Tag: Hezbollah

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-40

About: the world this week, 29 September to 5 October 2024: Hydra-headed Hezbollah; US Election Debates; India State Elections; Hurricane Helene; SpaceX’s Dragon docks with the ISS.

Everywhere

Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iran

Last week, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a brilliant, precise strike on the terror organisation Hezbollah’s central headquarters, embedded under residential buildings in the heart of Dahieh, Beirut, Lebanon. Hassan Nasrallah, 64, the leader of Hezbollah – was without-doubt – the target of the attack. Initially, there were confusing reports that he had survived, however, after several hours, his death was confirmed by both Israel and Hezbollah. Nasrallah suffocated to death from toxic gases inside his secret bunker after it was demolished by about 80 tons of ‘bunker-busting’ bombs. A number of other commanders, including Ali Karaki, the commander of the southern front, who had all probably come over for a meeting, were also eliminated in the strike. This is a significant, game-changing development in the region terrorised by Hezbollah-which is solidly backed by Iran.

Hassan Nasrallah himself became the leader of Hezbollah after the Israelis knocked-off the previous leader, Abbas al-Musawi, in 1992. Nasrallah is well-known for his strident anti-Israel actions and has repeatedly called for the end of the State of Israel. He also has the blood of United States (US) citizens on his hands with Hezbollah being involved in numerous anti-US terrorist attacks in Beirut: the suicide truck bombings of the US Embassy in April 1983, the US Marine barracks in October 1983, and the US Embassy Annex in September 1984. Naturally, the US ‘welcomed’ his elimination.

Nasrallah played a pivotal role in various attacks and wars against Israel. In particular, the 2006 Lebanon War against Israel solidified his status as a resistance leader in the Arab world. He was also involved in regional politics, supporting the Assad regime in Syria during the Syrian Civil War. Under him, Hezbollah transformed from a guerrilla group focused on resisting Israel into a significant political player in Lebanon, holding seats in the Lebanese Parliament and participating in government coalitions.

Nasrallah believed that Islam holds the solution to the problems of any society, once saying, “With respect to us, briefly, Islam is not a simple religion including only prayers and praises, rather it is a divine message that was designed for humanity, and it can answer any question man might ask concerning his general and personal life. Islam is a religion designed for a society that can revolt and build a community”.

Israel has done the world a huge favour, and after Osama Bin Laden was killed in a special military operation by the United States, Hassan Nasrallah was one who deserved the same treatment.

Nasrallah’s immediate successor, Hassan Khalil Yasinm was also ‘instantly’ taken down by the IDF. This is a culmination of a recent trend in which Israel has repeatedly targeted Hezbollah’s leadership structure and has wiped-out the entire command structure.

Hashem Safieddine, a cousin of Nasrallah is now Hezbollah’s new leader. The third since Nasrallah was killed. Wonder, how long he will last, but there is chance that all Hezbollah members will become leaders, one by one. But this is a hydra-headed problem, cut one head off another grows, and takes its place.

In Greek mythology, the Hydra is a gigantic water-snake-like monster with about nine heads, one of which is immortal. The monster’s haunt was in the marshes of Lerna, near Argos, Greece, from which it periodically emerged to attack people and livestock. Anyone who attempted to behead the Hydra found that as soon as one head was cut off, two more heads would emerge from the fresh wound.

The destruction of Hydra was one of the 12 Labours of Hercules. For that and other labours, Hercules enlisted the aid of his nephew Iolaus. As Hercules severed each mortal head, Iolaus was set the task of quickly cauterising the fresh wounds so that no new heads would emerge. When only the immortal head remained, Hercules cut it off too and buried it under a heavy rock. Further, he dipped his arrows in the monster’s poisonous blood to be able to inflict fatal wounds. It’s now up to Israel to find the cauterising fire… and the poison.

Israel’s breathtakingly ballsy strike on Hasan Nasrallah has opened up the possibility of a brand new Middle East: one where Iran doesn’t call the shots. Israel is making the moves the West hasn’t for decades: demonstrating that aggression will be countered with complete evisceration.

This week, Israel also begun the ground invasion in Southern Lebanon-a limited ground operation-against terrorist targets and infrastructure of Hezbollah. The start was bloody with eight Israeli soldiers being killed in combat as its forces pushed into Lebanon.

