EVENTS up to THE 10th YEAR ANNIVERSARY of 9/11

WE REMEMBER


The Greek left has to understand that the United States foreign policy
under President Obama and Secretary Clinton has supported steadfastly
international ideals, universal values and human aspirations throughout
the globe. I believe that, despite the fact that Israel is a strong U.S. ally
in the Eastern Mediteranean (as is also Greece), the United States, its
President and its Secretary of State are willing to follow an even-handed
approach when it comes to the dreams and aspirations of the Palestinian
people and their drive for Statehood, but, of course, in the universally
understood framework of Coexistence, Peace, Cooperation and Prosperity.
For the Greek left to always discern negative intentions and anti-progressive
conspiracies in the actions of the current U.S. Government is to be stuck
in the past, at eras when the U.S. foreign policy was, unfortunately, very
detrimental to the reputation of the country, and to be unable to accept
current developments, thus placing itself on the margin of current
political and other global realities.


When other countries start treating Israel outside the acceptable
boundaries set by international law, like, e.g., Turkey's interferrence
with the joint Cypriot - Israeli initiatives for mineral explorations
in the Cypriot exclusive economic zone, or Turkey's eagerness to
escort with military ships boats carrying humanitarian aid to the
Gaza strip, Israel is going to get a taste of its own medicine in dealing
with others outside the acceptable boundaries of international legal
obligations and above currently acceptable international standards
of behavior.


Μπορεί, όπως λέει και ο πρόεδρος του ΕΒΕΑ, η δημοσιοποίηση των
επωνυμιών των επιχειρήσεων με μεγάλα ληξιπρόθεσμα χρέη προς το
Ελληνικό Δημόσιο να μη "σημαίνει ότι οι οφειλές αυτές θα πληρωθούν"
αλλά, σίγουρα, ο Υπουργός Οικονομικών δεν αναλώνει "άσκοπα τις
δυνάμεις του". Πρώτον, είναι σωστό, προς χάριν διαφάνειας, όταν
οι μισθοί και οι συντάξεις των πολιτών κόβονται και όταν καλούνται
να πληρώσουν δυσβάσταχτους φόρους, να ξέρουν ποιές από τις εταιρείες
δεν συνεισφέρουν το μερίδιο που τους αναλογεί. Δεύτερον, είναι σωστό,
όταν οι μισθοί και οι συντάξεις των πολιτών κόβονται και όταν καλούνται
να πληρώσουν δυσβάσταχτους φόρους, να έχουν τη δυνατότητα, αν αυτό
είναι εφικτό, να μποϋκοτάρουν τα προϊόντα κάποιων εταιρειών που
εσκεμμένα δεν συνεισφέρουν το μερίδιο που τους αναλογεί ως βοήθεια
προς ανόρθωση της πάσχουσας Ελληνικής οικονομίας...


One more politician that will never pay for his alleged
illegal activities during office. And, then, like idiots, we
are supposed to believe that "noone is above the law..."
But, graft and the right connections will provide anyone
high enough with a super comfortable life and, whatever
else people in power might try to argue and convince us
about, is simply a lie for the "small people"...


A message to Lavrov in case he has trouble understanding:
1. Sanctions decided by a bloc of 27 countries working together
   cannot be perceived by anybody in their right state of mind
   as "unilateral sanctions"; Moreover, when 27 States and more
   always agree on something and one state is always opposed,
   even in the face of blatantly noble causes, then the majority
   of reasonable people would be tempted to think that that
   one state "ruins the partnership approach" and not the 27
   that are mostly in agreement...
2. The sanctions are meaning well; they are, short of armed
   conflict, intending to send the right message to a regime that
   has been violating international law for a long time and to
   protect as much as possible the internationally recognized
   and internationally safeguarded human rights of its citizens.
   They are, in fact, right now the only weapon short of military
   options. Whether they work or not, time will be the judge;
   but for Lavrov to oppose them and to claim in advance that
   they will "lead to nothing good" is inappropriate, unless he
   has a more constructive way of protecting the lives of the
   innocent freedom fighters killed by this despicable oppressive
   regime at the rate, it seems, of at least a handful per day.
Shame on Russia, whose foreign policy is stuck to eras past
and who does not realize that the citizens of this world have
come to demand much much more from states than
standing on the sideline watching our fellow citizens in other
parts of our world being massacred and deprived of their
fundamental human rights with passivity and without any
form of international action. In this way, Russia is becoming
more and more isolated in the world arena and more obsolete,
and it has only its own foreign policy to blame and no one
else. Because all of us would have liked Russia to have been
able to play a desicive role in the protection of human rights...


Despite the fact that it was already obvious and is now verified by
a United Nations report that Israel, once more in its short and
dramatic history, has chosen to behave like a gangster state in
plain daylight for the whole international community to watch
and admire, I do not think that the, otherwise justified, expulsion
of the Israeli ambassador by Turkey is a constructive step in
improving the region's stability or in forcing Israel to understand
that, as a State with the same standing as any other State in our
international community of nations, it has to abide by the same
standards and fulfill the same responsibilities as all other States
do towards one another in the international arena.


It is very sad to see that the government of George Papandreou is
failing so miserably in all its promises, even those that do not require
any financial investments but, rather, have to do with his empty
declarations about radically changing the corrupt and punishing
mentality and the lack of transparency by which things are done in
the country at the government level. I am following with a feeling
of sickness the Parliamentary Budget Office Affair that has been
developing over the last several days. Instead of the Government
taking a particular interest in the statements and the warnings
issued by staff that are at least as experienced (and probably much
more so) as the Finance Minister and drawing on their analysis
of the numbers and their subjective opinions (it is their job and
their role to express those), they are firing the Director of the office!!
Mr. Venizelos, when the news are bad, you do not conspire to shoot
the messenger; you sit down with your staff, discuss why they came
up with these gloomy estimates and predictions, and take their
opinion into account in a constructive way. If you find it impossible
to do that, you should resign the position you are entrusted with.
Papandreou is highly responsible for replacing Papakonstantinou
with the financially challenged Venizelos and Venizelos is highly
responsible for being too self-centered to realize that, in this
area of black-and-white, Papakonstantinou may have succeeded
or failed, but was Papakonstantinou to fail, there would have been
absolutely no chance for Venizelos to succeed; this should  have
been reason enough to back Papakonstantinou for keeping the
Finance Ministry position...


Μαύρα τα μαντάτα...


