Monday, September 07, 2009

The Killers in US Uniform

A Kadir Jasin

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IN THE Post-Cold War era, the US is the sole surviving superpower. In the absence of an opponent, America is today the world’s “megapower”.

Sadly, its warmongering has created a very unstable and unsafe world for everybody and despite having a friendlier face in the White House, the US still cannot shed its big bully image.

With every bomb that goes off in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan or Israel, the American’s hands get bloodier.

And it’s not proving to be easy for President Barack Obama to wind down the many wars that the evil Bush-Cheney Empire started around the world on the pretext of war on terror and ridding the world of Saddam Hussein’s non-existent weapon of mass destruction.

Lately, even the new Obama Administration is catching the bad habit of the Bush-Cheney Empire of perverting the truth and hiding facts from the generally ignorant American public. This time it’s on the pretext of “bad taste”.

It concerns attempts by the US Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, to halt the publication of a picture showing a US Marine soldier lying dead in Afghanistan last month.

The picture was taken by Associated Press (AP) photographer Julie Jacobson showing Lance Cpl. Joshua "Bernie" Bernard, 21, lying on the ground with severe leg injuries after being struck by a grenade in an ambush on Aug. 14 and fellow Marines tending to him. Bernard later died of his wounds.

Gates, an Obama appointee, had not only accused the news outlets of bad taste for using the AP supplied picture, but had also written a strongly worded letter to the AP President and CEO, Tom Curley, saying it was a matter of "judgment and common decency" not to use the photo.

A Pentagon spokesman said Gates followed up with a phone call "begging" Curley not to use it. But the AP did not succumb to Gates’ censorship attempt.

What bad taste was Gates talking about when hundreds of Iraqi and Afghan civilians are killed everyday by US fire, drones and bombs in pursuant of wars started by the Bush-Cheney Evil Empire?

What bad taste is he talking about when the US court had just found a US Marine soldier, Steven Dale Green, 24, guilty of raping and killing a 14-year old Iraqi girl and murdering her family?

Alas Green and his fellow scum of the earth (borrowing a term from an old movie/comic book about the French Foreign Legion) were spared the death penalty because the good men and women of the jury couldn’t agree on a punishment for their brutal crime.

Why? Because Green and his fellow rapists, murderers and tortures are Americans and are institutional killers – trained, paid and authorised by the Commander-in-Chief to use extreme measures, which in the heat of battle and to the likes of Green and Lynndie England (the infamous Abu Ghraib torturer), include torture, rape and murder.

Murderer Green went on to desecrate the bodied of his Muslim victims by setting them on fire.

These are not the only institutional torturers, rapists and murderers wearing the US badge.
Many more US “mercenary” soldiers were involved in rape, murder and torture of the very people they were send to protect.

Joshua "Bernie" Bernard whatever his name was, was not a helpless Iraqi girl. He was a combatant. Alas, the American war killed more Iraqis than Saddam was accused of and the same gospel is now being spread in Afghanistan.

Obama is destined to fail to bring peace and security to the world like all his predecessors if he denies that the Iraqis, Afghans, Pakistanis and Iranians have as much right as the Americans to determine their own future – Taliban no Taliban, Mullah no Mullah.

America had failed in all the wars it started or participated in since the end of the Second World War with the exception of probably the Korean War. Even so Korea is today divided and dangerously unstable.

On the rare occasions that America showed leadership and morality was when the generals were replaced by statesmen and diplomacy replaced the brute military force.

Will Obama have the courage to say no to the warmongering generals and the military industrial complex, and take that path of peace? I doubt.

27 comments:

nothingman said...

if obama says no, he'll surely follow the path of JFK.

Mista Blogga said...

Assalamualaikum Dato'

Saya teringat kata-kata seorang penceramah:

Soalan: Kenapa Bush bersungguh-sungguh hendak menyerang Iraq walaupun tiada "weapon of mass destruction?

Jawapan: Senang nak serang sebab memang tiada "weapon of mass destruction.

Soalan: Kenapa Bush tidak serang Korea Utara walaupun sudah benar ada "weapon of mass destruction"?

