Disasters Waiting To Happen or Just Freak Accidents?

Michael Schumacher, retired Formula 1 top ace and seven times World Champion is, together with Lewis Hamilton, one of the greatest driving legends of the 21st century.

Michael sadly remains in a coma one month after a freak accident whilst out for a playful ski holiday with his family.

Just before Sochi this reminds us that even though we cherish sports there are always dangers-even at the most unlikely times and in the most unlikeliest of places.
Lewis Hamilton was himself very lucky just a few hours ago to survive uninjured a horrific high speed crash into the safety barriers-where his car was a total write-off.
One wonders whether pushing the limits of cars for speed and weight requires further safety prechecks.
Indeed the same can be said of any vehicles-including boats-catamarans,airplanes, bicycles and bobsleighs-where the competition is very intense for limited sponsorship availability.
There appears to be a constant drive to reduce vehicle weight, improve performance and cost-benefits by introducing materials whose full long-term stresses are not yet fully understood.
Here I am going to be controversial and say that while I have every confidence in the Airbus A380, I always remember the Titanic-built by Harland & Wolff in Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom.   It was the greatest ship (luxury passenger liner) ever to sail the seas to that date. Indeed the boast of the day was that 'God himself could not sink her'. We all know what happened to the Titanic. What is more important is that recent research has revealed that it was probably likely that mis-sized welded metal rivets caused catastrophic structural failure when she struck an iceberg in the deadly icy waters of the North Atlantic on 15th April,1912.  Cost-cutting on this over-budget enterprise meant that rivets supporting the Titanic's hull were neither uniform nor able to support the vast weight of the structure above under the wrong conditions and that her demise was an accident waiting to happen even before she set sail on her maiden voyage  from Southampton,Great Britain, to New York,United States.
Today the parameters have not changed.  There is a constant requirement to operate within budget and where cost overruns occur they must be balanced out somewhere-and that somewhere is often in the most unlikeliest of areas-and ones which ultimately result in catastrophic failure of materials-some of which are themselves new composites whose stresses are not fully understood as they interact under enormous pressures and unpredictable freak electromagnetic turbulence and other conditions they were never designed to operate in nor could all possibly be factored under laboratory test conditions.
We saw something similar in the Space Shuttle Challenger Program¹- where funding pressure from above meant that design flaws in the 'O' rings were not reported higher up the administrative chain by NASA managers-who knew that Morton-Thiokol's design of the solid rocket booster (SRB) was potentially flawed.  They knew this almost 10 years before the Challenger disaster but kept it quiet for fear of losing funds or staff or both if a complete redesign of the SRB had to be initiated from scratch-just to correct a 'minor' design flaw. We all know what that 'minor' design flaw led to.   But hindsight can be a wonderful thing.   It's foresight and courage which is often required but lacking for fear of peer pressure,overwork and over-stress of project team staff, pressure of time to perform tasks and turnaround, loss of employment, blacklisting as a 'troublemaker' and status,demotion, loss of bonuses, loss of contracts, sheer fatigue,misinterpretation (or confusion) of instructions or expectations in the chain of authority, loyalty to the firm.   All these factors (and more) often contribute to many accidents and only reveal themselves where high level inquiries are initiated as to the reasons for the disaster.
So how come the freak accident of one man should prompt me to circumvent the entire spectrum of possibilities for disaster?  While doctors, brain trauma surgeons, nurses, cardiologists,therapists and ancillary staff all bravely battle to the limits of their professional abilities and capabilities to save the life of Michael Schumacher we should never forget, on the eve of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics and the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, that this tragic accident should alert us to constant vigilance as human factors in the most unlikeliest of ways can also intervene to connect with external  preventable events which just seem too unreal to fathom but which sadly have their own momentum.

Patrick Emek

Space Shuttle Challenger Program¹
In the interests of historical accuracy there is a distinction between the Apollo and Shuttle program eras -though many of the same astronauts were still working at NASA in the wilderness period between both Programs and, because the Apollo Program captivated the imagination of the world in a way no other scientific endeavor had- this distinction was never quite apparent to many (including myself, Mom and Aunt) who had grown up with  the wonder and excitement of the Apollo Missions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Titanic
http://scienceillustrated.com.au/blog/culture/why-did-titanic-sink/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/lewishamilton/10601774/Lewis-Hamilton-suffers-high-speed-crash-on-first-day-of-Formula-One-pre-season-testing.html
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/spotlight-artificial-coma-schumacher-case-040446141.html#DCe6vLc
http://www.sochi2014.com/en
http://rio2016.com/en/the-games/paralympic/event
http://www.rio2016.org/en


Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster on  28th January 1986  at 11:38 EST (16:38 UTC) [Wikipedia]

Casualties:
Francis R. Scobee, Commander
Michael J. Smith, Pilot
Ronald McNair, Mission Specialist
Ellison Onizuka, Mission Specialist
Judith Resnik, Mission Specialist
Greg Jarvis, Payload Specialist
Christa McAuliffe, Payload Specialist

Inquiries Rogers Commission

[courtesy of Wikipedia:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster]
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zoe-p-strassfield/double-feature_b_2708522.html

Syria-Another Example of 'Peace In Our Time'?

The withdrawal of an offer to include Iran as part of the peace talks does not herald well either for the Syrian people nor for long-term peace. Before I explain why, it is important to add that from an American public perspective, so long as U.S. Forces are not being ordered to fight alongside or under Al Qaeda, most could not care whether Assad stays or goes,it has now become a non-issue.

Syria's Future Under Al Qaeda/Islamic Jihadi Emirates and Caliphates

Firstly, as with Afghanistan and Iraq, the rights of ordinary people will quickly disappear from CNN, Fox and other mainstream news bulletins after Al Qaeda affiliated Islamists take power. [Women are more imprisoned now in Afghanistan than they ever were. There has hardly been a period in recent Afghan history when the rights of women have even been acknowledged let alone respected.] As far as mainstream media is concerned, their job will have been done and their editors will no longer find the rights of individuals under their new Islamic [Al Qaeda affiliated] 'government' as it works towards it's implementation of a unified Ummah-Al Qaeda style. After Al Qaeda emerges from the chaos following the removal of Assad (whenever that is) their interpretation of Shari'ah-compliant Laws will be implemented in the new Emirate or Caliphate. The most important Shia Holy Sites will be desecrated and Shias will be forced to flee the country. Likewise other [and through their eyes] idolatrous and blasphemous sites - Christian Churches, remaining Jewish graveyards and all other minority idolatrous versions of Islam will be leveled as such are the Satan's work (i.e. Western introduced and influenced) - according to their version of the Koran. Draconian Islamic codes will be introduced-as CNN and other media wriggle their way to explain to a confused Western and non-Muslim public how these changes will benefit the Syrian people. All that aside to believe that these fanatics will stop within the borders of Syria is not just a myth but shows either incredible ignorance or naivety of both Western politicians and their so-called 'think-tank' institutions. Likewise to think that they can be pacified and will continue to present an image of stability (as for example,how the Syrian opposition have been groomed to wear Western suits and trim some beards to appear 'presentable' to the unsuspecting general public at the Peace Talks) is likewise a myth. Egypt is initially too big a country for Al Qaeda to conquer-at least initially.Neither will they initially take on Israel-but it will never be far from their ultimate thoughts and objectives-long-term. So the next vulnerable countries in their sights will be Jordan,The Yemen then linking across to Somalia,Mali,Niger and Mauritania. Morocco has had a long and bitter dispute with the Polisario Liberation Front for independence in the Western Sahara. Should failure to negotiate a peace treaty because of lack of good faith on the part of the government of Morocco occur, what will transpire, I believe, will be that the Polisario Front will be transformed by the appearance of seasoned Al Qaeda fighters (under another banner name of course) and their presence will alter the course of this long and protracted war - tipping the balance against the Moroccan government and possibly leading to a coup d'état by officers anxious to do a deal to save the rest of the country from a disastrous military conflict it's armed forces are simply not professionally prepared,experienced (nor motivated) to fight and win on their own.  All of this can of course be prevented if pre-emptive action is taken to solve these regional conflicts and ensure development aid for such impoverished regions [together with better local security arrangements in conjunction with central governments] are implemented before Al Qaeda and it's affiliates take hold - and take the initiative - in the Maghreb. 
The Heart of Darkness - Eye Of The Storm

