Water and Human Conflict around the World
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Many wells are going to be drilled to determine if an ancient lake under Darfur in western Sudan is still full of water. Would plentiful water end four years of bloody violence? Will water shortages lead to other conflicts around the world? Also, in a blow to President Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's Supreme Court reinstates its chief justice and, on Reporter's Notebook, the White House says that by claiming Executive Privilege, the President can stop cases against his aides for Contempt of Congress.
Photo: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images
Making News
High Court Reinstates Pakistan's Top Judge ()
Pakistan's
Supreme Court has restored Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who was
fired by President Pervez Musharraf. His government says it's a victory for an
independent judiciary. His opponents say it's the beginning of the end of
Musharraf's regime. Nasim Zehra is a political analyst in Islamabad
and fellow at Harvard University’s Asia Center.
Guests:
- Nasim Zehra: Pakistani political analyst and syndicated columnist
Main Topic
Water and Human Conflict around the World ()
Radar and satellite images have revealed an aquifer the size of Lake Erie beneath the blazing desert of Darfur in western Sudan. Is it still full of water, or did it dry up 5000 years ago? Hundreds of wells will be drilled to help scientists answer that question. If there is water under Sudan's Western province of Darfur, could it end the bloody violence between black Africans and Arab nomads that has left 200,000 dead and two million as refugees? With water in short supply from the Middle East to California, is water more important than oil as a source of human conflict?
Guests:
- Farouk El-Baz: Director of the Boston University Center for Remote Sensing
- Suliman Baldo: Deputy Director for North Africa at the International Center for Transitional Justice
- Aaron Wolf: Director of the Program on Water Conflict Management, Oregon State University
- Christopher Gasson: Publisher of Global Water Intelligence
Reporter's Notebook
White House Asserts New, Broader Executive Privilege ()
A House subcommittee has been laying the groundwork for contempt of Congress proceedings against White House aides for withholding documents about the firing of US attorneys. Today's Washington Post quotes an anonymous White House official as saying the President can prevent those cases from going forward, just by asserting Executive Privilege. Democrats are talking about a "constitutional crisis." Dan Eggan co-authored the story.
Guests:
- Dan Eggen: Justice Department Reporter for the Washington Post
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