After 13 years, the crippling sanctions imposed on Iraq have finally been lifted. Unfortunately this is one of the few good things to come out of the "liberation" of Iraq and the benefits must be balanced with the fact that the UN Security Council Resolution which lifted them also legitimises the US/UK invasion and will simply make it easier for the occupying forces to exploit Iraq's resources.

Meanwhile the Indonesian army has launced a devestating attack against Aceh in order to defeat the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). This is reminiscent of Indonesian attrocities in East Timor prior to the country's achieving independence - even down to the use of Hawk jets provided by the British government. Anyone remember the "Ethical Foreign Policy"? Once more unto the memory hole, once more...

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