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SPECIAL REPORT: How Iraq is Being Destroyed "A weak Iraq suits many." Three years after the US attack, Iraq is breaking apart. Eyewitness report from Patrick Cockburn in Irbil. One of the great left journalists of his time, he was on the front lines in Korea and Vietnam. Chris Reed on Wilfred Burchett, the man who made Murdoch foam at the mouth. Katrina washes whitest. Bill Quigley in New Orleans reports tales of lunacy and hope. CounterPunch Online is read by millions of viewers each month! But remember, we are funded solely by the subscribers to the print edition of CounterPunch. Please support this website by buying a subscription to our newsletter, which contains fresh material you won't find anywhere else, or by making a donation for the online edition. Remember contributions are tax-deductible. Click here to make a donation. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe Now! |
Today's Stories April 7 -9, 2006 Jeffrey
St. Clair April 6, 2006 John
Ross Dave
Lindorff Don
Monkerud Robert
McDonald Boris
Kagarlitsky Remi
Kanazi Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Robert
Fisk
April 5, 2006 Dick
J. Reavis Mark
Brenner Brian
Cloughley Jozef
Hand-Boniakowski Matt
Vidal Juan
Santos Alan
Maass JoAnn
Wypijewski Website
of the Day
April 4, 2006 Jackson
Thoreau Gary
Corseri Dave
Lindorff Paul
Craig Roberts Norman
Solomon Michael
Carmichael Winslow
T. Wheeler Ingmar
Lee Michael
Neumann Website
of the Day
April 3, 2006 Saul
Landau Richard
Thieme Timothy
B. Tyson Omar
Barghouti Iwasaki
Atsuko Julian
Edney Roger
Morris
April 1 / 2, 2006 Alexander
Cockburn Ralph
Nader Dave
Zirin David
Underhill Earl
Ofari Hutchinson Dave
Lindorff P.
Sainath Fred
Gardner Clancy
Chassay Heather
Gray Greg
Moses John
Chuckman Ron
Jacobs Jeffrey
St. Clair Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
March 31, 2006 Gary
Leupp Patrick
Cockburn Saree
Makdisi Ron
Jacobs Mark
Engler Curtis
F.J. Doebbler Laith
al-Saud Website
of the Day
March 30, 2006 Uri
Avnery Sen.
Russell Feingold Winslow
T. Wheeler Dave
Lindorff Juan
Santos Frida
Berrigan Joshua
Frank Vonnie
Edwards Neve
Gordon Website
of the Day
March 29, 2006 CounterPunch
News Service Patrick
Cockburn John
Ross Omar
Barghouti William
S. Lind Missy
Comley Beattie Earl
Ofari Hutchinson Website
of the Day
March 28, 2006 Sharon
Smith Paul
Craig Roberts Tariq
Ali Manuel
Garcia, Jr. Ramzy
Baroud Evelyn
Pringle Seth
Sandronsky Patrick
Cockburn
March 27, 2006 Patrick
Cockburn Joshua
Frank Ron
Jacobs Jeff
Lays Davey
D. Robert
Billyard Jim
Rigby Lisa
Viscidi Nick
Dearden Gideon
Levy Website
of the Day
Alexander
Cockburn Patrick
Cockburn Ralph
Nader Christopher
Reed Jeff
Ballinger Joseph
Massad Brian
Cloughley Chris
Floyd Elaine
Cassel Dave
Zirin John
Chuckman Sharon
Smith Christopher
Fons Chris
Kromm John
Bomar Ron
Jacobs Maymanah
Farhat St.
