FPI Overnight Brief: June 25, 2009

Ideas

Channel News Asia reports that “Standing to attention in the hot sun, a Marines baseball cap over his heart, U.S. veteran Alan Segal watched as an honor guard carried the flag-draped coffins of his fellow servicemen onto an Air Force plane, taking them home 34 years after the Vietnam War ended.  Beside him another U.S. veteran of the Vietnam conflict, Rick Janovick, 58, saluted fellow servicemen whose names he did not even know.  Segal and Janovick, who have chosen to live where they once fought, were among dozens who witnessed Wednesday's repatriation ceremony which came as the U.S. and Vietnam step up cooperation in the hunt for missing servicemen.”

Reuters reports that “Political pressure grew on President Barack Obama to reconsider pending trade deals with Panama, Colombia and South Korea as over 100 lawmakers called on Wednesday for a massive revamp of U.S. trade policy. The 106 lawmakers, most of them members of Obama's Democratic party, introduced legislation requiring a comprehensive review of the economic impact of existing major trade deals, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada, before any new ones are considered.”

Pakistan

Reuters reports that “The Senate on Wednesday approved tripling U.S. aid to Pakistan to about $1.5 billion a year for each of the next five years, part of an American plan to fight extremism with economic development. The $1.5 billion in annual funding includes money for Pakistani schools, the judicial system, parliament and law enforcement agencies… The bill, which includes $400 million in annual military aid for 2010-2013, passed as Pakistan's military was preparing an all-out assault on Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, an al Qaeda ally.”

The Washington Times reports that “Key advisers to the Obama administration are warning of a violent summer for Pakistan as its forces prepare to enter the rugged tribal areas of North and South Waziristan for a showdown with the Taliban and al Qaeda. The two Waziristans form a nexus for Taliban fighters along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. And with the U.S. surge in Afghanistan under way, a Pakistani military success on its side of the border could represent the turning point in a war that has gone badly for all three nations. Pakistan's army has been humiliated repeatedly by Taliban fighters in past, especially in the Waziristans, making the upcoming offensive a test for the key U.S. ally.”

The Guardian reports that “What appeared to be the deadliest U.S. missile attack ever on Pakistani soil brought an unusual reaction Wednesday in a country that has previously denounced such strikes as an affront to its sovereignty silence. Tuesday's attack killed 80 people, Pakistani officials said, but missed its chief target, Baitullah Mehsud. He is the country's top Taliban leader and its public enemy No. 1, accused of masterminding numerous brutal operations including the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. The seemingly accurate targeting appeared to point to cooperation between the U.S. military and Pakistani intelligence despite Pakistani denials. This was possible because Mehsud unlike some other U.S. foes in the northwest tribal region on the Afghan border is so reviled in Pakistan.”

Korean Peninsula

AFP reports that “Japan's Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone will this week press his G8 counterparts to enforce UN sanctions to punish North Korea for its recent nuclear and missile tests, an official has said. Nakasone, at the Group of Eight ministerial meeting in Trieste, Italy, will seek to ‘reconfirm the G8 commitment to implementing the UN Security Council Resolution 1874’ which the council unanimously passed on June 12. ‘After adopting 1874, it's time to implement the resolution. That's important in pressuring North Korea to consider their situation seriously,’ a foreign ministry official told reporters ahead of the Friday meeting.”

Yonhap reports that “The United States said Wednesday it is closely monitoring several North Korean ships for allegedly carrying weapons of mass destruction for possible proliferation, although it was tailing only one at the moment.”

Chosun Ilbo reports that “Today marks the 59th anniversary of an invasion of South Korea by North Korean troops aided by the former Soviet Union and China. The war left 310,000 South Korean soldiers dead or wounded, and over 1 million civilians either lost their lives or went missing. The landscape of destruction left by that war was enough to make the living wish they were dead. For any country that suffered so much damage, it would be natural to commemorate that chapter of history even 200 years later and remind itself of the lessons learned so that such a tragedy does not happen again. But in this country, most people do not even know who started that war and when it happened, even though less than 60 years have passed.”

The BBC reports that “Sweden's ambassador to North Korea has visited two detained American journalists in Pyongyang, a US state department spokesman has said. Ian Kelly said the visit by Mats Foyer took place on Tuesday. Sweden serves as the US protecting power in the North as the US lacks diplomatic relations with North Korea. The meeting with Euna Lee and Laura Ling was the first since they were jailed for 12 years in a labor camp for entering the country illegally. Mr. Foyer was described as being in ‘constant contact’ with the North. ‘I don't have any more details, except I know it happened in Pyongyang. We haven't gotten a full report on it from the Swedish ambassador,’ Mr. Kelly said.”

