It’s time to build peace between Israel and Philistine!

The rocket attacks, the violent reprisals against civilians, the bombings, and the capture of soldiers could only persuade war. But, can you imagine some who works as helicopter pilot patrolling daily in Gaza and also saves the lives of Palestinian children as an Israeli pediatrician? Yes! I am talking about a pilot and a pediatrician named Yuval who has killed many Palestinians while bombing at different Palestinians occupied places but saved lives of Palestinian children as a resident doctor at a nearby civilian hospital. Israel and Philistine are at war form many decades should understand that war is not the answer to anything and that what is needed is a cease-fire and peace building. Coping with both of his role as doctor and pilot Yuval never thought to quit one profession between the two of these. Yuval said, If you think you’re more moral, stay in and fight the battle the way you think it should be fought. Perhaps this is start of peace building process between the two nations. The time has come when both nations should recognize and realized that no war can solve this problem ever. War will only boost to insecurity and instability to the region. Strong peacekeeping missions are required to prevent outbreaks of violence. Image: 1, 2, 3 Via

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Iraqis getting anxious of US military tactics

With the situation in Iraq hardly improving, a strong disagreement has occured between the coalition government and the US forces over some of the miltary operations aimed at the insurgents. The Iraqi government and the US forces firmly disagree over the civilian casualty figures during various anti-insurgency raids. Although it is a fact that ordinary Iraqis often get caught in the crossfires but the Americans have blamed the government of quoting absurdly high casualty figures compared to official military estimates. The coalition government in Baghdad fears that a rising civilian casualty would definitely make the situation more complex and dire. Powerful extremist groups will regroup and take the advantage of the people’s miseries by recruiting young Iraqis to fight coalition forces and the Iraqi government. With a crumbling economy and unemployment at an all-time high, the lives of ordinary people across the devastated country are unbearable and such a situation gives terrorist organisation of Al-Qaeda’s nature a perfect excuse to carry out more attacks in the country and make the security situation beyond any repair. Last week a rare deal between a Shia and a Sunni group in Baghdad to stop violence and start negotiations has given the government and the US army a flicker of hope of a broader ceasefire. But the latest US attack on an insurgent hideout, in which 15 civilians were killed, has made the Iraqi government nervous about the consequences. Many government analysts and politicians believe that the continuous killings of innocent civilians, especially women and children, would give rise to popular anger against the country’s government and all hopes of a possible reconciliation among the conflicting parties would vanish in the air. Al-Qaeda has already launched a veiled attack on those tribal and insurgent groups that have shown their intent to take the path of negotiations rather than meaningless conflicts. The feared terrorist organisation has called on the Shias, Sunnis and Kurds to unite and launch attacks on the US-led government. Political and military strategists believe that this is a clear sign of a possible rift among various ethnic groups in the country. A long-drawn bloody conflict since the fall of Saddam Hussein might have taken the toll on some of the influential Shia, Sunni and Kurdish groups. As a result the Iraqi government believes that this is the high time to win the hearts of the people of Iraq in general and calls on the Americans to reduce the air and ground assault in order to improve the situation. link:guardian image link:stockphototalk

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Mideast Agreement must pass through Knesset

Neither Israel nor the Palestinians seems to leave their claim over a disputed holy site in the Old City. The unspoken war that left many died, and displaced is still on from both sides. Historically, Washington has played very prominent role in establishing peace with in region, but it has not been fully successful in its efforts. In the recent update of events related to Jerusalem, the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is seeking parliamentary approval to reach a joint agreement with the Palestinians that says Israel to giving up parts of Jerusalem or other main concessions sought by the Palestinians. Olmert, who is running a coalition government has been warned by his hawkish allies to withdraw support from the government if he agrees to such steps. The problems for Olmert does not stop here, he has to face Knesset, the legislature of Israel to pass any agreement regarding issues of political-military importance. The Knesset can pass any laws by a simple majority, even those that conflict with the basic law of Israel. Apart from this, Palestinians have made clear that they want a detailed declaration about the main issues that are the causes of disagreement between Israel and the Palestinians from many decades. The Palestinians want the proper defined borders of a Palestinian state, the status of Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees. Above all, the claim over a disputed holy site in the Old City in Jerusalem should be discussed by leaders of both regions. Is the frequent trips of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice depicts the America’s efforts to appease growing Arab anger originated due to its actions in Iraq? Yes! It is true that President Bush is in trouble; many of his domestic and international initiatives are floundering. Due to on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is rampant anti-American sentiment globally, especially among the Arab and Muslim publics. Now the U.S. government is seeking a new and better way to help Israel to establish peace with the Palestinians and other Arab states. Via Image

