Is the Destruction of Hezbollah the Answer?

Israel has termed its invasion of Lebanon a preemptive move to safeguard its integrity and security against radical Islamic organizations like the Hezbollah. It is portraying the unfolding events in a way that the destruction of Hezbollah would be the panacea to a large part of the Middle East crisis.

However, what has to be understood is the fact that organizations like the Hezbollah do not run on mere ideologies or quests for material gains; they run on religious fervor and emotions. This means even if the rocket-and-rifle Hezbollah is gone, the fervor-and-zest Hezbollah is still there. Religious feelings and emotions never accept defeat. They reemerge, resurge and reestablish with very little financial means of subsistence. They are highly susceptible to inspiration and manipulation. They are resilient and formidable. Worst of all, they can potentially enjoy monetary, financial and technical backup from different states.

This means, even if Israel is successful in obliterating Hezbollah, the prospects for another such organization to form and foster relations with countries like Iran and Syria are healthy.

This helps us to realize that Israel ’s military campaign against Hezbollah is not the panacea for such a problem. If Israeli strategists and policymakers do not realize this, they are mere duffers. If they do and still continue their quest to pound Lebanon ’s infrastructure and people with bombs, they have grim intentions which they are hiding in the guise of an attack over Hezbollah.

Tags: Israel, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Middle East

Repercussions of the Evacuation of Foreigners from Beirut

The international community is evacuating its citizens from Beirut. Evacuation procedures are due to complete in a few hours after the publication of this post. While to many this move may appear as a precautionary measure to safeguard foreigners, there is much more behind it.

Undeterred by the fact that it will do no harm to foreigners, Israel will definitely intensify its aerial attacks over Beirut and other Lebanese cities to unprecedented degrees. In this process, Israeli fighter jets are bound to do more harm to civilians and the infrastructure than to the Hezbollah militants. Experience has proven it: Of the 350-or-so people killed in the attacks so far, one-third were children and many more were civilian men and women; very few were Hezbollah militants. And those who back Israeli military action over Lebanon must know that the new round of attacks means more homes will be destroyed, more civilians will be killed and more injured people will die in hospitals due to a lack of medical facilities.

And, because Israel has bombed all roads and bridges leading to Beirut, food and medical supplies will not be able to reach the city. Power transmission lines have suffered. Water supply is affected as a result. Hospitals will go without medicine and operation theaters will have to run without power. And when hospitals don’t run, food and water don’t reach the people, power stays off and bombs weighing tons are dropped from the sky, a humanitarian crisis is bound to occur. Not to mention that it may also herald the demise of the American-installed democracy in Lebanon.

America, displaying a condemnable backing for Israel, seems to be showing no regard to its much endeared ideal, democracy. Also, it closing its eyes in order not to notice Israel’s illegal aggression in a sovereign country and the collective punishment of its civilians.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah has had remarkable achievements by any standard: It has been able to kill as many as 18 Israeli soldiers and retain the two soldiers it had kidnapped earlier this month. In addition, it has kept Israeli ground troops at bay in the Northern front, showing excellent terrain-fighting skills. Hezbollah has also made the Israeli public pay for the aggression of Israeli military commanders killing 33 civilians so far.

However, the most important fact worth noticing is, that Muslims, especially Shiites, in Damascus and Tehran in particular, and the world over in general, are rejoicing over Hezbollah’s surprising display of resilience. Many of them may, if summoned by Hezbollah, join in the battle. This may turn Lebanon into another Afghanistan and shatter its fledgling democracy. Resultantly, a situation far bleaker and more disastrous than any other witnessed so far may arise in the region.

Tags: Lebanon Israel Beirut Bush Hezbollah

But Where Was the Warning?

December 26, 2004 turned tragic when an earthquake of magnitude 9.3 hit the Indian Ocean. In the days that followed, 275,000 people died in eleven countries including India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Myanmar and South Africa. Many lost their homes. Thousands lost their dear ones. Orphaned children were smuggled into lands far away. Thousands of families were ruined. Hundreds of thousands of lives, careers, hopes and aspirations were shattered.

