Comments - Latest Popular Stories, Instablogs Community by Eivanov

Chintan

Chintan — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The G-8 Summit meetings are becoming quite farcical these days. Different countries have different agenda and more often than not go for one-to-one meetings with leaders. For example, the Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh went there to meet Bush to assure him that he is taking all measures to get the controversial 123 Nuclear Deal with the US through despite the risk of the government being pulled down.

Eugene Ivanov

Eugene Ivanov — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Chintan,

Thanks for your comment.

Besides other things, G8 is a ”party.” And when after going through the hassles of dressing-up and driving, you’ve finnaly gotten there, it’s only natural that you want to talk to as many people as possible.

Best Regards,

Eugene

David

David — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The G-8 has not remained the G-8 anymore. It has become quite a farce now. If the current trend continues all countries would be in the G-8 one fine year some time in the distant future. In my opinion, the G-8 should be dissolved in 10-15 years from now.

Eugene Ivanov

Eugene Ivanov — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dear David,

Thanks for your comment.

The G8 has been created to address certain issues. These issues kept changing over years, and the G8 too was/is changing.

I have no problem with ”dissolving” the G8 in 10-15 years. The question though, is what will come to replace it? Unless, of course, you believe that none is needed.

Best Regards,

Eugene

Kenney

Kenney — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The G8 has become quite an elitist club now that many emerging economies like Brazil and India are trying to gain entry to thinking it would elevate their world standing and status. The world should be focusing on the problems marring the WTO and not some drama like G8. Ah! I almost forgot John McCain is threatening Russia out of the G8. :)

Eugene Ivanov

Eugene Ivanov — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Kenney,

Thanks for your comment.

I’m not sure at all that the WTO is more relevant than the G8. After all, McCain wants Russia out of the G8, but he doesn’t seem to mind Russia entering the WTO. :)

Best Regards,

Eugene

Sukhbahar

Sukhbahar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The G8 is pathetic. I wonder if the leaders meet at the high table to discuss the weather wearing casual wear in exotic locations or do some really serious business. There is a lot of politics and very little action at the G8. Kyoto, WTO, rising food and fuel prices are discussed. I can’t see anything done more than giving lip service to real issues and solutions.

Eugene Ivanov

Eugene Ivanov — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Ludhiana,

Thanks for your comment.

I certainly appreciate your negative attitude toward the G8, and my piece wasn’t supposed to change it overnight.

However, I do believe that there must be some meachanisms for solving world-wide problems. Do you believe that the UN is such a mechanism? I doubt it.

Best Regards,

Eugene

Jaiyant Cavale

Jaiyant Cavale — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

G8 is more like the billionaire’s club you always read about. A few rich countries mustn’t be given the privilege to prevail upon the future of other countries. the +5+3+n countries wanting to join this billionaire’s club is well, pathetic is not the word.

Kevin

Kevin — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Eugene, I believe you call yourself a Republican. Are you really one? Tell me honestly. I have enough reasons to suspect that you are not. By the way did you know that George Bush, our greatest ever president embarrassed us there with a joke about his poor environment record? How could you write something on a subject that shows how the Republican great has perpetually failed the world, and himself above all on environmental issues? Good that the creep is on his way out in the next six months.

Eugene Ivanov

Eugene Ivanov — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Kevin,

Thanks for your comment. When it’s time to announce my political affiliations, I’ll do that myself.

I just cannot agree with you that President Bush’s record on the environment is the only thing that the Republican Party can offer. What about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California?

Best Regards,

Eugene

Daniel

Daniel — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Yeah he had the cheek to say “Goodbye from the world’s biggest polluter” and then punched the air while grinning widely. It seemed a deliberate attempt to mock British PM Brown and French President Sarkozy, the biggest supporters of the Kyoto Protocol. This shows how arrogant these Americans are.

Eugene Ivanov

Eugene Ivanov — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Daniel,

Thanks for your comment.

The Bush’s turnaround shows that even the most stubborn of us can change. The only pity is that it took him this long.

