It is America's birthday this month and as I have been reading the
news I have been contemplating the meaning of this holiday. I have seen
riots in Baltimore, and shootings in a church down south by a man with an
unholy quest to start a race war. We have questioned the flying of the Confederate
flag that Robert E. Lee flew in the American Civil War. I have listened
to derogatory remarks directed at Mexican immigrants by Donald Trump (“The
Donald”), who is running for President.
On July 4th or 2nd, depending on which school of thought you ascribe to, America will be 239 years old. A young country
compared to some others. During that time we have had our
struggles to overcome inequality, to survive economic crisis and war, and to
hold true to the beliefs that are written in our constitution.
We are a nation of contradictions.
The riots in Baltimore left people wondering about our system of
justice and the behavior of police towards black people, as well as the
economic health of many of our cities.
Yet we have elected, twice, to the highest office, a black man. We have seen an economy rocked by a recession
that could easily have slid into a depression, yet we are seeing a return to a healthier
financial picture for many. Not all, it’s
true, but we are at least heading in a better direction.
I read an Opinion Piece in my newspaper written by a man whose father was from the
south. Every year his father would fly
the Confederate flag on Robert E. Lee’s birthday. Yet he refused to sign a petition floated
around his neighborhood to request that a mixed race couple, whom he had
befriended, be asked to move. So while
that flag might be seen as a racist symbol for some, for him it meant something
else.
And then we have “The Donald”.
A very successful man in business, but a little short of the mark in
understanding his country. For at heart
we are a nation of immigrants. I was
talking to someone the other day whose daughter had just graduated. At the ceremony was the American flag, but
along with our nation’s banner there were 24 others. These were the flags of the countries of
origin of some of the graduates. There is a reason people come here despite the difficulty of starting over.
To write of all of the hardships endured, the triumphs celebrated,
and the struggles of ordinary people to make America a nation that we can be
proud of would take far more space than this blog or your time to read would
allow.
We are a nation of contradictions because people are imperfect. But if we choose carefully the ideals that
are worth striving for, worth fighting for, and worth creating a country for,
then whatever challenges we face now or in the future will be
surmountable.
Happy Birthday, America!
97 comments:
1st
Hey, Z. :)
If this guy was going for a stroll just to get his picture taken, he's not the brightest bulb in the pack.
@ Lynnette,
I heard some news this morning that got me curious, so I looked it up. Out of around €320-€330 billion the Greek government owes, a little under 10% (€31.9 billion) is the responsibility of the IMF (either direct loans or loan guarantees). chart
Perhaps it is less the amount of debt that Greece owes the IMF that will affect us than the trickle down effect of what happens in Europe.
What is sad is looking at the pictures of so many Greek retirees waiting to get what little money is allowed out of the banks. That is a segment of the population that has so little resources to fall back on as it is.
"Perhaps it is less the amount of debt that Greece owes the IMF that
will affect us than the trickle down effect of what happens in Europe."
That sounds right.
Happy 4th of July, Lee. I hope you have an enjoyable day. :)
Marcus, I know this is not a special day for you, but I hope you have a wonderful day as well. :)
And to anyone who may be lurking, you too have a great day! :)
Thank you Lynnette. I did have a great day. A saturday and there was not a cloud in the sky and the temperature has surged here this last week. So I managed my first dip in the ocean for the year (well not first, I took care of that in Thailand in February, but the first one here in Sweden) and then we fired up the grill and popped quite a few beers.
I hope you had a happy 4'th of July as well. I even extend that to ol' grumpy Lee C. Also to anyone lurkin'.
IS uses kids to execute 25 syrian soldiers:
http://theync.com/sjaakburger/isis-childeren-executed-many-soldiers-in-palmyra-crowd-may-watch-this-time.htm
Not for the faith of heart.
I wonder if those handguns they use are from those vast stocks of US arms that were supplied to the "moderate rebels" in Syria but ended up in IS hands.
Even more gross, a film of IS terrorists being executed by some other group that I never heard of:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=da2_1435795235
Fast forward to about 16 minutes.
"…vast stocks of US arms…"
So, the stories bounding ‘round among the Euroweenies these days are that we sent ‘vast stocks’ of handguns?
Greek voting results are in; they voted "NO". Not interested in more intensive austerity therapy. 60/40 or there'bouts.
