TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran’s hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has damaged the country’s relations with the international community, a moderate challenger to the president in the June presidential vote said on Tuesday.
Mehdi Karoubi, former parliamentary speaker and a moderate cleric, said Ahmadinejad’s questioning of the Nazi Holocaust was not in line with the Islamic state’s interests.
“Reducing tension with the West surely is my priority,†said Karoubi, one of the main moderate contenders, told a news conference, adding: “The president’s speeches have harmed Iran’s interests.â€
Reformists seeking political and social change have criticized Ahmadinejad, who came to power on a pledge to revive the values of the 1979 Islamic revolution, for isolating Iran with fiery speeches against the West.
U.S.-Iranian tensions have worsened since the 2005 election of Ahmadinejad, who questioned the Holocaust and called for Israel to be wiped off the map.
“Holocaust is of no concern to Iran whether it existed or not … Such remarks provoke other countries to take measures against Iran,†said Karoubi.
At a U.N. conference on racism in April, Ahmadinejad denounced Israel as a “totally racist government†founded “on the pretext of Jewish sufferings.â€
His comments caused European countries not already boycotting the Geneva conference to walk out but drew applause from Islamic delegations. U.S. President Barack Obama condemned his remarks as “appalling and objectionable.â€
While stressing his belief in preserving Iran’s national interests, Karoubi said the Islamic state should be ready for talks with its foes, particularly the United States.
“Iran should adopt policies in line with the country’s interests,†he said.
Obama has offered a new U.S. approach to Iran, which has not had relations with Washington for three decades, saying he would extend a hand of peace if Iran would “unclench its fist.†Iran demands “real U.S. policy change†rather than words.
Washington and Tehran are locked in conflict over Iran’s nuclear program. Karoubi questioned the president’s handling of the nuclear issue, saying his fiery speeches helped to isolate Iran and expose it to three rounds of U.N. sanctions.
“If I become president, I will change Iran’s approach in its nuclear dispute with the West,†he said. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on major issues, including Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West.
“More diplomacy would have been better. Calling the (U.N.) resolutions a piece of torn paper certainly harms the country,†said Karoubi, in a clear reference to Ahmadinejad who called the U.N. resolutions “pieces of torn papers.â€
The West accuses Iran of covertly trying to build nuclear weapons. Iran denies this and has had three rounds of U.N. sanctions imposed on it for not halting its atomic work.
Karoubi switched to the reformist camp during the eight-year presidency of moderate former president Mohammad Khatami but he sometimes buckled to pressure from Iran’s hardline religious establishment, which blocked Khatami’s reforms.
Another candidate is moderate Mirhossein Mousavi, prime minister during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, who said he wanted to improve ties with the West. Ahmadinejad is so far the only leading conservative to let it be known that he will stand.
Analysts say the fate of the race could depend on whether Ahmadinejad retains the support of Khamenei, whose words could influence millions of loyalists.
BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) – Relatives of two Iraqis killed by U.S. soldiers in a raid demanded justice on Monday and said they were bringing charges.
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Sunday denounced the raid as a violation of a security pact, the first crisis in an otherwise smooth implementation of a deal that sets a deadline for full U.S. withdrawal by the end of 2011.
“We are a peaceful family and I’m still in shock at how they suddenly raided our house, vandalized everything and killed my brother and his wife,†said Iraqi police captain Muamar Abdul-Munin, who was detained in the U.S. operation along with six others and released after government protests.
“We have started pressing charges against the U.S. forces. We want the guilty to be brought to justice.â€
The U.S. military says the raid in Kut, 150 km (95 miles) southeast of Baghdad in Wasit province, was carried out with the approval of Iraqi forces, as required under the security pact.
Under the pact, U.S. soldiers can be tried in local courts for grave, premeditated crimes committed off base and out of uniform. Otherwise, they are subject to U.S. military justice.
Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari denied the Iraqi military had approved the raid.
“No one knew and no one in the army or police agreed to this raid,†he said.
Close to 100,000 people have died in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, according to independent auditor Iraq Body Count, including a number of civilians killed by U.S. forces in raids, check-point shootings or other incidents.
Since the security pact took effect this year, U.S. troops have killed at least 45 people, most of them civilians, said Iraqi NGO Monitor of Constitutional Freedom and Bill of Rights.
But the Kut raid marked the first major outcry from the government.
Analysts say Maliki may have been obliged to react strongly to shore up his image as a defender of Iraqi sovereignty.
The raid took place in an area of the Shi’ite Muslim south where his allies made a strong showing in provincial elections in January, catapulting the increasingly assertive prime minister to political gains against Shi’ite rivals.
“What happened on Sunday shows the barbaric, brutal and criminal nature of U.S. forces,†said Ahmed al-Masoudi, a parliamentary spokesman for supporters of anti-American Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
“We must fulfill the articles of the pact by sending the personnel who committed this crime to Iraqi courts to prosecute them. The credibility of the U.S. and Iraq’s so-called sovereignty are now facing a real test.â€
The U.S. military said the raid targeted Shi’ite militias it says are supported by Iran. U.S. troops killed a man suspected of supplying arms to fighters. A woman was shot in crossfire.
Abdul-Munin said he and five others detained were bundled into helicopters with hoods over their heads and taken to an unknown destination where a female U.S. officer interrogated them about their links to Iran and Iranian-backed militia.
“I said I’d never been in Iran before. After a while they came back to us and said ‘we are sorry’. ‘We acted on wrong information’,†he quoted the officer as saying.
Abdul-Munin dismissed suggestions that the security pact appeared to protect the U.S. soldiers from prosecution if it had been sanctioned by Iraqi officials. Two Iraqi commanders were detained for having authorized it, the Defense Ministry said.
“The murderers, the soldiers, must pay the price for what they did,†Abdul-Munin said.
Wasit saw fierce fighting during an uprising by Sadr’s fighters last year, but like other parts of the south has since become largely quiet as Sadr’s followers observe a ceasefire.
A senior U.S. officer in Wasit, Colonel Richard Francey, said his unit was saddened by the outcome of Sunday’s operation and expressed his deepest condolences.
(Additional reporting in Baghdad by Waleed Ibrahim, Writing by Michael Christie; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Dew is water in the form of droplets that appears on thin, exposed objects in the morning or evening. As the exposed surface cools by radiating its heat, atmospheric moisture condenses at a rate greater than that at which it can evaporate, resulting in the formation of water droplets.
When temperatures are low enough, dew takes the form of ice; this form is called frost.
Because dew is related to the temperature of surfaces, in late summer it is formed most easily on surfaces which are not warmed by conducted heat from deep ground, such as: grass, leaves, railings, car roofs, and bridges.
Dew should not be confused with guttation, which is the process by which plants release excess water from the tips of their leaves.
Water will condense into droplets depending on the temperature. The temperature at which droplets can form is called the Dew Point. When surface temperature drops, eventually reaching the dew point, atmospheric water vapor condenses to form small droplets on the surface. This process distinguishes dew from those hydrometeors(meteorological occurrences of water) which are formed directly in air cooling to its dew point (typically aroundcondensation nuclei) such as fog or clouds. The thermodynamic principles of formation, however, are virtually the same.
Sufficient cooling of the surface typically takes place when it loses more energy by infrared radiation than it receives as solar radiation from the sun, which is especially the case on clear nights. Preferred objects of dew formation are thus poor conducting or well isolated from the ground, and non-metallic or coated as shiny metal surfaces are poor infrared radiators. Preferred weather conditions include the absence of clouds and little water vapor in the higher atmosphere to minimize greenhouse effects and sufficient humidity of the air near the ground. Typical dew nights are classically considered to be calm because the wind transports (nocturnally) warmer air from higher levels to the cold surface. But, if the atmosphere is the major source of moisture (this part of dew is called dewfall), a certain amount of ventilation is needed to replace the vapor that is already condensed. The highest optimum wind speeds could be found on arid islands. If the wet soil beneath is the major source of vapor, however (this part of dew is called distillation), wind always seems to be adverse.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Supreme Court upheld on Tuesday a U.S. government crackdown on profanity on television, a policy that subjects broadcasters to fines for airing a single expletive blurted out on a live show.
In its first ruling on broadcast indecency standards in more than 30 years, the high court handed a victory to the Federal Communications Commission, which adopted the crackdown against the one-time use of profanity on live television when children are likely to be watching.
The case stemmed from an FCC ruling in 2006 that found News Corp’s Fox television network violated decency rules when singer Cher blurted out an expletive during the 2002 Billboard Music Awards broadcast and actress Nicole Richie used two expletives during the 2003 awards.
No fines were imposed, but Fox challenged the decision and a U.S. appeals court in New York struck down the new policy as "arbitrary and capricious" and sent the case back to the FCC for a more reasoned explanation of its policy.
