Korea Utara Ancam Serang AS

Tuesday, 23 June 2009 SEOUL(SI) – Korea Utara (Korut) yang membanggakan kekuatan nuklirnya kemarin mengancam akan menyerang Amerika Serikat (AS) karena mengikuti salah satu kapal kargo Pyongyang.

Surat kabar corong Pemerintah Korut Rodong Sinmun menyebutkan, Washington telah membangun kekuatan regional dan menuduh upaya kapal perang AS menghentikan dan memeriksa kapal kargo sebagai tindakan ceroboh. ”Omong kosong kalau Korut merupakan ancaman bagi AS. Sebaliknya,Pemerintah AS adalah pihak yang mengancam Korut. Korut siap menyerang balik jika diserang,” demikian salah satu pernyataan yang ditulis Rodong Sinmun.

”Sepanjang negara kami menjadi kekuatan nuklir, AS sebaiknya mencermati dengan siapa mereka berhadapan,” demikian yang ditulis Rodong dalam editorialnya. ”Merupakan kesalahan besar bagi AS jika berpikir mereka bisa aman jika memulai perang di Semenanjung Korea.” Ancaman itu dikeluarkan Korut setelah Presiden AS Barack Obama dalam sebuah wawancara di CBS yang ditayangkan kemarin mengatakan,Washington bersiaga penuh untuk menghadapi potensi peluncuran rudal Korut ke arah teritorial AS.

”Pemerintahan ini –dan militer kita– bersiaga penuh untuk menghadapi segala kemungkinan,”ujar Obama saat ditanya tentang kemungkinan Korut akan menembakkan rudal ke arah Hawaii sekitar tanggal 4 Juli, tepat pada perayaan Hari Kemerdekaan AS. Ketika ditanya apakah pernyataannya itu merupakan peringatan Washington untuk respons militer, Obama menjawab, ”Tidak. Ini hanya pernyataan bahwa kita disiagakan untuk kemungkinan apa saja.Saya tidak mau berspekulasi.

Tapi, saya juga ingin memberikan jaminan kepada rakyat Amerika bahwa jika T (teritori) dilanggar dan I disiapkan untuk apa pun yang terjadi.” Polling Gallup yang dirilis pekan lalu menemukan 51% warga Amerika yakin Korut melancarkan ancaman langsung terbesar ke keamanan AS, disusul Iran, Iran, Afghanistan,dan Pakistan. Ketegangan di wilayah Semenanjung Korea memang meningkat akhir-akhir ini, terutama setelah Korut meluncurkan roket jarak jauh pada 5 April silam, yang dilanjutkan tes nuklir kedua pada 25 Mei.

Upaya tersebut membuat Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa (PBB) akhirnya memutuskan memberikan sanksi lebih berat lagi terhadap negeri komunis tersebut karena dianggap mengancam perdamaian dunia. Bersama dengan PBB, AS menerapkan larangan ekspor dan blokade pengapalan ke Korut sebagai langkah mengisolasi Korut mendapatkan suplai bahan persenjataan yang bisa menjadi komponen rudal. Namun, sanksi PBB itu ditanggapi Korut dengan ancaman tes uji coba rudal balistik lainnya yang diduga bisa menjangkau wilayah Hawai,AS,kampung halaman Obama.

Sejumlah sumber mengatakan, Korut telah bersiap melakukan tes rudal balistik yang kemungkinan diluncurkan bertepatan dengan Hari Kemerdekaan AS,4 Juli. Sementara itu, langkah AS menghadapi rencana uji coba nuklir Korut juga dilakukan dengan meningkatkan kesiagaan di wilayah perairan, meski hal ini kemudian memunculkan kemarahan Korut. Militer AS telah meningkatkan pertahanannya di Hawaii atas kemungkinan peluncuran rudal Pyonyang ke arah pulau itu.

Menteri Pertahanan Robert Gates telah menyetujui penempatan senjata Theatre High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) yang ditujukan untuk menembak jatuh rudal balistik. Sementara itu, pemimpin Korut Kim Jong-il disebut sedang sehat dan kekuasaan masih kuat.Dia butuh memamerkan kekuatan militernya untuk mengkonter pemberontakan dari dalam negeri.

”Ketidakstabilan sosial telah meningkat di Korut.Jadi Kim Jongil harus terus memperkuat basis kekuatan domestiknya,”ujar Menteri Unifikasi Korea Selatan (Korsel) Hyun In-taek. (AFP/Rtr/sugeng wahyudi)

AS versus Taliban

Ibarat kata pepatah "Senjata Makan Tuan", itulah yang dialami AS sekarang dalam menghadapi perlawanan para pejuang Taliban di Afghanistan. Menurut John Meyer dari lembaga Government Accountability Office (GAO), para pejuang Taliban telah memanfaatkan teknologi militer AS untuk melakukan serangan mematikan terhadap pasukan AS dan NATO di Afghanistan.

"Dari pembicaraan kami dengan Departemen Pertahanan, para teroris mengenakan seragam tentara AS dan peralatan sinar infra merah untuk menyerang pasukan AS dan aliansinya dalam medan pertempuran dan di basis-basis militer," kata Meyer seperti dikutip surat kabar Washington Post, edisi Senin (22/6).

Dalam laporannya, GAO menyatakan, para pejuang Taliban mengenakan peralatan yang dilengkapi sinar infra merah-peralatan yang didisain militer AS untuk melindungi tentaranya agar terhindar dari target tembakan saat pertempuran-dalam serangan-serangannya. Dengan menggunakan sinar infra merah itu, kata GAO, para pejuang Taliban bisa dengan mudah melakukan penetrasi tanpa dicurigai sebagai musuh.

