Just thought I would bring up a little good international news I saw today..
First off is Zambia.
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10 years ago when Ed, Lynn and I went to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe was the country you stayed at to see the falls and animals. Zambia, across the river, was a little dicey. Eddie and I walked over the bridge (for passport stamps :-), but you really didn't go.
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Well, in the interviening 10 years, Zimbabwe has been beset by a horrible government gone corrupt - and Zambia has become more and more a country of laws.
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This year, after 20 years of rule by one party, there was an election in Zambia. The governing party lost. But the amazing part is that there was an orderly change of government - and the losers left. It doesn't sound like much to us in America, but it is a big deal in Africa.
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The second news is more in the line of don't believe what you hear.
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Turkey is a democratic country, and it's civilian government is acting in ways that annoy Israel and her unquestioning supporters in the United States. They have downgraded relations with Israel after the attack on the freighter trying to break the blockade of Gaza. The Israeli military killed 7 Turkish citizens, plus an American of Turkish descent. Turkey wants an apology from Israel (since the all investigations, including the Israeli one - said there was excessive use of force). Israel said no, and relations have gone south.
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Well, this has to do with Turkey and Syria. Turkey is appalled by the Syrian government's attack on their own citizens. They have not only broke off diplomatic relations with Syria but have imposed a naval blockade to prevent arms being delivered, since they are being used to kill civilians. Turkey just stopped a second shipment of small arms from Iran to Syria. Good for them.
