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Archive for the ‘foreign policy’ Category

Mumbai: Political tug-of-war over 26/11 martyr – Politics – Politics …

ibnlive.in.com11/26/11

India, saluting its real heroes. Teary-eyed relatives of the men who died in the line of duty were joined by ordinary Mumbaikars as the city remembered those killed in the 26/11 terror strikes.

Zionist ups the ante on Pak to punish perpetrators of 26/11 attacks …

onionlive.com11/26/11

Pakistan should bring 26/11 perpetrators to speedy justice: S.M. Krishna · 'Kolaveri' crosses 4 mn mark, Big B hooked on … New Delhi: The gruesome incident of 26/11 Mumbai attacks happened three years back, however, the scars still remain. Now, Israel too has upped the ante on Pakistan … Rabbi and his wife, of Brooklyn origin, got killed when the terrorists entered the Chabad Lubavitch Centre on November 26, 2008. Tags: 26/11 attack, demand, Israel, mumbai, …

Terror In Mumbai – November 26, 2008

The 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai left more than 170 dead amongst whom were 28 foreign nationals from ten countries.

The bodies of many of the dead showed signs of torture and/or disfigurement and Indians were so traumatized by the events that they now refer to the attacks as 26/11 meaning that it was their equivalent of America’s 9/11.

The Targets

The targets were for the most part symbolic and included a commuter rail station, an upscale coffee shop and two luxury hotels, all of which represented the democratic, market-oriented, global values that have been embraced by India over the past 20 years.

"Symbolic" meaning that they were unacceptable to the sick extremists who carried out the atrocities.

And The Jewish Community Center?

The Chabad House, which is a global symbol of Jewish outreach and hospitality, was deliberately and brutally assaulted, and six Jews were killed.

India is a country that doesn’t, and has never suffered from the scourge of anti-Semitism; so what did the terrorists hope to accomplish by attacking a Jewish Community Center?

It would seem that by choosing such a small and somewhat insignificant target, the assailants were not merely expressing their hatred of all things Jewish, but were also sending an overt message to the Indian government and its citizens that they should distance themselves from a fast growing relationship with the state and the people of Israel.

And in this regard, the terrorists utterly and completely failed.

Why Are Ties Between Israel And India Getting Stronger?

A mutual concern about the rise of global terrorism and the need to protect citizens served as the original impetus for significantly strengthening and broadening the areas of mutual cooperation.

And a mutual drive for technological excellence has led to bilateral trade that now surpasses $5 billion annually.

A free trade agreement is expected to be signed in 2012, a year which will mark the 20th anniversary of the formal launch of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and it will likely mean a doubling of the volume of goods and services flowing between the two countries.

The Best Of Both Worlds

Israeli and Indian researchers and entrepreneurs are presently collaborating on a wide range of life improving technologies such as water management, agricultural production, alternative energy sources, biotechnology and medicine, space, nano-technology and homeland security.

And on a more pragmatic level however, the partnership brings together the best of both worlds, because it marries Israel’s penchant for developing and commercializing new technologies with India’s vast reservoir of experienced, global managers and educated human resources.

Perhaps most importantly though, the blossoming Indo-Israel partnership is anchored by a mutual love and respect for the principles of democracy, and a passion for realizing a better future for their peoples.

The Extremists Failed

The people that planned and executed the 26/11 attacks apparently wanted to drive a wedge between the Indian and Israeli peoples, but the opposite has occurred.

The chaos and sadness of those 60 hours of siege served only to amplify and reinforce the mutual concerns that both countries have, and their growing closeness serves as a resounding rejection of the destructive ideology that still seeks to undermine them.

Syrian Activists: Grenades Hit Baath Party Building in Damascus …

coffee.windowstorussia.com11/21/11

Syrian activists said Sunday several rocket-propelled grenades hit a ruling Baath Party building in Damascus, hours after an Arab League deadline for President Bashar al-Assad's government to end its bloody crackdown …

SOS From Syria | Ya Libnan | World News Live from Lebanon

www.yalibnan.com11/2/11

Here in the Middle East where I have been for about 5 days events in Syria on regional and international television stations garner less attention than a car bomb in Baghdad or a rocket attack from Gaza into Israel. …

Why Don’t Gaza Activists Support Syrian Protesters?

Protest in Syria?! Are you nuts?

Syrian Security Forces Continue To Fire On Peaceful Marchers

Mohammad Abdullah, a spokesman for the Local Co-ordination Committee (LCC), said on Saturday July 16, that as many as twenty eight protesters had been killed across Syria after security forces reportedly shot at protesters.

The latest toll included twenty two people who were killed in Damascus and its suburbs, which makes it the highest death toll for the capital so far,

Reuters news agency, quoting witnesses and activists, reported on Friday that police fired live ammunition and teargas killing five people in Damascus, and another four in southern Syria near the Jordanian border.

Three more were shot dead in the northern city of Idlib.

Reuters quoted a witness in the Rukn al-Din district of Damascus as saying that hundreds of young men wearing white masks chanted, "Down, down Bashar al-Assad", as they fought security forces with sticks and stones.

A witness said by telephone from the centre of Damascus, "We are in Midan and they are firing teargas on us, people are chanting".

In the city of Hama, which was the scene of a 1982 massacre by the military, live video footage by residents showed a huge crowd in the main Orontos Square shouting, "The people want the overthrow of the regime".

A Huge Protest In Deir al-Zour

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), an independent rights group based in London reported that at least 350,000 people demonstrated in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, which is a tribal city in the eastern desert.

Rami Abdelrahman, head of the SOHR, said, "These are the biggest demonstrations so far. It is a clear challenge to the authorities, especially when we see all these numbers coming out from Damascus for the first time".

On Thursday, Syrian forces shot dead two pro-democracy protesters in Deir al-Zour, local residents said.

For the first time, that city observed a full strike on Thursday, an activist told Al Jazeera, with almost all businesses closed, though government offices remained operational.

Reports said military dragnets had also taken place on Wednesday and Thursday in Damascus, Idlib province, and a politically sensitive area near the Turkish border in the northwest.

Swelling In Size

Rights groups say about 1,400 civilians have been killed since the uprising began in March, but the protests have continued unabated and have swollen in size.

And The Gaza Activists?

Gazans have made it abundantly clear over the last three weeks that more imports are not needed, and have stressed that they need is to start exporting more.

So even though their cause died during the last twelve months, the so called "Gaza activists" continue to seek fame by trying to sail to Gaza.

They wouldn’t even contemplate going to Syria and protesting because that would be too dangerous!

The Gaza activists are for the most part lost souls that seek some, or any kind of recognition, that they are worthwhile human beings.

In essence though, the ones that aren’t ready to put themselves at serious risk to life and limb are simply attention seeking trouble makers.