2008: A Year To Forget

As we all bid farwell to 2008, it is probably one of the worst years I have witnessed in my life. Although many view September 11, 2001 as a pivotal time in our lives, I think September 2008 can be considered as pivotal a time as well. I say that because of the economic Tsunami we have witnessed.

It all started with the housing bubble. Robert Schiller talked about it and told us of this irrational exuberence. Nouriel Roubini talked about it at length. Yet, many of us ordinary folks who were so consumed with the quick and easy forgot about the long-term. We forgot that the party will end somehow, someday. We figured it out too late. Now, many of us will try to pick up the pieces. The question is at what cost?

On the political front, the election of Barack Obama was truly a transforming event. He moved with haste to assemble his government as he gears up to January 21st. But, the world has not stood still. I have seen a continued slide towards the abyss. Despite over 300 Billion Dollars spent on the bailout via the so-called TARP Fund, there has been no movement at all. As the Government went through this money, the lack of accountability was truly evident:



The year ahead promises to be a very tough one. How things will turn out remains to be seen. But, we must never ever lose hope.

Another Interesting Day.....

Al Gore endorsed Barack Obama today. The only major force that is right now missing are the Clintons. I would be very interested in finding out how they come out and in what fashion in they come out.

Now, on another note, the Iraqi Foreign Minister claims that negotiations over the Iraqi-US Status of Force agreement is a sovereign Iraqi decision. Sorry, Mr. Foreign Minister, that is as big a joke as I have ever heard. I don't know who to believe. For the sake of Iraqis, I do hope that the insurgency has been defeated.

As for Afghanistan, the so-called good war, Karzai the puppet spoke up yet again. He threatened to send his forces into Pakistan. He can't even fix his own country, yet he wants to attack Pakistan. Now, Al Jazeera is reporting that the Taliban are threatening to take over Kandahar, Afghanistan's Second City and Karzai's home town. Of course, the coalition will probably destroy the city in order to save it (remember falluja). The British are also sending more troops to fight the "good war". The wars seem never to end.

Afghanistan

Throughout my writings here, I have shared my frustruation about Karzai and what is going on in Afghanistan. My misgivings were reinforced by Tariq Ali's comments on Afghanistan. Here is the link: http://www.newleftreview.org/?page=article&view=2713 (retrieved June 9, 2008). The eloquence of Tariq Ali is disheartening in many respects. I wonder where the truth will truly come out......

The Daily Struggle For Our World (Cont'd....)

Well, another interesting day is behind us. Elliot Spitzer did the right thing by resigning. I can't believe someone who's as smart, educated and able as he is got himself in such a predicament. This is especially so in light of all the enemies he had made for himself over the years. But, as Joe Bruno said, the business of the State of New York has to go on. And let it be so....

Now, halfway around the world, the fight for Afghanistan goes on. A suicide bomber just struck, killing five people. Yet, George W. Bush said in a speech to a group of the Amen Crowd about how his decision to attack Iraq was the "right" decision. What he did, by default, was to hand Iraq to Iran. In the meantime, Afghanistan burns and the Taliban become ever more resurgent. In addition, Pakistan is now unstable and continues to burn as well. Juan Cole (http://www.juancole.com) continues to report on the violence in Iraq daily. Yet, John McCain & the Administration continue to feed us this "happy talk" about how things are great. When Admiral Fallon resigned, it spoke volumes about the level of disagreement about Iraq & Iran policy. How long this hypocrisy continues is beyond me....The people seem not to matter...do they?

Another Interesting Few Days.....

The Results are in.....and Nothing has been decided yet to see who will be fighting it out for the highest office in the U.S. As the pundits continue to mull over the results of the two political contests so far, violence around the world has continued to claim lives beyond our shores. In Pakistan, 25 police officers were killed in a suicide attack, according to the BBC. The Pentagon has annouced a potential troop surge for Afghanistan. How that surge will work when 70%+ of the country is outstide the control of the central government in Kabul is beyond me.

