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Galloway's Bedfellows

Viewed from over here in Europe, what is really odd about this thing is the extraordinary group of political bedfellows that have been named.

The names I saw were Galloway, Pasqua, and Zhirinovsky. Galloway is a fairly far left socialist. The very idea that he would be involved in any sort of under the table business deals is just plain absurd. Such deals are the very opposite of what he stands for and the kind of people who set them up would never trust him enough to let him in on their secret. They would see his attempt to participate as a trick: he was trying to get the goods on them so as to blow the whistle.

Charles Pasqua is a fairly far right populist. He's a very nasty piece of work and I would be surprised if he was not corrupt. Indeed, he has been in trouble with the law over other "affairs." His participation in some sort of shady deal is totally credible, but the inclusion of Galloway makes the whole thing totally incredible.

Vladimir Zhirinovsky is a far right ultra-nationalist and a thorn in Putin's side and an even more ardent supporter then he of "Russia's Iraq" in Chechnya. He's also a very nasty piece of work (a sort of Russian version of John Bolton!) and since the whole elite under the Communists was totally corrupt, I would expect him to be so too. Nonetheless, here too, the Galloway thing makes the whole story look like a set up.

And then, of course, there's Annan, or more to the point, his son.

What strikes me is that what you have there is almost the full panoply of the neocon demonology: Arabs, an anti-Blair Brit, a Frenchman, a Russian, the UN (and an "uppity" black into the bargain!). All that's missing is a North Korean! And, of course, Fidel! It's all a little bit too convenient. That Galloway's inclusion in this strange crew should follow immediately on the heels of his highly symbolic election to Parliament is hardly a coincidence, but it tends to undermine the credibility of the whole thing.

Here in Europe, the story has been greeted essentially with laughter and got very little press attention. It is seen as another example of "screwball America." An attempt by the neocons to divert attention from the fact that they're losing a war that everybody told them they were bound to lose and to find scapegoats for that loss.

Michael Kenny, via e-mail

Thanks for Noticing

Just a short note to let you know that the councilmembers approved the funding to reopen Pritchard Beach this summer at their last budget meeting. Thanks for all your help shedding light on this story.

Rebecka McKinney, Pritchard Beach Community Coucil Member

Looking for Stories

I'm seeking stories about those who have fought the Bush government over the past several years. I have a book publisher who is interested. Can you help me to find the folks--the true heroes of this country?

The following regarding a book project entitled: "The Cost of Freedom":

I am not one of those who "supports the troops". I do not think they are protecting our freedom. I do not consider them heroes.

To me, the real heroes of our country are the folks who have weathered the storm, with a flimsy poster board sign, on the street corner, in a stiff wind.

Since George W. Bush has been in power in the United States many people have opposed him, fought for truth and for democracy.

Those folks are scattered around the world, from Berkeley to Bismarck to Buffalo--to Berlin. They have held signs in freezing temps on a freeway in Bangor; they have sat alone at a kitchen table to write intrepid letters to the editor in Blacksburg, South Carolina, and they have prayed aloud for peace in Bagdad, Arizona.

All around us are stories of people who have displayed extraordinary courage in these dark times. They personify the image of lighting a candle in the darkness-in the rain--on Main Street--sometimes all alone.

It's not easy, it's often terrifying, and it's absolutely necessary.

Please contact me:

--Mike Palecek, 702 6th Ave., Sheldon IA 51201; 712-324-3603; mpalecek@rconnet.com; website: www.iowapeace.com.

Global Denial

All previous Empires collapsed with a total sense of denial. In France Louis XV was the last to have a foot on reality and the other on indifference. His simpleton son, even approaching the guillotine just couldn't understand what was happening in France.

In the sixties, rich, opulent Americans came down to reality with the Best-Seller THE UGLY AMERICAN, and a less flamboyant behavior abroad was the result of challenging Americans to abandon denial and to face reality. At that time, their denial was their belief that they were popular all over the World as a paternalistic big brotherly, goody-goody neighbor. The book was brutal in its frankness and its pristine description of how Americans were really viewed abroad.

Today, my dear neighbors to the South are again in complete denial. They believe that their soldiers are being slain abroad to "export democracy" to the barbarians, inhabitants of the world beyond the borders of the USA. The global indoctrination of Supreme Neo-Fascist Washington has mesmerized those who still believe that the news reports the facts of reality, truthfully. That global denial hides very effectively the abject poverty that the policies of Washington, during the last two centuries, have dumped on Humanity.

I worked a good part of my professional life in the Third World. Since the time of Reagan, the feeling in the Third World are not ironical or disdainful towards Americans, now they are spiteful, vindictive, aggressive. I decided to write my book Counter Attack on Human Economics from a politically incorrect point of view, and I roll-play the true feelings that I sensed in the Third World. (see www.stauthor.com/6044/CounterAttack.htm ). All Americans will hate my guts, but perhaps nobody can do the working class of America a better job than I do, to have them face reality before it is too late.

Those who believe Bush are in Limbo. Those who support him are backward, malicious fanatics. Those who do not trust Mr. President are in peril. Somebody has to have the audacity to dissect this global denial, piece-by-piece, bit-by-bit, until sanity sparks in the senses of Humanity. I hope Counter Attack will operate that miracle.

--Jorge Torrealba, Director General, Techno Economics International Consultants, Halifax, NS, Canada