US Changes Tone With Afghanistan

Hamid Karzai has been elected as Afghan President for the second time. According to one report, after the boycott by Abdullah Abdullah, the Afghan Election Commission abrogated the run of election, scheduled to be held in the coming week; and has declared Hamid Karzai unopposed President of Afghanistan. Keep in mind that during the elections that were held in August 2009, the other presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah claimed that there has been an attempt to alter the results by rigging during the polls. After that, there has been a recounting of votes in some constituencies, but this matter remained unresolved.To bring Afghanistan out of this uncertainty, Afghan Election Commission decided to hold run of elections on 7 November; however, the other presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah decided to boycott the run of elections, as a protest on some issues, on 1 November. After that, Afghan Election Commission declared Hamid Karzai the winner.

Election Results

Hamid Karzai is receiving good wishes from around the world on becoming the President of Afghanistan for the second time. This is a time of elation for Hamid Karzai and his supporters; however, they should also remember that their responsibilities have increased after being elected for the second time. This has also been clearly expressed by President Obama in his congratulatory phone call. According the reports by a US newspaper The New York Times, the US President Barrack Obama has ordered its Afghan counterpart to stop the corruption and drug trade in Afghanistan. The United States has also given a green signal to file a case against Ahmad Wali Karzai, brother of Hamid Karzai; Qasim Fahim, former Defense Minister; and Rashid Dostam, an important leader of Northern Alliance. Moreover, the Afghan president has been urged to take practical measures rather than mere rhetoric, because Afghan people want to see the change.

War Against Terrorism

The US Administration wants that Afghanistan should immediately establish an anti-corruption commission to strictly prosecute the government officials at national and provincial level. It becomes evident with this point of view of the US President that the tone of the US Administration has changed toward Afghan Government. Therefore, the coming years are not going to be easy, but challenging and tough for Hamid Karzai. Especially, Hamid Karzai will be facing severe challenges when he has to take up corruption cases against his own brother and those people who have been close to him previously. It has been proved now that huge corruption have been done in the foreign aid received during the last eight years, and the United States is very incensed on it. This can clearly be seen from the conversation between President Obama and President Hamid Karzai. Because of this corruption, there has been no noticeable result in the war against terrorism and it has also failed to produce satisfactory results in the development of Afghanistan. Hamid Karzai has held Pakistan responsible for his failures in Afghanistan in the past; however, now when Pakistan is taking adequate measures to combat terrorism, Hamid Karzai has no reason to sit behind and do nothing in this regard. If the Afghan Government still does not start to take things seriously in this regard, such situation will prevail, which will be uncontrollable. Eventually, the peace and stability of the entire world will be at stake. Hamid Karzai should start devising a strategy to fulfill this responsibility.

Western Approach
When Hamas won transparent elections in Palestine held in 2006, the West unleashed such propaganda against it and berated the people involved in winning it that I seek protection from God. The program of punishing the Palestinians is going on without any let up. Those elections were not similar to the presidential elections in Afghanistan. The Palestinians freely used their voting rights and as that transparency did not correspond to the western interests; therefore, it hesitated in acknowledging those elections. Similar treatment was meted out to Iranian Mahmud Ahmadinejad who is at the top of the list for being berated by the West. His elections were also not liked, although he was opposed by just a minor number of voters and the western media was presenting their protests as a deluge.
Similarly, Hugo Shavez of Venezuela, elected with a heavy majority, is also not in the good books of the West. The reason is that the West cannot grind its own axe over there and the West can grind its on axe where there is kingship or military dictatorship in power where you would seen them writing odes. Same western people were in the forefront in saluting our Ayubs, Zias and Pervezes who were president-generals. The West engineered shooting of one elected prime minister and hanging of another.

Situation in Afghanistan
When public revolution broke out against Iranian Emperor Raza Shah Pehlvi in the decade of 50's, and Musaddaq nationalized the Iranian oil industry, the West felt twisting and twitching. The CIA immediately started conspiracies and got restored the emperor. In fact, democracy has never been the major problem of the westerners. The real thing is their own axe to grind. If the democratic people protect their interests, they are acceptable. If the dictators accept their demands, dictators are acceptable. Same is the situation in Afghanistan now. It was felt in the beginning that "Abdullah Repeated" falls in the line of Karzai. Therefore, they wanted to propagate the rigging in the elections. Then such a brouhaha was launched that God should protect form it (It was same Karzai, who was once declared a great statesman by President Clinton; rather the US media termed him the mentor of the African saint Nelson Mandela). However, God knows, what Karzai assured them and what mistake Abdullah Abdullah made in the intoxication of his "defeat-like-victory" that the entire scenario suddenly changed. Same fraudulent Karzai is now being declared Hajid Sibghatullah (a great pious man). Even not that, the "coward" is now being forced to go back to the den of the hunting dogs which is his inclusion in the national government.

People’s Aspirations

When the spread of communist virus was feared in Vietnam in 1967, Washington felt the need of elections over there. The objective of those elections was not to bring forward a public representative. The reason is that the West was frightened of the public aspirations. Their objective was to seek legitimacy for the dictatorship of the dictator by electing the general already ruling Vietnam. It is because, if this would not have been done, it was feared that the virus could spread to Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.
Similarly, the West supported Lebanese elected president Amin Gumail in 1982 and covertly brought the situation on the verge of civil war and supported the marionette Christians remaining behind the curtains. Now, the ruler and Afghanis of adjacent areas want Abdullah Abdullah. However, the westerners require Hamid Karzai. The rest are the Afghan people and they do not fit in the imperialism's scheme of things.