I urge team members to visit the Nation website (http://www.thenation.com) and read Tariq Ali's article on "Pakistan's Plight".

When will it all end?

Reflections on 2007.....Hopes for 2008

Before I talk about 2008, the year we just finished was quite interesting, to say the least. The year, for me, was defined by Iraq and all that was going on. It was defined by the "surge" and how President Bush decided to send more troops. There were over 16,000 people who lost their lives in 2007, according to the BBC. Yet, the Adminstration claimed that the "surge" had in fact worked because there were less people dying. The yardstick of progress is frankly laughable. It reminds me when Joe Lieberman said that Iraqis had a lot of mobile phones, which led him to believe that there was progress. What bothered me the most was that we were lied to. Unfortuantely, no one was held to account.

The year also saw Pakistan also getting closer to the Abyss. Pervez Musharaf finally retired as Chief of Army Staff, but his policies (with the support of the Bush Adminstration), radicalized Pakistan even further. What the Bush Adminstration tried to do in pushing Benzair Bhutto to co-habitat with President Musharaff blew up in their face. Ms. Bhutto was assassinated and those plans were thrown into disarray. Ms. Bhutto's son was named as Chair of her Party. But, Pakistan has become increasingly radicalized. Whether the Bhutto clan that has apparently stolen over 1.5 Billion Dollars over the last twelve years has the crediblity to lead the country remains to be seen. I am certain that Tariq Ali's comments on Democracy Now last week (http://www.democracynow.org) was based on documented proof. At least the Pakistani Armed Forces will insure the country will remain united. In all these games (including Nawaz Sharif positioning himself as a future leader), the average Pakistani seems to be lost.

I can't help but reflect upon the current forgotten war: Afghanistan. It was a year that saw the lies of Pat Tillman (which I talked about),it saw the Taliban roaring back stronger than ever and Afghanistan becoming the biggest poppy producer in the world. Yet, Hamid Karzai went on the BBC and at the White House announced that everything was great. When Karzai was asked about the poppy production, he claimed that poppy was actually decreasing. Karzai also invited the "good" Taliban to join him. Why the Taliban want to join a corrupt, discredited government is beyond me. Karzai also has no credibility. Tariq Ali, the Pakistani/British Commentator, told of Karzai's younger brother running the Heroin ring and also running a weapon smuggling operation. I am just amazed as to the nerve of this man standing besides President Bush and going off telling us how things are great. But, I guess an ordinary face in the crowd like me is not supposed to understand and question, just believe what he's being fed.

The year 2007 also saw the rich getting richer around the world. Some of the wealth controlled by folks like Carlos Slim, Roman Abravomich, Prince Alwaeed of Saudi Arabia and others is beyond imagination. Such extravaggance allows folks like Prince Alwaeed to pay almost 400 million dollars for a Airbus 380. Carlos Slim controls a staggering percentage of the Borsa in Mexico and is a dominant player throughout the Americas.

The year 2007 also saw Vladimir Putin continue his dominance of Russian Politics and engineered a "managed democratic" transition. It also saw a Russia that became a leading international player by virtue of its' new found wealth because of high oil prices. This led him to be named Time Person of the year for 2007. Tsar Putin is clearly the man in charge--although he agreed to serve as Prime Minister under his chosen successor. In addition, Iran continued its' "my way or the highway" approach to International Relations. Iran continued its' nuclear program, Ahmadinjead continued his speeches while the ordinary folks in Iran continued suffering from economic difficulties. Of course, Ahmadinejad's visit to New York and his appearance at Columbia University was also a comical act. Not withstanding Columbia President Lee Bollinger's Speech, Ahmadinejad did not help himself by the rather odd and off the wall comments that he made. 2008 continues to be a challenging one for Iran. It is especially so because the U.S. and the rest of the world is out for blood due to the Iranian Nuclear Program.

