Democracy

When I was busy keeping track of the last US presidential race, I was baffled by the apathetic attitude displayed by some of my American friends towards their country’s future. One of them is a US Marine I went to school with, who fought in Iraq. I’ll never forget what he told me.

Me: So, dude, who are you voting for? Obama or McCain?

Friend: Man, I ain’t voting for nobody. F*ck that shit!

Me: Erm, why?

Friend: Man, they’re all full of shit anyway!

Me: So you’re willing to risk your life and fight for your country, but you’re not bothered to vote? Enlighten me please!

Friend: Like I said, they’re all full of shit anyway. What difference will it make?

If I had a magic crystal ball back then, I would have replied, “for a start, health care!” I should have added “withdrawing from Iraq” and a bunch of other foreign policy things that impact the world.

But that was America, and now that it’s Sudan’s turn, I am beginning to relate to my friend’s attitude. It’s funny really, because I didn’t expect myself to wind up here, especially after blogging so much about Sudan from 2006 to 2008.

I won’t vote in the Sudanese elections.

I won’t vote because:

1. I missed the voter registration date and hardly regretted it since I’ve never really believed in the predicted “change-bringing” effects of the expected elections. Hence, I can’t vote anyway even if I change my mind and wanted to.

2. Positive alternatives to Al-Bashir with an actual chance of winning are nil.

3. Assuming I registered, given that Al-Bashir is going to win any way, I would rather abstain from voting than vote for him.

4. Regardless of the “confidence” in the election process expressed by the US envoy to Sudan, the elections aren’t going to be fair or transparent.

5. Even if I’m wrong and the election process achieves some decent level of transparency and fairness, it still takes lots of money for parties and candidates to win, something that Al-Bashir and his NCP have a lot of, while the opposition is relatively broke, with the exception of the SPLM which is too corrupt and divided to even run itself properly anyway.

6. Quite frankly, I just don’t care about the political process anymore at the moment. It’s hopeless. I’ve been so disconnected and apathetic towards what’s happening, I no longer feel its relevance. Given the current circumstances, Sudan is a country in waiting with too many question marks ahead.

Now, I don’t want to put down the hopes of Sudanese who have passionately rallied their fellow citizens to vote and get involved in the election process. I admire them for that, but electing a new Sudanese president is a losing battle, which is why I find it hilarious when well-meaning but naive Westerners like Simon Tisdall express such a rosy view.

Don’t get me wrong, the elections as a milestone for Sudan are a very great thing! However, the election process itself as a means of electing a new government is a joke. So why do the US envoy to Sudan and Jimmy Carter seem to express a rather optimistic, albeit cautious views about the event? Well, to answer that, one first needs to notice that the US administration took a position contrary to that of the opposition parties in Sudan.

While many in the opposition wanted the elections to be postponed, the US pressed that they should continue on time, regardless of boycotts and threats of more boycotts by the opposition. This is because America views the historic event within the bigger and more important context in which it is happening: the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which has milestones and a timeline designed to lead to the Southern Sudan referendum in January 2011.

Therefore, this shouldn’t surprise anyone.

April 10, 2010 (JUBA) – The US Special Envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration, has welcomed the decision confirmed by the leadership of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) that it will participate in the elections in Northern Sudan states, saying it was important for the prioritized upcoming referendum in the South.

… Gration, who seemed to express satisfaction with the SPLM’s strategic political priorities, said his office was ready to assist in the contentious issues between the two peace-partners [NCP and SPLM] so that referendum on independence of Southern Sudan would be conducted as scheduled for January 2011.

Oh well, I wonder what it would have been like if John Garang was still around. Too bad he isn’t. And too bad Sudan doesn’t seem to have the strong necessary leadership in the opposition that’s capable of running a well-organized political party, let alone an entire fragile country that can disintegrate into another Somalia if it isn’t held together firmly.

Meanwhile, let the games begin! It’s time for those much-awaited and talked about elections! I will be keeping track of the news every now and then. And when 2011 has come and gone, let me know. I might get back to my former days of high engagement and interest.

Sudanese in the house, drop your comments and links to your blog posts below, if you have any please. A Global Voices round up is in the works.

I would love to hear your point of view.

Yalla, salam.

- Drima

The news is out. Lubna won’t get flogged after all - a victory for Muslim women who stood behind her and supported her, but is the sentence really worthy of our celebration?

Me thinks probably not.

It’s a bittersweet occasion. No to getting flogged, yes to getting fined.

But that’s not the unfortunate part.

The true misfortune is the fact that this new embarrassing episode in Sudan - one of an ongoing series (Teddy Bear Circus anyone?) - doesn’t seem like it’s going to be the last.

