29 May 2009 at 9:45 am (Uncategorized)
Tags: Global Politics, USA, War & Terrorism, Iraq, Afghanistan, Shoah, Germany
Hey folks,
yesterday, when researching quotes for my democracy-article I found another rather intriguing quote from a not-at-all political correct source. (And one I know mentioning his name will boost my stats again *hehe*): Mr Hermann Goering, minister to a long-gone “1000 years” German “Reich”:
“Naturally the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”
- H. Goering
Sometimes I think I have a clue where exactly in history to look for former US-President (George W. as well as George) Bush’s inspirations and historic mentors …
Oh I just love historic quotes! And somehow I guess I’m into politically incorrect sources too:
“Don’t ever trust a statistic you haven’t forged yourself!”
- H. Goebbels
I just wonder whether those people who produced them some decades ago had any idea how accurate they would be …?
shabbat shalom and a magic weekend
yours,
Migdalit
3 Comments
15 August 2008 at 11:55 pm (Hope., Uncategorized)
Tags: Afghanistan, Israel, Middle East
Shabbat Shalom,
there is always another side of the medal. Another side of those countries claiming they are in for “Peace in Middle East” (TM) – including Israel – as well as those commonly known rather for other news. What I found by accident in a Afghan-German forum tonight for sure is one of those other sides:
Regards: Afghanistan should recognize Israel!!!
Afghani:
Salam dear people,
In my opinion Afghanistan should finally recognize the Jewish state because the Jews haven’t done anything to us. I am in favor of a strong military and economical cooperation between Israel and Afghanistan. Furthermore I am in favour of a official invitation to Afghan Jews to return to their home. I would like to hear your opinion. Thanks.
Farhang:
My opinion: I don’t mind a cooperation between Israel and Afghanistan. But one must be aware of the far going consequences.
Fundamentalist forces already drive us nuts with our land getting foreign military aid. What is going to happen when Afghanistan makes a pact with the concept of the enemy of the radical-islamic world?
I can predict it to you: The invasion of Arab, Pakistani and Chechnian terrorist-guys, who will level our already bedevilled realm with the vague illusion of “freeing” us from the “infidel”. Moreover I think the Israelis mostly don’t care whether a underdeveloped country, which is several thousand kilometres away and mostly uninvolved in geopolitics recognizes them or not.
That’s it. No anti-Israeli jumping in trying to tell them something about Israeli human rights abusesthough the topic has been posted on June 19 2008, nearly two months ago. The only other posting is that of Rajesh featuring a link to a german article reporting on a tiny Jewish community in Afghanistan: Exactly one man.
Small things like those postings give me hope. A lot of hope actually. Hope that one day it might be the most normal thing in the world for a Israeli to visit the re-developed country of Afghanistan. Thank you sooooo much guys, shukran and toda raba.
What I think Farhang is wrong about though is that Israel wouldn’t care. I bet they’d care a lot. Just imagine a country like Afghanistan, in the middle of the worst of the whole mess and with a 99% Muslim population, would bravely step forward and recognize, even work together with Israel! What a symbol! What a shot of hope that there are friends out there, right where you’d least expect them. And what a terrible blow for hardliners who believe every Muslim necessarily has to be an enemy.
Plus I bet an intelligence and counter terrorism cooperation between Israel and Afghanistan could be rather beneficial to both nations. To Afghanistan by getting Israeli know-how on fighting the Taliban and other radical-islamist morons and for Israel getting hand on islamistic terrorists where they come into existence and a chance to extinct multinational terrorist cells right at their roots. If I was a counter-terrorism-person I’d jump for joy as if celebrating Hanukkah, Yule and Christmas at one day.
Not talking about the possibility for exiled Afghan Jews to return home. As beautiful as Israel is and as much as it might be the original “homeland” of the Jews it doesn’t necessarily mean all of them feel at home there.
Though this might be borderline politics I still think it was a great one for shabbat.
I hope you will get through another week of possibly little postings and am looking forward to having more time for my blog again next weekend.
Love,
Migdalit
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3 August 2008 at 10:39 am (Uncategorized)
Tags: Afghanistan, Iraq, War & Terrorism
Hey there,
so terrorist attacks of all kinds are as normal in Iraq as thunderstorms are in Austrian summers. So reading this I was kinda startled:
Jihadis Despair of Iraq
Yaman Mukhaddab, a popular contributor to al-Hesbah (the most exclusive Jihadi forum), wrote an essay on July 21 in which he expressed alarm at the low morale and pessimism of some of his fellow forum members on account of al-Qaeda setbacks in Iraq.
One brother, he notes, said that the jihad in Iraq is ending like the jihad in Algeria (badly).
Another brother criticized Mukhaddab for being optimistic about Iraq.
A third said the situation is out of control and the outcome is already known.
Mukhaddab responds that such pessimism is unwarranted. As scripture says, victory will come after severe testing. And things can turn around at any time. If AQ is able to strike the U.S. or if the U.S. strikes Iran, the mujahids in Iraq will benefit greatly (he doesn’t explain why).
Mukhaddab ends by reminding his readers that there was a similar level of despondency after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan but things turned out well in the end.
Despite his optimism, the fact that Mukhaddab would admit that other Jihadis on al-Hesbah–where the most influential pundits hold court–are souring on Iraq means that al-Qaeda is truly almost done there and that foreign fighters will be looking for greener pastures.
[also see Arabic original text: 7-21-08-ekhlaas-yaman-mukhaddab-criticizes-pessimism-about-iraq]
Even more just a couple of posts above the same author added:
[...] the Washington Post gives us further evidence that Iraq is a sinking ship for al-Qaeda and Afghanistan is the lifeboat, at least for the senior leadership. Amit Paley has written a well-sourced articleon the departure of Abu Ayyub al-Masri (aka Abu Hamza al-Muhajer), the head of al-Qaeda in Iraq, for Afghanistan. [...]
I mean I would wish this to the people of Iraq who have suffered so much because of all the attacks and the US’ response and I’d also wish this to the families of and US American soldiers who are caught in that hell of a place called “Iraq” that used to be a 1001 nights paradise back then.
A failing of al Quaida terrorism in Iraq could (!) mean there would finally be hope for peace and Iraqis returning to some kind of a normal life where the US American troops with their guns and strange culture wouldn’t be needed anymore and could finally leave. And of course the thousands of Iraqi refugees in Syrian and Jordanian exile could finally return. A scenario which has seemed to be nearly impossible lately. Who knows what hope Iraq finding its way back to normality could cast even outside Iraq? Would people get the message that “Jihad” isn’t the sole answer?
Yet what does it mean for Afghanistan? Do the allied troops stationed there have a change to stand enforced Taliban / al Quaida on the long run if the emphasis of al Quaida operations was moved to Afghanistan? And is the country just a couple of years after the war and with half of it still in Taliban hands strong enough to preserve the freedom it built up in the northern cities in that scenario? I hope so … really do.
yours,
Migdalit
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