Torturous Trail of the Torch

The Olympic torch relay is off to an inflamed beginning. The planned route it will take from Greece to Beijing will be marked by the blazing fury of protests from those who oppose China's suppression of Tibetan self-rule and its atrocious human rights record. What the Chinese government hopes to be its coming out party for the world stage may turn out to be a monumental catastrophe for its image. And, where China is concerned, the Olympic flame that waits to be lit in its soil for the first time in its history may end up becoming the funeral pyre for this grand promotional campaign.

In London, the protesters wrestled with the police, attempted to grab the torch, or douse it with a fire extinguisher. Massed crowds tried to swamp the march at some points. Crowds along the route carrying screaming anti-Chinese signs were venting their ire. The Police had the march transfer to a bus just to avoid large groups which could overpower the relay guards. The torch bearer was surrounded by a protective ring of 10 Chinese flame attendants plus hundreds of policemen along the route. About 500 to 2000 protesters were massed on the streets at any one time.

It is ironic that the flame of peace, truth and sportsmanship is being met with hostility and violence, but protesters were unequivocal is saying they were not against the Chinese people nor the Olympics, but at the brutal Chinese regime that rules them. Hundreds of pro-Beijing demonstrators also gathered in Trafalgar, separated by Police from the Pro-Tibetan protesters. Pictures of the London relay were shown in China, but not the protests and disruption that greeted it.

Celebrities and athletes earlier assigned to take part are split on the issue. Some have opted out, others anguish over the decision. That politics threatens to taint the Games anew is the saddest development of this sports event. Calls for boycott will only hurt the athletes and would not make much of a dent in the way that the host decides to rule its constituents. Participation of athletes does not mean they agree nor condone with what the Chinese are doing by way of human rights, but a better platform for such discussions or resolutions should be found, not the Olympics.

In the meantime, clashes have broken out anew in Tibet and the Chinese Military has taken control of the region of Hezuo. Many Tibetans are despondent with Chinese rule and are getting bolder in the conduct and frequency of protests. China claims it fired warning shots to quell a riot but eight bodies were sprawled lifeless. It is this system of information control, disinformation and misinformation that raise doubts about China's sincerity and true intent in all its dealings with the world at large. Blatant lies that cannot even be justified by plausible deniability, which Condoleezza Rice is so good at; can hardly earn them respect and trust. Hosting the Olympics may have been a result of financial clout, but the expected political gains from the event may fall short of target. Skeletons may yet surface along the route of the torch and during the Games itself.

The route would include Paris, San Francisco, and Buenos Aires where fiery protests are also expected. China still has time to salvage its slowly eroding facade that reveals its iron face. It may view holding talks with the Dalai Lama as a capitulation, but it can promote the same as a preference for peace and unity. Pride is the only thing that's holding them back in this scorching issue. The Olympic torch has been lit, let's hope China is not consumed by it in the process.

Haaarrrrwwwwk...Twoooooph...Ting!

Overtures of Osama's Offspring

The son of the World's most sought after criminal has spoken with CNN because he wants an end to the violence his father has inspired, violence that has victimized civilians worldwide. Omar bin Laden is a contractor whose own experience in meeting people in the course of doing business is that after learning his name, they run away. Omar, without the beard and excess fat, chillingly resembles his world renowned bomber....err...ahh...father. He spoke English which he learned from his wife, a British national, who must have embraced the Islamic faith.

According to Omar, his message was requested by other Muslims. His message: "Try to find another way to help or find your goal".

The video was fleeting but it seemed he wanted his father to put an end to the methods they have chosen to employ that create bits and pieces of rubble from otherwise structurally sound and magnificently designed edifices, strewn with chunks of human flesh. Their skill in irrigating dry parcels of land with the blood of innocent civilians that has made the world paranoid, to the point of accepting curtailment of civil liberties by so-called democratic governments must be stopped. And the wars that these efforts of his father gave birth to, indecent and unjustified as they are, which has led to the deaths of thousands of young men and cast several thousand more in funny farms must come to a halt. The impending global suffering that will accompany the recession in the US because of these senseless wars, which has already manifested itself in the stock market collapse worldwide, should be averted.

