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Barack a-t-il la baraka? February 22, 2007

Posted by Delilah in : US, World, Obama , add a comment

C’est donc parti. Le voici ce grand gars, sorti de nulle part - qui fait rêver. Au maximum, on pourrait s’offrir quelqu’un qui sort de l’ordinaire - et comment - et qui a de bonnes idées et la méthode aussi. Les uns et les autres souhaitent se pencher sur les petits détails de ceci, cela. Grand bien leur fasse - les grandes lignes qu’il avance sur le nitty gritty me conviennent. Par contre, ce qui m’intétesse, c’est qu’il a envie de “transformer le pays” et ça, je suis partante. Le pays a réellement besoin de se transformer, et relativement vite. Avec Barack, on a peut-être une chance de réussir. Avec les autres, c’est le sur place, donc le recul; c’est la continuité vers le désastre annoncé. On reviendra là-dessus, je suppose, lorsqu’il faudra parler de la concurrence, et ce n’est pas brillant, il faut le dire. C’est même nul.

Ça, c’était le max, Barack élu président - chair de poule immédiate. Au minimum, pour les accros de la politique, de la société ET de la culture américaines - et ne le sommes-nous pas tous quelque part au moins un peu, par la forces des choses? - cette campagne présidentielle garantit le trip supême. Ça va secouer à tellement de niveaux que le vertige est assuré à un moment ou un autre. C’est que la dose est forte et soudaine, il faut l’admettre.

Entre les racistes et la mère Clinton, l’hystérie semble déjà culminer - à 12 mois des premiers votes, là-bas en Iowa et au New Hampshire…enfin, ils ne votent pas vraiment en Iowa, ils “causussent”… très particulier, comme système.  Nous y reviendrons.

Ajustement de perspective February 3, 2007

Posted by Delilah in : General, US, World, So-called Democrats, Chronique électorale mondiale, Chronique politique mondiale , add a comment

La dissémination de l’info s’est tellement accélérée que nous sommes désormais en mesure de suivre l’actualité mondiale en temps réel. Je ne vous parle pas des 3/4 minutes d’actualités mondiales” de votre journal télévisé quotidien ou même bi-quotidien. OUbliez vite tout ce hâché-mâché pas même subtil; chacun sait à quel poit c’est dépassé, et depuis longtemps.

La nouveauté réside dans l’acheminement simultané des nouvelles du monde entier, en direct ou presque, jusqu’à nous. J’ai remarqué, par exemple, que l’accès à Al Jazeera English est gratuit pour les connections sur lignes téléphones (dial-up). Ce qui veut dire que quiconque à accès a un ordinateur branché au téléphone est informé (ok, en anglais). Non seulement les infos d’Al Jazeera English portent sur les recoins les plus reculés du monde, mais encore leurs analyses approfondies et débats mettent en valeur les voix politiques, économiques, sociales du tiers-monde, ce qui, franchement, n’a pas de prix.

Du coup, nous pouvons suivre - parfois avec halètement - le tumulte politique mondial qui, en fonction de l’intérêt qu’elles pourraient susciter en moi, ferons l’objet d’une Chronique politique mondiale.  Le côté dead serious des choses ne nous échappe certes pas, mais un peu d’humour n’a jamais fait de mal à personne, hein?

Avouez tout de même que les sorties honteuses - hello Tony Blair! - et les humiliations répétées - coucou, les républicains américains - des uns et des autres méritent d’être soulignées, avec amertume, je dirais même colère.  La simple dérision ne leur fait pas réellement justice, mais que peut le peuple, dites-moi?

Par ailleurs, Sarko qui veut en remettre, au carré.  La Ségo Royale qui inspire surtout de la révulsion, déjà.  le choix des nuls, pour la France.

Et puis alors, pardon - la présidentielle américaine qui démarre sur les chapeaux de roue, avec les primaires chez les soidisantdémocrates, avec un an d’avance sur la normale, carrément.  Plein de fric, et puis, et puis, le premier métis (aux US, il est noir), la première femme et le premier latino candidats sérieux.  Quelques anglos blancs dans le paquet aussi, mais on les remarque à peine, les pauvres.  Prochains numéros: fiches des candidats - de notre point de vue, bien entendu.
A+

Legalize it December 19, 2006

Posted by Delilah in : General, US , add a comment

This guy rests his case and quotes the LA Times:

Pot is called biggest cash crop “For years, activists in the marijuana legalization movement have claimed that cannabis is America’s biggest cash crop. Now they’re citing government statistics to prove it. A report released today by a marijuana public policy analyst contends that the market value of pot produced in the U.S. exceeds $35 billion — far more than the crop value of such heartland staples as corn, soybeans and hay, which are the top three legal cash crops….”

wow - just wow.

Can’t make this stuff up

Posted by Delilah in : General, US , add a comment

WaPo headline today:

Contractors lost in Pentagon bureaucracy

I kid you not.  Says Wapo:

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is still struggling to get a handle on the unprecedented number of contractors now helping run the nation’s wars, losing millions of dollars because it is unable to monitor industry workers stationed in far-flung locations, according to a congressional report.

