By Corey Gilkes
January 13, 2008
I really loved the well-written article by former Secretary of State Madeleine (shouldn’t that be Meddlin?) Albright on the Trinidad Express on Friday 11th January. Such hubris, such hypocrisy compressed into twelve paragraphs. It was exactly the sort of historically decontextualised drivel I have come to expect from North Atlantic political figures (although, given what passes for local journalism and radio talk, it has spread here as well).
No one can deny that all over the world peace and stability are under threat by corrupt, authoritarian figures. But someone should ask Ms Albright: weren’t these dictators and strongmen – who are usually found ruling countries rich with immense mineral resources – not installed and/or kept in power by Western governments who only were and still are concerned with their narrow self-interests?
In all this self-righteous talk about the “lost aura” of democracy – which itself remains a very vaguely defined concept other than the free press, token vote every 4-5 years and little else – no acknowledgement is given of a few “inconvenient truths”. For starters many of the states where authoritarian, anti-Western rule is the order of the day, would not have been in such a position at all if the West, the US chief among them, did not dismantle the democratic processes that did exist.
Let’s look at a few gems in her article. Albright wrote: “Arab democracy…has shifted out of first gear and back into neutral. The Bush administration’s grandiose plan for the democratic transformation of the Middle East has been shredded by the venomous politics of Iraq, the electoral gains of Hamas, the popularity of Hezbollah and the growing fear of Iran.” Obviously, I’ve missed a few things here; aren’t the “venomous politics of Iraq” largely the result of humiliation felt by the Iraqi people over loss of sovereignty due to an illegal war as well as the mass removal of members of the then Baath party – the same ones who the BBC noted are now being enticed to go back to their old jobs? And about the electoral gains of Hamas, wasn’t that by the same democratic elections set up by the West and Israel? What was the alternative of the people in the occupied territory, wasn’t it the corrupt and inept Fatah?
But the icing on her cake was the mention of Iran; now here is a country that had a democratic process. That is until the United States, in collusion with Britain, toppled the government of Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953. His crime? Attempting to nationalise the country’s oil industry. It’s nice that she should mention that “repression causes violence to build” because that is exactly what the pro-Washington Shah did, which in turn led to the rise of the fundamentalist Islamic movement who otherwise may have remained a marginal force in Iranian society. The rest is history.
It was not a year later when Washington pulled the same stunt in Guatemala because President Jacobo Arbenz, another democratically elected leader, tried to break the power of the moneyed elites and nationalise the banana industry, which threatened the interests of US-based United Fruit Company, so he had to go too. In fact, come to think of it, given the tone of her rant against the new generation of “caudillo”-style leaders in Latin America, a continent with a very long history of elitism, class-conscious governance and racism, where there is profound inequality in the distribution of wealth and mineral resources, it’s clear where her sympathy lies. Oh, and what about the overthrow and murder of democratically elected Salvador Allende on September 11th 1973 or that of Patrice Lumumba of the Congo? And does anybody remember the removal of Cheddi Jagan in Guyana? What about the mining of a harbour in Honduras which, according to international law, is an act of war. Where were the concerns for the democratic processes then? One of her predecessors, Henry Kissinger, said it best: “I don’t see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist because of the irresponsibility of its own people.”
We in the Caribbean need to be more worldly wise and refrain from taking on other people “fire-rage.” Democracy is a laudable system, but it cannot be imposed on someone by someone else on the outside; it has to be grown from within and ideally, from the grassroots level upward. In any event democratic principles did not originate in Europe or Greece, look to Africa for that. We must be very wary of these calls for “freedom and democracy” by Western powers; the minute you adopt their principles, follow them to the letter and then attempt to hold them to their word, they promptly change the rules. For them “democracy” is what “Christianity” was a couple centuries ago; a mere vehicle to enable their enrichment – at our expense. A nation’s people must have the right to choose a system that can best guide their destiny; they may not necessarily be correct, but the right to be wrong should be THEIR right.
