Fall of Dhaka, the True Indian Face

By Tariq Rizwan

India is a worst case of conflict diplomacy and expansionist policy ever since its independence in 1947. Her relations with the neighbors; Pakistan, Siri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and China has remained strained and lacked confidence. The victory of Narendra Modi led BJP has further put the plight of minorities in India at stake. RSS is beyond control which has unveiled the true face of so called largest democracy of the world. It is an open fact that India was behind Bangladesh’s creation in 1971. The creation of Bangladesh is one of the most sensitive and tragic chapters in the history of Pakistan. While the trauma of partition may now be behind us, stories of 1971 still raise hackles among anyone who lived through that era.

December 16, marks the black day of Pakistani history as we lost our eastern wing on this day. No Pakistani can ever forget it when East Pakistan got removed from world map and Bangladesh emerged as a new state. There is a lot still unknown and untold about this saddening tragedy that people should know here are few hidden facts about the “Fall of Dhaka”. The first democratic elections in the history of Pakistan took place in December 1970, in which Sheikh Mujjib’s party Awami Leaque won majority seats of 167 in East against Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples’ Party 88 seats in West. Awami leaque won not a single seat from West Pakistan and PPP met the same fate in East wing.

On 23^rd March Yahiya refused to appoint Mujjib the future Prime Minister rather called all the political leaders on a meeting in Dhaka which was opposed by Sheikh Mujjib. The later insisted to form the government without any negotiations which erupted serious political crisis in the country.

Taking advantage of the prevailing political cracks between the two major political parties, India sparked the worst kind of conspiracy in Eastern Part, followed by military interference, forcing Pakistan’s Army contingents to surrender. The local insurgents were pitched with Pakistani troops resulted in massive killings across Bangladesh. The new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently admitted his country’s role in the breakup of Pakistan his visit to Bangladesh. In reaction, Islamabad called upon the international community to take note of Modi’s admission. In a speech at Dhaka University on 9 June, 2015, Modi not only publicly admitted his country’s role in the fall of Dhaka, then capital of Pakistan’s eastern wing, but also accused Islamabad of spreading terrorism in India. In reaction to Modi’s statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson, Qazi Khalilullah, in a statement, said that “it is regrettable that Indian politicians not only indulge in actions that are in violation of the UN Charter but also take pride in recalling their interference in the internal affairs of other states”. Moreover, it has confirmed Pakistan’s stance on India’s negative role against a sovereign neighbour.

India has a long history of conspiring against her neigbours and religious prejudice against minorities. Hindus give credit to Indira Gandhi who in the late 1970s gave RAW a new role to suit her ‘Indira Doctrine’ specifically asking it to undertake covert operations in neighboring countries, especially Pakistan which comprises majority of Muslims. RAW was given a green signal to mobilize all its resources by exploiting political turmoil in East Pakistan in 1971 which this agency had created through its agents who provided Bengalis with arms and ammunition for conducting guerrilla acts against Pakistan.

In East Pakistan, RAW unleashed a well-organized plan of psychological warfare, polarization among the armed forces, exploiting the linguistic, political and economic disputes, religious sects of East and West Pakistan and controlled media with the aim to malign West Pakistan in Eastern Part of the country. Sheikh Mujjib was already in connivance with India for separation of East Pakistan. Ashoka Raina in his book, ‘Inside RAW: unveils its nefarious aims and objectives. He writes that “Indian intelligence agencies were involved in erstwhile East Pakistan, its operatives were in touch with Sheikh Mujib as the possible ‘Father’ of a new nation-Bangladesh, who went to Agartala in 1965”. The famous Agartala case was unearthed in 1967. In fact, the basic purpose of raising RAW in 1968 was to organize a covert operation in Bangladesh. “Indian army officers and RAW officials used Bengali refugees to set up Mukti Bahini. Using this outfit as a cover, Indian military sneaked deep into East Pakistan…the story of Mukti Bahini and RAW’s role in its creation and training is now well-known.”

 His six points created prejudice among Bengali people especially against West Pakistan. The famous slogan, during his addresses and rallies was, “Punjabi dogs go back.” It was due to Mujib’s instigation that besides Punjabis, Bengalis also tortured and killed Biharis, Pashtoons and Balochis, while their women were raped. A well-known Bengali journalist Sarmila Bose authored a book, “Dead Reckoning: Memories of the 1971 Bangladesh War” after thorough investigation. Her book was published in 2011. While countering exaggeration of the Indian and Bengali Journalists, Bose argues that the number of Bengalis killed in 1971 was not three million, but around 50,000, while Bengalis were equally involved in the bloodshed of non-Bengalis.

India played a negative role in the fall of Dhaka, which culminated in dismemberment of Pakistan. Today, RAW is active again in Balochistan, KPK and our Tribal Belt, giving finances, logistics and weapons to the militants to fight against our Armed Forces but in vain. Pakistan’ s Armed Forces have been able to flush out all the Indian and NDS sponsored groups and portray Pakistan as a moderate and peaceful country in the region. Pakistan has gained tremendous geo strategic importance in the region. Pakistan may play a significant role in the uplift of Asia specially South Asia on modern lines like US and Europe. All the regional and extra regional powers have realized it as witnessed by CPEC and Russia-China network agreements to link to the warm water via Pakistan. India and Iran have no other options but to admit the fact and extend sincere hand of friendship to Pakistan.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in London.

