'Eyes of the World'

ANNE HUNT is our Eurozone Political Editor and TV Commentator. This page links to 'brief extracts' from some of her many newspaper articles which are syndicated throughout our various Eurozone newspaper outlets.

Whatever one thinks of the policies of Premier Netanyahu and the Republic for building housing on Palestinian Land, in actual fact it is the Arabs nations themselves who are tearing the Middle East apart.

The conficts bertween factions of Islam in Syria, Iraq and even Libya - an internal war in Syria where the children are the real sufferers and daily explosions in Iraq as sectarian groups tear families and citizens apart.

Yet, without fanfare or the blowing of trumpets, in Northern Israel it is Israeli Doctors, working without pay or reward who are attending to the casualities that pour across it's border daily.

The Surgeons don't mention the terms Arab or Israeli, they follow the 'hippocratic oath,' which in many western countries is now a joke. In the Uk and many parts of affluent Europe one goes to medical school with the express purpose of having a job which brings in a healthy income, not because of any humane feelings. Granted, there are many exceptions and those who become doctors for altruistic reasons, but how many of those are there?

The injured children who come across the Golan Heights are given the same treatment and care that any Israli child gets. There is no discrimination.

Qatar and Saudi Arabia are oil rich countries with more money than Table Cloths on their heads and yet they are providing the rebels in Syria with weaponry, but who has heard of any Hospital set up with their money on the Jordanian and Syrian border with Arab money? There are none! The bottom line of this demonizing of Israel is: There is no pain that Israel has ever melted out to the Post-Ottoman Arabs of the Middle East that comes within a million miles of what the Arabs have dished out to each other.

IT'S MOST CONFUSING AS TO WHY ISRAEL IS CALLED THE BAD GUY OF THE MIDDLE EAST

Anyone who knows their history is aware that most other 'non-British' nationalities - from the history of civilisation in what we now call, Britain was always composed of different peoples. The Celts, Saxons and Vikings all of whom came to Britain as the result of various invasions, making the British the most ethnically composite of all European peoples. But, even that far back, there was integration. Isolated ghettos didn't last long and eventually the common tongue evolved to the common language we now all use, English.

Through each era it contributed to a state of mind that was synonymous with fair play, best personified in the game of cricket. Hence the expression; if it isn't fair, "it just isn't cricket."Helping out neighbours, being courteous and polite, tucking in to fight a common enemy, yes, and being a gentleman and playing by the rules of that 'code' of behaviour, all finally culminating into a strength of character we call Britishness which undoubtedly reached it's peak during World War Two.The essence of camaraderie of being British was never more evident than during 1939 and 1945.
London suffered more than any other part of Britain during the blitz, and never at any other time in history was there more nationalistic pride in being British. What has gone wrong? Is it because modern multi-culturalism doesn't allow us to give a damn whether our neighbour speaks English, Urdu or Arabic? Or that we haven't been strong or proud enough in our patriotic convictions to enforce it?

    Boris Johnson, Mayor of London came into office, and for a while his flamboyant, outspoken manner - coupled with his private school accent, dischevelled, eccentric and boyish qualities, as well as his acerbic wit and rather dry sense of humour, lured many into thinking he was a refreshing change for the city. It's taken a few years of listening to his off the cuff, long winded waffle to realize Boris is full of as much hot air as a Thames Estuary storm. His political ambitions have put him into conflict with his Tory masters - he won't like that last word - in Westminster, who see him more of a Conservative rebel than an asset.Boris is very quick to take the credit for anything good that happens - like the Olympic Games in 2012 - and just as quick to apportion blame - as in the riots - to anyone else he can, including Scotland Yard. But, when the much loved 'British Treasure' and exceedingly talented funny man, John Cleese told an Australian  audience recently that London had totally lost it's Britishness, Johnson was as quick as Speedy Gonzales to criticize Cleese and declare he was "way off base." Britishness, as Cleese described it, has nothing to do with ethnic cosmopolitanism, race or colour. He was referring to a way of life that was once very British.  Not Fish 'n' Chips, stuffy upper lips or overtly gentlemanly behaviour - although the latter is a minor part of it. Many have tried to define what it means to be British, it is something you can't quite put your finger on - but you know it, when you see it - and there's not a lot of it out there today. Why debators bring race into it, I don't know. There are Black and Asian residents of England who are as British as any Anglo.

