Dance With The Devil

Immortal Technique - Dance With The Devil

In order to finally catch up with the books I've read over my vacation, I'll just include the last two in one entry.

Don't Think of an Elephant by George Lakoff is the first one. I read it on the flight back to France after I had gotten it as a christmas present. The basic premise of the book is how to argue with a Republican. According to Lakoff frames that are used in public discourse dominate the debate more so than facts do. Thus, a debate about tax relief will always put a Democratic partisan at a disadvantage simply because the word relief already implies that taxes are something inherently bad that need to be treated similarly to a sickness. In order to win any kind of public discussion it is accordingly of the utmost importance that positive progressive frames are formed. Without these, Democrats cannot win any elections in the near future. I am usually quite sceptic about these ideas that the form in a way is more important then the package. I feel that a democracy should strive to have an enlightened population that forms its decision based on the facts presented to them. Somekind of Homo Oeconomicus modell. Yet, this book made me doubt myself a little. I realize that most people aren't as informed as they should be and that these people can easily be swayed to vote for one party or another by simple catchy headlines, it seems likely that in order to win any kind of election one needs to adhere to these modus operandis. All in all Lakoff makes a very good case for his argument and I would completely recommend his book for anyone interested in political discourse. One negative point, in the later chapters Lakoff tries himself at some political analysis as well, where I found him to be weaker, most likely simply because he leaves his usual field of studies (he is a linguist after all).

The second book was a little less intelligent made for an entertaining read though, similarly to the Terry Pratchett novel I discussed a couple of days ago, Tony Hillerman's Skeleton Man belongs to the genre of easily accesible books that one can read in one sitting. Hillerman writes crime novels that take place in the area of the Four Corner Reservation, his heroes are officers of the Navajo Tribal Police and he is always good for a thrilling crime novel. Definitely one of the most enjoyable bestseller writers of the day I know.

Top 10 of 2006

Following my personal Top 10 of records published in 2006:

10 - Bob Dylan - Modern Times
Is there anything new that I could potentially say about Mr Zimmermann? I doubt it, simply fact that the greatest American poet of the 20th century has produced a new album warrants a spot in the Top 10.

9 - Dr John - Mercernary
Dr. John covering Johnny Mercer. Mac Rebennack has published typically New Orleans albums in the last couple of years and all of them are good. His voice coupled with the typical New Orleans piano and the brass in the back work every time.

8 - Van Morrison - Pay The Devil
Van the Man goes country. With three Hank Williams covers, the most American Irish ever shows just how far he has immersed himself in American music. Great Album.

7 - Solomon Burke - Nashville
And another Soul crooner exploring the country route. Burke had already recorded the odd country tune before (and Southern Soul and Country have been perpetually close anyway). I would call this the best traditional Country album of the year and it definitely should have been up there in the Country charts (only made it to 55 though as modern country simply is too washed up and poppy nowadays).

6 - Aaron Neville - Bring It On Home
I usually don't really like Aaron's solo work (the Neville Brothers' stuff is great), his voice is too soft and his material and back up to much geared for the Easy Listening market, but this one is simply amazing. The subtitle is The Soul Classics giving it the impression of a compilation, but Neville has decided to re-rerecord classics by Sam Cooke, The Stable Singers et al. I wish he would always sing like this.

5 - Charlie Musselwhite - Delta Hardware
I hadn't really known this guy before, had him down as just another mediocre white Blues singer. In fact he is far better and this is easily the best blues album of the year. Nomen est omen, this is pure delta material, nothing extravagant, nothing fancy, no Fat Possum-like electronic experiments. Just the good stuff.

4 - Neil Young - Living With War
As above my opinion of Neil Young hadn't been to high before (too experimental a folkie for me that dude) and I wonder how this album will sound in 10 years when all this furor about the current US-administration has quieted down. Yet, right now this is a great album, a running commentary on politics in the vein of Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie and the Almanac Singers, a blunt attack on the misuse of power by Bush and his cabinet set to rocky music.

