The American Pope

[Ivo Skoric]

Jimmy Carter is kind of an American Protestant Pope. He travels 
the world and preaches peace. He went to places like Sudan, 
North Korea and Cuba, spoke his mind clearly, regardless of what 
those in power there or in the US at the time thought. A couple of 
people already got their Nobel prizes thanks to his work. So, it was 
a surprise that he got his only after more than 10 nominations and 
only whey it became means of critizicing present US policy.

“Formerly admired almost universally as the pre eminent champion 
of human rights, our country has become the foremost target of 
respected international organizations concerned about these basic 
principles of democratic life. We have ignored or condoned abuses 
in nations that support our antiterrorism effort, while detaining 
American citizens as "enemy combatants," incarcerating them 
secretly and indefinitely without their being charged with any crime 
or having the right to legal counsel. This policy has been 
condemned by the federal courts, but the Justice Department 
seems adamant, and the issue is still in doubt. Several hundred 
captured Taliban soldiers remain imprisoned at Guantánamo Bay 
under the same circumstances, with the defense secretary 
declaring that they would not be released even if they were 
someday tried and found to be innocent. These actions are similar 
to those of abusive regimes that historically have been condemned 
by American presidents.”
(The Troubling New Face of America", by Jimmy Carter in 
Washington Post on Friday, September 6, 2002)

-/-
 
Japan - Iraq

In 1945 the US was an undisputed power - perhaps, even more than 
today - because of its ownership of that scary new weapon that they 
used against Japan: the nuclear bomb. Japan was a hated imperialist 
nation that conquered its neighbors and committed unspeakable crimes 
against humanity against the population there. Therefore, Japan 
neighbors didn’t view six year long US military occupation of Japan as 
something repulsive. On the contrary. Also, although, Japan was a 
militaristic society with no democratic tradition, it was also an industrial 
society with skilled and educated workers. That made the application of 
American help easier.

Both elements may be missing in the case of Iraq. It’s neighbors feel 
more threatened by American presence, than by weakened Saddam 
Hussein. Koreans, Chinese, Russians, Indonesians, Flipinos - they were 
all suspicious of the US, but they hated Japan. Arab and Iran Muslims 
while suspicious of Iraq, hate the US. That’s a crucial difference and may 
have a large impact on the US plans. Iraq is essentially a ‘third world’ 
country rich with oil. Skilled workforce, industrial and educational 
infrastructure is missing. That means - more work than in Japan, with less 
regional support available.

Kissinger, being the abhorrent realist he is, immediately recognized that 
subtle difference, and dismissed Bush’s Administration cry “We’ll make 
Japan out of Iraq, once Saddam is gone” with utter disgust. But, it 
sounds good. And the Congress voted for it. I doubt Security Council 
will oppose it. China must be grateful for Bush’s governmental 
intervention in the West Coast ports lock-out: what would their prison 
factories do without the US as a market? All those ships just standing 
there in the water must have hurt their economy even more than they 
were hurting the US economy. Do they really want to risk Bush 
becoming pro-labor, by threatening to veto an action which would 
ultimately reduce the price of oil - something their economy will benefit 
from, too?

Bush is going to be given a chance to make his war. But that places great 
responsibility on him. His administration will be expected to deliver on 
the promise of democracy and prosperity in Iraq and the region. But 
while cheaper oil may benefit the world, it will re-enact the end of 18th 
century France for many Arab kingdoms, and Iran, on a verge of its own, 
intrinsic renaissance may suffer the most by having the process co-
opted by blunt Westernization.

-/-

Sniper

In the Balkans, where snipers became the trademark of disgusting 
warfare tactics against civilians, most of them ultimately got caught, and 
when they did, they were mostly spared the due process by being hurled 
through the window of the high-rise (where from they did the shooting).

ivo