My People! My God! This is pathetic. All the expats screaming and wailing about the corruption back home. We are the way we are in foreign lands because we don’t get a chance to get ahead by breaking the line, or taking a short cut where ever possible. But upon return to the good old mother land we cannot stop extolling our new found virtues and lay upon those who have been doing there thing for generations. Please ask yourself truthfully, before you left Pakistan did you stand in line to get your passport or for that matter anything, or did you rely on papa’s connections to get everything taken care of?

All this group in power, group out of power, the oppressed masses, is all hogwash. We as a society believe that, , “committing injustice is naturally good and desired, but suffering injustice is naturally bad and avoided”. So when we get a chance we will trample on the rights of who ever else without a second thought, but when the shoe is on the other foot hear us SQUEAL.

Psychology of Guerrilla War #12 by drsohail

I am afraid it is not the evolution of the community rather it is the background and the value system of the community in question. Like where as Canada was an ‘evolved’ community, Czechoslovakia came out of some pretty brutal Soviet repression with Soviet tanks invading Prague during the 60’s. But more interesting is the case of South Africa where conflicts were resolved through truth and reconciliation commissions. You can say that South Africa is an evolved community as well, but what about Rwanda. There even, after the brutalization of the Tutsis by the Hooto majority it has been truth and reconciliation commissions which have been able to bring peace to the country. This kind of commission has worked very well in Africa where as in other areas of the world it has not either been used or worked well. It just goes to show that the value system in a certain area may allow certain methods to work and those are the buttons that need to be pressed to bring about a peaceful resolution to that community

Psychology of Guerrilla War You have given some good global examples of guerilla movements, let me try and bring you back to our local scene. What would your opinion be of “guerilla” movements in Baluchistan against the government in Islamabad or against Pakistan itself? How about a Taliban style state in the tribal areas with its capital at Wana? What would you consider an organization like Lashkar e Jhangvi with the express aim of eliminating Shiites because they are vajibul qutl (I am oversimplifying it) and setting up their own regime through an “Islamic revolution”. What I am implying is an extremist point of view for which there is no shortage in our part of the world which may be held by a very tiny group but with the power now for even a very small group to cause massive mayhem what do you do. Best of all lest we forget, our reaction to the East Pakistanis on their independence movement which took place through a free and fair election – and we reduced them into the Mukti Bahini and getting into the arms of India.

Good examples of societies which have resolved their conflicts well with peace are the split between Czech and Slovak republics. It is not clear had there been a referendum if there would have been enough votes for a split. But best of all is the example of Canada where there was a huge movement in Quebec to separate, and could have easily gotten out of hand. But it was the referendum, a free and fair event where all external parties kind of refrained from pulling strings either way to allow the Quebecois to make up their own minds. After a very lively campaign the vote turned the referendum down and opted to stay as part of Canada rather then independence for themselves.

Point being, liberty is what every human being wants, and should be considered his birth right. So long as that is respected the masses have most often made the wisest choice.

Huntington\'s Clash of Civilizations Thesis #137 by Urstruly

It is great to see that stories of this kind are appearing in the Urdu press but we should never loose perspective. Can Oudham Singh be regarded any different form John Wilkes Booth, the killer of Abraham Lincoln? May be from the perspective of the South, Booth was a hero, but not a great hero by any stretch, not someone that you wish to emulate. For its part, the British after the massacre at Jallianwalla Bagh, Dwyer was removed from office. The event was acknowledged as a massacre and resolution passed denouncing the ‘cruel and barbarous action”.

Now let’s look at ourselves we have never showed this courage, this ability to admit our mistakes and pay our penalties. We allowed Yahya Khan, General Niazi and Tikka Khan, who butchered thousands if not millions of fellow Muslims in East Pakistan, they allowed mass rapes of young girls whose only demand was to be free which they had earned through a free and fair election. We let these people live out their lives in comfort and luxury and no Oudhum Singh had the courage to spill their brains out. Forget that, as a nation we are loath to admit that we did any thing wrong. Without truth there is no reconciliation, FORGET SALVATION FROM GOD!!!

Huntington\'s Clash of Civilizations Thesis #134 by kaalchakra

Apples and oranges, my friend. You are talking about a time when this was possible, but not in this day and age. The world has moved from that environment, which existed pre 17th century to a colonial era which has been replaced with post colonial, post Soviet new world order where any attempt even at trying to prevail over another will result in their own destruction. Those who don’t learn and accept these changes in the “environment” are liable to suffer its consequences. Case in point America in Vietnam, Israel on the West Bank etc. none can succeed.

