ROGER COHEN INCITES HATRED
Roger Cohen, NY Times columnist...should know better. In his article "Islam and the West at War" (February 16, 2015 ) he dumps on the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, blaming the
inevitable results of the West's imperialistic incursions into the Middle East in search of oil and and resources on the very victims of those destructive and persistent policies. In this wrongheaded piece, Mr. Cohen, perhaps blinded by his own biases, had the chutzpa to use the same kind of generalizations, half truths, false history and innuendo to support his thesis that others have used against his coreligionists for centuries.
Mr. Cohen ignores the five to six hundred-thousand Muslims killed during the Bush-Obama wars against Islam since 9-11, the millions displaced from their homes to become refugees in other lands, the thousand blown to bits by drone strikes, the torture, the renditions, the utter destruction and chaos visited upon their nations, cities and lands. Mr. Cohen ignore these facts and blames the victims. He finds Islam guilty of the following: "Over the more than 13 years since Al Qaeda attacked America on 9/11, we have seen trains blown up in Madrid, the Tube and a bus bombed in London, Western journalists beheaded, the staff of Charlie Hebdo slaughtered, Jews killed in France and Belgium and now Denmark. This is not the work of a “dark ideology” but of jihadi terror." I do not mean to present a "numbers" argument here, like "who is worse than whom?". But It is apparent that Mr. Cohen is comparing a pimple on his butt with fatal lung cancer.
Mr. Cohen's assault, on Islam, scribbled from his powerful perch above Times Square is just the kind of journalism which can incite the uninformed and be responsible for hate crimes here at home, such as the recent murder of three innocent American Muslim students just witnessed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Perhaps if columnists of a stature like Roger Cohen, would tell the story as it really is...we might one day be able to reign in the radical elements on both sides of the "Ninth Crusade" and find peace again.
Monday, February 16, 2015
Saturday, February 14, 2015
GOP "MONEY PRIMARY" PUTS BUSH OVER THE TOP. UGH!
AIN'T AMERICA GREAT!
GOP "Money Primary"and DEM "Stealth Primary" Not Up To Democracy Standards
It's amzin'! I read today in the Washington Post how Jeb Bush has swept the "money primary". Without a citizen entering a polling booth or a vote being cast, by anyone anywhere across this wide land of the USA, the greatest democracy of the western world already has the two candidates who it will present to the nation's voters next November 2016! Is this some kind of super American political efficiency? Or is it a sign of the pathetic decline and decay of a great democracy?
According to the major media outlets, right now February 12, 2015, just about eleven months before the Iowa Caucuses (January 18, 2016) and the New Hampshire primary vote (January 26) Jeb Bush has swept the so called "money primary" . Fallen by the way side we find Bush's main opponent Mitt Romney who was buzz sawed at the knees several weeks back when he lost the support of the major players who are allowed to participate in the great money primary. Also felled by the Bush money juggernaut are Mssrs Christie, Ryan, Paul, and Walker. These guys are now just walking dead. The 400- 500 plutocrats have decided against them. Recall these are the guys and gals who made ROMNEY say those stupid things about the forty percenters, makers and takers. Now they have made "their" decision to move "their" money support to the Bush camp. They have made up "their" minds, and now like the infamous Koch brothers ( who have slapped down about a billion dollars on the table to buy, or er support their choice candidate) the money they donate will insure that "their" candidate wins.
On the other side of the political spectrum, there sits crowned and hidden under wraps, Mrs Bill Clinton. The former First Lady, with President Bill's help, has amassed a huge treasure trove of her own wealth and wrung promises for a Croesus' treasure from another group of plutocrats. Her sinister "pre-money primary" manipulations and positioning have made it virtually impossible for any other viable candidate to even imagine running. (Sorry Bernie, I really like you...but thqt is unimportant-- you still don't have a chance.). The Democrat's cash well has been sucked dry by the Clinton's. As a consequence, the Democratic side will not even have even the opportuniy for a "money primary". That is disgusting.
