Valhalla, I'm Coming...Maybe

The United Nations, based on a series of economic indicators from 2007, has recently released the list of the top countries to live in for 2012.  The top twenty countries are: 

1.      Norway

2.      Australia

3.      Iceland

4.      Canada

5.      Ireland

6.      Netherlands

7.      Sweden

8.      France

9.      Switzerland

10.  Japan

11.  Luxembourg

12.  Finland

13.  United States

14.  Austria

15.  Spain

16.  Denmark

17.  Belgium

18.  Italy

19.  Liechtenstein

20.  New Zealand 

I must admit to being intrigued by Scandinavia in general and Norway in particular.  Add to that Iceland and Sweden, also in the top ten, and it would make one heck of a road trip.  I think the United States deserve to be higher on the list (surely we can do better than France) but the list does highlight what many people believe to be true – the great white North is an attractive place.   

So, what draws me to the region?   A couple of things actually and at the top of the list are the history, mythology and culture.  Since I was a boy, I’ve been fascinated by the Vikings and their story of how they shaped the people, food and culture of the region is appealing.  For example, did you know that the Icelandic parliament, the Althing, is the oldest parliament in the world?  It was established in 930 and its sits outside the national capital, Reykjavik, which has geothermal heated sidewalks.  Norway was the birthplace of skiing – a sport that I’ve managed to do as worse as any other human being alive.  I was in the country as part of a military exercise and we had to be on skis.  This had to provide our Norwegian compatriots hours of fun.  On a side note, have you ever wondered who the first guy was that thought it was a good idea to put sticks of wood under his feet and go flying down a slick, snow-covered mountain side?  I bet he was made fun of for years.   

In Finland, they are known as the birthplace of saunas and its world championship of wife carrying.  I’m a bit more accustomed to saunas and thank God for them.  As for the wife-carrying, I’m not sure about that one but I’m not going to let it dampen my enthusiasm for Scandinavia.  Denmark is the home of Legos but I never played with those as a child (or as an adult) so I can’t say that is an attraction but there is a great crime show out of Denmark called The Eagle.  It is also the home of philosopher Soren Kierkegaard who influenced so many others and to walk in his steps would be wonderful.  Also as a child, I just assume that every woman in Sweden looked like Ingrid Bergman who transfixed me when I watched Casablanca.  As an adult, I know that is not possibly true but if it is only 50% true, it would be worth the visit.   

Of all these interesting and enticing facts, it can be blistering cold, the sun remains in the sky all day long during the summer (and not at all in the winter), the governments are wont to dabble in anti-Semitism and their taxes are extraordinary high.  Still, I am beginning to create an itinerary in my head.  Will I ever live there?  I checked with my aforementioned wonderful wife, who shook her head “no” without verbalizing her disinterest.  I can still dream, can’t I? 

No Need for Gog and Magog

I’m beginning to question the usefulness and legitimacy of the United Nations. While one UN report after another speaks to the rise in violence in Syria and its direct correlation with the inactivity of the international organization, the Security Council remains deadlocked thanks to the perpetual and illogical obdurateness of the Russians and the Chinese. Yesterday, the UN called for an end to the violence but in real terms, the condemnation is meaningless. Meanwhile, Middle East “experts” suggest the world community should do nothing overt. On Fareed Zakaria’s GPS program on CNN, regional expert Fawaz Gerges suggested that any arming of the citizens or outside military action could result in a civil war. What exists now as the regime fires its weapons upon its own people?

From an American perspective, President Obama’s condemnation of the Syrian regime is infrequent and ultimately, toothless. The president has shown his reluctance to engage directly where matters of resistance are at play. The Syrian government is likely uninterested in President Obama’s rhetoric as it has not presented a threat in the past. In Egypt, the president’s words were not what removed Mr. Mubarak but rather the persistent efforts of the Egyptian protestors. In Libya, it was not the president’s words that removed the long-time dictator but NATO and again, persistent rebel activity. Mr. Obama’s words did not change the governments in Tunisia or Yemen and it does nothing to the (so far) fledgling uprisings and concerns of the Iranians or the Bahrainians. Mr. Gerges suggested that the Assad regime is under pressure on multiple levels. At the moment, it does not show.

The president and his representatives need to force the issue in the United Nations. We should be attempting to move that archaic and reticent organization into action. In the 1960s, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Adlai Stevenson, forced the issue with the Russians over nuclear missiles in Cuba. The former Illinois governor pressured, cornered and embarrassed the Soviet ambassador until he was forced to concede. This is what the United States, in conjunction with the Arab League, should be doing at the United Nations. The Arab League, an organization made up of largely Sunni states, has no love for the notion of the Assad regime with backing from the Iranians. There are enough states throughout the world outraged over the events in Syria that such pressure upon the Syrians, not to mention their perpetual protectors, the Russians and Chinese, should force the issue.

In an earlier blog about a month ago, I worried about the unchecked nature of the Iranians and the need to work with Arab states to do just that. The Iranians are no doubt playing a part in the current crisis within their satellite state, Syria. Yet, the United States have vacated their responsibilities internationally and have left many of its allies and those in peril to the risk and hopes of others. This is a chance to reassert our principles and stand by them. Whether it is through action in the United Nations or an embargo (as suggested by many commentators) or even finding some way to assist the populace, we must abandon our peripheral stance and show the courage and leadership from which millions of people over the last century have benefitted. We are dangerously close to repeating our moral failings in Rwanda. Jews often say, with reference to the Holocaust, “never again.” Well, it happened again in east Africa and now, it’s on the verge of happening in Syria.

The Showdown at the United Nations

There is movement in the United Nations to unilaterally grant statehood to Palestine without the territory accepting or respecting the right of Israel to exist. In a statement, former British prime minister, Tony Blair, stated that the process for statehood has been extremely slow, virtually non-existent lately and ultimately, not productive. Therefore, this is the best course of action. Mr. Blair has further encouraged Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, to present his application for statehood to the United Nations today. By all accounts, that will happen.

This is not just an argument against Palestinian statehood for the sake of arguing. The Montevideo Conference of 1933 laid out quite clearly what constituted a state, such as a defined territory and a government – some of which the Palestinians do not meet. However, my biggest concern is for Israel.

In 1979, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat signed the Camp David Accords in part to help guarantee some type of security for Israel, who had been on constant guard and under frequent attack since their independence in 1948. Since that time, the Israeli state has fought constantly for their right to exist and the agreement in 1977 was the first step towards normalizing relations with an Arab neighbor who foresaw the fruitless and expensive road towards perpetual war. Since that historic agreement, Israel has dealt with a new, less defined enemy that will not be satisfied until the Jewish state is driven into the sea.

In the years following the Camp David Accords, Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) have entered into one agreement after another and ultimately, it has failed because of the PA's inability to control the individual and organized terrorists from launching frequent attacks upon their neighbor. Time after time, the guarantee of Israeli security has compelled the Palestinian government to back away from promises. Throughout it all, an influential U.S. and its allies have said that Israeli security must be guaranteed before a Palestinian state can be established. These latest moves would undermine all of that and put a weakened Israel once more under the threat of its Arab neighbors. In short, such a unilateral move is a prelude to war.

As I said, my concern lies with Israel. President Obama seems increasingly incapable of projecting an American presence on the situation, overturning decades of influence. Worse yet, Arab countries are talking more provocatively about their long-hated neighbor. It is only a matter of time before this situation grows untenable. Mr. Abbas’ application for statehood is not destined for quick passage. In the interim, let’s hope that other countries are intelligent enough to avoid the abyss.