Menurut GAO, para pejuang Taliban mendapatkan peralatan itu dari penjualan di internet karena alat tersebut bisa dibeli dengan sangat mudah melalui pembayaran elektronik dan harganya pun tidak terlalu mahal, hanya sekitar 10 dollar per unit.

GAO mengklaim telah melakukan investigasi dan menemukan para pembeli menggunakan nama dan perusahaan palsu untuk membeli peralatan infra merah dengan menggunakan kartu kredit. Bahkan pembelian dilakukan di sebuah dealer peralatan militer yang berbasis di New York karena di AS, peralatan itu memang boleh dijual dan dibeli secara bebas.

Masih menurut laporan GAO, selain membeli, para pejuang Taliban mendapatkan peralatan infra merah itu dari hasil rampasan saat melakukan serangan terhadap konvoi pasukan AS di Afghanistan dan konvoi kendaraan pengangkut bahan logistik untuk pasukan AS dan NATO di wilayah Pakistan.

Laporan GAO ini membuat sejumlah anggota legislatif AS khawatir dan mengingatkan militer AS agar membatasi peredaran peralatan militer semacam itu.

Sejak invasi AS ke Afghanistan yang berhasil menumbangkan pemerintahan Taliban, pasukan Taliban melakukan taktik perang gerilya untuk melawan kehadiran pasukan asing. Laporan-laporan terakhir menyebutkan bahwa Taliban makin canggih dan mampu melengkapi dirinya dengan peralatan peran berteknologi tinggi.

Militer AS sendiri mengakui bahwa pasukannya dan pasukan NATO di Afghanistan "kedodoran" dalam menghadapi perlawanan Taliban. Tahun 2008 diakui AS sebagai tahun paling mematikan bagi pasukan dan aliansinya sejak invasi AS ke negeri itu tahun 2001. Sepanjang tahun kemarin, sedikitnya 290 tentara asing dan 1.000 pasukan militer Afghanistan tewas akibat serangan Taliban.

Apa Arti Sebuah Nama?

Apalah arti sebuah nama" begitu kata bijak. Tapi di Ausralia, nama sangat penting bagi para pencari pekerja karena nama bisa mempengaruhi peluang mendapatkan kerjaan bagi seseorang.

Hal itu terungkap dalam hasil studi yang yang dilakukan oleh para akademisi di Australian National University. Menurut hasil studi itu, pencari kerja dengan nama-nama Anglo Saxon lebih mudah mendapatkan pekerjaan dibandingakan yang menggunakan nama yang menunjukkan identitas etnis mereka.

Dalam melakukan risetnya, para periset mengirimkan 4.000 riwayat hidup palsu dengan menggunakan berbagai nama mulai dari nama-nama China, Timur Tengah, Italia dan nama-nama khas Anglo Saxon atau nama-nama khas Eropa ke perusahaan-perusahaan yang memasang iklan lowongan kerja di Sdyney, Melbourne dan Brisbane.

Ekonom Andrew Leigh yang menyusun hasil studi itu mengatakan, mereka sengaja mengirimkan CV dengan menggunakan beragam nama dari berbagai etnis sehingga bisa melakukan penilaian dengan tepat sejauh mana diskriminasi terjadi.

Dan hasilnya, pihak perusahaan ternyata lebih menyukai pelamar kerja dengan nama-nama Anglo Saxon dibandingkan dengan nama-nama asing atau nama yang menunjukkan etnis pelamar kerja bersangkutan. "Karena semua karakteristik yang lain konstan, kami memastikan bahwa memang ada diskriminasi," demikian laporan hasil studi tersebut.

Hasil riset menunjukkan bahwa seorang yang bernama China dan Timur Tengah harus membuat lamaran sebesar 64-68 persen lebih banyak untuk mendapatkan kesempatan dipanggil dan diwawancarai oleh sebuah perusahaan. Laporan itu mencontohkan pengalaman Radga Ali saat melamar pekerjaan di perusahaan-perusahaan.

Ali yang tinggal di Sydney menceritakan, ia pernah mengirimkan banyak lamaran kerja untuk berbagai posisi di bidang penjualan yang tidak membutuhkan pengalaman. Meski Ali berpengalaman dua tahun di bidang administrasi penjualan. Meski banyak surat lamaran yang dikirimnya, tak satu pun yang mendapat respon. Ia menduga namanya yang berbau Timur Tengah sebagai penyebabnya.

"Saya lalu memutuskan untuk mengubah nama saya secara hukum dan menggunakan nama Gabriella Hannah," tutur Ali.

Setelah itu, ia banyak menerima panggilan kerja. "Saya pernah melamar untuk jenis pekerjaan yang sama, dan langsung menerima panggilan lewat telepon 30 menit setelah saya mengirimkan lamaran," ujarnya.

Untuk mengetahui apakah diskriminasi tidak hanya terjadi di sektor lapangan kerja. Para periset di Australian National University melakukan eksperimen dengan mengirimkan email ke ribuan orang untuk melihat apakah penerima email akan membuang email yang dikirim ke "tempat sampah". Menurut profesor Leigh, surat-surat dengan naman non-Anglo Saxon cenderung dikembalikan.

Hasil studi tersebut menunjukkan bahwa diskriminasi masih kental dikalangan masyarakat Australia. Dan pernyataan bahwa negara Australia adalah melting pot bisa jadi cuma omong kosong belaka.

