Reading the Pravda

It’s been a while. But there was so little to discuss; so much “noise”, little real news or actions.

Actions and (lack of) Motion

Yes, there was some speech from former warlords turned peacemakers for those who believe that such a conversion is really possible.

Then there was the odd state visit of the local clAoun for those who really believe in histrionics.

Then there were those Mig’s who will take the place of the Mirage in this big empty warehouse at the Kleyat Air Base… Until we sell them to the Pakistanis or some other wannabe-failed state… Unless we purchase them like we did those infamous Crotale…

… But it is all really irrelevant, as the real story may well be unfolding beyond our (puny) reach, or the even punier grasp of our insignificant political c(r)ass...

In this lack of real news, old newspapers can make interesting read. Not so much for the actual information provided, but for the context. I had chanced upon an old Pravda article, back in the heyday of the Soviet Union, which was talking about awarding the Lenin prize to some miners from some Marx-forsaken place in Bejnev’s frozen realm. It actually made more sense in the context of later historic documents that discussed worker unrest in some areas.

Today, in a comparatively freer world, there are reports that “between 23 and 35 Iraqi Interior Ministry officials have been arrested on suspicion of plotting a military coup to topple Maliki's democratically elected government”.

…Dude!

Are we back in 1979?

Surely Maliki’s no Saddam…

Yet he’s no Mother Theresa either.

Consider the plight of that poor “Zaidi”, the man who called the US president a ‘dog’ and hurled both his shoes at Bush. He has already suffered a broken arm and other severe injuries. Before you can shout “police brutality”, recall that he was apparently resisting arrest, since “after he was dragged away struggling and screaming by Iraqi security officers and US secret service agents".

Now the poor sap finds himself “in hospital in the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad”. Having “admitted to 'aggression against a president'”, he now faces 15-year sentence under Iraqi law. He’s now “apologizing”… And pleading for clemency:

[My] “big ugly act cannot be excused […] I remember in the summer of 2005, I interviewed your Excellency and you told me, 'Come in, this is your house.' And so I appeal to your fatherly feelings to forgive me”

An oddly familiar choice of words, don’t you think? Not to defend that idiot who disrespected Arab hospitality. After all, entire cities were destroyed for a similar crime. Still…

Since when has this law been on the books?

Come to think about it, there's still little to discuss... On reprend les mêmes et on recommence.

Et (re)zou!