Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

It is with great sadness that Modern Tokyo Times hears about the death of Bahukutumbi Raman who was a foremost expert in the field of counter-terrorism, national security and geopolitics in India. Raman passed away after fighting against cancer during the later part of his life. However, true to the very nature of Raman he kept on churning out essential analysis of major international events related to India and the surrounding region until the very late stages of his life.

I myself contacted Raman several years ago when Modern Tokyo Times was in its infancy and he kindly allowed our agency to publish his work until we could get off the ground. The beauty of Raman is that despite knowing extremely powerful individuals within India and much further afield; he was also open to anyone who cared and had a valid message to give to the world. Therefore, it was a great honor when such a distinguished individual gave the Modern Tokyo Times a helping hand in the cut-throat world of the mass media.

His distinguished career runs of the pen naturally when it comes to security related issues and being at the center of safeguarding India. Raman is a former Additional Secretary (retired), Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of India. Also, Raman is the former head of India’s intelligence agency called Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) which applies to external threats. Therefore, by being a former head (and one of the founding fathers of RAW) of this important counter-terrorism agency; it is clear that Raman was very important within the power mechanisms of India in relation to national security.

Raman also was the director of the distinguished Institute for Topical Studies which is based in Chennai. Alongside this, Raman was also an important contributor to the South Asia Analysis Group. Outside of major institutions he frequently wrote about geopolitics, counter-terrrorism, military issues, national security and other related areas in relation to India and South Asia. He also kept in touch “with the street” by utilizing social media and was open to individuals irrespective of their position because he firmly believed in humanity.

India Express states that Raman was “One of the few officers who witnessed the creation of RAW in 1968 by RN Kao, his analysis on Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and China have been an asset to the intelligence community. In his memoir Kaoboys of Research and Analysis Wing: Down Memory Lane, he talked about his days in the agency.”

Raman cared passionately for the national security of India and to create mechanisms whereby terrorism and geopolitical land grabs by hostile nations could be dampened and repulsed before chaos broke out. On May 10, 2013, despite the pain of his severe cancer Raman bravely stated about the elections in Pakistan that“Better relations with India will be a minefield. The sensitivities of the army and the fundamentalist and jihadi organizations may have to be taken into consideration by the mainstream parties doing well in the elections before they take any major initiative for a policy change in a positive direction. They have to go very slow and keep down their enthusiasm. Better relations with India are, therefore, unlikely to be for tomorrow unless the PML (N) comes out with an absolute majority of its own.”

“India’s immediate policy interest ought to be not in the prospects for a quick improvement in the bilateral relations, but in the prospects for the better internal stability and better internal security in Pakistan with a genuine control over the activities of the TTP, the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LEJ) and other jihadi organizations.”

“India has had a contentious relationship with Pakistan ever since the two countries became independent in 1947. If this contentious relationship continues for some more years, we can live with it provided the new ruling dispensation in Pakistan shows the courage and foresight to take on the fundamentalist and jihadi organizations and defeat them in the interest of the people of Pakistan and at the same time persuade the Army to co-operate with the civilian leadership in this direction.”

Raman even in the last days of his life and suffering enormous pain showed the passion of youth but with the knowledge of age. India should note the wise words above because Raman was focused on seeing the events of the day and the reality of long term problems which he foresaw in the future.

Raman stated about international terrorism which is eating away at many nations based on various different factors that “How would I characterise international jihadi terrorism as personified by Al Qaeda and the International Islamic Front (IIF) formed by it in 1998, which pose the greatest threat to international peace and harmony? It is revanchist in character, medieval in its objectives and modern in its methods of operation. It wants to avenge through mass killings the imaginary wrongs which, according to it, were done to the Muslims of the world over the ages by the rest of the world. It is not a clash between civilizations. It is a clash between savagery and civilization. Civilization has to prevail over savagery and it will. It wants to take the Islamic world not forward into the modern world of democracy, prosperity and enlightenment, but back to the days of the Islamic Caliphate. It has mastered or is trying to master modern means of destruction in order to achieve the destruction of modernity and take the Islamic world back to its dark ages. “

“International jihad terrorism has only pretexts for its actions. It has no legitimate root causes. In its revanchist, it is like the Nazism of the past. Imagine what could have happened to the world if leaders such as President Franklin Roosevelt, Sir Winston Churchill, Gen. de Gaulle and others had said “let us first address the root causes of Nazism before we eliminate Adolf Hitler and his cohorts.” Where would the world be today? It would be equally absurd for us to say “let us first address the root causes of Al Qaeda and the IIF before we eliminate the leaders of Al Qaeda, the IIF and their cohorts.” They have to be eliminated first by all of us thinking and acting in unison.”

After the death of Osama bin Laden the distinguished Raman commented that “The death of the jihadi Frankenstein’s monster in the cradle of the Pakistan Army has thrown the spotlight even more intensely than till now on another Frankenstein’s monster— namely, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan.” 

“Since the 1980s,the ISI was was pampered, fed and fattened by the US along with the Pakistan Army. The US, which closed its eyes to the pernicious role played by this State Frankenstein’s monster in sponsoring terrorism of various kinds against India, Afghanistan and other countries, is confused and does not know how to act against this State Frankenstein’s monster after having killed the non-State monster.” 

“The end of Osama bin Laden will not be the end of international jihadi terrorism. The non-state head of international jihadi terrorism may be dead, but the State of Pakistan, which continues to use this terrorism, lives in a denial mode. Neither the State of Pakistan nor its civil society is prepared to admit that Al Qaeda and its surviving leaders have managed to escape arrest, prosecution or death so far, because of the support extended to them by the State of Pakistan. The same is the case with the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET) and other jihadi affiliates of Al Qaeda.” 

Raman gave his soul to India and helped the international community because of his enormous wisdom. He passed away on June 16, 2013. However, he will live on within the people he touched based on his writing, knowledge and the humanity he showed the world.

Rest in peace dear Bahukutumbi Raman.

http://ramanstrategicanalysis.blogspot.jp/2013/05/impact-of-pak-elections-on-ties-with.html

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?271660

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Paul Joseph Nzeribe and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Pakistan continues to be blighted by barbaric terrorist attacks against the minority Shia community and against anyone deemed to be worthy for killing in the name of Allah. In the latest suspected Sunni Islamist terrorist outrage women were killed in the region of Quetta. It is known that Sunni Islamist terrorist groups are opposed to women obtaining an education and in the past attacks have taken place against women in Afghanistan and Pakistan respectively.

The local police chief, Zubair Mahmood, commented that “It was an improvised explosive device placed in the women university bus.” Sadly, people in Pakistan are no longer shocked by such barbarity because it appears to be second nature for Sunni Islamist terrorists who just espouse hatred and kill innocents. Therefore, it is clear that Pakistan is a nation whereby religious minorities reside in fear and women can be killed for just wanting to study.

In Balochistan you also have a separatist movement and this sums-up the current situation in this country. After all, it is clear that mother India was carved up but is mainly Muslim Pakistan a nation which protects the citizens of this nation? Clearly the answer is no because Ahmadiyya Muslims and Shia Muslims are deemed apostates therefore both communities suffer untold persecution. Ironically, in mother India the Ahmadiyya and Shia don’t worry about being slaughtered and victimized by Sunni Islamist militants.

