We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Thursday, November 25, 2010

The Korean Crisis: Cui Bono?

by William Engdahl from Global Research

This author is a very astute observer of the Empire's shenanigans, and can always be counted on to balance the disinformation put out by the Empire's media machinery.

He points to the source of the tensions by referring to an earlier incident that took place in March of this year. For information on the most recent incident, the AP has probably provided the best report from Western sources which as usual have done a dismal job. 

There are few places in the world where Western media, especially US media, do such poor coverage of the news as that of North Korea. I don't believe (or disbelieve) anything that is reported from these sources. Instead I wait for reports from alternative news agencies which often takes some time. The only area of the world where coverage might be worse is in the Congo (DRC) where Western corporations are plundering their mineral resources and supporting mercenary armies. (See this, this, and this.) 

I am not very current in my knowledge of Korean affairs largely because of the poor coverage, but I have recently acquired an accurate knowledge of the Korean War by reading two excellent, well-written, extensively documented volumes by Bruce Cumings entitled, The Origins of the Korean War, v.1 & 2. 

While reading these two books, I was shocked at one revelation after another that clearly contradicted everything that I had been brainwashed into thinking about Korea during the Korean War when I was a young teenager and since. If you have only time for one book, I suggest reading v.1. These books are not easily obtainable. They are expensive in the used book market, and only large university libraries seem to have copies available. (I wonder why.) I can see now why the US media and academic authorities prefer to call it the "Forgotten War"--they would like you to forget about it.