Loud Thinking

Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

Mr. Prime Minister please ask Mr. Ishaq Dar why his performance is NIL on this account which was your ELECTION promise also.

Indians declare $500 mn in black money in tax crackdown.

Link:- http://www.dawn.com/news/1210191/indians-declare-500-mn-in-black-money-in-tax-crackdown

Indians declare $500 mn in black money in tax crackdown
AFP — PUBLISHED ABOUT 2 HOURS AGO

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NEW DELHI: Indians declared $500 million in black money, the government announced Thursday, a fraction of the total amount feared hidden, as a deadline for coughing up assets hidden from the taxman expired.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took power last year pledging to crack down on black money, a systemic problem in India that sees billions of rupees hidden in foreign bank accounts or funnelled into property abroad.

The finance ministry said more than 600 tax evaders had made declarations by midnight on Wednesday — when a three-month window for unveiling stashes and avoiding prosecution ended.

The Indian ministry said “638 number of declarations have been received under the compliance window declaring undisclosed foreign assets,” amounting to 37.7 billion rupees.

The government has announced a string of measures to crack down on black money, including a 10-year jail term for evaders who get caught from now on.

But Ashutosh Kumar Mishra, executive director of Transparency International in India, doubted whether the government could find the money offshore given how deeply entrenched the phenomenon has become.

“It’s not easy. You need a set of clear reforms and determined political will and it will take years,” Mishra told AFP.

India is one of the most cash-intensive societies in the world, corruption is endemic, and strict tax laws encourage people to keep money off the official books.

Estimates of Indian black money abroad vary widely.

Some $439 billion left the country illicitly from 2003-2012, according to estimates from the Global Financial Integrity group in Washington.

The wealthy channel money to tax havens such as Switzerland or Singapore, convert it into jewellery, antiques, paintings or property, or send a relative abroad for half the year to avoid tax.

Only 2.89 per cent of Indians pay any income tax at all, India’s previous finance minister told parliament in 2013.

World’s largest DEMONCRACY (or Modi’s murder Muslimscracy) wants to sit as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

A Times of India report:
Right next door to Delhi, mob lynches man over cow slaughter rumour..!
http://m.timesofindia.com/city/noida/Mob-kills-man-over-cow-slaughter-rumour/articleshow/49161246.cms

GREATER NOIDA: A 58-year-old man was killed by a mob in Greater Noida’s Bisada village on Monday night following rumours of cow slaughter in his house. As tension gripped the village and spread to nearby areas, another mob went on the rampage on Tuesday morning in Ooncha Amirpur – barely 5km from Bisada – demanding death penalty for those involved in cow slaughter. The mob clashed with the police after six people were arrested for the murder.
Kiran S, SSP, Gautam Budh Nagar said, “Around 800 armed forces, including a battalion of Provincial Armed Constabulary and police from Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr and Hapur, have been deployed in the village and the areas around it.”
Family members of Iqlakh, the murdered Bisada villager, denied slaughtering any cow in their small house and claimed the story was cooked up to target them. They also claimed neither the cops reached on time nor their neighbours came to their rescue. Iqlakh lived there with his 70-year-old mother Asgari, 52-year-old wife Ikraman, younger son Danish (21) and daughter Sahista (16). His elder son Sartaz works with the Indian Air Force and is currently posted in Chennai. Danish suffered serious injuries in the attack.
“Hundreds of people gathered in front of our house on Monday night and started abusing us,” Asgari told TOI. “A heated argument followed for 10 minutes after which the agitators turned violent and broke open the main gate. They misbehaved with my daughter-in-law and grand-daughter. They did not even spare me. I had locked myself in the washroom but they broke open the washroom door and thrashed me.”
Asgari added, “The attack continued for nearly half an hour, but no one came to our rescue. They brutally thrashed my son and grandson. They, then dragged my son’s body to the road and fled after dumping it there.”
SP (rural) Sanjay Singh said Iqlakh’s body has been handed over to his family after an autopsy, the report of which suggested that he died due to severe blood loss and haemmorage. He also said an FIR had been filed against 10 people, six of whom were nabbed and put behind bars. They have been identified as Rupender, Vivek, Sree Om, Sandeep, Saurabh and Gaurav, all in their late 20s.
“All accused are from Bisada,” Singh said. “They have confessed. We recovered some meat from their possession. The accused claimed it was beef that they recovered from the deceased’s home. It has come to our knowledge that the mob held a meeting in a temple in the middle of the village, where they decided to teach the deceased a lesson for slaughtering cows. The mob then rushed to the victim’s home and attacked the family,” he added.
BJP district president Thakur Harish Singh blamed the police for the incident. “The police did not react on time. The locals gave samples of meat to cops but they did not take it seriously. Then some people got agitated. We urge people to restore peace,” he said.
A man named Rahul Yadav reportedly sustained a bullet injury on his left hip during Tuesday’s clash in Ooncha Amirpur. Yadav is being treated in a private hospital. A magisterial probe has been ordered into the clash.
Gautam Budh Nagar’s district magistrate N P Singh announced financial assistance of Rs 50,000 for the treatment of Danish. “We have also recommended financial help for the family. We have formed peace committees to restore amity in the area. Senior administration officials are coordinating with the peace committees,” he said.