3 - Jerry Lee Lewis - Last Man Standing
If I calculated an age average of the singers on this list here it would probably not bode too well for my standing for younger readers of my blog (meaning everyone), but what can I do, the music is just so much better. As most older legends do at some point Jerry Lee has recorded a duets album, these sometimes are quite sad affairs with older geniuses coupled with young pop guys in order to prop up sales delivering songs that suck. This is not the case here, not at all, most of the co-singers are older stars in their own right (Buddy Guy, Little Richard, Keith Richards...notable exceptions are Toby Keith and Kid Rock) and Jerry Lee dominates all of them. Wonderful Rock N Roll album.

2 - Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome
Bruce Springsteen definitely is too much of a Classic Rock kind of guy for me. Decent and everything, just doesn't really work for me this Stadium Rock stuff. This is different. Covering Seeger songs (and thus again a political statement considering Seeger's well-documented left-wing history) Springsteen and band sound as if they just got together one saturday night at his house and recorded these songs for fun. You can hear how much fun they had playing this stuff, good ol'timin' stuff.

1 - Hank Williams III - Straight To Hell
And finally someone under 40 on this list. May I introduce the son of Hank Williams Jr, the grandson of Hank Williams himself. Can anyone think of a more pressing heritage as a singer? His third (studio) album of Country music and it is his best. Aggressive, hard-rocking Country that keeps the Outlaw tradition going. None of that soft, bland Nashville BS, neither the flag-waving Toby Keith kind. My only problem is that I can never decide whether I like the hard rockers or the slow crooning songs better. Get it!

C.S. Lewis

I watched the Chronicles of Narnia on my computer a while ago and really liked that movie - even if it was for kids. When someone told me that the movie was based on an English classic series of books for children I decided to read those. All in all there are eight novels in the series, I've read three of them by now and will not start any of the other ones. The Lion, the With and the Wardrobe, The Magician's Nephew, and Prince Caspian were all decent enough. In fact, the first one I really liked, but they were all just a little bit too similar to each other. This - of course - might have been due to the fact that they are children novels after all. I did enjoy the three though, only shouldn't have read them as fast after another as I did. The premise is that there are multiple worlds and that entries into one filled with witches, kings, and dwarfs exist for us to be found. Followingly, a changing number of kids enter that fantasy world and experience adventures which lead to them restoring, establishing, founding a good and just kingdom. Recommendation in regard to this series has to be differentiated. If you have a son, daughter, nephew, whatever of a certain age, go for it and read the book yourself as well. Just don't buy it for yourself only.

The Sea Wolf

I finished The Sea Wolf by Jack London (god, I love having vacations like this, where I can finally read a lot again) as well. It had been a really long time since I had read something by London (the last time I probably was about 12) and I had forgotten what a good writer he is. If I scrape up my memories of literature theory correctly (and I suck at that, I only like reading books really) London was part of a movement called Naturalism (as opposed to Realism), which means you have an outsider coming into a closed society and populated by savages or at least men (nearly always men) with a deeper connection to nature than the ones in the civilized world. These stories usually end with the death of the characters in the portrayed societies.

This basic groundwork holds true in The Sea Wolf as well. Hump, as he is later known, is a literary critic and gentleman that by accident ends up on a ship headed to Japan in order to do seal hunting. This ship - the Ghost - is dominated by its captain - Wolf Larsen - who rules over his crew with a harsh hand and ensures his position with pure violence. Hump in the course of the story is transformed from a civilized weakling into a man that takes actions on his own and in the end actually dares to stand up to Wolf Larsen himself. Interestingly - and quite untypically for such a novel I believe - enough a woman enters the picture as well, making a love interest the centre of the conflict between Larsen and Hump. I do not want to go any further into the story or its ending, I warmly recommand this as lecture for anyone.

Thud!

I actually finished four books before I ever touched this one and I've already reviewed them as well, but I wrote those entries on my laptop and I have no internet connection on that one right now, so they will be up here Wednesday only when I get back to Paris.

