Prof. G.C.Asnani

Prof. G.C.Asnani News and Views 8th January 2009

2009-01-08T08:31:28Z

Prof. G. C. ASNANI, MSc., Ph.D. (United Nations Service, Retd.)

822, Sindh Colony, Aundh,

Pune – 411 007 (HINDUSTAN, INDIA)
Tel: 91-20-2588-0347

E-mail: i)asnanigc@yahoo.com, ii) gcasnani@vsnl.com

News and Views: 8 -1-09

1. Israel bombs Gaza into the night (http://news.bbc.co.uk/)

2. Chinese Lenovo the world's fourth-biggest personal computer maker giant to cut workforce (http://news.bbc.co.uk/)

3. Obama, Bush and ex-presidents have 'historic moment'(cnn.com)

4. Coalition forces kill 38 Afghan militants (cnn.com)

5. Al Qaeda using pedophile websites to plot terror attacks against Britain. “Using child pornography sites appears to be al-Qaeda’s latest desperate attempt to avoid detection. Sadly, the high levels of secrecy, passwords and encryption demanded by paedophiles means their websites can offer good cover for terrorists.” (http://www.jihadwatch.org/)

6. Palestinian journo confirms what the world ignores -- that Hamas uses civilians as human shields. The mainstream media in the West, meanwhile, continues to pretend that Israel is indiscriminately targeting civilians. (http://www.jihadwatch.org/) (G.C.A: Prolonged Hypocrisy practiced by biased International Press is biting the Conscience of some Members of the International Press, inherent internal Divinity in mankind is asserting itself somewhere.)

7. ISI-Pak bid to cripple India. The constant monitoring of the internet and e-mail connections of the LeT have revealed that Lashkar is planning to bomb Viraat using a suicide pilot of a helicopter. (organiser.org) (G.C.A: Warnings were there, are there. But will Indian secularists inside Indian Administration set-up allow patriots to save India effectively?)

“ many persons in publicity profession are not sure to earn enough money to have one simple meal a day if they observe the ethics of this noble profession, but they want to have wine and illicit sex in high-level hotels very frequently?” )

9. Pak poses threat to India, US: Hadley (http://dailypioneer.com/)

10. Tackle corruption to fight terror. Has India really woken up after the terror acts on Mumbai? At least the people are exhorting the authorities to take action rather than issue platitudes. They want action against terrorism but not war with Pakistan. The escalating number of anti-national elements making their way through our porous borders is a reflection of the fact the internal security is weak and that the concerned authorities are not performing their duty properly. Only a nation with character, robust health and sound economy will be able to overcome problems like terrorism. (http://dailypioneer.com/)

11. Bangla Catharsis. Apparently, the people of Bangladesh had seriously considered the challenge and gave their verdict accordingly on December 29. Begum Khaleda Zia, widow of Zia-ur-Rehman, carried on his political legacy but with one difference. Zia-ur-Rehman was not personally corrupt. Khaleda Zia and her two sons raped the country especially during the BNP-JEI led four party rule from 2001-2006.(southasiaanalysis.org)

12. Tirukural - Chapter 11: Gratitude. A kindness done in the hour of need may itself be small, but in worth it exceeds the whole world. (Kauai_Hindu_Monastery@jnanadana.com)

13. Vedic Verses for 1/7/09. May the Lord find pleasure in our song of praise! Priest among Men, may he offer due homage to the heavenly beings! (Kauai_Hindu_Monastery@jnanadana.com)

14. Gospel of Jesus: Did Jesus advise to Divide, to Kill, and to Rule? Was he a Terrorist? Who can believe this?

i) Holy Bible - New Testament, Luke 12; 51-53: Jesus said:

"Do you suppose that I came to bring peace to the World? No, not peace, but division. From now on a family of five will be divided, three against two and two against three. Fathers will be against their sons, and sons against their fathers; mothers will be against their daughters and daughters against their mothers; mothers-in-law will be against their daughters-in-law, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law."

ii) Holy Bible, New Testament, Luke 20; 27: Jesus said: “for those enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and kill them in my presence.”

iii) New Testament, MATHEW 16; 18-19: Jesus said, "Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock I will build my Church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; what you prohibit on Earth will be prohibited in Heaven, and what you permit on Earth will be permitted in Heaven."

15. Obama Is Reported Set to Revise Counter terrorism Efforts (nytimes.com)

16. Reciting Ramayana Non-Stop for One Year Source: (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

17. Russian gas crisis to keep bills high as firms divert UK stocks (http://www.guardian.co.uk/)

18. J&K: Army says terrorists holed up in caves (ndtv.com)

19. FBI team to visit Pak to carry on Mumbai attacks probe: Mulford (samachar.com)

1. Israel bombs Gaza into the night (http://news.bbc.co.uk/)

Date: - 8 -1-09

On the ground with the Israeli army in Gaza

Israeli air attacks on the Gaza Strip has resumed after a three-hour truce to allow in humanitarian aid, with border tunnels apparently the main target.

Israeli planes leafleted southern Gaza by day, warning of imminent attacks, and the sounds of war could be heard from the border by nightfall.

Nearly 700 Palestinian and 11 Israeli lives are said to have been lost since the offensive began 12 days ago.

Peace efforts move to Cairo shortly, with an Israeli envoy due in the city.

But Israel is prepared to go even deeper into the Gaza Strip in the coming hours, BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen reports from the Israeli border near Rafah.

Our editor could hear the clatter of Israeli helicopters and the report of at least one explosion from inside southern Gaza late on Wednesday night.

"Because Hamas uses your houses to hide and smuggle military weapons, the IDF [Israel Defence Forces] will attack the area," read leaflets released earlier by the thousand over the Rafah area by Israeli planes.

Unconfirmed reports speak of a tank advance with helicopter support towards Khan Younis, also in the south, shortly after midnight.

Truce options

Israeli security sources have confirmed that senior Israeli defence official Amos Gilad will travel to Cairo on Thursday to discuss ceasefire options.

A Hamas delegation is expected in Cairo at some stage for parallel "technical" talks, Egyptian diplomats said.

Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas is expected in the Egyptian capital on Friday.

Israel said on Wednesday it accepted the principles of a Franco-Egyptian truce proposal, which was backed by Washington, but wanted to see the details.

The UN Security Council seemed deadlocked over the crisis.

Arab countries want the Council to vote on a resolution calling for a ceasefire while Britain, France and the US are pushing for a weaker statement welcoming the Franco-Egyptian initiative.

The US could well veto any vote as it is a permanent member of the Security Council, the BBC's Laura Trevelyan reports.

Media curbs

Palestinian health officials say at least 683 Palestinians have been killed and more than 3,085 injured.

Aid agencies report that Gazans rushed into the streets to buy essential supplies and visit relatives in hospital during Wednesday's pause in fighting.

UN aid workers welcomed Israel's promise of brief daily ceasefires but said only a total end to fighting would allow them to distribute aid to those who need it.

More than 20 rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza during the day.

Israel has lost seven soldiers on the ground to date while rockets have killed four people.

Casualty claims in Gaza cannot be independently verified.

While the BBC has had Palestinian producers reporting from Gaza, Israel only allowed Western TV crews to enter on Wednesday, embedded with its army.

2. Chinese Lenovo the world's fourth-biggest personal computer maker giant to cut workforce (http://news.bbc.co.uk/)

Date: - 8 -1-09

Lenovo is the world's fourth-biggest personal computer maker

One of the world's largest computer manufacturers, Chinese-based Lenovo, says it is to cut about 2,500 jobs around the world.

Lenovo blamed the cuts, which amount to nearly 11% of its total workforce, on the global economic downturn and a fall in demand for PCs.

It said the cuts were part of efforts to save $300m (£200m) in the coming financial year.

They were, it argued, essential if the company was to remain competitive.

The company also said it expected to see losses in the final quarter of the financial year.

The statement said Lenovo had been hit by "the unprecedented global economic challenges facing the world, resulting in a reducing demand for personal computers and related products".

It also said that a reduction in demand from China, historically a major Lenovo market, had affected the company's fortunes.

Lenovo's net profits dropped 78% in the three months until the end of September.

3. Obama, Bush and ex-presidents have 'historic moment'(cnn.com)

Date: - 8 -1-09

Historian calls meeting "smart politics," says it'll be light, but could be tense

Obama and Bush meet with Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter

Obama says he's grateful for chance to get "advice, good counsel and fellowship"

Last time all the living presidents met at White House was in 1981, Perino says

(CNN) -- President-elect Barack Obama, President Bush and all of the surviving past presidents got together Wednesday for a historic meeting at the White House.

Barack Obama meets with President Bush and past presidents in the Oval Office on Wednesday.

"One message that I have, and I think we all share, is that we want you to succeed. Whether we're Democrat or Republican, we care deeply about this country," Bush told Obama before lunch with the former presidents.

Bush and Obama were joined by Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Obama thanked the president for hosting them and said he was grateful for the opportunity to get "advice, good counsel and fellowship" from the group. Watch what Obama says about the meeting »

Obama's press secretary said the presidents had a "very constructive conversation" and Obama appreciated "the spirit of bipartisanship they showed" in wishing him success.

Presidential historian Doug Brinkley said it's "very smart politics for Obama to keep a channel open" with the former presidents.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the last time all of the living presidents got together at the White House was in 1981, and she called Wednesday's meeting a "historic moment."

She said the president was "delighted" to host the luncheon.

The meeting marked the second time Bush has hosted Obama since the election. Obama suggested the meeting with all of the former presidents when he and Bush first met in November.

Perino said earlier she didn't know what they would talk about, but she said she'd love to be able to hear it.

Perino speculated that they would discuss what it's like to raise children in the White House and how to protect them.

Brinkley predicted that first and foremost, the presidents would recall what it was like to be president.

Secondly, Brinkley said, the conversation would probably turn to what's going on in the Middle East.

Brinkley said that all of the men will be on their "best behavior," but, given the personalities at the luncheon, there could be some tension.

President Bush may find himself the odd man out at the meeting, at least in terms of popularity.

Bush registered only a 27 percent approval rating in a December CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey.

In contrast, Obama had an 82 percent approval rating.

A new poll out Wednesday indicates that 69 percent of adult Americans approved of how Clinton handled his job as president, while 64 percent of adult Americans gave a thumbs up to Carter and 60 percent approved of George H.W. Bush.

4. Coalition forces kill 38 Afghan militants (cnn.com)

Date: - 8 -1-09

U.S. military: Coalition kills 32 Taliban members in Laghman province

Raid, 60 miles from Kabul, amid fears Taliban strengthening presence near capital

Militant network said to have set up roadside bombs, attacked troops

In Farah province, six militants killed, says U.S. military

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Troops in Afghanistan launched raids against militants over the last two days, killing 32 armed insurgents near the nation's capital and six militants in western Afghanistan, the U.S. military said in statements Wednesday.

Coalition forces targeting a Taliban roadside bomb cell killed the 32 armed insurgents in an operation on Tuesday in the Alishang District of Laghman province. The location is more than 60 miles northeast of Kabul, the nation's capital.

Troops detained one suspect and destroyed weapons caches that included explosives and roadside bombing materials. One female was counted among the dead.

This comes amid concerns about the Taliban strengthening its presence near the capital.

The operation network targeted a militant network said to have built and set up roadside bombs and conducted attacks against troops and civilians last year.

The military said militants used small arms to shoot at advancing troops from roofs and alleys, and troops returned fire with small arms.

Much criticized in Afghanistan for airstrikes that hit civilians, the military said it "did not escalate the engagement with close-air support or artillery inside the village."

The coalition said it took 16 children and eight women away from the fighting and took them to a safe location.

In western Afghanistan's Farah province, army commandos backed up by coalition troops killed six militants Wednesday, including an operative who has supplied weapons to militants and conducted attacks on troops as well as acting as the chief bodyguard for a "high-level Taliban commander.

Both sides traded fire in a two-hour battle, and a weapons cache was discovered. The military -- which said they held a meeting with village elders to explain the operation -- protected 13 men, 38 women and 20 children during the incident. There was a commando injured in the raid.

Date: - 8 -1-09

The Al Qaeda "Pedobear"

All's "fair" in love and jihad? More on how, for jihadists, the end, Islamic supremacy, will always justify the means, no matter how odious.

Al-Qaeda is using pedophile websites to plot terror attacks on Britain according to British Security Services.

Al-Qaeda is using the sites due to the levels of security employed: paedophile sites are said to be password-protected and encrypted to avoid detection from police, which apparently makes them great for secretly plotting terrorist attacks as well.

A security source quoted in The Mirror said “Using child pornography sites appears to be al-Qaeda’s latest desperate attempt to avoid detection. Sadly, the high levels of secrecy, passwords and encryption demanded by paedophiles means their websites can offer good cover for terrorists.”

Pedophiles and terrorists: a snappy headline waiting to be had, but not really surprising either.

Date: - 8 -1-09

And he doesn't like it. The mainstream media in the West, meanwhile, continues to pretend that Israel is indiscriminately targeting civilians. "PA Newspaper Editor Attacks Hamas's Use Of Gaza Residents As Human Shields," from the MEMRI Blog, January 7 (thanks to James):

Hafez Al-Barghouti, editor of the Palestinian Authority daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, has attacked the use of civilians as a human shield by Hamas's military wing.

He also said that the release of videocassettes showing Hamas members digging secret tunnels beneath Gaza residents' homes permits Israel to excuse their strikes on the homes, and called on Hamas members to keep their distance from populated places, and to protect the lives of the citizens instead of using them.

Source: Al-Hayat Al-Jadida , Palestinian Authority, January 7, 2009

Date: - 8 -1-09

LeT targeting Viraat

By S Chandrasekhar

The ISI-LeT jehadi gang-up is targeting INS Viraat, India’s only aircraft carrier, to weaken India’s air and sea supremacy in the event of an all-out war. In 1971, INS Vikrant played a decisive role in India trouncing Pakistan, and Pak doesn’t want that to be repeated.

According to media reports, US intelligence has warned India that after Mumbai, LeT’s technological chief Zarar Shah is showing more than inquisitive interest in INS Viraat. The constant monitoring of the internet and e-mail connections of the LeT have revealed that Lashkar is planning to bomb Viraat using a suicide pilot of a helicopter.

Prior to the Mumbai terror attacks, extensive study of the city, its police force, its response mechanism, destinations where maximum damage could be inflicted, etc. were carried out before launching the macabre terror attacks.

The LeT target was to destroy INS Viraat in Mumbai itself. But Viraat had left Mumbai and is in Kochi Shipyard for major repairs, which will take four to five months to complete.

US intelligence reports suggest that LeT is doing extensive study of helicopter charter services in South India for hiring a helicopter and target Viraat at Kochi in Kerala, in a fidayeen attack, similar to the twin tower attack in US.

Security around Viraat and Kochi Shipyard has been beefed up to the highest levels following the intelligence inputs. Marine Commandos (Marcos) who did a commendable job in Mumbai and commando diver units of the navy are on 24 hour guard. Naval helicopters with anti-aircraft guns are also providing round the clock cover to Viraat.

With Kerala, a haven of all jehadi groups like NDF, PDP, SIMI etc. sponsored by ISI, LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen, there will be no difficulty in getting local support for targeting INS Viraat.

8. Media needs credible self-regulation. Comprehensive coverage of 26/11 done with rare passion and commitment by large sections of media, particularly by the print media, could have earned a lot of respect for the media but it was undone by sections of electronic channels that indulged in sensationalism and insensitive comments on what was indeed a war-like situation. At the end of the day, media tarnished its image and undermined its credibility. (organiser.org) (G.C.A: Is it very rude and cruel to say that, “ many persons in publicity profession are not sure to earn enough money to have one simple meal a day if they observe the ethics of this noble profession, but they want to have wine and illicit sex in high-level hotels very frequently?” )

Date: - 8 -1-09

By Shyam Khosla

Comprehensive coverage of 26/11 done with rare passion and commitment by large sections of media, particularly by the print media, could have earned a lot of respect for the media but it was undone by sections of electronic channels that indulged in sensationalism and insensitive comments on what was indeed a war-like situation. At the end of the day, media tarnished its image and undermined its credibility. Television channels have come in for severe criticism for telecasting unverified information and sensitive footage that jeopardised security forces’ operations. There are countless incidents that underline the fault lines in the functioning of the electronic media. Telecasting live images of commandos being air-dropped, quoting a highly exaggerated figure of casualties in Hotel Taj from a “highly reliable source in the security set up” by none else than a veteran TV personality, telecasting without verifying the r umour about another attack on CST and telecasting “live” operational details are some of the glaring instances of blunders committed by countless channels.

