At last, some common sense - for half the equation, that is. The other part being the rising of the Arab masses and their own sense of ownership and democracy. More, much more, as the epic movement of this age spreads and develops. -Ed
From: Portside Moderator [mailto:[email protected]] http://www.examiner.com/bronx-county-independent-in-new-york/in-libya-the-em pire-awakens In Libya, the Empire Awakens " In North Africa, and elsewhere in the region, the US is preparing for the great adaptation to Arab democracy." by Billy Wharton Throughout history, running an empire has always been about more than just sheer economic dominance or the exercise of overwhelming military force. Even a modern empire without colonies, like the one operated by the US, requires more finesse than brawn. It is the skillful adaptations to changing conditions that make empires last. Or as the old saying goes, "don't swim against the tide." Finally, after months of desperately attempting to appear on the right side of history with words alone, the US may have some swimmers in the water. The military intervention in Libya is a signal that the empire has awoken from its seeming slumber. The formula for arousal includes a dictatorial gadfly, a perhaps ill-timed insurrection and a generous supply of oil. In North Africa, and elsewhere in the region, the US is preparing for the great adaptation to Arab democracy. No longer able to rely on a network of authoritarian rulers in the region, the diplomatic machine that is the US State Department is now focused on relating to the new pro-democracy forces. In truth, the US was never solely tied to the Hosni Mubarak's of the world. They enjoyed equally cozy relations with the military establishment in each country. And this establishment, unlike their political counterparts, has certainly not been overthrown. The military in North Africa and the Middle East is every bit the military and economic actor it was before the pro-democracy protests. We can see this in Libya where the Faustian bargain the opposition cut with the US, has been extended to relations with the Egyptian military. Egyptian weapons, certainly with the permission of the US, are flowing across Tunisia into Eastern Libya. Military-to-military links throughout the region represent an important resource for the US adaptation to this monumental process of change. Thus far, the military in several countries has managed to place real limits on the extent of the transformation by keeping it contained to questions of political representation and the form of government. The Libyan process has granted the US even greater access, as Eastern rebels have now endorsed a largely US-led bombing campaign aimed at weakening Libyan forces loyal to General Muammar Gaddafi. In doing so, the Eastern rebels might be about to learn the hard lesson that the revolution cannot be outsourced. US intervention comes with a price - and this bill will be paid politically, economically and militarily. There was no way to cleave the military away from the regime in Tripoli, so intervention from outside was sure to be the primary strategy once the insurrection in the East was underway. Clearly the US is interested in enhancing its strategic position in the region while also giving some substance to its pro-democracy claims. Other European nations have also, somewhat more reluctantly, tailed along mimicking the same platitudes as they go. Yet, it is the oil that has really accelerated US foreign policy, moving it from general claims of democracy and freedom to a costly military intervention. The mere thought of a militarily victorious Gaddafi regime peddling large amounts of oil to US economic opponents pushed Obama to don yet another war cap. While the Arab streets may have shifted the political debate in the region, pushing the US in a particular direction rhetorically, it is still their oil that attracts the unwelcome attention of Empire. The Eastern rebels in Libya may yet win the day. A perhaps premature and certainly ill-equipped insurrection may be saved from annihilation. The awesome might of the US military can ensure things like this. However, if 20th century political transformations serve as any kind of guide, how you win may be just as important as if you win. The closer this movement in Eastern Libya slinks toward the US, the less independence they will have once the political transition begins. And, later, when the oil begins to flow again, a heavy bill will come due. Will the rebels be ready to pay it? And at what cost to their political dreams of democracy? *** Billy Wharton is a writer, activist and the editor of the Socialist WebZine. His articles have appeared in the Washington Post, the NYC Indypendent, Spectrezine and the Monthly Review Zine. He can be reached at [email protected]. ___________________________________________ Portside aims to provide material of interest to people on the left that will help them to interpret the world and to change it. Submit via email: [email protected] Sub/Unsub: http://portside.org/subscribe-and-unsubscribe Search Portside archives: http://portside.org/archive Contribute to Portside: https://portside.org/donate *** From: Bill Totten Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 2:23 AM Japan's wind farms save its ass while nuclear plants founder 50 by Christopher Mims Grist (March 18 2011) If Japan's wind turbines were to get a new theme song, it would be Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries", and it would ring out from the hills upon which they stand triumphantly, unscathed by the the country's earthquake/tsunami double whammy, lifting their skinny, still-turning blades like antennas to heaven. While Japan's water-dependent