The Peoples Republic = Second Reich?

I've often thought about it, but it seem experts now believe that burgeoning China now resembles Imperial Germany. No, not the Germany you're familiar with being Nazi Germany. The Germany prior to the First World War, the Second Reich, the German Empire. Well, what are the similarities?

Well, Imperial Germany like China was a new nation forged out of war. Prussia and her allies crushed France and her armies in the Franco-Prussian War not to mention they captured their Emperor Napoleon III. The Peoples Republic has done much better. They were victorious in regards to her opening conflict. It won the Civil War but the Nationalists fled to Taiwan and have been there ever since. Imperial Germany still had to worry about France forming alliances to contain it and threaten a two-front war which is what ultimately happened.

Imperial Germany was the World's second largest economy second only to the continental power of the United States. It had a growing population and huge industrial works in the Rhine valley and the largest army in Europe proper. China today second biggest economy after passing Japan last year, it has huge industrial potential on its coastal areas around Shanghai and Guangzhou and it has the largest army on Earth - yet this army would never be able to defeat say the United States in a conflict. At least, not yet.

However, the most striking resemblance is of course the way this China has began to carry itself. Especially in the wake of American preoccupation with intractable Western Asian conflicts in Mesopotamia and Afghanistan. With both of America's hands and treasure tied in quagmires China has quietly acquired friends, resources and global diplomacy much to the chagrin of the United States. We haven't seen something akin to the Moroccan Crisis of 1907 where Imperial Germany directly challenged France's sphere of influence yet recently Japan and China had a ruckus over maritime territory, it has supported Iran's nuclear ambitions through the UN, it has supported the Burmese government and the Sudanese government despite the fact they both like killing minority ethnicities in their respective countries.

China's neighbours whether they be South Korea, Japan, Vietnam or India both worry and fear her growing power. So, they naturally cling to the other huge Pacific power - the United States of America. It has began nuclear deals with Vietnam, it is trying to sell Japan advances warplanes and has pledged to defend South Korea no matter what not to mention its new found friend in the Indian subcontinent, India itself. Who is China's friend in the region? China? North Korea? If China sought a path which could lead to a new Pacific War it would soon find itself shackled to a corpse like Germany was to Austro-Hungary when the Great War began.

Also, how does China expect to be victorious in a hypothetical conflict with the naval forces of Japan, South Korea and the US? Even if North Korea bombards Seoul and kills millions and Taipei, their reliance on the sea will strangle any attempts to change the global power dynamic via conflict just like how Great Britain starved Germany to submission in 1918.

We shall only truly know if China is Imperial Germany if it produces a crop of leaders resembling Wilhelm II, Ludendorff and Hidenburg. China's leadership will change in 2012 and no doubt it'll be even more belligerent and open about its global ambitions. Its Bismarck (Deng Xiaoping) died long ago and as a result, the People's Republic will suffer as a result of its diplomatic mistake. I for one am not looking forward to the Pacific War.

Africa's Off to a Great Start This Year

Whenever there seems to be a lull in human beings scheming of ways to manipulate and kill one another, Africa always seems to find a way to crash the idea of human harmony and good-will towards all men. Already this month, Ivory Coast seems to be ready to take on the combined forces of France and ECOMOG (aka Nigeria), Sudan will be ripped in two, Egyptian religious violence is peaking while the DRC continues to be keen on the ongoing bloodshed in its eastern provinces. Let's begin shall we?

After a fucked up election where apparently the incumbent Laurent Gbagbo lost to Alassane Outtara but as usual, Africans don't know how to accept political loss. The international community throws a hissy fit and Nigeria and France threaten to invade. Of all the countries you expect to install democracy in the region, Nigeria steps up. A country with a blooming Islamic insurgency and a Ijaw ethnic insurgency as well. Figures. It's a usual north v. south conflict since Outtara got most of his support from the Northern muslims in Ivory Coast. If Kenya is anything to go by, the two leaders will share power or have a fantastic conflict in which we can see Nigeria invade and then impregnate over 1 million Ivorians.

