No Short Cuts to End Terrorism

Re: # 23
Anand...
"It is abundantly clear that Pakistanis don't trust Indians just as much as we don't trust them...."

Does it matter, what pakis claim? The country is proved as dishonest again and again by many countries. India is just one of them....

Re: # 38
fms...
Mr. FMS everything is ok...but what the captured islamist is claiming? what information BBC is publishing/telecasting?

My post #1 was red-flagged by someone with a short dick and it is not visible for people to read.

So I shall now suggest the alternate way to eliminate terrorism.

That would be for the entire world to convert - sorry, revert - to Islam. Then the Muslims would not logically have a problem with other Muslims and thus terrorism would end.

Oops; wrong suggestion. I forget Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and even Turkey where folks are all Muslims and willing to set off bombs in public places or shoot up mosques and imambarahs.

Tell you what. Just kill off the entire world. We will then have the peace of Kabristan.

PS. I am sure some short-dicked person will find this post offensive. That person may even be a Chowk staff member and choose to ban me permanently.

Let me tell you: that doesn't mean facts change.

#38 Posted by fmshah on December 14, 2008 9:44:01 am

jihadi retards quote farzana versey to explain their side...

and people still wonder why i say FV is a jihadi apoligist and a paki at heart....

5 Points That DestroyIndia's Latest Fairytale

By FM Shah Tuesday, 2 December 2008.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan—In 1988, Indian Navy and commandos took only 24 hours to storm Mamoon Abdul Quyum's palace in the Maldives when it was taken over by rebels and eliminated the rebels within another 24 hours.

But in Mumbai, it India 60 hours to eliminate ten terrorists equipped only with KKs. The entire drama seems to be well scripted like Bollywood/Hollywood movies. On one side they blame ISI for planning, executing the whole episode and on the other hand they blame ISI for committing silly mistakes and leaving behind incriminating evidence to be picked up by the Indian intelligence so it could find easy links to Karachi/Pakistan.

Some other India lies include:

Indians failed to detect movement of the alleged merchant ship from Karachi and then its off loading of passengers at high sea.

These 10 daredevils traveled in rubber dinghies up to Bombay shores unnoticed. Was the Indian coastal defense system asleep?

The terrorists waded through the marshes of Bombay coastline, reached the road network, hijacked police vehicles, divided themselves in three groups and then headed for their targets in the posh localities ofBombay, and EVERYTHING GOES UNNOTICED.

Like precision guided missiles these terrorists reach their targets and take over heavily guarded two 5-star hotels, dodging the security system of the entire city ofBombay and the internal security system of these 5-star hotels and the Jewish center also.

They fight it out with Indian commandos for 3 days and all but one is killed. The Indians claim that he is ISI sponsored. If we believe the Indian storyline, it defies logic. How can a professional spy agency like ISI commit the following mistakes:

Sailing the terrorist off from Karachi. Why not Dubai, Chittagong or Eden for better deception?

Credit cards of Pakistani origin in their pockets. Do the suicide bombers carry the IDs in their pockets?

Their Pakistani Punjabi ascent. The first lesson given to intelligence operators is to adapt to local environments. If such an operation was planned by Pakistan and ISI, the operatives would have known that they would have to communicate/ negotiate with the hostages and others and hence would have concealed this giveaway sign.

I leave to the readers to decide if Indian lies are white or black.

I also leave to you to decide whether this is a RAW/Mossad staged drama or that of Lashkar-e-Tayyeba and ISI?

And how much credible are UN, CNN and BBC anyway?



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*A PERFECT LETTER TO INDIAN PM.*

A great indian gentleman: Editor Mumbai (Times of India)

Dear Mr. Prime minister

*Please stop the blame-game. It is no good for India as well as for our
neighbors Pakistan. That is if you want peace in our region.*
**

I am a typical mouse from Mumbai. In the local train compartment which has capacity of 100 persons, I travel with 500 more mouse. Mouse at least squeak but we don't even do that.

Today I heard your speech. In which you said 'NO BODY WOULD BE SPARED'. I would like to remind you that fourteen years has passed since serial bomb blast in Mumbai took place. Dawood was the main conspirator. Till today he is not caught. All our bolywood actors, our builders, our Gutka king meets him but your Government can not catch him.

