Is this really me??

Apparently I'm a Democrat, I don't know if is a good thing or a bad thing =P


The Test

What Political Party Do Your Beliefs Put You In? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Democrat <'Imunimaginative's Deviantart Page'> Democrat 83% Communism 67% Socialist 67% Green 67% Anarchism 58% Fascism 17% Republican 0% Nazi 0%

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What are the outcomes of the Annapolis conference?

Could it be hope or continued despair? I would say the latter and I don’ think that it will change that much during the year. That is because of some indications about the intents for a peace treaty, which is nonexistent according to me, has not much has changed.

Continued settlement building: If we want to have peace, why not further build on territories that are internationally illegal (something that even the Legal Counsel of the Israeli Government knew back in 1967). The Settlements are illegal according to Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention where it is states that:

“Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own population into the territory it occupies.”

As ironic as that that might sound, that is exactly what is happening right now. This is not something new since there has been illegal expansion of settlements, that has not been just illegal under international law, but also according to Israeli law for a long time.

Peace in mind: If this is the attitude of Ehud Olmert, then what are the possibilities of reaching an agreement and achieve a peace that is viable for all and adheres to parties. But as mentioned, I don’t believe that that will ever happen if the idea is a two-state solution. The Palestinian Territories and enclaves nowadays can’t function as a state entity with both being disconnected from each other, but also being disconnected within territories because of the Israeli Settlements. The only solution that I see as a long term solution is a One-State Solution, with a secular, democratic and federal state for both Israelis and Palestinian, both Jews and Muslims but also for Christians and all the other people living in the territories. With more than 400 000 Israeli settlers in Palestinian Occupied Territories, that is pretty much the only realistic solution.



There is a report of the situation "on the ground" as they call it:

Certainly Israeli citizens know that the “U.N. Refugee World Administration reports that as of “November 2006, 40.3% of Palestinian households lived in ‘deep poverty’ (daily per capita consumption of less than $2.10); in Gaza the figure is 79.8%.” And that was a year ago. Today, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency described the situation on November 7 as grim. “Whereas two months ago, there was zero stock of 61 medicines, the figure has now reached 91… There are no fruits and vegetables to supplement the basic rations that 80% of Gaza’a population receive – flour, oil, sugar, a bit of lentils and powdered milk – either from UNRWA or the UN World Food Program.”

I’m not holding my breathe and think that this will happen soon, especially when I read that in every way, the way forward towards peace, is hindered and destroyed. But that is what I’m hoping for in the future as hope should be the last thing to leave us and hopefully I will be alive to see it. So in Annapolis I see not hope but I really hope tat i am wrong.

For some further readings; The one I recommend the most is from Media With Conscience, one other is from Znet.

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Go Biden Go!!!

Impeachment: Why not? Go for it Biden and join teams with Kucinich to get an even louder voice. The issue of impeaching the current administration is an interesting thing. Without going in to to much in to the issue of law and stuff like that, my view point is just that someone should stand trial over the lies and apparent misuse of power in the Bush administration with regard to the Iraq war. And also as Biden points out, there should be an even bigger case against Bush if he attacks Iran (whish he won’t for a while, at least not during shopping season).

I don’t even care of he would get convicted (which he won’t), I just want there to be a move to get some records straight and to try to hold appointed electives in the United States responsible to their actions.

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Kurdish Oil Contracts!?!?

When it surfaced a couple of weeks ago (but not just then) that The KRG had signed deals with foreign oil companies, it sounded very strange to me. Because I had no recollection that they had that kind of authority according to the constitution since the constitution says that “The Regional Government shall, together with the Federal Government, jointly manage Petroleum Operations” and also I wondered how they were going to go about and export the oil.

Here we can see that both my questions are answered since, The KRG doesn’t have any authority to conduct in such deals according to Iraqi law (and the Kurdish region still is a part of Iraq, no matter what they might be disillusioned about and have visions about) and also they will have major problems exporting the oil.

This is just another sign that the KRG have the very intention of ripping Iraq apart with no though about the repercussions of such an event. That is something that I’m very much opposed to. Although I understand much of the grievance of the Kurdish people and their cause, but partition is not the answer.

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Is it really a decline of death, violence, destruction and casualties in Iraq?

When the United States government or other organizations within the occupation forces say that the casualties are down, it is a skewed view of the picture. Some other numbers show that the casualties are as high as ever, but you just have to try to see through the bullshit and misreporting from governments sources and their media companions.

Here are some other numbers.

• Total deaths in Iraqis due to the U.S. invasion: Over One Million Iraqis.
• Deaths and casualties in Iraq on the 13th and 14th alone: The 13th "4 U.S. soldiers, 62 Iraqis Killed; 43 Iraqis Wounded". On the 14th "1 US Soldier, 80 Iraqis Killed; 37 Iraqis Wounded".
  