Other religious minorities including Christians, Hindus and Sikhs also suffer state institutional discrimination because many women are forced to convert to Islam but the state does little to intervene. Likewise, the dreaded blasphemy law can be used against Muslims and non-Muslims alike on a mere whim. This reality means that many people reside in fear.

In the past the government of Pakistan involved itself in Afghanistan alongside America, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and other Gulf nations. The upshot of this was that Gulf petrodollars spread Takfiri and Salafi Islam alongside supporting indigenous Sunni Islamist militant organizations. America, Pakistan and the United Kingdom utilized the CIA, ISI and MI6 respectively in order to train Islamist fanatics against the communist government of Afghanistan in the 1980s. Several decades later and the folly of this policy can be seen by the fact that so many women reside in shadows in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Of course, you have places in both nations which are more open but the darkness of religious bigotry resides within terrorist organizations and in state institutions in both countries.

In a past article by Modern Tokyo Times it was stated that “…if we turn the clock back to the early 1980s then nations like America, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom supported radical Sunni Islamists against communist Afghanistan. This meant that special operatives from within the CIA representing America and the ISI from Pakistan, and other operatives from nations like the United Kingdom, enabled international Islamists to get a foothold in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The upshot of all this was that a nightmare was created and today the world is witnessing this ongoing nightmare.”

“It is abundantly clear that the roots of September 11 are connected with the political naivety and crassness of nations like America and the United Kingdom. After all, it is clear that Saudi Arabia and the elites within Pakistan in the 1980s were intent on spreading Islamism based on religious and political factors. Yet for America and the United Kingdom it was about “turning the Islamist clock on and off” to when it suited.”

“Of course, the events of September 11 woke America up briefly but under the Obama administration it is clear that the “Islamist clock is being turned on” once more. The same now applies to nations like France, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. After all, these nations are now behind many atrocities in Syria. This applies to killing religious minorities, killing pro-Sunni supporters of the government, beheading people, daily car bombings, torturing Syrian soldiers and a plethora of crimes against humanity.”

America, the United Kingdom and other allied forces are now fighting the same Islamist Sunni militant groups that they helped to train and support in the past. Likewise, the government of Pakistan managed to destabilize itself by supporting the Taliban and a host of other militant terrorist organizations. Therefore, the latest terrorist attack which killed at least 11 females can be traced to the barbaric policies of the past. This applies to unleashing Takfiri ideas, Salafi concepts and other dangerous religious ideologies.

Turning back to the attack against female students then the BBC reports that “Hospital sources say some of the wounded are in critical condition.”

“No group has said it carried out the attack.”

“Later another explosion was reported at the hospital where the victims were being treated, Police and militants exchanged fire there, according to eyewitnesses.”

It is clear that all educational institutions in Pakistan should come under the state and that religious institutions inciting sectarianism and hatred should be closed down. At the same time, Gulf petrodollars need to be stopped from spreading dangerous ideologies which are threatening the state of Pakistan. The ISI also needs to come under full control and the CIA and MI6 needs to be cleansed of using dangerous religious ideologies for short-term gains. After all, in Libya it is clear that the CIA and MI6 had links with terrorist groups in order to overthrow the Gaddafi government and the same applies to France. Now in Libya many Sufi shrines have been attacked and the small Christian population is facing more hostility. Currently it is also clear that the CIA, MI6 and their French counterparts are involved in many underhanded dealings with terrorist groups in order to defeat the government of Syria. However, the short term geopolitical gains become long term nightmares for people who reside in the nations where outside forces are meddling. Likewise, Gulf petrodollars are inciting Sunni Islamist hatred against Muslim minorities, indigenous Islam which is more liberal and against non-Muslims.

The latest terrorist attack which killed at least 11 females (death toll may increase further) in Pakistan is further evidence that radical Sunni Islam is a threat to all and sundry. Sadly, elites within America, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and several Gulf nations are never held accountable for their respective destabilizing policies and crimes against humanity. However, innocent Muslims and non-Muslims continue to be slaughtered by forces which were unleashed in the 1980s because the “Sunni Islamist genie” can’t be forced back into its lamp.

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Outside nations involved themselves in Afghanistan over forty years ago by firstly supporting the same thought patterns that they are currently trying to prevent from ruling this nation in the modern period. Gulf nations, America, the United Kingdom and Pakistan created “this nightmare” whereby the rights of women didn’t matter one jot providing communist forces would be defeated. Similarly, outside nations then crushed the military and political system of Iraq which in turn unleashed chaos, sectarianism, the cleansing of Christians and other religious minorities like the Mandaeans; the end result being daily terrorism and then America and other allies leave the scene while chaos abounds. Not content with this, then Libya became another venture whereby today you just have chaos and a failed state. Despite this, major Gulf and Western powers have no shame because they are collectively destroying the fabric of society in Syria by stealth.

It matters not that America, France and the United Kingdom are bankrupting their respective nations at home while being involved in the deaths of untold numbers in distant lands. Major Gulf powers like Saudi Arabia and Qatar also have no qualms in supporting terrorist and sectarianism forces directly or covertly when Western hands are involved. Of course, democracy, religious freedom, the rights of women and pluralism at home in Saudi Arabia is not on the agenda. However, sowing the seeds of sectarianism and enabling the dark forces of terrorism to spread untold misery is on the agenda for Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf states involved in the many ratlines against Syria.

It is now known that the Jabhat al-Nusra have just slaughtered vast numbers of Shia Muslims because they showed part of their destruction themselves on social media while celebrating. France, just like America and the United Kingdom, responds to massacres like this – and killing a young boy for “allegedly” insulting Islam – by merely issuing more threats against the Syrian government.

The BBC reports that the “French foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said the conflict in Syria was “at a turning point.”

“What should we do under these conditions to reinforce the opposition armed forces? We have had these discussions with our partners, with the Americans, the Saudis, the Turks, many others.”

“We cannot leave the opposition in the current state.”

Yet, these massacres are being done by Takfiri Islamists, the Free Syrian Army (FSA), various different terrorist and sectarian groups, and by mercenaries from all over the world. Indeed, religious minorities are being protected by the Syrian armed forces because Christians and others are not fleeing government controlled areas. On the contrary, they only feel secure in areas under the full control of the Syrian armed forces. It must be remembered that Christian bishops are being held by the allies of Gulf and Western nations. Also, when did so-called “opposition armed forces” belonging to “a mythical anti-Syrian group which is democratic” attack al-Qaeda backed terrorists? However, the illusions and lies will keep on coming by America, France and the United Kingdom.

Despite everything, America, France and the United Kingdom are pinning the blame on the central government of Syria while doing nothing to stem Gulf petrodollars from funding and supporting terrorism and sectarianism.The same Western states don’t care that Saudi Arabia supports killing all apostates to Christianity because how many decades does it take before religious apartheid nations are issued trade sanctions? This reality highlights the sham of Western nations coming up with the “democratic game” but it still doesn’t stop the mass media and senior politicians from whipping up hatred against independent Syria.

CBS News comments about the recent massacre of Shia Muslims by international Sunni Islamic terrorists. This news agency states that “With a steady drumbeat from some U.S. and European politicians calling for the West to arm Syria’s rebels, the composition of the rebel force on the ground is vital to understand, and the men who committed at least some of the killings in Hatla were not Syrian, and were not men who the West would want to arm.”

