New doubts on Britain’s multiculturalism, Jihadists still present inside the country

Posted on January 21, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

Britain is often considered the exemplar of multiculturalism and national integration. Easily the most multicultural nation in Europe, Britain does provide an awesome picture of people from all sorts of races, colors, religions and origins living side by side. Previously Britain’s openness to all cultures and ideas was hailed as a great success but the London tube bombings in 2005 ripped apart that lofty notion. And now another report is about to blast the idea that British multiculturalism is devoid of loopholes. In a recently complied list of 500 foreign jihadists by the US military, no fewer than 500 British residents are encrypted. Last month, the northern Iraqi city of Sinjar, near the Syrian border was raided and files pertaining to the names and addresses of loyalist to al-Qaeda from 13 different nations were seized. Although the names of countries such as Libya, Morocco, Yemen, France and Belgium have cropped up, Britain’s presence is the most outstanding of them all. Since the 7/7 attacks that sent a ripple of shock across Britain, doubts have been raised whether the Britain’s openness and willingness to embrace migrants was taking the toll now. It’s everyman’s knowledge that Britain has been infiltrated by jihadists and Muslim extremists. The problem is that these people are mostly young, in their mid-20s and are second generation British-Muslims. It seems that to them, their religion and roots take the utmost importance rather than their country and nationality. British home security police and M16 will now investigate the 500 British residents whose personal details have been received from the US military. Crackdown will be tough and in all likelihood the guilty will be punished. But an apprehension once planted is almost impossible to be weeded out. The truth is that Britain is not safe anymore and the process to throw out the black sheep is going to last for long. Image Source: Davids Zondy Source: The Telegraph, UK

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US to resume terror drills; another major attack on the horizon?

Posted on January 21, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

The US might be the most powerful nation in the world but it doesn’t make it any less vulnerable to terrorist attacks. That was demonstrated in 2001 when the entire world was left gaping at the catastrophe that a few suicide members ushered in upon America. Since that fatal day in 2001, the Bush administration has adopted a plethora of measures to combat the escalating threat from jihadists and religious extremists in the world. In most of these cases, American forces have ventured outside their own national territories rather than try and fight terrorism inside. But now the strategy is being changed. Once the US boasted itself of being the safest nation in the world with a watertight security. But now the nation and its politicians are waking up to the stark realization that it’s not that safe any more. And it is in such a state of apprehension that terror drills have been resumed. Three fictional dirty bombs would be detonated in the week starting on October 15 in two major US cities and will test how the US military and rescue force copes with the incident. This is sort of a mock test and prepares the rescuers should any such emergency situation crop up in the near future. Mere tests they may be at the moment, but the program cost no less than $25 million a year with the involvement of several top officials from the Defense and Homeland Security department. Many have voiced concern about the money spent in such test when the actual attacks, if and when they happen, would be multiple times more magnanimous that these tests. The to-be tests have also helped up flare a good degree of controversy. A similar terror drill was carried out in 2005 but the full results and reports of that test are yet to be declared. But the fact that America is preparing itself for another major attack doesn’t slip by anyone at all. Image Source: SMH Source: USA Today

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Israel continues with old illegal construction policies despite Annapolis commitment

Posted on January 20, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

Hardly a month has passed since the Annapolis conference between Israel, Palestine and Arab neighbors under the close guidance of the United States of America that was held at the end of last month, yet Israel has not made any effort to prove to its arch enemies and the international community. One sensitive and volatile issue among the Israelis and the Palestinians is the one which is related to the former’s continuous imperialistic policy of building new Jewish settlements across the occupied areas predominated by Arabs. The Israeli plan to build around 10,000 new apartments for its growing population along the edge of northern Jerusalem would not go down very well with both the Palestinians and the international community for many think that for peace to have any chance of making a headway into the age-old conflict, both the conflicting parties should give up old bad habits. But if one looks at the Israeli politics closely, it would appear that the whole political set-up is dominated by hardline Jewish extremists who believe that the Jews are the only people that have the right to live in the ancient Biblical land. It certainly would be very hard to change the mindsets of such people. The alleged building of new apartments by the Israeli government could have disastrous consequences for the overall prospect of peace in the Middle-East. Jewish settlememts across the occupied territories are heavily protected by the Israeli army and the state and to prevent Palestinian terror attacks on the settled Israeli families, the ordinary Arabs and Palestinians face acute discrimination and they live under a virtual Israeli martial law. Any further plans of new settlements would further increase the tensions. Unconfirmed yet firm reports from Washington suggest that US President George W Bush is set to visit the Middle East to hold talks with the Israelis and the Palestinians regarding the progress both sides have made towards peace. Although President Bush knows everything about the ongoing Israeli arrogance, one can write off any change of attitude on the part of the Jewish state even after the President’s visit. The Israelis know that at a time when the US presidential elections are at a premium, President Bush would never try to annoy the strong Jewish lobby in America, which plays the most important role in electing the country’s future President, by asking Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to abandon aggressive plans. So expect the aggression to continue with no real chance for Annapolis to bloom inside one of the world’s most dangerous places

