Nadine, what a good article. Being a rabid left winger [the way I define it anyway], and a liberal [in the sense the word should be used], despite being an active supporter of NZ's most extreme right wing political party [in the description of most people] act.org.nz that was an excellent encapsulation of my views.
I would prefer that the NUN take over Iraq by force of arms and deal with the mess, establishing a constitution and enforcing civilization where carnage has ruled. But nobody much seems to agree with that idea. Not even Americans, though I notice that more and more they are coming around to my way of thinking as the body bags being sent home continue, along with lots of injured people and the psychologically mutilated, and political resolution is distant at best. Now the USA is whining that the UN should be involved. Duh!
Meanwhile, the dopey and pathetic UN says it will get involved when the security situation is improved. When the security situation is improved, the UN is not needed. The original purpose of the UN was to improve the security situation. Now they are bureaucratic trough snufflers, drawing big salaries, perks and enjoying back-slapping political games while stringing more governmental red-tape around the world.
If the USA showed some real leadership, instead of playing shoot 'em up, in cowboys and Indians good guys versus bad guys style, the UN would already be revved up into a security provider instead of a bureaucratic money-wasting talk shop. Shoot 'em up was fun when it involved roaring around in big tanks and supersonic fighter planes shooting at anything that moved. Now it's not so much fun picking up bits of buddies' bodies splattered around by roadside bombs and rocket-propelled grenades, with no end in sight and no easy-vote way out [elections seem indefinitely postponed]. The USA generally overemphasizes military might as a solution - a prisoner of NRA mentality and a cultural bias towards Mao's Mantra [power grows out of the barrel of a gun].
Power doesn't actually grow out of barrel of a gun other than in societies like Saddam's, or Mao's, or Hitler's, or Stalin's, or Amin's, or Pol Pot's, or Hirohito's, or Hongi Hika's [Maori brute], or Pinochet's, or take your pick. Much greater power grows out of a melding of minds - democracy being a fairly good way of determining the mind of the mob - there are a lot more minds than just the 4% of the world who can vote in USA elections.
Still, if Americans want to do it their way or no way, I guess they are welcome to it, because I'm okay with the USA taking over Iraq and the oil. I don't particularly want an anti-democratic, anti-human rights, USA ruling the world like a latter day Roman Empire, but it's better than the current chaotic system. If it's Saddam, Omar, Dostum, Osama or the USA, I'll take the USA [weird that the USA is supporting Dostum, who is just a Saddam in training people never learn]. But imagine how great things would be if the other 96% of the world had a say in things too. That would be one big Gung Ho Genki Dama.
Gung Ho Genki Dama is what's needed, not a stupid PNAC which so far has got an American body count, $100 billion down the drain, and not much to show for the effort.
Thump,
Mqurice |
