From The Marston Chronicles
We have watched with amusement as we read comments from our World News section here on The Marston Chronicles. Several snide news articles and comments have been made about how the American economy has slid into recession. Usually they accuse us of spending money like drunken sailors not just at the governmental level but at the personal level as well. One must wonder just what they think has been keeping their own mostly socialistic economies afloat lo these many years.
Now that the American consumers have reacted to the layoffs, credit crunch and home price deflation by being more frugal in their purchases, they are buying far fewer foreign imports. No more American tourists on a fling in foreign lands. The end result has been that other countries are feeling the economic pinch far worse than the United States is. Just what made these folks think that we could crash and burn economically and that they would still be peachy keen?
Here is just a sample of how wrong they have been:
China’s economic downturn has cost the jobs of 20 million rural migrants, prompting a call from the Communist Party’s security chief for efforts to calm possible unrest.
O2/03/09: Hundreds of British workers walked off the job Monday, part of a rising tide of industrial unrest sweeping Europe as the continent's economic downturn worsens.
02/03/09: Greek farmers demanding more aid from the government are the latest to protest in the European nation, as the ruling party’s popularity slides.
01/31/09 NY Times: Protesters held demonstrations throughout Russia on Saturday, offering largely subdued, but pointed criticism of the government’s economic policies as the country continues to sink deeper into an economic morass.
NPR.org, January 30, 2009 · As the global economic downturn sinks in, some people in Europe are expressing their economic pain in the form of strikes and protests.
Jan. 29, 2009: More than 1 million protesters took part, with tens of thousands of youths, retirees and unemployed people marching across towns and cities, police said.
This is a link to an Iceland news broadcast (in Icelandic) that shows just how tense the situation in Iceland is becoming. It appears that Olafur Orn Klemensson (and associate), an economist at the Central Bank of Iceland pushed protesters.
An outstanding and frequently updated blog about the Iceland economic crisis by a native Icelander. Chock full of videos and information about the current state of economic affairs in Iceland. This blog is a must read!
N.Y. Times Article: Riots broke out once again in the Baltic states on Friday, this time in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, where a group of 7,000 gathered to protest planned economic austerity measures.
N.Y. Times Jan 14, 2009: Violent protests over political grievances and mounting economic woes shook the Latvian capital, Riga, late Tuesday, leaving around 25 people injured and leading to 106 arrests.
Ariz. police say they are prepared as War College warns military must prep for unrest; IMF warns of economic riots
We Will All Go Down Together
Israel's Disproportionate Force
Almost 3 weeks have passed since Hamas rockets attacks rained down on Southern Israel, abruptly ending a 6-month cease fire. Israel has since responded with air strikes and intense ground operations in order to force Hamas to end its attacks on their nation. In doing so they have brought on scrutiny from the international community concerning the deaths of civilians.
From Nikolas Sarkozy to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Israel has been criticized for using a “disproportionate” amount of force against Hamas and causing massive amounts of collateral damage. (I.E. killing innocent civilians) In Gaza, hundreds are dead, most are Hamas members, however, among them are scores of civilians.
According to Lionel Beehner, of the Huffington Post, Israel’s response violates UN Article 51 which allows a state to respond militarily in self defense, but it must use a proportionate amount of force.in retaliation. Furthermore, the 1949 Geneva Convention which states if a country is targeting civilians, whether intentional or not, it is in direct violation of these rules. In a dreamer’s world, Israel is allowed to attack Hamas, but, cannot cause one innocent death, and can only be allowed to return the situation to the status quo ante.
One of the first errors in this judgment is the never mentioned fact that Hamas is a terrorist organization, bent on the destruction of Israel. Not a sovereign democratic state which is protecting its civilian population from overt Israeli aggression. Hamas has continually bombarded and targeted Israel indiscriminately, launched attacks against Israel from deep within population centers, and used civilian deaths as a rallying point for propaganda. Israel has warned Hamas, incessantly, that their aggression would be met with fierce military force. Yet they have insisted on trying to bait Israel, even at the heavy cost faced by the Palestinian people.
