ONE-LINER 0004 - 2014 Palestinian-Israeli conflict

It’s eleventh day of the 2014 conflict.  So far, more than 340 Palestinian dead, and more than 2500 injured, not counting the destroyed lives of the thousands of people who have lost their whole life belongings and became homeless…

We have seen such conflicts many times, every few months, for close to 10 years now.  Every time several hundred (or sometimes far more than a thousand) casualties and great number of injured… 

We have heard all the ‘catchy’ names of these military operations - like ‘Rainbow’ (2004), ‘Days of Penitence’ (2004), ’Summer Rains’ (2006), ‘Autumn Clouds’ (2006), ‘Hot winter’ (2008), ’Cast Lead’ (2008/2009), ‘Returning Echo’ (March 2012), ‘Pillar of Defense’ (October 2012), ‘Brother’s Keeper’ (June 2014), and ‘Protective Edge’ (July 8, 2014 - ongoing) (1*).  They are just names - behind them are the very personal tragedies - hundreds of thousand of them…

After the decades of the failed attempts to sponsor the lasting peace between these two adversaries, the world’s audience suffers from the ‘Political ADD’ (Political Attention Deficit Disorder).  The news coming from Gaza, bringing the information about the number of casualties, and the destruction to the cities and villages, make all of us, at first surprised and scared, than not understanding and tired, and at the end just uncomfortable…

Almost 2 million people in Gaza Strip are subjected to a blockade, in result of which they can’t catch fish, they can’t rebuild their houses, they suffer the shortage of water, electricity, medicines, food…

And they do not know at all, if their children survive the next day…  And all that with a total disregard to the humanitarian laws, and the UN resolutions.

 

Since the 2005, Gaza Strip is in the hands of the Palestinian Authorities.  Israel withdrew their military from the Strip, and succeeded in making the Gaza Strip residents, to ‘police’ themselves. 

In the result of the Palestinian legislative elections held on January 25, 2006 Hamas formed the new Government - the first National Unity Government with Fatah.  It didn’t last long and both parties engaged in a violent conflict (lasting until the reconciliation in 2014).

Hamas became the sole ruling faction in Gaza Strip after so called Battle of Gaza - between June 10-15 2007(2*), when the Hamas militants removed the Fatah officials and Fatah offices from the Gaza Strip.  Hamas, after all, won the popular elections(!), although the Fatah side insists on calling it a ‘military coup’.
After years of mismanagement and open conflict between Hamas and Fatah, on April 23, 2014, in Gaza City the Reconciliation Agreement was signed giving hopes to the Palestinians, that although split in two territories, the Palestinian people may have a single, unified political representation - National Unity Government.  Although considered as a thread to the peace process, by many countries (including the USA), the agreement between Fatah and Hamas should produce more moderate Government, than the Hamas alone (by itself more extreme and stubborn).

Hamas is not an organization you would like on your backyard.  That’s for sure.  It is a religious based Muslim organization, who’s militant wing pledges the destruction of Israel, and is by many countries in the world (including the USA) considered a terrorist organization.  But let’s understand that its creation didn’t happen in a political vacuum.

It came into being in 1987 - during the First Intifada (Unarmed Palestinian Uprising) - as an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood - to liberate Palestine from Israeli occupation and to establish an Islamic state in the area that is now Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip (3*). 

They became extremely popular within Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, because after so many disappointments related to the Fatah collaboration with the Egyptians at first, and Israelis later.  After decades of the siege, for a common Palestinian from the Gaza, Hamas is the only force which stands for the people of Gaza.  Being used to hear only the empty promises - suddenly there is a force which delivers on the ‘welfare front’.  Hamas provides the education, health coverage, helps financially the families who lost members or their households in the effect of the actions by the Israeli Defense Forces… 

Hamas’ militants send on occasions thousands of crude, not accurate and short distance missiles into Israel, threatening the lives of the residents of the nearby cities and villages. 

Every time it happens, after a few unsuccessful attempts to negotiate the ‘cease fire’ the Israeli Army starts another of their Operations with a ‘catchy’ name (as mentioned in the beginning of the article).

What happens next works like a good, Swiss watch.  After the initial anger toward the Hamas for starting the barrage of rockets, and causing the reaction of the IDF, while the list of the casualties grow, the anger redirects itself toward the IDF, and IDF only. 

