Post by maruf on Jul 29, 2004 23:51:25 GMT -5
ABC Online
Saudi Arabia moots Muslim force for Iraq. 29/07/2004. ABC News Online
[This is the print version of story www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200407/s1165005.htm]
Last Update: Thursday, July 29, 2004. 9:18pm (AEST)
Saudi Arabia moots Muslim force for Iraq
United States Secretary of State Colin Powell has given a cautious welcome to a new Saudi plan for a Muslim force to be deployed in Iraq.
Speaking after a meeting in Jeddah with interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, Mr Powell said it was an interesting idea.
Mr Powell emerged from a series of meetings with Saudi leaders and separately the Iraqi Prime Minister to say the US saw the Saudi initiative as an interesting and welcome idea.
Muslim forces might participate as either part of the coalition, he said, or as a separate organisation within the framework of the coalition effort.
That is a very different vision from the one suggested by senior Saudi officials.
They have emphasised the need for the Muslim force to be seen as distinct from the US-led multinational one to make it politically acceptable to the Muslim world.
Mr Allawi says other countries have to help Iraq, for its future and for theirs.
"The issue of multinational force and increasing the capacity by incorporating other Islamic nations and Arab nations to participate is still on the agenda," he said.
"This is a fight that's not only a fight for Iraq - it's a global fight really against terrorists."
-- BBC
© 2004 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Copyright information: abc.net.au/common/copyrigh.htm
Privacy information: abc.net.au/privacy.htm
Pakistan - An Army in Ruin
May 04, 2004 www.1924.org
Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf once highlighted the importance of the Pakistan army by stating that the "defence of the motherland is the foremost responsibility of the armed forces". Having said this one would also assume that the President would support the army with all the relevant resources to enable this to be a reality. However recent actions have far from achieved this but rather have weakened the army.
Musharraf has ordered an overall reduction of the army by 50,000 personnel, this is a 9% reduction and the first one ever undertaken in the history of Pakistan. These cuts will take place in vital aspects of the army such as logistics, which are imperative for any modern day army to be effective.
There is also to be no increase of funding to the armed forces; officials have been quoted as saying "the projections for the defence budget in the forthcoming federal budget would not introduce an increase in real terms". It is well known that the key advocate for reducing army expenditure is the World Bank, an institution that serves the interests of the powerful western nations.
Add to this the insistence of America to provide Pakistani troops for the Iraqi occupation, as well as troops to man the Afghan frontier, all of which will further weaken Pakistan’s defences and reduce the morale of its army, which is already suffering from the recent Waziristan operations where many personnel were killed. Clearly the army sees such operations as a clear contradiction in its role as a vanguard of Muslim interests, and not the Western colonialist nations with their anti Muslim agenda.
Also, the recent sacking of Abdul Qadeer Khan, the Chief Nuclear scientist, has created a vacuum in terms of experience and knowledge in this vital defence field. Such a move is also in agreement with American objectives of removing the nuclear strength of Pakistan, the only Muslim nation to possess it.
The constant removal and redeployment of commanders has weakened the army leadership’s ability to run the armed forces effectively, and has only been done with the objective of securing President Musharraf grip on power.
Whilst this steady and consistent decay has been afflicting the Pakistan armed forces, the reverse has been occurring over the border in India. The Indian government has been making clear the importance of its army with the Indian Finance Minister stating that "any additional requirement that may emerge on account of modernisation needs of the three defence services will be fully met."
The Indian government’s statements are not like the empty slogans given by President Musharraf, but are followed up with the necessary resources and policy decisions. This is clearly seen with the Indian budget for last year of Rs.653 billion being earmarked for expenditure on defence. It represents an increase of 16.6% over the previous year’s budget estimates of Rs.560 billion.
In terms of long-term trends, the Indian defence spending has jumped from $7.53 billion to over $12.87 billion in the last decade. During the same period Pakistan's allocation for defence showed a negligible increase from $3.07 billion to $3.15 billion.
While India has been sharply increasing its defence expenditure, Pakistan's defence budget during the last three years has remained almost static with considerable decrease in real terms, highlighting the failure of this and previous governments of providing the military with the resources it requires to protect the nation.
Its clear that this road and policy is leading to Pakistan becoming an insignificant nation in the eyes of its enemies, whilst India continues to increase its strength. Today’s reality is all the more problematic now that there is a hostile regime in Afghanistan, thereby presenting Pakistan with a threat on two fronts. Its clear that the Pakistani army has a vital and difficult role in protecting the Muslims in Pakistan, but the actions of the western stooge Musharraf is undermining that role completely.
Whilst the Muslims of Pakistan continue to entertain the politicians whose thoughts and ideas lie with the western world, such a situation will continue to lead Pakistan on the path to destruction. The only hope for the Muslims is a sincere Islamic leadership that does not view itself as an agent of the American government. It is only a sincere Islamic Khilafah that will strengthen the Muslim armies to safeguard and bring dignity to the Muslim Ummah, and defend the Islamic interests.
