SOS – Save the Arctic

By Padmini Arhant

Mother Nature has never been more vulnerable than now with the human power in industries and government targeting every available land on planet earth for profits. With the active space exploration for possible inhabitation on Mars and the Moon, earth’s natural resources depleted to the ultimate under the guise of ‘Clean Energy Act,’ by the yet another indomitable force in the corporate world, the ‘Energy Cartel.’

Should they trail behind in the Herculean contest of crushing democracy and the people it represents?

‘Profit’ revered more than the “Prophet” spares none in its sinister cannibalism revealed in the legislative matters concerning health, housing, finance, wars and even the planet they exist. It is no longer the Darwinian ‘survival of the fittest’ with a subtle hope for efforts to survive if not thrive in the sharks-infested waters.

The profit dominant twenty first century is simple as it cut to the chase i.e.

“All for me and none for you.” Where “I live and you die.”

The gargantuan forces ‘supposedly’ caring for the source – the people and the environment savagely attack through massive pollution, dumping industrial wastes particularly in the impoverished regions of the world as life don’t matter over there to them, further empowered by the slogan driven action –

‘Drill baby drill, Drill now and everywhere’ until the mass disappear into the black hole.

The Bush-Cheney doctrine on matters related to life universally known. Among them, the icing on the cake was the free pass to the free market for a free fall and freedom to erode the earth’s surface through drilling in the Arctic, the Pacific…and beyond the horizon.

Such policy allowing the energy industry to drill in the Arctic endangering life eventually debilitating the food pyramid is due for urgent reversal to protect and save the provider, the environment from drilling or any other destructive mechanisms.

The continuation of the former administration’s policy in light of earth shattering ramifications detailed by the concerned scientists and the discerning ecologists deserve immediate action for life sustenance.

According to the experts, the drilling in the Arctic poses not only grave danger for marine life but also potentially disastrous to the ecosystem’s DNA.
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The Experts Opinion:

“Ruining pristine wild lands and oceans – places like Teshekpuk Lake, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas – is not a path toward a clean energy future.

In fact, it’s a major step in the wrong direction.

Climate change is already making survival harder for arctic creatures.

Oil and gas exploration would bring even more devastating impacts: seismic booms, air and water pollution, and roads, airports, gravel mines and pipelines across a vast and pristine wilderness.

Perhaps worst of all, drilling brings with it oil spills for which – in the Arctic’s icy conditions – no clean-up technology exists. In the Chukchi Sea alone, government scientists predict that once the drills start, there would be a 40 percent chance of a large oil spill.

Once it’s destroyed, it’s gone forever. If we don’t act now, the impact to habitats that we are only beginning to understand and to hundreds of species of Arctic wildlife – caribou, grizzly and polar bears, migrating birds, whales, and many more – could be catastrophic!”

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Call for Synergy – By Padmini Arhant

The grievances cannot be more poignant if the industry granted immunity by the White House and Congress today with the extension of the Bush-policy on offshore drilling.

Moreover, as highlighted to the international community on the environmental issue during the G-20 summit in Pittsburg, the United States image as the world leader in the green revolution ahead of the scheduled Copenhagen conference is in jeopardy with the prolonging of the devastating offshore drilling in the Arctic and elsewhere, notwithstanding the hypocritical stance in the worldview.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt phenomenal dedication towards the comprehensive protection of the national environment was the crowning glory among his many other symbolic achievements.

Every President and leaders of the nations have an opportunity to do wonders or otherwise with the power entrusted upon them in a democracy. What’s important to realize is the leadership’s willingness and courage put to test for a reason and that is for them to define their character by rising to the occasion in their national and humanitarian tasks that expands to the future.

Environmental rescue is not exclusive to social dynamics of race and culture or limited to political opinions. The voluntary planet degradation is cataclysmic to humanity as calamity in one part of the world contagiously spreads to the personal domain of every living being on earth.

Transforming desire into action is a challenge. Nevertheless, if policies detrimental to life existence in the health and environmental matter not terminated, it’s just a matter of time for the carcinogens to be deadly.

Saving the Arctic is paramount for the present and future evolution besides being a moral responsibility towards Mother Nature, the only source of life.

Thank you

Padmini Arhant

Afghan War, the Additional Troops Request and the Election – Analysis

Analysis: By Padmini Arhant

From the earlier data, it is conclusive that since the inception of the Afghan war, the constant flow of funding and the troops surge has remained the routine build up in the ill-conceived ‘so-called’ war on terror. The long fought war in the past eight years and previously against the Soviets should provide the U.S. defense a concise idea about the Afghan terrains, terrorists’ hideouts and other relevant operational tactics by the Talibans and the Al-Qaida forces.

Considering the earlier Taliban generation were trained as the Mujahedeens by the CIA against the Soviets and instrumental in driving the Soviet Army from the Afghan land, it’s reasonable to ask the question,

When success was then possible with the limited financial and military contingency, why is it not feasible now with the exceptional assets at the defense forces disposal?

The Congressional approval of excess funding via discretionary channel to circumvent the constitutional limitations and the increasing troop deployment at the highest military hierarchy behest with no accountability for the monetary or combat forces investment in the evolved operation raises a serious credibility issue leading to an appropriate investigation.

Oddly, the Afghan situation possesses an uncanny resemblance to the financial sector bailout in the absence of checks and balances against the oligarchs responsible for the world economic crisis.

The irony is, the U.S. and NATO resources are superfluous against the insurgents’ outdated and conventional stockpiles purchased from the tribal warlords in control of the narcotic industry. Despite the United States extensive prior knowledge of the mountainous regions and enhanced weaponry including the state of the art technology, the U.S. and NATO command continue to claim the insurgency by the Taliban and Al-Qaida operatives as ‘uncontainable.’ Somehow, it doesn’t fit in with the rationality.

