Kim Jong-il Passes Away: End of an Era in North Korea

Kim Jong Il, the mercurial and enigmatic North Korean leader whose iron rule and nuclear ambitions dominated world security fears for more than a decade, has died at the age of 69.
Kim's death 17 years after he inherited power from his father was announced on Monday by the state television from the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.
Kim's longtime pursuit of nuclear weapons and his military's repeated threats to South Korea and the United States have stoked fears that war might again break out or that North Korea might provide weapons of mass destruction to terrorist movements.
Kim is believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008 but he had appeared relatively vigorous in photos and video from recent trips to China and Russia and in numerous trips around the country carefully documented by state media.
Principle of Self-Reliance
Kim Jong Il inherited power after his father, revered North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, died in 1994. He had been groomed for 20 years to lead the communist nation founded by his guerrilla fighter-turned-politician father and built according to the principle of "juche," or self-reliance.
In September 2010, Kim Jong Il unveiled his third son, the twenty-something Kim Jong Un, as his successor, putting him in high-ranking posts. Even with a successor, there had been some fear among North Korean observers of a behind-the-scenes power struggle or nuclear instability upon the elder Kim's death.
Unknowable Figure
Called the “Dear Leader” by his people, Kim, the son of North Korea’s founder, remained an unknowable figure. Everything about him was guesswork, from the exact date and place of his birth to the mythologized events of his rise in a country formed by the hasty division of the Korean Peninsula at the end of the Second World War.
North Koreans heard about him only as their “peerless leader” and “the great successor to the revolutionary cause.” Yet he fostered what was perhaps the last personality cult in the Communist world. His portrait hangs beside that of his father, Kim Il-sung, in every North Korean household and building. Towers, banners and even rock faces across the country bear slogans praising him.
Country’s Nuclear Arms Arsenal
Kim was a source of fascination inside the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which interviewed his mistresses, tried to track his whereabouts and psychoanalyzed his motives. And he was an object of parody in American culture.
Kim Jong-il was also a driver of the secret nuclear weapons program, which continued with secret help from Pakistan's A.Q. Khan network after a 1994 agreement with the Clinton administration supposedly froze all developments.
Kim sought to build up the country’s nuclear arms arsenal, which culminated in North Korea’s first nuclear test explosion, an underground blast conducted in October 2006. Another test came in 2009.
Mass starvation among the North Korean population, after the collapse of the Soviet Union ended critical external aid and floods ruined successive crops, did not divert Kim from his cultivation of the Korean People's Army, under his ''Songun'' (army first) doctrine.
Role as Defense Chief
Kim's role as chairman of the National Defense Commission, commanding the army, became more important than the general-secretary role in the Worker's Party. Frequent on-the-spot ''guidance sessions'' and sharing of meals with frontline soldiers were aimed at reinforcing personal loyalty among the soldiers.
The death comes at a sensitive time for North Korea as it prepares for next year's 100th anniversary of the birth of founder Kim Il Sung - Kim Jong Il's father. The preparations include massive construction projects throughout the city as part of Kim Jong Il's unfulfilled promise to bring prosperity to his people.
Seoul and Washington will worry that Kim Jong Un 'may feel it necessary in the future to precipitate a crisis to prove his mettle to other senior leaders', according to Bruce Klingner, an Asia analyst at The Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington.
Personal Interests
Kim was said to have cultivated wide interests, including professional basketball, cars and foreign films. He reportedly produced several North Korean movies as well, mostly historical epics with an ideological tinge.
A South Korean film director claimed Kim even kidnapped him and his movie star wife in the late 1970s, spiriting them back to North Korea to make movies for him for a decade before they managed to escape from their North Korean agents during a trip to Austria.
Kim rarely travelled abroad and then only by train because of an alleged fear of flying, once heading all the way by a luxury rail car to Moscow, indulging in his taste for fine food along the way.
One account of Kim’s lavish lifestyle came from Konstantin Pulikovsky, a former Russian presidential envoy who wrote the book The Orient Express about Kim’s train trip through Russia in July and August 2001.
Paroxysm of Grief
Kim's death was unlikely to plunge the country into chaos because it already was preparing for a transition. Kim Jong Il indicated a year ago that Kim Jong Un would be his successor, putting him in high-ranking posts. North Korea will now go into a paroxysm of grief that may continue until the 100th anniversary of Kim Il-sung's birth in April.

Judiciary in Pakistan

Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, had said that the judiciary can intervene if the institutions trespass their constitutional limits. Addressing a function in the Supreme Court on the occasion of commencement of the new judicial year, he said that the judiciary had taken oath to protect the constitution. Therefore, to check unconstitutional steps was within the obligations of the judiciary, he said.
He also said that the executive did not seem satisfied with the judicial verdicts against its unconstitutional acts. Another important point in the chief justice's speech was the issue of corruption in the lower courts and he said that corruption could not be controlled in spite of increasing salaries and other perks of the lower judges.
Constitutional Limits
If the speech of the chief justice is reviewed, three important points would come to the front. One, which determining the constitutional limits of the institutions is within the power of the judiciary. Two, the executive is not satisfied with the judicial decisions. Three, corruption is still prevalent in the subordinate courts. All these three matters are interconnected and the judiciary is at their center. This center has, in the past, preferred to keep a mum over the trespassing of constitutional limits by different institutions or even gave a pat on their back for doing so. However, the executive had also been demonstrating a headstrong behavior. Had the judiciary been meeting its obligation without any pressure right from the beginning, keeping the institutions within their limit, and making the executive subservient to its decisions, the law and justice would have remained supreme today. Unfortunately even the impartial circles have been raising fingers to the independence of the judiciary, particularly on occasions when courts had invented the doctrine of expediency for the sake of lending constitutional protection to those dislodging the democratic governments.
Today, the judiciary is mentioning its power of intervening if the institutions trespass their limits, but the question arises that why in the past it supported one institution, which repeatedly violated the constitution and winded up democracy in the country. It was due to this unconstitutional step of the judiciary that these institutions took the courage to trespass their constitutional limits. Now, the institutions have developed the habit of violating the constitution to the extent that after some court verdicts the talks of clash among the institutions are being made even at the public level.
It can be said that a revolutionary thinking has emerged after the superior courts' decision to declare the presidential ordinance of 3 November and imposition of emergency regulations. However, it is regrettable that the other institutions are not bringing themselves in consonance with this thinking. Their years' old habit of violating the constitution cannot be eliminated in days. Therefore, it is necessary that gradual reforms should be brought about in other institutions as well. Simultaneously, the supervision of constitutional limits of these institutions by the judiciary is also essential. If, God forbid, any attempt is made to wind up democracy and the judiciary fails to stop such an act, the trend of violating the constitutional limits by the institution can increase to dangerous proportions.
Fulfilling of Responsibility by Judges
The chief justice is correct that fulfilling of responsibility by the judges is essential for ensuring peace and stability, strengthening national integrity, and improving administrative affairs.
When, during the Second World War, a dreadful picture of the country's situation was drawn before former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said that if the courts delivered justice, there was nothing to worry.
Process of Dispensation
There is a need expedite the process of dispensation of justice to the common man. The increase in the perks of lower judiciary is not a burden. Rather it will further improve the dispensation of justice. The judiciary can also come into action according to the constitution to bring those institutions on the right path, which are proving hurdles in provision of justice.
Now, the time has come to redress the 64-year-long violations of the constitution by providing justice to people in every sphere of life. The matters about which the executive is violating the judicial decisions are directly linked with the people. One should hope that by making different institutions subservient to the constitution, the judiciary will become a cause of harmony, rather than confrontation, among the state institutions. On the other hand, by respecting the constitution, every institution can not only win over the public confidence but, as the chief justice has said, the objective of peace, national integrity, and stability can also be accomplished.