Role of Mosques and Religious Seminaries

The human being who is superior among all creatures and who has been bestowed the divinely domination over the rest of the entire creatures has a peculiarly strange tale of its creation. The holy Koran narrates the genesis of human kind that when the angels came across the realization of the preposition of human creation, they humbly prostrated before God and omniscient. Afterward, they made a humble argument saying that O Supreme lord! If the human being came into existence they would indulge in bloodshed, riots, and murders on the earth. Moreover, since they will strike at each other, therefore, not to create such a creature would be better.
But what was the prime reason behind the creation of human being but knowledge, information, education, research, cognition, and the tolerance. These were the sublime principles that molded the clay of the human creation.
The primary humans were sent to paradise from where the enemy of the humanity and the humans allured and deceived them, making them quit the paradise ultimately.
Consequently, the human soul, which was accustomed to peace, serenity, rest, and satisfaction was finally detained in the worldly cage owing to the guiles of the enemy of human kind. Hence, the soul of the man, which was habitual of knowledge, peace, and serenity, was made restless by the detentions of this earth -- comprising matter and elements.
Maulana Room, paints this distressed scene in the following picturesque words:
"Listen to the distressed and painful tune of the flute that has been cut from its parent tree; and now it complains and moans because of being away from its originality."
In other words, the human soul started telling the painful tale of its deprivation and utter grief and it complained that it was once a part of the paradise, but not now. Why has it been thrown into another place?
Definition of Humanity
Respected readers! The reason behind these introductory remarks is to bring to mind the true picture and definition of humanity and we should discern the ongoing worldly chaos in the right terms and all mischievous elements of the entire planet should be unveiled.
Thus, by defining all this process, we would be able to comprehend the true meanings behind the instauration of the entire religions in this world and the purpose of the arrival of the holy Prophets. Moreover, through this the importance of the modification and frameworks of the religious welfare and human society would by highlighted.
Now I intend to focus the attention on some significant question in the wake of the current affairs and crises and their answers.
What is the true and supreme acme of the humanity? What is the format and significant facets of human welfare society? What is the precise message of the teachings of the holy Prophets? How Islam is a perfect system of peace, love, and brotherhood?
Hence one thing has been categorically elucidated that knowledge, research, peace, and serenity is the supreme acme of the entire virtues of human being. Where there these very principles are taught those places are the hubs of achieving this true elite potential.
This very supremely true acme of humans has been held as the real ultimate goal of this place of test, i.e., world. Moreover, this is the right path of turning toward the pure originality and God who ensures the reachievement of the paradise too.
Modification of Human Society
Hence the very format and modification of the human society has been centered in the achievement of knowledge, worshipping of God, and the nonviolence. Only the achievement of true knowledge ensures the defeat of the enemy of human kind. And in order to secure the same objectives, the holy Prophets were sent as teachers.
The last of all prophets, holy Prophet Mohammad in his holy sayings said: "I have been sent with the assigned task of teaching so that the enemies of the humanity could be distinguished and the man could be able to know the real objective of the life on this planet."
The holy Prophets, who have been the true teachers of the humanity for all human kind, were sent to teach the same message of love, peace, serenity, and rest to the entire world. They have been sent so that human beings could regain their lost paradise, which is filled with peace... which is the consent of God and is the nonviolence and antisabotaging activities.
The precise sum and substance of the holy teachings of the honored and blessed Prophets is the opening of centers of knowledge, launched academies for learning, and showing people the way to prostrate before God.
These very institutes of learning have been generally called religious seminary, knowledge, peace, and humanity, while the places where God is worshipped have been labeled sometimes as church and other times as mosques. God has created these very religious seminaries in response to the angels' objection on the creation of human kind. The holy Prophets have been sent to the whole human kind to teach the same divine lessons and they have been establishing religious seminaries in order to teach the same lessons.
Ultimate Right of Promoting Divine Teachings
Now how Islam has the sole and ultimate right of promoting these divine teachings. It is evident that Islam indeed, takes this ultimate objective of life free and beyond the sensuous detainments of time and space, and teaches it at the universal level.
Islam, moreover, is a comprehensive sum and substance of all these supreme teachings. Moreover, in order to accomplish the same objective, the most distinguished scholar and teacher ever on the planet was chosen in the form of the holy Prophet Mohammad .
In ancient uncivilized world, the global peace and human rights and the true principles of humanity were badly trampled down before the arrival of the holy Prophet. The arrival of the greatest personality of the holy Prophet Mohammad was essential for the protection of the entire human kind. Moreover, the completion of divine message was also a mandatory task. Hence, Shariah is a perfect, comprehensive, and the last form of these life messages for the humanity on the face of earth.
Aims and Objectives of Shariah
On closely observing the aims and objectives behind the revelation of Shariah , it will be elucidated that
1. To ensure the protection of religion. It means ensuring those universal recommendations that God has ordained. It says that human beings should live their lives in congruence with the principles of peace, serenity, love, and tolerance.
2. The safety from the evil-self of humans. It means the human souls should be saved and protected.
3. The protection of wisdom. It means that human beings should exercise sense and conscience to identify the true objective of life. Moreover, the human beings could be mentally strong and immune so that no enemy could allure them by any kind of deception.
4. The protection of generations. The future generations of the human beings should also remain, likewise, calm and intact and should not do any antihuman or sabotaging activities.
5. The safety of holdings and other monetary issues. It means that the resources of human beings could be promoted. Moreover, the daily life needs and properties of the humans should be protected and secured.
These are the objectives of Shariah , which are the sum and substance of the teachings of the entire holy Prophets.
Since the dawn of human history, these noble principles have been taught at religious seminaries against the evil agenda of terrorism and sabotage. Its practical shape could be seen in religious seminaries, which is sometimes called mosque and sometimes madrasah.
A few things written above have made it clear that humanity indeed is a name of love, peace, and knowledge and these virtues can only be developed through prostrating in the service of God. Moreover, one can learn it only through knowledge, which has been taught in the various religious seminaries of different religions.
In the light of these very propositions, now we can define and differentiate the mosques and religious seminaries in the following. God wants the promotion of love, peace, and brotherhood among the human beings and in order to accomplish the same task, Muslims have been commanded by God to offer five time prayers in the form of a gathering five times a day. If we profoundly view this peculiar and particular social format, propagated by Islam, we see that resolution to the entire global issues lies here.
Muslims have been commanded to gather at a place called mosque, five times a day to remove insurgency, terror, lawlessness, and to establish an atmosphere of peace, brotherhood, and love. Hence, the mosque of a street is for the collective gathering of all Muslims who intend to hold up antihuman activities and, therefore, during their prayers at mosque, Muslims beg God's support that increases peace and love between and among each other.
The Muslims of a street collectively gather in one mosque and prove their faithfulness to one God. Indeed, where a formal system is introduced to understand the whole process mentioned, these places are called religious seminaries.
The mosques and the religious seminaries are the greatest tool, adopted as a weapon, by the humans to combat insurgency, riot, and terrorism at the times of prehistoric ages. The very same procedure remained active from the times of Adam to the holy Prophet Mohammad .
It transformed the entire riots, insurgencies, and the ignorance into the positive and peace-centered construction of mosques and religious seminaries in an epochal manner.
Today, the world is once again fraught with moral ignorance and darkness. Today, it seems as if the angels' saying and apprehension before God was absolutely right and accurate that humans will shed each others' blood on the face of earth, humans will commit barbarism, brutality, and mass murders.
Torchbearers of Global Peace
During the course of history, this violence has never been so intensified as today. What is unimaginable is that the religious seminaries, which are and have been the torchbearers of the global peace, are today being held responsible for the misdeeds of the enemy of human kind. This perhaps is the most strange and interesting crime in the history of the entire world and this allegation in itself is based on inhumanity and enmity with humans.
If we suppose that some self-indulgent people are exploiting these sacred and human welfare-oriented institutes in order to fulfill their personal lust, it does not, in any measure, signify that the institutes are themselves valueless and corrupt. The crown cannot be maintained equal to head.
What civilization or the traditions of the world teach such principles that we should start considering the doctors and hospitals the original reason for ailment. Then, the humanity should be advised too, that where should it head in case of suffering diseases?
Sum and Substance
The sum and substance of the entire discourse is that mosques and religious seminaries are the supreme acme of human dignity and nobility. Moreover, they are the fundamental units of the social welfare and only strengthening them will ensure the solutions to the entire ailments. Heavens' sake, we should save these institutes from the destitution and destruction.
Muslims too are part of the same group of humans that are associated with the dreams of global peace and law and order. Moreover, in this connection under the prevailing settings, Islam carries a vitally living message for peace to the entire world, which is taught at religious seminaries also.
Thus, here I intend to make some requests to the nations of the world:
These mosques and religious seminaries are the torchbearer institutes of the universal message of Islam. These institutes should be strengthened further. The paths for the promotion and preaching of the true message of Islam should be made easy for people so that the true reality could be unveiled and the real enemies to the humanity could be exposed.
The prime constituent of violence, prejudice, blood-shedding, and terrorism is ignorance alone. Only the religious seminaries and the mosques can play a vital role in eradication of ignorance in a right and true manner. This is what we can call in the worldly terms, the solution to all problems.

Growing Global Warming and Expectations From Obama

A report released by the Australian Parliament two days ago warned that global warming, which has resulted in a rise in sea levels and frequent heavy rains would threaten homes along its thousands of kilometers of its coastline. Among them, the greatest threat is Queensland because 250,000 houses there may be covered with water. This is followed by New South Wales, with 200,000 houses along its coastline under threat. At present, coastal floods and coastal erosion in New South Wales have already resulted in the state suffering from great economic losses every year.
Impact of Climate Change
As compared with Australia, the threat posed by rising sea level in other smaller islands or island states are even more serious; and some islands may even face the fate of being drowned by the sea eventually. The United Nations Special Committee on Climate Change predicts that before the year 2100, global sea level could rise by 80 cm.
To this end, the Maldivian Government recently held an "underwater cabinet meeting" in order to bring attention to all countries of the world the importance to treat the impact of climate change seriously. Action taken by the Maldives is sufficient enough to show that island states are particularly worried about the issue relating to rising sea level.
Of course, the impact of global warming will affect beyond the islands and island states. Global warming will cause imbalance in global ecological environment leading to the environment of the Earth that the mankind depends on heavily be destroyed eventually. Scientists predict that, if the world nations do not immediately reduce substantial amount of carbon dioxide and other industrial waste gas emissions by 2060, average global temperatures will rise by 4 to 6 degrees. This is an extremely grim and terrible picture to think about.
Ozone Layer in Atmosphere
Carbon dioxide can destroy the ozone layer in the atmosphere and allow direct sunlight to shine on the Earth's surface. At the same time, the destruction of ozone layer will also prevent the heat on the Earth to reflect back to the atmosphere resulting in the greenhouse global warming effect.
Because of the understanding of this phenomenon and the cause of it, scientists and governments across the world have long reached a consensus. As such they want to put the focus to resolve global warming on the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
Kyoto Protocol
In 1992, the Framework Convention on Climate Change was signed at the United Nations Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro. This Framework pointed out that the international community has "common yet different" responsibility toward global climate impact. In other words, this Framework stipulated that developed and developing countries will have to bear their respective responsibility to stop the process of global warming. This principle was incorporated in the "Kyoto Protocol" signed by respective countries in 1997. The Kyoto Protocol makes it a requirement for developed countries to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emission level by 2012, but for developing countries the Protocol does not define clear requirement. In 2001, the US Administration announced its withdrawal from the treaty, resulting in other countries not willing to comply with the requirement of the Kyoto Protocol.
UN Climate Change Conference
This brings to the importance of the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Copenhagen at the end of the year. At this UN Copenhagen Conference to discuss climate change, countries of the world will again make another effort to curb the speed of global warming. More than 190 head of states will attend this conference. The decision for countries of the world to achieve a legally binding treaty at this round of the UN conference will have direct impact on whether world community can really take practical action to slow down the global warming trend as early as possible. In this based on current situation, respective countries of the world have made some encouraging progress.
First, there is this responsibility sharing issue. Since the Rio Summit, held in 1992, China, India, and other countries as well the EU nations had already carried out long period of debate on this issue. But, by now, there is not much difference on this responsibility share issue among these countries. At the UN Climate Change Summit, held in September, Chinese President Hu Jintao has made impressive commitments. China's commitments include substantial reduction of China's industrial waste emissions before 2020. At an academic meeting held in Copenhagen in early October, the Indian minister for the environment has also in principle, made a commitment to reduce energy consumption.
Second, the EU has the intention to, according to the need of developing countries; provide developing countries with an environmental protection fund. China and India have proposed for developed countries to set aside 1 percent of their GDP to help poor countries improve their environmental management. But there is no positive response toward such a proposal coming from developed countries. But more recently, the EU has demonstrated a positive attitude toward such a proposal. Although the amount of environmental funds provided by developed countries might not meet the need of developing nations that need help to improve their countries' environmental condition, if there is any forthcoming action toward such a proposal, it should nevertheless be a welcome gesture.
Despite the fact that there are some positive developments to enable the Copenhagen Summit to attain a certain degree of optimism, but the key to success of this UN conference lies in the United States. Since the change of the national leadership in the United States, the Obama administration has already abandoned the former Bush government's negative stance on the climate change issue. The Osama administration has also submitted to the Congress a climate change policy bill.
However, as the Obama administration's health reform program is a priority issue to the Americans, this climate bill has also been stuck in the Senate. If within the next few weeks, this US climate bill cannot be passed, President Obama will travel to Copenhagen empty-handed. In the end, the Copenhagen Conference aimed to discuss global climate change might also end up not having any concrete results achieved.
Demand of Situation
At present, the United Nations and all world governments are making a final effort to make this Copenhagen Conference that they have spent long period to prepare can come out with some consensus as anticipated. Recently, the head of states between China and the United States have again expressed their respective political will toward environmental effort through telephones.
More recently, China and India have also signed some environmental cooperation agreement. All these developments show that major powers have taken a more positive attitude to deal with the global warming issue. This is a very important and indispensable ingredient for the prevention of global warming to take effect. But time is indeed running out as the date for the UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Copenhagen is approaching. If actions taken by relevant key world players remain less forthcoming than we expect, it will still be a big question mark to gauge if the coming UN Climate Change Conference can reach the desired consensus.

