Michele Bachmann Equals Sincere Ignorance Plus Conscientious Stupidity

Michele Bachmann’s mantra is that an appreciation of the founding and history of America provides is all that is necessary to solve our modern day problems.

There may be a kernel of truth in this, but since she is apparently ignorant of American history (and the present, for that matter), she is in no position to arrive at any workable solutions. However, nitpicking her scholarliness on historical particulars is not only beside the point, it might very well enhance her popularity.
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said “nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity,” and Bachmann exemplifies this as no other Presidential candidate today. She is an ideologue who simply has no use for facts, sincere in her ignorance and conscientious in her stupidity. Worse still, her supporters don’t care whether she gets the words right as long as she is humming their tune.
Bachmann is certainly not alone among her Republican brethren in her disdain of facts and accuracy, but it is her breezy disregard for such that makes her unique. Mitt Romney anguishes publicly over whether his criticism of Obamacare is intellectually honest in view of his own state-run system in Massachusetts. Sarah Palin was shamed into trying to paper over her Paul Revere gaffe by attempting to tweak history to comport with her original misstatement. Bachmann, however, is utterly immune to shame. When confronted with reality, she simply brushes it aside, saying “people make mistakes,” and forges ahead. What is more significant, her supporters consider this praiseworthy.
Those of us in the reality-based community may have a good laugh at Bachmann’s graceless fumbling, but her relentless stream of boneheaded boners can easily be written off (and they will be by her supporters) as innocent errors by someone with a sketchy-but-sufficient command of American history. It’s arguable that someone who claims to derive her solutions from her knowledge of our history ought to at least do some cramming before writing a speech, but does it really matter? Does it really matter in what state or city “the shot heard ‘round the world” was fired when one is preparing to tackle America’s energy policy? Probably not.
During a recent CNN interview, Bachmann stretched the truth like a piece of taffy in selling her supporters on the efficacy of her Presidential bid. Entertainingly unabashed puffery, yes, but again, it can and will be explained away as awkward politicking by a citizen “outsider” reluctantly playing the media game required by the Swiftian tightrope act of our modern day election theatre. For a nation embroiled in two and a half wars, does it really matter precisely when Michele Bachmann entered the race for President? Probably not.The sobering truth is that such comical misstatements, which prompted NPR reporter Frank James to call Bachmann “a one-person, full-employment act for fact-checking reporters,” are in truth, only the tip of the iceberg. They are emblematic of her willful, sincere ignorance, and the Tea Partiers who support her emulate her in this. What’s more, they accept contradictory notions simultaneously without a whit of cognitive dissonance. Bachmann’s scholarly command of the history of America’s founding is one of her greatest strengths, but too much historical scholarliness is the weakness of effete intellectuals and lefty ideologues. Bachmann’s hardheaded truth telling is a breath of fresh air, but stretching the truth here and there is a necessary evil.
It’s entertaining and moderately newsworthy when Bachmann verbally slips on a banana peel, particularly when it’s her own banana peel, but public gloating merely burnishes her anti-establishment street cred in the eyes of low-information voters.
Meanwhile, Bachmann is pushing the truthiness envelope in her sparkling new presidential campaign website. Although it is primarily a collection of ham-handed criticisms of President Obama, she also offers her positions on a variety of important issues (and some not-so-important issues as well). These calculated statements are no less muddleheaded than her offhand public utterances, but they cannot be dismissed quite so easily. In short, she puts into black and white the same twisted, counterproductive prescriptions for America’s ills she’s been hawking verbally for years. She promises to:

• Create jobs by lifting business restrictions and “placing our trust in investors”
• Default on our debt, cut spending, and hamstring government
• Repeal the Affordable Health Care Act and make each citizen a health care profit center
• Make America more secure through some unspecified measures
• Lower energy prices by endangering the environment

In the final analysis, it doesn’t matter whether Michele Bachmann can distinguish the Constitution from the Declaration of Independence—or from the New Testament, for that matter. And as George W. Bush proved, a penchant for misstatements can morph into a charming eccentricity in the minds of charitably predisposed voters. What matters far more than her minimal intellectual firepower is her catastrophic policies, her ill-considered written statements, and her reflexively anti-government prejudices.

