Arctic Resource Ownership

Map of the polar region, showing Peary's 1909 route to the North Pole. (Corbis) Read more: http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2011/05/19/is-the-rush-for-the-arctic-back-on/#ixzz1MtMBs1kc

Canada has had a long-standing territorial dispute with Denmark in the Arctic over Hans Island. The Arctic territorial nations all lay claim to ownership of 'their portion' of the Arctic area, but the territories are not clearly defined and there is much overlap in claims. Particularly with the discovery of great natural resources to be mined and claimed to enrich those nations with sovereignty of the areas in dispute.

Russia, the United States, Canada and Norway, along with Denmark, all claim ownership of various areas of the Arctic. Russia famously made headlines when it planted a three-foot titanium flag using a submersible, to hammer home the point that it plans to claim its territory and with it the riches ensconced there in natural resources.

As the environment changes and passage through the area becomes feasible year round eventually, shipping challenges Canada's claim to the North West Passage. Those who plan to increasingly use it as an efficient transitway claim it is international waters and is not in the possession of Canada.

Early explorers from Norway, Russia and the United States all gave those countries an investment in the future.

Now Denmark has unveiled a plan for its Arctic territories to lay claim to the North Pole sea bed. "We expect that Denmark will be able to document claims to an area that among other things includes the sea bed at the North Pole" referring to a ten-year strategy. This initiative will lead to a confrontation for ownership with Russia, the U.S., Canada and Norway.

Thanks to new undersea mining technologies - it lies within the capacity of those nations that can document and prove to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea their claims to ownership - they will be able to harvest 30% of the world's undiscovered gas resources and the 90 billion barrels of oil to be derived from those undersea areas.

All of the nations claim their ownership of the Arctic area in a 200-mile radius from their shorelines. Russia is invested in proving that the gas, oil and diamonds that exist on its claimed territory - the Lomonosov Ridge - is theirs alone. But experts also say that the Ridge does not represent part of the continental shelf, but the point where two ocean floor plates spread.

Since the Ridge extends from Russia to Canada, claims by Canada should have at least as much merit as Russia's. From time to time all the countries involve say they are invested in working amicably together. Then greed gets in the way of good intentions and each embarks on its individual plans to prove ownership, disputed by the others.

The geographic and geopolitical assertions on all fronts with a view to ownership of seabed resources will remain a contentious issue for some time to come until full clarification can be achieved through proper mapping and documentation and geological identification. Meanwhile the issues involved see all those nations jostling for primacy and injuring diplomatic relations.

With Dignity and Regret

Neighbours, so near yet so far. Great Britain, historically dominating its neighbours, just as it dominated, through its imperialist colonial past, less advanced countries of the world to ransack them of their natural resources and to impose the British system of governance upon them, as chattel dependents.

Ireland, seen as backward as Africa, suffered the same indignity as India. With British landlords, and endemic poverty and neglect and violation of its peoples' needs. Above all, the need to be a free people. The resentment of the British occupation of its neighbours resulted in fear, anger and violence.

What is now left internationally of the British imperial past among the Commonwealth nations is largely a tradition of sound governance, a fair and just system of justice, and a second language of international communication. And, without doubt, residual resentment at the heritage of the dominated by the dominant.

The 'troubles' of a troubled land that suffered great privation because of its poverty and the struggles of its people to survive against brutal odds that included a disease blight that struck its major food crop were exacerbated by the disinterest of Britain to help provide Ireland's people with food to keep them from starving.

Neighbours who take unfair advantage of their less advantaged neighbours and then make no effort to assist them when they fall into dire existential straits are hardly neighbours; they are social predators. That was then, this is now. Now Britain is immensely sensitive to the past. And political correctness is the order of the day.

Now, Queen Elizabeth has undertaken a historic century-visit to Ireland in a long-awaited overture of caring friendship. She spoke of "forbearance and conciliation", of the need "to bow to the past, but not be bound by it". Ireland extended its warm hospitality to the monarch, that very institution that once violated its human rights.

Although there are and will always remain many Irish who will continue to resent Great Britain for its malfeasance toward its neighbour, who express through violent means the violence of their emotions against Britain, times have changed. The mutual brutality and expressions of anguished intolerance have been muted by time.

"It is a sad and regrettable reality that through history our islands have experienced more than their fair share of heartache, turbulence and loss. These events have touched us all, many of us personally, and are a painful legacy. We can never forget those who have died or been injured, and their families."

Conciliatory, heartfelt sentiments from a head of state whose obligation to the future has been made abundantly clear.

Like Oil and Water

How many countries of the world are there who while celebrating their creation, must contemplate that their neighbours view that event as a black day of mourning? Pakistan came into being at roughly the same time, Bangladesh some years later; who contests their creation? British colonial rule left arbitrary borders around geographic areas that later became 'nations', countries whose tribal adversities have never resulted in peace; who suggests their destruction?

Palestinians continue to claim that Israel exists on land that is rightfully that of the Palestinians. Yet the Palestinians who remained within Israel at its declaration remain there yet, with full civil rights equally administered under the law. It is claimed that 700,000 Palestinians fled out of fear and at the urging of surrounding Arab governments that they could return once the new state was demolished by a combined Arab military assault.

That original 700,000 now numbers roughly six million who live in neighbouring Arab state as refugees for their neighbours, other Arabs, always refused them citizenship and equality, with the exception of Jordan. The world, through the United Nations which established a special refugee agency just for the Palestinians, have paid ever since for their welfare.

It is estimated that some 800,000 Jews were expelled at the same time from the Arab countries they had lived in for millennia. Their worldly goods were confiscated, there was never any compensation, nor was any offered since 1948. Their long history in Arab lands was simply an inconvenience; the affront of the creation of Israel resulted in their expulsion.

No international outcry was heard at that event, nor did the world offer assistance to the refugee Jews. But the endless plight of refugee Arabs whom other states refused to absorb, while Israel absorbed the refugee Jews remains highly visible and an ongoing incendiary issue. The Palestinians urge a return to Israel, but it would not be Israel, it would be Palestine; a Jewish state no longer.

Because of a heritage tradition within Islam of land consecrated to Islam never permitted to be absorbed into another religion or heritage, just as within Islam secession from Islam is considered a capital offence, it is not the 1948 or 1969 borders that are contested for a new Palestinian State; it is the entirety of the geography dedicated to the State of Israel that is to be re-claimed; in Arabic, not English.

While Middle East countries are grappling with inner unrest fomented by civil protests against authoritarian governments, Israel waited warily for the inevitable. And Syria's administration has sought a diversion from its brutal crackdown on regime protests by urging Palestinians to cross their border into Israel. Another FaceBook revolution taking place, ushering in the Third Intifada with young Palestinians planning a concerted mass entry into Israel.