With prices as low as they are here and an exchange rate as favourable as the current Euro-Dollar one, I've bought myself three books over the last week, one of those was Thud! by Terry Pratchett. Apart from Karl May Terry Pratchett (Tony Hillerman would be close behind I think) is the author by whom I have the most books. This does not necessarily reflect his exact position on my favorite authors list though. Basically, he is a good, fun, quick read, that I enjoy every time but that one does not really have to reread or cherish for a long time. His books could be called a more sarcastic Harry Potter with social critique. Pratchett recounts the adventures on a world called Discworld, which is populated by dwarfs, vampires, trolls and other fantastic creatures. Yet, what differentiates him from other authors of this genre is that his writing is dominated by a very dry - British I guess - sarcastic humor. He portrays human beings (and other not so human beings) with all their lusts and desires out in the open and not hidden behind a curtain of civilization. His descriptions ridicule wars, racism and virtually every other deplorable human activity.

Thud! tells of a possible troll and dwarf battle breaking out because of the anniversary of another troll and dwarf battle hundreds of years ago. Our hero - Sam Vimes, commander of the guard - is trying his best to prevent this from happening. Let this be enough about the actual story, I can definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to spend an entertaining 4-5 hour read (depending on your reading speed obviously, I am relatively fast I think).

Nur Die Schatten Bleiben

Ich las Nur die Schatten bleiben von Thomas T. Blatt ohne Pause irgendwo zwischen Paris und Toronto auf meinem Flug in die USA. Weil ich am Anfang fand es sei schwierig in das Buch hineinzufinden, war ich nach einiger Zeit vollkommen darin versunken. Blatt beschreibt den Aufstand im Vernichtungslager Sobibor der zur Flucht von ueber 300 Haeftlingen fuehrte. Dieser Aufstand und die darauf folgende Massenflucht war der einzige - erfolgreiche - dieser Groessenordnung in den Vernichtungslagern der Nazis. Es wurden fast alle SS-Aufseher sowie einige der ukrainischen Hilfstruppen getoetet. Blatt war selber zwar in die Vorbereitungen involviert und auch an diesen beteiligt spielt aber keine besonders grosse Rolle bei weder der Plannung noch der Ausfuehrung. Nichtsdestotrotz ist sein Buch ein faszinierendes Dokument. Blatt beschreibt sein Leben im besetzten Polen, den Beginn der Verfolgung, die Kolloboration seiner polnischen Mitbuerger, die Grausamkeit der deutschen Besatzer. Diese Beschreibung haelt Blatt aber auf einem sehr emotionsarmen Niveau und gerade dies kommt seinem Buch zugute. Die Tatsache, dass er ohne Hass, ohne Ausdruck von Emotionen die Ereignisse erzaehlt, verleihen ihnen eine groessere Wirkung, weil gerade dadurch ihre Unnatuerlichkeit staerker betont wird.

Ich kann dieses Buch nur empfehlen fuer alle historisch interessierte Menschen. Viele Aspekte der abartigen deutschen Vergangenheit werden einem erst durch eine solche Beschreibung klar. Dies sind zwar keine wirklich neuen Dinge, die man erfaehrt, aber sie werden von einer anderen Seite (eher qualitativ und episodenhaft als quantitativ und allgemein) dargestellt. So wird die Zusammensetzung des Vernichtungslagers aufgezeigt, wo Jude natuerlich nicht Jude ist, sondern Deutscher, Hollaender oder Pole. Diese Gruppen konkurrieren auch untereinander (ein aufgedeckter Fluchtplan der polnischen Haeftlinge wird den Hollaendern in die Schuhe geschoben, welche darauf hin alle vergast werden) und die im Vernichtungslager arbeitenden Haeftlinge unterstuetzen die Arbeit der deutschen Moerder, in dem sie neu ankommenden Opfern gegenueber den Eindruck erwecken sich in einem akzeptablen Arbeitslager zu befinden (dies natuerlich unter konstater Todesdrohung sich selbst gegenueber). Die Geldgier der polnischen Landbevoelkerung, welche die fluechtenden Juden bis auf das Hemd ausnehmen und dann trotzdem noch umbringen, ist schockierend. Die mangelnde Solidaritaet der Insassen untereinander ist erschreckend (wenn auch erklaerlich), nach der erfolgreichen Flucht setzen sich die ehemaligen russischen Soldaten mit den erbeuteten Waffen von den anderen Fluechtlingen ab, opfern diese im Prinzip um die eigenen Chancen zu erhoehen.