US at Sunset: China Captures No 1 Position in World

The United States is the most powerful country of the world. Nobody differs with this idea. The US is now at its highest peak. But many people think that this country will steadily proceed toward its sunset.
The world has a huge number of instances bearing the testimony that many nations had experienced their gradual downfall after reaching the highest level of advancement. The Roman and Ottoman empires are the glaring examples of this. It is not a story of very far past when the Sun never set over the British Empire. Now the condition of that country is very fragile. The country does not have any influence in the international fields. Economically the country is passing through a very hard time. Democracy has been in practice in that country for nearly 800 years. Britain is still the palpable symbol of democracy. Britain has presented the world with Magna Charta, which is considered as safeguard of democracy.
Democratic values born out of the Magna Carta. The absolute authority of British monarchy was curtailed by dint of Magna Charta and Petition of Rights. The British monarchy was deprived of right to capture lands anywhere. Britain had been recognized as the greatest nation of the world till the Second World War. Since then the downfall of British supremacy has begun. This empire was fallen apart after 1947.
Ongoing War on Terror
The journey of the US began after the Second World War. Despite its rising strength, the economy reached a very fragile state. President George W Bush (second) and Republicans are virtually responsible for this. Defying opinion of the international community George Bush engaged in war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bloodletting began in the US at this is still continuing. The indomitable superpower the US has started suffering from anemia.
Recession in the US economy has begun to fall since the second tenure of President George W Bush. The Bush administration did not take any measure to check it. His successor at the White House President Barack Obama is now paying the price for that. The Republicans are now shamelessly shifting the responsibility of the recession to the shoulder of Obama. It is surprising that the Republicans are harassing taking advantage of their majority in the House. But George did face any obstruction to proceed with his political programs. During the second tenure of Bush, the democrats had majority in both the houses- The Senate and House of Representatives.
The mass media of the US has described as a 'political revolution' the capture of the House by the Republicans. Many analysts believe this is an expression of racism. Obama is the first black president and he has some 'Muslim smell' in his body. The racists in the United States and Europe could not tolerate the two aspects. And accordingly they have come furious.
Many have failed to understand why Obama is blamed for the responsibilities of George W Bush. It is misfortune for Obama that during his administration the US standard as a creditor has been brought down to two 'A' from three 'A'. And as a result, a storm was created in the world economy, which is still raging through.
The Republicans and the Democrats at loggerheads on the issue of reducing US budget deficit and desire for enhancing time frame of receiving credits. The Republicans want to save money putting the burden on the poor. They want to reduce expenditure in the heath sector. They also want to curtail the money of social security. The Republicans are dead against imposing additional taxes on the richer people. The main reason behind this is that the richer people and organization bore the big chunk of election costs of the Republican candidates in the last election.
At present a worldwide uproar has been created that the US dollar is not main recognized currency in the international market. The Chinese currency - Renminbi - is the claimant of that position. The price of the US dollar in the international market is decreasing. The greenback is in upswing only in the currency market of Bangladesh. The International Monetary Fund [IMF] thinks China will achieve the recognition of the number one country by 2025 superseding the United States.
Many analysts, however, believe China has already captured that position. The responsibility of overcoming the world recession has been shifted on the shoulder of China. And Beijing has successfully performed that responsibility.
International Economy
One analyst with The New York Times has expressed the view that one will be able to suppress the US dollar as the number one international currency in the coming 10 years. The present status of the greenback is very important for the international economy. The cause of this is that the biggest chunk of the world' saving is in the US dollar. The exchange rate of the dollar has been reduced by one third in the last 10 years. Before the greenback, the UK pound was the king of international currencies. The dollar took 10 years to replace the pound as the king of currency market. The US dollar covers 61 percent of the 5.3 trillion foreign currency fund. The Chinese currency Renminbi is still related with the dollar.
The world is now confronted with two major problems. One of the problems is inflation and the other corruption. There is no country in the world, which is not suffering from the two problems. The experts believe that the global economy will take a significant time to make a turnaround.
One Publication Ceremony and Some Sagas: A few days ago I joined a publication ceremony of two books written by ABM Saleh Uddin, who is like my younger brother. It was a jam-packed and lively function with huge participation of guests. The function earned the praise of all. I am passing days like a man under house arrest. And as a result, I gladly accept whenever any invitation comes. I always put forward a condition to the hosts. The condition is the hosts have to arrange my transposition to the functions.
I do not feel ease in discussion of literatures. Because, I have a very little knowledge about the subject. My conception about literature comes from Abu Rushd and Rashid Karim, who are like my elder brothers. However, I had gone through the novels -- Agatha Kristhi and P G Woodhouse -- just after passing the matriculation examination. I had gone though the novels of Rabindranath, Bankim and Sharatchandra Chattopadhaya at that time. I had no dearth in the supply of novels. My elder sister-in-law Sabera Tayeb was the librarian of reputed Lady Brebon College. The library of the college had also reputation across the country.
Inevitable Criticism
Rabindranath was known as the great poet while Bankim the novel king. But in the selling of books, Sharatchnadra surpassed the two. All most all the novels of Sharatchandra transformed into movies.
Movies were made more than one time on Sharatchandra Chattapadhaya's 'Devdas' and Shakespeare's 'Romeo Juliet.' None can determine which is the best one?
In the thirties and forties, condition of Bengali Muslims was very sad. They were backward in education. They could not cope with the situation. Awakening them was a difficult job. Sher-e-Bangla A K Fazlul Haque was the first person who could realize the pains of Bengali Muslims. He realized that there was no alternative of education to free the Bengali Muslims from the miserable condition. Thinking this, A K Fazlul Haque had launched Islamia College and Lady Breborn College in Kolkata and Eden Girls College in Dhaka. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the student of that Islamia College.
Kazi Nazrul Islam, Maulana Akram Khan and his daily newspaper-The Azad and monthly Mohammadi- were the pioneers of Bengali Muslims' awakening. Songs of Abbas Uddin, paintings of Joynul Abedin, winning spree of Mohammedan Sporting Club against the British teams were also the important factors. Jasim Uddin, Golam Mostafa, Farrukh Ahmed, Abul Hossain and Talim Hossain came out as their supportive force. No discussion on Bengali literature without making any reference to the above mentioned distinguished personalities could get perfection.
I have spent more than two decades in journalism. But many newsmen in New York have doubt about me and they frequently ask me by dint of what I claim myself as a journalist. In this regard, I will request all to remember the immoral saying of British poet and critic T.S. Eliot -- "Criticism is inevitable like breath."
But it is not wise to take cognizance of all criticisms. There are some criticisms whose acceptance helps achieving progress. For example Professor Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed a few days ago advised Saleh Uddin to read the holy Quran, the Bible, the Upanishad and the Ramayan-Mahabharat. Poet Bulbul Khan appreciated his courageous role. There are many writings in English literature, which are based on the Bible. The 'Paradise Lost' of Milton is an instance of that.

US Pays Heavy Opportunity Cost 10 Years After 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

Prior to 11 September 2001, the United States was always full of confidence in facing all kinds of challenges and provocations. The name of the United States then was synonymous to "international police personnel" and "financial big brother."
But suddenly, 11 September 2011 came; three aircrafts hit the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon Building of the US Defense Department. Towering buildings collapsed; and the confidence of the people in the United States also collapsed with them. The world community suddenly realized US President George W. Bush could so easily be attacked by the weaker party.
In 2009 when George W. Bush, Jr. left the White House, many people in the United States especially the family members of the US soldiers who had to station overseas to fight the so called counterterrorism war in Iraq and in Afghanistan; as well as the antiwar protestors, were happy to see Bush leaving. They applauded.
Spreading Islam-Phobia
After the 11 September terrorist attacks in the United States, the US security mechanism has also undergone tremendous change. The so-called Islam-phobia also spread quickly in the United States. In the US society, the personal freedom of the citizens became subject to certain restrictions. The immigration law has also been tightened. Once again, Samuel Huntington's "Clash of Civilization" thought caught the attention of the people again.
Joseph Nye, Jr. who served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs in the Clinton administration believed that a major significant shift of the 11 September incident was that there was an increasing strength of the nonstate actors in the power fight. This shift of power has become one of the largest power transitions in the information age.
The number of the people in the United States killed by Al-Qaida terrorist network was more than the people killed by the Japanese military when Japan attacked the US Pearl Harbor during the Second World War. As such the attacks by the terrorists as non-state actors can perhaps be called the "privatization of war." This is because the war between two nations can no longer be limited or confined to the fight and contest of military strength between nations only.
During the Cold War period, the "mutually assured destruction" strategy allowed the United States and the former Soviet Union to process strong and elite military force. But such a strategy could not allow either country to get benefit from adversaries. In the end both sides became equally vulnerable in order to avoid disaster from happening. But the 11 September terrorist attack in the United States has re-written this international rule of the game.
Creating Asymmetric Situations
Joseph Nye, Jr believed the 11 September terrorist attack incident has created two asymmetric situations that in turn have helped to push the Al Qa'ida terrorist network a step forward.
First, it is the "information" asymmetry. While the terrorists are well aware of their target of attacks, but the United States has little understanding of the hiding places and facial features of the terrorists. While some intelligence were able to predict the damage of the nonstate actors could cause to great powers such as the United States but the conclusions of the intelligence did not get acceptance and be included as part of the official counterterrorism strategy adopted by the authority. Second, there is this "attention" asymmetry. While it is logical for large scale participating bodies with many interests and goals to overlook and pay less attention to some of the smaller scale participating bodies; on the other hand, the smaller participating players can pay more attention to their own goals and are able to focus their attention to what they want to do.
On reflection, the global agenda pertaining to the terrorist attacks staged by Al-Qaida Chief Osama Bin Laden has already been dominated in the world scene for approximately 10 years. Although Bin Laden has already been killed by the US military force in Pakistan in May 2011, but the United States has also paid trillions of dollars in the past ten years trying to arrest Bin Laden. The United States has ended up paying more for the opportunity cost than it has earlier expected.
It is indeed strange and funny for us to observe that when the people in the far away land in the United States suffered the hurt of terrorist attacks 10 years ago, some sectors still hold the suspicion that the 11 September terrorist attacks in the United States was but a self-directed act by the United States itself. Moreover, there were also some sectors that were thankful that such tragedy had happened in the United States but had not happened to them; and there were also some compassionate sectors who expressed their sympathies to the people in the United States. But a tragedy remains a tragedy. After the wounds heal, the indelible scars left in the hearts of the Americans can still occasionally feel the pain.
It has been ten years after the 11 September terrorist attacks in the United States. The world media has spent large media space to report on news related to the 11 September incident in order to evoke our past memory of what had happened to the United States ten years ago. But such a memory war will not just stop here; it may even turn worse as days go by.
Top National Priority
International rule of the game is like the Leaning Tower of Pisa; it will continue to tilt toward the side of the stronger power. US President Barack Obama has tried to change it. He begins US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. But the asymmetry situation he faces will be difficult for him to see the result within short period of time.
No wonder some people in the United States feel that the biggest lesson the United States can learn from the experience of the 11 September incident is on how the US Government should handle its foreign affairs. They feel that the US Government should adhere to the advice of former US President Eisenhower who had won many highly decorated war honors for half of his life some half a century ago. This former US president had said: "Do not get into war that involves in the occupation of other countries' territories. Put focus on strengthening US economy as top national priority."
Unemployment Rate and Federal Deficit
However, now the US economy is in a mess. Although the pending US sovereignty debt issue seems to have been resolved, but there are many hidden concerns in the US society. President Obama has continued to be troubled by the high unemployment rate and federal deficit issue in the United States.
The United States has already bid farewell to its former arrogant hegemony and their proudly-hailed power. The misjudgment of what the United States should do after the 11 September terrorist attacks has led the United States loosing many good opportunities to make good the nation. What is left after the 11 September incident is but a rotten economy, a mess and regret in the US society.

