Life in the West Bank has never been normal since 1967, and the rules of military occupation are usually quite strict. A program sponsored by the EU to bring electricity to some residents of remote rural areas is being stymied by Israeli authorities, and it is difficult to justify those restrictions since the electrification project hardly seems to be of any military significance. One of the big losses in the recent meetings between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu was the total absence of any discussions of the Palestinian issue. That oversight is not defensible.
One of the big fears of the economic slowdown affecting the world over the last three years is that there may be a return to protectionist pressures that will only aggravate the slowdown. Fortunately, the moves to impede economic activity across national borders have been quite small. But it appears as if this year’s election cycles may intensify those protectionist pressures. President Sarkozy has broken ranks with most of the other European states and is calling for what can only be described as protectionist measures. If Sarkozy goes, can his competitors be far behind?
We often wonder to what extent we can legimitately expect human beings to agree upon certain codes of moral behavior. The Economist suggests that we have a long way to go on what should be an obvious contender for unanimity. I must confess that I was astounded by the degree to which different societies accept what ought to be regarded as abhorrent behavior.
For those who wish to learn more about Credit Default Swaps, Barry Ritholtz, my favorite financial blogger, has published an op-ed piece in the Washington Post. It is a story of what can only be described as criminal behavior masked as legislation. (not a quiz post)
World Politics News 
Leave a comment