Chinese defense minister to visit Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan

Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie left here Sunday for an official good-will visit to Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

Liang, also a state councilor, made the visit as guest of defense ministers of the three countries, said the Defense Ministry.

Liang will exchange views with his foreign counterparts on issues of common concern, including military ties and defense cooperation, the ministry said.

Exit Strategy: A way out of Afghanistan

The secret to success is Pakistan.

Dealing with Afghanistan is getting exponentially difficult. The Mayor of Kabul living in the “forbidden” Arg palace has no clue on how to govern the country. The anti-occupation forces have the run of the country and have repeatedly attacked Kabul and the heart of the US military.
As the insurgents smell victory the attacks have become more and more brazen–the latest onslaught from the capital to one of the largest and most-heavily fortified US bases in Bagram.

In a grim reminder of the Vietnamese “Tet Offensive” this new wave of suicide attacks has badly impacted the ISAF’s ability and hampered it much heralded military offensives in Helmand, Kandahar and Paktika provinces. Its not looking good. General McChrystal said so in so many words when he reiterated that “neither side is winning”. If the independent reports are to be believed about 90% of Afghanistan is int he hands of the militants. Some analysis describe the US as a “blind man in a dark room, looking for a dark cat which isn’t there”. Top America, NATO and ISAF military commanders seem to be groping in the dark, trying to in finding a way out of the malaise. Defeated on the battlefield, the losing generals are doing what all defeated generals do–blame others. Of course Pakistan is the favorite whipping boy and North Waziristan the excuse for losing 90% of Afghanistan. Why would the so called Talibans need “sanctuaries” in North Waziristian, if they own all of Afghanistan? But logic doesn’t work with generals who own the media have the Crusaders on their side.

This is a seminal moment in history–for America and for the region.

The Battle of Maiwand and the defeat at Gandawak are persistent reminders to the British on the limits of imperial power and what it can achieve. Lord Curzon took the expedient decision after the defeats and announced the “Back to the Indus” policy–and the British Empire used Afghanistan as a buffer state between imperial Britain and Tzarist Russia.

Perpetual mimetic warfare, brutal occupation and blanket repression strategies are not working any more. The Anti-Occupation forces labeled as the “Taliban” have proposed a “safe exit” to America if it promises to leave. Mr. Karzai asking the owners of Afghanistan to lay down their weapons may be barking up the wrong tree.

International Analysts worldwide are now publicly questioning the so called military doctrines of stemming out of Brussels and Washington. Are they working? The drone have created the worst backlash to bombing in modern history. The Pakistanis have lost 12000 people martyred to the so called “war on terror”. The US has not been free of the risks–and Times Square remains a reminder of the blowback.
The Karzai family’s corruption, the American hubris and the European reluctance to fight keeps the fruits of nation building out of the reach of most of the penury stricken, war affected population of Afghanistan.

Every time a Reaper or Predator drone takes off, the mothers and children of Afghanistan cringe. Its 91 every day for them. Every time it fires its hellfire missiles the dream of peace become less possible. Each hellfire increases Anti-Americanism around the globe.

President Karzai knows many languages, but his best one is schmooze. As Churchill said a very long time ago “you can fool some of the people all the time, all the people some of the time, but not all the people all the time”. President Karzai, speaking from both sides of his mouth– he plays to the Western gallery while lambasting the “Coalition of the Willing” (ISAF, NATO, US etc) for real and perceived war crimes. The question is are the jirgas still on? They were just for show anyway, so hosting them for the American audience doesn’t change the realities on the ground.

The incomprehensible strategy to attain a military solution was clarified by President Obama in Westpoint this week! He is banking on a composite solution. Afghanistan poses are danger to Iran, Pakistan, Russia, the Central Asia republics, and to China. The war-weary conglomeration of tribes has been in war for the past thirty years.

Every year the insurgents launch a “Spring Offensive”. This year was not exception. They code named this years offensive “Al-Fatah” (Victory). The moniker says volumes about their new found confidence.

