Donkeyshott & Xuitlacoche

Post-war praise from US establishment quarters for 1. the Soviets 2. the French Communists Extract from a (1945) article on the difference between Fascism and Communism , as quoted by K Zilliacus, British MP: The USSR, like the US, is opposed to the fundamental Fascist ideas on which Germany has operated: (1) The master race; (2) the State is all important; (3) Lebensraum: and (4) desire to dominate the world. Master Race : If the US is a ‘melting pot’, then the Soviet Union is an electric mixer. Scientists have counted 189 ‘races’ in USSR. Under the Tsars, many of the racial minorities were persecuted; today in the Soviet Union, there is no such thing as racial discrimination in practice or in theory. The people of each ‘race’ have been encouraged to retain their own language, customs and individuality and to educate themselves and develop the economic area in which they live. All-Important State : Some people profess to see strong likeness between the Soviet and Nazi forms of govern...

We must believe in and work toward the further development of Regions. Regions as loose networks of nations, as freemarket areas, as confederations, even as federations and ultimately unions. Witness the historical and epic achievements and lovely narrative of the Coal and Steel Community evolving into the European Common Market and the European Union, spawning, on the way, the political and economic renaissance of its second line members, Spain and Portugal out of fascism and into prosperity, Greece out of royalist and rightwing oppression, Ireland out of historical marginalisation and deep cultural oppression, not to mention the way Irish Republican prosperity has helped the North into a peaceful settlement. Look into your history of the last few decades and note how left of centre French leaders ( Mitterand )have worked together on the European project with right of centre German leaders (Kohl), right of centre French leaders ( Chirac ), with left of centre Germans ( Schroeder ). ...

I believe Yasser Arafat would have approved a one-state solution. I wrote this at the time of Arafat's death. I republished it as Hamas was given a voters' mandate to carry the torch of Palestine into the next stage, in conditions of extreme difficulty...and now again, as Israel has gone from bad to mad. In mourning the death of Yasser Arafat, let me quote extracts from an article by Jonathan Steele in the Guardian Weekly in which he gets the historical context exactly right, in explaining Arafat's greatness:"In the days when Britain was being forced to give up one colony after another, the phrase 'father of the nation' was much in vogue. Julius Nyerere in Tanzania, Archbishop Makarios in Cyprus, and Kenneth Kaunda in Zambia were among the many who won this informal title, not just from journalists in search of a label but, more importantly, from their own people. As teachers, clerics or trade unionists who became political leaders, they were seen as the chief ...

Immediately after liberation the French people were in a condition of exhaustion and demoralisation. The urgency and magnitude of the problems to be solved were so appalling that there was a general mood of apathy and despair. The Communists did a great deal at this crucial time to put heart into the French workers. They gave a militant lead through the trade unions in carrying out emergency and salvage work, repairing railway lines, rolling tock, locomotives, bridges, roads and factories, restarting production in the mines and so forth. From there they went straight on to becoming the driving force behind reconstruction. In the New York Herald Tribune in July 1946 Mr Joseph Alsop [he and his brother Stuart were two very prominent and in/famously right-wing journalists] gave his impressions of the situation in France, based on his own investigations on the spot. French reconstruction, he explained, hinged on the Monnet plan, worked out by Jean Monnet (who was the first Deputy General ...

Letter to the Editors, New York Review of Books, November 2005 Alan Ryan's review of Tony Judt's history of post-war Europe, and perhaps the book itself, are partial in both main meanings of that word. The review lingers on eastern Europe, and gives short shrift to the evolution of European unity, from its origins in the "pointless" Coal and Steel Community to a United States of Europe "not remotely in prospect". There is no mention of what EC/EU membership has done for Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Greece... It is consistent with this partiality that Slobodan Milosevic should get all the blame for "the breakup of Yugoslavia and the nastiness that followed" and the Germans in Bonn be totally exonerated, although their recognition of Croatia and Slovenia so clearly pointed the way to that nastiness, by leaving Serbia/Yugoslavia out of the equation. Alan Ryan writes: ..."it is hard to believe that [Hans-Dietrich] Genscher in 1991 could have persuad...

