UnSaid

This really depends upon whose side you are looking at it from. But can they really be humans?

One of the greatest living US writers has praised terrorists as “very brave people” and used drug culture slang to describe the “amazing high” suicide bombers must feel before blowing themselves up.

Vonnegut said it was “sweet and honourable” to die for what you believe in, and rejected the idea that terrorists were motivated by twisted religious beliefs.

“They are dying for their own self-respect,” he said. “It’s a terrible thing to deprive someone of their self-respect. It’s like your culture is nothing, your race is nothing, you’re nothing.”

Asked if he thought of terrorists as soldiers, Vonnegut, a decorated World War II veteran, said: “I regard them as very brave people, yes.”

Ignoring to get into the arguments whether the terrorists deserve medals of bravery or not, it makes one think whether there is a genuine human angle to solving the problem of terrorism which people have not been looking at in the humdum of all the war drumbeats? Is today’s terrorism because someone’s culture has been trampled upon or because their cultural ambitions have been trampled upon? Or just because people are playing power games with their illiterate (or misguided) followers? What can they think that they can realistically achieve to get through terrorism than normal discourse? Can terrorists ever let development take place in their regions, or even they are false prophets not unlike any other politician, except far more lethal?

Columnist Pervez Hoodbhoy gives an in-depth look into how General Musharraf survives.

Musharraf flits effortlessly between personae. At one moment he is the “responsible” world leader who speaks charmingly to the international media about moderate Islam; at the next, he is the cunning conspirator who rigs elections, destroys political opponents, breaks promises on relinquishing power, enters into mutually beneficial relationships with mullahs, and castigates human-rights activists as “Westernised fringe elements” that “are as bad as the Islamic extremists.”

He shamelessly uses all opportunities to deflect the real issues of development and stopping terrorism, as The Acorn points out in yet another example.

With virtually all of Pakistani organisations being run by ex-\serving army officers, it won’t be too tough to see that the majority of the quake aid money being pledged will either go to the Jihadi organisations or some officers’ personal bank accounts. A Kashmiri and an ex-Pakistani ambassador Maqbool Ahmad Bhatty makes a timely plea to get some accountability into all the funds flowing in, after giving another example of how things can go wrong.

The [Pakistani] prime minister announced that Rs 25,000 would be paid to each family whose house has been destroyed. This fate has befallen the bulk of the over three million people living in the earthquake-hit area. This opens up a classical opportunity for corruption. This writer’s ancestral village in Shakargarh had been occupied in 1971 by the Indian forces. When they withdrew following the Simla Agreement, they systematically demolished all houses by removing wood used in roofs, doors and windows. The government decided to pay Rs 1,000 to each house owner. The local officials entrusted with the task would pay only Rs 500, and obtain a receipt for Rs 1,000. When the amounts being disbursed are much larger, the opportunities for corruption are greater.

A very Happy Guru Nanak Jayanti to everyone.

A true prayer needs no reward; it is a reward in itself.

He who is the Highest is the Lowest.
Highest in the Lowest is the Real Highest.

- Baba Narinder Singh Ji , A Sikh Guru

Guru Nanak Ji in words of Osho

God is the creator. But realize that he does not stand apart from his creation. He is absorbed and one with all that he has created. This is why Nanak never separated the sannyasin from the householder. If the creator was separate from his creation, then you would drop all worldly activities in order to seek Him, abandoning the shop, the office, the marketplace. Nanak did not give up his worldly duties till the very end. As soon as he returned from his travels he would go to work in the fields. All his life he ploughed the fields. He named the village in which he settled, Kartarpur, which means the village of the creator.

Ek Omkar Satnam

Reality Cafe has it that the Americans used psuedo Chemical weapons in Fallujah.

Is this just another way to win the hearts and minds of people? Not sure if the American public would ever get to know of this by the mainstream media.

Wonder Why then people get so surprised that the insurgency hasn’t died down yet? The Jihadis are being helped by their enemies (or I should say media savvy recruiting partners) time and again, will then anyone be surprised if they have another star Jihadi after al-Zarqawi is gone?

There can be an argument that the Jihadis will not think twice before using even Nuclear Weapons on Americans. But then, that is the difference. That is the reason why ‘the willing’ claim to have gone into Iraq in the first place, the third place rather (after supposed presence of WMDs ,and saving the region from Saddam).

Did the White House think that they can get results sooner in Iraq if they push the armed forces to go to this length? Is this another in series of the worthless handling of Iraq right from start? I’m sure if the White House just went to sleep for a long while, the armed forces would take care of the things there by themselves. I’m sure my neighbourhood’s 10-year olds’ gang will give a better leadership.

