₦airaland Forum

manny4life: They will have to answer to Russia and China? Lol, remove the nuclear arms that Russia has, what's so special will Russia do? Even if China is involved, you forget so quickly they're beefing with Japan their neighbor who's a strong ally with the U.S., haha, let's pray it doesn't come to that. The self-centered China will all know WILL NOT be involved. There's a lot at stake for them - both economically and financially. As for Russia, like I maintain, they remain the ONLY threat to the U.S., and don't forget, most of Europe and some part of Middle East are U.S. allies. Bros, it will be best not to think of war because when it happens, it's people within that region that will suffer.

I think your problem is that you really don’t understand the Chinese defense policies, you need to read it and then read an analysis by someone else, mind you the Chinese under their new leader Mr Xi has updated their defense policy so expect a more involved China in world affairs. You people have accepted the aggressiveness of the USA and other imperialist nations as the norm and therefore expect that from a more mature clear headed nations like China and Russia. Explaining the policies of these two nations and their capabilities would take a very long write and I have from experience that it does not go well with nairaland so I expect you to read further on it.
All in all if you threaten Chinese interests they will hit back at you as hard as they can, if Russia is as weak as you have made it look (assumptions you likely made from watching movies and reading cold war Tom Clancy novels) then why don’t the USA attack them since they have almost limitless raw materials and land mass and that is exactly what the US killed millions of people all over the world for.

Koonbey1: the casualty figures of the War you "Scuffle" you mentioned

Palestinian civilian losses:
105 killed (including 30 children), 971 wounded (Palestinian claim)[15]
57 killed (Israeli claim)[16]
103 killed (UN preliminary estimate)[18]
68 killed (ITIC claim)[17]
8 Palestinians executed by the al-Qassam Brigades (alleged collaborators)[19]

Israeli civilian losses:
4 killed, 219 injured[20]

obviously,Palestine cannot as you say "Intimidate" Israel. now,about "These Nations" Changing and now having Nationalistic Leaders,that is a very Simplistic Assertion,please visit the link of Wars involving Israel to get a full Picture. but then,this is all just my Opinion,drawn not from any Religious(I am neither Christian,Jew nor Muslim),nor Political;just my Conclusion from the Available Facts.
Israel,as of Today is not Defeat-able my any Nation in the Middle East

All these you stated are totally irrelevant, I believe somehow that you really have no experience or well read thereof on the class of issues you choose to discuss. You should know quite well that any war, policy and program are divided between a goal and strategy part. The Goal is what counts more while the strategy is simply what it is. What matters in every analysis is whether or not a predefined goal has been achieved; it is war not video game on which you count body scores. Do you have any idea how many Russians died during WW2 at the hands of German artillery, aerial bombardments, soldiers and hunger? Now ask yourself what was the outcome of the war and which side achieved its goal.
To further educate you; the war and how the Russians led it was the strategy and the Goal was to subdue and overrun the Germans. Analysts and Elite politicians does not care about strategies as far as they can afford the cost, what matters most is the probability that the desired goal could be achieved, the Russian as well as the Palestinian event was costly in strategy and both achieved its goals. Look over your history book and you will see many events that share same attributes.
I assume you are quite young though that does not mean you are stupid but I would advise you to engage in further reading and from diverse sources to enlighten yourself.

manny4life: Where was China and Russia in Syria war? Like U.S., China has a greater stake to be involved in this war, a good chunk about 40% of their export is to the U.S., and another 20 something is Europe. If you of all people don't know that China is self centered and believe me, their economy may boom but militarily (IMO), they really aren't any match to USA and or Europe. Russia still stands as the greatest threat to the U.S. in militarily and that's because of their nukes, thanks to their START treaty aimed in reduction of these arms. Again, this is just my own opinion

Again you fail to look at the factors that define the whole event, china and Russia both offered diplomatic support(through UN) to Syria thus you have don’t have a No Fly Zone as in Libya but that is the not the point, Two important points are to be considered in this scenario, one is that the USA does not have boots on the ground and no US planes has dropped bombs over Syria, Russia made his positions very clear on that matter and vowed to stand by it, China expressed similar stands but in a rather Chinese of way.
Second point to note is that Syria is not the actual target; the actual target is Iran and Syria is only a casualty to this power game, analyst believed it will be easier to constrict Iran if all its allies are eliminated or at least contained in a way.
If the USA or Israel ever tries to invade Iran they have to answer to the wraths of Russia and China and a few other nations. You should also note that many Pro US Arab leaders understand that if there is to be a war between Israel (which would include the US of course) and Iran their citizens would overthrow them since they will be seen as a barrier to joining a popular pan Arab War. Think of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and a few others.

koonbey: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_Israel Israel has consistently defeated multiple Arab Countries' attacks,alone at once. of course with Millitary Aid from USA.

You seem to have little understanding of geopolitics and how time has changed since then, you should look at those Arab nations as of then and see the kind of leaders they had, how advanced they were, what was the nature of the aggression and you should compare it to those nations as of today. Iran as an example under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi is definitely a puppet state and so were the most other Arab nations of that time, either subjects to Briatin,France or the United States and the nature of such wars was such that war was popular with the people but not with their leaders thus little significant or support was attributed to the whole endeavor, the media particularly and consciously refuses to expose this unique character of the events all in bid to further promote Israel’s invincibility.
These nations has changed and most of them do have nationalistic leaders either official as you have Syria ,Iran and Iraq or unofficial as you have Hamas and Hezbollah , the reptilian Muslim Brotherhood will always coordinate its own covert assistance as usual.
A recent test case was the Palestinian –Israeli scuffle last November which proves that with proper coordination and support that even little Palestine can intimidate Israel.

confusion247: Nothing like world war because Iran will become history within few hours after the war started. Iran brought down a USA drone in their air space is not a big deal. Let Iran continue with their empty threat. Iraq did the same.