The obvious question is: If our money has been wasted over several
years in the form of foreign aid with the effect of "fostering corruption
in host countries and diminishing the standing and influence of the
U.S.", should there not be an investigation and a subsequent prosecution
of the people responsible politically and financially in a court of law?
It seems to me that when it comes to using public money in the U.S.
lately, not only are we unwise, but we are also criminal in spending,
because there is absolutely no accountability whatsoever for grafting
and for mispending... And it is my opinion that both major parties are
benefiting substantially from this lack of accountability and that neither
party is sincere when they pay lip service to "fiscal responsibility"...


A moving powerful last letter of NDP's Jack Layton


An attack against the United Nations is an attack against humanity;
against the best, the most prized and the most progressive creation
of  mankind since its existence. Terrorists targeting the United Nations
as an institution, its personnel and its buildings are targeting us all
but, even though a piece of ourselves is chipped away every time one
of our fellow human beings in the U.N. is taken away, our resolve in
pursuing the ideals that the U.N. represents and in keeping up their
challenging work remains strong.
 

Ακόμα και το ΠΑ.ΣΟ.Κ. εμπαίζει την κοινωνία με την υπόθεση
Siemens. Κατά τα άλλα υποτίθεται ότι περιμένουν να εμπιστευτούμε
τον πρωθυπουργό και τις κούφιες εξαγγελίες του περί κάθαρσης και
διαφάνειας... Την Ελλάδα και τον Γιωργάκη κι αν τους πλένεις το
σαπούνι σου χαλάς.


Jack Layton is no more...


I am not sure what is going on in the Eurozone right now, but I see
several signs of ill conceived and mentally questionable leadership
that is potentially a manifestation of the frustration felt over the
current financial woes and dire financial condition of some partners.

First, the "guarantees" that Finland is asking for contributing to
Greece's support package verge on the side of the ridiculous. It is
one thing to openly express opposition and decline to contribute to
a support package, a position clearly taken by the United Kingdom.
Even though it shows lack of willingness to risk, lack of determination
to help and, perhaps, lack of solidarity, it is a perfectly understandable
and unambiguous decision and it comes from a feeling of self confidence
that, should the U.K. face similar financial difficulties at some point
in the future and its partners decline any help, the U.K. will be able
to cope alone. On the other hand, it is puzzling and strange to agree
to help and be part of the rescue effort on behalf of the Union, but
ask for monetary guarantees from the state that is to be helped. If
that state had been in a position to provide such guarantees, it clearly
would not have been in need of a request to be rescued. Are the Finnish
politicians realizing that their reasoning defies basic logical principles?
But, in my opinion, their untenable position stems from the politics of
the moment and from a clear feeling that, should Finland find itself
in a dramatic financial meltdown, similar to the one that Greece is
going through, Finland is going to need the help of its partners to
resurface, like it did on many occasions in its turbulent history.
And the Finnish leaders are savvy and informed enough to be able
to discern this reality, but they seem to have a very hard time to clearly
explain, argue for that point, and convince the Finnish electorate.
Helping Greece now is in the best interests and an invaluable
investment in good will for the future well-being of Finland.

Second, I am standing in amazement when I hear the lively
discussions about the Eurobonds because, frankly, the arguments
of the Germans and of the pro-Eurobond Europeans verge on the
edge of the ridiculous in the same way that the Finnish request of
financial guarantees from the "guarantee unable" Greek state
verges on the edge of ridiculous. The point is that, even though
the current rescue packages for Greece, Ireland and Portugal, and
the possibly upcoming ones for Spain and Italy, are not termed
Eurobonds, they are functioning in exactly the same way. Instead
of everyone cosigning in issuing bonds with a collective guarantee
that are to be used for rescue and equalization efforts, mostly on
behalf of the weak states of the periphery, all countries are pulling
together through the E.U.'s structures and institutions a common
fund to allow the bankrupt countries to borrow. In this way they
calm the markets and guarantee, at least temporarily, the solvency
of the weak economies. So they are indirectly co-signing "bonds",
even though they do not call them bonds", that provide financial
relief to the weak economies. So for Germany to provide this noble
help on the one hand, but to steadfastly decline for domestic political
reasons any discussion on the issuing of Eurobonds (that being
exactly equivalent to what it is indirectly steering the Eunion in
doing right now), is to underestimate the intelligence of the Union's
citizens, to lack in honesty and straightforwardness and to be, in a
way, comico-tragical in its outward statements and behavior...


Tripoli is just falling in the hands of the formerly silenced opposition.
The whole world is watching and hoping the best for the country and
the Libyan people. I hope that the Transitional Council has learned
some lessons on what not to do by both the Gaddafi regime and by
the new democratic dictators of Egypt. I also hope that Bashar
al-Assad, despite his resounding F- in all History classes previously
taken, is tuning in in this "History in the making" class and that his
grade will not be an F- in this class as well...


The BBC is reporting on a remarkable interview with a NATO official:
-Are you underestimating the Western people's intelligence and feeding
 them garbage for legal and political reasons?
-Our mission is to protect civilians in Libya and we are acting according
 to the mandate outlined in UN Resolution 1973. Although we do not directly
 underestimate people's intelligence, we are indirectly feeding them garbage,
 but, in general, we do not comment on hypothetical scenarios, nor can we
 outline military planning or political positions.


Although it should be the case that anyone, regardless of nationality
or origin, should feel free and safe to travel and experience what each
and every region of our planet has to offer, I still find it hard to believe
that two "U.S. hikers" without any alterior motive chose voluntarily
to hike on the Iran - Iraq border. Why would anyone, with so many
other stable and beautiful regions on this earth, pick to hike on the
border area between two countries, one of which is politically and
militarily unstable and the other of which has a regime that is notoriously
hostile towards the United States? In their position, I would not have
even approached these two countries just to financially boycott their
respective tourist industries until they drastically change their domestic
and foreign policy attitudes.


The Greek justice system is never effective in cleaning the Greek
public life from any of the scandals that keep recurring in the
national political life, nor is it playing the role that it should in
cleaning the Greek athletic life of the violence, bribes and match
fixing or of the various parasites and dons involved in football
and other sports. But, when it comes to foreigners expressing freely
their views in foreign publications about the stinking behavior and
the inefficiency of Greek officials and institutions, then the Greek
justice system is quick and overzealous in restricting freedom of
expression and reigning on the freedom of the press..