(Diolah dari eramuslim.com)

Carter : AS Harus Cabut Hamas dari Daftar Teroris

Mantan Presiden AS Jimmy Carter menyatakan akan menemui pemerintahan Barack Obama dalam dua hari ini untuk membahas hasil kunjungannya ke Timur Tengah, termasuka Jalur Gaza. Carter akan meminta pemerintahan AS untuk mencabut Hamas dari daftar organisasi teroris.

Sejak memenangkan pemilu di Palestina, AS dan Uni Eropa memasukkan Hamas ke dalam daftar organisasi teroris hanya karena Hamas menolak mengakui eksistensi Israel. AS dan Uni Eropa juga mengisolasi Hamas dan melarang bantuan-bantuan disalurkan pada Hamas.

Bagi Hamas, Israel adalah negara ilegal yang dibangun di atas tanah dan penderitaan rakyat Palestina. Bahkan sejumlah aktivis hak asasi manusia Israel, seperti Uri Davis, mengakui bahwa Israel adalah "kekuatan kolonial terakhir di dunia" yang secara terbuka melakukan "penyiksaan, penahanan tanpa proses hukum, perampasan tanah untuk alasan keamanan dan memberlakukan hukuman kolektif" terhadap rakyat Palestina.

Pemenang hadiah Nobel Perdamaian dan tokoh anti-apartheid dari Afrika Selatan, Uskup Desmond Tutu menyamakan perlakuan Israel terhadap rakyat Palestina dengan perlakuan diskriminatif orang kulit putih pada warga kulit hitam pada masa berlakunya kebijakan apartheid di Afrika Selatan.

Dan Jimmy Carter dalam kunjungannya ke Jalur Gaza menyatakan bahwa Israel sudah memperlakukan rakyat Palestina "seperti binatang". Ia menyerukan agar Israel segera mencabut blokadenya di Gaza.

Namun kekejaman dan penjajahan Israel yang makin meluas di wilayah Palestina tidak lepas dari perang AS dan Eropa yang memberikan dukungan buta pada Israel dan tidak pernah memberikan sanksi tegas atas pelanggaran-pelanggaran yang dilakukan rezim Zionis Israel.

(Diolah dari eramuslim.com)

Seraut Wajah Rasulullah

Dalam sebuah hadist, seorang sahabat berkata, bahwa suatu ketika malam bulan purnama yang terang benderang, ia berkali – kali memandangi wajah Rasulullah SAW dan membandingkannya dengan rembulan. Maka didapainya bahwa wajah Rasulullah terkasih lebih indah dari rembulan. Subhanallah.

Rasul adalah manusia biasa, sebagaimana yang lainnya. Keberadaannya adalah agar manusia tahu bagaimanan mesti hidup di dunia. Hidup kita adalah masalah. Bahkan kematian bukanlah akhir dari masalah, bahkan menjadi awal dari masalah terbesar yang harus kita hadapi.

Hidup memang masalah, banyak kesulitan melanda dan peluang untuk berputus asa tidaklah sempit. Namun Allah Yang Maha Adil-lah membuatnya mudah dengan mengutus Rasul-Nya. “Dan tidak kami utus engkau (Muhammad) kecuali sebagi rahmat bagi semesta alam” (Q.S. Al-Anbiya':107). Kita hidup di akhir zaman, mendapat tantangan berat.

Memegang amanah menjadi khalifatu fil ard, bagai menggenggambara panas.

Allah membuka kesempatan pada hamba-Nya, melalui Rasul panutan umat. Semakin mirip seorang hamba pada Rasulullah, maka semakin dekat dia dengan Allah. Sebab, memang untuk itulah Rasul diutus. Untuk menjadi contoh bagaimana mestinya bersikap.

Maka, mengenal Rasulullah adalah kekayaan yang tak ternilai harganya bagi kita. Rasulullah sungguh-sungguh dicipta oleh Allah untuk menjadi tauladan. Diamnya, pembicarannya pula tindakannya, seluruh ujung rambut sampai pangkal kaki adalah pelajaran. Seluruhnya adalah referensi pembawa keselamatan bagi pengikutnya. Wallahu'alambishawab.

(Di olah dari Majalah Al-Falah)

Khalid ibn Al-Walid, Saifullah Al-Maslul

Nama lengkapnya adalah Khalid bin Walid bin Mughirah bin Abdullah bin Umar bin Makhzum bin Al-Qurasyi, biasa dipanggil Abu Sulaiman, dan digelari Saifullah Al-Maslul (Pedang Allah Yang Terhunus). Ia lebih muda 13 tahun dari Nabi. Ibunya, Ashma, adalah saudara perempuan Ummu Fadlh, Isteri Abbas, paman Nabi.

Ia tidak pernah menggeluti pekerjaan tertentu di masa jahiliyah, menggemari pekerjaan seperti latihan menunggang kuda, lomba pacuan kuda, dan berburu.Ia seorang panglima perang yang terkenal pemberani, penyabar, dan juga dikenal sebagai orator ulung yang fasih. Ia berperang melawan kaum muslimin dalam perang Badar, perang Uhud, dan perang Khandaq.

Saudaranya, Walid, pernah mengirimkan surat padanya dalam rangka mengajaknya masuk Islam. Dalam surat tersebut Walid menuliskan :

“Dengan menyebut nama Allah Yang Maha Pengasih lagi Maha Penyayang. Amma Ba'du.

