My quick Political analysis

Its the Big Boss month again! I mean its Indian elections that many of us still treat as a reality show. But this time it is different. There is no wave because a leader was assassinated. There is no wave because our democratic lifestyle was challenged. There is no wave because someone promised us a temple. This time its about feeling the pinch on matters that mattered the most. Its about frustrations that we could have done so much better but did not. It is about Billions that were siphoned off out right in front of our eyes. It is about being a leader with a vision or act like a CEO of a political corporation.
Again there are many leaders in the foray, some new and some old trusted, tested, rejected and accepted. One thing for sure with no psychological wave, electorates this time have clear opportunity to think straight and clear. Following is my assessment of leaders and parties and what pisses me the most about.

• Bhartiya Janta Party
• At any cost they should not have released dreaded terrorists like Masood Azhar. People lives in danger blah blah yes but they had ample opportunity to not let the situation slip off their hands before it became political gut impossible to handle if not its capacity.
• Gujarat riot still haunts. Revenge in any context is not a good word to use. Protecting the lives of innocents is the utmost responsibility of a government and you lose a moral right to continue if you fail to do so. 

• Congress
•  Why did you screw it up so bad?
• Rahul with no Gandhi surname has zero credentials. His sincerity does not justify the mess Congress created in last 10 years. 
• They had a wonderful opportunity in MMS - An educated economy master, a Sikh, and a secular leader. His blind eye to what was happening and Gandhi family feet lickers belittled this Man to a point that he is now being ridiculed not just by opposition but by his own party members. Calling Rahul his replacement is the biggest slap on his face. He forgot he was a Prime Minister of India. He should have learned from Narsimha Rao on how to be a non-Gandhi leader in a Gandhi party.
• I will be surprised if Congress or UPA ends up in a position to form the next government. Not this time at least.

• Aam Aadmi Party
• They should have not quit Delhi. Jan Lokpal in manifesto, no moral right to continue blah blah alright but no they had an opportunity in Delhi and they screwed it up. Either they should not have formed the government or if they did should not have quit it in haste. 
• People are still looking for a level of administrative and political maturity from its leaders and they are being disappointed. Leaders who seem ineffective in managing their own domestic issues and losing effectiveness to connect with a bigger mass of people can how be trusted to run our foreign policies? 
• They have not spelled any policy vision other than anti corruption and anti dynastic politics. They should know in India people have accepted good dynastic politicians in the past as long as they see them as delivering. Crusade against dynastic politics is not enough. It is better to have learned it from the family than to come on stage speechless and vision less.
• Your win in Delhi was your biggest undoing. We know what you stand for. We knew it by last September. Repeating it again and again while your ineffectiveness in leadership is getting exposed every day is only annoying people.
• They still have some good and passionate leaders so they better get their act together. It will be very easy for them to call it a quit saying oh we came together for blah blah and blame it on Kejriwal's leadership. This is a time to get serious.

• Third front
• Seen as a front with ego centric leaders and opportunists and political dalals for the lack of any better words. 
• Has some real good leaders who know the ground realities and pulse but are wasted by a lack of national vision. 
• They should have been doing what Aam Aadmi Party did. It is shame that a nascent AAP has given a better and more credible third front than the parties that called themselves the same for years. They lack sincerity.
• Ideally they should suffer the biggest loss. Third front has failed the people of India more than ineffective governments. 

Congratulations India on its Mars Mission

First my hearty congratulations to Indian scientific community specially ISRO to have achieved what many would have thought unimaginable just a few years ago. I would like to mention three very popular stigmas:

# Fix the Toilets Myth

• Many would ask with a country still with no proper toilets for everyone why Mars and why now? Answer is they are totally unrelated. India has enough money and resources to fix the toilets and provide everyone of its citizen better sanitary services. Money comes and money goes. It is the inefficiency and corruption in States that are unable to provide such basic facility to all of its residents not because India can not achieve this goal. 
• Second, like any Corporation you will find struggling divisions and the bread runners. You don't stop evolution and research in what you are totally good at just because some parts are non-functional and broken. Frankly ISRO has proven its capability to better utilize its resources and have championed what they are supposed to do. Broken toilet will and must not stop them.
• May be with its success we would be able to send those who were supposed to fix the Toilets out to Mars someday.