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Justice denied: Marine likely to escape murder prosecution

Posted on January 20, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

The first and inevitable causalities of war are the civilians and it’s an international law nowadays to contain the number of innocent lives lost. But the situation in Iraq is more inclined towards lawlessness. And when the people invested with the responsibility to restore peace, order and law themselves resort to taking lives, things go out of control. Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich is only 27 years old and is in his early adulthood. But he ought to have demonstrated maturity as a key officer in Iraq but he had probably left his senses in his theory classes. In 2005, Wuterich commanded a marine attack that was so reckless that it rendered 17 Iraqi civilians dead in Haditha. At the time, the anti-American feeling was so massive that people rushed out into the streets demanding the instant court marshal of the culprit. So much so, that there were even calls of the surrender of the Mariner to the Iraqi security force. But 2 years down the line and the emotions and feelings have much tempered. And so have the prosecution charges. At the time, the former squad leader was accused of murder but now those charges have been severely allayed. Frank Wuterich would now be prosecuted of negligent homicide instead of murder and of course, if he indeed convicted, he would have to face less punishment. Much of this undertone has been due to the lack of concrete evidence. Wuterich and his partner Sgt. Sanick Dela Cruz allegedly shot 5 civilians by a car at the scene. That didn’t satisfy them and blood rushed to their heads. The duo then rushed to nearby houses and went of a civilian-killing spree. Unfortunately those who could have given first hand account of the incident were killed and now actual proof of the matter is hard to come across. The charges on three of the Marines embroiled in this controversy have either been dismissed or dropped. The perpetrators have all escaped scotch free and it’s likely that Frank Wuterich too would manage to get through. In 2005, the media hyped the trail of the four men as the biggest prosecution of US troops stationed in Iraq but now there’s hardly a whimper for justice to be done. Time does indeed wash away memories. Image Source: Time Inc Surce: USA Today

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Judgement day approaches for Blackwater

Posted on January 20, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

The cowboys from Blackwater are being tamed. The US House of Representatives has passed a bill which will make it possible to prosecute security contractors in the US for any wrong doings in Iraq. The decision was near unanimous, 389 to 30. Only 30 republicans voted against the bill; such was the concern amongst US lawmakers about the wild shooting by the Blackwater boys at al-Nisoor square, which killed many Iraqi civilians. The US Senate too is going to come up with a similar legislation. This law will clear-up the grey areas in the regulations governing private security contractors. At present those of them working for the Department of Defense come under the ambit of US law. But those involved with the State Department, like Blackwater in Iraq, are free from any legal control. The state department itself has acknowledged that there are gaps in existing legislation and has promised to look into the matter. The noose is tightening all around Blackwater. The FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation] has said it would prosecute Blackwater if their findings tally with what the Iraqi government is saying. It is saying that Blackwater guards fired without any provocation and it was lying about being fired upon. The Iraqi report is supported by an anonymous US military official in Iraq. He says, The civilians that were fired upon, they didn’t have any weapons to fire back at them. And none of the IP or any of the local security forces fired back at them State Department has hinted that Blackwater guards could face legal proceedings. The Pentagon is reviewing its relations with private contractors. It has stopped issuing weapons permit till it thoroughly examines who has got what weapons and how they are being used. The only two parties who are unhappy with all the increasing pressure on security contractors are Blackwater [for obvious reasons] and the White House! Blackwater is dragging its feet in revealing details about the al-Nisoor shootings citing national security. The White House has made weak arguments that the new legislations will lead to a deluge of litigation, which will hamper workings of the FBI and US military. It has also said the bill’s scope of U.S. jurisdiction was vague and would lead to “complex prosecutions.” But no one is buying their arguments. BBC WP1 WP2 Image credit

