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You good people are getting a sneak preview of my upcoming blog article. It is about 419, and I'll publish it tomorrow or next. This is it minus the links...
I once talked about someone I know personally being nabbed by the EFCC for 419.
I am beginning to question myself as to what may be wrong with my hometown (Benin City for those of you who don't know). Let me make one thing clear; as far as I am concerned, a man's hometown is where he was born, so although I am of the Igbo stock, as are my parents, in my humble opinion, my father comes from Uromi, while my mum is from Kano. Their parents come from Ojoto, Asaba, Umuaji and Ugbomwanta respectively.
Having gotten that out of the way (had to make that clarification because there are people out there who think and say that I am not Igbo), I want to draw your attention to a growing number of websites out on the net that are devoted to the practice of scam baiting.
Scam baiting is the practice of pretending interest in a fraudulent scheme in order to manipulate a scammer. The purpose of scam baiting might be to waste the scammers' time, embarrass them, cause them to reveal information which can be passed on to legal authorities in the hope that they will be prosecuted, get them to spend money, or simply to amuse the baiter.
Among the more popular scam baiting sites out there are the 419 eater, 419 legal, artists against 419 and the scam baiter.
There are some who claim that scam baiting is racist, since many of the targets are black Africans, nay, Nigerians. But it should be known that baiters target scammers from different countries all over the world, not just Africa although it is fair to say that most of their activity is targeted at Nigerians. (I think Russia is third behind Naija and Gambia, not sure though.)
This writer thinks though that baiters have little control over who sends them scam offers, and to be fair, which of my readers with an email box (including Nigerians) has not receieved that email from Maryam Abacha?
Some people have attempted to do some serious research into scam baiting (maybe they should start offering it as a university course, and this article states that:
"There have been attempts to examine the work of scam baiters at various times. A person posting on message boards under the pseudonym "whistleblower", who claimed to be a regular scam baiter, attracted criticism for engaging in an activity known as "badgering" (which involves pretending to be a scammer and actively "baiting" scam baiters). This person allegedly uncovered instances of what amounted to extreme racism by various baiters, and published the results of these investigations on scam baiting forums along with corresponding IP information. This investigation was criticised heavily, most pertinently by those who were opposed, under any circumstances, to a baiter or baiters wasting the time of other baiters. This debate is not likely to be resolved, with the person or persons known as "whistleblower" stating that scambaiting requires some form of regulation."
Chippla wrote an article about 419 not too long ago, and I like to think that his article was influenced by the link I sent him (and all you good people) about the idiot who called himself Nigerian mafia. What bollocks!
419 is not unique to Nigeria. The scam also originates from a number of other African nations, and increasingly from Western European nations with sizeable Nigerian communities. In Nigeria, most of those who are involved in this crime happen to be of the Igbo ethnic group. The word "mugu" is used to describe those gullible enough to fall for the scams. While I am uncertain about the origin of the word (which is also used in Nigerian Pidgin English), the best translation I could give for it is: "a big fool and a total blockhead."
The harm which the perpetrators of 419 have caused to legitimate businesses in Nigeria is immense. According to this Wikipedia article "legitimate Nigerian businesses are…finding their e-mails increasingly fail to reach their targets, due to people and companies setting their e-mail clients to automatically mark all mail containing the words 'Nigeria' and 'Nigerian' or coming from Nigerian IP addresses as spam, or even delete it out of hand."Why am I writing this? Why did I say that I am beginning to question my hometown? I know this fellow!
I once talked about someone I know personally being nabbed by the EFCC for 419.
I am beginning to question myself as to what may be wrong with my hometown (Benin City for those of you who don't know). Let me make one thing clear; as far as I am concerned, a man's hometown is where he was born, so although I am of the Igbo stock, as are my parents, in my humble opinion, my father comes from Uromi, while my mum is from Kano. Their parents come from Ojoto, Asaba, Umuaji and Ugbomwanta respectively.
Having gotten that out of the way (had to make that clarification because there are people out there who think and say that I am not Igbo), I want to draw your attention to a growing number of websites out on the net that are devoted to the practice of scam baiting.
Scam baiting is the practice of pretending interest in a fraudulent scheme in order to manipulate a scammer. The purpose of scam baiting might be to waste the scammers' time, embarrass them, cause them to reveal information which can be passed on to legal authorities in the hope that they will be prosecuted, get them to spend money, or simply to amuse the baiter.
Among the more popular scam baiting sites out there are the 419 eater, 419 legal, artists against 419 and the scam baiter.
There are some who claim that scam baiting is racist, since many of the targets are black Africans, nay, Nigerians. But it should be known that baiters target scammers from different countries all over the world, not just Africa although it is fair to say that most of their activity is targeted at Nigerians. (I think Russia is third behind Naija and Gambia, not sure though.)
This writer thinks though that baiters have little control over who sends them scam offers, and to be fair, which of my readers with an email box (including Nigerians) has not receieved that email from Maryam Abacha?
Some people have attempted to do some serious research into scam baiting (maybe they should start offering it as a university course, and this article states that:
"There have been attempts to examine the work of scam baiters at various times. A person posting on message boards under the pseudonym "whistleblower", who claimed to be a regular scam baiter, attracted criticism for engaging in an activity known as "badgering" (which involves pretending to be a scammer and actively "baiting" scam baiters). This person allegedly uncovered instances of what amounted to extreme racism by various baiters, and published the results of these investigations on scam baiting forums along with corresponding IP information. This investigation was criticised heavily, most pertinently by those who were opposed, under any circumstances, to a baiter or baiters wasting the time of other baiters. This debate is not likely to be resolved, with the person or persons known as "whistleblower" stating that scambaiting requires some form of regulation."
Chippla wrote an article about 419 not too long ago, and I like to think that his article was influenced by the link I sent him (and all you good people) about the idiot who called himself Nigerian mafia. What bollocks!
419 is not unique to Nigeria. The scam also originates from a number of other African nations, and increasingly from Western European nations with sizeable Nigerian communities. In Nigeria, most of those who are involved in this crime happen to be of the Igbo ethnic group. The word "mugu" is used to describe those gullible enough to fall for the scams. While I am uncertain about the origin of the word (which is also used in Nigerian Pidgin English), the best translation I could give for it is: "a big fool and a total blockhead."
The harm which the perpetrators of 419 have caused to legitimate businesses in Nigeria is immense. According to this Wikipedia article "legitimate Nigerian businesses are…finding their e-mails increasingly fail to reach their targets, due to people and companies setting their e-mail clients to automatically mark all mail containing the words 'Nigeria' and 'Nigerian' or coming from Nigerian IP addresses as spam, or even delete it out of hand."Why am I writing this? Why did I say that I am beginning to question my hometown? I know this fellow!
