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Washington Comes to Mr Smith

With U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice being feted on her flying visit to Australia, RICHARD NEVILLE asks why are politicians such cowards in the face of cruelty and war crimes?

When Condoleezza Rice landed in Australia, she was treated like a fairy godmother. Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephen Smith, took her off to meet his mum, his dad and his children, this urbane superstar from Washington, who remains proud of her role in trashing Iraq. (Over 1.2 million deaths plus 4.7 million Iraqis displaced from their homes). The highlight of Condi's stopover, according to media reports, was her hour long visit to a high school attended by Mr Smith's 14 year old daughter, Maddie, "where enthralled students quizzed her about everything from shopping habits to holiday plans..."

No-one mentioned the wars. The Times of India headlined her ‘wardrobe malfunction' which revealed a "little bit more than she intended, courtesy of her flesh-coloured blouse". Asked about her ideal holiday, Condi waxed lyrical about a house in the mountains with a piano, herself playing Brahms. No-one asked her about torture or renditions. If they had, she would have denied it, as she did to the world in September 2006: "The United States does not transport, and has not transported, detainees from one country to another for the purpose of interrogation using torture". Sure, and torture doesn't happen at Guantanamo Bay, a facility she enthusiastically supports.

So why did the likeable Mr Smith grovel so? Why did the media focus on trivia, on Condi's language skills, her fitness program and her "attractiveness", at a time that the crimes of the Bush administration are finally receiving wider attention? There is one dispiriting explanation, to which I'll later return. Condi was cheered by 450 schoolgirls and treated to a choral rendition of - wait for it - What a Wonderful World. "My favourite song" noted Condi, without irony, adjusting her blouse. "There is no better friend to the United States than Australia". Right now, probably the only friend.

Meanwhile, the subject of U.S. torture, renditions and war crimes is being raised in unexpected quarters. The latest House of Commons Human Rights annual report states that the UK can "no longer rely on U.S. assurances that it does not use torture, and we recommend that the Government does not rely on such assurances in the future". Condoleezza's own bald faced lie on this subject, quoted above, is featured in the British report as a prime example of an unreliable assertion.

Even more of a surprise than the UK Government's burst of candour, was David Letterman's recent TV musings with Jane Mayer, author of The Dark Side, that Bush & Co "were not good people". The meandering conversation concluded that the "Bush administration is clearly guilty of war crimes". Mainstream at last! Until a year ago, said Letterman, he used to think such suggestions were "wacky"... or "funny" to which Mayer replied: "I don't think they're laughing about it in the White House". Certainly not Condoleezza, now back in the Devil's lair, far from a besotted Australian foreign minister and worshipful choir girls.

In the face of cruelty and war crimes, why are our politicians such cowards? And why do so many media commentators continue to insist that George Bush's America is a beacon of freedom? Part of the answer can be summed up in one word: duchessing, a process by which opinion leaders and politicians from friendly nations are flown to the U.S., to be deeply wined and dined and flattered; to be accommodated in 5 star hotels and treated to briefings with members of Congress and A-list celebrities. A friend of mine was duchessed years ago, and still hasn't recovered. He was asked to submit a dream U.S. travel itinerary and a list of people he yearned to meet, and it all came true. He was flown to Aspen, Niagra Falls, San Francisco; he met the President, he dined with film stars, he paid for nothing, not even the call girls. I asked, "Did it change you?". Oh yes, he said.

I think of this friend every time I see bright columnists write rubbish about the humanity of precision bombing, the genius of Wall Street, the need to pacify Afghanistan. I think of this friend every time I hear politicians proclaim the importance of an iron clad alliance with America "at all costs", including that of our soul. It is why this weekend in Australia, as impeachment proceedings commenced against George Bush and the global voices of dissent gathered steam, all we got on the Condoleezza visit down under was hot air, a flimsy blouse and a choir of angels.

Photo above: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, his wife Jane, and their son Hugo and Mr Smith's parents Les and Florence.

