‘Terrorism is like climate change- everyone, knows of it, talks of it but no one is doing much to fight it.’
The latest to the Back to back, successive, uninterrupted attacks by terrorists on this soft planet earth was on 7th Oct 2023 by Hamas on Israel where they hit the soft belly of a hard state very hard- they tore apart a civilized society and left a gaping wound seen by the whole world which watched in horror. Children, babies beheaded, women raped, kids baked in oven, old people shot at point blank range. No mercy for any living human being, sex or age no bar. But except Israel- a tiny state most of the world watched it like a ‘live massacre show’ and may be most thought- ‘thank god it is not us’. But for how long? No one even thinks. It seems too farfetched. But is it?
Yes the world is that selfish and let us not even pretend that we are not. Every nation is selfish too and the whole geopolitics of today stinks. So we are to be blamed collectively for what is happening.
While politicians are fighting to keep themselves afloat by playing on the power chess board, they have a concept of convenience called ‘national interest’. They play this trump card to take sides, join camps and alliances, sign pacts and treaties propose or cancel nuclear deals, economic strangulations, oil, energy, trade, preferred market size, space race, high technology or whatever they can get hold off to have their way ‘at that point’ of time. Public is also equally to be blamed as they are not bothered about anything else and their ‘radius of understanding, interest and perception’ doesn’t even cross the tip of their nose. The poor ones are struggling for food and water and rich brats of rich countries are bothered only about their ‘rights to protest’ speak all the crap they can collect in their heads as their stomachs are too full and tight with food and shakes, beers. They are busy fighting for gay rights LGBTQ, abortion rights, freedom of speech, sex change, freedom of press and all that ‘cool stuff’ like hip hop, what to wear, what is good to eat, weed rights, rights to drink at 15, maxi cameras, selfies and keep repeating nonsense, written all over Tee shirts- Be human, we care, climate change. And yet do nothing. None of the youth in affluent nations are ready to pick up a weapon for his nation and his people- they are well fed, beer bellied at thirty, fun loving youth who have got everything on the plate- those old tough and principled generations have vanished. The world is struggling with public opinion and terrorists couldn’t care less- they know what they want- costs don’t matter- not even their life.
Then who will fight the terrorists is the moot question?
We should celebrate 7th October every year as ‘world weakness day’ from now on.
We the people have let it go for too long. We never learnt from history thinking it will not repeat itself. But it did with more vigor and intensity every time. This time in new avatar.
“We are benefiting from one thing, and that is the attacks on the twin towers and the pentagon and the American struggle in Iraq. These events swung American public opinion in our favor”
― Benjamin Netanyahu
A bit of history to put the problem in perspective.
World War I began in July 1914 in central Europe. The war stopped on 11 November, 1918, it took several months before a peace treaty, and ‘Treaty of Versailles’ could be signed, on 28th June 1919. British, French, Italy and US that mostly negotiated and decided the terms of the supposedly very harsh treaty. Germany was not allowed to participate in the negotiation process as they had lost the war. Treaty blamed Germany and held it fully responsible to start the war and cause destruction.
After the treaty was signed, the rest of the Europe was in the mood of ‘And they lived happily ever after’. No one wanted to have war again, public and politicians both across Europe and even America.
But the world was in for a huge horrible surprise and was caught napping basking in the glory of victory, perhaps overconfidence and complacent.
Having lost the war was a big Psychological blow for Germany. It was a direct blow to their moral and self-esteem and Germans were “made to believe” that the treaty was very unreasonable- which indeed was. In fact the victors wanted to destroy Germany with an economic blow so hard that it would never be able to wage war again.
And so much of “bad blood” had been created that the climate was conducive for nations to hit back at each other. Political and social strings were so taught that it was probably waiting to be triggered by something somehow. It was like “Fault Lines” being created in the earth’s lithosphere, creating huge tectonic plates. Whenever they shift, (for any of the many reasons for this) it causes an upheaval on the earth like earthquakes and Tsunami. World was sitting on such a “Political lithosphere” after World War I- waiting for a “Trigger”. And who and what would be the trigger was not understood. Victors could never have possibly imagined that it could even happen- As people cannot imagine or predict an earthquake!
