Dreaming of the Future...
Vladimir Putin, has suggested that Medvedev should be the new candidate for the leader of the United Russia party. In is in his humble opinion it would be appropriate to nominate Dmitry Medvedev and get the process started now…
So lets see – Medvedev for Prime Minister and the leader of the United Russia party…
Cool and that is why I love Russia…
Windows to Russia!
I had a good laugh and cry, at what Obama said yesterday (Monday April 23rd, 2012)! Lets see a couple of words of wisdom from our trusted leader. The man who promised change…
“But it should put other countries on notice that censoring and manipulating the free-running Internet won’t escape notice or a response from Washington. Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/04/23/EDSU1O7QDN.DTL#ixzz1sw30xXNd”
“These technologies should be in place to empower citizens, not to repress them,” President Obama said in announcing the sanctions Monday in a speech at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Read more: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-obama-tech-sanctions-20120424,0,31157.story
Well Mister Obama – SIR! Last I looked I am a citizen of the USA and I am being suppressed…
Yesterday I had several sites under attack from my government for over 5 hours. I have IP’s of who did it. I have names of the government agencies who did it and I have times when it happened. I even have what buildings, addresses and numbers that the attacks came from in Washington DC…
So as you preach the riot act on Syria and the world, maybe for my sake you could use some of that “better than thou attitude” and direct it toward the government agencies that spend ungodly amount of time attacking windowstorussia.com on literally a daily bases…
Obama, I do not say much about what you spout and lie about, but this is so flagrant of a case of hypocrisy that I have lost what ever little respect, I had left for you and the American government. I live this hypocrisy everyday while I work on my websites and write my articles…
My opinion is not what you care to have presented and my past is of the same. So when I write an article, it is many times from real experience and truth out of the horses mouth. This obviously is more than you (Administration) can handle…
Then the kicker in all this is from Philip N. Howard, director of the Project on Information Technology and Political Islam at the University of Washington. He said after Obama spoke: “There are other countries, perhaps China, Cuba or Russia, where technology firms are also state-controlled and may also be implicated in human rights abuses,” Howard said. “It could open the door to other kinds of diplomatic actions.”…
That there is a statement that sums up hypocritical America very well! But as long as we direct it toward Russia, China and even Cuba it has to be true! Right? and of course us Americans are little angels that sit in the clouds of life and pass judgement on everyone else that lives on earth…
I despise HYPOCRISY and so I will end this article and take my crippled website and keep writing about what and how I feel! I will keep writing about what I know is true and is correct…
The truth will get you censored and attacked by America on the internet. I know! I live it everyday…
Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!
PS: Coffee and Missiles – the article yesterday got Windows to Russia slaughtered and the Administration of America had to take it offline to stop the views. Interesting how when you hit the nail on the head that some organizations react so rudely. Kinda reminds me of a mafia…
Aftermath of Gyari Tragedy:
The tragic incident of 7th April avalanche that hit the battalion HQ of 6NLI battalion of Pakistan Army in Gyari sector of Siachen trapping 139 Pakistani troops and civilians has traumatized the entire nation. Pakistan Army is desperately trying to reach the trapped persons under the 80 feet high and one square kilometer wide pile of rubble, rock, snow and ice in a rescue operation in an unforgiving weather and constant snow falling at a height of 14000 feet from sea level. The incident was the worst catastrophe since 1984 when India illegally occupied Siachen glacier and Saltoro ridge to its southwest.
After this dreadful tragedy, a very shocking and sordid trend emerged in certain media circles within Pakistan, like SAFMA, demanding withdrawal of forces from Siachen. On 9th April 2012, two days after the awful tragedy, SAFMA head Imtiaz Alam stated,
―Why should we be going for an agreement? We should just withdraw. If we do that, Indian domestic pressure will also result in a withdrawal there. They will say it is madness to continue.‖[11]
Without giving proper knowledge of background of the incident and history of conflict on world‟s highest battlefield these self-claimed peace preachers began to tell the Pakistanis that it is time to bring our boys home unilaterally because Siachen glacier is melting due to presence of forces there and this deployment of force is futile. Apart from the compromised media elements, the political leadership also failed to show solidarity with the defenders of Pakistan immediately after the incident. The entire nation is on the brink of complete internal chaos and Pakistan Army has been caught in a ruthless and cut-throat battle against the religious and secular terrorists and separatists in ongoing massive 4GW
and needs the backing and support of every nook and corner of the country. But unfortunately, the regime in Islamabad remained busy in its survival exercise in Supreme Court isolating itself from every important national security and governance issue like the awful tragedy at Gyari sector. President of Pakistan failed to cancel or even postpone his private trip to India, the country which had put Pakistani troops in this treacherous battlefield in the first place. Parliament is keen to investigate the incident rather than doing anything for the families of heroes of Pakistan Army who gave the ultimate sacrifice. But most disgusting remarks came from the leader of Pakistan‟s second biggest political party PML(N) and former PM Nawaz Sharif who, just like SAFMA, asked Pakistan army to withdraw from the battlefront unilaterally as the solution while the enemy
has already 1000 square miles (2600 square kilometer) of Pakistani territory under the occupation of enemy who has plans to capture more in order to complete the strategic goal of cutting off Pakistan from China.
For years, Indians have demanded that Pakistan accept the current deployment of forces along the ridge line (known as Actual Ground Position Line or AGPL) of Saltoro range as permanent border which means accepting the illegal occupation of the glacier by the Indian Army. In this backdrop, the proposal of withdrawing unilaterally is not only completely delusional but is impossible to act upon due to the strategic importance of the region and Indian expansionist designs which turned this glacier into the battlefield. A detailed historical and strategic analysis of Indian policy making regarding this subtle and critical issue is necessary to understand that why Pakistan cannot withdraw from the glacier in unilateral fashion.
Pakistan Army patrolling party:
There is number of reasons, from financial to environmental, for both the countries to withdraw from this front, even in the presence of core issue of Kashmir. 1989 agreement between both the sides demands the relocation of forces to the positions away from the glacier but not unilaterally. So, anyone who is advising this as solution is either too naive to understand the gravity of the
situation or is deliberately part of something more sinister against Pakistan and its core strategic interests.
History of conflict:
Ostensibly, the Siachen crisis, just like Kashmir, is the result of uncompleted border demarcation between the two nations but expansionist designs of India are the core reason behind this problem. This is why India is reluctant to implement the 1989 agreement. Historically, Siachen belongs to Pakistan; all of it. All the international climbing and mountaineering expedition teams to climb K2 and other mountains, always got their NoCs from the Pakistani governments.
