10 February, 2025

Blog

Middle East War & Radical Islam

By Ameer Ali

Dr. Ameer Ali

US funded Israeli War in Gaza supported by a majority of Western governments on the premise of Israel’s right to defend its undefined borders and people from outside threats, has passed its fourth month since Hamas fired those deadly rockets on 7 October last year.  During this period the print and electronic media machine in the West had been waging a different type of war by systematic disinformation and sanitization of Israel’s genocidal horrors in Gaza while demonizing the bravery and sacrifices of Hamas fighters. So far Netanyahu’s IDF had proudly slaughtered nearly 30,000 “human animals” in Gaza and the West Bank including among others thousands of innocent women, children, medical personnel, teachers and journalists, and had pulverized every home and building in Gaza to make them uninhabitable.The war has now entered Rafah a gateway to Egypt and a destination where the Gazan refugees were originally encouraged to escape Israel’s bombing in Gaza. Now Rafah too has become a death trap for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who face annihilation. From Rafah the IDF may shift the theatre of savagery to Lebanon. Amidst all this carnage and destruction, the lunatic fringe of far-right Zionists in Israel and their supporter President Xavier Mile of Argentina are calling for the demolition of the third holiest mosque in Islam, al-Aqsa in Palestine.  That would be the apocalyptic act to destroy peace in the Middle East if not the world forever.    

All this tragedy is not taking place in some remote corner of the world to remain indifferent by the world of Islam or Muslims, which, according to Pew research, accounted for almost one-quarter of world population in 2017. Instead, they are happening in the very heart of Islam, and world Muslims are looking for an answer to the question why Muslim governments having spent billions of dollars in procuring weapons and training from the West and other countries remain so impotent to counter Israel’s bloody madness. Alas! instead of confronting Israel, countries like UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are shamefully looking forward to normalize relations with that regime.  The so-called US sponsored Abraham Accord of 2015 signed by UAE, Bahrain and Israel and which is expected to include Saudi Arabia too is an act of treachery against Palestine and its people who are dying to liberate their land from Israel’s settler colonialism.     

However, the unwillingness or incompetence of Muslim regimes to defend Palestine and Palestinians has left the field open to the entry of non-state actors and armed Muslim militias.  Hamas itself is a militia nurtured by none other than Israel’s Mossad to counter the rise of Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority. Netanyahu himself appealed to his Likud members to support Hamas financially and Hamas members were even allowed to work in Israel for higher wages.  But Hamas is not simply an armed militia. It has a political wing, religious wing and a diplomatic wing. Hamas soon realized the hidden agenda of Israel to keep Palestinians as virtual slaves in an Israeli occupied Gaza and the West Bank. That realization and allegations of corruption within the administration of Abbas’ Palestinian Authority made Hamas popular in Gaza, which enabled it to win the election in 2006. It soon turned it into a liberation force which finally led to the events of October 7. Now, along with Hamas, Houthis from Yemen and Hezbollah from Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, all of them backed by Iran, have entered the fray. Several more may enter the field as the war prolongs. The drone attacks by Houthis on commercial vessels carrying cargo to Israel has forced US and UK to respond in kind and their coordinated attacks on a number of targets in Yemen, Iraq and Syria have actually escalated the war although Joe Biden denies such escalation.               

But more than the war itself the entry of Muslim militias on behalf of Palestine has the potential to reintroduce the old debate between an Islamic World Order (IWO) and the post-Cold War New World Order (NWO) under American leadership. The latter was also reckoned by some scholars as marking the dawn of an American Age. But today’s Muslim militias are the products of an Islamic resurgence that caught world attention during the closing decades of the previous century.  It is useful to understand the political background of this resurgence.

Three events of epochal significance to the Muslim world took place almost simultaneously in one single year 1979, which in combination provided an unusual confidence and impetus to a new generation of Muslims who wanted to re-read the scriptures to understand their relevance to find solutions to the predicaments of the Muslim umma first and the world second. The victory of the Mullah led revolution in Iran and the successful role of Basij militia, the entry of Al-Qaeda and Taliban militias to along with US to force out the Soviet army from Afghanistan, and the failed attempt by the fanatical al-Jamaa al-Salafiya al-Mutasiba (JSM) group to bring down the Saudi regime by capturing Mecca, demonstrated to a religiously awakened generation of Muslims that the time had come for Islam to take centre stage and establish an IWO. Mountains of petrodollars pouring into the coffers of OAPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Arab Countries) members provided the economic and financial strength to this resurgence.  Samuel Huntington captured the potential problems between the two World Orders in his controversial book, Clash of Civilizations. In the end, after a plethora of conferences, intellectual colloquia and research publications that resurgence lost its vitality when it noticed that the very regimes which were expected to champion the Islamic cause found comfort and peace within America’s NWO. All that were achieved were todays so-called Islamic banks and a few international Islamic universities. But the thirst for IWO is not quenched. The burden of realizing that objective has unavoidably fallen on the shoulders of Muslim militias. The current war in the Middle East could reignite that fire via the entry of Muslim militias to join Hamas and broaden the Palestinian struggle into Islam’s struggle for an IWO.

Palestine is too sensitive a place to all Abrahamic faiths. But far-right Zionism has decided to make it a Jewish capital of a single state Israel with no room for any two-state solution. Israel knows too well that the two-state solution was only a trick to keep the critics quiet. According to the Zionist forefathers of Israel, Theodor Herzel and Ben Gurion, the moving borders of Israel would only stop after incorporating Palestine in its entirety into the suzerainty of Israel. US led NWO seems to have no qualms about it.That explains why there is no support from US and the West for an immediate cease fire and withdrawal of IDF from Gaza, West Bank and now Rafah. Instead, US Senate has passed $14 billion aid to Israel to continue fighting Hamas. When after attacking 85 targets and 7 facilities, 4 in Iraq and 3 in Syria, Joe Biden said that it was not the end and “our response … will continue at times and places of our choice”, Harakat Hezbollah Al-Nujaba, the 12th brigade of a radical Shiite paramilitary group retorted in tit for tat manner “that the Islamic resistance will respond in the manner it deems appropriate, at the time and place of its choosing and that this is not the end”.  Defending Palestine has metamorphosed into defending Islam, a dangerous turn. No wonder the UN chief warned of an “age of chaos”.

If Netanyahu’s thirst for Palestinian blood is allowed to continue unchecked while Ukraine becoming the testing ground for Putin’s and NATO’s deadlier weapons world economy is bound to be hit with inflation, recession and even stagflation.  The American age has to end and an alternative paradigm has to replaced it. But where is it?     

Latest comments

  • 8
    10

    Hooray! I have read one article by Ameer Ali which does not extol the virtues of JVP/NPP.

    • 19
      11

      Jayasiri Samarakoon, Your jubilation reflects your poor understanding of the article(s).
      Articles on JVP/NPP are on Sri Lanka politics. The present article is on West/Israel war machine.

      • 7
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        Nathan,
        .
        You are spot on !

      • 3
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        quite right that Hamas itself is a militia nurtured by none other than Israel’s Mossad and CIA to counter the rise of Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority. Netanyahu himself appealed to his Likud members to support Hamas financially. There is an interesting Hamas LTTE connection…
        Some LTTE carders trained alongside Hamas in US-Israel camps in the Middle east which is why both outfits practiced Suicide bombings..
        Other LTTE cader were trained in Chakrata camp north of Delhi and in Tamil Nadu during the COLD WAR.

        • 2
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          The JVP red hoodlums were controlled by the CIA and used to attack the legitimate Left, socialists and communists of Ceylon.
          A JAKARTA METHOD OPERATION detailed in Vincent Bevins book. The US’s Cold War killing spree to discredit the left.
          The JVP’s 1971 operation against the first Woman Head of State and a SOCIALIS – Sirimavo Bandaranaike- was meant to keep Ceylon a “British Dominion” and stymie Sri Lanka’s first Republican constitutions and full Independence.
          The JVP are pseudo Left neofascist opportunists who keep jumping sides and clearly controlled by the CIA to destabilize the country and de-legitimize and kill the genuine LEFT.

          • 2
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            ‘Operations Colombo’ in Chile was a CIA op. conducted to kill the Socialist and left supporters of South America’s first Socialist head of State. President Salvador Allende .
            Three years after being democratically elected Dr. Alllend was dead by 1973 in a CIA op, after Nixon instructed the CIA to ‘ Make the Economy Scream” in Santiago de Chile, and Operation Colombo ensured the mass killing of Socialist intellectuals including Pablo Neruda.. who once served in Sri Lanka as Chile’s representative.
            Then, a Sri Lankan avant guard film maker made a ridiculous film called Albaroda, foreign funded and release in Tokya to Character Assassinate Neruda– based on a fictitious poem!
            So too SWRD Bandaraniyake was Character Assassinated and called a racist after his killing in a CIA operation, like DRC’s Lumumba or Thomas Sankara.

