Monday, June 01, 2015
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Anatomy of an info-war
http://www.cepolicy.org/publications/anatomy-info-war-how-russias-propaganda-machine-works-and-how-counter-it
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Saturday, July 18, 2009
US must not implement VAT
From the letter to Daniel Mitchell, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute
I think this is a big mistake to implement VAT in the US. Americans have no understanding how much it will cost to them, especially loosing of their freedom.
VAT was invented and was cheered by politicians and bureaucracy everywhere for two reasons:
- it is much easier to administer the VAT because taxpayers are obliged to assist an inspector - without this they can't have back their money.
- due to its character technically it is much easier and less costly to administer VAT by the central fiscal authority. Then it promises to redistribute these amounts to the local authorities justly, according to the federal/central government law!
Of course VAT has a very high danger of centralization of power. I assume this is the main reason why it was invented in France but not in Germany or any other federation or decentralized state. This is why the US is not a good place to implement VAT.
It is also wrong philosophically obliging a taxpayer to help government to administer/collect taxes. VAT cannot survive without this very system that a taxpayer must prove that the fiscal documents he/she is holding in hands are legal even if they are issued by suppliers.
And, you must help tax authorities to tax others – like you're obliging others to pay taxes. Unbelievable! Is not it against American Constitution rules?
The US is still believed as a main defender of liberty. Increase of the government expenditures of last years already confused many people in the world and encouraged many governments to follow. Now the US is the only country without VAT only hope for everybody that once upon a time their governments would eliminate VAT following the US example. Now, if VAT is implemented in the US - the world will lose all the chances for limited government and economic freedom.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Story of Gela
My close friend from childhood - Gela, was a poet. He was an excellent person never had any aggressive ideas to any person, he was in love when became teenager and famous in our school with his soft character.
Gela never supported communist ideas, moreover, hated them.
In 1980, two years after we finished the high school, he was conscripted by soviet army. That period the Evil Empire was fighting in Afghanistan and propaganda was very strong of course, You can imagine what was happening in the army.
Gela came back after two years and we hardly recognized him. Yes, he changed little physically but mostly mentally – was like a mad robot. He was proving to everybody the war was important and necessary, that soviet union was a great country and the world capitalism will be defeated soon, etc.
This is how soviet/Russian propaganda works.
This was one of the first strikes in my life.
Gela never supported communist ideas, moreover, hated them.
In 1980, two years after we finished the high school, he was conscripted by soviet army. That period the Evil Empire was fighting in Afghanistan and propaganda was very strong of course, You can imagine what was happening in the army.
Gela came back after two years and we hardly recognized him. Yes, he changed little physically but mostly mentally – was like a mad robot. He was proving to everybody the war was important and necessary, that soviet union was a great country and the world capitalism will be defeated soon, etc.
This is how soviet/Russian propaganda works.
This was one of the first strikes in my life.
Some thoughts again.
I was again writing to my friend some thoughts.
I assume everybody agree that war is about politics – it is a creation politicians. Therefore somebody who tries to understand how it happened the war in Georgia they he/she needs to understand what kind of alternatives could have both sides of the conflict – Russians and Georgians (BTW: no matter who were leaders of both sides). We can talk much about on if we don’t like or like the current leaders of both countries but I assume they had very few alternatives in their hands.
1. NATO summit in April – it stated that MAP could be given to Georgia in December of 2008 if it continues working on some problems. Unofficially Georgia was told that it needed to deal first of all with the conflicts and then it could be easier. Georgian delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe tried to ask Chancellor of Germany about this – what could it mean but she denied to answer (nobody knows why – maybe she was correct but this was not understood like this by Georgian side.)
2. Politicians have certain function and role but mainly to do something for people and also KEEP the place in politics. This means when you’re close to such a moment of life of your country like Georgia was after NATO summit you need to do something or leave politics. The similar situation (maybe slightly less difficult) could be happening with the other side of the conflict of course - Russia.
3. If summarize the above mentioned any expert of politics could expect something could happen – no matter who would start this. I assume, I am not as good to know political theory so well but think many governments had good experts to understand this situation easier.