After the initial expedition of Imperial College London in 1957, Austrian and German teams came to Pakistan in 1961, 1962, 1976 and 1978 all got permission from Islamabad to visit the area. Overall, there were 16 major expeditions which went to Siachen and beyond from 1974 to 1981. 11 of these were from Japan, three from Austria, and one each from Britain and the United States. Being international expeditions, these were known to the entire world including India.
This clearly proves that this area belongs to Pakistan and Indian military presence in the area is no more than an act of war and overt aggression which by default legitimates retaliatory actions from Pakistan.
K-2 , A diamond of ice – An ultimate challenge for world mountaineers:
Apart from this, Siachen has been shown as part of Pakistan in many of international world atlases like UN Defense Mapping Agency (DMA), Historical Atlas of South Asia by Chicago University, Britannica Atlas, National Geographic Society of World Atlas and Times World Atlas.
The root of Pakistani claim, apart from afore mentioned published maps by international bodies, stems from the Karachi Agreement, signed under UN auspices, in 1949 which states that from the last demarcated point, Khor (Grid Reference NJ9842), the line would run „thence North to the glaciers‟ [2] and this is what all international publishers (including Indian) did. They extended the line towards North which connects NJ9842 to Karakoram Pass.
Sir Oven Dixon was appointed as first UN observer over Kashmir between Pakistan and India. He mentioned Siachen as part of Pakistan‟s Northern Areas (current Gilgat-Batistan) and it was further endorsed by the Indian writer P.L. Lakhanpal in his book “Essential Documents and Notes on the Kashmir Dispute”. Indian defense analyst Ravi Rikhye in his work “The Fourth round: Indo-Pak war” included many maps of LoC and according to these maps Siachen is Pakistani territory. Lt. Gen K.P. Candeth, retired from Indian army in 1984, he wrote his book “The Western Front: Indo Pakistan war 1971”. The maps included in his book also showed NJ-9842 and Siachen as part of Pakistan.
The Indian claim is that the line should follow the ridgeline of the Saltoro Range which actually runs in a North Westerly direction instead of going to North as stated in 1949 Karachi Agreement. Indians claimed that this is universally applicable watershed principle for settling border disputes. But this should have been mentioned in the agreement between the two parties which was not there in Karachi agreement or even in the 1989 agreement hence Pakistan has legitimate claim over the Siachen glacier and Saltoro Range.
Now, looking at the map of the LoC and Siachen and extending the line towards North, as stated in the 1949 agreement, clearly suggests that not only the glacier but also the two heighest passes (Sia La, Bilafond La) belongs to Pakistan. The battle zone comprised an inverted triangle resting on NJ 9842 with Indira Col and the Karakoram pass as the other two extremities.
The Conflict Zone:
Indian Occupation of Siachen:
There is a general perception that it was April 1984 when Indians launched the Operation Megdhoot and captured three important passes in impassable Saltoro range at height of more than 18,000 feet from sea level. But in reality Indian Army began planning, way back in 1978, to capture the passes connecting Siachen glacier to Pakistan‟s Gilgal-Baltistan areas and capture the KKH to sever Pakistan‟s road links to China.
Lt. Gen. M. L. Chibber, under whose command Operation Meghdoot was launched, confessed in his article “Siachen – An Untold Story. A personal account” published in Indian Defense Weekly Jan 1990 that it was 1978 when Indian army‟s Western Command started planning of this operation. In his own words, general was worried that US tourism department map showed Siachen as part of Pakistan. ―In 1978, when I was DMO, we got information about a foreign expedition from the Pakistan side visiting the Siachen Glacier. The Line of Control terminates at NJ9842. The Glaciers are not demarcated. We sent a patrol next year and it was confirmed that Japanese expeditions has visited the Siachen Glacier. So routine patrolling started. This should give the readers a real background of what happened in 1982-83. It will show that India did not act unilaterally.‖ [3]
Here the former commander of Northern Command of Indian Army didn’t bother to mention the reasons that why Indian Army never raised the issue with Pakistani Army or government regarding the mountaineering expeditions going to Siachen from Pakistani side prior to 1984? As explained earlier that such mountaineering expeditions had been going to the region since late 1950‟s and foreign teams were reaching Pakistan on international visas and there were no signs of any kind of discomfort from Indian side. This patent fact torpedoes the entire rationale of illegal Indian occupation but it must not be surprising for Pakistanis as nothing else can be expected from the Indian Army and policymakers who has been trained with Chankiya’s Earth-Shaster as primer strategic military and political guide.
Korakaram Highway – the ultimate Indian Army objective:
In another account Gen. Chibber gave the following details of Indian rationale for occupying the Siachen. ―The problem precipitated on 21st August 1983 when a protest note from Northern Sector Commander of Pakistan was handed over to his counterpart in Kargil stating that Line of Control joins with the Karakoram Pass, also that all the area West of this extended line belongs to Pakistan. When Army Headquarters saw this and also got information that Pakistan troops had occupied Bilafond Pass, they ordered Northern Command to prevent the occupation of the
Glacier area by Pakistan during the mountaineering season in 1984.‖ [4]
Again, he didn’t bother to tell why the protest from Pakistani side was launched in the first place? Reality is that a protest was launched when a SSG Company, during a routine reconnaissance mission, discovered the presence of a camp of Ladakh Scouts on Bilafonda La pass, in 1983. This exposes the lies of former chief of Indian Army‟s Northern Command that Pakistan army occupied the pass. Had Pakistan Army captured the pass in 1983, as claimed by LM Chibber, Indians would have never been able to put their feet on the glacier.
Col. Narendra Kumar “bull” is credited by India for the “historic victory” over Saltoro ridgeline in Operation Maghdoot during April 1984. Actually he was the one who initiated the war on the glacier and turned it into the world‟s highest battlefield. The accounts of his patrols, since 1978 to 1983, are more revealing about Indian aggression and illegal occupation. ―We found labels from tin cans and cigarette packs with Pakistani names, German and Japanese equipment. It was this that convinced the government of India that Pakistan was going where it should not have been.‖ [5]
No such evidence was ever shown to anybody in the world. What Kumar found on the glacier was normal garbage stuff which any mountaineering team would leave behind. But more interestingly, he never found a human on the Siachen which actually is enough to destroy the entire Indian propaganda that it was Pakistan Army who militarized the glacier. ―There wasn’t a soul there. There was so much to climb—so many uncharted high peaks! And those pinnacles—rock pinnacles going straight up! And small glacial streams—so blue and so cold! The view from Sia Kangri looking down on the Siachen was such a beautiful sight. Just like a great white snake… going, going, going. I have never seen anything so white and so wide.‖ [6]
Actually, this entire climbing of the glacier was the first step to capture the entire region where many other important glaciers are also located and doing so would have enabled India to cut Pakistan‟s access to China through KKH. Indians have cut Pakistani access to Karakoram Pass, already, by occupying Siachen. This is the core strategic reason why Indian does not want to leave the area despite suffering a casualty every second day due to harsh weather conditions and unforgiving terrain.
