- Left of Center blog explores a rumor that McCain will be the next Republican Presidential candidate.
- The outgoing Spanish government alleged that Basque separatists were responsible for the Madrid train bombs, then erased all the data they had on the subject.
- The LA Times reports on the "terrorist fanatics" who seek to replace Tehran's religious tyranny with their own. As an aside, this group are often the ones publicising Iranian civil-rights abuses.
- Rumsfield the chickenhawk is scared to go to Germany in case he is arrested for war crimes.
- Controversial U.S. groups operate behind the scenes on Iraq vote. Meanwhile, Aussie defence giant gives big to US Republicans and gets prime Iraq media contract in return.
- America's privatised military machine is at the heart of the war on drugs in Colombia. US taxpayers fund private armies there to the tune of $1.1 billion every year.
- Still sceptical about the Russia/India/Brazil/China Colaition I keep banging on about? What if Radio Free Europe and Goldman Sachs told you the same thing?
- The family of an Iraqi civilian allegedly killed by UK troops has won a challenge against the government's refusal to order a full inquiry.
- The latest test of the US missile defence shield fails, like many of the others. The Pentagon is spending $10 billion a year on this, and it was meant to be ready this year. Where's the money for Hummer armor?
- The international investigation of nuclear black-marketeer A.Q. Khan is being blocked by countries implicated in secret trades; Washington and London are idle so they can keep their friend Musharraf onside.
- North Korea threatens war with Japan if sanctions go ahead.
- So far, there have been over 5,000 desertions from the US army in Iraq. "It's deja vu all over again".
- Yet more instances of detainee abuse in Iraq come to light, along with the pitifully low sentences given out to convicted perpetrators.
- Iraq again, this time the interim defence minister, an ex-Saddam spook, accuses Iran and Syria of backing the insurgency and calls Iran "an enemy of Iraq since before Islam".
- A US unilateral military move concerning Iran will break NATO in pieces.
Quote of the Day:
The stupidity of men always invites the insolence of power
Ralph Waldo Emerson
6 comments:
I am a new reader and had not heard of the Russia/India/Brazil/China Colaition until the other day. This is very interesting.
Thanks.
Kirkrrt
The latest test of the US missile defence shield fails, like many of the others. The Pentagon is spending $10 billion a year on this, and it was meant to be ready this year. Where's the money for Hummer armor?
There's no link to this article -- perhaps because the statement is sufficient in itself? ;-)
Not that I think the U.S. defense budget should be higher, but the problem of a lack of armored vehicles for the national guard and army reserve illuminates numerous flaws in the system:
*lack of proper upkeep for the guard and reserve
*lack of concern for the safety of the troops
*precious little thought before the invasion about anything other than rolling triumphantly into Bhagdad
*the obvious fact that military appropriations are determined predominantly by considerations other than what's actually needed, like whose buddy will get the contract, which Senator's home state will get the most pork, and which branch of the service can twist the most arms
Re: another article...
"Iraq again, this time the interim defence minister, an ex-Saddam spook, accuses Iran and Syria of backing the insurgency, and calls Iran "an enemy of Iraq since before Islam"."
On the one hand, an ex-Saddam spook would be a Sunni, so he would think that. On the other hand, he's probably right.
The stupidity of men always invites the insolence of power.Ralph Waldo Emerson
Your quote tangentially brings to mind another human characteristic that I've often thought is one of the main causes of human suffering. Whether we're talking employers, managers, or politicians, it's almost always those who are ambitious and power-hungry, not competent, who seek, and therefore get, the job. Our collective stupidity is evident in that we haven't yet figured out a way to prevent that.
Kat
Hi Kirkrrt
Just in case you missed it, here is the link to the article that started me following 'Putin's Progress' as he travelled to Brazil, India and now China doing exactly what the article said he would - forming a geographically spread alliance of the "growth nations" to act as a counterbalance to the US. See the various Newshog briefs in the archives for more.
Of course, the Europeans are frantically trying to do exactly the same thing by expanding the EU. One view of US global strategy at the moment is that the primary objective is to prevent Russia and the EU from getting too buddy-buddy and providing a new superpower in one fell swoop - with technology, population, military might and economy to rival or surpass the USA. IF so, then the Ukraine debacle would be a very effective move in the game. Salon did a not-bad op-ed on the EU as a superpower not too long ago.
I suppose I should write it all up soon and connect the links...
Regards, C
Hi Kat,
Oops...sowwy. I fixed the link.
As for the rest of your post...as usual, spot on. Although I have to question the sanity of having such a super-hawk in charge of Iraq's defence...which basically comprises 4 tanks and a couple of recon planes right now.
Check out the report here from Unfair Witness blog.
Regards, C
Thanks. I have to work now, but will definately print out the story and read it this evening.
The new consortium of major powers sounds too much like a Tom Clancy plot. I don't doubt it, but it is eerily familiar.
Post a Comment