But he is perhaps even better known for his involvement in the Vietnam War, urging the administration to commit about 500,000 troops, believing that the numbers of Vietcong were limited and that the correct amount of U.S. soldiers eventually would outnumber them.

In the Cold War Robert McNamara not only was in charge of moving the U.S. into the nuclear arms race in the name of “mutual assured destructions” but also pushing nation-wide campaigns to justify the unjustifiable Vietnam War, those two being the key involvements which would haunt him for the rest of his life.

When he left the Pentagon and went to work at the World Bank in 1968 this seemed to many as an attempt to make up for the very destructive path he had left behind him.

But only in the Oscar-winning 2004 documentary “The Fog of War” by Errol Morris, his regrets were openly and ambiguously made accessible to the public. In the film, McNamara asked:”"What makes us omniscient?”, referring specifically to Vietnam but also to the world situation in general. “Have we a record of omniscience? We are the strongest nation in the world today. I do not believe that we should ever apply that economic, political and military power unilaterally. If we had followed that rule in Vietnam, we wouldn’t have been there. None of our allies supported us. Not Japan, not Germany, not Britain or France. If we can’t persuade nations with comparable values of the merit of our cause, we’d better reexamine our reasoning.”

According to Walter Pincus of the Washington Post (a close friend of McNamara), it was this documentary and the many talks that McNamara had with students who had watched the movie, that finally led him into the process of finding peace with himself and his destructive past.

In his 2005 article “Apocalypse Soon” McNamara unequivocally spoke out against the immoral and hazardous use of nuclear weapons a a strategy of foreign policy.

Before he died, McNamara left a remarkably optimistic hope for the future in a final message to his wife, wishing for “others continuing to pursue the objectives which I have sought (very imperfectly at times) to move the world toward peace among people and nations and to accelerate economic and social progress for the least advantaged among us.”

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1)      Confronting the violent extremism does not mean confronting Islam. According to Obama, the US invaded Afghanistan not ‘because of choice but because of necessity’ and with the support of the international community. Keeping the American troops in Afghanistan is actually agonizing and costly but before leaving, they have to make sure that the extremist wave is over and the terrorists will not be able to attack the US again. Obama said that the Muslim world should be on board when it comes to fighting extremism because these very same extremists have also killed innocent Muslim civilians and continue to do so. He was also clear on the fact that force alone will not solve the problem and that is why the US will provide aid to Pakistan to build schools and roads in order to increase the overall level of progress and education. The US President admitted that unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice. He believes that Iraqi people are better off without Sadam Hussain but it should also serve as a lesson for the US to use democracy whenever possible. They have no claims on Iraq’s sovereignty and that’s why they will remove all their troops by 2012 and enter into a state of partnership with Iraq.

2)      Obama acknowledged that the situation between Israel and Palestine is central to the overall relationship between the US and the Muslim world. He called the American bonds with Israel ‘unbreakable’ and stressed the agony the Jews have endured. He also accredited the Palestinian people’s suffering in pursuit of a home country. According to him, the creation of two states is the best solution and it will be in the interest of both Israel and Palestine as well as in the interest of the world community. He vowed to pursue this matter with persistence but insisted that the two sides should also put in effort. On one hand, Palestinians should stop the violence because resistance through violence is wrong and ‘violence is a dead end.’ On the other hand, Israeli settlements should be stopped because they violate previous agreements and bring the peace process to a standstill.

3)      Nuclear weapons and in particular the tension with Iran was another topic that was covered in Obama’s speech. He admitted that in the past both countries have done wrong by each other but now the US is open for dialogue. He also stated that no single nation should choose which states can have nuclear weapons and which cannot. Therefore, the long term solution is to achieve a state of world affairs where no country has nuclear weapons.  

4)      Democracy and its promotion have become subject for heated debates. Obama believes that no system of government should be imposed on any nation. But that does not mean that the government should not reflect the will of the people. The US does not presume to know what is good for everyone but he believes that transparent government and freedom to live as you choose are not just American ideas but basic human rights that need to be pursued.

5)      Religious freedom is another issue that deserved to be mentioned in Obama’s speech. He said that Islam is traditionally very tolerant to other religions but the division between Sunni and Shia is problematic and this is manifested in the current inter-religious violence in Iraq.