What has Iran got to do with all of this? Iran has probably crossed many a red line in supporting, arming, and providing safe haven for terrorists such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi’s of Yemen, in an anti-Israel stance known as ‘The Iran–Israel proxy conflict, The Iran–Israel proxy war or Iran–Israel Cold War. In the Israeli–Lebanese conflict, Iran has supported Lebanese Shia militias- the Hezbollah. In the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Iran has backed Palestinian groups-the Hamas.

In turn, Israel has supported Iranian rebels, such as the People’s Mujaheedin of Iran, conducted airstrikes against Iranian allies in Syria and assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists in a long history of tit-for-tat tactics.

Israel’s Prime Minster made a direct appeal to the people of Iran to throw out their tyrant rulers and work towards peace with Israel. But then someone else seems to have heard-got the opposite message-and on Tuesday Iran dispatched about 200 ballistic missiles into Israel, earning the wrath of Israel and the world. The war now grows in yet another direction.

Israel countered the aggression of the ‘Iran missile rain’ with perfect activation and synchronisation of its famous missile defence systems: The Iron Dome detonated the short range missiles within the 70 km range; The David’s Sling system dealt with the mid-range missiles up to about 300 km; and then the Arrow system, which can literally detonate missiles that can fly outside of the earth’s atmosphere in a range of about 2,400 km! The United Kingdom and the United States fell behind Israel and helped shoot-down some of Iran’s missiles.There were no deaths reported on the Israel side except for a lone Palestinian, in the West Bank.

Iran is definitely a menace in the region – a nation gone astray. They need to be dealt with, in a calibrated and wise manner. Maybe Israel (and the US) are upto the task this time around. Meanwhile, the world waits for Israel’s ‘promised’ response.

Towards the end of the week, in yet another attack, Israel not only eliminated Hezbollah’s new leader, but also the entire Shura Council, the committee that nominates Hezbollah leaders.

US Elections: Debates

This Tuesday’s vice-presidential debate between running-mates, Republican J D Vance and Democrat Tim Walz felt like a civil and relatively restrained conversation about the issues at the top of American voters’ minds going into the 5th November election. In that, it was unlike the two fiery presidential debates earlier this year.

If Vance was picked because he puts ideological meat on the bones of Trump’s conservative populism, during the debate he put a polite, humble face on them, as well. And the debate’s lasting impact may be to convince members of his party that the young, only 40 years old, Ohio Senator has a future in national conservative politics, given his ability to clearly advance their ideological priorities on the brightest of stages.

The overall view was that Vance trumped over Walz and made meat of him.

India’s State Elections

Elections in India’s State of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) ended on 1st October, which was the third and last phase for the 90 member Legislature. The first was on 18th September and the second on 25th September. Counting of votes will be on 8th October. This is the first assembly election since J&K’s special status was revoked and fully integrated with the rest of India. However, J&K remains a union territory and statehood is expected to happen sometime after the assembly elections.

The State of Haryana goes to the Polls in a single phase on 5th October for 90 seats. Counting of votes will also be on 8th October.

It’s a coincidence that it’s 90 seats in both States. Going by opinion polls the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-at the Centre-is unlikely to win in any of these States. Despite the fact that in J&K, it should be rewarded for bringing back peace after abrogation of J&K’s special status under Article 370 of India’s Constitution. In Haryana anti-incumbency again the ruling BJP is high. The results could be knocking.

Elections seem to be taking place all the time in India, and the Government is hell-bent on pushing through its new legislation of ‘One Nation One Election’ through the Parliament benches and making it law. That’s a work in progress.

Hurricane Helene Devastates

Hurricane Helene, a large, deadly, catastrophic, and fast-moving tropical cyclone, the strongest on record to strike the Big Bend region of Florida devastated parts of southeastern United States(US). It is the eighth named storm, fifth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Helene developed gradually from a mid-September disturbance in the western Caribbean Sea within a broad area of low pressure known as the Central American gyre. And then Helene moved inland for the kill.

Some of Helene’s deadliest, most catastrophic flooding unfolded in western North Carolina. It turned the western part of the state into a ‘post-apocalyptic’ landscape.

At least 130 people have died across six states and the death toll can rise. Many more remain missing, perhaps unable to leave their location or unable to contact family where communications infrastructure has been washed away.

Among the demolished towns was the tiny hamlet of Bat Cave, about 160 km west of Charlotte, where in what climate scientists are describing as a 1,000-year event, the Broad River rose to unprecedented levels, washed away homes and broke through the town’s bridge. “It’s so overwhelming. You don’t even know how to fathom what recovery looks like, let alone where to start,” said a survivor.

