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China's Relationship With the United States (PBS - Frontline) Discusses the delicate political and economic relationship between China and the USA, with a special emphasis on the role of Taiwan. The discussion is called "Dangerous Straits." 10-02 Essay - John McCain Should Switch Parties and Run for President Again (The Washington Monthly - Green) "Deep down, what worries them [Democrats] is the growing sense that none of these candidates can beat Bush. Doing that will require someone with the perfect combination of qualities: the ability to match Bush's greatest strength (military leadership), exploit his greatest weakness (shameless ties to special interests), and offer a fresh, appealing agenda of his own. More and more, an honest survey of Democratic contenders suggests that unless the political winds change, the likeliest outcome is: four more years of George W. Bush." "There is an alternative, but it isn't one that most people have considered. In fact, the best Democrat may be someone who's no Democrat at all: Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). As a war hero who's hawkish on foreign policy, he more than matches Bush on the military front. As a reform-minded foe of corporate welfare, Big Tobacco, and the Republican right, he is peerless. McCain is Bush's most vociferous critic, voted against the president's tax cut, forced his hand on campaign finance reform, and federalized airport security in the face of White House opposition. He has co-sponsored numerous bills with Democrats--many of them in the presidential-aspirant class--requiring background checks at gun shows (Lieberman), a patients' bill of rights (Edwards), better fuel-efficiency standards in cars and SUVs (Kerry), and expanded national service programs (Bayh). He is even drafting a bill with Lieberman to reduce greenhouse gasses and mitigate global warming." 12-02 Geneva Convention on Treatment of Prisoners of War (University of Minnesota) Provides the rules, adopted by most countries, for treatment of prisoners of war. Killing, torturing, starving, injuring, mistreating, or failing to provide medical assistance for prisoners of war is a war crime. 11-01 Homeland Security Department Created (BBC News) "US President George W Bush has signed the Homeland Security Act, creating a huge new government department." "The Department of Homeland Security will have nearly 170,000 employees and merge the functions of 22 existing agencies" and will have a budget of $40 billion. Tom Ridge will be the head of the new department. 11-02 Islamic Reformation and the Trial of Hashem Aghajari (Iranian.com - The New York Times - Friedman) "What's going on in Iran today is, without question, the most promising trend in the Muslim world. It is a combination of Martin Luther and Tiananmen Square - a drive for an Islamic reformation combined with a spontaneous student-led democracy movement." Hashem Aghajari has been sentenced to death for calling for reformation in Iran. "Watch this story. It's the most important trial in the world today.""This [Islamic reformation] movement faces a formidable opponent in Iran's conservative clerical leadership. It can't provide a quick fix to what ails relations between Islam and the West today. There is none. But it is still hugely important, because it reflects a deepening understanding by many Iranian Muslims that to thrive in the modern era they, and other Muslims, need an Islam different from the lifeless, anti-modern, anti-Western fundamentalism being imposed in Iran and propagated by the Saudi Wahhabi clerics. This understanding is the necessary condition for preventing the brewing crisis between Islam and the West -- which was triggered by 9/11 -- from turning into a war of civilizations." 12-02 Law to Stop Pornography in Libraries Goes to U.S. Supreme Court (CNN - ) "The Supreme Court said Tuesday it will decide if public libraries can be forced to install software blocking sexually explicit Web sites." 11-02 Republican Victory - Next Steps for Democrats (MSNBC News - Curry) "With Tuesday’s Republican take-over of the Senate, the Democrats have lost their ability to set a legislative agenda and gain publicity through Senate hearings. The energy of the party’s most talented activists will shift to Iowa and New Hampshire, where the first contests of the 2004 presidential nominating process will take place in only 14 months." Highlights Senator John Edwards as a potential contender for president in 2004. 11-02 Republican Victory - Next Steps for Republicans (Bloomberg - Donmoyer) "The Republicans' sweep in congressional elections gives President George W. Bush new power to press for tax cuts and initiatives supported by the oil, pharmaceutical and defense industries." 11-02 Republican Victory - Next Steps for Republicans (MSNBC News) "Riding an election wave that put Republicans in control of the House and Senate, the Bush administration on Wednesday made clear it would move quickly on two priorities: creating a homeland defense agency and stimulating the economy with permanent tax breaks. The House had already been held by Republicans, but Tuesday’s midterm election saw Democrats lose the Senate when their candidates lost in Missouri and Georgia." 11-02 Senator Lott Resigns as Majority Leader (USA Today - Morris) "A beleaguered Trent Lott stepped aside Friday as Senate Republican leader two weeks after igniting a political firestorm with racially charged remarks, and Tennessee's Bill Frist emerged as his all but certain successor when the GOP takes over the chamber next month." 12-02 Senator Lott and the Position of Senate Majority Leader (MSNBC) "The majority leader is equal parts psychologist, deal-maker, diplomat and scheduler. His job is to keep the Senate running in a manner that keeps his fellow majority party members happy." 12-02