What would he have his father do? Run for King of Saudi Arabia? Or would he prefer his father seek American citizenship then launch his candidacy for President of the United States. He could join the Republicans since his old friend George Bush still holds sway there. He cannot join the Democrats since the prospect of running against Obama in the primaries will confuse the Democrat base. It's up to his father to decide, but he believes that his father's duty is to protect Muslims from attack.

Young Omar wants to initiate a Race for Peace, a multi-month horse race through North Africa in the name of Peace. Great idea. Stop the bombing and just horse around Africa. Nice. Seriously, the question is, who will they get to sponsor this event? Halliburton? Will Condoleezza Rice fire the starting gun? It might send out missiles and rockets throughout the middle east!

This is an attempt to re-brand the name Bin Laden, to link it with Peace. Old man Osama certainly would want that, but not after obliterating the world and its inhabitants to bits, then that will be his idea of Peace!

Haaarrrrwwwwk...Twoooooph...Ting!

UFOs Unwavering Updates

Has the United States Federal Government abolished its Men in Black? Those fast talking, alien zapping agents of the night, out to protect humanity from undesirable creatures intent on changing the world through deceitful means? Did such an agency really exist or was this just a figment of Hollywood's declining creativity? If no government agency in the United States is in charge of investigating UFOs, what good would any immigration legislation be, regardless of whether it is a stringent stand on illegals or not, if the entry of aliens from the air goes on undetected and unabated?:-) Isn't there anyone in Washington who would take up the cudgels for the farmers in Stephenville, Texas eight days after they reported sighting an Unidentified Flying Object?:-)

Today, no one in the government takes the UFO sightings as seriously as it did six decades ago. The United States Air Force has ceased investigating UFOs in 1969 after evaluating 12,618 sightings between 1940 to 1969. The investigations , code named Project Blue, concluded that:

1. No UFO reported, investigated, and evaluated by the Air Force was ever an indication of a
threat to our National Security;

2.There was no evidence submitted to or discovered by the Air Force that sightings categorized as " Unidentified" represented technological developments or principles beyond the range of modern scientific knowledge; and

3.There was no evidence indicating that the sightings were categorized as "Unidentified" were extraterrestrial vehicles.

So what are the Texans in Stephenville looking at, a mirage? The government has long denied the existence of UFOs; and countless speculations and conspiracy theories, even profitable TV series, books and films were produced to perpetuate this phenomena. Private organizations and private funding are now the only ones active in UFO research. Sightings continue to be reported up to 200 per month, mostly in California, Colorado, and Texas. The Mutual UFO Network, a private organization, plans to investigate the Texas sighting which was witnessed by several people in different parts of the locality.

Recently, a spokesperson for the Japanese Government Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura declared that he "believes UFO's definitely exist". Japan keeps a vigilant watch over its air space and is always ready to scramble jets to investigate suspicious flying objects. In the US, former Arizona Governor Fife Symington declared that in 1997, he saw an Unidentified Flying Object witnessed too by many constituents.The former governor will be joined by 14 high ranking military and government officials from 7 countries to share evidence on their UFO experience. He was never happy with the concocted explanations of the US military regarding the sightings.

The former governor has perhaps benefited from the UFOs. They might be his constituents that helped him win in Arizona! Could these be his flying voters? The Japanese spokesperson has never seen one but he definitely believes these exist; is this part of the modern Shinto faith that's geared towards technological advancement? And the farmers from Stephenville must be reeling from the entry of illegal immigrants that they have collectively agreed that UFOs were what they saw. Could they mean Undesirable Foreign Orange-pickers? If anything, it could be a top secret US vehicle for President George Bush, to take him to the wild blue yonder after his term, to get away from Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice who keep thinking for him and telling him what to say. He may want to think and speak for himself, "Errr... ahhh... I don't particularly like it when people put words in my mouth, either, by the way, unless I say it". Smart huh!

Oh dear Lord..............!

Haaarrrwwwk...Twooooph...Ting!