Security forces are aggrieved that terrorists were getting inputs about operational details from their handlers in Pakistan from the live television coverage of the operational details and exact location of hostages hiding in the buildings under attack. It is now well known that terrorists went to the Chambers in Hotel Taj to fire at guests who had taken shelter there after the information was telecast by a reckless reporter. Broadcasting that 100 or so hostages were stranded in Hotel Oberio Trident is another case in point. A senior military officer had tried to obfuscate by claiming there were no hostages in Trident but a reporter got him contradicted by a top executive of the hotel within minutes. Didn’t the contradiction endanger the lives of persons trapped in the hotel? The same channel telecasted the information about the number of the room in which a senior journalist was trapped in Hotel Taj. Unfortunately, the senior jo urnalist never came out alive. No one can say whether or not she was killed on the basis of the information the TV channel supplied to the terrorists with the help of their handlers. Yet another channel interviewed a terrorist, even as the operations were underway. It is the same channel that had on an earlier occasion provided a terrorist wanted for his crimes committed in J&K its platform to plead his innocence even before he was questioned by the police.

Although it is no justification for media’s gross indiscretions, the government and the official agencies must also share the blame for many of the blunders committed by the media. The “brilliant” Home Minister chose to blurt out before cameras sensitive information about 200 commandos being flown to Mumbai to deal with the terrorists. And, for God’s sake, why didn’t the authorities cordon off areas where security forces were battling with terrorists? Why did the police allow mediapersons to operate from so close a range that they became privy to operational details? I&B Ministry woke up to the need of issuing advisories to the media about delaying telecasting of operations by 20 minutes or so rather late in the day. Further, telecasting of unverified news by information-hungry channels and the unseemly war of words on cameras by various agencies to grab credit for their role in the operations could ha ve been avoided if the I&B Ministry and other agencies had arranged for frequent official briefings of the latest developments.

It is not for the first time that media have failed the nation. Sensationalism and trivialisation of news have been the bane of media for quite some time. Sections of it have been promoting violence, vulgarity, crime and sex to increase circulation and attract more eyeballs. Credibility of sting operations—a powerful tool to expose misdeeds of the corrupt and criminals—has been severely undermined by the channels that acted irresponsibly or allowed themselves to be manipulated by vested interests, including politicians. Equally devastating was the insensitive coverage of Arushi murder case. Credibility was lost by editorialising news and selling editorial space for advertisements under the garb of news. Several newspapers with mass circulations brought shame to the profession by charging money from candidates for favourable reports about their chances of success in assembly elections in Punjab, UP and Uttarakhand. TRP wars among channels are nothing less than a racket. Some regulation of the TRP system to make it credible and accountable is the need of the hour.

All said and done, the grave lapses committed by sections of the media in the coverage of 26/11 has created a situation in which the informed sections of the civil society—that had always stood for freedom and independence of the media—are now demanding regulation of the media by the government (!). It is an alarming situation. A Parliamentary Committee has come up with welcome suggestions. It has asked the government to put in place an effective regulatory mechanism for the media for covering sensitive security developments. Pointing out that self-regulation by the media has proved ineffective; the Committee has called for statutory regulation of both print and electronic media on the model of the Press Council of India with the proviso that the proposed regulatory authority must be vested with more powers. The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) is resisting the move on the ground that they have already put in place a sel f-regulatory “emergency protocol” for covering riots, terror attacks, hijacking and hostage situations. The protocol, that is in sync with those in place in several western countries, debars channels from live phone-ins with terrorists and hostages, live broadcasting of sensitive situations and broadcasting information that may jeopardise security operations.

The News Broadcasting Standards Disputes Redressal Authority headed by former Chief Justice J S Verma, set up by the NBA, is empowered to admonish, warn, censure, express disapproval and/or impose a fine of up to Rs one lakh and even recommend suspension or revocation of the licence of the channel found guilty of violating these norms. It is fine as for as it goes. But it suffers from two infirmities. First, the NBA that constituted the Authority represents only 14 broadcasters running 22 news channels. What about the remaining 100-odd channels? Will there be no regulation for them? Secondly, it only deals with emergency situations. What about the sleeze under the garb of entertainment served round the clock by countless channels? Finally, the country needs one authority to regulate content in all types of media—electronic, print and Internet, for an even-handed self-regulation of media and to protect it from invasions on its ind ependence and freedom from governments and other agencies.

Freedom and independence of media is non-negotiable. Any form of government control over media is totally unacceptable. Self-regulation is an ideal situation. The tragedy, however, is that self-regulation, as it exists today, has proved ineffective in this era of stiff competition and lure for money. Commerce rather than professionalism and social responsibility has emerged as the dominant motivation of those who own and work in media. Model code of conduct and emergency protocol evolved by statutory or voluntary bodies have failed to prevent large sections of media from going astray. Under the circumstances, the government will have to act as a facilitator for self-regulation. Press Council of India was set up by an act of Parliament for self-regulation of print media. It did serve the purpose to a point. Eventually, it proved rather ineffective for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is toothless and can’t punish those who persist ently violate ethics and code of conduct laid down by it. Further, powerful sections of print media, proprietors as well as editors, disowned the institution and went all out to undermine its authority and credibility. Governments were not far behind. There is the infamous case of Haryana Chief Minister Bansi Lal openly defying the pronouncements of the Council defeating the very purpose for which it was set up. In due course, the Council was manipulated from within. Certain self-styled journalists have manipulated the system to become its members to sit in judgment of others while they are the ones who should be in the dock for violating media ethics and norms.

Before setting up a statutory regulatory mechanism for media, the government and the Parliament must study the infirmities from which the Press Council of India suffers and take appropriate steps to steer clear of these. The government needs to hold wide ranging consultations with the political parties and professional bodies of media to evolve a broad consensus for setting up a more effective and credible regulatory authority for the entire media—print, electronic and Internet. The regulatory authority needs to be empowered to punish those who violate media ethics and norms or abuse their power to suppress and deny freedom and independence to the media. Abundant care will have to be taken to ensure that the authority doesn’t become another court of law with attendant delays and prolonged litigation. Equally important is the complex task of ensuring that the Authority should comprise of persons that enjoy the confidence of the media and have high credibility among the people.

9. Pak poses threat to India, US: Hadley (http://dailypioneer.com/)

Date: - 8 -1-09

PTI | New York

The "biggest" foreign-policy challenge awaiting US President-elect Barack Obama is "Pakistan" as its "turbulent border" region posed a threat not only to American forces in Afghanistan but also India and the world beyond, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley has said.

"The biggest foreign-policy challenge awaiting President-elect Barack Obama isn't Iraq or Afghanistan but Pakistan," Hadley was quoted as saying by the Wall Street Journal.

In an interview with the journal, previewing a valedictory speech he plans to give today, he said "Pakistan's increasingly turbulent border region poses a threat not just to the US mission in Afghanistan, but also to neighboring India as evident by the recent Mumbai terrorist attacks, as well as to urban areas of the country itself and the world beyond".

If the extremists succeed in destabilising Pakistan, the resulting chaos will threaten the entire region, Hadley told the the paper.

"You can't really solve Afghanistan without solving Pakistan and that's why I think Pakistan is at the center" of the challenge for the incoming administration, he added.

In his speech, Hadley is also expected to acknowledge challenges for the US in the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as in efforts to curb Iran's apparent nuclear ambitions, the paper said.

Iran remains the biggest problem in the Middle East and US progress in mending fences with Western Europe means that the next administration should be able to enforce tougher sanctions on the country, he stated.

Date: - 8 -1-09

JC Chatterji

Has India really woken up after the terror acts on Mumbai? At least the people are exhorting the authorities to take action rather than issue platitudes. They want action against terrorism but not war with Pakistan. Unlike the US, a distant country, India does not possess sophisticated weapons to prevent a nuclear attack. The economic and human cost of war would be enormous for the two neighbouring countries to bear. Thus, strengthening the internal security of the country will be a better approach to deal with terrorism.

This doesn’t imply that we should put a lid on our anger. Rather we must direct our anger in the right direction by exerting pressure on the authorities to adopt not only remedial measures but also preventive ones to tackle terror. The escalating number of anti-national elements making their way through our porous borders is a reflection of the fact the internal security is weak and that the concerned authorities are not performing their duty properly. In this respect, it will be a good idea to have a common database of those suspected of carrying out terrorist activities within the country. This information can then be shared among the various security agencies and the BSF and the Coast Guards.

With corruption becoming a way of life and hawala money being used for funding terror activities, a strict policy must be formulated to crack down on black money. In this direction the Government should set up a ‘no questions asked’ national fund. All those in possession of black money should be forced to deposit the same into this fund. And in case a person wants to voluntarily surrender black money then he or she should be allowed to do so without attracting punishment.

If implemented properly this fund could generate enough money to overhaul our internal security infrastructure. It could also go towards increasing the pay-scale of security personnel who work under extreme stress. Also, this money could go towards implementing anti-corruption drives. This could include educational workshops for Government employees educating them to shun corruption.

Only a nation with character, robust health and sound economy will be able to overcome problems like terrorism. It is important that each and every one of us takes an oath that he or she will never indulge in corruption and will always work for the development of India.

Date: - 8 -1-09

By Bhaskar Roy

No political pundit could have forecast the result of the December 29, 2008 elections to the 9th Bangladesh Parliament (Jatiyo Sangsad). In SAAG Paper No. 2991 this columnist had written it was difficult to make an approximation of the results, and there were serious issues facing the country to be considered. Apparently, the people of Bangladesh had seriously considered the challenge and gave their verdict accordingly on December 29.

It was the biggest win by a single party since 1973, the first election after liberation of the country, when Sk. Mujibur Rahman’s Awami League swept the polls. That was, of course, different. Sk. Mujib was seen as the liberator of Bangladesh from Pakistan’s oppression. That euphoria was, however, short lived. Sk. Mujib and his entire family were assassinated on August 15, 1975 by a group of young army officers. It is well known that the coup was executed by Pakistan through their agents in Mujibur Rahman’s cabinet. More interestingly, recently declassified US State Department papers reveal they were kept informed on a real time basis the happenings in Dhaka that fateful night. Well, those were different days.

With 231 of the 300 seats in its pocket, the Awami League takes one back to the 1970 Pakistan elections which the party won handsomely but was denied their opportunity to form the government by the power in Islamabad. That led to the simmering independence movement to come out to the surface. That, as they say, is history.

Bangladesh’s spiritual liberation was arrested for a long time. Following the massacre of Sk. Mujib and his family, the top leaders of Awami League were also murdered in jail that November by a section of the army. It was the handiwork of Zia-ur-Rehman, who claims he is the liberator of Bangladesh. Zia, who became President of Bangladesh, was assassinated in 1981, in another coup.

Maj. Zia was a Sector Commander only during the liberation war. But his was the greatest betrayer of the cause and soul of Bangladesh’s liberation. He rehabilitated the liberation war criminals – the Razakars, the Al Badrs and the Al Shams – who had raped and killed Bangladeshis on behalf of the Pakistani army, were amalgamated into the new Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) party to support Zia’s newly formed Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in 1978. Begum Khaleda Zia, widow of Zia-ur-Rehman, carried on his political legacy but with one difference. Zia-ur-Rehman was not personally corrupt. Khaleda Zia and her two sons raped the country especially during the BNP-JEI led four party rule from 2001-2006.

Very briefly, the BNP won 116 seats in 1996, 193 in 2001 (October), and 29 in 2008 (December). The JEI won 03 seats in 1996, 17 in 2001, and 02 in 2008. The Awami League won 146 seats in 1996 and formed the government. It lost in 2001 winning only 62 seats and came back in 2001 with 231 seats. The Awami League and its grand alliance won a total of 262 seats. The achievement goes beyond any conceivable charges of rigging.

The Awami League and their grand alliance partner including former military President H.M.Ershad must try and introspect why the people gave them such a huge mandate this time, and why such a mandate was not given to any one political party after 1973.

The soul of the December 29, 2008 people’s mandate actually goes back to 1948, a year after Pakistan (West and East) was formed in 1947 as part of the British brokered partition of the Indian subcontinent. The 1952 “Language Movement” in East Pakistan (Bangladesh) did not happen overnight. Pakistan was created on the basis of religion, Islam. But West and East Pakistan experienced that religion was subservient to much more tangible facts of life which can be touched, felt and experienced. There were history, language and culture – in brief, the way of life. Way of life is more genetic, and shaped by the immediate social environment. Religion can be inherited, adopted, and even changed in its various interpretations. Islam among the people of East Pakistan i.e. Bengal and now Bangladesh has always been tolerant and liberal.

In undivided India, there was little in common between the Bengali Muslims in the eastern part of India and the Punjabi Muslims with the Western wing who came to dominate East Pakistan. It was a forced marriage of discontent between the two. Bangladesh was born in 1971 from the blood, dead bodies of Bangladeshis. The “Mukti Bahini”, the freedom fighters against West Pakistan military domination were entirely Bangladeshis.

The question may arise why the people did not rise up when Sk. Mujibur Rahman and his family were massacred on August 15, 1975. There is no simple answers to this question, but answers must be sought urgently. And while seeking answers the Awami League leaders especially Sk. Mujib’s daughters Sk. Hasina and Sk. Rehana must be bold enough to accept the truth, and ensure the mistakes and not repeated.

People know what the mistakes were. They fought the war, mourned their dead, licked their wounds and went home. They truly hoped their sacrifices would be honoured and “Sonar Bangla” (Golden Bangladesh) would be reborn.

Late A.L.Khatib, a journalist of Indian extraction who became more of a Bangladeshi, wrote a small essay “Where the Shapla (water lily) smiles”. This small bit of prose, which was sheer poetry, epitomized Bangladesh. It was truly a paradise after evicting the marauding Pakistan’s and their JEI killing and raping machines.

Two very basic things happened after liberation. The poison of pro-Pakistan religious extremists was not fully expunged due to some misplaced ambitions of new political leaders like Zia-ur-Rehman. Some of the new rulers felt they could exploit the situation as they liked. In addition, the main liberation leaders were assassinated in November, the same year, in Dhaka jail by those who killed Sk. Mujibur Rahman. Bangladesh was left with no real political leaders.

The people generally turned away. They did not have any honest and upright leader. They were also confused, concluding corruption and religious manipulations were part of life. But then, everything has a limit. The December 29 verdict is clear – the new government has been given the responsibility to bring back Bangladesh what it was and supposed to be – Sonar Bangla, the land where the “Shapla smiles”.

The people’s verdict enjoins upon Sk. Hasina, Prime Minister–elect of Bangladesh certain clear, doable responsibilities: get rid of corruption, accelerate economic development, follow moderate and tolerant religious policies, strong counter-terrorism drives to eradicate this scourge, and put street politics in the box. If this opportunity is wasted for reason other than the repair of the country, the new leaders will have to pay a heavy price. To take the country forward it is imperative to boldly revisit 1971 and 1975 and root out the poisonous weeds. There is no other way.

(The author is an eminent analyst with many years of experience. He can be reached at grouchohart@yahoo.com)

12. Tirukural - Chapter 11: Gratitude. A kindness done in the hour of need may itself be small, but in worth it exceeds the whole world. (Kauai_Hindu_Monastery@jnanadana.com)

Date: - 8 -1-09

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Tirukural

A daily chapter from South Indian saint Tiruvalluvar's Tirukural, "Holy Couplets."

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Chapter 11: Gratitude

Kural 101

The bounty of Heaven and Earth are scant repayment

for help rendered though no help was received.

Kural 102

A kindness done in the hour of need may itself be small,

but in worth it exceeds the whole world.

Kural 103

When help is given by weighing the recipient's need

and not the donor's reward, its goodness is greater than the sea.

Kural 104

While aid may outwardly seem as puny as a mustard seed,

those who know will deem it as imposing as a towering palm.

Kural 105

Help rendered another cannot be measured by the extent of

assistance given. Its real measure is the recipient's worthiness.

Kural 106

Never forget fellowship with pure souls,

nor forsake friendship with those who aided you in adversity.

Kural 107

For seven lives in seven bodies the grateful will remember

friends who relieved their anguish and affliction.

Kural 108

It is improper to ever forget a kindness,

but good to forget at once an injury received.

Kural 109

The deadliest injury is effaced the moment

the mind recalls a single kindness received from the injurer.

Kural 110

Having killed every kind of goodness, one may yet be saved,

but there is no redemption for those who let gratitude die.

13. Vedic Verses for 1/7/09. May the Lord find pleasure in our song of praise! Priest among Men, may he offer due homage to the heavenly beings! (Kauai_Hindu_Monastery@jnanadana.com)

Date: - 8 -1-09

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Vedic Verses

A daily collection of verses from the Vedas, Hinduism's revealed scripture

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Vedic Verses for 1/7/09

In your praise, O Lord, who reach highest heaven, we compose our song, eager to obtain your treasure divine!

Rig Veda V, 13, 2

May the Lord find pleasure in our song of praise! Priest among Men, may he offer due homage to the heavenly beings!

Rig Veda V, 13, 3

Great, O Lord, is your renown. Through you, O blessed one, worthy mediator, may we complete the sacrifice!

Rig Veda V, 13, 4

The poets exalt you with their hymns-- you whose undertakings are ever successful. Grant us great vigor!