Pakistan Fears of India’s Rising Atomic Arsenal

A report was published in the United States in July according to which Pakistan is boosting its capabilities to produce atomic weapons and that the number of Pakistan's atomic weapons has reached 90, which was 50 or 60 a few years ago.
The report also accused Pakistan of installing a heavy water reactor on Khushab that would give Pakistan enough plutonium to produce 40 to 50 atomic weapons every year. The report also revealed that once this reactor is installed, Pakistan's capability to produce atomic weapons would rise by 20 percent. Many other things were mentioned in this report, which was published from Washington but it is not our focus to go into their details.

Biased Propaganda of West
This is not a new thing for Pakistan. Ever since its nuclear program was launched, reports like these have been published in the United States, the Jewish and Indian media to misguide the international community. The Indian Government and the media expressed their usual concerns when this report was published in July. General Deepak Kapoor, the Indian Army chief, expressed his concerns over Pakistan's rising atomic capability in a statement and appealed to the international community to take notice of it. In fact, India is trying to divert the world's attention toward Pakistan's atomic program in the cover of the traditional and biased propaganda of the West, so that no notice is taken of its own atomic program.
JK Sinha, former director of the Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has disclosed that India is capable of producing 50 atomic weapons in a year. In an interview published in the famous Indian defense magazine the Indian Defense Review, he told that six of India's reactors were exempted from the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) concerns and examinations and that the IAEA has no authority over them. Sinha further wrote that the nuclear technology transfer deal signed between India and the United States in 2008 proved to be a great support as it granted India permission from the United States to keep six of its nuclear reactors free from all sorts of intrusion from the IAEA. The atomic substance acquired from these reactors has the tendency to produce 50 atomic weapons every year.

Indo-US Nuclear Deal
He further wrote that in this agreement the United States assured India that it would provide India with nuclear fuel on a regular basis. The United States also agreed to ensure that India has the permission to acquire atomic fuel from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). This agreement will assist India in acquiring atomic fuel from the United States and the NSG for its civil nuclear reactors. Moreover, India will be able to get weapon grade plutonium from six nuclear reactors, which the IAEA will not be able to examine. This is how India will be capable of easily producing 50 atomic weapons every year.
These six Indian reactors, which are away from the reach of the IAEA, are capable of producing 130 kg weapon grade plutonium each year. He further explained that 3 to 5 kg of plutonium 239 can easily produce an atom bomb, which will be powerful enough to cause as much destruction as caused by the bombs that the United States used on the Japanese cities Nagasaki and Hiroshima in August 1945. Sinha also revealed that India is working under cover to make its atomic weapons more destructive and vicious and for this purpose India's atomic reactors are working hard to produce fissile materials so that the preparation of more and more atomic weapons can be made possible. All of India's fast breeder reactors are the driving force behind the preparation of atomic weapons. Fast breeder reactors also play a leading role in India's power generation department.
These revelations made by Sinha are an illustration of India's hypocrisy as well as the two-facedness of the United States and India. The United States, on one hand, is concerned over the spread of atomic weapons and technology throughout the world. On the other, it is making sure that India has access to atomic material and fuel required to produce atomic weapons. It is also acting as a guarantor to ensure that India has access to atomic fuel from other sources. America has refused to sign any such agreement with Pakistan, but at the same time transferred atomic technology and other information to India. No words are strong enough to condemn such deceitful actions.
What could be a bigger example of the US hypocritical approach that it signed the Nuclear Civil Technology Transfer Agreement with India in spite of knowing that India has refused to sign the CTBT and NPT, and is still standing firm on its stance? Even if the United States had decided to sign the Nuclear Civil Technology Transfer Agreement, it should have forced India to sign these international agreements prior to signing the deal. In case of a refusal from India, the United States should have pulled out from this agreement.
The evidence of the US admiration and inclination toward India is that it has provided India with the access to the NSG. It was on the US behest that this group lifted a 34-year-old ban from India that has enabled India to acquire its atomic fuel and other sensitive information from this group. It must be remembered that the NSG cannot provide assistance to any country that has not signed the NPT and CTBT. However, in this particular case, special waiver was given to India on the US behest. Iran is facing restrictions on the US behest and the European countries in spite of signing and reaffirming the CTBT. Therefore, the NSG cannot provide any assistance to Iran.

Preparation of Atomic Weapons
India has always kept its atomic program and the preparation of atomic weapons a secret. This can be judged from the fact that when Indira Gandhi was the prime minister of India, she used to regularly visit all meetings relating to India's atomic program or the preparation of atomic weapons. She had issued standing instructions that the topics that were discussed during these meetings will not be put in writing or recorded and that only verbal orders will be given. In other words, the minutes of these meetings were not prepared.
Once Indira Gandhi saw a secretary of the federal government writing down important points during one of these meetings. She asked him to leave the room without taking the notebook. She kept the notebook with her and continued with the meeting. Later, she issued some instructions for this secretary. The very next day he was transferred to a remote and underdeveloped area of India where he recognized the severe mistake he had made. It was only after the end of Indira Gandhi's era that this secretary was transferred back to New Delhi.

India's Secret Approach
It was due to India's secret approach towards its atomic program that the intelligence agencies of all countries including the United States figured out their failure when India conducted its first atomic blast in May 1974 at Pokhran in Rajasthan as they were all unaware of India's preparations.
In short, the Nuclear Civil Technology Transfer Agreement between India and the United States will allow India to realize its long-standing vision of preparing nuclear weapons. The biggest obstruction standing in its way was the shortage of atomic fuel and plutonium, which has been taken out. Now, India is free to produce atomic weapons.

Stains of Babri Mosque Demolition

The demolition of the Babri Mosque is certainly one of those filthy stains that cannot be easily washed away. This one incident has dealt a severe blow to the country's tolerant culture. It created doubts about the unique achievement of our great leaders in giving the country not only democracy but also the rare gift of secularism. Pakistan is a burning example of the fatat affects of the poison and hatred spread by religious frenzy. No wonder the country finds itself in the docks before the world today!

Due Respect to Different Religions
The controversy on whether a Ram temple had been razed to the ground to build the mosque had been the cause of riots long before independence. But after considerable deliberations and giving due respect to different religions in the country, we decided to opt for secularism.
Once the decision was made, it was the duty of the entire nation, and specially the majority community, to make minorities feel as secure as they themselves do. We faltered to carry out this obligation. Destructive forces took advantage of this mistake immediately. This must have been pricking the nation's conscience for the last 17 years.

Report Leaked Out
As far as the Liberhan Commission report on this destruction is concerned, its indictment of the prominent leaders of a particular party should not cause much of a surprise. The raising of inciting slogans like "We will build the temple there," and by traveling in a chariot throughout the country, these leaders had created an atmosphere that resulted in the Babri mosque's destruction. Frankly speaking, no one has the patience to find out who was on the spot or who was behind the screen after 17 long years.
Yet, one factor must be exposed for the sake of a healthy democracy. Having been submitted in June, this report should have been placed in Parliament the next month according to rules, under any condition. It was about to be placed in this session. It was only a matter of a few days. Then, why and how was the report leaked out, like an explosion? That too when Parliament was already in session? Was it done intentionally to start a controversy that would divert the country's attention from other problems?
Skyrocketing prices, panic caused by terror, conspiracies of neighboring countries, preparations for Commonwealth Games, economic recession--the list of problems goes on an on. The government has to solve them quickly. If the present state of affairs is overlooked and the report used for political bargaining, another blunder will be committed, which will be greater than the one made 17 years ago.

