The Universal soldier

Here’s another African story from the towpath. You will need to use a little imagination.

Imagine if.........You saw some pictures of starving weepy eyed, fly covered African babies and someone told you to give money to help those starving babies…… You gave what you could and felt good about the help you were giving Africa. Say you even enjoyed the feel-good from buying a ‘feed the world’ record to help starving babies live with full tummies.

Then imagine that African Aid money all piling up and going to a number of African governments. Lets pick a few out of a hat. (On the basis that they represent impoverished African Countries capable of generating the images of Aids ridden starving babies that make for charitable aid). Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and Chad.

Now lets imagine that empowered by this money the governments of those countries think to themselves ‘Aha. Wouldn’t it be a waste to give this money over to the poor and dying. Wouldn’t it make more sense to use this money to fund an army that can go out and show a profitable return.’

Consider that many of these Countries know that the Congo (Democratic Republic that it is) contains tremendous mineral wealth. Mineral wealth they could not defend if distracted by the presence of foreign militia. Like a hyena scenting in the air the blood of weakening prey, what if these countries sent their armies into the Congo to destabilise whatever government was in place, to win a share of the mineral wealth for themselves.

What if we then did a little research into the Congo's affairs and we then found out that the aid that we had given these Africans had coincided with the deaths of almost 4 Million Congolese (from a population of 60 million) in a 6 year period.

What if this was a true story. Wouldn’t you think the gruesome killing of almost 4 Million people in the last decade would be something you would be aware of?

And if that killing was directly (or otherwise) attributable to your African Aid dollar finding its way into the appropriate government agency would you not wonder if you had been duped in the matter of African Aid?

The wonderful organisation - The International Rescue Committee (http://www.theirc.org/) report that 3.8 Million Congolese have died in the past 8 years, and continue to die at the rate of 1,000 a day. That’s a world trade centre tragedy every 3 days or so.

What seems strangest to me is the disparity between the staggering volume of attention that the deaths in the 9/11 Towers incident generated, whilst, until you read it here, you probably didn’t have the vaguest idea that 3.8 Million Congolese (Mostly Women and children) have died horribly and in some proportion to the Aid receipts by those Countries contributing to the death count.

Which makes me wonder – what if media were controlled to such a degree that the power of those controllers of world media to affect the way the average person believes is so complete there is virtually no press speculation as to why 3.8 Million died in the Congo. The worlds worst conflict since 1945 – and not worth a passing mention by the media. Why?

The sixties song by Buffy St Marie 'The Universal Soldier' makes the point that the individual who fails to excercise conscientious and informed thought allowing themselves instead to be manipulated pawns in a system that - through their ignorant contribution - leads to misery and death, is ultimately responsible.

Ms. St Marie sings ‘He's the Universal soldier and he really is to blame’ and I think quite clearly, those mindless donations to African causes driven almost exclusively be ego driven megalomania are karmically in the same drawer of responsibility for the harm that money has led to as the prime culprit in this dreadful exploitation of Africa's misfortune for his personal benefit.

Imagine that there really is a problem in Africa. And then imagine that there really are a number of ways in which an individual could offer help to those already making a meaningful difference.

In my view the Saint Bob - 'Band Aid' style of crisis aid management is clearly harming Africa. Imagine if that Band Aid money went to those governments who spent it on Armies to help kill 3.8 Million Congolese in the name of mineral rights.

And imagine if the powers of media were quite content to not promote the stories of how we allow millions of Africans to die in the name of mineral greed, a process that benefits numerous western companies to a massive extent, choosing instead to create a blind alley. A popular ‘Band Aid’ to create the lip service effect of making people believe the problem is already addressed by those who know. And in the meanwhile, 1,000 Congolese die daily. And just around the corner in the Sudan.......well........it hardly seems worth carrying on for all the difference bringing the subject of the dark continent to the table makes.

Incidentally the governments of Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and Chad all deployed troops in the Congo by 1998, effectively funneling much of the Congo’s huge mineral wealth (Gold and Diamonds) into their own coffers.

I have no idea which American companies have any interest in both the African governments responsible and the control of Western press, (or indeed how many shares the Bush family and friends hold in these companies) however I will not be surprised when this information comes to light.

Luckily for the hopes of mankind we have the inspired leadership of George Bush to help us address these concerns with the wisdom and insight they deserve, and so the temptation to leave matters in his capable hands seems irresistible. Or does Ms. St Marie paraphrase as ’He’s the Universal idiot and he really is to blame.’

‘Do they know its Christmas?’

