Mbeki se soveelste vredespoging in Afrika

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‘n Soldaat van AMIS

Vrese dat die konflik in Darfoer kan verhewig is bewaarheid nadat Kartoem en N’Djamena mekaar oor en weer beskuldig het van onlangse vyandelikhede. Soedan hou vol dat hulle ’n aanval uit Tsjad gestuit het, terwyl Tsjad beweer dat hulle rebelle oor die grens agtervolg het. Volgens Soedan het hulle 17 soldate verloor, maar Tsjad sê daar was 30 sterftes aan elke kant.

Thabo Mbeki, wat op besoek is aan Soedan, het Dinsdag die Chinese gesant, Zhai Joen, se versoek herhaal en gevra dat Soedan die toetrede van VN-magte om die AU (AMIS) by te staan moet heroorweeg.

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‘n Soldaat van AMIS

Vrese dat die konflik in Darfoer kan verhewig is bewaarheid nadat Kartoem en N’Djamena mekaar oor en weer beskuldig het van onlangse vyandelikhede. Soedan hou vol dat hulle ’n aanval uit Tsjad gestuit het, terwyl Tsjad beweer dat hulle rebelle oor die grens agtervolg het. Volgens Soedan het hulle 17 soldate verloor, maar Tsjad sê daar was 30 sterftes aan elke kant.

Thabo Mbeki, wat op besoek is aan Soedan, het Dinsdag die Chinese gesant, Zhai Joen, se versoek herhaal en gevra dat Soedan die toetrede van VN-magte om die AU (AMIS) by te staan moet heroorweeg.

Lees verder: Mbeki se soveelste vredespoging in Afrika

Iraq’s Mercenary King

As a former C.I.A. agent, the author knows how mercenaries work: in the shadows. But how did a notorious former British officer, Tim Spicer, come to coordinate the second-largest army in Iraq—the tens of thousands of private security contractors?

Last spring, in Los Angeles, I met with a producer and a screenwriter who were trolling for a good story to turn into a movie—specifically, a story about a pair of colorful adventurers, maybe mercenaries, who get into serious trouble seeking a fortune in Africa. I wasn’t much help. I had spent little time in Africa—only a couple of brief trips to Nigeria and Liberia during my time in the C.I.A. But I promised them I’d ask around when I got to London, a city with more colorful adventurers per block than anywhere else in the world.

I knew my share of them: rogue oil traders, art forgers, exiled presidents, disgraced journalists, arms dealers. There was also the Jordanian prince who had once offered to smuggle me into Ramadi, in Iraq’s anarchic Anbar Province, in exchange for 100 sheep. People like these are pretty much the currency of C.I.A. agents.

As a former C.I.A. agent, the author knows how mercenaries work: in the shadows. But how did a notorious former British officer, Tim Spicer, come to coordinate the second-largest army in Iraq—the tens of thousands of private security contractors?

Last spring, in Los Angeles, I met with a producer and a screenwriter who were trolling for a good story to turn into a movie—specifically, a story about a pair of colorful adventurers, maybe mercenaries, who get into serious trouble seeking a fortune in Africa. I wasn’t much help. I had spent little time in Africa—only a couple of brief trips to Nigeria and Liberia during my time in the C.I.A. But I promised them I’d ask around when I got to London, a city with more colorful adventurers per block than anywhere else in the world.

I knew my share of them: rogue oil traders, art forgers, exiled presidents, disgraced journalists, arms dealers. There was also the Jordanian prince who had once offered to smuggle me into Ramadi, in Iraq’s anarchic Anbar Province, in exchange for 100 sheep. People like these are pretty much the currency of C.I.A. agents.

Lees verder: Iraq’s Mercenary King

Culture Wars in the West

ImageThere are few denials these days, if any, that in most Western countries a cultural war rages, characterized by an intense and sometimes very personal disagreement involving politicians, intellectuals, activists and an assortment of ideologues. This war, or rather these wars, have been raging for some time already, at least since the Second World War. Their origins can be traced back to the intellectual legacy of a little-known Italian communist who lived in the first half of the twentieth century.
ImageThere are few denials these days, if any, that in most Western countries a cultural war rages, characterized by an intense and sometimes very personal disagreement involving politicians, intellectuals, activists and an assortment of ideologues. This war, or rather these wars, have been raging for some time already, at least since the Second World War. Their origins can be traced back to the intellectual legacy of a little-known Italian communist who lived in the first half of the twentieth century.