The popularity of Hamas rises as fast as the bamboo shoots.  Whenever the Israelis launch their new operation which aims to disarm Hamas, and remove any thread of the rocket assault on Israel, the Hamas becomes stronger and its support among the population rises.  Every time the new operation brings even higher number of the casualties, the anger of the World grows, the popularity of Hamas grows, and the Israel looses it’s moral ‘upper hand’.

The ironic paradox in this situation is that Israel can't afford destroying the Hamas completely.  In the political climate where there are plenty Super-Extreme (extreme doesn't cover it) militarized organizations like Islamic State (former ISIL or ISIS), the alternative to Hamas is frightening.

A few days ago the Egypt produced a new initiative to negotiate a ‘cease fire’.  It was accepted by the Israel… and Hamas rejected it.  Why?  Someone forgot to include the Hamas into the negotiations…

How is it possible?  We may call it a ’terrorist organization’, but it is the legal government of the Gaza - democratically elected, and it is a ‘player’ in this conflict. 

Every time Hamas starts its rocket barrages, they know that the response will be heavy and un-proportional.  But their goal is to bring the world’s attention to the unresolved issues of the ‘illegal blockade of Gaza’, and to the conditions which Gaza residents endure.

I do not agree with the means - I do not accept the endangering the Israeli civilians in any way.  But, their goal is negotiation some positive changes to the existing Gaza conditions.  Not a ’status quo’ - which was offered by the Egyptians.

A couple of days ago Hamas made public their list of ten demands upon Israel in exchange for a proposed ten year truce with the Jewish state (4*). 

I will quote these conditions here, because I am not sure if they are so unreasonable…

1. Return of IDF tank positions so that farmers can work their lands

2. Freeing of all prisoners arrested since June 23 (when 3 Israeli teens were killed by Hamas operatives), and improving the conditions of those currently in prison.

3. Lifting of Israel’s naval blockade around Gaza along with the complete opening of the land border crossings.

4. Establishment of an international airport and seaport in Gaza.

5. Expansion of Gaza fishing zone by six miles.

6. Open the Israel-Gaza Rafah border crossing permanently under UN supervision, instead of under Israel’s watch.

7. 10 year truce with Israel along with the deployment of an international observer force on the border.

8. Israel must never enter Gaza under any circumstances and protect Palestinian Muslim worshippers at Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

9. Israel must refrain from interfering with the newly created unity Palestinian  government between Fatah and Hamas.

10. Rehabilitation of Gaza Industrial Zones and allowance for Gaza to create a border protection force.

Some of these demands do not make sense in the current political climate, but others…

I am sure that in the process of the negotiations, some of these demands may be easily, and simply crossed off, but many would stay.  These are just demands to have the ’normal’ life in Gaza.

Instead, we see the escalation of the military incursion, and increased number of victims.

Let’s remember just one of the recent operations:

In ‘Cast Lead’ in Dec. 2008 - Feb 2009 - about 1450 Palestinians killed (Goldstone Report (5*)).

How many will suffer in the Operation ‘Protective Edge’?

____________________________________________

1* - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza–Israel_conflict

2* - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_for_Gaza_(2007)

3* - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas

4* - http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/07/16/Report-Hamas-Offers-10-Year-Truce-with-10-Demands

5* - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Fact_Finding_Mission_on_the_Gaza_Conflict

ONE-LINER 0003 - Palestinian Predicament

I have written about the Palestinian - Israeli conflict on numerous occasions.  I feel deeply for the Palestinian nation, who deserves the place to live on their own, in peace and prosperity - like everybody else.  This is an undeniable right of every human on this planet.

Created in 1948 Israel is such a place for the Jews, who until then had no place which they could call their own, dispersed in the world between other nations, and often suffering the persecution based only on their ethnic and religious identities. 

At this moment I do not want to engage in lengthy explanations of the Palestinian rights to the same land they share with Israelis.  It’s a subject on it’s own, and as such has been and will be addressed, some other time. 

At this moment I will not talk about the illegal, Israeli settlements in the West Bank, nor the ‘Blockade’ of Gaza (considered by many in the World as illegal as well).

At this point I do not want to talk about the heavy handed response the Israeli Army applies to any aggressive action of the Palestinians, no matter how trivial, or serious and dangerous, it might be.

We talked about the ‘Cast Lead’ campaign of 2007/2008, and relating to it the Goldstone Report and the almost general World’s condemnation of that action, nor I will talk at this point about the current, about to happen, ground invasion on Gaza Strip…

At this point I want to look at the Palestinian provocations…

In the last 3 days more than 440 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into the Israel.  More than 440 crude and not very powerful, but able to kill, maim, and cause the property damage rockets.