            • 8
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              Mixing the vital with trivia trivializes the vital.

          • 7
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            “The JVP red hoodlums were controlled by the CIA”
            Really?
            I thought that they were paying back a debt of gratitude to their saviour JRJ who got all JVP detainees (imprisoned for the April 1971 insurrection) released.

        • 11
          3

          “the rise of Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority”
          Why should anyone conspire against wheeler-dealer Abbas? His middle name is disaster.
          He is exactly the kind that the US & Israel want in power, but not too strong I suppose.
          Besides, Abbas was most undemocratic and denied Hamas power when it won in Gaza.

          • 2
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            Hello SJ.
            You are right about Mahmoud Abbas, my Palestinian friends in Qatar hated him. They saw him as a tool of the Israelis and Americans.

            Best regards

            • 2
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              Thanks.

    • 3
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      Dear Jayasiri Samarakoon,
      .
      I think that you are right about the articles that Dr Ameer Ali has been writing on Colombo Telegraph all extol the virtues of the NPP. Your candid comment was refreshing!
      .
      I have never met Dr Ameer Ali, and I don’t know “all about him“. However, in an article by Mahinda Rajapaksa that is still receiving comments,
      .
      https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/inaugurating-a-new-political-culture-with-the-uma-oya-project/

      I have linked readers to the 2017 article that made me first aware of this man who doesn’t pretend to be different from what he is. In a THREE PART comment, I have provided the link in PART TWO.
      .
      On some matters it is easy to write, as Nathan too has implied one full day before me. And I’m sure that Nathan also liked your honesty. I have struggled myself to submit a TWO PART comment on this article. I hope that this all appears!
      .
      Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 483111444V)

    • 4
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      You are a late reader of AA.

  • 6
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    Dr.A.A., You speak of Netanyahu’s thirst for Palestinian blood, but this land called Palestine had a complex history before its birth about 2000 years ago. The land of Israel then was under Roman conquest. When Roman Titus left it to go back to Rome to become emperor, he named it in mockery of Israel’s enemies, the philistines who had invaded the mediterranean coastal area in Gaza. From then it was known as Palestine. About 4000 years before this in Genesis 32,38 and in 35,10 Yahweh God changed the name of Jacob (Abraham’s grandson) to Israel when he gave the land he was to inherit and through whom Jesus the jew was to be born on earth.

    • 5
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      Hello DTG.

      Do you mean 4000 years before the Roman occupation of Palestine or before present? A fellow Aberdonian and Biblical Scholar, Kenneth Anderson Kitchen, places Abraham in around 1800 – 2000 BCE. In his book On the Reliability of the Old Testament p366 he says
      “Thus the fairest judgment … would appear to be that a real historical family of a man Terah once existed in and around Ur this side of circa 2000 BC; he and they moved on northwestward, and his son Abraham and family then moved south into Cannan.”
      Do you have evidence to contradict this?

      Best regards

      • 6
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        LS
        Nothing is true to him if it contradicts what the Good Book says.

    • 10
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      dtg
      We can go millennia back in history, forgetting recent history.
      Europe had a Jewish problem, and there was persecution and even pogroms.
      Palestine was home for Jew, Christian and Muslim for centuries and peaceful.
      The issue is not Jews vs Arab but European designed Zionism against a people who are systematically rooted out of their homes and now subject to genocide.
      If your understanding of Christianity prevents you from seeing it, there is something wrong with your understanding or Christianity itself.

  • 7
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    US-funded Israeli War in Gaza supported by a majority of Western governments.

    This war made China and Russia attack their intended country with the banner this country has the right to defend itself as justification for what is US says. truth has a divine voice and it speaks louder than any other voice. The truth will defend itself at the right time. Watch and see the truth coming out.

    • 4
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      Hello RDH59
      And as Pontius Pilate said “What is Truth” and why has it been waiting for 2000 years?
      Best regards

      • 1
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        Sorry RBH – my typo
        Best regards

  • 3
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    If Israelis are not Jews and Palestinians are not Muslims There will be know war between them.

    • 11
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      With whom Muslims fanatics are not having war? China, Libya, Iran, SA, Russia, Yemen, Sudan…… all are having fights with Muslims. Only one that I don’t know of fighting with Muslim fanatics is Kim Jung un. A fanatic or not, almost all Muslims always stay with the fanatic’s side if the war can be interpreted as a religious one. It is only in Sadampi’s Hallucination world some Muslims are living with somebody else peacefully because all his theories have an anti-Human foundation. Al Jazeera always reports against Siri Ma O’s ground zero (truth of Langkang). But it is biased on that time for Sadampi. He never honestly comments on wide subjects. But just jump in to anything if can write his anti-Human theories or anti-American theories in narrow rhetorical debates. The rest of the time he constantly searches around Munthanais to hide in the narrow conceptual fights, to utilize “the ruling parties and opposition parties blame each other in pure political fights but no practical issue in that”. The whole world knows that is how democratic politics is. When Santos was exposed in the US, he proved Santos was the entire US, but when Santos was thrown out, Sadampi duct taped his mouth and bottom to avoid questions. Cowardice, bogus pundit, lives with the hope of the decency that is alive in others will prevent them openly questioning his motive.

      • 6
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        Malli,
        “With whom Muslims fanatics are not having war? ” You forgot “other Muslims “
        But do try changing “Muslims ” to “Christians “.

    • 7
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      Have he gone to the Old Rowdy King’s CT articles and openly questioned Old Rody, “what the B/S you have been writing while you are the start and end of all current chaos in Langkang?”. NEVER! Why is this fake Gentleman pretension in other topics? This bogus gentle man wrote a replay to me that Thirugnasampanthar has written to rape all Jains women so the Prapanthams are better literature than Sampantha’s Thevarams while he cannot recite neither one Pirapantham nor a Thevaram.” Otherwise, would he have written his most holy name parents gave as Savam? Uluthal! All 24 hours keep engineering his convoluted theories in all fields, Science, Economics, Politics, Religion….. not excluding Maoism, Marxism……….. Create his inventions about the people whom the majority value as reasonable, fair, good. justice……. But he evades saying something good about the fakes & the frauds he tries to uphold, also. If anyone of you have seen if he had written a full passage of good about his messiah the Old Rowdy, or Mao or even Marx, can you attach the link here, I want to see that? He is comfortable in convoluting all in the world only because he understands nothing. That is why Kannathasan sang “Kathikatta Oruvan Piranthu Viddal Kanagi Valvilum Kalangam Undu”. (If a real story teller is born, “nobody lived a shameful life as much as Pathini Deviyo, Kannagi lived”.)

    • 5
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      Jack, about 30% of Israelis are Arab, Christian or Druze. Some Palestinians are Christian, for example Suha Arafat and Edward Said.

  • 1
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    Correcting spelling ( There will be no war)

    • 6
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      jJ
      Imagine if they were Catholics and Protestants
      OR
      Sunni and Shia
      OR
      Hindu and Muslim.
      OR
      Mahayana and Hinayana
      *
      The worst in a human being is not always hard to bring out.

  • 15
    13

    Islamic world order is just a pie in the sky. The Middle East is so divided that it could not form a single order let alone make that order global. Most populous Islamic states, Indonesia and India are outside the Middle East and do not practice militant Islam. That said and the link between this idea of a Islamic order delinked from Palestine, it must be noted that what Israel and the US are doing will change the world order. No one looks to Western media for news.. The preferred channel is As Jazeera. It shows the cruelties of a people who had suffered so much and exposes the already well known double standards of the West in a stark fashion. It makes a new order emerging very acceptable with the US losing power and a multipolar world emerging with China reaching big power rank and others, Russia, Brazil, India moving power away from the West. An Islamic order is kite-flying. A multipolar order is more likely.

    • 6
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      Militant Islam is not practiced very much in most Arab countries or for that matter Iran. It is an export commodity package to serve imperialist interests but at times explodes in the hands of the client.
      There is intolerance of varying degrees: pretty strong in some Arab peninsular states not so strong elsewhere in Arabia.
      I think that Hindutva in India and Buddhist fanaticism in Lanka and Myanmar have been worse on occasion.
      As for Al jazera, it is better than most western channels, but can be as unfair as any, as we saw during the civil war in Libya and in several other issues where it sided with US imperialists. It still does in US v. Russia in Ukraine.

      • 10
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        Hello SJ,
        I think you have forgotten that Putin invaded Ukraine not the other way round. And just remember I have actually lived in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Guess which one I prefer?

