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Occupation

Scanning the news today, I was struck by a headline on Reuters stating: “Majority of Palestinians back suicide bombing”. The following is a brief excerpt from the article: Seventy-five percent of Palestinians support the suicide bombing at an Israeli restaurant two weeks ago in which 21 people, including four children, were killed, a Palestinian survey shows. “The survey by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research, which questioned 1,318 respondents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, also showed that 85 percent of Palestinians support a “mutual cessation of violence by both sides”. The poll found considerable anti-American feeling…

Doing what Sistani says

Grand Ayatollah Sistani is asking for US troops to leave Najaf and Karbala. According to Sistani he wants to “‘allow the police and tribal forces to perform their role in preserving security and order.’” I think this is a good idea. I don’t think the US should commit to a full-scale withdrawal, but they should say that they will withdraw to the perimeters of both cities for 72 hours. If the situation improves, they will stay out; if it worsens, they will enter. They will gaurd the outskirts of the city and prevent people from entering who are not authorized…

Blog Quake Day

As many of you know a horrific earthquake hit South and Central Asia almost a month ago. The need for donations remains immense. DesiPundit has nominated today as Blog Quake Day (found via Chapati Mystery, Danial, and Planet Granada; see also Avari-Nameh for more good links). Please donate to anyone you feel comfortable with. In addition, I’ve been working with people on the ground to get supplies and money over there and a friend is working with the UNDP to raise funds. His details are below (if you do donate this way, please indicate in the notes field that you…