The FCC, under the administration of President George W. Bush, had embarked on a crackdown of indecent content on broadcast TV and radio after pop star Janet Jackson briefly exposed her bare breast during the 2004 broadcast of the Super Bowl halftime show.
Before 2004, the FCC did not ordinarily enforce prohibitions against indecency unless there were repeated occurrences.
By a 5-4 vote and splitting along conservative-liberal lines, the justices overturned the ruling by the appeals court and said the FCC’s new policy and its findings in the two cases were neither arbitrary nor capricious.
"The agency’s reasons for expanding its enforcement activity, moreover, were entirely rational," Justice Antonin Scalia said in summarizing the court’s majority ruling from the bench.
"Even when used as an expletive, the F-word’s power to insult and offend derives from its sexual meaning," he said.
Government lawyers in the case have said the policy covered so-called "fleeting expletives," such as the "F-word" and the "S-word" that denote "sexual or excretory activities," respectively.
(Reporting by James Vicini, Editing by Dave Zimmerman)
Western Scientists aver that before the Qur`an, the scientific knowledge described in it were never known, speaking specifically about the stages of embryonic formation—and… “These statements must have come to Muhammad from God…†(s)
CAN Israel still call the US its best international friend? Apparently not, if you believe the tone of the local media. Watching the drama unfold inside Israel, the increasingly tense dialogue between President Obama and new Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is taking on all the trappings of a duel.
Almost every day brings news of another sore point between the two countries, a source of yet further inflammation of their once warm relations.
One could be forgiven for thinking the more immediate threat to Israel’s national security lay across the Atlantic rather than from closer to home. It is bad enough that President Obama uses almost every opportunity he can to set the parameters of a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Now US officials are openly using Israeli anxiety over Iran’s fledging nuclear program as a bargaining chip to force Israel’s hand on giving up control of the West Bank Palestinian territory.
No less a figure than White House chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel 8 0 whose father fought with the militant Zionist group the Irgun, and whose appointment had provided such reassurance to Israeli officials — was quoted this week laying down the law to Israel. If Israel wants US help to defuse the Iranian threat, Mr Emanuel was reported to have told Jewish leaders in Washington, then get ready to start evacuating settlements in the West Bank.
Talkback radio blazed with fury across the country the same day, as Israelis protested that no US official had the right to tell them where to live.
Then on Thursday came the news that Mr Netanyahu’s planned first meeting with President Obama in Washington next month had been called off.
Mr Netanyahu had hoped to capitalize on his attendance at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington to visit the White House. But Administration officials informed Mr Netanyahu’s office that the President would not be “in town.â€
Washington sources added that the Obama Administration would not be continuing the tradition that had developed during the Bush years of hosting Israeli prime ministers whenever they showed up in town, sometimes with just a phone call’s notice.
It might have been no more than coincidence, but yesterday Israeli defense officials told the liberal daily Haaretz that Israel’s $US15 billion ($A21 billion) purchase of 75 US-made F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets was now under review due to “the unexpected high cost and disagreements with the manufacturer.â€
Contrary to initial expectations, President Obama has wasted no time becoming fully engaged in the Middle East peace process, despite the magnitude of his domestic political agenda. While Mr Netanyahu has refused to endorse a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict agreed to by his predecessor, President Obama has made it abundantly clear that the US will accept nothing less than Israel living side by side with a sovereign Palestinian state.
Mr. Obama is also demanding a freeze on Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank, and has dropped the Bush administration’ s opposition to Hamas being part of a future Palestinian Authority government.
According to prominent Israeli political commentator Maya Bengal, who writes for the country’s second-largest selling newspaper Maariv, the holiday is over.
“As Passover comes to an end, so comes to an end, it seems, the days of grace granted to the Netanyahu Government by the American Administration, “ says the commentator.
Tel Aviv barman Meir Avraham, 30, says he can feel on the street the tensions being played out between the US and Israel. “This is one of the main things that the people are talking about at the moment,†says Mr Avraham.
All Israelis, says Mr Avraham, understand the vital nature of the relationship between Israel and the US. “If we lose America, then we are alone,†he says. “So we must listen to what America wants. But really I think this is more about the little brother testing the limits of the big brother.â€
Editor’s note: The following is the full text of President Ahmadinejad’s speech before the Sixtieth Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Our printing of this is not an endorsement of his views but a reprinting of a speech which is shunned in the mainstream press despite its newsworthiness.
“In the Name of the God of Mercy, Compassion, Peace, Freedom and Justice
“Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
“Today we have gathered here to exchange views about the world, its future and our common responsibilities towards it. It is evident that the future of the world is intertwined with its current state and the prevailing trends ,which exhibit signs of hope and despair.
“On the one hand certain hopes and opportunities exist, and this august Assembly is convened on such hopes. Today human thought reflects outstanding commonalities which provide appropriate grounds to build upon. With the passing of the era of agnostic philosophies, today humanity is once again joined in celebrating monotheism and belief in the Creator as the originator of existence. This is the common thread which binds us all.
“Faith will prove to be the solution to many of today’s problems.
The Truth will shine the light of faith and ethics on the life of human beings and prevent them from aggression, coercion and injustice and will guide them towards care and compassion for fellow beings.
“Another hope is the common global appreciation of the sources of knowledge. Although reason, experience and science are among valuable sources of knowledge, the darkness of the Middle Ages deprived major portions of the Western world of appreciating. This reactionary tendency deprived many of access to various scientific findings and knowledge and led to the exclusion of other sources of knowledge namely God and knowledge based on revelation from the life of human beings in the West; Divine knowledge that was carried and disseminated by such prophets as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammad (peace be upon them).
“Today, agnostic thinking is on the decline and presently humanity is equally enamored with religion knowledge and spirituality. This is an auspicious beginning. Divine prophets teach us about proper regard for the exalted state of human beings on earth.
“The human being is blessed with dignity, most importantly manifested in being the viceroy of the Almighty on earth. The Almighty placed humans on earth to develop it, institutionalize justice, overcome their egoistic tendencies and praise no lord but the Almighty.
“Faith and good deeds can bring deliverance and the good life even in this world. Attaining this depends on human will, that is the will of each and every one of us. We must heed the call of our common primordial nature and achieve the realization of this good life.
“On the other hand, the prevalence of military domination, increasing poverty, the growing gap between rich and poor countries, violence as a means to solve crises, spread of terrorism, specially state terrorism, existence and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the pervasive lack of honesty in interstate relations, and disregard for the equal rights of peoples and nations in international relations constitute some of the challenges and threats.
“Although these challenges are very real, we believe we are not predestined to experience them. Our common will not only can change this course but in fact can lead us to a life filled with hope and prosperity. Divine revelation teaches us that “The Almighty changes the fate of no people unless they themselves show a will for change†(Holy Quran, 13:11).
“How can we influence the future of the world? When and how will peace, tranquility and well-being for all come about? These are the fundamental questions before us.
“We believe that a sustainable order, nurturing and flourishing peace and tranquility, can only be realized on the two pillars of justice and spirituality. The more human society departs from justice and spirituality, the greater insecurity it will face, so much so that a relatively small crisis, such as a natural disaster, leads to various abnormalities and inhuman behavior.
“Unfortunately, the world is rife with discrimination and poverty.
Discrimination produces hatred, war and terrorism. They all share the common root of lack of spirituality coupled with injustice. Justice is about equal rights, the correct distribution of resources in the territories of different states, the equality of all before the law and respect for international agreements.
“Justice recognizes the right of every one to tranquility, peace and a dignified life. Justice rejects intimidation and double standards. As the eminent daughter of the Prophet of Islam has said, “justice brings tranquility and harmony to our hearts.â€
“Today, the world is longing for the establishment of such justice. If humanity heeds the call of its primordial nature with firm resolve, justice will emerge. This is what the Almighty has promised and all people of good will from all religions are waiting for. If the prevailing discourse of global relations becomes one of justice and spirituality, then durable peace will be guaranteed.
“Conversely, if international relations are defined without justice and spirituality and void of moral considerations, then the mechanisms for promoting confidence and peace will remain insufficient and ineffective.
“If some, relying on their superior military and economic might, attempt to expand their rights and privileges, they will be performing a great disservice to the cause of peace and in fact will fuel the arms race and spread insecurity, fear and deception. If global trends continue to serve the interests of small influential groups, even the interests of the citizens of powerful countries will be jeopardized, as was seen in the recent crises and the even natural disaster such as the recent tragic hurricane.
“Today, my nation calls on other nations and governments to “move forward to a durable tranquility and peace based on justice and spirituality.â€
“Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is born out of a movement, based on the pure primordial nature of a people who rose up to regain their dignity esteem and human rights. The Islamic Revolution toppled a regime, which had been put in place through a coup, and supported by those who claim to be advocates of democracy and human rights, thwarted the aspirations of the nation for development and progress for 25 years through intimidation and torture of the populace and submission and subservience to outsiders.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is the manifestation of true democracy in the region. The discourse of the Iranian nation is focused on respect for the rights of human beings and a quest for tranquillity, peace, justice and development for all through monotheism.
