The Arab League on Sunday backed Sudan’s rejection of UN troops in Darfur. They’ll “try” to fulfill their “commitments” to provide six months’ worth of financing for the African Union mission. My fingers are crossed.
(Hat tip - Sudan Watch)
In other news, Sudan’s alliance with Iran is apparently strengthening. Great developments huh?
Iranian visiting envoy said Iran is resolute to implement cooperation agreements reached with Sudan, said Iranian Minister of Agriculture who is currently visiting the country.He said that the strong ties between Iran and Sudan necessitate more consultation between them toward confronting the colonialism conspiracies, and holding discussion on a number of international issues.
If these develpments keep the UN troops out and help reinforce the AU troops instead, I don’t mind them at all. However when it comes to democracy, screw both the Iranian and Sudanese regimes. I’m with the West. Why? It’s simple really, democracy there is alive and kicking. Dear Muslims, can you deny that? Can you deny that your fellow Muslim brothers and sisters in the West have more rights and freedoms than the ones in Muslim countries of the Middle East? Can you? Hell, even Arabs in Israel have more rights than those living in Arab countries.
Continue supporting the likes of Bin Laden and Ahmadinejad until you find yourselves living under their harsh and extremist Talibani style Sharia infested rule. I’m sure you’ll be smiling then.
SudaneseThinker
SudaneseThinker
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I too whole heartedly support the democratic system and instituitions of the West and have the highest regards for them; but, it’s the West’s bullying of other countries, and greed for materials like oil and such from other countries, that breeds the hatred against it - not only in the Middle East, but in most parts of the world!
As for the Muslim world, I wish all can emulate the Malaysian way! Make Malaysia the model!
Omar, “the West’s bullying of other countries, and greed[snip] that breeds the hatred against it”
I heard that before, I’m rather puzzled. Can you elaborate? As a Westerner, I don’t see myself bullying ppl from other countries, au contraire my country (Denmark) is the no.1 in giving aid to 3rd world, by population size.
No disrespect, just curious
Be it the UN or other International organisations - America or the UK or some other powerful Western country, would always try to force their way on to the rest of the world! It always never matters, whether they are justified or right!
Be it colonialism, or supporting apartheid South Africa - it’s the West that has played the major role. Presently, the West decides who to ‘bully’ and who not to. All weighed down by the West’s interests - mainly economic. Note: how so fast Libya has turned in to the darling of the West! And yet just a short while ago, it was one of the West’s most hated country!
Just because Castro and Cuba is communist, doesn’t justify all that America has against Cuba! Note: Castro and Cuba, have repeatedly been targeted simply because of the ideology there! Now: it’s Venezuela! Economically, Cuba might be weak - but aren’t Cubans much better off than Haitians? Haiti is called a ‘free deomocratic’ country, and yet how much has been done to help it stand properly on its feet?! Papa and Bay Doc weren’t as targeted as Cuba! And yet who is more evil: the Docs or Catro? Isn’t Cuba much more safer than the crime rampant Brazil and isn’t it socially more organised and stronger than most Latin American countries? Then why continuously and repeatedly target it?
Lebanon is supposedly a much more democaraic country than most of its Arab counter parts, see how it was pounded and destroyed - with the support of America and Britain!
Africa is no different: America and other Western countries allow despots to run such countries like Equatorail Guinea because they have oil interests there, and yet make so much noise about Zimbabwe and Sudan! The Congo (DRC) is in its present big mess, due to the interference of Western countries and Western corporations! The DRC is undoubtedly, overall, much richer than all the Arab GCC countries combined - and yet it is so poor and distabilised due, mainly, to the greed by Western countries and businessman who have never allowed it to move forward! Remember Mobutu and how he was so pampered and supported by the West, and yet he was so corrupt? What is the difference between Mugabe and Mobutu or the present ‘rulers’ of Equatorial Guinea? Note: Africa is said to be much poorer than it was forty years ago! Much of this poverty is caused by corrupt, ineffective African leaders supported by the West!
Had Iraq no oil wealth, would it have had all the sufferings, destruction and deaths that it’s now going through? Wasn’t Iraq forcefully invaded by the US and Britain - without even the UN’s support?
Omar Basawad, you certainly do have many valid points. Indeed there are double standards in Western foreign policy or American foreign policy to be more specific and the reason as you said is mainly because of economic interests.