India’s top secret nuclear city

By Sultan M Hali

A threat for global peace

India made a hullabaloo regarding Pakistan’s tactical nuclear weapons, convincing the US to coerce Pakistan to give up its battlefield nukes. After failing in its ploy, India is now trying to psyche Pakistani opinion builders into rejecting the tactical nukes through the false premise that even the smallest so-called tactical nuclear weapon will have strategic consequences. It surmises that this kind of weaponisation will likely result in tens of thousands of dead Pakistanis, rather than Indians. Quoting Christine Fair in ‘Pakistan’s army is building an arsenal of “tiny” nuclear weapons—and it’s going to backfire’: “Simply calling them battlefield nuclear weapons does not obviate this serious problem. If Pakistan should use such weapons on India, there is virtually no chance that India will be left responding alone. The international community will most certainly rally around India. The response to Pakistan breaking a nuclear taboo that formed after the Americans used atomic bombs on Japan will most certainly be swift and devastating.”

The fact is that India’s “Cold Start Doctrine” has been stalemated by Pakistan’s “battlefield nukes” to deter India’s blitzkrieg assaults to prevail over Pakistan.

Simultaneously India is raising the bogey of the number of warheads in Pakistan’s arsenal, claiming that Pakistan has the fastest growing nuclear arsenal, and within the next five to ten years it is likely to double that of India and exceed those of France, the United Kingdom, and China. The equation in nuclear weapons is never matching the number of warheads. The edge is provided by reliable triad of delivery platforms (surface, air and sub-surface) and having a credible second strike capability.

India has also been flogging the dead horse of Dr Khan’s nuclear proliferation case when its own nuclear scientists Dr YSR Prasad and Dr C Surrender Chaudhary, the prime culprits in nuclear proliferation activities to help Iran and North Korea, were put under sanctions by the US State Department on 29th September, 2004, when the State Department took the action under Iran Nonproliferation Act 200o through Public Notice No-4845, notified it in the Federal Register as 69FR 58212 Notice.

The shroud from India’s conspiracy has been lifted by the Centre for Public Integrity (CPI), a non-profit, nonpartisan investigative news organisation in Washington, DC. CPI’s national security managing editor R Jeffrey Smith has contributed to a revealing article titled ‘India Is Building a Top-Secret Nuclear City to Produce Thermonuclear Weapons’, originally published on its website.

CPI’s investigations conclude that India has been secretly developing a top secret construction at Challakere, located in India’s southern Karnataka state since early 2012. Nuclear experts opine that this project will be the subcontinent’s largest military-run complex of nuclear centrifuges, atomic research laboratories, and weapons and aircraft testing facilities when completed by 2017. CPI has firm reasons to believe that the project’s aims are to expand India’s nuclear research, to produce fuel for India’s nuclear reactors, and to help power Indian Navy’s fleet of new submarines.

The investigations reveal a more sinister aim which has been confirmed by retired Indian government officials and independent experts in London and Washington i.e., to give India an extra stockpile of enriched uranium fuel that could be used in new hydrogen bombs, also known as thermonuclear weapons, substantially increasing the explosive force of those in its existing nuclear arsenal.

New Delhi has never published a detailed account of its nuclear munitions which it first developed in 1974, and there has been little public notice outside India about the construction at Challakere and its strategic implications.

According to CPI’s sleuths, western analysts, speaking on condition of anonymity, reveal that preparation for this enrichment effort has been underway for four years at a second top secret site known as the Rare Materials Plant, 160 miles to the south of Challakere, near the city of Mysore. Satellite photos of that facility from 2014 have revealed the existence of a new nuclear enrichment complex that is already feeding India’s weapons programme and, some Western analysts maintain, laying the groundwork for a more ambitious thermonuclear weapons project. It is effectively a test bed for Challakere, they say, a proving ground for technology and a place where technicians can practice producing the highly enriched uranium the military would need.

Robert Kelley, who served as the director of the Iraq Action Team at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from 1992-1993 and 2001-2005, is a former project leader for nuclear intelligence at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. CPI quotes him that after analysing the available satellite imagery, as well as studying open source material on both sites, he opines that India is pursuing a larger thermonuclear arsenal. Its development, he warned, “will inevitably usher in a new nuclear arms race” in a volatile region. Interestingly, India’s scientists claimed to have detonated a thermonuclear weapon in 1998. But the test site preparations director at the time, K Santhanam, said in 2009 that it was a “fizzle”, and canvassed for India retesting its thermonuclear weapon capability.

Western sources monitoring details about how India’s weapons are stored, transported, and protected, and how the radiological and fissile material that fuels them is guarded and warehoused, and the chain of custody, conclude that they remain rudimentary.

American analysts like Bruce Riedel et-al have been surreptitiously raising the spectre of miscreants snatching and grabbing Pakistan’s nukes and endangering the world by threatening to detonate the weapons. Yet after examining nuclear security practices in 25 countries with “weapons-usable nuclear materials”, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), a non-profit organisation headquartered in Washington, in January 2014 ranked India’s nuclear security practices 23rd, above only Iran and North Korea, way below Pakistan. An NTI analyst who asked to remain unnamed told CPI that India’s score stemmed in part from the country’s opacity and “obfuscation on nuclear regulation and security issues”.

