REFLECTIONS

The Radical Hobson Twins

2011-05-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

It’s been apparent for some time now that the only thing the Democrats and their mouthpiece media care about is getting Democrats elected. It became nauseatingly apparent during the Bush administration when they celebrated every fallen American soldier in Iraq with moments of silent laughter at the end of daily newscasts. Clearly, they wanted to show the war lost to make Bush (and Republicans) look bad. The economy too was reported to be worse than it was. Revisions upward never received due attention.

The strategy is now being continued. Clearly, every Republican idea for saving the economy, social security and Medicare is demonized by the Left - this, while these same people refuse to propose any remedies of their own. What seems obvious to most of us is that if nothing is done, these programs will default. By opposing every fix, Democrats are inviting bankruptcy on a national scale. Their answer is always ‘tax the rich’ which continues to have a certain popular appeal – never mind that, by raising taxes ever higher, talent and capital will flee off-shore, accelerating our march to fiscal Armageddon – never mind that our nation is already broke, and being kept afloat by smoke on mirrors and by every infinity we can find to define.

The thinking among Democrats continues to be that the end-all is simply to keep getting elected as to afford them a chance to continue feasting at the public troth. Most are unable to see beyond their elections. They don’t understand that, once in office, their job should just be beginning: to represent the people(’s will) and protect our nation.

Republicans - perennial losers - stand green with envy and awe of what the Dems are consistently able to do in their own behalf. Like hungry beggars, they slaver over the crumbs that the Dems leave out for the ones most likely to whore themselves out to traitorous causes.

Senators and Congressmen who get up and grandstand about cutting foreign aid and assistance to the poor are doing so simply to divert attention from their own excesses. The gravy train keeps rolling – certainly not for the genuine poor (who will always be exactly where they are, and who will always be poor; but) – to feather their own political nests.

Don’t look to fancy constructs of conspiracy. Don’t look to various ‘isms’ to explain it. Simply put, we are eating our own. NY-26 has introduced yet another arrow into the Democrat Party quiver. Democrats have discovered that the tea party now is their best friend. By injecting some fake, phony ‘tea party’ member into any election mix, their reservation at the beggar’s banquet is virtually guaranteed.

Reminds of all those so-called ‘democracy’ movements in the Middle East that are being hijacked by the MB. It looks like we’re down to choosing between identical Hobson twins.

Between radical ideology and radical greed, which one would you choose? For my money, I’d be content just to stay home and read about it in the paper the next morning.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

View from India: HOW TO WARD OFF THREATS TO PAK NUCLEAR ARSENAL

2011-05-25T05:48:00.000-07:00

by B.RAMAN

The daring commando style raid into a Pakistani naval base at Karachi on May 22 by terrorists of the Pakistani Taliban has highlighted once again the poor state of physical security at sensitive infrastructure in Pakistan and the undetected infiltration by extremist elements into the Pakistani Armed Forces.

Since the Pakistani Taliban came into existence in July 2007, it has organized a number of such raids into the establishments of the armed forces including into the General Headquarters, the sanctum sanctorum of the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi. The success of these raids was made possible by the suspected help of insiders, who collaborated with the terrorists, and by the poor state of physical security.

The fact that such raids continue to take place and that the security forces and the intelligence agencies continue to be taken by surprise would add to the concerns of the international community regarding the state of physical security in Pakistan’s nuclear establishments and the dangers of the presence inside them of sympathisers who might collaborate with organizations such as Al Qaeda and the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET) in facilitating an act of terrorism involving the use of nuclear material seized from such establishments.

There are three possible dangers needing attention. The first is terrorists and their sympathizers wittingly or unwittingly causing radioactive leakages by raiding such establishments and damaging the production process. The second is the terrorists getting hold of easy-to-use nuclear material such as dirty bombs from ill-guarded establishments. The third is the leakage of the technology to terrorists from sympathetic scientists.

To prevent such dangers one requires an effective process for the continuous identification and weeding out of suspicious elements from nuclear establishments, a capability for the collection of human and technical intelligence regarding planned raids into such establishments and a physical security system with multi-layer security that could prevent attacks effectively even in the absence of preventive intelligence.

Repeated physical security breaches in sensitive infrastructure in Pakistan are due not only to poor preventive intelligence, but also to a single-layer security which was not able to stand up to a determined attempt to breach the security.

The Pakistanis claim that such breaches are unlikely in the case of nuclear establishments where, according to them, there is a multi-layer security and there is a constant vetting of the personnel to detect attempts at infiltration. Moreover, according to them, their nuclear arsenal is not kept in a ready-to-use form in one place, but in dismantled parts in a number of places. Thus, to be able to get at a nuclear weapon, the terrorists should be able to raid successfully at more than one place simultaneously, which would be difficult.

The serious failures of intelligence and security at Abbottabad where Osama bin Laden had been living undetected for over five years underlined the dangers of totally depending on Pakistani verbal assurances with regard to security against any kind of terrorism. Unadmitted incompetence and complicity at different levels with terrorists reduce the value and dependability of such Pakistani assurances.

The rest of the world would be as much affected as Pakistan by any breach of the physical security of Pakistan’s nuclear establishments. It is, therefore, important that the international community should not remain satisfied with Pakistan’s oral assurances alone. There has to be a close and continuous interaction between the intelligence and security agencies of Pakistan and those of the U.S. and other NATO countries for ensuring that the security of nuclear establishments in Pakistan cannot be breached.

This means the association of the agencies of these countries in the planning and implementation of security measures in the nuclear establishments. It is believed that U.S. experts in nuclear security already play a discreet, but important role in this matter. Is their role adequate to ensure that what happened in the Karachi naval base cannot happen in a nuclear establishment?

Only the U.S., which is more knowledgeable than any other country in matters relating to nuclear security in Pakistan, will be in a position to answer this question. India, which has an adversarial relationship with Pakistan, cannot expect to play a role in this matter. But through close interaction with the U.S. agencies, it should be able to reassure itself that whatever needs to be done is being done by the U.S. with the co-operation of Pakistan.

India can play a useful role in helping the U.S. in this matter by strengthening its capability for the collection of human and technical intelligence regarding likely threats to Pakistan’s nuclear establishments and arsenal and sharing it with the U.S.

There is little scope for a stand-alone Indian role with regard to the security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, but discreet co-operation between India and the U.S. can add value to the efforts being made by the U.S.

(Bahukutumbi Raman is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi)

Rubber Duckie Congress Down The Drain

2011-05-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

Note that POTUS never seems to stick around when big things happen. This week saw Benjamin Netanyahu - our only reliable ally ‘east of Greece and West of India’ - come to Washington. Why? Because something is not right in Washington – and all Israel knows it.

We saw two leaders side by side – only one of which is actually a leader in the traditional sense. The other showed himself as a ‘leader’ in name only. The difference between the two men was obvious for all to see. Some stated publicly that our president stood out as an utter embarrassment. While Mr. Netanyahu was still in Washington, Obama fled to Europe - the latest hotbed of anti-Semitism – looking for LTC. Good for him! As the saying goes, ‘If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.’

What’s wrong in Washington is not that Obama is not an effective leader; or, as some have suggested, that ‘he leads from behind’. What’s wrong in Washington is that Obama sides with the Palestinians. Many in Congress – even Democrats – have already spoken out, saying they disagree with Obama’s approach. In Europe he will not likely encounter that particular sentiment. Note: While the Palestinians speak openly about what they intend for Israel, our president speaks merely in broad, platitudinous arcs that can be interpreted anyway you want; but his actions are unmistakable. Netanyahu has figured it out. That’s why he is in Washington. Israel is in trouble and Washington won’t help. It’s not even help the Israeli PM is pleading for. All he wants is for America to stop making it worse.

Unfortunately, foreign policy is something that falls totally under the purview of the president. Congress does not have much if anything to say about what the president does. Everyone now seems to accept the president’s contention that he is not subject to the war powers act as pertains to Libya, for example. And on a whole host of other issues, Congress has already been edged out of its traditional ‘checks and balances’ mandate as proscribed by the Constitution.

So, what Netanyahu says to Congress is just talk. Congress has stood idly by while this president has turned it into a rubber duckie stamp; and, along with it, the people have lost their franchise as well. What is never said or even whispered has now become true: The United States of America has become a dictatorship: one vote, one man, one time.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

The Cat's Meow

2011-05-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

We have lost the language. We no longer listen to each other, we only speak. As such, we do not hear what anyone else is saying. It’s become a problem worldwide. Arab hatred for Jews is based on a lie. The idea of ‘global warming’ was based on a lie. Democrats painting Republicans as racist is a convenient lie, as is the current campaign against ‘the rich’.