Hindutva, Marathi Campaign Goes Violent

It was the turn of IBN Lokmat, the Marathi offspring of Network 18 to get a taste of the Bal Thackeray wrath. Although Nikhil Wagley, their proficient editor has been at the receiving end of the Thackeray ire earlier also, but then he was not a television journalist. However that is not the point.
The point is: nothing happened to the Thackerays then. And I am sure nothing will happen to them now also. Already some arrests have been made of insignificant workers, whose names no one knows, and who will be let off as soon as matters cool a bit.
Rajdeep Sardesai asking the Maharashtra Chief Minister as to whether the actual perpetrators will be punished or not seemed such a futile and useless question in the present circumstances. It seems Sardesai has for quite sometime not been updated on the realities of the world he lives in.
Thackerays, Modis, Advanis, Uma Bhartis, Pravin Togadias, and their likes should all have been declared terrorists long ago. They are blatantly breaking laws and disgracing the Indian constitution and proclaiming their frightful narcissism as being sufficient declaration of their loyalty to the Nation. Their anger for Muslims not singing Vande Mataram spills into violence, but ironically they also attack the local language media and suppress any voice that tries to oppose them.
Thackeray's remark criticizing Sachin Tendulkar proves that either he is drugged all the time or he has lost his senses because of old age. And now his men go on rampage attacking a Marathi news channel, and its Marathi journalists. So much for his tall talk on "Marathi asmita."
Nothing succeeds like success, but it is actually the way one puts up with failures in life that shows the true character of a person. All these perpetrators of violence and masterminds of human rights violation have shown time and again their weak personalities.
The Mastermind
They are cowards who by themselves do not have the courage to die for whatever their cause may be. They have amassed huge wealth and assets on a heap of corpses of the innocent, and by invoking fear and hatred among people. It is time the masses took such enemies of humanity to task and demanded answers from them.
Every time a major criminal act takes place, some arrests are made, and even if those arrested have been the executors of the crime, it is very evident that they were only carrying out orders of a high command, that is actually the mastermind. But the mastermind is never caught, never brought to book.

Promoting Lawlessness
What is the example that these so-called leaders are setting before the youth of the country? And for their own generations to come? The authorities by not punishing the real criminals have only been adding fuel to the fire and proving that they are as much a party in promoting lawlessness as the culprits who carry out the crime.

US-Malaysia Relations

Prime Minister Najib has gone to the United States for a brief visit to promote investment. In describing the situation in Europe before the First World War, German historian Leopold von Ranke talked about the importance of diplomatic maneuvers between the two countries. When Ranke wrote about the regional alliance in the late 19th century Europe, such alliance was limited to military and political alliance, not including economic cooperation.
However, Ranke's view has given us inspiration to understand that the relations to boost regional alliance can be achieved through cooperation instead of confrontation. The regional community can come together in a more open-minded attitude to enhance inter-state friendship, and accelerate economic development. Such a concept can be applied to Prime Minister Najib's visit to the United States.

Free Trade Agreement
When we talk about trade with the United States, of concern to us is that until today the Malaysian Government has not signed the pending Malaysia-US Free Trade Agreement (MUSFTA) with the United States. The coverage of MUSFTA is, in fact, very comprehensive. It includes trade in services, investment, agriculture, manufactured goods, and areas concerning intellectual property rights. On manufactured goods alone, the items our Malaysian Government has asked the US Government to reduce or exempt tax are more than 600 items, inclusive of electronic products, iron and steel and plastic products.
The scope and breadth of the fields covered in the pending MUSFTA are massive. On the subject matter relating to intellectual property rights, the issues involved are even more complicated. The United States is Malaysia's largest investment country. From Malaysia's perspective, if Malaysia and the United States can negotiate to have MUSFTA sealed, Malaysia can create more investment opportunities for the country, increase its exports to the United States and create more job opportunities for Malaysians. In trade and service sector, the signing of MUSFTA will also allow Malaysia's financial services, mail delivery, telecommunications, and other fields to attain better and more efficient service to customers.
However, over the past three years, the negotiation on MUSFTA did not obtain any progress. This led to both parties putting blame and accusing each other.

Government Procurement System
Malaysia said that the United States was using its strong power to bully the weaker Malaysia. Instead, the United States blamed the lack of transparency in Malaysia's national policies. The lack of transparency was especially noted in the area whereby the United States has asked the Malaysian Government to open up the government procurement system that the Malaysian Government has reserved mainly for the bumiputera (indigenous group, the Malays).
In fact, it was probably because the Malaysian Government has listed the protection of the special rights of the bumipuutera as "no compromise" condition that the signing of the free trade agreement between the two countries has not been able to sail through in the past three years. In fact, both Malaysia and the United States should understand that confrontation can only lead to lose-lose situation. It is only through cooperation that countries can survive and prosper. The international community is going through rapid and radical change and evolving into a new international model of coexistence that is using regional cooperation to attain peace and prosperity in the international order.

Regional Security
Moreover, as we move away from economic issue and talk about regional security, the sovereignty dispute of Nansha Islands (part of Spratly islands) in South China Sea has again surfaced after the Malaysian and the United States Navy fleet gathered in the South China Sea and held a military exercise in June this year. This joint exercise has caused considerable concern to countries surrounding Malaysia.
Territorial dispute over the group of Spratly Islands in South China Sea might move to two different directions. One direction is that if relevant countries involved in the territorial claims cannot stop worrying about the increasing disputes over the sovereign rights of the Spratly Islands, this worry can lead to suspicions among Southeast Asian countries.

Territorial Dispute
In the process, while some countries might seek to get help from outsiders such as Russia or the United States to settle the disputes, others might not want foreign power to intervene in disputes. Such development is not conducive to the unity of the region. Another possible direction that might happen to this territorial dispute of the islands in South China Sea is related to the decline in national prestige and the weakening of public power in some of the countries involved. This will result in these countries not able to use strong military means or diplomatic influence to claim their rights on these islands or make their declaration.
Malaysia led by Prime Minister Najib would want to take nonconfrontational path to face security challenges. Malaysia hopes to build a mesh of economic network by working together with other countries to the degree to bring the United States and Europe into the wider mesh of global economic network. When President Obama met with Prime Minister Najib in Singapore, both leaders had discussed counter-terrorism, human trafficking, and pirate activities. These are the issues both national leaders can discuss further when they meet or talk again in Washington.

Manmohan Singh's Visit To Strengthen India-US Relations

On the occasion of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's current US visit, certain specific aspects related to mutual relations between the countries come to fore. During US President Barack Obama's recent China visit also, a controversy had arisen. In the joint statement of Obama and the Chinese leadership, China's role in the South Asian region was evaluated. It was also said that China could play a vital role in improving bilateral relations between India and Pakistan. India had taken serious exception to this statement.

Significant Aspect
The joint statement was issued at a time when the Indian prime minister's US visit was on the cards. The second significant aspect relates to US-Pakistan relationship. Right from the days of the Bush Administration, the United States has been extending huge economic support to Pakistan until now, even as this can be termed a US compulsion because the United States needs Pakistan's cooperation in the war on terror in Afghanistan. Even today, a large number of Taliban elements are active on Pakistani soil where they are fighting against Pakistani troops. The United States is also extending support to Pakistan in this fight. While the US support to Pakistan is understandable, it cannot be denied that Pakistan has misused this support against India. Pakistan has never denied this fact. It has been fully bolstering armed terrorists on its territory to carry out acts of terrorism in India.
During the US Presidential elections, Obama had made certain comments on international affairs, over which a ruckus was triggered in India. There is no denying that during the George Bush's tenure also, the United States had certain compulsions of administrative nature. Yet, Bush left no doubts regarding US-India friendship. We perceive it as an initiative taken by the Bush Administration that it signed the civil nuclear agreement with India, the criticism from various quarters withstanding.
It is to be hoped that Dr. Singh would succeed in removing the fears that have, of late, developed about India's relations with the United States. He should drive home the point to Obama that the United States can ill-afford to overlook India's significance as compared to other nations in international affairs. Given the challenges in countering terrorism on the global forum, the United States also needs special relationship with India. Doubtless, special US-India relations can prove helpful in the atmosphere prevalent in the world today.

High Expectations
Prime Minister Dr. Singh is meeting President Obama at a time when his visit is not as ambitious as it is being made out to be. It is but natural for a meeting between the topmost leaders of two great democratic countries to be significant, but the recent chill in mutual relations between India and the United States has taken away the element of high expectations from this important meeting. The responsibility of the success of this meeting now lies on the shoulders of President Obama and not on Dr. Singh. Obama is the one who is responsible for bringing this chill in India-US relations.
Obama did give indication of the waning US influence by handing over the policing of Asia to China, but he also made a mistake of underestimating India's capability. If India claims to be a leader in Asia, it is not hollow. Nobody can now deny that in the coming decade, we would be a military and economic superpower. Although Obama said many things to please China, provoking China to intervene in India-Pakistan relations is like making a thief a policeman.
The United States has also complicated the Pakistan issue for its own immediate interests. US officials said recently that the Pakistani intelligence agency has provided shelter to Taliban chief Mullah Omar in Karachi. Hillary Clinton had earlier said that Pakistani officials know where Osama Bin Laden is. Despite knowing so much about it, what is the wisdom in giving aid worth billions to that country? It is clear that Obama would have to work hard to gain India's confidence in US policies.