What is a customised plate number? A way of 'showing' oneself. A way of telling people that I've arrived. Where a normal license plate costs somewhere between N1500 and N5000 (minus the bribes of course) a customised license plate goes for at least N50 000.
A friend of mine once railed against the concept of plate customisation on the grounds that the person in question would be a very easy target for assasins. My response to him was hey, that's their headache. If they want a customised plate, so be it. They can worry about the assasins later. Afterall as they say, more money more problems.
In my view a customised license plate gives an insight into the mindset of the owner of the vehicle, and if you tru to figure out what he wants the world to see about him, you then get to know a lot about where the man stands and what he is all about.
Yesterday night I went get U from her office. While I was waiting outside, this sleek black Mercedes Coupe pulled up and dropped someone. What caught my attention wasn't the car (it is a very fine car by the way), but the plate number. The curiosity in me made me walk up to the discharged person, and the following conversation ensued:
Me: Good evening.
Person: Good evening.
Me: Don't be offended, but I have a question to ask you.
Person: Shoot.
Me: Who is that that dropped you?
Person: I can't tell you that.
Me: Did you notice his plate number?
Person: No, what was it.
Me: ....
Person: So?
Me: Do you know what that means in Latin (Roman numerals actually)?
Person: No.
Me: ...
Person: Shit! I always guessed something was wrong with that man.
Me: So can you tell me who he is?
Person: No, I really can't. All I can tell you is that he is a senator in Abuja.
Me: Hmm, that's interesting.
Person: Na wa o.
Me: Thanks anyway, have a nice night.
Person: Yes, have a nice weekend. But I thought you wanted to price me.
Me: No, I'm married.
Person: That's a shame. You look like you need me.
Me: No not at all, nice meeting you anyway.
Person: You for still try sha.
That ended the conversation.
For those who are wondering, the plate number in question was in Roman script that is Roman numerals: DCLXVI.
A friend of mine once railed against the concept of plate customisation on the grounds that the person in question would be a very easy target for assasins. My response to him was hey, that's their headache. If they want a customised plate, so be it. They can worry about the assasins later. Afterall as they say, more money more problems.
In my view a customised license plate gives an insight into the mindset of the owner of the vehicle, and if you tru to figure out what he wants the world to see about him, you then get to know a lot about where the man stands and what he is all about.
Yesterday night I went get U from her office. While I was waiting outside, this sleek black Mercedes Coupe pulled up and dropped someone. What caught my attention wasn't the car (it is a very fine car by the way), but the plate number. The curiosity in me made me walk up to the discharged person, and the following conversation ensued:
Me: Good evening.
Person: Good evening.
Me: Don't be offended, but I have a question to ask you.
Person: Shoot.
Me: Who is that that dropped you?
Person: I can't tell you that.
Me: Did you notice his plate number?
Person: No, what was it.
Me: ....
Person: So?
Me: Do you know what that means in Latin (Roman numerals actually)?
Person: No.
Me: ...
Person: Shit! I always guessed something was wrong with that man.
Me: So can you tell me who he is?
Person: No, I really can't. All I can tell you is that he is a senator in Abuja.
Me: Hmm, that's interesting.
Person: Na wa o.
Me: Thanks anyway, have a nice night.
Person: Yes, have a nice weekend. But I thought you wanted to price me.
Me: No, I'm married.
Person: That's a shame. You look like you need me.
Me: No not at all, nice meeting you anyway.
Person: You for still try sha.
That ended the conversation.
For those who are wondering, the plate number in question was in Roman script that is Roman numerals: DCLXVI.
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Heartbreak for Jens Lehmann and other Arsenal fans as Germany crashed out of the World Cup after two late, late Italian goals. The Arsenal goalkeeper had an excellent match, he’s had an excellent tournament, but naive defending late on saw Grosso curl a left footed shot to win it as Michael Ballack (watch out Ch€£$k¥
) bravely turned his back on the ball.
Alex’s second goal (Forza Juve) was icing on the cake but Germany had never looked like they were going to reply Grosso's effort. There was simply no way they’d have got one back with just a minute to go. Sad for the Germans but on the balance of it the Italians probably deserved to go through and in Fabio Cannavaro they have the best centre-half in the world right now (and he is a Juventino!). He was just awesome all night long like he has been since the first game.
Yesterday night we were treated to one of the all time classic matches of World Cup football. The absolute truth in my opinion is that both sides deserved to win it, and none of them deserved to lose. It was an absolute thriller from the start to the finish with neither side being able to really lay claim to being the superior force.
I was sitting down dreading the prospect of a penalty shoot out when Ballack failed to properly mark Grosso and the Palermo man unleashed that curler into the bottom corner of Lehman's net. You see, the Germans have never lost a penalty shoot out in my lifetime (hell, they've never even missed a spot kick since I've been watching the beautiful game), while I have agonised over three Italian failures.
How do I really begin to dispassionately analyse that match? No way to do it people, no way really. What I can say is that yesterday's game was a classic (am I repeating myself), and to the German team, sie spielten gut, while to the Azzurri, avete giocato bene, FORZA ITALIA.
Now to wait for Portugal to hand the cup to us on Sunday (I'll give my reasons why I think we would be playing Portugal when I'm freer later in the day).
Heartbreak for Jens Lehmann and other Arsenal fans as Germany crashed out of the World Cup after two late, late Italian goals. The Arsenal goalkeeper had an excellent match, he’s had an excellent tournament, but naive defending late on saw Grosso curl a left footed shot to win it as Michael Ballack (watch out Ch€£$k¥
) bravely turned his back on the ball.Alex’s second goal (Forza Juve) was icing on the cake but Germany had never looked like they were going to reply Grosso's effort. There was simply no way they’d have got one back with just a minute to go. Sad for the Germans but on the balance of it the Italians probably deserved to go through and in Fabio Cannavaro they have the best centre-half in the world right now (and he is a Juventino!). He was just awesome all night long like he has been since the first game.
Yesterday night we were treated to one of the all time classic matches of World Cup football. The absolute truth in my opinion is that both sides deserved to win it, and none of them deserved to lose. It was an absolute thriller from the start to the finish with neither side being able to really lay claim to being the superior force.
I was sitting down dreading the prospect of a penalty shoot out when Ballack failed to properly mark Grosso and the Palermo man unleashed that curler into the bottom corner of Lehman's net. You see, the Germans have never lost a penalty shoot out in my lifetime (hell, they've never even missed a spot kick since I've been watching the beautiful game), while I have agonised over three Italian failures.
How do I really begin to dispassionately analyse that match? No way to do it people, no way really. What I can say is that yesterday's game was a classic (am I repeating myself), and to the German team, sie spielten gut, while to the Azzurri, avete giocato bene, FORZA ITALIA.
