US faces sceptical world over Iraq

Is the Bush administration winning or losing what it calls the global war on terror?

That is a question more for military analysts and security experts.

But if the findings of a new opinion poll for , it certainly seems to be losing the battle for global public opinion.

The poll was carried out by the international opinion research firm GlobeScan, together with the Programme On International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland (Pipa) in the US.

"Though the Bush administration has framed the intervention in Iraq as a means of fighting terrorism, all around the world - including in the US - most people view it as having increased the likelihood of terrorist attacks,"
"The near-unanimity of this assessment among countries is remarkable in global public opinion polling."

The poll also indicates that there is a strong body of opinion in 20 of the 35 countries surveyed that believes US-led forces should withdraw from Iraq in the next few months.

In Iraq itself, opinion is evenly divided with 49% favouring an early withdrawal and the same number wanting US-led forces to stay.

However, in terms of global opinion, the picture changes sharply if the Iraqi government asks the troops to stay.

In this case, there are majorities for the troops remaining until the job is done in two-thirds of the countries questioned.

That scenario did not change too many people's minds in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey, where there were still clear majorities for the US troops to leave as soon as possible.

However in Iran, perhaps surprisingly, support for the US-led forces remaining jumped from 36% to 74% in response to an Iraqi request.

Opinion matters

Any such survey is a snapshot of opinion at one particular moment.

It is evident that the terror threat has shot up

In this case, research work was carried out between October 2005 and early February of this year, well before the recent upsurge of violence in Iraq which may well impact upon global public opinion.

With headlines on all sides about Iraq "drifting towards civil war", will people simply be confirmed in their opinions? Or will the drama of what is happening encourage them to think again?

Public opinion today matters like never before.

In part, this is because domestic politicians in many countries have drafted in the pollsters, analysts and methods of the commercial world to better understand the political market-place.

This trend has inevitably spread into foreign policy as well. In our increasingly globalised world, many of the great issues of the day relate to attitudes and values.

Washington's efforts to spread democracy around the world - especially to the Middle East - represents America's most ambitious foreign policy initiative since the bid to contain Soviet Russia at the outset of the Cold War.

In many ways, it is more ambitious, and it depends in large part on shaping attitudes.

Unfinished business

Given these results - especially those from Middle East, where three of America's major regional allies, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey, were included in the survey - there is still a great deal of work to do.

US diplomats are well aware of the problems. The way things in Iraq have turned out has inevitably complicated Washington's task.

Critics say that the US represents itself as the country of democracy, freedom and individual opportunity but, instead they argue, its standing has been tarnished in many peoples minds by Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo.

This points to an interesting problem: we are dealing here with perceptions, and perceptions are often complicated, even contradictory, and difficult to reduce to a simple answer.

There is no doubt, for example, that the Iraq war has shifted attitudes in the Middle East against Washington, even among its traditional friends.

Equally, the US way of life remains a pole of attraction for many ordinary people, and it's not just a question of jeans and Hollywood.

Consider one intriguing set of answers in this poll - those of ordinary Iranians on the question of US troop withdrawal from Iraq.

If requested by the Iraqi government, some 74% of Iranians say the US-led troops should stay, a level of support only rivalled by that in Australia, one of America's staunchest allies.

So what does this mean? Well, for one thing, many Iranians may see the Shia element of the Iraqi government as being friendly towards them.

They may also fear instability on their borders. But equally we know from other opinion polls that the attitude of many ordinary Iranians - especially the young - to the US is remarkably positive.

Opinion polls appear to simplify, but in fact they provide yet another insight on an ever-more complex world. Thus measuring opinion is of vital importance to policy-makers and analysts.

In some ways, it is all not so new.

At the height of the Cold War, Nato used to conduct regular detailed surveys of opinion within its member countries to try to spot any shifts in public attitudes towards the alliance, defence spending and so on.

Today, the stakes are just as high. A whole new discipline has been created, that of "public diplomacy".

And it is a field where the traditional diplomat often sits side-by-side with the opinion pollster and the expert on social attitudes.

Mysterious disappearance

US urged to return Egyptian mask


The mask was discovered in 1952 in the step pyramid at Saqqara
Egypt has asked an art museum in the US to return a 3,000-year-old funerary mask it claims disappeared from the capital's Egyptian Museum decades ago.

The piece, known as the mask of Ka Nefer Nefer, is said to date back to the 19th Dynasty, 1307-1196BC.

Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities said the mask was discovered in 1952 in the pyramid at Saqqara, near Cairo.

It is thought to have been smuggled abroad before being bought by Missouri's St Louis Art Museum in 1998.

"The mask is in a very well preserved condition and it features the bust of a young lady called Ka Nefer Nefer," said Egypt's antiquities chief Zahi Hawass.

"It has a combination of glass inlaid eyes, a face covered with gold and a wig."

Mysterious disappearance

The mask was stored at the Saqqara site until 1959, when it was taken to the Egyptian Museum in the capital, Cairo.