Indira Gandhi with Lt. Gen LM Chibber and Indian Air Chief in Laddakh , 1983. Furthermore, it remains an interesting “coincident” in the history that during 1981-82 Indian sent teams to Antarctica to study the arctic weather there. Interestingly, other than Siachen glacier there is no arctic region controlled and occupied by India but still Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
took a personal interest in the expedition, calling it the ”fulfillment of a lifelong dream.” [7]
Pakistani response:
Pakistan Army and ISI were busy in thwarting Soviet onslaught on Afghanistan in order to secure the Western front, so Indian aggression on Siachen remained unnoticed for first three to four year. It was only in 1982 When Pakistan Army realized that Indians are not only moving in but are also consolidating their military infrastructure on the glacier in order to move further towards North and Northwest in order to cut KKH and entire GB. Pakistan sent first military team on a reconnaissance mission in the area in 1983.
General (retired) Jahandad Khan, of Pakistan Army, has noted, in his accounts, about the first visit by SSG to the Bilafond La pass in 1983, 5 years after Indian Army Col. Kumar began his illegal patrols in the Pakistani areas to survey the area for later assault by Indian Army brigade in 1984. ―When the SSG company got across Bilafond Pass (in 1983), the helicopter pilot reported an Indian location one thousand yards ahead in the Siachen Area. After seeing our helicopter, the Indian troops, comprising Ladakh Scouts, left their location in a great hurry abandoning all their rations and tentage. The SSG Company stayed in this area for ten days but was ordered to withdraw in the first week of September 1983 as it had started snowing and the company did not have equipment for survival in the winter season under thirty to forty feet of snow, which is the normal snow range.
Former chairman of PoF Wah Lt. Gen (retired) Abdul Qayyum was one of the members of this trip as well. He recalls his visit to the area in 1983 in following words. ―When in early 1980, then DMO Brigadier (promoted to General later) Ghulam M Malik, Commander SSG Brig. T.M. Shaheed and me landed on Siachen glacier via helicopter we witnessed an abandoned camp of Ladakh Scouts. We found an official paper which confirmed that the officer of Ladakh scouts was a major of Indian Army. He brought a mountaineer expedition with him but after our arrival they left the camp.‖ [8]
Indians claim that Operation Maghdoot was pre-empted to prevent the planned Pakistani occupation of the area but events transpired after 1984 further exposed that Indian designs were not limited to Siachen glacier but their real aim was (and still remains) to cut Pakistan‟s road link to China through Khunjrab pass in Karakoram Range. General (retired) Jahandad Khan has accounted that the real intelligence received by Pakistan Army was about Indian plans to capture the Baltoro ridgeline and glacier (second largest after Siachen with 64 KM length) occupying the region where K2 and other high KaraKoram peaks are
located.
The frozen battlefield:
This was also endorsed by the massive Indian attack, in 1989, to capture Chumik glacier to push Pakistani troops towards further Southwest. Due to timely response and unthinkable bravery of Captain Naveed (later promoted to Major) and sheer professionalism of Pakistan army aviation, Indian plans were thwarted and Pakistan Army secured the Chumik peak and established Naveed Post there. Later both the parties agreed to demilitarize the peak.
Pakistan Army Jawans – Carrying artillery shells in their backpacks, 1987
Pakistan army did make some daring attempts to dislodge the Indian occupying forces from the Bilafond La pass and the glacier. Attacks of 1987 and 1995 were significant. But Saltoro Range has proved to be the biggest challenge as this steep wall of ice, at some point, has 90 degree slope to climb for Pakistan Army before they could engage Indian forces entrenched on the peak tops.
Harsh weather conditions also proved murderous for the advancing parties reluctantly no significant change in position of both the armies occurred.
The Conflict – Present scenario:
The Indian Army controls a few of the top-most heights, holding on to the tactical advantage of high ground, however with the Pakistani forces in control of Baltoro and other glaciers and valleys in immediate West to Saltoro ridgeline, Indian access to K2 and other surrounding peaks has been blocked effectively and mountaineering expeditions to these peaks continue to go through with the approval of the Government of Pakistan. The situation is as such that Pakistanis cannot get up to the glacier, while the Indians cannot come down. Presently India holds entire 75 KM of Siachen glacier and commands two of the three passes including the highest motorable pass – Khardungla Pass.
Pakistan Artillery in action – Making the lives of Indians more miserable! Pakistan controls Gyong La pass that overlooks the Shyok and Nubra river Valley and India`s access to Leh district. Logistically, Pakistan Army holds the advantage since its road-head is only 20 KM away from the farthest post while Siachen is a logistical nightmare for the Indian troops who are stationed about 80 km away from the road-head and their supplies have to be maintained entirely by air, which is not only cost prohibitive but also risky because of the adverse weather conditions most of the times. [9]
Siachen – Logistical nightmare of Indian Army. Apart from each other and an impassable terrain, snow-bound disease and weather conditions are the worst enemies for both the armies in this region. HAPE (High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema) and HACE (High-Altitude Cerebral Edema) have been proved ultimate killers above 18,000 feet. HAPE is a swift assassin. One can be dead within matter of hours suffering from HAPE which is an accumulation of fluid in the lungs. HACE doesn‟t kill immediately but anyone suffering from it experience severe swelling, headaches, hallucinations, and dementia due to leaks of fluid from oxygen-starved blood vessels in the brain, Untreated, HACE can kill a man within 24 hours. Needless to say, these high altitude assassins are excruciatingly painful. [10]
Saltoro Range – Killer heights:
Strategic Dynamics!
Can Pakistan risk this strategic region for the sake of peace appeals by some Indian apologists in Pakistan? This is the core question and the only answer to that question is „Never!‟ Understanding the multipronged Indian strategy towards Pakistan is essential in order to comprehend the above answer. Right now, India is waging a covert war within Pakistan on following axis.
1. Supporting TTP and BLA, from Afghanistan, in order to thin-out Pakistan Army in an endless war against terrorism.
2. Economic intimidation of Pakistan and to destroy Pakistan’s food supply chain, through water aggression is relatively new but most ruthless move in this hushed war by India.
3. Backing and supporting the sub-nationalists and the separatist elements in Baluchsitan and Sindh.
4. Ideological subversion and information warfare. Psi-ops to spread despondency and provincial disharmony.
5. Military buildup across the Eastern border under the Pakistan specific Cold Start Doctrine (CSD).
6. Coercive diplomacy and lobbying in Washington to destroy Kashmiris struggle for the self-determination by linking it to global terrorism.