Sesungguhnya aku belum pernah melihat sesuatu yang paling aneh dari keenggananmu masuk Islam, gunakanlah akal sehatmu! Pantaskah orang seperti anda tidak mengerti tentang Islam?! Rasulullah pernah bertanya kepadaku,”Dimana Khalid?” Aku menjawab, “Mudah-mudahan Allah mendatangkannya.” Nabi mengatakan,”Pantaskah orang seperrti dia tidak mengerti tentang Islam? Seandainya dia menjadikannya dendamnya dan kesungguhannya bersama pasukan kaum muslimin, niscaya hal itu lebih baik baginya, dan kami akan mendahulukannya sebagai panglima perang daripada yang lainnya.” Pikirkanlah wahai saudaraku! Sebab kamu telah kehilangan banyak peluang untuk meraih amal shaleh.”

Setelah masuk Islam, ia meminta pada Rasulullah untuk memohon ampunan kepada Allah bagi dirinya. Rasul pun memohon ampunan pada Allah untuk Khalid dalam rangka memenuhi keinginannya

Ketika melihat ada kelemahan dalam barisan pasukan muslimin dalam perang Al-Yamamah melawan Musailamah Al-Kadzdzab, ia menyerukan untuk memisahkan barisan pasukan kaum muslimin. Ia memisahkan barisan pasukan Muhajjirin kaum dari pasukan kaum Anshar dan memisahkan pasukan tiap kabilah. Dengan strategi ini, pasukan kaum muslimin meraih kemenangan gemilang yang belum pernah mereka raih sebelumnya.

Ketika pemimpin pasukan tentara Romawi bertekad untuk memerangi kaum muslimin, Abu Bakar mengatakan di hadapan kaum muslimin,”Demi Allah, aku akan memerangi mereka dengan Khalid.”

Mahan, panglima pasukan Romawi,pernah mengatakan kepada Khalid,” Kami telah mengetahui bahwa kalian tidak akan keluar dari wilayah kalian kecuali karena kelaparan dan dengan susah payah. Jika kalian mau, aku akan memberi setiap parajurit diantara kalian 10 dinar, pakaian, dan makanan, dengan kompensasi kalian meninggalkan wilayah kami dan kembali ke wilayah kalian.” Khalid dengan tegas menjawab,”Bukan kelaparan yang mendorong kami keluar dari wilayah kami, sebagaimana yang telah anda sebutkan tadi. Tapi kami adalah kaum yang meminum darah. Kami telah mengetahui bahwa tidak ada darah yang paling segar paling baik kecuali darah orang-orang Romawi. Karena itulah kami datang ke wilayah anda!”

Khalid bin Walid adalah panglima perang yang sangat lihai dan cerdik menghadapi musuh dan menghalau pasukan yang ingin melakukan desersi dari pasukannya. Al-Hafizh bin Katsir pernah mensifati Khalid sebagai orang yang tidak pernah tidur dan tidak akan membiarkan pasukannya tertidur. Umar bin Al-Khattab pernah mencopot jabatan Khalid sebagai panglima perang agar orang tidak menjadikan Khalid sebagai fitnah bagi dirinya. Kemudian Umar bermaksud mengangkatnya kembali, tetapi Khalid menolak.

Khalid pernah berkata,”Tiada malam yang dihadiahkan padaku seorang pengantin wanita atau dikabari berita kelahiran seorang putraku yang lebih aku sukai daripada malam yang sangat dingin dalam sebuah misi perang dan pagi harinya aku menyerbu musuh.”

Ketika akan meninggal, ia mengatakan,”Aku telah menyaksikan sekian banyak serdadu. Aku telah menghadapi sekian banyak serdadu dan ditubuhku tidak ada tempat melainkan disana ada bekas tikaman pedang, tombak, dan tusukan anak panah. Dan inilah aku, yang akan mati di atas pembaringanku sebagaimana matinya seekor onta.” Ia meninggal di Himsh atau di Madinah tahun 21 H. Di era modern sekarang ini, strategi-strategi perang Khalid bin Walid masih dipelajari di berbagai universitas di Jerman dan Inggris.

Linkin Park – New Divide

I remembered black skies, the lightning all around me

I remembered each flash, as time began to blur

Like a startling sign, That fate had finally found me

And your voice was all I heard, that get what I deserve

So give me reason to prove me wrong

To wash this memory clean

Let the thoughts cross, The distance in your eyes

Give me reason to fill this hole

Connect the space between, let it fill up to reach the truth and lies

Across this new divide...

There was nothing inside, the memories left abandoned

There was nowhere to hide, the ashes fell like snow

And the ground caved in, between where we were standing

And your voice was all I heard, that get what I deserve

And every loss and every lie

And every truth that you deny

And each regret and each goodbye

Was a mistake too great to hide

And your voice was all I heard, that get what I deserve

So give me reason to prove me wrong

To wash this memory clean

Let the thoughts cross, The distance in your eyes

Give me reason to fill this hole

Connect the space between, let it fill up to reach the truth and lies

Across this new divide...

Perang Dingin

Perang Dingin adalah sebutan bagi sebuah periode di mana terjadi konflik, ketegangan, dan kompetisi antara Amerika Serikat (beserta sekutunya disebut Blok Barat) dan Uni Soviet (beserta sekutunya disebut Blok Timur) yang terjadi antara tahun 1947—1991. Persaingan keduanya terjadi di berbagai bidang: koalisi militer; ideologi, psikologi, dan tilik sandi; militer, industri, dan pengembangan teknologi; pertahanan; perlombaan nuklir dan persenjataan; dan banyak lagi. Ditakutkan bahwa perang ini akan berakhir dengan perang nuklir, yang akhirnya tidak terjadi. Istilah "Perang Dingin" sendiri diperkenalkan pada tahun 1947 oleh Bernard Baruch dan Walter Lippman dari Amerika Serikat untuk menggambarkan hubungan yang terjadi di antara kedua negara adikuasa tersebut.

