I read an interesting article yesterday concerning China’s military buildup. China has recently tested a longe-range missile (9000km range I believe), and the DOD here went ape-shit over the testing. Rumsfeld echoed concerns of the Chinese military build-up. The interesting thing I discovered was the country that sold China its high-tech components that drastically improved its long-range capabilities : Israel. What makes this data a double-whammy is that Israel’s missile technology is a derivative of the US’s , since we have armed that country to the teeth. Where is the outcry on Israel’s treachery?

To be clear, I never claimed that the UN should dissolve or disband, or attempted to trivilaize its existence. My point was that the actions of the US completely undermine the UN’s efforts. The US does NOT respect the wishes of the General Assembly, does not abide by the votes where the US is in the overwhelming minority, does NOT respect some verdicts of the World Court, the UN’s judicial component. And, not to make claims without proof, I offer the following headscratchers:
(These votes are somehwat dated but to signify actions which counter the mainstream media’s coverage of the US-UN relationship) :

1. in 1986, the US was found guilty by the World Court of international terrorism for its proxy war against Nicaragua. The US was ordered to cease illegal operations. The US , in fact, escalated the atrocities.
2. Soonafter this ruling, there was a Security Council vote calling on all nations to “observe international law”. The vote was 11-1 (US).
3. After the security council vote , there was a General Asssembly vote on the same measure of “observing international law”. The vote was 94-3 (US, Israel, El Salvador). Note the 2 countries that joined the US were client states.
4. A follow up vote on the same measure : 94-2 (US, Israel)

Where is the media through all this? Are these votes not newsworthy?????

In regards to non-proliferation and WMD, these votes might astonish the brainwashed ….

In 1987, there was a General assembly vote banning weapons in outer space (star wars). The vote was 154-1 (US). Another resolution which unequivocally called on all nations to stop developing new weapons of mass destruction. This vote was only 135-1 (US). Another resolution for a nuclear test freeze : 137-3 (US, Britain, France).

Simple questions to ask:

1. Why is this record not covered in the mainstream presses?
2. Why would the US vote this way?
3. Why is the story not that the US is virtually alone in the world?
4. Given the nature of the US’s record with respect to non-proliferation, why does the US try and prevent other nations from acquiring them?
5. Why does no one discuss the double standard of Israeli nukes in the context of a nuclear-free Middle East?
(I have covered this in a response to another entry from JohnnyB)
6. What gives the US the right to dictate which countries obtain nukes, since the US is still the only country to have used this type of weapon (on an enemy that already asked for a surrender, by the way).
7. Is the US as “benevolent” as it tries to portray itself?

Cheers

Funny you mention about Israel and China, since I read this not two weeks ago on Yahoo news:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=3&u=/nm/20050619/ts_nm/arms_israel_usa_dc

Condoleeza kept her eye on the ball as a good anti-commie. I can’t speak for the american mainstream now that most all my news is off the web. Needless to say I am pissed that the Israelies tried to do this. I am not familiar with a successful sale of long range missile technology to China, Scottie, could you find that for me? Also, What do the Chi-coms need to go to a middle man for? They already developed long-range capability thanks to the Clinton admininistration.

Benefits to Israel of U.S. Aid
Since 1949 (As of November 1, 1997)

Foreign Aid Grants and Loans
$74,157,600,000

Other U.S. Aid (12.2% of Foreign Aid)
$9,047,227,200

Interest to Israel from Advanced Payments
$1,650,000,000

Grand Total
$84,854,827,200

Total Benefits per Israeli
$14,630
Cost to U.S. Taxpayers of U.S.
Aid to Israel

Grand Total
$84,854,827,200

Interest Costs Borne by U.S.
$49,936,680,000

Total Cost to U.S. Taxpayers
$134,791,507,200

this comes from WRMEA

i have found other sources of data which support these figures

Egypt is #2 behind Israel, but with a population far , far greater than Israel’s, so the per capita aid is much, much lower

cheers

incidentally, if you want to know why the US gives Egypt considerable aid, i can explain
in 1973, Egypt proved that it was a force to be reckoned with(it was basically a draw between israeli forces and egyptian forces, but not a rout as in 1967), and could keep Israel in check militarily
that’s why the negotiated peace between israel and egypt went through(5 years later), and the payments represent the method of keeping egypt out of the way, so to speak (and also served to lure egypt away from the soviet sphere and into the western sphere)

cheers

http://www.navyleague.org/seapower/chinas_navy_today.htm

We need a little idealism, don’t you think?…the Democrats have enough pessimism for both parties, so someone has to be able to see past their own eyeballs. I think a little bit of realism could have helped. You know, “It’s going to be a lot of hard work,” etc, etc. But it’s not like we haven’t heard that before.

Someone has to project a view of how much better the world can be, and this time it has to be the Republicans.

Cool.

Wikipedia is absolutely one of the best websites on Earth. I can find something on just about EVERYTHING on this site.

i will be tied down with grading finals for at least a few days, but i read your response, and will respond either after grading, or when i take a break at some point

cheers

What about Stalin? We sided with him, when we needed to rid Europe of another despot. Was that the wrong thing to do? Or are we going to become Hitler apologists because he was just struggling against the evil Zionists.

Johnny makes a great point about the view that historians have now. There’s a chance we expect too much:

Not only are our nation’s leaders (FDR, Truman, Reagan, Bush) supposed to have perfect real-time information of the past and present, they are also supposed to predict the future. Stalin we knew about, but we didn’t have a choice, but Hussein? Are we supposed to just turn on them like Carter turned on the Shah, or be loyal to them because we “supported” them 25 years ago? Which way do we go?

OH…that’s right we should stay out of it…let the Hitlers and Stalins do what they can to take over the world…and hopefully if we just stay still and quiet enough maybe they will leave us alone. And as long as noone is getting rich on oil and defense contracts, everyone will be happy.

Looking forward to it.

No problem bro,

I need to get back into my lab work again, as well. So I’m going to be quiet as well for a while.