Breathing fire again

President George Bush's State of the Union speech on Wednesday makes it clear that, with the Republicans in power in the US, the world is not a safe place. Indeed, the future of the Middle East - the cradle of civilization and the birthplace of the world's three monotheist religions - looks grim.

The president has spoken against Iran and Syria several times, but the barbs in his Thursday's speech were the sharpest ever. By any standards, his words were bellicose and seemed designed to prepare the world for possible military action against the two countries.

Calling Iran "the world's primary state sponsor of terror", Mr Bush could not hide the fact that what really bothered him was Iran's nuclear programme. Asking Tehran to give up uranium enrichment, he seemed to incite the people of Iran to rebel, when he said "America stands with you".

Ignoring the fact that this will only serve to unite the Iranian people, one cannot but recall America's flirtation with Iraqi dissidents and Iranian monarchists. The US patronized and funded persons like Mr Adnan Patachi and Mr Ahmad Chalabi, and later abandoned them.

This was followed by Iraq's destruction by a war that was waged to find non-existent weapons of mass destruction. Since then, by a modest estimate, 100,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq, the US itself losing nearly 1,500 soldiers. Is the world going to see a replay of the Iraqi drama in Iran?

Syria also came under scathing criticism from President Bush, who accused Damascus of sponsoring terrorism and asked it to withdraw its troops from Lebanon. On both issues - nuclear and terror - American policies are designed also to serve Israel's interests.

The Jewish state is the Middle East's only nuclear power, which has been armed to the teeth by the US. It has repeatedly committed acts of aggression against all its neighbours.

It has also been in the illegal occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Al Quds, for 37 years. Israel had also occupied a strip of Lebanon for 22 years, but was forced out of it by Arab resistance headed by Hizbollah.

Iran supported these resistance fighters and has for that reason been accused of terrorism. Israel conquered and annexed Syria's Golan Heights, holds Damascus responsible for its 1982 debacle in Lebanon, and grudges Syria's special position in that country.

For that reason, it is looking for an opportunity to have a go at Syria. As for Iran, both Tel Aviv and Washington have not ruled out the use of force to destroy Tehran's nuclear installations - all this at a time when Iran is engaged with the European Union on the nuclear issue.

It will be a tragedy bigger than Iraq should the hawks in the Bush administration succeed in launching a war on Iran or Syria, or both. The fresh anti-American wave it will unleash in the Arab-Islamic world will only contribute to anarchy instead of the democracy America wants to "spread" in the Middle East.

State terrorism is Israel's speciality. America will appear to be a sponsor of terror for achieving political objectives if it gives in to Zionist lobby and unleashes its military might against Iran and Syria.

Perhaps the only redeeming feature of the speech was his reference to the need for creating a Palestinian state. Let us hope this promise does not suffer the fate of the roadmap he unveiled in April 2003 but later reneged on it.

In dire straits

It comes as no surprise that the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board is contemplating the possibility of outsourcing its billing and revenue collection system. If anything, it is a wonder that, given its financial woes, the organization has survived for so long.

Since the 1980s when it was created, the KWSB has added enormously to its debts so that the figure today runs into tens of billions of rupees. The large number of illegal water connections in the city has prevented the water body from collecting all its dues, while gross inefficiencies in the system have led to an extremely small percentage of registered consumers (whose lists may not have been updated for years) paying up.

In addition, it has to spend money on upcoming projects and undertake constant repair work on burst pipelines, etc. It has also to see to the salaries of an overstaffed work force.

The result is that the KWSB has been unable to sustain an effective water network in the city where consumer woes have been on the rise, and in recent times, have at times resulted in rioting and violence during the summer months. However, one wonders whether outsourcing revenue collection will solve all its financial worries, especially when there are so many interrelated hurdles that need to be removed, if some semblance of efficiency is to return to the working of the KWSB.

For instance, essential changes within the organization, in line with the principle of greater productivity at less cost, might curb the mismanagement of funds that appears to have reached new heights.

The KWSB could also reconsider the projects it plans to undertake and see whether alterations to the present scheme of things, such as ensuring a more equitable distribution system and curbing water theft, might not cost less and work just as well as expensive ventures to reduce shortage.

In other words, even if a greater number of consumers start paying their dues, there still won't be enough money unless measures are taken to reduce costs.

Obscurant prescriptions

Thursday saw the tabling of two private bills in the Frontier assembly by a Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal member seeking a ban on music and dance, and advertisements featuring women at all public places.

As defined in the bills, public places include educational institutions and entertainment houses, and even private homes where the public may be admitted to enjoy music or dance, with or without a payment.

If adopted by a simple majority, the bills will make such activities non bailable offences carrying a punishment of up to five years and a fine of up to Rs10,000. The opposition parties in the assembly were quick to reject the bills, terming them an attempt at Talibanization of the province.

It is not clear whether these extremist views on music and the featuring of women in advertisements, as expressed by the MPA in question, are shared by his party's government in the province.

Much harm has been done to society by similar obscurantist ideas and bans imposed on visual and performing arts in the past. It is hard to see how music programmes and advertisements that are perfectly acceptable to the public in all the four provinces should now be considered as crossing the threshold of morality in one province.

The people of the Frontier deserve better in terms of development that they badly need in various socio-economic sectors, including health, education, employment, etc.

Breach of public morality in cultural activities, as seen by a misguided few with a narrow view of what religion allows and it prohibits, is the least of public priorities.

The holding of music concerts and other social activities in educational institutions and recreational spots can only have a healthy effect on society. The MMA government would do well to distance itself from the self-righteous views expressed by the MPA in question.