From Lebanon, from Jordan and from Syria and Gaza, they came, declaring their intention to return to the land their grandparents occupied. A clear diversion for the heads of government, and an obvious disavowal of recognition of a Jewish State in the midst of Arab Muslim states.

Captivity and Forgiveness

When the news media were full of the kidnapping details in 2005 in Iraq of four men representing a Christian peace group, it seemed a lunatic enterprise on the part of those held hostage to enter the country for the purpose of attempting to turn Iraqis toward peace and away from violence. The Iraqis themselves were fully invested in their tribal and sectarian hatred toward one another. Their focus was on the capture, torture and murder of Shia or Sunni by Sunni or Shia.

But the Christian Peacemaker Team sent a delegation of four committed members to preach sweetness and light, courtesy fundamentalist Christians who believe in forgiveness and redemption to fundamentalist Muslims who practise violent jihad and martyrdom. One of the abductees who had been held for 118 days as hostages before a joint commando raid freed them, has written a memoir of the experience.

Long before James Loney wrote his memoir he had issued a public expression of forgiveness toward his captors. Recalling his statements at that time he seemed like a delusional and fearfully stupid man, determined to support his faith by declarations of unflagging hope in the decency and goodness of humankind. Failing to make a distinction between social environments and hereditary antipathies.

"I know I'm speaking out of school here, but I'm going to say it anyway. You have no idea how many people were involved, how many people risked their lives to get you out. I want you to tell your people that. Just tell them to think about that before they decide to send someone else here. I'm not saying anything else. Just tell them. Tell them to think about all the people that risked their lives to get you out."

This was spoken to James Loney in an icily chiding lecture by one of the soldiers who had been tasked to rescue him and the three other abductees. It was a joint British-U.S. task force, whose formation had the purpose of hunting for al-Qaeda operatives and rescuing foreign hostages. Everything comes at a price. The men who rescued Loney and the two others risked their lives.

The fourth man was beyond rescue. An American, Tom Fox, had earlier been removed from the squalid site where he had been kept along with James Loney, Norman Kember and Harmeet Singh. He was murdered, his body found on a street in Baghdad. And the following is what illuminates the peculiar mind-set of a man like James Loney.

Determined to forgive, he will not permit himself to feel any kind of rancour or blame against his abductors. He lived for all the time he was in captivity in the fear of their discovering that he is gay knowing that they would make an attempt to cure his homosexuality; the cure for which in many Muslim societies is death.

Like the jihadis that captured him and his three colleagues determined to turn the face of peace toward their captors, he believes in self-discipline and self-sacrifice; where they believe in the sacrifice of martyrdom with its great reward of attentive virgins in Paradise, he believes in the martyrdom of self to a greater ideal of Godly virtue.

Neither he nor the two others who were rescued from their miserable captivity and possible even future torture and death, would agree to testify against their captors in the prosecution of the death of the American Tom Fox, by trial in Iraq by its Central Criminal Court. "They took Tom away from us, but they did not take away our ability to forgive.

"We did not lose ourselves. We were not infected with the poison of hate. They may have changed our lives, but they did not change us." This is how James Loney celebrates his victory over the events that occurred to him as a tormented prisoner of the Swords of Righteousness Brigade who held them for ransom.

In pledging forgiveness and refusing to testify against their captors they effectively denied justice to the man whom their captors murdered. This kind of moralistic hubris does not reflect a humble mind but a sadly delusional one. Obtusely, deliberately delusional.

The Dignity of Moral Indignation

Pakistan is well and truly fed up. Their faultless assistance to the West in the interests of halting international jihad has been questioned once too often. Pakistan has made many sacrifices, all of them for naught, since the innuendos and accusations continue to mount. While Pakistan must continue to protect itself from the slurs and the slanders it has undergone in the process a humiliating and undeserved blow from its erstwhile partner in the war on terror.

Pakistan's parliamentarians will no longer facilitate American-led operations in their country. For their sovereignty has been breached once too often, and they have no intention of absorbing any further, future insults on this magnitude of order and insult. The adventure that blind-sided Pakistan's military and its secret service must never be permitted to repeat itself; the U.S. raid that culminated in the death of Osama bin Laden was intolerable.

What self-respecting country could, after all, abide the insult to its lawful autonomy suffered by Pakistan as a result of the "situation arising for unilateral U.S. action in Abbottabad". No consultation, no assistance requested, no permission to invade sovereign territory - unsupportable, insufferable, hubristic scorn of a trusted friend and staunch ally.

As for the drone strikes which Pakistan has made known at the very highest levels of American authority that it will no longer tolerate: "Such drone attacks must be stopped forthwith, failing which the government will be constrained to consider taking necessary steps including withdrawal of (the) transit facility allowed to NATO".

Now that's hitting them where it counts. It's been done before, on a strictly petulantly temporary basis, but this time it will be a permanent withdrawal of agreement - should NATO and specifically the United States not deign to apologize and to withhold from future such strikes. The NATO troop supplies transiting across the northwestern border crossings already under militant attacks may be withdrawn.

What then, NATO? Complete withdrawal of NATO troops, a suitable conclusion for all concerned. And then, of course, Afghanistan will be at the complete mercy of the Afghan Taliban, trained, protected, armed and given haven by official Pakistan which never dreamed that their own Pakistani Taliban would arise to offer them untold grief.

Still, with the Afghan Taliban back in place, Pakistan would be assured that its plans to possess its neighbour's 'trust', turning off any potential inroads by its political nemesis India, might very well eventuate. And then, emboldened by success, Pakistan could then return its attention to booting India out of Kashmir. And from there forward - who knows?

Perhaps it would be a matter of effectively striking India with nuclear weaponry before that country had the opportunity to respond with alacrity; that the damage done India would suffice to lend Pakistan the ultimate advantage....

Devious to the end ... and the end is deadly.

Critiquing Islamism

Geert Wilders, visiting Canada for speaking engagements is no hate-monger. He is a man devoted to the truth that he sees around him in Europe everywhere he looks. His contentions are supported by facts on the ground, by incendiary acts of brutal slaughter committed by Muslim fanatics.

He sees evidence of an concerted struggle meant to advance Islam and Sharia law wherever large numbers of Muslim immigrants settle outside their countries of origin. And he takes umbrage at the very vision and purpose and advances that he and countless others like him - including those sleep-walking into the future who deny the obvious - see taking place.

The transformation of European, non-Muslim culture, social mores, values and laws into a semblance of one reflecting what Muslims deem suitable in recognizing their needs as paramount over those of the people who have long resided in the countries to which Muslims now migrate. Where the prevailing culture and even the architecture has been subordinated to that of the immigrant population.

