Joe Biden gave a 30 minutes speech in the European Parliament today.
Most of it was charming Brussels, Europe and the European Parliament, mixed with statements supporting human rights, privacy, peace and individual freedoms. But all this was intertwined with the obligatory "triple axis" as @martiadroher put it: "Security, Security, and Security".
He underlined that he wants to use Passenger Name Record (PNR) data and financial transaction data (SWIFT) to fight terrorism. He supported this with the success US authorities had in capturing the alleged Time Square terrorist thanks to PNR data (and probably other intrusive measures that are used against citizens who are not terrorists every day).
And he defended the need to be in Afghanistan, totally in line with the CIA recommendations (published by Wikileaks) on how to get more public support from Europe for this war (e.g. focus on civilian and policing aspects). His final sentence ended with the words "... and may God protect all our troops" which shows that this was his actual focus, these were the words he wanted us to be remembered: Troops, troops, troops.
It is not some God who should protect "our" troops, it should be politicians protecting them by not sending them to fight, especially not to places where you are not providing actual help for more security or democracy (Afghanistan is not peaceful at all after 9 years and Karzai is definitely not a democrat) but costing our societies so much money that one can rightfully blame these expenses as part of the debt problem that many European countries and the US are facing today.
Well, Mr Biden, that was a nice speech, but I'm not convinced, not a bit, that you actually bring the change you are advocating...!
PS: A German MEP has a picture on how Biden's speech looked from the plenary.
Update: Conor has also written about Biden's speech. Erin has reacted to the content of Biden's speech.
Showing posts with label war. Show all posts
Showing posts with label war. Show all posts
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Is there any EU citizen in favour of us killing civilians in Afghanistan?
The news is that the Netherlands are like to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan after the government collapsed over this issue.
I always had the question: Why are we down there?
It is true: I don't want to be killed by a terrorist - nobody wants - but I also don't want that 100s of human beings - many civilians - are killed to lower the perceived (!) risk that I get killed by a terrorist while not actually lowering the risk.
This thing (killing civilians) has happened time and time again and it will happen time and time again, because that is the idea of war. Soldiers from our armies are out there defending our "interest" by killing people, including civilians - probably more than all terrorist attacks have caused in the "West".
That is not in my interest. It has never been. What is human rights when my life is worth more than the life of someone living Afghanistan?
But pretending to save some lives of westerns with several billion Euros of tax money that could be put into fighting poverty or hunger or global diseases is worth killing Taliban as well as citizen happening to live there because this is where they live. It's worth making mostly young people from our armies murderers of civilians while they are risking their own lives.
I've never actually had the impression that many EU citizens were in favour of us being in Afghanistan. But our governments like it, and only when there is a group of killed people - civilians or our own soldiers - large enough to become noticed by our "journalists" who usually love to play the terror alert news cycle ("Earn money with fear.") doubts are rising and eventually a government collapses or an ex-defence minister has to resign from his new job (as happened in Germany recently).
The simple equation: 170 killed Afghans are worth 1 German minister. 21 killed Dutch soldiers are worth one Dutch government.
I know it's polemic, but it's still true.
PS.: Just got reminded that somebody said this much better than I can (just in German unfortunately):
I always had the question: Why are we down there?
It is true: I don't want to be killed by a terrorist - nobody wants - but I also don't want that 100s of human beings - many civilians - are killed to lower the perceived (!) risk that I get killed by a terrorist while not actually lowering the risk.
This thing (killing civilians) has happened time and time again and it will happen time and time again, because that is the idea of war. Soldiers from our armies are out there defending our "interest" by killing people, including civilians - probably more than all terrorist attacks have caused in the "West".
That is not in my interest. It has never been. What is human rights when my life is worth more than the life of someone living Afghanistan?
But pretending to save some lives of westerns with several billion Euros of tax money that could be put into fighting poverty or hunger or global diseases is worth killing Taliban as well as citizen happening to live there because this is where they live. It's worth making mostly young people from our armies murderers of civilians while they are risking their own lives.
I've never actually had the impression that many EU citizens were in favour of us being in Afghanistan. But our governments like it, and only when there is a group of killed people - civilians or our own soldiers - large enough to become noticed by our "journalists" who usually love to play the terror alert news cycle ("Earn money with fear.") doubts are rising and eventually a government collapses or an ex-defence minister has to resign from his new job (as happened in Germany recently).
The simple equation: 170 killed Afghans are worth 1 German minister. 21 killed Dutch soldiers are worth one Dutch government.
I know it's polemic, but it's still true.
PS.: Just got reminded that somebody said this much better than I can (just in German unfortunately):
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
Being German 70 years after the beginning of World War II
I suppose this is a topic on which so much has been written and so much could be written that a blog post is the least appropriate thing to write.