Reason is simple; all your ministers are hand in glove with him. If any
attempt is made to catch him everybody will be exposed. Your statement
'NOBODY WOULD BE SPARED' is nothing but a cruel joke on this unfortunate people of India.

Enough is enough. As such after seeing terrorist attack carried out by about a dozen young boys I realize that if same thing continues days are not away when terrorist will attack by air, destroy our nuclear reactor and there will be one more Hiroshima.

We the people are left with only one mantra. Womb to Bomb to Tomb. You
promised Mumbaikar Shanghai what you have given us is Jalianwala Baug.
Today only your home minister resigned. What took you so long to kick out this joker? Only reason was that he was loyal to Gandhi family. Loyalty to Gandhi family is more important than blood of innocent people, isn't it?

I am born and bought up in Mumbai for last fifty eight years. Believe me corruption in Maharashtra is worse than that in Bihar. Look at all the politician, Sharad Pawar, Chagan Bhujbal, Narayan Rane, Bal
Thackray , Gopinath Munde, Raj Thackray, Vilasrao Deshmukh all are rolling in money. Vilasrao Deshmukh is one of the worst Chief minister I have seen. His only business is to increase the FSI every other day, make money and send it to Delhi so Congress can fight next election.

Now the clown has found new way and will increase FSI for fisherman so they can build concrete house right on sea shore. Next time terrorist can comfortably live in those house , enjoy the beauty of sea and then attack the Mumbai at their will. Recently I had to purchase house in Mumbai. I met about two dozen builders. Everybody wanted about 30% in black. A common person like me knows this and with all your intelligent agency & CBI you and your finance minister are not aware of it.

Where all the black money goes? To the underworld isn't it? Our politicians take help of these goondas to vacate people by force. I myself was victim of it. If you have time please come to me, I will tell you everything.

If this has been land of fools, idiots then I would not have ever cared to write you this letter. Just see the tragedy, on one side we are reaching moon, people are so intelligent and on other side you politician has converted nectar into deadly poison.

I am everything Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Schedule caste, OBC, Muslim OBC, Christian Schedule caste, Creamy Schedule caste only what I am not is INDIAN. You politician have raped every part of mother India by your policy of divide and rule.

Take example of former president Abdul Kalam. Such a intelligent person, such a fine human being. You politician didn't even spare him. Your party along with opposition joined the hands, because politician feels they are supreme and there is no place for good person.

Dear Mr Prime minister you are one of the most intelligent person, most
learned person. Just wake up, be a real SARDAR. First and foremost expose all selfish politician. Ask Swiss bank to give name of all Indian account holder.

Give reins of CBI to independent agency. Let them find wolf among us. There will be political upheaval but that will better than dance of death which we are witnessing every day. Just give us ambient where we can work honestly and without fear. Let there be rule of law. Everything else will be taken care of.
Choice is yours Mr. Prime Minister. Do you want to be lead by one person or you want to lead the nation of 100 Crore people?

Prakash B. Bajaj
Chandralok 'A" Wing, Flat No 104
97 Nepean Sea Road
Mumbai 400 036
Phone 98210-71194


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It is surprising that even if the so called 'terrorists' were Pakistani trained SSG commandos as alleged by many Indian members, I'm surprised how 12 men could besiege two major hotels for such a long while.

The hold ups were so well planned and executed with such precision!

Were all hotel security measures mere proxies?

Plus, 12 men vs. 1200 Indian security forces (involving everyone from Indian ATF to serving Indian Commandos) - the assault went on for almost 60 hrs!

Wow, isn't that rather shocking? 12 men vs. 1200 (with all helicopters/equipment etc.)? And yet such a long battle for the takeover by Indian authorities?

Either the alleged Pakistani trained commandos are at least 100 times superior to the combined force of the Indian forces A to Z or this was merely a drama orchestrated by the intelligence agencies in India to achieve ulterior motives in future - (just like the 9/11 was used as the Wild Card by the CIA to attack Afghanistan & Iraq).

Some of which is quite clear and has been repeatedly mentioned and identified by different Pakistani sources.