Mr. Wilders recognizes Islam as quite unique as an institutional crucible of terror. For it has become abundantly clear that Islam breeds the world's most dangerous, psychopathic fanatics. Even those who have not been trained as jihadis, mass themselves in outraged mobs in response to perceived insults to Islam and Islamic principles. No one is permitted to make light of Islam, or to question the exalted position of its Prophet.

Islam, in accord to what anyone with a credible amount of intelligence and the ability to parse world events can see is a creed posing as a religion. A religion cradling a foundational ideology of enslavement and domination. It begins by enslaving its faithful to an unforgiving life of complete subjection to nonsensical rules and regulations formulated to withdraw free will, replacing it with surrender of self to the dogmatism of a towering spiritual figure demanding obeisance.

Followers must be obedient, acknowledging their insignificance other than as creatures of this significant spiritual figure. As a human construct, Islam is a brilliant and devious plot to fashion people into submissive herds of worshippers. Where men are given dominance over women whose sole purpose is to bring forth new generations of worshippers, while cleaving to their husbands' demands.

And men must obey the imams and the mullahs and the ayatollahs who convey the word of the Koran alerting followers to the need to be ever alert to the struggle within corresponding to the struggle without. This careful nurturing of the ummah to accept the rule of tyrants and dictators conforming to the submissive nature of Islam's demands ensures Muslims accept the abuse of their human rights.

And accept also that the struggle is one of conquest of the only true religion, against those of infidels. Violence of message, of thought and of execution. Fairly straightforward. Confirming Mr. Wilders' message that "Islam has one form" and its essence is that of a violence-prone, war-mongering creed.

One Fallen Swoop

The very most basic of qualifications for a political candidate for public office is to provide some kind of evidence of commitment, both to the service of the country and to the political party under whose banner they plan to run.

And then there is the appeal to the constituents of a riding. First off, that the individual proffering themself as a candidate has a connection to the riding. And is capable of communicating to the public in the common language. And presents themselves for public scrutiny of self, qualifications and stand on matters of public and social interest.

When none of these most basic of qualifications have taken place, and yet the candidate, who has never even visited the riding in question still not only obtains enough votes to win the candidacy, and win by a huge margin, it is questionable whether this is an expression of democracy or sheer public idiocy.

Who knew that behaving like an imbecile was contagious? How else explain that like a herd of mindless sheep people simply flocked to emulate one another in stupidity?

A young woman of 27 who works at a university, student-operated bar, agrees when asked to present her name as a warm body in the quest for enough candidates to cover all ridings in a federal election. This is a casual acquiescence with not even the barest modicum of commitment.

How else explain that during the election campaign not once did Ruth Ellen Brosseau turn up in the riding in question, much less present herself at an all-candidates' meeting. A largely unknown individual, with none of the voters having any idea what her personal platform was.

The so-called "orange crush", simply swept her along on the tide of blind votes because of lavish and irresponsible promises made to the province of Quebec by the leader of the NDP to satisfy all of its desires, however divisive to the rest of the country, inclusive of sovereignty, that his party would be invested in, to please exceptional French-Canadians.

In their rush to shut out the Conservatives, the one party with whom the province should have made an alliance, as the only party at this juncture that could and might very well, accommodate some of the demands of Quebec, the investment of voters was to park their votes with the NDP. Which party shot up in membership from one, to 53, sweeping the province, and ushering the NDP into opposition status.

Heaven help Canada.

Muslim Charities

Aren't Canadians curious about the fact that funding of terrorist activity is carried on as a quasi-legal action within this country? All the more so that our security services have tracked down precisely how this occurs? And that it is permitted to continue?

Mind, the federal government has taken steps to rescind the charitable status permitted to this fund-raising entity. Which does not, in fact, raise funds, but merely accepts the transfer of funds from a well-known supporter of terror groups, effectively, though transit in Canada, white-washing it, for further transfer to places like the U.S.

Our great good friend, the Libyan dictator, Moammar Gadhafi has long had a penchant for generously advancing cash credit to terror groups around the world.

Islamist groups who conduct a campaign of terror can always count on the largesse of oil money garnered through the thirst of the West for energy sources, for distribution to cells invested in spreading terror by conceiving of plots to challenge the lives of their perceived enemies. The more spectacular and gruesome the plot, the more victims are slaughtered in these atrocities, the finer the outcome.

The World Islamic Call Society - sounds innocent, doesn't it? - is based in London, Ontario.

Imagine that, a world-class Islamic society has chosen to position itself in Western Ontario; who knew we would be so deserving of such recognition? Except that the innocent sounding name represents a sole individual tasked to distribute funding in support of terrorism by a special fund of Col. Gadhafi's named the "Jihad fund". Now that's fairly straightforward; we understand quite well what that refers to.

Financial documents received by Canada Revenue Agency indicate that this registered Canadian charity has transferred thousands to Jamaat al-Muslimeen, known for its rape, torture and murder campaigns. Headquartered in Pakistan, it has associates in various parts of the world, including the United States.

Money was wired directly to the bank account of 75-year-old Assem Fadel, president of the sole Canadian franchise of the Islamic Call Society. From Mr. Fadel's personal bank account the money is transferred to the Society for further disbursement to all the terrorist organizations obviously thought to be deserving of this special attention.

Mr. Fadel, for his part, rejects the 'allegations'. "The charity doesn't have a U.S. bank account so the money came to me and I distributed the money as directed by the mother organization in Libya", Mr.Fadel explained. Perfectly clear. He is resigned to continuing the good work funded by Col. Gadhafi less the charitable status now revoked.

For there is a noble purpose to the cause and its funding. For the past four decades that funding has gone to Muslim centres around the world for the purpose of spreading "Muslim culture".

Mr. Fadel also operates a travel agency where he organizes trips to Saudi Arabia. Saudi money also funds terror; the al-Qaeda cultural Muslim association benefits hugely from Saudi generosity, sent directly to its former leader, Osama bin Laden. The funding meant specifically for the purpose of narrowing the gulf of understanding between Western society and Islam.

None of the money has been used to fund terror: "The Muslim faith is the most misunderstood religion in the world, but once Christians sit down and talk with us about the issues, they understand", Mr. Fadel explained, reasonably. It is a canard that the terror group planning the 2007 bombing plot at J.F. Kennedy Airport was funded handsomely by the Canadian charity to the tune of $180,000; calumnies all.

With this knowledge well in hand and well understood, the mystery that remains is why these transactions are permitted to take place at all.

Simply revoking the charitable status of a money-transfer scheme that should never have been granted charitable status to begin with, does not respond to the reality that this is money laundering; taking foreign funds into the country to disguise its origins for later distribution to terror cells in the United States, Europe, and even back to the Middle East.

If the Canadian government is aware of this charade - which it is clear now that it is - why and how can it be possible that this is allowed to go on unobstructed, as an entitlement as a genuine charity under Canadian cover?

