It is extremely unfortunate that science is sacrificed at the altar of power struggle. Who would have imagined that Turkey a secular country would take 180 degree turn simply to hoodwink its people in the name of religion. Our country Pakistan also underwent the same frenzy and now it has become a violent place where terrorism of all hue and cry has found a safe haven in. Polarizing a country is the biggest sin a leader can possibly commit and Erdogan is well on his away to accomplish this abominable task.
If the dissolution of soviet union could be a geopolitical tragedy but it is equally a geopolitical miracle which unfolded that peacefully and orderly. An age-old empire of gigantic proportions disintegrated with fortunately
meagre human and collateral losses is also one of the greatest 20th century events which has not attracted that attention as it deserves. Look at the inhuman bloodshed and collateral losses the middle east is suffering from where the process has barely started. The credit must be given to those who were at the helm of affairs and particularly to the humanistic and moral dimensions of socialism.
The very mentioning of Socialism in American political context and that too by a contender for Presidency is a great leap. Bernie Sanders may not be successful in grabbing the nomination but his legacy will continue. The inequalities in distribution of income and wealth, the rampant unemployment, the stagnant wages and the weakening of social welfare networks are the sort of real issues that couldn't be shoved beneath the partisan ideological rug for long. The American have a historic opportunity to change their destiny which mercifully is in their own hands.
Afghanistan needs "Big Push" and an unorthodox approach to save it from its own history of Great Games that it voluntarily or otherwise was forced to play for centuries. The time of what is locally called "Tiaga" roughly translated as laying down arms have long been arrived. The war-torn country needs a break from war. The Karzai model failed to deliver peace and rather exacerbated the situation. Let us hope Ghani's unconventional initiative bears fruit.
Tinwoman
Perhaps i could not have made my points very elaborate. Let me make it clear that what i had in mind was that her ascendancy to prominence was ironically the unintended consequence of brutal attack on her. I totally agree with you that she would never ever have traded her priceless health for such a fanfare but what i was pointing out was that ultimately it turned to be a blessing in disguise. So many girls have been injured, maimed for life and killed but no one have ever heard of them. Judging from this perspective Malala turned out to be fortunate.
Regarding girls education you probably have not read properly as i have asserted that the girls should have unimpeded access which implies it is not the case in our part of the world. The taliban are against all education except religious one, let alone girls education. To be very honest these holy-men are the product of Jihad which the American waged against Soviet Union in 80s. These assets and darlings of the west are the ones who are out there now blasting the schools, exploding themselves and innocents in suicide attacks, destabilizing whole region and the world. Had the west contributed to the cause of education instead of stoking militancy no school would have been destroyed and no Malala had been attacked. Malala is resented by those who were doing the American bidding then.
Malala has triggered a bitter controversy in Pakistan. She would have been an ordinary girl studying in her school in Swat like thousands still do in that part of the world. Had the taliban not ordered the girls schools to be closed the world not have heard of Malala. Again if taliban had not brutally shot her the nomination for noble prize would have been a distant dream. She must be thankful to taliban for elevating her to the unbelievable status of an international celebrity. Whatever motives underlies in the background of projection of Malala at international stage, the fact remains that girls have every right to have an unimpeded access to education. Malala campaign for education is consistent with worldwide consensus on the importance of education as a catalyst for breaking the vicious circles of poverty and ignorance. Playing politics is irresistible particularly when emotional issues are involved. The temptation to invoke ideological narrative has divided the country which is unfortunate. These scores should be settled elsewhere. Let Malala pursue her own studies and avail this Godsend opportunity to make her own future and the future of others if she could. The Drone issue though per se i believe is least related to Malala and should be raised at proper forum and justice be sought for those affected.
WE the ordinary people in Pakistan and Afghanistan are bearing the brunt of this virulent hawkish policy ruthlessly pursued by various American regimes. This barbaric policy has taken a heavy toll in terms of human lives and warlike environment that it helped create over the last three decades. But equally important is the fact that it takes two to tango. The extreme right religious anchored ideology came in handy and both are beneficiaries.
I am aghast as to why the Americans have vowed not to learn a lesson from the dreadful blunders committed earlier. It is not a rocket science that in deeply religious societies the chances of secular oriented groups to come on top against well entrenched radicals are extremely marginal. The Afghan debacle should have been an eye opener. Even a cursory look at recent history would have suggested that Islamic radicals have turned out to be the ultimate winner in political upheavals. I am more than convinced that no one will even dare to do American bidding.
Islamist in Pakistan invariably praised the Turkish model and presented it as proof that the Islamic model as adopted by Turkey is working efficiently and by implication should be emulated by all a Islamic countries. In Pakistan Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif both cited Turkey as model country. I personally do not see anything Islamic in the model. It is the good old neoclassical model rationalizing privatization, deregulation and unequal distribution of wealth and rolling back the frontiers of state. The spillover effects of many vices associated with this model are now emerging in Turkey. Let us see how the pendulum swings now.