How many times have I stopped myself from saying that an intelligent enemy is better than a foolish friend, but well…I can’t think of a reason why the Americans chose the foolish friend who wouldn’t let go of an intelligent enemy. That is not to say that Iraqis (and for that matter, the World) be left to their fate at this juncture, but it is certainly hoped that the World and the Americans find a sound person\people to bring it to a closure. Surely there has to be someone capable who will look at all the things before committing to a cause and not be blinded by stupid buddies or lack of personal cerebral capabilities.

Updated: The US declassified documents themselves classify WP as a chemical weapon.

WARNING: (U) THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED
INTELLIGENCE. REPORT CLASSIFIED

———————————————————————
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
———————————————————————

DOI: (U) 910300.

REQS: (U) T-8C2-2650-01-90.

SOURCE: [ (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4) ][ (b)(7)(D) ]

SUMMARY: IRAQ HAS POSSIBLY EMPLOYED PHOSPHOROUS
CHEMICAL
WEAPONS AGAINST THE KURDISH POPULATION IN AREAS ALONG THE
IRAQI-TURKISH-IRANIAN BORDERS. KURDISH RESISTANCE IS LOSING ITS
STRUGGLE AGAINST SADDAM HUSSEIN’S FORCES. KURDISH REBELS AND
REFUGEES’ PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS ARE PROVIDED.

TEXT: 1. DURING APRIL 1991, THE SOURCE TELEPHONED
BROTHER (SUBSOURCE) [ (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4) ][ (b)(7)(D) ]

. DURING THIS PHONE CONVERSATION,
THE SOURCE WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ON THE
PRESENT SITUATION IN KURDISH AREAS ALONG THE IRAQI-TURKISH-IRANIAN
BORDERS —
A. IRAQ’S POSSIBLE EMPLOYMENT OF PHOSPHOROUS CHEMICAL
WEAPONS — IN LATE FEBRUARY 1991, FOLLOWING THE COALITION FORCES’
OVERWHELMING VICTORY OVER IRAQ, KURDISH REBELS STEPPED UP THEIR
STRUGGLE AGAINST IRAQI FORCES IN NORTHERN IRAQ. DURING THE BRUTAL
CRACKDOWN THAT FOLLOWED THE KURDISH UPRISING, IRAQI FORCES LOYAL
TO
PRESIDENT SADDAM ((HUSSEIN)) MAY HAVE POSSIBLY USED WHITE
PHOSPHOROUS (WP) CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST KURDISH REBELS AND THE
POPULACE IN ERBIL (GEOCOORD:3412N/04401E) (VICINITY OF IRANIAN
BORDER) AND DOHUK (GEOCOORD:3652N/04301E) (VICINITY OF IRAQI
BORDER) PROVINCES, IRAQ. THE WP CHEMICAL WAS DELIVERED BY
ARTILLERY ROUNDS AND HELICOPTER GUNSHIPS (NO FURTHER INFORMATION
AT
THIS TIME). APPARENTLY, THIS TIME IRAQ DID NOT USE NERVE GAS AS
THEY DID IN 1988, IN HALABJA (GEOCOORD:3511N/04559E), IRAQ,
BECAUSE
THEY WERE AFRAID OF POSSIBLE RETALIATION FROM THE UNITED STATES
(U.S.) LED COALITION. THESE REPORTS OF POSSIBLE WP CHEMICAL WEAPON
ATTACKS SPREAD QUICKLY AMONG THE KURDISH POPULACE IN ERBIL AND
DOHUK. AS A RESULT, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF KURDS FLED FROM THESE
TWO AREAS AND CROSSED THE IRAQI BORDER INTO TURKEY.

I’m sure Saddam would not have declassified some of his documents himself, and that really is the difference. Why do we keep forgetting the blurred line?

The Chinese have mostly escaped the Islamic terrorism scourge, with many Jihadists calling China an ally rather than an enemy. It was even reported some time back in news articles that Mullahs prayed for Chinese victory against the ‘enemy’ US.

Not much Chinese reaction has been forthcoming even with Chinese citizens getting killed in Pakistan (Engineers working at Gwadar) and recently in the Jordan blasts. Most things that the Jihadis are fighting against, are also present in China (majority non-muslim population, yearning for materialism, etc.). They have been struggling with Islamic separatism in one of their own provinces for some time, but surprisingly, the Jihadists and the Chinese have not raised their voices against each other. What does it all really mean?

Is the Chinese gameplan to let the Jihadis can do their dirty work of keeping the world bleeding and preoccupied while they raise their own profile? Does this make China an ally of Jihadis? If China is an ally of the Jihadis, why is the world silent about it?

