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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 22-Jul-2013
22-Jul-13 World View -- Shinzo Abe wins landslide electoral victory in Japan

Web Log - July, 2013

22-Jul-13 World View -- Shinzo Abe wins landslide electoral victory in Japan

New York City bans food donations to the homeless

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

Shinzo Abe wins landslide electoral victory in Japan
Pakistan's army becoming increasingly radicalized
Kurds in Iraq's army mutiny as level of violence increases
Riots near Paris over France's ban on Muslim face veils
New York City bans food donations to the homeless

Shinzo Abe wins landslide electoral victory in Japan

Shinzo Abe answering questions on Sunday (Nobuhiro Shirai)

Shinzo Abe answering questions on Sunday (Nobuhiro Shirai)

Japan has had six prime ministers in six years, and so the landslide re-election victory by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is significant. The victory may prompt the nationalist prime minister to take several major steps related to foreign affairs:

He has long wanted to amend Japan's pacific constitution to permit the establishment of a national defense military. Japan's constitution was written by the United States after WW II, and Abe considers it to be humiliating.

He may take further steps to assert control over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands that are in dispute with China, and over which the two countries have frequent naval confrontations.

He does not appear to have any plan to hold talks with the South Koreans or Chinese over the issue of "comfort women" used by Imperial Japanese Army soldiers for sex before and during World War II.

On August 15, the date that marks the end of World War II for Japan, he may resume personal visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which contains Japanese dead from WW II, including 14 convicted or accused Class A war criminals.

However, now that the election is over, he may reverse himself and move in the opposition direction, being a lot more conciliatory towards Korea and China, and abandoning all of the above plans, and focus on Japan's faltering economy. The Asahi Shimbun (Tokyo) and BBC

Pakistan's army becoming increasingly radicalized

The repercussions of the 2011 capture of Osama bin Laden from under the noses of Pakistan's Army are still growing. OBL belt secure enough to stay in Pakistan for nine years. Was the Pakistan Army complicit in hiding him, or were they oblivious and incompetent not to notice him, despite numerous signs.

Thus, it's not surprising that as younger generations join the Army, the Army is becoming increasingly radicalized, according to an Indian analysis. Most of the recruits come from Punjab province, which was the heart of the huge genocidal war between Hindus and Muslims that followed Partition, the 1947 partitioning of the Indian subcontinent into India and Pakistan. Punjab is a terrorist haven, and an extremely radical population, as was apparent after the assassination of Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer. Taseer had opposed Pakistan's blasphemy law, which permits capital punishment for saying anything that defines the Quran of the prophet Mohammed. He was killed by his own bodyguard, and the bodyguard is considered to be a hero by much of Punjab province. A survey of Punjab youth in elite universities in 2010 showed these students to be highly radicalized. As these students are recruited into the Army, this explains why the Army is unable to do anything about the vicious and repeated anti-Shia attacks that have occurred in western Pakistan. Recently, Punjab-based militant outfits have been concentrating their attacks in the triangle between Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar, with Karachi being the terror capital of Pakistan.

Generational Dynamics predicts that India and Pakistan will be re-fighting the genocidal 1947 war, with Sunnis opposed to Hindus and Shias. Hindustan Times

Kurds in Iraq's army mutiny as level of violence increases

Bombings and shooting continued in Iraq into Sunday after over a dozen coordinated car bombings exploded across Baghdad on Saturday evening, target crowded cafes and hangouts in mostly Shia neighborhoods. At least 70 people killed and more than 150 injured in a series of attacks across Iraq over the last two days. There's been a huge surge in violence since Ramadan began earlier this month, with at least 284 deaths. And in a new development, over 1,000 Kurdish soldiers have essentially mutinied from the Iraq army, with the support of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), after refusing to fight Sunni Arabs for fear of exacerbating already tense relations. The mutiny is significant, because it may fuel the Kurdistan independence movement, possibly with the support of Turkey. Al-Jazeera and AFP and Dawn (Pakistan)

Riots near Paris over France's ban on Muslim face veils

Some 20 cars were set ablaze on Saturday night in a second night of violence in the suburbs of Paris, as people clashed with police. The violence began Friday after a group of residents gathered at the police station to protest the arrest of a man whose wife was ticketed Thursday for wearing a face veil. The regional prosecutor said the husband tried to strangle the officer who was doing the ticketing. France has barred face veils since 2011 in a so-called "burka ban." Proponents of the ban argue the veil oppresses women and contradicts France's principles of secularism, which are enshrined in the constitution. Wearing crosses or other religious attire is also barred in public schools and buildings. AP

New York City bans food donations to the homeless

As someone who's had a weight problem and had to diet his whole life, I can tell you that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's war on large-size containers of Coca-Cola and other sodas is so ridiculous that only a politician would be stupid enough to suggest it. In fact, many studies have shown that overweight people drink a lot more diet soda, so maybe he should be banning that instead. It would make just as much sense.

Now CBS news is reporting that NYC is banning food donations to homeless shelters. Places like restaurants and synagogues, which have donated surplus food to homeless shelters for decades, are no longer permitted to do so. The CBS news reporter was told that the reason for the new policy is that the City wants to keep track of the salt, fat and fiber content in all food eaten at homeless shelters, and they can't do that with donated food. CBS News (New York)

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 22-Jul-13 World View -- Shinzo Abe wins landslide electoral victory in Japan thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (22-Jul-2013) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 22-Jul-2013 22-Jul-13 World View -- Shinzo Abe wins landslide electoral victory in Japan

Shinzo Abe wins landslide electoral victory in Japan

Pakistan's army becoming increasingly radicalized

Kurds in Iraq's army mutiny as level of violence increases

Riots near Paris over France's ban on Muslim face veils

New York City bans food donations to the homeless

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 22-Jul-2013
22-Jul-13 World View -- Shinzo Abe wins landslide electoral victory in Japan