Pieces of the Pakistan Puzzle

Piece #1

President Pervez Musharraf- He shot into the global arena after 9/11, providing invaluable assistance to the US and its allies for the war on terror. Vowed to fight terrorism. The only Muslim country under an Authoritarian leader to support the effort. Yet he gave the Taliban leadership permission to resettle in Quetta and entered into peace deals with the extremist tribal bands on the border, while allowing Islamic extremists to go unabated in their propagation of jihad and Sharia law inside Pakistan. He agreed to shift to Democracy but bargained and secured the nod of the US for a "localized" Democracy, a version in which he will retain power. He could not get a confirmation of his election in November from the Supreme Court; declared a state of emergency, replaced the justices with his handpicked people, and got the confirmation. Under US pressure, he relinquished his post as concurrent head of the military but handpicked his successor too. He acceded to a brokered truce by Condoleezza Rice with Benazir Bhutto, allowing her return and dropping corruption charges , and was seen working towards sharing power with her as Prime Minister. Yet he had Bhutto arrested, then placed under house arrest after the bombing in her initial campaign rally. Following this, he continued to ignore requests for additional police vehicles and security arrangements for Bhutto's sorties. The assassination of Benazir Bhutto took place near a military installation.

Questions: Is President Musharraf playing both sides? If so, is it because he does not trust the US to keep him in power as proven time and again in recent history? Now that Pakistan is threatened by various extremist elements running wild plus the rampaging riots courtesy of Bhutto's supporters, can President Musharraf hold on to power?

Piece #2

Benazir Ali Bhutto- Undoubtedly an intelligent, charismatic and populist political figure and leader with a long history of violent deaths in the family because of politics. Possesses strong grassroots support and is fully committed to a return to meaningful democratic processes for Pakistan. Vowed to uplift the lives of Pakistanis and institute tougher measures against extremists and Al Qaeda in particular; in contrast to Musharraf's coddling of jihadists and purveyors of the ultra conservative Sharia Law. Agreed to share power with the President on the truce brokered by Rice, but contradicts Musharraf's decisions in her speeches. Apparently possesses a weakness for corruption and a lavish lifestyle as against the poverty ridden countrymen she supposedly speaks for.

Questions: Did Benazir Bhutto demand, and eventually secure, a secret agreement from the US about taking full power after winning the election in January as part of the brokered truce? Are the conflicts with Musharraf's actions and decisions in her policy statements a prelude for this purpose? Knowing the dangers she was to be exposed to, were her efforts to unite her party and subsequent sorties meant to seek redemption, more for her countrymen; or for herself, the family's name and status?

Piece #3

The US Involvement - Uncomfortable with the growing anti-US sentiment in Pakistan affecting its efforts in the war on terror, and the chaotic situation in its political structure; plus the emerging influence of extremists and jihadists in the country, the US sought to balance the hostility by engaging Pakistan's most popular political figure, Benazir Bhutto. Expressing full support for the US efforts, Bhutto's return and outpouring of acceptance by the Pakistanis, allowed her to regain a considerable amount of respectability and influence, and a more positive view of the US as a supporter of Pakistan's development; in addition to creating a sense of renewed power within her grasp. The US saw the power sharing arrangement with Musharraf as the best of both worlds they could get to win the war on terror. The CIA and the Defense department are, ironically, the ones encouraging more participation and involvement for civilian politicians.

Questions: Does the US sense some duplicity in the actions and/or intentions of Musharraf? Was the negotiation with Bhutto meant to check this duplicity? Was Bhutto made the pawn to see the true nature and intent of Musharraf? Did the US fail to see a successful assassination of Bhutto despite knowing the "many enemies" that threatened her life? Is the US prepared for, and capable of, repairing its tattered foreign policy in this region?

Piece #4

Three Versions of the Cause of Death- The Ministry of Interior, through Minister Hamid Nawaz stated that the assassination was done by Al Qaeda through a militant leader named Baitullah Mehsud, based on obtained transcripts. The attack as reported by Italian News Agency, was planned by Al Qaeda's Ayman al-Zawahiri in October. However, the cause of death was given last Thursday as bullet wounds from the assassin's gun. By Friday, the declaration was "the impact of shrapnel on her skull" caused the death. Then later on the same day, it was changed to Bhutto banging her head against the metal support of the sunroof in her car as she ducked, that fractured her skull and caused her death.

Questions: Without a message claiming ownership of the assassination, was the Interior Ministry acting too fast in laying blame on Al Qaeda? Are those they named mere fall guys and usual suspects? Was the assassination carried out by "enemies" of Bhutto and laid on the lap of Al Qaeda to divert the investigations away from the real killers? And, is Al Qaeda quietly accepting this act to enhance its influential image to the west and the rest of the Islamic world? Are the three versions of the cause of death a ruse to deflect the investigations and negate other evidence to hide the real perpetrators?