Eliminating Terrorism
It is also necessary for India and the United States to be together to deal with the three biggest problems facing the world today--terrorism, economic crisis, and climate change. Obama has already scored one point by hosting the first State dinner in Dr. Singh's honor in the White House, during his regime. He does magic with words and could score many more points during these talks. He would have to be careful that if there were no immediate improvement in India-US relations, it would be a defeat for both. US diplomats and several advisors of Obama are well aware of Dr. Singh's firmness behind his polite personality. This visit does not have the cover of ambition because the prime minister himself wanted to take stock of the words and actions of the Obama administration.

Obama Visits China

US President Barack Obama headed for Beijing and continued his historical first trip to China. Some media commentaries say the impact and significance of President Obama's first official trip to China can be comparable to former US President Richard Nixon's first official trip to China in 1972 and former US President Clinton's first official visit to China in 1997. This is because all the three US presidential trips to China carried with them the respective US President's intention to create a new chapter in US-Sino ties.

Balance of Power
Since the course of world events shifted from the bipolar confrontational Cold War era into the post-Cold War multi-polar era characterized by balance of power, the US-China relationship has been rebuilt all over again in the form of strategic partnership relationship. Of course, in between those past years, of note was that the US-Sino ties did go through some setback due to the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown frustration.
In the future, political ideological or political dogma will no longer be the key element in the new international order structure. Instead, the pragmatic economic strength of major powers will become the base of international order and power in the coming days. How the United States can continue to play its leading and dominant role in the international new order will depend on whether the United States can display its decisive influential power in the international economic new map that is gradually taking the form in regional regrouping and integration.
Before leaving the United States, President Obama said that the United States planned to conduct friendly competition with China focusing on consumers and competition in the trade market. The so-called friendly competition should include the RMB appreciation, trade liberalization, trade balance, intellectual property rights and other issues. But these are all highly controversial issues. It would be difficult for President Obama to reap concrete gains within short period of visit. President Obama's visit to China is but a symbolic tour. There are more to be done.

US National Interest
Thiry-seven years ago, When Nixon's plane touched down in Beijing, Nixon said: "I came for US interest!" 12 years ago, when Bill Clinton defended his China policy, he said: "I went to Beijing because of US national interest!" This time, President Obama also pledged to protect US interests for this China trip. He even said that the Democratic Party would as always, and be more attentive than the Republican Party to attend zero level of trade pattern with China. Because of the reality that economic power has become a dominant factor in future international order, and since the Asia-Pacific countries, especially China have shown strong economic growth force from the beginning of this new century, President Obama has to make his way to knock at the gate of the East.
The mission of President Obama's Asian trip is to reduce trade friction with China. It is also the US intention to build a 'containment' defense line along Asia-Pacific to protest the US interests. This containment line will begin from Australia in down south going through Singapore along the Straits of Malacca and turn north to link up the southern Korea Peninsula until the Japanese archipelago. The target of this US containment line is self-evidently pointing to China. Before President Obama left Washington, he stressed that "within the clear framework of international rules, the United States and China should each bear their corresponding responsibility."
It is obvious that the United States expects the Beijing authority to undertake the responsibility to protect global environment, human rights, etc. At the same time, President Obama also pledged to "intensify the efforts for the United States to involve in Asian affairs." This shows that the United States still wants to maintain its status as a military strong power in Asia to ensure the security and peace in the Asia-Pacific region and to continue taking up its role to maintain the balance of power in the region.

Change in US Strategy
This change in US strategy in the Asia Pacific region is reflected in the transformation of foreign intelligence gathering tasks of the US Central Intelligence Agency (USCIA) which puts emphasis on the intelligence collection and research analysis on China and Japan. This is probably because there are many unpredictable variables in China's future. The United States naturally does not want to take China lightly. On the other hand, the penetration and invasion of Japan's economic and trade power in the United States have also resulted in the USCIA having the need to strengthen Japan's industrial intelligence gathering research effort.
In the past, cooperation of the United States, Japan and Asian countries is rooted in the common interests of wanting to ward off the threat coming from former Soviet Union. Now the Soviet Union as a major power does not exist anymore. With the emergence of China, the common interests between the United States and Japan will need to re-adjust and re-position. Precisely at this time, the difference in the economic strength between of the United States and China, its Asian economic rival, is also getting larger. Therefore, from Washington's perspective, the most important calculations for the United States to establish a new international order will include on how the United States can reduce trade and economic difference with China, how the United States can regain trade balance with China, and how the United States can cooperate with China to form an interactive strategic partnership relationship.

Strategic Partnership
From President Obama's China trip to Hu Jintao's later US trip, we should by now understand that the "strategic partnership" of both nations will continue to improve as the result of change in international situation. The United States' "constructive engagement" with China will also become more pragmatic when it is driven by national interest.
As for the substantive issues of concern to the United States, we trust the United States will hold on tightly to them. But as for non-substantive issues the United States will gradually let go when dealing with China. We cannot expect President Obama' first visit to China can make concrete gains. This is also the intricate of the US-Sino Strategic Partnership spirit that amid friendliness diplomatic visits, there are also competition.

Why All AMU Troubles Are Sine Die?

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is once again closed sine die. Students arose in protest on October 26, 2009 following the killing of a student outside the campus the night before. As about almost every previous agitation/forced closure, the latest campus closure that began on October 31 is also sine die. If assured of anonymity, significantly large number of the insiders would share the ‘secret’ that the student agitation in AMU is basically an outcome of the fierce rivalry between the ‘warring’ groups of teachers.

The turmoil and agitation on the AMU campus is sadly a recurrent phenomenon, which makes it a focus of controversy. It can only be understood by dissecting the politics of internal power struggle in AMU. Does it have anything to do with: (a) the ‘enormity’ of the size of the boarding students? (Of the total of over 32,000 students, about 17,000 live in the hostels, probably the biggest residential ‘one-campus’ university), (b) form and content of the teaching, which does not help the students in developing critical, questioning capabilities and abhorring all kinds of chauvinist world-views (c) Recruitment/ promotion policy, (d) admission policy, (e) lethargic, biased, weak, inefficient, corrupt administration?

Quite often, the student agitations in AMU are believed to be engineered by one or the other group of ‘politicking’ teachers. Niraj Roy, in a different context of 1981, had precisely said the same thing that the AMU students are the ‘pawns of the self-seekers’ (Indian Express, July 19, 1981; for different views on the 1981 agitation see, Asghar Ali Engineer, 'Trouble at AMU', EPW, August 15, 1981, among many others). Urdu periodicals, memoirs/ autobiographies (mostly of insiders) have great many interesting and revealing details, pertaining to the affairs of AMU through the ages.

Vested Interests
As rightly observed by an alumnus and distinguished IAS officer, ‘local factors, particularly vested petty interests have always played major de-stabilizing role in the affairs of the university’. This time, the factionalism and polarization has become even more evident in the various meetings of the Executive Council (EC, 2007-09), practically the highest decision making body of AMU, which has got about 26 members in all, of which a good number is ex officio, ‘handpicked’ by the VC; rest is nominated by the Visitor (President of the Indian Republic)/ Union government. Only four are directly elected by the teachers: two by the Lecturers, and remaining two by the Readers & Professors jointly.

Are the factions really concerned about corruption in administration or they are fighting for their own shares/ kickbacks in the contracts for constructions and purchase? It is necessary to probe this question. The ongoing enquiry by the committee led by Justice Fakhruddin may probably be examining it. This is also almost a pattern in the history of AMU that allegations, counter-allegations and exposes of corruption often accompany (or result into) turmoil, indiscipline and upsurges. This ‘hypothesis’ is exemplified, among few others, by the Shaikh Abdullah Committee Report (1926) and consequent Ibrahim Rahimatoola Committee Report (October 1927), AMU Official Enquiry Report (1961, was it called Chatterjee Committee?), Justice Mathew Report (1998, made public only in March 2007, and taking no action against those indicted) and the ongoing Justice Fakhruddin Committee (2009).

Students’ Movements
If the teachers/ officers (Karmacharis) are going to be exposed by these reports, why do the turmoil in the university invariably manifests through student agitations? Is there really a link between the ‘discomfiture’ of the teachers/ officers and those of the students? Insiders would almost certainly give an affirmative answer to this. Arguably, in AMU there has never been a student movement (let alone its autonomous character) of long term vision and dynamics, not even on the issue of ‘minority status’ during 1965-81 (Violette Graff, EPW, 11 August, 1990). There have only been sporadic, spontaneous, short-lived upsurges; and relief distribution among the Muslim victims of communal riots, at times inviting allegations of embezzlement of the relief fund by the office-bearers of the Students’ Union (Besides some outbursts on emotive issues like Muslim personal law, Urdu, Babri Masjid, etc.).

