Stranded Over a World of Puzzles
Ismail Imadudeen
February 24, 2009
There has been a series of baffling events around the world that caused my apprehension and, at the same time, wonder. Sometimes I felt like abandoning the TV for my self being trapped within an endless stream of confusing questions concerning many topics around the globe. I thought of summing them up in one article so as to share them with others.
First: The United States
There is no doubt about President´s Obama´s "deserved and inherent" charisma and enthusiasm, but I do not understand the way he is going on with the economy of the United States. Skepticisms are high on whether or not those stimulus plans, which, so far, do not address the real core of the problem, i.e. the banking system and the mortgage crisis, will ever work. The plans seem to twirl around the problem hoping that the ´Multiplier Effect´ of the massive spending of the government will end up solving the financial sector´s crisis, but how can this be? It is economically true that higher government spending and tax cuts lead to more money being circulated, and from which, some will be deposited at banks or circulated through banks, but in this exceptional case of the financial crisis, I think that it is more critical to restructure the whole banking system through a clear and defined plan lead by the Fed. Second I believe that the government of the United States may have to nationalize some banks and some businesses too. Believe me, having stimulus plans without undertaking some controlled and well studied nationalization will undermine those plans. Why? It is obvious; you are giving money to people and organizations that do not know how to think, how to plan, how to set contingency plans, or how to keep aside sufficient reserves that could be used on dark days. Another thing is that who is going to deposit money in those infamous financial institutions? So the stimulus money is going to be leaked out of circulation, as a result!
In response to the shrinking money in circulation, the government is looking forward for more printing of money! Will this solve any thing? You are printing money for no additional domestic output being produced; this is ridiculous, and if it solves some problems in the short run, it will create havoc in the long run, with staggering stagflation.
Secondly: Pakistan
I was extremely shocked when I saw the news that the Pakistani government agreed at the conditions of cease fire imposed by the militants of some clergyman, and that it will "Reinforce" the Sharia Law in the Swat Valley. I saw a group of militants covering their faces and celebrating triumph over their own government on the streets of that town, in the absence of any government security personnel or officials! And I asked my self two questions here: the first was: is there really a reliable, sovereign and capable government in Pakistan? And the second was: who is going to enforce the old/new law?
Sharia Law, as a matter of fact, comprises a large number of rules and directions that are aimed at ensuring societal integrity, welfare and purity. When Sharia Law was part of the old Islamic Empire, it lead to social, scientific and economic boom, which made it the only super power in the globe for centuries. However, that version of Sharia Law, unfortunately, does not exist on earth now, and, on the contrary, idiotic and irresponsible people seem to be vocal about its imposition here or there in the Islamic world. What I saw in the news, from those militants, was that they destroyed schools and prosecuted people on the streets violently; imposing their own baseless, brainless explanation of Islam. Should the Pakistani government go on with that, that part of the country can presumably be considered lost, and it could be a matter of time before finding another Afghanistan there!
Sounds familiar President Obama?
Thirdly Sri Lanka
It is such a beautiful tropical island with charming nature and kind people. I visited that stunning country many times, and I used to enjoy there as a tourist. I have been always thinking that Sri Lanka could outweigh countries like Singapore and Malaysia, economically of course, if it just had peace. In fact, I used to have many Sri Lankan friends, some were ´Sinhalese´ and some where ´Tamil;´ They seemed to coexist in harmony, and there was almost a consensus among them that the politicians are the reason behind the conflict they have in their country; a kind of war profiting thing.
Anyway, the news came up showing the massive and impressive advance of the Sri Lankan army in the strong holds of the rebels; confining them within a fraction of what was previously known as safe havens for them. I can not deny that I was a little comfortable with that, not because I support one group over the other, but, in fact because I always wished if peace prevails in that beautiful island. However, I was shocked with the casualties among civilian population. How can the people of a big region be kept hostages? It is so dirty, but it is true. Even the local hospital was not immune from attacks! Each party seemed so aggressive and determined, but people were the ones who pay the price.