Then the trio forces represented by Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States declare the combatants, ‘a force to reckon with,’ when Pakistan and Afghanistan must be familiar with the respective demography in the northwestern Pakistan, the eastern Afghanistan apart from the southern provinces of the Kandahar district. Again, the status acknowledged by the U.S. and NATO highest command in a statement that “Talibans are emboldened more than ever and dangerously widespread making Afghanistan a possible failed state.”

Is it a real concern or a proposition for a permanent military base evidenced in the topic’s prequel?

Another poignant matter is Pakistan’s role in aiding and abetting the Talibans following the U.S abandonment and the Soviet departure. During the Bush administration, the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf received substantial financial aid and arms supply as an “important” ally of the apparent war on terror.

Evidently, the disclosed $10 billion dollars and more was not spent for the desired purpose, instead Pakistan ventured into replenishing stocks targeting the eternal rival and neighbor India.

In spite of the U.S. royal treatment of the former military regime under President Musharraf, the nuclear technology trader A.Q. Khan was protected and the U.S. intelligence forces were denied access to the entity by the regime. Today’s nuclear proliferation among North Korea and Iran stem from A.Q. Khan’s illicit dealings in trading WMD secret programs.

The trend continues with the financial aid being tripled combined with more arsenal supply ‘supposedly’ to extinguish the fire set by the Pakistani ISI and the military in cohort with the Talibans and the Al-Qaida elements in Waziristan and other parts of the north western region up until recently. It’s not a concocted theory when the independent Pakistani and other international journalists reported that the world’s most wanted terror leader Osama Bin Laden received medical treatment in Pakistan during the Musharraf Presidency.

The military agents actively promote the Kashmir issue between the two nuclear neighbors to see the snoring lion turn into a roaring beast. Meanwhile, distracting the world from the compounded problems within Pakistan – the people of Pakistan deprived of the genuine freedom and democracy not to mention the chaos and mayhem caused with frequent suicide bombings and explosions.

In fact, the situation in the two Islamic nations has been perpetually meddled with excessive foreign policy interventions doing more harm than any good until date. The constant turmoil and warfare has crippled the economies leaving the populations at the mercy of the oil rich Saudi Arabia and the Western control.

The bright and the educated middle class to the poorest of the Pakistani population are subject to the dynasty rule disguised as democracy with the Pakistani military having an upper hand in the major governance.

Diverting attention homeward;

The legitimate question for the American taxpayers engaged in the health care battle of the century is –
How do the so-called fiscal conservatives from both sides of the aisle justify the enrage at the hypothetical costs of providing universal health care, while seemingly comfortable with the Fiscal Year 2009, defense spending amount to 4.7% of GDP?

The military industrial complex dominance with strong hawkish representations in the Defense and the State Departments in the current administration is conspicuous with the irrational winning streak calculations in the misguided missions in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The tragic truth revealed in the casualties endured by the families of the U.S. military and the ally forces along with the scores of civilian deaths callously dismissed as the ‘collateral’ damages in the warfare.

Regarding the permanent military base in Afghanistan, the published reports confirm the former Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s complicity to the occupation of his homeland by foreign forces, questioning the President’s loyalty to the nation, he is expected to govern.

Then the subsequent crowning of the controversial ex-President Hamid Karzai amidst election fraud and widely exposed scandals by the secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton and other NATO diplomats clearly indicates the entities following specific directions of the military industrial complex defining the role for the executive members in the sprawling scheme.

Since when the Secretary of State and other NATO foreign ministers overtly assigned the duty to select the head of the foreign government smeared with corruption charges and voter fraud allegations, against the will of the population yearning for real democracy?

Isn’t the role of the U.S. military and NATO in Afghanistan restricted to eliminating terror, and refrain from any intervention in the electoral decisions?

When the U.S and NATO forces indulge in the appointments of the heads of the foreign governments, they not only threaten the democratic opportunities for the subject nations but also undermine the democracy they represent.

The Defense Forces’ high commands testify to the elected representatives in a democracy, the Congress, by repeatedly urging that “the troops and discretionary funding requirement is essential to succeed in the escalating war on terror” with the reality being otherwise.

But not anymore. This time, it’s incumbent on the Pentagon to face the nation and lay the facts as the permanent military base in Afghanistan or elsewhere is an act of treason against the nation, not barring the crime against humanity with the notion to enslave the innocent population trusting the organization to protect and liberate them from the tyranny and oppression.

When the defense budget funds are misappropriated for destructive reasons of the never ending warfare, illegal arms race i.e. both conventional and nuclear arsenal in the open markets, then the military institution loses the trust and respect of the national population. It’s equivalent to the betrayal of the parents declining to protect the children and instead endanger their lives.

If the military institutions confine to the honorable duty to defend the sovereignty of the nation, safeguard the pledge of allegiance to the flag and regard the life of another like their own, then the battle grounds would no longer be the killing fields.

Those who engage in invasion, occupation, pillage, ruin of other nations have engulfed in the self ignited flames, while others eventually come to the realization that in the laws of nature, there is no state of permanence. History witnessed the emperors like Napoleon Bonaparte, Alexander the Great and the likes succumb to the crumbling of their greatness, regarding themselves once as invincible.

The wisdom serves that mortals brought nothing into the world and hence take nothing back with them and no one is a permanent resident on the planet irrespective of status. Life is a journey and travelers leave when their travel ends with their activities evaluated and judged accordingly.

Wars can’t go on forever and must eventually ceasefire.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Federal Republic of Germany – Bundestag Election

By Padmini Arhant

Congratulations! to the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and the FDP leader Guido Westerwelle on the re-election of CDU-CSU (Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union) in grand coalition with the Free Democratic Party in the 17th German Federal election on September 27, 2009.

As a major economic power and the largest exporter as well as the second largest importer of goods, Germany is significant to the global economy and the international progress. The export-oriented nation has been drastically affected from the global economic crisis. It experiences the common woes like the financial market failure leading to the government bailouts; massive job loss in the manufacturing sector especially the automobiles and heavy industrial equipments…having a ripple effect on other sectors in the economy.

