Archive for the ‘War and Terrorism’ Category

In the “Videos” section above, you can see this series of videos of US Veterans opposing the Iraq War. Here’s the link…

As Iran comes into focus again, it may be time to revisit the Zionist lobby’s role in US Foreign policy. Check out this video from DemocracyNow.org…

“In the study ‘The Israel Lobby & U.S. Foreign Policy’, the authors of the paper, Professor Stephen Walt of Harvard University and John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago, charge that the United States has willingly set aside its own security and that of many of its allies in order to advance the interests of Israel. In addition the study accuses the pro-Israeli lobby, particularly AIPAC of manipulating the U.S. media, policing academia and silencing critics of Israel by labeling them as anti-Semitic.”

Here’s a transcript of the video, if you’re interested:

And here’s a video going over AIPAC’s pressure for war with Iran…

OK. With the amount of emails that I get swamped with every day, it is hard to really quantify what has value and what does not. I find myself increasing my filters for what I open and what I choose to delete. And, then of course, there are those emails that you open and find a list of recipients a mile long… The message has been cycled and recycled several times. With those, I usually click open and click delete almost in under one breath.

However, I might allow a certain type of email, or blog post, or Twitter tweet through my filters a little more frequently, now. And that is the boycott Israel email. This company supports them, that company is owned by a Zionist. I never know how much to trust the sources of those emails. The cynic in me imagines a corporate exec sitting in his penthouse office laughing at the Muslims for circulating untruths he started about his competitor… remember those La Muhammad emails about Coke? C’mon. Do you really believe that someone put that much thought into the logo?

Anyway, this is all one big, long-winded way of saying… good job. Jazakum Allahu khair. It appears that your/our efforts at boycotting Israeli goods and corporate sponsors is being felt. Here’s a link to someone named Tony Greenstein’s blog with words of encouragement:

And here’s a link to an excerpt from Jews sans frontieres (an anti-Zionist blog):

If this blog post is true, jazakum Allahu khair. If it is not true, jazakum Allahu khair. Either way, it’s all about your intentions to please Allah by doing your part to end suffering and injustice in the world – wherever it may be.

These videos were posted at Palestine Think Tank in an article by Mary Rizzo. Israeli snipers fire on unarmed farmers and internationals. They keep shooting despite mega-phone announcements that they were firing on “unarmed civilians”. See for yourself…

They might claim that they were rubber bullets or something, but they are still high-speed projectile steel balls with a thin covering of rubber. They’re still deadly and the people they are shooting at are unarmed and clearly do not pose a threat. The international peace workers are even wearing fluorescent colors to stand out.

Don’t tell me that these soldiers don’t know what they are firing on.

I do not mean to inflame an already uncertain and fearful public, but when you look at history, economic decline preceded the major World Wars. Well, this article from Dr. Frederic F. Clairmont (a prominent Canadian academic and researcher) cites several factors – Arms Races, Israel and the Middle East, US-China Relations, the financial markets, and the dynamics of overproduction. When taken together, these things point to a potential for war on a large scale.

But then again, take a look at the world right now… there already is war on a large scale.

Anyway, here’s the link: Is A Major War A Possibility In 2009? The Historical Antecedents

Keep in mind though… we should not be worriers, talkers, or time-wasters. Worrying about these things, wasting time discussing world politics in our gatherings, etc… all useless. What we should be worrying about are the things we can control and the things we will be asked about on the Last Day. Financial crisis, Sino-US relations, arms races, political outcomes in Israel… I’m not going to be asked about any of those.

In fact, now that I’ve typed this… it got me thinkin’ about some of the things I will be asked about. And one of those things is my relationship with my neighbors. I’m going to invite my neighbor over for dinner… finally, after 5 years of living here. What are you going to do?

So, there clearly was fraud, but this contractor apparently defrauded the Coalition Provisional Authority (technically not the US government).

Here’s the link: Judge Overturns Verdict Against Iraq War Contractor in Fraud Case

A federal judge has overturned on a technicality a $10 million jury verdict against a military contractor accused of defrauding the U.S. government in the initial months of the Iraq war.

The verdict, awarded in March against Fairfax-based Custer Battles LLC, had been the first civil fraud verdict arising from the Iraq war. Custer Battles based most of its operations in Rhode Island.

