Global Extremism, Bloodsheds, Destructions and a Ray of Hope

- Govinda Neupane

The world politics has entered into a complex phase. Ethics and values have been disappearing. The lust for power has overshadowed major socio-political and economic issues. Strangely, religious, political or any other type of extremism has been playing the role of a driving force. The pseudo-religious Messiahs and elected or self-made emperors, who proclaim themselves as super democrats, have been littering the world. These litterbugs are responsible for unimaginable miseries, large-scale destructions and colossal loss of precious human lives.

The al-Qaida terror network took refuge on Islam to advance its mission of taking revenge against the west, particularly against the most arrogant supper power, the United States of America. The al-Qaida's Islamic fundamentalism got befitting reply from equally blind, intolerant and hegemonic political fundamentalism of the US ruling clique led by Bush and Cheney. These two fundamentalisms are fighting fiercely against each other as two giant mad elephants. As a result, the nations and peoples around the world including America and the American people are suffering immensely. Iraq and Afghanistan have been paying the price dearly. Killings have become routine acts in these two countries. Nobody has time to sensibly reflect on the loss of thousands of human lives. Afghanistan has been suffering due to the role played by the religious barbarians called Taliban and al-Qaida, whereas Iraq has been slaughtered by the political barbarians, who are residing on the seats of power in Washington and London. These two types of barbarians together have made the world difficult to live in. They have not only been manufacturing fear, insecurity and hatred but also are exporting these emotions to several other countries, communities and peoples.

By learning from these masters, the South Asian jungle cats also have been repeating the same exercises. Pakistan could not sleep a single night peacefully if that day it failed to harm India. Moreover, India could not sleep, eat or breathe if it failed to hurt Pakistan. India, even the so-called cultured and informed media-India, brings out from its archive the Pakistan-haters like Parthasarathi and Dixit and provokes them to spill out some liters of venom from their stock. When North Korea tested nuclear device, Parthasarathi was busy spilling venom against China and Pakistan. India has been progressing in many areas except in politics, governance, equity and social justice. Particularly, India has failed miserably in making its mainstream politicians and high level bureaucrats cultured, judicious and ethical. The same applies to Pakistan. In the media, without any need or reason they parade General Gul, the former boss of ISI and the illegitimate father of the Taliban. Perhaps, he is one among the most arrogant individuals still residing in Pakistan.

In Korean peninsula, the cousins are busy bringing doomsday for both of them, now with the destructive power of nuclear arsenal, either developed locally or gifted by Uncle Sam. The US, super evil of the region, has been presiding over the destruction of either side of the 38 parallel. The extreme political and military position of the North has increased the dependence of the South on the US for its survival. The political extreme of the North on one side, and supper arrogance and power blindness of the US on the other have destabilized the entire north-eastern Asian region. Unable to play with such extremes; China, Japan, Russia and South Korea are facing a situation of bewilderment.

In the middle-east, the Israeli hegemony and Islamic fundamentalist responses are responsible for the killing of thousands of people and destruction of invaluable infrastructure and property. The Arab fundamentalists instigate Arabs to throw stones or to fire a few bullets targeting Israelis. In return, Israel kills them. The west, particularly the US, supports these killings. Perhaps, they consider that these Arabs are born to be killed by the Israeli bullets and bombs. Probably, each and every Muslim is a terrorist or a would-be terrorist on the eyes of the rulers in the west. Therefore, they pamper Israel and even provoke it sometime. This is the process that started in 1948 and is still continuing. Now, most probably the west is going to open a new battlefield by launching war against Iran. The US has given license to itself to attack and finish any regime, which it considers terrorist or dictatorial or producer of weapons of mass distraction. It has also included in the license the provision that it should not be held responsible for any of its acts whatsoever. Therefore, it may launch a full scale attack against Iran provided that it escapes the unforeseen counter offensive strategies and actions of the Iraqi nationalists, Saddam loyalists and al-Qaida operatives there.

