DDGD –
October 27, 2015
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Editorial Comment
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Democracy and social justice are basic requirements for stability and prosperity of states, and the wellbeing of their citizenry. Their importance and relevance in our lives go beyond the bounds of political ideology. Achieving them will not come as a result of an ideological struggle in the name of some “ism,” be it socialism, capitalism, Islamism, or nationalism, but as a result of a consistent struggle for the rule of law, accountability, transparency and institutional checks and balances, which could include regional and communal dimensions as well as specific constitutional protections. Those who take the struggle for justice as an ideological battle pitting one segment of society against another artificially reduce our choices to either tyranny or chaos.
But the popular allure of ideology and the simplicity of its
basic notions, and the rawness if not downright instinctiveness of its favorite
methods, give it the upper-hand at every turn, while the alternatives tend to
call for sober, rational and ethical stands that most would deem unrealistic,
or are often too rushed to heed. The confusion that realists create when they
project their cynical stands as being the sole rational alternative makes the situation
even more complex, and heightens the allure of the most radical ideological
interpretations out there.
And the solution? Frankly, I know of no solution beyond
admonishing perseverance, organization and continuous reassessment of one’s
stands.
Briefly Noted
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Saudi
prince held over record Beirut airport drug bust. Knowing of the current
schisms within the Saudi monarchy at this stage, one wonders whether this was
just a regular drug bust, or whether someone was planning for a long and
violent internal confrontation. After all, Captagon is the drug that is helping
fuel
the civil-cum-proxy war in Syria, with fighters from all sides using it on a
regular basis.
Announcement
Educators, this one’s for you: The wonderful I Am Syria Team has just
launched a new teaching package that should be of tremendous use for you in
the classroom, check it out: Teaching About the Syrian Refugee Crisis
– A zero-prep, Common Core-friendly, interactive lesson; made by teachers,
for teachers; ready for class today! The effort was spearheaded by I Am
Syria’s Education Director Andrew Beiter.
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US and Saudis vow to step up war on Assad in defiance of Russia. Meanwhile, * U.S. Sees New Need to Engage Russia, Iran on Mideast, * John Kerry Says Iran Is In on Syria Talks, * Russia Said to Redeploy Special-Ops Forces From Ukraine to Syria, * Saudi Arabia’s King Salman phones Russia’s Putin over Syria and * Jordan, Russia set up mechanism of military coordination concerning south Syria, even as the CIA continues to use Jordan as a base to train Syrian rebels operating in southern Syria. Because, you know, proxy wars never really preclude peace and cooperation talks. On the contrary, the two tracks call out for and reinforce each other. After all, this is how peacemaking supposed to work, isn’t it?
US fears Russian
subs near undersea cables may cut off communications – report. Indeed, Rear
Adm. Frederick J. Roegge, commander of the Navy’s submarine fleet in the
Pacific told the NY Times, “I’m worried every day about what the Russians may
be doing.” Oh, oh. Putin better watch out. There is nothing more dangerous than
U.S. generals worrying about their info flow.
Harsh
conditions are foiling Russian jets in Syria. Oh, oh. Nature better watch
out. There is nothing more dangerous than Russian generals worrying about their
virility demos.
China
says U.S. naval destroyer sailing close to Chinese-built island damages peace
and stability. Oh, oh. Americans better watch out. There is nothing more
dangerous than Chinese generals scalding those challenging their ancient
superstitious beliefs.
Israel
quiet over “hotline” with Russia on Syria. Oh, oh. Reuters better watch
out. There is nothing more dangerous than Israeli generals getting pissed when
noise is made about something they intended to remain quiet.
Did
a Russian Journalist Just Out Vladimir Putin's Secret Daughter By Accident?
There go her chances for embedded in the right global agency. “High
birth” indeed.
Is
War About to Break Out in the Balkans? Could the Republika Srpska become
Putin’s next stage for demonstration his virility and machismo in the form of
“hybrid warfare?” Perhaps, but not until his involvement in Syria “succeeds.” But
“success” in Syria might come more as a result of one’s ability to redefine
the term, then, successfully promote that new definition, than on
achieving the earlier stated objectives.
What
Russia’s Own Videos and Maps Reveal about Who They Are Bombing in Syria.
Unsurprisingly they do not back Russia’s repeated assertions that
it is mainly targeting the Islamic State. In fact, and just as Syrian activists
and U.S. and European officials have been claiming, Russia is mainly targeting
anti-Assad rebel groups. The assessment was made by Billincat.
India
to host Darfur Genocide Architect, Sudanese President Omar Bashir, as activists
call for his arrest in accordance with a warrant issued by ICC. The Indian
government might be hoping to turn Bashir into a Gandhian peacemaker, though he
is already an orthodox follower of the Putin peacemaking method.
Meetings
and More Meetings Yield No Syria Solution. Strange how that works!
Why
there must never be another Yalta – and how we can make sure there won’t be.
