Showing posts with label Iran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iran. Show all posts

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Deep State and Democracy: Something wrong in the way US Democracy is functioning

A look at the world of politics, statecraft, diplomacy and books

One of the fundamental attributes of a mature democracy is the civilian control over the Military and Intelligence Services. In USA, it is quite clear that President Donald Trump is the elected President. However, what is surprising is that within less than a month of his assumption of the Office of President, he is being dragged into a unholy mess in which the Media, the Academia and the Intelligence Community all seem to be working in tandem. His popularity or unpopularity is not the issue. The viciousness with which he is being attacked and the studies and co ordinated manner in which he is being undermined in less than a month in Office leads me to suspect that there is something more than mere political posturing.

Donald Trump is certainly an obnoxious man. But that does not disqualify him from holding an elected post. President Barack Obama, had poetry on his lips and blood on his hands and the American public was quite exited over him. Perhaps, the fact of being black and sophisticated had something to do with his popularity. Obama was ruthless in his pursuit of the American objectives or where they American objectives. He sustained the Sunni USA Alliance against Iran even though he made a fairly good deal to restrict Iran's nuclear ambitions. He created the ISIS and set it loose against the last progressive state in the Middle East, Syria and turned a blind eye to the atrocities against the Christian and other sectarian populations in Syria. His policy of undermining the fledgling Democracy in Egypt was sold to his subject population by demonising the Muslim Brotherhood and this organization is certainly less of a problem than ISIS. Obama came to India as a guest of the Prime Minister of India, and had the temerity to say some scathing things about Narendra Modi and his Government. Trump has not had the time even to put together his policy platform and all hell is breaking loose.

Russia is not at war with USA and so having conversations over any diplomatic or strategic issue with Russia is not a crime and certainly not any act of treason. Robert Flynn the National Security Advisor, The alleged involvement of Russia in the hacking of the Democratic Party Server is a ruse to create a cloud of illegitimacy over the election of Trump. In fact what the hacked emails of Podesta brought to light was the systematic rigging of the primaries against Bernie Sanders who if nominated would have defeated Donald Trump. Instead, foreign involvement in the political affairs of USA has become the war cry which is being used to hammer the Presidency of Trump. The American Media went along with the Bush Administration when he used it to create a cloud of suspicion over the Weapons of Mass Destruction allegedly held by Saddam Hussein. We in India were clear that it was a just a ploy. But the Deep State created such a miasma of war and terror over this issue that questioning the narrative from the White House and the theatrics of Colin Powell was considered un American and suspicious. Something similar is happening now. The Deep State is unhappy with Trump and is trying to create hurdles for him and his policies.

Trump has said that he would like to have Russian support in the war against ISIS and why is the Deep State afraid of this. It is now quite certain that ISIS cannot be defeated militarily. It has to be dealt with politically by forging an alliance of like minded countries. USA and its Deep State is willing to allow terrorism to flourish and American security threatened all over the world than to take the logical step toward stability. The ban against immigration from 7 countries is not a Muslim ban as there are 40 muslim countries and this policy was initiated by Barack Obama. Further, it was Barack Obama's policy of wanton and sustained bombing that led to the collapse of these countries. Trump rightly want this "American Carnage" to stop. Why is the Deep State not allowing the American Carnage to be checked if not totally halted.

There are wheels within wheels. One need not be a conspiracy advocate to connect the dots. Obams's record of ruthless and wanton bloodshed is not questioned at all and the cries for revoking the Nobel Peace Prize are still muted. Trump has incurred the hostility of the nebulous and faceless cluster of financial, strategic, academic and military interests whose face, at least in public is the elected President. Trup is the first American President who has confronted what Eisenhower had long feared, "the Military Industrial Complex". At this rate I suspect that he will not be allowed to complete his terms and physical removal is also a possibility as the Intelligence Community has gone rogue.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Israel Attacked in New Delhi" Some Questions and Pakistan

A look at the world of politics, statecraft, diplomacy and books

Yesterday a bomb ripped through the car in which an Israeli embassy staffer Ms Yehoshua Koren, the wife of the defence attache, was travelling. The exposive used was similar to the one used in Georgia and the bomb was pbobably just little bigger than a human fist. Surprisingly, the attack took place less than 50 meters from the residence of the Prime Minister, Man Mohan Singh. Ms Koren suffered serious spinal injuries but the efforts of the doctors in one of New Delhi's Hospitals saved her life. Now questions are being asked about the motives for the attack and the perpetrators of this terrorist attack. One theory doing the rounds is that thiis was a revenge for the killing of 5 Iranian nuclear scientists whose cafrs were blown using a similar device. Another suspect is the Hizzbollah of Lebonon. None of these theories seem to make any sense.

Iran is facing international furoe over ts nuclear plans and will certainly not want to draw attention to itself in these circumstances. Iran generally prefers to let things quieten down rather than stir things up. Its nuclear plans are likely to come to fruition in the course of the next few months and this is hardly the time for any brazen act of bravado. Iran does not use assasination as a tool. Israel, on the other hand has had a long history of using violence against its known and imagined enemies. Further, Iran will not like to jeopardise its relationship with India by staging an attack on Israel on Indian soil. India is the only major country which is opposing sanctions and iran needs the support of India on this vital matter. Further, Iran and India have virtually clinched the pipeline deal and therefore will not risk antogonising India. Though, India is opposed ti Iran's nuclear ambitions, it is firmly opposed to any coercive measures to bring Iran to heel. With so much at stake, we cannot blame Iran for the attack in New Delhi.

As for the Lebonese Shiaa Hizzbollah, it would be a mistake to regard it as a surrogate of Iran. While Iran does have influence over the body, the Lebonese have to worry about their own problems and Iran's nuclear ambitions are certainly not one of them. Theonly country whc=ich has the means and the ability to strike in this manner is Pakistan. The ISI has been training terrorists for a long time and the uSA has been warning Pakistan over the overt and covert support it extends to terrorists all over the world. Pakistan being a predominantly Sunni country has been systematically slaughtering the Shiaas who are concentrated on the Western part of the country. The ISI will certainly like the world to believe that Iran is behind the attack and thereby motivate Israel to launch a strke against Iran.

Israel will certainly find out the truth, unlike the Indian Inlelligence which is non existent. The MOSSAD is the world's best secret service and I am sure that it will soon track down and elimeinate those responsible fr this attack