BBC News: AU treads softly on Zimbabwe

It is easy to hate hate and condemn Robert Mugabe - and he deserves every bit of it. Since the last election it should be bloody obvious to anyone that he is an old tyrant clinging to power by any means necessary.

But African leaders - many of them dubious characters - don’t have the backbone to deal with this monster. Africa loves to hate Europe for it’s colonial mistakes and America for their modern imperialism. But currently it’s mostly Africans abusing other Africans.

Once again it shows that establishing "good systems" like Democracy without a supporting culture and historically grown structures simply doesn’t work.

Especially in Africa tribalism and capitalism make an explosive mixture. Tribal loyalties trump any laws or common sense. But this is also a long term consequence of all these artificial countries in Africa: Europe brutally forced many tribes into artificial "Nations" which never before existed. Many of these mixed up countries are still struggling to "function". Maybe some form of continental reshuffle would be helpful?

So it’s Obama vs McCain = young black Kennedy vs Grandpa Munster. But I am pretty sure the Democratic Party will find ways to fuck it up.

The Chinese Politburo has certainly learned it’s lessons from Stalinist Russia and Nazi Germany: Counter-Propaganda is important.

During the recent and ongoing protests against Chinese oppression in Tibet - the Politburo was busy sending it’s own message on the streets and flooding threads in Blogs and on YouTube with “angry” Chinese comments. I am pretty sure many “real” Chinese Patriots raised their voices too - but overall the propaganda and stupidity was annoyingly very visible.

And let me point out some “delicious” Chinese hypocrisy …

We have seen in recent years several very angry and violent protests against Japan for it’s war crimes and it’s stubbornness to apologize to the Chinese (and Korean) people. Funny enough China’s own war crimes and genocidal politics against the Tibetan people are ignored.

But that’s always the problem with “Patriots”, they can only see the “others” mistakes not the faults of their own country. Doesn’t matter if it’s China, the US or Liechtenstein …

Most Chinese students protesting in foreign nations should remember this: their right to protest in France, Germany, USA, Britain or “evil” Japan is granted by a democratic constitution that safeguards the right to protest. If you would protest in China against ANYTHING the government wants you to do you probably face very stuff police and legal action.

So in the context of free speech here is my reply to you: Go and fuck yourself and your evil government. Unless you fight, win and establish your right to protest and rule of law instead of tyranny in your own country don’t play your ignorant patriotic games here.

Every May Day the same procedure here in Germany: some wacky lefties battle the Police all night, small store windows, burn cars and scream stupid slogans. Sure the slogans have been updated to reflect the currently struggle against “globalization” - but I pity these ignorant fools.

This kind of reoccurring violence without any REAL context is simply stupidity and predictable. If your protest is as predictable as Christmas you loose credibility, since it only shows that you insist on violence without context. And politics without context is blind - and nobody takes you serious.

And smashing up the usual symbols of consumerism (McDonalds, Banks, Police cars etc.) is so 1980’s (or shall we rather say 1968ish) - grow up!

Plus: update your enemies list. China’s ambitions and actions are as evil as the “standard enemy” the US. Where are your protests against such idiots like Robert Mugabe?

I always have loved London - what a great city. When London reelected “Red Ken” as it’s Major I was thrilled. But after eight years Londoners wanted to kick Gordon Brown for his miserable job and kicked out good old Ken and elected the weird ‘Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson’ instead. Oh, the tragedy …

Boris has been more on television in game shows in actually running any tiny local anything so far. Even George W. Bush had more experience running ’something’ than Boris. His political view are terrible - when he presented the TV documentary The Dream of Rome his remarks and historical conclusion were way of the scale.

He is an old school populist born in the wrong century. He would have loved living during the 17th or 18th century - the heydays of the British Empire. But - dear Boris - these days are long gone …

After all that bullshit - this expresses my thoughts perfectly (at the last quarter of this video). Thanks Bill!

Europeans always love to laugh at Americans for electing the stupid Mr. Chimp twice. Hold your laughter now Europe: it seems that Italy has elected Berlusconi for a third term. Who is laughing now?

Every country gets the government it deserves - but Berlusconi is bad. This will be the 62nd post-war Italian Government.

Not everybody grows up with the perfect (grand)parents and in a perfect time. But that’s not important - what’s important that you want to change the presence for a better future.

We all have family members that have weird or simply terrible opinions and convictions. But we can’t be held responsible for that - only for our own actions.

Mission Statement from 2003:

Start a War based on lies.

Alienate all your European Allies.

Piss of the whole Muslim world.

Save money on protective gear and Hummvees.