Al-Qaeda's New Fury

The world is on notice - the United States of America in particular has been forewarned, as though that was required - that the fanatic mission of al-Qaeda is still on track. There remain influential and respected leaders to enthuse, inflame and encourage their followers to mount exercises for the purpose of spreading terror. The death of Osama bin Laden did not, they claim, strike a death blow to the ongoing aspirations of al-Qaeda.

There remain ample resources yet to be deployed. And the death of bin Laden only spurs them on to greater resolve, through the infuriating and unspeakable assault on the honour of Islam, al-Qaeda and its leader. His presence and the inspiration that he engendered on his followers will simply be delegated to others equally endowed with the intellectual resources and spiritual renaissance to bring jihadists to agreement on their sacred duty to Islam.

There are sufficient elements dedicated to the furtherance of world domination of Islam enraged over the killing of their leader from among whom will arise another charismatic to lead them to victory. There will continue to be many victories, and each one will represent another triumph. Until the blood-soaked triumphs coalesce to the point where the infidels and the Jews cower in abject fear.

"America and those who live in America will never enjoy security until our people in Palestine enjoy it", al-Qaeda central now solemnly proclaims. Observe: Fatah and Hamas have joined forces, pledging to restrain from murdering one another, to focus their attention now on the State of Israel. Whose presence represents the fount of all the Islamic world's frustrations and anger.

Solve that conundrum and there will be no further reason to assault the West, is surely implied. The West has been listening intently to the message for quite a little while. And seems to have reached a similar conclusion. The delegitimization of Israel, and with that in fact, the presence of all Jews, has begun its gradual ascent.

There remains a mystery, despite that enlightening revelation that without Israel's presence in the Middle East to stir trouble all would be solved. For the hatred that streams out of that geography appears by all available evidence to have various strands. It is directed against Israel, most certainly. But it encompasses equally lethal hatred directed against the West as well.

Yet most tellingly, the radiating strands of hatred, revenge, and tribal animosities leading to mass atrocities are aimed at Muslims. Where Shia detest Sunni, where Sunni are enraged against Shia, and where break-off sects of Islam are seen to be heretics, despised and victimized. The blood shed by Muslim upon Muslim is far greater than that spilled by jihadists against non-Muslims.

Al-Qaeda, its associates and supporters require a new, revised, uplifting and explanatory narrative more invested to display its convoluted reasoning than what currently obtains. Otherwise, the conclusion is inescapable, that fanatical Islam is a death cult that celebrates and adores death. Which is to say the explicit purposeful delivery of death to hated ones.

And the circle of the hated is dense and all-encompassing. Tribal, clan, regional, political, sectarian - and the outside world. So much of the world is an obvious target. How will it be possible for a dedicated group of jihadists to fulfill their plan of annihilating all whom they identify as deserving of their hate, destined to be delivered to death?

Pakistan's secure premises of their nuclear warheads may be as secure as the knowledge that the country's secret intelligence and its military had of the safe haven for Osama bin Laden and his family over the past six years' tenure. The weak government and the infiltrated strength of al-Qaeda and the Taliban within the military and the ISI, supportive of an Islamist caliphate may provide the key.

And although Islam and Islamists speak so approvingly of the divine surrender to Islam through martyrdom, its leaders prefer life for themselves. Death for all others.

An Interesting Four Years

Canada at another crossroad. The political scene has certainly undergone a massive shift. Prime Minister Stephen Harper will now be the relaxed, efficiently reliable administrator of the country's affairs that he is meant to be. He has four uninterrupted years to make his indelible mark on the governance of the country. Building upon the record he has thus far established for steady, reliable and honourable stewardship of Canadian values and traditions.

The initial getting-to-know-you period of minority governments appears to have satisfied the voters' uneasiness about a majority Conservative government. The Conservative-led government has acquitted itself exceedingly well on the home front and abroad. The naysayers keep referring to the 60% of the population that did not vote for the Conservatives, failing to note that a much greater proportion of the voting public opted not to vote for the opposition parties.

The public will now not be forced to live within the irritating suspense of never knowing when another election will be impulsively called by the grudging opposition seeking any opportunity to unseat the government. That represents a situation of greatly appreciated value. We can now permit the government to get on with the business of governing, as it has done up to now more than satisfactorily.

The Liberals have four years to lick their well-deserved, well-earned wounds. From which they will recover in too swiftly a time frame to ensure that they have indulged in a sufficiently-useful collective introspection. Without which it is doubtful they will ever be successful in finally overcoming the disconnect between it and the voting public. They must know that they require a leader with vision and integrity whose foremost interest is the well-being of Canada.

The Bloc Quebecois has finally been put to rest, and no one, certainly not the taxpayers of Canada who have been universally repulsed by its purpose and its spirit of grand entitlement, will miss them. Quebec voters can take the opportunity to self-analyse their collective hysteria in denying themselves representation where it counts; with the Conservatives, in favour of embracing the NDP.

The NDP and its leader, Jack Layton, should itself engage in some deep thought about what, in a free-wheeling spirit of accommodation, was promised recklessly to the Quebec electorate. Just as they should consider the quality of human material they are bringing into the House of Commons to sit as Parliamentarians. That someone of the calibre of Lawrence Cannon was unseated by an unknown neophyte should strike even them as absurd.

As the official opposition in Parliament the NDP has an obligation to the entire country, not merely to the cranky entitlement of one province which went voter-berserk to the point of electing anyone presenting in orange, regardless of residence, experience, age, commitment, communication capability, and intent. Munificent salary, prestige and perquisites aside.

That party too has been given four years to display their talent or lack of it as political professionals capable of tackling the tasks at hand. The initial round-up and details emanating from the campaign trail are not too encouraging.

Veteran Quebec NDPer Thomas Mulcair seems to have gone off the rails in mindless speculation resembling the stuff of conspiracies. There are questions regarding the legitimacy of candidate nomination, and the raw material that the NDP will be training as politicians may do them no favours.

What is emerging will represent, without doubt, an interesting four years.

A Humbled Worthy

The assured arrogance of entitlement that once alternated with a thespian folksiness of an aristocrat submitting to the relaxed demeanor of the man of the people has dissipated. Reality set in with its stunning effects. For no one could really have visualized what the federal election of 2011 for the 41st Parliament of Canada would result in. Certainly not the decimation of that venerable old party, the Liberals.

Fallen now to a historical low. For the first time in its history no longer either the governing party or the temporary set-back of the official opposition. The Liberal Party of Canada has always enjoyed its eternal headquarters either at 24 Sussex Drive or at Stornoway. Now neither of these official residences welcomes it to enjoy yet another stay. Banished to obscurity, a back-handed slap at its manifest destiny.

No longer wither goes Canada goes the Liberal Party.

