Right now the UK is on very high alert. Security is at its maximum and Heathrow is closed to all new flights. On those flights that are now leaving the UK, passengers are neither allowed to have any hand luggage nor carry any fluids on board.
According to the BBC:
A plot to blow up planes in flight from the UK to the US and commit “mass murder on an unimaginable scale” has been disrupted, Scotland Yard has said. It is thought the plan was to detonate explosive devices smuggled in hand luggage on to as many as 10 aircraft. Police were searching premises with 21 people in custody after arrests in the London area and West Midlands. [Link]
At this point we know very little, and the ” War on Terror” has gone on long enough that I personally will withhold judgement until there is more evidence. I cannot find any news about who the detained suspects are, but sadly the odds are that there might be a very straightforward brown angle to this story.
Update 1:
<
p>What little we know about the plot indicates that it is a home grown conspiracy, like 7-7, involving British Asians [thanks AMfD]:
According to BBC sources the “principal characters” suspected of being involved in the plot were British-born. There are also understood to be links to Pakistan. [Link]
<
p>The mechanism apparently involved multiple liquids or gels that were inert separately but were explosive in combination. These would not have been detected given current mechanisms.
Update 2:
At this point, we still know very little about who was involved and exactly what they were planning to do. Here are some of the newer reports concerning the alleged plot.
The authorities claim that they had been investigating the conspiracy for a year before they acted:
The secret investigation into the plot has already lasted a year. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, the Met’s head of anti-terrorism, said that intensive surveillance had been carried out of the meetings, movements, travel, spending and the aspirations of a large group of people, both in Britain and abroad. [Link]
<
p>“Sources” claim that the Pakistani government was working with the British in the investigation:
Pakistani intelligence agencies helped the British authorities foil the terror plot to blow up aircraft travelling between Britain and America, highly placed sources in Pakistan said today. The agencies have been working closely with British anti-terror police in monitoring the activities of the suspected terrorists for some time, many of whom have links with Pakistan-based Islamic militant groups, The Times has learnt. [Link]
<
p>We are still awaiting confirmation concerning who was involved. They are believed to be all British citizens, many of whom are of Pakistani origin, but this has not been confirmed by the authorities:
Mr Reid [the home secretary] would not comment on claims that the detainees were British-born Muslims of Pakistani descent… [he also] refused to be drawn on whether the apprehended individuals suspected of terrorist activities were foreign or “home-grown”. [Link]
<
p>Initial reports based on one of the raids suggest that North Africans may also have been involved:
[a neighbor]… said he believed two north African men had been living in the flat for about a month. He said: “I saw a couple of north African-looking men about three weeks ago. They were in their mid 30s. They were dressed quite normally in T-shirts and trousers. “I haven’t seen them in the last couple of weeks. There is not often anyone there at that house.” [Link]
<
p>Nor do we know for sure how many planed were targeted. Some reports say up to ten, while other reports say up to twelve:
<
p>
Officials also declined to confirm the number of flights believed to have been targets – sources said up to 10 – and the home secretary would only say the alleged intention was to carry out a “wave” of attacks. [Link]
In sum, we know very little for sure at this point.
Update 3:
The US claims that the plot was days away from being executed and that most of the plotters were of Pakistani decent. However, this is still not official confirmation (I have no trouble believing it, I am simply noting that there is a difference between official and unofficial confirmation, the latter has been given several times already):
According to a U.S. intelligence official, the plotters were “days away” from going through with their plan. Searches last night turned up airline schedule information in their possession, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. All of those arrested were British citizens, and most appeared to be of Pakistani descent, the official said. [Link]
Update 4 [Thanks Jai]:
Five suspects are still being sought, more information concering the possible identity of the conspirators:
Five of the suspected London terrorists are still at large and are being urgently hunted, according to U.S. sources who have been briefed on the airplane bombing plot. Officials tell ABC News 24 people now have been taken into custody. Twenty-two are believed to be of Pakistani descent. One is Bangladeshi, and another is of Iranian descent, according to the officials. [Link]
Pakistan officially confirms its involvement in foiling the plot:
A senior Pakistani security official told the AFP news agency that Pakistani intelligence agencies helped British authorities foil the plot. Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said: “Pakistan played a very important role in uncovering and breaking this international terrorist network. “There were some arrests in Pakistan which were co-ordinated with arrests in the UK…” [Link]
<
p>
Update 5:
ABC news claims it has the names of three of the suspects, and links them to recent travels to Pakistan:
Three of the alleged ringleaders of the foiled airplane bomb plot have been identified by Western intelligence agencies involved in unraveling the plot. Two of them are believed to have recently traveled to Pakistan and were later in receipt of money wired to them from Pakistan, reportedly to purchase tickets for the suicide bombers.Sources identify the three, who are now in custody, as:
- Rashid Rauf
- Mohammed al-Ghandra
- Ahmed al Khan. [Link]
Update 6 [Thanks Vikram and RC]:
More information on exactly how far along the plot was, and the presence of an inside man:
An undercover British agent infiltrated the group, giving the authorities intelligence on the alleged plan, several U.S. government officials said. The men had not bought plane tickets, the officials said, but they were in the process of perusing the Internet to find flights to various cities that had similar departure times…
Among those arrested were a Muslim charity worker and a Heathrow Airport employee with an all-area access pass, according to Britain’s Channel 4.