The Occident will have to refrain from treating India as a major market for its weapons and nuclear reactors or looking the other way at its transgression with the aim of creating India as a bulwark against China lest India becomes a Frankenstein’s monster for the rest of the world with its “top secret” nuke establishments.

The article was originally published in Pakistan Today on 24 December 2015.

India’s Orchestrated Boat Drama Revisited

By Sajjad Shaukat

On December 31, 2014, Indian agencies orchestrated a terror boat drama to defame Pakistan in the world. In this respect, Indian media and high officials unfolded the drama on the New Year’s eve by allegedly reporting that a Pakistani fishing boat as a Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was intercepted by Indian Coast Guards, some 356 km. off the coast of Porebandar, Gujarat. Taking a new twist which overturned Indian aspersions in accusing Pakistan, the Indian government had claimed that it had foiled another 26/11-type attack of Mumbai.

As per Indian Coast Guard IG, K R Nautiyal, an operation was undertaken on a precise intelligence tip and boat was ordered to stop, but it did not comply and sped away. Propagating that Pakistani terrorists had been apprehended by the Indian Coast Guard on the high seas and, after a long chase, when warning shots had been fired, the ‘terrorists’ had blown themselves up.

Indian Coast Guard officials stated that no body or debris was found due to bad weather. Moreover, it was also stated that search was on for another boat which they fear was in communication with the capsized boat.

The Pakistani media said that the Indian media was playing up the incident without establishing proper links to terrorism. The incident was strongly rejected by Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam, terming it as mere propaganda aimed at tarnishing Pakistan’s image. She elaborated, “Pakistan expects India to conduct a transparent probe to ascertain the facts of the boat incident, while highlighting that its own investigation had shown that there was no sound evidence to substantiate India’s assertions. On the so called terror boat incident, India has not approached Pakistan through diplomatic channels.”

However, the boat incident had also stirred a controversy within India itself. Indian National Congress had stated that it has doubts on government’s version of Porebandar incident. The BJP in response had stated that Congress was lending credence to Pakistani stance. In this regard, hitting at Congress, BJP President Amit Shah asked the opposition party, whether it was fighting elections in India or Pakistan.

It is notable that 48 hours after the incident, the Indian officials had started portraying another version by suggesting that the boat which had left Keti Bandar, Karachi might have belonged to small time smugglers.

And it was not possible that 30 HP boat could run four state of the art Indian Coast Guard ships. The media clips showed only fire damage to the boat, whereas, in case of an explosion, as suggested by the Indians, complete boat which was small in size, would have torn to pieces.

Indian officials said that wreckage and dead bodies could not be recovered due to bad weather, whereas, open source met data forecasted fair weather. The argument is supplemented by the fact that small boats do not operate in deep open waters unless weather is clear.

Meanwhile, despite the insistence of Islamabad, no solid proof was provided by Indian authorities about the incident, and no inquiry reports was shared with local and international media. Hence, Pakistan launched strong diplomatic protest at UNO, demanding impartial inquiry which could expose Indian fabricated story regarding the Boat episode.

Nevertheless, we cannot see the event in isolation. The aim of that stereotype Indian orchestrated boat drama was to create an aura against Pakistan prior to US President Barrack Obama’s visit (25-27 Jan. 2015) to India and put pressure on Pakistan government on Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi’s bail issue and allege LeT as an organization, posing regional threats. Prior to Obama’s visit, Indian propaganda was also part of overall plan to malign Pakistan of sponsoring terrorist activities in India. New Delhi, for the last few months, was propagating conduct of terrorist activities by LeT inside India.

India had also been projecting the possibility of a terrorist attack coinciding with Obama’s visit or targeting the dignitary. In this context, Indian secret agency, RAW, Intelligence Bureau and other intelligence agencies had been issuing threat alert almost on daily basis. The issuance of such alerts by New Delhi reflected the concerns of the US and the West regarding the prevailing law and order and security situation in India—being deteriorated by the Hindu terrorism which has been encouraged by BJP hardliner Narendra Modi who got a land sliding triumph in the Indian elections 2014 and has become the prime minister of India. Hindu majority was mobilized on anti-Pakistan and anti-Muslim slogans. Therefore, he is fulfilling the agenda of Hinduvta (Hindu nationalism).

In fact, Hindu politics and culture are dominated by the fundamentalist parties such as BJP, RSS, VHP, Shiv Sena and other similar groups which have been propagating Hindutva. Provocative utterances of their extremist leaders have resulted into unending violence against the Muslim and Christians including other minority groups, while, India is also facing insurgency and terrorism in its various regions.

It is mentionable that on January 20, 2013, Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde confessed the nexus between BJP and the RSS, disclosing that organized training camps run by these fundamentalist parties were promoting Hindu terrorism. They also disclosed that these parties were behind the Samjhauta Express, Meccca Masjid and Malegaon blasts including Gujarat and Babri Masjid incidents. Earlier, New Delhi was accusing Pakistan’s primary intelligence agency, ISI for blasts in Malegaon and other cities.

It is noteworthy that on December 13, 2001, Indian parliament was attacked by five terrorists. Without any evidence, Indian top officials and TV channels started a blame game against Pakistan by involving the banned Lashkar-e-Tayba and ISI in relation to the Parliament assault.

