[A-List] The Korean Crisis: Cui Bono
Tony B.
tal1 at cogeco.ca
Sat Jun 5 11:01:46 MDT 2010
Well said Todd. I've long hammered home on this point (i.e. seizing control of the communciations systems) as probably *the* key battelfield in the ideological war between right and left. Moreover, every time I've broached the issue to leaders of left and social democatic parties (and even left publishers!) in Canada, they have visibly shrunk away from the issue; an issue that they seem not to clearly perceive as central rather than peripheral to their political activities. When I've brought up such notions (just for example) as deploying relatively small sums from some of the large union pension funds to finance a nation-wide labour / socialist newspaper ..difficult as this might be to implement...the very idea has been simply poopoohed and dismissed out of hand. [Which is a general indicator of the level of co-optation of the union and 'social- democratic' leaderships in this country...and, of course, world-wide]. In lieu of that, and for the moment, as Todd say, we must counsel an active program both of grassroots independent media (including individual messaging 'lists')..and subversion and co-optation whereever possible (i.e. organizing large, rotating letter writing campaigns into local papers focused on the key issues of the day) of the major dailies. Pirate radio stations, and local magazine production (aimed at both university students and poorer, factories, and poorer, working class neighbourhoods, funding the on-line media much more aggressively...anything and everything must be brought to bear in this ideological struggle. But the struggle itself (i.e. propaganda) must become clearly identified as central in the activist playbook...otherwise, as Todd says, 'they will keep winning'...
Tony
----- Original Message -----
From: Todd Boyle
To: Nadja Tesich
Cc: a-List
Sent: Friday, June 04, 2010 8:04 PM
Subject: Re: [A-List] The Korean Crisis: Cui Bono
Oh, absolutely. The conflict is over access to audiences, i.e. taking control of channels that are artificially limited (radio/TV channels, access to the pulpit in the churches,temples etc, access to the students in public schools), and increasingly it is about attracting and retaining viewers/Readers on the Internet which is not limited.
You said, the words don't matter. I totally disagree. It is absolutely essential to have the most useful, practical, beneficial solutions and systemic changes, for the world, and it is absolutely essential to communicate those solutions, our whole world-view in every media-- not only the rational discourse of words, but in art, music, photography, motion pictures etc.
So, the words are absolutely essential.. But you're right, we MUST win the access to the microphone by some tactics, which ultimately require physical tactics such as violating copyrights, physical political demonstrations, a hundred things. Prime examples: the Television, the Radio, the newspapers and magazines. And the physical layer of the Internet (net neutrality). In other words, in a world run by its propaganda organs of psychological indoctrination, the physical media are the battlefield, analogous to the oil fields or weapons factories in WW2. The physical layer of the state propaganda system is owned, operated, and protected by, the system of state capitalism and the financial system, which is not about to quit. They understood this LONG before the mainstream left. And they never quit, they work all-day. That's why they keep winning.
Todd
At 01:53 PM 6/4/2010, Nadja Tesich wrote:
Todd and everyone,
We are in general exposing the systeme or complaining how bad it is.Good for our nerves but not a substitute for action.Do you think the monster cares how we think?Be serious.
I have written a lot,so have many others and I have no delusions that we changed anything.Words don't matter any more.At some other time in history-they did.
We have to invent a new method.
Nadja
_______________________________
> Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 10:02:12 -0800
> To: nadjatesich at hotmail.com
> From: toddfboyle at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [A-List] The Korean Crisis: Cui Bono
>
>
>
> Hi Nadja, no, if you're talking about a revolutionary
> awareness, or
>
> even a general leftist awareness. I assume that's what you
> mean
>
> because that's the topic of this email list. There are
> some
>
> segments of the U.S. population that have some degree of political
>
> and historical awareness, and pride in themselves and their culture,
>
> who are much more realistic audience. i.e. hopeful of getting their
>
> attention and convincing them of anything. The mil. population
> is
>
> one of the most uninformed, misinformed, indoctrinated populations
>
> in the country---it is literally the training grounds for the population
> that
>
> grows up to be the base of the republican and "centrist
> democrats"..
>
> for the rest of their lives, and pass it on to their kids.
> The ONLY thing
>
> that has any traction with the military, at all, is helping whatever
> few
>
> resisters or conscientious objecters if they become visible, help
>
> spread the word to others how to save their own asses and get
>
> out of the military... hardly the stuff of a revolution or social
> progress,
>
> And count the membership of the IVAW, in the hundreds. Count
> the
>
> IAVA and rightwing veterans associations, in the millions.
> Todd
>
>
> At 04:22 PM 6/3/2010, you wrote:
>
>
> Todd,
>
> Me again.Don't you think we should try to get soldiers on our side.We did
> it during Vietnam>
>
> Nadja
>
> ________________________________
>
>> Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2010 17:57:13 -0800
>
>> To: a-list at lists.econ.utah.edu
>
>> From: toddfboyle at gmail.com
>
>> Subject: Re: [A-List] The Korean Crisis: Cui Bono
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> But of course. It was somebody's intention to escalate
>
>> the tensions.
