I owe you money but you've just ruined my well. You don't want to compensate me for the damage you've caused. What if I said, "fine, I'll take the money I owe you and use it to dig another well"?
In general terms, climate change is hitting hardest the poorest and most vulnerable nations of the Third World, countries that also tend to be heavily indebted to the rich countries that are also the big emitters of greenhouse gases.
If it wasn't a bi-polar, "us versus them" world before the Warsaw climate change summit it became one when 134 of the small, weak and vulnerable nations walked out in protest against the rich countries' refusal to talk compensation.
What if those 134 wee nations told the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the finance ministries and treasury departments to get stuffed, reneged on their debts and began expropriating First World assets to fund climate change relief and adaptation projects?
Shut their embassies, drive the buggers out and then announce that, collectively, your bloc of 134 countries with all those strategic resources will deal with the first economic superpower, East or West, to come to the table with an acceptable climate change deal.
Just sayin'
Firstly they might be labeled terrorist states like Britain did to Iceland briefly after the latter refused to make it's citizens compensate British banksters for their loses. Then if that didn't achieve the desired results, some of them might get Ghaddafied with the aim of making the others sit up and pay attention.
ReplyDeleteIf they can't woo with bribes or motivate with threats, there's always a good military drubbing to get their way.
A recent somewhat related story is the Saudi announcement of a $3 billion present to the Lebanese Govt. so they can deal with the country's security issues. Money to be used to purchase military equipment from friendly France. Co-incidentally, the day following the announcement the Lebanese Govt. ordered it's military to fire on Syrian helicopters that were, ah, infringing on it's airspace. According to the report I read, this is a first and the Lebanese boldly stated they were going to protect their airspace against all future foreign incursions. It will be interesting to see if all foreign incursions are considered equal in the future.
Basically, the destabilizing factor in the Middle East is that the Saudis have decided they hate Shia Islam so much they will do anything, including allying with Israel, if it will help them in what seems like an insane ambition to genocide against that branch of their own faith.
ReplyDeleteAny impact that arms sale will have on Syria is almost gravy; the point is it will increase tensions in Lebanon itself and strengthen the hand of the Sunni and Christian segments against Hezbollah. The Saudis want a civil war in Lebanon; they should be careful what they wish for, because Hezbollah are tough as nails and might well come out stronger than the other groups.
I'm starting to think prince Bandar has gone seriously nuts. What with Syria, Lebanon, and now provoking Putin with attacks on the olympics? The man will at some point find out that very, very few people are untouchable.
Anon, the Saudis are splashing huge bucks around the Syrian border trying to bolster the pro-Sunni interests. Bandar is said to be amassing a private army estimated to be anywhere from 50-250,000 in Jordan to unleash into Syria.
ReplyDeletePLG - I don't know if Bandar is nuts but he's certainly active. Like you I've been wondering whether Putin plans to retaliate for the terrorist bombings. Care for a splash of plutonium in your tea?