Rig Veda V, 13, 5

As the spokes are bound by encircling iron, so you encompass the Gods, O Lord. I yearn for your bounty!

Rig Veda V, 13, 6

14. Gospel of Jesus: Did Jesus advise to Divide, to Kill, and to Rule? Was he a Terrorist? Who can believe this?

i) Holy Bible - New Testament, Luke 12; 51-53: Jesus said:

ii) Holy Bible, New Testament, Luke 20; 27: Jesus said: “for those enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and kill them in my presence.”

15. Obama Is Reported Set to Revise Counter terrorism Efforts (nytimes.com)

Date: - 8 -1-09

By PETER BAKER

Published: January 7, 2009

WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama is preparing to scrap the way President Bush oversaw domestic security in the White House and name a former Central Intelligence Agency official to coordinate counterterrorism, people close to the transition said Wednesday.

A series of profiles of potential members of President-elect Barack Obama’s administration.

The latest on the presidential transition and other political news from Washington and around the nation. Join the discussion.

Election Results | More Politics NewsThe plan being discussed would eliminate the independent homeland security adviser’s office and assign those duties to the National Security Council to streamline sometimes overlapping functions. A deputy national security adviser would be charged with overseeing the effort to guard against terrorism and to respond to natural disasters.

Democrats close to the transition said Mr. Obama’s choice for that job was John O. Brennan, a longtime C.I.A. veteran who was the front-runner to head the spy agency until withdrawing in November amid criticism of his views on interrogation and detention policies. His appointment would not require Senate confirmation.

Mr. Obama has made no final decision about how to structure domestic security in his White House, and advisers plan to wait until his inauguration to conduct a formal review. But many key advisers have publicly advocated folding it into the National Security Council, and those involved in discussions said the only real questions appeared to be how to do that and how to explain it without looking like domestic security was being downgraded as a priority.

Mr. Bush first appointed a homeland security adviser after the Sept. 11 attacks, and Congress later institutionalized a Homeland Security Council inside the White House. The adviser holds the rank of assistant to the president, equivalent to the national security adviser and reports directly to the Oval Office.

“It’s pretty clear they’ve made the decision,” said Frances Fragos Townsend, who was homeland security adviser under Mr. Bush and has talked with the Obama team about the issue. “It’s a question of timing and how they’re going to roll it out.”

Mr. Bush’s aides, including the national security adviser, Stephen J. Hadley, have privately urged Mr. Obama’s advisers not to get rid of the separate homeland security office, warning that it would load too many responsibilities on the National Security Council and risk important matters’ falling through the cracks.

The likely selection of Mr. Brennan to take over domestic security issues in the White House represents a turnaround. Mr. Brennan, a former C.I.A. officer in the Mideast who served as the first director of the National Counterterrorism Center, was seen as the favorite for C.I.A. director after the Nov. 4 election. But he abruptly pulled out after critics of Mr. Bush sharply criticized Mr. Brennan for past comments that seemed to defend C.I.A. operations after Sept. 11. Mr. Brennan defended his record and called himself an opponent of the harsh interrogation methods used in recent years.

In his new capacity, Mr. Brennan would report to Gen. James L. Jones, the retired Marine commandant slated to serve as Mr. Obama’s national security adviser. Dozens of aides now working for the homeland security adviser would largely be incorporated into the N.S.C. staff. The cabinet Department of Homeland Security would not be affected by any of these moves.

The idea of merging the two councils has been recommended by a number of reports, most notably in November by the Center for American Progress Action Fund and by Third Way. Among those preparing their report were John D. Podesta, Mr. Obama’s transition co-chairman, and members of his team.

The report argued that domestic security is inextricably tied to the nation’s broader foreign and military policy making.

“It was an artificial distinction to begin with,” said Matt Bennett, vice president of Third Way. “Homeland security is a function of national security in its purest form.”

C. Stewart Verdery Jr., a former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security under Mr. Bush, said putting domestic security under the national security adviser would focus more attention on those matters, not less.

“It was very hard to get D.H.S. on the N.S.C. radar,” Mr. Verdery said. “You want your issues considered. You don’t want to be off in some second bucket.”

But some state officials are skeptical. “The National Security Council is focused outside,” said Nancy Dragani, director of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency and president of the National Emergency Management Association. “They’re not going to be, nor should they be, consumed with worrying about what’s happening in Ohio.”

Senator Susan E. Collins of Maine, the ranking Republican on the homeland security committee, said, “If the Homeland Security Council were to be merged with the National Security Council, I would be concerned that insufficient attention would be devoted to homeland security issues.”

Ms. Townsend, who held the job until about a year ago, said the council should remain independent, but acknowledged pros and cons. In fact, she said, she recommended to Mr. Hadley and his predecessor, Condoleezza Rice, that they assume responsibility for domestic security, but both persuaded her they already had too much to do.

Still, Ms. Townsend added that fellow Republicans should not use the organizational change to accuse Mr. Obama of not caring as much about domestic security.

“That’s nonsense,” she said.

16. Reciting Ramayana Non-Stop for One Year Source: (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

Date: - 8 -1-09

UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA, December 31, 2008: Residents of Jalesar, a small Uttar Pradesh town about 350 km from Lucknow, are now nine months into an unbroken year-long recitation of the Hindu epic Ramayana. The verses are chanted outside the Badhkeshwar Mahadev temple and can be heard from loudspeakers in various neighborhoods, including the main bus stop.

Some fifty people–men, women and children–have been participating in the year- long religious event. Men often take on the night shifts, and women and children take charge in the mornings and afternoons respectively, ensuring that there is no break in the reading.

17. Russian gas crisis to keep bills high as firms divert UK stocks (http://www.guardian.co.uk/)

Date: 08.01.09

Britain now exporting supplies to Europe through pipeline as shortages spread

Terry Macalister

The Guardian, Thursday 8 January 2009

Hopes of big cuts in household energy bills faded yesterday as traders drove up UK prices by exporting gas to fill a growing shortage across Europe.

Despite freezing temperatures and rising demand in Britain, traders switched from importing to exporting gas through an interconnector pipeline to continental Europe as a growing row between Russia and Ukraine left many countries short of supplies.

British wholesale prices have leapt in recent days due to the crisis, leading to warnings that UK householders could be denied long-awaited cuts in fuel prices. The price of gas hit 73p a therm - up 26% in three days.

Government sources warned UK energy companies not to use the Ukraine crisis as an excuse to delay passing on the benefits of otherwise lower world energy prices. One senior Whitehall figure said: "We would expect the energy companies to be responsible and not use this dispute as an excuse to hold off on the price reductions they have talked about which customers are expecting in the spring."

British Gas and others indicated late last year they would cut domestic gas bills early this year amid growing anger from consumers, but made clear this would only happen if there was a sustained fall in the price of wholesale power.

Hopes of that fall in domestic gas bills are now dwindling, said energy consultants, Inenco, which counts M&S and John Lewis among its customers.

The crisis will reignite concerns that the UK has left itself open to exploitation by foreign companies who came in and bought up major UK utilities leaving British Gas as one of the few locally owned entities. EDF of France and E.ON and RWE of Germany are among the continental groups that dominate the sector.

There was particular concern that the huge foreign-owned utilities that dominate power supply in the UK are putting their continental customers ahead of UK energy users, although they denied this.

These companies - some of which have part-government ownership - have used a free market to buy British assets in a way that is considered unlikely to occur on mainland Europe. They are also able to use the more liberalised gas market to fill up their storage facilities during the summer and autumn.

E.ON, which has nearly 3 million gas customers in Britain and is a part-owner of the interconnector pipeline, confirmed that the fixed link had turned from being a net importer to net exporter of gas, because of shortages throughout parts of continental Europe.

The company admitted its gas traders might themselves be exporting gas from the UK but this was not at the expense of the UK consumer or unexpected. "It's a fairly normal time in the UK ... southern Germany has got a problem and is being largely supplied by northern Germany but it's certainly possible our traders [are exporting from Britain]. They are always looking for opportunities. But it is only if the situation goes completely pear-shaped that France and Germany will come looking for Norwegian gas in Britain," said a spokesman for E.ON UK.

The National Grid, which operates the gas and electricity transmission network in Britain confirmed that 10m cubic metres of gas a day was moving though the interconnector between the UK and Belgium. But he said this was more than made up for by imports from the continent via the BBL pipeline and Norwegian energy arriving through the Langeled link.

Mounting concerns about Britain's energy security came after Russia finally halted all shipments to Ukraine, accusing its neighbour of holding up all transit gas bound for continental Europe.

The European commission described the behaviour of Russia and Ukraine as "completely unacceptable" while the problems rekindled a long-running debate in the UK about the vulnerability of the country now that North Sea gas and oil supplies are running down fast.

John Cridland, deputy director-general of the CBI, said the disruption underlined the importance of the British government taking urgent action on a wider UK energy agenda.

And David Porter, chief executive of the Association of Electricity Producers, said it underlined the need for new coal-fired stations to keep the lights on. "New coal-fired stations can be built much sooner than new nuclear and they can help us to avoid power shortages as our ageing power stations close in the next few years," he said.

18. J&K: Army says terrorists holed up in caves (ndtv.com)

Date: 08.01.09

NDTV Correspondent

Wednesday, January 07, 2009, (Poonch, J&K)

While Pakistan keeps saying it does not allow terrorist bases in its country, fierce battle is on for a week now with Indian troops fighting 10 Jaish-e-Mohd terrorists from across the border clearly supported by Pakistan.

There was a fresh exchange of fire on Tuesday night and on Wednesday morning the Army again denied reports that the terrorists had built bunkers and said that they were hiding in natural caves in the jungle.

19. FBI team to visit Pak to carry on Mumbai attacks probe: Mulford (samachar.com)

Date: 8.1.09

Shekhar Gupta, Editor-in-Chief, Indian Express

Wednesday, January 07, 2009, (New Delhi)

America's Ambassador David Mulford has said the US has confirmed that the Mumbai terror attacks were masterminded and led from Pakistan.

He also said that an FBI team is on its way soon and they have already got their visas. Mulford was speaking exclusively on NDTV's Walk the Talk show.

He added that Pakistan tried to build up war hysteria and gained from the threat for a few days but not any more.

Excerpts from the interview:

Shekhar Gupta, Editor-in-Chief, Indian Express: And investigations coming so far I am not referring to the evidence India has put forward. Do they convince you that the root of this, source of this was in Pakistan?

David Mulford, US Ambassador to India: Well we have said that this the attack was managed from Pakistani soil. We have said this, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had said that when she was here, other senior officials have indicated that in Washington.

Shekhar Gupta: I am very interested in your saying that FBI is coming and operating and FBI and its Indian counterparts are working together and there is no adverse comment in the media. Right? Or in the political system, which is very skecptical and suspicious of America, large parts of it, at the same time you don't find the same warmth in Pakistan any longer?

David Mulford: I can not talk about there, I am not there.

Shekhar Gupta: Which is a complete reversal of you know FBI people not being able to go to Pakistan as yet or not getting access to?

David Mulford: They have visas and they are going to go, they are finishing some things here.

Shekhar Gupta: We were not sure here that they got their visas.

David Mulford: No, they have the visas and they will be going.

You can watch that entire show Walk The Talk, with David Mulford, US Ambassador to India at 8.30 on Wednesday night.

21. The Aim of RSS Is To Unite The Hindu Society, Says General Secretary Source: “the vision of Hindu unity cannot come about without the involvement and participation of our so called dalit community. From our point of view all Hindus are equal and for us there are no dalits, they are all Hindus.”HPI Correspondent India/South Asia.

Date: 8.1.09

NEW DELHI, INDIA, January 4, 2009th, 2009 (By Rajiv Malik): The chief aim of RSS as enumerated by its founder, Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, was to unite the Hindu society. Even after eighty years of its existence, its leaders say this aim and focus has not changed.

“In all these decades what Sangh has done is indeed a big job but it is still incomplete, said Shri Mohanrao Bhagwat, General Secretary of RSS in an interactive session on the subject “Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh: Achievements and Expectations” held on the evening of January 3, 2009 in New Delhi’s Satya Sai Auditorium which with around 800 people including educationists, media persons, social activists, government officials and senior army officials. A group of Hindu saints also participated in the event.

Reeling out figures Shri Bhagwat said, “Though the population of Hindus is 1 billion, the number of RSS swayamsevaks is just 4 million. For sure we would like it to go up and it should at least be one percent. But at the same time we have to recognise that from just one person, we are now 4 million and from this we definitely aspire to become 40 million in the times to come. However we are in no hurry to stretch ourselves too much for this and will keep working at the best pace that is suitable to us within our limitations.”

Answering a volley of questions on diverse subjects, Shri Bhagwat said, “This mentality of Jehadi terrorism is not something new for us and we have been facing it for the past 1000 years. This problem can be better tackled if Hindus are more vigilant and awakened. We are open to a dialogue with the Muslims for betterment of our relationship with them and also removing any misunderstanding that we may have about each other, but for this to take place, some kind of positive initiative must come from their side also.”

In reply to another set of questions, he said that it would be wrong to say that RSS is male-dominated. “We have to understand that our 4 million volunteers cannot function without the active and total support of the womenfolk in their families. We also have a sister organisation, Rashtriiya Swayamsevika Sangh, which has 5000 groups for women all over India.”

Responding to yet another question, he clarified that it would be wrong to say that RSS ignores or has ignored dalits. He said,” the vision of Hindu unity cannot come about without the involvement and participation of our so called dalit community. From our point of view all Hindus are equal and for us there are no dalits, they are all Hindus.”

The three hour event began with chanting of mantras and traditional lighting of lamps before the picture of Bharat Mata [Mother India]. It ended with the collective recitation of Vande Matram.

22. Good article by Tarun Vijay- Vote BJP/VHP/RSS. The naked truth is that the last two decades have seen a terrorism which is called Islamic in its contours by the very perpetrators and is powered by Pakistan's military agencies including the ISI. It needs an Indian response, ruthless and decisive. Time to wake up and wave your tricoulour against the marauders. Show a profound solidarity for soldiers. And remember, every single person, whether in olive green or in khaki, fighting the terrorists is a soldier in times like this. The Lok Sabha elections are fast nearing. Prepare the entire democratic arsenal for that and choose young fresh faces on the basis of their patriotism and brilliance. Hanif or Hari, doesn't matter, what matters is that they are ready to take on terrorism head on.

Posted by: "kollengode99" kollengode99@yahoo.com

Tue Jan 6, 2009 8:53 am (PST)

We forget too soon and forgive even before forgiveness is asked for. Our tolerance has brought more and more marauders and murderers. Our virtues have been taken as a mark of cowardice. Remember December 13, the day our Parliament was attacked. Everyone said it was an attack on India. What happened later? Afzal, the terrorist accused of waging war against the Indian state, has found patrons in Delhi.

Let's not forget our fellow citizens who have been victims of brutal terrorist attacks. On the eve of December 16, when the arrogant Pakistani marauders surrendered before our armed forces in Dhaka in 1971, let's revive the spirit of victory and firmness to punish the Pakistani terrorists, even if it means bombarding their hideouts. Sometimes to take revenge becomes a pious duty, synonymous with righteousness. Sometimes to be intolerant to the barbaric attacker is the path of virtue.

Sometimes using constitutional instruments for silencing the homegrown shields of the terrorists masquerading as secular human rights advocates and apologists for the Batla House module is the only way to protect the meek and plundered classes.

It's our politicians' deeds or misdeeds that brought us this day. As guardians of the state and its people, it was their duty to strengthen the security and keep assaulters away. Surrounded as we are by failed states, which are exporting jihad and Marxist terrorism, it was the first and foremost duty of the rulers in Delhi to make the nation's security their first priority, no matter which party they belonged to.

They failed us collectively and became spineless chroniclers of a nation's misfortune. Or the registrars of the unending agony of a people. They would simply present reports every year Â— banned terrorist organizations, number of citizens killed, number of security persons killed, number of bombs and rifles unearthed or captured, number of infiltrators estimated to have sneaked into our territory, number of terrorists eliminated, number ...

What a game they played.

And now they are talking tough.

They used the same language whenever there was a terror attack. Gauge the mood of the people and speak what they want to hear. Soon everything will be normal. Public memory is always short.

I am sure the way Kasab, one of the perpetrators of the Mumbai mayhem is being presented in the media, soon there would be committees demanding his release, for the sake of India-Pakistan relations. Or his trial may be delayed to another decade, or maybe

he is exchanged in a deal. That's what our past has been. How can we have a different future unless we have a different set of rulers?

We are all familiar with the denial mode for the invasions we bore in the past: Aurangzeb didn't demolish Kashi temple, Babar didn't build mosque over Rama's birth place in Ayodhya, Kashmiri Hindus were not driven out by jihadis but were pushed to leave their home and hearth by Jagmohan, the Godhra train was not set blaze by Muslim terrorists but by Hindus themselves, there are no Bangladeshi infiltrators.