Clair / Walker / Vest Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
March 24, 2006 Cockburn
/ Sengupta / Duff P. Sainath Todd
Chretien Marty
Omoto Michael
Carmichael Peter
Phillips Gabriel
Kolko Website
of the Day
March 23, 2006 Charles
V. Peña Joe
DeRaymond Robert
Fisk Jonathan
Cook Tom
Engelhardt Joshua
Frank Norman
Solomon Robert
Fitch / Joe Allen Patrick
Cockburn CounterPunch
News Service Website
of the Day
March 22, 2006 David
MacMichael Juan
Santos Paul
Craig Roberts Patrick
Cockburn Ramzy
Baroud Jason
Leopold Dennis
Perrin William
Blum Jeffrey
St. Clair Website
of the Day
March 21, 2006 Paul
Craig Roberts Winslow
Wheeler Tom
Engelhardt Arnold
Oliver Earl
Ofari Hutchinson Mike
Whitney William
A. Cook Sophia
A. McLennen
March 20, 2006 Paul
Craig Roberts Dave
Lindorff Ralph
Nader Diane
Christian Jeff
Halper Harry
Browne Norman
Solomon Patrick
Cockburn Website
of the Day
March 18 / 19, 2006 Cockburn
/ St. Clair Werther Chris
Kromm Patrick
Cockburn Elaine
Cassel S. Brian
Willson Fred
Gardner Brian
Cloughley Laura
Carlsen Eamon
Martin Julie
Hilden Alison
Weir Jeffrey
St. Clair Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
March 17, 2006 Eduardo
Galeano Greg
Moses Richard
Falk / David Krieger Cindy
and Craig Corrie Amira
Hass Mike
Marqusee James
Petas and Robin Eastman-Abaya Website
of the Day
March 16, 2006 Norman
Solomon Tom
Philpott Heather
Gray Amira
Hass Missy
Comley Beattie Sen.
Russell Feingold Lucinda
Marshall Andrew
Bosworth Clancy
Sigal Website
of the Day
Jonathan
Cook Winslow
Wheeler Diane
Christian Ron
Jacobs Missy
Comley Beattie Jared
Bernstein Noam
Chomsky Website
of the Day
March 14, 2006 Earl
Ofari Hutchinson Dave
Lindorff Kevin
Zeese Todd
Chretien Jason
Kunin Thomas
Palley Cockburn
/ St. Clair Website
of the Day
March 13, 2006 Uri
Avnery Dave
Lindorff Mike
Whitney David
Green Jeremy
Scahill Mike
Ferner Corey
Harris Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
Alexander
Cockburn Ralph
Nader Paul
Craig Roberts Ben
Tripp John
Strausbaugh Landau
/ Hassen Robert
Bryce Gary
Leupp Fred
Gardner Ron
Jacobs Jonathan
Scott Ramzy
Baroud Jordan
Flaherty John
Chuckman Joe
Allen Julia
Kendlbacher St.
Clair / Walker / Pollack / Vest Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
March 10, 2006 Ben
Rosenfeld Lila
Rajiva Saree
Makdisi Elena
Shore Joshua
Frank Dave
Zirin Aura
Bogado
March 9, 2006 John
Walsh Annie
Zirin Brian
McKenna Chris
Floyd Rachard
Itani Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Wylie
Harris Alexander
Cockburn Website
of the Day
March 8, 2006 Patrick
Bond Brian
Concannon, Jr. Pat
Williams Lance
Selfa Mokhiber
/ Weissman Walter
Brasch Vijay
Prashad Website
of the Day
March 7, 2006 Werther John
Blair Dave
Lindorff Mike
Whitney Warren
Guykema Sen.
Russell Feingold Robert
Jensen Norman
Solomon Bernie
Dwyer Website
of the Day
Ralph
Nader Dave
Zirin Vanessa
Redgrave Walter
A. Davis Joshua
Frank Nate
Mezmer Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
Alexander
Cockburn Jennifer
Van Bergen Steven
Higgs Winslow
T. Wheeler Ron
Jacobs Rev.
William E. Alberts Colin
Asher Fred
Gardner "Pariah" John
Scagliotti Seth
Sandronsky Joan
Roelofs Arjun
Makhijani Ardeshr
Ommani Diana
Barahona Ben
Tripp St.
