Pakistan

"...the process of “de-Nairobification” must continue. In addition to bringing an end to the costly routine of multiple outsourcing of all projects and services to Somalia, such decision will bring an end to a detrimental sub-culture that developed since the break up of the State. A sub-culture that lures governmental officials and members of the Parliament to accept invitations and attend private meetings with various colorful foreign characters of multiple agendas at the privacy of their offices, hotel rooms, and residence."

"Israel, which always boasts of being the only democracy in the Middle East, uses various emergency laws and administrative orders to control the Palestinian population under its military rule. The rule of law is converted by the Israelis into a rule by law — military law, that is — by which the Israeli army decides how millions of Palestinians are controlled."

"From the start of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories in 1967, Israel has used force as a tool in "handling" the Palestinians living there. Palestinian land was taken by force. Palestinian water was taken by force. The Palestinian public was prevented from expressing its rejection of the occupation--mainly by force. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian young people were put in Israeli prisons, including thousands of individuals held without charge."

"The Oslo formula did seemingly advance the two-state cause by creating the autonomous Palestinian Authority, but it too has failed to generate peace and a Palestinian state....In other words, not only has violence generally failed both parties, with the few exceptions noted above--but so have other means. Accordingly, any attempt by both sides to reassess our failures and identify new strategies must focus not only on violence, but on diplomacy as well."

"It is this culture that glorifies violence through pre-emptive strikes not just in the towns and villages in harm’s ways in places like Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan but also everywhere within the USA. It finds excuses for the trigger-happy executioners that shoot and kill their victims (often a minority inside, and of ‘other’ race or religion outside the USA) without feeling any guilt or remorse. In a clear case of cognitive dissonance, the general public, mesmerized by hateful messages from the ultra-nationalist, racist and bigoted elements within the politics and political discourse of America, thus see no evil or crime for these criminals. At most, they see Zimmerman as a threatened victim within the society, and Bales as a victim of unpopular wars -- started by George W. Bush, and now continued by Barack Obama – who had made bad decisions or acted in self-defense....When America refuses to punish its criminals for their crimes against the ‘other’ people, it destroys more than its concept of justice. It devalues the lives of their victims. These criminals deserve the contempt of this nation and not either excuse or applause."

"The most disquieting aspect of this exchange, though, was not the lame answers I got, but the fact that this person is intelligent and has had at least a basic education in the Middle East. He is not your typical hasbarat from whom one would expect anodyne clichés and cognitive denials."

"From day to day, Israel becomes more Jewish and less Israeli. As has been said, it is easier to get the Jews out of the ghetto than to get the ghetto out of the Jews. Especially in a permanent war....So in the end we come to the same conclusion as in all other matters: Peace is the Answer."

"Pakistan and its moral, political and intellectual culture is being ruined and destroyed by those rulers who share nothing in-common with the masses. The princely rulers and the ordinary folks live far part in conflicting time zones, unable to find a meeting ground, and people paying for their own pains and anguish under the false pretext of democracy. Obsessed with foreign-thinking and control, morally and intellectually incompetent and money-making Generals support and co-exist with the most corrupt and foreign dictated PPP Zardari regime and the bogus assemblies - all demonstrate perpetuated indifference, cruelty and sadistic behavior toward the interests and priorities of the Muslim Nation of Pakistan. Come to the present and see the mirror - how Pakistan is being governed by the wrong people, with wrong thinking and doing the wrong things. Continued daily bloodbaths of the innocent civilians triggered by political terrorism, US drone attacks, militarization, destroyed commerce and trades and non-productive economic culture have incapacitated the operational body of Pakistan. Its existence and freedom are under fire. The THINKING people of the nation must initiate planned steps and organize revulsionary collective ideas and ideals to deter threats to the national freedom, integrity and future of Pakistan. The priorities must be focused on developing a new system of economic and political governance by disconnecting the interdependence on foreign aid, debts and dictates. The nation has been dehumanized to its critical and painful juncture of very survival. Under the circumstances, what is there to celebrate a Pakistan Day? The symbolic Pakistan Day celebrations will remain devoid of much needed change and reformation goal of the institutionalized corrupt system of governance. Pakistan is in desperate need of political Change and a New Political System of governance befitting to its people and values to ensure a sustainable future."