BRITAIN

BRITAIN
The Telegraph, London, March 16: What, exactly, did Martin McGuinness mean when he warned the McCartney sisters to "be very careful" about standing for Parliament against his Sinn Fein candidates in the coming general election? The words can mean very different things, depending on who utters them. On the lips of a man whose IRA associates have just murdered the McCartneys' brother, slitting open his stomach, gouging out one of his eyes and slashing his throat, they speak only of menace.
The McCartneys have understood, as Mr McGuinness understands, how strongly the IRA depends on Sinn Fein votes to maintain its mob rule, usually with far too little interference from a weakened and partially demoralised police force. They have understood, too, that Sinn Fein is not nearly as firmly entrenched in the hearts of republicans as the party's 23 percent showing in the last Stormont elections suggested.
'Hand of history'
When he signed the Belfast Agreement, (Prime Minister Tony) Blair spoke of feeling the "hand of history" on his shoulder. We must wait and see how history will judge a British prime minister who, unlike the brave McCartney family, has yielded at every turn to the IRA.
ITALY
La Repubblica, Rome, March 16: Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi has chosen the most appropriate moment to give the most convenient news. A statesman would have told the Parliament about the decision of Italy to withdraw its troops in September, an important decision that marks a clear rejection of the strategy that the government has followed until now. Such an announcement could have been done in an institutional office, during the day when the Parliament discussed and voted for the refinancing of the Italian mission.
Mass media politician
But a mass media politician, to whom audience is more important than the image and propaganda to institution, chooses television, where the message gets straight to the hearts and the minds
The withdrawal of Italian troops has to be agreed with the United States. Nobody refuses Italy the right of unilateral withdrawal: this right belongs to the main concept of the "coalition of willing," the coalition of those who want to be part of it. But for Berlusconi ... this would also mean a slap in the face of his friend, George W. Bush.
NORWAY
Verdens Gang, Oslo, March 16: Iran's atomic program has long been a thorn in the side, especially for the U.S. and Israel. The latter, according to Britain's Sunday Times, has detailed plans for attacking Iranian nuclear facilities as a last resort.
Such an attack would be hard to carry out without a silent U.S. endorsement and could have catastrophic consequences.
Iran has answered that its nuclear program is for peaceful power production, which is Iran's right. But suspicion that Iran has a secret nuclear weapons program has been strengthened.
Threat of sanctions
The United States at first opposed what it called the EU countries' soft stance. The EU wanted to seek a solution to the nuclear dispute through negotiation. The United States wanted to ... threaten sanctions.
The EU countries and Russia may be willing to use stronger methods against Iran if negotiations fail.
How strong remains to be seem. So far, no one will even comment on Israel's supposed plan, even though the United States, as always, won't exclude any option.
JAPAN
Yomiuri Shimbun, Tokyo, March 12: Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa's departure from Hong Kong's top position symbolizes an increasing political intervention in the former British colony by Beijing, which assured the island territory a high degree of autonomy at the time of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule.
Tung's poor performance as Hong Kong's political leader disappointed the Chinese leadership. He was slow to end domestic economic turmoil arising from the Asian currency crisis in the year Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule. Tung's delay in making preparations to prevent the spread of SARS in 2003 cost a number of lives in the territory.
Tung's errors
China may want Hong Kong's new chief executive to stabilize the island's political situation. Its wish is probably to see the new Hong Kong leader enjoy the support of Hong Kong residents, not repeating Tung's errors, and properly control the pro-democracy movement to sustain the territory's prosperity.
INDIA
The Hindu, Madras, March 16: United States President George W. Bush begins his second term by promising to follow a multilateral approach to international affairs. Then he nominates a strident unilateralist, John Bolton, for the post of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. This is a new standard in Orwellian double-speak even for an administration that often insists black is white.
As undersecretary of state for Arms Control and International Security Affairs during Mr. Bush's first term, Mr. Bolton spearheaded efforts to wreck weapons control initiatives such as the anti-ballistic missile treaty. If Mr. Bolton does become envoy to the U.N., he will have a platform from which he can endlessly proclaim his disdain for international institutions. After all, this is the person who once declared "there is no such thing as the United Nations."
Gratuitous snub
What is even more disturbing is that this particular nomination appears emblematic of a further shift towards unilateralism in U.S. foreign policy. Given these circumstances, the Bolton nomination can only be described as a gratuitous snub to the rest of the international community.