Monday, September 30, 2002
Test your memory
The Neuro science department of the University of Amsterdam offers an interesting test site. You can test your news memory, so news junkies, who knows it all!
Memory psychology for a general audience
The Schizophrenic historian
One of the best historians of our lifetime admits in his autobiography still having the 'communist' feeling.
Reviews of Interesting Times by Hobsbawm
+ Niall Ferguson reviews Interesting Times by Eric Hobsbawm Daily Telegraph
+ A question of faith The Guardian
EU Convention Working Group reports on Subsidiarity
A prominent working group of the EU convention designing a European Constitution reported today on subsidiarity. The proposals, on this central element of a "federal" constitution, of the Working Group are being discussed at the next session of the Convention.
From the first moment I learned in 1990 that the principle of subsidiarity was introduced in the Maastricht treaty I realized this was a definitive moment in European history. For the first time a clearly central legal/political principle of federalist nature was introduced in the founding legal structure of the EU.
The principle holds that if a policy problem transcend the ability of a national or local government, it should be dealt with by a higher level in the state hierarchy. It states a primitive rule on who is competent on what level in a state hierarchy. And this is the backbone of every federal arrangement. The Maastricht treaty is therefore the birth of the European Federal constitution. The present Convention is the next stage in completing it.
The working group holds:
The Group considered that as the principle of subsidiarity was a principle of an essentially
political nature, implementation of which involved a considerable margin of discretion for the
institutions (considering whether shared objectives could "better" be achieved at European
level or at another level), monitoring of compliance with that principle should be of an
essentially political nature and take place before the entry into force of the act in question.
Political debate on competence will be the essence and of the central nature of the European constitutional/ political practice.
Future EU: Subsidiarity
In short:
The European Convention Working Group on Subsidiarity recommends giving more powers to national parliaments.
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Blair: Saddam has to be stopped
The British Prime- Minister published this morning the long awaited dossier on the development of weapons of mass destruction by the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein.
Blair leaves no doubt that taking action is necessary.
The dossier does not contain the 'killer' evidence that was expected. The public will have to rely on the confidence in the judgement of the government.
Blair states in the document:
In recent months, I have been increasingly alarmed by the evidence from inside Iraq that
despite sanctions, despite the damage done to his capability in the past, despite the UN
Security Council Resolutions expressly outlawing it, and despite his denials, Saddam
Hussein is continuing to develop WMD, and with them the ability to inflict real damage
upon the region, and the stability of the world.
I am in no doubt that the threat is serious and current, that he has made progress on
WMD, and that he has to be stopped.
Saddam has used chemical weapons, not only against an enemy state, but against his own
people. Intelligence reports make clear that he sees the building up of his WMD
capability, and the belief overseas that he would use these weapons, as vital to his strategic interests, and in particular his goal of regional domination. And the document
discloses that his military planning allows for some of the WMD to be ready within
45 minutes of an order to use them.
I am quite clear that Saddam will go to extreme lengths, indeed has already done so, to
hide these weapons and avoid giving them up.
In today’s inter-dependent world, a major regional conflict does not stay confined to the
region in question. Faced with someone who has shown himself capable of using WMD,
I believe the international community has to stand up for itself and ensure its authority
is upheld.
Blair unveils Iraq dossier BBC Online
Monday, September 23, 2002
Meanwhile the EU Convention stops listening and starts studying a new Constitution
The EU Convention in the mean time works hard on a truly EU Constitution.
And there is progress to report. They stopped listening and they start studying. The revolution EU style is on its way>
+ Future EU: A European Constitution
In short:
The Convention is expected to present the first elements of the future constitutional treaty in November and its definitive proposal for the future of the EU by mid-2003.
EurActive
+ The perils of a European Constitution European Policy Centre
Is Germany up for a new Alleingang? And will the EU be glad?
The narrow victory in the German election of the ruling left wing coalition will confront Europe with an enormous problem. Chanceller Schroeder has put his country in a lonely position in the War against Iraq question. Germany will not participate even when there is a UN resolution. It is now Germany that can be accused of unilateralism, and not the US.
Germany opposes the US, but also is a major problem for European countries in favor of military action as instrument of last resort. The European Union is once again only a word. Union does not exist.
Germany at the crossroads by William Pfaff (IHT)
From containment to preemtive action by force if neccesary
In the annual strategic report, issued last Friday, to congress President Bush outlines his foreign strategic policies.
The report stresses that the US is the foremost power to secure freedom, democracy and free enterprise in the world. It has an obligation by its mere strength to use its powers to contain and promote societies based on those principles, and to fight totalitarianism and tyrants.
The US will confront and fight those in the world who challenge the US military power by building weapons of mass destruction.