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Pak Military gains in Swat, but Fazlullah’s ideas still winning

Posted on January 19, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

The Pakistani military claims it has re-captured a number of towns held by Islamic fighters of cleric Fazlullah, but the job is far from over. The Swat valley rebellion is the first open challenge against Islamabad’s rule in the tribal areas. The Pakistani army is used only to the conventional warfare it has fought against India. The threat from Swat is altogether a ball game. The military will have to get used to the guerilla tactics used by the Islamic fighters. The US army is facing it in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Indian army has faced it in Kashmir for nearly two decades now. Pakistan should perhaps take lessons from the Indian army. This will dilute somewhat the traditional antipathy the two countries have had for each other. The people in the Pakistani tribal areas are anyway hostile towards the ineffectual local government which has failed to respond to their needs. If the Pakistani army tries a fully military approach in the Swat valley, the resulting civilian casualties will alienate the locals further. This will only help the hardliner Islamists like Fazlullah to gain deeper roots. Though, the army claims that only 30 civilians have died till now, yet their statements have to be taken with a pinch of salt. Even assuming that Fazlullah’s fighters will be completely neutralized, the ideas raised by the radical cleric will remain. Years of appeasement by Islamabad has allowed Islamists to propagate their brand of radical Sharia in the tribal areas including the Swat valley. Top Pakistani army officers say that after Fazlullah’s revolt is over, the government will take steps to enforce Islamic law in the region. So Musharraf will allow oppressive strict Sharia to flourish here. What about the curtailed freedom of Pakistani women? What if this spreads from Swat to all over Pakistan? It seems Musharraf’s aspirations of becoming Pakistan’s Kemal Ataturk are dying a slow death.

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American forces accused of reckless killing once more

Posted on January 19, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

That the American troops are not welcomed in Iraq any more is known to all and it is highly suspicious indeed when civilians are reported killed as an aftermath of fighting between insurgents and the US troops in the country. Many cry foul play and accuse the US military of knowingly killing the Iraqi civilians while the American soldiers themselves protest against the accusations. A similar situation has erupted once more in Iraq. This time the people themselves have come out and accused the US military of attacking their town knowing that only harmless civilians were residing there. At least 25 Iraqis have been reported killed in a massive ground and air raid launched by the US military on a Shiite town north of Baghdad on Friday. The US force say that their mission was to find an insurgent leader believed to be associated with the elite Iranian Quds Force and working inside Iraq to counter Shiite militia. But the people have a different story altogether. People in the now almost demolished town say that the Iraqis killed in the attack were not extremists or insurgents but simple, innocent civilians who were trying to protect their own town from the homegrown Sunni militant group Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. The residents add that these people were actually identified before an attack was launched on them. It’s murky waters this time too and it’s hard to tell who is right and who is not. The US military has been reported to have been involved in such controversial attacks in the past too but no big prosecution or investigation has been done. This time also the matter would be shelved in the attic and the people who have lost their lives in the attacks would be washed away by the tides of time. The US military force in Iraq has already lost much of its credit and this incident would decimate its worth even more. Image Source: The Moderate Voice Source: The New York Times

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Bush expresses opposion to Iraq’s partition

Posted on January 19, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

Washington : US President George W. Bush has said that he was strongly opposed to the partition of Iraq, saying that the will of that country will prevail.Bush made the remarks in an interview with satellite channel Al-Arabiya. Asked whether the partition of Iraq is bad news for Iraqis, Bush responded with a “yes”, according to transcripts released by the White House.

“I don’t think it will happen. I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Bush added, in response to a follow-up question over what would happen if the next administration or another US president comes into office and embraces the idea.