So here are the two possibilities: If it is proved that these 12 men were in fact Pakistani trained, then Indians should be ashamed of their armed commandos who took 60 hours to clear out 12 men and should accept their inferiority when it comes to real time combat. If not, then Indians need to buckle up for a rough ride. There's an evil within their country that they'll have to fight and bring into limelight. RAW, by staging this drama, will indirectly be responsible for the massacre of almost 200 Indian citizens and another 300 casualties just to make way to achieve its hidden motives behind the whole drama.

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1992 vs. 2008 - Mumbai's Charge of the Lightweight Brigade By FARZANA VERSEY
Farzana Versey is a Mumbai-based author-columnist. She can be reached at kaaghaz.ka...@gmail.com
If you believe for a moment that the residents of Mumbai are angry about the recent terror attacks, then they have succeeded in fooling you. There is no anger; there is irritation. Their daily routines have been mucked up.
For those 60 hours when terrorists took hold of what have been constantly referred to as 'landmarks' of the city, they sat glued before their television sets. They saw the image of Indian wealth and power being destroyed by invisible men. They were not interested in those men. They were not interested in anything beyond the fact that these men– men who ate dry fruits, for pete's sake – had held five star hotels hostage.
No one was talking about the 58 people who died at the local train station or the 10 others who died at the hospital or the taxi driver whose vehicle was burnt and so was he. Or even the cops who took the bullets.
They may cry themselves hoarse at peace marches, they may cry themselves hoarse on panel discussions, they may cry themselves hoarse in petitions that sound like school essays, but their sensitivity is like froth on lager; it will settle down after a few sips.
They are basking in their newfound role as conscience keepers; the international press is watching global India in all its glory as they stand dressed as global citizens near the Gateway of India with black smoke rising over the dome of the Taj Mahal Hotel in the background. It is both symbol and saviour of their pathetic attempts at downward mobility. It is a counter-reaction. After all, the terrorist wore Versace, until now the uniform of their kind.
They audaciously claim that there is no time for resilience anymore; they won't take it. Resilience? They have been spitting it out, a sardonic sneer being the new expression. It is a sad sight, for the chauffeurs of the cars they drove up in, the person who ironed their clothes and the valet who waited on them till they were all set for their date with the candle-light dinner of sound bytes, all those minions had to show resilience. They had to travel by the local train to bring these people to the streets. This is resilience.
They can shudder as much as they want before that dome wrapped in smoke. Do they recall another dome? The one that was broken down with hammers by our own people, egged on by senior leaders?

Soon after December 6, 1992, and the demolition of the Babri Masjid, there was no such spontaneous expression of grief or anger. 900 people were killed in cold blood, hunted down because of the faith they were born in. Reports gave figures of more than 200,000 people, most of them Muslim, fleeing the city during the riots. Cops who took part in the death dance were promoted; no politician was asked to resign. In the subsequent revenge bomb blasts, orchestrated by an underworld don and not by the local Muslim population, unlike what happened in Gujarat in 2002, 250 people died.
Those who are railing against the government today had kept quiet then. Quiet at a time when the government and the police had backed the local lumpens, our very own citizens.

They were not bothered because the areas targeted did not house their cocktail party circuit. Some did express disgust when they heard stories about the Muslim driver asked to remove his pants in the street to confirm his religion. They were disgusted by the sheer indelicacy but they had an ace up their sleeve – he was a mere driver.
Today, the people who would run down the elite are speaking up for them; they are all into rubbing shoulders and back-scratching. It is a limited edition utopia: our elite vs. their elite.

If you don't play their game, you are as bad as the terrorists. 'Condemn' is the catchword. I have refused to do so. One mainstream newspaper journalist wanted my opinion and said the same thing. He mentioned some liberals who were condemning. I said I condemn those liberals and I condemn the government of India. My views were not carried. I did not expect them to. I can hit out at the government only if I belong to one elite group. They are going to decide. They will constitute the citizens movement. Men and women who had never heard about such groups are now parroting the names of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
One aging film star even said that this time India has become exposed to international terrorism. His utter ignorance did not strike anyone, for we have been blaming the outside hand, mainly Pakistan, for years. In effect, only because this time his people were the targets he has discovered such a phenomenon.
In 16 years nothing has changed. A week after this carnage, a flight attendant serving on a private airline was pointedly asked by a passenger what religion she belonged to. He spewed out, "Why the bloody hell are you Muslims doing this to our country?" She calmly replied, "Sir, this is my country too."
He shot back, "I don't think so, because people from your community are behind these attacks."

