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.