Setelah AS dan Uni Soviet bersekutu dan berhasil menghancurkan Jerman Nazi, kedua belah pihak berbeda pendapat tentang bagaimana cara yang tepat untuk membangun Eropa pascaperang. Selama beberapa dekade selanjutnya, persaingan di antara keduanya menyebar ke luar Eropa dan merambah ke seluruh dunia ketika AS membangun "pertahanan" terhadap komunisme dengan membentuk sejumlah aliansi dengan berbagai negara, terutama dengan negara di Eropa Barat, Timur Tengah, dan Asia Tenggara.

Meskipun kedua negara adikuasa itu tak pernah bertempur secara langsung, namun konflik di antara keduanya secara tak langsung telah menyebabkan berbagai perang lokal seperti Perang Korea, invasi Soviet terhadap Hungaria dan Cekoslovakia dan Perang Vietnam. Hasil dari Perang Dingin termasuk (dari beberapa sudut pandang) kediktatoran di Yunani dan Amerika Selatan. Krisis Rudal Kuba juga adalah akibat dari Perang Dingin dan Krisis Timur Tengah juga telah menjadi lebih kompleks akibat Perang Dingin.

Dampak lainnya adalah terbaginya Jerman menjadi dua bagian yaitu Jerman Barat dan Jerman Timur yang dipisahkan oleh Tembok Berlin. Namun ada pula masa-masa di mana ketegangan dan persaingan di antara keduanya berkurang. Perang Dingin mulai berakhir di tahun 1980-an ketika Pemimpin Uni Soviet Mikhail Gorbachev meluncurkan program reformasi, perestroika dan glasnost. Secara konstan, Uni Soviet kehilangan kekuatan dan kekuasaannya terhadap Eropa Timur dan akhirnya dibubarkan pada tahun 1991.

Latar belakang

Kehadiran dan kekuatan Nazi Jerman memaksa pasukan Sekutu Barat dan pasukan Soviet bersatu untuk menghadapinya. Bagaimanapun, sejak awal aliansi antara Uni Soviet, negara komunis pertama di dunia, Amerika Serikat, negara kapitalis terkaya di dunia, dan Britania Raya, kerajaan terbesar di dunia, diwarnai oleh saling ketidakpercayaan dan tekanan ideologi.

Masalah Ambalat

Mungkin kita sudah tidak asing lagi dengan berita pelanggaran wilayah kita oleh Malaysia pada 7 hari ini. Tentunya kita, sebagai warga negara Indonesia, sangat gemas pada aksi provokasi yang dilakukan oleh Malaysia. Jangankan pelanggaran batas wilayah, dahulu saja kita sudah sering mendengar berita bahwa, banyak TKI yang bekerja di Malaysia yang berangkat menuju Negeri Jiran untuk mencari nafkah, ternyata pulang membawa nama. Belum lagi, beberapa diantara kita pernah mendengar bahwa Malaysia sering menggeser patok perbatasan dengan Indonesia terutama di perbatasan darat.

Namun kita perlu sedikit lega (sekaligus berharap kejadian terburuk tak pernah terjadi), pasalnya, TNI AL telah menempatkan ± 6 kapal perang. Bahkan TNI AL mengikutsertakan salah satu kapal terbaru mereka dari kelas SIGMA. Dan menempatkan pesawat patroli maritim NC-212 Nomad.

Jika kita berpikir bahwa alutsista kita sudah berjenggot dan terlalu empuk, mari kita lihat kapal perang Malaysia yang sama sebelas duabelasnya dengan kapal perang kita. Namun kita patut berbangga bahwa dalam peringkat militer dunia, negara kita berada ditingkat yang tidak mengecewakan, yakni peringkat ke-13 dunia. Tapi kita tetap tidak boleh meremehkan kekuatan lawan.

Dahulu, semasa Presiden Soekarno berkuasa, kita pernah juga berkonfrontasi dengan Malaysia, yakni dalam Dwikora. Sebenarnya penulis tidak terlalu tahu banyak tentang Konfrontasi dengan Malaysia ini namun, sejauh penulis tahu, ABRI berhasil membungkam 200 orang SAS walaupun kita harus kehilangan 2000 orang KOPASSUS (Lihat: Wikipedia Indonesia).

Yang kita sayangkan adalah, tindakan pemerintah Malaysia yang tampak setengah hati dalam diplomasi. Tentunya kita tidak ingin lagi kehilangan pulau tercinta kita seperti pada provokasi Malaysia masalah Ambalat yang lalu. Namun sebagai negara yang cinta damai, kita harus mendahulukan diplomasi sebelum senjata. Maka dari itu sebagai warga negara yang baik, kita harus belajar dengan giat dan menjadi orang yang berkualitas agar negara kita tidak menjadi bulan-bulanan lagi.

