How I wish it was true

Some reports are floating around that Mullah Omar is dead, as I mentioned in my post "No Remorse" I would like to see him dead, mainly as I think it will open the door to more negotiations and hopefully a political end to the fighting in Afghanistan. Mullah Omar and his senior advisers are the reason why any negotiations have not moved ahead, he knows the current government will never relent to his demands or negotiate with him, so why allow others to do so. I have no doubt that many of the Taliban foot soldiers and their low level commanders would like to settle on some agreement that would allow them enough face to put away their weapons, but they dare not express those views or take part lest the senior leadership gets wind of it.
An alternative possibility is that Omar was being moved in secret so he would not suffer from any backlash caused by the recent attack on the naval base. The attack will not help relations between the Pakistani military and the Taliban. after OBL getting whacked, you can bet senior leaders in the Taliban are nervous about who they can trust.
I like the fact that the Taliban are nervous, sowing mistrust in your enemy ranks is a good thing and another benefit of the attack on OBL.

No Remorse

I was debating with some friends and their family about whether killing Osama Bin Laden was the right thing to do (On facebook no less...) The other people felt that killing him was just wrong. Sorry but I think it was right, deserved and useful.

Now there are not a lot of people I wish dead, and most of those I have wished are dead, there are only a couple remaining on my list, Joseph Kony of the LRA is certainly one of them. There are no doubt a few others out there that I would wish dead if I knew about them or knew more. Even the majority of the Taliban I don't wish dead, although I think having Mullah Omar dead would further the chances of a lasting peace. I respect those that fight for a cause and then are ready to lay down arms when there is a chance to do so.

Osama Bin Laden (OBL)came from a rich family, he had many choice in front of him to do good or harm, he chose harm. OBL could have turned his anger into something useful and built schools and hospitals in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the same way that Greg Mortenson of CAI did. Had OBL done that, he would be alive and regarded as a hero, a great Muslim and would have furthered his goal of a greater Umma far more than what he has done. OBL used the Pastun code of hospitality to protect him, instead of either giving himself up or showing he was no longer in Afghanistan he allowed the Taliban to suffer a major defeat, I suspect there is little real love for AQ within the ranks of the Taliban, the cost of hosting them was to high. OBL felt he was more important than all of the Taliban and the people of Afghanistan, it's clear he would saciface anyone to protect himself.

In history certain people become prime motivators, creating an effect far beyond their own capabilities, Hitler certainly was one of these and OBL had a similar ability to motivate his followers. He also had access to his own wealth, connections to a wealthy but guilt-ridden Arab upper class and was fortunate( for him) to appear on the worlds stage just as the Internet flourished. OBL was smart enough to realize the usefulness of the Internet for his agenda and it has become one of AQ primary tools to get their message out and recruit.

OBL saw the USA and the house of Saud as the prime enemies of his dream of greater Islamic caliphate. He understood the Arab culture and how to exploit it and he thought of the US as weak, corrupt and unable to defeat him. Like others before him, he failed to realize the latent strengths of the US and the will of it's people. The odd thing also is that a Muslim in the US is far freer to practice their faith, then in the majority of Islamic countries.

OBL declared Jihad (Holy war) on the US and caused great suffering in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, ME and North America. What I find odd about the Islamic fundamentalists is that they declare Holy war on the US and then are upset it responds to that declaration with deadly force, what exactly are they expecting the US to do? Perhaps they have the average Muslims so browbeaten, they can't believe that people will stand up to them? OB was a legitimate target, killed in a war of his own creation.

People argue that killing him changes nothing and that AQ will live on. They are both correct and wrong. AQ will live on like a Hydra growing a new head, it is possible that the new head will have an effect like OBL, but it's unlikely the circumstances that existed with OBL will repeat themselves, to much has changed. (for more on a replacement see the Long War Journal) the Arab street has spoken against the Arab (and others) regimes and the pent up anger is being directed elsewhere. Few of the AQ replacements will have access to the upper class of Saudi and the millions that resides their. AQ in Iraq and Afghanistan has shown itself to be excessively brutal and totally uncaring of civilian causalities and in fact kills civilians on purposes. the killing also sends a message and that is: You attack us, we will not forget and will not give up. It means that anyone who plans on carrying out these attacks must live in hiding and fear for the rest of their lives.

I went to Malaysia on Oct 2001 to marry my wife, many Muslims celebrated OBL and 911. when asked how how I felt about OBL, I responded that AQ wanted to kill me, my family and would happily kill them to make it happen. When I go back now, there is no mention of him, the one joy I get out of the long period to track him down is the realization that he witnessed his power and influence fall away, before being killed. A difference between the SEALS and AQ is that AQ would have killed everyone in that house, slowly if they had the chance. The SEALS killed only those who were a threat and a target.

Finally my reasons I wanted him dead is that he made this personal, OBL wanted me and my family dead, it's not that he knew me, but I was a target for him and the death of my family and self was his goal. If you think I am wrong, just look at these videos and remind yourself that these were average people going to work on a average day. This could have been me, my wife, you or a member of your family. So yes I am happy the bastard is dead, I won't even pretend to be noble and every time I take a leak off the side of a boat I know with satisfaction that I will be pissing on his grave.

Wow what a week!