To simplify matters, if you take a ruler and draw a straight line from St. Louis in the North of Senegal to Mogadishu (Somalia), North of this line is territory Al Qaeda and their contracted affiliates ultimately wish to consolidate into Emirates with Emirs in Africa and a Caliphate in Iraq. What Western politicians  (who, for the most part, are pretty ignorant of the history of these regions - and are advised by individuals and institutes which, likewise,are also not up to the job) do not understand is that they will not be able to conduct their normal oil,diamonds,gold yellowcake uranium and other strategic mineral extractions with religious idealists who see no future in the 'Devils' (in Western capitalism) money because their treasure is an eternal one and their concept of trade and development can only take place within an Islamic structure independent of 'Satan' (i.e. America and it's Allies.)

The U.S. still does not get the picture - that the very forces it is working so hard to place in power in Syria will cause decades (if not more) of misery for all the peoples of the Levant and North Africa.

I am only glad I will not be around to see it all - but do not ever let them lie to you in their memoirs by saying they didn't know what the terrible outcome would be and had they known the human misery and destruction forthcoming they would have acted otherwise.

Patrick Emek

Salafism:

the real shape of things to come in the Middle East and North Africa:

http://www.islamicsupremecouncil.com/unity.htm

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Polisario&client=firefox-a&hs=KIX&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=np&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=FCDeUq_NI8GthQeu4oCgCA&ved=0CDoQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=601
http://www.statehoodandfreedom.org/en/conflict-viewpoints/polisarios-position
Declassified/General Distribution/Oak Ridge/Yellowcake/Keg Mountain Deposits
http://www.iaea.org/inis/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/09/417/9417374.pdf 
[Geological and Geochemical Aspects of Uranium Deposits]
http://www.wise-uranium.org/upafr.html
Uranium Intrigue in The Niger:Ambassador Joe Wilson was setup:
Provisionally Declassified:Yellowcake in Niger/forgery documents
United States Department of State,Washington D.C. 2003:
http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB215/def_ex/DX71.pdf

What On Earth Is Happening On The Sun?

-The Maunder Minimum Returns-

[Or Is This Just The 'Silly' Season?]

 Have you noticed how cold it is in Wisconsin and Nebraska?  Indeed have you checked how warm it is in Great Britain for this time of year?  Or indeed the unusual climatic variations right across Europe in January-which are significantly at variation with previous years for the month of January?  If you have, and like myself, you are interested in the political debate about global warming and global freezing [and to be quite honest, I am very confused  and really don't know which of the scientific groups to believe], you might however want to check out an interesting technical and scientific article below about the sun's activity.   For those of you too busy to check it out, the essence of the article is a quote from one of the world's most respected solar physicists, Richard Harrison, Head of Space Physics at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire, who told the BBC that in his 30 years as a physicist, he has seen nothing like it.   I must first say that even though this area is way way way outside my Ballpark (!)...but..(!)....on 15th December last year, I contacted one  of the world's renowned experts in solar and space 'weather', Jan Alvestad, [ http://www.spaceweather.com.au/ ] to ask if, during  a very specific period (in hours and minutes) between 14th-15th December, any unusual solar occurrences had transpired.  His answer was negative and I apologized profusely for interrupting his observations.   As I am not a professional in this matter and so as to the avoid ridicule and laughter of experts, I quietly but put my own observations to file and closed the case in the firm belief that I was hopelessly in error of an unusual pattern of climatic shift associated with a very specific set of my [imagined] solar events which may have 'peaked' on 'silence' in a given time frame I had [imagined I had] noted.   Having just read an article posted by News Network Limited on 19th January, 2014 at 1:36AM [http://www.couriermail.com.au/technology/science/scientists-baffled-as-sun-activity-falls-to-century-low/story-fnjwlbuh-1226805090679] someone with more scientific expertize [and journalistic courage!] has beaten me to it and boldly said that there is indeed unusual activity taking place on the sun and that there could be profound climatic implications resulting.  The article is entitled 'Scientists baffled as Sun activity falls to century low'.  The point I want to make here is that scientists should not be baffled.  The arrogance in thinking that we [humans] understand the cycle of an entity which had been in existence roughly 4.6 billion years - when we just understand the workings of the female [human] menstrual cycle, is itself beyond belief.  I don't know if there is something happening in the Sun's cycle which is a repeat of a pattern [Maunder cycle] which we can relate to from the first time of our own primitive empirical observations, or is part of a cycle which repeats every 50000 or 50 or 500 million years.  What I do know is that politicians [and private institutes] had better release more funds to further observe such events because of their direct impact on our way of life over a relatively short timescale between observation and effect.

© Patrick Emek


Additional Reference [2014/01/28]:Sun Scientists Debate Whether Solar Lull Could Trigger Another 'Little Ice Age' -The Huffington Post-  By Macrina Cooper-White http://www.spaceweather.com.au/tag/jan-alvestad/
http://www.spaceweather.com.au/
http://www.startribune.com/local/238780081.html 
http://newsfeed.time.com/2014/01/05/blaze-turns-historic-nebraska-opera-house-into-icy-winter-wonder/
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/rare-snows-in-north-africa/61172
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2523259/Historic-snow-fall-turns-Holy-Land-scenes-Christmas-cards.html [13th December,2013]
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/12/snow-in-cairo-for-first-time-in-over-100-years.html
[12/13/2013]

Egypt In Turmoil (Part II):

Kangaroo Media Announce Constitutional Election Results

Egyptian radio and TV have announced that 99.999999% of the population voted in favor of the Military Council-produced new Constitution. (A nationwide hunt... is currently underway... for the one terrorist and traitor,the Muslim Brotherhood traitor, who voted against it.) [If you want to see what happened in Part I of this glorious Arab Democratic Spring revolution in Egypt-where the Muslim Brotherhood,also, as they claimed, supported by 99.999999% of the patriotic Islamic population, brought freedom,peace and democracy to 99.999999% of the population - and they too,on that occasion, were engaged in a nationwide hunt... for the one terrorist and traitor, the Christian traitor, who voted against it-read my earlier Blog 'Egypt In Turmoil' to get the full, unbiased, picture!]                         Patrick Emek

Egypt In Turmoil (Part II)(Latest)
Kangaroo Judiciary to put Donkey (already in custody with Jackals and Hyenas on more serious charges-see Part I) on trial for 'insulting the Judiciary' because....he called it: 'a Kangaroo Judiciary.'

