sábado, 11 de novembro de 2006

On world doctrines...

George W. Bush has been listening both to the nationalists in his immediate circle and to the neocons within and outside the government. His doctrine was developed from both currents, and can be reduced to three central points:

i) There is no way 9/11 can repeat itself, and therefore terrorists must be hunted down wherever they are – even if preventive impacts not sanctioned by international legal rules should be necessary.

ii) The nightmare comes from those states, which protect terrorists like the Qaeda network, and can possibly put nuclear weapons in their hands – they are to be attacked with all means.

iii) The USA must secure the endangered energy supply from the oil-richest region in the world; for that purpose the country needs a strategic bridgehead in the Middle East.
How fragile for instance pro-American Saudi Arabia could become as a supplier is shown by the counterflows against the corrupt Royal Family – 15 among the 19 9/11 assassins were Saudi Arabian citizens.

Comments on


i) The methods used to hunt terrorists down have not only discredited the USA government abroad, but also mean a harsh blow to democracy itself. (CIA flights in Europe and Guantanamo).

ii) The rhetoric involving "evil axes" works no longer. The common citizen is now aware of this administration's intentions: attacking some states and not others is decided by the economic/energetic agenda, not by moral or ethic principles and values.

iii) That strategic bridgehead in the Middle East is now – and will be in the long term – Iraq. USA armed forces won't leave the country for as long as it is submerged in civil war. A foreseeable carnage is already occurring between Sunnites and Shiites. And it won't be over so soon. Meanwhile, many American corporations will be taking advantage of the situation.

RIC

15 comentários:

Jack disse...

I agree!

But who is doing the fighting?

The little people.
Guys like you and me.

Why not send the big heads to fight it off by themselves?

RIC disse...

Hello Joel!
Well, I guess everything would be over and done in a minute, if big heads were to fight over their manias...
What a different world this would be...
Nice Sunday, Joel!

Jack disse...

lol

Not yet man!?

It's SATURDAY NIGHT!?

Gonna go have some fun!?

hehehe

Keep you posted!?

RIC disse...

Right, Joel! I was forgetting the 5 hour difference, I'm sorry!
Sure, there's still a Saturday Night Fever, is there not? Pity there's no disco sound anymore... Yeah, I'm being quite retro now, so what?
Enjoy your night! Carpe noctem!
Make good use of all the surprises!...

Gumby disse...

you've summed it up pretty well!

RIC disse...

Hello Gumby! Well, I did try, with a little help of some magazines I usually read.
I wish you all the best for your writing odyssey!

Anónimo disse...

My view is similar, but the emphasis is different:

America needs a secure supply of oil for when it's own oilfields dry up, but it also wants to control the oil supplies to China and India. China could be a superpower in 15 years, and India in 40, if they get the oil for their industrialisation. If America controls the oil supply to these and other places, they control (and limit) much of the world's economic expansion.

The ruling class of America has now realised that the Iraqi civil war cannot be subdued by American troops - indeed, the American military presence in Iraq is probably the main factor perpetuating it. However, they still want to retain some control of Iraq, so I suspect they will withdraw troops slowly, and try to create peace diplomatically. I imagine this would involve letting neigbouring, powerful Middle East countries - including Syria and, ironically, Iran - help rebuild Iraq.

Some American corporations do benefit from the current situation, but fighting this war has put a severe strain on the American economy, and the government can't continue to do this for much longer.

The "Axis of Evil" rhetoric is indeed now know by all to be a sham, and the propaganda about imminant attack by fanatical terrorists is starting to lose it's impact. Though the anti-islamic racism will last in the public mind for decades.

Minge disse...

Three things:

Bush cried wolf.
Bush wants America to reamain a control freak.
Bush wants oil (and cheap oil).

Strange. Mum and I were talking today on the telephone. We thought all terrible wars are started, usually, by only a handful of men. Would these wars take place if those very men had to do the fighting? If Tony Blair or Dubya had to go out into Iraq with a gun?

RIC disse...

Hello Captain!
I am with you all the way until you say «I imagine...». Your point of view - as mine - in that particular is European. I don't think Syria and Iran will ever be looked at with good eyes by any American administration, not even a democratic one...
As to the corporations, I believe Americans will have to make a decision. Otherwise they'll be stuck in a vicious circle. They are already, as a matter of fact.
The propaganda may be starting to lose its impact, but I won't forget so soon what happened in Madrid. So I guess you're right.
«In Rome be (as) a Roman» is not such a bad piece of advice for some communities living nowadays in Europe, specially if we consider they've left their origin countries not only for economic reasons but also because they claim they didn't fit that much in there. But on this matter I have no definite ideas yet...
Thanks a lot!

RIC disse...

Well, Minge, «Dubious»'s mistakes have been far too many and too dangerous. Hadn't he and his «fellas» wanted so desperatly to hunt down Bin Laden & Co., maybe - just maybe - Madrid wouldn't have suffered that almost unexplanable attack, I think...
As to Tony Blair I don't know, so I cannot say. But the «Dubious» guy has always done everything to get his ar... rid of any less comfortable situation... So any fight would be previously declared lost... I guess!
Thank you very much!
(Btw, is your Mother okay? Hope so!)

Gray disse...

Hello, Ric!

I do agree with your line of thinking! However, people really do not understand how much the oil company executives have at stake in the current situation. May I recommend the book, "Armed Madhouse" by Greg Palast (Amazon.com has used books for US$13.00 and new for US$17.13). Of course, your local library might have a copy as well.

Palast and his investigative group have tape recordings and copies of documents that expose the money mongers for what they are: lying, treacherous, hypocritical bastards!

As to having "the big heads fight," sending Bush, et.al. to battle would be of no consequence! Sending the oil barons from around the world (no just the US) probably wouldn't help either. BUT, at least there would be hope that they would die instead of the young members of the so-called "Multi-national Force."

When Bush went after Bin Laden and named "the Axis of Evil" the citizens of this country fully backed him. When (as decribed in Palast's book) the mission changed to keep OPEC in position to effect oil prices, everything changed.

I would love to see *any* American administration change course again. This time: crush al Qaeda and any other terrorist group that preys upon the innocent! Of course, that includes "copy cats." Groups, for whatever reason, that think killing innocent people will further the groups' causes should be fair game!

Nice post. Enjoy your week, Ric!

kevin disse...

Awesome pics.
kev in nz

kevin disse...

Ric
Wishing you a great weekend.
Kevin in NZ

RIC disse...

Hello Gray!
Thanks a lot for the book info! While away from the bloggosphere, I had the opportunity to read some interesting articles about al Qaeda, and it is no joke at all! I mean, if they have put on the net everything those articles claim they did... I don't even dare to look for... Lots of stuff is now in English, reaching from the Coran to how to make «durty nukes»... at home!
Strange days ahead, I fear... To say the least...
Thank you so much for your e-mail!
Have a wonderful weekend!

RIC disse...

Hello Kevin!
Thank you so very much! I guess now it's my turn to wish you a great weekend, since I'm writing this when in New Zealand is already Saturday (the 18.th!).