JoeUser Forums"Invest in Iraq" - think I'll pass.
16 Replies
6,485 Views
O G San
2
Posts
1
Replies
1,078
Reputation
Exactly, do you think anyone in Soweto in 1994 said "I'm not bothering to vote. Have you seen the queue?"
5 Replies
5,005 Views
If you were to ask someone in the street what democracy means to them, you’d probably get an answer along the lines of rule by the people. The idea that a government must be elected to have legitimacy is strongly ingrained in western culture. In spite of this, voting levels are dropping across the richer parts of the world. Many believe that, no matter who is in power, nothing changes. Those in the middle or top just want to be left alone while people at the bottom have given up hope of ever imp
5 Replies
5,005 Views
Like many political anoraks out there in cyberspace, I’ve been aware of the Bush AWOL allegation for years. The wider public though have not. The average citizen was probably unaware until the last week or so that there was any controversy about Bush’s military “service”. Now the story is part of the 24 hour news cycle and millions of Americans have learnt of their president’s possible criminal past. This turnaround shows two things: the incredible laziness of the mainstream US media and the con
3 Replies
3,953 Views
Benny Morris "Righteous Victims" page 217: "After the invasion both sides increased their forces, the Jews handily winning the manpower race. By mid-July the IDF was fielding nearly 65 000 troops; by early spring 1949, 115 000. The Arab armies probably had about 40 000 troops in Palestine and Sinai by mid-July and 55 000 in October, the number perhaps rising slightly by the spring of 1949." "Today the abuse of Arab refugees continues
17 Replies
16,462 Views
"Now where did the fleeing Arabs go? In large measure they went to Jordan. Why not? Racially, religiously and culturally they ARE Jordanians." I notice you don't mention WHY the Palestinians fled from their homes but never mind. You seem to be saying that the Palestinians should be happy in Jordan because they have a lot in common with the Jordanians. This is true but you miss the point (perhaps deliberately). The fact is that the Palestinian
17 Replies
16,462 Views
"just don't want countries to be excluded from the general assembly. Every country should have a voice" - sorry this part of my last post should've been in quotes.
12 Replies
8,435 Views
just don't want countries to be excluded from the general assembly. Every country should have a voice Again, nobody is going to be excluded from the general assembly of the UN, I'm talking about a new organisation. What would happen would be that the general assembly would become less relevant as time goes by. Of course, as I said in my article, there would be problems deciding who should and shouldn't be a member but these problems are manageable. As for the Commonw
12 Replies
8,435 Views
Perhaps we're trying ot get to the same end through different means - or am I being pathetically naive? I'm certainly against the US, or anyone else, imposing their will on weaker states through the use of force. However using financial and diplomatic pressure to try to persuade states like China, Burma, Zimbabwe, Syria, Saudi Arabia etc to start treating their citizens like human beings would be very welcome. That's why I think we should have an international body which encourages and recognise
12 Replies
8,435 Views
"In 1949 there were 34,000 Christians living in Israel. Today there are over 140,000. If Israel was the repressive "Jewish only" state that Arab sympathizers, including those in the media, would have you believe, why would Christians leave Arab countries and come to Israel?" I've never heard anyone say that Christians have actually emigrated to Israel since the foundation of the state. The four-fol
15 Replies
3,927 Views
But my point is that you don't have to kick anyone out of the UN. Instead a new body, based on democratic idelas, could be formed ALONGSIDE the UN. As time went on, membership of the new body would increase and the UN would gradually wither away. Nobody would be excluded unless they excluded themselves.
