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Tariq Ramadan misses the point

Yup, Sha’ban hits it on the head. Ramadan says the following in his Washington Post op-ed: No doubt, it is the legitimate right of Muslims to build a community center near Ground Zero. Yet, I believe it is not a wise decision, considering the collective sensitivities in American society. This is a moment to go beyond rights and reach for the common good: To build it elsewhere, if possible, would be a sensible and symbolic move. Doing so does not mean we must accept the false premise that Islam is responsible for 9/11, and it does not mean sacrificing one’s…

Yet another, “I hope this isn’t true” moment

From the Gadflyer are revelations that the Saudis may be working rather stridently, and perhaps illegally, to help get Bush re-elected in November. The same news source – The Gadflyer – has a different take on the same interview. I’m not sure the second interpretation is as strong, especially in light of the first posting. I haven’t seen the interview yet, but I expect it to mirror closely what we are beginning to hear in the 9/11 commission hearings – consistent with view 2, but with great nuggets that article 1 gives us.

A Terror Trials Pep Talk

There are two reasons I am utterly baffled by the possible reversal of the decision to try terrorists in federal court. First, it comes at a time when efforts to find, kill, and capture terrorists are having significant success. The key, it turns out, is to be dogged and professional, rather than going to “the dark side.” And that’s the other puzzling thing — that arguments based on fear-mongering and emphasizing the appearance of toughness still carry weight long after they were shown to do more harm than good. … We’ve got this totally backwards; this is a chance for…