One of main justifications for the war against Iraq was supposed to be the links between Iraq and Al Qaeda. Time and time again, all the top officials in the Bush administration had claimed that there was ‘overwhelming’ proof that there were extensive ties between Saddam Hussein and Osama’s terror organization, Al Qaeda.
 
But the Sept. 11 commission (National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States) concluded that it found no ‘collaborative relationship’ between Iraq and Al Qaeda.
 
Now, rumblings are starting to increase, about the alleged links between Iran and Al Qaeda. Evidence of these purported links has been uncovered by the same Sept. 11 commission. The evidence suggests that

eight and ten of the 14 “muscle” hijackers?that is, those involved in gaining control of the four 9/11 aircraft and subduing the crew and passengers?passed through Iran in the period from October 2000 to February 2001.

At the same time, the commission has not found any evidence to suggest that Iran knew about the Al Qaeda plans to carry out the 9/11 attacks.
 
George W. Bush has meanwhile asserted that US is actively investigating ties between the Iranian government and Al Qaeda.

Mr. Bush noted in a brief Oval Office meeting with reporters that the Central Intelligence Agency had found “no direct connection between Iran and the attacks of Sept.11,” but he said “We will continue to look and see if the Iranians were involved.”

 
Iran, on the other hand, claims that it has dismantled the Al Qaeda network in the country - a claim that has not really been validated with any evidence from the Iranians.
 
While Iran may have passively assisted the Al Qaeda operatives in their endeavours, it remains to be seen if the US can prove its claims of the seemingly tenuous links between Iran and Osama’s terror network. After all, the shrill voices that bayed vociferously, claiming Iraq’s links with Al Qaeda have now had to eat a humble pie! It remains to be seen if there is any substance in the US claims or is it just another case of Bush crying ‘wolf!‘
 
And all the while, with Pakistani forces hunting Al Qaeda operatives all across the country, the US continues to turn a blind eye to the obvious links between Pakistan and Al Qaeda!

These days when India plays a cricket match, with Zaheer Khan in the team, it’s almost certain that he will pull one of his thigh/calf muscles and be ruled out of the remainder of the tournament!
 
And he did not disappoint this time! He was ruled out of the upcoming match against Bangladesh, in the ongoing Asia Cup tournament, with an injury to his quadriceps muscle. And that too… right at the start of the cricket season!
 
Its not funny!! I wonder when players will stop faking their fitness to gain an entry into the national team. I thought that this was a phenomenon of the past with the new crop of players knowing about the hazards of faking injuries!
 
And it does raise serious doubts about the abilities of the team doctor and physio in ascertaining the fitness of the players and ,indeed, helping them maintain their fitness levels.

Do you tuck in your shirts?
 
Well, if you do, you might be considered to be boring and sartorially anachronistic!!
 
And that’s because flying shirttails are the new ‘in-thing’ (pun quite unintended!)… the latest symbol of rebellion!
 
… and of course, an untucked shirt works oh so well in concealing the ‘midriff bulge’!! ;-)
 
[NYTimes registration required]

Arun Shourie talks about how, the present governor of Uttar Pradesh had warned, as far back as 1996, about the impending threat of the rise of a “third Islamic State” in the subcontinent.

T V Rajeswar, the former head of the Intelligence Bureau and the present governor of Uttar Pradesh had predicted this dire threat in a series of articles published in The Hindustan Times, way back in 1996. Shourie raises a valid point when he says,

Does the fact that you now know that he, and not I, to say nothing of Mr Advani, wrote all that make the warnings ring true? Or do you conclude that because he wrote in this refrain, T V Rajeswar is a closet communalist and should not be allowed to continue as Governor of Uttar Pradesh?

Should he too be dismissed from his post of Governor because, as will be clear from the expressions he used in these articles, his ??ideology?? is not compatible with the ??ideology?? that the new Government and its props profess?

In fact, Rajeswar had gone public with these warnings for good reason. For three of them, actually. First, the entire Northeast, much of Bengal and Bihar are indeed being inundated by this demographic aggression. Second, as Rajeswar documented, apart from everything else this swamping constitutes a grave threat to national security. Third, he had been trying in vain to awaken successive Prime Ministers and Home Ministers to the menace. To no avail.

In doing so, he indirectly indicts his own government too.

But that is not the point!

The point is… now that Rajeswar will formally hand over his report to Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, will the government sit up and take serious note of this threat that has the potential to become another headache for India which is already suffering from the never-ending Kashmir problem!