Ich koennte weitere dieser Episoden beschreiben, aber insgesamt bleibt wohl nur zu sagen, dass dieses Buch schockierend und grausam ist, wenn es auch nie die Ebene des rein faktischen Beschreibens verlaesst und seine 8,95 mehr als wert war. Kaufts Euch...

Der kleine Frieden im Großen Krieg

Ich hatte Michael Juergs Der kleine Frieden im Großen Krieg bereits vor einiger Zeit fertig gelesen gehabt, war aber irgendwie danach die ganze Zeit zu beschaeftigt bzw zu wenig zu Hause um darueber schfreiben zu koennen. Es geht in dem Buch um einen unausgehandelten Waffenstillstand zwischen - hauptsaechlich - deutschen und englischen Soldaten an der Westfront Deutschlands 1914. Auf beiden Seiten wurde versucht diesen Waffenstillstand - und die einhergehende Fraternisierung inklusive gemeinsamen Fussballspielens - herunterzuspielen und Offiziere beider Seiten sorgten dafuer, dass es keine langfristigen Effekte dieser anarchistischen, basisdemokratischen Aktionen gab. Im Prinzip wurde auf beiden Seiten Befehlsverweigerung ausgeuebt, um wenigstens an Weihnachten seine Ruhe haben zu koennen. Es gab konzertierte Aktionen, wo in Anwesenheit von Offizieren der Feind - pro-forma und moeglichst hoch ueber dessen Stellungen hinaus - beschossen wurde, nur um sobald diese verschwunden waren, wieder mit den Gegnern zu palavieren, zu trinken, zu rauchen. Alles in allem also eine unglaublich herzerwaermende Geschichte ueber eine nationenuebergreifende Verbruederung gerichtet gegen die sie ausnutuzenden von ihnen profitierenden Offiziere und Oberklassenmitglieder in der jeweiligen Heimat.

Ich fand diese Geschichte, wie jeder dieses Basisaufstaende ohne grossen Organisierungsgrad von oben (siehe Deutschland 1918/1919) schon immer faszinierend und hatte mir deswegen dieses Buch gekauft, muss nun aber leider sagen, dass mich dieses entaeuschte. Es ist als Sachbuch geschrieben, was als solches ja nicht negativ sein muss, und beschreibt anekdotenhaft die Ereignisse an der damaligen Westfront von Belgien bis zur Schweiz. Hierin liegt auch gleich das Problem, da es zu wenig Informationen ueber die damaligen Ereignisse gibt (die Zeugen sind tot, Briefe nicht mehr vorhanden, Berichterstattung wurde unterdrueckt), bleibt dem Autor nichts anderes uebrig als das wenige, was an Detailwissen vorhanden ist hintereinander aufzulisten. Dadurch verliert das Buch jede Kohaerenz.

Das zweite nervende, war die missionarische Art und Weise in der Juergs die Geschichte erzaehlt. Ich bin zwar vollkommen seiner Meinung, dass dieser Friede eine gewisse historische Relevanz in bezug auf Klassenpositionen besitzt und ein klarer Fall von internationaler Solidaritaet war (schade eigentlich, dass das eine solch abgedroschene Phrase ist heutzutage), aber die Tatsache, dass er es fuer noetig haelt mir diesen revolutionaeren Aspekt andauernd vor die Nase zu halten und in manigfaltigen Versionen klarzumachen wie wichtig dieser ist, fuehrte letzten Endes dazu, dass ich nur noch genervt war. Ein Sachbuch in meinen Augen, sollte versuchen es dem leser zu erlauben selber seine Meinung zu formen. Das der Autor die seine darzeigt ist als solches kein Problem, aber bitte nicht andauernd und vor allem nicht so missionarisch.