Canada has veered off on a direction that has left the Liberal party at rather loose ends, confused and forlorn. When the man who has been anointed leader in the wake of too many leadership failures, enticed back home to Canada to deliver the party once again to its natural place of governance is unable to hold on to his own Parliamentary seat, no longer a Member of Parliament, there is nowhere lower to stumble.

Michael Ignatieff delivered a wonderfully heartfelt speech accepting responsibility for the failure of his party to increase the number of its seats, to overtake the Conservatives and install itself back into governance. Surely the responsibility was not all, entirely his alone. The party has failed to ignite itself back into the minds of Canadians, after too many opportunities were worn too thin by a sense of entitlement they were no longer entitled to embrace.

In that regard Mr. Ignatieff was a perfect fit. His constant complaints that Prime Minster Stephen Harper was disdaining democracy reflected his own lapses in spurning democratic action for acclamation. And Mr. Ignatieff's spontaneous warning to Mr. Harper that his "time was up" as prime minister and as his adversary he was prepared to assume that position was stunningly premature.

As was his uninspired decision to lay himself and his party open to disaster through the rash decision to bring down the government on a pretext of censure, when the Liberals were still a long way from being prepared to mount a serious challenge to the Conservatives. When poll after poll demonstrated the insipid rating of the Liberals as opposed to the robust rating of the Conservatives.

Choosing their time badly; when the economy was just recovering and on a steady course; when the party was still in disarray; when the electorate clearly had not reached a flattering opinion of Mr. Ignatieff; when Canadians stated unequivocally they were content to permit this effective minority government to continue - for no one wanted the imposition of an election.

The outcome of this election, under those circumstances, with its $300-million price tag, can only be described as "just desserts". But Mr. Ignatieff's speech was humble, and moving, and beautifully and earnestly delivered, a tour de force of quietly passionate remorse.

Bloc Quebecois - Adieu!

"This time, Quebecers wanted to try something else. I am leaving, but others will follow - until Quebec becomes a country." Gilles Duceppe

The heart simply bleeds for the emotional trauma writ so large on the visage of Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe, once enough ballots were counted to inform him and all Bloquistes that their day had dawned, and finally set. The separatist party that was established for the sole and singular purpose of representing Quebec's interest in Canada's Parliament as a sovereign country determined to secede from Confederation has virtually vanished overnight.

From a political powerhouse of astringent complaints, totally disinterested in the federation, and completely consumed by its mission to separate Quebec from Canada, while continuing to demand its financial due entitlements in the form of federal transfer payments courtesy of the wealthier provinces, no longer an official, recognized party. The 47 seats that the Bloc commanded in the House of Commons were reduced to a paltry four.

Gone the authority to speak for its provincial little-brother political agitators, the Parti Quebecois, condemning the rest of Canada for mistaking Quebec's exceptionality as a nation as a whim of French-speaking Canadians. Gone the bluster and the blister, the canards and the unsubtle blackmail. This does not, however, translate into a change of heart for Quebecers; merely a change in tactics in the field of political warfare.

A new champion has arisen; this time no mere provincial party on the federal scene, but a federal party with representation in all the provinces of the federation, and prepared to champion the separatist cause if need be, but not necessarily if it need not. But it has given its word, through the voice and assurances of Jack Layton, leader of the NDP.

He will act on their behalf. He will do, far more effectively, for them, what Gilles Duceppe and the Bloc had promised, and failed to deliver. Mr. Duceppe has gone into retirement. No more will the Bloc be showered with tax-paid largess allowing it to insult and blackmail Canada. In its place, the New Democratic Party, newly heralded by Quebec voters as the official opposition in Parliament, speaking for Quebec.

It cannot be said with any kind of honesty that we are sad at the news of its timely demise. Adieu!

'Justice Has Been Done'

In April 2001, the ISI funded the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, headed by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, to hold a three-day International Deoband Conference near Peshawar. (The Deobandi are a sect of Sunni Islam, among whose adherents are the Taliban and Pakistani extremists who believe in active jihad.) Hundreds of thousands of people attended the meeting, which pledged support to the Taliban. A message from Osama bin Laden was read out in support of Mullah Omar. Western embassies in Islamabad were appalled at the rally, as it was in total defiance of UN sanctions against the Taliban. In late April, the ISI allowed Lashkar -e-Tayyaba, one of the largest extremist groups fighting in Kashmir, to hold a similar rally near Lahore, in which it denounced the British government for placing it on a list of terrorist groups. By staging such rallies, when all political rallies were banned by the regime, the ISI was sending an unambiguous message to the Americans and the UN: that Pakistan continued to support the Taliban even as the UN attempted to seek an end to the civil war in Afghanistan. Ahmed Rashid: Descent Into Chaos

Not quite. Vengeance has had its day. But it is a hollow cause for celebration. For truth is, the death of Osama bin laden has been too long in coming. In the years since the attacks on the World Trade Center, and the years previous to that exercise in wholesale terror, with previous attacks on symbols of the West, the man with the mission had ample opportunity to leave a legacy by creating an empire of jihad through the enthusiastic connivance of eager young Muslims eager to become one with Islamist militant fanatics.

Osama bin Laden's bold challenge of the "infidel" United States, his assertion that the West was intent on completely subjugating the Islamic world for the larger purpose of humbling Islam to Christianity - and in the process taking ownership of the wealth that resided in Islam's geographies in the form of fossil fuels greedily acquired by Western interests, leaving little of value behind for the true owners - made him a popular revolutionary figure.

The boldness of his enterprise in planning and targeting the very symbols - military, political, financial of the most powerful nation on Earth, guaranteed him a place of honour in the Muslim pantheon of revolutionary heroes. "Dead or alive", claimed U.S. President Barack Obama's predecessor, but the target eluded him, just as it had his predecessor, before 9-11. Is there a strange twist to justice here that the scion of a Muslim man from Kenya, a biracial president, now claims victory on the death of the prime nemesis of the West?

Had this man who was born from wealth and privilege and who portrayed himself as a humble mujaheddin in the service of Allah, been apprehended at a far earlier date, thousands of lives would have been spared. Among them thousands of Muslim lives who fell victim to the bloody depredations of al-Qaeda-affiliated militias. For although it is Western targets that claim world headlines when jihadist disaster strikes, it is Muslim lives that represent the larger life-forfeited contingent.

There was much conjecture about the health of bin Laden; he was presumed to be morbidly ill with some dread disease on more than one occasion; thought so because of his ascetic appearance in seemingly difficult circumstances, living inconspicuously in mountain caves. Yet it was within a palatial mansion adjacent to a Pakistani military installation in a small town not far from Pakistan's capital, where the political-military head of al-Qaeda was discovered to be discreetly residing.