“For 8 years, Saddam’s regime imposed a massive war of aggression and occupation on my people. It employed the most heinous weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons against Iranians and Iraqis alike. Who, in fact, armed Saddam with these weapons? What was the reaction of those who now claim to fight against WMDs regarding the use of chemical weapons back then? The world is witness to the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran, because of its humanitarian principles, even during the most testing of times and when it was sustaining the highest number of casualties, never allowed itself to use such weapons.
“Thousands of nuclear warheads that are stockpiled in various locations coupled with programs to further develop these inhuman weapons have created a new atmosphere of repression and the rule of the machines of war, threatening the international community and even the citizens of the countries that possess them.
“Ironically, those who have actually used nuclear weapons, continue to produce, stockpile and extensively test such weapons, have used depleted uranium bombs and bullets against tens and perhaps hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, Kuwaitis, and even their own soldiers and those of their allies, afflicting them with incurable diseases, blatantly violate their obligations under the NPT, have refrained from signing the CTBT and have armed the Zionist occupation regime with WMDs, are not only refusing to remedy their past deeds, but in clear breech of the NPT, are trying to prevent other countries from acquiring the technology to produce peaceful nuclear energy.
“All these problems emanate from the fact that justice and spirituality are missing in the way powerful governments conduct their affairs with other nations.
“After September 11, a particular radical group was accused of terrorist activities — although it was never explained how such huge intelligence gathering and security organizations failed to prevent such an extensive and well planned operation.
“Why powers that, not so long ago, were supporting the activities of such groups in Afghanistan and thus portraying themselves as supporters of human rights and the Afghan people have over night turned into their most fierce critic?
“Are we to believe that their benefactors ,i.e. the very same hegemonic powers have lost control?
“If the answer is yes, would it not be better for those powers to adopt an honest and transparent approach to the international community, provide precise information about the main elements and their arms and financial support system, and accept responsibility for their inhuman actions against nations and countries, and thereby assist peoples and nations to correctly, wisely and sincerely fight the roots of terrorism.
“We must endeavor to achieve sustainable tranquility and peace based on justice and spirituality.
“Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
“Terrorism and WMDs are two major threats before the international community. The Islamic Republic of Iran, as one of the main victims of terrorism and chemical weapons, fully appreciates the difficulties that lie ahead in the road to combat these menaces.
“Today, the most serious challenge is that the culprits are arrogating to themselves the role of the prosecutor. Even more dangerous is that certain parties relying on their power and wealth try to impose a climate of intimidation and injustice over the world make bullying, while through their huge media resources portray themselves as defenders of freedom, democracy and human rights.
“People around the world are fully aware of what is happening in the occupied Palestine. Women and children are being murdered and adolescents taken prisoner. Houses are being demolished and farms burnt down. Yet, when the people of Palestine resist these conditions, they are accused of terrorism. At the same time, the occupier, which does not abide by any principles and terror is part of its pronounced and routine policy enjoys the support of the previously mentioned governments. Let me be blunter. State terrorism is being supported by those who claim to fight terrorism.
“How can one talk about human rights and at the same time blatantly deny many the inalienable right to have access to science and technology with applications in medicine, industry and energy and through force and intimidation hinder their progress and development? “Can nations be deprived of scientific and technological progress through the threat of use of force and based on mere allegations of possibility of military diversion? We believe that all countries and nations are entitled to technological and scientific advancement in all fields, particularly the peaceful technology to produce nuclear fuel. Such access cannot be restricted to a few, depriving most nations and by establishing economic monopolies, use them as an instrument to expand their domination.
“We have gathered here to defend human rights in accordance with Charter of UN and prevent certain powers from claiming that “some countries have more rights “or that†some countries do not have the right to enjoy their legitimate rightsâ€.
“We must not, at the beginning of the 21st century, revert to the logic of the dark ages and once again try to deny societies access to scientific and technological advances.
“Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
“The UN must be the symbol of democracy and the equal rights of nations. If we talk about the equal rights of nations in political forums, we must talk of the same concept in this forum as well.
“Similarly, if we talk about the right of sovereignty, then all nations must be allowed to exercise their rights on an equal footing and in a democratic process.
“The UN can be the standard bearer of democracy in the world, when it, itself, is a manifestation of democratic process. I reiterate that durable tranquility and peace can only be built on justice and spirituality.
“Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is a symbol of true democracy. All officials including the Leader, President, members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, city and village councils are elected through the vote of the citizens. The Islamic Republic of Iran has held 27 national elections in 27 years. This showcases a vibrant and dynamic society in which people widely participate in the political life.
“Because of its key importance and influence in the important and strategic Middle East region, the Islamic Republic of Iran is committed to contribute actively to the promotion of peace and stability in the region.
“Saddam, Taliban regimes were both the products of foreign powers.
The people of Afghanistan and Iraq know very well who supported these two regimes.
“Today, to establish peace and security in the region, foreign occupation forces must leave and completely hand over the political and economic sovereignty of these two countries to their peoples. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will continue to provide full and comprehensive support to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan and their elected governments, and will actively help them in the establishment of order and security. My country will continue and expand its sincere cooperation and interaction with them.
“In Palestine, a durable peace will be possible through justice, an end to discrimination and the occupation of Palestinian land, the return of all Palestinian refugees, and the establishment of a democratic Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
“Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
“Today, more than ever, nations need constructive, positive and honest cooperation and interaction in order to enjoy a dignified, tranquil and peaceful life based on justice and spirituality. Let us enter into a collective covenant to realize this legitimate aspiration of our nations.
“Here, I would like to briefly talk about the approach and initiative of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the nuclear issue.
Nuclear weapons and their proliferation, and attempts to impose an apartheid regime on access to peaceful nuclear energy, are two major threats, challenging international tranquility and peace.
“Keeping in mind that in past years no serious efforts complimented by practical mechanisms — have been made to move towards full disarmament and more specifically implement the decisions and outcomes of the NPT Review Conferences of 1995 and 2000, I suggest that the General Assembly, as the most inclusive UN organ, mandate an ad-hoc committee to compile and submit a comprehensive report on possible practical mechanisms and strategies for complete disarmament.
“This Committee should also be asked to investigate as to how contrary to the NPT — material, technology and equipment for nuclear weapons were transferred to the Zionist regime, and to propose practical measures for the establishment of a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East.
“Some powerful states practice a discriminatory approach against access of NPT members to material, equipment, and peaceful nuclear technology, and by doing so, intend to impose a nuclear apartheid.
“We are concerned that once certain powerful states completely control nuclear energy resources and technology, they will deny access to and thus deepen the divide between powerful countries and the rest of the international community. When that happens, we will be divided into light and dark countries.
“Regrettably, in the past 30 years, no effective measure has been implemented to facilitate the exercise of the legally recognized right of NPT state-parties to have access to and use peaceful nuclear energy in accordance with article IV. Therefore, the General Assembly should ask the IAEA in accordance with article 2 of its Statute to report on violations by specific countries that have hindered the implementation of the above article and also produce practical strategies for its renewed implementation.
“What needs our particular attention is the fact that peaceful use of nuclear energy without possession of nuclear fuel cycle is an empty proposition. Nuclear power plants can indeed lead to total dependence of countries and peoples if they need to rely for their fuel on coercive powers, who do not refrain from any measure in furtherance of their interests. No popularly elected and responsible government can consider such a situation in the interest of its people. The history of dependence on oil in oil rich countries under domination is an experiment that no independent country is willing to repeat.
“Those hegemonic powers, who consider scientific and technological progress of independent and free nations as a challenge to their monopoly on these important instruments of power and who do not want to see such achievements in other countries, have misrepresented Iran’s healthy and fully safeguarded technological endeavors in the nuclear field as pursuit of nuclear weapons. This is nothing but a propaganda ploy. The Islamic Republic of Iran is presenting in good faith its proposal for constructive interaction and a just dialogue.
“However, if some try to impose their will on the Iranian people through resort to a language of force and threat with Iran, we will reconsider our entire approach to the nuclear issue.
“Allow me, as the elected President of the Iranian people, to outline the other main elements of my country’s initiative regarding the nuclear issue:
“1. The Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates its previously and repeatedly declared position that in accordance with our religious principles, pursuit of nuclear weapons is prohibited.
“2. The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that it is necessary to revitalize the NPT and create the above-mentioned ad-hoc committee so that it can combat nuclear weapons and abolish the apartheid in peaceful nuclear technology.
“3. Technically, the fuel cycle of the Islamic Republic of Iran is not different from that of other countries which have peaceful nuclear technology.
“Therefore, as a further confidence building measure and in order to provide the greatest degree of transparency, the Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to engage in serious partnership with private and public sectors of other countries in the implementation of uranium enrichment program in Iran. This represents the most far reaching step, outside all requirements of the NPT, being proposed by Iran as a further confidence building measure.