Wuerde ich dieses Buch empfehlen? Nein. Es gibt wohl noch einige englische Buecher ueber das gleiche Thema (auf welche Juergs auch desoefteren verweist) und ich denke diese waeren wahrscheinlich eine bessere Idee fuer jemanden unter Euch, der sich fuer das Thema interessiert.

(Tut mir leid wegen der vielen Fehler heute, ich bin in Florida, es ist viel zu warm um drinnen zu sitzen, der Rechner hat eine komische Tastatur und ausserdem rennen hier im Hintergrund zu viel Leute rum, als dass ich mich richtig konzentrieren koennte.)

Le Vent

Georges Brassens

American politics is so corny sometimes, it is unbelievable, check out Barak Obama (one of the two biggest candidates for the Democratic nomination as of right now - the other one being Hillary Clinton - for those of you who don't keep up with American politics as obsessively as I do) doing a skit right before Monday Night Football. Can anyone imagine Merkel, Chirac or Blair doing something like that? I am not even claiming this is inherently negative, just bizarre for a European like me who is used to public leaders trying to be stately and nothing else (meaning no humour - and I exclude Blair here, don't know enough about British behaviour to really judge this).

I Don't Want To Be A Wheel No More

Bobby Mitchell - I Don't Want To Be A Wheel No More

I read Coral Bell's Twilight of the Unipolar World in preparation for my interview in Berlin for a scholarship in the USA. In what amounts to the biggest disappointment of my professional/academic career, I did not get a place in that program (don't even ask how I disappointed I am, but 'tant pis' as the French would say, have to move on). Point is, I read that article a couple of times. At the time it was published (in the winter of 2005) it had caused quite an uproar partly related to the fact that it was published in the American Interest a journal published by men mostly quite close to the neoconservative sphere. For them to publish an article as gloomy (for the USA) as Bell's seemed revolutionary.

Basically the Australian author argues that the US has 20 years remaining to form the basis for any kind of future they want to have in world affairs. After that, power will be diluted too much. I think there is no doubt that the general premise is solid (even if 20 years might be 10 years too few) and cannot be argued. The problem is that, after having detailed this outlook, Bell goes on to describe population increases in China and India, but also in Indonesia, Pakistan and other East-Asian countries, only to then - all of a sudden - focus on the EU as the future biggest adversary to the USA. He claims that a change in government in the UK (based on a highly unlikely - in my eyes - collaboration between the Liberals and Labour) would result in an ever looser union and the accesion of Russia. This new EU would then be one of the biggest and most important world powers and competitor to American influence.

While - being the fervent European that I am - I could not be further from argueing that the EU will develop into a major player in the international field, the idea developed in Twilight of the Unipolar World of how this is supposed to go about seems ridicolous to me. I see no way that Russia will join the EU anytime soon (and definitely not in the next 20-30 years necessary for this prophecy to have anykind of relevance considering Bell's own time schedule), plus the premise that the UK will give up its traditional close ties to the US lacks any kind of evidence and is based solely on a shaky hypothesis (that of a coalition between Labour and Liberals). Plus, Bell completey ignores the rise of these East-Asian powers that he himself details in the beginning of his essay.

Sweet Home Chicago

With Robert Lockwood Jr one of the last truly old Bluesmen has passed away tuesday.
Sweet Home Chicago

I very much doubt this got a lot of coverage outside of France but I find it rather interesting, Ségolène Royal (one of the two possible next French Presidents) has declared that according to her Iran should not have even the right to a civilian atomic program. If she is elected (still a big if, but right now I'd say she is the most likely candidate) that would really worsen any chance of an agreement with Iran ever being possible.

You Don't Miss Your Water

William Bell - You Don't Miss Your Water

Es scheint als habe endlich eine deutsche Zeitung sich der Polizistenausbildung in Afghanistan angenommen, leider ein Springerblatt, aber wenigstens der eine Qualitätstitel des Hauses. Wenn diese Andeutungen wirklich zutreffen sollten, wäre dies ein Riesenskandal, weil es die komplette Anti-Militär-Komponente der Deutschen Argumentation zusammenbrechen lassen würde. Ich kann weiterhin nicht nachvollziehen, warum hier nicht mehr darüber berichtet wird. Wahrscheinlich ist es nicht sexy genug als Thema.