The US President Barack Obama, and President Karzai face the confidence of the insurgents with trepidation and political expediency–which forces them to deal with the scum of the earth and the drug lords that have preyed on the innocent.

Many doubt the might of the Pakhtuns but they own Afghanistan and the “Coalition of the Willing” does not. President Obama had changed strategies multiple time. Planning a robust Exit Strategy with the Pakistan is the best move yet–as long as he can keep Ms. Clinton’s mouth taped.

Ms. Hillary Clinton has done more harm to peace in West Asia than a gang-rape by a combination of the Geller’s Neo-Nazis and the followers of Robert Spencer.A

India’s unprovoked fire kills Pak Army jawan

A Pak Army jawan was martyred on Sunday in an incident of unprovoked firing by Indian Border Security Forces at Battal sector in Rawlakot, Geo News reported Sunday.

According to the ISPR, intermittent cross border firing is still going on at the Battal sector. Pakistan has lodged a strong protest with India on the issue and has also demanded a flag meeting.

Residents of the area near the control line have been confined to their houses.

Pakistan relief goods for Chinese earthquake affectees starts arriving

As announced by the government of Pakistan, the relief goods for the earthquake affected people of Qinghai province started arriving China from Friday.

The diplomatic sources here Friday said that one of the two planes loaded with the relief materials including medicines and tents is due to reach on Friday.

The second consignment of the relief goods for the people affected by the earthquake which struck Yushu county in China’s northwestern Qinghai province airlifted from Pakistan is due on May 24.

The small gesture of support, would help alleviate the sufferings of the people in Qinghai, China, said foreign office in Islamabad earlier.

OIC reiterates support to Kashmiris

Secretary General OIC Ihsanoglu has reiterated the traditional support of the OIC for the Kashmiri cause. Emphasizing the need for right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,

he called upon India to respect the will and rights of the Kashmiris. He expressed disappointment on the use of force and violence against the Kashmiri people by the Indian forces in IoK. He welcomed the exchanges between finding a peaceful solution to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The Ministers from Saudi Arabia and Turkey and the Advisor from Niger, in their respective statements, reiterated their support for the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was attended by Nawabzada Malik Amad Khan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan; Mr. Nizar Madani, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia; Mr. Jevdet Yilmez, Minister to the Government of Turkey; and, Ambassador Adamou Seydou, Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Niger. Mr. Ghulam Muhammad Safi also attended the meeting as leader of the True Representatives of the Kashmiri people. In his address to the Contact Group, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nawabzada Malik Amad Khan underscored the commitment of the people and the Government of Pakistan to the Kashmir cause. He emphasized that the Kashmir issue needs to be resolved in accordance with the relevant UN Resolutions and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

[Alhumdulillah] Facebook blocked in Pakistan

LAHORE: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked Facebook over a competition encouraging its users to post caricatures of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) on the social networking site.

Earlier in the day, the LHC ordered authorities to block Facebook until May 31..

The depiction of any prophet is strictly prohibited in Islam as blasphemous and Muslims across the world staged angry protests over the publication of satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in European newspapers in 2006.

Controversy erupted in the conservative Muslim country last month when a Facebook user set up a page called “Draw Mohammed Day”, inviting people to send in their caricatures of the Muslim prophet on May 20.

The move angered thousands of young people and Muslim faithful in Pakistan, unleashing an online campaign and isolated protests that grabbed the government’s attention and the controversial page was blocked on Tuesday.

But a group of lawyers went a step further Wednesday and petitioned the court to order a blanket ban on Facebook in Pakistan.

Justice Ejaz Chaudhry of the Lahore High Court directed the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) to block Facebook until May 31, when the court will open a detailed hearing into the case.

The PTA Director told the court the government has already blocked the particular link. About complete ban, he said internet services could face problems if the complete website was banned.

However, the court ordered complete ban till May 31.

A large number of religious clerics, students and lawyers were present in the courtroom.

