Associated Press,  Tue Mar 20 03:39:35 EDT 2007

    COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP)  At least four Tamil Tiger rebel boats were destroyed in the northern sea by Sri Lankan artillery fire, a senior military official said Tuesday.
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- The Academic

Damn! These boats must have been either innocent fishing vessels or some leisure ctafts doing sightseeing. How indiscriminate the SL forces are? What a shame?  

The Navy is at work, the Airforce is at work, the Army is at work, the SL Special Commandos are at work... I know the LTTE pillow-biters (sorry about the homosexual wisecrack) like to use phases like "tactical retreats", "GoSL propaganda" and “it’s just not true”, but just how long can they be ignorant and avoid opening their eyes and realizing that after 25+ years, the LTTE is so weak…

Michael wrote:

The Navy is at work, the Airforce is at work, the Army is at work, the SL Special Commandos are at work... I know the LTTE pillow-biters (sorry about the homosexual wisecrack) like to use phases like "tactical retreats", "GoSL propaganda" and “it’s just not true”, but just how long can they be ignorant and avoid opening their eyes and realizing that after 25+ years, the LTTE is so weak…

The Tigers are having trouble landing supplies through the seas. Considering the number of vessels that have been destroyed this year alone, SL Navy seems to have the upper hand in the seas. But to presuppose they are weak overall and or are defeated b/c of this is premature.  If you recall, the same euphoria occured in 1996 when the SL army captured Jaffna and then thru the Jeyasukui operation, the Anuratte claimed he would soon shake hands with Praba. And we all know, what happened after that. Territory captured by SL over two years was lost in a matter of days. We are going thru a similiar period. Despite all their successes in the East (which the Ltte seems to have abandoned pretty much) and in the seas too, the SL has not made any forays into North at all. If and when they do, we will all see for sure whether the tigers are really weak or not. And time will tell sooner than later. Just dont get too exicited as usual. Uprooting pple in hundred thousands in a matter of days and occupying them are what provide fuel to any liberation struggle. The SL army and the SL politicians seemed to think if they can separate the Tamil civilians from the Tigers at any cost to the civilians they can somehow defeat the Tigers and end the war. What they are in effect doing is seeding another generation to continue the struggle b/c its when ordinary pple go thru miliatary subjugation and occcupation on a daily basis, they will realize the true value of freedom and will naturally be urged to rebel.

priya wrote:

Michael wrote:

The Navy is at work, the Airforce is at work, the Army is at work, the SL Special Commandos are at work... I know the LTTE pillow-biters (sorry about the homosexual wisecrack) like to use phases like "tactical retreats", "GoSL propaganda" and “it’s just not true”, but just how long can they be ignorant and avoid opening their eyes and realizing that after 25+ years, the LTTE is so weak…

The Tigers are having trouble landing supplies through the seas. Considering the number of vessels that have been destroyed this year alone, SL Navy seems to have the upper hand in the seas. But to presuppose they are weak overall and or are defeated b/c of this is premature.  If you recall, the same euphoria occured in 1996 when the SL army captured Jaffna and then thru the Jeyasukui operation, the Anuratte claimed he would soon shake hands with Praba. And we all know, what happened after that. Territory captured by SL over two years was lost in a matter of days. We are going thru a similiar period. Despite all their successes in the East (which the Ltte seems to have abandoned pretty much) and in the seas too, the SL has not made any forays into North at all. If and when they do, we will all see for sure whether the tigers are really weak or not. And time will tell sooner than later. Just dont get too exicited as usual. Uprooting pple in hundred thousands in a matter of days and occupying them are what provide fuel to any liberation struggle. The SL army and the SL politicians seemed to think if they can separate the Tamil civilians from the Tigers at any cost to the civilians they can somehow defeat the Tigers and end the war. What they are in effect doing is seeding another generation to continue the struggle b/c its when ordinary pple go thru miliatary subjugation and occcupation on a daily basis, they will realize the true value of freedom and will naturally be urged to rebel.

Unfortunately I do agree with above comments.Best part of the LTTE is located outside Sri Lanka.They are very well organized and financed abroad with firms of solicitors,accountants,bogus charities etc.They are actively involved in human smuggling, missusing the generous asylum laws in the west to strengthen their support overseas.LTTE has and will continue to have plenty of support from Tamil Nadu.

The SL Airforce has never been this strong, even the Navy and the Army for that matter. And they have never worked in unisen to this degree before as well, along with a leader that is willing to end this (compared to past weaker leaders)... The international world is now, finally, awake to the LTTE, and LTTE pillow-biters fund-raising from their happy overseas countries, and are washing them out... it's a total different situation that we have from 1996... that's all I was stating... LTTE excuses might have worked in 1996, but they are not valid anymore...