“4. In keeping with Iran’s inalienable right to have access to a nuclear fuel cycle, continued interaction and technical and legal cooperation with the IAEA will be the centerpiece of our nuclear policy.
“Initiation and continuation of negotiations with other countries will be carried out in the context of Iran’s interaction with the Agency.
“With this in mind, I have directed the relevant Iranian officials to compile the legal and technical details of Iran’s nuclear approach, based on the following considerations:
“4.1. International precedence tells us that nuclear fuel- delivery contracts are unreliable and no legally binding international document or instrument exists to guarantee the delivery of nuclear fuel.
“On many occasions such bilateral contracts stopped altogether for political reasons. Therefore, the Islamic Republic of Iran, in its pursuit of peaceful nuclear technology, considers it within its legitimate rights to receive objective guarantees for uranium enrichment in the nuclear fuel cycle.
“4.2. In its negotiations with the EU3 ,Iran has tried in earnest to prove the solid and rightful foundations of its nuclear activity in the context of the NPT, and to establish mutual trust. The selection of our negotiating partners and the continuation of negotiations with the EU3 will be commensurate with the requirements of our cooperation with the Agency regarding non-diversion of the process of uranium enrichment to non-peaceful purposes in the framework of the provisions of the NPT. In this context, several proposals have been presented which can be considered in the context of negotiations. The Islamic Republic of Iran appreciates the positive contribution of South Africa and H.E. President Mbeki personally in the resolution of the nuclear issue and cognizant of South Africa’s active role in the IAEA Board of Governors would welcome its active participation in the negotiations.
“4.3. The discriminatory approaches regarding the NPT that focuses on the obligations of state-parties and disregards their rights under the Treaty should be discontinued.
“As the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, I assure you that my country will use everything in its power to contribute to global tranquility and peace based on the two maxims of spirituality and justice as well as the equal rights of all peoples and nations.
My country will interact and cooperate constructively with the international community to face the challenges before us.
“Dear Friends and Colleagues,
“From the beginning of time, humanity has longed for the day when justice, peace, equality and compassion envelop the world. All of us can contribute to the establishment of such a world. When that day comes, the ultimate promise of all Divine religions will be fulfilled with the emergence of a perfect human being who is heir to all prophets and pious men. He will lead the world to justice and absolute peace.
“O mighty Lord, I pray to you to hasten the emergence of your last repository, the promised one, that perfect and pure human being, the one that will fill this world with justice and peace.
SOME three-four million Muslims live in Latin America and over 50,000 of them are Hispanic. Majority of Muslims there have roots from Middle Eastern countries like Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. There are large Muslim populations in Brazil, Venezuela and Columbia. Mosques and prayer houses can be found in all major cities.
Islam in Latin America began with Muslim journeys to the continent even before the arrival of Columbus. Evidence of this early contact is based on world maps produced by Muslims in the early 16th century. Later, during the voyages of Columbus to the New World, some Muslim Moors are believed to have accompanied him, fleeing persecution in the Iberian Peninsula. In Brazil, the importation of African slaves during the colonial period accounted for a substantial influx of Muslims into the continent. Little is known whether these early Muslims were able to maintain their faith.
The Islamic influence on regional architecture and culture between 1600-1800 CE is still visible today in cities such as Lima, Cholula and Guatemala City. Lima, the capital of Peru, is famous for its Tapadas Limenas or Covered Women in Lima. During the 18th Century, there was uprising of Muslim slaves (Brazil201835).
Since late 19th century, Arabs first began to immigrate from the Middle East to Latin America. The descendants of these immigrants are still found today in significant numbers. Further, emigrants from Syria, Lebanon and Palestine increased during the mid 20th Century after Israel’s occupation of Palestine and its surrounding areas. These Muslims were largely merchants and became influential in local trade. Many have even held leading positions in government.
In the 1980s, many who had previously lost touch with their Islamic roots have been turning back to Islam. Over the last 25 years, increasing numbers of Catholics of Hispanic and Indian American origin have been accepting Islam. Local mestijo and indigenous people are embracing Islam in larger numbers.
In the 1990s, majority of Da’wah activities were spearheaded by reverts (converts) to Islam. Each year more students from Latin America complete their Islamic studies at institutions around the Muslim world.
Influential Arab Muslims did play an important role in setting up Islamic centres. But now the spread of Islam has been taken forward by Hispanic Muslims. Converts in Mexico run majority of activities.
Colombian Dawah Center
One of the Islamic centers in Latin America is the Colombian Dawah Center, situated in the area of Dos Quebradas in the city of Pereira. Pereira itself is located in one of the main coffee growing regions of Colombia. Its central location and easy access to other parts of the country make it an ideal location for the establishment of an Islamic center.
The first mosque in Pereira was built in 2007. It is the focal point of the Muslim community, and serves as a center for Islamic learning and social gatherings. Some of the activities and facilities at the Colombian Dawah Center include:
• Baraka Cafeteria, which serves halal food for Muslims;
• Islamic classes that teach basic aspects of the religion;
• Hosting regional Islamic conferences and Da‘wah workshops;
The Center aims to become self sufficient in due course so that it can fund its own activities. It does not want to be dependent on external bodies for assistance. The key focus is on developing an Islamic center that caters to the needs, culture and sensitivities of the local people.
Miss Hanadi Zakariyya Al-Hindi has created history by being the first female pilot in Saudi Arabia. Prince Al-Waleed, a business tycoon, owner of The Kingdom Holding Company, has employed the pilot for next ten years through a lucrative contract. His company, The Kingdom Holding Company, is the proud owner of a full-fledged fleet of jet airplanes. Al-Waleed was genuinely concerned with the emancipation and uplift of Saudi women. He celebrated the commission of the first female pilot by publishing full-page supplements in the Kingdom’s newspapers.
This all, however, did not go well will the hawks. They came down on the whole affair with heavy hands. The most thunderous was the voice of one Sheikh Yousuf Al-Ahmed, a professor of Islamic Law at Islamic University of Riyadh. The argument was that since a Muslim woman was not supposed to travel alone, unless accompanied by a mahram (male first relation) and since the pilot was a ‘woman’ without a mahram, the whole phenomenon was unlawful. He declared the entire publicity equally un-Islamic.
A place where even car driving by females is a crime, flying jets amounted, naturally, to height of audacity. It was in 1990 when late Sheikh Abdul Azeem Bin Baz, the Shariah-mentor of Saudi Royal Family, issued Islamic decree (fatwa) against car driving by females. In the same year 47 ladies demonstrated car-driving in Riyadh. They were thrown out of their jobs and were, along with their families, barred from leaving the country.
Even a perfunctory look at the social history will reveal that travelling then and now is not the same activity. In early Islamic days camel and horse were the main modes of journey. People would form caravans and would move in flocks. They were, frequently, attacked, plundered and killed. It was humanly not possible to travel for a woman on her own. But the modes as well as circumstances now are different. Imagine millions of Muslim families living in America, Canada, Europe, Australia and elsewhere. Every week thousands of married girls travel back – all alone – to see their ailing, dying fathers and mothers. The question which a common Muslim asks: Is it possible for every old man to accompany his wife to Europe, America or Australia to attend their children? Is it feasible for every husband to take leave from his employer to accompany his wife back home?
Islam’s supremacy over other religions lies in its flexibility. It desires compatibility with changed circumstances and creates ease and freedom from hardship as far as possible for its followers. In no circumstances Islam imposes something on its followers which creates hurdle in normal life. It wants its followers to participate fully in economic and social activities and never to lag behind others in any walk of life. It is high time scholars of Islam from all over the Muslim world meet and ponder over the issues like travelling of women unaccompanied by first relation and many other problems which need to be resolved.
It may not be out of place to mention here that Maulana Justice Taqi Usmani has been innovative enough to come out with some sort of Islamic Banking. He has suggested way out to those who – avoiding interest – were unable to buy even a simple housing unit, the bare minimum necessity. Paradoxically the ulema of his own school of thought have condemned him for this “audacious innovations.†It is said that when he invited them to suggest alternative, they could offer nothing except cutting a sorry figure.
Ostracization on the part of the religious scholars is proving a pitfall. The dichotomy in Muslim societies is turning sharper edged. Polarization is paving way for intolerance. Civil war in countries like Pakistan is already at the threshold. There is lack of interaction between the madrassa and non-madrassa worlds. Colossal marginalization of graduates of madrassa has pushed them to reactionary state of mind.
History testifies that Islam tolerated and imbibed all local cultures, including attire and other customs, from Atlantic to Indus and onward to Bali and Brunei but never allowed any local culture, including dress, to be declared as Islamic one. Country after country and nation after nation embraced Islam while holding back what they already had whether it was food, dress or other social traditions. Islam never went down to dictate at the micro-level. Its broad instructions in dress pertained to covering of sensitive parts of body and specification as to what was haram. Nothing else was specified. The present regimentation down to micro-level by so-called warring Islamists is not at all supported by Islam.
