Category Archives: International Affairs

Dalia Mogahed Makes More Excuses for HT Show Appearance

By Yossarian | Published: October 25, 2009

As covered here at the Spittoon, one of President Obama’s advisors on Muslim affairs, Dalia Mogahed, appeared on a Hizb ut-Tahrir TV show on the Islam Channel. She then sent a letter to the Telegraph which, in a singularly unconvincing manner, tried to justify her appearance on the ‘Muslimah Dilemma’ show.

Now she has written another defence of her appearance, this time for the Huffington Post.

At Gallup, where I direct the Center for Muslim Studies, we do precisely this every day–measure and report what the world is thinking. While what we discover is not what some expect–or want to hear, denying these findings may help some score points with their ideological base, but only weakens our ability to meet our goals as a nation.

[...]

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Also posted in Islamism | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

Hizb ut-Tahrir and its Nuclear Ambitions

By Yossarian | Published: October 23, 2009

Here at the Spittoon we have covered HT’s attempts to destabilize and even mount a coup in Pakistan, an HT member’s assault on Quilliam’s director, the various unpleasantries of HT’s ideology yet even their copyright violations have so far failed to convince me (as all these matters have the Tories) that HT deserves to be designated an illegal organisation.

It is indisputable that HT’s rejection of free speech, democracy, equal rights, secularism (and on and on and on) is deeply unhelpful in British society. Their rejection of the key values (and democratic institutions) which bind our society together is certainly not something that should go unchallenged, but is this enough reason to ban them?

Well, this week the argument for banning has got that little bit stronger. Pakistan’s Daily Times reports:

Nuclear scientist among held Hizbut Tahrir activists

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Also posted in Islamism | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Is engagement the solution to the Middle East’s Islamists?

By Guest | Published: October 22, 2009

This is a guest post by Al-Qanaas Al-Masri

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CiF today posted an interesting article by Abbas Barzegar, a PhD candidate in religious studies at Emory University, who argues the Western ‘diplomatic engagement’ with Iran, led by Obama’s Whitehouse, has made it more likely that Tehran will allow foreign oversight of its nuclear programme and ultimately make it less anti-Western.

He argues that this is part of a broader trend of Islamist groups modifying through such engagement, writing:

Iran’s concessions are part of a general trend of Islamist political actors ready to play quid pro quo when given the opportunity. From Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood to Sadr’s Mahdi Army, experience shows that Islamist political parties, like most other groups, simply aim to maximise their own power and ensure their own survival. The net effect of the process has been the moderation in the policies and practices of many a feared group.

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Also posted in Islamism, Your View | 3 Comments

Stop calling us terrorists, or we’ll blow you up

By Yossarian | Published: October 16, 2009

News reaches us of a serious irony deficiency afflicting the Taliban in Pakistan. The Daily Times reports that the offices of private TV channels, press clubs around the country and offices of the print media have all been warned that they may be the next target of terrorists.

What had they done wrong?

a Taliban group also sent two letters to the Lahore Press Club – one on October 12 and the other on October 14 – warning that if the media “does not stop portraying us as terrorists … we will blow up offices of journalists and media organisations” [...] The group said that Taliban should be referred to as mujahideen.

This is a clear demonstration of the fallacy of the argument that demonisation of Muslims in the press (which does occur) causes terrorism. Demonising Muslims is intrinsically wrong, but it does not cause terrorism. Extremist ideologies cause terrorism.

Also posted in Islamism | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Spittoon Exclusive: Dalia Mogahed’s letter to the Sunday Telegraph

By Guest | Published: October 13, 2009

This is a guest post by Al-Qanaas Al-Masri

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Through a source, who must for obvious reasons remain anonymous, I have received a copy of a letter that Dalia Mogahed, an advisor to Obama, wrote to The Telegraph in response to their coverage of her decision to appear on the Islam Channel on a programme run and hosted by Hizb ut-Tahrir. The letter reads:

Dear Sirs;

I am writing in response to the 8 October article “Barack Obama adviser says Sharia Law is misunderstood” by Mr. Gilligan and Mr. Spillius.