The Iraq war is still a topic of intense debate even in America. First it was about the WMDs. Ya sure thing they weren’t found! Then the excuse made was that Saddam hid them or gave them to other countries. Bwahaha sure! If he had WMDs he wouldn’t have hesitated to use them against the invading troops. There were no WMDs. Even UN inspection teams said there was no evidence supporting existence of WMDs.
After that it became about bringing democracy. I personally don’t fully buy the whole we went to Iraq to bring “democracy” thing. I believe it’s a combination of democracy and long term oil interests, mainly securing reserves for years to come. The reason I don’t buy the whole “democracy thingy” is because it’s one big major “in your face” double standard. All major US allies in the Middle East are non-democratic countries and the US doesn’t give squat about them. Mubarak of Egypt, House of Al Saud, King of Jordan, Ghadafi of Libya, Leader of Tunisia etc. They’re all oppressive disgusting dictators. Now people, don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting that it’s America’s duty to eliminate dictators around the world. What I’m saying is directed at American foreign policy makers and I have message for them: “stop being hypocrites”. Don’t give me that crap about democracy in Iraq when you clearly don’t give a damn about it in other places.
That being said, how do we face the reality that Iraq has already fallen? We face it positively. I’m against the “blurry” pretexts this war is being fought under and I’m against the manner in which dim wit Bush and his girlfriend Tony Blair initiated their invasion. However, now that American and British troops are there whether we like it or not, I think we should all support the democratic process. It would be wrong to think all Iraqis are against US troops presence. Check out Iraq the Model and you’ll know. It would also be wrong to put the full blame of the current Sunni-Shia violence solely on America. The deaths are a result of our own violent culture. However I’m seriously pissed at the pathetic mismanagement of the Iraq War. It’s freaking horrible! Afghanistan on the other hand, I support. The management is much better there and thank god those filthy Taliban are gone.
Cuba is also another interesting point you raised. I was shocked to know that in America people without Medicare can’t get health treatment. What the hell is that? I mean come on people this is AMERICA we’re talking about. In Cuba regardless of how filthy and corrupt Fidel Castro is, all people have access to good healthcare for free. Isn’t that worth something?
The truth is that sometimes we all become too judgmental and blind. You see, even when I make my own judgments, I always keep in mind that the real judgment should be left to those affected. For example let Iraqis and Afghanis decide if they like what America did. If the majority says yes then we, the constant “criticizers” should all just keep quite.
Omar Basawad, I’m with you on what you say and I’m equally pissed at the double standards in Western foreign policy (again American and British foreign policy to be more specific) BUT there are MANY good things they’re doing. Don’t let the positive things they do be overshadowed by the negative things. To tell you the truth, I’m angry at their double standards but I’m way way way angrier at the crazy shit that we’re doing. Did you know that the US gave Palestine 1.3 billion dollars of aid every year? Moreover Bill Clinton supported the Middle East peace process with his whole heart and I think his plan is possibly the best there is. What went wrong you may ask? Corrupted Yasser Arafat went wrong. Corrupted Fatah went wrong too. Hamas went and still continues to go wrong with their version of “Islamic” Jihad. They’re not supported or really backed much by US. Hell, even Bashir is not backed by the US at all and look what he’s doing to us Sudanese people. China and Russia are the ones backing him but they do it quietly yet we never seem to notice. Between China and Us, I would definitely choose US because they’ve got more respect for human rights. I’m sorry this turned into a really long rant…
What I’m trying to say is that we’re not completely blameless and that the blame shouldn’t solely fall on the West’s shoulders. Plus if they want our resources then great, what’s the problem? It’s not like they’re going to steal them like how they did during colonialism. Now they have to pay billions for our resources and that will benefit us. Isn’t it stupid for a businessman to kill his money loaded customers? Again brother, let me say I’m angry at their double standards but the nasty things we do are worse and make me way way angrier.
I believe we should criticize what we don’t like but at the same time we should NEVER forget to be self-critical… And as I always like to say: (it takes 2 hands to clap).
Salam to you.