6)      Obama also drew attention to women’s rights. He believes that ‘a woman who is denied education is denied equality’ and added that educated women are an integral cog to a nation’s progress. The US President stated that ‘our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons’. He was also categorical that he respects women who choose traditional roles as long as it was the woman’s choice.

7)      Obama recognized that the times of modernization and globalization are confusing even for people in the US as they are afraid to lose their identities and traditions. Nevertheless, progress cannot be denied and there should not be contradiction between the two. He pointed out Japan and South Korea as examples of booming economies that coexist in harmony with traditional values. Dubai is one such example in the Muslim world. The President committed to collaborate in the spheres of education, business, science, technology and health with the Arab world in order to improve their partnership.

While listening to Obama, I could almost predict every argument that was about to follow, which is typical for diplomacy where you elaborate on the case of two sides opposed to each other but in the end you end up saying how both have their pros and cons. After all, he had to do a fragile balancing act between expressing support for the Muslim world and appearing tough on extremists. He was clearly trying to reach out and appeal to the young people of the Islamic world. He also did a great job at presenting the world as a chain of actors where everyone has their place, rights and responsibilities.

Without trying to oversimplify the complexities of his speech, one could notice two repeating lines.

1. ‘America and Islam are not exclusive’
2. ‘We should not be bound by the past’

There is little doubt that this speech on its own will not manage to break clichés but Obama succeeded in giving some food for thought by insisting that ‘just as Muslims don’t fit a crude stereotype’ it would be wrong to narrow the whole of America to a selfish power.

I did, however, find it weird that he overused his Muslim background, which was very much underplayed during his election campaign. I mean how many times did you hear him present himself to voters as Barack Hussein Obama? For me, the weakest point of his speech was the nuclear weapons issue. He walked a very broad plank and simply reaffirmed existing popular opinions that the US just does not have a case on this topic.

At the end of the day, the speech managed to move and inspire me and for a brief moment while listening to him I felt that naïve hope that maybe somehow things can change. The expectations for the speech were high and the media will spend days analyzing the resulting feedback, comments and opinions. But one thing is for certain – there are even greater expectations now!

What do you think? Was this a historical speech that decades from now will be known for being a stepping stone to better relations between the US and the Muslim world? Or was it just another political speech, which will not lead to anything?

The biggest loser was clearly the Labor Party (HaAvodah). Despite Barak’s star performance in the recent Gaza operation as Defence Minister, the party that had dominated the Israeli political landscape since inception, that had ruled without loss for the first 30 years of nationhood (as Mapai and the Alignment) is tonight no longer a force in Israeli politics. It came in a dismal fourth place, having secured only 12 seats in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset. Israel’s voters, the sons and daughters of socialists, have firmly rejected the left. The Labor party would do best to stay in opposition and regroup, as Likud has done in recent years. The only scenario in which it is likely to be in government is in a national unity government alongside Likud and Kadima (where it may place the national interest over party politics).

Livni, the woman who called these elections having failed in her previous attempts in coalition building, claimed victory after securing first place. Kadima’s 28 seats reflect a one seat margin over Likud and a one seat loss from its position in the last Knesset. Within the span of three years, Kadima experienced two elections; the loss of its founding fathers (Sharon and Peres); a bogged corruption scandal; a worsening security situation; two controversial wars; and a likely recession. Livni delivered an excellent result for her party and should be proud of beating the pollsters. She ran a good campaign, and made the most of the last minute momentum Kadima experienced, buoyed by a high voter turnout. That said, having secured first place, she is back where she was when she called these elections, unable to form a stable coalition.

The other victory speech came from Netanyahu, the man most likely to be Israel’s next prime minister. With all the cards stacked against Kadima, this was his election to lose, which he did. He ran the classic frontrunner’s campaign (firmly rejecting Livni’s repeated requests for a debate) and ended up in second place. On the flip side, Netanyahu led the Likud back from its meagre 12 seats in the last Knesset to a political beast of 27 seats and most importantly, as the leader of the national block, he can thwart attempts by Livni to form a government. He is therefore most likely to become Israel’s next prime minister.

The Russian-immigrant- secular-nationalist party, Israel Bateinu (‘Israel is our home’) claimed half a victory, having delivered 15 seats that may well hold the balance of power in the next Knesset. This result (below polling expectations but above its 11 seats in the last Knesset) moves it from fifth place to third place, surpassing the Labor party. Avigdor Lieberman will play both sides to his advantage. Having ran on a platform that is more nationalist than Likud, he has recently proclaimed that his party cannot be assumed to recommend Netanyahu as the next Prime Minister and may indeed recommend Tzip Livni (if the price is right) or indeed himself for the top job.