I was on the Muslimah Dilemma program as a pollster, not a pundit. I did not take issue with the objectionable remarks of the host or the guest because as a Gallup analyst my job is to explain the opinions of others, in this case Muslims around the world, and not to present my personal opinions. I do not in any way endorse Hizb ul Tahrir.  My participation in the program does not serve as endorsement of any group or cause.

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Also posted in Islamism, Your View | Tagged , | 15 Comments

This’ll never work

By Yossarian | Published: October 12, 2009

Syria has banned smoking in cafes, restaurants and other public spaces. The BBC reports:

Syria’s president has issued a decree banning smoking inside cafes, restaurants and other public spaces.

The decree also outlaws smoking in educational institutions, health centres, sports halls, cinemas and theatres and on public transport.

Workers must not smoke during meetings and businesses need to provide well-ventilated areas for smokers.

The restrictions include the nargile, or hubble-bubble pipe, which is a favourite among locals and tourists.

The decree, signed by President Bashar al-Assad, a qualified medical doctor, imposes a fine of 2,000 Syrian pounds ($46) on those who break the ban.

Syrian government has passed several laws restricting smoking in the last two decades.

A decree in 1996 banned tobacco advertising while a 2006 law outlawed smoking on public transport and in some public places, introducing fines for offenders. Under-18s are not allowed to buy tobacco.

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Posted in International Affairs | Tagged | 9 Comments

Welcome (but overdue) news from America

By Yossarian | Published: October 11, 2009

Obama has finally announced the end of the shameful “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in the US military reports today’s Wall Street Journal:

WASHINGTON–President Barack Obama on Saturday pledged to end a 16-year-old policy banning gay people from serving openly in the nation’s military, in a gesture to a group that provided a major source of support during his campaign.

But the president didn’t set out a timetable for reversing the policy. As a result, his pledge might not be enough to appease some in the gay community who feel that Mr. Obama hasn’t moved quickly enough to address their issues — even as his message could spark criticism from some conservatives and members of the military.

Speaking at a human-rights dinner in the capital, Mr. Obama vowed to end the Clinton-era “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which allows homosexuals to serve in the military, as long as they don’t disclose their sexual orientation or act on it.

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Also posted in Ethics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Obama’s Advisor and the Promotion of Hizb ut-Tahrir

By Guest | Published: October 8, 2009

This is a guest post by Al-Qanaas Al-Masri

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Since taking office, President Obama’s administration has tried hard to break with Bush-era ‘them and us’ rhetoric and reach out to ordinary Muslims around the world.

However, I don’t think that anyone thought this policy would include publicly sucking up to Hizb ut-Tahrir, a group which, much like al-Qaeda, aspires to create a global, totalitarian and expansionist Caliphate.

And yet, as Counter Terrorism News website reveals, this is precisely what has now happened.

On Sunday, Dalia Mogahed (pronounced ‘mujahid’), a high-profile member of President Barack Obama’s Faith Advisory Council, spent 45-minutes on the Islam Channel’s programme ‘Muslimah Dilemma’ alongside fellow guest, Nasreen Nawaz, HT’s national women’s media representative (the video is available here).

There are some initial problems with this:

-          The Islam Channel is a hardline wahhabi/Islamist outfit run by Mohammed Ali Harrath, a convicted terrorist who is wanted by Interpol.

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Also posted in Islamism, Media, Your View | Tagged , , , | 39 Comments

A year in jail and 100 lashes – for being raped

By Yossarian | Published: October 4, 2009

The Saudi Gazette reports:

JEDDAH – A 23-year-old unmarried woman was awarded one-year prison term and 100 lashes for committing adultery and trying to abort the resultant fetus.

The District Court in Jeddah pronounced the verdict on Saturday after the girl confessed that she had a forced sexual intercourse with a man who had offered her a ride. The man, the girl confessed, took her to a rest house, east of Jeddah, where he and four of friends assaulted her all night long.

The girl claimed that she became pregnant soon after and went to King Fahd Hospital for Armed Forces in an attempt to carry out an abortion. She was eight weeks’ pregnant then, the hospital confirmed.

According to the ruling, the woman will be sent to a jail outside Jeddah to spend her time and will be lashed after delivery of her baby who will take the mother’s last name.

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Posted in International Affairs | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Fox Presenter Rants/Bear is Catholic in Woods

By Yossarian | Published: October 4, 2009

Also posted in Secularism | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

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