Israel attacks Iran

Israel is the rabid dog that just attacked Iran (has attacked occupied Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Iran in the past). It is a terrorist entity acting at the behest of the West, specifically the Americans. Hamas is not a terrorist organisation, it is struggling against Israel. In full solidarity with Iran. Trump is just naked imperialism, he's honest. He has displayed the open hatred for Iran that American liberals will politely mask. Americans have hated Iran since the Iranian Revolution which overthrew the brutal regime of the Shah and its Western supporters. American hatred of Iranians has been going on for a long time. They supported Saddam Hussein in the terrible war with Iran and, Israel defends its right to attack Iran with lies and bullshit while Iran's stance against Israel is anti imperialist. Too bad Pakistan's elegant rhetoric against Israel is so empty matched with lack of action. Is our military might only for our neighbours, only to sustain colonial hatred against our own or against imperialism?? I remember where I was and what I was feeling in my early 20s when US attacked Afghanistan in 2001 the start of the War on Terror. I could only feel blind rage that a power like the US was bombing a poor country in supposed retaliation. I feel the same rage as our neighbour Iran is being bombed by Israel which is just an extension of the US.

________

All of you who went for Hajj to Saudi Arabia, what did you all pray for there?? Very curious.

"Arab regimes—including Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan—are demonstrating a coordinated regional effort with Israel by allowing the use of their airspace to counter Iranian retaliatory strikes. " __________ We all broadly know what happened in Iran starting with the 1953 CIA sponsored coup and then installing the blood sucking Shah. Since the Islamic Revolution (which women were part and parcel of), Iran has been HATED by the West, particularly by the Americans. Liberal feminism had many of us blinded including me but this is not the way to look at the material political experiences of Iran. I started changing my views only recently because: 1) I can't believe Western media anymore 2) The West uses puppets, stooges to spread a narrative 3) see: Masih Alinejad 4) the reality is always richer and more interesting than seeing it through liberal feminism lens 5) Iran has ALWAYS been staunchly opposed to Zionism 6) Iran is only one of ...3 countries to support Palestine militarily , Yemen, Lebanon 7) Iran has staunchly been anti imperialist 8 ) Iran has not been colonised like Pakistan and its scientifically and technologically way more advanced 9) Their scientific journals are in Farsi 10) Women are part of the institutions 11) See Prof Marandi's views 12) We have to be in solidarity with Iran as its being attacked by the West, by imperialism. __________________ In 5th or 6th grade at the American School of Bucharest, our class teacher made us watch "Not Without My Daughter" with Sally Field. I was only one of two Muslims in the class and, I remember being horrified with the film. Years later I understood how problematic and racist that movie was and, how inappropriate it was to make small kids watch it. But it goes to show how American state and cultural machinery is anti Iran. A civilisation that has continuously existed for thousands of years while Americans are bunch of settler colonialists. No matter how hard they try, they can't become more than that. ________________ Over and over again, I'm reminded and realise what a great distraction liberal feminism is, what a ruse it is against the Global South and, imperial agendas. We have been distracted against imperialism against Iran, a country so heavily sanctioned and harassed and tortured by the West, in the name of feminism and "human rights." We can't divide a people along gender. We can't use that against ourselves.

Pakistan and India's diplomatic delegations

Pakistan and India's diplomatic delegations to convince everyone around the world that the other is a bully is height of absurd comedy. Wonder how many trips around the world it will take to complete the mission?

The celebration of war with our own neighbours

The celebration of war with our own neighbours who live in states carved out of colonialism, is so tragic that today's generation and children will never have a sense of, don't have the tools to acknowledge. The only war that can be defended is one against imperialism.

Where is the outrage over climate change?

We experienced extreme weather patterns in May which is unprecedented, even until 2 days ago.

We hardly had a winter and it was warming up already in February. Spring rains were delayed and, instead we have had days with high speed winds knocking down trees, hail and lashings of rain. There are severe water shortages. There is hardly any national outrage and concern expressed by the same elite and civilian war mongers on what these extreme weather days actually signify.

In the 4-day war, everyone was pumped but it's back to business now. The climate catastrophe, unbearable heat waves, urban flooding because of lack of maintenance and planning, river flooding because of mismanagement of rivers, water table shrinking, etc. None of this seems to bother the same folks who were defending the war, jingoism, seemed to suddenly have developed a political awareness of Hindutva and, defended Pakistani Army.