As for the United States, we are to have our first caucus. Iowa is scheduled to hold its' caucus on January 3rd. An interesting note on tonight's CBS News stated that the two leading Democractic Candidates, Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama, raised over $ 100 Million Each during 2007. It is a sad testimony that such is an absolute requirement to get to the Presidency and the average individual gets lost in the shuffle. The Economy will be of immense concern. The housing crisis will have a chilling effect on the economy for quite some time. Everyone within housing is facing challenges. It is scary and I see it getting worst before it getting better.

On the technology front, this year was the year of the iphone. It is a slick device. Yet, for some reason, I was not impressed. For a clumsy guy like me who drops his phone and uses his phone to death, I am not sure if a iphone is the phone to have. Many folks have it. I would imagine I may end up owning a second or third generation iphone. What is of huge interest to me is Google's Android Initiative. It is a Ten Million Dollar prize Google has put out to come up with the best mobile platform. In the December 31, 2007 edition of the Financial Times, there was a forecast that Google's stock will hit $ 1000. It also talked about Google's reach becoming ever more. They're going to go after the latest spectrum auction by the FCC and they're going to get it. It also was the year that the $ 100 laptop (actually $ 200) shipping. The idea was to bring the digital age to the dispossessed. And they seem to have succeed despite the odds.

As I embrace 2008, I remain hopeful. Someone once said that using the word "hope" reflects an element of uncertainity. I remain hopeful because we have an election coming up in the United States, Technology will continue to help drive the future, there is more of an awarness to tend to our planet and there will continue to be a move towards common sense. As residents of spaceship Earth, we have to step up and be responsible, help the dispossessed and live our lives in the most honorable and just way possible. I do get worried when the Financial Times tells us that corporations will move away from Corporate Social Responsiblity and will again turn inward to deal with profits at all costs. It seems to me that being social responsible and green is right and good for business.

As I go forward to 2008, I remind myself of what Sparky Anderson once said: "...People who live in the past generally are afraid to compete in the present. I've got my faults, but living in the past is not one of them. There's no future in it.... ..." (courtesy of http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sparky_Anderson, retrieved January 1, 2008). As such, I will be marching along while embracing the challenges and the opportunities. The best is yet to come!!!

Pakistan, The War on Terror, Our President and the Challenges....

Pervez Musharraf declared an emergency over the week-end. Pakistan has been going down the path of anarchy for quite some time, now. What this fake democrat did was to further damage the virtually non-existent credibility that the Bush Administration's so-called war on terror had. The Taliban have come back with a vengeance, the cities of Pakistan are becoming unsafe--and yet we think that Musharraf will ride in on a white horse and save the day....How naive we are as a nation to think that all is well in that part of the world....

The so-called War on Terror continues on. But, so far, we seem to be losing. Iraq is not front and center in the news anymore. I have to dig through it. Of course, there is Juan Cole and his daily commentary that is as insightful as ever. The killings, the kidnappings and the displacements do continue on though. Despite the drop, 2007 is still the deadliest in Iraq. At some stage, the draft will have to be introduced to maintain this sustained level of commitment. We cannot sustain this level of commitment and request sacrifices as we have. The political will to implement this is another matter, though. Mr. Bush tried to mollify the Kurds. But, it is tough to ask a country to stay silent when your territory is attacked and your people are killed. When an Israeli soldier was kidnapped by Hezbollah, the Israelis launched a war that destroyed Southern Lebanon with the approval of the United States. The Soldier is yet to be released and Lebanon continues to limp along from crisis to crisis.

As for where it all began, Afghanistan: A suicide bomber attacked in the North of the country, killing a number of Afghan members of Parliament. The tragedy of it is that a number of school children were also killed. As such news comes out of Afghanistan, I think about the comments that Hamid Karzai, the President of Afghanistan (or as Time Magazine once called him The "Mayor of Kabul") made about how great everything is in the country. I wonder how he would explain this tragedy away. The war continues, yet opium production is exceeding expectations. The Taliban have come back with a vengeance. We seem not to have a strategy in place....only more of the same.....

