Links A. Wikipedia definition of Mexico
B. Corruption in Mexico
We have a few political issues in the United States that always appear to be on the front-burner. Immigration reform is one of those issues. For some reason, the laws that are in place are not sufficient or appropriate anymore, therefore reform is in order. Actually, its not the laws which have lost their efficacy, its our willingness to enforce those laws. If you are a citizen of a foreign country and you wish to become a U.S. citizen, then you have the option of entering into the United States Immigration Lottery (Yes, that is the name). Every few years, a certain number of persons from every country that participates in the program are selected (after Interpol, FBI and related checks, I assume) to become Resident Aliens. The U.S. government has other avenues for potential immigrants as well, including applying for asylum or for refugee status. I don't believe that we should increase the numbers of immigrant visas being issued, but if someone believes differently, we have a system by which the figures may be adjusted. The problem of illegal immigration that we face in the United States has nothing to do with the number of foreign nationals that are allowed to immigrate each year. If we increased the number, it wouldn't impact the number of persons attempting illegal entry one iota. As is almost always the case, the best place to fix a problem is at the source. For all serious and practical purposes, the source of illegal immigration to the United States is Mexico. Its true that in the past three decades, the numbers from Central America have increased dramatically, but these individuals travel through Mexico and cross into the United States in the same manner and at the same location, as Mexican illegal immigrants.
The Department of Homeland Security estimates that roughly 700,000 illegal immigrants cross into the United States from Mexico every year, and that the great majority of these persons are nationals of Mexico. My goodness, Mexico must be a barren land of no resources and no opportunity. While else would so many Mexican nationals risk everything to come to the United States? The truth is, Mexico is a fat and healthy country, resource-wise. At one time, Mexico was sitting on the fourth largest oil deposits (Gulf of Mexico) in the world. Because the Mexican government and its state-owned company Pemex focused exclusively on the deposits that were easily extractable, Mexico isn't the player on the oil market that it once was. But Pemex has belatedly started looking for new sites and investing in ways to continue exploiting the deposits that aren't so easy to get at anymore. Mexico can still rely on oil revenue to bring in a substantial amount of revenue to the government. Also, Mexico is agriculturally blessed, and is a leader in the international livestock industry. Tourists continue to flock to the beaches of coastal Mexico and to the historic Catholic cathedrals of the interior. Tremendous potential exists for Mexico to access hydroelectric energy, and the country is well-placed to compete with Asia in certain markets, including car manufacturing. I am determined to keep this post from becoming a "two-parter", so I can't get down in the weeds, but Mexico creates plenty of jobs every year. The economy appears to be healthy, but so many people live in abject poverty, regardless of which political party runs the show. Mexico's problem is one as old as the hills. Mexico suffers from endemic corruption, a corruption that runs so deep it has become the normal way to conduct business to most people.
A very small percentage of extremely wealthy individuals and families enjoy the largesse from Mexico's many resources. They control Pemex, Telmex, the Unions, both houses of Congress, and both political parties. This percentage has agreed to a "laissez-faire" arrangement with the narco-traffickers. They know that the drugs companies aren't going away, so they just agree to stay out of each other's way. The narco-traffickers are mostly interested in moving their product through Mexico and into the United States; they don't have much other interest in Mexico, as most Mexicans can't afford drugs like the Yanquis can. The majority of the elite Mexican families of which I speak, can trace their roots all the way back to Spain. They drive up from the interior and cross into the United States to visit Sea World or go shopping. They drive SUVs (sometimes Mercedes or Lexus) with Monterrey or D.F. plates, and give off a distinctly European attitude. The kids either go to private school in the U.S. or in Europe, and many time have blonde hair. When they drive through Nuevo Laredo to enter the United States, they make good use of their tinted-windows and Chanel sunglasses, so their view is not disturbed by the children begging on the side of the streets, or the cripples, or the construction workers breaking their backs during 16-hr shifts, making one-tenth what they would make in the United States. This group has a unique ability to ignore the people from whom they steal.
You see, this small group shares in the majority of Mexico's wealth, and lets enough trickle-down to keep a modest middle-class functioning. Analysts can point to Mexico's middle class as a sign of progress. Bullshit. Its just a distraction. There is no excuse for a country as wealthy as Mexico to replicate the same theft year after year, benefiting the same people, and keeping the majority of Mexicans poor. I realize that the type of corruption that infects Mexico runs deep and wide, but it can be eradicated the first time someone stands up and says, NO MORE EXCUSES. Mexico exports much of its labor to the United States. It has become a problem for us because of the impact on our social welfare apparatus and, frankly, the unwillingness of many Mexican immigrants to embrace the traditions and history of the United States over the language and culture of Mexico. Its absolutely true that the United States has always been a country of immigrants. But those immigrants from Ireland, and Russia, and Germany, and various parts of Africa, are now Americans. The United States must also enforce some rule of law on its borders. We are a separate country from Mexico.
