In the recent past the US policy in Iraq has begun to test the patience of not only Republicans and Democrats at home but also America’s most trusted and long-time allies abroad.
Saudi Arabian King’s statement that the American occupation of Iraq was illegal, and his warning that unless Arab governments settled their differences, foreign powers like the United States would continue to dictate the region’s politics, has caused a flutter.
Although the U. S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns played down this unusually strong statement from the polite and diplomatic Saudi King by saying: “Obviously, we will seek clarification. You never know. It could have been interpretation. It could have been misreported.”
Meanwhile, in another development, the Israeli Prime Minister today described an Arab plan to make peace with the Jewish State as ‘revolutionary’ and said the region could sign a final deal within five years, says The Times.
“Ehud Olmert made his remarks in a series of newspaper interviews this morning, after leaders of the 22 Arab countries gave their unanimous backing to a plan which would commit them to developing diplomatic relations with Israel if it first agreed to a ‘land-for-peace’ deal with the Palestinians.
“The Arab leaders’ plan – originally drawn up by Saudi Arabia in 2002 – would see the concept of a Palestinian state founded in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip with Jerusalem as its capital.
“Only two states, Egypt and Jordan, currently have full diplomatic relations with Israel after signing peace treaties in 1979 and 1994, so the latest pledge for full diplomatic normalisation – which includes the hawkish Syrian regime – is regarded as hugely significant…”
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.