Iraqi president and dictator, Saddam Hussein was executed on December 30, 2006 after a two year long trial for crimes he committed during his rule. Saddam was convicted for the mass murder of 148 people in the Iraqi town of Dujail after a foiled assasination bid against him.
While the punishment meted out to him may seem fair in light of the crimes he committed against humanity, his execution was a mockery of civility. Agreed that he was a ruthless dictator, but to click pictures and shoot a video of the entire process is totally insane. In addition to this, the manner in which Saddam's executioners taunted him in his last moments was absolutely deplorable.
In this age of reality TV shows, anything and everything is made into a public spectacle in order to attract eyeballs. Its high time we realize that even criminals and tyrants have their private space and deserve their moments of solitude. Making a public circus of the whole thing is totally uncalled for and will not do anything constructive given the volatile situation in Iraq.
Anyway, the execution brings to an end the era of Saddam Hussein; an era in which Iraq went to war a number of times, an era where the religious and ethnic minorities were sidelined and tortured, and an era where Iraq went from one of the shining nations in the Middle East to one of its most decrepit nations. Hope the new goverment can work towards restoring the nation to its old glory.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Friday, December 29, 2006
Train to Kabul - A review of Kabul Express
Director: Kabir Khan
Cast: John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, Salman Shahid, Linda Arsenio
The scene is post US invasion Afghanistan where the dreaded Taliban are on the run. Many have been captured and scores have been killed. It is under such a scenario that John Abraham and Arshad Warsi, two rookie mediamen decide to interview the Taliban and make a name for themselves back home. They hire an Afghan driver, who promises them a meet with some captured Talib fighters in exchange for some hard cash, only to find out that they have fled after a gun fight with the Afghans guarding them!
Our bumbling protagonists then run into a Reuters photographer (Linda), who is at her skeptical best at the overall state of affairs in post-war Afghanistan. Their wish of meeting a Talib is granted as one (Salman) lands up in their car and demands to be taken to the Pakistan border. Thus begins a string of adventures and misadventures as our duo
along with the driver try to get rid of the Talib fighter, who also happens to carry an AK-56 along as insurance! One one occasion, they almost manage to get rid of him, only to realize that he still posseses their passports. And so, the Talib tags along with them again. It is now that they learn that he is on the payroll of the Pakistan Army, although the Pakistanis vehemently deny the presence of any of their personnel in Afghanistan. The story takes a series of twists and turns giving our duo an extended opportunity to know the Talib's story.
Although the movie lacks a plot and a flowing storyline, it makes up for it with the beautiful visuals and subtle humour. Arshad Warsi is at his best, coming up with one witty oneliner after another. Salman Shahid also comes out as a good actor, playing the role of a Talib. One of the highlights of the movie is the debate between Salman and Arshad on who is the greatest cricketing allrounder. John Abraham is his usual self, acting clueless and trying his best to fit in to the role. The director has done a sensible thing by not having any songs in the movie, because of which the storyline flows nicely.
All in all, its a nice little movie, easy on the brain with some good humour thrown in at regular intervals. It doesn't promise much but delivers what it promises!
Rating: 3
(1: Trash, 2: Bearable, 3: Average, 4: Good, 5: Excellent)
Cast: John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, Salman Shahid, Linda Arsenio
The scene is post US invasion Afghanistan where the dreaded Taliban are on the run. Many have been captured and scores have been killed. It is under such a scenario that John Abraham and Arshad Warsi, two rookie mediamen decide to interview the Taliban and make a name for themselves back home. They hire an Afghan driver, who promises them a meet with some captured Talib fighters in exchange for some hard cash, only to find out that they have fled after a gun fight with the Afghans guarding them!
