Seymour Hersh on the Iraq invasion
http://www.zmag.org/content/print_article.cfm?itemID=7054&sectionID=67

There's probably one important angle missing from this otherwise very good report. Another advantage for the Bush admin in invading Iran is this. Iran is likely secretly sending militias and arms to Iraq's resistance movement(s) in their war against the US and pro-US Iraqi forces. Knocking out Iran effectively removes the key nation-state military opponent to the US in Iraq, if not the region. In comparison, the other Arab and middle-eastern states in the region might grumble about the US under their breath. But they dare not oppose the US (because their existence requires significant US support - economic, political, military).

I think there is a great lesson to learn from all this (inter alia). If you are in the unique position to be powerful, the presumptions of accountability are reversed. A key principle of accountability is that you are made accountable for your mistakes. For the powerful, you are made accountable for your successes (eg: even if mainstream reports accept that the Iraq invasion was a disaster, they stress the noble ideals underpinning the great leaders running shop in the White House). People in power are principally kept accountable only by public scrutiny. Public scrutiny is principally determined by the manner in which a society's political process is managed (read the whims of the electorate, news media, based on perception, innuendo, ideological persuasions, etc). But when the political process has gaping holes in it, and when the powerful are able to manoeuvre themselves through that political process such that they evade real scrutiny, what matters is not whether their actions are right or wrong, incompetent or explemary, criminal or just. But whether they can get away with it. In other words, Bush's regime has completely f-cked up Iraq, with many 100,000s killed or injured. The key premise for the invasion, that Iraq had WMDs, has even been openly acknowledged as false. Yet without adequate scrutiny, they need not worry about being made accountable. Remember, Clinton almost got impeached for lying about shagging an intern.

- posted by syed-m @ 11:51 PM

 
Condoleezza Rice's new axis outposts of tyranny
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Global-Terrorism/Rices-new-axis-outposts-of-tyranny/2005/01/19/1106074807939.html

There's an interesting list of countries mentioned here, being Belarus, Zimbabwe, Cuba and Burma. The following might help give some perspective...

Morocco: is a kingdom (a real old style kingdom, read 'tyranny') and a key US ally. It has been receiving significant US military aid as part of the war on terror. Since the 70s, Morocco has been brutally suppressing an independence movement in the southern region of the country where the people of the Western Sahara (a different nation of people) live. No mention whatsoever in the list.

Central Asian 'republics': are almost all brutal dictatorships. All receive significant US military aid and training, again under the aegis of the war on terror. There are significant natural resources in this region (gas, oil, fresh water). Influence in this region would allow the US to transport those resources through Afghanistan and Pakistan, rather than up north through Russia (effectively cutting Russia out of the geopolitical equation). No mention of the central asian republics on the list whatsoever.

Colombia: a country littered with deathsquads and one of the worst kidnapping rates in the world. Human Rights Watch (et al) have compiled numerous reports detailing the paramilitary's role in human rights violations, suppression of political parties, activists, etc. Colomobia is also the lead reciepient of US military aid in the hemisphere. No mention on the list whatsoever.

Russia: a true third world fascist state - a nation controlled by Putin and a small cabal of industrialists and political favourites. Has a nuclear deterrant. Too big to contain. No mention on the list whatsoever.

China: has a horrendous human rights record, the highest rate of executions, a one party state (more of a gerintocracy than a dictatorship, but essentially a tyranny). But a significant trading partner for the US, et al. Notably a good place for cheap, relatively skilled labour. Nuclear deterrant. Too big to contain.

Saudi Arabia: a true dictatorship. No democratic process, dreadful human rights records. Gives US (and UK to lesser extent) reliable access to cheap oil over rivals (EU, Russia, Japan).

Egypt: another true dictatorship. Criticism of the President is a criminal offence. Torture is legal. Mamdouh Habib was sent there for 'interrogation'. Second biggest reciepient of US military aide in the region after Israel.

Interestingly Iran isn't mention. Is that because of the nuclear deterrant? What about North Korea?

Here's my question. What do the four countries have in common? Limited integration into the neoliberal economic system (ie western powers can't use economic factors as a means of coercion a la most developing nations, eg Pakistan, Brazil) and limited geopolitical support (eg from other countries, nuclear deterrant, etc). IE - ripe for privitisation, and an easy punching bag a la Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia.

- posted by syed-m @ 10:41 PM

 
Re: Closure, now billions for the rebirth

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Asia-Tsunami/For-Yudhoyono-opportunity-knocks-amid-the-ruins/2005/01/17/1105810846459.html

Sorry to labour this point, but the plot indeed appears to be thickening. I quite like the opening line of this report:

"Indonesia and the US, thrown together because of the Boxing Day tsunami, want to revive their military links and boost business and investment ties."

A bit like saying 'Oh the poor US, what can it do? It hears about a tsunami destroying bits of Indonesia. What ever can it do to help? I know, how about pumping money back into the Indonesian military? That's sure to help build better schools, hospitals, infrastructure!' Anyone heard of the word 'pretext'? There's also a glib reference, in the middle of this report, about Yudhoyono and other officials having spent time in the US. Were they training with the US military before they joined Kopassus or other parts of the Indonesian military in brutally suppressing independence struggles in Timor, Papua or Aceh?