To Putin, Putinistas, and other brand of “realists,” the UN Charter, not to
mention the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, mean little. To them, the
real arrangements are represented by such elitist approaches as the ones seen
at Yalta. But these elitist arrangements are exactly the thing that comes at
the expense of freedom and justice, even in the case of people living “the
blissful life” in the developed world. For this, it is indeed strange to see
that the greatest advocates of such arrangements since Yalta have for the most
part been leftist. Obviously, this is not the case here.
Morocco
poised to become a solar superpower with launch of desert mega-project. Now
all Morocco has to do is avoid war, internal strife and acts of terrorism and
sabotage, and it’s set to become another powerful regional player. Time to
resolve the Western
Sahara issue.
Syrian
rebels eagerly unpack their brand new surface-to-air missiles... from China.
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh what fun it is to… what?
China? Via Sudan? Qatar? And Turkey? What in the
name of Confucius and Muhammad is happening?
With all those peacemakers currently bustling around our
illustrious region, Mother Nature once again proves that no one can make peace
like her: Deadly
Heat Is Forecast in Persian Gulf by 2100. I am not really sure why people
still insist on worshipping her deadbeat husband instead? (And someone might
want to remind those “climate” “change” “scientists” that the national identity
of the Gulf is still subject to dispute).
The Surreal Adventures of Pu Bear
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Russia’s military is proving Western punditry wrong. The point is that Russia’s military preparedness is better than previously postulated; more importantly, it seems that Mr. Putin is quite willing “to employ its conventional forces to achieve limited political objectives.”
But why is this surprising? Hasn’t Putin demonstrated this
willingness of his repeatedly already in South Ossetia, Crimea and eastern
Ukraine?
Since Western military intelligence experts are hardly
idiots, and since they may not be as short-sighted as their political
counterparts, the question in front of us is not why are they in the habit of
underestimating Russia and its leaders, but why do they want us to think that
they are? The answer could be as simple as their desire to inflate their future
budgets. Then again, if you are already looking at the unfolding phase as a new
Great Game, AKA the Great
Devolution, then, the issue is not simply about Syria as much as it is
about its impact on developments and calculations pertaining to developments
elsewhere.
The trick, then, is to analyze current developments as an
unfolding objective phenomenon and not allow the usual punditry or ideology to
taint our analysis. Despite its significance, we cannot reduce all developments
to a Putin vs. Obama prize fight.
Be that as it may, one could still describe the two men as
being faces of the same coin that we will have to use one hapless day, not too
long into our future, and for many of us it’s already there, to pay the
ferryman taking us all to Hades.
Lax Americana
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“If we can get into a political process, sometimes these
things have a way of resolving themselves,” John
Kerry on the recent summit in Vienna.
Indeed, this seems to summarize the Obama administration’s
realist take not only on Syria, but on various other critical developments,
conflicts and crises all around the world, with the notable exception of South
China Sea. But this point of view ignores the inevitability stemming from the
nature of the players and states vying for more territory, more control, and
more influence, that the ultimate resolution will favor powers that are
inherently inimical to the U.S. and to democracy and democratic values in
general. Fort his, this retrench, renege and wash our hands posture is bound to
create many security problems and existential challenges in the not-so-distant
future, and is, therefore, pretty goddamn irresponsible. And we haven’t even
began to discuss the moral and ethical implications involved.
There is just something about this facile way with which
realists accept the inevitability of having our darkest impulses continue to
reassert themselves on the global scene that is uninspiring and unedifying.
This is no way to lead, or be lead. Nothing good comes out of cynicism. There
is nothing inevitable about inhumanity. It’s our indifference and cynicism that
makes it so. Those who want to express their cynical side, let them tell jokes
and draw cartoons, not practice politics.
Of Democracy Promotion &
Peacemaking
European Bureaucrat: So, you're here seeking
asylum? What compelled you to make this decision?
Iraqi Refugee: America promoted democracy in my
country.
European Bureaucrat: I see, and you?
Syrian Refugee: Russia and Iran are currently
making peace in mine.
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Milk & Honey, with a dash of garlic
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Yes, the occupation is the perennial and legitimate reason
for any uptick in violence in the Occupied Territories, but, no, that does not
provide enough explanation for the current upheavals and, considering the
deplorable methods deployed by both sides which mostly target civilians, there
is nothing that can justify it.
The roots for the current violence can easily be found in
the unholy convergence of two cynical undercurrents: the one championed by PM Netanyahu
and Israel’s far-right movements and parties, the religious and secular
nationalist varieties, and the one being surreptitiously organized by Iran- and
Gulf-backed Islamists. These dynamics are indeed quite similar to those that
could help radicalize some of the refugees currently “invading” Europe, with
Iran, and GCC states having their role in this matter as well.
Refugenics
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German
intel: Migrants will bring anti-Semitism. And let’s not forget of course,
the bubonic plague.
But, snide remarks aside, there is a legitimate concern
here, since most of these refugees do come from cultural backgrounds infused
with racist views of Jews. However, the fear is whether this influx would lead
to the rise of any organized hate groups focused on Jews. There have been
Muslim migrants in Europe for decades now and no such organized groups have so
far emerged. There have been incidents of attacks on Jewish temples and
cemeteries, but usually always attributed to individuals, rather than organized
groups. There were terrorist cells, but these were funded by some factions in
the PLO or, in some cases, the Syrian and Libyan regimes.