If Iran were to be ever invaded trust me that China and Russia will be part of that war, the whole east and Middle East will burn. These nations have always been against “pre-emptive Strikes” The United States and Israel will always refuse dialogue and would like to escalate the situation since their main goal is war. What many analysts are speculating is that there will be Civil Disorder within the USA or ultimately a civil war if the USA neglecting its priorities decides to go into war in Iran.
Using Syria as an example, many global leaders have come up with many plans to avoid the ongoing war which the Government of Assad accepted but the Jihadist Rebels backed by USA ultimately rejects. Most popular among them was Kofi Annan’s Six Point Plan on Syria, which more that 95% of the all the UN member nations accepted but was rejected by the USA/Jihadist in favor of further aggression.
I really do not know why many people on here find any fault with Iran as they are clearly doing what a right thinking nation with the interest of its people at heart should do.

Iran will truly raze Israel if Israel ever attacks their nuclear facilities. What I think Israel is trying to do is to drag the USA into this war, the AIPAC lobbyist in Washington and Wall Street has been going on with this pressure for a long time. Since I don't expect the ruling elites of the United States to put the welfare of its populace at a higher priority I think they will eventually get into the war if Israel starts it.
You should also know that by manpower, landmass and intelligence Iran holds an upper hand, the MOSSAD has only enjoyed positive media so it seems there is something they can do on their own while in reality they can't really accomplish anything without the USA. If how the Syria war has spilled over to neighboring Lebanon and other Arab states can be used as a guideline, we should expect Israel which is surrounded by Arab nations to be crushed to pieces. On numerous occasions the rebels who were fighting in Syria has been caught only to be found out that they were trained and told they were fighting Israel, so they happily go to war thinking they were fighting Israel.

[size=16pt]Social Transformation in a ‘Globalized Economy’[/size]

Many commentators, left, right and center, have argued that the advent of a ‘globalized economy’ ruled out a radical social transformation. Yet Venezuela , which is profoundly globalized and integrated into the world market via trade and investments, has made major advances in social reform. What really matters in relation to a globalized economy is the nature of the political economic regime and its policies, which dictate how the gains and costs of international trade and investment are distributed. In a word, what is decisive is the ‘class character of the regime’ managing its place in the world economy. Chavez certainly did not ‘de-link’ from the world economy; rather he has re-linked Venezuela in a new way. He shifted Venezuelan trade and investment toward Latin America, Asia and the Middle East – especially to countries which do not intervene or impose reactionary conditions on economic transactions.

[size=16pt]Anti-Imperialism in a Time of an Imperialist Offensive[/size]

In a time of a virulent US—EU imperialist offensive involving ‘pre-emptive’ military invasions, mercenary interventions, torture, assassinations and drone warfare in Iraq, Mali, Syria, Yemen, Libya, and Afghanistan and brutal economic sanctions and sabotage against Iran; Israeli colonial expulsions of thousands of Palestinians financed by the US; US-backed military coups in Honduras and Paraguay and aborted revolutions via puppets in Egypt and Tunisia, President Chavez, alone, stood as the principled defender of anti-imperialist politics. Chavez deep commitment to anti-imperialism stands in marked contrast to the capitulation of Western self-styled ‘Marxist’ intellectuals who mouthed crude justifications for their support of NATO bombing Yugoslavia and Libya, the French invasion of Mali and the Saudi-French (‘Monarcho-Socialist’) funding and arming of Islamist mercenaries against Syria. These same London, New York and Paris-based ‘intellectuals’ who patronized Chavez as a mere ‘populist’ or ‘nationalist’ and claimed he should have listened to their lectures and read their books, had crassly capitulated under the pressure of the capitalist state and mass media into supporting ‘humanitarian interventions’ (aka NATO bombing)… and justified their opportunism in the language of obscure leftists sects. Chavez confronted NATO pressures and threats, as well as the destabilizing subversion of his domestic opponents and courageously articulated the most profound and significant principles of 20th and 21st Marxism: the inviolate right to self-determination of oppressed nations and unconditional opposition to imperial wars. While Chavez spoke and acted in defense of anti-imperialist principles, many in the European and US left acquiesced in imperial wars: There were virtually no mass protests, the ‘anti-war’ movements were co-opted or moribund, the British ‘Socialist’ Workers Party defended the massive NATO bombing of Libya, the French ‘Socialists’ invaded Mali- with the support of the ‘Anti-Capitalist’ Party. Meanwhile, the ‘populist’ Chavez had articulated a far more profound and principled understanding of Marxist practice, certainly than his self-appointed overseas Marxist ‘tutors’.

No other political leader or for that matter, leftist academic, developed, deepened and extended the central tenets of anti-imperialist politics in the era of global imperialist warfare with greater acuity than Hugo Chavez.

[size=16pt]Transition from a Failed Neo-Liberal to a Dynamic Welfare State[/size]

Chavez’ programmatic and comprehensive reconfiguration of Venezuela from a disastrous and failed neo-liberal regime to a dynamic welfare state stands as a landmark in 20th and 21st century political economy. Chavez’ successful reversal of neo-liberal institutions and policies, as well as his re-nationalization of the ‘commanding heights of the economy’ demolished the reigning neo-liberal dogma derived from the Thatcher-Reagan era enshrined in the slogan: ‘There is no alternative’ to brutal neo-liberal policies, or TINA.

Chavez rejected privatization – he re-nationalized key oil related industries, socialized hundreds of capitalist firms and carried out a vast agrarian reform program, including land distribution to 300,000 families. He encouraged trade union organizations and worker control of factories – even bucking public managers and even his own cabinet ministers. In Latin America , Chavez led the way in defining with greater depth and with more comprehensive social changes, the post neo-liberal era. Chavez envisioned the transition from neo-liberalism to a new socialized welfare state as an international process and provided financing and political support for new regional organizations like ALBA, PetroCaribe, and UNASUR. He rejected the idea of building a welfare state in one country and formulated a theory of post-neo-liberal transitions based on international solidarity. Chavez’ original ideas and policies regarding the post-neo-liberal transition escaped the armchair Marxists and the globetrotting Social Forum NGO pundits whose inconsequential ‘global alternatives’ succeeded primarily in securing imperial foundation funding.