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> There is a vast inventory of other psychopathic stunts that have not
> been
>
>> done, and which the neocons, jihadists, etc. have on their
>
>> "To-Do" lists. Blow up mecca, shoot the pope, nuke
>
>> the congress, etc. Wall Street has their own
>
>> list. Blowup your 401K, sink the dollar, shutoff the money
> supply,
>
>> force an oil crisis, etc.
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> They have so many stunts, Naomi Klein has figured it out exactly
> right---
>
>> the answer is keep your ship pointed in the direction you
> originally
>
>> intended-- steady as she goes--- and we win, in the end. By
>
>> seeing past our fears, and using these stunts to identify the
>
>> perpetrators, and tighten the screws on them, another notch.
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> Todd
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> At 04:02 PM 6/1/2010, Bill Totten wrote:
>
>>
>
>> The alleged North Korean sinking
>
>> of a South Korean boat has dramatically
>
>>
>
>> escalated tensions between North and South Korea
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> by F William Engdahl
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> Global Research (May 31 2010)
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> The alleged North Korean sinking of a South Korean boat in March
> has
>
>>
>
>> dramatically escalated tensions between north and south Korea. It
> has
>
>> also
>
>>
>
>> caused a reversal of a planned Japanese government push to close
> the
>
>> US
>
>>
>
>> military base on Okinawa. The major question in the bizarre affair
> is
>
>> Cui
>
>>
>
>> Bono?
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> On March 26, a 1,200-ton Cheonan corvette was sunk apparently by
> a
>
>>
>
>> torpedo. Forty-six sailors died when the ship went down near
> the
>
>> disputed
>
>>
>
>> Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the Yellow Sea following a sudden
>
>> explosion.
>
>>
>
>> On May 26, a special investigative commission of South Korean
> military
>
>> and
>
>>
>
>> unnamed experts from the US, Canada, Britain, and Sweden,
> issued
>
>> their
>
>>
>
>> report stating that, "Cheonan was sunk as the result of an
>
>> external
>
>>
>
>> underwater explosion caused by a torpedo made in North Korea.
> The
>
>> evidence
>
>>
>
>> points overwhelmingly to the conclusion that the torpedo was fired
> by
>
>> a
>
>>
>
>> North Korean submarine."
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> That report has detonated an explosive rise in tensions in the
>
>> entire
>
>>
>
>> Korean Peninsula and beyond to Japan. It has involved the
> Chinese
>
>> and
>
>>
>
>> Russians in efforts at defusing the crisis. It also comes at an
>
>> extremely
>
>>
>
>> convenient moment for the Pentagon. North Korea vehemently denies
> that
>
>> it
>
>>
>
>> fired the torpedo and has accused Washington of provoking the
> clash.
>
>> North
>
>>
>
>> Korea, angered by the accusations, has declared it is cutting
> all
>
>> ties
>
>>
>
>> with Seoul and allegedly has ordered its 1.2 million armed forces
> to
>
>> get
>
>>
>
>> ready for combat.
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> The United States and South Korea will hold joint military drills
> to
>
>>
>
>> practice interception of submarines "in the near future",
> a
>
>> Pentagon
>
>>
>
>> spokesman has stated, calling the maneuvers "a result of
> the
>
>> findings of
>
>>
>
>> this recent incident". The Obama Administration has said
> Pyongyang
>
>> should
>
>>
>
>> face consequences and expressed its "unequivocal" support
> to
>
>> South Korea.
>
>>
>
>> Obama has directed his military commanders to coordinate with
> South
>
>> Korea
>
>>
>
>> to "ensure readiness" and "deter future
>
>> aggression".
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> Curious proof
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> The key piece of evidence cited by the anonymous commission is
> a
>
>> fragment
>
>>
>
>> of a torpedo propeller - somehow recovered at the final phase of
> the
>
>>
>
>> investigation - with a marking which reads "Number 1"
> and
>
>> matches a North
>
>>
>
>> Korean torpedo found seven years ago in the Yellow Sea, according
> to
>
>>
>
>> Alexander Vorontsov, Head of Korea Department of the Institute
> for
>
>>
>
>> Oriental studies of the Russian Academy of Science. He adds,
>
>> "Considering
>
>>
>
>> that the blast was allegedly caused by a torpedo carrying a net
>
>> explosive
>
>>
>
>> weight of 250 kilograms, investigators must have been remarkably
> lucky
>
>> to
>
>>
>
>> find the right fragment with the marking implicating North
> Korea.
>
>> The
>
>>
>
>> marking, which is the sole indication of the country of origin
> of
>
>> the
>
>>
>
>> torpedo, could of course look exactly the same on a South
> Korean
>
>>
>
>> torpedo." {1}
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> The Obama White House has rushed to endorse the Commission
> report.
>
>> The
>
>>
>
>> White House condemned "the act of aggression" in a
> statement
>
>> made
>
>>
>
>> available almost immediately on release of the report. Even
> before
>
>> the
>
>>
>
>> report was released, Obama talked to South Korean President Lee
>
>> Myung-bak
>
>>
>
>> by phone and reportedly told Lee that all contacts with North
> Korea
>
>> should
>
>>
>
>> be suspended until it becomes clear who perpetrated the attack,
> not
>
>>
>
>> exactly a calming move.