Now to wait for Portugal to hand the cup to us on Sunday (I'll give my reasons why I think we would be playing Portugal when I'm freer later in the day).
Now to start writing. I am still in Abuja, returning to Lagos tomorrow. First I have to apologise to my friend Isi for missing her wedding, I had some other commitments to make up and as a result could not make the wedding. I don't know how I'll make it up to you. Honestly I have no idea.
This morning I turned on the TV and tuned to the BBC. The first article I saw was one in which it was clearly stated that Israeli war planes had bombed some Lebanese refugees who were simply trying to escape the bombings that country has inflicted on the weaker state of Lebanon. A few minutes later, George Bush (in his press conference with Vladimir Putin) insisted that Hezb'llah and Lebanon were solely to blame for what is now happening in the MidEast!
Excuse me Mr. Bush, but I strongly beg to differ. It remains the opinion of this writer that Israel is grossly overreacting to what is in all honesty a provocation. Israel has the military might (because of US backing I might add) to do what they so please and are taking advantage of that. Why are you trying to rope Syria and Iran into the whole thing? Looking for an excuse to halt Iran's nuclear programme?
We have over the last 10 years seen how with small steps peace can be achieved. This action by Israel (over something that occurs once in a while) has basically torn up all hopes for peace in the region for a very long time.
Having examined the nature of the bombings, I have come to the conclusion that this Israeli offensive is purely economic. The economy of Lebanon in the last three years has found its feet, and it is the intention of the IDF to blast them back to the stone age. How else do you explain the fact that of about 150 targets bombed as at 1000 this morning, only 12 were Hezb'llah targets? A mere 8 % of all the targets belong to the actual enemy! Ain't that something?
I think that Jacques Chirac got is spot on when he said: "Israel appears to wish to destroy Lebanon." That is what is happening.
My job
As of the end of this month, I would once again be an unemployed youth. Yes, I am leaving my current job. In due course I would let you know why. I just want to note that it is funny the way we relax and no longer give a damn the moment we put in our one month's notice. It happened to me at MicroAccess, and it has been happening to me since I dropped the notice at the end of last month. On Thursday I actually had the nerve to tell a manager in V-Mobile to 'shut the f**k up' when he pissed me off. They (my soon to be ex-company) are setting up a secure payment scheme for V-Mobile and since I am the Network administrator and the only Hausa speaker around these parts (I haven't practiced my Hausa so long it that the little I knew is fading away), I was assigned to cover the North, hence my presence here. Unfortunately, Vee's network (a microwave link to Lagos) leaves more than a lot to be desired. My trip to Jos was a complete waste, and I didn't (and still don't) see the need to go further up North (when I returned to Abuja, the results were the same as Jos). I duly said so in my report that there is no need to waste money (my soon to be ex-company are footing the bills), and that is the kind of language the accountants love to hear. Not LO at Vee though. During a conference meeting on Thursday, the man kept hounding me to get the stuff working. Hello, I don't work in V-Mobile IS department and I told him so in not too polite language. I apologised and am really sorry, that was very unprofessional of me (reminds me of the girl at MTN who told Tayo Aderinokun to jump out a window). But my punishment... accounts was instructed to send me bus fair instead of air fare. I get to think about my misdeed in a bus back to Lagos tomorrow. Fat chance!
Juve Watch.
Yesterday night after a long day of training and counter training at the Sheraton, I got home to a phone call from Uche Anidobi (it appears he hates Juve, so I am contemplating blacklisting him) to inform me that Juve had been relegated to Serie B. "What do you have to say to that?" he leered. Shortly after, I got this text from Seun Lawal: "E ya sorry o accept my sympathy. You might win the appeal." Thanks for that Seun.
It shouldn't be news to anyone that the Calciopoli verdicts were finally delivered yesterday evening, here’s a brief rundown of all the sentences handed out.
Juventus:
Demoted to last place in 2004-05 season and stripped of that season’s title. Our 2005-06 Serie A title win has also been wiped out. We will start next season in Serie B with 30 point deduction. Former directors Luciano Moggi and Antonio Giraudo banned from football for five years.
Fiorentina:
Relegated to Serie B with 12-point penalty for 2006-07. President Andrea Della Valle banned for three years and six months. His brother Diego, the club’s honorary President, suspended for four years.
Lazio:
Relegated to Serie B with seven-point penalty for 2006-07. President Claudio Lotito banned for three years.
Milan:
They stay in Serie A, but will start next season with a 15-point deduction. They are deducted 44 points from last season’s point tally which means they have not qualified for the Champions League. Vice-President Adriano Galliani banned for a year. Rossoneri official Leonardo Meani suspended for three years and six months.
Refereeing officials:
Designator Paolo Bergamo deferred, Pierluigi Pairetto banned for two years and six months. President Tullio Lanese banned two years and six months, Vice-commissioner Gennaro Mazzei banned for a year, observer Pietro Ingargiola cautioned.
Referees:
Massimo De Santis banned for four years and six months, Paolo Dondarini stopped for three years and six months, Gianluca Paparesta banned for three months. Pasquale Rodomonti, Paolo Bertini, Domenico Messina, Gianluca Rocchi and Paolo Tagliavento all cleared.
Linesmen:
Claudio Puglisi and Fabrizio Babini banned for a year.
Italian Football Federation officials:
President Franco Carraro stopped for four years and six months. Vice-President Innocenzo Mazzini suspended for five years.
All those sentenced have five days to appeal to the Federal Court of Appeal. At that time, Messina, Lecce and Treviso would be re-instated into Serie A.
In my humble opinion, this is a death sentence to Italian football. What will those morons of judges say when UEFA reduces the number of Italian clubs in Europe after 2 or 3 years of bad performances? What kind of sentence is a 30 point deduction? They may well have sentenced us to Serie C so we would know that they haver real bad belle for us. And how the hell did the Milanista stay up when like us they are also accussed of swaying matches. Fair being fair it is Juventus and Milan that should get the heaviest punishments.
What is annoying me the most at the moment of typing this is that traitors like Crapello are getting ready to raid us. I love the frankness of new president Gilli when he said they are wasting their time. What rubbish!
More to write, my thoughts are jumbled, so let me stop. More coming in the following weeks. But rest assured that Juve watch would become a permanent fixture on this little blog until the day we win our next Scudetto.
Some say life is black
Some say life is white
We all know it is black and white
FORZA JUVE!!!
This morning I turned on the TV and tuned to the BBC. The first article I saw was one in which it was clearly stated that Israeli war planes had bombed some Lebanese refugees who were simply trying to escape the bombings that country has inflicted on the weaker state of Lebanon. A few minutes later, George Bush (in his press conference with Vladimir Putin) insisted that Hezb'llah and Lebanon were solely to blame for what is now happening in the MidEast!
