Economic commentators have often praised Chinese banks for the prudent lending policies that protected China from the excesses of the Western financial system.

That was then. Now is very different.

The recession that simultaneously hit Japan, Europe and the United States strongly reduced demand for Chinese exports, which account for a third of the national Gross Domestic Product. With unemployment rising and social unrest always close to the surface, the government needed to react quickly.

Simply raising consumption would not be enough. First, internal consumption in China, in terms of percentage of GNP, is less than half of the U.S. figure. Second, only a small fraction of the Chinese population can consume on the Western scale, and this is not enough to absorb the mountain of goods America and Europe no longer buy.

Only infrastructure investment, meaning housing, railways, airports, roads and the like, would permit spending on the scale required to compensate for the fall in exports.

China has in recent years made huge strides in infrastructure development, but it is still a command economy, meaning that major projects are funded and implemented according to a central plan. Running a massive spending package through the normal state planning process would have taken far too long.

So the banking system was chosen as the fast-track channel. Banks were told to lend, lend, lend, and lend some more. Convinced that the government would cover losses, the banks did just that, handing out close to a trillion dollars in new loans in the first six months of 2009.

That is over one fifth of the GNP within half a year. The money has gone to individuals, corporations, state-owned enterprises, real estate developers, and local and provincial governments.

Even with the greatest good will and talent, it would be hard to invest that much money in bona fide projects. Much of it has gone back into bank deposits, which pay interest rates higher than those due on loans. Another portion feeds into the stock market, which has risen over sixty percent since the lending spree began.

In other words, much of the money is either diverted or used in speculation. Even if it is actually invested in infrastructure, it is impossible to guarantee the long-term viability of the projects. And the longer the money spigots stay open, the less the value of such projects is likely to become, and the greater will be the share of total spending diverted to speculative activities.

With some differences due to local circumstances, the Chinese government is thus creating the same kind of speculative bubble as developed in the U.S. between 2002 and 2007, with the same consequences. The primary difference is that the Chinese bubble is inflating much faster than ours did.

The result, however, is likely to be the similar: a financial free-for-all for a year or so, followed by a wave of defaults, a stock market crash and an abrupt economic downturn, with the Chinese population left holding the bag.

The hope of the leadership may be that before such a crash occurs, Western economies will have recovered enough to start the Chinese export sector growing again. This would be a neat trick but is becoming less likely with each passing month. The Western consumer is tapped out and will not resume past free-spending ways for a long time, if ever.

The eventual bursting of the Chinese credit bubble will have a significant impact on the global economy. It will prolong the current recession, lower the price of energy and raw materials, and further shake up the world financial system. It shall also to quash any remaining notion that economic globalization was ever anything more than a very expensive mistake.

The psychological impact will be just as important. China is currently looked upon as the motor and hope of global recovery. If China succumbs to an acute case of the Western credit disease that it was supposedly immune to, current economic thinking will be left without any support.

Finally, the crisis in China will leave the United States without its preferred political and commercial partner of the last twenty years, and force a complete realignment of its trade and foreign policy.

Jacek Popiel’s new book, Viable Energy Now, offers an original analysis of the urgent energy issues facing the U.S., together with realistic policies and solutions. His background includes military service and extensive business experience.

[tags]Chinese economic future, global recession, credit bubble.[/tags]

Cuban cigars: for a cigar aficionado, the ultimate forbidden fruit is to buy Cuban cigars. At least, that’s true if you live in the United States, which has long embargoed most trade and travel with the Communist island republic, which prevents the ability to buy Cuban cigars.

Even as much of Cuba’s storied cigar-making know-how has been exported to nearby countries such as the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Honduras, both in the form of direct aid from the Cuban government to other countries’ cigar industries at various times and in the form of top cigar-making families that have gone to live in more business-friendly climes, Cuba continues to enjoy a reputation as the source of some of the world’s greatest cigars: a reputation that, by now, perhaps owes more to the inability of one of the world’s largest cigar-consuming economies to verify their tastiness than to any actual superiority. (There are those who would give the nod to the cigars of, for example, the Dominican Republic, which is permitted to trade with the United States and whose wares can be bought from any halfway-decent cigar emporium.)

