Forgive me if I don't believe Harper and co

It would seem that Harper and co don't consider the G8 climate change deal achieved today. Even though the deal requires that our emissions be reduced by 80% by 2050, Jim Prentice, the environment minister, has declared that these new goals will not require changes to policy direction. In other words, we are doing just fine.

But we are not doing just fine, and Prentice knows it. How can being so far behind on our Kyoto requirements and being last in the G8 on climate change action constitute "just fine"? It is anything but just fine.

There are two ways to take this unashamed lying to the public, both of which are unsettling. Either the minister is incompetent, and sincerely believes that our policy direction will lead us to all the international goals on climate change we have signed up for. Or, and this is much more likely, he, along with his Prime Minister and the rest of the Conservative government, hold the public and the issue in disdain.

One can just see how this course of events is going to play itself out. The Harper government is going to stall on taking any concrete policy measures to move us towards these goals. In essence, they will do just what Jim Prentice has described: continue their policy.

Once we discover a lack of policy is no way to address climate change, it will be too late. If Harper is still in power, we will be told it's too late, and that we need an exception for Canada, so that we can meet our goals.

To sum it up, with Harper in power for much longer, we have no hope of moving anywhere concrete towards the goals set out today. He will stall, and make it overwhelmingly difficult for any government after him to meet emissions targets.

So, the sooner Harper's gone, the sooner we will meet these targets. Or else, be ready for more straight-faced lying from your Conservative government.

And remember, any trouble on the environment, it's all the Liberals fault.

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Further Desperation Strikes in Iran: Revealing electoral fraud, perhaps?

Reports are now coming out of Iran that 5 British Embassy employees have been detained by the Iranian government amid sordid allegations that they have helped to incite violence surrounding the controversial elections. Rightfully, the European Union ministers have condemned this action.

What this reveals about the domestic situation in Iran is equally important. These ridiculous allegations help to construct a picture of desperation in Teheran, and Iran in general. Ahmadinejad, and in a veiled way Ayatollah Khamenei, are grasping at straws to save themselves from disgrace.

In fact, this desperation must have reached a peak. For, is it not rational to conceive of this as a rallying call for nationalist Iranians? If there are allegations of external influence, then many Iranians will cement their trust in their government. This is due to a dedication to the nation, and a deep aversion to US influence. By consolidating these Iranians, the government seems to be preparing battle positions for the long haul.

In addition, these moves smack of even greater desperation because of the targets chosen. It was predictable that the European Union would react in this manner to such allegations. Thus, the Iranians have knowingly caused antagonism on the part of nations that it seeks to have discussions with.

It is no secret that the EU and the US have great reservations as to Iran's nuclear program. In order to address these questions, talks between Iran and the EU have been planned. However, now that the Iranians have been making such allegations, the potential of these talks seems to be lessened.

It is in Iranian interest that these talks go well. For all his bluster, the Iranian President cannot think that he can dispense of talks with these nations.

For all these reasons, such allegations are further evidence, not only of desperation, but of what this desperation seeks to cover up: electoral fraud.

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Historic US bill on climate change good, but nowhere near good enough

Today, the House of Representatives passed a bill on climate-change, sponsored by President Obama. This is the first significant piece of climate change action by government in American history. However, symbolic as it is, it is by no means a cause for self-congratulations.

The standards set forth in the proposed legislation is 17% reductions by 2020, over 2005 levels. That is significantly lower than Kyoto standards of 6% or so, below 1990 levels. Even more astonishing is that President Obama supported only 14% reductions.

Proponents of this bill will point to reductions of 80% by mid-century. This is much too late. It is symptomatic of government reaction to climate change, putting off significant change for latter, much latter.

In these two ways, although this is a piece of landmark legislation, it is by no means a final solution to the problem. In addition, the most concrete measures mentioned in the legislation are increasing energy costs. This is all well and good, but what about the cap and trade system that Obama has been touting?

One must hope that the Obama administration is not about to stall here in its work against climate change. One most hope that a bill of this nature is the result of compromise. After all, the vote was still narrow (219-214), and has yet to be voted on in the Senate. If not, then the Obama administration needs a wake up call on the environment.

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Fraud according to Iran's Guardian Council

Today, Mousavi, the reform presidential candidate in the Iranian election, announced that he would not yield to pressure to withdraw his claims of fraud. In fact, the Iranian Guardian Council claims that there were no instances of fraud in the recent election.

However, to the discerning observer this is ludicrous. If we are to take the assertions of the Guardian Council at face value, then more votes being cast than there are registered voters does not constitute fraud. I guess it must fall into the considerations of the Iranian system.

In all seriousness, this just shows how desperate the Guardian Council is to restore order, with Ahmadinejad at the helm. Indeed, rather than minimizing concerns of fraud, such a blatantly inadequate cover-up gives rise to more suspicions.

Faced with this concerted, and yet weakly based opposition, Mousavi is warranted in wanting examination into the fraud. It'll be interesting to see what governments do in reaction to such blatant fraud, as they will be toeing the line of interference and independence, all the while considering what is just.

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In a break from election speculation, attempts at peace in the Middle East

Today Israeli PM Netanyahu offered, in his words, "real peace" to the Palestinian Arabs. This "real peace" constitutes an Arab state, though disarmed. This is a step in the right direction, as since Netanyahu took office he has been adamant on the right of the Jewish people to continue Jewish settlement in the West Bank. Clearly this is a great obstacle to peace, as settlement is an expansionist activity with no regard for Palestinian interests.

These same Jewish settlers are still a problem under the described ideas of Netanyahu. How are they to be returned to the Jewish state. Or do they remain where they are. Netanyahu has made his position clear on the issue of Palestinian refugees. They are strictly an Arab issue. Well then, the Israelis should at least be ready to take responsibility for their settlers and ensure they do not encroach on Arab land any longer.

A real step may have been made, but this all seems too much in favor of Israel. A disarmed Palestine? That doesn't mean much since the real threat would be from paramilitary groups such as Hamas. In fact, an army would be able to help the Israelis against these terrorist groups.

It seems to be another humiliation of the Arabs. If Palestine is to be disarmed, Israel should pledge to never take aggressive action against the new nation.

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Lessons in political pressure, international duties and other musings Part I

The law that everyone has been blogging about, the Afghan law allowing for rape within marriage in Shia Afghan communities is under review. The law is being examined by the Afghan Minister for Justice, Lawrence Cannon's counterpart has informed him. This follows up international pressure from all nations involved in the NATO mission in Afghanistan, calling for a consideration of women's rights and the infringement on them that this law poses.

This, once again, is a case of the international community working for good. As at the G20 summit meetings, the world stood up for its values and demanded that they be satisfied. However, the lesson we can draw from this disconcerting episode is that, for the time being at least, the nation of Afghanistan needs monitoring from the outside. Left to its own ways, this nation could easily fall into the Taliban's hands, or into those of an Ahmed Karzai seeking ever more desperately to maintain his seize on power. In fact, many nations if secluded from the other members of the international community, can walk astray, and it is part of our duty, as members of a collective humanity, to ensure that we do all in our power to ensure that they stand true to the principles of democracy and equality. It is one of our most fundamental duties, and when we adhere to it, as in this case with Afghanistan, it is more likely that our common goals are achieved.

(too tired to continue, will post part II tomorrow)

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