I am really appalled by the continuous attacks and the significant
loss of innocent civilian lives in the ongoing Israeli - Palenistian
conflict. Both sides have to realize that in this year 2011, it is no
longer acceptable to waste innocent civilian lives in the interest of
making a political statement or stimulating the world's attention
and provoking public opinion. Both sides have to update their
views to current international political standards. Despite the
understandable difficulty of the problems they face, it would not
hurt at all to view some things as black and white in the framework
of international legal obligations and responsibilities, rather than
as grey and amenable to arbitrary unilateral or bilateral actions and
reprisals. Israel is a country on the same standing as any other,
recognized as a partner in the world of nations and respected in
the eyes of the entire international community. Whatever an
organization like Hamas says or believes and whatever its goals
are, this fact is unquestionable and non-negotiable. Thus, Hamas
has to change its position. On the other hand, several United Nations
resolutions have made it clear where the borders of the Israeli state
stand and, however much foreign land Israel wants to grab and
whatever its stated goals for this annexation are, the fact that that
land is not part of the Israeli state cannot be altered. So Israel must
change its position. Finally, and above all, no matter what Hamas
or the Palestinian Authority or the Israeli state think and no matter
what justifications they provide,
THE LOSS OF CIVILIAN LIFE IN 2011 IS NOT ACCEPTABLE
AND IT IS NOT MADE ACCEPTABLE BY JUSTIFYING IT AS
RETALIATORY ACTION FOR PREVIOUS LOSS OF LIFE.
A state ought to target the perpetrators of crimes committed; it
does not have the right to place innocent civilians, its own or foreign,
in harm's way in order to take revenge against actions that it
conceives as illegal. Israelis and Palestinians update your calendars
to August 2011. The World is tiring of observing medieval behavior
from a state that professes progress and from an authority and
an organization that have every interest in taking advantage of
the order, however imperfect, provided through conformity and
abidance to current international law standards...


Keeping up with the consistency of our foreign policy and the steady
peaceful involvement in important world affairs on the side of human
ideals and principles and in support of those fighting for freedom,
democracy and opportunity for a better future in a harmonious and
cooperative new world, the President and the Secretary of State are
ready to push forward with a clear, unambiguous and, hopefully,
strong and severely phrased warning for the Syrian butcher, that worst
son of Syria, that Syrian dehumanizing beast, to give himself in to the
International Criminal Court and allow Syria to return to normalcy
and a democratic government headed by a human being...
 

George Soros came out strongly in support of the Eurobonds...
We can safely conclude that the hounds are smelling more blood
from the taxpayers and bigger steaks for the speculators...


For Bashar al-Assad's regime the TIME FOR DIPLOMACY IS OVER.
China, France, Russia, U.K., and U.S.A. GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER
NOW!! Pass a resolution in the Security Council authorizing targeted
attacks on any warship firing on Syrian citizens effective immediately.

If reports are true that the Syrian beasts are using the Syrian Navy
to shell Syrian citizens in Latakia, I am wondering what this world,
its citizens and its leaders have learned from the world's history and
what our United Nations is good for. What needs to happen in a
country with an unelected government and to its citizens until all
Big Five not just shout loud "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH" but, in fact,
take the initiative to rally the remaining big ten and the entire world
in a decisive action and a show of force, not to topple a regime, but
convey a clear message that usage of military grade armaments against
protesting civilians is ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE (especially
from regimes neither elected nor subject to reelection)? NOW IS THE
TIME FOR THE WORLD TO ACT and NOW IS THE TIME TO
REVISE INTERNATIONAL LAW for the well-being of our children.
Let us muster the courage to leave something noble and worthwhile
behind, like our fathers, the UN founders, did.


Ξεκούτιαναν τελείως και τα παπατζιλίκια... "Ακόμη", λέει ο παπατζής,
"και τότε που οι αρχές των δεν γίνονται αποδεχτές από την πλειονότητα
ενός λαού." Βρε Καλαβρυτινέ κ*λόπαπα, ποιές αρχές βλέπεις και
εκθειάζεις (και θέλεις να δει και ο κακομοίρης ο λαός) σε έναν
εγκληματία που εστόχευσε με τους συνωμότες του να περιορίσει την
αυτοκυριαρχία και την εθνική κυριαρχία του λαού του προς ιδίον
όφελος; Έχεις πια ξεκουτιάνει τελείως;


Berlusconi and Tremonti are trying to rally Italians against tax evasion.
Hahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaa!!!!!!
   

Everyone might be tempted to look at the Warren Jeffs case as another
legal case as usual or as a religious cult - gone - wrong prosecution. But,
even though it is both to some extent, this case shows something else,
deeply disturbing; namely, the double - standards used to judge people in
our society and the fundamental malfunctioning and subjectivity of the
police work and the judicial system in this nation. While both local, State
and Federal law enforcement agencies pursue with, sometimes, dispropor-
tionate force and vigor the cases that seem politically the most expedient,
they tend to disregard cases of polygamy and statutory or open rape, when
those cases seem to infringe on their own electorates, their own beliefs or,
at best, do not seem to carry a lot of political favor or economic return
from the public. It is interesting to find out for how many years the acts
for which Jeffs was convicted have been illegal, because it is certain that
they have been practiced continuouly by Jeffs and others from the time
of the foundation of the Mormon sect up to the present day...


Just out of curiosity, why is Jean-Claude Juncker meeting the
Italian Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti? Perhaps to convince
him to combat corruption and tax evasion in Italy? Does the
European Union perceive of its citizens as idiots than can and will
be fed any piece of garbage that its bereaucrats are feeding them?


The most surpising thing is that Van Rompuy finds it surprising
that the markets are not agreeing with the European bureaucrats.
He is naively projecting a non-existent confidence on the side of
the EU and naively wondering why the financiers are not resorting
to fair judgement, based on overly optimistic EU projections, but
rather on speculations that increase the interest rates and allow
them to earn more on the backs of ignorant taxpayers...


Raul Castro is introducing more bureaucratic and economic
reforms in an attempt to improve the political and financial
conditions in Cuba and, as they say, better late than never.
And President Obama has been relaxing restrictions and easing
the political animosity against the island's regime and, as they say,
better late than never.


Brothers and sisters in the Syrian military, HOLD YOUR FIRE,
DO NOT SHOOT at your brothers and sisters in the streets of
Hama and Daraa and Latakia and Aleppo and Damascus. Join
them, because they are fighting an honorable fight for all Syrians.
They are aiming at delivering the country from the grip of a
shameful regime and at delivering the country's future in the
hands of all Syrians, instead of letting it be the fiefdom of a beast.
Here's to all of you the voice of the students from the beseiged
Athens Polytechnic from back in 1974, students desperately
imploring the soldiers, their brothers, not to fire at the building
or attack their brothers and sisters demonstrating inside. A few
hours later, several dozens were killed by the Greek Assads of
the day and a few days later, these same Assads were tried for
treason by the new Third Hellenic Republic and convicted to
death, only having their sentences commuted to life  by the
magnanimity and humanity of the new Democracy and being
let to rot in the Korydallos prison instead. Learn from the lessons
of our region's history; do not repeat the same mistakes, do not
spill any more blood in vain...
 