Totally ignore the Shia and Sunni conflict in the region.

Totally ignore the Kurdish and Turkish conflict.

Ignore security and rule of law in postwar Iraq.

Dissolve the Iraqi Police for more crime.

Dissolve the Iraqi Military for more crime.

Torture your prisoners and take snaps for everybody.

Ignore war crimes of your own troops.  

Forget to secure huge amount of weapons and ammo.

Drive up the price for oil.  

Ruin your own military.

Start a job boom for Blackwater and other mercenaries.

Make Halliburton even richer.

Funnel Billions of Dollars into dark holes.

Funnel Billions of Dollars to contractors who waste the money.

Encourage a culture or corruption in Iraq.

Blame everything on Iran and al-Quaida.

Promise to pay insurgents to fight for you - and then don’t pay.

Lay the foundation for another war in the region.

Did I miss anything?

Journalists should be able to read / understand what some people said - analyze them and put the into context.

But most US journalists lack these skills today.

Mass media seem only to deliver triggers for scandals instead of content. Stoking anger on all sides seem the only mission.

Anyone remember that saying “A house divided against itself cannot stand” by Abraham Lincoln. But hardly anyone in American Politics or Journalism is capable of delivering or understanding such great speeches anyway.

The Economist: An ugly victory

Russia is a tragedy - after Communism these people would deserve a break from nasty politicians, abuse and false promises. But only the names and labels seem to have changed.

Sure - it looks like Putin has recovered Russia’s economy fortunes - but that isn’t true. Already before his first election it was on a rebound. Today the state controlled economy is back - and the country is even more addicted to oil than the US. Russia’s current upswing is solely based on it’s energy exports. Under Putin all other industries have suffered and repressions are considered worse now than before he took power. So all that talk that he sorted out Russia for good is rubbish.

Did McCain have an affair? Nah, not really interesting.

But I actually think such little squabbles will do him some good, because it implies that he still “got it”. In our hierarchical societies symbolism still is important - and nobody really wants an impotent leader. The countries top dog should also be a top sperm spreader.

Politics is a lot about symbolism. One thing people expect from the leader of the pack is vitality, health and potency. That is why kids and wives are always dragged onto the political stage to prove that these politicians are strong males and provide well for their offspring.

Many pundits and voters perceived McCain (now 71) before the vote as too old. He was considered ’seasoned’ when he ran for the big office back in 2000 against President Shrub.

But in contrast to Obama (aged 46) he is an old fart - and his disability from being tortured in Vietnam doesn’t help either. No matter how often McCain drags his stone old mother onto the political stage - he doesn’t stand a chance against the fresh looking Obama and his jumpy two kids.

After Super Tuesday John McCain seems to be the winner and candidate for the American Republicans to run for President. Although Mike Huckabee is currently #2 I don’t think he will be the running mate as Vice President.

Joe Lieberman has been very happy to ’schmooze’ with the GOP since his recent reelection in 2006 and he is a big buddy of McCain. Plus on many issues he is more hawkish than many Republicans. As an Independent and former Democrat he sure would cover a wide spectrum of votes and interests

I think this can only be countered by a Hillary-Obama-Ticket. But who will take the second seat?

Italy’s politics has always special in Europe. No other country changes it’s government than Italy. I was so happy when Romano Prodi defeat the corrupt Silvio Berlusconi in last years election.

But Prodi’s government never reached the absolute majority - thanks to the Italian voters and some nasty legislation left behind by Mr Berlusconi. Prodi has lost the last vote of confidence and new elections are ahead.

It is too bad that the voters themselves are to blame here for year of bad government in recent years and probably many years ahead under Berlusconi.

Italy has one of the worst if not currently the worst economy in Europe. Thanks to Berlusconi and bad politics.

From the American Frontline of Christianity. Uneducated people are terrible for any Democracy, ignorant religious people are it’s death. It doesn’t matter if you think Allah, Jesus or George Bush are your savior - the religious mind simply is closed to ‘reality’ and ‘common sense’.

Watching videos like that it is hard to stay ‘tolerant’ and open to religious freedom (by the way I feel the same watching fundamentalist Muslims, Buddhist or Esoterics).

It once again shows that GOOD education is essential to keep a society and it’s members open to social progress and change. Many religious and overly conservative people stick to ‘eternal’ truths, because they are afraid of change,  other cultures and new ways of life.

Image: Ralph Alswang

I liked Edwards - but how can he prevail against the possibly first woman or black president?

Hopefully his message to fight poverty won’t be forgotten and ignored after the elections.

It’s now the last year of his regency - the Age of the Ape is coming to an end. Aren’t we all happy?!