It's been warm here too, Marcus. Had the air on. But I did manage to have for the most part a pleasant weekend. :)
I read that about the 25 men executed in Palmyra. Typical ISIL brutality to be spread as propaganda to solicit recruits who are into that sort of thing. Attracting cannon fodder is the name of the game for them.
Wiki says Jaysh al-Islam is a rival Syrian rebel group. It seems they are intent on outdoing ISIL in brutal propaganda videos.
I wonder if those handguns they use are from those vast stocks of US arms that were supplied to the "moderate rebels" in Syria but ended up in IS hands.
Hmmm...vast stocks of US supplied arms are only as real as moderate rebels.
Greek voting results are in; they voted "NO". Not interested in more intensive austerity therapy.
For some reason the Greek government seems to believe that a "no" vote will mean re-negotiations with their creditors. Which the Greek populace seems to have bought into as well. So now the ball is back in the EU's court. I have a feeling that we are wandering in uncharted territory that may prove perilous for some.
"For some reason the Greek government seems to believe that a
‘no’ vote will mean re-negotiations with their creditors."
It's one possibility. I'd say it's even probable (doesn't mean new negotiations will end in a deal though; Merkel gonna be mad now).
I was just reading a comments section on the Greek situation. Most people were unsympathetic to Greece.
Depression - Greek style
Bankruptcy is generally frowned upon by those not saddled with unpayable debts. (Except for the Russians, who seem to get away with renouncing their debts periodically without repercussions.)
Looking at BBC World News this morning. Contrary to predictions in some European quarters, the sun did rise in Athens today, and right on time too.
Preliminary indications are that the powers in the EU don't quite know what to make of that.
The Greek Finance Minister has resigned anyway, said he'd been told that the creditor nations did not want to negotiate with him in particular, so he was resigning to make the Greek Prime Minister's job easier going forward. The Prime Minister apparently was in on the decision, as he had a new Finance Minister already selected, and has appointed him already. I didn't recognize the name.
Oh, yeah, and our girls won the World's Cup. Just blew right through the Japanese team.
China appears to be having some of the same difficulty that we do in a troubled region of the world.
Oh, yeah, and our girls won the World's Cup.
I saw that. Congratulations to the US Women's soccer team! Way to go ! :)))
Contrary to predictions in some European quarters, the sun did rise in Athens today, and right on time too.
Yes, and it will continue to shine. It is the lighting after dark that is in question.
Well, it will be interesting to see what comes of the negotiations, assuming they continue. As I understand it the IMF is, by their charter's rules, not able to loan any more money to an entity that is in arrears, as the Greek's are. So it really is up to Europe to ride to the rescue if they want Greece to continue in the eurozone, or even the EU. But, as some have suggested, perhaps the Russians will play the rescuer of the damsel in distress.
This is really a rather touchy situation, not just financially, but socially as well. Greece is being inundated with immigrants, or migrants if you will, from the Mideast and Africa. How are they going to deal with those people? Will this responsibility fall on the UN and its member countries? Or will these people find a way to transit up into other European countries?
If Greece becomes a failed state will they become vulnerable to ISIL recruiters?
" As I understand it the IMF is, by their charter's rules, not able to
loan any more money to an entity that is in arrears, as the Greek's
are."
I think that's the rule. After a significant write-off of the Greek debts (usually this means debts to private creditors, but the private creditors have already been bailed out in this case) and a restructuring of the remaining debt they can get involved again. (The €31.9 billion owed to the IMF can't be written off though, not if they want more IMF money.)
I think it may come down to Merkel agreeing to write-off debt owed to Germany. This will cause the German voters to begin to question why they took the hit instead of the German bankers who made the loan taking the hit.
Merkel will be resistant to this solution.
For now though, Lynnette is probably right. The German taxpayers will ignore the fact that German bankers made stupid loans to corrupt Greek officials expecting the Greek taxpayers to get stuck with the problem. This is too complicated and leads to unpleasant questions. Much simpler; they will simply blame the Greek taxpayers (or, tax dodgers, as the case may be).
Greek crisis is nothing compared to China
I think it may come down to Merkel agreeing to write-off debt owed to Germany.
This may be the best solution to the current situation. This crisis was not just Greece's in the making. But, and this is a strong but, Greece still has to get its house in order.
I see the US stock market is currently just down around 100 points.
"Greek crisis is nothing compared to China"
I saw this Sunday, thought about linking it then, but wondered if we didn't have enough on the thread already. Since you brought it up, figured I'd go ahead with it.
