Don't Make Religion a Burden.
Narrated: Abu Huraira
The Prophet said, "Religion is very easy and whoever
overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to
continue in that way. So you should not be going too far,
but try to be near to perfection and receive the good
tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by
worshiping in the mornings and the nights."
Hadith No: 39 [Sahih Bukhari]
Comment by Kaukab Siddique: Our striving should be for the
rights of the people, opposing oppression and standing up to
tyrants. Dont try to make the claim that you know more
prayers than anyone else and that you make so many extra
prayers. Stand up tp the oppressors! As Allama Iqbal noted,
the prayers of enslaved nations are long and the prayers of
mujahideen and strugglers are short.
Syria: March 27. The Fall of Most of Palmyra after three
weeks. IS battered by Russia.
Forces of Bashar al-Assad captured most of Palmyra [Tadmur
in Arabic] in eastern Syria. The regime's forces were
covered by the Russian air force which hit 180 Islamic State
targets. The regime forces consisted of Alawites from
Damascus, Hizbullah Shias from Lebanon, Afghan and Iraqi
Shias led by Iranian officers, and Russians directing the
artillery. The mujaheddin inflicted heavy casualties on the
invaders, including the commander of a brigade. According to
Interfax, Russians have suffered a few casualties. On the
other hand, more than a 100 ISIS mujaheddin were killed.
mostly in the intense Russian bombing campaign.
The Islamic forces withdrew in good order but some of them
are refusing to withdraw from eastern Tadmur. However, most
of them have gone to Deir az Zour, further to the south
east.
Tadmur is known for its prison where Bashar Assad Alawites
tortured and humiliated Syrian opponents, including women
and children, for 35 years. Westerners call the city Palmyra
because of its ancient pagan monuments some of which were
blown up by ISIS who are strict monotheists.
America is also hitting ISIS in the northeast, supporting
Communist Kurds, YPG. In recent weeks two top leaders of the
Caliphate were killed by the US, including Omar Shishani
[from Chechnia] and Haji Imam known for his piety as his
name suggests. Daily air strikes by USA. as well as raids by
US Special Forces continue.
Pakistan : March 27: In Memory of Mumtaz Qadri, huge crowds
breach Islamabad's Red Zone.
[Very latest: Army has been called in as a large crowd
marched on Parliament.]
Deadly explosion in Lahore.
More than a hundred thousand Pakistanis gathered in the
Rawalpindi home of Mumtaz Qadri shaheed who killed the
Governor of Punjab in defense of the honor of the Prophet,
pbuh. A large segment of the crowd then advanced into
Islamabad and breached the heavily barricaded Red Line. Tear
gas is floating over the area as angry crowds, unarmed,
clash with a large police force as we go to the press.
Meanwhile there has been a powerful explosion in a park in
Lahore killing at least 50 civilians and injuring more than
100. No one has taken responsibility yet.
Pakistan is in furor over the capture of an Indian
intelligence agent who was working with separatists in
Baluchistan. He got a visa through Iran. Meanwhile the
Iranian President Rouhani linked to western strategy against
Islamic opposition arrived in Pakistan.
Baghdad: March 27. Huge crowds led by Shi'ite cleric Moqtada
al-Sadr are doing a sit -in across from the Green Zone where
government and western institutions are located. They are
protesting against corruption in the government.
Meanwhile the Islamic State attacked Baghdad troops in the
vast Al-Asad air base north west of Ramadi killing 16 troops
and injuring others. [al-Jazeeera March 26]
Also there was a bomb attack in Iskandaria, south of
Baghdad, killing 25, probably in retaliation for the daily
US air strikes on IS targets.
Jamaat al-Muslimeen Activity in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Eight Pages from New Trend given to 118 Muslims after Juma'
Gaithersburg is 42 miles from Baltimore. On March 25, at
the main Islamic Center after Juma', an 8-page document was
given to 118 Muslims of Pakistani and African origin.
It's a largely docile community but relatively
independent.
Here is an outline of the far reaching 8 pages:
Massive governmental corruption in Pakistan. [Sirajul
Haq, ameer JI]
Mobilize against Unjust imprisonment of Dr. Aafia [Sis.