If the Chinese are not their ally, will they ever enter this ‘war on terror’ being played out in its neighbourhoods and around the world? The Chinese are pragmatic enough to realise that the Jihadis will ultimately start targeting them for not being muslims too. They can’t keep watching the world fight its battles forever without them and take all the spoils of war (presuming that the Jihadis get defeated). Or are they waiting for a trigger (bombs going off in Chinese cities), or just a good excuse? It might just be a matter of time when bombs start going off in Chinese mainland. Can they resist joining forces with the free world, even if they are not looking for an excuse? If it happens, rather, when it happens, What will it mean for the world, especially, its relationship with US, Russia, India and Pakistan?

Eid Mubarak to all.

Let this day remind all what Islam was meant to be, rather than what some people have started interpreting it as.

The Prophet once saw a funeral procession passing by a street in Madina. The Prophet was seated at that time. On seeing the funeral, the Prophet stood up in respect. At this one of his companions said: ‘O Prophet, it was the funeral of a Jew (not a Muslim).’ The Prophet replied: ‘Was he not a human being?’

She may not be a Steve Jobs of Apple Corp., but she’s no less when it comes to inspiring people. And the good part is, there are others like her.

It’s true grit and support from National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) that helped Chennamma chart a new course for herself and others like her. The 45-year-old, who once stood in queues to collect weekly wages in a stone quarry, now heads the Women Barefoot Solar Engineers Association (WBSEA).

Its when you read stories like these that you feel what important work some of the Development Organisations are doing to make a difference in the lives of under-priviledged people.

She teamed with three other illiterate housemaids to undergo training in assembling solar lamps at Bunker Roy’s Social Work and Research Centre at Tilonia, Rajasthan.

My Salute.

The Pakistani diplomat’s driver was trying to run a Rs. 1,000 note to buy a Rs.8 chole-bhature from a Street Vendor, which led to the diplomatic spat being loud mouthed by Pakistani establishment. These guys just never let an opportunity go by to decieve people and take the focus away from the real issues. I would’ve understood if the person was from a western country or even Japan or Singapore, but a driver from a developing country trying to change such a big note with a street vendor.
Now, we all know how much a driver earns in a developing country. Unless if the driver was running a narcotics ring because of the diplomatic immunity provided to his boss in an enemy country, or is a spy or something. Even in western countries, cashier clerks check even a $20. I myself would’ve checked it throughly even if the guy was not a driver.

Don’t know what Pakistanis are mad about, may be because the driver blew the cover off something fishy-fishy dealings they’d been doing. Apart from their normal practice of one-up manship they play with the Indians and steal the spotlight away from the Jihadi terrorist gangs and murderers they try to save after every murder they commit, there really aren’t many reasons to make a furore about it at a time when a peace process is going on which they claim they are doing a lot for.

Punjab has been asking for its money back , which it used to fight the insurgency. Althiugh Centre has not given the money to Punjab, it does not have problems with spending money on Kashmir.

Will the Centre wake up after Punjab has lost all hope even after co-operating fully with the Indian state? Why is Punjab not getting its proper due when it lost so many of its own sons to fight the Pakistan supported militant insurgency. Surprisingly, no one says anything about so much of Indian tax payer money going to Kashmir when Kashmiris don’t even prefer to call themselves Indians? Punjab has not made it a big issue even after its been a decade since they successfully eliminated the insurgency. It is in complete contrast to Kashmiri seperatist leaders who are busy holding the Indian State to ransom, when they are not busy killing innocent civilians and planning another ethnic cleansing.

It is reported that Omar al-Farouq, a top al-Qaeda operative in Southeast Asia has managed to escape from Bagram detention centre in Afghanistan being run by the Americans.

Thinking out aloud here whether this is a master stroke from the Americans. He is a top al-Q guy, if he escapes, he will either try to contact the big guy, bin Laden himself or atleast try to get around his old gang. Might not be a bad idea to let him get away and have a tracker stick on him. The Americans would’ve already taken out whatever they could’ve from him during his time with them.

If it is true, President Bush will finally have a shining star on him amid all his current troubles. But if it is not, the free world would just be hoping that he managed to get himself placed on a land mine while getting away.

But important questions would be, how did it happen? Did the torture charged American guy’s buddies have a hand in this to save their friend? Looks extremely unlikely. Did the Bagram base got infiltrated with Taleban? May be. Will this be a que to Taleban that the American bases are not all that impregnable? Sure.
Or did Pakistani agents play a role here? May be.

They will be sought after by Taleban themselves to boost their morale and to know about the insides of the American base and try their luck with other Taleban held up there.