        Best regards

        • 8
          0

          Hello SJ,
          It’s 6:15 pm in Central Province and news is just coming in that Putin has killed Alexei Navalny. How many more does he need to kill, he killed Yevgeniy Prigozhin and 9 others in a plane “crash”, Leonid Shulman of Gazprom and 38 others have died of “sudden Russian death syndrome”.

          Best regards

          • 3
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            Here we go again.
            How did Putin enter the cell?
            The Western media systematically use vicious falsehood to attack their enemies.

        • 5
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          Of course Putin did.
          But the background to it is crucial. It goes back to the Maidan Coup of 2014 and moves to shift NATO borders to touch Russia.
          There were the Minsk Protocol of 2014 and the agreement of 2015, which Ukraine failed to honour. (Read what Merkel said last year of Ukrainian intentions.)
          Putin’s choice was between death by slow strangulation and striking before being taken by surprise.
          Look at how the US conducted itself, including the economic crime of blowing up Nordstream II and bullying allies t choke Russia economically by sanctions.
          Putin had warned Ukraine about joining NATO and Mr Z was encouraged by NATO and the US to provoke.
          When reading is confined to the main global media, key facts go missing.

          • 9
            0

            Hello SJ,
            We have had this discussion before, but Maidan was not a coup. Search for this on Google “MYTH The West staged a coup to overthrow the Ukrainian government in 2014”. Whilst I worked in Qatar on the same floor as Gazprom we used to talk to their engineers quite often about politics and how things were in Russia. They admitted that they knew Russian regular troops were fighting in the Donbass and other areas. Of course their admissions are only hearsay evidence. They would smile sheepishly when asked about the downing of MH17 and protest their ignorance of the circumstances.
            We would even laugh and joke about the dangers of living or working in tall buildings (we were on the 21st Floor).
            Not being a supporter of the Death Penalty I wouldn’t agree, but some (like Navalny’s family) would like to see “Putin’s choice was between death by slow strangulation” something along those lines. Read some of Alexander Dugin’s books to give you a better idea of Putin’s underlying philosophy and Great Russia expansionism.
            Putin is not in any way a socialist and does not deserve your support.

            Best regards

            • 2
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              LankaScot – Putin may not be a socialist and may have evaded Ukraine first but it was a provoked war. Provoked by NATOs Eastward expansion.

              • 0
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                *invaded

            • 3
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              If you say that it was not a coup, so be it.
              To change your opinion I cannot do the research for you.
              But a dip into the pool of Western media lies should tell one something. Nordstream blast for a start.
              *
              One can read any number of books that give the same narrative, but that will not get one any closer to a truer picture.
              Putin is an anti-communist nationalist, but the challenge before him has been defending Russia against US-led imperialist expansion.
              There were many theatres where he saw what was coming, only after erring in Iraq and Libya.
              Above all, he restored the economy and has fought back well. That is his crime.

            • 3
              5

              LankaScot – I have to agree with SJ here.
              .
              The U.S. covertly overthrew Yanukovych, Below is a tape recording of a conversation between then U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and U.S. Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt. They were caught planning the post-Yanukovych government weeks before the violent overthrow of Yanukovych. In the process Nuland makes a crude swipe at the European Union – Indicating the US attitude towards Europe.
              .
              https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JoW75J5bnnE
              .
              It’s time the Europe wakes up to it’s own interests than relying on and being dictated by, the US in the guise of NATO.

              • 2
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                Hello Ruchira,
                I listened to the tape. This is just normal State Department and Ambassadorial communications. There is nothing incriminating on the tape and yes the USA sometimes has a difficult relationship with the EU and sometimes the UK. I have heard Ambassadors swearing but Trump is much much worse and he was President at the time
                Best regards

            • 2
              3

              LankaScot – In addition one month into the war between Ukraine and Russia former Israel Prime Minister, Naftali Bennette it seems to have moderated a peace negotiation between Putin and Zelenskyy, during which both have agreed to end hostilities and stop the war – but on one condition demanded by Russia. That is for the Ukraine to remain neutral. To which Zelenskyy appeared to have agreed at the time. But guess who didn’t like it? UK, US and France. They said – No. Not acceptable. And to continue fighting. Millions of innocent Ukrainians are sacrificing their lives in a proxy war that aims to serve and further US interests. A rather tragic situation. Even worse is some people seem to want a similar scenario unfolding in Sri Lanka. That is for India to invade Sri Lanka.

              • 2
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                Hello Ruchira,
                My 2d Gt Grandfather fighting in Crimea 1854 was aided by Tatars that hated the Russians. . Crimea was stolen from Ukraine by Putin in 2014 whilst the West did nothing. Ukraine is a sovereign country part of the United Nations that was invaded by the Russians while the UN Security Council was in the middle of an emergency meeting to try and prevent such an escalation from happening. All the time Putin and Lavrov were denying any intent to invade.
                I followed the Nord Stream saga with great interest. To carry out this type of Diving Operation, although it is possible to Bounce Dive to 80m it is very risky and would require an onboard Decompression Chamber and a short bottom time. It is unlikely that a small vessel as identified by German media as the 50-foot (15-metre) sailing yacht, could have carried out such an operation.
                https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/explainer-what-is-known-about-the-nord-stream-gas-pipeline-explosions/72332354
                It is probable that a professional team of Saturation Divers carried out this sabotage and would have operated from a large Support Vessel. You could use Rebreathers and Tri-mix gas but you still need to do extended stops in the water or an onboard Decompression Chamber
                To be continued

                • 2
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                  Continued
                  Were there any such vessels in the vicinity? Yes – just such a vessel was in the area – a Russian Submarine Rescue ship. They had their AIS systems turned off. IMO regulations require all vessels to use the systems whilst at sea or at anchor.
                  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65461401
                  Denmark’s Defence Command has confirmed a separate report that a Danish patrol boat called Nymfen took 26 photos of a Russian submarine-rescue ship in the area days before the explosions. The Information website said the SS-750 had sailed from Kaliningrad and was close to Bornholm island on 22 September 2022.
                  You can see a photograph of the vessel at this Danish Link https://www.information.dk/indland/2023/04/forsvaret-bekraefter-rusland-specialfartoej-naer-nord-streams-spraengningspunkt
                  Now before you pass judgment on who blew up the pipelines please examine the evidence. Also consider that you have to remove your team safely and discretely from the site before carrying out a remote explosion. Unless I am very wrong about this operation (I have witnessed controlled detonations to blow up abandoned Well-Heads) it requires a State Operator (or a Professional Diving Company). Is there any evidence of suitable Western vessels in the area at the time?
                  Best regards

                  • 0
                    1

                    LankaScot – I tend not to debate over certain matters. I do not know who blew up the Nordstream. What you have provided are circumstantial in nature. Why would Putin want to blow up Nordstream?

      • 15
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        I have never met a Buddhist fanatic. I have met fanatics who are Buddhist, but the reason for fanatacism was not Buddhism. What is the metric, a monk running around? In Pakistan, there is something called a “blasphemy law.” No criticism of Islam is allowed. Punishment is by death. Has anyone in SL been executed for criticizing Buddhism?

        • 9
          1

          Hello Lester,
          You asked, “Has anyone in SL been executed for criticizing Buddhism?” No but many have been arrested. My wife (a Sinhala Buddhist) gets very worried when I write anything that is critical of Buddhism or Buddhist Philosophy. We both lived in the Middle East, where it is “Harram” to criticise religion. In Qatar, although it is mostly Salafi, they are fairly tolerant of other religions and even allow the purchase of alcohol through approved establishments. Saudi, however, is very different with a religious police called the “Muttawa”. I worked in the Eastern Province and regularly gave lifts to locals hitching a ride to their work in the Refineries. My Arabic was passable and they used to laugh and joke with me. Most thought that I was a Lebanese Christian. One or two realised that I was from the UK and implored me not to mention anything of our conversations to the Muttawa. Although the Muttawa powers have been curtailed they still exist.

          Best regards

          • 9
            11

            LS,
            “I worked in the Eastern Province and regularly gave lifts to locals hitching a ride to their work in the Refineries. “
            Are you talking about Ras Tanura?

            • 5
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              Hello OC,
              Either you have been there or you are a mind reader😊
              Yes I lived in Rahima and used to drive every day to our Office on the dockside. We had around 10 Dive Support Vessels on various contracts for Aramco. On our visits to Dammam and Al Khobar the Muttawa would try to push us into attending the Public Executions. Fortunately I was usually in the company of a group of ex-Marines, Clearance Divers etc that managed to keep us out of harms way.