Mexico needs a revolution. The young men and women of Mexico need to decide that "enough is enough". Frankly speaking, they need to stand up to the government. They must stand up a political party whose entire manifesto focuses on ending corruption and returning as much ill-gotten gains as possible to the Mexican treasury. They must spread an infectious message of fairness and opportunity, that will resonate with the young men and women in the police and military. The resources from Pemex can be directed to finding new forms of energy. It would be nice to imagine that the ones in power would relinquish their control without a struggle, but a struggle there will be. Mexico will have to follow the footsteps of its northern sibling who in 1776, decided that freedom and fair representation were worth dying for. Mexico needs an open, inclusive economy that stays targeted on the future. The Mexican people are accustomed to hard work, and have had their share of brilliant scientists and researchers. The Revolution will unlock all the potential that has been dormant for a century. The economy will flourish, and Mexicans living in the United States will return HOME.
None of this will happen without sacrifice, and group sacrifice does not occur spontaneously. Someone will have to be the hero, or possibly the martyr, who takes the first step. Mexico can take care of her own. But her shackles must be the first to be removed.
Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Friday, January 30, 2015
Why I Avoid Flying
I remember the days when I would get excited thinking about taking a flight. The idea that anything could possibly go wrong never entered my mind. Even as I grew older and started traveling frequently for work, I never minded flying. When I was still a relatively young man, though, my attitude changed just a bit. I was living and working in Africa, and it was necessary for me to fly to different countries for projects and seminars. As I point out in my book, I discovered that Africa is where old planes go to die. Once a plane has outlived its usefulness in North America and Europe, many times it ends up in Africa. Let me tell you, Africans know how to keep a plane functional, even if comfort has long since ceased to be a concern. Aficionados of older planes, including some of the really old prop jobs, can always be found in African airports, taking pictures and marveling at the ancient birds that still manage to reach the clouds. Whenever I had the opportunity, I chose to fly South African Airways, because in those days, it was a first class airline. Unfortunately, because of
apartheid, SAA was only allowed to land in Nairobi, and that was for refueling purposes only. On flights to Europe, SAA was obliged to fly out over the ocean to avoid flying over any African countries and possibly attracting a Mig or a surface-to-air missile. I remember driving to Gaborone, Botswana, Lusaka, Zambia, and most frequently, Harare, Zimbabwe, to catch flights to other African destinations. I can't recall ever being overly concerned about the state of the aircraft, although the behavior of some passengers certainly scared the hell out of me. I remember one occasion when a gentleman attempted to start a fire on the plane, in order to cook his dinner. I never did find out what victuals he had in mind. On another occasion, in Entebbe, Uganda, I watched the pilot and co-pilot come on board wearing parachutes. None of the passengers had parachutes, but for some reason, we all seemed just fine. Sometimes in Africa, you have to adapt to your surroundings, and do as the locals do. Most Africans I knew believed in pre-destiny, so if the plane was going to crash, then there was nothing that could be done to prevent it from happening.
Do you remember when a plane crash would result in the search for the black box, which would be listened to by the experts? The investigators would listen to the black box recordings, form a hypothesis for what caused the accident, and then release the information to the public. On some occasions, we would get to hear excerpts from the black box recording. My, how things have changed. I realize that Malaysian Airlines flight 370 has not been located, so therefore the black boxes are still missing. But the black boxes for Malaysian Airlines 17 and the Air Asia flight 8501 have been retrieved, and I have no idea what was found on either recording. Why have things changed? Are we no longer allowed to know what the investigators find on the black box recordings? What could it be that would cause such secrecy? With Malaysian Airlines 17, we already know the cause of the disaster, so what else could they be hiding? Why not release a transcript of the black box recording? And Air Asia 8501 - we were on pins and needles, waiting for the experts to locate the black boxes and then listen to the recording. The boxes were found, and the recordings were accessed. And as far as I know, we have no specific detail regarding the conversation on the box. Forgive me for my mild paranoia, but why are the choosing to kept the contents of the recordings a secret?
I just doesn't add up. Too many problems with airliners lately, and no accountability when they start to disappear or get shot down. I don't have a fear of dying, but I freely admit my desire to avoid "death by plane crash". The more that we are provided quick explanations for plane mishaps, the better I feel about flying. But too many plane accidents go unresolved lately for me to feel comfortable flying. That doesn't mean I won't fly. I will be flying in February, but I won't be comfortable, that's guaranteed. Every time I try and discuss this issue with friends, they retreat to the comfortable, stand-by cliché that, "Air travel is much safer than riding in a car". Heck, that's probably true. But normally, people get up and walk away from car accidents. How many people do you know who have walked away from an airliner crash? Not only does plane travel seem to be a bit less safe as of late, now I have concerns about what the National Transportation Safety Board has been hiding regarding the various black box recordings we haven't been allowed to hear. And if these issues weren't enough, I fear that sky-terrorism is about to make its presence
known...again. Many of you were too young to remember, but in the 1970s and 1980s, terrorist groups made a habit out of hijacking commercial airliners. Thankfully, this form of terrorism seemed to go out of style, but something warns me that air travel will be less-safe in 2015 than it has been in years. So, to be perfectly honest, I'm not really comfortable flying. I have to make this trip to DC in late February, and I actually considered driving. But I'm not really gung-ho about driving half-way across the country, a three-day trip, all by myself, especially when the flight is only five hours long.
