Saturday, January 08, 2005

I Want My DDT: Little Nicky Kristof Bugs Out

By Mickey Z.

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Posted 01/08 | Add a Comment

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  1. My comment is entitled Other Assholes Asleep

    Today we hear the quick fix that Africa needs is Internet access.
    This tech-ed mantra holds that by plugging in the Sub-Sahara can skip an entire historical phase of industrial development and be “on the road again . . .”
    With all the new online news from African capitols, we just get a better look at the same old problems.

    Posted by Ross J. Peterson from  on  01/09  at  01:05 AM

  2. Thanks Mickey! I read this one on CP the other day. I read quite a bit, including the NYT (and have almost daily, habitually, for about a dozen years). Good on you for pointing out (what should be) the obvious.

    Posted by Theo from Greece  on  01/09  at  07:42 AM

  3. Hi Ross J. Peterson,

    What are your views on debt cancellation?

    Posted by Theo from Greece  on  01/09  at  07:49 AM

  4. Debt Cancellation
    IMF & World Bank debt cancellation is on the agenda (inevitable) everwhere. I support that. The Canadian gov’t supports it. Where’s controversy?
    There are priorities like bringing the New Force rebels into the Ivory Coast gov’t and holding new elections without restrictions on citizenship that are more immediate and controversial.
    I have read that the World Bank (WB) is proud of the gasoduct and pumping investment they made in Chad and Cameroon. It is a human and ecological abortion.
    We should fear that debt cancellation will just open another round of ignoring solvable civil strife while wreaking havoc trying to get more oil out of Africa, South America, Russia and Asia. (Did I forget some region where the renewed debts for so-called development aid are still piling up?)
    Another big question: what to do about privatisation of utilities. I read that private water and sewer is being charged to Nicaraguans where the services aren’t even provided. The private utilities are becoming tax collectors where nation-states never collected taxes before.

    Posted by Ross J. Peterson from  on  01/09  at  10:05 AM

  5. The global crisis of the commons is a real issue.  As a Canadian, I think that it is mistaken to imply that the government “support” debt relief, as opposed to perhaps Paul and a few of his pals personally - and if they have any power to “implement” debt relief.  Canadian leaders often have the luck of being able to say progressive things but not be able to do them and have a real excuse about the neighbour.  Whether or not this meant they were insincere in the first place is unknown.  Trudeau was very sincere.  Chretien was sincere in his opposition to imperialism, but also sincere in his justification of inviting Suharto to Canada.

    To state that one supports something and can’t do it is like saying “I support being a winning tennis player” but since I’m not actually on the court, I could just be bluffing.  The Canadian government is in no position to have its views implemented until other governments agree.  Instructive is how Irwin Cotler, the justice minister (at least he’s no Gonzales) who trongly opposed the Iraq war on international law grounds - is now allowing the prosecution and persecution of American war resisters, not to mention other refugees who recently have been getting messed with - particularly Pakistanis who lived in the States who have moved up here because of racism.

    Posted by j cummings from Canada  on  01/09  at  12:48 PM

  6. Agreed on Canadian politicians but . . .
    I think big international interests based in Canada, including Martin’s old employer the Power Corporation plus Quebecor etc. all support forgiving IMF and WB debt in Africa and refinancing on favourable terms for nation-state borrowers everywhere in the developing world.

    Posted by Ross from Montreal, Canada  on  01/09  at  01:25 PM

  7. that is intrigueing to consider - forgive the debt, so we can fleece you more....as Marx said of capitalism “all that is solid melts into air”

    Posted by j cummings from Canada  on  01/09  at  02:17 PM

  8. Thank God Mickey Z. has figured the world out.  What would those of us with internet access do without his cogent insights?

    Posted by Benmont Staley from Pittsburgh, PA  on  01/23  at  10:05 AM

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    Posted by dfbypsb from New York  on  02/14  at  07:41 PM
    10. Commenting is not available in this weblog entry. {/if}

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