Mid East Daily

Now that President Bush is on his way out and the US has been left red-faced by the Iraqi invasion; scapegoats have to be found. And whom better than an erstwhile Iraqi named Rafid Ahmed Alwan aka Curveball. TimesOnline goes all out to prove the point that it was essentially Colin Powell’s naiveté in early 2003 which began the Iraqi invasion by the US. Curveball is an Iraqi defector who spilled the beans to the international community about Iraq’s biological weapon and huge nuclear arsenal. Only thing, whatever Curveball said then is now know to be false. The report points out how he lied for pecuniary needs. He hoodwinked every person in the First World. But this cannot be the whole truth. It is impossible that whole Intelligence Agencies will bow to the unverified claims of an alcoholic lusting after the good life. It is impossible that this double-agent’s deposition will be taken with total belief. And definitely Colin Powell is too astute a politicians and policy maker to be influenced by the ravings of one man. Then what is the truth?

Children are always the innocent victims of war. The Israeli attacks on the Palestinians in the occupied territories have rendered a large number of Palestinian children victims of mental ill-health. According to an Israeli human rights organization, B’Tselem, half of those killed in the recent Israeli incursion in Gaza were noncombatants, many among them being children. The constant sight of bloodshed, violence and death, many of the victims being their own playmates has made a large number of Palestinian children victims of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with rise in symptoms of bedwetting, nightmares, fear and clinging behavior. Domestic violence and violent behavior among children is also on the rise.

The Middle East problem has all but ceased to surprise us. In conversation the other day, a relative working in Israel as a precious-stone jeweller spoke with evident disgust against everything Jewish. He spoke how Jews in spite of being only an infinitesimal percentage of the world’s population owned over 90% of the big companies. Of course, he had no facts to substantiate his claims and for all his prejudices, he was eager to return to Israel from the heat of India. Interestingly, as a parting shot he said, that why should be all so surprised at the greatness of the Jews: after all, they are the chosen race? The interesting bit is that the said person is a Jain and had never before heard of the Jews as being God’s own people. Evidently he has picked it up with fellow workers at Israel. A little probing revealed that his fellow artisans were all Muslims. The Muslims in Israel, he finally confessed, are tired of Jewish snootiness. The Jews look down upon all, said he in disgust.

The killing of eight rabbinical students by an East Jerusalem Palestinian is worrying news for Israel. There had been no suicide bombing in the last few years in the country. Thursday’s shooting has shattered that comforting fact.

The mainstream media wants to appear objective and universally true. Yet nothing is ever ideologically unbiased. Take the case of the BBC reporting on Israel’s incursions into the Gaza Strip. The BBC first declares the error of it all; how Israel is over-doing things, how violence is not the answer to the ongoing conflicts there, how things are worse than ever for the Palestinians. In short, anarchy has broken out in Gaza. From the initial drift of the report we expect a condemnation of Israel; at least an analysis of the nexus between Israel, the US and the UK. Yet, the BBC characteristically fails to do so. Instead the article ends with the declaration that Israel has a right to defend its own. The message is clear: let Israel do whatever it wants as long as European and US interests are safeguarded. What are, then, the ground realities in the Gaza Strip?

Young Iraqis are finding it difficult to cope up with their political and religious condition. More and more youngsters are losing faith. They are ignorant about whom to turn to and whom to trust. A country battling with extremism and dictatorship, the countrymen caught in a web of religious outrest; what can such a country and its countrymen teach to its young generation?

No wonder the Palestine issue is not getting solved. When we have such a stubborn and inflexible president in the US. The latest exposure by Vanity Fair brings out the fact clearly. It has made clear the fact that however much the Hamas might be willing to talk with Fatah and Israel, it will not be invited. Bush wants Hamas wiped out.

The Bush administration had spent billions of dollars to achieve that aim. It was not the Hamas that had thrown out Fatah but Fatah that had wanted to rid Gaza of Hamas at Bush’s instigation. Ex-US president Jimmy Carter, the statesman that he is, had urged US to involve Hamas in any Palestinian talks. But when we have some one like Mr. Bush ,with his cowboy mentality in power, sensible advice is bound to go unheard.

The United Nation Security Council has once again managed to implement the foreign policies of individual countries as its own. On Monday, the UN Security Council voted for new sanctions against Iran for refusing to suspend its nuclear enrichment program. The new resolution called for more restriction on movements and financial curbs on 13 Iranian individuals and 12 companies suspected of aiding Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. It has also expanded ban on trade in items and technology with both civilian and military uses. The resolution also called for increased vigilance over Iranian financial institutions, especially its two banks – Bank Melli and Bank Saderat.

President Ahmadinejad is visiting Iraq. The US forces rather ungraciously stayed away from providing security (or was it Iran did not want it) during his visit. Even a helicopter was not provided. Bush just the other day called on Iran to ‘quit sending in sophisticated equipment that’s killing our citizens’. Ahmadinejad replied equally vehemently, saying Iran does not like the US and added that terrorism came to the region with the Americans.

But the Iranian leader was received warmly by Iraqi leaders. There are many reasons for that. What the Iraqis must have found very welcome was the $one billion low interest loan which Iran is giving. Iranian pilgrims throng the holy shrine of Najaf, thus bringing in valuable tourist money.

When the Turkish army moved into Northern Iraq to destroy PKK positions a few days ago, it had been widely predicted by Turkish commentators that the operation would be a long one. So the general impression was that Turkey would stay on till it had satisfied itself that a deathly blow had been dealt to the Kurdish separatist organization. But latest news say the Turkish forces have gone back (or are going back) to Turkey.