-standing policies toward India and toward U.S. and international rules governing nuclear technology commerce. They knew that extended vetting would suck the boldness out of their strategy. They wanted to move quickly to herald their new initiative during Singh’s state visit to Washington and to enable implementation to begin in time for President Bush’s expected visit to India in early 2006… "

US rejects Pak demand for N-parity with India
The Tribune 10/09/045

" Rejecting Pakistan's demand for parity with India in accessing civilian nuclear technology, the US has said the landmark accord with New Delhi was a "mechanism to deepen" further its commitment to international non-proliferation. "We view India as an exceptional case, and see civil nuclear cooperation as a mechanism to deepen India's commitment to international non-proliferation," Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Robert G. Joseph said yesterday. His comments at the House International Relations Committee came close on the heels of Pakistan Ambassador Jehangir Karamat remarks that Islamabad should have the same access to US civilian nuclear technology as had been proposed by President George W Bush for India. Joseph said some countries had asked whether it might be possible for the US to extend such cooperation to Israel and Pakistan - the only other two (de facto weapon) states that did not join the NPT, adding India, Israel and Pakistan were each unique and required different approaches. "

USA no to Pak plea for N parity
The Statesman 10/09/05

" Rejecting Pakistan's demand for parity with India in accessing civilian nuclear technology, the USA said that the landmark accord with New Delhi was a "mechanism to deepen" further its commitment to international non-proliferation. "We view India as an exceptional case, and see civil nuclear cooperation as a mechanism to deepen further India's commitment to international non-proliferation," Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Mr Robert G Joseph said yesterday. His comments at the House International Relations Committee came close on the heels of Pakistan Ambassador Mr Jehangir Karamat's that Islamabad should have the same access to US civilian nuclear technology as proposed by President George W Bush for India. Mr Joseph said some countries had asked whether it might be possible for the USA to extend such cooperation to Israel and Pakistan, the only other two (de facto weapon) states that had not signed the NPT, adding India, Israel and Pakistan were each unique and required different approaches. "

Bush bias
The News 10/09/05

" Pakistan is rightly perturbed at reports that the Bush administration is considering nuclear concessions for India by granting it greater access to American civilian nuclear technology. Although such a nuclear nexus is subject to Congressional approval that the incumbent US government is working on, it completely ignores its repercussions on security environment in South Asia. Despite the ongoing peace process between India and Pakistan, the two countries harbour distrust and suspicions amid a furious arms race. They keep on acquiring the latest weapons and delivery systems. The fragile balance of power in the region which can be tipped with the slightest wrong move. Against this backdrop that the Bush administration's decision to enhance Indian access to American nuclear technology will only exacerbate the South Asian security dilemma, prompting Pakistan to invest more in retaining parity with its powerful nuclear neighbour. What Pakistan's ambassador in Washington, former general Jehangir Karamat, said on the issue is, therefore, stating the obvious. He said that Pakistan should have the same access to US civilian nuclear technology that President Bush has proposed for India. "

Pakistan Wants Civilian Nuclear Deal
WaPo 08/09/05

" Pakistan should have the same access to U.S. civilian nuclear technology that President Bush has proposed for India, the Pakistani ambassador to the United States says… "


Nucléaire : Focus sur les stocks de matériaux explosifs 

Global Stocks of Nuclear Explosive Materials
Institute for Science and International Security 09/05

" This update is a set of reports, tables, and charts that detail inventories of nuclear explosive materials throughout the world. With this update, the inventories have been expanded to include estimates of neptunium 237 and americium holdings by country. This update also includes the new report "Civil HEU Watch," which breaks down civil HEU holdings by country, and a study of China's military plutonium and HEU holdings. Resources limited ISIS's ability to compile this information into a book or comprehensive report.

