Politics | paulhunterjones

Over the last two decades The United States (US) and it Western allies have believed that strong armed dictators who suppress democratic freedoms threaten the free world’s collective interests. If it is believed that a anti-democratic government possesses weapons of mass destruction (WMD) then the West believes that there is an urgency to bring about a change “for the better.” This political strategy and foreign policy goal appears to be grounded in noble and libertarian ideas that call for a universal respect for human rights.

The US and its coalition partners presented to the world a strong case that Saddam Hussein was in possession of WMDs. There was no doubt that he governed by suppressing all democratic rights. He was considered a threat to Western interests. What seemed to have gotten lost in the West’s policy analysis and strategic planning leading up to the second Iraqi war was the fact that Iraq was a counter-balance to Iranian influence in the region. Also the despotic Iraqi regime suppressed the very radical groups that spawned terrorists and terrorism ideology that has been unleashed on the West. Not withstanding American Presidents trumpeting the West’s accomplishments in Iraq, our strategic interest would have been better served if we left Saddam Hussein in power. Iraq today is worst off than before the removal of Hussein. Iranian influence has grown as a result Hussein’s downfall. Iran’s exportation of political and economic power now threatens the stability of the entire Middle Eastern region and beyond.

I do not believe that the US and its Western allies learned the most important lesson from the Iraqi wars; the fight to impose democratic principles on foreign countries and their citizens might be against our long-term strategic interests.

Mali is a landlocked West African country that gained its independence from France in 1960. According to the CIA’s World Fact Book a large section of the country’s northern region is engulfed by the Sahara desert. Mauritania and Algeria sit on Mali’s northern borders with Libya to the east of Algeria. Mali was formed when Senegal withdrew from the Mali Federation. Rule by dictatorship finally came to an end in 1991 when a military coup ushered in a period of “democratic rule.” The West considers Mali to be one of Africa’s successful democratic experiments. I do not believe this to be the case.

In 2011 political instability and Islamic extremism took root in the northern part of the country. The political experts and theorists ended all speculation as to why and how Islamic extremism found its way into northern Mali. It is now believed that Western military action in Libya directly contributed to Mali’s current struggle with radical Islamists. The French military recently began offensive military operations in its former colony to eradicate the Islamist militant threat.

James Blitz in a blog post in the Financial Times, January 14, 2013, draws a connection between the toppling of Qaddafi and the spread of Islamic extremism and instability in Northern Mali. In his piece entitled “Will the West Regret Toppling Qaddafi ” Mr. Blitz raises the distinct possibility that France, Britain and the United States might have acted against their joint and individual strategic interests. Nearly two years after the downfall of the Libyan strongman many commentators question the wisdom of having brought about the collapse, through military intervention, of the Qaddafi regime. The post pays enough respect to the humanitarian reasons why these nations believed it was necessary to do something in Libya. Still, it is argued that NATO’s decision to use its vastly superior air power to force the Qaddafi government to collapse lead to the rise of Islamist extremism throughout the region. Given recent events in Northern and sub-Sahara Africa and the Middle East this conclusion that the fall of Qaddafi has had unintended consequences seems to be true.

“However, there are good reasons for arguing that the rebels’ rise to prominence in Mali was a direct result of NATO’s decision to topple Qaddafi in 2011.” To support this position James Blitz refers to Paul Melly’s post in Chattam House which is part of a piece entitled “The World is Full of Surprises ” The posts deal with events of the past year that were not accurately predicted as possible occurrences. Mr. Melly’s piece is appropriately entitled “ Qaddafi’s Guns Trigger Collapse.” According to Mr. Melly (and many others) the collapse of Qaddafi:

“…triggered the sudden return to Mali of the thousands of Tuareg fighters that Libya had recruited since the 1990s. The disintegration of the dictator’s security forces flooded the Sahara with weaponry easily affordable by Al-Qaeda and its allies who were flush with income from drugs trading and hostage ransoms”

I always believed that the Qaddafi regime mysteriously gave up fighting rather than having been completely defeated. Apparently the mercenaries who long supported Qaddafi government decided to return to their home countries with whatever weaponry they

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On August 5, 2010 a horrible accident occurred at the San Jose mine in Chile. As the miners were about to eat lunch the walls began to collapse around them. They were trapped a mile below the surface with no way out. Mine officials and the miners’ families feared the worst. It was possible that the miners were in the danger zone when the accident occurred. The international community joined the Chileans in praying for the miners’ safe rescue. Mining officials on site quietly expressed their view that the missing miners needed a miracle to have survived the collapse.