Over the next few days, Tzipi Livni would be trying to mend fences with all those who would be happy to see the end of Kadima and try to ensure Shimon Peres gives her the first crack at forming a coalition – an unenviable task. Meanwhile, Bibi Netanyahu would be forming a block that would prevent her from governing. In between the rounds of meeting with political allies and foes, they may well play with Ynet’s recently-released game Build Yourself a Coalition. No doubt, Bibi would be having more fun than Livni. He is more likely to get the message “You can form a government” and far less likely to get the annoying popup: “Your coalition is politically unreasonable”.

Israel’s president, Shimon Peres, may find himself in the awkward position of handing the premiership to his former nemesis, the man who beat him in the 1996 elections, and the man who lost the current elections. He would probably much rather hand the reins to the woman whose party won these elections, to the party he co-founded, and to the people continuing the vision of the partners he lost along the way (Rabin and Sharon). Peres may well facilitate the formation a national unity government with a rotational approach, like the one he entered with Yitchak Shamir following the 1984 election deadlock. Barring that, Peres is bound to choose the candidate most likely to form a stable government, and like it or not, that person is Binyamin Netanyahu.

As a law abiding, peace loving citizen, I have found myself unfortunately compelled to disclose this information, as hundreds of thousands of others like myself are literally existing under siege and are living in constant fear from the callous and incessant rampages of arrogant criminal gang elements, deadly mosquitoes, flood waters which comes at just the whisper of rain, kidnappers, rapists, robbers…the list goes on and on.

A recent international poll on crime and violence against the person has pitted tiny Trinidad and Tobago as the ninth most dangerous place to live on earth!

What rubs even more salt onto this gaping wound is the tragic fact that the government of the country, specifically the so-called People’s National Movement (PNM) has shown, and continues to show scant and contemptuous regard for its citizenry; being either unwilling or unable to ease the mounting plights of its peoples.

In so doing, this morally vacuous regime is directly responsible for the violation of the basic rights of the people, enshrined in a Constitution which the PNM continues to make a mockery of without fear of retribution…

Our Constitutional laws clearly state:

4.- It is hereby recognized and declared that in Trinidad and Tobago there have existed and shall continue to exist without discrimination by reason of race, origin, colour, religion or sex, the following fundamental human rights and freedoms, namely:-

a. the right of the individual to life, liberty, security of the person and enjoyment of property and the right not to be deprived thereof except by due process of law; -

(citizens, especially those of a particular ethnic majority, are living under siege, tyranny and oppression, as kidnappers and other hooligan elements target this “naturally passive” and more “civil minded” class of persons who are reviled by these underachieving masses; a legacy of failure that is essentially the PNM grassroots base, primarily comprised of arrogant individuals such as these…)

b. the right of the individual to equality before the law and the protection of the law;

( the police service is in shambles, with almost unthinkable levels of corruption and delinquency within its ranks, to the point where a significant number of officers are veritable criminals themselves….

After getting billions of dollars for “National Security”, should a citizen call the nearest station to report the potential or imminent harm to life and limb, one would be met with the usual code of affairs by the police…they have no vehicles!)

c. the right of the individual to respect for his private and family life;

(the government has purchased a host of “surveillance” equipment which was claimed to be used in the purpose of combating organised crime and the drug trade…which has spiraled to unprecedented levels in the past few years…with the addition of a “blimp” which they claim is used for similar purposes.

The results are clearly contradictory.

In actuality, it has been very plausibly suggested that these arrays of high tech equipment are rather turned on the citizens and those in the opposition, to illegally monitor any threats of resistance by the people against this fascist like PNM regime!)

d. the right of the individual to equality of treatment from any public authority in the exercise of any functions;

(with the public services of the country being a tragedy of Oedipal proportions, the average person continues to suffer horrendously for just about everything that they are entitled to as a citizen.