In the months that followed, Indonesia, the worst hit country, in coordination with Germany, began installing a tsunami early warning system. The system, comprised of 15 modules, was scheduled to be completed by 2007. Its first two modules were installed in November 2005. After its completion, it was supposed to cover all of Indonesia’s coastal line and issue warnings in less than 15 minutes after an earthquake hit.

However, despite the early warning system, July 17, 2006 turned tragic too. An earthquake of magnitude 7.7 hit Indonesia again. Early estimates put the death toll near 400. Another 450 people are missing and some 52,700 have been displaced. The death toll, according to the Indonesian Vice Pesident, Jusuf Kalla, is expected to rise in the coming days.

Although aid efforts are underway, the critical question to be asked here is why, despite having much of the ‘early warning’ system in place, did the government not warn the public of the looming danger? The system by now is supposed to have enough integrity to detect tsunamis as big as this one. Besides, miles away, Japanese sensors sensed the coming dangers and issued warnings to parts of Indonesia and Australia. However, that was not enough; a government warning should have been issued. The lack of government warning not only caused people to stay unaware of the danger, but also to rush into the open sea to collect fish stranded as a result of the coming tsunami.

There can be two possible answers: Government inadequacy to issue warning, and scientific error. Tsunami warning systems cannot sense tsunami danger by themselves. They only relay data of ocean activity to the scientists stationed at warning centers. It is the scientists’ job to interpret the data and begin the string of warnings. Sometimes the data is misinterpreted and warnings are not issued.

If it is a government shortcoming, it is condemnable. If it is a scientific error, it is a reminder of the fact that despite the technological advancements, Mother Nature still has the upper hand.

Tags: Indonesia, Tsunami

Update:

Jusuf Kalla, Indonesian Vice President, said the government didn’t have enough time to issue a warning as the tsunami hit too quickly.

Note: There are no warning sirens on Indonesian beaches. The warning system works by sending warnings to peoples’ landline and mobile phones and email boxes.

Afghanistan Man Beaten to the Brink of Death

A KEBAB delivery man who came to Croydon from Afghanistan for a “safer life” has been to beaten to the brink of death in a motiveless attack.

Hegran Ortak was so savagely beaten up he has lost his sense of smell, part of his eye sight and several of his teeth.

He was bottled, kicked and punched for 30 minutes – and has only this week been allowed home after more than a month recovering in hospital.

The 22-year-old needed a lifesaving 12-hour operation – and says the senseless beating has ruined his life.

At his home in Portland Road, South Norwood, he talked about the attack for the first time. Read more here.

Had this incident taken place in Pakistan or Iraq, it would have been called an act of Islamic terrorism. What do you think?

Rumsfeld in Afghanistan

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived in Afghanistan on July 13. He met with President Karzai and discussed issues relating to Afghanistan’s collaborative efforts with the international community to suppress the Taliban resurgence and the country’s efforts to curb the cultivation of opium poppy. Also, he met with US military commanders and NATO officials to discuss plans for the military handover of Afghanistan to NATO.

Rumsfeld expressed his support for Karzai and praised his leadership. He lauded Karzai and his team’s achievements on various fronts including the offensive against Taliban and the subsequent peace prevalent in Afghanistan.

This visit shattered speculations in some Afghan circles regarding America’s growing discontent with president Karzai and his inefficacy to produce desirable results. It was speculated that, because President Karzai has failed to rid his government of maladministration and corruption, stop the cultivation of opium poppy and produce greater achievements, America was thinking of forcing radical changes in Karzai’s government. These ‘radical changes’ would, in the extreme case, force Karzai to resign.

Rumsfeld stung Pakistan, an important ally in the war on terror, for not doing enough to stop the operation of terrorist training camps. He said, “There is no question but that there is some cross-border activity… and it is something that needs to be worked on, on both sides of the border.”

Pakistan has already positioned some 80,000 troops on the border with Afghanistan and some 10,000 more troops are scheduled to be stationed soon to prevent illegal cross-border activities.

He ensured Afghanistan of his country’s continuous support.

He also called on European countries to help Afghanistan in its war on drugs. Afghanistan is currently the source of 90% of the overall illegal drug production in the world.

This post was also contributed to Publius Pundit.