Thus, in the greatest "democracy" the world has ever known, It matters not a whit what the nation's millions of voters or the operatives and stalwarts of both parties desire or wish for. The major decisions have been made for the citizenry already, now almost two years ahead of any voting booths being wheels out or cleaned and oiled up. The two candidates: "Tweedle Dee" and "Tweedle Dum "have been vetted and decided upon by a minuscule minority of the nation's powerful and wealthy. Now the elite will present their candidates to the nation's voters so the voters can have an election.
As school kids in the 50s and 60s we jeered Communist China, and the former Soviets, for their so-called "free elections". In those nations our teachers informed us that they staged "sham" elections, since the candidate-lists were made up of individuals hand-picked by the party big wigs. Our teachers reasoned rightly that there was little or no choice for Communist Chinese voters if the candidates were hand picked by the Communist Party. Or for that matter for US voters if the candidates are first chosen and vetted by a tiny corps of wealthy plutocrats.
We do have elections and we love them. But what are the real choices we have? Voters will eventually come to resent having their options so limited. All the election hoopla, all the money spent for air time, paper hand outs, mail box stuffers and trudging campaigners, expenditures for news paper adverts, colorful balloons, dancing girls, garish signs and tons and tons of confetti---all of that will go on. Some people will think they are making a real decision....but the major choices have been made already. Too bad. The early "money primary" and the Clinton "stealth primary" are not a way to govern a great nation.
GOP "Money Primary"and DEM "Stealth Primary" Not Up To Democracy Standards
It's amzin'! I read today in the Washington Post how Jeb Bush has swept the "money primary". Without a citizen entering a polling booth or a vote being cast, by anyone anywhere across this wide land of the USA, the greatest democracy of the western world already has the two candidates who it will present to the nation's voters next November 2016! Is this some kind of super American political efficiency? Or is it a sign of the pathetic decline and decay of a great democracy?
According to the major media outlets, right now February 12, 2015, just about eleven months before the Iowa Caucuses (January 18, 2016) and the New Hampshire primary vote (January 26) Jeb Bush has swept the so called "money primary" . Fallen by the way side we find Bush's main opponent Mitt Romney who was buzz sawed at the knees several weeks back when he lost the support of the major players who are allowed to participate in the great money primary. Also felled by the Bush money juggernaut are Mssrs Christie, Ryan, Paul, and Walker. These guys are now just walking dead. The 400- 500 plutocrats have decided against them. Recall these are the guys and gals who made ROMNEY say those stupid things about the forty percenters, makers and takers. Now they have made "their" decision to move "their" money support to the Bush camp. They have made up "their" minds, and now like the infamous Koch brothers ( who have slapped down about a billion dollars on the table to buy, or er support their choice candidate) the money they donate will insure that "their" candidate wins.
On the other side of the political spectrum, there sits crowned and hidden under wraps, Mrs Bill Clinton. The former First Lady, with President Bill's help, has amassed a huge treasure trove of her own wealth and wrung promises for a Croesus' treasure from another group of plutocrats. Her sinister "pre-money primary" manipulations and positioning have made it virtually impossible for any other viable candidate to even imagine running. (Sorry Bernie, I really like you...but thqt is unimportant-- you still don't have a chance.). The Democrat's cash well has been sucked dry by the Clinton's. As a consequence, the Democratic side will not even have even the opportuniy for a "money primary". That is disgusting.
Thus, in the greatest "democracy" the world has ever known, It matters not a whit what the nation's millions of voters or the operatives and stalwarts of both parties desire or wish for. The major decisions have been made for the citizenry already, now almost two years ahead of any voting booths being wheels out or cleaned and oiled up. The two candidates: "Tweedle Dee" and "Tweedle Dum "have been vetted and decided upon by a minuscule minority of the nation's powerful and wealthy. Now the elite will present their candidates to the nation's voters so the voters can have an election.
As school kids in the 50s and 60s we jeered Communist China, and the former Soviets, for their so-called "free elections". In those nations our teachers informed us that they staged "sham" elections, since the candidate-lists were made up of individuals hand-picked by the party big wigs. Our teachers reasoned rightly that there was little or no choice for Communist Chinese voters if the candidates were hand picked by the Communist Party. Or for that matter for US voters if the candidates are first chosen and vetted by a tiny corps of wealthy plutocrats.