# A Country of Snake Charmers

• It is so surprising that even in 2013 you once in a while meet people who identify India a country of Elephants and Snake Charmers. Why would a country with such a backward outlook consider flying to Mars?
• There is a popular belief in Hindu mythology that Earth stands on top of a Snake head. Charming a snake means having an ability to know and control Earth's movement but also to understand and control the support structure of the Earth. The support structure of Earth is not a real snake but a sequence of planets and satellites moving in elliptical movement as a Cobra moves. Charming the snake is to champion our Galaxy. The snake charmers were not some dirty dhoti clad serpentine owners they were the scientists whose work mixed with religious theologies got lost in poor interpretations by half cooked intelligentsia.

# Triggering an Arms Race

• You can not create unless you have an ability to destroy - This what manifestation of Shiva says, a God of creation and destruction. You have to champion the tools and mechanism that can destroy to create an environment of peace.
• More than anything else what protected Americans and Russians during the cold war period was their ability to produce weapons of mass destruction. They did not engage in house to house close quarter combats. There were far less killed then than today's much one sided security engagements. Once you realize your strength and get an appreciation of your enemy for your strength is when you start to become friends. 
• Its not an armed race. It is a way to extend the ability of Humans to reach outer space and tell the world pity regional disputes are inconsequential. Collaboration will follow.

Don't lose decency in war

When the war broke out between India and Pakistan over Kargil two things happened - Some Indian soldiers were captured and their bodies were found mutilated. Second, on numerous occasions both the countries exchanged bodies of their soldiers with full honor and salute. Professional armies of the world are expected to do the same. Also bound by Geneva conventions it is necessary to respect the dead and PoWs to keep your honor if not theirs. There has to be a decency in war. What we saw during Saddam Hussain's execution and now with Gaddafi's body being dragged only shows how savagery has sunk in our frustrations. Dictators who did the same deserved what they got but if the "good guys" do the same what values would you be establishing? Responsibility of revolution peaceful or not is not only a change from tyranny but also establishing a foundation for future with human dignity and values. You can not remove a color with the same color. Revolution is good if its for better but better in a way that it establishes compassion, dignity, honor and core human values.

9/11 - A remembrance

Ten years ago I just got out of the shower and getting ready to go to work I heard my roommate's voice - "Ashish just come here and see the news. There has been an accident, a plane hit a tower in New York". I ran and by the time I was there my Oh boy turned into Oh F$%#! Did the traffic control made this big mistake? I didn't want to believe International Terrorism just hit this shore too.
Mood in the office was sombre. Palestinians? Iranians? But by the lunch it was clear who. Even smiles on faces were filled with million questions. That day we were allowed to leave early and so we did but not before a friend had made sure talking to me at the Gym that I was a Hindu from India. Though I was happy to tell him but it was like as if some one just had let me go in the middle of a Riot knowing if I was one of them. The question kept coming to my mind as I drove back home.
I had rented out two of my rooms to two other Indian Guys. They had a bigger social circle and my house in the evening at least had two other cars besides three in the house parked. My neighbor was a nice man. He had helped me move in. Like mine he had many questions to ask about us. So do you Guys go to school here? He wanted to make sure if we three brown guys were not going to school, for looking some correlation. That day I also found out how little many here knew of Geography and culture beyond the American and European continent. A few days later a neighbor's kid punctured my car tires - it was a hate crime, I didn't report. Some of my friends were chased with a car while returning from a Diner but the situation remained in control something you could easily shrug off.
Tenth year and we got the news that everyone waited for. Osama is dead. Threat is not. US ended up with two unfunded wars that we thought would be just shock and awe. Didn't happen. We got a new President who once felt like a cool breeze. No one knows if he struggles with problems he got in legacy or is creating them. What we do know is its our problem and only its people can solve it. Lets pray together No 9/11 happens again, not in US, not in India and no where else in the world. Lets salute the Heroes and the victims and the Soldiers who died on and because of 9/11. And a message to all those who still are on the path of violence - It is easiest to kill someone else, easier to kill yourself, a little difficult to live your own life peacefully and the most difficult is to help others live with peace. God accepts and loves those who take the high road.