UN Trade and Development Report 2011

The overall recovery of the world economy is slowing down in 2011 with strong downside risks, according to the United Nations Trade and Development Report (UNCTAD) 2011.
“Global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to grow by 3.1 percent following an increase of 3.9 percent in 2010,” the report stated.
International Trade
The volume of international trade, particularly in developed economies, is expected to return to a single-digit growth rate in 2011, from 14 percent in 2010.
Regarding South Asia, of which India is a part, UNCTAD said the region is likely to be among the best performers with a growth of 7 percent in 2011.
With several factors hindering growth, recent developments across the Middle East have also contributed to and been affected by the global economic crisis.
Although the expansion remained relatively strong in all developing countries, North Africa and some West Asian countries were the exception, “where political unrest has adversely affected investment and tourism, and thus also growth.”
In countries like Egypt, the January 25 Revolution, which eventually toppled president Husni Mubarak, came about to demand social justice, democracy and equal opportunities. For this reason, the state faces continued pressure to modify its economic and trade policies in order to keep up with the changes in society.
“There needs to be a complete reappraisal of wealth distribution and employment opportunities in the country,” Ibrahim El Issawy, professor of economics at the National Institute of Planning, said during the launch of the report in Cairo.
“After the January 25 Revolution, we need to increase production in the country, it is the state’s role to change current policies that will help encourage an increase in production,” said El Issawy.
The issue of taxes was also raised by El Issawy. “Taxes should be reviewed,” he said. “Those who make LE 40,000 a year should not be taxed the same as those who make LE 1 million, for example.”
“We need a strategy to rehabilitate Egypt’s economy, we need an intensive national plan to achieve this,” he added.
Emerging Markets
However, several other developing markets have been able to sustain relatively fast growth when compared to the US or Europe because of their reliance on domestic demand.
Emerging markets including Brazil, South Africa, Turkey and India have all had to cope with the challenge of short-term capital inflows, “attracted by higher interest rates that reflect higher inflation rates or tight monetary policies.”
According to the report, these inflows have been putting “enormous appreciation pressure on their domestic currencies, and tend to weaken their export sectors and widen their current-account deficits.”
In order for developed countries to stride past this ongoing global economic crisis, they have to work together.
“There needs to be collaboration between developed countries in order to come out of this next period to boost trade development on a national and international level,” he added.
Since the global economic crisis of 2008, recovery of the US has been stalling with the pace of growth below where it is needed to be thus hindering employment.
“Even the second round of quantitative easing has failed to translate into increased credit for domestic economic activities, as domestic demand has remained subdued due to stagnating wages and employment,” the report stated.
“With little scope to lower interest rates further — as they are already at historically low levels — and fiscal stimulus waning, a quick return to satisfactory growth trajectory is highly unlikely.”
America’s slow recovery has been affecting several of the world’s largest economies, which are more dependent on trade with the US market.
The report pointed out that the recovery of the Japanese economy has also slowed down due to the impact of the unprecedented earthquake and tsunami that hit the country in March.
The European Union, also facing a debt crisis and recessions in countries like Greece and Ireland, expects growth to remain below 2 percent in 2011.
Furthermore, due to negative indications across many of the global markets, the report found that “international trade in both goods and services rebounded sharply in 2010, after having registered its steepest fall since the Second World War.” The report expects trade to return to single-digit growth.
“Commodity prices recovered very early in the cycle and have been exhibiting high volatility, owing largely to the greater presence of financial investors in commodity markets.”
Moreover, another dangerous factor for world economies is slow wage growth, which hinders domestic demand in developed and emerging markets. Wage growth is “essential to recovery and sustainable growth.”
“However, in most developed countries, the chances of wage growth contributing significantly to, or leading, the recover are slim,” the report pointed out.
Debt Restructuring Process
Slow wage growth also triggers discontent among populations and could significantly hinder production.
To combat these risks that global markets continue to face, the report suggested several points, among them is the change of policies, which may have not proven to be successful before.
For example, in the case the US debt crisis, debt restructuring would be necessary. “When defaults occur, debts need to be restructured, and the complexity of the restructuring process depends on the structure of the defaulted debt,” the report stated.
Growth-Enhancing Fiscal Policies
Moreover, “the best strategy for reducing public debt is to promote growth-enhancing fiscal policies and low interest rates.”
The report underlined that "unless there is a reversal of the current trend of diminished income expectations of the average household and a return to policies that emphasize the importance of mass income growth as the basis for sustainable and balanced development in rich and poor countries alike, all other attempts to regain growth momentum will be in vain."