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> Japan, whose new Government had won election on a pledge to
> close
>
>> the
>
>>
>
>> controversial US Naval base on Okinawa, suddenly capitulated
> and
>
>> agreed
>
>>
>
>> with Washington to "settle" the dispute, citing the
> Korean
>
>> crisis as
>
>>
>
>> grounds. Japan and the United States have now come to an agreement
> on
>
>> the
>
>>
>
>> relocation of the US military base in Okinawa. Japanese Defense
>
>> Minister
>
>>
>
>> Toshimi Kitazawa and US Defense Secretary Robert Gates met at
> the
>
>> Pentagon
>
>>
>
>> the same day the Korean commission issued its
>
>> "findings".
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> To date both the Russian and Chinese governments have reacted
>
>> extremely
>
>>
>
>> cautiously to the Seoul claims. Russian foreign minister Lavrov
> has
>
>> stated
>
>>
>
>> that Moscow would carefully review pertinent materials, both
> those
>
>> from
>
>>
>
>> South Korea and "from other sources". He made clear that
> Moscow
>
>> had
>
>>
>
>> reservations about the South Korean version of the incident and
>
>> deemed
>
>>
>
>> further verification necessary. Lavrov also urged restraint on
> both
>
>> sides,
>
>>
>
>> a stark contrast to the Obama Administration.
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> China's position is generally similar. China's foreign ministry
>
>> spokesman
>
>>
>
>> described the sinking of Cheonan as a tragic incident and stated
> that
>
>> the
>
>>
>
>> priority in dealing with it should be to sustain peace and
> stability
>
>> on
>
>>
>
>> the Korean Peninsula and in the entire North East Asia. Beijing
> is
>
>> calling
>
>>
>
>> for calm and restraint until it transpires what exactly
> happened.
>
>>
>
>> Unofficially, China criticizes the evidence at South Korea's
> disposal
>
>> as
>
>>
>
>> unconvincing, patchy, and contradictory and says it is going to
> assess
>
>> the
>
>>
>
>> situation independently.
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> North Korea insists that the evidence was forged and is ready to
> send
>
>> its
>
>>
>
>> inspectors to assess it. Pyongyang is offering to delegate
>
>> representatives
>
>>
>
>> to review South Korea's "evidence", a timely and
> rational
>
>> initiative
>
>>
>
>> intended to keep the inter-Korean dialog afloat during the crisis
> and
>
>> help
>
>>
>
>> defuse the conflict. South Korea's refusal to enter talks with
>
>> Pyongyang
>
>>
>
>> would further diminish the credibility of their evidence.
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> In addition to the dispute over the status of the key US base
> on
>
>> Okinawa
>
>>
>
>> in Japan, the US is under pressure to end its military command
> in
>
>> South
>
>>
>
>> Korea and turn it over to the South Koreans in 2012. The US has
>
>> 28,000
>
>>
>
>> troops on the peninsula. In line with an agreement reached after
> the
>
>> end
>
>>
>
>> of the 1950s Korean war, South Korean soldiers follow US
> military
>
>> orders
>
>>
>
>> in case of war on the Korean Peninsula. The latest incident comes
> as
>
>> North
>
>>
>
>> Korea appeared ready to resume the six-party talks on North
> Korea's
>
>>
>
>> nuclear program, involving Russia, Japan, China, the United States
> and
>
>> the
>
>>
>
>> two Koreas, stalled in April 2009 when Pyongyang pulled out of
> the
>
>>
>
>> negotiations in protest against the United Nations' condemnation
> of
>
>> its
>
>>
>
>> missile tests.
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> In 1999 this writer spoke with a former US Ambassador to Beijing,
> a
>
>> career
>
>>
>
>> CIA officer and close friend of the Bush family. The former
> diplomat
>
>>
>
>> stated, in an incautious moment, "If North Korea did not exist,
> we
>
>> would
>
>>
>
>> have to create it. They allow us to keep our fleet in the
> Japanese
>
>> waters
>
>>
>
>> despite the end of the Cold War." Perhaps the sudden heating up
> of
>
>> Korea
>
>>
>
>> tensions is also related to a longer-term Pentagon agenda for
> the
>
>> region.
>
>>
>
>> If we ask Cui Bono, the clear reply is Washington.
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> Note {1} Alexander Vorontsov, The Conundrum of the South Korean
>
>> Corvette,
>
>>
>
>> RIA Novosti, Moscow (May 26 2010).
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> _____
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> F William Engdahl, author, Full Spectrum Dominance:
> Totalitarian
>
>> Democracy
>
>>
>
>> in the New World Order (2009).
>
>>
>
>>
>
>> Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the sole
>
>>
>
>> responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those
> of
>
>> the
>
>>
>
>> Centre for Research on Globalization. The contents of this article
> are
>
>> of
>
>>
>
>> sole responsibility of the author(s). The Centre for Research
> on
>
>>
>
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>>
>
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>>
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