I have great respect for airline companies and manufacturers, and I also admire commercial pilots. It's an industry which truly mirrors the growth of our society. In less-than 120 years, we have moved from the Wright Brothers to the Airbus 380 (which I like to call, "the village with wings"). I don't fault the industry for the recent plane crashes, and I know that companies like Boeing, McDonnell-Douglas and Airbus are constantly looking for ways to increase air travel safety. But sometimes it's impossible to remove the human factor; in other words, if someone wants something to happen badly enough, then that someone can probably find a way to achieve their goal. If a terrorist group decides to hijack a plane, I believe human ingenuity will eventually overcome all of the built-it safeguards and security. I also believe that my reticence about flying can change in a heartbeat, if the news stories about plane crashes become fewer and far between. At this point, that is where my hope lies.
 |
| Flight Data Recorder ("Black Box") |
I just doesn't add up. Too many problems with airliners lately, and no accountability when they start to disappear or get shot down. I don't have a fear of dying, but I freely admit my desire to avoid "death by plane crash". The more that we are provided quick explanations for plane mishaps, the better I feel about flying. But too many plane accidents go unresolved lately for me to feel comfortable flying. That doesn't mean I won't fly. I will be flying in February, but I won't be comfortable, that's guaranteed. Every time I try and discuss this issue with friends, they retreat to the comfortable, stand-by cliché that, "Air travel is much safer than riding in a car". Heck, that's probably true. But normally, people get up and walk away from car accidents. How many people do you know who have walked away from an airliner crash? Not only does plane travel seem to be a bit less safe as of late, now I have concerns about what the National Transportation Safety Board has been hiding regarding the various black box recordings we haven't been allowed to hear. And if these issues weren't enough, I fear that sky-terrorism is about to make its presence
 |
| PanAm Flt103 in Lockerbie, Scotland bombed by terrorists in 1988; Source UK Gov/Crown |
I have great respect for airline companies and manufacturers, and I also admire commercial pilots. It's an industry which truly mirrors the growth of our society. In less-than 120 years, we have moved from the Wright Brothers to the Airbus 380 (which I like to call, "the village with wings"). I don't fault the industry for the recent plane crashes, and I know that companies like Boeing, McDonnell-Douglas and Airbus are constantly looking for ways to increase air travel safety. But sometimes it's impossible to remove the human factor; in other words, if someone wants something to happen badly enough, then that someone can probably find a way to achieve their goal. If a terrorist group decides to hijack a plane, I believe human ingenuity will eventually overcome all of the built-it safeguards and security. I also believe that my reticence about flying can change in a heartbeat, if the news stories about plane crashes become fewer and far between. At this point, that is where my hope lies.
Monday, October 13, 2014
The Ebola Virus Disease At Its Source
Link: CDC Information On The Ebola Breakout
(southwest coast) of Africa. The name Gold Coast refers to the belief that in colonial times the region was rich in Gold deposits. Other countries on the Gold Coast include Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, and Cameroon. At present, the eyes of the world are focused on this part of Africa because of an outbreak of the Ebola virus in Guinea and Liberia. Both Guinea and Liberia are attempting to rebuild and recover after decades of civil strife. At one time or another during the same period, Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire were also engaged in civil wars. Recently, though, a wave of tremendous hope and optimism had been taking hold in west Africa. Change was the order of the day, highlighted by serious efforts at reconciliation and fraud-free elections. Aid was pouring in, and Chinese companies seemed to be everywhere, building dams and roads into the jungle. Serious discussions were taking place which would hopefully result in the elimination of African debt, and there was talk of education, healing, national soccer teams in the World Cup, and creating a tomorrow that is better than today.
And then Ebola shows up to put a wrench into the works. The Ebola virus is very contagious and has a mortality rate of 90 percent and higher. This particular outbreak first appeared in a small village in Guinea and has now spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone, choosing a target population that is ill-equipped to fight back. The people in this region are the poorest in the world. The average daily caloric intake as compared to western nations is miniscule (and, for the western nations, shameful). The body that is healthy is best able to avoid catching the virus, and the body that is healthy is best able to recover from infection. Simply put, the people of Guinea and Liberia do not eat enough to stand a chance against this virus. The governments of Liberia and Guinea, in concert with numerous international health organizations, have done a very respectable job limiting the outbreak to particular provinces. Given the lack of resources available, this fact is impressive. The best news for all is that for the most part the international community has reacted swiftly and without fear. To the physicians, nurses, and other health workers who have traveled to Guinea and Liberia, the struggle is not only to limit and smother the outbreak, but to save the lives of those already affected. During previous outbreaks, persons who had contracted the virus were frequently left to die. A determination of infection was a death notice, because no one wanted to treat someone who was carrying such a highly contagious and deadly virus. I'm relieved to say that my contacts in both countries report that persons who have tested positive are treated with respect and humanity, and every effort is being made to help their bodies fight the virus.
