Friday, September 25, 2020
The West Bank according to the CIA
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Hope vs Hopelessness
I had planned my life so that I shall work till age .. (my current age) . It seemed so far away that I did not plan anything after that. Life passed without noticing and now I have no future plans. Everybody says that not working causes hopelessness, depression, disease and early death. I have several professional articles half-written, and I am not finishing them because of "what for?" I believe it does no good for my children to inherit much, or am I just an old miser?
Woody Allen convinced himself that had brain cancer and walked aimlessly and then entered a cinema where he watched a Marx Brothers film. What the Hell, I am enjoying it! and went to work.
Sunday, September 20, 2020
The CIA, Mobutu Sese Seko and el Che Guevara
I am rereading A Bend on the River by Naipaul. In the novel there is a Belgian teacher, former adviser of Mobutu and now, disgraced, edits his speeches in the hope of regaining his favor. I tried to find if there was such book or it was the writer's invention, and voila! there it is on the internet (in French). The drama of the Belgian Congo has been forgotten, and as is my boss M. Portalis's Latinoconsult project in Katanga. See the documentary on YouTube.
In the movie there is an interview with the CIA agent who tells how they tried to identify potential leaders around Lumumba, and how - later - he received the order to eliminate Lumumba. Lumumba was trying to align his strategic, copper and uranium mining country, with the socialist camp. The order was carried out by Mobutu, whose faithful service was rewarded with firm support from the West. that allowed him to steal millions and enjoy it undisturbed in Europe.
When later the mining province of Katanga tried to secede with the assistance of the Che, the rebellion's leader Kabila was persuaded to change sides and the rebels were liquidated by South African soldiers. Kabila became President of the Congo, and after he was assassinated, his son Joseph inherited the post. El Che said that the rebels were not serious and moved to start a guerrilla in Bolivia. Naipaul's Indian trading families are back in Stanleyville (whatever it is called now). The book has been accused of pro-colonialism, in my opinion, rightly. Moreover, it is racist, he explains the riots, the massacres and the rage of the Africans "for being what they are" - an enigmatic yet crystal clear diagnosis of postcolonial Africa. And not only Africa.
Saturday, September 19, 2020
Harvard Haram!
I am reading about Jewish girls passing for Afro-Americans, for Portorricans, etc. to get into good universities in the USA and enjoy priority hiring for good jobs. Noia my granddaughter has reddish Afro hair, so she may claim privileged minority status. She could be admitted by Harvard, thanks either to her hairstyle or her Ashkenazi IQ, a rare, lucky combination. But I am against it. Harvard Haram as in Boko (Book in Hausa) Haram. If I have influence left, she is headed to an ulpana in Jerusalem. Alas, she will do what her mother and grandmother decide.
Friday, September 18, 2020
New Jewish Year
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
The TAPLINE: Israel Finds its Niche
ARAMCO built the TAP oil line between the pumping stations in Saudia and the port of Haifa, bypassing the expensive maritime route of the Suez Canal. For a hundred years, a TAPline lays unused because political instability of the Middle East. Now, the United States, after a generation of wars has quieted down the area and the TAPline, that never died, is being revived.
Israel, Egypt and Greece are building a gas line to Europe. If the two systems are joined, we have complete secure energy supply to Europe. The loser will be Russia, that will be outpriced from the European market. The winner will be America, having its fingers holding the energy aorta of Europe. Israel will realize its foundational dream of integrating itself into the British (now American) global economic system. BTW, all the troubles of Argentina started when it lost its position as food supplier within the British "imperialist" system. Till now it cannot find a place in the new system.
I am reading secret English reports on the perspectives of the Jews in Eretz Israel after the Mandate. The tone is arrogant even antisemitic. The Jews live from donations and have zero fighting inclination and skill. They did not gave us a year.