Wake Up Canada

Chinese carrot and gravy  or  American stick and gun? Sovereignty or Subordination? Peace and Development  or  War and Destruction? Wake up Canada, make your choice! 

*** Fast Edi Thoughts and Comments. 

*** Edi Lee for Peace.

Religion Is A Brainwashing Tool.

Religion is a brainwashing tool to control people. In the name of God, bad people committed all kinds of evils and had them justified. There has never been any holy war, holy murder, holy genocide. You can call anything holy, but this does not necessarily make it holy. 

Edi Lee for Peace     *****    Fast Edi Thoughts and Comments.

宗教是一個控制人們的洗腦工具。壞人會用神的名義犯下種種邪惡並將它們合理化。從來沒有神聖的战爭，神聖的謀殺，神聖的種族滅絕。你可以稱任何東西神聖，但這不等於它就是神聖。

This Year 2024

This year 2024 will be a "difficult" year in terms of global politics and economics, not to mention wars and natural disasters. In any case, we must say yes to peace and no to war.

Edi Lee for Peace   ***  Fast Edi Thoughts and Comments  

Ugly World

As a collective, the humans are not truly civilized, as they still engage in warfare to kill one another. Technologically quite advanced, but spiritually still very primitive! 

Truly spiritual people live in love and peace. They do not kill one another. Sadly it is an ugly world of reality that we live in. 

Edi Lee for Peace    *** Fast Edi Thoughts and Comments  

Uncle Sam Please Go Home

Uncle Sam is good at making wars, but to win them? Please don't ask. 

The U.S. has spent 20 years and trillions of dollars in Afghanistan, and is now leaving in defeat and embarrassment. The Taliban have re-taken Kabul and the whole country. Uncle Sam can no longer be the global leader. He has lost his ability and credibility.   

Do you still want to play, Uncle Sam? Do you have the money to play? By printing and creating it out of thin air? Sorry, it no longer works. 

Dear American friends, please take care.

Edi Lee for Peace  *** Fast Edi Thoughts and Comments 

Ceasefire Please

I support Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General, who called for immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world. Our common enemy at the present is the Corona Virus COVID-19. Say no to war, yes to peace. Thank you. ____________________________________________________ Edi Lee for Peace. Fast Edi Thoughts and Comments.

2020

I said it before and I say it again: I have an uncomfortable feeling about 2020. Something really bad will happen. Hope I am wrong.

John Bolton

John Bolton, the widely known American warmonger has been fired by President Trump. Peace !

Peace in Korean Peninsula

There is hope for peace in the Korean Peninsula. Moon Jae-in,President of South Korea(ROK) will meet with Kim Jong-un,Supreme Leader of North Korea (DPRK). Kim has gone to China to meet with Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China. Then Donald Trump, President of the United States of America(USA) will meet with Kim Jong-un. This kind of direct meetings is of the highest level between countries. ____________________________________________________________________________ Although I am hopeful for peace, I don't think that we should expect all the problems can be resolved in one go. The Korean war is still technically not yet over. The 1953 agreement was only a truce. It was an armistice agreement, not a peace treaty. Although South Korea was not a signatory to that agreement signed by the U.S., China and North Korea, it should now sign a peace treaty with North Korea, to officially end the Korean War. ____________________________________________________________________________ Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is a serious matter. I don't think North Korea is willing to give up its development of nuclear weapons as the U.S. demands, unless its security can be guaranteed. To put it bluntly, Kim Jong-un just doesn't want his country to be invaded and destroyed by the U.S. like what happened to Iraq and Libya. On the other hand, it is hard to imagine that Donald Trump will agree to withdraw all 26,000 U.S. troops in South Korea. One would ask this question: now that both ROC and DPRK want peace, why is the U.S. still here? Shouldn't the U.S. troops go home? It seems clear that the problem is not so much between the two Koreas, but rather between North Korea and the U.S. ____________________________________________________________________________ I think this whole thing of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and working for peace cannot be achieved without the inclusion of the U.S. and China. Donald Trump has been saying that Xi Jinping has helped him a lot in dealing with North Korea. Indeed China has a peaceful foreign policy; there is no reason that President Xi would be against a peaceful Korean Peninsula. ____________________________________________________________________________ As said earlier, we should not expect all the problems can be resolved in one go. If a peace treaty is signed between the two Koreas, backed by the U.S. and China of course, then I'll consider it a success, a first step towards permanent peace. I'm sure that Donald Trump would claim merit, but let him. I would even nominate Trump, Xi, Kim and Moon for a Nobel Peace Prize. If they won, Donald Trump would be able to proudly show Obama that he won due to his competence, while Obama had been undeservedly given the peace prize even before he started to work. Yes, I think there is some kind of personal dislike and vendetta between Trump and Obama. ____________________________________________________________________________ Let's hope for Peace!