Secondly, where is the objection or investigation by the UN into the 500 civilians that Hamas has killed purposefully in Israel? Israel had engaged in a massive cell phone and leaflet campaign to warn Palestinian civilians of the pending dangers of their military operations.
Hamas has done nothing even remotely close to this, their actions have been quite to the contrary. The New Republic reported that IDF mortars killed about 30 Palestinians, mostly civilians, seeking refuge in a UNRWA school. The Israeli military stated that they were receiving heavy fire coming from the school, that it was a storage facility for weapons, as well as heavily booby trapped with explosives. The attacks, at least, were later confirmed when two Gaza residents reported, under condition of anonymity, that there were in fact large volumes of fire coming from the school.
This is not a new tactic developed by Hamas, they have purposefully put civilians in harms way to draw political criticism of Israel as well as further their cause against her. Hamas is relying on the fact that they are willing to accept more civilian deaths than Israel, in order to weather this storm.
Israel’s sole intention in this is the protection of its citizens by putting a permanent end to Hamas rocket attacks and terrorism. Not one diplomatic solution that was brokered in the past has put a stable end to Hamas's aggression. In a Heritage Foundation memo it is reported that since the 2001, Hamas has fired ten thousand Qassam rockets at Israel. Also, these rockets have been supplemented by a growing number of Grad Katyusha rockets, which have a 24 km range, versus the Qassam’s 10. Most of the components for the Katyusha systems have been provided by Iran, Syria, and black market smugglers through the Gaza/Egypt tunnel systems.
Since the “world community” has been unable to cease Hamas’s violence it now sits with the Jews. Their detractors judge them while rockets still fall from the sky on Israeli towns and suicide bombers blow themselves up on Israeli soil. It’s quite easy to pass judgment on them while you sit safe and sound in your home and your only worry is what you're going to have for dinner that night.
From Mumbai to New York
Cross posted at Politics and Critical Thinking
The question is finally being raised by someone as to whether the strikes in Mumbai have any bearing here in the States. Visible cautiousness can sometimes be misconstrued as paranoia or fear mongering. Nonetheless, the dramatic modification in tactics and where they transpired are quite significant.
From the Heritage Foundation;Heritage Foundation-It is unwise to draw specific lessons and suggest trends based on any one particular incident, particularly when all the facts are not known. Nevertheless, there are do’s and don’ts that should be followed in thinking about the unthinkable—armed assaults in America.
Precisely the point I was attempting to make. There have been past attacks which were similar in nature to Mumbai, their wholesale practice, as the strategy du jour, has never been applied on an international scale. They have been isolated to particular regions, such as Russia, although there were plans for such attacks in the US.Heritage Foundation-In October 2002, 50 heavily armed Chechen rebels seized a Moscow theater and held hundreds hostage. The rebels booby-trapped entrances with mines and rigged an explosive bomb in the center of the theater.
Mumbai, is the financial capital of India and a Mecca of tourism. Two highly attractive and alluring reasons for a terrorist group to target an area such as this. There is an opportunity to disrupt finance and an environment filled with targets of opportunity.
On September 1, 2004, a well-armed group of Chechen rebels invaded a school at Beslan in the North Caucasus. Armed with automatic weapons and explosives, they took more than 1,000 hostages. After a bloody stand-off, 334 hostages were killed.
Even the United States has not been immune from the danger of planned armed assaults. For instance, in August 2005, a Pakistani national was arrested as part of a terrorism investigation into a possible plot to attack the Israeli consulate, California National Guard facilities, and other targets in southern California. In 2007, the FBI arrested six men from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, for allegedly planning an armed assault on Fort Dix.
Then there is a distressing happenstance that has been overlooked. On February 26, 1993 the WTC was attacked by usage of a VBIED (Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device) in an attempt to bring down the Trade Center. Likewise, a few weeks later, Mumbai was rocked by a series of thirteen bombings. One in particular was carried out in a very analogous fashion; a powerful car bomb exploded in the basement of the Bombay Stock Exchange building, killing fifty.