              Best regards

              Best regards

              • 6
                1

                LS,
                No, I am no mind reader, but I was there long before you, when there were only a couple of TV channels, none in the daytime and pagers were the future of communications.
                I’m sure you’ve heard of Sid? Those were the days!

                • 1
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                  Hello OC
                  I was there just after Al Otaibi attacked Mecca and stayed until the Bahrain Causeway was started. When we inspected the piles for the Causeway we discovered that a marine worm was boring into the concrete allowing ingress of sea water which is very corrosive to steel. A plastic jacket stopped the marine borers.
                  I thought Sid was the guy that sold British Gas😉 and our office in Al Khobar used to be a Dance Hall complete with stage for the band.

                  Best regards

                  • 1
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                    LS,
                    I was there a bit earlier and stayed till after the causeway was functional.
                    Yes, that Mecca attack triggered the switch to strict Wahabbism. Sid was the stuff that came in plastic bottles. Or one made it at home 😄
                    Nice place to make money, given that you can’t spend it on wine, women, or song…..

                    • 1
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                      Hello OC,
                      I tried it once but the taste was not good and one Diver (not one of ours) died after drinking it. So I decided it wasn’t worth the risk especially after talking to one of our Divers who spent 6 months in an Arabic Jail. He said they beat him on the soles of his feet nearly every day.
                      Best regards

                    • 1
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                      LS,
                      No, I wasn’t desperate enough to try it. But I did produce a lot of interesting wines because there was plenty of grape juice , yeast, and sugar.

                    • 3
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                      OC,
                      I’m lucky I don’t live in an Arab country.

                      I have spent several dozens of hours travelling via Dubai, Doha and on my way heading back home (SLGermany). Once I stayed for more than 6 hours in Doha for my transit back to Colombo. A lanken woman (35 or 40 yrs) traveling as a secretary with a famous Sri Lankan monk (70 years, looked like a manamala kurulla) caught my eye, appearing very shy and victimized. My guess was she should be monk’s sex slave.
                      That monk saw me watching him and moved out of the place where others sat in the back benches.
                      It is one eye wintessing example of how Sri Lankan monks abuse their monasticism by hiding behind the SAFRON uniform.

                      tbc

                    • 3
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                      cont.
                      .
                      .
                      Dubai and Doha are concrete jungles for me. Our people are everywhere as laborers and skilled workers.
                      Last, a Sri Lankan male cleaner (27 or 30 years old) I met in a washroom in Doha (Nov 2023) and tried to show his unhappiness with his cleaning job. I only had a few dollars in my hand and I handed it to him. He asked for money.
                      Most of them are too lazy to work hard and get the next promotion. That is the attitude of our people. I see how difficult it is for some Turks, Sri Lankans and Ukrainians in some hospitals as minor staff in Germany. They all work very hard. It’s like that everywhere today, however the levels in the ARAB region are very inhumane as I’ve heard. Some hotel cleaners are caught up in the robot-style workload.
                      .
                      Our people usually expect more kindness and respect without knowing how they are treated in other countries of the world.
                      .
                      I feel sorry for exporting these people to those inhumane countries. If there were better opportunities in the mother country, they would not have risked it at all.

                    • 3
                      1

                      LM,
                      “I’m lucky I don’t live in an Arab country.”
                      All Arab countries are not the same. Even Saudi Arabia has good points. The state may be intolerant, but you can eat as much pork as you want in your house, or have religious services privately.
                      The people are diverse, from very fair and blue-eyed ones to black ones. They are very generous when you get to know them . A guest isn’t allowed to leave without a full meal.

                  • 2
                    0

                    LS
                    “marine worm was boring into the concrete “
                    Thanks.
                    That is something that I would never even have imagined.

            • 8
              8

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZssv1Eg3x4

              food for thought !

          • 7
            12

            LankaScot,

            “No but many have been arrested.”

            Can you tell us who they are?

            • 6
              1

              Lester,
              “Can you tell us who they are?”
              If you don’t even know that, do you expect others to waste their time ?
              What a brain Lanka has lost…….

              • 0
                6

                Old Codger,

                Then why was Gnanasara arrested for inciting violence against Muslims?

                • 5
                  2

                  Lester the Liar,
                  LankaScot said many have been arrested for insulting Buddhism. Can’t you understand English?

                  • 2
                    5

                    Old Codger,

                    You don’t seem to know the difference between criticism and insult.

                • 1
                  1

                  Lesster, be a little bit morster, please. Gnanam has accepted that what he did was blasphemy on the Eastern Muslims’ case. Now, whom do you defend? Is there a law in Langkang? If one accepts that he is guilty, then what is wrong with prosecute him/her? Gnanam has been a Buddhist Blasphemy police for long time. Even after the country is devastated by bankruptcy, for begging all your leaders are wandering in all world capital with begging bowl, (specially Ali Satre leading the beggars team, remember Hakeem said “Tamils are showing their beggar wounds and begging” in order to deter Tamils attempting to gather IC support to bring a case about the Sinhala Buddhist Guardians’ genocide? ) why do you want to protect the Telugu Christians Don Stephen, Solomon West Ridgeway Dias, Junius Richard, …….? The Modaya got it wrong, but those Telugu Christians only cared of their family fame, not the Modaya’s Sinhala Buddhism. Otherwise, why the country would have declared bankruptcy while, the mousy Singapore, within 30 years of its freedom, became a economic powerhouse. Honestly tell me something. What are you all doing inside the home? Get out with your bowl and beg to save the people.

                • 5
                  1

                  The thug was imprisoned for contempt of court.
                  Provoking personal violence is a crime regardless of target. Arrest is one thing; punishment is another. I wish that he was punished for inciting communal violence.

                  • 1
                    4

                    You are technically correct, he was arrested for contempt of court and sentenced to prison for threatening Eknaligoda’s wife, not inciting communal violence. Maybe his method was controversial, but he was the only one at the time to draw attention to Wahhabism. It is indisputable that Saudi Arabia was funding the construction of extremist mosques, including those frequented by the bombers who carried out the Easter attacks.

              • 6
                0

                Hello Lester,
                How about these high profile ones?

                1 Christian Prophet Jerome Fernando
                https://www.barrons.com/news/sri-lanka-detains-christian-prophet-for-buddhist-insults-3585cc55
                “Sri Lanka’s government has deported tourists for wearing clothes with symbols of Buddhism or tattoos of the Buddha.”

                2 Sri Lanka arrests stand-up comedian for insulting Buddhism
                https://www.ucanews.com/news/sri-lanka-arrests-stand-up-comedian-for-insulting-buddhism/101462
                Comedienne Jayani Natasha Edirisuriya has been accused of “disrespecting Buddhism and ridiculing Buddhist girls as ‘virgins’ ”

                3 Monk arrested for social media posts insulting Buddhism
                https://www.newswire.lk/2023/12/13/monk-arrested-for-social-media-posts-insulting-buddhism/
                A Sri Lankan monk identifying himself as ‘Sri Vishva Buddha’ has been apprehended for making various statements related to Buddhism on social media

                4 Sri Lanka novelist arrested for insulting Buddhism
                https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/sri-lanka-novelist-arrested-insulting-buddhism
                Following pressure from an ultra-nationalist Buddhist group, police have arrested award-winning Sinhala novelist Shakthika Sathkumara under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) for insulting Buddhism.

                The following report is also educational
                2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Sri Lanka
                https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-report-on-international-religious-freedom/sri-lanka/
                Students may not opt out of religious instruction even if instruction in their religion of choice is not available, or if they do not choose any religion.
                No room for atheists here?

                Best regards and thanks to OC

                • 2
                  4

                  LankaScot,

                  The people you mention are not victims, since they are the instigators. Take the example of the comedian. He specifically called out “Buddhist girls.” The key point is that these people are not victims of religious persecution. They are all allowed to practice their religion, 24/7, above ground, with minimal interference. For example, Muslims can wear niqab all they want, which is not the case in places like France (niqab ban). They can eat halal meat all day long, which is not the case in Germany (halal ban). They can build minarets, which is not the case in Switzerland (minaret ban).

                  “No room for atheists here?”

                  Buddhists are atheists. No one is forced or encouraged to become a Buddhist. There are no “Buddhist missionaries” or “born-again” Buddhists who proselytize.

                  • 7
                    1

                    Lester the Liar,
                    Germany banned both Halal and Kosher.
                    Nice try , though, from the master of half-truths.
                    “The people you mention are not victims, since they are the instigators. “
                    In the end, the effect is the same intolerance.
                    The comedian was a she, not a he. She made fun of Buddhism and was locked up. All the others were arrested for the same “offence”.
                    Even the Muslim Maldives doesn’t ban tourists from eating meat, or drinking alcohol, but Sri Lanka does,on Poya Days.. Leave alone Christians, even Mahayana Buddhists aren’t allowed.
                    https://www.sundaytimes.lk/110925/News/nws_02.html

                    • 1
                      4

                      Old Codger,

                      What is the justification for making fun of Buddhism? In Germany, people cannot question the Holocaust. Each country has its own laws.