Sudan will be torn asunder and good riddance. In 1956, the British Empire decided to relinquish one of its largest and poorest colonies - the Sudan. The Sudan was one of those ethnic mixes that seem to be quiet common in Africa. An Islamic north and a Pagan/Christian south. As usual, these two forces duked it out. The stakes became even higher after Sudan struck black gold and Chinese and Canadian companies rushed into make millions. While all of this was going on, the Islamic north was prosecuting two genocides against Darfur and against the people of Southern Sudan. Now with two Sudans, we're sure to see renewed violence between the two someday. Egypt doesn't want to see Sudan go and become part of an upper Nile alliance along with Ethiopia and Uganda. Also, South Sudan has the worst neighbours on Earth such as the aforementioned Ethiopia and Uganda along with Kenya, the DRC and the Central African Republic. Welcome to the neighbourhood.

Speaking of the neighbourhood, radical Muslims in Egypt finally have decided to start killing Egyptian Christians. These community of Christians has been around since before the fall of the Roman Empire and their church is amongst the world's oldest despite the Islamic deluge that swallowed North Africa in the 700's after the Great Ummayad Jihads began. Now, this community of some 7-8 million people are Jihadist targets along with their fellow Christians in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq etc. The region that gave the world Christianity is the place where Christianity is receeding the fastest.

Finally, for God's sakes won't somebody do something about the Congo? I mean, millions have died since 1998 and hundreds of thousands are still fleeing rebel army groups. I hear even the Lord's Resistance Army is trying cash in on the fun. I used to think Bangladesh was God's practical joke but the DRC is giving it a run for its money. Along with all the trouble that it gets because of its resources, there maybe be oil under lake Tanganyika.

Africa is off to a great start this year. I just hope everybody is watching.

The Separation Oath

Israel has done it again. Just when you thought they couldn't get anymore chauvinistic or tribal they never cease to amaze me. Binyamin Netanyahu finally agreed on having a loyalty oath in which Arab (now Jewish) people who live in Israel or at least wish to live there have to pledge allegiance to a "Jewish and democratic" Israeli state. The problem is whether or not Israelis wish their state to be democratic in nature but if they want it to be Jewish or not.

It's claimed that this is meant to forge unity amongst Israel's new immigrant populations from the former Soviet Union, the US, Ethiopia, Yemen, Iran wherever but I highly doubt this is meant for that purpose. People who come to live in Israel seek to self-actualize their Jewish identity in their "God-given" country. You don't need an oath to do that. This legislation is meant to do two things; appease the extremists in Israel and ensure a Zionist state.

This oath, (authored by right-wing foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman - a former Russian bouncer) gives more legitimacy to his Shaas party and helps him win even more support from Israeli settlers in the West Bank and more zionist leaning Israelis all over the country where Jews are sparse such as the Negev and Galilee. This in turns threatens a possible peace deal - (though it's not like Israel actually wants a peace settlement) and will pro-longed the conflict obviously in Israel's favour as Arabs inside and outside of Israel are increasingly marginalized.

Finally, this measure allows for the creation of a Zionist state. Using the law in order to ensure racial/ethnic purity is nothing new. Apartheid in South Africa is an example Israel detractors like to bring up often since the West Bank is resembling a terrible Bantu-stan and the Gaza Strip is still just an open air prison camp. Also, the United States had a go at Jim Crow when Reconstruction failed after its Civil War all the way until 1965. Nearly 100 years! The most important factor of this oath is that it'll create a mental segregation of Israel's Arab population which is currently 20% of the population and growing as are the Palestinians.

Doing this ensures no Jewish state and will ultimately come to hurt Israel as it turns on its Arabs. The only Arabs in the Middle East who somewhat didn't mind Israel.

Bloody Anatolia

Anatolia (the Turkish peninsula) is one of those few places which seem especially bloody in a world map for some odd reason. Places like Northern India, Central Europe & Africa not forgetting Eastern Asia have seen some of history's worst bloodletting and Anatolia is no different.

Around 2000 BC or so the Hittites, a iron welding charioteer group of people controlled Anatolia. As they expanded their Empire they clashed with their greatest enemy, the Egyptians who ruled Canaan. After biting off a piece of Canaan the Egyptians attacked and had a massive battle at Kadesh ending in a draw. After signing a peace treaty with the Egyptians the Hittites started to decline and eventually collapsed when the Achaean Greeks were besieging places like Wilusa aka Troy. By 1200 BC it was all over.Soon Greek speaking peoples began settling Anatolia, they settled over all over the Mediterrenean. From Egypt to Southern France. The Greek archipelago during that period of time had very little farmland (especially for a growing population) for new farmers. Greek settlers and traders set up in the Black Sea as well. Soon kingdoms developed like Lydia which were smart enough to develop the beginnings of Greek philosophy...but not smart enough to ignore the Oracle at Delphi. King Croesus of Lydia offered the usual sacrifice at Croesus using his kindgoms' riches and in return he was told to attack the Medes (Persians). Baaaad move. The Persians were on the move. They surprised attack the Lydians on camels and killed Croesus sons on a pyre. The Persians were a people on the move. Just right after that, they conquered Babylon.

