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Thursday, August 4, 2005 |
Kommersant: "Nikolay Katerinchuk, Deputy of State Tax Administration of Ukraine (STA) said that President Viktor Yushenko's son Andrey owns the rights for the brands that were used during the 'orange revolution'. According to the experts' estimate, the profits from using 'orange' symbols can reach $100 million."
EmpireBurlesque: "Indeed, the younger Yushchenko has become a poster boy for the excesses of Ukraine's new masters. (Do we spy another George W. in the making? Oh, what a lucky land!) Andriy, a college student, swans around town in a $150,000 BMW, brandishing a platinum Vertu mobile phone worth $45,000, and is accompanied by a retinue of beefy bodyguards and buys thousand-dollar bottles of champagne on regular outings with his girlfriend - who drives a more modest $90,000 Mercedes.
But good lord, what's all the fuss? Yushchenko was part and parcel of the old corruption, having served as Prime Minister under oligarch faction boss Leonid Kuchma. And the 'Orange Revolution' leadership was itself top-heavy with oligarchs, including the new Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, who made a pile in the first wave of murky 'privatizations' years ago.
The Orange Revolution was sparked by a presidential election in which exit polls showed that Yushchenko should have won against the Kuchma faction's candidate: the disparity proved that the vote had been fixed, said the international community - including the Bush administration - and so a new election was held, giving Yushchenko the presidency. And there's little doubt that the original vote was fixed. But here's an interesting fact: the discrepancy between exit poll and final result in Ukraine was no greater than the similar disconnection between the exit polls that showed, across the board, John Kerry defeating Bush in the U.S. presidential election. Yet while the US media happily jumped on the Yushchenko bandwagon - 'What a travesty of democracy! It must be rectified!' - they have consistently ridiculed any suggestion that the equal disparity in the American election was also a complete travesty of democracy."
12:50:33 PM 
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Boston.com: "President Bush is getting the kind of break most Americans can only dream of - 33 days away from the office, loaded with vacation time.
The August getaway is Bush's 49th trip to his cherished ranch since taking office and the 319th day that Bush has spent, entirely or partially, in Crawford - nearly 20 percent of his presidency to date."
Today his friend the human rights abuser Alvaro Uribe, leader of Colombia, is visiting him.
AmericaBlog: "This is how he starts his 33 day vacation:
President Bush lamented the deaths of 14 Marines in Iraq Wednesday, calling the deadly attack a 'grim reminder' America is still at war.
'Make no mistake about it,' Bush said. 'We are at war.'"
Make no mistake about it George is enjoying his vacation.
12:22:17 PM
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TimesOnline: "A 23-year-old man today became the first person to be charged in connection with the terror attacks on London.
The charge alleges that 'having information that he knew or believed might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of another person in the UK for an offence involving the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism' he failed to disclose that information 'as soon as reasonably practicable to a constable'.
Hussain Osman, the alleged Shepherd's Bush bomber being held in Italy, today claimed again the devices used were harmless and packed with flour. Mr Osman said that he and his accomplices had not sought to kill anyone, not even themselves. He claimed the 'bombs' were only supposed to make a 'bang' and were intended to sow terror. The claim, made to Italian interrogators inside Rome's high security Regina Coeli jail, is refuted outright by British detectives who say the July 21 bombs were designed to maim and kill."
'Having information that he knew might be of material assistance' - assistance that might have led to a possible 'suspect' - is the only thing they can charge the suspect of. That's rather ridiculous.
And as far as the Shepherd's Bush bomber is concerned, fact is the bombs just didn't maim and kill. Still, this man should be charged as soon as possible.
All this suggests the British police don't have very much to stand on. The real killers of the first attack could be left off the hook because of their ties with MI6. It looks like this is going to be a great charade. How long will we have to wait before the first 'suspects' will have to be released?
A trial of anyone involved in the bombings is not yet in sight. And that is what people expect. Let's hope the trials, if any, will be fair and not a copy of American trials.
"A third US military prosecutor has quit the military commission process under which Australian David Hicks will be tried over concerns it is unfair."
11:53:31 AM
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