- posted by syed-m @ 1:15 PM

 
Closure, now billions for the rebirth
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Asia-Tsunami/Closure-now-billions-for-the-rebirth/2005/01/16/1105810778521.html

The plot thickens re the international aid pledged for the reconstruction of Aceh. The indigenous population has been seeking independence for over two decades. A key factor in Indonesia not surrendering to this demand is the fact that Aceh sits on and near to valuable oil deposits. The talk of business leaders meeting in Jakarta to discuss rebuilding Aceh is therefore something of interest, if we are truly concerned to ensure that the people of Aceh are protected from future devastation. Will the aid be principally used to develop better refineries and oil extraction plants, better roads and ports to transport the oil? Most importantly, will Indonesia give foreign investors/nations a sweet deal on the resources in Aceh which the latter can't refuse (and couldn't negotiate with an independent Aceh, cf East Timor Gap negotiations)?

Note also, per the article, that Indonesia has moved away from its demand that foreigners leave Aceh by early March. Why? Well it's clear the US has told Jakarta they don't like the date. Australia appears to have put significant pressure on Indonesia to scrap the deadline too. This all goes to show how influential our governments can be in swaying decision makers in Jakarta.

Note how at the end of the article business leaders have complained of the cronyism in Indonesian business. There's no mention of Indonesia's appalling human rights record. And understandably. Corruption is bad for business. Human rights issues, so long as they aren't reported (leading to a public outcry which might lead to public relations concerns, eg people not buying sweatshop manufactured sneakers), aren't all that significant. The question therefore, is whether international relations, tsunami disasters, ought only to be viewed in the prism of big business interests. I'd argue that, despite the constant media barrage on the tsunami aftermath, even the portrayal of the human side has been one major product-placement exercise (for news media companies flying their intrepid reporters in, governments esp the Australian Govt touting their humanitarian credentials, other big business per the smh article above, celebrities, some NGOs, etc).

(see also http://acehnet.tripod.com/mobil.htm)

- posted by syed-m @ 9:34 PM

 
Record number in jail, Carr boasts

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Record-number-in-jail-Carr-boasts/2005/01/13/1105582657317.html

This article reminds me of one reason why the Labor party is potentially more dangerous than the Liberal-National Coalition. The only 'viable' Labor governments are right of centre. Yet Labor has a strong support base amongst centrists who are vaguely progressive or left-leaning. What you'd describe as small l liberals. In other words, unlike the Coalition, who wouldn't get the vote of these centrists/liberals, Labor can effectively enact very conservative policies with their support. One way to stifle genuine societal reform is to farm off a chunk of the population that might otherwise support more radical political parties (eg Greens, Democrats) by giving them a major party that soothes there conscience somewhat (eg 'at least the Labor party has a left faction'), but still maintains the status quo.

- posted by syed-m @ 7:16 PM

 
The tsunami fetish

The global public response to the tsunami is quite incredible. I just received an e-mail about a local pub that's decided to donate all revenues raised this weekend 'to the tsunami appeal' (or, 'the cause formerly known as the starving children of Africa'). It's hard to precisely work out where all this energy is heading towards.

To be honest I have a little theory as to why there has been such a broad and sustained reaction to the tsunami.

In many ways the coverage is nothing new. For years the media has milked the population's natural fetish for disasters into a steady stream of work for the infotainment industry. Still, I think there's more to the tsunami than just this. I think people in some instinctive way know that a lot of people are dying throughout the world at the moment (eg most people would have at least a vague understanding that Iraq is something of a hell hole at present). Only the media is very reluctant to recount the suffering of man-made disasters (unless the disaster is caused/sanctioned by an official enemy like Al Qaeda or Richard Simmons). So when something uncontrversial like a natural disaster occurs, there's a latent market for it. The coverage taps into people's natural concern for the welfare of humanity (remember of course that many millions marched against the Iraq invasion, so there's good evidence to support the conclusion that people are concerned about the welfare of fellow, foreign human beings).

But, as with everything, big corporations control the media, and their sole purpose is to make profit out of news. I think the media has turned natural human concern into yet another way of getting money out of people. All those entertainers doing tsunami donation drives are also helping their careers. All the product placements during those drives helps business sponsors too. And on top of all that, governments (notably Australia) can milk their 'generous' donations to tsunami hit nations for political capital. Remember we still don't know where the money is going to go. For instance, will it go to the Acehnese or the Indonesians? Even if it goes towards rebuilding Aceh will it just make it easier for Indonesian tanks to roam the streets?

- posted by syed-m @ 11:50 AM

 
Joining the broadband bandwagon

Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to announce the following. I will have broadband internet within the next few weeks. This means I will (finally) be able to set up my own dedicated website. I hope to place musings, pictures, etc on it. How very exciting!

Stay tuned for more info.

- posted by syed-m @ 5:28 PM