7. Trade liberalization in the presence of core issues like Kashmir. Extending economic and trade outreach to Afghanistan and Central Asia using Pakistani road links.
8. Forcing Pakistan to accept a back channel settlement of Kashmir issue which will be amenable to Indian interests only and would destroy the Pakistani case in UN.
This Indian strategy has been wreaking havoc in Pakistan since the beginning of war on terror. Siachen issue must be analyzed in this bigger and broader strategic context to completely comprehend the grand Indian designs to isolate and then decapitate Pakistan to become regional and then global player after competing with China.
Pakistan Army Jawans at Saltoro ridge The perception that no one cares about the Siachen and other glaciers in the region is just a dangerous misjudgment. In reality this region holds strategic importance not only for India and Pakistan but for China as well. Retired Air-Vice Marshal, Shahzad Chudhary, has following to say in this regard. ―It remains the impassibility of the terrain which has kept India from moving down the slopes in a grand encirclement manoeuvrings, at least in the theoretical sense, along the Northern Areas of Pakistan to envelop the Pakistani controlled territories of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. That explains the strategic potential, though the force and the terrain needed to execute this would be almost impossible in quantum, capacity and capability with a terribly long logistic chain. Who says that isn‘t strategically significant for a nation whose strategic vision is still evolving?
Next, by sitting across at the Karakoram if the triangle is ceded to India – as she desires by recognizing and recording her current position along the AGPL – she sits on the door between China and Pakistan and also on the western gate to Tibet. Keep in mind that China has linked its Western Sinkiang Province to Tibet through a network of highways and planned railroads that will sit just across the Indian position on the Karakoram. It doesn‘t get more strategic than that for all side.[11]
Pakistan must not make the same mistake that it made on Kashmir in 2004 when Musharraf regime chose unilateral ceasefire on LoC. This historical strategic blunder created two major problems for Pakistan. One of them is clearly existential in nature. First, Indians built a fence along the LoC bluntly violating the UN resolutions on Kashmir. Secondly, this allows Indians to put her anti-Pakistan hydrological war into top gear. Within two to three years, India would acquire the capability to block the Pakistani waters of 3 Western rivers which belong to Pakistan according to 1960 Indus Water treaty.
Likewise, it must be clear that once Pakistan Army begins moving down from the glacier, Indian army will start its Northwest march which Pakistan army has been blocking since 1984. India has spent billions of dollars on this battlefield and will never let her investment go in vein especially when the policymakers in Delhi are desperate to cut Pak-China road link via KKH.
Infrastructure buildup by the Indians in the region is also a clear indicator about the Indian strategic thinking over this battlefield. Indians are building strategic tunnel and road networks to connect the Ladakh to other portions of the country. Roads in this area exist but current renovation and tunnel buildup is purely for military purposes. One such project is 9 KM long Rohtang Tunnel that will ensure all weather road connectivity between the Ladakh‟s capital Leh to Manali in Himachal Pradesh. It will be built at a height of 3,000-3,100 meters and one of the highest in the world. The tunnel is important to maintain supply lines to the forward posts in Ladakh and Siachen Glacier. [12]
Rothang Tunnel – Part of Indian army’s strategic infrastructure Apart from that, Indian military preparedness regarding Siachen glacier clearly indicates that there is absolutely no sign from the Indian side to withdraw from world‟s highest battlefield and relocate them according to the 1989 agreement. Indian Army is taking deliveries of Dhruv helicopter which has specifically designed for icy regions. Dhruv passed these test trials in 2007[13] and is now part of Indian Army aviation.
Indian Army upgraded Cheeta helicopters (under new name Cheetal) with more powerful engines back in 2006 to be used, by 114 Helicopter Unit, for logistical deliveries on Siachen glacier and Saltoro range peaks. According to Indian strategic analyst Dr Subhash Kapila, Siachen and Saltoro ridge are important for India due to following factors.
Strategic high ground and terrain domination over Pakistan’s Northern Areas and Shaksgam valley China. It blocks routes of ingress to the vital Ladakh sector, and provides a ‘strategic wedge’ to prevent a further Pakistan-China geographical link-up.
It acts as a ‘strategic pressure point’ against Pakistan’s military adventurism in the Kargil sector.
Indira-Col, the northern most part of Siachen, directly overlooks Chinese occupied territory that was illegally ceded by Pakistan to China. Having a foot on the ground here is the only way for India to legitimately and effectively dispute the illegal Chinese presence here. [14]
Indian Army Observation Post (OP) – Indian Army has built many such to look over Gilgat-Baltistan region and China Indian strategic community also considers Nubra Valley and Siachen glacier‟s Saser La pass as India’s best gateway to Central Asia. According to this thought process, when (not if) that pass is reopened for trade, the true strategic worth of defending Saltoro will become apparent even to the most willfully obtuse. [15]
This clearly forewarns about the ultimate Indian design and accordingly India wants Pakistan to authenticate current position of both countries over this battlefield making the AGPL as permanent border between Pakistan and India. Pakistan must not ignore this thinking by Indian strategic community while evaluating its option on this front line. Like every other battlefield in the world, Siachen has its own share of critical lessons to be learned by Pakistan.
1. Pakistan would have been in much advantageous position had it adopted and matured the concept of building robust strategic lift capability as part of overall defense strategy which is crucial in offensive strategic maneuvers particularly in mountainous regions. Pakistan suffered in 1948, 1971 and 1984 as Indians had built and exploited this capability beating Pakistan Army in race to capture critical nodal points in war zones. Operation Maghdoot was essentially an airlift operation.
2. Strategic interests can only be secured from a position of strength in battlefield and it is true for diplomatic engagement as well. Accurate calculations like international reaction, diplomatic implications and geopolitical fallout’s must be made in the planning phase of any military maneuver. After all the war, on its own, is a political phenomenon with military power acting as a tool to achieve the position of strength in the end game.
In Kargil war 1999, Pakistan was holding on to advantageous position by capturing high grounds but aftermath of war put Pakistani claim and credibility of being peaceful nation on shaky grounds and provided Indians with how-to-trust-Pakistan excuse making the diplomatic job more challenging for Pakistani foreign office.
