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Libya's Tripoli govt sacks Hassi
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Page 6: Politix
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Britain
'Stay Muslim, don't vote'
[Hurriyet Daily News] The eccentric idea in the headline above is actually a hashtag I recently noted on Twitter: #staymuslimdontvote. Then I realized that this is a broader campaign calling British Moslems not to vote in the U.K. elections. For if Moslems engage in the heretical act of voting, the campaigners claim, they would well be betraying their faith and even cease to be Moslems.

It seems that the campaign is the brainchild of Anjem Choudary
...Self-proclaimed holy man who used to work for Omar Mohammed Bakdri as spokesman for al-Muhajiroun. Anjem is a loathesome little attention prostitute who is to be heard cheering for the home team anytime anybody with a turban manages to slaughter a group of unarmed infidels. Anjem was born in the UK in 1967 and is, as you would expect, of Pakistaini descent. The Ghost of Dante is of the opinion that when he goes to hell his knees will be broken once a month...
, a radical voice within the British community. Mr. Choudary and likeminded Moslems believe that democracy, as a political system, is against one of the very key precepts of Islam: the illusory sovereignty of God over men. Democracy rather is based on the illusory sovereignty of the people, they remind, seeing this system as a form of modern-day idolatry.

This idea is a not limited to the U.K., and can be found all across the Moslem world, among people that we often call "radical Islamists." (There are "moderate Islamists," on the other hand, who accept and even demand democracy -- but not necessarily liberal democracy.) The bandidos bully boyz insist that Islam has its own political system, led by a caliph, and that democracy is an invention of the "infidel" West that all good Moslems should oppose.

As a Moslem myself, I don't buy this idea for simple reasons. First, the idea of the "illusory sovereignty of God" does not mean anything in politics, unless we can identify somebody who represents that illusory sovereignty. For me, that somebody could only be the Prophet Muhammad himself, to whom it was incumbent for all Moslems to obey. But after the Prophet, there is no such "theocratic" authority in Islam. Even if we insist that we want a caliph, who this lucky Mr. Caliph will be is an unanswered question, left to human decisions. (For centuries, caliphs emerged from hereditary dynasties, which were the products of the medieval Middle East, not Islam.)

The truth is that the "illusory sovereignty of God" is a theological principle, telling us that the universe is created and sustained by God's might and wisdom. But it does not tell us how politics will be shaped in the U.K., The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
, the Middle East or wherever. That is left to human decision.

But what about the "man-made laws?" Anti-democratic Moslems abhor them, arguing that only God is the rightful politician. In return, I have a simple question: What do they think about traffic laws? Are we Moslems becoming idolaters when we obey traffic laws, for example by moving ahead when the light turns green and stopping at red? The shariah obviously does not include such "man-made laws," which appeared only in the 20th century and at the hands of those much-reviled Western infidels. Should we renounce these laws, and hope that "divine illusory sovereignty" will somehow make Moslem vehicles go around all nicely and smoothly?

My answer is that "divine illusory sovereignty" has given us humans the faculty to think to manage our affairs, and we are not going against Islam when we make or accept laws and regulations that help us govern our societies.

Finally, what about the very act of voting? Anti-democratic Moslems often remind us, "the Prophet never voted," and that we should be exactly like him. Well, the Prophet never used cars, cell phones or computers either, but even the most radical Islamists don't have any problem with such modern "innovations." Furthermore, as a special note to Mr. Choudary and his friends; the Prophet never used Twitter, either, and never retweeted hashtags that denounce a democracy that granted him citizenship.
Posted by: Fred || 04/01/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under: Al-Muhajiroun

#1  got to love Anjem Choudary

he dispenses with almost all the taqiyya
Posted by: lord garth || 04/01/2015 5:37 Comments || Top||

#2  You do know where you stand with him. This is the same guy who described welfare fraud as the Jizya payment that non-Muslims are obligated to make to Muslims and who said the "Flag of Islam Will Fly Over White House. (Prescient sort of guy or just another imam stumblebum?)
Posted by: JohnQC || 04/01/2015 6:48 Comments || Top||

#3  That's a great idea, Anjem! Now if we could just get a program going for #stayillegaldontvote.
Posted by: Bobby || 04/01/2015 7:38 Comments || Top||

#4  IMO also of the opinion that it is very un-Islamic to vote.
Posted by: JohnQC || 04/01/2015 12:18 Comments || Top||

#5  My answer is that "divine illusory sovereignty" has given us humans the faculty to think to manage our affairs, and we are not going against Islam when we make or accept laws and regulations that help us govern our societies.
Heresy! Off with his head!
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 || 04/01/2015 12:38 Comments || Top||

#6  Only fools allow these folks into their country. In fact its down right suicidal.
Posted by: El Jefe || 04/01/2015 12:43 Comments || Top||

#7  Are we Moslems becoming idolaters when we obey traffic laws, for example by moving ahead when the light turns green and stopping at red?