In the recent time the Hamas, who is responsible for these launches, acquired a bit more sophisticated technology, allowing them to send the rockets deeper in the territory of the Israel.  Of course, the Israelis, being subjected to such a threat for decades, know how to minimize the casualties, and hide in time into the readily available shelters.  They have on occasion about 15 seconds from sounding of the air alarm to the explosion.  So far, no one was killed or injured by the rockets.  But, as I understand, it’s not easy to live their lives, constantly waiting for the air-raid alarm, no matter what one is engaged at the moment, or how mobile one is (there are handicaps,a and sick people who’s mobility is sufficiently impaired to create the increased danger).

The Israelis react with the air strikes.  So called ‘surgical’ air strikes, reducing to a pile of gravel houses of the suspected Hamas supporters, or officials…  Many innocent people gets killed in the process.

This scenario has been known for decades.  Palestinians provoke, creating terror in the Israeli villages and cities, the Army responds with the Iron Fist, killing the people, damaging the infrastructure… It’s nothing new.

When The Palestinians went ahead and created the ‘reconciliation governments’ which included Hamas and Fatah representatives, not counting a small opposition (mostly from the USA and the Israel) the World applauded.  I was among those who had hopes for the future.

Yes, we know - Hamas is considered a terrorist organization…  Yes, we know - they still haven’t accepted the existence of the Israel and vouch it’s destruction…

But we all expected that the Unity Government was a step in a direction of changing it.  PLO, once was a fighting force and recognized as terrorists, and then they evolved and their leader Yasser Arafat was awarded the Nobel Peace prize…

So, anything can happen, and this is what we all expected and waiting for.  Especially that the history has proven in a very acute way, that acting aggressively against the Israel leads to nothing, but loss of life, destruction of the infrastructure, and ‘derailing’ of the peace talks.

And yet the Hamas attacks happened again.  Three Israeli teens kidnapped and killed, and 440 rockets barraging over the Israel can produce only one outcome - the Army retaliation. 

In turn the initial disapproval of Hamas by the Palestinian population - after suffering the death of the families and friends caused by the air-strikes - gets replaced by the anger and wish to retaliate agains the Israelis…  The vicious circle closes again. 

This is what I never could comprehend: how anybody can consciously do things which immediately cause harm to him and his surroundings?  How can anybody, being of a sound mind, do such a ‘suicidal’ actions, harming the whole population.  What Hamas is doing at such times is what is in the States called a ‘SUICIDE BY POLICE’.  They put a suicide vest on the whole Palestinian population in Gaza.  And people, who are subjected to the hardship of living in Gaza, just do not see it, blinded by the hatred, and the sorrow.  The vicious circle closes again.

If the barrage of the rocket stops, the Israelis wouldn’t have any right, nor moral justification, of the air-rides on Gaza, or any other destructive action.  They would have to start negotiating, and something might get done in the process.  But, the provocations have to stop first.  At this point I become convinced that the Hamas doesn’t have in their minds, nor on their agenda, the welfare of the Palestinian nation, but quite the opposite.  Just the martyrdom of their own people - but for what?  It doesn’t lead anywhere. 

Stop shooting rockets into the Israel, and start real negotiation.  Provoking the trigger happy military might of Israel is not a solution and it never will.  And for now the UN may discuss the situation and the un-proportional use of force as long they want.  Stop the rockets and the kidnappings - things will change.

ONE-LINER 0002 - President's approval rate

The media keep shouting how low is the acceptance level of the President Obama.  New polls bring constantly decreasing numbers.  CNN, until recently were trying to convey the message that the approval rating is the worst since the WWII (although in fact the Bush Junior had this ‘privilege’).

I talked to many Democrats, who complain, how disappointing is what President Obama does, and how disappointing is that President Obama hasn’t delivered so many things, promised during the election campaign…  The list of broken promises is long, starting from Guantanamo…

Republicans triumph quoting the polls numbers – manipulating the nation.

At this point I would like to look into this disappointing acceptance levels.  During the last decades the access to the information in our society has increased a lot.  The media thriving on sensations, feeds us the manipulated and one-faceted pulp, having little to do wit the ‘objective truth’ (if is exists at all).

