#3
The Beast and her wondering bull want so much to be co-presidents again. I certainly hope Ed Klein is not experiencing any lingering bouts of writers block and can begin work on "The Amateur-II" very soon.
#4
I enjoyed this article. The writer does have a handle on the complexity for this area of the world. Putin has his hands full. Now with the Olympics coming in 1214 and 10 billion spent already, a prime target looms ahead. We know how Stalin or Kruschev would have handled things.
[Dawn] EVEN after several attempts in the last few decades, Pakistain has been waiting for its own version of the Arab spring.
The Arab spring in the Middle East is itself in transition and it is difficult to predict the course it will take. The Islamist forces there have not only become part of the mainstream but have also gained a substantial stake in power. Many wonder if the Islamists in Pakistain can go down the same road.
The Islamists in the two scenarios operate in contexts that are poles apart. In the Arab world, Islamist forces suffered for long under very harsh dictatorships, while their namesakes in Pakistain enjoyed perks and power as supporters of almost all governments; here, they have influenced the policy discourse.
The lessons the Islamists learned in the Arab world persuaded them to modify their approach and this has contributed towards their successful entrance into the corridors of power. They have also succeeded where others failed, leaving the West no option but to recognise their mandate -- which was not the case when the Islamic Salvation Front scored an electoral victory in Algeria or Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, in Paleostine. The West may simply have learned that pressure on liberal democracies may be counterproductive but credit is also due to the Islamists whose accommodative, persistent and flexible attitude paved the way for 'Islamist democracies'.
Constitutionally, Pakistain is already an Islamic republic -- a status which has eluded most of the Islamic world so far.
Making comparisons in two important aspects would be worthwhile; first, the level of anger and frustration among Mohammedan youth, and secondly, what they want to achieve. In Pakistain, the anger against the ruling elite is rising. The major contributing factors identified are political, economic and ideological.
By contrast, in the Arab world, demands for freedom of expression and better economic conditions were the triggers for the spring. On that stage, the constitutional legitimacy of Islam was not the protesters' destination. The Islamists are trying to develop good governance models and trying not to disturb the social contract which their societies have had for a long time.
That has been the key to their success.
In Pakistain, whenever the Islamists have got the opportunity to taste power, whether through democratic means or by allying with military dictators, they have influenced the constitutional sphere to push through their narrow agendas. This has created resentment against them among the urban classes.
From Mufti Mehmud's government in the then NWFP in the 1970s to Gen Ziaul Haq's Majlis-e-Shura and the Muttahida
Majlis-e-Amal's provincial governments in the western border provinces, the Islamists have tried to build legal fortifications around the fort of Islam of their interpretation.
Despite the contrasts, the Arab world has remained a source of inspiration for Islamists in Pakistain. Different religious parties in the country have maintained links with the governments and Islamist elements in the Arab world, although often these links have only remained confined to groups with a shared sectarian identity. It seems that the religious political parties in Pakistain have failed to make use of the anxiety prevailing among the masses to start a meaningful movement aimed at realising the change they seek.
The Jamaat-e-Islami ...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... (JI), which has considerable links with Islamist movements abroad (mainly with likeminded Brotherhood movements in the Arab world) has failed to mobilise its supporters. Some analysts argue that Paks appear least concerned about the sea change in the Arab world on account of internal political, economic and security crises. This may not be the case after all, as religious publications have certainly focused on the changes in the Arab world -- yet unfortunately along sectarian lines. The Arab spring is indeed influencing the Pak youth and Islamists in certain ways.
As Pakistain's young are largely confused in their ideological and political vision, the thinking patterns in Pakistain are
dominated by an ideologically strong national state vision with a good governance model. In the peripheries, ethnic identity and secular tendencies have taken on growing importance. Islamist forces were used to force peripheral tendencies through the 'mainstream' vision, but now it seems that divergent trends are also emerging.
The prevailing trends offer space for new political forces that can satisfy both tendencies. The Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... is trying to exploit mainstream tendencies and Islamists have the potential to manipulate a favourable outcome in other areas.
