Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Not feeling so wonderful today....
I have been out and around a lot lately, after all I did not come to Sarajevo to sit on my dupa, I came to see the place, and have fun among other things, but I think I may have caught a little cold, and my ankle is killing me, so I am staying in, and taking it easy. Anyway I need to wait for the landlord to come get the rest of the rent.
I have CNN on, there's quite a lot about Blackwater. A comment I heard from someone in Ireland, is that the phrase 'blackwater' is a term in the sewage business, it means raw, untreated sewage that is full of nasty stuff, like human wastes. It escaped this person's understanding why any organization would pick this word as a name.
I would say that the people who started the firm didn't know that verbal connection, or they never would have named it that.
In any case, the firm has done an unfair share of damage to America's already tarnished name in Iraq, and it's a shame.
I heard on CNN that someone in the U.S. government pointed out that in fact the U.S. military has considerable ability to discipline civilian employees, and that they should use that power.
That would be a good idea.I hope it isn't too late for the suggestion to do some good.
U.S. Senate Votes to Divide Iraq
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22490525-2703,00.html
A lot also has been written about dividing Iraq somewhat on the Bosnian model. First of all, a lot of efforts are being made to unify the military here, and the police, these are vital steps in dealing with crime, and in making sure Bosnia Hercegovina has security, internal, and external, so BiH isn't really as divided as Iraq would be under some of the suggested models. Partition is the lazy man's way out.
Second, dividing Iraq would probably make all parts of the place poorer, as division did with the Indian sub-continent.
Partitioning countries is usually not the answer. Partition is usually one of the worst options.
I will admit there are times partition makes sense, but those times are few and far between.
So here's some of today's Balkans news to peruse:
Dude...where's my street?!?
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=174739&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21
Politics in Croatia
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9858828
Deadly Blast Hits Kosovo
http://en.rian.ru/video/20070925/80808332.html
Again, no one knows the cause.
Shook under U.N. Internal Investigation
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/europe/news/article_1359875.php/UN_investigate_deputy_chief_in_Kosovo_for_%26quotunprofessional%26quot_conduct
Macedonian Parliament Members Come to Blows
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/6271116.html
The Maddie McCann story got a lot of local coverage, people who don't know about North Africa don't realize that many Berber people have fair complexions and blond hair, at least in childhood, and a child who would look fairly Northern European isn't that rare in Morocco.
Anyway, it was disappointing for those who have held out hope for actually finding the poor child.
I have CNN on, there's quite a lot about Blackwater. A comment I heard from someone in Ireland, is that the phrase 'blackwater' is a term in the sewage business, it means raw, untreated sewage that is full of nasty stuff, like human wastes. It escaped this person's understanding why any organization would pick this word as a name.
I would say that the people who started the firm didn't know that verbal connection, or they never would have named it that.
In any case, the firm has done an unfair share of damage to America's already tarnished name in Iraq, and it's a shame.
I heard on CNN that someone in the U.S. government pointed out that in fact the U.S. military has considerable ability to discipline civilian employees, and that they should use that power.
That would be a good idea.I hope it isn't too late for the suggestion to do some good.
U.S. Senate Votes to Divide Iraq
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22490525-2703,00.html
A lot also has been written about dividing Iraq somewhat on the Bosnian model. First of all, a lot of efforts are being made to unify the military here, and the police, these are vital steps in dealing with crime, and in making sure Bosnia Hercegovina has security, internal, and external, so BiH isn't really as divided as Iraq would be under some of the suggested models. Partition is the lazy man's way out.
Second, dividing Iraq would probably make all parts of the place poorer, as division did with the Indian sub-continent.
Partitioning countries is usually not the answer. Partition is usually one of the worst options.
I will admit there are times partition makes sense, but those times are few and far between.
So here's some of today's Balkans news to peruse:
Dude...where's my street?!?
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=174739&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21
Politics in Croatia
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9858828
Deadly Blast Hits Kosovo
http://en.rian.ru/video/20070925/80808332.html
Again, no one knows the cause.
Shook under U.N. Internal Investigation
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/europe/news/article_1359875.php/UN_investigate_deputy_chief_in_Kosovo_for_%26quotunprofessional%26quot_conduct
Macedonian Parliament Members Come to Blows
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/6271116.html
The Maddie McCann story got a lot of local coverage, people who don't know about North Africa don't realize that many Berber people have fair complexions and blond hair, at least in childhood, and a child who would look fairly Northern European isn't that rare in Morocco.
Anyway, it was disappointing for those who have held out hope for actually finding the poor child.
# posted by Katja R. @ 11:51 PM 
Comments:
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As in Bosnia partition would reward the ethnic cleansing that has already taken place and plans would quite possibly encourage its completion where strategic areas still have a mixed population.
# posted by 
: 5:28 AM
: 5:28 AM
@ Owen, Yes it would, and that isn't a good thing. Here a lot of the completion of ethnic cleansing has been 'voluntary' people selling their homes and leaving eith
er an area they have lived in for a long time or leaving the country altogether, although there are people coming back as well. It's a complex situation, but yes basically partition wherever it
happens rewards ethnic cleansing,or encourages it. Partition is also quite bad for distribution systems, such as railroads, and roads, which are interupted by customs posts, etc.
er an area they have lived in for a long time or leaving the country altogether, although there are people coming back as well. It's a complex situation, but yes basically partition wherever it
happens rewards ethnic cleansing,or encourages it. Partition is also quite bad for distribution systems, such as railroads, and roads, which are interupted by customs posts, etc.
Great post, Katya. I simply don't understand why so many people cannot grasp these very important objections to partition.
Hope you're feeling better by now!
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Hope you're feeling better by now!
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