BLOG POSTS

The world is plunging into possibly the greatest financial depression it has ever seen; both the United States and China are suffering badly, with millions thrown out of work in both countries, homes foreclosed, soup kitchens once again operating in major cities.

Meanwhile, how are these two nations behaving towards each other?

In the China Sea, Chinese ships are busily bugging an American naval vessel, the USNS Impeccable, their crews stripped down to their underwear as American sailors fire water cannons at them.^[1]

What’s it all about?

Do Barack Obama and Hu Jintao know this is going on? Have the two leaders sanctioned this childish game of ‘catch me if you can’ between a supposedly unarmed US surveillance ship, and a Chinese naval fleet consisting of a naval intelligence-gathering ship, a Bureau of Maritime Fisheries Patrol Vessel, a State Oceanographic Administration patrol vessel, and two small trawlers.

It’s hardly what you’d call an armada, now is it?

According to the US, who’ve never been known to lie on such matters – well, hardly ever – the Impeccable has been cruising in international waters, simply minding its own business, while constantly harassed by bits of the Chinese air force, and what is obviously a very small, and somewhat nondescript section of its navy.

It all sounds very US innocent, until we learn that the Impeccable is just seventy-five miles south of Hainan Island, a large chunk of rock not quite attached to the Chinese mainland, but very much a part of it, and sitting squarely across the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin.

The area is described as “international waters” by the US, and technically it is, but the area is disputed, not only by China but also Vietnam and Taiwan. The Paracel Islands lie approximately 200 miles south of Hainan Island and are also claimed by these three nations.^[2]

The whole affair is complicated further by something called the ‘United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea’ which basically gave certain rights to coastal nations up to a 200 mile limit, rather than the old 12 mile limit. China is a signatory. The USA is not. Consequently, each nation is reading the term ‘international waters’, and ‘territorial waters’ under completely different definitions.

Frankly, sympathies should lie with the Chinese over this incident. Just ask yourself how America would react if Chinese naval vessels were poking around off California, or the Carolinas. F16’s would be winging their way skywards before you could take a first bite of your breakfast Big Mac.

It might be prudent to ask exactly what the USNS Impeccable is doing in the South China Sea. Her very presence there cannot fail to rouse Chinese passions.

Although overshadowed by events later that year, many Americans will recollect the Hainan Island Incident back in 2001. That time it involved an American Navy EP-3E surveillance aircraft snooping over the exact same stretch of ocean. The Chinese sent fighters to warn it off. One collided with the US aircraft, killing the Chinese pilot and forcing the American plane down on the Chinese airstrip at Hainan.

The event rapidly escalated into an international incident. The ‘United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea’ applies equally to airspace, and the Chinese argued the US were violating their territory. The US aircrew were detained for ten days, though well treated, and eventually the US delivered the famous, “Letter of the two sorries”, apologizing for the death of the Chinese pilot and loss of the plane, and for entering China’s airspace without authorization.

No-one really knows why the US caved under Chinese pressure, but it’s likely Jiang Zemin threatened to cut off George W Bush’s funding if he didn’t comply.

Given that America is in hock to China to the tune of billions of dollars, it may not be too long before another “Letter of the two sorries” is winging its way to Beijing. This time, over the USNS Not-Quite-So-Impeccable.

Meanwhile, America, get your sorry ass out of China’s backyard. In the present economic climate we all have enough to worry about, without the fear of yet another international incident.

^{[1] “Chinese ships ‘harass’ US vessel” BBC, March 9th 2009}

^{[2] South China Sea – Click to enlarge.}

Filed under: Chinese chequers anyone?

Whose side are you on in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict? Perhaps you feel that Israel has every right to defend itself against the homemade rockets Hamas and other Palestinian freedom fighters (terrorists?) have been firing across the Gaza/Israel border, or maybe you consider both sides equally to blame – that’s it’s time they all grew up and began respecting each other’s position?