Don't they commit idolatry just by getting into the car?
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 04/01/2015 16:36 Comments || Top||

#8  Vote on a law to take all mooselimbs and dump them into the sea 100 miles off shore and to swim for Mecca.
Posted by: DarthVader || 04/01/2015 17:47 Comments || Top||

#9  Wouldn't it be nicer to dump the into the sea at the halfway point?
Posted by: gorb || 04/01/2015 18:40 Comments || Top||


Home Front: WoT
Americans 'sick' of neoconservative Zionists: Analyst
[Iran Press TV] The American people are "sick" of the constant lies of Zionist neoconservatives who are controlling US foreign policy and the news media , a former US Senate candidate says.

"John Bolton and people like John Bolton in the neoconservative pro-Zionist element in the US government are provable liars," said Mark Dankof, who is also a broadcaster and pastor in San Antonio, Texas.

"The American people are increasingly sick of this, they're sick of the pack of lies that all of this is based on, they're sick of the Israeli control of their foreign policy and their government and their news media," Dankof told Press TV on Tuesday.

He said it is encouraging that the vast majority of Americans support reaching an agreement with Iran on its nuclear energy program.

A clear majority of Americans support reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran that limits the country's nuclear enrichment program in exchange for removing sanctions on Tehran, according to a new poll.
Posted by: Fred || 04/01/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran

#1  Oh my freaking goodness, and a Texan to boot...geez that's embarrassing.

On a more serious note, the photograph of Dr. Herr Goebbels could not have been more appropriate for this article.



Posted by: Bill Clinton || 04/01/2015 0:52 Comments || Top||

#2  Most Americans couldn't spell, much less give a definition of, neoconservative or pro-Zionist.
Posted by: BrerRabbit || 04/01/2015 5:00 Comments || Top||

#3  Most Americans are not merely pro-Zionist, but Zionist, according to polls.
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/01/2015 8:18 Comments || Top||

#4  Pastor Dankof is an associate of, and frequent collaborator for, David Ernest Duke.

No more need be said.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 04/01/2015 8:19 Comments || Top||

#5  I've lived in San Antonio for nearly twenty years and I've never heard of this dope. If he's a preacher, it's in a dinky little storefront church in an industrial district.
Posted by: Sgt. Mom || 04/01/2015 10:17 Comments || Top||

#6  Press TV's American Whacko Rolodex strikes again!
Posted by: tu3031 || 04/01/2015 14:08 Comments || Top||


India-Pakistan
Yemen conflict: Neutrality no longer an option for Pakistan?
[DAWN] The growing concern that Pakistain's direct involvement in the Yemeni crisis could have grave consequences for its internal security and sectarian harmony are valid. It will widen the sectarian divide in the society and the risk of sectarian violence will increase.

The existing complex Lion of Islam landscape of the country will open up spaces for ultra-sectarian groups like the self-styled Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(IS).

In that context, a rational and sensible choice for Pakistain could be to stay away from the Yemeni conflict and not become a party in it. But is this option available for Pakistain? If yes, what would be the cost of being impartial?

The Saudis have deep influence inside Pakistain's state institutions and have gradually been encroaching into spaces that impact public spheres. Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
is among the three countries that have had an important place in Pakistain's foreign policy determinants.

Compared to Saudis, the US and China enjoy less privilege in Pakistain although they also have an influence over the latter's internal political and military issues. The Saudis have at times played a mediatory role in resolving the civil-military and other political crises in Pakistain.

