Happy Holiday.

As the rocky 2009 draws to a close, for the New Year, I wish everyone, peace, health and a better opportunity.

In 2010, I wish,

• less people will go hungry in the world,
• more people will have a meaningful employment,
• our political leaders will opt for wiser choices,
• the world would become a peaceful place for our children to grow in,
• avarice will give way to benevolence,
• we learn to enjoy the beauty of nature, and protect the environment,
• we will resolve to tolerate each other,
• our unfulfilled dreams become a reality,
• all will find ways to become optimistic and cheerful,
• troubled times and disappointments are in the past,
• the world would honor those that champion the causes of the less fortunate,
• the new year would bring justice ,equality and fairness,
• we will have less pretenders and frauds,
• youngsters would become socially conscious citizens,
• the income disparity between the haves and the have-nots, will be reduced,
• governments understand, that the outcome of unregulated capitalism is economic anarchy,
• Joy and love to everyone.

Happy Holiday,

Professor Mekonen Haddis

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Corporate profit v.environment

Corporate profit v. environment

The U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen has ended in a disappointment for so many. It seems, too many environmental groups had a very high expectation on the outcome of the summit. Corporate profit v. environment, that is the struggle isn’t it? Those who had hoped for a much deeper emissions cuts and a formidable mitigation funding, their dream was cut short.

It seems that the two major “ super power polluters”, China and the U.S. have created a common front in making sure that they will not be part of any meaningful, and binding emission reduction targets. Moreover, they also have a convergent interest in blocking the rest of the world from checking whether they are meeting the minimal target they have agreed to. All countries are not created equal. Those, with the military and economic might can impose their will on others. It has been so, it is so, and it will be so.

My greatest realistic fear: the U.S. congress will not agree to anything that will significantly reduce emissions. Therefore, president Obama’s participation in any international negotiation will be for naught.

Three things that I thought were crucial from the Copenhagen accord:

• The recognition that the developing countries are impacted more by the adverse effects of environmental degradation.

• Decisions should be based on science; and,

• “The collective commitment by developed countries  to provide new and additional resources, including forestry and investments through international institutions, approaching USD 30 billion for the period 2010 . 2012 with balanced allocation between adaptation and mitigation. Funding for adaptation will be prioritized for the most vulnerable developing countries, such as the least developed countries, small island developing States and Africa. In the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation, developed countries commit to a goal of mobilizing jointly USD 100 billion dollars a year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries.”

For useful comments on this subject, please visit the following links;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/22/copenhagen-climate-change-mark-lynas

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/18/obama-speech-copenhagen

Professor Mekonen Haddis

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Thank You, Mr. Olbermann

Thank you, Mr. Olbermann.

Mr. Keith Olbermann, thank you so-much for your most eloquent comments on” Health Care Reforms”. 12-16-2009.

On 11-29-2009 in my article, “Lessons from President Johnson” I wrote:

‘While the idea of bipartisanship sounds very appealing, let us not forget, what it actually denotes is abandonment of principle. Moreover, let us ask how bipartisanship has helped move Obama’s policies? The fact is that the Republicans are working to block everything that the President is proposing. They want him to fail. They want the Democrats to loose seats in the upcoming 2010 election. Which they will. Republicans clearly understand that they have a partisan agenda, which is different from the Democrats. It is only the spineless Democrats who want to be loved by all. By bending backwards to get cooperation from the Republicans, (which is a pipe dream) President Obama is ending up antagonizing the people that elected him.’

Mr. Olbermann, I believe that the bill impersonating “health Care Reforms” should be abandoned. It must be thrown in to the dust bin of history where it belongs. It is a joke. It is demeaning to millions of American citizens who can not afford health care.

I for one will not be interested in seeing President Obama and the spineless, sell out Democrats, have a photo session during the “signing” ceremony that they are looking forward to. What a sham? What a lie?

Mr. Olbermann, thanks again for standing tall for the interest of the average American citizen.

Professor Mekonen Haddis

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Lease Renewed

I rhyme

Because, I continuously bleed with what I see,

Writing is my safety valve

That keeps me sane, and act normal;

As one possibly can.

M.H.

Lease renewed

What is life?

Except too predictable

Limited time

On a loan.

And those

With a new lease

A second chance

Each minute

So valuable.

After the wake-up call

A changed attitude

Eerily calm, not scared

Not afraid of death

I have been there.

The mind,

Such a wonderful machine

I wish I could draw a picture

Be able to write

What actually is in the inside?

Impossible to share

What I feel and see.

In this Orwellian world

Rivers flowing upward

Reality reversed

Toxic must be good

The majority agreed

Before they are shattered

Dreams must soon be saved.

Professor Mekonen Haddis

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“The Surge”

“The Surge”

The war in Afghanistan is also a continuation and expansion of the corporate welfare policy of the Bush administration, which interestingly is not only wholly accepted by President Obama, but is raised to a higher level (surge). The more private contractors sent to Afghanistan, the better for the bottom line (surge) (profit). The more the merrier. Bush or Obama, as always, the interest of the corporate elite is paramount.

The decrease in violence in Iraq was not a result of President Bush’s strategy of sending 30,000 more troops to Iraq (surge), that President Obama is so desperately trying to duplicate, but it was mainly a result of the U.S. government’s payment of about $10 a day to about 70,000 Sunni insurgents.

During his speech to the nation explaining his reasons for the Afghanistan “surge”, the president said:

“So, no, I do not make this decision lightly.  I make this decision because I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  This is the epicenter of violent extremism practiced by al Qaeda.  It is from here that we were attacked on 9/11, and it is from here that new attacks are being plotted as I speak. …   In the last few months alone, we have apprehended extremists within our borders who were sent here from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit new acts of terror. And this danger will only grow if the region slides backwards, and al Qaeda can operate with impunity.  We must keep the pressure on al Qaeda, and to do that, we must increase the stability and capacity of our partners in the region.”

I thought I was listening to President Bush. Word for word the same message, but, a different messenger, one who is more articulate. He also used Bush’s tactic of scaring the American public, the danger to America “is no idle danger, no hypothetical threat”. The only thing missing from his speech was that, he didn’t use the threat level colors. It is too early in his presidency; we might still see him use the threat levels in the future.

The president’s troop” surge” in the Afghanistan war has made his Conservative Republican friends temporarily happy, but members of his own political party and the American citizens at large are not supportive of his so-called “surge”. While America is facing a massive unemployment, millions of citizens without health insurance, the country burdened with cumbersome and chocking growing debt, to say the least, the president’s choice of the Afghanistan “surge” at this particular moment, seems to be unwise.

Professor Mekonen Haddis.

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