Bloodthirsty Liberal

The nerve of Israel—thinking it knows best!

India is considering the possibility of integrating Israeli technologies in a national initiative to clean the Ganges River. For this purpose, engineers, researchers and representatives form water technology companies will visit Israel next week.

Over the past two months, the Indian government has been promoting a large scale endeavor to clean the Ganges River, which is considered holy in Hinduism.

Due to the river’s importance as a fresh water source for as well as a ritual site, and considering that the river has become a source of infection and disease, the Indian government treats this initiative very seriously.

Recently, the Indian government decided to invite leading Israeli water technology companies to take part in the efforts to clean the river.

Next, you’ll tell me that Israeli doctors flew to Haiti after the earthquake and… oh that’s right, they did.

Is this the first arrest of a journalist, in a democracy, for working to implement a terror attack?

Indian authorities have arrested a local journalist working for an Iranian news agency in connection with last month’s Israeli embassy car bomb blast, a police official said on Wednesday.

It was the first arrest over the Feb. 14 attack that Israel has blamed Iran of perpetrating. An Israeli diplomat’s wife, her driver and two others were wounded, and the blast coincided with an attack on another Israeli diplomat in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The 30-year-old freelance Indian journalist, Mohammed Kasim, was arrested in a southern district of the capital, New Delhi, on Tuesday evening and charged with criminal conspiracy, Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said.

News channel NDTV reported that Kasim, who was produced in a local court on Wednesday, had been in touch with one of the attackers. He was not directly involved in the attack itself, in which a motorcyclist attached a bomb to the car and set off the device.

Do you think that journalists collaborate with terrorists often?

- Aggie

Never let it be said we pick only on Mohammedans. We call ‘em like we see ‘em:

A 14-year-old low-caste ‘untouchable’ was strangled in northern India because he shared his first name with a higher-caste youth, police said on Saturday.

Neeraj Kumar, was allegedly kidnapped and strangled by a group of boys led by 23-year-old Neeraj Chaudhary, whose family resented the idea of the low-caste boy having the same first name, police said.

The victim’s family are Dalits – or ‘untouchables’ as they used to be known – who occupy the lowest rung in India’s rigid caste hierarchy. Most live in poverty and do menial, supposedly ‘unclean’ jobs like collecting garbage.

The victim’s father, Ram Sumer, a vegetable seller, said when his son was admitted to primary school, the alleged killer’s father ‘called me to advise me to change my son’s name because it was the same as his son’s’.

Things you just don’t see Jews or Christians do. Just ask Ehud Barak.

Oh, come on, China. Get over it.

A meeting between Indian and Chinese diplomats has been cancelled after Beijing objected to a scheduled speech in New Delhi by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, officials said on Sunday.

A senior Indian foreign ministry official, who declined to be named, said talks on long-standing border issues that were slated to begin in New Delhi on Monday had been called off.

‘Beijing wanted Delhi to cancel the Buddhist meeting where his holiness the Dalai Lama will be speaking on Wednesday,’ the official told AFP.

‘India refused to accept China’s demand as the leader is free to speak on spiritual matters.’

What does his holiness have to do with border disputes?

Anyway, you have bigger things to worry about:

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday pledged central and local government funds to improve and provide school bus service to schools in the wake of a traffic accident that killed 18 pre-school children and sparked outrage across the country.

That’s sad, even a tragedy. But how does it reflect on the government?

A school van with nine seats but crammed with 62 children and two adults crashed head-on into a coal truck in western Gansu province after the van swerved into oncoming traffic, television and other media reports said.

The two adults on board also died in the crash and 44 people were injured.

The tragedy prompted a swell of comments on the Internet and in the press calling for an overhaul of China’s badly managed and underserviced school transportation system. Rural areas in particular are known for unsafe transportation for children in aging, badly maintained vans and trucks.

If you have no choice but to put your kid on a school bus, you have a right to expect—and the government has a responsibility to provide—safe transportation. A bus carrying seven times the number of pre-school students it was supposed to does not qualify.

Flush with cash, China is buying up mineral and energy rights around the world. Smart, very smart. But you’d think they could throw a few extra yuan toward this problem.

And words do not even begin to describe grief exuded by this story:

The red ink marking the spot where the tragedy took place has grown so faint it is barely visible. The police have stopped coming by to question witnesses. The media throng has disappeared.

More than a month after toddler Wang Yue died after being hit by not one but two vehicles here in an incident that shocked China, much of Guangfo Hardware Market has regained a semblance of normalcy.

But probe a little deeper and the shopkeepers of this sprawling wholesale centre are still struggling to shed their collective cloaks of shame. Many Chinese pointed fingers at the people in this industrial market, accusing them of being cold and apathetic.