“In a video posted on YouTube, a man shows the dead bodies of several Shiite Syrians in Hatla, and angrily calls on his fellow Sunnis to “massacre” their Shiite compatriots. The man speaking is not Syrian, he is Kuwaiti, and very few of the armed “rebels” seen with him in the video sound Syrian — the accents are largely Kuwaiti and Iraqi. There were other, similar videos posted of the alleged massacre in Hatla.”

This reality makes a mockery of the “so-called civil war” because if it wasn’t for outside nations supporting terrorism, sectarianism and sedition then clearly this crisis would have petered out quickly. Syria is a nation whereby “civil war” applies despite vast numbers of international jihadists and terrorists coming from all over the world. Of course, political elites in America, France, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom know this – alongside major media agencies in the Gulf and West – however, it doesn’t stop the “tools of oppression” from open manipulation.

CBS news also states that “While leaders in Washington, Paris and London continue to suggest the option of arming “vetted” rebel groups remains on the table, there’s strong evidence to suggest that previous covert efforts to funnel arms into opposition hands through neighboring countries (efforts which were reportedly green-lighted by the Obama administration) ended up arming the extremists.”

Under the current leaders of America, France and the United Kingdom they have assisted Gulf powers and international jihadist groups from reaching further into the Levant, North Africa and West Africa. At the same time, terrorism and sectarianism is increasing in Iraq and Syria because of the evil deeds of outside nations meddling into the internal affairs of both nations. The upshot of all this is daily massacres against the Shia; the spreading of hatred towards the Alawites in Syria; the cleansing of Christians in several nations; the destruction of Sufi shrines in Libya, Mali and Somalia; the murder of pro-Syrian Sunni Muslim clerics in Syria; women are firmly being put into the shadows and honor killings are increasing; and all this is being done by Takfiri Islamist groups, the Salafists, Gulf nations and the political leaders of America, France and the United Kingdom who are cohorts in this barbarity when it suits their geopolitical agendas.

Independent and secular Syria prior to outside meddling under Bashar al-Assad was a nation that took in millions of Iraqi and Palestinian nationals which had fled past Western policy objectives. At no point did the Syrian government under Bashar al-Assad reject people on religious grounds. On the contrary, vast numbers of Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims and Christians entered Syria in order to escape troubles in their respective nations of birth. However, this mosaic is now being crushed and Gulf and Western powers alongside NATO Turkey are trying to destroy the Syrian government by spreading sectarianism, destroying the economy, forcing people to flee from terrorism and other evil methods. At no point have the leaders of America, France and the United Kingdom condemned Gulf powers for supporting sectarianism and terrorism. Therefore, the latest massacre of Shia Muslims in Syria by Takfiri Islamists and the FSA should be firmly pinned on the nations supporting the destabilization of Syria and the same applies to the entire crisis.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57588904/syria-rebels-behind-alleged-massacre-of-shiites/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22870776

http://sana.sy/eng/337/2013/06/13/487202.htm

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Boutros Hussein and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The government of Ethiopia is unfazed by psychological games being played by President Mohammed Mursi (Morsi) of Egypt over the Nile. Ethiopia is currently in the process of constructing a viable hydroelectric dam in order to provide essential power. Therefore, Ethiopia caught Egypt on the hop last month when this nation began to divert the Blue Nile while providing information to Sudan about construction developments.

Ethiopia clearly needs to modernize the infrastructure of this nation in order to lift many people out of poverty and to support many areas of the economy. The Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is also a sign of growing confidence within the body politic of Ethiopia. Mursi therefore should be very careful when he states that “all options are open.” After all, it is easy for events to spiral out of control and it doesn’t help a very complex region.

Mursi did comment that he wasn’t “calling for war” but then further complicated issues by also making it clear that Egypt could not afford to sit idly by while Ethiopia threatened to control the water flow. Clearly, the worry is that with Mursi and the Muslim Brotherhood coming under greater scrutiny at home; then he may decide to play the nationalist card. Therefore, events remain unstable because a slippery slope may occur whereby tensions continue to increase.

Mursi stated that “Egypt’s water security cannot be violated at all…As president of the state I confirm to you that all options are open…If Egypt is the Nile’s gift, then the Nile is a gift to Egypt.”

“The lives of the Egyptians are connected around it… as one great people. If it diminishes by one drop then our blood is the alternative.”

Mursi clearly wants to maintain a colonial ruling which denies Ethiopia the right to control its own water. Obviously, no nation can be held back by the past when it is clear that Ethiopia wasn’t responsible for the ruling which favored Egypt and Sudan in the first place. In saying that, it is also incumbent on Ethiopia to be sensitive to the needs of other nations which rely greatly on the water resources emanating from this country. Ethiopia is therefore stipulating that the interrupted flow will only take place for a set period during the building of this important dam.

Tedros Adhanom, the Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, replied by stating  that “Ethiopia cannot remain poor….It must utilize its resources to lift its people out of poverty.”

Also, other upstream nations are disillusioned by the shenanigans of a past colonial agreement which violates their respective rights to exploit the water that they are blessed with. Egypt should be careful because regional powers like Uganda would not standby and allow Cairo to bully the region. After all, just like events between Sudan and South Sudan; it is clear that regional black African states are not interested in “a colonial Arab straightjacket.”

Sudan which is beset by many internal issues appears to be on board because this nation understands that Ethiopia isn’t threatening regional stability. This in itself further isolates Egypt because Sudan is a major downstream nation.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/73769/Egypt/Politics-/Ethiopia-dismisses-Egyptian-psychological-warfare-.aspx

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

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Helmut Joachim Schmidt and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The Syrian Armed Forces have retaken Qusair near the border with Lebanon and clearly this successful military operation is hurting the enemies of this secular nation. After all, with NATO Turkey facing internal social and political issues – and with this major terrorist and military ratline being closed in Qusair – then clearly the situation looks more optimistic for the Syrian government. Therefore, major Western powers are responding by manipulating the mass media by raising the issue of chemical weapons and that allies of Syria must refrain from supporting the government of Bashar al-Assad.

Killing and kidnapping religious leaders: Silence when al-Qaeda groups took Raqqah

It is noticeable that two Christian bishops have been kidnapped by the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) but issues like this and killing pro-government Sunni clerics does not concern Gulf and Western powers. Also, when the Al Nusrah Front which is affiliated with al-Qaeda took Raqqah (Raqqa), alongside other terrorist groups like Ahrar al Sham Brigade; then did America, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Kingdom tell al-Qaeda groups to pull out? More alarmingly, with thousands of American and British troops being killed in Iraq; then why are America and the United Kingdom supporting the al-Qaeda funding states of Qatar and Saudi Arabia? After all, this is a mockery and perversion against the soldiers of America and the United Kingdom who sacrificed their lives for nothing in Iraq.

The Al Nusrah Front, Ahrar al Sham Brigade and various Takfiri groups then set about turning Raqqah into a“year zero Islamist zone.” Captured soldiers and anyone deemed loyal to the government of Syria were openly executed in front of adults and children alike. Then summary justice of whipping people and putting women in the shadows followed. Yet did major NATO Western powers bat an eyelid and did the take-over of Raqqah by al-Qaeda affiliated groups concern Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other nations in the Gulf? Likewise, did the mass media throughout the West and in the Gulf region launch a campaign to be used against al-Qaeda affiliated groups to pull-out of Raqqah?