We do have elections and we love them. But what are the real choices we have? Voters will eventually come to resent having their options so limited. All the election hoopla, all the money spent for air time, paper hand outs, mail box stuffers and trudging campaigners, expenditures for news paper adverts, colorful balloons, dancing girls, garish signs and tons and tons of confetti---all of that will go on. Some people will think they are making a real decision....but the major choices have been made already. Too bad. The early "money primary" and the Clinton "stealth primary" are not a way to govern a great nation.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
MR OBAMA OPENING YET ANOTHER WAR FRONT...NOW THE UKRAINE
Try to imagine if the tables were turned on us in the Ukraine. Imagine how the USA might respond if it were the Russians who spent billions of rubles over a decade attempting pull our neighbor, Mexico into their sphere of influence. Then, when Mexico's legally elected President refused to join a Russian-sponsored mutual defense pact --like NATO they became disenchanted with this leader. They turned to a policy of "regime change". The Russians helped engineer a coup in Mexico. They then conspired and bribed the leadership to elect a more malleable pro-Russian candidate. When military conflict broke out in the northern Mexican provinces, they supported and propped up the usurper-government with secret funds. If the tables were turned, just imagine what we would be doing now.
In today's (2-9-15) NY Times, Roger Cohen uncharacteristically rages on intemperately about Russia and the Ukraine. His objective appears to be to encourage Mr. Obama to supply the Ukraine with weaponry such as drones, tanks and rocketry which will certainly just widen the war and give Mr. Putin, who lives only next door, the opportunity to open HIS border to ready and waiting lines of heavy armaments. The result would surely be a devastating wider war with much to lose and nothing to gain for the west, but more devastation, death, destruction and more harm to the suffering people of Ukraine. Poor thinking Roger--- you were much better last week encouraging Mr. Netanyahu to stay home in Israel.
Sadly, Mr. Obama does not need encouragement on this score. He seems poised to do just that. Perhaps German PM, Angela Merkel, who has precluded arming the Ukrainians (stating "there is no military solution to this crisis") will prevail. She seems to have the only practical and sane understanding of this situation. However, I am less sanguine today, all to aware of Mr. Obama's recent history. Obama's policy all along has been to destabilize the Ukraine, arrogantly assuming he could easily nudge thus "border nation" into the western sphere of influence. He and his Neo-con advisors spent considerable effort and sums of money stirring up trouble for the last legally elected Ukrainian PM, Mr Yanukovych. Mr. Yanukovych had been not too effectively attempting to steer Ukraine along a middle course...between the East and West. He was trying to follow a natural and necessary policy for small, weak nations who find themselves sited in the dangerous middle ground between two imperial powers. But his "live and let live" policy was not congruent with Mr. Obama's global imperial strategy...or those of his more radical Neo conservative proxies..such as Assistant Secretary of State Ms Victoria Nuland (of the infamous leaked telephone conversations) to whom we can lay much of the blame for the early US stumbles and missteps in policy.
The present disaster in the Ukraine is largely the result of the long time arrogance, overreach and unwise policies of the west as it dealt with post Soviet Russia. Now Mr. Obama seems set to compound those mistakes horribly, adding another black mark to his record of foreign policy disasters across the globe from Ukraine, through, Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria (where he is engaged in yet another war...this time with ISIL), Yemen, Palestine....and the still festering and embarrassing Guantanamo.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
FUKUSHIMA RADIATION HITS US SAILORS
WERE THERE MORE US SAILORS CONTAMINATED BY FUKUSHIMA RADIATION THAN JAPANESE?
On March 11,2011, the FUKUSHIMA Daiichi power plant complex in northeasternn Japan was hit by a tsunami, triggered by a magnitude 9 earthquake just offshore. The plant lost power, it's cooling pumps stopped operating resulting in the melt down of three of the plants six reactors. The massive release of radiation was the largest since the Chernoble event in 1986, measuring 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale. Contaminated cooling water was released into the Pacific Ocean and large amounts of radioactive gases were spewed into the air when the containment structures of the three reactors were breached due to the build up of hydrogen gas and resulting explosions. The American-designed General Electric plants were old, had design flaws and were not expected to be operated without a backup electrical system which could continue to energize the critical cooling water pumps over a long time. A plume of contaminated highly radioactive air spread out over the adjoining Pacific Ocean carried by the prevailing westerly winds.
