October 7, 2023 will remain with me a horrid memory no less than 9/11 or similar incidents where people of MY faith, sorry, people who HIJACKED my faith (Islam), which in THIS case was Hamas (had been ISIS, Al Qaeda and others in the past). What Hamas did on that day begs any words in any human language, attacking innocent civilians, going into their houses, murdering, raping, plundering and also beheading babies! Words fail me as I seethe in anger, this is not the Islam I learned from my parents! This is in fact so inhuman that it needs to be condemned in the strongest possible language and the perpetrators and planners of this animal-like act need to face justice.

What hurts me the most as a peace activist who has all his life written and spoken on creating brotherhood and sisterhood between all humans, including the Israelis and Palestinians, in short, Hamas in ONE blow has hurt the Palestinians more than anyone else on this entire planet. Their actions on October 7, 2023, have all but sealed any hope of betterment for the Palestinian people. So if anyone is concerned about what is happening to Palestinians right now as 1.2 million are asked to leave in a few hours by Israel PLEASE BLAME HAMAS for it! What would anyone in their right mind expect Israel to do than what it has done or will do? A people who lost 6 million of theirs in the Holocaust now face hatred that denies basic human traits, what else would they do than what they are?

While I still remain an optimist for peace in that region as per my article posted on Medium, I feel Hamas has done an infinite amount of damage to the Palestinian cause as well as to the Islamic faith. 

Also read at the Medium

If speaking for the right of the Jewish people to exist with respect, prosperity and safety makes me a “Zionist”, well then, so be it! Read on…

I have taught leadership and negotiations for around 25 years, and have, with curiosity, applied those concepts in real life, with mixed results. Speaking of the Israel and Palestine conflict and the recent horror we have all witnessed, I think it would be pertinent to study a chronology of the conflict from 1947 till 2023, the brutal, inhumane terrorist attack by Hamas on innocent civilians, and Israel’s expected reaction, my rational treatise on the subject may come across as a breath of fresh air given my very obvious baggage, a Muslim from Pakistan (a country, like many others in Asia and Africa, known for rampant antisemitism, which I personally find heartbreaking given my perception of the Muslims and Jews as “cousins” due a myriad of commonalities at so many levels.)

From the France24 article, I gather the following as the root cause of the conflict. In 1947, Holocaust survivors boarded the “Exodus” and came into the then British-controlled Palestinian territory, a UN special committee proposed a partitioning of the land, approximately 56% of Palestine for a Jewish state and 44% for an Arab state. Palestinian representatives rejected the plan while their Jewish counterparts went for it. This is where one can find the root of the conflict, the constant refusal by the Arab inhabitants of that region to agree to the formation of a state for the Jewish people.

Now, truth be told, whilst Muslims have 50 majority countries, and the Christians have 158 majority countries, the Jewish people had, until the formation of the State of Israel, not one place they could call home. Thus had the Arabs of that region the foresight or let’s say even the basic humane extinct of being kind to the Jewish people by sharing their land with them with happiness this conflict would have never even occurred.

I often call the Jewish people the “great grandfathers” of the Islamic and Christian faiths, think about it, the teachings and history mentioned in the Torah are integral for the most part in the Bible and the Quran, among the believers of the Abrahamic faiths, who would disagree with the 10 Commandments?

But it wasn’t religion that propelled this conflict, it was land, a land that provided sustenance, bore fruits and food but was also of religious significance to all Abrahamic religions and has a special mention in the “end of days” as different as their perception is in the three faiths.

Fast forward to 2023 and we see the conflict reach a level that few could have predicted, as it intensifies, it begs the question, can there still be a humane end in sight for both parties? Being a diehard optimist I think a win/win end is plainly and squarely possible. So let me volunteer my solution. The people of Palestine have, in my view, 2 alternates, provided the Government of Israel agrees to the idea.

First, that small stretch of land can be “bought” by the Israelis and the Palestinians can be relocated to Jordan or Egypt (or Iran, after all if they can fund Hamas can’t they take a few million refugees?) If the idea appeals to the Israelis and the price is good I am sure all three abovementioned nations would welcome their now cash-rich Palestinian “brothers and sisters” with open arms!

Let’s say the Palestinians insist on staying where they are, or Israel refuses to buy, we still have a second option, Israel can demarcate a fair and reasonable border, allocate land to the Palestinians, and let a trusted third party manage the security aspects of Palestine. Who might that be? I would say NATO, the UN, or the US, any of these can control the security aspects of Palestine, from airports to border control, policing, and so forth so there is zero escalation probability. The Israelis can pay in part for the same as that would also assure their safety and security. I am 100% sure if such a solution were to be implemented the cash-rich Arab nations who are also friendly with Israel, would step in to rebuild Palestine!

There is a third suggestion I have, the Jewish people have had it rough for centuries in the hands of other Abrahamic faiths, perhaps it is time they are owed an unconditional apology by the Christians and Muslims for centuries of mistreatment.

On my part, as a Muslim, I apologize to every single Jewish person on this planet for what they’ve suffered at the hands of Muslims, until October 8, 2023. You deserved better and it’s time the world finally feels your pain.

As the conflict ensues different sides are exploiting it to their ends, the Russians and their allies are using it as a distraction from their occupation of Ukraine, their President, Volodymyr Zelensky spelled it out in so many words, saying the Gaza war “furthers Russian aims.” There are other benefactors and beneficiaries of this conflict, there is money to be made every time there is a conflict, there are religious ideologies fulfilled, and a conflict between nations in today’s day and age is often not as simple as it appears to the naked eye.

I can only hope my words fall on the ears of people. My faith in a solution stems from good people on both sides. One such person is Dr Jacob Ablin, a doctor treating the wounded in Israel, including Hamas terrorists. He treats them like any other patient, knowing they are his and his people’s sworn enemies, and when asked he said:

“It’s like a no-brainer as far as I’m concerned. This is what we do. This is my profession… It’s not my job to punish people. I think those people should be punished in the harshest way possible, but not by me”

With such amazing people around I will never lose hope for peace in that part of the world… thank you for reading, and if you like what you just read please help my words go far and wide, till they make a difference.

