World News Digest: Japan

JAPAN

Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo, June 7: The world is confronted with an emergency that is worthy of the label “food shock.” Skyrocketing prices of wheat, soybeans, rice and other major grains have triggered riots in impoverished countries in Africa and Asia by hungry mobs. Nations increasingly are moving to safeguard their own domestic food supplies.

To address the mounting crisis, the High-Level Conference on World Food Security, sponsored by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, met for three days in Rome during the past week. The heads of 50 countries, including Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, attended to speak out on this pressing global issue.

Soaring prices

The real problem is that the soaring prices do not appear to be a passing phenomenon. Experts are of the view that even if speculative money flowing in from financial markets abates, grain prices will continue to remain high.

This is precisely why hopes were high that the conference would define an international order to address the emerging era of food shortages. It is regrettable, therefore, that the gathering primarily served to accentuate the points of disagreement on this front.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Khaleej Times, Dubai, June 10: It’s been five years since the U.S. moved into Iraq, driving Saddam Hussein out of power and plunging the country into a crisis that is yet to end and is unprecedented even from the Middle Eastern standards.

The Iraqi government and both Sunni and Shia political players in the country have voiced their concerns over the total control the U.S. will continue to have over the country’s security establishment, especially the continued presence of US troops in the country into an indefinite future.

Having invaded and wrecked Iraq, the U.S. can’t just cut and run. It has to do its best to stabilise and rebuild Iraq and put a stable and self-reliant government in Baghdad before pulling out. But this cannot come at the expense of Iraq’s sovereignty and unity.

Facilitator

The U.S. may have to stick around in Iraq for some years to come but its role must be that of a facilitator, not an occupier and overbearing master.

This is why the Nuri Al Maliki government is right to insist on the condition that the U.S. troops in future would be confined to their bases and that private security players would be governed by the Iraqi law.

ISRAEL

The Jerusalem Post, June 5: The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) 2008 Policy Conference, which concluded Wednesday in Washington, is an expression of all that is wonderful about America and about the U.S.-Israel relationship.

And because this is an election year, the presumptive Republican and Democratic presidential candidates both gave defining speeches at the conference.

A bleary-eyed Barack Obama was warmly greeted by an audience that knew he had just made the historic journey to becoming the first African American nominated by a major party. He began by both acknowledging, then deriding a negative e-mail campaign about him circulating within the Jewish community. Then, “speaking from the heart,” Obama offered a stirring oration that repeatedly brought the audience to its feet.

Less political baggage

John McCain came to AIPAC with far less political baggage, yet aware that no matter what he said, most U.S. Jews would maintain their historic allegiance to the Democratic Party.

The senator from Arizona and former POW was welcomed warmly by the AIPAC audience, which included his friend Sen. Joseph Lieberman.