The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > Article Comments > In the shadow of three Presidents > Comments

In the shadow of three Presidents : Comments

By Ciaran Ryan, published 9/5/2008

In this US election cycle, the shadows of three past presidents - Reagan, Clinton and Bush - loom large.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. Page 3
  5. 4
  6. All
Do partly agree with your experience in Malaysia, Danielle, but despite all you say, Malaysia is still regarded now as a successful nation, having discovered her own Democratic Way herself, just as Vietnam now has, and as Indonesia is attempting, not suffering from a Bush-Cheney-style takeover, as with Iraq, and what still might be tried on Iran before Bush goes out.

Must say I did not come down in the last shower, Danielle, one who has been praised even by American tutors as having good insight which means not one to follow like a sheep, as Blair and Howard did with Bush.

Such means, Danielle, to regard the US presence now in Iraq as dangerous for the future of the world, little
Israel with her viperish nuclear sting only making things far worse.

There has to be a better and fairer way, Danielle, my insight on to me all the time about it, even believing that like Vietnam, if left mostly alone, especially as regards Western oil companies, even Islam will see the benefits.
Posted by bushbred, Monday, 12 May 2008 5:13:55 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
bushbred,

I am sure you did not come down in the last shower and, indeed, have had all sorts of fascinating and interesting experiences.

An aside: I admire those who keep studying until mentally unable or until they drop off the twig ...

However, back to business ...

It was General Sir Gerald Templar, Military High Commissioner, who introduced equal voting rights and land rights to the Chinese in Malaya (3.12 million Chinese), also introduced and coined the phrase "winning the hearts and minds of the Malayan people."

Sir Gerald outlined the plan for decolonization of Malaya. However, he saw it imperative that the Communist Emergency be put down before decolonization could take place. As he and his wife were close friends of my stepfather and mother, I knew his hopes for equalities - indeed democracy -for Malay's numerous peoples first-hand.

Despite the introduction of equal voting rights and land rights, the communists continued with their own agenda - and it was certainly not democracy.

Incidentally, I made an error in the previous post, I stated erroneously : "A total of some THIRTY-FOUR years" - it was in fact a total of some FORTY-FOUR years.

The leftie loonies I encountered had absolutely no idea of the realities on the ground. Their information was so defective, they patently weren't reading the news- papers (and in English) which were coming out of Malaya.

If they knew of the horrific numbers of civilians being killed and terrorised, undoubtedly, these lefties would have come out with trite comments such as "omelettes and eggs". I'm sure Stalin thought in such terms ...

They were in such a parallel universe about events in Malaya as to prevent any meeting point in discussion.

More civilians were killed than both Malay and British military personnel together.

Indeed on estimate, every three communist terrorists killed at least one civilian.

Now, bushbred, tell me about the virtues and rational thinking of left loonies. Perhaps it is the poor quality chardonnet (wood alcohol) they drink. State just one plank exclusive to them which has great merit.
Posted by Danielle, Tuesday, 13 May 2008 9:14:09 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Oliver,

You are correct about the issues of poverty and literacy.

Whilst Arab countries are amongst the most wealthiest in the world, they also are among those with the highest illiteracy rates.

I attach small extracts from the following document which addresses the need for changes of policies regarding education and employment.

Whilst the population in the West is both declining and aging, that in the Arab regions is not which can have considerable worldwide implications

I apologise for providing the full web address as the original pdf. no longer accesses this document.

DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON EMPLOYMENT AND INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION
Batool Shakoori *
*Team Leader, Population and Development Team, Social Development Division, UN-ESCWA, Bierut, Lebanon.

http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:jCQNJ3xzGPIJ:www.un.org/esa/population/meetingsfourthcoord2005 P07_ESCWA.pdf+%22Arab+population%22+%2B
+projected+increase&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=14&client=safari

... In the Arab region, the 15–24 age group, which represents the transition period from childhood to adulthood in most societies, totalled 33 million in 1980, 58.3 million in 2000, and is projected to increase to 69.9 million and 78.3 million by 2010 and 2020, respectively...

The region’s working-age population in 1980 was 55.9 million, which increased by 52.8 million to reach a total of 108.7 million by the year 2000 and which is projected to grow to 149.6 million by 2010 and 194 million by 2020.

(International Family Planniong Perspective , V.28, #1 March 2002 , Thomas W. Merrick, Population and Poverty : New Views on an old Controversy)

... Such an unfortunate eventuality would reinforce the decision of people to migrate perhaps to unfavourable regional and world political environments, in which many young men and women may find themselves prone to criminal behaviour or to engaging in political conflicts out of frustration with the hopelessness of their lives.

(Saad Nagi, “Toward Integrated Social Policies in Arab Countries,” unpublished UNESCWA document, 2005)
Posted by Danielle, Thursday, 15 May 2008 4:12:36 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Look out, Danielle, with your criticism of left-wing politics you seem to frown on much of the political leanings of our Aussie universities.