Has Bob Geldof no shame. Have the poor of Africa not given him enough Christmas’s already? His last widely reported and highly profitable effort to transfer funding from the wallets of British pop music supporters to the Ethiopian warlords (who clearly enjoyed live aid more than anyone, except perhaps those participants whose careers were built on that stage) worked well for Sir Bob. Providing a multi-million pound fortune, the reputation of a ‘Saint’ and a knighthood.

And that was for what any basic research into the ways of African aid will show, ultimately causing more deaths than it sought to prevent. Certainly it’s difficult to disavow the notion that ‘Live aid’ money, as is symptomatic in the matter of western efforts to aid Africa, killed more hungry babies than it fed. One Million were at risk of starvation in 1985. UN statistics indicate Eleven Million at risk in 2004. Twenty years later its ten times worse for the African dispossessed, although a lot better for Bob and his inner circle.

How much did Live aid contribute to this increase? Whilst the first Live Aid moment could be interpreted as enthusiastic ignorance that coincidentally benefited a few individuals one can but wonder as to the reasoning this time around.

For whatever motives exist in the minds of Sir (saint) Bob and his cynically motivated band of publicity seekers with their perilously limited familiarity with Africa's historical association with Western aid, (beyond their management companies projections for target audience reach and its quantifiable sales effect on their audience perception), he invites the British public – whose tax dollars are already overworked in adding to the 100 000 Iraqi civilian casualties who will not be around at all this Christmas, to contribute further in helping wipe out yet more foreigners less fortunate than ourselves. And all the while remembering that Saint Bob and his mates are our guides to good conscience. At least Tony Blair doesn’t pretend that his version of foreign aid is intended as ‘help.

So when we raise this anthem of Sir Bobs ‘Do they know its Christmas’ to the top of our popular charts and transfer sums of conscience money into so called African Aid, are we in fact contributing to the continuance of Africa’s tragic manipulation by cynical westerners motivated principally by their own profit?

Are we assisting Sir Bob in manufacturing famine in exchange for a Christmas moral feel-good. Bob enjoys another nice African payday while the hungry Africans get the same chance of anything improving in their world as a result of our efforts as on the last occasion our popular culture rallied to the cause.

Or are we just confirming that we are institutionalised in conformity to a point that whatever the popular trend suggests, no matter how nonsensical, we will follow.

The imminent popular success of this song should provide an interesting indicator.

What happened in America?

I was walking down the Tow path earlier, having my afternoon inspection of the various pee points when I came across Max, the Rottweiler from Dresden, and Millicent, a feisty Scottie bitch.

They were discussing todays American election. And Millicent was trying to explain why Bush won. It went something like this. . . . . . . . . . . . .

There is a saying' You can never over estimate the public stupidity.'

Nowhere is this saying more true than in America at this time.

"Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war
in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor,
for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword.
It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind
...And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch
and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed,
the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry.
Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded with patriotism,
will offer up all of their rights unto the leader, and gladly so.

How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar."

--- William Shakespeare


Many great writers - from Shakespeare and before have identified the key elements that enables the unscrupulous to bend the will of the masses to serve their purpose.

Things have not changed that much through mans history. And those who ignore the mistakes of history are condemned to repeat them.

Remember Hitler was elected to government by a huge majority.

My own belief, said Millicent, is that people get the leaders they deserve.

In a poll taken of how the rest of the world would vote in a US election - Kerry won by a huge landslide.

A majority in the rest of the world sees George Bush as an idiot leader who has mismanaged his Countries resources - threatened world peace with his war mongering - squandered massive resources with his capitalist friendly anti environment stance and generally offended every English speaker who ever heard his inane ramblings. That is before we even start on the long term consequences of his 'profit for friends' war generating stance in foreign policy.

Any yet the American public voted him in?

This means a majority in America approve of what Bush stands for.

Who is this American public - and what share of the blame should they now assume for the consequences of this vote. A vote for George Bush is a vote for what?

Greed. Idiocy. War. Fundamentalist zealotry.

Bush won because there are more stupid Americans than not. He won the FAT vote. And the FAT Christian vote. And also the FAT CHRISTIAN greedy racist vote. That gave him the majority.

It is unlikely though that come the next election America will be better off for having elected Bush this time.

Bush won because America wants to invite terrorism to its shores. War creates jobs for the friends of Bush and his buddies. For Bush war is good. There is no profit in peace. War provides a common enemy. Americans - clearly being stupid - rely on the unifying effect that a common enemy provides. Bush is not the first leader to use the tactics of fear generation to bend the will of the masses.

