Afghanistan: the new Vietnam?

General Stanley McChrystal, commander of US forces in Afghanistan, has sent his proposal for a new strategy to his bosses at the White House and NATO headquarters. Although details of what he wants to do haven’t yet been made public, we do know that he calls the situation ‘serious’ but says success is achievable with a revised strategy. Some people are not so sure.

On air: Is it still too early to study the Danish cartoon row ?

Four years on from the international storm created by the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed by a Danish newspaper, the story continues with an academic book explaining the furore deciding not to reprint the pictures.

On air: Should we all be nosier neighbours?

How do we even begin to digest this story? Elation as a mother is finally reunited with her daughter after being separated cruelly for almost two decades – and after almost all hope of ever seeing her again was surely gone.

But digust and horror as the details emerge of then 11 year old Jaycee Lee Dugard’s kidnapping, sexual abuse, and confinement in squalid makeshift lodgings in a backyard in California.

On air: Should Sweden apologise to Israel ?

“It is regrettable that the Swedish foreign ministry does not intervene when it comes to a blood libel against Jews, [This] reminds one of Sweden’s conduct during World War II, when it also did not intervene.”  – Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman.

“No one can ask the Swedish government to violate its own constitution. Freedom of speech is an inalienable part of Swedish society”

Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt.

On air: Do you want banks to be good or just good at making money?

It’s a big statement from the man who effectively regulates Britain’s financial sector, and is supposed to be on the side of the banks: Lord Turner, the chairman of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in the UK thinks banks are “socially useless” and wants to tax them to stop excessive bonuses.

Who should decide when you’re old enough to do anything?

This is 13 year old Laura Dekker.

She wants to sail around the world- her Dad has no problem with it but social workers in Holland are taking legal action to stop her.

Who should make the call to decide when a child is ready to do anything ? the parents or the state ? or the child his or herself ?

How does tourism affect those playing host?

I’m starting work in earnest this week on a documentary series about two aspects of the impact that tourism can have. I want to understand more about how it affects local culture, and also if it alters how people view tourists and more broadly outsiders.

Should there be no such thing as online anonymity?

Imagine seeing comments about you written on a website…and they’re not complimentary, they’re pretty nasty. The internet company, in this case Google, decides to reveal the identity of an anonymous blogger after a court and now this blogger is threatening to sue Google.

Should employees give up their expectation of bonuses?

It’s not something we all get, but the prospect of receiving a bonus in your pay packet would be welcomed by most.

On air: Is it time for Americans to stop questioning their response to 9/11?

So we’ve learned a little more about how the CIA went about extracting information from al-Qaeda suspects.