It’s hardly surprising if you hold either of the above viewpoints. Both Israel and the US have worked hard over the years at suppressing the truth about the conflict. Israel even rewrites its school history books so young Jewish minds are thoroughly medicated, with a sanitized version of Israel’s history.

The truth is somewhat different. There are some Israelis appalled by their nation’s actions against the Palestinians. They are usually secular Jews. Most Israelis, regard the Palestinians as something less than human. For years, their government has forced the Arabs to live like rats in a sewer, eking a living from farming the poor soil, always bowing the knee to their Israeli masters.

The idea of a one, or two, state solution has been played along with for decades. It’s not the intention of Israel to accept either proposition. While US politicians and European governments consistently mouth empty rhetoric, dangling the prospect of a free Palestinian society before Arabs like a carrot just out of reach of the donkey, they turn blind eyes to the interminable encroachment of Israeli “settlements”, as the Jewish nation inexorably expands into the Palestinian territories.

Expansion is the focus of these “Chosen People of Jehovah”. According to their myths and legends the god Jehovah gave them all this land, and it is their right to reclaim it.

Those non-Jews presently living on this “Holy Land” are merely rodents to be exterminated, or driven elsewhere.

So Israeli soldiers use them for target practice, and are captured doing so on video shot by courageous international human rights activists.

One such human rights activist, in a yellow reflective vest, shouts through a megaphone pleading with the Israelis to stop shooting at the unarmed and defenseless Palestinian farmers, desperately trying to harvest their crop of parsley.

In this incident, on February 18th 2009, they shot and wounded a Palestinian farmer in the leg. On January 27th 2009, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a 27 year old, unarmed, Palestinian farmer. Another incident, on February 5th, was also captured on camera. Mercifully, on this occasion, no-one was injured. [see link]^[1]

In all these cases the Palestinians were on their own land, unarmed, creating no provocation, and at least 600 – 700 meters from the Israeli border.

Needless to say, no senior Israeli military officer, nor any government agent, makes any attempt to stop it.

No doubt, to “God’s Chosen People” it’s more fun than a turkey shoot.

^{[1] “Farming under fire” YouTube, February 7th 2009}

^{NOTE: Once again, my thanks go to This Old Brit for providing the links and information.}

Filed under: Israel lies, cameras don’t

It was announced recently that the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir.

The communication came as no great surprise, though much discussion has taken place, both in the media and in political circles, as to whether it was a wise decision, given the circumstances.

Aid agencies, in particular, expressed concern that millions already displaced by the conflicts in Sudan would suffer if al-Bashir expelled them in retaliation for the ICC’s announcement.^[1]

As expected, this is exactly what occurred. Yesterday, ten foreign aid agencies were told to leave the country.

Was the arrest warrant, then, a serious mistake on the part of the ICC?

Undoubtedly, the answer to that question has to be: no.

Neither the ICC, nor western governments, can be held responsible for the dastardly acts of Sudan’s crazed leader. There is no doubt of al-Bashir’s culpability. He is guilty of the most vile war crimes.

A known serial killer on the loose with hostages would never be pardoned in exchange for their release. Al-Bashir is the worst kind of serial killer. He must be brought to justice, if the rule of law is not to be mocked by every petty tyrant throughout the world.

One can only hope the suffering of innocents in Sudan, who have already paid dearly, will not further increase due to the wanton brutality of Omar al-Bashir. He must surely be haunted by the eventual capture and trial of Milosevic, Karadzic, and other Bosnian war criminals, some of whom evaded detention for many years.

Al-Bashir’s initial reaction to the news of the warrant was one of disdain and scorn. These are emotions useful to hide an underlying fear.

Two other arrest warrants are presently in force in the region. Two years ago, the ICC issued warrants for the Sudanese Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Ahmed Haroun, and the Janjaweed militia leader, Ali Abdul Rahman.

Let us hope it will not be long before all three are incarcerated at The Hague, awaiting trial, and a comeuppance that is grossly overdue.

^{[1] “Arrest warrant draws Sudan scorn” BBC, March 5th 2009}

Filed under: Copping the war criminals