Korean Peninsula

It is very dangerous to play chicken. Threat is not a good tool for peace. The US insists North Korea to stop its nuclear missile development as a precondition for peaceful dialogue. North Korea wants the US to stop its hostile policy and military exercise with Japan and South Korea near its border. China tried to arbitrate and bring peace, suggesting that both Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump should stop all threatening language and action, but it was rejected by both Kim and Trump. Who is crazy, Kim or Trump, what do you think? Threat would only elevate the danger and provoke a military conflict, even a break out of war and chaos in the Korean Peninsula. We must think, talk and act Peace.

Obama in Canada

I watched U.S. President Obama give a speech in the Parliament of Canada. I must say that he is a great speaker. In musical terms, the analogy is that he is a great singer. Whether you give him a good song to sing or not, he can still deliver a great performance. That said, how many listeners ever try to analyze the lyrics of a song and see what it says? And whether the singer actually does what he or she sings? 

I agree that the U.S., Canada and Mexico, actually the whole world should reduce the use of fossil fuels for energy, and switch to using clean, green and renewable energy.

I disagree with Obama that he said gender equality is a universal value. I mean it 'should be' a universal value, but it is not. Many countries are still very backwards, ultra-conservative and unfair. They are still very misogynistic and discriminatory against women. Look at Saudi Arabia. If you are a woman, you are not even allowed to drive there.

Regarding the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), I have talked about it before. Of course, Obama was trying to get Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada to come on side and have the TPP signed and rectified. Is the TPP good or bad for the U.S. and Canada? It depends who you are and whom you ask. If you are interested, you can read what I wrote about the TPP on August 1 and October 5, 2015 in my blog Fast Edi Thoughts and Comments.

Regarding global disputes and conflicts, I'm not sure Obama really meant what he said. Certainly every peace-loving person would choose to resolve such serious problems diplomatically and politically, not militarily. But the U.S. military actions everywhere in the world, and the ' let's drop a bomb ' U.S. foreign policy, just don't concur with what Obama said.

I would like to ask this question: when will Washington (and the world) learn that violence is a problem, not a solution? Being a pacifist, my position is that all disputes and conflicts must be negotiated and settled through peaceful means. No violence, No killing, No war. Thank you.

Political Talk For Peace

Talking about politics day after day has made me tired. I joined in the discussions because I didn't like people who promote war and resist peace for solutions. I found the need to share and support the pacifists' solution and reject the warriors' solution.

I was talking in Youtube with others about the South China Sea conflicts and disputes.There was a Vietnamese guy who insisted on going to war with China, refusing to even accept his own prime minister's position for peace. He wanted the U.S. and Vietnam go to war with China. So much anger, negative emotion and foul language from this man! I told him I didn't take side with one country against another. I said I only took side with peace.

When shall we have lasting peace in this troubled world?

Japanese Whaling

In the news (TYT), Japan is about to begin hunting whales again.

Do you honestly believe that Japan's practice of killing large numbers of whales each year is truly for scientific purpose, and not for food and business profit?

That said, the worst kind of killing is not humans killing animals, but humans going to war to kill other humans.

American War And Peace

There are many dark forces in this world, including the war hawks and neo-cons in America. These warmongers want war, not peace. The U.S. Military Industrial Complex needs to constantly create enemies and conflicts, in order to keep the hugely profitable war business going.

So many conflicts and wars, even terrorists, can be traced back to the root cause of U.S. interventionism. It is a horrific cycle of cause and effect. You may call it negative karma or bad blowback. But hell the warmongers just don't care. It is great for U.S.world dominance and the American war business. Gerald Celente, a renowned American financial commentator and trend forecaster said, "The business of America is war. The business of China is business."

