Obama shakes pillars of US security By Jim Lobe Washington – In his first National Security Strategy (NSS), President Barack Obama Thursday pledged to maintain Washington’s “military superiority” but stressed that the persistence of the nation’s global power will depend more on the health of its domestic economy and international cooperation. In sharp contrast to the NSS released by president George W Bush six months before the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the 52-page document underlined the limits of military power and the kind of unilateralism that characterized Bush’s first term, in particular. “The burdens of a young century cannot … Continue reading Shaking up US security

Tough love for an unstable neighbor By Francesco Sisci BEIJING – As with the traditional cry of ”wolf, wolf!”, threats of war between North and South Korea have been heard many times in the 57 years since the end of the conflict on the peninsula. They sound so often that even the current situation could be considered a false alarm, especially since China stepped in and apparently managed to rein in restless Pyongyang. But the crisis in the North is in fact deeper today than perhaps ever before in its history – and leads one to think that this time things … Continue reading Tough love?

By Kenneth Todd Ruiz and Olivier Sarbil BANGKOK – A cigarette hanging from his lips, a sinewy man with a knotted-up beard perched on the back of a plastic chair and spoke into a military-grade radio. ”Happy birthday,” he said in English. Moments later a sonorous detonation boomed from afar in the heart of the Thai capital. A cluster of anti-government protesters crowded around him exulted, shouting ”Happy birthday” in unison. Many more such coded celebrations would follow in the next 24 hours. It’s five days before the army would send armored personnel carriers into central Bangkok on May 19 … Continue reading Unmasked: Thailand’s men in black

Throw the book & face the consequences By Mahir Ali dawn.com Why stop with just the bans? Why not outlaw the Internet altogether? That may not save much electricity, but it will surely help to keep the nation shrouded in ignorance. –Photo by AFP There is no shortage of energy in Pakistan. Notwithstanding the sporadic suspensions in the supply of electricity, during a sojourn in Lahore earlier this month, I found myself confronted every day with evidence of reasonably energetic demonstrations and protests related to a broad spectrum of issues ranging from hepatitis awareness to appalling delays in the payment … Continue reading Ban Islamic Reasoning – instead Worship Mullahs

By I.A. Rehman dawn.com The real issue is what is being done to ensure that the women of Pakistan can enjoy equality of status with men. – Photo on file The reminder by civil society organisations to the government of its responsibility to implement the two new laws designed to deal with sexual harassment has not come a day too soon. However, they will have to do much more before their efforts start bearing fruit. These new laws are not the only targets of the government’s indifference to the implementation part of lawmaking; this attitude has become the rule over … Continue reading Roots of women’s woes

BOOK REVIEW: Muslims in the American frame – by Dr Mahjabeen Islam Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam By Akbar Ahmed Brookings Institution Press; Pp 528; $ 29.95 With the word ‘Muslim’ now synonymous with terrorism, Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam by Akbar Ahmed is a vital read. The cover of the book is in itself heavy with controversial symbolism. Silhouetted against a gorgeous sunrise, the flame of the Statue of Liberty seems to be reaching for the crescent and star. In what he terms a ‘Muslim Odyssey’, Akbar Ahmed and his team of anthropological researchers travelled … Continue reading Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam

VIEW: Do not apologise Fauzia! –Gulmina Bilal Ahmad Fauzia Wahab’s statement and the resultant reaction have exposed our religious-political confusion. Religion is a private matter whereas politics is public. The constitution is the mother of all laws. All man-made laws that is The entire nation is in an uproar. The ruling party’s spokesperson, Ms Fauzia Wahab, an active student and practitioner of politics since her student days and now a member of parliament, is being discussed right, left and centre. It is tragic that the three political sides, namely the right, left and centre, have competed against each other to … Continue reading Do not apologise Fauzia!

VIEW: Politics over national interest –Daud Khattak The JUI-F cares more for saving the skin of its leadership than national interests. By signalling a parting of ways with the Centre, the JUI-F leadership wants to convey to the Taliban its ‘hate’ towards the government’s pro-US policy It will be much to say that a bunch of vested interests is at work in almost all the political and religious parties of the country with some of them claiming to be mainstream parties. Party leaders always find lame excuses whenever they see their own or party interests at stake; even though such … Continue reading Political Mullahism over Muslims interest

Aliens and UFOs in the Noble Quran: ALIENS IN THE QURAN Introduction On 7th August 1996,NASA (1) scientists made an announcement that made front page headlines throughout the world.Within a Martian meteorite,they had found evidence of a microscopic lifeform that may have existed on Mars more than three billion years ago. (2) Although other studies were later published which challenged this conclusion, (3) numerous recent discoveries,for example,the discovery by the Galileo spacecraft, (4) in February 1997,of a possible red-coloured sea under the ice crust of Jupiter’s moon,Europa, (5) are raising hopes that we may soon be able to get an … Continue reading How Muslims should greet Aliens!

By Athar Parvaiz SRINAGAR – The human-rights body Amnesty International (AI) has yet to release its report on the outcome of its unprecedented visit last week to disputed Indian-administered Kashmir, but already there are doubts over its ability to come up with fair and accurate findings. A two-member AI delegation – composed of Indian nationals – arrived in Kashmir on May 18 for a six-day fact-finding visit. It is expected to release its findings within the next six months. Hardline separatist groups in Kashmir have described the AI visit as insignificant, saying the AI team, being both Indians, could not … Continue reading Doubts over Amnesty’s Kashmir delegation