9/08/2014

US has magic bullet


Thomas Friedman used to be quite notable and respectable in his views on the American economic and political policies. Lately he has become more and more jingoistic in his articles on American policies and becoming more like the rough neck Americans on the streets, talking without thinking, and having views that are so screwed without knowing it.
 

His latest post in the Mypaper, reproduced from the NYT, titled ‘US has magic bullet for Russia, Islamic State’ is a case in point. In the article he was lambasting the Russians and the Islamic States for using war and violence as the only solution for all their problems. The Russians and the Islamic State are all about power. What he also meant without saying it, is that the Americans are all about being civilized and never about power and the use of brute force to solve their problems. Clap, clap, clap.
 

Could you believe it, Thomas Friedman could only see one side of the coin, that America is so peace living? Where are his empirical data to show that the Russians and the Islamic State are using more violence than the Americans, or violence means? Does he not know that the number of wars and the number of innocent people killed by the Americans far exceeded what the Russians and the Islamic State combined?
 

And I quote, ‘Both (Putin and the Islamic State) are clearly motivated to use force by an intense desire to overcome past humiliations.’ So, what were the motivations for the Americans to use force in everything it is involved, everything is a nail? A friendly super power walking around with a hammer?
 

As a reputable political commentator, does he not think it is proper to use statistics to back up his claim instead of using his mouth to blast it away? What have the Americans being doing before Putin and the Islamic State decided to meet the American force with force? What was Bush doing in Iraq and Obama in Libya? Not being rude and insensitive, what are two beheadings compared to the hundreds of thousands of victims of drone and cruise missile attacks on children, the women and the old civilians? Less brutal and less barbaric because you don’t see the pain and the body pieces all over the streets?
 

Is this the same Thomas Friedman that won the same prize Obama had, for peace?

PS: The Americans are starting another Coalition of the Willing. Just pray that we are not going to be dragged in to murder innocent people like what George Bush did to us. Living in SE Asia, we better know what we should be extremely careful in doing.

Kopi Level - Yellow

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thomas Friedmee can see both sides of the coin. He knows what is happening. He is just throwing smoke bomb, trying to do the obvious, ie: lie to the sheeple. Of course, enlightened people like you and me, we know what is going on. He's just gunning for the suckers.

Anonymous said...

Whether more violence or not, more peace loving or not, Friedmen said or not said, but Sinkieland believe American power, weapons and training are still the best what.

Or else ah, Sinkieland would have bought cheaper weapons from the Russians or send our NSmen to be trained by the Islamic militants, tio bo?

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Please lah..Tom Friedman, Paul Krugman...and all the other loud-mouthed, hot air big government, militant lefty-progressives of the once-upon-a-time-respected-now-a-joke-of-its-former-self New York Times...

One of the best things is Paul Krugman hataming Singapore for a few decades...Singapore keeps on getting more and more awesome, and Krugman is looking more like an idiot. Nobel Laureate, no less. Useless bugger.

New York Times? Like the Huffington Post ... and the Straits Times-- best used as toilet paper lah.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Matilah, how can you rubbish the NYT, the bible of truths for Asians and Africans?

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

P.S. Human beings are a war-like species. They can solve their differences in small groups of 3- maybe 10 people.

Anything larger than that, the human "social animal" morphs into the human "political animal" which then evolves into the human "tribal animal" -- both "animals" have one defining trait: the demarcation of "in group" and "out group" membership.

Those in the out-group need to be conquered, controlled, enslaved or wiped out.

Human nature lah. Sorry, no world peace...not with our species anyway.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

P.S. Human beings are a war-like species. They are able to solve their differences PEACEFULLY in small groups of 3 to maybe 10 people...or any number resembling a dinner party with friends, where everyone knows each other.

Anything larger than that, where there are strangers in the group, the human "social animal" morphs into the human "political animal" which then evolves into the human "tribal animal" -- both political and tribal "animals" have one defining trait: the demarcation of "in group" and "out group" membership.

Those in the out-group needs to be conquered, controlled, enslaved or wiped out.

Human nature lah. Sorry, no world peace...not with our species anyway. But rest assured, plenty of on-going entertainment extravaganzas!

