Day: May 25, 2007

Pakistan Update

dawn.jpgDawn Television debuted today in Pakistan, with an announcement by President Musharaaf. It was good to see that freedom of the press in this case is supported, Dawn has been in the past badgered by the government, but on the government’s side of the tale Dawn sometimes gets things wrong. The fact that they have a list of grievances up at their news site that’s remained up for a long time tells me that the Press in Pakistan is much freer than that in China, Iran, and Venezuela. Indeed, I find things in the Pakistan press that go un-reported here and other places.

In other news, Lal Masjid freed the two policemen the madrassa students were holding hostage without an operation by the Islamabad Police. Maulana Ghazi states that he was misquoted when he threatened suicide bombers, which is an outright lie. I’ve seen the videos of the white headbands, and too many different reporters have heard that statement or similar statements too many different times for it to be a misquote. Continue reading “Pakistan Update”

Al Qaeda Appoints New Afghanistan Leader

Al Qaeda has released another video following Ayman Al Zawahiri’s to declare a new leader to the flagging and split Taliban front in Afghanistan. The new leader is Mustafa Abu Al-Yazid aka “Sa’id”.

Al Qaeda has released another video following Ayman Al Zawahiri’s to declare a new leader to the flagging and split Taliban front in Afghanistan.  The new leader is Mustafa Abu Al-Yazid aka “Sa’id”.

Al Qaeda has suffered many failings and setbacks the past two months, starting with overthrow in Anbar by the Salvation Councils, to the ouster of the Uzbeks from South Waziristan, and finally the ignominious death of Dadullah; scrabbling on the floor looking for his leg so he could run away from the Afghan Army.

Here’s the video from Memri, in which Al Qaeda now declares Jihad against Turkey for arresting Al Iraqi as he transited to Iraq — I don’t think the followers of Kemal are impressed for some reason.

The Taliban’s promised massive Spring offensive proved to be a lie, just as the extended mythic tale told by Zawahiri of Dadullah’s death was a lie. Now they have given up on winning and are simply hoping to hold some area in Opium country, since dealing drugs is a major source of their funding. They continue to find an occasional suicide bomber among the halt, the lame, and the mentally deficient, but even the thousands of suicide bombers continually promised by Dadullah and others isn’t there.

The truth is that Al Qaeda is anti-muslim — by agitating to set up the Sultanate, they conspire against those who would have the Caliphate. It’s the ancient, cold and calculated power struggle that pits race against race, tribe against tribe, and sect against sect. It’s truly sad that the Islamic world has not awoken to the fact yet that Al Qaeda has murdered, tortured, maimed, and dishonored more Muslims than anyone from the west has.

The Ends of Extremism

So there you have it folks, Rosie and Fred: bookends on the barren shelf of ignorance.

high-priestess.jpgphelps_mullah.jpgAcross a yawning gulf of ignorance lie two extremes of insanity. At one end Rosie O’Donnell, at the other the Fred Phelps church. Both are willing to attack our troops with raucous theatrical falsehoods to gain their moment of spotlight so they can get their rabid, sick message across. Today Rosie was released from “The View” early, which comes as no surprise.

So there you have it folks, Rosie and Fred: bookends on the barren shelf of ignorance.