Wolfowitz feels the heat

[Bartok]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=9558497
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2...printable=true

When this guy goes (which must be soon) a lot of people will be happy. I am not a big fan of his politics, and he seems to have abused some of his powers at times to advance his own interests (eg his girlfriend's wage structure) and the USA's (eg punishing Uzbekistan for not permitting US to use air bases). But in his efforts to shake up teh corrupt regimes in the third world I think he has done something amazingly brave for which he deserves credit. A pity he has made so many enemies on other fronts, because on that one I think he'd get alot of public support.

[egb_hibs]

Nick Cohen's "What's Left" contains some interesting stuff on wolfowitz. There's an anecdote about some Iranian feminist writer dedicating her book 'To Paul' and Cohen's reflections on finding out that this was wolfowitz. the point was that - according to cohen - he was the guy admired by the oppressed liberals in places like that, rather than those who would claim to be liberals over here, but who gave nothing in terms of solidarity. a bit like the betrayal the intellectuals of the eastern bloc used to feel etc. of course this was before the neo-cons got tarnished with the iraq mess.

also contains stuff which suggests that wolfowitz is genuinely sincere with all this spreading democracy business, and has never recovered from the 'betrayal' of the shia uprising in gulf war I - but then that will only be a revelation to those who refuse to credit america with any other than solely nefarious aims.

as cohen points out, a fair bit of the flak that PW gets is no doubt down to what is euphemistically termed, ahem, 'anti zionism'

[wee 162]

Originally Posted by egb_hibs

Nick Cohen's "What's Left" contains some interesting stuff on wolfowitz. There's an anecdote about some Iranian feminist writer dedicating her book 'To Paul' and Cohen's reflections on finding out that this was wolfowitz. the point was that - according to cohen - he was the guy admired by the oppressed liberals in places like that, rather than those who would claim to be liberals over here, but who gave nothing in terms of solidarity. a bit like the betrayal the intellectuals of the eastern bloc used to feel etc. of course this was before the neo-cons got tarnished with the iraq mess.

also contains stuff which suggests that wolfowitz is genuinely sincere with all this spreading democracy business, and has never recovered from the 'betrayal' of the shia uprising in gulf war I - but then that will only be a revelation to those who refuse to credit america with any other than solely nefarious aims.

as cohen points out, a fair bit of the flak that PW gets is no doubt down to what is euphemistically termed, ahem, 'anti zionism'

I just love the fact that one of the things that Iran gets slated for is censorship of the press but someone who wants the US to invade it who publishes their book in Iran can be eulogised...

BTW I take it "What's Left" is the one book you've read recently?

I would also say that I haven't read "What's Left" but I do have "Pretty Straight Guys" sitting on my bookshelf, so I've read his stuff before. Perhaps you should have a look at it, and then horse on with your "Nick Cohen is brilliant" jihad. "Pretty Straight Guys" is really all about how good and how morally right Tony Blair and the Labour Party is. A eulogy is only overstating it because new labour isn't dead yet. His criticism is all about presentation.

What I'm trying to say here is that you are massively biased towards believing Nick Cohens analysis because it fits in with your own bias. What I'm trying to say is that I think he's a fecking halfwit who experiences a new revelation every time he reads an Economist or New Statesman leader.

Anyway, Paul Wolfowitz might well be sincere about spreading democracy, unfortunately he disagrees with the decisions that democratic society makes and feels that if they differ from his then they are not democratic. That's one of the reasons why he is one of the founders of Project For The New American Century which advocates destroying any nation, democratic or otherwise, which does not comply with his viewpoint. IMO that's not advocating democracy, it's advocating fascism.

[Bartok]

More on this tomorrow when sober

[egb_hibs]

Originally Posted by wee 162

BTW I take it "What's Left" is the one book you've read recently?

yup - allowed myself a couple of nights of the wagon wi the ciggies and read it in those two nights. i'm in a terrible dilemma Al - can't read without smoking.

read more, die young, is not very rock n roll is it


i'll pick up on your points later - gotta nash the now.