This attitude isn't going to help anyone Â— neither the "bigots" nor the Muslims nor the nation. Rather it will increase the bitterness and reinforce divides. So how does the black ribbons help Hindus, the principal targets and the victims of a pogrom that pronouncedly

bears the identity of a religion? Or Deoband's ambiguous fatwa against terrorism? They look, unfortunately, more of an effort to buy a civil space in a Hindu majority country than a serious attempt to make jihadis desist from doing what they are doing quoting religious books.

Protect plurality, fight unitedly

This can be successfully carried on only if every Indian joins it irrespective of his faith. The naked truth is that the last two decades have seen a terrorism which is called Islamic in its contours by the very perpetrators and is powered by Pakistan's military agencies including the ISI. It needs an Indian response, ruthless and decisive. Time to wake up and wave your tricoulour against the marauders. Show a profound solidarity for soldiers. And remember, every single person, whether in olive green or in khaki, fighting the terrorists is a soldier in times like this.

Defeat the homegrown shields of terror

Phrases like "zero tolerance" mean nothing. The state must be intolerant to the terrorist and merciless in its dealings with those who shelter them and provide a workspace or a kind of legitimacy through religious covers and secular columns.

Now, how to combat this situation?

Rise united as Indians forgetting parochial, religious, ideological and language fault lines. Those who raise such issues to garner votes must be treated on a par with these terrorists and handed over to the ATS. Any party or organization raking up or assaulting

religiously sensitive issues must be discarded and condemned. This can be done through non-political organizations and leadership. The temples, churches and the mosques can't be bigger than the nation, all gods need a space to be identified and worshipped. The nation is the space that counts more than anything else. The Lok Sabha elections are fast nearing. Prepare the entire democratic arsenal for that and choose young fresh faces on the basis of their patriotism and brilliance. Hanif or Hari, doesn't matter, what matters is that they are ready to take on terrorism head on.

23. Terrorist Conversation during Mumbai Attack as in Yahoo.com. Later in the night, nearly 24 hours after the attacks began, the handlers urged the gunmen to "be strong in the name of Allah". Much of the dialogue has a teacher-student dynamic, and indeed, the surviving gunman has said he and the rest of the group were trained by Lashkar in Pakistan. "Keep your phone switched on," a handler said in the midst of the siege, "so that we can hear the gunfire.".

Date: 8.1.09

The gunmen were told several times not to kill any Muslim hostages.

Date: 8.1.09

NEW DELHI – "We have three foreigners, including women," the gunman said into the phone. The response was brutally simple: "Kill them." Gunshots then rang out inside the Mumbai hotel, followed by cheering that could be heard over the phone.

The ruthless exchange comes from a transcript of phone calls Indian authorities say they intercepted during the November Mumbai attacks. They were part of a dossier of evidence New Delhi handed Pakistan this week that it says definitively proves that the siege was launched from across the border.

The handlers told a team of gunmen who had seized a Jewish center to shoot hostages if necessary.

Six Jewish foreigners, including a rabbi and his wife, were killed inside the Jewish center..

Later in the night, nearly 24 hours after the attacks began, the handlers urged the gunmen to "be strong in the name of Allah"

The gunmen were told several times not to kill any Muslim hostages.

The attackers used several different mobile phones, including those belonging to the hostages. Shortly after the siege began, Indian authorities say they began intercepting calls from inside the hotel. They were also able to pick up calls carried over the Internet, which the handlers used to route some calls, according to the dossier.

The siege lasted nearly three days, far longer than security experts said it should have, and, apparently, far longer than the terrorists expected as well. The handlers told the gunmen on Nov. 27 that "the operation has to be concluded tomorrow morning." But it was 36 more hours before it finished.

Much of the dialogue has a teacher-student dynamic, and indeed, the surviving gunman has said he and the rest of the group were trained by Lashkar in Pakistan.

The attacks against iconic Mumbai targets were covered nonstop by news channels around the world. The handlers used the TV reports to guide the gunmen, the dossier says, including warning when commandos roped down to the Jewish center from helicopters.

The dossier included photographs of dozens of items recovered in the attacks, including GPS units, mobile phones, guns, and explosives, as well as data gleaned from satellite phones, and details from the interrogation of the lone surviving gunman.

It also had pictures of more mundane items India calls incriminating because they were made in Pakistan, including pickles, detergent, a match box, tissue paper, a Mountain Dew bottle, shaving cream and a towel.

But the strongest — and most chilling — evidence that the gunmen were not acting alone came from the phone transcripts.

Prof. G.C.Asnani News and Views 7th January 2009

2009-01-07T00:27:07Z

Prof. G. C. ASNANI, MSc., Ph.D. (United Nations Service, Retd.)

822, Sindh Colony, Aundh,

Pune – 411 007 (HINDUSTAN, INDIA)

Tel: 91-20-2588-0347

E-mail: i)asnanigc@yahoo.com, ii) gcasnani@vsnl.com iii) gcasnani@hinduvoice.net

News and Views 7-1-09

1. UN chief demands Gaza ceasefire (http://news.bbc.co.uk/.)

2. US recession forecast to drag on (http://news.bbc.co.uk/)

3. Israel to open 'humanitarian corridor' for Gaza aid(cnn.com)

4. Al Qaeda message blames Obama, Egypt for Gaza violence(cnn.com)

5. Muslims attacking Jews all over EuropePARIS – Government officials and Jewish leaders are concerned the conflict in Gaza may spill over into violence in Europe, with attacks reported against Jews and synagogues in France, Sweden and Britain

( http://www.jihadwatch.org/)

6. “We face a very delicate situation where the Hamas is using the citizens of Gaza as a protective vest”. (IsraelNN.com) The IDF reported that two well known Hamas terrorists were among the dead in the IDF strike on a school Tuesday which also killed over 40 civilians. According to the IDF, the terrorists were using the school to fire mortar shells at troops. (http://www.jihadwatch.org/)

7. Pak textbooks build hate culture against India -By Arif Mohammed Khan (organiser.org)

8. Threat to the Indian Union -Soft-pedalling on defence preparedness. Despite the threat to the territorial integrity of the Union being visible for decades, New Delhi continues to mishandle the military preparedness year-after-year by degrading it. Former Air Chief Marshal Krishnaswamy’s counter-question after the Mumbai siege, “When your defences are weak, what are you going to coerce with?” illuminates the incompetence of South Block. The enemy could not have prayed for a more fortunate break! -By Bharat Verma (organiser.org)

9. Hasina sworn in as new Bangladesh Prime Minister (http://dailypioneer.com/)

10. Govt may revisit National Investigation Authority (NIA) Act, says Chidambaram (http://dailypioneer.com/)

11. POST MUMBAI 9/11: INDIA PARALYZED BY PAKISTAN’S SUPERIORITY IN “BATTLE OF PERCEPTIONS”. India’s paralysis in the post-Mumbai 9/11 phase of over a month, one painfully comes to the conclusion that the root cause of India’s lack of credible responses against the Pakistani military establishment, the ISI and their affiliated Islamic Jihadi terrorist organizations, is that Pakistan established a superiority over India in the “Battle of Perceptions”. Post-Mumbai 9/11, India’s political leadership fell back in its traditional mould of shirking to use power to safeguard India’s “National Honour” and the unprovoked assault on her sovereignty. - By Dr. Subhash Kapila (southasiaanalysis.org)

12. Pakistan Banks On Perceived Indian Amenability To US Pressure . The US and the other Western countries have been conducting themselves in exactly the same way as they did in 2002---- expressions of outrage over the terrorist strike, pretense of solidarity with India, but at the same time ill-concealed attempts to protect Pakistan and its military-intelligence complex from the consequences of their continuing to sponsor terrorism against India in Indian territory- By B. Raman (southasiaanalysis.org)

13. Tirukural-Chapter 10: Speaking Pleasant Words. Pleasant words, full of tenderness and devoid of deceit, fall from the lips of virtuous men.

(Kauai_Hindu_Monastery@jnanadana.com)

14. Vedic Verses for 1/6/09. He who, knowing this, meditates on the fire frees himself from sinful actions, obtains the World of the Anvaharya Fire, reaches his full age and lives brightly. His descendants do not perish. We support him in this world and in the other who, knowing this, meditates on the fire.

(Kauai_Hindu_Monastery@jnanadana.com)

15. Gospel of Jesus: Did Jesus advise to Divide, to Kill, and to Rule? Was he a Terrorist? Who can believe this?

i) Holy Bible - New Testament, Luke 12; 51-53: Jesus said:

16. Karnataka plans to make employees tech savvy (ndtv.com)

ii) Holy Bible, New Testament, Luke 20; 27: Jesus said: “for those enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and kill them in my presence.”

17. Hyderabad police unearth Rs 12-crore fraud (hindustantimes.com)

18. Telephone links, key part of evidence shared with Pakistan (hindu.com)

19. For Israel, Lessons From 2006, but Old Pitfalls . This time, there is no illusion about winning a war only from the air. This time, the military chief of staff has kept his silence in public, all cellphones have been confiscated from Israeli soldiers, and the international press has been kept out of the battlefield. While accounts of exactly what happened were unclear on Tuesday night, with Israeli officials suggesting that the school compound was used to fire mortars, the deaths will inevitably turn stomachs all over the world and increase pressure on Israel for an early cease-fire. (nytimes.com)

20. Row over Russian gas chokes supply to rest of Europe• Parts of Europe report complete loss of supply (guardian.co.uk)

21. Honors List: Doctor puts his patients before profit (www.nzherald.co.nz)

22. What Can One Hindu Do? (Dr. BABU SUSEELAN)

1. UN chief demands Gaza ceasefire (http://news.bbc.co.uk/.)

Date: - 7 -1-09

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for an immediate end to fighting in the Gaza Strip during a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York.

Mr Ban criticised both Israel for its bombardment of Gaza and Hamas for firing rockets into Israel.

The UN also heard a French-Egyptian ceasefire proposal, backed by the US and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Israel says it has agreed to set up a humanitarian corridor to allow aid into the Gaza Strip.

Mr Ban said the Council had "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security" and urged its members to act "swiftly and decisively to put this crisis to an end".

He said the longer-term issues of Palestinian divisions must also be seriously addressed and called for the "urgent continuation of negotiations for a political solution".

"We need urgently to achieve Palestinian unity and the reunification of Gaza with the West Bank within the framework of the legitimate Palestinian Authority," he said.

Palestinian health ministry officials say 595 people, including 195 children, have been killed since Israel began its offensive 11 days ago.

An Israeli attack on Tuesday on a school building, which Israel says was sheltering militants, left at least 30 people dead and 55 injured, UN officials say.

Mr Ban said he was "deeply dismayed" by the school attacks, branding them "totally unacceptable".

Israel, which has vowed to reduce rocket attacks from Gaza on its territory, has lost five soldiers and four civilians.

In another development, Venezuela ordered the expulsion of Israel's ambassador in protest at the Gaza offensive and its "flagrant violations of international law".

Support for truce

The ceasefire plan proposed jointly in New York by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and French President Nicolas Sarkozy would bring together all the main parties and take all measures to end the conflict in Gaza.

GAZA CRISIS BACKGROUND

The plan envisages the resumption of the delivery of aid to Gaza and talks with Israel on border security, a key issue for Israel as it says Hamas smuggles its rockets into Gaza via the Egyptian border.

Welcoming the proposal, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called for a "ceasefire that can endure and that can bring real security".

The contours of a possible diplomatic agreement are in place, the BBC's Laura Trevelyan reports from the UN.

However, if Israel continues to control the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and can choose to stop it at any time this seems unlikely to command the support of Hamas, she notes.

Thus frenetic diplomacy in New York and in the Middle East is likely to continue.

Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gabriela Shalev, did not say whether Israel would accept the proposal but said it would take it "very, very seriously".

Meanwhile, Israel has proposed suspending attacks in specified parts of Gaza to allow people to stock up on essential goods.

The military will open up "areas for limited periods of time, during which the population will be able to receive the aid", the office of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said.

The office said the goal was to "prevent a humanitarian crisis".

Andrew Whitley of the UN relief agency told the BBC that any relief in the conditions of the people of Gaza could only be a good thing.

"It's a major humanitarian crisis," he said.

"People have been weakened by 18 months of blockade and siege. They've been getting very little food, electricity or heat for a long time, and so they are in a very weakened condition."

School carnage

UN officials have said that the al-Fakhura school in the Jabaliya refugee camp was being used as a refuge for hundreds of people when it was hit by Israeli shell-fire.

2. US recession forecast to drag on (http://news.bbc.co.uk/)

Date: 7-1-09

The US economic is set to continue to shrink in 2009

The US recession is likely to drag on well into 2009 with a "moderate recovery" in 2010, according to forecasts from the US Federal Reserve.

The minutes from the central bank's December interest rate meeting show that policymakers were faced with a grim economic forecast.

They were told the economy was expected to shrink more rapidly in the first half of 2009 than had been thought.

At the meeting the Fed slashed its interest rates to near zero.

The minutes from the December meeting of the Federal Reserve's interest rates committee show that rates were expected to be "exceptionally low" for "some time".

'Economic contraction'

In a report to the committee, Federal Reserve staff "revised down sharply" their outlook for economic activity in 2009 "but continued to project a moderate recovery in 2010".

The housing market, where the economic crisis began, "was expected to contract further," the report to committee members stated.

"All told, real GDP was expected to fall much more sharply in the first half of 2009 than previously anticipated, before slowly recovering over the remainder of the year," according to the minutes. The economy is really not receiving any support from any cylinders of the engine

Kevin Flanagan, Morgan Stanley

The minutes came from a meeting where policymakers lowered the target federal funds rate from 1.0% - already at an historic low - to a range of zero to 0.25%.

The interest rates committee acknowledged that rate cuts appeared to have run their course and that the central bank "would need to focus on other tools to impart additional monetary stimulus to the economy in the near term."

Meanwhile, US factory orders fell for the fourth month in a row in November, down 4.6%.

The drop was steeper than had been expected.

It was the first time that factory orders had fallen for four months in a row since 1992.

Sales fall

Similar figures from the US housing and services sectors suggest the recession is unlikely to end soon.

The National Association of Realtors said its Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed in November, dropped 4% to 82.3, the lowest since the series started in 2001.

There was more gloom in the services sector, which represents about 80% of the US economy, which shrank for the third month in a row in December.

Though the drop in the services sector was less severe than expected, the Institute for Supply Management's index painted a bleak picture of the job market.

The Institute for Supply Management said its non-manufacturing index came in at 40.6 in December after November's record-low 37.3.

A figure below 50 indicates that the services sector, measured by the index, is contracting.

Economists had expected a reading of 37.0, according to the median of 56 forecasts in a Reuters poll.

"We are in the throes of the worst recession since the early 1980s," said Kevin Flanagan of Morgan Stanley in New York.

"Factory orders are getting hit again. The economy is really not receiving any support from any cylinders of the engine. Pending home sales are down much more than expected as well."

3. Israel to open 'humanitarian corridor' for Gaza aid(cnn.com)

Date: 7-1-09

Aid corridor "will be opened for a specific period of time"

Food, water, medicine and electricity shortages have been reported

Israel under pressure to deliver aid amid concerns about conditions in Gaza

(CNN) -- Israel has agreed to establish a "humanitarian corridor" to supply residents of Gaza with aid as international concerns about conditions among civilians mount, according to a government statement.

Israeli workers prepare humanitarian supplies to be delivered in Gaza on Tuesday.

The statement, posted on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Web site, said Olmert decided to accept a proposal from security advisers to open the corridor.

It said a path into Gaza, where Israel launched a ground offensive against Hamas militants on Saturday, "will be opened for a specific period of time, during which the population can receive the aid."

The statement also said Olmert spoke Tuesday with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to "update her on political and military developments," including the humanitarian situation.

Hospital workers reported Tuesday that far more civilians than Hamas fighters were arriving at hospitals for treatment.

Food, water, medicine and electricity shortages have been reported throughout Gaza during the campaign, in which nearly 600 Palestinians have been killed and another 2,750 wounded, according to medical sources.

Jerusalem has been under intense international pressure to let goods pass, because of shortage of food, medicines and fuel.

"There are food shortages. ... The health system is overwhelmed. The people here don't have electricity," Mohammed El-Halaby, program manager for humanitarian group World Vision, said earlier this week.

El-Halaby said several power lines and water pumps were damaged during last week's airstrikes, which preceded the ground incursion.

4. Al Qaeda message blames Obama, Egypt for Gaza violence(cnn.com)

Date: 7-1-09

Ten-minute message delivered by Ayman al-Zawahiri, a native of Egypt

In address, al-Zawahiri says violence a "gift" from Obama before he takes office

The message, on various Islamist Web sites, urges militants to rally against Israel

In Obama's first public reaction to the violence, he says he is "deeply concerned"

(CNN) -- An audio message reportedly from al Qaeda's deputy chief vows revenge for Israel's air and ground assault on Gaza and calls the Jewish state's actions against Hamas militants "a gift" from U.S. President-elect Barack Obama.

