04/06/2009
Conciliation not confrontation
That is likely to be the message of Barack Obama's Cairo speech today. But Obama seems more likely to expose the conflicts that exist between his rhetoric and political reality. Egypt is a nation that has serious democratic questions to answer and Obama's blank cheque strategy could do more harm than good in the medium to long term.
18/05/2009
The end of the beginning
Sri Lanka’s government may have killed the physical and pyschological divisions that existed with the decades old Civil War. But the hard work now begins.
Playing peace is not easy. It is to be hoped that the transition can be made rapidly and endure.
Today is far from the beginning of the end.
Playing peace is not easy. It is to be hoped that the transition can be made rapidly and endure.
Today is far from the beginning of the end.
13/05/2009
Worst of all worlds
Exit polls from the Indian election suggest that neither of the two main parties, the BJP or Congress have managed to convince the electorate to give them the coveted Parliamentary majority.
This is not just bad for India’s politicians who now embark on the customary political haggling, but also for ordinary Indians.
The intray for whoever emerges victorious is overflowing with policy puzzles that need solving. Leaving aside India’s role on the international stage, India has a number of domestic issues to start resolving. The first and foremost is the impact of the continuing fallout from the recent economic turbulence. Add to that the extreme socio-economic divisions there are within India, racial unease and the disintegration of their Pakistani neighbour’s house and it is a daunting set of challenges.
For this reason India needs a government that can lead and not be led. If the exit polls are to be believed, India could be facing the worst of all worlds.
This is not just bad for India’s politicians who now embark on the customary political haggling, but also for ordinary Indians.
The intray for whoever emerges victorious is overflowing with policy puzzles that need solving. Leaving aside India’s role on the international stage, India has a number of domestic issues to start resolving. The first and foremost is the impact of the continuing fallout from the recent economic turbulence. Add to that the extreme socio-economic divisions there are within India, racial unease and the disintegration of their Pakistani neighbour’s house and it is a daunting set of challenges.
For this reason India needs a government that can lead and not be led. If the exit polls are to be believed, India could be facing the worst of all worlds.
More than words
When Western leaders talk of freedom, liberty and democracy they should not just be words. They should be reinforced by action, whether or not in our economic interest.
That is why the West’s failure to tackle the Burmese junta and their treatment of Aung San Suu Kyi is so lamentable.
Many people may not be able to place Burma, or Myanmar as it should properly be called on the map, but playing “spot the country” should not be how we conduct our international affairs.
For this reason the time for talking is well and truly over. It is time for action.
That is why the West’s failure to tackle the Burmese junta and their treatment of Aung San Suu Kyi is so lamentable.
Many people may not be able to place Burma, or Myanmar as it should properly be called on the map, but playing “spot the country” should not be how we conduct our international affairs.
For this reason the time for talking is well and truly over. It is time for action.
05/05/2009
28/04/2009
The dark side of globalisation
Dollars are not the only things that can be sent around the world in a matter of days. Diseases, such as swine flu also can, with the kinds of results we are currently witnessing.
It was interesting to hear a conversation on the radio this morning about why Mexico is bearing the brunt of this disease. The conclusion was that Mexico lacks significant supplies of the anti-viral drugs which would be required to stop the disease in its tracks. It would be true to say that there is only so much quantity anywhere in the world. But it might also be true to say that the economic condition of Mexico prevents it from discharging the first and foremost duty of any government: to protect its people.
When all from Cancun to Canada to China are threatened by such a virus, medical protectionism will not do.
Once again the global wealth distribution see-saw is firmly in the spotlight.
It was interesting to hear a conversation on the radio this morning about why Mexico is bearing the brunt of this disease. The conclusion was that Mexico lacks significant supplies of the anti-viral drugs which would be required to stop the disease in its tracks. It would be true to say that there is only so much quantity anywhere in the world. But it might also be true to say that the economic condition of Mexico prevents it from discharging the first and foremost duty of any government: to protect its people.
When all from Cancun to Canada to China are threatened by such a virus, medical protectionism will not do.
Once again the global wealth distribution see-saw is firmly in the spotlight.
22/04/2009
How do you solve a problem like Afghanistan?
First and foremost you need to show humility. You need to say sorry for the insufficiencies in the original battle plan. Then you need to work out a clear plan which ALL sides take an active role in. No side that truly has an interest in stability in that part of the world can stand on the sidelines.
This means the Americans cannot just expect the Europeans to give more. Nor can the Europeans provide tokenistic gestures and think that that is sufficient.
Next you need to build up the Afghanistan forces, both military and civilian.
Yet you need to take one final action which will not be popular but is the right thing to do: tackle the question of ‘Pakghanisation’ directly.
This doesn’t just mean providing border security. Rather it means taking a more vigorous approach in Pakistan itself.
With the Taliban 60km from Islamabad, rhetoric cannot be the policy. It is true that a dialogue needs to take place between both sides but it should be part of a dual strategy. As part of this policy shift, Pakistan’s education system should see increased funding to stop the rise of the madrassas and attempt to tackle the causes of terrorism as well as the terrorism itself.
The leaches of hatred must not be allowed to infiltrate the minds of the young, poor Pakistanis. As the final part of this strategy you also build up the Pakistani military and civilian forces.
The Afghanistan problem will not be solved by sticking to the path of the last 7 and a half years. If we do not act in the way above, we are only playing lip service to our rhetorical commitment to see Afghanistan’s stand-alone as a stable state and active member of the family of nations.
Afghanistan is not Mission Impossible. If it is we would have left already.
This means the Americans cannot just expect the Europeans to give more. Nor can the Europeans provide tokenistic gestures and think that that is sufficient.