A former Custer Battles employee filed the lawsuit under a whistleblower statute, alleging that Custer Battles used shell companies and false invoices to vastly overstate its expenses on a $3 million contract to assist in establishing a new currency to replace the old Iraqi dinar used during Saddam Hussein’s regime.

The verdict reached $10 million because the law calls for triple damages, plus penalties fines and legal costs.

But U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III, in a ruling made public Friday, ruled that Custer Battles’ accusers failed to prove that the U.S. government was ever defrauded. Any fraud that occurred was perpetrated instead against the Coalition Provisional Authority, formed shortly after the war to run Iraq during the occupation until an Iraqi government was established.

Ellis ruled that the trial evidence failed to show that the U.S. government was the actual victim, even though U.S. taxpayers ultimately footed the bill.

Mumbai Suffers a Series of Coordinated Terrorist Attacks

May Allah Subhannahu Wa Ta’alaa protect the innocent, guide the ill-intentioned, and give knowledge to the ignorant. Ameen.

This was published on the DNN site before I moved it over to the new format…

10 locations in Mumbai were simultaneously attacked and scores were killed or injured. Of course, I was not there, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt.

Assumptions to Avoid

Let’s not rush to judgment… Watching shocking news is more of an emotional experience than an intellectual one. So be careful.

Let’s not forget when a top Indian Army officer was arrested over bomb attack that was blamed on outsiders.

This clip ends abruptly, in mid-thought, when the victim is describing interactions with one of the gunmen. If he was actually interacting with the gunmen, why not hear all of what he has to say? (Does anyone have the full clip? If so, send me the link.)

The pause in his voice as he says, “Islamic… terrorist… I suppose,” can have pretty powerful emotional effects on watchers of the clip. Although, his full sentence was, “He did not look like your typical Islamic terrorist, I suppose.”

And who is this lady (below)? And why is she an expert? It is CNN’s Kelli Arena, but what gives her the qualifications to make all of these speculations?

Some Things That Don’t Make Sense

• Whose cause does this help?
• Is it really possible for a small group of extremists to pull off such a well-orchestrated series of attacks in the financial capital of one of the world’s up-and-coming countries? Or would you need the resources of, say, a foreign nation or an intelligence agency?
• One of the targets was a hospital for women and children. Islam has pretty clear laws regarding war. And women and children are clearly and absolutely off limits. Even livestock and fruit-bearing trees are off limits, so there’s no way that anyone could religiously justify an attack on a hospital for women and children. No way. Personally, I don’t think this was orchestrated by Muslims. Period. (Maybe some ignorant Muslims were duped into carrying it out, but I don’t think they orchestrated it.)
• Were the attackers staying at the Nariman House? If so, who is really behind this?
• Why is it that some of the Indian police were not firing back?

Always Ask: Who Benefits?

It is always ultra-important to step back and ask yourself, “Who benefits?” There will be reports of “Islamic terrorists” and “Muslim extremists” who “hate our freedoms”, who “want to spread violence and bloodshed”, who “hate the West”, who “blah, blah, blah”… C’mon. Do you really think there are people out there that want to just spread destruction on the earth… that just want gore and violence?! I don’t buy it.

But, let’s just say that it’s possible… maybe there are people like that. Well, then, how do they benefit? Is it just spreading chaos? Is that their goal?

Is that where you are going to stop your analysis? Let’s look past the obvious…

• Does the fact that some of the nations of the world object to the US bombings on Pakistani soil have anything to do with it? Does this help justify those attacks?
• Are there any parties or countries or movements that benefit from a portrayal of Islam as evil?
• Does this distract from any other world events?… The passing of important legislation? The recent re-invasion of Gaza? The decline of world economies?
• Are there any nations (outside of the obvious) that would like to slow India’s rise to economic power?
• Does the fact that India announced a partnership with Iran two days earlier have any connection? Who could be upset about that?
• Does anyone remember when a top Indian Army officer was arrested over a bomb attack that was blamed on outsiders?

Look. I don’t understand it. I don’t have the answers. But, I also don’t accept the official version at face value. The news has been wrong before.

May Allah Subhannahu Wa Ta’alaa protect the innocent, guide the ill-intentioned, and give knowledge to the ignorant. Ameen.