A Cold Day In 'Political' Hell (!)

Brit Hume - On The Chris Christie Debacle

Ariel Sharon - On His Demise and Debacle

Brit Hume's Candid Comments On The Feminization Of Modern  Society
With regard to the current 'Witch Hunt' against aspiring Republican Presidential Candidate Governor Christie,recently Brit Hume said it as he see's it on Fox News: "I would have to say that in this sort of feminized atmosphere in which we exist today, guys who are masculine and muscular like that in their private conduct, kind of old fashion tough guys, run some risk.... This guy is very much an old fashioned masculine, muscular guy, and there are political risks associated with that. Maybe it shouldn’t be,but that’s how it is." NJ's charismatic Governor Christie, a staunch supporter of Israel, is also firmly in the sights of the Muslim extremists-whom, by stealth, are targeting all known supporters of the Jewish State in a hate campaign directed toward the next U.S. Presidential election.  Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked during Christie's first overseas official trip in 2012 that "There is much in common between Israel and New Jersey. Your territory and ours are similar, as are the number of residents, though it's possible that the residents of New Jersey have better neighbors." (He might well have also been talking about the internal politics in both States!)
Ariel Sharon-On The Road To Damascus
As Israel is in the news I cannot but remark on the death of Ariel Sharon that he was a true patriot and friend of the United States.  The great blemish on this War Hero's historic reputation will always be Sabra and Shatila-where Christian Arab Phalange butchers went on a frenzy of house to house slaughter of Muslims- regardless of age-men,women,babies children and the elderly . In a period of two days between 16-18 September, 1982, during the Civil War in the Lebanon, Christian Arabs went on a frenzied slaughter of Muslims-mainly women,the elderly,babies and children in these two Palestinian refugee camps.  The massacre was in reprisal for the assassination of yet another extremist,the Christian leader of the Phalange, Bashir Gemayel, and indeed they wrongly blamed the Palestinians for this killing.  As Israel was in occupation of Lebanon and had given the green light to the Phalange to 'flush out' any remaining Palestinian fighters who had not evacuated the camps, Israel was responsible for the actions of it's ally at that that time-the Phalange Christian fighters.  Sharon has been falsely accused of organizing this massacre.  This is historically and factually incorrect. What is not inaccurate is the fact that he should have know better than to give Christian Militias a free hand in their nemesis-Palestinian refugee camps-which was an invitation to slaughter. I noted the absence of many European dignitaries at the funeral of this War Hero and freedom fighter. Joe Biden, fittingly, represented The President of The United States at this State funeral. The Wall Street journal quotes a settler leader,Zeev Hever,as saying that the settlers were 'pained' by Sharon's later doubts about the wisdom of the settlements in the occupied territories,but that the settlers,nonetheless,would continue never to give up (their hold on this territory), as Sharon had originally, (and much earlier in his life) believed and had said.   In fact the truth was that Ariel Sharon was himself pained with doubt about the wisdom of incorporating so much Arab territories and populations within Israeli administrative rule-this no doubt was shaped in part by his knowledge (and sad experience) of what extremism ultimately leads to (i.e. the hatred of man and women for their fellow men and women which led to the Holocaust,the massacres in Sabra and Shatila and,on another continent in another place and time, events which initiated Operation Solomon-the Israeli Air Force rescue in a little more than 24 hours,one single night, of the entire Ethiopian Jewish population from starvation,intended hostage-massacre,and discrimination at the hands of their Ethiopian Christian fellow-citizens, ; the Holocaust of Tutsi people in the African country of Rwanda- that the hatreds causing these tragedies were no different, Sharon finally realized, and could see this monster for what it really was, very late in his life.)  Before his untimely stroke,Sharon was on the verge of a monumental policy shift with regard to Israel and Palestine,one which might have taken the world, maybe,on a very different course it is on today.    It's so difficult to say, as in the film 'The Time Machine'...'but what if....'... because none of us can go back and change the past...but we can shape the future.  I believe it was similar to the George Wallace  'conversion' to desegregation in the United States.  Indeed such conversions, which are not at all unknown - those of Gerry Adams and The Reverend Ian Paisley (Northern Ireland), the transformations in what was once Apartheid South Africa ('Pik' Botha and Nelson Mandela) and all involving monumental paradigm shifts-appear to be 'the norm'  when a 'higher level of thinking' intervenes.
An Eye For an Eye-Everyone Goes Blind
One thing that I am certain about is that Zeev Hever is wrong and the future is not shaped in hatred,no compromise and no surrender-an attitude also bedeviling the mentality of the Arab world today.  I recently attended a function with a prominent politician where he pledged support for the besieged Christian Arab population in Syria but was quite adamant that it would be a mistake to support their exodus to Christian lands.  So what myself and Zeev Hever both do have in common,despite our diametrically opposing views and perceptions,is that in a world of compromise, not a single Jewish settlement requires uprooting from the so-called 'Occupied Territories'-but for very different and, to many readers, incomprehensibly opposite reasons:  One day both Israeli and Palestinian Arab Authorities themselves may well have to learn, the unthinkable, from scratch. That is, how to administer Jews and Arabs societies based on plurality rather than sectarianism. Sadly, our reality will probably be that this will only happen, 'When Hell Freezes Over'.

Patrick Emek

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/13/chris-christie-feminized-fox-news-masculine-bully_n_4589119.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/02/chris-christie-israel_n_1396661.html
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/brit-hume-fox-news-christie-too-tough-feminized-atmosphere

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303595404579318163204215566?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F %2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303595404579318163204215566.html

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Ian-Paisley-rushed-to-hospital-for-tests-237878641.html

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20120608/NEWS/120609818#gsc.tab=0    
(Son says former Gov. George Wallace repented for past)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabra_and_Shatila_massacre 
Operation Solomon: The Daring Rescue of the Ethiopian Jews
by Stephen Spector, published by Oxford University Press Inc,Madison Ave,NY 10016,
[2005] ISBN-10: 0-19-517782-7
Fiction films (but based on real events-the first more so than the second) you might wish to watch- typifying many African countries even as at today: Hotel Rwanda 
Tears of The Sun (the only film starring Bruce Willis I would ever recommend you to watch!)
The Wild Geese