Clair / Socialist Worker Staff Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend March 3, 2006 Laura
Carlsen John
V. Whitbeck Chris
Floyd Mohamed
Hakki Pratyush
Chandra John
Scagliotti Website
of the Day
March 2, 2006 Paul
Craig Roberts Dave
Lindorff Ramzy
Baroud Saul
Landau Joe
Allen Steve
Shore Denise
Boggs Norman
Finkelstein Website
of the Day
March 1, 2006 Mairead
Corrigan Maguire Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Faheem
Hussain Antony
Loewenstein Elizabeth
Schulte Mike
Whitney John
Ryan Michael
Donnelly Tom
Reeves Website
of the Day
Subscribe Online
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Weekend
Edition Vietnam Diary Hue Without Rules By SAUL LANDAU I read the March 15 Vietnam News (English language daily) read at the modern Hanoi airport. VinaLand, I learn, has invested more than $200 million into Vietnamese real estate, a "hot sector," according to Merrill Lynch. The Wall Street giant calls Vietnam "one of the last emerging markets in the region." Merrill Lynch advised "investor attention over the next decade." Sharing front page space with real estate, Venezuela's Assembly President and his Vietnamese counterpart extol their joint working relationship. Can Vietnam cooperate with Venezuela's socialist goals while US investors speculate in Vietnamese real estate? Can Vietnam enjoy the "fruits of foreign investment" and still have a viable socialism? Or do such questions reveal my short-term thinking, inappropriate in the face of Vietnam's conflictive past? As empires have successively conquered this nation, its people have become resilient. In the "American War," preceding the mid 1970s Liberation of Cambodia and subsequent border war with China, few families escaped death, injury or displacement. Indeed, rubble remains from the ten years in which US military technology showed its lethal capacity in cities like Hue. In the 1968 Tet Offensive, the Viet Cong captured Hue and hoisted their red flag from the citadel, the early 19th Century fortress that dominates the city's landscape. The VC, as the US military called them, systematically dismantled the South Vietnamese government structure, eliminated its supporters and rebuffed South Vietnamese counterattacks. Then, US bombers and artillery pounded suspected Viet Cong positions. The Vietnamese revolutionaries fired mortars at advancing US troops. Afterwards, thousands of dead soldiers and civilians covered the ground. The ancient citadel was reduced to debris.. Former Vietnam veterans now tour the rebuilt fortress with sad -- perhaps nostalgic -- looks on their faces, alongside tourists from Europe, Asia and other parts of Vietnam. Do explains that it will take some years before the government finishes reconstructing parts of the citadel destroyed during the 1968 battle. Our Vietnamese guide in his late 20s speaks English and Japanese, which he learned at the university. Tourists roam the walkways amidst workers who ignore them. Their job is to repave the corridors where bearers once carried the Queen Mother to see the Royal Theater perform. The Queen Mother was plump. She ate and got carried everywhere. I have seen few overweight Vietnamese. Plump Western visitors, however, applaud the singing and dancing of the slender members of the Royal Theater Company (trained by the Communist government). No royalty or concubines attended the performance at least not in costume. Boats with painted dragons on their prow haul tourists down the Perfume River named because of the wide variety of fragrant flowers along its banks -- to visit ancient pagodas. On each boat, boat owners try to sell tourists handicrafts, art work and clothing along with the local Festival beer. The economy of Hue depends on tourism. I asked Do what he thought about the past when 3 million Vietnamese died in "the American War" and the present where he and others whose families suffered make their living by catering to US, European and Japanese tourists. He smiled. "We have put that in the past and we have moved on. We do not feel hatred toward Americans," he said. Every Vietnamese we ask repeats this mantra. I have come to actually believe it. Do assured me that Iraqis too will forgive the Americans for what they are currently doing to that country. I wonder if the Vietnamese had been Muslims Didn't the "American War" teach the Pentagon not to fight enemies who fight back? An ancient "garden house" on the outskirts of Hue how green thumbs applied their magic over centuries. Elegant and natural looking floral arrangements dot the patio, without exhibiting any apparent effort. I want to bite into the mangoes, jack and dragon fruits and the plump green figs hanging from the branches. Do, noting my interest in development and socialism, explains that "the government says we are only at an early stage in developing communism and we must have patience." I smile. He