Ironically, and out of the blue, two small flights belonging to the rebels were shut down above Colombo leading to some casualties! For God sake I want someone to explain to me how could that happen? I mean how can those rebels who are claimed to be confined within less than a hundred square kilo meter, carry out such attack? In fact I consider the attack to be quite a slap on the Sri Lankan air defense. I hope that that conflict will end so soon and peace and amnesty to prevail paving the way for a flourishing and prosperous Sri Lanka.
Fourth: Egypt and the Middle East
In the popular TV program "90 Minutes" on "Al Mehwar" Satellite Channel (a private Egyptian TV channel) the issue of the "secret" tunnels between Gaza and the Egyptian 'Rafah' was discussed, which uncovered astonishing information about those "infamous" underground passages. The most striking thing was to know that digging is done based on a "digging permission" from Hamas government. Another thing is that those tunnels represent a booming business for many Palestinians in Gaza, and that they are being used, primarily to smuggle goods from Egypt – including subsidized goods – and selling them with prices that exceed ten to twenty times their value in Egypt, and even more! The digging of a tunnel would cost between $60,000 - $80,000 and it could be sold upon completion to whoever bids for up to $160,000!!!!!
The owner of a tunnel would impose his own "custom and excise" duties on the goods being smuggled from Egypt, and that the owner pays the government of Hamas fees for using and running the "facility." Hamas government would provide in return electricity and telephone services as part of the deal!!!!!!!!!!
Pictures taken of how the work is done or the smuggling of goats, calves, food products, building materials and the subsidized fuel were all shown on the program. It wasn't clear, however, if those passages were used to smuggle weapons or any other combat materials or if Hamas uses some tunnels exclusively.
The most striking thing here was that the Bedouins in that area assured that those tunnels are not "secrets" and that Israel knows their precise locations; They are being dug in the open air on the Gaza side of the tunnel, unlike the case inside Egypt, where the tunnel could open beneath a house. So why should Israel just leave the diggings going on, while closing all the border crossing points and imposing a seizure on land, air and sea??????????
First: The United States
There is no doubt about President´s Obama´s "deserved and inherent" charisma and enthusiasm, but I do not understand the way he is going on with the economy of the United States. Skepticisms are high on whether or not those stimulus plans, which, so far, do not address the real core of the problem, i.e. the banking system and the mortgage crisis, will ever work. The plans seem to twirl around the problem hoping that the ´Multiplier Effect´ of the massive spending of the government will end up solving the financial sector´s crisis, but how can this be? It is economically true that higher government spending and tax cuts lead to more money being circulated, and from which, some will be deposited at banks or circulated through banks, but in this exceptional case of the financial crisis, I think that it is more critical to restructure the whole banking system through a clear and defined plan lead by the Fed. Second I believe that the government of the United States may have to nationalize some banks and some businesses too. Believe me, having stimulus plans without undertaking some controlled and well studied nationalization will undermine those plans. Why? It is obvious; you are giving money to people and organizations that do not know how to think, how to plan, how to set contingency plans, or how to keep aside sufficient reserves that could be used on dark days. Another thing is that who is going to deposit money in those infamous financial institutions? So the stimulus money is going to be leaked out of circulation, as a result!
In response to the shrinking money in circulation, the government is looking forward for more printing of money! Will this solve any thing? You are printing money for no additional domestic output being produced; this is ridiculous, and if it solves some problems in the short run, it will create havoc in the long run, with staggering stagflation.
Secondly: Pakistan
I was extremely shocked when I saw the news that the Pakistani government agreed at the conditions of cease fire imposed by the militants of some clergyman, and that it will "Reinforce" the Sharia Law in the Swat Valley. I saw a group of militants covering their faces and celebrating triumph over their own government on the streets of that town, in the absence of any government security personnel or officials! And I asked my self two questions here: the first was: is there really a reliable, sovereign and capable government in Pakistan? And the second was: who is going to enforce the old/new law?
