IDF troops are moving into Gaza, supported by artillery and air strikes. Unless Hamas quickly collapses, which seems unlikely, this stage of the operation by the Israeli military will inevitably bring more casualties among Palestinian civilians, radicalize public opinion in the Arab world, and make prospects of peace in the Middle East even more problematic. There is definitely a legitimate reason for Israel to make sure its southern cities and towns are protected from missiles. The question is if that will be the case in the long run. Diplomacy clearly failed in its efforts to work out a common set of goals that would bring all the parties together, and most recently to even renew the cease fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which triggered the current conflict. Perhaps, the world was too busy trying to figure out its way out of the economic crisis, to pay much attention to that perennial hotspot?

It is in the nature of human beings that parents care about their children. Soviet communist leaders were not an exception. Having no wealth to pass on to the offspring, they found a different way to protect their future.

From the front page (with title edit) ~ whataboutbob

"All Quiet on the Western Front, or Political Weather Forecast for Ukraine and Belarus"

The euphoria is over. The Orange revolution in Ukraine flushed away some unpopular figures from the political scene, but was unable to deliver on expectations. Everyday life has not changed much for most of the people. The economy is still in a poor shape, and is suffering from structural issues, obsolete technology, low energy efficiency, etc, inherited from the Soviet era. In an attempt to boost its approval rate, the government raised minimum pensions and paid off deferred salaries. That move further strained the budget. As usual, the choices are limited: to raise taxes, increase national debt, or money supply. Most governments opt for the second solution. But how much more debt the market can absorb? In March 2006, the administration will face parliamentary elections, and may need another populist move in support of its program.