Author: Imran

Evoking thoughts of the West Bank Wall, a policeman says of Samarrans, “They hate checkpoints. They hate order.” An Iraqi City Divided by Walls, by Sect, By Bitterness (Washington Post) Zardari is cautious of the political implications: Pakistani Taliban Urge Lawmakers to Back Swat Deal (Washington Post) Officially, Bouteflika won 90% of the total vote…

Highlighting the state of individual rights in Iraq, a terrorism suspect can be detained with “no visitors, no lawyers, no sun” for months: Arrests Deepen Iraqi Sunnis’ Bitterness (NY Times) Under the pretext of exempting them from the prevailing Hanafi law, the government will  force the Shia to abide by one particular interpretation of their…

Built on virtual slave labor, excessive debt, “rent-seeking” from  foreigners, “company store” policies, and environmental recklessness, Dubai is no free-market utopia: The Dark Side of Dubai (Independent) As the new administration overturns one  Bush era policy … CIA Chief Leon Panetta Orders Closure of Secret Rendition Sites (Guardian) …Meanwhile, Obama perpetuates another, “supplemental funding,” to…

While Indonesian Muslims revere Islam in their personal life, Islamist parties are anticipated to lose votes due to backlash against past local victories and co-option of their positions by mainstream parties: Indonesia Holds Fast To Secular Politics (Washington Post) Obama’s plan for Afghanistan hinges on the US’s ability to break the cycle of corruption: Corruption…

Israel’s attempt to create a militarized atmosphere hinders the reconciliation effort between the Iran and the US: Netanyahu and Threat of Bombing Iran – the Bluff That Never Stops Giving? (Huffington Post) Chief justice Chaudhry defends the rule of law, demanding the victimized woman appear in court to testify: Pakistan’s Chief Justice Assails Attorney General…

According to his public defender, “to deport him based solely on the same grounds for which he was acquitted”: Youssef Megahed Faces New Battle After Seizure by Immigration Officials (St. Petersburg Times) Reminiscent of the “Red Scare,” Obama has greatly exaggerated the size, influence, and threat of al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan … Obama’s Domino…

With the US approval rating in Turkey plummeted from 52% to 12% during the Bush administration, Obama takes the first steps towards improving the US image: Hope, Criticism Greet Obama in Turkey (Washington Post) Many in Pakistan view fighting the insurgency as an American cause and India as the top security threat: Time Is Short…

After coming within two votes of conviction (as if in a real-life topical update of “Twelve Angry Men”): Megahed Found Not Guilty on Federal Explosives Charges (ABC News) As Obama further embeds US forces in Afghanistan, Europe seems quietly to seek withdrawal from the area: Europeans Offer Few New Troops for Afghanistan (NY Times) Although…

As false accusations and mistrust continue to deteriorate Sunni Shi’a relations… Sunni Paramilitary Leader Released from Iraq Jail (LA Times) … it is becoming even more apparent money was the only cohesive factor in their alliance: U.S. Aircraft Opens Fire on Sons of Iraq Members (Washington Post) “In any normal country, he [Lieberman] would not…

Opponents say the law “could legalize marital rape and prohibit women from leaving the home without the permission of their husbands, while proponents claim the law is an advance over the civil law that would give women greater right to divorce”: Law for Afghan Shi’ites Stirs Anger and Concern (Reuters / Washington Post) Any government…