This is how Lucknow created Jobs, once

The year was 1784 and the region of Oudh had suffered one of its worst famine of that time. Nawab Asaf-Ud-Daulah knew how proud the citizens of Lucknow were. Lucknowites did not accept charities as long as they had an ability to work. Quality of a ruler is to know the pulse of its citizens, to hear it when it beats something today's leaders have failed to do. He had money collected overtime as revenue and he had it to dispose it off for good. And in spite of mounting debt that he owed to Britishers he chose to create jobs first. Even then he knew if people have Jobs and they are proud to do it is a solution for a greater threat like Famine. He knew threat of British rulers were more on him than his riyayah while in case of Famine it was opposite. He chose the people's way. Learn.
Dilemma was, though people from Royal and other noble families did want to work even physical but wanted to preserve what they believed was their honor. The honor they thought they achieved by learning, by producing literature, by administering and by protecting the state. It was not a socialist society and neither it was a time to change it to one, and the Nawab knew it. So he planned a novel method. He invested in construction projects building Imambaras places that are public in nature. There is no other feeling of goodness if you could use what you have built. While under the day light he asked laborers to construct walls and pave roads once a week under the Moon he let the members of the noble families destroy them. This cycle continued and he was doing it preserving the real map till the Famine was over and its citizens could get back on track with their lives. The buildings the Imambaras are still standing undestroyed, untouched, undetered and proud. It was a people's place that continued to wither out the test of time. Nawab was a great ruler and a great human being who was successful in addressing one of the biggest problem of that time with dignity, with honor and with the satisfaction of all affected.
The story has some startling resemblance with what we find today. We have mounting debts here in US, Jobs are difficult to create and find. Honor of people are affected and the education and experience is not always getting appropriately rewarded during the current hardships caused by the bad economy. We have a famine. While the President Obama is about to announce his plans around it, Nawab Asaf-Ud-Doulah is becoming relevant again. And we want to invest in something that could stand up right for centuries to come, proud.