4. All arguments like it was not their task or business to be involved in this crisis I count as unacceptable because a. now many of them are involved after the blood; b. any attempts to hide behind of the humanism and I hate politics never brings peace unfortunately. This world is very much dependent on politics and Georgian people cannot start experimenting on itself of libertarian paradise –if we eliminate our state nobody will follow, unfortunately.
So now I would assume those who observed this situation, understood but did not do everything to prevent they are not less responsible in this war than Georgian or Russian leadership and putting whole burden on them is a shame.
I assume everybody agree that war is about politics – it is a creation politicians. Therefore somebody who tries to understand how it happened the war in Georgia they he/she needs to understand what kind of alternatives could have both sides of the conflict – Russians and Georgians (BTW: no matter who were leaders of both sides). We can talk much about on if we don’t like or like the current leaders of both countries but I assume they had very few alternatives in their hands.
1. NATO summit in April – it stated that MAP could be given to Georgia in December of 2008 if it continues working on some problems. Unofficially Georgia was told that it needed to deal first of all with the conflicts and then it could be easier. Georgian delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe tried to ask Chancellor of Germany about this – what could it mean but she denied to answer (nobody knows why – maybe she was correct but this was not understood like this by Georgian side.)
2. Politicians have certain function and role but mainly to do something for people and also KEEP the place in politics. This means when you’re close to such a moment of life of your country like Georgia was after NATO summit you need to do something or leave politics. The similar situation (maybe slightly less difficult) could be happening with the other side of the conflict of course - Russia.
3. If summarize the above mentioned any expert of politics could expect something could happen – no matter who would start this. I assume, I am not as good to know political theory so well but think many governments had good experts to understand this situation easier.
4. All arguments like it was not their task or business to be involved in this crisis I count as unacceptable because a. now many of them are involved after the blood; b. any attempts to hide behind of the humanism and I hate politics never brings peace unfortunately. This world is very much dependent on politics and Georgian people cannot start experimenting on itself of libertarian paradise –if we eliminate our state nobody will follow, unfortunately.
So now I would assume those who observed this situation, understood but did not do everything to prevent they are not less responsible in this war than Georgian or Russian leadership and putting whole burden on them is a shame.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Could We Avoid This Tragedy?
Could We Avoid This Tragedy?
Dear friends,
Everybody here are asking themselves if we could avoid the tragedy.
Here are some thoughts. To have more precise answer I need to divide it into two parts:
1. Time before April Summit of NATO in Bucharest
2. Time after April, 2008
Time before April Summit of NATO in Bucharest
Probably we could avoid such a big tragedy. Despite of the fact that all the conflicts in Georgia were designed and organized by KGB we had some chances to avoid it. This way could be very long and absolutely free of politics. It is about free trade and exchange we needed to have with our citizens in conflict regions. For instance: we needed not only to try to open the railway from our side to Abkhazia but also ask Russia to open from their side. Instead we blocked conflict region people and broken already established relationship of Georgians and Ossetians.
Unfortunately all other versions of solution were political and they would be wrong not only because they were political but because Russians (when I say Russians – I always mean politicians) don’t care about political decisions or agreements (this was once more proven today again).
Time after April, 2008
It is very doubtful if we could avoid the scenario.
Dear friends,
Everybody here are asking themselves if we could avoid the tragedy.
Here are some thoughts. To have more precise answer I need to divide it into two parts:
1. Time before April Summit of NATO in Bucharest
2. Time after April, 2008
Time before April Summit of NATO in Bucharest
Probably we could avoid such a big tragedy. Despite of the fact that all the conflicts in Georgia were designed and organized by KGB we had some chances to avoid it. This way could be very long and absolutely free of politics. It is about free trade and exchange we needed to have with our citizens in conflict regions. For instance: we needed not only to try to open the railway from our side to Abkhazia but also ask Russia to open from their side. Instead we blocked conflict region people and broken already established relationship of Georgians and Ossetians.
Unfortunately all other versions of solution were political and they would be wrong not only because they were political but because Russians (when I say Russians – I always mean politicians) don’t care about political decisions or agreements (this was once more proven today again).
Time after April, 2008
It is very doubtful if we could avoid the scenario.