"Greece still has to get its house in order."
Kinda goes without sayin’. Things gonna be grim for the Greeks for awhile, no matter which way the EU goes with this. Greece is bankrupt, broke--start over and work up from got nothin’ but the real estate and the people left kind of broke.
The question is how hard does the EU want to continue to punish Greece for its defiance, to go along with bein’ broke, in order to maintain the intimidation factor on Italy and Spain and Portugal and such as them?
Here's an update in the Washington Post on the doings against ISIS in Syria. For those Republicans and neo-con remnants who keep insisting that we're not doing enough to crush ISIS, and in reminder of my repeated suggestions that it's not yet time to try to drive ISIS out of the Sunni Arab territories, I'll specifically point out this part:
"“That Sunni alternative [to ISIS] simply doesn’t exist yet,’ said
Shadi Hamid of the Brookings Institution’s Center for Middle East
Policy in Washington. “This is where the focus on quick wins becomes
problematic.’"
And here's what could be a companion piece updating goings on across the border in Iraq, except it's from the New York Times instead of WaPo. (Mosul's getting pushed back even further on the agenda.)
And just to round things out, a review of the doings of the Kurdish YPG, what they're up to these days, including political maneuverings inside Turkey.
Since you brought it up, figured I'd go ahead with it.
I think economically speaking we are all connected. What happens in various areas of the world will affect everyone to a certain extent, if not directly then indirectly.
Greece may not affect us directly, but there will be some repercussions in Europe that may affect us. And while we may not be directly invested in the Chinese stock market, it's movement will have an effect on their economy, which will trickle down to us.
What both those countries have in common though, despite the disparity in size, is the possible threat of social instability because of an economic crisis. But hopefully that will be a worst case scenario that doesn't happen.
he question is how hard does the EU want to continue to punish Greece for its defiance, to go along with bein’ broke, in order to maintain the intimidation factor on Italy and Spain and Portugal and such as them?
There comes a time when that kind of threat is counterproductive. Hopefully the EU will be wise enough to know when that time arrives.
Lynnette: "This is really a rather touchy situation, not just financially, but socially as well. Greece is being inundated with immigrants, or migrants if you will, from the Mideast and Africa. How are they going to deal with those people? Will this responsibility fall on the UN and its member countries? Or will these people find a way to transit up into other European countries?"
Greece (someone in Greek politics, can't remember who) basically made a veiled threat about just that. That they might just open their northern borders and let the flood hit Europe northwards.
Lynnette: "If Greece becomes a failed state will they become vulnerable to ISIL recruiters?"
I think that might be one small issue, but I'd look more to rightwing and/or leftwing extremism in the hopefully avoidable scenario where Greece completely collapse socially. They're europeans and Europe can foster extremism on the political spectrum without outside help from IS.
Lee: "The question is how hard does the EU want to continue to punish Greece for its defiance, to go along with bein’ broke, in order to maintain the intimidation factor on Italy and Spain and Portugal and such as them?"
I'm guessing but my best guess is the EU will definetly want Greece to remain in the EU. Probably in the EMU too, but of that I'm less convinced. I'm guessing the EU will be prepared to write off some of Greece's debt, knowing they cannot possibly handle it regardless of reforms. But it must also hurt for Greece. It must play out that other nations look at Greece and think: "well they got thrown a lifeline at the very end, but what they had to go through we don't want our country to go through". It can't be allowed to look easy or too beneficial.
“These new guys have no mercy,” said a 22-year-old man who asked to be referred to only as Abu Mohammed because he is concerned about his safety. He fled ahead of the rapidly advancing Kurdish force, but had the battle continued any longer, he would have joined the Islamic State, he said.
“If you want to defend your religion and your land and your honor, you should join Islamic State,” he said. “Because if you don’t, the YPG will come and take your land.”
This is where we need to look for allies in Syria, as long as they are not clones if AQ or ISIL in their beliefs. If they simply want to defend their homes against outsiders, of whatever brand, then they are potential allies. We need to give guys like this an alternative to the Kurds and ISIL. It would deprive ISIL of recruits and give us an opportunity to show that we would like to help people stay in their homes.
... I'd look more to rightwing and/or leftwing extremism in the hopefully avoidable scenario where Greece completely collapse socially. They're europeans and Europe can foster extremism on the political spectrum without outside help from IS.
Yes, which is why the formation of the EU looked like a good idea. Get everyone in the same boat and hopefully they will find a way to work together to find solutions to problems.
