Robert Fisk: Nine years, two wars, hundreds of thousands dead – and nothing learnt!

Did 9/11 make us all mad? Our memorial to the innocents who died nine years ago has been a holocaust of fire and blood . . .

Just five years ago – on the fourth anniversary of the twin towers/Pentagon/Pennsylvania attacks – a schoolgirl asked me at a lecture in a Belfast church whether the Middle East would benefit from more religion. No – less religion! – I howled back. God is good for contemplation, not for war. But – and here we are driven on to the reefs and hidden rocks which our leaders wish us to ignore, forget and cast aside – this whole bloody mess involves the Middle East; it is about a Muslim people who have kept their faith while those Westerners who dominate them – militarily, economically, culturally, socially – have lost theirs. How can this be, Muslims ask? Indeed, it is a superb irony that the Rev Jones is a believer while the rest of us – by and large – are not. Hence our books and our documentaries never refer to Muslims vs Christians, but Muslims versus "The West".

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Saturday, 11 September 

2010

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GETTY IMAGES

The World Trade Center site with memorial footprints of the twin towers visible

3 continuous days & more death !

AlJazeeraEnglish | September 13, 2010 - At least 18 people have been killed in demonstrations in the last 24 hours alone.

But the long simmering dispute over independence was not the only fuel for Monday's fury.

Anger about threats to burn the Quran in the US - led to attacks on Christian schools in the territory.

Al Jazeera's Paul Brennan reports from Srinagar.

An American Politician says, the work of 1-man is not representative of American values. What about 20 men and 2/3 planes, is it representative of almost 2bil Muslims' values or the many poor and under nourish Afghans - LOL this is Absurd & outrageous.

OMG - An India politicians is "accusing" Pakistan!

Anti-Islam sentiment on the rise.

AlJazeeraEnglish | September 13, 2010 - Amnesty International asys anti-Islam sentiment is on the rise in the US. The human rights group has pointed to rising crimes committed against Muslims in the country including the stabbing of a cab driver in New York and attacks on mosque sites around the country. Is Islamphobia motivated by politics? Or is it just exaggerated and blown out of proportion by the world's media?

Editor's note:
1. The prolonged crisis is beneficial to the politicians for these issues will shift the public's focus from the serious economic problems that are causing  economic and social insecurity within the civil society.
2. The crisis also assist the far right is gaining a political audience that will be advantages to the right and capitalism as a whole.
3. It also channeled the main stream media away from the inconclusive evidence that "Muslims terrorist" caused 911, into a bandwagon that had accepted "Muslims terrorist" as the culprits and the guilty party.

There are also other serious problems that will be created such as:
1. The Muslim fighters in Afghanistan (they are not terrorists, they are just victims of US "blame game" and collective punishment exercises) are losing faith to accept negotiation and go into a diplomatic mode of conflict resolutions, for
i) The initial surrender previously resulted in numerous death in the transport by "containers scandal".
ii) The hideous and humiliating tortures endured by prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention center.
iii) The long wait or Obama's had renegade on his promise to close down Guantanamo Bay detention center.
iv) The court refusal to address the scandal of "terror flights" taking prisoners to third countries for detention and torture.
v) The non concerned attitude of US on Child and women being tortured as a result of being accused(not found guilty yet) of terrorist acts.
and now...
2. The hostile civil society towards Muslims and their beliefs - such as the burning of the Qur'an and stopping of mosques from being built.

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Erdogan Wins Vote Extending Power Over Secular Rivals.

Sept. 12, 2010 - (Bloomberg) -- Turks approved a package of constitutional amendments in a referendum that will hand Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government more control over the courts and military.

The changes were backed by 58 percent of voters to 42 percent against, with 98 percent of votes counted, state broadcaster TRT reported citing official figures from the country’s election board. The margin is larger than foreseen by pre-vote surveys. Erdogan’s own polls predicted the measures would pass with 55 percent support.

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Turkey Referendum Today - MSM seems to be campaigning against it?

Turkey's referendum explained:

AlJazeeraEnglish | September 12, 2010 - Turkey has voted in a tightly contested referendum to change the constitution.

Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, said that the reforms will bring the charter more in line with European Union standards, boosting Turkey's membership bid into the bloc.

But opponents said it gives the government too much power over the judiciary.

Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reports from Turkey.