Al Qaeda's Ayman al-Zawahiri is said to address Muslims in Gaza in an audio message released Tuesday.

The speaker, identified as Ayman al-Zawahiri, addresses Muslims in Gaza. He said the violence "is one part of a series of a crusade war against Islam and these air strikes are a gift from Obama before he takes office, and (Egyptian President) Hosni Mubarak, that traitor, is the main partner in your siege and killing."

The message, posted Tuesday on various Islamist Web sites with a picture of al-Zawahiri next to an image of a wounded child, urges militants to rally against Israel.

"My Muslim brothers and mujahedeens in Gaza and all over Palestine, with the help of God we are with you in the battle, we will direct our strikes against the crusader Jewish coalition wherever we can."

The 10-minute message also address Muslims worldwide, claiming that Obama was portrayed as "the savior who will come and change American policy" during the U.S. election but is now "killing your brothers and sisters in Gaza without mercy or even pity."

Obama's transition team did not immediately respond to the message. Earlier Tuesday, the president-elect said he was "deeply concerned" about the loss of life in Gaza and Israel, and he promised to make the issue a top priority in his administration.

It was Obama's first public reaction to the ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza, which began with Israeli air strikes 11 days ago. He reiterated that only one president can speak for the United States at a time.

"Starting at the beginning of our administration, we are going to engage effectively and consistently to try to resolve the conflicts that exist in the Middle East," Obama said.

CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson said the al Qaeda message speaks to al-Zawahiri's cause in two ways: It bashes the new U.S. president before he takes office and it criticizes Mubarak, who has drawn al-Zawahiri's ire for not allowing goods and aid through Egypt's border with Gaza.

Al-Zawahiri is a native of Egypt who has served jail time there.

Robertson, who is reporting from the Israeli-Gaza border, noted on CNN's "Situation Room" that al-Zawahiri got the message out quickly -- "within 12 days, that's very fast." He said that indicated "there's many issues there that are dear to him."

5. Muslims attacking Jews all over Europe. PARIS – Government officials and Jewish leaders are concerned the conflict in Gaza may spill over into violence in Europe, with attacks reported against Jews and synagogues in France, Sweden and Britain. ( http://www.jihadwatch.org/)

Date: 7-1-09

Of course AP didn't say that. Many of these incidents happened in passive voice. As for the rest, the perpetrators, according to AP, were these: "Assailants." "Someone." "A 27-year-old Dane born in Lebanon to Palestinian parents." And "a gang of 15-20 youths." Yet oddly enough, France's interior minister met with Muslim as well as Jewish leaders. Now, why was that? What do Muslims have to do with these assailants, this Dane, and this gang of youths?

In a story like this, the truth can't help but come out, in spite of the PC mainstream media's best attempts to ignore or deny it.

Eurabia Update: "Fears mount of Gaza conflict spill over in Europe," by John Leicester for Associated Press, January 6 (thanks to all who sent this in, and who sent in stories about these individual attacks over the last two days while I have been on the road):

PARIS – Government officials and Jewish leaders are concerned the conflict in Gaza may spill over into violence in Europe, with attacks reported against Jews and synagogues in France, Sweden and Britain.

Assailants rammed a burning car into the gates of a synagogue in Toulouse, in southwest France, Monday night.

A Jewish congregation in Helsingborg, in southern Sweden, was attacked Monday night by someone who "broke a window and threw in something that was burning," said police spokesman Leif Nilsson. And on Sunday slogans, including "murderers ... You broke the cease-fire," were daubed on Israel's Embassy in Stockholm.

In Denmark, a 27-year-old Dane born in Lebanon to Palestinian parents is alleged to have injured two young Israelis last week in a shooting police suspect could be linked to the Gaza crisis. Belgium ordered police in Antwerp and Brussels to be on increased state of alert Tuesday after recent pro-Palestinian protests ended in violence and arrests.

France has Western Europe's largest Jewish and Muslim communities and a history of anti-Semitic violence flaring when tensions in the Middle East are high. In 2002, some 2,300 Jews left France for Israel because they felt unsafe. Even in normal times, anti-Semitic incidents are not uncommon.

President Nicolas Sarkozy warned in a statement Tuesday that France would not tolerate violence linked to the Gaza crisis. A day earlier, his interior minister said she was concerned about the prospect of contagion and met with the heads of the two main Muslim and Jewish groups and police officials to stress the need to "preserve national unity."

Jews in the small Strasbourg suburb of Lingolsheim in eastern France woke up Tuesday to find graffiti with words like "assassins" spray-painted on the outside walls of their synagogue. The community filed a complaint for "degradation of a place of worship," the mayor's office said.

Damage to the synagogue in Toulouse was limited to a blackened gate. Police said unlighted gasoline bombs were found in a car nearby and in the synagogue's yard. A local Jewish leader, Armand Partouche, said he believed the assailants fled when the building's alarm went off....

Here it comes, the ritual condemnation:

French Muslim leader Mohammed Moussaoui condemned the attack, saying no motive could justify an assault on any place of worship....

AP apparently did not ask Mohammed Moussaoui what measures the Muslim community in France was taking to make sure that such attacks would not happen in the future, and that antisemitism did not spread among Muslims in France.

Date: 7-1-09

Speaking of Hamas using children as human shields, here is an example from today. "Hamas Terrorists Found Dead in School Strike," from Israel National News, January 7 (thanks to all who sent this in):

(IsraelNN.com) The IDF reported that two well known Hamas terrorists were among the dead in the IDF strike on a school Tuesday which also killed over 40 civilians. According to the IDF, the terrorists were using the school to fire mortar shells at troops.

The dead Hamas operatives were Imad Abu Askhar and Hassan Abu Askhar. The IDF said, “We face a very delicate situation where the Hamas is using the citizens of Gaza as a protective vest.”

7. Pak textbooks build hate culture against India -By Arif Mohammed Khan (organiser.org)

Date: 7-1-09

The empowerment of terror in Pakistan has not happened overnight. This is the logical culmination of the politics and policies pursued by Pakistan for years now.

Terrorism in Pakistan has its roots in the culture of hate and the ethos of inequality on the ground of religious faith, leading to their being deeply ingrained in the Pakistani psyche and mindset.

One factor that has played a crucial role in creating this culture of hate is the educational policy of the government of Pakistan pursued since 1977. The officially prescribed textbooks, especially for school students, are full of references that promote hate against India in general, and Hindus in particular.

A cursory glance at Pakistani school textbooks - especially the compulsory subjects like Pakistan studies and social studies - gives an idea of how history has been distorted and a garbled version prescribed to build this mindset and attitude.

The objective of Pakistan’s education policy has been defined thus in the preface to a Class VI book: “Social studies have been given special importance in educational policy so that Pakistan’s basic ideology assumes the shape of a way of life, its practical enforcement is assured, the concept of social uniformity adopts a practical form and the whole personality of the individual is developed.” This statement leaves no doubt that “social uniformity”, not national unity, is a part of Pakistan’s basic ideology.

The Class V book has this original discovery about Hindu help to bring British rule to India: “The British had the objective to take over India and to achieve this, they made Hindus join them and Hindus were very glad to side with the British. After capturing the subcontinent, the British began on the one hand the loot of all things produced in this area, and on the other, in conjunction with Hindus, to greatly suppress the Muslims.”

The Std VIII book says, “Their (Muslim saints) teachings dispelled many superstitions of the Hindus and reformed their bad practices. Thereby Hindu religion of the olden times came to an end.”

On Indo-Pak wars, the books give detailed descriptions and openly eulogize ‘jihad’ and ‘shahadat’ and urge students to become ‘mujahids’ and martyrs and leave no room for future friendship and cordial relations with India.

According to a Class V book, “In 1965, the Pakistani army conquered several areas of India, and when India was on the point of being defeated, she requested the United Nations to arrange a ceasefire. After 1965, India, with the help of Hindus living in East Pakistan, instigated the people living there against the people of West Pakistan, and finally invaded East Pakistan in December 1971. The conspiracy resulted in the separation of East Pakistan from us. All of us should receive military training and be prepared to fight the enemy.”

The book prescribed for higher secondary students makes no mention of the uprising in East Pakistan in 1971 or the surrender by more than 90,000 Pakistani soldiers. Instead, it claims, “In the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the Pakistan armed forces created new records of bravery and the Indian forces were defeated everywhere.”

The students of Class III are taught that “Muhammad Ali (Jinnah) felt that Hindus wanted to make Muslims their slaves and since he hated slavery, he left the Congress”. At another place it says, “The Congress was actually a party of Hindus. Muslims felt that after getting freedom, Hindus would make them their slaves.”

And this great historic discovery is taught to Std V students, ”Previously, India was part of Pakistan.”

Commenting on this literature that spreads hate, leading Pakistani educationist Tariq Rahman wrote, “It is a fact that the textbooks cannot mention Hindus without calling them cunning, scheming, deceptive or something equally insulting. Students are taught and made to believe that Pakistan needs strong and aggressive policies against India or else Pakistan will be annihilated by it.”

8. Threat to the Indian Union -Soft-pedalling on defence preparedness. Despite the threat to the territorial integrity of the Union being visible for decades, New Delhi continues to mishandle the military preparedness year-after-year by degrading it . Former Air Chief Marshal Krishnaswamy’s counter-question after the Mumbai siege, “When your defences are weak, what are you going to coerce with?” illuminates the incompetence of South Block. The enemy could not have prayed for a more fortunate break! -By Bharat Verma (organiser.org)

Date: 7-1-09

The truth is that a very few vendors make 155 mm guns. If fifty per cent vendors stand blacklisted because someone from India allegedly wanted a kickback, then from where will India procure the guns that it does not manufacture? Obviously, the military remains handicapped and incapable of securing the borders.

Despite the threat to the territorial integrity of the Union being visible for decades, New Delhi continues to mishandle the military preparedness year-after-year by degrading it.

Pakistan and Bangladesh export radical Islam to India in an effort to destabilise it. China funds insurgent movements in the Northeast and instigates its proxies. The borders are kept on the boil between China and its proxies while Bangladesh and Pakistan continue to implode India through terrorist acts with impunity. India remains under siege. Of course, overtly these regimes pretend to work in isolation of each other so as not to alarm New Delhi.

To defend by developing offensive military capabilities is crucial against the combined threat posed by the authoritarian regimes on our borders. India unfortunately is not geographically insulated or located in safe haven like the United States. Situated within the arch of Islamic terrorism in Asia, our military preparedness should be of the highest order with immense offensive capabilities and the ability to induct large bodies of troops rapidly from one theatre to another.

While the Indian military machine is falling apart due to acute shortages, New Delhi continues to fumble under the weight of its inherent helplessness. Former Air Chief Marshal Krishnaswamy’s counter-question after the Mumbai siege, “When your defences are weak, what are you going to coerce with?” illuminates the incompetence of South Block. The enemy could not have prayed for a more fortunate break!

Out of the sanctioned strength of forty-five air force squadrons, thirty-two alone remain operational. In the thirty-two units, one-third are ageing MiG-21 squadrons that are nick named “flying coffins” for their air unworthiness. The French have offered upgrades to Mirage-2000 but the project hangs fire for two and a half years, out of sheer lethargy. Despite being warned by the IAF for many years in advance of its requirement, 126 MMRCA acquisitions mooted in 1999, stands delayed by at least another five years. If IAF is expected to secure 14000 kilometers of land borders, it requires both, technological superiority and numbers. They are missing at this moment when the country faces deep crisis. Similarly the air defence cover suffers from lack of adequate number of radars.

This dismal scenario is equally true of the other two services. In Kargil out of 410 Bofors guns, less than 300 were functional. Lack of spare parts due to the blacklisting of the vendor after Bofors scandal left the army high and dry. Despite repeated pleas by the army headquarters to upgrade artillery most of the air defence elements still boasts of World War II vintage equipment. After the ban on Bofors, Denel was selected after seven years and subsequently blacklisted.

The story of shortages, bungling in acquisitions, bureaucratic red tape, complicated procedures, and political incompetence to appreciate relevance of military power in a society under siege is unending. For example, the navy is short of submarines but despite crying hoarse, it will not have adequate numbers for a very long period. The story of equipment shortages is endless.

Besides, there is an acute shortage of young officers at the cutting edge—army alone needs twelve thousand lieutenants, captains and majors. Neither outdated equipment can win wars, nor the ageing military profile. To add salt to the soldiers’ injured pride and crippled capability, the government whittles down their status continuously by paying them less, in spite of the fact that they face the toughest conditions of service. Incredible how New Delhi’s ineptitude managed to belittle one of the best fighting machines in the world?

To meet the combined threat posed by the authoritarian regimes on our borders, India requires technologically driven lean and mean military machine. New Delhi needs to take multiple steps simultaneously on a war footing to implement rejuvenation of India’s military might. The Prime Minister and his defence ministers must appreciate the nuances involved in creating a war-winning military by acquiring essentials of military knowledge.

Owing to the combined threat posed on our land border, it is critical for India to develop adequate military power to take the war to the enemy. If the enemy is continuously permitted to attack us as in Mumbai, the Union of India may break up due to radicalisation of substantial Muslim population and the subsequent backlash of the Hindus, who are the majority. This will wreck the idea of a multi-cultural democracy. Therefore, the Prime Minister and his defence ministers do not enjoy the option of non-governance in the matter of upkeep of the military.

(The writer is Editor, Indian Defence Review.)

9. Hasina sworn in as new Bangladesh Prime Minister (http://dailypioneer.com/)

Date: 7-1-09

PTI | Dhaka

Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, who favours close ties with India, was today sworn in as Prime Minister of Bangladesh marking her return to power for a second time and ending a long spell of political uncertainty.

The 61-year-old charismatic leader, who led her party's landslide win in the December 29 polls, was administered the oath of office by President Iajuddin Ahmad at the Bangabhaban presidential palace in a ceremony attended by nearly 1,000 distinguished guests.

The President also swore in 23 Cabinet ministers and eight state ministers, a week after Hasina's Awami League-led grand alliance swept the general election bagging 261 seats in the 300-member Parliament.

Fakhruddin Ahmed, the chief Adviser of military-backed interim government which ruled the country for two years, army chief Gen Moeen U Ahmed and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus were also present at the ceremony, which was skipped by BNP chief Khaleda Zia whose party had its worst electoral drubbing getting only 29 seats.

However, a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) delegation headed by its Vice President M K Anwar joined the function.

In her first post-victory press conference on Wednesday last, Hasina, nicknamed the 'Daughter of Democracy', took on board India's concerns and vowed not to allow Bangladesh's territory to be used for terrorism against its neighbours.

"The Bangladeshi soil will never be used to carry out any terrorist act against our neighbours," Hasina had said, adding that "continued good relations with neighbours", particularly with India, would be a major agenda of her government.

10. Govt may revisit National Investigation Authority (NIA) Act, says Chidambaram (http://dailypioneer.com/)

Date: 7-1-09

PTI | New Delhi

Addressing concerns expressed by some half-a-dozen Opposition ruled states, Home Minister P Chidambaram today said the National Investigating Agency (NIA) Act may be revisited.

"We will revisit the NIA Act, if needed," he told reporters at the end of a day-long conference of chief ministers on internal security.

Participating in the meeting, chief ministers of NDA-ruled states that the new National Investigation Agency would "disturb" the federal set up of the country and resented that states were not consulted before the new anti-terror laws were framed.

Admitting that nearly half-a-dozen states expressed some "reservations" over the NIA, Chidambaram said he would write to all chief ministers detailing the contents of the NIA and tell them to write back to him if they require clarifications.

"My letter will clarify all their (Chief Ministers') doubt," he said.

Date: 7-1-09

Introductory Observations

Pondering agonizingly over India’s paralysis in not striking back credibly against Pakistan in response to the Pakistan Army and its ISI-sponsored “war of terror” assault on India’s sovereignty at Mumbai on November 26, 2008, this Author came across a feature in “The Jerusalem Post” written against the back drop of the assaults on Israel’s sovereignty by Hezbollah earlier and Hamas presently and why Israel strikes back forcefully.

The point that caught attention in this feature was that currently, the Israeli Defense Forces in their senior commanders training lays emphasis on how modern warfare is conducted. Israel believes that emphasis today should not be on which side conquers more territory or loses more fighters and fighter aircraft – as was the case in conventional battles such as the 1967 Six War, “but rather on perceptions. In other words, the victor is the side that is perceived to have won”.

Applying this precept in the context of Mumbai 9/11 and India’s paralysis in the post-Mumbai 9/11 phase of over a month, one painfully comes to the conclusion that the root cause of India’s lack of credible responses against the Pakistani military establishment, the ISI and their affiliated Islamic Jihadi terrorist organizations, is that Pakistan established a superiority over India in the “Battle of Perceptions”.