San Francisco–April 16th–Your reporter was able to hear Juan Cole, who is on a book tour of his recently released book of Engaging the Muslim World, speak with authority on the state of “play†between the new Administration in the District of Columbia and Iran.
Iran is four times the size of France! It is enormous and rugged. If the U.S. would take their conservatives’ advice to invade Iran, it would take a huge amount of troops to occupy its terrain.
The United States and the Islamic Republic in the Near East have been antagonistic since the Revolution and the raise of Khomeinism and the Supreme Leader’s anti-Americanism. America, further, alleges that Persia of supporting terrorism. Both powers are competitors for spheres of influence in Afghanistan and Iraq. Also, the nuclear accusations against Iran and the non-acceptance of Israel are matters of contention from the American point. Khomeinism stands against Globalism in favor of their national economy. American business wishes a portion of that marketplace. The U.S.A. is disturbed by the Iranian theocracy. Yet, nationally an Islamic “Socialism†predominates, for there is a large State sector. This, too, is objectionable to America. The Islamic Revolution strongly advocates national autonomy, besides.
The G.W. Bush government accomplished the opposite from what they had intended to do. Dr. Cole discounts the accusations of the late-serving (U.S.) President that Iran is supplying Al Qaeda with weapons in Mesopotamia. “If something is against common sense…I require more evidence…give us…evidence,†states Professor Cole. Juan estimates that there are only about one hundred and fifty hardcore Al Qaeda in the Republic of Iraq. The American military is clashing with ordinary Iraqis.
Tehran did not enjoy their isolation amongst the community of nations, for their Revolutionary-type union is in only in one country although today Iraq has essentially become a Muslim Republic. There is a limitless base in Iraq with their Shiite brothers across their eastern borders although the religious sensibility in Baghdad is heavily fundamentalist.
“The Iran-Iraq War was the Hoover Dam of geopolitics!†At the present, Iran has found stout allies in Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and the Arab Shiites in general. Their influence has become pervasive over their region although the Revolutionary Republic still faces considerable opposition, too. For instance, Egypt and Israel viewed the Gaza conflict as a proxy War against Iran! Further, there is antagonism from Washington’s Arab clients.
Regarding their ally Hezbollah, Cole states that they do not engage in International terror, for Lebanon has named them as a National Guard, and, therefore, are State actors. They are extremely effective, for they won the 2006 War in which Israel was the aggressor with the “Party of God’s†missiles supplied by the Persians.
Further, the U.S. Resolution that declared the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization is erroneous for the same reason as Hezbollah above. The Guard is a part of the military, and, thus, an arm of the State.
Concerning their nuclear program, they should have reported it as a signatory of the NPT (the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty), but did not notify the IAEA (the International Atomic Energy Agency) of their production of fissile substances although the endeavor was not against the stipulations of the Agreement. Yet, due to their secretiveness, the U.S., the E.U. (the European Union) and Israel became suspicious that Tehran was weaponizing, but they stopped their weapons agenda during 2003. Even the American intelligence complex attests that they do not have nuclear weaponry. Besides the sophisticated technology the United States has developed for spying, Iranian defectors from their nuclear enterprise have confirmed to the West that there are currently no plans to reignite their nuclear undertaking. Yet, the modern Medes are less than transparent to the U.N. (the United Nations) over the project. Furthermore, the Iranian leadership believes that such swords of state are “…not allowed under Islamic law†owing to the undue collateral (non-combatant) deaths that it would generate.
They are still proceeding with a peaceful stratagem, however, (that could quickly be reversed towards acquiring a weapon if threatened). Iran is employing a centrifuge technology similar to Pakistan’s, but it is not the most efficient method to advance their goals of nuclear capacity. There is a fear in their leadership that their oil is finite; thus, they are striving for energy independence now and in the future. In addition, Iran has a fifty year supply of its own uranium within its soil.
Conversely, if they did have the bomb, it would contest the perception of Israel as the hegemon of the overall geographical district.
Consequently, Tel Aviv has an irrational trepidation of the Islamic nation along the eastern shores of the Persian Gulf becoming nuclear. Although for Israel to destroy the Persian nuclear facilities, the Israelis would have to commit a high-tech suicidal attack as their fighter-planes do not have the range to make it back to their home bases. (What Cole did not mention is that the Iranian facilities are “hard†targets – partially in deep bunkers under the earth — and, accordingly, the Persian research cannot completely be obliterated, and, thereby, Tehran’s nuclear ambitions could not be totally destroyed on only one strike, for their scientific organization would be operating again after a period of reconstruction.) Additionally, the Israelis would hurt American foreign policy aims. For instance, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, which has a large NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) force, is extremely influenced by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
On the other hand, a rapprochement between the U.S. and Iran would be a great benefit to the States. Iran’s assistance could appreciably facilitate President Obama’s planned withdrawal from Iraq. There would be a possibility of negotiating a resupply line to NATO troops in Afghanistan through Iran itself, (for Tehran perceived the pre-2001 Taliban government there to have been hostile to their interests as a Shia Republic since the Taliban consider all Shiites to be non-Muslims. Hence, the Medes have no desire to see Mullah Mohammed Omar back in the seat of authority in Kabul as leader of a second Sunni “essentialist†regime.) Persia could, moreover, be a new petroleum and gas source as well. Juan Cole is of the opinion that an Iran-U.S. accord is within the realms of probability. Obama’s regime is returning to Bush, Sr.’s pragmatism. Nevertheless, this, on the other hand, presents a concern that America will not put pressure enough for human rights in the Near and the Middle East and elsewhere. (For instance, the case of the Iranian-American journalist, who was recently sentenced to one of the most brutally dangerous prisons in Persia for practicing her journalistic profession, could delay any rapprochement between the two contenders – the U.S. and Iran – for hegemony over the region.)
The topic of slavery and the African experience in America has been examined from many aspects. The circle it represented and the fullness of Islam lost and Islam regained was the topic of an exciting event this past Saturday.
The ILM Foundation held an informative and well attended day long seminar at the Omar Ibn Al Khattab mosque in Los Angeles. Sponsored by the foundation of the same name, the event was titled: “Islam A World Movement: Islam’s Journey from West Africa to America and Back.â€
Imam Saadiq Saafir, the founder of ILM, originated the name “Islam as a World Movement†intending to describe the situation which resulted when slaves were taken from Africa with the subsequent loss of their Islamic birthright. Added to this loss was the loss of the essential qualities which an Islamic background produced: identity, honor and culture, to name but a few.
Many descendants of these slaves have found Islam again. The movement of ILM seeks to complete the circle by committing African and African American Muslims to join forces and to use their collective strengths and experiences to benefit the world.
U. S. Congressman Keith Ellison, the first Muslim to be elected to Congress, was the keynote speaker. He is also the first African American to be elected from Minnesota.
Congressman Ellison was introduced by Sharaf Mowjood of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR).
The Congressman showed a disturbing film which he took on a recent trip to Gaza after the Israeli attack. Representative Ellison was shown interviewing a man whose home was destroyed and who lost members of his family. He called the man “brother†and elicited applause from the audience.
“I am so glad we have him on our side.†said one woman in the audience.
He continued by saying that we are moving to a more decentralized world. He noted that President Obama is making friends for us throughout the world.
“Wasn’t Obama great in Turkey?†Congressman Ellison asked. The audience responded enthusiastically.
He then asked the audience to embrace their common Muslim history and to teach Americans about the centrality of Islam to their history.
The morning session, which dealt with the largest group conversion into Islam in America, was titled: “The Wisdom Behind the Transition from the Nation of Islam to Al Islamâ€. The speakers told of their friendships with early movement members and the experiences they shared. Members of the audience often spoke out about similar experiences. The event soon took on the aspect of an informal group discussion with all the attendees fully involved.
The afternoon session was titled: “Taking Advantage of Sharing Islam, Africa and America Together†and included a lively film presentation of a trip through West Africa.
“I remember so much, and I learned so much today.†said one young man in the audience.
The panel sessions were mc’d by Naim Shah, Sr. and Naim Shah, Jr. The father and son team have been a bright light and a moving force behind ILM. Naim Shah, Sr. is ILM Director of Prison outreach and Naim Shah, Jr. is national ILM director.
The ILM Foundation is named after the Arabic word for wisdom and also stands for Intellect, Love, and Mercy. It is public, faith based, and non profit. It advocates for human dignity and positive social change without regard to skin color, religion, gender or social class. ILM believes that character and righteousness are their goals and trump all other considerations when dealing with those in need.
Imam Saafir in his odyssey to build ILM used the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) as his model. The Prophet began by working with the poorest among his people.