Former Yugoslavia to Libya

It is worth recalling that major Western powers and Gulf petrodollars have been involved in the wars of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, former Yugoslavia and now against Syria. At the same time, Mali, India, Niger, Pakistan, (Pakistan destabilized itself by allying with Islamist forces in Afghanistan throughout the 1980s and 1990s) Tunisia (secular leader killed by terrorists) and other nations have felt the ripples of outside meddling. Also, the fiasco of Afghanistan throughout the 1980s and 1990s fueled anti-Shia and anti-modernity forces which continue to grip many parts of the world.

The former Yugoslavia and Libya were bombed from the sky by NATO powers while terrorist groups were given a free reign to kill at random on the ground. This applies to the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and Libyan affiliated al-Qaeda terrorist groups which once had fought allied American and British troops in Iraq. Indeed, the rise of the KLA and FSA share many parallels in terms of the speed of their development and the ratlines now being used against Syria. After all, it is known that FSA members visited Albanian ruled Kosovo (Vast numbers of Orthodox Christians have been cleansed on the watch of Western powers) and Libya is a military, covert operative and mercenary play ground.

Libya and the former Yugoslavia were bombed from the sky whereby major NATO powers were free to kill and destroy the infrastructure at random. In the former Yugoslavia (by this time Serbia and Montenegro) it is clear that NATO forces did not want to fight the armed forces of Serbia openly. Therefore, NATO systematically bombed the infrastructure of Serbia and killed vast numbers of civilians. The ratio of civilian deaths to military troops is shockingly high but of course NATO powers were exonerated from breaking international law. Likewise, willfully targeting the infrastructure of Serbia and spreading untold fear against civilians in order for this nation to capitulate was deemed reasonable by elite nations. At the same time, KLA terrorist forces which committed mass atrocities, including killing people for organs, were given a free reign to kill Serbian Orthodox Christians and destroy Serbian Orthodox Churches.

Vivian Martin, International Action Center in New York, states that “From the onset of NATO’s aggression from March 24 to June 11, 1999, the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) flew over 35,000 combat missions over the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Over 1,000 warplanes (among others F-15, F-16, F-117) and 206 helicopters were used in the air strikes. More than 20,000 laser or satellite-guided weapons were launched and over 79,000 tons of explosives were dropped, including 152 containers with 35,450 cluster bombs, thermo-visual and graphite bombs, which are prohibited under international conventions.”1

“The NATO forces justified the bombing of civilian targets as either “mistakes” or essential to the destruction of Milosevic and the Yugoslav Army. However, these attacks were not made solely against military targets but against the Yugoslav population as a whole.”

“As a direct result of the bombings, thousands of civilians were killed and more than 6,000 sustained serious injuries. A large number of the injured will remain crippled for life. NATO bombings have burned amputated, wounded and disabled many civilians of all-ethnic groups, ages, and genders. Children make made up 30% of all casualties as well as 40% of the total number injured. In addition, approximately 300,000 children have suffered severe psychological traumas and will require continuos medical surveillance and treatment. Children have been victims of the sprinkle cluster bombs, with delayed effects, and will continue to be victimized until all parks, play-fields and open areas have been made safe from the remaining unexploded bombs scattered throughout Yugoslavia.” 

In Libya major NATO powers would once more bomb from the sky while anti-Gaddafi forces would execute their prisoners after torture. Many videos highlight that anti-Gaddafi forces which were allies of America, France, Qatar, the United Kingdom, and others; also systematically tortured and killed black Africans based on their skin color. Indeed, sometimes black Africans were put in prisons that resembled zoos and then forced to beg for mercy while being treated like animals. Of course, massacres took place on all sides but how does this exonerate the barbarity of what happened in Libya based on the meddling of outside nations?

Modern day Libya is nothing more than a failed state whereby Sufi shrines are attacked and the minority Christian community resides in fear. Various militias control several parts of major cities and terrorism emanating from this failed state continues to worry Algeria, Mali, Niger, Tunisia and Syria. Therefore, the new free Libya is a hotbed of instability, terrorism, Takfiri hatred and lawlessness. Also, Libya is a conduit in the flow of terrorists from North Africa to Syria alongside supplying military arms and covert operatives which manipulate the failed structures of this country.

UK, US and France condemn Qusair but Fine for Allies to Sponsor Sectarianism, Terrorism and Sedition

France is clearly riled by the loss of the international terrorist and ratline base in Qusair because once more President Hollande is using the specter of chemical weapons. Ironically, the UN finding under Carla Del Ponte firmly points the finger at forces being supported by major NATO powers and Gulf nations. Also, in Iraq and Turkey it is clear that al-Qaeda affiliated groups have been found with chemicals. Of course, this matters not because it is fine for al-Qaeda and the FSA to behead, kill minorities, kidnap Christian bishops, kill pro-government Sunni clerics, deliberately kill journalists and train little children to behead captured Syrian soldiers. In the world of President Obama, President Hollande and Prime Minister Cameron all the above equates to “freedom” and “democracy.”

American with its usual hypocrisy called on Hezbollah and Iran to pull fighters out of Syria. Of course, the same America isn’t stopping Qatar and Saudi Arabia from funding Sunni militant jihadists which not only hate the Alawites, Christians and Shia – but given their Takfiri mindset, then killing Sunni Muslim clerics is also fine. Qusair is also within easy reach of Lebanon and clearly Shia villages on both sides of the border have been attacked by various Takfiri and terrorist groups. Indeed, instead of condemning Hezbollah it is clear that this political movement stood by for a long time while their co-religionists were being persecuted. It is also essential to note that Christians are not worried about Hezbollah and the same applies to all faith groups because this movement supports the mosaic of Lebanon and Syria respectively. Yet, Takfiri groups want to destroy all and sundry and to crush Syrian civilization just like the Taliban wants to destroy the mosaic of Afghanistan and eradicate all traces of past cultures like Buddhism.

Chemical Issue

In the last few weeks it is clear that al-Qaeda groups and various affiliates are trying to use chemicals. The Long War Journal states “The Iraqi military announced today that it arrested five members of an al Qaeda cell that was seeking to manufacture chemical weapons, including sarin nerve gas, and plotting to conduct attacks within Iraq, Europe, and North America.”

“The Defense Ministry announced that it arrested the five members of the al Qaeda in Iraq cell and raided two factories in Baghdad that were used to research and manufacture the deadly chemical agents. The arrests were made with the help of undisclosed foreign intelligence services.”

In another article by The Long War Journal which provides information from several Turkish media groups. It is stated that “On May 30, the Turkish media reported that 12 individuals from the al Qaeda-linked Al Nusrah Front had been captured in antiterror operations in Adana, along with a total of two kilos (4, 5 lb) of sarin gas. Five of the 12 suspects were later released; the interrogation of the other seven is ongoing.”

“According to another daily, Radikal, however, the suspects said that they planned to take the materials back to the conflict areas in Syria.”

In another article by Modern Tokyo Times it was stated that “Human rights investigators from the United Nations (UN) have taken medical testimonies from Syrians which clearly imply that terrorists in Syria have used chemicals against the people of this nation. This applies to sarin nerve gas therefore will the enemies of Syria bomb and agitate against the so-called Free Syrian Army (supported by outside nations and agencies like the CIA)? Of course, individuals like John Kerry (US) and William Hague (UK) will try to squirm their way out like usual and a future “false flag” is sure to be raised. Despite this, it is clear that the “chemical issue” is “dead and buried” because at worse the side of Ankara, Doha, London, Paris, Riyadh and Washington have been involved in using sarin gas. Of course, with America using Agent Orange against Vietnam and dropping this agent on Cambodia and Laos despite not even being at war with Cambodia and Loas – then clearly the information released by the UN human rights investigators isn’t shocking.”