Campaigning for a 'no' vote

AlJazeeraEnglish | September 12, 2010 - Turkey's referendum on constitutional reform will be put to the vote on Sunday. Its proposed amendments are proving divisive.

2010 The most violent year - Eid'l Fitri 1431 in Kashmir.

AlJazeeraEnglish | September 11, 2010   -  Tens of thousands of people across Indian-administered Kashmir have joined protests against Indian rule in the Himalayan region.

The Indian army has been battling to contain demonstrations for months, ignited by the killing of a 17-year-old student by police in June.

Al Jazeera's Nilanjan Chowdhury reports.

Turkey's constitutional referendum

11 Sep 2010  - Controversy and confusion shroud Turkey's September 12 constitutional referendum.

The plot lines leading up to Turkey's constitutional referendum on Sunday make for a complicated read.

On one side, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which opponents paint as Islamist, is urging a "yes" vote on a package of amendments that will promote individual and human rights, increase access to the courts, and decentralise judicial authority. The European Union (EU) has publicly supported the amendments.

On the other, opponents including the leaders of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Republican People's Party (CHP), who stake their "no" campaign on top of a legacy of Turkey's secularising and modernising founder, Kemal Ataturk, now find themselves arguing against the amendments as anti-reformists.

And Turkey's Kurds, who arguably benefit most from the proposed changes that make it more difficult to ban political parties, having seen judges repeatedly throw their own representatives out of parliament, are boycotting the entire referendum.

read full report from Al Jazeera

The forgotten victims of 911

 September 09, 2009 - Muslim Victims of Terrorist Attack, September 11, 2001

Many Muslims were in the World Trade Center and on the airplanes ... 

Partial List of Muslim 9/11 Victims: islam.about.com/blvictims.htm -

All people named in this video are confirmed by CNN

September 11 Victims Said to Include More Than 60 Muslims

VOAvideo | September 10, 2010 - The ongoing controversy over construction of an Islamic Center near Ground Zero in New York has focused attention on Islam and Muslim Americans. But few Americans are aware that more than 60 Muslims are believed to have perished in the September 11 attacks, most of them in the World Trade Center.

What VoA reported - Suspension of Quran Burning.

Announced Suspension of Quran Burning Welcomed in Europe.

VOAvideo | September 10, 2010 - The prospect of a Florida Pastor burning copies of the Quran has resonated around the world, sparking demonstrations and interfaith dialogues. Jennifer Glasse went to one such meeting and filed this report from London.

EDITOR's NOTE & COMMENTS:

VoA - should understand that to compare reactions in London and the one from Afghanistan is not comparing apple to apple and will not do injustices to those in Afghanistan and what they faces. Those in Afghanistan faces hostile fires from American's Soldier's riffles and hellfire missiles from American Drones on a daily basis. They had seen cries in cemeteries resulting from civilians deaths - that occurred, such as during marriage celebrations as a result of those hostile fires.

Federal Court Dismisses Lawsuit Against Boeing in CIA "Torture Flight" Program

A federal appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit about the CIA’s "extraordinary rendition" program under President Bush, which sent terrorism suspects abroad to be tortured. In a ruling issued Wednesday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Obama administration’s argument that the rendition program constitutes a state secret and its legality cannot be decided by courts. The lawsuit was brought against Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen DataPlan, Inc.

democracynow.org

Extremist Views Dominate Quran Burning Coverage

September 9, 2010 |  Newsydotcom

Members of the media weigh in on which opinions are getting the most coverage in the controversial debate surrounding a Florida pastor's plans to burn copies of the Quran on the anniversary of September 11th.

Turkey's constitutional reform.

With the nation preparing to vote on constitutional reform, polls show people are divided on the way forward.

Is Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, and the ruling AK party pushing the country towards democracy or strengthening a civilian dictatorship?

As Turkey prepares to vote on amendments to its controversial 1982 constitution, the country seems starkly divided.

The referendum is scheduled to take place on the 30th anniversary of Turkey's 1980 military coup.

UN report says Iran continues uranium enrichment

A UN inspection report, published by the International Atomic Energy Agency, says Iran is continuing to stockpile enriched uranium. A report from RT:

Meanwhile, London-based journalist Afshin Rattansi claims the report has nothing to do with the Agency itself, rather than “the Obama administration collapsing in the face of upcoming congressional voting.”