                      So you think Sri Lanka is intolerant because tourists are not allowed to eat meat on 2 days of the year? A rule that is never enforced anyway. Thanks for the laugh.

                    • 6
                      1

                      Lester,
                      Nice try again from the master of half- truths
                      In Germany, one can make fun of any aspect of Christianity. In UK too. Go watch the movie “Life of Brian”. The Holocaust cannot be questioned because Germany was responsible.
                      “Each country has its own laws.”. Great, so now you say Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are right? At least learn to be consistent.

                    • 5
                      1

                      Lester,
                      “tourists are not allowed to eat meat on 2 days of the year?”
                      So, there are only 2 Poya Days in a year. That’s a new one. Do you have any proof?
                      Leave alone tourists, nobody can buy meat on poya days.

                    • 5
                      0

                      Dear OC and all,
                      .
                      Don’t you think there is no point in talking to a remote control man?

                      Why don’t you use your precious time for your hobbies?

                      I have read a series of comments these days that have been unnecessarily added by this scumbag, Lester.
                      He or those like him are real slaves.

                      This ultra fool thinks that he can succeed his lies.
                      :
                      You are right about laws depending on the country where law and order enforcement is unique. Halal food is also available in Germany in my village. This man should be hanged by his genitals for spreading blatant lies.
                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyNJcuBstlQ
                      If anything comes out of Lester’s mouth, it’s garbage.
                      Get well LESTER….. why on earth abuse your pen this way ?

                  • 6
                    0

                    Hello Lester,
                    Who said anything about victims – I supplied a list of people that had been arrested for insulting Buddhism. Its even part of your law. Read this from Jan 2023 in the CT https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/the-penal-code-relating-to-insulting-religion-needs-reexamination/
                    The Buddha may have been an atheist but Theravada Buddhists are not. I have been to more Funeral Celebrations here in the last 2-3 years than the whole of the period from 1956 (my first attendance at a funeral in Scotland) to 2021. Belief in a afterlife is NOT an atheist tenet.
                    This reminds me of the conversations/discussions with my Hindutwa and fundamentalist (Islamist) colleagues. They were masters of Sophistry to a degree that the Greeks could never aspire to. But yours is at a level beyond theirs. It is like the Israeli argument over Gaza, using the bombing of Dresden by the British as a defence for their Genocide.

                    Best regards

                    • 1
                      7

                      LankaScot,

                      Again, you are quoting things out of context. I have already mentioned that Gnanasara (a monk) was arrested for religious incitement, so the law is clearly impartial. Furthermore, the largest growing population (demographically) are the Muslims; they are growing at a rate faster than the other two major populations combined. So besides freedom of religion, we have freedom (and perhaps encouragement) of reproduction. Not a trivial affair, considering the negative birthrate in places like S Korea.
                      Yes, Theravada Buddhists are atheists. There is no afterlife. No banquets, virgins, hellfire, or other goodies one finds in another religions.
                      Genocide is a loaded word. Good business for the media, but at the end of the day, such expressions don’t do much for the perceived victims.

                    • 0
                      3

                      LankaScot – theism or monotheism is based on a single ominipotent god that created everything. It’s main tenet I believe is the belief of a creator. Not if it has an afterlife or not.

                    • 2
                      2

                      LankaScot – the use of ICCPR and arrests themselves are arbitrary and politically motivated. For example Dilith Jayaweera is quite famously insulted Buddha but somehow have escaped being arrested. And I am sure they are not the only instances where arbitrary or partial enforcement of law has occurred. Presidential pardens granted are another example. Lester might disagree but Sri Lanka is not a tolerant nation and freedoms are as not as in a so called developed country. Somehow that intolerance isn’t limited to Sri Lanka hence not unique to it being a Sinhala Buddhist. Here’s a recent example from Indonesia: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66852841.amp
                      1
                      .
                      In addition when Davinci Code the movie based on Dan Browns novel by the same name was released Sri Lanka was one of the handful of countries that banned it. Even Vatican didn’t ban it..l
                      .
                      In terms of freedoms we have some distance to travel but isn’t exclusive of being so in the region or in countries with similar economic and sociopolitical backgrounds.
                      .
                      The west too has it’s limitations. For example on antisemitics expressions.

                    • 4
                      1

                      Lester,
                      “What is the justification for making fun of Buddhism? “
                      Why would a Buddhist need justification to criticize his/ her own religion? And you say “No one is forced to be a Buddhist”?

                    • 6
                      1

                      LS,
                      I respect your comments on CT. I also respect few others who make them according to truths and facts. It is normal for those who have studied in universities.
                      .
                      So I kindly request you not to waste your precious time on a man who knows nothing but protecting Rajapaksa rascals.

                      What he has added to CT these past few weeks is beyond all falsehood. I really don’t know how he deals with his life with his colleagues, acquaintances or others.They might be waiting to stone him to death for sure.
                      :
                      He probably thinks we are all too stupid to accept anything that comes from his comments. If you live in Sri Lanka, you must have learned many people in my home country. Unfortunately Lester doesn’t seem to respect anything as facts.

                    • 3
                      8

                      Ruchira,

                      Tolerance and freedom are subject to the whims of a particular culture. There is no universal code. It has nothing to do with development either. In the US, people are allowed to own guns. In 2023, in that country, there were almost 350 school shootings. As I mentioned, in Germany, you are not even allowed to ask whether the Holocaust happened. In France, a Muslim woman cannot wear a niqab in public. Germany also banned animal slaughter without prior stunning, which really means the end of halal meat. So I am not sure why it’s a big deal if Sri Lanka doesn’t allow some clown to insult (not criticize) Buddhism. Those who insult Buddhism probably have the same mindset as a lot of the CT posters. They criticize “Sinhala-Buddhism” from the comfort of their refugee country, but they never spent a day in the fake terror state of “Eelam”, even though it existed for 10 years, thanks to the ineptitude of that clown, Chandrika. Ethnic cleansing, apartheid, child conscription, with revenues obtained through drug smuggling and human smuggling. We can see the values of these people.

                    • 2
                      6

                      LankaScot,

                      “I supplied a list of people that had been arrested for insulting Buddhism.”

                      Is there a Salman Rushdie type hit list of people who criticized Buddhism? Monks are not in the business of issuing fatwas.

                  • 4
                    0

                    Hello Lester,
                    Yes there are Buddhist Missionaries – https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi_2a2Tx7WEAxUO3jgGHQzwC2wQFnoECC4QAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.undv.org%2Fvesak2011%2Fpanel1%2F02BuddharakkhitaFINAL.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3ERDXfflEGJINcVk7-aIy1&opi=89978449
                    The Role of a Missionary: A Buddhist Perspective
                    Atheists do not accept supernatural explanations as scientific or even logical. We do not believe in any gods, ghoulies, ghosties, goblins, fairies or other such supernatural nonsense and that includes afterlives, souls, resurrection and transubstantiation etc.
                    It used to puzzle me as to why South Asians had a hard time understanding why/how someone could possibly not have a religion. I didn’t realise how deeply ingrained it is in Buddhist or Hindu societies.

                    Best regards

                    • 0
                      2

                      Hi Scot,

                      When I was visited Korea, I was shocked to find many Mormons there. The Mormons have a large presence due to their intensive missionary activity. So you are technically correct, we can find missionaries promoting the religion of binge drinking if we search hard enough. The key point is scale. As you know, Christianity spread to six continents (only weather spared the 7th) by hook and by crook. There were very wealthy and greedy individuals backing this effort. Similarly with Islam, although in this case one had to convert to avoid being a “dhimmi.” So historically, the reason people didn’t convert to Hinduism or Buddhism on a large scale is obvious: no economic benefit. Furthermore, there were no wars (other than for defensive purposes) fomented by followers of these religions. And lastly, there is no element of proselytization. Think about it, who wants to convert to a new religion, just to attain “Dalit status” and shine the shoes of a higher caste? If there are “missionaries” from these religions, they are isolated individuals, who rely on individual donations (as opposed to Queen Isabella) to keep the effort afloat. That is why people abroad donate to Buddhist temples.

