Miklós Vámos is a Hungarian novelist, screenwriter and talk show host. He is one of the most read and respected writers in his native Hungary. He has taught at Yale University on a Fulbright fellowship, served as The Nation’s East European correspondent, worked as consultant on the Oscar-winning film Mephisto, and presented Hungary’s most-watched cultural television show. Vámos has received numerous awards for his plays, screenplays, novels and short stories, including the Hungarian Merit Award for lifetime achievement. The Book of Fathers is considered his most accomplished novel and has sold 200,000 copies in Hungary.
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Miklos Vamos
Budapest, Hungary
Miklós Vámos is a Hungarian novelist, screenwriter and talk show host.
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Yup, your editorial positively reeks of it. Seems to me that's a reflection on you, not us.
2. Threat. If even the giant is so vulnerable, we may bleed much more soon.
Yup, even the mighty Oak bows before the hurricane. Rightly do the grass blades tremble. So what?
3. Anger. Why can't the U.S. leadership solve this crisis? Why can't they see that it is really dangerous for the whole world?
Jeepers, can't you see we're working on it? Why can't you see that even the US can't wave its Mighty Hand of Omnipotent Power and banish all your fright in the blink of an eye? It took us 15 years to create this mess, give us a few months to straighten it out.
FYI - American influence in the world has greatly expanded since September 2001. Not in irrelevant places like the airy salons of the European intelligensia, but in relevant places like the conference halls of kings and the briefing rooms of generals and police chiefs and especially in the hidden places where terrorists dwell. We tried not to play this role in the world but Osama woke us up to the fact that it was necessary. The people who rule you and keep you safe agree to our new role and have participated willingly and with vigor.
In Asia, in Africa and in Latin America -- in Asia, especially in the Midle East --- what the good pople are experiencing is that the threat has increased, but not for the reasons that Mr. Vamos cites. It is not because the good people think that, if the giant is bleeding, they are more vulnerable for being Lilliputians.
No! They know that this kind of a giant will kick back harder, precisely because he is bleeding. Consider the ongoing violation of the national sovereignty of Pakistan and the slaughter of civilians taking place there with ferocious stikes by US heavy artillery and drones. Consider the situation in Gaza and in Hebron where the barbarity against a helpless people continues. Consider the fact that Israel had approached the US authorities for back up for it to execute a preemptive srike against Iranian nuclear research facilities and was rebuffed, but for how long and with what Machiavellian aim in mind. Consider the tension on the Syrian/Israeli border as well as the Syrian/Lebanon border. Consider the nuclear cooperation deal with India, which I am not necessarily against, provided EFFECTIVE implementation the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty is reinforced -- but can anyone count of that precondition being fulfilled? I would be very glad to listen to the arguments in favour of that condition being fulfilled.
Consider also the September 15, Washington Post opinion article by Kissinger and Feldstein advocating that 'the strong economies' of the US and Europe combine their diplomatic clout to send a strong message to OPEC owners of sovereign wealth funds that they cannot expect the timely (if ever!) honouring of the debt obligations ( by way of US dollar-denominated bonds held by these 'weak economy countries') of these 'strong economy countries' owed to these 'weak economy, oil-exporting countries'
because they operate a cartel that has held the 'strong economy oil-consuming countries' hostage!
Oh, no! In Asia, in Africa, in Latin America, they are scared beacuse the bleeding giant could get more vicious unless the mind set is changed.
But, yes, if the mind set is changed, if there is real penance, possibly an international cooperative approach to address a global problem can be worked out. But let nobody deny that, when the Asians (the ASEAN+3 --China, India and Japan) had wanted to establsih an Asian Monetary Fund, when they had wanted to work on convergence of their economies by designing regional structural adsjutment programmes, the Western 'strong economy'-dominated IMF and World Bank had torpedoed the efforts.
But yes, bring to the table modesty, honesty, competence, and respect for the dignity of others (no more talk of 'manifest destiny'; no more 'American exception'; no more 'free world'; no more 'strong economy/weak economy'), and a cooperative solution will be worked out.