It was written all over the wall- ‘a book to kill’.
Was the blue print of death conveniently ignored? Yes it was.
On July 18, 1925, Volume One of Adolf Hitler’s philosophical autobiography, Mein Kamph, is published. It was a blueprint of his agenda for a Third Reich and a clear exposition of the nightmare that will envelope Europe from 1939 to 1945. The book sold a total of just 9,473 copies in its first year. For Hitler, the state was not an economic entity, but a ‘racial’ one. He had given a blow by blow account of things to come including his hatred for the Jews.
It was not until 1933, the first year of Hitler’s tenure as chancellor of Germany that sales soared to over 1 million. Its popularity reached the point where it became a ritual to give a newly married couple a copy (Much like terrorist created motivation booklets given out for radicalization and becoming a terrorist). It became the Bible of Germany for freedom and destruction of the world. The message was loud and clear, ‘we will kill, exterminate all Jews and we will rule the world’. No ifs and buts and Germany was fully radicalized.
As for leadership, Hitler’s Third Reich would mimic the Prussian ideal of absolute authoritarian rule. “There must be no majority decisions, but only responsible persons… Surely every man will have advisers… but the decision will be made by one man.” Very much so in terrorist organizations today.
He let the world know his plans loud and clear, there could be no doubts about his intent. One had to be hugely stupid to look the other way and yet the entire world did that. ‘No no, no, no, lets avoid confrontation’ was the general stance.
The world bent backwards to the loud and clear threatening calls of Nazi party under Adolf Hitler. Again, against terrorism we are doing the same. No one is ready to call a spade a spade as did Chamberlain the then British Prime Minister and rest of the Europe.
Germans were the most intelligent people and had great scientists, doctors and engineers and excelled in almost every profession- yet they got radicalized by Hitler’s propaganda. Surprisingly, well educated, engineers, professors, scholars are getting radicalized and joining terrorist organizations. Do you see a pattern?
The first nail in the world’s peace coffin was ‘The Munich Agreement’ to buy peace. It was like a pigeon shutting its eyes to an approaching cat and praying it won’t pounce on him! It was an agreement concluded at Munich on 30 September 1938, by Germany, the United Kingdom, the French Third Republic, and the Kingdom of Italy. It provided “cession to Germany of the Sudeten German territory” of Czechoslovakia, despite the existence of the 1924 alliance agreement and 1925 military pact between France and the Czechoslovak Republic, for which it is, also known as the Munich Betrayal. Most of Europe celebrated the Munich agreement, which was presented as a way to prevent a major war on the continent. Adolf Hitler announced it was his last territorial claim in Europe. But the Second World War had already begun. Same is being done by Hamas today- first stop the war and then we release the hostages.
Hitler bashed on relentlessly. Before attacking Poland on 01 Sep 1939, (marking the beginning of Second World War) after signing these cozy treaties he told his Generals that nothing would happen if they attack. All they could expect will be thumping of the tables in the House of Lords and shouts of ‘Shame, shame’ and he was damn right. (It was like Kadee Ninda), Europe still wanted to avoid a conflict. And rest is as they say history and the world witnessed an unprecedented death and devastation for the next six years.
Estimates of number of people who lost their lives vary between 60- 70 million people dead. The cost of the Second World War is estimated to be a five trillion US Dollars (5000 billions) as of 2010 which would be much more in 2021.
Six million Jews were systematically butchered, gassed and shot in cold blood. Yet initially it was not even believed by the rest of the sane world. Sane world? My foot.
“Do not rejoice in his defeat, you men. For though the bastard is dead; the bitch that bore him is again in heat.”
Bertolt Brecht
Did Hitler and his Nazi murderers terrorize the world too? You bet they did.
