A league of democratic gentlemen
International affairs - - Posted on March, 24 at 5:22 pm by Ken L
John McCain has floated a few weird ideas over the last few years, since he decided the way to succeed George W Bush was to stop this half-hearted warmongering and get in boots and all, but the weirdest has been this ‘league of democracies’ he keeps talking about. He first announced it last year, perhaps expecting a sharp intake of breath from the global community closely followed by spontaneous, rapturous applause:
“We Americans must be willing to listen to the views and respect the collective will of our democratic allies,” McCain says, according to excerpts his campaign provided. “Our great power does not mean we can do whatever we want whenever we want, nor should we assume we have all the wisdom, knowledge and resources necessary to succeed.”
“To be a good leader, America must be a good ally,” he adds in the speech, another in a series of policy addresses as he seeks the Republican presidential nomination.
I guess you can see this as an improvement on the tendency of many Bush hangers-on to sneer publicly at anybody who didn’t enthusiastically endorse their plans for world domination. Others of course (e.g. here) have interpreted the proposal as a response to the fact that the USA doesn’t always get its own way in the UN and so McCain wants to set up a new organisation to bypass the UN where the US can be sure of dominating the agenda.
Anyway I thought the whole idea had faded away but apparently not. In fact McCain seems to think that not only is it a good idea but that it actually exists already:
Republican presidential nominee John McCain says there is a need to impose sanctions on Iran until it stops developing nuclear weapons.
“The league of democracies should work together to eliminate the threat of Iranian nuclear weapons” said McCain after meeting French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris on the last leg of his tour.
To which I have one burning question: did I miss something? Is Australia a member? Or is the league just a figment of McCain’s fertile imagination at the moment (like the al Qaeda members he dreams are being trained by the Iranians)? Whatever its current status, it’s quite likely that within 18 months the Rudd Government will have to decide if it wants to join. I for one would like the discussion about that prospect to begin now and not to be dismissed on the grounds that it is ‘hypothetical’.
Posted in International affairs |
March 24th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Come now kennel, as you so eloquently chided my alter-ego at blogocracy…it’s obvious.
The whole thing boils down to a simple equation…GOODIES vs Baddies. Ya know what I mean?
It’s OK bloke, we were born on the “good” side, you have nothing to fear unless you can’t ignore the pangs of your weak conscience trying to insist that all human beings are actually, wait for it, human!
How preposterous, all serious jingobots know in their bones that some humans (ie us & our US buddies) are more worthy than the subclass of humans known as “them”.
Macca is just making sure that god’s people are triumphant, if we get to write the rules then “they” just better STFU & listen or we’ll send in the SAS/Marines; it’s only fair.
Our heros get the Victoria Crosses while their corpses are barely fit to piss on.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
the league of Democracies(alias nations) ceased to exist during WW2 this McCain really is living in the past, by the way does anyone know if the USA is paying it’s UN dues now, maybe the whole thing should relocate to Geneva
March 24th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Perhaps you meant “A League of Democratic MENTALmen”?
Somehow, gentlemen doesn’t seem appropriate.
Any more of this Anti-Americanism from you dear boy & I’ll be forced to dig out my fridge magnet & report you to the terror hotline.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
What McCain is getting at is something I mentioned in a past thread.
There are a number of countries around the world which are supportive of Iran’s pursuit of peaceful, nuclear technology.
These countries are mostly Iran’s neighbours, so presumably they are the ones who you would expect to be worried.
Aside from Iran’s supportive neighbours, notably Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, but also all the Gulf States, China is also supportive of Iran and its nuclear ambitions.
The thing is, none of these regional countries is really a democracy. (And no, I don’t count Iraq as a democracy.) So there is regional support for Iran’s actions. There is widespread global support (or a lack of strong opposition, globally). The only phrase left for McCain to use is the ‘League of Democracies’, to create a hand picked selection of countries who will be ready to attack Iran.
And here’s the warning, if you’re not with the league of democracies, you’re with the terrorists.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Is a ‘fertile imagination’ one that kicks in when a males dick decides on retirement? what is it with morons and old men that emiss on the misery of others?.
I think, hope, that Rudd wont fall for this McCain edict as I don’t believe that Rudd is a proselyte of all things American as Howard was/is.