Ever since the Persians conquered their tribal cousins the Medes, they'd been hacking people in the Middle East right and left. Conquering down the Nile Egyptians and chasing Scythians in the steppes and then of course they made the massive mistake of conquering Anatolia, which brought the ire of the cousins of the Lydians and Ionians in that region - the Greeks. The Ionians kept getting drafted into Persian imperial conquests and revolted in part of the governor of the city of Miletos, Aristagoras. Athens sent 1000 hoplites to Ionia and it burned down the seat of the Persian regional capital or satrap named Sardis. This obviously meant war. At 490 B.C., Sparta sent its navy to crush Athens. Unfortunately, the Persians were crushed at the battle of Marathon though they outnumbered the Greeks 3 to 1. Let's just say, the Emperor Darius was not happy. He found out the hard way there was only so much you can control beyond the Bosphorus. Futhermore, he had to deal with a revolt in Egypt.His son Xerxes had even less success against the Greeks. He invaded Greece with probably over 100,000 troops and camp followers by constructing an artificial bridge over the Dardanelles strait and yet - 300 Spartans and hundreds of more Thebans held them back at Thermopylae to a devastating cost. Though Athens itself was razed and Athenian victory at the Battle of Salamis cemented Persia's retreat from the Greek world and the rise of the Athenian Empire.

Skip ahead a few years and Alexander conquers Anatolia en route to a final show down with the Persian Empire. After his death Macedonian and Seluecid warlords battle over control of the peninsula along with other minor Greek kings and soon Rome slowly but surely extended it's imperial shackles onto Asia Minor after conquering Greece due to the the meddlesome Hannibal. But soon, the region was a province of the Roman Empire and as usual the region flourished despite barbarian invasions when the Roman Empire was crumbling apart. Around 330 AD, the Emperor Constantine turned the city of Byzantium into a new capital named himself called Constantinople. He was also Christian and it's interesting to note that the growth of Christianity into a global faith was because of the efforts of Paul of Tarsus - an Anatolian. Constantine and Christ laid the foundations of a new Eastern Roman Empire which under Emperor Justinian and his General Belisarius conquered North Africa and other lost Roman provinces and was about seize all of Italy when a lack of resources for his hand. Also, the fact that the Persians had become newly resurgent and needed to be fight to a draw every ten years or so. It's the problem with Anatolia - threats from the both West and East are overwhelming. Eventually after dozens of battles and the massacre of Palestine's Jews on a scale not seen since the Great Jewish Revolt, the Byzantines managed to secure a weak control over the Levant under Emperor Heraclius.

Of course, things were not meant to be. The Arab tribes had just been united under the Prophet Muhammad and armies led by Caliph Umar invaded both Byzantium and Persia at the same time. Persia fell so fast that an army doubled pack to help the Arab conquest of Palestine and later Egypt. In one battle, the Byzantines lost 50,000 men in an afternoon and soon the Arabs were besieging Constantinople. It was an ominous beginning of what would later culminate in the destruction of the Greeks in Anatolia more than 1400 years later...

Mexican Jitters

I love the history of Mexico. From the earliest Mayan times to the 1910 Revolution in Mexico it's history has fascinated me and remains a gripping story. Even today, Mexico is still making headlines via it's gruesome drug war against certain cartels which are vying to control the drug trafficking routes to the United States (El Norte). Millions of Mexican immigrants in the past 30 years have entered that country, especially when the Mexican Peso collapsed in 1982. Though the Mexican economy is now a trillion dollar economy like the United State's other neighbour Canada, it has 70 million more people to feed and thousands of immigrants are still streaming into the United States for work. The United Mexican States is still a country in trouble especially on the eve of the country's bicentennial of independance.