Panama In Crisis

In a move over the past few days, which has received little attention from the world media because of the holidays,the President of Panama has unilaterally (and possibly unconstitutionally) reversed the country's long-standing status as a tax haven.   The fact that the status is reversed-and companies registered in Panama must pay tax on all assets generating profit overseas,is not an issue in itself.    (Indeed the U.S. government,more specifically,the firm,has for many decades,utilized the services of Panamanian banks and other registered organizations for the conduct of business outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.  This situation has been changing over the past decade to 15 years and Panama no longer provides such services on behalf of U.S. government agencies.)   What appears to be the issue is not the fact that Panama,as from 31st December 2013,is no longer a tax haven,but the unconstitutional way in which President Martinelli,has,without legislative approval,introduced these changes to the Panama taxation code.     (From what I understand,the legislators were away for the Christmas festive holiday when the President,already accused as dictatorial in  style of governance,without accountability nor consultation,changed the tax status.)    Does this matter to anyone but the rich and super rich?  The issue appears to be the fact that there will be a flight of capital out of Panama-which could potentially either destabilize the country or make it vulnerable to heading down the path to becoming a failed state-and the geostrategic implications of this for the entire region-especially for neighboring Colombia,Nicaragua and the highly unstable Guatemala,Honduras and potentially, the British Commonwealth Territory of Belize (an unintended consequence of instability and territorial disputes with neighboring countries which could also, potentially,as fallout consequence,be also on the verges of economic collapse.)    So there is the potential for a dominoes effect throughout the entire region if the Panamanian economy topples overnight.   The only winners in this case will be the drug barons and cartels-who will extend their influence into a flailing Panamanian economy and ultimately create the same crises Colombia has been dealing with for several decades.
Genesis of The Crisis
For some time Panama has been experiencing a huge hidden financial deficit.    The Panamanian press on the other hand have portrayed Panama as a central American 'Tiger' economy.    To a great extent Panama has been a miracle growth economy and the gap between  wealth and poverty has lessened over the past two decades.   This is also, in part,however,the same fallacy which bedeviled the Irish 'Celtic' Tiger economy-fueled as it was by excessive borrowing based on unrealistic property and financial services-related inflated-led growth and not on 'real' (capital goods) export-led growth.    In the case of the Panamanian economy a similar credit boom has inflated the economy-which is now on the verge of collapse.   The President has been accused of all kinds of illegal and criminal activities-by his political enemies of course.  This over-simplifies a very complicated situation-which the President's appointed financial advisors in part created through fiscal mismanagement but which is more in part due to the bad hand he was dealt when he assumed Office.   (Remind you of  someone you know in Washington?)
Standing By Friends In Times of Crises
Panama has been a stalworth ally of the U.S. through many crises and has acted as an honest  broker in other difficult circumstances.   The economy is potentially on the brink of collapse.   What I am about to say is entirely speculative.   I believe that President Martinelli was briefed during the course of the year 2013 by close advisers that the country would run into default sometime in 2014 if drastic steps were not taken to address the huge gap between taxation income and Government expenditure.   With a hostile and bellicose legislature the President was left with few options.    He could either be called a dictator (which,as soon as the world gets wind of this he most certainly will be) or his re-election prospects could go down the toilet with the economy.   In short, I believe he was snookered.    It's true that the Government of Panama is overspending-but so was the U.S. as were most European governments-especially France-which is also on the verge of economic collapse-and has just introduced a 75% rate of taxation on high net worth individuals in an attempt to stave off bankruptcy of the French economy.   (There is a joke in Europe that if the Germans (German capital-heavy industry) ever stop working,the Euro and the EU will collapse overnight!)    The only countries in Europe which are financially stable are Great Britain,Germany, Switzerland,Austria,Liechtenstein,Andorra,Monaco,Sweden and Norway and of those, the one to which most of the world (Christian and non-Christian) is flocking to invest for reasons of political religious and social stability and a business-friendly proactive environment (similar to Panama in terms of Government incentives to foreign investors) is Great Britain.  In the Americas, investors worldwide are likewise flocking to the United States-not because of the recession but because of political stability and the cost of entry investment is at a historically ridiculously low level not seen since the 1929 depression.
Panamanian economic growth,has,unlike the Republic of Ireland,been private sector-growth-led, together with investment from the Government.   Foreign sector investment however has not been enough in the present world financial crises to sustain it's GDP level-which was  surpassing most other countries in the region by between 4.8%-7.00% over the past decade-with a considerable narrowing of the debt to GDP ratio.    In addition to this,for some time,Panama has not been viewed as the taxation haven it used to be-so revenues for company registration,administration and returns (which have been some of the highest in the world) have also been steadily drying up.
The Rocky Road Ahead
Panama is still one of the safest (from a personal safety viewpoint) countries in Central America.
From an investment viewpoint I have never heard any negative comments only positive ones with regard to the ease of doing business without fear of organized crime rackets-which exists in many Central American countries (similar to those operating in Moscow,Russia.)   I cannot say the same of Guatemala,Mexico and Colombia where you are, in addition, most certainly unsafe walking the capitol city at night-and I am talking about the so-called 'safe' areas.)   From a business viewpoint,it has had a reputation for being proactively business-friendly.   When government resumes after the Christmas break (shortly) there will be uproar (if not pandemonium) in Panama City and legislators en masse will be demanding President Martinelli's resignation.    Before you join the frenzied mainstream media-driven chorus,get all the facts you can.
Panama is in crisis but you know what, I can think of few parts of the world at present which are not.  
If I can rework a phrase I've heard in another context,it's not the crisis which counts,it's the way you handle it.


Patrick Emek
January 2014



Crisis? What Crisis?
Latest Update (as at 6th January 2013):
Cabinet Approves Bill To Revoke Law 120 of 2013

''The Cabinet Council revokes law establishing taxable income outside Panamanian territory:Panama Administration will continue local-source taxation.  The Panama Administration accepted its mistake in trying to impose worldwide taxation instead of the local-source taxation system in place under Article 694 of the Tax Code of 1957.''

''The Panama Cabinet approved a bill to revoke Law 120 of 2013 which had eliminated tax benefits to Panama companies and individuals performing transactions which take affect outside of the country.''

[in an Extraordinary Cabinet Session (held on 2nd January 2014) article 694 of the Tax Code is completely reestablished stating that: “it is object of this tax the taxable income produced, in any way, inside the territory of the Republic of Panama, regardless of the place received”] [The project will be presented on Monday, January 6th when the National Assembly retakes their regular period of sessions.] 

 ''The President Ricardo Martinelli blamed current Revenue Authority (ANIP) administrator Luis Cucalon for the passage of Law 120 of 2013, while Vice-Minister Luis E. Camacho assumed responsibility and current Minister of Economy Frank De Lima (author of restrictions to bearer shares on behalf of the OECD) said more consultations were necessary.   The fact remains that several dozen legislators of the government Cambio Democratico party approved the law in its 3rd reading and failed to predict the onslaught of public opinion opposing this change to the Tax Code. '' 

 http://mypanamalawyer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/panama-administration-will-continue.html

http://mypanamalawyer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/panama-cabinet-votes-to-revoke-law-120.html
Earlier references (as at 31st December 2013-1st January2014):
PDF]
http://www.gacetaoficial.gob.pa/pdfTemp/27443_A/44901.pdf
http://www.presidencia.gob.pa/5183-Articulos-2-y-3-de-Ley-120-seran-derogados
(English translation available at the Presidential Website) 
Disrupting Drug Trafficking Networks – Progress in 2013 by: Michael Swanson
http://www.treasury.gov/connect/blog/Pages/Disrupting--Drug-Trafficking-Networks-.aspx

Passing Thoughts At the End  of  2013

Brazil Cancels Purchase of U.S. Military Hardware in Favor of Swedish Jet Fighters

In Protest Against NSA Spying

My only comment is that America should hold it's head high and rejoice knowing that it has not been chosen by the worlds foremost Apartheid regime to supply it with military hardware.

As with Nazi Germany, history will vindicate the U.S. when the 87% majority of it's disenfranchised African-Brazilian population win their freedom after decades (maybe centuries) of struggle against their oppressors and Brazil then takes its place amongst the club of civilized nations in the world.

