Politicians with their feet in the mouth - EDITORIAL

Politicians and mistakes are synonymous, from years gone by to more recent days, the the blunders politicians have sometimes changed the course of history. Some cast a dark shadow over the future. Last week in an Interview with a media outlet, the sibling to two presidents and the country’s present Finance Minister -Basil Rajapaksa- really put his foot in his mouth.   
He claimed the country purchased arms from North Korea using US$ purchased from the black market. During the same time period he added, petrol for the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation was also purchased with the use of black market US$. Large-scale purchasing of black money is referred to as money laundering.   
However, Basil is not the first, nor will he be the last political leader to to make calamitous statements regarding important affairs of state. We tabulate below a few prime examples. 

Bush Sr. vomits on host’s lap  

For instance US President George Bush Sr. made one of the best-known faux pas in international politics when he vomited on Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa during a diplomatic banquet. Luckily for Japanese-American relations, he was not doing it to act out his stance on a geopolitical issue.   
Bush Sr. was allegedly ill with intestinal flu at the time. The incident gained him some popularity in Japan for a while, as a new word for vomiting entered Japanese slang shortly afterward: bushu-suru, or “to do a Bush” 

Silvio Berlusconi And Obama’s Tan
  
Silvio Berlusconi has always been popular for his mouth, he referred to US President Barack Obama as “suntanned.” He made the remark twice, even including the US First Lady in the second statement, which he issued later in Milan: “You would not believe it, but they [Barack and Michelle Obama] go sunbathing at the beach together—his wife is also suntanned.” 

Dean Acheson 
 
In the US, Secretary of State Dean Acheson really put his foot in his mouth with a small oversight during a major policy speech at the National Press Club on January 12, 1950. In the speech, he warned the Communists and allies to stay away from those areas in the American sphere of influence. He proclaimed America would protect those nations from Indonesia to Japan from any interference.   
He inadvertently left out Korea. The late Kim Il Sung’ was probably overjoyed to learn that South Korea was not included in the US ‘red line’. The North acted on Acheson’s policy statement, taking him at his word. A few months later, North Korea invaded South Korea, starting the Korean War! 

Taking Kashmir to the UN   

Shortly after the division of ‘British India into India and Pakistan, in 1947, Pakistani tribesmen invaded Kashmir in 1947. India was upset. When the Pakistani tribes were a short distance away from Srinagar, the Cabinet met in Delhi. Manek Shaw then an army colonel, was present from army’s side. Shaw was subsequently promoted to Field Marshal. Speaking of the cabinet meeting Shaw said:   

“... Nehru spoke on issues like the United Nations, Russia, Africa, God and others. After listening to all Sardar Valabhai Patel (Home Minister) lost his temper. Patel said, ‘Jawaharlal, do you want to have Kashmir? Or you want to lose it? Then Nehru replied, of course, I want Kashmir. Patel said then, please give your order. Then, without listening to Nehru, Patel told me to pursue military action”.   
Pakistani founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah invited India for discussion to reach a settlement on the issue. Governor General Mount Batten and Nehru were scheduled to visit Pakistan for talks. On the eve of the tour Nehru fell sick and Mount Batten went alone to Pakistan for talks with Jinnah.  

Whilst discussions were taking place, Nehru suddenly issued a message to the nation on ‘All India Radio’. He said he would raise the issue at the United Nations, and the decision to join India or Pakistan or remain independent would be by a referendum among the people of Kashmir. India is still paying the price of that announcement by Nehru.  
With Sri Lanka already hauled up before the UN for alleged crimes committed during its ‘War on Terror’ it is to be hoped that, that august body will not see it fit to press more charges against the country now that Minister Rajapaksa has subsequently denied the report.  
A lesson for all politicians, especially those in positions of power is “watch your mouth”.