Why Pakistan is not incompetent but they are lying

While I do meet people from Pakistan who do not hate India but may have a mixed feeling of dislike, distrust, betrayal or jealousy - true or not, I risk using the word Pakistan here as a generic noun. My use of the word mostly means its government, intelligence, Army and Jihadist/Terrorists. Keeping the general masses out, these four elements itself create a web of entangled policies that the country has followed since its inception.
Even though an ally of many decades, Pakistan does not love America. Their hate and distrust for India is way more profound than their love for America. They need America only to keep things at home in place when it comes to economy and defense. Its like a Bank - We use it to get loans but leave no opportunity to curse its higher interest rates. After the debacle of 1971 war with India, Pakistan realized and was convinced that it needed a new instrument. That instrument was gifted to it by Indian politicians in the form of Kashmir and for a short while Punjab. While their early experiments in Punjab appeared to succeed they knew basing it entirely on a political unrest is not sustainable. They needed religion. Kashmir turned out an ideal platform. While similar experiments were done by US in Afghanistan, Pakistan was quietly repeating it inside India. India's political proximity to USSR gave a good platform for US-Pak friendship, two political partners with different domestic values.
Then came Kargil - a huge miscalculation by Pakistani Army. They banked on their strategic assets and a political neutrality from America. Their Army felt betrayed by American response which was hugely pro-Indian. American pressure on Pakistani Government averted a full scale war between the two nuclear nations but left a seed of distrust in Pakistani intelligentsia. They now found themselves dependent on US but someone they cannot hedge against India. Even though at a high capital cost, Kargil turned out to start a new political chapter between India and US. Then came 9/11 and an arrow in their quiver went rogue someone they so effectively used against the Russian occupation in Afghanistan. By then Osama already had become a symbol of global Jihad the term Pakistani ISI were already knee deep in using in Kashmir. Pakistan found itself in a precarious triangle made up of Army, ISI and Jihadists, where losing the effectiveness of one meant losing another. They could not lose this triangle. These three elements do not just work for the country, they own it and neither of the three need the country's political establishment. Alas, this is the only branch that is kept so less informed.
Osama is killed. He is killed inside Pakistan. He is killed in a well designed safe house unlike some hole where Saddam hid himself inside. He is killed in a relatively westernized city. And, he is killed in a place surrounded by Military installations. If nothing else the sanity itself tells that he could not have done this without anybody's knowledge. This anybody just can not be his own personal network, It has to be from this triangle. If the countries President and Prime Minister are saying they did not know about it then possibly they are speaking the truth. After all they did not know about the Kargil either. If ISI or Army says it, then its an out right lie. They seem to not only have known it but seem to have been instrumental in moving him from the mountains of Afghanistan to the heart of a Military city. What US does after this episode is just anybody's guess but they may find themselves in the same place and similar scenario when they had to bail out corrupt banks because the risk of their failure was too high.

Mr Afridi - be graceful in defeat

First of all congratulations Team India for winning the Cricket World Cup after a long 28 years of wait. It was a deserving win and every bit of celebrations for a team the way they planned, played and stuck together. That said for many Indians the Semi-Finals against Pakistan was almost a Final and would have been content even if India would have lost to Sri Lankans. At the end what surprised us the most was Afridi's humility in accepting defeat. It was the first time ever in his career that he seemed one decent Guy passionate about Cricket. World, specially Indians were ready to forget his waywardness. Afridi thanked the "Indian Nation" and even while in Pakistan asked one aggravating journalist - "Why do we hate India?". And, I thought for two nations who put Cricket before religion this could be a new way to friendship - Not to be. Afridi appears in a Pakistani channel and challenges the Indian hospitality and media and even appeared to claim that Pakistan and India can never be friends and live together. Those were some very strong words coming out of someone whose butt just got kicked not too long ago. I still give Afridi a benefit of doubt. It is all but natural for him to give contradicting statements to appease those who are readying themselves to avenge the defeat on Afridi's career. Only this time he seems unlikely to continue as a Captain of his team if past history of that nation is to be believed. And Thanks to those Pakistanis who still think India and Pakistan can not be friends and neighbors - You don't deserve to be a neighbor of any country.

Is Saleh an option to Karzai?

I accidentally watched Amrullah Saleh's talk on C-span and suddenly I see new hopes emerging in Afghanistan. I was impressed so much so that I googled him and read a few articles. What I decipher is he is neither a Madarsa going blind jihadi type nor is he an absolute pro-US face. He is an educated person and has a high understanding of Afghan problem and seem to have clear view of its solution. At least he says true things as they are. No politics no gimmicks. That said where is he going? US is utterly unhappy about Karzai. Karzai's recent pro-Pak decisions has alienated Indian interests and an increasingly powerful Taliban is crying for a change. A change that is deep rooted. In Saleh I see a Man who is intelligent and a leader with followings in grassroots. He seems to understand the problem better than US and NATO. With US (In Obama) and Europe now beginning to acknowledge its displeasure with Pakistani efforts they need a tough actor in its backyard. Someone who could also be a face saver for western powers upon their exit. With Saleh's experience being a Spy-master he is not one who would be as concerned about his survivability as Karzai is today. So I don't know what the big game would be but I am pleased to see new young and confident leaders emerging in Afghanistan.

