The mission in Iraq has been a moving target. The most desirable goal for the US and the West would be for Islam to take second chair to Secularism. Ironically, that was the case under Saddam. It was the case under the Russian occupation of Afghanistan and Iran under the Shah.
Secularism is losing out to Sharia in the Muslim world. We have our Saudi friends to thank for that. We also have our failed political leadership and vision under many US administrations, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush. We chose the politically acceptable term of "Global Terrorism" and used it in our war against the real enemy. It was never global but was always Islamic. Since 911, there was never the political courage available to say the words that, "Islam is the Problem." The problem is compounding and getting worse. Islam is not receding, not weakening, but secularism is.
Iraq is nothing compared to the potential mess brewing in Pakistan. The latest surrounds the judge fired by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.
Today, the President of the European Parliament has asked President General Pervez Musharraf to offer "comprehensive explanation of the reasons for the Supreme Judicial Council’s decision to suspend Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry". It is not all that clear why Musharraf did fire him. Looking at the judge's rulings, one is interesting. It was the Hasba bill.
Mulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, Secretary-General of the main Islamist alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)
The Hasba bill was a bill proposed by members of the provincial assembly of the North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan. The political party in power in the province is the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), which is an alliance of six religious parties endorsing a system of Islamic justice (sharia). Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, the United Action Front, is an alliance initially headed by Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani, leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan – the political representative of the Barelvi school of Sunni Muslims. Its leaders are strongly opposed to the US-led anti-terrorism campaign against the Taleban.
They believe Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf had become a tool of US foreign policy. The MMA campaigned on promises to enforce Sharia law and in support of the withdrawal of US forces based in Pakistan in the campaign against international terrorism.In 2003 the Sharia Act was approved by the same assembly, which mandates sharia in the province. The Hasba bill was intended as a means for overseeing the implementation of sharia (hisbah, hence the name of the bill).
The Hasba bill was blocked by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry declaring it to be unconstitutional.
Today this from the BBC:
Pakistan judge in 'tense' Karachi
Many streets have roadblocks, and the city is largely deserted
Pakistan's top judge, suspended from his job by President Pervez Musharraf, has arrived in violence-hit Karachi for an anti-government rally.
Twelve people died in clashes ahead of the rally, which Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry plans to address.
Rival political activists exchanged gunfire, and vehicles were set on fire as 15,000 troops patrolled the city, with many streets blocked off.
Mr Chaudhry was suspended in March, but he denies any abuse of power.
Since his suspension, Mr Chaudhry has become the focus of widespread opposition to the government of President Musharraf, who took power in a coup in 1999.
There was a female US POW in Desert Storm that reported she was treated well.
ReplyDeleteNow Iraqi women report being required to wear veils when they have business to do in government offices.
Over at Belmont:
ReplyDeleteR said...
You can spend time writing a lot of words trying to express thoughts on how to keep this dead horse alive. However, when one looks at this "horse" really hard; well, it's dead. This is a new time in the history of warfare, and this administration along with our congress has failed to come to terms with the new parameters of modern warfare. These suicide bombing, foot washing, bearded 13th century peoples have stymied the greatest and most powerful nation on this earth for over 3 years. With all the brain power we have...
Sorry, I forgot who we are. Yea, gas is now over $3.35 a gallon, booming ecomony, etc. My fault, we are great, we're gonna win, just hold on till we learn more...blah blah, blah.
We've elected nothing more than some of the 60's finest narcissists to run our world. I, for one, am very tired of these clowns. And when I think of those 6000 plus souls who have died since 9/11 and the thousands who have been injured...I seem to have lost my patience to read more garbage on how we just need to tweak this game a little more: Put your sons or daughters in that rat hole while you try to "tweak" this game! Narcissists are no good!
5/12/2007 03:46:00 AM
The Fearless Keyboard Warriors, and their Peerless Leader.
ReplyDeleteSo much BS every day, we spend very little time speculating on the future based on the REALITY of the trajectory of current events.
Unlikely to be pretty, we appear destined to be less prepared than we were for 9-11.
Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, the Neutered W, Egghead Rice:
ReplyDeleteWhat a Nightmare!