Are you beginning to see a pattern? If you cannot, let me elucidate.
Terrorism is a new form of warfare and the world is caught in the same catch 22 situation as in the first few decades of the last century. World powers are as oblivious- may not be but they pretend very well- as they were to Hitler terror in 1933 and were prepared to buy his sweet talk yet building a massive war machine right under their nose.
The world knows how serious is terrorism but the people who matter pretend as if it is not a big deal. It is like climate change- everyone talks of it but no one is doing much to fight it. It is lip service with conferences, meetings and organized way of wasting time and money – Kyoto protocols et al.
The latest such farcical thing was 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP26, the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference, held at the SEC Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, from 31 October to 13 November 2021. Lot many nations participated, promises made, but nothing much moved after that. The countries that are primarily responsible for the worsening climate crisis failed to step up at the world’s annual climate summit. The world’s largest and wealthiest economies failed to make commitments to keep planetary warming to 1.5°C. So all pussy footing but nothing on ground. After the summit it was ‘Business as usual’ and the party was over.
The major difference between nations at war with Germany, is that terrorists are saying it loud and clear, again and again- their aim is clear to them and to the world. Hitler kept his cards close to his chest and did not show any trailers, or intents but delivered one big punch to start the war.
As Hitler knew that the world will do nothing; the terrorist organizations are smart enough to understand that today the civilized world is worse than it was in 1939.They are in fact over-civilized idiots who will give you a car with boot full of food and their women too- all in the name of ‘humanitarian consideration’. They are too good at ‘Japhee pappee’ (Hug and kiss your brother) to show the rest of the world that they are very civilized. It is like wearing a strong perfume or deodorant to hide your bad body odor or worst using room fresheners in your stinking toilette. Just to please everyone.
Terror organizations fully well understand that there will be lot of noise against terrorism but ultimately the big ones will fight with each other on conference tables hopping across the world and end up taking no action. They will confuse each other on technicalities, human rights, humanitarian grounds, conventions, will throw some books at each and also preach each other ‘we are more civilized than terrorists’ and cannot let the atrocities ‘on’ terrorists go unpunished. Can you believe this that now Israel is being called out for war crimes! Terrorists know that the nations will drag each other to International court of justice and United Nations- which no country cares two hoots about them. Terrorists know that they are dealing with foolish world at large!
Can you believe it that the world has not been able to decide on the definition of terrorism which has killed in thousands and traumatized in millions for the last several decades? And all in your face. We are still playing crossword puzzle.
“Funny, for all surveillance, Osama bin Laden is still free, and we’re not. Guess who’s winning the “war on terror?”
― Cory Doctorow
In November 2004- almost two decades ago-, a Secretary-General of the United Nations report described terrorism as any act “intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a government or an international organization to do or abstain from doing any act”. The international community has been slow to formulate a universally agreed, legally binding definition of this crime. These difficulties arise from the fact that the term “terrorism” is politically and emotionally charged.
Terrorists are playing billiards- it is like a cannon shot. You hit one ball to hit the other to hit the other- in their case they pot the fourth far away ball! Imagine terrorists kill in cold blood and the idiotic liberal world takes sides and do what? Ban Coca Cola, KFC, Nestle, McDonalds- Bravo, they screw you and you tighten your own screws. They know we are hyper civilized- and terrorists love it. They make their own rules and follow it to the Tee. We make rules and never obey them.
It is like a scene in Bud Spencer Terrance hill comedy movie where a kung Fu champion comes and shows his prowess to hit hard with lot of shrieks like ‘AAH, OOH, Shoo, she’ in front of cool Burly Bud spencer and after he stops the noise Bud Spencer just gives him a big slap on the face and the Kung Fu champ faints! Here terrorist is Bud spencer and the world powers are Kung Fu Champion with all the muscle and only gas- they collectively make noise in the United Nations meetings.
It is like ‘foolishly cunning’ pitted against ‘cunningly foolish’.
