November 30th, 2006 by CD
With nearly 3000 American troops killed in Iraq, I thought it would be helpful to discuss the ongoing sectarian violence that is taking place each day. Many of us, including myself do not understand the difference between the two branches of Islam. So I decided to do a bit of research and compel some of the difference between the two.
There is Sunni Islam and Shia or Shiite Islam. Let’s start off with discussing the Sunni branch.
Sunni Islam
- Largest branch of Islam (85-90%).
- The word Sunni comes from the Arabic word “Sunna” which means the “Prophet of Islam.”
- The Muslims that are within the Sunni branch believe that Muhammad intended that Muslims choose a successor (caliphate) to lead them.
- The period of the first four caliphs are of great importance to this branch.
- Thus, after the caliphate was loss due to WWI, this branch tried to emerge and co-exists with European culture that was brought to the middle east through colonialism.
Shiite Islam
- The Muslims that are within this branch believe the the Prophet himself had designated his son-in-law, Ali, as both his temporal and spiritual successor. Therefore, only Ali’s descendants are legitimate claimants to the caliphate (successor).
- Shiite Muslims believe that beneath the explicit and literal meaning of the Qur’an are other levels of meaning, which are known only to the imam (imam are the descendents of Ali).
- Shiite Muslims pay a tax called the zakat to their leaders as opposed to state officials. As a result some leaders within this branch have immense wealth.
Source: Rahman, Fazlur, M.A., Ph.D., Late Harold H. Swift Distinguished Service Professor Of Islamic Thought, University of Chicago. Author of Islam and Modernity.
November 29th, 2006 by CD
Ever hear of the saying “better late than never?” Well, that seems to be the Department of Justice’s slogan these days as they have officially announced that they will head an investigation into President Bush’s Terrorist Surveillance Program.
Why now? Well, the inspectors from both the DOJ and Defense Deportment refused to open investigation last year. The Inspector General in charge of opening investigations ignored calls from Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid who was a major voice against the program. It was also noted by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales at a DOJ oversight hearing that President Bush put an end to an investigation that was supposed to headed by the Office of Professional Responsibility.
Now it’s a bit strange that as the Democrats are scheduled to take control over congress at the start of next year that the DOJ will now open up investigations. Let’s hope that the DOJ does not think that the American public and the democratic party is naive enough to think that this switch in priorities will lead to an unbiased outcome.
November 28th, 2006 by CD
Another Tuesday means another introduction to a new international singer. Today’s Talk will feature a very new and talented singer from China. I, myself have never heard of this young lady until I finished “The Banquet” and heard her sing the ending theme song. So, let me introduce to everyone Zhang Liangying (张靓颖), commonly known as Jane Zhang.
She is only 22 years and has already made a number of hits in China. She reached her popularity at the start of 2005 by trying out for a popular singing contest in China known as “Super Girl.” Although she did not win the national competition she has already proven to millions of people that she is a force to be reckon with.
This past month marked the release of her first album entitled “The One. ” She also has an album entitled “Crownless Queen.” The tracklist for “The One” is:
01.Body Language ( 身体语言)
02.This Damned Thing Called Love (这该死的爱)
03.Take it like a Man
04.If we Love Indefinitely ( 如果爱下去)
05.Can’t Take It Back
06.Private Matter ( 个人秘密)
07.Zero O’ One, Missing You (想你，零点零一分)
08.Blockhead (木脑壳)
09.Girl of Your Dreams
10.Midnight，Goodnight
So no matter if you speak Chinese or not, take a listen to her music and experience something new. Be sure to check out her song from the hit movie “The Banquet” called I Reward Love with All I Have.
Video Sample 1
To be love Video
November 28th, 2006 by CD
Well, I can’t say this surprises me but a report from the European and NATO foreign ministers concluded that “member states had knowledge of the program of extraordinary rendition and secret prisons.” Now, although specific states are not acknowledging they knew, the evidence of operations that the U.S. did within countries like Italy would be extremely hard to do without the cooperation of member states of the European Union. Countries involved include the U.K., Germany, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Romania and Poland.
We have exported or torture cells to other countries and with extensive powers that were afforded to President Bush this only puts America at risk by his illegal and disregard for international law.
Read the Full European Parliament Draft Report.
