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Moslem holiday passes peacefully in Iraq
As Shiite pilgrims slowly filtered out of religious shrines in Karbala Dec. 17, the quiet passing of the Muslim religious holiday of Ashoura made a loud statement about the capabilities of Iraqi security forces in the area. As many as 4 million pilgrims took part in the 2010 Ashoura, including 200,000 foreigners from 24 separate countries, according to Iraqi estimates. The security of Ashoura participants and the areas surrounding holy shrines in Karbala was the sole … Read entire article »
Filed under: Iraq, Islam, Rebuilding, War on Terror
Turkmen Shi’a Visit Sultan Saqi Shrine
I had to use the original title. Just look at the alliteration! The 506th Air Expeditionary Group and the Kirkuk Provincial Reconstruction Team of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq assisted approximately 30 members of the predominantly Turkmen Shi’a community of the Tiseen neighborhood of Kirkuk city to visit the Imam Sultan Saqi Shrine and its surrounding cemetery, which are historically and religiously important to the Turkmen Shi’a community, April 17. Traditionally, the people of the Tiseen community in Kirkuk visit the shrine and the graves of the deceased of their own community buried in the cemetery surrounding the shrine on religious holidays and other special occasions. Under the regime of Saddam Hussein, the land was confiscated for use as an airport and military base, and visitations and use of the cemetery were forbidden. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Iraq, Islam, Rebuilding, Religion, War on Terror
Another Lone Jihadi Attack in America
Following in the footsteps of Sirhan Sirhan and the Washington Sniper, another American Muslim goes berserk over American policy in the Middle East. U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan is believed to be the lone shooter of some 43 people on Fort Hood, Texas, and he survived being shot by a civilian police officer, the base commander said. Lt Gen. Robert Cone in a televised press briefing tonight corrected earlier reports that said Hasan and the officer, who shot him several times, were killed. Rather, he said, both are recovering at a nearby hospital. All but two of the victims are soldiers, Cone said. Cone confirmed the identity of Hasan, reportedly a psychiatrist on the base who was scheduled soon to deploy, but would not say more about the suspect last night. Hasan … Read entire article »
Filed under: Islam, Military, Religion, War on Terror
Mosque closed by Saddam reopens with facelift
As U.S. bases and posts in Iraq continue to consolidate or are transferred back to the government of Iraq, military leaders across the country face the challenges of leaving their locations better than when they initially arrived. Whether it’s through the stabilized security we see today in Iraq or the civil affairs projects that have sprouted throughout the country, there are tangible improvements to many of the areas that continue to be or were once occupied by U.S. forces. One of these improvements was the recent completion of a $50,000 renovation project of a mosque located aboard Camp Al Taqaddum. The religious structure has actually been closed to the public since 1987, when the area was taken over by the Iraqi Army. But its new face-lift gives hope to local Iraqis … Read entire article »
Filed under: Iraq, Islam, Marines, Military, Rebuilding, Religion, War on Terror
In the Heart of the Taliban, Freedom Still Lives
Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province (NWFP) is today arguably one of the most dangerous places in the world. But while that may be true of regions where the Taliban proliferate, there are still areas of NWFP where life goes on as normal. The most prominent of these is the Kalash region in the northern-most district of Chitral. It is named after the Kalash tribe which has been settled here since time immemorial. snip Hundreds of years ago about 3,000 Kalash people made their home in the Birir, Rumbur and Bumburet valleys among the Hindu Kush mountains of Chitral. Generally speaking, the people of Chitral, Muslim or Kalash, are liberal when it comes to religion. But the Taliban threat has now jeopardised all that, with the neighbouring district of Upper Dir firmly under their control. “Chitral is one … Read entire article »
Filed under: Islam, Little Sects, Religion, Society
Turks Jail Plotters
In Turkey, the military is the protector of the secular state. Since the Islamists have taken control of the government, there have been rumors of a coup by the military to restore secularism. From AP via the Houston Chronicle, here is a story about recent arrests of alleged plotters. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamic-rooted party has been locked in a power struggle with secular groups supported by the military and other state institutions, including the judiciary. Secularists see themselves as the defenders of the modern secular ideology espoused by Turkish national founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and oppose groups they say want to impose Islam on society. Earlier in the week, the Constitutional Court heard allegations against the ruling party of anti-secular activity. The prosecutor wants the party disbanded, and Erdogan and 70 … Read entire article »
Filed under: Islam, Other Countries, War on Terror
Pope Baptizes Convert
Hugh Hewitt hits it out of the park with this comment: The only possible resolution of the competition between faiths is that each understand and accept (1) the evangelical imperative that resides within any system that claims the revelation of God’s plan, (2)no genuine conversion can be other than voluntary (3)religious freedom is the ultimate trust in that revelation, and (4)the only system under which genuine faith should seek to prosper. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Catholic Church, Islam, Other Bloggers, Religion
Mosque Raid Nets Religious Court Judge
MNF-I Iraqi Army forces entered the Zayn Al-Abidin mosque in Tarmiyah and detained its leader overseeing the illegal religious court Sept. 8, while U.S. forces provided support. Sources and local civilians reported that the mosque’s leader had acted as a judge for the Sharia Court in Tarmiyah. Al Qaeda operatives often establish a Sharia court to “try†individuals for violations of the Wahabist law, an extreme interpretation of the Qur’an. Detainees are often bound and tortured for several days while awaiting this “trialâ€, ultimately found guilty and then murdered. Sharia courts are a practice in rural areas where Al Qaeda operates unchallenged and is used under the guise of their own rule of law. During a search of the mosque, Coalition forces discovered a box of letters that appeared to be addressed to … Read entire article »
Filed under: Iraq, Islam, War on Terror
Coming Soon: Future Posts
- Declaration of War 1812 (in 129 days)
- USS President vs HMS Belvidera (in 134 days)
- General Hull Invades Canada (in 153 days)
- First Battle of Sacketts Harbor (in 160 days)
On Y!CN
- Radioactive Gravel from Japanese Nuke Disaster Used in Buildings
- Fuel Supplies Reach Nome
- Fuel Convoy Reaches Nome
- Russians Sail to Rescue of Ice Bound Alaska Community
- Pope Embraces Anglicans in U.S. with New Ordinariate
- Nebraska Nuke Plant Placed on Special Inspection Status
- Radioactive Water Leaks at Japanese Nuke Site
- Japan Damaged Nuke Plants Still Not Under Control
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Genocide 2009
February 5th, 2009 | Comments Off
I recently received two e-mails from a person who wanted to discuss the situation in Gaza and compared it to the Nazi Holocaust. I replied to his first missive but ignored the second. The word “genocide” is tossed around a lot these days. It once meant the extermination of an entire nation or race. It now seemingly means the killing of several hundred people. The Israeli actions in Gaza come no where near to approaching genocide. If the Israelis intended such a solution to terrorism, they have the ability to level both Gaza and the West Bank with purely conventional weapons. The actions they have taken since 1949 clearly show that they are restraining themselves from committing such horrific acts. My position on the Israeli issue has been stated here in the past. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Commentary, Islam, Middle East, Original writing, Politics, War on Terror