Egypt’s Coup-Constitution and Proposed Referendum

Since the ouster of Egypt’s first ever democratically elected President, Mohamed Morsi in the July 3 Military coup by his army Chief Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi, the nascent democratic constitution legislated under the Morsi’s rule was under suspension. According to coup-leader Sisi’s roadmap, he declared on July 3, 2013 in his coup declaration that the Junta regime would only amend few laws of the 2012 constitution. However, not only has this roadmap been changed now, but the charter panel has drafted an entirely new constitution to give Al- Sisi and his deep-state everything they demanded from them.

Egypt’s Junta appointed constitution drafting committee submitted the amended draft to the Junta appointed interim President Adly Mansour on 3 December 2013. Interestingly, the drafting committee was headed by Mubarak era Foreign Minister and former Secretary-General of Arab League, Amr Moussa who had placed fifth in the first round of 2012 presidential election with 11.13% of the popular votes, which eventually had been won by deposed President Mohamed Morsi in the second round. Fascinatingly enough, Amr Moussa has an exceptionally elongated experience of serving the boots in the Mubarak era Egypt.

Egypt’s State owned newspaper al-Ahram reported on December 14 that the Junta appointed Interim President Adly Mansour has announced a national referendum on the new draft of the constitution to take place on 14-15 January. The new charter will be the replacement of the 2012 charter drafted by the democratically elected constituent assembly during the presidency of now jailed President Mohamed Morsi. The new draft aims to replace the 2012 constitution, which was approved by a referendum in December 2012, with 64 per cent of the votes where turnout was 33 per cent.

Speaking at the ceremony at Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in Cairo, Amr Moussa said that the panel had drafted a “balanced constitution” that provided freedoms, rights and separation of powers. “This is a constitution that clearly criminalises any form of discrimination against all citizens and ensures national unity,” said Moussa. “The new constitution also protects freedoms of belief, opinion, and creation, which preserves intellectual property rights, and which provides gender equality,” he stated.

Egypt’s dreaded interior minister, Mohamed Ibrahim, had warned earlier this week that any attempt to disrupt the referendum will be stopped, “[if necessary] by using firearms”.

It is worth mentioning here that the Junta appointed 50 members constitution drafting committee consists of many amateurs including movie actors and directors. Famous Egyptian director “Khalid Youssif” who filmed 30 June protests from an army helicopter was rewarded with place on 50 members constitutional drafting panel. Famed Egyptian actress called “Elhame Shien” who is known for hatred of Morsi & Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and started a campaign against them was also rewarded with place on 50 members panel. Even the spokesman of the committee Mohamed Salmawy, acted as an extra in an old Egyptian movie “Shanabo fi Al-Masiada”.

Interestingly, Mohamd Salmawy advocates the rights of the almost, nonexistent religion on the land of Egypt. He indicated that the 2012 constitution, drafted by an Islamist-dominated constituent assembly, stated that “the right to exercise one’s religious rites and establish places of worship is guaranteed for the three heavenly religions only: Islam, Christianity and Judaism.”

According to Salmawy, international statistics show that one third of world’s population is members of “non-heavenly religions” and that a lot of Muslims live in countries where the official religion is not Islam or Christianity.

Egypt’s Coup constitution has changed a lot of things. It is now very easy for the army to use their military tribunals for any small argument any civilian might have at a petrol station owned by the army or any other business owned by the army. It is mentionable that the army own thousands of business everywhere in Egypt.

Laws enacted by this Coup constitution gives the minister of defence total immunity and security in his job for the next 8 years, which is twice the period of any elected president. Furthermore, only the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) will be allowed to appoint or change the minister of defence and no president will be able to touch him. Coup constitution doesn’t allow anybody to have access to military budget, including the president of Egypt, which will allow army to carry on robbing more than 60% of Egypt’s wealth. Coup constitution also gives any future president extra powers in declaring state of emergency without the Parliamentary approval

It is basically designed to give Sisi and his coup-gang some legitimacy while selling it to the west as part of their so called road map which should eventually lead Egypt to “real” democracy as Sis and his gang are falsely claiming to the west. Unfortunately USA and EU are pretending to believe them and turning a blind eye to their crimes, so that they could continue with their aid package to Egypt, which the west and Israel benefit from and are keen to keep dealing with Egypt without any democratic government if they have to and have no choice but to accept.

