Hammering Russia

After reading this, well I’m not in the least familiar with what’s going on down in Georgia and the war of words between the west and Russia but I just have something to say about it. I think Russia is being villified as the chief villain in this situation. Not that I think highly of Russia’s politics or anything like that but it seem to me that the west is just taking advantage of this situation to suck in more satellite states to their alliance and isolate the Russians. The Russians have not been good at marketing themselves so far and finding it hard for people to forget their past. They have been a lot less successful in making bosom friends. So they naturally find themselves at a losing end today. It’s not that it’s right for them to use force. Now it draws a parallel to China & Tibet. Now if China sends troops in to stop the riots in Tibet, the west will be howling crazy. The Georgians are doing the same thing now but there’s not even a tick off from uncle sam’s buddies. Instead the focus is on the big bad monster Russia. Now the majority of the South Ossetians could have wanted Russia to come and it does not seem to me Russia will want to commit the same mistakes as in the past today, walking into Ossetia unwelcomed. So the occupation is a snub at the west who is gradually encroaching on Russian territory. The Russians is feeling as threatened as the Americans during the Cuba missle crisis when Poland agrees to house a radar. Today a radar at my doorstep, tomorrow a nuclear missle maybe. It’s not a nice tit-for-tat when Russia decided to back off the tension in the Cuban crisis. Today Uncle Sam didn’t back off. So if anything else were to escalate, I think the west will also need to bear their fair share of responsibility in the creation of a conflict that have the makings of a disaster.

India and China

I like the way this article puts it. “Sustainable democracy is based on more than just elections. It requires a functioning civil society that has poise and self-belief in government institutions, is willing to work on the basis of compromise and respects the law.” I think the trumpets of the so-called human rights champions shows just plain ignorance and lack of understanding of the west in their own over-glorified democratic way of life. They have ignored the fact that there are more roads to Rome than they can ever imagine. China with its stupendous size would have logically been broken apart throughout its history (and it has at certain periods). But this behemoth has come together because of an unspoken “political contract” between the government and its people. If the current dynasty is benevolent and “good”, the people will support it, if it’s corrupt and “bad”, they will rebel and reject it. This is the way things have been since the last 2000 years since the Qin emperor unify China. The communist party for all its warts have for the last 30 years been working hard to legitimize themselves and earn the support of the people through positive contributions. They have been trying hard to make up for a disastrous 19th and 20th century. In many respects, with this Olympics, they have also gradually opened up Chinese society to the world. It is a pandora’s box that’s been opened and they know they cannot roll it back ever again. So given time, it will be the Chinese people who will demand the changes they want in their society and not some slogan-wielding, self-serving foreigners who really doesn’t have that much at stake in China than the Chinese themselves. And so too are the Iraqis…

The dragon awakes

The coming of age of the sleeping dragon has now reached a milestone ! The last 30 years of reforms unleashed by the visionary Deng Xiaoping has culminated today in inspiring and aweing the world. Granted, many major problems still await the Chinese people to solve but the incredible strides and speed that China has taken only last 30 years is just nothing short of breathtakingly amazing just like the opening ceremony. Though not raised in China, it’s hard to suppress the emotion welling inside and I feel for the Chinese people who have waited for decades and centuries to claim their spotlight in the world. This ceremony is like no others that have gone before it in that it can be said to be truly “One World One Dream”. It does not smack too much of the political, racial or religious haughtiness that have plagued the games when they are hosted in more developed nations. The coming together of peoples all over the world is just nothing short of spectacular. In fact this is what is so amazing apart from the majesty, hi-tech gizmos and pyrotechnics. There are orange, white, yellow, black, brown peoples, there are Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, there are big, medium, small, occupied, failed nations walking proud side by side, there are enemies, friends, there are communists, capitalists, conservatives, liberals, there are peoples who suffered under dictatorial regimes, all gathered together in this one place. I am inspired. It just shows that with a little tolerance and human compassion and understanding, we can all get along just fine. China can be the future champion of the disaffected, neglected, those that the west tend to ignore. China can bring about more peace and understanding between feuding nations because it stands as one with the least historical and cultural baggage, its genetic makeup more moderate and less antagonistic towards any 1 group. So for those so-called self-righteous champions of human rights today, my warning to you all is your job might also just be outsourced in time to come…

China Earthquake Karma

Another one that’s sure to fire up nationalist, fist-pounding reactions from the Chinese. Here Sharon Stone talks about the tragic Sichuan earthquake a karma for mistreatment of Tibetans. Again the same old theme of Western “free speech” “We are on moral high ground” attitudes clashing with the Chinese “We are a great nation” and “Don’t tell us what’s wrong, you hyprocrite” sentiment. Mind you, this is not just an official Chinese government thing but it’s just stuff like that that makes the Chinese man-in-the-street unite with their so-called dreaded government. Notice that they just conveniently ignore Ms Stone’s more conciliatory tone about Tibetans desire to help even when they’re being shitted upon. But Stone is really off the mark using this tragic episode that has claimed 67000 lives and counting to bash China. This is a prime example of Americans living in their ivory tower of self-righteousness when they don’t really understand the magnitude of what they’re saying. So can Hurricane Katrina be the karma of the American invasion of Iraq ? When will the deserved karma descend on America after all the havoc it has wreaked on people’s lives in the Middle East ?