“An American president must understand that Iraq is a sovereign nation operating under its own constitution. And I’m very confident that the will of Iraq will prevail,” Bush said.

“I know there’s some noise about partition. But most folks who follow this issue don’t support partition, and they don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said, referring to a recent Senate vote calling for the partitioning of Iraq on ethnic lines.The US Senate voted last week to endorse a non-binding resolution, calling for the division of Iraq into regions under a weak federal government – one Kurdish, one Shia and one Sunni.The resolution provoked a storm of protest from Iraqi politicians including Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who warned that it would be a disaster for Iraq. Gulf Arab countries also expressed their strong opposition to any partition of Iraq.

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Rwanda entering unchartered territories with prospective peace between Hutus and Tutsis

Posted on January 18, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

After writing numerous articles on Africa’s growing problems and the effects of those seemingly endless conflicts on the civilian population, today I have got a rare pleasant opportunity to share a unique reconciliation fact in the African country of Rwanda which has experienced one of the worst genocide in living memory and the horrific past has ceased to die down given the current raging war in neighbouring Congo is the basis of that genocide. But amidst all the darkness, there is a ray of hope of having a lasting peace between Hutus and Tutsis if the political environment ensures such unique feat. According to an Associated Press report, there is a genuine sign of peace in some parts of Rwanda where Tutsis and Hutus are trying to forget the past and look forward to the immediate future. Lots of blood had been spilled and as a matter of fact is being shed still now in neighbouring regions but when seeds of peace have been sown, there is every chance that the life cycle of the most precious and rare natural resource would take its natural course unless artificial forces hinder such growth which is very common in Africa. The Americans and the Europeans might utter a lot of encouraging words for the future of Rwanda and sub-Saharan Africa as a whole but to be fair and a bit honest, they have made the matter worse over the years by indulging in the lucrative businesses of arms selling and other illegal activities. Africa is a lucrative place for natural deposits and resources including diamonds. With an ever increasing lust for the precious metal, the international corporations (sometimes with the help of respective government backings) have over the years fought for a lucrative share which turned the regional countries into museums of humanitarian crisis. It is in the hands of the responsible Africans that lie the future of not only Rwanda but the whole region. Past should be left aside in the past only no matter how painful and revengeful it is. Both the Hutus and Tutsis should realise that violence and revenge are not the answers for political supremacy. Ethnic strength and communal harmony must be given priority over other matters. The war-mongering and opportunist leaders should be banished. The Rwandans must realise that a powerful minority from both sides incite violence for the sake of political ambitions. It is of paramount importance that there is peace in the Mayange village of Rwanda for if that happens it could act as a precedent for the rest of Africa to follow. Source: MSNBC

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Spain arrests top Batasuna leaders, a blow to ETA

Posted on January 18, 2012 by admin | Permalink 0

The fight for a separate statehood in Spain by the ETA continues, after the ceasefire agreement was blown to tatters by the Basque separatist group. The Spanish authorities have arrested 23 top rank leaders of Batasuna, the banned political wing of the ETA, while they were holding a secret meeting. The move comes as a big boost to the government of Rodriguez Zapatero, ahead of the elections. The arrest of the top-rank political leaders of the group comes as a bolster for the Spanish administration that has been for long locked in a spiral of words with the ETA. Batasuna was long seen as a bridge between the warring faction, ETA and the government. However, certain incidents have proved that the faction continues its outside support for the separatist group, supplying them arms and ammunition, under the garb of political tag. ETA or the Basque separatist group recognized a terrorist group by the Spanish government and the EU has been involved in a number of terror attacks in Spain that have claimed thousands of lives so far. The separatist group was observing a ceasefire with the government, however, after its talks at the negotiating table failed, the peace process was thrown apart and the country became witness to a series of bombings and violent attacks. As Spain shows its total intolerance to any anti-national activities, it also looks to regaining the popular support, which seems to have been marginalized after a series of attacks. However, this is not the end of the ETA, this is just the beginning of the fall of a banned violent group that tries to disrupt peace in their own homeland, itself fighting for a separate Basque republic. After the arrests of their top leaders, ETA might be compelled either to put a stop on its violent activities or go all-out in its unholy war. Image Via: Yahoo

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