Quite often, replacement of some teacher-administrators was the only important demand of the agitating students. They however, hardly demand any change in the principles and style of functioning of these administrators. In the early 1990s, this phenomenon had become much recurrent, when the pliant VC (1990-94) invariably succumbed to the demands of the student leaders whose influence on and accessibility to the VC (and other high functionaries) had reached such a menacing limit that the student-leaders could decide the recruitment/ promotion of the teachers, teacher-administrators and other functionaries (I. H. Siddiqui, Tahzibul Akhlaq, Sir Syed’s Death Centenary Number, 1998). These “observations” may not be telling us everything we want to know, but they do illustrate some critical features in which the system called AMU works.

Isolation Syndrome
In the 1960s (and the subsequent decades), large number of the Indian university campuses were agitating on the issues like unemployment, rural poverty, economic inequality, land reforms, atrocities against Dalits and minorities, social justice, civil liberty, social composition of the structures of power etc. ‘It was an era of worldwide student politics’, but ‘in northern India particularly, (politically) committed Vice-Chancellors with their handpicked aides and advisors took charge’ (Rudolph & Rudolph, In Pursuit of Lakshmi, Chicago, 1987, p. 290, 302). The AMU students’ ‘movements’ however preferred to remain largely oblivious of all these issues.

This ‘isolation syndrome’ of AMU (Muslim educated youth in a secular democracy) awaits deep academic exploration. An unpublished brilliant essay on AMU, 1909-65 by Prof. Hameeduddin Khan (1893-1974?) , informs us that the void (created by the teachers who migrated to Pakistan), was largely filled by the Left leaning teachers, whose influence in the power-structure of AMU enhanced particularly with the AMU Amendment Act of 1965. Could they help ‘radicalizing’ the outlook, orientation of the campus life? How and why did the Islamist student outfits emerge on the campus? How did all these outfits look at the society and state of India? Or did they also turn into another groups of vested interests? Sadly, many respondents would say ‘yes’.

Another student group, Forum for Democratic Rights (FDR) made its presence felt on the campus during 1994-99, got a tremendous mandate in the students’ union elections of Jan-Feb. 1999, and tried to break the ‘isolation syndrome’ by connecting with the larger world of progressive had they got the backing ideas, but its ex-activists would tell us that ‘massive administrative repression’ was one of the most important causes of their decimation. All vested interests, they would say, got united against the FDR. In retrospect they ‘realize’ that of a group of teachers, they would have not been decimated so easily, but in that case they too would have ended up as another vested interests.

Teacher-Officer-Student Nexus
Arguably, it is perhaps because of the teacher-officer-student nexus that the VCs are often compelled to resort to populism, yet, at the end of the day, feel helpless in dealing with the turmoil. To complete their tenures, the VCs depend upon the various internal lobbies for local support. Depending upon the situation and whims, the VCs have to decide which clique to be avoided/ antagonized and support of which to be enlisted. The clique closer to the VC will have greater following as prospects of extracting due/undue favors look bright to the followers. If the person of the VC lacks the tact, integrity, firmness and the qualities like that, are more prone to fall prey to such cliques. It therefore becomes necessary to explore the manner in which such lobbies come into being, the manner in which leadership of such lobbies is acquired and exercised. Brass analyzes that the manipulative leadership emerges through:

(a) The politics of patronage which involves mutual dependency and the politicians build their power by ‘diabolic’ cultivation of linkages from top to bottom through ‘bargaining, compromise and exchange’, accompanying ‘jobbery, demagoguery and populism’. Aggregating power from the bottom up enhances the importance of the local actors/ factions, because of a symbiotic relation between the top power and local brokers.

Unscrupulous inbreeding through ‘infamous’ Local Selection Committees, and recommendations of three (each year) such committees placed them ‘until further order’ (TFO), making them virtually permanent employee. It also taxed the academics of the meritorious ones. (Syed Shahabuddin, Editorial, Muslim India, July 2000). Of late, the relatively strict insistence of the UGC-NET could put only some restraint on illegal recruitments at the entry level of lecturers. Presumably, the exercise of the RTI Act 2005 might also be creating some check on fearless violation of the rules. Reckless, populist promotions, without taking care of research publications in reputed peer-reviewed journals are arguably one of the greatest banes of AMU. These (mal) practices have particularly fattened the vested interests.

(b) The politics of crisis which plays upon or manufactures dramatic volatile issues, who can engineer, manipulate and control the upsurges. Association of local politicians with criminals/ lumpens or quasi lumpens hovering around the mohallas adjacent to the campus would only add to the problem.

Badruddin Tyabji, the AMU-VC (1962-64) recalls in his autobiography (More Memoirs of an Egoist, Haranand, Delhi, 1994) that the ‘inefficient and corrupt staff’ constantly hindered him and that ‘they had entrenched themselves in the university over the years, and it was not easy to cure them or dispense with their services as so many vested interests had grown round them’ . A former teacher observed that the ‘dubious’ process of recruitment (more so of the non-teaching staff) and the principle of their functioning suffer from “cousin-syndrome”, which helps them form a powerful nexus. Anil Maheshwari, a correspondent of the Hindustan Times had also (in early 1990s) reported that, “In-Laws and out-laws make laws in AMU”. It had detailed how few clans had dozens of its members on the pay rolls of AMU.

Once, Prof. H.A.S. Jafri, the then Registrar cum Pro-VC cum… had to make a press statement that in AMU there are no ideological groups, rather in the name of ideologies of Leftism, Islamism, piety etc. they pursue the brazen politics of opportunism and favoritism. In 2007, the Times of India reported that the administration in AMU had deteriorated particularly because the then Registrar and Proctor (both newly promoted professors of law) were at loggerheads with each other, and this factionalism manifested more through student mobilizations on trivial and ‘real’ issues. Group of rowdy students ransacked the private houses of the then officiating VC, Prof. Saleemuddin and the then Registrar. Many believed that this was schemed by the rival groups of politicking teachers. The decision of enquiry into the upsurges of April-September 2007 by Justice Faizanuddin has not yet been allowed to start on one or the other pretext.

Such fragmentation and fictionalization renders the VCs weak and helpless. In such a situation even an upright VC of impeccable credentials and capabilities can face enormous resistance, incapacitating him/her in confronting the lobbies (persistent centers of power, whose support is so crucial for the VCs to complete their tenure) head on and breaking the networks of kin-clan-faction-region-sub-region ties. One can only imagine, what will happen to one who launches selective and cynically opportunistic crackdown on illegal recruitment/ promotion, leaving many more fishes out of their net, while at the same time indulging in similar kinds of wrongs.

As the agitating students are reported to have complained that why does not the VC launch a crackdown against those Provosts who dispose and utilize the Hall staff at their own residences? Interestingly, this ‘malaise’ along with ‘corruption in the management of the Halls’ was resented by Badruddin Tyabji also. The credibility of the teachers among the students have got so badly eroded that those teachers who went to pacify the agitating students (last week of October 2009) were greeted with the embarrassing remarks like, ‘what kind of promotion/ administrative assignment do you intend to bargain with the VC in exchange of pacifying us (fizzling out our agitation)?’ What do we make of such spine-chilling disrepute of the teachers? Does not it affect the self-esteem at least of those teachers who don’t have any such embarrassing and disgusting personal axe of self-promotion to grind with? A serious question to Aligs: self-introspection is probably inevitable at least now.

Multiple Benefits From Warmer India-Iran Relations

The visit of Iran's Foreign Minister Monouchehr Mottaki to India is certainly important because Iran has shown enthusiasm for India after a long time. It is equally significant in view of the changing political balance in Central Asia.
When George Bush was US President, he had left no stone unturned to isolate Iran in international diplomacy. This aggressive US attitude also had an effect on India-Iran relationship. The signs of possible warmth creeping into it will be good for all concerned. It also suggests that the Obama administration is adopting a different stand on Iran.

Gas Pipeline Project
Controversy surrounds Iran's nuclear program. This situation will continue. The silver lining here is that importance is being attached to dialogue, and not to confrontation. From the viewpoint of conventional energy, Iran stands head and shoulder above others. Fortunately, some progress has again been made on the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project. This will not only help in our development but will also play an important role in strengthening relations.
It is quite clear that Iran can help to solve the problems of both Iraq and Afghanistan in a big way. It has borders with both countries. It also wields considerable influence in certain areas. The most important factor is that Iran is not likely to be interested in the international maze of terrorism. The Shiite a community is pre-dominant in Iran. Therefore, it also faces problems from Sunni fundamentalists. Since the United States had once shoved it to the enemy camp, Iran wanted to teach it a lesson by helping the fundamentalists in Iraq and Afghanistan. But its long-term interest can never be similar to those of organizations like Al-Qa'ida.

Age-Old Friendship

Moreover, Afghanistan can be reached via Iran, apart from the route via Pakistan. Once the relationship with Iran improves, the dependence on Pakistan in the fight against terror is likely to be reduced.
The most important factor is our age-old friendship with Iran in Central Asia. A zealous relationship with such an important friend is certainly good. It might also help to solve many problems related to energy.