The estimates in this study are given as a value as of the end of the 2003 calendar year. Some reports also present projections of likely future stocks… "

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Nuclear stockpiles could create 300,000 bombs
New Scientist 07/09/05

A.Q. Khan Nuclear Chronology
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace - Proliferation Brief 07/09/05

" The complete extent of Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan’s decades-long involvement in the illegal transfer of nuclear materials and technologies is not known. The details are submerged in Khan’s work over the past thirty years, which has included both the development of Pakistan’s uranium enrichment capabilities and a complex international network of experts, suppliers, and front companies that have aided Iran, Libya, North Korea, and potentially others. Since we do not know exactly what Khan did, we cannot know when he did it. As more information is released from those who have questioned Khan and his network partners, a more complete image of the nuclear black market will emerge. This chronology summarizes what we now know… "

NUCLEAR STIRRINGS IN BURMA
American Foreign Policy Council 06/09/05

" A Burmese opposition group has charged that Rangoon's military junta is gearing up to erect a clandestine nuclear program. The Geostrategy-Direct intelligence newsletter reports that the opposition Shanland website has revealed regime plans for a covert nuclear facility near the town of Maymyo in the central part of the South Asian state. Over the past two years, the military government is said to have occupied territory surrounding the suspect site and begun construction of roads and tunnels. Intelligence assessments have concluded that Burma is receiving assistance for its nuclear power program - which could evolve to have military applications - from both North Korea and Russia. "

ONU : Scandale Oil for Food (suite) & Sommet des Réformes

World summit on UN's future heads for chaos
Guardian 10/09/05

" The British government is mounting a huge diplomatic effort this weekend to prevent the biggest-ever summit of world leaders, designed to tackle poverty and overhaul the United Nations, ending in chaos.

The Guardian has learned that Jack Straw, the foreign secretary, has made a personal plea to his American counterpart, Condoleezza Rice, for the US to withdraw opposition to plans for wholesale reform of the UN. He has asked Ms Rice to rein in John Bolton, the US ambassador to the world body… "

Clash by Diplomats at U.N. Over Reform Bares Divisions
NYT 10/09/05

" Diplomats working on a pivotal document on the management overhaul of the United Nations and updated approaches to terrorism, development and human rights have locked horns just days before it is to be presented to more than 170 world leaders for their endorsement.

Deep divisions persist despite crisis talks involving 32 ambassadors chosen to try to reach consensus, and there is looming embarrassment for the United Nations in having another failure on the heels of this week's report by the commission investigating the Iraqi oil-for-food program. The report, by a commission led by Paul A. Volcker, a former Federal Reserve chairman, called for the kind of fundamental changes that the document puts forward… "

Rice says U.S. still supports Annan
WashTimes 10/09/05

" Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday backed Kofi Annan's continued stewardship over the United Nations despite a scathing report on the secretary-general's oversight of the Iraq oil-for-food program, but she said the scandal demands urgent overhaul of the U.N. secretariat.

"We believe that we will continue to work with the secretary-general, and we are confident that he will support the kinds of reforms that are needed to try and make sure that this sort of thing does not happen again," Miss Rice said.

"We are going to continue to press management and secretariat reforms. They have to be concrete reforms, not just hortatory language about how important it is to reform," she said. "In the light of the oil-for-food problem, I think it's even more urgent that those get done." … "
Duty pulls Annan in two directions
IHT 09/09/05

" The secretary general of the United Nations is a unique figure in world politics. At once civil servant and secular pope, he or she depends on states for both the legitimacy and resources that make the United Nations possible. The formal powers of the office are limited but have been supplemented over time by delegated authority, political influence, and moral standing. All have been challenged by the recent turbulent period for the United Nations and the incumbent secretary general, Kofi Annan, in particular… "

'Confident' UN chief defies calls to quit over oil-for-food scandal
Times 09/09/05

" KOFI ANNAN, the United Nations Secretary-General, was clinging to power by his fingertips yesterday after Wednesday’s devastating report on the oil-for-food scandal led to a chorus of calls for his resignation.