Piece # 5

Nawaz Sharif - The former Prime Minister and only remaining populist political figure in Pakistan, who was once the most powerful man in the country prior to being deposed by Musharraf; returned in September from Saudi Arabia. He was subsequently deported. The amnesty signed by Musharraf that paved the return of Bhutto did not include Sharif. How he managed to return without arrest was purportedly at the request of his host, Saudi Arabia. The former PM was spared a jail sentence together with his family, at the request of the Saudis. Sharif has also vowed to oppose President Musharraf's government in the January elections. He has been making attempts to align himself with Bhutto's forces.

Questions: Did Sharif's avoidance of jail terms for himself and his family via the Saudi request include a strong "suggestion" from the US to the Saudis? Is his return and apparent acceptance by Musharraf's government hinged on the same "request and suggestion"? Will Sharif become the standard bearer of Bhutto's party and eventually be Prime Minister? Is this the counter-request of Musharraf to his perceived intentions of Bhutto? Is he Musharraf's secret candidate or is he the secret candidate of the US? If he is some interest group's secret candidate, could that interest group have complicity in the murder of Benazir Bhutto?

Now, you put the pieces together and you will see the picture. Of course, this is purely conjecture on my part, especially the questions for each piece of the puzzle, but the facts of each piece are accurate. I simply put myself in the shoes of each puzzle piece. You can ask your own questions too after reading the piece facts, the picture may still come out the same. Same dog, different collar.

Haaarrrwwwk...Twoooooph...Ting!

Sources: CNN, MSNBC, BBC, Newsweek

Rice Returns to Reconcile

"There has been progress made here. One reason that I am more hopeful being here today, at the end of 2007, more than a year or so ago, is that these improvements do show that Iraqis can count on a future with this Democracy, a future in which violence is not necessarily a way of life. But its going to take a really large effort by these political leaders to push forward" -- Condoleezza Rice

Progress? How many American soldiers have been maimed, mutilated and killed by suicide bombers and booby traps? How many Iraqis have been blasted to bits? How many have perished in this Democratic FORM of government that America insists Iraq and the rest of the world should adopt? Oh, I get it. They want the Iraqis to be like America, go shopping at Christmastime and have someone shoot them down in broad daylight to become famous!

Improvements? Representative Ted Poe, Republican has likened Iraq to the wild west! Improvements in what? For Halliburton and its surrogates ( Kellog Brown & Root) to take full control of Iraq and do as they please with anyone they fancy? Like the gang rape of Jaime Leigh Jones by its American personnel, who happens to be married to an American soldier? Without any trace of guilt, they took pleasure on someone whose husband is committed to die for what America pursues as defense for its way of life. The rapists are part of those that American soldiers are there to defend, and the gratitude he gets is that they take turns abusing his wife? This is what he will die for? The ignominy of this act is a reflection of the conceit of Halliburton that permeates its entire organization. Corporate America has become so blatant in its abuse that it no longer distinguishes anyone, even the wives of its own soldiers.These people have no respect nor sense of patriotism, only a sense for profit, and unwavering adherence to avarice!

Rice goes on to say that reconciliation will take a lot of effort from political leaders. What leaders? These are mostly US and Halliburton dummies! Efforts to improve peace so Halliburton can continue its pillage and plunder? Come on.

Forget reconciliation! End that stupid war, send the soldiers home, and let Iraq take care of their country! They are big and old enough to handle their concerns, its not like it was a country of half wits before the war. America's entry only made it worse. That canard about saving the citizens from Saddam was just a ploy. The war was for Halliburton and the backers of Bush and Company!

The Iraqis should be very wary. Condoleezza Rice does not just make requests, she makes sure its backed up and something should happen...especially now that Bush's term will end and the Democrats are favored to get into position. Rice comes with talk of reconciliation as "a gift of peace" to all Iraqis. Beware. As the greek seer Laocoon said during the Trojan War, "beware the Greeks bearing gifts". Rice is certainly no Greek, but what she says is Greek to me.

To remind Iraqis about Rice, here's a link to a post I did last November 6. I'm sure its the Christmas carol Condoleezza is singing on this trip.

Haaaarrrwwwk...Twoooooph...Ting!