She was on the verge of tears but said bravely, "Sorry Sir, they don't belong to India. They are not Indians."
I have had 16 years of practice, yet sometimes the tears flow; sometimes I am taken aback. We are being pushed into a corner unless we play the game of 'we are all one'. I call it a game because ever since that December there has been suspicion. My superficial elitism, an elitism I have fortunately never internalised, makes it easy for them to hit out differently. There is irritation that I am not the poor, illiterate Muslim that fits into their pigeonhole. There is disapproval that I don't dress up in standard Muslim clothes, or speak in a standard Muslim way.
I don't have a big business enterprise where I can flash secularism if I employ Hindus like Azim Premji does. I am not a film star like Shahrukh Khan who can happily claim a Pathan allegiance and will still be considered acceptable because he says cute things like he is a monkey entertaining people. I don't even have the good sense to join in token gestures of sympathy and denounce terrorism and talk about Islam as a religion of peace.
They are irritated because I do not quote anything from the Quran, but can bring up Shakespeare and Neruda and revel in Urdu poets like Faiz and Faraz.

In 1992-93, there were a few who had told me, "As truly secular people it is our duty to protect you Muslims."
I don't buy into their protection business. Therefore, the minute I open my mouth I become "that Muslim woman using the minority card". It does not strike them that I may not be safe myself, and it is rather dismissive to say I am having fun flaunting the minority status.
No paranoia here, yet I will be accused of it.

India's big legend, superstar Amitabh Bachchan, can show how disturbed he is and how afraid by saying that he has loaded his licensed pistol and keeps it under his pillow now. No prominent Muslim would be able to say that, so there is no question of someone like me even dreaming about a scenario of possessing a licensed gun.
Suketu Mehta wrote in The New York Times, "This is the problem, say the nativists. The city is just too hospitable. You let them in, and they break your heart." It is interesting that he uses a term like nativists at a time when he is hailing the wealthy 'outsiders' for the rich dreams they have sponsored.
He is buffering an exclusivist notion by showing concern about the cream of society. He is concerned about how the terrorists want people to keep out of Mumbai, which contradicts his nativist theory. He is concerned that cricket matches won't happen for a while. Does he remember that a local political party had dug the pitches and prevented any cricket match with Pakistan in the city?
He comes up with a rather insensitive analysis when he states, "In 1993, Hindu mobs burned people alive in the streets — for the crime of being Muslim in Mumbai. Now these young Muslim men murdered people in front of their families — for the crime of visiting Mumbai…Their drunken revelry, their shameless flirting, must have offended the righteous believers in the jihad."
For being a much-touted global citizen and an expatriate he seems to believe that it is kosher to make the Hindu-Muslim divide clear. (Incidentally, what is the connection between tourists and Hindus?) He ought to know there is a difference between Hindus and Hindutva groups and Muslims and Islamist goons. Somewhere it bothers him too, like it does the elite, that these goons were not bearded or wearing skull caps; they drank and made merry. They were so much like the young men in pubs in any part of the world.
Mumbai is a city of transaction but the free market can hardly be construed as breaking the barriers. If anything, it is most elitist. It is a thoroughly 'Show me the money' scenario and individualism prevails.
The privileged class is also a product, the creation of the 'manufacturing company'; we politely call it ethos.
Today's dissent is peripheral, not feral. It is cultivated in the factory of prototypes, assembly-line ideas that subsist on amnesia.
I shall always remember November 2008 and never forget December 1992. Surface scratches irritate, but don't last. I still have the anger from old wounds.