Yet, if you ask me how it is being a German 70 years after the beginning of World War II, I can only say that the concept of war is so unreal, so unthinkable for me due to the way I have been raised as a German citizen and thanks to the way in which I have become a European that I can only be grateful to be a German born into this generation.
We do not celebrate any military victory of ours, we have no stories of war heroes, no great minds and fighters, brave and strong in the face of the enemy. What we have are murderers and cowards, simple people drawn into the army, and young boys forced to fight for nothing at the end of the war. We have destruction and death, disgust and disgrace.
For me as a German, war is nothing but evil - and I am glad it is this way, because there is no single reason or anecdote in our socialisation that makes us like war, weapons, or the killing of others.
When the war started 70 years ago, my grandparents were young children or not even born. When my parents were born, over a decade had past since the end of this most murderous of all wars. When I was born, several decades had past since this 1st of September 1939 in which the myth of the nation, the ideal of the gun, the predominance of horror started to dig their own grave into which millions and millions of human beings were pulled before it was finalised.
70 years later, being German for me doesn't mean to feel guilty for the past, it means to feel responsible for the future.
If my ancestors and their friends and families were ready to go into such a war and to execute the atrocities of the Holocaust, then it could be that people like me would do it again, unless we use this pain deeply fixed into our minds to prevent this from ever happening again - not just here, not just in Europe, but anywhere where people invest most of their time, and money, and effort, and human lives to kill others for the sake of a horrible higher good, be it the nation, the race, or the religion.
70 years later, we as Germans cannot make the past undone, but we can use our collective memory to tell our story, a story in which we win by losing, in which we are happy not to be the winners, feeling ashamed for what has been done in "our" name in the past.
70 years later, I am European because I was raised as a post-war German in a Europeanised and re-unified Germany, and I live in the hope that anyone coming after me will still be post-war and never pre-war again.
Yet, if you ask me how it is being a German 70 years after the beginning of World War II, I can only say that the concept of war is so unreal, so unthinkable for me due to the way I have been raised as a German citizen and thanks to the way in which I have become a European that I can only be grateful to be a German born into this generation.
We do not celebrate any military victory of ours, we have no stories of war heroes, no great minds and fighters, brave and strong in the face of the enemy. What we have are murderers and cowards, simple people drawn into the army, and young boys forced to fight for nothing at the end of the war. We have destruction and death, disgust and disgrace.
For me as a German, war is nothing but evil - and I am glad it is this way, because there is no single reason or anecdote in our socialisation that makes us like war, weapons, or the killing of others.
When the war started 70 years ago, my grandparents were young children or not even born. When my parents were born, over a decade had past since the end of this most murderous of all wars. When I was born, several decades had past since this 1st of September 1939 in which the myth of the nation, the ideal of the gun, the predominance of horror started to dig their own grave into which millions and millions of human beings were pulled before it was finalised.
70 years later, being German for me doesn't mean to feel guilty for the past, it means to feel responsible for the future.
If my ancestors and their friends and families were ready to go into such a war and to execute the atrocities of the Holocaust, then it could be that people like me would do it again, unless we use this pain deeply fixed into our minds to prevent this from ever happening again - not just here, not just in Europe, but anywhere where people invest most of their time, and money, and effort, and human lives to kill others for the sake of a horrible higher good, be it the nation, the race, or the religion.
70 years later, we as Germans cannot make the past undone, but we can use our collective memory to tell our story, a story in which we win by losing, in which we are happy not to be the winners, feeling ashamed for what has been done in "our" name in the past.
70 years later, I am European because I was raised as a post-war German in a Europeanised and re-unified Germany, and I live in the hope that anyone coming after me will still be post-war and never pre-war again.
Saturday, 8 August 2009
One year ago: Russia and Georgia at war (supplemented)
One year ago, Russia and Georgia were at war - yet another war on the European continent, Europeans killing Europeans, because big men with big balls needed to compare the lengths of their penises.
This conflict between two very different but in a sense still very similar nations - both are marked by a lack of democratic culture and their politics are built upon nationalism and false assumptions about the need for power - showed us Europeans that the phantom of war has not disappeared from our shores, that the shadow of distrust and hate has not been washed away from our lands, and that power of evil remains strong.
Putin and Medvedev as well as Saakashvilli deserve our full disrespect for what they did; they are a shame for the European continent and for the values that their countries have subscribed to as members of the Council of Europe and the OSCE!
We also shouldn't forget that this is not just about politics, it is about human beings who have been killed, it is about families disrupted, about injured souls, about lives filled with fear and anger. War is not about big man with big balls, it is about man-made weapons cutting human bodies into pieces and burning human lives into ashes.
Now, one year later, tensions are rising again in the region, although not looking as dangerous as a year ago. It makes me angry seeing this, and so I will let some else speak more calmly on the matter.