India’s long history of not striking back at major Pakistan-sponsored terrorism incidents from 1992 onwards, India’s misplaced faith that “Friends of Pakistan” would dissuade Pakistan and restrain Pakistan’s war-like provocations against India and Indian political leadership of the day shirking from the will to use power, despite preponderant instruments of power at their command, led to Mumbai 9/11 – a “war of terror” on India when a handful of Pakistan terrorists held India to ransom for three days in sustained gun battles and blasts. In those three days more than 200 lives were lost.

Post-Mumbai 9/11, India’s political leadership fell back in its traditional mould of shirking to use power to safeguard India’s “National Honour” and the unprovoked assault on her sovereignty.

Brave statements were made by India’s political leaders that “all options are on the table” in terms of a riposte to Pakistan. But the one option that India should have exercised in the first few days of Mumbai 9/11, “continues to lie on the table” even after a month of the attacks.

India’s political leaders to strategically chastise Pakistan for its proven involvement and culpability in Mumbai 9/11 attacks moved away from their strident calls on Pakistan to atone for Mumbai 9/11 to a “diplomatic offensive” to present clinching evidence to world capitals. The Indian policy establishment should realize that it is not fighting a “court case” where evidence will count. Does it not occur to the Indian Government that it is dealing in terms of terrorism with a “rogue state” dominated by Pakistan Army on whose agenda, peace with India does not figure. Nor would any guarantees by Pakistan military establishment count that no further terrorist war against India would take place. Are not Pakistan’s broken pledges to the United States to wage war on terrorism, a lesson to be learnt and kept in mind?

India continued to be let down by its political leaders, policy advisors and policy formulation mechanisms in not responding firmly at the outset and thereby further reinforcing Pakistan’s “perceptions” that India can be played around with and will not respond even after a "thousand bleeding cuts"

The Pakistani policy establishment and its more powerful military establishment stood emboldened by their “perceptions” of India’s leadership vulnerabilities to launch Mumbai 9/11 and stand further emboldened by the “perceptions” once again that India would be unable to strike back and continue to seek assistance and support from “Friends of Pakistan”, rather than acting on her own strengths.

Pakistan therefore stands to have won the “Battle of Perceptions” on both counts due to India’s flawed counter-terrorism responses.

This Author’s last paper entitled “India: Policy Establishments Failure on Pakistan Threat Assessment (SAAG Paper No. 2987 dated 19 Dec. 2008 has already brought out in fair detail the flawed threat assessments on President Zardari and General Kiyani, Pakistan Army Chief of India’s political leadership and India’s policy establishment.

This Paper intends to be a study of the following aspects of the “Battle of Perceptions” between India and Pakistan and is discussed under the following heads:

India’s Flawed Perceptions on Pakistan

India’s Misplaced Perceptions of Trust in “Friends of Pakistan” to Restrain Pakistan’s “War of Terror” Against India

Pakistan’s Perceptions of India’s Paralysis to Strike Back, Post -Mumbai 9/11

This Paper is not going to elaborate on what India’s responses should be, which is a separate subject by itself but focus entirely on why India fails to strike back credibly and creates “wrong perceptions” in Pakistan. Only if India had done so in the past and does so now after her “diplomatic offensive” is over, can then India hope that the “appropriate perceptions” have been created in the Pakistani military establishment's mind that India cannot be messed around with.

But before addressing the above aspects, a bit of digression is required to highlight Indian political leader’s propensity to shirk from safeguarding India’s “National Honor” and India’s propensity to rely on the international community to discipline Pakistan’s “War of Terror”.

India’s Political Leaders Propensity to Shirk from Safeguarding India’s National Honour and Propensity to Seek International Support to Discipline Pakistan’s “War of Terror”

India’s political leadership of both the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the present ruling Congress Party have both demonstrated a propensity to shirk from safeguarding India’s National Honour” and a marked propensity to seek international support, more specifically from the United State to discipline Pakistan’s “War of Terror” against India. Both have abdicated their responsibilities and seek to “outsource India’s counter-terrorism” to the international community.

The BJP after armed attacks on India’s Parliament House in December 2002 mobilized the entire Indian Army on Pakistan’s borders and promised an “Aar Pas Ki Larai”, the mother of all battles, to end Pakistan’s terrorism against India. It was a bold move which could have brought decisive results had Indian forces struck in the first few months. The BJP leadership let the strategic advantage fizzle out after a year, under pressure from the United States.

The Congress government in the wake of Mumbai 9/11 gave strong indications that it would indulge in air and missile strikes and should Pakistan enlarge the conflict use India’s conventional might. Once again, history has been repeated and the Congress Government, like the BJP Government buckled under United States pressures for restraint. Once again India’s strategic advantages over Pakistan were foreclosed.

India’s political leaders of all political dispensations need to be reminded of a few home-truths on both these counts from two quotations from the noted British strategist Maj. Gen. Fuller, which this Author incorporated in the last chapter entitled “Prescriptions for India’s National Security” in his book “India’s Defence Policies & Strategic Thought: A Comparative Analysis”. They read as follows. First on “National Honour”:

“There is only one balsam which can make peace worth living – Honour, which is righteousness. There are sublimer ideals than mere peacefulness, and honour is one of these. Peace without honour is degradation and as a noble woman safeguards her honour, and will even sacrifice her life to maintain it in order to keep the family clean, and as a man will give up his life to protect her and her children, so will an upright nation because of its honour, not only protect but sacrifice itself for righteousness cause. All may be lost save honour, for without honour mankind ceases to be human”

and then the thoughts on nations relying on international support to safeguard “National Honour” and this presently applies to India in more ways than one:

“The nation which depends for the security of its honour on some international force (or support from a superpower: my emphasis) has become but a kept woman among nations. There is only one guardian of honour – a virile arm backed by a virile brain. Again a state, which is not prepared to defend its honour by a righteous war, and depends on the benevolence of others to guarantee its existence, when life is threatened, is but a paralytic living in an alm-house; it has scarcely the right to live, for it lacks the might to thrive”

These two messages for all Indian political leaders should be self-explanatory and also denote what Indian public opinion expect from their political leaders, especially when after Mumbai 9/11 Indian nationalism stands aroused.

If India’s political leaders pay heed to these two maxims, they would be able to ensure that the next time around India is subjected to another Pak-initiated terrorist strike, India’s instruments of power stand readied and are used for flick-knife retaliation without the agony of unending debates on Indian TV and media as to what India’s options should be. Nor would there be any requirement to heed advice of “Look before you leap”, India should at all times be ready for a strategic and military leap to chastise its aggressors.

India’s Flawed Perceptions on Pakistan

India’s political leaderships and policy establishment’s flawed perceptions and misplaced readings on the emergence of President Zardari and General Kayani and their impact on Indo-Pak security environment stand discussed in the last Paper of this Author. Timely warnings on these two dignitaries on this account, given months in advance of Mumbai 9/11 stood reflected in this Author’s Papers since mid-2008.

India’s flawed perceptions on Pakistan prevailing in the mindsets of Indian political leaders and policy making establishment are reflected below in brief.

Strategically and militarily, the following misperceptions seem to prevail in India’s policy making circles: (1) Pakistan with its nuclear weapons arsenal is the strategic equal of India (2) In case of Indian military strikes against Pakistan, that country could strike back with nuclear weapons (3) Pakistan has the capability and wherewithal to enlarge a limited war into a general war (4) China could enlarge and intervene in any Indo-Pakistan armed conflict (5) Pakistan can inflict massive damage in retaliation of Indian strikes.

India should welcome Pakistan crossing the nuclear threshold as it would be a suicidal step for the destruction and disintegration of Pakistan. China in the current security environment where Pakistan’s “war of terror” could visit Xinjiang also would not be tempted to go beyond rhetoric in any Indo-Pak armed conflict.

Politically, the Indian policy making mindset is dominated by the following misperceptions (1) Pakistan could develop into a peaceful neighbor with more political patience and understanding from India (2) Pakistan’s politics domination by Islamic fundamentalist elements could fade away (3) Pakistan Army could be brought under firm control of a civilian democratic political government (4) Pakistan’s civil society wants peace with India (5) Pakistan’s civil society could bring about the over throw of Pakistan Army’s political dominance of Pakistan’s governance (6) Track II diplomacy and use of Special Indian Envoys to Pakistan could facilitate peaceful Indo-Pak relations (7) Pakistan is a responsible stake-holder in regional peace and a responsible member of the international community.

To any discerning Indian policy maker it should be evidently clear that all the above perceptions of Indian policy establishment on Pakistan are misplaced and wrong. There are no concrete indications on the ground to suggest otherwise.

It are these strategic, military and more substantially the political misperceptions on Pakistan which have distorted Indian policy-makers formulations on Pakistan and the absence of an Indian credible response to Pakistan’s provocation “war of terror” against India.

India’s political leaders and policy establishment needs to recognize the reality that more than a decade of Track II diplomacy and the flitting of Special Envoys between New Delhi and Islamabad have not brought the two countries to peaceful co-existence. This is for the simple reason that the Pakistan Army calls the shots in Pakistan on its foreign policies and peace with India is not Pakistan Army’s objective.

India’s Misplaced Perceptions of Trust in “Friends of Pakistan” to Restrain Pakistan’s “War of Terror” Against India

Pakistan would like to claim the international community as “Friends of Pakistan” because most of the Western countries, China and the oil-rich Islamic monarchies of the Gulf Region bankroll Pakistan’s sustenance, notwithstanding that the bulk of these finances are diverted to the Pakistan Army and the operation of Pakistan’s “War of Terror” against India and Afghanistan.

In terms of discussion of India’s misplaced trust in “Friends of Pakistan” to restrain Pakistan’s “War of Terror” against India, the discussion in this Paper would focus on the role of the United States, China and Saudi Arabia.

Despite 9/11 when the United States itself was subjected to a combination of Pakistani operated and Saudi-financed terrorism onslaught against mainland USA, the United States has been reluctant to recognize that the Pakistani “War of Terror” against India is also part of the global Islamic Jihad and needs to be firmly dealt with in a concerted manner by the global community by backing strong actions by India against Pakistan, rather than diplomacy.

The United States has the strategic, military, political and economic clout to stop Pakistan’s “War of Terror” against India. But it would not use that clout, because Pakistan colludes in American strategy in the region and India does not.

India’s trust that an evolving US-India Strategic Partnership would make America play a different ball-game in South Asia, vis-à-vis Pakistan, is grossly misplaced, in light of Mumbai 9/11.

The flurry of top US dignitaries visiting New Delhi in the wake of Mumbai 9/11 were not intended to reinforce New Delhi’s resolve to strike back at Pakistan but to pressurize India not to resort to military strikes against Pakistan and exercise restraint.

China enjoys even more stronger strategic, military, political and economic clout over Pakistan. In the wake of Mumbai 9/11 and moreso in the years preceding it, China was in a strong and coercive position to restrain Pakistan’s “War of Terror” against India. It did not do so for reasons best known to every Indian.

In the wake of Mumbai 9/11, China has advocated restraint on both India and Pakistan. However the actual message should have been a stern and salutary message by China to Pakistan, that its “War of Terror” in the region, which may eventually engulf Xinjiang too, should stop. China can be expected to continue to support Pakistan even now in its face-off with India.

Saudi Arabia as far as international terrorism is concerned is along with Pakistan is the “Real Axis of Evil”. Saudi Arabian Islamic charities finance Pakistani terrorist organizations “War of Terror” on both flanks of Pakistan. Pakistan is heavily dependant on Saudi Arabia for free oil supplies, financial aid and political backing. Saudi Arabia more than USA and China could discipline Pakistan in a second if it wishes to.

The visit of Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister last month was meaningless. He hesitated and shirked from condemning Pakistan’s “War of Terror” against India. His visit was meaningless even if India intended that through it to send a message to Islamic Countries.

In any case it should have struck the Indian policy establishment that no Gulf Region Islamic countries have come out with any outright condemnation of Pakistan following 9/11. Further the media in these countries has been spewing vitriolic outbursts that India is now involved in American-Zionist conspiracies to fragment Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal – the only one in the Islamic world. More cynically that Mumbai 9/11 was fabricated by India intelligence agencies as an excuse for the above.

All in all, the stark pointer is that India cannot rely on the international community to curb Pakistan’s “War of Terror”. The “Friends of Pakistan” count on Pakistan to serve their strategic ends and would go to great lengths to protect Pakistan from India’s wrath however well placed.

Pakistan’s Perceptions of India’s Paralysis to Strike Back, Post Mumbai 9/11

In the “Battle of Perceptions” post-Mumbai 9/11 Pakistan seems to have established a superiority over India by correctly perceiving India’s paralysis.

Gleaning through the demonstrated performance and statements of Pakistan’s political and military leaders and the writings of Pakistani columnists in their media, the Pakistani perceptions of India’s paralysis to strike back post-Mumbai 9/11 were read as follows: (1) India failed to strike back against Pakistan in 2002-2003 OP PRAKARM despite an initial advantage of surprise and strength. (2) In the large number of major terrorist attacks in India by Pak-sponsored terrorists or their modules within India there were no retaliatory responses from India (3) India every time took the “softer route” of attempting to enlist international condemnation against Pakistan (4) Pakistan this time too was confident that after the first few days of general condemnation, the international community would lapse back as hithertofore (5) Pakistani columnists harped on India’s military machine not b eing fully prepared for war due to incomplete inventories and slow inflow of Russian military hardware (6) Pakistan’s military establishment was confident in their perceptions that India would not be able to obtain substantial USA, China, Saudi Arabia backing for Indian retaliatory strikes against Pakistan.(7) India would be held back by fears that any assertive step could lead to internationalizing of the Kashmir issue.

Indian political leader’s propensity to shirk away from using “hard options” to protect India’s “National Honour” and rely more on international condemnation of Pakistan was correctly read by the Pakistani military establishment.

The course of events even after a month post-Mumbai 9/11 seem to bear out Pakistan’s military establishments perceptions of India in terms of retaliatory strikes or other hard actions.

To that extent it can be said that Pakistan has established superiority over India in the “Battle of Perceptions” unless India now decides to change course, in confronting Pakistan’s “War of Terror” against India.

The current "diplomatic offensive" by India and providing dossiers of clinching involvement of Pakistan's official establishment in Mumbai 9/11 will not shame the Pakistani military establishment or prompt it to any positive action to dismantle its terror-networks or extradite the wanted terrorists to India for trial.

At the end of this "diplomatic offensive" Pakistan's military establishment's "Perceptions" of India's soft responses would continue.

India would be left then with only two options, namely to execute military strikes against Pakistan or just accept a "lump-it" situation.

Concluding Observations

The major concluding observations that need to be made are as under:

India cannot endlessly go on buckling to Pakistan Army sponsored and Pakistan based “War of Terror” against India.

The next such “War of Terror” strike against India would perforce pressurize the present Indian Government or the one that succeeds it to go in for the “hard option” of retaliatory military strikes, irrespective of the cost.

USA, China and Saudi Arabia would be well-advised as “Friends of Pakistan” to clamp down on Pakistan Army sponsored terrorist organization in Pakistan and their disruptive activities as any future conflict on this count could also jeopardize their respective national security interests in this region.

Pakistan itself needs to realize that when its traditional intransigence against India pushes India to the wall, it could result in another fragmentation of Pakistan as in 1971.

India needs to recognize that “diplomatic offensives” do not tame strategic delinquencies of military-dominated nations like Pakistan. Hard options are called for:

Finally, India’s political leaders need to recognize that threats to Indian “National Honour”, sovereignty and security have to met squarely and eliminated by India and India alone. India's counter-terrorism operations cannot be "out-sourced" to others.

(The author is an International Relations and Strategic Affairs analyst. He is the Consultant, Strategic Affairs with South Asia Analysis Group.

Email:drsubhashkapila@yahoo.com)

12. Pakistan Banks On Perceived Indian Amenability To US Pressure . The US and the other Western countries have been conducting themselves in exactly the same way as they did in 2002---- expressions of outrage over the terrorist strike, pretense of solidarity with India, but at the same time ill-concealed attempts to protect Pakistan and its military-intelligence complex from the consequences of their continuing to sponsor terrorism against India in Indian territory- By B. Raman

(southasiaanalysis.org)

Date: 7-1-09

The US pressured India into not retaliating against Pakistan after the attempted attack on the Indian Parliament by Pakistani terrorists on December 13,2001, and promised that Pakistan would be made to dismantle the anti-Indian terrorist infrastructure in its territory. In response to the US pressure, India exercised moderation and did not exercise its right to retaliate. The promises made to India were never kept. The anti-Indian terrorist infrastructure in Pakistani territory continued to grow without the West taking any action against Pakistan.

2. The result: the savage attack of November 26-29,2008, in Mumbai by 10 Pakistani terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET). The US and the other Western countries have been conducting themselves in exactly the same way as they did in 2002---- expressions of outrage over the terrorist strike, pretense of solidarity with India, but at the same time ill-concealed attempts to protect Pakistan and its military-intelligence complex from the consequences of their continuing to sponsor terrorism against India in Indian territory.