The templates are set. There is no escaping. We, on the right, have hardened our templates as well in response to the Left’s aggression. We ourselves have countered with lies. In this climate, how can mere words be anything but partisan? Our alienation from each other goes much deeper than words. It can no longer be solved by simply inventing new words and casting new templates.

Words and templates seem flimsy when seen alongside powerhouse emotion. Palestinians hate Jews. Democrats hate Republicans. Communists hate capitalism. The poor hate the rich. Words are the kindling. Once the fire is started, it can no longer be contained. More kindling will not douse it. We are already into the next phase: power.

As Tom rightly points out, the Left has been meticulously organizing since the 60’s. They’ve done so incrementally, taking tiny steps: at first it was casual Fridays. Now, they also have the power. They control the narrative. All we on the Right can do is counter with kindling. Truth has long since become irrelevant - economic theory, for instance.

The only way out is to ‘reset’ (sorry Hillary!). Something of such significance must happen as to be capable of blowing all previous assumptions away - bringing people back to basics; getting them to actually face each other again, and begin responding to others’ basic needs.

In the past, the only human instrument capable of bringing this about has been war. In war, ideologies are not of much use. All such armchair posturing is subjugated by the need to survive. Soldiers may even encounter situations in which they must depend (in one way or another) on the enemy for their survival. (Note: leaders seldom face this dilemma.) Life hangs in the balance, but at least you’re looking at the whites of someone’s eyes who is not you, and you’re almost bound to find that common thread (good or bad) that defines a human trait.

I hold that when it gets down to brass nuts, men will behave like men – with kindness and good will. It may take something calamitous to get us back to there.

NY-26 is an example of localized political pantomime. We’re seeing lips move, but we’re not actually there. It would be a mistake to characterize these (or any) voters as dumb (or easily led.) There is a reason for why things happen the way they do.

From this distance, it looks like the partisan shtick all over again with a twist: It seems to me that Republicans are even more hated than Democrats. Republicans are hated for being weak and not standing up to Democrats. They’re hated for reaching across the aisle; they’re hated for compromising. They’re hated for getting up and smiling broadly under the TV lights after having just betrayed some important principle, thinking themselves the cat’s meow.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Almodovar: Six Inches

2011-05-23T14:11:00.000-07:00

As reported by Jo Piazza of FOX News: “Spanish director Pedro Almodovar's latest thriller, "The Skin I Live In" had filmgoers fleeing the theater Thursday night at its gala premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, due to some aggressively violent and disturbing content.”

Something similar happened on ‘The Lou Dobbs (radio talk) Show’ starting yesterday when Dobbs declared most stridently that Benjamin Netanyahu owes Barack Obama an apology for publicly speaking to him in ‘that tone’ during joint statements with the press in attendance. What followed was highly disturbing radio in which both guests and listeners were reduced to incoherence while bludgeoned by Dobbs’ highly combative beat-down style.

I have always been suspicious of Dobbs. There had at one time been talk of Dobbs throwing his hat into the ring. I truly thought he might try it. Though his words seemed tailored to serve this purpose, I felt there was always an undertone of insincerity, limitless arrogance, and touch of dementia.

It is perhaps appropriate to note that in search of ratings, those so engaged will seek ever higher realms of outrage to aspire to in an effort to garner attention in an increasingly crowded field. Almodovar no doubt has proven over and over again that he is a genius director. His latest offering, however, seems to have crossed a line, and I will not be going to see it.

Few have been more consistent in their criticism of Barack Obama’s policies than Dobbs. It has earned him a considerable following among the like-minded, some of whom had switch from brain-dead booster Hannity. To now suddenly turn on his audience, characterizing the Israeli PM as rude and downright ignorant while ignoring Obama’s own avalanche transgressions, is at the very least insensitive.

Most, but the most ardent Jew haters and Marxists, would agree that Obama had it coming. They were relieved that at least someone had finally stood up to this flame-throwing ideologue, even if it took someone from another country to do it. God knows, our own have been tip-toeing around this rogue elephant, lest they be called nasty names.

Which brings to mind the question: Why are so many, on the Republican side, so loath to run for high office, turning our roster of candidates into a virtual revolving door? Obviously, they’ve looked around and seen how others are treated, and reached the conclusion: Who needs it? Moses too was reluctant to lead.

Leadership in this country has been turned into an exercise in self-flagellation – particularly on the Republican side. I suspect that even Gingrich saw it coming and purposely torpedoed himself as to fashion a (not so) graceful way out.

We’ve reached the end of the line as a nation. Not only have our problems become so immense as to defy solution, but the media attacks have become intolerably cruel. No one in their right mind can afford to subject themselves to that – especially people who value their families first and foremost.

Looking at it another way, imagine our candidates as pole-vaulters. In order for Republicans to qualify, they must get over a bar set at 6 meters. Democrats, on the other hand, merely need to clear six inches.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Roger Waters

2011-05-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

View from India: DARING TERRORIST ATTACK ON PAKISTAN'S NAVAL AIR ARM AT KARACHI

2011-05-23T05:49:00.000-07:00

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM MONITOR---PAPER NO. 720
by B. Raman

The Faisal Base of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) located about 10 KMs from the Karachi internationl airport is what the PAF calls a Joint User airfield. It is used by the PAF and the air arms of the Pakistan Army and Navy as well as by the VVIP squadron. All air surveillance movements over the sea --- whether by the PAF or by the Army or by the PN--- are controlled from this base.

2. Since 1975, the operating base of the Naval Air Arm, called PNS Mehran, is located inside this airfield. All senior officers of the Naval Air Arm operate from PNS Mehran. The Naval Air Arm at PNS Mehran is headed by Commander Naval Aviation (COMNAV). Under him there are four Heads of Department (HOD) designated as Commander Air (Cdr Air), Commander Air Engineering Department (Cdr AED), Commanding Officer MEHRAN (CO MEH) and Officer Commanding Naval Aviation Training School (OC NATS).

3. The squadrons of the Naval Air Arm are stationed in PNS Mehran. These are the P3C Orion Squadron (28 Sqn), the Atlantic Squadron (29 Sqn), the Fokker Squadron (27 Sqn), the Seaking Squadron (111 Sqn) and the Alouette Squadron (333 Sqn).

4. While the Naval Air Arm was raised primarily to provide maritime surveillance capability against India, it has been playing, in addition, a counter-terrorism role since the U.S. started its Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in October,2001. This counter-terrorism role consists of air surveillance to prevent any sea-borne intrusions of Al Qaeda and to detect any terrorist plans for attacks on ships bringing supplies for the NATO forces in Afghanistan. The supplies are landed in the Karachi port and then moved by trucks to Afghanistan.

5. While the Pakistani Army and Air Force have no operational role to play in the U.S.-led military operations in the Afghan territory against Al Qaeda and the Neo Taliban, the Pakistani Navy is a member of the U.S.-led international naval force which patrols the seas to the west of Pakistan to prevent any hostile activity which could hamper the operations in Afghan territory. The Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, established at the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001, comprises naval forces from France, Germany, Italy, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The task force conducts maritime security operations (MSO) in the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean. The leadership of the Task Force is rotated amongst the participating navies. A Pakistani naval officer has been commanding it off and on when the turn of the Pakistan Navy comes.

6. On November 16,2004,the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that it had accepted Pakistan’s request to buy seven P-3C Orion aircraft with T-56 turboprop engines, communications equipment, training devices, medical services, support and test equipment, engineering technical services, supply support, operation and maintenance training, documentation, spare/repair parts, publications, personnel training, training equipment, contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related support elements. The estimated cost would be $970 million.

7.The DSCA announcement added: "The command-and-control capabilities of these aircraft will improve Pakistan’s ability to restrict the littoral movement of terrorists along Pakistan’s southern border and ensure Pakistan’s overall ability to maintain integrity of their borders. Pakistan intends to use the proposed purchase to develop a long needed fleet of maritime and border surveillance aircraft. The addition of these aircraft will provide Pakistan with search, surveillance, and control capability in support of maritime interdiction operations and increase their ability to support the U.S. Operation Enduring Freedom Operations; anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare capabilities; and a control capability over land against transnational terrorists and narcotics smugglers. The modernization will enhance the capabilities of the Pakistani Navy and support its regional influence and meet its legitimate self-defense needs. Pakistan is capable of absorbing and maintaining these additional aircraft in its inventory.”

8. The first two of these aircraft were delivered in April 2010 and officially inducted into the Naval Air Arm at a function held at PNS Mehran on June 2,2010. Some more of the remaining five have since been inducted, but their number is not known. These planes are generally kept in hangars belonging to the Naval Air Arm and operate from the joint user airfield.