But how will clean up all the poo left behind? Will anyone be brave enough to maybe impeach the Ape just before the end? I think this Ape is mostly surrounded by chickens …

Maybe he should stay in Florida for his political retirement? His fixation on 9-11 and scaring people into voting for him didn’t work. A good thing and speaks for Americans to finally get out of their ‘mental bunkers’ …

Well, once again Italy has lost another government and is maybe facing a new election. Once again the nasty Mr. Berlusconi is waiting in the wings - hoping to overtake (and ruin) Italy once again. I think hardly any other country has such a long list of Prime Ministers like Italy?

But the reason behind the politic indecision behind this situation is not just limited to Italy these days: in many countries the fight between left and right parties produces no longer any majorities for any side. Usually only a few votes decide who runs the country - in the case of Germany this has created a Grand Coalition between left and right.

Voters are disillusioned with political labels and programs - they regard politicians from all parties with equal disgust or ignorance. They vote no longer for political ideas - since all campaign slogans are a remix of the same old promises again and again.

Political, economical and social stability seems to have reached a certain level were we hardly care for pushing for further advancement. And no side has proven to have the right recipe for economic success and social justice for all. So the number of non-voters are steadily rising - while the political cultures in all rich countries look more and more the same - and the left and right have only superficial differences - which are artificially blown up to get voters excited anyway (especially in the US).

Veracifier - aka Joshua Micah Marshall - is a brilliant political blogger / journalist. His analyses and videos on YouTube usually are the best extracts and insight into the current American political events. Highly recommended for anyone who is into more minute details of American politics …

So Sarko and his former wife worked as a team to bring him to the top - then they separated. Big deal? Nope!

His new affair with a former top model makes the European Yellow Press go gaga. But what’s the point of being the King … le President if you can’t have the hottest Mistress in town?

Once again we monkey watch the alpha monkey screwing another alpha. Sex is still the best distraction from the political process - a distraction that everybody can understand and relate too.

The political process dies somewhere in between speculation and hot gossip. Instead of carefully observing what the King is doing the public and the press are addicted to his penis and fertility.

It is the publics obsession with following the alpha pack that is their own undoing in the political process. If nobody would be interested in the private life of officials - and would be rather focused on their public and political life’s - our Democracies would be less shallow …

It’s all about politics stupid - not the penis!

Tribal loyalties, corruption and witchcraft still reign supreme in African culture. Such blatantly rigged elections are not just an African problem - Putin’s recent reelection was as ignorant of the law and the democratic process as well.

But as long as African politicians and voters have no problem of using violence to get what they want - this sad affair of corruption and violence won’t end. Poverty, lack of education and tribal loyalties create a combustive mixture - and a life seems worth nothing.

But we also have to blame colonial powers and foreign aid money for the chaos.

Many countries were literally made up on the drawing board by colonial powers - thy often mixed tribes together, who didn’t like each other to form a ‘nation’. Many of today’s conflicts go back to these tribal roots and difference in culture.

Foreign aid is another problem, because the large sums for money are a huge temptation for fraud. Many western donators hardly care or control where the money goes and many local charities that receive the money are made up by local big wigs and fraudsters. This kind of culture is based on cheating each other - not by creating a working economy and improving the life for everyone.

2007 was a bad year for Democracy - and it looks like that 2008 will continue that trend.

This years presidential election is a nice soap opera - it has action, drama and even some tears. Apart from America’s arcane procedures this still is a democracy at work - compared to recent elections in Kenya or Russia.

But it also shows the flaws of the popular vote: you have to say what people want to hear. These days Obama created the buzzword ‘change’ - so now all candidates babble about change. And all the talk is without substance, because foggy visions allow everyone to project their own idea of ‘change’ onto the candidate.

Is Hillary an agent of change? Actually she is - and she also know from experience how hard it is to change the system. Compared to Obama she has fought many harsh battles against companies, the establishment and the political system.

Compared to the 90’s she is now deeply wired into the political system - and now she has influence, knows how to pull the right strings and endure the agony of making change.

I very much doubt that Obama has these connections and know how to play the system. Because playing the system is important. Look at Dick Cheney or Carl Rove - they are masters in that profession. They have been playing the system for their masters and political goals so perfectly.

What America needs is someone who can dig deep, who is well connected and WANTS to change the system this time for the people instead of companies and the military industrial complex.

If you look back at inexperienced NEW political leaders - they all waste at least one or two years before they get a hold on power and understand the game. And often they fail to change anything in that time, because if Obama would loose that amount of time American voters would be frustrated and send many Republicans to the House and Senate - which in turn will block any change.