The Coup regime has set dates for referendum on their illegal coup constitution which is 14th &15th of January in the New Year. This date was deliberately chosen before 25th of January which is the 3rd anniversary for the 25th January 2011 revolution. The coup gang knows that any date after the 25th of January could be a big disaster for them, since they are expecting another big revolution on upcoming 25th of January.

The anti-coup camp in Egypt is in a big dilemma now. If they join the vote and say a big no, they will be giving some undeserved legitimacy to this illegal coup regime who will definitely film them queuing to give their votes and still fix the outcome of this fake referendum. On the other hand if they don’t join in, this will give the pro coup camp an easy victory. After long debates, most anti coup camps have decided not to take part in this show after it has been known to everybody that the coup regime has no intention of losing this referendum on their illegitimate constitution.

Suffice it to say here that the proposed referendum will surely get good percentage of votes as referendums and elections have always been the mockery in the region where past despots used to get more than 90 per cent of the franchised votes. The Junta drafted constitution is more rigorous and inhumane than the Mubarak era constitution with a full set of draconian laws.

http://radianceweekly.in/portal/issue/abdul-quader-mollahs-hanging-a-blot-on-hasina-wajeds-regime/article/egypts-coup-constitution-and-proposed-referendum/#comment-37599

The drone victim and 'Malala'

Meet Nabeela Rehman, a nine-year-old girl from Pakistan's restive Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA). Nabeela is not an international youth icon like her compatriot, Malala Yusufzai, though her story is no less traumatic.

In the first week of November, Nabeela quietly traveled all the way to Washington from Waziristan to ask the United States Congress to ask a simple question: Why is her grandmother not with her today?

On October 24, 2012, Nabeela was playing outside her home in Ghundi Kala, North Waziristan, when missiles hit her family's fields. The drone strike killed Nabeela's 60-year-old grandmother, Mamana Bibi, the village's only midwife.

Nabeela tried to run, but her body was too badly burned. She had to be rushed to the hospital with shrapnel wounds. Her older brother, Zubair, 13, was taken to Islamabad and then to Peshawar, for surgery to remove shrapnel from his leg. Nabeela's little sister Asma, 7, has had hearing problems ever since.

"Everything went dark. I heard a scream. It could have been my grandma. I could not see. I was very scared and tried to run but could not. I felt something in my hand. It was blood. I was very scared," Nabeela told the lawmakers.

Despite overcoming incredible obstacles in order to travel from their remote village to the United States, Nabeela and her family were roundly ignored.

At the Congressional hearing where they gave testimony, only five out of 435 representatives showed up. There was no one to answer her questions, and few who cared to even listen. President Obama, who met Malala at his Oval office, busy meeting with the CEO of weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

Nabeela and Malala are equally innocent victims of the war on terror, yet the bias against Nabeela underlines the Western approach in picking and framing the victims of their choice.

Nabeela and Malala are two Pakistani girls born in restive regions of North Waziristan and Swat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwan Province in Pakistan. Malala, who is now 16, was shot in the head on October 9, 2012, while riding a bus from school in her home town of Mingora. Malala was flown to England for extensive surgery to repair her skull.

Joined by her family, she now lives in Birmingham, England, where she returned to school in March this year. Malala later became an icon thanks to the benevolence of Western media and politicians.

Malala was nominated for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize. Malala's Wikipedia profile illustrates her overwhelming achievements in the past two years; she has received 26 national and international awards since 2011.

Malala spoke before the United Nations in July 2013, and met with Queen Elizabeth in Buckingham Palace. In September she spoke at Harvard University, and in October met with US President Barack Obama and his family. Her Noble Prize nomination petition was first signed by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Nabeela, on the other hand, returned her home in Pakistan in November without much fanfare.

Meanwhile, feelings towards Malala in Pakistan have increasingly darkened. Pakistani news Daily Dawn columnist Huma Yusuf summarized the three main complaints of Malala's critics: "Her fame highlights Pakistan's most negative aspect (rampant militancy); her education campaign echoes Western agendas; and the West's admiration of her is hypocritical because it overlooks the plight of other innocent victims, like the casualties of US drone strikes."

Journalist Assed Baig says she is being used to justify Western imperialism as "the perfect candidate for the white man to relieve his burden and save the native".

Her book, I am Malala, co-authored by prominent British Journalist Christina Lamb, ranks highly on Amazon's bestseller chart. Yet it is banned in Pakistan's private schools due to anti-Islamic and anti-Pakistani content.

