A New Cold War?Salon's Dan Falcone and Saul Isaacson interview Noam Chomsky on the Middle East, Russia, and America's whitewash of its own war crimes

An interview of Noam Chomsky by Dan Falcone and Saul Isaacson at Salon is a bit unfocused as to topic, but each section is vintage Chomsky: full of information about America's mismanagement of relations with Israel, proxy wars old and new with the old Soviet Union and Russia, education of Muslim girls in madrassas, "how [America can] perform better in stabilizing the Middle East," etc. It's a quick read, and international relations neophytes like me are well‑rewarded for the short time it takes.

'Almost Overkill'

That's how Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) described his alternative to Sen. John Cornyn's (R-TX) border security bill, in an attempt to reassure border hawks. The phrase embodies an irony not lost on Mexican-Americans and their Mexican family members, the latter of whom are dying in record numbers in their attempts to cross the border illegally at increasingly dangerous locations.

As of this morning, Corker and Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) announced they were closing in on a deal with the "Gang of Eight" senators (four Democrats, four Republicans) on a bill more moderate than Cornyn's. But nothing is ever simple, and the nut-jobs in the GOP (*cough* Cruz *cough*) want to exact their pound of flesh.

Border wall under construction

The problem is that, as many Texas farmers (including those who are conservative politically) are willing to admit, the arrangement between Texans and Mexicans is advantageous to both. Texans (and other Americans) get their crops picked cheaper; Mexicans make more money than they probably could at home, filling jobs Americans are in general not willing to do themselves. The solution to undocumented migrant workers is somehow to document them and systematize their seasonal appearance in the US, not to build higher border fences and otherwise make their crossing more dangerous.


But I would not bet on a successful outcome from this negotiation. After all, it has considerable Democratic support, and we all know that a Democrat in government is (in the opinion of many GOPers) an illegal non‑alien...

The One Imperial Power Left Standing, And The Planet It Is Standing On

Tom Engelhardt is, of course, pitching his book, The End of Victory Culture. But I believe he is also saying some profound things about a fundamental change in history, from the story of the rise and fall of empires, to the story of a single empire dominating the only planet humanity has... and contributing to the physical decline of that planet.

With luck, HPL will have the book. If not, it may be a while before I read it. Meanwhile, the linked essay is a good start.

Aung San Suu Kyi Of Myanmar: Free, Visiting America, Receiving Awards

If you are inclined to visit this site, you probably need no introduction to Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's indefatigable democracy and human rights advocate, who struggled for decades with her country's heretofore authoritarian government, frequently imprisoned (usually house arrest) for her activities.

At long last, Myanmar (a.k.a. Burma) is taking some steps toward a freer society and a more representative government... not in a big hurry, but after decades of uncompromising totalitarian rule, the steps they have taken are welcome. Ms. Suu Kyi is a member of the new Parliament. Best of all, this icon of democracy and freedom is now permitted to travel (though I am uncertain what degree of freedom she enjoys). At present, she is in the United States, accepting a Congressional Gold Medal, and meeting informally with President Obama... I'm sure the two Nobel Peace Prize winners had a lot to talk about.

This has been your daily dose of hope and optimism. I wish it were actually daily, but even the struggle, especially with the occasional victory, can inspire the best in us.

Confronted With Killing Of US Diplomats In Libya, Rmoney's First Reaction Is To Politicize The Incident - UPDATED 3X

When I was young, I was taught that "US politics stops at the water's edge": i.e., that the introduction of partisanship into matters of war or diplomacy was unofficially off-limits for any American official. That rule just took a major hit from Mitt Rmoney, who doesn't seem to care what his deplorable politicization of an international incident looks like to the rest of the world.

US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three embassy staffers were killed in a rocket attack in Benghazi, apparently in the second day of mob assault on the embassy, which was reportedly destroyed.

A separate article links the attack to the infamous Qur'an-burning American pastor Terry Jones, whose prior very public actions have triggered violence against Americans in Muslim countries before. (Aside: I wonder if the Rev. Jones could be charged as an accessory to murder. I doubt it. I suppose there's a First Amendment issue involved, and there's no American law against being a motherfucking bastard.)

All that aside, what the fuck does Rmoney think he's doing? I know Republicans in general have done their damnedest to stir up as much trouble for Obama as possible; that is clear from their congressional obstructionism to Obama's legislative attempts to create jobs. But... what about that "water's edge" thing?