New Pollution Control Norms

India has taken a big step to arrest climate change just before the Copenhagen summit and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's US visit. The federal government has issued strict norms against growing pollution on the lines of Western countries. However, there are no appropriate laws at the moment to implement them.

Amending Kyoto Protocol
It was being hoped at first that in the Copenhagen summit, developing countries including India would increase pressure on industrialized countries to implement the Kyoto protocol. But conditions have rapidly changed after the initiative taken by US President Barack Obama. Now, they are not only talking of amending the Kyoto Protocol, but countries like India and China are also getting ready to discharge their responsibility of reducing carbon emission without any condition.
In the next Five-Year-Plan from 2012 to 2017, India is getting ready for durable economic development with less carbon emission. The Planning Commission has already started working in that direction. The norms released on 18 November are a step in that direction only. The biggest challenge before this step is to implement it. Out of the 110 cities surveyed by the Indian Pollution Control Board in 2008, pollution level in 88-percent of them is much beyond even the old norms. When six new types of pollutants are added to these criteria, the situation in these cities would be found much worse.

Reduction in Pollution
It is true that the level of pollution had fallen quite a bit in Delhi after commercial diesel vehicles were banned and the use of CNG started. But this ban proved inadequate, when they continued to manufacture diesel vehicles and bring them on roads. The little reduction in pollution that had been achieved through this effort is again coming back to the old level. People's health-related problems are increasing.
If the new standards were implemented properly, it would help a great deal in cleaning air. But along with implementing the new standards, we would also have to get local bodies, small-scale automobile industry, and small-scale industries ready for the change. We would also have to help them keeping their loss in view, and would have to provide them with proper equipment, so that they could pass tough European norms for preventing pollution.

Biggest Offender
It is worth noting that the country that is the biggest offender wants to exploit poor countries to pay for its crimes, even though development is still a mirage for them. Our country is acting in its usual way. First refuse, and then make excuses only to acquiesce when it becomes a compulsion. It is god that we have finally decided to cut down greenhouse gas emission voluntarily.
The two biggest offenders -- the United States and China--have joined hands on this issue. Therefore, we have learned the lesson in time. In order to stop destruction, we have to adopt sophisticated technology. We must also participate in the bargaining in Copenhagen cautiously.

Primary Cause of Crisis
The dangerous consequences of toying with the world on the pretext of development are being constantly noticed. Changes in weather, untimely rain, severe heat, and fast melting of glaciers that are source of rivers prove this to the world. The earth's normal temperature continues to go up. It is being feared that seawaters will gradually swallow the world because of this trend. If this does take place, coastal cities will be wiped out. Our neighbor Maldives has already started preparations to meet this threat. The primary cause of this crisis is reckless use of fossil fuel like coal and petroleum products to promote civilization and industrialization.
Factories and electricity powerhouses are providing immediate facilities for today's civilization. But they are also posing questions for the future. The ozone layer, which serves as the defense shield of our atmosphere and checks the Sun's dangerous radiation, is itself under threat today. It is not that the world is ignoring these threats. Meetings of all countries had been held in Barcelona and Kyoto. The next meeting will now be held in Copenhagen. At the Kyoto meeting, developed countries were held responsible for this situation. The onus of solving the problem should, therefore, rest largely on them. The logic was correct but the United States managed to wriggle out. Along with European countries it is trying to enforce equal contribution from all countries in this regard.

Preventing Repeat of Militancy in Punjab

Conditions in the neighboring country, Pakistan, is are from bad to worse and fear of revival of terrorism in Punjab is a matter of concern. Given the recent arrests and recovery of arms and ammunition, the apprehension expressed by the state police chief over such incidents is not entirely baseless. With a view to prove their continued existence and put weight in their plea for political asylum in foreign countries before host governments, militants taking shelter abroad have been engaged in reviving their activities since long.
By issuing provocative statements and feelers from time-to-time, they have made attempts to have a measure of support in Punjab. Despite not receiving much response, certain elements are still trying to revive militancy in Punjab.

Taliban-ISI Nexus
The Taliban and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), amid the ongoing civil war in Pakistan and increasing contribution by India in rehabilitation and reconstruction works in Afghanistan, are exposing the country to threat. In order to oust Indian entrepreneurs from Afghanistan, the Indian Embassy in Kabul was attacked on two occasions. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces held the Taliban-ISI nexus responsible for both attacks.
In wake of the US shift toward India on the Kashmir issue, militant organizations and the ISI intend to project Kashmir as a pivotal point for peace in the region. After their failure in Kashmir, they now find Punjab as a suitable region for revival of militancy. From the activities of militants living under Pakistan's protection, it appears that pressure on them is mounting to do "something." This pressure is reflected in statements of the Punjab police chief.

Pangs of Terrorism
Punjab suffered pangs of terrorism for one-and-half decades. Thousands of people were killed in the game of bloodshed. A large number of innocent people were subjected to excesses. Memories of false police encounters, unclaimed dead bodies, and ruthless violence carried out by terrorists are still fresh in people's minds. All Punjabi and other political systems should learn a lesson from the atrocities committed during that period of militancy in the state.
Those who displayed sympathy toward terrorists at that time became victim of violence from both sides. They had to face violence of ungrateful militants and police excesses.

Lessons From Past Mistakes
This time around, Punjabis should make it a point not to repeat their earlier mistake. The state government should give timely advice to the police department and issue necessary directions accordingly. The government should direct the police department to conduct themselves with a sense of responsibility. Exercising adequate vigilance, policemen should ensure that innocent people do not suffer again at their hands. It is the responsibility of the Punjab police to block all avenues of monetary support to militants, and sources of supply of arms and ammunition and training.
The drive against smugglers, who supply arms to militants, should also be intensified. After all, prevention is better than cure, and vital. There is, therefore, need for close coordination between the union and state government. The government should explore constitutional remedies to all these issues, which militants can think in terms of their narrow politicizing game. The earnestness on the part of government departments and politicians can save Punjab from the heat of militancy by proving apprehensions of revival of militancy in Punjab baseless.

Unemployment, Cost-of-living Replacing Sri Lankan Joy of War Victory

Attention of the people of this country was entirely focused on the fate of the war till it was brought to an end. Further, people of the majority community in the country were also in a state of preparedness to sacrifice anything to achieve victory in the war. We cannot easily forget the vociferous statement made by politicians at this juncture that the people of this country were prepared to eat even sand to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
As the Southerners were concerned of the defeat of the LTTE, they were least worried either about the economic crisis the country was faced or their worsening standard of living.

Economic Burdens of Country
Now we can see people focusing attention on the economic burdens they are subjected to as the war has come to an end. People are struggling hard due to their inability to overcome their daily economic challenges as a result of unemployment. Unemployment in the country has risen following closure of many factories due to various reasons.
Meanwhile, unemployed graduates had not only demonstrated opposite the Fort Railway Station on 4 November but also attempted to proceed to the President's House in procession. A tense situation broke out at the scene when the police prevented their forward march using tear gas. Three female graduates were injured and 61of them were arrested during the clash.

Education Factor
Those graduates, who were involved in staging fasting campaigns in October opposite Fort Railway Station demanding employment, demonstrated on 4 November and tried to march towards the President's House. Their claim was that the government has failed to provide them employment although four years have elapsed since they passed out as graduates.
Educated youths in the country are deeply worried that there are no employment opportunities available to them. It is against this backdrop many of them are attempting to migrate to foreign soils by illegal means.
There are reports that thousands of youths who fall under this category have been cheated by unscrupulous employment agents, who had promised them foreign employment. We also hear of stories of hundreds of innocent young men abandoned in mid seas during their voyage to foreign lands.

Impacts of Global Economic Recession
At this juncture we wish to point out that the impacts of global economic recession certainly affects Sri Lanka too. Therefore, the government should come forward to implement massive development projects eradicating wastage and corruption rampant in the country. Only this will open up avenues of employment and help people overcome the economic challenges they are faced with at present.
Moreover, employees attached to the state as well as private sectors fervently hoped that there would be proposals in the budget to relieve them from the present economic plights. They are severely disappointed since a vote-on- account being presented in Parliament instead of a budget.
However, a salary increase will be granted to state employees in January 2010 in retrospective from November, said media minister (non-cabinet) Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena.

Demand of Situation
The statement made by the minister may grant consolation to the state employees. At the same time country is also faced with two elections. As elections are round the corner politicians will offer various promises and pledges to the people saying that people's welfare is there main concern. However, it must be noted that broken promises of the politicians in the past have made the people stage demonstrations today. The demand of the situation is that the government should take constructive steps to resolve the economic problems of the people, without deceiving them by making false promises any further.

1st US-ASEAN Meeting

US President Barack Obama met with all 10 Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) national leaders in Singapore on 15 November. It was a historical meeting. The US-ASEAN meeting deepened the footprints of the United States in the ASEAN region.

Historic Summit
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at a press conference after the meeting that the United States and all ASEAN leaders were willing to talk and that made the US-ASEAN meeting possible to take place in Singapore. He said the meeting itself was of great significance.
He said: "ASEAN leaders felt that holding talk with the US President was important. During the meeting, although US President Obama did encounter some difficulty when issue on Myanmar was touched. But overall, he still felt that having a group meeting with all ASEAN member countries was valuable. This shows that meeting is of great significance."
Moreover, President Obama also said: "I am honored to participate in this historic summit."