Journalists Ansar Abbasi and Talat Hussain have criticized Malala for showing disregard for the sentiments of Muslims, and have raised doubt in their articles that a 16-year-old could actually write such an in-depth analysis on international relations.

It seems that Malala is wittingly or unwittingly being used by the Western propaganda machine for their own benefits. They have no love for Nabeela or the millions of other Malalas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwan or elsewhere in Pakistan.

Speaking Freely is an Asia Times Online feature that allows guest writers to have their say. Please click here if you are interested in contributing. Articles submitted for this section allow our readers to express their opinions and do not necessarily meet the same editorial standards of Asia Times Online's regular contributors.

Mohammad Pervez Bilgrami is a New Delhi-based geopolitics and geoeconomics analyst focusing on West Asia and North Africa. Bilgrami is a researcher on Shi'ite-Sunni relations and its impact on the Islamic world.

http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/SOU-03-271113.html

(Copyright 2013 Mohammad Pervez Bilgrami)

Why Egypt’s Botched Coup might Stay Long

The outside intrigue and later complete material backing of the 3 July coup makes it a long drawn battle to accomplish the return of democracy in Egypt, observes MOHAMMAD PERVEZ BILGRAMI

An online conversation with a senior member of Foreign Affairs Committee of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the political wing of now banned Muslim Brotherhood (MB), a few days ago ended with the note: “However the coup has its failure seeds inside it; nothing is predictable in a short period of time in Egypt. However I believe this battle will be a long one as it is a regional and international battle, not a domestic one.”

Egypt’s 3 July, 2013 coup that ousted the country’s first democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi from power has been a bloody, botched and impalpable move to dislodge the emerging democratic system from the epic-center of the Arab world.

Egypt’s coup, despite its failures and deep opposition from all sections of Egyptian society, is not a temporary phenomenon. The global and regional powers that have orchestrated the coup would not let the opportunity go away to strengthen the already reinstalled pro status-quo deep state that ruled the country for decades.

The 3 July 2013 coup was not an internal subject for the Egyptians to deal with. Moreover, the coup was an international project of the United States (US), European Union (EU), monarchies of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Israel and Russia to a certain extent. Though Russia might not have actively participated in the orchestration of the coup. We must remember that Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has been a banned organisation in Russia where Russia’s Supreme Court outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood from operating in Russia in 2003, describing it as a terrorist organisation.

After MB’s ascendance to power in Egypt, Russian authorities were in limbo as to what to do with the MB ban. Egypt is a country that forms the backbone of the region’s anatomy; status-quoits would do their best to keep Egypt in oblivion as they did with three decades of Mubarak rule. Egypt under Mubarak got withered and had willingly left the void in the region by surrendering its regional leadership.

International importance of Egypt is largely for the sustenance of Israeli occupation of Palestine; pro-Israel Egypt is a must for the endurance and longevity of Israel. The United States would do everything to ensure the safety and security of Israel in the highly volatile region.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a bloc of Arab Gulf monarchies led by Saudi Arabia with loaded coffers, thanks to fossil fuel exports, would do its best to keep Muslim Brotherhood from gaining power in Egypt. Their fear is a parable of huge insecurity they have with the political ascendance of MB in its birth place. If Brotherhood gains power in Egypt, it will be a challenge for both Israel and Gulf Arab Sheikhdoms. Their own people will question the usefulness of empires and kings with huge coffers when they are not able to make even a convenient force to help the Arab victims of Israeli aggression.

On 15 November it was reported that the visit of Russian Foreign and Defence Ministers has strengthen the coup regime and Russians have inked the deal to sell modern helicopters, air defence system and maintenance of soviet military equipment in Egyptian inventory.

It is worth mentioning here that the erstwhile Soviet Union, the predecessor of today’s Russia, was the strategic partner and the largest arms supplier of Egypt under Nasser and was replaced by the Americans after the signing of Camp David Accord in 1979.

United States Secretary of State John Kerry, termed by many as one of the key master planners of Egypt’s coup, on 20 November, for the first time candidly acknowledged US orchestration of coup when he accused Muslim Brotherhood of ‘stealing’ the revolution in Egypt.

On 23 November Egypt’s junta regime expelled Turkish ambassador in Cairo after Turkey’s continued anti-coup postures. Turkish officials, especially Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have strongly condemned the bloody military takeover, urging western and Muslim countries to recognise it as “a coup.”

It is worth mention that Egypt has lost many of its best brains during the military crackdown on protestors; numerous entrepreneurs, university professors, medical professionals and technocrats have been killed or fatally injured during anti-coup protests and sit-ins.