Huntington\'s Clash of Civilizations Thesis #131 by kaalchakra

``To make the environment adapt to you is another.``

Only if you are God.

The last time I checked none of us are.

Huntington\'s Clash of Civilizations Thesis #117 by ferozk

I don’t know what is wrong with elites dominating any society, so long as membership to the elite is not based upon heredity but functional excellence.

Huntington\'s Clash of Civilizations Thesis #123 by zeemax

``Muslims will never adapt.``

Then Muslims will not survive! Sorry.

Huntington\'s Clash of Civilizations Thesis #94 by Urstruly

“the Western Empire did collpase due to Muslim invasions of Africa and later the Spain etc.”


I think you give our ilk too much credit. The Western Empire seized to exist by 480 AD, over a 130 years before Islam.

Huntington\'s Clash of Civilizations Thesis #51 by Urstruly

I beg to differ. The First World War ended up resulting in the demise of the 3 major powers of its time. The Ottoman Empire, The Hapsburgs Austro Hungarian Empire (also referred to as the Holy Roman Empire) and Czarist Russia. As far as the collapse of the Roman Empire is concerned Edward R Gibbons ascribes this specifically to “the triumph of barbarism and religion”. Barbarians from the north finally inundated Rome’s defenses, but more importantly it was the triumph of Christianity which caused the weakness of the state as Christians opted out of military service and any productive economic activity to a monastic life.

Know Pakistan #29 by zeemax

So are you saying that Pakistan has smartened up and ready to leap frog?

Get over the Victim Syndrome #160 by Urstruly

”As a matter of fact Constitution Of Medina is mankind`s first ever written Social Contract that took place between government and subalterns.”

The first constitution ever! What about the Athenian constitution and that of all Greek city states, how about the constitution of Rome and Roman law which continued to be practiced in the West till the eighteen century.

“The constitution is unique among all constitutions of the world that it gave judicial autonomy, based on religion, to all citizens.”

Not only religion it gave full autonomy to all the tribes as well. According to this constitution all tribes could do as they pleased among themselves. Beyond that it has gems like

12b- A believer shall not take as an ally against him a freedman of another Muslim.

14- A believer shall not slay a believer for the sake of an unbeliever, nor shall he aid an unbeliever against a believer.

Get over the Victim Syndrome 158 by tahmed32

muhammed never claimed to have written a constitution. he claimed only to have relayed what he believed to be a message from God.

What about the constitution of Medina? That is called the al-dastur which the prophet wrote and is not part of the Quran.

Get over the Victim Syndrome #151 by hamidm2

I am so happy to see that you have finally started paying attention to Socrates. I always knew there was hope for you.

Get over the Victim Syndrome #134 by zeemax

I must concede! Whereas the brief paraphrase that I wrote was from The Cambridge History of Islam, you went to Al Tabri an eminently more authoritative source. Your first conclusion I agree with entirely. But in your second para you end it with a question, “What could be more democratic than that?” Without giving any labels can we just say that – a very limited nomination process followed by general ratification. That I would think should sum up the process by which the Khulfai-Rashidun got their positions.

Get over the Victim Syndrome #142 by tahmed32

It is not a question of looking at previous civilizations as to how big they were, what is important is there relevance to us. The Chinese, the Egyptian or the Indus valley civilizations had tremendous monuments, but no relevance to the present, whereas classical Greek culture continues to remain an integral part of any curriculum. The Socratic method and the Academy remain the method of teaching through out the world. The sciences, the subjects that we learn even today are mostly Greek subjects. The doctors continue to take the Hypocratic oath before they are allowed to practice medicine.

The concept of liberty, not bowing to the whims of a tyrant, where every body was free is uniquely Athenian. The battle of Marathon was fought precisely to preserve this freedom from the rule of the Persian king (a tyrant) who wanted to enslave the Athenians by making them his vassals. That victory of the Greeks which was communicated by a young man running back to Athens continues to be celebrated in marathons through out the world.

In the rest of the world at that time or any time tyranny ruled (rule of a potentate or king). Moreover there was no learning (in the modern sense), everything was myth based, story explanations of how natural phenomena occurred. It was the Greeks who formalized the cause and effect explanation of nature. So, Pakistan Zindabad!

A note about Hamid: Hamid is a dear personal friend, so please don’t interfere with his utterings about me. He in his unique extremely humorous style is welcoming me back to chowk. I wish, I could match him in his wit, but cant, so I continue to communicate in my dronish style.