IN MY LAST POST I wrote about letting yesterday’s news languish, in the headlong pursuit of new news (however inane). To avoid that abyss, I shall now reflect on this Year’s news.
Late December 2018 President Trump ordered a full, rapid withdrawal of over 2,000 US troops in Syria, declaring victory over the Islamic State, and taking allies and his own advisers by surprise. (1)
This came about as a result of Turkish president Erdogan telling the world that Turkey was going into northern Syria to sort out their historic nemeses; the Kurds – who were happily setting up home under the umbrella of American and French and British patronage.
Trump had the perspicacity to deduce that Erdogan was serious and to ignore the Turkeys was to put America into physical conflict with a NATO mate.
These last two mentioned nations (above) are what I would describe as pathetic examples of Empires Long Dead, still pretending they are making the rules.
And in any event; as with America, both are in Syria illegally!
Collateral damages for Mr. Trump was the resignation of at least three senior bureaucrats. This suggested to me that the President was in charge and not the mandarins.
Until along came National Security Adviser John Bolton who blatantly undermined his president demonstrating in the process that the American version of “Yes Minister” was a little more brutal that the (un)United Kingdom version and that the mandarins did rule America; when he said:
“The United States will pull out of Syria only with assurances Turkey will not attack Kurdish allies there.” (2)
Suddenly, rust appears on the shining example to the world of how the democratic process works.
Who rules America? The President or Congress of the Supreme Court? Well, they are all part of this ‘separation of powers’ being pillars of democracy (as I recall my university lecturers). But nowhere do I recall, bureaucrats and mandarins being factored into this matrix with power to over-ride a president.
Of course, if this empirical example is not enough to cause fear and loathing amongst the believers, try the 2018 Democracy index which puts America at rating No 21 and categorized as, “Flawed democracy”. (3)
But back to yesterday’s news. President Erdogan reacted with furry to this chap Bolton.
“Turkey’s president has strongly rejected US calls for his country to protect Kurdish fighters in Syria. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said such statements made by US National Security Adviser John Bolton at the weekend were “unacceptable”. (4)
Meanwhile, back in the jungles:
LAND OF THE FREE
In the land of the free; President Trump says he will declare a national emergency (5) over his US- Mexico wall, has precipitated a cauldron of political inertia, shutting down much of this bastion of democracy. (6) Animosity and hatred brews.
LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY
Rebel Conservative MPs have joined forces with Labour to inflict a fresh blow on Theresa May’s government in a Commons Brexit vote. It means the government will have to come up with revised plans within three days if Mrs May’s EU withdrawal deal is rejected by MPs next week. (7)
FIELDS OF YELLOW
France now appears to be well on its way to a new French Revolution (the last being 1789 when Madam Guillotine made her cameo – although the French have been perilous close several times since then – The Day of the jackal – being probably the grubbiest can-can performed until Yellow Vests arrived).
As I am addressing readers of the Daily Blog, and not the addle patted who follow main stream NZ media (and of course the weekly rugby magazine), I feel no need to summarize the penultimate stages of the end of President Macron.
But, in event there are some disbelievers; the latest news from France (which our mainstream media appear to try and hide), is:
“Yellow vest protesters to withdraw all their euros in massive run on French banks. Furious yellow vests are preparing to withdraw all their euros in a massive run on French banks, as the violent protests spill over to Britain.” (8)
As I said once before: We ignore yesterday’s news at our peril.
Ross Meurant:
After 21 years as a cop, Meurant resigned with the commissioned rank of inspector O/C Criminal Intelligence Section & V.I.P. Security; a nationwide profile role as a Red Squad riot group commander and an earlier reputation as a ruthless detective with a tendency to enforce the rule of police.
During 9 years as a Member of Parliament and the Executive as Under Secretary, he was accused of being an arms trader; was fired from the Executive by Jim Bolger for having a perceived conflict of interests (becoming a director of a Russian bank) and started the first political party to be registered under MMP.
After 4 years in the wilderness teaching kids to ride horse and property developing, he returned to Wellington as parliamentary adviser to Rt Hon Winston Peters where allegations of conflicted interests with roles he had with three major fishing companies and a race horse baron and later in false allegations of corruption culminating in the Scampi Enquiry.
From 2005 Ross lived abroad pursuing commercial options in Zimbabwe, the Balkans, Czech Rep, Syria, Russia, Morocco, UAE, Iran & North Korea.
Today in New Zealand he is trustee and managing director of NZ forestry and property assets owned by absentee Russians & Honorary Consul for Morocco.
Ross has a B.A. in politics; a Master’s in economics and law and COPs in law. He speaks Russian, rides horses and water-skis.
He is the author of:
Two biographies: The Red Squad Story & Beat to the Beehive.