While, regarding the November 26 Mumbai terror attacks, Indian rulers and media had again started a blame game against Pakistan, propagating that Indian Mujahideen, the banned Lashkar-e-Tayba and ISI were behind the Mumbai carnage.

Availing the pretext of the parliament attack and Mumbai catastrophe, New Delhi had, twice, suspended the process of dialogue with Islamabad in wake of its highly provocative actions like mobilization of troops. Pakistan had also taken defensive steps to meet any Indian prospective aggression or surgical strikes. But, India failed in implementing its aggressive plans, because Pakistan also possesses atomic weapons.

It is of particular attention that on July 19, 2013, the Indian former home ministry and ex-investigating officer Satish Verma revealed that terror-attacks in Mumbai in November 26, 2008 and assault on Indian Parliament in January 12, 2001 were carried out by the Indian government to strengthen anti-terrorism laws. It proved that both the dramas were also orchestrated by the Indian intelligence agencies.

Renowned thinkers, Hobbes, Machiavelli and Morgenthau opine that sometimes, rulers act upon immoral activities like deceit, fraud and falsehood to fulfill their countries’ selfish aims. But such a sinister politics was replaced by new trends such as fair-dealings, reconciliation and economic development. Regrettably, India is still following past politics in modern era.

Nonetheless, as part of anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan move, BJP-led government which is continuously manipulating the double standard of the US-led Western countries in relation to New Delhi and Islamabad had orchestrated the boat drama to defame Pakistan prior to Obama’s Indian visit.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Quaid-e-Azam Day-Soft Image of Pakistan

By Sajjad Shaukat

Besides Christmas, every year, on December 25, Pakistanis celebrate Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s birth anniversary with every possible way of showing reverence to their country’s founder. It is called the Quaid-e-Azam Day. Jinnah was born on December 25, 1876 and founded Pakistan in 1947. On this very day, seminars, debates and programmes are held to remember the services of the founder of the nation.

Although various programmes are held about the personality, vision and the hard work of this great leader who struggled a lot to get a separate homeland for the Muslims of the Sub-continent, yet the best way to celebrate Quaid-e-Azam Day is to promote the soft image of Pakistan, as envisaged by the founder of the country.

This very day has come at a time when Pakistan is facing multiple threats of grave nature internally and externally, which are not only worrying all the citizens, but are also creating divisions among the federal and provincial governments including political parties. This drastic situation is distorting Pakistan’s image abroad.

While, it was due to the selfless practical unity among the Muslims under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam that Pakistan became a tangible reality, on August 14, 1947. But that unity started declining after passing through various crises, and the result was separation of East Pakistan in 1971, as India manipulated differences between East Pakistan and the West Pakistan.

However, Pakistan’s security forces have been facing a different war against the enemy which employs subversive activities of various kinds which also include internal and external challenges. Pakistan is in the state of new war, being waged by the Armed Forces and intelligence agencies against terrorists. In this regard, our Armed Forces have successfully obtained their objectives in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) including other tribal agencies through military operation Zarb-e-Azb against the terrorists who had challenged the writ of the state, and had frightened the entire nation by their terror-acts. In Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi and other parts of the country including FATA our security forces and law-enforcing agencies have restored peace, after coping with the militants, foreign agents and criminals.

Externally, Pak Army and Rangers have boldly been responding to India’s unprovoked firing at the Line of Control in Kashmir including Working Boundary in Sialkot and other sectors. While, the fundamentalist party BJP led by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is implementing anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan agenda. They leave no stone unturned in distorting Pakistan’s image.

Unfortunately, it is because of lack of unity among our politicians, leaders and media that foreign opportunists have been manipulating the chaotic situation of Pakistan in order to fulfill their secret agenda by destabilizing the country which is the only nuclear country in the Islamic World. In the past few years, nefarious designs of some foreign secret agencies like Indian RAW and Israeli Mossad can be gauged from a number of anti-Pakistan developments such as their support to insurgency in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, separatism in Balochistan and targeted killings especially in Karachi.

In case of Pakistan’s war against terrorism, while emphasizing on national unity, Chief of Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif has repeatedly stated, “We will continue to go after the inhuman beasts, their facilitators till their final elimination.”

Recently, Gen. Raheel Sharif stated, “Terrorists have been cleared from their strongholds in North Waziristan Agency and Khyber Agency, and fight now is moving into last few pockets close to Afghan border.” He laid emphasis on “continuation of the operations till elimination of the last expected and probable terrorists groups and sanctuaries.”   Now, a majority of the Internally Displaced Persons has returned to their native lands.

Nevertheless, although Quaid-e-Azam supported the Two Nation Theory which was basis of the Ideology of Pakistan, yet some hostile elements misinterpret it including the vision of Jinnah. In fact, Mohammad Ali Jinnah who was against every sort of extremism, had favoured a moderate Pakistan where other religious communities and minorities would also live without any restriction, along with the Muslims.

It may be recalled that August 11 was official declared National Minorities Day by the former government in 2009 in line with the historic speech of founder of the nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah at the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947. In his speech, Quaid-e-Azam said, “You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the state.”

In the same speech, Quaid-e-Azam said, “We are starting in the days where there is no discrimination, no distinction between one community and another, no discrimination between ones caste or creed and another. We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens, and equal citizens of one state.”

