Vanuatu

Power Politics

So, I usually try to completely avoid talking about politics since the future seems extremely bleak, especially when it comes down to politicians making decisions for the public versus pocketing money. But for anybody really interested in learning about the power politics happening on this side of the world, I’d say the following article does quite a good job of providing a quick summary.

The New Pacific Wall: The U.S., Australia, and New Zealand Control the Pacific Islands (Worldpess.org)

If you don’t have the time to read, than the following quote and picture is enough to get a glimpse:

Pacific Island votes at the UN are openly for sale and it is often an extremely dirty business. Although several countries in the region are disappearing as a result of global warming, both Nauru and Kiribati voted against the Kyoto Protocol.

On a side note, I was actually living right next to this Fijian girl who’s running a business in Vanuatu but who’s brother (who works for the Fijian military) is accompanying/assisting the US and British forces in Afghanistan. I usually try to not let political differences get in the way of friendship, but the stories she would tell me of what her brother “boasted” of doing back in Afghanistan made it absolutely impossible for me to continue interacting with her.

posted by faa-T @ 10:40 PM