The small riot in Pyongyang's Kim Il-Sung Stadium yesterday (following the defeat of North Korea to Iran 2-0) could be considered as good news since it exposes the deliquescence of the ruling power. I don't think it should.
The problem is the same as for Iraq, only worse : a regime change is badly needed, but the changing itself means a highly dangerous situation and should be carefuly planned. The chaos in Iraq may look very peaceful compared to what could happen the other side of the DMZ and at the frontiers (especially with China).
Something big is definitely going to happen in North Korea, and much sooner than expected. A collapse by the end of the year wouldn't surprise me. Chosun's neighbors should get ready, and so should the UN, the only international body which could be accepted by Pyongyang or what's left of it.
20050327
Red blogule to the "Bush doctrine"
The big question nowadays is : was Bush right ? Is the man responsible for democracy's tidal wave in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan...?
The answer is yes, the US did play a major role, but not the way they dreamed it.
Washington did invest in the opposition in former soviet republics, and keeps laying greenbacks over Iraq (even watering them with the blood of honorable marines and local citizens, but I'm not sure it will help them grow). But the US also made their point in revealing their own weaknesses : here is an allmighty warlord getting humiliated, losing face (faith ?), uniting the international community against this negation of respect. Bush even managed to pass for the bad boy while fighting Bin Laden and Saddam. This man did everything he could to crush the Palestinian side during his first mandate. And when his top aides dare say about Lebanon elections cannot be considered democratical when held in an occupied country, how do you think Iraqis should take it ?
The world knows well the US are not likely to repeat their Iraqi failure that soon, that their military forces are far too stretched to allow one more "shock & awe" mission right now. The world knows the US are no more the center of the world, the only economical superpower. The world knows the US are weaker than ever.
But the world knows the world is watching. Not necessarily with enough strength to avoid the abuses of a Bush or a Putin, but with enough intensity to make it count.
The answer is yes, the US did play a major role, but not the way they dreamed it.
Washington did invest in the opposition in former soviet republics, and keeps laying greenbacks over Iraq (even watering them with the blood of honorable marines and local citizens, but I'm not sure it will help them grow). But the US also made their point in revealing their own weaknesses : here is an allmighty warlord getting humiliated, losing face (faith ?), uniting the international community against this negation of respect. Bush even managed to pass for the bad boy while fighting Bin Laden and Saddam. This man did everything he could to crush the Palestinian side during his first mandate. And when his top aides dare say about Lebanon elections cannot be considered democratical when held in an occupied country, how do you think Iraqis should take it ?
The world knows well the US are not likely to repeat their Iraqi failure that soon, that their military forces are far too stretched to allow one more "shock & awe" mission right now. The world knows the US are no more the center of the world, the only economical superpower. The world knows the US are weaker than ever.
But the world knows the world is watching. Not necessarily with enough strength to avoid the abuses of a Bush or a Putin, but with enough intensity to make it count.
White blogule to You
I started a joke... which started the world both laughing and crying. For over two years now, I've been hearing from some of you. You sent me encouragements and hate mails, sometimes pictures, links to your own blog / site, and even a couple of viruses. Students & researchers, soccer addicts & gimchi lovers, Reps & Dems, Christians & Buddhists, Muslims & Jews, moderates & extremists, even a negationist (portals have to be open and sometimes you do catch a cold). Oddly enough, you land from all 6 continents on my personal portal or on one of my blogs (blogules, blogules VF and mot-bile). Sometimes by accident, sometimes with enough masochism to come back more often than I refresh my sites.
Yet, not all of you dare feeding me back. Don't hesitate and go ahead !
Yet, not all of you dare feeding me back. Don't hesitate and go ahead !
20050323
Red blogule to the Department Of Justice - "Preserving life and liberty" or Propaganda 101
The Department Of Justice proposes a justification to the Patriot Act on its "Preserving life and liberty" website (http://www.lifeandliberty.gov), with a special focus on "dispelling the myths" because this is about providing truth to those who dare objecting to the Propaganda and refusing "the pursuit of Happiness" (ignorance).
Note the site's title : this Administration sure knows how to preserve liberty (at the cost of thousands of lives, the apology of torture and the negation of justice), and it just proved it knew how to preserve life (theotherapeutical harassment for Terri Shiavo, not one finger lifted for Columbine II).
