Month: September 2009

  • News and Analysis (9/18/09)

    While admitting that she has not finished reviewing Judge Goldstone’s findings, Ambassador Rice nonetheless rushed to echo Israeli sentiments that the jurist’s report is “unbalanced, one-sided and basically unacceptable”: U.S. Rejects U.N. Proposal to Compel War Crimes Probes of Gaza Conflict (Washington Post) Prison abuse of West Bank Palestinians stands as a huge obstacle to…

  • When Ramadan Is Over ….

    Last night I addressed the Islamic Society of the Washington Area on “Improving the World” at their Lailat-ul-Qadr observance. My thesis was that Ramadan is a time in which Muslims exercise their free will to make it stronger. Just as an athlete exercises his muscles to make them stronger so he can prevail in actual…

  • News and Analysis (9/17/09)

    Unless the UN investigation invalidates a substantial portion of the 10% of votes under review, Karzai will be announced the winner of Afghanistan’s election: First Full Afghan Tally Gives Karzai 54% of Vote (Washington Post) Mahdi is not advocating for renegotiation of SOFA but believes there are more successful strategies  in using the US troops…

  • News and Analysis (9/16/09)

    Israeli says the U.N. report “legitimizes Hamas” by listing Israeli abuses that  include “a deliberately disproportionate attack designed to punish, humiliate and terrorize a civilian population, radically diminish its local economic capacity both to work and to provide for itself and to force upon it an ever-increasing sense of dependency and vulnerability” … UN Presses…

  • News and Analysis (9/15/09)

    Disturbing accusations which seriously undermine Pakistani objectives in the area: Pakistan Army Is Said to Be Linked to Many Killings in Swat (NY Times) Two of the documents and materials Reuters requested under the Freedom of Information Act were withheld as classified and  the other six were redacted: Military’s Killing of 2 Journalists in Iraq…

  • News and Analysis (9/14/09)

    In Wardak Province, a unit “kicked in doors, tied up four hospital employees and two family members of patients, and forced patients out of beds” and declared that coalition forces would decode whether the hospital staff could treat any wounded militants … US troops ‘Stormed Through Afghan Hospital’ (Independent) … in the meantime, has Kandahar…

  • News and Analysis (9/12-13/09)

    Although the new rights represent  a substantial break from Bush-era detention policy, Afghani citizens can still be denied the full extent of rights one should enjoy living in a democracy … U.S. Gives New Rights To Afghan Prisoners (Washington Post) …. Meanwhile, the legacy of illegal detentions is coming to a head in Iraq: In…

  • News and Analysis (9/11/09)

    Although the US has rejected Iran’s proposal, the offer may serve as a basis for substantive talks on the nuclear issue: Iran Urges Disposal Of All Nuclear Arms (Washington Post) Nancy Pelosi and Carl Levin are among the top democrats opposing another troop surge into Afghanistan: Obama Facing Doubts Within His Own Party on Afghanistan…

  • News and Analysis (9/10/09)

    Experts believe Iranian scientists could rapidly develop at least one nuclear bomb, how will this change the terms and strategy of negotiations? U.S. Says Iran Could Expedite Nuclear Bomb (NY Times) Former Guantánamo guard and Islam convert was schedule to address a support group for inmates of the camp and was denied entry into Britain…

  • News and Analysis (9/9/09)

    Karzai is still likely to win if the vote goes to a second round, the question remains how his victory can appear legitimate: U.S. in Delicate Spot Over Marred Afghan Vote (NY Times) A.Q. Khan claims his contact with Iran was approved by top military officials: Pakistani Scientist Cites Help to Iran (Washington Post) With…

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