• Suicide rate among US troops and veterans that come back: In 2005 alone 6,256 suicides.

No wonder why diplomats and embassy personal doesn't want to serve in Baghdad. It is seen as a death sentence and for all the good reason. Not even the Green Zone is safe.

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Who are they kidding?

It is almost embarrassing to hear all this talk about Iraq, and that the situation is improving and that we see a turningpoint. Although there has been a decline in violence and casualties, is that proof that the decline is a show of really positive signs and improvement and an actual turningpoint in the conflict? No, it is foolish to take such conclusions based on those numbers.

Some simple explanations to why the violence is down and why it is not a turningpoint, but just merely a "break"

• The Surge: Is it a surprise that there are lower casualties in Iraq, and particularly in Baghdad? NO. The United States took 30 000 troops, and put them in Baghdad. So what a surprise that there is less violence then, although 2007 being the deadliest year for US troops. More boots on the ground means more guns and weapons, thus less insurgents who want to battle the troops. But how long is that going to last. You guessed it, until the troops are removed.
  
• The Mahdi Army Moratorium: With the temporary suspension of the Mahdi Army, while Sadr reorganizes it, there is no surprise that we should see a decline in uprising and resistance. But Sadr won't hold this truce for ever and it will start up again later. What Sadr is doing is to reorganize his militia, the thousands of armed forces that he has under his command. This reorganization will weed out the dissidents in the organization and probably make the militia an even stronger force.
  
• The Walls: I and many other believe that the walls erected throughout of Baghdad, has had one of the most significant effect in reduction of violence in the Iraqi capital. And it makes sense since if you want to stop different groups (in this case Sunnis and Shiites) then one can separate them apart for short term solution. But like I said, it is just a short term solution. Are those walls going be erected forever? "

  Erecting concrete walls between neighborhoods is not a solution to the collapse in security and the rampant violence. If so, Baghdadis would find themselves in a maze of high walls overnight"
  

Bottom line is that the conflict is not even close to being over or even having a turningpoint. I wish that I'm wrong, but I doubt it. I think that the issue will only be solved in Two ways. The first: the American troops are gone, and probably there will be a civil war and we can just wait and see what will be left of Iraq after it. The second is that somehow more religious-, faction- or sectarian leaders will come together and first convince each other and after that their followers that they have to unite together or fall in deeper conflict. They have to realize that uniting and establishing a country where all groups will be safe is the only way to go.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see. "The tragedy is that the price being paid to win Iraq's independence is so horrifically high."

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Will and should Turkey engage in military operations against the PKK?

The issue of Turkey and the PKK is getting more interesting although maybe many people might have thought that the problem or emergency was gone. But is it not and for the past weeks there has been many closed door negotiations, mainly between Turkey and the US. These negotiations, although maybe not sufficient for Turkey, has yielded in results. But are those results going to prevent Turkey from attacking the PKK, the Kurdish “terrorist” organizations bases in northern Iraq. The question here is should Turkey do that and will they?

I think they will and should actually, especially if one just thinks about the situation and “real politic”. By almost every country, at least those that have a voice in the international arena, the PKK is considered a terrorist organization. The overall objective of the PKK it to get a autonomous state from Turkey. Now, will Turkey allow that, will they allow anything like that, of course not. They barely allow a semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq. So Turkey will probably attack the bases wit more that just the bombings that they have. This will probably be frowned upon by the US, NATO (US), EU, Iraq and also Russia. But they can’t really do much. None of these actors have done much to stop PKK activities in northern Iraq. And when they say they will, it is mostly just lip service.

We have seen and heard reports that the PKK has gotten weapons from the US army and also their branch that is fighting Iran, the PJAK is also getting supplies. So should Turkey defend itself? Yes they should. Although I would love if foe every group in society that wants a country of their own, should get it, I just don’t think that it is feasible and also it is foolish. Like the region hasn’t enough problems without another state being created, especially one that would be carved out of 4 other countries.

I also believe that they will do military incursions into the Kurdish regions of Iraq. First of all they have 100 000 troops stationed at the border. The political and public pressure on Erdogan is mounting amidst the crossborder PKK attacks and killings. They aren’t getting real support to fight the PKK from Iraq and the US.

So is it inevitable? Unless some serious efforts are made from the United States to curb the situation and crackdown on the “terrorists” or at least put pressure on the Iraqi Kurds to do it, then it is inevitable. The US, unless they want to loose all the credibility they have (I don’t think they have any left), then they have to instead of acting with double-standards, they have to show that they mean it when they actually classify an organization “terrorists”. That they can not just not put pressure on the PKK because the northern parts of Iraq is stable or to support the PJAK just because they are attacking the Iranians. This whole issue has strengthened the ties of Iran and Iraq more and more, probably something that the United States wants

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