US must step up Cuba oil spill readiness - experts

US must step up Cuba oil spill readiness - experts
Fri Jul 1, 2011 9:47am EDT
* Florida lawmakers trying to stop Cuba drilling
* Obama facing prickly political situation
* Experts say U.S. must coordinate with Cuba
By Jeff FranksHAVANA, July 1 (Reuters) - With Cuba preparing to explore for oil 60
miles (96 km) from Florida, the complicated politics of U.S.-Cuba
relations are impeding U.S. efforts to get ready in case of a BP-style
accident, analysts and oil experts said.
The Obama administration must do more to ensure that U.S. companies can
quickly mobilize safety and containment equipment should a well blow
out, which could do catastrophic damage to the Florida coast, the
experts said in recent interviews.
The blowout of a BP (BP.L) well off Louisiana last year killed 11
people, took 85 days to control and spilled 5 million barrels of oil
that killed wildlife and blackened beaches along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Cuba's first well, expected to be drilled this fall, will be in 5,600
feet (1,706 metres) of water, deeper than the BP well in the Gulf of Mexico.
But not much has been done as Florida lawmakers, and powerful
Cuban-American leaders in particular, cling to their decades-old dream
of toppling Cuba's Communist government, said Washington attorney Robert
Muse, a specialist in Cuban issues.
They have proposed bills aimed at killing Cuban oil development by
discouraging oil companies from working there, and are resisting the
notion that the U.S. needs to work with the island to assure adequate
emergency response, he said.
"They want to keep the place in a state of economic misery and hope it
will ignite once the Castro brothers are gone," he said. "It's that old
dream of strangling the Cuban economy."
The issue is a prickly one for U.S. President Barack Obama, with Florida
looming crucial in his 2012 reelection campaign and many of the state's
lawmakers opposed to concessions to the Cuban government led by
President Raul Castro.
U.S. Senator and Cuban exile Bob Menendez of New Jersey sides with the
Floridians on Cuba issues and, unlike most of them, is a Democrat.
Obama has stayed largely on the sidelines of the Cuba drilling issue,
taking little public action and making few comments about it.
His administration's biggest step so far was to send U.S. Interior
Secretary Ken Salazar to Spain this month to meet with officials of the
oil company, Repsol YPF (REP.MC), that is set to drill the first
offshore well.
U.S. SAFETY STANDARDS
Salazar said the company told him it would meet all U.S. safety
requirements and allow the U.S. to inspect the Chinese-built drilling
rig it will use.
Also, at least two U.S. oil safety companies are currently licensed by
the U.S. government to go to Cuba should there be an accident requiring
their help. Experts say many more are needed, and the U.S. State
Department has said it will approve more.
The long-standing U.S. trade embargo against Cuba prevents American
companies from working there without U.S. permission.
But the administration has not taken what many experts consider the most
critical step -- meeting directly with the Cubans to develop joint
safety regulations and protocol.
The U.S. commission that investigated the BP blowout recommended
coordination with Cuba to assure both the safety of its offshore
development and an adequate accident response.
Cuba has said it would welcome U.S. involvement in its oil industry.
"Their environment is our environment, too, so we should do everything
we can to find ways to collaborate," said Cuba expert Phil Peters at the
Lexington Institute think tank in Arlington, Virginia.
"The drilling is going to occur and if the U.S. simply looks the other
way, then Repsol will not have the best possible resources available,"
he said.
The U.S. already has a joint oil spill response with Mexico and could
bring Cuba into that agreement, said Jorge Pinon, an expert on Cuban oil
at Florida International University.
"They (the Obama administration) are terrified of talking to the
Cubans," he said. "Somebody is telling them 'don't get together with the
Cubans.'"
Legislation proposed by Florida lawmakers would ban foreign oil
companies working in Cuba from exploring for oil in the United States
and prevent executives of companies investing more than $1 million in
Cuban oil operations from getting U.S. visas. It would also require any
companies drilling off Cuba to show their operations meet U.S. safety
standards.
While Florida lawmakers want to protect their state from oil spills, the
Cuba oil issue is also an emotional one for Cuban Americans who long for
political change in their homeland.
Cuba believes it may have 20 billion barrels of oil offshore, which
would be a big boost to its lagging economy and, in the eyes of its
opponents, a despotic regime.
"The Cuban regime is desperately attempting to prolong its overdue
existence and tyrannical influence be setting up this oil rig," U.S.
Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami, who chairs the House
Foreign Affairs Committee, recently told the Florida Keys Keynoter.
(Editing by Tom Brown)

Musharraf plans return to Pakistan, politics

Washington: Pakistan's former president Perez Musharraf has said that he planned to return from exile and re-enter politics, and did not rule out a new bid for the presidency.
Musharraf, who has mostly lived in London since losing power following 2008 elections, visited Washington this week and met quietly with prominent Pakistanis at an elite hotel.
In an interview with CNN, Musharraf said he intended to return to politics, although he did not set a time frame.
"I certainly am planning to go back to Pakistan and also join politics. The question already of whether I am running for president or prime minister will be seen later," he said.
Officials in Pakistan earlier said Musharraf had applied to register a new party with electoral authorities, setting the stage for a political comeback. (Agencies)