Chavez demonstrated through theory and practice that neo-liberalism was indeed reversible – a major political breakthrough of the 21st century.

[size=16pt]Beyond Social Liberalism: The Radical Definition of Post-Neo-Liberalism[/size]

The US-EU promoted neo-liberal regimes have collapsed under the weight of the deepest economic crisis since the Great Depression. Massive unemployment led to popular uprisings, new elections and the advent of center-left regimes in most of Latin America , which rejected or at least claimed to repudiate ‘neo-liberalism’. Most of these regimes promulgated legislation and executive directives to fund poverty programs, implement financial controls and make productive investments, while raising minimum wages and stimulating employment. However few lucrative enterprises were actually re-nationalized. Addressing inequalities and the concentration of wealth were not part of their agenda. They formulated their strategy of working with Wall Street investors, local agro-mineral exporters and co-opted trade unions.

Chavez posed a profoundly different alternative to this form of ‘post-neoliberalism’. He nationalized resource industries, excluded Wall Street speculators and limited the role of the agro-mineral elites. He posed a socialized welfare state as an alternative to the reigning social-liberal orthodoxy of the center-left regimes, even as he worked with these regimes in promoting Latin American integration and opposing US backed coups.

Chavez was both a leader defining a more socialized alternative to social liberation and the conscience pressuring his allies to advance further.
[size=16pt]Socialism and Democracy[/size]

Chavez opened a new and extraordinarily original and complex path to socialism based on free elections, re-educating the military to uphold democratic and constitutional principals, and the development of mass and community media. He ended the capitalist mass media monopolies and strengthened civil society as a counter-weight to US-sponsored para-military and fifth column elites intent on destabilizing the democratic state.

No other democratic-socialist president had successfully resisted imperial destabilization campaigns – neither Jagan in Guyana , Manley in Jamaica , nor Allende in Chile . From the very outset Chavez saw the importance of creating a solid legal-political framework to facilitate executive leadership, promote popular civil society organizations and end US penetration of the state apparatus (military and police). Chavez implemented radical social impact programs that ensured the loyalty and active allegiance of popular majorities and weakened the economic levers of political power long held by the capitalist class. As a result Venezuela ’s political leaders, soldiers and officers loyal to its constitution and the popular masses crushed a bloody rightwing coup, a crippling bosses’ lockout and a US-financed referendum and proceeded to implement further radical socio-economic reforms in a prolonged process of cumulative socialization.

Chavez’s originality, in part the result of trial and error, was his ‘experimental method’: His profound understanding and response to popular attitudes and behavior was deeply rooted in Venezuela ’s history of racial and class in justice and popular rebelliousness. More than any previous socialist leader, Chavez traveled, spoke and listened to Venezuela ’s popular classes on questions of everyday life. His ‘method’ was to translate micro based knowledge into macro programed changes. In practice he was the anti-thesis of the overseas and local intellectual know-it-alls who literally spoke down to the people and who saw themselves as the ‘masters of the world’ …at least, in the micro-world of left academia, ingrown socialist conferences and self-centered monologues. The death of Hugo Chavez was profoundly mourned by millions in Venezuela and hundreds of million around the world because his transition to socialism was their path; he listened to their demands and he acted upon them effectively.

[size=16pt]Social Democracy and National Security[/size]

Chavez was a socialist president for over 13 years in the face of large-scale, long-term violent opposition and financial sabotage from Washington , the local economic elite and mass media moguls. Chavez created the political consciousness that motivated millions of workers and secured the constitutional loyalty of the military to defeat a bloody US-backed business-military coup in 2002. Chavez tempered social changes in accordance with a realistic assessment of what the political and legal order could support. First and foremost, Chavez secured the loyalty of the military by ending US ‘advisory’ missions and overseas imperial indoctrination while substituting intensive courses on Venezuelan history, civic responsibility and the critical link between the popular classes and the military in a common national mission..

Chavez’ national security policies were based on democratic principles as well as a clear recognition of the serious threats to Venezuelan sovereignty. He successfully safeguarded both national security and the democratic rights and political freedoms of its citizens, a feat which has earned Venezuela the admiration and envy of constitutional lawyers and citizens of the US and the EU.

In stark contrast, US President Obama has assumed the power to assassinate US citizens based on secret information and without trial both in and out of the US . His Administration has murdered ‘targeted’ US citizens and their children, jailed others without trial and maintains secret ‘files’ on over 40 million Americans. Chavez never assumed those powers and never assassinated or tortured a single Venezuelan. In Venezuela , the dozen or so prisoners convicted of violent acts of subversion after open trials in Venezuelan courts, stand in sharp contrast to the tens of thousands of jailed and secretly framed Muslims and Latin American immigrants in the US . Chavez rejected state terror; while Obama has special assassination teams on the ground in over 70 countries. Obama supports arbitrary police invasions of ‘suspect’ homes and workplaces based on ‘secret evidence’ while. Chavez even tolerated the activities of known foreign (CIA)-funded opposition parties. In a word, Obama uses ‘national security’ to destroy democratic freedoms while Chavez upheld democratic freedoms and imposed constitutional limits on the national security apparatus.

Chavez sought peaceful diplomatic resolution of conflicts with hostile neighbors, such as Colombia which hosts seven US military bases – potential springboards for US intervention. On the other hand, Obama has engaged in open war with at least seven countries and has been pursuing covert hostile action against dozens of others.

[size=16pt]Conclusion[/size]

Chavez’s legacy is multi-faceted. His contributions are original, theoretical and practical and universally relevant. He demonstrated in ‘theory and practice’ how a small country can defend itself against imperialism, maintain democratic principles and implement advanced social programs. His pursuit of regional integration and promotion of ethical standards in the governance of a nation – provide examples profoundly relevant in a capitalist world awash in corrupt politicians slashing living standards while enriching the plutocrats.