Best Regards,

Eugene

Jaiyant Cavale

Jaiyant Cavale — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Mr Ivanov, why did Bush make the turnaround, maybe because his days at the White House is numbered? and because he wants to leave the office on a good note after soiling his hands?

Tiaan

Tiaan — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

This is a stupid group because of the disdain towards shown by leaders who matter most. George Bush is concerned about oil prices and yet he is preparing for a war against Iran. He is worried about food prices and hunger, but he is encouraging food grain producing farmlands to bio-oilfields.

Eugene Ivanov

Eugene Ivanov — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Tiaan,

Thanks for your comment.

Will you submit that the world may need this ”stupid group” to challenge President Bush’s potentially dangerous policies?

Best Regards,

Eugene

Archie

Archie — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

G8 means big leaders of big countries with big bombs talking about big global issues over big feasts and ending it with a big burp. G7 + 1 + 3 + 5 + n = G0 which is Good for Nothing. BIG ZERO.

Jaiyant Cavale

Jaiyant Cavale — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

How true!!

Eugene Ivanov

Eugene Ivanov — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Abuja,

Thanks for your comment. Your math is a bit complicated to me :)

I definitely share your disdain for ”big zero” results of summits like that. But, perhaps, I’m slightly more optimistic than you.

Best Regards,

Eugene

Eugene Ivanov

Eugene Ivanov — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Celso Camargo

Celso Camargo — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t know about you, but all these ”G’s” are starting to get irritating, because of a hand there are countries that still belive they are the masters of the world, and other countries, who want to be part of this club to grow their regional and global influence .

Eugene Ivanov

Eugene Ivanov — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Celso,

Thanks for your comment.

Sure, I can see why you don’t like countries that behave like ”the masters of ther world.” But what is wrong, say, with Brazil wanting to increase its regional and global influence? Will it hurt Brazilian citizens?

Best Regards,

Eugene

Jaiyant Cavale

Jaiyant Cavale — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Do we need a G8 summit at all.. It is a step in the right direction to be sanctioning money for the emancipation of the poor and needy, but why hasn’t the UN been in news lately. I believe, if the UN gets its act together it can do a great job, in fact better than any world body. Unfortunately, countries in G8+any other number you choose have sidelined the UN because it doesn’t serve their purposes of world domination.

Eugene Ivanov

Eugene Ivanov — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Jaiyant,

Thanks for your comment.

Perhaps, you’re raising the most complicated question of the world politics at all: do we or do we not need a ”forum” to address the world’s most pressing problems? Does this ”forum” have to be all-inclusive, but completely unmanageable like the UN? Or, it should be smaller but perceived ”elitist” like the G8? Or both? Or neither? Or something in between?

I don’t know the answers. But we all must try to find them.

Best Regards,

Eugene

Jaiyant Cavale

Jaiyant Cavale — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Mr. Ivanov, your article doesn’t exactly laud the activities of G8, so Im glad about it’s ability to still give room for dissent. However, I’m not up against world forums other than UN if they really do a better job. But I doubt any world body that doesn’t include most if not all the countries would have a ’first-hand’ feel of the problems. UN has contributed a lot, a lot more than G8 can ever. UN peacekeeping forces have literally protected people in troubled areas. I doubt if the elite few can ever ’feel’ for the less privileged countries. I dunno if it has to be both, neither or something in between.. I certainly feel UN should be given more importance than what is being given today. UN itself was a creation after some of the worst wars the planet has seen. And we might be heading towards something worse than what history has seen, unless the UN steps in and do what it really is supposed to do. Like you say, UN is unmanageable but then some amount of chaos is unavoidable. G8 might avoid this chaos, but would be a one sided or polarized effort.

Eugene Ivanov

Eugene Ivanov — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Jaiyant,

Thanks very much for your thoughtful comments on the UN. I cannot but agree with you.

Best Regards,

Eugene

Jaiyant Cavale

Jaiyant Cavale — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000