We are living in an ever-changing world which continues to be as fascinating as ever. This is the forum for me to report, to comment and to reflect. Thank you for visiting my forum and your support of this lifelong project.
The reports from Somalia note that a large Saudi Tanker with 100 Million Dollars in Oil destined for the U.S. has been hijacked. As I continue to see the reports, the first thing that came to my mind was all that went on in the 1700's and 1800's. I thought about the Barbary Pirates that prompted the first deployment by the United States off the coast of Africa. One would think that somehow this has gone away. Fat chance!!!
The French have resorted to do something about it. I am glad to see that:
This is very much part of the struggle against terrorism. I continue to be amazed as to where the pirates are getting the arms to do this. Military escorts is just a bandaid. Maybe if the Union of Islamic Courts actually takes over Somalia and whips these folks into shape will such actions stop. But, then, fundementalism will be the order of the day which presents a whole host of other problems and challenges. What does the future hold? There is no clear answer.
I have been fascinated by Louis Farakhan. The Nation of Islam Leader sure has had his share of controversy over the years. I briefly commented on his sermon to his congregation this past Sunday. I found him to be reasoned and reminding his congregation of the need to make sure that African Americans do their part to overcome. He was not angry. He also was not angry when he talked to Ritz Khan. Maybe his bout with cancer changed him. Maybe, the election of Barack Obama changed him. Maybe he wants to leave a legacy that overcomes all the misconceptions he has had. Here is the interview (courtesy of Al Jazeera):
Congo is under threat. I am disturbed by the UN Secretary General's call for 3,000 additional troops. The Rebel Nkunda is threatening to March on the Capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo and oust the useless President, Joseph Kabila. I was especially mad when I read how the Congolese Tropps were raping women, and ransacking villages while withdrawing. I am also monitoring reports that the Rebel Nkunda has apparently appointed a Prime Minister to run the areas under his control. There is a claim that they seem to running things fairly efficiently.
I am mad because the UN spent billions on the election that brought the useless Kabila legitimacy. Every one of us around the world must be mad at what is going on in the Congo. I wanted to find out about Nkunda and who he is. I ran across this NBC interview with the Rebel to get his point of view:
NBC's Interview (Part I)
NBC's Interview (Part II)
Ann Curry of NBC did a fine job on pressing Nkunda on this. I have read how rich the country is. I have read how beautiful the country is. Why this country is suffering is an indicement of the world in my view. The UN is calling for a seize fire. No one seems to be listening. Unfortunately, this is just another example of the legtimiacy of the UN being undermined by a total lack of regard for international and international institutions by the Bush Adminstration.
Silvio the clown (aka the Prime Minister of Italy) was in Russia. According to a report in the Times of London, the clown said that, ".... Russia and America can do business together.." He went on to say that, "...I will try to help relations between Russia and the United States, where a new generation has come to power. I don't see problems for Medvedev in establishing good relations with Obama, who is also handsome, young and suntanned".
According to the report, he said that he had intended the remark as a compliment and those who failed to understand this were "imbeciles". The clown is the imbecile. He is the idiot. I am sorry that President-Elect Obama has to deal with such a fool.
I have also been sickened by the continued stories about Sarah the Diva (aka Sarah Palin). I can't understand why the media just won't let her alone to go back to her work in Alaska. John McCain screwed up. Let's just move on. The election is over and there are simply too many challenges for the country to worry about whether Sarah Palin know Africa was a country or not. Fox News (or Fixed News as known at MSNBC) reported on Sarah Palin coming out of the shower when two key McCain staffers went out to see here. My reaction was, who gives a fudge? There is a lot more important things that we should talk about.
There is of course the appointment of Rahm Emmanuel. I wrote it about earlier. Boehner, The House Minority Leader, criticized the appointment. I am sure Mr. Obama's reaction was the same as mine: who cares, dude!!! The man can get things done. He cut his teeth working for Bill Clinton. But, Emmanuel is an ardent support of Israel. This will cause grief for Arabs throughout the Middle East. Everyone realizes that the support of Israel is a cornerstone of U.S. Policy. The challenge for President-Elect Obama is to restore the position of the United States as an honest broker while insuring the safety of Israel. With the role Emmanuel played in the Oslo Peace Accords being signed at the White House, I think he will a lot more pragmatic than others give him credit for. Tipzi Livni has also understood that the future lies in coming to terms with the Palestinians. So, I see a future that is a lot brighter that many doom sayers.
I was surprised to see idiotnejad (aka Ahmadinjead, the clerk-president of Iran) send out a congratulatory message to President-Elect Obama. He, of course, lectured President-Elect Obama. Chavez was upbeat. There is hope that he will overcome and transform. Let's give him the benefit of doubt. He may yet surprise us. We all must be ready to insure ever-lasting vigliance in this.
In the daily battles, we seem to forget what a small participant we are. This is an image of the heavens now that Hubble is back on line. Whenever we forget, we should remember. We should also be awed by the beauty and the majesty of the Universe. I was so moved when I saw this. Words just simply can't explain it!!!!