I am really embarrassed that my region of the world, which has
contributed so much over the centuries to the advancement of
fundamental human values and has been the birthplace of modern
civilization, has now produced one of the world's most shameful
and brutal regimes. The honorable and proud Syria is unfortunately
being led by a beast, the worst of its sons, who has never learnt
anything from its history and the history of our region and who
is a disgrace for Syrians and a black stain not just on the history
and reputation of his own country, but unfortunately, also, of
our entire region, which deserves much better.


Politicians with shady pasts, criminal records and questionable motives
sooner or later pay the price: either by being attacked by the Furies, or
by being deprived of their lives or, unfortunately the least often, by being
procesuted and convicted in a court of law... It was bound to happen to
Abdel Fattah Younes sooner or later and it exemplifies the inconsistency
and unreliability of the National Transitional Council that, unfortunately,
so many eager and immature western governments rushed to recognize
as a "legitimate" authority in Libya...
 

If I were congressman Boehner, I would have thought twice before using
the expression "blank cheque" for what the president is asking. I would
have been ashamed of belonging to a party whose last president was the
first to use blank cheques at a large scale and, mind you, using them
without even bothering to ask for them... Except if Boehner, influenced
by the right wing of his party, chooses to forget his party's and his ex
president's  dealings with regard to unreasonable spending and gross
fiscal irresponsibility. Does he really know that he is a member of the
GOP, or does he think that somehow he belongs to a new - devoid of
any guilt or responsibility - "New Republican Party"? If he does not have
Alzheimer's and he realizes where he's coming from and where he belongs,
I find it very strange that he does not have the guts to admit and share
responsibility.

Further, with regards to the proposal of having a Constitutional Amendment
that would force the Government to balance its budget, my opinion is that
this might be a good idea, subject, of course, to allowing some transitional
period of debt reduction so that the balancing is done in a realistic fashion
and in a way that is as painless as possible. There is an additional provision,
though, that should be inserted so as to safeguard the fairness of this transition.
Who and what is important and kept or unimportant and eliminated should
not be left entirely to Washington partisans to decide. We know in advance
that their decisions will not be fair, but biased towards what they think would
best serve their own personal goals and ambitions. Therefore, for fairness to
be guaranteed and for this proposal to have a better chance to be widely
accepted by the American voters, I suggest one of two solutions:
1. If Washington needs to cut their spending (eventually) by, say, 25% to
    balance the budget, then nobody gets eliminated, but everybody in the
    Fed payroll (including all Fed emlpoyees, including Senators and House
    Members) get a 25% reduction in salary and benefits.
2. If Fed employees need to be eliminated, this should be done by taking
    into account seniority (including that of Senators and House Members).
    So, if the Fed work force needs to be cut by, say, 10%, those whose contracts
    have been signed the latest (including fresh House Members and recently
    elected Senators) should be considered for furloughs or elimination from
    the payrolls first. And, if someone argues about how necessary they are,
    as compared to other Fed employees, if they do care and want to contribute,
    let them keep their law practices and jobs and volunteer their time in
    the Senate and House, rather than wasting our money full-time.

I was moved by the Chancellor's vision. Greece needs and welcomes
Germany's and Europe's support and the European citizens are pleased
and proud that at the helm of the financially most robust economy and
of the leading nation is a politician that strongly declares her vision for
and dedication to the success of the common European dream. It makes
the citizens of the Continent confident that, with concerted efforts and
hard work, it is possible to preserve the accomplishments of the generations
past and to achieve more harmony, unity and cooperation for the present
and future generations.


The powerful in Europe are showing the way by helping as much as
they can and by standing steadfastly and fully supporting the common
causes and the common dream. Greece and the other nations, where
financial policies and financial management are at a burning (and a
turning) point and economies sensistive and at risk, have to respond
appropriately.


The following report, prepared with the help of our partners from
Radioteleβυζιone Italiana Moscow Bureau, may be offensive to some
readers. Our Italian correspondents are the only ones long enough
under a Putanesque Berlusconian leadership to have in their arsenal
the necessary and appropriate language skills to be able to penetrate
the KGB bulletproof thick skin of the Kremlin administrators. In their
report, the roman numerals are left untranslated since, it is not clear
whether the politically uneducated Russian electorate has even had
the chance to learn basic arithmetic in elementary school under the
long running Putinesque regime...

Reporting Radioteleβυζιone Italiana from Moscow.

Οι 'Ελληνες αθλητικοί παράγοντες δε φαίνεται να νοιώθουν καμία
ντροπή είτε που τα στήνανε είτε που ξεκουκουλώθηκαν. Οι αρχιχέστες
και αρχιχεσμένοι συνεχίζουν με κάθε ξεδιαντροπιά τις αψιμαχίες και
τις αλληλοκατηγορίες στα ερτζιανά και, όχι μόνο δεν έχουν την
παραμικρή συναίσθηση της σοβαρότητας των εγκλημάτων που
έχουν διαπράξει, αλλά, τουναντίον μάλιστα, έχουν το θράσος να
μας λένε ότι έχουν διαπραχθεί παρόμοια και στο εξωτερικό και
δε βλέπουν που είναι το πρόβλημα και γιατί δεν αφήνουν οι αρχές
κανεναν χριστιανό να βγάλει κανα φράγκο στο ΠΡΟ-ΠΟ. Να δούμε
τι άλλο θα ακούσουμε απ' αυτά τα ζώα μέχρι να μπούνε φυλακή...


When are the republicans going to realize, at last, that President
Obama and the democratic administration are not the sole people
responsible, nor should they be exclusively blamed, for the current
deficits and the inherited financial mess? When are they, at last,
going to be responsible enough to admit the humongous financial
mismanagement of Barack's predecessor and the republican party
in government at the time and, as a result, assume the part of the
blame due to them for the current situation and become helpful
and constructive in figuring out, together with, and not in
opposition to, the President a solution to this problem? As the
citizens of this nation, that are the most affected by their chronic
deficiencies and mismanagement, and are providing the means
for their comfortable lives, while they are inefficiently and idecisevely
bickering and jostling for impression and votes, we have the right
to DEMAND THAT THEY WORK FOR THE NATION, ITS
ECONOMIC FUTURE AND WELL BEING and not for their
own micropolitical interests and agendas. It is high time they
understood. Stupidity and our tolerance for it have some limits.