Right under the title lies a quote from the Declaration of Independence : "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted..." And that's it. They don't go any further. "Governments are instituted" in this context means this is the right, self-evident unalienable and secure body which shall do the job. Yet, I'll complete the quote, just for the education of the masses (not for fun, alas) : "... among Men, deriving their JUST POWERS from the CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED, that WHENEVER ANY FORM OF GOVERNMENT BECOMES DESTRUCTIVE OF THESE ENDS, IT IS THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO ALTER OR TO ABOLISH IT, AND TO INSTITUTE NEW GOVERNMENT." This site is definitely a masterpiece in editing for the sake of Propaganda...
Their justifications are very clear : the Patriot act...
... "Allows law enforcement to use surveillance against more crimes of terror" ("courts could permit law enforcement to conduct electronic surveillance to investigate many ordinary, non-terrorism crimes"... translation : we decide who is a terrorist)
... "Allows federal agents to follow sophisticated terrorists trained to evade detection" (translation : federal agents can act as terrorists, kidnap anyone anywhere anytime and evade the detection of human right groups)
... "Allows law enforcement to conduct investigations without tipping off terrorists" (translation : get rid of all safeguards to democracy. tipping off journalists is just as dangerous as tipping off terrorists so lets get rid ov'em too)
..."Allows federal agents to ask a court for an order to obtain business records in national security terrorism cases" (strange : they care about legality only when corporate money is involved)
... "Enhanced the inadequate maximum penalties for various crimes likely to be committed by terrorists" (translation : illegal detention without any proof, torture or death for the luckiest. shall we consider "likely to be" as "not committed yet but with such a profile it's just as well" ?)
... "Enhanced a number of conspiracy penalties" ("conspiracy" as in "I wish Bush weren't reelected" ? "penalties" as in "torture" ?)
The propaganda goes on with the "support of the people" section where polls justify the Patriot Act :
=> These two questions were asked by USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll on August 29, 2003, at a time when the heat was not at its peak on the Patriot Act : "Do you think the Bush administration has gone too far, has been about right, or has not gone far enough in restricting people's civil liberties in order to fight terrorism?" and "Based on what you have read or heard, do you think the Patriot Act goes too far, is about right, or does not go far enough in restricting people's civil liberties in order to fight terrorism?".
=> These two questions were asked even earlier (July 31, 2003) by a very trustable propaganda tool (Fox News/Opinion Dynamics) : "After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress passed the Patriot Act which, in part, gives federal officials wider authority to use wiretaps and other surveillance techniques. Some people say the Patriot Act is a necessary and effective tool in preventing terrorist attacks, while others say the act goes too far and could violate the civil liberties of average Americans. Which comes closer to your view - overall, would you say the Patriot Act is a good thing for America or a bad thing for America?" and "To the best of your knowledge have you or a member of your family had your civil rights affected by the Patriot Act?"
Now moving on to the "stories and articles" section : the first quote is an editorial from a very conservative magazine, National Review and the rest is a selection you would expect from a political brochure but not from a Government's official site.
This is a textbook example of a dictatorship justifying itself. Stephane MOT on a forum
Note the site's title : this Administration sure knows how to preserve liberty (at the cost of thousands of lives, the apology of torture and the negation of justice), and it just proved it knew how to preserve life (theotherapeutical harassment for Terri Shiavo, not one finger lifted for Columbine II).
Right under the title lies a quote from the Declaration of Independence : "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted..." And that's it. They don't go any further. "Governments are instituted" in this context means this is the right, self-evident unalienable and secure body which shall do the job. Yet, I'll complete the quote, just for the education of the masses (not for fun, alas) : "... among Men, deriving their JUST POWERS from the CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED, that WHENEVER ANY FORM OF GOVERNMENT BECOMES DESTRUCTIVE OF THESE ENDS, IT IS THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO ALTER OR TO ABOLISH IT, AND TO INSTITUTE NEW GOVERNMENT." This site is definitely a masterpiece in editing for the sake of Propaganda...
Their justifications are very clear : the Patriot act...
... "Allows law enforcement to use surveillance against more crimes of terror" ("courts could permit law enforcement to conduct electronic surveillance to investigate many ordinary, non-terrorism crimes"... translation : we decide who is a terrorist)
... "Allows federal agents to follow sophisticated terrorists trained to evade detection" (translation : federal agents can act as terrorists, kidnap anyone anywhere anytime and evade the detection of human right groups)
... "Allows law enforcement to conduct investigations without tipping off terrorists" (translation : get rid of all safeguards to democracy. tipping off journalists is just as dangerous as tipping off terrorists so lets get rid ov'em too)
..."Allows federal agents to ask a court for an order to obtain business records in national security terrorism cases" (strange : they care about legality only when corporate money is involved)
... "Enhanced the inadequate maximum penalties for various crimes likely to be committed by terrorists" (translation : illegal detention without any proof, torture or death for the luckiest. shall we consider "likely to be" as "not committed yet but with such a profile it's just as well" ?)