I was profoundly saddened by the news of the Dalai Lamai giving up his quest to fight for freedom and self-determination for the people of Tibet. He is a man that is the ultimate example for peace, harmony and co-existence. The official line from the Dalai Lamai's Staff is to "consider other options". The fact is that the Chinese Government has won. I commend him, though, for all that he has done to promote harmony and peace around the world and in his homeland.
I had the good fortune to attend a ceremony at my local City Council meeting earlier tonight. It was to celebrate scouting. The innvocation was conducted by a local minister who began with the Prayer of St. Francis. It truly moved me. The lessons of the prayer is so true as the world is undergoing a profound sense of change:
We all know what a tragedy Katrina was. The bigger tragedy was the inept Government response at all levels to the disaster. To this date, the images and the stories that come out are a reminder to us all about what not to do. But, the beauty of America has also come out. The stories of luminaries like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are but one example. But, there is one that took my breath away. Liz McCartney is one such person.
Liz McCartney She and her companion quit their jobs and moved to New Orleans to help rebuild St. Bernard Parish. They helped to launch the St. Bernard Project . For $ 12,000, they are rebuilding homes. They are working to bring back St. Bernard Parish one house at a time. It is the committment of such people that serves as inspiration to us all. After digging around a bit, I found this story of them featured on DarynKagan.com
General Powell went on the record earlier on U.S. National Television. He has endorsed Barack Obama for President. I found his near repudiation of the right-wing shift of the Republican Party especially pointed. Senator McCain's judgement was the key question, as I saw it. As I listened to General Powell, what especially drove me was how General Powell addressed the question on Muslims on in America:
I have been periodically reading on the legal dispute between the three surviving children of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Dr. King made a difference for America. His life is celebrated. But, he was also a man and had his shortcomings. But, his shortcomings should not negate his committment to civil rights for all.
As I read about the King Children, I wanted to listen to his speech in Memphis before he was assassinated. His eloquence will carry on
News is right now coming in that Paul Newman died earlier of cancer. I am saddened by it. I remember him most when I saw him in the Young Philadelphians. It was the story of boy who grew to be a man, who grew to finally understand what it mean to love and appreciate himself in the end. I think the world was a better place because Paul Newman lived. May he rest in peace. His legacy and humanity will live on!!!
Ahmadinejad, the Iranian Clerk-President, spoke in New York at the UN General Assembly. The man, to me, has no shame. I caught glimpses and pieces of the speech, because even looking at him drives me nuts.
Ahmadinejad has presided over an economic collapse in Iran. The people are suffering. He wants to be President, again. If a free and fair vote was held, he would be defeated without a doubt. Ahmadinejad (or stupidnejad) is a joke, a clown and an idiot. When will the world recognize it
I just got word through the Commitee to Protect Bloggers that Raja Petra Kamaruddin has been sent to jail for two years under Malaysia's Internal Security Act. For a country that is supposedly a bastion of Democracy, I don't understand why such voices are silenced. The world ought to put pressure on Abdullah Badawi to explain what he is afraid of. If Anwar Ibrahim is able to in fact topple Abdullah Badawi, I wonder if he will get any better.
I was estatic as I observed the signing of the agreement signaling a new beginning in Zimbabwe. Well, after he said that the agreement was a humiliation at his party meeting, I got worried. Now, I see that the the negotations are stalled because Mugabe wants control of the key ministries. The MDC leadership is indeed being statesmen. The MDC leadership was beaten, imprisoned and even jailed. I think the MDC showed a lot of class in stepping up to do this. Yet, Mugabe has shown himself to be a thug and a despot. I saw a quote that Mugabe had to be handled "The African Way". He had to be managed. Politics is the art of compromise. Mugabe does not even believe in his own rhetoric, when he said , "...let's turn our guns into plowshares...". He blames the world. So, to me, he has failed the first and foremost test of leadership. How can he possibly ask for control of key ministries while there is no food, the country is faced with an 11 million percent inflation rate and 80% of the people are unemployed. I have talked about it before. I regarded Zimbabwe as different, because it was when it gained independence. Now, it is a basket case. Will Mugabe at least live up to what he signed? I wonder.
Tariq Ali's new book "Duel" on Pakistan is interesting reading. I agree with him in that no one truly understands Pakistan today. No one seems to want to understand. That's why I wrote about the advise he had for Barack Obama. I am confident that the team advising Senator Obama is quite aware of this. Incursions into Pakistan, though, will not solve the problem. It will make matters worst.
There is nothing wrong with listening to voices of reason. We must understand the country, reach out to the civil institutions and overcome the mistrust. The question is whether we have the will or not. Pakistan's challenges will not go away overnight--whether we have a "Prince Regent" now as the so-called President
As I was happy for the people of Zimbabwe, I was again disappointed by Mugabe. After his rambling speech on Monday, he continued his onslaught on the agreement as a "humiliation". Why can't this man be happy? Is he that biter and power hunger that he can't at least say let's get moving and get the country back on the right track. I can't believe and understand this man. But, the MDC seems to know what needs to be done. "Hopefully" Mugabe is not up to his old tricks. As I read the latest reports, I thought maybe the European Community and the U.S. were right after all.