In any case, this forbidenness creates a high demand for Cuban cigars, one that unscrupulous (or, more sympathetically, highly enterprising) Cubans have been taking advantage of for a long time. We in the United States may sometimes worry that our government is too close to business, but we have little experience with systems where the government is business–as is the case with socialist Cuba. (Some conservatives have complained in recent months that this or that government program–a return to the top marginal tax rate of 2001, for example–represents the return of “socialism”; one wonders how these folks would fare if confronted with actual socialism.)

Such a government will only respond negatively to any form of competition, as any monopoly would do. And Cuban cigar counterfeiting represents just such competition.

Counterfeit Cuban cigars have long provided those who can’t, for whatever reason, find work at the government-run cigar producers alternative (if illegal) employment at chinchals (small factories), with earnings and profits going untaxed. But in the current worldwide economic crunch the incidence of Cuban cigar counterfeiting has increased almost unbelievably. So has the seriousness with which the Cuban government takes the problem.

Reports have the Castro regime seizing a thousand boxes a month. The knockoffs, with their “Made in Cuba” stickers, sometimes go for as low as a fifth the price of a box of state-produced Cuban cigars; and they may well taste like it too.

Earlier this year (2009), in response to the booming trade in counterfeit Cuban cigars, the Cuban government introduced a special code, which would be applied to all state-made cigars (much like a Universal Product Code) and would allow buyers, especially corporate or other large buyers, to verify that they were indeed purchasing a box of genuine Cuban cigars. Cuba has long used a code system, but the codes used in previous years have repeatedly been cracked: Habanos changed the codes in 1999, for example, in response to widespread counterfeiting, though this decision met with controversy among those Cuban cigar aficionados who relied on the codes to help them figure out how long a particular box had been stored in the humidor.

The “uncrackable” new codes were hacked within a few months and distributed online, as well as reprinted after the fact in Smoke Magazine and Cigar Aficionado. This cycle repeated itself again several times, with the Cubans threatening ever more-complex and less-crackable codes in turn.

And when the Cubans made good on that threat in 2009, what was the result? The much-vaunted new box codes of spring 2009 were, predictably enough in this age of the Internet, cracked after less than two months in operation, leaving Habanos at square one.

Apparently these knockoffs are a special problem in Mexico, where tourists from the United States often find themselves attempting to chase down and buy Cuban cigars. This regional tension has led to the largest Mexican distributor of Cuban cigars to impose its own validation system on the country’s shops and retailers.

“Unbreakable” codes, online chicanery, illegal cigars it’s all enough to make you want to order your own discount premium cigar sampler from a reputable, United States-based company, using only those delicious cigars legally available in the United States, and leave the craziness to people who have time for it.

Until the days when you can build a discount premium cigar sampler that includes Habanos S.A. legally (and that day may well come before the end of President Obama’s much-predicted second term), it’s probably a good idea to stick to Nicaraguan, Dominican or Honduran cigar companies, which frequently use Cuban seeds and, for that matter, Cuban expertise to create their own enticing tastes.

CigarFox provides you the opportunity to build your own sampler of the finest cigars that include cigar brands like Montecristo, Romeo & Julieta, H Upmann, Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Gurkha and many more. Choose from more than 1200 different cigars! Other cigar products include cigar humidors, cigar boxes, and cigar accessories like Zippo Lighters.

[tags]cigar aficionado, cigar humidor, discount premium cigar, premium cigar[/tags]

Whatever the ultimate outcome of the unfolding protests in Iran, it is already clear that the Iranian government badly miscalculated. First, the leaders erred in assuming that they could, with complete immunity, rig the election. Second, they completely failed to grasp the depth of resentment against the regime.

It is easy to interpret this resentment according to the favorite mantra of the Western governments and media: a reaction against the extremist policies of the Ahmedinejad government, coupled with the desire of the majority of Iranians for a Western-style democracy and lifestyle. While such aspirations certainly play a role, there likely is something more fundamental at work.

The stridency of the speeches and policies of the Iranian President have generally been attributed to religious fanaticism. The real cause might be far simpler: the aggressive posture and lashing out against enemies could as well be a cover-up, an attempt at diverting attention from an internal situation deteriorating beyond governmental control.
If one strips away the ideological smoke screen, what becomes glaringly obvious is the monstrous incompetence of the Iranian leaders.