His death is at this juncture, more symbolic than practical. He had ample time and opportunity to help establish countless offshoots of al-Qaeda, spreading them throughout the world; not only in the Middle East the Far East and the African Maghreb, but through little associated cells in North America. And his chief lieutenant, Ayman al-Zawahri is alive and well and more than capable of filling not only his own operational role but that of bin Laden's as well. He can now issue videos inspiring the faithful to destroy the West.

Burial at sea could guarantee that no shrine could be erected over his burial site, but bin Laden remains an inspiration to the jihad-embracing men and women who venerated him for his contempt for the West and his unswerving devotion of violent jihad. Jihadists are now honour-bound to redeem bin-Laden's infelicitous death at the hands of infidels, by mounting further devastating attacks.

They have been empowered.

Brutally Unsavoury

It never ceases to amaze that Canada seems to have become an immigration magnet for people whose presence in Canada will never be a benefit to this country, but do become both an embarrassment and a threat by their very presence. To begin with, Canada has a well-founded reputation as an easy country to access for immigration. And there are huge numbers of migrating peoples in the world.

Perfectly legitimate candidates for emigration from diverse countries of the world who feel that other countries than their own may offer their families better living conditions; others who are eager to escape living conditions that are inimical to their well being, where they are persecuted on the basis of their ethnicity or religion. And those who live with the misery of migrant refugees, fleeing wars or natural disasters.

It's the left-over category comprised of several groups; those who no longer wish to live in repressive countries of the world, seeking opportunity and freedom for their families, but bringing with them the pathological resentment and suspicion and hatred of others that form the backbone of their social heritage, and whose importation of enmity harms Canada.

And finally, those fleeing their countries of origin because they are war criminals. Generally people involved in support of a dictatorial regime or an autocratic government that has been proven to be a human-rights violator and continues to be just that, or a deposed government which has brutally suppressed its peoples' human rights and engaged in a civil war or one of brutal repression.

Canada issues visas to people on the basis of their backgrounds, their presumed suitability to conform to and accept Canadian values, and the assurance that they have never been involved in either a civil criminal act, or associated with governments and their agencies which are known to be human rights violators. Yet people know when to withhold critical information that will exclude them.

And Canada has, in the past, welcomed within its borders former WWII fascists involved in the murder of countless civilians, and only many decades later discovered proof of denied involvement. Rwandans who have been proven to having engaged in genocidal tribal warfare, Somalians who have been in the forefront of tribal and clan population eradication. And figures responsible for countless deaths in places like Cambodia.

When it is discovered through later revelations and following confirming investigations that those who have committed crimes against humanity have entered the country through falsely stating their bona fides, steps are taken to remove them. There are instances where, in the case of a Lebanese-born Canadian, France has asked for his extradition on suspicion of bombing the Rue Copernic synagogue.

There have been other expulsions and extraditions from Canada for those apprehended as being suspected, with security evidence to secure suspicions, of being involved in international terrorist groups such as Islamist jihadists affiliated with al-Qaeda. People born in the Middle East or in the African Maghreb who have infiltrated Canadian society for the purpose of causing harm, have been an especial problem.

And latterly, a 50-year-old lawyer originally from Kinshasa who claimed refugee status in Canada has been deported by the Canada Border Services Agency under this country's War Crimes Program. Canada deported 23 war criminals in the year 2007-2008 alone and another 211 are awaiting deportation, with a further 170 suspected or known war criminals on outstanding warrants

This most current deportation order links Ambroise Mapangu Ishaku as a former ranking member of Congo's Mouvement de Liberation du Congo, involved in a horrible civil war targeting innocent civilians, raping women and children; murdering, looting and torturing. The Immigration Refugee Board cites that 40% of the armed wing of the this group was comprised of children forced into service as fighters and prostitutes.

"These children were subjected to unimaginable horrors, forced to fight and often kill their own families, forced to engage in cannibalism, raped and used as sex slaves."

In his defence, Mr. Ishaku portrayed this period in his country's history as reflective of the normal consequences of war. And he caught up as a patriot fighting for his country. Which is precisely what most people caught in the web of their own lies to cover their involvement in indescribable acts of barbarity against others explain themselves.

Adequate reason for Canada to become far more diligent in rooting out their presence, and to invest more heavily in processes that would deny them entry to this country to begin with.

A Socially NDP Canada

We preparing for a clean sweep this time around? All the devoted followers of the NDP set to shout in unison: "Prime Minister Jack Layton!" And all the newly engaged suddenly seeing in nimble Jack - who can turn any perceived advantage on a dime toward the NDP and his personal cause to steer the country- the social progressive we've been waiting for all these years.

Middle-class families (who even knew the NDP cared beyond the low-waged, the welfare recipients, entitled trade unionists, and oh yes, the odd academic here and there, and hard-put-to-pay-tuition students?), the retired, small business, UNIONS (sorry, didn't mean to shout it out), Quebec nationalists (separatists, that is) and (disaffected) Muslims.

Joining them in a hugely enthusiastic group hug, none other than Bloc organizers who are now encouraging those who might normally vote Bloc to transfer their allegiance to the NDP, so they can have a real voice in Parliament, a federal party which is prepared to give Quebec everything it hankers after.

Gilles Duceppe may be feeling betrayed, may have his nose slightly out of joint with disbelief at the traitorous turn of events, but if Pauline Marois obligingly steps aside he can always vent his outrage at the helm of the Parti Quebecois and learn to love partnering with Prime Minister Jack Layton who will be most pleased to grant all his demands, in spades.

Inclusive of waving 'bye-'bye, when Quebec decides finally it's time to shove off. They'll do it, taking with them those parts of the province that don't want to go, would prefer to stay with Canada, but then they're just aboriginals so who gives a damn anyway? They'll also manage to keep a comfortable level of transfer payments because being on the dole is so addictive.

And here's another constituency falling all over itself to endorse the NDP and get out the vote. It's the Holocaust-denying contingent of the Canadian Muslim community who don't much like Stephen Harper and his corrupt, perverted view of justice and morals, standing in solidarity with Israel's right to defend itself against the ongoing attacks by Hamas against Israeli citizens.

Welcome to the fold, all. Of course the NDP's extravagant plans to alter Canada's vision of itself, and to irremediably change the economic landscape resulting in a gangbuster of a green economy and bruised corporate interests, and a failing job market and steeply rising taxes, and failed investments, and a very happy Quebec, will alter this country beyond recognition.

Canada, the country that deserves to hobble along the same track as the failed Italy, Greece, Iceland, Spain, Ireland; we'll be in noble company.

Premier Qualities

Has quite the spectacular ring to it, got to admit it: "Prime Minister Jack Layton". Jack thinks it's about time. Members of the NDP do, too.