Various explanations, justifications, motives and reasons are presented for WAR FOR TERROR. US stated official motive of WAR FOR TERROR is fight against Al-Qaeada, Taliban and extremism. Many corrupt/de-facto colonial third world countries like Pakistan and Indian governments and establishment always tailor US official version WAR FOR TERROR for its own interests. These interests vary from economic aid, military hardware, legitimacy and open liberty for dealing with iron hand to any political, economic issues, crisis or rival.
Al-Qaida is the top secret code name of special covert operations of the U.S. CIA, Israeli Mossad, British SIS, Indian RAW and Pakistani ISI. Al-Qaida is a fake name, an imaginary illusion, a deceptive fraud, a fictitious hoax and a fraudulent scam of the unlawful war for terror, which is still being cunningly and clandestinely supported and promoted by the CIA, Mossad, SIS, RAW, ISI and the Corrupt Mercenary Media (CMM) to frame, blame, defame, harm and kill innocents Pakistanis, Kashmiris, Indians, Afghans, Arabs, Muslims/Hindus and other innocent humans by falsely and maliciously labeling them as the Al-Qaida militants, extremists, or terrorists. Actually, Al-Qaida or Al-CIA-da is the CIA. Al-Qaida is the Mossad. Al-Qaida is the SIS. Al-Qaida is the RAW. Al-Qaida is the ISI. Al-Qaida is the CMM. The CIA, Mossad, SIS, RAW, ISI and the CMM are the real Al-Qaida or 'the Evil 6'. For the sake of international peace, reform or abolish the CIA, Mossad, SIS, RAW and the ISI; oppose and expose the CMM; and end the illegal war of terror now to reduce global terrorism. Indeed, imperialistic military occupation of any country, state, or nation is state terrorism. Civil terror is a natural reaction to government terror."
Al Qaeda and Taliban is an “imaginary force� created by CIA, through which third world countries like Pakistan and Indian governments, ruling elite and establishment interest converge with USA. Pakistan state, military/political ruling elite and establishment have been trapped and addicted to US dollars/support for last fifty seven years. These dollars are shifted to safe havens of same Western Banks, from where these dollars started journey. Hence it’s a zero sum game for Western economic system. It is for the same reason various crises in third world countries are created for commissions and omissions. Third world countries like Pakistan and Indian ruling establishment and state composes of various political, army, economic, business feudal, bureaucratic, metropolis cartels controlling/manipulating various financial and power hubs in like Bombay, Karachi, Lahore and Delhi (all British era colonial metropolis). Rest all masses (99 %) are non state agent and actors. These masses are typical mouse from Mumbai and Karachi. In the local train compartment which has capacity of 100 persons, these mouse travel with 500 more mouse. Mouse at least squeak but they don't even do that.

Pakistani and Indian ruling establishment have been using wild cards like Al Qaeda, Taliban, Sectarian, Ethnic Violence to their advantage. Whenever CIA or Pakistani or Indian ruling establishment wants to kill people or target someone, they send in an Al Qaeda or Taliban cut-out to start the cycle of violence. Disinformation/disorientation campaigns for local/international establishment agenda has increased exponentially during recent times. Such disinformation/disorientation campaigns are paid, sponsored and engineered by local/international establishment for creating justification for military actions, extreme brute measure and corrupt practices. the Corrupt Mercenary Media (CMM) present themselves as CHAMPIONS OF TRUTH, DEMOCRASY, and JUSTICE. Various writers and anchors pretend asking tough/hard questions and saving world from war, extremism. However media at best are manipulating and comprising the truth by showing half picture of crisis. Most of the time media avoid context and conceal motives of the ongoing crisis and chaos in India, Pakistan and whole Muslim world. Media will never tip-toe out of the false perception minefield that they have allowed themselves to be lured into by the CIA, various ruling establishment and architects of WAR FOR TERROR. TV Anchors most of the times are bounded by policy, life threats, job fears, temptations, easy going attitude, incompetence and lack of quality research on social science. Any TV channel prime motivation is money, revenue, coverage, ads and sponsors not truth.