Letter to the New York Review of Books About Adam Hochschild's interesting and valuable account of the big Congo exhibition in Belgium… (In the Heart of Darkness, NYRB, 6 October 2005)...He describes how: "Again and again, both the Royal Museum's exhibit and its catalogue pass glancingly over the darker side of an aspect of the Congo's history, and then stress its benign side. " [what benign side is that, by the way?]… This is so recognisable, as the way revisionists everywhere are emboldened these days to recast African colonial history – let alone ignore the existence of post-independence neo-colonialism and its relentless savaging of some African leaders of real quality and courage, like Lumumba and numerous others, in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Africa is once again some dark generalised landmass. The only difference is that these days, you feel sorry for it. Along with the cry "Make Poverty History" goes the Impoverishment of History. The evidence that...

At the end of a series of exchanges on the SA Debate network, in late August 2003, I put the question: What can be done, in any constructive sense, about the serious malaise in ANC policy, and ANC leadership? I said I would do another, a final note, outlining the dream that I have been having. It went something like this...The ANC executive, SG Kgalema Motlanthe, Treasurer Mendi Msimang and others, with other tripartite alliance leaders, call a huge indaba, a big, big bosberaad of all the leadership, including senior stalwarts...Invite the likes of Cyril Ramaphosa, Tokyo Sexwale, Matthews Phosa ...Ask them to leave any (justifiably) resentful and (understandably) bruised political egos at the door, along with their inflated business personas, so their charisma, great ability and energy can be redirected to help a revival of the national political project rather than a corporate/enrichment project.Bring in the mobilising and analytical powers of those such as Jay Naidoo, and Pallo Jorda...

Tony Hall writes: on the eve of Jacob Zuma's next court appearance, here is a selection of writings and raves back to 2003, mostly my own, on how victimising and villainising the man has damaged our body politic, which can now be healed only through the Tripartite Alliance _______________________________ This email to friends and debaters, in late August 2003, was one of the earlier warnings after leading ANC figures Jacob Zuma and Mac Maharaj came under a media spotlight beamed on “corruption”. We sent it to the ANC website itself, in a critical but loyal approach… We sing out a warning We are circulating this because we really do note there is a dangerous campaign going on. Whatever the real or apparent levels of corruption, we must keep alive to the political agenda of those knowingly doing this – and how much we are being diverted from focussing on where the real corruption liesIn the face of the present all-out media attack on leading figures, the latest attempt to sub...

SOME PEOPLE make strong and important points about new frontiers and new strategies, as they run through the imperial performance of the last decade or so. Some make the usual conflations which may end up deepening fault-lines in the so vitally necessary understanding between the left and left-liberals towards a common front. An internationally esteemed left-winger, an icon, performed an odious comparison: that the US bombing raid on a Sudan medical drugs factory killed more people than the Twin Towers outrage. Ouch… One debater conflates/equates the US forces landings in Somalia at the height of the internal chaos there, with US counterinvasion of Iraq in the 1991 Gulf War. It's not at all obvious, in either the Iraq 91 or the Somalia cases, that the immediate motive behind these was to extend control to secure resources and markets for imperialism. Some power with the capacity had to go in and drive the Iraqis, quickly and firmly, out of Kuwait. The UN is of course not geared for...

In 539 Cyrus, declared on the cylinder (now in the British Museum) that:... when my numerous soldiers in great numbers peacefully entered Babylon and moved about undisturbed in the midst of the Babylon, I did not allow anyone to terrorize the people of the lands of Sumer and Akad and ... I kept in view, the needs of the people and all their sanctuaries to promote their well being. I strove for peace in Babylon and in all his other sacred cities. As to the inhabitants of Babylon who against the will of the gods were enslaved, I abolished the tax which was against their social standing, I freed all slaves. I brought relief to their dilapidated housing, putting thus an end to their misfortunes and slavery ...... I announce that I will respect the traditions, customs and religions of the nations of my empire and never let any of my governors and subordinates look down on or insult them until I am alive. From now on, till (Ahura) Mazda grants me the kingdom favor, I will impose my monarchy ...

