Just a quick one today.
It's 5 years almost to the day when US forces and thier allies invaded Iraq. We now have more than 4000 dead American soldiers as a result of the conflict.
But what percentage of them died after George W. declared "Major combat operations" to have ended on the 1st of May 2003 under the now infamous "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" banner?
97 percent...
Go figure.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Shalom, Salaam... No Justice, No Peace
It is my opinion that history will judge the treatment of the Palestinian people at least as harshly as the treatment of black South Africans during the Aparthied era.
This is not to say that the two situations are identical as they most definitely are not. There are however some striking similarities. From infrastructure built for use by Jews only to the townships/refugee camps the subjugated population are crammed into with only basic ameneties available... Even the fact that the "oppressors" are mostly decendants of Europeans. The main differences are the degree to which religion is a factor on both sides.
After the treatment meted out to Jews in much of the first half of the 20th century it is easy to understand where the determination to defend thier kith and kin comes from. It is unfortunate that in thier zeal to protect thier young homeland, many of the actions they have chosen to take have proven to be profoundly counterproductive. The nation of Israel has a habit of shooting itself in the foot while trying to defend herself.
The current situation in Gaza is a case in point. In response to militants (I deliberately did not use terrorist in this instance) firing makeshift rockets at thier towns, the actions taken by Israeli Defence Forces have taken can only be described as collective punishment. Infact some Israeli government officials admitted that the Palestinians had brought the wrath of Israel on themselves by electing Hamas.
Palestinians will point out that they are having had thier country stolen from under thier feet. Many areas are being concreted over and settlements are being built on land the Palestinans claim is thiers. Aside from the land captured after the 1967 war between the Arabs and Israel, Israel has encroached steadily on the land left over for the Palestinians.
Over the 5 decades since the birth of Israel the Palestinians, and other Arab Nations have consistently underestimated, to their cost, the resolve of the Jewish people to defend themselves and their young state. This resolve however has made the Israelis look cruel and frankly racist despite them taking actions that can be argued are legitimate.
This is not to say that the two situations are identical as they most definitely are not. There are however some striking similarities. From infrastructure built for use by Jews only to the townships/refugee camps the subjugated population are crammed into with only basic ameneties available... Even the fact that the "oppressors" are mostly decendants of Europeans. The main differences are the degree to which religion is a factor on both sides.
After the treatment meted out to Jews in much of the first half of the 20th century it is easy to understand where the determination to defend thier kith and kin comes from. It is unfortunate that in thier zeal to protect thier young homeland, many of the actions they have chosen to take have proven to be profoundly counterproductive. The nation of Israel has a habit of shooting itself in the foot while trying to defend herself.
The current situation in Gaza is a case in point. In response to militants (I deliberately did not use terrorist in this instance) firing makeshift rockets at thier towns, the actions taken by Israeli Defence Forces have taken can only be described as collective punishment. Infact some Israeli government officials admitted that the Palestinians had brought the wrath of Israel on themselves by electing Hamas.
Palestinians will point out that they are having had thier country stolen from under thier feet. Many areas are being concreted over and settlements are being built on land the Palestinans claim is thiers. Aside from the land captured after the 1967 war between the Arabs and Israel, Israel has encroached steadily on the land left over for the Palestinians.
Over the 5 decades since the birth of Israel the Palestinians, and other Arab Nations have consistently underestimated, to their cost, the resolve of the Jewish people to defend themselves and their young state. This resolve however has made the Israelis look cruel and frankly racist despite them taking actions that can be argued are legitimate.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Reactivation... Reactivation
After a few months on hiatus, I am breathing life back into this blog.
With all the goings on in Israel/Palestine, political violence in Pakistan, the ongoing wars is Iraq and Afghanistan not to mention the upcoming US elections there is much history making politics to express opinion on.
So let the political blogging recommence.
With all the goings on in Israel/Palestine, political violence in Pakistan, the ongoing wars is Iraq and Afghanistan not to mention the upcoming US elections there is much history making politics to express opinion on.
So let the political blogging recommence.
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