ATHENS GREECE OUR CONNECTION

WE HAVE ALL HEARD “BEWARE OF GREEKS BEARING GIFTS,” AND “WHEN IN ROME DO AS ROMANS DO.”
Here we are at the end of year 2010, winding down and about to enter second decade of this twenty-first century. Are you looking back or looking forward? The smart thing to do is both. Stop and ask yourself, where did you come from, why are you here and where are you going?
We are entering this decade with a lot of questions. For example, are we about to enter a period of inflation or de-flation? All kinds of mixed messages are expressed in the managed main news media. In the morning we hear doom and gloom and in the afternoon we hear recovery and happy days are here again. Take a look at the positive side to all this ambiguity – a great opportunity for us to stop and think for ourselves and use our capacity to figure out where the lies end and truth begins.
We are living in a period blessed with the Internet. You as an individual, can sit home and read, study, and learn, on your own schedule, to be informed, without hearing the jack-hammer of managed news. If ever there was a time of importance, relative to being informed, it is now.
We can think more rationally about our future and where we are headed if we understand a bit about our past. Therefore to help you get started figuring out which way to go in 2011, a few reminders of the past. I could start in a dozen or so places in our history, but seems to me Greece is a good place to start, because of past history and current events unfolding in that country.
Recent news stories relate happenings about the collapse of the economy in Greece, bail-outs by the European Union, and all the upheaval of the populace. Bloody rioting in the streets, which appears to be a breakdown of law and order, resulting from a collapse of the economy.
But let’s go back aways, and remind ourselves of the many contributions the country of Greece has made to all of us in this country. We have been influenced by their architecture, the science, art and profession of constructing buildings. The Greeks so creative in the beauty and functionality of their architecture.
This beauty of simplicity of design, also reflected in their design of clothing. I personally have always admired and enjoyed the beauty of their fashion design and culture.
The Stoics, known as “front porch philosophers,” in ancient Greece, handed down to us an understanding of politics and the difference in individualism and political control. They taught political voting is nothing more than an assumption that might makes Right. A premise wellworth going back into and reading their history. Because history repeatedly shows us the irrationality of majorities. A misconception Right or wrong comes in numbers, rather than a Principle.
Greece was known as “the cradle of civilization” at one time and gave us such great teachers as Socrates and his students, Plato and Aristotle. Today when I think of Socrates, I think of his socratic method of inquiry, that is, questioning any and everything.
The same questioning, encouraged by Greek teachers and philosophers during the life of Socrates, is the same questions we face today here in the United States. The notion we must ask the questions to find the Right answers, is as valid today as it was back then. And we can learn from their history the right questions to ask, for solutions to the crisis we face in this country today.
Obviously we have problems to solve, and need solutions. And quite discernable, the popular notion, by those addicted to popular voting, that is the answer. When this process removes individual responsibility, by an attempt to transfer responsibility to a centralized political government. A concept accepted as if it’s Divine intervention, which removes individual responsibility. And if repeated enough, it carries the weight of Divine Decree. When in actuality voting is “disguised coercion.”
If Freedom is self-responsibility and self-control, and majority rule is coercion, which impedes individual decisions, if we expect to change the direction things are headed in this country, we must stop and consider this, as a possible cause. We must consider corruptive political methods as a contrived cause of our current plight as we enter year 2011. And realize the solutions do not lie in the very thing which caused it.
Apparently we have not faced this reality in this country, and obviously those in Greece, have ignored the teachings of their great philosophers, and are living in an era of collapse of their system.
There are a few awakening to this reality, as evidenced by an hour long program last week on the Glenn Beck program, pointing out the analogy of the collapse in Greece and the domino effect in other European countries, and the possibility of extending to this country. The common denominator is the economy, and the manipulation of the economics by political regimens.
The Greatness of this nation was built on Freedom of the individual, being able to create, and living in conditions of voluntary exchange of goods and services, known as the Capitalistic, free-enterprise system under the umbrella of a document of laws – the Constitution, which guaranteed individual Rights to Life, Liberty and happiness. Specifying these Rights came from our Creator and not from Government, in the Declaration of Independence.
The question is When and How did it all change? Quite simply, the change was voted into being. That’s obvious and easy to understand. What is not so obvious and seemingly difficult to comprehend, is this: We cannot vote ourselves out of the dilemma we voted ourselves into. Therein lies the crux of the matter.
Because self-responsibility is non-transferrable, once it is arbitrarily attempted, i.e., turning over to a centralized government, the failure results in turmoil and rioting in the streets ultimately.
This has been repeated over and over throughout history. Always with the same results. While we listen to news reports of current happenings in Greece and other European countries, we medicate ourselves by telling ourselves, it can’t happen here.
And why can’t it happen here? When we are a nation, which evolved from a country of individual Freedom and productivity, to a country of little productivity, dependent upon the productivity of other countries, to furnish the food to sustain us? While farm-lands lay idle, and the thousands of factories, which once dotted this land, have shut down, we can’t survive on computors and portable phones.
It’s elementary, dear Watson, food, clothing and shelter are essentials to sustaining life, and we no longer produce these essentials, but depend upon other countries to produce and furnish. Therefore what is happening in other countries, does have a domino effect on life in these United States.
Here in this great country, we have the resources to be self-sustaining, the land, the brain-power, the work ethic, and the know how, to be independent and not reliant on other countries. So what happened in our Spirit and Willpower, which caused us to abandon those things we once cherished, and so proudly lived our lives according to?
More importantly, why are we not asking these questions, seriously, and why are we not seriously seeking answers to these questions? The Solution is so simple we overlook the obvious.
Everyone knows when you are in a hole, stop digging. Instead we just apathetically look to political government for answers and solutions. While the lust for power of a few over the many, keeps eroding away, and we look the other way.
The answers and solutions to our current plight and crisis lies within each individual in this country. And we can begin to change this Transformation of America back to a way of life we once had and held so dearly, by looking within first and to what is happening in other countries second, if the desire is there.
From the “Death of Common Sense” by Phillip Howard, comes this quote: “Coercion by Government, the main fear of our founding fathers, is now its most common attribute.