The Nobel peace laureate said that he "accepted responsibility" for the management failures detailed by the inquiry, headed by Paul Volcker, the former Federal Reserve Chairman. But he said that he planned to remain in his job through next week’s summit of world leaders in New York, and until the end of his second five-year term in December 2006… "

Reforming the U.N.
WaPo 08/09/05

" IT'S RARE THAT doorstop-size reports appear just days before an opportunity to act on them, but that is what's just happened at the United Nations. The commission headed by Paul A. Volcker, the former Federal Reserve chairman, has delivered a massive indictment of the United Nations' handling of Iraq's oil-for-food program just ahead of next week's summit at which U.N. reform will be on the agenda. When Mr. Volcker delivered his report to the Security Council yesterday, his call for change was echoed both by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and by ambassadors representing the United States and other member nations. There is no debate, in other words, as to whether reform is necessary. The challenge is to get agreement on it in the next few days… "

The Oil-for-Food Failures
NYT 08/09/05

" The latest report from an independent committee investigating the United Nations' oil-for-food program delivers unsparing criticism of both the management team headed by Secretary General Kofi Annan and the Security Council, of which the United States is a permanent member. It faults Mr. Annan for loose management, his staff for corruption and bungling, and the Security Council members for ignoring Iraqi oil smuggling and failing to restrain the surcharges and kickbacks that they knew Saddam Hussein was using to manipulate the program. The criticism of Mr. Annan, by a committee headed by Paul Volcker, a former Federal Reserve chairman, does not look strong enough to warrant his removal, as Republican critics have urged. But the panel's recommendations for urgent management reform should seize the attention of the world's leaders when they gather this month in New York… "

The Bolton backfire: Weaken UN, imperil Americans
CSMonitor 08/09/05

" … So why - at a time when it is increasingly evident that in Iraq, as in the fight against violent extremism elsewhere, the US needs international cooperation more than ever - should the Bush administration and its man in New York be threatening to cause serious disruption to Washington's relations with the world body?… "

U.S. offers compromise language on UN summit goals
Reuters 07/09/05

" U.S. Ambassador John Bolton on Tuesday offered compromise language on development and climate change to try to resolve a deadlock over a document prepared for a U.N. world summit next week… "

A fair-minded report at a crucial time
Economist 07/09/05

" The commission investigating the United Nations’ oil-for-food scandal has issued a report that highlights the organisation’s structural failures. It comes at a crucial time, a few days before a meeting of world leaders to discuss UN reform… "

Annan accepts claim of failure on oil-for-food
FT 07/09/05

" Kofi Annan, UN secretary-general, on Wednesday said he accepted responsibility for serious management failures in the oil-for-food programme, and the UN secretariat as a whole, but his aides insisted he had no intention of leaving office before his term expired at the end of next year… "

Secretary-General's statement to the Security Council on receipt of the Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC) report
UN Secretary General 07/09/05

The Impact of the Oil-for-Food Programme on the Iraqi People
Independent Inquiry Committee Working Group Report (Volcker Committee)

Le rapport de la commission Volcker
Le Monde

U.N. members still divided on summit key issues
AP 05/09/05

" With next week's U.N. summit looming, Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned the world's nations Monday that they have just a few days to salvage "a once in a generation opportunity" to fight poverty and overhaul the United Nations… "


Pakistan : Contacts secrets avec Israel (suite)

Secret links with Israel 10 years old: Kasuri
Jang 06/09/05

" Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri has said Pakistan and Israel were engaged in secret contacts with each other for the last more than 10 years.

He declared that the handshake with Israel was made in the interest of Pakistan and no pressure from outside whatsoever was at work for this. This would certainly help in enhancing Pakistan’s role for the cause of Palestine… "


Terrorisme : Sécurité vs Libertés civiles

Defeating terror may mean giving up rights, MI5 warns
Times 10/09/05

" THE head of MI5 has publicly backed Tony Blair’s warning that the rules of how Britain combats the threat of terrorism have to change.

In a break with tradition, Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, Director-General of MI5, allowed a confidential speech that she had given to Dutch intelligence officers to be published on the agency’s website yesterday. She gave a warning that an erosion of civil liberties might be necessary to stop more British citizens from being killed by terrorists… "

Civil liberties and national security prove a difficult balance to strike
FT 09/09/05

" A Home Office document presented at the European ministers' meeting in Gateshead this week has a picture from CCTV footage of the four July 7 suicide bombers arriving at Luton station on the cover. It is entitled Liberty and Security: Striking the Right Balance.

