When Palestinians were still preparing to welcome the fresh morning air, Israeli warplanes rained them more than 100 tons of bombs killing at least 230 people. Again and again, the Israeli government said the open-ended raid was aimed at stopping rocket attacks that have traumatized southern Israel. Indeed, most of the casualties were security forces, but Palestinian officials said at least 15 civilians were among the dead. More than 400 people were also wounded.

Again and again, every time there is such an attack, the Arab world, the Israel’s Western allies and many more countries around the globe condemn. And again and again the U.S. blamed Hamas for the fighting. The U.S., Israel’s closest ally, blamed Hamas stating that “these people are nothing but thugs, so Israel is going to defend its people against terrorists like Hamas that indiscriminately kill their own people,” White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
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Let’s decide our side; take the good or the evil. It’s definitely clear that Israeli are the evils, but why do we still pretend to be blind?

It’s God’s purpose to create the Israeli to live on earth in order that we are able to think logically right. As God has created lions, tigers or as such. Israeli exist to banish the good and to create the bad all around the world in collaboration with their accomplices in business as well as in politics.
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Iran strong stand on holding their perseverance to develop modern weapons is proved by the successful test of long-range missiles on Wednesday, July 7, 2009. Iran is always on the move. A country of Ayatollah in the middle east being rich in oil has never become a yellow streak to any pressure coming from the USA or Europe. Mahmoud Ahamadinnejad is the man who lately leads Iran to bravely confront the agitators and invaders trying to conquer the country. His stand against nuclear issue putting the country on the “a must spy” country is obvious: Fight for it.

The weapons have “special capabilities” and included missiles launched from naval ships in the Persian Gulf, along with torpedoes and surface-to-surface missiles. A brief video clip showed two missiles being fired simultaneously in the darkness.

Among the missiles Iran tested Wednesday was a new version of the Shahab-3, which has distant reach 1,250 miles and is armed with a 1-ton conventional warhead. That would put Israel, Turkey, the Arabian peninsula, Afghanistan and Pakistan all within striking distance.

Wednesday’s missile tests were conducted at the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which about 40 percent of the world’s oil passes. Iran has threatened to shut down traffic in the strait if attacked. Oil prices jumped on news of Wednesday’s tests, rising $1.44 to $137.48 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The test is likely to prove that Iran is a sovereign country which has the right to go on developing their technology in weapons as well as in nuclear. However, Iran government always keep the words consistently that all such development activities are for peace purpose and for future alternative energy stock.

Why bother? If America and their alliance can and always keep on modernizing their missiles and as such, a country like Iran also has the same right.

As a matter of fact, not all parties are able to meet the rules for an approval of their existence as well as of their right. Some are due to the lack of the factual data of personnels. Others are due to their absence of minimum number of required branch offices.

Though, the 18 parties are new, in terms of personnels they are actually just a reincarnation of the old ones which failed to meet the threshold in 2004 general election. Again, old faces are all behind the parties. Then, the spirit brought to 2008 democratic feast is likely just similar to the one in 2004. Nothing new. So, there is nothing to expect from 2009 election but a routine five-yearly feast.

Indonesia at this time is actually in dire need of fresh-blooded faces who can bring new spirit in its political management in order that the country can recover from the long-run multidimensional crisis (1998 - up to now). As we know that the crisis have drawn the country into a serious problems of unemployment, poverty, criminality, human trafficking, prostitution, or illiteracy. All these are to be resolved by those who are elected through 2009 election.

So how can there be so many parties established if the problems Indonesia faces are just the same? Why don’t they just unite to strengthen two or three parties so that it will be easier to carry out the job developing the country? Many parties, various interests. It means that it will be more difficult to parallelize points of ideas to reach one goal. What mostly happens is a long argument, tug-of-war, or futile debate in making a decision on one issue. People are dying out there while the representatives are wasting time.

Indonesia needs urgent action to make the country fit. And it is the young people who “hopefully” have such a sense. There should a figure like “Barack Obama” who challenge the old wrecked politicians of this country if crisis recovery is the primary goal. Or because there is a big amount money each political party will get from government so everybody is eager to establish one since the government has allocated Rp 6.667 trillion to fund the 2009 elections.