Israeli Retaliation against Hezbollah Kills Civilians

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Hezbollah militants crossed into Israel on Wednesday and captured two Israeli soldiers. Israel responded in southern Lebanon with warplanes, tanks and gunboats, and said seven of its soldiers had been killed in the violence.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the soldiers’ capture “an act of war,” and his Cabinet prepared to approve more military action in Lebanon…

Olmert said he held the Lebanese government responsible for the two soldiers’ safety, vowing that the Israeli response “will be restrained, but very, very, very painful.”

 

Israel retaliated by bombing bridges and Hezbollah positions and killing two Lebanese civilians. Kofi Anan, the UN General Secretary, condemned Israel’s offensive in Lebanon and called for an immediate release of the kidnapped soldiers.

Meanwhile, Israeli aggression in Gaza continued killing 23 people. Among those killed are nine members of a family on whose house a bomb was dropped.

Israel is defying all international treaties by continuing to use force to gain the freedom of its captured soldiers. In addition, it is not only defying norms of democracy by imprisoning the democratically elected Hamas officials, but also committing war crimes by killing innocent civilians.

 

However, international response has been disappointing: The UN, which has sensed the manslaughter and violation of laws, has no authority to take action. The US, a traditional backer of Israel, is legitimizing the use of force against civilians. The rest of the world, including the EU, has taken no serious action in the wake of the prevalent circumstances.

Related Links:

• An Overview of the Israeli Incursion of Gaza
• The Palestinian Case against Israel

 

An Overview of the Israeli Incursion of Gaza

Israeli troops started their Gaza incursion on June 28 with the objective of freeing Cpl. Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held by Palestinians since June 25. So far, 51 Palestinian citizens have been killed and the only power station powering Gaza has been rendered dysfunctional in the raid. Bridges and power transformers have been destroyed in the offensive and Imports of foodstuffs into Gaza have been banned.

The military wing of Hamas, which is holding Cpl. Gilad Shalit, has called for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeili jails in return for his freedom. These calls have been rejected by Israeli authorities.

The political wing of the governing party in Palestine, Hamas, has called for negotiations to settle this dispute. The Israeli camp has rejected talks saying, “Such negotiations would support another kidnapping.” It also reiterated that the operation would continue until Israel achieved its objectives.

Major General Yoav Galant, commander of Israel’s southern region, said, “We are prepared to continue the operation a month, two months and, if need be, even more.” He continued, “The Palestinians will do their reckoning. They will count hundreds of dead terrorists; they will count the damaged infrastructure, the destroyed offices, the damaged factories.”

The European Union has shown concern over the continuous military operations in the area. Kofi Annan, general secretary of the United Nations, urged Israel to stop military activities, warning of the prospects of a humanitarian crisis in the area.

The united states, however, has been supportive of Israeli actions. “Let’s remember who started this,” U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns told CNN. “It was the outrageous actions of Hamas in violating Israel’s sovereignty, in taking the soldier hostage.”

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Qassam rockets kept assailing Israeli territory. So far, one Israeli has been wounded and three others, on whose house a rocket landed, have been treated for shocks. One rocket also landed on an Israeli school, but no damage was reported as the school was off.

Related Links:

• Israeli War Crimes Ignored (The Heathlander)

Kabul Still Submerged in Darkness

Even after promises from the minister for water and power, Kabul is submerged in darkness.

Ismail Khan, the minister for water and power, had promised he would ensure a steady, 24/7 supply of power to the Afghan capital a couple of months ago…but that was when he needed a vote of confidence form the country’s parliament. Now, however, not only Kabul has no steady power, but also the situation has worsened: long-term power outages and irregularities in the supply schedule have left the residents of the capital in total darnkess.

Kabul is currently undergoing the hottest spell of weather this summer. The irregularity in the supply of power means people are deprived of the use of fans and other cooling appliances. Also, they can not use other devices of daily use.

Before this chaos in the supply of power, parts of Kabul used to get five hours of electricity every other day. Many families and businesses around the city, therefore, had made a burdonsome move and purchased generators to make up for the deficiency of power.

Many neighborhoods had also, through help-yourself cooperative funding schemes, purchased generators to power light bulbs and TV sets for a few hours at night.