Jawapan: Nak mampos? Kalau Bush serang Korea Utara, habis ler Amerika kena bom!

Sekadar jenaka yang penuh makna.

ORANGUTAN PENANG said...

Tok Kadiaq'

US economy is back by nearly US15 trillion with a defense budget accounts for nearly half of global military spending.

So damned powerful in term of might!

US agenda in foreign policy are to
create a more secure,democratic and prosperous world FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE and world community.

The muslims used to reign supreme for hundreds of years before they collapsed and the us only recently came as the only superpower.

Orang islam ni jahat macam mana pun
kadang kadang pikiaq jugak akhirat esok tapi depa ni dunia saja kot!

Apa lagi sapu bersih la...

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST BAH..

Tapi arwah mak saya selalu kata..

"BIAQ PI LA DEPA BUAT KAT KITA,AKHIRAT ESOK TUHAN BALAS"

Cuma saya nak tambah,di dunia pun kita boleh balas kalu kena gaya.

raja2u said...

YBhg Dato',

Assalamualaikum.

In this month of Ramadhan particularly so with Nuzul Al Quran it is a waste of time wishing American leadership will change in the near future. It is stated in the Al Quran certai quarters will not stop their unfriendlyness until we follow their way.

What we should do is to strengthened ourselves both spiritually and physically. Problems normally is started by our own people who would not settle our problems among ourselves but prefer to invite outsiders to intervene. There will not be a major attack on Iraq if Quwait and Saudi did not provide logistic facilities to the American. Likewise there would not be a major attack on Afghanistan if Pakistan did not provide facilities for the American armed forces.

So Malaysians please be aware of the above. Quarrel as much as you like if you feel your rights being compromised. Please make sure the problem being confined within the country and the fight is among ourselves. If we don't fight but soved it the civilised way so much the better. We must always be ready to be united the moment we get information outsiders are ganging together against us.

Raja Abdul Rahman bin Raja Mohammad Dain
Petaling Jaya

pakbelalang said...

And yet JJ is so keen to lobby for Barrack Obama to visit Malaysia. What is so special inviting the "President of War Monger" to our country and to spend few million ringgit for the occasion to provide security and other protocol arrangements. Is it worth the money? What we will gain is only to enhance Najib's image just to get thr recognition and respect from the war monger President of US.

If this arrangment initiated by JJ materialises, I wonder how much money JJ is going to spend to get the President agrees to visit Malaysia. Knowing JJ's background he will take advantage and "belanja kasar" to get things done. Believe me!!

Teringat saya lirik lagu M Daud Kilau" 1 juta, 2 juta, 3 juta ....... HANGUS !!!(exaggerate sikit!)

saji said...

Salam Dato'

I share all you have said Dato'.

Tetapi, teringat saya dengan sendirian pedas Sammy Vellu terhadap kerajaan UMNO/BN sebelum ini ( zaman Che Det agakanya) di TV3 semalam Dato', apabila beliau menegaskan kepada wartawan terbabit bahawa, beliau tidak dapat mendesak seperti sekarang untuk membuat tuntutan kaum India daripada kerajaan UMNO/BN sebelum ini kerana mereka 'terlalu kuat' pada ketika itu.

Moral ceritanya ialah, grombolan tentera Amerika sejak era Pasca Perang -Dingin menjadi 'terlalu kuat' untuk diapa-apakan oleh mana-mana Presiden Amerika.

Patriot Garang said...

Assalamualaikum Dato'

Saya masih ingat kata-kata Tun Dr.M sewaktu satu dunia tengah gila dengan "obama"

dimana..

"Memang mudah untuk bercakap tentang PERUBAHAN.. tapi mampukah beliau melakukan PERUBAHAN?"

Lebih kurang macam tu la Dato'..

Dulu kat Malaysia pun orang asyik bercakap tentang perubahan...

Tapi tengok apa sudah jadi.. isu satu rumah ibadat pun tak dapat nak settle..

Huhuhu

el-Barokhas said...

No matter who the president of the US of A was, their foreign policy would forever be decided by Tel Iviv through the mighty jewish lobby in the US which controls a sizeable equity in the millitary industrial complex.