''US, British media are servants of security apparatus'' 

 Glen Greenwald (former Journalist with The Guardian Newspaper,Great Britain, and first publicist of Edward Snowden's NSA classified material)

 published at Russia Today's website:http://rt.com/news/greenwald-snowden-nsa-hackers-conference-889/comments/page-5/

My only comment is.......very rich......coming from one who has now, subsequent to his resignation from The Guardian...sought residence in the world's foremost Apartheid regime, Brazil.

North Korea's Kim Jong Un

(Residing on a Planet Close To Earth)

Dennis Rodman in North Korea:

''Despicable Human Scum...worse than a dog!''

No it's not a continuation of my previous article but what the North Korea media is saying about Leader Kim's uncle and mentor-who he has just had executed.
It's extremely rare that I will ever say that someone is quite clearly on the wrong side of history.
It is with this in mind that I say I am 100 billion per cent certain that Dennis Rodman is definitely on the wrong side of history.

Only someone with not one iota of a brain could count the Dear Leader amongst their personal friends on this planet. (The Dear Leader's uncle,Jang Song Thaek, was even closer-and look what happened to him!)

Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.; January 17, 1942)

From what I hear, Muhammad Ali is not at all in the best of health.

I wish him Seasons Greetings and thank him for showing the world the peaceful non-violent side of Islam-before it was hijacked.  He provided a wonderful inspiration to me about the dignity of saying 'no', even when all of the world is laid before your feet, if only you will bow down and worship that which you know to be wrong. There must be many families in (then) North Vietnam who can be thankful to him and the many others (including William Jefferson Clinton) who followed in his path and who never fired a shot in anger nor shared one iota of responsibility for the deaths of any of their loved ones during the era of the U.S.- Vietnam War.

                                                

                       Colombia:Smart Bombs,GPS Tracking  & Location Intelligence   

Little discussed is how the NSA, over the past decade, assisted the Government of Colombia in the creation of a national computer and satellite intelligence center, instrumental in it's fight against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and The National Liberation Army. The project began in earnest after a Cessna with CIA Officers on board went down with engine failure in the Colombian jungle in 2003. The Colombian Officer on board was executed and others taken hostage.  It's only a matter of time however before all this technology is used to target world leaders at home in the United States and abroad-particularly in countries which have never thought themselves vulnerable to such an attack.  Thus is the nature of asymmetric warfare. So before our allies throw out the NSA they might prudently seek to identify an alternative provider in the event of such a national emergency.

Presidential Pardon For Edward Snowden & Chelsea Manning

I am still of the view that, as with Chelsea Manning, Snowden took an oath to keep confidential the secrets of his country. What message would a Presidential Pardon send to the enemies of the U.S. who are, at present, rubbing their hands with glee as they see America reel on the ropes of world humiliation whilst their own totalitarian spy networks bask in their sunshine of perpetual darkness?

Julian Assange

My views on Julian Assange have, likewise, not changed:
I believed at the time that his incarceration at the Ecuadorian Embassy in The United Kingdom was unjust,that he should be immediately released and offered safe passage to a country of his choosing.   I said this at the time publicly and I stand by it today.  He is a journalist.  His profession is to shed light into darkness.  If material becomes available his first recourse,as a journalist of integrity, is to decide whether he believes it's release is in the public interest, regardless of where it has been obtained from.   He never signed a confidentiality or secrets act so he is not subject to their provisions.  Legal steps can be taken within the law both to prevent publication and retrieve the stolen documents.   You may disagree with him, but he is just doing his job.

Patrick Emek, December 2013


Some of the most memorable images of Muhammad Ali can be found at the website
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+old+is+muhammad+ali+2013&client=firefox-a&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=np&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=oEK2UoLuLtHxhQfJyICACA&ved=0CEgQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=601

http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Asymmetric_warfare.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2013/12/21/covert-action-in-colombia/?wpisrc=al_national

http://realhistoryarchives.blogspot.co.uk/?expref=next-blog

http://millercenter.org/president/clinton
http://millercenter.org/president/clinton/essays/biography/print 

Could Arrest of Indian Diplomat Sink Preet Bharara?

American Hubris v  Indian  Deputy Counsel General Devyani Khobragade

[January 10, 2014-State Department Orders Deportation of Devyani Khobragade -see latest paragraph at the end of this story]


(A recent half-hearted, condescending and grudging ''expression of regret'' by The State Department appears to have come far too late and will not undo the enormous damage to U.S. political and economic interests-which could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars-if not more.
A report suggests that Deputy Counsel General Khobragade could well be *'fast-tracked' to become India's Ambassador to the United Nations-what would be regarded as the ultimate reverse humiliation for the U.S., in the eyes of most Indian citizens on the sub-Continent.)

 The Vienna Convention

An appalling breach of the Vienna Convention recently took place in the United States.
Indian Deputy Counsel General Devyani Khobragade was arrested and handcuffed
at her child's school and taken into custody.
Deputy Counsel General Khobragade was both humiliated and personally violated by U.S. Federal Officers-tantamount to rape-a criminal offence under U.S. law.
From what  US Attorney, Preet Bahararahas recently said, the treatment the Deputy Counsel got was better than that afforded to American citizens when they are taken into Police custody.
To be quite frank, even if the charge was economic or military espionage or political conspiracies, the Vienna Convention concerning diplomatic immunity is very precise. I have chosen extreme cases to illustrate a point. In such a case the host country must, as in any other case considered serious enough, request of the guest Diplomat's country that it lift Diplomatic Immunity. If it refuses the only option left is not to arrest but to expel the Diplomat or Diplomats. In such serious cases as I mention a formal request would be subsequently made, after the accused Diplomats returned home, that he or she be extradited back (to the host country) to face criminal charges. It is then up to the guest country to strip the Diplomat of immunity so that this process can now begin in criminal courts of law with respect to national criminal and international law.
The Charges (See A Summary in Epilog below)
It is for this reason that I will not even care to look at the ridiculous allegations or charges
against the Deputy Counsel General-as all of the media have already sheep-like followed in their ignorance that it is even a case for jurisprudence by a court of law in the United States.
The minor matter (and it is a very minor issue by degree of breach of the Vienna Convention,
and, what is more,by a diplomat from a 'friendly' country) has been blown out of all proportion to illustrate the exercise of power rather than the commonsense of logic based on protocol.
I have long suspected, in my encounters with State Department officials, that, as with politics,positions are increasingly being staffed by diplomats, to put it politely, lacking in knowledge and who owe their jobs to political pull rather than to merit based on individual abilities,qualifications and intelligence. Let me just be clear here, these type of appointments are not a problem in themselves but when America then lectures India or any other country on the virtues of transparency and equality of opportunity then at some point foreign media will start to shine the light on the contradictions (or hypocrisies) of U.S. power and privilege and it is this which causes untold economic and political damage to U.S. interests worldwide. They all come from a School of thought which says that only American law, values and culture should prevail worldwide - from views on family conduct and values such as abortion, marriage,Gay rights, to political outlook on the world. They all come from a School which appears to think that doing business with the U.S. is implicit of a country's acceptance and subservience to America and American values in their entirety. I have noted over the decades that most of these individuals have little or no real respect for other cultures and traditions. Unlike their British counterparts, they spend little time trying to understand the complexities of local (foreign) societies and, as with fast food, take a fast track approach to trade and aid.
There is a belief in intellectual circles abroad that you cannot explain to an American, a Russian or Chinese why their thinking or rationale is illogical or flawed or out of step. Why should they accept your criticisms when their path has caused them to become superpowers-and yours is just another minor country in the world?

