The Voice Box

The Credit Crunch For the last weeks, even the most uninformed has been confronted with the state of the world's finance. The collapse of respected financial institution seemed to have triggered enough fear all around, to convince money world that things will never be the same. But the big game is on in the USA, where President Bush has managed to railroad Congress into passing a four billion dollar package which he claims is needed to save the local economy, and to restore confidence in the international money market. It started off as a $700 billion package, but after much debate and hostility by politicians across the board, the final amount had to be reduced and sweetened, to make it much more acceptable to the political spectrum. So far, the passing of the bill by both Houses in the United States, has done very little to calm the money market. The European Community leaders recently met to decide their course of action. Most expected more grand plans to support banks and other...

The War Rumbles On It is four years since The US and the so-called coalition forces entered Iraq, on the their Operation Freedom campaign. The drama is still being played out, orchestrated by the US president and his team. Tony Blair has departed, leaving the newcomer, Mr. Brown, to resolve the dire predicament in which the British army now finds itself in Basra. Meanwhile in Baghdad there is a new surge. Well I say a new surge, because that is the way it is being described in the US. An additional number of troops which will somehow, rather miraculously turn things around. And it must be working, if you listen to the voices of the Republicans. And yet we know, nothing can be further from the truth. For the Iraqis who remain, life in the country has become a treadmill. The killings , the intimidation, the circular motions of ethnic strife, not mention ethnic cleansing; the truth is there is no end to their suffering. Yet their voices are never heard above the din and carnage which has ...

Mr. Brown Goes to Washington After a month of the being the new Prime Minister of the UK, Mr Brown is off to Washington to hold talks with President Bush. The meeting is not unexpected. After having such a cosy relationship with Tony Blair, it will come as no surprise that both political leaders will make a great effort to at least pretend all is well. Therefore, a lot is expected from Mr. Brown on his first official visit as Prime Minister of the UK. So far on this side of the Atlantic, the media have offered conflicting opinions of the kind of stance that Gordon Brown will take when he meets George Bush. Some are quite confident the that he will reaffirm and cement the UK special relationship with America. Others are not so sure. Many believe that the time has come for some plain talking with Mr. Bush, and emphasised that Gordon is in a good position to offer it. British troops are still in Basra, and the public is hoping they will be brought home soon. But the big question is will t...