As Nothingman 11.55 am rightfully said, they'll do a JFK on Obama should the latter try to be too independent in his foreign policy adventure. Especially with countries within a warhead carrying rocket radius of Israel.

Anonymous said...

Dato'

It doesn't have to be "US Uniform"..
ANY Army, regardless of where they come from are Trained to Kill. Civilian Casualties are known as Collateral Damage.

The US or Certain European Countries at least tries to prevent Civilian Casualties, but Not the Taliban Or Al Qaeda or most other Military Force for that matter....



Joe Black

Unknown said...

Salam.

Kalau dengan US ni, sama ada kita buat baik atau buat jahat dengan dia, dia tetap akan serang kita.

Kalau kita buat jahat dengan US, dia akan serang kita secara fizikal dengan kelengkapan perangnya, seterusnya menjajah negara kita.

Kalau kita buat baik dengan US, dia tetap akan serang kita, tapi menerusi serangan ekonomi dan budaya, seterusnya menjajah kehidupan dan pemikiran kita.

Jadi, yang mana satu lebih baik untuk kita?

langit biru said...

!7 Ramadhan Nuzul Quran,
17 Ramadhan Tahun 2 Hijrah, Perang Badar Al-Qubra

Ramadhan bulan bermujahadah, muhasabah diri bagi mencapai darjat “Lil Muttaqin”- Orang-orang bertaqwa.

Tanggal 17 Ramadhan Tahun 2 Hijrah, bertolaklah Nabi s.a.w dengan para pejuang Islam seramai 307 orang. Tentera Islam dilengkapi dengan 70 Unta, 2 ekor Kuda dan peralatan perang yang amat terhad sehinggakan pelepah-pelepah tamar dijadikan pedang.
Di Makkatul Mukarramah, Pemimpin Agung Quraisy, Abu Jahal berdoa di hadapan Kaabah, “Ya Allah Tuhan Rumah Kaabah , hancurkan lah Muhammad, Pengkianat Bangsa Arab”. Tentera pimpinan Abu Jahal seramai 1000 orang dilengkapi dengan 700 pasukan berkuda lengkap dengan pakaian besi dan pedang. Semua pemimpin-pemimpin utama juga menganggotai tentera Abu Jahal. Dengan melebelkan Muhammad Pengkianat Bangsa Arab, mampu mengobar-ngobarkan semangat juang tenteranya disamping meletakkan beliau sebagai Penyelamat Bangsa.
Perang Badar disebut dalam Al-Quran dengan berbagai-bagai nama, antaranya Perang antara 2 Jemaah, Perang antara Haq dan Batil. 1000 tentera Abu Jahal juga disertai oleh Barisan syaitan-syaitan laknatullah. Manakala 307 tentera Islam disertai oleh Barisan 5000 malaikat-malaikat radhiallah. 6 orang dikecualikan menyertai pasukan Nabi s.a.w, 2 pasukan riki penyiasat,2 pemiutang, Al-Munzir Penguasa Kerajaan Islam Madinah yang diarahkan Nabi s.a.w bersiap-siaga dalam Kota Madinah, dan Saidina Usman Bin Affan yang diarahkan Nabi s.a.w menjaga isterinya yang juga puteri Nabi, Rugayah yang sakit tenat, menjadikan pasukan sebenar adalah 313 orang.

Bila tiba di medan perang Lembah Badar, ketika Nabi s.a.w melihat gerombolan pasukan Abu Jahal, Nabi berdoa, “Ya Allah, sekiranya pasukan kecil kami ini dikalahkan, nescaya tiada lagi manusia menyembahmu di bumi ini”. Ulamak membahaskan doa nabi ini berpendapat, dalam setiap urusan perkara umat Islam, yang diutamakan adalah KESANNYA kepada Agama. Sedangkan dikalangan tentera kafir, mereka berkira-kira sekiranya pasukan mereka kalah, maka isteri-isteri mereka jadi janda, anak-anak jadi yatim, kemana harta benda mereka.
Tentera Islam diberi tarbiyah, semangat dan keyakinan tulen bahawa mereka telah mencapai kemenangan, jika gugur Fi Sabilillah, kemenangan sebagai syuhada yang dijanjikan syurga. Jika menang dalam peperangan, kemenangan KEBENARAN (HAQ) keatas KEBATILAN (BATIL).