Chavez’ rejection of the Bush-Obama doctrine of using ‘state terror to fight terror’, his affirmation that the roots of violence are social in justice , economic pillage and political oppression and his belief that resolving these underlying issues is the road to peace, stands as the ethical-political guide for humanity’s survival.

Faced with a violent world of imperial counter-revolution, and resolved to stand with the oppressed of the world, Hugo Chavez enters world history as a complete political leader, with the stature of the most humane and multi-faceted leader of our epoch: the Renaissance figure for the 21st century.
Global Research.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/president-hugo-chavez-a-21st-century-renaissance-man/5326842

[size=16pt]Introduction[/size]

President Hugo Chavez was unique in multiple areas of political, social and economic life. He made significant contributions to the advancement of humanity. The depth, scope and popularity of his accomplishments mark President Chavez as the ‘Renaissance President of the 21st Century’.

Many writers have noted one or another of his historic contributions highlighting his anti-poverty legislation, his success in winning popular elections with resounding majorities and his promotion of universal free public education and health coverage for all Venezuelans.

In this essay we will highlight the unique world-historic contributions that President Chavez made in the spheres of political economy, ethics and international law and in redefining relations between political leaders and citizens. We shall start with his enduring contribution to the development of civic culture in Venezuela and beyond.

[size=16pt]Hugo Chavez: The Great Teacher of Civic Values[/size]

From his first days in office, Chavez was engaged in transforming the constitutional order so that political leaders and institutions would be more responsive to the popular electorate. Through his speeches Chavez clearly and carefully informed the electorate of the measures and legislation to improve their livelihood. He invited comments and criticism – his style was to engage in constant dialogue, especially with the poor, the unemployed and the workers. Chavez was so successful in teaching civic responsibilities to the Venezuelan electorate that millions of citizens from the slums of Caracas rose up spontaneously to oust the US backed business-military junta which had kidnapped their president and closed the legislature. Within seventy-two hours – record time – the civic-minded citizens restored the democratic order and the rule of law in Venezuela , thoroughly rejecting the mass media’s defense of the coup-plotters and their brief authoritarian regime.

Chavez, as all great educators, learned from this democratic intervention of the mass of citizens, that democracy’s most effective defenders were to be found among the working people – and that its worst enemies were found in the business elites and military officials linked to Miami and Washington.

Chavez civic pedagogy emphasized the importance of the historical teachings and examples of founding fathers, like Simon Bolivar, in establishing a national and Latin American identity. His speeches raised the cultural level of millions of Venezuelans who had been raised in the alienating and servile culture of imperial Washington and the consumerist obsessions of Miami shopping malls.

Chavez succeeded in instilling a culture of solidarity and mutual support among the exploited, emphasizing ‘horizontal’ ties over vertical clientelistic dependency on the rich and powerful. His success in creating collective consciousness decisively shifted the balance of political power away from the wealthy rulers and corrupt political party and trade union leaders toward new socialist movements and class oriented trade unions. More than anything else Chavez’ political education of the popular majority regarding their social rights to free health care and higher education, living wages and full employment drew the hysterical ire of the wealthy Venezuelans and their undying hatred of a president who had created a sense of autonomy, dignity and ‘class empowerment’ through public education ending centuries of elite privilege and omnipotence.

Above all Chavez speeches, drawing as much from Bolivar as from Karl Marx, created a deep, generous sense of patriotism and nationalism and a profound rejection of a prostrate elite groveling before their Washington overlord, Wall Street bankers and oil company executives. Chavez’ anti-imperial speeches resonated because he spoke in the language of the people and expanded their national consciousness to identification with Latin America, especially Cuba ’s fight against imperial interventions and wars.

[size=16pt]International Relations: The Chavez Doctrine[/size]

At the beginning of the previous decade, after 9/11/01, Washington declared a ‘War on Terror’. This was a public declaration of unilateral military intervention and wars against sovereign nations, movements and individuals deemed as adversaries, in violation of international law.

Almost all countries submitted to this flagrant violation of the Geneva Accords, except President Chavez, who made the most profound and simple refutation against Washington: ‘You don’t fight terrorism with state terrorism’. In his defense of the sovereignty of nations and international jurisprudence, Chavez underlined the importance of political and economic solutions to social problems and conflicts – repudiating the use of bombs, torture and mayhem. The Chavez Doctrine emphasized south-south trade and investments and diplomatic over military resolution of disputes. He upheld the Geneva Accords against colonial and imperial aggression while rejecting the imperial doctrine of ‘the war on terror’, defining western state terrorism as a pernicious equivalent to Al Qaeda terrorism.

[size=16pt]Political Theory and Practice: The Grand Synthesizer[/size]

One of the most profound and influential aspects of Chavez’ legacy is his original synthesis of three grand strands of political thought: popular Christianity, Bolivarian nationalist and regional integration and Marxist political, social and economic thought. Chavez’ Christianity informed his deep belief in justice and the equality of people, as well as his generosity and forgiveness of adversaries even as they engaged in a violent coup, a crippling lockout, or openly collaborated and received financing from enemy intelligence agencies. Whereas anywhere else in the world, armed assaults against the state and coup d’états would result in long prison sentences or even executions, under Chavez most of his violent adversaries escaped prosecution and even rejoined their subversive organizations. Chavez demonstrated a deep belief in redemption and forgiveness. Chavez’s Christianity informed his ‘option for the poor’, the depth and breadth of his commitment to eradicating poverty and his solidarity with the poor against the rich.

Chavez deep-seated aversion and effective opposition to US and European imperialism and brutal Israeli colonialism were profoundly rooted in his reading of the writings and history of Simon Bolivar, the founding father of the Venezuelan nation. Bolivarian ideas on national liberation long preceded any exposure to Marx, Lenin or more contemporary leftist writings on imperialism. His powerful and unwavering support for regional integration and internationalism was deeply influenced by Simon Bolivar’s proposed ‘United States of Latin America’ and his internationalist activity in support of anti-colonial movements.

