Waking from its sleep.

Waking from its sleep.

Your 14-page special report on the Arab world ( The Economist, July 25/31,2009) sums up the dilemma of the Middle East. It has the means (money) but it does not know how to enhance its human resources development – freedom of thought and expression, promotion of innovation and enterprise which the Arab world had centuries ago. Life expectancy has increased, literacy has gone up, educational and medical facilities have multiplied. The miniscule number of patents of the top five countries in contrast to the large number of the South Korea and Israel illustrates the scientific and industrial gap. Islam, a religion which spread far and wide, with the banner fraternity should have been the natural foundation for democracy but has aligned itself with the unbridled rule of dictators and kings. As Mona Eltahawy, an Egyptian columnist has observed, Israel is 'the opium of the Arabs' and is also an excuse for the suppression of dissent. The oil money has enabled rulers to give sops to the people and buy allegiance. This does not befit a proud civilization.

Of course, change has to come from within. The majority of Arabs are young, educated and exposed to TV and internet and this may stir a new awakening for freedom and democracy. As you have noted al-Jazeera television has attracted attention of the people with its fair reporting of the Arab world. There may be a 'fever under the surface', however, it may require some support ( not a war ) from the democratic countries for a democratic transformation in the Middle East. The world has to bear even if democracy throws up some fundamentalist party for the time being. In addition to this, the Arab intellectuals have to find the democratic and pluralistic roots of Islam to fight the fundamentalist interpretation of Koran which may lead to the clash of civilization. Only this reformation can bring about a renaissance in Islam and allow the Arab and other civilizations to flower and flourish.

July 29,2009.

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Posted By M.D.Kini to Sense, Non-Sense and Common Sense at 7/30/2009 12:46:00 AM

India is a responsible power.

India is a responsible power.

 

While James Lamont (July 16) has highlighted the economic and political shortcomings of India to be a superpower, Strobe Talbot (July 17), a nuclear-fundamentalist, is eager to stop and if possible reverse, fledgling nuclear weapons' programme of India which is purely defensive as it is surrounded by two nuclear powers who have fought wars with it.

Lamont mentions corruption, weak public institutions, supine media ( almost all media in USA/UK supported Iraq War), rising inequality in India. Without disputing the need to overcome them, one has to ask the question , are there any major powers without them ? 

 

When UN was founded China was given a seat in the Security Council to reflect the importance of the Chinese Civilization and its population, not its economic and political power. India was denied that privilege, thanks to Winston Churchill, veteran imperialist, who did not like to preside over the liquidation of the British Empire. India's ancient civilization and its population were of no concern to the Allied Powers though thousands of Indian soldiers fought and died for them. India's consistent support to the ideals of UNO and its contribution to the peace-keeping UN force have also not made much difference to the five permanent members of the SC.

 

India is guided by its ancient civilization, culture and philosophy which are expressed in the concept of  Dharma  ( rule of law;  that which sustains society/world ;ends do not justify means etc.) acceptance of and respect for diversity and  freedom of thought which are necessary for peace and prosperity of the world. It always cherished the ideal of vasudaiva kutumbakam ( world is a family) from times immemorial. By denying India its rightful place in the Security Council, the UNO and the Security Council would be denying themselves the wise counsel of an ancient civilization.

 

USA, which over-looked the clandestine atomic weapon manufacturing activities of Dr.A.Q.Khan of Pakistan, and his proliferation to countries such as North Korea and Libya, does not have any moral right to ask India to sign the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) though it has renounced further testing and declared a 'no-first use' of nuclear weapons policy as a responsible member of the UNO. China is another culprit in the nuclear weapons' proliferation as it aided and abetted Pakistan in these activities.

 

Until and unless the nuclear powers agree to a universal nuclear disarmament and set a time-frame for a gradual reduction of nuclear weapons, it is futile to expect nations to give up their right to defend themselves. " We will need a strong deterrent,"  says James R.Schlessiner, former Defense Secretary, in an interview, " and that is measured at least in decades – in my judgement, in fact, more or less in perpetuity. The notion that we can abolish nuclear weapons  reflects on a combination of American utopianism and American parochialism…It's like the (1929) Kellog-Briand Pact denouncing war as an instrument of national policy.. It's not based upon an understanding of reality." Is there anything one can add ?

July 22, 2009.  

 

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