Next you need to build up the Afghanistan forces, both military and civilian.
Yet you need to take one final action which will not be popular but is the right thing to do: tackle the question of ‘Pakghanisation’ directly.
This doesn’t just mean providing border security. Rather it means taking a more vigorous approach in Pakistan itself.
With the Taliban 60km from Islamabad, rhetoric cannot be the policy. It is true that a dialogue needs to take place between both sides but it should be part of a dual strategy. As part of this policy shift, Pakistan’s education system should see increased funding to stop the rise of the madrassas and attempt to tackle the causes of terrorism as well as the terrorism itself.
The leaches of hatred must not be allowed to infiltrate the minds of the young, poor Pakistanis. As the final part of this strategy you also build up the Pakistani military and civilian forces.
The Afghanistan problem will not be solved by sticking to the path of the last 7 and a half years. If we do not act in the way above, we are only playing lip service to our rhetorical commitment to see Afghanistan’s stand-alone as a stable state and active member of the family of nations.
Afghanistan is not Mission Impossible. If it is we would have left already.
How do you solve a problem like Afghanistan?
First and foremost you need to show humility. You need to say sorry for the insufficiencies in the original battle plan. Then you need to work out a clear plan which ALL sides take an active role in. No side that truly has an interest in stability in that part of the world can stand on the sidelines.
This means the Americans cannot just expect the Europeans to give more. Nor can the Europeans provide tokenistic gestures and think that that is sufficient.
Next you need to build up the Afghanistan forces, both military and civilian.
Yet you need to take one final action which will not be popular but is the right thing to do: tackle the question of ‘Pakghanisation’ directly.
This doesn’t just mean providing border security. Rather it means taking a more vigorous approach in Pakistan itself.
With the Taliban 60km from Islamabad, rhetoric cannot be the policy. It is true that a dialogue needs to take place between both sides but it should be part of a dual strategy. As part of this policy shift, Pakistan’s education system should see increased funding to stop the rise of the madrassas and attempt to tackle the causes of terrorism as well as the terrorism itself.
The leaches of hatred must not be allowed to infiltrate the minds of the young, poor Pakistanis. As the final part of this strategy you also build up the Pakistani military and civilian forces.
The Afghanistan problem will not be solved by sticking to the path of the last 7 and a half years. If we do not act in the way above, we are only playing lip service to our rhetorical commitment to see Afghanistan’s stand-alone as a stable state and active member of the family of nations.
Afghanistan is not Mission Impossible. If it is we would have left already.
This means the Americans cannot just expect the Europeans to give more. Nor can the Europeans provide tokenistic gestures and think that that is sufficient.
Next you need to build up the Afghanistan forces, both military and civilian.
Yet you need to take one final action which will not be popular but is the right thing to do: tackle the question of ‘Pakghanisation’ directly.
This doesn’t just mean providing border security. Rather it means taking a more vigorous approach in Pakistan itself.
With the Taliban 60km from Islamabad, rhetoric cannot be the policy. It is true that a dialogue needs to take place between both sides but it should be part of a dual strategy. As part of this policy shift, Pakistan’s education system should see increased funding to stop the rise of the madrassas and attempt to tackle the causes of terrorism as well as the terrorism itself.
The leaches of hatred must not be allowed to infiltrate the minds of the young, poor Pakistanis. As the final part of this strategy you also build up the Pakistani military and civilian forces.
The Afghanistan problem will not be solved by sticking to the path of the last 7 and a half years. If we do not act in the way above, we are only playing lip service to our rhetorical commitment to see Afghanistan’s stand-alone as a stable state and active member of the family of nations.
Afghanistan is not Mission Impossible. If it is we would have left already.
20/04/2009
Why the ANC shouldn’t win Election 09
When South Africans go to the polls in just under 48 hour’s time, it seems that they will do so to re-elect the ANC.
Whilst political pundits and opposition parties alike wait to see if the ANC are re-elected with the magical working Parliamentary majority of 66.6%, so too should the world.
Since 1994, South Africa’s international reputation has gone from zero to hero in many respects. Yet the fall of apartheid and the diplomatic thaw should not disguise the fact that there is one significant reason why the ANC should not win Wednesday’s election; their loss of the “Mandela morality”.
Many South Africans still live in poverty or live with the vicious disease that is AIDs. Most of these are poor are black people. These are the very people, whose lot, the ANC should have improved in its 15-year reign.
Like all governing parties, the ANC seems to have extinguished the political torch handed to it by millions of South Africans. No party has a monopoly on power and the ANC would do well to remember this.
Even if the election result is a foregone conclusion, the ANC cannot govern in the way it has become used to. Many South Africans may have achieved their political emancipation but now let their socio-economic emancipation begin.
Whilst political pundits and opposition parties alike wait to see if the ANC are re-elected with the magical working Parliamentary majority of 66.6%, so too should the world.
Since 1994, South Africa’s international reputation has gone from zero to hero in many respects. Yet the fall of apartheid and the diplomatic thaw should not disguise the fact that there is one significant reason why the ANC should not win Wednesday’s election; their loss of the “Mandela morality”.
Many South Africans still live in poverty or live with the vicious disease that is AIDs. Most of these are poor are black people. These are the very people, whose lot, the ANC should have improved in its 15-year reign.
Like all governing parties, the ANC seems to have extinguished the political torch handed to it by millions of South Africans. No party has a monopoly on power and the ANC would do well to remember this.
Even if the election result is a foregone conclusion, the ANC cannot govern in the way it has become used to. Many South Africans may have achieved their political emancipation but now let their socio-economic emancipation begin.
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