Yes we can! But,

I argued with my wife, stopped all noises in the room and delayed my dinner just to watch Obama's appearance in Jon Stewart show. At the end I was disappointed. I was disappointed not because I found him a bad President or what he did in last 18 months were any less than what was being done in entire presidential terms but because I saw a Man's hope who galvanized the entire world wavering. He just doesn't seem to be confident anymore. A person who just two years ago would have said - "Yes we can, absolutely! And we have to work for it and the goals we want to achieve would come and it is going to take some time as we are on the right track.." started his explanation with a "But!". Nope this was not Obama this country elected.

Why blame Karzai?

In 1857 India rose against the British Empire which now is called its first war of Independence - Or at least most of India. After a few early successes the rebellion was crushed and the British were able to do so by keeping a corrupt few together and using them effectively. In the process they structured a new land they could effectively hold and what India became as a nation in 1947 when it eventually got its Freedom. No one knows how this nation could have churned out had the states that revolted against the then East India Company succeeded. But British did so in 1857 not because the Indians were happy under their rule or if they had an overwhelming power, but because they had corrupt friends in some princely states that had power to control. British also had a long term vision for this outpost of its Empire - A united India under one rule of law irrespective of how biased, undemocratic and in-humane that law was.
Afghanistan as it stands today has some roots in how India was a few centuries ago. Independent tribes under one Nation with local laws, customs and rules with no or little centralized control. Corruption in this phase of a nation's evolution could be a good tool if tied with a long term vision for the country. Hamid Karzai, the president of Afghanistan has been blamed for corruption in his government. Appointments not based on merit, a blind eye to Poppy cultivation and under hand deals with local tribal leaders. But if it is effective for not letting them defect to Taliban then what is wrong in it? In a state of chaos choosing a lesser evil sometimes is a path the process of evolution takes. I am in no way proposing a corrupt civil administration in Afghanistan or if he should not be under pressure to tackle it but Karzai still needs the support of the Free world because he has become a pillar for a stable country.

Has MLK's dreams fulfilled today?

This is a question almost everyone is asking today and many believe it. MLK's dreams were already fulfilled when you had a company's CEO of an African American decent. His dreams were already fulfilled when you talked about your illness to an African American Doctor. His dreams were already fulfilled when you had a business owned by an African American running next to one owned by a White man. Obama's election as the Commander-in-Chief is just the pinnacle and possibly the fruit of his dream. MLK's work reflects one from a similar political and social legend - Dr. B.R Ambedkar of India. Ambedkar's work towards social justice revolutionized India's social equations forever. But India saw leaders from the community which Dr. Ambedkar fought for, becoming State Chief Ministers and even the President of India years ago. But has the struggle stopped? Is social justice achieved? Is the dream already fulfilled? No, Only its face has. The struggle is still on. Unfortunately In India today it has become a tool to play power games. It has become a number game to exploit the Democracy. So the dreams of social justice is not fulfilled when you end up with a President or a Prime Minister, it is fulfilled when he or she makes all and everyone feel equal and the same. The dream is fulfilled not when you have just a black President but when Whites, Asians, Indians and every American looks up to him as his or her own leader. His dream is fulfilled not if the color of the President runs the office but when the Content of his character runs the nation. Obama feels like a sweet breeze and not only Americans but the entire world looks up to him. He stands today on top of MLK's legacy. The legacy that talks not about the color of the skin but the strength of the character. America is proud to elect Obama as it's President now the onus wrests with him to keep all the residents of American nation proud and then only MLK's dream would be really fulfilled.

