ITALY
Monday, August 21, 2006 ITALY Corriere Della Sera, Milan, Aug. 15: It would be difficult to thwart future terror plots if one is not willing to adopt extraordinary measures, and this poses an ethical dilemma for every political system. When it comes to torture in particular, however, it is not clear if it would be one of these (extraordinary) measures. First, the value of the extracted information is in doubt because whoever is subjected to torture could say anything to escape the pain. Exquisitely political conflict The fight against terrorism is first an exquisitely political conflict, aimed at persuading the hearts and the minds to live together peacefully, both in Islamic countries and in Islamic communities in the West. Therefore, we must seriously take into account the main cost of torture: The huge loss of face and credibility of the governments that make use of it. For example, it is difficult to evaluate the exact political cost to the United States of the armed forces using torture, symbolized in the Abu Ghraib scandal in Iraq, but it was surely higher than the benefits gained in terms of intelligence. Therefore, one needs to evaluate with extreme caution the prospect of using such means which, even if successful, could ruin the values we are fighting for. BRITAIN The Times, London, Aug. 16: Slowly, Britain's airports are beginning to clear the backlog. Fewer flights are being delayed, piles of luggage are being cleared and would-be passengers are spending less time locked out of the terminals. But the backlog of questions and complaints is not diminishing. The security regime and the regulations seem to change by the day. There is still confusion among passengers and airline staff, and an appalling lack of information. And there are growing suspicions that the emergency measures are inconsistent and ill-considered. The inconsistencies are glaring. The new restrictions on hand luggage apply to all flights leaving from British airports. But they do not apply to passengers flying to Britain, even on British airlines, except from the U.S. Inconsistent Why is it deemed safe to buy water from airside shops to drink on flights to Europe but not on flights to America? Why is it now safe to carry hand luggage 35cm high but unsafe to carry any 45cm high, permissible last week? The airport authorities say they are coping "magnificently" with the new regulations. But although there may be some easing of the time-consuming searches, many restrictions will remain in place for months, and will change the pattern of air travel. The biggest inconvenience is the limitation on hand baggage. More lasting will be the effect on budget airlines. Some, for example, have been struggling to hold down costs by discouraging all but carryon luggage and charging for each case checked in. Air travel is so vital to today's economies that airports and operators will be forced to innovate. Traveling will never be the same, and that could very well be a good thing. JAPAN Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo, Aug. 15: Since when has Aug. 15 become a day that arouses such furious, emotionally charged disputes? It was once a time for sober reflection on a disastrous war and to mourn its countless victims. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to Yasukuni Shrine, doubtless, contributed to the drastic change of atmosphere. Through simplified logic Koizumi has turned the question of whether he should be allowed to visit the shrine into whether he should bow to demands from China and South Korea. Convenient outlet Such words and actions by the nation's leader have helped drum up Japanese sentiment against China and South Korea. In the process, it has created an issue that can serve as a convenient outlet among reactionaries to rebuild Japan's pride that was so deeply injured by its defeat in war. Countries in East Asia are becoming increasingly interdependent amid accelerating globalization. Only a moment of cool-headed thinking is needed to understand that the three Asian powers have no choice but to seek ways for peaceful and prosperous co-existence. FINLAND Aamulehti, Tampere, Aug. 15: Any sensible person hopes that Monday's cease-fire in the Lebanon crisis proves to be more than just a brief break. Searching for winners and losers will be a part of the aftermath of the war that lasted little over one month. Finding an agreement on that is likely to be as difficult as finding a permanent solution on the conflict. Civilians on both sides of the border were the ones who suffered the most of the hostilities. The cynical tactics of Hezbollah to hide among civilians led to substantial human and material losses in Lebanon. Also, its random rocket attacks into Israel injured mainly civilians. Buffer zone Israel failed to achieve its original objective — destroying Hezbollah — but it succeeded with its military operation to establish conditions for creating an internationally guarded buffer zone that pushes Hezbollah away from the country's northern border In many Arab nations Hezbollah received a hero's reputation when it succeeded to oppose one of the best military machines in the world. But if the resolution, which the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved, is put into practice in its detail, Hezbollah is not able to cope with a similar kind of "victory" in the future.