                    • 2
                      0

                      Lester,
                      So, now you are saying :
                      “So I am not sure why it’s a big deal if Sri Lanka doesn’t allow some clown to insult (not criticize) Buddhism. “
                      The Buddha himself said, in the Kalama sutta :
                      “. “It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain; uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over;”
                      You are no Buddhist if you don’t know that.
                      Sri Lanka is NOT a Buddhist country, and that’s why it has such laws. It is a feudal theocracy.
                      “They criticize “Sinhala-Buddhism” from the comfort of their refugee country, “
                      All the people arrested were living in SL, unlike you.

                  • 1
                    2

                    Lester – This is in response to a comment you have made below to which I can’t reply directly. Yes, I tend to resonate with your claim that we are more tolerant than some of the minority communities we have and there’s a certain agenda and narrative that has been pushed by some quarters to the contrary including some on CT. While western countries too may have certain restrictions and limitations on freedoms I tend to believe that they have more tolerant societies. And I also agree with you on how they funded the Ealam war, the funds raised through illegal activities.

                    • 0
                      2

                      Ruchira,

                      Good observations on your part. I agree that Sri Lanka is less tolerant compared to Western countries. However, tolerance can often be a “loaded gun.” For example, prostitution is legal in Germany. The Dutch at one point made drugs legal. So when we talk about tolerance, we have to be very careful. Now when it comes to something like “freedom of speech”, yes, Sri Lanka is somewhat lagging and there can be improvement. This has mostly to do with reporting on war affairs or the corruption of VIPs. However, freedom of speech to simply insult everything and everyone under the sun as LankaScot envisions – you must be aware that many countries have libel/defamation laws, which restrict free speech.

                    • 0
                      0

                      Lester,
                      People would resonate better with you if you stopped making groundless claims like “Brahmins are smarter”, or outright lies like “There are only two poya days in a year”, or half-truths like “Germany has banned Halal”.

                  • 4
                    0

                    Dear Readers,

                    Quoted from LESTER THE JOKER:
                    “As I mentioned, in Germany, you are not even allowed to ask whether the Holocaust happened.”

                    I wish I could know Why is Lester spreading lies? Is that his hobby?
                    As LanKascott makes clear, he should be a real liar and he doe snot seme to know what you he is talking about. Does this estranged person think we are all fools ?

                    There are many TV shows where Germans openly talk about or talk through the Holocaust and war episodes and how they felt on those days. It was not until 2006 that they became proud of themselves, and they did not even use national flag in footballTournaments, but today they are well with that too.
                    Some talk about those war episodes very openly while others stay silent. No such bans are anywhere in Germany. I must avoid misleading the readership if I do not know facts about a country or a people. Why on earth is this estranged person behaving like a beast? The CT forum is full of very educated commenters. Most of them have graduate qualifications. Apart from that, they have extensive experience in many subjects.

                • 0
                  1

                  LankaScot – Do you know a guy named Dilith Jayaweera? He too insulted Buddha in a big way. But never got arrested.

                  • 1
                    0

                    Hello Ruchira,
                    I just looked him up on LinkedIn, I still have an account which we used for our Government Work Schedules. He is a Chairman of George Steuart &Co, (slightly different spelling from my Family name), Chairman of Derana TV, Politician for Mawbima Janatha Party. He did an MBA at University of Wales Cardiff (I did my PGCE at University of Wales but at the Wrexham Annex). Our Dissertations, Records of Practical Work and Viva Voce were undertaken by the Cardiff Examiners for the final approval. I wonder if he went to Cardiff for his Graduation?
                    Dilith also did LLB Law at Colombo University 1989 – 1994. All of this information is open source.
                    No-one needs to spell out why he was not arrested.😉
                    Best regards

                    • 0
                      0

                      LankaScot – Selective application pf law. Some people seem to be able to get away with anything while others get arrested for the slightest thing.

                  • 2
                    0

                    R,
                    .
                    Reno Silva (HIRU TIV owner), Dilith Jayaweera (DERANA TV owner), Namal Rajapakshe, Basil Rajapakshe, Gota, Mahinda and Gold Buiscuit Queen aka Shiranthi are all above the law.
                    For many, these are not clear, but the truth.

                    SRIALNKEN LAW AND ORDER shall be administered by independent courts. isn’t it like that?

          • 2
            0

            LS,
            Unfortunately this is common with many Sinhala_Buddhists in Sri Lanka. My paternal roots are well connected with prominent monks in the country.

            Being Buddhists (to my understanding, they are not buddhist but sinhala_buddhists) in Sri Lanka is only on their papers. Nobody chooses it as the religion.

            Most people just emulate the others. Not many wearing robes respect atleast 5 precepts. They are not open to criticisms either.That man in robes, by name Samantha Badda is obviously a “decorated chair fetitist”. He loves big chairs.

            Most among sinhala buddhists do not allow themselves to say a word against many things that are engrained in them during their adolesence.
            If you would ask your dear wife or my sister (68 yrs), they would never allow you to say a word against.
            They are misled by the inspiration of “Sadhu Sadhu”.
            Myths and mystics have brainwashed them for such a long time.
            What they use for their prayers as stanzas are not known to them by its meaning, however they do it like parrots would do. They are not used to question “why”.??????? i know some americans do the same with their beliefs in Christianity, but what I see in lanken buddhists is even more.

            • 2
              0

              cont.
              They lick bo-tree for no reasons. Buddha has never asked to do so.

              Only a few monks could be good at pali and sanskrit.

              All others like their lay people dont know the meaning of what they pray
              . If their neigbours would water the bo-tree 5 times a week, your wife and my sister would emulate it not questioning twice. THat is how they have been trained.
              .
              My sister loves to see decorated elephants in annual parades in Kandy and Kelaniya. I am against those events, because I interpret it from the point of view of the elephants (hurting animals in the guise of buddhism). I am against animals being hurt by any means.

              I knew very few monks who could help me with my questions. I believe in Buddha’s teachings, but I don’t respect Amisa puja. Some monks forced me to gift them with SMART phones in 2016. Since then, I stopped offering them free food.Instead I provide free food to homes for the aged, who are really in need and stray dogs and cats.

        • 8
          2

          Lester,
          The policing Maxim in Lankang is explained in an age-old saying of Tamil.
          Puttham Saranam Katchami.
          Kollaiadi Appu Kami,
          Paathokkondiru Ralahami.

          (Policemen, just stand up there and watch when Tamils’ homes are looted)
          In Langkang the Rapist Police job is not policing but looting, raping, “Thalikodi Aruppu” (Thalikodi snatching). That is how the Longkang Police work. Policing of other religions on blasphemy against Sinhala Buddhists is done by the Sinhala Buddhist Road Rowdies. You forgot your boss released a team of Alsatian wild dogs from Temple Tree House to disperse the protesters in June 2022? In all the Annual celebrations called Pogroms against Tamils, the Guardian Angels of Buddhists like Lemon Puff, Cyril Mathew, Mervin De Silva take the job of IGP and stage the game. That is how the Appe Aanduwa’s policing works. The President’s job is to justify the Guardian Angel barbarians by saying “If I starve the Hindu Tamils only the Sinhala Buddhists will be happy”. If you have gone at least up to kindergarten, you will understand that it is an unwritten Blasphemy law. Isn’t that working in protecting Sinhala Buddhism many times better than the Pakistan Blasphemy laws. A Buddhist Monk can walk into the Prime Minister’s office to order him to kneel and shoot.

        • 7
          2

          That is what you call a neat and clean job. If LTTE, the opponents of Sinhala Buddhist fanatics want to do something like that, they have to do many trials and kill many civilians and even lose many of “Black Tigers”, yet that is a messy job of being caught by or being retaliated by the Rapist Army.
          Assure your opponents that the Langkang will survive with unwritten blasphemy laws rather than the written laws, where every criminal will depend on equal implementation, no space for impunity for MPs, Prime Minister or Even for President.

        • 4
          0

          Lester@
          There are lot more buddhists that are fanatic. What about the self-immolation being practised in Tibet ?
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfSonr-z9nA
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPKLRZZ9t1U
          Don’t you know that some of our monks behave like fundamentalists in the name of Sinhala Buddhism??????

          Every time, when anything is promoted for public good, they behave like thugs and involve unnecessarily… Is that not Buddhist extremism?

          – What about their insane parade of innocent animals wearing JANGI? (Kandy Perahara) Isn’t that extremism?
          – In recent years a monk self-immolated in front of the Temple of the Tooth (think about 6 years ago)
          – Ghanasara, the most abusive monk in recent times behaved like a real fundamentalist… didn’t he?
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM0ZwphBbcc
          – What about monk Soma? was he not a fanatic monk ?
          – What about Myanmar Virathu? Isn’t he a fundamentalist?
          – Widen your eyes, you will catch more. Get well soon !