The Islamic Republic of Iran started out with tremendous political potential: it was born out of a popular uprising, and consolidated through the costly, but eventually victorious, war against Iraq. Iran disposes of major oil reserves and has a youthful, educated population. These assets could have become the foundation of a thriving economy and a politically dynamic state.

Instead we see massive unemployment, a high rate of inflation, foreign sanctions and a shortage of gasoline. Couples are postponing their wedding because even the smallest apartment is unaffordable. Iran, a major oil and gas producer, is unable to develop its own energy industry.

The new elite born out of the Islamic revolution has become a self-perpetuating ruling class, primarily interested in maintaining its wealth, power and privileges, while the mass of the people are struggling. The leadership is attempting to hide its shortcomings behind extreme policies and the fostering of a crisis atmosphere.

It is quite possible that the people have had enough. They want a fair shake and a reasonable share of the national wealth as well as a say in their own destiny. The electoral cheating has ignited a long-simmering reservoir of resentment, and the genie will not be put back in the bottle.

While we in the West might enjoy seeing Iranian elites facing well-deserved retribution, the situation there holds a warning to us as well.

The gap between the elites and the mass of the people is not unique to Iran, but is a widespread issue. The growth in size of government and of economic entities such as banks has bred political and economic elites whose primary interest is the preservation of their own power, wealth and privilege.

The fact that these elites are now self-perpetuating has had a negative effect on competence, talent, imagination and initiative.

The current global economic crisis, which took world leaders completely by surprise, testifies to this reduced ability to lead, think and direct. There is no guarantee that the crisis will be resolved anytime soon. Indeed the most obvious common thread between speeches and policies emanating from governments is that very few have any idea why the crisis occurred and how to resolve it.

While contemplating developments in Tehran it will be prudent to keep in mind that the Iranian leaders are struggling with a problem that is increasingly widespread. We should keep in mind the possibility that something similar could also happen here, however outlandish such a thought may appear at first.

Jacek Popiel’s new book, Viable Energy Now, offers an original analysis of the urgent energy issues facing the U.S., together with realistic policies and solutions. His background includes military service and extensive business experience.

[tags]Protests in Iran, government incompetence, gap between people and elites.[/tags]

For several years Russia has had bad press in the international media.

Since Vladimir Putin rose to power, both he and the Russian state have been accused of drifting back to Soviet ways. Yet even in its current diminished state, Russia retains great potential for the future. It is therefore worth asking where it is truly headed.
Before answering the question, two important yet seldom mentioned factors must be taken into consideration.

The first is that the fall and dissolution of the Soviet Union was primarily an internal Russian development. The Russian people and government, acting in concert, managed within a few years to eliminate one of the greatest tyrannies in history. What is more, they did it peacefully, without bloodshed. The foundation of present-day Russia is a major turn towards freedom by the entire nation.

The second factor in a sense works against the first. It is the fact that the great majority of Russians currently occupying positions of responsibility or power have spent their formative years under the Soviet system. Those born after the accession to power of Mikhail Gorbachev are at best in their early twenties, and have had little opportunity to influence the direction of their country.

In other words, Russians have done a great job of freeing themselves, but have very little experience in handling their own freedom. Authoritarianism is the only political approach most of them know.

This raises a dilemma for the United States. To counter the authoritarian tendencies still at work in Russia we can present a hard front, a kind of Cold War Lite. Or we could seek areas of collaboration and partnership where there are common interests, thereby reinforcing the positive forces let loose by the fall of communism.

There are several areas where our interests and those of Russia overlap.

The first is the global fight against terrorism. Russia has had its share of spectacular and bloody attacks. Their intelligence capabilities are still strong, particularly in areas where Islamic radicalism is active. They assisted in our initial operations in Afghanistan in 2002. There is a natural match here.

The second area is nuclear non-proliferation. Russia remains a major nuclear power, but just as the US it does not wish to see an uncontrolled spread of nuclear weapons. In this field a policy Russia supports will carry weight, while one without it will fail.