Imperial Hubris
So if I can now look at this whole sad and unfortunate matter from another perspective, American,Russian or Chinese hubris is simply the reflection of ultimate power destined to happen to all superpowers in all ages.
Let's face it, today, a superpower's ability to influence events is based on military,economic political, religious and cultural dominance.
Nobody will in their right mind will universally voluntarily accept Saudi Arabia's way of life as a model for human progress. Likewise Russia and China ultimately fail the test for similar ethnocentric reasons, which they cannot shake off.
The danger is that if America exercises no restraint on the power it wields in favor of commonsense and intelligent long-term planning based on respect of, what it regards as minor cultures and values (in comparison with those it espouses dearly) then, by default, it will lose credibility as a world leader.

The Charges

The case against the Deputy Counsel General hinges on an unreasonable and unrealistic undertaking given to the US Embassy in Delhi with regard to wages to be paid to a non-diplomatic (domestic) employee. The actual amount paid by the Deputy Counsel General Khobragade to her domestic employee was $3.31 per hour-which is double what most Indian domestic workers earn in a day-because of the differences in wages/salaries between the U.S. and India.   As one who has traveled widely throughout India, $3.31 is more than a fair and reasonable wage for a live-in domestic worker-indeed it is more than many U.S. multinationals pay their workers in different parts of the world-where they have to pay realistic wages based on local conditions rather than what they would pay to employees back home in the US.   It should also be borne in mind that Embassy and Consular Staff are paid local (Indian) rates of pay when posted overseas-which are topped up to ensure that they themselves are not exploited nor vulnerable to exploitation nor compromise whilst working at their posts abroad.

The case was brought by an Indian domestic employee (who for legal reasons cannot be named) who is seeking permanent residence in the US and who effectively exploited the goodwill of the Deputy Counsel General to achieve this objective.  Comparisons between this case are now been made with the horrific treatment meted out by Saudi diplomats (enslavement,beatings and torture of their domestics) to attempt to justify,what was clearly breach of diplomatic protocols, by Federal Officers when they arrested, strip searched and violated a Diplomat of the Government of India.
''India now appears set to carry out further retaliation in relation to salaries paid to Indian servants by American diplomats in India. Most domestic servants in New Delhi, including those employed by the staff of various embassies, are paid around 12,000 Rupees ($200 or £120) a month – considerably lower than than the $500 or £306 paid to Dr Khobragade’s housekeeper. '' (The British Telegraph 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10522943/Indian-leaders-snub-American-Congressmen-as-row-over-public-arrest-of-a-senior-diplomat-grows.html)

The Cost To America (See the billion dollar issues below)
Most Americans are oblivious to the enormous potential financial damage which this event is likely to cause as 1.3bn Indians see this arrest as an insult to their nation. 


How costly could the Khobragade Incident be For The U.S.?
The Billion Dollar Issues:
*Nuclear Technology Deals
*Bilateral Trade
*U.S. Investment in the growing Indian Economy
(India prefers US investors to arrgoant Russians-who abuse
continually all courtesies afforded by very hospitable and facilitatory
local (State) Indian administrations)
*Indian Kashmir-U.S. has been regarded as a potential honest broker
*The War on Terrorism-Intelligence Cooperation
*Civilian Technology Exchange (non-Nuclear)
*Purchase of  Military Hardware and Software
*Satellite Technology  purchase Agreements
 The general mood in India suggests that these issues-which should have absolutely no bearing on the diplomatic incident-will, in effect, be linked.
The worst thing the State Department can now do is to  dictate to India what or what no to link to this incident. 

(One recent report cites that the issue could setback U.S.-India relations to the tune of up to $100bn-so that US Attroney Preet Bharara can reflect on the true cost of the statement which he so unfortunately made on Wednesday, without  White House
involvement nor requested advice on direction.)

Epilog
Unfortunately there has now been a terrible epilog to this incident, a statement by US Attroney Preet Bharara, which will generate even more fury in India-just at a time when it would have been expected that measured, sensible and mature State Department releases would be moving to diffuse the situation rather than inflame it.

Private (Internal Cavity) Body Searches of Accredited Foreign Diplomats by NYPD and U.S. Federal Officers Are OK-Says U.S. State Attorney, Preet Bharara

US Attorney,Preet Bharara said that the entire treatment (which would include the private internal areas personal body search) of  Indian Deputy Counsel General Devyani Khobragade was more respectful than any other American citizen could expect to receive. 
A spokeswoman for the US Marshals Service said that '' under the agency's regulations governing prisoner searches, a strip search can include a "visual inspection" of body cavities, including the nose, mouth, genitals and anus'' .
This confirms the Deputy Counsel General account and negates that of the Washington Post that the search was 'respectful'. I really don't know what has happened to the State Department in the past decade - but someone with authority needs to get a grip on the handle and demonstrate that intelligent life still exists there. Someone-perhaps-who has been a senior diplomat-needs to take Preet aside sit down with him and explain as to why it is not now and never ever OK for U.S. (or authorities anywhere else in the world) to search nor internal body search accredited diplomats sent to the United States or posted to the United Nations (or anywhere else for that matter.)

Rudderless Ship?
However nobody in the Oval Office appears to have a grip on the handle and each arm of the Government appears to say and do as it pleases-with no central control-at least under President Obama.   There is no one identified individual in the White House who can pick the phone,twist arms up and order that something be done (sic. that this is the way the President wants things to be done) or fire the Federal Officer if it does not get done exactly how he wants it to happen.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara will not check with the White House to get the green light before he makes a statement no matter how damaging the implications of what he says could potentially be to US interests overseas.   As far as he is concerned, he does not care about such matters as they are outside his jurisdiction and remit. Looking at the matter from U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara' perspective he is entirely correct-but what seems to fly out the window is good old fashioned tact,commonsense, wisdom, the art of compromise and diplomacy.
If everyone was to take officious, high-handed no compromise attitudes, no business would ever get done (indeed little business ever does get done on Capitol Hill these days-perhaps for this very reason.)
And where is President Obama?  Well he is one President who does not take a 'hands on' so unless the matter spirals out of proportion (which it very well could, knowing how incensed hundreds of millions are in India itself) he will stay as far out of the matter as it is possible to be.
But it goes far beyond that. This is happening at a time when, after decades of suspicion about the U.S. and it's motives, India has been moving closer to significant economic and developmental agreements with the United States on matters as diverse as nuclear technology and bilateral trade. American hubris could ruin this for decades to come. Indian nationalist politicians have quickly seized on this to stoke the flames of nationalism with the call to their faithful of 'we told you so' 'this is the real face of America' 'this is what we are inviting into our 8 thousand year-old culture... you see what happened in Iraq and everywhere else America has traveled in the Middle East and non-European countries...beware my fellow countrymen and women...beware!' This is a universal summary of the message hundreds of millions of Indian citizens (perhaps as many as 700 million) are getting from their opportunist nationalist politicians and as they receive it, be in no doubt it will translate itself into political votes - against the interests of the United States in forthcoming local, regional and national elections-as Indian voters are more 'in awe' of their 'superstar' politicians (until they fall from Grace!) than their Western counterparts. Don't misunderstand me, if this diplomatic incident happened at home in India, in a political context, and was found out, it would have caused a major scandal and the public figure involved would probably have had to resign from political office. But it has happened to an Indian Diplomat in a foreign country long regarded by many Indians with great suspicion-as to it's long-term imperial ambitions for the sub-Continent, Indian Kashmir, Pakistan,Afghanistan and the region as a whole.   [The lasting legacy of the British Empire in the India Sub-Continent is the largest democracy the planet has ever known, with all it's imperfections!]

