Minaret of Freedom Weblog

“This recent crackdown may play into a growing feeling that Hamas is no longer a resistance movement, but a government set on keeping both its power and keeping things fairly quiet with Israel”:

• Growing Threat to Hamas: Gazans Who Think it has Sold Out (Christian Science Monitor)

Reconciliation and peace remain the top priority of Afghani voters…

• Peace Talks With Taliban Top Issue in Afghan Vote (NY Times)

… Meanwhile, Karzai continues to seek reelection no matter what the cost:

• Dostum’s Return to Afghanistan: a Nod to ‘Warlord Politics’ (Christian Science Monitor)

The proposed law would severely restrict the development of civil society while awarding the Iraqi government extensive control over NGOs:

• Iraq’s Proposed Assault on NGOs (Guardian)

Mir Masoud Hosseinian compares the dissidence in Iran to two brothers arguing about the best driving route to the same destination:

• Q & A with Iran Diplomat on the Postelection Unrest (LA Times)

As the Iraqi governments seeks to reconcile militant factions and consolidate its power, US interests take a backseat to Iraqi objectives:

• U.S. Will Release More Members of an Iraqi Shiite Militia (NY Times)

“[D]espite the belief of many in the West that such accusations are merely political rhetoric, Iran’s political hardliners do appear to believe that Western nations are actively seeking to start a ‘velvet revolution’ in Iran”:

• Ahmadinejad Blames West For Fomenting Iran Unrest (Christian Science Monitor)

“The reality of Fatah’s conference was a good deal different to how it was portrayed in many typical western media reports”:

• Fatah Strangled at Rebirth (Guardian)

Very likely to pass if put to a national vote, the referendum would move up the targeted withdrawal date of December 2011 by almost a year …

• Iraqi Voters to Decide Whether to Speed U.S. Withdrawal (Washington Post)

… Meanwhile, Al Qassemi challenges Arab leaders to initiate stronger diplomatic ties with Iraq, which is quickly rebuilding as a regional power:

• Time for Arabs to Get Serious About Iraq (Guardian)

As candidates lobby in hopes of challenging Karzai’s rule …

• Afghan Rivals Begin Final Poll Push (Al Jazeera)

… Security concerns speak to the weakness of Afghanistan’s democracy:

• Threats by Taliban May Sway Vote in Afghanistan (NY Times)

Even as the end of Mubarak’s rule approaches, democracy is unlikely to return to Egypt:

• Egypt’s Guessing Game: How Long Can a Leader Last? (AP / Washington Post)

Contradicting Hamas’ claim “that there were no non-Palestinian fighters in Gaza”:

• Hamas Destroys al-Qaida Group in Violent Gaza Battle (Guardian)

As Ahmadinejad continues to enlist allies into his new government …

• Hard-Line Cleric Named Iran’s Judiciary Chief (Washington Post)

… Moussavi strives to legally challenge the legitimacy of Ahmadinejad’s rule:

• Moussavi Forms ‘Grass-Roots’ Movement in Iran (NY Times)

Only a week after the frisking of a former Indian president:

• Indian Star Detained at US Airport (Al Jazeera)

“To break the 50% barrier on Thursday, Karzai has been horse-trading with tribal leaders, offering positions and influence in a new government”:

• Karzai Counts on Tribal Vote to Win Kandahar (Guardian)

Providing cellphone service is the focus of the new U.S. propaganda campaign:

• U.S. Plans a Mission Against Taliban’s Propaganda (NY Times)

With the potential for admittance into the EU as a carrot,

• Turkish PM Promises Reform to Religious Minorities (Reuters)

Ahmed Wali Karzai also revealed that a number of tribal militias will be used in the south to help guarantee security, “a move that has been denounced by democracy activists who fear it will make electoral fraud easier”

• Taliban Chiefs Agree Ceasefire Deals for Afghan Presidential Election (Guardian)

Reelection for President Karzai may not be as easy as initially predicted…

• Karzai Rival Gains Poll Momentum (Al Jazeera)

… Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch accuses President Karzai of making “an unthinkable deal to sell Afghan women out in the support of fundamentalists in the August 20 election:”