The US and India are pushing Pakistan hard to do more on anti-terror front. Thus, they are interfering in each and every activity of Pakistan. Sometimes, they instigate their Afghan foster child called Karzai to throw verbal barbs against Pakistan. The US marginalized North Korea so much that it retaliated with the explosion of nuclear device. Similarly, expecting too much from Pakistan will create a scenario when hard-line pro-Islamists within the military leadership would stage a coup d'état and start threatening India. Alternatively, the anti-America and anti-India popular sentiment in Pakistan could provide fertile ground for al-Qaida to build access to and gain control over Pakistani nuclear arsenal. In such situation, the US and India, both, may move resolutions at the United Nations condemning al-Qaida. In fact, the United Nations neither has any tooth nor credibility nor capacity to deal with major political conflicts. Contrary to such nonsense, al-Qaida would be planning to drop some nuclear bombs over Diego Garcia targeting American bases. Also, it may direct the nuclear missile launchers to target several Indian cities. This could be a probable scenario provided that al-Qaida gets access to or hold over Pakistani nuclear arsenal. But, the political extremists in Washington and New Delhi will not go by logics; they simply succumb to their emotions. This has been amply clear when America attacked Iraq without any compelling reason and India goes to US or UK to plead its case against Pakistan. They fail to understand the simple fact that it is neither Pakistan nor Iraq nor Iran, but the enraged Muslims all over the world are committing all sorts of extremist acts against them. If the Americans contribute meaningfully to solve middle-eastern problem and the Indians sit together with the Kashmiris and Pakistanis to find out a just solution, the attacks against them shall come down significantly.

The extreme political positions have affected even the most peaceful, civilized and tolerant part of the globe - the Scandinavian region. The Danish cartoon controversy is an example. It is also affecting the media. The CNN's highly biased Iraq reporting and Indian television channels' anti-Pakistan rhetoric are a few examples.

Now, the peace-loving peoples and nations around the world should come forward in an unimaginable number to voice their opposition to extremism of any type or form. Particularly, the people in the US should send back the preachers and practitioners of the rightist political adventurism to the ranch in Texas or to the chambers at Halliburton. Similarly, the warmongers like Blairs, Howards and their political cousins should test the bitter pills of political wilderness. Among the South Asian hawks, the rightist radicals of the Indian Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party and Pakistani fundamentalists such as the religio-political lots in the Muthahida Majlish-e-Amal should get slap on their faces at the hands of the electorates of their respective countries. The people of Saudi Arabia should rise and overthrow the Wahabi fundamentalist rulers, who provide resources and export raw materials of fundamentalism, finally to be processed by al-Qaida and Taliban. Therefore, rather than hunting Osama bin Laden in the rugged mountain terrains somewhere either side of the boarder between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the war against terror should be launched at its source, whether that supplies fundamentalist ideology or resources for it. If and when the Wahabi Saudi rulers are tamed, the breeding ground of Islamic fundamentalism - the politically motivated Madarshas around the world will die a natural death. Osama bin Laden would be unemployed when politically motivated Madarshas disappear, injustices against Muslim peoples, regions and nations stops and logic prevails. This will greatly contribute to ease the tension in the middle-east, Kashmir and Chechnya.

A nuclear North Korea is a new reality and it would be wise to accommodate it within the so-called nuclear club of nations. When India and Pakistan could join the club, why not North Korea? If wisdom prevails, North Korea should act responsibly and should commit not to proliferate. The rest of the world, particularly the hawkish US, should be tolerant and accommodative.

The people around the world are more aware that the political or religious fundamentalists are the worst culprits. This great enlightenment guarantees the triumph of tranquility and would contribute for the defeat of the enemy of world peace. The downward journey of the fundamentalists has already begun. It could be seen in the public opinion polls in America where Republicans are fast loosing ground. Similarly, the third force, once again, is gaining strength in India. South Koreans are pleading for restrain. Blair is looking outside standing at the gate of 10-Downing Street to start his march towards political wilderness. Pakistan has felt the heat of al-Qaida's resurgence and aggression and is devising strategies to fight against it. Russia has been stabilizing. Mainland Europe is rediscovering its balancing role. China has been contributing to cooling down the heat. And, the middle-east, once again, has been getting serious attention due to heroic deeds of Lebanese, Iraqi and Palestinian fighters, whoever they may be - revolutionaries, terrorists, nationalists, Islamists, loyalists or ordinary men and women on the street. The fundamentalists have already scaled their heights and are climbing down fast. Their bullfights would be over. Certainly, the world would shine one fine morning and the people could smile.

October 12, 2006