I too think that writing off at least some of Greece's debt is a good idea. But it can't be done at the barrel of a gun, that's true.
Lynnette: "I too think that writing off at least some of Greece's debt is a good idea. But it can't be done at the barrel of a gun, that's true."
I have to admit I am only guessing at this point in time. I do believe that the Euro is a failed concept from the get go. The EU might be OK but the common currency I have no belief left in.
There's just no way for (most of) the mediterranian countries in particular and the rest of Europe to some degree to compete with Germany in the same currency environment. That would require a United States of Europe modeled on the USA, but we're just too different and like our differences too much for that to happen.
So even if Greece was momentarily sorted out, the debts cut down, and they made some much needed changes we're still left with the fundamental problem: how can they function in a mutual currency with Germany? Well, if a can of olives could be prised at the cost of a BMW they could. But it can't.
(Mosul's getting pushed back even further on the agenda.)
Well, we will have to be flexible in our tactics. Mosul will be a tough fight, better to give the troops some seasoning before they attempt it, perhaps.
The EU might be OK but the common currency I have no belief left in.
Maybe this might be the solution. Keep the EU, giving members some special breaks, but drop the common currency. That will give each country the flexibility to adjust their own monetary policies as needed.
Lee: "Here's an update in the Washington Post on the doings against ISIS in Syria. For those Republicans and neo-con remnants who keep insisting that we're not doing enough to crush ISIS, and in reminder of my repeated suggestions that it's not yet time to try to drive ISIS out of the Sunni Arab territories..."
Interesting articles. I've been ponsering one thing. What do I think will come out of this whole godawful mess in the ME with IS and AQ and regimes falling or clamping down on their citizens?
If you were to try to envision the ME 10 years from now, in the summer of 2025, what's your most likely outcome thus far?
To try to limit the scope of the question I divide it into 3 regional parts:
1. The Iraq/Syria theatre where IS is rampaging today and the bulk of the sectarian and ethnic fighting is going on.
2. Iran.
3. The rest of the ME/North Africa.
I am aware it's a huge question and if I had been granted the rights tto do so I'd post a completely new thread about this. But feel free to elaborate as much or as little as you wish.
(Also, I'd like to point out that it's basically an impossible question so anyone trying for an answer has immunity 10 years from now from any : haha- look what this dumbass said in 2015"-comments)
Lynnette: "Maybe this might be the solution. Keep the EU, giving members some special breaks, but drop the common currency. That will give each country the flexibility to adjust their own monetary policies as needed."
That's one idea - drop it completely. There's also been talk of a north- and a south-euro. Not in very serious circles but there's been talk. I don't profess to have an answer but I feel quite certain Greece would be better off with a new Drachma instead of the Euro.
"If you were to try to envision the ME 10 years from now, in the
summer of 2025, what's your most likely outcome thus far?"
I'd forecast a region still at war with itself and everybody else. I don't expect the religious fundies to give it up and accept a loss within the next ten years. I do expect they'll eventually lose, but not that quickly. That's why I'm not interested in us going in and stomping out ISIS. We stomped al-Qaeda; the fundies morphed; ISIS arose and went at it again elsewhere. We stomp out ISIS (and we could if we wanted to) the fundies would just morph again, and arise again either in Sunnistan (Syrai/Iraq) or somewhere nearby, Turkey maybe. The Muslims gotta settle this themselves. I don't believe that'll happen by 2025. The fundies are gonna eventually give Islamic fanaticism a bad name within Islam, but it's gonna take longer than ten years to play out.
We took a shot at providing an alternate theology in Iraq. We tried to plant democracy. It didn't take. That was our shot, our chance at helping them avoid this fate, and it didn't work out. So, now it's gonna go the way it was gonna go.
Lynnette, you are aware that IS are evil. Here's a clip from eastern Ukraine where the neo nazi Asov battalion are duct-taping a "separatist" to a cross, nailing his hands to it, raising the cross and setting it on fire:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5b5_1429903465
Lovely, peaceful, pro-democracy protesters, aren't they?
religion
"the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods."
So many wars have been fought over religion. Yet my guess is that its original purpose was to provide hope to those people who were living in oppression. But like anything else that has felt the touch of a human hand it has been twisted out of shape to enrich or empower a handful of people.
If you were to try to envision the ME 10 years from now, in the summer of 2025, what's your most likely outcome thus far?