3. Pakistan's behaviour----whether it is ruled by elected political or military rulers---- has not changed one iota since it started using terrorism against India in 1981. It would organise an act of terrorism and to pre-empt a possible Indian retaliation would project itself as the victim-State threatened by India and manipulate Western policy-makers into rationalising its use of terrorism against India and pressuring India not to retaliate against Pakistan.

4. One thought and hoped that the West would act more firmly against Pakistan this time than it had done in the past because of the fact that the LET terrorists, who attacked Mumbai, killed nine Israelis and some nationals of the US, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Canada and Australia, in addition to killing about 160 India nationals. These hopes are on the way to being belied.

5. Instead of stepping up the pressure on Pakistan to dismantle the LET's terrorist infrastructure in Pakistani territory and arrest and hand over to India those involved in the orchestration of the terrorist strike in Mumbai, pressure is being stepped up on India not to retaliate against Pakistan---not even politically. Instead of calling Pakistan to account for the outrage, attempts are being to mollify it by accepting the various conditions sought to be imposed by it, one of the conditions being that it would, if India produces evidence, prosecute the terrorists in its own courts and would not hand them over to India.

6. This is the fifth time Pakistan has been defying international pressure to hand over suspects for investigation and prosecution. The first was Omar Sheikh, one of the principal accused in the case relating to the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl, the US journalist, at Karachi in January-February,2002. It got him tried and sentenced to death by one of its courts. The hearing on his appeal has been adjourned by the anti-terrorism court over a hundred times. In the meanwhile, reports from Pakistan say that he has been given all the facilities such as mobile phones etc that he asked for and that with these he is once again active from jail in guiding the pro-Al Qaeda jihadi terrorist organisations like the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JEM).

7. The second is Dawood Ibrahim, the Indian mafia leader, who is the principal accused in the case relating to the serial explosions in Mumbai in March,1993. He was designated by the US Department of Treasury as an international terrorist in October,2003, because of his links with Al Qaeda and the LET. Pakistan has avoided handing him over either to India or the US. He continues to live under an assumed name as a Pakistani national at Karachi. Even though sections of the Pakistani media have been periodically reporting about his presence and activities at Karachi, Pakistan continues to deny his presence in Pakistani territory.

8. The third is A.Q.Khan, the Pakistani nuclear scientist, found guilty of clandestinely transfering military nuclear technology to North Korea, Iran and Libya. Both the previous Government headed by Pervez Musharraf and the present Government headed by Asif Ali Zardari have consistently opposed demands that an international team of experts should be allowed to interrogate him outside Pakistan.

9. The fourth is Rashid Rauf, a British citizen of Mirpuri (Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir ) origin, who was arrested by the Pakistani authorities in August,2006, on suspicion of his involvement in a plot discovered by the London Police to blow up a number of US-bound planes originating from British airports. He was the brother-in-law of Maulana Masood Azhar, the Amir of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JEM). The Pakistani authorities repeatedly evaded action on a British request to hand him over so that they could interrogate him not only in connection with the alleged plot to blow up planes, but also in connection with the alleged murder of one of his relatives in Birmingham before he fled to Pakistan. He escaped from police custody under mysterious circumstances in December,2007, and died in a missile strike by a US Predator (pilotless) plane on a suspected Al Qaeda- hide-out in North Waziristan on Nov ember 15,2008. The leaders of the LET wanted by India in connection wit the Mumbai attack constitute the fifth instance .

10. Pakistan's reluctance to hand over Omar Sheikh was due to the long history of contacts between him and the Inter-Services Intelligence and between him and Osama bin Laden. According to Karachi police sources, he had claimed during his interrogation that during a visit to Kandahar to meet Osama bin Laden before 9/11, he had come to know of Al Qaeda's plans for the 9/11 terrorist strikes in the US homeland and that on his return from Kandahar he had met Lt.Gen.Ehsanul Haq, the then Corps Commander at Peshawar, and told him about Al Qaeda's plans. After 9/11, Musharraf, under US pressure, had appointed Ehsanul Haq as the Director-General of the ISI in replacement of Lt.Gen.Mahmodd Ahmed whom the US did not trust. It was believed that Musharraf was worried that if Omar Sheikh was handed over to the US, he could mention during his interrogation by the FBI about his telling Ehsanul Haq regarding Al Qa eda's plans and the question might arise as to why Pakistan did not pass on this information to the US, which might have prevented the 9/11 strikes.

11. Fears that Dawood Ibrahim's long history of contacts with the ISI, his contacts with Al Qaeda and the LET and his role in helping A.Q.Khan in clandestinely transporting nuclear material to North Korea, Iran and Libya and North Korean missiles to Pakistan might come to the notice of the US during any interrogation have stood in the way of Pakistan handing him over either to India or the US. In the case of A.Q.Khan, fears that he might reveal the role of the political and military rulers in his clandestine proliferation activities are behind Pakistan's refusal to permit any independent interrogation of him. When the restrictions on his house arrest were relaxed after the elections of March last year, he allegedly told some foreign journalists that Musharraf was totally in the picture about his nuclear and missile dealings with North Korea. The Government strongly denied these allegations and re-im posed the restrictions on him.

12. In the case of Rashid Rauf, police sources say that he was aware of the contacts of the JEM with the ISI. Moreover, according to the same sources, he was also aware that the four suicide bombers, who carried out the London blasts of July 2005, had been trained by the JEM in one of its camps in the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) at the request of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the NO.2 to bin Laden. The ISI's anxiety to cover up these facts should explain the decision not to hand him over to the British Police.

13.The LET's close links with the ISI on the one side and with Al Qaeda on the other is believed to be behind the present refusal to hand over the masterminds behind the Mumbai attack to the Indian authorities.

14. Under these circumstances, the Pakistani leadership----political as well as military--- is determined not to hand over any of the LET operatives either to India or to the US. If the US, through independent sources, collects more irrefutable evidence and maintains the pressure on Pakistan, the most Pakistan might do is to hold a proforma trial against the LET operatives, get them jailed and allow them to guide the LET activities from jail in the same manner as Omar Sheikh has been guiding the activities of the JEM from jail.

15. If the US is really concerned over the refusal of Pakistan to act against the LET's terrorist infrastructure and operatives, it could declare Pakistan as a state-sponsor of terrorism and stop all military and economic assistance to it.However, it is unlikely to take this step due to fears that this might affect even the limited co-operation which Pakistan has been extending to the US in targeting Al Qaeda sanctuaries in North Waziristan.

16. India should not, therefore, have any illusions that the US would act decisively against Pakistan. It is our problem and we have to deal with it on our own through appropriate political, diplomatic and operational means. It is a pity that all the strong statements on the options before India are coming from Shri Pranab Mukherjee, the Minister For External Affairs, and not from the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh. He mostly maintains a discreet silence. Some comments which he did make like ruling out a military option have had the effect of diluting the uncertainty and anxiety caused in the minds of the Pakistanis by the strong statements of Shri Mukherjee.

12. This impression of Indian softness, if not removed, would encourage the Pakistani political and military leaders to continue with their present policy of inaction against the LET.

(The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com)

13. Tirukural-Chapter 10: Speaking Pleasant Words. Pleasant words, full of tenderness and devoid of deceit, fall from the lips of virtuous men.

(Kauai_Hindu_Monastery@jnanadana.com)

Date: 7-1-09

Tirukural

A daily chapter from South Indian saint Tiruvalluvar's Tirukural, "Holy Couplets."

Chapter 10: Speaking Pleasant Words

Kural 91

Pleasant words, full of tenderness and devoid of deceit,

fall from the lips of virtuous men.

Kural 92

Better than a gift given with a joyous heart

are sweet words spoken with a cheerful smile.

Kural 93

A kindly countenance and sweet words

spoken from the heart are virtue's way.

Kural 94

Poverty-provoking sorrow will not pursue

those who speak joy-producing words to all they meet.

Kural 95

Humility and pleasant words are the jewels

that adorn a man; there are none other.

Kural 96

If a man seeks to do good while speaking sweet words,

his virtues will wax and his vices will wane.

Kural 97

Words yield spiritual rewards and moral excellence

when they do not wander far from usefulness and agreeableness.

Kural 98

Sweet speech that is a stranger to pettiness

imparts pleasure not only in this life, but in the next.

Kural 99

Why would anyone speak cruel words,

having observed the happiness that kind words confer?

Kural 100

To utter harsh words when sweet ones would serve

is like eating unripe fruits when ripe ones are at hand.

14. Vedic Verses for 1/6/09. He who, knowing this, meditates on the fire frees himself from sinful actions, obtains the World of the Anvaharya Fire, reaches his full age and lives brightly. His descendants do not perish. We support him in this world and in the other who, knowing this, meditates on the fire.

(Kauai_Hindu_Monastery@jnanadana.com)

Date: 7-1-09

Vedic Verses for 1/6/09

He who, knowing this, meditates on the fire frees himself from sinful actions, obtains the World of the Garhapatya Fire, reaches his full age and lives brightly. His descendants do not perish. We support him in this world and in the other who, knowing this, meditates on the fire.

Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad IV, XI - Instruction by the Household Fire, 2

Then the Anvaharya (Southern) Fie taught him: Water, the quarters, the stars and the moon are my forms. The person that is seen in the moon-I am he, I am he indeed.

Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad IV, XII - Instruction by the Southern Fire, 1

He who, knowing this, meditates on the fire frees himself from sinful actions, obtains the World of the Anvaharya Fire, reaches his full age and lives brightly. His descendants do not perish. We support him in this world and in the other who, knowing this, meditates on the fire.

Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad IV, XII - Instruction by the Southern Fire, 2

Then the Ahavaniya Fire taught him: The prana, the akaha, heaven and lightning are my forms. The person that is seen in lightning-I am he, I am he indeed.

Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad IV, XIII - Instruction by the Ahavaniya Fire, 1

Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad IV, XIII - Instruction by the Ahavaniya Fire, 2

15. Gospel of Jesus: Did Jesus advise to Divide, to Kill, and to Rule? Was he a Terrorist? Who can believe this?

i) Holy Bible - New Testament, Luke 12; 51-53: Jesus said:

ii) Holy Bible, New Testament, Luke 20; 27: Jesus said: “for those enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and kill them in my presence.”

16. Karnataka plans to make employees tech savvy (ndtv.com)

Date: 7-1-2009

Will it be goodbye to dusty files and hello to sleekly computerised government offices in Karnataka? Well, it could be a reality if the state government puts its plan in action.

It has decided that all its employees, at all levels, will have to be familiar with computers and will receive training if needed.

"Our Cabinet has decided to have computerisation in various levels of officers, including recruitment. Directions have been given to all departments to give training. Everybody should have computer knowledge because our city is silicon city and more than 2,000 IT companies are there in Bangalore. We are the highest exporters, we are the IT state," said Katta Subramanya Naidu, IT-BT Minister.

And the staff seems to be welcoming the move.

"Computers are the best; files take up time. It is the government policy that employees should have basic computer knowledge. If we have to learn, we have to learn. And we will learn," said Mehboob Khan, a desk officer.

The process will start in a week's time. Hopefully this will not be just another government plan that remains on paper but one that helps the government at all levels catch up with the 21st century.

17. Hyderabad police unearth Rs 12-crore fraud (hindustantimes.com)

Date: 7-1-2009

A fraud to the tune of Rs 12 crore came to fore following the arrest of a person who allegedly duped customers by organising schemes of multi-level marketing, police said on Wednesday.

Kanamarlapudi Surendra Babu alias Gupta was arrested based on a complaint of a customer that the former was cheating people with his marketing schemes, a senior police official said.

Surendra Babu, a native of Guntur district established a company Niranthara Amrutha Varshini Marketing Pvt Ltd in Hyderabad in 2006 and got it registered with the Registrar of Firms, Detective Department, DCP Praveen Kumar said.

Babu initially attracted people by conducting meetings at his office and lured the gullible customers by offering high returns on various schemes, he said.

Initially, he started a scheme in which the customers have to purchase a home appliance product by paying Rs 125. Subsequently the same customer had to introduce three new customers for which he would get Rs 75, Kumar said.

Gradually, he upgraded the schemes and made the customers believe that his company would give Rs 1,000 per month to them for 12 months.

Surendra Babu initially spread the schemes among the customers successfully and also paid the monthly benefits to the first batch. Subsequently, he winded his business without intimating the customers and absconded.

18. Telephone links, key part of evidence shared with Pakistan (hindu.com)

Date: 7-1-2009

Siddharth Varadarajan

First systematic presentation of evidence by the government

EVIDENCE: Among images included in the dossier on Pakistani links to the Mumbai blasts are those of (clockwise from top left) GPS equipment recovered from the Taj Mahal Palace; a 9-mm pistol with Peshawar markings found at one of the scenes of crime; and a packet of Pakistan-made milk powder found on the vessel Kuber.

New Delhi: The evidentiary dossier India handed over to Pakistan on Monday identifies for the first time the names of six “Pakistan-based handlers” who were constantly in touch with the gunmen during the November 26-29 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

The 79-page document, a copy of which is with The Hindu, lists the handlers as ‘Wassi,’ Zarar,’ ‘Jundal,’ ‘Buzurg,’ ‘Major General’ and ‘Kafa.’ Though the dossier does not identify any of the six as a functionary or operative of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, Indian officials say the links and affiliations of some of the aliases used by the handlers in their taped phone conversations with the terrorists has left New Delhi in no doubt about the involvement of the ISI in the attacks.

The government has prepared two versions of the dossier, one for the 14 countries which lost citizens in the attacks and another for Pakistan and the rest of the world. On Tuesday, senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs briefed the heads of mission of European, Latin American and West Asian countries.

Though the dossier contains a lot of information that has been in the public domain for some time now, it represents the first systematic presentation of evidence by the government since the Mumbai terror strike.

In addition, the document provides eight partial transcripts of selected intercepted conversations between the terrorists and their handlers, data from the GPS equipment recovered from the fishing trawler, Kuber, and, most crucially, an account of the money trail linking Pakistan-based operatives to the purchase of the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) calling platform used by the handlers to try and mask their physical location.

According to the dossier, “shortly after the attack on the Taj Mahal hotel, Indian agencies were able to intercept mobile telephone calls made from and to the hotel. The controllers/handlers used the virtual number [generated by the VOIP service] to contact a mobile telephone with one of the terrorists. This conversation was intercepted and, thereafter, all calls made through the virtual number were also intercepted and recorded.”

Providing the first-ever details of the investigations into the VOIP account, the dossier says the virtual number (+12012531824) was initially set up with a U.S. company, Callphonex, by an individual who identified himself as Kharak Singh from India. The account was activated by a moneygram transferred in the name of Mohammed Ashfaq.

The dossier adds: “Investigations have revealed that Callphonex asked Kharak Singh if he was from India why the Western Union Transfer was coming from Pakistan. Apparently, Callphonex received no reply.”

Date:7-1-2009

By STEVEN ERLANGER

Published: January 6, 2009

JERUSALEM — This time, Israeli military commanders are leading from the front, not trying to direct the infantry from television screens. This time, the military has clear plans, in stages, drawn up with a year’s preparation. This time, there is no illusion about winning a war only from the air. This time, the military chief of staff has kept his silence in public, all cellphones have been confiscated from Israeli soldiers, and the international press has been kept out of the battlefield.

As many as 40 people died Tuesday when Israeli shells hit near a United Nations school in Gaza.

Israel Puts Media Clamp on Gaza (January 7, 2009) In these and many other ways, Israel is applying the lessons it learned from its failed 2006 war against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon to its current war against Hamas in Gaza. But Israel’s failure in Lebanon also stemmed from a political and diplomatic inability to decide on clear objectives for the outcome of the war, and here the lessons of Lebanon have been not so well applied, according to senior Israeli military officials and political analysts.

And then there are the sudden events that can throw off so many careful calculations and come to symbolize the horrors of war — like the deaths of civilians from Israeli munitions in Qana, Lebanon, both in 1996 and 2006, and the reports on Tuesday evening of as many as 40 people, including children, killed as they sought shelter in a United Nations school in northern Gaza.

While accounts of exactly what happened were unclear on Tuesday night, with Israeli officials suggesting that the school compound was used to fire mortars, the deaths will inevitably turn stomachs all over the world and increase pressure on Israel for an early cease-fire.

“Everyone is very conscious of doing things differently from 2006,” said Mark Heller, director of research at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, citing the postwar investigations carried out by the military itself and by the Winograd Commission, which harshly criticized both the political and military leaders of the time for poor preparation and performance.

After the war against Hezbollah, both the chief of staff, Gen. Dan Halutz, a former air force commander, and the defense minister, Amir Peretz, a former labor union leader, resigned. Their replacements — Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, an infantryman, and Ehud Barak, a former chief of staff and combat hero — have done much to improve the Israeli military and restore public confidence in its skills.

On the political side, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ensured that the cabinet had a much fuller discussion of the proposed campaign in Gaza, with alternatives at least explored in some detail, before being asked to vote for war. “They did more systematic staff work, of alternatives and implications, and tried to do some diplomatic groundwork,” Mr. Heller said.

