Panem et Circenses as in the Latin locution for Bread & Games of course, meaning that emperors even back then knew that if the people has enough of both, it/they will stay quiet? Well, the modern rulers even the duly elected ones that turn into 4 or 5 years emperors know this and as the Sochi games are going on, they are busy sweeping a maximum of political dust under the proverbial rug of our inattention. This post is dedicated to review their shenanigans and for practical reasons will proceed in alphabetical order.
Central African Republic :
Ban Ki Moon is in a Bangui mood. Suddenly, one may add past the pun. Yes as Tuesday the UN issued this “request” of sorts :
http://leadership.ng/news/world/344810/ban-ki-moon-urges-france-send-troops-car
That is very interesting, dear United Nations Secretary General and only begs the following question : How dare you?
When France was asking for a resolution way back in September as it had foreseen the problem, where were you?
Why did it take the UN until December 5th to sign a resolution allowing France to go in legally?
https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2013/sc11200.doc.htm
http://ambafrance-us.org/spip.php?article5111
Why did it take until the end of January for the UN to approve the use of a EU force for the same? Not that it matters that much since the EU is as slow as you are and expects to get there in March and fully operational by April! ( No special thanks to the UK which always opposes the use of EU BattleGroups as it prefers NATO which in this case was not even considered by the way. Trick politics while people die, how fair play!)
http://www.janes360.com/article/33875/european-council-approves-eu-car-peacekeeping-mission
http://www.euractiv.com/future-eu/central-african-republic-symbol-news-532481
Oh, sure, you covered the changes in the African Union force in Central Africa with your seal of approval but at no cost and not sending Blue Helmets. And now that things reveal themselves to be as bad as the French told you way back nearly 5 months ago, you’re asking the only Nation that truly provided to do more? Well, fine then but tell you what sir :since you have once again proved that your organization is at best a managerial one and not even that good of one anyhow, why don’t your fully assume management duties? Why not put the money where your mouth is? From now on, we expect you to sign the orders and provide the cash as a good manager should. Pass the hat and sign the checks. Let the Africans that for once are trying to handle their own mess and the professionals ( in this case France ) do their jobs and finance them. Barring which don’t come in with Blue Helmets a war too late. Stay in New York and give the running commentary as usual to hide your uselessness.
Egypt :
New toys for the new boys.
Discreetly last Monday, Russia announced an arms deal with Egypt.
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_02_10/Russia-Egypt-ink-2-billion-arms-deal-media-8046/
The money comes from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
http://www.timesofisrael.com/egypts-sisi-negotiates-arms-deal-in-russia/
the weapons should include helicopters, fighter jets and air defense missiles! Then again as Egypt would likely loses a major war if it faced one, for hunting political opponents, Russian helos do the job as well as American ones?
Why? Because Washington that was the traditional support of Egypt under the benevolent rule of Mubarak ( cough, cough ) and endured Morsi got all angry and spiteful when the military ousted the freely elected Muslim Brotherhood leader in a coup at the beginning of July and subsequently decided to cut its important military funding of the country. Top notch moral choice of not accepting an undemocratic move; disastrous geo-political decision though?
As nature abhors a vacuum, Egypt is turning to Russia instead. And guess what, Vladimir Putin being who he is, he has absolutely no qualms about dealing with the new military strongman Abdul al-Sisi.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19256730
So what that Sisi was named commander in chief by Mohammed Morsi and then turned against him and jailed him only to be now endorsed after a farcical referendum ( 98% of the voters but only 38-39% of the electors allowed to participate to begin with? ) by the army to run as ( likely sole candidate ) for the presidency. That cannot bother Putin, between autocrats they’re made for each other! Besides, Russia thus replaces Syria as first rate client for weapons in the region. And the Kremlin’s master immediately rewarded Sisi by acknowledging him in his presidency bid :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26171142
Congrats to The World Post that saw it coming :
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-hearst/egypt-al-sisi-putin_b_4762186.html
Of course, every time an authoritarian leader appears, it comforts Vladimir’s own stance on how to govern; that’s real politik for you!
Syria :
Same old.
Meanwhile the Talks having failed in Geneva, Syria unravels :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26166834
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/13/world/middleeast/syria.html
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/02/12/syria-civil-war-years-more/4966489/
Ukraine :
Private conversation.
But what the US Foreign Policy lacked in North Africa, its State Department made up for in dealing with the Kiev protesters. And thus we had the joy of learning that Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland thinks she can ask her local Ambassador to manipulate the formation of the next government in Kiev and “F.ck the European Union!” ( her words not mine ).
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/07/angela-merkel-victoria-nuland-eu-unacceptable
The real story here is not that Washington lacks respect for the EU. If we refer to real politik again, each nation does that as much as its allowed and as top dog in the geo-political game, the USA are allowed a whole darn lot. I am sorry if that shocks my readers but it is the sad truth that those that can, do or as an unofficial US motto used to run : Might makes right.
No, the real bug ( apart from the one that captured Ma’am Nuland’s conversation with Geoffrey Pyatt ) goes two-fold. A- after the NSA scandal that the very culprit of phone tapping that was the US cannot use secure lines to avoid the indignity of being caught disrespecting its partners and allies so soon again is squarely pathetic. And that the conversation was leaked is not so much a moral matter ( as again they all do that from Beijing to Paris ) as it is a resounding failure that backs … guess who? yes, Putin again!
Of course it was the Kremlin’s doing, that shouldn’t come as surprise. The whole idea is to show what Putin has been saying for months, i.e. that the West is behind the protesters in Ukraine. And while this is a view of the mind held by the russian overlord that thinks NGO’s were created for the sole purpose of undermining his power and passed a law to that effect, the recording does accredit that America is using the unrest to its advantage.
The whole transcript found here commented by the BBC:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26079957
gives the idea that American diplomats are trying to pick and choose the next team to govern Ukraine ( Klitsch and Yats standing for the full names of opposition leaders and _I don’t think we want so and so in Govt, etc ). In that sense, it validates the calls of Russia to the effect that its neighbors and members of the CSTO ( post-USSR security body similar to NATO with the ex-soviet republics ) are the targets of destabilization attempts. That is why it was leaked and not to show America in a bad light to its allies which is but a bonus as is the show of spying abilities that the intercept itself constitutes.
USA :
What Foreign Policy?
And B- ( what the Nuland call reveals ) is something more worrying, namely it implies a total failure of the Obama’s administration Foreign Policy. Ass. Secretary of State Nuland is shown playing at picking favorites to form the next government in Kiev, fine! Except that the last governments “made” by the US, in Iraq and Afghanistan are less than stellar results. Granted, they were more the fact of the Bush Jr administration but still … When your efforts at rebuilding “civilizations” end up in a government that frees the enemies you painfully captured for it,
or is unable to secure its land and calls for help in a civil war between religious factions,
http://www.juancole.com/2013/12/shiite-syrian-overthrow.html
your record at forming governments is doubtful at best, right?
So Far East, bad, Middle-East, bad, in Libya no results, in Syria no results, in Egypt a square loss and now that it is patent that it can’t properly influence events when left to it, the same gang is actually trying it again, this time in a country half in the opponent’s sphere of influence and half in that of friends, with sole result to vindicate the former and undermine the latter through asinine comments? All of which happens as you finally fix a relationship with the one ally that has stepped up to replace you?
One step forward, two steps backward, wouldn’t you say?
The Games in Sochi may warrant a capital for being Olympic but the real game, the Olympian one of World chess, was played behind the scenes while we reveled in images of athletes’ glory. And no matter what the medal count, it will have been a great two weeks for one Russian player.
Tay.
Definitive Lapse of Reason 
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