ISIL is using a dream of an Islamic Caliphate to lure naive people into fighting under their banner. If they last 10 years Islam may not. There is no hope under their rule. There is only oppression and death.
But all three regions you listed, Marcus, will have serious issues, especially water, due to climate change. My prediction is that if possible there will be more people migrating from those areas to other regions of the world, possibly Europe, whether or not ISIL still exists as an organized entity.
Lovely, peaceful, pro-democracy protesters, aren't they?
I don't have to watch the video to answer that. The answer is no, they are not lovely, peaceful or democratic. The separatist probably wasn't either. They remind me of that other video you posted of the rebel group who executed the ISIL fighters. Neither group are admirable in their behavior.
"Lovely, peaceful, pro-democracy protesters, aren't they?"
Wiki says Azov first appeared in eastern Ukraine in early 2014 ‘during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest’. Your attempts to link them to the Euromaidan protests which began in 2013 in western Ukraine do not seem well founded.
It seems that Germany has declared there will be no debt write-offs for Greece, effectively shutting down any chance of a negotiated real solution to the problem. (I assume they could negotiate another of those fairie tale solutions--terms that Greece can't meet and they know Greece can't meet, as they've been doing for quite some time time now--buys time until they have to renegotiate when Greece can't meet the terms, and then they do it all over again.)
And the Chinese stock market has now tanked. Trading has been suspended on a majority of the stocks listed.
Lee: "Wiki says Azov first appeared in eastern Ukraine in early 2014 ‘during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest’. Your attempts to link them to the Euromaidan protests which began in 2013 in western Ukraine do not seem well founded."
Yes they first appeared in EASTERN Ukraine in 2014. That's because before that they were in WESTERN Ukraine, to be more specific in Kiev, and overthrew the democraticaly elected (albeit corrupt and dysfunctional) government.
Lee: "It seems that Germany has declared there will be no debt write-offs for Greece, effectively shutting down any chance of a negotiated real solution to the problem."
I'd put that down to taking a hard negotiating position. The Greek government felt strenthened by the referendum they held and Germany (which basically speaks for the EU in this matter) puts up a hard front to counter the newfound strength the Greek negotiators might feel. My guess is still that there will be a settlement and that that settlement will include writeoffs, even if not named so.
Lee: "And the Chinese stock market has now tanked. Trading has been suspended on a majority of the stocks listed."
I guess the Chinese are learning the hard way that what goes up might come down. Given that they are new to capitalism and private investing there's bound to be a learning curve.
"That's because before that they were in WESTERN Ukraine, to
be more specific in Kiev…"
No, they didn't make any appearances anywhere until May of 2014. They were originally organized out of Russian speaking Ukrainians from the eastern cities, Donetsk especially, when the pro-Russian demonstrations and violence appeared there, and that was well after February 2014 when Yanukovych did his night flight to Russia. Its original leadership was drawn from Pravi Sektor's mid-level leadership ranks, and they, that is Pravi Sektor, didn't get organized until well after the Euromaidan protests turned violent at the hands of Yanukovych's goons.
Which reminds me that you also once tried to pretend that Pravi Sektor predated the Euromaidan protests, and had a significant hand in those. Pravi Sektor organized after Yanukovych's goons took to committing violence against the, until then entirely peaceful, protests. They were just a couple dozen right-winger goon types stomping around with home-made shields and clubs, but they were enough to put the fear of retribution into Yanuovych's goons, who turned out to be not real eager to engage with anybody who'd fight back.
You're fairly desperate to find nazis here ain't ya? Although I can't quite figure out why, you're obviously desperate to sell that line of shit. I've discovered that I really don't give a damn why that is.
Look, here's how it is:
These supposed neo-nazis are actually faux-nazis. Although they're probably not sophisticated enough politically to know that. They put on the common trappings of Nazism, loud and virulent anti-semitism, racism, and, of course, the symbols, but they don't appear to have a clue about the fascist socio/economic ideology. What they probably know about Nazism, other than its racist elements and symbolism, is that the Nazi were sworn enemy of the socialist Soviet Russians, and they remember the Stalin years, so now they identify with the symbols of the Nazi as enemies of the Russians whose domination they remember all too well.
Truth is, the Nazis were real fascists; Putin is also a real fascist although he's not a real Nazi; these guys are faux-nazis and probably not even fascists, probably have no clue about that part, but they do have a real hatred of Putin's Russia, so they dress up and stomp around like the one competent enemy of Russia whom they can remember.