Also, two subjects related to the misnomer of the millennium (it is young, I know) the War on Terror. Apparently the US had been kidnapping innocent (and not so innocent, but that is not really the point here) citizens from all over the world before 9/11 ever took place. Friendly governments (like the German one) were informed of this distasteful practise and aided actively or passively (by ignoring the misdeeds committed on their territory). How is anyone ever supposed to believe that the West is not a bunch of hypocritical cronies where the it is the law and the people that rule if these things keep on happening?

The American government has paid $ 2 Million and given an official excuse to a man who was mistakenly arrested in the follow-up to the bombings of Madrid. The CIA did kidnap a German citizen in Macedonia and kept him in prison in Afghanistan for 6 months. He was tortured and mistreated there and when they finally realized he only had a similar sounding name to an Al Qaida suspect, they dumped him in Albania to fend for himself from there. Now, in this case the American government does not even acknowledge - officially - that this took place, let alone give that man some kind of recompensation. Really makes one question whether there is any kind of morality left outside of the rhetoric one in the American administration. So sad, for a country with such a magnificient past of creating and defending liberty and democratic institutions (even if they always have been faulty).

All Along The Watchtower

Robert Zimmermann - All Along The Watchtower
This obscure 20th century singer might just be one of the most influential - and best - poets of the English Language ever.

Angela Merkel apparently read my blog and thus decided to respond to my criticism of German foreign policy. According to her the German presence in (North-)Afghanistan is actually examplary and supposedly slowly becomes a model for other nations. With this she refers to the mixture of military and civilian methods deployed at the same time. She avoids the question of whether the military should be utilized as well though (right now the German army is really just a show force in Afghanistan not hurting anyone (including opium traders and growers for example)) and more importantly I can still find no reference in German papers or her speech to the scathing criticism of Germany's civilian efforts. Namely - as I've wrote before - the training of police officers supposedly has been lacking in quality. While I agree with her that a reliance on military options only would be folly, I also would be really interested to know whether this German nation building is really of bad quality. Anyone that sees anything about any of this anywhere. Tell me.

Run On For A Long Time

The Blind Boys of Alabama - Run On For A Long Time
I've posted this song before I know, this is a different version though, taken from one of the best albums of the millennium.

Lebanon is heading down a worrisome trail it seems. Hezbollah is completely discrediting itself as a political actor right now and seems intent to force Syrian dominance back into the picture. On a related note James Baker (as co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group supposed to propose a reversal of tactics in Iraq) has proposed talks with Syria and Iran (Blair already sent one of his senior advisor to Damascus), I never really tied these two together and actually endorse Baker's proposal (and still do to some degree), but a really interesting take on the affair in the Opinion Journal sheds a different light on this.

Basically the author is afraid that Realists like Baker (and the rest of the Bush I cronies) will sell out Lebanon in order to achieve some kind of stabilization in Iraq (which they apparently already did in the first (or second depending on the way you count) Gulf War). That of course would not be acceptable. Lebanon is actually a (semi-)democracy and needs to be kept clean of too much influence by Syria and Iran.

Goin' Down South

Kenny Brown - Goin' Down South

Check out Nate Robinson blocking Yao.

I have never been one of those left-wing ideologists who bash Israel and claim that suicide attacks on discos or buses are legitimate means of self-defense. Yet, having said that, I have to admit that Israel is acting disgraceful at times. They are continuously violating the UN-solution on Lebanon by flying into Lebanon air space. They flew in provocatively close to a German battle ship and French tank positions both send there to guard the peace. Now, the NY Times writes that Israeli officials are cheating private Palestinian property owners out of their rights by simply not acknowledging that the land occupied by the Tsahal had been private property before. If peace ever really is to come to that region both sides need to start acting just.

Sorry about the corny ending there, but sometimes it really as simple and sugary.