http://www.trinicenter.com/Gilkes/2008/1301.htm
Corey, you elucidated American interference in world politics quite well, leaving out the most glaring examples:Cuba, HAiti and Venezuela.We were always given the American version of what happened with Cuba in 1959. We hardly know of the corrupt background of the Battista regime, and the Americans who used Cuba s a dumping ground for its filth and vice, until Castro cleaned it up, closed the Casinos and began a mass movement to educate the peole. America has not stopped trying to overthrow him yet. He is never referred to as Dr or Mr. Castro in the USA, but as Fidel, Castro or Cuban Dictator. America activwly encouraged rebel groups to try to invade Cuba and take over. the Bay of Pigs during the Kennedy years just being the worst. Then there is Haiti. When all is said and done, the democratically elected President of Haiti, was ousted from office, bundled onto a plane and flown to Africa and exile, while members of previous goon squads allegedly walk th streets of Brooklyn, terrorists harboured by the US government. Finally, Hugo Chavez and Venezuela.It suits the US interests to have a white led government in Venezuela, all that oil, gold and sugar. Chavez is Afro-Indio- half African, half indigenous person, the worst thorn in the side of the US since he took power, and was re-elected again and again.Evo Morales and Lula da Silva continue the trend of indigenizing the power of Latin America. The US is uneasy about that. Central to Ms. Albright, an immigrant to this country also, and to the US government’s policy in the ,is that white people were meant to rule. Latin American dictators feed off that constantly. In Africa, where no white people CAN rule, they continually try to unseat the people’s choices of government, in favour of more malleable, bribeable types. It is the American way, learnt so well from the cousins across the pond.
We Trinis have to be educated, and watchful of our democracy. The UNC, when in power, fielded a team of businessmen and politicians who came to the US on a promotional tour of the country. Carlos John and Mervyn Assam were the two African people on the team. Having taught Carlos at secondary school, and been a member of a club of which Assam was a member, I know exactly how”Afro-Caribbean ” they both are. Panday was trying to say to the US, we different, we almost white, trust us. Amerian businessmen loved what they saw, and found Trinidad a”wonderful place to do busines” They found so many people they could insert betwen themselves and the mostly African population, striving to be free.
If people of the youndger generations, do not educate themselves to what is happening, including all the calls for foreign help tp “fight crime” we could be lost as a people, and as a real democracy. We have to read widely, think critically and read also, between the lines.
Linda, your critique of the U.S.’s apparent discriminatory-based policy also applies to several other Global issues. The issue of Nuclear technology stands out in my mind. Where white countries, such as Canada, France, England etc. develop nuclear weapons, or use nuclear fission as an energy source, the U.S. doesn’t say boo! However, if a skin-pigmented country tries to do the same, they cry terrorism, axis of evil or rogue nation. That is a serious double standard, which can only be distinguished along racial lines. Look at this…Iran, Iraq, North Korea and the list goes on. The U.S. turned a blind eye to Pakistan because they were fronting the war against the communist forces of India and the then U.S.S.R…..and look where that’s got the world!! They also allowed a dangerous nation like Israel to develop the capacity, simply to empower the Jewish interests and keep the Moslem Palestines at bay. South Africa is another example…..in the 80’s they let a white-ruled-apartheid-terrorist governmnent develop the bomb, which they promptly exploded in the Indian Ocean. You think that they go let the current governmnent do the same??? Several of the “coloured world’s” most ruthless dictators were fostered under US support, people like Amin (Uganda), Noriega (Panama), Saddam, Duvalier (Haiti), and even the man himself…BIN LADEN! And they have the bloody nerve to persecute Castro’s Cuba.
If one goes by these examples, then the U.S. could also be acused of being a rogue nation. However, in today’s world where they rule the roost, it’s there way of the highway. It will be interesting to see what will happen, when one of today’s non-white emerging powers eclipses the U.S. in wealth and world dominance. I hope that I am not too old to enjoy it!
Recent news that non-white countries like South Korea, China, Middle Eastern muslim countries, and a Saudi Prince, bailing out US big banks are signs of the times. I was, however, focussing on the countries of the Caribbean basin, which big brother to the north regards as a private lakeTo years ago, when Hugo Chavez donated heating oil to poor people on the US Northeast, people thought it was a propaganda ploy. They are failing to realize that life in the US is extremely hard on the poor. The other counties rrecognize this.
