Half-Black or Female?

OK, back to serious news analysis after one week of satire and entertainment news.

By Uncle Cheng

Do you worry about the United States? I do. In recent months I have heard quite a few of my Chinese friends say things like “America is going bankrupt” or “America is finished - China is the future.”

But it is not just the constant drop in the value of the US dollar, and hence our own money, that is worrying.

Many Chinese seem to think the U.S. has lost its magic touch. They see the world going in one direction and America in another. I do not know about you, but I find these feelings very troubling.

This is because, despite its many defects, America remains a very important nation and everyone benefits from a rich, stable America. As the old saying states “When America sneezes, the whole world catches a cold.”

The truth is that America’s reputation in the world has been profoundly damaged by President Bush and his cronies. It seems amazing how quickly America has been able to destroy its accumulated international goodwill but that is what has happened.

About a year ago I explained in a previous column why I favoured Obama. A year later I see Barack Hussein Obama as America’s greatest hope for the future. Why, you may ask, do I support the half-black, quarter-or-so Muslim Obama?

Precisely because he is half black and a bit Muslim. He is the only person who stands a chance of transforming the global image of America. Obama was right to claim: “The day I am inaugurated, the world will look at America differently."

I also think the vast majority of the world’s population outside America will support Obama for President. That’s about 6.5 billion people!

People the world over can identify with Obama because he had a black Kenyan father, a white American mother, an Indonesian stepfather, and a Muslim education in Jakarta followed by an American university. Obama is the only person who as President can act as a bridge to the Islamic world, and a bridge to the many poor people in the world.

A leading Canadian politician expressed it well when he said: “It's clear Barack Obama would be the first globalized American leader, the first leader for whom internationalism would be in his veins."

I see the image of a Muslim terrorist, who is trained to hate America, switching on his TV and seeing an American President who is half black, has an Arabic middle name, and went to a Muslim school. How can the terrorist hate such a man?

On another matter I was greatly amused to read that Obama’s rival, Hillary Clinton, has been accused of being an opportunist and of lacking integrity. I ask you — are not all politicians opportunists and dishonest? Or will Obama prove to be the exception in that regard as well?

But this is not to say I dislike Hillary Clinton. Actually I like her. I am amused to think of Bill Clinton returning to the White House as ‘First Man’. And Hillary would be America’s first female President — also good for America’s image in the world.

Uncle Sam doing the right thing in Myanmar

Well, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Uncle Sam has started intervening in the political affairs of Myanmar, as suggested by Sophie's World earlier.

According to Singapore's The Straits Times today, the United States has stepped up pressure on Myanmar's military regime, with President George W. Bush imposing new sanctions and signalling that more could follow.

Mr Bush on Friday issued orders intended to secure the release of political prisoners in Myanmar and force the junta to open negotiations with the opposition. He ordered the Treasury Department to freeze the US assets of 11 senior junta members.

President Bush also issued an executive order expanding the sanctions to those who assist the blacklisted officials, starting with 12 individuals and entities. Three companies either based or linked to Singapore - Pavo Trading, Air Bagan Holdings and Htoo Wood Products - were among those blacklisted, reported Agence France-Presse.

The newspaper quoted an academic as saying that the targeted sanction works better than sweeping restrictions and brought North Korea to the negotiating table.

The US has definitely done the right thing to force the dumb generals to the negotiating table. But it's sad that the bully is now seen to be doing the right thing, while other parties such as Asean and the United Nations have been crippled by relative inertia.

It's sad that China, which is a backer of Myanmar, has failed to secure the moral victory by forcing Myanmar's military government to do the right thing instead of killing its own people.

Instead, President Bush the war criminal, who ordered the unprovoked invasion of Iraq that resulted in the death of 650,000 Iraqis, is now seen as the hero.

*sigh*

Vision 2020

This little montage is quite apt to describe the current state of world affairs.

