Lebanon as "US Backed"

Karl kindly informed me that since 2006, the USA has been providing heavily increased military aid to Lebanon (the Lebanese requested this during their battle with an Al Qaeda franchise in a Palestinean camp.)

So, obviously, the use of the words U.S. backed makes much more sense. Mea culpa.

I checked back on previous US military assistance to Lebanon - it was running about US$ 38 million per year steadily in 2004 and 2005. (This probably includes a whole grab bag of stuff including drug war, etc.)

I am wondering if that would still qualify as "U.S. backed." I don't think so.

During and after the 2006 battle, the UAE and other Arab countries also provided aid, including helicopters. There's an even more detailed list here of what they got.

They apparently got 45 tanks from Belgium, but they probably bribed the journalist not to use the phrase "Belgian-backed" as that would destroy confidence.

Its also interesting to note that the one article mentioned that arm sales/assistance for the West was hampered before because of possible Syrian infiltration of the Lebanese military. Its only recently they could even become "US-backed" because before they were "Syrian-occupied."

Currency Markets

Well, I just started buying dollars now.* Got rid of my NZD. It was hard because they had a nice interest rate (6.3%), but all good things must end. I'm looking at getting out of some of my Euros as well. This might all be temporary - I may get back in later. Or buy a house in the States.

But how about that RMB? Its supposed to be the only "one-way bet" out there.

But does that flattening at the end there mean maybe its time to get out of the RMB? Or is that flattening to be compared to other currencies weakening, which then looks like the RMB would be a good place to park money for a while if you didn't want dollars?

*OKAY - I need to make a major correction. I sold my NZD and bought NTD. I originally bought them with NTD and decided to stick with that currency because I think there might be a strengthening of the NT$ at some point - like if Ma does a deal with China.

But I've been predicting that for years. We did hit NT$ 30 = US$1 .00 a couple of weeks ago, but it didn't hold up.

Gay Marriage again to be an election issue

Oh, God.

I guess the silver lining is that the jokes and funny photos are better than anything for abortion.

For the record, I'm okay with gay marriage, with polygamy even, and even more for the state not doing marriages at all but offering civil unions come one and come all. Let the churches handle marriages.

I'm proudly married in the civil tradition without a church wedding and plan to pass this tradition on to my daughter. No - its not about the 50k I'd have to spend on a "real" wedding. Its the principle! Look, I'll pony up some dough for some pizzas and a keg if that makes you happy, honey, but the groom pays for the DJ, dammmit. (Remember at Kev's wedding how the iPod played on the sound system was as good as the band?)

I'm not even sure I can be against bestiality. I mean, we already eat animals, we already hunt animals, we already ride animals and use animals to do work for us. We even tear the skin off their flesh and wear it after some curing. Maybe the cow would like a little loving before we stun it with an electric prod and then slaughter it for consumption.

Schedule:

China: May 18 - May 30

Taiwan: July 10 - August 16 (Wife and daughter going to America for re-education camp. Stepson and me left behind. I'm a sinner so that seems right. Karl, you can schedule the A&A games accordingly)

Business Climate

Maybe its just my industry or my shitty suppliers, but there is a very serious malaise going on. Suppliers are lethargic. Service is severely sub-par with lengthy waiting periods for samples, prices, and answers to basic questions. Its like they don't want to do business anymore.

I was just reading somewhere that the massive cost increases in raw materials have not yet really been showing up in consumer prices. I think this may be the cause of the malaise. Who wants to quote for items that won't make any money?

I have been fighting bloody skirmishes with my customers for the past 2 months about pricing. I am seeing some signs of capitulation though...they keep asking me if I should be going to Indonesia or Thailand to source products. I haven't had the heart to tell them that China is the leader - that when China's prices go up, other countries aren't rushing out to quote lower prices, but breaking out the cheap champagne and rejoicing that they might get to survive now that the China Price isn't below raw material cost anymore.

(I could be wrong. Maybe Thailand is cheap. Maybe a long business trip there is in order? I bet I could stay at some nice resort hotel and still get some work done.)

On the other hand, I have been losing a lot of the skirmishing, because some people haven't been passing on their added costs. I think that can't last forever though.

Spitzer II

They got the party affiliation right there in the first paragraph. Progress!

He was elected on an anti-corruption plank, but had "a sexual harassment investigation in his office and [an] extramarital affair."

and of course the obligatory: at least his office was sexually harassing a woman.

This pretty much guarantees that we will have a gay Republican scandal within the next two weeks. Its like dueling banjos!

Yahoo News - Lebanon

BEIRUT, Lebanon - The Lebanese army expanded its troop deployment to several tense areas around the country Tuesday, saying its soldiers would use force if needed to impose order after clashes between the U.S.-backed government and Hezbollah-led opposition.

The Lebanese government is "U.S.-backed" in the same way that France's government is "U.S. backed" - its the legitimate government of a country. Its also "backed" by a lot of Arab countries excepting Syria. Its not some US puppet. Oh, and of course Hezbollah is "backed" by Iran and Syria - maybe that should have been mentioned in the first paragraph instead of the "U.S. backed" business.

President Bush expressed his support for the Lebanese army on Monday during an interview with Al-Arabiya television, saying Washington would continue to supply and train the country's forces.

"We want to make them better so they can respond," Bush said.

I guess that's what they mean by "U.S. backed."

The president confirmed that the U.S. military has moved the destroyer USS Cole off the coast of Lebanon but said it was "part of a routine training mission that had been scheduled a long time before."

USS Cole: I hope you are luckier this time.

From the wikipedia article on Hezbollah:

Hezbollah has been one the main parties of March 8 Alliance since polarization of political atmosphere of Lebanon in March 2005. Although Hezbollah had joined the new government in 2005, it remained staunchly opposed to the March 14 Alliance.

I see they have room left to book March 9 - 13 Alliances as well. Plan your holiday accordingly.