"History will judge harshly those who saw this coming danger but failed to act. In the new world we have entered, the only path to peace and security is the path of action."
To Europeans this sounds to dramatic, but I think Bush is right.
Some crisis can't be solved by talk anymore. There comes a point when talk is over, that action is needed, that the challengers must be shown where the line is they cannot cross. On 911 the line has been crossed and Saddam Hoessein has passed multiple lines drawn by the UN in several resolutions. Time of talk is over, and the American government is right on this.
I only hope that the American diplomacy will be smart enough to gather a sound coalition before taking action.
+ Bush Shifts Strategy From Deterrence to Dominance
+ The National Security Strategy of the United States of America
Table of Contents
Monday, September 16, 2002
Uitgelekte Miljoenennota van het Net gehaald
De uitgelekte ANP bewerking van de miljoenennota is vanmiddag van het Net gehaald. Een ANP advocaat nam contact op met de mirror en eiste dat de @home abonnee de tekst van het net zou halen, aldus Tonie's. Bij de reacties op zijn bericht zijn vele nieuwe mirrors te vinden.
Miljoenen Nota op straat (Internet): Informatie kartel doorbroken
Bij de eerste presentatie van de Miljoenennota op de eerste Prinsjesdag van het kabinet Balkenende heeft een anonieme journalist zijn zenuwen niet in bedwang kunnen houden. Hij klapte uit de school door 48 uur voor de afloop van het embargo de ANP bewerkingen van de miljoenennota op het internet te plaatsen.
Omdat de Anoniemus geen "redactie"is meent hij dat het embargo niet voor hem geldig is. Er wordt geen melding gemaakt van bronnen, maar gezien de verontwaardigde reactie van het ANP zal deze versie van de miljoenennota wel de echte zijn. Een vrij login plus wachtwoord is wel nodig. Enkele anderen hebben het "gestolen" bericht op hun site overgenomen.
Het Parool spreekt er in iedergeval schande van. Lambiek Berends raad zijn lezers aan vooral niet op het internet te gaan zoeken. Dat is "journalistiek" onfatsoenlijk.
De hoofdredacties zitten met de handen in het haar. De lezers kunnen de koppen van morgenmiddag inmiddels wel gaan raden.
Wat denkt u van:
Kabinet trekt de buikriem aan of
Hoogervorst kort alle salarissen of
Zalmsnip verdwijnt of
Ziekenfondspremie omhoog of
Heinsbroek:"Alle departementen moeten naar mij luisteren." of
Opnieuw begrotingstekort of
Beperkte stijging ambtenarensalarissen is signaal naar de marktsectorof
De Hoop Scheffer:"Ik ben een Europees- Atlanticus" of
Defensie moet bezuinigen: alleen JSF blijft buiten schot of
Veiligheid, veiligheid en nog eens veiligheid is het nieuwe motto of
Vrijblijvendheid bij immigratie voorbij of
Meer leraren hard nodig, maar geen extra geld of
Meer asfalt, minder spoor of
Schiphol eindelijk naar de beurs of
Minister De Geus:"Zonder daling WAO is mijn beleid mislukt"
etc. etc.
Monday, September 09, 2002
Is capitalism reforming?
Paul Krugman called the Enron scandal bigger than 911. Its consequences would be felt deeper in the long run.
In his todays comment William Pfaff's thoughts on the "managerial rule" of capitalism are very interesting. He concludes that there is a 'power' void, between the owners of big companies and the managerial elite that rules the company. The void gives managers the chance of enriching themselves, without concern for the interest of the company as institution.
Changing this in some form would mean changing the character of capitalism once again. Krugman might be right again.
A pathological mutation in capitalism
William Pfaff
Thursday, September 05, 2002
The new Dutch Secretary for European Affairs Nicolai speaks out on Europe for the first time
A speech at the Clingendael institute for foreign relations.
A Picture of Europe by Atzo Nicolaï
Bush to seek approval for war against Saddam Hussein
In a meeting with congressional leaders yesterday US President Bush announced that he will be seeking approval of congress for a war against Saddam Hussein. He will also consult the British prime minister Tony Blair and the Canadian PM.
The international minds are set for war. The Americans will probably only act on their own if a clear no will be voiced. And that will not happen.
President Discusses Foreign Policy with Congressional Leaders
Remarks by the President in Photo Opportunity with Congressional Leaders
The Cabinet Room, The White House
Wednesday, September 04, 2002
Post Hollyday news
Amsterdam (Back home and wordking again) -The Robert Kagan article on the European- US relations published in Le Monde (see post below) was published first in English in the Policy Review.
Power and Weakness By Robert Kagan
Op dit werk is een Creative Commons Licentie van toepassing.