Catching a Clue about Ortega

First, it looks pretty clear that the only reason Opportunist Par Excellence Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua has signed on the political agendas of Bolivarian Socialism (Chavismo) and Imperial-Russia-Renewed (Putinism) is to get a line on some cash.

Moreover, even those "friends" can't be overly pleased with the heavy-handed way that D. Ortega puts his own interests ahead of those of the FSLN party that he supposedly heads.

And now, even the chief officer of the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) aid-and-comfort club is expressing "deep concern and disappointment", specifically about the local elections in November but also as a general assessment.

MCC aid is now suspended. Several European aid providers are also suspending gifts, and the E.U. has only given out 10% of promised funds for 2008 so far.

D. Ortega's answer?

"Comandante" (Hugo Chavez) and "Admirer" (Dmitry Medvedev) will cover the losses.

Sure. Not a problem.

Can not imagine why they would not.

Right?

Yeah, yeah, fine. So, how is the weather?

"We will neither treat Japan as a party to the talks nor deal with it even if it impudently appears in the conference room, lost to shame,"

a spokesman for the North Korean Foreign Ministry told propaganda organ Korean Central News Agency (KCNA; amusingly, this bunch of collaborators is based in Japan).

Seems Japan didn't get around to sending over any tribute aid shipments prior to this round of the Six-Party Negotiations. Seems North Korea has not done much of anything on the Abductions issue since that line of negotiation reopened in June. Seems that might not have exactly engendered warm feelings on "our" part here in Japan.

Speaking of warm...

Reports said high temperatures were around -6 C (19 F) in Pyongyang this week.

Long time until spring comes, too.

Sure might be nice to have a couple shiploads of fuel show up in North Korea.

Of course, there's not much reason for Japan to send over those ships, now is there?

The Open Thread

Here is your open thread for the next 7 days.

That which is not a thread topic, goes here. Also, any topic you want to bring back from the dead or any suggestions for a new topic, goes here.

caveat: the usual rules apply; play nice.

Combating Kleptocracy

Just in case there was any concern that the U.S. Department of the Treasury was not in the game on recognizing the threat to other nations caused by the practice of Kleptocracy, Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing P. O'Brien has these remarks on Treasury's approach toward combating Kleptocracy.

Key Point: the role of NGO's in reporting and combating Kleptocracy is integral to the strategy proposed.

Notes to the snide (you wags know who you are):
. Yes, that is his job title; No, he does not finance terrorists.
.. NGO's can not also *be* Kleptocrats. Non-Governmental, and all that.

New Neighbors

First, they learn to transit the area.

Then, they move in to stay.

Not only in Guinea-Bissau, but in Guinea, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Ghana, narco-traffickers are setting up new identities, permanent presences and finding ways to buy off the local authorities.

The Telegraph (UK) has a special report on this in the December 3rd edition.

Almost 18 months after their detention, none has been charged or tried. Commander Daonde Diop, from Senegal's Gendarmerie in Dakar, said they were still in prison and "waiting for a trial".

But officials doubt this explanation. They suspect that all of those arrested simply bought their freedom and disappeared.

T.I.A.

Not up to NATO standards

The December 2nd NATO meeting produced some good results for the efforts to get Croatia, Albania, and (likely) Macedonia into the alliance, but for Ukraine and the Republic of Georgia there was a very loud Not Now. Given the terms summarized in the report, both countries still have a long way to go both militarily and politically to make it over the hurdles set for them.

This should not come to anyone as a great surprise given the opposition to the idea shown by France, Germany and Italy, as has been discussed here previously, however...

...inviting Dmitry Rogozin back to the meeting, and then giving him something to crow about was probably not the best move the Atlantic Alliance could have made. The man is an arch-enemy of Europe, which is abundantly clear to everyone except Western Europe, apparently.

Of course, it could be argued that the Continental powers have become their own arch-enemy, more the pity that.

News one never wants to hear

Reports out of Brazil are that a South African man on a business trip to Brazil has died of an undiagnosed hemorrhagic fever.

My compliments to Flutrackers.com for getting word on this out in English, starting about 14 hours ago.

For those readers who would prefer a summary of the situation, *here* is a direct link to the Reuters Alertnet item on this from one hour ago.

Hemorrhagic Fevers include a wide range of diseases (Yellow Fever, endemic in Brazil, being only one) but if one reads the case trail of fatalities related to a Zambian source-vector brought South Africa dating back to September of this year, it looks to be potentially much worse.

Brazilian Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organization are already on the case.