Egypt’s sporting icons are facing bans for opposing the coup that will ultimately affect the performance of teams and sports they represent for their country respectively. World Kung-fu gold medalist Mohammed Yusuf was banned for two years for wearing Rabia-figured shirt. Ahly’s striker Ahmed Abdul Zaher was also banned for gesturing four-finger Rabia sign after striking goal in the final of African Champions’ League, Golden Boy of Egypt’s football. The gesture has become a symbol of resistance to coup and solidarity with the imprisoned President Morsi. Abu Treka was also fined for refusing to take medal after Ahly’s Africa cup victory, from junta appointed Sports Minister.

In Egypt it’s all very strongly linked with economy and bread or food on the table .It is a well-established fact that Egypt is facing general strikes every day by its civil servants, factory workers who are forced to go back to work by security forces without salaries and wages for the last three months. Only military, police and other security personnel are getting their, increased, salary on time. Despite all the harsh realities that the coup has brought to ordinary Egyptians the security and intelligence network of the junta regime with the help of judiciary is extremely strong to sustain the prolonged coup.

It is significant to add here that most of the Egypt’s anti coup leaders are either scientists, engineers or medical professionals unlike pro-coupists who are mainly film artists, singers, dancers and writers. Suffice it say here that the coup in Egypt is a well-orchestrated plan of pro status-quo regional and global powers and the fight against the annulment of coup is a long battle where economy and internal security of the country is deteriorating by each passing day. The outside intrigue and later complete material backing of the 3 July coup makes it a long drawn battle to accomplish the return of democracy in Egypt.

http://radianceweekly.in/portal/issue/is-there-link-between-im-and-hindutva-terrorists/article/why-egypts-botched-coup-might-stay-long/#sthash.cMMdOC0T.dpuf

Upcoming Game Changer: Turkish-Kurdish Alliance?

Recently held regional Kurdish conference in Turkish capital Ankara may have surprised many in the Middle East and beyond but few realized that the event was a culmination of methodically crafted maneuvering of Turkish government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The smart move is aiming at forging an alliance with the Kurds of the region, divided in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria respectively.

Kurdish leaders and intellectuals of all the four aforementioned regions have attended the two day long conferences on Nov. 9-10, and discussed the Kurdish solution process in Turkey and developments outside of Turkey.

Participants appreciated the opening up of Kurdish issue that was being now discussed openly in Ankara, something which might not have been possible a decade back.

Turkey’s chronic Kurdish problem was embedded with the formation of the Turkish Republic in 1923, by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Since the formation of the Republic, the new state adopted extreme nationalistic policies where Turks were considered the only natural inhabitants within the new boundaries of the Republic.

Kurds were denied basic human rights, not allowed to speak their language and could not name their newborn babies with Kurdish names. The nomenclature of their towns and villages were changed with new Turkish names.

Turkey's Chronic Problem :

Since the arrival of Erdogan in 2002, Turkey has started exploring non-military solution of the chronic Kurdish issue.

Excessive repression alienated the large section of Kurdish populace, especially in the eastern and southeastern region of the country where Kurdish population is mostly concentrated.

As a final resort, Kurds rose against government policies, following which they were brutally repressed by the authorities.

Extreme Turkish Nationalism sowed the seeds of Kurdish Nationalism in the form of its militant wing Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Kurds started waging a guerilla war in 1984 against the Turkish State that resulted in a huge death toll of approximately 40,000 people, most of whom were Kurds. Many Kurds were displaced from their villages.  The economic cost of the civil war spanning almost 29 years between the government and the PKK is humongous and approximated at around $400 billion.

Divided between Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria the population of approximately 30 million Kurds is the fourth largest ethnic group in the Middle East following Arabs, Turks, and Persians, respectively. Most of the Turks follow Sunni Islam while a significant Shiite Kurdish population lives in the Iranian Kurdistan provinces of Kermanshah and Ilam.

The members of the small Fayli Kurdish tribe in Iraqi Kurdistan region are also adherents of Shiite Islam. Finally, in Turkey lives a minority Kurdish population of Alewi belief, an off-shoot of Shiite Islam.

Lately armed wings of Kurdish separatists of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria have started building internal linkages to coordinate and strategize in unison.

In a murky asymmetric system of warfare, all the four countries from time to time used their Kurdish fighters against each other while on some occasions they shared intelligence to eliminate them too.

