Palin, McCain, Giuliani continue to insult: Community Organizers Unite

I am a community organizer, and so are many of my closest friends. We have built houses for people, found jobs for people, advocated on their behalf before government bodies. We have done more to benefit people in Central Florida than any career politician has ever done. To denigrate the work of community organizers is to insult the backbone of every non-profit, every church, and every public school across the country.

I expect that this display of sheer ignorance by the McCain/Palin campaign will stick with every one who has ever worked directly with their local communities.

If you are a community organizer send a donation to the Obama campaign A.S.A.P. I already did. www.barackobama.com Give them a dollar at least.

War Against Iran: Update

Yesterday's post entitled: WAR ON IRAN: IMMINENT was a speculative piece based on little more than personal opinion. Today, however, I stand much more firmly on that idea as the former US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton discusses the policy towards Iran. At about 1:22 into the video Bolton is asked about the right policy and he answers:

"...If there is any possibility of the use of force by Israel before the next President takes office..."

Here is the video:

When Bolton speaks of the the next President taking office it is not clear whether they are referring to the November election or the January inauguration. Politically the former would be more useful to the neo-conservative agenda. We will be watching.

WAR AGAINST IRAN IMMINENT

As the Republican house of card begins tumbling down, the likely "October Surprise" is an attack on Iranian soil by the United States or Israel. Granted, this is speculation, but speculation based on a number of salient truths.

1) A foreign policy incident, as bad as American foreign policy has been managed by the Bush Administration, is still the best argument for a John McCain Presidency.

2) There are only about 60 days left until the November 4th Presidential election and John McCain still has not unified his party behind him.

3) The neo-conservative agenda was once delayed for eight years by Bill Clinton's Presidency, and Obama threatens another eight year pause in those plans.

4) The Bush Administration has no qualms about starting a war without provocation.

5) The Bush Administration sees itself as beyond accountability or responsibility.

6) Iran has been played up as a national security threat for almost eight years now (remember the Axis of Evil).

7) Few will shed a tear for Iran. In fact many Americans too ignorant to know better will think its a good idea.

8) An attack on Iran places Sen. Obama in a difficult position of having to support the attack even if he disagrees with it.

9) Provides the administration with almost complete control of the subsequent news cycles leading up to the election.

10) FOX NEWS gets to run anti-muslim/pro-America specials and call all democrats traitors. Reigniting the "I'm-more-patriotic-than-you-debate" for Sen. McCain.

Counting back from November 4th, the attack would have to take place before early voting begins, or at least before early voting crests. But the attack must begin after the Republican Convention. So sometime between the second week in September and the second week in October.

If I were Karl Rove this attack on Iran would take place shortly before the first debate which is scheduled for September 26 at the University of Mississippi. That first debate is themed upon domestic policy an area where McCain has proven to be at a gross disadvantage. Doing so will force a discussion on foreign affairs by allowing McCain to refer to Iran and divert the conversation away from domestic issues.

Which means that said attack would best be scheduled for the beginning of that week probably on monday September 22 or there abouts.

Anyone who doubts the machiavellian capacity of the Bush administration to carry this out has not been around for the past eight years.

** Cartoon by Mike Keefe of the Denver Post

Mercenaries 2 Spreads Bush Propaganda

Released on August 31, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is easily dismissed as just the latest incarnation in a long list of shoot'em-up games released in the last decade, but this game is different. While previous such games usually focus on such traditional "enemies" as the Nazies, Communists, and non-descript muslims, Mercenaries 2 takes aim at a democratically elected government of Venezuela.

The game's synopsis from Wikipedia describes the plot:

The story follows the player's hunt for Ramon Solano, a large political figure who contracts the player's mercenary for a job then subsequently refuses to pay and tries to kill him/her. Following a militaristic coup, Solano becomes the dictator of Venezuela. He uses his position to seize control of the country's oil supply, resulting in an international incident and distress among OPEC. Alongside Solano's Rebel Forces, a large portion of the Venezuelan army fiercely supports the dictator's cause.

Simply by changing the name of Ramon Solano to Hugo Chavez, you have basically described the Bush Administration's perception of Venezuela.

This could also be dismissed as just the work of a game developer taking cues from recent headlines. However, that would be easier to do if the game developer was not also a defense contractor for the Pentagon. Pandemic Studios, the developer of Mercenaries 2 has responded to the alegation by releasing this statement: "Pandemic Studios is in the business of entertainment. It has not been contacted by a U.S. government agency concerning the development of Mercenaries 2. All persons, storylines and events are purely fictional and bear no relation to real events. As with any number of games, movies and books, the decision to choose interesting events and locations is purely designed to tell a compelling story, as well as provide a fun and rich experience for the gamer."

