Pentagon defines all groups that attempt to “influence U.S. policy” as “Foreign Intelligence Entities” fas.org/blog/secrecy/2…
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) May 10, 2012
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Trailer to the movie, When China Met Africa.
The world has heard Hillary Clinton’s subtle warning and China’s direct response, but wouldn’t you like to see and hear other viewpoints about Afro-Sino fusion? Perhaps from Africans?
song currently stuck in my head: “in the thick of it” - sunburst band feat. angela johnson
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![Percent of Arabs who feel that Iran acquiring nuclear weapons would have a more negative outcome for the Middle East region, as reported in the 2011 Arab Public Opinion Poll conducted by Brookings [PDF]. 50 percent responded “More positive” or “Would not matter.”
As if that splash of cold water needs a drop in temperature, the Arabs who were surveyed reside in Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates — in other words, Arab countries that are considered US allies…
song currently stuck in my head: “ain’t no running away” - willy washington presents paula ralph](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9ownhlsZy1qdnnn0o1_1280.jpg)
Percent of Arabs who feel that Iran acquiring nuclear weapons would have a more negative outcome for the Middle East region, as reported in the 2011 Arab Public Opinion Poll conducted by Brookings [PDF]. 50 percent responded “More positive” or “Would not matter.”
As if that splash of cold water needs a drop in temperature, the Arabs who were surveyed reside in Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates — in other words, Arab countries that are considered US allies…
song currently stuck in my head: “ain’t no running away” - willy washington presents paula ralph
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PAKISTAN AND US COZY UP TO EACH OTHER AGAIN
Oh please…no one should be surprised that Pakistan intelligence agency chief General Zaheerul Islam will visit US CIA chief David Petraus in the near future. Pakistan is jocking the US to get some of that killer drone technology and join the – for the moment – elite group of nations with flying mechanized killers, and the US wants more willing partners to help fight its cold war against China… -
![We can point the election of a Black President of the United States and the increase in the number of Black millionaires as evidence of post-segregation progress, but this chart serves as one of many reminders that America has to do more to avoid a collision course with a social crisis.
Source: Schott Foundation 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males [PDF]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7bb8azaI81qdnnn0o1_1280.jpg)
We can point the election of a Black President of the United States and the increase in the number of Black millionaires as evidence of post-segregation progress, but this chart serves as one of many reminders that America has to do more to avoid a collision course with a social crisis.
Source: Schott Foundation 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males [PDF]
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50 PAKISTANI WAYS TO FOOL ITS AMERICAN LOVER
I need to dedicate a future post to all the ways Pakistan has played the US since the 80s, but the focus of the moment is how Pakistan squeezed over $1 billion out of America – in addition to a *non-apology, apology* from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton – so that NATO trucks can once again transport supplies to the Afghan conflict through Pakistan.
You might recall Pakistan increasing its demand for payment per NATO supply vehicle from USD 200 to USD 5,000 after the unfortunate US helicopter gunship incident that killed two dozen Pakistani soldiers, and America giving Pakistan the metaphorical finger in response to that demand. I’m still not sure how a 90-minute air assault on two supposed friendly Pakistani outposts – in the face of frantic real-time Pakistani calls to US commanders that verified the identities of the friendly soldiers plus reports of the killed soldiers being ‘individually targeted’ – be categorized as an accident, but that’s not this story.
My point today is that Pakistan won since it effectively ended up getting $2,200 per vehicle [(910 days between now and 2014 US Afghan pullout) X (estimated 600 vehicles per day) X ($200 original price + $2000 extra) = $1,201,200,000] while America’s $1.2 billion negotiated payment to Pakistan is officially packaged as reimbursement for the Pakistan military’s questionably effective efforts to stop the movement of Taliban combatants along the Afghan-Pakistan border…
I know, I should spend more time discussing this topic but I’m keeping the post Tumblr-friendly…
song currently stuck in my head: “moment of clarity (madlib remix)” - jay-z
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The debate on the debt is an opportunity to send the world a signal that we are going to remain the strongest military force in the world,” he said. “We’re saying, ‘We’re going to keep it, and we’re going to make it the No. 1 priority of a broke nation.’
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Not sure how I missed this fantastic quote from US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on maintaining military spending in the face of a looming budget and debt ceiling fight on Capitol Hill, but reading it immediately reminded me of a speech made by a certain young ruler in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula about two months ago:
In order for us to eternally glorify the dignity of military-first Korea and successfully accomplish the cause of building a powerful socialist state, first, second, and third, we must strengthen the people’s army in every way. The people’s army must in the future as well, become a reliable reconnaissance party of the military-first revolution, an unyielding point of support that steadfastly guarantees the cause of the party with the gun barrel, while plowing through snowy paths at the forefront, following the guidance of the party.