.

langit biru said...

Ayat 124-127 Surah Ali-Imran menceritakan pertolongan Allah s.w.t keatas Tentera Islam.

3:124 "(Ingatlah), ketika kamu mengatakan kepada orang mukmin: ""Apakah tidak cukup bagi kamu Allah membantu kamu dengan tiga ribu malaikat yang diturunkan (dari langit)?"""

3:125 Ya (cukup), jika kamu bersabar dan bertakwa dan mereka datang menyerang kamu dengan seketika itu juga, niscaya Allah menolong kamu dengan lima ribu Malaikat yang memakai tanda.

3:126 Dan Allah tidak menjadikan pemberian bala-bantuan itu melainkan sebagai kabar gembira bagi (kemenangan) mu, dan agar tenteram hatimu karenanya. Dan kemenanganmu itu hanyalah dari Allah Yang Maha Perkasa lagi Maha Bijaksana.

3:127 (Allah menolong kamu dalam perang Badar dan memberi bala bantuan itu) untuk membinasakan segolongan orang-orang yang kafir, atau untuk menjadikan mereka hina, lalu mereka kembali dengan tiada memperoleh apa-apa.

Apabila Allah s.w.t memilih Ibn Mas’ud memenggalkan kepala Abu Jahal, dan dibawanya kepala Abu Jahal kpd Nabi s.a.w, Nabi bersabda, “ Inilah FIRAUN bagi ummat ini”

Inilah hakikat sebenar 17 Ramadhan, untuk kita sama-sama ambil iktibar meningkatkan keimanan dan ketaqwaan, yang mampu menangkis segala ancaman musuh. Allah s.w.t akan menolong barisan mukmin yang bertaqwa, berserah sepenuhnya kepadaNya.

Ramai ulamak berpendapat, Ummat Islam hari ini tidak akan mencapai kemenangan selagi Solah Subuh Berjemaah tidak seramai Solah Jumaat Berjemaah, kerana meninggalkan solah subuh berjemaah adalah salah satu ciri utama kaum munafik, Wallahualam.

Marilah kita sama-sama menegakkan Agama Allah ini dengan sebenar-benarnya di bumi Malaysia yang tercinta, Amin.

Tentera Amerika yang dibiayai YAHUDI Laknatullah mampu dikalahkan oleh Barisan Mukmin yang bertaqwa, InsyaAllah

Anonymous said...

Dear Joe Black,

First of all, may I know are you Muslim or Non-Muslim?

When you said, “The US or Certain European Countries at least tries to prevent Civilian Casualties……..” how do you feel if this statement below is happened to your daughter/family?

"…………the US court had just found a US Marine soldier, Steven Dale Green, 24, guilty of raping and killing a 14-year old Iraqi girl and murdering her family?"

May be you will be more cruel and inhuman if this things happened to you….....then you will know what the Al-Qaeda and Taliban is fighting for!

Rock Lee

rakyat said...

BREAKING NEWS!!
"Bodoh macam lembu" akan diharamkan sebagai simpulan bahasa. Lembu2 juga akan diharamkan disembelih dan rakyat hanya boleh makan kambing dan babi sahaja. Sekiranya engkar, peguam negara akan menyaman mereka.

1Malaysia. Lembu diutamakan.

rakyat

Anonymous said...

Salam Dato'

During his presidential campaign, Obama promised that he would put an end to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars if and when he gets to the White House. Alas, the Americans and her allies are still there killing, torturing and maiming moslems and smashing up their countries to rubbles.

Recently, Obama's Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said that he "doesn't believe that the US should pull out of the country & fight a battle from afar with unmanned drones & small operation forces". By the end of this year about 6 000 more American soldiers would most probably be sent to Afghanistan. Do they sound like they are in a hurry to get out although their boys are going back in body bags?

