Mbeki attacks US over survival of the fittest (TRANSLATION: COMMUNIST FOOL SPOUTS OFF RUBBISH)

The Daily Telegraph ^ | August 27, 2002 | Charles Clover

[MadIvan]

The Earth Summit opened in Johannesburg yesterday with a clear attack on the United States by South Africa's president, Thabo Mbeki, and a demand for more money for poor countries.

"A global human society based on poverty for many and prosperity for a few, characterised by islands of wealth, surrounded by a sea of poverty, is unsustainable," he said.

Mr Mbeki said that the poverty gap between the northern and southern hemispheres had increased since the Rio Earth Summit 10 years ago.

The world had grown into a global village and the survival of everybody demanded a consensus that there was "no longer any river that divides our common habitat into poor and wealthy parts". The US, Canada, Australia and Japan are all opposing new international obligations to help poor countries.

Holding out the begging bowl on behalf of the developing world, which stands to benefit most from a successful summit, Mr Mbeki said that "for the first time in human history, society possesses the capacity to eradicate poverty and underdevelopment".

To achieve this, the key principle agreed at Rio of "common but differentiated responsibility" - the idea that the industrialised countries, which have caused global warming and consume most of the world's resources - act first to sort out the mess.

That was the stumbling block for the US Senate in refusing to ratify the 1998 Kyoto climate treaty. It would have required America, the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, to reduce its outpouring and remains the primary source of disagreement between the US and the EU.

Mr Mbeki said failure to act on the grand vision expressed in Rio had led to "an avoidable increase in human misery and ecological degradation.

"It is as though we are determined to regress to the most primitive condition of existence in the animal world, of the survival of the fittest. As though we have decided to spurn what the human intellect tells us, that the survival of the fittest only presages the destruction of all humanity."

The American delegation has said that it is prepared to enter into new agreements and provide new funding, but it is sceptical of the value of global targets. President Bush has retired to his ranch in Texas, while more than 100 world leaders are due to arrive in Johannesburg this weekend. The US media is barely represented either.

Developed countries will point out that more aid and new agreements to help lift the poor from environmental squalor will be agreed only on condition that Mr Mbeki and other leaders of the poor South support moves to improve government in states such as Zimbabwe.

They will say that disregard for the law and international agreements by countries such as Zimbabwe is the real cause of much of the world's misery.

[MadIvan]

Taiwan, South Korea and other countries have shown that adherence to the right policies will generate wealth out of seemingly nothing. In my opinion, these poor countries have no one to blame but themselves.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[MadIvan]

For your amusement...

Regards, Ivan

[Boonie Rat]

...and a demand for more money for poor countries.

Let me see if I understand this. He bad mouths us then begs for more money. Fat chance, Richardhead.

Boonie Rat

MACV SOCOM, PhuBai/Hue '65-'66

[MadIvan]

Let me see if I understand this. He bad mouths us then begs for more money. Fat chance, Richardhead.

You've got it. And his threat is - "Pay us, or we'll whinge some more."

Regards, Ivan

[lavaroise]

So I guess Mbeki admits that he is not the fittest. Good. Let people in South Africa know that.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

"A global human society based on poverty for many and prosperity for a few, characterised by islands of wealth, surrounded by a sea of poverty, is unsustainable," he said."

It is? It's been that way for 4000 years of civilized society. I guess the commies have yet to open a real history book and have read too much Marx for their own good.

[Movemout]

To achieve this, the key principle agreed at Rio of "common but differentiated responsibility" - the idea that the industrialised countries, which have caused global warming and consume most of the world's resources - act first to sort out the mess.

Translation: "You boys grab those picks and shovels and dig that ditch. I will sit here in the shade and sip on this mint julep and advise you when I see something going awry."

[GBA]

""A global human society based on poverty for many and prosperity for a few, characterised by islands of wealth, surrounded by a sea of poverty, is unsustainable," he said."

Begging for money from abroad while promoting anarchy at home isn't going to bring South Africa to prosperity. Like you said, Taiwan, South Korea, and others have shown what works. A society willing to abide by a legal standard that promotes equity, equality and stability will attract investment and opportunity and prosperity will most likely result.

The world needs a new revolution playbook. Karl Marx stuff doesn't work all that well in the long term.

[BlueLancer]

"And his threat is - "Pay us, or we'll whinge some more."

