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U.S. Moral Tutelage, Meddling in Thai affairs

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WASHINGTON – The U.S. State Department has condemned Thailand for its failure to live up to standards we set for the treatment of migrant workers. Annually, the State Department monitors and evaluates 190 nations for their compliance with “minimum performance standards” for the treatment of migrants. In 2013 it put Thailand into a “warning” category in its TIP (Trafficking in Persons) report. In 2014, it put Thailand in the bottom rank of all the countries of the world.

Our oldest trading partner in Asia, Thailand, found itself lumped with Zimbabwe, Uzbekistan, Syria, North Korea and the Central African Republic. The failing grade, which went unnoticed in the American media, made headlines in Bangkok and the other capitals of Southeast Asia.

It is official U.S. policy to “name and shame” nations that fail to meet minimum performance standards. The concept is that their governments, feeling the heat, will undertake reforms. The policy, however, is unsupported by statistical measures and lacks meaningful comparative data.

TIP fails, for example, to take account of the fact that Thailand’s economy is a magnet for more than two million migrant workers and is one of the world’s most burdened destination countries. By contrast, its neighbor Burma (which TIP ranks above Thailand) sees hundreds of thousands of its citizens flee abroad for a better life.

TIP’s rankings are widely believed in Southeast Asia and elsewhere to be politically manipulated by U.S. officials. Some wonder, for example, whether Burma escaped a failing grade only because of Obama’s 2012 visit there to celebrate its emerging democracy. Whether that charge is true or not, the rankings are based on what The Economist recently called “second-hand, unreliable and not comparable from country to country.”

In May of this year, the State Department issued an even harsher condemnation of Thailand. In the wake of massive street demonstrations, a military coup toppled the elected government. Our State Department promptly denounced the military and thundered that the elected government must immediately be restored to power. Ever since, American diplomacy has demanded that the new government of General Prayut step aside and hold immediate elections.

In a major speech in Brisbane at the close of the G20 summit this month, President Obama made clear that Thailand would only return to “partner” status with the U.S. if it replaced Prayut. “In Thailand,” he said, “we are urging a quick return to inclusive, civilian rule.”

American diplomacy seems badly out of step with public opinion in Thailand.

Many Thais believe that only the military coup saved their country from civil war, and the new government is widely popular among the Thai people. In a nationwide survey in October, 82.7 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with Prayut’s government. Other surveys have shown equally strong public approval for their government’s efforts to frame a new constitution with checks on majority, one-party power. Even the ousted prime minister of the pre-coup elected government says she trusts Prayut’s commitment to reform.

Our State Department claims to know better. Official American policy measures nations by whether or not they hold elections.

Thailand’s elected government, although it used its majority to rule divisively and was criticized for massive corruption, met our simple standard: it won an election and, therefore, our support.

As the cartoonist indicated, when American policy demands elections prior to constitutional reform, we are picking sides in Thailand’s domestic politics. Strangely, too, given our own Constitution with its checks against the tyranny of the majority, we are pitting ourselves against the side in Thailand that wants constitutional limits on majoritarian democracy.

Soft Power Interventionism

Some have justified military interventions with the belief that democracy is the aspiration of peoples everywhere: remove the tyrants and free government will naturally emerge. The failure of blood and treasure to teach democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq has quieted the appetite for full-scale military interventions. These occupations seem to have produced dysfunctional sectarian kleptocracies.

Under Obama, the focus of our foreign policy remains the promotion of democracy, but by non-military means. Instead, we seek to use our moral authority as the world’s greatest democracy.

This cartoon, which is being circulated on social media, is critical of America’s efforts to meddle in Thai domestic politics. Among other things, it states: “America is evil. You think Thailand is your colony?…”

This cartoon, which is being circulated on social media, is critical of America’s efforts to meddle in Thai domestic politics. Among other things, it states: “America is evil. You think Thailand is your colony?…”

 

Joseph Nye’s book, Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics, released about the time of Abu Ghraib, is a major influence on the Obama administration’s foreign policy. Nye guided attention away from “hard power,” or military force and coercion, instead focusing on the ability to influence behavior by influencing and co-opting through the projection of attractive values.

The so-called “pivot” or rebalancing toward Asia is premised on the attractive power of America’s democratic values. We will partner with democratic nations for trade: the dozen nations that are to join in the long-delayed Trans-Pacific Partnerships are all to be democracies. Our security partnerships will also be with democracies: so, for example, we signed a military agreement with Thailand’s elected government in 2012, but applied sanctions on military aid to the new government in 2014.