Whenever so called scholars/academics/experts (Raised/Funded by US/West) discuss any evil/wrong in our Muslim societies on Media especially TV, they never try to exactly locate the center of gravity of that issue. Their reasoning, and intended solutions are shallow and mostly in mars/space because they always try to avoid the context and history of the issue.
What is unfolding now in whole Muslim World and especially Pakistan, is somewhat ‘creative chaos’ in almost all walk of life. If you have monopoly over world resources (Oil, Drugs, Technology, Banks, Media etc) , superiority in intelligence and multiple means of buying out loyalties of the readily saleable commodities (Karzai, Yasir Arrafat, Mahmood Abbas, Musharaf, Saudis, Benaizer, Nawaz, Zardari, Local Journalist, Generals, Bureaucrats, Businessmen etc.) like the US/West does, then the fog of chaos is a good way of confusing the enemy and continuing exploitation/deprivation by de-facto colonization even after so called freedom. One of the main reason for Muslim failure during last several decades in almost all fields is the result of well planned disorientation campaign. Multiple channels are used varying from brute force of carpet bombing/armed invasions to dubious soft tool like human rights, media, trade, MNCs, NGOs, globalization, academic dialogue and last of War on terror. However the only objective is to curtail Islam, whip Muslims and thrash them depending upon the situation and environment.
We will take a common day example of the curse of Heroin. As it is normally believed that Herion like Terrorism popped out of blue from Pakistan Tribal Areas/Afghanistan. It is generally believed that simple tribal men and war lords are only responsible for menace of Heroin but never told the link between Afghan War, CIA, Heroin, BCCI and finance for US Stringers made by private MNCs.
Heroin is prepared from morphine (extracted from opium) by boiling it with acetic anhydride, and then using a process that involves hydrochloric acid, strychnine, and caffeine. The most essential chemical for Heroin (i.e. acetic anhydride) is produced only in West, No Muslim country has any plant for producing acetic anhydride. Recently its import to Afghanistan through Karachi Afghan transit route under flag of NATO/US since 9/11 has increased exponentially. MNCs producing all such chemicals are making billions.
Heroin was basically invented by BAYER Pharmaceutical/Agro MNCs. It is also operating in many countries like Pakistan and making Billions. CIA introduced Heroin in South America, Vietnam and Last of all Afghanistan/Pakistan. Hereon and present drug economy is very similar to Colonial era Opium trade of that era.

Similarly all the business families (Mostly present ruling establishment in Indo/Pak/Bangla Desh) are those who acted as middle men for opium export to China. Most of them control II Chundrigar Road, Karachi/Bombay Stock exchange and Power Houses in IndoPak. Those past collaborators/supporters of past colonials and present day ruling elites will always pray anthems of US/West. Any voice or force raising against US/West is curbed with Iron hand, it may be Lawyers Movement or Red Mosques or Tribal Areas or Rag Tag Taliban. Please see the interview of Indian Writer Amitav Gosh on BBC (23 June, 2008) about opium wars of 1830s and 1850s and opium production in Bengal/Bombay by East India Company.


This is not about blaming the US/West for our all problems. Muslims needs to set its own house in order but there is no question that the Heroin in Afghanistan, NWFP and Tribal area were almost nonexistent before CIA operation against Soviet Invasion. Similar terrorism, intolerance, lawlessness in Tribal Area is the direct product of the machinations of the local/international establishment powers that were based in Tribal region even before Afghan-Soviet War in 1970s.
For we Muslims and Pakistani in particular, this is not a time for optimism. It’s better to be cautious now – even paranoid – than sorry later. The events in our society in general and tribal region in particular did not emerge from a void but are a continuation of a dirty game played since colonization and continues unabated, involving critical inside players and their outside allies.

To draw a line in the sand, we should openly declare US/CIA directly responsible for creating/nourishing/sponsoring chaos, terror, lawlessness, drug economy in our regions.

Regards

FM Shah

Interview of Indian Writer Amitav Gosh on BBC (23 June, 2008)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7460682.stm

Speaking of Buddhism, Mountbatten said in passing in one of his conversations with Collins and Lapierre:
"The last Jain king lost his throne because as he was marching out to meet his enemy, the rains came and he cancelled the march, for fear of the tremendous loss of insect life his troops would cause marching across the marshes when the insects were coming out."

His enemy did not have the time or inclination to appreciate the win-win solution of 'lets not kill ANYBODY'.

Look, if you have a way of life you want to preserve, you have to know who doesnot want you to live that way and how to defend it from them.

India cannot undertake to lecture Pakistani Muslims on what is or is not legitimate jihad. Not can India arrange to ensure that Pakistani Punjabi young men are not criminal, uneducated or unemployed. These are basic things for which the Pakistani state and Pakistani people have to take responsibility, not India.

