Thursday 8 December 2011

Get it off your chest



It has been such a dry week news-wise. The same old stuff has been reported in a dozen different ways… how I wish the riveting stories will jump out of their hiding places so that journalists will have something new to write about. Because if I read one more line about Europe’s crisis/Madam Merkel and Monsieur Sarkozy to the rescue, I’ll pass out with boredom.

And as if being in the eye of the storm (economically) is not enough, news reports have to rub it in with their predictable three-course meal – doom, Doom and DOOM.

 I really can’t stand the scale of negativity. It wouldn’t do much harm putting a positive spin on it every now and again. For instance, we all know unemployment is one of the biggest problems of today’s world. But pray tell, what do we achieve by churning out a steady roll of depressing stories about unemployment figures? Rehashing the problems won’t take us anywhere; talking solutions will.


So let me offer a fresh angle: unemployment is one of life’s biggest frustrations but it is also one of life’s biggest opportunities. Unemployed people can utilise the extra time on their hands to explore new ways of making a living outside the conventional 9-5 work-for-an-employer type-job.

                                                              Russian elections


Russians went to the polls and the result was so predictable – it’s Putin again! He was always lurking somewhere in the background, wasn’t he? Now he’s back again.

Hasn’t he had his fill from the cistern of power?? Surely Russia will not fall apart in his absence. Besides the last time I checked dictatorships and presidents for life were mainly associated with African leadership. Mr Putin is sure giving African leaders a run for their reputation.

                                                                   Egypt again
Egyptians have ousted their leader and now they are at each other’s necks. Protesters, the army and the Muslim Brotherhood are all locking horns. On paper democracy looks so easy and achievable. Translating it to reality is a different issue.


                                                                           Iran-mania
Iran...what shall I say? First of all it was Iraq. A dossier was conveniently whipped out detailing weapons of MASS DESTRUCTION held by the country. The country was raided, Saddam hung, then what? We haven’t been shown the weapons till date. Oh, I know, the weapons just grew wings and took flight. It’s not as if they weren’t there in the first place!

Next on the list – Muammar Gaddafi! Poor soul. He was sent to the great beyond without a shred of dignity. The country he built over years crumbled before his eyes like a pack of cream crackers.

Next! Oh yeah, now it’s Iran. According to a report by the Atomic Energy Agency its nuclear programme is geared towards weapons development and military use.

Let me take a detour…don’t worry you’ll soon see where I’m heading. Although the week has been dry, there was one highlight for me. The 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbour. Phenomenal pictures captured the devastation unleashed when Japanese planes bombed the US naval base. In total 2,390 Americans lost their lives in the attack.
In response the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. It is estimated more than 200,000 people died.

A world without nuclear weapons would be less stable and more dangerous for all of us.

- Margaret Thatcher (former British Prime Minister)

That brings me back to my rant on Iran. The Atomic Energy Agency report says Iran's programme is geared towards developing weapons but it does not give any detailed evidence to back up its claims.

Thing is, there is only one case in history in which nuclear weapons were used in warfare – Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The same country that devastated Japan invaded Iraq and attacked Libya, so Is this threat real or imagined?


Now I’m offering you a platform. What are those news stories that get under your skin? Or the stories you feel are not given sufficient attention, or perhaps a news dimension that has not been explored? Post a comment. Get it off your chest. Bring it on.

4 comments:

  1. 9/11 Us lost about 3000 people and in turn, they invaded afgan and Iraq where over 2 million civilians have lost their lives. The original 9/11 saw the US over throw an elected official in Chile, supporting a dictator which lead to tens of thousands losing their lives. It baffles me how Iran who hasn't invaded any country in the last 10 years can be considered a terrorist nation when countries that have invaded close to 10 countries over the last decade are considered peaceful.

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  2. @anonymous. That's a very strong point you've made. That's why I asked is the threat real or imagined? Thanks for the insightful comment.

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  3. Oluchi,let me point out this fact about the WMDs that Iraq was supposed to have.I know you say they somewhat "grew wings" and "flew away".Well,in 1988 Saddam Hussein ordered the killing of thousands of Kurds in the northern region of Halabja.And the weapons used? Chemical weapons!!!! The death toll was placed at between 3200-5000,with an additional 7,000 to 10,000 people injured,mostly civilians.The use of chemical weapons is strictly forbidden unless in retaliation.So in essence Mr Saddam Hussein DID possess weapons of destruction.And not just had them,but also demonstrated his bloodthirsty credentials by using them against the Kurds in 1988.By the way the Halabja massacre is classified as the largest chemical weapon attack against a civilian- populated area in history.Clearly Mr Hussein had to be stopped somehow! I rest my case.

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  4. Thanks for pointing that out, Will. Saddam acted like most ruthless dictators who shed the blood of their own without compunction.
    I can't disagree with the points you've made.
    However I need to ask, why was he not stopped when he was exterminating his people in the
    80s? There's quite a stretch of time between the 80s and the 00s.
    There was an intelligence failure. What happened to the WMDs? That was their reason for invading Iraq in the first place.

    So I take it that you also agree that Iran is developing nuclear weapons & is a growing threat?

    I appreciate the comment.

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