“The US has gotten a soldier home. The Taliban have gotten something they wanted in exchange. And this just might – might – be part of a process of Afghan’s negotiating an end to the war in their homeland” …
- Five Taliban Released for Sgt. Bergdahl? This is How Wars End (Christian Science Monitor)
… yet some Republicans and some Afghanis object:
“Turkish authorities quashed a protest commemorating the first anniversary of massive anti-government demonstrations in Istanbul, arresting 154 protesters, closing roads, and firing teargas and water cannons on the crowd”:
- Istanbul Cracks Down on Anti-government Protest, Arrests 154 People (Christian Science Monitor)
“Place 5 representative Jo Lynn Haussmann offered this statement to voters in Southlake: ‘Do you realize because SO FEW voters took the time and responsibility to VOTE in the municipal elections – YOU NOW HAVE A “MUSLIM” on the City Council!!! What A SHAME!!!!’” …
… while in Northern Ireland, an “equality commissioner” says the First Minister’s private apology accepted by Muslim leaders for offensive comments is insufficient:
” Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary Abdelah Al-Azrak told Reuters[,] ”I expect her to be released soon’,” but her lawyer “Mohaned Mostafa, said neither he nor the woman’s husband had been notified about any release”:
- Sudan to Release Woman Facing Death Penalty for Being Christian (Christian Science Monitor)
“Statistics show that Pakistan is the third most dangerous country for women to live in[i]. How’s that fora country claiming to live by the traditions of Prophet Muḥammad [peace be upon him],  whose last advice to men of his nation was ‘Treat your women well and be kind to them’” …
- Stoning of Pregnant Pakistani Woman -Killing the Honor in Islam (Muslim Matters)
… and “[t]he arrest and jailing of Nasrin Sotoudeh prompted an international outcry. Here she speaks of her ordeal” …
… but the media’s misleading focus on the plight of women in Muslim-majority countries not withstanding, the abuse of women is epidemic and the shame of the whole world:
“A Libyan warplane under the command of a renegade former general targeted an Islamist militia base in the eastern city of Benghazi on Sunday but instead hit a university building, witnesses said”:
“Eliminating autocratic patterns of leadership in Arab countries will be a hard and long process. Reforms to public education systems, with the replacement of the culture of rote learning with one of questioning and analysis, would be a step towards encouraging open and rational public debate”:
“Philippine security forces have arrested a Muslim rebel responsible for the death of two U.S. servicemen in a September 2009 roadside bombing on the remote southern island of Jolo, a police general said on Monday…. Dozens of U.S. troops are still deployed there”:
“What we are doing here in Kano is to say that Western education is very relevant, Islamic education is very relevant and of course they have to go side by side…. That is the only way we can really make progress in this part of the country”:
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