Also, the independent commission of inquiry which was set up by the UN according to Carla Del Ponte can’t find any incriminating evidence against the government of Syria. Therefore, Del Ponte comments that “investigators have been in neighboring countries interviewing victims, doctors and field hospitals and, according to their report of last week which I have seen, there are strong, concrete suspicions but not yet incontrovertible proof of the use of sarin gas, from the way the victims were treated.”

“This was use on the part of the opposition, the rebels, not by the government authorities.”

All the above information is mocking America, France, the United Kingdom and their allies throughout the Middle East. The same also applies to the mass media in the West and Gulf region which have raised countless false flags and distorted events on the ground. Laurent Fabius, the Foreign Minister of France, clearly doesn’t like to read about al-Qaeda being caught in Iraq and Turkey with chemicals. Likewise, he desires to ignore the UN independent commission which points the finger at the side of so-called opposition forces.

Fabius reported to France 24 “that his government was certain Syria’s army had used chemical weapons during the bloody civil conflict, in particular the deadly nerve agent sarin.”

“Asked if chemical weapons had also been used by the opposition, Fabius said he was not certain, but that documented reports of the use chemical weapons for now only reliably pointed a finger at Assad.”

In other words Fabius like William Hague of the United Kingdom are claiming that the security agencies of Iraq and Turkey are lying and the same applies to international agents which helped Iraq. Similarly, Fabius is rejecting the independent UN commission which reports that it is the side backed by major Western and Gulf powers which appear to have used chemicals. Of course, with the FSA and various al-Qaeda affiliates suffering setbacks on the ground then more false flags must be used against Syria in order to stem the time which is favoring the Syrian government. In other words, the so-called Western and Gulf sponsored revolution can’t succeed without major military support to vast numbers of international terrorists, mercenaries and covert operatives.
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/06/iraq_breaks_up_al_qa.php#ixzz2VPfCodc0

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/05/us-syria-crisis-un-idUSBRE94409Z20130505 　

http://rt.com/news/un-syria-rebels-chemical-weapons-854/　

http://www.france24.com/en/20130605-syria-rebels-weapons-qusair-france-laurent-fabius-diplomacy-russia-assad

http://www.iacenter.org/warcrime/25_civil.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22789455

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2013/05/06/syria-and-un-investigators-concrete-suspicions-that-fsa-islamists-used-sarin-gas/

http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2013/05/on_may_30_the_turkish.php#ixzz2VPgQxrfY

http://www.agentorangerecord.com/agent_orange_history/in_cambodia_laos/ US and Agent Orange

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Nuray Lydia Oglu and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, turned his back on regional nations and today internal convulsions are rocking his grand designs. Internationally, it is known that Erdogan tries to manipulate the media in order to boost his own personal ratings. Yet given his outspoken nature towards other nations then Erdogan appears unstable and openly manipulative. Therefore, the current demonstrations are openly showing the people of Turkey that his shortcomings are indeed severe when it comes to natural communication and diplomacy.

Erdogan stated that “There is 50 percent of [the country who voted for the ruling Justice and Development Party - AKP], and we can barely keep them at home [and prevent them from coming onto the streets for counter-protests]. But we have called on them to calm down.” However, he doesn’t appear to understand that Turkey is democratic therefore why is he implying that counter-demonstrations may take place whereby confrontation will become the order of the day?

In a nutshell, irrespective of the positives and negative of his political leadership in Turkey; it is clear that he is“a dictatorial leader” who happens to be the leader of a “democratic nation.” Thankfully, the institutions of Turkey are not so weak despite certain areas being dismantled in relationship to secularism and other powerful areas. Despite this, you certainly feel that he wants to re-write and re-model modern Turkey within the dynamics of political Islam by stealth. Not surprisingly, it is the ordinary citizens of Turkey which are fed-up by his real intentions therefore the mass demonstrations currently hitting this nation have erupted because of his dictatorial approach to politics within a democratic nation.

Demonstrations can erupt within a one party state, multi-party democratic nations, feudal monarchies, theocratic states and where ruling elites preserve power. Every nation will respond differently during times of crisis and sometimes outside nations will try to instigate mayhem when they see a weakness based on geopolitical factors. However, Erdogan belongs to a democratic state therefore he needs to respond in a manor within this framework. For example, recently you have had demonstrations in parts of Sweden but the leaders of this nation are not threatening to bring their supporters onto the streets in order to threaten the demonstrators. Therefore, why is Erdogan making it known that he could ask AKP members to start counter-demonstrations if he desired to do so?

Erdogan is also turning against the media and social media like twitter. Once more, this sounds like a very dictatorial leader within the body politic of democracy in modern day Turkey. Ironically, the same Erdogan didn’t mind the same Western and Gulf media from propagating against the government of Syria. Also, while Erdogan went running to Washington about the chemical issue; he now appears to have lost his voice because the so-called Syrian opposition was caught in Turkey with chemical agents. In this sense, Erdogan propagated sensationalism against a neighboring nation based on open lies. Therefore, if opponents in Turkey propagate misinformation then he can’t cry wolf. However, his opponents in Turkey don’t need to propagate misinformation because they are just demanding that their way of life is protected from the ill-intentions of the ruling AKP government.

The leader of Turkey is also showing his disdain towards the current political and social crisis in Turkey by leaving the nation in order to go on a political trip to Morocco. Erdogan stated prior to leaving that “There are those attending these events organized by extremists. This is not about Gezi Park anymore. These are organized events with affiliations both within Turkey and abroad.”

“The main opposition party CHP has provoked my innocent citizens. Those who make news [and] call these events the Turkish Spring do not know Turkey.”

Erdogan is now also trying to pin the blame on a foreign conspiracy. This is also ironic because under the ruling AKP government Turkey is a major conduit for terrorists, foreign security agencies, military arms, and other dark forces; which are entering Syria with the open approval of Erdogan.

He therefore states that “Our intelligence work is ongoing [to determine the foreign actors behind the protests]. It is not possible to reveal their names. But we will have meetings with their heads.”

“Those who advise us to be moderate must themselves first come to moderation.”

It is clear that Erdogan is clutching at straws because he can’t see outside of the walls that he builds around himself. In reality, he wants to turn the social clock back and blatantly intervenes in the foreign affairs of regional nations. Not surprisingly, many swathes of the general public in Turkey are alarmed by his dictatorial ways based on the reality that Turkey is a democratic state.

Paul Mason of the BBC comments that “The main meme – as with the flags – is “we are sons of Ataturk.”That is, we are a secular republic and we are worried about the autocratic use of power by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, combined with a creeping Islamisation.”

He further states that “I have covered Syntagma, the Occupy protests and reported from Tahrir Square. This is different to all of them.”

“First, it is massive. The sheer numbers dwarf any single episode of civil unrest in Greece.”

“Second, the breadth of social support – within the urban enclave of Istanbul – is bigger than Greece and closer to Egypt.”

