CURIOUS CASE OF DRONE ATTACKS

Since the war on terror started, thousands of life has been lost on both sides. However the biggest damages were reserved for the innocent people living in the countries of Afghanistan and Iraq. There is no denying the fact that America is not winning the war it had started almost a decade ago. There have been policies of America and its allies, to whom we can attribute this enormous failure which resulted in millions of lives lost.

One such policy is continuing with the unmanned drone attacks in the tribal regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Day in and day out CIA is carrying out attacks in the tribal belts which results in heavy casualties. Militants are surely dying but the numbers are far less, as compared to the lives of hundreds and thousands of villagers getting killed and their homes destroyed, as a collateral damage.

According to a report released by Bureau of Investigative Journalism, since 2002 up until 2012 around 3000 people have been killed in these strikes. These figures comprises of 2/3rd of civilians. Numbers may look small when we put it in perspective of total lives lost in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, but don't forget this war is not just being fought by guns and tanks and bombs but also with ideologies.

These attacks, which are not just happening in Af - Pak region but also in many other countries such as Yemen, are fueling the anger of already marginalized people against America and this anger is being channeled and funnelled by al Qaeda and Taliban for militant purposes. Terrorist groups are desperate to survive these trying times and it is using the best method at its disposal, its ideologies.

Among the cables released by wikileaks, there was one diplomatic wire send by the then US ambassador to Pakistan which said the policy of carrying out drone attacks is backfiring in the tribal areas and villagers are angry and their sentiments are running high. America has a tendency of playing with fire and here they are doing the same.

American policy makers have to understand that they cannot kill innocent people halfway across the planet in the name of self defense. If they are serious about winning the war on terror they have to take tribal people on their side, as these are proving to be the breeding grounds for terrorists.

Tribal Clans alongside the border of Af Pak holds the key to Americas future in Afghanistan, and the attacks which continue to kil their family members are turning them against any American involvement in future Afghanistan.

Hope America will learn its lessons from the past and correct its future course of action. 

Hosni Mubarak Sentence: A Joke On The Revolution

Egyptians protesting against the sentence announced by the court. Courtesy Reuters

Revolutionists has returned in Egypt, this time they are frustrated, demoralized and shattered by the verdict announced on 3rd of June in the trial of Mr. Hosni Mubarak and his top security officials. They are back in Tahrir square to protest and register their anger to the treatment they have received after the long and hard fought battle.

Hosni Mubarak and his interior minister, Habib Al Adly received life sentences ( instead of getting death sentences as many would have liked ) for brutally suppressing last years revolution which resulted in the killings of 850 Egyptians. Six security officials are acquitted, who worked under the Interior Ministry. Many people are in shock on the acquittal of these officials as well, particularly keeping in mind that they work under the interior ministry and were carrying out the orders of Hosni Mubarak and Habib Al Adly. This can be attributed to the lack of evidence (pointed out by the court) as many of their phone conversations and files have been mysteriously gone disappeared from the Interior Ministry. Hosni Mubarak's sons were also on trial but on the charges of fraud  framed by the prosecution ( which are hard to understand ) and they were acquitted as well. However they still face many fresh charges related to financial  misconduct which includes manipulating the stock markets.

There is no end for the misery of the people of Egypt who fought against the brutal regime last year.  Army is still in control of the government and there is no guarantee of better and peaceful situation after the elected government gets in charge. Especially keeping in mind they are going through a presidential face off between the last Prime Minister under the Mubarak's regime Mr. Ahmed Shafiq and Muslim Brotherhood Candidate Mr. Muhammad Morsi.

The verdict makes the situation worse and Egyptians are feeling cheated. One joke making the rounds has it that Syria’s Bashar al-Assad has agreed to step down if he can be tried in an Egyptian court. The people of Egypt wanted a clean country, free from Mubarak's regime and its tyranny its officials, free from all the people involved in making the situation worse for the Egyptian and strengthening the ex government. Least they wanted a presidential face off between the Last Prime Minister of the Mubarak's regime itself and the Muslim Brotherhood candidate.

Their revolution was an example for the whole Arab community, to look at and get inspired. Most Importantly it was fought and won by the same people who were facing the heat of the regime without any major help from outside. It was the revolution of the century. But as history suggests not all revolutions ends with a happy note, this well may be on its way of getting worse. We from outside can only hope and pray for the revolutionaries and their cause to triumph at the end. 

