Tuesday 24 November 2015

Paris 13/11: Will the menace of terror ever end?



The terrorist attack in Paris on 13th November that killed 130 people is no doubt a brutal incident and rightly condemned by the world. Terrorism is no more a local menace but rather a dangerous global phenomenon from which no country is untouched. In all terror acts if counted, the death toll would be more than that of both World Wars combined.

In the ongoing G-20 summit, terrorism became the main point of discussion. It is believed that the World leaders that represent more than 2/3rd of the global population are putting their heads into finding a solution to check this menace called ISIS. But the point is, whether there can be a unanimous way out or not.

Someone rightly said that terrorism grows by harping on differences of nations in defining terrorism. For example let us take the case of ISIS. Who created it? If someone goes deeply into it, the United States shall emerge as the real father to this menace. America finished Saddam Husain for its ego and as part of its petro-policy, leaving a vacuum in the region.

The majority of the Shias started ruling Iraq, resulting in the Sunnis (who comprises 40% of Iraq's population and very influential community) to rebel. All the former commanders of Saddam Hussain formed their own army to attack the Shias in Iraq. America then turned against the Syrian ruler Assad. USA then helped the rebels of Syria through training and equipping them with advanced weapons. 

These rebels further split into many other outfits including the ISIS. The ISIS chief Baghdadi was under US custody earlier. Why America let him go and head the ISIS? It is something America would have to answer. The point is simple; America's Middle East policy created demons like the ISIS, and It's not limited to Middle East only. Even in Africa there are a number of terrorist outfits including Boko Haram, that are a result of wrong policies of western countries.

Even now the western countries headed by America have a dual policy in countering terrorism. A simple example will show how they see two terrorist acts differently. The 13/11 in Paris shocked and saddened the entire world. Starting from America to all European countries considered it as the most brutal act ever after World War II. But the same consideration was never made to 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

Forget about Mumbai, no western country has taken seriously the terrorist act that took place in Beirut, Lebanon on 12th November (a day before Paris attack) that killed 40 innocents. If one closely scrutinizes, almost every day a terrorist attack is carried out by terrorist organizations in some part of the world, resulting in deaths of innocent people.

You can't fight with terrorism distinguishing one from another as good terror or bad terror. Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister is repeatedly telling the world that defining terrorism is required unequivocally and to set up a world body to take action, not only against the terrorist organizations but also against those who fund and support these outfits.


But will the world body learn lessons? I am afraid, that they won't. They will still see different terrorist acts through different spectacles. That's why no one is hopeful that this terror menace will end in the near future. The ISIS may be destroyed by the western powers, but then another terror outfit will emerge to take its place and this saga will continue forever!

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