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Iran trumpets military prowess to deter US

Iran fears that the US will launch a sudden air strike on its nuclear facilities. In the last few days a lot of statements have emanated from Iran about longer range missiles and submarines being developed by it. These are a sort of sabre rattling by the Iranians. ‘Keep off us or we can do a lot of harm”, seems to be the message from Iranian leaders to the US. Latest reports say Iran claims that it has developed on its own the Ghadir submarines, which can evade sonar. In April, 2006, it had claimed that it had made super fast underwater missiles that no ship could outrun. Now many of such Iranian claims must be taken with a pinch of salt. It could be exaggerated bluster to thwart US military action. But there is no doubt that Iran has in the last few years tried to enhance its military capabilities. The Russians have obliged by providing air-to-air anti-aircraft missiles. Pakistan’s infamous scientist A. Q. Khan led a helping hand by giving it centrifuges for its nuclear programmes. China too, though perhaps secretly, has has been a friend. Though most military experts say that most of the Iranian weapons are out dated and antiquated, the increasing missile capacity is worrying. The country has missiles that can hit targets 2000 kilometers away. In other words it could easily hit US positions in Iraq. And it could hit Israel. Even with its so called relatively ancient submarines, underwater missiles, fighters and warships it could create havoc amongst the crucial sea traffic in the gulf. Images credit 1 2 3 4

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Saeed Jalili may prove to be a hard nut to crack for the IAEA

The shocking resignation of Iran’s nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani has brought to light the deep ideological infighting that exists within the Iranian leadership. Although Larijani is a conservative, he is not considered to be a political ally of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Western analysts say that the former nuclear negotiator was getting frustrated with the hardline stance that his president has taken regarding the nuclear standoff with the west. Saeed Jalili, the little-known deputy foreign minister, is a former revolutionary guard quite close to the Ayatollah and president Ahmadinejad. Many say he carries the voice of the president and the Ayatollah and as a result the West can expect further hardening of Iranian stance regarding the nuclear standoff under his new negotiating powers. Leading political analyst Mohammad Sadegh Al-Hosseini believes that the appointment of Saeed Jalili is a clear indication that president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants to spread his control over the nuclear policy ahead of parliamentary elections in March, 2008 and the presidential polls in 2009. This appointment is regarded as the first step of consolidating the power of president Ahmadinejad in the country’s political scenario. But some Iranians feel that Mr.Larijani resigned from his post due to his own political ambitions, which is getting elected as a member of parliament. It will be interesting to see how the west and the IAEA get on with the new Iranian nuclear negotiator. Given his relatively limited experience on international negotiations in addition to a hardline attitude similar to his provocative president, the world might have a tough time in making Iran come clean on its real intentions of procuring nuclear energy. Link: Reuters

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Bush cries hoarse for Peace from the Kurds

