:: Blog@Uttiya ::

Finally, there are more voices joining into the assertion India has had all along – Pakistan harbors and even promotes terrorism. Just yesterday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in no uncertain terms that “Osama Bin Laden is in Pakistan and someone high up in the Pakistani government knows where he is“. Someone in her position cannot make a loose statement, especially after the Dubya mess-up with Iraq and WMDs . There has to be concrete and credible evidence that supports such a public assertion.

Additionally, the accused of the India 26/11 conspiracy, David Headley has admitted under oath in the US courts that Pakistan Navy has trained the 26/11 attackers.

If there was any damning conviction of Pakistan’s role in global terrorism, this was it. Pakistan needs to awaken to the problems it faces with its unchecked non governmental militia and out of control provinces like South Waziristan. There is rampant talibanism in thse places and there are too may unchecked agents in the country. It is time Pakistan woke up from its denial and took strong, affirmative action to root out terrorism in the country.

Was reading the news and say that foreign correspondents are being denied entry to Arunachal. Yet another example of our lily-livered response to Chinese posturing.

After the disaster called the 1962 conflict, we have been showing absolute apathy when it comes to dealing with China. We lost Aksai Chin and Parts of Arunachal to the Chinese and yet, in a typical gasbag show of ignorance, we continue to show them as part of India. To top it all, we complain when these are shown as parts of China in the Ginese maps and also, on Google! Just showing them on a map means nothing unless we are really governing those spaces, which we obviously aren’t.

In all of this, the only real show of courage we have really shown is landing an AN 32 carrier plane on the Nyoma airstrip in Ladakh. Having lived a significant part of my life in China, I can vouch for one thing, the Chinese will NOT back down from what they believe to be right fully theirs. Just look at their claims on Taiwan, which is proof enough.

We need a strong, yet diplomatic response to the claims from China. Also, we need to have a frank dialogue and work out what the territorial claims are from each nation. For all those out there who feel we can take on the Chinese in a war, let me say this – we can’t. I know the Indian Military (being a military brat myself) and I know the Chinese capability, as an army and as a people. The world cannot afford a war between the two most populous nations on Earth, and neither can we.

CNET is asking everyone on what eMail etiquette is all about. I just posted one entry and here it is –

I work in a global IT organization and part of our employee induction is a course on eMail etiquette. I have found that a lot of what is taught there is also valid for personal emails. Just a few pointers –

See the whole thred on

I have been following the news closely for the last few days and have been pained and elated at the same time. There is so much death and destruction in the world today. There are fires still raging in parts of the US west coast. San Diego, Miami are all devastated. Millions had to be evacuated, but the shining spirit of everyone came through. People are fighting fires with garden hoses. Firefighters have been working for 30 hours at a stretch, doing an almost impossible job.

Makes you think. The US can try and tame everyone, but not mother nature. I just feel this seems a metaphysical happenning of sorts. This is just God’s way of reminding the US. If the US pays a little more attantion trying to improve the lives of her people and the rest of the world by sending food and medicines to the people who need it. Instead of Iraq, maybe if they send help to Darfur, they will get some good karma. I am seeing a woman cry on CNN now, because she lost everything. This is a wakeup call, but there have been others like this before and US has simply ignored.

Its amazing how everything US does today comes to bite them back tomorrow. They created the Taliban crisis, training Al-Qaeda to fight the Soviet occupation. They trained them so well that they could carry out 9/11 (see here for more)

And if that was not enough, US is now toying with Iran. As I remember, if a persons mind is made up, you cannot reason with him. Iran’s mind is made up. We cannot reason with them. Sanctions are worse. Before sanctions, your enemy was a small section of extremists and the government of Iran. Sanctions end up alienating the common man on Iranian streets. See what happened in Iraq and Cuba and it proves my point.

Interestingly, Russia is coming back up. We need that. US has had single handed rein too long, and they dont know how to manage the world. We need Russia back. We need China to threaten them with the financial nuclear bomb a few more times. We need India to rise from her petty internal sqabbles and challenge US. Having one enemy in the cold war era was tough enough for US. Having three will be a healthy dose of reality for US. Wake up and smell the roses, Mr. Bush. The asians are coming