Secularism is the same as saying; the destruction of radical Islam.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, we shouldn't use the phrases; GWOT or TWOT anymore.
It is and should be; the Global War Against Radical Islam.
... would that be G.W.A.R.I.? not much of a ring to it, I'll admit!
Clashes in Pakistan City as Judge Visits
ReplyDeleteArmed groups clashed in Karachi today as the suspended chief justice arrived.
Several people were reported killed.
"They believe Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf had become a tool of US foreign policy."
ReplyDeleteAnd they have plenty of company in that belief.
Can't help but marvel that he's still alive.
Future so bright, I gotta wear shades.
ReplyDeleteIt is not as if we have not known that Pakistan is spinning out of control. Though few in the Federal Government even want to admit it. Let alone take action.
Been that way for years.
Almost six, under the administration of George W Bush.
More before.
Hard rain gonna fall, before this is over. The US toppled the strongest secular government in the Middle East. In defense of the most corrupt Wahabbist regime in the Region.
The "War" is not about Islam, never was, won't be soon, not for US, anyway. The US empowers Islam and Sharia, we did it in Iraq, we did it in Afghanistan. Even doing it in Minnesota.
It is nice in Panama, Costa Rica, too. Lots of fish and mangos. Catholics, too.
The "War" is not about Islam, never was, won't be soon, not for US, anyway. The US empowers Islam and Sharia, we did it in Iraq, we did it in Afghanistan. Even doing it in Minnesota.
ReplyDelete... I agree, DR, but it darn well should be!
"The goal in Iraq should have been secularism..."
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that made Iraq a desirable object of military intervention/transformation was precisely the understanding of it as reliably secular. But while this was true to great extent of the regime and of many urban Iraqis, it was not true of those who would inherit the new Iraq - those Shiites remorselessly hounded and brutalized in part because of their powerful and defiant faith.
I don't think secularism was so much a goal as something we counted on before we ever got there. Because we believed we could count on it, we did not imagine we could discourage it through any of our own actions.
Not knowing my Iraqi history as well as I should, I don't know how Saddam got such a grip on the nation-or the tribes- in the first place. Pure violence I quess, but the Shia are not lacking in that regard.
ReplyDeleteI think Rat has been making some good points of late.
I think it would be a bad mistake to get out of Iraq totally. The ones that want to do so, never answer the obvious question, what then?
Verbally, the administration is heavily invested is not letting Iran get a nuclear weapon. I think they may take action, and I hope they do so.
The good weather is here in Idaho now, and we are going fishing. Take care, all you good folk.
Phallic.org?
ReplyDeleteDid you dig that one up yourself?
No,No he had to root it out.
Happy Fishing, Bobal.
ReplyDelete---
18 Killed in Pakistan Political Violence
tiger,
ReplyDeleteI don't know how one distinguishes between Islam and radical Islam, unless the latter simply refers to those actively trying to kill us and the former to those who aren't. Or is a radical Muslim maybe a Muslim who'd like to see the overthrow of any given regime unforgiveably friendly with and on the take from us, whereas a plain ol' Muslim is tolerant of this arrangement?
The Root of All Evil.
ReplyDeleteTrish,
ReplyDeleteRepeat after me:
ROP
My thought:
ReplyDeleteThe only sensible and doable solution for Iraq all along was to have replaced Saddam with someone as tough and singleminded in maintaining civil control.
That was then, this is now. We need an Iraqi strongman that will give lip service to a future democracy, say sometime in 2075. He will have to be a populist that will be determined to broadly share the oil wealth. ( beginning to sound like chavez).
He will have to be a ruthless secularist and a rabid nationalist. We will have to hold our nose and get used to it. I am afraid that is about as good as we will get.
I think Earnest George will stick with Democracy.
ReplyDelete...and sharia law.
The war is about bad men who are unable to see into the future.
ReplyDeleteI know with great certitude that each EB'er is endowed with the ability to size up any global situation, chart a diplomatic or military course, have it work like a ginsu knife and have our perfect outcome in the books by sundown.
There are in very rare instances the need for "mid course" corrections but these are usually in the nature of not enought air in the tires of the generals Humvee or lack of roughage in the troops poop.
On any given day the worst guess by the most challenged EB'er is better than all the intel and ruminations of the military-civilian complex.