However, Germany has contained the crisis from further deterioration due to the various government run programs viz.

The comprehensive system of social security, universal health care established in 1883 – now comprising 77% government funded and 23% privately funded health care system, public or affordable housing in suburban settings providing decent dwelling for the lower income originally created in the early twentieth century by the Social Democrats to curtail visible poverty.

The recent victory by the conservative coalition attributed to the poor voter turnout with the sizable electorate not having confidence in the major or minor political parties, although the ‘Green’ party focused on vigorous environmental policies gained impressive margin against others.

It would be interesting to monitor the measures adopted by the winning coalition in the economic recovery, given the FDP’s economic policy subscribed to the government involvement ‘as extensive as necessary’ and ‘as limited as possible.’ Otherwise, the party embraces the free market structure with privatizations, deregulations, restraining public subsidies – the predominant source of the present global economic meltdown, while maintaining the strong unionized work force and the vast government social infrastructure. Perhaps, the platform contributed to the surprise emergence of the once minority party successfully eliminating the Socialist Democrats that took a severe blow in the latest election.

With the rising unemployment causing much frustration among the population, the coalition has a tough balancing act to leverage the situation in the four-year term offered by the German electorate as a second chance to transform the campaign promise into a reality.

Regarding other issues of national concern, the electorate appears to be less enthusiastic in their country’s involvement as a NATO member in the eight-year old Afghanistan war. This is despite the relatively minimal troops’ presence in the region proving the unpopularity of the Afghanistan war.

Germany like the rest of the world is confronted with the economic, social and environmental issues and the industrialized nation’s rapid revival is crucial for the global economy as a member of OECD, G8 that is appropriately the present G20, besides being the biggest development aid in the world.

I take the opportunity to wish the leaderships and the people of Germany lasting peace and prosperity to share with the rest of the humanity.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

The 64th Session of the UN General Assembly and G-20 Summit

By Padmini Arhant

Welcome to the forum on the important global gathering of nations to discuss the issues confronting the international community at large.

A humble request to all visitors to the website https://www.padminiarhant.com to take a moment and view the featured videos that speaks volume of the serious humanitarian crisis in hand. As we all know that pictures are worth thousand words and a confirmation of the reality.

Again, the visuals may not be appropriate for all, given the graphic content. The dire situations in these parts of the world beckon the worldwide condemnation and put an end to these atrocities against humanity and bring the perpetrators irrespective of stature to justice as an evidence there is still hope for goodness to prevail in the ever deteriorating immoral world.

Please remember silence is the worst act of crime.

The general debate by the United Nations began early this week with President Barack Obama addressing the General Assembly for the first time since elected to the office of Presidency. The debate continued then onwards with the address by the undemocratically nominated authorities like the Islamic Republic of Iran and The Great Socialist People’s Libya…

The UN Security Council Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was the highlight of the UN session. The objective of this particular conference was aimed at bringing the States that have not yet agreed to or ratified the treaty for the Non-Proliferation Treaty to come into effect.

Another attention worthy factor is “the Conference effort to bring together representatives of ratifying States, States Signatories, and States that have not yet signed or ratified the Treaty. They will examine how hold-out States can be brought in to sign and ratify the Treaty for it to come into effect.”

What’s also missing in the effort is to have the covert states like the State of Israel, Iran and North Korea to declare their nuclear capability and quantity to determine the dangers of unaccounted nuclear stockpiles by these nations.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_testing – Thank you.

• Soviet Union: 715 tests (involving 969 devices) by official count,[3] most at Semipalatinsk Test Site and Novaya Zemlya, and a few more at various sites in Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine.

• France: 210 tests by official count (50 atmospheric, 160 underground[4]), 4 atomic atmospheric tests at C.E.S.M. near Reggane, 13 atomic underground tests at C.E.M.O. near In Ekker in the then-French Algerian Sahara, and nuclear atmospheric tests at Fangataufa and nuclear undersea tests Moruroa in French Polynesia. Additional atomic and chemical warfare tests took place in the secret base B2-Namous, near Ben Wenif, other tests involving rockets and missiles at C.I.E.E.S, near Hammaguir, both in the Sahara.

• United Kingdom: 45 tests (21 in Australian territory, including 9 in mainland South Australia at Maralinga and Emu Field, some at Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean, plus many others in the U.S. as part of joint test series)[5]

In 1963, all nuclear and many non-nuclear states signed the Limited Test Ban Treaty, pledging to refrain from testing nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, underwater, or in outer space. The treaty permitted underground nuclear testing. France continued atmospheric testing until 1974, while China continued up until 1980.

The last underground test by the United States was in 1992, the Soviet Union in 1990, the United Kingdom in 1991, and both France and China continued testing until 1996. After adopting the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1996, all of these states have pledged to discontinue all nuclear testing. Non-signatories India and Pakistan last tested nuclear weapons in 1998.

The most recent nuclear test was announced by North Korea on May 25, 2009.

There have been many attempts to limit the number and size of nuclear tests; the most far-reaching was the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty of 1996, which was not ratified by the United States.

Nuclear testing has since become a controversial issue in the United States, with a number of politicians saying that future testing might be necessary to maintain the aging warheads from the Cold War. Because nuclear testing is seen as furthering nuclear arms development, many are also opposed to future testing as an acceleration of the arms race.”

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True Perspective: By Padmini Arhant

In light of the real scenario, it is incumbent on the nuclear powers to follow through what they are prescribing for others in the most contentious issue of WMD that is by far the significant threat to global security in the twenty first century.

The irony behind such ambition is the key members enforcing the ban have not either ratified the treaty solemnly or themselves violated the pledge on numerous occasions with the continual nuclear testing by some not necessarily in their own backyard. Further, the meeting agenda was to move towards a nuclear free world, a phenomenal shift from the past that considered such notion to be naïve and a far-fetched principle in the prolific nuclear and conventional arms race era.