Gulf petrodollars will not help Erdogan nor will the whims of Washington and the increasing reliance on NATO when dealing with neighboring events. Erdogan needs to wake up to the reality that arresting journalists, threatening to send the supporters of the AKP onto the streets and blaming outside nations – all sounds like a leader who is trapped within the democratic institutions of Turkey. Therefore, the more he rants, the more it becomes clear that Erdogan is not only an internal threat to secularism but he is also a danger regionally because of his undiplomatic approach to events.

Even now, nobody knows the full extent of the ongoing political and social convulsions hitting Turkey because the crisis could spiral – or peter out based on many factors. Irrespective of this, it is clear that Erdogan is a very divisive figure and his rhetoric is not fitting for a major democratic leader.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-pm-gets-into-row-with-reuters-reporter-over-taksim-protests.aspx?pageID=238&nID=48101&NewsCatID=338

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22753418

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-intelligence-looking-into-foreign-links-to-taksim-protests-pm-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=48097&NewsCatID=338

Photo by Azirlazarus

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Irrespective if people support the Syrian government or are against the political leaders of this nation, it is abundantly clear that past interventions lead to chaos and failed states. Either political elites in Gulf nations, America, France, Turkey and the United Kingdom enjoy mass instability and cleansing religious minorities; or the agenda is to create weak failed states in order to protect the feudal monarchies of the Gulf and Israel. If not, then nothing makes sense and this also applies to Western nations being anti-Christian in the Middle East and in other parts of the world.

It is known that the most powerful religious leader in Saudi Arabia desires that all Christian churches are to be destroyed throughout the region. Of course, with Qatar and Saudi Arabia supporting Sunni Salafi fanatics and terrorists against the government of Syria; then this could be part of the anti-Christian crusade installed by feudal monarchs and religious elites in Saudi Arabia.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Asheikh from Saudi Arabia stated that it was “necessary to destroy all the churches of the region.” This distinguished Islamist cleric who is a close friend of the ruling elites in Saudi Arabia, voiced this opinion to the visiting delegation from Kuwait. It appears that he wants Kuwait to follow the anti-Christian and anti-non-Muslim religious line of Saudi Arabia which refuses to allow one single Buddhist temple, Christian church, Hindu temple and so forth. Therefore, when one militant fanatic desires to burn the Koran (something that Islamists do all the time during their terrorist attacks and destroying Shia mosques) in America the American administration and mass media speaks out; however, having strong relations with Islamist states which hate all other religions is obviously not a concern.

It is clear that Egypt under Gamal Abdel Nasser was a threat to the elites throughout the Gulf and in major Western nations. Likewise, Saddam Hussein was an ally of the Sunni Gulf dominated monarchies and powerful Western nations during the Iran-Iraq war. Yet the Kuwait question destroyed this unity. Of course, when Saddam Hussein was busy killing the Shia in Iraq and fighting against Iran then this was welcomed. Likewise, when Kurds were gassed in Iraq then this also could be brushed under the carpet. However, to enter a feudal undemocratic state called Kuwait was something else. Therefore, a well orchestrated media campaign was paid to increase many lies about the nation of Kuwait and with regards to many alleged massacres which later turned out to be clear fabrications. Despite this, the United States and United Kingdom will protect anti-Christian Gulf monarchies to the hilt because of energy factors, geopolitics and other important areas.

Over forty years ago the usual nations intervened in Afghanistan by supporting the most “year zero Islamists” on the face of the planet. Not only did America, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and other nations, support Islamist sectarians and terrorists – but they even gave military training, assistance and helped to co-ordinate future terrorist groups. Osama bin Laden was once a friendly ally of major Gulf nations, America, Pakistan and the United Kingdom. Of course, September 11 brought this home to America but for the people of Afghanistan, North-Western Pakistan and India ruled Kashmir; then Islamist militancy is continuing to destroy all forms of moderation and helping to cleanse religious minorities. Women also have bore a terrible price and while Islamists may ban alcohol it is clear that selling and taking heroin isn’t deemed un-Islamic. Therefore, you now have a major drug problem in Afghanistan and Pakistan but despite all the chaos it is now the turn to destroy multi-religious and secular Syria.

Even while Afghanistan continues to burn in a spiral of Islamist hatred, enormous indoctrination, forcing women into the shadows and being unable to crush Taliban forces; the next venture had begun against Iraq. The Kuwait debacle highlighted the reality that while approximately 3 to 4 million black Africans were killed in Sudan based on the policies of Arabization and Islamization; then this could be tolerated, but invading a wealthy Gulf state was a different matter. Simply put, just like in East Timor whereby approximately one third of the population was killed by central forces in Indonesia – it is apparent that Christians (Sudan and East Timor) and Animists (Sudan) just don’t count because the US and UK kept on supplying weapons to Indonesia. America also welcomed the introduction of Islamic Sharia law in Sudan under the leadership of President Jaafar Nimeiri in 1983 just like Washington helped this legal framework to take power in Afghanistan, Iraq and most recently Libya.

Clearly, the anti-Muslim rhetoric aimed at America doesn’t hold much weight apart from opposing moderate forces in the Muslim world based on the objectives of Saudi Arabia and other major Gulf nations.  Therefore, the only forces to suffer at the hands of America’s foreign policy in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Cyprus (invasion by Turkey), Kosovo, Libya, Iraq and now in Syria – are Christians, secular forces and mainstream Islam which became attacked by Sunni Islamic jihadists, Salafi militants and a plethora of terrorist groups. These Islamist groups think nothing about killing Shia Muslims, minority Muslim groups like the Alawites, Sunni Muslim clerics which support religious diversity and non-Muslims. In this sense, the political elites in Washington and London have installed compliant Muslim dominated governments in Bosnia and Kosovo – while doing nothing when Orthodox Christians were cleansed by Turkey after this nation invaded Northern Cyprus. Meanwhile, secular forces within the state institutions of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya have all been vanquished by the implementation of Islamic Sharia law once ruling elites were overthrown in the three above nations. Given this reality, it appears that America and the United Kingdom are implementing a pro-Saudi Arabia and Gulf Islamist agenda which is anti-Christian, anti-secular and anti-mainstream Islam because they always side with conservative and reactionary Islamist forces. The upshot being that approximately 50% of Christians fled Iraq and vast numbers of Christians have fled Kosovo; this happened on the watch of America and the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, in Egypt the Coptic Christians are now facing a growing Islamist menace but once more America and the United Kingdom keep on supplying more funds to the Muslim Brotherhood led government.

In Kosovo the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) was implicated in killing people for organs and other massacres. Similarly, in Syria you have video evidence of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and various Islamist groups teaching children to behead Syrian soldiers, cutting open Syrian soldiers and eating organs, killing Sunni Muslim clerics which support the government and a host of other brutal deeds including beheading many Alawites and Shia Muslims. Yet, it appears that all the above – and kidnapping Christian bishops – means zilch to America, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Kingdom. After all, the more massacres are committed by the FSA and various Islamist terrorist groups then the more they obtain funds in order to destroy Syria. It must be stated that Syria, just like Egypt under Nasser, is a proud and free nation which refuses to bow down to international domination. Therefore, the secular government of Syria is deemed to be a threat to Western powers, Gulf powers and treacherous Turkey because these collective forces saw an opportunity to destroy the last major secular and independent nation in the Arabic speaking world.