It shows an old pix of United States President George W Bush and a more recent pix of Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz trying to watch military manoeuvres through binoculars with the lens caps still on.

Obviously, they don't have Vision 2020: They have not been able to resolve the Middle East problems despite their military might.

They are also unlike visionary Asian statesmen such as former premiers Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore and Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia who obviously can see things more clearly.

Western Crusades Again

The following press statement by former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is one the most well-argued condemnations of the hanging of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. Dr Mahathir noted what most Western and even Asian observers failed to notice -- Saddam was hanged on a holy day in the Muslim calendar.

And as pointed out by Dr Mahathir, the inaction thus far by the International Criminal Court against Bush, Blair and Howard exposes the double standard of the said Court, when it does not hesitate to prosecute war crimes committed in Dalfur, Rwanda and Kosovo.

The Western agenda and action in the Saddam hanging clearly reflect a continuation of its crusades.

BY TUN DR. MAHATHIR MOHAMAD
The Barbaric Lynching of President Saddam Hussein

On the Holy day of Eid, the world watched in horror at the barbaric lynching of President Saddam Hussein of Iraq, allegedly for crimes against humanity. This public murder was sanctioned by the War Criminals, President Bush and Prime Minister Blair.

This sadistic act broadcasted to the whole world is a travesty of justice, and was meant to demonstrate the imperial power of the United States and serves as a warning to peace loving peoples that we must either bow to the dictates of the Bush regime or face the consequences of a public lynching.

The lynching was also an insult to all Muslims, as it occurred on the Holy Day of Eid, whereby Muslims devote themselves to prayer and forgiveness. It is all too clear that the war criminal Bush has no sensitivities whatsoever for Muslims on their pilgrimage to Mecca. This barbaric act is a sacrilege!

The entire trial process was a mockery of justice, no less a Kangaroo Court. Defence counsels were brutally murdered, witnesses threatened and judges removed for being impartial and replaced by puppet judges. Yet, we are told that Iraq was invaded to promote democracy, freedom and justice.

A peaceful country has now been turned into a war zone. Over 500,000 children died as a result of the criminal economic sanctions, and the latest findings by the medical journal, Lancet reveals that over 650,000 Iraqis have died since the illegal invasion of 2003.

The War Criminal Bush has killed more Iraqis than President Saddam ever did, if in fact he was guilty of any crime. If President Saddam Hussein is guilty of war crimes, then the world must find Bush, Blair and Howard equally guilty and the International Criminal Court cannot but prosecute these war criminals. The inaction thus far by the International Criminal Court against Bush, Blair and Howard exposes the double standard of the said Court, when it does not hesitate to prosecute war crimes committed in Dalfur, Rwanda and Kosovo.

If we support human rights and justice, we must condemn this barbaric lynching of President Saddam Hussein. There can be no excuse whatsoever for this injustice under any circumstances. War Criminal Bush and the puppet regime in Iraq have made a mockery of the Rule of Law.

Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
Member of the International Committee
For the Defence of President Saddam Hussein
30th December 2006

Note: Pix and press statement sourced via Screenshots

Saddam the Martyr?

It won't be the end of conflict in the Middle East although the United States and allies have effectively 'silenced' former Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein.

Saddam was executed yesterday following a decision by the court of the US-backed regime. CNN and Reuters reports are quite extensive, plus very troubling footage from Iraqi TV on the noose being placed around Saddam's neck.

He has been hanged and is now buried next to his sons. What a tragic symbol of the end of the despot.

What is indeed troubling is that Saddam may go down in history as a victim rather than a tyrant. He was defiant, refusing to be hooded, yet subdued as he was led by the hangman to his final moments. His apparent courage in his final moments may elevate him to the status of martyr by his supporters. Even UK and Australia -- the two deputy sheriffs to US President George Bush in the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 -- have condemned the hanging as they don't support capital punishment.