Into this plume of radioactivity sailed the USS Ronald Reagan, the US Navy's new (maiden voyage 2006) over 1000 foot long, nuclear powered aircraft carrier, capable of carrying over 100 planes. It was on its annual course to "show the flag" around the Pacific rim. On board were almost seven thousand young men and women of the US Navy. (The fact that the vessel was named after President Ronald Reagan carries with it a little bit of irony. Reagan, before serving as President, was famous as a long time spokesman for the General Electric company and the very same power plants involved at this juncture in the nuclear disaster.)
The admirals in Washington DC redirected the USS Ronald Reagan to provide humanitarian assistance to the Japanese. The ship was stationed off Sendai, Japan, a large city devastated by the tsunami. They apparently sailed up close to shore, coming into contact with the most contaminated portion of the radioactive plume. Here flight crews manned helicopters to ferry supplies, medicines, food and water to the victims of the tsunami, while Japanese helicopters landed, using the Reagan as a floating fuel depot. On March 13, 2011, while in this location the ship's officers recorded 0.6 mR/hr direct gamma radiation exposure from overhead clouds. (at this rate of exposure the recommended safe dosage limit for civilians of 2mR/hr) would have been exceeded in three to four hours. But the crew must have been exposed much longer since the ship remained in this area from at least March 13 through the 14. The ship's officers at this time gave the distance from the fulminating reactors as 130 miles. However to serve as a refueling depot for the Japanese helicopters and to fly US helicopter missions to shore the ship must have been very close to shore, perhaps as close as ten miles (as some crew members have reported). On the day following the high gamma radiation exposure ( 3-14-11) seventeen crew members from three helicopters squads were found to be contaminated by radiation from the Fukushima plume. As a result the ship was moved to a new location. On the 23 of March, after the ship was moved to a new location, the vessel was scrubbed down and attempts made to decontaminate for radiation. The crew remained on site in the area for approximately one month. During most of this time they were drinking, cooking with and showering with the ship's desalinated water taken from the sea around them. Though the membrane or reverse osmosis process removes most salts, it would probably have little effect on certqin dissolved radio nucleides in the water. When this source of contamination was discovered the crew was orderd not to drink, bathe in or use the ship's water system. Bottle water planned for the Japanese tsunami victims was diverted for use by the crew. In this way the crew of almost seven thousand may have been contaminated by ionizing radioactivity in their drinking and washing water.
I wonder why the captain did not take the ship through the Tsugaru Strait into the Sea of Japan where he might have avoided exposing his men and women to the air-borne radiation (and radioactive sea water). There his crew would have been able continue to serve the tsunami victims, but been relatively safe from contamination. But I wear no gold braid, have skippered only a ten meter sloop and have never sailed those seas.
Now almost four years later, the effects of the US Navy's unfortunate cruise to Japan on the men and women of the Ronald Reagan are becoming all too apparent. Fifty-one crew members have reported thyroid and parathyroid cancers, testicular cancers, loss of hair, leukemia, liver problems, other idopathic or undiagnosable diseases, and complaints typically associated with exposure to radiation. Sadly the story of these brave young men and women has been essentially ignored by our US media and press. The Navy, whose motto is "never leave anyone behind" seems to want this story and the sick sailors to simply fade away and disappear. Al Jazzera based in Quatar and Der Spiegel the newsmagazine of Germany have run stories but no reports have appeared in the US press. Read: Der Speigle, 2-05-15, US Navy Sailors Search for Justice after FUKUSHIMA Mission".
The USS Ronald Reagan returned to San Diego, it's home port, in September 2011. It lay in port only a few months when it was probably sent for a major decontamination. So by January of 2012 it was quickly and quietly dispatched to Washington State, at the Bremerton ship yard where it underwent "repairs and maintenance". She remained in Bremerton for a full year. She returned to the Pacific in 2015.
