DURING these bitter days we have seen footage of a 9.0 earthquake on the Richter scale, with hundreds of powerful aftershocks, and a tsunami 10 meters in height, which with waves of dark water swept tens of thousands of people between automobiles and trucks, over 3-4 story houses and buildings.
Sophisticated mass media had been saturating our minds with news of the risk of fratricidal wars; drug related arms trafficking which, in just five years, has killed more than 35,000 people in Mexico; climate changes in a number of countries, asphyxiating heat, mountains of ice melting in the poles, torrential rain; scarcity and increasing food prices. We were really in need of consolation and this came to us via that saving grace of our species, the United Nations Security Council and its colossal invention: certificates of good behavior.
We already knew, of course, through the Europe Press agency, that the number of persons who died in the earthquake and the tsunami has risen to 6,539 and 10,259 missing, "according to the latest assessment."
"Although the whereabouts of tens of thousands of people" is still unknown, the governor of one prefecture has suggested that survivors should move to another part of Japan.
"Damaged airports, ports and highways are being gradually repaired," a Japanese news agency affirms.
The UK Reuters agency was less optimistic, when it affirmed that a "Chernobyl-type solution could be the final recourse," but authorities say that "it is still very soon to talk about long-term measures and that first they have to try to cool the plant’s six reactors and spent fuel storage pools."
Professor Murray Jennex, from California’s San Diego University, stated, "They (reactors) are kind of like a coffee maker. If you leave it on the heat, they boil dry and then they crack…"
"Putting concrete on that wouldn't help keep your coffee maker safe. But eventually, yes, you could build a concrete shield and be done with it."
Another cable from a European agency stated:
"A race against the clock has been launched to cool the reactors, Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, stated this Friday."
"It is an extremely serious accident,’ said Amano after meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, in reference to the Fukushima nuclear plant."
Without any doubt, the world has been shaken by the unexpected Japanese accident, which challenged the very foundations of the planet’s energy development; 442 nuclear plants were in operation, many of them in need of renovation; the Chernobyl accident in 1986 had paralyzed programs for the construction of new plants, which were at the point of being reactivated and expanded.
Might not our concerns be exaggerated in terms of NATO military action in Northern Africa to control Libya’s rich light oilfields and guarantee the enormous energy resources of the Middle East after the revolutionary explosion of the Arab peoples?
The serious threats of a new economic crisis were disturbing economists.
The bad political news is unending.
"Thousands of Shiite protestors shouted anti-governmental slogans close to Manama after Friday prayers, despite the fact that Bahrain authorities had prohibited public gatherings, AFP confirmed."
"The repression [...] this week led to at least eight deaths: four protestors and four police."
"We are prepared to sacrifice our blood and our souls for Bahrain, the protestors shouted."
"The Bahrain authorities decreed a state of emergency this week [...] within this small kingdom, the base of the U.S. 5th Fleet."
AFP, March 18, 2011
"More than 30 people died and 100 were wounded in Sana this Friday after bullets were fired at protestors demanding the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdala Saleh, according to new figures reported by medical sources."
"Most of the wounded received bullet wounds to the head, neck and chest," a doctor told AFP."
This refers to a close ally of the United States, which also has the support of Saudi forces.
AP, March 18, 2011
King Abdullah (of Saudi Arabia) spoke after the Muslim Friday prayers. He thanked residents and the security forces for being ‘the hands’ of national stability."
"Islamabad, March 18 (AFP)—Thousands of people demonstrated on Friday in the streets of various Pakistani cities protesting this week’s attack by a U.S. drone aircraft which killed 35 people, and the release of a CIA employee who was in prison for murder." He was released after family members of the two men who he killed in a Lahore street were paid two million dollars.
What is the reason for the existence of Security Council, the veto, the anti-veto, a majority, a minority, abstentions, speeches, demagogy and the solemn denunciations of Ban Ki-moon?
Above all, what is the reason for the existence of NATO, its 5.5 million soldiers (according to calculations by well-qualified specialists) and their 19,845 tanks, 57,938 armored tanks, 6,492 warplanes, 2,482 helicopters, 19 aircraft carriers, 156 submarines, 303 surface ships, 5,728 nuclear warheads, tens of thousands of atomic bombs with a destructive power equivalent to hundreds of thousands the capacity of those dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Such stupid power is excessive, it wouldn’t be used, nor can it be used; one would need dozens of planets like that of Earth. It only serves to demonstrate the squandering and chaos engendered by capitalism.
We could devote our time to other less sinister and more ludicrous things.
For example, the DPA agency noted:
"Port-au-Prince, March 18, 2011. The arrival of Jean-Bertrand Aristide in Port-au-Prince this Friday cannot have taken anyone by surprise."
"January 19: From South Africa, Aristide publishes an open letter in which he states that he is ready to return to Haiti at any point to contribute as an ordinary citizen in the field of education…"
"January 20: The U.S. State Department expresses opposition to Aristide’s return before at least the conclusion of the electoral process…"
The State Department, whose country engendered Papa Doc, and defeated and expelled President Aristide to Africa seven years ago, even got involved in that.
A Notimex cable, datelined Panama today, March 18, stated that WikiLeaks disclosed the entry of U.S. warships into Panama:
"The agreement was signed April 15, 2009 and allowed military vessels to enter Panamanian waters from May 3 until the end of the Torrijos mandate on June 30 of that year, when the leader was replaced by the right-wing Ricardo Martinelli."
"Up until now, the Panamanian government has always declined to allow this request, arguing Panamanians’ sensitivity in relation to operations with the U.S. Army…"
Another interesting anecdote on U.S. foreign policy tricks is narrated to us today by AP:
"Chile and the U.S. signed a nuclear energy accord Friday even as fears of radiation spread in Japan after a devastating earthquake and tsunami severely damaged some of its nuclear reactors."
"The accord was signed by U.S. Ambassador Alejandro Wolff and Chilean Foreign Minister Alfredo Moreno.
"…White House officials wouldn't even confirm the long-awaited signing, which was supposed to be a high-profile moment in President Barack Obama's visit with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Monday.
But it doesn’t matter, appearances can always be redeeming and public opinion manipulated by appearances; White House officials will stress that "the agreement focuses on training nuclear engineers, not building reactors."
Given that Japanese nuclear technology is basically yankee, its technicians will definitely acquire more experience by studying what happened in that suffering country, whose population was the victim of a cruel and unscrupulous predecessor of the current president of the United States.
Who are Obama, NATO and Ban Ki-Moon going to deceive with the certificates of good behavior?