Currently, vaccines are being tested in Mali and Cote d'Ivoire. There has been serious concern (and a bit of panic) that the virus would spread from Guinea and Liberia into Mali and Cote d'Ivoire; as of 12 October 2014, no cases of Ebola have been confirmed in either country. The World Health Organization (The United Nations) has been highly visible in Bamako, Mali and in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, as has Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). The United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) has also made its presence felt. Finally, the international community is reacting to a health crisis as it should; with resources, manpower and sacrifice. Earlier today (at Mass, no less), a friend asked me why the international community does not respond to famine and genocide with the same vigor and generosity. The answer is quite simple. Famine and genocide are not contagious. Two million persons at risk from starvation in Eritrea and Ethiopia cannot result in even one case of hunger in the United States. Warlords slaughtering innocent villagers in Somalia and Sudan does not lead to someone getting shot or stabbed in Copenhagen or Osaka. In the United States, this current Ebola strain has resulted in the death of one Liberian national in Dallas and the positive infection of a health worker. The degree of separation gets smaller and smaller, and people realize this. So smothering this recent outbreak of Ebola at the source makes perfect sense. The wealthier nations are happy to spend the money, and if locals are cured as well, then all the better.
I'm confident that this particular outbreak of the Ebola virus has reached its peak of infection. Vaccines have arrived, and people are learning what they must do to avoid contamination. Although 4033 persons have died from this episode, I believe more and more infected persons will recover, as medicine and health care starts to take effect. West Africa is a hot spot for all sorts of nasty diseases, and I'm optimistic that the current governments in this part of the world will make health education a priority. The numerous companies involved with mining in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire and Mali should not suffer too much from the slow down, and hopefully cocoa production will not be affected. I realize I am being very optimistic, but doesn't it sound more pleasant than the non-stop media cacophony about one person with the flu in Baton Rouge and another person sneezing in Des Moines? In 1994, Richard Preston wrote a fictional novel called "The Hot Zone", about a hemorrhagic fever outbreak in the United States. For the longest time, it was all people could talk about. I'm glad to say that Preston's book remained fictional. But it did serve as a warning to our various health and disease-related organizations that we had better have a game plan. I think this Ebola outbreak in West Africa has demonstrated that we do have a plan, both domestically and internationally. Because we have fifty states and hundreds of international ports-of-entry, mistakes will happen. But overall, I'm impressed with our response.
You know the old expression, "When it rains, it pours"? I was unable to locate the origin of the expression, but I'm sure its one of the most popular in the English language. Throw a dart at a map of Africa, and more than likely you will hit a country that is suffering from some event that justifies the use of "when it rains, it pours". Liberia and Guinea are two nations located on the Gold Coast
And then Ebola shows up to put a wrench into the works. The Ebola virus is very contagious and has a mortality rate of 90 percent and higher. This particular outbreak first appeared in a small village in Guinea and has now spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone, choosing a target population that is ill-equipped to fight back. The people in this region are the poorest in the world. The average daily caloric intake as compared to western nations is miniscule (and, for the western nations, shameful). The body that is healthy is best able to avoid catching the virus, and the body that is healthy is best able to recover from infection. Simply put, the people of Guinea and Liberia do not eat enough to stand a chance against this virus. The governments of Liberia and Guinea, in concert with numerous international health organizations, have done a very respectable job limiting the outbreak to particular provinces. Given the lack of resources available, this fact is impressive. The best news for all is that for the most part the international community has reacted swiftly and without fear. To the physicians, nurses, and other health workers who have traveled to Guinea and Liberia, the struggle is not only to limit and smother the outbreak, but to save the lives of those already affected. During previous outbreaks, persons who had contracted the virus were frequently left to die. A determination of infection was a death notice, because no one wanted to treat someone who was carrying such a highly contagious and deadly virus. I'm relieved to say that my contacts in both countries report that persons who have tested positive are treated with respect and humanity, and every effort is being made to help their bodies fight the virus.
Currently, vaccines are being tested in Mali and Cote d'Ivoire. There has been serious concern (and a bit of panic) that the virus would spread from Guinea and Liberia into Mali and Cote d'Ivoire; as of 12 October 2014, no cases of Ebola have been confirmed in either country. The World Health Organization (The United Nations) has been highly visible in Bamako, Mali and in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, as has Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). The United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) has also made its presence felt. Finally, the international community is reacting to a health crisis as it should; with resources, manpower and sacrifice. Earlier today (at Mass, no less), a friend asked me why the international community does not respond to famine and genocide with the same vigor and generosity. The answer is quite simple. Famine and genocide are not contagious. Two million persons at risk from starvation in Eritrea and Ethiopia cannot result in even one case of hunger in the United States. Warlords slaughtering innocent villagers in Somalia and Sudan does not lead to someone getting shot or stabbed in Copenhagen or Osaka. In the United States, this current Ebola strain has resulted in the death of one Liberian national in Dallas and the positive infection of a health worker. The degree of separation gets smaller and smaller, and people realize this. So smothering this recent outbreak of Ebola at the source makes perfect sense. The wealthier nations are happy to spend the money, and if locals are cured as well, then all the better.