The sad part in all of this is that we are in the year 2004. Mankind has made many advances in many areas - and yet - Americans - in 2004 are still STUPID enough to buy into this ignorance. And so this ignorance carries with it a consequence.

History shows us that those who invite war in are seldom disappointed..........

It was around then that my master made us leave...... so I dont know if Max killed Millicent or not.

Vote Bush

How did Bush win the election?

Who are the voters who disregarded the facts of Bush's miserable record in just about every category that determines leadership quality.

Here is my understanding.

The electorate is broken down into various target groups.
Along racial lines . Economic lines and so on. The Jewish vote. The Black vote etc.

Team Bush identified a new and growing area, and it was here that the election was won.

The FAT vote.

Fat people conform ideally to the stereotype of an 'opiated mass'.

Fat people - lacking self discipline - lacking self respect - dependent on massive daily doses of intake. As mindlessly addicted as any junkie. They are poor in character - socially dependent on low paid jobs to enable them to keep up their food habit. And best of all, they live in fear. Fear that they will not get to their next meal. They are non active - and so they watch more TV than healthy people. And this is ideal for programming them with TV imagery to reinforce their fear in a way that only President Bush can protect them from.

And because of this low nourishment fat inducing diet that defines them, their ability to exercise intelligent thought in anything beyond the next meal is a quality notably absent. As illustrated by the majority vote in the US election of 2004.

The Fat vote - sponsored by Macdonald's and Coca Cola.

The Fat people of America have spoken.

And you thought President Bush was an idiot?

Winning the 'War on terror' by Wallace

I may be a dog, and so it takes awhile longer to figure things out than you humans, but I just worked out why there is a so called 'war on terror'.

The Islamic ‘folks’ are bombing America because America kills Muslims by paying the Israelis to do it on their behalf. To Bin Laden – bombing New York was the same as bombing Tel Aviv.

So there are two possibilities.

1. Keep pumping American dollars into Israel and keep providing a valid motive for all even minded people (and dogs) to recognise US complicity in world terrorism. This will keep the body count ticking over until – eventually – the second possibility.

2. Stop paying Israel. Recognise that they are committing deeply unacceptable human rights abuses, and withdraw all US support.

This will save the US many Billions of dollars on two levels.

The money they wont be giving Israel and the money they will save by effectively winning the war on terrorism in this way.

Distanced from Israel, the US will lose its ‘favoured nation’ status amongst the worlds leading terrorists, who, deprived of a target may well turn their attention to the rebuilding of Palestine and so on……

There you have it. How to win the 'war on terror' with one vote.

What happens if Israel kills American soldiers?

Max, who you may already know is a Rottweiler, and a big fan of Bush, thinks Israel is a great example of how we should all live. He says they control the world.

This morning, walking in the beautiful autumn light, Max told us Israel can kill who ever they want, because no body will do anything about it. They can kill Palestinians and they even get to kill American soldiers without fear of censure.

Of course I told him this was nonsense. If the Israeli's attacked and killed dozens of American soldiers, they would be in trouble.

'Not so' said Max. 'Not only can they kill American Soldiers, they can kill who ever they want, and Americans will pay for the guns they use to do it.'

Well, you could have heard the laughter from the other dogs all the way to Thames Ditton.

Unfortunately for us, Max is right.

June 8, 1967. Israeli planes, supplied no doubt by US tax dollars, attacked an American ship - the USS Liberty, and killed 34 soldiers.
Quite possibly they attacked this US Intelligence ship because the USS Liberty was just 13 miles offshore from where Israeli soldiers were busy executing up to 1,000 Egyptian prisoners of War (US tax dollars going to more good use)and they feared the ship would discover their crimes.
( http://www.ussliberty.org )

Guess what happened to the Israeli's for that little Liberty with American lives?

Around another 42 Billion Dollars in Military Aid........

If I was an American soldier, I would be asking serious questions about America's relationship with Israel.

If I was an American taxpayer I would wonder about the way my money was being spent. Almost 50 Billion dollars of American tax dollars directed toward military support for Israel and resulting in 100 000 dead Palestinians seems to suggest.........

Max rules the towpath today. None of us smaller dogs can get a word in edgeways on this argument.

Does anyone know why America continues sponsoring the ongoing indiscriminate killings that Israel perpetuates on a daily basis? Surely they would not be paying for something they didnt want themselves.

Oklahoma and Bush.....

This morning on the towpath my dad played the new JJ Cale album, and us dogs heard this song called 'The Problem'. How we laughed. This 66 year old man from Oklahoma sure explains things in a way us dogs can understand.