Karin Freidemann]
Much of the abuse against ISIS is false. [Khutba by Dr.
Kaukab Siddique]
We relate to each other not on the basis of race, ethnicity,
language or culture.
Faith in Allah unites us.
A Letter from the widow of my blessed Friend Imam Dr.
Alauddin Shabazz:
Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem
Dear Dr. Siddique
Thank you for your kind words and support throughout the
years. Alauddin had great respect for you. He loved the Deen
of Al-Islam and was always trying to educate others towards
the Best Path in life. He always admired your steadfastness .
We pray to Allah that he continue to bless you. We also pray
to Allah that He lift our brother up on the Day of Judgment
and that Paradise be the Reward for his labor and deeds.
Ameen.
Dr. Constance D. Shabazz & family.
[Chicago]
Nobel Peace Prize Winner Full of Bigotry & Hatred for
Muslims.
With thanks to Br. Bawany
Bangladesh Opposition Gets Support from an Unexpected Source.
[Former Labour MP] Danczuk, who flew to the Bangladeshi
capital on Friday, addressed tens of thousands of supporters
of the opposition Bangladesh National party - telling them
that since taking power, the current government had created
a "culture of fear" with a "break down in human rights ...
and political opponents disappearing".
Jamaat al-Muslimeen Activity to Large Community of Converts:
Inner City Baltimore
A Transformation Message Given to 100 Muslims after Juma.
On March 25, at Masjid al-Haqq in the inner city of
Baltimore, Maryland, a four-page document in color was given
to 100 Muslims after Juma'. About 80% of them are African
American converts to Islam [devout Muslims] and about 20%
are Pakistanis and Arabs with small businesses in the area.
The imam gave a powerful khutba urging newcomers to realize
that the society around them is full of crime, drugs, big
and small vices which can affect them.
Here is an outline of the 4 pages which were given to 100
people:
Advice: Don't whine and complain: Serve the people. [Imam
Badi Ali.] + hadith on daughters.
Rally for release of Dr. Aafia in Washington DC. [Br.
Mauri Saalakhan] [Photos]
Bashar Assad must hang. Horrific crimes committed by
Alawites in Syria. [ [Hanada al-Refai.] + Russian
bombing.[media]
Imam Abu Hanifa, great supporter of Hadith vs anti-Hadith
propaganda. [Kaukab Siddque.]
Pakistani-American Female Marathoner
Speaks out on the
Case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui
When Will Pakistan Take
its Daughter Back?
Letter to the Editor of Pakistani Newpaper, Dawn:
March 26, 2016
Dear Editor,
I am a Pakistani Muslim woman marathoner, living in the
Washington, DC area. Since 2009, I have run 26 marathons in
ten different states of the U.S. (A marathon, by definition,
is 26.2 miles.) In at least five of these 26 competitions, I
have qualified for the Boston Marathon. (The Boston marathon
is an elite and exclusive race, for which one must first
meet the rigorous qualifying standards set by the Boston
Athletic Association in another marathon)
On March 12, I ran the Washington DC Marathon to call
attention to the plight of another Pakistani woman: Dr.
Aafia Siddiqui.
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui holds a bioscience degree from the
prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a PhD
in neuroscience from Brandeis University. Although I have
never met her, I can say with some certainty that she is
highly intelligent, articulate, deeply Islamic, and cares
about Muslim suffering in faraway lands. As such, she is a
hero to me, as to many other Pakistani woman (and men).
March 31 will mark 13 years since Aafia was kidnapped from
Karachi with evident collusion between the Musharraf regime
and U.S. intelligence services operating on Pakistani soil.
Her three children were captured along with her. Despite
clear prohibitions on the imprisonment of children in the
U.N. Declaration of Human Rights—to which Pakistan is
a signatory—two of Aafia's children were imprisoned
along with her. The third, an infant, appears to have been
killed in the course of the rendition.
Running 26 miles without stopping is not easy. It can hurt.
It can make one feel hopeless, very minute in the overall
scheme of things. Many people never complete the race.
