Yes, there are death panels. Its members won't even know whose deaths they are causing. But under the health care bill sponsored by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, Montana Democrat, death panels will indeed exist - oh so cleverly disguised as accountants. The offending provision is on Pages 80-81 of the unamended Baucus bill, hidden amid a lot of similar legislative mumbo-jumbo about Medicare payments to doctors. The key sentence: "Beginning in 2015, payment would be reduced by five percent if an aggregation of the physician's resource use is at or above the 90th percentile of national utilization." Translated into plain English, it means that in any year in which a particular doctor's average per-patient Medicare costs are in the top 10 percent in the nation, the feds will cut the doctor's payments by 5 percent. The National Right to Life Committee concludes that this provision will cause a "death spiral" by "ensur[ing] that doctors are forced to ration care for their senior citizen patients." Every 10th doctor in the country will fall victim to it. Libertarian columnist Nat Hentoff calls the provision "insidious" and writes that "the nature of our final exit" will be very much at risk. As it is in Great Britain, where thousands of cancer patients each year die prematurely due to lack of treatment, the inevitable result of government care could be the same for many Americans as if an actual panel decided case-by-case to euthanize them. The Baucus provision would only exacerbate this bureaucratic preference for death by proxy.
Osama bin Laden is warning that Al Qaeda could retaliate against Europe for its alliance with the United States in the war in Afghanistan. Bin laden says in a new audiotape posted on Islamic Web sites Friday that Europe should pull out of the coalition with the United States, warning that it shares blame for NATO airstrikes in Afghanistan that have killed civilians. Addressing Europeans, he asks, "how do think you will fare after America pulls out — Allah permitting — for us to retaliate from the oppressor on behalf of the oppressed?"
President Dmitry Medvedev said he might not object to swapping jobs with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, as the ruling duo kept Russia guessing about their plans. Asked during a meeting with American students at the University of Pittsburgh whether he was prepared to exchange places with his powerful mentor Putin, Medvedev said he wouldn't mind as long as he could be helpful. "If it is useful for the country, I am ready to work in any position," he said. "The job of a president is a rather difficult thing. I can also tell you that the job of a prime minister is also a difficult thing. So there's not much difference in this sense." Medvedev nevertheless reiterated that he would not rule out running for re-election as president, despite speculation that Putin may want to return to the Kremlin post he held before stepping down in favor of his ally. "If I work well, if everything I do turns out fine, if the Russian people trusts me, why not run? This is absolutely normal." Analysts are closely watching Russia's ruling tandem for any signs of possible discord and some wonder whether Medvedev is willing to break out from Putin's embrace and strike out on his own. In the biggest hint so far that he may come back to the Kremlin, Putin said earlier this month he and Medvedev would not compete in the 2012 election but would "come to an agreement" as they were people of "the same blood."
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has told the UN General Assembly a "Berlin wall" had divided his country into two parts since the military conflict with Russia in August 2008. Speaking last of 35 state representatives to take the podium on Thursday at the 64th session of the UN General Assembly, Saakashvili added that Georgia's territorial integrity must be restored. Russia recognized the independence of the former Georgian republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia last August after a five-day war with Georgia over the latter, which was attacked by Tbilisi in an attempt to bring it back under central control. "Tragically, Georgia today like Germany a generation ago is a nation with a deep wound running through her," Saakashvili said. The Georgian president said the "wall that runs through the middle of Georgia" had been "built by an outside force." He called Abkhazia "the birthplace of Georgian civilization" and vowed that it would again be part of Georgia. "It will take time, but Abkhazia I'm sure will once again be what it was - the most wonderful part of Georgia," he said. Saakashvili did not refer specifically to South Ossetia, but said a year ago his country was "invaded." He did not identify Georgia's attackers, but said "their predecessors" had previously invaded Poland, Finland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan, and also "erased" Grozny, the capital of the Russian North Caucasus republic of Chechnya. Saakashvili also defended himself against accusations of autocratic rule from Georgian opposition groups, saying his presidency was very democratic, adding that demonstrations against his government were a manifestation of freedom.
Serbian President Boris Tadić will address the 64th UN General Assembly today, which is being attended by over 100 heads of state and government. Tadić has held a series of bilateral meetings during his stay in New York, visited Columbia University where he gave a lecture on the theme “Opportunity amidst Crisis: Consolidating the European Future of the Western Balkans,“ and attended a round table on climate change. He has met with the presidents of the U.S. and Russia, Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev respectively, European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and many other officials. The bilateral meetings Tadić held with international officials in New York focused mainly on the process of Serbia's EU integration and its endeavors to preserve its territorial integrity and sovereignty in Kosovo through peaceful means, by insisting on compliance with international law. There was also talk of economic cooperation and prospects for investing in Serbia. The Serbian state delegation headed by Tadić will do all it can during the UN General Assembly session and debate to deter states from recognition of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence. The president is convinced there will be no mass recognitions of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence despite international pressure, the state delegation told Tanjug.
Allow me a few observations on Simon Tisdall's World briefing on Cyprus (23 September). Cyprus's forcible division, following the Turkish invasion and occupation, dates back to 1974. In 2004, most Cypriots (75%) did not think that the Annan plan was "their best chance"; a plan which, if approved, would have given Turkey the right of unilateral military intervention all over Cyprus, with the permanent presence of its troops on the island. A democratic decision of a sovereign people should be respected. We demand nothing more. Cyprus acceded to the EU after long negotiations, having fulfilled all relevant requirements. Due to the Turkish military occupation of part of the island, the European acquis was suspended in that part. This suspension has a temporary geographical character. The Turkish Cypriots, who are citizens of the Republic of Cyprus, enjoy all rights and benefits that membership in the EU entails. These cannot, however, be extended to the illegal settlers, who are citizens of Turkey. When Cyprus was granted candidate EU status, in March 1995, Turkey was given, in return, the customs union agreement. This remains unimplemented by Ankara, vis-a-vis the Republic of Cyprus. I will not disagree with David Hannay that Turkey's ambition is inseparable from a Cyprus settlement. But I will reverse the argument: as long as Turkey fails to comply with its European obligations, as long as it violates international law, human rights and UN security council resolutions, and continues in practice to pursue a two-state solution in Cyprus, it is obvious that its prospects for membership will not be advanced. Alexandros Zenon, Cyprus high commissioner.
On this week's CRTL podcast, Fr. Demetrios Tonias will begin the first of a four part series. We'll be discussing Christianity and Judaism in the first four centuries, which is something many of us don't know a great deal about. In a short segment, we will continue discussing issue of unity of the Orthodox in North America with Rev.Nicholas Apostala, a member of the Study and Planning commission of SCOBA.