International Politics Thread

[Singidava]

snip - Refugees

I'm a bit late about posting it, but I don't know whether or not it's been reported in international news, but two days ago at around 2:30 PM (Wednesday), the High Court ruled that the Malaysia Solution was a violation of humanitarian and asylum seeker rights, and that the Minister of Immigration does not have the power to declare another country safe for offshore processing when they are not parties to the UN Refugee Convention amongst other treaties. This is fantastic news!

Speaking of refugees I've heard that this year immigration detention centres in southern Europe have been particularly full. The unrest caused by the Arab Spring has made people flee to Europe. Countries such as Italy have complained why do they have to face this problem alone and want other countries to take some refugees as well. This is old news though and I'm not sure about the current situtation...

Anyway, maybe I should've gone to rant topic since I'm going to RAEG. This time it's about a japanese politician. Namely, Shintaro Ishihara the governor of Tokyo.

Where do I start? Seriously, some things that this guy has said are just... ugh. This is the guy who called the earthquake and the tsunami "divine punishment". He also said that women above their fertile age are useless and are committing a sin (is he implying they should just kill themselves or what!? >:O). He still denies Rape of Nanking. He said that Sangokujin and foreigners commit horrible crimes over and over again and are going to riot in the case a natural disaster strikes Tokyo. Seriously! Sangokujin is about as degatory term as it gets (lit. third country people). He has also remarked that "Gays are genetically defective". This guy is seriously xenophobic and misogynistic and highly insulting towards gays.

Of course, there has been much talk in anime circles about his new law that radically restricts mature content in popular culture (anime, manga, games) maybe more commonly known as Tokyo Anime and Manga Ban. Well, I thought that's not too bad... until I heard they specifically changed the wording so that it specifically allows photographic material such as child porn (sorry mods but it's kinda difficult to say this without using "bad words").
...
What is this Japan!? If you're going to ban something at least do it properly! IMHO if you must allow something like that photographic material is far worse than drawn. At least you know no real children were harmed if it's drawn! Since then the law has also been called "Anti-Otaku Law"... And it's not difficult to see why. The wording was so vague on other areas that even SFW works can be banned! Among the banning criteria is also "anti-social behavior"! Apparently, that'd make Death Note, Kami Nomi zo Sekai and numerous others banned as well...

I've known about the law suggestion before but only now when it had actually passed I learnt about its true purpose. To bash everyone who likes animes/mangas/games. -_-

[E.D.Revolution]

You know what I call that? A politician who, to quote Phantom, "needs a wife.". POW!

I've heard of anti otaku laws but for a different reason.

[E.D.Revolution]

NECROBUMP FOR NEWSFLASH!

So, Kim Jong-Il died tonight. Knowing how news such as this comes out, I take it with a grain of salt.

But let's assume the news is true. What does this mean for DPRK?

[Phantom]

Il watched DVDs.

Un is gonna be watching Blu-Ray

[Singidava]

...He DIED? Whoa, I haven't managed to read today's newspaper yet, so that took me by surprise! Anyway, knowing NK this already happened like a month ago or so and they're just publishing the news now. Well, I guess at least immediately nothing really changes, Kim Jong-Un just takes over. However, Kim Jong-Il's death may give even more room for protest that have already been occuring in NK due the famine there.

*Goes to multiple news sites*

[Blackrune]

This is quite a dangerous phase since nobody knows what the successor is going to do with his sudden power...
At least Kim Jong-Il never started anything TOO drastic, let's hope it will stay that way.

[Reyson]

They're saying his successor may have to "prove himself," which leads to a very wary South Korea. Proving himself though provoking conflict. There were no Christmas lights near the DMZ this year, just as a precaution. You know, the North Koreans could spot them if they were taking military action.

[E.D.Revolution]

I have a new topic to discuss:

US: The Pakistani government is being VERY complacent and hindering us in our mission to go after Al-Qaeda. In fact, I think they're going to backstab us.
Pakistan: The US is nothing more than a diva. We try to do everything we can, but they don't appreciate us.