I am a Liberal, and as many on my side of the isle have been critical of many aspects of the President Obama’s politics.  However, I am aware, and I never forget the achievements of his presidency, without which many millions of the US Citizens would have much gloomier outlook on theirs lives.

We - people on the Democratic side of the isle, have to remind ourselves and others, of these achievements, in order not to loose the general picture of the current Presidency.

Let’s start form the fact that the millions of people have their ‘preexisting conditions’ covered by the Health Insurance - the fact which used to put many under the poverty level if they suffered form some lasting medical conditions.
Let’s not forget about the push toward the ‘equal pay for equal work’ reducing the gender pay gap.
Let’s not forget about the push toward equal treatment of all people regardless of the sexual orientation, and letting all the people marry the people they love regardless of the gender (same sex marriages).  
Let’s not forget about not letting shutting down the research on stem cells - but encouraging it.
Let’s not forget about the daily struggle for the budget, for the welfare of the underprivileged, for the new jobs and the unemployment benefits…

The Democrats have to remember all good things the current President pushed and forced to implement despite the strong opposition in the Republican Congress…

When you take under consideration all the facts, and the principle we all stand in general we all approve the work done by the President Obama.  We can criticize his decisions, but in the general polls we should never ‘disapprove’ his actions, fueling the Republicans’ agenda.  
The way the questions of the polls are constructed never give any options to explain why one partially disapprove  with the Government policy.  It’s either YES, or NO.  
And in my opinion - maybe he doesn’t pass our scrutiny with the flying colors - we strongly AGREE with the direction we are going, especially considering the alternative proposed by the Tea Party backers.

I approve what The President Obama does (in general) - and 'disapprove' what he fails to do...

And lastly… it’s really baffling to me how anybody who earns less than 250 $K/year can actually consider backing the demands of the Tea Party (or Republican Party in general).  I never thought that such a huge percentage of the US population might have the ‘Helsinki Syndrome’…

So, Democrats - look at the big picture, not at the particular shortcomings, and - if you agree with the general direction (think about the alternatives), and if you agree with what has been achieved - say YES in the current President’s approval polls.  
Otherwise you may have much more to complain about in a shot future, when the Republicans take over the Senate, as a result of the Nation being mislead by a the manipulated polls.  Do not dismiss the polls influence on the minds of the people, on the minds of the voters.
Do not send a wrong message.

ONE-LINER 0001 - Primaries

Recently, we have seen something extraordinary, in Mississippi.  In the Republican Primaries, the Democratic crowd voted preventing an extreme ‘Tea Party’ candidate replace the moderate Republican Senator Thad Cochran.  Mississippi is one of the States, when the voters are allowed to vote across the party line in the Primaries.  
Republicans are furious, rising question “how any Republican could go that low, to bring the Black vote to the Republican Primaries?”
What?  Such a question in 2014?  Even in Mississippi (which has a history of racial discrimination creeping in the today’s reality) it is low.
But at this point, I am rising another question - why not allow cross-party voting in all States?  It looks like a great tool in the fight for a more balanced, and just America.  Extremes should be weeded out, from both sides of the isle.  ALLOW THE GENERAL VOTE IN THE PRIMARIES !!!

Introducing 'One-Liner'!

ALMOST INCOHERENT RANT has been on line for a while.  Recently, it’s not as active as it was in the beginning.  It’s not because there are no events, and issues to cover - it is because, in a busy professional life (like mine) there is often not enough time to write a thorough, well referenced article.  As a result, many issues, which still boil my blood, are not addressed in the blog.

It is going to change!  Today I am introducing a new feature, additional feature of the blog, called ‘ONE-LINER’.  
‘One-Liner’, as the name suggests will be a short article, addressing the pressing issues, but in a very concise form.  However, it’s not going to be limited to one line, it will be longer, but still in a short, easily digestible form.  
Almost Incoherent Rant, finally is going to bring to life the RANTS, in a form of ‘One-Liner’. 

