#successfulvictimhood
Being accused of "alarming and disturbing prescience" (JL, last night) makes me feel a little bit dirty, like a backstreet soothsayer or something, but there's a much more rational explanation for what might've just seemed at the time (last week) like a satirical swing at blatant commercial opportunism suddenly becoming reality (today):
"What exporting military hardware lacks in moral efficacy is more than made up for in repeat business, but who signs the cheques is important." - point 5, three days ago, here: http://community.livejournal.com/anti_gravitas/455522.html
And, for context, from tomorrow's Daily Mail:
"David Cameron was last night accused of using his Middle East tour to promote Arab democracy as a cover for arms sales. The Prime Minister was branded a ‘disgrace’ after it emerged that he has taken eight defence firms with him on a four-day visit to the region. Mr Cameron yesterday became the first world leader to visit Egypt since the historic overthrow of President Mubarak." - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1359316/Prime-Minister-David-Cameron-takes-arms-dealers-Egypt-promote-democracy.html
Well, duh. There are pipelines, and there are pipebombs - as no truly cuddly economist would ever be caught saying - but making a profit out of instability is a finer art than most people realise (day-traders excluded, natch):
"The threat of civil war in Libya, the world's 12th-largest oil producer, drove U.S. crude oil prices up $5.22, or 6%, to $91.42 a barrel in electronic trading Monday, when most domestic financial markets were closed for Presidents Day. The price is nearing the two-year high of $92.19 reached Jan. 31." - http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-markets-outlook-20110222,0,5198096.story
America took the day off. The UK didn't. And that fact will be duly reflected in BAE Systems' share price tomorrow, regardless of what all the bleeding hearts on either side of the Atlantic think or say.
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In other matters, thanks to my big mouth and some fairly reckless (but beautifully-researched) recommendations, some of you will be downloading, installing, and getting your heads around Evernote (http://www.evernote.com) this week. Sorry 'bout that. But, hey - you'll be gaining another e-mail address...to add to the four or five already associated with these projects.
I'll be hiding in the quad, disguised as a statue, if anyone needs me...