Don’t hold your breath for these two guys getting together for tea…
song currently stuck in my head: “buddy x (masters at work 12” house mix)” - neneh cherry
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Senior Commander: Israel's Military Action against Iran Synonymous with End of Zionist Regime
After what I just wrote about Iran and Israel, It would have been wrong not to post this article…
song currently stuck in my head “buddha blues” - ornette coleman
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Despite the abhorrent and inexcusable rhetoric of Iranian leaders, the actual behavior of the Islamic Republic over the past three decades suggests that the regime is rational. Consequently, there is a high probability that nuclear deterrence between Israel and Iran would operate much as it did for the superpowers during the Cold War.
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From the report, Risk and Rivalry: Iran, Israel and the Bomb, by the Center for a New American Security. [PDF]
This quote likely offers an eyedropper’s measure of comfort to anyone who has lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis, but the CNAS report knocks a hole in a cornerstone of the “Bomb Iran” argument — that Iran is a nation ruled by fanatics who believe nuking Israel inclusive of the third holiest city in Islam, even at the risk of the Islamic Republic’s imminent demise from a retaliatory strike by the Jewish state or America, is nonetheless a desirable act for the Iranian fanatics to pursue in order to reap their God’s rewards in the afterlife.
The report is worth a detailed discussion, but this is Tumblr…
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Robert Reich: The Big-Lie Coup d'Etat
Via robertreich:JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, BP, Chevron, WalMart, and billionaires Charles and David Koch are launching a multi-million dollar TV ad buy Tuesday blasting President Obama over the national debt.
Actually, I don’t know who’s behind this ad because there’s no way to know. And that’s a big…
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U.S. Obesity Rate Set to Soar, Costing Billions: CDC
And to think that after the big food companies have extracted as much possible revenue upside from the available pool of Americans ready to become fat, the company executives will shrug their shoulders and mutter “Personal choice” before focusing on the next country, leaving American taxpayers with the health bill…
song currently stuck in my head: “attitude” - bad brains
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THE MOST OBVIOUS QUESTIONS COME TO MIND
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Via howtobeterrell:
This is a photograph from a book called ‘Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography ins America” (pub. 2004). The photo is called ‘The lynching of Frank Embree, July 22, 1899, Fayette, MO”
By all reckoning, that makes this barely 113 years old.
There are two other matching photos to the set. The one below, and the one of him hanging, which is too upsetting to post. You can see it (along with others from much later time periods here: http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/omalley/race/four.html)
(via madriche)
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China 'picking up the pieces' in Africa
You all might remember the day US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said we should look at Chinese aid to Africa with a wary eye. Sounded funny at the time, if you dig what I’m saying. Although we should question stuff like the establishment of Chinese free trade zones in Africa…
Via b-sama:
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi insists China is now coming to the rescue of Africa after a failed Western ideology of the past three decades has let the continent down.
He said the so-called Washington Consensus that aimed to liberalize the economies of developing countries had demonstrably failed and the Chinese were now picking up the pieces.
“The official doctrine among the international financial institutions which in the past determined policy in Africa was that infrastructure would be taken care of by the private sector. Well, we have waited 30 years and nothing much has happened,” he said.
“When the Chinese companies came in and started building infrastructure in a big way they were filling this major gap in the development of Africa. We, in Africa, should feel very satisfied with it.”
Zenawi, who was speaking from his expansive office complex near the center of Addis Ababa, said China’s investment in Africa was transforming the economic fortunes of the continent.
(via guerrillamamamedicine)
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Mark Thoma posted a couple of graphs to CBS News that shows the US leads its developed counterparts in the share of low-wage earners. And the US’ number of low-wage workers continues to grow.
Why is the US a low-wage nation? Because the other countries are a bunch of Goddamn Communists! And they’re a bunch of doody-heads! Plus they’re stupid. Where’s my gun…
song currently stuck in my head: “survival” – annette peacock
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The largest wave of immigration in history from a single country to the United States has come
to a standstill. After four decades that brought 12 million current immigrants—most of whom came illegally—the net migration flow from Mexico to the United States has stopped and may have reversed…—The opening statement of the new Pew Research report, Net Migration from Mexico Falls to Zero, and Perhaps Less. [PDF]
My basic understanding of Adam Smith tells me this is not the time to do a fist-pump dance. At the same time, Mexicans read newspapers like the rest of us and know that available jobs are relatively scarce around these parts. I’m also sure Mexicans find that crossing the border is increasingly becoming an occupational hazzard.
Man, we need Congress to tackle immigration reform…
song currently stuck in my head: “meant for you” - debra laws