Do not forget Mahatma Gandhi

Einstein once said the following on Mahatma Gandhi - "Mahatma Gandhi’s life achievement stands unique in political history. He has invented a completely new and humane means for the liberation war of an oppressed country, and practiced it with greatest energy and devotion. The moral influence he had on the consciously thinking human being of the entire civilized world will probably be much more lasting than it seems in our time with its overestimation of brutal violent forces....
We may all be happy and grateful that destiny gifted us with such an enlightened contemporary, a role model for the generations to come". It seems today we are already forgetting him. Martin Luther King achieved an almost impossible dream following Gandhian Principles and so did Nelson Mandela. Faith in yourself is the first thing that Guns kill. As the world burns today, path that Gandhiji, MLK, Mandela and numerous other leaders who championed non-violent means are being burned as well. Let us remember this January two stalwarts of this era and hope we re-learn the ways they showed our generation and coming ones.

Don't we just love Pakistani Foreign Ministry?

01. Elements in Pakistan abetted, trained and sent terrorists to Orchestrate Mumbai massacre.
02. Refuses to accept the lone captured terrorist is from Faridkot Pakistan.
03. Refuses to accept the plea of that terrorist for legal help.
04. Cordons off the village from media where the captured terrorist hails from.
05. No concrete steps to punish responsible groups and closing the terror camps.
06. Creates war hysteria.
07. Blames India for Lahore blast which with in days claimed by a Pro-Taliban group.
08. After international pressure black mailing the world by mobilizing troops from Afghanistan to Indian border (Has been their trump card for years).
09. Their Airforce running low sorties creating panic among Pakistani people and building anti-India sentiments.
10. And, their national leaders passing inflammatory comments against India.
So commit the crime and then scream you were a victim. BS! And what the world is doing? Sleeping?

In defence of Bush

Being disliked at home and getting thrown a pair of shoes in Iraq - the focal point of his foreign policy, I am sure are enough reasons for any common man to go in depression and of course with depressed economy it is not good to be George Bush. But as human nature goes we forget the intangibles. Once we get a Wii to play with we forget what effort it took to get one. Look around people. Some parts of the world live under constant fear of terrorism. What happened in Mumbai is a reminder that we are not safe yet. Only stupid will question the intent, resolve and wish of organizations that attacked us to do it again. Lets not forget not a single terrorist attack has occurred in past seven years on the soil of United States of America. And don't you think that credit goes to Bush? In wave of our own anger lets not forget what good this Man has done for us. I am sure the Guy who threw shoes at Bush must have forgotten what if he had done the same to Saddam. Whether we like Bush or not but he does not deserve this hatred either by an American or an Iraqi. I hope he is remembered in history as a man of resolve who cared about his country more than he cared about himself.

I endorse McCain, Because...

@11/01/2008: After deep thinking and three days before Nov'4th I have decided to endorse McCain. And the reasons I will reveal after the result ;).

@11/04/2008: And the reason is that whoever I ever voted for has always won, and whoever I endorsed but did not vote has lost. And I do not have voting rights in America. Second, I did not have any goosebumps to endorse McCain. Lets not forget that he is a nice and decent man who gave his entire life to the service of this country. But, Sorry McCain this year we needed change. And a change from a Guy who is ground to earth and seems to think of us The Middle class America. We needed American troops to conclude its services in Iraq and concentrate on Osama Bin-Laden. We needed lower health care cost. And we needed a President of America and of entire free world to be at least a good Orator and able to connect to his audience. We needed someone who can bring back the respect once America enjoyed across the World. And this was an only opportunity to find a Candidate who is equally white as he is black - A nation that a future America represents.
Congratulations Obama and a Salute to McCain.

Election participation - Go Vote

With American elections just around the corner, it reminds me of elections in India. Average percentage of voting in India is around 40-45%. Out of the rest 55 a huge majority does not go vote because they are lazy, because they do not think their vote matters, because they think their candidate will win anyway and other miscellaneous reasons like health, weather and fear of anti-social elements just to find that a candidate has won who he/she did not want. So people living in a Democratic society it is our responsibility to go out and vote. Whoever you like but go out there and vote. My parents have always encouraged us to participate in elections. Not in rhetoric but in ink. I remember whenever I was home during elections in a place I was registered to vote I and my family always went and voted. This is a way to show off your freedom to the rest of Un-democratic world that do not enjoy what we do. And remember if you did not vote then you lose your moral right to whine about the laws, bills and candidates that hurt you. Its your country and its future is your responsibility. Shape it with your vote.