Our bumbling protagonists then run into a Reuters photographer (Linda), who is at her skeptical best at the overall state of affairs in post-war Afghanistan. Their wish of meeting a Talib is granted as one (Salman) lands up in their car and demands to be taken to the Pakistan border. Thus begins a string of adventures and misadventures as our duo
along with the driver try to get rid of the Talib fighter, who also happens to carry an AK-56 along as insurance! One one occasion, they almost manage to get rid of him, only to realize that he still posseses their passports. And so, the Talib tags along with them again. It is now that they learn that he is on the payroll of the Pakistan Army, although the Pakistanis vehemently deny the presence of any of their personnel in Afghanistan. The story takes a series of twists and turns giving our duo an extended opportunity to know the Talib's story.
Although the movie lacks a plot and a flowing storyline, it makes up for it with the beautiful visuals and subtle humour. Arshad Warsi is at his best, coming up with one witty oneliner after another. Salman Shahid also comes out as a good actor, playing the role of a Talib. One of the highlights of the movie is the debate between Salman and Arshad on who is the greatest cricketing allrounder. John Abraham is his usual self, acting clueless and trying his best to fit in to the role. The director has done a sensible thing by not having any songs in the movie, because of which the storyline flows nicely.
All in all, its a nice little movie, easy on the brain with some good humour thrown in at regular intervals. It doesn't promise much but delivers what it promises!
Rating: 3
(1: Trash, 2: Bearable, 3: Average, 4: Good, 5: Excellent)
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Crazy Kiya Re! - A Review of Dhoom-2
Director: Sanjay Gadhvi
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, Bipasha Basu, Uday Chopra
Yes, this is exactly was I was thinking (no not the song from the movie!) as I walked out of a half-empty theatre on Monday evening after watching the much-hyped sequel to Dhoom!
This was one eagerly awaited movie with stars such as Hrithik, Aishwarya and Bipasha joining Abhishek and Uday on a speed trip. It held a lot of promise especially since the first one was a runaway success. However, as is the case with most sequels, it turned out to be a damp squib. Read on for more details on one of the most wasted movies of 2006!
The opening sequence shows a sleek four coach train rumbling through the deserts of Namibia. In a brilliant scene, Hrithik sky-dives from a helicopter and intercepts the train with the intent of stealing a precious crown (!) which is being carried on board. What follows is absolute mayhem with gravity defying stunts, which would put even Mithun & Rajni to shame! This sets the tone for the rest of the movie as the characters pull off one unbelievable stunt after another; stunts which would have made Newton redefine the principle of gravity!! And bikes! One gets to see bikes only towards the end of the movie, whereas they were the main theme in the first episode. The locales used are quite spectacular, especially Rio and I would have liked a stunt or two at the Cristo Redentor!
Uday Chopra does what he is good at! Play stupid. Period. And that silly hairband is an ingenious way he's devised to conceal his receding hairline :-) Abhishek has acted decently, however he has taken that serious, grumpy look in the film a bit too far. Aishwarya looks genuinely good; till she keeps her mouth shut. Once she starts speaking, however, her giggly, girlish voice comes through quite clearly. Bipasha Basu, I feel has been wasted in this movie. She is a fine actress, and looks quite hot as well, but the story and the plot just do not do justice to her. I mean - what the hell was her part as the Brazilian chick all about?? Was the director trying to get even with her for a past dispute? I would have personally loved to see Bipasha play Ash's character. Hrithik shines out as the best of the lot. He has done perfect justice to his character as a master of disguise, stealing artifacts from supposedly impenetrable fortresses, and leaving behind his insignia at the scene of the crime.
A special mention must be made about the gadgets in the movie, which I thought were absolutely laughable. Bipasha and Abhishek roam around with Bluetooth mobile headsets passing off as radio transceivers. The height is Bipasha pulling out her cellphone to talk to Uday Chopra while still wearing the Bluetooth headset!! C'mon now, how difficult is it to find realistic (if not real) gadgets in this age? And the scene with the undetectable (atleast to the security personnel posted at the museum) remote controlled vehicle stealing the diamond from its well guarded mount is only surpassed in sheer preposterousness by the scene in which Hrithik replaces it with a holographic image!!!