I realize there are people who have no scruples. (Rmoney seems a good example.) I know there are Americans who consider their highest loyalty to their religion [added] or to their political party [/added], not to their nation. (I suppose America's permitting that is one acid test of whether America has the potential to be a free country.) BUT NO ONE WHO HOLDS THAT BELIEF SHOULD BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. End of story.

Well, not quite. My condolences to the families of Ambassador Stevens and his staff. Diplomacy can be a very dangerous occupation, and their positions... coupled with the utter stupidity of one brainless US pastor... cost them their lives. There is a long history of "shoot the messenger," and regrettably, Ambassador Stevens's death will not be the end of it. But it is always tragic when some of our best and brightest are killed essentially for no good reason.

And Rmoney's reaction? I feel as if he pissed on their graves.

UPDATE: as Ben Smith of BuzzFeed tells us, even many Republicans believe Rmoney's statement was "trying to score a cheap news cycle hit," an "utter disaster," "[n]ot ready for prime time," not "presidential of Romney to go political immediately," etc., etc. What can I say... all of those assessments of Rmoney, all by Republicans, are valid: he is nowhere nearly mature enough to execute foreign policy without precipitating major disasters. This man must NOT become president. (H/T upyernoz for the link.)

UPDATE: this is probably the only occasion on which you will find praise on this site for the responses of Turtle-face and Orange-man, but both Sen. McConnell and Rep. Boehner got it just right:

“Yesterday we commemorated the anniversary of the attacks of September the 11th, and today we are reminded that brave Americans serve us every day at the risk of their own lives,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said in a statement. “We honor the Americans we lost in Libya and we will stand united in our response.”

Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) announced plans for a moment of silence in the House and ordered flags at half staff.

“We mourn for the families of our countrymen in Benghazi, and condemn this horrific attack,” he said in a statement. “Eleven years after September 11, this is a jolting reminder that freedom remains under siege by forces around the globe who relish violence over free expression, and terror over democracy — and that America and free people everywhere must remain vigilant in defense of our liberties.”

Now THAT is the sort of response Rmoney should have offered.

UPDATE: Josh Marshall's piece yesterday, 9/12, on Rmoney's moment of obvious unreadiness for the presidency is well worth reading. His conclusion (all bolds mine):

Bear in mind, this [activity within Romney's campaign] was all happening while attacks on US personnel abroad were ongoing. According to a statement released this morning by the White House, the President was told last night that Ambassador Chris Stevens was unaccounted for. Only this morning did he learn that Stevens had died in the attacks that were on-going last night.

The campaign also authorized Romney’s top foreign policy advisor to give a blistering interview attacking the president while the attacks were continuing.

Politics is hardball. Everything is, in some sense, fair. But campaigns are also a prism into the judgment and steadiness under pressure of a person who would be president. This was amateur hour for the opposition campaign last night, reminiscent of John McCain’s rash call four years ago to cancel the presidential debates and the campaign itself to deal with the unfolding economic crisis. There was nothing ignoble or dishonorable about McCain’s suggestion. It just showed a certain rashness that was widely viewed as unpresidential.

Romney’s moment was quite different — rash and shameful. Not worthy of a president. Crass, undignified and troubling on many levels.

"[R]ash and shameful. Not worthy of a president." Enough said.

Mitt Rmoney And The 'Soviet' Threat

From Evan McMorris-Santoro of TPM we learn that three members of the Rmoney campaign, including Rmoney himself, have now publicly criticized Obama for foreign policy issues involving "the Soviet Union." I know there are many cosmological theories today involving a "multiverse" of multiple parallel universes, but I'd settle for an answer to a much smaller question: what planet do these people live on?

Seriously: since the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991, the GOP has cast about for a comparable bugbear to instill fear and loathing in the American people, and one would think that terrorists would fill that role today. But... no. They miss the days of the Soviet Union, when scaring the American people was as easy as displaying a bleeding red map. These people may live on the same planet we do, but they have not adapted their minds to the current era. While they recite formulaic denunciations of Obama's "Soviet Union policy," the rest of us have a real world to deal with. You want to know what terrorizes me? That's simple: Mitt Rmoney in a role in which he wields political power as well as financial. Now that's scary!

Krugman's Wrap Of Greek Elections

Krugman's perspective sees "Greece as Victim". There is much substance in this short op‑ed, which takes the position that Greece's fundamental problems are not primarily internal and stem rather from attitudes in the economically powerful nations in the euro zone: major failures in the framing of the currency itself, failures not soluble by any amount of Greek austerity. Here's a sample:

...