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6 sep | According to its transcript of last night's interview with the Wicked Witch of the West, the ABC's Lateline discussion "focused on the war in Iraq". Like hell. What it focused on was a series of delusional fantasies. Everything was swell, said Rice, "actual Iraqis" were getting the hang of how to run their country and kill "terrorists". Australia's role was valiant. John Howard and George Bush had built an alliance "in the trenches". Vomiting yet?

Interviewer Leigh Sales managed to remind Rice that acts of terrorism had soared since the U.S. invasion, but Spin Queen didn't miss a beat. "It shows that we are actually pursuing them for the first time and they are fighting back". By this logic the White House will have won the war, once the terrorists have blown up the whole world.

Sales did not ask Rice how she felt about the consequences of the invasion, about the million dead Iraqis, the millions of refugees, the wrecking of Baghdad, the brutality of the occupiers. No mention of a resistance. Everything bad in the world, according to Rice, is created by terrorists, whose mission is to "bomb and murder innocent people for their own ideological purposes". A mission best left to the U.S. air force. . . read more

The Elephant in the Room - From Dave Lindorff

19 jun | On Monday last week, something important happened in Washington. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, the Democratic representative from Cleveland, who early in the primary season won some of the biggest applause lines in the Democratic presidential candidate debates, introduced 35 articles calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush for high crimes and misdemeanors.

You'd be excused if you didn't know this happened. There was almost no reporting on the event that day or the next... A week later, it has still not been reported in the New York Times, the nation’s self-described “newspaper of record,” even though the Times had just days before Rep. Kucinich’s action, editorialized about the enormity of the president’s lies in tricking the country into invading Iraq — one of the crimes leading Kucinich’s long list....

The unwillingness of the nation’s news media to seriously consider the need for Congress to respond to and challenge the president’s clear abuses of power—even as they themselves condemn of those abuses of power—is a blot on the journalistic profession perhaps worse, and of more lasting consequence, than their failure to act as watchdogs and critics during the run-up to the Iraq War, when they acted more as patriotic cheerleaders than as news organizations. [More] . . read more

The Strange Success of the Surge - From Patrick Cockburn

3 aug | The ability of America to make unilateral decisions in Iraq is diminishing by the month, but the White House was still horrified to hear the Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki appearing to endorse Barack Obama’s plan for the withdrawal of American combat troops over 16 months. This cut the ground from under the feet of John McCain who has repeatedly declared that ‘victory’ is at last within America’s grasp because of the great achievements of ‘the Surge’, the American reinforcements sent to Iraq in 2007 to regain control of Baghdad.

The success of ‘the Surge’ is becoming almost received wisdom in the U.S. This is strange since, if the U.S. strategy did win such an important victory, why do America generals need more soldiers, currently 147,000 of them, in Iraq than they did before ‘the Surge’ started? But belief in this so-called victory is in keeping with the American tradition of seeing everything that happens in Iraq as being the result of actions by the U.S. alone. The complex political landscape of Iraq is ignored.

U.S. commentators have never quite taken on board that there are not one but three wars being fought out in the country since 2003: the first is the war of resistance against the American occupation by insurgents from the Sunni Arab community. The second is the battle between the Sunni and Shia communities as to who should rule the Iraqi state in succession to Saddam Hussein. The third conflict is a proxy war between the U.S. and Iran to decide who should be the predominant foreign power in Iraq. The real, though exaggerated, fall in violence in Iraq over the last year is a consequence of developments in all three of these wars, but they do not necessarily have much to do with ‘the Surge’. [More] . . read more

A Third American War in the Making? - From Paul Craig Roberts

1 apr | The U.S. Congress, U.S. media, American people, and United Nations, are looking the other way as Cheney prepares his attack on Iran. If only America had an independent media and an opposition party. If there were a shred of integrity left in American political life, perhaps a third act of naked aggression - a third war crime under the Nuremberg standard - by the Bush Regime could be prevented.