The implication is that Charles Clarke, the home secretary, is conscious of the potential threat to civil liberties from attempts to defend the country against terrorism.

But as MPs, peers and judges absorb the array of security measures proposed by the government over the summer, a sustained and fierce battle for supremacy is looming between lawmakers concerned to protect public safety and a legal establishment with an instinctive sympathy for the rights of the individual… "

Britain calls for change to European Convention on Human Rights
Euobserver 08/09/05

" In the aftermath of the July bomb attacks in London, senior politicians are now warning that EU citizens will have to accept curbs on their civil liberties in the fight against terrorism.

Addressing the European Parliament on Wednesday (7 September), UK home secretary Charles Clarke said the 50-year old European Convention on Human Rights had to be reviewed… "


Terrorisme : L’implication des extrémistes pakistanais (suite)

U.S.: Pakistani Extremists Aid Terrorists
AP 08/09/05

" Al-Qaida leaders in hiding and foot-soldiers preparing for terrorist attacks are turning to outlawed Pakistani extremist groups for spiritual and military training, shelter and logistical support, say U.S. officials who see them as an emerging threat… "

Pakistan's Islamic schools resist government scrutiny
US News 06/09/05

" Pakistan's 15,000 madrasahs, the Islamic seminaries viewed by critics as breeding ground for extremists, are defying President Pervez Musharraf's antiterrorism crackdown by resisting a new requirement to register with the government… "


Terrorisme : Un risque plus important que jamais 

FRANCE'S ANTI-TERRORISM JUDGE WARNS WORLD AT GREATER RISK THAN EVER
The Tocqueville Connection 05/09/05

" France's top terrorism investigator said in an interview published Monday that the world was at a greater risk than ever from Islamic extremists and that Japan was closely cooperating to probe militants… "

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Trends in Terrorism - Threats to the United States and the Future of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act
Rand 2005

" The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) requires insurers to offer commercial insurance that will pay on claims that occur from a terrorist attack, and for losses on the scale of 9/11, TRIA provides a "backstop" in the form of free reinsurance. The authors describe the evolving terrorist threat with the goal of comparing the underlying risk of attack to the architecture of financial protection that has been facilitated by TRIA… "

Al Qaeda, Trends in Terrorism and Future Potentialities: An Assessment
Rand 2005

" This paper assesses current trends in terrorism and future potentialities. It examines first the presumed state of al Qaeda today with particular reference to its likely agenda in a post–Iraq war world. It then more broadly focuses on some key current terrorism trends in order to understand better both how terrorism is changing and what the implications of these changes are in terms of possible future attacks and patterns… "

Ukraine : La révolution en crise 

Sacked Ukraine PM turns fire on Yushchenko
Reuters 09/09/05

" Ukraine's sacked Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko accused President Viktor Yushchenko on Friday of jeopardizing the country's future by firing her government as divisions grew among leaders of last year's "Orange Revolution." … "

Yushchenko acts quickly to re-form government
IHT 09/09/05

" President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine moved quickly Friday to put his government back together, one day after dismissing the prime minister who had been a key ally in the protests that swept him to power last year.

As political players jockeyed for position, he urged Parliament to endorse the new prime minister he had named to replace Yulia Tymoshenko, a charismatic figure who had been increasingly at odds with the president… "

Orange revolution grinds to a halt as Yushchenko sacks entire government
Independant 09/09/05

" Ukraine's "orange revolution" has lost its lustre, with President Viktor Yushchenko sacking his entire government after its own members accused one another of sleaze, cronyism and debilitating infighting.

His sudden decision came just eight months after he and his team came to office promising to stamp out the gross corruption which had bedevilled previous administrations… "

Ukraine government fired for in-fighting
ISN 08/09/05

" Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko sacked the government on Thursday, saying that in-fighting and a lack of team spirit had become intolerable.

The move brought into full view the conflicts within the group of former opposition figures who had bravely helped lead the so-called Orange Revolution, when mass demonstrations in protest of rigged presidential elections in November 2004 led a re-run won by Yushchenko… "

Ukraine's Orange Revolution loses its lustre
Telegraph 07/09/05

" President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine was yesterday fighting to defend the credibility of the country's pro-western Orange Revolution in his worst crisis since sweeping to power last year.