... "Enhanced a number of conspiracy penalties" ("conspiracy" as in "I wish Bush weren't reelected" ? "penalties" as in "torture" ?)
The propaganda goes on with the "support of the people" section where polls justify the Patriot Act :
=> These two questions were asked by USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll on August 29, 2003, at a time when the heat was not at its peak on the Patriot Act : "Do you think the Bush administration has gone too far, has been about right, or has not gone far enough in restricting people's civil liberties in order to fight terrorism?" and "Based on what you have read or heard, do you think the Patriot Act goes too far, is about right, or does not go far enough in restricting people's civil liberties in order to fight terrorism?".
=> These two questions were asked even earlier (July 31, 2003) by a very trustable propaganda tool (Fox News/Opinion Dynamics) : "After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress passed the Patriot Act which, in part, gives federal officials wider authority to use wiretaps and other surveillance techniques. Some people say the Patriot Act is a necessary and effective tool in preventing terrorist attacks, while others say the act goes too far and could violate the civil liberties of average Americans. Which comes closer to your view - overall, would you say the Patriot Act is a good thing for America or a bad thing for America?" and "To the best of your knowledge have you or a member of your family had your civil rights affected by the Patriot Act?"
Now moving on to the "stories and articles" section : the first quote is an editorial from a very conservative magazine, National Review and the rest is a selection you would expect from a political brochure but not from a Government's official site.
This is a textbook example of a dictatorship justifying itself. Stephane MOT on a forum
20050320
Red blogule to Paul Wolfowitz
The US are withdrawing from all international bodies but the ones they initiated, especially when they can help putting some of the Iraqi mess away from the national flags (casualties, deficits, counter-propaganda). But the nomination of Paul Wolfowitz for the head of the World Bank sounds like the ultimate insult to the international community.
The man is anything but "a compassionate and decent man", as a master in both compassion and decency, George Walker Bush, dared dub him. How could an expert in dissimulation promote transparency ? How can this man handle the World Bank's priorities ? I just pick 3 out of the 6 "hot topics" mentioned on the World Bank's website : "Chad-Cameroon pipeline", "extractive industries transparency initiative" and "Iraq"... Come on !!! The World Bank is about reducing poverty ? It sure will if you consider Halliburton a poor entity. Look at the chest Wolfie will be able to pump from :
The man is anything but "a compassionate and decent man", as a master in both compassion and decency, George Walker Bush, dared dub him. How could an expert in dissimulation promote transparency ? How can this man handle the World Bank's priorities ? I just pick 3 out of the 6 "hot topics" mentioned on the World Bank's website : "Chad-Cameroon pipeline", "extractive industries transparency initiative" and "Iraq"... Come on !!! The World Bank is about reducing poverty ? It sure will if you consider Halliburton a poor entity. Look at the chest Wolfie will be able to pump from :
- IBRD : The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development , $11bn in 2004
- IDA : The International Development Association, $9bn in 2004
- IFC : The International Finance Corporation, $4.8bn in 2004
- MIGA : The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, $1.1bn in 2004
- ICSID : The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (that definitely settles it, doesn't it ?)
20050313
Red blogule to the Contra-terrorism squad
Much has been said about John Negroponte's past in the troubled Contra scandal, involving torture in Honduras and sponsoring terrorist activities. Well this man should know about intelligence, and the former Honduras, UN and Iraq ambassador may have changed. Everybody has a right to make mistakes, but there is a pattern : strangely enough, 3 other former Contra men have been promoted at key positions since last november elections :
- John Poindexter : the new Information Awareness Office Director at the Pentagon lied to the Congress and was convicted several times
- Elliot Abrams : this man pleaded guilty to have not disclosed information about the scandal. Five years later Bush I forgave him and now Bush II appoints him head of his Middle East task force
- Otto Reich : from the State Department, Reich would be involved in illegal pro-Contra propaganda. He's now working for the Western Hemisphere Affairs.
20050305
Red blogule to private accounts - SoCal Security
Funny how the Americans can sound French when they talk about reforming their Social Security system. The Dems seem reluctant to contribute to a potential Bush victory and say there's no hurry to do what they pointed out as a priority during the campaign while the Reps are having one of these gallic fights where the conservative, the neo-conservative, the ultra-conservative, the not-so-conservative and the don't-tell-ma-i'm-rather-liberal-conservative discuss the consistency of the reform with the Adam Smith dogma. Even Dubya manages talking about being a good civil servant and boosting private accounts. I say if I needed some private security I'd hire Governor Arnold to get rid ov'em bugs. That would be the so-called social SoCal sekurity.