9. The active role played by the Pakistani Navy in support of the NATO operations in Afghanistan has attracted the anger of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). On March 4, 2008, two unidentified suicide bombers, operating in tandem, attacked the prestigious Naval War College located in a high security area of Lahore. They were both on motor-cycles. One of them rammed his motor-cycle against the security gate at the rear of the building breaking it open. The other drove through this opening into the parking area and blew himself up. Their target was the naval institution and not any particular individual or individuals inside. They wanted to demonstrate their ability to penetrate the campus and cause damage. Six persons were killed--- one of them a naval officer, three members of the security guards at the gate and the two suicide bombers.

10. On December 2,2009, an alert official of the Pakistani naval intelligence in plain clothes and a naval security guard in uniform deployed outside the building of the Pakistan Navy Headquarters in Islamabad prevented what could have been a major terrorist strike against the Naval Headquarters by an unidentified suicide bomber. Spotting a suspicious-looking individual outside the NHQ, they stopped him and searched him. He turned out to be a suicide bomber wearing a concealed suicide vest. However, they could not prevent him from activating the explosive device in the vest. One person was killed on the spot and another succumbed to his injuries later.

11. Two Pakistani naval personnel--- a commissioned officer of the rank of Sub-Lieutenant and a sailor--- were among four persons killed in two separate but coordinated explosions in Karachi on April 26, 2011. The explosions targeted two buses of the Pakistan Navy which were transporting naval personnel to their places of work. According to available indications, the improvised explosive devices, which struck the buses, had been planted along routes normally taken by the buses and activated through mobile telephones.

12. According to the "Daily Times" of Lahore ( April 27,2011), the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as the Pakistani Taliban is known, claimed the responsibility for the blasts, and threatened more attacks on security forces. The claim was made in a telephone call to a foreign news agency by a person who identified himself as Ehsanullah Ehsan, a spokesman of the Taliban. He reportedly said: "Security forces will be targeted in the future as well, because they are killing their own people in Waziristan and elsewhere at the behest of the United States.”

13. Since the raid by the Pakistani military commandos into the Lal Masjid in Islamabad in July,2007, there has been a number of retaliatory attacks by the TTP against the Army, the Air Force, the Special Services Group (SSG), the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the para-military forces and the police. It is, however, believed that the attacks on the Navy were connected to its role in providing maritime support to the NATO forces in Afghanistan. The Navy had no role to play in the Lal Masjid raid. The Pakistani authorities have been apprehending a surge in these attacks on the security forces, including the Navy, in retaliation for the raid by U.S. naval commandos into the residence of Osama bin Laden at Abbottabad on May 2,2011, in which OBL was killed.

14. At around 10 PM on the night of May 22, an unidentified group of about 15 terrorists armed with explosives, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and assault weapons was reported to have managed to infiltrate into the PNS Mehran base through a side of the Faisal PAF base where a PAF museum is located and engaged in a fire fight with naval and other security personnel after destroying at least one----according to some other reports two---PC 3 aircraft kept in the hangars. The fire-fight was still going on at 3 AM on the morning of May 23 when last reports came in.

15. It has been reported that the survivors among the attackers have taken some hostages and taken shelter inside a building in the base. According to unconfirmed reports, among the hostages are one or more Chinese military personnel working in the base. It has been further reported that some Americans and Turks were also working in the base. It is not known whether any of them has been taken hostage. At least 11 naval personnel are reported to have died in the fire fight so far. No one has claimed responsibility till now.

16. The daring attack and the inability of the Navy to prevent it are likely to add to the feelings of humiliation in the Pakistani Armed Forces which have been prevalent since the Abbottabad raid. To deflect anger over the security failure at PNS Mehran, attempts could be made to divert suspicion against India. Extra vigilance and extra security would be required along our coast in general and in the Mumbai area in particular. Instructions should be issued to all concerned to avoid any statements and comments which could aggravate the paranoia of the Pakistani Armed Forces and to refrain from exhibiting any sense of glee over the discomfiture of the Pakistani Armed Forces.(23-5-11)

(Bahukutumbi Raman is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute for Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com)

Sold Down The River

2011-05-23T05:23:00.000-07:00

Get this!

I may be slow on the up-take, but I’m still way ahead of the American public that still believes that by simply substituting a few political heads on Election Day, we can set things right again.

Scanning the headlines this morning, I happened to run across one that said “New Call To Greece To Sell Off Its Assets”. With all that’s going on, why did this particular item set my alarm bells ringing?

How much land does the U.S. government own? According to www.answerbag.com, “The United States government owns approximately 650 million acres of land, according to NationalAtlas.gov. That total amounts to about 30 percent of the total land area in the U.S. Some large categories of federally-owned land include national parks, national forests and national wildlife refuges.” Even if this answer is wrong, we all know it’s a lot. Out West, the percentages are even higher. In Nevada, for example, privately held land amounts to barely 20%.

Who owns or controls most mortgages? Don’t know the exact answer to this one, but you can bet the Feds have their fingers in this one as well (via Fannie and Freddie).

Who is it that keeps private industry from mining and drilling, keeping our land pristine and valuable to the max? Again, the answer is government.

After our currency has collapsed under the dead weight of unserviceable debt, what will be left to trade? Answer: land.

We’re being set up to be sold down the river, folks!

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Heavy On The Gas

2011-05-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

"...we like natural diasters as bookmarks in our chronicles. Earthquakes, flood, tsunamis, volcanoes all appear to be outside of history and non-partisan." - John Batchelor.

I really like your description of natural disasters as ‘non-partisan bookmarks’. I guess it’s been in the back of my mind ever since RE uttered the words, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”

I just finished listening to Aaron Klein’s Sunday show in which he parsed Barack Hussein Obama’s speech last week re the Middle East. Aaron’s weekly radio program is the kind of radio The John Batchelor Show used to be; and, in somewhat diluted form, still is.

Putting aside what Aaron actually had to say, the very fact that we cannot comfortably take Obama’s words at face value is troubling. Does he support Israel, or does he not? The jury is still out on that. An argument can be made either way. Does he understand the linkage between Israel and America as it has traditionally served? And, in a more immediate sense: What does he intend for America? Again, a variety of opinion prevails.

We’ve come a long way from trying to figure out whether Bill Clinton had sex with Monica Lewinsky or not. The argument we’re having today brings it much closer to home. It puts us in the crosshairs. After two and a half years, we are still at a loss to explain who our president is and in whose interests he might be working. Meanwhile all the metrics by which we have traditionally judged administrations are telling us we’re going down.

It seems what we write here has very little impact; that even what JB and his guests may say on his mighty New York ‘blowtorch’ megaphone is but a thimble’s worth of utterance tossed into the great torrent of popular babble. I think we’re all smart enough to know that no one really cares what we say or write. If people should actually begin to care, it would probably be wise to stop. Mitch Daniels and Donald Trump (among others) seem already to have reached this conclusion.

It is, after all, only ourselves we aim to please. Unfortunately, whether by design or accident, we remain our own severest critics, forever seeking approval from someone ‘outside’. The more astute among us, perhaps, eventually come to realize that there is no one really out there – never was; never will. Call this futile exercise good old-fashioned ‘blame-shifting’.

At one time, there was a great debate to determine the center of the universe. As is customary in any such endeavors, the first three reports were wrong – and from the look of things, all subsequent reports may be wrong as well. In fact, the question may be so absurd as to not even deserve consideration.

Given all we have to worry about, it’s a small matter indeed, intended only for GPS fanatics – as is worry about apocalypse; rapture; the 12th Imam’s well; etc. These are not things we can actually do anything about. What does appear to be possible is for us to handle our own affairs with due care and dignity. And even in that we too often fail (Schwarzenegger, Strauss-Kahn).

When a nation fails, it seldom fails from the outside. It fails from within. It fails due to the fractures and divisions induced by uneven emphasis. By that score, we have failed already – even before Barack Hussein Obama started sporting his first legitimate tooth. Our president is merely the driver whom we have chosen to drive our bus. Netanyahu happens to be on that bus as well. He now wishes he weren't - as he now raises the alarm, saying that our driver may be a little too heavy on the gas.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

View from India: The Birthday Cake

2011-05-22T07:34:00.000-07:00

by Parvathi

"It’s my birthday next week," said Ammu drawing up a stool next to Grandfather's chair.

"And how old will you be?" asked Grandfather looking at his favorite over the tops of his glasses.

"Eleven." Ammu screwed up her nose, "that is almost twelve, isn't it Grandfather?"

"Eleven cannot be twelve, child," Grandfather smiled. "Don't be in such a hurry to grow up. That will happen anyway," he added wistfully.

"I had a party last year when I was at Bangalore," Ammu reminisced, doodling on the arm of the reclining chair. "I invited the entire class home. We had cake, ice cream, chips - lots of it."

Grandfather looked up sharply at the note of longing in Ammu's voice. "What kind of cake?" he asked.