The suspects were planning to stage a test run within a couple of days, said a U.S. intelligence official. [Link]
The News Hour with Jim Lehrer also reported the “inside man”. They mentioned that the when the police raided the houses, airport secutiy worker was caught in his uniform.
I should have post this is in the Mumbai bombing post, but for all the Indians out there – ya got to stop hoping for the west to fight your war (as in putting pressure on pakistan to close their terrorist camps, or branding it a terrorist state). Its good if they do, but for the most part you are on your own – go do your stuff, use diplomacy, start a war, watever – just do your stuff and forget the west. defending your interest, in your country or outside, no matter the collateral is the new age mantra. Its time to get a backbone and do your thing.
Now I am going to go and hope that people get it in their head that brown does NOT equal to terrorist. I wish I could help the Muslim is NOT equal to terrorist, or the Pakistani is the NOT equal to terrorist kinds, but that seems to be an extremely difficult and uphill proposition these days, especially after today. Its just easier for the Pakistanis to call themselves Indians..
peace always
Until now, the only way I could be sure that I would not lose some items while flying was to carry it with me in the cabin.
That option is now gone too….
Say hello to more lost baggage. Travelling is going to be a lot more stressful and people are going to be more suspicious of each other. So much for feeling safer!
bongdongs –
“The policy of terrorism within India (excluding Kashmir) will be greatly “indegenized” by recruiting local muslims and Pkistani groups will actively discaim such acts to increase deniability, this will reduce any “moral” pressures the west will feel to act on India’s behalf.”
So true. Narendra Modi, y making it easy for the folks across the border, may very well have caused the biggest crisis India will face since her independence.
A couple of “indegenous” planned bombings in Ahmedabad will lead to a retaliation against the Muslims, which in turn will motivate more Muslims to join the “cause”. And the cycle will repeat and repeat……..
The cure – Try Modi and his coterie and mete out very, very, harsh punishment. Maybe even the death penalty for a couple of high up people. This will offer some solace and salve the Muslim wounds. Also, an abject apology by the Gujarati Hindus wouldn’t be such a bad idea…
well.. after the initial “What the!” .. i just looked over my travel stuff… it doesnt really change much honestly… the only thing i would drop is my toothpaste – but any decent hotel should be able to offer a courtesy tube.
i carry a week of clothes and a suit and my running stuff in my carry on – along with my briefcase – the trick is to not use hard shell cases
Wow – I can’t fit that much stuff in. Then again, I wear size 13s so just my running shoes take up close to 20% of a carry on.
ok. you got me there. i’m only a 10.5 and then… my evening life on a work trip involves sitting in my pj’s in the hotel room tapping away at a computer.
btw – going over the british security guidelines, some of you traveling that side might consider investing in a dry bag such as this. i have one that is completely transparent – but it is fairly rugged and you can use it to cram a lot of clothes and stuff in it – and carry it around – with a locked clasp – rather than use a zip loc… i think this should be ok with the security folks.
Kritic: Modi should be prosecuted for murder, but don’t count on that reducing the amount of terrorism emanating from the Islamic fundamentalist camp. They will always have some pretext for attacking communities who live in “error”. Those of us who identify as Indians need to ensure justice for all or we risk turning our country into Pakistan/Bangladesh..that is reason enough.
There is a recent column in the Guardian UK (not LGF !!) that refers to a survey showing that 30% of young Brit Muslims want Sharia law…sounds like this fundamentalist quarter of society rejects Western jurisprudence and would not be overly impressed with its faithful application in India.