The music is a real let down too. If the first part had some catchy and well placed numbers, this one had some rank bad numbers, which looked as if they were crudely inserted into the storyline. Some innovation should have been shown here as there is not a single song in the entire soundtrack, which is noteworthy. Hrithik too needs to learn some new dance moves as he is seen grooving to the six year old dance moves from Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai!
To be fair to the movie, it is a one time watch! Go see it only if you want to see Bipasha in a bikini or Hrithik changing appearances a la The Jackal. Forget it if you expect anything close to the original Dhoom...
Rating: 2
(1: Trash, 2: Bearable, 3: Average, 4: Good, 5: Excellent)
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, Bipasha Basu, Uday Chopra
Yes, this is exactly was I was thinking (no not the song from the movie!) as I walked out of a half-empty theatre on Monday evening after watching the much-hyped sequel to Dhoom!
This was one eagerly awaited movie with stars such as Hrithik, Aishwarya and Bipasha joining Abhishek and Uday on a speed trip. It held a lot of promise especially since the first one was a runaway success. However, as is the case with most sequels, it turned out to be a damp squib. Read on for more details on one of the most wasted movies of 2006!
The opening sequence shows a sleek four coach train rumbling through the deserts of Namibia. In a brilliant scene, Hrithik sky-dives from a helicopter and intercepts the train with the intent of stealing a precious crown (!) which is being carried on board. What follows is absolute mayhem with gravity defying stunts, which would put even Mithun & Rajni to shame! This sets the tone for the rest of the movie as the characters pull off one unbelievable stunt after another; stunts which would have made Newton redefine the principle of gravity!! And bikes! One gets to see bikes only towards the end of the movie, whereas they were the main theme in the first episode. The locales used are quite spectacular, especially Rio and I would have liked a stunt or two at the Cristo Redentor!
Uday Chopra does what he is good at! Play stupid. Period. And that silly hairband is an ingenious way he's devised to conceal his receding hairline :-) Abhishek has acted decently, however he has taken that serious, grumpy look in the film a bit too far. Aishwarya looks genuinely good; till she keeps her mouth shut. Once she starts speaking, however, her giggly, girlish voice comes through quite clearly. Bipasha Basu, I feel has been wasted in this movie. She is a fine actress, and looks quite hot as well, but the story and the plot just do not do justice to her. I mean - what the hell was her part as the Brazilian chick all about?? Was the director trying to get even with her for a past dispute? I would have personally loved to see Bipasha play Ash's character. Hrithik shines out as the best of the lot. He has done perfect justice to his character as a master of disguise, stealing artifacts from supposedly impenetrable fortresses, and leaving behind his insignia at the scene of the crime.
A special mention must be made about the gadgets in the movie, which I thought were absolutely laughable. Bipasha and Abhishek roam around with Bluetooth mobile headsets passing off as radio transceivers. The height is Bipasha pulling out her cellphone to talk to Uday Chopra while still wearing the Bluetooth headset!! C'mon now, how difficult is it to find realistic (if not real) gadgets in this age? And the scene with the undetectable (atleast to the security personnel posted at the museum) remote controlled vehicle stealing the diamond from its well guarded mount is only surpassed in sheer preposterousness by the scene in which Hrithik replaces it with a holographic image!!!
The music is a real let down too. If the first part had some catchy and well placed numbers, this one had some rank bad numbers, which looked as if they were crudely inserted into the storyline. Some innovation should have been shown here as there is not a single song in the entire soundtrack, which is noteworthy. Hrithik too needs to learn some new dance moves as he is seen grooving to the six year old dance moves from Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai!
To be fair to the movie, it is a one time watch! Go see it only if you want to see Bipasha in a bikini or Hrithik changing appearances a la The Jackal. Forget it if you expect anything close to the original Dhoom...
