Journalists in North Korea

Finally, someone is talking about Lisa Ling and Euna Lee publicly. Hillary Clinton mentioned them during a press conference today. If you don't know what happened to them, these two journalists for San Francisco based Current TV were arrested/captured near the North Korea border where they were investigating human trafficking. They had what passes for a trial in North Korea and were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor. And, then there has been an eerie silence about their fates. Clinton originally characterized the charges as "baseless". Today, she said that the two journalists "have expressed great remorse" for their actions and that the U.S. was seeking "amnesty" for them. I am relieved that there seems to be something being done about them, but there are still so many disturbing aspects to this whole situation. First of all, what is the connection between their detention and North Korea's recent nuclear activity? Are they being held as a bargaining chip, which seems very possible? Secondly, what about the details of their capture? I do not believe they would have been so foolish as to have wandered across the border of North Korea. This leads me to suspect that the person who arranged the interview or the trafficker himself either lured them across the border or sold them to the North Korean border guards. This would at least provide some hope because it looks as though they really are being used as bargaining chips. Reportedly, North Korean authorities have said that the two women are not being held in a prison but in a "guest house in Pyongyang." However, the scariest thing about this whole situation is that we seem to have no idea about how stable North Korea's domestic politics are right now. After Kim Jong Il's stroke, no one seemed to know who was in charge. And, now it looks as though Kim Jong Il is trying to ensure the succession for his youngest son, Kim Jong Un ("Brilliant Comrade"). Being held prisoner in North Korea is bad news in the best of times (such as it is in North Korea), but to be held prisoner duirng a time of domestic upheaval and instability is even more difficult. Perhaps that is why Clinton is requesting amnesty even though that implies an admission of guilt. She may just want to get the two women out of there. Or, she may be trying to make sure their fates can not be tied to some nuclear negotiations.

Any thoughts?

Ethnic Violence in Western China

Last year when there were uprisings in Tibet, the world took up the cause. Olympic athletes debated whether to defy the Olympic ban on protests and apparel in support of the Tibetans. The Dalai Lama was in demand for public appearances and his presence galvanized support for the oppressed people of Tibet. Well, now it is happening again. The Uighurs of western China rioted over the weekend against their oppression by the majority Han Chinese. As in Tibet, the Han Chinese have been given incentives by the government to move into the Xinjiang region of west China. Over the weekend, ethnic tensions boiled over into violence and, according to the Chinese government, 156 people have died so far with hundreds more injured. As expected, the government blamed Uighur protesters and said the victims are Han Chinese. The few westerners on the scene tell a different story.
It will be interesting to see if this uprising generates the kind of sympathy which the Tibetans received. There are two big differences that I notice. First of all, the Uighurs are Muslims; they are a Turkic ethnic group. Several of them are in Guantanamo as accused or suspected terrorists. What will this do to western sympathy? The other difference is that Xinjiang is an oil rich desert land. I never understood why China was willing to risk interntional sanctions and disapproval to hold on to Tibet, other than natioanl pride. But, Xinjiang has oil! So, although the similarities to Tibet exist, the differences seem absolutely crucial.

For details, read the article in the NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/world/asia/07china.html?_r=1&ref=world

Robert McNamara

I just learned of the death of Robert McNamara, former Secretary of Defense and architect of the Vietnam War. He was the villain of my youth. After he left that position (or was fired. It is not exactly clear.), he spent much of his life analyzing all that the U.S. and he had done. Much of this is examined in an extraordinary documentary called "Fog of War". It is a powerful analysis of power and its use and misuse. At one point, he describes himself as a war criminal. He stated, “War is so complex it’s beyond the ability of the human mind to comprehend. Our judgment, our understanding, are not adequate. And we kill people unnecessarily.” I still find this hard to connect this statement to the man who was nothing less than a cheerleader as he sent so many soldiers off to war. Conflicts class went to see the film, and we had very different reactions to it. I still saw the villain of my youth and struggled with his struggle to repent and understand. I believe most of the students saw him as rather noble. I could be wrong, I would urge everyone to see the documentary if possible. At the very least, read today's NYT on Robert McNamara's life and death.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/us/07mcnamara.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Iran: The Blame Game

Well, it looks as though the Iranian ruling clerics have found someone to blame for the recent protests over the fraudulent presidential election. Since they can't blame the U.S. (the Great Satan), the finger is pointed at Britain. "The enemy made made an effort to poison the people" according to Ayatollah Ahmad Janotti, head of the Guardian Council. So the poor Iranians who had been working in the British embassy have become the scapegoats. They will be put on trial for these alleged crimes. It looks as though the EU will present a united front against Iran. They may recall all 27 ambassadors from Tehran. This is the part of the struggle we can follow. What is harder to follow is what is going on within the Guardian Council. Does Janotti's statement mean the moderate clerics have been silenced? A moderate cleric had been scheduled to give the sermon on Friday, but he was replaced by Janotti. And, Rafsanjani, the former president and main suppporter of the opposition, has not preached since May 22. The struggle behind the closed doors may be more important than the struggle which occurred in the streets. Janotti also proclaimed, "We have a global mission." Very scary.

There have been very mixed reviews on Obama's handling of this. Has he been right with his very muted reaction so that the protests can not be tied to the the U.S.? Has he been right to let the EU take the lead in the criticism? Some people think he should have come out strong and quickly against the violent crackdown on the protesters and the obvious fraud in the election.

Any thoughts?

War Crimes/Reconciliation

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Liberia released a report (which it retracted hours later) in which it recommended 52 people be publicly sanctioned for involvement in war crimes. Some names are not a surprise such as General Butt Naked. But, the report also cited President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female president of an African nation. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf! The report was withdrawn hours after its release so there is no explanation for now. But, I also wanted to add a word in defense of Joshua Milton Blayir (General Butt Naked). Although his crimes are despicable, he has really turned his life around and done much good as a pastor of former participants in the war especially former child soldiers. When does rehabilitation and reconcialiation become more important than punishment?

The news article is at http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-07-02-voa31.cfm

Sarah Palin

I tried to resist putting something on here about Sarah Palin's resignation from the governor's post in Alaska. I wanted to keep this for international issues. But, I'm weak; I can't resist. And, besides, she can see Russia from her home state! I listened to her explanation about why she is resigning, and I don't get it. As near as I can follow, she decided not to run for re-election in 2010, therefore she should resign now. Uh? If there is a logic there, I am missing it. And yet, Mary Matalin, the Republican strategist, declared the move "brilliant". What? If she is talking about it being a brilliant political move, then what does that say about politcs?

Nick on YouTube

He's everywhere. YouTube has site called Reporters' Corner where well known reporters give tips and advice about journalism. Our hero (!) gives tips on how to cover a global crisis with his usual humor, but anyone who reads his column will recognize the particular stories he uses as examples.
Any thoughts? Any smiles?

http://www.youtube.com/reporterscenter#play/favorites/2/SVVdH8n5470