The best solution to resolve the issues of poverty and economic inequality in the world is to just murder all those who are poor. At least in the case of the impoverished and oppressed Kurds this is definitely the best solution. The very race and existence of the Kurds constitute what is known as the Kurdish-problem. This is what the US and its ally Turkey intends to do if things go really out of control. Just as an aside, one wants to know how a whole race of people can become a ‘problem’. Indeed why is there not a ‘US problem’ or for that matter, a ‘British problem’ considering the fact that these two nations have really created too much problems for too many people? The Turkish Kurds united themselves under the banner of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in the early 1980s mainly to protest the indifference of Turkey towards their problems. They later formed coalitions with the Iraqi Kurds. Now the Kurds carry on their fight to retain control of Kirkuk in Iraq. To this end there were skirmishes between them and the Turks. The Kurds felt that without this preemptive move, Turkey might force Kirkuk out of their control. And who should immediately run to the rescue? The answer is predictable and easy. The US President George Bush did not waste any time in expressing his concern and has assured Turkey of his commitment to non-violence in the region. Interestingly, Bush has assured Turkey of pressuring the Iraqi Government to control the Iraqi Kurds. If Bush can openly pressure nations to obey him, think of what he may be up to covertly. Bush definitely wants a piece of the oil-pie when and if ever Turkey and mainstream Iraq defeats the Kurds. Though Kurdish rebels have offered truce to Turkey if the latter stops assaults in its remote hideouts in Iraq, it does not seem that their problems are yet over. The Los Angeles Times have reported that the US President has held talks with both the Iraqi and the Turkish officials. In those talks he roundly condemned terrorism in all its forms. A noble enterprise but what he accomplished very subtly is to denounce the Kurds. Iraqi Kurdistan is the dream-nation for the refugee Kurds and their access to huge resources of oil will not let Bush rest from creating a furore there. All in the name of peace. The last few days have seen frantic activity at the diplomatic level. The Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan visited Baghdad where he did the usual diplomatic rounds and yet returned home with the smug knowledge that for once Turkey had the international upper hand. The US remains deeply obliged to Turkey for the use of Turkish land and resources for maintaining large US military bases there. In this grim situation one cannot help but smile at the US discomfort. Turkey has always been a fierce nation and one doubts whether if it wins any oil fields, will it share so readily with the US. By the way, every fight in the Middle East where the US or Europe is concerned is only a fight for oil. Image: The Age Via: LA Times

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Iraqi refugees scared to settle in Iraq again!

Nearly two million Iraqis who fled to Syria and Jordan are not willing to return to their homes. Recently the Iraqi government has arranged a bus from Damascus to Baghdad to to bring Iraqis back. But most of the people who returned to Baghdad, not because it was safer but because they didn’t had other place to move. They had no money in Syria or their visas had expired. The exiled Iraqi know it well that it’s hard to find job, build their homes and mixing in the community. To be very sure, the misery of the refugees is social and economic in nature. The Iraqis who have came back to Iraq are normally left with no permanent housing, no reliable livelihood, no community support, and no government aid. Mohammed Salman al-Dlaimi, Sunni man had been tortured by National Guards in 2007, only because he is a Sunni. There are plenty of stories of violence, sorrow, death threats, suicide bombings and tortures against the Sunni Muslims who dared to come back in Iraq. The most tragic part of this story is that the refugees who have left Iraq now face a miserable life, as Syria and other neighboring countries are exhausted to manage them and seek to expel many of them. And for those who are seeking shelter within Iraq can face rejection from the host communities whose residents may themselves be threatened with displacement.

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Kurds show war photo: Western world rubs hands in glee

Are you poor? Are you living in fear for not only your life but the collective life of your own people, your own race? Do you belong to an ethnic group prejudged as being terrorists? Are you right now hiding somewhere? Are you unwanted throughout the world, with no country ever to call your own? Most probably not. For then you would not be reading this article. So how can you understand the desperation that has driven the Kurds to release pictures of young Turkish men captured by them in recent skirmishes between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and Turkey? During the Iraq-US War, foreign media repeatedly showed how white military personnel were being exhibited by the Iraqi regime. The Western media was aghast at the cruelty and the contravention of the Geneva War prisoners’ related Convention’s rules. But when Saddam Hussein’s mouth was opened like a cow’s mouth by a doctor ostensibly for dental examination and exhibited to the world, none really protested. The US media war-pundits kept smugly mum. The thought was — serves Saddam right. Now again the Western world has woken up to the tragedy that is happening in the Middle East. The UK Telegraph reports an indignant Turkish Prime Minister, Tayyip Erdogan, vowing revenge and impatience at the continuous slaughter of his soldiers. Like in so many conflicts before our times and in so many to come after we are dead and gone, it seems none understands that violence begets violence. And now that the wheel of fire is turning, there will be no help from anywhere. The fear is that now the US and the European media have more arsenal in their hands against the Kurds. Late last week, that world pacifist, President George Bush had again trumpeted his endless desire for peace and his intolerance for terrorists such as the vile Kurds. Now at last the Kurds in a moment of supreme confusion have released the videos of imprisoned Turks. The Kurds had earlier expressed their fears of being incessantly bombed in what little territory in northern-Iraq they consider their own. They fear economic destitution if oil-rich Kirkuk is forced away from them. If someone’s back is against the wall and the enemy is monstrous, what can one do? Of course, to give up all shame and play the last card in one’s hand. We have to remember that the weapons of the Kurds are primitive and insignificant compared to the weapons that Turkey has. Turkey’s weaponry includes her alliance with the US. What are few videos of twelve men compared to this? We can only wish and pray that the Kurds do not do anything rash in the future with their prisoners and treat them humanely. The western world is nurtured on hatred, let the Kurds love their enemies and shame professional Christians. VIA: The UK Telegraph Image: UK Telegraph