It is mentionable that in accordance with the vision of Quaid-e-Azam, the Constitution of 1973 protects the real rights and interest of minorities, living in Pakistan.

While, India which claims an arch secular state has surprised the world because of continued attacks on other minority groups, especially Christians, Muslims and Sikhs—and events of forced conversion of Christians and Muslims into Hindus.

Unlike India, where religious minorities are being targeted by the Hindu fundamentalist outfits like the ruling party BJP, RSS, Shiv Sena etc., all the minorities such as Christians, Ahmadis, Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis and Buddhists enjoy fundamental rights in Pakistan, including all other rights of citizenry in Pakistan.

It is noteworthy that the founder of the country had strongly supported the idea of peace in the world as well as with other countries. In this respect on August 15, 1947 Quaid-e-Azam stated, “Our object should be peace within, and peace without. We want to live peacefully and maintain cordial friendly relations with our immediate neighbours and with the world at large.”

Regarding the status of women, Mohammad Ali Jinnah pointed out on March 25, 1940 at Islamia College for women, “No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you; we are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up within the four walls of the houses as prisoners. There is no sanction anywhere for the deplorable condition in which our women have to live.”

In accordance with Quaid-e-Azam’s vision, now, Pakistani women are not only working in various public and private sectors, but also in the armed forces of the country.

Notably, Pakistan which came into existence on the basis of Islamic principles to provide respect and protection to all the segments of society is giving full safety to all the minorities as mentioned in the Constitution. Besides other minority groups, particularly Christians are not only serving in the armed forces, but are also working in other departments. Without any discrimination by the Muslims, they also run their own business and are working in private sectors.

Nonetheless, while commemorating the Quaid-e-Azam Day, let us use this opportunity not only to bring ourselves closer to each other by displaying selfless unity, but also to promote soft image of Pakistan in order to castigate the conspiracy of our external enemies.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com

Need for Genuine Interfaith Dialogue

By Sajjad Shaukat

During a visit to Italy’s largest military cemetery of World War I, on November 14, expressing his grief over the November 13 terror attacks in Paris, Pope Francis called them a “piece of a piecemeal World War III…war is madness…even today…fought with crimes, massacres, destruction.”

On September 25, this year, at the UN General Assembly, while indicating the unjust global order, Pope Francis, condemned the global financial institutions, calling on them to ensure that countries “are not subjected to oppressive lending systems which, far from promoting progress, subject people to mechanisms which generate greater poverty, exclusion and dependence.”

Earlier, addressing the US Congress, Pope Francis said, “No religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism…we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism. A delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system…every life is sacred.”

Taking note of America’s non-acceptance of the Syrian refugees, Francis reminded the law-makers by pointing out that the United States “is part of a larger whole one America in the Americas, where immigration is a deeply rooted part of history…we, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners.”

Pope Francis also warned of globalization, and said, “Keep in mind all those people around us who are trapped in a cycle of poverty.” He emphasized upon the need of “creation and distribution of wealth.”

While calling for an end to the arms trade by the arms dealers, Francis explained, “Deadly weapons…for money are being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society…money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood.”

He further added, “If politics must truly be at the service of the human person, it follows that it cannot be a slave to the economy and finance.”

However, owing to his religious status, Pope Francis did not openly elaborate his views. In other worlds, he indicated the double games, secret strategies of the rulers, politicians, their collaboration with the arms dealers, creation of a crisis, exploitation of peoples’ feelings etc., and manipulation of the Syrian war at a critical time when the brutalities, committed by the Islamic State group (ISIS) are being blamed by the US-led western entities on the religion of Islam and Muslims. But, the Pope has clarified that it is not in Islam only, such extremism or fundamentalism can infect any faith like Judaism, Christianity and Hinduism which contain extremists who commit crimes in the name of their faith.

In this regard, the double games and secret strategies in relation to the interfaith dialogue needs appropriate analysis.

Just after the September 11 tragedy inside the United States, chauvinism and extremism developed not only in Americans, but also in the media and high officials of the Bush Administration. President Bush used the words, “crusade against the evil-doers”, adding to the perception that the ongoing ‘different war’ against terrorism is actually a war against the Muslim countries.

Brushing aside the Israeli atrocities on the Palestinians, American unity was projected with such force as to allow no questioning of the US policy. Under the cover of the 9/11 catastrophe, preplanned strategy of the neo-conservatives started a fake global war on terror. For the purpose, Israel was given a free in the occupied territories of the Palestine, where every sort of state terrorism was practiced on the innocent persons. Besides, various anti-Muslim developments such as employment of coercive diplomacy, occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq, employment of state terrorism by special military operations, extra-judicial assassinations and heavy aerial bombardment, CIA-FBI-military torture cells, Guantanamo Bay, Abu Graib, sectarian violence (And division on Shia-Sunni basis) etc. resulted into the killing of more than two million Muslims.

President Obama has also continued the same dual strategy. Apart from air strikes on funerals, marriage-ceremonies and mosques in Afghanistan, overthrow of the elected government in Egypt, creation of more collapsed states such as Libya, Syria, Yemen etc., CIA support to the mercenaries and ISIS terrorists, including Al-Qaeda’s Al-Nusra Front in fighting against the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iraqi regime are part of the covert policy of the neo-conservatives to fulfill the unfinished agenda of the Zionists and Israel.