Below is a list of the 34 political parties qualifying for 2009 General Election:

A. Old Parties:

1. Partai Amanat Nasional (PAN)
2. Partai Bintang Reformasi (PBR)
3. Partai Bulan Bintang (PBB)
4. Partai Damai Sejahtera (PDS)
5. Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan (PDIP)
6. Partai Demokrasi Kebangsaan (PDK)
7. Partai Demokrat (PD)
8. Partai Golkar
9. Partai Karya Peduli Bangsa (PKPB)
10. Partai Keadilan dan Persatuan Indonesia (PKPI)
11. Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS)
12. Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (PKB)
13. PNI Marhaenisme
14. Partai Pelopor
15. Partai Penegak Demokrasi Indonesia (PPDI)
16. Partai Persatuan Pembangunan (PPP).
In English
1. Golkar Party
2. Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
3. United Development Party (PPP)
4. Democratic Party
5. National Mandate Party (PAN)
6. National Awakening Party (PKB)
7. Prosperous Justice Party (PKS)
8. Star Reform Party (PBR)
9. Prosperous Peace Party (PDS)
10. Crescent Star Party (PBB)
11. National Democratic United Party
12. Pioneers’ Party
13. National Concerned Workers’ Party
14. Marhaenism Indonesian National Party
15. Justice and United Indonesian Party
16. Indonesian Democracy Upholders Party.

B. New Parties:

1. Partai Bangsa Nasional (PBN), 24 provinsi
2. Partai Demokrasi Pembaruan (PDP), 27 provinsi
3. Partai Gerakan Indonesia Raya (Gerindra), 31 provinsi
4. Partai Hati Nurani Rakyat (Hanura), 33 provinsi
5. Partai Indonesia Sejahtera (PIS), 33 provinsi
6. Partai Karya Perjuangan (PKP), 22 provinsi
7. Partai Kasih Demokrasi Indonesia (PKDI), 25 provinsi
8. Partai Kebangkitan Nasional Ulama (PKNU), 25 provinsi
9. Partai Kedaulatan, 23 provinsi
10. Partai Matahari Bangsa (PMB), 25 provinsi
11. Partai Nasional Banteng Kemerdekaan (PNBK), 25 provinsi
12. Partai Patriot, 23 provinsi
13. Partai Buruh Rakyat Nasional (PBRN), 23 provinsi
14. Partai Pemuda Indonesia (PPI), 23 provinsi
15. Partai Pengusaha dan Pekerja Indonesia (PPPI), 23 provinsi
16. Partai Perjuangan Indonesia Baru (PPIB), 22 provinsi
17. Partai Persatuan Daerah (PPD), 22 provinsi
18. Partai Republik Nusantara (PRN), 22 provinsi
In English
1. People’s Conscience Party (Hanura), Leader: Wiranto
2. National People’s Concern Party (PPRN), Leader: Amelia Yani
3. Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Leader: Suhardi
4. Indonesian Youth Party (PPI), Leader: Hasanuddin Yusuf
5. National Sun Party (PMB), Leader: Imam Addaruqutni
6. Democratic Reform Party (PDP), Leader: Roy Janis
7. Indonesian National Populist Fortress Party (PNBKI), Leader: Eros Djarot
8. Ulema National Awakening Party (PKNU), Leader: Choirul Anam
9. National Front Party (Barnas), Leader: Roy Sembel
10. Archipelago Republic Party (PRN), Leader: Lt. Gen. (ret) Syahrir
11. Sovereignty Party, Leader: Ibrahim Basrah
12. Indonesian Democratic Party of Devotion (PKDI), Leader: Stefanus Roy Rening
13. Prosperous Indonesia Party (PIS), Leader: Budiyanto Darmastono
14. Functional Party of Struggle (PKP), Leader: Jackson Andre William
15. Patriot Party, Leader: Yapto S. Soerjosumarsono
16. Regional Unity Party (PPD), Leader: Oesman Sapta
17. Indonesian Workers and Employers Party (PPPI), Leader: Daniel Hutapea
18. New Indonesia Party of Struggle (PIBP), Leader: Nurmala Kartini Sjahrir

Below are 24 political parties in 2004 General election:

1. Partai Nasional Indonesia Marhaenisme
2. Partai Buruh Sosial Demokrat
3. Partai Bulan Bintang
4. Partai Merdeka
5. Partai Persatuan Pembangunan
6. Partai Persatuan Demokrasi Kebangsaan
7. Partai Perhimpunan Indonesia Baru
8. Partai Nasional Benteng Kemerdekaan
9. Partai Demokrat
10. Partai Keadilan dan Persatuan Indonesia
11. Partai Penegak Demokrasi Indonesia
12. Partai Nasional Nahdatul Ummah Indonesia
13. Partai Amanat Nasional
14. Partai Karya Peduli Bangsa
15. Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa
16. Partai Keadilan Sejahtera
17. Partai Bintang Demokrasi
18. Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan
19. Partai Damai Sejahtera
20. Partai Golongan Karya
21. Partai Patriot Pancasila
22. Partai Sarikat Indonesia
23. Partai Persatuan Daerah
24. Partai Pelopor

Below are 48 political parties joining 1998 General Election:

1. Partai Indonesia Baru
2. Partai Kristen Nasional Indonesia
3. Partai Nasional Indonesia
4. Partai Aliansi Demokrat Indonesia
5. Partai Kebangkitan Muslim Indonesia
6. Partai Ummat Islam
7. Partai Kebangkitan Umat
8. Partai Masyumi Baru
9. Partai Persatuan Pembangunan
10. Partai Syarikat Islam indonesia
11. Partai Demokrasi Indonesia Perjuangan
12. Partai Abul Yatama
13. Partai Kebangsaan Merdeka
14. Partai Demokrasi Kasih Bangsa
15. Partai Amanat Nasional
16. Partai Rakyat Demokrat
17. Partai Syarikat Islam Indonesia - 1905
18. Partai Katolik Demokrat
19. Partai Pilihan Rakyat
20. Partai Rakyat Indonesia
21. Partai Politik Islam Indonesia Masyumi
22. Partai Bulan Bintang
23. Partai Solidaritas Pekerja
24. Partai Keadilan
25. Partai Nahdlatul Ummat
26. Partai Nasional Indonesia - Front Marhaenis
27. Partai Ikatan Pendukung Kemerdekaan Indonesia
28. Partai Republik
29. Partai Islam Demokrat
30. Partai Nasional Indonesia - Massa Marhaen
31. Partai Musyawarah Rakyat Banyak
32. Partai Demokrasi Indonesia
33. Partai Golongan Karya
34. Partai Persatuan
35. Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa
36. Partai Uni Demokrasi Indonesia
37. Partai Buruh Nasional
38. Partai Musyawarah Kekeluargaan Gotong Royong
39. Partai Daulat Rakyat
40. Partai Cinta Damai
41. Partai Keadilan dan Persatuan
42. Partai Solidaritas Pekerja Seluruh Indonesia
43. Partai Nasional Bangsa Indonesia
44. Partai Bhinneka Tunggal Ika Indonesia
45. Partai Solidaritas Uni Nasional Indonesia
46. Partai Nasional Demokrat
47. Partai Umat Muslimin Indonesia
48. Partai Pekerja Indonesia

Below are 3 political parties joining 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, and 1997 General election:

1. Partai Persatuan Pembangunan
2. Golongan Karya
3. Partai Demokrasi Indonesia

Below are 10 political parties joining 1971 General election:

1. Partai Katolik
2. Partai Syarikat Islam Indonesia
3. Partai Nahdlatul Ulama
4. Partai Muslimin Indonesa
5. Golongan Karya
6. Partai Kristen Indonesia
7. Partai Musyawarah Rakyat Banyak
8. Partai Nasional Indonesia
9. Partai Islam PERTI
10. Partai Ikatan Pendukung Kemerdekaan Indonesia

While 1955 General election, there were 172 political parties participating with the following percentage of domination:

1. PNI (22,3 %)
2. Masyumi (20,9%)
3. Nahdatul Ulama (18,4%)
4. PKI (15,4%).

It was Yahya Zaini who made Indonesian political world uproarious with his video-taped sex affairs with Maria Eva (a television cameo) in 2006. People were so shocked that their trust in lawmakers or parliament members was swept away. However, people wished there would be no more of such a scandal and other lawmakers would learn a lesson from it.

Not even have people forgot about the indecent scene, another immoral act showed off in early 2008 by Al Amin Nasution, another lawmaker of PPP representing Jambi province. This time, it was not only sex scandal but also bribery. Al Amin was busted by KPK (Corruption Eradication Commission) for receiving a big amount of bribery from a businessman at a five-star hotel. Al Amin was not alone at the hotel but with beautiful ladies who had been said as prostitutes.

Bulyan Royan of PBR from Riau was caught red handed by KPK to have received an amount of US$2000 and €6000 for his role to determine the winner in a patrol ship tender. As a matter of fact, Bulyan Royan is surely not the last culprit to be caught in parliament building since such a bust is just a peak of an iceberg. There are still a number of bandits down there in Senayan. After Bulyan Royan, who is next? Just wait. It’s coming soon.

Every of us knows who these four figures; Ronaldo, Maradona, Barack Obama and John McCain are. Ronaldo, a young talented aggressive and dynamic Spanish soccer player, is certainly the most stared at when playing the ball along the green grass. He always has a great instinct to make a goal. Every ball caught in his feet is surely making a score, be it to deceit the opponents and break through the opponent’s area closing to goal keeper or to make a free kick. Ronaldo always attracts the spectators’ amazement. Handclaps and standing ovation are always orchestrated to support him. He is the play maker in which without him the Spanish team is out of performance. He is the inspiring figure. With him his team mates are inspired to perform their best. He is the field ruler in which his presence on the green grass field brings hope and optimism.