SpaceX Docks with ISS

This week, SpaceX’s Dragon Spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS), and when it returns after a few months it is expected to bring back stranded Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore. The incoming spacecraft had two astronauts in the driver’s seat(s), with ‘space’ for the returning two.

Astronauts Nick Hague, the Dragon Crew 9 commander and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, the Crew 9 mission specialist were given a ‘weightless welcome’ when they met the others on the Space Station, after crossing over.

The space station’s population has temporarily increased to 11 after this Sunday saw the arrival of Crew 9. The orbital residents spent Monday unpacking Dragon and handing over mission responsibilities as the next quartet prepares to return to Earth.

More docking stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Weigh the world more with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-39

About: the world this week, 22 September to 28 September 2024: A new war front; Sri Lanka’s new President; India sparkles; and sweeps the Chess Olympiad.

Everywhere

A New War Front

A new front has certainly opened, in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, with Hamas’ partner-in-crime, the Iran-backed Hezbollah, operating out of Lebanon, being surgically attacked by Israel. This, takes off from last week’s Pager-attack on Hezbollah, when over 1500 militants were severely impaired – blinded, or body parts severely damaged.

Israel destroyed hundreds of Hezbollah targets on Monday in airstrikes, which killed at least 300 people in Lebanon’s deadliest day in decades. After some of the heaviest cross-border exchanges of fire since the hostilities began, Israel warned people in Lebanon to evacuate areas where it said the militant Hezbollah was storing weapons. After almost a year of war against Hamas in Gaza on its southern border, Israel is shifting its focus to its northern frontier, from where Hezbollah has been relentlessly firing rockets into Israel, in support of Hamas, since 8th October 2024. And towards the end of the week, Israel called for its Reserves to join the fighting.

Over the week, every day you read about some Hezbollah Commander being taken down in a precision strike-somewhere in Beirut. On Friday, Israeli hit the main headquarters of Hezbollah in Beirut: remains to be seen if its head is alive or at least scratched!

Sri Lanka: Recovering

Two years ago, in the year 2022, Sri Lanka’s economy collapsed plunging the country into its worst financial crisis in decades, and causing unprecedented upheaval. What followed was lethal unrest, with unruly crowds going on a mass rampage across the country. This eventually led to the ruling Rajapaksa family giving-up power-fleeing the country-and Ranil Wickremesinghe hurriedly being sworn in as acting President, to bring the economy back on track. He then went on to being formally elected, by Parliament, in a secret ballot-winning 134 to 82-to serve the remainder of the Rajapaksa Presidential term, which was to end this November 2024.

In the two years that followed, Sri Lanka’s economy made an unexpectedly rapid recovery under Wickremesinghe’s astute management and belt-tightening measures. After securing an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the currency stabilised, the central bank rebuilt foreign-exchange reserves, and inflation fell to singled digits. By the first half of 2024, the economy had grown by 5%. The government successfully restructured its domestic debt, followed by a restructuring of its bilateral debt, i.e., government-to-government loans mostly from China, but also from India and Western counties, including the United States. Just days before the current election, an agreement was reached with international bondholders to re-configure the remaining sovereign debt.

The hard and ‘dirty’ work done, in August 2024, President Wickremesinghe called for Elections to the Presidency, announcing that he himself would run for re-election as an independent candidate. Despite the stupendous achievements in the most trying of times, Wickremesinghe was eliminated at the end of the first phase of vote counting in the Presidential Elections held late last week. He finished third with only 17.26% of the vote. And was overtaken by both Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. Wickremesinghe’s unpopularity stemmed largely from the harsh, but necessary, austerity measures implemented under the IMF-backed stabilisation program.

As no candidate could secure a majority in the polls, the elections moved to the second phase of preferential vote counting, where only two leading candidates remain in the competition. Under the electoral system, voters cast three preferential votes for their chosen candidates. If no candidate wins 50% in the first count, a second tally determines the winner between the top two candidates, using the preferential votes cast.

This week, on Sunday, Sri Lankans finally elected Marxist-leaning Anura Kumara Dissanayake,55 – popularly known by his initials, AKD – as the new President, putting faith in his pledge to fight corruption and bolster a fragile economic recovery. He was sworn-in as Sri Lanka’s ninth President, by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, early this week. And he quickly named party colleague, College Professor and first-time lawmaker Harini Amarasuriya as the new Prime Minister. Sri Lanka has an ‘executive Presidency’ with the President being in-charge of running the country.

