Global Voices Online

Herron Family News comments on the construction boom in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, but notes that the quality of work leaves much to be desired. Situated in an area of seismic activity, the blog wonders if such an issue can be used by the opposition in the country.

Writing from Azerbaijan, Herron Family News details various meetings that have been held as next week's presidential election draws closer. However, the blog notes, the outcome of the vote is predictable. With the main opposition parties boycotting the election, the incumbent president will be re-elected. The only unanswered question is whether voters will actually bother to go to the polls.

Unzipped comments on the case of Sargis Hatspanian, a French-Armenian veteran of the war with Azerbaijan who came out in support of the radical opposition during February's disputed presidential election. The blog challenges the official line that Hatspanian is an illegal alien in Armenia and questions the legality of his possible deportation from the country.

Herron Family News reports on a return visit to Azerbaijan to review preparations for next week's presidential election. The blog notes that the country's Central Electoral Commission has authorized the installation of web cams in polling stations so that voting can be monitored online.

In an extended post accompanied by photographs, Michael J. Totten introduces his readers to the unresolved conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh. The blog compares the mood in Azerbaijan with that in neighboring Georgia, another country in the region with its own territorial conflicts to contend with.

Joshua Foust examines some of the issues surrounding opium eradication in Afghanistan, and argues that focusing on opium itself misses the point.

Unzipped posts a video from YouTube allegedly showing new conscripts in the Azerbaijani army being beaten and kicked by other soldiers. The blog warns the Armenian army that videos of similar scenes might also be uploaded and disseminated online unless steps are taken to stop similar violence against conscripts.

Following in the footsteps of Matthew Collin's This is Tbilisi Calling, another Western journalist resident in the country has set up a blog from Georgia. Dan Catchpole's Dateline Tbilisi is at http://datelinetbilisi.blogspot.com.

Joshua Foust notes just how terrible American media coverage of Afghanistan can be.