Meanwhile, taking cognizance of the growing threat of terrorism which had been dividing the western and Islamic nations on cultural and religious lines, both President Bush and President Obama orchestrated the drama of interfaith dialogue in wake of phony global war on terror. In this respect, with official backing, many conferences were held in America and Europe, and various countries in which scholars from Islamic states and other western countries also participated with a view to creating cultural understanding among major religious communities. In this connection, a four day conference of Muslim and Christian intellectuals held on August 1, 2008 at the Yale University Divinity School of America for promoting interfaith dialogue, but ended without discussing any issue of religious fundamentalism in relation to state terrorism. Another conference of Muslims, Christians and Jews was held in July, 2008 at Madrid, arranged by the efforts of Saudi King Abdullah. Afterwards, these meetings continued from time to time. However, on the one side, behind the interfaith dialogue, the main aim of Bush and Obama was to pacify the Muslims, Americans and western public, while, on the other to continue the Israel-led state terrorism of America and the US allies on the Muslims.

Despite the so-called interfaith dialogue, blasphemous acts like reprinting of the caricatures about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and release of a Dutch film against the Holy Quran and the burning of a copy of the Holy Quran by Pastor Wayne Sapp in a Florida church continued by Zionist plotters against the Christians, Americans Muslims and the peace-loving Jews.

But, the US and Israeli frustration by the recent developments such as Russian airstrikes on the ISIS targets in the northern Syria, its coalition with Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon-based Hezbollah in support of President Assad culminated in terror attacks in Paris which were also part of the Zionist conspiracy against the Muslims, Christians and loyal Americans—the west and particularly Europe.

In the post-Paris attacks phenomena, the US succeeded in getting the assistance of its western allies against Russia. Now, as part of the ambivalent approach, American jet fighters and those of its western coalition are targeting the ISIS terrorists in Iraq and Syria. But, there is also danger of nuclear war or what the pope Francis warned of World War III in wake of anti-Muslim statements of irresponsible politicians and Zionist-controlled media.

In this context, scholars of international affairs agree that “foreign affairs are too foreign” to the citizens of a country. Renowned scholar Prof. Hoslti opines that “issues and situations” have “influence on public opinion” which in turn “influences the objectives and actions.”  

In fact, fault can not be laid on the ordinary citizens who are swayed by emotions, stereotypes and prejudices created by the political leaders who keep on manipulating any crisis for their own self-interests with the sole aim of getting their sympathies to increase their vote bank. There are equal strong pressures from religious and nationalist forces in wake of global war on terror which is dividing the world on religious lines.

Like the drastic aftermath of 9/11 tragedy, rulers and politicians of the US-led western countries, especially of Europe are again misguiding their general public by creating chauvinism against the Muslim World by exploiting the critical situation, after the Paris disaster and the shooting at San Bernardino, California. In one way or the other, the Muslims are being persecuted in the US and other western countries, particularly in Europe.

Anti-Islamic policy of their politicians could be judged from the statement of US Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump who recently called for a ban on Muslims, entering the United States in response to the San Bernardino shooting. He stated, “We have no choice…more Sept. 11-style attacks if stern measures are not taken.”

Nevertheless, instead of projecting the so-called threat of Islamophobia which is rapidly dividing the world on religious lines, the US-led western governments must conduct genuine interfaith dialogue among Muslims, Christians, Hindus and non-Zionists Jews.

For the purpose, first of all, by discarding the clandestine strategies of the past theorists like Hobbes, Machiavelli, Morgenthau and Kissinger, leaders of the major powers should resolve the Syrian crisis through negotiations (Or through points agreed upon in the recent Geneva meeting). Then, under the auspices of the UN, a broader alliance of all the stakeholders must be concluded to fight against the ISIS terrorists. And especially, the US must abandon its double game regarding ISIS and Syria.

For the success of interfaith dialogue, some American and western political leaders should stop irresponsible statements by equating the war on terror with war on Islam, and acts of Al Qaeda and ISIS with all the Muslims. Their media should also be brought under control through appropriate legislation or law, as freedom of expression does not mean the introduction of dangerous socio-religious dimension in their societies by dividing world politics on cultural and religious lines with the negative projection of Islam which is a religion of peace, and prohibits any kind of terrorism like other religions.

Moreover, responsibility also lies on the rulers of the Muslim countries including opposition parties and media to refrain from manipulation of the present chaotic situation.  

Furthermore, it is suggested to all Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists who use social media or Internet for controversial debate, must share it for creating religious harmony which is essential for world peace, their economic development and prosperity. On the occasion of this Christmas, they must pledge selfless global unity in their messages.

Returning to our earlier discussion, instead of the orchestrated drama of the past, there is an immediate need to conduct the genuine interfaith dialogue, before the world enters into a major war of “all against all” in the sense of Hobbesian state of nature.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic_pak@hotmail.com

Courtesy Veterans Today

CIA: For Whose Protection?

By Sajjad Shaukat

No doubt, every country has a superior intelligence agency to protect the national interest of the state. It keeps a vigilant eye on the internal and external threats.  Even by playing a double game, it thwarts the anti-state subversion through various means.

Quite contrarily, from the very beginning, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been protecting the interests of the Zionist Jews and Israel at the cost of the Islamic World and even patriot Americans.

