Monthly Archives: October 2008

The NATO Nightmare

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NATO is embroiled in Afghanistan fighting a war that, according to some closest to the combat, it can’t win. Is NATO a force for good or evil? It seems as if it civilians who are taking the brunt of the conflict, yet unlike Iraq there is no talk of pulling out, only of sending more lambs to the slaughter.
NATO came into being following the World War II in the context of a divided world and a “cold” war. Since that has ended why NATO? It appears to have become a political tool, but while it is portrayed as a “peace keeping” organisation this is in reality highly questionable. While some are demanding an increase in troops in Afghanistan others are saying that this conflict is going nowhere while death and destruction are the main outcome. For what?
It is now above all a tool for spreading US domination putting into action the highly discredited foreign policy that Bush managed to sell to some European leaders. So conflict in places like Georgia or Serbia is more rather than less likely.

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“The days when Washington sneezed Latin America caught pneumonia are over”

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Have Latin American countries now moved sufficiently away from US control of their affairs that their economies have been cushioned from the US centred economic crisis. It seems as if there has been a growing trend towards co-operation in the region with a number of countries democratically electing socialist administrations. This has not been without significant reaction. In Bolivia some of the regions declared themselves no-go areas for the elected president Ivo Morales. Morales has for the first time given a voice to the oppressed majority of Amerindian people.

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Cuba: the nuts and bolts and why Socialism is necessary

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Once more I am interested to read how Cuba pulls together in spite of the turbulence of economic embargoes and destructive hurricanes. While Fidel Castro has passed on his office he remains in possession of detail of what is needed to keep the essentials going and clear of priorities to the most vulnerable and needy.
In his reflections published in Granma he describes in some detail the post-hurricane situation and what is needed to keep going. He contrasts the way people are pulling together is in marked contrast to the turmoil that more affluent and developed nations, the behaviour of governments and outcomes for working people. This is not a rant about political theory, far from it. It is a practical demonstration of how a state can and should care for its people.

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Somewhere there was a glimmer of hope in the economy. Where and why was this?

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Yesterday as everyone was rushing round like headless chickens, and despite Peter Mandelson’s reappearance dithering was the name of the game in the UK and Europe. Somewhere someone made a decision which had a dramatic effect on some Asian stock markets. It seems that it was because Australia decided to act decisively and cut the bank rate to encourage the return of confidence. This gave rise to the hope that others might follow.
It seems according to one commentator that the Australia government has also taken some control over all its banks which has also helped to steady nerves.

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This is Iraq. Under Saddam? No this is “democracy” today

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The independent shows what is going on in the “democracy” gifted to the Iraqi people by the beneficence of George W. Bush. The barbarism attributed to Saddam Hussain is here with botched executions a regular feature dispensed by the democratically elected regime.
There are descriptions of how those charged summarily of insurgency are pushed off a bench with a noose around their neck. The drop is insufficient so they land on the floor. If it continually fails then the victim is taken over to a corner and shot in the head.
Is US barbarous? Is UK? Supposedly civilised nations continually turn a blind eye to horrific acts here and everywhere. Mugabe is condemned for the reported murders, mutilations and torture in Zimbabwe, so here we have breath taking double standards at work.

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Tony Blair endorses the come-back kid

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Evidently Peter Mandelson consulted Tony Blair before accepting Gordon Brown’s exceptionally kind offer to return to Government. What a surprise. It’s pretty clear Gordo’s going nowhere without the patronage of the former PM. Just as with Mandelson the very idea that Blair or New Labour were vanishing has just been a mirage, or for some of us who fought for Labour to come to power a forlorn hope.
The comment by Mandelson that “he is joined at the hip with Brown” is a trifle ambiguous when you think about it. Perhaps he means they are jolly good mates and any rift between him and Gordo, TB and Gordo is past. It could mean on the other hand “I’m standing right beside him holding a knife to his back and he better understand that”. Like the New Labour modernisation intrigue it’s very much there fighting a rearguard action. The question for us is do we want more of this, or would we be better off with the real Tories driven into obscurity when a better Thatcherite appeared on the scene.
The first real test arrives today as shares plunge wildly across Europe. The friendly togetherness portrayed as a select few European governments, including Brown for Britain, met to decide collectively what to do. Now Chancellor Merkel, part of the group to have met, has announced unilaterally that Germany will guarantee bank deposits, as have Ireland, Greece and Denmark. Precisely what Gordo and Mandy didn’t want to happen and didn’t apparently expect. Now what can be done? As Mandy perceptibly observed (ie pretty bloody obvious) that this could lead to economic nationalism. Merkel had previously announced she was against doing just that. Well if Gordo’ found someone he can blame when things get out of hand I suppose he’s the one who will triumph???

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I am struggling to understand this

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Iran, it is claimed, is hell bent on creating atomic weaponry. Israel are straining at the leash to bomb Iran. We understand Bush is not encouraging this at the moment having given the impetus and means to the Israeli government to do just that. There have been exercises mounted in preparation according to press reports.
Why though is Iran’s possession of such weapons of mass destruction any more unacceptable than Israel’s. This begs the question of such an arsenal being held by anybody. It’s just the hint of hypocrisy which abounds, particularly around the Middle East. Iraq has been virtually destroyed on an argument which turned out to be a lie that it had weapons of mass destruction.

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New Labour resurfaces

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The idea that the New Labour dream was at an end came rather too soon it seems. One of the chief promoters of the idea is back in town following an assignment in Europe where he was sent to keep out of trouble, and, it was thought, would do less harm.
Peter Mandelson is back in government and once more we have to endure that smirking self-satisfied image on our front pages. It is too much. While in Europe his doings were questioned by some . Clearly he fell foul of Nicolas Sarkozy who blamed him personally for a “no” vote in Ireland on Europe.
Even more intriguing, did he have anything at all to do with the Smelly and Scratcher affair. Several names were mentioned. Surely not Peter, but who knows?

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Dead ducks

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What does it take to do from being a lame duck to a dead one? Seems to be the verdict that there’s one on Capitol Hill. Dead economically, dead politically. But is Mr President taking the GOP with him? Many have resisted his call for a bail-out of the banks. Many constituents see this as rewarding the rich. While it might save a few friendly skins the rank and file risk their homes, their jobs, their pensions and everything else.
What’s the cost of America’s wars, wars that the US has persuaded many other countries to join on a pernicious divide. First the terrorist bogey, then the economic bogey. Let’s scare people into submission.
So congress men and women are fighting shy, the irony being that Republicans more than Democrats have stalled. The bail-out looks like being necessary, but is that the end of the matter?

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