On March 30, the Russian News & Information Agency, Novosti, cited a high-ranking security source: "The latest military intelligence data point to heightened U.S. military preparations for both an air and ground operation against Iran." According to Novosti, Russian Colonel General Leonid Ivashov said "that the Pentagon is planning to deliver a massive air strike on Iran's military infrastructure in the near future"... The Saudi newspaper Okaz reported March 22, the day following Cheney's visit with the kingdom's rulers, that the Saudi Shura Council is preparing "national plans to deal with any sudden nuclear and radioactive hazards... following experts' warnings of possible attacks on Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactors"...

Two massive failures by the American media, the Democratic Party, and the American people have paved the way for Cheney's long planned attack on Iran. One failure is the lack of skepticism about the U.S. government's explanation of 9/11. The other failure is the Democrats' refusal to begin impeachment proceedings against President Bush for lying to the Congress, the American people, and the world and launching an invasion of Iraq based on deception and fabricated evidence. If an American president can start a war exactly as Adolf Hitler did with pure lies and not be held accountable, he can get away with anything. And Bush and his evil regime have. [More]

Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration. . . read more

Signature Wounds

5 jun | Traumatic Brain Injury is the 'signature wound' for American veterans of the Iraq war. Psychotherapist RENATE OGILVIE on the nature of war and ongoing tragedy for those soldiers 'lucky' enough to survive it. . . read more

The Dying Of The Light

20 jan | Whether censoring Shakespeare, killing civilians or degrading nature, it all stems from the same mind-set. By RICHARD NEVILLE . . read more

Greatest Stick-Up in History - From Naomi Klein

7 jul | Paradoxically, it is Iraq's suffering - its never-ending crisis - that is the rationale for an arrangement that threatens to drain Iraq's treasury of its main revenue source. The logic goes like this: Iraq's oil industry needs foreign expertise because years of punishing sanctions starved it of new technology, while the invasion and continuing violence degraded it further. And Iraq needs to start producing more oil urgently. Why? Also because of the war. The country is shattered and the billions handed out in no-bid contracts to western firms have failed to rebuild it.

And that's where the new contracts come in: they will raise more money, but Iraq has become such a treacherous place that the oil majors must be induced to take the risk of investing. Thus the invasion of Iraq neatly creates the argument for its subsequent pillage.

Several of the architects of the Iraq war no longer even bother to deny that oil was a major motivator for the invasion. On US National Public Radio, Fadhil Chalabi, one of the primary Iraqi advisers to the Bush administration in the lead-up to the invasion, recently described the war as "a strategic move on the part of the United States of America and the UK to have a military presence in the Gulf in order to secure [oil] supplies in the future". Chalabi, who served as Iraq's oil undersecretary of state and met with the oil majors before the invasion, described this as "a primary objective".

Invading countries to seize their natural resources is illegal under the Geneva conventions. That means the huge task of rebuilding Iraq's infrastructure - including its oil infrastructure - is the financial responsibility of Iraq's invaders. They should be forced to pay reparations, just as Saddam Hussein's regime paid $9bn to Kuwait in reparations for its 1990 invasion. Instead, Iraq is being forced to sell 75% of its national patrimony to pay the bills for its own illegal invasion and occupation. [More] . . read more

Blackwater Still Armed in Iraq

16 aug | Blackwater Still Armed in Iraq . . read more

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NTEU Strike at UNSW Today

As mentioned on HPD last Saturday, there will be a strike at UNSW today by the NTEU.

The strike is centred around expired Enterprise Agreements that the Management are refusing to resign leading to negotiations having stalled.

Unfortunately, the power of this strike seems limited.

Around campus most students are either: going to come to class because their lecturers said they were coming, treating it as a holiday, or completely ignorant of why the NTEU is striking.

The problem is high-lighted when we consider that for most people a strike seems like an inconveniance.

A not all together unpredictable state of affairs, but one that shows the gulf that has grown between students and staff and the work that may need to be done to bridge it.