They've worked long and hard in the background of Canadian politics and feel justified in claiming they deserve the chance and the opportunity to prove themselves. It is perfectly true that the tireless nudging and badgering and background manipulation NDP-effect on various Liberal and Conservative-led governments can be traced to the adoption of some of Canada's more progressive social welfare programs.

We grant them that. They've been a background social conscience, as it were. And they've always been able to think of expensive social welfare programs that the reigning parties haven't signed on to, as well. Just a hopeful wish list. Their enthusiasm for social engineering and welfare and progressive stances on everything to make for one great big happy federation cannot be denied.

And there have been provincial NDP governments that haven't done too badly.

While others, like those that prevailed for a short while of temporary disorder in Ontario and British Columbia proved that the NDP had a great potential for screwing up right royally. Funny thing about that; in both instances the former NDP premiers after being tossed ignominiously out of office turned to the Liberal Party, which welcomed them warmly, and where they then set out to practise what they preached there, too.

Jack Layton performed exceedingly well at the Leaders' Debates; fluently bilingual, just a nice guy. And he really laid into Michael Ignatieff, pricelessly slaughtering him with the lines that pointed out that you've got to be present in the House to cast your vote and to demonstrate your dedication to your chosen profession to be counted in. "You know, most Canadians, if they don't show up for work, they don't get a promotion. You missed 70 per cent of the votes."

Point well taken, Jack. Can we assume too that if you're running for office during an election your candidates should be there, at the ready, prepared to return calls and emails, and show up at all-candidate meetings, and knock at doors and generally be there in the riding as a kind of signal that they're really, truly interested in being elected? The Canadian public was advised that only the NDP really invested heavily in encouraging female candidates.

So what's this? The NDP candidate for Berthier-Maskinonge chose to go on vacation to Las Vegas? Rather inconvenient, isn't it? I mean is this the way a candidate for political office demonstrates commitment? Good thing Cedric Williams was available as NDP Quebec campaign spokesman to give a reasonable explanation. "It's just that in this case she needed to go, and she couldn't get refunded." Oh. Good for Ruth Ellen Brosseau, She has her priorities.

Hey, another one: The NDP candidate for Richmond-Athabasca couldn't make an all-candidates debate because she is currently in France for three weeks? Isabelle Maguire has decided that being in France for three weeks tops sticking around home just because she's running for public office. And Cedric Williams is on top of that one too, he's in the process of verifying her whereabouts. He'll get back to us with another excellent explanation.

But they're not just in Quebec. Nicole Yovanoff, the NDP candidate running in Don Valley West is kind of ... not there ...? No telephone number, no campaign office, does not return emails, chose not to attend all-candidates' meeting. That's a peculiar kind of commitment, but then who knows? That's the thing about the NDP, their pluralist-socialist-ideology attracts the young and the untried; lots of university students opting to run while writing exams.

And then there's the mild embarrassment of candidates who suddenly decide, looking around at their opponents' energetic programs that it's just too much of a stretch to get out there and contest the seat, after all. Throwing in the banners and the posters and resigning their nomination, preferring to throw their support to a worthwhile rival - say the riding's Conservative nominee, as a better fit?

You'd think that would be enough to give the party and its dauntless leader a fit, but no, Jack is as chirpy and as self-assured as ever. He keeps studying his profile in the mirror, squinting a bit, and saying to that reflection, full-face, "now say after me, Prime Minister Jack Layton".

Interesting Times

Britain is well known to have been completely infiltrated by rabidly fanatic Islamists. British Muslims famously attend mosques where visiting and home-grown imams constantly preach jihad. The natural outcome of which is that a good percentage of British Muslims harbour sympathy for violent jihad, and a small but significant proportion of British Muslims aspire to become involved themselves with violent jihad. Of that number a smaller yet number have travelled to Afghanistan for terror training, and some of have returned to Britain.

Muslims living in Britain who espouse and encourage views in the Muslim community that run entirely counter to the welfare and values of the country which has given them haven and citizenship, consider Britain a 'colonial Crusader' country hugely invested in conquering and occupying Arab and Muslim lands to continue controlling oil output. Britain's role in NATO and its relationship with the United States in joining to combat international jihad has created the anomalous situation of an immigrant community loathing the politics of its adopted country.

While leaders of the fanatic groups of Islamists dedicated to defaming and challenging Britain's government and its military in their forays abroad with NATO continue to denounce the government, many of them live entitled lives of welfare dependency. Now, with the country in celebratory mode in preparation for the royal wedding to take place at Westminster Abbey, security alert is at a high level. And people are being warned that there may be problems, while the police ask them to be aware and inform the police should they note anything out of character.

"We really need you to be our eyes and our ears. If you see anybody in the crowd that is acting suspiciously, please bring it to the earliest attention of our officers."

Recent WikiLeaks documents describing Britain as representing a "crucible of terrorism" over the past several decades have not exactly revealed anything not previously known. But they do highlight what is known, bringing the reality closer to the scrutiny of people who would prefer to wave it aside as irrelevant. Until the next home-grown terror attack occurs, leaving chaos and bloody slaughter in its wake.

Some things have certainly changed in Britain in the past few decades. Where once Britain had the headache of the Irish Republican Army to concern themselves with, they now are concerned with a lethally determined religious ideology of fiercely paranoid hatred. The footman riding the wedding coach of the royal couple will be a security officer, armed, and fully prepared to physically cover the royal couple with his own body should they happen to come under attack by anyone with sinister intent who might breach security.

Five thousand police officers will be on duty the day of the royal wedding. Of that number, one-fifth represent a rapid reaction force prepared to isolate and surround and de-activate violent protesters,whether they are anarchists or anarcho-Islamists. The threat level has been set at "severe", interpreted as meaning that British authorities consider a high potential for a terrorist attack is likely.

A radical Islamist group, Muslims Against Crusades, which has planned a protest against the "Nazi" Prince William, and which has been denied a permit to protest and banned from the area of the royal procession, still intends to gather for the purpose of "disrupting" the wedding ceremony and celebratory occasion. Their website incites followers to get out, gather and "protest" the crusading British military, along with the fascist royal family, labelled as "enemies to Allah and his Messenger".

Friday is fated to be an interesting day of polarized events and participation. Interesting in the sense of that old Chinese curse.

Natural Disasters

If the bodies are not found and identified and their families given the peace of knowing, the festering lack of closure will take its toll. The government will forever face the quiet condemnation of the masses, that it made too little effort to act decisively when action was required.

As it is, over a month after the crippling earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan and left its population in a state of collective shock, and its industry enfeebled, it is too late.

Bodies of the drowned have been washed too far out for recovery. The dead, lying under deep layers upon layers of quake-destroyed buildings are steadily decaying and too few have been recovered, despite the tasking of 25,000 Japanese troops dispatched in recovery efforts at the worst scenes of disaster. There are 74 schoolchildren missing at an elementary school.