Breaking News:
At least 2 of those arrested are said to be converts to Islam: Details from Sky News.
The Bank of England has also released the names of 19 of the 24 suspects. Sky News has the full list of names here.
There is a recent column in the Guardian UK (not LGF !!) that refers to a survey showing that 30% of young Brit Muslims want Sharia law…sounds like this fundamentalist quarter of society rejects Western jurisprudence and would not be overly impressed with its faithful application in India.
Muhammedan activists nearly established sharia personal law in Ontario, Canada as well, until a sensible politician stepped in and saw the lunacy of multiculturalism for what it was.
Very well put. Sometimes I really despair when I see indian folk saying stuff like: now the world will understand our plight and help us. If indians cannot take care of their own citizens, cannot build on their own cultural foundations (multicultural folk and religous traditions, long history of different communities living side-by-side) then no one is gonna help them.
This foiled plot will probably help Pakistan in its relationship with the West. Pakistan is being thanked for the aid they have provided in foiling this plot.
http://www.apnaorg.com/columns/spsingh/column-5.html The fact is this all relates to how Muslims see themselves and the West and visa versa, and teh key debate of Palistine. Until these are resolved and fundamentalist values on both sides are destroyed it will never end. In the meantime all Browns will be seen as Arab Terroists or Indian Sub continet ones. See Singh’s article on Palestines ( NB whilst we all look at London Israel has pushed north with its invasion) and recall Tariq Ali comment that Israeel situation is like the jew kicked out of a window by a german Christian onto a passingby Palestinian Muslim. SO whose fault is it?
I hate Bush’s policies and Blair’s but two wrongs don’t make a right either. It is even more embarrasing that the 7/7 bombers were mostly Punjabis who prefer their religion over their culture, which is ignored over nationalism based on religion ( Pakistan dnad Israel are religion based countries, thank God we failed getting Khalistan). Those arrested this time appear to mainly be British Punjabi muslims also. Whatwever happned to Sufi thought? 9/11 has only chnaged one thing, it has reverted the world back to pre soviet east and west mistrust, as has european, british and american plocies and Arab Wayybiism clontroling the radical youths.
Being brown had become dangerous in UK. What about USa? Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist are all being forced to take sides, which is unacceptable but true…
PS a programme on TV on Monday called what do Muslims want? Unfortuately showed those younger than 45 are radical and wnat tp convert the world to islam..bit like Bush wants us all to be Christians. Sorry if this os anti-secular, but the fact is the semtic cousins (read the WESTERN faiths of ISlam ( yes western white folks, not eatern) Chritianity and Judaism fight amongst thenmselves, and pull in all the rest ( read Buddhism, Hinduism ,Jainism, Sikhi, Tao a. Athisest etc) Sorry baout the spellings
Rupinder says:
What in the hell are you talking about? Try to get some exposure to some more news sources or leave your house more, you have a seriously distorted view of reality.
Did anyone else see the news that two LeT members were arrested in Delhi yesterday carrying RDX and detonators? The story ran on the front page of the Times of India for a spell. It didn’t even break the current of the news here in the US, but I think it interesting that the story coincides with the terrorism alert posted by the US Embassy in India. Does anyone have more information that what was in the ToI story? (Story can be found here.)
Though I dont claim to know Bush’s personal beliefs, but he is a “born-again” evangelical and that is a cornerstone of their belief system.
Irene I did not literally mean he is out to do that. What I meant was that from even the UK White community point of view, ( generalisation I admit), American Christianity and Neo-cons appear to be as extremes as the Muslim camp, both convimced that they are just. As a result there is a clash of fundamentisms, where one falsely see the other as a Great Satan ( due mainly to support of Israel) and the other falsly thinks that the middle east desires or is ready ( no way near) for democracy. Even if it was, unless Bush is willing to attack the Oil rich Regimes such as the Wahbbi Saudis, the ordinary Arabs who live under these barbar the Elephant style autocracies feel they will never have a western style democracy and so veer towards the insane fundamentlists. I do go out you know, and the real point here is how each side perceives the other as oppose to the realist> problem is Americans really donÂ’t get what the rest of the world thinks. And until the Middle East situation is sorted the nutters who terrorise us all will in their minds have a cause.
For example in terms of the guys that have been arrested, they see themselves as Muslims first. It should be as English Born and Bred, followed by Pakistanni- Punjabi and then any separating ideology. The latter causes conflict. We are all Human first and all the above later, layers like an onion has, but still the one thing.