ILM has sponsored Humanitarian Day throughout the country and most recently in the African nation of Ghana. An event to provide food, clothing, medical advice and toiletries to the very poor began in Los Angeles’ Skid Row and has grown to include many other cities.
For more information, please access ILM at: www.humanitarianday.com or write to them at: P. O. Box 93789, Pasadena, Ca. 91109.
By Maher Hathout M. D.; Book Review by Dr. Aslam Abdullah
Dr. Maher Hathout is a prominent Muslim leader in North America. He migrated from Egypt a few decades ago and pioneered several Islamic organizations and institutions, notably the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC). He is the leading ideologue and thinker for the MPAC and the Islamic Center of Southern California.
Dr. Maher M. Hathout is a leading spokesperson for the American Muslim community. Besides being a respected physician, Dr. Maher Hathout is best known for his public service. He is an international figure who is highly regarded as a positive voice for Islam, offering a unique and valuable perspective on national and international issues involving Muslims and emphasizing the American Muslim identity. Dr. Hathout is the senior advisor of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and holds numerous other offices as well. He is the spokesperson for the Islamic Center of Southern California and a former chairman of its board of directors. Dr. Hathout has met with Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to discuss America’s image in the Middle East and has been invited to Capitol Hill and the State Department several times to address a variety of topics such as “Islam and U.S. Policy,†“Islamic Democracy,†“Emerging Trends in Islamic Movements,†and “the Future of the Middle East.†He also gave the invocation at the 2000 Democratic National Convention.
Dr. Hathout has written extensively on Islam, human rights, democracy, Middle East politics, and Bosnia. His articles and interviews have appeared in such prominent newspapers as “The Los Angeles Times,†“The New York Times,†“The Wall Street Journal,†and “The Christian Science Monitor†as well as leading newspapers in the Middle East. He appears frequently on television and has traveled to Australia, Egypt, Kuwait, Malaysia, Pakistan, and South Africa to lecture on Islam and Muslims.
This book is the result of many years of conversations between the author and generations of Muslim youth and young adults, which led to a deep understanding of the questions this group of Muslims has. Islam 2.0 is an attempt to answer these questions through a mixture of information about Islam and lessons from the author’s personal life story. Dr. Hathout has tried to create a level of comfort for Muslim youth as they think about their religion. It is the hope of the author that this will inspire them to contribute positively to society and the whole of humanity. Although Islam 2.0 is directed towards young Muslims, it is also a wonderful tool and source of information for all who are interested in learning about Islam.
The book offers fresh perspective on how should Muslims read their sacred texts and how should they implement in their life. Dr. Hathout expounds on the concepts of American Muslim Identity extensively. This is one of the most favorite themes of the author and he has devoted his life in focussing on this idea from theological and policital angles. The book adds to a new level of understanding of Islam in America.
The book can be purchased from the Islamic Center of Southern California, 434 South Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90020.
The desert shrubs and greenery are, literally, being blown to dust after the worst drought in 50 years has taken hold in Jordan. The circumstances are dire, as very little rain has fallen on the tiny kingdom this winter. Jordan relies on the winter rain, which typically arrives in December and January, to fill its reservoirs, to sustain the country’s water requirements throughout the scorching summer months. However, this year the dams have not been replenished and the water levels are sinking fast.
Scientists blame the drought on global warming, which has seen unprecedented meteorological changes in nations all over the world over the past few years. And because Jordan does not have its own source of water supply, in the form of rivers or lakes, it is primarily dependant upon the winter rainfall. Jordan is one of ten countries who are considered to be ‘water impoverished’ by the United Nations. In a recent media interview, the head of Jordan’s Valley Farmer’s Association said, “Water scarcity is a reality and we have to deal with it. We cannot assume that water supplies will come to us, as what is available is barely enough to cover main agriculture production.†Geographically, Jordan is 92% desert and only half of its’ 45,000 hectares of arable land is cultivated.
The situation can only get worse as rainfall is not anticipated and the hot summer months loom ahead. For this reason the Jordan Valley Authority (JVA) has issued a strict ban on the use of water this past January, which extends to include a ban on the production of agriculture during the summer months. The JVA spokesman said the authority took the drastic move to ensure that there would be water delegated primarily for human consumption. However, the government has promised to keep the water flowing to the Jordan Valley, which is the largest agricultural area in the kingdom.
There is, however, some good news to help Jordan cope with its’ water woes. France has generously loaned the kingdom 200 million dollars to pave the way for a water works project to divert water from a centuries-old water aquifer located in Mudawwara, near the Saudi Arabian border, to the capital Amman. If all goes according to plan, the Jordanian government hopes to pump 100 million cubic meters of water, per annum, to the parched kingdom. It is estimated that it will take at least four years for the plan to come to fruition and the much anticipated first drop of water flows.
Water is a precious commodity in the Middle East. Unfortunately, it is often wasted by over consumption and sheer ignorance. For this reason, governments in the Gulf launch year round media campaigns to educate the public about conserving water for present and future generations.
Obama advisor Lawrence Summers recommended “encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs (Less Developed Countries)†when he was president of the World Bank. He argued that “the costs of health-impairing pollution depends on the forgone earnings from increased morbidity and mortality.â€
In other words, human beings in LDCs are worth less than human beings in developed countries, according to a leaked, December 12, 1991 internal memo by Mr. Summers. Therefore, it is cost-effective to dump waste from developed countries on less developed countries.
A caller brought up the issue yesterday on WPFW Pacifica Radio’s What’s at Stake hosted by Verna Avery Brown.
Discussing the issue of piracy off the Somali coast on “What’s at Stake,†were Fred C. Ikle, undersecretary of defense during the Reagan administrations, and Enver Masud, founder of The Wisdom Fund.
Mr. Ikle reiterated the position he had taken in his article Kill the Pirates (Washington Post, April 13, 2009): “an inspection and quarantine regime off the coast of Somalia to seize and destroy all vessels that are found to be engaged in piracy,†arming ship’s crew, blockading Somalia is crew were taken hostage.
Masud argued for immediately stopping the illegal, unregulated, unreported (IUU) dumping and fishing in Somali waters by Europeans and Asians.
European ships are dumping toxic, and sometime radioactive wastes in Somali waters. It is estimated that the cost to European companies to dump the wastes on Somalia’s beaches is $2.50 per ton compared to $250 a ton to dispose of the wastes in Europe.
Mr. Masud estimated that IUU ships are taking $450 million worth of fish from Somalia annually. IUUs from the EU cost Somalia five times the value of its annual aid to Somalia.
The pirates call what they collect a “fine†for illegal acts rather than ransom.
When it comes to news coverage of protesters and demonstrations the media almost never tell us “whyâ€: Why do so many people travel such great distances to march for hours? Why do they carry signs, shout slogans and give speeches? What issues are they addressing? Why do some even pay with their lives to get their message out?
Instead of trying to shed light on these questions, the corporate media would rather marginalize the protesters by portraying them as violent, irrational troublemakers. What news we do get focuses on trivial details like how the demonstrators dress, how old they are, and what language they use. From among thousands or even hundreds of thousands of demonstrators the media can also be counted on to interview and quote from the least articulate.
Finally, the whole story is framed as little more than the police keeping law and order against violent demonstrators, the number of whom is routinely understated. Here’s a recent example from the BBC.
On April 1, 2009, it ran a story on the protests at the G20 meeting in London. The headline read: “The BBC’s Ben Brown reports on the violence at the RBS offices,†with a subhead that read: “Protesters have stormed the Royal Bank of Scotland in London as thousands of people descended on the City ahead of the G20 summit of world leaders.â€
The framing has begun and will gather speed quickly. And in case you had a tiny bit of brain activity to wonder who these protesters were and why they were protesting, the BBC made sure that you dismissed such notions as trivial. It provided you with ready-made, self-evident answers: the protesters are evil law-breakers who are endangering the lives of the police who are trying to stop them.
The reporter even relied on the police to provide an estimate of the demonstrators (5,000), as if he couldn’t see for himself that it was closer to 20,000.
The story was not about issues, motives or even people; it was about “violence,†protesters who “stormed,†and thousands of people who “descended†on the City (London), which we are to assume was otherwise quite peaceful.
Here are some excerpts to show how little context the story actually contained:
* “Demonstrators launched missiles and forced their way into the bank after clashes with police in the capital. A branch of HSBC also had windows broken.â€
* “There have been 63 arrests with some police and protesters injured. Later a man died after collapsing, police said.â€
* “A few protesters threw plastic bottles, banners and toilet rolls at police.â€
* “Protesters had smashed RBS windows with missiles, including coins and computer keyboards, and entered the building.â€
* “Two people were arrested for aggravated burglary at the RBS, police say.â€
* “Some of the protesters had been ‘provocative’ and ‘determined to cause violence,’ claimed Met Commander Simon O’Brien.â€
* “Earlier, officers were pelted with empty beer cans, fruit and flour outside the Bank of England.â€
* “On Wednesday, police questioned demonstrators travelling in an armoured vehicle dressed in helmets and overalls. Police say 11 people have been arrested on suspicion of possessing police uniforms and for road traffic offenses.â€
Remember, this is the BBC. Canada’s CBC and CTV and The U.S.’s CNN and Fox are the same or worse. The print media in both countries is not any better.