China and Future of Asian Security Order

Since 2010, the success or failure of peace settlement of conflict in the South China Sea has become a hot issue of concern to the international political community. From 18 to 23 July, the negotiation between China and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) (over territorial dispute in the South China Sea) finally reached a breakthrough.
Based on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, ASEAN and Chinese officials have reached a diplomatic agreement on a set of guidelines that can help to promote the creation of a mutual trust, mutual cooperation mechanism to implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
Sovereignty Claim
Although this mutual cooperation mechanism will not change respective country's position on the sovereignty claim of maritime rights and islands in the South China Sea, but as we look at this breakthrough from all perspectives, the signing of this agreement has carried with it great significance.
First, after the relationship between China and Southeast Asian countries went through a round of crisis last year, the signing of the Guidelines now ushers a new turning point for China and Southeast Asian countries to move toward the right direction in resolving the conflict in the South China Sea. Second, despite the fact that the cause that led to the crisis in the South China Sea in 2010 was very complicated, but the arrival of the turning point this year has reflected the fact that China has the ability to digest and resolve crisis and turn crisis into opportunity. Third, more importantly, the signing of this ‘Guidelines’ agreement also signifies that Asian countries have the ability to use their own method to deal with one another's disputes and to establish an Asian regional order among them.
Presence of US forces in Asia
The presence of the US forces in Asia is an objective reality and the presence of the US forces in Asia is viewed by ASEAN member countries as a necessity force to ‘balance’ China. As such, very often, the US factor tends to make the construction of an Asian regional security order more complex. To China, the presence of the United States in Asia is something China cannot avoid but yet the presence of it is not at all that bad. While the presence of the United States in this Asian region has increased the difficulties of China in handling issues relating to Asia, the presence of the United States in Asia has also made China becoming more rational in handling regional affairs.
From historical perspective, the establishment of any form of regional order, especially the establishment of regional security order has never been an easy one. Most of the regional security orders that people see now were in fact achieved through wars. For example, the formation of the European security pact cannot be separated from the two world wars. The security alliance pact between the United States and Japan and the security alliance pact between the United States and South Korea are also inseparable from the past wars. Apparently, it is comparatively easier to establish new security order in post-war period.
War is a matter of life and death. Very often, in the post-war period, countries can discover many favorable conditions to form a new security order. In Europe, the two world wars have brought immense disaster to mankind. This disaster nevertheless led countries to reach a consensus on the need to establish a common security order to avoid future war. But in the process of building the European security order, the United States has played a leading role. After the Second World War, the United States has become the world leader acceptable by all the countries in Europe. Meanwhile, the United States also has the ability to play such a role using his massive economic power and military strength. In addition, development of the Cold War has also helped the United States to ascertain and establish its world leadership. During that period, Western Europe faced a strong Soviet Union; they needed such a similar strong US leadership to withstand their external threat. The Cold War that persisted for as long as half a century has highly institutionalized the security order in Europe and in the United States (mainly reflected in North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO]). After the Cold War, the United States and Western Europe are able to expand the NATO mechanism to cover the whole of Europe.
Western Security Order Derived From Long Period of War
Similarly, the security alliance partnership between the United States and Japan as well as between the United States and South Korea alliance pact were also formed in the post-victory period of the United States. After the defeat of Japan in the Second World War, the United States took control of Japan for the then Japan did not have any independent diplomacy. To a very large degree, the US-Japan security alliance after the Second World War was arranged by the United States single-handedly. Although Japan is the main participant in the US-Japan security pact, Japan does not have very much say in it. The security pact signed between the United States and South Korea is also quite similar. South Korea has no difficulty to accept the US leadership and allow the US troops to be stationed in South Korea because South Korea's security threat comes from North Korea.
However, in many ways, the kind of security order formed after the ‘post-victory’ period did reflect many internal inequities. Regardless of whether it is the European security order, or whether it is the alliance pact signed between the United States and Japan or the alliance agreement signed between the United States and South Korea, the United States is in a position to command absolute leadership. While on one hand, the leadership status of the United States is useful for the establishment of new security order, but on the other hand, member countries within the security pacts must accept the US leadership. Yet for the United States to maintain its leadership status, there are some basic prerequisite and conditions the United States must observe. First, there is the cost of war to bear. Second, there is the external threat to face. Third, the openness of the US leadership with the system and the ability of this leadership to accommodate the interests of the members within the group or security pact must adhere. If substantial changes occur in these conditions, the fundamental basis of such security order will be threatened.
After the end of the Cold War, NATO is able to continue and survive and expand by relying on its expansion range. At the same time, it might be that the security threat coming from Russia has also helped in the cohesion of NATO. In the case of the alliance pact between the United States with Japan and with the alliance pact between the United States and South Korea, there were certain periods of time when these alliance pacts between them becoming loose due to the lack of external threats. During certain period, the outcries of the people in South Korea in demanding the US troop withdrawal from South Korea were very high. In Japan, during Japan's Democratic Party leader Hatoyama's tenure as the Prime Minister of Japan, Hatoyama has also proposed the establishment of an East Asian Community in order to pursue equality status of Japan with the United States. Nevertheless, in recent years, North Korean has been viewed as the threat of both Japan and South Korea. Behind the security alliance pact of Japan and South Korea with the United States, these three countries have now considered China as their external threat.
In addition, a region's geopolitical environment can also have a unique impact on that particular region's security order. Such geopolitical impact is most obviously manifested in North America. In North America, the natural environment of the United States in that particular region makes the United States holding a dominating and supremacy position and so the United States has naturally become the leader in North America. It is also apparent to all that the North American security system is a kind of highly hierarchical dependence type of security system. In all aspects of strength and capability, whether it is Mexico or Canada, these two countries cannot be compared with that of the United States. These two countries also do not have any ambition to challenge the United States. Coupled with the openness of the US system itself, North America has developed a more natural regional security order than other regions in the world.
In Asia, the construction of the regional security order does not follow such a pattern. In the first place, unlike Europe, Asia has not gone through the type of prolonged war that Europe has gone through in the past. Moreover, even when there were wars in Asia, the wars did not produce any ‘victor’ similar to that of Europe. In the 1930s of the last century, Japan had wanted to establish the Japanese Imperial order though the use of war, but Japan's ambition ended in failure. While we can China was the ‘winner’ or ‘victor’ after Japan's defeat, but in reality, China neither had the concept nor thought to establish a regional security order similar to that of the western countries. This was in addition to the fact that China did not have the ability and sufficient power to do so too. Due to the development of the Cold War, the US-Japan and US-Republic of Korea alliance were formed. In this regard, it was also quite impossible for a regional security order be formed in Northeast Asia to include all the countries in that region then. On the contrary, due to the fact that the security pacts signed between the United States and Japan as well as the security pact signed between the United States and South Korea have all viewed China as their potential external threat, the security order in the Northeast Asian region is in fact an ‘insecure’ security order. Under the current situation, for a security order to be formed in the Northeast Asian region, it must satisfy the following two conditions. First, China has to accept the regional security order led by the United States; and at least for the minimum, China must not challenge such a regional security order led by the United States. Second, the United States must accommodate China's interest to a certain level. However, these two considerations are rather unstable. As such, as of today, the Northeast Asian region still faces the challenge to form a regional security order that can include the need of both China and the United States.
ASEAN Regional Security Order
However, ASEAN is a special case. It is a successful non-western regional security order. While western security order has set conditions for its formation, there is no such condition exists among ASEAN member countries. For example, although there are sporadic conflicts among ASEAN member countries, however, within ASEAN there is no breakout of war in magnitude comparable to the type of war that happened in Europe in the past. As such, within this ASEAN regional group, there is no ‘winner’ or ‘victor’ of wars or conflicts. Moreover; the Southeast Asian region also does not have a natural leader similar to that of the United States in other regions of the world. Although among the ASEAN member countries, Indonesia is a natural big country within the Southeast Asian region, but in term of Indonesia's internal strength and external influence towards other countries in Southeast Asia, the status of Indonesia is far less from such a position that can be compared with that of the United States in North America. Moreover, although at different period of time, Southeast Asia also faced some external threat, but these threats were far less serious than the situation in Europe or Northeast Asia.
Under such conditions, the countries in Southeast Asia embarked on a non-western path and established a non-western regional security order for themselves. After the formation of ASEAN, due to the fact that ASEAN's security order is different from that of the western style secur ity order, ASEAN has all along been viewed as a regional forum with no real significant power or even carried any significant meaning. However, on practical level, ASEAN is no less insecure than any region (including Europe) since the end of the Cold War. As stated above, the security order within ASEAN is neither imposed by external force nor that was its security order ascertained or formed by a strong and forceful leader outside the ASEAN region. As such one can also hold the view that the creation and development of this regional security order in ASEAN in fact hold more democratic features than other regions. As a matter of fact, the contact, discussion, consensus and trust building mooted among all ASEAN member countries as well as the ultimate institutionalization and legalization of the work of ASEAN are the main security features of this regional grouping in Asia.
Post-Cold War Scenario
After the Cold War, ASEAN has also faced many challenges. But ASEAN accepted and succeeded to face such challenges. At certain period of time, ASEAN thought that the most effective means to maintain ASEAN's regional security was to exclude the involvement of all external big nations. Later on, ASEAN leaders realized that the exclusion of great powers into the Southeast Asian region was not realistic for it did not meet the interest of ASEAN. In this regard, ASEAN has successfully transformed into an inclusive regional forum, and has gradually established an inclusive regional security cooperation framework within the Asian region. The most outstanding achievement of ASEAN is that ASEAN has succeeded to accommodate China, Japan and South Korea from the Northeast Asian region into ASEAN's annual summit and forum. Of late, ASEAN has also included the participation of the United States in its ASEAN Regional Forum. At this year's forum held in Bali, China and ASEAN reached a non-binding guidelines and agreement for the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. This is one of the achievements of ASEAN in dealing with regional affairs.
Historians in the future will say that this ‘Guidelines’ agreement reached between China and ASEAN is a starting point of a new China-ASEAN regional security order. In the formation of this regional security order, China will play a key role in it. If the China factor is ignored, then the talk of a new Asian regional security order would be impossible to achieve.
As a rising Asian power, China is destined to play a major role in Asia's regional security order. This is regardless of what other people's subjective wish of Asia's regional security order will be. How China acts will determine whether Asia can form a certain kind of regional security order or not. From what is happening now, it is obvious that China has gradually used its own method to successfully integrate itself into the Asian regional security order that uses ASEAN as its fundamental base. China's choice is not only consistent with China's national interests. China's choice is also more in line with ASEAN's interests. However, this process is not easy. For China, this is a challenge. China must learn, adapt and take up the responsibility to shoulder the duties entrusted along the process.
China's transformation of behavior in dealing with other countries has comprehensively reflected the non-western concept of Asian feature. In China's relationship with ASEAN countries, like all other big countries, China's initial response was refusal. But very soon, China accepted the multilateralism nature of ASEAN and within this multilateral framework; China played an active role in it. In this kind of multilateral relationship, China also made effort to stress on putting multinational economic relations with ASEAN first; and then later on expanded to other areas, including the security fields. Now, through trade and economic relations, China and ASEAN countries have gradually built mutual trust with each other and have begun to engage in various aspects of institutionalized constru ction. Although China and ASEAN have already achieved the implementation of free trade through the signed China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, China still puts its focus on building up economic relations with all ASEAN member countries. Of particular note is that the reason why ASEAN is able to accommodate China is because China has chosen to be accommodated by ASEAN. In this regard, China is different from some other major powers which are only interested to fight for leadership role within the ASEAN framework. After China joined ASEAN's friendly pact, China has no intention to fight for leadership role, but instead, China acknowledges and supports ASEAN's leadership role. In this regard, the behavior of China and the action taken by China pose a striking contrast of the behavior of the United States. It is obvious that the United States has begun to assert its leadership role in this ASEAN region once the United States joins ASEAN as part and parcel of its partnership body. In fact, while welcoming the participation of the United States into the ASEAN mechanism, at the same time, ASEAN countries also keep close watch and concern of the US behavior within the ASEAN framework.
On the other hand, based on China's foundation on trade and economic ties with ASEAN countries, China already has the condition to establish a regional security order with ASEAN. As compared with the western culture, China's culture has never been one that will put a lot of emphasis on maintaining regional security order. On regional security matter, China has always been very cautious. Although the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea was discussed in 1992, it was only in 2002 that China has agreed and signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea with all ASEAN member countries. Then it was after nine years that ASEAN and China finally signed the agreement to implement the ‘Guidelines’ of the Declaration. This newly signed ‘Guidelines’ pertaining to the South China Sea conflict is an assurance of peace and security to the South China Sea, a piece of ocean that has multiple party disputes over the sovereignty of its islands and maritime resources. The next step for China and ASEAN to do is to start carrying out negotiations and working on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea so that it can have legal binding.
Although the ‘Guidelines’ signed between China and ASEAN still does not have any legal binding, and although the close cooperation between China and ASEAN and sovereignty dispute in the South China Sea are two different issues, but after all, the provision of this ‘Guidelines’ has already paved way for a good start to resolve the pending conflict in the South China Sea in a more peaceful manner. In resolving disputes between countries, the West tends to use hard power and military policy. Yet unlike the West, China is more inclined to create a friendly atmosphere first and the later on, try to find a peaceful solution to resolve the sovereignty disputes.
South China Sea Conflict
After China's reformation and opening up, China did not waste very much time and had applied peaceful settlement means to resolve its border conflicts between Russia, Vietnam and other countries. This achievement of China is rare in the West. We have reason to believe that although the South China Sea territorial conflicts can be more complicated that China's border issues with other countries and although in the South China Sea conflict, there are constantly some external forces beyond the region trying to interfere with the already complicated conflicts in the South China Sea, we have reason to believe that China, a country that is able to accept past mistakes as its learning experience is bound to find some peaceful means to resolve the issues in the South China Sea.
At a higher level, people can also believe that unlike the West that uses force, ‘external threat’ and supremacy leadership to establish regional security order, China and Asian countries are capable to clearly establish its own distinctive regional security order embedded with Asian characteristics. If the western security order is a manifestation of the western culture, then the emergence of the Asian security order must by default also reflect the embodiment of Asian culture. In more than a century in the past, although Asian countries (including China) have, in varying degree, influenced by the western culture, but with the emergence of countries with long history of civilization such as China and India, Asia will eventually return to Asia. Asia will eventually establish an Asian regional security order that truly belongs to Asia.