Lees verder: Culture Wars in the West

Losing a war

ImageIn recent weeks Washington DC has been rocked by a sex scandal. A Republican member of Congress, Mark Foley, was accused of soliciting underage pages (teenagers who work as aides to members of Congress) by sending them emails with explicit sexual content. Foley, who was known as a campaigner for "values", was exposed as a hypocrite when copies of the emails were published on the blog "Stop Sex Predators" before it was picked up by ABC news and broadcast nationally.
ImageIn recent weeks Washington DC has been rocked by a sex scandal. A Republican member of Congress, Mark Foley, was accused of soliciting underage pages (teenagers who work as aides to members of Congress) by sending them emails with explicit sexual content. Foley, who was known as a campaigner for "values", was exposed as a hypocrite when copies of the emails were published on the blog "Stop Sex Predators" before it was picked up by ABC news and broadcast nationally.

Lees verder: Losing a war

The North-Korean bomb

ImageAt 10:39 a.m. local time on 9 October 2006, a small tremor shook North Korea’s North Hamgyong Province. The event was measured at magnitude 4.2 on the Richter scale by the US Geological Survey, although detectors in Japan, China and Australia detected localized seismic activity which may have been somewhat lower on the Richter scale.

There was an immediate flurry of activity internationally, culminating with announcements by Japan, the US and China condemning North Korea for testing a nuclear weapon and breaking its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which it signed in 1985 as a condition to buy a nuclear power plant from the Soviet Union.

ImageAt 10:39 a.m. local time on 9 October 2006, a small tremor shook North Korea’s North Hamgyong Province. The event was measured at magnitude 4.2 on the Richter scale by the US Geological Survey, although detectors in Japan, China and Australia detected localized seismic activity which may have been somewhat lower on the Richter scale.

There was an immediate flurry of activity internationally, culminating with announcements by Japan, the US and China condemning North Korea for testing a nuclear weapon and breaking its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which it signed in 1985 as a condition to buy a nuclear power plant from the Soviet Union.

Lees verder: The North-Korean bomb

South African crime: resistance against white theft?

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Ntokoza Mthembu

Academic Ntokoza Mthembu explains himself in an e-mail interview with Dan Roodt

"If I knew whether it was guerrilla war or resistance I would not be writing articles asking whether crime is a surge in resistance but I would be part of it, taking part in the war right now. That said, I don’t know whether it is resistance."

"All settlers need not to be fearful but what they need to do is to hand over the land and all the resources…"

Image

Ntokoza Mthembu

Academic Ntokoza Mthembu explains himself in an e-mail interview with Dan Roodt

"If I knew whether it was guerrilla war or resistance I would not be writing articles asking whether crime is a surge in resistance but I would be part of it, taking part in the war right now. That said, I don’t know whether it is resistance."

"All settlers need not to be fearful but what they need to do is to hand over the land and all the resources…"

Lees verder: South African crime: resistance against white theft?

Joe Slovo’s legacy lives on

Joe Slovo may be dead, but his legacy lives on. With the release of the movie "Catch a Fire", Uncle Joe’s progeny (with Australian film maker Philip Noyce) have struck another blow against the evil Boers.

The plot, written by Shawn Slovo (the oldest of Uncle Joe’s awful trio), with credits to Robyn Slovo (another of Pappa Joe’s awful trio), is as predictable as it is dull: A morally balanced black victim is set upon by Nazi Boer operatives (the Germanic accent is as unmistakable as it was predictable). He vows revenge, and sets out to blow up an oil refinery – a plan crafted by Pappa Joe who used others to do his dirty work. This is yet another rehashing of an idea that may have been originally due to Nadine Gordimer, or some other author whose only claim to legitimacy lies in exploiting and warping the historical facts of the apartheid period in South Africa.

Joe Slovo may be dead, but his legacy lives on. With the release of the movie "Catch a Fire", Uncle Joe’s progeny (with Australian film maker Philip Noyce) have struck another blow against the evil Boers.

The plot, written by Shawn Slovo (the oldest of Uncle Joe’s awful trio), with credits to Robyn Slovo (another of Pappa Joe’s awful trio), is as predictable as it is dull: A morally balanced black victim is set upon by Nazi Boer operatives (the Germanic accent is as unmistakable as it was predictable). He vows revenge, and sets out to blow up an oil refinery – a plan crafted by Pappa Joe who used others to do his dirty work. This is yet another rehashing of an idea that may have been originally due to Nadine Gordimer, or some other author whose only claim to legitimacy lies in exploiting and warping the historical facts of the apartheid period in South Africa.

