It's not what you sell, it's whom you sell to

BLOG POST posted on November 25, 2009 by isaac

Hez is on the no-sell list

It hasn't so much been a slow news week as it has a PR-centred one.

It was Lebanese Independence Day recently. One wonders, from what? The most Americanized country in the Middle East celebrated with the usual ceremonies and parades, from which of course Palestinian refugees were, not excluded but highly discouraged from participation.

Here in Canada, folks were shocked to find out that the Canadian military in Afghanistan hands off prisoners to the local govt. there that tortures them. For all the people who've argued with me that the difference between Canada and the US in Afghanistan was that the former don't have anything to do with prisoner abuse - well there you go. The Halifax Intl. Security Forum is also on, where big men gather to talk about big guns. Very reminiscent of the gatherings in Nigeria about big guns and distribution. Of course, these men here are dressed in silk suits, unlike those lawless fellas with their cotton robes at the other conference.

Of course, there hasn't been much coverage of either of these items. Our friend Stimulator commented on this and the growing media concentration in Canada here. So much for things becoming all egalitarian once Conrad Black got sent to eat porridge (though I have a feeling he gets steak instead). Stim was also spot-on calling how the Obama admin is moving US involvement from the Middle East to the Latin Americas  - the Voice of America is expanding its broadcast to select South American markets (guess which ones).

I've been doing bits and pieces here and there on Israeli weapons sales to various countries. The US just caught a bunch of people for trying to sell weapons to Hezbollah. Proving once again that you can sell and buy guns as long as it's from and to the right people.

In the midst of a lot of the fakey "good news" this week - some poor tools in Pakistan getting indicted for the Mumbai attacks and some Khmer Rouge bloke getting all teary-eyed about being a genocidal maniac - there is some real good stuff, and it's infectious (get ready for the pun).

Google is planning to put an entire Iraqi museum online. Remembering the feelings of a great many of my teachers when the libraries in Baghdad got looted, this is a step forward. Also HIV is on the decline in sub-Saharan Africa (no thanks to the Pope, of course. In fact, I can see Ratzinger hearing about this and heading out there to yell at the pharmacies).

One last thing - if you are at interested in independent media and want to see how you can get involved, get to the Rebel Media Bash this weekend here in Van. There shall be much talk about indie medie, a film, music and drinks - all the things that make bashes and indie media worth being involved in.