Putin wins?

With the US and EU sanctions against Russia one would think that Vladimir Putin is a cornered man, but not so in my opinion!

Yes he has his back to a wall; but Putin is seasoned, hard core and wily as a strategist and a politician.

With trillions of dollars sanctions against him he will now feel justified to take military action.

The EU (Europeon Union) is at present not in a position to take on Russia's military might, and not that they would be eager to get into this broil, with or without the US overtures towards them.

So what do we have now?

Vladimir Putin has a free hand with Ukraine with his military might: and the rest of the world can do nothing about it, since they have already done their worst via sanctions (albeit justifiably so to many!); and Putin will feel justified in taking over an industrial Ukraine to make up for some of his loss!

Given that the world does not want a third world war against a determined man who has nothing further to lose (and one must not forget Russia's 'affinity if necessary' towards North Korea), an imminent Cold War is just what Putin would want, to his own benefit!

I had said before that Vladimir Putin does not take things lying down.

As for the US, they too would not want a war with Russia. My respects to that great nation.

Youth, an ever splendid thing

YOUTH
Youth is an ever splendid thing. It is vibrant, joyous and adventurous. An era of no responsibilities to many; sheltered, and everlasting. No qualms, perhaps also with a disdain for any kind of guidance.
Then comes a realization that one has to compete in today's world. This too, is an adventure, and taken in stride.
When we were children, our parents were responsible for us; and true they did a great job of this. In our teens we knew better, or so we thought; we rebelled against things staid; we had a confict of personalities; why? Because we were growing up; neither here no there. Who cares about the world, anyway? It is ours to enjoy and make the most of it. Such is the opium of things at that stage.
A few years later we are youthful men and women; many with jobs and family; happy in life. We become sociable, begin to take responsibilities just as our parents did, at home and at work. Slowly we understand things. Some get vain; others mature. But this is still youth!
But too late we realize that youth does not last for ever. Our bodies age; our mental make up changes. No longer do we have the energy of days gone by; we look older, and cannot recall why, how and when all these changes came to pass. We yearn for days gone by; of our innocent days when there were no burdens; for our parents, who are no longer with us today; golden words they had said to us; their love and silent wisdom. They had been through this, too, we then reckon.
Yes, youth is a wondrous thing; it never comes back.

Youth, an ever splendid thing

Youth is an ever splendid thing.

It is vibrant, joyous and adventurous. An era of no responsibilities to many; sheltered, and everlasting. No qualms, perhaps also with a disdain for any kind of guidance.

Then comes a realization that one has to compete in today's world. This too, is an adventure, and taken in stride.

When we were children, our parents were responsible for us; and true they did a great job of this. In our teens we knew better, or so we thought; we rebelled against things staid; we had a confict of personalities; why? Because we were growing up; neither here no there. Who cares about the world, anyway? It is ours to enjoy and make the most of it.

Such is the opium of things at that stage.

A few years later we are youthful men and women; many with jobs and family; happy in life. We become sociable, begin to take responsibilities just as our parents did, at home and at work. Slowly we understand things. Some get vain; others mature. But this is still youth!

But too late we realize that youth does not last for ever. Our bodies age; our mental make up changes. No longer do we have the energy of days gone by; we look older, and cannot recall why, how and when all these changes came to pass. We yearn for days gone by; of our innocent days when there were no burdens; for our parents, who are no longer with us today; golden words they had said to us; their love and silent wisdom.

They had been through this, too, we then reckon. Yes, youth is a wondrous thing; it never comes back.

Our changing world!

Seeing the news these days, one feels that the world political order is rapidly changing. Even the type of warfare, allignment of nations towards events, are changing.

So also is social order, the way of thinking to meet these new challenges.

Islamist radicals, their ideology, and the concept and reality of the 'enemy without a state' is fast spreading throughout the world; well trained and well equipped extremists are causing terror everywhere today, so much so that one does not know how to contain them.

The battlelines are not defined, one does not know where the next terror attack will take place!

The western world, China and Russia are perhaps not yet affected to that extent; yes, there was 9/11 and it's aftermath with Laden; and more will follow perhaps.

In India, we have to live with it in the near future, and unless we take quick and tough decisions and a tough stand which has been imposed on our shoulders, this plague will cause us big problems.

Recently the ISIS has been seen to have plans of spreading their tentacles to Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of Gujarat in India!

Much of the world is not aware of the dimension and consequences of this changing world order.

