Tag: Muslims

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American drones

Mohammed Abbasi

  The life and death of American drones By Nick Turse The drone had been in the air for close to five hours before its mission crew realized that something was wrong. The oil temperature in the plane’s turbocharger, they noticed, had risen into the “cautionary” range. An hour later, it was worse, and it just kept rising as the minutes wore on. While the crew desperately ran through its “engine overheat” checklist trying to figure out the problem, the engine oil temperature, too, began skyrocketing. By now, they had a full-blown in-flight emergency on their hands. “We still have … Continue reading American drones

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US and Iran: From enemies to partners

Mohammed Abbasi

By Kaveh L Afrasiabi At the closure of 2011, with the US Congress declaring economic warfare against Iran through tough new sanctions targeting the country’s central bank, 2012 could easily be predicted as a decisive year for Washington and Tehran locking horns in escalating tensions. But an important question is: can policymakers in Iran and the US chart a different path, whereby they could become partners for peace in the Middle East, instead of warring parties? As much as this question appears cut off from reality by the sheer weight of animosities piling up at the gate of US-Iran (non) … Continue reading US and Iran: From enemies to partners

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Khalid bin Walid

Mohammed Abbasi

Khālid ibn al-Walīd (Arabic: خالد بن الوليد‎; 592–642) also known as Sayf Allāh al-Maslūl (the Drawn Sword of God), was a companion of theIslamic prophet Muhammad. He is noted for his military tactics and prowess, commanding the forces of Medina and those of his immediate successors of the Rashidun Caliphate; Abu Bakr and Umar.[1] It was under his military leadership that Arabia, for the first time in history, was united under a single political entity, the Caliphate. He was victorious in over a hundred battles, against the numerically superior forces of theByzantine-Roman Empire, Sassanid-Persian Empire, and their allies, in addition to other Arab tribes. His strategic achievements include the conquest of Arabia, Persian Mesopotamia and Roman Syria within several years … Continue reading Khalid bin Walid

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Frederick the Great

Mohammed Abbasi

Frederick II, the Great Frederick II, the Great (1712-86): King of Prussia. During his 40-year reign, Frederick II vastly increased Prussia’s wealth, doubled its size, recast it into a hub of culture and learning, and made it a great military power. Frederick was a sensitive and intelligent humanist who composed flute concertos, wrote poetry, and produced insightful essays. His series of histories, dealing primarily with affairs of state, would eventually fill 15 volumes. He became a close friend of the French philosopher Voltaire, François-Marie Arouet de, and as monarch would surround himself with artists, writers and musicians. He was host of the … Continue reading Frederick the Great

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Mumtaz Qadri – Blessed Pir of Jahil Pakistani Mullahs!

Mohammed Abbasi

Taseer murder case: Qadri sentenced to death Killing Mumtaz Qadris will put more Pakistanis out of the fold of Islam as they will ‘worship’ his grave! By Reuters / Sohail Chaudhry Supporters of convicted killer Mumtaz Qadri chant slogans alongside hundreds of others who had gathered to protest against his sentence outside the jail he is being held in, October 1, 2011. PHOTO: REUTERS RAWALPINDI: Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, the self-confessed murderer of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, has been sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court today (Saturday). Qadri, one of Taseer’s elite force guards, shot and killed the governorfor his views on the blasphemy … Continue reading Mumtaz Qadri – Blessed Pir of Jahil Pakistani Mullahs!

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Tony Blair: A Dangerous Liability for All?

Mohammed Abbasi

Tony Blair: a liability in Britain and the Middle East? Disparaged by Palestinians and booed by Labour Party conference delegates, the former prime minister is losing his appeal. Tony Blair leaves The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre after giving evidence for the second time to the Iraq Inquiry in London in January, 2011 Photo: REUTERS By Peter Oborne It has been Tony Blair’s unhappiest week since he stepped down as prime minister more than four years ago. When Ed Miliband raised his name during his Labour Party conference speech on Tuesday, it was greeted by boos in the hall – while Miliband … Continue reading Tony Blair: A Dangerous Liability for All?

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2012 – Justice Without Borders!

Mohammed Abbasi

Transnational Peoples Movements Form to Respond to Transnational Injustice by: Matthew Cappiello and Kevin Zeese, Truthout | Op-Ed An anti-government protester defaces a picture of Hosni Mubarak. (Photo:Antonello Mangano / Flickr) In an era where multinational corporations and linked international security networks exert increasing control over our daily lives, we have to fight their attempts to profit off our divided and balkanized communities by establishing independent connections with one another. Even though the United States has caused many horrible things around the world, there is still a powerful movement of people in this country that will stand up for justice … Continue reading 2012 – Justice Without Borders!

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Is Karzai trapped?

Mohammed Abbasi

Karzai trapped in no-man’s land By M K Bhadrakumar Afghan President Hamid Karzai has made his first political move a week after the assassination of the head of the Afghan High Peace Council and former president, Burhanuddin Rabbani. Following a meeting in Kabul that included tribal elders, legislative chairmen, cabinet ministers, former mujahideen commanders and his two vice presidents, Karzai’s office issued a statement on Wednesday admitting that a question mark should be on the Taliban’s capacity to take independent decisions, implying they were merely a Pakistani proxy. The statement suggested that Karzai no more regards the Taliban as his … Continue reading Is Karzai trapped?

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“Divinity of Doubt”: An Agnostic Probes the God Question

Mohammed Abbasi

“Divinity of Doubt”: An Agnostic Probes the God Question by: Martha Sorren, Truthout | Book Review With books like “Helter Skelter” and “The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder” under his belt, author Vincent Bugliosi is no stranger to writing about controversial topics, and his first career as an attorney has influenced his writing voice and his writing method. “Divinity of Doubt: The God Question” is not a book about atheism. Bugliosi doesn’t have an interest in being an atheist, but rather takes the Clarence Darrow approach to belief in God and classifies himself as an agnostic. He quotes … Continue reading “Divinity of Doubt”: An Agnostic Probes the God Question

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Deferred Dreams, Self-Destruction, and Suicide Bombings

Mohammed Abbasi

By Shaykh Hamza Yusuf There was a story in the New York Times a few days ago about how the “revolution” in Tunisia was sparked in December by the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old, befuddled roadside green grocer. Like so many young Arabs, he was born poor and only dreamed of providing for his siblings and his mother. He had been to college, where he studied law, but had found no employment possibilities. So, given the basic dignity often found in people in places like Tunisia, he chose to humble himself and find a halal means to generate some … Continue reading Deferred Dreams, Self-Destruction, and Suicide Bombings