Every day seems to be more exciting than the next. Earlier today, the U.S Embassy in Yemen was attacked. Al Jazeera right now is reporting that 16 people have died. At least, visa applicants had not lined up yet. Otherwise the the death toll would have been higher. On the business side, AIG was thrown a lifeline by the Federal Reserve. AIG was given a $ 85 BIllion Loan in exchange for a 79.9% stake in the business. This lifeline will allow AIG to continue to operate. There is also a claim by the Nigerian Delta Rebels of a oil pipeline being blown up in Nigeria.
The embassy attack is bothersome on several fronts. It shows that the fatalists within the Islamist movement seem to be as vibrant as ever. Yemen, of course, is not the safest country in the world. It has been a hotbead of insurrection for a very long time. The Yemeni Government has a lot of work to do. U.S. Embassies are fortified institutions. It will be quite tough to penetrate the compound itself. But, the brazen attack takes quite bit of planning which is worrisome
Anwar Ibrahim, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia has made a remarkable comeback. He was set up by the former Prime Minister Mahatir Mohammad, spent almost 10 years in Prison and now is on the verge of becoming Prime Minister. As I was listening to him on Al Jazeera English, I remain convinced that detemrination, grit and sheer will can overcome anything. Anwar is a clear example. I remember the arrogance of Mahatir Mohammad. I will be following Anwar's trials closely.
Gordon Brown has been the British Prime Minister for a little over a year. I have studied him for a number of years. He made a number of crucial moves when Labour took power that cemented the "new labor" reputation for the past ten years. But, it seems as he has lost his way. My disappointment was when he back peddled on the committment to get out of Iraq.
From what I have ready of him, he works hard. But, an old mentor of mine said that you have to work smart to insure success. For being as smart as he was, I wonder if he saw the housing bubble coming. The Housing bubble helped to fund the UK expansion--as well as the expansion in the U.S. Gordon Brown will eventually pay the price. I am amazed that the Senior Labour MP's in the UK (Jack Straw, David Milliband and others) have not stood up to challenge Labour.
I am right now watching Al Jazeera as the proceedings of the signing of this historic day is starting. They are right now playing the National Anthem of Zimbabwe. The President of South Africa is there, as are other Presidents.
The King of Swaziland just opened formal proceedings as Chair of the SADC (South African Development Community) organ on politics, Defense and Security. The President of Tanzania is also there on behalf of the African Union. The King is congratulating all for the work they have done. He is extending a special thanks to Thabo Mbeki for the work at hand. The President of South Africa has begun his comments. He has been extending his appreciation to all the parties. It has been quite an extensive group indeed. Morgan Tsavgrani is now officially the Prime Minister and Arthur Muntambara is now the Deputy Prime Minister. They are right now beginning the ceremony of signing the documents. The MDC, apparently, is getting the Home Ministry, the Ministry of Finance, the information ministry and Foreign Affairs. The Home Ministry controls the National Police. The team they put together will be the key
Al Jazeera is right now reporting that the Niger Delta Rebels have declared war on the oil companies. They have warned oil company workers to leave or face retailation. This is despite the Nigerian President's moves to create a new Ministry to try and address the concerns of the folks in the Delta Region. Nigeria is a major oil producer. Between Nigeria and Ike, we're going to see a spike in prices for a while. The sooner we figure out how to end our addiction to Carbon, the better off we are. Drilling is not even a bandaid. We cannot wait. The time to act is now to help move along all the initiatives.
Some may say that this advocacy may be a sign of desperation or overaction. We are at the moment of desparation. We cannot wait!!!! I would rather overract now to help save the planet than tomorrow. There is also a national security component to this. The McCain-Palin Team is right on this issue. I do have reservations about the expertise Governor Palin brings to the ticket because of her knowledge of energy as a national security matter though. I am not sure that serving for about a year as Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Commision will provide the broad insight necessary to help guide U.S. Energy Policy. I am reminded of Dick Cheney's infamous energy taskforce when meetings were held in secret without any public input. Of course, George W. Bush was an ex-oil man himself. Look at where it got us. One thing is for sure: the roadmap to energy independence does not go through our outer continental shelf or the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge
Well, Hugo Chavez the showman continues his comedy show. Right now, Bolivia, Venezuela and Honduras have no U.S. Ambassadors. Nicaragua is thinking about re-evaluating relations. This is simply unacceptable. I don't understand what Hugo Chavez' thinking is. What is basically propping him is oil. Oil has dropped substantially. He has profound internal issues. The drug cartels seem to be running rampant in his country. Bolivia can't even seem to bring its provinces under control. The need to be able to speak up for the common man is something that is commendable.
Someone needs to talk some sense into both Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales. I realize their drive to empower the dispossesed. But, at what cost? War?
Mike Pouraryan
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