From what I'm reading it's your average mom & pop and teenage kid who are riding the Chinese stock market roller coaster. I'm not sure how much they've learned yet. If you listen to the teenager in the video attached to the article you see that he's just switched from gambling in stocks to gambling in currency swings, as he shorted the euro over the Greek situation. Made money too...this time.
They've got some brokerages buying up stocks in an effort to stem some of the slide, but in the long run it's the fundamentals of their economy that underpin the market, and if they're weak the market will continue to be weak. I think of all those ghost cities and shudder. Talk about overbuilt! Makes what happened here in the US look minor in comparison.
editing error:
"They were originally just a couple dozen right-winger goon types stomping
around with home-made shields and clubs, but they were enough to put the fear of
retribution into Yanuovych's goons, who turned out to be not real eager to engage
with anybody who'd fight back."
They have grown some since then. But the rise of some radicals is hardly surprising in a nation as stressed as the Ukraine. They're nowhere near in charge though, and never have been.
"I think of all those ghost cities and shudder."
That happened to me too.
"I'd put that down to taking a hard negotiating position."
I think you'd better put that up to Merkel being boxed in. She's sold her voters on being tough (they were eager to make that purchase) and now she can't back away from it. If she allows the Greeks to write-off the debt then her voters will start to wonder why they picked up the bill for the bankers' making risky loans. So far they've not had to think about complicated things like that, and they like it like that. It's kinda like the Republican Party over here can't pound any sense into the teabagger types now that they've unleased the stupidity upon us all.
... but they do have a real hatred of Putin's Russia, so they dress up and stomp around like the one competent enemy of Russia whom they can remember.
Like so many people who are ant-something they never look beyond the moment. It seems to me that it has always been what happens after the smoke has cleared that makes or breaks a country.
But, in any case, pity they chose to emulate such hateful people.
"He that lieth down with dogs shall rise up with fleas" - Benjamin Franklin
"That's because before that they were in WESTERN Ukraine…"
Tell ya what ya do, Marcus, to make a mark here. You find us an article that mentions Azov in connection with the Euromaidan, no matter how casually, and dated before February 2014. Then I'll sit up and pay attention to your further ravings on this.
Or even during February 2014, that'll work to get my attnetion too.
An interesting article here on Ukraine.
I suspect that, like the Middle East, Ukraine has many nuances that we in the West tend to be unaware of, or simply do not understand, since we have never lived there.
Lee: "Tell ya what ya do, Marcus, to make a mark here. You find us an article that mentions Azov in connection with the Euromaidan, no matter how casually, and dated before February 2014. Then I'll sit up and pay attention to your further ravings on this."
Same people, same insignias, new name sometime after the Maidan coup.
It's not entirely uncommon for the same group to change names while maintaining much the same ideology. Look at AQI, AQIM, ISIL, ISIS, IS...
Your post about "These supposed neo-nazis are actually faux-nazis" is noted though, and I believe it's largely correct. Although these groups claim some sort of historical background in the Bandera movement I too believe the racist and anti-Russian parts of the nazi-ideology is their prime mover and their uniting force these days.
Okay, so maybe there are Republicans worth listening to. There is hope. True heart comes in many forms. :)
I too believe the racist and anti-Russian parts of the nazi-ideology is their prime mover and their uniting force these days.
Hate is so easy for people. Finding common ground is hard work.
Real democracy requires tolerance towards other people's beliefs, which movements based on hatred do not accommodate. Otherwise all you get is a see-sawing between extreme ideology. It's a balance that is hard to maintain even for those of us who live in countries that are considered democratic.
"… new name sometime after the Maidan coup."
New name and new recruits. They built their movement during the chaos that came after the Euromaidan revolution. They weren't behind that revolution, they weren't in charge of that revolution; they were barely relevant except that they did turn back government's goons sent in to bust heads.
Recall the Muslim Brotherhood which did not create the Egyptian Arab Spring uprising in Tahrir Square (initially, didn't even participate) but was able to organize effectively afterwards and ended up winning the first elections.
So are the faux-nazis of the Ukraine an opportunistic group that has built itself up after the revolution, in the absence of a government with the luxury of having time and attention to pay to them--what with Putin making his mischief, a few faux-nazis running loose are hardly priority.