Rating: 2
(1: Trash, 2: Bearable, 3: Average, 4: Good, 5: Excellent)
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Casino Royale - A Review!
Director: Martin Campbell
Cast: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench
Pragmatic, rational, earthy, unfantastic, authentic! That's how I would define 007 in his latest adventure - Casino Royale! Daniel Craig, who was once a dark horse for the role of the sauve British spy has done more than justice to the oft abused character. And Director Martin Campbell has done an excellent job in keeping the story and the plot believable.
The film opens with a superb sequence showing how Bond gets his "00" status which leads into the famous gun barrel shot and the opening credits. Then there is the slightly stretched (in all senses of the word) chase through a construction site and a neatly executed killing at an embassy.
The film has some superb visuals from the jungles of Madagascar to the beaches of the Bahamas but none of the outrageous and unrealistic special effects that we have seen in the past few Bond movies. The film is also light on the usual Bond gadgets but this is understandable considering the absence of the inventor of these gadgets - Q. Also missing is Miss Moneypenny whose absence Bond reminds us when he meets Vesper Lynd, an accountant (& his love interest) tasked by the government to look after the $10 million given to him to play poker against the evil Le Chiffre - an banker who handles accounts for terrorists. However, M is definitely present in the movie and has a neat role. The story is a combination of fast paced action & stunts on one hand and slow, deliberate drama on the other and the director has managed to seamlessly merge both!
The movie also portrays Bond as a sensitive, caring and a somewhat vulnerable human being rather than the robotic, unbreakable, indestructible engine that we have seen in the Pierce Brosnan series. How many times have you seen James Bond recuperating in a hospital? As I said earlier, the director has made the storyline really believable.
The usual Bond cars are on full display including a brand new Aston Martin DBS and an unreleased Ford Mondeo 2007. Also making an appearance is the classic 1964 Aston Martin. Sony Corporation seems to have paid a princely sum to the producers as Sony products including the Vaio notebook, a Sony digital camera and a Sony Ericsson K800i mobile phone can be seen at different times through the movie.
The closing sequence is also different as compared to the traditional Bond movies which show him rollicking around with one of the Bond Girls. Here, the director has chosen to keep the story running right till the last minute which is also when you get to hear the famed punchline "The name's Bond, James Bond!"
All in all it is a great movie with a brilliant cast. Daniel Craig really stands out as 007 in his maiden shot at the role of the spy with the license to kill!! Go watch it!
Rating: 4
(1: Trash, 2: Bearable, 3: Average, 4: Good, 5: Excellent)
Cast: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench
Pragmatic, rational, earthy, unfantastic, authentic! That's how I would define 007 in his latest adventure - Casino Royale! Daniel Craig, who was once a dark horse for the role of the sauve British spy has done more than justice to the oft abused character. And Director Martin Campbell has done an excellent job in keeping the story and the plot believable.
The film opens with a superb sequence showing how Bond gets his "00" status which leads into the famous gun barrel shot and the opening credits. Then there is the slightly stretched (in all senses of the word) chase through a construction site and a neatly executed killing at an embassy.
The film has some superb visuals from the jungles of Madagascar to the beaches of the Bahamas but none of the outrageous and unrealistic special effects that we have seen in the past few Bond movies. The film is also light on the usual Bond gadgets but this is understandable considering the absence of the inventor of these gadgets - Q. Also missing is Miss Moneypenny whose absence Bond reminds us when he meets Vesper Lynd, an accountant (& his love interest) tasked by the government to look after the $10 million given to him to play poker against the evil Le Chiffre - an banker who handles accounts for terrorists. However, M is definitely present in the movie and has a neat role. The story is a combination of fast paced action & stunts on one hand and slow, deliberate drama on the other and the director has managed to seamlessly merge both!
The movie also portrays Bond as a sensitive, caring and a somewhat vulnerable human being rather than the robotic, unbreakable, indestructible engine that we have seen in the Pierce Brosnan series. How many times have you seen James Bond recuperating in a hospital? As I said earlier, the director has made the storyline really believable.
