Modern Pirates

Twenty first century, top technology everywhere, the orbit full of satellites, surveillance systems in every corner, and even with that, pirates, with nothing more than some old AK-47 rifles and small vessels, keep on hijacking ships (no matter the size) in a chaotic country, with no effective government.

That country is Somalia, one of the poorest countries on Earth, where the GDP per capita is around $600 USD a year. It has been in a Civil War since 1988 and the "authorities" of the country have no resources to control piracy, which threatens not only the commercial ships that navigate through the Indian Sea but also the ships transporting aid to many African countries. The activity has become an extraordinary business, as the ransoms the pirates get payed to liberate the ships are between $300,000 and $1.5m USD. So the pirates have now started to use luxurious goods, build residences and have jet set life styles in a country where most of the people is starving.

From the beginning of 2008 until late November, around 100 ships have been hijacked by Somali pirates. But the pirates have high standards, and don't mind to call the world's attention and still have control over their "business". That was demonstrated when they hijacked the Sirus Star, a Saudi Arabian oil tanker with 2 million barrels of oil, which is one quarter of the daily production of Saudi Arabia. The ship has 25 crew members, who are said to be safe, and the pirates have been negotiating a ransom with the ship owners. If the ransom is payed, other pirates will have the incentive to continue hijacking ships, but with no effective government in the country, and with the Americans being reluctant to interfere, the solution to the piracy in the region, and to Somalia's crisis, seem very far.
At least, for the case of the Sirus Star, the Islamic extremists are considering to act against the pirates, as the ship contains Saudi Arabian property. That shows how chaotic the situation is.

Finally, a memorable quote of General William Ward, the head of the US Africa command: "Piracy is a very complex issue. The oceans are large oceans. I don't know if you would ever have enough vessels to have coverage of the entire ocean,". Amazing justification, or not?

For more about Somalia's conflict, check the BBC special site , and the BBC World Service special reports on the crisis.

USA vs. Europe : Hurt feelings

Most opinions expressed by Europeans about the USA are negative. Europeans feel that people from the USA are stupid, dumb and shortsighted. It could be the case that these feelings are the product of our anger and concern over the USA's superiority in many matters. For example, their army is the mightiest in the world. Even more importantly: they are not afraid to use it. We might feel that Europe is taking the backseat in global politics. It seems that the USA only deals with Europe when they want, not because they have to. Despite our feelings that we are important, we are not.

We express our dislike over Hollywood, their lack of culture and stubborness to accept certain truths. Their internal fight over creationism is ludicrous to say the least. But fair is fair, their culture has pervaded most other cultures. Coca-cola, McDonalds and Hollywood are everywhere. Besides these, what some people might call despicable export products, they boast an impressing array of great writers, philosophers and scientists.

This complaining might be some sort of acceptance of this situation, so besides the absence of this mindless and boring monologue from Europeans there might be long term benefits for Europe. I dare to say: it is time for Europeans to stop complaining about the stupidity of the USA, and focus on our own strenghts. The diversity in Europe could be bundled into a power equivalent to the USA.

Without a power that can constrain the USA and can have a dialogue with, the USA will continue their aggressive global policy. Global warming and the "axis of evil" are prime issues. It might also be good for the average USA citizen. The feeling of superiority and being god's chosen is dangerous. Having to acknowledge another superpower, equaly 'civilized', might force them to rethink their lifestyle and convictions. I will go into this "god bless America" later with more detail.

Obama might change trans-atlantic relations, but I do not believe he is more than an aestatic change. It might sound different and more likable, but the result will be the same. Obama cannot, even if he wants, make significant changes to the USA's global policy. His electorate will not allow this, and every effort will be blocked. While he might not act as Bush, which is a huge improvement, the difference might only be less idiocy.

Ofcourse I believe Obama's slogans: "Change can happen" and "We can do it". Change can happen, and we can do it. But who is we? I somehow doubt this is more that the USA...

Winds of change

Barack Obama was elected president of the United States, bringing hope not only to the American people but to the whole world. But he has not an easy task, as he will have to correct all the policies of the Bush administration which sunk the country in one of its deepest economic crisis, involved it in an unjustified war which has taken thousands of lives and which has destroyed the reputation of the United States around the world. Many didn't believe that Obama would be elected, and they had enough reasons to think that. The country still has an important conservative basis and racism is still an issue. But Obama was smart, he never played the racist-card and he focused his campaign in proposing concrete ways to deal with the mess Mr Bush has left, instead of focusing on attacking the rival candidate, as McCain did. The number of reasons that made McCain lose are many, such as his age, his terrible choice of running mate, his support of the war in Iraq, between many others.
But the fact is that Obama won by an ample margin (Obama 338 electoral votes, McCain 161), and now he, John Biden and all their staff will be in charge of cleaning up Bush's mess. The Democrats also performed well in the Senate election, although they didn't reach enough seats to have a comfortable majority.
The eyes of the world were in the American election, here in Europe it was possible to see posters with Obama's image, Obama action figures in the stores and a lot of enthusiastic people disposed to change their perception of the United States.

But Mexico, had to turn its attention to a national tragedy. In the same day of the US election, an airplane carrying the Secretary of Interior and other government officials crashed in the heart of Mexico City. There were no survivors, and the Mexican federal government is now facing a huge crisis. Some speculate it could have been a revenge by one of the leading drug gangs whose main leader was captured some weeks ago, but I consider that very unlikely as all the airplanes belonging to the federal government are always protected by the army.