Iran, Turkey agree on nuclear swap deal

After several hours of intense negotiations, the trilateral meeting between Iran, Brazil and Turkey ends with Tehran agreeing to ship its domestic low-enriched uranium to Turkey.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Monday that the Tehran government has agreed to a draft proposal whereby Iran will send some 1200 kg of its 3.5 percent enriched uranium over to Turkey in exchange for a total of 120 kg 20 percent.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will officially receive a letter with regards to the swap deal “within a week”.

At least 35 die as Maoists blow up bus in India

RAIPUR: At least 35 people were killed after Maoist rebels blew up a bus carrying police and civilians in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh on Monday, an official said.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh told reporters in the state capital Raipur that the dead included 11 police personnel.

“Twenty-four civilians and 11 policemen have died and 15 persons including 14 police personnel were injured in the blast,” the chief minister said.

He said an unspecified number of bodies were still trapped in the mangled bus following the mine blast in Dantewada district, a Maoist stronghold where rebels ambushed and killed 75 policemen last month in the bloodiest massacre of security forces by the extremists.

Television footage showed bodies laid out on the road next to the wreckage of the bus. The front portion of the vehicle had been almost completely destroyed by the force of the blast.

“The killing and targeting of innocent civilians travelling on a bus is to be strongly condemned by all right-thinking people,” Indian Home Secretary G.K. Pillai told reporters in New Delhi.

The security men among the dead and injured were special police officers, who are recruited from the civilian population to help security forces in anti-Maoist operations, said S.R. Kalluri, deputy inspector general of police.

The left-wing guerrillas have stepped up attacks in response to a government offensive against them that began late last year in the forests of the so-called “Red Corridor” that stretches across north and eastern India.

The insurgency began in the state of West Bengal in 1967 in the name of defending the rights of tribal groups, but attacks have since spread to 20 of India’s 28 states.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has labelled the insurgency the biggest internal security threat to India.
Tribal groups and many rural areas have been left behind by the country’s economic development, and the poverty and discontent with local government corruption is seen as a major source of Maoist support.

Facebook Ignoring Religious Hatred Group – Everybody Draw Mohammed Day

BOYCOTT Facebook on 18,19,20th of May:

If you may recall in 2006 the Muslim community world over was in uproar over a few sets of controversial cartoons published in the Danish Newspaper on Prophet Muhammed [PBUH] it resulted in large scale riots in many cities. The journalists from Jyllands Posten remained under a serious threat and the Muslims failed to see the pun in their attempt to ridicule their prophet. The argument even then, freedom of speech does not mean that you irk and irritate a religion under the garb of freedom of expression.

The Idea to make funny cartoons of Prophet Muhammed [PBUH] came from a Seattle Cartoonist Molly Norris who thought of this campaign in reaction to Comedy Central’s decision to censor an episode of South Park with depictions of Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] last week, to say in an interview to a radio show in Seattle that “as a cartoonist, I just felt so much passion about what had happened.. it’s a cartoonist’s job to be non-PC.”

Jon Wellington an activists in support of her cause has created a facebook page called “Everybody Draw Muhammed Day” The introduction to the group is listed as

As a snarky response to Muslim bloggers who “warned” Comedy Central about an episode of South Park showing the Prophet Mohammed wearing a bear suit, one Seattle cartoonist, who calls laughter her form of “prayer,” is asking artists all over the world to create depictions of Mohammed on May 20, then submit the images to a Facebook page she set up. Speaking on a Seattle radio show on Friday, cartoonist Molly Norris said she announced her idea as a way of countering the fear exhibited by Comedy Central in censoring episode 201 of South Park.

As a post script they talk about the potential hate speech but try to tip toe around the problem to say its more a teach-them-a-lesson type of group

PS: We are not trying to slander the average muslim , its not a muslim/islam hatepage. We simply want to show the extremists that threaten to harm people because of their Mohammed depictions, that we’re not afraid of them. That they can’t take away our right to freedom of speech by trying to scare us to silence.

It interesting if you hear her Interview, when asked if she would make fun of the Holocaust – she responds “no, there is nothing funny about it” what hypocrisy.