Final Thoughts:
Pakistan made series of strategic miscalculations and mistakes on Kashmir issue during the last 2 decades and now there is no margin of error. The country is already in state of war against sub- conventional insurgencies and terrorism amid corruption, economic meltdown, ideological subversion, Indian media onslaught and historically worst governance. These facets of war have put Pakistan into a compromising position as exhibited by the decisions made over trade with India without demanding the solution for Kashmir. Indians being the main protagonist in Pakistan‟s existential war of survival are aware of the situation and want to get maximum concessions on each and every unresolved issue. Siachen is one of such core issues where
country‟s strategic interests are at stake and Gyari avalanche has provided the opportunity to the Indian elements within Pakistani media and civil society to push Indian foreign policy agenda. In present chaotic internal security situation, best option for Pakistan is to maintain the status quo on Siachen issue and pursue the settlement of the issue according to the bilateral agreements of 1949 and 1989 for demarcation of LoC and demilitarization of the glacier. Any backdoor diplomacy
over this critical battlefield would be suicidal and treacherous and Pakistani nation and armed forces would never accept another strategic blunder, not after giving countless ultimate sacrifices!
Pakistan Army Jawan – Standing alert on roof of the world to defend, to serve, to give ultimate sacrifice!
********************
End Notes
[1]Pakistan avalanche shines light on ‗futile‘ war, Washington Post, Published: April 8, 2012.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/apr/9/pakistan-avalanche-shines-light-futile-
war/?page=2
[2] Demilitarization of the Siachen Conflict Zone: Concepts for Implementation and Monitoring
By Brigadier (ret.) Asad Hakeem Pakistan Army, Brigadier (ret.) Gurmeet Kanwal Indian Army
www.cmc.sandia.gov/cmc-papers/sand20075670.pdf
[3] An Interview with Padma Bhushan Lt Gen (Retd) Dr M.L Chibber,
http://www.defencejournal.com/2000/june/interview.htm
[4] Manning the Siachen Glacier BY Nikhil Shah, Sunil S and B. Bhattacharjee
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/MONITOR/ISSUE6-1/Siachen.html
[5] The Coldest War By Kevin Fedarko*
21
http://www.wesjones.com/coldest.htm
[6] Ibid
[7] EXPEDITION FROM INDIA ARRIVES IN ANTARCTICA By Robert Reinhold Published: February 16, 1982
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/02/16/science/expedition-from-india-arrives-in-antarctica.html
[8] ―Saniha Siachen: Ae Puttar Hatan Tey Nahi Vikday‖ (Urdu) By Lt. Gen(retired) Abdul Qayyum Published: April 13, 2012
http://www.nawaiwaqt.com.pk/E-Paper/Lahore/2012-04-13/page-10
[9] All about the Siachen Glacier: the conflict, perspectives of India and Pakistan, geography, history and the possible resolutions
[10] Experiencing Siachen War ( Part 3) By: KEVIN FEDARKO
http://hassaanrabbani.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/experiencing-siachen-war-part-3-by-kevin-
fedarko/
[11] Getting real on Siachen BY AVM(Retired) Shahzad Chudhary Published April 18, 2012.
[12] Rohtang Tunnel to be completed by 2014 By Ritu Sharma published: 12/08/2009
[13] Dhruv all set to be inducted in Siachen sector, Hindustan Times Published September 03,
2007
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/JAndK/Dhruv-all-set-to-be-inducted-in-Siachen-
sector/Article1-245931.aspx
[14] Don’t sell out Siachen By Dr Subhash Kapila Published: May 24, 2006
http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/may/24guest.htm
[15] Celebrating 20 years of victory on the Saltoro Ridge
http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=118
Shahzad Masood Roomi is a lead research analyst at Brasstacks security think tank in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and an assistant editor of monthly Brasstacks Security Review magazine, which presents a Pakistani prespective on regional and global strategic and political issues. Shahzad Masood Roomi area of expertise is military and strategics.
Windows to Russia!
The views of the above author are not strictly only the views of Windows to Russia. They are an independent view from an outside source that brings a better light on the world in general and Windows to Russia is very pleased to have Shahzad Masood Roomi’s thoughts on its pages today and in the future. So take a look at his references and read a few articles. – Kyle Keeton
I feel sorry for people in America and other parts of the Western Empire, that really think that they live in the land of the free and all that bull! It really hit home today as I tried to seriously see what you have as normal information in the Western world media. Guess what? You have a bunch of crap for news and it is geared toward keeping your brain occupied, not informed…
So lets talk about somethings that have been blown out of proportion and blown out of proportion on purpose: Secret Service scandal prostitute pictured for first time and or Breivik resumes ‘gruesome’ attacks testimony in Oslo…
So you don’t care about Syria being railroaded by the West to the path of destruction and you don’t care about Libya is in a civil war started by the Western Empire and is still being torn apart day by day. You don’t care that Iran is being treated wrongly and the same to North Korea.I also know that many of you just tuned out because Iran and North Korea was just mentioned and we all know that they are demon countries that need to be destroyed. So why listen to a pro-Iran and pro-NK article? Heaven forbid this blog is pro-Russia as it is and that is enough to send me to hell in a hand basket according to many people…
But I would like to know why you care about the fact that guys did what guys do every time they run around a foreign country and that we must hang on and listen to every word that a depraved psychotic killer of minors has to say, every time he opens his mouth. Why do we care about these secrete service men and why do we care about Breivik? I will tell you why because they are smoke and mirrors and they cover up what is really happening…
We print nothing but lies about Syria and we have seriously pushed the number of dead in Syria to over 10,000 and we make that 10,000 seem to be all innocents people. The truth is that terrorists are killing the most people in Syria and America supports these terrorists. We also totally ignore the fact that Libya is in a full scale civil war and Russia is working overtime trying to get things back under control there. The same old story happened in Libya that they are trying to do in Syria- The West screwed it up and walked away after they got what they wanted and now it is the same as in Iraq. Ignore, ignore, ignore and ignore some more. How do you explain the fact that we are supplying the Syrian terrorists with money and weapons?