AKD heads both the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance, and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and won the run-off in the second round of counting of preferential votes. It was the first time in Sri Lanka’s history that the presidential race was decided by a second tally of votes.

Dissanayake led from start to finish during the counting, knocking out incumbent President Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. At the end of the first round, AKD had 42.31 % of the vote, and Premadasa 32.76%. A count of the second preference votes took Dissanayake past the required 50% plus, for a clear victory.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s rise to the presidency in Sri Lanka as a candidate of the NPP coalition is nothing short of unalloyed magic. Dissanayake has been JVP’s leader since 2014, and the party has participated in two parliamentary elections under his leadership. In 2015 it secured 4.8% of the vote share, and in 2020, the JVP alliance secured 3.8% of the vote. In the 2019 presidential election he had secured a mere 3.2%.

AKD’s popularity probably has an oblique explanation: the COVID19 pandemic and the poor management of resources by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after 2019 pushed an unprecedented number of Sri Lankans into poverty. AKD, as the head of the JVP presented himself to the people as a politician who spoke their lingo, understood their problems, and empathised with them. With his pro-working class stance and sharp critique of the political elite he captivated the hearts and minds of Sri Lankan masses, more so after the important role the JVP played in the 2022 protests that toppled the Rajapaksa regime.

However, for Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority, AKD’s election offers little hope. During the campaign AKD rejected devolving more power to the Tamils living in the North and East. And investigating incidents during the civil war- which saw the elimination of the Tamil Tigers-that United Nations investigators said could amount to war crimes. Tens of thousands of Tamil civilians had died during the final months of the defeat of the LTTE – Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

But AKD’s coalition, the NPP, has just 3 of 225 seats in the current Parliament, prompting him to dissolve Parliament to seek a fresh mandate-this week the new President did just that- and cleared the way for a snap general election. The parliamentary election will be held on 14th November 2024, and the new Parliament is scheduled to convene on 21st November. The last general election in Sri Lanka was held in August 2020. Lawmakers are elected for a five-year term.

Rooted in Marxist ideology, the JVP was founded in the 1960s with the aim of seizing power through a socialist revolution. But after two failed armed and bloody attempts in 1971 and 1987-89, which resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of lives- a dark phase-the party shifted toward democratic politics and has remained so, for over three decades. The election results is the first major win for the JVP. It also heralds a new era for the party, which has radically transformed itself and let go of its extreme left ideologies such as the abolition of private property.

Until this election, the JVP remained a minor third party in Sri Lanka’s political landscape. While power alternated between the alliances led by the two traditional political parties – the United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party – or their descendant parties.

Unlike most of Sri Lanka’s past Presidents, Dissanayake was not born into a political family. Instead, his is an agricultural background; while his father was a low-level office worker. Dissanayake was the first student in his school to go to university. But AKD is no outsider. He was first elected to parliament in 2001 and has remained an MP since then. He even had a stint as Agriculture Minister between February 2004 and June 2005, besides other positions in Parliament. I reckon he has enough experience to count upon.

AKD is married to Mallika Dissanayake and has one son.

India: Hugs, Chips, Cuts, and Washes

India’s Prime Minister returned from a trip to the United States where he hugged President Biden, among others, and participated in the QUAD Summit: the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue- a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States that is maintained by talks between member countries.

US President Joe Biden hosted the QUAD leaders in his hometown of Wilmington for what could be the final meeting of the Indo-Pacific partnership established during his presidency.

True to call, Biden went blank immediately after his speech as he couldn’t remember who to call next for the address. “So I want to thank you all for being here. And now, who am I introducing next?” Biden asked after completing his speech. After a brief and awkward pause, Biden asked again, “Who’s next?” clearly snapping at one of the staff.

Meanwhile, in one of the most consequential outcomes of the Indian PM’s US visit, was the agreement between the US Space Force and two Indian startups Bharat Semi and 3rdiTech to manufacture semiconductors in India for the US and Indian armed forces. That’s a landmark achievement.

3rdiTech is India’s pioneer and exclusive Imaging Sensor Fabless Company. It’s India’s solution for specialised chips that power camera systems, from mobile phone cameras to rearview cameras in automobiles; from Earth observation satellites and fighter aircraft observation systems to specific advanced missiles. Essentially, every camera worldwide relies on these image sensor chips. Much like semiconductor giants, Qualcomm and ARM, 3rdiTech operates as a fabless company, focusing on chip design while not manufacturing them. 3rdiTech excels in crafting custom chips, also known as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), tailored for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) purposes. 3rdiTech has now emerged as a significant player in the aerospace sector.