Poor storage and a primitive documentation system used at the museum at the time are believed to have facilitated the mask's "disappearance" until it surfaced on the American market and was bought in 1998.

Jennifer Stoffeo, a spokesperson at the St Louis Art Museum, confirmed they had received the request from Egypt.

"We have written back asking for more information and included our research.

"We would like to come to a solution because we don't think that it was obtained illegally or improperly," she said.

Egypt's antiquities council has also asked the Basel Museum in Switzerland to return the left eye of a statue of King Amenhotep III, which it said was stolen from a temple in Luxor several years ago.

Benedict stresses need for freedom of expression
Pope Benedict XVI emphasizes the need for the freedom of expression between religions


Pope Benedict XVI emphasized Monday the need for the freedom of expression between religions - including with non-Christians and Muslims - while at the same time noting that "efforts made towards a meeting in truth of believers from different religious traditions will contribute to achieving the real good of people and of society."

At a separate event, the Pope told Ali Achour, the new ambassador of Morocco to the Holy See that "intolerance and violence can never be justified as a response to offence, because they are incompatible with the sacred principles of religion. For this reason, we can only lament the actions of those who deliberately profit from the offence caused to religious sentiments in order to foment violence, because their aims are foreign to religion."

The Pope's earlier comments were made when receiving prelates from the Conference of Bishops of Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau, who have just completed their "ad limina" visit - a meeting where Pope Benedict said that "it is vital "that fraternal relations between communities be rendered more profound, in order to favor the harmonious development of society, recognizing the dignity of each individual and allowing everyone the free expression of their religion."

Benedict XVI said the great variety of human and ecclesial situations in these particular Churches makes it difficult to harmonize pastoral activities. Nonetheless, he said, "the ties of communion are essential for an ever-greater apostolic fruitfulness and in order to carry out the mission received from the Lord."

"Walking alongside their people," said the Pope, "bishops must guide, encourage and coordinate evangelizing action, that the faith may grow and spread among human beings. In this way, the Gospel must take full root in the cultures of your peoples."

The Holy Father emphasized that "in order to remain faithful to baptismal commitments, each individual must receive a solid education in the faith, so as to be able to face up to the new phenomena of modern life, such as growing urbanization, the unemployment of many young people, material seductions of all kinds and the influence of ideas of varying provenance."

After dwelling on the generous collaboration of priests in the work of evangelization, the Pope called for their initial and permanent formation to render them "humanly and spiritually balanced, capable of responding to the challenges they must face, both in their personal and their pastoral lives." He also mentioned the need for "a solid spiritual formation to fortify their intimate life with God in prayer and contemplation, and to enable them to discern the presence and action of the Lord in the persons entrusted to their pastoral mission."

Benedict XVI indicated how the Church in this region "expresses her love for others in a very visible way, with her commitment to social development", embodied in numerous ecclesial structures at the service of the poorest. He also pointed out how many non-Christians, especially Muslims, collaborate in this service.

Referring in closing remarks to current tensions in Guinea-Bissau, the Pope recalled the efforts of the local Church "to promote dialogue and cooperation among all the elements of the country," and he called on the prelates - "through the word illuminated by faith, constant witness of faithfulness to the Gospel and generous pastoral service" - to continue to be "sure points of reference and guidance for all your countrymen."

In his comments to Ali Achour, the new ambassador of Morocco to the Holy See who was presenting his Letters of Credence, the Holy Father recalled that Morocco has just celebrated the 50th anniversary of its independence, praising its express intent to move towards "a modern, democratic and prosperous future." The achievements of these years "must enable Moroccans to live in security and dignity, so that they can actively participate in the social and political life of the country."

The Pope then went on to refer to the "ever-closer collaboration between countries bordering on the Mediterranean Sea, ... which is called more than ever before to be a place of encounter and dialogue between peoples and cultures." He also focussed on some of the serious problems faced by these countries, such as "the phenomenon of migration," which "constitutes an important factor in relations between States."

"In ever greater numbers, emigrants from less favored regions call at the gates of Europe in search of better living conditions," said the Pope. Therefore, it is necessary "that institutions in the countries of destination and transit, do not consider these people as a mere commodity or labor force, and that they respect their fundamental rights and their dignity."

"The precarious situation of so many foreigners must favor solidarity between the countries involved, so as to contribute to the development of the emigrants' places of origin. In fact, these problems cannot be solved only by national policies. Only ever-greater collaboration between all the nations concerned will favor the search for solutions to these painful problems."

Benedict XVI then referred to Morocco's contribution to "the consolidation of dialogue between civilizations, cultures and religions," recalling that "in the current international context, the Catholic Church is convinced that, in order to support peace and understanding among peoples, ... there is an urgent need for religions and their symbols to be respected, and for believers not to be exposed to provocations that wound ... their religious feelings."

The Pope concluded his address to the diplomat by recalling that for believers and for people of good will, the only road that leads to peace and fraternity is that of "respect for the religious practices and convictions of others," so that "in all societies, everyone may be assured of the opportunity to practice the religion they have freely chosen."