I'm confident that this particular outbreak of the Ebola virus has reached its peak of infection. Vaccines have arrived, and people are learning what they must do to avoid contamination. Although 4033 persons have died from this episode, I believe more and more infected persons will recover, as medicine and health care starts to take effect. West Africa is a hot spot for all sorts of nasty diseases, and I'm optimistic that the current governments in this part of the world will make health education a priority. The numerous companies involved with mining in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire and Mali should not suffer too much from the slow down, and hopefully cocoa production will not be affected. I realize I am being very optimistic, but doesn't it sound more pleasant than the non-stop media cacophony about one person with the flu in Baton Rouge and another person sneezing in Des Moines? In 1994, Richard Preston wrote a fictional novel called "The Hot Zone", about a hemorrhagic fever outbreak in the United States. For the longest time, it was all people could talk about. I'm glad to say that Preston's book remained fictional. But it did serve as a warning to our various health and disease-related organizations that we had better have a game plan. I think this Ebola outbreak in West Africa has demonstrated that we do have a plan, both domestically and internationally. Because we have fifty states and hundreds of international ports-of-entry, mistakes will happen. But overall, I'm impressed with our response.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
African Debt Crisis....The Facts
Link: Statistics on Africa and Debt
(I was hesitant to use the above link because the site has a definite point of view. Definite points of view tempt people to juggle statistics. But in this instance, the figures were so accurate and easy to understand that I decided to take that risk.)
Most of the nations in Africa gained their independence from Europe in the 1960s. In most cases, an attempt was made to transition the respective economies of these newly-independent states in a manner that would provide sustained, manageable growth. By 1970, the majority of African states were suffering from high unemployment, eroding infrastructure, inflation, and endemic corruption. I did not introduce this subject to debate the reasons behind the failure of post-colonial Africa. Suffice to say that many African nations took advantage of loans offered by western interests (banks, nations, even companies) at sometimes mercenary interest rates. The story seems to repeat itself again and again, whether its Burkina Faso, Zambia, Kenya, or the Central African Republic. The process begins when the nation accepts the loan. The corrupt nature of the civil service, administration and the military steal most of the money, a coup takes place, and when the new government take office, the money is gone. What remains is a big I.O.U., with heavy interest. The new government refinances the loan in order to access additional funds. The money is looted in the same manner, the government is removed, and we start all over again. Without adequate investment in infrastructure, much of Africa remains dependent on subsistence agriculture. There is no money to pay for factories, roads, harbors, machines, farm tools, or education (the machines and tools won't do much good without skilled labor). On most occasions the African nations made attempts to pay the necessary interest on the loans, until there wasn't even money for that effort. The European banks (and eventually the International Monetary Fund) stopped loaning money to Africa. I remember as a student in grade school, reviewing the list of the poorest countries in the world. They all were in Africa.
In the 1970s, 1980, and 1990s, Africa went through a political metamorphosis. Most African intellectuals justifiably blamed (European) mistakes made at independence for the low standard of living in African countries. I'm not much for the blame game, especially when there seems so much to go around. It would have been nice if the Europeans had done a better job preparing the African work force for independence and it would have been great if Africa hadn't been plagued with so many selfish thugs with small armies. From the late 1970s until the turn of the century, Africa went through periods of flirtation with just about every type of government our species has created. Africa has seen its share of Socialist governments and also numerous attempts at western capitalism. The episodes of Marxist and Socialist movements were definitely inspired by a need to "rebel" against the ways of the west. Today it appears that for the most part, Africa has gotten that knot out of its system. Many African countries are enjoying democratically elected governments, and sincere efforts are underway to improve the lives of people. Corrupt functionaries are being replaced with educated civil servants and economies are bring rebuilt. A sense of national pride has swept through countries like Botswana, Ghana, and Cameroon. This turn of events has not gone unnoticed in Europe. The owners of a handful of some very deep I.O.U.s are watching, and like a flock of vultures, they show up to remind everyone of their obligations.
I am a firm believer that people should pay their debts. The same rule should apply to international agreements. In this instance, though, it is in everyone's best interest to show some serious flexibility. In most African countries, just paying the interest on the amounts owed would torpedo the promising changes that have been taking place. Plain and simple, the debt owed to western interests by African nations will never be repaid. Pressure can be applied by the United Nations and other international financial and diplomatic organizations that would require each nation to pay at least a percentage (possibly just the interest), but this only perpetuates the problem. The debts can be eliminated through one of two methods: they can be repaid, or they can be written off. I understand that the holders of the notes would prefer to at least get something in return, but I argue that in most cases, they already have. A close look at the link provided demonstrates that in many instances the original loan amount has been repaid.
