The world is in need for more international regulations. One type of regulations that must be implemented concerns humanitarian relief. Globwatch proposes a Disaster Relief Law that provides humanitarian organizations an indisputable right to assist worldwide local populations victimized by natural disasters. However, these international laws cannot be enforced, if no supra-national body can support them in practice. Therefore, global organizations like the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) must be invested with more power to rule. This is only possible, if the UNSC is reformed to become more representative of the World's population by regions, and not only by standard of living and military might. Unless the World understands the need for change of the UNSC, international laws for the effective relief of victims from natural disasters will not be implemented effectively, and restrictions to humanitarian access to the victims from local authorities will cause more deaths and sufferings. Read also GW's policy on UN Security Council and Jerry's Disaster Relief Law

South Ossetia and Abkhazia have reaffirmed their independence from Georgia after the country bombed the region on August 8, 2008. Despite strong oppostion from the international community, namely the United States and Europe, Russia officially recognized their independence.

By contrast to the Kosovo's process of independence, South Ossetia demonstrated for over two hundred years its wish to be separated from Georgia. The results of a referendum held in 2006, monitored by international bodies, showed that 99 percent of the population - 95 percent outturn - was in favor of the independence. Other financial and political considerations showed that South Ossetia has all the means to self-rule.

Globwatch backs nations that seek independence when 75 percent or more of the population favors the independence, as is the case of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The process of independence should be monitored by international bodies so that it may unfold as peacefully as possible. An international involvement would not only prevent terrorist activities, it would also reaffirm the State's role as a national care-giver. But in the absence of any of these international bodies - because the world may still be turning around old patriarchal values of state-nations - Globwatch is very pleased to welcome the Republic of South Ossetia and Abkhasia in the international community of independent nations. This is GW's Policy on National Self-Determination. Also look at the Challenges of Independence.

Since the end of the war between Nato and the ex-yougoslavia that followed Serb ethnic cleansing in Kosovo against Albanians, Kosovo has sought to seperate officially from Serbia. The independence of Kosovo is morally fully justified and fullfills all GW's democratic principles, that is inhabitants living in Kosovo - comprised of 90% of Albanians - want independence from Serbia at a majority of 75% or more. Jerry Lee encourages States to play the rules of democracy and allow Separatists to decide on their own political destiny. Jerry Lee supports the will of Albanians from Kosovo as well as that of other Separatists in the world. Jerry Lee stands for Freedom, not for oppression. This is GW's Policy on National Self-Determination.

Regrettably, viable alternatives to Iraq's current instability have not been brought to the public's attention. Jerry Lee takes this opportunity to suggest one alternative that bases itself on two main arguments:

First, military interventions that assist governments while these export drugs or terrorism, or raise western military spending, are unsustainable over the long run.

Second, political systems are products of self national-determination alone, and cannot be imposed upon people and nations. Iraq is no exception to the rule.

Therefore, Jerry Lee proposes a plan of partitioning of Iraq based on the Ottoman's model, which includes three autonomous regions, each of which dominated by one ethnic group: the North by the Kurds, the Centre by the Sunnis and the South by the Shias; with Mosul, Baghdad and Basra as capital cities of each of these regions. Political systems in these regions should emerge freely without western influence. See partitioning map.

To finance social and economic development Jerry Lee recommends an equitable redistribution of national oil revenues to each of these regions.

To promote international security Jerry Lee, once again, strongly advises Allied nations to withdraw from combat zones and to pull out troops substantially from Iraq. Troops remaining in Iraq should be relocated in positions that can guarantee a smooth transition from offensive to intelligence leadership based on IFATA (Information Focused Anti-Terrorrism Action). Handover of transition should be given to general Petraeus, comander of US troops in Iraq, who will manage gw's Intel Based Leadership in the Middle-East.

"We have verified: North Korea's nuclear facilities have been shut down", IAEA Director General Mr El Baradei said.

1 million tons of oil shipped to North Korea as part of a deal shaped by Mr Hill, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs (see picture), is a cheap price to pay for such a substantial diplomatic success. But experts say much more will be required to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear program. Full integration of North Korea to the international community as expressed for Libya in the United States-Libya Relations Act 2005, is difficult to consider at this point.

Despite the progress, problems remain: for example, to quantify the exact amount of plutonium that was produced since 1986. Even though the production was frozen between 1994 and 2003 under the so-called Agreed Framework with the United States, an estimated 60 Kilograms of plutonium have been cumulated, and could be used for 4 to 13 nuclear weapons. Other problems include the risk of nuclear spread in terms of technology and material, should North Korea one day seek to reintegrate the community of nations.

All in all, this news shows that international sanctions, coupled with diplomacy, produce good results. Therefore, it is essential that would-be nuclear powers see the political and economical costs of pursuing nuclear technology without international cooperation. This said, Jerry Lee is an anti-nuclear activist who rejects upfront nuclear technology, because of the dangers it supposes to human health. For further details, please see gw's policy on International Sanctions and Nuclear Activity.

Watch this for an update on Anti-Nuclear Proliferation Policies in North Korea.

World political tensions increase as world leaders stick to policies that do not match with needs. Can we follow the same policies that converted oil into black gold? Are ties with oil-producing countries worthwhile, knowing carbon dioxide causes climate change and Western influence generates hate among Muslim extremists?

Strong leadership reflected in strong Middle-East policies may have to be questioned here, because we either can tell the world that the use of military force is needed to exploit oil resources and protect the free world against Terrorism, or we might just tell it that we can grow economically by developing existing and new sources of renewable energies, and stop climate change. As Western economic and political influence in the Middle East decreases, improved relations with Arab and Muslim conservatives around the world could be expected.

Jerry Lee believes Society could be better off, if the money spent in wars was invested into alternative, renewable sources of energy. Under these circumstances, a partial pull-out of Allied forces from Iraq, and completely from Afghanistan would make great sense. Instead of engaging Extremists in these remote regions, we could let them vanish on their own by engaging on how to build a cleaner world.

To know more about the reasons for partial vs complete pull-out of Allied troops from Iraq, please consult GW's policy on Iraq and Iran, GW's New Intelligence Leadership and public statement on Iraq Partioning: Inevitable!.

Fiji's military coup against the government of Qarase is a setback for human rights and freedoms in the world. It follows General Musharraf's coup in Pakistan in 1999, and Thailand's new military dictatorship last September. Here's a common ground between military rulers:

1) They think they can do it better,
2) they say the government they overthrow is corrupt, and
3) they promise to restore democracy.

Meawhile, none of them seem to know, that:

1) democracy is a system where people delegate power to chosen leaders,
2) corruption must be dealt with through the legal system, and
3) dictators are not less corrupt than the governments they overthrow.

Eventually, the promise they make to restore democracy is a fairy tale. Democrats do not sit at their table.

When General Pinochet overthrew Salvador Allende's democratically elected government in 1973, he thought he would do it better. A state of terror was erected that tortured and murdered freely thinking Chileans. Yesterday, General Pinochet died. Some mourned him, welcoming new putchists around the world. But Jerry Lee stands up and begs nations around the world not to sympathize with rulers who have no understanding of human rights and freedoms. Dictators must be shown as the evil face of humanity.

See also When History Repeats and references on human-right violations in the Iranian Islamic Republic's theocratic system of government.