Re: This makes me proud of my President

> Yes, it is intended to make Americans think that we are doing the right
> thing.  It is presumably intended also to make Afghans think the same
thing.
> And if it prevents a popular uprising against the US in Afghanistan (where
> we are surely going), Pakistan (who is likely helping us), and
elsewhere --
> I'm all for it.

I'd be happier if other kinds of policies were followed to achieve that...

> Hopefully, it will not just be good strategy and good PR....  Hopefully,
it
> will signal a beginning of re-engagement with the world in terms of
feeding
> the poor, etc.  I'd like to think that it would lead to re-examination of
> global economic policy, but I'd also like a pony... ;-)

The problem is precisely that. This clearly does not signal the beginning of
such
new engagement.
By passing the ilusion that we are taking care of the victims of this
conflict, the
public simply feels more comfortable with his conscience, and doesn't feel
that
something must change in US foreign policy. That is why we must stress that
this is an ilusion.
Although I am a little impressed with many people's reactions to this
crisis,
and I have the feeling that much more people now are criticizing what is
going
on in the middle east (Palestine, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, etc...), I don't
really think
we're anywhere near some such re-examination. How many imperialist wars
have throughout the time been called "humanitary interventions" ?
I would see some improvement if I felt that the need that governments now
have of reassuring people's minds of the justice of their acts, was new.
I see indeed improvement in comparison with other recent crisis, perhaps
we're
entering a less intelectually lazy decade, but not more than that.
I found a letter of a portuguese writer (I am portuguese, how do you do...),
Eça de Queiroz (reading one of his works is mandatory in high school),
precisely
criticizing the english invasion of Afghanistan in 1880, saying how it
resembled
another english invasion of Afghanistan in 1847, and all the propaganda
aspects
are there, both for internal and external consumption (things like Kandahar
is free!,
etc.).

There is another striking aspect of the imperialist nature of this invasion
that I
would like to mention. Did you see what British troops are there? Naturally
the burkas! Great-Britains faithful dogs, ready to serve as meat for canons
at any time. And from France there is the famous Foreign Legion.
I guess the burkas must also have been there in 1847 and 1880...

Another thing I would like to add is something I think I haven't seen
mentioned
here, take a look at http://www.fidh.org/communiq/2001/ij0310a.htm, a yet to
be law entitled "American Service member Protection Act"....

Mind you, my slimy parliament is changing the constitution to allow Portugal
to
adhere to the International Criminal Court. You see we have a problem, the
constitution forbids extraditation of accused criminals who may me subject
to punishments that are considered inhumane, like the death penalty and life
imprisionment. Since the International Criminal Court allows the latter,
Portugal
could not ratify its inconditional adhesion.
Portugal was the second country to abolish capital punishment, next to
Venezuela
(naturally because of sheer luck, nothing else) and is now giving away its
principles,
moving backwards, to adhere to some International Criminal Court which
intentions
are still doubtful (but who knows, may not be in the future) and meanwhile
the
US is saying that International Court yes but it is only for others ?

I begin to see a pattern of disrespect of international laws and treaties...
This is no nationalistic bullshit. My government completely abides by yours
(as do
every european governments) and I have the same problem that you have.
To be realistic I must consider that the american government is also mine,
except I'm a second rate citizen who can only vote for local authorities.

But we have:
1- Disrespect for the UN, by not carrying finantial obligations in full. Not
to
mention blocking any measure that might be disagreable to the US in the
security
council.
2- Disrespect for the Genebra conventions in warfare. The using of chemical
weapons
in Iraq and Kosovo as well as other weapons like napalm, etc. This is a
crime of
war but only for others.
3- Now this with the International Criminal Court.

Clearly, since those international institutions have the respect of the
american people,
the US government is doing a very good job at convincing the public that it
owes
nothing to the international comunity. Instead it is everyone else that
should thank
the US for their liberty, democracy, etc, etc. Except that it is not so. The
US does
no more than to clear the world from every possible obstacle to its giant
multinational
corporations. And in the process has killed many democracies and taken away
the
liberty of millions of people.

Therefore we must be carefull not to mistake the public's conformist concern
for
the victims health with a true change. The former will always be easily
satisfied by
some propaganda, which is not even very convincing.

Finally, to answer,
> And if it prevents a popular uprising against the US in Afghanistan (where
> we are surely going), Pakistan (who is likely helping us), and
elsewhere --
> I'm all for it.
I don't think so. If we, who have comfortable lifes in Europe and the US,
who
are well fed, who watch CNN, are not easily convinced...
Do you think that this pale pseudo-help and propaganda is going to appease
them who never watch CNN, who do not benefit from this situation like we do,
indeed they are some of the victims ?
That is the problem. And you and I are part of the 15% of the world
population
(according to brasilian photographer Sebastião Salgado) that benefits from
this
situation, we'll remain being enemies for the other 85%. Even if we
truthfully liked
to change this.
As said Francineide Sales of the brasilian Worker's Democratic Party in
reaction
to 9/11 (in www.pdt.org.br) "One thing is for sure: in this world of
abysses, where
the practice of injustice and disrespect is common, no one is safe!".
(if you know portuguese do read that passionate article, which is also full
of hope)

Miguel Ramos