Since the Pakistani state has failed in its responsibility towards these young men and with full intent, there is no point in telling India to assume the moral responsibility for this failure(thanks Publius).

unlike murad baig, farzana versey and kuldip nayyar..pakistanis at heart and in the case of the first two, closet jihadists...here's a real indian's take on terrorism...


'The BBC cannot see the difference between a criminal and a terrorist'

Sheela Bhatt in Mumbai | December 14, 2008 18:10 IST
Last Updated: December 14, 2008 18:50 IST

The British Broadcasting Corporation, a state-sponsored but independently run, media organization has attracted sharp criticism for having "double-standards" in its coverage of the Mumbai terror attacks. Most times the BBC reporters referred to the terrorists who attacked Mumbai as "gunmen" or "militants".

Well-known thinker and editor-in-chief of Covert magazine, MJ Akbar has taken up the issue seriously. Since November 27, Akbar has refused to appear on BBC to speak about the Mumbai attacks.

Many British politicians have also taken up the issue with the BBC management. Steve Pound,a British Parliamentarian who represents North Ealing, has issued a strong statement against BBC's biased policy by saying that it was "the worst sort of mealy-mouthed posturing."

Akbar, had gone a step ahead and has written a strongly-worded e-mail to Richard Porter, head of Content, BBC World News. On December 6, Akbar wrote to Porter that, "I just want to let you know that after decades of friendship and association with the BBC, I refused to give an interview to the BBC over the terrorist outrage in Mumbai. The reason is simple: I am appalled, astonished, livid at your inability to describe the events in Mumbai as the work of terrorists. You have called them 'gunmen' as if they were hired security guards on a night out."

Akbar further argued that, "When Britain finds a group of men plotting in a home laboratory your government has no hesitation in creating an international storm, and the BBC has no hesitation in calling them terrorists. When nearly two hundred Indian lives are lost, you cannot find a word in your dictionary more persuasive than 'gunmen'.

Akbar articulated many Indian fans of the BBC when he said," You are not only pathetic, but you have become utterly biased in your reporting. Since we in India believe in freedom of the press, we can do no more than protest, but let me tell you that your credibility, created over long years by fearless and independent journalists like Mark Tully (I am privileged to describe him as a friend), is in tatters and those tatters will not be patched as long as biased non-journalists like you and your superiors are in charge of decisions. Shame on you and your kind."

Akbar's e-mail was not ignored by BBC. A courteous and very British response did arrive in his mailbox on December 11. Porter had argued that, "The guidelines we issue to staff are very clear-we do not ban the use of the word terrorist, but our preference is to use an alternative form of words. There is a judgement inherent in the use of the word, which is not there when we are more precise with our language. "Gunman", or "killer", or "bomber", is an accurate description which does not come with any form of judgement. However, the word is not banned, and is frequently used on our output-usually when attributed to people. I heard it being used on numerous occasions during our coverage from Mumbai." BBC staffers have guidelines which are a public document

Without going into specifics Porter claimed, "There is no inconsistency in the way the BBC has reported the attacks in Mumbai, compared to what we have done with events in the UK. If we are to be serious about upholding our policy, then we cannot make a distinction between events in any country."

In India most critics have pointed out that how BBC termed the July 7, 2005 attackers in London [Images] as "terrorists" without hesitation. While in case of Mumbai they used "gunmen" and at odd places "suspected terrorist."

However, Porter, journalist of 27 years standing, argues, "This policy is the opposite of bias...but it is a difficult one to uphold and is the subject of many discussions within BBC headquarters. Clearly we had the discussion once again in the wake of the Mumbai attacks--and comments like yours are taken very seriously by my editorial colleagues."

In short, the BBC wants its viewers and readers to use their own brains. Porter wrote, ' I believe those audiences can make their own mind up about the people who carried out the attacks in Mumbai and don't need us to give them any label to reach that judgement."