Dr CrystalHeart, Founder of WomenAreVotes

From the brutal and animal like invasion of Ukraine by Putin or Wagner’s crash, to the killing of young Sara Sharif in England, humans have proven less human and more animal-like, here’s why and also, how to get humans back on the road to humanity…

If you’re like most people, you want to “get to the bottom of it” so I’ve divided this into sections (headings) that you can jump to at will, though caveat emptor, I would advise a sequential approach, but some people just don’t have the patience, or are too judgmental or self-absorbed to follow a natural flow!

It all starts with a dream: a short summary

To lay out a globally acceptable perhaps disruptive framework for a perfect, sustainable world where the people on this planet are finally safe, healthy, and prosperous, with a robust set of rules and laws enforced using technology and a global police force to give everyone the right to the pursuit of happyness as outlined in the US constitution along with its first amendment freedom of speech, ending exploitation of other humans, nature and animals to the extent humanly possible. And then, sell the idea to you, the people of this planet!

1. Introduction
2. How did we get here?
3. Why is migration the unseen elephant in the room?
4. How do we get to a better place?

1 Introduction

Having spent two decades teaching Business Owners, Corporate Professionals, and non-profits leadership, communication, positive attitude, team building, and other “soft” skills, I learned long ago to believe in the impossible, because that word exists in our minds! Inventors and pioneers through the ages have proven us wrong, from the world’s flat days, the dark ages, and whatever not this planet has endured to a somewhat more liveable version of this planet (though far from ideal on so many counts) as we see today.

I couldn’t think of a simpler and more relevant title for this post, if you wish to read my past writings, they’re stowed away at BlahBlah; some are actually fun! The starting point was my thought process, I never could get myself to blindly follow any ideology, faith, or concept or accept rules thrust upon me without once attempting to understand and challenge them with an open mind. Surprise! Billions on this planet do NOT do it! They just blindly accept what their forefathers, friends, government, or “fellow countrymen” or “fellow faith or ideology followers” tell them. A recent distinction is between Wikipedia and AI, both attempting to provide a more rational and historical view of the same things, whether people believe them or not is another matter.

I have been writing for almost two decades, especially after 9/11 as I was born in a country and a faith (Pakistan & Islam, trust me due no fault of mine) both of whom were at center stage at that time for all the wrong reasons (which weren’t so wrong after all) — I tried to build bridges and clarify misconceptions (to the Rotaries besides tons of counterproductive arguments on social media often with people of the same or similar nation/faith that often resulted in abuse and dire threats to my life and person) but not with a great deal of success as the baggage of being a Pakistani and a Muslim is a motherlode and myriad of perceptions any decent human can do well without. Yet I carried on, despite abuse and life threats by individuals and even officials, to the point of being persona non grata in my place of birth! What crime of mine except to act as if I was an American born instead entitled to the First Amendment, the right to free speech! Something sadly not upheld in at least 80% of the planet we live in, South America, Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe — a long list.

So it was a question of time that took me to the realization of the obvious, we live in two worlds on this planet. One (for the most part) where human rights, respect, and dignity are valued and upheld (“the free west” the US, UK, EU, Australia, NZ, and to a lesser extent South Korea, Singapore & Japan, some parts of MidEast) regardless of color, faith, gender, class, tribe, education, etc and the other where the exact opposite holds true i.e. people are widely and freely discriminated for the same reasons! Interestingly the word racism has been used for decades connoting a white vs. the rest view of it. In my personal experience and observation, I found it to be completely untrue! I found people of the same color, race, faith, etc. mistreat each other beyond your wildest imagination. Please read the above line again and let it sink in, if reason allows! And if not then think WHY is there so much pressure from the latter part of the world to migrate to the “free West” — if reason allows you to answer so reasonably?

2 How did we get here?

Easy! Just read human history, from tribes to religions to empires to as of now nation states, whether or not democratic in letter or spirit: just how many different forms of indoctrination have we suffered (or accepted) on this planet? Each with its own baggage, its own set of rules and doctrines that haunt us with hate and discrimination for the most part. A feeling, and worse, the belief of superiority and power given to us at birth, for, if you ask me, the wrong reasons. For those who believe in the Unseen, how could any God out there choose one and hate the rest of His/Her creations? It makes no sense to me, or anyone with a logical head on their shoulders! Ask yourself:

• How could Volvo, GM, Ford, Mercedes, BM, Porsche, Rolls, Bentley, Pizza Hut, PF Chang, M&S, and others endorse one of their products by demeaning or creating hate for their other products?
• How could a University or Institution praise one student at the expense of vilification of others?
• How could an organization praise one Manager at the expense of demeaning others?
• How could a newspaper or blog praise one of their stories and claim the rest are bogus?
• How could a God love one kind of His or Her creations and hate the rest?

It makes no sense to me! Does it to you? Reason notwithstanding? Or just a blind faith in a thousands of years old scripture followed blindly? Why?

Well, that’s one of the reasons we got here! The other is the powerful who used (read: abused) religion, nation-state, patriotism, etc. to infuse their people with hatred for those they had a conflict with. To this day we see it in action: just open the news and you shall see a divisive world craftily divided! For some the aim is power, for others it’s commercial, but the end result is the same. A world that’s far more imperfect and imbalanced on so many counts than it should be.

In short, one rather small part of the world we live in has access to a good life, which I define as equality in every sense of the word, rule of law, good governance (overall not necessarily perfect), healthcare, education, and so on, the other part lacks these graphically, why else do organizations like the UN exist? What if I may ask is the reason behind the 17 Sustainable Goals of the UN? Why do so many charities and human rights organizations exist? Why are there so many comparative organizations that benchmark different nations on different yardsticks, and so many nations rank dismally on basic parameters of human and societal needs?