So as I watch people on social media and news sites in America and it is really sad to see what seems to be the best face forward that America presents to the world. If America is what the Internet is presenting of her to the world, then we are a sorry bunch of sap suckers in the USA…
America’s ignorance of the world extends into the world wide web. They truly do not think anyone is out there, but themselves. I have to admit that at times it looks like Americans and Britain’s are the only one on the web, because they seem to be the ones that are the most vocal about the world in the web…
I know better because I have 20 websites that give me statistics and while America may be number one many times on many sites, they are not the only ones and my sites have hits from all over the world. In fact right here on Windows to Russia. The top three are China, Russia and USA in that order. But the hate and crappy comments come 99% from the USA and that can be hundreds of comments a week at times. I have 3300 articles + and that can be a lot of crappy comments to deal with at times. The truth is that it is only about 1 out of 10 comments that is worth really reading. The rest of the comments are propaganda instigated by special government groups to cause issues on websites and ruin their commenter base…
Lets step back to our secrete service guys: Do you think for one second that these guys have never done this before? Do you think for one second that we do not have American guys all over the world doing the same thing right now? So why the hell are you caring about the situation. Why don’t you care about Libya as much as you care about the sex life of a secrete service man. If you ask me, if the guys are married then that is who should care: HIS WIFE…
Then lets cross the ocean and talk about the mass murdering Breivik: Why do you care what a deranged individual says (He should just simply be locked up and toss the key away) and we have to print every word of the trial verbatim? Why do we have to create a cult following of this man? From what I see he is starting to get a following in America now…
What amazes me is that we can get pictures and interviews with the prostitute that screamed fowl on the secrete service men, but we can’t verify one iota of information about a full scale war in Libya and 10,000 dead in Syria is always unconfirmed…
We have a mass murderer killing young people left and right and even have tons of witnesses and even videos of him doing it. Yet we treat him like he has rights and what he says is important…
I wish that we would demand that we treat Libya, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iran, Russia, North Korea and whole bunch more with the same level of truth gathering and wool gathering that we do on subjects that do not matter in this world…
We should care as much about Libya as we did about Tiger Woods and his escapades! But we do not and that is what makes the world a sick place to be…
You can say that you do not care about the lies and conceits that are being portrayed in the main stream media, because you know the difference between what is right and wrong. But you do believe what the media says, because you do not help put the media in its place when it falsifies stories and makes fake videos about war crimes in other countries. You are part of the problem and your complacency is the reason that it is allowed…
It is a age old issue in the world…
Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…
PS: And I did not even talk about the fact that the West is dying in her own throes of monetary death and all who ignore it are going down with the ship. China and Japan using their currencies. India and China using their currencies, Iran and China using their currencies. Russia doing the same. The talk is going on right now between China and Saudi Arabia about excluding the dollar from their transactions. Don’t forget that Nixon was the one to get the petrol dollar going full steam in a deal with the Saudis…
The Western world is an Empire built on debt and debt is a poor foundation as it erodes very quickly…
The petrol dollar is on its death bed and you better watch the repercussions and yes, only you can do something about it…
MOSCOW, April 18 (RIA Novosti) – Outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev has praised Russia’s boosting internet development and called on web users to engage in policy-making.
“The possibilities of the Internet, social networks and blogosphere should be used to make the authorities more open and transparent,” Medvedev said in a video blog posting on Wednesday.
He said hoping for state bureaucrats to “make Russia better” would mean “gratifying [their] abuse of authority.”
Medvedev has pushed his image as a tech-savvy modernizer during his four years in office, frequently speaking up for Russia’s increasingly politicized web community.
He said Runet has a monthly audience of 59 million people aged 18 or older.
“The country needs you active people,” he said.
Runet – Russia’s Internet segment – has been largely free of the kind of state controls exerted over television and much of the printed media.
Medvedev, who steps down in May, said the government was carrying out more of its work online, and called on regional authorities to make more use of the Internet to solve “thorny issues.”
Windows to Russia
This is what we Americans live by and that is just plain wrong...
That cup of coffee this morning was really good and it hit the spot as it was +3 this morning as I walked the dog. It has warmed up and has been almost t-shirt weather the last few days, but this morning it decided to show us that cold can come back at any second…
I received a few e-mails that asked why I was slowing down on posting?
Well it is like this: I have said about 4 times in articles, that I am going to ease off on Windows to Russia and the simple truth is that while I will post, it is not my top priority anymore. I am writing a book and I have many other websites that have a lot more financial advantage than a pro Russia blog will ever have. I have said many times that if I hated Russia then my blog would be on the top of the blog world. Everyone wants to hate Russia and when someone likes and loves Russia, everyone seems to have a hard time in understanding why. Well I am knocking on the door of 6 years in Russia and I can tell you with all honesty, that Russia is a fantastic country that allows you to be you and not what the mainstream says that you should be…
Nothing is average in Russia. It seems to be one extreme or the other and that is why I love Russia…
So I had a few thoughts as I was drinking that coffee this morning and really they are not important because it is the same old thing time and time again. My thoughts are still trying to get a grip on why my government can not leave the world alone. Is it that the American government is so bored that they have to destroy other countries? Is it that the American government is so well loved by the American people that there is nothing that needs fixed back home? It life so sweet and perfect in America that the American government can spend its time wandering the world looking to bully everyone? I guess no one starves in America? I guess no one is homeless in America? I guess everyone has jobs in America? I guess everyone is well educated in America? I guess America is so perfect that our government has lots of spare time to wander around the world and blow up countries?
Then it dawned on me that what I just said was the opposite of what is happening in America. So it looks to me like the American government has screwed up America so bad that they want to make sure the world has the same privileges that the American people have and hence lets go treat the world like we treat our own people. Lets take away freedoms from other countries. Lets take other countries resources. Lets destroy other counties infrastructure. Lets take away other countries liberties. Lets interfere in other countries political system. Lets tell the world what they can or can not do. (Because we all know that America is so perfect and democracy is the cats meow!) Lets just plain screw up the world and then the American people will feel better as they see everyone else in the world in the same situation that they are and they will quit complaining about how stupid our government is!
So those thought are not important, that I have stated above. Well they are not important until the day comes that you only have the liberty and freedom to do what you are told, only when you are told that you can have liberty and freedom and only at the split second that your government tells you that you can have liberty and freedom. Then you will look around and wonder what happened as you ignore the fact that you looked the other way while everyone around you had their freedoms and liberty removed by our government and then when they came to you, no one, but no one was left to say – NO!
So hey, if I do not post as much, then remember that I have tons to do and really I am more worried about stopping the spread of Americanism into the rest of the world. You see most of the world is free and has many liberties that you use to have…
I want to keep it that way, because I like to travel unhindered in the world…
Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!
“After the industries of death brought about by the gas chambers and concentration camps, the industries of life now offer the possibility of a genetically modified human race, calling into question humans born of blood and sperm and therefore the wild, the natural part of humanity. The “naturals” would become the new savages with augmented people leading a new humanity shaped less by political totalitarianism than bioengineering. And now we have entered the question of hyper racism. The deadly consequences of the great ecological fear are extremely disturbing. We are at risk of seeing not military dissuasion established between powers, but civil dissuasion between people.