Libya in the post-Gaddafi period is nothing more than a failed state whereby various militias control parts of the country. Recent terrorist attacks in Algeria, Mali and Niger all have a connection linking the failed state of Libya. At the same time the CIA, MI6 and other security intelligence networks have been involved in sending military arms to terrorists in Syria via Bosnia, Libya, Croatia, Kosovo and other routes. Note, that the US and UK all supported anti-Serb forces in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo; meanwhile, the ruling elites in Libya now rely on London and Washington for economic support.

In another Modern Tokyo Times article about Libya it was stated that “The ‘bomb democracy’ Western and Gulf policy in Libya brought about the massacres of black Africans, killing of Gaddafi loyalists and created a “new society” based on disorder which is currently ongoing. Indeed, the chaos which is engulfing Libya is now destabilizing Northern Mali and creating problems for Tunisia. This destabilization is based on vast quantities of military hardware being available and more dangerously the Salafi ideology is spreading because of money from Saudi Arabia and Qatar.”

“Turning back to Libya and Northern Mali then currently Salafist organizations are intent on destroying all Islamic thought patterns outside of their “blinkered monoculture,” which thrives on hatred and fear. Indeed, in Syria video evidence survives which makes it clear that the Western and Islamist “marriage of convenience” is now spreading this dangerous ideology within this country. Therefore, mainstream Islam and religious minorities have much to fear in Syria. However, like usual political leaders in London, Paris and Washington will support any form of barbarity providing it meets their geopolitical ambitions.”

The nation of Syria welcomed the fleeing Palestinians and took in over one million refugees from Iraq irrespective if the refugees were Christian, Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim or whatever. Syria is a multi-religious nation and secular based. Also, it is abundantly clear that no evidence can be provided which shows massacres by the government of Syria before outside nations sponsored sectarianism, terrorism and sedition against this nation. Therefore, the armed forces of Syria are doing their upmost to protect the people of Syria and preserve the independence of this nation. After all, which side is kidnapping Christian bishops, kidnapping UN personnel, killing Sunni Muslim clerics, beheading Alawites, butchering the Shia, murdering journalists and so forth? Despite this, major Western and Gulf powers alongside Turkey are intent on destroying the fabric of Syrian society and these nations care little about creating another failed state – after all, look at the track record of Afghanistan, Kosovo, Libya and Iraq.

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Nuray Lydia Oglu and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is witnessing mass discontent towards his political leadership which is alienating many people within Turkey. It is clear that the protest against the destruction of Taksim Gezi Park was the initial trigger in Istanbul but the underlying factors are much deeper. This applies to major internal issues whereby Erdogan ignores many sections of society and externally. External issues apply to the growing presence of NATO forces within Turkey; supporting chaos against neighboring Syria; allowing dangerous terrorist and Islamist Salafi ideologies to enter parts of Turkey in order to destabilize Syria; creating tensions with neighboring Iraq; and a plethora of other issues. At the same time, it appears that secularism is under threat because of the underlying Islamist agenda of the Erdogan government.

It is reported that demonstrations and unrest also reached Ankara, Bodrum, Konya and Izmir. Therefore, the political leadership in Turkey is bracing itself for a second day of major tensions between the state apparatus and Turkish citizens. Erdogan immediately senses that protests may increase therefore police officers from other areas are being sent to areas of mass discontent. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) under Erdogan is intent on challenging secularism and replacing areas of society by implementing Islamist policies. However, given the delicate nature of Turkey then the AK Party knows that it must tread carefully but Erdogan often neglects diplomacy.

Erdogan stated that he vowed “…to ensure the safety of people and their property….Police were there (Taksim Square) yesterday; they’ll be on duty today and also tomorrow because Taksim Square cannot be an area where extremists are running wild…”

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), is taking a very different approach. He states “Don’t confront the people with police. Withdraw the police immediately from the Taksim Gezi [Park] area. People are defending their city. That’s why they are resisting.”

America was quick to voice concern because Jen Psaki from the State Department stated “We are concerned about the number of people who were injured when police dispersed protesters….Turkey’s long-term stability, security and prosperity is best guaranteed by upholding the fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly and association, which is what it seems these individuals were doing.”

Clearly Jen Psaki isn’t mincing her words despite the strong bonds between America and Turkey based on Turkey’s role within NATO and the geopolitical significance of this nation for America. It remains to be seen if Erdogan will take heed but this comment would imply that America believes that you have genuine concerns within Turkey towards the way the country is being ruled under Erdogan. Therefore, the State Department and other powerful bodies within America don’t want to see the crisis develop further by militancy within the Erdogan government. Given this reality, then the blunt words by the State Department will be aimed at the need to nip the crisis in the bud.

If Erdogan believes that he is untouchable because of being elected three times then he may make the situation worse. Erdogan is either loved or loathed throughout Turkey – just like Margaret Thatcher who led the United Kingdom several decades ago. However, given the volatile nature of the region then America, the United Kingdom, and other friends of Turkey; want to see a reasonable approach taken by the Erdogan government.

Reuters reports that “Turkish police fired tear gas and water cannon on Friday at demonstrators in central Istanbul, wounding scores of people and prompting rallies in other cities in the fiercest anti-government protests in years.”

Further down in the same article it states that “Riot police clashed with tens of thousands of May Day protesters in Istanbul this month. There have also been protests against the government’s stance on the conflict in neighboring Syria, a tightening of restrictions on alcohol sales and warnings against public displays of affection.”

It remains to be seen if multiple anti-Erdogan forces will materialize in the following few days given the array of areas where many Turkish citizens feel alienated; or if demonstrations will gradually peter out by early next week. Either way, it is clear that political elites in Ankara, Washington and London are all watching carefully. After all, the anti-Syrian alliance was stoked up heavily by the Erdogan government and NATO’s eyes are firmly on the Russian Federation. Therefore, while demonstrators are heavily focused on domestic issues it is also abundantly clear that international concerns are also very powerful given the policies of Erdogan.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/capital-city-rocked-by-police-crackdown-on-solidarity-protest-with-gezi-park.aspx?pageID=238&nID=48014&NewsCatID=341

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/main-opposition-leader-calls-on-pm-to-order-withdrawal-of-police-from-taksim.aspx?pageID=238&nID=48011&NewsCatID=338

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Murad Makhmudov and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Radical Takfiri Islamists and other terrorist groups are entering Syria from countless different nations whereby they are being supported by the CIA, MI6, DGSE, and other intelligence agencies, alongside major funding from feudal monarchies in the Gulf region. It is abundantly clear that anti-Syrian government forces are paid, trained and provided with coordinated tasks by various Western and Gulf powers which are supporting terrorism, sectarianism and sedition. The usual trio of America, France and the UK can’t resist their beloved feudal monarchies in the Gulf. Also, given the opportunity to weaken the last powerful Arabic speaking nation then the supporters of “failed nation states” are at it again. Hezbollah in Lebanon fully understands the situation and knows full well that if Syria falls then the domino will turn to them and others in the near future.

The mass media is trying to hype the “sectarian card” on both sides but it simply doesn’t wash. After all, Hezbollah is focused heavily on the Palestinian question despite the overwhelming majority of Palestinians being Sunni Muslim. At no point did this enter the equation for either Hezbollah or the government of Syria. It must be remembered that the government of Syria took in over one million refugees from Iraq irrespective if Christian, Sunni or belonging to the Shia faith. Likewise, Syria welcomed vast numbers of Palestinians which fled their homeland after the creation of Israel and because of the countless convulsions which hit Jordan and Lebanon in the past.