'Whitey' Bulger''

His long reign of terror could have ended with his arrest when head of the Winter Hill Gang in 1973. He was arrested for the alleged murder of an Andover resident in the North End 40 years ago. Al Plummer, 49, was murdered by Bulger's gang in 1973 as part of a hit on the 'Indian Al gang.' Somehow he reached a deal with the FBI as an informant. His crimes went on - unpunished - and the murders accumulated, until finally, he had to flee. Tipped off by his own FBI handler. He dumped the girl he left with and took up with Dental Hygienist, Catherine Grieg. Before her arrest last week after 16 years on the run with Bulger, the 60-year-old had been by his side for more than three decades. Her love of beauty treatments was his downfall. Age was his disguise - her age, his final nemesis.

While I consider the USA my third home, after the UK and France, I am never sure what hat to wear every time I land here from Europe. As both the UK and France are allies in NATO conflicts, one might reasonably presume that a Journalist who has worked in the USA, has a home in the USA and has been here more times than a British BA airline pilot and just about knows everyone at immigration on a first name basis, would not be a suspect. But,to Americans since 9/11, everyone from Europe is a suspect. A potential Terrorist.

That 'special relationship' we hear so much about in England is not an expression foremost in Immigration official's vocabluary. We may fight wars together, but there it ends. Should we call it paranoia, or have we failed to recognise that what happened to the Twin Towers on that fatefull day on 9/11, altered the USA forever?
I think it's a little bit of both!

The USA is a big country with very porous borders and I'm sure it's far easier to get a pound or two of cocaine across from Mexico into Texas than get a nail file in through an international airplane terminal. It makes sense. Airplanes are vulnerable and soft targets and 'Terrorists' fly in, they seldom come on foot or horseback. Budding 'Pancho Villas' or even major drug Cartels have no wish to bring economic chaos to their main market place in the world.

So, next time Fred Bloggs and his wife Ethel from Clacton-on-Sea on holiday to touch down at any major airport in the USA expecting a clap on the shoulder from a friendly American Official who sprouts out: "Have a nice Holiday, folks, we love you Brits and the way you always help us out in war zones when we're getting a little short in the Cannon Fodder area," - so don't be too upset when you are instead faced with a very abrupt, 'OK. What are we carrying today that we shouldn't have, and while you are thinking that one over, pal , I want to know why your passport shows you visited
'Saudi Arabia' last year. Didn't you know that's where Bin Laden was born? Why are you both
really here and who gave you permission
to have an uncle in Jersey named Ali?

Soothsayer and charlatan might have something up his sleeve and perhaps was in cahoots with David Copperfield, many had their Camera shutters at the ready to 'Capture Rapture' for the very first time. Or at least, for Harold to use his ears to jumbo-them through outer space to Paradise.

Harold's profitable set up, Family Radio International spent millions broadcasting the prediction. So, where was Harold when the catalyst failed to materialize?

Apparently, he was so embarrassed he failed his maths test, he hid out in a motel with his wife and sent out an apology for not using his pocket calculator accurately. And, what about the people who had given away their life's savings. Did Harold have words of solace for them? Sure thing! 'We are not in the Financial Advice Business,' said Harold before he went out to buy a new calculator.

Known to most, as the leader of the 70 odd million followers of the Church of England  and to others, as, 'Merlin the Meddler.' Someone who has always been a controversial figure and who appears to love being a 'white-bearded, fearless pulpit warrior.' While few see him as a true intellectual, he plays that role and comments - from time to time - on matters that are well beyond his constitutional charter. Unlike the Pope in Rome, a man who has never interferred with state affairs or political matters, Williams has put in his 'two Bob's' worth on many matters of which he has no expertise.

Recently, he criticised the Obama Government for going in and 'Seal-ing' Bin Laden's fate for good. Then, had the 'Audacity of Biblical Hope' to turn up at The State dinner held by the Queen for the Obamas. Many saw that as rank hypocrisy.

Dr Rowan Williams Archbishop

of Canterbury

To many a Pakistani, the Father of al Qaeda had gone. Was this their first chance at seeing peace in their troubled country? A country where only one out of every ten adults were employed. A country that relied very deeply on foreign aid from the USA - to the tune of over $3.5 Billion a year - to keep them afloat. They still need that aid, perhaps even more than the US needs their anti-terrorist co-operation. While there were murmerings among those in high places that their territorial rights had been infringed by the 'Seals' attack, they seemed more offended that they had not been told of the incursion in advance. They had not been trusted by their ally.