Exhausted, they commence walking part way through.
There can be other complications like the one I had the
night before the marathon. Due to some complication, the
custom-made, professionally designed black and white "Free
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui" tee shirt I had ordered to wear during
the race had not arrived. So I took it upon myself to make
one. The excitement of the race and painting the homemade
"Free Dr Aafia" shirt kept me up the night before, and I
only slept four hours. Around 20,000 people would be running
the race, so parking near the starting line was out of the
question. I got up before fajr, grabbed my gear, and boarded
the Washington DC subway to the race start near the
Washington Monument.
The race started at 7:30 AM sharp. As I ran up a steep hill
near DC's famed Dupont Circle, the lack of sleep caught up
with me and my muscles ached. I wondered how I would
complete the race. For some reason, as I ran along DC's
picturesque Southwest Waterfront, the picture of Aafia's
angelic face in hijab came clearly to my mind. I thought
about the horrors she had endured. Aafia, mother of three,
who loved children so much that her PhD thesis centered upon
them—watching helplessly as her baby Suleman slipped
from her arms and fell to the ground, his skull fractured,
as Pakistani police roughly arrested the young mother.
Innocent, sweet Aafia, with the face of a flower, repeatedly
raped and tortured in a remote U.S. military base in
Baghram. What kind of sick bastards could do that to a
Muslim woman? My physical pain melted away, to be replaced
by psychic pain, and I ran faster, finishing the marathon in
3 hours, 57 minutes.
After five years of being held without charge, and denied
even official recognition that she was a prisoner (her name
did not appear in any prison, police, or military registry
during this time), Aafia was officially handed over to U.S.
authorities, and tried in a New York court. The trial was
presided over by Judge Richard M. Berman, a Zionisst who was
clearly biased against Muslims. Not surprisingly, she was
convicted and sentenced to 86 years in U.S. prison.
What is surprising—and indeed was the reason I felt
compelled to run the Washington DC marathon in Aafia's
name—is that she remains in prison. She is in
extremely poor health, has been denied proper medical
attention, and can die in U.S. prison—without ever
having seen her family. The Pakistani government has taken
no effective steps toward her release. The ordinarily
vociferous feminist groups, quick to deplore the violations
of women's rights by "those horrible Talibans" have been
completely silent on her case. In fact, it is noteworthy
that feminists on both sides of the Atlantic, including
those who embraced Malalai Yousafzai, have said not a word
about Aafia and the very long range torture she endured.
Similarly, the liberal U.S. media, such as the Daily Beast,
Salon.com, and others, who are ordinarily extremely vigilant
about the violations of Pakistani—and in
general—Muslim women's rights because they love us so
much [sarcasm intended], have uttered not one word about
Aafia. The Pakistani press, too, appear to have written her
off.
Aafia is a political prisoner, being held not for any wrong
doing, but for the crime of being a Muslim and in the wrong
place at the wrong time. "Israel," when its citizens are
captured, sends commandos to free them. The U.S. government,
under Jimmy Carter, sent a military mission to free American
hostages then held by Iran. Other nations have interceded
either militarily or diplomatically (eg, via prisoner
exchange) when one of its citizens is wrongly held by a
foreign government. General Musharraf, under whose reign
Aafia was captured, is long gone, and largely discredited at
least among some sectors. But- Pakistan, a nation headed by
Muslim men—with Qur'an and hadith as their Guiding
Light—continue to sit idly by while a Muslim woman is
held captive, tortured, and raped for over a decade. What is
wrong with us, that we can't stand up even in this most
clear cut case of injustice?
As a Pakistani Muslim woman athlete, I urge the immediate
release of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, and a cessation of illegal
and unmandated (by the Pakistani populace) U.S. intelligence
activities on Pakistani soil which lead to tragedies such
Aafia's.
Sincerely,
Nadrat Siddique
PAKISTAN
March 23 Resolution - Forgotten Imperatives of a Progressive Nation
By Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD.