This temporary heightened political consciousness shaped really by social media trolls and, deranged Indian media has suddenly evaporated. For a moment, Pakistanis seem to think we are more self righteous since we are defending ourselves against a "regional bully."

One must ask progressives, if India is a big bully, how exactly do they see Pakistan within South Asia? A Buddhist monk studying in a remote monastery?

Everyone was touting this line, including progressives, including Leftists. We had a lot to say: that we are also affected by terrorism so, somehow Indians must have sympathy for us, too. And, we have no choice but to defend ourselves.

The support or passionate idea we must defend ourselves, forgetting the war with the Army, and then support for the Army, praising their prowess, their Chinese jets, was a bizarre moment.

War is important , necessary , for liberation , for throwing off the colonial yoke. But wars which don't serve an anti-imperial purpose are impossible to justify.

So, now this temporary heightened political consciousness is gone. The elite and civilian war mongers are silent and, going on about their lives, probably planning spending sprees for the Bakra Eid. As for progressives and Leftists, they (I would like to include myself) go back to critique of the canals, what's happening in KP, Balochistan, etc. (Is there any confirmation/explanation/information on this drone attack? There was at least one last year, too. )

In peacetime, we don't really have much of a push towards "peace" and, calling for permanent measures to lead us to permanent peace.

I suppose it's the condition of these post colonial states, forged out of European empires.

So, let's go back to Climate Change and, absence of rage. Sindh and South Punjab has been demonstrating against the canals on Indus and, these protests encapsulate everything that Climate Change /anti-Mega-Project protests are about: environmental destruction, destruction of livelihoods and ways of life, cultural desolation, and, destruction of indigenous way of life that is intrinsically tied to the land and rivers and forests.

But the same celebrities, the same elite, the same seemingly apolitical well to do upper middle class, goes back to a status quo. The same status quo means :

- no connection, no conversations, contact with Indians across the border

- an almost forgotten history that is pre-Partition

- no movement, no process towards real peace with out neighbours

- a colonial condition where we are at war with all our neighbours

- a colonial condition where we can't think for ourselves, can't imagine a more peaceful prosperous reality

- no progress towards reducing poverty, inequality , debt, environmental degradation, etc

- frenzy to immigrate to the West

There is no consciousness , discussions around the extreme weather patterns.

There is no introspection after what was a very a dangerous military confrontation.

There aren't any questions for accountability from our state.

Children

There isn't enough rage over the slaughter of children in Palestine. But there isn't enough rage over Sudanese children or Yemeni children. There is a global hierarchy and, there isn't enough rage about children. In Pakistani society, we aren't even close to thinking about children as children. They are stratified, classified according to poor, caste, ethnicity gendered and are invisible. How many are embarrassed at how many children beg on streets or are out of school? Or just seen as property of parents, religion and state to embody everything as dictated. We have a long way to go.

Rampaphosa handled himself with great patience

 Rampaphosa handled himself with great patience, grace and humour. Gotta give it to him! Trump only wanted to listen to the white South Africans. One of the white golfers patronised one of the black delegation members by saying this one used to to be in the youth party of the small political parties shown in the video. It's remarkable that South Africa was reduced to 'white genocide'! This the country that peacefully ended apartheid without any vows for revenge. True, they should have included economic redistribution as part of the peace deals with the apartheid regime but black South Africans don't owe an explanation to Trump. Mandela should have negotiated a better deal for the black peoples. Now, SA's government needs to work on wealth redistribution , end xenophobia for other Africans, and deliver the promised revolution of 1994. South Africa is the country that took Israel to the ICJ! I was impressed that Ramphosa brought a trade union leader as part of his delegation.

UN warns 14,000 babies in Gaza could starve

UN warns 14,000 babies in Gaza could starve. Almost 20,000 children have already been slaughtered by Israel. (These are figures, estimates, can be more buried under rubble) I have a huge problem with the indignity of turning struggles into humanitarian sympathy attractions instead of putting forth an anti colonial political legitimate struggle.

Now that Gazans are starving

Now that Gazans are starving (after being bombed, slaughtered, ethnically cleansed), European governments make limp lame threats to wag their fingers at Israel. It's so lame, so pathetic, so shameful. We see you. We also see how your puppets like Rwanda and UAE are fuelling conflicts in Africa. We see how you are attempting to assassinate a leader like Traore who has flung away Western shackles. We see how you destroyed the Syrian state and brought an Al Qaeda animal back to lead Syria, are taking off sanctions , and doing that nonsense at the behest of the US. It's so transparent, it's pathetic. Meanwhile, hope Biden dies a slow agonising death , praying to the new American Pope for salvation.