The usual Bond cars are on full display including a brand new Aston Martin DBS and an unreleased Ford Mondeo 2007. Also making an appearance is the classic 1964 Aston Martin. Sony Corporation seems to have paid a princely sum to the producers as Sony products including the Vaio notebook, a Sony digital camera and a Sony Ericsson K800i mobile phone can be seen at different times through the movie.
The closing sequence is also different as compared to the traditional Bond movies which show him rollicking around with one of the Bond Girls. Here, the director has chosen to keep the story running right till the last minute which is also when you get to hear the famed punchline "The name's Bond, James Bond!"
All in all it is a great movie with a brilliant cast. Daniel Craig really stands out as 007 in his maiden shot at the role of the spy with the license to kill!! Go watch it!
Rating: 4
(1: Trash, 2: Bearable, 3: Average, 4: Good, 5: Excellent)
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
I Rule the Road and the Law!!
No, that ain't a dialog out of the Wild West, but a stark reality on our roads.
Last Sunday, a few rich, drunk teenagers after a night of revelry, lost control of their car and mowed down six people sleeping on the pavement at Carter Road, Bandra. Fourteen others were injured in the accident
One of the kids who were in the car mentioned that they were just unlucky to be involved in that accident!! And what about the luck of the people who you killed?? It is not as simple as you think pal!!! Precious lives have been lost here....
How often has this happened on our roads? And how often have the culprits been punished for their crimes? Its the same old story all over again - they get arrested, there is a "trial" and eventually they go away scot free! Look at the Salman Khan case, which is lying in deep freeze since the past four years, while he continues to rake in his millions. What about the families of the people who were killed? How are they going to earn their daily bread? The ones who died were construction workers who used to live on a meagre daily income!
It is high time that those in power cut through all the bureaucracy and red tape and get straight to the judgement. We need to make sure that the verdict in such cases is delivered in quick time and adequate compensation is handed out to the victims! We need to make an example of this so that no one would dare commit such a heinous deed.
Will this ever happen or is it just a pipe dream??
Last Sunday, a few rich, drunk teenagers after a night of revelry, lost control of their car and mowed down six people sleeping on the pavement at Carter Road, Bandra. Fourteen others were injured in the accident
One of the kids who were in the car mentioned that they were just unlucky to be involved in that accident!! And what about the luck of the people who you killed?? It is not as simple as you think pal!!! Precious lives have been lost here....
How often has this happened on our roads? And how often have the culprits been punished for their crimes? Its the same old story all over again - they get arrested, there is a "trial" and eventually they go away scot free! Look at the Salman Khan case, which is lying in deep freeze since the past four years, while he continues to rake in his millions. What about the families of the people who were killed? How are they going to earn their daily bread? The ones who died were construction workers who used to live on a meagre daily income!
It is high time that those in power cut through all the bureaucracy and red tape and get straight to the judgement. We need to make sure that the verdict in such cases is delivered in quick time and adequate compensation is handed out to the victims! We need to make an example of this so that no one would dare commit such a heinous deed.
Will this ever happen or is it just a pipe dream??
Ten Shortest Books of All time!
Ever wondered what you should read when you're feeling down? Here is a comprehensive list of some of the best literature from around the world!
How to Stay Out of Controversy - by Rakhi Sawant
I Make My Own Destiny - by Saddam Hussein
Doing Business with North Korea - by George W Bush
Keeping it Clean - by Shoaib Akhtar & Mohd Asif
Nukes Are Passe - by Kim Jong Il (North Korean "President")
The Art of Making Successful Murder Mysteries - by Karan Johar
I Love Tigers - by Mahinda Rajapaksa (Sri Lankan President)
Life In the Limelight - by Osama Bin Laden
How To Take Decisions On Your Own - by Manmohan Singh
And the record breaking, chart busting, award winning -
How to win a Cricket Tournament - by Rahul Dravid, Greg Chappel & the BCCI wisemen.