PostGlobal is an interactive conversation on global issues moderated by Newsweek International Editor Fareed Zakaria and David Ignatius of The Washington Post. It is produced jointly by Newsweek and washingtonpost.com, as is On Faith, a conversation on religion. Please send your comments, questions and suggestions for PostGlobal to Lauren Keane, its editor and producer.
All Comments (2)
1. Schadenfreude
Yup, your editorial positively reeks of it. Seems to me that's a reflection on you, not us.
2. Threat. If even the giant is so vulnerable, we may bleed much more soon.
Yup, even the mighty Oak bows before the hurricane. Rightly do the grass blades tremble. So what?
3. Anger. Why can't the U.S. leadership solve this crisis? Why can't they see that it is really dangerous for the whole world?
Jeepers, can't you see we're working on it? Why can't you see that even the US can't wave its Mighty Hand of Omnipotent Power and banish all your fright in the blink of an eye? It took us 15 years to create this mess, give us a few months to straighten it out.
FYI - American influence in the world has greatly expanded since September 2001. Not in irrelevant places like the airy salons of the European intelligensia, but in relevant places like the conference halls of kings and the briefing rooms of generals and police chiefs and especially in the hidden places where terrorists dwell. We tried not to play this role in the world but Osama woke us up to the fact that it was necessary. The people who rule you and keep you safe agree to our new role and have participated willingly and with vigor.
October 4, 2008 5:05 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on October 4, 2008 17:05
In Asia, in Africa and in Latin America -- in Asia, especially in the Midle East --- what the good pople are experiencing is that the threat has increased, but not for the reasons that Mr. Vamos cites. It is not because the good people think that, if the giant is bleeding, they are more vulnerable for being Lilliputians.
No! They know that this kind of a giant will kick back harder, precisely because he is bleeding. Consider the ongoing violation of the national sovereignty of Pakistan and the slaughter of civilians taking place there with ferocious stikes by US heavy artillery and drones. Consider the situation in Gaza and in Hebron where the barbarity against a helpless people continues. Consider the fact that Israel had approached the US authorities for back up for it to execute a preemptive srike against Iranian nuclear research facilities and was rebuffed, but for how long and with what Machiavellian aim in mind. Consider the tension on the Syrian/Israeli border as well as the Syrian/Lebanon border. Consider the nuclear cooperation deal with India, which I am not necessarily against, provided EFFECTIVE implementation the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty is reinforced -- but can anyone count of that precondition being fulfilled? I would be very glad to listen to the arguments in favour of that condition being fulfilled.
Consider also the September 15, Washington Post opinion article by Kissinger and Feldstein advocating that 'the strong economies' of the US and Europe combine their diplomatic clout to send a strong message to OPEC owners of sovereign wealth funds that they cannot expect the timely (if ever!) honouring of the debt obligations ( by way of US dollar-denominated bonds held by these 'weak economy countries') of these 'strong economy countries' owed to these 'weak economy, oil-exporting countries'
because they operate a cartel that has held the 'strong economy oil-consuming countries' hostage!
Oh, no! In Asia, in Africa, in Latin America, they are scared beacuse the bleeding giant could get more vicious unless the mind set is changed.
But, yes, if the mind set is changed, if there is real penance, possibly an international cooperative approach to address a global problem can be worked out. But let nobody deny that, when the Asians (the ASEAN+3 --China, India and Japan) had wanted to establsih an Asian Monetary Fund, when they had wanted to work on convergence of their economies by designing regional structural adsjutment programmes, the Western 'strong economy'-dominated IMF and World Bank had torpedoed the efforts.
But yes, bring to the table modesty, honesty, competence, and respect for the dignity of others (no more talk of 'manifest destiny'; no more 'American exception'; no more 'free world'; no more 'strong economy/weak economy'), and a cooperative solution will be worked out.
October 3, 2008 5:58 PM | Report Offensive Comments
Posted on October 3, 2008 17:58