It is time for us to wake up to this threat as nations together.

Some years from now this will be seen as history in the making!

Our ails within!

The General Elections of 2014 was unique in character with the BP winning superbly. Many would describe it as a win by the 'Modi Wave'; Mr Modi did display an energetic çampaign, and the elections were more of a 'Presidential Type of Elections'; so vibrant was his personality. Others  will perhaps blame it on the non-functionality of the Congress, the series of scams, and the non governance of the Manmohan Singh government. Still others would perhaps blame it on Sonia Gandhi and a misfit in Rahul Gandhi personality as a leader.

Whichever way the opinion goes, one cannot ask for the 'acche din' to come soon, however much Mr Modi tries, granted that he is going in the right direction or not. There are hurdles created by the previous govt for Modi to surpass; and then his new economic policies will take time to show results. One must not forget that it is better to have governance than nth to have governance at all!

But what is appalling is the silence of Mr Modi in matters he should have been promptly vocal about. The people want him to speak out with the same vigour that he used during electioneering! There are certain  matters where he should have interceded into at the correct time and place.

Gauging public opinion in serious matters is important; this is a two way principle;  you cannot shut down one end, and expect to receive information from the other!

The opposition also has it's part to play. In India, being in the opposition means opposing everything the govt tries to do! This should not be the case. Both the government and the Opposition have a constructive part to play (as is the case in most developed nations); both have a duty to the people and the nation's progress. Being a vibrant Opposition is okay, but being vibrantly foolish in opposing is another and a less sensible matter. There are issues where the Opposition and the Government have to come together for the sake of progress, cutting across narrow selfishness and ridiculous foolishness, or petty gains!

Perhaps we do have to wait for the good times to come!

History Repeats

History always repeats itself.

Take the case of the present conflict between Israel and Gaza, for instance!

There have been upteen times of conflict like this in the last fifty odd years. Each time there is a provocation, there is a reaction. Deadly reactions! Then the world pressurises for a cease fire. Unfortunately Israel does not always cow down to the dictates of the US (albeit the US is an ally of Israel!). Israel goes by its own judgement of things.
And not that Israel provokes the conflict ever in the first place!

With Eid coming, one would hope that there would be a ceasefire.

And perhaps a better understanding of truce in the long run in the middle-east would then prevail!

Israel and Gaza

Many nations, including India, but with the exception of the US, have promptly been against Israel for their recent ongoing war against the Hamas in Gaza.
While the stand of India against Israel has it's own narrow perceptives, one must not forget the following:
From time immemorial, and from much before Christ, the Jews were an oppressed people. Opressed by everybody. And their land was taken away through history.
More recently, in World War II, Adolf Hitler's third Reich had mercilessly annhilated six million Jews after putting them in horrific concentration camps where they were tortured, starved and put into hard labour. They were then stripped naked (men, women & children); even the gold in their teeth was mercilessly rooted out, and then gassed to death. The bodies were then burnt enmass in furnaces.
After Hitler's fall, and at the end of the second world war, the allies (meaning the US, UK, France in particular), decided enough was enough, and they gave back the Jews more or less their original piece of territory, which is present day Israel. But there were people in Palestine who did not like this happening.
Today Israel is a militarily strong nation who will take no nonsense from anyone. For them it is self preservation for their people. When prodded they will react, as it is in the present ongoing conflict. Brutal? War is brutal; and for centuries they have been brutalised! They have a hair trigger reaction, and have the capability to fight back on many fronts simultaneously.
It is perhaps better not to prod them (the Israelis) further; be it the Hamas or any other nation. Let peace resume.

Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin may seem an evil man, and perhaps there is much to say about this. But  Crimea was a part of Russia at one time, and rich in oil; so he got it back into Russia. Ukraine  was a part of the former Soviet Union (greater Russia as he sees it), and Ukraine is industrial. So he made a try inspite of sanctions from the west. For the moment he has failed. But the downing of the civilain Malaysian aircraft he could have done without! He has fallen from world opinion in his favour. What he is now likely to do will be intetesting. A second cold war is imminent. But in my opinion he will not let  go of Ukraine!

What ails us

We have everything in India, including being the world's largest democracy. Varieties of  cultures, varieties of people in unision in one country, wi
th respect for each other's religion.
But why is it that we cannot progress faster industrially, economically and qualitatively?
I mean on an international level.
Many would say that yes we are moving in that direction. But not fast enough. So what ails us?