Excuse me Mr. Bush, but I strongly beg to differ. It remains the opinion of this writer that Israel is grossly overreacting to what is in all honesty a provocation. Israel has the military might (because of US backing I might add) to do what they so please and are taking advantage of that. Why are you trying to rope Syria and Iran into the whole thing? Looking for an excuse to halt Iran's nuclear programme?
We have over the last 10 years seen how with small steps peace can be achieved. This action by Israel (over something that occurs once in a while) has basically torn up all hopes for peace in the region for a very long time.
Having examined the nature of the bombings, I have come to the conclusion that this Israeli offensive is purely economic. The economy of Lebanon in the last three years has found its feet, and it is the intention of the IDF to blast them back to the stone age. How else do you explain the fact that of about 150 targets bombed as at 1000 this morning, only 12 were Hezb'llah targets? A mere 8 % of all the targets belong to the actual enemy! Ain't that something?
I think that Jacques Chirac got is spot on when he said: "Israel appears to wish to destroy Lebanon." That is what is happening.
My job
As of the end of this month, I would once again be an unemployed youth. Yes, I am leaving my current job. In due course I would let you know why. I just want to note that it is funny the way we relax and no longer give a damn the moment we put in our one month's notice. It happened to me at MicroAccess, and it has been happening to me since I dropped the notice at the end of last month. On Thursday I actually had the nerve to tell a manager in V-Mobile to 'shut the f**k up' when he pissed me off. They (my soon to be ex-company) are setting up a secure payment scheme for V-Mobile and since I am the Network administrator and the only Hausa speaker around these parts (I haven't practiced my Hausa so long it that the little I knew is fading away), I was assigned to cover the North, hence my presence here. Unfortunately, Vee's network (a microwave link to Lagos) leaves more than a lot to be desired. My trip to Jos was a complete waste, and I didn't (and still don't) see the need to go further up North (when I returned to Abuja, the results were the same as Jos). I duly said so in my report that there is no need to waste money (my soon to be ex-company are footing the bills), and that is the kind of language the accountants love to hear. Not LO at Vee though. During a conference meeting on Thursday, the man kept hounding me to get the stuff working. Hello, I don't work in V-Mobile IS department and I told him so in not too polite language. I apologised and am really sorry, that was very unprofessional of me (reminds me of the girl at MTN who told Tayo Aderinokun to jump out a window). But my punishment... accounts was instructed to send me bus fair instead of air fare. I get to think about my misdeed in a bus back to Lagos tomorrow. Fat chance!
Juve Watch.
Yesterday night after a long day of training and counter training at the Sheraton, I got home to a phone call from Uche Anidobi (it appears he hates Juve, so I am contemplating blacklisting him) to inform me that Juve had been relegated to Serie B. "What do you have to say to that?" he leered. Shortly after, I got this text from Seun Lawal: "E ya sorry o accept my sympathy. You might win the appeal." Thanks for that Seun.
It shouldn't be news to anyone that the Calciopoli verdicts were finally delivered yesterday evening, here’s a brief rundown of all the sentences handed out.
Juventus:
Demoted to last place in 2004-05 season and stripped of that season’s title. Our 2005-06 Serie A title win has also been wiped out. We will start next season in Serie B with 30 point deduction. Former directors Luciano Moggi and Antonio Giraudo banned from football for five years.
Fiorentina:
Relegated to Serie B with 12-point penalty for 2006-07. President Andrea Della Valle banned for three years and six months. His brother Diego, the club’s honorary President, suspended for four years.
Lazio:
Relegated to Serie B with seven-point penalty for 2006-07. President Claudio Lotito banned for three years.
Milan:
They stay in Serie A, but will start next season with a 15-point deduction. They are deducted 44 points from last season’s point tally which means they have not qualified for the Champions League. Vice-President Adriano Galliani banned for a year. Rossoneri official Leonardo Meani suspended for three years and six months.
Refereeing officials:
Designator Paolo Bergamo deferred, Pierluigi Pairetto banned for two years and six months. President Tullio Lanese banned two years and six months, Vice-commissioner Gennaro Mazzei banned for a year, observer Pietro Ingargiola cautioned.
Referees:
Massimo De Santis banned for four years and six months, Paolo Dondarini stopped for three years and six months, Gianluca Paparesta banned for three months. Pasquale Rodomonti, Paolo Bertini, Domenico Messina, Gianluca Rocchi and Paolo Tagliavento all cleared.
Linesmen:
Claudio Puglisi and Fabrizio Babini banned for a year.
Italian Football Federation officials:
President Franco Carraro stopped for four years and six months. Vice-President Innocenzo Mazzini suspended for five years.
All those sentenced have five days to appeal to the Federal Court of Appeal. At that time, Messina, Lecce and Treviso would be re-instated into Serie A.
In my humble opinion, this is a death sentence to Italian football. What will those morons of judges say when UEFA reduces the number of Italian clubs in Europe after 2 or 3 years of bad performances? What kind of sentence is a 30 point deduction? They may well have sentenced us to Serie C so we would know that they haver real bad belle for us. And how the hell did the Milanista stay up when like us they are also accussed of swaying matches. Fair being fair it is Juventus and Milan that should get the heaviest punishments.
What is annoying me the most at the moment of typing this is that traitors like Crapello are getting ready to raid us. I love the frankness of new president Gilli when he said they are wasting their time. What rubbish!
More to write, my thoughts are jumbled, so let me stop. More coming in the following weeks. But rest assured that Juve watch would become a permanent fixture on this little blog until the day we win our next Scudetto.
Some say life is black
Some say life is white
We all know it is black and white
FORZA JUVE!!!
This one was on a Nigerian website. Found it funny, felt you good people should see it as well...
(http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/columns/sketches/sk30082006.html)
A good friend who has been living in England for more than fifteen years called me on the phone the other day to tell me that he was planning to return home to settle in Lagos, and would like to buy a house. He also said that having heard a lot of frightening stories about daylight robberies, people being assassinated in their own bedrooms, and the generally deteriorating security situation, he did not want to take stupid chances. Could I therefore find him a three or four bedroom house in a clean, quiet and secure part of Lagos? He was prepared to pay a reasonable price.
I almost told him that there was no such thing as a clean, quiet and secure place anywhere in Lagos, but that was not the sort of thing one should be telling a man who wanted to return to his native land after a fifteen year sojourn in a foreign country, so I told him that I would do my best.
The next day I called at the office of an estate agent. I would have done far better if I had directed my inquiries to the Controller of Prisons.
“What part of Lagos do you have in mind?” the estate agent asked.