Things like this will continue

As long as you have idiots who misunderstand Islam, abuse it for self-serving political purposes, or dogmatically support its orthodox traditionalist interpretation (which in numerous cases is anti-woman), incidents like this will continue.

(Note: There are things that are supported and backed by Islam which don’t treat women equally and that do indeed deserve critique, for example the amount of inheritance allocated for women within Islamic law. However, most Islamic scholars will agree that Lubna’s arrest was un-Islamic, and was either carried out by idiots who don’t have a proper understanding of Islamic law, or who are using Islam as a political tool to further their own self-serving agendas.)

But anyways, back to what I was saying.

Again, yes, things like this will continue not just in Sudan, but throughout the Muslim world, because most of it suffers from the same serious common illness: a knowledge crisis.

And this latest case, the Teddy Bear Circus, and other similar ones are merely symptoms of this disease, so don’t expect them to go away as long as this disease remains.

The cures?

Mainly free inquiry and free enterprise.

Oh, and lots of work, time and patience, but it’s okay because we’ve got to start somewhere, and it’s people like Lubna who inspire the needed soldiers to march forward with boldness and courage.

Bittersweet indeed, but maybe the sentence is worthy of just a little celebration.

So I guess this post is mine.

 Seriously, do NOT worry!

Dear Campell Brown, thank you so much for stating the obvious.

I woke up early just to watch the damn thing. Hey, I’d be a complete idiot to miss such sweet entertainment.

After the two disastrous interviews Palin did, I was expecting Biden to tear her into pieces. He didn’t, firstly, because she’s a woman and that would be mean, and secondly, because Palin did surprisingly well considering her major screw ups previously. Nonetheless, Biden performed better overall I think, regardless of his stupid inaccurate comments about Lebanon and Gaza.

He offered solid answers and strategies. Plus, he wasn’t reading from his notes as much as Palin was. Sure, Palin was cute, animated and folksy, but her answers came across sounding memorized.

At this point of the race, I’m not bothered with cliche speeches about hope or cute smiles anymore. I’m just dying for some real concrete answers concerning foreign policy, especially towards Sudan, and BAM, Biden finally gave me that.

He’s not for forced intervention in Darfur using US troops anymore. However, he now stands for a more aggressive push aimed at putting all peacekeepers on the ground, and providing more security for the displaced populations.

Sweet.

I’m slightly relieved and now leaning further towards the Obama-Biden ticket, but I still await the remaining debates. Yes, yes, I know, I’m such a meticulous “voter.”

During the McCain-Obama debate, I thought McCain put up a better performance. Nonetheless, I’m appalled at his choice for VP, because it indicates a selfishness to put one’s self ahead of one’s country.

Seriously, who cares if Palin got the conservative base excited, the man is old, and let’s face it, his body might fail him. Does he really think Palin can lead if he goes bye bye?

That’s not to say that I’m in love with Obama like most of the world is. In fact, if I do end up picking him, I’m going to do it holding my nose.

If there is any video you watch online today, it’s this one.

It’s sooo funny, I almost died with laughter. Pure genius! Seriously, whether you’re a Donkey or an Elephant, you gotta admit that this is hilarious as hell.

Yeah, without the prepared and carefully worded speeches, Palin sadly exposed herself as a disaster, but on the bright side, we now at least have this priceless entertainment.

Gosh, I’m still laughing.

WATCH IT!

Can we get a McBama or a pre-Iraq war Collin Powell please?

No?

Oh well, good luck America. And great luck to the rest of us.

Uh, um, chili is not cold, and I went to the supermarket because light travels from the sun when I yawn and then he disagreed since 1987 beyond Tom Cruise until monkey banana.

Gosh, this is so bad, it’s not even funny. Heck over at Pajamas Media you even have people wondering whether Bobby Jindal would have been a better choice.

This is so absurd.

On the other hand, this is funny.

Seriously McCain, given your not-so-young age, the least you could have done is pick a more articulate and qualified candidate for vice presidency, you know, just in case God forbid the situation arises.

A friend of mine sent me the following article to dispute an earlier post I wrote.

Here’s the excerpt I want to highlight.

Nationwide, there are about 42 million registered Democrats and about 31 million Republicans, according to statistics compiled by The Associated Press.

The Democrats have posted big gains in many competitive states, including Nevada, New Hampshire, Iowa, Colorado and Florida. They have also been targeting historically Republican southern states.

Hmmm…

That’s a huge difference, a difference of 11 million voters.

Americans in da house, what do you guys think? Historically, has there ever been such a big difference in the numbers of registered voters in both parties?

Sarah Palin without a doubt has invigorated the McCain camp in a pretty significant way.

