Action against World Bank excessive intrusion September 14, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : General, Washington Consensus, World , add a commentCountries borrowing from the World Bank have long been frustrated by the level of intrusion from the Bank in forcing policy choices and development approaches down people’s throats. The poorer the country, the stronger and more pervasive the domination.
This is particularly true in some sub-Saharan African countries - where the Bank literally runs all aspects of the government, from the geographic distribution of health clinics to the design of school curricula and the amount of school fees. Without exception, African professionals dealing with the Bank, be they in government, civil society or the private sector - feel disrespected and diminished by such treatment - not to mention the frustration and despair at ever implementing their own vision for their own respective countries. With the increased - and effective - competition from the likes of the Gates and Clinton foundations tackling the biggest and most urgent issues, the Bank can only feel threatened.
So far, such complaints - inside and outside the Bank - have typically been met with attempts at insitutional reform (Jim Wolfenshon is to be credited for trying, at least) coupled with arrogant dismissal from the ranks. As countries stuck with Bank loans grow more confident in themselves and their own technical capacities increase, their professionals inside and outside government have learned to voice their frustrations and resist Bank impositions. However, as long as big contributors implicitly condoned the status quo by not exerting their own influence on the subject, nothing much was likely to change at all.
This new action by the UK is an interesting step in that regard. Holding up the UK contribution is definitely a good way to focus the minds.
To be continued.
Washington Post disgusts, again August 30, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : General, Islam/Arab Phobia, Washington Consensus, World, Lebanon , add a commentUpdate: CAIR has the transcript (pdf) [via AntiWar.com]
The two authors of the paper on the Israeli lobby that created such a fury last spring about all the usual zionista crowd in politics and the media - aka AIPAC assets - were in town this week. They spoke at an event hosted by the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and was broadcast on c-span. It can be seen here. They basically reiterated their analysis of the destructive influence of the Israeli lobby in our politics and media and offered a full-fledged analysis of the Israeli onslaught on Lebanon - as a case in point. And… they named names, boy, did they ever, including Chris van Hollen, our poor excuse of a Rep. in the House - himself a proven AIPAC tool.
If you watch carefully, you’ll see this WaPo’s gossip scribe, squirming on the edge of his first row seat - clearly uncomfortable for some reason. If you read his nonsensical account of the event, you’ll know why: poor a-hole dude was sitting in a room full of Muslims, listening to criticism of Israeli influence in our policies and media! Yikes.
The dichotomy of So-Called Democrats August 14, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : General, Washington Consensus, So-called Democrats, US Congress , add a commentSo here you have this well respected (by the establishment) hawkish So-Called Democrat, J. Murtha (D-PA) who has been demanding a troop withdrawal from Iraq - after voting for it, of course, and - like most Americans - supporting a good long time ie as long as he thought the US could somehow “win” this one. Only when things went south did Murtha start screaming foul. Fine, be that as it may, at least, he is calling for withdrawal now.
So - today, he wants to draw a parallel between the US occupation of Iraq and the failed Israeli attempt at “dislodging” Hezbollah from Southern Lebanon or whatever the hell that criminal enterprise was. In so doing, Murtha only manages to point to the dichotomy and blind spot regarding Israel within the ranks of the So-Called Democrats.
Says Murtha:
The United States and virtually all other members of the United Nations Security Council continue to push for an end to the war between Israel and Hezbollah. The lead taken by the United States to end the violence and to stop the loss of innocent lives has been applauded. The Bush Administration is moving with speed and deliberation to end the one war, but not the other. (emphasis mine)
See what I mean? Is this guy crazy or just another lying politician? On what planet does he live?
After watching the horrors imparted on Lebanon for the past month and the concerted obstruction to peace on the part of US so-called diplomats, how can anyone in their right frigging mind come to the throughly distorted conclusion that Murtha does? Who the hell is he trying to fool exactly?
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.
Solid smackdown of Hillary May 7, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : General, US, Washington Consensus, So-called Democrats, US Congress , add a commentKos has a column in the WaPo today about Hillary’s presidential chances - he says no go and I hope he is right.
Choice quote:
Hillary Clinton leads her Democratic rivals in the polls and in fundraising. Unfortunately, however, the New York senator is part of a failed Democratic Party establishment — led by her husband — that enabled the George W. Bush presidency and the Republican majorities, and all the havoc they have wreaked at home and abroad.
He oui.
Your Average Colonialist Fool May 2, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : General, Iraq, US, Washington Consensus, US Congress , add a comment
They never learn, do they, the arrogant bastards. Clue to Biden and the rest: Iraq is not yours to slice and dice as you wish. Fool.
Genius Colbert April 30, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : US, Washington Consensus, Entertainment , add a comment
What an amazing performance. Pure genius. And brave too.
“Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change” April 18, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : Washington Consensus, World, Iran , add a commentA must read review of what seems to be a must read book from former NYTimes correspondant Stephen Kinzer.
“Overthrow” is the history of forcible regime changes by the United States and its local allies over the past 110 years, starting with the undermining of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, passing through Cuba (1898), the Philippines (1898), Iran (1953), Guatemala (1954) and elsewhere, and ending with present-day Iraq.
All of this with the noblest of intentions, no doubt:
But if you are going to use the argument that making a successful geopolitical omelet requires breaking eggs, you’d better have something edible to show for all the shattered shells lying around. As Kinzer makes clear, the problem is that all too many of the interventions he recounts were not just utterly ruthless; they were utterly unnecessary.
In pax americana, breaking eggs = collateral damage - mostly Arab, and mostly Muslim of late.
Mutiny in the ranks? April 14, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : Iraq, Islam/Arab Phobia, Washington Consensus, Iran , add a comment
Pics from the NY Times via Huffington Post.
There is far too much military worship in this country, if you ask me. I don’t like to see the military getting involved in politics or policy, frankly. They are entitled to their opinion, I suppose, and the’ have their own internal channels to voice their dissent if necessary. I appreciate the civilian leadership as established in the Constitution, so I’m not prone to wanting to hear from the military. As far as I know, the military was cheering on the Iraq invasion, let’s never forget that.
Not a bad idea at all April 7, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : US, Washington Consensus , add a commentIgnatius suggests the IMF be revitalized and brought in to deal with the US deficit - “before the hurricane hits”. That would be a smart move but who’s listening?
