Diamonds Are a Guerrilla's Best Friend

The debate about how to combat poverty in the developing world has been fueled in the last couple of years by two New Yorkers. On one side of the argument is Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University and author of “The End of Poverty.” On the other is Professor William Easterly of New York University and author of “The White Man’s Burden.” Both are excellent, well-researched books that should be by your bedside.

Into this debate, there now enters another white man, Paul Collier of Oxford University and author of “The Bottom Billion.” If Sachs’s book appears too optimistic and Easterly’s too pessimistic, then Collier’s book does an excellent job of capturing the middle ground. Its analysis of the causes of poverty is compelling and the remedies it offers are more reasonable.

Collier argues that with the phenomenal growth in Asia, the world will soon consist of a top one-sixth (one billion) of rich people, a middle two-thirds (four billion) who are O.K., and another one-sixth (one billion) who will be poor. Collier refers to the bottom one billion as people living in “trapped countries, clearly heading toward what might be described as a black hole.”

He suggests that there are four traps into which really poor countries tend to fall: internal conflict or civil war, possession of natural resources, landlocked with bad neighbor, and bad governance.

It’s the second trap that provides the motivation for this article. Collier is the one who first came up with the phrase “diamonds are a guerrilla’s best friend.” A substantial part of his book concerns itself with this “resource curse.” As he sees it, the real problem about being a poor country with mineral wealth, like Nigeria, is that “resource rents make democracy malfunction”; they give rise to “a new law of the jungle . . . the survival of the fattest.”

In resource-rich countries there is little pressure for government accountability, and hence fewer checks and balances.

Looking back at the last eight years, it seems like the U.S has had fewer checks and balances and almost no government accountability. Halliburton and a few select owners of “resource diamonds” have become “fat” and while democracy is not malfunctioning I am not sure whether it has functioned the way the Founding Fathers intended it to.

Regardless of your views on the candidates running for the Democratic Presidential nomination and their fairly contentious campaigns, you should NOT make the mistake of continuing the present “guerrilla leadership” under John McCain. If you do so, then we may find ourselves headed toward the same poverty black hole like many other bottom billion nations.

Scatological Research

A DNA analysis of fossil feces found in a cave in Oregon indicates that humans lived in North America 14,340 years ago – “1,000 years before Clovis,” the previously known earliest inhabitants.

These “coprolites” yield valuable clues about diets that may have influenced the thinking and strategies of our nomadic ancestors.

Key officials in the current administration should immediately start “going in designated locations” to petrify their poop for posterity. Fifteen thousand years hence, this may provide the only clue to explain the thinking and strategies behind their delusive policies.

Parsing Paulson's Proposal

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has just released his blueprint for financial reform. Two things are very disturbing about this proposal. First, it gives the Feds increased authority to regulate a limited number of institutions that are already regulated but not the cause of today’s economic crisis. Secondly, all the proposals require the approval of Congress – a body that did not even read the Patriot Act before passing it into law is going to read and understand the economic mumbo-jumbo of the Feds?

Woe-begone to us when it’s Congress and the Feds watching the henhouse.

Might as well trust me with your money. Like all our presidential candidates, I, too, am a born-again political-cum-economic-cum-whatever change agent you want me to be. The tax rebate amount that you receive in May should be wired in full to the Swiss bank account of Dave Westfall, Esq. In return, Mr. Westfall and I promise you a WORRY-FREE and ECONOMICALLY-FRUGAL European vacation this summer.

By not even leaving your home and being hassled at the airport, you will automatically be worry free. By not spending twice as much on food in Europe, you will continue to remain economically frugal. Please e-mail me at once if you are interested and I will provide you with the details for the wire transfer. Although we are change agents, once we collect your payment, we cannot give you back any change. But we will send you a DVD on the intangible benefits of this brand new financially reformed vacation package – ABSOLUTELY FREE.

NOTE:

This offer is not affiliated with the NBA – Nigerian Banking Association. Participants must be over the age of 18 and sign waivers for forms OCC, OTS, CFTC, PFRA, CBRA, and LTCM, all in duplicate. Form SR (Scam Release) ought to be signed in triplicate. The vacation is completely tax-exempt and no details, especially Mr. Westfall’s, should ever be reported to the IRS.

Iraq War: 4,000 US deaths vs the Flip Side

Today marks the day that the number of US deaths in Iraq exceeds 4,000. But there is also a flip side to this tragedy on the Iraqi side as outlined in the article by Faruq Zaida, a former Iraqi ambassador. We do not hear this reportage from any of the US media outlets. Excerpts from Faruq’s article are reproduced below.

Saddam Hussein was a dictator, and Iraqis did want true democracy, a good life, and a change that would elevate and advance their country, which once had great wealth and thousands of highly-qualified professionals.

But the line that US soldiers are in Iraq to save the Iraqis from dictatorship, liberate the country, and propel it forward is a big lie. They are there to protect US greed for oil and for establishing strategic military bases. They are not there for the Iraqi people.

