Sheikh Salman al-Oadah There are certain types of fear that are extreme and that can even be described as a sickness. We are not talking here about the fear of Allah, but about fear as a sensation and an emotion when it gets out of hand. We shall focus in this article on two types of neurotic fear: timidity and anxiety. Timidity Timidity results from a lack of self-confidence. It manifests itself as a feeling of confusion and nervous apprehension when having to face important or unfamiliar people. When a person suffers from this feeling, his mouth becomes dry, his … Continue reading A Sickness Called Fear

Sheikh Salman al-Oadah It never ceases to amaze me how many people complain about their children’s bad tempers and have not the faintest idea what to do when their children get angry. We are often surprised and hurt by the things we hear our children say in anger, their hands folded across their chests, words like: “I hate you!” and “I don’t want you!” and “I don’t love you anymore!” Children say such things when they are angry, and parents are often at a loss to respond with anything other than harsh words, curses, and a good smack. Most parents … Continue reading Coping with an Ill-Tempered Child

Sheikh Salman al-Oadah At the present time, the word “extremism” is probably the most incessantly repeated word on the tongues of journalists, writers, and politicians. It is likely that the events of September 11 are what put it in the forefront of popular terminology, for such terminology gives expression to inner feelings and makes up for a lot of talk and lengthy explanations. Extremism is a derived word, and it seems that those who use it mean by it a person who stands far off to one side of the center. This maze of terminology is a major cause of … Continue reading Extremism and Reverse Extremism

Despite its violent, dysfunctional image, recent reforms have restored key features of the country’s founding constitution Michael Meyer-Resende and Hannah Roberts guardian.co.uk Pakistan is widely portrayed as the perennial dysfunctional country, where weak elected governments are inevitably overthrown by a powerful army. The violence of recent years has strengthened the perception of a failing state, obscuring a more encouraging trend: the maturing of Pakistani democracy, demonstrated in parliament’s adoption of far-reaching constitutional reforms. While the continuing violence poses a threat to Pakistan’s development, there is also a risk that prophecies of a military takeover fulfil themselves, particularly in a context … Continue reading Pakistan’s maturing democracy

Afghan hash at an all-time high By Julien Mercille In addition to being the world’s leading producer of opium, Afghanistan has now become the largest producer of hashish, according to the first-ever cannabis survey released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) this month. Again, the US invasion is behind the new record. The 2009 Afghanistan Cannabis Survey revealed that there is large-scale cannabis cultivation in half (17 out of 34) of Afghanistan’s provinces, covering a total area of 10,000 to 24,000 hectares every year (lower than opium cultivation, which covers 125,000 hectares). Afghanistan’s crop yield is … Continue reading Afghan hashish at an all-time high

By Brian M Downing Last week, the United States withdrew a small contingent of troops from the in the eastern Afghan province of Kunar. The valley had been the scene of continuous skirmishes and the occasional sizable engagement, but no decisive battle took place. The withdrawal was announced a few months back and it is seen as a reallocation of troops away from inconclusive attrition and toward the more promising counter-insurgency operations going on in Helmand and about to be launched in Kandahar, both in the Taliban heartland of the south, both thought to be the key to the unfolding … Continue reading The Afghan solution lies in the valley

By Spengler A decade ago I argued that radical Islam might horrify the West into submission through the mass sacrifice of Muslim lives. During the past two weeks Iran has virtually invited a nuclear exchange with the West, in a series of statements that blend a deranged sort of bluster with malevolent calculation. Iran’s Kayhan press service warned last week, “If the US strikes Iran with nuclear weapons, there are elements which will respond with nuclear blasts in the centers of America’s main cities.” Meanwhile, Behzad Soltani, the number two man at Iran’s Atomic Commission, proclaimed last week, “Iran will … Continue reading How radical Islam might defeat the West: A reprise

Pakistan’s trade bear-hug with China By Syed Fazl-e-Haider KARACHI – China and Pakistan, which have strongly increased bilateral trade this decade with the help of a series of free-trade agreements (FTAs), have committed to doubling their commerce within the next three to four years. That is raising concern about the impact on Pakistan’s domestic industries, due to the disproportionate value of Chinese imports to the country, while cheating using FTA-related documentation is also worrying authorities. Annual trade has increased from less than US$2 billion in 2002 to $6.9 billion, with a goal of $15 billion by 2014. China, which has … Continue reading Pakistan’s bear-hug with China

By M K Bhadrakumar A terse Kremlin announcement said the Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov would be paying a two-day visit to Moscow starting on Monday. It brings home how much the geopolitics of Central Asia have changed since the color revolution in Kyrgyzstan that ousted Kurmanbek Bakiyev as president began unfolding this month. Karimov is a shrewd observer of regional politics. Of late, Tashkent has been gravitating toward the West, but the turmoil in Bishkek underscores Moscow’s unique role as the preserver of regional stability. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev drew attention to the great fluidity and political uncertainties when he … Continue reading China plays it cool on Kyrgyzstan

By Kaveh L Afrasiabi As one of the seven million or so travelers stranded by the flight shutdown caused by the Icelandic volcanic eruption, in addition to pondering the length of my delayed flight (four days behind schedule now), my thoughts are also focused on the long-term significance of this natural calamity. The giant cloud of volcanic ash that has caused havoc to international travel, the European landscape and the global economy, once again reminds us of the fragility and downsides of an interdependent world. With more than 70,000 flights canceled since last Thursday, including mine for a disarmament conference … Continue reading Eyjafjallajokull Volcanic Anger