Seventeen days later the miners, their families and national and international well wishers had their miracle; the miners had been found alive, though weak and hungry. The miners found probes that rescuers had drilled down to search for survivors. Using the probes the miners sent messages back up to the rescuers. Communication with the miners had been established. Chilean Undersecretary of Mining Pablo Wagner cautioned that it could take four months for a hole big enough could be drilled to remove the miners. Later it was discovered that the mine walls were too unstable to allow large scale rescue operations. The initial euphoria slowly turned to despair as rescuers realized the daunting challenges that they faced to free the miners from their soon to be grave.

In a rare display of international cooperation and assistance a plan was devised to rescues the miners. Once the proper equipment was on sight and the rescue plan had been fully discussed and agreed upon, the miners began rising to the surface in small one-man capsules. After two months of confinement almost a mile below the surface the first of the miners set foot on the surface. The accent vehicle was called the Phoenix and was paint in the colors of the Chilean flag. Specialist from NASA, an international team of drilling experts and millions of dollars made the rescue of the trapped miners a reality. Thousand of miles away people watch on their television sets or the live feed on their computers the rescue of each of the thirty-three miners. When the last miner stepped out of the ascent vehicle a relieved world let out a collective sigh.

Though the Chilean miners escaped their tombs in waiting underground mining is an extremely dangerous business. Although mine safety has improved over the years, tragic accidents still happen with the lost of life. It is believe that globally about 12,000 miners are lost each year. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) mining employs around 1% of the global workforce but it generates 8% of work related fatalities. China and Russian seem to be the exception to the global improvement in mine safety and a reduction in fatalities. The statistics indicate that developed nations normally have better safety records than developing nations. The experts believe that this is because unions are stronger in the developed nations. It is argued that unions insist on mine safety and advocate the well-being of the miners. In less developed nations unions are either weak or marginalized in the political and economic process. In the less developed countries if a miner complains about mine conditions or general miners’ safety he will most likely be out of a job.

South Africa (SA) is the world leader is mining and refining platinum group metals (PGMs). The world’s largest deposit of PGMs is located in Marikana which is located in Western SA. The owner and manager of this platinum mine is Lonmin Plc (Lonmin). The company was organized under British law in 1909 as the London and Rhodesian Mining Company Ltd. Today Lonmin’s principal headquarters is located in the South African city of Johannesburg with corporate offices also located in London, England. The company is seen as one of the world’s largest producers of PGMs. Lonmin engages in the exploration, mining, refining and marketing of PGMs.

The global automobile industry requires platinum to manufacture catalytic converters (CATS). These devices control toxic emissions produced by internal combustion gasoline engines. Almost every government requires auto manufacturers to install CATS on the vehicles they produce to cut down on air pollution. Almost all present day automobiles that run on gasoline are fitted with a three way CATS to reduce toxic emissions. Without the converters the toxic gases would be expelled directly into the air. CATS are also used on generator sets, forklifts, airplanes, locomotives and other machinery that is used everyday. Lastly PGMS are used in making high-end jewelry.

About two weeks ago South African (SA) platinum miners lost their lives. The dangers that these miners faced was not located deep underground but above ground. When the miners lost their lives they were not working the mine because they had called an illegal strike. On the day in question their demonstration for higher pay and safer conditions, unfortunately, turned violent. On August 17, 2012 at South Africa’s Lonmin Marikana mine 34 striking miners died in clashes with police and mine security forces. The violent confrontation left another 78 persons injured. It would be an understatement to say the loss of life was tragic. The YouTube video of the confrontation between the police and the miners is graphic and disturbing. A police officer can be heard shouting orders to his men to stop shooting.

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