- Oil – of course it is about domination of Russia in energy supply of Europe. Georgia for its headache is the only alternative route for Caspian oil and gas (the other ways are though Russia) – who is not aware of this please look at the map of the region
- Taking power over Georgia means automatically cutting Azerbaijan and whole Central Asia from other then Russian controlled access to the world. (I assume everybody is aware of Iran – Russia alliance.)
Kosovo – Russia wanted to play the same game in Georgia as in Serbia. No matter if this is absolutely different case. - Having in mind NATO’s failure in April Russians as it was expected by many in Georgia understood this as a step back of NATO and signal for actions for Russia. Having in mind long history of relationship with Russia we had these predictions and warned as many people as we could. That time we could believe in a new conflict but not as big as it really happened unfortunately.
- Could Georgia announce neutrality? Some Georgian politicians supported this idea. Discussions on this idea can be somewhat actual in future as some assume Georgia’s membership in NATO is less likely. Is it really possible? If you were in Georgia I would simply offer to look around. So many tense you can find in the region, and so many interests. Think – can we open the railway via Abkhazia? Beware of a quick answer – understand who is interested and who is against. I think here I need to stop counting of the problems. If you look in the realities of the region deeper only NATO membership of Georgia can establish a new situation which could stop everybody thinking about changing the status quo.
- Some people tend to address responsibility of the tragedy towards the government of Georgia. I clearly and openly declared several times that I never voted for Saakashvili and his government (although I didn’t vote for others). I have good opinion of many reforms done by them but not so good about political system and protection of citizens freedoms. Government policy of allowing any person of the world to come and start working in Georgia without restriction shows openness and willingness of Georgians to live in freedom.
- The provocation was planned very well. Everything shows this. This or any other government would be catch by this political trap. Look in this situation. You are the country leader - means politicians. This already implies you need to do something but keep your positions. If you want to keep your position in the situation like in Georgia, especially when you were told that conflicts are the obstacle to be in NATO (or have more security, have more investments, be a part of western society, etc) – you need to do something and before the next summit of NATO in December. You know that Russia has absolute opposite goal. You try to offer something to conflict regional leaders – Russians keep out them from negotiations. Georgians stay calm – they shoot. Georgians try to talk – they shoot and rob Georgian villages. Georgians ask for cease fire – they used this time for bringing more troops and continued shooting. Are there many politicians in the world who would be so brave to take back troops? I doubt.
- Somebody was asking who started shooting – I think this is not clever question. Shooting Russians started earlier, for instance in 1921, when occupied independent Georgia, in 1924, when killed 30,000 Georgian rebels,1956 and 1989 when killed peaceful protesters in Tbilisi, in 1992 when supported criminals of separatist Abkhazia and their allies, during all the following years, everyday, almost every hour. There were many proofs of this, but somebody needed to see real blood now to be sure we were correct.
- Thinking about politics and its rules I think it is not for me. It is not for me - but another thing is to find the alternative. Best of worse. I remember the German Chancellor who was very harsh to us for our conflicts in Abkhazia and so called South Ossetia. That time I told to my friend Germans - this is we who blame German and other governments for doing nothing to participate in the process of peace and re-integration of those regions into Georgia. This is again about politics - we can't expect from politicians more than a show how they spend money for nothing - just a show.
Therefore it is for me very doubtful there were any other chances.
Here I stop and maybe try to add something later.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Abkhazia independent?
Russian president said at the press-conference today if Abkhazia and South Ossetia decide to be out of Georgia they should leave it – but you can ask: who can vote for that only the current population without refugees living everywhere else than in Abkhazia?
The mistake is that those who live there they are only 1/3 of the population lived there. But this is known. What is possibly unknown to many is that Abkhaz (those who called themselves so) population was only 1/6 of whole population of Abkhazia. So why not to give everybody chances to vote? But this is not what Abkhaz want. They even do not accept if voting supports simply independence – they need to keep there apartheid they had before the conflict and after (now they are 2/9 of the population or even less).
Their demand is to legalize apartheid by constitution whether they are the part of Georgia, independent or a part of Russia – this means no matter whi lives in Ankhazia – rulers must be Abkhaz. What Russia needs? To support the apartheid leader and control – this they already have currently.