Bloggers and Twitters in Pakistan have been “reporting” this page to facebook for the past 3-4 days and no result has taken place it is without doubt such hate speech groups are in clear violation of their terms of service specially item 3.7 which states

3.7 You will not post content that: is hateful, threatening, or pornographic; incites violence; or contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence

I believe this might be a good case study on how tolerant Facebook administration might actually be. On one hand they are quick to delete the facebook page of a civil activist group [Peoples Resistance] which was organizing street protests in Karachi on the mere whim that we might be promoting hatred and violence, while in reality we were peacefully protesting against a military dictatorship, our democratic right – that group was deleted quickly and the administrators were issued warnings, this group continues to reign supreme raking over 34,400 fans since April 25th

Since the popularity and the subsequent outcry by the Muslims has literally gone to a frenzy it seems both Molly and Jon seem to be distancing themselves from the event Molly has made a statement on her website to say

I did NOT ‘declare’ May 20 to be “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day.” I made a cartoon about the television show South Park being censored. The cartoon-poster, with a fake ‘group’ behind it, went viral and was taken seriously. I never started a facebook page; a stranger did and there is nothing I can do about it.

My one-off cartoon of a fictional poster does not work well as a long-term plan. The vitriol this ‘day’ has brought out, of people who only want to draw obscene images, is offensive to the Muslims who did nothing to endanger our right to expression in the first place. Only Viacom and Revolution Muslim are to blame, so write to them instead!

I apologize to people of Muslim faith and ask that this ‘day’ be called off.

Thank you to those who are turning this crazy thing into an opportunity for dialogue, education and solutions.

Sincerely,
Molly

(I regret going on a local radio show on April 25th; my ego took me there, it was a mistake. I meant for this to remain a fictional CARTOON, an artictic IDEA, never to catch fire as an actual ‘event’.)

EU bans on Burqa, Minaret may be overturned

STRASBOURG, France: A Council of Europe commission is opposing a blanket ban on full-face coverings such as the burqa and niqab.

The commission issued a statement Tuesday saying a Muslim veil ban – now being considered by lawmakers in France and Belgium – would rob women of their freedom of expression and could violate their religious freedoms.

The panel also urged Switzerland to end its ban on the construction of Islam minarets as soon as possible.

The Council of Europe is a 47-nation human rights institution that will discuss the burqa issue at its plenary next month.

It is a separate organization from the European Union and is the region’s primary human rights watchdog whose rulings are binding on all Council of Europe member states.

France’s opposition Socialists also challenged the plan to ban full Islamic veils in all public places, proposing a milder bill based on practicality rather than values.

The government is expected to present legislation next week to outlaw face-covering veils on the grounds that they are demeaning to women, even though legal experts have warned that such a prohibition could violate religious freedom.

“What we want is efficiency rather than symbolism,” Jean-Marc Ayrault, head of the Socialists’ group in parliament, told reporters.

The Socialist draft says that everyone must keep their face uncovered when using public services to permit identification.

In practice, this could mean women would have to remove face veils to pick up their children from school, or during wedding ceremonies at town halls.

Several human rights organizations have spoken out against a general prohibition on veils such as the burqa and the niqab.

A committee of the Council of Europe – a European human rights body based in Strasbourg – also said on Tuesday it opposed such a ban, which is being discussed in France as well as Belgium.

The Socialist proposal could circumvent concerns over religious discrimination by focusing on security and pragmatism.

“We believe that banning it from the public sphere… risks stigmatising people and above all being totally ineffective because it would be unenforceable,” Socialist leader Martine Aubry told reporters after meeting Prime Minister Francois Fillon to discuss the issue.

But she stressed the Socialists opposed full Islamic veils and did not want them in France.

The Council of Europe committee said full veils “could be a threat to women’s dignity,” but women should be free to wear them if they wanted to.

However, the committee said legal restrictions might be justified for security purposes and in certain situations where the wearer’s face had to be seen.

The idea of a ban was first floated last year by French mayors who said more and more women were turning up fully veiled at schools and in town halls, and refusing to show their faces even for the purpose of identification.