That's the Way of the World
22 Nov Edition

What's happening outside the confined media borders of the U.S. today? Let's take a spin 'round the globe, starting with... Iraq, where the Murtha ammendment is gaining strength:

Economist - Calling for the troops to go
GEORGE BUSH has always said he will pull American troops out of Iraq as soon as he can, and no sooner. He has steadfastly rejected the idea of a timetable for withdrawal, which, he argues, would amount to a retreat before the job is done. But on Monday November 21st a broad range of Iraqi factional leaders, meeting in Cairo, called for just that. Though they did not suggest a specific date by which the troops should go, the agreement will focus minds, in both Baghdad and Washington, on the endgame for foreign forces in Iraq.
[...]
To be sure, as with the new constitution that was thrashed out between Iraq’s different groups earlier this year, many fudges were written into the document. The agreement condemned “terrorism” but recognised a right to “national resistance”, leaving both undefined. Are attacks against American troops legitimate resistance? Clearly many Sunnis think so, while the Shias and Kurds will disagree. But in any case, they all hope the question will soon be moot: the declaration calls for an “immediate national programme to rebuild the armed forces” which should lead to a withdrawal of foreign troops according to a timetable.
[...]
By making a clear statement that they want American troops gone, albeit on an unspecified timetable, they may open the way for Republicans eventually to declare victory in Iraq, while Democrats claim a withdrawal for their base without appearing weak on security. Whether conditions on the ground in Iraq will permit such a “win-win” scenario is an entirely different matter.

Speaking of the Murtha amendment, this sounds somehow familiar:

WaPo - 3 Brigades May Be Cut in Iraq Early in 2006
Barring any major surprises in Iraq, the Pentagon tentatively plans to reduce the number of U.S. forces there early next year by as many as three combat brigades, from 18 now, but to keep at least one brigade "on call" in Kuwait in case more troops are needed quickly, several senior military officers said.

Pentagon authorities also have set a series of "decision points" during 2006 to consider further force cuts that, under a "moderately optimistic" scenario, would drop the total number of troops from more than 150,000 now to fewer than 100,000, including 10 combat brigades, by the end of the year, the officers said.

Staying in Iraq, looks like they've got oil troubles, too:

The Independent - Iraq's oil: The spoils of war
Iraqis face the dire prospect of losing up to $200bn (£116bn) of the wealth of their country if an American-inspired plan to hand over development of its oil reserves to US and British multinationals comes into force next year. A report produced by American and British pressure groups warns Iraq will be caught in an "old colonial trap" if it allows foreign companies to take a share of its vast energy reserves. The report is certain to reawaken fears that the real purpose of the 2003 war on Iraq was to ensure its oil came under Western control.

The Iraqi government has announced plans to seek foreign investment to exploit its oil reserves after the general election, which will be held next month. Iraq has 115 billion barrels of proved oil reserves, the third largest in the world.

According to the report, from groups including War on Want and the New Economics Foundation (NEF), the new Iraqi constitution opened the way for greater foreign investment. Negotiations with oil companies are already under way ahead of next month's election and before legislation is passed, it said.
[...]
Earlier this year a BBC Newsnight report claimed to have uncovered documents showing the Bush administration made plans to secure Iraqi oil even before the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the US. Based on its analysis of PSAs in seven countries, it said multinationals would seek rates of return on their investment from 42 to 162 per cent, far in excess of typical 12 per cent rates.

In Indonesia, a development that would warm Tom Friedman's heart--mainline Muslims coming out against terrorism:

SMH - Muslim leaders heed call to fight terrorism
A counter-terrorism taskforce of prominent Indonesian clerics has been established to combat terrorist recruitment and the prospect of a new wave of bombing attacks.

The move, initiated by the Indonesian Government, comes amid claims a Middle Eastern diplomat has been funding terrorist organisations in Indonesia.

Experts welcomed the decision by mainstream Muslim organisations to join the war of ideas against terrorism, after leading clerics were shown videos seized during raids on Jemaah Islamiah hideouts. The videos praised suicide bombing in the name of religious jihad, called for attacks on Australia and provided instructions on bomb making.

The team includes leaders of the two mainstream Islamic groups in Indonesia, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, that have 70 million members. The groups have previously been reluctant to speak out against hardline groups. Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin said it was wrong to link "inhuman" terrorist attacks to Islam and jihad. "Those terrorist actions have besmirched Muslims," he said.

In Japan, some constitutional changes that should have no one worried in the slightest:

WaPo - Japan's Draft Charter Redefines Military
The governing Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday released a draft revision of Japan's pacifist constitution that for the first time since World War II would recognize the country's armed forces as a fully functioning military.

The constitution, originally written by the United States after the defeat of Japan in 1945, would continue to reject war as an option. But the new draft would remove limitations on the country's 240,000-member Self-Defense Forces, which have been defined as being strictly limited to defending Japan's home islands.
[...]
The revision also opens the door to a broader interpretation of the constitution, permitting what some call "collective self-defense" -- or coming to the military aid of other countries.

And finally, some news from Hawaii:

Honolulu Advertiser - Showers expected through Thanksgiving Day
Humidity levels are high — 90 percent on Oahu this morning — and the National Weather Service in Honolulu predicts scattered showers through Thanksgiving Day.

Skys are expected to clear Thursday night on Oahu and the Big Island, and forecasters say Friday should be sunny.

But isolated showers are expected on Saturday, with chances of rain continuing through early next week.

Well, that's not very earth-shattering news, but it is a little sad... as I now have to pack a rain jacket.

Aloha everyone.