It is also important for the states in possession of nuclear arsenal but not admittedly so like the State of Israel to become the signatory and the rattling sabers like Iran and North Korea to abandon their nuclear status.

Such measure is necessary to ensure the credibility of the authorities exclusively focused on cornering the overt nuclear states unwilling to ratify the NPT on these moral grounds. There are clearly double standards by the twentieth century imperial powers in their dealings on most issues not to mention their reluctance to embrace the new world development and requirements.

Naturally, the dominant nuclear powers’ isolated targeting of the confirmed nuclear states to ratify the NPT is perceived by the respective populations as hypocritical to say the least.

Moving on to other matter pertinent to the UN General Assembly meeting is –

The absolute necessity for the expansion of the present Security Council, conspicuously discarded by the members with the exception of France willing to acknowledge the new memberships with a veto power that were listed earlier on such as Brazil, Japan, India, Germany, South Africa and UAE (The United Arab Emirates).

The existing Security Council performance thus far in most global issues have been a dismal failure due to discord among the member nations and mistrust by the international community, especially with the P5 inadequately measuring up to the global decision making essential to resolve complex international issues.

Unless and until a legitimate resolution to expand the Security Council is carried out in this session, any other proposals regardless of its magnitude are irrelevant, as it would signify the P5 resilience to conform to the rapidly changing global environment besides posing a major impediment for any international progress on all issues.

There are many urgent international crisis deserving the assembled world leaders attention and action.

They range from political, economic, energy, education, humanitarian issues related to women, children and exploited labor, global pandemic and epidemic problems, environment to international security.

Although, the heads of the government from different parts of the world command the center stage with speeches that resonates the sentiments of the regions they represent, the nexus of the meeting relies on the earnest commitment towards international peace, progress and prosperity.

Unfortunately, the nations fail to recognize the individual liabilities accumulated on their part towards their own population in denying them democracy, free and fair elections, equal rights to women, trustworthy regional and global trade partnerships, cross border relationships extending to the other international area and last but not the least respect for the humanitarian laws.

The UN General Assembly in the twenty first century should no longer be the diplomatic congregation dedicated to rhetoric and abstinent in concrete actions. The unique opportunity must be utilized to the full potential by all nations to consolidate ideas and strategies in promoting regional and world peace possible upon addressing the few of the many burgeoning crisis.

The first and foremost – Freedom and Democracy in Palestine, Afghanistan, Iran and other parts of the Middle East, Tibet, Mainland and ethnic provinces in China, Burma, North Korea,

Emancipation of ethnic Tamils from the brutal genocide in Sri Lanka, Civil liberties in war ravaged Africa,

Restoration of democratic rule in Honduras and other parts of Latin America and,

Law and order in nuclear Pakistan to list a few as the priorities among the world political crisis.

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The G-20 Summit: BY Padmini Arhant

With respect to the G-20 summit, the selective nations view should encompass the rest of the world dependent on the elitists’ economic policies and environmental decisions interrelated to eliminate poverty in the impoverished regions of Africa, Latin America, Asia, notwithstanding the unemployment plight among the middle and lower income groups in the Western world.

Whether or not the summit involves the global economic challenges including the environmental issues, the consensus should be to provide pragmatic solutions to the entire world through reform and restructuring of the different economic and world agencies such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, WTO, ILO (International Labor Organization) and review of the G-20 role in the economic recovery plan.

In this aspect, the anomalies in the trade surpluses and deficits between economic powers must be effectively resolved for global benefits rather than the personal gains of the premier membership committee.

There is enormous work required to combat the global economic woes having a ripple effect as seen in the finance sector, housing market, international trade, manufacturing demanding desperate regulations to avert catastrophes in the future.

In the environmental front, the universal green revolution is paramount for lasting life sustenance on the planet. The United States energy and environmental policy in leading the G-20 nations is vital to achieve the targeted environmental goals.

Various economic treaties between nations due for a thorough review and evaluation at the summit to improve the labor laws, ethics and industrial obligations essential to expedite the sluggish global economy and contain the environmental degradation.

Finally, the UN General Assembly and the G-20 summit are worthwhile with the global community engaged in harmony rather than acrimony to confront the humanitarian crises at all levels for the universal cause.

On that note, every United Nations and G-20 member visit as well as the non-member nations’ participation is appreciated not barring their interest and contribution to the myriad of international achievements thus far.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

P.S. The featured videos contain graphic content that may not be suitable for all.

The Media Hypocrisy

By Padmini Arhant

The Sly Fox

Old fables have many animal characters to teach moral lessons to the human species presumed ‘intellectually superior’ than others in the animal kingdom. One of the reasons for such categorization is the apparent ‘discriminative power’ of humans over other living species.

Among many interesting legends, the ‘bushy tail’ Fox has an unparallel reputation to be cunning and conniving in conduct blended with aggression against its targets. The distinctive characteristics is symbolic of the cowardice and malice towards the ‘King of the Jungle,’ the gracious and the Majestic Lion as well as those sharing the general good values.

The Fox portrayed as never affable to the surroundings and constantly engaged in wicked behavior to be the center of the universe.

In most fairy tales, the Fox approaches the jungle inhabitants as the savior or a problem solver, although incapable of being neither due to the innate abhorrence to accept anyone except oneself. Alas, a fox being a fox is unable to stay long in ‘sheep’s’ clothing, revealed despite the convincing act to mesmerize the spectators.

The favorite prey for the Fox is the tiny chickens tripping on the trail while following the mother hen. When the Fox confronted by the intellect of the Rabbit, the Owl or His Majesty, the Lion it retreats to the ‘Bushes’ as it finds the thickets a safe haven for its own survival suggesting,

Birds of a feather flock together.

How does the Fox fair among the characters in the imaginary world?

