Failed states
What is a failed state? It is a state that doesn't function, that has no effective government or that is so corrupt or dictatorial that its people live under constant fear and usually the ruler(s) need an external threat to maintain their control.
Some states are obviously failures, such as Haiti and Somalia, that have had no effective government for years. Others include Yemen, which is currently in a civil war and North Korea, that is a so-called communist dictatorship, whose absolute ruler Kim Jong-il is possibly insane, and whose people have been starving for about 20 years while they build nuclear weapons and intercontinental missiles.
Others are near failures, such as Lebanon, which has elections based on its secular groups and in which civil war is never far from the surface. Another is Syria, that has been run by the Assad family since Hafez Assad took power back in 1970. Its main business is gun running, from Iran to Lebanon and Gaza. Other examples of such states are Venezuela, that is being run into the ground by Pres. Chavez, and Zimbabwe that is being destroyed by Pres. Mugabe.
Then there are the states that have seemingly effective governments, but are actually in chaos and most of the people teeter on the edge of starvation, these include Pakistan, Ethiopia and several other sub-Saharan African countries. Included in this category is Iran, that is run by Imams who have little idea how to run a modern state and also have little idea of morality. But, in fact, the power in Iran has gradually shifted to the Revolutionary Guards, a point made this week by US Secty of State Clinton. Among these we can also add Afghanistan, that is little more than a region of warlords and armed clans, that the US is trying to save from itself. Also, Iraq, although it has a government and an occupying force, about 50 people are being killed a day by the insurgents. Is this a successful state?
After listing these failed states that actually exist in the world, the question arises, should we be responsible for establishing another one? It is clear that this is what Palestine would be, with no effective government, but clans and armed militias/terrorists that run the show. The current weak President of the PA, Abbas, has overrun his period in office by more than a year, and elections were cancelled, mainly because Hamas refused to participate. With Hamas in control in Gaza, people are suffering because they elected Hamas that refuses to recognize Israel or refrain from using violence, therefore Israel and Egypt are blockading Gaza. Any combination of Hamas and/or Fatah is destined to produce a failed Palestinian State, so why go there?
Some states are obviously failures, such as Haiti and Somalia, that have had no effective government for years. Others include Yemen, which is currently in a civil war and North Korea, that is a so-called communist dictatorship, whose absolute ruler Kim Jong-il is possibly insane, and whose people have been starving for about 20 years while they build nuclear weapons and intercontinental missiles.
Others are near failures, such as Lebanon, which has elections based on its secular groups and in which civil war is never far from the surface. Another is Syria, that has been run by the Assad family since Hafez Assad took power back in 1970. Its main business is gun running, from Iran to Lebanon and Gaza. Other examples of such states are Venezuela, that is being run into the ground by Pres. Chavez, and Zimbabwe that is being destroyed by Pres. Mugabe.
Then there are the states that have seemingly effective governments, but are actually in chaos and most of the people teeter on the edge of starvation, these include Pakistan, Ethiopia and several other sub-Saharan African countries. Included in this category is Iran, that is run by Imams who have little idea how to run a modern state and also have little idea of morality. But, in fact, the power in Iran has gradually shifted to the Revolutionary Guards, a point made this week by US Secty of State Clinton. Among these we can also add Afghanistan, that is little more than a region of warlords and armed clans, that the US is trying to save from itself. Also, Iraq, although it has a government and an occupying force, about 50 people are being killed a day by the insurgents. Is this a successful state?
After listing these failed states that actually exist in the world, the question arises, should we be responsible for establishing another one? It is clear that this is what Palestine would be, with no effective government, but clans and armed militias/terrorists that run the show. The current weak President of the PA, Abbas, has overrun his period in office by more than a year, and elections were cancelled, mainly because Hamas refused to participate. With Hamas in control in Gaza, people are suffering because they elected Hamas that refuses to recognize Israel or refrain from using violence, therefore Israel and Egypt are blockading Gaza. Any combination of Hamas and/or Fatah is destined to produce a failed Palestinian State, so why go there?
posted by Jack Cohen at 7:48 AM
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