I mean let’s face it. Just about a week ago, McCain was the old, dull and boring guy that the media couldn’t be bothered too much with. It was Obama fever all over the place, and when Biden got into the picture, the fever got even hotter.

Then unexpectedly, Palin comes onto the scene and BAM, attention shifts. The Alaskan politician who only just days ago was virtually a no-name politician in the United States, is all of a sudden the most talked about woman in the whole damn world.

I bet McCain is happy with his VP pick and how she’s brought the spotlight.

Palin’s entry should not be ignored and perceived as inconsequential to the race. While I think the overall momentum at the moment is still left-leaning, I think McCain has a pretty good chance of winning now.

Sure, most Americans still dislike Bush, and they’re unhappy with the economy and the higher unemployment rate, but by just going through the comments sections of blogs in the American Rightosphere, you can see a huge boost in enthusiasm.

Previously, most comments reflected lots and lots of frustration and bitterness towards Obama. The Elephants’ self-esteem didn’t look too good. The media was all over Obama. Plus, McCain is not exactly known for being an excellent orator.

The dinosaur puts me to sleep sometimes.

Enthusiasm is important, because if potential voters get enthusiastic enough, they will show up in bigger numbers at the voting booth.

Karl Rove helped Bush get elected and then re-elected because he knew exactly how to mobilize the conservative base. He turned things like gay marriage and abortion into red hot issues that got conservatives all worked up… worked up enough to show in bigger numbers. That was his genius.

Palin managed to really pump up things for people on her side. She turned into a loved figure over night amongst many, if not most conservatives. Furthermore, she could turn drilling and energy policy into a key issue, and hence, establish herself as a credible authority on the subject. But more importantly, she has made conservatives excited.

She uplifted their morale.

Given things as they are right now, I still believe Obama has the bigger chance of winning BUT… if Palin and the McCain camp manage to get their base mobilized fast and adequately enough, they just might end up grabbing the White House.

~~*~~*~~*~~ 

As for what I think, I gotta say that while I love Palin’s fierceness and libertarian leanings, her religious worldview turns me off in a heinous way. It’s disturbing to know that somebody who blurs the line between separation of church and state like she does, can be a heartbeat away from the presidency. As for Biden, I’m very reluctant to embrace him thanks to his interventionist stance on Darfur. His addition to the Obama camp means more hostility towards Sudan, which brings me to this.

Too little pressure, like what the Elephants are doing now, and the situation won’t change much in Sudan. Too much pressure and hostility, like what the Donkeys might very well end up doing, and you risk screwing up the situation badly turning it into a Somalia-like scenario.

This doesn’t even begin to go into Iraq, Iran, genuine support of liberalism and democracy, terrorism,  the re-rise of Russia, boosting the global production of Prozac, protecting endangered pandas, and legalizing marijuana.

Hmmm…

I gotta admit, trying to be a non-partisan “independent” can be a total bitch sometimes. Not only that, but at times, I really do feel that ignorance is indeed bliss.

I’m going for a swim.

Meanwhile, Sarah Palin fever continues.

And I mean literally deadly diarrhea…

… then on one hand, we could end up with an old dude who’s heavily experienced, and one the other hand, we could end up with a hardly experienced woman from Alaska.

Given the ages of Obama and McCain, there’s a higher probability we could end up with the Alaskan inexperienced female as President of the USA.

Sweet right?

But hey, there’s more.

Today’s highlights are none other than these annoyingly amusing statements made by Obama and Palin about the war in Iraq.

Okay, so let’s get started with Obama:

LANCASTER, Pa. - Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said Thursday that the escalation of U.S. troops in Iraq, which he had opposed, has succeeded in reducing violence “beyond our wildest dreams.”

But Iraq still has failed to achieve the political reconciliation and self-sufficiency that is required, he said, and he vowed to withdraw American troops and end the war.

Awww, so he admits the Surge succeeded but nonetheless still wants to withdraw asap and squander all the significant progress that has been made in the last few months?

Wonderful!

I prefer McCain’s position and I’m glad the Elephants finally stopped being stubborn and started talking to Iran… but, I admit I do get ticked off when I read things like today’s second highlight, a super comforting comment by Palin:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told ministry students at her former church that the United States sent troops to fight in the Iraq war on a “task that is from God.”

… “Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God,” she said. “That’s what we have to make sure that we’re praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God’s plan.”

Thank you dear. That’s just the sort of thing we need: more religion fused with politics.

Yup, so we have the “hey, look at me, I’m from a working, middle-class background” Biden and then we have the Alaskan Palin, and damn is this process starting to get entertaining again.