Awful. Since its mere existence is to ambush the innocent beings in the environment through vicious plots and despicable means carried out with vengeance, only to be later mortified with the exclusive title – the ‘Sly Fox’ proving the end justifies the means.

To shed light on the human superiority complex from the possession of the ‘so-called’ discriminative power, it is conspicuous in none other than politics and certain media focused on the truth assassination. A popular tactic that exploits the ‘discriminative quality’ in self-defense and protest against the inner voice from within called the ‘conscience.’ They usually aim at the truth and the truth seekers as they perform the hatchet job for the groups hiring them.

Nevertheless, the ‘Truth’ like the man’s moustache and the woman’s pregnancy cannot remain an indefinite secret. Although, some have temporarily prevailed in the burial of the immortal ethical element through abusive power and false propaganda in the communications media, the gory findings on the earth’s surface beckon attention and appropriate action.

A specific news media obsession to slander, character defamation and determination to eliminate people and organizations deserve a fair analysis. The selective scapegoats deceitfully projected as the potential threat to the society and vilifying them beyond reparation in the name of journalism more aptly adapting to the fundamentalism of the worst feared organization and networks in the global security.

As for those following the norm in typecasting to signify unanimity while ignoring objectivity, reflect the lack of caliber in the mass media supposedly the essence of democracy.

Lately, the news network renowned to be the epicenter for clichéd controversies unveiled the scandal involving the long darted community organization ACORN. According to the contrived and calculated video release by the disguised agents unethically presenting them as the bait to the organizations’ ill-experienced staff members in few locations created pandemonium, forcing the lawmakers, otherwise the conscientious legislators deeply concerned about morality and justice to withdraw funding to the organization that has primarily dedicated the lifetime service to humanity.

ACORN is not new to the media witch-hunt as it was initially tied to the alleged fraudulent ‘voter registrations’ during the 2008 Presidential election campaign.

The past week highlight was on another incident related to etiquettes in the public arena. The media buzz attracted to the decoy by the attention seeking rapper artist Kanye West in his immature and unprofessional display on stage undermining the special moment of the country musician and star, Taylor Swift, offered the momentous glory to the artist at the center of the entertainment climax.

Again, those who failed to join the national media frenzy on this unfortunate gimmick spotted and branded as a ‘racist’ and ‘biased’ against country musicians. It didn’t end there.

The callousness by the moral ethicists rose to the occasion –

When the event related to the atrocities against foreign students exclusively reported on the website in the absence of any interest by the sprawling news media and networks, it was concluded as the author’s nationalist view associated with ethnicity. Incidentally the majority victims happened to be Indian Nationals allowing the ‘ethnic’ connotation with the website www.padminiarhant.com author, editor and publisher for the desperate critics. Meanwhile forgetting self-hypocrisy in the alienation of the author as an American.

Regardless of the severity of the incident in the nation down under, Australia upheld as the ‘industrialized FIRST WORLD’ order –

Where the people of BROWN and BLACK COLOR in the twenty first century hunted down by the certain hooligan youth population motivated by hate crimes attacking victims traveling by public transport and in the privacy of their homes with petrol bombs and other life threatening arsenals marginalized by the provocative cable network as “BIG DEAL.” Slighting the serious schoolyard bullying and racial harassment in the rebuttal to the Kanye West charade.

When the media hype on issues varies based on commercial ratings, the journalism reaches the lowest ebb.

By the way, the victims have not seen the end of the racial attacks in Australia as it persists until date having permeated to other fields such as medicine. This time reportedly the incident involved a doctor from Mainland China along with the Nigerian Male Nurse invited by the unruly elements mature enough to understand the facts of life but ignorant on humanitarian values, brutally hurt when called on to attend to a fake emergency at a wild house party.

Should the victims’ families dismiss the crime as a ‘NO BIG DEAL’ incident in accordance with the specific cable media professional civic rule?

Somehow, the critics failed to observe that the vigilant website also did not report on the International Bollywood Star Sharukh Khan’s humiliating experience with airport security at the International Airport, Newark, New Jersey during the star’s visit to the United States that was widely covered by the national, international media and the cyberspace.

Does it mean that I do not like Sharukh Khan’s movies or think any less of the internationally acclaimed artist?

Celebrities in politics and the entertainment field have media hovering over them to report on activities pertaining to every moment of their private and public life. However, the unknown average citizen plight is newsworthy dependent on the demography, geography and commercial value.

If the cable network dominant in partisan politics and polarizing views discard the racial atrocity in Australia and the ridicule of the International Super Star, Sharukh Kahn, they are discerning in the coverage omission. The network with subsidiary “Star Plus” raking profits in millions of dollars from the affluent and expanding middle-income Indian population can chose to be discriminatory irrespective of the financial gains from the Indian market.

Nevertheless, it is unacceptable when one of their targets stick with the rare self-imposed ideals to lend a voice to the voiceless. The Indian viewers are surely getting the respect and gratitude for their business by the Parent Company with such hypocrisy.

The irony is, the cable network relentless disparaging remarks against the President of the United States and the endless criticisms to the extent of inciting violence towards individuals standing up against injustice, tyranny and undemocratic principles accepted as a normal media entertainment, while the alternative source such as the website dedicated to humanitarian cause placed on radar for incendiary assaults.

The dangerous intimidation techniques by the network masquerading the past eight years phenomenal humanitarian crimes ominously visible in the list of casualties succumbed to the media instigated action viz.

The tragic shooting of DR. George Tiller repeatedly referred to as ‘DR. Baby Killer’ by the irresponsible news anchor. On May 31, 2009 DR. George Tiller shot dead…WICHITA, Kansas.

Then the resignation by the bright and the articulate Van Jones, the White House appointee for Green Jobs and,

Now the genuine community organization ACORN’s forty years exemplary record in helping the poor and the needy unethically substituted with the isolated inappropriate business practices.