I'm not denying they exist; folks like this exist in virtually every society. But they weren't a big part of the revolution's success. They like to overplay their importance. Putin definitely likes to overplay their importance, and so do you.
I'm virtually certain that you knew when you wrote that ‘lovely, peaceful, pro-democracy protesters, aren't they?’ line that these guys were drawn mostly out of the cities in the east and they were recruited after the Euromaidan success, in the cities of the east after Putin sent in his little green men to start the pro-Russian uprising. You were intentionally trying to give them credit for participation they did not give and success that was not theirs to claim.
I don't believe you didn't know better.
"…they were barely relevant except that they did turn back [the]
government's goons sent in to bust heads."
Well, some guys in what later became Praviy Sektor participated in that. Initially it was just a loose collection of what they called soccer hooligans and some scattered members of nationalist groups. But, when they got designated as ‘Praviy Sektor’ some of the faux-nazis took the opportunity to organize behind that name. They thought it was kool.
Odds on Iran deal dropping.
"…some sort of historical background in the Bandera movement…"
I believe Bandera fought the Nazis.
Obama has never estimated it at 50/50; always less. This is not new. (Kerry has estimated as high as 50/50; Obama has never.)
Greece, China and Latin America?
Obama has never estimated it at 50/50; always less.
I wondered if this press coverage was sending a message to the Iranians that their last minute demands weren't helping matters.
I had the same thought.
Any competent neo-Nazi would know better than to wear Nazi looking regalia in public.
@ Lynnette,
On a related matter (semi-neo-Nazi related that is)… As if the Republicans didn't have enough internal fighting going on, the Democrats have offered them up yet another chance to tie themselves up in knots, and they've apparently jumped at the chance. It relates to banning display of the so-called ‘Confederate Flag’ from the national cemeteries. The Republicans were just about to pass a spending bill in the House and the Democrats managed to slip in an amendment to ban the Confederate Flag from national cemeteries. And the Republicans came all apart.
“We’ve put our heads [out] like a pumpkin on a stick and given [Democrats] a baseball bat,” said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), a member of the Appropriations Committee.
lol!
Well...er...yes.
*shakes head sadly*
Hmmm...sounds like the FBI disrupted some home grown terrorist plots over the 4th, but they aren't talking.
"…but they aren't talking."
They don't seem to be.
It appears a deal may be in the works for Greece from the EU. It further appears that Germany won the stare-down and that Greek PM Tsipras pretty much caved in. It's deja-vu all over again.
Lee: "It's deja-vu all over again."
It's been since the crisis in Greece erupted 5 years ago. And it will continue to be so.
The only game changer IMO would be a Greek exit from the Euro.
That they could remain in the Euro, balance their budget, somehow become competitive enough not to have to rely on loans? I just can't see that ever happning.
The thing is the Euro is less an economical project but a political one. If it was purely economical Greece wouldn't be in the Euro to begin with and at this stage economic sense would toss the out and back to the Drachma.
But it's not economical, it's political. And politicians would rather risk a cataclysm than aditting their political prroject was wrong.
I was reading some of the comments attached to that article and one mentioned something about the French being involved in helping the Greeks write this latest proposal, which explains why it has more austerity measures than did the one that was already voted down by the Greeks. If this is true then I don't see this new proposal as being doable if the Greeks are again asked to vote "yes" or "no".
In any case, another round of loans will only delay a solution if there is no real change in Greece's tax collections and its spending. Writing off some of the debt is probably necessary as well. The pain of this needs to be spread out or it may lead to a societal upheaval that everyone in Europe will find unpleasant.
And politicians would rather risk a cataclysm than aditting their political prroject was wrong.
I take it you've met some of our Tea Partiers, have you? :)
There was an article, which I didn't read because I was pressed for time, but the point was obvious from the little I did read, that pointed out that Germany, especially, should understand that severe austerity measures may have unwanted repercussions.
"Germany, especially, should understand that severe austerity
measures may have unwanted repercussions."
I think I saw the article, or, at least, one like it.
Continued austerity measures will further choke down the Greek economy. IF the numbers, as restructured now, are doable for Greece, it will still happen that continued austerity will choke down their economy even more, putting what is doable today out of reach for them in a few months.
It looks like the Greek parliament has approved the new(old) package of austerity measures. It is now up to the EU to agree.
...it will still happen that continued austerity will choke down their economy even more, putting what is doable today out of reach for them in a few months.
If there is less economic activity there will be less taxes to collect.