But the political landscape in Pakistain is diverse, competitive and complex. It would be a harder task to generate a change on the pattern of the Arab spring.
The Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...Assembly of Islamic Clergy, or JUI, is a Pak Deobandi (Hanafi) political party. There are two main branches, one led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and one led by Maulana Samiul Haq. Fazl is active in Pak politix and Sami spends more time running his madrassah. Both branches sponsor branches of the Taliban, though with plausible deniability... (Fazl) (JUI-F) seems to believe that it has correctly assessed the changing scenario, is taking a more pronounced anti-establishment stance and trying to gain ground in the political mainstream. However, the hip bone's connected to the leg bone... the party is beset by a conformist support base and deficient organizational structure. Although the madrassahs have increased their influence in Pakistain, their students and teachers come mainly from the peripheries and lack the capacity to influence the local political discourse.
For mobilising the required wave of change, a good organizational network and likeminded people among the leadership are needed -- and the JUI-F lacks both. The JI qualifies on both counts but it is persisting with its traditional political path despite recent changes.
Pakistain has received some negative influences from the changes in the Arab world, too. Each school of sectarian thought is trying to interpret those changes through a sectarian prism. During the unrest in Bahrain, Pakistain's religious parties held street demonstrations in support of their faith-fellows. Even the Jamaat-ud-Daawa was quite active in supporting Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in their national face... . Investigators connected attacks on the Saudi consulate in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It may be the largest city in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... and the killing of a diplomat with the events in the Gulf. As tensions increase in the Gulf, the sectarian divide increases in Pakistain.
The current trends show that the Arab spring may not trigger the same wave in Pakistain but its influence over the religious discourse may continue to have a negative effect, at least until the fate of the change in the Arab world itself takes definite shape.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/04/2012 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[5 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#2
Jordans king understood well that the Islamic movements demand for democratization is a veneer for its desire to take over the country via elections.
Unfortunately the Obama administration either cannot quite grasp this reality, or simply embraces it.
#8
Doesn't he have the best claim to be the "New Caliph"? Somehow I tend to think some bump-headed preacher will be found more "suitable", but you never know, they might pull a switcheroo and start using logic. The Shia will raise hell over that, of course, but they always do.
"There is unanimity that the male apostate must be put to death."
Liberal talk show host Tawfiq Okasha recently appeared on "Egypt Today," airing a video of Muslims slicing off a young man's head off for the crime of apostasy -- in this instance, the crime of converting to Christianity and refusing to renounce it. The video--be warned, it is immensely graphic--can be seen here (the actual execution appears from minute 1:13-4:00). For those who prefer not to view it, a summary follows:
A young man appears held down by masked men. His head is pulled back, with a knife to his throat. He does not struggle and appears resigned to his fate. Speaking in Arabic, the background speaker, or "narrator," chants a number of Muslim prayers and supplications, mostly condemning Christianity, which, because of the Trinity, is referred to as a polytheistic faith: "Let Allah be avenged on the polytheist apostate"; "Allah empower your religion, make it victorious against the polytheists"; "Allah, defeat the infidels at the hands of the Muslims," and "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger."
Then, to cries of "Allahu Akbar!"-- Allah is greater!"--the masked man holding the knife to the apostate's throat begins to slice away, severing the head completely after approximately one minute of graphic knife-carving, as the victim drowns in blood. Finally, the severed head is held aloft to more Islamic slogans of victory.
Visibly distraught, Tawfiq Okasha, the host, asks: "Is this Islam? Does Islam call for this? How is Islam related to this matter?...These are the images that are disseminated throughout the electronic media in Europe and America.... Can you imagine?" Then, in reference to Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and Salafis, whose political influence has grown tremendously, he asks, "How are such people supposed to govern?"
