Further to Alex’s recent posts (here, here and here) on wealthy countries’ purchases of arable land in the developing world, here’s a map from Le Monde showing the main buyers of land, their primary targets, and the amount of land in hectares they are buying up. The map includes both done deals and deals that are still being negotiated. Note the massive sell-offs by the Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan and Laos to China, Saudi and the United Arab Emirates. Excuse the French.

The US  report (linked by Alex earlier) on far-right extremism risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy, as it drives the far-right even further up the wall. Michelle Malkin voices the rage:

The “report [is] one of the most embarrassingly shoddy pieces of propaganda I’d ever read out of DHS. I couldn’t believe it was real… The piece of crap report issued on April 7 is a sweeping indictment of conservatives. And the intent is clear…In Obama land, there are no coincidences. It is no coincidence that this report echoes Tea Party-bashing left-wing blogs… and demonizes the very Americans who will be protesting in the thousands on Wednesday for the nationwide Tax Day Tea Party.

Andrew Sullivan has the best snark: “Why, one wonders, would Michelle Malkin read a DHS report on fringe, far-right extremism that could lead to violence or Oklahoma-style domestic terrorism and think … they’re talking about her?”

(Image courtesy: Random Factor)

He’s done it again. Berlusconi’s gaffe’s just keep on coming. His latest comes as he went on a walkabout in the Abruzzo earthquake zone.  Turning to one female doctor he told her: “I wouldn’t mind being resuscitated by you” . Dr Fabiola Carrieri, a specialist in intensive care from Milan replied diplomatically that she hoped she would never have to resuscitate him and that he had been trying to raise a smile in the middle of all the sorrow we have all around us.

Dr Carrieri a specialist and a complete professional. Sadly the same can’t be said for the Italian Prime Minister. Remember these:

April 2009: Touring camps set up for survivors of the recent Italian earthquake he told a journalist: They have everything they need, they have medical care, hot food… Of course, their current lodgings are a bit temporary. but they should see it like a weekend of camping

On left-wing voters at a conference of retailers during the 2006 campaign : “I trust the intelligence of the Italian people too much to think that there are so many pricks around who would vote against their own best interests.”

At the launch of the 2006 campaign : I am the Jesus Christ of politics. I am a patient victim, I put up with everyone, I sacrifice myself for everyone

To German MEP Martin Schulz, at start of Italy’s EU presidency in July 2003 : I know that in Italy there is a man producing a film on Nazi concentration camps – I shall put you forward for the role of Kapo (guard chosen from among the prisoners) – you would be perfect.

*We will aim to update this page as and when they occur in the future. More here

The US Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis apparently issued an assessment to US law enforcement agencies last week, warning that conditions are ripe for radicalisation and recruitment on the extreme right.  According to TacOps:

“Right-wing extremists have capitalized on the election of the first African American president, and are focusing their efforts to recruit new members, mobilize existing supporters and broaden their scope and appeal through propaganda, but they have not yet turned to attack planning,” the assessment reads.

“The current economic and political climate has some similarities to the 1990s when right-wing extremism experienced a resurgence fueled largely by an economic recession, criticism about the outsourcing of jobs and the perceived threat to U.S. power and sovereignty by other foreign powers,” it continues.

The report also suggests that returning veterans are attractive recruits for right-wing groups looking for “combat skills and experience” so as to boost their “violent capabilities.” It adds that new restrictions on gun ownership and the difficulty of veterans to reintegrate into their communities “could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks.”

“Proposed imposition of firearms restrictions and weapons bans likely would attract new members into the ranks of right-wing extremist groups … The high volume of purchases and stockpiling of weapons and ammunition by right-wing extremists in anticipation of restrictions and bans in some parts of the country continue to be a primary concern to law enforcement,” the report says.