On the other hand, many things you hear about Greece just aren’t true. The Greeks aren’t lazy — on the contrary, they work longer hours than almost anyone else in Europe, and much longer hours than the Germans in particular. Nor does Greece have a runaway welfare state, as conservatives like to claim; social expenditure as a percentage of G.D.P., the standard measure of the size of the welfare state, is substantially lower in Greece than in, say, Sweden or Germany, countries that have so far weathered the European crisis pretty well.

So how did Greece get into so much trouble? Blame the euro.

...

As so often happens here in America, the banksters in Europe are flinging poo like a great ape. Don't let it hit you! Use some judgment in how much credence you give to the self-interested emissions of northern European leaders.

Unemployment In The Developed World: Business Insider Slideshow

Business Insider presents basic data on unemployment in 34 countries and two regions around the world. The slideshow contains pretty pictures, but the unemployment situation overall is not a pretty picture. Young people are particularly at risk of joblessness, and the numbers in Greece are painful to contemplate.

Most of this is preventable, but of course high unemployment benefits the obscenely wealthy, so action on the problem is liable to be slow. Pressure may or may not help. Still, wherever you are in the world, ask yourself this question: Have I hugged my child kicked my bankster today?

(H/T Enfant.)

Greece And The Euro

Ellen Brown of truthout, referencing Paul Simon's clever song "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," examines five of those "50 ways" by which Greece could remedy its dysfunctional relationship with the Euro and the ECB. In brief, the five courses of action Brown examines are these, taken from her subheadings:

• The Open Marriage: Return to the Drachma Without Abandoning the Euro
• Keep Separate Bank Accounts: Fire Up the Printing Presses at the Greek Central Bank
• Divorce: Turn and Walk Away
• Spousal Support: The Public Bank Option
• The Dowry: Impose a Financial Transaction Tax

Brown concludes with a quote from Mike Whitney, and a delightful reference to the Simon song she started with:

The problems of Greece and the euro zone stem from an arbitrary set of rules that were entered into by agreement and can be changed by agreement. Where there is a will, there is a way. The problem is finding the will, particularly among the Eurocrat leaders holding the reins of power, who may not be looking for an amicable workout. In a June 3 article titled "Europe Moves Closer to Banktatorship," Mike Whitney maintained:

These people are not interested in fixing the EZ economy. They are engaged in a stealth campaign to radically restructure EU society, to unravel the welfare safety net, to roll back the progressive gains of the last century, and to reduce much of the continent to 3rd world poverty. A banking union will further solidify the power of big finance over the individual states, and that is the main objective.

... Greece is a vivacious woman chained to a tyrannical old man. She can dance again if she can be free.

I am far from qualified to evaluate the merits of the possibilities, but the article was thought-provoking, and it reminded me of the one course of action that is simply not an option: do nothing.

Europe: The Floggings Will Continue Until Morale Improves

Paul Krugman quotes Martin Wolf (note: FT requires a free trial subscription, but you don't need it; the quote Krugman includes is sufficient for the point here):

Before now, I had never really understood how the 1930s could happen. Now I do. All one needs are fragile economies, a rigid monetary regime, intense debate over what must be done, widespread belief that suffering is good, myopic politicians, an inability to co-operate and failure to stay ahead of events.

Krugman then notes that the ECB has declined to take any action that might help matters, such as cutting interest rates; the result is an undesirable decrease in inflation. Krugman's conclusion:

I don’t think there’s any conceivable economic logic for the ECB’s decision. It can only, I think, be understood as some kind of refusal to admit, even implicitly, that past decisions were wrong.

Like Martin Wolf, I’m starting to see how the 1930s happened.

Chicago To Be Locked Down For NATO Meeting May 20-21

Details available from Kevin Gosztola of FDL. First Amendment assembly rights are slated to be nearly nonexistent... Chicago is requiring permits to protest, and applications for said permits are being steadfastly ignored by the city.

You know, when Rahm Emanuel became mayor of Chicago, I winced. But I've since come to see him as the perfect mayor for a city run by bosses rather than by its people: he's just the guy to do the dirt that has to be done in such a government. And this event is the perfect follow-up, 44 years later, of the Democratic National Convention in that fair city.

I celebrated my 50th birthday in Chicago with Stella. First-timers both, we were utterly awed by the city. A city-dweller myself since birth, I have not felt awed by the sheer size and vitality of very many cities... Vienna, perhaps... but Chicago impressed me, and even intimidated me a bit. I gave serious consideration to moving there.

Now I am ever so grateful I did not. I would feel obliged to join the protest, and I really don't need my skull cracked at my age...