To me most of them do encourage what is known as sharing the blame, which though proud to have marksman printed in my paybook during WW2, I believe them when they talk about finding a way to share the blame in this world, especially between Christianity and Islam.

With what you have mentioned about your own life experiences, Danielle, it surprises me that you are so naive about what could happen in the Middle East with an attack on Iraq, for example, especially with little Israel involved.

And as far as left-wing is concerned, being farm-bred like Barnaby Joyce, I call myself an agrarian socialist, meaning through experience in the Great Depression, will move right or left for the good of the bush.

But I will swear different to you, I do believe left-wing academia is far superior to ultra-right wing academia, which you should know, my dear, what the Jewish people had to go through under the Nazis.

Yep, Danielle, reckon you should move more closer to centre, a better balance believing in sharing the blame for a better world.

Yep, though not a deep Christian, reckon that was what the young Jesus meant in the Sermon on the Mount.

Certainly his Love your Enemy means putting ourselves in the place of our enemies for a time, just as thoughts about Sharing the Blame with Middle East problems should entail.

Finally, Dannielle, can't say that I feel angry with you for telling me I've had my day - strangely enough it is you I feel sorry for.

Cheers - BB, WA
Posted by bushbred, Thursday, 15 May 2008 7:12:13 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
bushbred,

"An aside: I admire those who keep studying until mentally unable or until they drop off the twig ..."

... intended as a sincere compliment to you.

Where are our ultra-right wing academics? I won't provide my academic history - unless you want it. I will provide an example of a true academic ... let's say one who teaches Russian History (not my specific area incidentally).

Academics studying Russian History (necessarily including politics), were fluent in Russian. Those who rely on language know that there are subtlies and nuances that are not easily translated into another language. They were also expert in the various historical disciplines (some eight at least) - their study of Russian history was necessarily interdisciplinary - also steeped in philosophy and Russian political thought. I know of no Russian historian who has not spent quite some time in Russia doing research. They researched primary sources and material, cross-checking and verifying it with other sources; they also did this with with secondary material. They lived and breathed their discipline.

What do left-wing "academics" bring to the table. Patently they do no rigorous research, undoubtedly rely on secondary material - often written by those from other secondary sources, whilst clutching Lenin and Marx’s little blue books. Those I experienced had never set foot in Malaya, nor indeed met any Malay from any group.

Writing about Marx, Edward Crankshaw observed:

... He loved the people as animals, not as people. He pitied them, but he did not respect them. He was, in the last degree, a sentimentalist. He wanted to save the people from the dreadful tyranny of the Tsars—but in his way and no other ...

You state: “To me most of them do encourage what is known as sharing the blame ...”

IDEALLY, then, Iraq should be dismantled: An artificial state created by colonial interests, forcing disparate and antogonistic groups to live together - and a slab of Iran.

Iraq’s “political” structure over which Saddam ruled: Traditional tribal systems and customs; familial ties, relationships and loyalities; divisions of groups; economics, languages; religions.

cont ...
Posted by Danielle, Friday, 16 May 2008 7:10:47 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Saddam even had a lineage fabricated showing that he was a direct descendant of Mohammed - a necessary requirement for a leader of this multi-Islamic society.

When researching Islam and the Middle East, I rely primarily on academic works and research papers written by Muslims; also websites by Islamic intellectuals. who increasingly condemn their regimes. In Iran, the Islamic penal code permits the execution of 9 yr old little girls, and 15 yrs old boys.
http://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/ir_un2005a.pdf
The Death Penalty (p.4)

... stoning of women, execution of gays, teaching hatred to children. What about Arab Muslims killing other Arab Muslims/non-Muslims. Terrorism.

Any sound from the lefties? ....

Writer, Tawfik Hamid states:

... less happily, the non-Muslim priests of enlightenment in the West have come, actively and passively, to the Islamists’ defence. These “progressives” frequently cite the need to examine “root causes.” In this they are correct: Terrorism is only the manifestation of a disease and not the disease itself. But the root-causes are quite different from what they think:

Another Arab Muslim:

... it is ironic and discouraging that many non-Muslims, Western intellectuals-- who unceasingly claim to support human rights--have become obstacles to reforming Islam. Political correctness among Westerners obstructs unambiguous criticism of Shariah’s inhumanity. They find socioeconomic or political excuses for Islamist terrorism such as poverty, colonialism, discrimination or the existence of Israel. What incentive is there for Muslims to demand reform when Western “progressives” pave the way for Islamist barabarity?

Look up FREE IRAN and see what Iranian intellectuals and dissidents are saying
www.activistchat.com

The extracts I provided to Oliver were by Arab researchers for the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations Secretariat.

A French philosopher observed, the left-wing bathe themselves in the warmth of Islamist extremism. They actively ignore the fact that extremists read Mein Kampf ... because they also read Lenin.

Incidentally, I am apolitical. I examine policies; I don’t vote based on political parties. This makes me a target for many hatreds.

I believe in individualism - this does not make me an elitist.
Posted by Danielle, Friday, 16 May 2008 7:14:36 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. Page 3
  5. 4
  6. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy