Attacks on Worshippers Are Acts of Genocide, Not Terrorism

           The recent attacks on Jewish, Christian and Muslim worshipers around the world are not acts of terrorism, as they do not appear intended to influence government policy, but genocide.  Terrorism is violence intended to intimidate the populace to demand changes in government policy.  The attacks were not primarily motivated by opposition to government policies, but are targeted at the faithful to kill them, with an occasional secondary motivation of inspiring further attacks.

           These distinctions are necessary so as not to dilute the meaning of terrorism and to apply it selectively because of the religion of the attacker or the victims.  Both terrorism and genocide are great evils, but different kinds of evils.

Foreign Digest: Ukraine and Egypt

Ukraine

            The challenger won the presidential runoff election in Ukraine, defeating the incumbent who has led the former Soviet Republic during its invasion by the Russian Federation.  Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin has already announced plans to grant Russian citizenship to ethnic Russian Ukrainians, which represents a challenge to the incoming government that prefigures the establishment of puppet states in eastern Ukraine, much as Russia has in the breakaway territories of Georgia.  

           Russia had invaded the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and annexed it, in violation of its treaty with Ukraine recognizing the latter’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.  Putin also backs separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.  There had been a popular revolt against Ukraine’s pro-Kremlin president, who had become increasingly authoritarian and corrupt, as Ukrainians wanted to develop better relations with Western Europe.  Putin has spread propaganda and disinformation about the revolt as undemocratic, foreign-inspired and led by fascists, arguments that will be difficult to make with the incoming centrist government.  Ukraine will have to defend itself and the international community should support Ukrainian sovereignty.

Egypt

           The Egyptian Parliament approved constitutional amendments that would allow the current authoritarian president to remain in office until 2034 and make the powerful military less legally accountable.  There will be a public referendum on the amendments.  Egypt’s President is not Islamist, is anti-terrorist and has maintained good relations with Israel, but his authoritarianism is also evident in numerous ways.  A lack of term limits for the chief executive is typical in illiberal states.

Happy Easter

       
           I wish all of you a happy and blessed Easter!

           I am thinking about and praying especially for the Christians and others who were victimized by terrorist attacks in Colombo, Sri Lanka today, including at church.  The appalling attacks on Christians, Jews and Muslims in places of worship over the last few years is intolerable.  Just as Christ has destroyed death, so may these killers be vanquished and the freedom to worship respected around the world.

Foreign Digest: Algeria, Venezuela, United Kingdom, Sudan and Serbia

Algeria

            Elections have been scheduled by the new Algerian Government, after the resignation of the longtime leader, which followed protests against his candidacy for a fifth term.  However, magistrates protested last this week, declaring they would boycott any role in overseeing un-free elections

Venezuela

            There have been more blackouts in Venezuela.  Some international aid did reach the suffering Venezuelan people, despite efforts by the Socialist authoritarian regime to block it.  The democratic opposition leader who leads the national assembly had invoked a constitutional provision to declare himself president because of the lack of free and fair elections and the supplanting of the assembly by the tyrant with another assembly without free and fair elections.  There have been protests for several months, met with violence and  from the regime and arrests of opposition leaders.

United Kingdom

            The European Union this week granted a second and much longer delay to the United Kingdom to leave the EU, after the passage of the June 2016 referendum and subsequent ratification by the British Parliament.  After extending the deadline from March 29 to April 12, it is now extended to October 31.  The UK must participate in the May 22 EU parliamentary elections or leave by June 1.  Parliament has thrice rejected Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal with the EU to depart from that international body, although the last time by a much smaller margin.

Sudan

            The Sudanese military overthrew Sudan’s Islamist tyrant, war criminal and state sponsor of terrorism late this week, after months of protests.  The protesters had recently demanded the military overthrow their oppressor.  He was arrested, along with several other top government officials.  They and other government officials have resigned, which prompted mass celebrations in Sudan.  The Defense Minister has announced that he is heading a two-year transitional government, followed by elections.  After the Sudanese opposition insisted on civilian rule during the transition, the authorities announced that the transitional government will be civilian-led.  They also revoked the curfew after two days of manifestations.

Serbia

           There have been protests against authoritarianism in Serbia, with demonstrators calling for free elections and freedom of the press.

Foreign Digest Updates: United Kingdom, NATO, Italy, Algeria, Venezuela, Sudan and Ukraine

United Kingdom

            A measure to prohibit the United Kingdom from leaving the European Union without a negotiated deal was approved by the British parliament after passing the House of Commons by one vote, with the vote transcending party lines.  Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May is asking the EU for a delay from April 12 to June 30, with the understanding that the UK will prepare for the May 22 EU parliamentary elections, if necessary.  She is considering a fourth vote on her deal with the EU, after various other measures failed.  May’s deal picked up a significant number of votes on the third attempt, compared to the first two.  She is attempting to negotiate a compromise with the opposition center-left.