Virus in World Civilization: Fundamentalists on Shoulder of Peril Humanity

The great creator has created seven skies and grounds that means the earth beautifully through the skilled artisans. He has created 18,000 species. Of them, the almighty announced the mankind as the greatest creature of the creator by vesting task of love and responsibility in the human being. He also handed over the responsibility of representation to other creatures. Moreover, he has kept the human being created by earth at the level of faults. He has also provided adequate knowledge of understanding good and bad ways to two communities---the human being and demons. He has created heaven for good people and hell for bad people. He has also kept ready a fine judiciary system for dooms day. He has sent saints to each locality to inform about the benefit of good work and bad work. He also sent time-befitting books on law for giving directives on positive and negative sides.
Extreme Peak of Development
The mankind as per its pervading natural rules thinks themselves as lovely and beautiful and members of well-civilized nation. On the other hand, they consider others as ugly, nasty, black sheep and uncivilized. The people before 10,000 years used to claim that they are well-civilized nation. Those who lived before them were barbaric, orthodox, primordial and wild people. We claim in today's world that we are well-civilized nation. We want to prove through various innovations and architecture that we are in extreme peak of the development. Those who lived before us were orthodox, barbaric, primordial, wild and uncivilized. The people crossed the 21st century would claim that they are well-civilized nation. Do you know what they would mention us? They are ugly, nasty, barbaric, orthodox, fanatics, illiterate, impolite and uncivilized. Or they would give a new hateful title. Let see are we really a well-civilized nation or holding any hatful adjective.
The creator has not only sent Hazrat Adam ,the first man, to the world as a complete great man by providing all kinds of education, rather the almighty has sent him as a messenger or teacher of animals of all species including human being and demons. He has sent Hazrat Hawa as the wife of Hazrat Adam. The spread of posterity is made from the above mentioned original father and mother and ancient Semitic, Hamitic, Ad Samud etc which have emerged as the successors of Adam and Hawa later. Various branches and tentacles of these nations spread at different places of the world. At the rotation of time, various nations and communities were born side by side with building of various civilizations. According to the testimony of the history, the Jews were nomadic nation before 1500 BC. In course of time, they were divided into three branches -- Finish, Aramaic and Hebrew. For finding out the lot, they left the Arab desert region and one branch set up settlement in Egypt, another in Palestine and the rest branch established settlement in Kenona town. During settlement in Egypt, the Hebrew nation took slavery of Faraun Kaus. The Hebrew nation was freed from the shackle of slavery after Kaus drowned in the Nile River during the war with Hazrat Musa . Under the leadership of Hazrat Daud and Hazrat Solaiman, they were installed in the seat of glory in phases and established the Hebrew empire side by side with building Hebrew civilization. At that time, Jerusalem was their capital. After the death of Hazrat Solaiman, the fall of the Hebrew empire began and they were spread at different parts of the world. In the year of 3500 BC, that great Babylon civilization was built due to reconciliation of Semitic civilization. Asiria civilization was one of its branch and ancient Hebrew civilization was a different branch of Semitic nation. At the rotation of time, Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Sindhu and Arjya civilizations were built. The sum and substance is that it is the world civilization or modern civilization which has been built with mixing of culture of the East and West. Some historians expressed opinion that the Egyptian that means Arab civilization carries the inheritance of the Helle nic civilization. The claimants of these civilizations reached in such a stage in the 10th century by making great reconciliation of all civilization which has been called as the era of 'Aiyame Jaheliat' or the 'Era of Darkness'. After ups and downs, when the world people were engaged in injustice, unholy practice, wars, women, liquor, anarchy and violence, while indiscipline became a regular phenomenon, then the world civilization experienced stumbling in every step.
The creator has sent great saints or messengers in all ages to bring the derailed people in the right track. And Prophet Muhammad was the last prophet who was sent by the almighty Allah to the world about 1500 years ago as a messenger to show the light of the derailed people. We the Muslim community has taken shelter under the very pleasant shade of Islam, the religion preached by the great prophet. Our predecessors were baptized in the religious tenet preached by Hazrat Muhammad that means the great book Al Koran which was vested in the great prophet. It is necessary to mention as the all old constitutions that means religious opinions were annulled with the appearance of the great book Al Koran, what is the logic to call the Muslims as fundamentalists?
Despite remaining united by the Jews, Christians and Buddhists and following cancellation of their all ideologies and philosophies, they cannot spread their 30-40 thousand year-old religious opinion. Being fanatics and covered by the bigotry, they cannot accept the invitation of Islam. A few numbers of people were baptized in Islam by realizing its necessity, but the majority people remain orthodoxy. The mentioned fanatics are hatching bad and hatful conspiracies to prove themselves innocent. The thirsts of Jews, infidels, Christians, the Hindus and others, who claimed themselves well-civilized, are yet to end, by making the humanity in peril and shouldering the ghost of fundamentalism on the Muslims. Besides the fundamentalism, they have given various titles to the Muslims like orthodox Muslim, fanatics Muslim, militant Muslims, terrorist Muslim etc. Khwaza Ismail Mohammad Umrad, Golam Farid, Bahaullah, Golam Ahmad Qadiani, who are the successors of the posterity of Meer Jafar, Ghoseti Begum, the intruders of the Jews, infidels and Christians, were the claimers of feigning prophets. Earlier many feigning prophets faced outrage of Allah by claiming Nabuat.
Those who were condemned for opposing Islam openly were author of the Saternic Verses Salman Rushdi, insulters of Al Koran Sardar Alauddin, author of the controversial book, Lajja, feminist Taslima Nasrin. Their collaborators remain active that how make breach or crack in the Islami unity and belief. The Muslim women have been pressed into the streets alluring them employments and providing equal service through the non-government organizations and in the name of women renaissance. Our mothers and sisters are being naked by opening Hijab in the name of enforcement of various laws. By creating panic of famine, they are engaged in conspiracies to reduce the Muslim manpower, by distributing free contraceptives. Conspiracies are on to change the syllabus of Qaumi madrasa and stop fatwa, which is an integral part of Islam. Poet Daud Haidar made acrimonious comments to the Muslims as fundamentalists when he filed a story in favour of feminist Taslima Nasrin in daily Manab Jamin on July 15 in 2009.
You can read the titled 'Taslima Nasrin's Lajja and Others' edited by Mousi Yasmin as how the poets, litterateurs and newspapers of two Bengals and India undermined the Muslims. Or reading directly 'Lajja' as how Scud missiles have been thrown on Islam. The Muslim people waged a movement considering that the image of Islam will be tarnished and communal harmony in India and Bangladesh would be destroyed. As the then government banned Lajja by undertaking stringent measures, would the respected lawyers term the government as fundamentalists ? In fact, the word of fundamentalism has been evolved from Beng ali language. A section of Alem society in blind faith or other intention or going to express one-sided thinking, analyzed the misinterpretation of the word fundamentalism. But everybody admitted that the word fundamentalism has been turned into reviling like Meer Jafar. Many of their opinion is that we are accepting Adam to lone Allah, accepting the prophets and Risalat and laws of Allah from the beginning and believing those, so we are fundamentalists.
Why they are not trying to understand that the name of these acceptances and beliefs is oneness. The word Allah is the name of a unique entity. On the other hand, the fundamentalism is a law created by the human being and the name of an ideology. Two different matters--fundamentalism and oneness are not same in any way. If confusion is created by mixing up the two separate theories, the birth of different Ferqa or organization is no wonder. It is mentionable that Islam was sent to all prophets including Adam and Issa They all recognized the lone Allah and preached His faith. The rituals of Islam which were essential to perform by them were not applicable for us. The almighty Allah Himself through the holy Koran annulled all laws, theories and ideologies that were vested in the prophets. As the word of 'fundamentalism' has come from Bengali language and it is not a part of Quran-Hadith and has been turned into reviling and the word is applicable for separate religious faiths, would the consequence of shouldering the word on the Muslim nation be good? Rather, it carries the forecast of creating brotherly conflict in the Muslim society and separating the Muslim unity.
Is there any scope of thinking for a single time that the great philosophy and ideology named Al Koran sent by Allah and preached by Muhammad is a complete book where all kinds of present time-befitting laws have been incorporated. It has been clearly mentioned in the Koran that Islam is a complete code of life. This notion has been recognized by all irrespective of religions, caste and creed. It is our beyond realization that why a section of Muslims want to be fundamentalists after showing lame excuse.
A magazine on religious Tamuddun affairs in its January 2011 issue published the editorial titled 'Evaluation of fundamentalists and non-fundamentalists'. As per the language of the editor of the magazine, the fundamentalists are the real Muslims. However, in the last part of the editorial, he said the word 'fundamentalist' has been turned into a reviling.
It is the recognition of the Muslims as fundamentalist by describing the Muslims fundamentalists directly. It can be said with example that everybody has freedom of expression. It is his/her fundamental rights. But it does not mean that anybody could be reviled illogically in the name of freedom of expression. Does Abdul Wahed think the Muslims are blind, deaf and dumb or disabled? It seems that only Wahed holds the authority of 1500 million Muslims. Or he has the power of acceptance and denial of that matter which is vested in 1500 million Muslims!
The Western nations were worried after the discovering of a huge quantity of natural resources in the Muslim countries in Asia and Africa which were independent after the Second World War. The Western powerful nations thought that if the Muslim countries become the owners of huge natural resources and they remain united, they would dominate them very soon. From this apprehension and necessity, the Western nations are trying to create crack in the unity of Muslim countries. They are continuing creating anarchy through panicky propaganda against the Muslim nations which was highlighted in my article.
Undermining Muslims Through Mockery
Burden of shouldering one or one more communities:
The titles like Fundamentalist Muslims, Orthodox Muslims, Militant Muslims and Terrorist Muslims are the sharpen weapons or cruise missiles of the Western forces to destroy the Muslim community. These Western forces are always panicked before the jubilant spirit of Muslims. Despite not having any natural resources Japan, which was destroyed by the nuclear bomb during World War II, was the target of envy of the Western forces. So they are making all-out efforts to destroy the Muslims by giving up the civilization. The masked shameless people want to cover their stigma by observing the Hiroshima Day. In fact they do not bother the civilization. The non-Muslim community is continuing to undermine the Muslims. When they feel self satisfaction by undermining the Muslims through mockery, then their spies or agents welcome through various media to satisfy their lords. They are pushing the adjective named civilization towards the death through books, newspapers, handbill, leaflet, posters, radio, television, CD, VCD, DVD, websites and publicity machinery. As they do not know the correct definition of the fundamentalism and they have no capability of complete analyzing of fundamentalism, a section of the ulema society thinks that oneness and fundamentalism is same. They also think that they were baptized in Islam before Hazrat Muhammad It is not correct at all.
The holy Qran has annulled all ideologies and religious opinions including earlier religions. The role of that ulema society is so frustrating that does not need to say. It would be clear to the readers like daylight by unveiling the mask and some scattered incidents of America that who are infecting the world civilization by virus. And in the name of war on terror, who are burdening the fundamentalism on the shoulder of the Muslims and crippling the world civilization.
Situation in Arab World
Look at present Lebanon and Palestine. The air of Palestine has become heavy due to crying of bloody people of Palestine. Threat after threat is coming in Iran, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Jordan and other Muslim countries. Despite that, would you say that the world civilization remains unhurt?
Dear readers, the incident between Iraq and Kuwait was a brotherly conflict. Arab League had the responsibility to resolve the matter as it was the internal matter of the Arab world. But in the name of peacekeeping, the United Nations destroyed the country by violating thousands of mothers and sisters and looting the oil resources. The oil-rich nations are now the victims of hateful lust. The world civilization has been counting time of death.
Look at Afghanistan and Bosnia. Did the Western countries not carry out aggression on these countries? They are now over the moon by dividing Soviet Union into 15 pieces. The world civilization is now weeping after being emotionalized after extreme Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena under the leadership of LK Advani and under the guidance of fanatic Hindu Dharma Sabha and Biswa Hindu Parishad leveled the Babri Mosque with soil ignoring the High Court verdict.
Bangladesh’s Liberation War
Remember the Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971. Three million freedom fighters sacrificed their lives after they were bullet-hit by the Pakistani occupation forces which were equipped with arms provided by so-called super powers America and China. Ignoring the international war policy and painting foot step at the chest of the civilization, they violated 200,000 mothers and sisters. Where was the UN Human Rights Commission, where was the UN Security Council and Geneva Convention? They will be thrown into the dustbin of the history. The days are not far long, they would be awarded hateful titles to be given by the people of the 20th century. Besides, they would try to stigmatize us through false fishing net. The world civilization is now fighting for life after being attacked with the deadly disease. The Western people pushed the world civilization toward the death. How the world people would find out a remedy? Is there any preventive medicine?
Yes, the only preventive medicine is faith. Scud, cruise, and other deadly weapons are outdated before. The Muslims have no fear as they are martyrs if they die and Gazi (hero) if they live. So revive the faith. Jump with nuclear of faith. Whatever barriers have come, face this with courage of faith. It is the time for taking preparation of self-protection. Wake up as it is not the time for sleep. The tornado would be further strengthened if you sleep. Face the enemies of Islam with the strength of faith.
We should keep it in mind that the crushing of the Western people would not be good. The last victory of the faithful is sure because Allah would extend support to them. And Allah is the only resort of the faithful. So we are saying without any doubt that the world civilization suffering from deadly disease would be cured, the faithful would witness last victory.