The Hunch (Hasil Adkins)

Hasil Adkins - The Hunch

For some reason West Virginia is the stomping ground of a lot of really bizarre characters (Jesco White would be one example). These guys seceded from Virginia after that state's secession from the Union if that is not showcasing their 'otherness' I don't know what is. Now, here is the craziest of them all, the late, great Hasil Adkins:

If You ain't never seen nobody do the Hunch you ain't seen my woman and I declare son you never will see her, 'cause I ain't got one.


I think it is ridiculous that Germany tries to shun its duty in Afghanistan by not deploying troops in the South, but even more outrageous is that it seems as if the training of the police is lacking in funding, manpower and quality. This does not seem to be focused on as much as it should be in German papers (even the taz does not mention it as far as I know), but if Germany has taken on an important job like the creation of an Afghan police force, then they need to do a better job of it, especially in the most important country in regard to nation building in the world right now. Plus, the argument of Germany as a civilian task force comes crushing down if the work provided in these areas is of low quality, they might as well fight in the South then (and should anyway if you ask me).

Jedae Tag

Big Zis - Jedae Tag
while not as exotic as Iraqi rap maybe, I do not know that much Swiss German rap either I have to admit (nor are there that many female rappers sadly enough)

• "We need to begin a phased redeployment of forces from Iraq in four to six months," Mr. Levin said [...] [he] added, "The point of this is to signal to the Iraqis that the open-ended commitment is over and that they are going to have to solve their own problems."
  
  Mr. Levin will be the new Armed Services Committee chairman, replacing Mr. Warner, I should add. This I believe is just wrong, their problems are after all due to an American invasion. If they withdraw now, that means they will discredit American Foreign Policy over the next decade at least.
  
  I have to agree with Senator McCain on this one who "reiterated his stance that there were not enough American troops there." Even if the only thing these troops will achieve might be a stabilization through a de facto or actual splitting up of the country in three ethnic homogeneous parts.
  NYTimes



• "Religious rap songs play just as loudly on the streets of Sadr City, the sprawling Shiite slum in eastern Baghdad that is the heart of his [Moktada al-Sadr] support."
  
  Is there anything quite as impressive or complete as the global domination of rap?
  



• The audacity of professional sports teams to ask for funding of their arenas just confounds me. Whether in Germany (Bayern Munich's new arena) or in the USA, why should the general taxpayer help finance these teams? There is no sensible reason, none. So props to Seattle for turning the request by the Sonics down.
  NYTimes

Custer Died For Your Sins

Floyd Red Crow Westerman - Custer Died For Your Sins
He is probably best known for his role in Oliver Stone's Doors movie where he plays the - surprise, surprise - Indian Chief, but he was actually an Indian political activist, poet and singer.

I got frustrated with the progress in my latest French book so I got myself a rail-thin pocket book from the library here and read it through in two days. Only problem, it wasn't all that great. The book is entitled The Last of the Indian Wars and was written by Forbes Parkhill. It describes the tragic story of the American Indian (to quote Johnny Cash), specifically this deals with a group of Utes living in the Four Corner's area. One of them Tse-quit (Man-Who-Never-Cries) is accused of having murdered and robbed a Mexican shepherd. It is never satisfactorily answered whether this accusation is true or not, but the white settlers of the area seize the opportunity to chase all Indians from the desirable lands which they had occupied before. This in itself is of course nothing new, has actually occurred over and over again, even the methods employed (massacring everyone involved including women and children) do not surprise. What is striking about this event is really only the date. It all took place under the Wilson administration shortly before the outbreak (for the USA at least) of the 1st World War.

The way lawlessness still reigned when it came to Native-Americans' rights (Blacks' as well I guess, but that's a different subject) is quite shocking considering that Wilson's 14 points set a resounding - if unsuccessful - democratic example only two years later. In the end the single Indian prevails - Tse-quit is acquitted - but the Ute lose as they have been forced to live their homes already.

While this is a really interesting story the author sadly does not manage to keep his writing on par. Partly it makes the impression as if he only pasted newspaper articles, Indian folk tales and phrases condemning the white man's treatment of the red man together. While I agree with this condemnation it would have been amazing to read this captivating story of injustice, murder, and violence - no sex sorry - as a coherent story and not as simply a collection of badly connected sentences, paragraphs and chapters.

