Antiwar.com columnist Scott Horton defends Ron Paul’s analysis that 9/11 was “blowback†and takes Rudy Guiliani to task for twisting it as “blaming Americaâ€:
Religious vigilantes from notorious mosque becoming bolder in Pakistan, abducting four policemen in order to release four detained members of the Taliban…
- Govt Gives in to Lal Masjid Clerics (The Jang/AFP)
…meanwhile the NY Times reports the US is footing the bill for Pakistani military expenditures used for a game of nuclear-armed chicken with India, instead of cooperation with anti-Al-Qaida missions:
- U.S. Pays Pakistan to Fight Terror, but Patrols Ebb (New York Times)
Popularist cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr switches political gears and embarks on massive internal purging of extremists and outreach to Sunni communities:
- Iraq’s Sadr Overhauls His Tactics (Washington Post)
Iran digs itself into a ditch as pro-diplomatic engagement organizations threaten academic boycott in response to detention of Middle East scholar Haleh Esfandiari:
- Academics May Boycott Iran Over Scholar’s Detainment (Washington Post)
Lebanese troops crackdown on radical militant organization alleged linked with Al-Qaida across the country, results in at least 40 deaths:
- Scores Killed in Lebanon Fighting (BBC News)