3 Why is migration the unseen elephant in the room?

An obvious result of an imbalanced world is reflected in migration to greener pastures known by many names such as the free world, the West, developed nations, and so forth, comprising as earlier stated the US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia, and NZ with South Korea, Japan, Singapore and some in the MidEast on the fringes. The pressure is so immense that these “greener pasture nations” have put a lot of controls on immigration, which results in people exploiting their migration policies using fraud or simply risking their lives and even dying as we saw in the recent disaster off Italian waters, certainly not the first, and logically not the last. People leave like sheep, from an unsafe to a safer area, to the extent they can possibly “make it.”

This leads to another issue: a blatant and clearly obvious lack of integration of some migrants in host nations. While some migrants assimilate, there are many who do not, creating silos of their culture, traditions, and faith in the host nations. Now some of the people who migrate are from, may I say, “compatible” nations where faith, culture, values, etc. are similar and hence are easily assimilated. Not every though. What is appalling is that some migrant groups, despite equal treatment and access to opportunities expect even more! These are often people whose nations have been overtly or covertly at war with the host nations they migrate to, simply because of incompatible faith and values. Now when these people migrate there is a pandemonium of sorts, and the host nation is pretty much uneasy. Let me illustrate this with an example, Bear in mind the same example can be given for other groups too, I am just using one that I belong to so the reader can’t blame me for bias against other groups. Birmingham and Manchester are mid-sized towns in the UK, both are famous for a large migrant population from Pakistan or other Muslim nations. Often one finds a very obvious lack of integration of these communities in what might be called “British Values or Culture” most of which is visible in their attire, customs, and practices. I wouldn’t wish to offend any group hence I would let the reader fill in the blanks with publicly available data that supports my premise. In short, this leads to anger and animosity in the local communities culminating in bias, hate crimes, or just plain though understandable resentment of a group of people who were, are, and remain a clear misfit in their culture and society on many counts.

The Conservatives in the West are more vocal about this lack of integration. Personally, I am closer to the perspective of the Conservatives though not in all areas, however, I am aghast for example at instances like the murder of the 10-year-old young angel Sara Sharif who was apparently murdered by her family of Pakistani origin who ran away to Pakistan after their heinous crime. There are umpteen instances of “honor killing” where a woman is killed for marrying “outside their communities.” These women belong to different religions and communities, all I can say is that they are not of the dominant faith (Christianity) and are often migrants from Asia. A quick Google search on “honor killing of Asian women in the UK/US (etc.)” will reveal what has long been public knowledge. This does not mean that criminals do not exist in other communities, we all know who Lucy Letby is and what she did or the killers of Riley Ann Sawyers in the US. I am talking about crimes committed due to a lack of integration in host societies. There are many a story in the West where members of migrant communities have shared not only their exploits but also how they were able to entice the locals to team up with them in their crimes. Often this lack of integration is wilful due to a contrasting value set and hence despicable.

This leads us to the root cause of this all, migrants from many communities “escape” to the West in search of money, safety, security, and equal treatment they do not get in their countries of origin. However, once they are given citizenship by Western nations they start imposing their values and culture on the host nations instead of attempting to integrate. Thus the very intent to migrate in my humble opinion is malicious. The intent often is to further financial goals in a country they knew very well were incompatible with their way of life, faith, or values. In their private banter, they often find reason to despise their generous hosts and woefully remember their former lands, actively involved in political or other areas of their former lands. Detached from their newfound home except in pursuit of wealth or opportunities.

What is ironic, perhaps even beautiful is how the West embraces these migrants, with all their faults, the equity, equality, humanity, and comforts they are given, the opportunity to integrate, thrive, and bloom, while the lack of reciprocity from some migrants groups angers the Conservatives in host lands.

So we see people from all over the “rest of the world” minus the “West” blindly finding avenues to migrate. For all, what I consider to be, the wrong reasons. Let me reverse the scenario to illustrate. How many Americans, Englishmen or women, Australians, EU nationals, Canadians, or Kiwis does one hear of who immigrate to India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, and so forth? And those who do, how well are they integrated in those societies? Are they afforded places of worship and equal treatment as their nations offer migrants? The Cow is a sacred animal in India, eating it is hence not favorably looked upon, that’s just one aspect, rapes, and murders are common in most Asian and African nations, policing is at best a joke, corruption is rampant and religious extremism destroys whatever hope there is of human growth and progress. Oh please do not tell me about “the billion people trillion dollar markets” the way many see those nations, numbers who can buy Western or Chinese products. These are nations where governance has failed, and that has forced those who “can” to escape, or at least send their children to the West for a “better life.” even “patriotic” Army Generals of these countries send their families to the West! The irony is but an understatement.

Another way to look at the same situation is charities and human rights organizations, nonprofits included, apparently the prime focus of these is serving these poor and corrupt nations to do to a minute extent what their governments should have done in the first place: given them security, sustenance, and hope. How many charities from India, Pakistan, or Kenya serve the poor and homeless in the UK, Australia, or the US?

Many call these nations “poor” — I find it laughable that these countries muster billions of dollars to feed their often hefty armies but find nothing for economic development! Pakistan spends 50% of her tax income on her army, about $15bn a year and counting perks excluded, Indians, the raison d’etre for animosity campaign in Pakistan spend about 6 times more $90bn on her army! It’s a long list for the reader to independently assess. I ask, why can’t nations like India and Pakistan be friends? Why can’t the Palestinians and Israelis be friends? Are we all not human after all? The pain an Indian or Pakistani national suffers due to lawlessness, corruption, and horrible governance is it nor the same? The Singaporean PM claimed that 50% of Indian political leaders were corrupt, I’d say probably 80% or more for Pakistan are corrupt with similar stats for other Asian and African nations.

