|
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Editorial: Saddam and Robot
This has been repeated so many times in history: you’re up, then you’re down; you swagger, then you’re pathetic; you rule ruthlessly, then you fall pitifully.
Consider the past few days: the wounding and fall of Ghalib Andang a.k.a Kumander Robot in Jolo, the arrest of former strongman Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
For so long, the image of Andang and Hussein—terrorists both—that stuck in the public mind was one of merciless strength (Andang with his rifle and ammo belt as one of the leaders of Abu Sayyaf and Hussein in his military uniform as Iraq’s dictator).
Contrast this with the photos of these same men splashed on the front pages of newspapers recently. Andang on a stretcher grimacing in pain from a badly wounded leg and a bearded Hussein with unkempt hair looking helpless and alone.
It is easy to feel pity for these men, until one looks back at the atrocities they committed and of the need to impose punishment commensurate with their crimes.
And then one ends up hoping that what happened to them will provide lessons that will filter into the minds of leaders, whether of government or of groups: that power is, in the final analysis, but fleeting.
But the fate of Andang and Hussein is actually of lesser importance to the public compared with the matter of whether the activities they are part of will continue.
While the Arroyo administration painted optimism following Andang’s arrest, that still remains to be seen. For now, the Abu Sayyaf is on the defensive but its leadership is by no means decimated (Khadaffy Janjalani is still out there).
Hussein’s arrest, on the other hand, could mark the end of a particular stage in Iraq’s history, but the future there is by no means bright. The United States’ occupation of that country has conjured a wave of resistance and, yes, terrorism, which may not lessen.
Here, one can note one other important point: the relationship between a person and the prevailing condition.
Andang and Hussein are mere products of a volatile situation in Mindanao and Iraq. Until the setup changes substantially, their arrests can only be considered, at most, a temporary setback for the terrorist and other activities they were part of.
Judging Ople
It is actually difficult to judge at this stage the legacy of Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople, who died Sunday in a hospital in Taiwan.
For one, Ople, also referred to as “Ka Blas,” has not even been buried and tradition dictates that one should not speak ill of the recently dead—which makes an objective assessment of the man’s life difficult.
Also, Ople lived long and his lengthy career in government went through the usual twists and turns that the period he was in required. It will take a good dose of sifting through those years to be able to sum up his contributions to the country.
(December 16, 2003 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
