Falling figures
Quick: some good news.
It may not feel like it, but terror attacks are at a thirty-year low. Let the good times roll!
This, incidentally, is not the opinion of the Diary, which seems to live in a world where terror is an hourly event. No, this comes straight from the hawks mouth, as it were. This is the judgement of the US government in its annual Patterns of Global Terrorism report.
In the last year, the number of victims of international terror attacks has halved from the year before. It kinda begs the question: Is Bush winning the war on terror?
Unfortunately, the State Departments figures fail to include most of the attacks in Iraq. Now we are into questions of definition: what is terrorism?
Nevertheless, lets not get too gloomy. The report suggests the number of attacks is the lowest since 1969. Last year saw 190 terrorist attacks. Compare that with 2001, when there were 346. There was also a drop of 58% in the numbers of people killed by terror.
What do you mean you hadnt noticed?
Not insignificantly (to adopt diplomatic language), Iran was singled out for condemnation adding evidence to those who believe Iran, what with its nuclear aims n all, is next in US sights. The report accused Iran of providing a virtual safe haven for terrorists a mistake Afghanistan once made.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, was showered with praise for its efforts to help hunt down terrorists, uncover their plots and cut off their sources of funding.
Its enough to make one nostalgic for the Reagan years.
Oil be back
Now, for all its efforts to promote itself as a peace-loving anti-terror state, Libya is still on the State Departments list of state sponsors of terrorism.
What do we have to do? Colonel Gaddafi was heard screaming from his tent as he made-up his face.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell tried to calm his ex-nemesis. Libya, Powell says, must soon be removed from the list as reward for opening up its oil fields sorry - dismantling its nukes.
Weirdly, the State Departments report said Tripoli had not ended all contacts with terrorists, while Powell, the Departments boss, said he knew of no continuing Libyan contacts with terrorism.
Someone needs to get their story straight.
The next day, ExxonMobil whose ties to the White House are not exactly secret publicly drooled over oil prospects in Libya. Libya? Absolutely were interested, said Pat Mulva, vice-president of investor relations (a title said to be favoured by Dick Cheney). Were getting actively involved.
As the Financial Times notes, Previous comments by the Texas-based oil company about Libya had been far more muted.
Though not that muted. In June 2003, Alexanders Gas & Oil Connections reported a speech at a Malaysian conference by Lance Johnson, another ExxonMobil vice-president. We are working hard to see if we can influence that policy, Johnson said of the US sanctions policy that kept American companies out of countries penalised by Washington. We look forward to the day when we can compete with our brothers in this business. Generally speaking, where we are not (present) is in those countries where were not allowed to be, and in particular outside countries like Iran, Iraq and Libya.
Two down, one to go.
ExxonMobil hasnt been in Libya since 1982 when there was a gap between the name Exxon and the name Mobil. A Reagan-imposed trade embargo forced them to leave behind one of the worlds richest oil fields only a tiny proportion of which remains tapped to this day.
From a geological point of view, its very attractive, one US oil company representative said of Libya in Global Energy Security Analysis. He asked not to be named.
ExxonMobil, of course, is not the only salivating oil giant. Among the ususal suspects, ChevronTexaco also has its greedy eyes fixed on Libya (greed, by the way, is good again). There could be a scramble there, Amy Jaffe, energy policy analyst for the James Baker III Insitute for Public Policy in Houston, told the Houston Chronicle.
James Baker III, by the way Oh, never mind.
We have been involved in discussions with Libyan officials to understand what opportunities might exist there. For business reasons, we cannot comment on the nature of those discussions, nor will we speculate about our future plans, Steven Luckoski, spokesman for ChevronTexaco told the Financial Times.
Colonel Gaddafi was in Brussels this week, having his hand kissed. Libya, which led the world, has decided to lead the peace movement all over the world, he said.
Sounds like hell get on just fine with those oil guys.
Below the bible belt
You may also have heard this week that the European Union is committing suicide sorry, welcoming ten new members into the fold.
Among the many threats that this poses to the comfortable existence of the EUs original big shots is the fact that most of the new kids on the block can be classified as pro-American.
Been on Mars lately? Then let the Diary nutshell it: France, Germany, the new administration in Spain, are not exactly waving pro-American credentials these days.
However, the accessionist nations may get an instant lesson in Eurorealpolitik. The EU is drawing up plans to hit George W. Bush where it hurts on trade. The plan, according to the FT, involves targeting producers in politically sensitive areas.
Europe is angry at Washingtons failure to repeal the Byrd agreement (declared illegal by the WTO), which allows companies to reap the profits from anti-dumping and anti-subsidies duties.
The EU plans to target fruit, vegetables, rice, tobacco, even shoes, all of which are produced in potential swing states such as Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
We certainly do not want to influence the US domestic political debate, said the official EU clown act.
Dear Leader AWOL
Finally, a quick update on North Korea - object of Diary obsession.
Since last weeks horrific train blast in Ryongchon, Dear Leader Kim Jong-il, who was passing through Ryongchon station only nine hours before the catastrophic explosion, has disappeared.
OK, so as the New York Times says, Kim lives a Wizard of Oz existence. But in the last week there been no sight nor sound nor celebration of the Great One, which is weird, even for North Korea.
Meanwhile, KCNA claims that the reason the blasts killed so many people (at least 161 according to latest estimates) is that Many people of the county evacuated portraits before searching after their family members or saving their household goods. They were buried under the collapsing buildings to die a heroic death when they were trying to come out with portraits of President Kim Il Sung and Dear Leader Kim Jong Il.
Absolutely no comment.
Dont miss!
Diplomats letter to Prime Minister Blair
Figures of the week
46%
Public support in America for the war in Iraq
Quotes of the week
I think after September 11, the American people are valuing life more and realizing that we need policies to value the dignity and worth of every life. And I think those are the kind of policies that the American people can support, particularly at a time when were facing an enemy, and really the fundamental difference between us and the terror network we fight is that we value every life.
Karen Hughes, advisor to President George W. Bush, justifying her bosss anti-abortion policy.
I dont get a sense of the guy. There has been something about him which has been invisible.
Chris Matthews, host of MSNBCs Hardball programme on Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. Quoted in the Financial Times.
Everyone will be a winner.
French President Jacques Chirac on EU enlargement.
I deeply regret any civilian deaths in Fallujah, but its necessary that order is restored
The people that have been killing civilians in Iraq are not actually the American soldiers.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair
If we had something to hide, we wouldnt have met with them in the first place.
President George W. Bush after he and Vice President Cheney met with members of the 9/11 Commission. The President was not under oath and the meeting was private and unrecorded.
Contact the Diary:dominic.Hilton@openDemocracy.net