On March 11,2011, the FUKUSHIMA Daiichi power plant complex in northeasternn Japan was hit by a tsunami, triggered by a magnitude 9 earthquake just offshore. The plant lost power, it's cooling pumps stopped operating resulting in the melt down of three of the plants six reactors. The massive release of radiation was the largest since the Chernoble event in 1986, measuring 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale. Contaminated cooling water was released into the Pacific Ocean and large amounts of radioactive gases were spewed into the air when the containment structures of the three reactors were breached due to the build up of hydrogen gas and resulting explosions. The American-designed General Electric plants were old, had design flaws and were not expected to be operated without a backup electrical system which could continue to energize the critical cooling water pumps over a long time. A plume of contaminated highly radioactive air spread out over the adjoining Pacific Ocean carried by the prevailing westerly winds.
Into this plume of radioactivity sailed the USS Ronald Reagan, the US Navy's new (maiden voyage 2006) over 1000 foot long, nuclear powered aircraft carrier, capable of carrying over 100 planes. It was on its annual course to "show the flag" around the Pacific rim. On board were almost seven thousand young men and women of the US Navy. (The fact that the vessel was named after President Ronald Reagan carries with it a little bit of irony. Reagan, before serving as President, was famous as a long time spokesman for the General Electric company and the very same power plants involved at this juncture in the nuclear disaster.)
The admirals in Washington DC redirected the USS Ronald Reagan to provide humanitarian assistance to the Japanese. The ship was stationed off Sendai, Japan, a large city devastated by the tsunami. They apparently sailed up close to shore, coming into contact with the most contaminated portion of the radioactive plume. Here flight crews manned helicopters to ferry supplies, medicines, food and water to the victims of the tsunami, while Japanese helicopters landed, using the Reagan as a floating fuel depot. On March 13, 2011, while in this location the ship's officers recorded 0.6 mR/hr direct gamma radiation exposure from overhead clouds. (at this rate of exposure the recommended safe dosage limit for civilians of 2mR/hr) would have been exceeded in three to four hours. But the crew must have been exposed much longer since the ship remained in this area from at least March 13 through the 14. The ship's officers at this time gave the distance from the fulminating reactors as 130 miles. However to serve as a refueling depot for the Japanese helicopters and to fly US helicopter missions to shore the ship must have been very close to shore, perhaps as close as ten miles (as some crew members have reported). On the day following the high gamma radiation exposure ( 3-14-11) seventeen crew members from three helicopters squads were found to be contaminated by radiation from the Fukushima plume. As a result the ship was moved to a new location. On the 23 of March, after the ship was moved to a new location, the vessel was scrubbed down and attempts made to decontaminate for radiation. The crew remained on site in the area for approximately one month. During most of this time they were drinking, cooking with and showering with the ship's desalinated water taken from the sea around them. Though the membrane or reverse osmosis process removes most salts, it would probably have little effect on certqin dissolved radio nucleides in the water. When this source of contamination was discovered the crew was orderd not to drink, bathe in or use the ship's water system. Bottle water planned for the Japanese tsunami victims was diverted for use by the crew. In this way the crew of almost seven thousand may have been contaminated by ionizing radioactivity in their drinking and washing water.
I wonder why the captain did not take the ship through the Tsugaru Strait into the Sea of Japan where he might have avoided exposing his men and women to the air-borne radiation (and radioactive sea water). There his crew would have been able continue to serve the tsunami victims, but been relatively safe from contamination. But I wear no gold braid, have skippered only a ten meter sloop and have never sailed those seas.
Now almost four years later, the effects of the US Navy's unfortunate cruise to Japan on the men and women of the Ronald Reagan are becoming all too apparent. Fifty-one crew members have reported thyroid and parathyroid cancers, testicular cancers, loss of hair, leukemia, liver problems, other idopathic or undiagnosable diseases, and complaints typically associated with exposure to radiation. Sadly the story of these brave young men and women has been essentially ignored by our US media and press. The Navy, whose motto is "never leave anyone behind" seems to want this story and the sick sailors to simply fade away and disappear. Al Jazzera based in Quatar and Der Spiegel the newsmagazine of Germany have run stories but no reports have appeared in the US press. Read: Der Speigle, 2-05-15, US Navy Sailors Search for Justice after FUKUSHIMA Mission".