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Linkin Park - Forgotten

Chorus:
From the top to the bottom
(Bottom to top I stop)
At the core I've forgotten
(In the middle of my thoughts)
Taken far from my safety
(The picture is there )
The memory won't escape me
But why should I care (2x)

There's a place so dark you can't see the end
(Skies cock back) and shock that which can't defend
The rain then sends dripping acidic questions
Forcefully, the power of suggestion
Then with the eyes tightly shut looking thought the rust and rotten dust
A spot of light floods the floor
And pours over the rusted world of pretend
The eyes ease open and its dark again

Chorus

Bridge:
In the memory you'll find me
Eyes burning up
The darkness holding me tightly
Until the sun rises up

Moving all around
Screaming of the ups and downs
Pollution manifested in perpetual sound
The wheels go round and the sunset creeps past the
Street lamps, chain-link, and concrete
A little piece of paper with a picture drawn
Floats on down the street till the wind is gone
The memory now is like the picture was then
When the paper's crumpled up it can't be perfect again

Chorus
Bridge

Now you got me caught in the act
You bring the thought back
I'm telling you that
I see it right through you (7x)

Bridge (2x)

Obama's speech part 2

That is in Israel's interests, Palestine's interests, America's interests and the world's interests. And that's why I intend to personally pursue this outcome with all of the patience and dedication that the task requires.

The obligations — the obligations that the parties have agreed to under the Road Map are clear. For peace to come, it is time for them and all of us to live up to our responsibilities.

Palestinians must abandon violence. Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and it does not succeed. For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights. It was a peaceful and determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America's founding.

This same story can be told by people from South Africa to South Asia, to Eastern Europe to Indonesia. It's a story with a simple truth: violence is a dead end. It is a sign neither of courage nor power to shoot rockets at sleeping children or to blow up old women on a bus. That's not how moral authority is claimed, that's how it is surrendered.

Now is the time for Palestinians to focus on what they can build. The Palestinian Authority must develop its capacity to govern with institutions that serve the needs of its people.

Hamas does have support among some Palestinians, but they also have to recognize they have responsibilities, to play a role in fulfilling Palestinian aspirations, to unify the Palestinian people, Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, recognize Israel's right to exist.

At the same time, Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel's right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine's. The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.

(APPLAUSE)

This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.

(APPLAUSE)

And Israel must also live up to its obligation to ensure that Palestinians can live and work and develop their society. Just as it devastates Palestinian families, the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza does not serve Israel's security, neither does the continuing lack of opportunity in the West Bank.

Progress in the daily lives of the Palestinian people must be a critical part of a road to peace. And Israel must take concrete steps to enable such progress.

And, finally, the Arab states must recognize that the Arab Peace Initiative was an important beginning, but not the end of their responsibility. The Arab-Israeli conflict should no longer be used to distract the people of Arab nations from other problems. Instead, it must be a cause for action to help the Palestinian people develop the institutions that will sustain their state, to recognize Israel's legitimacy and to choose progress over a self-defeating focus on the past.

America will align our policies with those who pursue peace, and we will say in public what we say in private to Israelis and Palestinians and Arabs.

We cannot impose peace. But privately, many Muslims recognize that Israel will not go away. Likewise, many Israelis recognize the need for a Palestinian state.

It is time for us to act on what everyone knows to be true. Too many tears have been shed, too much blood has been shed.

All of us have a responsibility to work for the day when the mothers of Israelis and Palestinians could, can see their children grow up without fear, when the holy land of the three great faiths is the place of peace that God intended it to be, when Jerusalem is a secure and lasting home for Jews and Christians and Muslims and a place for all of the children of Abraham to mingle peacefully together as in the story of Isra — as in the story of Isra, when Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed — peace be upon them — joined in prayer.

(APPLAUSE)

I know, and you can tell from this audience, that there is a healthy debate about this issue. I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal. But I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality.

(APPLAUSE)

And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well-educated are far more likely to be prosperous.

Now let me be clear, issues of women's equality are by no means simply an issue for Islam. In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, we've seen Muslim-majority countries elect a woman to lead.

Meanwhile, the struggle for women's equality continues in many aspects of American life and in countries around the world. I am convinced that our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons.

(APPLAUSE)

Our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity, men and women, to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal. And I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice.

That is why the United States will partner with any Muslim-majority country to support expanded literacy for girls and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams.

(APPLAUSE)

Finally, I want to discuss economic development and opportunity. I know that for many, the face of globalization is contradictory. The Internet and television can bring knowledge and information but also offensive sexuality and mindless violence into the home.

Trade can bring new wealth and opportunities but also huge disruptions and change in communities. In all nations, including America, this change can bring fear; fear that, because of modernity, we lose control over our economic choices, our politics, and most importantly, our identities, those things we most cherish about our communities, our families, our traditions and our faith.

But I also know that human progress cannot be denied. There need not be contradictions between development and tradition. Countries like Japan and South Korea grew their economies enormously while maintaining distinct cultures. The same is true for the astonishing progress within Muslim majority countries from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai.

In ancient times and in our times, Muslim communities have been at the forefront of innovation and education. And this is important because no development strategy can be based only upon what comes out of the ground nor can it be sustained while young people are out of work.

Many Gulf States have enjoyed great wealth as a consequence of oil, and some are beginning to focus it on broader development. But all of us must recognize that education and innovation will be the currency of the 21st century. And in too...

(APPLAUSE)

And in too many Muslim communities, there remains underinvestment in these areas. I am emphasizing such investment within my own country. And while America, in the past, has focused on oil and gas when it comes to this part of the world, we new seek a broader engagement.

On education, we will expand change programs and increase scholarships like the one that brought my father to America.

(APPLAUSE)

At the same time, we will encourage more Americans to study in Muslim communities. And we will match promising Muslim students with internships in America, invest in online learning for teachers and children around the world and create a new, online network so a young person in Kansas can communicate instantly with a young person in Cairo.

On economic development, we will create a new core of business volunteers to partner with counterparts in Muslim majority countries. And I will host a summit on entrepreneurship this year to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world.