Yes, Saddam was a tyrant when he was in power. He has been hanged for giving orders to wipe out 148 men and boys following an assassination attempt on him.

What about successive Israeli leadership's role in killing thousands of Palestinians and flattening countless Palestinian villages following each suicide bombing by desperate Palestinians on hapless Israelis? Will the US invade Israel one day and put its leaders on trial for crime against humanity?

Or will the world put President Bush on trial for crime against humanity one day? He issued the orders for the wrongful invasion of Iraq that led to the death of more than 650,000 Iraqis.

Impeachment is too light a punishment.

Note: Earlier postings on Saddam Hussein.

Bush More Popular than Christ!

America is an odd country with such a dichotomy of views. At the end of one spectrum, US President George W Bush was named as villain of the year in a survey. In the same survey, he was hailed as hero of the year, beating even Jesus Christ in the ranking.

Bush was named as a hero although he had earned the wrath of many for ordering the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The unprovoked war led to the downfall of Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, who has since been tried and sentenced to hang. According to AFP, Saddam may be hanged as early as today to help stem any further insurgency that has rocked Iraq in recent days following the verdict.

Despite his chequered past, Saddam put up a brave front and offered to sacrifice himself when he got the death sentence earlier this week. Jesus, of course, had sacrificed himself as well for humanity.

What's Bush's sacrifice?

Villains and Heroes
AP Poll By The Associated Press

Demographics and details from the AP-AOL News poll on Americans' attitudes about who were the biggest heroes and villains of the past year. The poll was conducted by Ipsos, an international polling firm.

OVERALL: In a testament to how divided Americans are about their president and how strongly held those opinions are, George W. Bush earns two titles in the latest AP-AOL News poll: villain of the year and hero of the year. The poll asked adults to name a famous person to be named the biggest villain of the year, and allowed respondents to pick any name. 25 percent of adults picked George W. Bush as the biggest villain of the year. The poll also asked a similar question asking respondents to name a famous person as the biggest hero of the year, and Bush received the largest number of mentions, at 13 percent of all respondents.

VILLAIN OF YEAR: Bush was the choice of 43 percent of Democrats for villain of the year, higher than the 27 percent of Republicans who chose Bush as their hero. Bush was far ahead of any other figure in the race for villain of the year. The runners-up were Osama bin Laden, who earned just 8 percent of mentions, Saddam Hussein, at 6 percent, and the president of Iran with 5 percent of mentions. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il rounded out the top five with just 2 percent of all mentions.

HERO OF YEAR: In the race for hero of the year, Bush won by a smaller margin, with the troops in Iraq coming in second place with 6 percent of mentions. Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama and Jesus Christ rounded out the top five with 3 percent of mentions each. Older adults were more likely to name Bush as hero than younger adults. Those 35 and older, 16 percent, were twice as likely as those under 35, 7 percent, to name Bush as hero. Fully a quarter of white evangelical Christians named Bush as hero, more than all Protestants, 18 percent, and Catholics, 12 percent.

Analysis by AP Manager of News Surveys Trevor Tompson

Hang Saddam, Bush

The world press is flooded with articles on the expected hanging of former Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein for crimes against humanity. There is no doubt that he deserves some form of punishment for the death of 148 Iraqis and other crimes he committed as president before the country was invaded by the order of US President George Bush in 2003.

But if the Saddam verdict was right, former Malaysian premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad had correctly said that Bush should also be tried for a bigger crime -- death of 650,000 Iraqis and the brutal torture of thousands of innocent men, women and children. But Bush is still the President of the most powerful nation.

Will such injustice turn an evil man like Saddam into a martyr? Saddam definitely thinks so.

Extract of Saddam's rather poignant farewell on Aljazeera.

I call on you not to hate because hate does not leave space for a person to be fair and it makes you blind and closes all doors of thinking.

I also call on you not to hate the people of the other countries that attacked us.

I sacrifice myself. If God wills it, he will place me among the true men and martyrs.