Lisbon Treaty Ratified

The president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus, has signed the EUs Lisbon Treaty, the final step in the charter's ratification.

Among its measures, it creates a European Council president and alters the way member states vote. The treaty could now come into force as early as December. The Lisbon Treaty's supporters say it will allow the EU to operate more efficiently and give it greater influence in world affairs. Critics say it will cede too many national powers to Brussels.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed the ratification, and said it marked the end of years of debate.
"Today is a day when Europe looks forward," he said.

So as Europe looks forward to a new future, I suppose it is a good time to ask ourselves a very important question - is it now time we embraced Europe and sought a new relationship with our European neighbours?

I am sure that this will not be the last time we hear about the future of Europe; with a general election on the horizon it will be a key issue between the parties. It is also possibly the one issue that could ruin the Conservative dream of government, as Cameron has not really sorted the European issue out within his party.

Interested in finding out more - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6901353.stm

The Blair Years

I know - it's half term and I have far too much time on my hands. But I have spent the last few hours browsing a number of websites of interest and following random links from news stories I find interesting. Then I came across this - The Blair Years (1997 - 2007) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2007/blair_years/default.stm

I can remember clearly watching the General Election results as they arrived in 1997 and watching Tony Blair and the Labour Party start to celebrate as it became clear they had won a victory. I also recall being caught up in the euphoria that we expected the change of government to bring. Since I had started secondary school and started to gain a political awareness I had only known a Conservative government and welcomed any change. Now after a period of Labour government, I am almost looking forward to a change of government again.

However, as we approach the General Election and Blair's possible push for a new role in Europe it is worth evaluating his role in history. It is easy to forget the way in which he was seen as a saviour for a good while. Spend some time looking at the links and remember, whether we like it or not the current General Election will be fought out in the shadow of Tony Blair in more ways than we may think.

What do you think of the Blair years? Success or Failure

United Nations - why do we bother?

The UN torture investigator has been denied entry to Zimbabwe, despite being invited by the country's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, the UN says.

Manfred Nowak said he was stopped by immigration officials after landing at Harare airport on Wednesday evening.

Read the rest of the story at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8329984.stm

Elsewhere on the blog we read about the UN bringing to account other world leaders who have committed 'crimes against humanity'. Yet here is a story that reveals the problems the UN faces; the reality is unless the major world powers actually want to support the UN it is the equivalent of a 'toothless watchdog', just like it's predecessor The League of Nations. As you know I am not cynical in any way, yet how can the UN justify intervention in the affairs of the former Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan, yet not intervene in Zimbabwe.

What do you think? It would be useful to get some comments on this - is the UN just another tool for US foreign policy objectives?

Karadzic finally faces War Crimes Tribunal

Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic faces trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) on 11 charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, allegedly committed during the 1992-1995 Bosnian war. Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has failed to appear at his trial today on 11 charges including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Mr Karadzic denies the charges, which relate to the Bosnian war of the 1990s. The judge adjourned the case for a day, and requested Mr Karadzic, who is representing himself, to appear. However, a legal adviser for Mr Karadzic told the BBC he would not appear as he still needed at least nine months to prepare his defence.

To find out more about this case and the ICTJ which is mandated by the UN check out the BBC website at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8320220.stm

Mr Karadzic, who was arrested in Serbia last year after more than a decade in hiding, is defending himself and denies all the charges, which allege that he:

COUNTS 1 and 2: GENOCIDE
Planned, instigated, ordered, committed and/or aided and abetted genocide against Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) and/or Bosnian Croats between March 1992 and November 1995. The charge sheet refers to the physical destruction of ethnic groups through killings, torture, physical and psychological abuse, rape, other acts of sexual violence, inhumane living conditions, forced labour and the failure to provide adequate accommodation. It specifically mentions a "joint criminal enterprise" in 1995 to eliminate the Bosniaks in Srebrenica by killing more than 7,000 men and boys, and forcibly removing the women, young children and some elderly men.

COUNT 3: PERSECUTIONS
Planned, instigated, ordered, committed and/or aided and abetted persecutions on political and/or religious grounds against Bosniaks and/or Bosnian Croats in some 20 municipalities between March 1992 and November 1995. The aim of this persecution was to permanently remove Bosniaks and/or Bosnian Croats from the municipalities, and later to eliminate Bosniaks in Srebrenica. Methods included arbitrary searches, arrest and detention, forcible transfer, forced labour (including digging graves), harassment, torture, rape, killing, and destruction of houses and sacred sites. Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats were also used as human shields, removed from employment and denied the right to judicial process.

COUNTS 4, 5 and 6: EXTERMINATION, MURDER
Planned, instigated, ordered, committed and/or aided and abetted the extermination and murder of Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats in the municipalities, the extermination of Bosniaks from Srebrenica, and the mass killing of civilians in Sarajevo by shelling or snipers. Some 10,000 people died during the 44 month siege of the city. Knew, or had reason to know, that extermination and murder were about to be or had been committed by his subordinates, and failed to stop them or punish the perpetrators.

COUNTS 7 and 8: DEPORTATION, INHUMANE ACTS
Planned, instigated, ordered, committed and/or aided and abetted the forcible transfer and deportation of Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats from the municipalities between March 1992 and November 1995. In addition, he knew or had reason to know forcible transfer and deportation were about to be or had been committed by his subordinates and failed to stop them or punish the perpetrators. Many forcibly displaced Bosniaks fled to Srebrenica where, from March 1995, shells and snipers were used to make life impossible for inhabitants and to forcibly remove the population.

COUNTS 9 and 10: TERROR, UNLAWFUL ATTACKS
Planned, instigated, ordered, committed and/or aided and abetted the crimes of terror and unlawful attacks on civilians between April 1992 and November 1995. In addition, he knew or had reason to know such crimes were about to be or had been committed by his subordinates and failed to stop them or punish the perpetrators. By using the Sarajevo Forces, he established and implemented a military strategy that used sniping and shelling to kill, maim, wound and terrorise the civilian inhabitants of Sarajevo. The sniping and shelling killed and wounded thousands of civilians of both sexes and all ages, including children and the elderly.

COUNT 11: TAKING OF HOSTAGES
Planned, instigated, ordered, committed and/or aided and abetted the taking of UN military observers and peacekeepers as hostages between May and June 1995. In addition, he knew or had reason to know such crimes were about to be or had been committed by his subordinates and failed to stop them or punish the perpetrators. In order to prevent Nato from conducting air strikes against Bosnian Serb military targets, Bosnian Serb Forces detained more than 200 UN peacekeepers and military observers in various strategic locations to render them immune from air strikes. Threats were issued that further Nato attacks would result in the injury, death, or continued detention of the detainees, some of whom were assaulted before being released in June 1995.

The Problem of Trans-National Companies

Trafigura, a British Oil trading firm with 'offices in 42' countries is an example of a TNC. The company has been attempting, through the law courts to stop The Guardian newspaper publishing details of a question raised in Parliament by Labour MP Paul Farrelly. the question concerned the dumping of toxic oil waste in West Africa.

Why is this interesting for us as students of global politics?

1. Here is an attempt by a TNC to stop a newspaper reporting parliamentary procedure?


2. Here is an example of a TNC using the processes of globalisation to dump waste (this must be a disadvantage of globalisation)


3. Here is an example of the advantages of globalisation e.g. 'Twitter' - people posted the full text of the proceedings on the site within hours of the attempt to stop The Guardian publishing


4. All those involved are global names, from the newspaper, the networking site, the TNC, the law firm (Carter-Ruck) and have a global impact

Want to know more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/oct/13/trafigura-drops-gag-guardian-oil