The moslems can forget about the Americans leaving Iraq too. In the first place, they invaded Iraq in order to gain control of one of the major sources of energy. Iraq is known as the last part of the world that has vast, untapped and easily accessible energy resources. The immense profits gained would then go to the US based multinationals and back to the US treasury.

Whoever is in control of the world's energy resources gains critical leverage of the economies of her rivals. In the case of the Americans, over European and Asian economies. But Allah works in mysterious ways. Thanks to their fraudulent and unmonitored financial systems and greedy and grabby financial moguls, the Americans screwed up big time economically (along with the rest of the world). Small consolation here.

Being in control of the energy resources also gives the US unrivalled veto power. I strongly believe that the military bases in Afghanistan and Iraq are there permanently and they never had any intention of dismantling their operations there. In fact, of late we hear more and more of their drones "accidentally" murdering civilians in Pakistan.

But you have to hand it to the Americans when it comes to telling their side of the story. They are very innovative, creative and imaginative breed of homo sapiens. They would create terms that would soften the image of their brutal and cruel side. They would hide behind terms like tactical withdrawal, weapons of mass destruction, enhanced interrogation techniques, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Obama may have started off well with regards to wanting to end the wars, but he's now struggling with his own domestic problems - the economy and health care reforms. He has reneged on his promise to end the wars but what choice does he really have? Did he ever has a choice?

The most powerful man in the world doesn't have a choice.

I repeat: The most powerful man in the world doesn't have a choice.

No US presidential nominees can get to the White House and cruise along to his second term by ignoring the Jews. And the Jews are the natural enemies of the moslems.

Well, just do the Math.

Melati

Kadir Jalaini Jr. said...

Dato Kadir.

What happen in Iraq and Afhagistan is a major human tragedy.
Dont worry about those victims that was kill by American or Allied foeces or sucide bomber,they are save in heaven.They are die but in reality they are alive in Heaven.

Will the American and the allied force can live happily and save.No they are not.The are suffering.In UK and USA there are about 10 over thousands of them suffering the peculiar disease that cannot be cures.The disease not only distroying them but their family members.

Look at what happen to American economy,the financial crisis.Do you thing this does not hurt them.

I think Kadir,let belief for once Qada and Qadar.We can plan but Allah plan batter.What happen in Iraq anf Afghistan can be look at both side.Some people thing this is the blessing and some people think is the tragedy.

Look at the past superpower,The Roman,The Btzentine,The Persian,The Mogul,TheSpanish,The Portugal.They disappear and people remember them on in history.

Unknown said...

I disagree with Joe Black. Americans should respect the diversity and the inconclusiveness each nation has. Democracy in America may not be suitable to the other. It's like asking Italians to accept Malaysian 'Laksa'. Some may say tasty but some may reject it right away. Many Muslims believe the collateral damage you said is much worst than if you left them as they were to Sadam, Taliban, etc. The American double standard where when there is no oil, you didn't take or late to take action like in North Korea, Bosnia, etc shows to us that you are not sincere in promoting world peace.

Anonymous said...

DAK,

We should be worrying more on the emerging new super power around us. As history tend to repeat itself, this emerging new super power may take any nation by surprise! So, while we are giving full attention to the GI blues in the West, don't forget to watch our back from the forces of evil which is slowly arising in the East as well.

Antihipokrit

mekyam said...

salam ramadan tok scribe & fellow visitors,

may i share this clip [Bill Moyers on Bill Maher - War in Afghanistan and Obama's Presidency] from youtube which raised some interesting points that have relevance to this post...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj7UUnS_yNs&feature=related

please cut & paste the url below, without breaks, into a new window if the link doesn't work.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
Aj7UUnS_yNs&feature=related

Anonymous said...

Salam Dato'

Dengan izin

Salam Sdra antihipokrit

It's true when Ted Kennedy said that every generation has a rendezvous with new reality. Ours is to witness our Moslem brothers and sisters being pulverized by war junkies in the form of the Americans, Jews and their allies.

It's very difficult to seriously worry about potential new super power when it is just not possible to push aside the atrocities being committed by the US and her allies in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's downright impossible to ignore the fact that the US has consistently turned her face the other way whenever the Jews inflict similar atrocities upon the Palestinians.