Don't envy the job of the U.S. president. As the U.S. president, you may want peace, but there are powerful dark forces in America which keep pushing you to go to war,  to make troubles and invade other countries, to divide and conquer and drop some bombs, to orchestrate foreign regime changes, and to fight the terrorists whom Uncle Sam created in the first place. In short, it doesn't matter who fight whom, as long as there are war-game players in action, to keep the hugely profitable American war business going!

Sadly, there are people in this world who actually want war, not peace. These dark forces are internal and external, and the U.S. president must deal with them both.  

Obama has re-established diplomatic relations with Cuba, and has succeeded in signing a nuclear peace deal with Iran. There are at least a few more things that he should do, in order to earn his Nobel Peace Prize received in advance:

Close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp as promised, and better still, return the lands to Cuba.  

Stop sending drones to kill people, including American citizens who are presumed but not proven terrorists, which will otherwise cause the continued death of more civilians and innocent people.

Reform the racist and corrupted judicial, police, and prison systems in America.

Stop unlimited spying activities on American citizens, your own countrymen, and your allies.

Reduce or take the big money out of American politics. Current lobbying and unlimited donations allowed is a ' buy out the politicians ' program. It is nothing but legalized corruption.

Peace!  

Obama and Nobel Peace Prize (2)

On September 7, 2013, I wrote about Obama and the Nobel Peace Prize given to him in advance. Now that he has re-established U.S. diplomatic relationship with Cuba, and succeeded in the U.S. Iran nuclear deal, I think he should be allowed to keep the Nobel Peace Prize. But has he fully earned it yet, what do you think?

The U.S. Iran Nuclear Deal

The U.S. Iran nuclear deal is seen by many as President Obama's greatest diplomatic achievement. But there are also people who are adamantly against it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls the deal a historic mistake. Angry war hawks and neo-con Republicans in Washington condemn it. Obama says if Congress tries to kill the deal, he will veto the opposition. Whether you think it is a bad deal, an average deal, or a good deal, it looks like it is going to be a done deal.

The geopolitics in Middle East is not a simple matter. In addition to money and power, it is further complicated by oil and religion. Sunni and oil-rich Saudi Arabia does not like Shite and oil-rich Iran. Sunni and Shite Muslims have been fighting each other to this day since the death of prophet Mohammed in 632 A.D. Arabs fight against the Jews, Persians (Iranians) and non-Arabs. Muslims fight against the Jews and Christians. Muslims fight against other Muslims. Netanyahu feels threatened by Iran's building a nuclear bomb. The Israel Palestine issue remains an unresolved conundrum. There is mess where there is oil (pun intended).The oil-rich Middle East is a big mess!

Netanyahu's accusation of Iran building a nuclear bomb has more to do with his own political fear than proven fact. There is a difference between building a nuclear bomb and having the ability to build one, not to mention that Israel itself is a nuclear power, the only one in the Middle East.

I am not saying that Netanyahu should not be concerned about Iran's ability to build a nuclear bomb. We should all be concerned. But it is untrue that Iran is actually and already building a nuclear bomb. Why does Netanyahu call this U.S. Iran nuclear deal a historic mistake, when it addresses his very concern, to forestall and prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb?

This U.S. Iran nuclear deal is the result of hard negotiation, with the participation of Iran, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (U.S.A., U.K., France, Russia, China) and Germany. Are these countries all stupid? Of course not. Is it pre-mature, presumptive, or prejudiced, for Netanyahu to call this nuclear deal made by these definitely-not-stupid world powers a historic mistake? Why is it a historic mistake and not a historic achievement? At the least, we must wait and see, instead of jumping to negative conclusion.

I don't blindly take side with one country against another. I always take side with peace. I am not against the U.S., Iran, Israel or any country. I am against violence, killing and war. Those who are against this U.S. Iran nuclear deal must tell us what the alternative is. If you don't choose a political and diplomatic solution, then the only alternative left is military action and war. The question is this: do you want peace, or do you want war?   

Speaking as a pacifist, there is no wrong peace. Is this U.S. Iran nuclear deal a bad deal, average deal or good deal? Since there is no wrong peace, all peace deals are better than no peace deal at all. Peace !!!      

Is Japan Giving Up Pacifism ?