Next is energy. Russian territory probably holds the largest still undiscovered oil and gas fields left in the world. In that respect it could help the US in becoming less dependent on the Middle East by providing alternative sources of supply.

Last is technical and scientific cooperation. Russian science and engineering were always excellent, and the scientific establishment has been revived under Putin. There is huge potential for collaboration, particularly to create the energy-efficient infrastructure that both countries badly need.

The major point of contention over the last decade has been the attempted US military expansion into Eastern Europe and Central Asia, both former Russian spheres of influence. There are good reasons to ask whether this expansion is desirable or even feasible. Under current conditions it is certainly not affordable. Cooperation with Russia may provide much better results at a far lower cost.

The US must ask itself if it will be more secure with Russia as an enemy than with it as a partner. The second choice seems to offer much greater opportunities.

Jacek Popiel’s career spanned military service and international business development. His new book
outlines how energy, economics and politics converge on the
world scene. For more articles and information: http://www.viableenergynow.com

[tags]Russia after communism, US-Russia cooperation, Russian policy[/tags]

Current Chinese and American monetary policies are diametrically opposed.

China has based its growth and rise to economic prominence on an export-led economic model, with the United States as a primary destination for Chinese-made goods. The result of this policy is a two trillion dollar foreign exchange reserve, of which roughly 60percent is denominated in dollars.

The US, on the other hand, has chosen a policy of monetary easing in to fight the current recession. It is running huge budget deficits, part of which is financed through money creation by the Federal Reserve. Such a vast increase in money supply can only lead to a devaluation of the dollar, which reduces the value of Chinese reserves.

The Chinese cannot allow thirty years worth of currency accumulation to evaporate as a result of inflationary US policy. They have sent US authorities repeated messages to that effect, including: top-level statements of concern; massive purchases of strategic metals; announcing their gold reserves are twice the size previously thought; reducing purchases of longer-term Treasury bonds.

The most recent Chinese move has been to start negotiations with Brazil to cut the dollar out of their mutual trade relations, which would rely on national currencies instead.

In response US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner traveled to Beijing in late May to reassure the Chinese concerning US policies. Perfunctory statements of agreement were exchanged as he left China. But on the day after Mr. Geithner departed, China announced negotiations with Malaysia similar to those with Brazil: no more dollar-denominated trade there either.

In other words, the visit by Mr. Geithner solved nothing. However, it goes way beyond that. The announcement is not just another message to the United States. It can well be the start of a new monetary strategy.

The type of economic transaction under negotiation with Brazil and Malaysia is essentially a barter deal based on the relative values of the two national currencies involved. As China has a large economy involving many buyers and suppliers, such a type of transaction can be expanded to any number of its trading partners, thereby creating a fairly large dollar-free economic zone.

This would in the short term reduce the importance of the dollar as the dominant world currency. The ultimate effect would be much more far-reaching.
The global primacy of the dollar is to a great extent based on the assumption that there is no available substitute for it.

The above strategy of dollar-free transactions, which is quite workable, undermines this assumption by showing that in many cases such a substitute is not needed. All that is required is agreement on the relative value of two national currencies.

Furthermore, if demonstrated successfully between, for example, China and Brazil, such a bilateral commercial strategy could be applied to transactions between countries other than China. Russia and Germany, for example, could in the same manner exchange energy products for engineering goods and services.

Finally, this approach to trade would gradually extinguish the key role of the dollar in pricing commodities, such as oil, sugar, copper or grains. These commodities would de facto come to be priced in terms of a basket of currencies, based on the actual volume of transactions in the various national units of account.

The dollar would then be then reduced to being the national currency of the United States, with significant consequences for this country and for the rest of the world. The US, no longer able to rely on the prominence of the dollar in global finance, would like any other country be fully responsible for the value of its own currency.

The Chinese initiative is therefore no idle threat. Whether the Chinese government will implement this new strategy across the board or even on a large scale is unknown. Very possibly they have no definite plan at this point. But a whole realm of possibilities has been opened.

What is certain is that the US government must now face the fact that its policies, so far dictated strictly by domestic concerns, may in the very near future have a major and lasting impact on the status of its currency.