Since the arrival of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan led Justice and Development Party (AKP) government in to power in 2002, Turkey has started exploring non-military solution of the chronic Kurdish issue. Though the Turgut Ozal government in 1992 initiated the Kurdish opening, it could not materialize the move due to extreme pressure from Nationalists, Kemalists, and the Military.

Even previous secret efforts of National Intelligence Organization  (MIT)–PKK dialogue in Norway were sabotaged by internal/external enemies of the negotiations, the audio leak of dialogue put Turkish government in to pressure and Prime Minister Erdogan was compelled to come out  openly to back MIT and its chief, Hakan Fidan, in an effort to save them from political maligning.

Peace Talks, Political Solution :

Turkish-Kurdish regional alliance may shift the entire topography of the tumultuous Middle East where permutations and combinations are still not put in to place.

But this time the dialogue process is followed by months of talks between the Jailed PKK Chief Abdullah Ocalan and Turkey’s intelligence Chief Hakan Fidan and looks more open, comprehensive, and mature to reach the final solution. It seems that both the government and PKK are serious to pursuit a political solution to Turkey’s decades-old Kurdish problem.

Recent peace process began with this year’s Mar. 21 Nevruz (“new day” in Kurdish) declarations by jailed PKK Chief Abdulla Ocalan, where he highlighted a vision of a new alliance between Turks and Kurds, “united under the banner of Islam.”

They would together form “a new force to reckon with in the Middle East.” At the same time, Ocalan made clear that he had no intention to alter Turkey’s territorial integrity.

In his speech, Ocalan mentioned many points: Prophet Muhammed, democracy, economy, Arab Spring, Turks, Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmens. Ocalan’s embrace to Turkish-Kurdish unity emanating from common belief in Islam was actually the echoing of undeclared official line of PM Erdogan.

Since the beginning of peace process, Prime Minister Erdogan categorically emphasized that his government, in any situation, will not backpedal from the ongoing peace process until the accomplishment of final solution and that he would be willing “to imbibe hemlock” if it is needed.

Coming back to the conference where Kurds and Kurdish experts discussed the regional dynamics of Kurds and their future course of action amidst civil wars in Iraq and Syria and the ongoing peace process in Turkey.

Most of the observers, during the conference appreciated the dialogue process and welcomed Prime Minister Erdogan’s Sep. 30, 2013 democratization package which although they deemed incomplete, yet hailed as a good beginning.

As Erdogan emphasized on numerous occasions, this democratization package is neither the first, nor the last and that many more packages have yet to come. In chain of flouting the "Kurdish taboo,” PM Erdogan joined Iraq’s Kurdish regional government (KRG) President Masood Barzani at a gathering on Nov. 16, 2013 in southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, considered the regional capital of Kurds.

Self-exiled Kurdish singer Şivan Perwer, who entered Turkey after 37 years, performed a duet with another famous Kurdish singer Ibrahim Tatlıses in the same event. PM Erdogan emphasized on long history of brotherhood and common future involving Turks and Kurds: "Borders over these lands were shaped by leaders a hundred years ago, but they failed draw a line between our dialogue, common history, civilization, and future."

Turkish-Kurdish regional alliance may shift the entire topography of the tumultuous Middle East where permutations and combinations are still not put in to place. Kurdish regions of Iraq and Syria are full of natural oil and gas and Turkey is the biggest importer of the oil and gas in the region. Its import bills are expected to be around $65 billion  in 2013.

Kurds in Iraq, Iran, and Syria :

Ankara’s deepening relations with the Kurds in Iraq is a point of contention for the central government in Baghdad, reeling under sectarian and ethnic civil strife. Kurds have already constructed an oil pipeline to Turkey that will bypass Baghdad’s control and signed to build another one to increase the oil output.

Recently, Turkey has started mending ties with the central government in Baghdad when its Foreign Minister Davutoğlu reciprocated his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zaberi’s Turkey visit, Turkey also suggested the new payment and distribution mechanism between Baghdad and Erbil of the oil it imports from Iraq.

In an attempt to further mend the ties, Davutoğlu also visited Shiite holy city of Najaf and met Grand Ayatollah Sistani.

Growing Turkish-Kurdish alliance is an only consolation for Turkey in the tumultuous Middle East and ties between Turkey and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Northern Iraq have grown deeper in the last few years.