Jesus Christ! Blasphemy in Ireland- by Sean Maguire

At the beginning of the year it was reported around the world that Ireland had introduced laws against blasphemy- a seemingly bizarre reversal of the times as the country moved to becoming a more pluralistic society.

Yesterday it was announced that a referendum will be held on the laws, with the hope from securalists and the divisive group Athiest Ireland, that they'll be rescinded.

Don't hold your breath.

It wasn't too long ago that Ireland voted down the Lisbon Treaty because of fears of a loss of sovereignty on social issues- primarily regarding laws on marriage and abortion.

So on this St Patrick's Day let's say thanks to the man who brought catholocism to Ireland (and got rid of the snakes) and hope that one day the Irish will be able to say fuck you to the pope in peace.

Keating breaches the Abbott-Proof-Fence- by Sean Maguire

For even the most casual watcher of Australian politics the last few months have been depressing.

Tony Abbott, the self-styled ideological love-child of Bronwyn Bishop and John Howard has been playing some pretty petty party politics; stone-walling any Labor policy, regardless of its merits.

So step up Paul Keating, the ideological love-child of a brick wall and Jack Lang.

He has launched a vicious and burning attack on Abbott calling him an "intellectual nobody [with] no policy ambition", and the "poor man's John Howard".

Hard to disagree with, and hard to see how Abbott will slip out of the shadow of the anodyne if he doesn't start voting with Australia's, and not his interests in mind.

A culture of hate- by Simon Moore

In the last few days I have been researching a political organisation known as the nationalist alternative. From their ideologies it is not hard to jump from ultra conservative white-only party to radical neo-nazi party. I realised that many opposed to such racist groups are looking into a violent mirror. The nationalist alternative was attacked aggressively at an anti internet censorship rally in South Australia, a video on slackbastard depicted multicultural groups stomping the white only protestors heads, the lyrics to a song by Skarharrper called "nazi scum" has the lyrics "we gotta beat em in the street, there's a time to fight and that time has come, we're comin for ya nazi scum". How does one defend minorities by violently attacking one?

HPD Salutes: "When We Were Kings"

Today we salute "When We Were Kings", the 1996 film that depicts the "Rumble in Jungle"- the infamous 1974 fight between George Foreman and Muhamad Ali.

With hypnotic chants of "Ali Bomaye", scenes of Foreman smacking dents into boxing bags, and the epic mental and physical strength of each boxer, this is a film that shows the real golden age of boxing.

So here is our salute to a vicious, viceral and sometimes beautiful sport and two men that stunned the world with their athleticism, bravery and spirit.

9 Years to Late- by Michael Stripe

It always seemed anachronistic to me (but I suppose so does most of America) buy why had the people who had helped with the clean-up after 9/11 not get compensated for their health problems?

Now they have, after 9 years.

Now, after hundreds of deaths and lives shattered from respiratory illnesses these people are finally getting their dues.

Makes me wonder though, was this some unholy example of a government's absolute dedication to the free-market and avoiding universal health-care?

Will we hear never again for Nigeria?-by Sean Maguire

After a genocide or massacre there's a simple refrain that always rings out from the international community:

"Never Again"

It's a powerful statement, and one that's meant to show that we as a world are united for good.

Unfortunately, a lot of the reason why we say "never again" is because the tragedy that has just occurred could have been stopped.

The Holocaust, the Khmer Rouge massacres, Darfur, Srebrenica, Rwanda, the Congo are all examples of this, and prove the saying that "all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing".

So, in the days to come, as we learn more of the Nigerian Massacre it would be nice to hear that this will never happen again; but in a country that few know about (apart from its oil) and a continent that remains in darkness- don't expect that never will last forever.