That is the Flying car ready for takeoff?
The picture has changed, however, with the development of lighter and stronger construction materials and more efficient engines. Terrafugia is aiming to build a vehicle that will fly at 120 miles per hour and get 30 miles a gallon in the air. (It will also get 40 miles per gallon on the freeway and 30 in the city).

The Transition vehicle will carry a payload of only 430 pounds, far less than cars, but how many cars can take flight after 1,500 feet of takeoff space?

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Demand also has finally begun to emerge. Today's clogged freeway traffic and dispersed suburban living patterns have created an audience for these types of vehicles. Regional airports are also somewhat plentiful and underutilized. In addition, Federal Aviation Administration regulations passed in 2004 have made it easier to get a sport pilot's license.

"Since 9/11, for the first time, average door-to-door travel speed has really dropped substantially due to a combination of increased security measures at airports and more road traffic," Dietrich said in a statement accepting the Lemelson prize.

The Lemelson foundation, named after controversial inventor and patent litigant Jerome Lemelson, gives an annual student award, as well as lifetime awards, to inventors. Past winners of the student prize included James McLurkin for his work on swarming robots.
Lifetime achievement winners included Segway inventor Dean Kamen.

The foundation cited Dietrich, one of the star students in the department, for other accomplishments. Dietrich also holds a patent for the Centrifugal Direct Injection Engine, a low-cost, high-performance rocket propulsion engine.
For his doctoral work, he is researching how a fusion reactor could be used to power a spacecraft.

INTRODUCING MANGO-XAN@
The mangosteen fruit has been prized for thousands of years because of its role in ancient Southeast Asian folk medicine. Historically, preparations from the rind of the mangosteen were used throughout Eastern cultures as folk remedies and tonics to treat a variety of conditions. Modern studies of the mangosteen are now beginning to validate the science behind its long- known and appreciated benefits.

Long hidden in the orient, Asia's "Queen of Fruits" -the mangosteen-is now available in Mango.xan Liquid Dietary Supplement. Uniquely delicious and amazingly healthful, the product's name is derived from the exotic and delicious mangosteen and its uniquely potent antioxidant and phytoceutical compounds known as xanthones. Mango.xan is a delicious and healthful blend of 100% pure antioxidant and nutrient-rich fruit juices.

Adding Mango.xan to your daily nutritional regimen (1-3 fl. oz. every day) can help you enjoy overall better health. Mango.xan works with your body at the cellular level in the following ways:

. Helps alleviate cell damage caused by free radicals
and promotes healthier cells .
Increases energy and stamina .
Supports the body's immune system .
Promotes a healthy digestive system

WHAT'S IN MANGO-XAN?
MANGOS TEEN (Garcinia mangostana L)
Regarded as one of the most delicious fruits in the world, the mangosteen is native to the Malay Archipelago and Indonesia, but is now also grown in wet tropical regions throughout Southeast Asia, and beyond. Mangosteen has a thick peel or hull which is much too bitter to be edible but possesses abundant xanthoneshighly potent antioxidants.
Inside the hull is the soft white and segmented fruit.
(See ingredient information in shaded area below).

MANGOSTEEN'S XANTHONES
Found in the mangosteen fruit and its peel are naturally occurring, highly potent antioxidants that help fortify your body by protecting it from cell-ravaging free radicals. Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons that attack and cause damage to every kind of cell and are blamed for a myriad of health problems as they seek out their missing pieces.

Mangosteen's xanthones are comprised of molecules and
atoms that possess an extra electron.
These elcctrons help neutralize and stabilize free radicals,
inhibiting their ability to cause cell damage. This supports and protects every system in your body.
The xanthones and other biologically active substances in
the mangosteen combine to strengthen the natural,
healthy function of your body's cells and tissues.



Using proprietary methods and technology, Mango.xan contains a concentrated extract of xanthones from the pericarp/peel of the mangosteen, shown on the ingredient panel as "Garcinia mangostana (mangosteen) peel extract".
The result is higher xanthone content without
the "floaters and sludge" of roughly ground peel.

QUALITY MATTERS
Independent laboratory test results show that Mango.xan contains significantly higher xanthone content and superior antioxidant activity ratings than other mangosteen supplements.

In fact, Mango.xan proved to have one of the highest ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scores among all liquid dietary supplements. Most scientists agree that the higher the ORAC score, the more potent and prevalent the antioxidants which can reduce free radical damage to the body.

Our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and high quality control standards enable Mango.xan to be bottled with no added gumS, pectins, artif1cial flavors or f1llers, and no preservatives.
Additionally, each I oz. serving of Mango.xan contains 100% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, and every bottle of Mango.xan features a roll-on pilfer-proof (ROPP) cap providing a flawless vacuum seallock in~f1avor and freshness.
The shelf life of our product is two years with a "Best Before" date printed on every bottle.