Don't ask, don't tell
From the Blog PkColumnist.com: Don't ask, don't tell - No, I'm not alluding to the oft-repeated phrase – don't ask, don't tell – for gays serving in the US military. I'm alluding to the American press. Last Wednesday Obama held a post-election press conference. Not a single man nor woman stood to ask the president why America was driving itself into a black hole spending billions a week in Afghanistan, Pakistan and of course Iraq, while Americans at home were becoming poorer by the second. No Sir! Not a tweet out of these dudes considered the crème de la crème of journalism. For full sixty minutes, the questions put to the president by the press – all white males except 3 women – were about taxes, healthcare, jobs, yada yada. No one cared to question Obama on the dollar-drain causing trillions in deficit. No one cared to ask why he was supporting corrupt 'democratic' regimes fattening their own bank balances from the aid-millions sent by him to help the poor in our part of the world. Do the mainstream media wear blinkers? Is it only interested in domestic issues? Does it not know that over sixty per cent of the US budget goes on warfare and trying to win 'friends' overseas by propping up inept leaders who love no one but their wealth? Don't these smart people in the press get it? Are they that naïve to believe that America reels because Obama's healthcare is a money monster? "There is an inherent danger in being in the White House and being in the bubble," Obama told the media. This term sits well with the media too who lives in a "bubble." To burst the bubble, it may be a good idea for the US press to read the Pakistani newspapers for a crash course in learning about the great vaporization of American dollar. By the way, Pakistanis sulking over Obama's visit to India, beginning today, should cool down. They should see the silver lining. It's not Zardari who would need to flash his mega-watt grin when the 'lord of the world' lands to the beat of drums; but the mumbling Manmohan Singh! Playing host to a defeated, humiliated and shellacked president can be no fun. The timing for Obama's overtures to India is ill-omened. This week's Republican 'bloodbath' painting America bright red, the party's colour, has left the White House incumbent wallowing in his wounds. The newly crowned Caesars vow to make Obama history in two years. The attack has started. Tea Party favourite and newly-elect congresswoman Michele Bachmann claims that Obama's India odyssey is to cost the American tax payer $200 million a day. If she's to be believed, the presidential entourage of 3000 will stay at Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace and Tower. All of its 565 rooms have been booked solid! So shouldn't someone at the press conference have asked Obama about his India trip? No Sir, the question never got asked. It could be, because a part of the press corps sitting in the East Room asking their president mindless questions on the American economy, are in the presidential junket and you guessed it – will be enjoying the Indian kowtowing and royal treatment that the sub continentals (it's our slavish mentality) give to the foreign press! Therefore the American media follows the same policy as its military – don't ask, don't tell – with their president. One of their leading lights Tom Friedman of the 'New York Times' is already in India. He spends more time writing about the miracle that is India than about anything else. I guess he'll join the presidential entourage in Mumbai and check in at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, even take his colleagues out shopping for deals in the local bazaars. But the bottom line is: Obama is still hurting and the Indians will have to bring out their best court jester to bring a smile on their guest's face. . Read Full Post
The evidence
From the Blog PkColumnist.com: The evidence - Pakistan is already in the midst of a downward spiral in every aspect. The cost of food items, fuel prices, electricity are all climbing out of the reach of the common man – all compounded with unemployment surrounding us. The burden is becoming unbearable, and even the upper-income brackets of the Pakistani society are feeling the pinch. The huge, bloated bureaucracy keeps helping itself with state funds that are meant for development but are diverted for personal use. Even the floods have been used to inflate bills to serve politicians. Stories are rife of Rs5000 being charged for one deg of rice when the standard deg in Karachi is not more than Rs1500. This behaviour at a time of crisis is extremely dangerous, especially for those at the helm of affairs, as these crimes are being recorded and, when the time comes, all will come out. Then surely it is time to put the prime minster on notice to rein in his cabinet members. Whether the PM realises it or not, on the books of the state it is the PM that shall be held responsible. On a daily basis, it is he under whose authority the state functions and who is responsible for all the actions of the state. The routing of all the paperwork is via the office of the prime minister, and the president has moved brilliantly for his prints are not visible, and he was always bound to act on the advice of the prime minister. Years from now, evidence will only point towards the actions of the prime minister. So when Mr Gilani complains that he does not want to go to jail for any reason, he has by virtue of his office been squarely implicated. On accepting office he took responsibility with no immunity, for it is only the president that enjoys immunity. When the PM speaks on the floor of the house insisting that all his actions are taken within the full knowledge of the president, it does not absolve him of wrongdoing but involves him deeper still. The prime minister has been known to complain that he served a long prison term and was determined to not be caught wrong-footed this time. But the dossier keeps getting bigger, and there is no covering immunity. In fact the office of the prime minister is even more vulnerable, for the sins of members of the cabinet will also be added to his dossier. As chief executive he will be held responsible. The media is exposing cases of corruption daily and in the absence of a vigilant Supreme Court many of these cases would have gone unheard. The people are indeed grateful to the Supreme Court, for it seems to be the only organ of state that seems concerned about illegal acts and does something about them – while the rest of the country continues as if they were the norm. The evidence is mounting and is being gathered by the watchdogs, and will surface when called forward. The latest scam in the Ministry of Religious affairs has been brought to the notice of the Supreme Court by a member of the Saudi royal family, alleging corruption on part of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Seeing the henna-dyed-hair minister defend his ministry on the floor of the National Assembly was quite funny, but the implication for the ministry will have created a stench of corruption which the PPP government could well do without. All of this will no doubt add to the dossier of misdeeds in the evidence folder. The PM was present in the House when the Saudi letter was read out so he will be well aware of the goings-on. How will the next government treat these aberrations, or will this government bring in a new NRO to cover misdeeds? . Read Full Post
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