Category: Imran’s blog
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News and Analysis (2/10/16)
“More than 4,600 academics from across the globe have signed an open letter protesting against the death of Giulio Regeni, a Cambridge PhD student from Italy whose body was found on the outskirts of Cairo bearing signs of torture”: Thousands of Academics Demand Inquiry into Cairo Death of Giulio Regeni (Guardian) A kindly shop owner…
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News and Analysis (6/26/14)
Islam in Australia arrived around 1500-1600, where Makassans, sea cucumbers Muslim traders left a legacy and “Islamic beliefs [ that] influenced Aboriginal mythology… Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had regular contact with Muslims long before the arrival of Christian colonizers†… When Islam Came to Australia (BBC) …. After the Bendigo Mosque debate, a Victorian…
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Kurd Elections
As expected, the merger between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) resulted in a political victory in Iraqi Kurdistan. Although the political opposition group Change managed to win an impressive 25% of the total vote, political control of Iraqi Kurdistan will remain with the KDP and PUK, who took…
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Initiating the Stalled Peace Process Through a Settlement Freeze
Following the usual protocol of the Israeli government, Ehud Olmert responded to US criticism of Israeli settlements by deflecting blame to the Palestinians while portraying Israeli “natural growth†as a helpless and unavoidable condition of the existing settlements. Perhaps spoiled by the unconditional support from the previous Bush administration, Olmert remains in a world in…
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Fayyad’s Folly: Disarming His Own People
In the Washington Post’s latest attempt to adequately illustrate the complex political issues regarding Israeli/Palestinian relations, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad was highlighted as a “technocrat†steadily gaining political ground thought military concessions. A strategy that alienates Hamas, the other major player in Palestinian politics, Fayyad disturbingly argued, “[T]he state should have sole purview over arms…
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Repercussions of the Iranian Elections
Summary Kaveh Ehsani’s, Arang Keshavarzian’s and Norma Claire Moruzzi’s Article on Iranian Elections: Despite certain peculiarities, Ahmadinejad’s reelection should not be considered overwhelming surprising. Every previous Iranian incumbent has been reelected and the circumstances of the election stood as a huge advantage for Ahmadinejad. He had control of the state, including media outlets, and had…
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Congressional Muslim Staffers Association Social
Congressional Muslim Staffers Association social On Friday June 19, 2009 Congressional Muslim Staffers Association (CSMA) held their 2nd annual Summer Interns and fellow social with Congressman Andre Carson and Congressman Keith Ellison as guest speakers. However, the event was deceptive by title due to its overwhelmingly rewarding program and diverse group of attendees. CMSA defines…
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Preliminary Thoughts on Ahmadinejad’s Re-election
The Iranian elections were the last of three crucial elections, the others being the Israeli and American elections, needed to establish a tone and general direction for peace negotiations across the Middle East. With the international community watching closely, most experts agreed it would come down to a run-off between the top two candidates. Shocking…
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The Prospect for Success Under McChrystal
“With the appointment … of McChrystal, it is clear that the “change” we were promised by Obama is just a change of faces: the policies, at least on the foreign policy front, are remarkably similar.” — Justin Raimando Speaking on the need for “fresh thinking†and “fresh eyes on the problem†Secretary Gates named Lt.…
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More Nukes Are Counter-Productive for Pakistan
This month MFI’s president Dr. Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad was interviewed by Farspress on the crisis in Pakistan. Among the main reasons for the spread of Taliban influence across Pakistan, Dr. Ahmad cited the US presence as a major motivating force. Although you cannot ignore the polarizing effect of “American influenceâ€, real or perceived, in South Asia,…