I gotta say, my very initial reaction to Palin’s selection was utter surprise, but when you think about it, this could be a super smart move. I can’t be sure at this time. If McCain wants to grab the disgruntled Hillary fans, then he just might have found a pretty good way to do so. Plus, Palin is a fresh and largely unknown face which is attracting a lot of media attention, and that can’t be bad for the McCain camp.

Ah, so much fun ahead, I predict.

Let’s get the debates started asap please.

The following excerpt from this article suffices:

The discrimination or defamation of Muslims, or of any other group for that matter, is of course reprehensible. But “Islamophobia,” as defined by Libya, Iran and the other Durban II organizers, covers any criticism of Islam, Muslims or their actions.

Indeed. It comes down to how you define “criticism” and “Islam” and we all know the kind of definitions Islamists like.

Hmmm… let’s see, Islamic law is not infallible, and in numerous cases, the horrendous way it’s practiced is outright disgusting.

Oh my, I just insulted Islam!

Most - but not all - terrorist attacks nowadays are unfortunately carried out by Muslims. Oh and beware of the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamists. They have a nasty agenda.

Everybody scream “Islamophobiaaaaaaa!”

Do you see where I’m getting at?

Now of course, I’m against things like the Danish cartoons or super genius films like Fitna but that doesn’t mean I’m for criminalizing them. In fact, even European laws against Holocaust denial should be eradicated. I do realize my position puts me amongst a minority of Muslims but it is my position nonetheless. Let’s just say I like the American model of free speech.

The kind of laws being proposed by lovely regimes like Iran’s and Libya’s aren’t just meant to silence what includes a lot of legitimate concerns and criticism but also Muslim voices of reform. Seriously, do I even need to elaborate? The names “Iran” and “Libya” should be enough to convince any sane politically-aware person.

For those who missed or still haven’t read my roundup for GV on this issue, then here it is. Meanwhile, here’s also a YouTube video showing the detainment and humiliating harassment of some Darfurian child rebels captured during JEM’s attack on the Sudanese capital.

The video doesn’t feature anything substantial in terms of true torture but I have no doubts whatsoever that some of these kids had to endure some very nightmarish experiences.

The comments at YouTube on the video demonstrate one side with an opinion along the lines of “screw them, what they did to our brothers and sisters during their attack was worse” and another rightful side staunchly against the inhumane treatment the video shows.

Do I need to mention that YouTube is invaluable and highly important?

We knew this was coming for a while. Win or lose, Obama has achieved the seemingly unachievable, and I can bet you that the people who where in charge of his fund-raising, public relations, branding and marketing efforts are going to be very sought after. Watch his nomination victory speech here and see McCain’s response here.

This is all so exciting! It’s probably even better than watching the world cup. And like I said, I can’t wait for the one-on-one debates to begin.

So, who will win? Will it be the creative youthful Donkey who sometimes seems to be living in La La Land or the Elephant with the “dinosaur” experience who comes across once in a while as just another Bush?

The majority of the American people are in essence tired of what has transpired under the Elephant Bush administration and basically want something different. They want change. The winner will be the person who can represent that change well and right now I believe that person is Obama regardless of what those who oppose him think of him because it’s irrelevant. What’s relevant is how people, the majority of the American people perceive him and so far, he’s managed to build himself a very good brand.

Hello, let’s not forget that in 2006 during the midterm elections the Senate and House of Representatives went to the Donkeys. It was a shift towards the left. I don’t think the momentum has slowed down. In fact given the increasing oil prices, I believe the dissatisfaction has only grown. Plus, if you take into account how Obama managed to quickly recover from the Wright controversy, then you have another indication of that momentum’s strength.

We’ve still got many months to go and a lot can happen. Potential controversies and campaign management on both sides will of course also be two factors in the final outcome, but at the end of the day, by looking at the midterm election results and the current circumstances, I’d say America is in the mood for a Donkey president.

UPDATE: Have you guys watched the AIPAC speech? I did. The whole thing. Phew, what a speech! And the highlight? When he said “Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel and it must remain undivided.”

WTF?

Even the Israeli government doesn’t say stuff like that. Even they are cool with dividing Jerusalem into East for Palestine and West for Israel.

Not surprisingly, throughout Obama’s whole speech, that line got the loudest applause.

Overall though, the speech was clearly a middle finger meant to silence those on the right who have banged Obama and questioned him over his position on diplomacy with Iran. It was meant to eliminate doubts over his perceived weakness.

We’ve just seen and heard a very different Obama, and I’ve got to say that I’m so looking forward to what happens next. This is going to be one hell of an amusing election. Damn, I love American politics. The whole thing is just sooo entertaining.

Israelis and Jews lurking around, what do you think after that tough speech?