However, the most powerful forces within the opposition to the Syrian government apply to radical Sunni Islamist terrorist organizations which are affiliated with al-Qaeda. Mainstream Sunni Muslim clerics in Syria have been targeted and killed by these terrorists, which receive economic and military support by many outside nations.

It also must be stated that only the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and various al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist groups are destroying religious holy places openly and cleansing different faith groups. Every major religious leader in Syria is supporting the end of the bloodshed and praying for the preservation of the independence of their homeland. Therefore, powerful Alawite, Christian, Druze, Shia and Sunni religious leaders are supporting the government of Syria to overcome the crisis against hostile forces emanating from the whims of outside nations and Gulf petrodollars. After all, which side is killing Sunni Muslim clerics and kidnapping Christian bishops? Despite this, major Western powers, Gulf nations and Turkey have no shame because they have collectively closed their eyes in order to support sectarianism, terrorism and sedition against the people of Syria.

Hezbollah made it clear that they support the continuity of the religious mosaic of Syria unlike Sunni Islamist terrorist forces which seek the Talibanization of Syria. In this sense, Hezbollah is also deeply concerned by radical Salafi ideology and Gulf petrodollars destroying mainstream Sunni Islam in Syria. After all, not only are brutal nations supporting untold bloodshed in Syria but they also desire a bloody civil war and sectarian war. Throughout history is it abundantly clear that these two types of conflict are horrendous and only barbaric nations would wish this on any country. However, in America, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Kingdom this reality doesn’t concern them. After all, look at the failed states of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya and the horrendous massacres which took place in the past – and the ongoing issues related to terrorism and other dark forces – which continue to blight these broken nations in modern times.

The leader of Hezbollah, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, stated that “Syria is the backbone of the resistance, and the resistance cannot stand with folded hands while its backbone is being broken.”

“The battle is ours…and I promise you victory.”

Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah further stated that “If Syria falls into the hand of America, Israel and takfiris, the resistance (Hezbollah) will be besieged and Israel will enter Lebanon and impose its will.”

Meanwhile, AP reports that “Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah also said Hezbollah members are fighting in Syria against Islamic radicals who pose a danger to Lebanon, and pledged that his group will not allow Syrian militants to control areas along the Lebanese border. He pledged that Hezbollah will turn the tide of the conflict in Assad’s favor, and stay as long as necessary to do so.”

Takfiri Islamists in Syria are beheading Alawites, Shia Muslims, cleansing Christians and killing mainstream Sunni Muslim clerics. Many holy places have been destroyed by these barbaric sectarian forces which hate all and sundry. However, so-called militant Hezbollah in Lebanon are within the political system and have allies irrespective of faith. Also, Hezbollah fully understands that Lebanon is multi confessional therefore at no point is this organization forcing non-Shia Muslims to follow their faith. On the contrary, Hezbollah wants to preserve the multi confessional Levant and keep the dark forces of Takfiri Islamists out of the region because it is Gulf petrodollars which are fueling sectarianism and religious hatred.

Somehow, the world is meant to believe that Hezbollah is a threat to Israel despite the Israeli armed forces having nuclear weapons and enormous military firepower. The real threat of Hezbollah and independent Syria is that both are “free” from the whims of major Gulf nations, Western powers, the tentacles of Turkey and Israel. Therefore, the mass media in general is ignoring the rampant sectarianism of the FSA and various al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist groups, which are even training children to behead Syrian soldiers while others are openly cutting up Syrian military personnel.

In the meantime, in modern day Damascus under the Syrian government you will witness people of all faiths and no faiths freely mixing together alongside women having complete choice about how they dress and so forth. This is the Syria which existed before outside nations intervened and this will be the Syria which survives providing the current government of Syria preserves the independence of this nation. In the opposite direction, in areas under the control of Takfiri Islamists and various different terrorist groups you have open sectarianism and religious cleansing. Also, women in more militant controlled areas are now being put in the shadows just like in Saudi Arabia which is the mirror of all religious hatred.

Therefore, which side is fighting for religious pluralism and progressive forces – and which side is fighting for religious hatred and enslaving women? Yes, it is understandable why Saudi Arabia is supporting sectarianism and very dark forces because this nation supports killing apostates and whipping women if they don’t cover up from head to toe. However, why are America, France and the United Kingdom supporting this and the destruction of Christianity in Syria?

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/syria-regime-unleashes-artillery-barrage-qusair

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/may/25/world/la-fg-syria-fighting-hezbollah-20130526

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com

Hiroshi Saito and Joachim de Villiers

Modern Tokyo Times

The government of Japan is to expand its mission in the role of peacekeeping in South Sudan. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is also thinking about not only expanding the territory covered by the Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) but also the number of personnel on the ground, Therefore, the mission from June will apply to the entire state of Central Equatoria and in adjacent neighborhoods in Equatoria.

This comes at a time of frayed relations between the Khartoum government of Sudan and the South Sudan government based in Juba. Currently, you have approximately 350 troops from the GSDF in South Sudan. The core of their work is focused on infrastructure development therefore many of the serving GSDF are engineers.

GSDF troops entered South Sudan in 2011 and despite initial concerns related to the delicate relationship between Sudan and South Sudan; the GSDF continues to do valuable work. Many of the GSDF are engineers and clearly their expertise is most welcome in South Sudan.

Japanese engineering units in past UN peacekeeping operations have worked distinctively in order to help the respective host nations. Valuable experience gained from Cambodia, East Timor and Haiti means that Japan’s involvement is most welcome in South Sudan. Also, given the economic clout of Japan and its global standing; then South Sudan was more than pleased when Japan decided to provide support to the newly created nation state way back in 2011.

In a past article by Modern Tokyo Times it was stated that “In the past the Khartoum Arab-Islamic dominated regime was responsible for millions of Africans being killed in southern Sudan. At the same time, the brutal Khartoum regime turned against African Muslims in Darfur.  The leadership in South Sudan is greatly influenced by the binding force of Christianity but all southern Sudanese are pulling together in political circles irrespective of religion. Animism also remains strong in South Sudan and this new nation state is multi-religious and multi-ethnic.”

Sadly, while it appeared that political elites in Khartoum and Juba had resolved many long standing issues in order to prevent open hostility. It once more appears that relations are going pear shaped. At the same time, it is clear that both nation states have major internal issues related to poverty, religious issues, ethnic tensions and corruption within the body politic of Sudan and South Sudan.

Tensions are once more on the rise between Sudan and South Sudan. The BBC reports that the “Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has threatened to close “forever” an oil pipeline that carries oil from South Sudan to Sudan’s Red Sea coast.”

President Omar al-Bashir also stated that “I now give our brothers in South Sudan a last, last warning that we will shut down the oil pipeline forever if they give any support to the traitors in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile.”

The Information Minister of South Sudan, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, countered by making it clear that the President of South Sudan “has said several times that we don’t support any rebels in Sudan….We agreed that there is a new environment of dialogue, we don’t want to go back to square one….There are channels to discuss this, we don’t think that you should go on a public forum and say all these things.” 

The government of Japan certainly needs to remain vigilant while at the same time helping the people of South Sudan.

Lee Jay Walker provided guidance to both main writers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22680858

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com

http://moderntokyotimes.com