How to Stay Out of Controversy - by Rakhi Sawant
I Make My Own Destiny - by Saddam Hussein
Doing Business with North Korea - by George W Bush
Keeping it Clean - by Shoaib Akhtar & Mohd Asif
Nukes Are Passe - by Kim Jong Il (North Korean "President")
The Art of Making Successful Murder Mysteries - by Karan Johar
I Love Tigers - by Mahinda Rajapaksa (Sri Lankan President)
Life In the Limelight - by Osama Bin Laden
How To Take Decisions On Your Own - by Manmohan Singh
And the record breaking, chart busting, award winning -
How to win a Cricket Tournament - by Rahul Dravid, Greg Chappel & the BCCI wisemen.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Another one joins the Club!
The elite but dubious club of nations possessing nuclear weapons just got another member last week when North Korea muscled its way in. It was a nightmare come true for the international community as North Korea conducted an underground nuclear explosion on October 9th. The country had been threatening to conduct the test over the last few weeks and it finally let the nuclear genie out of the bottle.
This incident has changed the geo-political equations in one sweep as North Korea has a fairly advanced ballistic missile program. It has missiles which are quite capable of reaching most cities in Asia and possibly the United States. This means that countries in the immediate vicinity; which are allies of the US, such as South Korea and Japan are under direct threat from the North Korean N-bomb. It now remains to be seen whether North Korea actually has the technology to miniaturise the weapon to be able to fit it on a ballistic missile.
The test was clearly aimed at unsettling the United States as the US had been increasingly upping the ante against the Communist State over the past few months. Initially the US did not openly confirm the test inspite of confirmations from neighbouring countries like Russia and South Korea. The condemnation was swift nevertheless with President Bush threatening widespread sanctions on North Korea. The official US confirmation came only today, a week after the test.
What happens now? Well, a nuclear North Korea has opened a can of worms. This will surely encourage other countries to speed up their quest to go nuclear. Another, more practical scare is the potential, clandestine export of nuclear technology from North Korea to other rogue nations. This trade will be quite tempting to the North Koreans considering the blockade on the import of almost every modern technology. This will also encourage otherwise peaceful countries like Japan and South Korea to aim for nuclear weapons if they feel threatened. Suddenly the largest continent in the world will become a ticking nuclear time bomb.
What can be done? The most obvious step that will be taken is imposing sanctions against North Korea. However, this will not achieve much except starve the already impoverished citizens of the country. Adapting a hawkish stand will only push the country further into a corner and force it to adopt an aggressive stand. The best bet would be to recognize the real dangers of a nuclear North Korea and allow it some breathing space. The need of the hour is to involve and engage the North Korean people and make them feel part of the world community. The South Koreans would have to play a major role here if this is to succeed. The US should stop its trigger happy stance and agree to sit across the discussion table. History has shown that military invasion has achieved very little. Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq are shining examples and these were not even close to possessing nuclear weapons(although Saddam Hussein did try his best). The US and the world community should work out a reasonable development package for North Korea in return for dismantling the nuclear program. The package should be comprehensive and aimed at improving the quality of life of the average North Korean. The idea should be to win over the hearts and minds of the people and not just a fancy gift meant for the elite. And the most important thing is - stay away from making threatening, rash and irresponsible comments in the media.
The last thing we want is a couple more nuclear states springing up and changing the world order forever!
This incident has changed the geo-political equations in one sweep as North Korea has a fairly advanced ballistic missile program. It has missiles which are quite capable of reaching most cities in Asia and possibly the United States. This means that countries in the immediate vicinity; which are allies of the US, such as South Korea and Japan are under direct threat from the North Korean N-bomb. It now remains to be seen whether North Korea actually has the technology to miniaturise the weapon to be able to fit it on a ballistic missile.