Writing off all external debt carried by African nations would be a historic event. How long has it been since our species has worked together to create a positive, historic event? Probably not since we put a man on the moon. If the banks and other financial entities that hold the outstanding notes were to accept a token payment as paid in full, it would allow for opportunities that the African continent has yet to enjoy. To release funds previously scheduled for loan payments, would provide a financial platform for infrastructure development that Africa so desperately needs. What a pleasure it would be to build a hydroelectric plant with internal funding, instead of waiting for the Chinese government to decide that said African nation had become strategically important, therefore worth the investment. Many folks will argue that making money available again will only lead to more corruption. I disagree (which is easy, since I don't hold any of those notes); I think the African people, regardless of tribe, ethnicity, language or religion, desperately want an even playing field. Once they have one, I pity the fool who tries to re-introduce some of the bad habits of the past. Simply put, relieving African nations of the burden of debt, would provide a third-world economic stimulus that would drip UP as opposed to down. All the economies of the world would benefit from an Africa that has the resources to responsibly access and exploit it own indigenous wealth. Of course, not all the poor nations of the world are in Africa. Maybe we should use the same formula in Asia and in Central and South America (except Argentina; I love Argentineans like no others, but that Kerchner woman really gets on my nerves). I argue that such a bold approach to international debt would revolutionize and stimulate economies worldwide.
Email:
mukhabaratbaby@gmail.com
Twitter:
@mukhabaratbaby
(I was hesitant to use the above link because the site has a definite point of view. Definite points of view tempt people to juggle statistics. But in this instance, the figures were so accurate and easy to understand that I decided to take that risk.)
Most of the nations in Africa gained their independence from Europe in the 1960s. In most cases, an attempt was made to transition the respective economies of these newly-independent states in a manner that would provide sustained, manageable growth. By 1970, the majority of African states were suffering from high unemployment, eroding infrastructure, inflation, and endemic corruption. I did not introduce this subject to debate the reasons behind the failure of post-colonial Africa. Suffice to say that many African nations took advantage of loans offered by western interests (banks, nations, even companies) at sometimes mercenary interest rates. The story seems to repeat itself again and again, whether its Burkina Faso, Zambia, Kenya, or the Central African Republic. The process begins when the nation accepts the loan. The corrupt nature of the civil service, administration and the military steal most of the money, a coup takes place, and when the new government take office, the money is gone. What remains is a big I.O.U., with heavy interest. The new government refinances the loan in order to access additional funds. The money is looted in the same manner, the government is removed, and we start all over again. Without adequate investment in infrastructure, much of Africa remains dependent on subsistence agriculture. There is no money to pay for factories, roads, harbors, machines, farm tools, or education (the machines and tools won't do much good without skilled labor). On most occasions the African nations made attempts to pay the necessary interest on the loans, until there wasn't even money for that effort. The European banks (and eventually the International Monetary Fund) stopped loaning money to Africa. I remember as a student in grade school, reviewing the list of the poorest countries in the world. They all were in Africa.
In the 1970s, 1980, and 1990s, Africa went through a political metamorphosis. Most African intellectuals justifiably blamed (European) mistakes made at independence for the low standard of living in African countries. I'm not much for the blame game, especially when there seems so much to go around. It would have been nice if the Europeans had done a better job preparing the African work force for independence and it would have been great if Africa hadn't been plagued with so many selfish thugs with small armies. From the late 1970s until the turn of the century, Africa went through periods of flirtation with just about every type of government our species has created. Africa has seen its share of Socialist governments and also numerous attempts at western capitalism. The episodes of Marxist and Socialist movements were definitely inspired by a need to "rebel" against the ways of the west. Today it appears that for the most part, Africa has gotten that knot out of its system. Many African countries are enjoying democratically elected governments, and sincere efforts are underway to improve the lives of people. Corrupt functionaries are being replaced with educated civil servants and economies are bring rebuilt. A sense of national pride has swept through countries like Botswana, Ghana, and Cameroon. This turn of events has not gone unnoticed in Europe. The owners of a handful of some very deep I.O.U.s are watching, and like a flock of vultures, they show up to remind everyone of their obligations.
I am a firm believer that people should pay their debts. The same rule should apply to international agreements. In this instance, though, it is in everyone's best interest to show some serious flexibility. In most African countries, just paying the interest on the amounts owed would torpedo the promising changes that have been taking place. Plain and simple, the debt owed to western interests by African nations will never be repaid. Pressure can be applied by the United Nations and other international financial and diplomatic organizations that would require each nation to pay at least a percentage (possibly just the interest), but this only perpetuates the problem. The debts can be eliminated through one of two methods: they can be repaid, or they can be written off. I understand that the holders of the notes would prefer to at least get something in return, but I argue that in most cases, they already have. A close look at the link provided demonstrates that in many instances the original loan amount has been repaid.