Contrarily, events worse than ACORN scandals were a routine with the private contractors and the major corporations such as Halliburton and KBR hired during the Iraq and Afghanistan war by the previous administration. They are no longer an ethical issue even though the widespread scandals continue to be a national embarrassment until date.

As for the voter registration fraud by ACORN, the media, the networks and the legislators’ amnesia in this respect is prominent when the democratic election in 2000 ended being a proclamation by the highest court on the land demonstrating political favors to the candidate of their choice. Likewise, the 2004 Ohio results manipulated and recalibrated by the then winning party’s political machine owned by DEBOLT, recently acquired by the company’s competitor.

The treatment of ACORN by the venerable network and alliances suggests that what happened then with the stolen elections in the year 2000 and 2004 are a spectacular ingenuity qualifying for the Nobel Prize equivalent in excellence. Simultaneously, the overzealous ACORN volunteers alleged fraudulent voter registration statistics by far negligible in comparison to the undermining of democracy in the previous eight long years, reverberates in the airwaves and talk shows as an epic to remember in the future.

The difference being, ACORN has fired the employees responsible for the scandals and Kanye West apologized three times during his appearance on the late night show hosted by Jay Leno.

Whereas, the nation and the families of the victims of illegal Iraq war, the torture chamber captives held indefinitely with no evidence of crimes and the list continues…are still waiting for an apology and due moral and monetary compensation from the illicit operatives in the past eight years.

Interestingly, the uproar to write off ACORN as a scandalous organization not worthy of taxpayer contribution and Kanye West’ misstep never missed in the monologues or ‘Pinhead’ profiles.

At the same time, the taxpayers bankruptcy from the financial bailouts to AIG and oligarchs preceded by the decorated unscrupulous practices by the Bush administration in the national issues ranging from economic, political to international warfare elegantly forgiven and forgotten for the sake of “One Nation” not under God but ruling demagoguery. This is just a mere sample of the gross injustice in the land of justice.

The above references are a few of the First amendment vehement abuse by the exalted network. Regrettably, the cable network prolific vitriol against other members in the society accepted as the ‘normal entertainment’ confirmed by the network’s hyperbolic ratings in their showdown with the counterparts.

Finally, the website www.padminiarhant.com , is pledged towards local and world events never reported or under reported by the profit oriented commercial media and networks. The website resiliently and proudly remains committed to defend the defenseless on the planet.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

International Affairs

BY Padmini Arhant

Japan’s General Election

Congratulations! to the DPJ (Democratic Party of Japan) leader, and the recently sworn in Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama of Japan.

The DPJ’s landslide victory in the general election held on August 30, 2009 is an auspicious beginning for the land of the rising sun in breaking the long political tradition held with the LDP, the Liberal Democratic Party due to its failure on both the political stability and economic growth.

Japan‘s economic revival is crucial for the global economy and the new administration’s economic policy to stimulate the national economy is yet to be presented. The new government’s effort to address the social-economic issue in the agriculture and manufacturing is progressive. Nevertheless, Japan being one of the largest Capital economy and having suffered major setbacks in the finance sector shares the common economic woes i.e. the economic contraction and a relatively higher unemployment rate.

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama’s political strategy to clean up the familiar bureaucratic ties between the government and the private sector largely responsible for the lack of accountability factor experienced in market economies bolstered the opportunity to win the general election.

The new Prime Minister’s vision for Japan is promising and utilizing the substantial political capital is vital for the expected economic recovery besides being relevant in addressing the universal matters viz. energy, environment and peace.

In terms of the persistent threat from the North Korean leadership, the Japanese population concerns against national security are justified. It leads towards the urgency to expand the United Nations Security Council’s permanent membership as suggested earlier from P5 to P11 during the general debate scheduled later this week at the 64th session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. The measure is prudent to contain the lingering dangers on international security with nuclear proliferation, global terrorism and escalation of wars in the vulnerable regions.

Further, the United Nation Security Council expansion will provide additional leaderships required to confront the global requirements that are not limited to the economy. Such action is a step in the right direction and yields flexibility in resolving multitude international issues presently differed due to the lack of necessary support from within the existing memberships.

On that note, Best Wishes offered to the new Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama for a successful term and even more prosperous Japan.

From: Padmini Arhant
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Re-Election of the European Union President

Congratulations! to the President José Manuel Barroso initially representing the Portuguese Republic on the re-election to the EU Commission.

The appointment of José Manuel Barroso as President of the European Commission for the second five-year term signifies the Commission President’s popularity and confidence in the center-right leadership among the EU members.

Hopefully, the drive to center-right agenda apart from the European political integration will also include accountability, trade partnerships with the other EU members and the outside world, notwithstanding the social, peaceful and democratic policies essential for the invitees’ lateral advancement in the united Europe.

Although, the EU President Barroso welcoming other nations to become EU members is honorable, the eastern bloc countries like the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and others in that region deserve equal attention and opportunity in trade relationships, economic ties, political stability and regional security to ensure each and every nation’s significance in the world performance.

President Barroso’s invitation to nations all over Europe to join the European Union is a magnanimous gesture and a symbolic movement to solidify Europe, an important ally to the rest of the world.

Since the formation of the European Union, the EU progress has been substantial in all major fronts from the regional economy, the environment to the cross border security in the least respect. Given the EU potential in different dynamics, its full-fledged participation for global peace and economic prosperity is pertinent to expedite the positive transformation in the impoverished regions of the world.

The European Union together with the United States and other economic powers in Asia and Latin America can consolidate efforts, work towards the common goal of improving the lives of millions living below the poverty line, and assist the vast population deprived of freedom and basic human rights.

Even though, the NATO involvement in Afghanistan in spite of considerable casualties is praiseworthy, the present disproportionate economic and defense burden on the United States to restore law and order, otherwise normalcy in Afghanistan could be equally shared by all EU members not in a combative format, but rather through logistic support and financial aid to the war ravaged Afghanistan.