And I am not anti muslim. If anyone had heard my interview with Nikki Bedi this Monday on BBC Asian Network 7th August ( Monday 2hrs 10 mintues into the programme, see web), one would know I am trying to use the old Punjabi culture to put across secular ideas and unity. Bigger names like Gurdas Mann are trying this with Punjabi films such as Waris Shah.
In the UK most muslims are from Punjab Pakistan, and it has been from this group that the educated radical Punjabi/Pakistanni Muslims have decided after seeing the Palistinian thing go on for years, Afghanisatna dand then Iraq, to culturally ties themselves ( apart from religious commonality there is none) with the arabs and thus are veering towards this skewered violent and wrong point of view.
I am not anti American, but UKis not as religious as Arabia or America and consequentyly it is genuinely secular. I have seen this when I came to the USA. So I just decided to make a sweeping statement about Bush to save time. But the fact is , even if I am completely wrong, most of us in Europe ( I have been there too and asked people) associate the neo-cons as crusaders with very rightwing views. How different is that from the Jihadis?
I am neither Christian or Muslim, nor American or Arab, so as an outsider to me , and others it seems that many of the things I mentioned in my earlier post to some degree ring true.
Sorry to offend if I have, and I have generalised as I canÂ’t link or copy every article in every UK newspaper which critises either of the two camps. ( sorry about spelling as well)
Around every 15th August (India’s Indipendence day) India goes on high alert for terrorism from LeT. Its nothing new. LeT is Pakistan based terror org. with links to Al Queda (this was also mentioned on TV by Daniel Benjamin who served in the Reagan Administration). Al Queda repeatedly have called India their enemy, via their tapes. LeT has killed far more people in India than US citizens killed by terrorism todate. LeT was the main group who facilitated Pakistan training for the 7/7 bombers of the UK. Thats LeT for you.
India’s the terrorism situation wont make US headlines because of the reason I have stated before.
Irene I guess all I really wanted to say was what Bongdong has succintly said. that is all. AL Gore if he had become President still would have had to deal with 9/11 et al. But I don’t think he would have invaded Iraq, and was far more world savvy than the neo conservatives are, and may have reduced the situation, that’s all.
The key to this is palistine and the middle east. Not a coincidence that this latest potential threat is at the same time as the new Israel Lebonan war
Please see the article below
THE TALE OF THE MUDDLE EAST
The Utter Righteousness of the Powerful ‘Victims’ Haunts Holy Lands
S P Singh
Punjabis on both sides of the Wagah border have a lesson for those engaged in the Middle East, and I will come to it in a short while as a post-script to this piece.
I was a sophomore when India’s state-controlled TV channel Doordarshan started telecast of Bhisham Sahni’s Tamas. There was a widespread national furor. Tamas divided the families along age lines, and the young ones turned towards their parents askance: “Did you too do this?” Hurt parents, new to the feeling of being questioned by their own offspring, had a readymade defense: “We were the victims. They were killing us, or would have.”
The righteousness of the weak has been an argument for inflicting untold misery upon the enemy; so no matter how strong you are, it helps if you rush to occupy the slot of righteousness of the weak. Israel now has dual righteousness. It has the ownership on both the righteousness of being victims and on the total powerfulness.
Naturally, the Palestinians have been left with no choice but to do the same. And we must remember what happens in such a situation. When both sides take ownership on both righteousness and powerfulness, there is no space left for compassion.
Over a span of three centuries, the Sikhs repeatedly suffered cruelty at the hands of their Muslim tormentors. But come 1947 Partition, and they resorted to exactly the same tactics towards a perceived enemy – the innocent Muslim neighbor. The feeling of course was reciprocated. The disciples failed the masters repeatedly throughout the ages. The Sikhs were no different in letting down their Gurus. Elderly Sikhs I meet have a defense: “We were the victims.”
When rockets fall on the northern and southern parts of Israel, the Israeli Jewish people shrink back into their primary sense of victim hood: We are a small people, threatened by many external forces that should be confronted with determinism and powerfulness.
This primary sense of victim hood is based on righteousness of the weak. If someone tries to kill you, kill him first. Victim hood is now almost second nature to Israelis. It gives a feeling of togetherness and authorizes the Israeli government in the name of the Israeli people to shoot at the enemy, including their civilians, as they shoot at Israeli civilians; as in war, like in war.
