in comparison to china, i'm sure that's correct. of course, in china they're summarily executed, so that might explain the difference in numbers!
Bush in his campaign wanted to paint himself as a friend to the US military and wanted find some rationale for increased military spending. Since the cold war ended and Russia basically gave back the "black hat", the US military had less justification for its military spending. Bush in his campaign stated that he wanted to give the black hat to China. Bush, I vaguely recall, said that some Chinese general had said that conflict between China and USA was inevitable, so that was reason enough to no longer China our friend. It should have been to nobody's surprise after several months from Bush being sworth in (April 1, 2001) that the USA and China had a spy plane incident (the EP-3 Crisis). Bush initial, undiplomatic refusal to apologize only made the problem worse, adding to the Bush Presidency legacy (or is that lunacy???).
I can tell. Is that why you use the stream-of-consciousness method of writing? by the way u support terrorism (so I heard)
you didn't hear?? yeah...new rule...when another country shoots your plane down, you have to apologize. tough rule, huh?
ok the chinese got no right to intercept a plane that is spying their country!!! n then landing on chinese soil without permission!!!???
That is the issue for me. I somewhat like George Bush's domestic policy, but I deplore his foreign policy. He and the Vice-President remind me of Pinky and the Brain.
There is this crazy new thing going around called diplomacy. One of the tenets of diplomacy is to avoid adding tension to an already tense situation. Bush does not get it. Bush could have kept quiet, but no that would not do. He had to go and say that there was no way in hell he would ever apology. This is just plain stupid. How is that for objective, MadMax?
Yeah, but the other part of diplomacy is not getting your ass handed to you when dealing. Sometimes you have to take a tougher stance. Have you ever tried buying a car?
Deckard, Actually, I had to alter things to get that quote. Those type of sentiments were expressed by a noted Muslim. The Indian subcontinent had a mix of religious groups with Hindus and Muslims the two largest. The British were in the process of <i>breaking up</i> their Empire in the 20th century and there was a push by the Muslims to have an area of the subcontinent designated as the place in which they would have political control rather than be a minority party in a political system that would be controlled by the majority Hindus. <A HREF="http://www.storyofpakistan.com/person.asp?perid=P001">Sir Syed Ahmad Khan</A> is noted as the originator of the Two-Nation theory in the 19th century. <A HREF="http://www.storyofpakistan.com/person.asp?perid=P007">Allama Iqbal</A> is known as the inspirational force for the creation of a Muslim political entity on the Indian subcontinent in the 20th century. Allama Iqbal was a noted poet and writer with <A HREF="http://www.yespakistan.com/iqbal/reconstruction/">The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam</A> and his 1930 speech before the All India Muslim League as his more noted efforts. Pakistan & India were created/separated post WW II with much human suffering. <A HREF="http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9708/India97/india/panorama/#1">Blood, death and the birth of a nation</A> So yes, there were followers of Judaism that wanted a country in which they would be the dominant political group, but a Muslim country was formed with a similar intent and in the same timeframe (20th century) as Israel. One last point about Pakistan, it seems that one has to be a Muslim to be leader/President of Pakistan. <A HREF="http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/constitution/part3.ch1.html">PART III The Federation of Pakistan Chapter 1. THE PRESIDENT</A> <i>........(2) A person shall not be qualified for election as President unless he is a Muslim of not less than forty-five years of age and is qualified to be elected as member of the National Assembly............</i> Here is the link to the original source that I used. <A HREF="http://www.tolueislam.com/Bazm/drIqbal/AI_address_1930.htm">Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s 1930 Presidential Address</A> The original is in green text. <i>...I lead no party; I follow no leader. I have given the best part of my life to careful study of Judaism, its law and polity, its culture, its history and its literature. This constant contact with the spirit of Judaism, as it unfolds itself in time, has, I think, given me a kind of insight into the significance as a world fact. It is in the light of this insight,........... I propose, not to guide you in your decision, but to attempt the humbler task of bringing clearly to your consciousness the main principle which, in my opinion, should determine the general character of these decisions.......... </i> ... I lead no party; I follow no leader. I have given the best part of my life to careful study of Islam, its law and polity, its culture, its history and its literature. This constant contact with the spirit of Islam, as it unfolds itself in time, has, I think, given me a kind of insight into the significance as a world fact. It is in the light of this insight, whatever its value, that while assuming that the Muslims of India are determined to remain true to the spirit of Islam, I propose, not to guide you in your decision, but to attempt the humbler task of bringing clearly to your consciousness the main principle which, in my opinion, should determine the general character of these decisions. <i> It cannot be denied that Judaism, regarded as an ethical ideal plus a certain kind of polity – by which expression