“Old Ikoyi,” I said without hesitation. “It has this reputation of being very secure. It is also very clean and quiet.”
The estate agent was incredulous. “Is that what your friend told you, or is it what you have discovered for yourself?” he asked.
“It is something from my own recollection of the place.”
I then told him a story about the time when my brother and I, as schoolboys, visited a relation in Ikoyi. This relation was a senior civil servant who lived somewhere on Cameron Road. It was a Sunday afternoon, and as our visit ended and we started on the long walk to Obalende bus stop (no buses were allowed into Ikoyi in those days) a police corporal standing guard at the gate of a splendid colonial mansion stepped out to caution us sternly against talking too loudly and disturbing the oyinbo who was having his siesta inside. From that point until we were well past Bank Road, my brother and I walked on tiptoe, as you might say, and conversed in whispers.
“What year was this?” the estate agent asked.
“That was in 1948. And ever since then I have associated Ikoyi with quietness and security.”
“Have you been to Ikoyi lately?” the estate agent asked.
I had to admit that I hadn’t. “The last time I went there, some people had renamed the streets after themselves, and I couldn’t find my way around.”
The estate agent took a file from a drawer of his desk and began to turn the pages. “A house in a safe part of Ikoyi did you say? How about this one? Four bedrooms, all en suite; two-room boys quarters; high fence topped with razor wire; fortified gate house; big garden.”
“Is it in a safe area?” I asked
“Couldn’t be safer. It’s right next door to a police station.”
“I hope it wasn’t the police station that was raided by hoodlums two weeks ago. They took the sergeant hostage and stole four police rifles.”
“Could be,” the estate agent said. He hastily turned to another page. “Here is a really good one. A three bedroom bungalow; electrified fence; state of the art burglar alarm; burglar proofing on every window; solid bullet proof doors. Just the job.”
“What happened to the previous owner?”
“He moved out after some armed robbers climbed on the roof and broke some roofing tiles to gain entry. But the tiles have now been replaced, and the house is again as good as new.”
“I don’t think my friend would feel secure in such a house,” I said. “Don’t you have something with a moat round it - the kind of moat that castles have?”
“Not exactly a moat perhaps,” the estate agent said, “but there’s a property on the outer fringe of Old Ikoyi that has a creek at the front and swampland at the back. It’s virtually inaccessible.”
“Only virtually?” I asked, disappointed.
“Well, a few miscreants did manage to break into the place one night. Twenty of them, as a matter of fact. I have never ceased to wonder how they were able to swim so well while carrying the heavy safe and other household goods they stole from the house.”
“They must have come from one of those riverine areas in the South-South,” I suggested
“Possibly. If your friend should buys the property I would advise him to stock the creek with crocodiles.”
“You think that would help?”
“If it doesn’t, he can always keep a few lions in his backyard. A minister of petroleum resources in one of our past military regimes did that, and was able to protect his hard earned billions.”
I briefly considered the lion option, and then shook my head. “No, the neighbours would complain,” I said. “And, anyway, my friend doesn’t have money to spend on feeding lions.”
“Isn’t he coming back with lots of pounds sterling?”
“No, he isn’t.”
“Then why does he need a safe house? What is he trying to safeguard?”
“He doesn’t think that armed robbers would believe that he isn’t coming back loaded with pounds sterling. Would you believe that a man who has lived in England for fifteen years would return home with less than a container load of foreign exchange?”
“I wouldn’t,” the estate agent admitted. He again consulted his file and then said: “Would your friend be interested in a comfortable duplex in Obalende? It is not exactly in Ikoyi but it is close enough, and it is very secure, especially at night.”
“What makes it secure?” I asked.
“It is wedged between an army barracks, a police barracks, and an old cemetery that people believe is full of ghosts, but what really makes the place secure is that nobody there sleeps between dusk and dawn. Obalende has more pepper soup joints, more beer parlours, more suya spots and more street traders per square metre than any other part of Nigeria, and with people so wide awake, anybody caught committing a crime would be lynched instantly.”
I thought it over for a moment, and then shook my head. “My friend won’t want to live in a place like that,” I said. “He likes to have a good sleep once in a while.”
The estate agent extracted a photograph from his file and said: “Here is a real dandy, in old Ikoyi. A veritable fortress. Impregnable.”
I examined the photograph. It was of a solid looking two-storey house, all brown, with no pretensions to elegance. It had heavy bars in the windows, and grilles enclosing the verandah and balcony. The fence surrounding it was nearly four metres high, and was topped with a concertina of razor wire. The gate was so massive that it would have taken a small nuclear device to make a dent in it. I looked again. There seemed to be something rather odd about it, and it took me some time to spot it.
“How does one get in or out?” I asked. “There isn’t anything here that looks like a door, just bars and grilles.”
“There is a very small door somewhere at the back. It is bullet proof, and has two combination locks and four dead bolts. If you can’t see it, you can be sure that no unwelcome intruders will see it either. That’s what makes it so secure.”
“What happens in case of fire?”
“I’m in the real estate business,” the man said, bristling “not in the fire service.”
After I had apologized for asking a stupid question he simmered down and said: “Would your friend consider buying a fairly used bullion van and converting it into a bed-sitter? It is on the small side, but I believe a bunk bed can be squeezed into it. Perfect for a bachelor who is paranoid about security.”
“My friend is married, and has four children,” I said.
“Then what he needs is a place with plenty of space for exercise. Have you considered Kirikiri?”.
“You mean the prison?”
“Yes. There is some unconfirmed rumour that the prison inmates may soon be moved to Abuja. Something to do with the (so far muted) complaint that the state government has been playing host to a federal facility all these years without being reimbursed for it. If the prisoners are moved to Abuja, the vacated premises in Apapa will be converted into flats and sold to people who really care about maximum security. Would your friend be interested?”
“You bet!” I said, heaving a sigh of relief. “I’ll phone him this very night.”
(http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/columns/sketches/sk30082006.html)
A good friend who has been living in England for more than fifteen years called me on the phone the other day to tell me that he was planning to return home to settle in Lagos, and would like to buy a house. He also said that having heard a lot of frightening stories about daylight robberies, people being assassinated in their own bedrooms, and the generally deteriorating security situation, he did not want to take stupid chances. Could I therefore find him a three or four bedroom house in a clean, quiet and secure part of Lagos? He was prepared to pay a reasonable price.
I almost told him that there was no such thing as a clean, quiet and secure place anywhere in Lagos, but that was not the sort of thing one should be telling a man who wanted to return to his native land after a fifteen year sojourn in a foreign country, so I told him that I would do my best.
The next day I called at the office of an estate agent. I would have done far better if I had directed my inquiries to the Controller of Prisons.
