--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com <mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com> , "seekliberation" <seekliberat...@...> wrote: > > > I remember seeing a lot of this online when I became interested in Ravi Shankar after reading about a lot of his work worldwide. I remember being somewhat excited about it, and I remember it didn't last for very long. I haven't seen any continuance of it in the really heavily war-torn provinces.>>
I don't think anyone can function safely in a heavily war torn zone? There are other places (McCain and Bush used to claim it was safe in Iraq.) <<If he would've remained there much longer than he did, he would have become a target eventually, especially for being associated with groups that advocate women's rights. Remember the assassination of Bhutto in Pakistan? >> There are a number of groups that could have killed Bhutto, but I doubt that it was a Muslim extremist, an anti-women's rights killing, or a sectarian or religious killing. <<In tribal run areas where people advocate peace or women's rights, the extremist factions become infuriated. It's very similar to ignorant rednecks in America who are either racist or male chauvinists. The only difference is that we are about 50-60 years ahead of them in evolving past some of their behaviors. >> Although, under Butto's father in Pakistan women had many rights, and in Iran, before the Americans forced out the democratic government there, to be replaced with their own dictator, and before the Americans trained Osama Bin Laden and built the Taliban in Afhganistan, and even under the American backed dictator Saddam Hussein women had rights to become doctors, professors, etc. In Lebanon, women were gaining freedoms until the Americans forced out the Syrians who were keeping the peace there, and the American backed corrupt Olmert government of Israel who bombed the shit out of Lebanon because after the Americans forced out the Syrians the extremist Hezbollah took over Lebanon.. Anywhere else? Yes, in the American backed extreme dictatorship of Saudi Arabia, there are many Indians working as second class citizens in a partitioned society. > > This is part of the reason i've always preferred Ravi's point of view. Not because it justifies my own, but more so because it is balanced. He understands peace must be brought to these areas, but at least acknowledges that in the beginning stages there will be a formidable resistance that has to be dealt with. Although he praises Islam as a whole, he will still make occasional remarks of how many of these terrorists are misguided. > > But his point of view is unlike many people who believe we can just send doctors, teachers and other healers without any risk or serious threat. They often think they can just walk into these villages without someone disliking them to a point of serious mistreatment....or much worse. At least Sri Ravi is a bit of a realist in the midst of his idealism. >> > > The good thing is that there are provinces in Afghanistan that are becoming much safer, mostly in the northeast though. But in the south, and southwest civilians are still being killed by Taliban. If they are seen seeking medical care by American military doctors they can be executed. >> Just like Kansas. Perhaps you are not aware of this, but numerous people have been killed for seeking medical care in America, and recently a doctor was murdered in Kansas for practicing medicine. <<I've heard from someone overseas now that they tried to blame civilian casualties on American aircraft bombings somewhere out west, problem is they were killed by Chinese grenades, which no NATO forces carry at all. They will kill civilians to make it look like us.>> Yes, American forces can drop bombs on houses and kill rebels and spare the women and children in there. They have smart bombs. << It's often times their best chance of victory. >> There is no victory in these wars. There never was, and there never will be. No-one will be victorious or claim victory. This Bush/Cheney debacle will drag on for 30 years (unless there is some massive change in world consciousness that completely re-arranges matter itself. <<I also remember a village about 30-40 miles from where I was based that a 15 year old boy was hung to death for carrying American currency.>> The accusations about the practices of SOME American soldiers in Iraq and elsewhere are just as brutal and more widespread. That doesn't mean everywhere American soldiers go are like that does it? or that that is representative of the whole US military? << These are not safe places for anyone who is not Islamic, or anyone not living in accordance with the warlord faction's guidelines. >> Yes, you are right, they are not safe places. If only America had not ignored world opinion and international law and sent Iraq back to the stone age, and if only they had let the international community focus on Afghanistan, then the world would be a better place. Unfortuantely it will take decades to mend the mess that Bush/Cheney made. Respectfully OffWorld > > seekliberation > > > > > ""Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's organization started an operation in Iraq > > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq> > in 2003, aimed at relieving the > > war-ravaged Iraqi population of stress.[12] > > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar#cite_note-11 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar#cite_note-11> > [13] > > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar#cite_note-12 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar#cite_note-12> > A > > Program was implemented in Afghanistan from 2003 to 2006 teaching to war > > victims, UN and ngo personnel. In 2007, Sri Sri visited Iraq at the > > invitation of Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, and also met with Sunni, > > Shia, and Kurdish leaders.[14] > > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar#cite_note-13 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar#cite_note-13> > [15] > > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar#cite_note-14 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar#cite_note-14> > He > > visited Pakistan in 2004 and met with some political and religious > > leaders there as a part of his efforts to promote global peace.[16] > > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar#cite_note-15 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar#cite_note-15> > "" > > > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar> > > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ravi_Shankar> > > > > > http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3393327.stm <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3393327.stm> > > <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3393327.stm <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3393327.stm> > > > > > > > > > OffWorld > > >