First of all I get the news that US navy Seals has killed Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, good riddance you scumbucket, I hope you are paying a hefty price for the blood on your hands. I hope enough Muslims have learned that this guy and his buddies (Omar hopefully you are next) are more that willing to spill Muslim blood in their pursuit of Jihad. Anyone that saw what Al-Qaeda in Iraq was doing to average people knows what I am talking about.
I agree this is not the end, but the end of the beginning, AQ is a Hydra and will grow new heads, but if you can chop the heads quick enough, the successor bring less and less to the table, till finally no one is willing to be the head except the real nutbars and they will be sure to alienate the people they depend on, leading to the draining of the methporic sea that Mao spoke of. I also agree that releasing the pictures is a waste of time and tossing his body into the sea is a great idea. Time for him and his story to fade away.

While I am digesting the news above, the 41st election in Canada was underway, I helped out my candidate and his awesome team on the final day, door knocking, picking up voting lists and scrutinizing the polling stations. It was pretty clear knocking on doors that people were fed up with elections, so it was no surprise to me when I finished at the polling station to hear the Conservatives sweeping to a good majority. The icing on the cake was the NDP putting the boots to the Bloc with the NDP F troop smashing long term BQ types, OUCH! man that is going to leave a mark! I'm not a great fan of the current NDP, but I will take them over the Bloc any day, at least we and the NDP agree on a Canada, even if it looks different. Funny this is the only election that my Dad and I can congratulate each other on. He is hardcore NDP and I am the "blacksheep " of the family!
Iggy has been in a death spiral for awhile so not surprising he failed to get in. The only sour note was the realization that we will have to live with the screeching of Elizabeth may for the next 4 years. Harper gave a great speech and a heartfelt thanks to his family and wife. I don`t envy them, anyone who has had parents who were politicians knows how little time there is for family, for the PM, his family will have no time to themselves for the next 4-10 years.




As for the NDP, well what an interesting kettle of fish we have here. Jack is going to be busy running his daycare, I mean caucus and will need all the help from his veterans to keep this mob in line. This is make or break for the NDP, they have 4 years to show Canada what they can do, and people will be taking a hard look at the party and it`s rather whacky policies. A move to the centre will likely cost them support from their current base. Plus he also has to appease his new Quebec base, with MP's that will have little pull to get things done. I predict jack is going to have ulcers.

Defiance

Although this picture was taken in Pakistan, it truly sums up what the war in Afghanistan is all about. The Taliban and their allies understand what school and education represents to their vision of the region and to their power. Which is why they blow up schools, kill teachers, beat parents and throw acid on to the faces of school children.

These girls have a courage most of us can not fathom. Every step forward is another step away from the darkness, no matter how small that step. If these girls learn to read and write, thier lives will improve and the chances of their children getting and education increases as well.

No respect for Mosques (or Churches)

For a religion that gets inflamed about cartoons and some idiot wishing to burn a Koran, they are strangely silent on the rather too common attacks on Mosques and the people praying inside of them. Pray tell what crime did this child commit to deserve this? In fact I wonder what were the crimes of all these people to suffer this pain and anguish?

Now had the West done this deed there would be hell to pay both in Islamic countries and by our own media, but sadly the Western media really doesn’t care if some foreign nutbar kills a few foreigners in some strange place, especially any place where kidnapping and killing curious journalists is considered an acceptable past time.

At least Islamic nutbars are not discriminatory as shown by the recent brutal massacre inside a Christian Church in Iraq by the remnants of AQI. I have met many good and decent Muslims over the years, but there is one glaring problem with Islam in it’s current form:
Evil flourishes when good men (and woman) do nothing to stop it
When the average Muslims begin to stand up shoulder to shoulder and say “Stop this madness now” only then will the people who create this violence feel the fear of the wrath of the people they have kept subdued. Only then will peace be upon him and his followers.

How to defuse a human bomb

For most of us living here, the concept of children suicide bombers is just to unreal to believe, but believe you must for acceptance of the threat and then understanding it, is the only way to defeat it. With the constant bad and counterproductive news coming out of Pakistan, it nice to hear the Pakistan army actually doing something right. Read the whole story on the link and if you decide to watch the video links be aware they are not the anti-sceptic videos they show here. I have read elsewhere that it is common to find the face of a suicide bomber after the blast, totally detached from the body.

For most of them, Sabaoon is the first proper school they have attended. Only a few weeks ago, some were living under rough blankets in a dark corner of a TTP training camp. Others were tramping the unforgiving terrain between Pakistan's tribal areas and neighbouring Afghanistan, acting as lookouts: spotting an army convoy to attack or a girls' school to bomb. Some were scouring the villages where they had once lived, in search of more young recruits. The one thing they all had in common was a belief in the righteousness of killing. All of them expected to die before reaching adulthood.

Read the rest at The Guardian (not normally one of my favorite papers)

A door to nowhere

Mohammad Ramzan, a flood victim, leans by the door that was left after his house was washed away by flood in the Mehmood Kot village in Muzaffargarh district of Pakistan's Punjab province September 3, 2010.
REUTERS/Faisal Mahmood

I don’t blame donors for being wary of giving to Pakistan. To much corruption and they have played both sides of the fence for to long, yet my heart goes out to the average folks who struggle from day to day. I can only imagine the heartbreak of the father looking at this door and wondering what strange fate left them this poignant reminder of what they had.