And plus, the GoSL came out and stated 3 years, I'm willing to give that hope...

Priya said "The SL army and the SL politicians seemed to think if they can separate the Tamil civilians from the Tigers at any cost to the civilians they can somehow defeat the Tigers and end the war."

I think separation of people from terrorists is a wise strategy adopted by GOSL. Tiger cowards always fire at SL Army taking cover behind the innocent tamil civilians knowing very well that SL Army do not retaliate if civilian lives are at risk. This time that tactic is not going to work. That's the very reason why paid servants and . of the tiger outfit are so concerned. There is no cover for them.

The noose is tightening.  slowly and slowly.  Kondam kondam.  Watch out for North Korea. They cannot be trusted. IF  you guys recall they were kicked out in 1971 when they were behind the JVP insurrection.  Mrs B sealed their embassy and kicked them out and they were only brought back after heavy lobbying in 1976 just before the Non-Aligned conference. Then both S.Korea and N.Korea lobbied hard and I think both were admitted.  That sick dictator will sell anything to anyone for cold hard cash.  So I would tell the govt to watch out for N.Korea.  Mrs B confiscated their property in SL when they had an Embassy because of their connection to funding the JVP.  WATCH Out man.,international angle is the most serious one to stop the Tigers from expanding.

Having disagreed on many of your previous posts, I have to agree with most of what you have said in this one.

Quote:

The Tigers are having trouble landing supplies through the seas. Considering the number of vessels that have been destroyed this year alone, SL Navy seems to have the upper hand in the seas. But to presuppose they are weak overall and or are defeated b/c of this is premature.

Yes it will be extremely stupid to jump in jubilation. Moment tigers succeed in brining in surface to air missles the upper hand SL forces are enjoying due to air support will be diminished to a great deal.

Quote:

Territory captured by SL over two years was lost in a matter of days. We are going thru a similiar period..

I hope there is a different stratergy this time. Chandrika wanted to expand territory for political purposes and thereby streched the military resouces to a maximum. This allowed the LTTE to re-capture almost the entire area once again, by inflicting heavy damages to the SL forces. But from what's going on in the battle field, the current military stratergy seems to be to weaken the LTTE from their strategic locations. There doesn't seem to be the undue hurry to capture grounds, unless its strategically important to do so.
 

Quote:

Uprooting pple in hundred thousands in a matter of days and occupying them are what provide fuel to any liberation struggle. The SL army and the SL politicians seemed to think if they can separate the Tamil civilians from the Tigers at any cost to the civilians they can somehow defeat the Tigers and end the war. What they are in effect doing is seeding another generation to continue the struggle b/c its when ordinary pple go thru miliatary subjugation and occcupation on a daily basis, they will realize the true value of freedom and will naturally be urged to rebel.

Displacement of the civilians is a sad and a terrible consequence of this war, which cannot be avoided. Its necessary to take every possible measure to uplift the lives of the civilians displaced by the war, while they are in the temporary camps and then on re-settlment. While agreeing that this is a daunting task, its highly questionable if the government is doing its job right in this regard. All military victories will be null and void if the government fails to take care of the people displaced by the war.



Last edited by har on Wed Mar 21, 2007 2:08 am; edited 2 times in total

Quote:

priya wrote:
What they are in effect doing is seeding another generation to continue the struggle b/c its when ordinary pple go thru miliatary subjugation and occcupation on a daily basis, they will realize the true value of freedom and will naturally be urged to rebel.

sadly, untrue. There will be atleast two types of people in the generation you're talking about.

A fading minority of losers who'd continue their march towards doom. Their drivers in bunkers will lose in
front of their deserting ranks.

A majority of winners who'd seek to redress their issues through civilized and civil methods,
who'd participate in nation-building, free from extortion, free from exploitation ( of their children, their lives ).

onecountry wrote:

Best part of the LTTE is located outside Sri Lanka

I know this is true, but I don't get how these LTTE pillow-biters are friends with Sinhalese people, go to their houses, let their kids play together, study together, wants their children to go do medicine and help the society of the foreign country that they are in, and at the same time, these people work so hard to destroy, kill and terrorise their own Tamil race along with others in Sri Lanka?

Is it stupidity or is stubbornness?

I for one am simply amazed at how good those artillery gunners must be to hit a moving target at sea level not once but four times.

Associated Press, Tue March 20, 2007 02:57 EDT . DILIP GANGULY Associated Press Writer

"......The rebels began fighting in 1983 for a separate homeland for Sri Lanka's 3.1 million ethnic Tamil minority."
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Dilip my boy,

You overlooked part of your cut & paste para

I am printing it just to remind you.  " ......after decades of discrimination by the majority Sinhalese-dominated government."