In the news, 25,000 Japanese protesters in Toyko opposed war legislation put forward by their Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. These are my thoughts and comments:

To allow Japan to give up Pacifism and re-militarize itself is a terrible mistake. Japan's war crimes and atrocities against China and other Asian and non-Asian countries still have not been settled. Don't know what political and military game that Abe is playing.

Regarding Japan's war crimes and atrocities committed against China in the Second World War, Japan still has not issued a formal apology to China. Instead, Abe just said to the U.S. Congress that "History is harsh. What was done cannot be undone." What an irresponsible statement and B.S. it was !

When I went to university in the U.S., I had a Japanese schoolmate Yoshi who talked candidly about these things with me, including Japan's invasion and occupying of China, the Nanjing Massacre, Sex Slaves, and so many war crimes and atrocities. Yoshi said these words to me, " I sincerely apologize to China for Japan." Whao, how I wish Yoshi became the Prime Minister of Japan, not Shinzo Abe.  

If Japan or other Asian countries think that the U.S. will always take side with them to fight China, they are making a terrible mistake. China wants peace, not war, but China will never be humiliated by Japan ever again. It is unlikely that the U.S. will go to war with China or Russia. If it did, a nuclear war would break out, and the whole world would be finished.

Uncle Sam also makes a terrible mistake, if he thinks that NATO members will always "obey" him 100%. If the U.S. goes to war with Russia, I bet Germany and France will not follow, in spite of NATO's so-called principle of "If you attack one, you attack all". Does this remind you of George Bush's stupid statement that "you are either on our side, or you are on the terrorist's side!" ?

At the end of the day, each country would be most concerned with its own well being and success, and would not blindly take action solely based on its membership or affiliation with whatever organization or alliance it belongs to. I mean when the shit hit the fan, it is not impossible that ideology and membership would yield to unexpected action rather based on rationality, reality and practicality.

I dare to say that the whole Asia, including Japan, is already substantially anchored with and influenced by China's growing economy. To put it bluntly, if you are an Asian country located in Asia, would you join the increasingly prosperous and powerful China Club nearby, or the debt-ridden and declining American Club thousands of miles away?

China is not a new rising power. It is a re-emerging power. Except for the last 200 years or so, China has always been the super power of the world. When I attended university in the U.S., an American History Professor told me that the 19th century belongs to the British Empire, the 20th century belongs to the United States of America, and the 21st century belongs to China. Looks like he is right.

Dear Mr. Abe, please listen to your own peace-loving Japanese protesters. Even Uncle Sam is showing signs of being tired of repeated war games, and you think that by re-militarizing Japan, you can again invade and fight China?

Omar Khadr versus Stephen Harper

Omar Khadr is free on bail. Thumbs up to his lawyer Dennis Edney ! The argument of Stephen Harper's Government that setting Omar free would hurt U.S. and Canada relation has been rejected by the Court.

Examples are plenty, that Stephen Harper's get-tough-approach didn't seem to respect and care about Canada's constitution and judicial system, international laws, and the UN Charter. Our prime minister seems to be just following, copying, obeying and taking orders from Uncle Sam. He seems to have been Americanizing and militarizing Canada. He has made Canada join the American Fighting and Killing Club, whose war hawk leaders seem to have a never ending agenda for fighting, killing and wars. Canada under Stephen Harper's rule is not the same Canada of peace and peacekeeping that we used to know. Sometimes I wonder if Stephen Harper is a closet dictator and would-be war hawk, or what ?     

In the case of Omar Khadr, Stephen Harper's approach is typically an American macho-man approach, with little Canadian compassion and sensitivity. Omar was a child soldier. He was only 15 years old when he allegedly killed an American soldier in Afghanistan. Even if he did kill an American soldier, he was still only a child. He was labelled as a terrorist and illegal combatant by Uncle Sam, and certainly Stephen Harper concurred.   

This case of Omar Khadr smells strongly American, not Canadian. Stephen Harper had chosen not to seek extradition or repatriation, despite the urging of Amnesty International, UNICEF, the Canadian Bar Association, the Federal Court of Canada and other prominent organizations. What does this tell you about Stephen Harper and his not-so-Canadian way of treating Omar? Did all these respectable recommendations matter to him at all? Was pleasing Uncle Sam more important than everything else?