Writing off all external debt carried by African nations would be a historic event. How long has it been since our species has worked together to create a positive, historic event? Probably not since we put a man on the moon. If the banks and other financial entities that hold the outstanding notes were to accept a token payment as paid in full, it would allow for opportunities that the African continent has yet to enjoy. To release funds previously scheduled for loan payments, would provide a financial platform for infrastructure development that Africa so desperately needs. What a pleasure it would be to build a hydroelectric plant with internal funding, instead of waiting for the Chinese government to decide that said African nation had become strategically important, therefore worth the investment. Many folks will argue that making money available again will only lead to more corruption. I disagree (which is easy, since I don't hold any of those notes); I think the African people, regardless of tribe, ethnicity, language or religion, desperately want an even playing field. Once they have one, I pity the fool who tries to re-introduce some of the bad habits of the past. Simply put, relieving African nations of the burden of debt, would provide a third-world economic stimulus that would drip UP as opposed to down. All the economies of the world would benefit from an Africa that has the resources to responsibly access and exploit it own indigenous wealth. Of course, not all the poor nations of the world are in Africa. Maybe we should use the same formula in Asia and in Central and South America (except Argentina; I love Argentineans like no others, but that Kerchner woman really gets on my nerves). I argue that such a bold approach to international debt would revolutionize and stimulate economies worldwide.
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Wednesday, September 17, 2014
So Who and What Is "Mukhabarat, Baby!" Anyway?
As my book "Mukhabarat, Baby" gets closer to publication, I will use the blog to provide excerpts for the audience to enjoy (or not). My profile provides a bit of information about me, but I think this is a good time to expand a bit. I was raised overseas, mostly in France, but I spent most of my formative years in Texas. I consider my home to be San Antonio and I am one of those very proud Texans, which means I root for the Dallas Cowboys and I say "y'all". My first language was French, and since then I have added English, Spanish, Afrikaans and a smattering of Zulu to the list. I started my career in the early 1990's in what was then called the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and is now under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). During my stint in Federal Law Enforcement I worked on the International Bridges in Laredo and in the State Prison System in Huntsville, arranging deportations of foreign national felons. I joined the CIA in the late 1990s as a Case Officer. My tours took me to eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Near East, Africa, and some places I forget. During my career I was poisoned, which eventually obliged me to retire sooner than I would have liked for health reasons. In 2010 I started writing stories, detailed from my career, as a form of therapy. It blossomed into both this blog, and the book which I hope to see published soon.
When I made the decision to turn my stories into a book, it was because I saw an opportunity to fill a gap in the genre. Books about the CIA, intelligence operations and individuals abound, but not much exists that really puts a face on the human piece of the puzzle. Like all government Agencies, the CIA is built from carbon matter. People have always made the Agency what it is, and still do to this day. My book will introduce the reader to Frenchy, who as an infant was raised in a Japanese-run Prison Camp in Indonesia, spent his career in Agency special operations all over the globe, and continued as a beloved trainer (and fixture) at one of the intel agencies. You will meet a host of characters from my training class, and discover that laughter and friendship can make almost anything bearable. And then we have the beautiful Turkish embassy employee Tansu, who broke the heart of every man in Kosovo, until she met her match in Johnny from New York City. With great pleasure I will introduce you to Poofy, a wonderful, brave man who not only risked his life for our interests (and for no compensation), but managed to wear more make-up and expensive clothes then Dolly Parton on tour. It would be impossible to not include a few words about Madame Rus, the ancient linguist who taught a number of different languages to officers headed out to the field, and always smelled like Chanel perfume and flirted with every young man she met. These are just a few of the characters that come to life in my book.
"Mukhabarat, Baby!" is about people, but it takes place during the various U.S. conflicts of the past two decades, including Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Not all of the characters are funny, pleasant or brave. And that is the nature of the business. As necessary a Case Officer must work on the edges of society, where the black market and the sociopaths come together. You will meet an Iraqi who smuggled everything imaginable, from cigarettes and liquor, to AK-47s and eastern European prostitutes. The episode in which I was poisoned is also covered in detail. Every Case Officer is well prepared by the best training modules ever developed and by the most dedicated instructors available, to rub elbows with the dregs of society in order to get the intelligence that our government needs. In Iraq, it was about saving the lives of American soldiers, and every Agency officer in the field regularly threw caution to the wind in order to get the job done. No tally exists to demonstrate how many lives were saved by the dedication of the CIA officers in the field, and the brave men and women who provided the valuable intelligence. Somehow, someway, the process of selecting Agency personnel works, because I cannot imagine a collection of more dedicated, brilliant and honest people. Almost from the very beginning (and to this very day) I became part of a very special family, one that is trusted with the security of the 400 million Americans who go about their business every day. It can be a tremendous burden, and even CIA folks like to complain. But for the most part, as is necessary in this business, its all kept in-house.