For more information, read the related links below.
Related Links:

• Kabul to get non-stop power
• Peacetime Kabul has its rich and poor

The Ethnic Face of Afghanistan

Afghanistan is considered by many a glowing paradigm of America’s success in the war on terror. It has its elected parliament and government, and the ministries are functioning smoothly. However, this calm is only apparent from a view from the surface, below which ethnic tensions and favoritism are plaguing the structure.

Irrespective of how this trend started, we must know it is everywhere—all ministries, directorates and sub-directorates are plagued.

A look, for example, at the Afghan National Army will reveal that it is comprised of 85% ethnic Pashtoons. Likewise, a look at the Ministry of Justice will reveal that there is less than 2% representation of ethnic Hazaras, one of the three largest ethnic groups in Afghanistan. Other ministries have similar situations. Ministers, in most cases, induct officials and personnel from their own ethnic group and generally neglect candidates belonging to other groups. This has caused a widespread disregard to merit and competence.

Even during the parliamentary and presidential elections votes were cast on ethnic lines. Almost all the people voted for a candidate belonging to their ethnic group. This, while may be called a manifestation of democracy, is severely endangering the competence and efficacy of the Afghan government. According to the minister of taxation, Anwar-ul-Haq Ahadi: “Many ministries lack the insight and ability required to draft acceptable development projects. Resultantly, most of their proposed projects are rejected. And, by the end of a fiscal year, they are not even able to use up the amount of funds—usually quite modest—allocated to them. This is coupled with the failure of these ministries on many occasions to successfully execute projects and produce desirable results.”

This is causing millions of dollars pumped into Afghanistan to go to waste.

Ethnic problems have even affected President Karzai: in all three of the offices he has held as head of the Afghan government so far, he has faced the specter of balancing ethnic representation. While trying to divide power equally, president Karzai is forced to discredit merit and competence. For example, in his current cabinet, the minister for water and power is Ismail Khan, an ethnic Tajik warlord. Khan has very little formal education and is certainly not capable of smoothly running the ministry. He has been chosen minister because President Karzai had to give the Tajiks an acceptable role in his government.

The entire political arena and the parliament in Afghanistan are dominated by three parties representing the three largest ethnic groups. Other parties, striving for a ‘united’ Afghanistan and advocating national reconciliation, have almost no say in the proceedings.

This ethnic dimension in the state of affairs in Afghanistan has already done much damage. It is still going unheeded; and, if this trend continues in the future, it can even endanger the very bases of democracy from the country; not to mention the fact that the international efforts may go to waste as well.

Nonetheless, it must also be known that eradicating this problem may require a considerably long time. Even on the common-man level, ethnic divides run deep. Ethnicities find it very hard if not impossible to rid themselves in a couple of years of the mutual distrust which has taken decades to build up. And, to build up confidence and a sense of solidarity among the masses, it is vital to use the media systematically and methodically. Also, inter-ethnic cultural festivals must be organized to bring the peoples closer. In the meantime, the administration must remain disinterested and unaffiliated to the maximum extent possible to any particular ethnic group. It is also very important not to offer governmental posts to warlords and other individuals who are notorious among the people due to their bleak track records in persecuting peoples of a particular ethnic group. The last two steps are difficult as they have almost had no precedent in the last one hundred years in Afghanistan. However, a gradual trend for change, coupled with the DIAG—disbandment of illegal armed groups—and a strong administration, can achieve this goal.

Note: This post was originally written by me, the author of MyScribbles: Write-ups of an Afghan, and contributed to Publius Pundit.

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Tags: Afghanistan Karzai

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MyScribbles Responds: Answers to Comments on America’s Dirtiest Open Secrets

When I originally posted America’s Dirtiest Open Secrets, I intended it to be only of educative nature. However, it became astonishingly popular and attracted an unprecedented level of user comments. However, most of the comments were illogical and emotional. I had tried to supply proof in order to substantiate what I said, but instead, I met irrationality and emotionality. I received a lot of comments like: “The second part of # 3 is bullshit”, “Yes, we people of the U.S.A. completely f*cked things up and now take full responsibility for the error of our ways”, “i’m getting really tired of reading so much ant-america crud. if you don’t like living here in america them move!! better yet,join the dam*ed iraqi movement”, “…but your article is hypocritical, fallacious, a harangued calumny!…But its good though”, etc.