20050221
Red blogule to the Red machine - The potential RNC tickets for 2008 :
Jeb Bush - John McCain
Rudolf Giuliani - Condoleeza Rice
Arnold Schwarzennegger - Buzz Lightyear
Ken Mehlman - Barbie
Billy Graham - Abu Masab Al Zarqawi
Dick Perle - Paul Wolfowitz
Alberto Gonzales - Hannibal Lecter
Dick Cheney - Dick Cheney
George Prescott Bush - Chelsea Clinton
Rudolf Giuliani - Condoleeza Rice
Arnold Schwarzennegger - Buzz Lightyear
Ken Mehlman - Barbie
Billy Graham - Abu Masab Al Zarqawi
Dick Perle - Paul Wolfowitz
Alberto Gonzales - Hannibal Lecter
Dick Cheney - Dick Cheney
George Prescott Bush - Chelsea Clinton
20050212
Red blogule to the Clintonian Republic - Spamilial planning
3 mails in one day from the DNC... are the Dems that desperate ? And I still have to receive Howard Dean's greetings. Obviously, "Yee-haa" scared the Clintons so badly they had to attack first : Hillary ignites a motion to secure the ballot system so that "every vote counts" - a great initiative launched with her dear friend McAuliffe but why announce it the very day the minority leaders sends his farewell note ? And between both mails Billy manages to release his own message : come visit my library and help me fight AIDS across the globe. Here again, a noble crusade and a nice reminder weeks after the inauguration of the Presidential Library. But the royal couple had to communicate today : "hey guys, we now the crazy boy from Vermont is taking over, but this remains our party and we're still the front runners for 2008 - besides we don't know if the new leader will let us use this channel for our personal messages".
Washing your laundry in public seems the latest reality TV / reality spam trend. That's how modern and developped countries proceed. Poor Togo relies on foreign news providers to relate the familial succession matters, changes in constitution included. Great Britain may be developped but not modern yet. Imagine receiving your Buckingham palace mail newsreel : in the morning a mail from Harry ("Save on drugs : get rid of hangovers and other nuisances"), at noon Charles' delivery ("Petition : support the institution of marriage in the U.K."), and in the evening Camellia's first mail ("Fight the blues with the blue pill : cheaper viagra now"). Pathetic.
Washing your laundry in public seems the latest reality TV / reality spam trend. That's how modern and developped countries proceed. Poor Togo relies on foreign news providers to relate the familial succession matters, changes in constitution included. Great Britain may be developped but not modern yet. Imagine receiving your Buckingham palace mail newsreel : in the morning a mail from Harry ("Save on drugs : get rid of hangovers and other nuisances"), at noon Charles' delivery ("Petition : support the institution of marriage in the U.K."), and in the evening Camellia's first mail ("Fight the blues with the blue pill : cheaper viagra now"). Pathetic.
20050208
White blogule to good intentions - Mind the gap
Strike the pose, George. You'll have your snapshot next to that of Jimmy & Anwar, or even better that of Billy, Yasser & Itzhak. All smiles at home, at your dear lil' White House on the prairie. After blocking all peace attempts for over 4 years and setting the World on fire... Luckily enough, you can put the blame on Arafat or even Powell for the failures of your first mandate. Not on you ("Make no mistake" is your middle name)... But tell you what : I'll even swallow my pride and endure your presence on that picture for posterity if you manage to make Palestine happen during your second mandate. Heck, even Russia celebrates Stalin for Yalta's 60th anniversary.
And you're also tackling that deficit issue now ? What a week ! Well... even divided by two this remains a huge deficit to be compared to the comfortable surplus you inherited. And you don't even take into account your little extras in Iraq. I'm sure a very efficient cut will be performed, but it's likely to be on your project by the very majority you got elected on that radical program of yours a couple of monthes ago...
I should rejoice and yet I can't help but smell a rat. Let's name it Karl for convenience. How is dear Karl gonna cope with the hardliners for 2006 and 2008 ?
And you're also tackling that deficit issue now ? What a week ! Well... even divided by two this remains a huge deficit to be compared to the comfortable surplus you inherited. And you don't even take into account your little extras in Iraq. I'm sure a very efficient cut will be performed, but it's likely to be on your project by the very majority you got elected on that radical program of yours a couple of monthes ago...
I should rejoice and yet I can't help but smell a rat. Let's name it Karl for convenience. How is dear Karl gonna cope with the hardliners for 2006 and 2008 ?
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