tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59747852011-04-21T13:54:28.359-07:00Never play leapfrog with a unicornA new blog discussing world events, including the war on terror and immigration issues with an emphasis on the unusual and overlooked. Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comBlogger2291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1120463659853185602005-07-04T00:41:00.000-07:002005-07-04T00:54:19.906-07:00Here's an investigation into a shadowy French intelligence organization called the "Alliance Base". In spite of France's non-participation in the Iraq war the Alliance Base has been cooperating with the CIA in the war on terror. Here's the money quote:Funded largely by the CIA's Counterterrorist Center, Alliance Base analyzes the transnational movement of terrorist suspects and develops Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1120200401467971342005-06-30T23:28:00.000-07:002005-06-30T23:46:41.473-07:00Here's a report on the ongoing FBI investigation into the Pakistani men who were recently arrested in Lodi CA over terrorism concerns. They had attended terrorist training camps while visiting Pakistan. A curious thing has happened, small planes have been seen flying over the Lodi area since the arrests. While many believe the planes are related to the investigation, no one's talking. Here's the Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1118732909927771522005-06-13T23:53:00.000-07:002005-06-14T00:08:29.933-07:00Here's a piece by news correspndent Riz KHan who has worked for the BBC and CNN. He has decided to go to work for al-Jazeera because as he says he feels it has been misunderstood in the West. The accusations in the West of anti-U.S. bias don't detract from the fact that al-Jazeera is widely respected in the middle East for stirring things up in an area of the world with not much press freedom. Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1118127608746451822005-06-06T23:51:00.000-07:002005-06-07T00:00:08.753-07:00Here's an important review of a new play "Nine Parts of Desire" by an Iraqi-American playwright Heather Raffo. The reviewer, Wall Street Journal's Terry Teachout finds that the play which is about the reaction of various Iraqis from different walks of life to the Iraq war, is remarkably objective in that the characters (all played by Raffo herself), express different points of view about the war.Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1117269123607636712005-05-28T01:23:00.000-07:002005-05-28T01:32:03.676-07:00Here's an important update on the status of the search for Osama bin Laden. He is compared to another insurgent who battled the British in the 1930's and 1940's in Afghanistan known popularly as the Fakir of Ipi. The Fakir was never caught and the British eventually lost interest in finding him. The article goes on to compare the hunt for bin Laden in the same light. The search isn't going Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1116312536707477612005-05-16T23:31:00.000-07:002005-05-16T23:48:56.713-07:00Here's a piece by the conservative pundit Mark Steyn about the strategy of Islamists hitting the U.S. on 9-11. It actually made sense to the Islamists because they learned useful things about the West, such as the diasarray of the Western aliance, the flexibility of Western immigration rules and the respect accorded Islam in the West. Here's the money quote:When bin Laden started yakking on aboutPurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1115701570118738432005-05-09T21:51:00.000-07:002005-05-09T22:06:10.220-07:00Here's a disturbing scenario whereby the office of the president receives a message from anonymous middle eastern sources. It points out the resolve Iran will show in responding to an attack on its military facilities and contrasts this with the U.S. which values life above all else, making it weaker than Iran in the long run. Here's the money quote:"When the Ayatollah Khomeini came to power, wePurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1114661535580146802005-04-27T21:04:00.000-07:002005-04-27T21:12:15.583-07:00Here's a disturbing report about a U.S. citizen and convert to Islam who appears to have possibly helped out the 9-11 hijackers. Clayton Morgan was a former motorcycle racer who was influenced by the bombing of Iraq in 1998 to convert. He is known to have associated with several of the hijackers both inn Los Angeles and Portland, ME. After 9-11 he expressed support for the attacks and accepted Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1113294956540757462005-04-12T01:27:00.000-07:002005-04-12T01:35:56.543-07:00Here's an analysis of the idea that Islam will become dominant in the 21st century whereas the West will go into decline. The apostate Ali Sina is quoted to the effect that Islam will not become dominant and will in fact collapse like fascism and communism because of Islam's conservative view of political liberty and women's rights. Here's the money quote:Tariq Ramadan, the famed "moderate” Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1112860271031008712005-04-07T00:24:00.000-07:002005-04-07T00:51:11.033-07:00Here's an encouraging manifesto by a group called 70 million people of Iran which is declaring the current theocratic regime to be over with. After June 16th (the day before scheduled elections)foreign governments should no longer honor contracts with the regime and the mullahs should just leave. Here's the money quote:In an open letter to Tehran's leaders, an opposition group called The 70 Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1112170046512708452005-03-29T23:59:00.000-08:002005-03-30T00:07:26.516-08:00Here's a disturbing interview about an encounter with radical Muslims in New York City. A group called the Islamic Thinker's Society which has ties to the Islamist al-Muhajiroun organiztion (they want to establish worldwide Islamic rule) was observed demonstrating in favor of the 9-11 attacks, attacking the war on terror, denouncing the U.S. for permitting homosexuality, etc. The police seemed toPurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1111735853349593612005-03-24T23:18:00.000-08:002005-03-24T23:30:53.353-08:00Here's a piece by the liberal pundit Ted Rall comparing U.S. notions of capital punishment to traditional Afghani notions of capital punishment under the Taliban regime. He thinks the Afghani cultural practices of having the accused put to death unless spared by the mercy of the family of the victim is