If you wish to view the screen of virtual reality of
Pakistan's politics - come and see the mirror- how Pakistan
is being governed by the wrong people, with wrong thinking
and doing the wrong things. Continued daily bloodbaths of
innocent civilians triggered by terrorism, overwhelming
militarization of the public institutions, destroyed
commerce and trades and non-productive economic culture have
incapacitated the operational body of Pakistan. Its
existence and freedom are challenged by its own political
rulers. The thinking hubs of the nation must initiate
planned steps and organize revolutionary collective ideas
and ideals to deter threats to the national freedom,
integrity and future of Pakistan. Those who embrace power
through intrigue, gangesterism, political killings, military
coups and backdoor conspiracies are not the legitimate
rulers, nor do they answer to the aims of the peoples'
aspirations for a strong Pakistan. The priorities must be
focused on developing a new system of economic and political
governance by disconnecting the interdependence on foreign
aid, debts and dictates. The nation has been dehumanized to
its critical and painful juncture of very survival. Under
the circumstances, what is there to celebrate a Pakistan Day
of March 23? The symbolic Pakistan Day celebrations will
remain devoid of much needed change and reformation goal of
the institutionalized corrupt system of governance. Pakistan
is in desperate need of political change and a new political
system of governance to safeguard its national freedom and a
sustainable future.
How Absolute Rulers Betrayed the "Pakistan Resolution of
March 23?"
Imagine, Pakistani people still celebrate the March 23, 1940
- the people's day of 'Pakistan Resolution' to have an
independent State carved out of the British Empire of India.
The Lahore Resolution (March 23, 1940) of the Muslim League
unanimously demanded a separate homeland for the Muslim
majority living in the Indian sub-continent, democratic
rights, and freedom to establish and practice Islam as a
system of life and to be a progressive country in the global
community of independent nations. The legacy of Pakistan's
formative history is full of moral, political and
intellectual dishonesty to the aims and ultimate purposes of
the originality of Pakistan Resolution overwhelmingly passed
by democratic norms at its best. Today's Pakistan appears in
a complete disconnect to the wishes and priorities of the
masses. Politically, it is not just appalling but full of
swindles and perversion to the idea and ideals of an
independent state. Its political freedom and rights of the
people who sacrificed all they had for the new nation. The
nation experienced four military coups and continuous
authoritarian dictatorships for over forty years. When
martial laws govern a nation, it eradicate its values and
principles of civic governance and freedom to think and to
manage their own affairs. Democracy, freedom, law and order
and social justice have succumbed to be words without
meaning. There are distinctively visible moral and
intellectual disparities and contrasts between the political
powerhouses and those being governed by the "no system."
Does the Pakistani nation foresee light at the end of dark
tunnel? After 75 years of the Pakistan Resolution and more
than 69 years of the national freedom, Pakistanis suffer the
tyranny of political mismanagement, institutionalized
corruption and missing systems of national politics and
political accountability.
Large segments of the Pakistani nation know well how the so
called political leaders have stolen time and opportunities
for political correctness and looted the natural and
financial resources to enrich their bank accounts in Europe
and America as most continued to flourish without any
accountability. The system of politics is the by-product of
the military authoritarianism. The neo-colonial rulers seem
to be obsessed with individualistic absolutism and strong
elements of indifference toward the aspirations of the
people for change and freedom from the authoritarian
oppression manifested by the cooperation of some of the
Western military powers and increasing sadistic policies to
use force to dispel the demands of change and political
reformation throughout the subjugated nation.
All the Time Politicians Use Blame Game
Pakistani politics has an opposition bloc - a symbolic
framework of co-existence with the ruling elite. At times,
few opposition leaders raise pertinent issues for their own
image-making to influence the electorates. The irony of
abstract noises and shouting matches lead to nowhere to
address the real political issues of political change and
systematic reformation of the institutionalized systems of
corruption all over the body of the nation. What has been
destroyed systematically by the few military dictators and
the wicked politicians, cannot be recovered on its own.
Educated Pakistanis used to describe the fertile lands of
Sindh and the Five Rivers-Punjab, "our culture is
agriculture." Not any more, once home grown foods like
wheat, barley, sugar and other commodities are now imported
from abroad. What went wrong with the fertile lands of
Pakistan? Recently, an American scholar remarked on
President Bush led bogus war on Iraq: "we know the enemy, he
is in us", so do most Pakistanis. The military rule has
stolen more than forty years of lifetime of the country. The
nation's agriculture lifeline has been endangered by the
official neglect and corrupt practices of urbanization.
