mercredi 4 juillet 2012

Democracy, my foot!


When Wikileak started publishing the American diplomatic cables 18 months ago, Ms. Clinton, the American Secretary of State declared:

This disclosure is not just an attack on America's foreign policy interests ... it is an attack on the international community: the alliances and partnerships, the conversations and negotiations that safeguard global security and advance economic prosperity ... It puts people's lives in danger, threatens our national security and undermines our efforts to work with other countries to solve shared problems.

Wow. The situation seems serious here.

And Franco Fratelli, the then Italian minister of foreign affairs added this incomparable und unmistakable touch of  Italian drama:

« les fuites représentent un 11-Septembre de la diplomatie mondiale ».

Now, this is really, really very serious, we're on the verge of Armageddon.

Last time I checked, Time wasn't a revolutionary outlet and seemed not quite convinced by the dramatic tone adopted by the Obama Administration. And the same goes for the NYT which had the leaks published and about all media in America (safe the Fox group affiliated newspapers, radio and TV channels.)

One of the many interesting issues with this affair is how it glaringly demonstrates the gap that exists between the masses and their "democratically" elected leaders.

Basically, Julian Assange's initiative was to present the peoples of the world what was done in their name, what is hidden to them and to give them a glimpse of what their elected leaders do after they've been elected. Doesn't that initiative correspond more to the very definition of "democracy" than just the right to choose between a blue ballot and a red one?

This is apparently what Noam Chomsky thought when he declared:

Perhaps the most dramatic revelation ... is the bitter hatred of democracy that is revealed both by the U.S. Government – Hillary Clinton, others – and also by the diplomatic service. (here)

Another interesting issue here is to consider how the U.S. and all its allies are treating the case. 

Assange, who's not an American citizen, is being chased after like Ben laden has been for ten years. The main difference I can see is that in this case, the U.S, Sweden (shame on Sweden with its accusation of rape), the UK et al are faking to resort to fair and balanced trials and criminal prodedures whereas everyone slightly politically aware knows the case is already closed.

There apparently seems to be a possibility that Ecuador would give political asylum to Assange. Yet, the Ecuadorian Ambassador in London has flown to Quito for further talks. Hmmm... Anyone thinking the U.S. would exert any pressure on Ecuador, ranging from money to threats of all sorts, would be very misled and with a wicked mind.  

Julian Assange shouldn't worry about his fate though. Isn't he being taken care of by the most auto celebrated democracies in the World? And aren't the U.S., Great Britain and Sweden the very same countries that relentlessly tell us China is a non democratic country and should make efforts to accept political dissidence and freedom of speech as basic components of democracy?

Nah, you don't say!

6 commentaires:

Ned Ludd a dit…

It is not only the obvious government policies that are anti-democratic. America, "The land of the free", also uses stealth methods. For years it has been pushing an international treaty known as ACTA--Anti-counterfeiting Trade Agreement.

It's main goal is to give multinationals intellectual property "rights" over everything, including the kitchen sink.

From Wiki:

The signature of the EU and many of its member states resulted in the resignation in protest of the European Parliament's appointed chief investigator, rapporteur Kader Arif, as well as widespread protests across Europe. In 2012 the newly appointed rapporteur, British MEP David Martin, recommended against the treaty, stating: "The intended benefits of this international agreement are far outweighed by the potential threats to civil liberties".

Ned Ludd a dit…

I have been busy wasting my time on Internet. As the group The Animals sang, "I've wasted so much good time having good times." Maybe not exact, it's from memory.

Besides ACTA, I discovered that there is the TPP --Trans-Pacific Partnership--which is another attack on democracy.

"A recent leak of one of TPP’s most controversial chapters reveals that the pact would elevate individual corporations and investors to equal status with sovereign nations to privately enforce this treaty."

Flocon a dit…

L'U.E est la plus flagrante imposture qui puisse être. Faire passer cette institution pour l'indépassable modèle de la démocratie mondiale contemporaine alors qu'au contraire, c'est l'archétype même du technocratisme irresponsable, cela relève de la manipulation des esprits du même niveau que les WMD en Irak.

Shame on me, j'ai été europhile pendant des années, still am mais certainement pas dans le cadre politique existant.


Good Times.

It must have been some 45 years I hadn't heard that song...

Flocon a dit…

Breaking news!

The associated Press informs us here that Wikileaks "is in the process of publishing material from a trove of 2.4 million emails from Syria."

I can't wait till Mrs. Clinton lauds this great contribution to transparency and significant blow to a totalitarian regime that is in total contradiction with American values of democracy, human rights and freedom of speech!

Ned Ludd a dit…

There is some good news finally,

"The European Parliament has overwhelmingly defeated the international Acta anti-piracy agreement, delighting its opponents and plunging its supporters into gloom.

The vote is the first time that the parliament has used its powers under the Lisbon Treaty to reject an international trade agreement.

However, other countries such as the US and Japan are expected to continue with implementing it.

Acta could still be revived if the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, considers that it needs to be implemented and wins a court decision over it.

The parliamentary vote on approving the bill on Wednesday saw 478 against and 39 in favour, with 165 abstentions."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jul/04/acta-european-parliament-votes-against?newsfeed=true

Unfortunately, the article goes on to say that the European Commission might try to revive it. That's European democracy for you.

Flocon a dit…

Tu suis ça de près dis-donc. Comme 99,9% (minimum) des Européens je ne m'intéresse plus du tout à ce qui se passe au niveau politique de l'U.E knowing full well qu'absolument tout le système, son mécanisme, ses acteurs est totalement off limit pour les citoyens.

On (Giscard) nous a vendu le Parlement européen comme l’ultime achievement de la "démocratie" alors même que ce Parlement n'a quasi aucune responsabilité ni aucun pouvoir décisionnel.

C'est la Commission qui fait la pluie et le beau temps and eventually the heads os States since it's them who decide who will be the members.

Ah j'arrête, ça m'énerve trop! Where are my tablets?