Bangladesh, Global Warming and Islamic Extremism ('Hurricane' Sidr)...

Bangladesh, Global Warming and Islamic Extremism

Why Cyclone Sidr Should Matter to the U.S. Media

Bangladesh could be ground zero for the geo-strategic fallout from global warming, if some of the nation's best national security minds have it right. And that makes Cyclone Sidr a big glaring warning signal. Shockingly, it's a warning signal that the major U.S. media is ignoring.

Cyclone Sidr is, as I write, churning with Category 4 strength toward Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal, where nine of the world's 13 deadliest hurricanes have struck. The official forecast, which has proven unreliable so far for this storm, predicts a decrease in strength to Category 1 storm before landfall -- still a formidable force.

The critical issues that will determine the destruction and death visited on Bangladesh and/or northeastern India, as our Storm Pundit points out, is the strength of the storm at landfall and the size of the storm surge. (Other than The Daily Green, the only big names in U.S. media to report on the cyclone are Bloomberg and Reuters, according to a Google News search.)



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In other words, Cyclone Sidr matters -- not only to the 142 million in its path. Not only to everyone with a conscience and a concern for human life in an unfamiliar part of the world. It should matter to every American, since by now it's abundantly clear that our fortunes have become tied to the fates of nations around the world with extreme Islamic elements.

Global warming could help make Bangladesh into a new ground zero for extremism, and Americans haven't even seen the warning sign flashing. Its says Cyclone Sidr.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/blogs/shapley/bangladesh-global-warming-terrorism-55111408

The Cyclone Sidr 1700 GMT: Please Pray for Us
From this afternoon, the radio, TV and other news media in Bangladesh are broadcasting the highest and imminent maritime great disaster signal number 10 and hoisted the red flag on the maritime ports of Mongla in the SE Bangladesh as well Signal number 9 at the port of Chittagong in the SW coast.

The Cyclone Sidr is expected to hit the coast of Bangladesh with a hurricane force wind and a storm surge forecasted between 10’ to 20’ by tomorrow afternoon, time around 1500hrs BST. 0900 hrs GMT.

The entire disaster management machinery at national and local levels have swung in at full gear. Over 45,000 volunteers are warning people by megaphone and advising them to move to the concrete cyclone shelters in the coastal areas or move inland. By late morning tomorrow, the coasts will be deserted as tens of millions of people will move to the safer areas. All ships and river craft will safely anchor. Medical teams are getting ready and all hospitals are preparing for casualty arrivals by the thousand. Army, police, navy, Red Cross, boy scouts and other such organisations who have been trained in casualty evacuation are ready to move after the storm passes.

This night will be a bee hive of activity for the people of the southern coastal areas, preparing for the impending disaster as all radio stations are giving out warnings every 5 mins. All TV channels have stopped broadcasting usual programmes and are devoted to disaster management advice and the latest news.

Bangladesh will not sleep tonight. The situation room at the Presidents House will be fully manned and I am sure that the ministers will be there at the highest office where the situation will be observed and actions taken. The Police, Army, Navy and Air Force HQs are also manned and they have their own channels of communication and will take action as required.

In spite of all the preparations and actions, there will be ships and fishing boats that will be caught in the storms, houses will collapse and some will not evacuate and take their chances, and thousands of deaths and damages beyond description will certainly take place. We know what these great storms and storm surge of up to 20 feet can do. We know that it is beyond human capacity to save everyone in this densely populated delta. It a tragedy waiting to happen unless God intervenes to save the people.

Above and beyond all, therefore, we pray to Almighty God for deliverance at this hour of calamity as also this is a deeply devout nation who have firm faith in God and His mercy.
Please join us in our prayers to merciful God, at this hour of great danger and disaster that is likely to hit the poor and helpless people of Bangladesh. We know the power of prayer and we value your prayers for us, our dear friends, wherever you are and of whatever religion or nationality that you belong to.

Thank you very much
Mahfooz-ur Rahman
Bangladesh
posted by Mahfooz