ISRAEL: A REFUGE OR COLONIAL PROJECT?

TheRealNews | August 31, 2010 - Israeli historian Tom Segev on the founding of the state of Israel.

ZIONISM PROMISED EUROPEAN MIDDLE EAST STRONGHOLD 

ISRAEL: A REFUGE OR COLONIAL PROJECT? Pt.2 Israeli historian Tom Segev

Who is Abu Mazen Representing?

Abu Mazen (Abbas) is now in negotiation with Bibi, Mubarak & Obama. Who is Abu Mazen representing? Bibi and the knasset, Mubarak & his ruling junta or Obama & his whitehouse. The world citizenry now understand that Bibi represent a settler and colonial state of Israel, a state their fore founders lied to the world - who declared a land with no people for a people with no land!

ABBAS ISOLATED IN MID EAST TALKS

TheRealNews | September 03, 2010 - Buttu: Mahmoud Abbas has no support fr om the Palestinian public, other parties, or even most of his own.

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The Face of A Settler & Colonial State

 SHOULD PEOPLE BOYCOTT ISRAEL?

Omar Barghouti explains the aims of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement

Omar Barghouti (born 1964) is a founding committee member of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). He was born in Qatar, grew up in Egypt and later moved to Ramallah (West Bank) as an adult.

The interviews covered a vast area of issues related to Palestine and the settler and colonial state of Israel.

In Part 2 he talked about the face of A Settler & Colonial State:
In Part 3 he talked on Hamas-Fatah Split
In Part 4 - IS SOME CRITIQUE OF ISRAEL ANTISEMITIC?
In Part 5 - talk about RISE OF PALESTINIAN CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
(Does not necessarily reflect blogger's view or position)

Fresh violence erupts in Kashmir

Indian policemen block a road with a roll of barbed wire in 

Srinagar on August 30, 2010.

Violent clashes between government security forces and demonstrators continue unabated in the Indian-controlled Kashmir. 

Several people have been wounded on Monday after police opened fire to disperse the protesters in the capital city of Srinagar, AFP reported. 

One of the wounded is said to be in a critical condition. The man is said to be the cousin of the key separatist leader Yasin Malik. 

According to police sources, the incident occurred when a group of protesters hurled stones at police and shouted anti-India slogans. 

Residents and eyewitnesses say there was no provocation for the shooting.

Asiya Andrabi: Warrior in Veil - Arrested

Asiya Andrabi, the chief of South Asia's single militant organisation of women, has been evading arrest for sometime. Her organisation Dukhtaran-e-Millat (Daughters of the Ummah) has been assisting Lashkar-e-Jabbar in imposing purdah on Kashmiri.women. She is wanted under Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) for allegedly taking money from ISI. Andrabi, daughter of a physician, is a science graduate. A fierce militant, before marriage she had expressed her desire to her father to marry only a mujahid.

She went into hiding after the arrest of Imtiyaz Bazaz, the editor of the Mountain Valley. It is alleged that Bazaz had approached Ayub Thakur, the London-based president of World Kashmir Freedom Movement at her behest for funds for insurgents in Kashmir.

More ....

 

Taliban stop Women from studying, one "powerful" nation stop any able bodies from studying.

Gaza game exposes siege restrictions:

AlJazeeraEnglish | August 27, 2010

Israel announced weeks ago that it would ease its siege on Gaza, but students who want to travel to the West Bank to study are still banned - as they have been for 10 years.

To publicise the problem, the Israeli human rights group Gisha has created an online game that demonstrates just how difficult it is to leave the Gaza strip.

Al Jazeera's Nicole Johnston reports.

The longest conflicts in history.

 Wars - 52min Documentary

From navigating roadside bombs, sleeping through the constant rumble of gunfire, to getting your legs blown off on your way to work, this fascinating documentary focuses on three men for whom war is a part of everyday life. From Somalia, to Palestine, to Afghanistan, they're living through the longest conflicts in history.

See Full Film Here

View from a Grain of Sand .

Told through the eyes of three women, this films covers recent Afghan history from the point of view of those who suffered most.

The series of unwelcome foreign occupations and the pouring of foreign arms into Afghanistan had denied Afghan - more so women and children - a space for a peaceful existence and an opportunity for and orderly and meaningful life.

See Full Film Here