Yet another angle to look at the same situation is colonialism. Like racism, it is often equated with “white Western people occupying for hundreds of years lands of much of this planet” — Now truth be told, as a Pakistani I still to this day see the infrastructure the British left behind, from the GT or Grand Trunk Road to the Railways and so forth, their intellectual contribution is starkly visible in both warring Indian and Pakistani Governments, both despite hatred for each other follow British laid law & order, military, policing, and governance systems, well in paper so to speak! In reality, they flout them and couple them with a corrupt form of democracy that on the outside looks Kosher to the world but reeks of complete betrayal of the basic concepts of democracy and whatever a free society should look like. I am no fan of the ex-Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, a man who was a male chauvinist and megalomaniac in his approach on countless occasions, yet he was “the better of two evils” between the existing lot of leaders that ask any Pakistani and they will tell you or simply google court cases against them globally! Yet as he fell out of favor with the same military establishment that brought him (and all other leaders) to power even taking his name on national media was banned! Which free democracy treats its people like this? None that I know of! In the balance, ex-colonies that are today free of colonial masters are still not free! They are now enslaved by their own people often using the illusion of democracy that is neither believed in nor practiced at any level. In India and Pakistan even today there are dynasties of politicians, it is like a family business!

Migration is a symptom of a much bigger issue, the lack of good governance, law and order, and equal treatment in almost 80% of the world that we live in, reflected in unequal and undue pressure to migrate to nations that do care for their citizens, and instead of integrating oft times imposing their culture, values and faith sometimes incompatible with the welcoming nations.

4 How do we get to a better place?

• On religion, I believe we need to think beyond it, I wrote about it in KOK or Kode of Konduct, in short, respecting all but falling shy of using religion as a basis for laws and governance. I do believe in freedom of expression so the critics of religion shouldn’t be reigned in, if God is so powerful why worry about critics?
• On policing, I wrote about GlobalPolice which pretty much sums up the idea.
• I even wrote about improving democracy, something considered sacrosanct by many, using the power of education in poor and less developed countries to beat the demons of corruption rife in the corridors of power.
• My vision is for women of the world to unite and offer us better governance models, outlined at WomenAreVotes
• If I could, I would conduct a global survey asking who in nations outside of the “Free West” EU, UK, US, Canada, NZ & Australia would like to migrate there? My guesstimate is roundabout 80% of the rest of the world would as I explained in GadhaParty — armed with that survey, global leaders can be confronted that the Free West cannot accomodate 6 billion people hence the need to take their good governance, justice and policing models to the poorer nations, I often joked with my American friends that instead of building a $22bn wall on impoverished Mexico, had Trump put the US flag there millions of Mexicans would have happily gone back to their lands.
• There is no place like home, nobody should have to leave their nation because of inequality, corruption, lawlessness and injustice. If that happens many who live in the free West today would happily go back, and only those who truly believe in Western ideals of human behavior and values may stay back reducing tensions and finally living as integrated citizens there.
• Technology, in my opinion, can quickly change the world, if we have a simplified legal and taxation system as I’ve proposed in many of my writings I foresee a world where capitalism thrives, jobs are created and safety is a given than a luxury to few in the developed world.
• My vision for armies and arms manufacturers in ultimately to be a part of the global policing system, the threats we often face are far more from the people around us than other nations.
• My vision for healthcare providers is to focus humanity on plant based diet away from fried foods and sugars to boost immunity, good weight control and a longer lifespan.
• My vision for the environment is to use robotics for farming to increase yield and to actively reduce birth rate as the planet is simply unsustainable otherwise. I have also proposed greenification of deserts and avoiding catastrophes using a realignment of water in various papers.
• My vision for education is a more nimble curriculum that prepares young people for hands on jobs especially in poor nations while giving them a taste of the arts and good human values.
• My vision for energy is to reduce consumption and encourage a shift to farming than pressuring over burdened urban spaces and scant white collar jobs.
• Outer space is a possibility to explore but with so much already on this planet it appears infantile to not focus on the low hanging fruit as above.

What is your vision of a perfect world?

Please see this on the Medium at this link just way too easier to write than the antiquated though not yet obselete (completely) WP platform…

Black Americans have made significant contributions to science and finance in the United States. Here are a few notable examples:Science:George Washington Carver, known for his work in agriculture and his development of hundreds of uses for peanuts and sweet potatoes.Ernest Everett Just, a biologist and professor who conducted pioneering research on the physiology of cells.Percy Julian, a chemist who was a pioneer in the synthesis of medicinal drugs from plants.Jane Wright, a pioneering cancer researcher and oncologist who made significant contributions to the field of chemotherapy.Finance:Robert Smith, an investment banker and philanthropist who is known for his contributions to technology and private equity investments.Sheila Johnson, a co-founder of BET, who is also a philanthropist and businesswoman.Robert Johnson, founder of BET, the first black-owned cable network, and America’s first black billionaire.Ariel Investments, a Chicago-based investment firm, founded by John Rogers Jr., which manages over $13 billion in assets.

Thanks a trillion to ChatGpt

CrystalHeart Kazmi Facebook – LinkedIn – Twitter – Profile – ClubHouse – AboutMe

Freedom forever for poor Afghans!

Some images haunt us forever, like the Syrian child, Alan Kurdi, who’s lifeless body was washed ashore Turkey’s Bodrum beach. The images of three Afghanis falling from the sky to their inevitable deaths, clinging on, impossibly so in every sense, to the USAF C17 will also remain with us till eternity, the haunting footage of Kabul Airport right after the exit of US forces, will remain etched in our memory too.

