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POPSMegadiverse Countries I actually came across this wiki article by chance. It is a term I never heard of and find quite interesting. The list of 17 countries is unique in that it includes "highly developed" nations such as The United States and China and many nations with less "developed" economies. I put the terms in quotes because the only meaningful way of comparing nation states would be based on the humanity of their institutions and in that regard the US...well lets just leave it there. In any case, I would love to be at a meeting of these 17 nations. The environmental crisis facing the entire planet demands creative solutions and challenging efforts at cooperation. Perhaps humanity will rise to the occasion.
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POPSMoscow calls for anti-U.S. alliance While Russia has insisted it was not intending to supplant NATO, Mr Medvedev made it clear that the US-dominated alliance was partly responsible for the war in the Caucasus by its failure to rein in Georgian "aggression". This is the result of the U.S. throwing its weight around the world for far too long. It is human nature that if one person is constantly directing policy onto everyone else then that person is going to be knocked down for being perceived as a bully. The time has come for the U.S. to relax its role as self appointed world police and let other nations handle their own affairs or we will be “uninvited to the party”. Hopefully, future U.S. presidents will bury this old school ‘might is right’ mentality that Bush/Cheney revitalized when they took office.
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POPSUN asks ICJ to rule on Kosovo independence
Speaking on behalf of the United States, which was among the first to recognize Kosovo's independence, representative Rosemary DiCarlo called the resolution "unnecessary and unhelpful". Vuk Jeremic ©AFP/File - Dieter Nagl "Kosovo's independence is irreversible," she told the General Assembly. "We are confident that recognition of Kosovo's independence by an ever-increasing number of states is consistent with international law." She added: "We do not think it appropriate or fair to the court to ask it to opine on what is essentially a matter that is reserved to the judgment of member states." Serbia, which aspires to join the European Union, still considers Kosovo one of its provinces, and Russia -- a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council -- has strongly backed Belgrade in the dispute. A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it could take the ICJ up to two years to render its non-binding opinion on the legality of Kosovo's independence. Ethnic
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POPSPalin is a Hypocrite - Shock, Dismay Part II Wait just a minute here. Iran. Did you say the party she shouted out to was sponsored by Iran? This just has to be some bizarre joke, right? Not exactly. Her husband belonged to the party for seven years.
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POPSTed Turner Launches New Sustainable Tourism Strategy What exactly is sustainable tourism? While many have tried to clarify the concept, it often seems like a collection of vague ideals. But today Ted Turner and a newly founded coalition of 27 organizations have put forth specific criteria. It includes jobs for locals, including in management positions; support for local entrepreneurs; and protection of important archeological, historical, spiritual and cultural sites. Do you think these guidelines will help protect destinations and the people who live there?
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POPS0.7% Aid Australia has not yet made a commitment to keep its promise to increase aid to 0.7%
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POPSWe Do Count. We Can and Should Make a Difference End poverty by 2015. This is the historic promise 189 world leaders made at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000 when they signed onto the Millennium Declaration and agreed to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs are an eight-point road map with measurable targets and clear deadlines for improving the lives of the world’s poorest people. World leaders have agreed to achieve the MDGs by 2015.
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POPSUN Aircraft attack rebels in DR of Congo Hostilities have continued in eastern DRC despite stabilization in much of the rest of the vast country, which was torn by years of civil war. On Monday, the DRC called for UN peacekeepers to be given a clear mandate and the resources necessary to impose peace by force if necessary. “Confronted by the drama occurring in the east of the Congo, MONUC must be authorized to act, and can act in a convincing manner,” Permanent Representative Ileka Atoki told the General Assembly’s annual General Debate.
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POPSSecret, Foreign Money Flowing Into Obama Campaign Until recently, the Obama Web site allowed a contributor to select the country where he resided from the entire membership of the United Nations, including such friendly places as North Korea and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Though Gadhafi asserted that fundraising from Arab and African nations were “legitimate,” the fact is that U.S. federal law bans any foreigner from donating to a U.S. election campaign. “All the people in the Arab and Islamic world and in Africa applauded this man, they welcomed him and prayed for him and for his success, and they may have even been involved in legitimate contribution campaigns to enable him to win the American presidency…” A pair of Palestinian brothers named Hosam and Monir Edwan contributed more than $31,300 to the Obama campaign in October and November 2007, FEC records show.
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POPSNYT: US aid spending/GNP worst of developed nations "aggregate aid budget of the most developed nations amounts to 0.28 percent of their gross national income … The United States, shamefully, is at the bottom of the list, spending 0.16 percent of its income on development assistance"
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POPSEritrea blasts US policy in horn of Africa To those who feel that no other countries should criticize the US-Just because Eritrea is not a strong powerful nation does not mean they have no right to express their opinion, nor does it make that opinion any less valid. An example would be Albania. Probably nowhere on earth is President Bush more beloved. While I don't agree with their opinion, the fact that they are a small less powerful nation does not invalidate it.
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POPSWhat percent of US budget goes to foreign aid? Most Americans drastically over-estimate it. Despite laudable recent increases in US giving to poverty, US aid as a percent of personal income is second to last among wealthy nations; most of that doesn't go to the poorest countries. We give about 25 cents per American per day ] day in foreign aid; with private giving, another dime. It's a lot, because there are a lot of us. But it's far behind the level of sacrifice made by people in most developed nations.
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POPSMcCain's Foreign Policy: Global Democratic Gang McCain calls for a "League of Democracies" for the purposes of "peace" but actually for war. Its key principle is "entangling alliances" which George Washington warned against, starting with NATO as its foundation. This is actually an old plan and precisely what the UN is all about except it cuts China and Russia out. This is consistent with George Bush (Bush 41) "new world order" speech where he talked about a United Nations that lives up to the intention of its founders, as he launched Iraq War I. GWB 43 has also made reference to similar principles while already by-passing the UN when it is reluctant to launch a war. Actually it makes little difference, except to show that Russia and China will be cut out of decisions because they will be the new targets of contest under his neocon vision. The call to "make the world safe for democracy" (like Wilson and FDR) has been the foundation of world wars, and likely more.
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POPSPalin is Scary She has officially moved into the realm of truly frightening. I used to believe I could vote for McCain but that has become impossible. Palin should not be allowed near the White House let alone within a heartbeat of the Presidency. This interview should not have been difficult (Katie is no Sam Donaldson) or surprising (do you think you might get asked about something you have been repeatedly asked about). She did not rise to the level of small town mayor or governor, let alone Vice President
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