It is extremely unfortunate that science is sacrificed at the altar of power struggle. Who would have imagined that Turkey a secular country would take 180 degree turn simply to hoodwink its people in the name of religion. Our country Pakistan also underwent the same frenzy and now it has become a violent place where terrorism of all hue and cry has found a safe haven in. Polarizing a country is the biggest sin a leader can possibly commit and Erdogan is well on his away to accomplish this abominable task.
If the dissolution of soviet union could be a geopolitical tragedy but it is equally a geopolitical miracle which unfolded that peacefully and orderly. An age-old empire of gigantic proportions disintegrated with fortunately
meagre human and collateral losses is also one of the greatest 20th century events which has not attracted that attention as it deserves. Look at the inhuman bloodshed and collateral losses the middle east is suffering from where the process has barely started. The credit must be given to those who were at the helm of affairs and particularly to the humanistic and moral dimensions of socialism.
The very mentioning of Socialism in American political context and that too by a contender for Presidency is a great leap. Bernie Sanders may not be successful in grabbing the nomination but his legacy will continue. The inequalities in distribution of income and wealth, the rampant unemployment, the stagnant wages and the weakening of social welfare networks are the sort of real issues that couldn't be shoved beneath the partisan ideological rug for long. The American have a historic opportunity to change their destiny which mercifully is in their own hands.
Afghanistan needs "Big Push" and an unorthodox approach to save it from its own history of Great Games that it voluntarily or otherwise was forced to play for centuries. The time of what is locally called "Tiaga" roughly translated as laying down arms have long been arrived. The war-torn country needs a break from war. The Karzai model failed to deliver peace and rather exacerbated the situation. Let us hope Ghani's unconventional initiative bears fruit.
Tinwoman
Perhaps i could not have made my points very elaborate. Let me make it clear that what i had in mind was that her ascendancy to prominence was ironically the unintended consequence of brutal attack on her. I totally agree with you that she would never ever have traded her priceless health for such a fanfare but what i was pointing out was that ultimately it turned to be a blessing in disguise. So many girls have been injured, maimed for life and killed but no one have ever heard of them. Judging from this perspective Malala turned out to be fortunate.
Regarding girls education you probably have not read properly as i have asserted that the girls should have unimpeded access which implies it is not the case in our part of the world. The taliban are against all education except religious one, let alone girls education. To be very honest these holy-men are the product of Jihad which the American waged against Soviet Union in 80s. These assets and darlings of the west are the ones who are out there now blasting the schools, exploding themselves and innocents in suicide attacks, destabilizing whole region and the world. Had the west contributed to the cause of education instead of stoking militancy no school would have been destroyed and no Malala had been attacked. Malala is resented by those who were doing the American bidding then.
Malala has triggered a bitter controversy in Pakistan. She would have been an ordinary girl studying in her school in Swat like thousands still do in that part of the world. Had the taliban not ordered the girls schools to be closed the world not have heard of Malala. Again if taliban had not brutally shot her the nomination for noble prize would have been a distant dream. She must be thankful to taliban for elevating her to the unbelievable status of an international celebrity. Whatever motives underlies in the background of projection of Malala at international stage, the fact remains that girls have every right to have an unimpeded access to education. Malala campaign for education is consistent with worldwide consensus on the importance of education as a catalyst for breaking the vicious circles of poverty and ignorance. Playing politics is irresistible particularly when emotional issues are involved. The temptation to invoke ideological narrative has divided the country which is unfortunate. These scores should be settled elsewhere. Let Malala pursue her own studies and avail this Godsend opportunity to make her own future and the future of others if she could. The Drone issue though per se i believe is least related to Malala and should be raised at proper forum and justice be sought for those affected.
WE the ordinary people in Pakistan and Afghanistan are bearing the brunt of this virulent hawkish policy ruthlessly pursued by various American regimes. This barbaric policy has taken a heavy toll in terms of human lives and warlike environment that it helped create over the last three decades. But equally important is the fact that it takes two to tango. The extreme right religious anchored ideology came in handy and both are beneficiaries.
I am aghast as to why the Americans have vowed not to learn a lesson from the dreadful blunders committed earlier. It is not a rocket science that in deeply religious societies the chances of secular oriented groups to come on top against well entrenched radicals are extremely marginal. The Afghan debacle should have been an eye opener. Even a cursory look at recent history would have suggested that Islamic radicals have turned out to be the ultimate winner in political upheavals. I am more than convinced that no one will even dare to do American bidding.
Islamist in Pakistan invariably praised the Turkish model and presented it as proof that the Islamic model as adopted by Turkey is working efficiently and by implication should be emulated by all a Islamic countries. In Pakistan Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif both cited Turkey as model country. I personally do not see anything Islamic in the model. It is the good old neoclassical model rationalizing privatization, deregulation and unequal distribution of wealth and rolling back the frontiers of state. The spillover effects of many vices associated with this model are now emerging in Turkey. Let us see how the pendulum swings now.