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

@RB:

Q : »» how can you rubbish the NYT, the bible of truths for Asians and Africans? ««

A:

1. The NYT is rubbish already.
2. Anything which is referred to as "the bible" is probably rubbish and full of nonsense (like the real Bible -- pure crap!)
3. Asians and Africans will believe anything printed by the White Man. That's why Asians and Africans deserve to be oppressed, conquered, dominated and subservient to their large-cock and balls Mat Salleh Overlords, whom Asians and Africans worship in secret.

Anonymous said...

Lucky ESM has changed tack and is going to India and looking up to India.

b said...

Lots of people in the world are kept in the dark whats the darth vader do to the rest of the world. Not only that they do not know, they do not know that they do not know and tot that they do know what they do not know.

Anonymous said...

Rb // So, what were the motivations for the Americans to use force in everything it is involved, everything is a nail? A friendly super power walking around with a hammer? //


Ha ha ha

Rb, YEW are beginning to talk like a professor.

YEW sound like Professor Abraham Maslow .....

Quote: " I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail." Professor Abraham Maslow, 1966

Rb aka Online PM aka Online Prof Chua .......

Steady lah, RB!

Steady Poon Pi Pi ......... :)

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

The hammer and nail was from the American media. I borrowed them. The only original from Maslow is the 5th level of needs.

Maslow stopped at Self Actualisation at level 4. I have added level 5, Self Delusion. A state when people start to think they are God.

Anonymous said...

Rb // Maslow stopped at Self Actualisation at level 4. I have added level 5, Self Delusion. A state when people start to think they are God.//


Rb, that's a good one!

Steady lah!

The Chinese say: " 青出于蓝而胜于蓝".

Your added level 5 certainly has pushed Maslow' s hierarchy of needs to the next level.

Indeed beyond self actualization, where else can one head to?

Self-delusion is one possibility when people hallucinate and start thinking they are "GOD" ?

Remember the "toh peng" spelling of the word "GOD" ?

At "level 5", perhaps "delusion" does wonder?

Anonymous said...

Hi again redbean.
You asked me to identify myself in your earlier post "Why China must be assertive?" in the comments section.
I would have replied earlier but was busy attending to an elderly relative who has been hospitalized.
Please allow me to explain with a twist to an old story:

A strategist was walking along a road when he spotted 3 men laying bricks to make a brick wall.
He asked the 1st brick layer "What are you doing?"
The brick layer replied "I'm laying bricks to earn money to feed my family."
He then asked the 2nd brick layer the same question, "what are you doing?"
The 2nd brick layer replied "I'm laying bricks as quickly and as perfectly as I can. I want to be the best brick layer in the country."

The strategist then asked the 3rd brick layer the same question. The 3rd brick layer replied "I'm building a grand cathedral that will call attention to the glory of God to all who see it."
The strategist smiled and walked away.
He predicted to himself "The 3rd brick layer will very likely succeed in inspiring thousands to join him, working for free, to build the cathedral."

1. The idea is more important than the person who raised the idea.
If I said I was LKY (I'm not), why should that make my ideas more legitimate?
If I said I was Chee Soon Juan (I'm not), why should that make my ideas any less legitimate?
My identity is not relevant to the merits of my ideas.
Since the time of ancient China, the Chinese people have allowed our Chinese rulers to use their positions to stifle debate.

2. Since ancient times, Chinese rulers have never respected the sanctity of Chinese lives.
No matter how great the achievements of these rulers.
I want history to make the Chinese rulers accountable for every Chinese life they have sacrificed for the sake of Chinese unity, territories and "the greater good of China".
Chinese lives are not cheap.
Even a parent who kills his children can be hanged for murder.
Why not Chinese rulers?

3. Any Chinese peasant should be allowed to challenge the ideas of a Chinese ruler.
The debate should be won on the merits of each argument rather than the social hierarchy of the person.

4. A Chinese who challenges the views of his Chinese ruler should not be automatically condemned as a traitor to the Chinese race nor be called a banana. His views should be judged on its own merits.

5. The relationship between a Chinese peasant and his Chinese ruler should be based on Reciprocity and not Duty.
If a Singaporean performs national service for Singapore when he is young.
What is so wrong with Singapore performing national service for this Singaporean when he is old?
We are not asking for charity.
We are asking for reciprocity.