more honest because they are both based on ideas of vengeance which western societies cloak by Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1110956690637500902005-03-15T22:52:00.000-08:002005-03-15T23:04:50.640-08:00Here's a piece by the Middle East scholar Daniel Pipes on the accomodations that should be made for Islam contrasted to demands that some Muslims make to elevate Islam. Allowing Muslims things that other religions are allowed is only fair, but not things some Islamic spokemen favor such as segregated facilities for Muslims or restrictions of freedom of expression with regard to criticism of IslamPurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1110261279924179012005-03-07T21:49:00.000-08:002005-03-07T21:54:39.926-08:00An pair of arrests have been made in the Armanious case, i.e. the New Jersey family of cotic Christians that were brutally murdered and there has been concern the killings may be religiously motivated. The arrested men turn out to be upstairs tenants of the Armaniouses who apparently used the family's ATM card to withdraw money. Here's the money quote:Authorities have made a major break in the Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1109756334627072442005-03-02T01:16:00.000-08:002005-03-02T01:38:54.633-08:00Here's an interesting analysis by the liberal pundit Christopher Hitchens on the effect the recent Iraqi elections have had on the so called "Arab Street", that is anti-American public opinion in Arabic countries. He finds the idea of the "Arab Street" to be much less important than many other commentators have said it is because like everywhwere else public opinion in Arabic countries is always Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1109309332019959642005-02-24T21:15:00.000-08:002005-02-24T21:28:52.020-08:00Here's a sad narrative about the consequences of conservative tribal customs in Saudi Arabia which lead to so called "honor killings". If a woman is perceived to have violated (or even just appeared to have violated) a social taboo that reflects badly on her family she can be killed and her body dumped in the desert. The police won't do anything. Here's the money quote:Then Ali told us about his Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1108704948826226332005-02-17T21:30:00.000-08:002005-02-17T21:35:48.830-08:00Here's a piece by liberal pundit Ellen Goodman on the propects for women's rights in a Shi'ite-dominated Iraq. She points to differing interpretations of Sharia law in Muslim countries that open up the possibility women in Iraq will not wind up in a subordinate position. Here's the money quote:If politics hinges on religion, religion is also political.''Iraqi women," says UCLA law professor Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1108543064564480892005-02-16T00:18:00.000-08:002005-02-16T00:37:44.570-08:00Here's a rather hopeful analysis by conservative pundit Michael Ledeen about the prospects for democratic revolution around the world. With the Iraq Afghanistan and Ukraine elections, Saudi Arabia holding municipal elections (even though only men can vote) and the questions around the stability of North Korea's secretive regime (even speculation Kim Jong-Il might be dead) it seems lkie more Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1108113339004627342005-02-11T01:10:00.000-08:002005-02-11T01:15:39.006-08:00Here's even more on the Armanious killings. It turns out relatives of the family will be holding a press conference to publicly discuss the crime for the 1st time on February 15th. Here's the money quote:Relatives of the slain Armanious family of four will speak at their first press conference since the brutal murders on Tuesday, February 15, 2005 at 3:00 PM at the National Press Club’s Zenger Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1107496008745280002005-02-03T21:31:00.000-08:002005-02-03T21:46:48.746-08:00Here's more on the Armanious killings. The FBI is investigating the barsomyat.com website which is a radical Islamic site that ran photos of individuals who posted in the Paltalk chat room. The family father Hossam Armanious frequented the chat room and had heated debates with Muslims leading to speculation the fanily was killed in retribution for the online debates. Here's the money quote:
ThePurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1106902536578988452005-01-28T01:49:00.000-08:002005-01-28T00:55:36.576-08:00Here's an announcement of the upcoming appearance on the TV show "America's Most Wanted" of the tragic murder of the Armanious family of New Jersey who were Coptic Christian immigrants from Egypt. The family consisted of a father, mother and two daughters. It turns out the father had posted in the Paltalk forum having to do with Mideast politics and some Muslims there were offended. Police are Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1106206043990046412005-01-19T23:20:00.000-08:002005-01-19T23:27:23.990-08:00Here's an analysis of a recent trend in Islamic thought, that of the idea of a Muslim reformation. Author Thomas Haidon thinks that many intellectuals have located the source of the current problems of Islam (violence, poverty, dicatorship) in traditional Islam itself including the Koran and the sunnah. He also thinks this reexamination has not gone near as far as it should for Islam to assume a Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1105503244651556982005-01-11T19:59:00.000-08:002005-01-11T20:14:04.650-08:00Here's a report on threats made by insurgents in the Indonesian province of Aceh against Australian troops who have been helping out in the relief effort after the recent earthquake and tsunami. The insurgents are fighting the national Indonesian government to establish an Islamic state and they fear the prescence of western troops will distract the local population from its Islamic culture. Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1104997086021347202005-01-05T23:32:00.000-08:002005-01-05T23:38:06.023-08:00Here's a call for a Martin Luther to come to the fore in the Muslim world. The author identified only as Marvin X is an artists and performer and hopes to use the arts as a force to help Islam give up its more traditional and inward-looking aspects it can be a force for enlightenment instead of repression. Here's the money quote:
The Islamic world needs a Martin Luther, someone to usher in an Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1104301511252784162004-12-28T22:06:00.000-08:002004-12-28T22:25:11.253-08:00Here's an analysis of the volatile Dutch situation in the wake of the murder of filmaker Theo van Gogh allegedly by a Morrocan immigrant. The Dutch have had to wake up from their long political slumber which has been characterized by a laissez-faire attitude toward social change and immigration and a falling away from religious observance. Now suddenly they have a subculture in their midst that Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1103872755577332782004-12-23T23:13:00.000-08:002004-12-23T23:19:15.576-08:00Amidst all the unrest in the world heres a heartwarming piece about Muslims in Lebanon joining Christians in celebrating Christmas. Muslim religious leaders have said that celebrating Christmas though not really encouraged, is still permissible because Jesus is venerated by Muslims too. Here's the money quote:
It's the Christmas season and Christians all over the country have illuminated their Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1103792334369823092004-12-23T01:54:00.000-08:002004-12-23T00:58:54.370-08:00Here's a disturbing court ruling from Australia. It turns out a Christian ministry called "Catch the Fire" has been convicted of vilifying Islam as a result of pointing out where in the Koran it promotes vilolence against unbelievers and restrictions on women. Here's the money quote:
Two Christian pastors in Australia have been found guilty of religious vilification of Muslims. The decision Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1103171224996333532004-12-15T20:21:00.000-08:002004-12-15T20:27:04.996-08:00Here's a disturbing report on Canada's internal security problems. A Canadian Senate report has exposed the deficiencies including understaffing of border crossings and theft of security uniforms and badges. Here's the money quote:
TORONTO – Canada's security net is full of holes, with most border crossings guarded by a lone staffer and airport security so lax that missing security badges and Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1103008649516110212004-12-13T23:12:00.000-08:002004-12-13T23:21:14.140-08:00Here's a disturbing piece on the possibility a Hitler-like personality could arise in Iraq. The chaos seems to continue without end, and just to assuage nationalist feeling a "strong leader" may emerge. Here's the money quote:
Long-term instability in Iraq could give birth to an "Iraqi Hitler" if citizens continue to feel humiliated and despondent, Iraqi President Ghazi Yawar has said.
Daily Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1102666251560357352004-12-10T01:04:00.000-08:002004-12-10T00:10:51.560-08:00Here's a piece on how to translate the Koran by the exMuslim Ibn Warraq. In defending Islam many Muslims point say the Koran cannot be truly understood unless one knows how to speak Arabic. But Warraq points out most Muslims are not Arabs and most Arabs cannot understand the classical Arabic the Koran was written in, the language having evolved into many colloquial forms over the centuries. Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1101793332628570832004-11-29T21:37:00.000-08:002004-12-04T17:07:20.113-08:00Here's a very interesting profile of a Southern Californian named Charles Vincent who converted to Islam shortly after 9-11. The article is quite long but well worth the read for both Muslims and non-Muslims. Here's the money quote:
Five days before 9/11, Charles Vincent bought his first Koran. Six weeks later, while smoke was still pouring from the remains of the World Trade Center, he formallyPurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1101282579780248262004-11-23T23:44:00.000-08:002004-11-23T23:49:39.780-08:00Here's more on the extraordinary developments in North Korea. This piece from the New York Times describes the events such as anti-regime flyers, removal of public portraits of the Kims and labor strikes as cracks in the facade of the regime. Some are even starting to whisper the unthinkable, that of regime change. Here's the money quote:
Hard intelligence is difficult to come by in North Korea,Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1100941334581895132004-11-20T01:53:00.000-08:002004-11-20T01:06:17.636-08:00Here's a chilling scenario from the Birmingham AL News. It shows what might happen if a school here in the U.S. were to be taken over by terrorists much like the school in Beslan, Russia was taken over earlier this year and more than 300 people were killed. Here's the money quote:
It's about 8:42 in the morning, and you have just sat down at your desk with a cup of hot coffee. As the sheriff of Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1100676795913996242004-11-16T23:28:00.000-08:002004-11-16T23:33:15.913-08:00Here's a report on quite stunning developments in one of George W. Bush's "axis of evil" members, North Korea. It turns out that internal opposition to the regime, usually brutally repressed, has been growing and has even influenced the military. Here's the money quote:
The people of North Korea are not as submissive as they appear to be. Unnoticed by the outside world, strong opposition to the Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1100223324572220202004-11-11T17:29:00.000-08:002004-11-11T17:35:24.573-08:00Here's a report on an Episcopalian church in Denver CO that has hired a Muslim imam in the spirit of interfaith dialogue. The imam will head the St. John's Cathedral's Abrahamic Initiative which will promote good relations among the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths which all claim descent from Abraham. Here's the money quote:
Ibrahim Kazerooni, a Muslim imam, will be installed Sunday as Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1099980346470546842004-11-08T21:59:00.000-08:002004-11-08T22:05:46.470-08:00Here's a report about the efforts of law enforcement to prevent a pre-election terrorist attack. It turns out more than 700 people were arrested and thousands were questioned in the effort to preserve the peace during the 2004 election. Here's the money quote:
Although the election season passed without an attack, officials say, al Qaeda remains a dangerous foe intent on striking the United Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1099554123459364732004-11-03T23:34:00.000-08:002004-11-03T23:42:03.460-08:00Here's an analysis of the best and worst moments of the just completed 2004 presidential race, written just as the election was beginning. Author James Taranto from the Wall Street Journal examines the best and worst pivotal event, insult, hypocrisy, etc. that helped turn the election. Here's the money quote:
Dear reader, I must beg your indulgence, for my deadline puts you at an advantage over Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1098933726521052772004-10-27T20:15:00.000-07:002004-10-27T20:22:06.520-07:00Here's a piece by Israeli Arab poet Salman Masalha who argues that improving the stratus of women in Arabic societies will help end the backwardness of those societies. In spite of the use of modern day inventions like planes and telephones, the Arab mindset is still rooted in the middle ages. Here's the money quote:
In an article titled "The Arab Man is the Problem, The [Arab] Woman Is the Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1098692309328406892004-10-25T01:09:00.000-07:002004-10-25T01:18:29.326-07:00Here's a report on the reaction in the Arab world to the 2004 election. Some have described the rhetoric of the election as a "2nd civil war" and another election like 2000 with its legal uncertainty could lead to government paralysis and even violence. Here's the money quote:
“What we are witnessing in the United States is their second civil war,” says an Arab diplomat posted to Washington. “Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1098519135707403342004-10-23T01:03:00.000-07:002004-10-23T01:12:15.706-07:00Here's a report on the increasing fear amomg Iraqis of even casual contact with Americans. Threatening letters along with shootings and kidnappings have made those interested in doing business with westerners close their doors to foreigners. Here's the money quote:
Baghdad is caught up in a climate of fear and intimidation. The most tangible perils--the bombings, shootings, and kidnappings--now Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1098339787754779342004-10-20T23:12:00.000-07:002004-10-20T23:23:07.756-07:00Here's a report on the increasing presence of Islam in U.S. public schools. In Herndon VA students will be learning special phrases and prayers along with learning about Islamic culture. Questions have been raised about the appropriateness of this kind of instruction and how it squares with the establishment of religion clause of the 1st Amendment. Here's the money quote:
Coming soon to an Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1098174036175551242004-10-19T01:14:00.000-07:002004-10-19T01:20:36.176-07:00Here's a debate between the prominent Muslim apostate Ibn Warraq and Thomas haidon, a New Zealand convert to Islam. Warraq continues his criticism of Islam that it fosters hatred, violence and terrorism, whereas Haidon thinks Warraq is overlooking Islam's liberal tradition and is taking some Koranic verses out of context. Here are the money quotes from both positions:
Warraq:
Islam is a Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1097653961728447482004-10-13T01:45:00.000-07:002004-10-13T00:52:41.730-07:00Here's a piece about a recent headscarf ban in Germany. The ban, directed against the wearing of the Muslim hijab in schools, is being extended to nun's habits. The idea is simple fairness, if Muslims can't cover themselves in a school environment then Christians shouldn't be able to either. Here's the money quote:
The south-western state of Baden-Wuerttemberg passed a law in April, preventing Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1097135790972973632004-10-07T01:50:00.000-07:002004-10-07T00:56:30.973-07:00Here's a piece on Tunisian university lecturer Dr. Iqbal Al-Gharbi who argues that in today's world Sharia, the strict legal code of Islam, should not be implemented. He argues that the earliest interpreters of Islam were more likely to use reason and logic when dealing with a legal or ethical problem and not as likely to use a literal reading of the Koran. Here's the money quote:
" Shari'a [Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1096878827731931272004-10-04T01:25:00.000-07:002004-10-04T01:33:47.730-07:00Here's an analysis of the cusrerent debate among Muslims over the morality of hostage taking and beheading. Author Amir Taheri points out the these practices go back before the birth of Islam 1400 hundred years ago. The Prophet Mohammed tried to codify the rules of war to reduce the possibility of those things happening. Today, though while most Muslims have condemned such things, the Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1096596021466001982004-09-30T18:53:00.000-07:002004-09-30T19:00:21.466-07:00Here's an interesting report on the effect of the war on teenage girls in Iraq. While girls in Iraq are intersted in fashion and popular culture like girls everywhere, they also have to deal with the war's realities of violence, kidnapping, infrastructure breakdown and the like. According to pyschologists this has had a more unsettling effect on teenage girls than on adults. Here's the money Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1096082823094707592004-09-24T20:17:00.000-07:002004-09-24T20:27:03.096-07:00Here's a really interesting piece about different versions of the Koran. While Muslims consider the Koran to be perfect, it turns out that the austere puritanical Wahhabi strain of Islam which is the offical religion of Saudi Arabia has its own version of the Koran which, perhaps not surprisingly, supports the Wahhabi world view. Here's the money quote:
The Wahhabi Koran is notable in that, Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1095919277215375872004-09-22T22:54:00.000-07:002004-09-22T23:01:17.216-07:00Here's a report on the political perspectives of U.S. troops. While many would assume they would be uniformly conservative, this turns out not to be the case. There is more resentment developing as the war wears on especially among National Guard units that are rotated to Iraq for long periods. Here's the money quote:
Among officers, who represent roughly 15 percent of today's 1.4 million activePurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1095319486112366512004-09-16T01:12:00.000-07:002004-09-16T00:24:46.113-07:00Here's a moving editorial from the Wall Street Journal on Turkey's shrinking Jewish community. Author Melik Kaylan details Istanbul's main synagogues and describes how Turkey has always protected Jews whether it was Ottoman sultans welcoming Sephardic Jews after they were expelled from Spain or modern Turks receiving Jews that fled Nazi Germany. He also wonders why there isn't more of an effort Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1095305548083950132004-09-15T20:25:00.000-07:002004-09-15T20:32:28.083-07:00Here's an extraordinary report on a conference in Falls Church, Virginia held by ex-Muslim coverts to Christianity. Registration for the conference was tightly controlled and attendees were forced to conceal their identities because conversion out of Islam is punishable by death in Islamic societies. This attitude has been imported by immigrants to western countries, thus necessitating the Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1094927542741436792004-09-11T11:25:00.000-07:002004-09-11T11:32:22.740-07:00Here's an admission from the former Kuwaiti Communication Minister Dr. Sa'd Bin Tefla that many in the Islamic world haven't rushed to condemn bin Laden leavng the impression much of the Islamic world agrees with bin Laden. He points out that there was a fatwa issued against writer Salman Rushdie by the Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran but no one has issued a fatwa against bin Laden. Here's the money Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1094803733113042422004-09-10T01:53:00.000-07:002004-09-10T01:19:41.690-07:00Here's a compendium of links to various articles from Scandinavian publications having to do with the growing Islamic presence in Sweden. It turns out the situation in Sweden is beginning to resemble the situation in France with cultural disputes and violence between immigrants and native Swedes increasing. All this has happened as the media and politicians have tried to draw attention away from Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1094491733449305282004-09-06T10:19:00.000-07:002004-09-06T10:28:53.450-07:00Here's an analysis of the question of whether or not Ilsam can be said to have an "essence'. Author Irfan Khawaja disagrees with the Orientalist Edward Said about Islam being just simply a construct of the western world. Khawaja points out that all things have an essence, which is that which the thing is intended to be used for. Guidance is really the essence of Islam and in fact all religions. Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1094268323115659652004-09-03T20:17:00.000-07:002004-09-03T20:25:23.116-07:00Here's an analysis by the liberal historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. of the idea that war necessarily brings national unity. Schlesinger points out historical examples such as the war of 1812 which was very unpopular and did not bring national unity is spite of the Britih setting fire to Washinton D.C. During WWII FDR's popularity did not prevent several isolationists from being returned to Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1094105352537847712004-09-01T23:00:00.000-07:002004-09-01T23:09:12.536-07:00Here's a wrapup of the performance of Muslim nations at the just completed 2004 Olympic games. Of the 57 Muslim majority nations only 12 won any medals and athletes from the Muslim majority nations represented just 5% of the total athletes. Here's the money quote:
Six nations have labeled themselves “Islamic republic” in recent years. They are Mauritania, Sudan, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1093580549236763482004-08-26T21:06:00.000-07:002004-08-26T21:22:29.236-07:00Here's a remarkable story about Foria Younis, a British Muslim woman of Pakistani ancestry who became a counterterrorism agent for the FBI. She grew up a tomboy in a westernized London household and after emigrating to the U.S. as a teenager she started her career as a public prosecutor before joining the FBI for the excitement. Here's the money quote:
All FBI special agents undergo the same Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1093503872393800382004-08-25T23:56:00.000-07:002004-08-26T00:04:32.393-07:00Here's a confidence-boosting analysis about the vulnerablity of the U.S. borders to infiltration by terrorists. In spite of all the concern over al-Qaeda agents slipping over the border the fact is not very many people from middle eastern countries have been caught among the flood of immigrants from Mexico. Here's the money quote:
Among the thousands of undocumented immigrants streaming into Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1093240407033829582004-08-22T22:36:00.000-07:002004-08-22T22:53:27.033-07:00Here's a book review attempting to discern why Osama bin Laden is the way he is. Jonathan Randal's "Osama: the Making of a Terrorist" while rehashing much that has already been written about Osama does a better job than most of separating out out fact from rumor in describing how his early life shaped the aesetic views that led him to sponsor the 9-11 attacks. Here's the money quote:
Unlike manyPurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1092976831083987022004-08-19T21:36:00.000-07:002004-08-19T21:40:31.083-07:00Here's a positive story from the ongoing Summer Olympics in Athens. The Iraqi soccer team is doing well with 2 wins and 1 loss. More importantly all three factions, Sunni, Shiite and Kurd are represented on the team. Here's the money quote:
Grouped with favorite Portugal and the respectable Costa Rican and Moroccan teams, Iraq was not expected to do much. It had been the fourth (and last) Asian Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1092796472790392602004-08-17T19:28:00.000-07:002004-08-17T19:34:32.790-07:00Here's a piece about the effect of political correctness on the nation's libraries. It turns out the the major organization for librarians the American Library Association has allowed itself to be dominated by individuals who have a pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel agenda. Here's the money quote:
The American Library Association is the oldest and biggest professional society of librarians in thePurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1092720691294189902004-08-16T22:22:00.000-07:002004-08-16T22:31:31.293-07:00Here's a fascinating analysis about the effect of U.S. citizens living overseas on presidential elections. The daring insight is that U.S. voters resident in Israel may have been the deciding factor in the Bush victory over Gore in Florida and thus the whole election. Here's the money quote:
Contrary to widespread belief, it was more likely American voters in Israel, not Florida, who put George Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1092460260241105672004-08-13T21:35:00.000-07:002004-08-13T22:11:00.240-07:00Here's an analysis of the war on terror as it pertains to Great britain by the MP George Osborne. He thinks the threat of Islamism is being underestimated by critics of the war on terror no matter the outcome of the Iraq war. Here's the money quote:
The mood in Britain, however, is very different. Here the Metropolitan Police Commissioner tells us it is a question of when a major terrorist Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1092119603123364302004-08-09T23:26:00.000-07:002004-08-09T23:33:23.123-07:00Here's a disturbing piece bout a U.S. psychiatrist who described suicide bombers as "normal". Jerrald Post, who worked as a psychiatrist fro the CIA for 20+ years told a conference that because of the normative feature of violence in some Islamic societies, joining the suicide bombers is seen as normal and not joining would seem odd. Here's the money quote:
Suicide bombers are rational, sane Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1091691439411812232004-08-05T00:26:00.000-07:002004-08-05T00:37:19.410-07:00Hrer's a piece on a Spanish government proposal to start subsidizing mosques. Some feel this is a ploy by the government to limit the influence of the austere Wahabi sect, which is the official form of Islam in Saudi Arabia. Wahabis are highly influential in many of the mosques in Spain and some of the perpetrators of the 3/11 train bombing in Spain came out of those mosques. Here's the money Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1091604000785178162004-08-04T00:13:00.000-07:002004-08-04T00:20:00.786-07:00Here's a report about the recent terror alert in New York City, Newark and Washington D.C. An al-Qaeda operative has told British intelligence an attack is planned for early September to coincide with the Republican convention in New York City. Here's the money quote:
More financial institutions than previously disclosed may be at risk of attack, and an al-Qaida operative has told British Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1091432421602118642004-08-02T00:34:00.000-07:002004-08-02T00:40:21.603-07:00Here's a report on a rally in the UK against extremism by the Ahmadi Muslims, a sect of Islam that is reviled by most other Muslims. The Ahmadis do not believe Mohammed is the final prophet. Here's the money quote:
Tens of thousands of devotees of an Islamic sect rejected by the Muslim world converged on a Surrey village yesterday to hear their leader call for a peaceful "jihad" against fanaticsPurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1091079266415164582004-07-28T22:28:00.000-07:002004-07-28T22:34:26.416-07:00Here's a statement of purpose by the Islamist group with al-Qaeda ties, al-Muhajiroun. Based in the UK, al-Muhajiroun lays out a vision for the future of the UK that is positively chilling. Here's the money quote:
If the Shari’ah was indeed implemented in Britain let us have no doubts that Britain would look very different to what it does today:-
Economically: The sale of alcohol or pork wouldPurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1090741801877025442004-07-25T00:39:00.000-07:002004-07-25T00:50:01.876-07:00Here's a report on the increasing Muslim presence in the UK. Many people think the government of the UK is being too tolerant of the radical Islamists in Great Britain. Here's the money quote:
On March 30, police netted eight suspects and more than half a ton of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, the ingredient used in the 2002 Bali nightclub explosion that killed more than 200 people. The bust came Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1090388577172941752004-07-20T22:27:00.000-07:002004-07-20T22:42:57.173-07:00Here's a piece on the founder of the austere, traditional form of Saudi Islam, Mohammed Ibn Abd al-Wahhab. While Wahabism is much criticized today for having inspired Islamic extremists, al-Wahhab has picked up a defender,
Natana J. Delong-Bas, a scholar at Georgetown University. She portrays him as much more humane, only interested in bringing Muslims back to the original Islam. Here's the Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1090295221524244962004-07-19T20:39:00.000-07:002004-07-19T20:47:01.523-07:00Here's an update on the story by Annie Jacobsen I published on July 15th. She was the one with the scary tale of being on a flight from Detroit to Los Angeles and seeing several middle eastern men acting very suspiciously. But doubts have been raised about the story, skeptics pointing out it seems too detailed for someone who described herself as terrified. Here's the money quote:
The feds, Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-109004014500502602004-07-16T21:40:00.000-07:002004-07-16T21:55:45.006-07:00Here's a piece by the Newsweek columnist Michael Isikoff about the CIA intelligence failures. It turns out some of the justifications for going to war in Iraq were based on only one source for each justification instead of multiple sources that would better support the case for war. Here's the money quote:
The more he read, the more uneasy he became. In early February 2003 Colin Powell was Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1089945844273950342004-07-15T19:29:00.000-07:002004-07-15T19:44:04.273-07:00Here's a chilling first person narrative about a very scary plane flight from Detroit to Los Angeles. The writer describes a flight where more than a dozen Middle Eastern looking men boarded and behaved suspiciously throughout. They kept visiting the restroom in groups and gave each other the thumbs up sign. The flight attendents were not able to do much to prevent this possibly because of Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1089697994712135792004-07-12T22:47:00.000-07:002004-07-12T22:53:14.713-07:00Here's a piece about the United Association for Studies and Research (UASR), an Islamic think tank in the Washington D.C. area which has been accused of having ties to terrorist otrganizations. High officials of the organization have been found to have links to HAMAS and al-Qaeda. The fear is that organizations like UASR will act as a recruiter and financial clearinghouse for terrorists. Here's Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1089531341031587642004-07-11T00:25:00.000-07:002004-07-11T00:35:41.030-07:00Here's a followup on yesterday's post about Carmen bin Laden. This is an interview with her husband Yeslam bin Laden by the NBC correspondent Matt Lauer. He describes Osama as never having been interested in Western ways and having turned to religion quite early in life. Here's the money quote:
Matt Lauer: "Take me back to September 11. Where were you?"
Yeslam bin Laden: "I was in Geneva."
Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1089444582175379482004-07-10T00:12:00.000-07:002004-07-10T00:29:42.176-07:00Here's a fascinating review of a new book "Inside the Kingdom: My Life in Saudi Arabia" by Carmen bin Laden, a Swiss/Iranian woman who married a half-brother of Osama bin Laden. She writes about an Osama who was less into Western culture in his youth than has been portrayed in the media. She also documents the crushing restrictions on women in Saudi Arabia such as having to wear the full length Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1089271340651136082004-07-08T00:02:00.000-07:002004-07-08T00:22:20.650-07:00Here's a report an the effort by terrorists to get WMD's from the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan. After independence, Kazakhstan moved to dismantle nuclear weapons but not all nuclear materials have been accounted for. This combined with oil and gas technology also found in Kazakhstan can be used to produce a nuclear "dirty bomb". Here's the money quote:
Kazakhstan left the former Soviet Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1089180456532949972004-07-06T22:58:00.000-07:002004-07-06T23:07:36.533-07:00Here's an analysis by the superlawyer Alan Dershowitz about of the Iraqi tribunal that is to try Saddam. It needs to demonstrate independence from the occupying U.S. in order to establish legitimacy in the eyes of the Arab world. Here's the money quote:
Can the trial of Saddam Hussein be conducted with sufficient fairness to meet the demanding criteria for real justice? Whatever the process, a Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1089093454710302252004-07-05T22:53:00.000-07:002004-07-05T22:57:34.710-07:00Here's a piece about how the U.S. is not forcefully challenging the main Islamic critique of American society. This critique holds that the U.S. is a pagan, materialistic society which worships individual freedom and capitalism at the expense of spiritual values. Here's the money quote:
So far, the U.S. government's military response in Afghanistan, in Iraq and elsewhere has been reasonably Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1088841887341235492004-07-03T00:59:00.000-07:002004-07-03T01:04:47.340-07:00Here's an report about the possibility ther U.S. presidential election could be cancelled or rescheduled if there is a terrorist attack near election day. It turns out there are no formal procedures for just such an occurance. Here's the money quote:
The government needs to establish guidelines for canceling or rescheduling elections if terrorists strike the United States again, says the Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1088750950628227522004-07-01T23:39:00.000-07:002004-07-01T23:49:10.630-07:00Here's an interview with Elior Burkett, author of a new book called "So Many Enemies, So Little Time. An American Woman in All the Wrong Places'. She shares her experiences as a woman of the Left in the U.S. who took a teaching job in central Asia, visiting Islamic countries like Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Iran. Her eyes were opened to the reality of life for women in this area of Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1088580448529194382004-06-30T00:23:00.000-07:002004-06-30T00:27:28.530-07:00Here's an analysis of Vice President Dick Cheney by the columnist Gloria Borger. She thinks that Cheney is continuing to insist on a greater connection between Iraq and al-Qaeda than the evidence really indicates. Here's the money quote:
The 9/11 commission's conclusion that al Qaeda and Iraq were not partners in crime made headlines everywhere, but it also said Osama bin Laden "explored Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1088485488309803672004-06-28T21:59:00.000-07:002004-06-28T22:04:48.310-07:00Here's an analysis of the increasingly tense Iran situation. From Iranians participating in the Iraqi insurgency to the recent boarding of Btritish naval ships by the Iranians, the feeling is that perhaps Iran is testing the western powers to see what it can get away with. Here's the money quote:
"Iran is drawing a line in the sand," said Alireza Jafarzadeh of Strategic Policy Consulting (searchPurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1088407105710173152004-06-28T00:13:00.000-07:002004-06-28T00:18:25.710-07:00Here's a report about the programming on government controlled Saudi Arabian TV. It turns out that despite the protestations of offical Saudi spokesmen that they do not tolerate extremists, TV stations frequently show relgious figures exxhorting viewers to annihilate Chrisitans and Jews and also predicting the collapse of the U.S. Here's the money quote:
Prominent Saudi Professor: Allah Willing,Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1087530395589430892004-06-17T20:40:00.000-07:002004-06-17T20:46:35.590-07:00Here's a piece on the restiveness of the Uighur ethnic group in northwest China. The Uighurs are a Muslim population and they are resisting the imposition of Chinese culture and communist indoctrination. Here's the money quote:
The Uighurs, who number at least 9 million, are overwhelmingly Muslims, of the Sufi variety. The primary message the conference spokesmen sought to convey to Americans isPurple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1087448971432715312004-06-16T22:00:00.000-07:002004-06-16T22:09:31.433-07:00Here's an interview with Libya's Tourism Minister on recent efforts by Libya to establish itself as a venue for tourism. With the decision by Moammar Gadafi to give up his weapons of mass destruction and support for terrorism, the country is expecting possibly 10 million tourists a year. Here's the money quote:
Do you have plans to develop the Sahara for tourism?
Eltaye: Yes, we are developing Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1087270328792070572004-06-14T20:26:00.000-07:002004-06-14T20:35:04.986-07:00Here's a humorous piece about a protest in Seattle over oil dependency, called World Naked Bike Ride Day. Bicycle riders in Seattle and several other cities adorned themselves with helmets, sunscreen and body paint and attracted many onlookers during their ride. Here's the money quote:
Kathleen Calhoun, 21, came from Kitsap County.