It is not difficult to understand how the Saudi influence increased in Pakistain. Though historically Pakistain has tried to keep a balanced relationship with the Middle Eastern states, especially with Iran and Saudi Arabia, its tilt towards Riyadh started after military dictator General Zia ul Haq
...the creepy-looking former dictator of Pakistain. Zia was an Islamic nutball who imposed his nutballery on the rest of the country with the enthusiastic assistance of the nation's religious parties, which are populated by other nutballs. He was appointed Chief of Army Staff in 1976 by Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, whom he hanged when he seized power. His time in office was a period of repression, with hundreds of thousands of political rivals, minorities, and journalists executed or tortured, including senior general officers convicted in coup-d'état plots, who would normally be above the law. As part of his alliance with the religious parties, his government helped run the war against the Soviets in Afghanistan, providing safe havens, American equipiment, Saudi money, and Pak handlers to selected mujaheddin. Zia died along with several of his top generals and admirals and the then United States Ambassador to Pakistain Arnold Lewis Raphel when he was assassinated in a suspicious air crash near Bahawalpur in 1988...
took over the government.

However,
it's easy to be generous with someone else's money...
Pakistain had tried to avoid any confrontation with Iran at the cost of its warm relations with Saudi Arabia. But maintaining a balanced relationship with the two countries has always been a tricky task.

To keep the strategic and diplomatic balance of this three-way equation in its favour, Saudis provided not only economic assistance to Pakistain at many critical occasions but also diplomatic support on critical issues including Kashmire, Afghanistan and Pakistain's nuclear program.

They also strengthened their ties with Pakistain's military, political establishments and religious elites to an extent where they have become movers and shakers in Pakistain's internal affairs.

The sectarian view of the Saudis holds a central place in defining their bilateral and strategic relations with the Moslem countries.

Countries like Pakistain, which are in a process of democratic transition and where sectarian tendencies have not yet encroached into national political discourse, face a dilemma in their relations with Saudi Arabia.

Pakistain's political parties have different sectarian credentials and may look towards Riyadh differently when in power.

The Saudis' views about the previous government of Pakistain People's Party (PPP) and its leadership are not a secret. The Saudis did not hide their feelings towards 'Shia and Iran-friendly' government of the PPP and refused to supply oil on deferred payments. The cut in oil supplies had worsened the economic crisis in Pakistain during the PPP government.

That pushed the PPP government towards Tehran. The signing of the Iran-Pakistain (IP) gas pipeline project in 2013 was a strategic move by the former president Asif Ali Zardari to create some geo-economic balance in Pakistain's relationship with Tehran and Riyadh.

Iran has built its part of the pipeline as per the agreement and gas supply will not take much time to start if Pakistain also completes its section of the pipeline. Iran believes the present Pak government is delaying the pipeline project under Saudi and US pressure.
Posted by: Fred || 04/01/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan



Who's in the News
35[untagged]
7Islamic State
6Govt of Pakistan
5Arab Spring
4Govt of Iran
3Taliban
2Govt of Syria
2Govt of Iraq
2al-Shabaab
1Palestinian Authority
1TTP
1Commies
1al-Qaeda in North Africa
1Govt of Saudi Arabia
1Houthis
1Al-Muhajiroun

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Two weeks of WOT
Wed 2015-04-01
  Libya's Tripoli govt sacks Hassi
Tue 2015-03-31
  A deputy, a relative, an ideologue: key Houthi leaders reportedly killed
Mon 2015-03-30
  One Dead, Two Injured in Shooting at Gate of NSA HQ
Sun 2015-03-29
  Joe Biden demanded Porosheno sack Kolomoisky
Sat 2015-03-28
  Nigeria Recaptures Gwoza from Boko Haram
Fri 2015-03-27
  Egyptian navy has fired shots at Iranian warships
Thu 2015-03-26
  Yemen's Houthis take over state institutions in Aden
Wed 2015-03-25
  Unknown plane fires 3 rockets at Hadi's palace in Aden
Tue 2015-03-24
  White House: Israel's '50-year occupation' must end now
Mon 2015-03-23
  Yemeni president declares Aden provisional capital
Sun 2015-03-22
  US evacuates troops from south Yemen base
Sat 2015-03-21
  Westgate mastermind confirmed dead in Somalia airstrike
Fri 2015-03-20
  46 killed, 100 injured in suicide attacks on 2 Yemen mosques
Thu 2015-03-19
  117 BIFF millitants, six soldiers killed so far
Wed 2015-03-18
  19 Killed in Attack at Tunisia Museum; 2 Gunmen Dead After Firefight

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