As for Jihadi networks, the fact is these networks already
exist in Europe, as radical preachers tend to operate freely and not in short
supply. The ranks of these networks might indeed increase, it as a result of
infiltrators already embedded among the refugees, but as a result of active of
recruitments carried by these radical elements already active in Europe. There
are many angry young men and women who, if local authorities are not quick to
provide them with employment programs and study opportunities, might in time
fall to the lure of radical preachers. When that happens, and depending on the
level of organization involved, and the particular ideas of the local
ideologues, the choice of targets would depend on any number of factors.
Attacking American targets, or malls, might be more important than attacking
Jewish temples.
Be that as it may, there is indeed a legitimate reason for
concern here, but authorities need to be careful when it comes to setting the
right priorities and plans of action. The organizers and beneficiaries of
radicalization may not, for the most part, be found within the ranks of the
refugees, but may already be embedded in Europe, with most operating openly and
are likely known to the authorities: they are the radical preachers and their
followers, and the far-right leaders and their followers. Between these two
sides, their rhetoric and their actions, a psychological climate conducive to
radicalization is bound to emerge, ensnaring the most vulnerable elements among
the refugees. Employment programs, grants for establishing small and medium
size businesses, study opportunities, vocational training and encouraging
volunteerism are the key components of any successful programs meant at
facilitating integration and preempting radicalization.
The refugees bring with them a variety of challenges and
opportunities. It is the way in which their host communities choose to interact
with them that will determine whether the positives will outweigh the
negatives. Openness and organization are needed to ensure a positive
outcome. So is cooperation between local and national governments, as well as
between governments and NGOs. Identifying the right interlocutors from among
the ranks of the refugees as well as the expatriate communities from the same
background is also important in facilitating integration.
Authorities should focus more on recruiting professionals,
intellectuals and artistic figures, rather than religious figures. They should
focus more on creating cultural and artistic activities than catering to religious
ceremonies. There is nothing wrong in the religiosity of the refugees and
migrants. They are overwhelmingly moderate. But people should not be reduced to
their religious belonging and belief systems, and their psychological and
cultural needs might tinged with religiosity and some religious symbols, but
beyond that, there is a desire to sing, dance, shop, watch TV serials and
movies, drink, yes even alcohol, and date. In other words, these refugees want
and need to engage in all the things that the average Christian or Jewish
European would consider important in life. It’s disconcerting to see so many
politicians from all ideological sides address the refugee integration
challenge as though it were primarily a religious one.
A Point of View: You
really wanna talk about a migration crisis, Syria surely has one: migrants
come with their guns, cannons,
missiles, planes and tanks, they come by land, sea and air, and they not only
stay, they fight their own wars there, then, they kick the natives out,
imprison many, and enslave the rest, sometimes all too literally. Now that's
a crisis. What Europe has is nothing more than glorified logistics problem.
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Video(s) of the Day
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The pitfall, into which many of these faith-based aid groups
fall, irrespective of their motivations, is that the story ends up being more
about them, their work and their beliefs, than the refugees and their
suffering.
Incredible drone footage shows the moment thousands of
refugees trek across sprawling farmland as they attempt to cross the border
from Croatia over to Slovenia.
The Norwegian authorities told Sky News that 1,500 Syrians
have now cycled into Norway - the vast majority in the last two months.
The Outer Margins, of our attention
span
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Quote of the Day
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“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection,
which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by
experience, which is the bitterest.” --Confucius
Tweets of the Day
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A
father set himself on fire in #Kobane
after #PKK
/ #PYD
forced his two sons & daughter to join them. #Syria
pic.twitter.com/8g4Dw7xKph
—
صفحة الثورة السورية (@RevolutionSyria) October
28, 2015
The
#youngest
#traveller
to date crossed the border. Abdi was born only 2 days ago in Sremska Mitrovica
#refugees
pic.twitter.com/76YNxB45we
—
UNHCR Serbia (@UNHCRSerbia) October
27, 2015
Possible cyclone to hit #Yemen
Nov 2 or 3
https://t.co/oPc8WsUywH
After
7 months #Saudi
blockade, bombs, no meds, food, 2M displaced by war
— Jane
Novak (@JNovak_Yemen) October
28, 2015
One
moment that struck me in @Martin28Smith's
#InsideSyria
was when one woman insisted that they were real not fake. #Syria
—
Lina Sergie Attar (@AmalHanano) October
28, 2015
Flew a
drone down a meltwater river in Greenland. As a lover of nature this was
eye-opening. https://t.co/OlUZMGWfJG
pic.twitter.com/iapNz6IFaG
—
Josh Haner (@joshhaner) October
27, 2015
U.S.
warship’s patrol escalates dispute over islands in South China
Sea
https://t.co/pL494LGCvD
pic.twitter.com/szS3tMa4Az
—
Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October
28, 2015
Artistic Delirium
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Cartoons
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