"Go away, or else I shall taunt you a second time!"

[backhoe]

AfricaWatch:

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First it was Rhodesia then SA now America paying the price of silence.

-A Capsule History of Southern Africa--

Parallels between Apartheid SA & USA today

South African Crime Report

ZWNEWS.com - linking the world to Zimbabwe
... Books & Videos. Degrees in Violence: Robert Mugabe and the Struggle for Power
In Zimbabwe This book tells the story of Zimbabwe from the hopeful era of ...

MPR Books - Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African ...

Title: "Cry, the Beloved Country" - Topics: World/South Africa

---

That said, Ivan, you might like to ask Clive and Cincinatus' Wife for their ping lists, as they both cover this nasty subject.

I have added a link to this story to my "Out of Africa- more tales untold" mass email that I routinely send to editors & "opinionators" like Rush and Hannity.

[Jim Noble]

>>"A global human society based on poverty for many and prosperity for a few, characterised by islands of wealth, surrounded by a sea of poverty, is unsustainable," he said. <<

Correct.

Close the borders.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

I seem to recall South Africa had a pretty good economy going until it became a Marxist, violent society. Mbeki is presiding over a disaster of his country's own making.

[Steely Tom]

"A global human society based on poverty for many and prosperity for a few, characterised by islands of wealth, surrounded by a sea of poverty, is unsustainable," he said.

Yeah, but it's only unsustainable for you.

I heard some eco-wanker on NPR yesterday. The subject of the discussion was "sustainable development." The oh-so-sensitive host (remember that scene in Annie Hall where the bearded guy takes Annie's hand, places it against his chest, and says "touch my heart") asked this question: "what does 'sustainable development' translate into in terms of local action." The guest's answer: "there are no easy answers."

He said it so smoothly that I got the feeling that he had been coached to say it; that this answer was given in some media kit for members of the "movement" who get invited to speak on some show.

I think I know what "sustainable development" means. It means "no progress."

Which, of course, eventually means "no people."

(steely)

[antonz]

Give them more money or what?
This nasty little meeting is begining to sound more like an extortion racket than anything else.

[MadIvan]

I heard some eco-wanker on NPR yesterday. The subject of the discussion was "sustainable development." The oh-so-sensitive host (remember that scene in Annie Hall where the bearded guy takes Annie's hand, places it against his chest, and says "touch my heart") asked this question: "what does 'sustainable development' translate into in terms of local action." The guest's answer: "there are no easy answers

Which of course means there is no end to their activities. As they have no definition, they can never say "sustainable development" is achieved. This is a con job by the left to get us to cede more power and wealth to government, since they think they know better than the rest of us what to do with it. I never trusted the Greens; more lately I despise them.

Regards, Ivan

[Steely Tom]

This is a con job by the left to get us to cede more power and wealth to government, since they think they know better than the rest of us what to do with it. I never trusted the Greens; more lately I despise them.

Yes, but the thing about the Greens is that their philosophy is even more silly and contradictory than was Communism. To the best of my knowledge, the Greens have not been successful as a anything other than a fringe party anywhere; what is the status of the Greens in Germany today? Have they progressed much in the last, say, five years?

Ayn Rand said that nihilism would always express itself through a sub-population of persons who hate humanity because they hate themselves. Boy, did she call that one right.

Note: I have no desire for this thread to drift off into a flame-war on Objectivism.

(steely)

[dennisw]

Screw Thabo Mbeki and his henchmen. They got rid of white rule there and have figured out how to send a nation with gold and diamond mines into the toilet. He also buddies up with that devil Robert Mugabe.

If SA is a terrible place to live then it's their own fault. Not mine. I have not one bit of guilt about crappy African nations and other crappy nations. They are not plundered by the "evil white colonialists" but by their own home grown kleptomaniac elites.

[PogySailor]

In related news....

Lobsters, caviar and brandy for MPs at Earth Summit on starvation

[MadIvan]

Yes, but the thing about the Greens is that their philosophy is even more silly and contradictory than was Communism. To the best of my knowledge, the Greens have not been successful as a anything other than a fringe party anywhere; what is the status of the Greens in Germany today? Have they progressed much in the last, say, five years?

Joschka Fischer, the German foreign minister, is the head of the Green Party.

Don't dismiss them yet.

Regards, Ivan