E-Z G-WHIZ G-8 STUFF

The G-8 summit began today in Scotland as thousands of demonstrators demanded an end to the Iraq war, debt relief for Africa, and action on global warming. So what’s on the G-8 agenda? Brief yourself.
These are the key questions:
• Why did Blair choose to focus on climate change?
• What is the Bush administration’s position on the issue?
• Is progress on this issue likely at the summit?
• What is the debate over aid to Africa?
• What is the Bush approach?
• Are the two issues of Africa aid and climate change intertwined?
• Which other issues are under discussion at the summit?
On debt relief for Africa, these are the key questions:
• What are the current plans?
• What exactly does Blair’s plan call for?
• How would the financing mechanism (known as the International Finance Facility) work?
• What are the U.S. objections to the IFF?
• What has been the Bush administration’s approach to aid (known as the Millenium Challenge Account)?
• What do critics say about the Millennium Challenge?
• What are some other common criticisms of U.S. aid policy?
• What’s the official U.S. policy on debt relief?
• Which other ideas to finance debt relief are being floated?
The latest report is that the goals for relieving poverty and combatting global warming have already been scaled back. As to ending the Iraq war, fat chance.

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