J&K police registers case against pvt television news channel

Srinagar, Aug 4(KMW): Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered a case against a private television news channel for airing a report about alleged desertion in police force in Pulwama district, a report which was vehemently denied by the Government.
 
 The case was registered against "Headlines Today" which had aired a news item about desertion in police force including senior officials in Pulwama district of South Kashmir.
 
The case has been booked under section 500 (defamation), section 505 (2) (circulating rumour or alarming news aimed at creating enmity) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of Ranbir Penal Code.
 
When contacted the channels executives in Delhi declined to comment saying they would await full information on the issue.
 
This is the second case registered against a private television news channel by the Jammu and Kashmir police in less than a month.
Earlier, a case was registered against NewsX for airing a wrong news about death of a person in Pulwama district.
 
This led to a widespread arson in the area leading to injury of a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Curfew continues across Kashmir Valley

Srinagar 2 Aug (KMW): Curfew continues across all the major towns and cities of all the ten districts across Kashmir Valley on Monday, forcing over six million people inside their homes. It is now the third straight month of widespread pro-freedom public demonstrations, curfews and wanton civilian killings.

The number of civilians killed in firing on demonstrations by paramilitary and police forces since the last three months has now risen to 32.

There are reports of protests in many places in the Valley, including Bijbehera where the death of a 17-year-old boy in tear gas shelling has again led people to come onto the streets.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been summoned to New Delhi for consultations with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and other central leaders on Monday.

Reports suggest that Omar will be briefed about the discussions held at the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Sunday. Omar, on his part, is expected to present his assessment of the situation.

255 Militants tried to infiltrate into J&K this year

New Delhi, Aug 4 (KMW): A total of 255 terrorists had made attempts to infiltrate from across the border with Pakistan till June this year, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Defence Minister A K Antony, in a written reply to questions from members, said there were 485 terrorists, who attempted to infiltrate into the border last year.

"255 terrorists attempted to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir between January and June 2010 as against 485 in 2009," Antony said.

He said in Jammu and Kashmir, along the Line of Control (with Pakistan) sector, the Army had adopted a robust counter infiltration strategy which has an appropriate mix of technology and human resource to check infiltration effectively.

"Innovative troop deployment, efficient use of surveillance and monitoring devices and the Line of Control fencing have enhanced the ability to detect and intercept terrorists attempting to infiltrate or exfiltrate," he added.

'Violence is no solution, will reactivate dialogue in J-K':Chidambaram

New Delhi, Aug 4 (KMW): Sending out a message to protestors in Kashmir, Home Minister P Chidambaram today asserted that "mindless violence" would not lead to any solution and promised to reactivate a dialogue to address grievances once normalcy is restored in the valley.

Making a statement in both Houses of Parliament on the situation in Kashmir, Chidambaram expressed deep regret over the loss of 39 lives in the cycle of violence that has engulfed the valley since June 11 and urged the people there to repose their faith in the elected state government to find solutions to their problems.

5 dead, 35 injured in SOG camp blasts in Khrew Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 1(KMW): At least five people are reported dead and at least 35 injured when explosions happened at the Special Operations Group (SOG) camp near the Khrew Police Station in Pulwama district Kashmir, which was set on fire earlier by protesters.

One of the dead youths has been identified as Javaid Ahmed Sheikh of Wuyen village.

Dozens of people are still believed to be under debris and unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, reports say that one of those injured in the firing by paramilitary forces at Khrew during daytime has succumbed at SKIMS Hospital in Srinagar. He has been identified as Reyaz Ahmed Bhat.

Kashmir American Council calls for peace march

Srinagar, Aug 4(KMW): Abstracts of Kashmir American Counicl statement: The real face of India is evident truly in Kashmir where the Indian Army during the past 20 years has:
Killed over 100,000 men, women and children.

Tortured and maimed tens of thousands;
WHY ALL THIS?
Because the people of Kashmir demand an end to the military occupation of their land by India;

Because they demand what they have been pledged by both India and Pakistan and guaranteed by the Security Council, with the unequivocal endorsement of the United States – demilitarization of Kashmir and a free vote organized impartially.