“What part of Lagos do you have in mind?” the estate agent asked.
“Old Ikoyi,” I said without hesitation. “It has this reputation of being very secure. It is also very clean and quiet.”
The estate agent was incredulous. “Is that what your friend told you, or is it what you have discovered for yourself?” he asked.
“It is something from my own recollection of the place.”
I then told him a story about the time when my brother and I, as schoolboys, visited a relation in Ikoyi. This relation was a senior civil servant who lived somewhere on Cameron Road. It was a Sunday afternoon, and as our visit ended and we started on the long walk to Obalende bus stop (no buses were allowed into Ikoyi in those days) a police corporal standing guard at the gate of a splendid colonial mansion stepped out to caution us sternly against talking too loudly and disturbing the oyinbo who was having his siesta inside. From that point until we were well past Bank Road, my brother and I walked on tiptoe, as you might say, and conversed in whispers.
“What year was this?” the estate agent asked.
“That was in 1948. And ever since then I have associated Ikoyi with quietness and security.”
“Have you been to Ikoyi lately?” the estate agent asked.
I had to admit that I hadn’t. “The last time I went there, some people had renamed the streets after themselves, and I couldn’t find my way around.”
The estate agent took a file from a drawer of his desk and began to turn the pages. “A house in a safe part of Ikoyi did you say? How about this one? Four bedrooms, all en suite; two-room boys quarters; high fence topped with razor wire; fortified gate house; big garden.”
“Is it in a safe area?” I asked
“Couldn’t be safer. It’s right next door to a police station.”
“I hope it wasn’t the police station that was raided by hoodlums two weeks ago. They took the sergeant hostage and stole four police rifles.”
“Could be,” the estate agent said. He hastily turned to another page. “Here is a really good one. A three bedroom bungalow; electrified fence; state of the art burglar alarm; burglar proofing on every window; solid bullet proof doors. Just the job.”
“What happened to the previous owner?”
“He moved out after some armed robbers climbed on the roof and broke some roofing tiles to gain entry. But the tiles have now been replaced, and the house is again as good as new.”
“I don’t think my friend would feel secure in such a house,” I said. “Don’t you have something with a moat round it - the kind of moat that castles have?”
“Not exactly a moat perhaps,” the estate agent said, “but there’s a property on the outer fringe of Old Ikoyi that has a creek at the front and swampland at the back. It’s virtually inaccessible.”
“Only virtually?” I asked, disappointed.
“Well, a few miscreants did manage to break into the place one night. Twenty of them, as a matter of fact. I have never ceased to wonder how they were able to swim so well while carrying the heavy safe and other household goods they stole from the house.”
“They must have come from one of those riverine areas in the South-South,” I suggested
“Possibly. If your friend should buys the property I would advise him to stock the creek with crocodiles.”
“You think that would help?”
“If it doesn’t, he can always keep a few lions in his backyard. A minister of petroleum resources in one of our past military regimes did that, and was able to protect his hard earned billions.”
I briefly considered the lion option, and then shook my head. “No, the neighbours would complain,” I said. “And, anyway, my friend doesn’t have money to spend on feeding lions.”
“Isn’t he coming back with lots of pounds sterling?”
“No, he isn’t.”
“Then why does he need a safe house? What is he trying to safeguard?”
“He doesn’t think that armed robbers would believe that he isn’t coming back loaded with pounds sterling. Would you believe that a man who has lived in England for fifteen years would return home with less than a container load of foreign exchange?”
“I wouldn’t,” the estate agent admitted. He again consulted his file and then said: “Would your friend be interested in a comfortable duplex in Obalende? It is not exactly in Ikoyi but it is close enough, and it is very secure, especially at night.”
“What makes it secure?” I asked.
“It is wedged between an army barracks, a police barracks, and an old cemetery that people believe is full of ghosts, but what really makes the place secure is that nobody there sleeps between dusk and dawn. Obalende has more pepper soup joints, more beer parlours, more suya spots and more street traders per square metre than any other part of Nigeria, and with people so wide awake, anybody caught committing a crime would be lynched instantly.”
I thought it over for a moment, and then shook my head. “My friend won’t want to live in a place like that,” I said. “He likes to have a good sleep once in a while.”
The estate agent extracted a photograph from his file and said: “Here is a real dandy, in old Ikoyi. A veritable fortress. Impregnable.”
I examined the photograph. It was of a solid looking two-storey house, all brown, with no pretensions to elegance. It had heavy bars in the windows, and grilles enclosing the verandah and balcony. The fence surrounding it was nearly four metres high, and was topped with a concertina of razor wire. The gate was so massive that it would have taken a small nuclear device to make a dent in it. I looked again. There seemed to be something rather odd about it, and it took me some time to spot it.
“How does one get in or out?” I asked. “There isn’t anything here that looks like a door, just bars and grilles.”
“There is a very small door somewhere at the back. It is bullet proof, and has two combination locks and four dead bolts. If you can’t see it, you can be sure that no unwelcome intruders will see it either. That’s what makes it so secure.”
“What happens in case of fire?”
“I’m in the real estate business,” the man said, bristling “not in the fire service.”
After I had apologized for asking a stupid question he simmered down and said: “Would your friend consider buying a fairly used bullion van and converting it into a bed-sitter? It is on the small side, but I believe a bunk bed can be squeezed into it. Perfect for a bachelor who is paranoid about security.”
“My friend is married, and has four children,” I said.
“Then what he needs is a place with plenty of space for exercise. Have you considered Kirikiri?”.
“You mean the prison?”
“Yes. There is some unconfirmed rumour that the prison inmates may soon be moved to Abuja. Something to do with the (so far muted) complaint that the state government has been playing host to a federal facility all these years without being reimbursed for it. If the prisoners are moved to Abuja, the vacated premises in Apapa will be converted into flats and sold to people who really care about maximum security. Would your friend be interested?”
“You bet!” I said, heaving a sigh of relief. “I’ll phone him this very night.”
There was an international conference of Malcolm X back in 1990: Radical tradition and a legacy of struggle. There were altogether 24 sessions, spanning a period of four days. One of the speakers was the late Abdul Rahman Muhammad Babu, African revolutionary of Zanzibari extraction, and author of African Socialism or Socialist Africa. I was struck by what Comrade Babu said on how American presidents searched for and designated, "villians" in the Third World.