Right after 9/11/2001, GWB attacked Afghanistan alongside NATO on October 7, 2001, a timeline fraught with promises that were never honored in letter or spirit to the Afghan people except the installation of a corrupt, puppet government. Almost 20 years later, on August 16, 2021, the Taliban triumphantly captured Kabul from the American posted puppet regime headed by Ashraf Ghani who ran away leaving the Taliban in control of all assets left behind by the Americans and Afghan Army and Government. Billions of dollars of state of the art air power, arms and ammunition, weapons procured with heavily taxed Americans’ income, is now in the hands of tribals with hardly any education but a dangerous mindset of governance laid out in the Russian takeover in the late 70s (more on that later)

Sadly, international media analyzes the aftermath in a very shallow, callous and even inhuman lens, one of worry about Americans “left behind” or their contractors, or of other nations like New Zealand and others.

Women: the obvious casualty, as far back as April 2021 The Guardian spoke of how they feared slavery under Taliban. The Inquirer foretold a gloomy future, also, in April 2021 expressing the opinion of US Lawmakers:

“Members of Congress, many of whom are skeptical about the plans to bring home the 2,500 remaining troops, worry the departure would cede control to the Taliban, whose 1996-2001 rule severely curtailed activities for Afghan women.”

In late July 2021, FP (Foreign Policy ThinkTank), raised concerns on women rights under the Taliban too. All conveniently ignored!

Perhaps the most interesting and clear alarm was raised by the former Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, in TRT World where he couldn’t possibly have been more explicit on August 14, 2021:

“The fall of Oruzgan to the Taliban, and the reported threat to Kabul, is an unmitigated disaster for the good people of Afghanistan… It is now urgent that the US Administration reverse the course of its final military withdrawal.”

It was clear as day that reverse gear was needed, but the elephantine US administration was not to pay heed under the Guardianship of Senior Joe Biden who should have been resting then presiding over such tricky state of affairs, which, in a way he did, with a much needed Camp David retreat while the Afghan soldiers and so-called President were running away from Kabul and the Taliban were marching in. With rather obvious results.

Ironically, if one goes back in time, the Taliban were created by the Americans back in the late 70s/80s with assistance from the Arabs and Pakistanis to thwart off the Russians. Washington Institutes’ white paper titled “Who is responsible for the Taliban?” is pretty amazing as it goes down to the minutest detail and should be a clear eye-opener for anyone on the root cause of this situation:

“The decision to arm the Afghan resistance came within two weeks of the Soviet invasion, and quickly gained momentum.(21) In 1980, the Carter administration allocated only $30 million for the Afghan resistance, though under the Reagan administration this amount grew steadily. In 1985, Congress earmarked $250 million for Afghanistan, while Saudi Arabia contributed an equal amount. Two years later, with Saudi Arabia still reportedly matching contributions, annual American aid to the mujahidin reportedly reached $630 million.(22) This does not include contributions made by other Islamic countries, Israel, the People’s Republic of China, and Europe. Many commentators cite the huge flow of American aid to Afghanistan as if it occurred in a vacuum; it did not. According to Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid, the Soviet Union contributed approximately $5 billion per year into Afghanistan in an effort to support their counterinsurgency efforts and prop up the puppet government in Kabul.”

Thus the Frankenstein was created as rather sarcastically described by TFI, armed with hatred against “Godless infidels” purported to be Communist Russian soldiers of the 80s, only to come back as a boomerang to it’s very founders in 2001! “A is for Allah, J is for Jihad” textbooks printed by the Americans and their allies of those days for young “Talibs” will continue to haunt us… all one has to do is google “University of Nebraska files” and see the beginning of a horror movie given a new lease of life… the lack of foresight in creating “extremist Islam” in a laboratory to dislodge the Russians was a huge axe that seems to continually hit American feet time and again.

Afghanis who loathed the totalitarian, unIslamically Islamic yet claimed to be so Taliban regime were / are not the only affected party. While the Taliban “Government” is announcing a no prejudice against women policy, Khadija Amin, a TV anchor recently fired after Taliban rule tearfully told her story at a Clubhouse chat room:

“I am a journalist and I am not allowed to work,” said Ms. Amin, 28. “What will I do next? The next generation will have nothing, everything we have achieved for 20 years will be gone. The Taliban is the Taliban. They have not changed.”

FT states it rather bluntly, no guarantee of security of women under Taliban rule. Zahra from Herat sees the return of “dark days under Taliban” and quite logically so!

But then again, besides Afghanis, specially their women, so many others have suffered. More than 2,300 US army personnel lost their lives in the 20 year Afghan war. And about 30 times that number or almost 60,000 Pakistanis died during this war as their army, also, fought the Taliban. Many invested in Afghanistan’s rebuilding. But one thing has been missing all along since 2001 by the Americans. Ownership.

This takes us back to the 19th century. The British Empire then was the largest ever colonisation of the world with about of a quarter of the world’s population and area spanning from Asia to Africa, even the US in the early days!

The British were no angels, they maintained strict control despite no modern communication tools, internet, air travel and yet, they kept a tight leash on their slaves of yesteryears by no means commendable, yet they were on top of things in their colonies.

The New Yorker, in an excellent effort, describes the cons of the British Empire often portrayed as a selfless, virtuous effort to “promote democracy” which it calls “MisRemembering the British Empire.”

But not all was evil and selfish during the British Empire! The writer’s father, S M Owais, was an Indian Civil Services Officer in the 1930s and 40s under the “RaJ” as it was called, treated with respect and dignity, and his many suggestions including one on using the Hindi language in courtrooms via translators for the English Magistrates and Judges (of which my father was one too) was accepted by the then British rulers. He often remarked, till his deathbed, that the British used to say before they left in 1947 that “the Indians (encompassing the whole as we know today as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan) are excellent subordinates, but terrible masters.”

Call the British Colonials of yesteryears evil, plunderers, looters, whatever you like, but you will find an uncanny reality check in how they described the inept, insecure, incompetent, insensitive, inhuman, corrupt and reckless so called “leadership” of ex colonies, look into India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, African nations, it’s the same story! A JSTOR article describes post colonial corruption in graphic detail, how the leadership in India, Pakistan and so forth became “Brown Sahebs” and rule their people to this day no better then “slaves of the same color.”