Chavez’ incorporation of Marxist ideas into his world view was adapted to his longstanding popular Christian and Bolivarian internationalist philosophy. Chavez’ option for the poor was deepened by his recognition of the centrality of the class struggle and the reconstruction of the Bolivarian nation through the socialization of the ‘commanding heights of the economy’. The socialist conception of self-managed factories and popular empowerment via community councils was given moral legitimacy by Chavez’ Christian faith in an egalitarian moral order.

While Chavez was respectful and carefully listened to the views of visiting leftist academics and frequently praised their writings, many failed to recognize or, worse, deliberately ignored the President’s own more original synthesis of history, religion and Marxism. Unfortunately, as is frequently the case, some leftist academics have, in their self-indulgent posturing, presumed to be Chavez’ ‘teacher’ and advisor on all matters of ‘Marxist theory’: This represents a style of leftist cultural colonialism, which snidely criticized Chavez for not following their ready-made prescriptions, published in their political literary journals in London, New York and Paris.

Fortunately, Chavez took what was useful from the overseas academics and NGO-funded political strategists while discarding ideas that failed to take account of the cultural-historical, class and rentier specificities of Venezuela .

Chavez has bequeathed to the intellectuals and activists of the world a method of thinking which is global and specific, historical and theoretical, material and ethical and which encompasses class analysis, democracy and a spiritual transcendence resonating with the great mass of humanity in a language every person can understand. Chavez’ philosophy and practice (more than any ‘discourse’ narrated by the social forum-hopping experts) demonstrated that the art of formulating complex ideas in simple language can move millions of people to ‘make history, and not only to study it’..

[size=16pt]Toward Practical Alternatives to Neoliberalism and Imperialism[/size]

Perhaps Chavez greatest contribution in the contemporary period was to demonstrate, through practical measures and political initiatives, that many of the most challenging contemporary political and economic problems can be successfully resolved.
[size=16pt]Radical Reform of a Rentier State[/size]

Nothing is more difficult than changing the social structure, institutions and attitudes of a rentier petro-state, with deeply entrenched clientelistic politics, endemic party-state corruption and a deeply-rooted mass psychology based on consumerism. Yet Chavez largely succeeded where other petro-regimes failed. The Chavez Administration first began with constitutional and institutional changes to create a new political framework; then he implemented social impact programs, which deepened political commitments among an active majority, which, in turn, bravely defended the regime from a violent US backed business-military coup d’état. Mass mobilization and popular support, in turn, radicalized the Chavez government and made way for a deeper socialization of the economy and the implementation of radical agrarian reform. The petrol industry was socialized; royalty and tax payments were raised to provide funds for massively expanded social expenditures benefiting the majority of Venezuelans.

Almost every day Chavez prepared clearly understandable educational speeches on social, ethical and political topics related to his regime’s redistributive policies by emphasizing social solidarity over individualistic acquisitive consumerism. Mass organizations and community and trade union movements flourished – a new social consciousness emerged ready and willing to advance social change and confront the wealthy and powerful. Chavez’ defeat of the US-backed coup and bosses’ lockout and his affirmation of the Bolivarian tradition and sovereign identity of Venezuela created a powerful nationalist consciousness which eroded the rentier mentality and strengthened the pursuit of a diversified ‘balanced economy’. This new political will and national productive consciousness was a great leap forward, even as the main features of a rentier-oil dependent economy persist. This extremely difficult transition has begun and is an ongoing process. Overseas leftist theorists, who criticize Venezuela (‘corruption’, ‘bureaucracy’) have profoundly ignored the enormous difficulties of transitioning from a rentier state to a socialized economy and the enormous progress achieved by Chavez.

[size=16pt]Economic Crisis Without Capitalist Austerity[/size]

Throughout the crisis-wracked capitalist world, ruling labor, social democratic, liberal and conservative regimes have imposed regressive ‘austerity programs’ involving brutal reductions of social welfare, health and education expenditures and mass layoffs of workers and employees while handing our generous state subsidies and bailouts to failing banks and capitalist enterprises. Chanting their Thacherite slogan, ‘there is no alternative’, capitalist economists justify imposing the burden of ‘capitalist recovery’ onto the working class while allowing capital to recover its profits in order to invest.

Chavez’ policy was the direct opposite: In the midst of crisis, he retained all the social programs, rejected mass firings and increased social spending. The Venezuelan economy rode out of the worldwide crisis and recovered with a healthy 5.8% growth rate in 2012. In other words, Chavez demonstrated that mass impoverishment was a product of the specific capitalist ‘formula’ for recovery. He showed another, positive alternative approach to economic crisis, which taxed the rich, promoted public investments and maintained social expenditures.

You people should understand what is going on, it is called PsyOps, it is a very important step to any military invasion or policy which the government believes would generate negative public opinion.
What the USA is doing and continues doing is BRINGING NIGERIA TO THE LIMELIGHT, at the same time creating the image of a country that is in distress,mismanaged and in SERIOUS OF NEED OF GUIDANCE. When boko haram Escalates and different tribes and factions starts retaliating, when no sense of Security can no longer be perceived, when drones starts flying over our heads dropping boobs in places like Enugu,Lagos,Aba and Onitsha with the only reason that " intelligence" said that Taliban are having a meeting there, when the eastern and western inhabitants would be confused as to how they got involved in all these. At that time the Americans already with the darkened image of Nigeria in their mind would support their government and would see you exactly as they now see the Arabs(unsophisticated and barbaric) and all they would see is black, no Christians,no Muslims,no Yoruba,Igbo or Hausa but just some dark bastards that needs to be taught a lesson. Thats when all the PsyOps ground work pays off.

ninja4life: The post has already answered d questions imagine foreign countries controlling 80% of nigerias oil bloc its really saddening

If that is all there is to it then we would not worry much but Nigeria is Banana Republic with a very large population and a large army as well. An army this large at the beck and call of an imperialist nation and multinationals is a serious threat to the liberation of other much smaller african states. Think of what Ethiopia did/is to Somalia and look back at how under Abacha the ecomog secured Sierra Leon only for Obasanjo to hand it over to the United States and with Nigerian Troops as an intimidating tool the Imperialist installed a puppet president in the already liberated country which means starting the war cycle all over again because in the near future the people will be fed up as usual with the exploitation and a brave military colonel or general will attempt a coup , he might succeed or fail but even if he does there stands again the great nigerian curse ready to crush whatever good plans and dreams he has for his nation.
Just as tanzania is to Uganda during the Idi Amin Dada era so is Nigeria to all Africa.
All that was needed to save Libya is for nigeria to say No to any foreign intervention, all that was needed to save Ivory Coast is for Nigeria to send a warning cable to the French embassy.
Nigerian troops are in more than 5 countries in Africa committing crimes for the Imperialist under the UN banner.
As my south Sudanese friend Francis rightly said " Nigeria is a curse to Africa".

