Yes, so it would seem.  The Bush admin released photographic evidence of a nuclear reactor built in Syria, reportedly with the aid of N. Korea, who for most of the Bush Presidency was considered under the rule of Kim Jong-Il to be a terrorist state, dangerous to the world… while also being largely ignored and un-f**ked with, because it was known that unlike say… Iraq?… N. Korea actually had the weapons capabilities to seriously attack the U.S. at any given moment.  We’re talking nukes here people.

That stance had been softening as of last year as the Bush admin worked to secure some sort of deal with N. Korea that would see the N. Korean gov’t disclosing all nuclear activities and to an extent de-arming, and the U.S. in exchange lightening up on sanctions and possibly beginning to work with the country.

The crucial question now is how the North Koreans will react. Some officials said they hoped it would embarrass the North Koreans into admitting to nuclear proliferation activities and others said that it could prompt them to walk away from the negotiating table - and collapse the deal Bush was hoping to reach by the end of his presidency. In return for North Korea’s declaring all its nuclear activities, the United States would lift sanctions and begin to negotiate the prize for North Korea’s turning over its fuel and weapons.

It also raises the possibility of new tensions with Syria, as the White House accused the Syrian government on Thursday of a “cover-up” consistent with a government that “supports terrorism, takes action that destabilizes Lebanon” and allows militants to enter Iraq.

Only selected pictures were released by the intelligence agencies on Thursday, including a video that combined still photos and drawings and had a voice-over that gave the presentation the feel of a Cold War news reel about the Korean War. In fact, it was intended in part, officials said, to try to draw that war - in which the United States and North Korea never signed a peace treaty - to a close.

Inside the administration, the battle over whether to try to strike a deal with North Korea or keep it under sanctions in hopes of triggering its collapse continues into the last months of the Bush presidency.

At the CIA, Admiral Michael Hayden, the agency’s director, told employees Thursday that they should “take heart because our team effort on the Al Kibar reactor is a case study in rigorous analytic tradecraft, skillful human and technical collection, and close collaboration.”

But even this victory, some experts note, raises questions about the agency’s focus. The reactor was built within 100 miles, or 160 kilometers, of the Iraqi border yet never identified, even though the administration was searching for any form of such weapons programs over the border.

Moreover, even some senior officials of the Bush administration acknowledge that they are likely to leave Bush’s successor with a North Korea that has roughly 10 nuclear weapons or fuel for weapons, up from the one or two weapons that Bush inherited.

“I’d say the score is Kim Jong Il eight, and Bush zero,” said Graham Allison, a Harvard professor and author of “Nuclear Terrorism,” who was in Washington Thursday to testify about Iran’s nuclear program. “And if you can build a reactor in Syria without being detected for eight years, how hard can it be to sell a little plutonium to Osama bin Laden?”

So what we’re really looking at here is another case of the world becoming and EVEN MORE dangerous place during the Bush Presidency, than it had been prior.  And with so much focus and resources sunk into the war in Iraq, just like the worsening conditions along the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan (which, if you’ll remember is where the terrorists who actually attacked us really hang out), N. Korea and Syria (as mentioned above- only 100 miles outside of the Iraqi border) are increasing their nuclear capabilities.  How’s that for Weapons of Mass Destruction?

Anyone else get that sinking feeling in the pit of their stomach?

Popularity: 4% [?]

America sits in 2008, a place craving change, empowered by messengers that claim change will come or enraged by suspected empty promises to speak out against those that use the word “change” an a mantra they feel hypnotizes and blinds the easily swayed. As the economy, the infrastructure, the media, the government, and even our own public fails us- and leaves us wanting more, we sit back hoping change for the better will come. But while we focus on our place in the world, and even tighter on our place in the country, our communities, and our jobs (or lack there of in too many cases), we must make sure we don’t become so narrow viewed as to neglect everything that happens in the rest of the world. With that in mind, here are some of the happenings from around the globe in brief (or not so brief) form.