Simmering disagreements in his shaky coalition have exploded since his powerful chief of staff quit, accusing senior officials of corruption. Even his allies have seized on the political disarray, claiming that little has changed since last winter's dramatic battle for control of the streets of Kiev… "

Ukrainian official resigns in protest
WashTimes 06/09/05

" A close aide to President Viktor Yushchenko who was a chief organizer of the "Orange Revolution" protests said yesterday he had resigned from the government because of systemic corruption around the Ukrainian leader.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, who resigned Saturday, said the situation had grown "even worse" than under former President Leonid Kuchma… "

Economiques


Katrina : Une bonne affaire pour les amis de G. Bush

Firms with Bush-Cheney ties clinching Katrina deals
Reuters 10/09/05

" Companies with ties to the Bush White House and the former head of FEMA are clinching some of the administration's first disaster relief and reconstruction contracts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

At least two major corporate clients of lobbyist Joe Allbaugh, President George W. Bush's former campaign manager and a former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, have already been tapped to start recovery work along the battered Gulf Coast.

One is Shaw Group Inc. <SGR.N> and the other is Halliburton Co. <HAL.N> subsidiary Kellogg Brown and Root. Vice President Dick Cheney is a former head of Halliburton.

Bechtel National Inc., a unit of San Francisco-based Bechtel Corp., has also been selected by FEMA to provide short-term housing for people displaced by the hurricane. Bush named Bechtel's CEO to his Export Council and put the former CEO of Bechtel Energy in charge of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

Experts say it has been common practice in both Republican and Democratic administrations for policy makers to take lobbying jobs once they leave office, and many of the same companies seeking contracts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina have already received billions of dollars for work in Iraq… "

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Blackwater Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans
Truthout 10/09/05

" Heavily armed paramilitary mercenaries from the Blackwater private security firm, infamous for their work in Iraq, are openly patrolling the streets of New Orleans. Some of the mercenaries say they have been "deputized" by the Louisiana governor; indeed some are wearing gold Louisiana state law enforcement badges on their chests and Blackwater photo identification cards on their arms. They say they are on contract with the Department of Homeland Security and have been given the authority to use lethal force. Several mercenaries we spoke with said they had served in Iraq on the personal security details of the former head of the US occupation, L. Paul Bremer and the former US ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte… "

Private Security Contractors Head to Gulf
WaPo 08/09/05

" Companies in the Gulf Coast area hit by Hurricane Katrina are turning to an unusual source to protect people and property rendered vulnerable by the storm's damage -- private security contractors that specialize in supporting military operations in war-torn countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

The mission is to guard against looters, not fend off coordinated insurgent attacks. But the presence of the highly trained specialists represents an unusual domestic assignment for a set of companies that has chiefly developed in global hot spots where war, not nature, has undermined the rule of law.

North Carolina-based Blackwater USA, for example, has 150 security personnel in the Gulf Coast region. The company, which provided personal security for the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority … "

Quel coût économique pour Katrina ?

Katrina may cost as much as four years of war
MSNBC 10/09/05

" …Although estimates of Hurricane Katrina's staggering toll on the treasury are highly imprecise, costs are certain to climb to $200 billion in the coming weeks. The final accounting could approach the more than $300 billion spent in four years to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq… "

Katrina Damages Estimate Upped to $125B
AP 09/09/05

" Hurricane Katrina caused at least $125 billion in economic damage and could cost the insurance industry up to $60 billion in claims, a leading risk assessment firm said in updated estimates released Friday… "

EU faces Katrina economic effect
BBC 09/09/05

" Limiting the economic impact of soaring fuel costs in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is top of the agenda for European Union talks… "

Cost to US economy could be ten times greater than 9/11
Independant 08/09/05

" Hurricane Katrina will be by far the costliest disaster in United States history, requiring $150bn (£81bn) to $200bn in relief, clean-up and reconstruction spending by the federal government, and causing the short-term loss of some 400,000 jobs. .. "