Dear Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif PM Pakistan.

Sir,

The below mentioned analysis of Mr. Asad Omar is really alarming and needs an impartial high level inquiry into the fact that why certain key indicators of Pakistan’s economy and business have gone down in your current tenure, to the level even below than than the previous PPP government led by Asif Ali Zardari during 2008-2013.

Quote.
“Pakistan’s ranking in the world economic forum global competitiveness index has dropped from 124th at the end of the Zardari era to 129th this year. The doing business report of the World Bank dropped Pakistan from 107th to 128th. The combination of this eroding competitiveness and the piling of exorbitantly expensive debt is sinking Pakistan further into a debt trap imperiling future generations of the country.”
Unquote.

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

Sir,

Please peruse the below quoted analysis of Mr. Asad Omar, which is a fit case for a highest level inquiry to find out the reasons for playing with the economy and destiny of Pakistan right under your command:

Quote.” The Government in its latest offering last week was only able to sell 500 million dollars at a yield of 8.25% which is the same pricing it got last year when Pakistan had re entered the international bond market after several years gap. Everything else remaining the same the pricing this time should have been lower as there was no re entry premium to be paid. Hence, the markets were essentially saying that things are getting worse. Umar stated that comparison with recent bond issues by other emerging market countries makes for shocking reading. Just two examples would suffice. Kenya doing its first ever issue last year and raising 1.5 billion dollars at a yield of 6.875%. Similarly Sri Lanka just a few months back raised 650 million dollars at a pricing of 6.125% which is more than 2% lower than what Pakistan is going to pay!”Unquote.

An open letter to the Prime Minister.

 

Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif,

AoA.

Sir,

Somehow, I know without any doubt that whenever, you pray or visit the Holy land for prayers at Khana-e-Kaaba and Masjid-e-Nabvi (SAWW), the well being and glory of Pakistan and its nationals, is always at the center of your heart, while bowing to Allah (ST) for prayers.

I also have a confirmed belief that Allah (ST) has given you the chance to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan for the third time, to take some special task. However, it is up-to you to make your best mental, physical or sincere efforts to achieve that special task, or pass the time in normal routines.

And to enable you to succeed in chosen task for you, Allah (ST) is slowly, but gradually, creating favourable circumstances and golden opportunities. And to see these favours of Allah (ST), one need to have the required vision, rather than the ordinary eyesight.

Here, my mind goes to a famous saying of Helen Keller, quoted as below:

“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”

In my humble opinion the mission Allah (ST) wants you to accomplish is the “THE CHANGE FOR GOOD OF THE DESTINY OF PAKISTAN AND ITS RESIDENTS”.

As you may be well aware; and we have seen and observed in our lifetime, the changing of destiny of many countries, which were even worse off than our nation, like China, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Gulf Emirates, Japan, Germany and many European countries completely and 100% devastated and ravaged by the wars.

Sir, your this tenure consists of a period of 5 years or 60 months, out of which 26 months (43+ %) have gone passed and only about 34 months are left.

As they say, better late than never. Still, if you are able to lead the nation to motivate, generate and channelize positive energy of 20 crore population, for rebuilding (by working DAY and NIGHT the remaining man-hours of 34 months can be converted into the man-hours of 68 months), Pakistan as one of the top ten countries of the world.