On the other hand, Maradona, an old fat bulging sluggish veteran drug addicted Argentine soccer player, is no more of play maker but rather a sensation maker. His presence in the grass field is mostly intended to entertain. He is no more goal maker. He even is not inspiring at all. What he is doing when playing soccer now is just to show off that he used to be a great player. Every time he performs, he merely tries to remind public about his glory in the past. Nothing’s more.

Barack Obama is just like Ronaldo: talented, inspiring, dynamic, aggressive, goal oriented. He has a good instinct to make the best for the people. He triggers the people’s spirit to awaken and win the life. He contaminates the sense of possibility and optimism to all young people from all walks of life around the world. He offers freshness and coolness. He is the real inspirator. His simple and plain style with his down-to-earth personality exactly represents the world majority. His multi blood and culture existence is just the perfect blend of the world representative in the White House. He is the man of the century.

John McCain is just like Maradona; sluggish, sensational and veteran. He stands up in the nomination just to show off that he still exists. He is not inspiring at all and nothing can be brought by him but his glory of the past. He tries to invite public to recall what he has done because the public have already forgotten. He wants public to see what his role in Vietnam, in the Army and in the Bush administration which all cause misery and cry. He is no more to serve the best for the country but to get the last chance to earn from the country. Under his administration, what can public hope then? “Give me the last term to be in the office” campaigns McCain.

“Ask the people what you can give to them. Do not ask them what they can give to you”. So, who deserves to sit on the throne of glory now: Ronaldo or Maradona, Barack Obama or John McCain? Consult to your conscience to get the answer!

Both Barack Obama and John McCain who campaign as bipartisan reformers yet are polar opposites from ideology and biography to appearance and experience.

Barack Obama, the lanky son of a Kenyan father and a Kansan mother, used to be reared in Indonesia and Hawaii and the first black presidential nominee of a major US party is liberal and Charismatic. He is committed to oppose Bush’s tax cuts on investment, free-trade agreement, drilling in the Arctic wildlife refuge, extension of federal wiretap provisions, privatization of social security, Iraq war and from the start has made his call for a pullout. He also opposes the confirmation of Bush’s two Supreme Courts..

John McCain, on the other hand, a veteran Republican senator from Arizona, is conservative and orthodoxy. He vows never surrender to al-Qaeda and will always support the troop-increase strategy in Iraq and opposes a quick pullout and favors together sanctions against Iran. He also backs free-trade and the extension of the Bush tax cuts, opposes abortion right, favors school choice, is along time advocate of fiscal restraint and crusader against wasteful government spending and takes a free-market approach to health care.

McCain, 71, the old crack white man who has been the for four-term senator and along time Republican party’s agitator would be the oldest first-term president ever elected. On the other hand, Obama, 46, black and a senate newcomer of Illinois having been there for just 3.5 years and the Democratic party’s newfound star, would be the first minority to achieve the White House. His momentous victory five months since his shock win over Clinton in the very first nominating contest in Iowa has set up an intriguing general election class with McCain.

It takes 270 electoral votes to win the White House and competition between Obama and McCain will be fierce in some 14 battle-ground states. The two will fight to defend states their parties won four years ago.

No matter who will win to succeed Bush, the insane president ever, will surely bring great impact on the coming world order. The Americans must realize that public all over the world expect the best that can bring a CHANGE they can BELIEVE IN. They must be aware that history is in the making.

So, who the Americans will vote; John McCain who is pro war and blind-eyed invasion or Barack Obama who is pro peace and better life?

Of course, it would be too much to ask that Obama, if elected as president, quickly ends the war in Iraq given the geopolitical implications. But the prospect of seeing an African-American in the White House is more than enough to assure the world that America is ready to lead the world in a different way.

Prior to invention to Iraq in 2003, former Australian Prime Minister – John Howard – firmly supported the invasion. He bloodedly backed up George W. Bush to prevent or counter attack terrorism; Bush’s merchandise to grab the power. One reason that Bush propagandized to reap support from his aligns was that Saddam Hussein stored mass destructive weapon which was suspiciously for support of terrorism.

But, Kevin Rudd has different perspective. Before the parliament last week, Rudd disclosed that all the reasons to invade Iraq are nonsense and unaccountable. Though not the first country taking the troops back home, Kevin Rudd’s decision to so for the Australian troops has stunning effect regarding the Australia’s alignment to US; as the US Sheriff in Asia Pacific.

Rudd wants to bring his country to be more independent. What Kevin Rudd has done may inspire other leaders to bring their troops who are still wandering in Iraq back home. It’s all for the sake of peace and better life for all. Bravo Rudd!!!