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April 2010
Netanyahu tests Obama’s resolve for Middle East Peace
By Syed R. Mahmood: The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu (Bibi), is testing the resolve of American President Barack Obama in regards to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian land. This includes the West Bank, Gaza, plus the peace process. Despite their supposed indifference, Israelis have developed the habit in the last fifty years to take American support for granted. Read More
U.S. Lawmakers Support Illegal Annexation
By Professor Stephen Zunes: In yet another assault on fundamental principles of international law, a bipartisan majority of the Senate has gone on record calling on the United States to endorse Morocco's illegal annexation of Western Sahara, the former Spanish colony invaded by Moroccan forces in 1975 on the verge of its independence. In doing so, the Senate is pressuring the Obama administration to go against a series of UN Security Council resolutions, a landmark decision of the International Court of Justice, and the position of the African Union and most of the United States' closest European allies. Read More
Obama stumbles on human rights
By Prof. Stephen Zunes: It was a relatively short response to a question in a town hall-style meeting in Florida, yet it said much about President Barack Obama's lack of concern about human rights in his foreign policy. The question came not from a hostile Republican opponent, but from a young college student who had volunteered on Obama's campaign. She spoke directly to an issue that has alienated much of Obama's Democratic base since the president took office: ongoing U.S. support for Israeli and Egyptian human rights abuses. The Israeli and Egyptian governments, both of which have notoriously poor human rights records, are the two largest recipients of U.S. security assistance. Read More
Why Democrat John Hall does not deserve an endorsement from MoveOn.org
By Professor Stephen Zunes: In the face of expected Republican gains this year, receiving the support of MoveOn, one of the country's largest progressive advocacy groups, is of particular importance for Democratic candidates. One of only a handful of House incumbents to receive the coveted endorsement by MoveOn's political action committee is Democrat John Hall, who represents the 19th district in upstate New York. Read More
Islamophobia – now in American Children’s Textbooks?
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: As if the adult media’s vitriol wasn’t enough, the seven-million strong American Muslim community, is now being faced by the alarming publication of a series of ‘children's books’, containing misleading and inflammatory rhetoric about the Islamic faith. The 10-book series - entitled the "World of Islam," – is published by Mason Crest Publishing in collaboration with the Philadelphia-based pro-Israel and pro-war Foreign Policy Research Institute. Anti-Islamic sentiment pervades the entire series, portraying Muslims as inherently violent and deserving suspicion. It encourages young readers to believe Muslims are terrorists, who seek to undermine US society. Read More
Ho Chi Minh City or is it still Saigon, Vietnam
By Mertze Dahlin: Saigon sounds like a far away place and I suppose it is until you get there. As recommended, the best time to arrive is at the beginning of the year, the New Year known as TET in Vietnam. The streets look okay to ride on since you drive on the right side, just like back home, and there are lane markers along the street. A lot of the downtown buildings look like those from any place else you went before. On the corner is a sign advertising KFC and later on you can see McDonalds and a lot of good looking clothing stores. Only thing is, I can’t figure out what is said about the merchandise. It’s all French looking spelling but it’s not French. It turns out that France provided the alphabet for the Vietnamese to use and at one time, the language. Read More
The American Revolution as affected by the Muslim World – Part I
By Syed R. Mahmood: Thomas Jefferson purchased a copy of the Muslim’s Holy book, the Quran, when he was getting ready to prepare for his bar examination in 1765. George Sale’s Quran was the first English version copy of the holy book, which was translated directly from the Arabic Language. He referred to the Quran as a book of religion, law and culture. In the early part of the 1770’s Jefferson developed an interest in learning the Arabic language and grammar. He made serious efforts to study and understand Islamic laws. His personal copy of the Quran is in the library of Congress. The first elected Muslim member of the U.S. Congress is from Minnesota. Keith Ellison took his oath on this copy of the Quran on January 4, 2007. The “AL-Quran,” very explicitly advocates, to not accept “Oppression.” Read More
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