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Journalism of Courage
The third front may be no more than an idea at the moment, but the CPM believes its search for a non-Congress, non-BJP 8220;third alternative8221; will finally emerge as it engages with the UPA on its policies. The party8217;s August campaign against the UPA8217;s policies is, according to its general secretary, a step towards the formation of a 8220;viable alternative8221; and the Left parties 8212; particularly the CPM 8212; would play a 8220;prominent role8221; in it. During a rally in Agartala he said the Congress, though not communal itself, was not ready to confront communal forces and was instead 8220;compromising8221; with the BJP and the RSS. The CPM believes that 8220;joint struggles8221; on this and other issues will provide the foundation for the third front. Karat8217;s statement assumes importance with the UP elections scheduled for early next year, and the SPan ally in the 8220;joint struggles8221; so far.
SEZ policy going awry
Israel8217;s fatal partnership
Is Israel a failed state? The CPM certainly believes so, as an article by S.M. Menon suggests. He refers to remarks by former US national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski that the neocon lobby 8220;dominates policy into successive disasters in West Asia8221;, and that would be fatal for America and ultimately for Israel. In Menon8217;s view the strategic partnership between the US and Israel to 8220;remake the political geography8221; of West Asia was in 8220;deep trouble8221;, evident from the fact that the 8220;Zionist state is yet to define its borders. It sees no way of securing itself, except through random and indiscriminate acts of terrorist violence against its neighbours and those living under its military tyranny8221;. A state with such a 8220;dubious record8221; was surely a failed state, and the final outcome that Brzezinski suggests 8220;may well be the most happy denouement8221;,
8212; Compiled by Ananda Majumdar
