PETRO DOLLARS & THE COLDER WAR

Science and Extreme Sports

A deadly dose of adrenaline. Bungee jumping with a difference.

BRITAIN OWES ITS FORMER COLONIES REPARATIONS

One of the most erudite MPs from India making a strong case in the debate at the Oxford Union Society debate.
The tone, tenor, confidence, poise, wit, humour and last but not the least 'Delivery'
SPELLBINDING !!! 

WISHES FOR THE JOURNEY AHEAD

I wrote this poem for my son, on the eve of his departure for his higher studies in Management a few days ago:

The bundle of joy born in the nineties

Taller than his dad in his twenties.

How we look back upon the days gone by

He is and will remain the apple of our eye.

That complete surrender to the embrace of his dad

Confident that his arms are as protective as can be had.

That there can’t be a bed, cosier than Mom’s lap

The touch and feel of his body so tender

Would arouse such emotions was indeed a wonder.

It’s amazing how time has flown

How the little one has grown.

Taller than his dad, not so innocent any more.

Exposed to the elements and the big bad world

Our arms are too small for him to lay curled.

Now he leaves for his professional learning

May Goddess Saraswati unto him shower her blessing.

May the Almighty give unto him

More than we could, through thick and thin.

Go my boy and face the world

Battle all odds and for the record

Let it be known to the world at large

That you have it in you to lead the charge

Towards happiness and success, in that order

Grab all the glory that lies ahead and yonder.

THE WAY OF THE KNIFE

In a clear departure from past practices, the Govt authorized the Indian armed forces to launch an attack on terrorist camps outside its boundary.  Kudos to the Indian Army and the Air Force for a sterling display of professionalism and jointmanship. However, if such an action needs to be repeated, the militants are unlikely to be taken by surprise and own casualties may become inevitable. PM Modi rightly stated that he would not accept Indian casualties anywhere in the world. Thus if Indians fall prey to terrorists outside our own country, a repeat of such actions may also be inevitable.

Mark Mazzetti in his book ‘The Way of the Knife’  has brought out how the Americans have been using killer drones and special forces to deadly effect all across the globe. Operations using drones ensure min loss of life to our own forces, while inflicting maximum damage to the terrorists. In the long term if India wants to assert its hegemony in the subcontinent as also dissuade our not so friendly neighbours from stoking the fires of Jehad or militancy, it is imperative that Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs) be used for the destruction of training camps, hideouts and other militant infrastructure. Technically, it may be possible that such action be initiated from within our own territory. Though use of ground forces cannot be ruled out altogether, maximum use of UAVs will certainly minimize losses and ensure morale is not adversely affected.

While we may have got away with our transgression into a nieghbouring sovereign state in Myanmar, a similar action in Pakistan would raise the risk many notches. With Pakistan, the risk of further escalation would be too great to be hazarded. The need therefore of acquiring the capability of carrying out surgical strikes into enemy territory either through drones or a combination of ground troops and UAVs is inescapable. Such strikes though a transgression into foreign soil might just pass as a 26/11 type attack and thus, might just be worth the risk.

THE VICIOUS CIRCLE OF JEHAD

       They just don't get it do they ! with every such attack(Charlie Hebdo), Muslims are getting more and more alienated, Islam is getting branded as a religion of fanatics .... leading to further resentment ....... more attacks ...... and the 'vicious circle' continues. Every such attack is bound to back fire against them, leaving innocent, law abiding and responsible Muslims feeling victimised in the aftermath.  There is a need for the fundamentalists to deliberate on the effects of attacks like Sep 11 and Nov 26(Mumbai), France etc on the well being of Muslims in the free, flat world? Osama bin Laden did the greatest disservice to all Muslims by perpetrating the 9/11 attacks. Never again can a Khan, Hussein, Bilal, Ahmed ……………or for that matter anybody with a Muslim sounding name travel to another country, especially a non Islamic one without arousing suspicion. (Remember Kamal Hassan being mistaken for an Arab while on a visit to the US?)
       The editors of Charlie Hebdo surely did not single out The Prophet Mohammed for special treatment, but this fact seems lost on the fundamentalists and fanatics resulting in the attack .....      Rather than getting cowed down by the dastardly attack, the magazine has now come out with the latest issue with the Prophet on the cover. Besides, the entire world has shown solidarity with Charlie Hebdo and the cause of freedom of expression. Will the latest issue cause further resentment .......... another attack ??
       Allah forbid ! 
But for religion, the world would have been a much better place to live in.