Saturday, December 29, 2007
Reality is as Mad as a Hatter
While the war on terror was busy guarding Santa, no one was guarding opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan.
Well actually, she had an armoured convey that included anti-bomb detonation equipment (apparently they send out frequencies to jam cell phone detonations), a bullet and bomb-proof car, and a healthy enslaught of body guards.
The jury is still out as to whether she died of gunshot wounds, shrapnel, or if "after she tried to duck back into the vehicle and the shock waves from the blast knocked her head into a lever attached to the sunroof, fracturing her skull."
While the coroner gets to his conclusions, the global media has decided that Al Qaeda and the Taliban...BOTH OF THEM, caused the incident.
I want details.
So far the Interior Ministry Spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Javed Iqbal Cheema claimed that Pakistani intelligence intercepted a cellphone message from an "Al Qaeda leader" Baitullah Mehsud. Mehsud sent out a call of congratulations on a job well done.
Who did he call? The suicide bomber?
Seriously, the spin doctors have lost it on this one. To quickly label both supposed groups responsible on the evidence at hand is seriously flawed. For a while now I have said that uses of the labels "Taliban" and "Al Qaeda" are overblown, shrewed and barely understood. But the global media does a pretty slick job of jamming both groups into a single entity (I noticed this between the French and English press in Canada... While Canadian soldiers are usually fighting Taliban in English, in French they're after Kamikaze d'al qaida).
But back to it! Baitullah Meshsud is a known leader in the Waziri region, and is often labelled a Taliban leader (meaning one of many resistance movements in the northern league nations that stretch along Afghanistan's borders). The Waziri resistance movement dates back to the 19th century, and even today tribal conflict is a thorn in the side of the Musharraf dictatorship.
On February 8, 2005 the Musharraf dictatorship offered Meshud $20 million (USD) for a ceasefire from tribal aggression against Pakistan. Many tribal leaders (labelled Taliban) were offered similar bribes. "Some Taliban leaders had claimed they needed the money because they owed Al Qaeda (meaning a loosely defined network of arms dealers, and financiers that have links to Saudi Arabia) money, and couldn't disengage from hostilities unless the debt was repaid." But Meshud asked for the money to be given to compensate families who had suffered during military operations.
For Ministry Spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Cheema to pin responsibility for Bhutto's assassination on Al Qaeda and the Taliban because the government intercepted a cell phone message from Meshud is a sign that the spinning wheels of deceit are running out of ideas, because their stories do not consider two simple facts:
- The tribes in the Waziri region are not centrally organized as a single unit to be simply labelled the Taliban.
- Tribal resistance in these regions are greatly indebted to the repayment of funds to a supposed Al Qaeda group (again, meaning the financial network... not Bin Laden and his alleged military envoy that hang out in his secret underground cave with his dialysis machine). They are clients of, not decision makers with, such organizations.
Bhutto's assassination will be used by Pakistani, U.S. and other international figures to justify the scaling up of military activity in the region. My guess is that in 2008 Iran will somehow get thrown into the mix too. The goal, as always, is not to worry about details, or expose behind-the-scenes bribes and politics, but to take quick and fanatical action against alleged threats.
The fabrications that come out of the mouths of world leaders are getting out of hand. They make no sense, and yet they quickly justify brutal, widespread military responses. They also make instant Martyrs out of people like Bhutto.
There are serious cracks in the official stories that get spun. Unless we push up against those cracks, by asking some questions about the basic details, or at least by doing 10 minutes of research on Wikipedia, we're doomed to be blue in the face from being spun so hard.
Yamis adds: Wikipedia page for Al Qaeda
Wikipedia page for Taliban
Well actually, she had an armoured convey that included anti-bomb detonation equipment (apparently they send out frequencies to jam cell phone detonations), a bullet and bomb-proof car, and a healthy enslaught of body guards.
The jury is still out as to whether she died of gunshot wounds, shrapnel, or if "after she tried to duck back into the vehicle and the shock waves from the blast knocked her head into a lever attached to the sunroof, fracturing her skull."
While the coroner gets to his conclusions, the global media has decided that Al Qaeda and the Taliban...BOTH OF THEM, caused the incident.
I want details.
So far the Interior Ministry Spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Javed Iqbal Cheema claimed that Pakistani intelligence intercepted a cellphone message from an "Al Qaeda leader" Baitullah Mehsud. Mehsud sent out a call of congratulations on a job well done.
Who did he call? The suicide bomber?
Seriously, the spin doctors have lost it on this one. To quickly label both supposed groups responsible on the evidence at hand is seriously flawed. For a while now I have said that uses of the labels "Taliban" and "Al Qaeda" are overblown, shrewed and barely understood. But the global media does a pretty slick job of jamming both groups into a single entity (I noticed this between the French and English press in Canada... While Canadian soldiers are usually fighting Taliban in English, in French they're after Kamikaze d'al qaida).
But back to it! Baitullah Meshsud is a known leader in the Waziri region, and is often labelled a Taliban leader (meaning one of many resistance movements in the northern league nations that stretch along Afghanistan's borders). The Waziri resistance movement dates back to the 19th century, and even today tribal conflict is a thorn in the side of the Musharraf dictatorship.
On February 8, 2005 the Musharraf dictatorship offered Meshud $20 million (USD) for a ceasefire from tribal aggression against Pakistan. Many tribal leaders (labelled Taliban) were offered similar bribes. "Some Taliban leaders had claimed they needed the money because they owed Al Qaeda (meaning a loosely defined network of arms dealers, and financiers that have links to Saudi Arabia) money, and couldn't disengage from hostilities unless the debt was repaid." But Meshud asked for the money to be given to compensate families who had suffered during military operations.