Now - how cute is that?

The “clarity” thingie September 18, 2006

Posted by Delilah in : General, US, World, human rights , add a comment

Via Salon:

Quote of the Day

National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley on why U.S. interrogation teams need Congress to “clarify” the Geneva Conventions’ prohibition against “outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment”: “I’m saying that nobody knows what humiliating treatment is. What does it mean?”

What an extraordinary statement.

Washington Post disgusts, again August 18, 2006

Posted by Delilah in : General, US, World, Lebanon , add a comment

WaPo’s editorial board, not content to have supported and cheered on the disastrous invasion and occupation of Iraq, to have backed Israel’s savage aggression of Lebanon every step of the way, here it is, today, sinking to new pathetic lows:

ProIsrael warmongers pay respect to Hezbollah’s victory August 14, 2006

Posted by Delilah in : General, US, Lebanon , add a comment

(via Billmon)

Glenn Greenwald has a delightful inventory.

The plot thickens August 4, 2006

Posted by Delilah in : General, US, Lebanon , add a comment

Apparently, not only did these guys know what Israel was up to, they put it up to it. They figured that, if they were going to bomb Iran, they should prevent Iran’s retaliation via Hezbollah so they directed Israel to prevent-strike Lebanon. And they’ve been posturing ever since. wow.
That’s the allegation anyway, according to the Daily Mail and The New Stateman

Says the Daily Mail:

Dr Pike said he believed there was an agreement between Israel and the U.S. that Iranian nuclear plants would eventually - probably next year - have to be bombed to stop the development of a nuclear weapon. Once that bombing takes place, Iran will order Hezbollah to attack Israel. Thus, Dr Pike claimed, the U.S. and Israel agreed in secret that at some point before the attack on the Iranian nuclear sites, Hezbollah had to be disarmed and that as soon as a pretext became available, Israel should use force.

And The New Statesman:

Now, as Blair hides behind banalities about “good and evil” and the familiar, crude definitions of “terrorism”, his ministers look on helplessly. They talk openly to journalists - in the “you can print it, but just don’t name me” deal that is the coward’s life at Westminster - of Blair’s “Bush problem”. Shortly before MPs left for their summer break, one senior member of the cabinet accosted me in the corridors of the Commons, and asked: “How much further up their arses do you think we can go?” I suggested that this was more up to him than to me.

What an embarrassment.

Our tax dollars at work… July 17, 2006

Posted by Delilah in : General, Political Islam, Iraq, Islam/Arab Phobia, US, World, So-called Democrats, Palestine, Iran, US Congress, Lebanon , add a comment

We, US tax payers, are paying for this Killing, maiming, devastating Arab people and lands, at will, with the tacit and overt support of the “civilized” (sic) world. The US media has been its usual self, blind to Arab suffering, supportive of the Israeli gratuitous onslaught on Lebanon and conducive of its sickening lies and propaganda.

I’ve been nauseated having to follow the news all week-end on CNN, the reporting is so incredibly distorted and ignorant. I remain particularly disgusted by the utter silence from US “lefty” blogs. Crimes against humanity are going on in Lebanon, and the American left tries to cover it up. As for the so-called Democrats in Congress, Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein, Joe Biden… outdid themselves on the network, lying for Israel, covering up crimes of a massive scale conducted against Lebanon and its people. John McCain, and a few other bush types were also on, doint Israel’s dirty work of deception and misinformation. (more…)

While Beirut burns July 13, 2006

Posted by Delilah in : General, Political Islam, US, Washington Consensus, World, Palestine, Maryland, US Congress , add a comment

(photo from Wash Post)

So, Israel is doing what it does best: bomb, kill and maim Arabs. It can’t help itself, it’s bent on making the same mistakes again, and again, and again - the very definition of insanity. Meanwhile, we, US taxpayers are paying for this continuous outrage to our conscience and humanity and our elected representatives - who were so eager to punish Palestinians for their election results - are silent, presumably in fear of the Israel lobby. Nor is the press or the so-called “liberal blogs” touching this. God forbid anyone should call Israel on its latest murderous rampage.

Meanwhile, Fromkin calls Bush the Bystander in this crisis - my feeling exactly.

The crowd that can’t shoot, talk or walk straight July 12, 2006

Posted by Delilah in : General, Iraq, US, World , add a comment

From Salon.com (membership req.):

Better late than never, or what a difference a Supreme Court decision makes:

Alberto Gonzales, memo to the president, Jan. 25, 2002: “As you have said, the war against terrorism is a new kind of war … In my judgment, this new paradigm renders obsolete [the Geneva Conventions’] strict limitations on questioning of enemy prisoners and renders quaint some of its provisions.”

Donald Rumsfeld’s office, memo to military officials, July 7, 2006: “The Supreme Court has determined that Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 applies as a matter of law to the conflict with Al Qaeda … You will ensure that all DoD personnel adhere to these standards.”

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, July 11, 2006: “It’s not really a reversal of policy.”