70. Geburtstag von Tony Judt

Tony Robert Judt (* 2. Januar 1948 in London; † 6. August 2010 in New York) war ein britisch-amerikanischer Historiker, der sich insbesondere mit der europäischen Geschichte seit dem Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts beschäftigte. Ab dem Jahr 1995 war er Direktor des von ihm gegründeten Remarque-Instituts an der New York University. Einer breiteren Öffentlichkeit bekannt wurde Judt durch sein Buch Die Geschichte Europas von 1945 bis zur Gegenwart (2005). Im Jahr 1996 wurde Judt zum Fellow der American Academy of Arts and Sciences gewählt, im Jahr 2007 zum Fellow der British Academy.
Wikipedia

The Iraq Inquiry

The full report:

http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/

In defence of the ‘white’ curriculum

Student campaigns for 'inclusive' courses are undermining academic freedom.

‘Why is my curriculum white?’ This provocative question is the title of a film being made by University College London’s (UCL) Black and Minority Ethnic Students’ Network. The film, produced in conjunction with academic staff, is part of a campaign ‘pushing for the most inclusive, well-rounded and progressive learning environment possible’. UCL students are acting on recommendations from the National Union of Students (NUS) and Universities Scotland that state ‘institutions must strive to minimise Euro-centric bias in curriculum design, content and delivery, and establish mechanisms to ensure this happens’.

Joanna Williams, SPIKED, 22 October 2014

George Steiners 85. Geburtstag

Francis George Steiner (* 23. April 1929 in Paris) ist ein US-amerikanischer emeritierter Professor für Vergleichende Literaturwissenschaft, Schriftsteller, Philosoph und Kulturkritiker.

Wikipedia
Wikpedia English

 

 

 

Lord Byrons 225. Geburtstag

George Gordon Noel Byron, 6. Baron Byron of Rochdale, (* 22. Januar 1788 in London; † 19. April 1824 in Messolongi, Griechenland), bekannt als Lord Byron, war ein britischer Dichter, Enkel von John Byron, einem Südseeforscher und britischen Admiral. Lord Byron war der Vater von Ada Lovelace. Er ist überdies bekannt als wichtiger Teilnehmer am Freiheitskampf der Griechen.

Wikipedia deutsch

Wikipedia englisch

Abbildung aus Wikipedia


Einen der genialsten Sätze findet man im Drama MANFRED von Lord Byron:

Sorrow is knowledge:
they who know the most
must mourn the deepest
o'er the fatal truth,
the tree of knowledge is
not that of life.

Kein Wunder, dass ihn Nietzsche lobte und zitierte.

Biography as political tale

Reviews on Christopher de Bellaigue's biography of Muhammad Mossadegh

A Crass and Consequential Error
Roger Cohen, the New York Review of Books, August 16, 2012
Patriot of Persia: Muhammad Mossadegh and a Tragic Anglo-American Coup by Christopher de Bellaigue. Harper, 310 pp., $27.99

Mohammad Mosaddegh
Wikipedia

The significance of Muhammad Mossadegh
Wm. Roger Louis, Times Literary Supplement, June 27, 2012

Why weren’t they grateful?
Pankaj Mishra
London Review of Books, June 21, 2012

Patriot of Persia: Muhammad Mossadegh and a Very British Coup by Christopher de Bellaigue – review. This fascinating biography of a 1950s Persian nobleman and politician explains much of Iran's antipathy towards Britain
Lindsey Hilsum, The Observer, Sunday 5 February 2012 

Iran 1953: 'A Casual Coup with a Few Dollars':

Patriot of Persia:

 

To rehtink history is to learn and to compare: presently the Western politics, led by Israle and the US as well as their allies, not only revive colonial practices and strategies but increase pressure to bring Iran (now also Syria) to a downfall for easy takeover and exploitation of natural resources. In 1953 the reason was an almost bankrupt Britain who wanted desperately revenues from Iran which the lost after the nationalization of the oil industry by M. Mossadegh. Therefore a terroris was started and instigated and Mossadegh overthrown.

The pattern is almost the same today. For the naive public the WEstern powers speak of democracy, freedom or human rights. In reality the business is maintaining and strengthening the hegemonial frames for their political controll and exploitation.

And, one has to remember, it hasn't started in the fifties but in the beginning of the 20th century, when the country via its resources literally has been "bought" and was kept like under protectorate.

Not many in the West do know the basics in history. The propaganda has ensured a totally distorted view of Iran and the other nations of the Middle East. While the enemies, the islamic nations, are negatively carcatured, Israel's distorted view results in the opposite: the only democracy in the region, an lawful modern state.

Even the Britsh reviews praise the quality of Bellaigue's biography. (At the same time the foster hegemonial politics and wars...)

The example of Mossadegh makes the hatred of many of the moslem world against Great Britain, the US and Isral, if not the whole of Europe, fully understandable. 

Acutally, it would be proper time, that these nations pay for their crimes. 

One should keep in mind, what Pankaj Mishra writes in his review: 

"The story of the Anglo-American destruction of Iran's hopes of establishing a liberal modern state has been told many times, but the cautionary message of 1953 is still far from being absorbed."

"War between Iran and the United States has never seemed more likely than in recent months, as American politicians and journalists dutifully endorse Binyamin Netanyahu's bluster. There is little sign in the mainstream press here or in the US that anyone is paying attention to de Bellaigue and other knowledgable writers on Iran. "

See also entry "Iran & Britain, the coups, in CLYT