In this regard, one thing is absolutely clear that the hard work, sacrifices of personal comfort, absolute sincerity, impeccable honesty, elimination of VIP and SIFARISH culture, zero tolerance for (inefficiency, corruption, wastage of natural resources, nepotism and favouritism and no compromise on rule of law) must come from the Prime Minister himself, who should tighten his belt, to become the prime mover of all the engines of growth and development in the country.

We have witnessed in our times many examples of one man leadership of China, Malaysia, Singapore etc., changing the fate of their countries, single handedly.

Obviously, these leaders gave the blue print of their own vision to the next line of leadership, selected PURELY on merit, which was meticulously executed by the lower cadres of leadership.

Mian Nawaz Sharif Sahab, the biggest advantage you posses over those leaders discussed above, is the availability of very fast internet and super computers, which can perform the job of years in days.

Second advantage, which you can obtain is the unconditional cooperation of the entire population, to join your hands in the implementation of the vision of re-building a prosperous and developed Pakistan, if you can assure the nation that you are ready to work with all Pakistanis purely on merit, without any consideration of your relatives or party affiliation.

Third advantage, you will automatically obtain, in the shape of unqualified cooperation from the politicians, Judiciary, civil and military bureaucracy, professionals, businessman, labourers, students and farmers etc., if you can assure them that from now onwards, no appointment or case will be approved without merit. Also you will not disapprove dissent (in the national interest) coming from any level, as happened recently, in the case of a senior police officer, who was taken to task, for the reasons known to all and sundry.

This is necessary because a country of 20 crore population can not be controlled by a PM, CM or ministers. Every Pakistani working in the fields, factories or offices will have to perform his duty as if he was himself the PM of the country. You will have to make 20 crore PM’s who should be delivering their duties only having fear of Allah (ST) and fully abiding the law of the land.

Sir, in support of the completion of your vision (stated above) Allah (ST) has already bestowed Pakistan, with unimaginable and unbelievable advantages of China Pakistan Economic Corridor, reduction in oil prices, the nuclear agreement of Iran with the West and the huge success of operation Zarb-e-Azb shall INSHALLAH, result in huge economic, industrial and social benefits for Pakistan.

Mr. Prime Minister the die is cast for the change of the destiny of Pakistan. The time is waiting for you to grasp with both hands, the golden opportunity of the centuries, by announcing and taking the nation into full confidence, about your next 100 years plan (divided in 20 five years plans) for Pakistan.

Man is mortal his deeds can be immortal.

Kind Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Why Pakistan is not demanding from India such details of the 18/2 Samjhota Express burning in 2007?

Times of India reports:( http://m.timesofindia.com/india/Modi-Sharif-talks-Top-10-highlights/articleshow/48015511.cms ) that Pakistan agrees to India’s demand to provide voice samples of the accused of the 26/11 Mumbai attack.

Many months ago in the year 2013, I passionately advised the PM to take personal charge of the affairs of the country, before these finance and foreign affairs advisors messed up the the whole thing and bring the government to its knees:

Mr. PM! you will have to take personal charge

 

H’able Mian Nawaz Sharif Sahab,

Salaam.

The above mentioned news reported today on 10 July, 2013, by the jang.com.pk that Saudi Arabia and UAE are providing (interest free and conditions free) cash and kind assistance of $8 billion to Egypt, further highlights the importance of my three doable suggestions put forward for your kind consideration in my article titled “Mr. PM! there are three options to avoid IMF loan”.published in the daily “The News” dated 27 June, 2013 links:-

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-23752-Mr-PM!-There-are-three-options-to-avoid-IMF-loan

http://images.thenews.com.pk/27-06-2013/ethenews/t-23752.htm

In this regard, vide my email dated 9 July, 2013 addressed to your honour, titled “Few Suggestions to Revive Economy, Fast Track Improvements in Energy Crisis and Nation Security Policy” the possibility and practicability of option No.2, of my above mentioned article was duly elaborated for the convenience of your finance team as below:

Quote. “Your kind attention is invited to my earlier email informing that the news that Abu Dhabi has planned a $50 billion investment in India; and the negotiations are at a very advanced level. Abu Dhabi has the WORLDS BIGGEST SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND . Now considering the following plus points of Pakistan:

i. Pakistan is the only country in the world which allows foreign investors to repatriate 100% profit and investment without any hassle.

ii. There is no income tax on IPP’s in Pakistan.

iii. The Indians are severely annoying the Abu Dhabi people with objections on their deal of Etihad Air with Jet Airways of India, which will give EA rights over 37,000 weekly seats in India, after EA purchases 24% shares of Jet Airways. Pakistan must grab this opportunity and offer a suitable agreement with PIA. Indian Jet Airways is in much more bad financial shape than PIA and is owned PRIVATELY.

iv. Pakistan should also offer to Abu Dhabi, management sharing in other avenues like, Port Qasim, KPT, steel mills, OGDC, PNSC etc., in lieu of their investment.

v. Pakistan can also offer to Abu Dhabi to invest in new Islamabad Airport, expansion and development of other airports, helicopter and small planes air taxi service to and from big cities to many smaller cities and towns, and development and export of world class fisheries, corporate farming, export of dairy products, fruits, flowers etc.

vi. Abu Dhabi had a very long and successful JV experience with Pakistan viz., Pak Arab Fertilisers Limited. Now they can be offered such JV’s for Refineries, Oil and Gas explorations, defence related production items and air craft manufacturings etc.”Unquote.

Mr. Prime Minister, this news of cash and kind (interest free and conditions free) financial help of Egypt, by the KSA and UAE proves that Pakistan was deliberately forced to take IMF loan with very high repeat very high interest rate of 3%, coupled with conditionality’s. Further, it has also proved that we have completely failed in convincing our Arab friends and 49 NATO countries led by the USA, that helping Pakistan is helping the world and its neighbours, against the menace of terrorism, mainly because Pakistan is the front line state against this world war of terrorism, for the last 13 years. Our friends and allies should be cognisant of the fact that the more Pakistan goes into poverty and economic deprivation, the more this situation will breed the terrorists.

In view of the foregoing, Mr. Prime Minister, you are passionately requested to personally take the charge of the economic policies of Pakistan, vis-a-vis it’s friends, to save Pakistan from the stranglehold of IMF and the World Bank; and from the tunnel vision of our financial and foreign affairs experts. This is all the more necessary because business as usual will never deliver (like the lousy suggestions of increasing tax burden and enhancing utility services rates, so that the ages old policy of penalising the honest common man and rewarding rich scoundrels, continues in this tenure as well, which obviously is the best recipe of an early demise of ANY government).

Pakistan needs nothing, except out of box solutions, which is only possible from a fearless leader and not a timid person, because a timid person like Pervaiz Musharraf, can rule a country, but he can never rule the hearts of his subjects.

With Best Wishes and Kind Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
www.snayyar.com
Lahore.

Sent from my iPad3 4G LTE

Shame on India for lying to the world..!

Indian lies have no legs..!

Hope the world remembers that on the first day it was reported by India that they conducted a joint operation of Indian and Myanmar Forces inside Myanmar.

Later on, India retracted and said no, it was only Indian operation conducted by its own forces.

Now the Indian ballon has been finally pricked by the following statements of Myanmar and NSCN-K authorities that:

This so-called operation was conducted on Indian Soil and NOT in the area of Myanmar..!

Further, the statement of NSCN-K that areas shown in the TV footages were non-existent and they don’t have areas with coconut trees and well-maintained footpaths or gardens, has blown the myth of the Indian fantasy to smithereens.

My Twitter message to world leaders spelling out effective solution for stopping #genocide/#atrocities/#terrorism of #Rohingya #Muslims by the #Myanmar authorities…!
@PMNawazSharif @ImranKhanPTI @SirajOfficial @Mushahid @MaryamNSharif @POTUS @UN @RT_Erdogan @KingSalman
No need to look to the #West or to the #UN for stopping the #genocide/#atrocities/#terrorism  of #Myanmar authorities against #Rohingya #Muslims.
All #Muslim countries just close the embassies of #Myanmar in their countries and send back their nationals to #Myanmar and just see within weeks the positive outcome of this soft but unified action of #Muslim #Ummah.

Dear Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sahab,

AoA.

Sir,

There is no doubt that currently Pakistan is fighting a full fledged proxy war on its soil, imposed by its enemies, since the last about 15 years.

In this regard, I still wonder how and who allowed India to strengthen its foothold in Afghanistan, despite a categorical statement of Mr. Pervaiz Musharraf, the then President of Pakistan that our cooperation with the NATO’s war on terror in Afghanistan was conditioned with “No role of India in NATO’s WOT in Afghanistan”.

Anyhow, by the Grace of Allah, we have successfully survived the nefarious designs of our arch enemies for a period, which is many years more than the combined duration of the two world wars.

However, since the official launch of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) India seems to be behaving like a mad dog and there were reports in social media that Indian authorities have even given go ahead to its agencies to arm their assets with small nuclear weapons, for use against Pakistan to disrupt the CPEC, detailed as below:

Under the circumstances we can easily say that India has not only declared a war against Pakistan, but it has allowed the launch of nuclear weapons (albeit through its paid agents), as per the timing of its own choice.

As such, although, we are fighting Indian sponsored guerrilla war against the terrorists, on our soil, yet, we should be fully prepared for Indian chemical, biological and nuclear attacks, launched by its proxies.

In this regard, I will request you to kindly take the following actions:

1. Take the whole nation in complete confidence by addressing a joint session of the parliament.

2. Form a war cabinet.

3. Inform all the international powers, the UNO and all our neighbours the genesis of the grave crisis and Pakistan’s expected responses (or its threshold/redlines) to specific threats in different scenarios.

4. Declare India as an enemy country and immediately ban any overflights to and for India by any airlines, along with cessation of all to and fro Indian goods movement to Afghanistan.
This step is necessary because Pakistan can not wait to be a sitting duck for an Indian conventional or non conventional weapons attack, using its proxies. In any war with WMD’s a comparatively small country like Pakistan must repeat must be proactive rather than reactive.

5. Initiate a training and education program for the whole nation, for protection and survival under nuclear, biological or chemical attack. Please do not forget that few years ago, Indian government has already launched such type of exercise in Indian held Kashmir.

6. Since, the new crisis demands a very high level of leadership, the historical facts about the best statesman of the 20th century, are a must read as following, for a man of crisis like you.

 

Churchill: Leader and Statesman

link:- http://www.winstonchurchill.org/the-life-of-churchill/life/churchill-leader-and-statesman

 
He was the lion who roared when the British Empire needed him most.

 

He held many positions during his long career and was an accomplished civil servant. Winston Churchill entered the Royal Military College of Sandhurst, and graduated with honors in December of 18941. He later saw action in Cuba, India, Egypt, Sudan, the front lines of World War I, and even took part in one of the last British cavalry charges in history2. When he turned twenty-five, Churchill was elected to Parliament, and began his career as a statesman in the House of Commons. He went on to serve as First Lord of the Admiralty, Minister of Munitions, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Prime Minster. In his private life, Winston Churchill was an avid reader and scholar, painter, author, journalist, and war correspondent. Historians widely attribute Churchill with being “the greatest statesman of the 20th century.” Churchill was an effective leader and statesman because of his tremendous ability to inspire people; his unique strategic insight; his relentless passion; and his imperturbable personality.

One of Winston Churchill’s chief attributes as a leader was his capability of inspiring people, regardless of seemingly ominous circumstances. The source of this inspiration was his own character. Churchill perpetually demonstrated enthusiasm, determination, and optimism—if not at all times in private, then at least always in public. One of Churchill’s private secretaries spoke of Churchill’s drive:

The effects of Churchill’s zeal was [sic] felt immediately in Whitehall. Government departments which under Neville Chamberlain had continued to work at much the same speed as in peacetime awoke to the realities of war. A sense of urgency was created in the course of very few days and respectable civil servants were actually to be seen running along the corridors. No delays were condoned; telephone switchboards quadrupled their efficiency; the Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Planning Staff were in almost constant session; regular office hours ceased to exist and weekends disappeared with them3.