Prime Minister warned by journalist – doesn’t listen. (shock, horror). Andy McSmith – a ‘senior reporter’ at the Independent writes:

McBride is a man of parts. When I dealt with him professionally, I was always impressed by how quickly and succinctly he replied to queries. And yet, though I do not normally consider it my business to intervene in the political process, I did attempt two years ago to convey a message to Gordon Brown, through one of his trustees, that it would be unwise to move McBride from the Treasury to the highly exposed position of official spokesman for the Prime Minister.

Gob-smackingly bizarre that McSmith believes this to be his job.

The International Maritime Bureau’s live piracy map is worth a look. In 2005 (see here for 2005 map), there were many more attacks in South East Asia than off the horn of Africa, but today Somalia has become the epicentre of the industry. There have been more attacks off the horn of Africa so far this year than in the whole of 2005, while piracy in South East Asia has become a rarity.

The 2009 map also shows how much more efficient South East Asian pirates are than their brethren in the western Indian Ocean. All the raids there this year have resulted in capture of a vessel, whereas in Somalia, attempted attacks far outnumber actual attacks. Perhaps as they become more practised, the Somalis too will become more effective, enabling them to some extent to counter the increasingly forceful response by the West.

IMB Live Piracy Map 2009: red = actual attack, yellow = attempted attack

The piracy saga in the Indian Ocean has taken a nasty turn, as France’s new Napoleon, Nicolas Sarkozy, has decided capital punishment is the best way of dealing with Somali bandits in the region. French commandos shot dead two pirates as they attempted to rescue a young French yachtsman and his family. It looks likely that they also killed the yachtsman. Then, on Sunday, the US killed a further three pirates as they successfully rescued a captured ship’s captain.

Until now, the pirates have treated their hostages fairly well – possibly because ransoms have usually been paid – but if they decide to fight fire with fire their activities could become more violent. Indeed, hardline Islamists in Somalia have already vowed revenge for the killings, and another pirate who’s holding some Greek captives (over 230 hostages are being held by various pirates) warned:

Every country will be treated the way it treats us. In the future, America will be the one mourning and crying. We will retaliate [for] the killings of our men.

The blogosphere can be fairly brutal. This weekend, it is busy consuming the political careers of two New Labour apparatchiks – Derek Draper, who runs the Labour website LabourList, and Damian McBride, a special advisor in Number 10.

In January, Draper set up LabourList, which calls itself ‘Labour’s biggest independent grassroots e-network’. It was designed to counter the popularity of Tory networks like Conservativehome and bloggers like Iain Dale and Guido Fawkes.

It was part of a Labour drive to harness the power of the net, as Obama’s campaign did last year. As John Prescott put it in comments posted by LabourList on YouTube: “whatever Iain Dale and them are saying, Derek Draper has put up a good network for the Labour Party, ‘LabourListens’ [sic], and we want as many communications as we can get. Iain Dale, Gui Fawkes [sic] – look out baby, coz we’re taking over!’

The Tory blogosphere mocked LabourList for its claim to independence, and suggested it was just a vehicle for the Labour party line.

Meanwhile, Draper was in discussions to set up yet another Labour website, called Red Rag.

The website was registered on November 4 2008, the same day that Draper met with Tim Allan (Alastair Campbell’s former deputy), Benjamin Wegg-Prosser (Peter Mandelson’s former special advisor) and David Prescott in Labour HQ, to discuss “how to take the fight to right-of-centre bloggers”.

Draper says on LabourList:

“I’ve wondered for ages why the right wing have a near monopoly on websites that feature tittle tattle and teasing of their political opponents. But I felt strongly that such gossip wasn´t suitable for LabourList and kicked around the idea of setting up another blog, Red Rag, where such stories might be published.”

The site was registered as being owned by ‘Ollie Cromwell’, which suggests it was intended to be an anonymous site (unlike LabourList) disseminating smears fed by Number 10 and other sources.

As part of this Red Rag project, McBride sent Draper emails in January, from Number 10, with a lot of lurid gossip about the sex lives of front bench Tories, particularly David Cameron and George Osborne, and their wives.

Oops. The emails then found their way to a Tory blogger, Guido Fawkes, and have also been offered to several newspapers. Apparently pages 1 to 3 of the Sunday Times tomorrow will be about the story, including the contents of the emails.