When Chavez and others offered help with Katrin refugees, it was huffily disdained. Now, tey go cap in hand to the Midle East and Asian nations for bailouts. Time teaches much.
You are right of course ,about nuclear technology. Mandela invited the world’ss nuclear regulatory bodies to come to South Africa and remove the nuclear warheads. They were pointed to the north, at other African people. That is one reason why he is regarded as a statesman extraordiniare. No other country has dared to decommission its entire nuclear arsenal.No one had ever admitted that South Africa under Botha had nuclear warheads.
When all non-white people realize that the world is divided as it is, they may begin to talk to each other about mutual support. I believe Hugo Chavez has this vision for Latin Ameria, that is why he is criticized so bitterly. Rajiv Gandhi had it for the South-South countries. Look what happened to him.
I am kind of curious here….
why in the world are we yapping and gundapping and beat up our gums about other countries instead of directing our talents and brians and minds and no how towards (1) Defeating Racialism in TNT and therefore CRIME?
In the fcae of blistering criminals attacks on our very society in TNT we yapping bout ” Albright ?) What has she ever done for us lately or at anytime?
I say ” blow way!”
That is what “AMERICANITIS” suffrers do!
There are other countries in the world and wider issues that those in sweet T&T. And believe it or not, they do impact our tiny society. If you do bother to open your mind, you might appreciate what we are “yapping about”!
If you don’t want to contribute, no worries (free country and all that), but you really have no right to prevent us, or anyone else from exchanging intelligent views. So as far as I am concerned…just butt the hell out, Harry!!
The purpose of education, a broader perspective on issues, both in TnT and abroad; and seeing our issues as part of the international palette, seems to have passed Mr. Harry Williamn by. He also dominated the blogs today with a repertoire of bad grammar unsurpassed in the history of Trinicenter.com, short history that it is.
I have always admired the British. Meet one in Australia, Antigua or Aruba, he is British, that does not change. He continues to take an interest in his countries politics,gets the papers from “home” and stays abreast of current issues. He is also improving his mind by being aare of how where he is is different from where he was born. No wonder these people conquerred the world. The Harry Williamns on the other hand, have their eyes so firmly fixed on their own patch of dirt, they can see nothing else.
What a sad place TnT would be if it shut its borders to goods and ideas from outside- the currency of success, because it would then be also unable to sell its products to anyone else.We give scholarships, paid expensively for by the people of TnT to our best students, to study in England, the USA and Canada because education is mindbroadening, and even if many of them do not come back, the country benefits because its good name has gone abroad. Maybe Dr, Eric Williams and Dr. Rudranath Capildeo should have stayed home long ago, for fear of suffering from Northern Colditis.In that case, we would have still been suffering from the limited visions of Butler, Bryan, Bhadase and Chanka Maharaj.
Williamns, who seems to misspell his chosen name, should do some local research and see who these last four guys are. I admit to the possibility of his knowing Willims and Capildeo.
The calibre of dialogue is no improved by his submissions, but they indicate why we need forums like these,less we think that the revolutions in thinking encompassed us all. Go aheaad Sir, write your heart out, bad grammar and all,incomprehensibe sentences included. We are a democracy.
Only a rank nincompoop would have found Gilkes analysis irrelevant to the interest of Trinidad and Tobago. But since it appears that I was the first person on this board to sense the absolute vacuity in the contribution of this so called fearless Republican, I bid you welcome to the club guys.
Mr Gilkes concludes his analysis with a warning to Caribbean nations like Trinidad and Tobago to, in effect, be temperate in their judgements about other nations efforts to find political systems compatible with their history and culture. In other words, democracy is not a one size fits all system, and we should refrain from using other peoples’ eyes to see, examine and judge our world. Willamn’s postulations are that of a feral creature stuck in the middle of Piaget’s stage of cognitive development. Personally I believe that he should be arrested, charged and prosecuted for impersonating a sane person.
Harry seems to be the type who says things just to solicit a reaction. He can’t seriously believe half of the stuff he lets on about, can he? If so, he should use his real name, stop all this republican super hero stupidness, and then go see a pychiatrist.
I would like to hear what his view on the current US primaries are.