However, the EU role in the current controversial Afghan election has been tremendous and the findings reflect the fair and non-partisan decision by the panel conforming to the United Nations and other international political watchdog groups’ report on the election outcome.

The latest report on the Europe’s economic recovery is refreshing despite the gloomy global unemployment forecast rising from 8.6% to a possible 10% in the immediate future. In addition, the strengthening of the Euro currency against the U.S. dollar has exacerbated the problems for export-oriented nations like Germany, France and Italy in the large-scale production of consumer goods and other demands. A robust stimulus economic policy addressing the synonymous issues faced by the United States in the financial, housing and manufacturing sectors should resuscitate the ailing components in the economy.

Finally, Europe’s solidarity shared with the remaining global members would ease the economic costs and increase the viability in meeting the enormous challenges for humanity.

I wish the European Union peace and success in all endeavors to benefit mankind.

Thank you.

Padmini “Arhant

The Noise Pollution

By Padmini Arhant

The blogpost on the “Aftermath of 9/11 including the global economy and international security’ rescheduled for publication. Meanwhile, the news media and press coverage with incendiary remarks and vitriolic comments by certain entities against the specific target as the ‘truthers’ and the ‘blogger in anonymity’ urgently required to be placed in true perspective.

It’s obvious from the news articles that the preachers do not necessarily practice their doctrine on morality, equality, civility and decency to say the least. While demanding decorum from the victim of gender, race, religion and ethnicity biased attacks, these oligarchs brandishing the swords not to slain the truth tellers but indeed the truth itself.

The venom spewed in the local and major newspaper articles need dissection, because it is nothing but a concoction of personal theories layered with bizarre and intellectually lacking assumptions suggesting their own poor representations of the topic and personnel. Surprisingly, one among them ruthlessly accusing the ’10 percent vocal minority’ for the unfamiliar and unpopular self owned obscure websites and its miserable failure to attract traffic among the billion surfers on the cyberspace.

The objectionable content from the authors strongly indicate their characteristics and i.e. When things don’t fare well for them, rather than addressing the self-deficiencies they find a scapegoat preferably the diametrically opposite character to camouflage their fictional work. It is no surprise to view the isolation of the individual they aim at and their preposterous justification in demanding the ousting of personalities displaying courage to unveil the public related facts.

It’s time to shed light on the contentious issues highlighted in these articles.

The assertions by one of the leading daily columnist, also a contributor to a major cable news network that specializes in character defamation of the public with different political views, are:

The former administration falsely accused of being responsible for the 9/11 tragedy and framing the subject to have disgracefully ignored the plight of the 9/11 victims and their families. Hence, the author using the prerogative to disdain the accused with distortions of the blog post material regarding –

‘The previous administration taking the nation to war on false pretences’ when the particular reference was to the Iraq war, as globally known in the absence of any Weapons of Mass destruction,.’

What did the author, the news anchor and some talk show hosts of the specific cable news network do on the particular day of posting the blogpost, i.e. Friday September 11, 2009?

They cleverly distracted the American public by connecting the comment to the 9/11 event despite no mention of September 11, 2009 in that statement.

Furthermore, the author makes use of the citation of the Industrial contamination by the multinational companies such as the Union Carbide poisonous gas leakage disaster in Bhopal, India in the blogpost titled ‘Capitalism alias Communism’ and steer in the direction implicating the accused of polarizing the society playing the race card.

Last but not the least; the author proudly classifies the victim of political propaganda in the category of ‘Holocaust Denier” and a nonsympathizer of the September 11, event.

The irony in this instance is ominously revealing…

The author in the grand slandering of the victim blatantly accuses the subject to be the denier of the two most horrific crimes against humanity with no shred of evidence in any material presented thus far on the website.

Simultaneously the author reserves the right to the slight and dismissal of the worst Industrial genocide with irrecoverable consequences in human history that took place in Bhopal, India as an environmental incident in the ‘Third World.’

In addition, the utter disregard for the ‘Holocaust’ taking place by the hour in Sudan, Palestine in the form of oppression and illegal settlements, Iraq through illegal invasion and Afghanistan as the major failure warfare clearly suggests the author’s stance that the loss of lives from these atrocities are just and dispensable. Again conveniently forgetting that the world events affect the United States as it’s not in a parallel universe but instead a part of the planet.

When these entities overwhelmed with arrogance, discriminate between human lives based on race, religion and creed they fail to recognize that their ideology is no different from the terrorists’ fundamentalism.

Some individuals behold themselves above the human category to the extent of being invincible and stretch to any length in the character assassination of the noble souls defiant to any form of undemocratic and unethical oppression in the society.

Interestingly, these demagogues having prevailed in the past with the behavioral pattern remain frozen in time in terms of historic events and the general environment. Their knowledge often insular and limited as they refuse to look beyond their enclave and therefore paralyzed to the pain and suffering endured by the vast inhabitants on the planet stemming from their complicity to humanitarian crimes and criminal conduct.

It’s important for these overzealous defense counsels to realize that the verbal assaults against the genuinely concerned voices would reverberate making their effort futile and counterproductive.
Another noteworthy factor in that article was – the highlighting of the eligibility to the ‘White House’ high profile position, which is not only presumptuous but also elevating thyself as the ‘Supreme authority’ in the universe. Amazingly, these entities flex muscles regardless of them being in power or not.

As for the article written to presumably protecting the ‘Internet from blogger anonymity.’ the suggestions vary from internet censorship to condemnation of the ‘vocal minority’ squarely blamed for the suppression of the ‘apparently’ outstanding 90 percent majority. The article calls the blogger’s position hateful, cowardly…and squarely blames the blogger for the ‘minority’ dominance over the asserted ‘majority.’

Such character defamation is ‘hypocritical.’ By referring to the blogger as a ‘minority’ multiple times, the ignorance combined with the exceeding idiosyncrasy reflected in the article.