Coercive Soft Power

The attractive power of national values depends on the extent to which those values are already shared by others. Democracy is not the only value by which people assess their governments. Growth and prosperity often compete with elections as legitimating principles.

Often, a country will be admired not for its official policy, but for its culture, its historical example, its society, or its prosperity. It is possible, therefore, for people to dislike the government of a country, but to like its citizens, or to admire its businesses and its private organizations. This is largely the case of the United States today vis-à-vis Thailand. Our foreign policy is disliked, but Americans personally are not.

In the Middle East, official America is widely despised. Yet surveys show that the American way of doing business is admired by most Arabs. For many around the world, America’s governmental institutions are seen as deeply dysfunctional. Yet the same people often admire the openness of our society and our innovations in science, business and popular culture.

The United States government will not promote democracy successfully by monitoring, hectoring or haranguing. If governments are slow in building democratic institutions or if they backslide, it is it is up to their own peoples, not Washington, to hold them accountable.

Thais see coercive hypocrisy in official Washington’s critique of their country. What right have unelected officials in Foggy Bottom to assess democratic progress? Why should our diplomats determine whether or not the Thai people are right to frame a new constitution before new elections? What moral hegemony permits official Washington to put Thailand at the bottom of the class of nations?

Policies Have Consequences

Official interventions and meddling in Thai affairs have produced predictable results.

No Asian country has had longer or closer ties with the United States than Thailand; and no tourist destination in Asia has been more visited by American tourists. Yet, aside from China, no country in Asia now has more hostile attitudes toward our government.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies published a recent survey on “Power and Order in Asia.” Its results revealed that Thai respondents were the least convinced of any people in the region that they would benefit from U.S. leadership in Asia. Of all Asian respondents –next only to Chinese respondents –Thais were the most opposed to the American pivot to Asia.

Not surprisingly, Thais find little to attract them in U.S. official soft power interventions.

Ted Gover

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Trudeau’s Gun Grab Could Cost Taxpayers a Whopping $7 Billion

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Trudeau's Gun Grab
Trudeau plans to purchase 2,063 firearm from legal gun owners in Canada - Rebel News Image

A recent report indicates that since Trudeau’s announcement of his gun buyback program four years ago, almost none of the banned firearms have been surrendered.

The federal government plans to purchase 2,063 firearm models from retailers following the enactment of Bill C-21, which amends various Acts and introduces certain consequential changes related to firearms. It was granted royal assent on December 15 of last year.

This ban immediately criminalized the actions of federally-licensed firearms owners regarding the purchase, sale, transportation, importation, exportation, or use of hundreds of thousands of rifles and shotguns that were previously legal.

The gun ban focused on what it termed ‘assault-style weapons,’ which are, in reality, traditional semi-automatic rifles and shotguns that have enjoyed popularity among hunters and sport shooters for over a century.

In May 2020, the federal government enacted an Order-in-Council that prohibited 1,500 types of “assault-style” firearms and outlined specific components of the newly banned firearms. Property owners must adhere to the law by October 2023.

Trudeau’s Buyback Hasn’t Happened

“In the announcement regarding the ban, the prime minister stated that the government would seize the prohibited firearms, assuring that their lawful owners would be ‘grandfathered’ or compensated fairly.” “That hasn’t happened,” criminologist Gary Mauser told Rebel News.

Mauser projected expenses ranging from $2.6 billion to $6.7 billion. The figure reflects the compensation costs amounting to $756 million, as outlined by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO).

“The projected expenses for gathering the illegal firearms are estimated to range from $1.6 billion to $7 billion.” “This range estimate increases to between $2.647 billion and $7 billion when compensation costs to owners are factored in,” Mauser stated.

Figures requested by Conservative MP Shannon Stubbs concerning firearms prohibited due to the May 1, 2020 Order In Council reveal that $72 million has been allocated to the firearm “buyback” program, yet not a single firearm has been confiscated to date.

In a recent revelation, Public Safety Canada disclosed that the federal government allocated a staggering $41,094,556, as prompted by an order paper question from Conservative Senator Don Plett last September, yet yielded no tangible outcomes.

An internal memo from late 2019 revealed that the Liberals projected their politically motivated harassment would incur a cost of $1.8 billion.

Enforcement efforts Questioned

By December 2023, estimates from TheGunBlog.ca indicate that the Liberals and RCMP had incurred or were responsible for approximately $30 million in personnel expenses related to the enforcement efforts. The union representing the police service previously stated that the effort to confiscate firearms is a “misdirected effort” aimed at ensuring public safety.

