I think the ultimate issue is for Pakistan to actually demonstrate to the rest of the world that it understands the meaning of State Sovereignty. Classically that means those with state authority control policy and in particular the use of any armed force in the service of that policy. Pakistan has had, since independence, a dual track. On one hand, a quite large military, on the other various tribal forces that seemingly are not in service to the state, but in fact can be used, through things like ISI to run policy quite independent of declared formal efforts. It was the strategy used in Kashmir in 1947-48, and I suggest what is going on now is just an evolution of the strategy.
Ultimately, Pakistan has to solve the problem. It will never be able to settle anything with neighbors, India, Iran, the Stans, or many other parts of the world until it finds the means to establish State Soverignty over all its territory and the Pakistani Citizens who live there.
Yes, It was convenient during the 80's that the US and others could assist those who used the tribal people and borderlands for the anti-Soviet efforts. And US use of it sadly reinforced the notion the dual track strategy was passable and acceptable as a way to do normal international work. Our problem is that we have not talked in depth about the implications of all that. So now we have "blowback" and all the costs in human and material terms, and Pakistani Leadership fails to develop toward something that can actually provide for services to their benighted poor people.
Actually, I think all too many Americans are just too stressed out.
The Religious Culture, the Political Culture has talked a great game about "Family Values" in the years since the late 1960's, and with increasing intensity. At the same time, work life has been profoundly changed to the point that between a child's birth and adulthood at 18, they spend a little more than a year's less hours with Parents, other family and friends who are adults, and other responsible adults. With both adults out of the home working full time, or perhaps multiple jobs, and with the fact that these changes have not really improved the economic security of most families, the whole "Family Values" routine has been a con game.
Most children learn about their family religion(s) when something about it is present in the home, it is talked over, and perhaps even critiqued. When time is subtracted from family life, this is probably one of the things that goes by the board. So too does conversation about politics, arts, current events, and much else that is not a response to the stresses of the world of outside work, in which children do not really share.
My Father has been dead for years -- but I am still involved with a conversation with him that began in about 1955. I got a small role in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" and at that point he told me my 13th Great Grandmother was the last woman to be arrested in the Salem Witch Trials. Not tried, thankfully, but the family made a quick exodus from MA. We decided to research it together, and over the years dug out all sorts of material on all the beliefs one could associate with those events. Then we went on to all sorts of other religious possessions and responses. Every time I find a new detail, that old conversation continues. For that to happen, on any topic, a family has to have time to delight in the process of discovery. Sadly, I think we have offered it up to fake greed.
My reaction to the PEW Study, it looks like all that tax exempt land and property for Religious and Religious Educational Purposes is a waste. Scores look more or less like some reading and math levels in failing school systems.
So let's change policy. Could we have "Charter Churches and Temples" with regular high stakes testing of membership, no social promotions, extra summer school for those on the cusp of failure. When a congregation fails, then leadership gets removed and new leadership brought in to clean up the mess. Just go look at all the "educational buildings" attached to churches in your community, all off the tax rolls, and ask if this is a quality social investment of tax privilege?
I think the Dem's will keep both houses. Perhaps 55 in the Senate, Margin of 10-15 in the House. Not much to work with on major legislation, but that is not the menu for the next two years.
Come Jan, the Republicans will begin their pre-primary money primary for their next Candidate. They will all be working at who's on First for the next year or so, and then they will go to Iowa and caucus. Media attention will be on the horse race. Because of the Presidential Race, the Congressional Republicans may not be quite so united on No.
If Dem leaning Progressives take the opportunity, such a time is good for pushing forth some "movement" ideas that are not closely tied to the Obama Agenda. The Senate possibilities are more favorable to us in 2012 and 2014, so perhaps time to develop some interesting candidacies, and bring new ideas forward. Maybe a little drama to offset the Presidential Circle -- but something a lot more classy than Tea Parties. I for one would like to see a grass roots driven movement for a Constitutional Amendment to de-personalize Corporations.
Can't predict Foreign Affairs or Conflicts. But they will be. Obama will travel more in the next two years, Mostly to make a little obama style drama about how complex world problems are, while the Republicans argue about their Presidential Ideological Aspirations. Any movement that shows up ought to be about jobs and economic matters at least in part, and solutions ought to seem practical, comprehendable.
