Democracy Archives

Sri Lanka – WHITHER GOES THOU? – By Capt Elmo Jayawardena I plagiarized the title of this article from a Latin quote “Quo Vadis”. It was an immensely popular movie in the 50s starring Robert Taylor and Deborah Kerr. According to the film, Quo Vadis (Whither Goes Thou) were the words exchanged between God and St Peter. The first apostle was fleeing from Rome along the Appian Way to Brindisi to take a boat and escape to Palestine. Peter went back to Rome where he was crucified. Today there is a small chapel on that road where Peter turned back. It is called the Church of Domine Quo Vadis. Now you know I admitted I plagiarized. Don’t throw stones at my aeroplane. I have already said my mea culpa. Times have become difficult and often impossible to cope with. Whatever winds blow across our paradise isle, they are all filled ...

Afghanistan gives the world an Emperor without clothes By Raj Gonsalkorale The world needs an Emperor with full clothing to counter the increasing stridency of China. Unfortunately, the US has been progressively shedding its clothes beginning perhaps with the defeat in Vietnam. The many military incursions that followed, all basically abject failures in improving the lives of the people of the countries so invaded, has shown that US objectives have been flawed, and the execution of such objectives, even worse. One wonders however whether there is a dichotomy when it comes to these objectives. Were they meant to help the countries so invaded, were they purely to serve US interests, or were they to serve the interests of a powerful lobby within the US which has profited hugely on account of these futile military adventures. The latter wants conflict, war, instability, corruption at the highest levels in the countries invaded ...