We’ll start with a little U.S. citizen abroad news- Barack Obama has pulled out yet another wining nomination against Hillary Clinton in the Democrats abroad vote. This brings it now to 11 straight victories for Obama. Particularly of note for this vote is the fact that it was the first time online voting was permitted. “(S)aid Christine Schon Marques, the group’s international chair, in a phone interview from Geneva. “Many people overseas are very concerned about the war in Iraq; they’re looking for change.”” There’s that magic word again… Change. Also of note is the fact that Republicans do not hold global primaries. So I guess Republicans who work in Antarctica are S.O.L.

In nuclear news, forgetting the fact that we don’t want anyone (read: Iran) getting nuclear power, or the potential for nuclear weapons… oh wait… India is reaching the end of it’s deadline for a pact with the U.S. allowing the U.S. to send nuclear fuel and technology to India. Yes, that’s right, while we sit and stress over the fact that Iran wants to gain nuclear power for it’s country, here we seek to increase the potential for an already nuclear country to build more nuclear weapons. Regardless of whether the country is an ally or not- there are fears that this move could lead to a new nuclear arms race in the region- given that Pakistan and China are already nuclear as well, and the Communist parties in India fear that the move could give the U.S. too much influence in their country.

You know, mentioning nuclear armed Pakistan, a “friend” of ours who really always has our best interests at heart- it’s important to note what’s going on there given that many of the terrorists we’re fighting and searching for are training and hiding out in the mountains around their borders. The elections that took place in Pakistan have really shaken things up in that country, taking the bulk of power in parliament away from current President Pervez Musharraf’s party the PML-Q, and giving it to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the Independents, and the Pakistan People’s Party. The PPP (the party of recently assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and the PML led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif are now seeking a way to work together despite political differences, to reform a more democratic Pakistan, moving away from the military based rule of Musharraf- who is blamed for recent increases in violence, lack of democracy and rights, and increasing living costs with decreasing quality of living (sounding familiar?). Of course, to make matters more complicated- not only do the two new majority parties have different aims in their political agendas, they also will be unable to elect their current leaders should they seek to build a new governing body- due to the fact that they did not contest seats in the elections. The candidate from the PPP who did contest a seat- is dead. And we thought our election system was screwed.

To make matters the world over even more fun- there’s a whole new country that the governments of the world are split on whether to recognize or not, and even the people in this new country aren’t all in the boat that they want to be divided away from the country they used to be part of. Of course, I’m speaking of Kosovo recently declaring it’s independence from Serbia. So heated is the split between Serbian loyalists, and the Ethnic Albanian government and majority of the citizens, that violence is breaking out at an alarming rate. Most recently Serbs displeased with the recent independence have lashed out- destroying the U.S. embassy, as well as UN and NATO property.

Kosovo, which is 90 percent ethnic Albanian, has not been under Belgrade’s control since 1999, when NATO launched airstrikes to halt a Serbian crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists. A U.N. mission has governed Kosovo since, with more than 16,000 NATO troops and KFOR, a multiethnic force, policing the province. But Serbia — and Kosovo’s Serbs, who make up less than 10 percent of Kosovo’s population — refuse to give up Kosovo, a territory considered the ancient cradle of Serbs’ state and religion.
Earlier Thursday, police estimated that about 150,000 people had attended a rally in the Serbian capital. The crowd waved Serbian flags and carried signs reading ‘‘Stop USA terror.’’ One group set fire to a red-and-black Albanian flag.

Another country’s people who fear that the U.S. is having too much influence in their homeland- to really drive home their point, not only did the destroy the embassy- but “(g)roups also broke into a McDonald’s restaurant and demolished the interior.” Ronald McDonald could not be reached for comment.

I know I’m probably preaching to the choir here- but too many folks I know talk about how much they don’t care about what happens in the rest of the world because it doesn’t affect them, but if it can’t be seen how all of these events influence what is, and what will be happening in our country in the future, and by influencing our country- having effects on our own lives, then maybe I’m just wrong and have lost the thread, and should go pick up an issue of People or US Weekly, watch a little American Gladiators, and go to bed.

Popularity: 4% [?]