Attack on Libya: West To Repeat Mistakes

The allied forces headed by France, the United Kingdom and the United States launched air attacks against the military base of the Libyan Government a few days ago. More than a hundred of missiles were fired over the course of several attacks. From early March until today, the US government has been hesitant over the matter whether or not it should launch military attacks against Libya.

Apparently, US President Barack Obama has taken into consideration how the Islamic world will view the United States if the country starts the third battleground now while the two wars the United States has involved in Iraq and Afghanistan have yet to come to an end. Will all the previous efforts Obama has taken since he assumed the presidency to restore the relations with the Islamic world go in vain?

Unwanted Troubles
The world may not remember. The day the allied forces fiercely fired missiles against Libya was also the 8th anniversary of the attacks of the US-UK allied forces against Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein's regime. Eight years have passed since the battle in Iraq subsided. But the pains and wounds that war has brought to the people of the United States and the United Kingdom have not gone away completely as time goes by.

If we look at the statistics, the United States and the United Kingdom had mobilized nearly 1 million troops and spent $420 billion on the war. Close to 4,000 troops of the allied forces killed in the war while the death toll of the Iraqi Government troops is 14,000. On top of that, more than 200,000 Iraqi civilians were killed or wounded in the war. From the perspective of the social cost, the two countries had not only gone to war in Middle East afar, a "civil war" was also in full swing back home. The upsurge in the anti-war campaign posed the most severe crisis to the United States and the United Kingdom since the Second World War. The opposition between the people and the government became increasingly intense.

Change of Security Order
From the perspective of the national strength, the vain involvement in a war in a foreign country that lasted for years has seriously jeopardized the national strength and international reputation of the two countries. The "Kingdom of Dollar" has turned into a "sick giant." From the perspective of international relations, the allegation that "Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction" was proven a lie. It has become a total test to the capability of the United States as the "defender of the world of freedom" and the "world police." The country's defense pledges to its allies became dubious. The change of the security order in Middle East has affected the strategic situation of the entire world.

At best, the decision of George W. Bush and Tony Blair to get involved in the Iraq War was a natural reaction to a "domino effect". The United States and the United Kingdom were worried that Saddam would control the strategic interest of the oil resources in Middle East once his power expanded. The decision-makers in White House proposed that Saddam was a strategic design of Russia and China in their plan to expand their Great Middle East Oil Strategy, the ultimate goal of which was to control Middle East. The United States and the United Kingdom strongly believed that they would definitely put down the internal strife in Iraq and win the war within a short period given the most modernized weapons and equipments of the allied forces. Ironically, the two countries had never devised a feasible Iraq War blueprint with a set of unambiguous goals.

Series of Mistakes
Militarily, their strategic arrangement was inappropriate, their tactics were bad, the efficacy of their high technology military equipments was limited and they landed in a passive position in so many aspects. The Iraq War was a non-traditional war - there was no frontier and their enemies were not readily visible. Politically, the United States and the United Kingdom had restricted themselves. First, they failed to end a war by waging another war; second, they did not want to overly offense other Middle Eastern countries. The two countries could not get out of the dilemma of peace or war; instead they became more and more entangled. They overthrew Saddam Hussein but failed to establish an Iraqi government that has the support of the Iraqi people. Both US- and UK-backed Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki are not leaders with top qualities; instead they are fraught with corruption. They have no way to clean up the mess.