But being part of Russia is too challenging – you may gain but can also fail – they also know well Russians. You may understand the problem of Abkhaz and may sympathize them also like me – they are really in a trouble. In more real sense most of Abkhaz don’t care about their ethnic, cultural and educational problems – because most of them are more Russians than Abkhaz. They don’t speak their language and almost forgot their tradition.
Please look in the letters of my friends:
http://www.t-i.org.uk/russiamoretogain.php
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121850039382131705.html
The mistake is that those who live there they are only 1/3 of the population lived there. But this is known. What is possibly unknown to many is that Abkhaz (those who called themselves so) population was only 1/6 of whole population of Abkhazia. So why not to give everybody chances to vote? But this is not what Abkhaz want. They even do not accept if voting supports simply independence – they need to keep there apartheid they had before the conflict and after (now they are 2/9 of the population or even less).
Their demand is to legalize apartheid by constitution whether they are the part of Georgia, independent or a part of Russia – this means no matter whi lives in Ankhazia – rulers must be Abkhaz. What Russia needs? To support the apartheid leader and control – this they already have currently.
But being part of Russia is too challenging – you may gain but can also fail – they also know well Russians. You may understand the problem of Abkhaz and may sympathize them also like me – they are really in a trouble. In more real sense most of Abkhaz don’t care about their ethnic, cultural and educational problems – because most of them are more Russians than Abkhaz. They don’t speak their language and almost forgot their tradition.
Please look in the letters of my friends:
http://www.t-i.org.uk/
http://online.wsj.com/article/
Guess who
A story of a spare wheel
Dear friends, if you decide once to go for the very important negotiations which can prevent a war – please don’t forget to check a spare wheel in your car because it is really important part of the negotiations. Why?
There is such an experience: Georgian Minister went to Tskhinvali (administrative center of so called South Ossetia) to meet there their leader and a mediator Mr. Popov from Russia sent especially to organize this negotiations. The Minister arrived at the place waited more than two hours calmly and then started asking others where they were. Ossetian said he would not talk to him without Popov.But Popov reported a wheel of the car he was travelling to the place had damaged and he could not continue his way because had no what? A spare wheel of course.
Unfortunately the negotiations failed and that night war started. Who believes in this story of a wheel? Not You? Guess who.
Dear friends, if you decide once to go for the very important negotiations which can prevent a war – please don’t forget to check a spare wheel in your car because it is really important part of the negotiations. Why?
There is such an experience: Georgian Minister went to Tskhinvali (administrative center of so called South Ossetia) to meet there their leader and a mediator Mr. Popov from Russia sent especially to organize this negotiations. The Minister arrived at the place waited more than two hours calmly and then started asking others where they were. Ossetian said he would not talk to him without Popov.But Popov reported a wheel of the car he was travelling to the place had damaged and he could not continue his way because had no what? A spare wheel of course.
Unfortunately the negotiations failed and that night war started. Who believes in this story of a wheel? Not You? Guess who.
Still very dangerous
The situation remains still very dangerous in Georgia. Last night was no problem if not counting Russian attack to Kodori. Now they control Kodori.
The also control the road from West Georgia to Tbilisi.
Last hours Russian jets bombed again Gori - municipality, university, hospital, they bombed villages near Gori. Few minutes ago they also bombed places near to Tbilisi. Now it was announced about another bombing of Baku-Ceihan pipeline. There is at least one victim (in Gori) - a Dutch journalist. This everything happens on the eyes of several international high officials like Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
We still work at our office... Tbilisi is not the same as it was two-three days ago but there is traffic on the street, shops are mostly working even banks decided to close because of lack of security of cash movement.
The also control the road from West Georgia to Tbilisi.
Last hours Russian jets bombed again Gori - municipality, university, hospital, they bombed villages near Gori. Few minutes ago they also bombed places near to Tbilisi. Now it was announced about another bombing of Baku-Ceihan pipeline. There is at least one victim (in Gori) - a Dutch journalist. This everything happens on the eyes of several international high officials like Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
We still work at our office... Tbilisi is not the same as it was two-three days ago but there is traffic on the street, shops are mostly working even banks decided to close because of lack of security of cash movement.
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