An answer to self-blame

John Howard, not exactly known for his subtlety, makes a few well-needed points.

21:20

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New attacks in London

Godspeed to all of you. At this time, the Guardian newsblog is not a bad source at all.

Update 15.01: Also, more at Europhobia.

Update 15.14: 'Small explosions.'

Update 15.31: Of course Wikipedia already has a new entry.

Update 15.33: First pictures from Adamtime Moblog, including a pub evacuation.

Update 15.44: Four bombs that don't seem to have fully exploded? Could this be a case of one guy making four explosive devices, all with the same design flaw? I can't imagine this to be a mistake during construction, anyway.

14:44

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And so it begins (2)

From Stratfor's newsletter:

'Official leaks from the Pentagon said that India would begin purchasing up to $5 billion worth of conventional weapons, once Congress approves the deal. This requires an act of Congress because current law on non-proliferation bars the sale of a wide array of military technology to countries that have acquired nuclear weapons -- specifically focusing on any technology that might be useful to a nuclear weapons program. Since the technologies that are potentially useful are amazingly diverse, large swathes of technology are excluded from sale. Should Congress approve the bill, it would place India in a position similar to that of Israel (save that Israel doesn't acknowledge publicly that it has nuclear weapons).'

'India will be allowed to purchase Aegis technology, which is designed to protect naval vessels -- and battle groups -- from anti-ship missiles. So far, only Japan has acquired the technology, partly because of its cost. In addition, New Delhi will be able to purchase anti-submarine patrol aircraft. The United States, which until a few years ago regarded the Indian naval build-up -- based on Soviet technology -- as a threat to U.S. control of sea lanes in the Indian Ocean, has now completely reversed its posture. It is selling New Delhi naval technology that will allow the Indians to fulfill one of their key strategic objectives, which is to be able to control regional sea lanes. The United States would not be providing this technology without having achieved a far-reaching strategic agreement with New Delhi.'

All this, of course, has nothing to do with Chinese naval ambitions.

Update 17.31: Read this too.

11:44

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The main problem with the draft Iraqi constitution

It's too European, according to Nathan J. Brown of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace:

'More often qualifications on rights occur in implementing legislation. European constitutions introduced phrasing that suggested that freedoms be defined by law. The original purpose of such provisions was to ensure that only parliament (as the agent of the entire society) would define the way in which a right would operate. This took the task out of the hands of the monarch and the executive and placed it in the hands of those deputized by the nation. But over time it has become clear that defining a right might also mean limiting it.'

Indeed. The Dutch constitution is riddled with phrases such as 'limited to a citizen's responsibility according to the law'. When defining a basic right, every 'but' only serves to dimish it. Incidentally, this was a huge reason for me to vote 'no' in the EU constitutional referendum.

While I am not claiming that the USA is a perfect country - one only needs to visit Amsterdam to see the true pinnacle of civilization *cough* (hey, at least our MDMA is pure) - I do like the concept of laws being judged by the constitution, rather than the other way around.

If it's true that Kofi Annan had a big hand in this constitution, that would sure explain a lot.

(Read the whole draft here. There's some nasty stuff there about Israel too. Hopefully, that will be gone in the final version.)

0:15

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