The Iraq strategy of the US and British Governments designed under the mentality of anti-terrorism was founded on ignorance, arrogance and a series of mistakes. They misjudged the intentions of Russia and China and the relations between the Shiite and Sunni sects; they underestimated the determination of the Shiite to commit in an armed confrontation and the combat capability of Al-Qaeda.

The United States and the United Kingdom knew nothing about the history, politics, society and culture of Middle East and did not have any expert on the issues of Iraq. They made a hasty "upholding justice" move in a completely strange country as the world police. Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, who had served in the Bush administration as high-level officials, have broken the silence one after another by openly admitting that the US involvement in the Iraq War was a "big mistake." Because of the mistake and muddled thinking of the decision-making system, the United States experienced a defeat after the Vietnam War. The Iraq War and the collective lie of the Bush administration have totally changed the political and spiritual conditions of the United States.

Man-Made Calamities
The US people should be able to learn their lessons from the bitter experience of the Iraq War. They should draw wisdom from the history and avoid making the same mistakes. Unexpectedly, while the flames of war in Iraq have yet to cease, the United States and the United Kingdom once again plunge into another vortex of unmeasurable depth. Apparently, the Americans and British have not gained better knowledge and understanding about themselves from the painful outcome of the Iraq War. They have not learned that the powers of their countries are actually limited and not invincible. In other words, the United States and the United Kingdom have not learned their lessons from their defeat in the Iraq War!

To be fair, in the tragedy of war, the defeated party of course gains no fame, but the winner has to pay a heavy moral price, too. The second decade of the new century has just begun, the new world order is not established yet. Genocide, terrorism, various forms of natural disasters and man-made calamities are found all over the world. Obviously the human race is still not able to get out of the plight of conflicts and disasters. As we enter into the 8th anniversary of the Iraq War, it is time for all human beings to reflect on how to get rid of war and save themselves out of disasters.

Post-Disaster Economic Impact of Japan on International Community

Japan's earthquake and tsunami disaster has led to radiation spewing out from the damaged nuclear reactors after explosions. The economic impact of the post-disaster has led to Tokyo's share market dropped by 16 percent in the past two days. Since investors have massively withdrawn from the Japanese stocks, the trading volume by investors to withdraw their shares from the Japanese stock market in the past two days was the highest since the Second World War.

While, the Asian share market could not avoid being dragged by the Japanese share market, the share market in the United States and European countries also could not avoid being affected. All of a sudden, the global share market turns color and becomes weak. The economic response to Japan's natural disaster is gradually fermenting.

Financial and Property Damage
According to expert prediction, the financial and property damage caused by this round of earthquake and tsunami in Japan can easily be at least above $150 billion. Moreover, new financial damaging figure has continued to pour in. Some estimated that the financial damage caused by the earthquake and tsunami is about three percent of Japan's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2010. Besides, the Japanese capital will soon become very tight, interest rate will rise while national consumption power will decline; and all Japanese export manufacturers will suffer losses.

The United States will of course bear the brunt of it. Taking into account the economic prospects for the future of Japan, the United States will likely to take the lead to withdraw its capital fund from Japan. This can result in the fall of Japan's stock market in a breaching manner. As it stands, quite a lot of fund managers have already invested in the Japanese shares. Nevertheless, when the Japanese stock market changes color after the earthquake, the fund redemption actions taken by the fund managers have also drastically been increased. In order to keep cash and in order to carry out fund redemption operations for their clients, the fund managers have no choice but to sell their Japanese stocks to maintain their cash flow. As such, when the Japanese share dropped drastically in the past two days, it triggered a chain reaction on the global stock market. This can exacerbate the decline in the Japanese and global share market. Japan also has large investments in the United States; it has now become an imperative for Japan to pull back its investment in the United States to rescue its stock market.

Negative Impact on Economy
Ever since Japan suffered the massive earthquake and tsunami, Japan has been quite cautious in reporting the damage caused by the calamity to prevent negative impact on its economy. Japan's Nomura Securities estimated the losses because of the disaster as $100 billion only. Meanwhile the Central Bank of Japan has taken the lead to announce the injection of $ 183 billion to the market in order to stabilize Japan's financial market. The Central Bank of Japan also hopes that Japan's banking system can release larger amount of fund to satisfy the capital demand of Japan's post-disaster economy and to further stabilize the country's economy. In the days to come, we can expect the Japanese Government to adopt a control mechanism to monitor the prices of oil, steel, cement, glass, food, as well as prices of daily necessities.

Yet more and more bad news is coming out from Japan's domestic scene without ceasing. The strong earthquake in Japan has severely damaged some crucial nuclear power plants as well as Japan's local enterprises and factories in various sectors resulting in an acute shortage of electricity supply. Toyota, the world's largest carmaker, might have to reduce its production to by at least 40,000 Toyota vehicles. When the Toyota plant in the disaster affected area stops operation, the daily profit of Toyota might reduce by $72 million. Other Japanese car makers such Nissan, Honda will also be affected.

The earthquake and tsunami affected disaster area is the base for the Japanese electronics, automobile, machinery industry, especially the semiconductor industry, where the demand of the integrated circuit for large factories in the western countries is met here. When these Japanese factories are halted, the global computer production will also be affected. Moreover, if the Japanese computer manufacturers cannot get its spare parts, the computer industry in Japan can become paralyzed. In addition, the insurance companies in Japan need money to pay for compensation for damage done by the earthquake and tsunami, these insurance companies will have no choice but to pull back their overseas investment. Japan is one of the countries with highest foreign direct investment. Japan's foreign direct investment is estimated at $1,000 billion. Among them, three quarters are bonds and stocks. While it is too early to tell if this round of sharp share market drop in Japan will speed up the withdrawal of Japan's overseas capital or slow down its capital flow process, the drastic drop in the Japanese share market has already upset the original share market deployment in Japan. Fortunately, Japan's share of global GDP ratio is declining. As such the impact of Japan's stock market on global economic growth may be limited.

Asia-Pacific Markets
As for the US stock market, at this stage of time, it is also at a weak and disadvantage situation. As a matter of fact the production activities and financial resources in the West have already suffered serious dislocation. In the past few years when bank interest was low, the floating capital could not find a good ground to invest and as a result, huge amount of hot money has poured into the stock markets particularly into the new Asia-Pacific emerging markets.

With the global stock market now risen to a considerable higher level, opportunist investors will begin to feel that the high interest day will come soon and so many of them will begin to leave the stock market to reap their harvest and gains and then move to engage in other forms of investment. As a result, stock market volatility is particularly significant in the West at this moment.

Lack of Power and Water Supply
For a long period of time, Japan is Malaysia's long-term major importer of raw materials. The earthquake and tsunami affected areas in Japan are mainly tourism, agriculture and forestry industries. These are not the main areas for Malaysia to import its key industrial spare part components. Therefore, the aftermath economic impact of Japan's earthquake disaster on Malaysia should not be too great. Of note is that the industrial supply chain between Malaysia and Japan is quite close and the earthquake and tsunami have damaged part of Japan's industrial areas there.

However, we believe that as long as Malaysian manufacturers can obtain short-term industrial supplies from other countries, the economic impact of it on Malaysia is very limited. Moreover, not all Japanese auto plants are located in the earthquake disaster area. Even if these industries are located in the disaster areas, if it is only a matter of lack of power and water supply, it will only be a short-term phenomenon. As such, the relevant Malaysian industries should not be over worried about the aftermath effect of earthquake in Japan.

Spreading Economic Risk
However, it remains a fact that for a long time, Malaysia's automobile industries have heavily depended on importing auto spare parts from Japan. When the Japanese automobile industries cannot supply what Malaysia needs regularly, it will become a big headache for Malaysia. The difficult experience for the Japanese industries in supplying the needed goods and industrial spare parts to Malaysia can still be recalled vividly when Kobe suffered massive earthquake in the past. Kobe is a cargo transit port for goods coming from the Western Hemisphere for forward transit to the East. But during the Kobe earthquake, the wharf and harbor in Kobe have been destroyed. As such shipping schedules from Kobe had been disrupted resulting in surging shipping charge and hike in the cost of imported goods from Japan.

In this round of natural disaster that happened in Japan, the impact of the massive earthquake and tsunami Japan encountered is much more massive and severe than that of the Kobe earthquake. In this regard, it is time for Malaysia to reduce its dependency on Japan for getting the required goods and industrial supplies. Malaysia must begin to diversify and decentralize its procurement sources so that the country can enhance its self-control over unexpected situation such as natural calamity in other countries. Malaysia must make more alternatives in its overseas procurement routes. Malaysia must guide and lead the local companies to spread the economic risk thinly to reduce the economic impact of it on the country's economy.

Cooperation Among G4 Nations

With a view on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reforms at an early date and to create a salubrious atmosphere for the claimants of a permanent seat in the UNSC, the foreign ministers of India, Germany, Brazil, and Japan have decided to extend mutual cooperation. All these four countries are claimants of a permanent seat in the UNSC in the event of its reforms. The problem, however, remains that major powers that have turned this international institution in their handmaiden continue to put off the reform process on one pretext or the other. It is in spite of that none of the major powers, including the United States, have denied the need for reforms in principle. It is, however, a different thing that no timetable has been yet fixed for these reforms.

