The Kensington Review

2 July 2008

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Latest Commentary: Volume VII, Number 79
Clark was Right about McCain’s Experience -- Retired General Wesley Clark was on “Face the Nation” on Sunday, and he managed to stir up a great deal of bad ink for himself by saying that John McCain’s war record didn’t necessarily qualify him to be president of the US. The right screamed “treason!” and Senator Obama had to disavow what General Clark said. That is a pity because what he said was true. Moreover, the country needs to sit down and think just what would qualify a person to be the president.

Turkey’s Chief Prosecutor Sues to Shut Down Governing Party -- Whatever other qualities Abdurraham Yalcinkaya may possess, audacity must be first among them. He is the Chief Prosecutor in Turkey, and he has brought suit in the Constitutional Court against the ruling party, the Justice and Development Party [AKP by its Turkish initials]. He argues in his 162-page petition that the AKP is undermining Turkey’s secular system, and he wants the party abolished as well as the prime minister and 69 members of parliament banned from politics for five years. Tomorrow, the government is expected to give its defense. It takes some nerve to try to get the governing party’s very existence declared unconstitutional.

Asian Sovereign Funds May Support Stocks -- Many Asian stock indices are deep underwater this year. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index, for example, is down 13% since January 1, and there’s a good chance it will drift lower. In Taiwan, the local market hit a five-month low last week. Vietnam’s local market (yeah, sure they’re communists – Ho Chi Minh would roll over in his grave) has lost over 60% when inflation is factored in. Pakistan’s Karachi Stock Exchange Index is off by a third since April. But if one listens carefully, one might hear the cavalry coming to the rescue in the form of sovereign funds.

Dutch Tobacco Smoking Ban is in Effect -- The smoking of tobacco in public places is increasingly frowned upon. As of yesterday, the Dutch have joined those who have banned the habit in cafes, restaurants, bars, movie theatres and on public transportation. Of course, the Dutch are a bit different than the other polities who have prohibited lighting up a ciggie because it is still legal in the Netherlands to smoke cannabis in its coffee houses, so long as it isn’t mixed with tobacco.

© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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