Slavoj Zizek: ‘Now the field is open’
The philosopher discusses the momentous changes taking place in the global financial and political system.
Talk to Al Jazeera – 29 Oct 2011

From the Middle East to the streets of London and cities across the US there is a discontent with the status quo. Whether it is with the iron grip of entrenched governments or the widening economic divide between the rich and those struggling to get by. But where are those so hungry for change heading? How profound is their long-term vision to transform society?

Slovenian-born philosopher Slavoj Zizek, whose critical examination of both capitalism and socialism has made him an internationally recognised intellectual, speaks to Al Jazeera’s Tom Ackerman about the momentous changes taking place in the global financial and political system.

In his distinct and colourful manner, he analyses the Arab Spring, the eurozone crisis, the “Occupy Wall Street” movement and the rise of China. Concerned about the future of the existing western democratic capitalism Zizek believes that the current “system has lost its self-evidence, its automatic legitimacy, and now the field is open.”

“I think today the world is asking for a real alternative. Would you like to live in a world where the only alternative is either anglo-saxon neoliberalism or Chinese-Singaporean capitalism with Asian values?

I claim if we do nothing we will gradually approach a kind of a new type of authoritarian society. Here I see the world historical importance of what is happening today in China. Until now there was one good argument for capitalism: sooner or later it brought a demand for democracy…

What I’m afraid of is with this capitalism with Asian values, we get a capitalism much more efficient and dynamic than our western capitalism. But I don’t share the hope of my liberal friends – give them ten years, [and there will be] another Tiananmen Square demonstration – no, the marriage between capitalism and democracy is over.” Slavoj Zizek. …source

Bahrain foreign minister on D.C. charm offensive
By Josh Rogin – October 26, 2011 – 6:38 PM Share

Bahrain’s government is under pressure — not just from protesters in Manama, but also from parts of the Washington foreign policy community, who want to delay U.S. arms sales to the country. Bahraini Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa has been in town for over a week meeting with officials and lawmakers to assuage U.S. concerns over the kingdom’s domestic crackdown, and sat down for a lengthy interview with The Cable.

Khalifa’s message was clear: The Bahraini government is sensitive to international concerns about its treatment of protesters, pledges to follow the recommendations of an upcoming commission report on its actions, and wants to reinforce that the international community should not lose sight of the broader security situation in the region, characterized by the Iranian threat.

“I’m here to see our friends in the administration and Congress to try to explain what’s happening in Bahrain,” he said. “We are just before the issuance of the commission of inquiry’s report. I’m here to show our commitment to that, how we will accept it and do all that is necessary to implement it.”

That report, being written by Bahraini Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), was established by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa and is chaired by human rights advocate and professor M. Cherif Bassiouni. It is expected to be released on Nov. 23. Bassiouni has faced some criticism for making statements that appear to be to conciliatory to the regime, but he recently promised his report will give the Bahraini government “some bitter pills to swallow.”

After five U.S. senators wrote to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton earlier this month to protest the pending $53 million sale of armored Humvees and missiles to Bahrain, the State Department wrote a letter to Congress last week linking the arms sale directly to the BICI report.

Khalifa said his government has been alarmed by congressional opposition to the arms sale, but said that he trusts the Obama administration to judge the outcome of the commission’s report fairly. He also argued that a delay in completing the arms sale would not be in the interest of regional security.

“What worries us is that we don’t need to delay any requirement for the necessary architecture to protect the region. Bahrain is a cornerstone of that,” he said. “That’s what I’m talking about here and I’m finding very listening ears.”

Of course, one component of that emerging regional security architecture is the Peninsula Shield Force, made up of dozens of tanks and approximately 40,000 troops that came to Bahrain via Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE during the height of the unrest in March. Those forces are still there but are “purely to deter external threats,” Khalifa maintains.

Opposition groups claim that 30 protesters have been killed by the government during its domestic crackdown, and more than 1,000 have been arrested. Independent organizations such as Human Rights Watch have reported that the government has employed brutal tactics, including using masked thugs to sweep up lawyers and other activists in nighttime raids.

The Obama administration has several interests in Bahrain, the fact that the U.S. Fifth Fleet is stationed there being chief among them. Bahrain is also a client state of Saudi Arabia and policymakers have voiced fears that a victory by the protest movement would strengthen Iranian influence in the country.

Khalifa didn’t meet with any of the senators who signed the letter, but he did meet with Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), John Kerry (D-MA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH). …more

17 malicious cases and jail terms for 96-years for prisoner of conscience, Sheikh Mohammed Habib Almiqdad

27 Oct 2011 – BCHR

Increasing issues and evidence are brought to the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, which indicates that the Bahraini authorities have exploited the events of February 14, 2011 and its repercussions for revenge against its opponents of political and human rights activists . The case of Sheikh Mohammed Habib Almiqdad is an outstanding example of this.

The cleric and independent opposition activist Sheikh Mohammed Habib al-Miqdad, 48 years, has been in arbitrary detention since April 1, 2011. There were detailed reports that he has been exposed to psychological and physical torture for few months while being isolated in incommunicado detention before being brought to the military prosecutor and the courts of the National Safety (military). He was tortured on the hands of the king’s son Nasser ben Hamad. He was charged in 17 cases ranging between the charges of “inciting and seeking to overthrow the regime” and “incitement to the formation of gangs to attack foreigners or to kidnap security officers.” According to defense lawyers, the prosecution had failed to provide real evidence on those charges. The national security men said they have their “confidential sources”, and some of the detainees accused in the same cases confessed under torture as torture marks are still visible on their bodies. Reports by Medical examiner of the military justice proved that Sheikh Mohammed Habib Al-Miqdad was himself exposed to physical torture . This is also expected to be in the reports of foreign doctors who are assigned by “Independent Commission of Inquiry ” and who had examined the health of Sheikh Al-Miqdad.

The military prosecutor has failed to provide any evidence that Sheikh Miqdad was inciting violence, nevertheless all the speeches that were presented in the papers include explicitly his call to work peacefully and avoid violence. Sheikh Miqdad so far has been brought to the military court “national safety” that lacks in international standards for fair trial and legitimacy. This court conflict with international standards laws such as the Terrorism Act and the articles on the security of the state of the Penal Code of 1976, which criminalizes the exercise of basic rights such as freedom of expression, assembly and association.

The total breach of fair trial standards to the extent that Sheikh Mikdad, as defendant did not have in most cases, an adequate opportunity to consult legal, but has not been brought to some of the sessions of the trials and was aware of them through press papers which were brought to him in prison. As he had not given, in any of the hearings, the opportunity to speak before the court as well as they didn’t allow any of the other defendants. The lawyers were not given enough room both in the preparation or provision of oral arguments or to provide defense witnesses. …more