Kavita learned about the subaltern

Stunned that Kavita learnt "subaltern" in Grade 6. I can't get over it. Subaltern!!!!! I didn't know this term/concept/word until way later. Kavita's read "Bitter Gourd" by Talat Abbasi
and, "Air Conditioning" by Mohsin Hamid for English Lit. The themes taught in class include identity, diaspora literature, power dynamics, class, subaltern, etc. I'm stunned because I wasn't taught these particular concepts in English Literature which was one of my favourite subjects. Have to give kudos to Beaconhouse for this. I have many issues with them (attitudes amongst teachers and families who reinforce class, nationalism, religiosity, English supremacy, they don't give any importance to physical education or music or art, in fact, Music is out 6th grade onwards, E-books, making kids do maths in pen, gender segregation) but this is great. If you wonder whether Kavita got it, she wrote really good answers and seems to understand these concepts.

Oppression of minorities in India v Pakistan

An Ahamdi doctor was slaughtered recently. Pakistanis celebrating their victory over India and, parroting each other's rehearsed lines about how evil Hindutva is, where is the outrage? Instead of introspection about what Pakistani society needs to do to be at permanent peace with India, Pakistanis are just projecting their own problems: we are also facing terrorism, we just want peace, we have memes, we have a better media, etc. Ramachandra Guha in an interview with Karan Thapar said India can't be compared to Pakistan and, India just has to get back to being India. Pakistanis love pointing out that minorities in India are in a mess. But there's a difference: secularism versus enshrinement of oppression in law. Pakistan is not secular , was made on communal lines. So, oppression of minorities is inevitable. We even criminalised the Ahamdi sect and, go after other minorities too. We have a blasted Blasphemy Law. Oppression in India doesn't stem from Constitution or laws but rise of communal politics and, caste system despite having a solid secular socialist Constitution. So, introspection is really needed after the devastating confrontation between our two countries.

Questions to ask our governments

Scroll argues that there are certain questions Indians must ask about Operation Sindoor

1. Let’s start with the casus belli: the Pahalgam terror attack. Why did the government leave a meadow full of tourists completely unguarded?

2. Will this act as a deterrent against future terror attacks?

3. Did the government factor in Chinese weaponry before launching Operation Sindoor?

4. What larger objective did Operation Sindoor serve? If anything, it has shown that all it takes is a few terrorists to precipitate a crisis and drag a country of a billion people into war.

The article is here: Four questions Indians must ask about Operation Sindoor.

What are questions that Pakistanis should ask from their government. I've come up with the following:

1) As the war drums were beating in India, what measures should Pakistan government have taken ?

2) Did India make any demands immediately after Pahalgham and, did we respond to these demands? I looked it up, they didn't, they just meted out one unilateral move after another. (Pakistan also cancelled Indian visas)

3) Are the LeT and JM still operational in Pakistan ?

4) What measures did we take to protect Kashmiri civilians on our side of the LoC when Indian missiles starting attacking Pakistani territory?

5) Were Mazhood Azhar's family members killed and, is it correct that Army officers are participating in the funeral?

6) What diplomatic measures will Pakistan take to further de-escalate the tensions?

7) What is the long term foreign policy of Pakistan vis a vis South Asia? Where will we pick up from now? Pakistan has suspended Simla Agreement and India has suspended Indus Waters Treaty. How do we pick up?  

           8) While we throw out Afghan refugees and long term residents in Pakistan and                   harden the Western border how will this ensure security and peace in the region?  

          9) Were we really close to nuclear confrontation? 

          10) Why was X unblocked thanks to the war? Why was it blocked to begin with? 

Pakistani YouTubers and thinkers rebutting Indian YouTubers and leaders etc

1. Dr Taimur Rahman's conversations and rebuttals at this time of war between Pakistan and India are highly compelling and commendable. Here he gives a reply to the otherwise highly respected Druv Rathee who was seemingly committed to the truth but pushed out hateful jingoism and hysteria against Pakistan without any logic or rationality:

India's attacks against Pakistan without evidence:

1. Reunited the extremists with the Army
2. Undermined the democratic movement within Pakistan
3. Undermined the Pak - India peace forces in both countries

See his Video: Reply to Druv on Pakistani Politics.  