  • 14
    14

    There is no doubt that Israel’s blood thirsty oppression or war crimes or ethnic cleansing is not acceptable for humanity. This is not because they are Muslims but because of humanity. However, most of the Muslim Nations do not follow humanity and millions of Muslims are ran away from Muslim Countries to western countries. Even those who ran away from Muslim countries, they do not consider themselves as humans instead they consider themselves as Muslims. Even Dr. Ameer Ali must have been a Tamil Muslim but he consider him as a Muslim not Tamil.

  • 13
    14

    The author makes some good points. However, the fundamental issue, as the great Colonel Douglas McGregor put it, is that none of the Arab states will accept the existence of Israel.

    Hamas are good fighters, but they are also terrorists. After Oct. 7th, there is no chance of their legitimization. Palestinians deserve a homeland, demarcated along the lines of the 1967 borders. But Hamas cannot be in charge, as their goal is to destroy Israel. Freedom for Palestinians and the destruction of Israel are mutually exclusive. Israel cannot be destroyed by conventional military means, as it is in possession of 300 nuclear weapons. As the author suggests, the fate of the Palestinians is in the hands of the Arab nations, especially Saudi Arabia.

    I have written earlier, a much bigger war is in the works, between the USA/NATO and Iran. Iran is close to building an atomic bomb, and this is a red line for Israel. We can predict the war will occur within 3-5 years of the next US election. If Trump wins, sooner.

  • 3
    0

    PART ONE
    .
    This is an article that I find extremely difficult to respond to. All so-called modern knowledge and belief in humanity is founded on the education that we received, where to be right was to say that there is the convincing story told by science that humans evolved from the simplest of life forms, and have finally led to the existence of humans who today order all that happens in the world as our “right” to use all other life forms as we see fit.
    .
    This human dominance of the planet has emerged from a knowledge and science-based explanation of everything, and places huge responsibility on us humans. Opposing this is an outlook which we hoped didn’t exist. The existence of some force that controls all things. That has now taken the identity of Yahweh, Allah, and God. If real, this must be one and the same force.
    .
    And people like me, a Sinhalese Man brought up within a Christian family, hoped that nothing would challenge this belief that humans have a right to control the world.

  • 3
    0

    PART TWO
    .
    However, we now have sufficient evidence to show that accounts of World History that make sense can have nothing to do with attempts by the adherents of these three religions to dominate Planet Earth. And that account of the developments of science have led to the current contradictions in what is happening in the planet now. All that is objective says that we must condemn what is happening today. Israel quite simply has no right to exist.
    .
    Is Dr Ameer Ali a Muslim? Yes, he was born into a Muslim family and knows Islam from within. Just as I know Christianity from inside. Who then has a right to say this side is right, and that the other side has got it all wrong? We have been brought up to think of an America-led New World Order which has become mainly secular opposed now by an Islamic World Order which relies on a literal belief that everything written in the Koran is True.
    .
    This article convinces only of one thing. That what Israel is doing is wrong.
    .
    Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela (NIC 483111444V)

    • 13
      12

      Sinhala_Man,

      ” Israel quite simply has no right to exist.”

      There is no way to make that happen. The foreign policy of the US is dictated by Israel. There is a lobby with 100K members called “AIPAC” (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). As a member of the US government, one cannot AIPAC. Those who wish to become “President” must speak before AIPAC and pledge their loyalty to Israel. Trump, Biden, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Obama, Bush Jr., Bush, etc. have followed this route. Besides this, Jews as a group are very successful people. Many billionaires with large influence in the media, banks, government, etc. There is a term for this: “networking.” Jews excel at networking. They have connections to the wealthiest people in the world, including the Saudi royal family. And most of these Jews have a strong affinity to Israel. As I said, the optimal solution for the Palestinians is for the Arab countries (OPEC) to put pressure on the West via oil exports.

      • 10
        8

        *one cannot oppose AIPAC

      • 8
        1

        Dear Lester,
        .
        I know that there’s almost nothing that we can do to prevent the Israeli government from having its own way. This is what makes this all so agonising.
        .
        All too many common people are persuaded to believe that these religious nuts have direct sanction from God to do all this. It is evangelical Christian types who provide succor to the Jewish Right Wing. The men in the street, whether in the USA or Sri Lanka are easily led astray. The politicians are often crooks who know well enough that they are being evil, but they are willing to exploit the gullibility of the voter.
        .
        In Dr Ameer Ali you probably have a more intelligent person who realises that he has been brought up a Muslim, but that Islam is not the whole (or only) story.

  • 5
    4

    Mr Ameer Ali
    In a situation where Allah remains non committal and neutral you need the assistance of the enemy to defeat the enemy.

    Soma

    • 5
      3

      Saudi Arabia and other oil rich Muslim countries have a trillion dollar stockpile of Western arms. Another trillion dollar worth of arms have to be purchased from USA to fight Israel. USA will sub contract Israel for training.

      Soma

      • 8
        2

        soma

        “USA will sub contract Israel for training.”

        So you are our man in Tel Aviv.
        Have a good time.

        “Another trillion dollar worth of arms have to be purchased from USA to fight Israel.”

        Tel Aviv needs boots on the ground, and Tel Aviv is in the process of recruiting them from various countries.

        Don’t you think we have army surplus however here is an opportunity to for us to export them?

        Your mate Gnansara has apologised to the Muslims.
        Do you know why?

    • 9
      2

      soma

      “…… you need the assistance of the enemy to defeat the enemy.”

      You mean you needed VP to defeat LTTE.
      I think I agree with you.

  • 4
    4

    Practical Islam:
    Radical Islam in the heart and moderate Islam in the mind.

    Soma

  • 2
    5

    //The American age has to end and an alternative paradigm has to replaced it. But where is it? //
    Handover the job to an American think tank to find it.

    Soma

    • 8
      0

      soma

      “Handover the job to an American think tank to find it.”

      Ask SJ, who prefers Chinese to set up their stalls in this land. They have descent policies, ………..

      • 1
        0

        Native Vedda, You mention decent policies of Chinese. What they did in the port and airport scenario in the south with our robbers should not be forgotten nor repeated ever again.

        • 4
          1

          davidthegood

          “You mention decent policies of Chinese. “

          SJ sincerely believes Chinese have been practising decent foreign policies since …. stone age.

          I guess he also wants to change the name from Indian Ocean to China’s ocean, China should be allowed to annexe Tamil Nadu as it once had a Chinese Pagoda in Nagapattinam which was demolished in 1867.

        • 1
          1

          dtg
          Tell me what they did.
          The port city project was not initiated by them. Where did they cheat?
          The Hambantota Harbour project was a good investment as we see now. It is profitable.
          Who was responsible for its sale to the builder? The loan was some years before it was due for payment. The sale was to enable payment of other dues to predatory lenders. The decision was entirely that of the Good Governance regime. Even MR criticized it as unwise.
          as for the Airport. It was not a bad idea as long as the Harbour and other developments went as intended.
          Indians wanted to have it under their control at a time but lost interest as they found that Hambantota was not going to be a Chinese naval base.
          What did the Good Governance regime do? Stored paddy in aircraft hanger space.
          Had any of them been imposed by a foreign country on us, there is a case to question intentions.
          Some Chinese projects are unwise from a national perspective, especially coal power and Port City.
          But it was our decision for which we blame others.
          We are now tiring of the loan trap canard, as there are no takers and Africa is wanting more Chinese involvement in development.
          Ask yourself why the Global South is increasingly hateful of the US and partners.

          • 1
            1

            “The Hambantota Harbour project was a good investment as we see now. It is profitable.”

            Who is getting the share of PROFITS?
            Who is owning the land and seafront?
            Where is the so precious sovereignty over the that land lies?
            Do we know the the real cost of the harbour project, in addition how much did it cost to remove a large Boulder in the middle of harbour which should have been removed in the first place?
            How much did politicians, functionaries, agents, ministers, president, his clan …. and receive to non income generating white elephant?
            How much interest at what rate Sri Lanka was supposed to have paid since the Chinese started building it?
            …..
            …..
            ….
            Transparency and Sri Lanka don’t mix and China and transparency don’t mix.
            Did China publish its estimates before it agreed to built it, any business plan, estimated income, …. business plan, project plan, ….

            By the way China has never been a socialist country, … it has its own interest and these investments were/are not charitable activities.

            Do we have independent minded honest commentators, auditors, accountants, project directors, ……. ?