USA Today reports that “On the eve of North Korean naval exercises, President Obama has extended economic sanctions against Pyongyang for another year, heightening tensions over the communist state's nuclear and missile programs. The announcement came hours after Pyongyang accused the United States today of trying to ‘provoke a second Korean War,’ and said it would ‘wipe out the aggressor.’"

Iran

Mona Eltahawy asks in the Washington Post that “But with thousands in Ahmadinejad's own country filling the streets, effectively saying that it's not enough to simply stand up to America and Israel, what now for those Arabs who lionize Ahmadinejad? Especially now that George W. Bush is gone? Where is the sympathy or support for the plight of the Iranians? Silence. That silence is the sound of hearts breaking over the dream of political Islam. When the 1979 revolution swept away the U.S.-backed shah and his injustices, Iran held out the tantalizing mirage of rule by Islam, even for countries that were not majority Shiite. Thirty years later, Iranians are protesting not a secular, U.S.-backed dictator but a system run by clerics who claim to uphold democracy as long as its candidates are given the regime's stamp of approval. What's happening in Iran is not about the United States or Israel. It 's not about Ahmadinejad or Mir Hossein Mousavi. It's not even about the poor or the rich in Iran. The demonstrations are about people who feel their will and voice have been disregarded. In Egypt, it's our secular dictator, in power for almost 28 years, who disregards our will. In Iran, it's a clerical regime in power for 30 years, hiding behind God.”

The Guardian reports that “Their gesture attracted worldwide comment and drew the attention of football fans to Iran 's political turmoil. Now the country's authorities have taken revenge by imposing life bans on players who sported green wristbands in a recent World Cup match in protest against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election. According to the pro-government newspaper Iran, four players… have been ‘retired’ from the sport after their gesture in last Wednesday's match against South Korea in Seoul. They were among six players who took to the field wearing wristbands in the colour of the defeated opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, which has been adopted by demonstrators who believe the 12 June election was stolen… None of the team members were given back their passports upon returning to Tehran after the match… The gesture acutely embarrassed Iranian officials.”

Radio Free Europe reports that “Witnesses say hundreds of protesters clashed in Tehran with riot police [Wednesday]. Police reportedly shot in the air, fired tear gas, and used batons against protesters who have gathered in a square next to the parliament building in defiance of government orders to halt demonstrations. Amateur video posted today showed young men and women throwing rocks and pushing barricades, one blazing, in the street. Others shouted: "Death to the dictator!’”

Garry Kasparov writes in the Wall Street Journal that “Regardless of its short-term outcome, the Green Revolution in Iran is already a tremendously important event. Iranian citizens are risking their lives to defend their votes and giving the lie to the idea that democracy cannot sprout in hostile soil without external influence. This is of great relevance to people living in autocracies, especially in Russia, my home country… But what has been flagging so far has been leadership from the United States. Only in his second statement, a week into the crisis, did President Barack Obama underscore the importance of nonviolence, though he still declined to support the Iranian protestors. I understand the reluctance to provide Iranian leaders with the opportunity to smear the protestors as American stooges. But can the leader of the Free World find nothing more intimidating than bearing witness when it is clear that the regime doesn't care who is watching?”

Radio Free Europe reports that “[Iranian] television showed one detainee confessing to what amounts to collaboration with foreign powers against the Iranian state. ‘I think we were provoked by networks like the BBC and VOA [Voice of America] to take such immoral actions,’ the young man said. His face was shown but he was not identified by name. Similarly, a woman was shown saying she, too, ‘was influenced by VOA Persian [service] and the BBC because they were saying that the security forces were behind most of the clashes…’ The arrested protesters claimed they were motivated by foreign broadcasts… Iranian Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsuli said that rioters involved in postelection violence were funded by the CIA and the exiled opposition group the People's Mujahedin, or Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization. The aired statements from the detainees come as a senior judiciary official said on June 23 that the legal system would make an example of those who had been caught. ‘Those arrested in recent events will be dealt with in a way that will teach them a lesson,’ Ebrahim Raisi said.”

The Financial Times reports that “Security forces were reported to have clashed with hundreds of opposition supporters outside the Iranian parliament on Wednesday night. The clashes came hours after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told MPs the regime would not bow to pressure over the disputed presidential election. Witnesses said teargas was fired and gunshots heard in what are thought to be the most serious clashes since the weekend.”

Reuters reports that “Iranian state television has reported that a partial recount of the vote in the country's disputed June 12 presidential election had verified the result.”

Middle East

Elliott Abrams writes in the Wall Street Journal that “For reasons that remain unclear, the Obama administration has decided to abandon the understandings about settlements reached by the previous administration with the Israeli government. We may be abandoning the deal now, but we cannot rewrite history and make believe it did not exist.”