2. The Pakistan Experience - otherwise such an excellent channel by Shahzad Ghias whose personal journey as a comedian, American scholarship scholar and PTI born again analyst is remarkable - is milking its stint at the Piers Morgan show. To be proud of being invited to this platform where Piers Morgan has shamelessly flaunted his pro Israel bias and hounded guests into answering whether they support Hamas or not is a little pitiful. Piers Morgan asks idiotic questions like "What would you do if you were in Israel's shoes" and un-ironically, did the same on this panel "What would you do if 26 innocent civilians were killed?" Shahzad was joined by Hina Rabbani Khar who couldn't string one sentence together and tripped over her disjointed thoughts again and again. Hina couldn't keep up with Barkha Dutt, a seasoned journalist. I have no idea why Beer Biceps was invited on this panel which goes to show what a serious show Piers Morgan is, somewhere you go to entertain yourself , to see guests shouting at each other. Shahzad seems to think he scored big by telling Beer Biceps he is drunk. Shahzad tried to bring up CIA released files on why Osama bin Laden was found in Abbotabad but he floundered. He couldn't answer any one's questions clearly except trying to make rude remarks. It was pathetic. The whole panel discussion was incoherent: 

- people who look exactly the same are shouting at each other

- can you even tell Pakistanis and Indians apart?

- no one answered each other's questions

- we are merely defending state narratives despite internal fractures

- yes India broke international law by striking Pakistan

- but Pakistanis cannot confirm whether we are still supporting these groups or not

- our Air Force did a stellar job by shooting French jets but this isn't a video game , people died both sides

- neither Indians nor Pakistanis love their corrupt governments but defend them

- neither side answered each other's questions clearly

See the video here: "Exporting TERRORISM!" India-Pakistan Debate With Ranveer Allahbadia & Hina Khar.

3. A Question for India by Dr Taimur Rahman

This is a short video made by Taimur for Indian audiences urging them to understand that copying America's horrible War on Terror isn't going to work in Pakistan. RAND 's research on this shows that drone attacks never worked. In fact, it will only create more chaos. Here is a Screen Grab:

4. Shehzad Ghias Sheikh Exposes Godi Media's & Exposed Piers Morgan Show | Syed Muzammil Official

This is a clip from Muzammil's interviewing Shehzad on Express News on the Piers Morgan show where he appeared with Beer Biceps, Barkha Dutt, and Hina Rabbani Khar. Points that were made:

- Piers Morgan is a very problematic shouting-match show

- Piers Morgan asked guests whether they support Hamas or what they would have done as what happened on 7 October

- Piers Morgan did exactly same here

- that Piers Morgan was biased towards Pakistanis

- too much time spent on Osama bin Laden

- ill matched guests (what was Beer Biceps doing there)

- Hina was very graceful and poised (don't agree at all, couldn't string a sentence together)

5. India Pakistan War: A Reply to Shashi Tharoor

I was extremely disappointed , too that Shashi Tharoor is beating war drums but I suppose it is delusional to think that intellectuals and writers one admires are perfect.

Dr. Taimur Rahman makes an excellent rebuttal here: India Pakistan War: A Reply to Shashi Tharoor

6. Dhruv Rathee Exposed | Kirana Hills News Debunked | Syed Muzammil Official Very good rebuttal by Muzammil: Dhruv Rathee Exposed | Kirana Hills News Debunked | Syed Muzammil Official. 7. Lashkar-e-Taiba: A case study by Dr Taimur Rahman

This is very good. See here: Lashkar-e-Taiba: A case study.

A screen grab which say says it all:

While Pak and Indian Armies are throttling each other with missile and drone attacks

While Pak and Indian Armies are throttling each other with missile and drone attacks and engaged in heavy shelling across the LOC and murdering civilians both sides, and terrorising the Kashmiris again, Pakistanis are in love with their Army, praising the elegance of how restrained the Army is, as if admiring a flower vase, and, living in a sort of denial at how non-jingoistic they are! How do you praise an Army and pretend to be anti war?? Just say "No to War".

If you are a military strategist and, realist, then this statement is correct: Pakistan has to retaliate. But I would argue there was a window where Pakistan should have done more to prove we weren't involved in Pahalgham. We were involved in all other terrorist incidents. But as a moral position, we don't have a leg to stand on. We can't defend military activities, we can't defend it. We can't defend it especially if you oppose it in Balochistan. Hold your state to account first before you beat your chest and lie about lie about how much you love peace. (Let Indians hold their own state to account, should have provided evidence, we don't want war, etc etc)