November 27th, 2006 by CD
Welcome back to my special series on the Darfur crisis. Today I will give you a bit more information on the humanitarian issue that is taking place. Some international organizations refuse to call the mass killings a genocide, however with the mass amounts of murders that have occurred these organizations will have to review their definitions on what a genocide is.
A U.N. court set up for probing and documenting war crimes in Darfur produced a report stating that thousands of innocent civilian deaths, hundreds of rapes and a significant number of mass murders (hundreds being killed at once) have been reported. So you ask, who exactly is committing these murders? The U.N. states that from its investigation that the Massalit, Zaghawa and Fur ethnic groups have been among the most noted in committing crimes against humanity. Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor with the International Criminal Court said “In most of the incidents … there are eyewitness accounts that the perpetrators made statements reinforcing the targeted nature of the attacks, such as ‘we will kill all the black’ and ‘we will drive you out of this land.”
So far the Sudan courts have been unwilling to conduct and prosecute their citizens involved with these atrocities. It is my belief that only when the Sudan government realizes there is a grave problem within their country in addition to accepting international help in terms of a peace force and legal expertise that the humanitarian crisis will end.
Read more here:
Introduction 101
Introduction 151
UNICEF and their effort with the crisis
Office report from the International Commission (PDF)
November 24th, 2006 by CD
After President Hu Jintao’s visit to India, he has now visited Pakistan. These two friends have worked together in bilateral agreements over the last couple of decades. The issues of international diplomacy within the East Asian region and nuclear power use have been major concerns for these two countries. And it looks like with the reaffirming of the two countries relationships this week will further develop China-Pakistan relations.
So what does this visit mean for the two countries? Some argue that this means China will be playing a more predominant role in the region. The multiple conflicts that Pakistan is involved with will surely bring new issues to the table as China-Pakistan relations become tighter. Also, the financial help that China is giving to Pakistan in terms of the new port in Balochistan that has been called the gateway to Central Asia will be under heavy scrutiny as local insurgents have also been an issue there.
The red doors of China have opened once again with a wave of international engagement not only with its neighbors but with the whole of the international community.
Read more on Pakistan here
Read more on China-India relations here
November 23rd, 2006 by CD
The increasing violence in Iraq is putting a strain on U.S. and international troops along with the civilian population. The civilian population is faced with daily instances of walking passed dead bodies that have been tortured and dumped along side the road or being faced with the fear of being blown up by bombs. The sectarian attacks which are on the rise left 3,700 people dead last month according to a U.N. study.
The government plan that was initiated on June 14th, 2006 , which was aimed at addressing the increased level of violence and growing criminality has not been working. The U.N. reports that since the Samarra attack on February 2006, 200,000 individuals have been displaced. The reconstruction, development and humanitarian assistance that was promised by the U.S. can be summed up as an utter failure. Today, Iraq is faced with an acute crisis in terms of its human and humanitarian crisis. The law of order is not run by the Iraqi government or the U.S. but rather the growing power of the militias who show their power through indiscriminate killings and targeted attacks. In addition, kidnappings and torture continue unabated in many parts of the country where U.S. forces claim to have control.
The U.S. has made Iraq a haven for terrorist and one of the most unstable and dangerous places in the world. A strategy must come forth from the U.S. and international community that enables a framework for reconciliation and peace that takes into account the lack of security and numerous human rights violations.
November 23rd, 2006 by CD
Today, Vietnam has made significant achievements in its economy, health, education and urban sectors. The recent conclusion of the APEC meeting in Hanoi, showed the international community just how much of an “Asian Tiger” Vietnam hopes to become. What must people did not see on the news while following President Bush and others travel to Vietnam was the preparation the Vietnamese government in order to exert a good image.
Peasants around Vietnam were carted off weeks before and relocated to camps outside of Hanoi’s city limits. Soldiers were particularly sent to homes of political dissidents (Pham Que Duong, Hoang Tien, Nguyen Khac Toan, Nguyen Van Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan, Tran Khai Thanh Thuy, Nguyen Phuong Anh) that were under house arrest. In addition, my sources from Vietnam stated that the international media was trying to contact several citizens to talk to them about Vietnam. However, they were either forced from seeing these individuals or the Vietnamese government cut off their telephone lines to prevent communication.
The Vietnamese government must take several steps to opening up its country and fixing its internal social crisis such as population growth so that Vietnam can emerge as a full grown “Asian Tiger” in the future.