Shame on journalists and editors for reducing themselves to mouthpieces for the rich and powerful!
The BBC’s reporter, though, did make a stab at showing balance. He identified the protesters as climate change activists and anti-war campaigners, but only near the end do they get a chance to speak. One told the reporter: “I’m here because I think people are angry about what’s going on in the world. There’s too much greed.†Another said: “[The G20 leaders had a] ‘real opportunity to green the global economy’ ..â€
These two quotes, buried near the bottom, represent the only part of the story that attempted to explain the demonstrators’ motives. Thank you, BBC!
Perhaps American professor Dr. Michael Parenti gives the best explanation for our media’s habit of marginalizing and stigmatizing protesters. In his book /Inventing Reality-The Politics of News Medi/a he writes: “Most news biases are so consistent and political in nature as to suggest that they are the outcome of influences larger than the imperfect efforts of individual reporters. Regardless of who is involved in manufacturing the news, one can detect persistent themes in how the mainstream press presents our country’s role in the world to us,†said in his book.
“In sum, the mass media are owned by large corporation conglomerates whose financial dominance gives them the means to control news content and limit the range of acceptable media opinion, injecting a bias against organized labor, antiwar protesters, socialists, environmentalists, feminists, ethnic minorities, Third World liberation struggles, and all progressive causes.â€
Dr Mohamed Elmasry is Professor Emeritus of Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo; Founder, The Canadian Islamic Congress; and member, editorial board, The Canadian Charger. He can be reached at elmasry@thecanadiancharger.com.
Continuation of the book by Harun Yahya, The Secrets of the Hypocrites.
One of the most important features of hypocrites is that although they say they believe in religion, their personal conception of religion is incompatible with the Qur`an. The reason is that they insist on their own particular independent reasoning rather than the Qur`an. The logical webs of the hypocrites are described in the Qur`an:
Is it their intellects that direct them to say this or is it that they are an unbridled people?
At-Tur: 32
As set out above, the hypocrite claims to fear Allah, but his attitudes have nothing in common with those who really do fear Him. His aim is not to please Allah: On the contrary, he exhibits all kinds of behaviors that will call down Allah’s wrath upon him. Yet in doing all this, he will fiercely maintain that he fears Allah exceedingly and that all his actions are compatible with the Qur`an.
In addition, the hypocrite will appear to fulfill most acts of religious worship, and may indeed even carry these out. Yet there is a great difference between his manner of performing these and those of a believer—as well as his objective. For example, the believer performs prayers solely to earn Allah’s approval, while the hypocrite does so in order to show off. Allah reveals this behavior of the hypocrites in this verse:
The hypocrites think they deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. When they get up to pray, they get up lazily, showing off to people, and remembering Allah only a very little.
An-Nisa’: 142
Outwardly, hypocrites and believers appear to perform the same acts of worship. The fact is, though, that believers “are humble in their prayer†(Surat al-Muminun: 2) and earn a reward for their observances. Hypocrites, on the other hand, suffer Allah’s wrath because of their insincerity and duplicity.
On the surface, therefore, the hypocrite is no atheist but rather, claims to believe in God and to abide by most religious observances. Yet he is still not a religious individual. He is devout only when it comes to his own conception of religion, which is the “Religion of Hypocrisy.†Yet because he seeks to distort religious moral values, even despite his sound knowledge of them, all his endeavors will be in vain in the Hereafter. Allah describes that day in another verse:
Their actions will come to nothing and, on the Day of Resurrection, We will not assign them any weight.
Al-Kahf: 105
This Religion of Hypocrisy is the religion of satan, who established his hidden dominion over people, seeking to turn them from the path of Allah and to dominate their minds in all ways possible. He urges them to do evil, and directly seeks to prevent their doing good. He possesses a most extraordinary logic, which—in the next chapter—we shall describe in full detail and reveal the connection between it and human hypocrisy. Hypocrites are well aware of this logic of satan’s, but to them it makes no difference. Although no hypocrite will ever say, “I follow satan and live by his religion,†still he will exhibit that same twisted logic.
Hypocrites are the party of Satan
Satan has gained mastery over them and made them forget the remembrance of Allah. Such people are the party of satan. No indeed! It is the party of satan who are the losers.
Al-Mujadala:19
There are two communities on Earth: those who follow Allah and those who follow satan.
The army of satan is a community of people who have forgotten Allah, Who Created them, and who follow in satan’s footsteps by turning aside from the true path. We can divide this community into various sub-groups, such as idolaters, unbelievers and hypocrites. Yet of these groups, Allah reveals that the hypocrites will be punished with the most humiliating torment. Hypocrites are a community harboring all the characteristics of satan. Before continuing to examine this, it will be useful to have a brief look at satan’s perverted logic.
First, we must concentrate on the least explicable of satan’s attitudes, his “mysterious rebellion.†In Surat al-A‘raf we are told that:
He [satan] said, “By Your misguidance of me, I will lie in ambush for them on your straight path. Then I will come at them, from in front of them and behind them, from their right and from their left. You will not find most of them thankful.â€
Al-A‘raf: 16-17
Satan’s chief aim is to prevail upon people to rebel against Allah, as can be seen from these verses. He does all in his power and strives constantly to achieve that goal. Yet alongside his intense endeavors, there is another logic. The following verse informs us of this:
They are like satan when he says to a human being, “Disbelieve,†and then when he disbelieves, says, “I wash my hands of you. Truly I fear Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.â€
Al-Hashr:16
As can be seen from the above verse, satan commands people to rebel, but he also states that he himself fears Allah. These expressions make his twisted logic plain for all to see. Not only does he rebel against Allah and encourage human beings to do so, but he also claims to fear Him. This of course shows that satan is mentally unbalanced.
One distinguishing feature of hypocrites that bears a close resemblance to those of satan is their mysterious rebellion. On the one hand, hypocrites are arrogant against Allah and seek to create strife, while on the other hand, they claim to believe in Him and the Hereafter and to be obedient to His religion, His prophets, and His commandments. In fact, Allah has warned believers against this very behavior of the hypocrites through various verses:
Don’t you see those who claim that they believe in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down before you, still desiring to turn to a satanic source for judgment in spite of being ordered to reject it? Satan wants to misguide them far away.
An-Nisa’: 60
In addition to this most obvious shared feature, the Qur`an also refers to various other similarities and relationships between satan and hypocrites, which we can now examine.
Hypocrites Take Satan as Their Friend
As a requirement of the verse, “Your friend is only Allah and His messenger and those who believe: those who perform prayer and give the alms, and bow†(Surat al-Ma’ida: 55), those who have faith in Allah perform a most important observance by taking only Him and believers like themselves as their friends. That is the main reason for their strength.
In the same way that believers adopt Allah as their friend and turn to Him in all they do, hypocrites take satan as their friend and guardian. The position of those who adopt satan as their guardian is revealed in these verses:
. . . He and his tribe see you from where you do not see them. We have made the satans friends of those who have no faith.
Al-A‘raf: 27
One group He guided; but another group got the misguidance they deserved. They took the satans as friends instead of Allah and thought that they were guided.
Al-A‘raf: 30
If someone shuts his eyes to the remembrance of the All-Merciful, We assign him a satan who becomes his bosom friend.
Az-Zukhruf: 36
As revealed in the above verse from the Surat az-Zukhruf, one of the main characteristics of hypocrites is the way they fail to remember Allah and remain spiritually divided from Him. Again, it is satan who encourages them to behave in this way.
“Proclaim! (or Read) in the name of your Lord and Cherisher, Who created- Created man out of a leech-like clot.
Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful. He Who taught man (the use of) the pen. Taught man that which he knew not. Nay, but man doth transgress all bounds, in that he looks upon himself as self-sufficient.â€
Repeated from previous article. ALLAH, the Almighty made each and every human being a unique creature. You have the ability to do extraordinary and powerful things – each and every one of us. Now this extraordinary ability is not the same in everybody. Some of us are good at certain things and not good at others. The good news from the above ayah is that He taught man that which he previously did not know. Man had no knowledge of the pen. ALLAH gave him the ability to read and write. So if you are a highly intelligent scholar, remember, that did not come from you.
The good news is all of our special abilities come from the same source. Imagine how confused the world would be if there were multiple creators giving man what each one wanted to give him.
ALLAH knew exactly how He wanted to make us. And He made us all different with different characteristics for the express purpose of us knowing each other, so we can grow as human beings.