The USS Ronald Reagan returned to San Diego, it's home port, in September 2011. It lay in port only a few months when it was probably sent for a major decontamination. So by January of 2012 it was quickly and quietly dispatched to Washington State, at the Bremerton ship yard where it underwent "repairs and maintenance". She remained in Bremerton for a full year. She returned to the Pacific in 2015.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
MEASLES, REPUBLICAN MYTHS AND THOM TILLIS
In the last few weeks the USA has suffered from a widespread out-break of measles the childhood disease. The Republican right wing and other anti-regulation folks are trying desperately to patch together some logical reason to justify their opposition to useful and necessary government regulations, such as childhood vaccinations and public health needs. Measles is a disease that we thought we had finally eliminated from our land way back in 2000. Apparently not here in 21 Century USA, where free marketeers, far-right propagandists, Republican politicians, home schoolers, and various fundamental religious sects have opted for personal freedom over the public good, and decided to ignore having their children vaccinated with the safe, effective measles vaccine....which was first developed here in the USA way back in 1968. By use of morbillivirus vaccine, and regulations which enforced childhood vaccinations by 2000, measles was formally declared eliminated from the USA. This new outbreak has underscored the fact that certain regulations...like childhood vaccinations... are obviously necessary for public health in general. Assertions that all regulations interfere with the profit making and the economy, and that freeing businesses from government interference will solve all our problems is just so much hog wash nonsense. Just ask the families of the 500 or so people who will die of this disease annually, if the "free market" is working for them.
But even in the face of such hard facts like disease outbreaks which underscore the fallacy of their "pitch" some snake oil salesmen persist in their pursuit of disinformation. Facts are not part of their repertoire and they simply revert to the old saw that repetition of an untruth over and over again can befuddle and confused an audience...and many within that befuddled group will believe them.
Thus we find today in North Carolina that the mostly nice, well-meaning citizenry, many of average intelligence, must be shaking their heads today with "voters remorse". According to the Washington Post, (2-3-15) their just-elected, spanking new, Senator Thom Tillis (R NC), slavishly following the Neo Republican script of "no regulation" and its mantra of "free markets" to their illogical end, apparently took a stump speech he had probably been repeating all election season and jumped over a cliff with it. Tillis stated yesterday to reporters after a meeting of the Bipartisan Policy Center in the Nation's Capitol that he had "no problem" with companies that would "opt out of the government regulation for employees to wash their hands after using the toilet". According to free marketeer Tillis the "market" would take care of those restaurants that made this choice by eventually being forced out of business. The critical question of, how would diners know that the staff of these establishments were taking advantage of their "freedom" from regulations by not washing their hands, after wiping their butts and going right back to food handling? Obviously the outbreak of disease and discomfort, vomiting and diarrhea would certainly alert them....after a while. However, many people would have to suffer from infection by disease germs transmitted from the butts of restaurant staff directly to the food of unaware diners before, an owner would notice the slow decline in his income. Tillis was alert enough to have realized the flaw in his thinking right away because, he immediately modified his plan with the proviso that these opting out "free" restaurants would have to notify the public of their decision with a sign out front indicating that their staff did not hand-wash. But was that not simply replacing one regulation with another? Tillis was not so astute to realize that.
So Tillis and the voters of NC will have to live for the next six years with that fact that their new Senator is not much of a thinking man...more an ideologue repeating "talking points" he was primed with and learned to repeat....and seems not too sharp on his feet. Let's hope there are no serious problems for him to solve, like widespread outbreaks of intestinal disease in North Carolina.