I am but a humble servant to such ideas.
I believe these ideas will lay the foundation for a sustainable Chinese Renaissance.
And prevent Chinese people from being cheated time and again by self serving Chinese rulers who keep lying to us with the rallying calls of "Chinese unity, lost Chinese territory, foreign barbarians and etc."
If my ideas have merit, I hope you will spread it far and wide.
My identity is not relevant.

Anonymous said...

hmmm... rb's blog has got a wide spectrum of commentators: from the likes of matilar at one end to the likes of anon 10:01pm

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:01 is no simple folk.

He will rule all the Chinese in tbe World by moral persuasion.

Maybe Rb should pay obeisance to him or her.

Or at least to agree with him/her that justice should be defined and interpreted according to his/her dictation.

Well, if Redbean disagrees, then there will be no end, unless Rb stops blogging about US the Bully.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10.01pm. // I am but a humble servant to such ideas.
I believe these ideas will lay the foundation for a sustainable Chinese Renaissance.
And prevent Chinese people from being cheated time and again by self serving Chinese rulers who keep lying to us with the rallying calls of "Chinese unity, lost Chinese territory, foreign barbarians and etc."
If my ideas have merit, I hope you will spread it far and wide.//


Kee chiu recently "worried" aloud that SINKIELAND may not be around in 50 years time.

Why worry for the Chinese when SINKIELAND' s backyard may not even be around?

RB's creation of level 5 of hierarchy of needs namely "self-delusion" PERHAPS cannot come at a more timely manner. Ha ha ha ha ha

Anonymous said...

Kee chiu recently "worried" aloud that SINKIELAND may not be around in 50 years time.
September 08, 2014 10:39 pm

Kee chiu is not thinking like the 3rd brick layer.
He is not of ministerial calibre.
Just another PAP ruler with a to-do list of duties & sacrifices for Singaporeans.
Under such a prime minister, maybe Sinkie land will not even last 5 years.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:01 is no simple folk.
He will rule all the Chinese in tbe World by moral persuasion.
Maybe Rb should pay obeisance to him or her.
Or at least to agree with him/her that justice should be defined and interpreted according to his/her dictation.
September 08, 2014 10:29 pm

hahaha.
All the more reason I should die an annonymous death.
Paying obeisance to me is to repeat 5,000 years of Chinese subservience to Chinese rulers.
Serve the idea not the man.

If Chinese people can embrace the idea of reciprocity between the ruler and the citizen.
If we truly stand and fight for such ideals.
The citizens of America, Japan and Philippines will gladly join the Chinese empire instead of fighting us.
This is the power of an idea.
It unites all like minded men regardless of race, country or religion.

Anonymous said...

Silly Idealist.

The World shall end a
million years before
Yr ideal ever gets actualized.

Learn to be like Matilah.
Swear more, preach and
imagine less.

Anonymous said...

The Idealist was askef if he could hold the Sin Regime responsible and accountable for the many allegations made by Sinkies, in an earlier article by Rb. He seems to bypass that Query, yet he has ideal for the World.
If only he himself could show he is good and able to solve some problems in Sin, otherwise hard to believe him.

Anonymous said...

If only he himself could show he is good and able to solve some problems in Sin, otherwise hard to believe him.
September 09, 2014 6:35 am

Debate the idea.
If you think the idea is not good enough, then add or modify the idea and make it your own.
Or just simply denounce the idea.
Your logic and arguments will be judged against the idea you are arguing against.
Because I am anonymous, you can't use fallacious Ad Hominem arguments against the idea.
Below link describe & warns against Ad Hominem arguments.

http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/ad-hominem.html

By the way.
Calling me an idealist, banana or just a "A" level student and etc are Ad Hominem arguments.

Anonymous said...

If only he himself could show he is good and able to solve some problems in Sin, otherwise hard to believe him.
September 09, 2014 6:35 am

Are Yew the PAP IB?
Asking me whether I am 'able to solve some problems in Sin" sounds very much a PAP Minister asking for "constructive solutions."
Truly, Yew and other Sinkies have been made daft by 50 years of PAP Education.
No wonder the Clown Prince believes he needs to import aliens to replace Sinkies.
PS:
Calling Yew the PAP IB is also another example of the Ad Hominem fallacy.
I am also a product of Yew's PAP education system.