Economy makes no headways under the continued IMF debts of
$64 billion dollars, being unable to pay the annual interest
without additional borrowing. No national productivity
except on bureaucratic papers, political institutions
dismantled, only dummy Parliament and the Senate are in
session to float the political thieves and deceive the
masses. Would the Pakistani history offer any honorable
reference to thugs and criminals politicians? When some
legal accountability measures are taken, the current
politicians blame the past rulers. It is well known that
"wicked" people never harm one another.
Educated Pakistanis to Rethink about the Future of the Nation
Ruined agriculture cannot be restored nor lands ploughed by
tanks and guns and criminal leaders. Educated people educate
others, and build public institutions, not the armed forces,
Bhuttos, Zardari, Musharaf or Sharif brothers. None had
leadership traits but were conspirators to grab power and
rule the nation at will. Nobody visits a country marred by
violence, terrorism, military coups and lost sense of
nationhood. Traders and private investors run economic
markets; but nobody invests where military dictators and
political thieves control the lifelines of a nation.
Comparatively India enjoins a stable culture of politics and
institutions where political power is transferred to elected
common folks. It never happened in Pakistan. Whether you
like it or not, look at today's Pakistan where the ruling
elite and the masses seem to be living in two different time
zones, without meeting of minds, necessities for survival
and priorities for security. American led war on terrorism
is killing Pakistanis and large scale daily civilian
bloodbaths speak their own language of the political cruelty
of the so called leaders. Tanks, guns and bullets produce
nothing, they destroy all living things. With Bhuttos,
Musaharf, Zardari and Sharif, Pakistan lost its genuine
standing in global affairs, its respect and integrity. Shame
to their common sense if India will talk on Kashmir. Shame
to Pakistani Generals and their level of professional
morality and intelligence if they expect politically strong
Indian leadership to have a genuine dialogue on the
settlement of Kashmir. Pakistan under Sahrif is operating
from a position of extreme weakness, not of strength to
search for a peaceful resolution of Kashmir. There is an
overwhelming sense of political insecurity. There are
widening gulfs amongst the rulers and the ruled. For over 50
years, Pakistan has not witnessed a single occasion of
peaceful transfer of power. For so long, Pakistani nation
has not produced a single credible leader to lead the nation
for change and a promising future. To meet this challenge,
Pakistan needs a morally and intellectually enriched leader
of new vision and change for the future. Will you celebrate
the Pakistan's 75 years of democratic demand for an
independent homeland?
Towards Political Change and Pakistan's Future-Making
What has been lost during the past 50 years cannot be
rebuilt by Sharif, Bhuttos, Zardari and the Generals. The
rulers and the people live in conflicting time zones being
unable to grasp the prevalent realities. Common Pakistanis
breathe different air in a vicious encirclement of
subjugation with a terrible sense of helplessness lacking
political imagination and new ideas for future making. All
public institutions look infested with indifference towards
people's interest and corruption. The so called National
Assembly appears to be a lukewarm of besieged political
mindset. One cannot ignore the facts that some vital
segments of the Pakistani nation must have been complacent
in these schemes of things institutionalizing corruption and
lack of political accountability and to support a class of
the ruling Elite. Could the Generals, Bhuttos, Zardari and
Sahrifs have stolen time and resources on their own without
the large scale participation of the complacent segments of
the society? The common folks want sense of security,
normalcy in daily social affairs, business and trades, not
wars. The egoistic rulers show deafening silence towards
public interest and priorities. The major paradox of history
spell out the strategic direction that Pakistan needs a
navigational change to ensure its national freedom, human
dignity and sustainable political future. Would the Generals
and PM Sharif and all the sadistic collaborators see the
mirror - who they were and where they are in public
imagination? Had there been no military coups, no Bhuttos,
no Zardari, no Sharif and no Musharaf making junk history,
Pakistan under educated and intelligent visionary leadership
would have been in the forefront of progressive nations in
South Asia. Imagine the time and opportunities on the
present horizon if there were proactive intelligent leaders,
Pakistan could have taken initiatives to organize
Afghanistan, Central Asian States, Iran and Turkey into a
viable unity to usher a new age of economic and political
strength and stability. Undoubtedly, those who crippled the
nation with fake 'terrorism' and stole its resources and
time for change and development, Pakistan's enemies are
within, not elsewhere.