What would be behind this civil dissuasion? The third bomb, which in truth has not yet exploded, already carries a name: the genetic bomb. It is the mutation of the human species by genetic engineering: the production of a human being with a smaller ecological footprint, consuming less air water and energy; the installation of a genetically modified organism to adapt to new environmental conditions, a new human being with a smaller ecological footprint because it uses less proteins water and oxygen, a creature made compatible with an Earth of dwindling resources…”
“The communism of effects is the privatization of communism. Communism has not disappeared from history; it has been privatized, creating a community of synchronized emotions. Something happened with progress and its propaganda to make us constantly preoccupied with progress and perpetually occupied by it. We are now in a situation of occupation in both the temporal and martial meanings of the word: we are under the pressure of permanent occupation. This occupation places us under surveillance, watching us, revealing us and it is increasingly present, increasingly accepted as a fate, a destiny. Promoting progress means that we are always behind: on the high speed Internet, on our Facebook profile, on our email inbox. There are always updates to be made: we are the objects of daily masochism and under constant tension.”
The excerpts above are taken from the book The Administration of Fear. Inside is an interview with Paul Virilio conducted by Bertrand Richard. The book is part of the Semiotext(e) Intervention series and is distributed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The book is at once intellectually stimulating and terribly frightening. Virilio’s revelations appeal: he has diagnosed the human condition in the early part of the 21st Century with pointed accuracy and may have predicted its end during some century to come. The title Administration of Fear does not nearly capture the wide range of topics ecological, social and political covered in the 93 page learning experience.
His revelatory statements inspire a belief that it is time to move the focus, the critique past capitalism, particularly capitalism accelerated by the agent silicon. The speed of life-economic, political, and social-and the subsequent compression of time and distance is the reality of the day. Money/capital flows and accumulates. Who or what gets that money is decided by algorithms deep within the world of electronic finance. A human may be encountered in such transactions but only briefly. So, who or what is in front of and behind the electronic facade? The answer is everyone and no one.
There are no critiques of silicon capitalism that have not already been written. The “isms” should focus on silicon individualism and collectivism going forward. How can humanity avoid becoming an integrated genetic circuit or node? How can humanity avoid Virilio’s genetically engineered human?
It seems pointless now to rage against silicon based capitalism, at once perfidious and effective. Over the centuries, it has proven that it knows no ideology and, in fact, as Marcuse said, “It has delivered the goods.”. It is flexible enough to fit any form of politics/governance. Silicon capitalism comes in all flavors: communist, terrorist, democratic, socialist, totalitarian, Judeo-Christian, or Muslim. Perhaps silicon capitalism has been so reviled because its practice reveals human beings as predators one moment and cooperative gathers at another: it reveals innate human duplicity, looking in the mirror is painful. Or maybe its ability to absorb the most radical philosophies and ideas that humans can muster disturbs; yesterday’s radical song is today’s car commercial. Everyone relents, there is no space to hide anymore.
Silicon capitalism’s most triumphant product was the Internet and World Wide Web, and the computing and telecommunications devices that attach humans to humans, and humans to the Net/Web. In doing this, it has created non-reflective plug and play individuals and collectives around the globe. This dynamic threatens to erase being, thought, mind and self as proactive agents that filter incoming stimulation to reactive integrated genetic circuits prompted for time-restricted reflexive action. Virilio is rides exactly the right train of thought in stating that humanity’s survival may depend on the creation of genetically designed human beings built to last in a world of empty concrete spaces, depleted resources and recurring ecological disasters. He makes perfect sense. Privatized communism dominates.
In a ravaged world, where will the human as integrated genetic circuit find being-in-the-world, meaning, transaction, or work? Since she/he will be designed for survival on a ruined planet, human thought/emotion will have to be genetically treated and regulated and restricted from thought that may threaten the survival of other genetically modified human beings. Existence for everyone in such a world will depend on genetically engineered captive minds, blank slates that are easily programmed for reflex, not natural thought and reflection. There will be no “questions” in a genetically designed human being that merges mind and machine and whose motive is nothing more than survival. Humans will respond efficiently to prompts like conditioned pigeons in a lab experiment.
No Time Left for You: Unexamined Absorption
“Temporal compression, as it is technically called, is an event that concretely modifies everyone’s daily life at the same time. In the face of this acceleration of daily life, fear has become an environment even in a time of peace. We are living in the accident of the globe, the accident of instantaneous simultaneity and interactivity that have now gained the upper hand over ordinary activities…With the phenomena of instantaneous interaction that are now our lot, there has been a veritable reversal, destabilizing the relationship of human interactions and the time reserved for reflection in favor of the conditioned responses produced by emotion… ”
Virilio is not alone in his sentiments. There is a dedicated effort in some academic circles to bring the humanities into the sciences-neuroscience and biology for example. This action seeks to use the humanities to teach reflection in an era of speedy reflexive thought, and to synthesize best practices from seemingly divergent fields of thought. It is a necessary and laudable effort that may one day prove to have been a roadblock to the genetically horrifying world Virilio reveals. Who knows?
Writing in Bridging the Humanities-Neuroscience Divide: A Field Guide to a New Meta-Field, Barbara Stafford echoes Virilio.
“‘She watches with the raptor’s eye, trained on distance as she is, and dark—so when she turns to what is close, so intimate and huge, she keeps the gift of sight beyond herself, neither sentimental or detached….’Who, indeed, watches the passing show with the raptor’s eye? Couple the quick tweet and modalities of social networking with the videoing and blogging obsession, immersion in video games, overtime on the Internet and the constant interruption of face to face interaction by the cell phone, and you have a recipe for attention deficit in the life world. What are educational institutions to do in the culture of online engrossment and the fast electronic update? The humanities might rearticulate its worth in a climate of unexamined absorption.”
Stafford cites Nicholas Carr’s downside of the digital world as being an environment where it is all about the speed of locating and reading data. Carr believes that “we are transferring our intelligence into the machine and machine is transferring its way of thinking into us.”
“We are beginning to process information as if we are nodes,” says Carr.
John Stanton is a Virginia based writer specializing in national security matters. Reach him at cioran123@yahoo.com
The views of the above author are not strictly the views of Windows to Russia. They are an independent view from an outside source and country that brings a better light on the world in general and Windows to Russia is pleased to have John Stanton’s article on its pages today. It is hoped that we will have many more of his writings in the future…
Windows to Russia!
We have a new McDonald’s opening up just around the corner from us. In fact it is much less than two blocks away. This location is about exactly the same spot that I told Sveta several years ago that a McDonald’s would go gang busters right in that very building that was being built as a new mall. As I have mentioned before, I use to be a District Manger for McDonald’s in Georgia, USA!
