One Down - One to Go!

So, finally the Sri Lankan Army has defeated the Tamil Tigers, now all that remains is Pakistan and the Taliban Al Quada duo. Once they have been defeated perhaps life can get back to some semblance of normality for the rest of mankind.

The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians will remain however, but I do not see a solution to this problem until Israel is willing to give up its settlements on occupied Arab land, and Hamas is willing to recognize Israel's right to exist. I think Israel giving way to the first will solve the second. We can only hope that President Obama will make some headway in bringing the two sides together.

For now we must be content that one terrorist group is finished, as the Tamil Tigers seem to be.

Once the offensive began there was no doubt about the resolve of the Sri Lankan Army and its intention to wipe out this pest once and for all. The Tigers tried the usual terrorist tactics of using innocent civilians as shields, and playing up casualties in the hope of gaining public sympathy across the world.

It almost worked considering the outcry at the UN, by Aid Groups and the international press. Thankfully the army were not swayed in their resolve to see this through to the end and were victorious. The inevitable attempt at a ceasefire was tried when the Tigers were close to defeat, a ploy that would have allowed many of them to escape to fight another day.

Selvarasa Pathmanathan of the Tigers is quoted as saying there are "3,000 dead, and 25,000 critically injured laying in the streets with no medical attention". How easy it is to think of a number just to gain sympathy and blacken the reputation of your adversary these days. Josef Goebbels, the Nazi Propaganda Minister, would have been proud!

The hypocrisy of the moment was further compounded with Pathmanthan's statement that The LTTE "was prepared to silence its guns if that is what was needed by the international community to save the life and dignity of the Tamil people". Considering that during the 26 year war an estimated 70,000 Tamil civilians have been killed I would consider that a bit late.

So now, hopefully we see a chapter in the Age of the Terrorist closed, but there are more.

I am happy to read the Pakistani Government has confirmed it's intention to go after the Taliban right into Waziristan, also the home of Al Quada. Bin Laden must be starting to get worried, he will soon be robbed of his bolt-hole, but knowing him he has plenty more.

I only hope the Pakistani Government shows the same determination as the Sri Lankan Government in ridding the world of this scourge. Sure, the Taliban employs the same nefarious tactic of using the population as shields, and exaggerating civilian deaths in an attempt to sway world opinion, but I hope the Pakistani Army, and in particular the weak politicians, do not give in to it.

If I was a Pakistani living at present in the Waziristan province, I would be making preparations to leave very soon, before the fighting reached my area (as an ex-Boy Scout I always try to be prepared!).

Yes! I know it is very hard to leave your house and most of your belongings, but consider the alternative, cannon-fodder for the Taliban - No contest!

I hope the countries of the world will stand by Pakistan at this time, although it's neighbour India is already accusing the Pakistani Government of "putting on a show". India however has its own agenda, and there is no love lost between these two countries who have a long-running dispute over Kashmir.

It is because of this distrust that Pakistan will not move troops from the frontier with India for fear of an attack by the Indian Army. Currently, the Pakistan Military has between 5,000 and 6,000 troops fighting the Taliban from a total force of 600,000 to 700,000.

After the Mumbai attack in India last November by militants based in Pakistan, the Pakistan Government is rightly afraid that these militants, probably backed by the Taliban or Al Quada, will again attack India thus initiating a retaliatory strike by Indian forces.

In the event India were to withdraw its forces back from the border with Pakistan and give them some breathing space, the Pakistani Army would probably move more troops to the fight. The Indian Army will not do that however for fear of strikes in India by the militants intent on taking the pressure off the Taliban by invoking a conflict. It is indeed a tricky situation.

With assurances from India that such a thing will not happen, things could improve rapidly. It really means that India has to decide what it wants most, peace with Pakistan and a final end to the insurgency problems in the area, or an excuse to go to war. If it is the latter, then we must be afraid, because both are nuclear nations.

The world has lived with terrorism of one kind or another since the sixties when the Palestinians started blowing up aeroplanes and attacking Olympic Games venues. In the last ten years the situation has become intolerable, and therefore the nations, and people, of the world have to get together and say 'Enough is enough!'. It is time to take a lead from Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and put an end to all this indiscriminate killing once and for all time.

It is time for politicians of all nations to come together with the determination to attack and attack and attack each and every group of terrorists and militants wherever they are based until they are either dead or in Guantanamo! There should be no room left for doubt that we, the civilized people of the world have had enough.

Whew! Having got that off my chest, I think there is little chance of it happening, but who knows, maybe we all as individuals can do something to persuade our politicians that such a move is necessary.