Mrs.lang and me(sic)? I,spent a couple of days with an American couple over Easter, from Texas, who have bought a farm in my area and we had discussions on the related topic, their view, ‘that’s why were here,and that’s why were so thankful and happy to be here”. It’s probably only an aside that they both are young, to me, and hold Doctrines.Of course they are not typical.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
This unquestioning belief that the chance to vote automatically makes for a FUNCTIONING democracy really bugs me.
What about the idea of having an engaged and informed electorate? What about the separation of powers? A curious and effecient media? A population which is willing to hold those politicians, who lie and misinform, accountable? The rule of law (for the damn shock jocks as well)? One man, one vote?
We, as a nation, are so smug about living in a democracy yet we have largely abdicated our duty to BE a democracy. It’s all too hard.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Andrew from RH, pretty well spot on, McCain and Bush acolytes may see Iran as the catalyst in their quest to prevent the U.S. from the control of Middle East OIL,what this old man McCain is doing ,or will try to, is just what I feel Iran ‘friends’ are sitting back waiting. Interesting if the U.S $ and the U.S.economy keeps needing to be supported and if OPEC threaten to go Euro.As they have.It would only take a nudge to tip the U.S. dollar into a dive, even though 60% of US paper money is held outside of the US. Look at the balance of payments with China alone,if a cartel of creditors called in on GWB’s boys own adventure, the US would be fucked.
March 24th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Whilst all said about McCain is worthy here,do not flirt your eyes Obama way as the only hairball in town!?Some of his close supporters and willing agreers are first league war mongers,and a little bit of history,would easily persuade the adept here,to think, the U.S.A. has lost the plot entirely.Latest one from my sightings at DavidIcke.com is a a military lad by the name of McPeak,issuer of 130,000 sorties into Iraq in the benevolent process of bombing every thing in sight.Now jumping Jack Flash at the beach parties of Obama doing the Limbo Rock.Like Houdini he has escaped moral persecution,working for old George s Iraq attempt, to fly in,as, a Obama s expert under the rail!?So could it be the litmus Test for countries friendly to the U.S. is to forget about the bastards completely!?And make our own single meaning only ,one message only Clean Break.No Fart jokes that George junior can pick up on.!
March 24th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
“…bypass the UN where the US can be sure of dominating the agenda..”
Sorry, am I missing something? Didn’t the idiot child king already bypass the UN long ago? Why would the American blitzkrieg juggernaut want a League of Anything when they already have 737 (uninvited) military bases in other nations?
Just another load of absurd pigwash that the idiot world will believe implicitly.
March 24th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
I’m the pessimist who thinks that there will be military action in Iran prior to the US presidential election.
A military campaign will bring out all the right wing voters and will help bring McCain victory.
And if the Democratic candidate wins, the war will already be progress so it will be too late to stop it. I can’t see Bush resisting the urge to press the red button much longer.
March 24th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Shouldn’t UN observers certify the US electoral system as free and fair before the US claims it is entitled to membership of any such league?
March 24th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
What about the what ifs?
What if Shrub invades Eiran before the election is due and the country is at war. Is
there a need for an election.
Is there not an act ready called the “patriot act” that shrub can invoke and so remain as PoTUS until the war is prosecuted and come to an end.
I am sure i read that somewhere.
March 24th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
What about the what ifs?
“…Iran supplied 14% of China’s oil imports in 2003, and is expected to provide an even larger share in the future. China is also expected to rely on Iran for a large share of its liquid natural gas (LNG) imports. In October 2004, Iran signed a $100 billion, 25-year contract with Sinopec, a major Chinese energy firm…”
Whatif China?
March 25th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Mc Cain has been watching too many old John Wayne Western movies, and in many of those they witnessed the death of many cultures for the greater good of the rich and greedy.
This man has no bals at all. Bush shafted him in the last run for nomination and he grovells like a little schoolboy. Imagine that running the richest (for now) Empire in the world.
They don’t want a coalition to have input into their war mongering ways, they just want some idiots that lead other countries to clap to agree with them for a favourable trading status.
Unfortunately, that’s just waht Blair and Howard did, except Howard went a little further, and he should have used a condom.
I loved the leader of one of the Island countries at the Kyoto meeting when he told the Empire, if it didn’t want to lead step aside and let someone else lead the way. That sent the Empire into a panick. What, we not the leader of the (not so) Free world, and they came to the table kicking and screaming. Mc Cain or Bush, what is the difference.
March 26th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Nice try. Seriously, McCain or any other rethug doesn’t have much of a hope in hades of getting into power. Worry more about Hillary ‘meet the new boss, same as the old boss’ Clinton.