12 Replies
8,435 Views
I knew this issue of so-called "western imperialism" would come up if I dared to point out that many regimes on this planet are authoritarian. I never said the world "must" be democratic, I said that we should have an international body which rewards democratic behaviour and punishes undemocratic behaviour. We should be striving for a better and more just world rather than simply accepting injustice. Democracy is not a perfect system but it's vastly superior to any other. If you disagr
12 Replies
8,435 Views
Around this time last year the United Nations was very much in vogue. So long ignored and sidelined, the UN was, for a brief period at least, at the centre of global politics as the Security Council debated the pros and cons of war with Iraq. The anti-war lobby argued that UN support for any conflict was essential and, since this was not forthcoming, war was illegitimate. The pro-war camp said it already had UN backing. When it became clear that this was untrue they argued that they had never ne
12 Replies
8,435 Views
Molly Ivins’ new book subtitled: “Life in George W. Bush’s America” is a welcome edition to the veritable pantheon of literature exposing the lies and criminality of the current American president. Ivins pitches her work to the averagely intelligent Bush-hater. She avoids the pitfalls of the likes of Chomsky whose overly academic style prevents them from reaching out to a wider audience. She also manages not to dumb down to the sort of Michael Moore comic book level. The politically-aware and we
0 Replies
6,931 Views
I’m not the sort of person who would ordinarily read a book about ecclesiastical history. In fact I’m quite happy to admit that I know very little about religion – except that I don’t like it. Nevertheless I found myself engrossed by William Dalrymple’s 1998 book “From the Holy Mountain”, an account of his travels around the ancient Christian sites of the Middle East. Dalrymple sets out in the footsteps of another author, the sixth century monk John Moschos, who travelled through modern
0 Replies
6,597 Views
Let me start by saying that this will not be a puritan rant from some fully-paid up total abstainer, nor an invitation to join the wonderful world of sobriety. I like alcohol. I have done for years. Nothing quite relaxes me like a nice gin and tonic. I’ve found nothing invigorates a conversation more than a few pints. Furthermore, I must confess that on many occasions, as recently as last Friday night, I have been somewhat the worse for drink. In short, I’m no tee-totalitarian . Nevert
0 Replies
3,224 Views
"Our task now is to make them bring our troops home or nuke the place" "F-- the Iraqi wives, husbands and kids" Have to say I'm very surprised to hear you saying these kind of things. Thought you were better than these kind of dehumanising remarks. Save your anger for the people whi deserve it.
2 Replies
3,847 Views
I'm all for religious freedom. Secularism is all about religious freedom, it's about the state defending EVERYONE's freedom to worship any God they want (or no God at all). The point the French make is that religion has no place in a publicly-funded school. I agree it's a sad day when people can't wear whatever religious symbols they want in the classroom but I have a lot of sympathy for the hard-line French secularism. In the long-term, a high wall between religion and government is a good thin
3 Replies
4,346 Views
The memory's not what it used to be but here are some of the excuses that Blair/Bush have come up with to explain their inability to find WMD in Iraq: > Saddam destroyed them just before the war (the fiend). > He moved them to Syria (the cheat). > Iraqi generals destroyed the WMD but were too scared to tell Saddam (the cowards). > Iraqi POWs won't tell us where they are (the spoilsports). > Iraq's a big country you know. None of these spins has held any
2 Replies
3,847 Views
Watching Lord Hutton read the summary of his report last week, I couldn’t help but groan. I make no apology for saying that I was one of many who had hoped that the report into the death of weapons inspector David Kelly would bring about Blair’s downfall. But, as the law lord droned on and on last Wednesday, it became clearer and clearer that the British Prime Minister would live to fight another day. The report exonerated Blair and lambasted the BBC to an extent which no-one had expected. The r
1 Replies
3,565 Views
Schools in Ireland have always been used to enforce religious belief. For far too long teachers and administrators have been concerned to turn out “good Catholics” or “good Protestants” to the detriment of children’s education. Religion is a private matter. If parents wish to teach their children about their faith they are free to do so. Teaching religion at school is not only a waste of time and money, it is also an insidious way to impose the majority religion on those who don’t share it. <BR
3 Replies
4,346 Views
Thanks, I was about to ask :)
6 Replies
4,241 Views
How have the protesters been handled? Haven't seen anything on that. When Hu was in London the police were tearing down pro-Tibet banners - bet that made him feel right at home.
6 Replies
4,241 Views
Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, leader of Malaysia from 1981 until last year is a hard man for us western liberals to admire. Just as you start to respect him for his country’s ethnic harmony or economic progress he goes and sends his deputy to jail for homosexuality or claims that Jews run the world. For all his many achievements in office, his legacy will always be tainted by his bigotry. The man himself would often boast that Malaysia was the only Muslim country in the world which lived at pea
0 Replies
2,073 Views
It was with disgust, though not surprise, that I noticed the red carpet being rolled out for Chinese president Hu Jintao in yet another western capital this week. Not London or Washington this time but Paris, birthplace of democracy and the site of the revolution whose timeless slogan is quoted above. As on previous trips abroad Mr. Hu was given the mildest of rebukes by his host for his country’s APPALLING human rights record. As on previous occasions this “polite” diplomacy will bring no relie
6 Replies
4,241 Views