I really miss the days of the Great leader Gen Sani Abacha. who asks the USA for Aid then ? who needs their input ? who even travels there for their blessings,validations and advice ? Maybe Obasanjo and Jonathan but i know Gen Abacha has no time for all that nonsense. he lead a nation that is to be respected, feared and dealt with with caution. he stands head to head with world leaders and made policies of Nigeria first, created stable west Africa through ECOMOG thereby keeping direct US/European Military interventions far away.... well, what do we have now ?

Jamisco: the BOLDLY story now is where is Iraq?

tell me please

data for our extrapolation is culled from the cost of invading iraq and factual comparison of what the cost of invading Iran might be. The former is what we are trying to ascertain and i really don't know where to place you in the whole .

Pain: Nigeria is also vibrating and may collapse soon.

well said.

Jamisco: IT TOOK THREE DAYS FOR US TO INVADE IRAQ, THE REMAINING TIME SPENT WAS WITH THE ISLAMIST SUICIDE BOMBERS AND SEARCHING FOR THE CRIMINAL SADAM HUSSEINI

How can you BOLDLY lie on a topic you know nothing about ? How many days did the battle of Falujah last ? If they can't conquer falujah in three days how can the take down the whole Iraq in 3 days ?

carltz101: so in islam, d definition of developmentment, is how much weapons to shed blood u can amass and hav in ur power....smh

If you really had any idea of what we were discussing you would know why it was called the Islamic Revolution but alas you don't so we rather not waste our time

hotwax: Yes North Korea is the aggressor. What concerns North Korea with the military drill going on inside South Korea fence?
Why cant we stop this bias shi*t and speak the truth for once.

It wont end well for North Korea. They have old 1956 war planes.
If they buy Chinesse J20, it cant compete with south F22 and 16. J20 can be brought down by the same Chinese made Surface to air missile.

South Korea has a lots of edge over North. I am sure she wont be stupid to use nuclear on south and if she does, UK and US will just go raining it on their bed.

Somebody tell North Korea, war no be moinmoin

you really don't know the meaning of aggression if you ask what concerns North Korea with military drills just at his doorstep. Do you know that the Koreans did not sign any form of truce or peace treaty so they are still technically at war ? Do you know that a suprise attack could be launched at North Korea and what began as an ordinary military drill will quickly transform into a full scale invasion ? Do you know that if the south decides to invade the north that it did not break any internation war code since they are technically at war ? Do you even understand the element of suprise and the advantage it gives the aggressor ?
Don't throw in your CNN,BBC and Fox News babble into our discussion please and go and read the meaning of "Provocation" in Diplomatic context.
If everybody thinks stupidly like that then why would the USA still have military bases in Japan and Germany soo many years after the WW2 is over ? Or did you not know that two elected Japanese prime minister has resigned due to their inabillity to close the military base as promised ?

Saintp: Sorry for the breakage. Most times i want to beleive that China is not doing well for its Allies compare to how American allies are progressing. China shld try and open up her allies to compete with American allies economically etc.

Being an ally of china or russia actually will only give you time, the interpretation of friendship between these two countries are somehow odd.
NK is a special case because china would have much to loose if NK ever falls. You should know this that nomatter how mean the sanctions bite on Korea china would not help but once it is war time china would NEVER abandon North Korea.

Feed me more: The only way this is going to end for North Korea is badly if things keep going the way they are. This saber rattling has been going on for 60 years. So, the question becomes, "Who is going to give North Korea what they want?" Given what they want, how is that even possible? Why would the world waste anymore resources on these people? It never resolves anything.

To achieve a united Korea, the North Korean government would have to be eliminated, and China would have to acquiesce to South Korea's democracy and success in the world. The only way that will happen is by force. The concept of South Korea giving in is remote at best. They are a thriving country with a solid future. North Korea offers nothing to the world except periodic trouble. China has done little, if anything, to advance North Korea. If nothing else, this is yet another example of the total uselessness of the United Nations.

At some point, the spoiled brat in North Korea will start a war. That will be the end of North Korea, in spite of its superior military numbers. Everyone in the world knows that you take out North Korea's government, and all you have left are refugees that need to be housed and fed. The military establishment will crumble. It is the typical school yard bully situation. You know it will happen. The only question is when. But, for now, North Korea has scared the hell out of the world, and continues to get away with it...for now. Is the rest of the world ready for a nuclear strike on South Korea, Japan, Guam, or any other target within range of North Korea's nuclear arsenal? Given the situation with nuclear weapons and such in North Korea, this is probably the time for a preemptive strike by South Korea and its allies that is swift with the intent of total simultaneous destruction of all its military and nuclear facilities. It is the only conceivable way to end this nonsense, once and for all. Can it happen? Sure it can. Will it?

from what you just said North Korea is the Aggressor right ?

mikelreal: the North koreans just ve too much wahala, the world will be a better place without them, dunno why it z always the north in every continent that ve issues, smh

You think the North Koreans just started nobilising troops, artillery, holding air raid shelter drills just to make noise ? You think they have not gotten sound intelligence that warns them to be on alert ? What do you even know about war and advantage of suprise ?