The test was clearly aimed at unsettling the United States as the US had been increasingly upping the ante against the Communist State over the past few months. Initially the US did not openly confirm the test inspite of confirmations from neighbouring countries like Russia and South Korea. The condemnation was swift nevertheless with President Bush threatening widespread sanctions on North Korea. The official US confirmation came only today, a week after the test.
What happens now? Well, a nuclear North Korea has opened a can of worms. This will surely encourage other countries to speed up their quest to go nuclear. Another, more practical scare is the potential, clandestine export of nuclear technology from North Korea to other rogue nations. This trade will be quite tempting to the North Koreans considering the blockade on the import of almost every modern technology. This will also encourage otherwise peaceful countries like Japan and South Korea to aim for nuclear weapons if they feel threatened. Suddenly the largest continent in the world will become a ticking nuclear time bomb.
What can be done? The most obvious step that will be taken is imposing sanctions against North Korea. However, this will not achieve much except starve the already impoverished citizens of the country. Adapting a hawkish stand will only push the country further into a corner and force it to adopt an aggressive stand. The best bet would be to recognize the real dangers of a nuclear North Korea and allow it some breathing space. The need of the hour is to involve and engage the North Korean people and make them feel part of the world community. The South Koreans would have to play a major role here if this is to succeed. The US should stop its trigger happy stance and agree to sit across the discussion table. History has shown that military invasion has achieved very little. Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq are shining examples and these were not even close to possessing nuclear weapons(although Saddam Hussein did try his best). The US and the world community should work out a reasonable development package for North Korea in return for dismantling the nuclear program. The package should be comprehensive and aimed at improving the quality of life of the average North Korean. The idea should be to win over the hearts and minds of the people and not just a fancy gift meant for the elite. And the most important thing is - stay away from making threatening, rash and irresponsible comments in the media.
The last thing we want is a couple more nuclear states springing up and changing the world order forever!
Friday, October 06, 2006
To Hang or not to Hang?
This is the question that is on everyone's mind; from the President of India to the prison guard keeping vigil over Mohammad Afzal, one of the key conspirators involved in the suicide attack on the Parliament on December 13th, 2001.
Afzal's wife and his family have met the President today with a mercy petition for the terrorist. Her plea is that because Afzal has lost faith in the Indian Justice system. Yeah right, since when have terrorists started believing in Justice Systems? The attack on the Parliament was a daredevil stunt and was a slap for all that Indian democracy stands for. Adding weight to the voice of Afzal's wife were so called social activists who feel that hanging Afzal would be a stigma on Indian Democracy? One such voice was Arundhati Roy, who off late has come to oppose anything and everything under the sun! Why are these guys so obsessed with the human rights of only one individual? What about the scores of guards who died in that attack? Didn't these guys have human rights too? Didn't they deserve to live? Who had given people like Afzal the right to kill them? Is this the meaning of Democracy?
If we spare Afzal today, what will stop the terrorist outfits from hijacking another Indian aircraft and demand that he be released? Besides, why should one invest time, money and energy in keeping a hardened terrorist alive and well? These guys think that India is a "soft state" and it is high time the we set an example that some insane individuals cannot hold a nation of 1 billion people to ransom. A strong example that we dont want anything to do with terrorists and we wouln't shy away from eliminating them.
Afzal's wife and his family have met the President today with a mercy petition for the terrorist. Her plea is that because Afzal has lost faith in the Indian Justice system. Yeah right, since when have terrorists started believing in Justice Systems? The attack on the Parliament was a daredevil stunt and was a slap for all that Indian democracy stands for. Adding weight to the voice of Afzal's wife were so called social activists who feel that hanging Afzal would be a stigma on Indian Democracy? One such voice was Arundhati Roy, who off late has come to oppose anything and everything under the sun! Why are these guys so obsessed with the human rights of only one individual? What about the scores of guards who died in that attack? Didn't these guys have human rights too? Didn't they deserve to live? Who had given people like Afzal the right to kill them? Is this the meaning of Democracy?