Speaking on the theme Black liberation and social revolution: World perspectives, Babu said: "Although American imperialism was fighting communism, so called, throughout this period, the Cold War, you would find that American presidents - every American president - had to have a Third World leader as a villain. They never fought the Russians. Truman had Kim II Sung, the North Korean leader as the villain, and he mobilised American and international forces to fight this villain. Eisenhower had Mao Tse Tung as the villain, not the Russians but Mao Tse Tung. Kennedy had Castro as the villain, not the Russians but Castro. Then came Johnson - he had Ho Chi Minh as villain, not the Russians but Ho Chi Minh. Then came Nixon. His villain was Sihanouk of Cambodia. He had to destroy that country in order to prove that Sihanouk was his villain. Then came Carter - he chose Khomeini as villain. He was followed by Reagan and he chose Ghadaffi as his villain. And now we have Bush with Saddam Hussien as his villain".
The Cold War has since ended; but the need to select villains has persisted; and the practice of selecting villains against whom international forces are mobilised, has continued and has indeed been intensified. The list of villains is not static. While Ghadaffi has been removed, Castro has remained. Saddam Hussien has vanished; so has Slobodan Milosevic of late Yugoslavia; Sihanouk has gone; and the current North Korean ruler has replaced his father. Where a political leader, who should be designated villain, is not towering enough in stature - such as the current Syrian President - or where the state leadership is unclear or diffuse - such as in Iran - the entire state is designated a villain. Syria is such a current collective villain.
The government of the United States of America levels four main charges against the Syrian state. The first is that Syria is a sponsor of "international terrorism" mainly but not exclusively, in support of Palestinian and Iranian causes. In particular, Syria is accused of harbouring the leaderships of armed Palestinian resistance groups. The second is that Syria is undermining the political independence of Lebanon by interfering in, and dominating its political and security institutions. Hence, that Syria is the main source and cause, of the instability that has characterised the history of Lebanon for so long. The third charge is that Syria harasses the state of Israel, the main and the only, respected ally of America in the region.
America's fourth charge against Syria is that the country is not a democracy. In fact, mainstream state functionaries, advisers and Establishment intellectuals in America regard the government of Syria as a dictatorship, and a military regime. The official American position is that Syria has been under a military regime since the pan-Arab Socialist Baath Party came to power in March 1963. The only genuine democratic state in the Middle East, according to the rulers of America, is Israel - hence the need to "promote democracy" in the region. These charges - for which Syria is adopted as a villain - and responses to them, can be explained by examining Syria's political trajectory.
The Syrian Arab Republic is bounded in the north by Turkey; in the east by Iraq; in the south by Jordan, in the south-west by Israel and Lebanon, and in the west by the Mediterranean Sea. It has a total area of about 185,000 square kilometres, including the Golan Heights in the south-west which is under Israeli occupation. The latest estimates put the population of Syria at 19 million. 90 per cent of the population are Arabs and the rest are Kurds, Armenians, and other smaller ethnic nationalities. The official language is Arabic, but French (the language of its last colonial ruler) is widely spoken. About 74 per cent of the population are Sunni Muslim; 10 per cent are Christians and the rest are made up of small Muslim "sects".
Syria, like its neighbours - Turkey and Iraq - has a substantial Kurdish population; but for some reasons (some historical, others ideological), the Syrian state supported the Kurdish Liberation Movement in Turkey. This support was terminated a couple of years ago under political pressure and military threat from Turkey. The Kurdish leader, Abdullah Ocalan, was expelled from Syria and captured in Kenya by a team of Turkish and American agents, and brought to Turkey. He is now serving a life sentence.
The capital of Syria is Damascus and Christians would recall that it was on his way to Damascus that Paul, the Apostle was converted from Judaism to Christianity. That was before the arrival of Islam from Arabia and before Syria's incorporation into the Ottoman Empire. History tells us that "Syria has often been taken to include the territories of Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories, and parts of Jordan but excluding the Jazra region in the north-east of the modern Syrian state". This is the historical link between Syria and Lebanon which became independent in 1926. The defeat and dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in World War I (1914-1918) brought Syria under French rule as a Mandated Territory - on behalf of the League of Nations which later became the United Nations (UN) in 1945. Syria is a founding member of the UN. The country declared itself independent twice - in 1936 and in 1944 - before its political freedom was finally accepted by the colonial powers on April 17, 1946.
The Syrian people fought very hard and long, to achieve political freedom. Encouraged and supported by European powers during World War I, Syrian nationalists took up arms against their Ottoman Empire rulers. The promise was that they would be granted independence after the defeat of the Turks. But unknown to the Syrians, Britain and France had carved up the area into "spheres of influence". Hence, after the war and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, Syria passed directly to French colonial rule - which was only terminated in 1946, after World War II, as a result of British and French rivalry in the region. From independence, up to 1963 when the Baath Party came to power, Syria was a theatre of military coups. There were three coups in 1949 alone. Perhaps, because the Baath Party came to power with the support of the army, and has remained in power ever since the Syrian regime is today regarded by the "international community" as a military regime. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Gulf states are not so regarded - although the "democratic institutions" in these other states are not more "robust" than those of Syria.
The creation of Israel in 1948 changed the character of the region's geopolitics. A founding member of the Arab League, Syria participated along with other members, in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. In the Arab-Israeli War of 1967 Israeli forces seized Syria's Golan Heights. They are still there. Syrian troops also participated in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, but they failed to recover territories lost to Israel in the preceding war. Syria had long been involved in the affairs of Lebanon: they were together in Greater Syria along with Palestinians and together fought the Turks and later, the European colonialists. But the continued involvement of Syria in independent Lebanon (for whatever reasons) necessarily and inevitably invited other external interests.
When Syrian troops entered Lebanon in 1958 in support of a Muslim uprising in the country, the government of the United States of America sent in soldiers to protect "American interests" there. A civil war broke out in Lebanon in 1975 and Syrian troops again intervened in support of some factions. Under the auspices of the United Nations, America, France, Italy and some other European countries contributed troops for peace-keeping. But Israeli troops invaded the country under its own auspices and occupied the Lebanese Capital, Beirut. A bomb that partly destroyed the American Embassy in Beirut on April 18, 1983, killed 50 people. On October 23 of the same year 241 American marines and 58 French soldiers were killed in separate attacks on their military bases. Syria was "implicated" in both attacks.
Rafik Hariri, a former Lebanese Premier, and a friend of the West, was assassinated in 2005. Syria was again "implicated" in the assassination. Syria is reputed to be one of the main backers of the armed Palestinian resistance. The external leadership of this resistance against Israeli occupation is based in Damascus. And in the current armed conflicts in Gaza and South Lebanon Syria is accused by America and the "international community" of being one of the two "sponsors" Hamas and Hezbollah. These resistance groups are sworn enemies of Israel and have long been designated by the rulers of America as terrorist organisations. Syria's villainousness is proved!