However, there were some very thoughtful comments too from which I learned a lot. Also, there were some that require more attention. Here they are with my responses to them…

“We should have allowed the Russians to simply conquer Afghanistan How dare we interfere!”

Did you know that the Afghans were better off during the Soviet-installed regime of Dr Najibullah than during any other period in the last fifty years? Prices were low, employment was high, food and ration were distributed among the people plentifully and the country was peaceful. Everyone was happy. Then came the Mujahideen and worse yet, the American-sponsored Taliban. Life became very bad for everyone. Killings, beatings and public executions became the order of the day.

And by the way, you didn’t interfere because you wanted to help; you interfered because you wanted to curb the growth of the Communist bloc in Central Asia.

“And Iran, a country 3 times the population of Iraq, should have been allowed to conquer their neighbor.” [Comment justifying the US backing of Iraq in the Iran-Iraq war]

Actually Iran didn’t attack Iraq; rather, it was the other way round. Even if it had been so, do you think it would have been legitimate to urge and help Iraq to counter the Iranian attack by the use of chemical weapons on civilians?

“Yes, we tried to help a friendly government (the Shah) and stopped helping when the crazies took over.” [Comment about the American help for the start-up of the Iranian nuclear program during the Shah]

You were not helping a ‘friendly country’, you were using a yes-man (the Shah) to further your own profits. Remember the six billion dollars in cash profits that went into corporate accounts in America?

“And yes, I remember Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Do you remember Pearl Harbor???” [Comment justifying the American use of the atom bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki]

Oh, yes, I remember Pearl Harbor: It was a military base in Oahu, Hawaii, which was attacked by Japanese fighter planes on December 7, 1941. It was a military base. And you are trying to make the attack on a military target as an excuse to mount an attack on two purely civilian targets. And remember, one of the basic criteria for selecting Hiroshima and Nagasaki was that the bombs should produce the highest possible effect on the morale of the Japanese people by killing them and inflicting damage unto them and their property to the maximum extent possible.

“there is nothing wrong with helping another nation create something of this nature” [comment about America’s backing to start Iran’s atomic program during the Shah]

 

There are many problems with helping a nation gain an atomic bomb. The foremost problem is that you are going against the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (I admit, the US helped start Iran’s nuclear program before the NPT came into effect). Then there is the problem of irresponsible usage and further proliferation. I think these two reasons are enough to deter any nation state from helping another nation to make an atomic bomb.

“Fat man and Little boy probably did more to stop continuing attempts at conquest than anything ever has in history, it puzzles me why not many see this as clearly as I do.” [Comment justifying the use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki]

 

 

Fat Man and Little Boy have also probably killed more civilians in one shot than any other bomb. I believe the use of a weapon of mass destruction is almost never justified; and, in the circumstances prevalent in Japan at that time, it was a complete no-no. This view is echoed by Einstein and Szliard, the two scientists who prompted America to make atom bombs. Furthermore, according to General Douglas McArthur, General Carl Spaatz, Brigadier General Carter Clark, Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy and some other high-ranking American army officials at that time, the target of deterring the Japanese from further continuing the war could have been achieved by other more feasible tactics. In addition, as General Eisenhower had advised the Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, in July 1945, the Japanese had almost essentially been defeated much before the use of the bomb. Wikipedia has a good argumentative article both for and against the use of the atomic bomb. I hope you will read them and come to a more rational conclusion rather than an emotional one motivated by patriotism and other such feelings.

 

“I also notice that you post nothing of the good Americas has and continues to do around the world. Why don’t you write about how wonderful your world would be without America?”

First, it is wrong that I don’t write the about ‘good’ things America has done. Second, there are not enough really good things done by America to inspire me to write about them. All I see are maladministration, misconduct, anti-human and egoistic policies being pursued by American politicians.