“This action diverts crucial personnel, resources, and funding from tackling the more pressing and escalating issue of criminal use of illegal firearms,” stated the National Police Federation (NPF).

The Canadian Sporting Arms & Ammunition Association (CSAAA), representing firearms retailers, has stated it will have “zero involvement” in the confiscation of these firearms. Even Canada Post held back from providing assistance due to safety concerns.

The consultant previously assessed that retailers are sitting on almost $1 billion worth of inventory that cannot be sold or returned to suppliers because of the Order-In-Council.

“Despite the ongoing confusion surrounding the ban, after four years, we ought to be able to address one crucial question.” Has the prohibition enhanced safety for Canadians? Mauser asks.

Illegally Obtained Firearms are the Problem

Statistics Canada reports a 10% increase in firearm-related violent crime between 2020 and 2022, rising from 12,614 incidents to 13,937 incidents. In that timeframe, the incidence of firearm-related violent crime increased from 33.7 incidents per 100,000 population in 2021 to 36.7 incidents the subsequent year.

“This marks the highest rate documented since the collection of comparable data began in 2009,” the criminologist explains.

Supplementary DataData indicates that firearm homicides have risen since 2020. “The issue lies not with lawfully-held firearms,” Mauser stated.

Firearms that have been banned under the Order-in-Council continue to be securely stored in the safes of their lawful owners. The individuals underwent a thorough vetting process by the RCMP and are subject to nightly monitoring to ensure there are no infractions that could pose a risk to public safety.

“The firearms involved in homicides were seldom legally owned weapons wielded by their rightful owners,” Mauser continues. The number of offenses linked to organized crime has surged from 4,810 in 2016 to a staggering 13,056 in 2020.

“If those in power … aim to diminish crime and enhance public safety, they ought to implement strategies that effectively focus on offenders and utilize our limited tax resources judiciously to reach these objectives,” he stated.

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Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding, But Still Accounting 48% Search Revenue

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Google is so closely associated with its key product that its name is a verb that signifies “search.” However, Google’s dominance in that sector is dwindling.

According to eMarketer, Google will lose control of the US search industry for the first time in decades next year.

Google will remain the dominant search player, accounting for 48% of American search advertising revenue. And, remarkably, Google is still increasing its sales in the field, despite being the dominating player in search since the early days of the George W. Bush administration. However, Amazon is growing at a quicker rate.

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Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding

Amazon will hold over a quarter of US search ad dollars next year, rising to 27% by 2026, while Google will fall even more, according to eMarketer.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report on the forecast.

Lest you think you’ll have to switch to Bing or Yahoo, this isn’t the end of Google or anything really near.

Google is the fourth-most valued public firm in the world. Its market worth is $2.1 trillion, trailing just Apple, Microsoft, and the AI chip darling Nvidia. It also maintains its dominance in other industries, such as display advertisements, where it dominates alongside Facebook’s parent firm Meta, and video ads on YouTube.

To put those “other” firms in context, each is worth more than Delta Air Lines’ total market value. So, yeah, Google is not going anywhere.

Nonetheless, Google faces numerous dangers to its operations, particularly from antitrust regulators.

On Monday, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled that Google must open up its Google Play Store to competitors, dealing a significant blow to the firm in its long-running battle with Fortnite creator Epic Games. Google announced that it would appeal the verdict.

In August, a federal judge ruled that Google has an illegal monopoly on search. That verdict could lead to the dissolution of the company’s search operation. Another antitrust lawsuit filed last month accuses Google of abusing its dominance in the online advertising business.

Meanwhile, European regulators have compelled Google to follow tough new standards, which have resulted in multiple $1 billion-plus fines.

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Pixa Bay

Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding

On top of that, the marketplace is becoming more difficult on its own.

TikTok, the fastest-growing social network, is expanding into the search market. And Amazon has accomplished something few other digital titans have done to date: it has established a habit.

When you want to buy anything, you usually go to Amazon, not Google. Amazon then buys adverts to push companies’ products to the top of your search results, increasing sales and earning Amazon a greater portion of the revenue. According to eMarketer, it is expected to generate $27.8 billion in search revenue in the United States next year, trailing only Google’s $62.9 billion total.

And then there’s AI, the technology that (supposedly) will change everything.

Why search in stilted language for “kendall jenner why bad bunny breakup” or “police moving violation driver rights no stop sign” when you can just ask OpenAI’s ChatGPT, “What’s going on with Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny?” in “I need help fighting a moving violation involving a stop sign that wasn’t visible.” Google is working on exactly this technology with its Gemini product, but its success is far from guaranteed, especially with Apple collaborating with OpenAI and other businesses rapidly joining the market.