Don't they KNOW, can't they see with the clarity that each of us has? They are obviously very dumb.
"Cynicism is an unpleasant way of saying the truth."
ReplyDelete- Lillian Hellman
"Sarcasm: the last refuge of modest and chaste-souled people when the privacy of their soul is coarsely and intrusively invaded."
ReplyDelete-Fyodor Dostoevsky
"he had to root it out"
ReplyDeleteNice.
Someone said that there are only two things you have to know about any Islamist (suit-and-tie-wearing Islamist, full mufti Islamist, doesn't matter) and that is that he wants (a) an Islamic state and (b) to stay in power. Everything else is a mere detail.
So perhaps the distinction should be between Islamists, on the one hand, and Muslims on the other.
But given that we count Islamists among our allies (not to mention close family friends) it would seem hopeless to anticipate any frank language along these lines from elected leaders or their officials.
It's time to move away from the Iraq problem. The signals are clear, our vision laserlike.
ReplyDeleteFirstedly, most of us can find it on a map.
Seconedly, we know there's trouble there.
Thirdedly,in the 35 years we've been there we haven't done anything.
Fourthedly, we all know the names of the major cities.
Time for some new geography.
- Lillian Hellman
ReplyDeleteIsn't that a mayonaisse?
"We need an Iraqi strongman..."
ReplyDeleteGot one handy?
I figure it'll be awhile. A succession of weak leaders, weak governments, first. Through years of civil war. With or without partition, makes no difference.
The "War" is not about Islam, never was, won't be soon, not for US, anyway. The US empowers Islam and Sharia, we did it in Iraq, we did it in Afghanistan
ReplyDelete...Even doing it in Minnesota.
- desert rat
...................................
Goodness gracious.
Minnesota....Minnesota
What is the provocation in the US?
Right DR?
Isn't that what you told all of us
Let's go back, this will be familiar DR, its all your writing:
"If the Federal power fails to protect the people, do not the people take it upon themselves?
Is that not an inalienable right?
To defend ones home and hearth, the markets and streets, from murder and mayhem?"
"And death and mayhem are occurring where, here?"
"Baghdad is not Phoenix (or Minnesota) nor should we promote that Baghdad standards become applicable, here."
"To advocate for that Course is as inflamitory as that spouted by Abu Usamah."
- Now this part is a classic DR, and so ironic too -
"Worse, because the habus wrap themselves up in the patriot's flag, then denounce what it has come to represent."
"Entertaining, perhaps, to contemplate, but if you'd ever been outside the wire, you'd know, no patriot would want to bring that lifestyle home."
...................................
You educate us all that you want war with "Wahabbism" meaning Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Don't sugar coat it, there is no separating the Wahabbism from the people who practice it in both countries. What you are talking about is total war, and goodness, as you write..."To advocate for that Course is as inflamitory as that spouted by Abu Usamah."
and a little secret DR, the actions that you want to see take place around the globe, will lead exactly to Baghdad in Phoenix and across the U.S.
the enemy is already in the U.S. along with their tools; and the kind of ass kicking your talking about comes with a heavy price
sorry to interrupt your fish and mangos
Speak loudly and carry a big Veep:
ReplyDeleteAs Dick Cheney strides down a red carpet on the decks of USS John C. Stennis, with a fully-armed F/A-18 Hornet and Old Glory in the background, to deliver a warning to the mullahs, I am not entirely sure if I understand the symbolism of all this. Now, perhaps if he had been carrying an actual thunderbolt in his hand, I would “get” it.
Over at realclearpolitics.com:
ReplyDeleteRevive the Republican Way of War
By Michael Lind
Elijah,
ReplyDeleteBoxing Muhmud:
Float like a butterfly, lie like a rug.
:)
Now I can tell you. I have never had that much to drink... lillian Hellman
ReplyDeleteMətušélaḥ
ReplyDeleteNow just stop! You know Vice President Cheney couldn't have held a thunderbolt in his other hand. That hand has his finger on the defibrillator.
it comes very close to a Stanley Kubrick type thing a la Dr.Strangelove.
Did he metion bodily fluids of any type?
elijah
ReplyDeleteTo defend ones home and hearth, the markets and streets, from murder and mayhem?"