          • 0
            0

            Hello SJ,
            I spent a couple of years working offshore/onshore in Nigeria, just before I went to Saudi in 79. I also spent some time working in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Morocco between 75 and 77. Nigeria was the most corrupt and Morocco possibly the least. Your chances of being robbed in Nigeria and Ivory Coast were pretty high, Ghana less and Morocco very unlikely. One of my French colleagues/friend personally arrested Laurent Gbagbo (President of Ivory Coast) and his wife in 2011. He was a Blue Hemet Officer at the time.
            Whilst I was in Nigeria many hundreds were killed in distubances in Kano, Northern Nigeria which never got into the news, unlike the 1967 massacre of up to 30,000 civilians.
            We saw dead bodies floating down the Benin River on occasions. You couldn’t report it to the police, because you would be held responsible and would have to pay a lot of “Dash” money.
            The Chinese may find out that Africa is not the safest place to invest money.
            Best regards

    • 1
      1

      Soma ,
      ““Handover the job to an American think tank to find it.”
      🤣🤣🤣

  • 6
    5

    Soma,
    About the oil rich Muslim countries having/buying trillion $$$$ worth of arms and ammunition from the west, you are 100% right and who will train (for what??) them as subcontractors. First of all, I have not heard or seen these countries even shooting a crow (I dont know whether the crows are there in these countries) using these trillion $$$ worth of arms. The best/worst they will do is use these arms against their brothers who are branded as terrorist by the west. The west is smart enough the get the oil $$$ from these countries supplying them with arms knowing very well they will never use for the intended purpose they buy.

  • 4
    1

    Hello to
    SJ, OC, leelagemalli, Ruchira, Raj-UK and the rest of the objective contributors on CT.
    I might disagree with some of your comments and political outlooks, however you all treat people with respect and will reply in good faith. But there are some on CT that do not, Lester being one that is beyond the pale.
    So thank you gentlemen for your advice, some people are best ignored.

    Best regards

    • 3
      0

      LS,
      Lester is there to protect the RAJAPAKSHE racists . He is paid with stolen funds. That is what has been done since day one. We are well alert on his comments.
      .
      Other commenters, including myself, share their views. we are unbound to anyone. There is a difference between heaven and earth. Isn’t it?
      Until recently we had few such beasts. One of the worst was the name “Eagle Eye”. He looks like that main character in Silence of the Lambs.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5dA92wqmME
      Can you imagine he hated Tamil Sri Lankans like worms? The level of hatred some Sinhalese have towards their other races is very bitter. They jokingly call themselves “Sinhala Buddhists”. THAT IS ALL ABOUT SINHALA BUDDHISM

    • 0
      0

      LS,
      But it is such fun watching him tying himself in knots with his half-truths and circular reasoning…….
      You think he actually exists? Maybe he’s an AI bot that CT has let loose?

    • 1
      3

      Hello Scot,

      Your claims of “respect” and “objectivity” are rather amusing. Particularly as it applies to “Leela.” Actually, the logic works backwards here. If “Leela” respects you, you are probably doing something very wrong. With that said, I am more interested in the articles themselves than the largely puerile comments. Usually the author has a hidden agenda that is worth mentioning. I don’t know what you’re here for and I could care less.

    • 1
      2

      LS
      I agree.
      But there are two provocations: bitter venom (temptation is resistible) and absurdity (temptation to have a good laugh is hard to resist).

    • 0
      0

      Hello LankaScot,
      .
      Communal and partisan politics are in full throttle here, so are the tensions that come along with them. I try not to engage those who do not follow a civil discourse. One must find what works for them. Some people on the otherhand may appear friendly on the outset but if they are truly good people is a different matter. Most seem to know each other in real life and some seem to gossip about people here offline. I guess no harm as long as they do not intend any but that’s not guaranteed. But you being a Scot I am sure is quite safe from any actual harm.
      .
      Cheers!

    • 1
      1

      LankaScot

      “But there are some on CT that do not, ……………….”

      It is an honour to be noticed by you.
      Thanks a lot.

  • 3
    0

    Dr. Ameer Ali
    The beginning of your topic sentence – “US funded Israeli War in Gaza…” says it all.

  • 3
    0

    The genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is fully funded and planned by the USA. As we speak, the US State Department has allocated another weapons package worth US$14.1 billion to Israel to continue its genocide war against Palestinians. This is obviously not the last one. It may be scary, but the US has spent US$ 6.4 trillion in its wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Pakistan between 2001 and 2019. What is the Biden administration’s actual motive in supporting the annihilation and forcible displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip? They continue to shield the Israel apartheid regime from human rights violations in the Gaza Strip. Nobody believes that the Biden Administration is commanded by Netanyahu. That’s a pathetic excuse. Besides, three main elements of the US foreign policy are; lying, looting and cheating. (Source: Mike Pompeyo)
    1/4

    • 3
      0

      Those who are still of the view that Hamas’ attack in Israel on October 7 was the reason for the US-led Israel’s high-intensity genocidal war in Gaza, please read the following list of massacres committed by Zionists/Israelis in Palestine:-

      1. Haifa Massacre 1937
      2. Jerusalem Massacre 1937
      3. Haifa Massacre 1938
      4. Balad al-Sheikh Massacre 1939
      5. Haifa Massacre 1939
      6. Haifa Massacre 1947
      7. Abbasiya Massacre 1947
      8. Al-Khisas Massacre 1947
      9. Bab al-Amud Massacre 1947
      10. Jerusalem Massacre 1947
      11. Sheikh Bureau Massacre 1947
      12. Jaffa Massacre 1948
      13. Khan Yunis Massacre 1956
      14. Jerusalem Massacre 1967
      15. Sabra and Shatila Massacre 1982
      16. Al-Aqsa Massacre 1990
      17. Ibrahimi Mosque Massacre 1994
      18. Jenin Refugee Camp massacre April 2002
      19. Gaza Massacre 2008-2009
      20. Gaza Massacre 2012
      21. Gaza Massacre 2014
      22. Gaza Massacre 2018-2019
      23. Gaza Massacre 2021
      24. Gaza Genocide 2023-Ongoing
      *A native Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, was established in 1987. They retaliated against Israel on 7 October, 2023 using low-intensity warfare.
      (I found the list in a comment section.)
      .
      Anton Blinken is still dreaming that Arab states will normalize ties with the Israeli apartheid regime. Someone should wake him up and remind him that Israel is currently on Gaza genocide trial at the International Court of Justice and that Arab leaders will not betray Palestinians at the most critical juncture in their histoy.
      2/4

      • 2
        0

        The world has all the reasons to believe that the US is bidding time on behalf of Israel under the pretext of hostage release negotiations until Israel gets a new weapons stock from the US. That is why the Arab States should demand complete, immediate and unconditional evacuation of the IDF from the Gaza Strip. I think I have suggested this before.

        The US has the leverage to stop Israel’s genocidal war in the Gaza Strip in a snap of a finger. But they give unconvincing reasons not to do so. Therefore, over 1.4 million Palestinians, who have been displaced multiple times already, have no choice other than resisting the Israeli apartheid regime and continue to remain in the Rafah safe zone in order to protect their land.
        In the meantime, Russia has invited all Palestinian resistance/political groups to Moscow. It is imperative that all these factions be united and urgently form a coalition under the incumbent President, Mr. Mahmoud Abbas in order to garner global support for an independent and sovereign State of Palestine.
        3/4

        • 2
          0

          Based on a modified version of Resolution 181 (II) of the General Assembly, which is accepted as the legal framework of the establishment of Israel, the UNGA can declare Palestine an Independence State, too.
          This is the original partition plan of Palestine dated 29 November 1947.
          https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-204145/
          .
          With a slight modification to the original partition plan, Jerusalem could be declared as the capital of the State of Palestine.
          Without any argument, Jerusalem belongs to Palestine. When Palestine was under Scythians (Iranians), Jerusalem was called “Uru-Solyma”. For Summerians (Iraqis) and Syrians, Jerusalem was known to be “Uru-Salim” and “Urishlem ” respectively. (Source: Publications of the Babylonian section of the University of Pennsylvania Museum) Jerusalem has always been regarded as the “City of Peace” by ancient Arabs including Canaanites who were ancient Yemen and Saudi tribes. Ottoman emperors restored and decorated Jerusalem buildings with grandiose architectural designs and especially, the Dome of the Rock with Iranian ceramic tile designs. Zionist settler colonists who came from Europe have no right to Jerusalem or al-Kuds (al-Quds), the Holy City of Arabs. It should be the capital of the State of Palestine.
          4/4

      • 1
        2

        Champa

        “……. please read the following list of massacres committed by Zionists/Israelis in Palestine”

        How come you don’t seem to remember any of the massacres that took place from 1915 to date in this island? Were you hardwired to believe and remember selectively by genetically modifying at your birth or later by listening to the most racist bigots?

        Sorry I cannot …………..

      • 1
        0

        “Arab leaders will not betray Palestinians at the most critical juncture in their history”
        I will not bet on that.

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