The official tally is 14,340 people killed in the triple disaster. With 11,889 officially missing. Not yet accounted for, but missing. It is those 11,889 whose bodies are being sought for recovery, accounting and burial. It is the government's responsibility to attempt to see that this is done. It is a government being accountable past a disaster it could not cope with.

Poking about in the twisted wreckage of what were once municipal buildings, shopping emporiums, schools, apartments and devastated homes is proving to be a monumental and dangerous task. Aircraft and ships, police, coast guard officers, all engaged in a large sweep for the possible location and discovery of bodies offshore. Fewer than 500 found, thus far.

And there's another dimension of tragedy as well, as once-productive farmland, now abandoned as a result of a government-ordered nuclear-evacuation zone. Farm animals deserted, left to slowly perish, unable to fend for themselves as domesticated and incapable of looking to their own needs. The evacuation zone encompasses 370 farms.

On those farms were four thousand cattle, thirty-thousand pigs, and six-hundred-thirty-thousand poultry. The Japanese who once proudly practised animal husbandry and farmed their acreage, are no longer there, but elsewhere, fearing for their health and mourning their lost livelihoods. Veterinarians have been dispatched to evaluate the situation, the dead animals.

The surrounding air, soil and ocean have been contaminated by radiation from the nuclear plant at Fukushima. Regional farm production has been banned. Automobile manufacturers have been unable to start up and regularize their production lines resulting in a shortage of parts and overall production shortfalls.

People are desperately concerned about the continued spread of radiation, of an increased evacuation zone. Farmers who have lost their livelihoods and sometimes family members are in utter despair. Some have committed suicide. And Japanese health authorities anticipate a rising wave of grief and anguish contributing to greater numbers of suicides.

This is a country in which pride and honour contribute to viewing suicide as a solution, the ultimate act of humble contrition. For those whose livelihoods have disappeared and who can see no future for themselves, the benefits of an insurance policy paid may assist their families if their suicides can be attributed to natural causes.

Which, in effect, they most certainly can be.

The Patient? Surviving

Updates on Afghanistan from NATO and from the U.S. military paint a glowing picture of societal and military success. The country is brimming with opportunities for its people. Children are finally being educated. Women are free to be themselves, to stroll outside their homes, to acquire jobs, free from persecution.

The country is being ably administered by a democratic government. NATO is training the national police and the military and conscripts are growing in numbers and doing very well.

Corruption is endemic, seen in every walk of life, a reflection of the situation is in the government itself. But this is traditional, and Afghanistan is on its way to recovering its pride and its dignity and will deal with such irrelevancies in due time.

Except that the political opposition in the country feels that the corrupt voting that confirmed Hamid Karzai firmly back as president with former war lords back in parliament represents a signal failure. Abdullah Abdullah knows what democracy should look like, and it should not be a corrupt organ of a corrupt government.

All is not exactly how it seems, evidently. Families in Afghanistan are in fact less well off economically than they were years ago; they are struggling to access elemental needs. 42% of the Afghan population live below the poverty line. The unemployment rate is near 40%, but indigent foreign workers are brought in by international organizations to work (for them) as food servers, guards and cleaners.

Billions in foreign aid were spent in the country yet accountability is somehow not there. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction found poor construction methods used on building sites due to corruption, or incomplete structures. For all the children who are being educated, far more will never see the interior of a classroom. Child mortality rates remain high.

Young girls of twelve are still arranged into marriages with old men. And those who manage to survive childbirth will soon take on the mantles of old women, worn down by bearing children, caring for them, burying them, and working tirelessly in the home. Their young male counterparts will continue to answer the appeal of the Taliban for there are no other jobs available.

Government infrastructure, authority and security does not extend beyond the large provincial cities. Threats and violence, intimidation and obedience to the Taliban are imposed without intervention. Fear ensures that villagers remain complicit with the Taliban for fear of vicious reprisals. Violence is rising and there seems no end in sight.

When NATO departs the scene the niggling question of how a country as poverty-stricken as Afghanistan will ever be enabled to pay for its own security needs will present itself as a problem. The cost to the U.S. government alone yearly for its security presence in Afghanistan stands at $113-billion. According to World Bank estimates Afghanistan's GDP is $12-billion.

The much-vaunted value of provincial reconstruction teams that makes NATO members feel so proud of themselves for establishing model villages has ensured that the teams have a feeling of accomplishment, but the impact on institution building reflecting Afghan government involvement is absolutely nil.

These are all some of the conclusions sadly reached by Nipa Banerjee, one-time head of Canada's Kabul aid program from 2003 to 2006, who frequently returns to Afghanistan, and writes in Policy Options magazine, while teaching international development at the University of Ottawa.

Middle East Human Rights

Syrians are furious that their calls for human rights within their own country are being defied by their dictatorial government. More furious yet that government troops are opening fire on protesters. Funeral processions to mourn the death of civilians, of a child, fired upon with live bullets. More deaths, more funerals, more attacks.

President Bashar al-Assad is being informed by the international community that his handling of the situation defies human rights, that he is trampling on the aspirations of his people, that he is violating their rights. He has gone to great lengths to impress upon onlookers that what is occurring is the result of a foreign conspiracy, that it is 'gangs' and 'criminals' and jihadists who are defying his order.

Moammar Gadhafi has infuriated the West and his own Arab neighbours by dispatching his military to destroy the demonstrators and protesters who have assembled themselves into a righteous army determined to unseat him. They also represent 'gangs', 'criminals' and al-Qaeda in origin. And foreign interlopers; the Western crusaders are in league with them.

But for President al-Assad no such labelling as a human-rights violator, no threats of being hauled before the International Criminal Court, no concerted effort to assist the Syrians who scream their defiance of their dictator, shrieking that he should be turning his armed forces against the Golan-Heights-holding Zionists, not Syrians.

Syria, protector and patron of Hamas, whose leader lives in safety in Damascus, and the generously-supporting patron of Hezbollah, both of which terrorist groups are labelled as such by the West, appears to present as the known devil and conceivably tolerable. From the Arab League no condemnations, no intervention, no discussions similar to those taking place with Yemen.

Arab human rights groups, however, have an argument with the Arab League for their support of Syria's candidacy for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, set for a May vote. Egyptian, Bahraini, Algerian, Saudi, Yemeni, Syrian, Sudanese and Iraqi NGO groups claim the support of the Arab League "shows flagrant disregard for the feelings and rights of the Syrian people, who have broken the barrier of fear and risen up in revolt".

And so, what else is new? Libya too was on the UN's Human Rights Council. Iran has been lauded for its record on human rights through the Human Rights Council. Simply put, it's business as usual in the Middle East. And at the United Nations. That business represents utter failure in the areas of human rights and entitlements.