Wisdom

Submitted by Michel C. Zala (Switzerland), May 2, 2012 at 06:46

Thanks, GIK for your very informative response. (Did not know you speak German so well....)

I have German friends who live here in Australia and it is hard for them to disguise their disdain for the changes that the Turkish influx has sustained in Germany.

Indeed, having returned from the US to Switzerland after 20 years, I most definitely did not recognize the nation I grew up in anymore either. While the Germans have a similarly outspoken minority (Turks) nowadays as the Hispanics in the US and foremost in my home state, California, in Switzerland the landscape is nowadays highly polarized due to an enormously large influx of immigrants from the former Jugoslawia and the balkan - amongst them a large number of muslims. Compared with the US, assimilation pressure (laws, restrictions and permissions, schools etc.) is still much higher, hence those ghettos are not existent, albeit, Switzerland as well has clearly taken a dangerous direction of following suit in terms of immigration policy to the very "tolerant" Germans. Needless to say that a high percentage of capital crime, 20 years ago almost inexistent, is now attributed to gangs originating from the balkan.

...So he was a man of high principles who was true to his ideals. I doubt if you're going to find too many of them in Libya or elsewhere in the muslim world. Bright lights are quickly and very deliberately extinguished....

Yep, that is, what I call my optimism vs. pessimism. Glass half full vs glass half empty..you may call it rightfully naivete vs. realism. However right you may be proven in the future, you will certainly agree that, wherever these real revolutions or struggles for independency took place, a period of turmoil followed. Especially, where fundamental political structures are missing and must be built from scratch like in Libya at present, a degree of unrest and instability seems to me somewhat to be expected. The first test will in fact be resolving the Transitional National Government (peacefully) and the first elections in 40 years. I am also looking forward to seeing the draft of the first real constitution for this country and the degree to which Islam is incorporated therein. I put my present hope upon the proximity of Libya to France and Europe and the extremely evident proof as to who actually supported the anti-Ghaddafi forces as opposed to Russia or China or even most muslim nations for that matter. I know that gratitude fades quickly, but in many areas of France for instance, people still feel strongly about America's efforts on DDay or the liberation. What I am saying here is, that the US, UK, France if not NATO in general have a tightening window of opportunity still to help shape the political structure of this nation. Albeit, Turkey for instance had a much better foundation not that long ago, when even a membership in the EU was almost a forgone conclusion. Look at them now. A few years of economical growth, a bit of growing prosperity, some regimes in the arab world on the demise or imploded, and they feel and behave like a super power, associating with Iran, Syria and alienating a steady friend, Israel. No humility or gratitude, but an increasing anti-western, arrogant and islamist rhetoric. Drive 100 miles out from Istanbul and you feel to be in a third world country, but there is no self-awareness but the head of the Ottoman Empire seems to rear its ugly head. Truly sad, which is why so many people understandably do not hold much hope for fragile Libya.

If you come home, find the curtains ripped up,
the sofa shredded and poop on the floor - you don't go and ask your grandmother if it was her.

LOL - how true.

It's go to the stage here where Muslims have demanded (and , shamefully, been given) prayer rooms at AFL (Aussie Rules) football stadiums! In Australia - can you believe it?

Do I feel better now in the knowledge that other nations I love and respect seem to appease this minority with the same lack of common sense? It is tragic comedic. In Britain they implemented Scharia Law on a communal level, the same is to be said in the US, you may have heard about the silly debate about the mosque in NY near Ground Zero, in Switzerland they had to resort to a Referendum about the construction of Minaretts ( where the political elite and media got dumbfounded and stupefied by the overwhelming anti-muslim result), in literally all European countries the popular opinion stands diametrally opposed to the political class with regard to curbing muslim public expression.

I am also happy to hear that the US Australian alliance is still strong, as I feel that the Pac Rim will be a hotspot of tension in the near future. To your question- yes and yes and much more. For once US (and AU) foreign and defense policy in at least this important region has made sense and was future oriented. Not even Obama has dared to change direction of these longterm plans and fortunately the PACCOm is as solid as ever.

Greetings to down under, Mate. I'll have a Fosters on your health.

Mi

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