Anonymous said...

Poem of an ultra idealist:

"我要发动一场世界大战    用太阳去攻打寒冷    用面包去攻打饥饿    用药品去攻打疾病    用爱情去攻打仇恨        他们不相信    我去过的那个地方    每个奶奶都是少女    每个爷爷都是娃娃 "

Translation next .........

Anonymous said...

@ 8.39am // "我要发动一场世界大战    用太阳去攻打寒冷    用面包去攻打饥饿    用药品去攻打疾病    用爱情去攻打仇恨        他们不相信    我去过的那个地方    每个奶奶都是少女    每个爷爷都是娃娃. " //


Google translate:

// "I want to start a world war to fight against the cold with the sun to attack hunger with bread to attack the disease with drugs used to fight against hate love that they do not believe that every place I 've been to every girl grandfather grandmother are all dolls. " //

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Let me explain to this guy who challenged me but hiding behind anonymity. Yes, it is the idea than the name/person behind it. But when you start to challenge another person, it becomes a personal issue, no longer an idea issue. So the person and name become important.

I can agree with your misgivings about Chinese leadership through the centuries. How far back do you want to go and why only hold the Chinese accountable and not others of their crimes against humanity? The issue with your approach is that you are looking into your own defined tunnel vision. You isolate an issue and ignore the other implications. Such issues cannot be seen in isolation.

You think and carry the torch of the West to attack Chinese leadership without knowing why the West are doing it. There is always the elements of political interests involved. The West is using human rights and democracy as weapons in disguise to achieve their political goals. They are not as naive and innocent and goody as you think. Read my latest article on the Middle East.

My writings are not in defence of the wrong doings of dictators and corrupt leaders. I am looking at issues from the political viewpoints, from geopolitics.

You are succumbing to the divide and rule tactics of the West. You isolated an issue and refused to see that all issues are inter related. And your mind is still being colonised and serving the interests of the West to attack a civilisation that you claimed you are part of it.

The issue is connected through time and space. There is a big war going on, a clash of civilisation, for political and military supremacy, of control and domination. It is not very clever of you to discuss an issue without looking at the whole continuum of events through history and geography.

The approaches and perspectives between you and me are different. You are looking at the trunk of an elephant. I am looking at the whole elephant and the jungle.

Anonymous said...

Haha...

A man wants to solve what almighty cannot.

GREAT!

Anonymous said...

@ Anonymous September 09, 2014 7:53 am

// If only he himself could show he is good and able to solve some problems in Sin, otherwise hard to believe him.
September 09, 2014 6:35 am

Are Yew the PAP IB?
Asking me whether I am 'able to solve some problems in Sin" sounds very much a PAP Minister asking for "constructive solutions."
Truly, Yew and other Sinkies have been made daft by 50 years of PAP Education.
No wonder the Clown Prince believes he needs to import aliens to replace Sinkies.
PS:
Calling Yew the PAP IB is also another example of the Ad Hominem fallacy.
I am also a product of Yew's PAP education system //


@ Pretending Idealistic Anon 7.53am

What is your intention?

Why are YEW mimicking another commenter?

Yew are not Yew!

Yew are not the other anon commenter!

Are Yew trying to "frame" him?

Why dun YEW admit that YEW are here to stir up "shit" and confuse the oldies here?

The oldies here may be old. But they are neither daft or stupid. From the numerous comments here, it is obvious they can tell YEW are not the other YEW. Yew are not the other anon commenter. Stop mimicking him. What are YEW trying to achieve?

Stop trying to confuse the oldies here!

They are not dumb as YEW may wish for.

They can differentiate good and bad, righteousness and evil, true blue sinkies and false messiah!

Anonymous said...

@ redbean @ September 09, 2014 9:57 am

I happen to agree with your views about the injustice perpetrated by the west.
All's I'm saying is; "Just because a leader is Chinese does not mean that he has the desire to serve the interest of Chinese people".
Look at Chinese leaders with the same degree of critical scrutiny as you do western leaders.
Otherwise more Chinese lives will be lost for the enrichment of self serving Chinese leaders.