Jacek Popiel was born in Poland and educated in Africa, Canada, and the US. His career spanned military service and international business development. He is currently a writer and his first book Viable Energy Now will be published in the coming weeks. http://voyons-potsdemiel.blogspot.com

[tags]China, Dollar, monetary policy, commodity pricing, global trade[/tags]

Since its inception in 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed relationships with 193 member states as well as a number of private sector partnerships that provide monitoring and education of infectious diseases as well as assist with the treatment programs of those conditions.

It has enjoyed relative autonomy with its networks and affilate programs that allow it to consider itself a driving force behind prevention. In recent months, in respect to Latin America, this organization has worked to educate, prevent and treat Influenza A (H1N1) working through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Latin America and WHO, through PAHO, have been coordinating for the past 20 years to buy simple vaccines. This partnership has allowed for the eradication of polio as well as smallpox. It has developed partnerships with the private sector to provide medication. It is also a catalyst for education and fostering healthy decisions on the part of Latin America, more specifically the poorer regions of Latin America.

It is not simply medical dilemmas that PAHO have had to combat. With respect to HIV, there is a growing stigma that the World Health Organization feels it needs to combat in order to prevent the spread of HIV Homophobia. In Latin America and the Caribbean, The World Health Organization is working with Governments in an effort to relieve this stigma and move forward to treat HIV and reverse the number of those living with HIV by 2015.

It and its affiliates have come under scrutiny in Latin America as well as other regions of the world from the Catholic Church. One of its major campaigns in the prevention of AIDS is coordinating condom distribution in rural and poor areas. The Catholic Church has publically rejected the notion that distributing condoms is the most effective way to prevent the spread of AIDS as well as the curb the number of children born with the disease. With most countries in Latin America seeing more than 80% of its population attend Catholic mass, having the Church publicly contest WHOs practices can prove to be detrimental.

Aside from a few unavoidable impasses, Latin America and WHO have shared an amicable relationship that has seen many advances in the quality of life in the region. While North America has not seen a dramatic case of polio since 1979, Latin America had to wait until 1991. This is case with many infectious diseases in Latin America. But, with the help of this health organization and its partners, there have been great strides in improving the advancements of modern medicine in the region.

The online project Good Health Today congregates articles of specialists in health in order to give you the best advice in this important area of life. See more at www.goodhealthtoday.net.
Also visit our partner at Politica Externa.com

[tags]WHO, World Health Organization, Latin America[/tags]

WHO or The World Health Organization directs and coordinates authority for health for the United Nations system. They provide leadership on Global Health matters, They mold the health research agenda, They set the norms and standards, They gather evidence based on policy options, They provide technical support to countries and they monitor and asses health trends. In the 21st Century we share the responsibility of health care. With equal access to essential care and collective defences against transnational threats.

At WHO their operations are complex and changing everyday. The boundaries have become blurred over the years, extending into other areas that influence health care. They respond to these areas by using a six point agenda. The overall performance of Who’s work is measured by its work on Women’s Health and Health in Africa.

Providing development

In this past decade health has achieved prominence as a key driver of progress. More resources than ever are being invested in our health. But poverty still seems to be the contributing factor into poor health. Poor health seems to want to stay in large populations of poverty. Access to life saving medicine or interventions to health care should never be denied.

Fostering health security

One of the greatest threats to our health care system is outbreaks of epidemic prone diseases. These outbreaks are occurring in a high number everyday. It is fueled by many things. These areas are rapid growth of population, environmental, the way our food is handled and then traded and then we have the misuse of antibiotics.

Strengthening Health Systems

Health care must reach these poverty driven areas to stop these outbreaks. In many areas of the world health care is non existence because of the poverty level. These countries are top priority for WHO. WHO addresses these areas first in the poverty driven areas. Providing enough trained staff, financing, Computer to collect vital statistics, and access to technology including essential drugs.

Harnessing research, information and evidence

WHO generates health information to consult with experts. WHO sets norms and standards, gathers evidence to monitor the health care system.

Enhancing partnerships

WHO works with the support of many partners. UN agencies and other organizations are partners with WHO.

Improving performance

WHO ensures its strongest asset, Its Staff works in a safe and motivating environment.

