Pakistan army pays heavy price in Taliban war dawn.com A Pakistani national flag stands next to the grave of a martyred Pakistani soldier at a graveyard in Chakwal. – AFP Editorial Karzai in America Karzai in America RAWALPINDI: Retired army captain Zafar Tajammal dismisses US demands for Pakistan to do more to fight Muslim militants as he chokes back tears. His son Captain Bilal Zafar was killed in the prime of his life, cut down by a rocket-propelled grenade while leading a charge against entrenched Taliban fighters. “I loved him so much that once I told him ‘I will not … Continue reading Pakistan army pays heavy price in Taliban war whilst Mullahs gloat

Face-ing the B! by Shyema As reports emerged of a countrywide ban on Facebook due to a competition encouraging users to post caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) on the site, people started panicking – how were they going to tell the world about their terrible day at work now that the status updates won’t be available? While various Islamic parties and organisations took to the streets, protesting against Facebook and the blasphemy it was promoting, a large number of Facebook fans in the country took to their Google Talk update boxes and expressed their frustration through their g-chat windows … Continue reading Pakistan banning Facebook helps the Draw Muhammad Day fanatics

Pakistan blocks YouTube over “blasphemous” material dawn.com Women supporters of Islamic political party Jamaat-e-Islami hold a placard during a protest against Facebook in Karachi May 19, 2010. – Reuters World US cartoonist disavows ‘Draw Mohammad’ Facebook page US cartoonist disavows ‘Draw Mohammad’ Facebook page ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has blocked the popular video sharing website YouTube indefinitely in a bid to contain “blasphemous” material, officials said on Thursday. The blockade came hours after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) directed Internet service providers to stop access to social network site Facebook indefinitely on Wednesday because of an online competition to draw the Prophet … Continue reading Pakistan makes a stupid move and blocks YouTube over “blasphemous” material

loonwatch Spencer resembles someone here. Sheila Musaji and The American Muslim have done a great job in compiling different sources, including a number of links from Loonwatch for a concise piece on Robert Spencer with the apt title: The Politically Incorrect Guide to Robert Spencer. by Sheila Musaji Robert Spencer describes himself as an impartial scholar of Islam, and maintains that he is not an Islamophobe, and that in fact the term Islamophobia is either irrelevant or an attempt to silence critics.  He is only one of a number of individuals whose statements about Muslims and Islam can only be … Continue reading The Politically Incorrect Guide to Robert Spencer

Tea Party Leader: “Allah is a Monkey God, Muslims are His Animals” loonwatch A racist tea party leader has expressed his belief that “Allah is a monkey God” and that “Muslims are His animals.” I understand the Tea Party is diverse but I don’t know how anyone, especially a Muslim (there are some) could be a member of their organization. Tea Party Leader: Allah is a Monkey God A top Tea Party leader, enraged by a plan to build a mosque near Ground Zero, has referred to the Islamic deity as a “monkey-god” and to Muslims as “the animals of … Continue reading Tea Party Leader: “Allah is a Monkey God, Muslims are His Animals”

Have you noticed police cars aren’t as big as they used to be? It looks like budget cuts really ARE starting to bite Police today unveiled what appeared to be their latest weapon in the fight against crime – a pedal-powered patrol car complete with siren and blue flashing light. The new five-gear vehicle, which has a top speed of 20mph, cost over £1,000, has full Hampshire Constabulary livery and a roll bar to protect the driver in the event of a crash. However, police admit that even if they are pedalling furiously the 6ft-long vehicle is unlikely to be … Continue reading Police budget cuts starting to bite?

Syria’s relationship with Russia – which is cultural as well as strategic – highlights how US non-engagement has failed James Denselow guardian.co.uk This has been a busy month so far for the Syrians. The US Congress blocked Obama’s attempt to appoint Robert Ford as ambassador following reports of Syrian Scud missiles being transferred to Hezbollah, and on 3 May Washington renewed economic and diplomatic sanctions on Syria that have been in place since 2004. While the US remains unwilling or unable to reach out to Damascus, the Russians have no such worries, prompting concern that the first visit of a … Continue reading Russia shows US how to deal with Syria

Mark Souder’s affair to remember As the Mark Souder scandal shows, clinging to antiquated views on sex only makes a mockery of Republicans’ preachings Sahil Kapur guardian.co.uk Mark Souder announces his resignation after it was revealed he had had an affair with a staffer. Photograph: Frank Gray/AP Photograph: Frank Gray/AP If he wants forgiveness, Republican congressman Mark Souder had better hope God digs irony. The “family values” Christian lawmaker from Indiana, who has a long history of bashing extramarital sex, was revealed on Tuesday to have had an affair with a staffer. In the next of many layers of irony … Continue reading Why so much fixation with sex?

BLUEPRINT: The University of God —Rakesh Mani Are you a Pakistani who happens to be a Muslim, or a Muslim who happens to be a Pakistani? Are you an Indian who happens to be Hindu, or a Hindu who happens to be Indian? Flag first, or faith? Like many others, I read last week’s column by Yasser Latif Hamdani (‘Faisal Shahzad’s radicalisation’, Daily Times, May 10, 2010), the lawyer and writer, with considerable interest. He discussed the radicalisation of the Times Square would-be bomber, Faisal Shahzad, and traced his hardline ideology to the rabid agendas of Islamic organisations on American … Continue reading The University of God

Dawn Editorial It is time the Punjab government accepted the obvious and took urgent steps to dismantle the jihadi network whose tentacles are spreading throughout the province. – (File Photo) It is time the Punjab government accepted the obvious and took urgent steps to dismantle the jihadi network whose tentacles are spreading throughout the province. Southern Punjab has long been seen by independent observers as a hub for Punjabi militants who maintain close ties with the Taliban and travel to the tribal belt for both training and combat. The traffic, in fact, is two-way with Punjabi militants providing safe haven … Continue reading Punjabi Taliban