Is it any coincidence that the party that Yegor Timurovich Gaidar joined, the "Union of Right Forces" is now considered to be the Liberal and Democratic alternative to Putin. Gaidar was, as he said, on a Kamakaze mission to establish a market economy in Russia at any cost in the first year of Yeltsin's government. This is where state support is withdrawn and prices are set by demand with the people paying the cost. This is the kind of shock therapy that the IMF was promoting in the 80s. You remember. The kind of market theology that said that the way to right a balance of payments was to "reduce domestic demand": this was a euphemism for cutting back state support and poverty programmes and depressing wages to put everyone into poverty. And yet these people still talk about the lost opportunities to totally transform Russia. Wasn't the damage they did enough? Wasn't the damage that Yeltsin and his accomplices, Gaidar amongst them, enough? What more could...

To comment on the cleverness or stupidity of birds, one has to be anthropomorphic – how else translate their actions, and give them a meaning? So that’s the way I’ ve tried to think about it and I’m afraid I’ ve come to the conclusion that they’re nothing but a pretty face - the “bird brain” label sticks. Chickens are stupid. When they’re scared, they huddle together and suffocate each other; and they rush across roads in the face of oncoming traffic. In fact their brains are so redundant that they can still run around without them.From my experience, geese too are stupid, never mind what the Romans say – they can’t in fact tell friend from foe, and gaggle indiscriminately. My landlady in Harare had a flock of them in her garden that refused to recognise me as a legitimate, fully paid-up tenant. What’s more stupid looking (and actually, bloody frightening) than seeing 12 geese rush at you, necks outstretched, hissing? Hadeda ibises are stupid – they fly over our heads crying with hu...

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to encourage Israel and Palestine to apply for EU membership and meet the necessary conditions for membership Israel and Palestine should be offered EU membership once they have met the necessary conditions. EU membership definitely helped catalyse the peace process in Northern Ireland by establishing the four European freedoms. 1. The free movement of goods; 2. The free movement of services and freedom of establishment; 3. The free movement of persons (and citizenship), including free movement of workers; 4. The free movement of capital. http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Israel-Palestine/

In his diaries I hope Aleister Campbell includes a conversation with Peter Mandelson and I would like to hear them converse honestly for the first time in their lives like Carriedas and Rastopopuolus in the Tintin book flight 714, after both villains have had a good dose of truth serum: Mandelson : - "Me? Bad? Of course I am bad! I'm the devil incarnate...that's what I am. And let's hear anyone try to deny it! Campbell : - I beg your pardon! I am the devil incarnate...and I am richer than you are, too! Mandelson : - "So what? Listen to this! I ruined my three ministers and two senior civil servants and dragged the Prime Minister's reputation into the gutter. What d'you say to that, eh? Campbell : Peanut's! Kid's stuff! I made a scientist so ashamed that he went to woods, lay down and died! Beat that.

Putin is a very good leader. He is admired by most Russians. He is a nationalist and wants to use the countries resources, especially its oil, for the benefit of Russia and its people. When the Soviet Union fell apart the corporates were licking their collective lips. Russia was going to be carved up like a great big delicious "pirog" (pie) and Yeltsin was their very own running dog. It looked like it was going to work. The mafias made friends with Yeltsin and his gang and they got their way before the US corporates got stuck in. But they, and the little jackals from Britain and Japan could wait. They could bide their time. Later on Russia was going to be in for buy outs and one sided joint ventures. You name it, it was all on the cards and the western corporates were clever and patient. But along comes Putin. A public servant, with a public servant's salary, but a history in the service and defence of his country. He says, with support from the former political class...

"Why don't you establish a set of ethical ground rules for the corporates to play by in any country they operate in and propose measures and sanctions for those multinationals that do not play by these rules?" I asked this question as a Guardian blogger to the Davos Forum Chairman, Jonathan Shmidt , and the reply was less than satisfactory. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=282708060217756718&pr= goog - sl & hl =en

As a teacher, teacher trainer and educational consultant in higher and further education working and living on four continents I have been through some interesting times including the break up of the Soviet Union, the liberation struggles in Southern Africa, freedom in South Africa and the end of the dictatorship in Mexico. Along the way I have learned a few things, gathered different insights and formed different opinions. This blog is an attempt to share knowledge and opinions and discuss different topics of mutual interest with anyone who may care to join in. I am starting up this blog as a natural consequence of pouring quite a bit of my energy, along with many other commenters, into the Guardian "Comment is Free" website. I will be inviting those people whose ideas and opinions I respect to join in and post articles on the blog alongside me: namely Donkeyshott. Feel free to comment. Phil