Churchill’s ability to inspire may be seen in the opening days of World War II. He did not permit a defeatist attitude, nor would he entertain talk of reasonable terms with Adolf Hitler. As Sir Martin Gilbert, Churchill’s official biographer, wrote, “It was Churchill’s own opposition to all forms of defeatism that marked out the first six months of his war premiership and established the nature and pattern of his war leadership.”4 Another example of Churchill’s powers of inspiration was his ability to channel his determination to the British people, and generally strengthen their resolve through enthusiastic encouragement and praise to others. During the opening days of the war he said that, “The British people are like the sea. You can put the bucket in anywhere, and pull it up, and always find it salt.”5 Churchill inspired not only British leaders, but British citizens as well, by projecting an attitude of optimism and stalwart fortitude. Finally, Churchill’s robust optimism is excellently showcased in a speech he made in the House of Commons on June 4, 1940, when he spoke these famous words:

We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.6

Churchill’s words prompted the Labour MP Josiah Wedgwood to say, “That was worth 1,000 guns, and the speeches of 1,000 years.”7 Churchill’s potent spirit of perseverance and determination is best summed up in one of his own maxims: “We must just KBO.” The initials stood for “Keep Buggering On.”8 Churchill understood the dangers of defeatism and poor morale as a soldier and leader, so he set the example needed to inspire others around him… and he kept “buggering on.”

Winston Churchill was also an effective statesman and leader because he possessed the attribute of strategic foresight. An example of his keen intuition is found in the aftermath of the Munich Agreement. While Neville Chamberlain proclaimed that its policies of appeasement had brought, “peace in our time,” Winston Churchill complained of the terms. He declared that: a) nothing vital was at stake; b) Czechoslovakia could “have hardly got worse” terms in the agreement; and c) the agreement would ultimately not be successful in preserving Europe’s uneasy peace while the threat of Nazi Germany under Hitler still loomed.9 World War II would prove his intuition correct. Despite his misgivings, Churchill, “…never doubted that the Western Alliance would defeat Hitler and subsequently Japan,” and his vision was again clear.10 Another example that showcases Churchill’s strategic foresight is Communist Russia. Churchill had early misgivings about Russia, apart from the ones that he voiced in his famous “Iron Curtain” speech, where he spoke of an iron curtain settling on Eastern Europe. In 1931, Churchill declared in front of a large audience in Brooklyn, New York, that the great struggle of the future would be between English-speaking nations and communism.11 The Cold War would later prove his prophecy correct. A third example of Churchill’s strategic intuition is shown during his time as First Lord of the Admiralty starting in October 1911. Churchill summed up his approach to British naval power in these words:

Adequate preparation for war is the only guarantee for the preservation of the wealth, natural resources, and territory of the State, and it can only be based upon an understanding, firstly, of the probable dangers that may arise; secondly, of the best general method of meeting them as taught by the principles to be deduced from the events of history; and, thirdly, of the most efficient application of the war material of the era.12

Churchill applied this policy to his duties as First Lord of the Admiralty and set about thoroughly preparing Britain’s fleet for war. He also studied German naval progress, strength, and maneuvers. A mere four years later, World War I broke out, and thanks to Churchill’s wisdom, the British Navy was well prepared for battle. In summary, Churchill possessed exceptional strategic foresight, tempered with a healthy dose of realism. As one observer wrote, “Churchill had great foresight, but he knew the future is mostly unpredictable.” 13

While Winston Churchill’s foresight was a critical component of his leadership, there was another factor that elevated all of his talents to the forefront: his passion. Winston Churchill possessed a passion for democratic freedom that drove him to work hard for its preservation, allowing him to be an effective statesman and leader. Perhaps the best example of Churchill’s passion is found in some of the words that he used to inspire people and battle defeatism: “I am convinced that every man of you would rise up and tear me down from my place if I were for one moment to contemplate parley or surrender. If this long island story of ours is to last, let it end only when each one of us lies choking in his own blood on the ground.”14 Churchill’s passion fueled his desire to maximize the efficiency of Britain’s wartime government and bureaucracy. An excellent example of this efficiency is the structural organization that Churchill implemented in the English chain of command. Sir Martin Gilbert writes that:

The organization of his wartime premiership was a central feature of Churchill’s war leadership. That organization took several months to perfect, but from his first days as Prime Minister and Minister of Defense he worked to establish it, and to create in the immediate ambit of 10 Downing Street an organization that would give the nation strong and effective leadership.15