Greece Debt Crisis Explained

We have heard the name Greece or Greek very often in our childhood days when we were studying history, it is also not uncommon in Hollywood movies. But recently its getting very hot in the field of Finance and economy. So what's this all about, why countries like UK and US has to fear from the debt crisis which is unfolding at a moon's distance from them. Let us go step by step in getting a grasp of the problem as well as its magnitude. 


What is the problem?

The problem with Greece is its accumulated debt. Debt is not actually bad for countries but not able to repay them is a nasty blow. Greece as we all know, is a very developed economy on the expense of their borrowing.They were until very recently, were able to borrow money from the investors cheaply because markets assume the developed countries are guaranteed to repay their loans with the agreed interest rates at a certain time.  This leads to uncheck borrowing of loans by the government and resulted in huge debt. For repaying that debt they need more money. You see its a vicious circle, they go to the same investors to borrow money again, but due to its high debt and a question mark on its availability to repay the loans, investors are demanding higher interest rates. Higher interest rates means they have to pay back much more money than they have actually borrowed. Now the whole Euro-zone, including some other giant economies are fighting tooth and nail to make Greece repay their loan.


How that will happen?


The center of attraction is a lady and its institution i.e. Christine Lagarde and the IMF. They have agreed on a bailout plan for Greece but on the expense of some draconian Austerity Measures proposed to be implemented in Greece by the Government. The Austerity Measures are nothing but a drastic cut on public expenditure and expenses, increase in taxes, long working hours and more or less no free public services like healthcare and education. In march 2011 EU and IMF has given 130 billion euros to Greece as a bailout package but it turns out that is not enough to rescue an economy like Greece. So they have brought a new plan of 110 billion euros, with more stringent policies and draconian laws to present to Greece which will help them to repay their debt. But guess what, citizens of Greece are divided on whether to accept the plan on its face value and bear the consequences of new policies, which Moody's (a rating agency) describes will take Greece into new lows of economy or reject it. The polls of 17th june will surely decide the matter and if the anti austerity party wins they will go back to IMF and try convince them of less stringent actions. 


What will happen if they don't accept the IMF plans or its austerity measures?


Something has to happen as Nobel laureate Paul Krugman says, Greece will leave the euro within 12 months. If they don't accept the bailout package they will not be able to repay their loans and will technically "default". Then Greece will be forced to opt out of Euro zone and go back to their old currency "Drachma".


What are its implications on Greece?


Well not many in long terms. They will go back to their old currency drachma which will be devalued to a level of 30 to 40 percent. But this does not effect the economy in long terms. Say in 4 - 5 years they will be back on track as their economy thrives on tourism and they have defaulted that means they dont have to pay their loans as well. This scenario as described by many Economists is more viable for Greece than accepting austerity measures which will drive unemployment to a level of 40%. So there is not much for Greece if they choose to default on their loans.


But What will happen to Euro zone?


Here is the catch, By far the biggest losers of any Greek exit would be European taxpayers. That is why they are fighting tooth and nail to make Greece repay them. The Greek central bank owes about 100 billion euros to the other central banks that are members of the euro. If Greece were to default on that debt Germany alone would probably take a hit of about 30 billion. The ECB would surely also take losses on the 56 billion euros of Greek government bonds. Euro-zone members and the International Monetary Fund would also be on the hook if Greece repudiated its bail-out loans. Europe’s disbursed bail-out funds total 161 billion euros, the IMF has lent 22 billion euros. Greece defaulting on their loans will send negative signals to the countries like Spain and Italy which are also under huge foreign debt. A bad scenario will be Spain and Italy defaulting on their loans as well. Greek default will shake the investors nerve and they will surely be unwilling to buy government bonds from other European economies. This will result in an upward spiraling of interest rates and make loans very very costly for governments. Spending will suffer and economies will go into slump or you may call them depression. (Source: The Independent and The Economists)

Borrowing costs in Spain and Italy are rising in response to worries over Greece, frustrating attempts by the Spanish government to reassure investors about the state of its banks. Greece’s crisis has dragged on for two years. Policymakers may now have only weeks, perhaps less, to fix the problem.

To be Continued...........( As the situation progresses)

Review : Snow White and the Huntsman

My rating is B-

***1/2

Snow white and the huntsman is the second movie in two weeks to be based on 19th century fairy tale story. “Mirror Mirror” basically told the story from the perspective of the evil queen. Snow white and the huntsman deal with the more conservative side of the story. Movie is a roller coaster ride of adventure, action and breath-taking visuals.