Shehzad Bashir
Saudi Arabia moots Muslim force for Iraq. 29/07/2004. ABC News Online
[This is the print version of story www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200407/s1165005.htm]
Last Update: Thursday, July 29, 2004. 9:18pm (AEST)
Saudi Arabia moots Muslim force for Iraq
United States Secretary of State Colin Powell has given a cautious welcome to a new Saudi plan for a Muslim force to be deployed in Iraq.
Speaking after a meeting in Jeddah with interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, Mr Powell said it was an interesting idea.
Mr Powell emerged from a series of meetings with Saudi leaders and separately the Iraqi Prime Minister to say the US saw the Saudi initiative as an interesting and welcome idea.
Muslim forces might participate as either part of the coalition, he said, or as a separate organisation within the framework of the coalition effort.
That is a very different vision from the one suggested by senior Saudi officials.
They have emphasised the need for the Muslim force to be seen as distinct from the US-led multinational one to make it politically acceptable to the Muslim world.
Mr Allawi says other countries have to help Iraq, for its future and for theirs.
"The issue of multinational force and increasing the capacity by incorporating other Islamic nations and Arab nations to participate is still on the agenda," he said.
"This is a fight that's not only a fight for Iraq - it's a global fight really against terrorists."
-- BBC
© 2004 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Copyright information: abc.net.au/common/copyrigh.htm
Privacy information: abc.net.au/privacy.htm
Pakistan - An Army in Ruin
May 04, 2004 www.1924.org
Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf once highlighted the importance of the Pakistan army by stating that the "defence of the motherland is the foremost responsibility of the armed forces". Having said this one would also assume that the President would support the army with all the relevant resources to enable this to be a reality. However recent actions have far from achieved this but rather have weakened the army.
Musharraf has ordered an overall reduction of the army by 50,000 personnel, this is a 9% reduction and the first one ever undertaken in the history of Pakistan. These cuts will take place in vital aspects of the army such as logistics, which are imperative for any modern day army to be effective.
There is also to be no increase of funding to the armed forces; officials have been quoted as saying "the projections for the defence budget in the forthcoming federal budget would not introduce an increase in real terms". It is well known that the key advocate for reducing army expenditure is the World Bank, an institution that serves the interests of the powerful western nations.
Add to this the insistence of America to provide Pakistani troops for the Iraqi occupation, as well as troops to man the Afghan frontier, all of which will further weaken Pakistan’s defences and reduce the morale of its army, which is already suffering from the recent Waziristan operations where many personnel were killed. Clearly the army sees such operations as a clear contradiction in its role as a vanguard of Muslim interests, and not the Western colonialist nations with their anti Muslim agenda.
Also, the recent sacking of Abdul Qadeer Khan, the Chief Nuclear scientist, has created a vacuum in terms of experience and knowledge in this vital defence field. Such a move is also in agreement with American objectives of removing the nuclear strength of Pakistan, the only Muslim nation to possess it.
The constant removal and redeployment of commanders has weakened the army leadership’s ability to run the armed forces effectively, and has only been done with the objective of securing President Musharraf grip on power.
Whilst this steady and consistent decay has been afflicting the Pakistan armed forces, the reverse has been occurring over the border in India. The Indian government has been making clear the importance of its army with the Indian Finance Minister stating that "any additional requirement that may emerge on account of modernisation needs of the three defence services will be fully met."
The Indian government’s statements are not like the empty slogans given by President Musharraf, but are followed up with the necessary resources and policy decisions. This is clearly seen with the Indian budget for last year of Rs.653 billion being earmarked for expenditure on defence. It represents an increase of 16.6% over the previous year’s budget estimates of Rs.560 billion.
In terms of long-term trends, the Indian defence spending has jumped from $7.53 billion to over $12.87 billion in the last decade. During the same period Pakistan's allocation for defence showed a negligible increase from $3.07 billion to $3.15 billion.
While India has been sharply increasing its defence expenditure, Pakistan's defence budget during the last three years has remained almost static with considerable decrease in real terms, highlighting the failure of this and previous governments of providing the military with the resources it requires to protect the nation.
Its clear that this road and policy is leading to Pakistan becoming an insignificant nation in the eyes of its enemies, whilst India continues to increase its strength. Today’s reality is all the more problematic now that there is a hostile regime in Afghanistan, thereby presenting Pakistan with a threat on two fronts. Its clear that the Pakistani army has a vital and difficult role in protecting the Muslims in Pakistan, but the actions of the western stooge Musharraf is undermining that role completely.
Whilst the Muslims of Pakistan continue to entertain the politicians whose thoughts and ideas lie with the western world, such a situation will continue to lead Pakistan on the path to destruction. The only hope for the Muslims is a sincere Islamic leadership that does not view itself as an agent of the American government. It is only a sincere Islamic Khilafah that will strengthen the Muslim armies to safeguard and bring dignity to the Muslim Ummah, and defend the Islamic interests.
Shehzad Bashir