Both sides refer to it as “strategic relations.” Without a doubt, their annual volume of bilateral trade, expected this year to be more than $12 billion, lends the impression of strategic depth, but the springtime weather along the Ankara-Erbil axis remains a bit unsteady.

The problems of Kurds in Iran are somehow different from the other three Kurdish regions. In Iran they have two simultaneous problems of religion and ethnic/linguistic discrimination. A majority of Kurds in Iran are Sunni after more than five centuries of Shiite rule, but a significant Kurdish population is now adherent of Shiite belief that even vigorously reject the idea of autonomy, preferring direct rule from Tehran.

Iran is most anxious by this Turkish-Kurdish alliance as it fears that the withdrawing Kurdish fighters from Turkey may finally find a common object in Iran. Ongoing truce between PKK’s Iranian arm, Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), and the Iranian government may have to face a tricky situation where a unified Kurdish onslaught against Iranian security forces may resurface.

It is a stated fact that the Kurds in Syria are the biggest beneficiary of the civil war in the country. Syrian Kurds were long oppressed under the Bathist regime of Bashar al-Assad and his father before him; they remained stateless people without citizenship rights.

Kurds in Syria view the civil war as an opportunity to gain more autonomy — like their ethnic kin in neighbouring Iraq.

On Nov. 12, 2013, Democratic Union Party (PYD), which has a well-trained militia and is affiliated with the PKK, declared interim administration in the Northeastern region of the country (Rajova) headquartered in Qamishli town.

Though, Turkey has condemned the unilateral declaration of autonomy by PYD, and asked for the accommodation of other Syrian Kurdish groups to manage the territory. Although the situation in Syrian Kurdistan seems bit tricky, yet matured Turkey is confident of managing the Syrian Kurds with diplomacy.

Ethnic Nationalism in the Region :

Ethnic Nationalism in the region was born in 20th century during the last days of Ottoman Empire when Muslims of the region fought wars along with western powers to get the share of receding Ottoman Empire.

Later after the formation of modern-day Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, new authoritarian rulers used majoritarian nationalism to sow abhorrence against co-religious ethnic minorities.

Nationalism is nothing but a byproduct of discrimination, oppression, and denial of basic human rights.

In the history of the Middle East there never was Kurdish nationalism before the formation of Turkish Republic. Arabs, Turks, Persians, and Kurds lived in the region for centuries and there have been numerous wars and skirmishes which though brutal, were never based on the ethnic identity.

Likely integration of scattered Kurdish regions is a momentous development in the Middle East.  Kurds of Iraq and Syria are in the process of building a comprehensive strategic alliance with their Turkish brethrens under the aegis of Ankara.

There is, however, a little apprehension in predicting the future of Iranian Kurds. Even without alignment of Iranian Kurds, in all probability Kurds can change the dynamics of the Middle East. To achieve any significant goal, it is for the Kurds to get united first under a common and stated vision.

Suffice it to say here that Erdogan and his foreign minister Davutoğlu’s zero-problem-in-neighborhood-policy freighted by Syrian and Iraqi civil strife may regain momentum with the foreseeable Turkish-Kurdish alliance.

Turkey, a regional leader and the world’s 17th largest economy, has a lot to gain with the negotiated settlement of its own Kurdish issue and that may further culminate into the regional Turkish-Kurdish alliance.

This alliance, if successful, will facilitate Turkey’s attainment of the much touted regional powerhouse status.

This article of mine was originally published on Onislam.net and is republished here with their kind permission.

http://www.onislam.net/english/politics/middle-east/466083-upcoming-game-changer-turkish-kurdish-alliance.html

Nabeela, A Little Known ‘Malala’ of Pakistan

Meet Nabeela, a 9-year old girl from Pakistan’s restive Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA). Nabeela Rehman is little known in the world and not an international youth icon like her compatriot, Malala Yusufzai who has achieved a lot of fame, exposure, awards and accolades, something that few could have achieved at the age of 16 years. Whereas, Nabeela  has quietly travelled all the way to Washington from Waziristan with her father and brother to appear before United States Congress and get an answer to a simple question: Why is her grandmother not with her today?

The horror story of Nabeela goes like this; we were collecting vegetables when my grandmother called me inside. I saw drones and then heard the noise, dum, dum, dum,” Nabeela Rehman, 9, told the lawmakers and others who had gathered at the Rayburn House Office Building to listen to her and other survivors of her family. On 24 October, 2012, Nabeela was playing outside her home in Ghundi Kala, North Waziristan, when missiles hit her family’s fields. The drone strike killed Nabeela’s 60-year-old grandmother, Mamana Bibi, the village’s only midwife.