First, the blogger being the member of the human race, the term ‘minority’ deflects the reference.

Second, the female gender perceived as the ‘minority’ by the narrow minds voided by the planetary equal gender ratio, an act of Mother Nature to curb the superiority among the human race and lastly,

If the ‘minority’ remark laced with ethnicity or religious denomination, then the second most populous nation on earth India has at least one billion Hindus on the planet, which by no measure is a minority.

With respect to the ‘hateful’ and ‘cowardly’ characterizations, the appropriate response is ‘look within and find yourself.’ In the finger pointing, it’s not uncommon to overlook the remaining fingers’ direction.

A demand to reveal the identity responded to earlier on. Besides, it confirms the authors’ belligerence towards anyone not sharing the contemptuous outlook. That must explain the unpopularity of the complainant’s website.

Since, the birth certificate demanded of the ‘President of the United States,’ other ‘minority’ members in the society are a fair game to the charade.

Sadly, those who voluntarily submit to denigrate the ‘minority’ humanitarians are the ones posing to be the problems instead of being the solutions in the society.

No political threats, maneuvers and manipulations will alter the positions of those who stand firm against injustice, inequalities and irrationality. Humanitarians are never afraid to hold an unpopular position, if that is what is necessary. None other than the history is testimony to this effect.

Truth and Honesty, oxymoron in politics are the prime casualties during the war and election.

The nation that takes pride in the Bill of Rights, denial of the First Amendment to all via internet censorship or other communication media is a direct violation of the constitutional right and justifiably makes the propagandists place themselves as ‘Communists’ or “Militia” advocates by default.

The noise pollution is the least concern of the ‘self-proclaimed’ moralists who flagrantly look for flaws
in those dedicated to cleaning the environment.

Finally, the quote from the genius mind aptly summarize the ‘minority subject’s’ purpose.

FROM THE VENERABLE Albert Einstein –

“Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others…for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.”

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Written by Padmini Arhant · Filed Under Ethics, Featured, United States | Leave a Comment 

U.S. Dilemma on Afghanistan

September 1, 2009

By Padmini Arhant

Subsequent to the comprehensive layout on Afghanistan’s Status quo on this site, titled ‘Afghanistan War and Election,’ August 21, 2009 under Politics – International section, the situation reported to be deteriorating in two different aspects, the war and the controversial election results.

With respect to the eight-year-old war – the insurgency is the calculated guerilla warfare, the page taken from Vietnam era and the terrorist tactic to stymie the Western forces equipped with modern weaponry.

The recruits comprising the natives and foreigners vulnerable to terrorists’ fundamentalism carefully chosen to endure the extreme conditions…serve as a huge advantage for the insurgency against the U.S. and NATO alliance.

Furthermore, the volatile political environment from the recent Afghan elections fraught with widespread corruption and voter fraud creating uncertainties and exacerbating the Western backed government’s credibility, again likely favorable to the Taliban militants.

Amidst chaos and carnage, the civilian populations are the victims and potential targets for the militants’ disingenuous appeasement, exploiting the turmoil to their political and militaristic gains.

Solutions: The ideal strategy for the U.S. and NATO to turn the situation around in the long embroiled battle is to focus exclusively on combat operation with the existing troop level.

It is important to remember that the war in Afghanistan is no longer a unilateral commitment by the United States. Despite the NATO involvement in the on-going military conflict and suffering immense casualties along with the United States, the international community must realize that the rise of Taliban and Al Qaeda’s refuge in that region will continue to remain the biggest threat to global security.

In light of the dynamic shift in the ceaseless war, the rest of the world has equal responsibility in restoring the embattled nation towards ‘normalcy’ with a generous financial contribution and logistic support. It’s rather unreasonable to burden the United States with the constant supply of resources in the form of troops and financial investments.

Any additional troops requirement should be supplemented with the globally represented U.N. Peacekeeping force brought to the region to protect civilian lives and interests. The deployment should also be the oversight for construction and repair of infrastructure, schools, hospitals, community centers with global aid directly invested in the civilian welfare.

In this context, it’s best to recognize that the U.N. peace keeping force would be more effective with army personnel sharing and not contrasting the socioeconomic backgrounds to overcome language and cultural barriers when dealing with the local populace in the villages and remote corners of the nation.

Under no circumstances, it should be outsourced to private enterprise such as the notorious Blackwater, now operating as Xe “pronounced like the letter ‘z,’” marred with civilian killings in Iraq and disturbing accounts in Afghanistan. In fact, such recruits have been a major threat to the locals and proven a liability to the United States in Iraq and now in Afghanistan.

Political stalemate in the national election: Although, the incumbent President Hamid Karzai is reportedly leading in the highly contested national election, the reality confirms otherwise. According to the international political watchdog groups and other reliable sources, the election results do not reflect the democratic process due to excessive power abuse by the government seeking re-election against the political challengers.

The people of Afghanistan like their fellow global citizens, deserve free and fair elections. Although, such notion widely scorned for personal motive by the demographically complex social hierarchy, the demand is justified to begin the end of the corrupt bureaucracy and the political structure.

Hence, the false victory by the ruling political faction and the head of the government not legitimized as the democratically elected leadership. Since, Afghanistan needs to invest the scarce resources in the reconstruction and economic development, the runoff election is not a prudent choice.

Therefore, the unity between the two major political candidates President Hamid Karzai and DR. Abdullah Abdullah for a coalition government is paramount to move the war torn nation forward into the twenty first century goals. Ignoring the society’s plight for political aspirations would be detrimental to any kind of progress, personal and public.

When leadership stands the test of time against all odds, it enhances the nation’s fortitude. Leaving the thought behind, the expectation from the Afghan political leaders is to prioritize the national peace, prosperity and future above all.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

Written by Padmini Arhant · Filed Under Featured, International Politics, Politics | Leave a Comment