Word: standoff
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...popularly elected Islamic-leaning government that has held power-with considerable success-since November 2002. An ad hoc coalition of opposition parties, the military and parts of the judiciary, often referred to in Turkey as the "secular establishment," has in recent days derailed the presidential selection process in a standoff that underscores a more fundamental clash between the country's urban, secularist élites and its increasingly Islamic political class...
...Jack Bauer-esque terrorist standoff, is it ethical to torture a horse if it would compel a terrorist to reveal the location of a ticking bomb and save thousands of lives? At the April 24 “Facing Animals” colloquium, this scenario is presented as one of many to explore the controversial nuances of ethical animal treatment. “I think our intuitions provide clear direction. We ought to torture the horse,” says Patricia Herzog, panelist and author. Not all panelists agree: Martha C. Nussbaum, a professor of law and ethics...
...crisis, which was sparked by secular opposition to the nomination for the presidency of Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, a politician with an Islamist background. The Turkish lira, for example, rebounded on the news after two days of sharp losses. But that vote will not necessarily resolve the standoff between Turkey's Justice and Development Party, or AKP as it is known by its Turkish initials, and Turkey's "secular establishment," including the military. In fact, if the AKP is returned with a stronger majority, which is a possibility, some analysts are not ruling out the possibility of the military mounting...
...tempted to try to shift attention away from past mistakes by pursuing a breakthrough in negotiations with the Palestinians, or even with Syria - or, conversely, by taking action against Iran, although Olmert has toned down his statements on this front and emphasized diplomacy as the solution to the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program. But given the level of public confidence in his ability to protect Israel's national security, he may not be given the latitude to make any dramatic moves...
...Bekaa clans are notoriously determined in matters of honor and revenge, which is why Hizballah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah took the unusual step of twice emerging from hiding to deliver personal pleas for restraint to the Shamas family. Hizballah is deeply worried that the political crisis created by the standoff between the opposition bloc that it leads and the Western-backed government is aggravating sectarian tensions...