Snow White (Kirtsen Stewart) is the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen (Charlize Theron) who is out to destroy her. Movie gains the momentum when mirror tells the queen that her beauty is not unrivalled now and she is the second beautiful on the planet. Luckily for the most beautiful, snow white, she manages to break free from the high towers of castle where she has been kept as a prisoner after her father has been dethrone by the evil queen from the crown. Queen hires a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), who is also a widower, to hunt the snow white who ran in the dark forests. Movie lacks pace when huntsman decides to flips his side and guide snow white through the dark forests to a place called “separation”.

But the climax breaks the monotonous pace of otherwise a good movie when snowwhite fight for her throne.

The movie is well directed and cinematography is stunning, some of the visuals are breathtaking. Costume designer has done a great job in outfitting all the characters. Production designer Dominic Watson and Costume designer Colleen Atwood making major statements with their fabulously detailed and rich-looking creations. Performances of all the stars including the dwarves are powerpacked. There is a lack of depth during the scenes when the trip for separation begans.

So this is a film of moments, of arresting visuals, marked seriousness, sometimes surprising imagination and with nothing on its mind, really, except to provide the conventional reassurance of installing a rightful royal on the throne. It's also a film in which you can't help but behold and compare the contrasting beauty of two of the most exceptional-looking women on the screen today, Stewart and Theron. For all those who were looking for Kirsten stewart in a different role would slightly be disappointed because in this movie also she plays somewhat confused, cute teenager who in her time of distress finds two man standing by her to support through.

Movie is worth a watch.

My rating is B-

***1/2

Prostitute Refusing to Play in the Hands of the Pimp

In the midst of already degrading relations of USA and Pakistan comes a bestseller Dr. Shakil Afridi's 33 year imprisonment. Dr. Shakil Afridi was the man who played a central role in the shootout of Osama Bin Laden. He was running a false Hepatitis B vaccination camp just at the walking distance from OBL's honeymoon suite in Abbottabad, to get the DNA of kid's staying in the house and confirm the identity of Bin Laden. He actually was a Doctor.


First things first he was running a fake vaccination camp which is unethical and considering the fact that it was Pakistan where camps are suspiciously looked as some Foreign agenda, it was unpardonable. But hold on a second wasn't he doing a favor to the citizens of the world by playing a part in the OBL diaspora? He was just doing a favor to mankind and wow he got picked up for 33 years imprisonment.

Dr. Shakil Afridi

What's worse, Obama and his security cabinet is being blamed to have dumped its most valuable partner at its fate. USA goes gaga and cuts $33m aid to Pakistan (which should teach them not to mess with Uncle Sam).

Let me walk you guys through all this who are patient enough to have read this far. Dr. Afridi was brought before a secret trial in the Khyber tribal area – no charge sheets, no lawyers, no statements from the defendant or the prosecution, just a measly accusation of conspiracy against the state of Pakistan and "high treason". 

Now suppose, Vladimir Putin sent a KGB/FSB hit squad to USA to murder a former agent called Alexander Litvinenko. For those who are acquainted with Cold war period of "spy games" must have came across the name. Yes, he was murdered by KGB but not in USA but in UK (doesn't matter as in the case of Pakistan and North Korea) and without the help of any citizens of US or UK. And Litvinenko, in real life, was indeed a trusted agent of the Russians, just as Bin Laden was a much-admired servant of the CIA when he was fighting the Russians in Afghanistan.

Now straight to the point, suppose Litvinenko was murdered after being identified by a US national, well respected, practicing doctor. What would Mr. Obama, Cameroon, CIA, FBI, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and the Lord Chief Justice would have done. Accept the bribe from Russia (say $33m like they are offering to Pakistan) to let that citizen of their country to go and receive awards, accolades, a bungalow in posh colony of Moscow, private security guards and an opportunity to start his career all over again. 

No brownie points for guessing, they would have accused that citizen of conspiracy against the states and for "High Treason", would clad him in an iron apparel, staged a hush hush trial (Guantanamo Bay) covered by Official secrets Act and attended by their pet Agents and would have send the fellow to the ghetto barracks of a highly secured and hi tech prison.

In other words, are the Pakistanis being so mean and malicious when they lock up a national who has helped a foreign power murder an exile inside his own country of Pakistan? And, more to the point, wouldn't any other country of the world do the same?