The question the Arab Spring countries will have to decide in the near future, which is why their Christians have been decamping with as much of their household goods as can be accomplished,
Only the other day, a prominent Egyptian Salafi leader -- referring to the canonical hadiths, including Muhammad's command, "Whoever leaves his religion, kill him" -- openly stated that no Muslim has the right to apostatize, or leave Islam.
Any number of Islamic legal manuals make explicitly clear that apostasy is a capital crime, punishable by death. The first "righteous caliph," a model of Muslim piety, had tens of thousands of former Muslims slaughtered--including by burning, beheading, and crucifixion--simply because they tried to break away from Islam. According to the Encyclopaedia of Islam, the most authoritative reference work on Islam in the English language, "there is unanimity that the male apostate must be put to death."
Finally, a word on the "prayers" or supplications to Allah made by the Muslim executioners in the video: these are standard and formulaic. In other words, these are not just masked, anonymous butchers who pray to Allah as they engage in acts of cutting throats and holding up heads, these are top-ranking Muslim leaders, who appear regularly on TV, who invoke such hate-filled prayers. See here for examples of Muslims supplicating Allah to strike infidels with cancer and disease "till they pray for death and do not receive it;" there are even formalized prayers in Mecca, blasted on megaphones as Muslims honor their obligation to go on a pilgrimage at least once in their lives, supplicating Allah to make the lives of Christians and Jews "hostage to misery; drape them with endless despair, unrelenting pain and unremitting ailment; fill their lives with sorrow and pain and end their lives in humiliation and oppression."
"Is this Islam?" You decide.
Raymond Ibrahim is an Associate Fellow at the Middle East Forum and a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center.
#2
I've sent a copy of the link to MEMRI so that it can be translated and widely disseminated, especially to those idiots who say all religion are equal.
#3
In Liberated Afghanistan what these islamofascists did would not only be legal, it would be mandatory because, in Liberated Afghanistan apostasy carries the death penalty.
Apostasy carries the death penalty in Liberated Afghanistan because this is the wish of the people of Afghanistan, no, the NOBLE people of Afghanistan.
Pastor Terry Jones however, is not a noble man because he occasionally burns Korans in order to draw attention to the persecution of Christians in the islamic world.
#5
More of a feature than a bug: any Muslim wanting to get rid of a fellow Muslim, simply tags the intended victim with the label 'apostate' or 'blasphemer' (you know the routine) and OTHER Muslims will do the killing.
#8
He is speaking out the truth. Faithfully. To make people realize their heads are in danger of being seperated from their necks.
Just as this young man died with faith in Christ as strong as ever.
Just as death on crosses 2000 years ago failed to put fear in Christians, this young mans faith at the point of his beheading will also inspire Christians world wide.
#1
Having read the article, it appears to be about... something. I dunno, maybe his point is the Middle East is screwed up. Yeah, big news. Your dog could have told you that.
#2
yeah, but your dog is not willfully ignorant, and I don't like it when your dog gets a beatdown. Fisk is....different. Or something :-)
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/04/2012 18:23 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Dealing with the Afghans has been awfully frustrating, but we should never forget the debt of gratitude we owe them for beating this goober within an inch of his life.
Posted by: Matt ||
06/04/2012 20:06 Comments ||
Top||
#4
Yeah, isn't Fiskie about due for another savage beatdown by the locals?
[Jerusalem Post] Analysis: IDF beefing up defenses along border by laying new minefields, fortifying security fence.
When considering the potential fallout from Bashir al-Assad's downfall, at the top of Israel's list of concerns is the possibility that Syria's chemical weapons will fall into rogue hands, possibly al-Qaeda or even Hezbollah.
That is why -- depending on developments in Syria -- the day may come soon when Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will need to make a critical decision if presented with intelligence that the weapons are on the verge of proliferating.
Started in the mid-1970s, Syria's chemical weapons program is run by the Scientific Studies and Research Center and includes the industrial production of Sarin and VX nerve agents as well as mustard gas, all deployable in warheads that can be carried by its operational Scud missiles.
As a result, it is likely that Israel, like other Western countries, is considering its options to stop the potential proliferation.