We need to consider how we "shape up" all those young voters who came out in 2008, and help them learn that Politics is a Lifetime Occupation, not a one day vote to be followed by instant change. In some respects, that is where "movements" help educate.
Juan, I think the reasons for the International Community slow walking aid to Pakistan are fairly clear. A few months back, Transparency International released the results of their audits of Earthquake Aid to Pakistan, indicating that a minimum of 60% of donations had been misdirected or just ripped off. Didn't get lots of press in the US, but Western European, particularly Scandinavian Press carried the audits heavily, and I think it is reflected in low donations. The annual international rock festival in Roskilde in Denmark raised a little over 100,000 dollars, but for other causes in other years it has raised ten times this.
Followed a Canadian-Pakistani medical professional blog for several weeks at the beginning of the floods, and eventually they decided to send a personal representative with funds and supplies, after complex arrangements with medical professional friends in Pakistan who agreed to personally oversee the distribution and use of what was sent. There was just a total lack of personal trust in virtually all the normal charitable avenues available to Pakistani's in the Canadian diaspora.
I think somehow you have to address BOTH problems -- the needs which are huge, and will remain so, and the desire of donor's to not again be played the fool.
I would like to challenge Franklin Graham's theological and historical comprehension of his own faith tradition.
He is, apparently Baptist, either/or, General Baptist or Southern Baptist. I know that at the time his Father began preaching in Minneapolis in the early 1940's, he was closely associated with General Baptists, mentored by General Baptists, and as a mark of respect for his mentor, established the headquarters of Billy Graham Ministries in Minneapolis. It is only in recent years Franklin has moved it to North Carolina.
Baptists are distinguished within the Reformed Church (Calvinist) branch of Protestantism by their argument for Adult Baptism, as opposed to Infant Baptism as practiced by Lutherans, Catholics, Anglicans, and many others. In the 1500's there was much "burning-at-the-stake" and city state wars over this detail of Protestant Theology in the Baptist tradition, with Baptists insisting that only when a young adult could make a profession of faith, and on a free will basis, accept a full imersion Baptism, was one authentically a Christian. Actually one of the sections of Bill Clinton's autobiography I found most interesting was his discussion of his own Baptism in the mid 50's, and how significant this was as a rite of passage in his Arkansas culture. It strikes me that Franklin Graham's discussion of "Seeds" is not at all in conformity with Baptist particular views on the importance of Adult Baptism and profession of faith -- and with the manner in which Calvinist Reform Churches generally dealt with doctrine such as "Original Sin" as propounded by Roman Catholicism, and how that characterized the souls of infants and unbaptised children.
Someone should ask him to clarify his own understanding of the Baptist Theological position on this.
I am certain that the results of Transparency International's audits of many of the donations to earthquake relief in Pakistan showing that between 60 and 80% of these donations never reached the intended victims, but rather were diverted in corrupt ways, has had a major impact on the International response to the floods. This did not get major play in the US press, but it was featured in the German and Scandinavian Press in recent months.
And yes, it is a breakthrough for Pakistan to accept Indian Aid. In particular it could be very useful if some of the international medical NGO's dealing with water borne disease can import medications from India, as they have a full range, and produce quality at one of the lowest world prices. Organizing the mass treatment of those who have survived thus far for these diseases seems to be to be priority #1 at this point.
Food for this emergency will come through the World Food Program (UN) and they buy as far as possible, in the region of the crisis. NGO's are then supplied through the WFP. What has been lost in the floods is this year's rice crops, but they will also probably loose their winter wheat crop, as the rice needs to be harvested by September for the planting. Pakistan is highly dependent on this dual crop system. The estimates for this year's harvest already showed a deficit before the monsoon season began. This is extremely serious.
This morning NPR carried a story that a US Navy Ship with a large number of Helicopters is now positioned off Karachi, loaded with Halal MRE's and capable of supplying significant drinking water using on-board systems. Food that needs cooking would be inappropriate now -- no dry fuel to make family fires for cooking. Watch to see if Pakistan organizes mass feeding programs using bulk food in affected areas. Given that Ramadan begins in a few days, this may condition how food and drink are distributed. Australia apparently has ships underway with plastic sheeting and tents.
It will be interesting to see if Indian NGO's make offers, and whether Pakistan would accept.