Haaretz reports that “Recent weeks have seen a dramatic change in Israel's roadblock policy in the West Bank. Right under the nose of the right-wing government of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israel Defense Forces has lifted some of the main, permanent roadblocks in the West Bank, which have played a central role in restricting the movement of Palestinians, mostly between the main Palestinian cities.  The decision of the defense establishment to ease Palestinian travel very much reflects the steps the Palestinian Authority security forces have taken against the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank. American pressure and demands the Palestinians be allowed to move freely in areas where there is no security risk are also a factor.”

China

AFP reports that “The United States on Thursday said it was ‘deeply disturbed’ by the reported arrest of prominent Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo and called for his release. ‘The U.S. government is deeply disturbed by reports that Liu Xiaobo has been formally arrested and charged with serious crimes,’ Richard Buangan, a spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Beijing, said. ‘We call on the government of China to release Mr. Liu and respect the rights of all Chinese citizens who peacefully express their desire for internationally recognized freedoms.’ Chinese state media reported on Wednesday that police had formally arrested Liu, a leading force behind a petition calling for democratic reforms.”

Iraq

The AP also reports that “The number of al-Qaida extremists in Iraq has plummeted and their ability to maintain a high-level of attacks has been eroded, U.S. intelligence suggests. Battered by the surge of U.S. and allied troops into Iraq, and the slowly increasing effectiveness of Iraqi security forces, al-Qaida's franchise in the war-worn country is finding fewer foreign fighters to tap for suicide bombings, said U.S. intelligence and counterterrorism officials who have been studying the terror group's activities.”

The Washington Post reports that “A powerful bomb killed more than 75 people Wednesday night at a market in Sadr City, Baghdad's main Shiite neighborhood, casting doubt on the readiness of Iraq's security forces to keep a latent insurgency in check as U.S. troops pull out of the capital and other cities. The blast, the second in Iraq in less than a week to kill more than 70 people, happened six days before the June 30 deadline for U.S. troops to retreat from urban outposts, the first of three withdrawal deadlines mandated under a security agreement.”

The AP reports that “The Obama administration has concluded the risk of a security collapse in Iraq is too slight to slow plans for withdrawing U.S. troops. In the run-up to June 30, the deadline for U.S. combat troops to leave Iraqi cities, the nation has been rocked by big attacks, including a bombing Wednesday evening in the Sadr City district of Baghdad that killed more than 50. Still, intelligence analysts, policy advisers and military officers in Washington and Iraq said in a series of interviews that they believe the threat of renewed sectarian warfare is receding — even with the transfer of security control from U.S. to Iraqi hands.”

Japan

Reuters reports that “The scandal, the latest in a series of reports about dubious donations to politicians, could further erode sagging support for Prime Minister Taro Aso's government ahead of an election the ruling party may lose. Kaoru Yosano's political support group apparently received illegal donations from a futures trading firm, the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper reported. The minister said he was unaware of any wrongdoing.”

Defense

The Sacramento Bee reports that “Preparing for a possible showdown with Congress, the White House on Wednesday threatened to veto legislation authorizing a $680 billion military budget if it contains money for jet fighters the Pentagon doesn't want… But the F-22, built by Lockheed Martin Corp., has broad support on Capitol Hill. The primary manufacturing plant is in Georgia, but key parts of the plane are also made in Texas and California. Lawmakers have pointed to the instability around the world as a reason for keeping the jet program alive. Continued production also means jobs in areas hit hard by a weak economy. The F-22 is a twin-engine jet the Air Force would use for air-to-air combat missions. Service officials say the aircraft can dominate wide swaths of airspace, a critical capability in areas that ground forces can't quickly get to.”

Mongolia

The Washington Times editorializes that “For the first time since Mongolia transitioned to democracy in 1990, an opposition party candidate has won the presidency. Elbegdorj Tsakhiagiin was sworn in as president last week. What draws our interest is the steady, patient march of democracy. A country cannot truly be said to be democratic until its parties can peacefully trade power. It is easy to hold elections. It is another matter for the governing party to accept the verdict of the people and peacefully step aside…. Since its move away from communist rule, Mongolia has pursued free-market policies to best exploit its richness in natural resources. This has triggered a sharp upward climb in economic well-being. Mongolia also has maintained a liberal political climate. Freedom House ranks Mongolia as a free country, which is quite a feat for a mountain state sandwiched between the more authoritarian Russia and China. Mongolia has been a solid friend and ally of the United States, contributing troops to the efforts in both Iraq and Afghanistan.”