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Faith in God and Passion for Freedom
corporateism freedom globalism god in us sobriety war on terrorIn this post-9/11 era, many of us have felt convicted to grow deeper in our love for God and country. As a citizen-soldier, I was supporting Iraqi Freedom (OIF I) in 2003 when my own search intensified around the issues of freedom, patriotism, peace, and--most of all--faith. The Internet was by then facilitating a flow of information that allowed people to circulate a seemingly infinite number of messages on national greatness and purpose. There was enough inspiration descending into our email accounts that, had we been free of all other obligations, we might have done nothing but read for days at a time. The intent, however, was to keep us going in our service. Whatever the aim, these patriotic messages (some lacking in truthful substance) have also aroused a new dialogue inviting people at the lowest levels of society to find new meaning in their participation in a great democratic society.
Ethiopia and Shrouded Conflict in Ogaden
Submitted by K Prabhakar Rao on Wed, 11/28/2007 - 16:13. africa ethiopia ogaden onlf samlia usa war on terrorThe countries in horn of Africa are poor, backward and are suffering from instability, sectarian feuds, and tribal conflicts apart from dictatorships. Utter poverty in these countries speaks for themselves and terrorism also has found a breeding ground. Ogaden is a province of Ethiopia with people of Somali origin and Ogaden national Liberation Front (ONLF) was formed in 1984 and it has been fighting for secession from Ethiopia. ONLF is dubbed as the agent force of Eritrea, an arch rival and abetted by Islamic terrorists of Somalia. The conflict has roots in Somalia- Ethiopian war of 1976-78. This war was the result of Somalian adventure to extend its territory into Ogaden to create Greater Somalia. However this adventure did not succeed. World powers amply supported this war and took sides during the cold war period. Somalia had only 36000 strong army while Ethiopia outnumbered them greatly. But Somalia had larger tank forces and better air force. Somalia finally withdrew and Ogaden still remained part of Ethiopia and the dream of Somalia to establish greater Somalia failed. The crisis however is of long standing and continues as an Achilles heel.
Sahara the Paradise for Al Qaeda
Submitted by K Prabhakar Rao on Sun, 07/15/2007 - 18:14. al qaeda Fanaticism & Terrorism sahara terrorism war on terrorSAHARA THE PARADISE FOR ALQAEDAThere is a new front in America’s global war on terrorism, US officials say. Across the broad Sahara—a desolate expanse of sand and rock covering 3.3 million square miles—Al Qaeda and its terrorist affiliates are setting up shop, taking advantage of the lawless and trackless Bad Lands stretch from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. Some believe the arid, impoverished region could succeed Afghanistan as the world’s No. 1 haven for fanatic Islamic militants. Today, the Sahara region is believed to be home for thousands of the 30,000 or so jihadists who passed through Osama bin Laden’s Afghan training camps in the 1990s.!-- @page { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> A spokesman for US European Command, whose area of operations includes large parts of Africa, said, “There are clear indications that Muslim extremists from the Middle East and Afghanistan have moved into these massive open spaces.”
Is the USA Already at War With Iran?
Submitted by K Prabhakar Rao on Fri, 05/11/2007 - 11:33. al qaeda baluchi hezbollah iran usa war on terrorThere is a great speculation in the world that that USA would soon strike Iran with the aim of destroying its potential to build nuclear weapons and to seek a regime change. It is believed that once invincibility of the Mullahs is blown apart, the regime would collapse like pack of cards where saner and democratic elements would soon emerge on the scene. America on several occasions in the past has made it clear that military option against Iran has not been ruled out. It has also been reported that there is a great American naval build up in the Gulf that is considered as prelude to the inevitable western initial missile strikes for softening against Iran in very near future. Some are of opinion that US troops are already on the soil of Iran while it is also being claimed that US is conducting attacks on Iran through Iraqi ground forces in clandestine manner (1) (2). Thus, many are of the opinion that the war has already started although open hostilities are yet to surface. Middle East is on the brink of war and is the biggest hot bed of confrontation for attaining supremacy in the region.
Fundamentalism and the War on Terror
Submitted by bill on Wed, 03/07/2007 - 10:54. fundamentalism war on terrorWar is the struggle for power. Violence is the ultimate, if not the lowest form of the exercise of power, and considered the last resort by civilized people. In this sense, violence is the absence of civility, if not at the least, the temporary suspension of it. Most every resort to violence is clouded with complicated and convoluted claims and counter claims.
The current conflict that engages our world is not an economic struggle, though there are certainly economic issues and triggers. It is an ideological one. It is about meaning. And I would suggest, it is about paths to meaning that cannot—or at least will not—coexist on the same planet.
After September 11, 2001, historian Karen Armstrong added another preface to her yet one year old book on the history of fundamentalism, The Battle For God, which included these words.
The American President Cornered
Submitted by K Prabhakar Rao on Tue, 01/30/2007 - 10:22. afghanistan al qaeda iran iraq president bush taliban war in iraq war on terrorThe stakes are high. Not only for the American president, but for American's ability to work in the world, as well as for world peace and stability. There are great changes happening economically, politically and even religiously. Geopolitical forces are realigning and the events over the next several years will determine their structure for decades to come. The following analysis is close enough to American and the Middle East to understand them, yet far enough away to see the big picture.
The Problem With Evangelcalism
Submitted by bill on Thu, 01/25/2007 - 11:16. Christianity communism democracy evangelicalism evangelism ideology war on terrorThe greatest problem with Evangelicalism has not yet been noticed in the West, and is essentially a problem with evangelism. This problem will only rise into view as the the War On Terrorism becomes better understood in the publics mind. As we better understand the ideology behind these terror attacks, we will come to understand that they want to do the same thing that we want to do—it's called conversion.
Do Captured Terrorists Deserve Sympathy and Mercy?
Submitted by K Prabhakar Rao on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 10:19. al qaeda india maoists Mohammed Afzal taliban terrorism war on terrorShould civilization show clemency to those who have shown time and again their well developed talent for using these very traits of civil society (such as trust, mercy, forgiveness) against us? What happens to an advanced civilization when it is subjected to decades or centuries of tyrannical rule by terror? What can be learned from India's decades of struggle with terrorism, both on her borders and within?
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Iraq a Pain In the Neck for America
Submitted by K Prabhakar Rao on Sun, 12/03/2006 - 15:53. iraq war saddam husein terrorism war on terrorEditor: Dr. K Prabhakar Rao, a retired colonel in the Indian army and quite familiar with fighting terrorism and the threat that it is to world peace, explains the connection between Al Qaeda, Iraq and Saddam Hussein, the long history of sectarian violence in Iraq and reminds us that freedom loving peoples around the globe share in the responsibility to defeat this very difficult enemy.
One should realize that war against terrorism does not yield results immediately. These wars are against an undefined enemy who is not completely confined to one particular area and enjoys support in many countries…Today, every country is a victim or potential victim of terrorism. Fighting this evil is not the responsibility of any one country in the world…The grave situation created after attack on WTC in New York could be dealt only by a country like America on behalf of the civilized world. It is not because it has strength, power, technology and money. But only because, it has the will, determination and courage to fight evil which other countries lack who act like a Cat on a wall (except UK and Australia). Any other country would have swallowed the tragedy again to be attacked soon.
