Author: mara.ahmed

to dialogue with muslims is a brilliant idea, but to pick saudia arabia and egypt as the main vehicle for such a dialogue is ironic. neither country is democratic or much interested in human rights. of course, we support their dictators but how does that help start a dialogue with the muslims they oppress?

since the “misapprehensions” obama is talking about do not exist between the govt of the united states and other govts with majority muslim populations (many of which are manned by u.s. puppets), it is the muslims of the world he should address – the actual people who see torture, detention without trial and the bombing of muslim villagers as a war on islam.

i cringe whenever anybody describes the saudi arabian govt as the “leaders” of the muslim world. saudi arabia is a country named after a family! ain’t nothing islamic about that! they have holy sites but people in the subcontinent feel more strongly about the sufi shrines they gather at and shias have a deeper emotional connection to many of the shrines in iraq. see, the problem is there is no muslim ethinicity or geo-political identity.

govts can’t represent entire religions. for example, if the muslims of the world wanted to talk to christians, which govt would they be advised to visit? the u.s. govt? the italian govt? the mexican govt? the govt in the congo? or should they just visit rick warren and the pope?

having said that, all muslim countries are not equal. as far as which govts are more representative of their muslim populations, i can find better examples than saudi arabia and egypt. turkey is not perfect but is it a functional democracy. iran u might not like but it is a vibrant muslim country with a citizenry that is young and pushing for change. indonesia is the most populous muslim country in the world, a republic, with an elected legislature and president. more muslims live in the indian subcontinent than in any other region. pakistan, inspite of all its problems with a long history of american-backed military dictatorships and the terribly misguided war on terror and its aftermath, just experienced a grassroots lawyers’ movement that ousted a powerful general. bangladesh has a system of parliamentary democracy. i could go on.

maybe this is not about dialoguing, but just keeping the price of oil in check and getting rid of some problematic detainees that no one wants in america?

To open a Muslim dialogue, Obama visits Saudi king

torture is not just immoral and illegal, it is also incredibly counterproductive. an expert on interrogation speaks out.

the afghanistan war, now extended to pakistan: brain power with the benefit of historical knowledge or brute military power?

“Elizabeth Gould and Paul Fitzgerald’s new book, “Invisible History: Afghanistan’s Untold Story”: Thirty years in the making, this deeply researched book is bursting with overlooked facts and unauthorized insights. Through their erudition, prescience and passion, Gould and Fitzgerald have provided us with an urgent and necessary history, one that pierces through the haze of misinformation that has, for far too long, obscured the guiding light of an authentic past.” Full article.

i feel sick. unless there’s a trial, there’s no way to try and make this stop. we r still in iraq and in afghanistan (possibly in pakistan). there r still detainees who have been incarcerated with no trial in sight. we have to deal with this now!

Photographs of alleged prisoner abuse which Barack Obama is attempting to censor include images of apparent rape and sexual abuse, it has emerged. Full article.

“Obama knows that resolving Kashmir is a critical piece of the “Af-Pak” strategy; he even mooted a renewed push for negotiations during his campaign for president. But in office he has been faced with a massive Indian lobbying effort warning that his special envoy to the region, Richard Holbrooke, would be shunned by Delhi if his brief included Kashmir.” Full article.

“Widespread killings, injuries and damage to homes could undermine popular support needed for the US-backed Pakistan army campaign and possibly generate sympathy for the insurgency.” Full article.