And Mr. Olmert has been far more careful this time to state ambiguous and modest goals for the war, unlike his extravagant pledge two years ago to destroy Hezbollah.

But the ambiguity is also a function of political disagreement and confusion among Israeli leaders, many argue, which promotes poor coordination of military action and diplomatic aims. And it remains far from clear how to decide when to end the war, and what would constitute victory.

Israel has so far failed to decide what its ultimate goals are for this conflict, said Giora Eiland, a former army general and a former head of Israel’s weak National Security Council. “Either we want to achieve a sustainable arrangement, with a lasting cease-fire and a stop to arms smuggling from Egypt, or we want to bring about a collapse of the Hamas government,” he said. “These lead to very different actions on all fronts, but the answer is not very clear. There is disagreement at the moment in the troika” — Mr. Olmert, Mr. Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

Both Ms. Livni and Mr. Barak want to succeed Mr. Olmert, who is stepping down, in elections scheduled for next month. The Likud leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, who has limited himself to general statements of support for the war, is leading in opinion polls.

“There is a leadership issue,” said Yossi Alpher, a co-editor of bitterlemons.org, a Web-based Israeli-Palestinian dialogue. “Olmert is discredited. Barak is considered a strategic genius but makes simple, fatal mistakes, and Livni is untried. And they quite openly don’t get along.”

Mr. Eiland said that there had been many improvements since 2006, especially on the military side, “but the linkage between the political level and the military level is less improved.”

“There is no political system to make strategic assessments and provide alternative options and implement them,” he added. “And because we can’t decide on the right package of means and goals, there’s a certain confusion about our message to others.”

A senior Israeli military officer, now in the reserves, said that on the political level, “the changes are not so impressive.” The military, he said, “is still the center of strategic thinking.”

On the military side, however, he said, there has been a big improvement in the coordination of ground and air forces, in clearer instructions to military units and in the way fresh intelligence is communicated to soldiers. The reserves have had far more training in combat tactics aimed at Gaza, have better equipment and were called up early.

“Commanders have not had their instructions changed seven times a day,” the military officer said. Further, the “home front” defense against rockets has been improved and there has been a much stronger effort to control the message and mask Israeli intentions.

To that end, the cellphones of soldiers were confiscated; commanders were banned from talking to reporters, even their friends; the international press corps has been kept out of Gaza; and even the close circle of senior Israeli political and defense correspondents have been getting far less access than before to decision makers, said Aluf Benn, a senior correspondent with the daily Haaretz.

“We get briefings, but they’re more like talking points,” Mr. Benn said.

The senior military officer said, “The chief of staff is not talking in public, and the special press know what they need to know, but the army is not speaking.”

Most important, the army knew a nasty war in Gaza was likely to come, unlike the surprise of the war with Hezbollah. Yaakov Amidror, an Israeli major general, now in the reserves, who ran the research and assessment branch of Israeli military intelligence, said that Israeli intelligence had never lost its contacts in Gaza, as it had in southern Lebanon.

“To leave Gaza you have to go through Israel,” he said, and numerous Gazans were recruited as intelligence sources. Gaza uses the Israeli shekel, and nearly all imports and exports go through Israel, too. “All this helps keep the network alive in Gaza,” he said, which helped the accuracy of the early air campaign.

What matters most, General Amidror said, are three changes: coordination between the infantry and the air force; having commanders on the ground with a clear mission and flexibility to achieve it; and methods to keep Hamas in the fog of war, which includes disinformation and impediments to real-time press coverage on the ground.

“The less Hamas understands, the better,” he said.

The army and government have also made it clear that Palestinian civilians will die in this war, because of the way Hamas has chosen to fight it from within the densely populated urban centers of Gaza. But events like the deaths of schoolchildren are harder to swallow.

“It was clear from the start in this operation that there could be a Qana, given how Hamas has chosen to fight, and it could seriously derail Israeli operational plans,” Mr. Alpher said. “A Qana is not just a function of the numbers of civilians killed, but also a function of how the Israeli population reacts, how the Israeli leadership deals with it and how the international community responds, and it’s too early to say

20. Row over Russian gas chokes supply to rest of Europe• Parts of Europe report complete loss of supply (guardian.co.uk)

Date : 7-1-2009

• Moscow accuses Ukraine of diverting stocks meant for EUDavid Gow in Brussels, Mark Milner and Luke Harding in Moscow

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 6 January 2009 19.00 GMT

Germany, Russia's biggest political ally in Europe, tonight warned that its supply of Russian gas could swiftly collapse as the dispute between Ukraine and Moscow intensified and Europeans began freezing in their homes.

The Russian monopoly provider Gazprom accused Ukraine of filching gas supplies due for Europe.

The row escalated today, with gas volumes slashed even further, as a swathe of countries in eastern and southern Europe reported a complete shutdown of supplies or serious disruption on the coldest day of the winter. Russian shipments of gas to the Balkans, including Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Greece, Bosnia, Serbia and, beyond them, to Turkey shut down or were slashed by up to two thirds.

The disruption of supplies also spread to Italy, Austria, Slovakia, the Czech republic, Hungary and Slovenia as well as Poland.

Amid a growing political and diplomatic crisis, Oleh Dubyna, head of Naftogaz, Ukraine's state energy firm, said he would restart negotiations on price contracts in Moscow on Thursday with Gazprom executives.

Failure of these talks could force leading EU governments to switch supplies of gas to a growing number of European countries hit by acute shortages from Russia via Ukraine. Europe gets a quarter of its gas from Russia and 80% of this passes through Ukraine.

The EU's gas coordination group will meet in emergency session on Friday, to consider shifting plentiful supplies of gas held in storage in unscathed countries to those "in distress". Slovakia declared a state of emergency tonight, while other countries said they were in crisis.

Bulgaria, one of the hardest hit, said people had started freezing as it began moves to reboot a controversial nuclear power plant. Ukraine said it would switch heating to fuel oil as other European countries began a desperate search for alternative supplies, with Turkey turning to Iran.

These moves emerged as the Czech premier, Mirek Topolanek, the current EU president, raised the "extreme option" of a three-way summit with Russia and Ukraine to resolve the growing political crisis, while Russia and Ukraine continued to blame each other for the commercial and political deadlock.

In London, Gazprom's deputy chief executive, Alexander Medvedev, accused Ukraine of unilaterally closing three export pipelines without warning. "It is unprecedented in the history of the gas market," he told reporters.

Ukraine insisted that the fault lay with Russia. Naftogaz, the Ukrainian state gas company, denied it was to blame for the sharp drop in supplies, and said Gazprom had itself rerouted gas to just one out of the four pipes. "We did not turn anything off, there is simply no gas there, there is zero," Naftogaz spokesman Valentyn Zemlyansky told the Kiev Post.

E.On, Germany's biggest energy firm, said supplies could run out if the cuts and sub-zero temperatures continued. Wingas, co-owned by the chemicals group BASF, issued a similar warning. Both are close Gazprom partners.

Tonight, the supply cuts spread to France, where GDF Suez, the country's biggest gas group, reported reductions of more than 70% via Ukraine.

Medvedev, who later held talks in Berlin with the German government and senior EU officials, accused Kiev of acting for political, not commercial reasons, and demanded the return of stolen gas. Gazprom tried to alleviate

the situation among EU customers by switching supplies via other routes. But Ukrainian officials accused the Russians of playing "cat and mouse" and of deliberately creating serious problems. The two sides are in dispute

over price increases imposed on Naftogaz. Prior to the Berlin talks, Michael Glos, Germany's economics minister, warned that Russia's reputation as a gas supplier and Ukraine's reputation as a transit country were at stake.

In Brussels, a senior EC spokesman said: "Energy relations between the EU and its neighbours must be based on reliability and predictability and existing commitments to supply and transit must be honoured in all circumstances. Disruption risks damaging the reputation of Russia and Ukraine as reliable suppliers."

The EU's gas coordination group, set up under a 2004 directive, comprises representatives from the 27 governments, commercial companies and transmission operators as well as European commission officials.

Officials from both Gazprom and Naftogaz have also been invited to attend, as the EU stepped up pressure on both to resolve their dispute.

The Czechs and the EC called the situation "completely unacceptable" as, "without warning and in clear contradiction with the reassurances given by the highest Russian and Ukrainian authorities," supplies had been substantially cut.

21. Honors List: Doctor puts his patients before profit (www.nzherald.co.nz)

Date: 7-1-2009

4:00AM Wednesday Dec 31, 2008

By Phoebe Falconer

New Year Honours

Honoured New Zealanders

Editorial: Free honours system from political taint

A surprise appearance atop the Honours list

A one-man medical practice in East Tamaki has grown into a 12-clinic business employing 42 doctors, thanks to the dedication and hard work of Dr Kantilal Patel.

Dr Patel has been awarded a Queen's Service Medal for services to community medicine and the Indian community.

From his first day in the South Auckland practice in 1977, Dr Patel could see a need for quality healthcare in that community. The watchword, then as now, was "access".

Satellite clinics were established so patients did not have to travel as far, hours were extended and accident and emergency facilities were added to some clinics.

East Tamaki Healthcare was the first mainstream non-ethnic Primary Health Organisation in South Auckland, and is now the largest healthcare provider for Maori and Pacific Island people in the country.

Dr Patel was made a fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners in 1998. Under his guidance, seven GPs at his clinics have also become fellows of the college.

Wife Ranjna has also been awarded a QSM in the New Year Honours, for services to the Indian community.

Mrs Patel is a JP and has worked as practice manager at East Tamaki Healthcare for over 30 years.

She has a very deep involvement with Indian community groups, including women's groups, healthcare concerns and cultural and language assistance.

22. What Can One Hindu Do? (Dr. BABU SUSEELAN)

Posted by: "Babu Sushilan" babusushilan@yahoo.com babusushilan

Sun Jan 4, 2009 3:16 pm (PST)

WHAT CAN ONE HINDU DO?

What can one Hindu do? Individuals who are concerned about the state of Hindus around the world and want to correct it frequently ask this question. More often than that, it is asked in a form that indicates the cause of their helplessness: "What can one Hindu do?" "How can an individual propagate the ideals of Hinduism on a scale large enough to effect the immense changes which must be made in every walk of life in order to create the kind of ideal society? Some ask the right questions, some feel that some wider scale of action is required. Many others ask the question, but do nothing. Some expect to perform instantaneous miracles; some however paralyze themselves by projecting an impossible goal. Some want to overhaul Hindu society overnight, and they tend to regard knowledge of Hinduism as irrelevant.

CHANGING MINDSETS

If you are a Hindu and are concerned with the present state of affairs, begin by identifying the nature of the problem. The battle is primarily intellectual, political, social and religious. Politics is the practical implementation of the ideas that dominate our culture. One cannot fight or change the consequences without fighting and changing the cause, nor can one attempt any practical implementation without knowing what one want to implement.

In an intellectual battle, one need not convince every one. History is made of minorities, or more precisely, intellectual movements which are created by minorities. They make history. Intellectuals with foresight and commitment can develop abstract and functional strategies to change the society. An intellectual battle is a battle for man's mind, not an attempt to enlist blind followers. Only people who understand them can propagate ideas. An organized movement has to be preceded by an educational campaign, which require active and willing participants. Such trained persons are the necessary precondition of any attempt to change the Hindu society.

The immense changes, which must be made in every walk of life, cannot be made singly, piecemeal or retail. But the factor that underlies and determines every aspect of Hindu life is Hindu ideals. Teach every man the right Hindu ideals and his own mind will do the rest. The starting paoint is the family. Teach your children Panchatantra, Ramayana, Bhagavat Gita, Bhagavatam, Mahabharata, Chanakya Sutra, Vedas, Upanishads and Darsanas. These books contain everything you need to know about moral life, healthy living and spiritual directions. Practice our rituals, protect it and promote it without reservations. Make temple visit a daily routine. Partcipate in temple festivals and pilgrimage.

Hindus cannot exist without practicing and protecting Hinduism. Every Hindu is not intellectual innovators, but they are receptive to the ideas, when and if it is offered. There are also great numbers of Hindus who are indifferent. Such Hindus accept subconsciously dualistic and divisive ideas of other religions and thoughts without critical evaluation. They also accept whatever is offered by the distorted secular culture, and swing blindly with any transient ideas. They are merely oscillators- be they politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, or educators-and by their own choice, irrelevant to the fate of the world.

Today, most Hindus are acutely aware of cultural pollution, coercive religious conversion, Jihadi terrorism, ideological confusion, distorted secularism, and political turmoil created by the pseudo secularists and alienated intellectuals. But they are anxious, confused and groping for answers. Are we able to enlighten them? Can we answer their questions? Can we offer them a consistent ideology? Do we know how to convince them? Are we immune from the fallout of the constant barrage aimed at the destruction of our Hindu culture? To provide them with clear, consistent, and correct concepts, we need an intellectual, social and political struggle.

If we want to influence a country's intellectual trend, the first step is to bring order to our own ideas and integrate them into a consistent case, to the best of our knowledge and ability. Knowledge necessarily includes the ability to apply abstract principles of Hinduism to concrete problems, to recognize the principles to specific issues, to demonstrate them, and to advocate a consistent course of action. Our Rishis and Acharayas have given us philosophical guidelines in the Vedas, Upanishads and Darshanas.Our Puranas and Ithihasas are replete with examples, illustrations and guidelines to handle any imaginable human problem.

When our convictions and commitment to Hinduism are in our conscious, orderly control, we will be able to communicate them to others. This does not mean one must make philosophical speeches on Hinduism when unnecessary and inappropriate. We need the philosophy of Hinduism to back us up and give us a consistent case when we deal with or discuss specific issues.

How can we propagate our ideals of Hinduism? Do not wait for a national audience. Speak on any scale open to you, large or small---to your friends, your associates, your professional organizations, or any legitimate public forum. You can never tell when your words will reach the right mind at the right time. You will see no immediate results---but it is of such activities that public opinion is made.

Make any issue or problem an ideological issue. An issue of Hindu ideals versus sectarian philosophy (pluralistic, all inclusive, spiritual, open, and systemic philosophy versus pseudo secular, fundamentalist, dualistic, divisive, rigid, all exclusive, mechanical models).

Do not pass up a chance to express your views on important issues affecting Hindus. Whether it is discrimination, prejudice, race relations, international affairs, religious conversion, terrorism, distorted secularism, fundamentalism, personal law, polygamy, or any social, political or religious issues. Write letters to the editors of newspapers and magazines, to TV and radio commentators and, above all, to the political leaders.

Remember, the best democracy is still no guarantee against intolerance and bigotry, and eternal vigilance is an expression that will never become obsolete. The opportunities to speak about Hindu philosophy are all around you. Hindus need to repeatedly examine incidence and issues of prejudice and false propaganda. Hindus should not keep silent when the philosophy of Hinduism and Hindu values are being questioned. Always be vigilant and recognize warning signs of intolerance and its perpetrators, and contribute to efforts to preserve religious freedom to practice and promote Hindu values.

Always explore the nexus of pseudo-secularists and deprogrammers who want to demoralize Hindus. Above all, do not join the wrong ideological groups or movements, in order to do something. By ideological (in this context), I mean group or movements proclaiming anti-Hindu values. Many anti-Hindu groups substitute anarchism for liberal democracy, pluralism for theological fundamentalism, and reason to whims and faith. To join such groups means to reverse the noble philosophy of Hindus, and to sell out pluralistic principles for the sake of some superficial and intolerant ideologies. It means that you help defeat the noble values of Hinduism and the victory of sectarian and exclusive ideas.

FORGE PARTNERSHIP

The groups one may properly join today are organized to achieve a single, specific, clearly defined goal, on which men of differing regions and backgrounds can agree. Actively participate in organizations like RSS, VHP, Bajarang Dal, and Hindu Munnani. These groups have no hidden agenda, selfish motives or sectarian political purpose. These organizations have a mandate, mission and desire to assist those Hindus in difficult circumstances to improve their life. It is important to establish close working relationships with such Hindu organizations to foster coordination, cooperation and coalitions addressing specific Hindu needs. All across the globe thousands of volunteers regularly give their time and talents to make a positive difference in the lives of Hindus. They are proud of their part in a great endeavor. For Hindu society to prosper and survive, we all must live up to our responsibilities as Hindus.

It is a mistake to think that the intellectual movement to propagate Hindu ideals is without difficulties. It requires a profound conviction, that ideas based on Hinduism are important to you and to your own life. If you integrate that conviction to every aspect of your life, you will find many opportunities to enlighten others.

There is no short cut to achieve our objectives. Hindu philosophy is a permanent fuel and ideological powerhouse. So propagate it with activism. If others destroy our identity, and establish a mechanical, all exclusive, narrow minded and rigid political philosophy and life style, it will be the default of those who keep silent. We are still free enough to speak, organize and act. Do we have time? No one can tell. But time is on our side-because we have an indestructible and invincible thought system-Hindu ideals.