A constructive effort and some courageous and bold steps in the
spirit of brotherhood and good will are needed to bring about a
solution to the Cyprus problem. To that end, both Greece and
Turkey have a decisive role to play, by assisting, facilitating and
encouraging the negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary
General, without, however, either trying to threaten for, impose
or taking political advantage of the progress or lack thereof
towards a final solution. The latest remarks of the Turkish foreign
minister are not helpful towards achieving this goal. Moreover,
in my opinion, it is not clear that the Turkish foreing minister is
relating two clearly related issues, but, it rather sounds like he is
arbitrarily and artificially trying to present two loosely, at best,
related issues as closely connected for goals that are neither
transparent nor immediately clear. The lack of any plausible
justification in his arguments is an indication of their weakness.


The Syrian dictator is the only person that thinks that he has any
trace of legitimacy left in his ruling authority. Neither the Syrian
citizens nor any foreign leader think anymore of al-Assad as a
valid representative of the Syrian state. First, one may not, in the
Modern World, represent citizens that one kills and exterminates
with the sole goal of staying in power. Second, none of the
civilized countries of this world is prepared to extend authority
of rule to a regime that has not been elected in free and fair
elections, is oppressing its citizens to the point of having a lot
of blood from killing and torture in its hands (I blame the Syrian
president personally, because a single move from him could have
saved thousands of lives and bodies and souls.), and has not
instituted any kind of meaningful democratic reforms that include
its departure in free and fair elections, if its own citizens decide so.
Therefore, not only are al-Assad's statements completely
meaningless, but they fall on the deaf ears of the citizens of all
civilized nations around the globe and, moreover, make our
own admiration for the boldness of our Secretary of State and
for the principles that she and our President have unwaveringly
supported from  the beginning of this crisis even more pronounced.
BRAVO TO BARACK OBAMA and BRAVO TO SECRETARY
CLINTON for standing alongside us, the citizens of the free
world, side-by-side with our Syrian brothers and sisters in
demanding for them, first, and for us, also, a meaningful change.


The Greek President Karolos Papoulias is on a historic visit to Israel,
having met the Israeli President Shimon Peres, in a difficult time for
both countries in terms of both domestic issues and foreign relations.
These two giants of regional politics, albeit in figurehead roles now as
heads in Parliamentary Democracies, have played and continue to play
key roles in the political paths of their respective countries and the region.
 

I think that Barack realizes that his legacy as President depends,
to a large extent, on whether or not some critical decisions can
be made to tackle the deficits. He did inherit a very difficult
financial situation and, unfortunately, after 9/11 a "blank check"
mentality of "whatever it takes we'll do, whatever it costs, we'll
pay", quite literally... Now, he is dealing with a fundamental lack
of understanding of the crisis by the main political actors of both
major parties. It is easy going around and encouraging the Greeks,
the Irish, the Portuguese and their European partners to be fiscally
responsible and reign on their derailed finances, but, as Washington
is finding out, with political bickering, it is very difficult to do the
same in your own house. Budget cuts must be made. As Barack
has repeatedly said, there are programs that we would not want
to eliminate because they are helpful to some of our fellow human
beings, but we will have to because we cannot afford them. And
taxes have to be increased for those that can afford to pay more.
The President has also said that the economy needs the extra
investments and, under better circumstances, more tax cuts
might have been the way to go. But the government has been
spending a lot more than it can afford and part of its expenditures
(e.g., military, nation building abroad etc.) have been benefiting
corporations and the rich. So, now they have to pitch in something
more to get back to sustainable conditions. Honestly, I cannot see
why, with good will and logical reasoning, negotiating some solution
has been taking such a long time and has not occurred yet. But
perhaps, good will is too much to be asking for now in our Capital...


A warm welcome to South Sudan in the community of Nations!!
We second our President's thoughts and hopes for peace, opportunity,
prosperity, liberty and democracy, that can only be achieved through
respect of international law and full implementation of international
treaty obligations at the state level as well as forgiveness, friendship
and good will in the human heart.
 
 

Άλλος ένας ηλίθιος και άθλιος πολιτικός που αδυνατεί να καταλάβει
τη ζημιά που υπέστη αυτή η χώρα κατά τη διακυβέρνησή του παντελώς
ανίκανου Καραμανλή και του εγκληματία Αλογοσκούφη... Όταν η
ηλιθιότητα φτάνει στο σημείο νοσταλγίας της ανικανότητας και των
εγλημάτων του παρελθόντος, τότε είναι ώρα αποχώρησης απο την
ενεργό πολιτική.


Η Νέα Δημοκρατία πρέπει να κατανοήσει ότι για ένα τόσο σημαντικό
θέμα όπως είναι η πολιτική βία, που άλλωστε κανέναν άλλο στόχο
δεν έχει σε μία δημοκρατική κοινωνία παρά μόνο την παράλυση
των θεσμών και ως εκ τούτου τον εκφυλισμό του συστήματος και
την παρέγγλισή του σε ολιγαρχία ή μοναρχία, η σύσταση διακομματικής
επιτροπής δείχνει ότι η Βουλή αντιλαμβάνεται τους κινδύνους και
ανησυχεί. Επί τέλους, πότε οι ανίκανοι Έλληνες πολιτικοί θα λάβουν
το μύνημα ότι οι πολίτες δεν θεωρούν τη σύσταση μιας διακομματικής
επιτροπής "εύκολη λύση", αλλά, τουναντίον, εύχονται η Βουλή να
είχε το πολιτικό θάρρος και την ικανότητα να φέρνει τα κόμματα
μαζί σε τέτοιες επιτροπές προς συνεννόηση και συναίνεση. (Και κάτι
επιπλέον, η συμμετοχή σε επιτροπές θα έπρεπε να είναι καθήκον ενός
βουλευτή. Τί είναι αυτά που ακούμε ότι για κάθε ώρα συμμετοχής σε
επιτροπές ανταμοίβονται 200 Ευρώ extra. Εκλέγονται και πληρώνονται
για να συμμετέχουν. Γι αυτό αυτή η χώρα και η δημοκρατία της δεν
πάνε καλά...)

One can only hope that no more children will come her way...
 

When one holds the position of a Health Minister in one of the most
populous countries on earth, personal bias and subjective scientifically
unsound public announcements should be avoided at any cost. In that
respect, the carelessness of the Indian Health Minister Ghulam Nabi
Azad is, to say the least, regrettable, and to be more severe, inexcusable.