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
USA. HYPOCRISY RE VENEZUELA
MONUMENTAL USA HYPOCRISY RE VENEZUELA
Like we need another failed state in the world! Obama continuing a policy of attacking Venezuela, just signed a bill placing sanctions on Venezuela individuals for human rights violations. The Obama Administration is continuing the Republican policy of undermining and destabilizing a vast swath of nations around the world for no good reason. I have always favored a proposal that our diplomats and foreign policy people should take a form of the Hippocratic Oath. FIRST. DO NO HARM! . But instead we have shoot first, cowboy types, loose cannons in those positions who have not learned the lesson of Hippocrates. As a result, we now can count a string of crumbling or failed states reaching from the Ukraine, to Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and across to Cuba, et. al. where the USA (and the CIA) have used political and financial means to intentionally undermined established governments, and/ or invade these nations. And in the end, their actions have left chaos, financial ruin, displacement, death and destruction behind . And now the Obama neocons are chipping away at Venezuela too. These Obamians just can't stand it that some of our neighbors may have the will, temerity, and the love of freedom to choose a political system that is a bit different than our own. But must we continually make these "different" nations our enemies? Why work to undermine Venezuela? Or is Obama just blindly continuing the G.W Bush policy in South America? Recall how Bush jr. worked feverishly to destabilize and undermine the former Chavez Administration, just because that leader was an avowed socialist. Recall, Bush secretly encouraged a coup, which temporarily unseated Chavez. The Bush government immediately recognized the Republican coup leaders which had illegally usurped power from the constitutional government. The surge of Chavez supporters finally forced the coup leaders out. Bush was ultimately unsuccessful, now it's Obama's turn.
But not only is our attack on Venezuela for "human rights" violations, torture and other trumped up charges so arrogant and stupid, it is the peak of hypocrisy, and an embarrassingly dumb example of monumental chutzpah. (see Reuters: Obama signs US sanctions law on Venezuela officials.). How can we, a nation just faced so recently with our own torture revelations and monumental malfeasance regarding human rights have the temerity to point our finger at Venezuela? Obama who has infamously ignored prosecuting our home-grown CIA torturers, and has continued to drag his feet on closing our infamous gulag in Guantanamo, has the nerve to call out Venezuela? What snickers his policy must be generating in the governmental halls of nations around the world. Such dumb behavior only serves to underscore our own failings in human rights and undermine our reputation.
Finally, why direct sanctions at Venezuela and continue to deal with Egypt? The USA supports Egypt financially to the tune of three billion dollars annually. Yet the the new dictator, General al Sissi, is a classical case of a monumental human rights and democracy violator. If anyone were to be sanctioned he should be at the top of the list. But like our own CIA torturers Obama ignores his malfeasance. Al Sissi plotted to overturn the legally elected Morsi government, shot and killed thousands of peaceful demonstrators, jailed thousands of members of the opposition with no trials, and just yesterday committed 183 individuals to death, simply for being sympathizer to the opposition party. No word from Obama on al Sissi. We continue to support al Sissi with billions of dollars in military aid annually.
Conclusion: Obama makes dumb, hypocritical, counter productive, dangerous foreign policy decisions.
Like we need another failed state in the world! Obama continuing a policy of attacking Venezuela, just signed a bill placing sanctions on Venezuela individuals for human rights violations. The Obama Administration is continuing the Republican policy of undermining and destabilizing a vast swath of nations around the world for no good reason. I have always favored a proposal that our diplomats and foreign policy people should take a form of the Hippocratic Oath. FIRST. DO NO HARM! . But instead we have shoot first, cowboy types, loose cannons in those positions who have not learned the lesson of Hippocrates. As a result, we now can count a string of crumbling or failed states reaching from the Ukraine, to Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and across to Cuba, et. al. where the USA (and the CIA) have used political and financial means to intentionally undermined established governments, and/ or invade these nations. And in the end, their actions have left chaos, financial ruin, displacement, death and destruction behind . And now the Obama neocons are chipping away at Venezuela too. These Obamians just can't stand it that some of our neighbors may have the will, temerity, and the love of freedom to choose a political system that is a bit different than our own. But must we continually make these "different" nations our enemies? Why work to undermine Venezuela? Or is Obama just blindly continuing the G.W Bush policy in South America? Recall how Bush jr. worked feverishly to destabilize and undermine the former Chavez Administration, just because that leader was an avowed socialist. Recall, Bush secretly encouraged a coup, which temporarily unseated Chavez. The Bush government immediately recognized the Republican coup leaders which had illegally usurped power from the constitutional government. The surge of Chavez supporters finally forced the coup leaders out. Bush was ultimately unsuccessful, now it's Obama's turn.