Every time I read about the Greek crisis they mention the retirement age in Greece. So I decided to look it up and I came across this article from back in 2010. It, and some of the attached comments, are rather interesting. I can certainly understand why a country like Germany with a higher retirement age would resent Greece with a retirement age that is lower.
I can also understand that other countries that have generous pension plans may have some of the same problems in the future as does Greece in the present. If they don't already.
It's been a thing that companies (and countries) would promise generous retirement packages as a way to fend off demands for higher current pay. Then they don't fund the retirement packages. Eventually it catches up with itself.
For a little something different, China has evacuated one million people in the wake of a major typhoon. That's a lot of displaced people all at once And that was a seriously tall wave that came ashore.
Eventually it catches up with itself.
I think we are starting to see some of that here.
Well, I'm off to do something fun today. Hope everyone has a great day!
Apparently these people think they should be considered "moderate". The spokesperson for the group says they believe in a country where they are "not bound to one ideology". I don't know anything about them except what I read on Wiki. It appears that they are the largest faction under what is called The Islamic Front, which promotes the use of sharia law as a legal system. That seems somewhat contradictory to what the author of the article is saying. I would guess that they are looking to get direct coalition air support for some of their operations.
Prior to taking power in Cuba, for a while after taking power even, Fidel Castro claimed he wasn't a communist. I don't think the Eisenhower administration believed him.
Preliminary indications are that the EU is not going to accept Greek PM Tsipras' surrender. It appears some of them are fixing to throw Greece out of the Eurozone. One problem with that plan might be that there are, in fact, no provisions for throwing a country out of the Euro (Greece would have to agree to withdraw).
I don't think the Eisenhower administration believed him.
Yes, sometimes skepticism proves to be warranted.
I read that about the Greece standoff this morning. Either the EU(read Germany) is serious about cutting Greece loose or they are running a var hard negotiating platform. I still think they are looking at some very serious problems down the line on this situation.
One problem with that plan might be that there are, in fact, no provisions for throwing a country out of the Euro (Greece would have to agree to withdraw).
How odd. Apparently they weren't thinking ahead to as many eventualities as they could conceive of.
Since my knowledge of history between the World Wars is fuzzy I have within the past couple of weeks bought 3 books that I am going to start reading. They cover a time period from about 1914 to 1945.
In my reading order they are:
Lawrence in Arabia by Scott Anderson. I started it last night and am just through chapter 1.
Paris in 1919 by Margaret Macmillan.
Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945 by Max Hastings.
I did finally finish "We Are Anonymous" a couple weeks ago. It was a fascinating look at the role the internet, and its denizens, can play in affecting real life when they make a concerted effort. Sometimes rather sad and at other times rather scary. Both from a real world standpoint and a psychological one. I can see where anyone living in that virtual snake pit could become extremely paranoid.
"Either the EU (read Germany) is serious about cutting Greece
loose or they are running a var hard negotiating platform."
I believe they are making their decisions based on their expectations going into the negotiations. Or, to put it another way, they weren't expecting that Greek PM Tsipras would surrender after he'd ‘won’ the referendum. They decided before going in that they were going to squirrel the deal, punish Greece for standing up to them. When Tsipras did not stand up to them but surrendered instead they weren't able to cope with the reality being different from their expectations, and went ahead and voted as if he'd done what they'd expected.
This could get interesting. Suppose… They prepare for Greece to exit the Euro, and what if Greece does something totally unexpected, like renounces its debt sovereign entirely--in effect declares bankruptcy and start over, just like Russia did?
But, suppose Greece doesn't agree to quit using the Euro. They're not ready for that. And their actions so far indicate they're not quick on their feet when presented with novel challenges.
(Anybody who's ever been through a Chapter Seven bankruptcy knows that they get inundated immediately afterwards with credit card offers. After all, they're short on debts and can easily carry some new indebtedness--just ask the Russians how that works.)
They prepare for Greece to exit the Euro, and what if Greece does something totally unexpected, like renounces its debt sovereign entirely--in effect declares bankruptcy and start over, just like Russia did?
That could make things interesting.
I see it looks like the Iran deal will be finalized on Monday, or so they are saying.
The Obama administration had a domestic political deadline that came and went on 9 July. I think the Iranians were trying to jam Kerry up against that deadline in the hopes of getting some last-minute concessions.
If they do a deal on Monday we can probably assume that when their gambit didn't work they gave up on getting those concessions.
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