Entire consciousness of most Israelis now revolves around this righteousness of the victim. An average Israeli is much less aware of the negative effects of such power on the others who suffer from his countryÂ’s powerful acts.
See it this way.
Once a people see them as victims – no matter how powerful they are, just as Israelis – they have an advantage over the perpetrators. They do not have to take responsibility for their own actions, as these are only a reaction to the evil acts of the others.
Israeli needs to be reminded in these harsh days of bombs and fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, that it was the power-oriented behavior in Lebanon and in the occupied territories that contributed to the creation of both Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Hamas in the territories.
Besides, Israelis are making one more mistake. They are, at least for the benefit of their own people, putting all their enemies in one basket at a time when it was all the more crucial to draw a clear line differentiating the Hezbollah and the Hamas.
Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, acting violently against Israel in the face of international law, and also endangering the Lebanese government and people. But the Hamas government is an elected regime, elected via a democratic balloting by the Palestinian people. Also, Hamas itself is undergoing a bitter inner struggle. On one side, pressured by the Europeans, and delegates from Egypt and Jordan, is the moderate part of the Hamas, led by Ismail Haniya, and on the other is the military part, led by Haled Mashal.
Israel is refusing to talk to Hamas. It is thus the only people in the world, engaged in an intractable conflict with another people, who refuse to realize that only and only dialogue can lead to a compromise.
And is there a child in the Israeli or Palestinian territory who does not know or understand the basic contours of such a compromise? Return to the borders of 1967 (of course with slight changes), two states with their capitals in Jerusalem, and a systematic step-wise solution to the resettlement of the Palestinian refugees, including IsraelÂ’s recognition of its share in the creation of the intractable issue.
They agreed upon this formula in Taba in 2001.
(Here is an excerpt from the joint Israeli-Palestine statement of January 2001: “The Taba talks conclude an extensive phase in the Israeli-Palestinian permanent status negotiations with a sense of having succeeded in rebuilding trust between the sides and with the notion that they were never closer in reaching an agreement between them than today. We leave Taba in a spirit of hope and mutual achievement, acknowledging that the foundations have been laid both in reestablishing mutual confidence and in having progressed in a substantive engagement on all core issues.”)
This was the compromise suggested by the Arab League in 2002.
This was the basis for the prisonersÂ’ document.
By reaching a compromise, the Palestinians will be pulled out from the threatening balance of power in the region, as they are not an essential part of that balance but rather suffer from it just like the Israelis.
In Israeli media, the dominant phrase is “restore our deterrent”. It is a battle cry of the hawks. Unfortunately, neither the Hezbollah nor the Hamas are deterred by such actions; and thus the actions damage the deterrent further.
Also (and this is important) actions that may be “justifiable” may not necessarily be wise. Israeli Defense Minister was quoted as having said that Israel will make the Hezbollah regret the kidnappings. That is very unlikely. Thus far, Israeli actions have caused suffering among Palestinians and Lebanese, but they have helped the Hezbollah and the Hamas achieve the ends they desired.
Israel is getting bogged down in a two front low intensity conflict. The world is now engaged by the daily rocket attacks, destruction of LebanonÂ’s infrastructure, scenes of warships docking to accommodate evacuees, and decoding of Bush-Rice-Blair speak about how to delay a ceasefire.
But those in search of a permanent solution have to look far ahead.
Be clear on this point. Once the military operations are over in the north and the south, Israel will be faced with a Palestinian government that will be ready to enter negotiations with the Israeli government based on exactly the kind of compromise I have outlined above.
But by then, there will be a new question hanging: Will there be, then, an Israeli government capable of entering such a process of negotiations?
Israel moved out of Lebanon and Gaza, thus retrieving an internal consensus of righteousness. The long occupation of lands of the other people was a national discomfort. Israel was perhaps trying to be more comfortable by applying similar treatment to the West Bank too.
But in this search for comfort of the heart, preparing it for a battle of the mind, Israel forgot an important part. There were others in the region with similar problems – with of course the feelings of righteousness and powerfulness, and of being wronged historically at Israeli hands.
The Qassam missiles on Sderot and Ashkelon were unpleasant reminder of this other people. Whoever does not want to talk with them will get missiles and abducted soldiers. Because they too have the dual pedestal of victim hood and righteousness pinned to their chests.