(more…)

Come on, admit it.  Sure, it’s nice to have Barack Obama as President.  But you’ve felt something missing in your life ever since we lost the daily spectacle of watching the Sarah Palin political machine attempting to manage the story that her unmarried, school-age daughter Bristol was pregnant – despite what was obviously the inherent unmanageability of the father, Levi Johnston.

So on the one hand, we were treated to photos of the happy couple (with Levi sporting a blazer, a tie and a snappy haircut), and the news that they would be getting married; on the other hand, the exquisite revelation on Levi’s MySpace page that,

I’m a fuckin’ redneck who likes to snowboard and ride dirt bikes. But I live to play hockey. I like to go camping and hang out with the boys, do some fishing, shoot some shit and just fuckin’ chillin’ I guess. Ya fuck with me I’ll kick ass.

And then Obama won and – suddenly, we were bereft.

Until now! For Levi has now declared all out war on Sarah Palin family (since you ask, no, he is no longer getting married to Bristol), by appearing on the Tyra Banks Show and then The Early Show on CBS, in each case giving it to Sarah with both barrels. According to People,

One point of disagreement: Whether Johnston, 18, ever lived at the Palin’s home. “They said I didn’t live there,” he said. “[They say] I ‘stayed’ there. I was like, ‘Okay, whatever you want to call it’ – I had all my stuff there. So, if you wanna call it staying there, that’s fine.”  “So, they’re lying,” said anchor Maggie Rodriguez. “Yeah,” Johnston replied.

And Levi’s family mother Sherry and sister Mercede are getting stuck in, too.  As the latter observes,

“They’re lying, trying to save themselves when they’re the ones that asked for it. They brought him to the campaign. They should have known what was coming. They can’t turn around and try and take it back now.”

Hell yeah! How do you like them family values? He warned us he’d kick ass. But for me, the real hold-the-front-page bombshell here is the one set out in the Huffington Post:

Levi Johnston, ex-fiancee of famous teen mom Bristol Palin, admitted to Tyra Banks in an interview set to air Monday that the couple was not always practicing safe sex and says they shared a bedroom on occasion.

Steady on, HuffPo. Did you have your lawyers look this over before you went to press? 

As for Bristol, well, dignfied silence is the order of the day.  As a statement from Camp Palin notes:

“Bristol’s focus will remain on raising Tripp, completing her education, and advocating abstinence.”

The highlight of last night’s Newswipe – Charlie Brooker’s rather weak British answer to the Daily Show in the US - was a brief video by Adam Curtis, the maker of such brilliant documentaries as The Century of the Self and The Power of Nightmares.

Curtis, in a typically bold narrative, argued that the hippy counterculture had changed the way we see global events, leading us to see situations like the famine in Ethiopia or the Kosovo War through the simplistic hippy framework of innocent and heroic individuals versus corrupt political systems.

The global ‘solution’, in this hippy framework, is for direct aid that side-steps corrupt political frameworks - the Blue Peter aid project to Biafra in 1969 launched this, and Live Aid was the culmination of it.

But the simplistic vision broke down, he argued, during the Hutu / Tutsi wars of the 1990s – first the Tutsis were portrayed by the western media as the innocent heroes, but then the Tutsi massaces of Hutus, and the ensuing civil war, showed the story to be much more politically complex, with no obvious ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’.

But the media can’t handle such complexity, so the result is we’re shown repeated images of evil and suffering, without any political framework in which to comprehend it. The end is ‘oh dearism’ – the attitude of a depressed hippy.

It really reminds me of the western world’s response (including my response at the time) to the 2004 Orange Revolution in Ukraine: kids in tents and good-looking rebel politicians standing up to corrupt political leaders, what’s not to like?

Then the Orange leaders spend the next five years arguing and fighting, and the country descends into a major economic crisis. Oh dear.

It’s only about five minutes long, you can watch it below:

Adam Curtis on Newswipe