• Afghanistan Passes ‘Barbaric’ Law Diminishing Women’s Rights (Guardian)

Despite the wave of violence, there seem to have been “no retaliatory strikes that could spark the cycle of sectarian violence that engulfed the country in civil war three years ago”:

• Why Iraq Bombings Are Spiking (Christian Science Monitor)

Using a strategy that focuses on long-term objects, Gates reiterates that rebuilding Afghanistan is  “a decades-long enterprise”:

• Gates: No Troop Request In Afghanistan Review (Washington Post)

Deficits in funding and communications technologies will challenge the ability of Mali, Mauritania, Algeria, and Niger to coordinate an effective strategy against AQIM:

• Algeria Hosts Regional Summit Amid Rise in Terrorism (Christian Science Monitor)

“‘These deaths stand out because the civilians were in groups waving a white cloth, T-shirt or scarf, and no Palestinian fighters were in the area at the time,’ the report said”:

• Israel Troops ‘Shot Gaza Civilians’ (Al Jazeera)

As women organize to vocalize their political beliefs in the upcoming election…

• Afghan Candidates Face More Vocal Constituency: Women. (Christian Science Monitor)

… Hannah Wright points out the lack of gender diversity in Fatah’s new leadership, which does not include  a single woman:

• Listen to the Women of Palestine (Guardian)

Local authorities defended their position stating regulations dictate “that garments bigger than standard swimsuits, including men’s board-shorts, could not be worn in pools for hygiene reasons”:

• French Woman Threatens Legal Action Over ‘Burkini’ Ban (Guardian)

By discouraging participation and threatening violence on those who seek to use democracy, the Taliban further damage the integrity of their rule:

• As Afghan Vote Nears, Taliban Intimidation Rises (NY Times)

At least 75,000 expatriate workers return to Egypt, a country which received $8.56 billion in remittances in the 2007-08 fiscal year:

• Gusher Peters Out for Egyptians in Persian Gulf (LA Times)

Humor provides an outlet for frustrated Afghanis who push the limits of political criticism:

• Afghanistan’s Answer to ‘The Daily Show’? (Christian Science Monitor)

Reflecting the growing concern and importance of water distribution among the regional powers:

• Turkey Offers Water for Iraqi Crackdown on Kurdish Rebels (Christian Science Monitor)

“The report by the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee” found that “there is no evidence that any significant amount of the drug proceeds go to Al Qaeda”:

• Taliban Drug Proceeds Lower Than Thought, U.S. Report Says (LA Times)

The US promises of protection to the terrorist-listed group conflict with promises to respect Iraqi sovereignty:

• Iran Exiles Accuse U.S. Of Ignoring Its Pledges (Washington Post)

Over 200 intellectuals, activists and defenders of rights appeal for UN action against “Ahmadinejad’s illegitimate government that has staged an electoral coup”:

• Dear Mr Ban, Heed the Iranian People (Guardian)

“There has been no real domestic public debate or meaningful congressional oversight over targeted killings, even though their strategic and policy consequences are hotly contested” :

• Use of Drones in Pakistan and Afghanistan: Deadly, but Legal? (Christian Science Monitor)

The $2.5 billion dollars requested still pales in comparison to the $68 billion requested by Obama for Defense Department spending in  Afghanistan:

• U.S. Ambassador Seeks More Money for Afghanistan (Washington Post)

One of the poorest Arab countries, Yemen is at war with Shias, al-Qaeda, and secessionists:

• Yemen Targets Northern Fighters (Al Jazeera)

“This is a coup against a leadership that had monopolized the movement for a long time without even presenting a report about its work” – Jibril Rajoub

• Fatah Elects Younger Leadership Group (Guardian)

The program is widely praised by US and Saudi officials, but Human Rights Watch points out that detention of suspected terrorists without trial is illegal under international law:

• Rights Group Criticizes Saudi Arabia’s Al Qaeda Reeducation Program (Christian Science Monitor)

Pre-election concerns challenge the legitimacy of Afghan democracy:

• Afghanistan’s Presidential Election Campaign an Exercise in Peril (LA Times)