Two novels: The Syrian Connection & Sex, Power and politics.
Napoleon came after the French Revolution of 1789. Not long after, but after nevertheless. The influence of revolution on Europe can not be understated.
Thanks
Best line in yellow vest article: “… You’re making money with our dough, and we’re fed up.”
Maybe kiwis need to do a.bank run…?
So spoke an alleged Russian spy. I would not go that far, but Mr Meurant is a political AND business adventurer and opportunist.
If he’s an advocate for Russia so bloody what?
Surely we’re not all so fragile as to be “turned”by somebody expressing a point of view.
fair point, am enjoying Ross’ articles which does not mean I agree with all the points he makes…he has got around the world a bit too, and offers a different perspective which adds to the Daily Blog experience imo
“Trump had the perspicacity to deduce that Erdogan was serious and to ignore the Turkeys was to put America into physical conflict with a NATO mate.”
‘perspicacity’ is a great word and as for ignoring Turkeys? One should not.
We had turkeys on our Southland farm. We started with a few and ended up with many. ” Breed like rabbits” should read ” Breed like turkeys”. All they seemed to do was gobble, strut, shit and shag. Did I just describe trump?
A cull was required inevitably and poor dopy kid-me was assigned to the gruesome task. It was decided, by others as I sat listening and breathing mindlessly through an open mouth, that the best time to nab ‘em would be at night as they roosted.
A friend was required and together we set out into the inky black rural southland night in Dads lovely old 1948 Ford V8 Bonus pick up truck. ( Fuck you @ BM.)
There! There they were! About twenty of them sitting along a farm gate. We eased up, my friend driving since it was decided that I was to do the wringing of the necks. A decision I had no say in.
As my friend sat in the truck behind the safety of the headlights, I crept out and up to a sizeable cock gobbler. ( You’re all thinking about that one aren’t you…? )
I was frankly shocked at how unsettlingly enormous the creature was! It had a huge yellow beak, terrible claws on the ends of stout, fighting legs and it sported the most extraordinary arrangement of multi coloured nodules, bumps, warts and skin tags dangling off its terrible neck while below! What was that??? A large brush-dangle!? A black, straw brush thing hung from it’s chest!? As the headlights dazed and confused the creature as it loomed at me from on top of the metal gate I pondered the best way to grab hold of it.
I thought, very carefully would be the thing, then gently lower it into a sack. Nice…. And…. Easy…
I reached up and out… I extended my arms around the monstrous bird as far as they’d go and gave it a firm hug in preparedness to lower the bird gently from its perch.
It literally exploded in my face. With a flurry of flailing feathers and slashing claws! A huge wing bone swung out and cracked me in the cheek just below my right eye socket as it clawed at my chest as it fired out shit balls. I bravely clung to it for as long as I could but had to let go to watch as the entire family of turkeys flapped off into the night.
My friend was the youngest kid at primary school to get false teeth. He was very proud of the fact that he could woo girls by taking his teeth out, turn them upside down so that his top teeth would become his bottom teeth which made him look like someone out of a Fabulous Furry Freak Bros cartoon after they’d been run over by a bus.
As my ears rang as I walked back to the truck I could hear a terrible noise coming from the cab of the old 48’er! A terrible gurgling, squeaking sound! I could see my mate drooping over the steering wheel howling in an hysteria of laughter and Jesus! Did he look freaky. He laughed so hard his teeth had fallen out onto the dusty floor of the truck somewhere and all I could see was his mad eyed, toothless self red faced in dire straits from laughing so hard at the sight of me getting beaten up by a turkey.
So yeah. Those Turks. Tough bastards. No need to worry about them.
A much better tactic was deployed to dispatch the Turkeys to the next life. A .22 rifle, point blank range. Poor old things but that was then, and now is now. And did you know…? Turkey’s are like the Tardis in Dr Who? They have more guts inside them than the outside size of the bird. They have this huge, purplish, seed grinder organ thing full of gravel… I mean…? Who came up with that idea? WTF were they thinking…? Next time? Give them teeth and a knife and fork for Christ’s sake.
The American tradition of turkey at thanks giving? They’d a certainly got one or two of them beastly native Americans to do the dirty work, I can tell you that for nothing. While inside the Big House with all that mint julep and dainty lace there’d be others outside, round the back, wrangling fearsome creatures and ripping out their guts’.
The narcissistic American must predate the greater world for its resources to sate their deviant and unhealthy psychiatry exemplified in that famous quote from the film ‘Wall Street’. “Greed is good”. It’s something Hilary Barry said Mike Hoskings used to say to himself at work at the state funded head-fuckery machine aka TVOne
And we must remember; once installed in the soft drive, narcissism becomes all but untreatable.
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