The real reason for the US invasion and occupation of Iraq, as cited by Alan Greenspan, former Federal Reserve chairman, was to secure and control Iraq's oil. The actions of the US government under the Bush administration have resulted in genocide; their greed to steal Iraq's oil has led to the country's destruction.

US actions and imposed sectarian policies have created the "killing fields of Iraq." More than 1.2 million non-combatant civilians have been killed, according to British polling agency ORB. In what the UN has called the biggest civilian displacement catastrophe in both the 20th and 21st centuries, 2.5 million Iraqi civilians, including the majority of the educated middle class, have sought refuge in Syria and Jordan, while two million have become refugees inside Iraq.

Prompted by a political process that was introduced and enforced by the Bush administration, Iraq has become a war-torn nation with a society that has been ripped apart by sectarian fighting.

Women's rights, which were the most protected among developing countries, have severely deteriorated to such an extent that most can no longer leave their houses. They are forced to wear a veil - even Christian women - and have stopped working in government offices or attending schools and colleges.

The Iraqi education system, which comprised advanced university and college levels, was among the best in developing countries. Now, it is one of the worst. Most teachers have fled the country; those who remain are constantly under the threat of student abuse, according to the UN. Many students do not attend for fear of kidnapping and they shun religious rituals which are now carried out on campus grounds during study hours.

The US embassy in Baghdad's report on corruption, issued last September, concluded that "currently, Iraq is not capable of even rudimentary enforcement of anticorruption laws." Compared to other developing countries, Iraq had one of the best and finest professional civil service staffs. These professionals were able to keep the country from collapsing during the 13 years of harsh economic sanctions imposed on Iraq. Most of these qualified people have now fled to neighbouring countries. Hundreds others have been assassinated.

The medical services sector is perhaps one of the most harmed by the invasion and occupation. Before the war, hospitals and doctors, though impeded by the imposed sanctions since 1991, provided a better health system than those of other developing countries. Now, the medical system is completely shattered. According to the Ministry of Health's 2007 official report, more than 18,000 doctors have fled the country since 2003.

When electricity, water and sanitation infrastructure were destroyed in the 1991 Gulf War, they were completely restored in less than one year. Today, after five years of war, the public services are nearly non–existent, although more than $140 Billion have entered the Iraqi government's coffers since 2003.

Most of the destruction was caused immediately after the fall of Baghdad in April 2003, when the US army allowed rioters to loot and burn government buildings.

Five years ago, Iraq was free from drugs. Iraq today is rampant with drugs and drug addicts.

As my cousin Ranganath pointed out, this begs the question:

“Where is the national and international outrage on this catastrophic humanitarian crisis? How can any religious person tolerate this?”

War on Economy

In the orchestrated prelude to the war in Iraq, here are some of the statements that were made as part of the misinformation campaign by the current Administration.

Dick Cheney, Aug 2002: “Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us.”

George Bush, Sept 2002: “The Iraqi regime possesses biological and chemical weapons, is rebuilding the facilities to make more and, according to the British government, could launch a biological or chemical attack in as little as 45 minutes after the order is given. . . . This regime is seeking a nuclear bomb, and with fissile material could build one within a year.”

George Bush, Jan 2003: “The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.”

George Bush, May 2003 (in an interview given to Polish TV): “We found the weapons of mass destruction. We found biological laboratories.”

George Bush, March 2008: “Removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision–––and this is a fight America can and must win. Defeating this enemy in Iraq will make it less likely we will face this enemy here at home.”

A similar misinformation campaign has been started on the economy by viewing it through ideologically tinted glasses.

George Bush, Jan 2008: “There is a lot of uncertainty in the economy. I think actually the spending in the war might help with jobs . . . because we’re buying equipment, and people are working. I think this economy is down because we have built too many houses and the economy’s adjusting.”

George Bush, Feb 2008: “I don’t think we’re headed to a recession, but no question we’re in a slowdown. . . . I’m coming to you as an optimistic fellow,” Bush said as he joked his way through an address given to the country’s top bankers at the Economic Club of New York.

George Bush, March 2008: “One thing is for certain –– we’re in challenging times. But another thing is for certain –– that we’ve taken strong and decisive action. . . . Right now we’re dealing with a difficult situation.”

As the steady drumbeat of alarming economic news increases the possibility of global financial havoc, how much longer do we have to wait before the White House and its Panglossian Press Corps unleash the “War on Economy” on an unsuspecting public? At the very least, the President can claim that this war will “increase jobs and spending, and ensure that the markets are functioning efficiently and effectively.”

End of the Monarchy

With all the furor last week over Eliot Spitzer’s indiscretions and Geraldine Ferraro’s comments, another piece of news went largely unnoticed by the mainstream media. That was the comment made by Representative Steve King of Iowa who said that if Barack Obama was elected president, there would be “dancing in the streets of the Islamic world” because of his middle name, Hussein.

