Stop blaming other countries
Talking about the recent terror attacks in Mumbai, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "A great multi-faithed democracy has been laid low by terrorists. It raises huge questions about how the world addresses violent extremism."
I agree. But the answers to those questions so far will only exasperate the problem.
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Quoting Indian "security sources", the front page weekend headlines of our newspapers were virtually unanimous in linking the attacks in Mumbai to British Muslims from Bradford, Hartlepool, Leeds, etc.
So let me get this right. The Indian security services knew that the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan was blown up by terrorists but did nothing to look at the vulnerability of large hotels in India's own major cities?
The hotels had been given a detailed warning of the attacks eight days earlier but did nothing to prevent them.
And it took 12 hours for India to get its commandos to the scene of the carnage. Then those same commandos took more than 60 hours to put an end to the carnage caused by just 10 young men.
And how can this same outfit, without knowing even the names of these young men, suddenly know from which towns in the UK they had come from?
What nonsense. And all this despite our Foreign Office repeatedly stating that there was no evidence of British involvement in the attacks. That our media was so willing to play along with the Indian diversionary tactics is shameful. Such baseless accusations only serve to further alienate British Muslims.
Since then, the Indians have back-tracked and reverted to their original knee-jerk and well-oiled "if you have no clue, blame Pakistan" policy – apparently, now all of the attackers are from Pakistan.
India has got it wrong on many occasions before. The fire-bombing of the Samjhauta Express train between New Delhi and Lahore in February 2007 was first blamed on Pakistan, but later linked to Hindu extremists supported by an Indian army colonel.
What India does not want the world to know is that it has a range of home-grown extremists from all different faiths and backgrounds.
Suicide bombing as a terrorist tactic – since copied in other parts of the world by people of other backgrounds and faiths – was first brought to the world's attention many decades ago in India, when Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a female Hindu suicide bomber.
Or how about when the Indian government stood by as thousands of Muslims were massacred by Hindu extremists in Gujarat, not to mention Kashmir or Assam.
If India is to learn anything from this, and there is plenty to learn, it must accept that it has huge internal problems that will not go away by blaming others.
It may deflect attention short term, but over time the problems will get worse. This may sound harsh at this time, but true friends of India will say the things it needs to hear, not what it wants to hear.
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by Martin, Knowle,Bristol
Wednesday, December 10 2008, 10:28AM
“To imply that secularism actually embraces naziism or vice versa is false. At no point in the word's definition does it say such nonsence.
You have stated that secular thinking is wrong so I can only assume that you think believing in myths is not only right but governments should actually consult myths.
Those two chaplains were either both right, in which case God is a sadist, one was right, which still makes God a sadist, or both wrong, Which makes god non existent, deaf, or a liar. To suggest that this kind of thinking is rational enough for a government is crazy.
you may think the Taliban is a good idea but I am not so sure.
There are plenty of fairly good secular governments out there.
The same cannot be said of governments that defer to religion for guidance.”
by Anthony James, Bristol
Tuesday, December 09 2008, 6:55PM
“Secularism is generally the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from religion or religious beliefs. Alternatively, it is a principle of promoting secular ideas or values in either public or private settings over religious ways of thought. That includes Nazism, Communism, etc. Get your facts right.
Think of poor Tommy and Fritz as they cower in their trenches listening to their respective chaplains telling them that god is on their side - there for their secular countries who sent them to die in unimaginable squalor for king/kaiser and/or country.”
by Martin, Knowle,Bristol
Wednesday, December 03 2008, 8:40AM
“Anthony James. Your list of nasties does not make sense to me. I could argue about most of them but it seems pointless. Suffice to say that they all had faith in their beliefs. You seem to equate communists, Nazis, IRA, et all with secularism. I think it is you who needs to look up the word.
Lets just say this-
Bad people do bad things because they are bad. Many bad people do bad things and hide behind religion. Religious people do bad things in the name of religion.
Think of poor Tommy and Fritz as they cower in their trenches listening to their respective chaplains telling them that god is on their side.
The simple fact is that there is no evidence for this god or any other. It therefore follows that it is not logical to use religion as a reason to do anything.
Please don't call me names. Apart from being offensive it makes you look immature.”
by Anthony James, Bristol
Tuesday, December 02 2008, 10:25PM
“Martin, Martin, Martin. Your ignorance is far from bliss! What a biased little silly billy (or fartin' Martin) you are! So secularism is the solution over religion. Secularism eh! You mean you support the likes of Nazi Germany, Communist USSR, China, N Korea, Kymer Rouge Cambodia, Ba'athist Iraq & Syria, Myanmar (Burma) as enlightened over religion. And WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Korea and nearly all wars of the past 100 years (all secular political wars) are ok. Remember WWII killed many more than all religious wars from all time added together. And secular based terrorists, past and present, such as the IRA, Baader Meinhoff, Red Brigade, Nazis, ETA, Tamil Tigers, Communist Party of India (Maoist), Continuity IRA, Fianna na hEireann, INLA, Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, ELN, Red Hand Commando, DHKP, TNLA amongst many are better than terrorists who hypocritically claim their acts are in the name of a faith? Mate you need help! Secular conflict is by far the biggest killer of all time - and is the only killer to use atomic weapons! Or perhaps you just don't actually understand what 'secular' means!
By the way... have you contacted Farooq yet. I am sure he'll sympathise with your obsession.”
by Martin, Knowle,Bristol
Tuesday, December 02 2008, 6:01PM
“So its not a particular country's fault and the media do what they always do and report any bit of gossip going, true or not.
The author points out the faiths involved in these awful acts mentioned here.This is relevant to him and also to me. The governments of these countries seem to support these faiths and are more or less powerless to stop the carnage.This is either through lack of political will or lack of resources and organisation, yet both countries can make atomic bombs.
Truly secular governments might help. That will only be achieved when the populace realise through proper education that faiths are ignorant.”