Ammu looked up, her face all animated. "Chocolate cake! - and from Nilgiris. It had ‘Happy Birthday, Ammu’ on it in icing. Oh Grandfather! It was the best cake ever!!"

Grandfather looked at Ammus eyes shining with the memory of that wonderful party. His mind was made up.

"That's it, Ammukutty," he said. "You'll have your birthday cake this year as well."

"I will?" asked Ammu ecstatically, throwing herself on her grandfather hugging and kissing him. "Oh, Grandfather, thank you, thank you!!" She ran singing to her cousin's room down the passage "Sudechi! I'm getting a birthday cake!!"

"And how do you propose to do it?" asked Grandmother when she brought in grandfather's tea.

"I will ask Gopalan to get it for me. He knows where to get cakes; bakeries, I mean. “Ammu is missing the life she had in Bangalore."

"You cannot replicate it," said Grandmother. "I like to celebrate it our way with payasam and neiyyappam, and a small archana at the temple. I will be doing that anyway cake or no cake."

"I want to do this for her," Grandfather had an obstinate note in his voice and Grandmother knew that wild horses could not drag him away from this project.

"You talk to Gopalan," she said collecting the tea things.

Gopalan came over that evening and Grandfather told him all about the cake.

"The birthday is only next week," said Gopalan standing respectfully near Grandfather's chair. "There's plenty of time. I'll get it from SLN Bakery the day before or even that very afternoon."

"Can't take a chance," said Grandfather. "I want you to get the cake tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" asked Gopalan, surprised. "Sir, do you think it will keep till next week?"

"Of course!" said Grandfather impatiently. "Here's the money. Get a nice big chocolate cake with 'Happy Birthday, Ammu, from Grandfather and Grandmother with love' on it in icing."

Gopalan obediently wrote everything down and showed it to Grandfather who scanned the details and nodded his approval.

The cake arrived the next day. It was all that Ammu wanted and more. "We won't be opening it now," said Grandfather.

They all stood around the wonderful looking box from SLN Bakery. "Sudechi! that's my birthday cake!" thrilled Ammu to her cousin who was a sophisticated eighteen studying in college.

Sudha was child enough to be excited at this unusual turn of affairs. "Grandma, where will we keep it? In the pantry?"

"I have a plan," said Grandfather. "We will keep in the macrame pot holder in that passage adjacent to Sudha's room."

"Why there?" asked Ammu.

"It's well protected from drafts, that passage - cake won't spoil."

Grandmother's face was inscrutable." I'll get Ponni to do that," she said and quickly left the room.

“Oh! Grandfather!" cried Ammu. "I'm so excited! I can't wait for my birthday to arrive! I can't wait for the cake!"

"If the rats don't get it before us" said Sudha laconically, sashaying out to her favorite perch on the window seat with a book.

"Rats, Grandfather?" Ammu looked at him anxiously.
"Never mind Sudha, child. She is just teasing you." Grandfather smiled fondly at Ammu. "I'll look after your cake."

Ammu was relieved. Grandfather knows best, she thought. "I'm going to call my friends from next door on my birthday. We'll have a party!" she talked to herself running to the wicket gate that separated her house from the neighbours’.

Ammu and Sudha watched jealously over the cake, well ensconced in the macrame pot holder. It hung there in the middle of the passage and Sudha's room was just across from it. Grandfather came regularly every morning and night to check the box for signs of vandalism. No such signs. So far so good.

On the eve of her birthday, Ammu got a huge parcel from her mother. All kinds of goodies came out of it: books, clothes, trinkets - and not just for Ammu. For Sudha as well. Sudha simply adored the silk skirt and rainbow-colored bangles.

"You mother is very nice." she told Ammu. "She’s always gets me things."

There were hand-knitted sweaters for Grandfather and Grandmother as well. Ammu smiled happily. Not a jealous bone in her body.

"Sudechi, tomorrow we'll eat the cake!" Ammu's eyes sparkled as she pranced around wearing a dress her mother sent.

The next day was a school day. Ammu could not concentrate. She saw "Chocolate Cake" everywhere.

She burst into the house that evening and, throwing her bag on her bed, she ran to her grandfather. There in the center of the octagonal table sat the cake box. The plates were all neatly arranged - the knife resting near the box.

Grandfather was the expert in cutting. He could cut anything. He made an art of it. He would do the same with the cake. Sudha was back from the college and they all stood around the table.

"Grandmother, shall I call Radha and the others from next door?" asked Ammu excitedly.

"Wait till the cake is cut, child" said Grandmother "Don't be so impatient." Nobody ever went against what Grandmother said.

The cake box was tied up with a string, and Grandfather untied it slowly and ceremoniously. They all waited with bated breath. Now comes the cake, they thought.

The box opened and they were aghast at the moldy mass that sat inside.

"My cake!" sobbed Ammu. "Where's my cake?"

Sudha was in splits. "That's your cake, Ammu; with all the mold growing on it. It's spoilt!"

Ammu turned to Grandfather her eyes brimming with tears "You told me that it would not get spoilt! You told me you would look after it!"

Grandfather looked shamefaced.

"What a lot nonsense!" said Grandmother crisply. "Ammu stop crying like a baby. These things happen. It could have been the cake; could have been the bakery. And then, we've had unusually humid weather these past ten days. That can definitely spoil anything."

Ammu stretched out her finger and traced the icing on the moldy cake. "Happy Birthday Ammu from Grandfather and Grandmother with love" it read.

She turned to Grandfather. "Thanks Grandfather!" she said hugging him "You remembered the icing!"

"I am sorry it turned out this way," said Grandfather. "I thought you would miss your Bangalore birthday parties."

"Here children," said Grandmother. "Come eat the neiyyappam and drink thepayasam. I made for the birthday." She set the plates and the little cups on the table.

"Ooh! my favorite!" said Ammu. "I love neiyyappam. Don't you, Sudechi?"

They sat round the table tucking into the food, while the cake sat forlornly in the center.

CHINA : ALL THE WAY WITH PAKISTAN

2011-05-22T04:30:00.000-07:00

by B.RAMAN

China has gone all the way with Pakistan in the difficult situation being faced by Pakistan in the aftermath of the Abbottabad raid by some U.S. naval commandos on May 2, which led to the death of Osama bin Laden.

2. This became apparent during the just concluded (May 20,2011) four-day visit of Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani to China during which he met, among others, President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. The visit had been fixed weeks before the Abbottabad raid to mark the high-profile observance of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, but as it took place a few days after the raid, Pakistan ’s much-doubted sincerity in fighting terrorism became the defining and dominating theme of the visit.

3. Even before Gilani’s departure for China , the Chinese authorities had made it clear in no uncertain terms on many occasions that they did not share the skepticism being expressed in the U.S. regarding the sincerity of Pakistan in the so-called war against terrorism. The Chinese also refrained from subscribing to the view that to have been able to live undetected for over five years at Abbottabad, OBL must have had some local support from official circles in Pakistan . They had no hesitation in endorsing the claims made by Pakistan that its security forces had made huge sacrifices in the war against terrorism.

4. These points were reiterated with even greater force by the Chinese during their interactions with Gilani after his arrival in China . It was apparent that the Chinese leaders have had no difficulty in accepting the claims of Pakistan that it was taken by surprise by OBL being found in Abbottabad. While refraining from any comments that could have been misinterpreted as criticism of the unilateral U.S. raid to kill OBL, the Chinese underlined their own preference for joint operations with Pakistan in dealing with the Uighur dissidents operating on both sides of Pakistan’s border with the Chinese-controlled Xinjiang. The Chinese also refrained from any remarks that could be interpreted as an attempt to capitalize on the post-Abbottabad anti-U.S. sentiments in Pakistan to drive a wedge between Pakistan and the U.S. Chinese analysts stressed the importance of continuing Pakistani counter-terrorism co-operation with the U.S. on the one side and with China on the other.

5. During his meeting with Gilani, Hu promised to increase cooperation with Pakistan on fighting terrorism and cross-border crimes in a bid to create a sound security environment for the economic and social development of both countries. Hu expressed his appreciation of Pakistan ’s contribution in the fight against terrorism, and said China would promote security dialogue and coordination with Pakistan. He said China would join Pakistan in the fight against drug trafficking, cross-border crimes and the "three evil forces"--terrorism, extremism and splittism.

6. Pakistani journalists who had accompanied Gilani have claimed that during his meeting with Gilani, Wen said that Pakistan had made great sacrifices in the global war against terrorism and urged the international community to understand and support Pakistan's efforts to maintain domestic stability and advance the economic and social development. They also quoted Wen as telling Gilani that "Pakistan's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected," and as disclosing that China had asked the U.S. to respect Pakistan ’s sovereignty, understand its problems, address its concerns and acknowledge the sacrifices rendered by it in the war against terror. China was reported to have made this point to the U.S. during a recent strategic dialogue between the two countries in Washington DC.