Based on this article, where do you stand? Do you think America is right? Is Pakistan right?

I personally believe that the Pakistanis are trying to undermine us.

[Phantom]

dude big paki's been playing a two-faced game, why do you think they arrested the doctor that set up a fake vaccine-drive operation in the country that tried to help the SEALS attempt to locate bin Laden?

http://articles.businessinsider.com/201 ... telligence


...Good for stopping aid, but bad for the March debate topic

[E.D.Revolution]

And with Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan... Really, we can't get troops out of that area fast enough. They don't appreciate it? Fcuk them!

At this point, I really can't stand Afghanistan and Pakistan at all. First Pervez Musharraf and now this useless oaf in Pakistan and now Karzai... And now Karzai is saying they will openly turn their back towards us... Unbelievable!

It's too bad Pakistan has nukes and they have a really tense, if not outright hostile, relationship with India.

[E.D.Revolution]

Alright, as far as the Pakistan issue goes, I would like to redirect all responses here.

[Gombarry]

You may need to fix that link... Ah, well. I'll copy and paste.

[Singidava]

We got a new president. Too bad the candidate I voted for (Haavisto) lost the second round against Niinistö. Well, it isn't too bad since most of their "arguments" begin with "I agree with you" or "You have a good point" etc. (There actually was a research about that xDDD) Well, even getting to the second round is pretty well considering how many prejudices he had to counter since he is a vegetarian gay from the Green League who never went to army. I'd love to see what'd happen if he was a presidental candidate in some more conservative coutry, let's say US for example. xDDDD

[E.D.Revolution]

Well, even getting to the second round is pretty well considering how many prejudices he had to counter since he is a vegetarian gay from the Green League who never went to army. I'd love to see what'd happen if he was a presidental candidate in some more conservative country, let's say US for example. xDDDD

I wonder why that's important.

But if what that part means what I THINK it means, then there's no chance in hell that guy'd be going to the General Election unless he was a Democrat. With this year being the showcase of the Republican/Teabagging Party, well... And the fact when a gay soldier asked policy questions to the Republican candidates early and the soldier got booed (really, blame the Tea Bagger plants at the debates)... Yeah, not until it's a Democrat showcase can he have a chance to get elected in the US.

[Singidava]

Well, even getting to the second round is pretty well considering how many prejudices he had to counter since he is a vegetarian gay from the Green League who never went to army. I'd love to see what'd happen if he was a presidental candidate in some more conservative country, let's say US for example. xDDDD

I wonder why that's important.

But if what that part means what I THINK it means, then there's no chance in hell that guy'd be going to the General Election unless he was a Democrat. With this year being the showcase of the Republican/Teabagging Party, well... And the fact when a gay soldier asked policy questions to the Republican candidates early and the soldier got booed (really, blame the Tea Bagger plants at the debates)... Yeah, not until it's a Democrat showcase can he have a chance to get elected in the US.

It's important because it means he has a lot of prejudices against him. However, I'm actually a bit proud of the fact nobody ever publicly questioned if a gay can be a president. Actually his partner (who comes from Ecuador so it's a slap to face to all "immigrant suspicious" people) was actively helping him with the campagn and became a bit of a celebrity himself as well.

I suppose what you're not sure about is what the Green League is? Well, it's a political party that promotes fighting against environmental issues and has overall very liberal politics and are pro-gay marriage for example (well, most parties in Finland are pro-gay marriage anyways...).

(Also for people who don't know vegetarian is a person who doesn't eat meat at all.)

Fyi, in a Finnish presidental election we have two rounds. First of which has multiple candidates (this time we had eight) of which the public elects two (unless the winner gets more than half of the votes and becomes thus directly a president) and then we have the second round where only the two previously chosen compete. So just being chosen to the second round means you have to have around 20 % of the votes. And the votes for the both rounds do not come only from the members of the party the candidate belongs to but anyone over 18 can vote.