Is surge working or Terrorists already won?

A re-run of Bill Maher show today just shook me. After seven years of 9-11 Osama Bin Laden and his lieutenant is still alive. Work on World Trade Center is still not complete. American economy is seeing unprecedented downturn. The leader of the terrorists who attacked us might be laughing today. And what do we listen in the debate? "My friends I know where he is. I know how to take him out".. and no one asks that it has been a Republican government for last eight years, If someone does know how to take him out why was it not done? More than a Trillion dollars burnt on personal egos and revenge that could have been spent on Health care, Energy and other things. We see 4000+ lives lost with the main culprit still at large, that might have only taken a few hundred million well spent dollars to take him out and destroy his network. We see a Police officer in his uniform bashing his fellow American and planting doubt of him being a Muslim and words like "Kill Him" in Sarah Palin's political rallies and no one denouncing it.. "Who is Barack? - A terrorist!" and Republicans think this is the only way to win? May be Barack does not understand may be he does not, but at least he is clear what he intends to do.. "My friends I know how to do it" is still not making it clear how will it be done. The respect I had for McCain is badly hurt by what Sarah Palin and his other apparatus is doing. I guess they both promised to run a respectable campaign. But when the time is to get together and united we are demeaning personally our own fellow citizen. What has gone wrong with us? Did Terrorists hit us on our character and values?

Death of a Policy

History did not start on September'11th 2001. There was a world before that and roots of an evil were planted decades ago. In 1947 a country named Pakistan was born. No the country itself was not evil but the path it followed and policies it implemented resulted in a nation that its legendary creators would not have ever imagined. India pre-independence was a nation of multiple cultures. Mainly two - Hindu and Islamic traditions. For centuries a mixed culture took roots with an influence of Sufism that brought two religions together. But it was not always rosy. Uncertainties of early 1930's and some political opportunism ended up making some Muslim leaders insecure in the nation they were born in. While India continued its multi-culture secular way, Pakistan took refuge in religion. The partition which was mostly based on differences of political views was turned religious. While the leaders of North west frontiers (the region close to Afghanistan) whose cultures and traditions were very different from the main stream Pakistan never wanted a partition but they ended up abstaining from voting and hence a nation named Pakistan was born. Pakistan as it means a "Pure place" very soon got tainted and bloodied after thousands of Hindus and Sikhs were massacred in the worst ever riots of the last century. Elements in India responded with the same evil reaction and a country was split into two nations. Pakistan as its creator M.L. Jinnah thought of making - A free and progressive country rooted in Islam was soon caught in disillusions. Their suspicion and hatred for India grew and instead of strengthening the people they strengthened the Anti-India institutions of its military. With Soviet Union moving into Afghanistan Pakistan became the hot bed for US to make its presence felt in that region. While Pakistan continued to be used, Long story cut short - Taliban was formed and no one had any clue how to deactivate this Machine if it ever gets out of hand.
It was not like if the thought process followed by Taliban was any new. It was at the heart of the kings like Babar who invaded centuries ago and brought Islam to India and followed by Aurangzeb the last Mogul king of India. The soul of secular kings or leaders like Akbar and M.L. Jinnah died and replaced by a policy that was too dangerous to control. While Pakistan continued to be ruled by Military Generals that world cozied up to, it was the democratic institution of Pakistan that remained the victim. Then came Kargil misadventure, solely orchestrated by then Pakistani Military chief Musharraf. The same elements that never liked any peace initiatives by elected leaders of that country with India. Once again Pakistan came under a Military rule that only ended after 9 years. Then 9-11 happened and not the world but only West's perspective towards this long lasting evil changed. Common Americans who cared about a very small World realized that it was bigger and filled with more hatred towards US than they had earlier thought. It was a new reality beyond the cold war. Musharraf knowing exactly what he was up against chose to side with US or at least officially. He took a gamble that elements his institutions and his predecessors created and helped would be easy to deal with over a span of number of years. We all got used to the situation. Okay.. US will stay in Afghanistan. Musharraf will not allow situation to get out of hands. Iraq will get solved by itself. One day Osama Bin Laden and its kingpins will either be captured or killed. The world felt more peaceful. Then something unprecedented happened. Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. Musharraf was ousted and new elected leaders took oath in Pakistan. The most important nation in the fight against terror was back on track. Or so it seemed. A series of US strikes inside Pakistan and its Military's attempt to cross its border snowballed into an issue that has swung most of the undecided common Pakistanis towards Taliban. Marriott's bombing in one of the most protected areas is not an isolated act but a sign of changing ground realities inside Pakistan. Its a challenge that a new nascent government is ill prepared to deal with. Its a sign of failed policy and is screaming to get a new look. This problem is bigger than Iraq. People in hiding not only had their eyes set but now have a reach to not only to the deadly nuclear weapons but its delivery systems. Hope it is not a beginning of the fall of a nation we called Pakistan.