My world (as an Afghan) would have been far better if it weren’t for America. It would have been far better if I, my family and my people hadn’t suffered in the hands of the American-backed Taliban and Al-Qaeda. It would have been far better if I hadn’t suffered the disastrous effects of the destructive policies pursued and formulated in Washington. It would have been far better if my country hadn’t seen the wars and destruction it saw in the hands of superpowers including Britain and Soviet Union. It would have been far better if I had lived and educated among my people and in the peaceful atmosphere of my country. It would have been far better if I hadn’t been rendered destitute as a result of American and Soviet imperialistic policies.

 

Also, the world would have been far better for me and many other people form Vietnam, Iraq, North Korea, the Balkans, Japan, Cambodia, Palestine, Israel, Niger and all other places around the world where they are either directly affected by American policies or indirectly by the misconduct of its greedy multinationals and puppet regimes.

 

 

“You cannot lay the blame for Al-Quaeda on America, no more than you can lay the blame of atrocities of any war upon the shoulders of civilians.”

America created Al-Qaeda, funded it, provided it with logistical support and expertise and legitimized it among the Muslim people. This is a solid, proven fact. Don’t you think America should be blamed for it?

 

 

 

“I just…I’m scared of the terrorists.”

That is exactly what the Bush administration wants you to be. It wants to capitalize upon your fears in order to levy more tax on your hard-earned money so that they can spend trillions of dollars on buying arms and creating and funding organizations like Al-Qaeda.

 

“i’m getting really tired of reading so much ant-america crud. if you don’t like living here in america them move!! better yet,join the dam*ed iraqi movement”

Just because you are tired of hearing ‘anti-American crud’ doesn’t mean the realities have changed and that America didn’t do the wrong it has done. All of this ‘anti-American crud’ is intended to awaken negligent citizens in America and to motivate them to take action.

 

Also, I am not living in America. I am an Afghan living in Pakistan.

 

“This guy is an Afgan living in Pakistan. Most likely a pashtun loser. Get a life moron, your country is doing great without you. Come back to Afganistan and w’ll kick your butt in public.”

Yep, I am an Afghan living in Pakistan. However, I am not a ‘Pashtun loser.’ Quite on the contrary, I am a Hazara—one of the three largest ethnic groups and the most down-trodden one. Please do not try to make a distinction between the different ethnic groups in my country. We are trying to stay calmly and peacefully together. Oh, and who are you to kick my butt in my own country?

And by the way, if you can not contribute to a public debate like this in a responsible, logical manner, why do you resort to irrationality and bad behavior?

“Can we truly believe everything written in Wikipedia? My history is not that strong but I believe in the saying that history is written by the victors. There may be more than meets the eye.” [Comment regarding the selection of my sources to back my opinions]

If you were to believe any source of information, you would most probably believe Wikipedia. It is written by knowledgeable people volunteering from around the world. It has a good moderation policy. If a writer shows a biased opinion or inaccuracy, readers and writers from around the world can point it out and the problem would be settled in a ‘discussion page’. This doesn’t mean Wikipedia is completely accurate and unbiased, but it is much more accurate and unbiased than any other source because it is not bounded by corporate or state interests.

“Yes, the USA has done great things for world as well.”

I don’t remember anything truly nice done by America. All the ‘nice’ things done are a result of the cunning of American administrations in shaping the public view in their own interest. And very honestly, maybe I am too skeptical of the American foreign policy to notice the ‘nice’ things, but I am very truthfully waiting for someone to show me something truly good that America has done for all the peoples of the world.

“But average American people are not in the situation room at the Pentagon.” [Comment arguing that American citizens are doing enough to keep a check on their politicians]

America is a democratic country in which the policymakers can be directly held accountable for their wrongdoings. And quite honestly the rest of the world hasn’t seen any remarkable sense of responsibility from the American public in the wake of the destructive policies its policymakers pursue. Many Americans say, “Look, I’m an average American guy. I can sense all the terrible things done by my government. But I did my part. I didn’t vote for Bush and the other creeps.” But they fail to recognize that their democratic duties range far beyond only using their vote. As George Bush once said, “With great power comes greater responsibility”, and, as the citizens of the most powerful country in the world, you have the greatest responsibility to keep your policymakers sane.

I am not saying America has to be 100% noble and sane. It is powerful. And power, by nature, is subjugating, dominating and greedy. Therefore, American citizens have to do their best to keep it as sane as possible.