“Bin Laden has been precise in telling the US the reason why he wages war. None of the reasons have to do with freedom, liberty and democracy, but has everything to do with US policy and actions in the Muslim world. Similarly, the present regime in Sri Lanka faces the wrath of a people with regard to a useless war it is fighting, but treats its detractors like slaves and persona non grata on their own soil!”
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by Brian Jansz
(July 23, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) At present the United States, Britain and the coalition led forces are trying to govern many un-governable post war states such as Afghanistan and Iraq while simultaneously fighting growing Islamic insurgencies in each of them — a queer state of affairs which the invaders call "victories."
Instead of facing reality, arrogant US leaders and government media locked behind an impenetrable wall of ‘political right’ and moral cowardice, act as naive, careless cheerleaders for attempting to apply Western values and ineffectual overseas operations — boasting of being able to create democracy anywhere they choose.
There are lessons to be learned from some of the following lapses, especially in Sri Lanka where the armed forces led by arrogant officers are pursuing an ‘enemy’ who is cunning and whose strategy even makes the army commander realise the folly of it all!
There is nothing new in the concept that young people chafe under foreign intervention in their country’s affairs and what starts as ‘rebels’ bloom into fully-trained ‘terrorists’ fighting for a cause. There are many lessons to be learned for Sri Lanka from the following similarities:
• US leaders refuse to accept the obvious. They are fighting a worldwide Islamic insurgency — not criminality or terrorism — and their policies and procedures have failed to make more than a dent in enemy forces. Sri Lanka fights a well-organised rebel army that has a constant stream of new recruits, active supporters ready to offer safe houses, locations for arms caches, cash contributions and technical back up.
• The military is America’s only tool and will remain so while current policies are in place. No public diplomacy, presidential praise for Islam or politically correct debate could mask the truth that many of the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims hate the US for actions not values — which values could get them out of the war. In Sri Lanka, over the years what has been politically and forcefully done is to use reprehensible methods in dealing with the LTTE, making a fiasco over peace talks, even making a joke of a ceasefire, which is the forerunner to peace talks. Being citizens of one country why cannot we talk peace without interference from international agencies, the Buddhist clergy and the hawks who presently run the war machine?
• Bin Laden has been precise in telling the US the reason why he wages war. None of the reasons have to do with freedom, liberty and democracy, but has everything to do with US policy and actions in the Muslim world. Similarly, the present regime in Sri Lanka faces the wrath of a people with regard to a useless war it is fighting, but treats its detractors like slaves and persona non grata on their own soil!
• Al Qaeda waging war against the US has everything to do with the tenets of the Islamic religion and it could not have its current and increasing level of success if Muslims did not believe in their faith, brethren, resources and lands under attack by US led forces and generally the West.
• Persian Gulf oil and the lack of serious US alternative energy development is the core of bin Laden’s issue. For cheap, easily accessible oil, Washington and the West have supported the Muslim tyrannical states and others are to be destroyed.
• This war has the potential to last beyond our children’s lifetimes and be fought mostly on US soil. Our Army Commander Sarath Fonseka has pointed out that the war with the LTTE would be a "continuous" matter through many generations. Let’s face it — how many years, lives and ordnance will be required before the fires are put out?
The need now is for the nation to rise up as one and call on all citizens to come together, putting aside all false pride and arrogance, and form a front, which will go the last mile to bring the LTTE to the negotiating table. It is the selfish, futile, stupid and inefficient methods used by politicians past and present together with the Buddhist clergy and leftists that have caused so much confusion and tampering, and their interference should not be tolerated.
Let it be a citizen to citizen ‘peace plan,’ discussed, deliberated and put into immediate operation after which other issues could be hammered into place by the executive and judiciary for the good of every citizen.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
_____________________
by Brian Jansz
(July 23, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) At present the United States, Britain and the coalition led forces are trying to govern many un-governable post war states such as Afghanistan and Iraq while simultaneously fighting growing Islamic insurgencies in each of them — a queer state of affairs which the invaders call "victories."
Instead of facing reality, arrogant US leaders and government media locked behind an impenetrable wall of ‘political right’ and moral cowardice, act as naive, careless cheerleaders for attempting to apply Western values and ineffectual overseas operations — boasting of being able to create democracy anywhere they choose.
There are lessons to be learned from some of the following lapses, especially in Sri Lanka where the armed forces led by arrogant officers are pursuing an ‘enemy’ who is cunning and whose strategy even makes the army commander realise the folly of it all!
There is nothing new in the concept that young people chafe under foreign intervention in their country’s affairs and what starts as ‘rebels’ bloom into fully-trained ‘terrorists’ fighting for a cause. There are many lessons to be learned for Sri Lanka from the following similarities:
• US leaders refuse to accept the obvious. They are fighting a worldwide Islamic insurgency — not criminality or terrorism — and their policies and procedures have failed to make more than a dent in enemy forces. Sri Lanka fights a well-organised rebel army that has a constant stream of new recruits, active supporters ready to offer safe houses, locations for arms caches, cash contributions and technical back up.
• The military is America’s only tool and will remain so while current policies are in place. No public diplomacy, presidential praise for Islam or politically correct debate could mask the truth that many of the world’s 1.3 billion Muslims hate the US for actions not values — which values could get them out of the war. In Sri Lanka, over the years what has been politically and forcefully done is to use reprehensible methods in dealing with the LTTE, making a fiasco over peace talks, even making a joke of a ceasefire, which is the forerunner to peace talks. Being citizens of one country why cannot we talk peace without interference from international agencies, the Buddhist clergy and the hawks who presently run the war machine?
• Bin Laden has been precise in telling the US the reason why he wages war. None of the reasons have to do with freedom, liberty and democracy, but has everything to do with US policy and actions in the Muslim world. Similarly, the present regime in Sri Lanka faces the wrath of a people with regard to a useless war it is fighting, but treats its detractors like slaves and persona non grata on their own soil!
• Al Qaeda waging war against the US has everything to do with the tenets of the Islamic religion and it could not have its current and increasing level of success if Muslims did not believe in their faith, brethren, resources and lands under attack by US led forces and generally the West.
• Persian Gulf oil and the lack of serious US alternative energy development is the core of bin Laden’s issue. For cheap, easily accessible oil, Washington and the West have supported the Muslim tyrannical states and others are to be destroyed.
• This war has the potential to last beyond our children’s lifetimes and be fought mostly on US soil. Our Army Commander Sarath Fonseka has pointed out that the war with the LTTE would be a "continuous" matter through many generations. Let’s face it — how many years, lives and ordnance will be required before the fires are put out?
The need now is for the nation to rise up as one and call on all citizens to come together, putting aside all false pride and arrogance, and form a front, which will go the last mile to bring the LTTE to the negotiating table. It is the selfish, futile, stupid and inefficient methods used by politicians past and present together with the Buddhist clergy and leftists that have caused so much confusion and tampering, and their interference should not be tolerated.
Let it be a citizen to citizen ‘peace plan,’ discussed, deliberated and put into immediate operation after which other issues could be hammered into place by the executive and judiciary for the good of every citizen.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
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