Particularly relevant as to the problems in Guinea. STRANGLING ONE’S CUSTOMERS DOES NOT MAKE GOOD ALLIES:
The end of GECF is definitely a positive note. It is long past time for a more credible and less political organization of gas exporters, with a more open. In the long term a sense of responsibility needs to evolve in energy pricing that considers real costs of production and sets prices based on those costs, ending natural resources being used as an aggressive political weapon. Allies are won by means of a true spirit of responsible community not by arm twisting and strangling to death, in the manipulation of pipeline valves. We might hope that Mr. Putin, the Russian Federation, and others, have learned that strangling one’s customers does not make for good allies in anything, and that improved alliances, for mutual cooperation and progressive purpose are more necessary for all sides in any bargain, than ever before. We might hope for real progress, rather than arm twisting, and valve twisting, manipulation, which is ultimately extremely counter productive when it comes to all issues of human progress, in solidarity as a world community with common goals and ideals. Nevertheless, we can see how the traditional, more conservative, American viewpoint, would favor Mr. Putin using strong arm tactics on gas and oil valves to create and increase conditions of distrust, and even enmity, blocking solidarity and cooperation. That divide and conquer is very Americanist, and Mr. Putin would then be merely a pawn in the traditional American game of American superpower politics. If Mr. Putin is sufficiently the fool to continue with his valve twisting strangling of his customers and potential friends, he surely will end up wearing an American dunce cap on his head, as his most significant reward for the sake of history. TINKERING WITH INFECTION RISKS TOTAL DEFEAT: The BBC said today: “Sir Richard Branson, who is vice-president of the Patients Association, has accused politicians of "tinkering" with infection control in hospitals.” What will hospitals do to fight infection when eventually confronted with bioterrorism or biological warfare ? We live in the biotechnical age where probability of that type of aggression increases every day. If we cannot learn to defeat MRSA we cannot fight deliberate bio attack. We must learn to defeat MRSA, treating it as a preparatory defense drill, learning from the experience, how to fight more dangerous foes. It will mean changed protocols and considerable redesigning and re-engineering. We must recognize that the nuclear age ended around the turn of the millenium. Those who are too backward looking and conservative still dwell in the massive power of the nuclear explosion as their fixation and obsession. In fact that threat is so diminished since as of the culmination of the Cold War that it is very small in comparison to the rapidly growing threat of biowar. The world has chosen to make biotechnologies for genetic manipulation readily available to any, and biotechnologies can, in theory, be utilized in any basement, in any nation, anywhere in the world, to potentially produce new weapons of mass destruction. There are no means for detecting the manufacture or the “launch” of such weapons against their targets. There are limited, if any, defenses, in almost all parts of the world, to detect an attack, and the technologies for doing so, even though they do exist in principle, have not been adequately developed and deployed to make any real difference as the delivery systems of such invisible weapons cross national borders. A basic knowledge of the spread of infectious diseases, and of the inadequacies of our most advanced data bases and early warning systems, should invoke a feeling of terror in anyone who is even marginally knowledgeable. A feeling of terror far greater than the terror of the mutually assured destruction, MAD, that was seen as a real possibility between the USSR and the USA in the playing out of Cold War mentalities. Biowar is not limited to superpowers. It can be utilized by any organized group, any nation, any extremist organization. ENDING BLOOD AS THE CURRENCY TO PAY FOR PROGRESS: The BBC reports: “Lansana Conte, president of Guinea since 1984, died last night. The army says it has taken control of the country, its spokesman declaring that Guinea is in a state of ‘deep despair’, and that the institutions of the Republic are incapable of resolving the crises which confront the country.” If the world community, is to end the belief, which gained prominence in the 20th century, that blood spilling violent revolution is necessary for progressive change in any oppressed nation, then we must take action to liberate nations such as Guinea. Pressure must be applied to bring about positive changes, facilitating human freedoms and vital economic improvement. Otherwise the world community risks a return to that false paradigm of bloodshed and civil chaos as being definitive of progress. When nations such as Guinea are abandoned to resolve their own difficulties, and abandoned to oppression under the gun, it leaves them with no option but to prove and reaffirm eventual violent and bloody uprising. People will not be forever chained, and oppressed, is a fact that history has repeatedly affirmed. We know that fact. Then why do we keep insisting, by means of our inadequate actions as a world community, that the price of any progress in human lives, in terms of establishing basic human freedoms and economic means for maintaining and improving human lives, must always be paid using blood as the currency ? That must change. That paradigm must necessarily be abandoned, in favor of more appropriate political means and international political attention and intervention. Robert Morpheal This article maybe be copied, reproduced, distributed in any form, by any means, anywhere by anyone and in fact anyone is encouraged to do so. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Black Focus Inc." group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Black-Focus-Inc?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
