War Makes Strange Bedfellows

Photo Courtesy www.telegraph.co.uk. Photo source: AFP/Getty Images/EPA


Only a few months ago some American politicians were singing 'Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran' and now the same politicians are likely to be singing Iran's praises.


The capture of second largest Iraqi city, Mosul by ISIS, Saddam Husain's home town - Tikrit and some smaller cities has not only alarmed the U.S. and the inept Al-Maliki regime in Iraq, but also sent collective shivers down the spines of Iranian Ayatollahs and Jordanian & Saudi Kings. The avowed aim of ISIS or ISIL is to establish an Islamic State in all of the region including Iran. 


U.S. Secretary of State Kerry met with the Iranian Foreign Minister June 16 to discuss cooperation against ISIS. Only a few months ago U.S. was issuing all kinds of threats against Iran and now they are asking their help.  War makes strange bedfellows indeed. The saying 'my enemy's enemy is my friend' seems to be operative here.


Iran has offered help to the Iraqi regime, they would not like to see their puppet regime crumble at the hands of ISIS. They already have some presence in Iraq through the revolutionary guards serving as Al-Maliki's security guards. But if Iran sends in soldiers, the bloodshed will only multiply and ISIS will be able to recruit many more volunteers. Their coffers are full, according to some reports, they have close to $2 billion in assets, especially after robbing Mosul Central Bank Branch, .


Apart from causing a blast here and there, ISIS will probably not be able to cause much damage to Iran. An attack on Iran could prove fatal for ISIS as it did for Saddam in the 80s. If ISIS captures Baghdad, it will be emboldened to move on to Jordan and Saudi Arabia, where they are likely to find support from a portion of the population unhappy with their rulers.


The situation is beyond dangerous and it could set fire to the entire Middle East. All this has been caused by George W. Bush and Co. for setting off events in motion with Iraq's invasion.

OUTCOME OF U. S. ILLEGAL INVASION OF IRAQ - A FRACTURED COUNTRY ABOUT TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF EXTREMIST JIHADIS.

                                      THIS

                                     BEGETS THIS

The American Jihadis (the neo-conservatives) pursuing Israeli agenda egged President George W. Bush on to invade and occupy Iraq and he stupidly followed their advice. His father, George H. Bush had shown maturity and political acumen by resisting such advice during his tenure even though he was in a legitimate war with Iraq after Saddam's illegal occupation of Kuwait. However, Bush Junior, could not resist those who brought him to power - the likes of Dick Cheney, Wolfowitz (a dual Israeli/US citizen), Rumsfeld, & others.

The final outcome is a fractured Iraq with local & foreign Sunni Jihadists about to capture a major chunk of the country and wreak havoc on Iraqi citizens as if the American invasion had not done enough damage on the hapless people of Iraq with half a million killed and six million made refugees.

The invasion was nothing short of a criminal enterprise, which the International Criminal Court (ICC) should have taken up immediately and issued arrest warrants for Bush & his cohorts.  However, the ICC is a gutless, sissy organization and its judges have no courage to stand up against tyranny inflicted by a major nation. The excuse that U.S. is not a signatory to ICC is a lame one and it should not have stopped them from issuing indictments of Bush & Co. ICC is only capable of issuing arrest warrants for third world dictators. This is a massive failure on the part of ICC, which should either be abolished completely or all its judges removed and new courageous judges appointed, who can stand up to anyone.

Saddam Husain was a tyrant, a dictator and an ego maniac, but his rule is almost beginning to look like a saner option than what has been bestowed on Iraq. During Saddam's time there was never a Shia-Sunni-Christian problem. Baghdad, Mosul & Basra were thriving cities with free education, health care for all and no electricity shortages. In Noori Al-Maliki, U.S. anointed a Shia hard liner who has suppressed the 30% Iraqi Sunni population.  He sits in the lap of Iranian Ayatollahs and takes instruction from them, whose personal security is provided allegedly by Iranian revolutionary guards. Instead of consolidating the country, Maliki's failure to share power with Sunnis has brought Iraq to its knees.