If Allama Iqbal, Chaudry Rehmat Ali, Quaid-e- Azam Mohammad
Ali Jinnah and Liaquat Ali were alive today, most likely
they would have refused to be identified as part of the
current Pakistani political culture. The major paradoxes of
Pakistan's history illustrate that its time for change,
opportunities for development and resources for progress
were stolen by its own egomaniac and insane rulers. If the
Pakistani nation had produced new-age, educated and honest
leadership, the nation would have been on the course of
being a progressive nation and respected by the global
community of nations. Not so, other nations across the globe
use thrilling stories to label Pakistan as a culture of
breeding "terrorism." To undo the darkened past and reshape
the present, Pakistan urgently needs educated, visionary and
proactive leadership and public institutions to rebuild its
essential capacity to safeguard its integrity, survival and
future as a progressive nation moving forward to pursue
change and social and economic development infrastructures
for the deprived people. It is obvious to draw from the past
that unless some segments of the nation were complacent in
some ways, Bhuttos, Sharifs, Generals and Zaradris would
have never come to hold the highest offices to disgrace the
nation. The solution must come from the living and thinking
hubs of the new generation of educated, honest and proactive
Pakistanis to facilitate hope and promise for a better
future. The essence of time would demand prompt collective
thinking and action for change and reformation process of
the corrupt political governance, not a space for
neutrality, confrontational argument, unthinking and
inaction. This should be the agenda and resolve of the
Pakistan Day Resolution- March 23.
-Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in global security,
peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in
Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations, and
author of several publications including the latest: Global
Peace and Conflict Management: Man and Humanity in Search of
New Thinking. Lambert Publishing Germany, May 2012.
On Pakistan's anniversary, remembering how Pakistan's Elites
were infiltrated by Alien Ideas
by Kaukab Siddique
Ahmed Rashid and the Mirror Image
Most Americans cannot get through to the real Pakistan. The
people they meet on arrival are Pakistan's secular elite.
Every Pakistani city has a secular enclave which is a world
in itself, quite satisfied with itself. The Pakistani
secular elite keep up with what goes on in "the states" and
often know more about America than the average American. It
may not be an exaggeration to say that just about all the
young and many of the older people in these enclaves look
forward to the day when they can (and will) leave Pakistan
to move to "the states" (or if that doesn't work out, then
to Canada, or "if worse comes to worse" to England).
The secular Pakistani buffer between the American public and
the Pakistani masses has had tragic consequences in the form
of the U.S. assault on Afghanistan. One of the most
important books which came out of secular Pakistan was
Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil & Fundamentalism in Central
Asia by Ahmed Rashid. Extremely popular in America, the book
was picked up by the major American media and publicized
worldwide. It provided America the perfect excuse for war
against the Taliban.
Ahmed Rashid's book was the toast of the entire Pakistani
secular establishment. He raised the specter of
"Talibanization" of Pakistan (page 187 and page 194 of the
book, for instance, uses the term). His friends in
publications like Herald, Dawn and other Pakistani
periodicals picked up this alarm. The Pakistani ruling
class, in particular the entrenched bureaucracy and segments
of the military were infected by this fear of medressa
trained young men carrying automatic weapons who would force
every Pakistani woman to wear the top to toe burqa and every
man to grow a long beard. [The beard would be measured by
"religious police" carrying a foot ruler for the purpose.]
I want to look briefly at Rashid's book to look at its blind
spots. In particular I want to show why Rashid should have
been the last person western readers should have paid
attention to. Taliban is a 274 page book packed with gossip,
rumors, hearsay and some facts about Afghanistan. In
America, we are familiar with the methodology Rashid uses.