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Iran signals dubious stance over nuclear power issue

The Iran nuclear issue is growing graver. Israel believes that Iran will have a nuclear bomb within a year and fears that it will be its target. The fears are not unfounded. Iranian president Ahmadinejad has openly said that he intends to destroy Israel. But the real worry is that events are fast precipitating to a war, even earlier than that, between the US and Iran. The catalyst might come from recent internal developments in Iran itself. There are indications of an internal power struggle in the country between its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and president Ahmadinejad. A few days ago, Khamenei’s protege Larijani resigned as negotiator with the west over the nuclear issue, citing interference from the Iranian president as the reason. Larijani was in favour of talking with the west to defuse the confrontation. Whereas, hardliner Ahmadinejad feels there is no need for negotiations. He wants to go ahead with the nuclear programme disregarding the US and co.’s objections. Initially, it seemed Larijani’s resignation and Jalili’s appointment in his place had Khamenei’s blessings. Saeed Jalili is close to Ahmadinejad. But the protest by 200 odd Majlis members against Larijani’s departure has added a new twist to the plot. They were joined by Akbar Ali Vilayati, who is foreign policy adviser to Khamenei. This faction in the country believes it should unobtrusively go on with its peaceful nuclear programme like Japan has done. If need arises in the future this peaceful programme can be quickly transformed to make a bomb. Larijani meanwhile had talks with Javier Solana, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, in Rome on Tuesday. He was acting as Khamenei’s personal representative on Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. This clearly reflects two minds and the background politics brewing up in Iran. Another problem is that the west will be talking with Jalili, who is from the hardline (Ahmadinejad) faction of Iran. The confused signals emanating from Iran bodes ill. There is little prospect of any peaceful outcome from talks between the west and Iran. The hawks in the US establishment will seize the opportunity for attacking Iran militarily. Image credit Telegraph

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Amnesty report: A mockery of Humanity

The big organizations, like Amnesty International, human rights commissions and above all UN, always talk about the widespread corruption and violence against humanity. Mind you, these things have not started happening recently, particularly in the Mideast. However, no substantial action has been taken so far besides making hue and cry or publishing reports either. How long will it take for them to do something worthwhile? Will they ever do that successfully? What say? Amnesty international reporting and reporting and reporting… and here comes another report wherein the human rights group has revealed the blatant and gross violation of fundamental rights of the Palestinian people by both the Fatah and Hamas as well as by Israel. Is it surprising or is it something that world is unaware of? However, the question is what action, if any, has been taken to avoid that in near future? And everyone knows the answer and the irony. And above all UN, whose pusillanimity has so far proved catastrophic, has failed to achieve or exert any of its power or influence, let aside the justice. The result is people world over in general and Mideast in particular are left at the mercy of the Islamic chauvinists who don’t give plucked hen to so called humanity and violated morality repeatedly whenever the fanatic whim overpowers them. So, is UN worth standing as an organization that was formed to protect humanity from suffering when it never acted other than a spectator – be it Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan and the list goes on and on and on? The stance was not different but again mockery when US and Israel patted Fatah and discarded Hamas totally. Who they really are to do that when Hamas was elected by the Palestinians in elections held last year? And the irony becomes even graver when most observers confirmed that the polls were fair and honest. Actions speak more than words. This is for those who makes hullabaloo and there remains firm need for the action but before US and Israel screw the whole Mideast. Action is what the whole world is waiting for, but they have to wait for little longer – how long is again a question. However, if these organizations are merely concerned to repot the whole mess, it won’t do any good to anyone and to rely on US-Israeli pretence to solve it is nothing more than the catastrophic misappropriation. AMNESTY REPORT Image credit

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