Kashmir is again the site of tragic violence, threatening a war between India and Pakistan. Sadly, it also serves as a laboratory of oppression for Trump and budding fascists around the world.
Awesome, informative conversation. I remember hearing about Kashmir when I was much younger and it wasn't regarding tea. It is heartbreaking to see what is happening all around the world today. The racism,hate and cruelty is sickening and I fear the world that might be left for my grandchildren.
Americans are not bright enough to comprehend the interconnected world. How is it possible that even before the dumbing down it wasn’t known or understood? It exhausts me.
You are 100% spot on regarding Modi and his right wing project. But just like the Palestinian issue did not begin in Oct 7th, the Kashmiri issue did not begin with Modi or this massacre.
The role of the Pakistani state in promoting, arming and fomenting death and destruction in Kashmir right from 1948 is what keeps the violence alive. And all to what end ? To ensure that people of different religions do not live together ? Pakistani punjabis have already demographically overwhelmed the Kashmiris in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Their religious proxies in Kashmir valley have ethnically cleansed the Kashmiri pandits from their ancestral homes. There was no suffocating military presence in Kashmir before Pakistan decided to train and send the returning Afghan militia to wreak havoc in Indian Kashmir in the late eighties.
Fundamentally, Kashmir is where the battle between the secularists ( the traditional Indian state, Congress, Nehruvians) and the fundamentalists ( the Pakistani state/army, RSS, Modi) will determine if India remains a democratic secular republic where all citizens have the same rights regardless of creed/religion/caste or it just devolves into a Hindu-Pakistan.
Unfortunately, so many Americans are like trump, being ignoramuses about other countries WHERE they are Who they are, what their culture is, etc... the list is long ...ugh..) They need to understand a lot of things like the impropriety of invading anyone else's country, pockets, personal bodies, or disrespecting someone for being another culture, religion, color, etc...that list is long too.....Phew! 😳.😑. Thank you for bringing this to our attention and explaining it well. What we have is internationally many greedy, racist, sexist, power hungry men (and some women ) who think they own the planet and can squash anyone to get what they want (more, more...). It means tragedy and loss for so many others when they act out their perversities. I am sorry to hear about this.
Kashmir is NOT the same as Palestine- Palestinians are in their homeland, facing recent settlers from Europe. Kashmir is an ancient part of Bharat and recent conversion to Islam does not create a separate people.
Religious differences have fueled wars throughout history, giving the Almighty a bad name. And where there have been other, baser motives, like primal greed and acquisition of territory, religious differences and fervor have been manipulated to justify invasions and wars. Trump is currently using them here, beating the drums for Christianity and nabbing pro-Palestinians off the street, claiming hate crimes against Jews, while he himself is notoriously non-religious. I expect to hear him and Vance bleat more and more about Muslim terrorists coming across the border as US Forces continue to be defied by the Houthis in Yemen and more and more about anti-semitism in America, effectively bringing the religious clashes in the ME and India/Pakistan to our shores. So, yes, we need awareness of cause and effect everywhere on the planet.
As climate change exacerbates resource scarcity, faux populism exacerbates income inequality, fear fuels the rise of nationalist police states, and corruption accelerates power grabs...the only solution to the inherent human weakness is a system of national and international laws with massive repercussions.
Norms and toothless international organizations are clearly paper tigers, easily disregarded by strongmen.
Nothing will stop human cruelty, greed and corruption, but speed bumps are effective.
Perhaps those creating a new world order, in the wake of US decline, will better shield the world from human weaknesses.
Awesome, informative conversation. I remember hearing about Kashmir when I was much younger and it wasn't regarding tea. It is heartbreaking to see what is happening all around the world today. The racism,hate and cruelty is sickening and I fear the world that might be left for my grandchildren.
So grateful for the information I hear from Waj and his interviewees!
Modi had Canadian Indians killed.
Americans are not bright enough to comprehend the interconnected world. How is it possible that even before the dumbing down it wasn’t known or understood? It exhausts me.
You are 100% spot on regarding Modi and his right wing project. But just like the Palestinian issue did not begin in Oct 7th, the Kashmiri issue did not begin with Modi or this massacre.
The role of the Pakistani state in promoting, arming and fomenting death and destruction in Kashmir right from 1948 is what keeps the violence alive. And all to what end ? To ensure that people of different religions do not live together ? Pakistani punjabis have already demographically overwhelmed the Kashmiris in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Their religious proxies in Kashmir valley have ethnically cleansed the Kashmiri pandits from their ancestral homes. There was no suffocating military presence in Kashmir before Pakistan decided to train and send the returning Afghan militia to wreak havoc in Indian Kashmir in the late eighties.
Fundamentally, Kashmir is where the battle between the secularists ( the traditional Indian state, Congress, Nehruvians) and the fundamentalists ( the Pakistani state/army, RSS, Modi) will determine if India remains a democratic secular republic where all citizens have the same rights regardless of creed/religion/caste or it just devolves into a Hindu-Pakistan.
Trudeau warned us about Modi. He has 5 Canadian Indians killed in Canada.
Unfortunately, so many Americans are like trump, being ignoramuses about other countries WHERE they are Who they are, what their culture is, etc... the list is long ...ugh..) They need to understand a lot of things like the impropriety of invading anyone else's country, pockets, personal bodies, or disrespecting someone for being another culture, religion, color, etc...that list is long too.....Phew! 😳.😑. Thank you for bringing this to our attention and explaining it well. What we have is internationally many greedy, racist, sexist, power hungry men (and some women ) who think they own the planet and can squash anyone to get what they want (more, more...). It means tragedy and loss for so many others when they act out their perversities. I am sorry to hear about this.
Kashmir is NOT the same as Palestine- Palestinians are in their homeland, facing recent settlers from Europe. Kashmir is an ancient part of Bharat and recent conversion to Islam does not create a separate people.
Religious differences have fueled wars throughout history, giving the Almighty a bad name. And where there have been other, baser motives, like primal greed and acquisition of territory, religious differences and fervor have been manipulated to justify invasions and wars. Trump is currently using them here, beating the drums for Christianity and nabbing pro-Palestinians off the street, claiming hate crimes against Jews, while he himself is notoriously non-religious. I expect to hear him and Vance bleat more and more about Muslim terrorists coming across the border as US Forces continue to be defied by the Houthis in Yemen and more and more about anti-semitism in America, effectively bringing the religious clashes in the ME and India/Pakistan to our shores. So, yes, we need awareness of cause and effect everywhere on the planet.
As climate change exacerbates resource scarcity, faux populism exacerbates income inequality, fear fuels the rise of nationalist police states, and corruption accelerates power grabs...the only solution to the inherent human weakness is a system of national and international laws with massive repercussions.
Norms and toothless international organizations are clearly paper tigers, easily disregarded by strongmen.
Nothing will stop human cruelty, greed and corruption, but speed bumps are effective.
Perhaps those creating a new world order, in the wake of US decline, will better shield the world from human weaknesses.
Religion was supposed to be one of those speed bumps, but it's often been an accelerant used by tyrants.