Extremist Sunni fighters having captured Mosul, Dohuk, Tikrit and now Baquba (a suburb of Baghdad) are knocking at the doors of Baghdad. They have not only found support amongst the Sunni civilian population, but also amongst the military, where soldiers and generals have switched sides in droves. Highly sophisticated American weapons are now in the hands of these extremists. An all new and a massive 850,000 U.S. trained Iraqi Army seems to be melting away. Maliki is asking for U.S. help and air power, the question is, why is his Army and Air Force not fighting?

Amongst the main causes of Iraq's fracture at the hands of U.S. was disbanding its multi-ethnic Armed Forces at the outset of the war and destroying civil structures. These incomprehensible acts by Bush & Co. have caused a body blow to Iraq, from which it has never recovered.

U.S. air raids now as advised by Senator McCain will be utterly insane. It will embolden Jihadis even more and swell their ranks with more Iraqi and other Sunnis joining to fight the 'devil'.

The best solution for Iraq at this time is for Maliki to dissolve the parliament, resign immediately followed by a unity Government independent of Iran's influence, representing Shias, Sunnis, Kurds & Christians. This Government should start a dialogue with major groups, come up with suggestions to amend the constitution to give everyone a fair share and hold fresh elections in about a year, so that wounds heal and Iraq stays one country, prosperous once again.

 Conspiracy theorists in Muslim World have long held the view that Iraqi invasion was engineered by Israel and inspired and backed by the Taliban of Christianity - Evangelical Christians (George W. Bush is  considered to be a follower of that crazy faith), to divide and destroy the Muslim World. They also say that continued war and occupation of Afghanistan, its alleged involvement in Rafik Hariri's murder, ouster of Gaddafi in Libya under the cover of 'no fly zones', engineered Military coup against an elected President in Egypt and attempts to overthrow Asad of Syria are all links in the chain. Each and every affected country, being a Muslim country!

Conspiracy theorists can say what they like, but U.S. actions from hereon will decide whether there is steam in those theories. If it pressurizes Maliki to quit and help form a fair and representative Government that keeps Iraq intact or does it succumb to the hardliners and bomb Iraq and fracture the country for good. Hopefully, President Obama will opt for the diplomatic option and ignore the call to war by McCains of this world.

NEHRU v PATEL, MODI v GANDHI, IS HISTORY ABOUT TO REPEAT ITSELF?

Sixty seven years ago a Gujarati - Sardar Jhaverbhai Vallabhbhai Patel was pitted against a Nehru of Allahabad for India's leadership. Today, once again a Gujarati - Narendra Damadardas Modi is pitted against a Nehru (Rahul Gandhi) from Allahabad for the Prime Ministership of India.

The difference is that Patel and Nehru belonged to the same party, the Indian National Congress, both led movements against Britain's ouster from India, both were British educated, both were Barristers, Patel from Middle Temple and Nehru from Inner Temple. They stood side by side and united against British occupation of India.

Patel was considered a natural leader and vastly expected to be the first Prime Minister of India, but Nehru a man of smart intellect and cunning, outsmarted and outfoxed Patel on the last bend of the last lap of home run and became the first Prime Minister of India.

Nehru's great grandson, Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi come from two separate political parties with vast intellectual differences. Rahul carries the Nehru legacy as a leader of Indian National Congress and Narendra Modi, a former member of RSS is the current leader of BJP, a right wing Hindu Party. Rahul was educated in India and abroad, his stay at Harvard was cut short due to his father's assassination, he subsequently obtained M. Phil degree from Cambridge. Modi being the son of a tea stall vendor comes from a poor background, he was educated in India, earning Bachelor's degree from Delhi University and Masters in Political Science from Gujarat University. He is entirely a self made man.

Another difference between the pre independence era and now is that Nehru & Patel led independence movements, they hardly spent any time in Government, whereas both Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi have spent several years in power or in controlling power.

Sixty seven years later, history repeats itself as another Gujarati is pitted against another Nehru from Allahabad. The question is, will a Nehru once again outsmart and outfox a Gujarati? Hardly likely as Modi is no pushover nor simple and naïve like Vallabbhai Patel and Rahul Gandhi is not smart enough or clever enough to be another Jawaharlal Nehru.