100 years ago, on it's centennial of independance from Spain, the country launched itself into a 10 year revolution which decimated the country - literally. Porifio Diaz, the dictator of the nation held an election so fradulent that his challenger Francisco Madero only garnered a few votes across the country. Riots, rebel armies eventually sprang up and Diaz went into exile. Madero and the generals who assumed the title of President after him were assasinated all the while battles were raging across the country and the US had sent in troops to find Pancho Villa - another rebel leader. Finally, Alvaro Obregon - a general who defeated Pancho Villa at the Battle of Celaya despite losing an arm at that battle became President after the deaths of 900,000+ Mexicans.

100 years before that, Napoleon's invasion of Spain sent shockwaves across the New World and of course it's biggest colony - Mexico was shortly affected. The first leader of the revolution (a priest!) was defeated in battle and was captured before he reached the US border. Jose Maria Morales, Vicente Guerrero (both of significant African descent) and Agustin de Iturbide ( a Basque) became powerful leaders with the latter becoming Mexico's first Emperor. Eventually after eleven years of war Guadeloupe Victoria became Mexico's first President.

Now, let's fast forward to today. The Zapatista guerrillas are still active, Cartels rule Northern Mexico, the GPD contracted more than five percent during the global recession, La Santa Muerte is becoming a national religion. If political independance and land reform were important for the first two major upheavals of Mexican history what would be the third one? Legalization of narcotics? Or maybe Globalization? Since 1994, the United Mexican States have become more and more interconnected with the rest of North America econonically, politically and legally. The marginlization of many Mexicans and the augmentation of those who're able to manipulate the system (gun runners and drug dealers) are changing Mexican society. American society as well with a significant portion of the population (30%) being Hispanic of predominately Mexican descent in 40 years time.

No matter what calamity might occur in Mexico this year, the US should note that whatever happens to Mexico will always affect the United States. Most often negatively as well. This is one issue that will unite Mexicans and Americans to pray for a peaceful, non-revolutionary year.

You Can Only Sink So Low

The country of Haiti has never had good luck. When the Spanish arrived, diseases and slavery had killed most of the indigenous Taino and Carib peoples. Then they brought over African slaves to cultivate sugar cane and toil on it's tropical soil. When they revolted against their white and mixed race masters a third of their population was killed and the French forced them to pay damages for the loss of lives and property - the property being the newly emancipated slave population of Haiti and then on top of all that they were blockaded and nations like Britain and the US refused to trade with them because they were a Black Republic.

More than 2 centuries later, it's much the same. A 2004 rebellion toppled Aristide and put in Rene Preval and criminal gangs gained controlled the streets of Port Au Prince and UN troops had effective control of the nation - flash forward 6 years and a devastating earthquake levels Port Au Prince and kills hundreds of thousands of Haitians. Now, a new tragedy is unfolding. No, it's not the coming hurricane or flood season. It's not the threat of diseases like dysentary or cholera. No, it's much worse. It's political hip hop.

Political hip hop had humble beginnings. In the late 1980s and early 90s groups like Public Enemy pushed an Afro-centric popular brand of hip hop with great hooks and production quality to the masses of Black people. It inspired a Million Man March and colourful dashikis in places like New York and Philadelphia. Then, like most trends in hip hop it faded away due to the influence of Gangsta Rap, Club Rap and finally Pop Rap. It made a vicious return in 2007-8 when Black people like DMX discovered that a person named Barack Obama actually existed. Terrible musicians like Will.I.Am and Young Jeezy made songs like "My President Is Black" among others to help Obama win over millions of Black youth from the sinister forces of Hillary Clinton (now Sec. of State).

This political hip hop didn't go away though. The Haitian earthquake made R & B and Hip Hop artists more active. Hell, even BET had a Haitian charity and the worse of the lot was and still is Wyclef Jean. He organized a charity called Yele Haiti which was extremely corrupt and diverted funds from the relief effort. This 38 year old clown got some popular artists together to record songs to help the millions of Haitians suffering. Strange ideas started to infiltrate his mind there after. It's almost like an HP Lovecraft novel where the Ancient Ones decide to conquer the Earth by inserting dreams of grandeur into the minds of Lil Wayne, Jay Z and Kanye West. Sadly, these ideas coalesced into a planthat he too, may join the proud pantheon of Haitian leaders like Papa and Baby Doc Duvalier, Aristide, Dessalines and other dead people.