So what must Israel do? Here is our recommendation. Do not get bogged down by Hezbollah. And do not disengage from the roadmap. Start talking to the Palestinians on the painful compromise (Yes, it IS painful, but to BOTH sides). It is a solution both Israel and Palestine need so badly.
A compromise is not based on either absolute righteousness or absolute powerfulness. It is based on compassion: Compassion for the people who suffer, who were killed, compassion for their family members, and compassion for a public that is tired of just and successful wars.
Just because a war is just, it is not successful. Just because a war is successful, it is not just. Just because it can be both is no reason that it must be fought. Compassion is a bigger end game. Act in ways such that a mere TV serial should not enable the younger generations to embarrass you. Ask those of us in India and Pakistan who have shed each others blood merely to cross lines drawn on a map.
July 25, 2006
P.S. By the Grace of the Gurus, the Sikhs did not start talking about fighting for their holy land – the holiest of the holy places, Nankana Sahib. So what happened? The local Muslim residents, who could have demolished Nankana down to the last brick since there was not a single Sikh for years, did not allow even a brick to be removed. Such is preserved a shared heritage, and such is heritage shared. May be the Middle East can learn from the sub-continent!
*(S. P. Singh can be reached at spsingh@penmarks.com. More of his work is available on http://www.penmarks.com)
Eric:
Interesting question. Some general answers (in no particular order):
Multiculturalism: There’s a strand of it that enables jingoism, which is at the heart of the terrorist mindset. In this framework young minorities are literally taught by the authorities to take pride in their own culture for no other reason than that they were born into it, and thus the unsaid corollary…other cultures are inferior. It also encourages separatism. The US is much more individualistic but we have an element of this dangerous bigot-enabling philosophy here too.
Capitalism: Muslims are wealthier here in the US b/c we have a much more entrepreneurial culture. The UK ain’t bad, but it’s economy is not nearly as dynamic. The rate of male muslim unemployment is significantly higher than the general population. France is worse, their welfare-addicted immigrants have become real victims of socialism. Capitalism encourages a culture that values self-responsibility.
3.The Left: conspiracy theories breed extremism. There has been a weird synergy between the religious muslim right and the left in this phenomenon. “
the jewsIsraelis were responsible for 911”, etc; there is even one on this thread. Here is the US, such theories are relegated to the university where they are rendered insignificant, but on the continent they are considered respectable…from the same crowd that denied the soviets were a threat in earlier years. Polls show such theories have helped radicalize the Muslim population in the UK, and prevents them from looking in the mirror.Manju,
the Soviets were not a threat in the latter years. Their empire was hollowed out and they had little interest in tangling with the west. They were a paper tiger. In the USA, this is now acknowledged by all. As a matter of fact, the right takes credit for this as proof that Cold War bore fruit in the form of imperial exhaustion.
For these reasons, your assertion puzzles me.
I was surfing the web for some articles and came across this one.
Based upon the source publishing it, I would take things with grains of salt. However, it is a long and interesting take on the history of Islam focusing on the Sufi movement’s evolution and conflict within Islam itself. No bibliography provided to see all the source material.
I have found some inconsistencies in the article like the following:
Delhi was under the rule of Muslim Sultans, however, the Mughals (Moghals) hadn’t entered the picture in the years Chishti lived. It was the Slave dynasty started by Qutubudin Aybak that ruled in his later years.
Since it is a long article, fact checking it would take quite a bit of time. But the central theme of conflict within Islam and its different branches evolving through history (Fall of the Caliphate, Turk, Persian, Mughal rule, Colonialism, and modern day middle-eastern socialist/dictatorship regimes and fundamentalist regimes) is interesting.
The key phrase is “latter years.” Yes, many on the right argued that the USSR was not economically sustainable for long. as late as the 80’s, even moderate lefists like lester thurow lausghed at the idea and argued that the soviets were econimically superior in many ways.
Either way, they remained a serious military threat although reagan,casey, and thatcher often argued that by building up our mililary we can bring them to their knees economically and thus make them unwilling to extend themselves militarily. but they still had an iron fist over e.europe and were engaged in africa, nicaragua, and of couse afghanistan in their latter years.
remember, at the time, the reagan/thatcher policise were considered neo-conservative…thus the parallel.
This is a quote from an article in the LA times about the dual role that is played by Pakistan
The administration is hindered by the fact that it needs Pakistan’s help in so many ways, said Stephen P. Cohen, a Brookings Institution expert on South Asia. “The Pakistanis, frankly, control the agenda.”
