Wednesday 23 April 2014

What does Joe Biden mean by "Land-Grab"?



WHAT DOES JOE BIDEN
MEAN BY "LAND-GRAB"?




On his recent visit to Kiev, Ukraine, US Vice-President, Joe Biden, pointedly referred to the accession of Crimea to the Russian Federation by democratic vote of the people as a “land-grab” by Russia. Continuing the propaganda line of the West which tries to demonise Russia and ignores the total breaches of international law by the US and its allies in invading Afghanistan and Iraq; bombing Yugoslavia, Pakistan rural areas,Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, blatant subversion in Ukraine, Syria and Venezuela and dozens more brutal interventions in Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, and several Latin American and Caribbean countries over the course of a century.



Having earned a BA in history from the University of Delaware in 1965, he seems to have forgotten most of whatever he learned including his own country’s history which is a succession of “land-grabs” from the 17th Century onwards.





 One “land-Grab” was a spectacular failure, though; the attempt to seize Upper Canada (now the province of Ontario) from Britain in 1812. With Britain heavily engaged in the Napoleonic wars in continental Europe, gung-ho politicians in Washington thought it an ideal moment to grab the sparsely populated territory to the North in what was expected to be an easy walk-in takeover. An attack across Lake Ontario on Fort York (now Toronto) in April 1813 is remembered for the burning of the Upper Canada Parliament and other buildings and after withdrawing from territory they seized in the Niagara Peninsula the Americans burned Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake) to the ground which incensed Canadian opinion and increased resolve against the American aggressor.The invasion was resisted by the British Garrison, local Canadian Militias and a force of indigenous warriors led by Chief Tecumseh who routed the Americans on several occasions.


In I814, with ships and troops available again from Europe, the British reinforced their garrisons in Canada and, in August, 1814, landed a large force south of Washington on the Chesapeake Bay. Accompanied by Canadian Militia, they easily advanced against the poorly organised American defenders and captured Washington. The city was undefended and the Government had fled to Virginia. The British and Canadians sacked Washington and burned down the White House in revenge for Fort York.



Perhaps this will help Mr Biden remember some history:








Battle of Clontarf 1014


BATTLE OF CLONTARF 1014
RE-ENACTED IN DUBLIN:

Over 60,000 people attended the re-enacted Battle of Clontarf on the actual site
in Dublin over the Easter weekend which marked the 1000th Anniversary of the famous Battle which was a pivotal point in Irish History.

The Battle of Clontarf is a key event in the history of the Vikings in Ireland, as well as the final chapter in the dramatic career of Brian Boru.  Brian belonged to the Dál gCais of north Munster. This people had risen to local prominence during the reign of Brian’s father, Cennétig, and his brother, Mathgamain. From the beginning of his reign Brian vigorously pursued his ambition to become the over-king of Munster; having succeeded in that, he then sought to extend his sway over neighbouring provinces. Ironically, one factor that aided Brian’s rise to power was the support of Viking fleets and fighting men. In 977 Brian had killed Ívarr, king of Limerick, and his two sons in the monastery of Scattery Island. This effectively brought Limerick under his control. In 984 Brian then allied himself with Waterford and the Vikings of the Isle of Man against Dublin. Thus he benefited from rivalries between different Viking groups.  
 
Vikings fought alongside the men of Munster in Brian’s campaigns to extend his influence across southern Ireland. In 997 Maelsechlainn, the Uí Néill over-king of Mide (Meath), was forced to concede Brian’s authority in the south. Until this time the Uí Néill dynasties had been the dominant force in Irish politics, but their position was now under threat. Brian’s victory over the troops of Dublin and Leinster at the Battle of Glenmama in 999 gave him the confidence to tackle the power of Maelsechlainn head-on. He led a series of campaigns aimed at getting his authority recognised across the whole of Ireland. He had barely achieved this aim when the forces of Dublin and Leinster renewed their war against him, and this led directly to the Battle of Clontarf.


In traditional accounts, Vikings are viewed as bloodthirsty pagan raiders. More recently they tend to be cast in a more positive light, as entrepreneurs who brought a new element to Irish cultural life. Both perspectives contain elements of truth. Vikings had plagued the Irish coasts since the end of the eighth century, and they began settling shortly after. By the late tenth century their power was restricted to a handful of ports, of which Dublin, Waterford and Limerick figure most prominently in the sources. These towns were ruled by kings whose squabbles with each other figure as prominently as their battles with Irish neighbours. By the time of the Battle of Clontarf, there was a long history of intermarriage between Viking and Irish dynasties that facilitated cultural exchange, alliances and trade across political boundaries. Viking kings in Ireland had converted to Christianity and gave patronage to some churches while raiding others under the control of their enemies. Despite the limited nature of their political power in Ireland, Vikings maintained a distinctive identity. Their fleets and armies were still effective in war, and merchants from the Viking ports maintained a network of trading contacts overseas. Perhaps it is not surprising that some of the most powerful Irish kings were anxious to control the economic and military resources of Viking ports to forward their wider political ambitions.

Political divisions of Ireland in 1014




On one side of the field stood Brian’s army, which consisted of the men of Munster, some troops from Connacht (including Uí Maine and Uí Fhiachrach) and a contingent led by the mormaer of Marr in Scotland. The Munster armies may have included Vikings from Waterford and Limerick. It is a matter of contention whether Maelsechlainn and the men of Mide also participated in the conflict, but on balance I think it likely that they did (more on this below). On the other side of the field were arrayed the Viking troops of Dublin, under the leadership of Sigtrygg Oláfsson, and the Irish of the hinterland to the south, under Maelmorda mac Murchada. They were supported by Sigurd, earl of Orkney, and his men, a contingent of warriors from the Hebrides, and a mercenary fleet (which may have included Scandinavian warriors) led by Brodir. The battle was of long duration, with heavy casualties on both sides. Brian’s side was victorious, but Brodir killed him. The story that Brian was slain while at prayer first appears in the chronicle that Marianus Scotus wrote in Germany over half a century after the battle. It may or may not be true.




The wide range of records of the Battle of Clontarf is one index of its significance, but what was the impact of this struggle? The power of Dublin had been on the wane from the late tenth century, and Clontarf was one of a series of major defeats. In 980 Maelsechlainn had defeated the Vikings of Dublin at Tara, and in 999 Brian crushed their forces at Glenmama. While the Vikings of Dublin continued to be politically active after the Battle of Clontarf (they attacked Kells in 1019, for example), Brian’s reign heralded greater exploitation of Viking towns by Irish rulers. During the eleventh and twelfth centuries Viking rulers increasingly became the minions of powerful Irish kings. Clontarf may be perceived as a stage in the decline of Viking power in Ireland.

A replica of the type of Viking ship which would have been present at Clontarf 1014

In terms of power-struggles between Irish rulers, Clontarf did not secure the future of Brian’s descendants as over-kings of Ireland. After Brian’s death Maelsechlainn once again became the most important over-king in Ireland, and after his death there was a struggle for supremacy among the provincial over-kings. When the descendants of Brian rose to eminence again at the end of the eleventh century, they celebrated their famous ancestor in literature to help justify their claims to dominate Ireland.

And now, Hollywood is getting in on the act with a major movie to start shooting in Ireland later this year on the life of King Brian. Judging by the artwork though, Brian's age has been substantially reduced, for artistic purposes, no doubt.