So, perhaps we can just let the future generation keep the rendezvous with the next brand of reality.

However, it is very, very sickening to see what the Moslems are doing to each other the world over. Instead of banding together to fight against the obvious perpetrators, the Moslems would rather fight with each other. Think: Fatah vs Hamas, Talibans vs Hamid Karzai's troops, Yemeni government forces vs Shiite Muslim rebels and many other Moslem sects doing one-upmanship and showing their middle finger to one another.

Helpless Moslems like most of us can only donate money to those tortured, maimed and displaced war victims and pray to Allah for their well being. Amin.

Melati

Anonymous said...

Salam Dato'

Dengan izin

Salam pakbelalang

Not so long time ago, University of Malaya invited and entertained another war monger, Tony Blair, to give a talk on good governance.

Only TDM and the VC of USM made some noise over the invite.

Shame on UM.

While we are at it, don't forget Pak Lah who went ahead with his program to listen to Condoleeza Rice's piano recital in Kuala Lumpur on her visit here whilst the US turned her face the other way when Tel Aviv was bombing Lebanon.

Shame on the imam of Islam Hadhari. The least he could do was cancel the piano recital and just have a low-key dinner.

Our leaders are not known for their classy acts.

Melati

A KADIR JASIN said...

Sdr Sdri Pembahas yang dihormati,

1. Kita mungkin negara kecil. Kita bukan pun 100 negara orang Islam. Tetapi kita pernah dan masih sedikit sebanyak diingati dan diakui sebagai "Negari Islam" yang merdeka dan berani bersuara;

2. Untuk itu kita terpaksa akui bahawa Tun Dr Mahathir telah mengibarkan panji-panji kita atas nama persaudaraan Islam;

3. Untuk itu juga kita dikutuk oleh Barat dan medianya yang tegar melindungi hak (malah kekejaman) Israel;

4. Bayangkan betapa gembiranya Israel (Yahudi) dan persekongkolnya melihat Muslim di Malaysia kini berpecah belah, bergaduh sesama sendiri dan diasak oleh kaum dan agama lain;

5. Perisik dan diplomat Israel yang berpangkalan di Singapura tentu sangat gembira dengan keadaan ini dan semakin dalam menyuntik jarum beracunnya. Tetapi ramai Muslim terlalu leka dan jahil untuk menyedari hakikat ini;

6. Cuba tanya, apakah yang telah Lee Kuan Yew lakukan untuk kita setelah menjelajah bumi kita sebagai "Maharaja Baru" tidak lama dulu?

7. Apa rekomendasinya kepada pelabur Singapura -- melabur di Malaysia, jangan melabur di Malaysia atau tunggu dulu?

8. Sejak tahun 2006, lebih banyak modal Malaysia mengalir ke Singapura daripada modal Singapura masuk ke Malaysia!

9. Jadi dalam kita Muslim di Malaysia berpolitik, ingatlah ada mata yang gembira melihat perpecahan kita.

10. Amerika dan sekutunya Israel tidak mahu melihat negara Islam stabil dan aman. Mereka tidak beragak-agak mengadu domba umat Islam agar berpecah belah.

Terima kasih.

Anonymous said...

Dato'

Rock and U Cow seems to disagree with me on the role of Armies;

Let's agree that anyone who joins the army joins a killing machine and when he dons a Uniform for War, it doesn't matter whether he is US or not, Christian or Muslim, he is going out there to kill....

The fact that a US soldier is tried and sentenced severely for killing civilians indicated President Obama's determination to show that no US soldier has the mandate to kill civilians...

President Obama has taken pains to Announce that the US is not at war with the Muslims.... The Mission of Al Qaeda and other Muslim extremist,s is to Create a War between the US and the Muslims World.

In order to win over the US, we should win over the hearts and minds of the US Population. That was how the Vietnam War was Won..Through harnessing US public opinion and People Power. The Vietnamese Did not Attack American Civilians in the US like what the Arabs did but made the Americans withdraw due to American public opinion.



Joe Black

Anonymous said...