Myanmar Issue
This was also the first meeting between a US President with the Myanmar Junta Government. Over the past years, the United States has imposed sanctions on Myanmar in protest of the human rights situation in the country. To avoid meeting with the Myanmar national leader, the United States has in the past refused to establish a dialogue partner status with ASEAN since 1977. The United States, then also did not want to hold meeting with all 10 ASEAN members in one setting.
However, the self-imposed Myanmar in isolation is also a country, which is unwilling to get in touch with countries that the junta government considered as trying to interfere with Myanmar 's internal affairs. However, a high-level US Government official team did manage to visit Myanmar and met the junta government officials last week. They also managed to meet the opposition party leader Aung San Suu Kyi and representatives of ethnic minorities. This was a breakthrough for the United States in dealing with the Myanmar junta during the past 14 years.
President Obama's willingness to meet the entire ASEAN national leader, including Myanmar Prime Minister General Thein Sein signifies that the United States will no longer give up its contact and dialogue with ASEAN just because of one thorny issue on Myanmar.
According to White House Press Secretary Gibbs, at the US-ASEAN meeting President Obama had asked the Burmese junta leader to release Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. However, the joint statement issued by the United States and ASEAN later had totally failed to mention the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, but only gently urged Myanmar to carry out a free, fair, and inclusive general elections in next year.
Prime Minister Lee said: "This is a meeting of consensus. Both parties think that the relationship built during the meeting is worthwhile. We agree that we should strive to cooperate on a wide range of issues in order to expand and deepen this bilateral relationship between ASEAN and the United States."
After meeting with US President Obama, ASEAN member countries will carry out a number of follow-up activities and cooperation projects with the United States. These will include the US willingness to provide more opportunities for ASEAN people to study the English language and for the United States to provide more opportunities for ASEAN students to study in the United States and for the United States to provide assistance in science and technology development for ASEAN countries, among others. In 2010, the United States will send US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu to ASEAN member countries to discuss issues relating to the development of clean energy. The United States will also invite members of ASEAN Intergovernmental Human Rights Commission formed last month to visit the United States next year, so that the ASEAN Human Right Commission members can exchange views with international human rights experts in the United States.
When accepting a media interview, ASEAN Secretary General Surin said that the US-ASEAN meeting symbolized that the relationship between the United States and ASEAN was going through a process of "seismic" change. The new ties between the United States and Southeast Asia has emerged a "new dawn."

Joint Statement
This year, the United States has signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation with ASEAN, with pledge not to use force on ASEAN countries. The United States has also appointed Scot Marciel, deputy assistant secretary of state, as the ambassador for ASEAN Affairs. The United States will also establish an US-ASEAN Affairs office at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.
At the US-ASEAN joint statement issued on 15 November, President Obama reaffirmed the core role of ASEAN in the process of building a regional architecture in this region. All parties at the meeting also proclaimed in the joint statement that they would support the concept of the formation of a regional achievement that is open. This joint statement can be interpreted to mean that ASEAN wants to provide space for the United States to join in the future formation of any regional community framework.

Other Issues
Thailand is the rotating chair for ASEAN this year. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit, who co-chaired the US-ASEAN meeting, said after 15 November meeting that "ASEAN is prepared to take the United States in as a reliable and trustworthy partner. ASEAN will join hands with the United States to deal with regional and international challenges on issues pertaining to climate change issue, the Doha Round of trade negotiations and counterterrorism."
The US-ASEAN meeting was held at the Shangri-La Hotel. Two years ago, Singapore had originally planned to establish this US-ASEAN dialogue partnership ties as ASEAN celebrated its 30th anniversary. But the meeting was cancelled because former US President George W. Bush who had earlier promised to attend the proposed summit had to visit the Middle East over some crisis in Iraq. During the same year in September, when former US President Bush attended APEC held in Sydney, Bush also invited all ASEAN leaders to his Texas ranch for a relaxed barbecue party. But the originally plan of Bush in wanting to host the barbeque party for ASEAN leaders every other year also did not materialize.
In 2007, ASEAN leaders' plan to engage a formal summit with the US national leader has failed twice. This has given the international community the general speculation that the United States did not attach any importance to ASEAN. But on 15 November, President Obama has reiterated the US intention to strengthen ties with ASEAN.
The second US-ASEAN summit will be held in 2010.

East Asian Community Concept Reveals Complex Reality of Asian Region

In the big Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) family, when problems exist between Japan and the United States, the cordial family atmosphere has become somewhat embarrassing. More importantly, the logical thinking of the East Asian Community as proposed by Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama even at this stage of conventional thinking, is that this is an East Asian Community involving “ASEAN plus 3 (ASEAN plus Japan and South Korea) or “ASEAN 10 plus 1” political pattern.
However, for such a regional integrated community, China is cautious. However, ASEAN hopes for an East Asian Community to have a wider scope to include the United States and India. In addition, the United States wants to get involved in it as well. Under such situation, the connotation of Japan's East Asian Community concept becomes unclear. It is blurred in its context of extension and expansion. The East Asian Community concept mooted by the Japanese leader can become a utopia.

Continual Rise of China
The main reason is that within the internal East Asia region, countries have not formed enough consensuses about this East Asian community. When the opinion of China, Japan and South Korea over the formation of East Asian Community remain unclear; with ASEAN member countries having doubt or even fear the continual rise of China; and with the United States worries that its status in East Asia might be sidelined, Hatoyama's East Asian Community looks more than a deep water bomb testing the water, but in the end opening up the geopolitical complexity of the East Asian region.
It brings to the reality that while the formation of this “regional body” is not difficult, but for all countries within the East Asian Community to reach consensus over what the community should do together become extremely difficult.

US-China Relationship
In addition, the US-China relationship has also become increasingly more and more difficult to predict. Interestingly, in addition to contradiction that exists in the US-Japan ties, of late, the function of APEC has also carried with it a dramatic color between China and the United States triggered by a speech delivered by Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew in the United States over his “Asian balance theory.”
This speech by Lee was interpreted by the Chinese media as “the United States wants to contain China theory.” While it is meaningless to debate the merits and demerits on this issue, but this incident does confirm two facts. First, the Asia-Pacific framework is going through a process of fundamental change. But this change is not caused by the chain reaction of China's growing strength.

Growing US Interest in Asia
This new change has caused anxiety and shock to ASEAN countries as they look at their old pattern of operations; this change has also forced China and the United States to reexamine the role they should play in the Asia-Pacific region. Second, on the surface, the United States says that it hopes China will play a “leading role” in the region, but beneath the surface, it is the US intention to increase its contact with ASEAN region. The US's intention to return to Asia has become the accelerated diplomatic strategy of the United States.
Following the US accession into the "Treaty of Amity and Cooperation", the United States can now engage in “ASEAN 10 plus 1” dialogue with ASEAN region. In addition, the United States is also keen to improve its relationship with Myanmar, one of the ASEAN countries. But the progressive engagement of contact with ASEAN by the United States is regarded by some public opinion in China as the United States exerting pressure on China.
Moreover, when the relationship between the United States and ASEAN countries turned deeper each time through contacts, ASEAN member countries would always regard such deeper contact as their diplomatic achievement. This stems from the basic principle that as small nations ASEAN member countries want to hold on as a group “to keep warm” so that the best interests of ASEAN can fit well in the power balance between China and the United States.
The United States is still a strong power. Although China is also getting stronger as days go by, the Chinese Government does not exclude or reject the presence of the United States in ASEAN. But to the Chinese common people, they feel that perhaps the United States really has the intention to resist the influence of China in Asia. Of concern is that the Chinese people and the Chinese community might send out a message that is different from the Chinese official view about the United States. Such message coming from the Chinese community will create a communication pattern, whereby the official stance over the role of the United States in Asia is quiet, but the public opinions are making a lot of noses about it. As such, to the United States and ASEAN, both parties should understand the societal situation in China and to deal with public opinions coming from China calmly. They cannot habitually blame China as adopting “nationalism” over their remarks on ASEAN or on the United States."

Importance of APEC
In fact, both the United States and China have a broader dialogue mechanism in the form of China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue mechanism. Both countries are also more concerned on using the G20 Summit as their global platform. To both China and the United States, the importance of APEC has somehow faded vis-a-vis the G20 Summit and the bilateral strategic dialogue between them. At this APEC Summit held in Singapore, many of the problems or the media arguments between China and the United States were triggered by ASEAN issue only. A metaphor to describe this phenomenon is that: “It is like a small ASEAN making two big countries jealous of each other.”
However, the characteristic of APEC Summit is harmony. Although it is difficult to untie the knot of certain issues in the US-China relationship, but over wines and drinks, the national leaders of both countries can still hold their glasses and send cheers to each other. More importantly, at this APEC, China has already reminded the United States not to engage too much in trade protectionism. This is a prelude the Chinese leader given to President Obama as he begins his China tour.