The case of the resignation of Japan's Minister for Reconstruction Ryu
Matsumoto after just a week in office sounds like a textbook case of an
application of an old Greek saying, which can be roughly translated as
"if you want to punish the people you dislike, just encourage them to
get involved in politics". I am sure that Prime Minister Naoto Kan knew
very well that, because of the agony of the people and their displeasure
at his Government's actions towards reconstruction, the post would
have been very difficult for anyone but the most gifted and diplomatically
adept to fill. Moreover, it sounds, by the unfortunate comments that Mr.
Matsumoto managed to make during the course of only a few hours,
that the Prime Minister must have known very well that he was not
dealing with the most pleasant personality in Japan. Thus, a safe
conclusion one must arrive at is that the appointment of the new ex
Minister of Reconstruction was a sure path to a quick destruction of
an unpleasant human being, disguised in the appearance of a political
favor. This showcases the bright, albeit, admittedly, mean-spirited
political ability of the current Japanese Premier.

VOLUME V

Management of the Financial Meltdown for the people: The President took emergency measures that relieved working and unemployed Americans, who had very little to do with the crisis. In Michigan, in particular, by extending unemployment benefits and by bailing out the failing auto industry, the federal government gave much breathing space to an unacceptably poorly diversified local economy. Management of the Financial Meltdown for the CEOs: By supporting the bankrupt corporate giants, the government emboldened the incompetent CEOs and boards to demand more in good times for successful leadership and shamelessly justify being unreasonably highly compensated in bad times by playing the "out-of-the-loopness" card, delegating blame to underlinks... Moreover, a new era was ushered wherein big capital begets big capital without risk taking (since government guarantees the losses of investors), which increases societal divisions and unfairness.

A more recent update on the τ-conspiracy.

As if the fiscal situation had not caused enough headaches for the
Greek government and the Greek Prime Minister, today new dramatic
developments are threatening to overshadow the financial crisis.
The following report of SSM News Agency, with the help of valued
partners Roiters, Agency French Pressing and DeutcheValle, gives
an up-to-date account.
π

We read today, on the occasion of the questionable fleeing to the U.S.
of the former governor of the Afghan central bank, that the U.S. is
trusting the notoriously corrupt Afghani government with handling
80% of the U.S. money intented for salaries of policemen and teachers
through a single private bank, Kabul Bank, that last year was the
target of a massive fraud scheme. Do the U.S. Government, the U.S.
President, the U.S. Ambassador in Afghanistan and the other U.S.
overseeing authorities in that country believe that this is a good
idea? Because, frankly speaking, it sounds like, by this move, they
are at least allowing, perhaps even encouraging and, at worst,
participating in the fraudulent behavior of whoever parties are
responsible for these schemes and this mismanagement. And of
course, the main reason we care is that these are our resources and
the enrichment of these Afghani bankers, that are now coming to
live comfortably among us in the U.S., contributes to the multi-trillion
dollar deficit that, allegedly, this government is so keen on reigning
upon...


Το in.gr γράφει "Κρίσιμη συνεδρίαση Η Superleague στη σκιά των
"στημένων"". Δυστυχώς, ο τίτλος θα έπρεπε να είναι "Συνεδριάζει
η Superleague των στημένων". Εδώ δε μιλάμε για σκιές και οι
όποιες ευγένειες και καθωσπρεπισμοί περιττεύουν διότι θίγουν
τη νοημοσύνη των πολιτών και όλων των φίλων του αθλητισμού
και του ποδοσφαίρου. Δεν μπορούμε, ως όντα λογικά, να περιμένουμε
να μας σκουπίσουν και να σκουπιστούν αυτοί που μας χέζουν και
είναι χεσμένοι για χρόνια...


Even though I see why the arguments of Wolfgang Münchau in the
Financial Times have some substance and financial soundness, I think
that they fail to take into account, or at least they relegate to second
class status, the severity of the crisis and the nature and size of the
Greek economy. In an economy like the one of the United States, of
Germany, of China or of Japan, some of which have, by the way, big
deficits that are getting bigger, the approach suggested in the article is
a very sound one. That is because these economies are so large, so
productive and so competent in the global market, that the best strategy
to reign on their debts, besides tax increases, is to sustain innovation,
productivity and boost exports. President Obama has been trying to
use all those tools simultaneously and the debate in the United States
is to what extent each should be employed. On the other hand, when
you do not have enough time left and are on the brink of bankruptcy,
like Greece, when your economy has never been, is not and, frankly,
will probably never (or not in the forseeable future) be competitive,
and when you import almost all expensive consumer goods, and in this
way you have built a palace worth significantly beyond your own means,
then the arguments in the article are, in my opinion, no longer applicable.
First and foremost, and for as long as it takes, the Greek government has
to impose the current contraction. This must happen until the economy
gets down in a controlled way to a size that is representative of its own
capabilities. When this is achieved, then perhaps, the country can recover
subject to the condition that those changes imposed have to persist. With
an economy inherently "weaker" than the economies of other European
Union member states, it is simply unrealistic for Greeks to expect to live
at exactly the same standards as their rich European counterparts. This
can only happen if the more wealthy partners accept the fact that
"equalization" in this context does not mean that Greece will become
Germany, in its fortunes and its output, but that the Greeks, the Irish,
the Portuguese etc. can live like French, Germans etc. if there is capital
flowing from the rich to the poor, like it is done internally in almost all
states ad infinitum using social programs when the societies concerned
have enough social sensitivities.

By the way, what is this abominable human being's salary,
from MP, vice-presidency, ministry, party officialdom etc.?
How much has he earned during his innumerable years in
the disservice of the state? He keeps declaring that "we have
all together exhausted the financial resources of the state"
("all together we've eaten them (the money)"); well, it
certainly looks like he has been eating them for a long time;
has he ever bothered to ask whether others have been eating
at the same rate as him? To me it looks like the peole that
ought to hide and speak the least in Greece are the ones
that are barking the loudest. WITHDRAW PANGALOS
FROM THE GOVERNMENT NOW! It is necessary for
keeping any trace of credibility.


It is high time that George Papandreou withdraws Theodoros
Pangalos from the party and the government. When the situation
in the home front is as critical as it is right now, there are no
excuses for terrorizing and threatening Greeks and Europeans
alike with arguments preceding the European civilization of
today. Pangalos is an idiot and George Papandreou is the only
person that does not dare tell him in his face and giving him
the boot. Greeks and our partners need convincing arguments
that the measures proposed are the ones most likely to improve
the fiscal situation in the near to mid-term future and that,
even though they are painful, they are worth trying and can
give us some hope. Pangalos goes around, instead, in the foreign
press and declares that it's either the measures or the military
and tanks, i.e., subtly threatens with the return of a dictatorial
regime. This does not increase the convincing power of the
arguments presented by the government in the interior, nor does
it showcase the country under a positive light to our partners.
Dictatorships and threats to that effect should be erased from
the government's vocabulary if it has any ambition of
maintaining its credibility... Papandreou, send this abominable
being packing; he is not needed, nor does he help in any way
the government's work with his European tours and interviews...


