台灣需要一個更好的民進黨
【邱鴻安】蔡英文在五一七前夕來灣區演講籌款，她講到民進黨的發展，說民進黨執政八年，對台灣的最大貢獻是民主，又說，目前正是民進黨最困難的時刻，民進黨須把握機會，反省調整，成為一個「更好的政黨」。
反省調整是必需的，不過，需要反省的，可能與蔡英文所說的不同。蔡英文說民進黨執政八年的最大貢獻是民主，大家可能不這樣認為，因為民進黨執政八年，最大的「貢獻」應是貪腐。
扁案審理至今，扁家和扁政府被揭露出來的一幕幕貪腐內情，已構成一幅巨大、深入民心和難以挽回的貪婪醜惡畫象，人民都在感嘆台灣竟出了一個如此不堪的家庭。如果說扁政府執政八年有什麼貢獻，貪腐就是貢獻，因為「扁貪腐」正可作為台灣民主的反面教材。
五一七前夕，蔡英文到北所探視陳水扁，這是民進黨無力與「扁貪腐」切割的最清楚證明。官員貪腐是清明政治的最大敵人，如果民進黨連這一點也不去反省，還談什麼其他的政治反省。
與扁切割，更是與扁式台獨路線切割。深綠把鼓吹族群對立的扁式台獨路線當作為台獨發展的高峰，因此不忍捨棄，但是這種鼓吹台灣內部對立的路線是政治死路，絕對不是建設台灣之路。「台灣主體性」不是不能講，因為台灣的自立自強是應有的政治理想，但台灣的自立自強不應該是搞內部分化，而應該是搞台灣建設─包括作為建設核心的經濟建設。
自李登輝到陳水扁，一直反對北進發展，這種政策已被證明為重大失誤。在過去的十年中，中國經濟崛起，中國周邊的日韓、東盟、以至歐美無不進軍中國，尋找經濟發展機會，但民進黨卻以政治干預經濟，阻止台灣北進尋找機會，這樣的政策不僅阻礙了台灣十年來的發展，更為台灣人民帶來經濟受挫的巨大痛苦。
到了現在，台灣要尋找生機，因此有陸客自由行、陸資來台等政策，但民進黨卻仍要以形同笑話的賣台論去擊倒所有這些措施。如果民進黨連經濟發展的基本方向都掌握不到，還談什麼反省調整。
台灣需要一個更好的民進黨。民進黨要改進，必須有傑出之士出來提出新理念─為民進黨發展提出一套合情合理的政經方向論述。如果民進黨沒有這樣的人，提不出新方向，那就只能在現在的泥淖裏打滾，發臭發爛。
或者民進黨需要來一次「政變」，讓有理想有方向的年輕一代，推倒眼前那一批早應丟到歷史黑洞的什麼天王之類的政客。這樣，民進黨或許還會有翻身的機會。
民進黨正在準備五一七反政府遊行，但是卻無法說清楚到底反的是什麼。台灣需要一個更好的反對黨。一個更好的反對黨，必須是一個能夠為人民指出政府真正錯失的反對黨，而不是為反而反、一味以「賣台」去概括一切的反對黨。(世界日報，5.15.2009)
It's tempting to invoke the Geneva Convention protections that are afforded prisoners of war. Geneva Convention protections did apply to Iraqi soldiers captured during our war with Iraq, but they do not apply to terrorists or even soldiers who are out of uniform. In earlier times, when common sense prevailed and we had the will to defend ourselves, that fact was understood and appreciated.
During World War II, German soldiers captured not wearing their own army's uniforms were lined up and shot. In 1942, a German submarine landed eight Nazi saboteurs on the beaches of New York and Florida. Two months after a secret military tribunal, convened by President Roosevelt, six of the eight were executed, even though they hadn't killed or bombed anyone -- just being here was enough.
I seriously doubt any of you were around during World War II, but can we imagine anyone, much less a government high official, having said, "The treatment of detainees is a taint on our country's reputation, especially in Germany, and there are many questions that must be answered. These questions are important because the safety of our country depends on our reputation and how we are viewed, especially in Germany"? If you substitute "the Muslim world" for "Germany" in that statement, you have House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's, D-Calif., statement.
Neither the criminal law nor the rules of the Geneva Convention are suited to terrorism. International terrorism is an act of war without a formal declaration of war by the sovereign nation that is sponsoring the terrorists. Terrorism is not simply a domestic crime, even when it occurs within our borders. Nor are the terrorists soldiers, as defined in the Geneva Convention.
The protections of the Geneva Convention's rules of war are for those who play by those rules.
Terrorists who infiltrate the American homeland are combatants, not criminals, and they are combatants out of uniform who disregard the rules of war, forfeiting the protection of those rules. "Rights" are not things plucked out of thin air. They are products of particular arrangements -- and apply only to those who are subject to those arrangements and who respect those arrangements.