U.S. Attroney Preet Bharara:
''Her [Indian Deputy Counsel General Devyani Khobragade] [full] diplomatic immunity will only start after confirmation to The United Nations''..............''We intend prosecution....and she [Indian Deputy Counsel General Devyani Khobragade] could face up to 5 years in jail''

So none of the above,I doubt not, will make very pleasant reading for you and you are probably wondering why I should even rant and rave about a minor official from a minor world player being frog-marched, carted off in the Paddy Wagon and thrown unceremoniously in a criminal jail cell, to rot if need be. Well, a long time ago in an obscure part of Europe (Sarajevo) a well-connected Arch Duke (Ferdinand) and Heir to The Austro-Hungarian Empire and his wife Princess Sophie, were assassinated. It is widely accepted by historians that this minor event in a God-forsaken land led to the Great War-and untold misery and loss of life for millions of souls, the unjust 'settlement' imposed by the victors of this War ultimately leading, in part, to the Second World War. So the effects of minor events happening in distant lands today can greatly impact our way of life tomorrow.


Epilog II

The State Department, at the insistence of U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, has (presumably with the full knowledge and agreement of the Government of India) approved that the entire family of Sangeeta Richard, the housekeeper at the center of the underpayment allegations, be flown out of India to a new life in the United States.  They are now already in the United States under Federal protection. (With the intent, I presume, of offering re-location, at a later stage, under the Federal Witness Protection Program.)   This highly unusual action on behalf of The U.S. Attorney's Office of The Southern District of New York, will only serve to raise even more questions than it answers.

(My conclusion is that this is now more about salvaging State Attorney Preet Bharara's sinking career than it is about Deputy Consul General Devyani Khobragade-and statements to the effect that Attorney Bharara is only protecting his 'witness' and her family from intimidation verge on the edge of extreme hypocrisy and something far more serious-for which State officials have more than been dismissed from high office where such incidents have occurred.)


January 10, 2014:
Devyani Khobragade Deported-But With Threat  of Criminal Prosecutions 'In Absentia' From State Attorney Bharara  Overhanging  Her Future

In a move which will either diffuse or incense the situation Devyani Khobragade was, after being unlawfully strip-searched, humiliatingly deported-with threats of criminal prosecutions-and further requests for the lifting of her diplomatic status through the Indian Courts being made by State Attorney Preet Bharara.
Putting aside the heated debate, the U.S. is signaling that should Devyani Khobragade ever again set foot inside U.S. territory she will face arrest and rendition to the U.S. (proper) on criminal charges.
My own view is that this whole incident continues to be handled appallingly, showing a total lack of diplomatic tact, commonsense and an immature high-handedness which will cause long-term damage to the status of  U.S. diplomatic personnel based on the Indian sub-continent for a very very long time.
Every time Attorney Bharara speaks he further incenses an already delicate situation by making future threats against this Indian diplomat.   Apparently there is nobody left in Washington with the authority to diffuse  situations like this one.   I am often left with the impression that everyone there spends too much time shouting and lecturing their own positions rather than listening and acting in the better interests of the country.
If there is anything 'positive' (and I say that pejoratively) to be gained, it will be by ultra-nationalist parties in the forthcoming Indian general elections.  Expect them to sweep the board and ride to power on a crest of an anti-U.S. sentiment sweeping this country of 1.237bn people-courtesy of Attorney Bharara.
They should be very thankful to Attorney Bharara for giving them this (projected) victory on a silver platter.
 Their chances of assuming significant gains in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (Houses of Parliament) were very slim-until this external issue arose.

[So many indiscretions by U.S. diplomats and personnel are overlooked by Indian authorities I will not even start to mention them only to say that most would result,at the very very least, in humiliating recalls, if ever publicly noted.  All such privileges for U.S. diplomats and U.S. citizens in India are now, at an end,all thanks to hubris.]
( update at January 10. 2014)

15th January 2014:
Approximately one hour ago,WST, [2014 10:00 IST] Indian authorities,through New Delhi TV, released one of the many indiscretions U.S. diplomats have made, which I refrained to refer to so as not to inflame an already delicate situation but which were publicly available through open sources to anybody caring to search.
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/expelled-us-diplomat-wife-made-offensive-remarks-about-india-471102?curl=1389763652
Such comments are sadly not untypical but are not reflective of educated and well-traveled U.S. citizens-who are unfortunately rarely chosen for such postings-as their experience makes them 'suspect' (suspect to being too partial towards their host country) on the grounds of having 'gone too much native' (sic. by virtue of their widely traveled and open-minded experience of the global world.) I can say this having spoken with many knowledgeable individuals who have indeed confirmed such matters to me in private conversations.

(update at 15th January 2014)



Patrick Emek, December 2013

This article has been updated between the day of original publication and 27th December to both correct typographical errors and give as accurate an appraisal as can be identified from State Department comments
and those of individual Officers of the State.  All statements paraphrased are based on actual comments made and an attempt has been made to extrapolate each on the basis of non-U.S. perception of interpretation.


 errata:Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Immunity-typographical error-corrected and updated on 20th December.


*Already accredited UN Diplomat since September 2013

An interesting article posted by 'Kumar' sets out a case which the U.S. Government is 
currently taking against the Deputy Counsel General Khobragade and the reasons for
it's interpretation of the Vienna Convention can be found at:
http://kumar-theloneranger.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/devyani-khobragade-case-consular.html

 note:this article by 'Kumar' sets out an interpretation of the Vienna Convention which clarifies the U.S. State Department's position on this matter.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/9535921/Row-over-diplomats-strip-search 
http://www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/531327/20131220/devyani-khorbagode-preet-bharara-sangeeta-richard-prosecute.htm?cid=5 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2527914/Uttam-Khobragade-Indian-slave-wage-maid-Sangeeta-Richard-CIA-agent-claims-Devyani-Khobragade-father-row-continues.html

Khobragade Arrest vs Russian Diplomats' Medicaid Fraud: Would Devyani be Arrested if She was Russian? http://www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/531710/20131224/devyani-kobragade-arrest-russian-diplomats-madicaid-fraud.htm

Could Arrest of Indian Diplomat Sink Preet Bharara?  

http://garyweiss.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/could-arrest-of-indian-diplomat-sink.html

Husain Haqqani, the former Pakistani Ambassador to the United States cautions American Law Enforcers: ''US law enforcers should be mindful of global realities''

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/us-law-enforcers-should-be-mindful-of-global-realities-haqqani/article5482777.ece?ref=relatedNews 

http://qz.com/165510/will-devyani-khobragades-departure-from-the-us-signal-the-end-of-us-india-tensions/

The title of my article is re-worked from a book I read some time ago called 'Imperial Hubris,Why the West Is Losing the War On Terror'  [by Anonymous] 
**Michael Scheuer** published by Potomac Books Inc, Dulles,Virginia,2004

The Dark Side of Brazil

Why Brazil Is A Disastrous Choice For The World Cup

Brazil-Living In The Past

I have mentioned Apartheid Brazil in a previous article-none of which you will ever find discussed on CNN, Fox nor any of the mainstream media, and how this country has been on the verge of racial warfare on a scale worse than that ever predicted (and which never happened) for South Africa.