If I suddenly disappear from the Blog scene you will know that Bin Laden has been reading my Blog. Happy days!

Roy.

Guantanamo - Good or Bad?

Should Guantanamo be closed? There are arguments for and against it, but new President Obama seems to think it should be closed, and has vowed to do it. In light of new information that has surfaced, I wonder if that is wise.

A BBC News report has stated that a previous British inmate of the prison is now working with the Taliban in planning and organizing attacks on British and American troops in Afghanistan. According to the report, he is working with impunity in the Pakistani city of Quetta in the north-west provinces.

Since his release from Guantanamo last year, Mullah Abdul Kayum Zakir is a member of the Taliban High Command. According to sources, he returned immediately to Afghanistan to begin his work. American reports say at least 10% of all ex-prisoners from Guantanamo return to terrorism after their incarceration.

You could be forgiven for thinking the ill-treatment they endured would be enough to make anyone join a terrorist group, and you may well be right. The punishment these people received was far from what a normal civilized person would inflict on another, but was it justified? In some cases maybe. I only said maybe!!!

You have to bear in mind, these people are completely without conscience, have no respect for human life, and are totally ruthless in the methods they use to achieve their goals.

What if another 9/11 attack could be halted because someone gave away the plans during interrogation? Supposing a 'dirty' nuclear bomb attack on New York could be averted because a terrorist in Guantanamo cracked under interrogation? I think then his 'Civil Rights' would be quietly forgotten for the greater good. Hypocrisy? Most certainly! But aren't we all guilty of it at some time or other?

All detainees in the prison have sworn they are innocent of all crimes. Some British Muslims even went so far as to say they were on holiday in Afghanistan's Tribal Area during the NATO anti-Taliban operation there. There's only one word to answer that: Bullshit! Who goes to a war zone, especially in Afghanistan of all places, during a time of war? It would be like a halt being called in the middle of the D-Day landings while a coach-load of tourists disembark and take photographs. "Ja die sind weg. Los junghans, weiter machen! "OK Chaps! They've gorn. Carry on!"

It is well known that England has sent many fighters to the Taliban cause in Afghanistan, brain-washed by Muslim priests who preach death and destruction to non-Muslim people, while queuing each week for their welfare cheque from the British tax payer.

These evil men have convinced many young Muslim youths of impressionable age to leave their good life in Britain and fight for the Taliban or Al Quada. Such is the naivety of youth.

It is possible there are innocent men in Guantanamo, but to be honest I doubt it. The big problem in such a battle is to tell the innocent from the not so innocent. They all wear the same clothes, they all look alike, and for sure, if he has a gun in his hand he is one of them. If he knows he is beaten, throws his gun away, and is standing there as you a soldier enter the house, is he one of them or one of the other. If he tells you he is on holiday from Britain what do you think?

"I am not with the Taliban. I came here to get my teeth fixed because my dad told me the local dentist is very good!". Yea Right!

I cannot condone the practices used in Guantanamo to extract information because it reminds me of a certain 'master' race that used such methods or worse. We are supposed to be a 'civilized' society today, but now and again, the 'animal instinct' emerges. On the other hand, who would call a terrorist civilized? Not I that is for sure.

Their aim is to kill as many innocent people as possible, and the crazy thing is they all, Taliban, Hamas, Tamil Tigers or whoever, kill more of their own than anyone else. Is that civilized? So why should we treat them in a civilized fashion?

Another news item I found rather amusing was the offer of Hugo Chavez from Venezuela to take some of the detainees when Guantanamo closes. Does anyone believe he will keep them in jail when they land? Ha! He's more likely to throw a party for them, give them a medal and a free airline ticket back to Afghanistan or Pakistan.

OK! So should Guantanamo stay? Yes, I think so for one fundamental reason, it is far from anywhere and will prevent them rejoining the fight. The guilty terrorists deserve no better.

Should they be tortured? No, that is unacceptable, because to do that brings us down to their level.

Should they be given a fair hearing? Yes, and within three months of being captured.

Should it be a military court or civilian? Personally I do not think a civilian court would be capable of trying these people, because they were taken prisoner during a military operation and you need a military mind to understand all that took place leading up to the capture.

If found to be not guilty should they be compensated? Yes, I believe so. To be incarcerated in such a place and be innocent must be a traumatic experience, and if you are indeed innocent you should receive compensation. This must however go hand in hand with a ban on entry to either Afghanistan or Pakistan.

If they are found guilty, what then? Simple: Lock 'em up and throw away the key!

May all terrorists see Allah very very soon!

Roy