Should India Get Away With The Flouting of International Agreements?
Should India Be Grated a License For The Genocide of the People of Kashmir?
These are the questions for President Obama who said on September 25, 2008, “I will continue support of ongoing Indian Pakistani efforts to resolve Kashmir problem in order to address the political roots of the arms race between India and Pakistan.”

  He also said on October 30, 2008, “We should probably try to facilitate a better understanding between Pakistan and India and try to resolve the Kashmir crisis.”

Amnesty International reported on August 2, 2010 that ”At least 14 protesters have been killed in shootings by security forces during protests in Kashmir over the last four days.”

Christian Science Monitor wrote on August 2, 2010, “In what the Indian media are calling Bloody Sunday, 10 people died yesterday in protests across Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The protests are part of a popular uprising against Indian rule and heavy-handed police tactics in Kashmir.
The recent uprising appears to have no links to Pakistan.

 Instead, it is led by Kashmiri youth ranging from six to 30 who are using a mix of nonviolent defiance of curfews and rock throwing at security forces in a bid to win independence for Kashmir.

London Review of Books wrote on July 22, 2010, “More than a hundred thousand people marched peacefully to the UN office in Srinagar.

They burned effigies, chanted ‘Azadi, azadi’ (‘freedom’) and appealed to India to leave Kashmir.
The movement was not crushed. It was merely ignored. Nothing changed. Now a new generation of Kashmiri youth is on the march.”

European Parliamentary Delegation said that “Kashmir is the most beautiful prison of the world.”

Please join us along with your family and friends to show your solidarity with the people of Jammu & Kashmir.

Co-sponsored by:

Jammu Kashmir Muslim Conference
Jammu Kashmir Peoples Muslim League
Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party
Peoples Party Pakistan, AJK
Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front;
Jammu Kashmir  Jamaat-e-Islami
Jammu Kashmir National Liberation Front
Kashmir Mission, New York

UN must intervene in Kashmir: WKFM

Srinagar, Aug 4(KMW): World Kashmir Freedom Movement (WKFM) - a global Kashmiri advocacy organization - has called on United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to intervene and take immediate emergency measures "to protect the Kashmiri population." It has also appealed to the UN "to hold the Indian administration accountable for their continued actions", and what it called 'war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Geneva Conventions.'

In a statement issued today, WKFM also urged India to respect members of the medical fraternity, from doctors to ambulance drivers, and desist from their continued violations of the Geneva Conventions confirming medical neutrality.

Speaking on behalf of the Governing Council, WKFM President Dr. Ghulam Nabi Mir expressed his horror at the deteriorating safety and security situation in Kashmir, and called upon the Government of India and J&K government to respect the peaceful and defenseless civilians.

He said that the cycle of violence initiated and perpetuated by the security forces was further inflaming public sentiment, leading to continued loss of innocent life and exacerbating an incendiary atmosphere.

He stated that the Kashmiris had continued with peaceful protests against the staus quo and unending killings.

Dr. Mir urged the government of India to immediately release all political prisoners and leaders from various prisons.

He condemned the arbitrary arrests of innocent civilians, and demanded the release of all those jailed under the Public Safety Act and other laws, including Mian Abdul Qayoom and Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, members of the Kashmir High Court Bar Association.

WKFM has also urged India to dismantle its military installations and withdraw its troops from civilian areas immediately.

"We call upon India to allow freedom of the press, peaceful public gatherings and speech", the statement said.

AFSPA political issue between GoI and JK Govt: Army

Srinagar: Three days after Lieutenant General KT Parnaik, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Lt Gen Parnaik sounded against any amendments in Armed Forces Special Power Act, a senior army officer Tuesday said that the controversial legislation was a political issue to be decided by Government of India and state government.
“It (AFSPA) is a very political issue between government of India and state government. It is not my reach to comment on anything that government of India decides,” Major General Ravi Thodge, general-officer-commanding of the counter-insurgency Kilo Force told reporters in response to a question on sidelines of a function here.
On Saturday last, army had reiterated that it wants continuation of the controversial legislation in the state.  
“As far as the Army’s stand on revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, we have recommended its continuation in view of the situation in the State and the special requirements it entails,” Lieutenant General KT Parnaik, had said.
He was responding to a query about recommendations by army to the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
“After giving recommendations (to the Chief Minister), we have not heard anything about this issue as yet.”
In the backdrop of last year’s summer unrest, the government had formed two committees to review the applicability of AFSPA in the state. The committees were headed by General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar based 15 Corps and General Officer Commanding of Nagorta-based 16 Corps.
Meanwhile, to a query about infiltration along the line of control, Thodge said, “so far there are no reports about infiltration and if they (infiltrators) came, they will be dismantled at the LoC.”
Regarding last year’s summer unrest in which over a hundred youth were killed, the army officer said that it was “handled by police and paramilitary CRPF while army was involved.” “The killings were never the less were unfortunate and this is all I can say,” Maj Gen added, city correspondent said.     
He said that army has many programs for youth including generation of employment, develop their interest in sports.    
Earlier, speaking at the two-day Peace conference organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Peace Foundation at SKICC here, Maj Gen said that main problem in Kashmir was economical. 
The officer also claimed that the army understands the “pain and anguish” of the people in Kashmir valley.
“We are looking at this year that no human rights violations occur; we support the dignity of people. We will work with the people for betterment of the society,” he added.    