These include, but are certainly not limited to, the acquisitions of one’s passport, birth certificate, driver’s license, basic healthcare, a reliable water service and the ability to get government contracts, just to name a few…

In chilling retrospect, the only way to obtain such “luxuries” without falling into desperation is to pay a bribe to the relevant authorities involved…

This is not a case of some few random, isolated events, but rather the order of the day in the public services of Trinidad And Tobago!)

e. the right to join political parties and to express political views;

(those who caucus for opposition parties, especially during the times of general elections, are literally threatened and harassed by the same criminal elements that are the stalwarts of the ruling regime, to the reprehensible point where many turn away from the polls, for fear of their very lives!)

f. the right of a parent or guardian to provide a school of his own choice for the education of his child or ward;

(The Ministry of Education continues to fail miserably in the deliverance of proper educational facilities and services to the nation’s children.

Along with the widespread growth of gangs and school stabbings, most of the nation’s public schools have become horrendously unsafe…)

g. freedom of movement;

( a particular political group known as the Congress of the people (COP) had sought to join the public audience for a sitting of Parliament.

However, they were barred entry via directives from the ruling regime, the pathetic excuse being the portrayal of their party’s “COP” logos on their attire!

This abuse of power and privilege is even more unconscionable when one considers that every member of the PNM within that same Parliamentary house wears the large “Balisier” that is the blatant symbol of the PNM!!)

h. freedom of conscience and religious belief and observance;

( In this multi-ethnic and multi-cultural land, every creed and race does not find an equal place!

Those who are considered “unchristian” by the ruling “born again” Prime Minister are specifically and woefully targeted for oppression and victimization, in all their purported forms…)

i. freedom of thought and expression; (same as above…be it religious, political or other that goes against this callous, Mugabe-like dictator by name of Patrick Manning!)

j. freedom of association and assembly; (Inshan Ishmael, political and social activist and anti PNM voice was arrested and charged in Jan. 2007 for spearheading a peaceful nationwide shutdown of businesses to highlight the woes of our ailing country.

On the eve of the night before such an event, an unmarked vehicle pulled up to his house, where after a group of “officers” in civilian wear took him to a nearby police station and proceeded to charge him as a “terrorist”!

When these unscrupulous individuals could not stick the groundless charges, they then decided to nail him to the cross for printing flyers without the printer’s caption underneath… it was clearly a politically motivated fiasco!

k. freedom of the press…( new, draconian like broadcast code is soon to come into effect, one which in essence serves to stifle and undermine the ability of the press and media to accurately report on key issues affecting the country…no doubt linked to the ongoing evils of this malignant PNM regime!)

These and much more are the plights of the people of Trinidad and Tobago…most of which, for whatever reason, does not make it to the attention of the wider global village…

The time has indeed arrived for this to change; and for these great travesties of Human and social order to be exposed to the world at large.

Needless to say, each and every one of those aforementioned enshrined rights which are mine as a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, and more crucially, .a Human being, are being diabolically treaded upon…

The time has indeed come to make known that Trinidad and Tobago is not only an island paradise of sun, sea and fun; but that there is a deeper, dare I say darker, and more sinister under fabric on which my country has tragically fallen.

The people of Trinidad and Tobago are suffering under the hands of a select and corrupt few who continue to plunder and destroy my beautiful land for their own selfish needs.

To take from Edward Blake, the propagation of evil only succeeds when good men do nothing…

…Someone…ANYONE out there…please do something!!

The veteran’s accounts were both disturbing and emotional. Soldiers and marines described incidents where innocent civilians were killed and where an apartment building known to be filled with Iraqi families was fired at multiple times.

One man, John Turner, ripped off his service medals and threw them into the crowd. He showed pictures of victims he had killed, and footage of a mosque being fired at, which is illegal unless there is someone firing from it. In this instance, they were acting out of revenge for one of their soldiers being killed. “I am sorry for the hate and destruction that I have inflicted on innocent people” he said, bordering on tears.

Another veteran Bryan Casher, admitted that his fellow marines urinated and defecated into food before giving it to Iraqi children

The rules of engagement determine when and how force shall be used in the military. They state that positive identification must be obtained before shooting a suspect. This was altered so that any suspicious observer could be taken down, meaning anyone seen with binoculars, or a mobile phone. After dark, soldiers could shoot anyone who was outside. They said that their commanding officers made it clear that if they killed a civilian they would make sure a weapon was found at the scene.

The subject of veterans’ health care was discussed. The parents of Jeffery Lucey spoke of how their son committed suicide after a lack of treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. One soldier told how he was provided with fifteen minutes therapy a month to help with his trauma after serving. 2,100 soldiers attempted suicide in 2007.