On science and technology, we will launch a new fund to support technological development in Muslim majority country and to help transfer ideas to the marketplace so they can create more jobs. We will open centers of scientific excellence in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia and appoint new science envoys to collaborate on programs that develop new sources of energy, create green jobs, digitize records, clean water, grow new crops.

Today, I'm announcing a new global effort with the organization of the Islamic Conference to eradicate polio. And we will also expand partnerships with Muslim communities to promote child and maternal health.

All these things must be done in partnership. Americans are ready to join with citizens and governments, community organizations, religious leaders, and businesses in Muslim communities around the world to help our people pursue a better life.

The issues that I have described will not be easy to address, but we have a responsibility to join together to behalf of the world that we seek, a world where extremists no longer threaten our people and American troops have come home; a world where Israelis and Palestinians are each secure in a state of their own and nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes, a world where governments serve their citizens and the rights of all God's children are respected. Those are mutual interests. That is the world we seek. But we can only achieve it together. I know there are many, Muslim and non-Muslim, who question whether we can forge this new beginning. Some are eager to stoke the flames of division and to stand in the way of progress. Some suggest that it isn't worth the effort, that we are fated to disagree and civilizations are doomed to clash.

Many more are simply skeptical that real change can occur. There is so much fear, so much mistrust that has built up over the years. But if we choose to be bound by the past, we will never move forward. And I want to particularly say this to young people of every faith in every country. You more than anyone have the ability to reimagine the world, the remake this world.

All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart or whether we commit ourselves to an effort, a sustained effort to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children and to respect the dignity of all human beings.

It's easier to start wars than to end them. It's easier to blame others than to look inward. It's easier to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path. There is one rule that lies at the heart of every religion, that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

(APPLAUSE)

This truth transcends nations and peoples, a belief that isn't new, that isn't black or white or brown, that isn't Christian or Muslim or Jew. It's a belief that pulsed in the cradle of civilization and that still beats in the hearts of billions around the world. It's a faith in other people. And it's what brought me here today.

We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written. The holy Quran tells us: "Mankind, we have created you male and a female. And we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another."

The Talmud tells us: "The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace."

The holy Bible tells us: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

(APPLAUSE)

The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God's vision. Now that must be our work here on Earth.

Thank you. And may God's peace be upon you. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

END

Obama's speech in Cairo, Egypt

Good afternoon. I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, al-Azhar has, had stood as a beacon of Islamic learning. And for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt's advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress.

I'm grateful for your hospitality and the hospitality of the people of Egypt. And I'm also proud to carry with me the good will of the American people and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: Assalamu Alaikum.

(APPLAUSE)

We meet at a time of great tension between the United States and Muslims around the world, tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of coexistence and cooperation but also conflict and religious wars.

More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims and a Cold War in which Muslim majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam.

Violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Muslims. The attacks of September 11, 2001, and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and Western countries but also to human rights.

All this has bred more fear and more mistrust. So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, those who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. And this cycle of suspicion and discord must end.

I've come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap and share common principles, principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.

I do so recognizing that change cannot happen overnight. I know there's been a lot of publicity about this speech, but no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust nor can I answer in the time that I have this afternoon all the complex questions that brought us to this point.

But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly to each other the things we hold in our hearts and that too often are said only behind closed doors. There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other, to learn from each other, to respect one another, and to seek common ground.

As the holy Quran tells us: "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth."

APPLAUSE

That is what I will try to do today, to speak the truth as best I can. Humbled by the task before us and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart.

Now, part of this conviction is rooted in my own experience. I'm a Christian. But my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims. As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and at the fall of dusk.

As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith. As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam at places like al-Azhar that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities...

(APPLAUSE)

It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra, our magnetic compass and tools of navigation, our mastery of pens and printing, our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires, timeless poetry and cherished music, elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.

(APPLAUSE)

I also know that Islam has always been a part of America's story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second president, John Adams, wrote:

"The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims."

And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. They have fought in our wars. They have served in our government. They have stood for civil rights. They have started businesses. They have taught at our universities. They've excelled in our sports arenas. They've won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building and lit the Olympic torch. And when the first Muslim American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same holy Quran that one of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, kept in his personal library.

(APPLAUSE)

So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't. And I consider it part of my responsibility as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.

(APPLAUSE)

But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. Just as...

(APPLAUSE)

Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire. The United States has been one of the greatest sources of progress that the world has ever known. We were born out of revolution against an empire.

We were founded upon the ideal that all are created equal. And we have shed blood and struggled for centuries to give meaning to those words, within our borders and around the world.

We are shaped by every culture. Drawn from every end of the Earth, and dedicated to a simple concept, E pluribus unum: Out of many, one.

Now much has been made of the fact that an African-American with the name Barack Hussein Obama could be elected president.

(APPLAUSE)

But my personal story is not so unique. The dream of opportunity for all people has not come true for everyone in America, but its promise exists for all who come to our shores. And that includes nearly 7 million American Muslims in our country today who, by the way, enjoy incomes and educational levels that are higher than the American average.

Moreover, freedom in America is indivisible from the freedom to practice one's religion. That is why there is a mosque in every state in our union and over 1,200 mosques within our borders. That's why the United States government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it.

So let there be no doubt...

(APPLAUSE)

... let there be no doubt, Islam is a part of America. And I believe that America holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share common aspirations: to live in peace and security, to get an education and to work with dignity, to love our families, our communities, and our God. These things we share. This is the hope of all humanity.

Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. Words alone cannot meet the needs of our people. These needs will be met only if we act boldly in the years ahead. And if we understand that the challenges we face are shared and our failure to meet them will hurt us all.