Susan Rice - the Republicans’ secret weapon…

Let me start from locating myself on the political spectrum: I am a Liberal.  I have been steadily backing up all the President Obama initiatives - those delivered, and those promised (and never delivered).
I voted for him twice, and still my support for him is strong and un-wavered.  I have a lot of criticism of his way of communicating (or barely communicating) his ideas to the people of America.  It rises sometimes a question: why not treat Americans like adults, and explain to them exactly what is the essence of vital to all Americans, government decisions.  
Alas, sometimes the message is lost… what is mercilessly exploited by the Republicans, who always go, as far as they can, to discredit the Democratic Presidents policy.  We are living in the world, where there is no margin for errors.  Every misspoken, or ill-communicated idea immediately backfires and becomes the stone, with which the ‘political stoning’ of Obama’s Government is performed.  I never could understand the laxity of the Government officials, just carelessly fueling the ‘Republican fire’…  

When on December 1, 2008 Susan Rice was appointed as the US Ambassador to the UN, I welcomed her appointment. 
Well educated (Stanford University; New College, Oxford).  Since 1988 she was involved in the political fabric of our country working for many prominent politicians like Michael Dukakis, McKinsley.  She was a part of Clinton’s administration in many capacities, involved in the international affairs as NCS Africa Specialist (although not without controversies) (*1).

I jokingly remember that her name brought memories of the 66th US Secretary of State - Condoleezza Rice - a Bush Jr. puppet, who became synonymous with the lies, the Bush’s Government wanted to propagate.  But of course, this notion wasn’t serious, and was immediately discarded - no one is, or can be expected to have the same character traits as another un-related person, just for having the same last name…

For a few years she escaped my attention, she was under my radar.  Nothing was bringing her to the spot light.  Things were done.  American position in the UN secured and explained…

And then came the September 11, 2012… 
“On the evening of September 11, 2012, Islamic militants attacked the American diplomatic mission at Benghazi, in Libya, killing U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and Sean Smith, U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Officer. (…)
Several hours later, in the early morning of the next day, a second assault targeted a nearby CIA annex in a different compound about one mile away, killing two CIA contractors, Tyrone S. Woods and Glen Doherty.” (*2).
A few days before that event the Islamic World ‘boiled’ with fury against the offensive to the Islam, and the Prophet Mohammed, short movie which suddenly surfaced on YouTube and ‘the Hell got loose…’(*3)
There were angry demonstrations, sometimes riots, all over the world.  Although to all non-Muslims this movie might have looked like a ‘bad taste’ but harmless jest, for the Muslims it was highly offensive.  
When the attack on Benghazi American Consulate happened, the first thought on everybody’s mind was that those two events are related.  
But at the same time even a 10 year old child knew that the attack carried by the heavily armed militants in 6 pick up trucks, is a terrorist action - however instigated or inspired - not a spontaneous protest.  
Susan Rice officially stated then, that the attack was a result of riots and a response to the inflammatory video, and not the terrorist action.

When I heard her initial statement (right after the event), I couldn’t believe my ears.  
One doesn’t have to be a military specialist to know that the well armed, and well organized group of attackers, who unfolded the bullet barrage on the unprotected (or insufficiently protected) US compound, using the heavy caliber machine guns, wasn’t an angry mob.  
Susan Rice backed off from this statement a few days later in the series of the interviews, after the furious attacks of the Republicans and a bewilderment of Democrats (*4, *5).  Yet, she was still defending her words, just adding “initially” to the statement.  
She agreed that ‘later’ the extremists joined the riot, and performed the attack.  Even though there were no riots in Benghazi at that time (*6).

I dismiss the Republican conclusion, that Susan Rice’s statement was a beginning effort of covering up the wrong-doing of the Obama Administration.  It simply doesn’t make sense - especially, that the Administration was and is fully aware of the Republicans’ attitude and efforts…

In December 2012 Susan Rice in the result of that controversy withdrew herself from the consideration for the job of Secretary of State to replace Hilary Clinton.
__________

Some could have forgotten about this affair during the last 2 years.  If they did, Benghazi controversy has been brought to our attention on numerous occasions recently in the context of the possible presidential campaign of Hilary Clinton and other policy references.

__________

A few days ago, American soldier Bowe Bergdahl, who spent the last 5 years as Prisoner of War, held by the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, was released by the Taliban as a result of the negotiated for a few years (brokered by the Cathar) swap of prisoners.  
In exchange for the Sergeant Bergdahl (a private at the time of the capture) the Taliban received 5 high ranking Taliban officials held at the Guantanamo prison for 13 years.  