The doctrine of the CIA is based on roguish tactics which are employed in the target countries through its invisible warriors and paid agents—NGOs. The agency is also in collaboration with the Israeli secret agency Mossad and Indian RAW. Besides the western countries, CIA agents are present in all the Islamic countries and have been implementing various tactics of psychological warfare which includes vile propaganda, disinformation, political dissent, arrangement of military rebellions, overthrow of regimes, incitement of uprising, creation of ethnic divisions, sectarian violence (And division), assassination of political leaders and renowned persons—criminal elements to foment subversion to weaken the Muslim states in consonance with the Israel-led American policies. However, application of these designs varies from country to country.

In this regard, military coup against Indonesian President Sukarno and afterwards his assassination might be cited as instance. When the US former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had threatened to occupy the oil installations of Saudi Arabia, in response, Saudi King Shah Faisal also warned to stop oil supply to America. As a result, King Faisal was killed by his own nephew who was clandestinely supported by the CIA.

From the very beginning, the CIA kept eye on the nuclear programme of Pakistan, which was taken as a threat to both Israel and India. In this context, in an interview to a private TV channel on April 4, 2010, the former deputy chief of the US mission in Islamabad Gerald Feuerstein revealed, “He was a witness to the meeting between former premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger in Lahore in August 1976…Kissinger came with a carrot and stick…since US elections were near and the Democrats were set to win them and wanted a tougher non-proliferation approach and might make Pakistan an example…Bhutto rejected the warning to disband Pakistan’s nuclear programme.”

Afterwards, Bhutto’s government was toppled in 1977 by a CIA-backed coup of Chief of Army Staff Gen. Zia-ul-Haq who hanged him through the court, which is considered a judicial murder in Pakistan. Besides Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, her daughter and the ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto was also martyred by CIA operatives through Al Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

After the September 11 tragedy in the US, almost all the Muslim countries joined the Bush’s fake global war on terror, and they became the target of the CIA covert wars. In this respect, in words, President Bush repeatedly said that his ‘different war’, is not against the Muslim countries. But, in practice, only Islamic countries were targeted in the pretext of terrorism or Al Qaeda which, itself, was created by the CIA, and became a scapegoat of American secret activities to obtain the goals of Zionists and Israel.

Being the only nuclear power in the Muslim World, Pakistan has been coping with the CIA roguish tricks. In 2009, Pakistan’s media had pointed out the US notorious private security firm—Blackwater in the country with a new name as Xe Services. As part of the US espionage network, hundreds of the CIA agents and those of the Blackwater entered Pakistan under the guise of diplomats. They started conducting anti-Pakistan activities by their affiliated militants including their Pakistani agents. Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) castigated the anti-Pakistan activities of the Blackwater and CIA. It compelled America to roll back the network of Blackwater and reduce the number of diplomats.

It is notable that in connivance with the Zionist-controlled media, CIA launched a propaganda campaign that Osama Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda were behind the 9/11 catastrophe. Despite Bin Laden’s denial, Afghanistan was occupied by the US and NATO, as propaganda was so strong that even, America’s western allies were impressed.

Similarly, before the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a deliberate disinformation campaign was launched by the CIA all over the world that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destructions (WMDs). In that respect, a self-fabricated report was prepared. Afterwards, Iraq was attacked and occupied by the Anglo-American forces, but no WMDs were found.

John Stockwell, ex-CIA Station Chief in Angola in 1976, who also worked for the director of the CIA under George Bush (Senior) and spent 13 years in the agency, confirmed the US Central Intelligence Agency’s expanding operations in a report. Stockwell’s report indicated that since the 2006 US-led Ethiopian invasion of Somalia, “the CIA maintains a growing security complex in the country, located right behind Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport. The complex contains over a dozen buildings as well as several metal hangars, which house CIA aircraft.” Another report by United Press International claims, “The CIA complex contains a prison for the suspected militants who are routinely interrogated and tortured by the members of a Mogadishu-based CIA team.”

As regards the CIA role to exploit the Iranian election protests in 2009, its programme involved playing the media as well as having secret agents on the ground in Iran. In this connection, in May 2007, ABC News reported that the CIA had received secret presidential (Bush) approval to mount a covert “black” operation to destabilize Iranian government.

Starting from Iran, protests and armed clashes inspired by the CIA resulted into revolt in Tunisia, expanding uprising and demonstrations to Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, Yemen, Lebanon, Bahrain, Syria and Libya.

On March 31, 2011, the Guardian revealed that the President Obama had signed a secret order authorizing covert help to arm Libyan rebels. On May 20, 2011, The Guardian indicated, “US President Obama placed Washington on the side of popular uprisings not only in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya but also in Syria and Bahrain—a longtime American ally.” It wrote, “President unveils shift in US policy towards Arab countries—tells Syria’s Assad to get out of way.”

On March 2, 2011, Yemen’s President Saleh, describing the role of CIA and Israeli Mossad, disclosed, “I am going to reveal a secret…there is an operations room in Tel Aviv run by the White House with the aim of destabilizing the Arab world.” Saleh also said, “Opposition figures meet regularly with the US ambassador in Sanaa.”