We Shall Overcome

The Jewish Young Folksinger - We Shall Overcome
A bit of Jewish support for the Civil Rights Struggle

I had to write a 6-page paper on Martin Luther King, Jr. and his role in the Civil Rights Movement. A really interesting topic and I really enjoyed my Monday which I spent in the library reading, in a one day sitting (diagonal I have to admit though), Ling's biography of King. Good stuff that. I hadn't really known all that much about the whole movement (just the typical collection of buzz- and keywords) but it is a really fascinating, just and - in the end, more or less - successful cause. Tuesday and Wednesday I spent writing my six pages and this morning I turned the essay in.

What can I say, I think this is one of the weakest papers I have ever written for a class. I am not quite sure why this is the case. Maybe I dislike the class too much (this bizarre French method of teaching without any interaction taking place can destroy pretty much any topic), feel too arrogant in there (some of those French guys in there have an atrocious command of the English language) or the question wasn't any good (Discuss the following statement: MLK was more a facilitator than an organizer), maybe I just didn't care enough because it seems highly unlikely that I will get any credit for any of this. Whatever the reason, crappy paper I believe, if you want to check it out anyway (or therefore), here you go.

Ain't That Good News

Sam Cooke - Ain't That Good News

I am intellectually a little bit too dead to concentrate on this or feel sufficiently happy (I read a MLK, Jr biography monday and wrote a 6 page paper on him in the last 48 hours). But this really is a stellar result:

• A clear majority in the House for the Democrats (over 30 seats) is certain


• A tie (meaning Cheney gives the Republicans the majority anyway) or even a one-seat majority is still possible in the Senate (depending on too close to call outcomes in Montana and Virginia)


• Nancy Pelosi most likely will become the first female Speaker of the House (slowly but surly preparing us for the female onslaught of Clinton, Royal and Merkel, get ready guys)


• Democrats are in possession of a majority of Governor positions as well now


• While Harold Ford did not become the first black Senator from the South since Reconstruction he did win 48% of the vote in Tennessee


• A ballot to ban abortion in South Dakota and thus prepare a legal challenge to Roe vs Wade has been soundly rejected


• With Keith Ellison a - converted - Muslim has been voted into the House


• Schwarzenegger was reelected, oh wait, they did? Damn Californians!

I only wish all of this would have come two years earlier, let's hope that the Democrats will now be able to proceed on a path more multilateral, more humanitarian, more social and more keen on environmental interests.

Locked Up

Akon - Locked Up
from a great sampler entitled In Prison - Afro-American Prison Music From Blues to HipHop

A Zeit article fleetingly mentioned the fact that the American base in Rammstein (or was it somewhere else? definitely somewhere in Germany anyway) has become the most important communication and commanding centre for the American military in regard to operations carried out in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. In a possible worst case scenario (Republicans defending their majorities in both the Senate and the House and another - Republican or not - President elected in 2008 who decides to act aggressively and unilaterally) I wonder what kind of implications this has on Germany's sovereignty.

I realize that this will not be an issue anytime in the near or foreseeable future, but let's face it, the presence of this command structure on German soil when the German public and its politicians do not support any of the policies carried out through this base is questioning Germany's grip on its own territory. Let's ignore for a minute the impossibility of offending the most powerful German ally and reflect on this only as a theoretical aspect of political thought. The completely sovereign nation Germany became again with reunification in 1990 does have total power over its territory. When one considers this I seriously wonder about Germany's sovereignty in regard to the fact that another nation is able to act counter to any political or popular will in Germany. I have not thought this through all that well, my day has been a little too challenging intellectually but I believe this is an interesting if disturbing train of thought.

This does not mean I would endorse an attempt to close these bases and forfeiting the contracts with the USA regarding these aspects (nor do I really know how these are phrased). I actually am of the opinion that the ramifications of any kind of act like this would be far more negative than any perceived positive impact could be. But that is Realpolitik and this post I consider to be more a political philosophy nature.