The New York Times is quoted by the New Yorker and the
Washington Post is quoted by Christopher Hitchens. Larry
King interviews Ted Koppel and NPR refers to its own
reporters.
Ahmed Rashid admits that he got his idea of the danger of
"Talibanization" of Pakistan from Olivier Roy. His guru was
the Pakistani leftist Eqbal Ahmed. If that didn't work,
Rashid had no qualms about quoting himself. Most of the
chapters contain footnote references to Rashid's own
articles in the Far Eastern Economic Review where he was a
reporter for 16 years. He appears to have worked out a good
working relationship with his Hindu supervisors at that
paper. He gives "enormous thanks" to his editor Nayan Chanda
and points out that doubts about his abilities were removed
by the foreign editor of the paper, V. G. Kulkarni. [See
preface to Taliban, page x.] One cannot blame Rashid for his
blind spots: his heart was not with the Islamic peoples. He
tells us that his wife's name is Angeles.
My purpose is not to analyze Rashid's book but to let my
readers see the kind of "buffer" his type of person creates
between Americans and the masses of Pakistan. He produced a
book which suited the needs of America's power structure.
Both the front and back covers of the book have this
recommendation on it: "[A] valuable and informative work."
Richard Bernstein, New York Times.
Evidently, the people who run America's media loved Rashid's
version of the Taliban.
Libya
SAS deployed in Libya since start of year, says leaked memo
King Abdullah of Jordan indicates US was briefed about plans
for Jordanian special forces to operate alongside British.
King Abdullah speaks to military personnel at a joint
training centre in Zarqa, north-east Jordan. Photograph:
Khalil Mazraawi/AFP/Getty Images
SAS forces have been deployed in Libya since the beginning
of the year, according to a confidential briefing given to
US congressional leaders by the king of Jordan.
A leaked memo indicates the US lawmakers were personally
briefed by King Abdullah in January about plans for Jordan's
special forces to operate in the country alongside the
British.
According to the notes of the meeting in the week of 11
January, seen by the Guardian, King Abdullah confirmed his
country's own special forces "will be imbedded [sic] with
British SAS" in Libya.
According to the memo, the monarch met with US congressional
leaders - including John McCain, the chairman of the Senate
armed services committee, and Bob Corker, the chairman of
the Senate foreign relations committee. Also present was the
House of Representatives speaker, Paul Ryan.
King Abdullah said UK special forces needed his soldiers'
assistance when operating on the ground in north Africa,
explaining "Jordanian slang is similar to Libyan slang".
(Courtesy: Sky News)
Our America
Masaud Khan Political Prisoner & His Mother: Why are the
Mosques Silent?
Why have we Willingly Given Up our Right to Speak Out
[Guaranteed by the First amendment!}
by Nadrat Siddique
JUMA'AH REFLECTIONS: I visited the Islamic Center of
Maryland (Gaithersburg) for juma'ah prayers today. Political
prisoner Masaud Khan and his mother attended here (she still
visits time and again), and I thought of them, as I stood
distributing the New Trend (anti-imperialist Muslim
newsmagazine). I thought about how he, incarcerated as a
young man (and now in his thirties) lost his youth to an
incredibly unjust System. And- I thought about her, a
mother, fighting desperately to get her son out of the
clutches of that System.
In the last four weeks, I visited four different masajid in
the DMV (Baltimore-Washington, DC area) for juma'ah
(including today). THREE OF THE FOUR MASAJID had political
prisoner associations to them. That is, either a Muslim
locked up on political (bogus) charges attends/ attended
there, or the family of a political prisoner attends/
attended there. I realized what a tragic commentary this was
on the state of affairs and suffering of the Muslim
community: Many, many communities have been devastated by
the targeting of political dissidents, or at least operate
in fear. They dare not exercise basic First Amendment
protected freedoms, not even in the House of Allah.