The icing on the cake for the terrorism to get a free run is the so called the ‘liberal brigade of the stupidly liberal society’. Germany in 1939 was one enemy to deal with by the world- clearly visible. Terrorism is like climate change! It is everywhere. And yet it is nowhere.
Terrorists as in case of Hitler are shouting from the roof top- ‘catch me if you can’ and world is still discussing color, caste and religion of terrorism? Are we in Chamberlain mindset (looking the other way?) or are we waiting for a Winston Churchill, a Roosevelt and a Stalin Trio to Para drop from somewhere to save us?
United Nations is a highly Un-united conglomeration of un-united world. On every topic there are heated debates, lot of compelling arguments for and against a topic- voting’s are done for against and neutral (abstaining).
We keep voting terrorists keep ‘Thoking’ (hammering hard) unabashedly.
“The car bomb is the poor man’s air force.”
― Mike Davis
NON STAKE HOLDERS – masters of the game
They are the biggest saviors of terrorists and have nothing to lose. Like terrorists have nothing to lose. It is not even clear why they do it.
“Everyone’s worried about stopping terrorism. Well, there’s really an easy way: Stop participating in it.”
― Noam Chomsky
King makers, billionaires who think they stand left of right and they feel they are right. They want to change the world through vitamin M- (Money). These are green terrorists and are involved in regime changes, toppling governments. Likes of George Soros are silent players, they don’t like something; they create a chaos in that society. Infamous Arab spring protest groups were allegedly funded by him as reported by India Today magazine. His open society Foundation has been branded as ‘agents of chaos’ by some governments.
Students are yet another fool hardy lot –are safe, especially in the west and have plenty of spare time for chaos, so they talk nonsense and can either act independently or get funded by chaos creating funding agents- who have sinister minds. Most students of Ivy league colleges the hallmark of educated society don’t know the problem or have half-baked information and just jump into ‘bra burning’ and shouting slogans for the heck of it? Once someone raps them on their knuckles they say ‘sorry we did not know it’. Cool.
Media, part of it has played the ball too. They have a strong grip over the public at large. People consume what they produce, and because of a parallel channel of almost unregulated social media where it is free for all, there is more confusion than clarity in the minds of people.
Israel is now blaming squarely the western press, big guns, of having terrorists on their editorial leadership and teams.
The way the terrorists thrive
All the terrorist organizations big or small have tentacles deployed in several countries. They have a clear aim, no nonsense (actually lot of sense), ready to die, highly motivated and also at most places cultivate friendship with lot of locals. They are willing to die- that is the biggest problem. No one can understand what is going on in the mind of a guy who is going to blow himself up in the next thirty seconds- it is scarey.
“My non-existence shouldn’t be worth more than your existence.”
― Abhaidev, The Gods Are Not Dead
If anyone wants to do it, no amount of protection is enough.
All a man needs is a willingness to trade his life for mine.” So observed President John F. Kennedy less than a month before his words came tragically true. After an attempt on the life of Ronald Reagan, the question is again being asked with great urgency: What can be done, if anything, to better protect an American President from the risk of assassination?
If POTUS is at risk the whole world is at risk.
Diplomatic sweet talk kicking each other with sophisticated words and happy scoring Browne points. It is like ‘Death by Chocolate’ Or Playing musical chairs. Meetings, discussions endless coffee, dinners travel expenses. With nothing to deliver might is right works no one cares for anything anyone.
Intra national fault lines.
Terrorists are also aware of weaknesses within the nations. There are opposition parties in every democracy and there are enemies of the state in every type of governance. These can be exploited by the terror organizations and would go to any length to keep the government from taking any hard action. These are the clear fault lines within every nation and makes every nation vulnerable.
Therefore for the guys who want to hit out any society, there are plenty of gaping holes- which have been clearly understood by the enemies of the state.
‘Strength lies not in Defense but in Attack’ – Adolf Hitler