Obama vs McCain

So it is official now...
Obama's message: Enough!
McCain's message: WYSIWYG

I like McCain and salute to his services for this country, but if Democrats could not make a case this election they should forget it for another eight years. Do not Re-Kerry. Republicans have everything going against them. Economy, Last eight years, Economy, Iraq, Economy, Afghanistan, Economy, US foreign leadership, Economy, Health care and Economy but seems like divided democrats is still struggling to challenge a united republican house.
1. Why Women Clinton supporters should swing for Palin? After 42 male Presidents are all US men happy and satisfied?
2. Did they ever ask if she had won nomination, would she have picked Obama? I guess she would have picked Biden herself.
3. Why is this indirectly projected as if it is being un-American, selfish and un-patriotic to support Obama? USA, USA was a treat to hear in Beijing but why during Republican convention? Are the rest coming from Cuba?
4. Why are facts not used? Why is this being told that Obama's Tax increases will hurt common Americans? Does a common American make more than 250K a year?
5. Why McCain's Vietnam days are being repeated again and again? He did suffer tremendously and he suffered in the hands of enemies. Does anyone care how does it feel to suffer in hands of your own fellow countrymen? It is easier to defeat evil if it is recognizable. Two forces with guns out to kill each other. Yes you can see evil and defeat it. What about hate crime, racism, sexism those no-face evils? How to defeat evils that exist in character?
6. Yes, McCain is different. He will bring change and probably positive change. He is a uniter not a divider. But can anyone stand up and take responsibility for last eight years? 4000+ precious lives have been sacrificed on wrong pretexts, why were they blind folded for first five years? Why harping on the fix (surge) which should have been done from the beginning?
7. Why is there no accountability for lost 10 Billion Dollars that should have been spent to chase evil to the doors that houses them?
8. And Why experience has been such an issue? Has it been not a White house tradition lately that a President does everything that his VP tells him to do? ;) - Okay this was a humor!!
9. Republicans all kudos to you for choosing McCain as a nominee. If anyone can come victor in a face of adversity it is John McCain, his resolve and his character are his strengths. He masters this art.

After many years we have two very likable candidates. Both will bring change. They both have awesome character, sincerity and possess love for this nation and its people. You won't go wrong in choosing either of the two. But choose on policies. Choose on facts not on revenge and prejudice. Change is coming indeed but choose who can bring confidence as well, sooner than later.

Fact: Bush has more approval rating in India than in US.

And I predicted this last November..