Month: October 2008

Guantanamo detainees remain held as “enemy combatants” despite not facing any charges: Charges Against 5 Detainees Dropped Temporarily (Washington Post) Forces attack Afghan allies in a case of “mistaken identity”: Airstrike Kills 9 Afghan Troops (NY Times) Iran, Qatar and Russia, who control 60% of natural gas reserves, have agreed to form an OPEC-like organization:…

Muslims accuse the government of using provocateurs to urge them “to shoot people, to blow them up” and entrap those who protest “Why would you want to do that? It’s forbidden in our religion:” ‘Ft. Dix Six’ Informants in Hot Seat Too (LA Times) The brother of a man known for his criticism of the…

General Powell becomes first Republican notable to give the correct response to the “charge” that Obama is a Muslim (beginning at 4:26 in the clip): Colin Powell Endorses Obama (Meet the Press / msnbc.com) Question remain as to whether  American troops will leave by 2011 and who decides when they are subject to Iraqi courts:…

Chinese Muslims in Xinjiang “live under an intricate series of laws and regulations intended to control the spread and practice of Islam”: Wary of Islam, China Tightens a Vise of Rules (NY Times) Protesters rally to prevent US-Iraq security pact… Muqtada Sadr Urges Iraq Lawmakers to Reject U.S. Troop Deal (LA Times) … Meanwhile, US…

Iraq struggles to manage the national budget and distribute funds: As Iraq’s Oil Flows Freely, Profits Are Stuck in Bureaucracy (Washington Post) Former mayor says he will not negotiate with goverment as long as foreign troops occupy Afghanistan: Afghan Mayor Turns Taliban Leader (Al Jazeera) Intolerance and Islamophobia continue to  rise in Europe: Protest Mars…

Iraq obtains “the right to prosecute U.S. soldiers for serious crimes under certain circumstances”: U.S., Iraq Agree Pact Giving U.S. Troops Until 2011 (Reuters) Pakistan seeks up to 3 billion in emergency assistance: In Scramble for Cash, Pakistan Turns to China’s Deep Reserves (Washington Post) US plan to arm tribes against the Taliban risks outbreak…

Rampant crime and poverty lead many Afghans to recognize Taliban rule for security… Some Afghans Live Under Taliban rule – and Prefer It (Christian Science Monitor) …Meanwhile, the Taliban continue to increase their ideological influence: Defections Hit Afghan Forces (Al Jazeera) “When did the words “Muslim” and “Arab” become acceptable epithets?” ‘Muslim’ Shouldn’t be a…

Poor translating, yet another injustice perpetrated by the US Defense Department: Lawyers Criticize Quality of Guantanamo Interpreters (Washington Post) After being assaulted by Jewish youth Tawfiq Jamal is detained for “disrupting the sanctity of Yom Kippur, when most Israelis observe a religious ban on driving“: Arab Driver Held After Acre Riots (Al Jazeera) Turkey remains…

Approximately 4,100 troops are no longer needed “in the south of the country” – Nuri al-Maliki Iraqi PM: UK forces ‘not needed’ (Al Jazeera) Iraqi government orders additional protection for Christians experiencing recent increase in persecution: Security Boosted Around Mosul (Washington Post) Iranian government implimentation of a 3% value-added tax meets heavy criticism: Iranian Merchants…

Violence stemming from a Yom Kippur incident involving an Arab motorist continues: Akko Faces Fourth Night of Riots (Al Jazeera) Controversy brews as Golshifteh Farahani appears without a headscarf on Hollywood’s red carpet: Iranian Actress Heads Into a Storm (Washington Post) Providing schools and proper education a top priority in stabilizing Iraq and encouraging Iraqis…