The motivation and perpetrators of these attacks were extremely different. However the "end result" they were trying to accomplish was the same. Disruption of the national financial system and the deaths of as many innocent civilians as possible. NYC shares commonalities with Mumbai; giving reason as to why both cities have been targeted somewhat frequently.
Also, terrorist and militant groups are notoriously prone for adopting and sharing strategies and technologies that have proven successful in the past. This gives them a template to operate from. So, it is not out of the realm of possibility that a similar attack could be attempted on our shores in a large metropolitan area such as New York City.
Another worry is a homegrown network of domestic terrorists, who are inspired by actions like those in Mumbai. Intelligence gathering, logistics, and movement would be far easier for them than their foreign counterparts. Garnering greater possible success by operating in an environment that they are familiar with.
For now, law enforcement, on a local and federal level, stand at high alert and our intelligence communities are gathering and analyzing the data from Mumbai. If there is even a shred of possibility this can occur in the US, I think it is safe to say they are on top of it.
Pakistan Withdraws Intel Offer to India
Amid bi-lateral tensions, Pakistan has withdrawn its offer to send an ISI top official to assist India in its terror investigation. President Asif Ali Zardari attributed the reversal to a miscommunication with Indian government officials.
The offer for intelligence cooperation between the two nuclear neighbors has been seen largely as a symbolic gesture; an attempt at easing already strained tensions. However,the Pakistani ISI, Inter-Services-Intelligence, has had a long standing reputation for working with and supporting militant-terrorist organizations.
A group, known as the Deccan Mujaheddin, has claimed responsibility for the attack. But, due to the sophistication and logistics required, most experts are looking at the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, which maintains ties to al-Qaeda.
There are concerns that any involvement by Pakistani terrorist based groups could worsen the relationship between New Delhi and Islamabad. Pakistan and India already have a very strained relationship, the two countries have fought three wars since 1947 over the disputed province of Kashmir. Washington Times-Lisa Curtis, a South Asia analyst and senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said the strikes could heighten tensions between India and Pakistan, "especially if investigations show that the attackers received training, finances or logistical support from Pakistan-based terror groups."
While there is ample evidence suggesting the violence originated from a Pakistani based terrorist network. There is no information affirming the government of Pakistan had any direct involvement in the Mumbai attacks.
The Kremlin is Coming!!! The Kremlin is Coming!!
Cross Posted on Politics and Critical Thinking.
CT
It didn’t take Vladimir Putin very long to succumb to the call of his old station. The Russian egomaniac seems bent on attempting to attain his former post of El Presidente through a change to Russia’s infant Constitution. This with the Russo parliament more than happy to extend an open hand for Vladimir to return to the Kremlin. Lawmakers recently promised that they will have the necessary legislative changes made to the Constitution by the end of the year.
His successor, President Dmitry Medvedev, once a Russian law professor and noted Putin toady, seems more than willing to renege on his duties as President for his former mentor. Then Mother Russia could possibly boast 12 more years of ole’ Vlad and his East German style leadership.
Although Putin never attempted this during his tenure as President of Russia he is very willing to let Medvedev be the hatchet man on Russian law and push this issue. The State Duma, Russia’s lower house, as reported, has already started drafting the legislation for the amendments necessary.
According to the AP article, it takes at least a 2/3 majority in the Duma to get the legislation passed. Then it goes to the regional Russian legislators where another 2/3 majority is required. Since pro-Kremlin supporters’ dominate the Duma, passage of the amendments should be no problem.
With growing nationalism in Russia, its overt aggression against its neighbors, and its willingness to use it natural resources as a weapon to keep Europe in check, it is not to difficult to wonder what their intentions are. Since Putin was the architect of this nationalistic and totalitarian monster, it is no surprise that he wants back on its saddle.
-CT
