In 2006, the earth could hardly be called a peaceful planet. Wars, conflicts and preparations for more wars and conflicts seemed to monopolize the newspapers and make their way onto this list of “Top Ten News Stories of 2006”.
1. Upheaval In Iraq Perhaps more dominant than any other news story of 2006 is the ongoing strife in Iraq. Naturally this is true in the United States because of the presence of American troops in the midst of the conflicted area. But the ongoing civil strife (even if not an announced “civil war”), in Iraq also holds the potential for enveloping the entire area in a more general conflict between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims and among Christians, Jews and Muslims.
2.Nuclear Testing by North Korea Long showing signs of aggression, in 2006, North Korea seemed to step across the line of acceptable behavior in the international community by conducting what appears to have been underground nuclear testing. This provocative act threatens regional peace and stability in China, Japan and South Korea. The action by the North Koreans also created world wide anxiety about the proliferation of nuclear weapons that might be sold to terrorist groups in the black market.
3.Genocide in Darfour . Nuclear weapons are not the only way to destroy enemies or move on to the list of Top Ten News Stories in 2006. In the Darfour region of the Sudan, militias don’t yet use nuclear devices but continue to carry out ethnic cleansing, a sad euphemism for genocide, against non-Arab people. Their hatred has led them to burn villages, execute civilians and force millions into exile and starvation with little international assistance coming forward.
4.Resurgence of the Taliban After some years of respite, the radical Muslim group, the Taliban, has resurfaced violently in Afghanistan in 2006. As long as Taliban elements remain and are confrontational, they continue to be a deadly and uncomfortable distraction from the larger conflict in Iraq and continue to take innocent human life.
5.The Presence of Hezbollah in Lebanon. The war in Iraq and the encounters in Afghanistan should contain enough violent elements for one area of the globe. But in nearby Lebanon, the seeds for continuing unrest between Jews and Muslims are being sown by the presence of Hezbollah. The kidnapping of Jewish soldiers by this radical group led to days of rocket and mortar exchange which took some lives and terrorized entire national populations in Israel and Lebanon.The possibility of a renewed flare up continues to exist in this troubled area.
6.The Sentencing of Saddam Hussein Once the unquestioned ruler of Iraq, Saddam Hussein was tried in Iraqi courts and found guilty of murdering more than 100 of his own countrymen. The guilty verdict carries with it a sentence of death. The carrying out of that sentence is expected to be similar to throwing kerosene on a fire. Massive protests and more violence are predictable outcomes.
7. The U. S. Holds Mid-Term Elections At least in part due to the ineffective handling of the U. S. involvement in Iraq, President Bush suffered a major set back in the midterm Congressional elections. In November of 2006, Americans voted in Democratic Party majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate, sending a powerful message for change in national direction.
8.Iran Insists on It’s Right to Nuclear Power. In the middle of one of the most volatile areas in the world, Iran has begun to demonstrate serious interest in developing its own nuclear capacity. If there is any need for another destabilizing event in 2006, this effort on the part of the Iranian leadership to force its way into the nuclear club is surely it.
9.Osama Bin Laden Still Free. As 2006 draws to a close, Osama Bin Laden, America’s most lethal and hated enemy, remains hidden and at large. Despite the best efforts of American and allied intelligence, the man who has most jeopardized American security at home and abroad is no closer to being found and brought to Justice in 2006 then he was in 2005.
10. Pope Benedict Visits Turkey In perhaps one mildly positive event in 2006, Pope Benedict visited the largely Muslim populated state of Turkey. Despite threats and protests against Pope Benedict’s visit, the pontiff ventured outside the Vatican in the cause of regional and world peace and was received graciously by Muslim clerics.
The Top Ten News Stories of 2006 give us much to look forward to in 2007. Even a quick reading of this list of violence and terror gives credibility to the idea that next year’s top ten news stories can only get better.
