Comments on: The UN-GA Debate: Day One http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2006/09/20/the-un-ga-debate-day-one/ A Fresh Look at News, Politics and History Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:54:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: brooklyn http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2006/09/20/the-un-ga-debate-day-one/#comment-109 Thu, 21 Sep 2006 12:38:54 +0000 http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2006/09/20/the-un-ga-debate-day-one/#comment-109 Hi Stokely -- 1. This new blog is a big experiment for me (I have hardly ever written about politics before). Long term, my goal is to do exactly what you said -- I hope the entire site will stand as a refutation of the kind of illusory solutions offered by the Bushes and Ahmadinejads of the world. But as a writer I am highly conscious of the words I use and I feel I need to be patient and "find my voice" before I reach cruising speed. I'm working on it. 2. No, I don't believe that Hussein or Ahmadinejad have helped the Palestinian people. I believe the tragic Palestinian-Israeli conflict is frequently used by weak or corrupt politicians to rally popular support against a "mythical" enemy. This isn't fair to either the Palestinian or Israeli people, both of whom have been suffering through this "holy war" for decades. 3. I don't have a big problem with Chirac, but I was rather thinking of the nation he represents. France was Britian's partner in colonizing the Middle East in the years before and after World War I. The history of France and its former colonies is intertwined with the current fates of Syria, Lebanon, Algeria, Rwanda, Vietnam. I generally approve of the international role France is playing in current debate -- historically, though, they have a lot to answer for. I don't have any specific evidence against King Hussein of Jordan, but I think "unclean hands" will easily apply to anybody who has ruled a Middle Eastern country in recent decades. 4. I wish I could explain this, and a lot of other things too. Hi Stokely –

1. This new blog is a big experiment for me (I have hardly ever written about politics before). Long term, my goal is to do exactly what you said — I hope the entire site will stand as a refutation of the kind of illusory solutions offered by the Bushes and Ahmadinejads of the world. But as a writer I am highly conscious of the words I use and I feel I need to be patient and “find my voice” before I reach cruising speed. I’m working on it.

2. No, I don’t believe that Hussein or Ahmadinejad have helped the Palestinian people. I believe the tragic Palestinian-Israeli conflict is frequently used by weak or corrupt politicians to rally popular support against a “mythical” enemy. This isn’t fair to either the Palestinian or Israeli people, both of whom have been suffering through this “holy war” for decades.

3. I don’t have a big problem with Chirac, but I was rather thinking of the nation he represents. France was Britian’s partner in colonizing the Middle East in the years before and after World War I. The history of France and its former colonies is intertwined with the current fates of Syria, Lebanon, Algeria, Rwanda, Vietnam. I generally approve of the international role France is playing in current debate — historically, though, they have a lot to answer for. I don’t have any specific evidence against King Hussein of Jordan, but I think “unclean hands” will easily apply to anybody who has ruled a Middle Eastern country in recent decades.

4. I wish I could explain this, and a lot of other things too.

]]> by: Stokely http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2006/09/20/the-un-ga-debate-day-one/#comment-107 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 22:53:09 +0000 http://www.thecherryorchard.org/2006/09/20/the-un-ga-debate-day-one/#comment-107 1. Why don't you post your debate responses to Bush and Ahmadinejad? That would be interesting; perhaps enlightening. 2. Has anyone done more to help the Palestinian people than Saddham Hussein and Mahmoud Ahmedinejad? And isn't that the real problem - i.e., the people we love to hate are the only ones who provided any real assisstance to the people who live in one of the central troublespots vis a vis Al Queida terrorism. 3. I have problems with what I see as social injustices in Brazil, and radical Islamic base camps in Pakistan; but in what way don't Chirac and Hussein have clean hands? 4. Please explain this - in 50 years of UN, why hasn't the US made strong friendships and firm alliances with the 220 or so member nations? We seem more able to make enemies - like, we'll take the UK, Taiwan, and Israel, and the rest of you can all go to hell. Where's the sense in that? Is it our colonialist world bank that has made us hated by Latin America? Is it our total disregard for Africa that has made us less of an influence there than Osama? (Personally, I think the stupid Chavinistic Republicans are to blame - along with the stupid American voters.) 1. Why don’t you post your debate responses to Bush and Ahmadinejad? That would be interesting; perhaps enlightening.

2. Has anyone done more to help the Palestinian people than Saddham Hussein and Mahmoud Ahmedinejad? And isn’t that the real problem - i.e., the people we love to hate are the only ones who provided any real assisstance to the people who live in one of the central troublespots vis a vis Al Queida terrorism.

3. I have problems with what I see as social injustices in Brazil, and radical Islamic base camps in Pakistan; but in what way don’t Chirac and Hussein have clean hands?

4. Please explain this - in 50 years of UN, why hasn’t the US made strong friendships and firm alliances with the 220 or so member nations? We seem more able to make enemies - like, we’ll take the UK, Taiwan, and Israel, and the rest of you can all go to hell. Where’s the sense in that? Is it our colonialist world bank that has made us hated by Latin America? Is it our total disregard for Africa that has made us less of an influence there than Osama? (Personally, I think the stupid Chavinistic Republicans are to blame - along with the stupid American voters.)

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