The truth is that ever since its inception the United Nations has never initiated any measure in this connection nor has it brought about any change commensurate to the need of the hour and the changing international scenario. The world has weathered many a storm and revolution in the wake of the Second World War. Several powerful countries have fallen into the deep and dark schism politically. The place of the two parallel blocks, to the United States and Russia, has been taken over by the unipolar world and several countries have emerged on the horizon.

Economic Progress
The keeper of the world in this unipolar bloc, the United States, has become weak scientifically, technically, and economically. The failure of the US militarily adventurism in Iraq and Afghanistan coupled with its earlier failure in Vietnam and several multinational companies and banks in the United States having become bankrupt, makes it vividly clear that the time to come would not be of the United States and Europe, but of Asian countries -- China, Japan, and India -- and that of Brazil in the African comity of nations. Going by the economic progress made by these countries and their ever-increasing sphere of influence in world affairs, the need is being drastically felt that those nations that are non-permanent members of the Security Council should be taken into the council after effecting large-scale reforms in this international organization.

As for China, the country, that has the highest population in the world and which happen to be a fast emerging economic power, is already a permanent member of the Security Council. After the merger of the East and the West Germany, the claim of Germany for a permanent seat is fully justified. Yet, one wonders when the permanent seat for Germany can be considered while there are already two countries, France and the United Kingdom from Europe on the Security Council, why then the claim of Japan and India cannot be considered though China is the only Asian country on the Security Council as a permanent members. The claim of Japan and India is equally justified for the reasons that the two countries are on the list of major economies and prominent industrialized nations.

UN Reforms
India has the second largest population in the world and, at the same time it continues to fulfill the responsibilities of the regional leadership in one way or the other. Among African nations, Brazil occupies a place of pride. Anyway, the four claimants of the permanent UNSC seat have intensified their efforts to strengthen their claim and getting the long-pending UN reforms finalized as soon as possible. They have, therefore, decided to increase their pressure in the current session of the UN General Assembly so that some concrete outcome may be achieved.

The representatives of the four countries have met on two occasions in the last six months. They have issued a joint statement in which they have called upon the United Nations to increase the number of both permanent and non-permanent members for better transaction of business and improvement in the UN functioning. It is worth the mention that of these four countries, three, including India, are, at present non-permanent UNSC members. Under the circumstances, these countries have a better opportunity to press for their demand and suggest solid proposals for reforms. The decision made by these four nations to increase cooperation among themselves is a part of their efforts

US Must Shift Policy on Pakistan for Peace in South Asia

Great significance is being attached, at the international level, to the meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama in Washington. The two countries have resolved to fortify bilateral relations. Obama said that the United States would try its utmost to end tension between the countries so that they should work in tandem with each other to meet the challenge of nuclear weapons facing the world.

Obama called for a world summit in Washington with the aim to prevent terrorists from threatening the world in any way through their access to nuclear weapons. Earlier, he termed nuclear terror as the biggest single threat to the world community. Addressing from the White House, he warned that absolutely horrifying consequences would emerge if any such nuclear weapons explodes in any country of the world.

Positive Outcome Expected
The Indian prime minister and the Indian delegation are optimistic about some positive outcome. He urged Obama to ensure that appropriate action is taken by Pakistan against the conspirators of the Mumbai terrorist attack. Obama then asked Pakistan to rein in the terrorist organization, the Lashkar-e-Taiyiba. A few hours after his meeting with Singh, the US president held a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and asked Pakistan in no uncertain terms to take stern action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack.

Now, what Pakistan actually does cannot be said. For the time being Pakistan has assured the United States that it will take action against the accused. Hence, positive outcome is likely to emerge as a consequence of the Nuclear Security Summit, provided Pakistan does not bow before the Taliban pressure.

Regarding nuclear security, Obama expressed the hope that the Indian Parliament would adopt the controversial nuclear bill shortly. Earlier the bill could not be tabled in Parliament. It can, therefore, be commented that India will go ahead with its endeavors at the international level so that nuclear weapons do not find their way to terrorists' hands in any way.

Elimination of Terrorism
It is pertinent to recall that during the Second World War, the United States dropped nuclear bombs on two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leaving millions of people dead instantly and millions of others were afflicted with fatal diseases. Now, the future of South Asia would depend on how the menace of terrorism is eliminated completely.

Singh took strong exception to the supply of military equipment and war weapons to Pakistan. In response to his protest, Obama said that the United States was fully aware of Indian apprehensions, and Indian concerns will be kept in view appropriately. Obama has favored the need to lessen the tension between India and Pakistan and the United States also will strive to play it out in this connection. He endorsed the Indian demand for extradition of Lashkar-e-Taiyiba operative David Headley to India for interrogation.

The Indian prime minister said in no uncertain terms that infiltration from Pakistani side was being stepped up constantly, which was a challenge to India. The actual truth is that the United States needs to bring about a shift in its policy on Pakistan, failing which it would be difficult to maintain peace in this region.

Obama Fulfills Historic Dream With Passing of Health Care Reform Bill

The US Congress finally passed the Health Care Reform Bill that will cost the government close to $1 trillion. This is a major US medical reform bill passed in the past 100 years of US history. The passing of the bill fulfilled President Obama's election promise to the people. In 2009, when US President Barack Obama took office, he pledged to the people that he "must tame this health care insurance monster."

Historic Step
In fact, to reform national health care insurance plan has become one of the hottest topics in the US politics in recent years. However at the time when the US Congress passed this historic health care reform bill to provide medical care for all US citizens, other countries such as Germany and France have instead passed their respective "saving and unity" acts to cut social welfare expenditures in response to the plight of financial and economic downturn.

The respective cut in social welfare and unemployment allowance fund by Germany and France was as high as $20 billion respectively. It was also the second time since the Second World War that these two European nations have cut their social welfare funds to their citizens. Coincidentally, earlier this year, South Korea has also released a document entitled "Affordable health insurance white paper." This white called on the people to reduce dependence on social welfare.

Political Gimmick
The experience of the United States, Germany, France, Korea and other countries in dealing with social welfare and medical care issues is a good reminder for Malaysia's ruling and opposition parties to stop those political gimmick and competition of "cashing out social welfare checks for votes" during general election campaign . It is important for Malaysia to use its limited financial resources to give priority to look after the truly unfortunate people and disadvantaged groups in the community first so that the well being of all citizens can be safeguarded.

Along with economic development, when a country's national income increases, the government must in due course gradually offer various social welfare measures to strengthen the care for the vulnerable groups in order to achieve the social fairness and justice ideals. But social welfare plan is by no means a free lunch. Once implemented, it is difficult for a country to amend or cancel. As such the implementation of it must be cautious. As the government itself is non-productive, every single dollar the government spends will finally have to come from tax payers' pockets. For this reason alone, when a government makes plans for social welfare or health care improvement, it must carefully plan them within its financial means.

Distribution of Social Welfare Fund
Malaysia's social welfare budget is on the lower side as compared with other countries and Malaysia also has the phenomenon of operating an uneven distribution of social welfare fund. It is time for Malaysia to make adjustment to its current social welfare system. However, according to Malaysia's current reality, if the government wants to implement any social welfare measure, it cannot take a universal and parallel approach; otherwise, Malaysia might repeat some of the mistakes made by some other countries.

When a country implements social welfare and health care plan without looking into the actual financial situation of the nation, such social welfare or health care promise cannot be effectively carried out. It is only good to look at but cannot satisfy actual need. Moreover, if this country tries to force this social welfare package through under acute financial shortage, such measure might even lead to financial bankrupt, Future generation of the country will also suffer eventually.

In general, social welfare can be divided into social assistance and social insurance. Social assistance is to help the socially disadvantaged groups to maintain a minimum standard of living with human dignity. The expenditure of it is generally absorbed by the government through the existing tax revenue. On the other hand, social insurance is a collective effort taken by the government and the people collectively in coming out with a plan to reduce human emergency and risk in time of need. The principle in maintaining such a social insurance plan is based on self-supporting and contribution of fund from the government people.

In case of Malaysia, the premium and coverage of social insurance plan accorded to people are low. In time of need the insufficient insurance fund coverage will have to come out from the Government's social assistance fund. If Malaysian Government continues to come out with such new social welfare measure, it will have a lasting impact to the government's financial soundness status.

Government's Commitment
In recent years, under pressure from the Parliament, Malaysian Government has adopted a number of tax cuts, coupled with the economic downturn, the federal budget has shown significant imbalance in revenue and expenditure. With the government expenditure continues to expand, the federal financial situation is deteriorating rapidly with government debt now amounting to $336 billion ringgit. This federal debt has reached 7.4 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is the highest percentage in the past 20 years.

Since the social welfare budget is the Government's recurrent expenditure, and therefore Malaysian Government's federal budget for next year is also not very promising. Next year, the government's commitment to expand social allowance and disability allowance to the low-income elderly will require a budget of about $1 billion ringgit to support.

Efforts to Carry Out Plan
However, the government's effort to carry out prudent spending through levying taxes on consumer goods and to reduce fuel subsidies has not produced good result.

Although there is a need for the government to impose the reasonable Goods and Services Tax, but as it stands now, it will be difficult for this Goods and Services Tax to get through the Parliament now. In the end, all kinds of policy promises that the government intends to implement will have to be reduced or even let go. Such situation will further lead to more disputes by the society.