I mean a social structure regulated by a legal system and animated by a specific ethical ideal..............to say is that Jewish society, with its remarkable homogeneity and inner unity, has grown to be what it is, under the pressure of the laws and institutions associated with the culture of Judaism... </i> <i> It cannot be denied that Islam, regarded as an ethical ideal plus a certain kind of polity – by which expression I mean a social structure regulated by a legal system and animated by a specific ethical ideal – has been the chief formative factor in the life-history of the Muslims of India. It has furnished those basic emotions and loyalties which gradually unify scattered individuals and groups, and finally transform them into a well-defined people, possessing a moral consciousness of their own. Indeed it is not exaggeration to say that India is perhaps the only country in the world where Islam, as a people-building force, has worked at its best. In India, as elsewhere, the structure of Islam as a society is almost entirely due to the working of Islam as a culture inspired by a specific ethical ideal. What I mean to say is that Muslim society, with its remarkable homogeneity and inner unity, has grown to be what it is, under the pressure of the laws and institutions associated with the culture of Islam... <i> ... In the world of Judaism, we have a universal polity whose fundamentals are believed to have been revealed, but whose structure, owing to our legists’ want of contact with the modern world, today stands in need of renewed power by adjustments........... </i> ... In the world of Islam, we have a universal polity whose fundamentals are believed to have been revealed, but whose structure, owing to our legists’ want of contact with the modern world, today stands in need of renewed power by adjustments. <i> ........The religious ideal of Judaism, therefore, is organically related to the social order which it has created. The rejection of the one will eventually involve the rejection of the other. Therefore, the construction of a polity on national lines, if it means a displacement of the Jewish principle of solidarity; is simply unthinkable to a Jew. ............. </i> The religious ideal of Islam, therefore, is organically related to the social order which it has created. The rejection of the one will eventually involve the rejection of the other. Therefore, the construction of a polity on national lines, if it means a displacement of the Islamic principle of solidarity; is simply unthinkable to a Muslim. <i> ..........It is, however, painful to observe that our attempts to discover such a principle of internal harmony have so far failed. Why have they failed? Perhaps, we suspect each other’s intentions, and inwardly aim at dominating each other.......... Perhaps, we are unwilling to recognize that each group has a right to free development according to its own cultural traditions...... </i> It is, however, painful to observe that our attempts to discover such a principle of internal harmony have so far failed. Why have they failed? Perhaps, we suspect each other’s intentions, and inwardly aim at dominating each other. Perhaps, in the higher interests of mutual cooperation, we cannot afford to part with the monopolies which circumstances have placed in our hands, and conceal our egoism under the cloak of a nationalism, outwardly simulating a large-hearted patriotism, but inwardly as narrow-minded as a caste or tribe. Perhaps, we are unwilling to recognize that each group has a right to free development according to its own cultural traditions. <i> ........In the near future our community may be called upon to adopt an independent line of action to cope with the present crisis. And an independent line of political action, in such a crisis, is possible only to a determined people, possessing a will focalized by a single purpose. ... Rise above sectional interests and private ambitions....Pass from matter to spirit. Matter is diversity; spirit is light, life and unity....one lesson I have learnt from the history of Jews. </i> In the near future our community may be called upon to adopt an independent line of action to cope with the present crisis. And an independent line of political action, in such a crisis, is possible only to a determined people, possessing a will focalized by a single purpose. ... Rise above sectional interests and private ambitions....Pass from matter to spirit. Matter is diversity; spirit is light, life and unity....one lesson I have learnt from the history of Muslims. <i> At critical moments in their history, it is Judaism that has saved Jews and not vice versa. If today you focus your vision on Judaism and seek inspiration from the ever vitalizing idea embodied in it, you will be only reassembling your scattered forces, regaining your lost integrity, and thereby saving yourself from total destruction... </i> At critical moments in their history, it is Islam that has saved Muslims and not vice versa. If today you focus your vision on Islam and seek inspiration from the ever vitalizing idea embodied in it, you will be only reassembling your scattered forces, regaining your lost integrity, and thereby saving yourself from total destruction...
Thanks, Mango. I spent most of a summer in the mid '60's in India. I rode a bike around Bangalore, which was far different from what it is now. Statues of Queen Victoria and other British notables were stuck in the odd back spaces of the parks... sort of stacked around. Relics of an empire that had clearly placed it's stamp on the country. You could see it's remains everywhere. There were the remains of past empires as well, a welter of influences. I wonder what Iqbal would think of Pakistan today... the culmination of getting a separate state.