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-pakistan12aug12,0,7003461.story?coll=la-home-headlines
Guys come off this ‘ CNN/Time/Readers Digest – scare the people’ trap. I have strong reasons to belive that this might be a beautiful spin act from CIA.This was to distract the people from the Israeli troops advancemet in Lebanes border as the Israeli government was proposedly trying to evaluate the ceasefire resolution. Please dont waste your time scaring more people. While media and the allied leader asre trying innovative vocabulary to add to their ‘axis of evil, the fascist Islam, WMD’…etc, let us understand that hatred is the most potend WMD. And this effor to create on world order or one way of life western or Islamic does not work. Every country is an idiom in its macrocosm of scoiety, history , cultur and religion. Don try to interpret these idioms out of context. Every one does not have to love burger and baseball… You cant manufacture democracies in assemly lines. If the society/citizens are happy let it be. Be it democracy or one-man rule…
I liked the piece Rupinder posted. It gives such a wonderfully balanced analysis of the situation in the Middle East. Impressed by the piece, I browsed through http://www.Penmarks.com and found it to be a refreshingly fantastic site. This is the kind of journalism Indian and Pakistani scribes should be doing.
Curio.
Here is the piece I talked about. And my thanks to Rupinder once again.
THE TALE OF THE MUDDLE EAST
The Utter Righteousness of the Powerful ‘Victims’ Haunts Holy Lands
S P Singh
Punjabis on both sides of the Wagah border have a lesson for those engaged in the Middle East, and I will come to it in a short while as a post-script to this piece.
I was a sophomore when India’s state-controlled TV channel Doordarshan started telecast of Bhisham Sahni’s Tamas. There was a widespread national furor. Tamas divided the families along age lines, and the young ones turned towards their parents askance: “Did you too do this?” Hurt parents, new to the feeling of being questioned by their own offspring, had a readymade defense: “We were the victims. They were killing us, or would have.”
The righteousness of the weak has been an argument for inflicting untold misery upon the enemy; so no matter how strong you are, it helps if you rush to occupy the slot of righteousness of the weak. Israel now has dual righteousness. It has the ownership on both the righteousness of being victims and on the total powerfulness.
Naturally, the Palestinians have been left with no choice but to do the same. And we must remember what happens in such a situation. When both sides take ownership on both righteousness and powerfulness, there is no space left for compassion.
Over a span of three centuries, the Sikhs repeatedly suffered cruelty at the hands of their Muslim tormentors. But come 1947 Partition, and they resorted to exactly the same tactics towards a perceived enemy – the innocent Muslim neighbor. The feeling of course was reciprocated. The disciples failed the masters repeatedly throughout the ages. The Sikhs were no different in letting down their Gurus. Elderly Sikhs I meet have a defense: “We were the victims.”
When rockets fall on the northern and southern parts of Israel, the Israeli Jewish people shrink back into their primary sense of victim hood: We are a small people, threatened by many external forces that should be confronted with determinism and powerfulness.
This primary sense of victim hood is based on righteousness of the weak. If someone tries to kill you, kill him first. Victim hood is now almost second nature to Israelis. It gives a feeling of togetherness and authorizes the Israeli government in the name of the Israeli people to shoot at the enemy, including their civilians, as they shoot at Israeli civilians; as in war, like in war.
Entire consciousness of most Israelis now revolves around this righteousness of the victim. An average Israeli is much less aware of the negative effects of such power on the others who suffer from his countryÂ’s powerful acts.
See it this way.
Once a people see them as victims – no matter how powerful they are, just as Israelis – they have an advantage over the perpetrators. They do not have to take responsibility for their own actions, as these are only a reaction to the evil acts of the others.
Israeli needs to be reminded in these harsh days of bombs and fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, that it was the power-oriented behavior in Lebanon and in the occupied territories that contributed to the creation of both Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Hamas in the territories.
Besides, Israelis are making one more mistake. They are, at least for the benefit of their own people, putting all their enemies in one basket at a time when it was all the more crucial to draw a clear line differentiating the Hezbollah and the Hamas.
Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, acting violently against Israel in the face of international law, and also endangering the Lebanese government and people. But the Hamas government is an elected regime, elected via a democratic balloting by the Palestinian people. Also, Hamas itself is undergoing a bitter inner struggle. On one side, pressured by the Europeans, and delegates from Egypt and Jordan, is the moderate part of the Hamas, led by Ismail Haniya, and on the other is the military part, led by Haled Mashal.