The belief was that the 18 passers-by who ignored the dying two-year-old nicknamed Little Yue Yue, before a rag-and-bone collector picked her up and called for help, were from the market.

In many ways, China resembles industrialized Britain and America: the heartless brutality of Dickens, the individual pluck of Alger. That only a “rag-and-bone” collector came to her rescue is a detail almost too contrived to believe. I’m not sure a fiction editor would let it pass.

Israel is pilloried for doing the equivalent of installing an in-law apartment over the garage.

While the world hollers and swoons with horror, however, other disputes loom much larger:

New Delhi lodged a diplomatic protest with China after a map used in a commercial presentation showed sections of northern India as part of China.

…

The map depicted the state of Arunachal Pradesh and parts of the state Jammu and Kashmir as Chinese territory — a particularly sensitive issue for both countries because of ongoing talks to settle frontiers in the remote and mountainous areas. India and China share more than 2,000 miles of border.

Journalists at the event noticed the map and questioned the ambassador who said it was only “a technical” but that he would look into it, a report by The Times of India said.

However, after persistent questioning, the ambassador told a reporter to “shut up” and that he would look into how the error happened. “We are working for friendlier ties with India … this will not help,” he said.

The journalist wasn’t easily put off. “This is not China… it is India,” he told the ambassador. “We have full freedom here. How can you ask a journalist to shut up if he is asking you something?”

China vs. India—now that’s a fight. Like Ali-Frazier (may Smokin’ Joe rest in peace).

But there are more:

Other contentious border issues are likely will be on the table when the countries meet, IBN said. These include India’s deal with Vietnam for exploration in the Chinese-claimed South China Sea.

Ownership of even the smallest uninhabitable islands is important because of suspected oil and gas resources in the surrounding seabed, as well as access to plentiful fish stocks.

A major dispute is control of the Spratly Islands. Apart from China and Vietnam, the Spratly Islands, or some of them, are claimed by Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines.

Other disputed islands are the Scarborough Shoal off the west coast of the Philippines and the Paracels, the most northerly group of islands and the ones closest to China.

Of course, we’ve barely scratched the surface.

Hey Israel! Put down the hammer and step away from the settlement! Keep your Jewish hands where I can see ‘em.

A horrible tragedy

At least 13 people were killed and more than 100 others injured Wednesday in a series of explosions that rocked congested areas of India’s financial capital, Mumbai, according to Prithviraj Chavan, the state’s chief minister.

Chavan said it was too early to talk about suspects but at least one of the blasts was “quite powerful.” He warned the death toll could rise.

The blasts occurred within minutes of one another in the areas of Dadar, Opera House and Zaveri Bazar, all busy commercial hubs that were teeming with people in the evening rush hour. They brought back bad memories in a city that has suffered terrorist attacks before, including the 2008 assault by Pakistani gunmen that killed 164 people in November 2008.

Authorities immediately appealed for calm as residents voiced anger at the government because their city has been a repeated target for terror.

“The entire city of Mumbai has been placed on high alert,” Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram said at a news conference. “I would appeal to the people of Mumbai to remain calm and maintain the peace.”

He said investigative teams have been dispatched to Mumbai.

As in past attacks, the blasts Wednesday occurred in crowded, vulnerable areas.

Don’t think the perpetrators were Quakers? Who else would do such a thing?

- Aggie

It was the chicken soup that got me

First, we learn why Jews ended up in Calcutta and why they left:

The first Jews arrived in Calcutta sometime in the late 18th century. This group was comprised of Baghdadi Jews who came from Iraq, as well as Syrian and Persian Jews. All of these Jewish settlers were fleeing from Islamic persecution in their native lands. The Jewish refugees who were forced out of their homes found welcoming safety in Calcutta. By 1800, the Jews had established a vibrant community and thrived as diamond merchants, real estate brokers, exporters, spice traders, and bakers. The first generations of Jews in Calcutta spoke Judeo-Arabic, but by the 1890’s, English was the language of choice.

The Jewish communities of India achieved their maximum population and wealth under British rule, and the small community of Calcutta continued to prosper and trade amongst all the major cities of the Far East and the rest of the world. The native Indian population was very tolerant and the Jewish community was allowed to live in peace and security. The community reached its peak population of about 5,000 during World War II when its numbers were swelled by Jewish refugees fleeing the Japanese in Burma. The community formed a solid minority, and their wedding parties and religious feasts were legendary in the raucous, bustling city. The community rarely faced discrimination as they were too small to bother with. The Hindu and Muslim communities were too busy fighting each other, and Indian Caste conflict also deflected attention from the Jews.

The golden age ended in 1947 with the birth of Indian independence. The native Indian population associated the Jews with the British and Anti-Semitic attacks began. The founding of the State of Israel in 1948 also had a negative impact on the Jews of Calcutta. Anti-Jewish and Anti-Israel sentiments ran high and many Jews left Calcutta and immigrated to Israel, England, and the United States.