I am just a face in the crowd and at times, a hopeless one. I still believe that we can overcome. I pray that my optimism is justified. The struggle will continue.

Another Interesting Few Days....

The French President, Mr. Sarkozy, is an interesting fellow. He rose to be President in a society where it is tough to pull yourself up. Yet, he did. My hat's off to him. He is passionate about France--as he should be. He is France's best cheerleader. BUT, I think he's a bit full of himself. This came home to me during the G-8 Conference. All the leaders were walking together and the only guy on the phone was The President of France. Some of the other leaders are, I am sure, just as busy and engaged as well. Furthermore, he does not have the best record anyway. The riots in 2006 are a black mark. Although, apparently, the French People gave him a clean bill and elected him anyway.

I am also disturbed by the push the President of France is making on Iran. In this case, he's trying to outflank George W. Bush. Again, the present government is not the issue. Every attempt must be made to avoid war. Yet, Mr. Sarkozy would want to do otherwise.

As for President Bush, he keeps feeding us this fiction on "things are getting better in Iraq." Yet the killing seems to go on. What is bothering me is that George W. Bush misled us and will not be held to account. He says he is the decider. Well, nobody crowned him King. The drumbeat towards war does continue. It does not help when guys like Glen Beck do "research" on the 12th Imam and the end of time and keep pushing the drumbeat on war. Glen Beck had a pastor on his show on CNN Headline Prime. I heard the guy speak for a minute about building up the government of Iran and creating this myth of a government that is going to attack us tomorrow and putting it in biblical terms. I am glad I only saw a minute of it only. He is entitled to his opinion. But, they should not silence those of us who have questioned the wisdom of this policy which has been misguided and has cost so much in lives and treasure. It is a policy that has cost us dearly in our personal liberties.

Now, onward to Iraq.....General Petraus had a interview on CNN. He openly accused the Iranian Ambassador of being a member of the Quds Force--and by implication a terrorist by U.S. Government Standards, telling the world that there is "no question". We are supposed to believe him. But, no one questions the honorable General about the PKK. Yes, Sean McCormick did condemn the cross border raid and the resulting death of 13 Turkish Soldiers. But, The government of Kurdistan (because Iraqi Kurdistan is for all practical purposes independent) allows the PKK to operate at will. This is another example of a policy that is a non-policy. The chaos is mind-boggling.

I can't end this thought without talking about Afghanistan. I had talked about the fact that the apparent gains made by NATO forces were pretty much gone. Beyond that, one of the things that further bothers me is that Afghanistan continues to break all record in poppy production..another success story by President Bush....

We do have a vibrant stock market....unemployment is steady.....interest rates are for now reasonably under control....but, world challenges do remain.

I look forward to my contribution to Blog Action Day on October 15. We have to do something to preserve Spaceship Earth (as Jay Barbere of NBC News reminded us on Meet The Press this past Sunday). Hopefully, this is a small step!!!

Despite all the challenges, I'll continue to keep the faith....I have no choice....

Pat Tillman

Today was another sad day. The hyprociy and the lies once again exposed how the Bush Adminstration has misled us for so long. From what I was able to gather, Pat Tillman was killed by Friendly Fire and at least Four Generals knew about it. When I heard Pat Tillman's Mother earlier, I wondered how far this cover-up went. I did not doubt for a minute that the Adminstration was anxious to move the spotlight away from Abu Gharib. It needed a Hero...just like it built up Jessica Lynch. The worst thing I heard was that A grieving mother was told by Defense Department Officials that she was rude. As a parent, I would want to know the truth. I know that I would not be nice and would be fighting for the truth. I would not care who got offended in the process. Pat Tillman was indeed an example for us all. He gave up a life of privilege to serve. He must always be remembered for that. How this ultimate sacrifice was manipulated should never be tolerated.