Our criminal law is not merely inappropriate for dealing with terrorists. It is a crippling handicap that can trade thousands of American lives for meaningless shibboleths. The "discovery" process in our legal proceedings can expose not only anti-terrorist operations but also the people in various parts of the world who have aided and abetted our efforts.
Suppose that, in spite of all this, a terrorist is convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to execution. It will probably be at least a decade before our cumbersome criminal justice system will allow him to be executed. And, during all that time, the terrorist organization that he belongs to can plot to capture numerous hostages and threaten to kill them all unless he is released.
What Congress might better be spending its time on, instead of raking over the past, is preparing for the future by creating a body of law and a set of institutions designed specifically for dealing with captured terrorists. A military tribunal could provide a model, if so many politicians and professional hand-wringers had not already demonized these tribunals.
Maybe this tough issue will not be faced until we are confronted with another terrorist attack of the magnitude of that last September 11th -- or worse. There are too many people with a vested interest in finger-pointing or moral preening.
I hope the above answers your questions.
Part 2.
One of the many problems with moving all, or any, of the terrorists to U.S. soil is that every square inch of American soil in the Continental United States is represented by a Member of Congress and two Senators. And no Congressman or Senator is going to want to explain to his or her constituents why the guy mowing the lawn outside the county courthouse has 137 soldiers surrounding him with weapons at the ready. Nervous House Democrats deleted Obama's funding request for $81 million to close the prisoner-of-war camp, fearing a public backlash in their states and districts.
The point here is, Obama made a promise he can't keep: Close Guantanamo. Can't do it without a plan as to what to do with the terrorists who are housed there. As Rep. Obey said, "When they have a plan, they're welcome to come back and talk to us."
Part 1,
The only person who actually has the kind of capacity to ask these questions are not from the readers...that is from past experiences, I apologize if I insulted anyone. This challenge, I presume, is from the host Mr. Steven Chiu himself?
I will answer those questions in 2 posts...
The only person who actually has the kind of capacity to ask these questions are not from the readers...that is from past experiences, I apologize if I insulted anyone. This challenge, I presume, is from the host Mr. Steven Chiu himself?
I will answer those questions in 2 posts...
The first case happened on Wednesday when he instructed lawyers to block release of photos of soldiers torturing detainees, on the ground of the release would risk the soldiers to reprisals. I think Obama should be commended for being a responsible president.
The second case took place on Friday when he announced that he would continue with the military tribunal but he would introduce changes. He had no choice but to continue with the military tribunal because no one state and few countries would receive the detainees. I guess in his view that if the trials could take place elswhere, there would be no need for Guantanamo to exist. Before someone takes pleasure in "I told you so" about his about-face, let's consider the following questions, which were nicely summed up by Afua Hirstch:
- Are the detainees protected by the Geneva Conventions as prisoners of war?
- Are they entitled to American constitutional rights as "enemy combatants" detained in foreign jurisdictions?
- Are they protected by well-established legal principles guaranteeing trial by civilian courts?
- Do military tribunals fulfil this requirement?
If Jariel thinks he knows all the answers, let's hear from him.
I actually got friends too? now, that is strange.
Well, respect is earned, not given away.
When they have my respect, then I will be nice.
也難怪﹑Jariel對你們不耐似乎有點道理的.
奇怪了﹑你的情資比過歐巴馬還好﹖先不說 關「管它那毛」監獄是對的還是錯的﹑
你狂到自認比歐巴馬(因為手上的情報而作的決定)還更對﹖
難怪Jariel罵你們沒腦。
那個“五分鐘後”也竟然說出“剛好給你瞎貓碰到死老鼠”﹖
Jariel 貼文出來後我就上網查過了﹑歐巴馬作過七次以上的反悔競選諾言.
任何Jariel講的話老夫都上網求證過你們有嗎﹖
你一心要挑歐巴馬的毛病，剛好給你瞎貓碰到死老鼠，不過時間會證明你不會樂得太九。
歐巴馬決定沿用關他那媽灣的監獄不準備把裡面該死的囚犯關到美國本土來啦﹗﹗
報紙上說; 當歐巴馬當政後掌握了以前所不知道的情報所以作了重大政策上的修正, 而且看起來好像康朵莉莎.賴斯是對的..當她說; "時間會證明布希是對的"..但只是沒想到會這樣快!
看來不可理喻的是你們這些不用大腦的盲從讀者...
哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈....
Steven你也千萬別為如Jariel這樣的讀者生氣, 他也是另類被洗腦的失心者。
Now that is refreshing!!...lol.
Even though I probably will not agree with the "conservative left" lable...but so be it.
Leave a name...any name, so I can make an effort in the future to read your post(s).
The chips are "on" my shoulder, definitely, and the axe is as big as Steven's liberal left wing agendas.
The idea is to hack away your liberal left wing mental disorders and let the chips fall where they may be. And if it offends you idiots, great!!