One possibility could potentially be to attack convoys of chemical weapons or bases where the weapons are stored from the air. While this would be seen as an act of aggression by Israel, if done in the twilight of Assad's regime, the chances that it would spark an all-out war would be slim.
This dilemma was articulated last week by OC Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Yair Golan, who said in a speech at Bar-Ilan University that the government would need to consider attacking convoys carrying sophisticated and advanced Syrian weaponry if they are detected ahead of time.
"Would it be wise to intercept such a transfer or would this be nonsense?" Golan asked, presenting the dilemma.
Israel's options vary. One possibility could potentially be to attack convoys of chemical weapons or bases where the weapons are stored from the air. While this would be seen as an act of aggression by Israel, if done in the twilight of Assad's regime, the chances that it would spark an all-out war would be slim.
Israel is however not the only country that is likely considering such scenarios.
The United States has reportedly been leading talks with a number of countries to prepare for the day after Assad falls.
Earlier this month, the US and Jordan held a large multinational military exercise, which reportedly included drills aimed at preparing forces for such operations. The Washington Post recently revealed that the US was looking into the possibility of establishing permanent bases in Jordan for small units of Marines or special operations troops who could be deployed rapidly throughout the region, including to Syria.
"This is a major concern for the IDF which is seriously looking at the threat and considering a variety of scenarios," a senior defense official explained.
Concern is also growing within Israel over the possibility that Syrian nationals will rush the border in the Golan Heights in an attempt to escape Assad's continued violent crackdown.
Israel is concerned with two scenarios -- firstly that Syrian civilians from cities like Hama or Houla, which have seen some of the worst fighting in recent weeks, would rush the border. The other scenario is that following Assad's downfall, his former loyalists -- mostly of Alawite origin -- will also try fleeing to Israel to escape possible retaliation.
A senior IDF officer said over the weekend that the military has obtained video recordings of the violence in Syria from villages and cities "close to the border with Israel."
Over the past year, the IDF has beefed up its defenses along the border, laying new minefields and fortifying the security fence separating both sides of the Golan. In addition, there are increased IDF patrols to prevent infiltrations as well as possible terror attacks against Israel.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
06/04/2012 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[8 views]
Top|| File under: Arab Spring
#1
But, but, but Bush was WRONG, WRONG I tell you! Saddam had no WMD (bugs and gas). There were no Russian Spetnaz convoys to Syria. There is no quid pro quo strategic security agreements between "Super Powers" regarding the WMD of Syria and Pakistan. [snark off]
#3
The Israelis are retards. This is a perfect opportunity to OPEN the border between Syria and occupied Syria, and set up humanitarian NGOs to serve the diaspora.
Remember, the Golan is only important to keep the Syrian military out, not for much else. Filling it up with refugee camps and lefty watering holes will only help the cause of Israel.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[Dawn] EVEN after several attempts in the last few decades, Pakistain has been waiting for its own version of the Arab spring.
The lessons the Islamists learned in the Arab world persuaded them to modify their approach and this has contributed towards their successful entrance into the corridors of power. They have also succeeded where others failed, leaving the West no option but to recognise their mandate -- which was not the case when the Islamic Salvation Front scored an electoral victory in Algeria or 
By contrast, in the Arab world, demands for freedom of expression and better economic conditions were the triggers for the spring. On that stage, the constitutional legitimacy of Islam was not the protesters' destination. The Islamists are trying to develop good governance models and trying not to disturb the social contract which their societies have had for a long time.
Despite the contrasts, the Arab world has remained a source of inspiration for Islamists in Pakistain. Different religious parties in the country have maintained links with the governments and Islamist elements in the Arab world, although often these links have only remained confined to groups with a shared sectarian identity. It seems that the religious political parties in Pakistain have failed to make use of the anxiety prevailing among the masses to start a meaningful movement aimed at realising the change they seek.
As Pakistain's young are largely confused in their ideological and political vision, the thinking patterns in Pakistain are