THE PROBLEM:

Have you heard the news that's goin' round here
The man in charge has got to go
Cause he dances round the problem - boy
And the problem is the man in charge you know

Now, the young knows what I'm talking 'bout
It's a con in the old man's game
The man in charge he don't know what he's doing
He don't know the world has changed

Power seems to be so far up
The man on the street ain't got a clue
The high top cats running your life
Thinks the problem is me and you

Born in a time that has gone by
The old tell the young what to do
Have you heard the news that's goin' round here
The problem is the man in charge of you
The problem is the man in charge of you

Have you heard the news that's goin' round here
The man in charge has to go
The man in charge has got to go

...

Mr Cale, the dogs of Riverbank salute you (Except for Max who says 'You are the problem and if you try singing your song round these parts he will show you the solution.') I dont think you need worry too much though because there's more of us than him.

Name on a list.

There I was this morning happily singing along to my favorite Cat Stevens song 'morning has broken' when I saw the news. Yussuf Islam, as Cat Stevens is now known, was traveling to the US with his daughter when an alert US agent spotted his name on the passenger list. Turns out he was on a list of terrorist possibles, and so the plane was immediately ordered to land at the nearest airport and Yussuf Islam was summarily interrogated and deported back to the UK.

For the generation familiar with the gentle and thought provoking work of this gifted Englishman, the label of 'terrorist' sits at odds with the facts. (I wont go into that here, but his selfless work for the betterment of the less privileged when he could have chosen the fortune building route his considerable wealth opportuned makes him a figure far worthier of respect than any of his nameless accusers.)

In view of this most recent example of America's lunacy can we now expect news of Texans congregating en masse for the ritual burning of their copy of ‘where do the children play’ for the subversive threat it represents to their way of life?

You can imagine the reflection of the flames in their joy filled eyes as they dispense with the threat posed by ‘moonshadow’ and the ultimate thrill when they realise ‘morning has broken’ has been consigned to an appropriately fiery grave.

One wonders what color flames the burning of 'Peace Train' will produce.

No story illustrates Americas decline into barbarous ignorance than this sorry consequence of electing an idiot to office.

My friend Ben (A black scottie) is American. He says he is embarrassed to be American at this time, and I guess about half of America must feel approximately the same. The other half are the ones who lack the basic intelligence to understand the consequences of voting a warmongering idiot into power.

I do hope that when I next travel I don’t find my name on an American list. And I do hope that whoever makes up these lists of people who are forbidden to enter America one day listens to the words of the great Cat Steven songs. Perhaps with the benefit of even this basic education in humanity the extent of their folly will become self evident.

Back to my afternoon snooze now.... I think I shall listen to 'Oh Very Young’ and send the lovely artist formerly known as Cat positive doggy thoughts.

Israel and America, Pippa and me.

Today on the towpath, Pippa the permed poodle told me that Israel controls the world.

'Well' I said demonstrating my new found knowledge of the world order,'That can't be right because George Bush controls the world. Everyone knows that'.

But Pippa was adamant.

She said America has given Israel $46 Billion dollars in grant military aid since President Truman recognised the state of Israel in 1948.

'That's an awful lot of weapons' I thought. Why on earth did America give Israel 46 Billion dollars worth of guns?' Why would anybody need that many guns, and why would anybody give anyone else that many guns.

Pippa explained to me that 98% of Americans are not aware that they finance the state of Israel which would not survive without US aid. And that 72% of Americans are not in favor of US financed killings of Palestinian children, although the statistics are not clear on feeling toward the killing of Palestinian adults, and perhaps that’s where the confusion arises.

We conducted our own straw poll on the Riverbank, and the consensus was that the US support for Israel is directly responsible for all kinds of future accountability, not least for the endless list of human rights abuses their weapon aid enables for the Israeli’s.

The only voice of dissent was from Max, the pedigreed Rottweiler, who says the Israeli’s are right, and Bush knows what he is doing. Max says they remind him of happier days in his breeds past.

46 Billion dollars in military aid does sound like a lot of money. It’s a lot more than the US gave to Iraq in the 80’s, although who would bet against things ending the same way.

It is really sunny today on the towpath, and although I remain drenched in flea powder, I still feel little causes for scratchiness. Perhaps it’s my imagination though.

Time for my morning snooze now........

Fleas

I told them I was being bitten by something but they ignored me.
And so I became infested with fleas, and now I am drenched in flea powder.
Not nice I can tell you. If only they had listened when I first told them.
When will they ever learn.