politics – Page 3 – Mike Bostan – personal blog on book reviews and energy studies

Noul aliat – George Cristian Maior

Published on November 13, 2016 by mikebostanLeave a comment

Intotdeauna m-am considerat un adept al scolii realiste, al relatiilor de putere in lumea contemporana, dar cu o deschidere spre valentele noi induse in teorie si practica de curentele postmoderniste si constructiviste.

George Maior este actualul (2016) ambasador al Romaniei in Statele Unite si fostul sef al Serviciului Roman de Informatii (SRI).

Cartea sa, scrisa in 2009, revizuita in 2012, este o colectie de studii, conferinte si articole, scrise in 2001 si 2004. Maior isi exprima ideile despre rolul Romaniei in NATO, el fiind si cel care s-a ocupat de integrarea Romaniei in NATO in acea perioada.

Cartea se plaseaza foarte mult in campul relatiilor internationale, cu toata literatura si curentele de rigoare. Scriitura este foarte academica, iar modul de argumentare este aproape exclusiv teoretic.

maior-noul-aliat — Un ganditor profund al rolului Romaniei in NATO

Maior considera rolul Romaniei in NATO ca agent activ, implicat in actiuni nu numai pe teritoriul national, ci oriunde alianta are de gestionat o criza. De asemenea, Romania are rolul de alarma, fiind la marginea geografica a aliantei.

Modul de atinge aceste obiective il reprezinta personalul uman, bine pregatit si selectionat. O importanta speciala o are puterea software, ceea ce se traduce prin diplomatie, asadar un rol mai activ al ambasadelor romanesti in strainatate. In Romania, de altfel, se afla sediul HumInt (Human Intelligence) al NATO.

Multe din ideile autorului se regasesc in strategia si actiunile ulterioare ale Romaniei. Maior este un ganditor profund al situatiei din regiune, un realist ce considera ca integrarea Romaniei in NATO inseamana si responsabilitati. Maior traseaza clar rolul Romaniei in alianta, in raport cu capacitatile reale ale tarii si raspunde viguros la intrebarea “NATO protejeaza, dar Romania cu ce vine, ce pune pe masa?”

Cartea este dificil de urmarit pentru cei neinteresati de relatiile internationale, dar reprezinta etalonul in ce priveste strategia privind rolul Romaniei in NATO.

Cronica de Cotroceni – Adriana Saftoiu

Published on October 2, 2016 by mikebostanLeave a comment

Prima mea zi la capatul a zece ani de colaborare cu Traian Basescu a fost vineri, 30 martie. Dimineata a sunat telefonul. Nu imi era greu sa-mi imaginez cine ar fi putut sa fie. N-am raspuns. In sfirsit, eram libera de contract. Apoi, telefonul a sunat din nou. «Te cauta Presedintele», m-a informat bine cunoscuta voce de la secretariat. «Nu mai lucrez la Cotroceni. Poti sa-i spui ca nu am raspuns la telefon.»

Cum promiteam cu cateva post-uri inainte, scriu in limba in care am citit cartea.

Adriana Saftoiu a fost consilier prezidential si purtator de cuvint al Presedintelui Romaniei, in timpul mandatului lui Traian Basescu. Ca fost purtator de cuvant si fost ziarist, Saftoiu are verva si stil. Am citit cartea intr-o seara, nu puteam sa o las din mana.

Cartea, publicata in 2015, vorbeste in principal de Presedintele la acel moment, dar nu dezvaluie prea multe, majoritatea faptelor sunt deja publice. Totusi confirma o serie de zvonuri, de exemplu relatia Presedintelui cu Elena Udrea. Memoriile incep si se termina cu activitatea Adrianei Saftoiu la Palatul Cotroceni, doar cative ani, dar sunt destul de savuroase si pline de evenimente.

poarta_cotrocenilor — La Poarta Palatului Cotroceni

Presedintele mi se pare prezentat ca un om furios, frustat, dar determinat; majoritatea lucrurilor sunt improvizatii si se intampla alandala; gastile de mediocri ii imping pe competenti sa plece. Pare destul de gri, insa sa nu uitam ca Romania a intrat in UE, iar ANI si DNA si-au pus bazele in perioada aceia.

Este o lectura usoara, pentru cei vag interesati de politica si o ofera o imagine in timp a Cancelariei Prezidentiale in timpul mandatului lui Traian Basescu.

1984 – George Orwell

Published on August 19, 2016 by mikebostan1 Comment

In the far distance a helicopter skimmed down between the roofs, hovered for an instant like a bluebottle, and darted away again with a curving flight. It was the police patrol, snooping into people’s windows. The patrols did not matter, however. Only the Thought Police mattered.

The book is a classic and I absolutely recommend reading it. Orwell presents a dystopia, where things aren’t what they should be. It’s a grey world, with thoughtcrimes, destruction of critical thinking and individualism, total surveillance, nomenclature and historical revisionism.

1984 — Orwell’s dystopia is not an alien concept. Please see the excellent 2008 German movie, Die Welle.

The book pairs with the Brave New World by Huxley, published 2 decades earlier. While the dystopia in the Brave New World is sustained by drugs and distraction, 1984 is a brutal, overwhelming totalitarianism. They are both on the same level of crushing critical thinking and blocking any individual initiative. While they look far apart, they are the same facets of total subjugation, with a privileged few.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, we are heading today to the same level of thoughcrimes described by Orwell and brainwashing mentioned by Huxley. So many on social media make their opinion without looking at the original source and without checking the source.

You can read the book online for free at the following link.

Duty – Robert Gates

Published on April 25, 2016June 4, 2016 by mikebostanLeave a comment

I concluded by saying that the SEALs in the room truly gave meaning to George Orwell’s observation that “people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”

[…]Lessons learned from the disaster in Iran in 1980 led to the creation of the Joint Special Operations Command and development of the training and equipment that undergirded the success at Abbottabad. In 1986, as deputy director in charge of analysis at CIA, I agreed to provide more than a dozen analysts to the new Counterterrorism Center in the clandestine service, an unprecedented and controversial assignment of analysts to help inform and plan counterterrorist operations. […] (Duty)

In a surprisingly open and detailed memoirs book, Robert Gates, the former U.S. Secretary of Defense, unveils his struggles and challenges while leading the U.S. Military in two wars, in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obama_and_Biden_await_updates_on_bin_Laden — Gates, on the left, during Operation Neptune Spear, that killed bin Laden.

The ex CIA Director reveals the strings between the Pentagon, the Congress, the White House and the Joint Chiefs, within two administrations, Bush 43 and Obama. A lengthy volume that hides candid comments and many gems of wisdom. A great read.

The Uncharted Path – Lee Myung-Bak

Published on March 24, 2016May 16, 2016 by mikebostanLeave a comment

The Uncharted Path is the autobiography of the former CEO of Hyundai, mayor of Seoul and president of Korea, Lee Myung-Bak.

It is seems an almost unbelievable life trajectory, but he actually achieved all that. His career mirrors in a way the values and the success of South Korea.

A rag to riches story, a story of gratitude, optimism and self-sacrifice that shows the power of perseverance and hard work. A truly life inspiration and brilliant read.

Dreams from my father – Barack Obama

Published on February 27, 2016May 16, 2016 by mikebostanLeave a comment

As expected, the book reveals an illuminated mind, with an impressive vocabulary. Not much of an action-orientated story, it talks about his inner debates, quite brilliantly penned. I started the book in late 2009, from my old roommate, but it was worthy to pursue it for 6 long years. Not an easy read, but a read that makes you think.