Illustrating the difficulty in establishing peace, over 50% of Israeli Jews polled support the transfer of Arabs out of Israel:

• Israel’s Anti-Immigration Immigrants (Guardian)

Critics  say, “Simply adding more troops won’t make a difference if there aren’t enough Afghan forces prepared to take the lead and be the ‘face’ of the security force”:

• More US Troops For Afghanistan: Are They Inevitable? (Christian Science Monitor)

Opposition leaders continue to press Iranian officials to answer allegations of torture, rape and the death count in the aftermath of the elections:

• Iran Opposition Says 69 Killed in Election Protests (Reuters / Washington Post)
• Inquiry Urged into Iran Rape Claims (Al Jazeera)

Even Khomeini chose to co-opt the shah’s clandestine services rather than build his intelligence ministry from scratch; by now replacing longtime officials with loyalists, “the purge does away decades of intelligence experience”,

• Iran’s President Purges Intelligence Ministry (LA Times)

“[F]or years [Washington] touted Dubai as a model of a modern, prosperous Muslim land that, though far from democratic, seemed anchored in the rule of law and committed to basic rights”:

• As Dubai’s Glitter Fades, Foreigners See Dark Side (Washington Post)

The UN  report criticizes the sacrifice of freedom in the name of security:

• UN Voices Concern Over Afghan Poll (Al Jazeera)

The strategy challenges  traditional concepts  of military’s rules of engagement and international law:

• U.S. to Hunt Down Afghan Drug Lords Tied to Taliban (NY Times)

Exacerbating the diplomatic standoff, Iran believes the three Americans were “definitely spies”:

• Iraq Asks Iran to Release 3 American Hikers (La Times)

Station shut-down takes censorship to the max:

• Saudi Arabia Loses TV Station After Sex Talk (AP / Washington Post)

59% of respondents believe the US poses the largest threat to Pakistan with 41% supporting the offensive against the Taliban:

• US ‘Biggest’ Threat Say Pakistanis (Al Jazeera)

Allegations of torture undermine the legitimacy of the current regime …

• Iranian Official Acknowledges Torture of Protesters (NY Times)

… Meanwhile, Iran unfairly targets dual citizens in their attempts to uncover a Western link to the opposition:

• With Iran Blaming West, Dual Citizens Are Targets (Washington Post)

“I renounce my belief in the Zionism which has failed, that I shall not be loyal to the Jewish fascist state and its mad visions” – Dov Yermiya

• Key Zionist Pioneer Renounces Zionism (Sott)

Gender equality should not trump an individual’s right to “freedom of expression”:

• French Muslims’ Veils Ignite Debate on Values (Washington Post)

“Conservative rivals of Ahmadinejad have emerged as some of his harshest critics during the crisis”:

• Iran Conservatives Demand Role in Cabinet’s Vetting (LA Times)

Illustrating a fundamental difference in the pursuit of justice from the Bush administration,

• Convicted Yemeni Cleric to Be Deported (Washington Post)

Despite being cleared of any wrongdoing, former detainees face the social sigma of an ex-convict and the harsh reality of rebuilding their lives:

• Iraqis Freed by U.S. Face Few Jobs and Little Hope (NY Times)

The death of Baitullah Mehsud may undermine Taliban objectives but will it damage the strength of Taliban ideology?

• Drone Probably Killed Taliban Leader. Is Pakistan Safer? (Christian Science Monitor)

With an array of domestic issues at hand, Iraqis express frustration with the attention given  to the proposed smoking ban:

• Nicotine-Loving Iraqis Deride Smoking-Ban Plan (Washington Post)

Exploring the motivation of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and their ability to act within the Iranain government:

• Why Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Mercilessly Crack Down (Christian Science Monitor)

For those who accuse human right groups of an anti-Israeli bias:

• Hamas Rockets ‘a War Crime’ (Al Jazeera)

As Saudis continue to struggle with the idea of ‘free speech’; they might consider a simple solution to the offensive programing would be to turn it off:

• Saudi Man Detained Over Alleged Sex Confession (AP / Washington Post)

In the end, will the conference address the long standing need for a unified Palestinian leadership?

• Fatah Postpones Elections, but Extends Conference (NY Times)