I think the ultimate issue is for Pakistan to actually demonstrate to the rest of the world that it understands the meaning of State Sovereignty. Classically that means those with state authority control policy and in particular the use of any armed force in the service of that policy. Pakistan has had, since independence, a dual track. On one hand, a quite large military, on the other various tribal forces that seemingly are not in service to the state, but in fact can be used, through things like ISI to run policy quite independent of declared formal efforts. It was the strategy used in Kashmir in 1947-48, and I suggest what is going on now is just an evolution of the strategy.
Ultimately, Pakistan has to solve the problem. It will never be able to settle anything with neighbors, India, Iran, the Stans, or many other parts of the world until it finds the means to establish State Soverignty over all its territory and the Pakistani Citizens who live there.
Yes, It was convenient during the 80's that the US and others could assist those who used the tribal people and borderlands for the anti-Soviet efforts. And US use of it sadly reinforced the notion the dual track strategy was passable and acceptable as a way to do normal international work. Our problem is that we have not talked in depth about the implications of all that. So now we have "blowback" and all the costs in human and material terms, and Pakistani Leadership fails to develop toward something that can actually provide for services to their benighted poor people.
Actually, I think all too many Americans are just too stressed out.
The Religious Culture, the Political Culture has talked a great game about "Family Values" in the years since the late 1960's, and with increasing intensity. At the same time, work life has been profoundly changed to the point that between a child's birth and adulthood at 18, they spend a little more than a year's less hours with Parents, other family and friends who are adults, and other responsible adults. With both adults out of the home working full time, or perhaps multiple jobs, and with the fact that these changes have not really improved the economic security of most families, the whole "Family Values" routine has been a con game.
Most children learn about their family religion(s) when something about it is present in the home, it is talked over, and perhaps even critiqued. When time is subtracted from family life, this is probably one of the things that goes by the board. So too does conversation about politics, arts, current events, and much else that is not a response to the stresses of the world of outside work, in which children do not really share.
My Father has been dead for years -- but I am still involved with a conversation with him that began in about 1955. I got a small role in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" and at that point he told me my 13th Great Grandmother was the last woman to be arrested in the Salem Witch Trials. Not tried, thankfully, but the family made a quick exodus from MA. We decided to research it together, and over the years dug out all sorts of material on all the beliefs one could associate with those events. Then we went on to all sorts of other religious possessions and responses. Every time I find a new detail, that old conversation continues. For that to happen, on any topic, a family has to have time to delight in the process of discovery. Sadly, I think we have offered it up to fake greed.
My reaction to the PEW Study, it looks like all that tax exempt land and property for Religious and Religious Educational Purposes is a waste. Scores look more or less like some reading and math levels in failing school systems.
So let's change policy. Could we have "Charter Churches and Temples" with regular high stakes testing of membership, no social promotions, extra summer school for those on the cusp of failure. When a congregation fails, then leadership gets removed and new leadership brought in to clean up the mess. Just go look at all the "educational buildings" attached to churches in your community, all off the tax rolls, and ask if this is a quality social investment of tax privilege?
I think the Dem's will keep both houses. Perhaps 55 in the Senate, Margin of 10-15 in the House. Not much to work with on major legislation, but that is not the menu for the next two years.
Come Jan, the Republicans will begin their pre-primary money primary for their next Candidate. They will all be working at who's on First for the next year or so, and then they will go to Iowa and caucus. Media attention will be on the horse race. Because of the Presidential Race, the Congressional Republicans may not be quite so united on No.
If Dem leaning Progressives take the opportunity, such a time is good for pushing forth some "movement" ideas that are not closely tied to the Obama Agenda. The Senate possibilities are more favorable to us in 2012 and 2014, so perhaps time to develop some interesting candidacies, and bring new ideas forward. Maybe a little drama to offset the Presidential Circle -- but something a lot more classy than Tea Parties. I for one would like to see a grass roots driven movement for a Constitutional Amendment to de-personalize Corporations.
Can't predict Foreign Affairs or Conflicts. But they will be. Obama will travel more in the next two years, Mostly to make a little obama style drama about how complex world problems are, while the Republicans argue about their Presidential Ideological Aspirations. Any movement that shows up ought to be about jobs and economic matters at least in part, and solutions ought to seem practical, comprehendable.