For we have learned from recent experience that when a financial system weakens in one country, prosperity is hurt everywhere. When a new flu infects one human being, all are at risk. When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations.

When violent extremists operate in one stretch of mountains, people are endangered across an ocean. When innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience.

(APPLAUSE)

That is what it means to share this world in the 21st Century. That is the responsibility we have to one another as human beings. This is a difficult responsibility to embrace, for human history has often been a record of nations and tribes, and, yes, religions subjugating one another in pursuit of their own interests.

Yet in this new age, such attitudes are self-defeating. Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. So whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners to it. Our problems must be dealt with through partnership, our progress must be shared.

(APPLAUSE)

Now, that does not mean we should ignore sources of tension. Indeed, it suggests the opposite. We must face these tensions squarely. And so, in that spirit, let me speak as clearly and as plainly as I can about some specific issues that I believe we must finally confront together.

The first issue that we have to confront is violent extremism in all its forms. In Ankara, I made clear that America is not and never will be at war with Islam.

(APPLAUSE)

We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject, the killing of innocent men, women and children. And it is my first duty as president to protect the American people.

The situation in Afghanistan demonstrates America's goals and our need to work together. Over seven years ago, the United States pursued al-Qaida and the Taliban with broad international support. We did not go by choice. We went because of necessity. I'm aware that there's still some who would question or even justify the offense of 9/11. But let us be clear. Al-Qaida killed nearly 3,000 people on that day.

The victims were innocent men, women and children from America and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. And yet al-Qaida chose to ruthlessly murder these people, claimed credit for the attack, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. They have affiliates in many countries and are trying to expand their reach.

These are not opinions to be debated. These are facts to be dealt with. Make no mistake, we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan. We see no military — we seek no military bases there. It is agonizing for America to lose our young men and women. It is costly and politically difficult to continue this conflict.

We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan, and now Pakistan, determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can. But that is not yet the case.

And that's why we're partnering with a coalition of 46 countries. And despite the costs involved, America's commitment will not weaken. Indeed, none of us should tolerate these extremists. They have killed in many countries. They have killed people of different faiths but, more than any other, they have killed Muslims. Their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of nations, and with Islam.

The holy Quran teaches that whoever kills an innocent is as — it is as it if has killed all mankind.

(APPLAUSE)

And the holy Quran also says whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind.

(APPLAUSE)

The enduring faith of over a billion people is so much bigger than the narrow hatred of a few. Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism; it is an important part of promoting peace.

Now, we also know that military power alone is not going solve the problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan. That's why we plan to invest $1.5 billion each year over the next five years to partner with Pakistanis to build schools and hospitals, roads and businesses, and hundreds of millions to help those who've been displaced.

That's why we are providing more than $2.8 billion to help Afghans develop their economy and deliver services that people depend on.

Now, let me also address the issue of Iraq. Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world. Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, I also believe that events in Iraq have reminded America of the need to use diplomacy and build international consensus to resolve our problems whenever possible.

(APPLAUSE)

Indeed, we can recall the words of Thomas Jefferson, who said: "I hope that our wisdom will grow with our power and teach us that the less we use our power, the greater it will be."

Today America has a dual responsibility to help Iraq forge a better future and to leave Iraq to Iraqis. I have made it clear to the Iraqi people...

(APPLAUSE)

I have made it clear to the Iraqi people that we pursue no basis and no claim on their territory or resources. Iraq's sovereignty is its own. And that's why I ordered the removal of our combat brigades by next August. That is why we will honor our agreement with Iraq's democratically-elected government to remove combat troops from Iraqi cities by July and to remove all of our troops from Iraq by 2012.

(APPLAUSE)

We will help Iraq train its security forces and develop its economy. But we will support a secure and united Iraq as a partner and never as a patron.

And finally, just as America can never tolerate violence by extremists, we must never alter or forget our principles. 9/11 was an enormous trauma to our country. The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable. But in some cases, it led us to act contrary to our traditions and our ideals.

We are taking concrete actions to change course. I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by the United States. And I have ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed by early next year.

(APPLAUSE)

So America will defend itself, respectful of the sovereignty of nations and the rule of law. And we will do so in partnership with Muslim communities, which are also threatened. The sooner the extremists are isolated and unwelcome in Muslim communities, the sooner we will all be safer.

Now, the second major source of tension that we need to discuss is the situation between Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world. America's strong bonds with Israel are well-known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.

Around the world the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries. And anti-Semitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust. Tomorrow I will visit Buchenwald, which was part of a network of camps where Jews were enslaved, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Third Reich.

Six million Jews were killed, more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless. It is ignorant, and it is hateful.

Threatening Israel with destruction or repeating vile stereotypes about Jews is deeply wrong and only serves to evoke in the minds of the Israelis this most painful of memories while preventing the peace that the people of this region deserve.

On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people, Muslims and Christians, have suffered in pursuit of a homeland. For more than 60 years, they've endured the pain of dislocation.

Many wait in refugee camps in the West Bank and Gaza and neighboring lands for a life of peace and security that they have never been able to lead. They endure the daily humiliations, large and small, that come with occupation.

So let there be no doubt, the situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. And America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity and a state of their own.

(APPLAUSE)

For decades, then, there has been a stalemate. Two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive. It's easy to point fingers.

For Palestinians to point to the displacement brought about by Israel's founding and for Israelis to point to the constant hostility and attacks throughout its history, from within its borders as well as beyond.

But if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth. The only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security.

(APPLAUSE

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