SOME AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY SUCCESSES UNDER BUSH & OBAMA

• INSTIGATED ANTI RUSSIAN RIOTS IN GEORGIA - LOST ABKHAZIA TO RUSSIA

• LOST IRAQ WAR - AN UNJUSTIFIED WAR, DELIVERED IRAQ INTO THE LAP OF IRANIANS - LOST THOUSANDS OF U.S. SOLDIERS AND HALF A MILLION IRAQIS, SPENT WELL OVER $3 TRILLION (SEVERAL BILLIONS CASH WENT MISSING).
• LOST AFGHANISTAN WAR, A JUSTIFIED WAR THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WRAPPED UP IN THREE MONTHS. 13 YEARS LATER, SEVERAL THOUSAND U.S. SOLDIERS STILL IN AFGHANISTAN, THOUGH WINDING DOWN. $1 TRILLION SPENT WITHOUT ANY RESULTS, WITH SEVERAL THOUSAND US & AFGHANS DEAD.
• STAGED AN UPRISING IN LIBYA, OVERTHROWING QADDAFI, HIS PUBLIC BEATING AND MURDER, SOON AFTER PUBLIC BEATING AND MURDER OF US AMBASSADOR IN LIBYA,. DELIVERING LIBYA TO SEVERAL PRO AL-QAEDA GROUPS WITH ENSUING CHAOS.
• MANIPULATED A MILITARY COUP IN EGYPT, DEPOSING AN ELECTED PRESIDENT DEALING A GEAT BLOW TO DEMOCRACY. THE CORRUPT AND THUGGISH MILITARY GENERALS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF CONQUERING THEIR OWN PEOPLE - YET ONCE AGAIN
• INSTIGATED RIOTS IN UKRAINE, RUNNING OFF YET ANOTHER ELECTED PRESIDENT FROM OFFICE (SECOND WITHIN 12 MONTHS) - DELIVERING CRIMEA IN  RUSSIA'S LAP.

SOME FOREIGN POLICY SUCCESSES INDEED!

IT IS TIME FOR HARPER GOVERNMENT TO STOP BEING AMERICA'S MOUTHPIECE AND STEP FORWARD AS A MEDIATOR IN UKRAINE

(Sergey Ponomarev's photo courtesy New York Times)

The knee jerk reaction of Harper Government on the Ukraine situation is  not helping to turn the temperature down, instead it could create more difficulties for the Ukrainian public from a more aggressive Russia. Instead of taking a hard right pro U.S. position, Canada should have taken a middle of the road approach whereby it could act as a mediator in resolving the crisis.

Germany's Angela Merkel has demonstrated a great deal more maturity by suggesting a peaceful resolution rather than Harper Government's empty threats of imposing sanctions on Russia and expelling it from the G8.

To start with, Mr. Harper needs to restrain his Foreign Minister, whose aggressive tactics  have done more damage to Canada's foreign relations than good. His handling of relations with UAE resulting in Canada losing a free military base in Dubai, with an estimated cost of a few hundred million dollars to Canadian tax payer is a case in point.

It is obvious that U.S. interference in Russia's back yard has brought Ukraine to this situation. A deft handling and a diplomatic solution is what is required here. Alas, Canada has lost its position as a neutral umpire, whereby it could offer to mediate between aggrieved parties, rather than take an extreme position as the Harper Government has done.

A peaceful solution to Ukraine's situation would be where the people's aspirations are met, where the minorities are not afraid of domination and persecution by the majority and where Russia does not feel, there is a hostile Government in place right next door.

This is a great opportunity for Mr. Harper to demonstrate leadership, maturity and diplomatic prowess. By actively helping to resolve the Ukraine situation, he could distinguish himself from a bunch of mediocre Western leaders. This requires him to get on that plane to Moscow and talk to President Putin, ask him for restraint and find out what it would take to diffuse the situation and bring the Ukranian and Russian leadership together for a peaceful resolution.

It may already be too late for Mr. Harper as Russian and U.S. Foreign Ministers have started a direct dialogue, though there may still be space for Canada to play a role. There may be issues that Russia and U.S. may not want to talk to each other about, but could open up to a neutral third party.

Mr. Harper, stand up and make Canada proud.