Muslim-on- Muslim snitching is pumped as a solution to the
"extremist problem"; all speakers/ imams other than
government approved ones are excluded from most masajid;
even imams on the government's "approved" list must sign
agreements not to speak on certain topics, or to approach
topics in ways objectionable to the authorities; local and
national government officials and candidates are welcomed
into the mosque, but dissident Muslim speakers are excluded;
literature from Democratic and Republican candidates for
office is welcomed while Islamic literature is frequently
banned (or rules greatly impugning its distribution are
enacted).
In the course of the FBI's "War on Terror," completely
innocent men and women from communities across the U.S. have
been locked up on the words of informants, or pursuant to
instigating by agents, often to justify intelligence
budgets, to keep the public in fear of the putative
approaching Muslim Hoards; or to justify support for Israel
and various dictators ruling Muslim lands.
Under such a climate, we have the choice of becoming
apolitical, mindless drones, who question nothing, and
swallow any nonsense directed at our people. Or we can
speak, write, and go forth for that which we know to be
just- at the peril of becoming political prisoners
ourselves.
We then cannot afford to be silent. I encourage everyone to
help the families of those unjustly detained; to write to
Muslim political prisoners (as well as other political
prisoners- and there are many) so that they know they are
not forgotten; to join a committee to free a political
prisoner; and to educate others on the reality of political
imprisonment in this country.
Los Angeles
Drug Corruption in America has Gone Beyond and Limits. NT
Editor
Flight Attendant Who Ran From Security Arrested
A JetBlue flight attendant who allegedly ran from security
at Los Angeles International Airport leaving behind up to
$3m of cocaine in her luggage has been arrested in New York.
Marsha Gay Reynolds surrendered to federal authorities at
JFK International Airport on Wednesday, although it was
unclear how she had arrived in New York, federal officials
said.
She is expected to appear in federal court in Brooklyn on
Thursday, US Attorney's spokesman Thom Mrozek said.
Incredibly, she cleared security at the same airport and
took a flight across the country, just one day after running
away.
Nearly 70lbs of cocaine was allegedly found in her luggage
Officials blamed the lapse on "a security breakdown".
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials asked
Reynolds to step aside for a random security screening on
Friday, according to authorities.
She went to a secondary screening area, but dropped her bag,
ditched a pair of Gucci heels and fled barefoot down an
upward-moving escalator, LAX airport police said.
Reynolds was charged with cocaine possession with intent to
distribute.
Mr Mrozek said prosecutors believe that Reynolds was a
runner-up in Miss Jamaica World 2008.
New York University lists a Marsha-Gay Reynolds as having
been on the school's 2004 women's track and field team.
On Friday, she had arrived at an LAX checkpoint in Terminal
4 wearing jeans, heels and a black suit jacket, with her
"known crew member badge", according to an FBI affidavit.
It was unclear whether she was on duty at the time.
When she was chosen for random security screening, TSA
officer Jamie Samuel said she became nervous and began
looking around, before making a call on her mobile phone.
Mr Samuel said Reynolds was talking in a foreign language as
she was moved to the secondary screening area, according to
the affidavit.
Once inside, TSA officer Charles James asked for her
identification.
"At this time, Reynolds dropped her carry-on luggage,
removed her shoes and began to run away," the affidavit
said.
Eleven packages of cocaine wrapped in green cellophane and
labelled "BIG Ranch" were found inside one of the bags
Reynolds left behind.
The cocaine weighed more than 68lbs and could be worth as
much as $3m.
-Courtesy: LA Times
Zionists on CNN Spouting Propaganda. Daily Beast in Action.
March 24 [New Trend Media Monitor]
Michael Weiss, senior editor of the Daily Beast, is spouting
propaganda on CNN, trying to spread rumors about ISIS. His
name sounds Jewish but whatever kind of hatemonger he is, he
spreads rumors in the most unethical way. Not a word from
Weiss about the daily bombing of Islamic communities in
Syria and Iraq by the air forces of America, Russia and
Bashar Assad. These Zionists have sold themselves to the
devil and with their control of the major media, they can
say anything they want. There is no right of reply. Even
O'Reilly is more honest that these street walkers of
Journalism.
After Weiss, CNN has a hard core Jew, Dershowitz who too
does not dare mention US bombing of civilians in Raqqa and a
university in Mosul.