This organization was comprised of different councils, executives, committees, and boards. Each leader in charge of the respective agencies sat on an executive board chaired by Churchill called the Chief of Staff Committee. Once Churchill fine tuned this system, “…the highest possible accumulation of professional knowledge was at his disposal.”16 Churchill’s passion also produced innovation. For example, he prompted the invention of the tank. In order to break the deadlock of the “no-man’s land” of World War I, Churchill suggested that a type of heavy tractor with robust treads be produced from which men could fire machine guns and throw grenades from behind armor plating. This suggestion led to the production of the first tanks. Churchill’s service as a soldier also showcases his passion. During World War I, Churchill served on the frontlines in France as a major with the 2nd Battalion of the Grenadier Guards.17 Eventually, Churchill became the commander of the 6th Royal Scots Fusiliers, a battalion of the 9th Division.18 As a soldier, he possessed a steady, defiant courage, setting an excellent example for his men. When he left France in 1916, one Scotsman from under his command declared that, “I believe every man in the room [at a farewell lunch] felt Winston Churchill’s leaving us a real personal loss.” 19

The last component of Churchill’s remarkable formula for success was his imperturbable personality. Coupled with a dogged determination was a personality that was capable of exuding charm and wit, and that caused people to gravitate toward him. Churchill famously described himself in the following way: “We are all worms but I do believe I am a glow worm.” History shows that he did indeed glow. For example, he was able to maintain a poise in even the most stressful of times:

Churchill’s typists were also to find that, however bad his moods could be in dire moments of the war, he always had words of comfort for them and a ready smile-—his “beatific grin,” as Marian Holmes called it. “Don’t mind me,” he would say after an outburst, “it’s not you—it’s the war.” On one occasion, in November1944, finding Marian Holmes and her colleague Elizabeth Layton working in the Hawtrey Room and Chequers without a fire, he commented, “Oh, you poor things. You must light a fire and get your coats. It’s just as well I came in”— and he proceeded to light the fire himself, piling it high with logs.20

It may be said that Churchill’s personality was the result of a combination of different qualities that produced his witty charm. John B. Severance, a British author on Churchill writes that, “Lots of people have imagination, courage, and tenacity. Few people have them in the amount or combination that Churchill did.”21 Churchill used his unique charm and personality to encourage people to strive hard at their work and to excel in the jobs they were assigned. For example, people visibly displayed their affection for Churchill, as General Ismay recalled in an incident on Downing Street when a large group of people waited outside his private entrance to the Admiralty, and greeted him with cries of encouragement and good luck.22 Churchill’s poise was also displayed in his famous wit. One evening as a tired and wobbly Churchill was leaving the House of Commons, the Labour Member of Parliament Bessie Braddock accused him of being “disgustingly drunk.” He replied: “Bessie, my dear…you are disgustingly ugly. But tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be disgustingly ugly.”23

World War II, however, is where Churchill’s personality shines the most. He tirelessly travelled to military positions and installations, conducting inspections, boosting morale, and supporting commanders. He also established a personal friendship with Franklin Delano Roosevelt and maintained strong relations and diplomatic ties with the American Government. Through it all, he was able to maintain a cool assurance of victory and instill confidence in everyone around him.

In conclusion, of all the qualities that Churchill displayed, perhaps the most interesting was his unexpected outbursts of humility. While Churchill’s power to inspire, his strategic foresight, his driving passion, and his unstoppable personality were the core qualities that made him an effective leader and statesman, the realization that he too was a “worm” tempered his character and kept him focused. His lifetime spanned not only the two World Wars of the 20th century but other conflicts, historic diplomatic meetings, and the onset of the Cold War. Winston Churchill led the British nation on two separate occasions as prime minister, in peace and in war, and on two separate occasions as First Lord of the Admiralty, both in the office and on the frontline. Yet, he steadfastly refused to take the credit. When cheered at the demise of Nazi Germany, he responded, “I have never accepted what many people have kindly said, namely that I inspired the nation. It was a nation and race dwelling all round that had the lion heart. I had the luck to be called upon to give the roar.”

 

With Kind Wishes and Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
29 May, 2015