"This has been on my calendar for months," said Calhoun, an Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1087183308344890982004-06-13T19:59:00.000-07:002004-06-13T20:21:48.343-07:00Here's a demand by the international Red Cross for the U.S. to charge Saddam Hussein by the June 30th turnover of power date. According to international law if a prisoner of war is being held at the time of the end of a military action (which the Iraq occupation qualifies) the POW must be released if no charges are pending. Here's the money quote:
Saddam Hussein must either be released from Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1087010134542836092004-06-11T20:04:00.000-07:002004-06-11T20:16:17.590-07:00Here's an extraordinary interview with Cesare Mazzolari, a Catholic bishop who works in Sudan. He has harsh words for many people in his description of the devastation and horror of the underreported civil war in Sudan. Here's the money quote:
Q. – Is it exaggerated when people talk about a clash of civilizations, as between the West and Islam?
A. – “No. This is just the beginning. The Church Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1086750258066728572004-06-08T19:59:00.000-07:002004-06-08T20:04:18.066-07:00Here's an advisory by the Middle East expert Daniel Pipes on what to do if captured by Islamic terrorists. Based on the recent terrorist events in Saudi Arabia some terrorists are choosing to kill non-Muslim hostages while sparing Muslim hostages. Here's the money quote:
In all these cases, non-Muslims facing jihadists could have saved themselves by passing as Muslims.
There are several ways Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1086584214139063562004-06-06T21:51:00.000-07:002004-06-06T21:56:54.140-07:00Here's a report on Indonesian clerics who have issued a fatwa (edict) against voting for the female incumbent political candidate Megawati Sukarnoputri. They take note of the prohibition on women assuming leadership positions. Here's the money quote:
Incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri is the only woman among five candidates for the July 5 poll, when Indonesians for the first time will directly Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1086419764748729572004-06-05T00:10:00.000-07:002004-06-05T00:16:04.746-07:00Here's a roundup of recent statements by high officials in Iran as reported by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). While there was universal condemnation of the U.S. and its Iraq performance there was disagreement as to how much Iran should borrow from the West to help improve its society. Here's the money quote:
Recently, several high-ranking Iranian leaders, among them Supreme Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1086319121636489192004-06-03T20:14:00.000-07:002004-06-03T20:18:41.636-07:00Here's a piece about the major Iraqi cleric al-Sistani giving tacit support to the transition government. He eventually wants to elimnate "all traces" of the U.S. occupation. Here's the money quote:
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani did say that the new government, appointed Tuesday by a U.N. envoy, lacks the "legitimacy of elections" and does not represent "in an acceptable manner all Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1086150580752798922004-06-01T21:19:00.000-07:002004-06-01T21:29:40.753-07:00Here's a defense of the role of the Red Cross in exposing the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal by U.S. Senator John McCain. He says people have labeled the Red Cross "do-gooders" as an epithet of opprobrium but in fact the "do-gooders" are necessary to insure adherence to the Geneva Conventions. Here's the money quote:
In recent days, some have labeled Red Cross personnel as "humanitarian do-gooders" Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1085959022445770522004-05-30T16:12:00.000-07:002004-05-30T16:17:02.446-07:00Here's a piece on the prospects for Iraqi immigration to the U.S. The author notes previous waves of refugees and uses them to try to gauge the possibilities for immigration from Iraq. Here's the money quote:
How many Iraqi refugees can we expect in the wake of the U.S. occupation? To help answer the question we’ve looked into the historical record of major refugee migrations in the post-WWII Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1085803623684761962004-05-28T20:56:00.000-07:002004-05-28T21:07:03.683-07:00Here's a report on a new Iranian intelligence unit intended to replace the Revolutionary Guards. In a speech given by a member of the Guard Iran threatens to unleash suicide bombers on the U.S. and to take over Great Britain. Here's the money quote:
The London Arabic-language daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported that "an Iranian intelligence unit has established a center called The Brigades of the Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1085712933097389402004-05-27T19:47:00.000-07:002004-05-27T19:56:11.536-07:00Here's an analysis of the decision by the 1st george Bush not to invade Iraq after the 1st Gulf war. The decision has been much criticized over the years because it led to the deaths of thousands of Saddam opponents who rebelled against Saddam and expected U.S. help that never came. Many of the rebels were captured and executed. More recently because of the current Iraq war the decision has been Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1085627961587432242004-05-26T20:12:00.000-07:002004-05-26T20:19:21.586-07:00Here's an over the top solution to the question of Muslim immigration to the U.S. Although the author says he doesn't advocate expelling all Muslims from the U.S., he does call for much restricted immigration from Islamic countires and for deportation of legal aliens and even citizens who support jihad. Here's the money quote:
What I am talking about is stopping and then reversing the Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1085542429357746582004-05-25T20:29:00.000-07:002004-05-25T20:33:49.356-07:00Here's a commentary by the Middle east expert Daniel Pipes on Islam and the sensitive place female sexuality has within it. Apparently women are regarded as more adventurous than men and this has led to the Islamic stictures on women who are seen as trying to tempt men away from Allah. Here's the money quote:
The West and the Muslim world entertain vastly different assumptions about female Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1085461162057400112004-05-24T21:48:00.000-07:002004-05-24T21:59:22.056-07:00Here's the mission statement of a new group called Arabs for Israel. They call for Arab acceptance of the state of Israel and for reconciliation of all populations in the Middle East. Rather than giving just an excerpt, I'll reproduce the whole statement:
Who are we?
We are Arabs who believe…
We can support the State of Israel and the Jewish religion and still treasure our Arab and Islamic Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5974785.post-1085199761421208402004-05-21T21:11:00.000-07:002004-05-21T21:22:41.423-07:00Here's a report about a database of potential terrorists that was given to the federal government by a private contractor. The database uses a scoring technology to predict the likelihood of a particular suspect to engage in terrorism - and this has caused concern among liberal and civil liberties organizations. The database has about 120,000 people in it. Here's the money quote:
Before helping Purple Unicornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11833780601129272351noreply@blogger.com