“O mankind. We created you from a single (pair) of a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know each other).â€
Hujurat:13
With such wonderful gifts from ALLAH it is certainly acceptable to acknowledge yourself when you execute something from yourself in an excellent fashion. This is very important because many people are reluctant to give themselves a pat on the back when they have done something good. They would rather look for praise from other people. This is the exact wrong place to look for accolades.
Suppose you went an extra mile at your job. You did something that you knew was beneficial to your employers and co-workers. There is nothing wrong with you letting them know it, if they didn’t know it already. Just keep in mind that the thought to do that good thing, and everything you used to execute it, came from ALLAH and not yourself.
There also is something else to keep in mind when you are rewarding yourself. There is a thin line between rewarding yourself for doing something good, and becoming arrogant about your ability to do it. As ALLAH ends the quote we have above with the fact that man transgresses bounds and looks upon himself as the source of his ability. When you become arrogant like that, you forget ALLAH is the source of your strength and not you. Arrogance will make you think it is your brain and intelligence that gave you the victory and if you don’t repent, you are on your way to becoming a devil. ALLAH will let you wander in your own ignorance.
Dick Cheney wants classified material released to show that torture ‘worked’. Let’s see it all – waterboarding videos included
By Philippe Sands
Dear Mr Cheney,
Last night, you appeared on Fox News’ Hannity show, calling for an “honest debate†on the benefits of the Bush Administration’s “bold†interrogation program. You seem unhappy with last week’s publication of four new legal memos authorizing torture, so you referred to reports that have not yet been declassified “that show specifically what we gained as a result of this activityâ€. You told Hannity:
“I know specifically of reports that I read, that I saw, that lay out what we learned through the interrogation process and what the consequences were for the country.â€
Of course, you have a terrific track record on the intelligence material that you have seen and read. I recall that, back in August 2002, you told a Nashville convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars that “There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction.â€
Now, you seem keen that we should be able to see the reports you read showing all the benefits of interrogations to be made public. But why stop there? Let’s have those reports. Let’s also have the interrogation logs. Let’s have the videos and audio tapes of the actual interrogations, assuming they haven’t all been destroyed (in the meantime, you may want to take a quick peek at this, Christopher Hitchens writing in Vanity Fair, to see what waterboarding actually looks like in practice, and its effects on one of our more robust journalists. Why not call for the declassification of the waterboarding videos, so we can see for ourselves what information was gleaned in the moments and hours and days after the waterboarding was carried out?
I hope you’ll excuse me if I am a tad skeptical. I recall, for example, that when I testified before the House Judiciary Committee last summer, Congressman Trent Franks reported that waterboarding was used on only three men and that, in each case, it had lasted no more than one minute. That gave a grand total of three minutes of waterboarding. What’s all the fuss about, Congressman Franks seemed to be saying. It seems that the source on whom he relied – Michael Hayden, who happened to be the former head of the CIA – wasn’t entirely accurate. This week’s news reports that two of those men were waterboarded on no less than 266 occasions.
And, more to the point, as I report in my book Torture Team, I made some inquiries about your administration’s claim that the torture of Mohammed al-Qahtani at Guantánamo back in the autumn of 2002 had produced a great deal of useful material. It turns out that it didn’t. I met with the head of al-Qahtani’s exploitation team. Had the new interrogation techniques produced anything useful, I asked him? He chose his words with care.
“There was a lot of data of interestâ€, he said. “It was contextual in nature, confirming in nature. Did it help us catch Osama bin Laden? No.â€
I took that as a no, confirmation that there was little to back up the usual, bullish overstatements made by your administration back in June 2004 to justify the move to abuse.
So, I’m somewhat skeptical about your claim. Perhaps waterboarding and the other techniques of torture you approved did produce information. On the basis of my conversations with seasoned interrogators, I doubt, however, that it was reliable or particularly useful.
And even if it was, that would not justify the move to torture. As you well know, such acts are never justified in law, under US law or international law. The move to torture has heaped shame on the United States, exposing its servicemen and women and intelligence officers to even greater dangers around world. It has emboldened those who seek to do us harm, serving as the primary tool of recruitment across the globe.
As you speak to the wonders of waterboarding, I wonder whether you have ever reflected on the consequences of your words and actions for others. If waterboarding isn’t torture (or even cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment) when you decide to use on it others, then why should other nations not resort to its use, even against Americans who may be detained overseas, at some point in the future. I once had a chance to put that question to General Myers, the chair man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, until 2005, in respect of a raft of lesser techniques.
“Are you comfortable with all of these techniques being used on American personnel?â€, I asked him.
“Not in this memo,†he replied without pause.
He is right and, with respect, you are wrong. The acts you authorized constitute torture, with all the consequences of criminality that follows. Bring on that honest debate, I say. Put your money where your mouth is. Call for all the evidence – all of it – to be put before the US Congress or an independent investigation.
Everyone knows the analogy of the beehive. When it is goaded, countless bees emerge, attacking the tormentor. Right now in Iraq, the formerly US-backed al-Sahwa (Sons of Iraq) Sunni militia, ripe with broken promises from both the occupiers of their country and the Iraqi government that they would be given respect and jobs, have gone into attack mode.
It is an easily predictable outcome. An occupying power (the US) sets up a 100,000-strong militia composed of former resistance fighters and even some members of al-Qaeda, pays them each $300 per month to not attack occupation forces, and attacks decrease dramatically. Then, stop paying most of them and tell them they will be incorporated into Iraqi government security forces. Proceed to leave them high and dry as the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki begins targeting them – assassinating leaders, detaining fighters and threatening their families. Allow this plan to continue for over six months, unabated.
Not surprisingly, the Sahwa are fighting back against US forces and those of the Iraqi government.
While not all of these attacks can be attributed to Sahwa forces, I believe it is safe to say the majority of them are. A brief overview of the last few days in Iraq is informative, as it shows many of these attacks, as well as some of the ongoing attacks by government forces against the Sahwa:
# April 20: Suicide bomber wounds eight US soldiers in Baquba, 40 miles northeast of Baghdad. Dubai-based satellite TV channel al-Arabiya reports that three of the US soldiers were killed. The US military does not confirm the deaths. Iraqi officials tell the media the bomber was wearing a police uniform. This method is becoming increasingly common now. Sahwa forces already have police and military uniforms, as they have been working as security personnel for months now. In another attack in the same city, a suicide bomber kills two US soldiers, their Iraqi interpreter and two bystanders, although the US military has not reported on the incident. Overall, 16 Iraqis killed, 11 wounded.
# April 19: Gunmen kill an off-duty lieutenant-colonel policeman in his car in Baghdad. Mortar round wounds two civilians when it hits a power generator in the Zayouna district in east Baghdad. Police find the bodies of two Sunni Arab militiamen with bullet wounds in the head and chest in Hilla, 60 miles south of Baghdad. Gunmen kill two Sahwa members in separate incidents around Mussayib. Gunmen kill an Interior Ministry official in Nu’ariyah and another in Ur. The Interior Ministry is responsible for targeting the Sahwa leadership. In total, 14 Iraqis are killed, 28 wounded.
# April 17: Mortar attacks across Shi’ite-majority districts of Baghdad kill eight and wound 19.
# April 16: A suicide bomber kills 16 Iraqi soldiers and wounds another 50 after infiltrating an army base in Habbaniyah, on the outskirts of Fallujah, and mingling with a queue of soldiers at a dining facility. The bomber is wearing a military uniform. A Sahwa leader is killed when a bomb planted on his car explodes in Baquba. In addition to the aformentioned, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of bombings and roadside bombs across Iraq recently. On April 20, two young girls were killed in Fallujah when a sticky bomb targeting an army officer exploded outside their home as he left for work. The same day in Basra, a roadside bomb targeting a US patrol detonated, but the military reported no casualties. April 19 saw a roadside bomb targeting a police patrol that wounded five people, including two policemen in the Zaafaraniya district of southeast Baghdad. That same day, another roadside bomb wounded four people in the Doura district of southern Baghdad, and the so-called Green Zone was shelled. On April 17, a roadside bomb wounded a policeman in Baquba, and three bombs were defused in Amara in southern Iraq.
There is a new kind of war on in Iraq – and it is spreading. Tit-for-tat killings between the Sahwa and government forces are increasing. Roadside bomb attacks and suicide strikes against US forces are also increasing in recent days. Meanwhile, there is no sign of reconciliation between the Sahwa and the Iraqi government, and of course little if any of this is mentioned in most US corporate media.
While the current trend still pales in comparison to previous levels of resistance in Iraq, if left unchecked, it will certainly continue to increase.
»Dahr Jamail, an independent journalist, is the author of “Beyond the Green Zone: Dispatches From an Unembedded Journalist in Occupied Iraq,†(Haymarket Books, 2007). Jamail reported from occupied Iraq for eight months as well as from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Turkey over the last four years.