The UK voted in June 2016 by referendum, subsequently ratified by Parliament, to leave the EU.  May negotiated a deal to leave on the most favorable terms possible by the two-year deadline, which the EU extended from March 29.  There is a major disagreement particularly among the British over the UK’s border with the Republic of Ireland.  Without a deal, the UK risks leaving the EU without any trade relations or customs arrangement, among other concerns, in addition to a lack of a border.

NATO

            The North Atlantic Treaty Organization celebrated its 70th anniversary this week.  Its Secretary General addressed a Joint Session of the United States Congress, the first time a leader of an organization has done so.  He observed that NATO was needed now more than ever before and hailed American leadership.  The speech was greeted most favorably by both Republicans and Democrats, despite the anti-NATO sentiment of Donald Trump, who was elected President with support from Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin.

Italy

            The United States National Security Agency warned Italy about incursions by Communist China, through its New Silk Road infrastructure initiative and the Russian Federation into Italian politics.  A pro-Putin party, the far-right League, is the junior party in the populist coalition Italian Government.

Algeria, Venezuela and Sudan

            There have been more protests in Algeria against the government that is transitioning after the resignation of the President, across Venezuela against the Socialist tyranny and in Sudan against the Islamist tyranny.

Ukraine

           It is the fifth anniversary of the invasion by the Russian Federation, led by tyrant Vladimir Putin, backing pro-Russian separatists in Crimea and eastern Ukraine.  Over ten thousand people have been killed.  Russia has seized Crimea, in violation of its treaty with Ukraine recognizing the former Soviet Republic’s sovereignty and independence, and, through its proxies, controls parts of eastern Ukraine.

Foreign Digest: United Kingdom, Turkey and Algeria

United Kingdom

            Four alternatives to Conservative British Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal with the European Union on the United Kingdom’s leaving the EU were voted down yesterday.  The customs union came closet, losing by only three votes.  Staying in the Common Market, a delay of leaving and conducting another referendum were all rejected.  May is considering a fourth vote on her plan tomorrow, lest the UK leave the EU by April 12 in a disorderly way without any deal, a prospect that appears increasingly likely.  If her plan fails to be adopted, she may request a longer extension, but it is not certain the EU would grant it, although a sufficiently long delay could allow for new British parliamentary elections that would be a referendum on the UK’s departure from the EU.

Turkey

            The Islamist authoritarian Turkish regime recently struck a major arms deal with the Russian Federation, led by anti-Western tyrant Vladimir Putin.  The North Atlantic Treaty Organization punished fellow member Turkey this week by halting an arms sale with Turkey.

Algeria

           The old and ailing four-term President of Algeria has agreed to resign, in the face of massive protests against him.  He had earlier announced he would not seek a fifth term, after having declared his candidacy, because of mass protests. 

Ten-Year Blog Visit Report

           Since April 2009, when StatCounter began tracking visits to my blog, it has tracked nearly 7,250 visits, strictly defined as not including my own, and only counting visits to identifiable pages and only counting as separate visits those pageviews that are at least one hour apart.  Thank you.

            The host of my blog, Blogger, tracks far more pageviews, but StatCounter allows for more precise analysis.  Several trends continue, such as of many more visits to my blog homepage than to particular posts, of visits from Americans coming from States proportionate to their population, other than from Pennsylvania, and from foreign States around the world, especially from Europe and English-speaking countries, with a markedly decreased proportionate coming from predominately Islamic States than before.  There have been no major changes to the ranking of the all-time most popular posts, although several of them gradually continue to attract visits on a pace sufficient to move higher on the list.  Repeat visits to my blog are common. 

   

           Again, thank you for visiting, following, commenting or providing feedback offline.  With error and disinformation spread at the speed of light and amplified manifold through the Internet, and doubts sown about sources of information, it is all the more essential for liberty to counter with the truth and to be a source of reliable information. 

Foreign Digest Updates: Algeria, United Kingdom, Syria, Ukraine and Italy

Algeria

            Algeria's old and ailing president, who had announced recently that he will not seek a fifth term, is nominating a new government amidst apparent preparations to remove him from office in the face of massive protests against him.

United Kingdom

            After the rejection for a third time of Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May’s negotiated exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union, although by a closer vote than the first two times, a customs union will next be considered by the British Parliament.  The EU had extended the deadline from March 29 to April 11 for the UK to decide whether to accept the deal with the EU, leave without any deal or decide not to leave.

Syria

            The last territory of the “Islamic State” caliphate has been liberated by the Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the United States.  Tens of thousands of IS fighters remain in Syria, as well is in Iraq and scattered throughout the Islamic world, in addition to al-Qaeda.

Ukraine

            Ukraine held its presidential elections yesterday while Russian Federation forces continued to attack Ukrainians in eastern Ukraine, in support of separatist ethnic Russians.  Russia, under tyrant Vladimir Putin, had already annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, despite a treaty recognizing Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.  In the elections, one of the challengers received the most votes, but not a majority, which would have been enough to avoid a run-off election with the incumbent.

Italy

           The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development blames Italy’s recession on its populist government’s spending spree, particularly its pension benefits and new welfare benefit.