I think you've identified one of the two major components missing in America today, retarding our progress and possibly leading to a Depression.
We have a hearth gap
We've got homes out the ying-yang(not to be confused with Doug's aforementioned priapic shrunken pee-pee).
We've got markets and streets everywhere....and murder, We'll I'd put up us up against any civilized nation in the world for that title.
BUT WE DON"T HAVE HEARTHS
like the song says:
You've gotta have....Hearth! All you really need is hearth!
When
the odds are sayin' you'll never win, that's when the grin should start! All ya gotta have is hearth!!!
Now since the odds are say'n we'll never win in Iraq, I figure if we get on a hearth building kick we can lick'em. ( no offense Doug)
Deuce,
ReplyDeleteYou can fool me some of the time, you can fool me all of the time ,but you can't fool me sometimes and all the time at the same time.
That picture is Jimmy Duranty in drag and everybody nose it!
"Islam is the Problem."
ReplyDeletedaz whut Miztuh Habu been dun say'n fo long time.
He even wanted to bomb them into meat by product BUT nooooooooo.
Nows we gotz a hearth gap ta deal wiff too.
Oh misery.
Habu,
ReplyDeleteBodily fluids? Can we say, Depends?
I tell you what. Let me tell you what:
ReplyDeleteYou cant have no policy without police.
My cousin once borrowed a car that his cousin's friend once dropped off, but that apparently broke a law. My cousin and his cousin were not the police and couldn't make no policy about who now owned the car. But the folks who have the police, they can make all sorts of policies about who owns this and that.
Just how Maliki is W's cousin, Maliki can't make no policy cuz he dont got a cot damned police to do it with!
Mətušélaḥ
ReplyDeleteI could easily go with you on that but I think we'd run afoul of the Sheryl Crow Coalition.
Probably the best we can hope for is a solid bidet market.
Judge Chaudrey has sirred up a pile of dung with his HASMAT ruling as the locals are calling it.
ReplyDeleteThe Hasba bill was a bill proposed by members of the provincial assembly of the North North West Province,the North Central Summa's and the tribal elders of the elSharif fwa Umma Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan. The power in the province is the Muttahida Manure-e-Anal (MMA), which is an alliance of sex religious parties endorsing a system of Islamic justice sharia, backed by a bumper crop of some opium, the best quality many say in years. Muttahida Manure-e-Anal, the United Full Monty Front, and the Separatist Movement for Tongu region of the Hindu Kush is an alliance initially headed by Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani, leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Noukia, backed by a massive influx of Islamic Indians from Kashmir – the political representative of the Bareitall fo-Laden school of Islams. Its leaders are strongly opposed to the US-coalition of terrorists aligned with the Taleban.
It's a mess Bounty, the quicker pecker-upper couldn't get cleaned up.
That's right, elijah.
ReplyDeleteThe Republic stands to "take them in", those Mussulmen.
That is the decision made. 25,000 individuals from Iraq, last I heard.
How many will be malcontents, like the Fort Dix Six. I have no idea, but there will be some.
The Government of the US disagrees with your assessment, elijah. They see it as I have explained. Hezzbollah cells can smuggle tabacco, no one cares. Aspects of Sharia law can be implented in MN, democraticly, enthusiasticly. Segregate those with booze, wine or beer, from them that object. Sharia law at the airport, foot baths in the Universities.
We do not do those types of things for our foes, just our friends.
Raise the alarm, amigo. Start with concern about the 12 to 20 million folks that have infiltrated the US, illegally.
Then move on to those that came legally, but with dark hearts.
All in a twitter because you do not like the path your nation and culture has chosen to take.
Raise the rabble against the Skull & Boners, and all they believe in.
Rail against 4% economic growth and "full employment".
Speak of your ideology, defend it, promote it.
I'll spread capitialism, face to face, in Latin America. Spent some live rounds down there when I was younger, may as well spend some time combating Hugo and the Chinese at the first chokepoint into North America.
Because I'm sure not moving to Minnesota to influence voters, there.
DR,
ReplyDeleteWell damn stated.
Similar, amigo, to the North American Union.
ReplyDeleteIt's comin', incrementally.