The sad fact about all of this is that, he might actually win. If he does, it'll just confirm how uneducated and Third World the Haitian people are. Haitians better move on masse to the Domincian Republic and Cuba while they can still flee. Marxist Lennism and racism from the Dominicans is probably better than whatever Wyclef can magic up. Banana republics will be better than anything that Zombie Republic will create while under the control of Wyclef. Toussaint L'Ouverture is rolling in his grave. It'd be akin in his day to a road-side lute player in 1810 becoming President of a destitute nation because he can beg really well and garner sympathy.

The worst part about all of this, is that the media isn't even condemning this opportunistic move by Wyclef Jean. ARGH! It makes no sense - there hasn't been any criticism! It'd be sad if the most reasonable arguments against him running come from Fox News. It'll be like saying it doesn't take much intelligence or experience to create jobs for 9 or so million people living in that impoverished Carribbean island which a GDP lower than that of Nigeria. What has he done that required much leadership? Leaving the Fugees? Starting a corrupt charity in the aftermath of a terrible natural calamity?

God Haiti, you can only sink so low. It'd be better if your half of Hispaniola just sank into the sea.

E Pluribus Unum

The title of this blog update refers to the motto on the Seal of the United States akin to the Coat of Arms of any other nation. A new Empire forged on the riverbanks of Mid-Atlantic the motto ultimately refers to the original Thirteen Colonies who came together to create one nation despite their various origins. The Catholic Maryland with the Cavalier Virginia. The Puritan Massachusetts with the slaveowning gentry of the Carolinas. The United States before it's forma founding was much different then than it is now.

To start it off, the landed aristocracy of the South was the true power in that area until the destruction of slavery and it's system during Reconstruction in the 1870s and the violence between slave and slave-master was even brutal enough for others in northern colonies to protest... another facet of Southern society were the poor white. The 80% of Southern Whites who were too poor to own slaves.Middle colonies like New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey for instance were America's breadbasket. These farmers grew so much food that they could easily support other forms of occupations such as the law, real estate speculation, trade and construction with the port at New York being among the colonie's busiest.Last but not least New England with the residual Puritan ethic tried to instill Puritan values via the laws they enacted in their colonies. It's forests constructed the world's greatest military machine (The Royal Navy) and shipping was it's main economic activity. Despite these differing ways of live these people managed to forge a nation.

Let's look at the United States today. American citizens are at each other's throats. The NAACP vs the Tea Party Movement. Republican vs Democrat. Socialist vs Fascist. Wall Street vs Main Street. Old American stock vs New American stock. America is in transition. Not only internally but internationally as it's traditional allies like the United Kingdom grow weaker and new power players such as China and Brazil grow stronger. New enemies are transnational shadows which like viruses lay dormant in states (even the United States) until they decide it is time to strike against America, it's allies and it's interests around the globe. All the while the push and pull between the Federal Government and the States become fiercer and fiercer as the tether threatens to snap.

Whites in America are close to revolting against their political system. They feel abandoned by the Democrats and are bitter towards the corrupt Republican party. Populism is their new philosophy and people like Rand Paul and Michelle Bachmann are sadly their philosophers. Last blog update I mentioned how racially confused and bigoted these people are and i'm sure these issues are bound to get worse as these people gain power and utilize Fox News to broadcast their message of populist revolt. William Jennings Bryan is rolling in his grave. In a new age of "Post-Racial" America, perceived racism against whites seems to be the new fad. Just ask Shirley Sherrod.

What's even worse is the political dance of death both parties seem to enjoy waltzing to in Washington. With the passing of the Financial Bill a few days ago, more hurdles are pressing against the legislative part of government. Climate Change and Immigration Reform are issues that will probably never be solved. Ever. The interests to keep the status quo going in these two areas are far too strong for anyone to try and change for the better.Also, despite TARP and pushing hundreds of billions down the greedy throats of banks it seems like the big corporations which run this would are just hogging the money in case there's a double-dip recession instead of lending the money. Also, Americans are still using their credit cards on borrowed Chinese money as if nothing had happened in September of 2008.

Despite all these problems and the worsening war in Afghanistan, America will have to unite as country to in order to prosper in this century. In a new age where global competition isn't only from nations but from foreign corporations and small businesses in developing nations... America will need to adapt. Or die. The Tea Partiers should change their banner from "Don't Tread on me" to "Don't leave me behind".