nuclear power plants suck and wheeze and spew radioactive steam, "there has been no wind facility damage reported by any [Japan Wind Energy Association] members, from either the earthquake or the tsunami", says association head Yoshinori Ueda. Even the country's totally badass Kamisu offshore wind farm, with its giant two megawatt turbines with blades big as the wings on a jumbo jet, and only 186 miles from the epicenter of the largest quake ever recorded in Japan, survived without a hiccup thanks to its "battle proof design". As a result, the nation's electric companies have asked all of its wind farms to increase power production to maximum, in order to make up for the shortfalls brought about by the failure of certain other aging, non-resilient 20th-century technologies. Unlike conventional power plants, wind turbines don't have to be situated close to sources of water (always a liability), and their simplicity means fewer potential points of failure. Bonus: when they break down, no one has to give their life to keep them from turning one of the world's most densely populated countries into a radioactive hellscape! Read more: "Battle-proof Wind Farms Survive Japan's Trial by Fire," The Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-rigg/battleproof-wind-farms-su_b_837172. html http://www.grist.org/article/2011-03-18-japans-wind-farms-save-its-ass-while -nuclear-plants-flounder _________________________ Battle-proof Wind Farms Survive Japan's Trial by Fire by Kelly Rigg huffingtonpost.com (March 17 2011) As the world collectively holds its breath to see how the Fukushima crisis plays out (the quote of the day {1} has got to be: "The worst-case scenario doesn't bear mentioning and the best-case scenario keeps getting worse ...") there's a positive story which is not yet being reported. Despite assertions by its detractors {2} that wind energy would not survive an earthquake or tsunami the Japanese wind industry is still functioning and helping to keep the lights on during the Fuksuhima crisis. http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2011-03-17-japanwindfarm.jpg Colleagues and I have been directly corresponding with Yoshinori Ueda leader of the International Committee of the Japan Wind Power Association & Japan Wind Energy Association, and according to Ueda there has been no wind facility damage reported by any association members, from either the earthquake or the tsunami. Even the Kamisu semi-offshore wind farm, located about 300 kilometers from the epicenter of the quake, survived. Its anti-earthquake "battle proof design" came through with flying colors. Mr Ueda confirms that most Japanese wind turbines are fully operational. Indeed, he says that electric companies have asked wind farm owners to step up operations as much as possible in order to make up for shortages in the eastern part of the country: Eurus Energy Japan says that 174.9 megawatts with eight wind farms (64% of their total capacity with eleven wind farms in eastern part of Japan) are in operation now. The residual three wind farms (Kamaishi 42.9 megawatts, Takinekoshirai 46 megawatts, Satomi 10.02 megawatts) are stopped due to the grid failure caused by the earthquake and Tsunami. Satomi is to re-start operations in a few days. Kamaishi is notorious for tsunami disaster, but this wind farm is safe because it is locate in the mountains about 900 meters high from sea level. The largest wind farm operator in Japan, Eurus Energy with about 22% of all wind turbines in Japan, is a subsidiary of Tokyo Electric Company (TEPCO) which operates the Fukushima nuclear facility. Right now, it is likely the company is very happy about its diversified portfolio: While shares in the Tokyo stock market have fallen during the crisis, the stock price of Japan Wind Development Company Ltd has risen from 31,500 yen on 11 March to 47,800 yen on 16 March. http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2011-03-17-Kamisuwindfarm.jpg The Little Engine That Could {3} has proven itself once again. What are your thoughts on the Fukushima crisis and do you think it will impact future energy policy around the world? Links: {1} http://producermatthew.com/post/3916572241/the-worst-case-scenario-doesnt-be ar-mentioning {2} http://misunderstoodfinance.blogspot.com/2011/03/us-will-draw-wrong-conclusi ons-about.html {3} http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-rigg/renewable-energy-the-titt_b_826286. html _____ Kelly Rigg is the Executive Director of the GCCA, a global alliance of 250 organizations cooperating under the banner of the tcktcktck campaign. She has been leading international campaigns for nearly thirty years on climate, energy, oceans, Antarctica and other issues. She was a senior campaign director for Greenpeace International during twenty years with the organization. After leaving Greenpeace she went on to found the Varda Group consultancy providing campaign and strategic advice to a wide range of NGOs, and led the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition's campaign to protect the high seas from destructive bottom fishing. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-rigg/battleproof-wind-farms-su_b_837172. html TO POST A COMMENT, OR TO READ COMMENTS POSTED BY OTHERS, please click the appropriate link at the top or bottom of http://billtotten.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/winds-up-nukes-down/ _______________________________________________ Rad-Green mailing list [email protected] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://greenhouse.economics.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green ----- No virus found in this message. 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