PS: Malaysia is definitely a good model for others to start following.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article5581.shtml
Israel is not and will never be a real democracy
I dare you to come live in the ghettos of this country!!! The only people who are granted the american way of life are middle class well educated people, and how does one become well educated, well one has to live in the suburbs, if you live in the cities (basically if your hispanic or black), your destiny is in the armed forces or the e.r! They killed our forefathers these bloody white men, may this country burn for the blood of the natives spilt on this soil. And for the mental instability you have cause our youths by killing their history their lineage their culture, and have made them jokes in your textbooks which they are forced to read as being an accurate account of their own. DOWN WITH AMERICA!! LAND OF THE WHITE OPPRESSORS!!
EDUCATE YOURSELF BEFORE YOU SPEAK, when you visited the U.S all you saw what the ritz and glitz of manhattan, but you didn’t go to the bronx, in D.C did you that people live in ditches, this is ain’t Africa why the hell are they sleeping in the dirt, cause of your so called democracy and capitalism that says don’t help a brother, help yourself first.
p.s. the natives i’m referring to are the native americans, but heck you can count the million of africans, most of them muslim, but yea, their own coutries are to blame, but the one who enforces supposed democracy and then turns his back on own principles should have twice the lashings for their stupidity.
http://www.themodernreligion.com/convert/convert_namuslims.htm
THEY PUT THIS IN THE HISTORY BOOKS DO THEY, hell we’re all a bunch of red indians that hop around the fire, while you’re all towel wearing sand niggers beating woman. This is the attitude of the civilzed west.
Hi there, I just found this interesting read
http://www.theicuc.org/msa/public/node/249
You should check out the other articles as well.
Great site and keep up the solid reporting.
http://www.regimeofterror.com
To complain about double standards is to look at the world in a simple way.
If my children are a very smart healthy girl and a sickly less-intelligent boy, should I not have different standards for them? Say you meet two people. One is a middle-aged woman, with a reputation for being honest and kind. The other is a young man with a reputation for stealing. Do you have the same expectations, the same standards, for both? No, you would be wary and cautious with the man, and probably avoid him.
If I’m a large nation, should I deal the same way with an enemy nation as with an ally? If one country is rich, capitalist and has a well-educated public, should I treat it the same as a poor socialist country whose public is uneducated? In trade, should I favor foreign businessmen over my own citizens?
What does a government owe to the citizens of another country? If I’m a capitalist country, what possible response can I make to the “colonialism conspiracy theories” in your quotation? How can I reasonably relate to a friendly country which allows an uncontrollable militia on its soil, a militia with declared enmity toward me and my ally?
The US can’t predict the future any better than anyone else in the world, and so, like everyone else, makes mistakes.
This is a good blog,I liked reading through it and quite liked it ,Thanks for sharing
Wish you well
Jodetoad:If I’m a large nation, should I deal the same way with an enemy nation as with an ally? If one country is rich, capitalist and has a well-educated public, should I treat it the same as a poor socialist country whose public is uneducated? In trade, should I favor foreign businessmen over my own citizens?
Isn’t Saudi Arabia in the same categorary as the rest of the enemy countries but yet you treat them the same as the rest of the democratic countries. As for the poor and the rich, it’s a joke to think this country is rich and has an educated public, more than 50% of the population doesn’t know where Dubai is located and that it is a province in a country called the U.A.E, heck they don’t even know where that is. Educated, sure, the poor countries seem to yield more “educated” peoples, they have an idea of what the world is like, they watch the news rather than entertainment tonight. As for you comment on the foreign bussinessmen to citizens, we already do that, as the previous anonymous stated, go into the city of your states, and don’t stop at the high rise building downtown, GO INTO THE CITY, and come out and tell me whether this is really as democratic a country we think it is. Everyone is equal, so the constitution says, so why is that minorty youths in the hearts of the city are considered a nuisance to their suburban counter parts.
Omar, Anon,
I just have to state for the record that I disagree vehemently with virtually everything you two said.
Anon, I grew up in the concrete jungle of Coney Island, went to public school, and worked my way up from there. So, I can say on the basis of my own experience that what you say is not correct.
As far as not getting healthcare if you don’t have medicare, that is laughable. Totally laughable.
Yes Cuba may have this service or the other that the USA does not, but the USA was founded on the principle of liberty that the smaller government is, the better.