Sure as sunrise.
Part of the "Plan".
May as well accept it, cause no one will riot or revolt because of it.
I sure don't speak Arabeee, so no use going to Arabia, to influence events there. No desire, either, I know the desert and theirs is more bleak than ours.
I think I'll go win some hearts, maybe a mind or two, down on the beach.
May 12, 2007
ReplyDeleteKingfish Al Sharpton and Senator Foghorn Byrd
By James Lewis
One of the high ironies of the last several months was the brief news flash that the racists Rev. Al Sharpton is a distant cousin of the late Senator Strom Thurmond, formerly of South Carolina. Even Al Sharpton seemed to be struck dumb by the news, at least for a long minute. It reminded everybody that Southern Blacks and Whites are often cousins, Uncle-daddy too.
(several interesting paragraphs in between, then)
Which brings me to the Reverend Al Sharpton.
To any fan of Amos 'n Andy it's obvious who Al Sharpton really is: He's Kingfish as civil rights leader. The Rev doesn't own anything, including his expensive suits, his James Brown hairdos, and his throw-away cellphone to the media. But by some miracle he manages to live very high on the hog. The Rev rose to fame through sleazy manipulation of the Tawana Brawley case, pulling the white suckers of the New York Times by their sensitive parts as surely as a powerful ferromagnet draws iron filings. Al Sharpton pushing the mighty New York Times around is classic comic role reversal, with the pompous Times playing Step 'n Fetchit
THIS IS A GOOD READ
DR,
ReplyDeleteYou're right on beam my friend. The North American Union is the most under the radar huge sovereign eating plan I've ever seen go un talked about.
The sheeple will wake one morning living in a totally different country from Minnesota foot baths to the first US Custom stop in Kansas if you're com'in up from the south.
The razor wire is going up around the Montana property very soon. I might even start a compound for those with sniper weapons and other valuable MOS's.
From my own experiences and background, it seems that MS-13 is a far greater National Security threat then the Fort Dix Six.
ReplyDeleteThe MS-13 is much better organized, much more prone to violence and have an active selfsustaining clandestine cell system in the US combined with an international command structure.
Hugo, the ChiComs and los Cubanos all have their phone number. Which means that Hezzbollah has their number, as well.
In it for the rush and some long green. As crazy as crazy gets.
"Revive the Republican Way of War
ReplyDeleteBy Michael Lind"
Something Pat Buchanan said a long time ago is relevant here:
"The biggest gap in American politics is to the right of Ronald Reagan."
Can say the same of George Bush. Where Goldwater once talked about nukes, nice war has now coopted much of the modern Republican Party.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the multiple posts.
ReplyDeleteCheney in Saudi Arabia: Old friends
ReplyDeletePosted by Mark Silva at 1:45 pm CDT
One can only imagine some of the war stories shared over dinner tonight at Saudi Arabia's royal palace, where King Abdullah greeted Vice President Dick Cheney – who had served as Defense Secretary during the previous Bush administration and Gulf War – with a query about his old friend, President George H.W. Bush.
"He's still jumping out of airplanes,'' Cheney told the king during their brief public greeting at Fahd ibn Sultan palace. "I did not want to do it when I was 60. He's done it twice now."
That was it for any eavesdropping, however, with reporters dismissed as servers delivered golden tea pots in a palace filled with a heavy haze of incense, arrays of flowers, pistachios, cookies and wrapped chocolates in the hall where the two met.
Air Force Two had landed at King Faisal airbase at about 7 pm local time, and Cheney was greeted by Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz and a lot of military officers. They crossed a red carpet to the terminal , where they sat for tea and chitchat through a translator.
"I was in Iraq for a couple of days and then in Abu Dhabi and we're going to Jordan,'' Cheney said of his itinerary. Cheney, noting that he had shared lunch with the president of the United Arab Emirates, said, "I knew his father. The crown prince asked if the crown prince of UAE had been to the United States yet. "Not ye
"not ye ..."
ReplyDelete---
Cheney didn't get blown up, did he?
---
We abandoned our great new facilities there so as not to anger folks.
Since folks are about as angry as they are going to get, I propose we re-occupy the Airbases and other infrastructure.