Picking Up the Pieces from Katrina: What Lies Ahead
Knowledge@Wharton 08/09/05

" When Hurricane Andrew struck south Florida in 1992, it caused what was then the largest natural disaster in American history, with more than $30 billion worth of damage. The economic fallout from Hurricane Katrina -- which last week ravaged New Orleans, La., and the Gulf coast -- looks to be much larger; indeed, some estimates put the damages/losses as high as $200 billion. Still uncalculated is Katrina's effect on the oil and gas industry, insurers, real estate, tourism and the financial markets, not to mention the future of hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the storm. Wharton professors assess the impact of what is clearly the costliest natural disaster ever to strike the U.S… "

Storm May Slow Economy 1 Percentage Point, CBO Says
Bloomberg 07/09/05

" Hurricane Katrina may slow U.S. economic growth by 0.5 to 1 percentage point in the second half of this year, less than first estimated when the storm tore through the Gulf Coast last week, the Congressional Budget Office told lawmakers… "

Katrina to cost 400,000 jobs: report
Reuters 07/09/05

" Hurricane Katrina's economic toll could include the loss of up to 400,000 jobs and slow U.S. growth, a congressional report said on Wednesday as the White House prepared a roughly $50 billion request for the troubled Gulf Coast… "


Quel prix pour le barril après Katrina?

Tumult in the Energy Markets
NYT 09/09/05

" …The market remains incredibly volatile and could again swing wildly as more information on the recovery dribbles in and if hurricanes or political events even appear to threaten energy interests, analysts said. Few expect a huge drop in prices while supplies remain tight and demand, led by Asia and the United States, continues to grow… "

Oil Rises as Katrina Expected to Crimp U.S. Output Until 2006
Bloomberg 09/09/05

" Crude oil rose for a second day on mounting concern that U.S. production will struggle to recover this year after Hurricane Katrina ripped through rigs, refineries and pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico coast… "

Katrina and oil prices
The Economist 08/09/05

" HURRICANE KATRINA could lead to one of the biggest energy shocks since the 1970s, perhaps even the biggest. So argues Daniel Yergin, a historian of oil and head of CERA, an energy consultancy. He is not alone… "

Katrina and Oil Prices
CFR 07/09/05

" …First, obviously, Katrina had a major impact on the U.S. industry infrastructure. Both offshore Gulf of Mexico crude and natural-gas production have been hit very hard. The refining sector in the Gulf Coast, particularly in Louisiana, has had a major impact, and pipelines in the Louisiana offshore oil-port loop have all been impacted. We have seen pretty significant improvements over the last week, but there’s obviously a lot more to be done. People need to keep in mind that this is an unprecedented impact on our industry... "

US raises winter oil forecast to near $70
FT 07/09/05

" The US government on Wednesday raised its crude oil price forecasts for this winter to near $70 a barrel, and above $60 a barrel for 2006, and said US energy expenditures for 2005 would reach their highest level in 18 years... "

Oil will peak at USD 90 per barrel in March 2006 - CNOOC Dep. Chief Economist
Interfax China 06/09/05

" Oil will peak at USD 90 per barrel by March of next year, CNOOC Dep. Chief Economist Zhang Weiping said at conference discussing China's energy needs in Beijing on Monday. Zhang also expected global oil production to peak at 94-100 mb/day during the next five years… "

Oil 'could surge to $200'
AFP 06/09/05

" Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warned on Monday that world oil prices would surge to $200 a barrel if the United States attacked his country… "

EU oil reserves needed to prevent global oil shock
EurActiv 05/09/05

" With IEA director Claude Mandil warning of a looming world energy crisis, EU Energy Commissioner Piebalgs will on Tuesday 6 September present new measures to deal with high oil prices and possible supply problems… "

Oil prices at 100 usd/barrel no longer unthinkable in wake of Katrina
AFX 04/09/05

" Oil prices at 100 usd a barrel are no longer an unthinkable prospect in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Asian demand is part of the reason, analysts said… "

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Price Increases in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: Authority to Limit Price Gouging
Congressionnal Research Report 02/09/05

Oil and Gas: Supply Issues After Katrina
Congressionnal Research Report 31/08/05

Strategic Petroleum Reserve
Congressionnal Research Report 29/08/05

China inc

The myth of China Inc
The Economist 01/09/05

" … The real scaremongers assert that the Chinese state is a single—and single-minded—entity with a master plan to reclaim China's rightful place at the centre of the world. China's companies are thus mere tools of an expansionist policy propagated by Beijing's leadership. More subtle are the fears that, because it is impossible to untangle the ownership of most Chinese companies, foreigners cannot be sure to whom they are selling. When the ultimate authority could be the Communist state, that is a worry.