Sharia Law, as a matter of fact, comprises a large number of rules and directions that are aimed at ensuring societal integrity, welfare and purity. When Sharia Law was part of the old Islamic Empire, it lead to social, scientific and economic boom, which made it the only super power in the globe for centuries. However, that version of Sharia Law, unfortunately, does not exist on earth now, and, on the contrary, idiotic and irresponsible people seem to be vocal about its imposition here or there in the Islamic world. What I saw in the news, from those militants, was that they destroyed schools and prosecuted people on the streets violently; imposing their own baseless, brainless explanation of Islam. Should the Pakistani government go on with that, that part of the country can presumably be considered lost, and it could be a matter of time before finding another Afghanistan there!
Sounds familiar President Obama?
Thirdly Sri Lanka
It is such a beautiful tropical island with charming nature and kind people. I visited that stunning country many times, and I used to enjoy there as a tourist. I have been always thinking that Sri Lanka could outweigh countries like Singapore and Malaysia, economically of course, if it just had peace. In fact, I used to have many Sri Lankan friends, some were ´Sinhalese´ and some where ´Tamil;´ They seemed to coexist in harmony, and there was almost a consensus among them that the politicians are the reason behind the conflict they have in their country; a kind of war profiting thing.
Anyway, the news came up showing the massive and impressive advance of the Sri Lankan army in the strong holds of the rebels; confining them within a fraction of what was previously known as safe havens for them. I can not deny that I was a little comfortable with that, not because I support one group over the other, but, in fact because I always wished if peace prevails in that beautiful island. However, I was shocked with the casualties among civilian population. How can the people of a big region be kept hostages? It is so dirty, but it is true. Even the local hospital was not immune from attacks! Each party seemed so aggressive and determined, but people were the ones who pay the price.
Ironically, and out of the blue, two small flights belonging to the rebels were shut down above Colombo leading to some casualties! For God sake I want someone to explain to me how could that happen? I mean how can those rebels who are claimed to be confined within less than a hundred square kilo meter, carry out such attack? In fact I consider the attack to be quite a slap on the Sri Lankan air defense. I hope that that conflict will end so soon and peace and amnesty to prevail paving the way for a flourishing and prosperous Sri Lanka.
Fourth: Egypt and the Middle East
In the popular TV program "90 Minutes" on "Al Mehwar" Satellite Channel (a private Egyptian TV channel) the issue of the "secret" tunnels between Gaza and the Egyptian 'Rafah' was discussed, which uncovered astonishing information about those "infamous" underground passages. The most striking thing was to know that digging is done based on a "digging permission" from Hamas government. Another thing is that those tunnels represent a booming business for many Palestinians in Gaza, and that they are being used, primarily to smuggle goods from Egypt – including subsidized goods – and selling them with prices that exceed ten to twenty times their value in Egypt, and even more! The digging of a tunnel would cost between $60,000 - $80,000 and it could be sold upon completion to whoever bids for up to $160,000!!!!!
The owner of a tunnel would impose his own "custom and excise" duties on the goods being smuggled from Egypt, and that the owner pays the government of Hamas fees for using and running the "facility." Hamas government would provide in return electricity and telephone services as part of the deal!!!!!!!!!!
Pictures taken of how the work is done or the smuggling of goats, calves, food products, building materials and the subsidized fuel were all shown on the program. It wasn't clear, however, if those passages were used to smuggle weapons or any other combat materials or if Hamas uses some tunnels exclusively.
The most striking thing here was that the Bedouins in that area assured that those tunnels are not "secrets" and that Israel knows their precise locations; They are being dug in the open air on the Gaza side of the tunnel, unlike the case inside Egypt, where the tunnel could open beneath a house. So why should Israel just leave the diggings going on, while closing all the border crossing points and imposing a seizure on land, air and sea??????????
Print
Email
