NightWatch

For the Night of 22 September 2009

North Korea: Yesterday the Korean Central News Agency announced that the 150 special work period was extended another 100 days. It is not clear just what was accomplished in the 150 day struggle or what is achievable by the end of the year. Still, the struggle goes on.

India: Authorities arrested Kobad Gandhi, a leader of the Communist Party of India-Maoist, in 20 September in New Delhi, Press Trust of India reported 21 September, citing police sources. The Special Cell of the Delhi Police apprehended Gandhi.

The Indians continue to provide a reminder that reliance on competent police agencies, which have inherent legal authority to make arrests, represents an alternative strategy for dealing with terrorists, Treating terrorists as law breakers preserves a democracy’s moral high ground and keeps it true to its own principles, compared to reliance on the armed forces or intelligence services which have no legal authority to make arrests and no training or experience in law enforcement without martial law.

The point is democracies have many ways to protect themselves. It’s a study in democracy.

Syria: For the record. Venezuela-Iran Oil and Gas Co. (VENIROGC) plans to build an oil refinery in Syria, the Iranian Oil Ministry announced 22 September on its SHANA Web site, Reuters reported. Of the stakes in the project, Venezuela will take 33 percent, Iran will take 26 percent, Syria will have 26 percent and Malaysia will have 15 percent.

Economic warfare works and is cheap, which raises the question why the most powerful capitalist countries use it so seldom. The weak countries try to use it all the time. Time for a new strategy of international affairs that applies the real levers of international power, reduces reliance on armed force, works incredibly well and saves lives. Won’t happen.

Saudi Arabia: Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has threatened attacks to follow a failed August suicide bomb that targeted the deputy interior minister, Agence France-Presse reported 22 September. In a video posted online, leader Abu Baseer al Wuhayshi said: "By Allah, they will climb your walls and will come to you from where you do not expect."

This is the portent of another Saudi crackdown. The so-called sophistication of the Islamic extremists in using the Web also tends to place a bull’s eye on their foreheads, at least in Saudi Arabia. The irony of Saudi Arabia is similar to the US in that some people who benefit most from the protections of the state openly advocate the destruction of that state. That is suicidal and insane... it is also tiresomely trite in the history of revolutions.

Honduras: President Robert Micheletti asked the Brazilian Embassy to hand over to authorities citizen Mel Zelaya, who is wanted for constitutional crimes, the El Heraldo reported 21 September. Brazil refused.

The government imposed a nationwide curfew. A spokesman said, “The government has declared the curfew for the entire country from 4 in the afternoon until 6 a.m. to conserve calm in the country.”

Zelaya’s supporters surrounded the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa, while 100 police wearing riot gear deployed nearby. One report indicated two people died in clashes. Comment: these were not dangerous protest if only 100 cops deployed. No reputable news services have reported deaths during the demonstration at the Brazilian Embassy.

The government today cut power to the Brazilian Embassy in an operation ordered by Honduran interim President Roberto Micheletti and General Romeo Velasquez, according to the television station Cholusat, as Globovision reported.

The United States closed its embassy in Tegucigalpa, CNN reported, citing U.S. Department of State spokesman Ian Kelly. Kelly said the embassy has been closed due to the "fluid" situation in the country.

When Zelaya ends up in a Honduran jail cell, maybe the State Department will start to understand that Zelaya was a plotter whose attempted usurpation of power was thwarted by an effective counter-coup that preserved the constitution, rule of law and, unfortunately, the old power brokers.

Conditions might have turned out differently for Zelaya, with patience and vision. US actions have not helped Hondurans or endeared the US to the Venezuela-led anti-US Bolivarian bloc either.

End of NightWatch for 22 September