7. The strong Chinese support for Pakistan on the counter-terrorism issue was also underlined in the joint statement ussued by the two countries at the end of the visit on May 20. The statement inter alia said: “China believes that Pakistan ’s efforts for promoting peace and stability in South Asia need to be recognised and supported. The Chinese side recognised the tremendous efforts and great sacrifice that Pakistan has made in fighting terrorism and reiterated its respect and support for Pakistan ’s efforts to advance its counter-terrorism strategy and safeguard its security.”

8. In a commentary on the visit carried on May 18, the Party-controlled “People’s Daily” said: “Due to special causes in various aspects, such as historical and tribal influences, the 'three forces' headed by the 'East Turkistan Islamic Movement' have existed for a long time in the tribal areas at the Pakistani-Afghan border. However, China has always respected Pakistan 's sovereignty when combating the 'three forces' jointly with Pakistan and understands Pakistan's enormous sacrifices and significant contributions in the forefront of the international fight against terrorism. Pakistan has also always supported China 's sovereignty and territorial integrity in major issues related to the Taiwan region, Tibet Autonomous Region and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.”

9. In a commentary published on May 20 in the Government-controlled “China Daily”, Han Hua, associate professor at Peking University's School of International Studies, said: “Instead of creating a gulf in relations, the death of bin Laden has offered a chance to Pakistan, the U.S. and China to work together to combat terrorism. After all, the three countries' anti-terrorism mission is still very much on.”

10. Thus, the following points relating to the Chinese position have come out loud and clear from the visit:

- China welcomes the death of OBL as a result of the U.S. raid.

- Despite the success of the raid which was organized unilaterally by the U.S., it stresses the importance of respecting Pakistan ’s sovereignty.

- Pakistan’s failure to detect the presence of OBL at Abbottabad does not detract from the sacrifices made by it in the war against terrorism. These sacrifices have to be recognized.

- China has no intention to capitalize on the U.S. misgivings about Pakistan to wean Pakistan away from the U.S.

- Continuing counter-terrorism co-operation between Pakistan and the U.S. would benefit the war against global terrorism which continues despite OBL’s death.

11. Though India has not figured in any of the statements and reports emanating from China on Gilani’s visit, reading between the lines one could infer that Pakistan ’s concerns over its ability to prevent any Indian air intrusions into Pakistan must have figured in the discussions. The reported Chinese agreement to expedite the supply of 50 JF-17 Thunder aircraft to the Pakistan Air Force during the next six months strengthens this inference.

12. The “Daily Times” of Lahore has commented on this as follows in its report: “According to official sources, these aircraft will be equipped with sophisticated avionics. Not only will the aircraft be handed over within weeks, China will also foot the bill initially. Although Pakistan and China have been jointly developing this multirole combat aircraft in the past, in the aftermath of the U.S. operation in Abbottabad, serious questions have been raised about Pakistan ’s defence capabilities. According to a strategic expert, the speedy delivery of 50 pieces of this aircraft, originally to be done over two years, is expected to allay apprehensions of not only the Pakistani public but will also send a message to the world that Pakistan ’s defence is not weak. It might be remembered that not only has the Indian military chief speculated on the possibility of a U.S.-style strike from the Indian side to take out jihadi outfits in Pakistan, there has been escalation on the Pakistan-India border near Sialkot recently. Also, observers believe that in a situation when the speculations are rife that Pakistan may not be able to resist another U.S. attack inside its territory if it so decides, this agreement will send a clear message to the world on which side China stands.” (22-5-11)

(Bahukutumbi Raman is additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com)
-------------------------------------------------
My comment: This analysis reflects an understanding (by the Chinese) that Pakistan is wont to play both sides; that Pakistan remains vulnerable to both China and the U.S.; that China’s strategic involvement in Pakistan is not driven by sentiment alone. As such, China’s involvement seeks to focus on practical goals; specifically, mitigating the threat of Islamic terrorism within its own sphere.

Furthermore, it employs the now failed Bush policy of encircling the perceived enemy (Iran) by establishing useful bases on either side of it (Iraq and Afghanistan); and now, figuring in China’s calculations: India (in the middle) with Pakistan and China surrounding it.

Mark Levin

2011-05-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

America's Swan Song

2011-05-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

Today was supposed to be the end of the world – the Rapture – as Christian minister Harold Camping predicted; and thousands of his followers, around the world, from Manila to New York took it to heart. Based on esoteric, inscrutable calculations from the Old Testament, the 6 PM moment of apocalypse has already passed in the Far East without incident. Whether or not this was done simply to promote Camping’s multi-million dollar non-profit ministry or was based on genuine sentiment is anybody’s guess. Nevertheless, the run-up to this non-event caused some to sell their possessions and others to lose sleep. Camping is said to have predicted the end of the word before (in the ‘90’s).

This puts me into an awkward position, having predicted the end of our political world somewhere within the timeframe between now and the 2012 election. There are those who would say it’s already happened with the election of Barack Hussein Obama; that everything that now follows is irreversible with more shoes yet to drop. I’m not yet quite so pessimistic. I still believe that we have time to halt our slide into total irrelevance and chaos, provided enough people wake up to the threat.

Nevertheless, it puts me in with the doomsday prophets who will be proven either wrong or right as November 2012 approaches.

I do not like to be in this position. It is not something I do for profit or undue attention. It simply reflects my view that there are now those who have managed to gain the upper hand in steering our nation toward a vision that is dangerous and destructive overall.

There’s certainly not much sign of it yet – not in my corner of the country, at any rate; where not too many houses are sporting ‘For Sale’ signs, nor are businesses shuttered; and price spikes at gas stations and in the grocery stores appear to have had a minimal effect on a population still relatively well-off. It is at the hardware store and in the barbershops that one begins to hear some grumblings; but our town’s high-end restaurants are still relatively well attended; especially now, with spring in full swing and tables having been set outside. On closer examination, however, one finds that many of the published prices on menus have been pasted over and changed in free-hand.

On TV too, the endless talk about the likes of Schwarzenegger and Strauss-Kahn goes on uninterrupted - next week somebody else will occupy the hot seat – as if no one had a concern in the world. Only politicos warn that if their candidate is not fully supported the world as we know it will shatter. It’s all dismissed as idle talk that some of the more eager armchair warriors among us are wont to engage in.

Yet, I cannot shake the feeling that something far more significant than mere appearance is at stake. In fact, things may be even worse than we are led to believe. My timetable ensues out of the election cycle which many have come to view as America’s salvation.

I see it somewhat differently. The election cycle is likely to speed things up even more. As I watch the so-called opposition trying to position itself in embarrassingly clumsy fits and starts, I take it as a sign that America is yet unaware of the dangers it faces. While said dangers have become obvious to me, I see no evidence of the urgency that would normally be evident in a nation under siege. In fact, I see us becoming quite comfortable with the possibility of Obama winning a second term. Neither do I see the opposition mounting a credible counter-attack.

My greatest fear is that the worst that could happen has already happened, and that the rest is merely a coda to America’s swan song.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

The Pool Empties

2011-05-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

(The following can be read in conjunction with 'On A Silver Platter'.)

It was remarkable to see: a foreign head of state giving our president a public schooling yesterday. Some were outraged that this could even happen. Others were jubilant. All felt somewhat uncomfortable.

For far too long Obama has been getting away with it, just saying things for the mere sake of talking without anything to back it up. And we were expected to become all wobbly and swoon at the mere strains of ‘Hail to the Chief' marking his entrance. We’d grown tired of waiting for the oft promised manna from heaven while most of the time it’s been raining stones.

Yesterday, someone finally took it upon himself to stand up to the charade. It’s not that Obama was fooling anybody anymore. All the other world leaders noticed the utter lack of substance in the man. But they just smiled and discretely turned away, pretending to blow their noses while laughing out loud. “Be careful, we’ve got a nut case here,” they said to each other.

Israel couldn’t take it so lightly. Its very existence depends upon a viable partnership between our two nations – now more than ever, as the Middle East is preparing to rise up against it. It cannot continue to play childish games that have no basis in reality.

In what was billed as a major foreign policy statement last week at the State Department, the president reiterated America’s long-standing position toward Israel. “Our commitment to Israel’s security is unshakeable,” he said. Three paragraphs later, he went on, “…and Israel must be able to defend itself – by itself – against any threat.” What the hell does that mean? - that we now will or won’t support Israel if she were to be attacked?

It’s the same with our economy. On one hand, Obama says that private enterprise is expected to pull our nation back from the fiscal brink. On the other, he is singularly responsible for placing roadblocks in the path of every private enterprise and condemning the very notion of capitalism at every turn.