Would that all of us could be so prescient.

Rep. King should go back and read U.S. history. The country’s founders fought and bled to death to obtain freedom from the domination of European monarchies. The Representative’s last name is a stark reminder of these atrocities, and would encourage monarchist extremists to “dance in the streets all over the world.”

May I recommend asking Rep. King to change his last name, to Freeland perhaps? Other suggestions are welcome.

The Presidential Change Savants

One of Mahatma Gandhi’s oft-quoted sayings is:

You must be the change you wish to see in the world.

According to Gandhiji, truth was both relative and absolute. Relative truth, according to him, was not a rigid thing and could change as his perception of a problem changed. As the fable goes apropos the above quotation, a mother had brought her young son to see the Mahatma because the boy had become obsessed about eating sugar. Gandhiji told them to return the following week. At that time he told the lad, “You must stop eating sugar.” The mother was puzzled and asked Gandhiji why he had not said this the previous week. Bapu replied, “You see, last week I, too, was eating a lot of sugar. I had to change myself before I could ask someone else to change.”

This anecdote illustrates why Mahatma Gandhi was different from other leaders. He was able to seek truth and change his own thought process if needed. In doing so, he made mistakes but that did not deter him. He was an effective leader who earned the credibility and respect of the people because he was able to walk the talk.

In this year’s US Presidential elections we have seen and heard so much from “change savants” that it may even be causing great concern to our nearest large neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy M31. I have culled some information from each of their positions for comparison with Gandhi’s ideals of leadership.

Change Agent: John Sidney McCain

John McCain needs your vote because he is a Change Agent in 2008. In fact, he is the Greatest Change Agent of the Republican Party. He recently changed his stance from liking the New York Times when they endorsed him, to it currently being “not my favorite newspaper.” Instead of admitting mistakes and changing his perception, McCranky exhibits temper tantrums and changes his story. He was angry with Elisabeth Bumiller (also of the New York Times) who caught him in a lie in 2004. In that year, McCain’s staff approached John Kerry about potentially filling the Vice President slot on the Democratic ticket (yes, the Democratic ticket). Elisabeth broke the story and now McCain doesn’t want to talk about it. Need I say more as to why John McCain is hated by Rush Limbaugh and the dittohead kingdom? Many people associate the $12 billion per month being spent in Iraq to the current economic crisis (this is the recent estimate by Professor Joseph Stiglitz, co-author of “The Three Trillion Dollar War”). If the Straight-Talk Express runs on less taxes and more war, its wheels will go squeaky well before November.

Agent of Change: Barack Hussein Obama

He is touted as the Agent of Change in what many have called “the political phenomenon of the century.” George Bush said in 2000, “Vote for me, I’m an agent of change,” and proceeded to change the economy for the worse. Obama’s supporters are urged to avoid talking about policy and instead tell how they are inspired by him. When pressed for details on his policies and plans, we are offered evasiveness and distortions. Central to his message of change is the claim that he is free of lobbyist influence, except when convenient. Instead of being humble enough to admit mistakes and learning to change direction, he will be a leader who is “right from day one.” Obama likes to play by the rules with respect to the delegates in Florida and Michigan, but Agent of Change Obama wants to change the rules with respect to whom the super delegates should cast their votes for. His mantra, Sí se puede (Yes, we can), is carefully orchestrated political rhetoric that is in the business of selling an image. He needs to quickly recruit retired mailman, Karl Malone, and start delivering substance.

Positive Change Agent: Hillary Rodham Clinton

At a speech in Ames, Iowa, in December 2007, Bill Clinton introduced Hillary as a Positive Change Agent. He described her as a work-a-day leader who would work on behalf of ordinary Americans. “Over the past 14 years I’ve learned that when you want big changes, you need to build a big consensus,” Hillary says, adding, “Even a president has to get 60 votes in the Senate to pass a law, and that is a painstaking, roll-up-your-sleeves process that involves a lot of preparation and just plain perspiration.” But given their prior history in the White House, the Clintons’ tactics are somewhat questionable. Pulitzer Prize winner Samantha Power of Harvard University described her as a “monster who would do anything to win.” Unlike John Edwards, Hillary has not admitted that her vote for the Iraq war was a mistake. On the one hand, Hillary can bill herself as a change agent, and on the other, to those who don’t like change, she can “hit the ground running on day one because I have been there before.” Talking through both sides of your mouth does not go over well with voters.¹

Can these agents change their “thought processes if needed”? Can these agents “walk the talk”? Can these agents “be the change they wish to see in the world”?

Sólo podemos esperar (We can only hope).

Notes

1. This is an evolutionary survival mechanism which I will leave to more illuminating minds like Richard Dawkins to answer, i.e., why is it that only politicians and administrators amongst our species develop the trait of talking through both sides of their mouths? Is this the goal of evolution? Is there hope for ordinary folks to achieve this goal in the present life?