PPP castigate Govt for issuing “flawed” passport Aijaz War

Srinagar:  Peoples Political Party (PPP) Monday accused authorities of political vendetta in issuing “flawed” passport to brother of party chairman.   

Addressing a press conference here, PPP chief, Hilal Ahmad War castigated the Government for denying his entire family right to life. 

“On the directions of Hon’able High Court, the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a passport to my brother, Ajaz Ahmad War (a journalist by profession)   on June 04 last from the regional passport Office here. The passport has been issued with a validity of just one year wherein it is enunciated on the passport that Ajaz Ahmad War can travel to all the countries except Pakistan,” Hilal Ahmad said while addressing a Press Conference here.

“This is in violation of Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and Constitution of India also .This is also in violation to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” War claimed. 

This “unconstitutional action of Government of India”, he said, vindicated party’s stand that “India is an occupying power.” 

He said that the travel document issued to Ajaz Ahmad War was a “legitimate weapon” to be used at the international fora as evidence that India has virtually accepted Kashmir as a ‘dispute’. “This travel document has strengthened our argument that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are de-facto citizens of India not de-jure.”

War also reiterated his party stand about demand of Right to Self-determination as solution to Kashmir issue.” This is neither negotiable nor can be compromised. Nobody whether a genuine head of a political party or leader of any group or conglomerate  is or can be authorized to enter in any sort of compromise on this principle on behalf of J & K people to act as political attorney of J&K people in any conference, bilateral or trilateral talks.”  

STRIKE CRIPPLES LIFE IN KASHMIR

Srinagar: Life was today crippled due to general strike, called by moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) on the 21st death anniversary of Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq, who was killed in his Nigeen house on this day by gunmen.

Shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads in the restriction free areas in the summer capital, Srinagar and its adjoining areas today.

Government has imposed restriction under section 144 CrPC in most parts of the down town and Shehar-e-Khas (SeK) since early this morning to prevent any rally at Eidgah.

However, some private vehicles could be seen plying on some routes in the uptown and civil lines.

Educational institutions wore a deserted look while work in offices, banks and other commercial establishments were affected due to strike.

A report from Baramulla said that life was paralysed with all shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic off the roads in this and other northKashmir towns due to strike.

Government offices, educational institutions and banks were affected due to strike as employees and students stayed away.

Business and other activities were crippled in and other south Kashmir districts and tehsil headquarters, a report from Anantnag said.

Additional security forces had been deployed on both sides of the almost deserted streets in the town, where traffic remained off the roads.

Similar reports were also received from other parts of the Valley.

Police, army working against peace: Geelani

Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Tuesday said the police and the army were working against peace and stability in Kashmir as “political uncertainty in the region benefits them in many ways.”
 “They do not want peace and stability in Kashmir because political uncertainty here benefits them in numerous ways. While the army is enjoying the perks of different allowances and continues to loot the green gold in Kashmir, the police are extorting hefty sums from parents of arrested youth,” Geelani said during a meeting at his Hyderpora residence with noted Indian social activist, Swami Agnivesh, today.
He said although many delegations from India and abroad had been visiting Kashmir in the recent past, “there seems to be no change in the ground situation.”
Accusing India of showing inflexibility on Kashmir, Geelani said, “India is firm on its policy of stubbornness on Kashmir and wants to crush the peaceful struggle of Kashmiris through the might its armed forces.”
He appealed “conscientious people in India to come forward and raise their voice against the oppression and injustice being committed against Kashmiris.”
“Our fight is not against the Indian people or any religion. We are fighting for our right to self determination just as the Indians fought for their freedom from the British. India is responding to our peaceful struggle with bullets and random arrests of youth,” he said.
“There are no signs of India’s claims of being a democracy in Kashmir and human rights are violated with impunity. Forces personnel involved in the killing of 118 people last year are not only roaming free but they have been awarded with medals and promotions. All this lawlessness is being projected as a means to maintain law and order situation in Kashmir,” Geelani said.
Terming minorities as an inseparable part of the Kashmiri society, Geelani said Sikhs, Hindus and Christians in Kashmir faced no threat from their “Muslim brethren.”
“We will continue to maintain our centuries old tradition of communal harmony and brotherhood,” he said. However, Geelani said, “our non-Muslim brothers should also feel the pain of their Muslim brothers and raise their voice against the oppression being committed against the Muslims, in whatever capacity they can.”
Geelani also expressed concern over the arrest of his driver, Pervaiz Ahmad, alleging that Pervaiz, along with a vehicle (JK01E-8188), was arrested from   Shopian when he comes home on a vacation.