What about that Israeli citizen named  Mordechai Vanunu, who, in opposition to the nuclear weapons that his country was amassing in secret, spoke out to the world about this outrageous threat to international world order and was subsequently kidnapped from Italy by intelligence agents, tried in Israel for "treason" – in secret, of course – and spent 18 years in prison? Now I grant you that's 15 years shorter than poor old Dr Afridi, but Vanunu still lives under grave restrictions to his liberty and has twice been imprisoned again for the heinous crime of chatting to foreign journalists.

My point is that US and UK never spoke about that, against Israel, nor they had cut any annual donation to the state of Israel let alone taking measures against the 40 years old illegal occupation of Gaza and colonization of west bank.

But I suppose in the end, if you're going to prostitute yourself to America – financially and militarily, as Pakistan has done for decades – that's the price you pay. But this time the prostitute has raised the bar, refusing to bow down in front of his pimp. Dr. Afridi is a classic case of "Collateral damage" as the incident of Pakistani soldier being killed by US led NATO forces came into highlight. He gets his foot tangled in a firestorm. The purpose of all this was to send a signal to the Americans’ that we are sticking by our guns, and are willing to raise the stakes’ as high as possible,  Dr. Shakil Afridi is unfortunate to have got caught in the cross-fire.

Be Adventurous, Be Nomadic

So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a mans living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life, you must loose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty. And so, in short, get out from there and hit the road. 

I fear you will follow the same inclination doing bring and needless things in our daily life. And thus fail to discover all the wonderful things that God has placed around us to discover. Dont settle down and sit in one place. Move around, be nomadic, make each day a new horizon. You are still going to live a long time.

We are wrong if we think joy emanates only or principally from human relationships. God has placed it all around us. It is in everything and anything we might experience. We just have to have the courage to turn against our habitual lifestyle and engage in unconventional living.

My point is that you donot need me or anyone else around to bring this new kind of light in your life. It is simply waiting out there for you to grasp it, and all you have to do is reach for it. The only person you are fighting is yourself and your stubbornness to engage in new circumstances.

Put a little camper on the back and start seeing some of the great work that God has done here in the world. Dont hesitate or allow yourself to make excuses. Just get out and do it. You will be very very glad that you did.

Confused,,,,,,,,

Another weekend, another sunday and another day full of boredom. I hate office days but its the weekends which I hate more and its growing with time.Its so dull...

I always wanted to go to a place where nobody knows me. here I am in Bangalore and believe me its really hard to cope with it. to live at a place where you know people but you cannot really call them friends. You don't have anybody to share your crazy dreams that you want to become the richest person or you want to marry Kate Winslet or to share a new PJ about Rajnikant. Its really hard to keep all these to yourself. To live at a place where you dont have anybody to go with, to watch movies, to pass time or just to walk with.

Well its been a long journey in just 8 months of stay in Bangalore. From being a student to a working professional, from bangalore to bengaluru, from being Abdul to some one else whom I also dont understand, lot of the things or I can say my life has completely changed in just few months.

Bangalore has taught me a lot. The city has given me a glimpse of real life. What Amir Khan says in Rang de Basanti "College ke gate ke is taraf hum zindagi ko nachaate hain aur gate ke uss taraf zindage humein" is quite relevant for me. Bangalore has done it for me....

But to be true I never liked Bangalore, not a bit of it. Too much of chaos and haphazardness and me accompanied by myself made a deadly combination of dullness, silence and full of moments when I felt time itself is too bored to do its usual tick tock. One thing I found amazing, the people, they are just by themselves I thnk they live in their own bubble where they dont want any interference from the outside world.

I also loved the moments when after office hours I was just roaming and didn't had any clue where I am going or may be I didn't wanted to know. The moments when the dullness grew on me and I became acquainted with it. I still remember the exact moment when i stared at a candle for more than 2 hours and just blinking 217 times.

These 8 months in bangalore was like "into the wild". I discovered a new me. It had a great impact on my personality. Now i have much more patience and much more quieter than usual. I am very lucky that I have my Sister here. I have someone to talk to...someone is there who scolds, someone who brings me back from my numbness.

I miss those good old days of my school and college. I miss my friends, sometimes tears roll down to my eyes making me appreciate those days. You don't realise the worth of something when you have it with you, but when its gone..... you come to know how precious and important those things were for you.....but now its gone.

My days are passing just like that, I am very confused with my life. Don't have any idea what I am gonna do with it. Steve Jobs said You have to keep looking until you find something which you love and when you will find it you will definitely know this is the thing which u wanted to do. I think my life is taking its course in that way only. Still I have not find something which I love.....But one thing is for sure my future prospects are looking great....and this gives me hope...hope on which i live........