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The many shades of McWorld

Mohammed Abbasi

Some years ago, in response to a rather strong piece on US shenanigans in the Middle East, an American reader wrote back: “Why do you hate America?” As some of my perceptive readers might have already deduced, I get loads of fanmail in response to my weekly rants, especially from my own kind and most of it not most flattering. Yet the accusation ‘why do you hate America’ from an all-American white reader was a little disconcerting. For I do not see myself as an America phobe. The influence of American literature, Hollywood, culture and their collective glorification of ambition, excellence, grit and … Continue reading The many shades of McWorld

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Ocean discovered on Enceladus may be best place to look for alien life

Mohammed Abbasi

  Evidence from Cassini spacecraft suggests a large body of liquid water beneath the surface of Saturn’s moon Enceladus • Interactive: the discovery explained An artist’s impression of the interior of Saturn’s moon Enceladus, based on data from the Cassini space probe suggesting the moon contains a water ocean beneath its south pole. Illustration: Nasa/JPL-Caltech Researchers have discovered a deep saltwater ocean on one of the many small moons that orbit Saturn, leading scientists to conclude it is the most likely place in the solar system for extraterrestrial life to be found. Gravitational field measurements taken by Nasa’s Cassini space probe revealed that a … Continue reading Ocean discovered on Enceladus may be best place to look for alien life

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Pakistan: Where Do You Want To Be In 25 Years Time?

Mohammed Abbasi

A nation going nowhere They burn public property and hurl stones at cars if there is reportedly blasphemous content on YouTube. They undertake processions, chant slogans and choke traffic, causing inconvenience to the public. Another injustice has been dispensed, this time to Sawan Masih. This is an addition to the history of Pakistan, which is already pregnant with such incidents where the weak and meek have been ground fine in the mill of so-called justice. Pakistan is a country where more than 70 percent of the people have been mentally debilitated, exploited by religious scholars and politicians. They can be steered in any … Continue reading Pakistan: Where Do You Want To Be In 25 Years Time?

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Turkish voters get the message

Mohammed Abbasi

Turkish local elections on March 30, as was expected by knowledgeable objective observers, resulted in sweeping victories for the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Istanbul and many areas of the country. The AKP held the Ankara mayoralty and even had a surprise win in Antalya.  The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) saw its provincial hold weaken from 29 to 22, while the AKP increased itsnationwide vote percentage by nearly seven percentage points, to 46%, over the 2009 local elections.  What do the results mean?The essential lesson that Turkish elites and international observers must take from these results, and with alacrity, … Continue reading Turkish voters get the message

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Israel is facing a backlash in America

Mohammed Abbasi

By Rami G. Khouri April 02, 2014 “Information Clearing House – “DS” – Consider two incidents that occurred in the past few days in the United States and you should start to grasp the elements of a slow, subtle but steady and important shift that is taking place in the country. It is happening in that arena where pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian sentiments are being expressed in public and seek to influence American government policy, media and even the decisions of churches and non-government organizations such as student and professional groups. In Las Vegas, three likely Republican presidential candidates addressed the Republican Jewish … Continue reading Israel is facing a backlash in America

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US ‘peace process’ charade plays on

Mohammed Abbasi

As the US-imposed April 29 deadline for a “framework” agreement between the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority looms, time is also running out for the American administration on the issue. The Barack Obama administration needs to conjure up an escape route to avoid embarrassment if the talks are to fail.  The Americans were likely aware when this latest process launched that peace under the current circumstances is unattainable. Israel’s ruling coalition is adamantly anti-Arab, anti-peace and against any kind of agreement that falls short of endorsing the Israel’s apartheid-like occupation of Palestine.  Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies on … Continue reading US ‘peace process’ charade plays on

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When the US leaves Afghanistan – what will happen?

Mohammed Abbasi

  Operation Enduring Freedom was launched in October, 2001 against Al-Qaeda and Taliban and within two months coalition forces had captured Kabul and Kandahar. The Taliban did not put up the expected resistance, instead fleeing to their villages and towns and a few over to Pakistan.  The US had not visualised the resurgence of the Taliban in the initial operational plan, so did not make any serious effort to secure the eastern and southern Pakhtun provinces of Afghanistan, the strongholds of the Taliban. By mid-2002 the US was confident of having secured Afghanistan and that Al-Qaeda was in Waziristan and Pakistan Army … Continue reading When the US leaves Afghanistan – what will happen?

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Is UK going to ban The Muslim Brotherhood?

Mohammed Abbasi

David Cameron orders inquiry into activities of Muslim Brotherhood Review to look into party’s alleged links to extremism amid speculation group could be banned in Britain A young boy holds a photo of Mohamed Morsi at a London protest in support of the Brotherhood. Photograph: Will Oliver/AFP/Getty Images David Cameron has ordered Whitehall officials to launch an investigation into the Muslim Brotherhood – drawing on assessments by MI5 and MI6. A Downing Street source confirmed that the review would examine allegations that the Muslim Brotherhood was behind the murder of three tourists on a bus in Egypt in February and that it planned extremist activities from Britain. The source said: … Continue reading Is UK going to ban The Muslim Brotherhood?

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The return of Al-Qaeda

Mohammed Abbasi

Back in 2011 many thought Al-Qaeda was finished. Battered by America’s ferocious response to 9/11 and relentlessly targeted by drones, the organisation was gasping for breath. The death of Bin Laden, it seemed, delivered the final blow.And yet today Al-Qaeda is resurgent.The relative weakness of the Al-Qaeda leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan is deceptive. The organisation’s strength now lies at the periphery. Today the Al-Nusra front controls huge tracts of Syrian territory. And there are signs that the jihadis there have learnt an important lesson: if they want the consent of the people, it’s best not to murder too many … Continue reading The return of Al-Qaeda

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Learning little from our desert infatuation

Mohammed Abbasi

  Islamabad diary Pakistan has still to recover from its last troop export to the holy kingdom. This was in the 1980s when Mard-e-Momin Gen Ziaul Haq was reconverting the Islamic Republic to Islam – or, to be accurate, his version of Islam. His understanding of Islam, understandably, was of the most primitive kind. Maulana Maudoodi he took to be his guide and, if imperfect memory serves, lectures on Maudoodi were dished out on Radio Pakistan. And we on whom these experiments in re-Islamisation were being carried out were helpless…because the spirit had been taken out of us and the … Continue reading Learning little from our desert infatuation