News and Analysis (4/9/08)

Success, rather than failure, is now used as the excuse for maintaining the occupation in Iraq…

• A Plea From Petraeus (Washington Post)

…meanwhile Sadr cancels a planned mass demonstration against U.S. troop presence to prevent further escalation of violence, but clashes continue as the Green Zone gets pelted with mortars and the Mahdi Army and US/Iraqi forces duke it out in other parts of Baghdad:

• Sadr Cancels Million-Man Rally in Baghdad (Washington Post)
• Attacks Mark Baghdad Anniversary (BBC News)

DHS seeks to employ Big Brother in the heavens to spy on Americans, but lawmakers and the Congressional Research Service raise Fourth Amendment and other privacy concerns:

• DHS Ignores Civil Liberties In Domestic Spy Satellite Plan, Lawmakers Say (Raw Story)

Opposition members once giving unconditional support to former Chief Justice Chaudhry now hesitate to restore him to office out of fear their own dirty laundry could also be aired:

• Set to Return, Chief Justice Creates a Test for Pakistan (New York Times)

Mass disqualification of opposition candidates, foundering economic performance and brutal security measures suffocate turnout for Egypt’s municipal elections:

• Amid Violent Riots, Egyptian Elections Fizzle (Christian Science Monitor)

A group of online religious experts and commentators give their opinions on Pope Benedict’s dialog efforts with Muslims:

• On Faith: Benedict and Islam (Washington Post)

Alejandro

Alejandro Beutel is program assistant for the Minaret of Freedom Institute with expertise in religious freedom, democratization and security issues.