No wonder everyone is left scratching their heads by this American Shiva’s eternal skull dance. And we do know that confusion and uncertainty keeps everything from moving forward.

Desperate to land on some green twig, he’s got us grasping at straws. We pick and choose from his torrent of words to find those that would signal a positive turn, ignoring all others. It’s impossible for us to believe that our very own leader does not have a plan – easy to do as we hear him talking out of both sides of his mouth. He exhorts industry to hire. Industry is reluctant. They don’t just hire to pad payrolls. They expect to see results, even as planning has become impossible in this fog. Consequently, they’re not hiring. They’ll wait until the air clears at least enough to discern some direction.

Netanyahu did us a favor yesterday. He introduced some urgency into the mix. Will our president now feel compelled to sharpen his pencils? Or will he harden his stance toward an ally who has cared enough to expose this administration's treading water while the pool empties.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Small Bits: On Israel

2011-05-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

I’ve been writing about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for a number of years now. I’ve been going back and reading what I wrote back in the 90’s. Everything I’ve ever said about this is still true today. I just never thought I’d ever see an American president stick a fork and knife into Israel and hand her over to her tormentors.

Some say we'd have gotten along just fine without Israel. As one who writes, I know that we are a product of the Judea-Christian tradition. Virtually every one of our literary references and metaphors can be traced back to the Bible. It is so engrained in us – so much a part of us – most of us are quite unaware of it (it’s like the eye not being able to see itself). Knock all that foundation out from under us – and we become nothing.

What we hold now to be so terribly important would simply blow away, like topsoil blowing away with the wind. Don’t say Israel is unimportant – when, in fact, Israel is us. Why would you think this tiny sliver of a country is so hard fought?

Many of us take the family to a movie on Sunday afternoons. Try being compelled by law to attend public hangings in the market square on Saturdays instead. That seems to be the idea of civic duty in some quarters. (Though, these days, it seems to work out to virtually the same thing.)

“It’s not one world,” the late, great Paul Harvey used to say.
-----------------------------------------------
President Obama attempting to dismantle the very basis of our legitimacy as essential actors on the world stage. This has very little to do with the terms we use to describe things. Terms are often interchangeable. It has become clear to me that two distinct narratives have emerged within our nation that are not necessarily compatible. In effect, we are at war with ourselves.

The things discussed in the Bible are often dismissed as no longer relevant because it was written at a different time and spoke to those people in terms that only they could fully understand. We no longer use the same terms or concepts to describe things. (Even today, we run into endless problems when attempting simple translation.)

Today, we often use metaphors we learned in 9th grade science class. Throughout the long and arduous evolution of language, reality has remained essentially the same. Even, despite knowing that the world is round, our maps remain flat. It matters not how we express it. What I’m trying to say is that language is but a thin veneer, and time-sensitive to boot. The cultural heritage of any given people runs much deeper.

Unfortunately, Muslim aggression - and Western aggression (or influence) - is and has been a historical fact. The bone of contention right now is Israel. If there were no Israel, we would have to invent it. We must deal with the aggression, not curse the bone.

As for throwing everything into the pot, to see which one will sink or swim, quite apart from what may or may not be in our own self interest - this too will not work. There is no such thing as peace at ground level or above. Peace is only possible six feet under.

As long as we live, we must always be prepared to fight. If we succeed in keeping the fallout confined to foreign shores, so much the better for us. Nations know instinctively that they must protect themselves. Some make the strategic decision to ride on the coattails of others who might possess the means to protect them. In doing so, they give up a bit of their sovereignty. Others build great armies. It still is not clear to me which of these Israel aspires to.

Time is roughly divided into two-thirds peace and one-third war. Peace is merely the absence of war. War can sometimes be held at bay by fear. Either way, the illusion of power plays a role. This is why great nations build great armies that stand idle two-thirds of the time. It is hardly a waste.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

View from India: TERROR LIST GOOF-UP

2011-05-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

by B.RAMAN

In March, our Ministry of Home Affairs had given to its Pakistani counterpart a list of 50 terrorists----Indian as well as Pakistani nationals--- who were suspected to have been involved in acts of terrorism in India. The Pakistani authorities were requested to have them arrested and handed over to India for trial.

India had been giving such lists to Pakistan ever since the Khalistani terrorists hijacked some aircraft of the Indian Airlines to Pakistan in the 1980s. Initially, the lists included mostly the names of Khalistani terrorists who were operating from Pakistan. Subsequently, the lists were expanded in the 1990's to include the names of some terrorists from Jammu & Kashmir and the absconding accused of the 1993 blasts in Mumbai, including Dawood Ibrahim and his associates.

Till about 2004, this list had a total of about 20 names. It has since expanded to 50 due to the search for the absconding accused in post-2004 jihadi acts of terrorism. Pakistan used to deny the presence of any Indian national in its territory. In respect of the Pakistani nationals figuring in the Indian lists, its response used to be that India had not been able to produce any evidence regarding their involvement in terrorism.

This exercise had been going on for nearly 30 years without Pakistan taking any action to trace those wanted by India and arresting and handing them over. Before handing them over to Pakistan, the lists used to be vetted by a joint committee consisting of officers of all agencies and the State Police. A senior officer of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) used to chair this committee. The representatives of the State Police were required to confirm that the lists were correct.

No errors in the preparation of these lists had occurred in the past due to the systematic vetting of the lists by all agencies sitting jointly for the purpose before handing them over to Pakistan.

This procedure does not appear to have been followed in the case of the latest list of 50 wanted terrorists. As a result, the names of at least two suspects, who had been arrested in India and hence were not absconding, found their way into the list which showed them as hiding in Pakistan.

The U.S. naval commando raid into the hide-out of Osama bin Laden at Abbottabad on May 2 and his death during the raid have given rise to considerable criticism in the U.S. regarding the alleged role of Pakistan in sheltering wanted terrorists. Presumably to capitalize on the growing public criticism of Pakistan for giving shelter to terrorists, the MHA apparently decided to make the latest list available to the media in order to highlight Pakistan’s non-cooperation in tracing and arresting terrorists wanted in India.

Journalists of the “Times of India” and NDTV, who scrutinized the list, found out that two of the terrorists shown in the list as hiding in Pakistan were actually in India.

This has created considerable embarrassment for the Govt. of India. Though there was no mala fide intention on the part of the MHA, its failure to detect these errors before the list was handed over to Pakistan indicated a certain casualness in the maintenance of records relating to absconding accused in the Govt. of India and in the preparation of the list. The usual process of vetting of the list by a joint committee of the officers of the agencies and the Police was apparently not followed.

There was an unwise haste in preparing the list, handing it over to Pakistan and releasing it to the media in order to capitalize on the growing suspicions in the international community about Pakistan’s non-cooperation in counter-terrorism.

The embarrassment faced by the Government of India cannot be easily undone. The professional and diplomatic faux pas is likely to damage the reliability of our professional standards regarding investigation and documentation. It is going to take us some time to have the damage to our credibility repaired.

The episode will also enable Pakistan to reinforce its argument that Indian allegations of Pakistani support to terrorism are motivated propaganda and hence cannot be relied upon.

Three corrective steps are required to avoid a repeat of this embarrassment. Firstly, to act against the officers who have contributed to this embarrassment by their sins of commission and omission. Secondly, to revamp the process for the preparation of such documents in future to rule out errors. Thirdly, to avoid undue haste in preparing such lists and going to the media with them, in the hope of thereby embarrassing Pakistan.

If the international community has to be convinced about the correctness of our allegations against Pakistan, it must develop confidence in the reliability of our documentation and in our due diligence process in preparing such dossiers. ( 20-5-11)

(Bahukutumbi Raman is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi )

I Hit Her; Didn't I?

2011-05-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Why do we keep on plowing the same tired old field over and over again, expecting a different crop; asking if POTUS knows? Yes, he knows precisely! I’m getting tired of Obama’s so-called ‘mistakes’ (because he doesn’t know). He knows!

If I were Netanyahu, I would cancel my trip to Washington. We know of Obama’s close ties to the likes of Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers, and Rashid Khalidi. We know their views even if Obama lies to our faces. Why should our president’s views be any different from theirs?

When you love somebody, you believe anything they say. Fair enough. The media is simply in love with Obama. When he says, “Our commitment to Israel is unshakable,” they believe it, ignoring the mountain of all his past associations, influences; and, now, decisions. When we see him acting in ways that go counter to the interests of our nation, we are asked to ignore it and say, “He is our president who represents all we hold dear.”

Netanyahu should cancel to show he has awakened from everyone’s dream expectation; from everyone’s wishful thinking. Did Roosevelt meet with Hitler? Did Churchill meet with Mussolini? No, it’s not done. One does not meet with one’s enemies until after they’ve been defeated and they’ve turned over their swords in solemn ceremony for all the world to see.