Let me be clear for the record, South Africa is moving fast forward whereas Brazil

is stuck in a racial time warp-which will soon tear this racially fragmented and segregated country apart at it's very foundations.

Football violence is encouraged by the authorities and economically privileged White minority elite as a distraction from the deep underlying divisions in Brazilian society. This will not work forever-and soon the only recourse will be an even more brutalized suppression of the underclasses-the non-White majority (numbering at the last official census-before Gerrymandering abolished racial profiling on the grounds that racism no longer existed in Brazil-some 75% of the population of the whole country.) The World cup, FIFA, already knows, will result in many deaths but, for so long as an intensified police and para-military presence can confine the killings to 'locals' and protect foreign visitors then there are acceptable casualty numbers within a margin. To put it bluntly, the deaths of scores (if not considerably more) of locals (native Brazilians), should it unfortunately occur, as predicted, is unlikely to reach the mainstream media but the death of a single World Cup tourist will make world headlines-hence the priority will be to protect visiting tourists from abroad.

Let's be clear about this. We are talking about a country where ''35,000 disappearances reported since 2007 go uninvestigated and the culprits unpunished.''<sup>1

The Statistics</sup>

^{''Police abuse, including extrajudicial execution, is also a chronic problem. According to official data, Police were responsible for 372 killings in the state of Rio de Janeiro and 252 killings in the state of São Paulo in the first six months of 2011. Police often claim these are "resistance" killings that occur in confrontations with criminals. While many police killings undoubtedly result from legitimate use of force by police officers, many others do not, a fact documented by Human Rights Watch and other groups and recognized by Brazilian criminal justice officials. ''2}

Be in no doubt about what I am saying here:

Brazil, because of widespread economic injustice and mass disenfranchisement as a whole, is a very violent society. The Police react to this violence with more violence-which sparks revenge killings of the Police, family members and friends, and then even more violence and extra-judicial killings by the police-and the spiral of violence gets worse as both lawless (and no-so-lawless,organized) gangs and the authorities desperately struggle for control of 'no-go' areas-off limits to any but heavily armed police and paramilitary assault teams specially flown or brought in from out-of town-to 'retake' the Favelas in the name of the State.

Why don't you read about this Brazil in the mainstream U.S. And European media? Partly because the Brazilian authorities go to desperate lengths to prevent foreigners getting access to the truth. The segregated nature of the society means that Brazilian tourist minders can shield visiting overseas guests.   Partly also because of a conspiracy of silence by 'embedded' foreign media outlets operating from inside Brazil and anxious not to upset commercial overseas interests who think they are benefiting from this division.  If they had a modicum of commonsense, they would realize that, long term, the opposite is, at the very least, the case. 
Fatherland-The Real Face of Brazil

Do any of you recall the film 'Fatherland' starring Rutger Hauer, based in a fictitious Nazi Germany in April 1964? You may have some trouble finding it listed and getting hold of a copy.  However the point I want to make is that the careful chaperoning of foreign (U.S. and European) guests visiting the country by the tourist guides, specially selected, is reminiscent of the tourist guide on the bus at the start of the film.  This is what happens with each carefully cocooned new European tourist-to ensure that only the pleasant life in Brazil is experienced and in the hope that they will 'spread the good word' [for trade, investment and emigration] when returning to their home country. With South Africa under Apartheid, at least you knew what to expect.  With Brazil, propaganda and technologies of societal control have been re-defined and upgraded to leave the average tourist oblivious.
The Ethics of FIFA and The Beautiful Game

But is this ethically acceptable in the name of FIFA economic long-term objectives?; none of which will ever benefit impoverished Brazilians?;other than perhaps the street vendor selling Brazilian flags or footballs?(He is a street vendor because Brazil banks (all of them) do not lend capital to their impoverished 75% majority to start-up businesses.)  Yes I have no doubt that the Brazilian authorities will do their utmost to shield their foreign (mainly White European) guests from the realities of everyday Brazilian life for the majority of it's impoverished and racially segregated citizens (who compose at least 75% of Brazil's total population.)

But the question still remains as to whether it is acceptable for FIFA to throw money at countries it knows will little benefit mainstream (in this case impoverished) society as a whole?

I will not even mention in detail the demolition of whole communities throughout the country to make way for the World Cup.^{3,4,5,6,8
The World Cup has been used as the pretext to drive tens of thousands of slum dwellers out of their homes in Rio de Janeiro.} 
Are such acceptable prices to pay today (in the 21^st Century) so that we can all enjoy the game of football?
Benefit Concert-For The Poor

When the Circus leaves town the only people celebrating will not be the shattered communities and shattered lives of the powerless citizens but wealthy minorities,

having  already sealed the World Cup  re-development deals with partners at home and overseas for business, housing and sporting complexes,benefiting the rich and super rich -'the folks who live on the hill'-all again protected by armed security,para-military security and prison bars surrounding their ivory towers, from the starving masses living on 'the other side of the tracks';and all courtesy of FIFA.

 The World Cup Spirit-Is Not What You Drink⁷

So when you arrive in sunny Brazil, spare one single thought for the hidden country you will never see nor experience (and believe me, I strongly advise you not to venture into Favelas, just for the sake of experience!) Don't believe the propaganda that the impoverished are lazy and just would not want to run a business, and, by the way, before you depart for home, do remember that street vendor and his family you saw on a corner whose only experience of the World Cup will be the football or trinkets he or she has sold to you-all having been supplied at an inflationary cost-to ensure their eternal impoverishment.

Patrick Emek

¹ http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/03/brazil-rio-police-charged-death-missing-man

² http://www.hrw.org/world-report-2012/world-report-2012-Brazil

³ http://www.panoramas.pitt.edu/content/maracana-community-resists-eviction-world-cup-brazil

⁴ http://www.graemegreen.org/Features/tabid/65/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/184/A-Kick-In-The-Favelas.aspx

⁵ https://nacla.org/sites/default/files/8-Barron.pdf

⁶ http://catcomm.org/category/cover/
^{7  ideal for sub-heading re-arranged from a line in  'Another Christmas Song' lyrics  by Jethro Tull  on the album            'Living In the Past' (1972)}
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdalBvgNAxI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VjPPuias1k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=928GexPP0Mg
^{8  http://www.gulf-times.com/us-latin%20america/182/details/373914/rio-accused-of-%E2%80%98social-cleansing%E2%80%99-of-slum-dwellers}

'''The Beautiful Game''
<sup>Let me apologize for not giving credit to the originator of the phrase' The Beautiful Game'.
 I have heard it spoken many times in my lifetime but failed to check it's origin-and mentioned it as a sub-heading when writing this article.  It is not precisely known when this phrase was first used but the person who gave it it's eternal prominence was the legendary Brazilian soccer master, Pelé:
''In 1977 the famous footballer Pelé named his autobiography 'My Life and the Beautiful Game'. The book's dedication reads "I dedicate this book to all the people who have made this great game the Beautiful Game."[7] The phrase has now entered the language as a colorful description for football and as such was used as part of the title for the 13-part series charting the history of the game: History of Football: The Beautiful Game.'' (WIKIPEDIA)

Patrick Emek,December 2013</sup>