Lees verder: Joe Slovo’s legacy lives on

Alex Boraine: Scratching where it’s not itching

ImageIN a recent news article, former deputy head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) dr. Alex Boraine accused the National Prosecuting Authority of dragging it’s feet in the prosecution of people denied amnesty by the TRC. The United Nations Committee backed Boraine’s plea, claiming that people suspected of torturing prisoners during apartheid should be put "on trial and pay compensation to the victims."
ImageIN a recent news article, former deputy head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) dr. Alex Boraine accused the National Prosecuting Authority of dragging it’s feet in the prosecution of people denied amnesty by the TRC. The United Nations Committee backed Boraine’s plea, claiming that people suspected of torturing prisoners during apartheid should be put "on trial and pay compensation to the victims."

Lees verder: Alex Boraine: Scratching where it’s not itching

Propagandataktieke vir beginners

ImageAs daar een politieke wapen is wat die ANC baie goed bemeester het en waar Afrikaners van kan leer, is dit om propaganda te maak om hul beleid te verdedig. Hierdie standpunt is weliswaar oorvereenvoudig, aangesien ‘n hele klomp bykomstighede die Afrikaner se politieke rug gebreek het, maar daar is ‘n onmiskenbare element van waarheid hierin opgesluit. Die ANC het teen alle verwagtinge in die onmoontlike reggekry, hoofsaaklik omdat hulle ‘n goeie span rojaal befondste propagandiste gehad het en oor die nodige aggressie beskik het om hul idees die wêreld in te dra.

Die vraag verrys: Hoe het ‘n terreurorganisasie dit reggekry om ‘n ideologiese Berlynse Muur in Suid-Afrika op te rig juis in die periode toe sloophamers besig was om dié muur met groot fanfare in Duitsland met die grond gelyk te maak? Die antwoord is: propaganda.

ImageAs daar een politieke wapen is wat die ANC baie goed bemeester het en waar Afrikaners van kan leer, is dit om propaganda te maak om hul beleid te verdedig. Hierdie standpunt is weliswaar oorvereenvoudig, aangesien ‘n hele klomp bykomstighede die Afrikaner se politieke rug gebreek het, maar daar is ‘n onmiskenbare element van waarheid hierin opgesluit. Die ANC het teen alle verwagtinge in die onmoontlike reggekry, hoofsaaklik omdat hulle ‘n goeie span rojaal befondste propagandiste gehad het en oor die nodige aggressie beskik het om hul idees die wêreld in te dra.

Die vraag verrys: Hoe het ‘n terreurorganisasie dit reggekry om ‘n ideologiese Berlynse Muur in Suid-Afrika op te rig juis in die periode toe sloophamers besig was om dié muur met groot fanfare in Duitsland met die grond gelyk te maak? Die antwoord is: propaganda.

Lees verder: Propagandataktieke vir beginners

Zim staan laaste in ekonomiese klas

Zimbabwe, wat deur die verdrywing van blanke boere en politieke onenigheid gekortwiek word, was Afrika se swakste ekonomiese presteerder in 2006, terwyl Angola, dansy olie-uitvoere, die beste was. Aldus ’n VN-studie wat verlede week gepubliseer is.

Zimbabwe met al sy probleme het ’n negatiewe 4,4 persent groeikoers geregistreer, wat dit die slegs presterende ekonomie maak, volgens die VN se Ekonomiese Kommissie vir Afrika in ’n verslag wat in Addis Abeba gepubliseer is.

“Ekonomiese prestasie in Zimbabwe het negatief gebly… veral vanweë politieke probleme wat deur herhaalde droogtes vererger is,” meen die verslag.

Zimbabwe, wat deur die verdrywing van blanke boere en politieke onenigheid gekortwiek word, was Afrika se swakste ekonomiese presteerder in 2006, terwyl Angola, dansy olie-uitvoere, die beste was. Aldus ’n VN-studie wat verlede week gepubliseer is.

Zimbabwe met al sy probleme het ’n negatiewe 4,4 persent groeikoers geregistreer, wat dit die slegs presterende ekonomie maak, volgens die VN se Ekonomiese Kommissie vir Afrika in ’n verslag wat in Addis Abeba gepubliseer is.

“Ekonomiese prestasie in Zimbabwe het negatief gebly… veral vanweë politieke probleme wat deur herhaalde droogtes vererger is,” meen die verslag.

Lees verder: Zim staan laaste in ekonomiese klas