Alexander Stubb, former MEP and now Finnish foreign minister, has been the chairman of the OSCE last year and was blogging in English when he went to the region.
Yesterday, a year later, Stubb has published an article on his blog looking back and into the future:
Still, I hope for the people in the region, as well as for the whole of Europe, that our European politicians and diplomats, but even more the responsible actors in the countries and the region will be able to secure peace on our continent - and that all of you remain aware that what we have managed to create with the EU is not self-evident, but has to be defended every day and minute in order to live in peace and relative prosperity as we do right now.
Any alternative is nothing but frightening...!
Supplement: Carl Bildt, Swedish foreign minister, now co-responsible for the Swedish EU Council Presidency, and one year ago chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe, has also written about the first "birthday" of the war.
PS.: One year ago, this blog was still very young, and so the Russian-Georgian crisis pretty much dominated its early times as you can see in a number of articles from last year:
This conflict between two very different but in a sense still very similar nations - both are marked by a lack of democratic culture and their politics are built upon nationalism and false assumptions about the need for power - showed us Europeans that the phantom of war has not disappeared from our shores, that the shadow of distrust and hate has not been washed away from our lands, and that power of evil remains strong.
Putin and Medvedev as well as Saakashvilli deserve our full disrespect for what they did; they are a shame for the European continent and for the values that their countries have subscribed to as members of the Council of Europe and the OSCE!
We also shouldn't forget that this is not just about politics, it is about human beings who have been killed, it is about families disrupted, about injured souls, about lives filled with fear and anger. War is not about big man with big balls, it is about man-made weapons cutting human bodies into pieces and burning human lives into ashes.
Now, one year later, tensions are rising again in the region, although not looking as dangerous as a year ago. It makes me angry seeing this, and so I will let some else speak more calmly on the matter.
Alexander Stubb, former MEP and now Finnish foreign minister, has been the chairman of the OSCE last year and was blogging in English when he went to the region.
Yesterday, a year later, Stubb has published an article on his blog looking back and into the future:
[...] The war in Georgia shattered the European security policy configuration also at a more general level. It created tensions and persistent insecurity. [...]What Stubb writes doesn't look too encouraging, it doesn't seem that there has been much progress, and it shows the slow speed with which diplomacy moves in such cases, spending time on useless words and declarations, trying to avoid saying what needed to be said.
What does the situation in Georgia look like now on 080809?
Firstly, domestic turmoil in the country is continuing. [...] Secondly, the security situation in the conflict regions is alarming. [...]
The most significant step forward to date is the joint incident prevention and response mechanism, which involves regular meetings at local level to discuss incidents and their prevention. However, there have been stumbling blocks in its implementation. [...]
What should the EU then do to preserve stability and help Georgia out of the woods at some phase?
I see that political intervention can take place on three tracks. 1) The cease-fire must be monitored effectively and reinforced by international presence in the entire territory of Georgia. 2) The peace process must be supported and preconditions must be sought for a gradual restoration of confidence and concrete steps forward. 3) The EU must strengthen its overall support for Georgia. This will take place in the framework of the policy of the Eastern Partnership. [...]
Still, I hope for the people in the region, as well as for the whole of Europe, that our European politicians and diplomats, but even more the responsible actors in the countries and the region will be able to secure peace on our continent - and that all of you remain aware that what we have managed to create with the EU is not self-evident, but has to be defended every day and minute in order to live in peace and relative prosperity as we do right now.
Any alternative is nothing but frightening...!
Supplement: Carl Bildt, Swedish foreign minister, now co-responsible for the Swedish EU Council Presidency, and one year ago chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe, has also written about the first "birthday" of the war.
PS.: One year ago, this blog was still very young, and so the Russian-Georgian crisis pretty much dominated its early times as you can see in a number of articles from last year:
- 10 July: Rising tensions in Abkhazia
- 08 August: South Ossetia, Georgia, and Russia heading towards war
- 09 August: Blogosphere coverage of the South Ossetia war
- 09 August: South Ossetia: Poland asks for urgent EU summit
- 10 August: Self-torture: Watching "Russia Today"
- 10 August: Finnish OSCE presidency: Russia cannot be a mediator!
- 11 August: Information war: Georgian ministry "blogging"
- 11 August: The EU's many voices - Kouchner, Stubb, and Bildt
- 12 August: Georgia as single issue for EU Council
- 13 August: EU Council on Georgia: Weak conclusions
- 14 August: That is so 20th century!
- 15 August: Human Rights Watch: Violations from all sides
- 22 August: Alexander Stubb (almost) live
- 24 August: Sarkozy announces urgent EU summit on Georgia
- 25 August: The separatist agenda
- 26 August: Medvedev's vision?
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
One year
This blog celebrates its first birthday today.
