Monday, November 12, 2007

IN MEMORIAM Norman Mailer: "Democracy, more than any other political system, depends on a modicum of honesty. Ultimately, it is much at the mercy of a leader who has never been embarrassed by himself. What is to be said of a man who spent two years in the Air Force of the National Guard (as a way of not having to go to Vietnam) and proceeded - like many another spoiled and wealthy father's son - not to bother to show up for duty in his second year of service? Most of us have episodes in our youth that can cause us shame on reflection. It is a mark of maturation that we do not try to profit from our early lacks and vices but do our best to learn from them. Bush proceeded, however, to turn his declaration of the Iraqi campaign's end into a mighty fashion show. He chose - this overnight clone of Honest Abe - to arrive on the deck of the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln on an S-3B Viking jet that came in with a dramatic tail-hook landing. The carrier was easily within helicopter range of San Diego but G.W. would not have been able to show himself in flight regalia, and so would not have been able to demonstrate how well he wore the uniform he had not honored. Jack Kennedy, a war hero, was always in civvies while he was commander in chief. So was General Eisenhower. George W. Bush, who might, if he had been entirely on his own, have made a world-class male model (since he never takes an awkward photograph), proceeded to tote the flight helmet and sport the flight suit. There he was for the photo-op looking like one more great guy among the great guys. Let us hope that our democracy will survive these nonstop foulings of the nest." More about Mailer. 12:07:10 PM

THE SECURITY BOOM EUObserver: "As part of a new EU counter-terrorism strategy, Brussels is to propose that member states collect 19 pieces of air passenger data, with the possibility to store it for up to thirteen years. 'The underlying rationale for each of the measures is the same - all are needed to tackle terrorism', Mr Bunyan said, referring to the mandatory taking of fingerprints for passports and the mandatory storage of telecommunications data. 'There is little evidence that the gathering of mountain upon mountain of data on the activities of every person in the EU makes a significant contribution. On the other hand, the use of this data for other purposes, now or in the future, will make the EU the most surveilled place in the world', he concluded." Statewatch: "As part of its latest package of counter-terrorism measures the European Commission has tabled amendments to the 2002 EU Framework Decision on combating terrorism. The proposed amendments [Proposal amending the 2002 Decision on combating terrism: COM (2007) 650] would create three new categories of criminal offence: provocation to commit terrorism, recruitment for terrorism and training for terrorism. But the 'provocation' offence is extremely broad, as it does not require a direct encouragement to commit terrorist acts but applies to any statements which create a 'danger' of such acts being committed: 'public provocation to commit a terrorist offence' means the distribution, or otherwise making available, of a message to the public, with the intent to incite the commission of [a terrorist offence as defined in the Framework Decision], where such conduct, whether or not directly advocating terrorist offences, causes a danger that one or more such offences may be committed.' The wording of this definition is clearly likely to result in the criminalisation of the expression of political views (for example on the situation in Middle East or on certain conflicts within Member States) even if that expression does not in any way include the advocacy of terrorism to support those opinions. It will be enough that the authorities deem that there is a 'danger' that this will happen. In fact, an actual terrorist offence as a consequence is expressly not necessary for the Framework Decision to apply." Fingerprinting of children - the debate goes on. BBC: "A seven-year-old boy from Lancashire has been mistaken for a terrorist suspect at three airports during a family holiday, relatives have said." Statewatch: "The European Commission is to put forward, on Tuesday 6 November, a proposal to collect personal data (PNR) on everyone flying in and out of the EU." Europe has not yet realized that the 'war against terrorism' is a scam. It's business. Of course, the security industry will be privatized and deregulated. Pay here! Yes, you. And then, Europe may realize that it will need to control and repress the population when increasingly unpopular measures will be introduced to give free reign to the neocon industry. The neocons are grabbing whatever they can as they see the deluge coming. Homeland Security has entered the market. 12:00:13 PM

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