Real-Mccoy:
And for those clueless over night foreign policy experts, do you know that China have not produced her own engine jet or fighter planes while USA started manufacturing jet engines 1920? How come people are not hustling to migrate to China or Russia if those countries are that great? Show Boko Haram leader a US visa he will renounce Islam in a second.....lol

With more than 8 million homeless people and more than 26% out of Job who will want to go there ? A country where more than 75% of its citizens are on some kind of debt or another and no hope of repayment what do you really have to show off.
It is a pity most nigerians don't know about the real USA but choose to rely on Hollywood for an image of what it looks like.

true2god: The Russians understand better than u, thats y dey backed off during the cuba missile crisis at the height of the cold war. While 40% the united states airforce where on orbit points to strike the entire soviet union, Kruschev (den russian leader) was planning a political solution to withdraw their missile frm cuba before its too late.

The point is dat no matter wat happen to North korea, they r on their own. The Russians and the chinese wil never intervene or strike any US target should there be hostility bw the US and North Korea. Both Russian/china and the US understand the implication of direct military confrontation.

You really don't know how the Cuban Missile Crisis were solved. You just swallowed the official crap.

Hezron Lorraine: warn BH and JAMBS to never near an iranian or dprk citizen let alone kill them,anything that makes those 2 add us to their enemy list,you'll just see that they would use us as their next nuclear testing ground.presently NATO is ready to build a base in Nigeria to counter terrorist activities now that citizens of the allied organization are being taken hostage and killed like puppets.if our tribalised sentimental northern brainwashing machines want to have amesty amidst unstopped violence or killing of foreign hostages,then they should be ready to sing Alicia keys 'Girl on Fire' while attending 'Bovi,Man on Fire',cause fire they would get from whatever NK,IRAN or NATO.its just the beginning,with the current stride that Nigeria is making in terms of security,mali crisis,they say they are protecting the interest of our security,but countries like Iran already see that as partisan and alignment with Western powers.We bid for UN Security Council Permanent seat,UK and France has endorsed our capability and impact on stabilizing peace but we don't have their full support to pledge a vote.this also,is an alignment to countries like NK and Iran.presently,i believe these two nuclear threat nations won't stop at anything to smoke us and prove to their super enemies what they can do,our job as a nation,keep our head low,we can't afford to have ourselves in enemylist of either,whatever provocative actions that any nigerian engages against these nations would spark the beginning of another tension.SK and US has been doing this drills for a long time,NK is only an opportunist looking for advantages to its nuclear cause.SK made history with d first female head of state.but she needs to gear up her defence quickly,a Defence minister,NSA,Intelligence chief needs to be appointed ASAP cause every slowness in SK system would only boost the pride and flambouyancy of Nk.but why has China become mute on the whole drama between US,NK and SK,they are already an ally to NK,i think they have something up their sleeves to see tension worsen and step in or maybe they are rethinking their stance on the issue with time.i don't know much about nuclear or atomic chemicals except for uranium which i think Nigeria has,is the deposit too small to start our own Nuclear programmes for peaceful and emergency reliance as retailiatory actions against attack or intrusion.

you are either the most unpatriotic Nigerian or a seriously brainwashed and deranged buffon.

Real-Mccoy:
I dont discuss international politics with people that dont travel. Iran could not defeat Iraq yet you are talking about their fake military myth? USA took over Iraq in three days, do the maths?

you are the one that knows nothing of international politics. That was more than 20 years ago and they has just had the Islamic revolution. Since after the revolution and liberation of Iran from the shackles of Western Imperialism Iran has been steadily developing in all aspects especially the military part. Have you been following their weapon tests ? Weapons Capabilities ? Even their weapon sales would change your opinion on the level of their military development. Palestine served Isreal now think of what iran might do.

I always keep wondering if i am the only person that can see that we were all played by the British and French goverments , and that all these punches we throw at each other is just useless.

The days of the Igbos are long gone.

Nigeria is a banana republic. A very dangerous one at that.

donroxy: @throth,

al these things happening to Africa today is well planed by the Oyinbos more than centuries ago....and we today generations are still hooked.......mehn, those dudes really played Good Chess!!


It's been Neo-Colonialsim now.......backdoor style.......and it's working damned good for 'em!!


Whomsoever has knowledge(know-how) in a particular environment DOMINATE......so,they do.....and they have made themselves to be available @ each stage of African progress.......so,they know what even my Govt might not know.........!!!!


They have avoided African revolution against them @ all cost.......they know when and how to step-in and step-out !!!!


Really, Africa really need to look within if we re gonna EVOLVE!!!

I totally Agree with you on this one, i heard a guy say that Nigeria's known oil reserve will be gone in less that a decade, i heard another one say that Nigeria exports more than 2.5 million barrels per day and it is not accounted for. Now look, really i don't know how true all these are but it sure gives me the creeps just thinking about it.

donroxy: @Thoth,

I clearly understand the ''Concept of Money'' cuz it's my FIELD!!!


U re missing my point !!!!


Here......lemme bring u an analogy since,it seems u re conversant with financial Field....!!!


U owned/create something(resource)...... Another man come on board bought/take ur resouces away to create an advance resources/Further production........''value'' has been added to ur initial resources which u lack the technological know-how for advancement.......he paid U(for ur resources) and when u re buying his Item, u pay him(for ur resources ''raw materials'' + ''value added'' to such resources)........now who gain who loss!!!


Nigerian Oil was discovered in 1957.....and Nigeria has been in existence since when say 1914......NigerDelta has been in existence since when,centuries/thousand years ago (and the Oil has been there) .......lets assume,a particular farmer( an Ijaw man) might have discovered black pool emanating from the soil,say 18century, now, what was the value of such pool of crude oil to such farmer ?


What was the Value of Crude-Oil to NigerDeltan before Oyibo discovery afterall,it didn't fly there the day it was discovered!!!

Same for Gold,Steel,Uranium and so.....on..... We didn't create ''value'' for this things ourselves,their ''VALUE'' was created for us........ And we discovered we also need the ENDs-PRODUCT,then we pay!!!