There are two ways to achieve peace. One is to win; the other is to lose. If Bush had had even half the support Obama has, he would have gone down as one of the greatest presidents ever. His strategy for the ME was flawless. It might have worked had he not been undermined from within for table scraps. Obama’s strategy is to bat for the losing side (if we are to believe that ‘good’ always wins over ‘evil’).

We see this in every one of Obama’s decisions, foreign and domestic. In the short run it will hurt. There is no need to prolong this war. There is no need to agonize; to try and fit square pegs into round holes and vice versa.

Reminds of an old joke: Manny was a bus driver. As every morning at rush hour, his bus was so crowded with people going to work, some had to stand. The ones near the front could marvel at Manny’s skillful driving.

One day, Manny was coming down a street. There was an old, fat woman crossing the road ahead. Instead of slowing down, Manny sped up. The bus hit the woman squarely. The people who saw the whole thing were outraged. “What’s the matter with you?” they shouted. “Didn’t you see the lady?”

Manny just smiled and turned his head slightly to address them, “I hit her; didn’t I?” he said.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Robbie Robertson

2011-05-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

Formerly of 'The Band', Robbie Robertson went solo with this self-titled album which, though spotty, contained three or four very good songs.

View from India: The Snake In The Backyard

2011-05-19T15:07:00.000-07:00

by Parvathi

You never felt the blistering heat of North Indian summer when you were young. Playing in the shade of the huge, branching Mahua tree, the four children and dog were oblivious to everything except their mysterious game. Nina, the Alsatian, lay near them, tongue hanging out, a loving watchful eye on the group. Mahua flowers, heavy with scent, fell softly carpeting the grass. The villagers would be by later, to pick them. Their potent local brew was made from the Mahua flowers.

The four children were playing in the back yard, and behind them lay the big kitchen garden neatly divided into plots and carefully tended by Bahadur. He sat near the kitchen door, smiling inscrutably, watching the children play, enjoying his little break while Mrs. K. partook of her elevenses inside.

Suddenly Nina stood up growling, and stood protectively in front of the children. Bahadur stopped fanning himself, and stood up, a frown on his brow.

"Children, children, please go inside; Nina, inside, inside!!" Bahadur cried out loudly.

M. looked up. "We are staying here!" she said setting her mouth in an obstinate line. "Why are you disturbing us?"

"Why?" repeated little B. He always repeated what his sister said.

The other two did not raise their heads, still engrossed in their play. Nina growled louder and more threateningly, and gave a short, sharp bark looking at the four children.

"Uf,ohhh! Nina!" said M. "What is the matter with you?"

Nina barked again, and it seemed as if she was trying to draw their attention to something in the yard.

Bahadur was there picking up the toys. “Better you go inside now,” he said. “Play when the sun is down."

B. suddenly gave a cry and pointed at something near the garden wall. The children turned and looked. It was a snake. Long and gleaming stretched out against the wall.

"Snake!" screamed C., already half way to the house, "Mama, Mama!!" The rest hurtled after her. B. stood sucking his thumb, watching this sudden visitor, till Bahadur scooped him up. "Come Chota Babu, let's go inside."

B. had never seen a snake before in all his brief three years.

Nina stood her ground and growled making sure her brood was safely home.

"Mama, Mama! There's a snake in the kitchen garden!" C. shouted, hurtling into the living room where her mother looked up from her tea.

"Snake?" said Mrs. K. startled, spilling some of the hot liquid. "Where? Bahadur, where's this snake? What are you doing about it? The children play outside all the time. God, what do we do now?"

Mrs. K. was nervous and upset. "Where are the children?" she asked, placing her cup on the table.

"They ok Memsaab," said Bahadur. "They watch snake," he said smiling.

"What do you mean?" said Mrs. K. and rushed inside to find the children standing on the deep sill in the bedroom, looking at the snake through the window. Mrs. K. took up a position behind them. Yes, there it was, long, very long, and gleaming.

"I like its skin," said M. "Auntie, is it nice to touch?"

A look of horror crossed Mrs. K.'s face. "Touch?" she said. "You don't touch a snake! And don't you go about doing such things!"

"Nithe!" lisped B., still sucking on his thumb.

They heard footsteps at the door. "Daddy!" sang C. "My Daddy's home! My Daddy's home!" she danced around her father who picked her up and swung her around.

"Hello kids!” he said. "So what's happening?"

"Snake, uncle! There's a snake in the backyard !" said M. swinging her pigtails.

"If I'd known there were snakes around I would not have allowed the children to play outside," said Mrs. K.

Nina gave a volley of barks, putting in her little piece. She simply adored Mr. K. and he likewise.

"Hey Nina! Glad you were out there with them," said K. fondling Nina's neck. "Bahadur..."

Bahadur came to the door. "It’s alright, Sahib. It’s only that cobra that lives in the back yard."

Mrs. K. could not believe her ears! "Cobra that lives in the back yard!?” she said incredulously. “Well, I never! …and with children running around?"

"It’s like this," K. said, sitting down with the children and Nina all around him. "It’s been there for a long time. I forget how long. It dug itself, or found itself, a long tunnel that starts in our back yard and comes out after little B.'s house. Sometimes it comes out and just lies there enjoying itself. It’s very peaceful.

"I sit there and read in winters. I think he knows I will never harm him. They know, animals do, you know. They know who means to harm them and who does not. They only attack in self-defense. They do not plot to kill; nor do they kill for pleasure. That sort of behavior is only from us". He winked at them.

"We don't harm animals, uncle," they chorused.

"Good," he said. "This snake likes to live in peace, and he likes my backyard, so we live in symbiotic harmony." This was addressed to Mrs. K. who stood listening with a puzzled frown on her face. "Bahadur knows about the snake. That's why he watches out for you in the back yard."

The four turned to Bahadur. "You know all about the snake! You are not afraid?" They crowded closer to K. "Tell us about the snake, Bahadur; tell us about the snake!" and they got up and trailed behind him on his way to the kitchen.

"All right," K. and Mrs. K. heard him telling the foursome and dog. "Now all of you sit quiet and I will tell you the story of the snake in the kitchen garden."

K. smiled at his wife gently, "Don't worry. The snake has been here ever since I moved into the house. Some say he's been here ever since they can remember."

He parted the curtains and looked out into the backyard. The snake was still there, long and gleaming.

On A Silver Platter

2011-05-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

We now see what the so-called ‘Arab Spring’ – much of which this president has had a hand in – has been all about. In his (billed as a major) foreign policy speech today president Obama essentially told Israel to fall back to its pre-’67 borders as a precondition for peace talks with Palestinians.

We must suspect that it has been Obama’s plan all along to hand Israel over into the hands of its enemies. Reaction should be predictable. He will be praised by Jew haters, which now includes virtually every nation on earth. (It’s nice to know that we’ve managed to sink to the lowest common denominator among nations in less than a single presidential term.) At the same time, it should send shivers through every Israeli (living in Israel).

Such borders are clearly indefensible should Israel be attacked – and it will be. Obama is betting on being able to gain acceptance in the Islamic world by sacrificing Israel. It will not work. Islamists will feel emboldened and will not stop until Europe and America are Islamized as well. Much can happen between now and then, but this nonetheless represents a milestone in the long view of some who are playing the game.

Exactly how long the game has been going on is at this point hard to tell. Perhaps Israel was doomed from the start. But this speech certainly clarifies things. The implied trade-off, of course, is that there might now be a chance for peace were the Arabs to get what they want; that wars and terrorism (and high oil prices) would cease to be a problem and that all the world would prosper.

You know my view. I’ve stated it often enough. We cannot build stability, prosperity and peace on genocide. Others have tried and it has never worked. I view Israel as the keystone of a delicate arch. It should be defended and reinforced – not removed and discarded. The arch is likely to collapse. All else we can survive: socialism; corruption; a broken economy; a broken government; even the unrelenting threat of terror.

A fallen Israel we cannot.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

Goodwin Liu: A Liberal's Liberal

2011-05-19T07:25:00.000-07:00

If there be any doubt remaining as to where Barack Hussein Obama intends to take the country, consider his nomination of Goodwin Liu to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The 40-year old University of California (at Berkeley) law professor needs to secure the 60 votes as early as today in the Senate, needed to overcome a promised filibuster by Republicans.

Besides having had no hands-on judicial experience, Liu’s writing’s and pronouncements show him to harbor views that would seem excessively liberal even by the liberal standards of the 9th Circuit.

The WSJ in its lead editorial today quotes Liu:

On Chief Justice John Roberts: “A Supreme Court nominee must be evaluated on more than just legal intellect.”

