Current Affairs

inna lillahi wa inna ilahi raji’un – for Mumbai

Starting yesterday afternoon, New York time, Mumbai (Bombay) came under a terrorist attack. Currently more than 100 people are dead and over 300 are wounded, with multiple hostage situations. I can offer nothing that the news is not giving, except a prayer for the souls of the deceased; a prayer for the wounded; a prayer that those who perpetrated this act face wrath of the God whom they so easily defame. Choose your mainstream news source: I’m using BBC, both for the local coverage, and to get some sense of distance from it all. Sepia Mutiny links to sources of…

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Current Affairs Photos Politics

The Cost of War

Haroon links to some goodness on Afghanistan. The Atlantic has an email from Afghanistan. Nick Kristof on building schools. The New Yorker on the individual cost of war for an Iraqi veteran. The New Yorker also had a moving photoessay on the cost of war. The photo below is from the series. It’s same photo Colin Powell mentioned in his Obama endorsement.

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Current Affairs

Rashid Khalidi [Updated]

Updates: There’s a move to push Khalidi’s book, The Iron Cage, into the public consciousness. I haven’t read this particular book, but it’s en route. Get yours here. Juan Cole has some more information. Rosenberg at TPM CafĂ© (one of my favorite writers over there) [/end update] ———- Prof. Rashid Khalidi is under fire once more. Apparently John McCain gave him some money and some Republicans don’t like the fact that McCain is running a virulently xenophobic campaign, and borderline anti-Semitic one that treats Jews as mindless, sub-human, single-issue voters, while at the same time funding a xeno. Prof. Khalidi…

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Current Affairs Politics

Is Obama Muslim?

Reminder: Is Obama Muslim? No. However, Josh tells me 23% of Texans believe that he is. And Aziz says 28% of Kentuckians believe that he is. Aziz also tells me the number is 12% nationally. So what happens when Obama is elected president? Does that mean that these people will think they are governed by a Muslim? That as a good Muslim he will demand we do things that are anti-American? Things like use our intellect in an engagement with the free-flow of ideas? We’ll all be able to practice our respective faiths freely and openly? We’ll stop fearing each…

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Current Affairs

Iranian Executions

Iran has executed 29 people. For shame. What civilized country still executes people? Iran especially makes a show of their long history of civilization and still they execute. They also claim to be Muslim, yet they kill. It’s the mark of authoritarianism, not authority. Dictators in our past have done it, but the best of us never did. It is a disgrace. Iran, Untitled, executions

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