“America doesn’t leave the men in the uniform behind” - it has been the US Armed Forces motto since the Revolutionary War.  No one questions that.  And it doesn’t matter if that man in uniform is a hero, or has some stains on his military career.  
Maybe some people do not remember the media coverage of the Sergeant Bergdohl’s disappearance in 2009.  It wasn’t a very loudly advertised event, but the media already were rising the question if the Private Bergdahl was a traitor, or a deserter… Some media outlets (although I can’t find the references on the Internet at this point - so it’s just my memory) speculated that he might have joined the Taliban and should have been treated as an ‘enemy combatant’…  
His comrades, from his own unit, at the time of his ‘walk off’, are today quite vocal accusing him of ‘less than proper’, and ‘less than honorable’ conduct.
Of course, “the accused is presumed innocent, until proven guilty”, so it’s completely immaterial.  
However, any official statement in this case, should be very carefully worded. 

In such a climate, the current National Security Advisor Susan Rice stated in the interview for ABC’s This Week on June 1, 2014, on the lawn of the White House, defending the negotiations with Taliban to free him: “He served the United States with honor and distinction…”.
I can imagine several ways of making the right statement emphasizing his volunteering to the Armed Forces in the Time of the War, which is a honorable act by itself, but making a blanket statement like the one above is very imprecise, and at least ‘problematic’…

We didn’t have to wait long for the Republicans’ response… (*7) The media exploded.
The on-going campaign against the Obama Administration unleashed by the 'Bergdahl’s swap' is all about the issue of ‘no negotiations with terrorists’ rule, and about the released Taliban returning to the active fight against America in the near future… 
It’s another topic, and it will occupy a lot of pundits and commentators for many months to go.  
The war in Afghanistan is winding down, and someone has to provide the 'normal' life to Afghanis.  Taliban is not going anywhere.  It will be the major force in Afghanistan - the decisive force.  It will be there, when we are not...

Getting back to Susan Rice: I do not know if she has a Tourette Syndrome, and can’t control herself making the ‘controversial’ public statements - or she just deliberately wants to harm the Obama Administration, which she does in fact...  I am not here to judge...

Her harmful statements are not limited to the two referred to above.  Maybe she should get a ‘desk job’ somewhere in the Administration - without the possibility of the damaging public appearances.

So, is she the Republicans’ secret weapon?



___________________
*1 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Rice
*2 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Benghazi_attack
*3 - http://www.rferl.org/content/b-movie-behind-benghazi-bloodshed-antiislamic/24706092.html
*4 - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2239478/Susan-Rice-APOLOGIZES-calling-Benghazi-attack-terrorism.html
*5 - http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/rice-libya-attacks-spontaneous/
*6 - http://www.factcheck.org/2012/10/benghazi-timeline/
*7 - http://time.com/2822696/susan-rice-bowe-bergdahl/

D-Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day...

70 years ago, today, the Allied Forces made a risky landing on the beaches of Normandy, opening the last chapter of the World War II.  Unbelievable effort, tremendous sacrifice… Of those who landed there, about 6 thousand were wounded and about 3 thousands didn’t see the green meadows and bushes of the French country side.  
They stayed in the sands of the beaches codenamed: Juno, Gold, Omaha, Utah, and Sword, forever.
We all remember them, and their sacrifice, on such occasions like D-Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day…

I was born in Europe, so, no one of my family members fought in the heroic action, we commemorate today.

But a day like today and the other Remembrance Days, mentioned above, make me remember my Mother - Genowefa Liwacz, who was 20 when the War broke, and right after the Russian Army (collaborating with Nazis in the invasion of Poland) invaded the Polish part of the Ukraine, joined the Underground, and fought Nazis, hoping, that her sacrifice, and the sacrifice of her 'brothers in arms' wouldn’t go in vain.  She joined the Underground sponsored by the West (at that time there was no other), the Underground which answered to the Polish Government in Exile, which was formed in London.

She had dreamed of the free and independent Poland.  
And yet, in 1944, on newly freed from Nazis Eastern Polish territories, she was arrested and thrown into the Russian jail for fighting under the ‘wrong’ banner, even though she fought the common enemy.  She spent there nearly 4 years and until the death of Stalin in 1953, she had to report daily to the police after she was conditionally released.
Her only sin was that she didn't salut to Moscow...

She dreamed of the free and independent Poland.  She lived to see it coming from ashes in 1989.
She lived to see me, her son, visit her when I became an American Citizen.  
She died in 1994 in the troubled, but Free Country.

On such a day, like today, I remember her - a young soldier, who didn’t think twice before she answered the country’s calling - a soldier, who’s innocence was abruptly cut short, by the WAR.
On such a day, I remember all those, who fought against the oppression, of any sorts.