Speaking on the theme Black liberation and social revolution: World perspectives, Babu said: "Although American imperialism was fighting communism, so called, throughout this period, the Cold War, you would find that American presidents - every American president - had to have a Third World leader as a villain. They never fought the Russians. Truman had Kim II Sung, the North Korean leader as the villain, and he mobilised American and international forces to fight this villain. Eisenhower had Mao Tse Tung as the villain, not the Russians but Mao Tse Tung. Kennedy had Castro as the villain, not the Russians but Castro. Then came Johnson - he had Ho Chi Minh as villain, not the Russians but Ho Chi Minh. Then came Nixon. His villain was Sihanouk of Cambodia. He had to destroy that country in order to prove that Sihanouk was his villain. Then came Carter - he chose Khomeini as villain. He was followed by Reagan and he chose Ghadaffi as his villain. And now we have Bush with Saddam Hussien as his villain".
The Cold War has since ended; but the need to select villains has persisted; and the practice of selecting villains against whom international forces are mobilised, has continued and has indeed been intensified. The list of villains is not static. While Ghadaffi has been removed, Castro has remained. Saddam Hussien has vanished; so has Slobodan Milosevic of late Yugoslavia; Sihanouk has gone; and the current North Korean ruler has replaced his father. Where a political leader, who should be designated villain, is not towering enough in stature - such as the current Syrian President - or where the state leadership is unclear or diffuse - such as in Iran - the entire state is designated a villain. Syria is such a current collective villain.
The government of the United States of America levels four main charges against the Syrian state. The first is that Syria is a sponsor of "international terrorism" mainly but not exclusively, in support of Palestinian and Iranian causes. In particular, Syria is accused of harbouring the leaderships of armed Palestinian resistance groups. The second is that Syria is undermining the political independence of Lebanon by interfering in, and dominating its political and security institutions. Hence, that Syria is the main source and cause, of the instability that has characterised the history of Lebanon for so long. The third charge is that Syria harasses the state of Israel, the main and the only, respected ally of America in the region.
America's fourth charge against Syria is that the country is not a democracy. In fact, mainstream state functionaries, advisers and Establishment intellectuals in America regard the government of Syria as a dictatorship, and a military regime. The official American position is that Syria has been under a military regime since the pan-Arab Socialist Baath Party came to power in March 1963. The only genuine democratic state in the Middle East, according to the rulers of America, is Israel - hence the need to "promote democracy" in the region. These charges - for which Syria is adopted as a villain - and responses to them, can be explained by examining Syria's political trajectory.
The Syrian Arab Republic is bounded in the north by Turkey; in the east by Iraq; in the south by Jordan, in the south-west by Israel and Lebanon, and in the west by the Mediterranean Sea. It has a total area of about 185,000 square kilometres, including the Golan Heights in the south-west which is under Israeli occupation. The latest estimates put the population of Syria at 19 million. 90 per cent of the population are Arabs and the rest are Kurds, Armenians, and other smaller ethnic nationalities. The official language is Arabic, but French (the language of its last colonial ruler) is widely spoken. About 74 per cent of the population are Sunni Muslim; 10 per cent are Christians and the rest are made up of small Muslim "sects".
Syria, like its neighbours - Turkey and Iraq - has a substantial Kurdish population; but for some reasons (some historical, others ideological), the Syrian state supported the Kurdish Liberation Movement in Turkey. This support was terminated a couple of years ago under political pressure and military threat from Turkey. The Kurdish leader, Abdullah Ocalan, was expelled from Syria and captured in Kenya by a team of Turkish and American agents, and brought to Turkey. He is now serving a life sentence.
The capital of Syria is Damascus and Christians would recall that it was on his way to Damascus that Paul, the Apostle was converted from Judaism to Christianity. That was before the arrival of Islam from Arabia and before Syria's incorporation into the Ottoman Empire. History tells us that "Syria has often been taken to include the territories of Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories, and parts of Jordan but excluding the Jazra region in the north-east of the modern Syrian state". This is the historical link between Syria and Lebanon which became independent in 1926. The defeat and dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in World War I (1914-1918) brought Syria under French rule as a Mandated Territory - on behalf of the League of Nations which later became the United Nations (UN) in 1945. Syria is a founding member of the UN. The country declared itself independent twice - in 1936 and in 1944 - before its political freedom was finally accepted by the colonial powers on April 17, 1946.
The Syrian people fought very hard and long, to achieve political freedom. Encouraged and supported by European powers during World War I, Syrian nationalists took up arms against their Ottoman Empire rulers. The promise was that they would be granted independence after the defeat of the Turks. But unknown to the Syrians, Britain and France had carved up the area into "spheres of influence". Hence, after the war and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, Syria passed directly to French colonial rule - which was only terminated in 1946, after World War II, as a result of British and French rivalry in the region. From independence, up to 1963 when the Baath Party came to power, Syria was a theatre of military coups. There were three coups in 1949 alone. Perhaps, because the Baath Party came to power with the support of the army, and has remained in power ever since the Syrian regime is today regarded by the "international community" as a military regime. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Gulf states are not so regarded - although the "democratic institutions" in these other states are not more "robust" than those of Syria.
The creation of Israel in 1948 changed the character of the region's geopolitics. A founding member of the Arab League, Syria participated along with other members, in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. In the Arab-Israeli War of 1967 Israeli forces seized Syria's Golan Heights. They are still there. Syrian troops also participated in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, but they failed to recover territories lost to Israel in the preceding war. Syria had long been involved in the affairs of Lebanon: they were together in Greater Syria along with Palestinians and together fought the Turks and later, the European colonialists. But the continued involvement of Syria in independent Lebanon (for whatever reasons) necessarily and inevitably invited other external interests.
When Syrian troops entered Lebanon in 1958 in support of a Muslim uprising in the country, the government of the United States of America sent in soldiers to protect "American interests" there. A civil war broke out in Lebanon in 1975 and Syrian troops again intervened in support of some factions. Under the auspices of the United Nations, America, France, Italy and some other European countries contributed troops for peace-keeping. But Israeli troops invaded the country under its own auspices and occupied the Lebanese Capital, Beirut. A bomb that partly destroyed the American Embassy in Beirut on April 18, 1983, killed 50 people. On October 23 of the same year 241 American marines and 58 French soldiers were killed in separate attacks on their military bases. Syria was "implicated" in both attacks.
Rafik Hariri, a former Lebanese Premier, and a friend of the West, was assassinated in 2005. Syria was again "implicated" in the assassination. Syria is reputed to be one of the main backers of the armed Palestinian resistance. The external leadership of this resistance against Israeli occupation is based in Damascus. And in the current armed conflicts in Gaza and South Lebanon Syria is accused by America and the "international community" of being one of the two "sponsors" Hamas and Hezbollah. These resistance groups are sworn enemies of Israel and have long been designated by the rulers of America as terrorist organisations. Syria's villainousness is proved!