Ironically, a Pakistan Military General friend once explained that the British left detailed manuals and complete system of governance for the military, bureaucracy and justice systems. Everything was explained to the minutest detail possible. He went on to say that specific to Pakistan, our Army has remained a staunch follower of the British recruitment, management and leadership practices, values and philosophies, obviously with evolution over time, and has hence remained the most competent institution compared to others in bureaucracy and judiciary both infamous for massive corruption and mismanagement, because they disregarded the “instruction manual” left by the English.

The irony doesn’t stop here, the trigger happy hateful Indians and Pakistanis (towards each other) BOTH have British systems put in place and followed in their governance mechanism!

And perhaps the most obvious benefit of the British 90 year old rule of India from 1857 to 1947 is the fact that I could converse in English, have some table manners, a sense of humor and above all ideals of equality and fairness, things lacking aplenty in the Muslim Mogul or Hindu Raja rule of India before the English came in.

The British also left railroads, the famous GT Road in Pakistan or the “Grand Trunk” road made by the English still strong! African and Asian railroads, you could argue the British used them to siphon off resources, that is true, but is it not so that infrastructure helps a nation to get it’s act together and almost all colonies had it!

Now contrast this with the Americans!

Pretty simple and straightforward. Had the Americans been less boastful in proclaiming “deliverance” to third world nations they invaded for various reasons from terrorism to non existent WMDs, and instead learned the ART of governance and change from the British, we may then have seen a different Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya (remember what happened, Chris Stevens?), as the 51st, 52nd and 53rd States of the USofA where the Americans would have brought about their great human values, judiciary, tax, education (leave out healthcare though) systems to these nations. Given their people hope and the people of the region a “way out” of their miseries (read “the totalitarian Iranian regime”) among others.

But as fate would ordain this was never to be! The Americans couldn’t see beyond their nose, arms, oil, “bases” and some loose knit “anti terrorism” – this was it, I mean IT! No ownership! Afghanistan left to the dogs, Iraq and Libya not too far off.

AFTER spending a trillion + dollars and dead soldiers plus other sides armies and civilians! The phrase “much ado for nothing” comes to mind…

The only way out, as I see it, is to pay heed to the advice of H’able ex PM of Australia, Kevin Rudd, which is to go BACK to Afghanistan and (my advice) govern it as benevolent rulers enabling them to have an America-like democracy, thus attacking the root of the problem.

The British may come in handy for some good advice should our “know-all” American friends deem appropriate?

About time we saw real change than a regression back to the stone ages…

https://www.reddit.com/user/crystalheartkazmi/comments/p6mdcq/afghanistan_the_aftermath/

By CrystalHeart Kazmi

I am no stranger to controversies. Anytime I open my mouth people from my dear Pakistan often hurl abuses or slander. It doesn’t affect me because I believe in what I am doing. Speaking the truth has always been hard if you read human history. Liars have become leaders, truthtellers have paid the price.

So before you insult me just think about my analysis.

Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. These three countries were not extremist Islamic nation back in the 60s and even 70s. Their cities were no different from London, New York or Paris. So they were slowly transformed. The question is who was behind this?

If you think about the answer to this question, you will discover the truth no one wants you to know.

Because it is all about money. Religion is a great tool to sell arms to poor countries. Isn’t it?

When a poor country like Afghanistan is once again made famous the world over for reverting to “extremist Islam”. Then please ask this simple question. When will a new war against Afghanistan start?

And when a war is fought, a lot of people die, and a lot of people become very rich. Those who make and sell weapons.

There is no such thing as an “absolute victory” in today’s world. All we have are projected misperceptions. Ultimately such “wins” as that of Taliban (Kabul) are used to justify trillions of dollars in weapons sales.

Exactly like how Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan have been shown on world media as the ideal reason for many nations to spend trillions of dollars in arms.

Therefore, don’t be happy at Taliban “capturing” Kabul, just ask yourself “who made them capture, rather allowed them to do so! And for what purpose?”

Your happiness will turn to sorrow at the narrowminded, myopic, adversarial mindset of our people and worse, thinkers and intellectuals! God save us from them and their false ego and pride!

America has not left Afghanistan, just like the British never “left” India or Pakistan. We are used to helping them achieve their financial and power objectives. Literally so simple yet so hard to understand for so many!

Please pray the next war doesn’t destroy us as well for Afghanistan seems to be busy digging it’s own grave while the manipulators silently watch!

For once my dear Pakistanis, use something between your ears rather than let it rust!

The future is NOT in Islamization of these nations (Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iran) but rather SECULARISM that allows ALL religions and people to be treated as EQUALS with the SAME RIGHTS and RESPECT. Please DO rejoice WHEN the Taliban ACTUALLY do something like that (0.00001% probability nevertheless) for now they are just telling the whole world that their leadership style and values are INCOMPATIBLE with the 21st century. And sooner or later, like Saddam, Qaddafi, Osama SOME excuse will prop up to “put them back in their place” and in the process trillions of arms dollars will exchange hands too!

So stop the madness please atleast STOP rejoicing at the future destruction of Afghanistan whose foundation stone is being laid today YET AGAIN by the SAME Taliban who put Afghanistan BACK TO THE STONE AGES in the 80s!

Why Pakistan and India need to rethink everything?

By CrystalHeart Kazmi (the writer is a speaker and writer on peace, interfaith harmony and low cost, just, gender and orientation equal global governance)

It all started with a dream. Of ousting the “Raj of Gora Sahab” – the Imperialist Colonists who occupied India in 1857. Started around the first world war and in 40 years delivered India from the clutches of the British. So goes the folklore.

But is this really so?