On May 27, 2009 WHO won the 2009 Prince of Asturias Award This is a prestigious award and is highly revered. They received the award for their International Cooperation in fighting against international health threats.

The online project Good Health Today congregates articles of specialists in health in order to give you the best advice in this important area of life. See more at www.goodhealthtoday.net.
Also visit our partner at Brazilian Foreign Policy

[tags]WHO, World Health Organization, work[/tags]

According to the World Health Organization, yellow fever has been a known scourge to the Americas and to Africa for approximately 400 years. Over the past 20 years, there has been a rise in incidents, once again making this disease a political and humanitarian focus as mere outbreaks can graduate into epidemics in a very short time. Each year 206,000 people are infected and 52,000 are killed following exposure.

Yellow fever is a viral disease passed from mosquito to human. It derives its name from the jaundicing effect seen in some patients. Symptoms can be innocuous; anything from an elevated temperature to intense, acute hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever. Of the people who contract severe forms of the disease, 20-50% will die. Yellow fever is difficult to diagnose, especially in the early stages when symptoms mimic the flu. For approximately 15% of those infected, a toxic phase of the disease begins within twenty-four hours after the gestational state. Half of the people who enter the toxic phase of the disease die from major organ failure. Even today there is no cure for yellow fever, leaving primary efforts in the area of preventing exposure and treating symptoms as they emerge.

Reasons for the recent rise in yellow fever outbreaks can be attributed to population shifts as more people are attracted to jobs in urban centers. Concentrated population groups provide perfect settings for the spread of diseases, including yellow fever. Oddly enough, the species of mosquito that spreads yellow fever, Aedes aegypti, prefers crowded, city settings to the marshlands commonly associated with mosquitoes. Once an infected subject is bitten, the virus is easily transferred to a new host, causing statistics to climb exponentially. Those who commute back to rural areas introduce the virus to previously uninfected environments.

Vaccination is the single most important weapon in combating yellow fever. There has been an effective vaccine for Yellow Fever since 1937. The inoculation grants ten years of immunity. In 2007, the WHO launched the Yellow Fever Initiative with $58 million dollars in funding from GAVI (Global Alliance of Vaccines and Immunizations.) The aim of this scheme is to inoculate people from high risk areas, primarily western Africa, where there is a continuous threat of epidemic outbreaks. Twelve African countries are targeted for the campaign over the course of four years, but it is clear that there is not enough vaccine to get through 2011. Due to yellow fever surges in Brazil and Central Africa, most experts predict a shortage by 2010. With the current financial climate, funding to continue the initiative will be difficult to obtain. Dr. Fenella Avokey of the African regional office of the WHO states, “If we do not sustain this program, yellow fever outbreaks will continue to affect populations who can least afford it.”

The online project Good Health Today congregates articles of specialists in health in order to give you the best advice in this important area of life. See more at www.goodhealthtoday.net.
Also visit our partner at Brazilian Foreign Policy

[tags]World Health Organization, Yellow Fever, WHO[/tags]

Any serious analysis of the status of the the so-called war on terror brings up an apparent contradiction.

On the one hand, any opinion survey in the affected areas clearly shows that terrorist entities or radical groups allied with them, such as Al Qaeda and the Taliban, are deeply unpopular. On the other is the fact that despite a major outlay of resources and the superiority of US forces, the various conflicts drag on and the final outcome is far from certain.

US troops are not to blame. Aside from a few isolated cases they have performed with dignity, honor and professionalism. They also have undeniable superiority in firepower and organization.

Also to be set aside is the argument that the enemy benefits from the support of rogue states such as Iran. Such support, when it exists, is very limited in comparison to the huge US effort. In addition Iran or other states might provide some weapons and training, but not the rank-and-file fighters willing to face US firepower.

The vast majority of these fighters are not members of terrorist organizations, which by necessity are always small and secretive. Nevertheless they fight alongside them, thereby providing true terrorists support, cover, and the opportunity to recruit members and raise funds.

True terrorist numbers are too small to account for anything except focused, showcase operations. If they could be isolated from the much larger numbers of combatants who do not share their goals or tactics, their elimination could be achieved with a relatively low expenditure of resources.