Israel is refusing to talk to Hamas. It is thus the only people in the world, engaged in an intractable conflict with another people, who refuse to realize that only and only dialogue can lead to a compromise.
And is there a child in the Israeli or Palestinian territory who does not know or understand the basic contours of such a compromise? Return to the borders of 1967 (of course with slight changes), two states with their capitals in Jerusalem, and a systematic step-wise solution to the resettlement of the Palestinian refugees, including IsraelÂ’s recognition of its share in the creation of the intractable issue.
They agreed upon this formula in Taba in 2001.
(Here is an excerpt from the joint Israeli-Palestine statement of January 2001: “The Taba talks conclude an extensive phase in the Israeli-Palestinian permanent status negotiations with a sense of having succeeded in rebuilding trust between the sides and with the notion that they were never closer in reaching an agreement between them than today. We leave Taba in a spirit of hope and mutual achievement, acknowledging that the foundations have been laid both in reestablishing mutual confidence and in having progressed in a substantive engagement on all core issues.”)
This was the compromise suggested by the Arab League in 2002.
This was the basis for the prisonersÂ’ document.
By reaching a compromise, the Palestinians will be pulled out from the threatening balance of power in the region, as they are not an essential part of that balance but rather suffer from it just like the Israelis.
In Israeli media, the dominant phrase is “restore our deterrent”. It is a battle cry of the hawks. Unfortunately, neither the Hezbollah nor the Hamas are deterred by such actions; and thus the actions damage the deterrent further.
Also (and this is important) actions that may be “justifiable” may not necessarily be wise. Israeli Defense Minister was quoted as having said that Israel will make the Hezbollah regret the kidnappings. That is very unlikely. Thus far, Israeli actions have caused suffering among Palestinians and Lebanese, but they have helped the Hezbollah and the Hamas achieve the ends they desired.
Israel is getting bogged down in a two front low intensity conflict. The world is now engaged by the daily rocket attacks, destruction of LebanonÂ’s infrastructure, scenes of warships docking to accommodate evacuees, and decoding of Bush-Rice-Blair speak about how to delay a ceasefire.
But those in search of a permanent solution have to look far ahead.
Be clear on this point. Once the military operations are over in the north and the south, Israel will be faced with a Palestinian government that will be ready to enter negotiations with the Israeli government based on exactly the kind of compromise I have outlined above.
But by then, there will be a new question hanging: Will there be, then, an Israeli government capable of entering such a process of negotiations?
Israel moved out of Lebanon and Gaza, thus retrieving an internal consensus of righteousness. The long occupation of lands of the other people was a national discomfort. Israel was perhaps trying to be more comfortable by applying similar treatment to the West Bank too.
But in this search for comfort of the heart, preparing it for a battle of the mind, Israel forgot an important part. There were others in the region with similar problems – with of course the feelings of righteousness and powerfulness, and of being wronged historically at Israeli hands.
The Qassam missiles on Sderot and Ashkelon were unpleasant reminder of this other people. Whoever does not want to talk with them will get missiles and abducted soldiers. Because they too have the dual pedestal of victim hood and righteousness pinned to their chests.
So what must Israel do? Here is our recommendation. Do not get bogged down by Hezbollah. And do not disengage from the roadmap. Start talking to the Palestinians on the painful compromise (Yes, it IS painful, but to BOTH sides). It is a solution both Israel and Palestine need so badly.
A compromise is not based on either absolute righteousness or absolute powerfulness. It is based on compassion: Compassion for the people who suffer, who were killed, compassion for their family members, and compassion for a public that is tired of just and successful wars.
Just because a war is just, it is not successful. Just because a war is successful, it is not just. Just because it can be both is no reason that it must be fought. Compassion is a bigger end game. Act in ways such that a mere TV serial should not enable the younger generations to embarrass you. Ask those of us in India and Pakistan who have shed each others blood merely to cross lines drawn on a map.
July 25, 2006
P.S. By the Grace of the Gurus, the Sikhs did not start talking about fighting for their holy land – the holiest of the holy places, Nankana Sahib. So what happened? The local Muslim residents, who could have demolished Nankana down to the last brick since there was not a single Sikh for years, did not allow even a brick to be removed. Such is preserved a shared heritage, and such is heritage shared. May be the Middle East can learn from the sub-continent!
*(S. P. Singh can be reached at spsingh@penmarks.com. More of his work is available on http://www.penmarks.com)
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