SolidarityEconomy.net

by Jerry Harris, SolidarityEconomy.net

.Abdullah Badawi rejects Clash of Civilizations

The prime minister of Malaysia and chairman of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Conference rejected the well known “clash of civilizations” thesis of Harvard’s Samuel Huntington. Speaking of rising conflicts throughout the Middle East and world Abdullah Badawi said, “They may mobilize themselves along ideological or religious lines. But at heart the conflicts are driven by the impulse for power, territory and resources, and by resistance to this.” He also called on the US and UN to solve the Israeli occupation of Palestine pointing to the conflict as a cause of terrorism. “Trying to resolve terrorism without examining its root causes is like trying to fertilize the fruits and not the roots” he explained.

. Guinea workers force dictatorship to compromise

A 17 day strike organized by the National Confederation of Guinean Workers has forced Lansana Conte to accept a new prime minister. Conte has ruled the west African country for 23 years. Police killed 60 workers during the strike that halted most bauxite shipments from Guinea, the worlds top exporter of the aluminum ore.

.What to do with a trillion dollars?

Chinese leaders are discussing how to invest and diversify the use of more than one thousand billion dollars. Currently much of the money is tied up in US bonds. But pressure is growing inside China to use some of the funds to gain access to resources and technology. Many observers believe China will become a major player in cross-border mergers and acquisitions in the near future. This policy would certainly benefit the Chinese transnational capitalist class. Other political forces in China argue that more money should be spent on domestic needs such as health and education to insure a “harmonious society” so the poor can benefit from “market socialism.” Premier Wen Jiabao has often called for more attention to be given to China’s growing class inequalities, although only modest measures have been taken. The national budget will be released at this year’s National People’s Congress.