If we spare Afzal today, what will stop the terrorist outfits from hijacking another Indian aircraft and demand that he be released? Besides, why should one invest time, money and energy in keeping a hardened terrorist alive and well? These guys think that India is a "soft state" and it is high time the we set an example that some insane individuals cannot hold a nation of 1 billion people to ransom. A strong example that we dont want anything to do with terrorists and we wouln't shy away from eliminating them.
Its Even!!
Two races left in the Championship and the score is tied at 116! Yes, both Alonso and Schumacher are at 116 points each with Schumi nosing slightly ahead on the basis of more race wins.
The Chinese Grand Prix was full of drama as wet conditions during qualifying gave the cars with Michelin tyres an advantage over their Bridgestone counterparts. The Renaults of Alonso and Fisichella qualified one-two with Schumacher qualifying in a lowly sixth position.
The start of the race was no better as the conditions were wet and windy. Both the Renaults made a quick start and Alonso pulled away from the rest of the pack in no time. Three laps down, it looked as if Alonso was in a different league altogether. Schumacher looked barely in form to challenge him anytime soon. However, the track began drying and Schumacher began putting in some stonking laps. The intermediate Bridgestones began to gain grip and Schumi's lap times went into a free-fall. He made up places and was soon in the third spot behind Alonso and Fischella.
Renault then started playing the team game with Alonso allowing a faster Fisichella to overtake him while he held back Schumacher. Alonso then "overtook" Fisichella to regain the top spot. Isn't this going against the spirit of Formula One, an accusation Renault has often leveled against Ferrari. Schumacher had nothing to do with it and managed to overtake both the Renaults to take the lead. Alonso looked like he was really struggling and the Renault pit crew messed things up further.
Finally, the German crossed the chequered flag to bring up the 91st Grand Prix victory of his career and drew level with Alonos in the Drivers' Championship. Alonso finished second whereas Fisichella finished third. Ferrari's second driver Felipe Massa failed to finish the race after a collision forced him to retire.
The Japanese Grand Prix is next with both Alonso and Schumacher tied at 116 points and Renault just one point ahead of Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship. Over to Suzuka for the penultimate race of the season and also of Schumacher's racing career.
The Chinese Grand Prix was full of drama as wet conditions during qualifying gave the cars with Michelin tyres an advantage over their Bridgestone counterparts. The Renaults of Alonso and Fisichella qualified one-two with Schumacher qualifying in a lowly sixth position.
The start of the race was no better as the conditions were wet and windy. Both the Renaults made a quick start and Alonso pulled away from the rest of the pack in no time. Three laps down, it looked as if Alonso was in a different league altogether. Schumacher looked barely in form to challenge him anytime soon. However, the track began drying and Schumacher began putting in some stonking laps. The intermediate Bridgestones began to gain grip and Schumi's lap times went into a free-fall. He made up places and was soon in the third spot behind Alonso and Fischella.
Renault then started playing the team game with Alonso allowing a faster Fisichella to overtake him while he held back Schumacher. Alonso then "overtook" Fisichella to regain the top spot. Isn't this going against the spirit of Formula One, an accusation Renault has often leveled against Ferrari. Schumacher had nothing to do with it and managed to overtake both the Renaults to take the lead. Alonso looked like he was really struggling and the Renault pit crew messed things up further.
Finally, the German crossed the chequered flag to bring up the 91st Grand Prix victory of his career and drew level with Alonos in the Drivers' Championship. Alonso finished second whereas Fisichella finished third. Ferrari's second driver Felipe Massa failed to finish the race after a collision forced him to retire.
The Japanese Grand Prix is next with both Alonso and Schumacher tied at 116 points and Renault just one point ahead of Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship. Over to Suzuka for the penultimate race of the season and also of Schumacher's racing career.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)