Nabeela tried to run, but her body was too badly burned. She had to be rushed to the hospital with shrapnel wounds. Her elder brother, Zubair, 13, was taken to Islamabad and then to Peshawar, for surgery to remove shrapnel from his leg. Nabeela’s little sister Asma, 7, has had problems hearing ever since.

“Everything went dark. I heard a scream. It could have been my grandma. I could not see. I was very scared and tried to run but could not. I felt something in my hand. It was blood. I was very scared,” Nabeela told the lawmakers.

It is worth mentioning here that, despite overcoming incredible obstacles in order to travel from their remote village to the United States, Nabeela and her family were roundly ignored. At the Congressional hearing where they gave testimony, only five out of 435 representatives showed up. There was no one to answer their question, and few who cared to even listen. President Obama, who met Malala at his Oval office, was spending the same time meeting with the CEO of weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

Nabeela and Malala are equally innocent and victims of terrorism and counter-terrorism. The biasedness against Nabeela signifies the western approach in picking and framing the victim of their choice. Moreover, this implies the selective humane approach between the two victims; the latter one is being used by western propaganda machinery.

Nabeela and her family certainly do not meet the criteria for militancy. They’re innocent, and their lives are not worth any less than victims of terror groups like Teherike Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Western Supporters of Malala are often seen as ignorant to the plight of collateral victims of drone strikes. Supporting victims of Taliban does not mean that they should be abandoning the victims of deadly drone strikes.

Nabeela and Malala are two Pakistani girls born in restive regions of North Waziristan and Swat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistan. Malala, who is now 16, was shot in the head on 9 October, 2012, while riding a bus from school in her home town of Mingora. Malala was flown to England after the shooting for extensive surgeries to repair her skull. Joined by her family, she now lives in Birmingham, England, where she returned to school in March this year. Malala later became an icon thanks to the benevolence of western media and bigwig politicians. Malala rose in prominence, giving interviews in print and on television, and she was nominated for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.

Malala’s Wikipedia profile illustrates her overwhelming achievements in past two years; she has received 26 national-international awards and accolades since 2011 till date. A full page is needed to mention her achievements here.

Malala Yousafzai spoke before the United Nations in July 2013, and met with Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace. In September she spoke at Harvard University, and in October met with U.S. President Barack Obama and his family. Her Nobel Prize nomination petition was first signed by no less than Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

On the other hand, poor Nabeela returned her home in Pakistan without much fanfare. Nabeela, a victim of US drone strikes has not got the adequate western media coverage, shows selective, biased attitude of western media and governments. It showcases how the western media, governments, and elites differentiate between the two innocent victims of brutal terrorism where one is being created as an icon and the other is ignored to put the gory truth under carpet.

Malala’s reception at home has been somewhat more mixed. Pakistani daily Dawn columnist Huma Yusuf summarised three main complaints of Malala’s critics: “Her fame highlights Pakistan’s most negative aspect (rampant militancy); her education campaign echoes Western agendas; and the West’s admiration of her is hypocritical because it overlooks the plight of other innocent victims, like the casualties of U.S. drone strikes.” Journalist Assed Baig described her as being used to justify Western imperialism as “the perfect candidate for the white man to relieve his burden and save the native”. Malala was also accused on social media of being a Western stooge and a CIA spy.

Her book, I am Malala co-authored by prominent British Journalist Christina Lamb (Order of British Empire) is ranked second on Amazon’s best seller’s chart, is already banned in Pakistan’s private schools due to anti-Islam, anti-Pakistan content.  Renowned journalists — Ansar Abbasi and Talat Hussain — criticised her for showing a complete disregard for the sentiments of Muslims besides creating a doubt in their articles that a 16-year-old could actually write such an in-depth analysis on international relations.

Suffice it to say here that this teen age girl, Malala from a small town of Pakistan is ‘wittingly or unwittingly’ being used by western propaganda machine for their own benefits who have no love for Nabeela or millions of other Malalas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or elsewhere in Pakistan.

 http://radianceweekly.in/portal/issue/assembly-elections-outcome-will-reflect-peoples-mind/article/nabeela-a-little-known-malala-of-pakistan/

Why hasn’t the United States Cleansed Syrian Swamp Yet?

