The Despot is Dead. Vive le Despot.

So it seems that our friend Slobodan Milosevic is dead, according to CNN.  Poisoned? Maybe.  Heart attack? Maybe.  Iocaine powder?  Possibly.  Regardless, he will be six feet under soon.

According to CNN, before now there have been
attempts to poison this guy while he was in prison.

This begs the question--would this guy have gotten a fair trial anyway?  Will Saddam Hussein get a fair trial?  Or are each of these tyrants' 'trials' simply a mockery of the judicial system?

I think they are.  These guys have been judged even before they went into the courtroom.  What's up for grabs is what sort of sentence they'll get (undoubtedly, exile).  It seems to me, that the only reason anyone wants to see them in a courtroom is to air their complaints against them in a public forum.  To throw stones at them.

I'm not saying folks aren't justified in wanting to see their beloved despots writhe in pain while having their accusations levied against them, one by one--but isn't there a better way to do that?

One that doesn't make a mockery of the judicial system? 

Dubai, or A Long Time in Coming

Howdy folks! It's been a long time, I know (almost 3 months!) but I haven't forgotten about this blog. As a matter of fact, I've been thinking about it a lot lately, as new news stories and other random observances have found me a bit testy.

A lot's happened in my life over the last three months. Met a retardedly awesome girl. Quit my job. Got a new job. Got a roommate.

And a lot has happened in the world over the last three months. A lot has changed--well, let me take that back. In terms of the ignorance of some folks in power, nothing has changed.

Take the takeover of the British port concern P&O by DP World (owned by the city-state of Dubai), for example. As it turns out, P&O has been managing several US ports. As a result of the takeover, DP World will now manage these ports.

Did this raise some red flags? Absolutely. Should it have? In my opinion, absolutely. Having critical commercial centers run (albeit indirectly) by a foreign government could present some interesting issues. I think it should at least warrant some investigation. To be honest, given the US' protectionist maritime laws (e.g. the one preventing non-American ships from connecting American ports), I'm surprised we let a foreign company run our ports today. So, yes, I think there needs to be some investigation into this matter.

But I thoroughly resent a certain Senator's contention that an investigation needs to be conducted to determine whether Dubai (or the UAE in general) has any links to al-Qaeda. Really, now.

I can tolerate being searched at the airport because I'm brown.

I can choke down the idea that because of my religion and because I have half a pilot's license my phone calls are likely being listened to personally by a certain Mr. Rumsfeld.

What I just can't swallow is the fact that a US Senator is making clearly ignorant (and in turn racist) statements. What--so now all Arab countries must be evaluated for linkages to al-Qaeda? Even though the UAE is one of the most progressive states in the Middle East, and Dubai is one of its most progressive emirates, all relationships with it should be subject to terrorism inquisitions?

I understand that not everybody in the US has the opportunity to research the difference between the countries in the Middle East. I understand that to many people here, any country on that side of the world is suspect. But a Senator has at hand every resource imaginable. And has a staff to filter his official statements. A staff that needs to be investigated. For links to ignorance.