I spent several years many years ago, scouting locations for new McDonald’s and setting up future plans for growth. That was my job on top of watching over several stores also. At this rate I have picked 6 locations for McDonald’s that have come true in Russia. It is strange to see the same technical and thoughts going into finding new unit locations as is done in America. That tells me how Western orientated the McDonald’s is here in Russia and in fact I have been reading about how McDonald’s is going to franchise in Siberia for the growth of new McDonald’s…
Here is some information about McDonald’s in Russia: McDonald’s plans to open 45 restaurants in Russia in 2012, during 2011, the company launched 37 restaurants in Russia. Currently, the McDonald’s network embraces 314 restaurants in more than 85 cities all across Russia. The company also expects that poultry processing enterprises will be commissioned in 2012 in Russia’s Tula and Kaliningrad regions, and a souse-making line in the republic of Chuvashia. Apart from that, the company plans provide for the launch of a distribution centre in the republic of Chuvashia, a vegetable processing facility/ and a bakery. These facilities will help meet more than 80 percent of the company’s demand in Russia…
I have seen the poultry section around Tula and as in America McDonald’s produces all her own products and it looks like Russia has reached that point. It is being understood that in less than two to five more years McDonald’s Russia will be well on the path of self sufficiency and franchising will become the norm. That is were the money is at…
This weekend as Sveta and I shopped for supplies. We stopped at a McDonald’s that we had not stopped at for quiet awhile. It had been completely remodeled into the new Green Style that McDonald’s is doing all over the world. It was packed with customers and they had removed all the kids play area and made seating like sardines in the remodeled store. This is what we are seeing at all the McDonald’s in Russia. Forget the kids, just get as many people inside that you can and they also have done away with free WiFi also. McDonald’s in Russia does not need gimmicks to make it as they are simply feeding machines at as high of a pace as it is possible. One average McDonald’s in Russia has to be running at the pace of 3 or 4 McDonald’s in America. It was as I explained to Sveta, That I could open another McDonald’s next door to this McDonald’s and both would make huge money. I watched a thousand dollars worth of business walk back out the door as we sat and ate Saturday at this McDonald’s. Yes they have that much business. Lines are out the door and stay that way for most of the day and the drive through which is 24 hours at all Russian McDonald’s is always wrapped around the building. Also most McDonald’s in Russia have a walk up window and it is normal to see 20 people standing in line waiting there also. The employees and management were doing the best they can but as always it is never enough to counter the demand in Russia…
I have learned to look the other way now, as I am no longer part of that type of life, but I still notice things and that is just ingrained in me…
So while the McDonald’s near us has not opened yet, I see the signs that it is maybe only a few weeks from opening. I promise you that it will go gang busters and our neighborhood is going to become trashed with McDonald’s wrappers and such. I told Sveta, “Just wait, you will know when the doors open as you will see french fry containers for McDonald’s all over the place.”
You see the kids here leave school to eat lunch and McDonald’s will have at least 4 large schools nearby to help boost business… 🙂
Russian’s love their McDonald’s…
Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!
Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, is delivering his traditional Easter address to Orthodox believers.
I address you, dear brothers and sisters, with this Paschal greeting: Christ is risen!
This greeting, which we have inherited from the days of holy apostles, proclaims divine truth and asserts a historical fact. Indeed, 2,000 years have passed, but nobody can say that this greeting is no longer relevant. It is living and effective, and this alone manifests divine power and truth.
The greeting that you have just heard and that you will pass to each other later today contains a great hope, because our Lord Jesus Christ, being without sin, in other words not having sinned before men or before God, was crucified, and before that subject to suffering, torture and humiliation.
How often, when facing suffering, especially suffering inflicted by other people, we become anxious and desperate. We think that it is unjust for us to suffer, that we don’t deserve this. We resist injustice. Believers often say that by being reviled they are bearing their cross.
So why is apostles’ greeting, ‘Christ is risen!’, a sign of hope for us? It’s because if Christ, who was without sin, suffered, we, too, should remember our Lord and Savior when facing injustice, slander, malice and lies.
Every one of us, even those who suffer unjustly, has some personal sins, some wrongdoings. This alone means that we can regard our suffering as a punishment for our wrongdoings.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, who had not committed any wrongdoing and had never lied, accepted reviling from people and even agreed to be put to death being innocent.
The Lord has taken the way of the cross, and now He encourages us to follow Him and remember that resurrection follows the cross.
The Lord has risen from the dead, and this resurrection is His victory over all those lies.
We believe that as we proclaim, with faith and hope, that Christ is risen, we too are heirs to everything Christ entrusted to His apostles, because Easter, the day of Christ’s resurrection, is a day of great hope, which should strengthen us in our sorrows, help us overcome hardships, cope with injustice and move forward remembering that Christ defeated evil, which means that we too should overcome evil in our lives, through the power of God, the power of prayer and the power of faith.
That is why the holy day of Easter is a celebration of hope for all people.
I would like to share the joy of this celebration and the joy of Christian hope with you. Let this hope give you strength to go through your life, following the great, unfading and shining image of the risen Christ.
CHRIST IS RISEN! INDEED HE IS RISEN!
Here is how to make a Kulich or also Kuhlich. Recipe is from this blog Windows to Russia…
The photo above is a picture of the kulich that was home made by a babushka of some students of ours, from English lessons. From what I understand, is that she was able to use the ovens and special cake pans at work and all the crew was able to make kulich’s for family this year. I have said before that payment for services in Russia are most likely to come in the form of goods and treats, not cash. In this case this is a very important treat, because it has to do with Easter…
We normally buy a kulich, but this year we lucked out and received this wonderful one made by hand for family and we are very happy to be included in the family part. That is Russia for you and people never forget others as holidays approach and here in Russia we have Easter coming. Oh yes – I realize that you thought Easter was over! But it is not. Easter is this Sunday on the 15th of April…
What is a Kulich?
The classic kulich an Easter cake or bread, was begun several days to a week before Easter. It contains candied fruit, almonds, and raisins, flavored with rum and saffron, and prepared like a bread. It was always baked in a special kind of pan – tall and cylindrical, sort of like a coffee can. When the cake was done, it was decorated with white frosting drizzled down the sides. On the side, spelled out in pieces of candied fruit, were the letters XB, representing the Cyrillic letters for “Christos voskres” — “Christ is risen.”
Often the kulich is carried to church and set out on long tables to be blessed by the priest. The cake sometimes forms a hat shape, since the dough may times swells above the can and becomes wider. Russians often cut off the hat type brim and place it in the center of a large serving plate. The cake is then cut in half horizontally and sliced in thin layers. These slices are arranged around the brim. Sorta as a flower like shape. Regardless how the cake comes out it is to be sliced and served to all guests and friends on Easter…
I know for a fact that many people always have several Kulich’s around before Easter, because everyone has to eat a Kulich ahead of time because it is just too hard to have treats laying around un eaten all day. But only the blessed kulich is for the Easter Sunday. So make sure that several are made, when you make a Kulich because someone will try to munch it…
But a Russian babushka knows this… 🙂
Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…