Film explores al Qaeda’s history and culture dawn.com Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney.–AFP Photo Front Page Al-Qaeda on the run: CIA Director Al-Qaeda on the run: CIA Director NEW YORK: A new film by Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney takes viewers from Cairo to London on a search for the cultural and historical roots of al Qaeda and some of its motives behind its attack on the United States. “My Trip to Al-Qaeda,” which debuts at the Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday, follows U.S. journalist Lawrence Wright’s worldwide exploration of the historical context of what formed and radicalized al Qaeda and its … Continue reading Explore al Qaeda’s history and culture

Convert to Christianity or Leave American Family Association Cross Jason Linkins has this post in the Huffington Post on the American Family Association’s call for American Muslims to leave or be expatriated to other countries. (hat tip: Abdullah) American Family Association to Muslim Americans: Convert to Christianity or Leave by Jason Linkins It seems like only a week ago that the American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer (who is the AFA’s Director of Issues Analysis, perhaps because he has so many personal issues that need to be analyzed by professional psychopharmacologists), was saying that the Christian thing to do would be … Continue reading American Family Association – A Nazi Front?

Stop Islamization of America has their ad campaign derailed Spencer and Geller’s proposed banner Crossposted with permission from Omer Subhani’s blog Robert Spencer and Pam Geller are part of an organization called Stop Islamization of America (SIOA). SIOA just announced a bus ad campaign on Tuesday, April 13 in Miami-Dade County, FL designed to thwart the supposedly “misleading” bus ad campaign created by the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and CAIR to promote the shared commonalities of Islam with Christianity and Judaism. SIOA’s bus ad campaign had the following remarks on the 10 or so buses running their ads: … Continue reading Oh Dear! Stop Islamization of America has their ad campaign derailed

Dutch Muslims Taking Geert Wilders’ Abuse? By Ruben L. Oppenheimer Sheila Kamerman and Dirk Vlasblom have an interesting article about how Dutch Muslims are dealing with the ascendancy and rhetoric of Geert Wilders. Some are choosing to ignore him while others see what he is calling for as impossible and unactionable.  While they are concerned, some Dutch Muslims also think that the best thing might be for Wilders’ PVV to actually win elections and lead the country because the PVV would then be forced to confront and offer more than just anti-Muslim rhetoric. What are your thoughts? (make sure to … Continue reading Why are Dutch Muslims Taking Geert Wilders’ Abuse?

Book review: Exhaustively researched, deeply moving —by Afrah Jamal Sahib: The British Soldier in India By Richard Holmes HarperCollins; Pp 572 They came for the trade. And found something better. When the dust settled, an empire had changed hands. The architects of the change, who bore witness to the rise and fall of the mighty empire, imprinted their impression upon their adopted homeland. The land, in turn, left an indelible mark on the newcomers. Richard Holmes, himself a soldier and a leading military historian, looks beyond the empire carved from the remains of another civilisation, steering past the colonial designs … Continue reading The British Soldier in India

VIEW: Giving up power in Pakistan —Tarek Fatah The man lampooned unfairly by the country’s powerful establishment as “Mr Ten Percent” has in fact given “One-Hundred-and-Ten Percent” back to the country Few leaders have emulated Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, who in 1985 relinquished all of his powers and voluntarily stepped down as president of the country. At a time when African dictators, Arab Kings and Latin American generalissimos adorned themselves in bizarre military uniforms, medieval costumes and got appointed ‘life presidents’, Nyerere, known to his people simply as Mwalimu or “teacher”, quietly passed on the torch. Other Afro-Asian leaders have … Continue reading Zardari – Mr One-Hundred-and-Ten Percent?

analysis: Unfinished business —Salman Tarik Kureshi Although the worst of Musharraf’s distortions have been removed, the hypocritical innovations of the illegitimate Zia regime still continue to work their malign effects on the nation “Observe the end of work; contrast, The petty done, the undone vast” — Robert Browning. After massive efforts and the mighty heaving of multiple political muscles, the omnibus 18th Amendment has finally become the law of the land. The parliamentarians to whom the people entrusted the nation’s destiny (most notably, the good Senator Raza Rabbani) have taken a giant stride towards restoration of popular sovereignty and federalism. … Continue reading Bidah of the illegitimate Zia regime still continues to work

An Indian hotel staff serves a preparation of prawn to guests during the Britain Curry Festival in Kolkata, on April 23, 2010. – AFP dawn.com KOLKATA: Britain exporting curry to India? The idea seems ludicrous but a group of chefs are in the subcontinent determined to teach locals about British versions of traditional Indian recipes. Indian food has become a mainstay of the British diet, eaten in vast quantities across the country, but few people in the homeland of the curry have ever heard of the dishes that pass off for their national cuisine in Europe. Chicken Tikka Masala, known … Continue reading Britain teaches India about curries

China is the superpower, Cameron Cameron’s warning of a Chinese threat is illustrative of a cold war mentality that fails to recognise the vast disparity in power James Denselow guardian.co.uk The People’s Liberation Army of China has more than 3.4 million members. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images The Conservative leader David Cameron insisted last week that Britain must spend almost £100bn to maintain its independent nuclear deterrent as “we don’t know what is going to happen with Iran [and] we can’t be certain of the future in China”. The foreign secretary, David Miliband, described the comment as showing “appalling immaturity“. The Conservatives … Continue reading Cameron’s warning of a Chinese threat is illustrative of a cold war mentality

Im Tirtzu: delegitimising the ‘delegitimisers’ A campaign to suppress all criticism now extends to smearing Israeli human rights activists as hostile to Jewish statehood <!–Topsy–>  Antony Lerman guardian.co.uk The word “delegitimisation” has become the most significant weapon in the rhetorical arsenal of those defending Israel against external and internal enemies. In Israel, rightwing policymakers, thinkers and Zionist groups are deploying the word to describe the underlying motives of the country’s critics. Outside Israel, pro-Israel groups and Jewish defence organisations use it to attack those who protest when Israeli officials speak in public, promote boycott campaigns and accuse Israel of apartheid … Continue reading Smearing Israeli human rights activists as hostile to Jewish statehood!