Which would be highly believable if this were not the same studio that produced, Full Spectrum Warrior, a training simulation for the U.S. Army released commercially in 2004.

Overall, there's no real conspiracy here. As shoot'em-ups go the fan base doesn't care who they get to shoot as long as it looks cool. So the propaganda is nullified by the nature of its primary target audience.

But I wonder how it would be received in the US if other countries began making games promoting the destruction of the American Government and the assassination of its president. Somehow I don't think it would be so easily dismissed.

Here's the game's trailer:

RNC Protest: MASS ARRESTS [VIDEO]

St. Paul Police have begun arresting protesters and journalists.

OFFICIALLY THERE ARE NO CIVIL RIGHTS LEFT IN ST. PAUL.

The End of American Hegemony

Some have called the 20th century the "American Century". Others, recalling the height of the Roman Empire, have been so bold as to claim the past 50 years or so as the period of "Pax Americana". To be fair these names are justified from a limited perspective only, but are ultimately inaccurate. The last century was certainly a period of great American influence and power, capped in its last decade by the emergence of United States as the only global superpower and for a period of time political scientists even began referring to the US as a "hyper-power", a new nomenclature invented to better describe the seemingly unparalleled, and unopposed stature of the United States among the nations of the world. No matter the terminology, all such characterizations implied the establishment of a unipolar world centered on the United States.

The sustainability of a unipolar world, however, has always proven to be elusive. As Great Britain found out in the early decades of the 20th century, as Spain found out in the 17th century, and as Rome, Greece, Persia, and Babylon before them found out, the dream of a unipolar world is at best unstable and seemingly increasingly so as time passes and the world shrinks around us.

Certainly, things have changed in many ways for the better, a situation Americanists are quick to attribute to the influence of American mores and political institutions. We can spend quite a bit of time debating this, and surely it will be debated with much fierceness in the coming decades. It does seem nevertheless that the greatest claim to success in the modern era is the relative peace and willingness for cooperation found among nations today.

While conflicts still rage across many parts of the world the nature of such conflicts is better describe as domestic power struggles among ideological opposites, revolutionary uprisings against post-colonial regimes, or nationalist struggles for self-determination and sovereignty. But military conflicts focused upon territorial gain, border disputes, the redress of past wrongs, or based upon economic self interests have remarkably disappeared from the strategic dosier of foreign nations. Only the United States it appears continues to hold the perspective that "might makes right" in the 21st century.

The perception of the world as it is carried forward by Americans stands in contrast to reality. Where others see the hopes of political and social progress, the United States sees a sea of troubles.

The truth however is that Europe, perhaps the bloodiest continent in recorded history, now stands almost entirely peaceful, economically unified, and politically stable.

Africa, is gradually, albeit slowly, settling into stable relations among its countries. The African Union is beginning the process of economic and political consolidation, while countries like Nigeria and South Africa settled into the roles of regional leadership.

Among the East Asian countries prosperity is largely due to the recognition, acceptance, and nominal respect towards each other. While China, Japan, and Korea stand historically as mutual enemies, more is being accomplished on a day to day basis through regional cooperation than at any point before. All in spite of the clear differences towards democracy and capitalism.

Likewise in Latin America, despite the American media's portrayal, events are moving closer towards a regional union and a shared economy. Not surprisingly the only points of real contention among these nations is directly related to their individual relationship with the United States, a source of friction which is felt less year after year.

The world is undoubtedly moving towards a global government, a confederacy of nations with equal representation, and this is seen as a positive step for world peace. Regional bodies electing rotating presidencies and adopting regional currencies, all positive signs. In all corners of the globe this developing tide moves forward at an unprecedented pace. Meanwhile the United States seems stuck in the muck of warfare and international double-dealings, and stands as the only country where the thought of a global government is seen as a negative outcome.

But at some point in the near future the people of the United States will realize that the world no longer cares for the American perspective and that day comes closer every day. In a country where its people are so self-assured of their privileged perspective to a point of blindness towards the other worldly perspective, the point of awakening will be a rude one.

So what happens to a people convinced of a false truth when the veil is lifted from their eyes? What will happen when the world's leadership shifts into the hands of another country or more likely into an international grouping of nations? What will the day look like when Americans realize they are no longer the hegemonic superpower?

The world will continue with or without the United States, but the United States will need the world to continue. If things remain as is, if Americans cannot or will not accept the changes happening around the world, if the political leadership of this nation doesn't begin to lead the country in the right direction, you can be sure that in those coming days the America so enshrined by popular history, will give way to the America of our worst nightmares.

RNC Protest: Direct Action on the streets of St. Paul [Videos]

RNC Protests: Police harassment continues