What’s New September 2006

This page lists changes to this site for September 2006.

See below for other updates and to get notified of changes to the site.

Venezuela has been growing in influence in the Latin American region, and is increasingly seen as an alternative to IMF/Washington-based influences whose policies have increased poverty in the region in the last two decades. Countries now have an alternative source of finance and assistance to try and deal with external debt, poverty and development woes, which could explain a major reason why the US is so vehemently opposed to the Chavez regime.

The British medical journal, The Lancet, estimates that between February 29, 2004 (after Aristide was overthrown), and December 2005, 8000 individuals were murdered in just the greater Port-au-Prince area. Almost half of the identified perpetrators were government forces or outside political actors. Sexual assault of women and girls was common, with findings suggesting that 35,000 women were victimized in the area; more than half of all female victims were younger than 18 years. Haiti has been troubled by power interests both internally and externally since its very beginning, being the poorest country in the western hemisphere. This small update (towards the end of the Haiti page) provides links to this report and a related story.)

Some articles on the war on terror were reposted on this site. One, from the Washington Post looks at the issue of the US attempting to change its War Crimes act. Two are from Democracy Now, looking at a US judge ruling the NSA warrantless spy program as unconstitutional, and the other at the alleged UK terror plot and explores the possibility that this is more propaganda than plot. Another article, from the journal, Foreign Affairs, asks, “Is There Still a Terrorist Threat?”

Updates added regarding the conflict, including more on the geopolitics, the potential rise in terrorism, media coverage, the UN resolution 1701 for a ceasefire, and more.

You can also