This separation between true terrorists and the much larger numbers of those who could simply be called insurgents is therefore the key to winning the various conflicts we are currently involved in.

What are these insurgents then fighting for? There are two answers to this question, and both involve basic US policies.

The first fundamental issue is that no population easily accepts foreign occupation. The standard US policy within the war on terror has been the invasion and occupation of suspect territory by large conventional forces. This is then followed by some form of what we call nation-building, or the restructuring of the subject society according to a model we define. Such an approach will inevitably provoke resistance, supported by appeals to defend traditional culture and values.

The second issue is the US preference for unitary government, ignoring the fact that many of the countries subject to the war on terror are not nations, but fairly artificial states comprising a variety of ethnic, religious and cultural entities. Such entities have legitimate grievances and needs which generally cannot be met within a centralized government structure, however democratic it is in theory.

Neglect of legitimate aspirations for cultural and political autonomy breeds discontent, which is compounded by the humiliation and collateral damage brought by occupation. This creates a fertile ground for insurgencies of various kinds, within which genuine terrorists can pose a sympathizers and allies.

Such insurgencies can be kept down by brute force, but they will continue to smolder underground, ready to explode as soon as force is removed. Their resolution requires a basic reassessment of our policies along the following lines:

First, we must recognize that it is counter-productive for the US to attempt to shape foreign states and cultures according to our own concepts, particularly is this is accomplished through military force.

Second, the United States government must recognize and support the principle of self-determination for ethnic, religious and cultural communities.

The recommended policies would not only be in accord with the values on which our own nation is built, but it will provide with far more leverage than the strategies we currently use.

Jacek Popiel was born in Poland and educated in Africa, Canada, and the US. His career spanned military service and international business development. He is currently a writer and his first book Viable Energy Now will be published in the coming weeks. Visit: http://voyonspotsdemiel.blogspot.com

[tags]Insurgency, terrorism, war on terror, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia[/tags]

The World Health Organization, formed in 1948, has struggled to cure and prevent countless diseases throughout their long history. Their strict regimen of studies, statistical analysis, and most importantly, education, has helped create sustainable cures and preventative vaccines for dozens of illnesses. By far however, one of their most desperate fights has been against the HIV virus.

Soon after its discovery in 1981, the HIV virus was found to lead to AIDS in the majority of infections. AIDS has killed at least 25 million people since then, but the World Health Organization has put enormous effort into making sure that number wasn’t higher. In the initial stages of the pandemic, blood transfusions were a significant portion of the number of infected. Thanks to studies and protocols initiated by WHO, the risk of infection by that route is all but eliminated.

The front line in the war against HIV/AIDS, however, is in Africa. A third of all HIV/AIDS deaths are recorded in sub-Saharan Africa alone. The poverty, lack of effective medical centers, and extremely ineffective education system are all major factors in how the virus flourishes in the continent. The World Health Organization works with health ministries and organizations all over the world to accomplish specific goals to prevent the spread of this deadly disease.

WHO is working to make condoms more readily available, increase awareness worldwide using statistical surveys, and make it easier to get ahold of medications to treat the virus, which can decrease both the mortality and morbidity of it. In 2006, WHO helped to implement an HIV/AIDS toolkit in Zimbabwe, which managed to decrease the prevalence rate of the virus by two percent in only a year.

But the most important issue faced in the continuing fight against HIV/AIDS is the battle against misinformation, and the education of the populace. The World Health Organization’s philosophy is that the most effective deterrent against any disease is an informed population. Citizens who understand the nature of the disease, how it spreads, and the safest ways to prevent it are the most important tool in keeping it contained and under control. To this end, WHO has conducted numerous studies into the virus, and has attempted to create easy-to-understand pamphlets and learning systems in over a dozen languages worldwide.

In the end, it must be a joint effort on the parts of everyone in the world, to try and control this disease. The World Health Organization can’t do it without the help of numerous world governments, and we can all agree to being healthier.

The online project Good Health Today congregates articles of specialists in health in order to give you the best advice in this important area of life. See more at www.goodhealthtoday.net.
Also visit our partner at Brazilian Foreign Policy

[tags]WHO, World Health Organization, History, HIV[/tags]