Obviously, Akbar has not accepted these arguments. After thanking "courteousness" of Porter's e-mail to him Akbar asked, " But your response does not answer my question: how does the BBC find it easy to define a terrorist when trains and buses in London are attacked, but must slide towards "non-judgmental" definitions when there is a blatant and murderous display of terrorism in Mumbai? Are you serious when you say that you leave it to audiences to make up their own minds? Then why did you not leave it to audiences to make up their own minds after 9/11? "

Akbar, wrote, "I assume the makers of BBC policies, such as they are, understand English. There is a clear distinction between gunmen and terrorists. Criminals use guns, and can be called gunmen; criminals use guns in the service of crime. Terrorists use guns and worse in the random killing of innocents in pursuit of a political agenda or personal agenda. The killers who came to Taj and Oberoi and the Chatrapati Shivaji railway station and a home where Jewish people lived, did not come to steal art, or railway property or money. They came with the declared purpose of murder and mayhem."

When Akbar was in London, the tabloids were full of headlines about young people being knifed. Akbar says , " that was crime committed by "knifemen". Al Capone was a "gunman" and I am sure the East End of your city once used to produce "gunmen" who committed crimes.

Akbar told Porter, " It is a shame that the BBC cannot see the difference between a criminal and a terrorist, and chooses in fact to protect the terrorist by giving him the camouflage of a criminal. This is not a matter of semantics. Terrorists are always happy to fudge the definition."

at this point, murad baig has dropped all pretenses..he, like farzana versey, is a jihadi in "moderate" garb...as jihadis, it's not surprising that they wouldn't blame the mothership of jihad, the land of the pure...

so, yes....murad baig and farzana versey are pakistanis at heart...

call me when murad baig or farzana versey show any signs of beginning to point to the jihadi policies in their real country as the source of terrorism...

"cooperation with Pakistan is also not feasible."

Aanadk spoke of an alliance between America, Pakistan, and India. Given that Indians and Pakistanis don't trust each other one bit, and neither trusts the Americans, I am not sure how that will work.

But aanadk should get a chance to explain his ideas.

murad bhai, aandk, arjun

I think 50% surveyed karachites supporting suicide bombing doesn't mean that half of karachi or Pakistan will actually volunteer for the job. 25% or less might, and of those not all will be chosen. Probably 5% of Karachi might be considered to be willing and capable for such missions. May be even fewer will actually get a chance to be chosen for duty.

muradbaig:

"I much prefer Buddha's way... Hatred can never be conquered by hatred but only by love for the defeated lie down in sorrow awaiting revenge."

Excellent advice for individuals but I am not so sure the same can be said for societies. Indeed, there is a believable school of thought that while pre-buddha Indians gave a good account of themselves when encountering Alexander's forces, post-buddha Indians proved no match for conquering hordes with stronger faith and sharper weapons. Where buddhism survives in east asian countries, they have abandoned the pacifist side of the buddhist philosophy.

In the present case however, attack on Pakistan is to be opposed, not on moral but on practical grounds; it will serve Pak militants and army more than anyone else.

However, cooperation with Pakistan is also not feasible. As long as the army calls the shots in these matters in Pakistan and it controls the ISI and the ISI supports the jihadi groups targetted at India, who can Indians cooperate with? If Zardari had stuck to his original call to send Pasha to India and not quickly backtracked when the army opposed, things would be different. As it is, he just proved who is the real boss in Pakistan.

#25 Posted by muradbaig on December 14, 2008 2:42:01 am


blah blah blah hide your jihadi leanings blah blah


when was the last time you wrote and article condemning pakiland's use of islamic terrorism and it's support to terrorists who're killing citizens of the country you're supposedly the proud citizen of?

borivali

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008/08/28/story_28-8- 2008_pg12_1

15% in Karachi back suicide bombers: study

By Nayel Noorani

KARACHI: Two studies conducted by faculty and students at the Aga Khan University into the attitudes toward suicide bombing among educated people in Karachi and in the tribal areas showed surprisingly divergent results.

However, nearly 50 percent of all those surveyed in Karachi believed that suicide bombing was acceptable in Palestine, Kashmir and Lebanon. Commenting on this, Dr Murad M. Khan of the Psychiatry department at AKU said that the likely reason for this belief is partiality toward the underdog in asymmetrical warfare.

aanandk, how wil this trilateral alliance of India, Pakistan, US work and what would its goal be? If it can stop terrorism, we should definitely try it.