Datuk and fellow debaters,

Sept. 8 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. was displaced by Switzerland as the world’s most-competitive economy after its financial markets were roiled by the worst crises since the Great Depression, the World Economic Forum said.

The US caused the global economic meltdown once again. The first was in the 1920s. This is because of the free-wheeling, laissez faire, market-driven economy has become greedy and deceitful.

So the only way that the US can keep its supremacy is in the military area. It also diverts the attention of the people from the true situation in America and blame the world for its trouble. Wars will become the tools of domestic and international policy.

The military industrial complex that benefited trillion of dollars in the form of weapon purchases and research grants will keep the economy going. So war becomes an economic activity.

The US will export more wars to more parts the world arming the governments and the rebels at the same time like in the movie The Iron Man. Now there's speculation the the US Dollar will collapse because too much notes were printed to bail out banks and big companies.

So our Bank Negara should not be to pleased with the US$130 billion foreign reserves it has. How much of it is in Dollar? I think gold is safer. Buy gold as a back up.

Ex-banker

Tok Ma said...

Datuk,

Any similarity between Palestinians and Melayu. Well, just wait and see. It will come sooner than later if Melayu continue to quarrel amongst ourselves.

Datuk, What made America great?. The answer is its people (Americans). They are the proudest people on earth. They are ready to fight and die for what ever cause they believe (or were made to believe) in. They respect their national anthem "Star Spangle Banner" and sing "America the Beautiful" at very occasions even in front of Ted Kennedy's cottage on its way to Arlington National Cemetery. The irony is that one of my friend like to sing American national anthem during karaoke session.

On the contrary we don't give a damn whenever Negara Ku is being played. Datuk, we need to be great in order to be respected. Otherwise, we will be like Arabs leaders who lost respects not only amongst the world community but sadly amongst its own people.

Alas, Malay leaders are still quarreling on who will go to heaven and hell.

The American society is getting more complicated by the day. There are between 7 to 8 million muslims (perhaps more if black muslem is taken into account). Thousands of muslims are in the military a number of them high ranking officers. It even has its own Chaplin "guru agama". One of the senior naval commanders is a muslim born in Pakistan and brought up in the US.

In less than 50 years there are between 7-8 muslims in the US from a handful in early 60s. A question to ponder, what have we achieved (in propagating islam) in the last 50 years?.

Salam.

Anonymous said...

Salam Dato'

Speaking of cow, I remember the late Yasmin Ahmad's raya commercial. It was shot in Lenggong, Perak. The story was about a single mom sending her many young children to the market to buy daging, hati, limpa and whatnots for hari raya makan-makan. The kids bought the wrong cow organs and mom was hopping mad. She gave them a earful and told them to go back to the market and to get the organs that she had wanted in the first place. The kids eventually trudged back with one ambling and demure-looking cow. I thought the commercial was very touching and hilarious at the same time.

But this latest cow story tak funny langsung. Mooooooooo...

Hokay, wishing you Selamat Hari Raya and maaf zahir batin. Have a good and safe journey to and from Kedah - if you are celebrating over there.

Roger, out.

Melati.

Anonymous said...

Salam Dato'

Hish! That cow story was supposed to be posted in your latest article. Sorry. Any chance of you moving it there?

Melati

About Me

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I was born in 1947 in Kedah. I came from a rice farming family. I have been a journalist since 1969. I am the Editor-in-Chief of magazine publishing company, Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd. I was Group Editor NST Sdn Bhd and Group Editor-in-Chief of NSTP Bhd between 1988 and 2000. I write fortnightly column “Other Thots” in the Malaysian Business magazine, Kunta Kinte Original in Berita Harian and A Kadir Jasin Bercerita in Dewan Masyarakat. Books: Biar Putih Tulang (1998), Other Thots – Opinions & Observations 1992-2001 (2001), The Wings of an Eagle (2003), Mencari Dugalia Huso (2006), Damned That Thots (2006), Blogger (2006), PRU 2008-Rakyat Sahut Cabaran (2008), Komedi & Tragedi-Latest in Contemporary Malaysian Politics (2009) and Membangun Bangsa dengan Pena (2009).