"The Presidency Under Siege"

Peace is in sight, but term limits
a hindrance, says Uganda Minister
In 1907, captivated by its natural beauty, Winston Churchill called Uganda the Pearl of Africa. For many years, the country's Makerere University, whose history as an educational institution dates from 1922, enjoyed international acclaim as - in the words of Ugandan poet Susan Kiguli - "a river of knowledge." But after years of brutal misrule that killed hundreds of thousands of people, beginning with a coup by Idi Amin in 1971, followed by the regime of Milton Obote, and after decades of internal and cross-border conflict and the devastation of HIV/Aids, Uganda's reputation lost its luster.

The Presidency Under Siege
Sadly, today, the country is experiencing a sort of politics that is alien to us…politics that is disrespectful, divisive, ethnocentric, tribalistic, full of hearsays without facts, and full of libelous statements. Sensationalism has become the order of the day. People are forgetting the fine art of thinking and subjecting public pronouncements to the litmus test of common sense. We've become a nation driven by emotions. Needless to say that to a large extent these sensational stories are driven by a media who, whilst basking in the new unlimited freedom it now has, ignores the responsibilities that goes with the exercise of those same freedoms.

Quit Or Be Fired
DEPUTY President Jacob Zuma faces a stark choice: step down or be forced to leave office. This was the word from an array of senior ANC MPs, officials and government leaders who spoke to the Sunday Times on condition of anonymity this weekend.

This is the house that Bush bombed
Tony Blair and John Howard are no less complicit than George Bush in setting off the chain of events in Iraq that continues to spill innocent blood.

Imperial Conceit
We had hoped to write a short Daily Reckoning this morning, but we didn't have time. What's more, when we looked at our computer screen, suddenly America's great empire of debt came into hilarious focus.

The politics of sovereignty: Iraqi resistance to
occupation represents the continuity of the Iraqi state
Only those who are not aware of the propaganda tools and methods historically used by imperialist powers to divide and conquer peoples can believe that there is in Iraq today a genuine political process meant to build a unified state with a permanent constitution.

Iraq Prosecutors Narrow Case vs. Saddam
Saddam Hussein could face up to 500 charges, but prosecutors will focus on 12 well-documented cases, including the gassing of thousands of Kurds in northern Iraq, an official said Sunday as the government pressed ahead with efforts to start the trial of the ousted dictator within two months.

U.S. Agents Raid Fla. Migrant Labor Camp
Federal agents raided a migrant farm labor camp where homeless men and women were kept in what labor officials called a version of modern-day slavery. Four people, including the camp's owner, Ronald Evans, face federal charges in a case that officials said is likely to grow. Investigators are looking into alleged environmental violations and drugs found at the camp in Friday's raid.

UK: Drivers to pay £1.30 per mile
The government is throwing its weight behind a revolutionary plan that would force motorists to pay £1.30 a mile to drive on Britain's busiest roads in a bid to prevent 'LA-style gridlock'.

Racist Fervor becomes Law in Arizona:
Calls for State Boycott Gain Momentum
Reacting to a barrage of anti-immigrant messaging and misinformation, Proposition 200 was approved by 56% of Arizona voters on November 2, 2004. Prop. 200 forces all Arizonans to present proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate or passport, to receive basic public services and to register to vote. Arizona's Attorney General has limited its application to five public benefits programs, but Prop. 200's most far-reaching impact has been one of widespread fear and intimidation. Immigrants are afraid to access even programs to which they are entitled. The voter-registration component of Prop. 200 constitutes a modern-day poll tax that often keeps low-income people and communities of color from voting.

Dave Chappelle Back In U.S. Doing Stand-Up

'Chappelle's Show: Season 2' Breaks DVD Sales Records