• Did the British Colonize India for better or for worse?
• Did the combined Hindu – Muslim struggle to fight for freedom desire a culmination in two uneven, forever hateful of each other states? Was this the vision of Indian freedom? Or the tunes of “divide and rule”?

Reality of Pakistan India Freedom

73 years gone by and everyone can see the reality of these rogue states where the nationals of India and Pakistan have anything but slogans. Corruption is rife, law and order nonexistent (except for the super rich exploiters), institutions are a charade, education is for namesake while hunger and hopelessness are denied in the clamor of blind nationalism, sports, movies and amplified chatter of goons and thugs known as “leaders” – an average Pakistan and Indian is in one word, unhappy! Look at Kashmir in India or Karachi in Pakistan! Subjugation is the order of the day.

British “invasion” of 1857 pros and cons

Now go back another 90 years from 1947, India was governed by the Persian Moguls, who valued their mistresses so much that they built “Taj Mahals” for them while an average Indian was enslaved to their Will, they were infact used to getting themselves called “Zille Illahi” or the “Mercy of God” – far from it! High headed dictators who’d kill anyone who disagreed or they didn’t like, pick up any woman they wanted and literally did as they pleased. In such a backdrop the British with a colonist agenda came in with “East India Company” which literally took all of India by 1857. It was, if you ask me, a change for the good. Had it not been for the British I would be chanting “Zille Ilahi”, of course I would probably not know how to speak “English” or have rudimentary table manners or any semblance of “civil society” as the English would call it. Thus all in all the British invasion of India was in fact real freedom from ignoble rulers, the Moguls, and the Nawabs, and the Rajas and the religious Pundits of any side, who were the real enslavers of Indian people before the advent of the British. The only “con” of the  British rule was high handedness and tyranny at times which mellowed around the fag end of their rule, they were not the English we know today, kinder, compassionate with a mantra of “equal opportunity”

What if the British of today ruled India?

Ironic and controversial as it may sound, had the current generation of Brits been leading India none would have asked for freedom! For why else do people from the subcontinent or other places throng to the UK (and other Western nations apart from the continent in the Pacific and her sister, Aussies and Kiwis)? Why go BACK to the “enslavers” now that you are a “free” people? Not only that you go there and spread your brand of Hinduism or Islam and expect that the hosts would actually not even bat an eyelid? In the name of “equality”? That doesn’t happen as we’ve all seen the DISintegration of people from subcontinent in the West due their often opposing values and mindsets. Recently my young relative, a Muslim in the US wanted to get married to a Hindu girl he fell in love with, and despite the girl’s consent her parents were most resistant of their overtures. He was not alone, millions of those who wish to cross “boundaries of faith, race, caste, orientation” to find the love of their life are met with stoic silence or even death as I wrote about in my political movement WomenAreVotes, dishonorable killings are aplenty all in the name of honor in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan among other backward scum of the world we live in. Thus the hapless, hopeless, fundamentalist and extremists nationals of the subcontinent scourge the world with their brand of myopia then staying back and fixing their own mess like real men and women.

The price of speaking out!

I tried to do that (reform the unreformable, or so it appears) and met with countless death threats, hate and labels of CIA agent and so on, folklore ascribed to anyone who speaks reason! That too after countless contributions amassing to USD 1 billion for the Government of Pakistan in anti smuggling measures, and parents who contributed to Pakistan like few others, not to speak of my reform movement ChangePakistan that all and sundry in the echelons of power appreciated! Later on I launched GadhaParty, a clear satire on the rotten system of governance, dynasty politicians and all. It earned me the nationalistic wrath and hatred of myopic Pakistanis at all levels, I am 100% sure had I been an Indian the same or worse may have ensued. The people of the subcontinent to me have proven without doubt their lack of respect for human rights and freedom of expression. Pakistan and India today are intolerant nations who pretend to be otherwise. The mantra of dominant faith bullies the rest while all sorts of flimsy arguments are given to the contrary. But the world is not blind, and there are good people like me, albeit a few, who dare to speak out.

The way forward

I think the good people of India and Pakistan, few as they are, should stand for unification of these great lands otherwise, with so much hunger they both foray USD 88 billion in defense budgets (India 77, Pakistan 11) going to their old masters mostly or others for arms supplies and maintaining huge armies where their nationals suffer their own horrible governance and caste system whether overt in India or racist and covert in Pakistan. Or even better, invite Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth to undo the wrong she and her Cabinet did in 1947. Proof? Do an online survey in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan even Iran on “would you like to permanently migrate and give up your citizenship to the US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada or New Zealand” I can BET atleast 80% of the respondents would! So why infest the cleaner parts of the world with nationals from these countries who due cowardice and hypocrisy sing blind patriotic praises of their nations yet strive to move to the West all along! This hypocrisy must end! The people of India and Pakistan besides other LDCs (less developed countries) should stop blaming Capitalism or the West or the Military Industrial Complex for their woes and instead work towards internal peace and harmony by imposing something like KodeOfKonduct – a concept paper I wrote where I openly decried the highhandedness of “faith” in laws and social conduct and asked for a non discriminatory code to drive all laws placing humanity above all else.

I aspire for the day something like the American First Amendment is made mandatory the world over, where freedom of speech is not stifled by faith, nationalism or any other human endeavor to silence the truth or the human spirit.

I know my words will land me in more trouble, more hate and more myopia from my subcontinent based literate illiterates but call a spade a spade is all I learnt and shall do so till my last breath!