I could try to extensively summarise and analyse this year and its 638 blog posts. But being self-referential for the sake of talking about myself is not worth the effort.
The only thing to say is that three issues marked this year:
Still, I have to admit that these details have changed me and the way I see Europe, its political projects, and to a certain extend the way I look at myself in this pan-European context. It is hard to describe, but I can feel it.
Right now, I have no idea where this thing will lead me to over the next year, but I had no idea one year ago, either - so why bothering this time!?
I could try to extensively summarise and analyse this year and its 638 blog posts. But being self-referential for the sake of talking about myself is not worth the effort.
The only thing to say is that three issues marked this year:
- The European Parliament elections were the topic of this blog; every fifth article was directly dedicated to them and the topic has captured me enormously over the year.
- The war between Russia and Georgia cut through our lives last summer. Going back to July, I was kind of surprised that I felt the war was coming about one month before it actually started. I wish I would have been proven wrong...
- Obama has been elected President of the United States of America. With him coming into office, an era that has marked me and my generation finally ended: "They said this day would never come."
Still, I have to admit that these details have changed me and the way I see Europe, its political projects, and to a certain extend the way I look at myself in this pan-European context. It is hard to describe, but I can feel it.
Right now, I have no idea where this thing will lead me to over the next year, but I had no idea one year ago, either - so why bothering this time!?
Saturday, 9 August 2008
Blogosphere coverage of the South Ossetia war
Thanks to the translation of Veronica Khokhlova from globalvoicesonline.org , we can read some comments about the situation in Georgia posted by "cyrillic bloggers".
Wu Wei has also continued posting this morning while planning her evacuation and asking, what she will need for that:
Wu Wei has also continued posting this morning while planning her evacuation and asking, what she will need for that:
The Greek: your wallet and passport. But he has already packed his case.These are sad days... Good luck for everyone who is in the region, no matter if Georgian, South-Ossetian, Russian, or from wherever else!!!
The Bosnian: lots of dollars to bribe your way past the guns; credit cards not so useful
My thinking: a car to get you out. Does the travel insurance pay?
Friday, 8 August 2008
South Ossetia, Georgia, and Russia heading towards war (updated)
Let me start with saying: STOP THIS!
I do not get this. I really don't get it. This armed conflict does not serve either side, civilians get killed for nothing, and the situation that has existed more or less stabile during the last 16 years will not be solved with weapons now.
I was aware that the conflict(s) in Georgia was (were) getting serious when a colleague of mine who was working in the Georgian capital Tsibilisi from May to July was telling me that it could well become ugly. But I honestly thought that the smaller border clashes of the last weeks would be it.
But now it's getting really serious. The European blogosphere is starting to react to the Georgian invasion of the separatist region South Ossetia and the threats of Moscow to protect "its" citizens (which are mainly South Ossetian citizens having received Russian passports). European media (Le Monde, El País, BBC, SPIEGEL), even the local one's, are reporting about the situation, which is quite a good indicator that something is really going on.
From a Georgian blog we know that it is still "All calm in Tbilisi". But there are reports from the South Ossetian region that more than a dozen civilians have been killed. Georgia is calling on its reservist to mobilise. Russian prime minister Putin has threatened to "react" on to the situation.
It does not sound like the situation would quickly calm down. It seems as if we were going to see a violent situation - or even a war - that could well take some time.
And since I consider the Caucasus region a part of Europe - we are seeing Europe at the eve of yet another war.
---------------
Update:
Please read "A Fistful of Euros" on the issue: Here and here.
I do not get this. I really don't get it. This armed conflict does not serve either side, civilians get killed for nothing, and the situation that has existed more or less stabile during the last 16 years will not be solved with weapons now.
I was aware that the conflict(s) in Georgia was (were) getting serious when a colleague of mine who was working in the Georgian capital Tsibilisi from May to July was telling me that it could well become ugly. But I honestly thought that the smaller border clashes of the last weeks would be it.
But now it's getting really serious. The European blogosphere is starting to react to the Georgian invasion of the separatist region South Ossetia and the threats of Moscow to protect "its" citizens (which are mainly South Ossetian citizens having received Russian passports). European media (Le Monde, El País, BBC, SPIEGEL), even the local one's, are reporting about the situation, which is quite a good indicator that something is really going on.
From a Georgian blog we know that it is still "All calm in Tbilisi". But there are reports from the South Ossetian region that more than a dozen civilians have been killed. Georgia is calling on its reservist to mobilise. Russian prime minister Putin has threatened to "react" on to the situation.
It does not sound like the situation would quickly calm down. It seems as if we were going to see a violent situation - or even a war - that could well take some time.
And since I consider the Caucasus region a part of Europe - we are seeing Europe at the eve of yet another war.
---------------
Update:
Please read "A Fistful of Euros" on the issue: Here and here.
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