Wednesday, May 19, 2010

MUSHAARAF – BLATANTLY WRONG IN FACTS

Come the month of June, I will be a 2 year old blogger. Actually, I started blogging after having known that a friend of mine i.e. retired Mej Dr. Rafick Khan Abd Rahman who owns a blog ‘rights2write’, has been writing to express his personal views over a myriad of issues, which he could not otherwise have done without his articles being edited, if he were to send his articles to the mainstream media.

I too have been writing and sending articles under the ‘Letters column’ of the New Straits Times, and my short letters too would be scrutinized by the editor. I also noted that if I were to send letters that are critical to the government, then my letters would end up in the waste paper basket. This was when I started to follow the foot-steps of retired Mej Dr. Rafick Khan, and to try my luck at blogging.

What I like most about blogging are the comments following the articles that I write. I read every piece of comment, and it is from these comments that I get to learn more about what I have written. I am not particularly concern about the language used by some commenter, but from the language they used, I can also make out the sort of person the commenter is, and understanding people’s character is one thing that I enjoy doing.

Here, I wish to draw the attention of my readers to an article that I posted on Friday, June 13th 2008 titled’ “The Madina Market Incident – A propaganda in its distasteful form”. I wrote the article rebutting what the former Pakistan’s President Pervez Mushaaraf wrote in his book, ‘In the Line of Fire’, in which he praised his troops for their daring exploits to save some Americans soldiers from being slaughtered by Somali fighters. Mushaaraf also commented that Pakistani troops were also involved in the ‘Black Hawk Down’ rescue efforts, but the Americans had failed to depict Pakistani troops heroic efforts in the movie.

I wrote an email to the Chief of Defence Force then i.e. Gen Tan Sri Aziz Zainal about this fake propaganda by Mushaaraf, where I told him that it was the Malaysian troops that were instrumental in the rescue of the trapped American soldiers; not the Pakistani troops as depicted by Mushaaraf in his book, and to put right the imperfections of Mushaaraf writings. I did not get any response; neither do I know whether my comments have been acted upon. If my comments have not been acted upon, then Mushaaraf has succeeded in telling a blatant lie to the world that the Pakistani troops were the heroes that had served the American soldiers from being slaughtered. From the story related to me by a Malaysian army officer involved in the rescue, the Pakistani troops were actually cowards and were never at the scene. (Please read my posting of June 13, 2008 for better understanding of the issue)

I would like to appeal to the present Armed Forces leadership to once again look into this matter, and to correct what I deem as a blatant lie by Mushaaraf, and worse still, dishonoring and denying the bravery of our Malaysian soldiers in Somalia, in the Madina Market incident. I would like to see a statement be made in the media, both print and electronic, to rebut Mushaaraf’s writings. Mushaaraf was wrong in facts, and it is our duty to correct it.

For the information of my readers too, my emails to the office of the President of Pakistan and the office of the Pakistan Chief of General Staff remained unanswered.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

21 comments:

Malaysian said...

General Mushaarraf is a politician. Thus, you can expect him to twist the fact to portray Pakistan to be American’s friends. As for Hollywood, they too involve in America propaganda. This only proves that we can't blindly trust whatever we read.
In our country, you’ll realized that the same news publish in different medium is twisted to suit different readers or influence certain group. We must be cautious of what we read from internet or main media. I think this is especially important for Malaysia. This is because our country is multi-cultural and multi-religious society so we might not see certain issues the same way. Our politician is too smart to twist facts to cause mistrust between different races. Thus, my fellow brothers and sisters please read articles carefully next time. You must see things from a Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban, etc perspective.

Major D Swami (Retired) said...

2Lt Kamal (now Lt Col in the Army Air Wing)was the lead Platoon Commander, into Bakara market. The 4 leading Pakistani tanks turned tail and fled when the RPGs' started firing. The Malaysian Condors continued, there were some communication problems (language). Remember the whole operation was planned over the hoods of Humvees at night. Major Aziz was the leading Company Commander. I spoke to Kamal in Mogadishu in Dec 1993.

komando said...

Dear Dato' Pak Chad.

Correction please - not MEDINA MARKET it is BAKARA MARKET!

OPERATIONS "BAKARA MARKET" ON 3/4TH OCT 1993.

THE REAL ACCOUNT & HISTORY THAT WAS NEVER TOLD !

The most outstanding mission of 19 RMR MECH so far was the deployment to Somalia in 1993 in the UNOSOM II - MALBATT I operations.

The battalion were the heroes in this daring rescue mission in the BAKARA Market incident. They rescued 70 US Special Forces Rangers and 5 US Air Force members that was pinned down and cordoned by the Militiamen of Gen Farah Aideed.

The US Forces did a clandestine operations with the aim to KILL Gen Farah Aideed, at his stronghold, indeed the Yankees are real dumb jumping into the hornets nests.When have they ever been successful?

The operation was not sanctioned by the UN HQ in Mogadishu. It was the case the US has its own agenda anywhere and everywhere in this world!

The team of Special Forces Rangers thought that singlet wearing, sarong clad and slippers wearing Somali militiamen were chicken feed !

How wrong were they all! They got themselves skinned, the Somalis shot down 2 Blackhawk Helicopters and all the Rangers on the ground were downed!

They could not extricate their forces, they do not have a contingency plan at all!

They requested UN intervention and assistance to help rescue their doomed troops!

The only troops on the ground who had Armour and Tanks were MALBATT and PAKBATT...

The US wanted to "borrow" our APC's for the rescue mission! Luckily we turned them down!

A rescue plan was made under UN supervision, with the PAKISTANI TANKS taking the lead and Malaysian APC's to be designated as the rescue vehicle for the dead and injured US forces

The rescue mission was schedule for a NIGHT operations under darkness!

As the column roll out towards the Bakara Market - the Pakistani Tanks turned around and the APC's proceeded into the target area.

Their excuse given later was - "WE DON'T HAVE NIGHT VISION CAPABILITIES" - PAKISTANI TANK COMMANDER ON THE GROUND

The MALBATT went in shooting and firing, all guns blazing like a HOLLYWOOD MOVIE!

MANY DIED, INNOCENT AS WELL AS THE OLD, CHILDREN, MEN & WOMEN! FLYING BULLETS DO NOT CHOOSE ITS TARGET !
IT JUST HITS AND KILLS! REPORTEDLY HUNDREDS DIED !

The late Cpl Aznan Awang who hails from Kampong Parit Panjang, Baling, Kedah was shot at by the SOMALI militiamen with a RPG-7 during the mission.

HE WAS A DRIVER AND HIS JOB IS TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ENGINE RUNNING AND WAIT FOR THE RESCUE OPERATIONS TO COMPLETE AND DRIVE HOME!

HIS LAST WORDS WAS: "YA ALLAH DAH SAMPAI DAH" !

HE SPOKE OVER THE RADIO HEADSET,WHICH WAS OVER HIS HEAD, ALL THE TROOPS CONNECTED ONTO THE RADIO NET HEARD HIS VERY LAST WORDS!

HE DIED A DEATH WHICH WE SAY WAS HEROIC AND HE SACRIFICED HIS VERY OWN LIFE TO SAVE THAT OF 75 LIVES OF US TROOPS.

WAS IT WORTH IT?

The Movie "Blackhawk Down" was a pure propaganda of the US Army for all its Military failures around the world, not only in Somalia.

They created "Rambo" to redeem their pride after their failure in Vietnam, big time, the scenes which the Vietcong Loved was a Helicopter being pushed into the sea, just before they abandon ship!

FOLKS BE REMINDED THAT HOLLYWOOD IS JUST A PROPAGANDA TOOL OF THE CIA!

As a result of this dramatic rescue mission, the men who fought bravely were honoured with gallantry awards, they are:

SP
The late Cpl Mat Aznan bin Awang – SP.

PGB
Maj Abd Aziz bin Abd Latif – PGB.
Capt Mohd Halim bin Khalid – PGB.
Lt Khairul Anuar bin Abd Aziz – PGB.
2Lt Muhamad Juraimy bin Ariffin – PGB.
L/Cpl Rizal bin Ismail – PGB.
L/Cpl Sabri bin Ahmad - PGB

KPK
Cpl Abd Manaf bin Mohamad
L/Cpl Abu Bakar bin Hassan
L/Cpl Rasdi bin Abdullah
L/Cpl Sulaiman bin Abd Aziz
L/Cpl Aziz bin Bakaratullah
L/Cpl Abdullah bin Din
Pte Norazam bin Baharom


JUST ANOTHER SOLDIER...WHO HATES WAR....

Nickname: C/S Tycoon

Mohd Arshad Raji said...

Dear Komando,

Thanks for the correction. My only hope is to see Mushaaraf's lies be corrected. Had I been the commander, I would have written to the UN to put right the story.

G.Jeyaganesh said...

The problem with our generals are they are not articulated in the art of presentation and arguing their case. Most of the them has become subservient to political masters, that they just follow orders withou giving a hoot about their soldiers welfare and sacrifices. It is a fact that the mech element of the Malaysian Army rescued the beleagured US Rangers and SOF. However when the movie Black Hawk down depicted the MAlaysian soldiers negatively, none of the generals came to rebutt the depiction. In fact when the former CO of MALBATT was interviewed by TV3 on their role he could only muster "ye...memang kami berada disana" without further eloborating. The main problem with our top echelon in the armed forces is they are devoid of any constructive argument when confronted with questions.
As for the men who took part in rescuing the american, hats off to you guys...

Regards
G.Jeyaganesh

FMZam said...

Dear Dato' Arshad,

At the time you sent your email to the then CDF Aziz Zainal, I wonder where that man had put his concern over a matter that deserves his attention to at least give his reply whatever reply it might be, but yet he chose to ignore. Surely he could have answered you by just one sentence it would have not taken him more than a few minutes of his golf time. By him doing that to you, I am sure you too had learned just what kind of a person Aziz Zainal was by his INACTION, right Dato'? Just as we all can know what kind of a person is Pervez Mushaaraf by reading his LIES.

While Mushaaraf put his lies documented in a book that will remain as a written account for a long time for all to read and dig, we were left only with nothing better than just resentment that even our Aziz Zainal The Great had refused to at least do his part as the Chief of the mighty Malaysian Military in telling Musharaaf our side of the fact of the Pakistani's fiction. But I expect supposedly Musharaaf turned deaf ear to Aziz Zainal, we all would be proud of him if he could have just assigned a military officer to publish a true account on the incident in a book, so we would have a documented proof that would have made Mushaaraf's book and the movie Black Hawk Down as nothing but fictions.

Pervez Musharaaf is still alive and we still have time to tell him that he is lying while he is still alive, not waiting until he died and too late to see our truth is acknowledged by the very man who defaced it.

Now if our military chief has the guts to do just that without having to beg Musharaaf to correct his lies? Where are all those good military historians and what have they been doing about this? Or is it that our own military is the one who is of the couldn't care attitude?

Then, don't blame Musharaaf for he had actually did us good by waking us up from our deep sleep and letting our pride slipped through our fingers.

Kamal Sanusi said...

Salam Dato'

Can I say that we are doing a donkey job and credit goes to other due the weaknesses of our own military top rank?

They should fight till kingdom come to correct the fact that it is Malaysian Military who did the job and not Pakistan.

The sky is the limit and I hope the current military top rank and KERAjaan should take the lead in correcting the lies effectively and efficiently rather than just playing golf.

Likewise, I would say KERAjaan and those Punk-5 are treating our military personnel as a donkey.

Mawar_Rimba said...

Datuk and Gentlemen, If i am not wrong, there were some Testimonials and thank you letters from the UN Sec Gen and from the US Forces for the Malaysians' Bravey action during The Bakara Market Incident. I also personally met one of the US Rangers officer during my tour in Bosnia in year 1996. I was attached to one of Multi National Div HQ. When i first reported to this HQ, this particular officer came to know that a Malaysia Officer just reported to this HQ, he came looking for me. You know what was his first reaction, he came and hug me with tears in his eyes. Being a lady, i was shock. The he told me that he was directly involve in the Bakara Market Incident and did not have any chance to thank the Malaysian troop because her medivac out right after the incident. You know what he told me, he said, the Malaysia soldiers are either stupid or really brave and crazy. With all these shooting going on around the Malaysian Troop went in and rescued the US soldiers and even some Malaysian soldiers left their vehicles to drag some of the injured US soldiers into the condors. Nothing was mention about the Pakis. Actually, for the US soldiers who were involved in this incident either fron the Rangers or the Detachment, they are very greatful to the Malaysian.

Mawar Terjun

BE PROUD
STAY AIRBONE

komando said...

BAKARA MARKET INCIDENT -- PART II

The Military bosses that we have today, yesterday and years ago are also politicians mind you !

Only a very rare few are NOT !

I was in a position to rebutt the MOVIE, and I did the most I could, to go live on the AIR in NTV7...I got the MALBATT Commander himself to say something....but.....!

The rest is HISTORY also!

Trust Dato Pak Chad can publish my BOOK one day - SOMALIA THE UNTOLD STORY.

Not to make money but to tell the world the true story!

The movie makers in HOLLYWOOD claimed that the movie was based on a real account..a true story ..it was a bloody fat LIE!

GO BUY THE CD AND WATCH/LISTEN CAREFULLY WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT THE MALAYSIAN TROOPS!

The US Forces who were saved by us were very great-ful and thankful indeed... YES !

OR ELSE ALL WOULD HAVE DIED !

Does anybody know what the US Senate and all its members were saying ?

They criticize us for the delayed rescue mission, blaming us for dragging our feet and slow to react!

Only the men on the Ground were truly thankful: They showed their appreciation by saying nice things to us and even to the effect of saying:"The Malaysian troops are the best troops in the world, second only to US".

They even had a live fire demonstration organized specially for us only. The might of the US C-130 Aerial Platform for 105MM Howitzer, The 20mm Canon & the Gatlin Gun. They called it the "Flying Dragon" which can fire at will and at AN automatic command system!

Please do not hope that the UN HQ will ever reveal any truth about any operations, ever!

They are the dirtiest crooks and most unaccountable organization on this planet!

They are there to make big bucks and let any conflict deteriorate so that the more death and more destruction the better it is for their "CRONY CONTRACTORS' to make mega bucks!

BEEN THERE, SEEN IT, KNOW ABOUT IT AND CAN'T CHANGE NO NOTHING...ITS D...I...R...T...Y !

Unknown said...

Dato',
You are absolutely right in branding the Pakistani escorts cowards.
From the report of the Board Of Inquiry (unsurprisingly headed by a Pakistani officer of the rank of Lt Kol) the reason given by the Pakistani detachment commander to discontinue providing tank escort to the US rescue party being conveyed in Malbat APCs was that they lack night fighting capability.
What utter rubbish. What actually happened was during the advance to contact, the moment the Van Guard consisting of M60 tanks came under heavy fire from the Somalis, they turned tail leaving the hapless APCs behind to continue with the rescue effort. Because of this, the US special forces and Malbat personnel suffered heavy casualties.
Kudos to the US Special Forces for their daring and galantry..
Bah...to the Pakistanis and Musharraf. Memang tak boleh pakai punya...

komando said...

WIRA - YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG !

THE CULPRITS ARE THE US FORCES !

THE REAL HEROES THE MALBATT I UNOSOM II FORCES!

THE PAKISTANI ARE REALISTIC PEOPLE, THEY "DID NOT" WANT TO KILL INNOCENT CIVILIANS !

GET IT !

Unknown said...

Sdr Komando,

Great to note of your book coming. You will do our Troops Proud esp to those who were directly involved.

Lauching of the Book!! Date & Venue A note here too ya.

Salams

Mohd Arshad Raji said...

Dear Komando,

Sure, I can help you with your book, and to even get it published. Do not have any faith in anyone from the army helping; they are lost forever. If your book is to help rebut Musharaaf, then please be assured of my help.

Major D Swami (Retired) said...

Here you are gentlemen, 19th RMR (Mech).Telling the truth about "Black Hawk Down". The Battle of 3 - 4 October Bakara Market

FMZam said...

Komando, I would dedicate this at the back of your book....

In this book titled "Saving Black Hawk Down", the author with his pen name Komando, gives the full account of the actual battle at Bakara Market Somalia whereby a UN military contingent made of a peace keeping detachment of the Malaysian Army Battalion or MALBAT, fighting their way through the line of fire in a mission to rescue the besieged US Rangers from the vicious onslaught of Farah Aidid's soldiers.

This is not a variation of the movie "Black Hawk Down". This is the untold true story of what had really happened, in contrary to Pervez Mushaaraf's book "In the Line of Fire". This is the story of how Malaysian soldiers unselfishly execute a mission in a foreign land to save foreign soldiers from a foreign adversary with sheer courage and bravery and created history never before in Malaysia's military record book where the most medal of honour were accorded in a single incident.

This is the depiction of Malaysian soldiers, the soldiers of the lesser army, went through the moment of truth to display what real soldiers have in common - the uncommon valour.

maurice said...

The one thing which I learned about UN Mission in one particular country, there is no cohesiveness and unity of action among the top leadership.

The head of the the UN Mission, the SRSG (Special Representative of the Secretary General) come from one country, the Force Commander/Chief Military Observer from another and the CAO (Chief Administrative Officer) from UN HQ, New York.

Coming from different background, they have different interests and agenda.It is not easy to get any solid support from them.

F said...

Numerous after-action reports agree on the fact that the Pakistani's turned back, it had nothing to do with them not wanting to cause civilian casualties! With women and children mingling with gunmen and being in the area, avoiding civilian casualties in the pitch of battle and in darkness, would have been very hard.

Whilst on a train in England in 98, I met an ex-U.S. army corporal who was at Bakara Market. He was in the relief convoy and confirmed that the Pakistani's turned back. It seems morale was low as only a few months before, 24 Pakistani's were killed in an ambush.

Below are excerpts [from the late 90's] from the Q & A section on Mark Bowden's [Blackhawk Down author] site, on the role played by the Malaysian army at Bakara Market.

[Q]''Mark,your story covers the ordeal of the brave Rangers as it richly deserves.If the multi-national rescue operation (without which the tragedy would have been many times worse) has a place in your account, you need to do some homework on the role of Malaysian and Pakistani soldiers.There is a lot they did,at the risk of their lives,to rescue men that were not their compatriots,that is not mentioned in your account.Some Rangers/10th Mountain veterans may like to comment? Most Malaysian or Pakistani soldiers dont own computers,nor have access to the internet,nor speak English. ''Marka,

F said...

continued...

[Q]In your writing, I found very little about the contribution of Malaysian Army during the rescue effort. I understand that one of our hero was fallen in that fight and nine others were injured. From the record most American Comanders had give a good remaks on how our army handling the situation. They are a good soldiers and well trained army. I hope you should commnded their barve contribution to save American soldiers. ''
Sulaiman''

[A]'The American soldiers I have interviewed have highly praised the selfless heroism of the Malaysian soldiers who risked and gave their lives to help them ''Mark Bowden'

[Q]Mark,thanks for the response(session 16).The Malaysian actions are better covered,as some US QRF soldiers travelled in their APCs,once the rescue convoy moved out.Let me give you what I have on the Pakistani side.The Pakistanis were requested to protect,lead and guide the convoy to the final RV,protect it during the halt,and bring up the rear on the way out.Their response was quick-they reached the New Port at 1800,followed at 1845 by the Malaysians and 2100 by the US troops.The Pakistani force was a tank platoon (M-48 tanks) and a mech inf platoon (M-113 APCs).Three dozen or so men,in all.The rescue convoy was led by this force,leaving at 2335,followed by Malaysians,then US troops.The Pakistanis drew heavy auto and mortar fire 300 yds ahead of Strong point 207 on National Street,fought through it till the junction of National and Hawal Wadag Streets.From arrival here till departure at 0530 (4 Oct),this body of Pakistani troops fought a standing gun battle,in the open,against Somali militia in dark side streets and dominating buildings,armed with small arms,auto weapons,RPG-7s and mortars.To protect the rescue convoy all available ordnance was fired,as the troops waited for the Ra. Sorry my question was cut.....waited for the Rangers.The Malaysian/US convoy left,leaving many Rangers on the ground (Mark you mentioned that).Here the mech platoon commander decided that,although he was tasked to protect the convoy,not carry Rangers,he would take as many as he could.He waited under gunfire and took aboard two dozen plus Rangers,packed like sardines with his riflemen (the exact number is not known).The Rangers inside told the commander GO!GO! He said he would wait a little to take stragglers.He left his APC under fire,dragged a wounded Ranger who was slowly crawling on the ground and eased him into his APC.As the withdrawal began,the APCs wireless antenna was shot off by an auto burst.Fire intensified as the force moved and a Pakistani soldier was hit in the face by shrapnel from a mortar round.The firefight continued till contact was broken and the force finally reached the Soccer Stadium. In the heat of the moment,many Rangers would not remember whuch APCs they travelled in.The Malaysians drove unfamiliar,white painted,wheeled APCs that were empty.The Pakistanis had familiar greem M-113 APCs that were manned by riflemen.I request those Rangers who owe their lives to these men to please come on the net and tell their story.Mark,sorry for the long piece,I felt obliged to give you what you may not know,but is relevent,for your newspaper series and book.I leave the rest to you.Good luck!
Marka

[Q]Thanks for that, Marka. There will be more about the giant rescue convoy, and everyone involved, in the book. Mark Bowden

Mohd Arshad Raji said...

Dear Mej Swami,

Thanks for the info. The more we talk about the Bakara Market incident, the more the truth is revealed. Hence, a book to expose the truth is appropriate. To this end, Komando's attempt to document the incident must be supported.

Capt's Longhouse said...

dato,

,,,in fact, every fighting soldier has his own story to tell and many unfortunately had never been made known to others.
,,,perhaps with the internet plus blogging, more of it will come out in the open.
,,,as for Gen. Mushaarraf, my guess is that he got his interesting feedback from his men, some died too at the battle field as such we might wrongly figure it out as propaganda !. His version might just be for his troops ?. As their leader, he has to keep their moral high, i figure-lah.
,,,The BIG question is, what about our Malaysian Leader himself ?..why is he keeping quiet or acting dumb ?. Why can't he be our spokeman too ?. He was our Defence Minster once yaa.
,,,Just maybe, we should get BOLLYWOOD from India to make a movie out of this incident or fire fight AND am dead sure Gen. Mushaarraf story line will be checked out accordingly by the bollyIndians. It would indeed, be a great movie-lah.

Capt's Longhouse said...

dear komamdo,

,,,just ignore the brainless individual-lah. Cool it bro. hahaha
indeed, you have earned your foc visit to kapas !...drop in anytime. We will go shark feeding, guess what should be utilized as bait ?.