As far as our attitude towards other countries’ human rights issues, we have always played a role in encouraging countries to open up and improve their right situations. Or course, we also have our own self-interest to pursue. Can you fault us for sometimes forsaking our ideals in the interest of our self-interest? I don’t believe that’s a foreigner’s right. I can question my own country in that way, but I won’t tell you that your country should forsake its self-interest, and I don’t believe you should tell me about mine.
Salam Drima! Self critisism is always the best! One should always be able to accept one’s shortcomings and failures. And don’t get me wrong: I am a great admirer of the US and it’s instituitions - democracy, the judiciary, electoral and fiscal policies etc.; though, I find Bush and his cronies great failures and destructive! I do too, have several Americans whom I know are friends indeed! Americans, as a people - are great; it’s their elected leaders, and their very tiny corporate leaders, whom I blame!
Jodetoad: you seem to have missed the point! And you imply too - that as such countries like the DRC are ‘weak’ and ‘unhealthy’, then it’s justified to rape and plunder them! You also have the notion that: America and the West are superior!
Economically, America and the West are stronger than most nations - but, socially and spiritually, are they? The greatest realization is not only economical - but spiritual too! Period!
And who has ‘a reputation for stealing’? The West or us in Africa and other poor countries? Be it London or Paris; be it the US or Australia; the sweat and blood of millions of people were used for their basis and enrichment! And the resources of others were looted and plundered for that!
‘If one country is rich, capitalist and has a well-educated public, should I treat it the same as a poor socialist country whose public is uneducated’ - there you go! Read and travel! The ‘public’ of Cuba and the former Soviet states, are much more educated, well read and enlightened than those of most Western Nations - if not all; the US, in particular! There are many Americans who don’t know where Surinam or Brunei or Pluto or Jupiter is, let alone knowing what they are! Come to think of it: there are many Americans who don’t even know the difference between Washington State and Washington DC! How many Americans really understand, the American judicial or electoral sysytem and process?
I always point to America, as it’s the West’s greatest symbol and model; a country whose yearly budget adds to trillions and not a few billions like ours here! And yet - millions of it’s citizens are reeling in poverty and darkness! Note: how poor Cuba manages disasters with ease, and is able to easily move and accomodate a million of it’s citizens; and compare that to how Katarina was handled!
Still, no one should overlook the great contributions that America has given to the world; be it - it’s contribution to democracy or technology; I did rather have, always, the US controlling the Internet rather than any other entity! And any other power with the kind of military and economic power that the US has - might, most likely have used them, even much more destructively! And where else - can a woman, a descendant of former slaves, be a Secretary of State and have such enormous power? Only in the US!
CONEY ISLAND, what a joke, are you sitting here telling me that you lived in Coney Island who’s poverty rate is not that high and comparing to the slums of D.C, to the streets of the Bronx and Hartford, are you telling me they are the same?! Let me rephrase what I said then, it is a shame that in cities where the teenage birth rate is higher than 50% and where the homes of the relatively poor people are considered castles compared to the ones who have no access to any kind of services because nobody wants to enter their neighborhoods, since they are seen as hazards, I have seen villages in Indonesia and Malaysia, where even the poorest people have a sense of family, and morale, where here the poorer the people the closer to death they are (mentally that is), I lived all my life in the city, and I can’t say one good thing about my experience, except that I would rather associate with people from the city than the suburbs because THEY APPRECIATE LIFE, where as suburanites have become consumed in the baseless ideals of materialism. I am disgusted with this country, and this felt by nearly everyone who works at minimum wage levels. I say that we should not be trying to enforce democracies on other countries when ours is failing the people which is says it serves.
P.S. DID ANYBODY REALIZE THAT RUSSIA IS STARTING TO SINK BACK TO ITS COMMUNIST ROOTS, AND MOST RUSSIANS DON’T SEEM TO CARE WHETHER THEIR COUNTRY IS A DEMOCRACY OR NOT, I think that says a lot.
Omar, in your first response to me you make a lot of “good” examples on how the West behaves. I think I’m starting to understand how incidents that - to me - seem unrelated, may look as “the West has ganged up on the 3rd world”..
During the cartoon crisis (which is really what my blogging is all about) I was shocked to hear Muslims making all kinds of connections to US foreign policy, Israel/Zionism, war in Iraq/Afghanistan etc.
But then again, “we” in the West tend to wiev the Muslim world as one big lump, no wonder “you” do the same.
Thanks for sharing your wievs, much appreciated.
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