A Google spokeswoman referred to a blog post from last week in which the company unveiled ads in its AI overviews (the AI-generated text that appears at the top of search results). It’s Google’s way of expressing its ability to profit on a changing marketplace while retaining its business, even as its consumers steadily transition to ask-and-answer AI and away from search.

google

Google has long used a single catchphrase to defend itself against opponents who claim it is a monopoly abusing its power: competition is only a click away. Until recently, that seemed comically obtuse. Really? We are going to switch to Bing? Or Duck Duck Go? Give me a break.

But today, it feels more like reality.

Google is in no danger of disappearing. However, every highly dominating company faces some type of reckoning over time. GE, a Dow mainstay for more than a century, was broken up last year and is now a shell of its previous dominance. Sears declared bankruptcy in 2022 and is virtually out of business. US Steel, long the foundation of American manufacturing, is attempting to sell itself to a Japanese corporation.

Could we remember Google in the same way that we remember Yahoo or Ask Jeeves in decades? These next few years could be significant.

SOURCE | CNN

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The Supreme Court Turns Down Biden’s Government Appeal in a Texas Emergency Abortion Matter.

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(VOR News) – A ruling that prohibits emergency abortions that contravene the Supreme Court law in the state of Texas, which has one of the most stringent abortion restrictions in the country, has been upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States. The United States Supreme Court upheld this decision.

The justices did not provide any specifics regarding the underlying reasons for their decision to uphold an order from a lower court that declared hospitals cannot be legally obligated to administer abortions if doing so would violate the law in the state of Texas.

Institutions are not required to perform abortions, as stipulated in the decree. The common populace did not investigate any opposing viewpoints. The decision was made just weeks before a presidential election that brought abortion to the forefront of the political agenda.

This decision follows the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that ended abortion nationwide.

In response to a request from the administration of Vice President Joe Biden to overturn the lower court’s decision, the justices expressed their disapproval.

The government contends that hospitals are obligated to perform abortions in compliance with federal legislation when the health or life of an expectant patient is in an exceedingly precarious condition.

This is the case in regions where the procedure is prohibited. The difficulty hospitals in Texas and other states are experiencing in determining whether or not routine care could be in violation of stringent state laws that prohibit abortion has resulted in an increase in the number of complaints concerning pregnant women who are experiencing medical distress being turned away from emergency rooms.

The administration cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in a case that bore a striking resemblance to the one that was presented to it in Idaho at the beginning of the year. The justices took a limited decision in that case to allow the continuation of emergency abortions without interruption while a lawsuit was still being heard.

In contrast, Texas has been a vocal proponent of the injunction’s continued enforcement. Texas has argued that its circumstances are distinct from those of Idaho, as the state does have an exemption for situations that pose a significant hazard to the health of an expectant patient.

According to the state, the discrepancy is the result of this exemption. The state of Idaho had a provision that safeguarded a woman’s life when the issue was first broached; however, it did not include protection for her health.

Certified medical practitioners are not obligated to wait until a woman’s life is in imminent peril before they are legally permitted to perform an abortion, as determined by the state supreme court.

The state of Texas highlighted this to the Supreme Court.

Nevertheless, medical professionals have criticized the Texas statute as being perilously ambiguous, and a medical board has declined to provide a list of all the disorders that are eligible for an exception. Furthermore, the statute has been criticized for its hazardous ambiguity.

For an extended period, termination of pregnancies has been a standard procedure in medical treatment for individuals who have been experiencing significant issues. It is implemented in this manner to prevent catastrophic outcomes, such as sepsis, organ failure, and other severe scenarios.

Nevertheless, medical professionals and hospitals in Texas and other states with strict abortion laws have noted that it is uncertain whether or not these terminations could be in violation of abortion prohibitions that include the possibility of a prison sentence. This is the case in regions where abortion prohibitions are exceedingly restrictive.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which resulted in restrictions on the rights of women to have abortions in several Republican-ruled states, the Texas case was revisited in 2022.

As per the orders that were disclosed by the administration of Vice President Joe Biden, hospitals are still required to provide abortions in cases that are classified as dire emergency.

As stipulated in a piece of health care legislation, the majority of hospitals are obligated to provide medical assistance to patients who are experiencing medical distress. This is in accordance with the law.

The state of Texas maintained that hospitals should not be obligated to provide abortions throughout the litigation, as doing so would violate the state’s constitutional prohibition on abortions. In its January judgment, the 5th United States Circuit Court of Appeals concurred with the state and acknowledged that the administration had exceeded its authority.

SOURCE: AP

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