smiles. "I'm not sure I believe we are ever going to experience that stage of perfect equality," he says with a twinkle in his eye. On the walk to the hotel from the river, I note that almost every store offers tourist items, from sun tan oil and mosquito repellent to clothing, art, craft and booze. The DMZ Café resonates with the sound of American pop music. US tourists drink beer inside. Early next morning, video camera in hand, I film streams of bicyclists and motor bike riders crossing the Trang Tien bridge over the Perfume River. I inhale nostril-searing fumes. On the riverfront, women try to sell me tickets for boat rides, men offer to drive me to my destination on the back of their motorbikes or on bicycle driven cabs to see the sights. At the upscale Saigon Morin Hotel, a French tour guide tries to hurry his flock comers to board the tourist boat. France colonized Vietnam from 1860 until Ho Chi Minh's troops threw them out in 1954. A frustrated Japanese couple shouts heavily accented English at a taxi driver, presuming he will understand better if the volume goes up. Japan ruled Vietnam during World War II. Ho's independence forces fought them until August 1945, when Japan left and Ho declared Vietnamese independence. For one month, under Ho, the sovereign Republic of Vietnam ruled the country. Then, the French troops returned and war began. Now Vietnamese get tips from tourists coming from the very empires that oppressed them. On the bus to Hoi Anh, further south on the coast, two Australian high school teachers comment on the good food and reasonable prices. I also hear Danish, German, French and Japanese. Some travelers get off at Danang, once a US military base and now an example of "development." High rises under construction dot the landscape of a place that once served as a major US base. An army museum displays a US jet bomber shot down during the war, alongside other captured military equipment in the "American war." Hoi Anh, despite the ubiquitous presence of the motorbikes, leaving trails of rancid gas exhaust, has retained qualities of an ancient city. Hordes of tourists flood the old quarter to eat, drink and buy paintings, post cards, tailor made clothing and mass-produced "marble" Buddha statues. Tourist hotels and internet cafes dot the streets. Vietnamese teenagers play video games on the web; others sit in small open air café-cinemateques and watch DVDs of Kung Fu films on mid sized TVs. "Life became so much better since the government opened the economy in 1986," says Le, a former English teacher who now works with an NGO that helps street kids. The people of Hoi An, like those of Hue, welcome the tourists. "It's preferable. From 1975 to 1986, the government gave everyone 4 meters of cloth per year and small amounts of food. People lined up for hours to buy bus tickets to Danang." He spoke about the abundant food now available on street markets. We still have a communist government of course, but you can see people feel free. We can buy motor bikes. Before, we had only bicycles." Ironically, his best friend died in a motor bike accident. Le blames the anarchy of Vietnamese traffic. "We have no rules." I mention the penetrating blare of the motorbike horns. "Until 1986, Hoi Anh was a city of looms, much noisier and more polluting than motorbikes. When the government decided to promote tourism, the textile industry moved to areas outside the city." At lunch, the 17 year old waitress brings us a spicy, flavorful crab soup and lotus root salad. Then she goes outside the tiny restaurant. "Good food," she shouts, trying to steer two grouchy Germans inside. I look at Le skeptically. "Before tourism, the young people left for larger cities to find jobs. Now, they're returning, along with overseas Vietnamese, the boat people who fled in the 1980s. Some have actually invested here. When they left the government called them traitors. Those same people are now called patriots," he laughs. Vietnam had remained inside the Soviet economic model until 1986, when Gorbachev admitted that the model did not work. Vietnamese Communist leaders quickly began to integrate their nation's economy with the flow of the dominant world forces. In twenty years, the economy has become transformed from a Soviet socialist to a visibly capitalist model. The March 18 News show an unsmiling Fidel Castro gripping the hand of Nguyen Van An, Vietnam's Assembly Chair. An "admired Cuba's remarkable achievement in the difficult context of the current international situation." Earlier, An had addressed a joint Cuba-Viet Nam Business Forum and emphasized that "Vietnam is a now a favored environment for foreign investors, including Cuban businessman." On my next trip to Havana, I hope meet one of these Cuban businessman. Saul Landau is a fellow of the Institute for Policy
Studies.
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