Omar's lawyer Dennis Edney accused Stephen Harper of being a bigot, but I won't go that far. However, I do feel that under Harper's Government, it seems that Canada no longer treats its citizens equally. In a few cases, Stephen Harper seemed to be biased and selective, in deciding which Canadian citizens to protect, and which just to ignore, when they got into troubles in foreign lands and needed help.  

There are 2 undeniable facts about the case of Omar Khadr: (1) Omar was a 15 years old child soldier. Calling him a terrorist or illegal combatant did not change the fact that he was only a minor at the time, and (2) Guantanamo Detention Center in Cuba was the hell hole and military base outside the legal system of Uncle Sam, where Omar was imprisoned, tortured and grew up. 

Regarding democracy, freedom, human rights and international laws, Guantanamo is a shame of Uncle Sam. Didn't Obama promise he would close it down in his first year of presidency ? ( please read my blog of Dec.16, 2013 titled Guantanamo Prison ). Omar said the plea agreement that he signed was completely created by the U.S. Government, and that he signed it only to escape the continued abuse and torture at Guantanamo Bay.

This case of Omar Khadr is not over yet. The story goes on, hopefully with positive development, and not with any more political interference.  

Japan Must Apologize

Japan prime minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the U.S. did not meet with welcome everywhere. In Youtube, I saw an American Second World War veteran accusing Abe of dodging the issue of Japan's war history. In Los Angeles, Abe's last stop, there were Chinese and Korean Americans protesting Japan's war crimes, and demanded Japan's apology. Apologize, Apologize, they shouted !

History is not fiction. It is about facts and what actually happened. Japan must own up its war crimes and atrocities committed in the Second World War against China, other Asian and non-Asian countries, and issue an official apology.

The China-Japan relationship today is still very difficult, largely because of Japan's continued denial of the 'real' history of Japan's invasion of China, the Nanjing Massacre, the sex slaves, and many such undeniable war crimes and atrocities. Changing facts and white-washing history just doesn't work. Nor can the U.S. deny the fact that it dropped 2 atomic bombs on Japan, killing 300,000 Japanese civilians. Nor can Japan deny the Pearl Harbour incident.

In order for countries to move forward and repair damaged relationship, they must admit what they did wrong, and apologize to the victim countries. In return, the victim countries must forgive the countries which did wrong and have officially apologized. It takes a lot of moral courage to apologize, and it is not easy to do so for most politicians who have very little spiritual I.Q. (a term I coined).

It's very sad but true, that the humans are quite advanced now in science and technology, but they are still spiritually very primitive. Their values are still about Money and Power, not Peace and Love. We, 'uncivilized' humans, continue to engage in warfare to fight and kill one another. Until and unless we make drastic changes of our current financial, economic and political systems in the world, I doubt Peace on Earth will come soon. We need a LOVE revolution !!!

Do Good Competition In Yemen

Propaganda by Countries is nothing new. It is part of domestic and international politics. However, I love to see 'positive' propaganda based on facts, such as world leaders taking real actions to do good and make peace rather than going to war.

I have watched some news videos in Youtube regarding the current situation in Yemen.Two videos stand out, which show the different response of the Chinese and U.S. Governments:

One video shows that China helped evacuate hundreds of nationals of 10 different countries from Yemen, mostly Pakistanis and other nationals, including those of the U.K., Italy, Ireland, Singapore, Germany and Canada. 

On the other hand, the other video shows that the U.S.Government was being sued for failing to save Americans in Yemen during Saudi airstrikes.Would you be mad if you or your loved ones were American citizens and got stuck in Yemen, and that your own U.S. Government, which was able to help, but failed to bring you or your loved ones out from a war zone to safety?  

In the Do Good Competition, the U.S. lost to China on this one, because it didn't even care about its own citizens, while China helped its own citizens as well as citizens of other countries. I feel a bit sad, because I want to see BOTH China and U.S.A. become great leaders of the world, in healthy competition and peaceful cooperation, but not to screw each other. 

This evacuation comparison in Yemen confirms that China is indeed rising as a world leader, while the U.S. is in decline. China's rise is a certainty, but the U.S. decline is not. Instead of setting road blocks and preventing China from rising, I think Uncle Sam should make real efforts to overcome his own problems and recapture its past greatness. There is nothing wrong for the world to grant a Do Good gold medal to 2 champions, even 3, 4, 5 or more. At this time, it appears that China is winning