We need to consider how we "shape up" all those young voters who came out in 2008, and help them learn that Politics is a Lifetime Occupation, not a one day vote to be followed by instant change. In some respects, that is where "movements" help educate.
Juan, I think the reasons for the International Community slow walking aid to Pakistan are fairly clear. A few months back, Transparency International released the results of their audits of Earthquake Aid to Pakistan, indicating that a minimum of 60% of donations had been misdirected or just ripped off. Didn't get lots of press in the US, but Western European, particularly Scandinavian Press carried the audits heavily, and I think it is reflected in low donations. The annual international rock festival in Roskilde in Denmark raised a little over 100,000 dollars, but for other causes in other years it has raised ten times this.
Followed a Canadian-Pakistani medical professional blog for several weeks at the beginning of the floods, and eventually they decided to send a personal representative with funds and supplies, after complex arrangements with medical professional friends in Pakistan who agreed to personally oversee the distribution and use of what was sent. There was just a total lack of personal trust in virtually all the normal charitable avenues available to Pakistani's in the Canadian diaspora.
I think somehow you have to address BOTH problems -- the needs which are huge, and will remain so, and the desire of donor's to not again be played the fool.
I would like to challenge Franklin Graham's theological and historical comprehension of his own faith tradition.
He is, apparently Baptist, either/or, General Baptist or Southern Baptist. I know that at the time his Father began preaching in Minneapolis in the early 1940's, he was closely associated with General Baptists, mentored by General Baptists, and as a mark of respect for his mentor, established the headquarters of Billy Graham Ministries in Minneapolis. It is only in recent years Franklin has moved it to North Carolina.
Baptists are distinguished within the Reformed Church (Calvinist) branch of Protestantism by their argument for Adult Baptism, as opposed to Infant Baptism as practiced by Lutherans, Catholics, Anglicans, and many others. In the 1500's there was much "burning-at-the-stake" and city state wars over this detail of Protestant Theology in the Baptist tradition, with Baptists insisting that only when a young adult could make a profession of faith, and on a free will basis, accept a full imersion Baptism, was one authentically a Christian. Actually one of the sections of Bill Clinton's autobiography I found most interesting was his discussion of his own Baptism in the mid 50's, and how significant this was as a rite of passage in his Arkansas culture. It strikes me that Franklin Graham's discussion of "Seeds" is not at all in conformity with Baptist particular views on the importance of Adult Baptism and profession of faith -- and with the manner in which Calvinist Reform Churches generally dealt with doctrine such as "Original Sin" as propounded by Roman Catholicism, and how that characterized the souls of infants and unbaptised children.
Someone should ask him to clarify his own understanding of the Baptist Theological position on this.
Fears of advances by al-Qaeda
I am certain that the results of Transparency International's audits of many of the donations to earthquake relief in Pakistan showing that between 60 and 80% of these donations never reached the intended victims, but rather were diverted in corrupt ways, has had a major impact on the International response to the floods. This did not get major play in the US press, but it was featured in the German and Scandinavian Press in recent months.
And yes, it is a breakthrough for Pakistan to accept Indian Aid. In particular it could be very useful if some of the international medical NGO's dealing with water borne disease can import medications from India, as they have a full range, and produce quality at one of the lowest world prices. Organizing the mass treatment of those who have survived thus far for these diseases seems to be to be priority #1 at this point.
Food for this emergency will come through the World Food Program (UN) and they buy as far as possible, in the region of the crisis. NGO's are then supplied through the WFP. What has been lost in the floods is this year's rice crops, but they will also probably loose their winter wheat crop, as the rice needs to be harvested by September for the planting. Pakistan is highly dependent on this dual crop system. The estimates for this year's harvest already showed a deficit before the monsoon season began. This is extremely serious.
This morning NPR carried a story that a US Navy Ship with a large number of Helicopters is now positioned off Karachi, loaded with Halal MRE's and capable of supplying significant drinking water using on-board systems. Food that needs cooking would be inappropriate now -- no dry fuel to make family fires for cooking. Watch to see if Pakistan organizes mass feeding programs using bulk food in affected areas. Given that Ramadan begins in a few days, this may condition how food and drink are distributed. Australia apparently has ships underway with plastic sheeting and tents.
It will be interesting to see if Indian NGO's make offers, and whether Pakistan would accept.