But not only is our attack on Venezuela for "human rights" violations, torture and other trumped up charges so arrogant and stupid, it is the peak of hypocrisy, and an embarrassingly dumb example of monumental chutzpah. (see Reuters: Obama signs US sanctions law on Venezuela officials.). How can we, a nation just faced so recently with our own torture revelations and monumental malfeasance regarding human rights have the temerity to point our finger at Venezuela? Obama who has infamously ignored prosecuting our home-grown CIA torturers, and has continued to drag his feet on closing our infamous gulag in Guantanamo, has the nerve to call out Venezuela? What snickers his policy must be generating in the governmental halls of nations around the world. Such dumb behavior only serves to underscore our own failings in human rights and undermine our reputation.
Finally, why direct sanctions at Venezuela and continue to deal with Egypt? The USA supports Egypt financially to the tune of three billion dollars annually. Yet the the new dictator, General al Sissi, is a classical case of a monumental human rights and democracy violator. If anyone were to be sanctioned he should be at the top of the list. But like our own CIA torturers Obama ignores his malfeasance. Al Sissi plotted to overturn the legally elected Morsi government, shot and killed thousands of peaceful demonstrators, jailed thousands of members of the opposition with no trials, and just yesterday committed 183 individuals to death, simply for being sympathizer to the opposition party. No word from Obama on al Sissi. We continue to support al Sissi with billions of dollars in military aid annually.
Conclusion: Obama makes dumb, hypocritical, counter productive, dangerous foreign policy decisions.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
GOP "SECRET PRIMARY", FAKE DEMOCRACY AND HONG KONG PROTESTS
Today February 1, 2015 protesters returned to the streets of Hong Kong, tying up traffic and blocking passageways in the city's commercial district with their bright yellow umbrellas. The protests are a repeat of those of last year when Occupy Hong Kong built a protest camp in the center of the financial district and clashed violently with police. The demonstrations in the city, formerly a rich British colony (until 1999 when it became part of China) and world center of Asian financial operations, but now a semi autonomous part of China, are protesting China's plan for 2017 elections in the former colony. Beijing has indicated that in 2017 the former colony can have "democratic" elections just like they had under British rule...except that all candidates would have to be vetted first by Beijing officials. The protesters know that if Beijing decides who can run for elections, who the actual candidates will be...then the elections are a big sham. In fact, presently 40% of the seats in the current legislature are held by "pro-democracy" legislators who oppose China's move..but after 2017 they will not be on the ballot since they will not have permission from the big shots in Beijing. During the demonstrations the Hong Kong protesters raised a huge banner stating " Reject fake democracy, we want real universal suffrage."
Here in the USA as the nation begins to gear up for our 2016 elections there are no protests, no yellow umbrellas, no complaints from the electorate, no stories in the compliant mass media, no banners rejecting "fake democracy"..... but there should be. In the Democrat Party only one candidate exists...Mrs. Clinton, who has been apparently crowned by the party elite and now sits around in hiding making final adjustment to her tiara. Democrat voters have no choice there. In the Republican Party, the many hopeful candidates are being vetted (just like in Beijing) and decided upon right now with no input from the citizenry, or electorate, but only from a handful of Party elites on one hand, and big money donors (like the Koch brothers and others of similar ilk) on the other. Mr. Romney, the 2012 candidate, who was highest in early polls, expressed his desire to run again. But the elites in the Party in a Secret Primary rejected his candidacy and dashed his hopes and those of Americans who may have voted for him. (See also "Koch Primary" tests hopefuls in GOP --NY Times. Com). Once these big shots have made their decisions in "secret primarys" they magnanimously permit the public their "free and democratic elections". The electorate can "choose" whomever they want..but only from the previously vetted lists of candidates. It's just like in China...only the names and language are a bit different, but money and power make the call in the end.
I can only hope that the brave, determined and informed electorate in Hong Kong can persevere over the gangsters in Beijing. Here in the USA, the land of the "free and the brave"..I am less sanguine for reform or change taking place. Our electorate is apparently not so free, so smart or so brave...anymore.
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