I was a young, excitable Case Officer on the morning of September 11, 2001. By the end of the day, I had, like all Americans, aged in some nondescript, hard-to define way. I welcome the opportunity to share my September 11 story in "Mukhabarat, Baby!". Because my stories are a true reflection of actual events, I was able to avoid getting overly political. If I wanted to write a political book I could have. Some of my blog posts exemplify my willingness to call elected leaders to task. But "Mukhabarat, Baby!" is not about politics. You won't find a chapter debating the decision to invade Iraq, nor will you discover a section detailing the foreign policy errors of various administrations. Please enjoy my book for what it is....a peek behind the curtain into the human functions of the CIA. At the end of the book you should come to the same conclusion I did very early on in my career: that people are basically the same regardless of where they work. Everyone likes a funny joke, no one wants to fight rush-hour traffic, and pompous-ass Chiefs should be avoided at all costs! My book takes you through the everyday functions of a CIA Case Officer serving in the Balkans, in Iraq, in Africa, and stateside, to give you an up-close glimpse of some of the more recent current events. At the same time, meet the people that make the machine work, and discover that they really aren't any different than you.
(Anyone interested in updates on the release of "Mukhabarat, Baby" and appropriate excerpts of the book as they become available, please feel free to send your email address to: mukhabaratbaby@gmail.com.)
When I made the decision to turn my stories into a book, it was because I saw an opportunity to fill a gap in the genre. Books about the CIA, intelligence operations and individuals abound, but not much exists that really puts a face on the human piece of the puzzle. Like all government Agencies, the CIA is built from carbon matter. People have always made the Agency what it is, and still do to this day. My book will introduce the reader to Frenchy, who as an infant was raised in a Japanese-run Prison Camp in Indonesia, spent his career in Agency special operations all over the globe, and continued as a beloved trainer (and fixture) at one of the intel agencies. You will meet a host of characters from my training class, and discover that laughter and friendship can make almost anything bearable. And then we have the beautiful Turkish embassy employee Tansu, who broke the heart of every man in Kosovo, until she met her match in Johnny from New York City. With great pleasure I will introduce you to Poofy, a wonderful, brave man who not only risked his life for our interests (and for no compensation), but managed to wear more make-up and expensive clothes then Dolly Parton on tour. It would be impossible to not include a few words about Madame Rus, the ancient linguist who taught a number of different languages to officers headed out to the field, and always smelled like Chanel perfume and flirted with every young man she met. These are just a few of the characters that come to life in my book.
"Mukhabarat, Baby!" is about people, but it takes place during the various U.S. conflicts of the past two decades, including Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Not all of the characters are funny, pleasant or brave. And that is the nature of the business. As necessary a Case Officer must work on the edges of society, where the black market and the sociopaths come together. You will meet an Iraqi who smuggled everything imaginable, from cigarettes and liquor, to AK-47s and eastern European prostitutes. The episode in which I was poisoned is also covered in detail. Every Case Officer is well prepared by the best training modules ever developed and by the most dedicated instructors available, to rub elbows with the dregs of society in order to get the intelligence that our government needs. In Iraq, it was about saving the lives of American soldiers, and every Agency officer in the field regularly threw caution to the wind in order to get the job done. No tally exists to demonstrate how many lives were saved by the dedication of the CIA officers in the field, and the brave men and women who provided the valuable intelligence. Somehow, someway, the process of selecting Agency personnel works, because I cannot imagine a collection of more dedicated, brilliant and honest people. Almost from the very beginning (and to this very day) I became part of a very special family, one that is trusted with the security of the 400 million Americans who go about their business every day. It can be a tremendous burden, and even CIA folks like to complain. But for the most part, as is necessary in this business, its all kept in-house.
I was a young, excitable Case Officer on the morning of September 11, 2001. By the end of the day, I had, like all Americans, aged in some nondescript, hard-to define way. I welcome the opportunity to share my September 11 story in "Mukhabarat, Baby!". Because my stories are a true reflection of actual events, I was able to avoid getting overly political. If I wanted to write a political book I could have. Some of my blog posts exemplify my willingness to call elected leaders to task. But "Mukhabarat, Baby!" is not about politics. You won't find a chapter debating the decision to invade Iraq, nor will you discover a section detailing the foreign policy errors of various administrations. Please enjoy my book for what it is....a peek behind the curtain into the human functions of the CIA. At the end of the book you should come to the same conclusion I did very early on in my career: that people are basically the same regardless of where they work. Everyone likes a funny joke, no one wants to fight rush-hour traffic, and pompous-ass Chiefs should be avoided at all costs! My book takes you through the everyday functions of a CIA Case Officer serving in the Balkans, in Iraq, in Africa, and stateside, to give you an up-close glimpse of some of the more recent current events. At the same time, meet the people that make the machine work, and discover that they really aren't any different than you.
(Anyone interested in updates on the release of "Mukhabarat, Baby" and appropriate excerpts of the book as they become available, please feel free to send your email address to: mukhabaratbaby@gmail.com.)
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