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Howard's Way.... a weekly column from the Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC. MP. 

3 January 2008

The turn of the year has not been an auspicious time for democracy.

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto was a particularly shocking reminder of the risks run by democratic politicians in many parts of the world.

I met Benazir Bhutto several times. She was not a paragon of virtue or statesmanship but she had enormous potential to make a new and very significant contribution to the future of her country. And her courage was not in doubt. So her loss is a grievous one with incalculable consequences for a country that is vitally important for the rest of the world.

In Kenya – often regarded as one of the most stable countries in Africa – hundreds of people have died in the aftermath of its disputed elections. Kenya is one of the many African countries with huge potential which it has signally failed to fulfil. Corruption is widely regarded as one of the biggest causes of this failure and it was one of the major issues in the election.

It is essential that the government of Kenya for the next few years should command real legitimacy. That is unlikely to be the case if matters are left as they are. And there is an urgent need to deal with the humanitarian crisis that has arisen as a consequence of the riots and unrest.

Meanwhile violence and intimidation continue tin Iraq, the challenges we face in Afghanistan do not diminish. Iran seems hell bent on acquiring nuclear capability and peace in the Middle East seems as far away as ever.

So the Foreign Ministries of the world are likely to be exceptionally busy in 2008. And the omens are not especially encouraging. We have a lame duck American President whose performance in office has hardly enhanced America’s ability to provide positive leadership and a British government which has yet to show that it can command confidence (and that is putting it mildly!)

So the omens are not encouraging. But the unexpected often happens. Let us hope that in 2008, despite all expectations, the conditions of life for the billions of people who share our planet with us improves. Then 2008 will truly have proved to be a Happy New Year.