Some Jews remained behind, but life was different. The community was shrinking and collapsing. The butcher shops began to close, followed by the bakeries. Hebrew was no longer taught in the Jewish schools which began admitting non-Jews in order to survive. The great Synagogues stood empty and it was almost impossible to find a minyan in order to hold services. The Jews only gathered for funerals, and sometimes not even then.

Today, there are fewer than 35 Jews remaining in Calcutta. The great, colorful community is gone – dispersed by bigotry and hatred. It is estimated that within 10 years it will disappear completely.

And people say that Jews are quite comfortable in India? Phooey.

And now the soup:

This recipe for Marag (spiced chicken soup with vegetables) is very typical of the Baghdadi cuisine. It is more than a soup, but not quite a stew. It is a light meal designed to be served when it is too hot to eat a heavier meal.

Marag (Spiced chicken soup with vegetables)
Serves 6 to 8

1 medium onion, chopped
½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ hot chili, chopped (I use Serrano)
1 3-pound chicken cut into 8 pieces
4 cups water
¾ cup chopped fresh or canned tomato
1 cup cut cauliflower
½ cup cut green beans
1 medium carrot, diced medium
1 medium waxy potato (I use red new potatoes), diced medium
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Kosher salt to taste

1.Place the onion, ginger, garlic, turmeric, chicken, and water in a stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, skimming surface as needed.

2.Add all other ingredients except for cilantro. Continue simmering for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

3.Finally, add cilantro.

4.Serve in warm bowls with rice.

When it cools down around here, I’ll try it and let you know how it tastes.

- Aggie

Cousin Apu, what took you so long?

Thousands of kilometers to the east, in the furthest reaches of northeastern India, a long-lost community continues to nourish its age-old dream of returning to its ancient homeland, the land of Israel.

The Bnei Menashe, or “sons of Manasseh,” are descendants of one of the 10 lost tribes of Israel, which were exiled by the Assyrian empire more than 27 centuries ago. The community, which numbers 7,232 people, resides primarily in the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur, along the border with Burma and Bangladesh.

Despite generations of wandering, the Bnei Menashe never forgot who they were, where they had come from, or where they aspired to return.

Three times a day, every day, they turn in silent prayer toward Jerusalem, pleading with the Creator to put an end to their long exile and bring them home to Zion.

That dream is now poised, at last, to become a reality.

Don’t tell the Arabs. They think the Jewish presence in Israel goes back barely 60 years.

Is there really a choice?

It’s high time Washington review Pakistan’s cooperation. In short, America should end its special relationship with Islamabad and fully partner with India. The reason for this fundamental shift became fully evident when American forces killed bin Laden in his purpose-built fortress in the army garrison city of Abbottabad. The al Qaeda leader’s compound was eight times the size of neighboring houses, had few windows but lots of barbed wire, and was on flat terrain, visible from all directions. The place had an 18-foot wall but no Internet or phone connections. When children played soccer nearby, guards paid them to take their pick-up matches elsewhere. The bin Laden family had been living there since 2005.

…

We cannot remain friends forever with both Pakistan and India.

Up to now, Washington has thought it could play both sides of the street. The CIA, for instance, believed it could work with the ISI against al-Qaeda while the ISI supported other terrorist groups—notably Lashkar-e-Taiba—as they launched horrific attacks against India.

A rising India, however, is beginning to signal it will no longer tolerate America’s own form of double-dealing. Relations between Washington and New Delhi have notably cooled during the Obama administration as it sought to please everyone. Last week, for instance, the Indians stunned Obama by ruling out the American entries in its $10 billion competition to pick their medium multi-role combat aircraft.

Soon, we will have to make our own choice, between the terrorism-sponsoring failed state of Pakistan and the next rising power, democratic India. This should be an easy decision for us.

Shielding bin Laden, shielding the Taliban—is that how friends behave? We do have friends in the world, or at least allies with allied interests. You could do a whole lot worse than having India and Israel on your side.

Termites eat millions of rupees stored in bank vault.

An army of termites munched through 10 million rupees ($222,000) in currency notes stored in a steel chest at a bank, police in northern India said Friday.

The bank manager discovered the damage when he opened the reinforced room in an old bank building on Wednesday, police officer Navneet Rana told The Associated Press.

“It’s a matter of investigation how termites attacked bundles of currency notes stacked in a steel chest,” he said. The money was put in the chest in January.

The termites had damaged bank furniture and documents in the past.

The police have registered a case of negligence against bank officials in Barabanki, a town 20 miles (30 kilometers) southwest of Lucknow, the Uttar Pradesh state capital. In India, police register a case before opening an investigation.

Bummer.

- Aggie