Govt. bans post-paid SMS service in J&K

Jammu and Kashmir, 17Apr: The Government of India has decided to ban the SMS services for post paid mobile subscribers in Jammu and Kashmir. Only pre-paid customers will have this short message service but it has been restricted to 10 SMSs per day per pre-paid subscriber.
According to sources, the decision was taken unanimously by the state and Union Govt. Earlier the Department of Telecom has also tighten the screws of private mobile service provides in verification of the subscribers identification.
This was seriously considered as the state is always under threats of terrorist attacks and the terrorists misuse the mobile services for their missions. The SMS facilities have been dropped for increased security concerns. The DoT has asked all the 12 operators of the state to withdraw text message service from their postpaid users. It has been informed by a statement issued by DoT.
Moreover, all operators have been asked to stop tariff packages offering free SMS service immediately. Apart from that, DoT has also informed that SMS from outside J&K and networks of International Long Distance (ILD) operators will not be delivered tomobile subscribers in the state.

Omar takes surrendered militant home to hear his grievances

Jammu April 17: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah brought to his residence a surrendered militant, his wife and child, who attempted to stop the Chief Minister's cavalcade last evening, an official spokesman today.

A surrendered militant along with his wife and a child tried to stop the motorcade of the Chief Minister as soon as he left the Secretariat last evening, the spokesman said.

‘’On seeing them, Mr Abdullah directed the accompanying officials to bring them to his official residence for hearing their grievances,’’ the spokesman said.

The surrendered militant and his family were brought from civil secretariat to the CM’s Wazarat Road residence in an official vehicle. ‘’Mr Abdullah gave a patient hearing on the issues raised by them’’ the spokesman said.

The surrendered militant, who is presently living in Jammu city with his family, had received arms training in Pakistan and had laid down his arms in 1990 at Darhal in Rajouri district.

The spokesman, however, did not disclose the militant's name. (UNI)

New army chief to visit J&K Wednesday

Jammu, Apr 19:  New Indian Army chief General V.K. Singh will visit Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday for the first time since assuming office. Singh will visit all the three major regions of the state - Jammu, Ladakh and the Kashmir Valley. He will review the situation with Northern Command chief Lt. General B.S. Jaswal, and the corps commanders about the level of preparedness along the Line of Control, as also along the Line of Actual Control -- the border with China in Ladakh region -- in light of incursions from across.’ Preparations are on for the visit and each and every detail of the army's strategy and its challenges will be placed before the new chief,' an army officer said. The new army chief's statement last week that dilution in the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir and other insurgency-hit areas in India Jammu, Apr 19:  New Indian Army chief General V.K. Singh will visit Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday for the first time since assuming office. Singh will visit all the three major regions of the state - Jammu, Ladakh and the Kashmir Valley. He will review the situation with Northern Command chief Lt. General B.S. Jaswal, and the corps commanders about the level of preparedness along the Line of Control, as also along the Line of Actual Control -- the border with China in Ladakh region -- in light of incursions from across.’ Preparations are on for the visit and each and every detail of the army's strategy and its challenges will be placed before the new chief,' an army officer said. The new army chief's statement last week that dilution in the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir and other insurgency-hit areas in India would hurt the operations of the army has not gone down well with the separatists. Agencies

Kashmir in the dock at UN: Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani

On April 12, 2010 UN General Assembly President Dr. Ali Treki discussed the Middle East situation and the United Nations role in the Arab-Israeli conflict in talks with the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, on the third leg of a tour of the region. Earlier in September 2009 Libyan President Muammar al-Qadhafi supported the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir in his address at the sixty-fourth session of UN General Assembly in New York. Ever since Kashmiri leaders or the Government of Pakistan did not make any genuine effort to connect Libyan support with the duration of Presidency of UN General Assembly attained by Libya since its election at the sixty-fourth session of the United Nations General Assembly on 10 June 2009.
An immediate interaction with Dr. Treki after the express support of Libyan President at the UN General Assembly would have helped the Rights Movement of the people of Kashmir in an exceptional manner because he has represented Libya on the United Nations Commission on Human Rights from 1986 to 1990 and most recently, in 2003. He has listened to various opinions on Kashmir during the sessions of United Nations Commission on Human Rights. More so Dr. Treki has served three times as his country’s Permanent Representative to the world body—from 1982 to 1984—when he also chaired the General Assembly’s Fourth Committee on Decolonization.
Kashmiri leadership is still struggling to position itself in regard to its manifesto and does not appear to have any clue whether it needs to hang on as equal people to the right of self determination as envisaged in UN Charter and press for UN mechanism on Kashmir as set out in UNCIP Resolutions or remain loyal in the sale of Musharraf formula or wait for a tripartite dialogue and hammer out something fresh without any historical/legal sanction or reference to the people of Kashmir. Of course anything that develops during a tripartite dialogue would be at variance to the universality of self determination and the resistance moment for which a generation has been sent to grave and the living continue to suffer a trauma never witnessed in the last 133 years since 1877.
One needs to ask a simple question - if the universal authority of 194 countries represented in UN resolutions on Kashmir could not persuade Indian Government or the Government of Pakistan to honour their respective obligations under UNCIP Resolutions on Kashmir, how is it possible that five or double the number of Kashmiri leaders could influence the two countries during any tripartite dialogue on Kashmir. Kashmiri leaders on the contrary don’t care to consider that every day that passes adds new difficulties in the cause and lives of the people. One such bolt from the blue has been a reference to Kashmir in the 3 members UN report on the assassination of Benazir Bhutto made public on April 15, 2010.
It would have never crossed any mind that the report submitted by the three-member commission appointed by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to enquire into the circumstances that led to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto at Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007, released to the public on April 15, 2010 would make a damning finding that Pakistani military and ISI used Lashkar-e-Taiba and other such groups in the Kashmir insurgency after 1989. It has observed that the bulk of the anti-Indian activity was and still remains the work of such groups in Kashmir which have an involvement in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. The silver lining remains that although the report admits the clandestine nature of these groups yet it confirms that any such connection in an attack on her is very difficult to detect or prove.
It is heartening to note that UN Commission has not found any blood on Kashmiri hands yet a serious doubt has been created around the indigenous claim of the Kashmiri resistance. Merits of Kashmir resistance have been called into question by the observation that "A common characteristic of these jihadi groups was their adherence to the Deobandi Sunni sect of Islam, their strong anti-Shia bias, and their use by the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies in Afghanistan and Kashmir." The non-participation of non Muslims (other communities) and non-Valley regions in the Rights Movement has remained a serious weakness in convincing the world opinion around the popular merits of Kashmir case (present struggle). The differentiation between Deobandi Sunni sect of Islam and Shia highlighted in the UN report has added another pound to the existing weight of doubts and difficulties in the path of Kashmir movement.
Dr. Treki and Emir of Kuwait in their meeting have reaffirmed the need to strengthen the United Nations and the role it plays in resolving the Palestinian question and ending the human tragedy in the Gaza Strip. On the contrary Kashmiri leaders are deliberately encouraged to condemn the UN and dismiss its role in Kashmir. Kashmiri leaders, Government of Pakistan or any member of OIC have made no such effort since Libyan election as President of UN General Assembly in the best interests of the people of Kashmir. Our leaders look out for an unfortunate death or violation of human right by the administration to surface on the scene and prove their relevance in Kashmir politics. They have got their visit priorities wrong. May be because these are outsourced lock, stock and barrel.
The role of our leaders should have been to animate the principal manifesto in popular interest. The first important step is to understand the principle of arithmetic and start believing that every single person is important and extraordinary. The tragedy is that we have a society where too many people never get to fulfil that extraordinary potential. The job of a leader or the government is to help them to do it. It can be done only if we move beyond the monopoly of political arithmetic sustained as an aristocracy.
Author is London based Secretary General of JKCHR – NGO in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations.  Email dr-nazirgilani@jkchr.com

Bangalore Blast: Home Ministry expresses unhappiness with Karnataka Police

New Delhi, Apr 19: Union Home Ministry on Monday expressed its unhappiness with Karnataka Police for not taking proper security measures during the Bangalore IPL match.

At least 17 people were wounded when two bombs exploded on Saturday, which caused an hour''s delay in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match between the Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Home Ministry sources also expressed shock over a State Police decision to go ahead with the match even after the explosion and asked the state Police to submit a report on this.

The ministry suspects the involvement of Yasin Bhatkal of the Indian Mujahiddin (IM), who was also behind the Pune blast.

Sources suspect that Bhatkal might have fled to Dubai after the Pune incident.

On Sunday, the Bnagalore Police defused three bombs near the Stadium.

The first one around 100 meters from the stadium and the second one near the Gandhi statue at M G Road.

A third explosive was defused near Gate Number One of the stadium.

Sources said bombers had time placed the devices behind a flex board.

Roughly 20,000 people were packed into the stadium and hundreds more were streaming in when a loud explosion at Gate Number 12 rattled nearby buildings.

The first explosion occurred at 3:15 p.m., and the second, 20 minutes later. The explosives were found in bushes.

Preliminary forensic investigation revealed that the explosive was an ammonium nitro glycerine gelatin stick. It was detonated with the help of a microchip timer.

On Sunday, the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) shifted both semi finals from Bangalore to Navi Mumbai.  (ANI)