Have we developed a system or advance in science which will thus make us to develop Value for these resources if not for Oyibo Education and Intervention!!!

Remember,oyinbo education made us realise the significant of all these resources to humanity!!!
U PAY!!!

All this lack of technological know-how,crude means of existence is what we are paying for........


Check around African countries, today,most especially ''blacks''......we could not even give ourselves effective government.....why ?


I aint saying Africans are inferior cuz we have seen proven Africans who defeat even the oyinbo in technological know-how subjected to sane environment like western countries!!!



Lets assume, as we have crude oil.....we are the one that invent motor/engine......ahahaha

we have created our own nuke from our Uranium.......ahaha

among others.......

There are other stones other than Gold,Diamond which are more precious to humanity lying in various African countries today.......small chicks,old women,even dogs shit on it......but we re expecting a day oyibo man go come to attached value to them!!! And we PAY!!!

From the oonset i knew where you were coming from but my err was not that you are wrong(you are not entirely) but that such way of thinking opens up a myriad of unreasonable assumptions which is not true in its simplest sense.
I would like to give you an example but i doubt you will give much time to understand it, just think about this and then think along the lines in almost everything you said above .

[size=24pt]"Mungo park DISCOVERED River Niger."[/size]
have you seen what i meant ?
though you are still right in a sense but i still insist that colonization was never a prerequisite to accepting a value standards. For example without them there would still be modern machines that relies on these minerals and we would still sell what we have at the international market price. there are certain mineral that were never considered important and people could even throw it away as impurities when mining other minerals but once a use was found for it the prices skyrocketed, many of the elements that is used in building mobile phones and strengthening metals were of such class till late 80's and early nineties.
Again i don't say you are wrong just that you are not entirely right.

donroxy: tis never a silly conclusion,tis a Fact!!!

What was Africans(before colonial intervention) using Diamond and Gold for........ Necklace that worth 1million whatever ?...... And Gold for Cash back-up ,hmm?


We are talking about the value of these materials to Africans before western intervention NOT their Value to the Oyibos!!!



Oyinbo revalued them all and we pay!!!


Instead of us to see the larger picture of the world,what do we do......Ethnic/tribal fight!!!

First of all i think you don't understand the concept of money, i can use just sticks for money and people will accept and change values using that stick.
What i meant actually was that we don't need to go through colonization to know the values of those things, colonialism has never been a prerequisite to any form of advancement. Countries like ethiopia did not pass through what we went through and they know the values of those stuffs.
People traded gold as far as from Senegal to Persia and you think they don't know the value of those ores ?
What most people do is that they took the european condescending portration of Africans as some naked cannibals with bones across their noses and embedded it into their psyche as the true identity of the blackman. So those new mines discovered all over africa and we need another european colonization to know its value again huh ?

donroxy: Without the European/western, mayb till today.....we may never know we have any fortune on our soil.....!!!

What is oil to an African;what is Uranium;what is Gold; what is diamond;what is steel.......Oyinbo developed Value for it and we pay......the political and economy class have been Neo-Slaved so till tomorrow we re still paying!!

how did you arrive to such a stupid conclusion ? Which people were the main importers of Gold to the middle east ? Have you ever heard of Askia the Great ? And we never done works with bronze or steel till the whites came ?
Was it Oyibo that made the chinese drill their oil in Manchuria ?

We should expect a more sophisticated and better armed Boko Haram insurgents attacking from the North.
We should look forward to a more Organised Boko Haram working with better and accurate intel and developing the capabilities to recon, case out and attack the Southern region.
We should expect a new breed of Boko Haram that has extensive network of safe houses and arms vault all over the nation especially in the souther and eastern regions, making it easier for them to travel and evade security since they don't have to carry their arms with them, easy to disappear after any major terrorist attack since the support systems are already there.
Infact Nigerians should expect hell.

sucess001: I can only conclude you are trying to weave an argument beyond your intellectual aptitude. let me tackle your arguments ad seriatim.

1. Your brain assumed that i schooled in he 80s or 90s. i didnt. i schooled between 2000 and 2006. i schooled in UI where my tution fee was 90naira till 2001 wen we had to start paying 10,000 for hostel fees. your brain also failed to calculatethat sincle inflatin had set in for government expenses, same inflation has affected the taxes they collect. perhaps ur brain cant tell you that the money the government generated back then has also increased. lemme break it down for u since your brain processor is outdated...the increase in "economic conditions and reality" has also affected how much the state generates in revenue. its a cycle.

2. mumu. wat then is the purpose of univ education if not to feed the economic workforce of a nation? if itfeeds it, what then is the problem? whoever told you that sanusi is the judge of the quality of nigerian graduates? Has he become the minister of education? this same sanusi that graduated from ABU? is he also not 'unemployable'? is your brain also aware that Nigerian graduates perform best in the foreign schools they go?

3. am not sure you are gainfully employed. cos if you are, you will know that Nigerian graduates are recruited as equal as foreign graduates. indeed, te best Nigherian technocrats have their first degrees here. goole the educ background of any!

you dull o bros. go and do a survey of te workforce in Nigeria and i guarantee you that no less than 95% are nigerian graduates. does that mean our companies are doing poorly thn their foreign counterparts? mumu. try fashion a more sensible argument for your oga.

4. pay the price you say? why dont your governor also pay the minium wage to its workers comparable with that of the other countries you have mentioned? Bigot!

5. i have an LLB, a first degree and i ve held on to my job for 6 yrs in the hottest dept of one of the biggest companies not just in Nigeria...in Africa! so sit down oga...this is me, the same guy who paid 90 naira school fees in 2000-2005. and i dont have to tell you how mny of my friends work as expatriatsin schlumberger and others multinationals. we all paid N90! Thank God we had a sane Federal Government. thats why Fashola must never be president. go tell your boss he has lost all credibility with lagosians. oponu.

thanks bro, the guy does not even know that in countries like Germany Sweden and some other european countries that education is absolutely free, from kindergaten to university.