Nevertheless, in line with the Obama’s strategy, CIA agents succeeded in ousting Tunisian President Ben Ali, Egyptian Mubarak (a close ally of the US) and Libyan President Col. Gaddafi, toppling the elected government in Egypt as part of the policy of the regime change in accordance with the Israeli agenda.  

It is mentionable that Iran’s peaceful nuclear programme for energy purposes was taken as a threat to Tel Aviv. Hence, Tehran’s atomic move was exaggerated by the CIA and Zionist agents. Although Iranian nuclear issue has been settled in the recent past through a deal with the US, yet Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu calls it American historical blunder. In fact, Tehran’s support to Hezbollah which also defeated Israel in 2006 and Iranian-Syrian joint stand for Palestinian cause irritate Israel.

While, America claims itself champion of human rights. Both Bush and Obama are responsible for the illegitimate killing of innocent persons in Pakistan and some African countries by allowing the CIA-operated drone attacks. Since 9/11, the US-led troops, supported by CIA have carried out indiscriminate mass round-ups in catching up suspected Muslim men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq including some Arab countries without evidence. Israeli Mossad has helped the CIA officials in arresting the Muslim men, having beard and ladies, wearing scarves.  

Notably, in March, 2013, an investigative report by the British Guardian/BBC pointed out that acting under the direction of the top US officials; the CIA utilized a global network of secret prisons, foreign intelligence agents and torture centers in various Islamic countries including Belgium etc. where torture was conducted directly by American intelligence operatives. The report which also mentioned Bagram and Guantanamo, links US high officials to atrocities carried out in Iraq—unleashed a deadly sectarian militia which terrorized the Sunni community and germinated a civil war, and claimed tens of thousands of lives. And Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison was another example of CIA terrorism.

In this regard, besides encouragement of Israeli brutal tactics on the Palestinians, CIA conducted Shia-Sunni violence in Iraq and Pakistan. Now, terror-attacks on sectarian lines could also be noted in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. While, CIA which also formed ISIS (Daesh) is also utilizing its militants in creating and manipulating Shia-Sunni divide among the Islamic countries as noted in case of Yemen, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

President Obama’s dual policy franchised both Al-Qaeda and ISIS to advance the agenda of the Zionists, Israeli lobbies and the neoconservatives. Covertly, Obama authorized CIA to create ISIS. Some recent developments such as CIA-assistance to Al-Qaeda (Al-Nusra Front) and ISIS terrorists in fighting against the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and against the Iraqi regime, and smuggling of oil by the ISIS (Kurd-controlled regions) to the European countries,  America’s frustration over Russian successful airstrikes on the ISIS strongholds in the northern Syria, its coalition with Iran, Iraq, Syria and Hezbollah in support of President Assad has clearly exposed the covert aims of the US phony global war on terror. Therefore, CIA and Mossad used ISIS terrorists to conduct the November 13 terror attacks in Paris. These agencies were also behind the shooting in San Bernardino, California on December 2, which left 14 people dead.

Thus, by re-producing anti-Muslim phenomena of the 9/11 tragedy like the propaganda of the so-called threat of Islamophobia, persecution of the Muslims in the US and other western countries etc., CIA has succeeded in its designs. The US has got the assistance of its western allies (NATO) against Russia. It has also deviated from its previous stand that Assad will remain in power and future of Syria will be decided by its people. Some unexpected developments like Turkey-Russian tension, increase of Russian military in Syria, dispatch of American Special Forces in Syria, participation of the UK, movements of France’s troops and naval units near the Syrian border, similar move by German troops in the Syria-Iraq battlefield, Turkey’s deployment of larger military units close to the Syrian border (And inside Iraq), acceleration of their airstrikes on ISIS etc. show that instead of a broader coalition (Including Russia), the west has chosen the US-led anti-ISIS alliance either to oust Assad or to kill him like the Libyan President Col. Gaddafi, after throwing the country into endless anarchy. Another scenario is that proxy war may prolong in Syria. But, US-led alliance will try to occupy the Syrian oil installations.

It is of particular attention that in June 12, 2015 The Washington Post wrote, “Key lawmakers have moved to slash funding of a secret CIA operation to train and arm rebels in Syria…as 20 percent of the classified funds flowing into a CIA program that U.S. officials said has become one the agency’s largest covert operations, with a budget approaching $1 billion a year…the measure has provoked concern among CIA and White House officials, who warned that pulling money out of the CIA effort could weaken U.S.-backed insurgents. The White House declined to comment…U.S. officials said the CIA has trained and equipped nearly 10,000 fighters sent into Syria over the past several years.”

At present, in the US where the presidential election-campaign has started, ordinary Americans are focusing on internal problems such as financial crisis, cost of war etc. which are the result of prolonged war on terror. Patriot Americans are openly criticizing the Zionist-protected policies of the US, putting questions that they are paying taxes to the CIA and military establishment (Their huge budgets) which are fighting useless proxy wars in the world for the sake of Israel.

However, in wake of the present drastic scenario, some analysts warn of global war between the US-led alliance and the Russia-led coalition, while some are predicting about world war 111 or nuclear war, and some are talking about “Clash of Civilizations” in the sense of Huntington.

Nonetheless, such a dangerous situation will destroy the entire world or is likely to throw it in an era of civil war, enveloping Israel itself. Question remains that for whose protection CIA has been waging secret battles.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

Email: sajjad_logic_pak@hotmail.com

Courtesy Veterans Today