I hope you were not screaming "traitor" when Roy was raising questions at Hong Lim Park.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Anon 10:22, you talking about China or Singapore?

I am very comfortable with the Chinese leadership from Deng Xiaoping till now. China's rise is assured by the strings of good leaders that they are having today.

In contrast, the Americans are getting a string of dull heads as leaders since the days of Carter, Reagan, Clinton, Bushes and Obama. And the worse is yet to come.

Can't imagine what Hillary would do to bring down the USA. But as sure as the sun will rise, Hillary will be their choice as president, the best they think they could find in the whole of America. It is America's destiny, unstoppable.

b said...

Chinese under the Han (not manchu or mongol) rule will become stronger. This is without doubt.

Anonymous said...

The Manchus did well for nearly 300 years. That was very impressive as compare to the Han Rulers.
The Macurian Rulers were also cognizant of the Hans' Superior Culture and fully assimilated it. Even their own writings and languages were replaced by Han(Chinese Characters) on their(Manchurian) own volition.

The Turns and Changes in human evolutions in the fields of Science, Technology and Ideology between Europe and Asia were not progressing in syn. The Europeans overtook the Whole of Asia and were hence far more advanced than any, including the still traditional Manchu controlled China. That allowed the Europeans to build their Empires.

China had fallen many times to alien tribes and those had became history. Modern China has done well for the last few decades and it can only gets stronger if the Chinese are well govern and its people remain happy with their leaders. It is a huge nation with the Highest Population in the World, as one of the Oldest Civilization with the Most Solid Culture, its' foundation is solid. With the Foundation as the Guiding Light and the Hardworking Nature of the Chinese Race, China shall be a nation for others to emulate.

Anonymous said...

Hi again redbean
I just returned from hospital.

"I am very comfortable with the Chinese leadership from Deng Xiaoping till now. China's rise is assured by the strings of good leaders that they are having today."

Again. I agree.
I am more pro-Chinese than you think.
I just believe that China & Chinese society will become more robust if Chinese people are allowed the freedom to criticize without being accused of traitor or banana or pro western.
As Tan Cheng Bock once said "No more blank cheques for PAP" ... and all Chinese rulers (my addendum).
Make them all accountable.

As for Roy.
He is asking questions.
Good for him.
He is not a traitor.
If we have built a truly robust society over the last 50 years, it can stand up to Roy's questions without breaking a sweat.
And if I were doing the public relations for LHL, I would have advised him to sue Roy for $1.00
Sue to exonerate himself.
$1.00 to show that there is no intention of crushing any dissenting voices.

Anonymous said...

@ Pretending Idealistic Anon 7.53am
What is your intention?
Why are YEW mimicking another commenter?
Yew are not Yew!
September 09, 2014 10:11 am
----------

Really?
Why don't you ask YEW whether he was the first blogger to use YEW in such a context.
And if he says he got the idea from another internet posting elsewhere ... hmmm ... I wonder who that original YEW really was?

Anyhow and anywho.
In order for an idea to become powerful, it has to belong to everybody.
Everybody has to fall in love with the idea. And want to fight for that idea.

It is possible to build a dynasty that lasts 10,000 years.
But it has to be a dynasty of ideas.
Not a dynasty from a single family.
Heck!
It is possible for two smart parents to produce an idiot son in one generation.
So how can a family dynasty survive 10,000 years with all the inevitable idiots in between?
Of course, that hasn't stopped our China emperors from trying over the last 5,000 years.

Anonymous said...

@ 21世纪中国 "孙中山"

// If we have built a truly robust society over the last 50 years, it can stand up to Roy's questions without breaking a sweat.
And if I were doing the public relations for LHL, I would have advised him to sue Roy for $1.00
Sue to exonerate himself.
$1.00 to show that there is no intention of crushing any dissenting voices.//



Mai hum needs YEW!

Anonymous said...

@ 慢半拍

// But it has to be a dynasty of ideas. //


YEW meant "a dynasty of IDEAAAAAAAALS "?

Anonymous said...

Mai hum was done in by his advisors to sue until Roy's pants dropped. Now he is looking bad and would cost him many votes.