What exactly the United States wants in Syria has been thought by many at many a time? And many more have questioned the exact motive of the United States in the protracted civil war in Syria. After the eruption of the anti-Assad revolt in 2011 the country got entrenched in an unrelenting civil war. More than 1,00,000 people are confirmed dead, millions including many women and children are fatally injured, and millions have taken refuge in neighbouring countries.

It was believed that after the chemical weapons attack on civilians in the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Ghouta on 21 August 2013 which killed hundreds of civilians including many children, the United States will finally be pushed to take punitive action against the government of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. However, after weeks of bickering it seems that the US will now settle down with Russian mediated plan of seizure of Syrian chemical weapons, something also agreed by Al-Assad.

It is evidently apparent that the United States does not want Islamists to rule Damascus after the fall of Al-Assad. An overdriven Sunnite win in Syria will lead to the empowerment of an Islamist-led Sunnite government in Syria. However, it’s clear that after getting rid of the Muslim Brotherhood-led government in Egypt through a bloody coup, the US won’t allow the formation of another Islamist government in the biggest country of the Levant.

The United States is still not in a hurry to find quick solution to the crisis in Syria. Almost a year ago, President Obama warned that any use of chemical weapons by Syrian regime would cross a “red line”, hence raising the likelihood of US intervention. And Obama declared “red line” has already been trespassed by Bashar Al-Assad in Damascus. After analysing the whole conflict it is empirically clear that the United States would only opt for the solution of Syrian crisis that suits its hegemony and Israeli survivability in the post-Assad Syria.

Despite its so-called expressions of dismay and concern over what is happening in Syria, the Israelis would prefer Bashar Al-Assad or another “strongman”, as opposed to a “democratic” government in Damascus. With another “strongman” in power the Israelis know what to expect but with an Islamic leaning “democratic” government in Damascus the four-decade long imposed truce in Golan will definitely come into question.

The United States and Israel would do their best to nullify the Sunnite consolidation of power in Syria in particular and in the Levant in general. The Shiet-Sunnite division suits the broader western vision of the Middle East. The defense of Israel is the prime objective of the United States and other western states. Sunnite consolidation in Syria will lead its march first towards occupied Golan Heights and then to Lebanon, Jordan and finally to Jerusalem. The United States fears that United Sunnite Power will finally march towards Israel, ‘its spoiled child in the Middle East’. Syrian events would directly impact the outcome of the Iraqi state where Shiets have taken over power after US invasion.

Stalemate in Syria will further prolong the bloody civil war and will finally turn the already divided and dysfunctional state into a country of many militias based on different ideologies and sects. A post Al-Assad Syria without national military will turn out to be another Lebanon where Syrian air and land borders will be under the mercy of Israel like Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza.

After closely watching the unfolding of Arab awakening events in the Levant and Iraq, its reversal in Egypt and looming reversal in Tunisia with its tiding effect on the other regional countries and blocks, I personally reckon that the West in general and the United States in particular do not want to end the conflict in the Levant and in Iraq for the broader regional schematic.

The longevity and escalation of Syrian conflict has imploded the underbelly of the region when long under carpeted Shiet-Sunnite strife came out in open on the streets. The escalation of conflict will further divide the people of the region and will especially clench the countries with a significant Shiet and Sunnite population mix.

Post US invasion, Iraq is already gloomy with sectarian killings where local politicians have already divided the region on sectarian line. The Syrian conflict has escalated the political tensions further among ordinary people and divided the citizenry on sectarian leanings. Lebanon is another country which is feeling the brunt of Syrian conflict where Shiet Hezbollah came out into the open to fight with the Syrian regime and the Sunnites of Lebanon are backing the opponents of the Syrian regime.

The vision of anti Al-Assad regional countries differs from the US and Israeli vision of the region. The United States does not want stable and powerful countries and blocks in the region who can question its hegemony in the regional matters. Common anti-Iran stand among the anti-Assad forces does not necessarily bring them towards a unified Syrian approach. The only country with which the US has common interest on the regional issues is the state of Israel. Israel would want an aggravated regional conflict so that it can rein the region without forthcoming military threat to his hegemony in the said region.

If we go back and revisit the history pages of events in the Levant and Iraq, we find that the pre-eminence of the regional powers can only solve the problem of the said region. These lands were initially divided to suit the indirect western control of the region’s natural resources and later the inexorable, continued existence of the Israeli state.

Suffice it to say here that prolonged-unresolved Syrian civil war is in the best interest of the United States and Israel. The US would only intervene decisively when it gets sure about the favourable outcome of a post Al-Assad Syria. 

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