For Ministry Spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Cheema to pin responsibility for Bhutto's assassination on Al Qaeda and the Taliban because the government intercepted a cell phone message from Meshud is a sign that the spinning wheels of deceit are running out of ideas, because their stories do not consider two simple facts:
- The tribes in the Waziri region are not centrally organized as a single unit to be simply labelled the Taliban.
- Tribal resistance in these regions are greatly indebted to the repayment of funds to a supposed Al Qaeda group (again, meaning the financial network... not Bin Laden and his alleged military envoy that hang out in his secret underground cave with his dialysis machine). They are clients of, not decision makers with, such organizations.
Bhutto's assassination will be used by Pakistani, U.S. and other international figures to justify the scaling up of military activity in the region. My guess is that in 2008 Iran will somehow get thrown into the mix too. The goal, as always, is not to worry about details, or expose behind-the-scenes bribes and politics, but to take quick and fanatical action against alleged threats.
The fabrications that come out of the mouths of world leaders are getting out of hand. They make no sense, and yet they quickly justify brutal, widespread military responses. They also make instant Martyrs out of people like Bhutto.
There are serious cracks in the official stories that get spun. Unless we push up against those cracks, by asking some questions about the basic details, or at least by doing 10 minutes of research on Wikipedia, we're doomed to be blue in the face from being spun so hard.
Yamis adds: Wikipedia page for Al Qaeda
Wikipedia page for Taliban
Labels: Al Qaeda, Bhutto, Taliban, War on Terror, Waziristan
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Santa, the War on Terror's Latest Victim
Merry Christmas to all!
Last night I took part in a very traditional Canadian Christmas-eve. Some food, some cheer, a tree lit up, the whole show.
And of course we had the radio on playing Christmas Carroll after Christmas Carroll. And of course between songs were the NORAD (North American Radar Air Defense) reports that tracked Santa's progress.
I remember this fondly, as a child of the cold war. NORAD, which was built to defend us helpless saps against the Soviet threat and is now maintained to make sure that China doesn't step out of line, would soften the hearts of every youngster by letting them know that Santa was in national airspace, and by letting them know that NORAD actually does something.
It was cute when I was seven. Knowing that our top military infrastructure could pick up Rudolph's nose. Back in the day, NORAD central command would say, "We have confirmed Santa's presence...Merry Christmas to all." I
t was just enough to encourage us little people to tuck in under the covers nice and early.
But last night the message changed, somewhat. "We have confirmed Santa's presence, and we have scrambled CF-18 fighter planes to escort the sleigh...to make sure that he's safe."
Safe from what?
The Grinch?
Is it not enough that we're inundated every other day of the year with bogus military and media reports about how our forces are doing wonders to keep us safe? I mean, do they really have to protect Santa Clause from terrorism too?
This is too much, and what really scared me was how natural the radio relayed the report. There was no stutter, no giggle, no condescending voice that comes when you speak with children.
No no, NORAD central command and the radio station seamlessly told the story of Canadian fighter jets protecting the jolly elf. They told it with the same vigour and professionalism as they tell us that Iran is nuclear capable, progress exists in Iraq, and that Afghans actually admire NATO forces.
For a while now I haven't believed in the story of Santa, even though that the message is a good one. Knowing now that our military believes in Santa or Pierre Noel (or whatever the local handle is) just as much as they believe in Al Qaeda or the Taliban (or whatever the local handle is), no longer gives me comfort. It gives me panic.
Because while we tend to outgrow, and then help become a part of, the Santa myth, I think that very few us outgrow the military myth, and by doing so we'll always stay a part of it.
Last night I took part in a very traditional Canadian Christmas-eve. Some food, some cheer, a tree lit up, the whole show.
And of course we had the radio on playing Christmas Carroll after Christmas Carroll. And of course between songs were the NORAD (North American Radar Air Defense) reports that tracked Santa's progress.
I remember this fondly, as a child of the cold war. NORAD, which was built to defend us helpless saps against the Soviet threat and is now maintained to make sure that China doesn't step out of line, would soften the hearts of every youngster by letting them know that Santa was in national airspace, and by letting them know that NORAD actually does something.
It was cute when I was seven. Knowing that our top military infrastructure could pick up Rudolph's nose. Back in the day, NORAD central command would say, "We have confirmed Santa's presence...Merry Christmas to all." I
t was just enough to encourage us little people to tuck in under the covers nice and early.
But last night the message changed, somewhat. "We have confirmed Santa's presence, and we have scrambled CF-18 fighter planes to escort the sleigh...to make sure that he's safe."
Safe from what?
The Grinch?
Is it not enough that we're inundated every other day of the year with bogus military and media reports about how our forces are doing wonders to keep us safe? I mean, do they really have to protect Santa Clause from terrorism too?
This is too much, and what really scared me was how natural the radio relayed the report. There was no stutter, no giggle, no condescending voice that comes when you speak with children.
No no, NORAD central command and the radio station seamlessly told the story of Canadian fighter jets protecting the jolly elf. They told it with the same vigour and professionalism as they tell us that Iran is nuclear capable, progress exists in Iraq, and that Afghans actually admire NATO forces.
For a while now I haven't believed in the story of Santa, even though that the message is a good one. Knowing now that our military believes in Santa or Pierre Noel (or whatever the local handle is) just as much as they believe in Al Qaeda or the Taliban (or whatever the local handle is), no longer gives me comfort. It gives me panic.
Because while we tend to outgrow, and then help become a part of, the Santa myth, I think that very few us outgrow the military myth, and by doing so we'll always stay a part of it.
Labels: Al Qaeda, Christmas, NORAD, Santa, Taliban, War on Terror