On Samuel Alito: “Judge Alito’s record envisions an America where police may shoot and kill an unarmed boy to stop him from running away with a stolen purse.”

More: “(Alito) approaches law in a formalistic, mechanical way abstracted from human experience.”

More: “(…judges should) determine, at the moment of decision, whether our collective values on a given issue have converged to a degree that they can be persuasively crystallized and credibly absorbed into legal doctrine.”

On the use of international law in the courtroom: “The resistance to this practice to this practice is difficult for me to grasp, since the U.S. can hardly claim to have a monopoly on wise solutions to common legal problems faced by constitutional democracies around the world.”

And: “’free enterprise’, ‘private ownership of property’ and ‘limited government’…are code words for an ideological agenda hostile to environmental, work place, and consumer protections.”

Republicans have been known to roll over for Democrat judicial appointments. Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan both were installed without much fuss. The thinking goes that American presidents should pretty much be afforded the right to pick whoever they want as court vacancies occur. If recent history is a guide, Obama can expect to get this nominee through the confirmation process as well after some initial, obligatory grumbling from the peanut gallery.

Recent developments have shown, however, that suspicion remains high that Obama’s agenda is damaging to the country overall. Nowhere is the impact of a presidency greater than in president’s prerogative to appoint wildly partisan judges for life. As more and more – especially Republican – lawmakers are waking up to the fact of what’s happening to our nation, future nominations can be expected to be hard fought – starting today.

This is not to say that people like Liu should not be allowed to express their views. Far from it; our Constitution (or what’s left of it) expressly allows for it. It’s just that we are not necessarily obliged to put such people in leadership positions.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

The Byrds

2011-05-18T18:26:00.000-07:00

Magical 12-string sound.

George Soros: Media Mogul

2011-05-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

Rush picked up on it early – the liberal bias in the mainstream media. He identified certain phrases that various media would regularly use in response to major news stories and strung them together, and played them on air. It was astounding to hear talking head after talking head saying exactly the same thing, using the very same language. It was hilarious. We put it down to Democrat ‘talking points'. Nobody yet talked of conspiracy.

Story after story focused on Republican stumbles. Story after story promoted Democrats. Important stories that showed Republicans in a positive light were spiked altogether. Eventually it would come to be known as ‘media bias’. Any Republican who dared to speak out on his party’s behalf was immediately slammed by the press. Democrats, however, could do no wrong.

At about the same time, liberal news outlets began experiencing severe revenue shortfalls. Talk radio and the internet surged. Newspapers, like the New York Times became an editorial and financial laughing stock. Technology was blamed for news consumers’ full flight away from traditional media. I remember having expressed doubts at the time. It seemed too pat an explanation. We ourselves had cancelled two newspaper subscriptions and stopped buying magazines – and it wasn’t because we were getting our news from the internet. We were just tired of being insulted every time we turned the pages.

Now it has come out that there is essentially one man who has been behind it all along: George Soros, one of the richest, most influential men in the world.

Dan Gainor, Boone Pickens Fellow and the Media Research Center’s Vice President for Business and Culture, writes in two recent articles (“Why Don’t We Hear About Soros’ Ties to Over 30 Major News Organizations?” and “Why Is Soros Spending Over $48 Million Funding Media Organizations?”): “Since 2003, Soros has spent more than $48 million funding media properties, including the infrastructure of news – journalism schools, investigative journalism and even industry organizations.”

Soros is known as a ‘philanthropist’ worldwide, a label he carefully cultivates. It puts him outside the sphere of suspicion. We have since learned that his is not a benign influence. We’ve become aware of his outright hatred for the Bushes and Republicans in general, and Israel. It is now no longer surprising the way the media tracks.

In light of Soros’ hold on major media, his propaganda machine is virtually unstoppable. We can try to starve it in the market place, but there is always more money the man can come up with. There has even been the suggestion that, where he can, Soros spikes rival media outlets with offensive advertising.

In a way, now that we understand the game, it has become somewhat easier to figure out. Forget Republican; forget Democrat. The American media is the issue. It bleeds its poison worldwide. Keep track of what the media routinely smears and what it promotes, and you get a pretty good feel for what George Soros wants you to condemn and what he wants to promote. …and, for God's sakes, run the other way.

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

At the movies: 'Straw Dogs' (1971)

2011-05-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

In his column today, entitled “Israel Will Never Have Peace”, Bret Stephens (WSJ) makes the point by citing among other things UN resolution 194 which states that Palestinian “refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date”. Clearly, this hasn’t happened. Why?

Has it not become clear that a majority of Palestinians that have been shut out would not live peaceably within a Jewish State? Let’s say that Switzerland had been created (for the Swiss) in some barren Alpine region. Would it have to build a fence to protect itself from its neighbors (Germany, Italy and France) who were intent on nothing less than genocide? Or would life go on peaceably, neighbor visiting neighbor and abiding by the relatively simple rules of good neighborly graces?

I’m reminded of Sam Peckinpah’s film, “Straw Dogs” (1971) I saw way back when it first came out. It was one of a handful of films I remember seeing with a pounding headache which progressed towards a crescendo throughout. A young couple had moved to what they both thought would be an idyllic place for them to live: a remote cabin near the village in Cornwall where she had grown up as a child. It turns out through a series of unfortunate incidents that the couple is targeted by townsfolk. Rotten Tomatoes says this: (The film) “expresses the belief that manhood requires rites of violence when a young couple's idyllic life is disrupted and forever changed when the violence and savagery they sought to escape suddenly engulfs them.” As all Peckinpah’s films, this one is violent alright. I sat tensed up from start to finish.

The reason for this (or any) violence was ignorance. Palestinians are fed hatred for Jews from birth. It’s there in their mothers’ milk. Reason plays no role in it. Israelis understand this. If they were to open their borders – as our border with Canada is essentially open – Palestinians would immediately stream in and wreck the place. At least, this is the assumption. And Palestinians have done nothing to show it to be otherwise.

The same way we don’t open the tiger cages in a zoo, Israel does not dare to open her borders. Unfortunately for Israel, the situation is reversed. It is Israel that lives in a cage. Of the estimated 7.6 million living in Israel, 20% are Arabs who also enjoy representation in the government. Their standard of living is markedly higher than that of most Arabs living outside of Israel.

The world has turned its back on Israel and decided to side with the tigers. Like David in “Straw Dogs”, it will be up to Israelis to protect themselves. Even if Israel should win – another myth those mildly sympathetic to Israel usually comfort themselves with – the resulting losses would be insurmountable all around.

The enmity between the Palestinians and Israel is a trigger. We have put our worst elements in charge of it. Once tripped, there is no turning back. Even if Netanyahu decides not to fight (or decides only to go through the motions of fighting) the world will never again be the same – no matter the outcome. Washington keeps mouthing off about its infantile ‘reset’ button. War in the ME would definitely qualify as ‘reset’.

At the end of the film, David (Dustin Hoffman) is driving the injured Niles (the village idiot) to town, when the latter turns and says, "I don't know my way home." David smiles and says, "That's okay. I don't either."

Category Error: Attacking Norway for Pearl Harbor

2011-05-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

Bahukutumbi Raman, in a recent dispatch labeled “PAK ARMY & ISI: DANGEROUS MIX OF HUMILIATION & DESPERATION”, warns that Pakistan may be planning to redeem itself by orchestrating a successful strike against India, especially in the contentious Kashmir region.

No doubt, Pakistan’s citizens are seriously concerned about the ability of their government and armed forces to protect them. No doubt there has been talk on the streets of intelligence failure at best or illicit collusion with the Americans at worst.

Yet, all this follows a familiar pattern. Most military incursions into sovereign territory for any reason are done in stealth. The inevitable questions and accusations follow. Did Roosevelt know about Pearl Harbor in advance? Did Bush know about 9/11? And in her column in yesterday’s Jerusalem Post, Caroline Glick accuses Ehud Barak, Israel’s Defense Minister of failing to anticipate trouble along the country’s Syrian border on Nakba Day.

The truth is, no government can promise ironclad security to its citizens. A successful strategy, however, must involve the threat of consequences for anyone intending such a move. If Pakistan were to attack India in the wake of its so-called ‘humiliation’, such redemption would be short lived. For one thing, India had nothing to do with the bin Laden raid.

President Bush underwent a hell of tortures for his decision to attack Iraq in the wake of 9/11. His opponents constantly labeled it as “the wrong war”. In the end, rightly or wrongly, it proved to be his undoing.

My own sense of Pakistan’s leadership is that it is too mature to attack India as a direct consequence of the U.S. bin Laden raid. It has far better options: Turning its focus away from Washington to cooperating more with China is one. If India is attacked, it will not be because of anything that happened in Abbottabad.

I wish I had a similar degree of confidence in America’s foreign policy.