I do not think that the Greek opposition has realized the gravity of
the current circumstances and this has made Samaras an obstinate
and obsolete leader. First, the two major parties, which have been
governing this country continuously since the democratic transition,
are exclusively responsible for the current mess. The current prime
minister and many in his party are admitting responsibility and are
trying to do what they can to reign on the current deficits and, at
the same time, change the attitude of the populace, another factor
responsible for the mess. The opposition, with its attitude, seems to
be unable to understand that its share of the responsibility for the
mess, in particular under the government of the incompetent
Karamanlis and the criminal Alogoskoufis, should have made it
realize that the least they owe as a redemption move to the Greek
people is to wholeheartedly stand behind the prime minister,
even though his policies are not perfect, to reassure our European
partners that this country is mature enough to admit the mistakes
of the past and united and selfless enough to be able to clean the
mess with their help and support. As Greek people this is the least
we can ask. Antonis Samaras has to respond or has to resign.
Country first, self-respect and respect for others first, personal
ambition, egoism and stupidity have no place when one faces life
or death questions and his extinction or survival has the potential
of affecting not only himself, but also the well-being of others.
 

Οι παράγοντες του Ελληνικού ποδοσφαίρου έχουν το θράσος να μας
κοροιδεύουν όλους. Μετά τις χθεσινές αποκαλύψεις, σήμερα βγαίνουν
όλοι στα μέσα μαζικής ενημέρωσης και ξεδιάντροπα τολμούν και
δηλώνουν οτι ποτέ δεν ασχολήθηκαν με το παρασκήνιο και τον
υπόκοσμο και ότι δεν ξέρουν τίποτα για τίποτα. Βρε μπαμπέσηδες,
ξέρουμε όλοι πολύ καλά ποιοί τηλεφωνούσαν ποιούς και γιατί,
ποιών οι φωνές ακούγονται στα τηλέφωνα και γιατί συζητάνε.
Είστε εσείς ο υπόκοσμος του ποδοσφαίρου (και όχι μόνο) και είναι
επί τελους ώρα να πληρώσετε κι εσείς για όλες τις μπαμπεσιές και
τις παρανομίες και να σταματήσετε να ταίζετε τον κοσμάκη κουτόχορτο...
 

If everything that is coming out to light concerning the Greek football
(as reported in the daily "Το Βήμα") is accurate, then, by the consequences,
not only with regards to the very serious judicial penalties, but also the
athletic consequences, we will be able to judge how serious is the Greek
government and the Greek state about reforms. The scandal is so serious
that it is my opinion that, if we do not see several of the high-level football
club owners and directors banned from football for life and several of the
Superleague teams, that were involved in match fixing and illegal betting
and bribing, be relegated in the lower divisions and start with reduced
points in the new season, then the Greek football as a sport, will not have
any reason for being. They might as well declare the champions before
even the seasons begin...


One more wise and strong political voice, that of Richard von Weizsäcker,
the ex President of the Federal Republic of Germany, has been added for
the support of the united front in dealing with the Greek and the other
dedt crises in the Union, repeating the necessity of pulling together and of
building common policies, while insisting on the timely execution of reforms
and on the fiscal responsibily of the endangered member states.


Saudi Arabia is one of the worst countries on earth in terms of the
treatment of their own nationals, of nationals of other countries
and their open and semi-open support and sponsorship of home and
foreign-grown terrorists. The latest events showcase the character
of a nation that, having acquired a petrol buck but not having
advanced itself a bit in terms of civility, is treating foreign nationals
like dirt. Furthermore, it has grossly violated international law by
not even having bothered to notify the local consular authorities of
the country of the beheaded citizen. On top of all that, everyone
knows that their judicial system is a joke and that no one can
entrust the well being of their citizens in the hands of these beasts.


Οι Γερμανοί λέει βρήκαν "άχρωμο και αδαή" τον Βενιζέλο κατά
τη συνεδρίαση του Eurogroup. Φανταστείτε πόσο αχάμπαροι πρέπει
να είναι, αν περίμεναν οτι ένας συνταγματολόγος που άρχισε να
ασχολείται σοβαρά με την οικονομία από χθες θα μπορούσε να
μετατραπεί σε οικονομικό εμπειρογνώμονα. Για τον ίδιο λόγο,
ο Πρωθυπουργός παίρνει κάτω από τη βάση, όταν μία ημέρα πριν
από εξαιρετικά κρίσιμες εθνικά και οικονομικά συνομιλίες,
αντικαθιστά έναν ικανό υπουργό, που είχε καταβάλλει τεράστιες
προσπάθειες και έχαιρε της εκτίμησης πολλών εγχώριων και ξένων,
με έναν ανίδεο πολιτευτή για καθαρά πολιτικούς λόγους, ως εκ
τούτου θυσιάζοντας την τεχνοκρατική υποστήριξη που τόσο
απεγνωσμένα έχει ανάγκη αυτή η πολύπαθη χώρα...


He may organize "spontaneous" progovernment rallies and he may
give empty promises of national "reconciliation" talks in a desperate
attempt to stay in power, but how is he going to clean his hands from
the blood of the freedom fighters and how is he going to erase from
his ears the screams of the tortured heroes and from his dreams the
ghosts of his countrymen that he has killed and maimed? Bashar
al-Assad your conscience is stained and your days are numbered.


They sicken their countries and their citizens; then they become
sick themselves and die and nobody, nobody ever, gets to be held
accountable for the crimes they commit. That is the unfortunate
true state of affairs in the political lives of the countries on this
planet...


What a loser! Samaras was supposed to argue about the pros and
cons of the proposals of the Greek government concerning the
difficult financial situation, the measures that are suggested and
the various ways to deal with the rising debt. And instead, this big
loser, loser of all losers, started arguing about infantile and comic
things, like whether what is written about the opposition's proposals
in the foreign press is genuine or guided by governmental interference
and governmental intervention. I guess Samaras refuses to see that,
like many Greek citizens, the European press has also realized that,
right now, the only trustworthy authority that can, perhaps, manage
the Greek debt and the Greek responsibilities skillfully is the present
government and the current Prime Minister and that, if they fail,
any other alternative would probably be accompanied by a Greek
default and a restarting from scratch. Any new policies would
entail substantial risks of similar failure and no guarantees that
they will attain even the level of minimal confidence and stability
that has been achieved under Papandreou's leadership...