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4 mar

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Why has homepage started running so many nameless 100 word eds? Names are good for intellectual continuity, honesty and non-hypocrisy. - Terry McGee

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Re: Bale de Rua

We thought the Bale de Rua was aweful. Choreography was terrible - set design, music and costumes were lacklustre. The dancers however were very athletic and graceful. - Jules

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Re: In Praise of Mediocrity

I just wonder who decides if what ever you chose to do in life, is mediocre or not. Sounds like with standards like yours, this article with its poor structure and soap box appeal may also be considered by many as, in-fact, mediocre. - Khedra

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Re: The Assassins of Langley

Yes, Mr. Neville. Odious, heinous assassins sold body and soul to Luciferian entities who pull the strings (the last of them, I want to believe) from the shadows. Philip Aggeee and John Stockwell portrayed them quite well. They are NOT heroes, nor are the gangbangers of East Los Angeles who spray grafitti in Iraq, where they most certainly train for urban warfare on our streets. Good riddance to them all!

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Re: Hairy Legs: A Study of Female Art, Feminism and Femininity

Looking forward to more of her articles. Hope she does plenty of Art Theory at SCA. Barbara Kruger and Judy Chicago are certainly powerful artists and it would be interesting to see what they are doing now.

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A hero's welcome for the famous Iraqi shoe thrower

Terrorist! Please do your research first before writing such dangerous things, we was insulting Bush by throwing the shoe as he was disgraced with him, not trying to topple the largest super power in the world by throwing a shoe. I cant believe you have put those words up. Ashamed

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Re: How to Report the News

Having worked as a TV news reporter I found Charlie's piece very amusing - some of us have long believed reporting like this is a rubbish way to do things! But even if a journalist wants to tell stories in a more authentic and engaging way, the constraints of the so-called "house style" in many news organisations make it difficult to achieve. What's needed is a massive culture shift and a complete re-think of what we understand quality broadcast news reporting is. And guess what? That's exactly what's happening, though you'd never believe it from what we're still mostly seeing on TV. Anyway, the new digital technologies, and shake up of "old school/old mainstream" journalism means new platforms and styles of "news" storytelling can now emerge. Let's hope fresh and appropriate ways of funding appear too, so we can kill off this dreadful formulaic reporting and delivery, and clear the way for more natural and interesting ways to treat stories and content.

Much love, Ian Aspin.
www.twitter.com/ianaspin

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Re: Pushing 60 With Pot

You're pushing 60, well I'm pushing 70 and still having to scrounge around for my pot. It's tragic that when I first came to Australia it was $30 an ounce, and now I have to pay nearly $350 - Peter

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Re: Textbook publishers dream of the tablet

Why can't this just be a program for PC and Windows? Why do they have to make us buy more hardware that's just going to disappoint? - Tyler J. Wilson

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Re: Killing Indian Students: Australia's Favourite New Sport!- by Sean Maguire

How about the indian guy who slashed his wife's throat, is still australia to blame for?..may be , for accenpting them to move over!I am an immigrant myself but I love this country, there is no perfect place on Earth but australia is one of the best! - Michael

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Re: Killing Indian Students: Australia's Favourite New Sport!- by Sean Maguire

This entire fiasco is an incredible over reaction. Australia is an easy target. Why? because we are honest, transperant and we talk about our failings. Is there aggression and iolence in Australia? Sure, like any country. But we face it head on and we work to eliminate it. What about the stories of the 100’s of thousands of Indian workers who are treated as slaves in the middle east and nobody says anything? What about the fact that India still has entrenched pedophilia in terms of child brides? What about the crushing poverty embraced by more than 60% of the Indian people while this nation runs around building nuclear warheads? A storm in a teacup, an over reaction, and a diversion from some the really bad issues facing India. What is really happening here is that students are being unnecessarily frightened. meaning they will miss out on what could be the opportunity of their lifetime. - Daryl

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Re: Killing Indian Students: Australia's Favourite New Sport!- by Sean Maguire

I couldn't agree with Sean Maguire's article more on the recent Indian attacks. For all those who like the pretend the attacks are merely based on coincidence, try to imagine how we would react if the boot were on the other foot and an uncharacteristic number of Australia's had been murdered in India. Would you push for a travel ban? Would you be scared for your children in a seemingly hostile environment so many miles away? - Kara Jensen-Mackinnon

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