Hello Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, (in response to his Open Letter to Donald Trump)

I am a Muslim from Pakistan, though that identity doesn’t explain the truth of who I am, I am more like you, a Christian in my thought and actions who is mostly secular in belief, the Pastors I know tell me that I am a “Christian in a Muslim’s body” – I tell them “look, I’m just an ordinary human being who adopted the faith of his parents but refused to let hate and judgment affect him in dealing with people of any race, faith, color etc”

This is the bottom line, freeing ourselves of biases given to us by our “faith” be it Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Parsis, Ahmedis, Baha’ais and you will be surprised, atheists and agnostics too, EVERYONE carries “mindsets” against others! I wish it were funny, but it’s not, because these are mostly mindsets of PURE HATRED, surprisingly, if one evaluates the texts of Abrahamic faiths (as explained in a BBC documentary by a British ex Frair of the Dominican order Mark Dowd) ebar.com/news/news//258127 and topdocumentaryfilms.com/children-abraham/ he proved beyond doubt the synchronicity in the beliefs of “children of Abraham” but then EACH of these 3 (not counting the several dozen break-ups and sects) would like NOT to think so! If I go to a Muslim scholar they’re like “son, you don’t understand, the Christians and Jews are unlike us” my answer usually is “hell yes, not only they are but often times BETTER than us!” when I speak to a Christian the answer is “son you don’t get it, we three are very, very different” same thing from the Jewish people. I don’t get it, if it’s the same Abrahamic God, he had “x” Prophets till Jews (Moses pbuh), we all agree to it, then x+1 son (Jesus pbuh) as you believe comes in, then x+2 (Muhammad pbuh as we believe comes in) – now the TEACHINGS are not VASTLY different if you ask me with regard to social mannerisms, crimes, do’s and don’ts – you, the Muslims and Jews will CERTAINLY disagree but I KNOW murder, rape, robbery/theft, lying, lewd behavior/immorality, spreading hatred, not caring for the hungry, poor, orphans, neighbors, elderly, children, and abortion are all areas with a COMMON thread in the Abrahamic faiths that FEW would like to agree to, but nevertheless a FACT

Sir an enlightened Jewish Rabbi or a broadminded Muslim Scholar would have written NO differently from you, in essence when it comes to principles of good and bad

The only issue here is the LINKAGE to Donald Trump as a man of God, THAT is where I disagree, we are ALL men and women of God, even if don’t obey or believe in Him, doesn’t matter, and hence so is he. But is he or anyone a “chosen” one, I don’t know. Are all these riots against his reelection? The left says EXACTLY the same thing about him, that he’s planning it (what you say that they’re planning!) – he’s not a poor man, he’s wealthy and that too not always in the “right Biblical way” as you would perhaps agree, he may represent RNC today but was pro Democrats most of his life. Is it not likely that a group of good Christians frustrated and let down by the left / Democrats to the mayhem as they perhaps saw hope and savior in Trump which was more of a requirement they had than a reality he represented? (or other believers of Abrahamic faiths would, trust me have little disagreement to the apprehensions and line of thinking you mentioned) – then these “Godless” people vs people of “God” as you see them, label the EXACT same allegations that you do on them, and sir I am sure many a Rabbi or Mullah has been doing so all along in a similar vein in whichever nation they’re in, for like the right, the left is also all over the world. We, in Pakistan are told the Americans and others conspire against Islam, I don’t believe it, I think it’s PURE BALONEY to hide their OWN incompetence in building GOOD HUMAN RELATIONS with other faiths and EVEN among themselves!

So sir, be a man of God, that is good, do speak for what you believe in, against racism, murder, abortion, hatred and for kindness as Jesus pbuh taught us all – but please Sir, do not bring politics into it. In the so called left not everyone is a “child of the serpent” as you mention and NEITHER are in the Catholics, or Muslims or Jews are all the “children of the Woman” (Eve)” I so believe you intended? There are people with Godsent morals in the left and their are hypocrites and liars in the so called God fearing. Ask me I’ve seen many a lewd, reprehensible character who have long beards or do hijab in the Muslim category. I’m sure so have you and the Jews in their pretentiously “pious” ones. You and I cannot judge if an adulterous, Godless atheist is NOT going to heaven and that we are going to hell instead! No sir that is not for us to decide! We cannot label people good nor bad based on their beliefs, YES on their actions. And that too WHEN WE HAVE PROOF. Your article sir has NO PROOF but your conjectures on who did why and what, EXACTLY the same conjectures and assumptions are reflected by the left! So who is right here?

I won’t judge. I’ll just say that what IS happening in America is unfortunate, racism must GO for sure and it doesn’t mean “white supremacists” it ALSO means those crying out for BLM but not doing ANYTHING to help the blacks out of the rut they’re in with motivation, education and a generally “positive” outlook to life and the whites! And I believe in FAR better US police training and protocols than now, THAT Sir was / is the ROOT CAUSE of all this violence and tension, not Trump, not the left, not the right. But that’s my 2 cents you’re at liberty to ignore or disagree

Trump may be a good man, he may also be a power hungry man who exploited the republican and God fearings’s anger and frustration by claiming to be someone he isn’t (I think he’s a very liberal and open man, he’s not your average Christian type, he is most likely an average “left” democrat who’s enjoying all the power and has been totally open, but gained power by being someone he isn’t, bear in mind his zodiac: Gemini) or well, he might even BE a born again Christian with an agenda but that to me appears more fantasy than reality. You certainly have your own opinion and I respect that, just adding my humble perspective to it

The following is my line of thinking, you might agree to it?

We believe NO ONE is an “enemy”, and try to highlight our own state, race, faith weaknesses BEFORE we cast a stone on others (based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, and also all seemingly logical people

Hence, if you believe a nation, faith or race needs to “improve” somehow or realize some “mistakes” or “errors” in their ways by all means please do so! Just start off by “I am an XYZ national / faith person, and unfortunately we have our own share of weaknesses like abc, however I would also like to humbly point out ABC national / faith etc issues that I believe, if resolved, will bring them and us closer together”

If somehow you agreed and started emulating this I assure you it WILL get you a lot of flak from YOUR race and faith too (just like I did) but is it worth it? Hell yeah! you feel like YOU are doing the right thing and what can be better than that?