Another soldier showed an image of a part of an Iraqi mans face mounted on a helmet. After a bomb blast this was all that was left of him. His fellow soldiers had placed it on one of their helmets, laughing and taking pictures of it

This important event received very little coverage in America. The event was packed with media, although mainly with foreign press. It was almost ignored by the American corporate media. No major tv network or cable news mentioned it. The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal failed to cover the event. This is a frightening result, as these soldiers stories are of the utmost importance. The main message of the conference was to remove the occupation in Iraq.

The Pakistan has a dubious distinction of unsuccessfully fighting at least three wars on Kashmir. It failed every time in its nefarious designs. Be that tribal raid of 1947, full-fledged wars of 1965 and 1971 or Kargil intrusion of 1999, Indian troops have every time repelled Pakistani troops and defeated their designs to annex Kashmir.

But now, with the passage of time, all this hatred seems to evaporate and everyone, for a change, welcomes the change!

Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Lt. General (Retd) S K Sinha, who was amongst few soldiers having landed at Srinagar airport in 1947 to repulse the Pakistani attack, however, in this changing environment was playing a good host for his Pakistani guests at Raj Bhawan Jammu on April 9, 2008. The pilgrims from Pakistan— all Hindus visited the Governor House after having performed Vaishno Devi Yatra at Katra.

As winds of change were blowing everywhere, the Governor wished a hassle free travel for pilgrims and facilitating more people to people contact between India and Pakistan.

“I have observed in newspapers, some Pakistani leaders suggesting free visa between India and Pakistan’, he said, adding that a decision in this regard will have to be taken by the two governments. He highlighted the essence of great Indian philosophy of Vasudeva Kutumbakam (the whole world is one family). ‘We are treading the right path’, Sinha said, adding that the people of India and Pakistan were bound by a unique old relationship despite being two nations now.

The Governor responded positively to the demand of visiting pilgrims about sponsoring groups from Pakistan to pay obeisance at the Trikuta Hills cave shrine and went ahead to offer seats for Pakistani students in Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University. He referred to the deep yearning among Kashmiri Pandits to visit Sharada Peeth in Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK) and said “I am optimistic that the aspirations of the people will get fulfilled one day”.

On the occasion, Radho Mal, a Pakistani Hindu pilgrim, gave account of much revered religious places like Yogmata Mandir and Hinglaj Yatra in his country. He also invited the Governor to perform the yatra and recalled how they had made the visit of former Minister of External Affairs Yashwant Sinha along with 82 devotee’s memorable event years ago.

Another pilgrim, Mahesh Kumar wanted Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board to sponsor more groups of pilgrims for longer durations.

The Governor assured that the Shrine Board will be only too happy to welcome more pilgrims from Pakistan. He added that they are Pakistani citizens and their loyalty must always be to their country as is the case with Muslims in India to their country. He also added that with common cultural, historical and ethnic heritage of the people of the two countries, there is much scope for close contact between the people of the two countries

A famous singer among the pilgrims, Sushil Kumar, who has to his credit 100 albums of Bhajjans and Kirtans, sang in melodious voice the Bhaint of Mata. “Kohinoor Ka Jalwa Hai, Janat Ka Nazara Hai, Kashmir Ki Wadi Mein Sheroonwali Ka Dwarah Hai, Hai Kendra Tapasya Ka, Rishyoon Ki Yeh Dharti Hai, Is Dharti Ki Kudrat Bhi Aradhana Karti Hai ‘. He claimed that this album has become very popular in Pakistan and abroad.

“We want to come everywhere to pay our obeisance to Mata Rani”, Salram Dass said. The pilgrims attired in typical Pakistani Shalwaar Kameez were wearing red bands of Mata Rani and expressed their gratitude for the warmth and hospitality extended to them.

Striking personal chord with the Pakistani pilgrims, the Governor recalled his days in Karachi in 1946 when he was there on an official mission and wondered whether Manora Point or Beach Luxury Hotel were still there or not. Enthusiastically, the pilgrims raised affirmative voice and said that Karachi has now grown as the busiest commercial capital of Pakistan. General Sinha said that he had not gone to Pakistan after the partition though he wanted to do so when his son, an Indian Counsellor in Islamabad. He also made a mention of Wana in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) where he had served with battalion in 1946 and regretted the violence that had erupted there.