It is sad when people that are considered important, but are really
very ordinary and very ignorant, get public with claims of medieval
style and character. It is one thing to encourage fathers to try harder
to stay with their families and to help and provide for the upbringing
of their offspring and it is another thing to deitize yourself and call
upon society to "stigmatize" them. Maybe Cameron, who became
a leader while very poorly equipped and rather uncharismatic, has
not yet realized that he was not called upon to play the role of his
highness, the U.K. Inquisitor of the 21st century, but rather of the
Prime Minister, with very well defined rights and responsibilities...


Clarence Clemons is no more...


PRIME MINISTER, we are embarrassed with the situation that
our country is going through, but we know that you are not the
source of the problem and that you can be part of the solution.
We stand by you and with you to undertake a collective effort,
first to keep our ship afloat and, then, to lead it to calmer waters
and, hopefully, eventually to a safe haven. For now, you have
our confidence as the only qualified captain on board.


Ο Πρωθυπουργός προσπαθεί απεγνωσμένα να συγκρατήσει το
έλλειμμα και να διορθώσει κάποια από τα κακώς κείμενα και
η Μπακογιάννη σφαδάζει, μήπως και συγκεντρώσει καμμιά
αδέσποτη ψήφο κι έρθει κανένα πόντο κοντύτερα στην άδεια
καρέκλα...


Right now, Greek citizens have to understand that it is not the time for
political experiments. They have to understand that an experienced and
knowledgeable leadership is needed and that, besides his experience
and good will, George Papandreou has proven that he is not acting
for either his own or his narrow party interests. His decisiveness and
willingness in taking tough measures and steering the country through
the tough financial situation do not stem from a sense of masochism
and pleasure from the suffering of others, but from the same sense of
responsibility and courage of a captain steering a wreckage through
tough seas waiting to be rescued and trying to find a safe harbor when
none is visible in the horizon. A mutiny at this ultimate hour is perhaps
understandable, but, apart from an expression of exasperation and
public feeling, does not seem to offer a viable alternative to pulling
together, offering one's services and mutual support.
 

Gaddafi's son is right that free and fair elections are the only way out
of the crisis in Libya. Since, however, his father had forgotten everything
about elections for 40 years and, since he has been taking advantage of
this parental forgetfulness himself for several years, it is only fair to
require that, at least the two of them, would not be eligible to run in
upcoming elections. Therefore, they have to relinquish power, agree
to leave the country, allow some alternative authority, perhaps the
U.N., to organize and monitor free and fair elections, and, if they
wish to do so, come back and stand on the same footing as every
other candidate to get elected from the second free elections in Libya
onwards. I think that that might be the best they can negotiate and the
best that anyone else with minimal democratic sensitivities might be
willing to grant them under the political climate that has been developing
in Libya, primarily due to their family and its clinching to power without
any substantial proof of public support.


Today, there is widespread unrest in Greece over the new "intermediate"
term austerity measures that the Greek Government is supposed to pass
through parliament in order for the country to get additional funds to
meet its financial obligations and avoid defaulting on its debts. All these
phrases have been on the press for some time now, but they do not really
reflect the tough, honest reality. Greece may have not formally defaulted
on its debts, but its non-default status is artificially sustained day-in day-
out by new borrowing and, unless there is a turning point in its economic
output, this borrowing to pay debts on a rolling basis is unsustainable.
Moreover, Greece has already defaulted vis-a-vis the financial obligations
to its citizens. The Greek state has been imposing what it calls "social
solidarity" taxation, but this is nothing other than admittance that it
cannot fullfill anymore its contractual obligations in terms of salaries
and pensions and, therefore, has to arbitrarily shave off a percentage to
keep paying what it can until it can no more.

The problem, however, even though it is tougher and more urgent for
Greece, is not a Greek problem alone. Ireland is semi-bankrupt, Portugal
is in rather dire financial straits and Spain will be knocking on the door
soon, unless the European and global financial climate and the merciless
speculatory behavior change soon enough to allow a dramatic come-back.
Europe has been split in the club of the strong, the club of the weak and
the club of the bystanding and waiting to discover their fate. And despite
this split, there does not appear to exist any Lincoln-esque political figure
who would be able to attain a compromise and consensus among the
strong and the weak and to lead the continent out of its immediate and
longer-term financial woes. This is partly a matter of bad luck and partly
a matter of insufficient and inefficient established governing structures
in the disunited and disfunctional "union".

The citizens of the south have a certain measure of admiration for the
organizational abilities of their fellow citizens and the efficiency of the
economies of their northern and central European neighbors. There are
even times when their own shortcomings have given hope that, under the
Union, there would be forthcoming aid, not just financial, but also,
and perhaps more importantly, organizational and logistic, that would
enable the poorly managed economies to drastically change for the
better and try to emulate some of the efficiencies of the north. Of course,
disillusionment settles in and hopes evaporate when the weak realize
through southern-style northern-inspired scandals (see Siemens, sale of
German submarines etc.) that the northerners' real interest is in their
own financial gains and not in any real convergence of economies or
in aiding their southern and weaker neighbors to become more efficient
and more competitive.

Finally, there is this historic sense of injustice and hopelessness that
comes from the last big war. The weak look at Germany and some other
countries. They realize that, despite the fact that they wreaked havoc
across the continent and the world and their actions led to humongous
human sacrifice, they were very generously assisted after the war, both
from the weak in terms of labor and from the strong in terms of financial
resources and, based on their own abilities and skills, were able to lead
once more. The weak economies now, despite the fact that they have not
caused any harm and that they are, perhaps, in not as unfortunate a
condition as the German state was after the war, do not see any similar
help forthcoming or any similar resources available. And this makes
their citizens wonder whether history is forgotten, question the
fairness and the humanity of their fellow citizens and disappointed
at the lack of solidarity shown by states that, not so long ago, were
themselves in need and taking advantage of the generosity, the help and
the support of others, even though they were perpetrators of great pain
and suffering.

European politicians have to realize that Europe has to stand together.
There is simply no other way, no alternative. Geography, combined
with modern transportation, historic, cultural and political heritage,
an open global economic competition that leads to intercontinental
opportunities and challenges, mere size of foreign economies and their
respective outputs, all these factors make it essential, a sine qua non,
for Europe to stand together, the strong side-by-side with the weak.
Logistical support, technology, governmental structures, organizational
skills etc., along with, at least temporarily, financial support have to be
tranferred from where they exist and are successfully employed so that
Europe as a continent and all its citizens progress in unison and
uniformly. All the resources of the continent from all four corners,
human, raw materials, technology, know-how, industrial, agricultural
have to be put to work for the benefit and well-being of all, not just
for the gain of the few, not just to the advantage of the strong and to
the detriment of the weak, not just for the further enrichment of the
rich to the endangerement of the welfare of the majority.