The Chinese government certainly wants to create globally competitive firms and it is pushing some to secure strategic resources, like oil and metals, overseas. The Chinese state also still has a broad influence over business. But the chaotic way this power is exercised contributes to the weakness, not the strength, of Chinese firms. "It is not a plausible argument that China Inc can take a co-ordinated Long March overseas," argues George Gilboy, a research affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "It can't even manage that domestically."… "

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Chinese industry and the state: The myth of China Inc

Energie : Poutine approvisionne l’Allemagne et la Chine

La Russie approvisionnera l'Allemagne en énergie via un gazoduc sous la Baltique
Le Monde 09/09/05

" …Ce choix a ravivé l'amertume de Varsovie et des capitales baltes vis-à-vis du couple germano-russe, déjà perçu comme trop exclusif et cynique dans son approche régionale. Pour le président polonais Alexandre Kwasniewski, l'accord sur le gazoduc a été conclu "au-dessus de la tête" de son pays et de l'Union européenne (UE). M. Poutine a toutefois rappelé, jeudi, que le futur gazoduc aurait des ramifications vers la Suède, la Finlande et, plus tard, vers la Grande-Bretagne en passant par les Pays-Bas… "

Putin, Schroeder give blessing to gas pipeline deal
Reuters 08/09/05

" The leaders of Russia and Germany gave their blessing on Thursday to a gas pipeline deal that cements Berlin's energy ties to Moscow but which Poland and others fear leaves them vulnerable to the whims of the Kremlin… "

Siberian oil pipeline to go to China first: Putin
The China Daily 08/09/05

" Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that his nation's trans-Siberian oil pipeline will export oil to China, instead of Japan, first, the Wall Street Journal reports. In a meeting with Western analysts and journalists at the Kremlin late on Monday, Putin said shipments initially would go to China's oil center in Daqing, according to the US newspaper, citing participants of the meeting. "The Daqing pipeline will be built first," Putin reportedly told the group. "But we will also build to Nakhodka." The Russian government refused to comment on the report. According to the newspaper, construction of the pipeline is to begin late this year, with the first stage capable of carrying 30 million metric tons of crude oil annually from the Siberian city of Taishet to Skovorodino near the Chinese border. From there, the pipeline is expected to take two-thirds of the oil south to Daqing, while the remaining 10 million metric tons would be shipped by rail to a new port to be built on the Pacific coast near Nakhodka. The project is expected to be completed around 2008. "

Technologiques


Defense : Le radar comme nouvelle arme

Radar Becomes A Weapon
Aviation Week & Space Technology 05/09/05

" Directed energy takes an unexpected turn and surfaces as a handy antimissile device that can be built into aircraft, ship and ground-based radars.

Radar is emerging as one of the key weapons--nearly all of them still shrouded by secrecy--in the Pentagon's growing arsenal of nonexplosive devices.

Knowledge that radar can produce violent effects on electronic systems is not new. More than 20 years ago, bomber aircraft radars were capable of generating enough concentrated noise jamming to burn out the valve amps (tube amplifiers) in fighters attempting an interception. The emergence over the last few years of the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and its ability to provide high average power for appreciable times, makes such electronically destructive devices all the more attractive and effective.

The weapons-effect utility of the AESA will provide a useful adjunct to other "nonkinetic"--not relying on explosives or impact--weapons research being done in the U.S. and in Europe. The intent is to develop an arsenal of weaponry that limits, or perhaps eliminates, collateral damage and unintended casualties, a particular concern with civilians in countries that coalition forces are trying to aid… "

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Radar = Ray Gun?
Defense Tech 09/09/05