Vrinda Kapoor the CEO of 3rdiTech put it this way, contrary to popular belief that semiconductor manufacturing is the most valuable sector, the real power lies in owning the intellectual property for chip design.

A fabless company is a semiconductor company that designs and markets semiconductors, but outsources their fabrication to a third party. The term ‘fabless’ is a combination of the words ‘fab’ (fabrication) and ‘less’.

In shocking, unsettling news in India, a 29-year-old woman was found murdered in her home in Bengaluru, with her body dismembered into close to 50 pieces and stored in a refrigerator. The case has parallels to the gruesome murder of 27-year-old Shraddha Walkar in Delhi in 2022. Investigations are ongoing.

The Lord Venkateshwara Tirupathi Laddu Prasadam controversy continued to dominate headlines with some celebrities shooting their mouths off with unwarranted, insensitive comments. And believers rushing to call them out. This week, the Temple was literally washed-off the effects of animal fat being used in making the Laddus, and ‘purity restored’.

Chess Olympiad: India Triumphs

In a golden moment for India, its men and women’s teams won Gold Medals in the 45th Chess Olympiad organised by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), for the first time, in Budapest, Hungary, from 10 to 23 September. A record-breaking 188 teams in the Open Section and 169 in the Women’s competition gathered in the Hungarian capital to do battle on the Chess Board.

India took home all 3 trophies: the Hamilton-Russell Cup, for winning the Open Chess Olympiad; the Vera Menchik Cup for winning the Women’s Olympiad; and the Gaprindashvili Cup, a special trophy awarded for the best combined result in the Open and Women’s sections.

The men’s team of Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Harikrishna Pentala, with Srinath Narayanan as the captain, consistently led throughout the tournament, winning 10 matches and drawing just one. Before the last round, India was 2 points ahead of China: and in the final round, India just needed a draw to clinch the gold medal, or for China not to win their match. However, India bulldozed the Chess Board with a win, defeating Slovenia.

Gukesh played outstanding chess and had a phenomenal tournament, scoring 9 points in 10 games and earning the individual gold medal on the Top Board. Arjun Erigaisi was another hero scoring 10 points in 11 games and winning individual gold on Board Three. Both significantly improved their FIDE ratings and are close to clearing the 2800 bar – a notable achievement in Chess.

Not to be left behind, India’s women’s team had a very strong start, leading the event after 7 rounds, having won all their matches. They stumbled in round 8, losing to Poland and then drawing with Team USA, but made a strong finish. Going into the final round, India was tied for the first position with Kazakhstan, and the race for the Gold medal was down to the wire

The team of Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali (sister of the Praggnanandhaa – of the men’s team), Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, and Tania Sachdev, with Abhijit Kunte as the captain, demonstrated excellent composure and delivered, winning the final match against Azerbaijan At the same time, Kazakhstan drew with the USA, 2-2, making India the sole winners of the event.

18-year-old Divya Deshmukh, a new addition to the team, was unstoppable throughout the event. She played all games, scored 9.5 points, and secured the crucial victory in the final match. The Individual gold on Board Three was a well-deserved award for her.

The fight for silver and bronze medals was fierce in both sections. Five teams tied for second place. In the Open Section, Team USA, the event’s rating favourite, defeated China in a hard-fought final round to join them at 17 points. Defending champions Uzbekistan narrowly beat France, Serbia triumphed over Ukraine, and Armenia narrowly defeated Iran, all to join the pack at 17 points. The tiebreaks favoured the USA, which claimed silver, and Uzbekistan, took home the bronze.

In the women’s section, Kazakhstan delivered a strong performance throughout the event, fighting for gold until the very end, and ultimately claimed silver. Four teams – USA, Spain, Armenia, and Georgia – tied for third place, but the tiebreaks favoured USA, which claimed the bronze medal.

In the end there was one Super Mom, ‘filled with teeth’ and smiling from ear-to-ear, Nagalakshmi: the mother of superstars Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali. She was the cynosure of all eyes! When asked how she wishes to celebrate the ‘twin victory’ she said, “I’m going to the Temple”. There is a God waiting.

Chess great, Garry Kasparov called Team India, ‘Vishy’s Children’ referring to India’s Chess Superstar, Vishwanathan Anand, who has been a mighty inspiration in Indian Chess.

More winning stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Celebrate with World Inthavaaram.