Must attend this conference

Can view the full program agenda here.

The real deal on Iran post 9/11

Most people were shocked that Bush labelled Iran as one of the so-called "axis of evil" countries in his post 9/11 address. Did he not understand that in fighting the Taliban that the Americans could have no better ally than the Iranians? Anyhow, the below is a good read:


Excerpts:

In the days after 9/11, Iranian president Mohammad Khatami condemned the terrorist attack and reached out to the West to fight terrorism together.

Too bad we ignored him. We'd be safer today if we hadn't.

Khatami was a moderate reformer, a popular democratically elected president who had been struggling to limit the power of Iran's reactionary religious leaders, and to open up a dialogue between the West and the Muslim world.

You'd think the West would love a guy like that. But the Bush administration was determined to treat 9/11 as a battle in the "clash of civilizations" — a clash that Khatami was trying to steer the world away from.

So, despite an outpouring of sympathy from Iranians over 9/11 — including a moment of silence at an Iranian soccer match — Washington declared Iran part of the "axis of evil" and dragged the West into a "war on terror" that involved invading Muslim countries. (Source: Toronto Star, Sept 10/06, Linda McQuaig)

Israel responsible for genocide in Gaza

And the world remains complicit.

Excerpts:

Living conditions for Palestinians in Gaza have reached breaking point, a senior UN official has said.

The warning came from Karen Abuzayd, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency.

She said Israeli military action in Gaza over recent weeks was creating suffering and mass despair, rather than any desire for political compromise.

...

"It would be great to have an international presence, civilian, military, whatever," she said, adding that an international force of peacekeepers could offer Gaza's 1.5m people some protection.

"The strangulation of commerce and trade has ruined the economy, it has brought the institutions of government to a point of near-meltdown and badly shaken the society," she said.

"These pressures and tactics have not resulted in a desire for compromise on the part of the government or the people, or yet the fall of the government, but rather have created mass despair, anger and a sense of hopelessness and abandonment."

...

Between then and the end of August, Israeli security forces killed 226 Palestinians, 54 of them minors, in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Human rights group, B'Tselem has reported.

The group says 114 of these were not taking part in any hostilities when killed, and 46 of them were minors.

In August alone 76 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli military, 19 of them minors, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. More than half of those killed were not participating in hostilities at the time, B'Tselem says.

(Source: BBC News, Sept 8/2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5326378.stm)

Bush's secret, CIA run, torture prisons

Quote of the day from none other than the U.N. Secretary General himself:

"I cannot believe that there can be a trade between the effective fight against terrorism and protection of civil liberties...If as individuals we are asked to give up our freedom, our liberties, our human rights, as protection against terrorism, do we in the end have protection?" (Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, Sept 7/06, Source: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1103AP_Bush_World_View.html)

Israel expands illegal occupation, but hey its Israel they can break International Law

Israel Plans New Homes in West Bank Settlement By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
04 September 2006

Excerpts:

Israel's government says it intends to build 690 new homes in two West Bank settlements. Palestinian officials say the plan is a violation of the U.S.-backed road map peace plan.

The settlement construction plan is the largest proposed by Israel's government since Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert took office on May 4.
...

Socially responsible investing and consumerism

Have a look at this page. Its time to action against social injustices. The easiest place to start is by NOT using our pocket books in the wrong places.

If you have comments/suggestions, feel free to add a comment to this blog (entry).

We need to start putting some wins in the "people power" column.

Latest Edition of Al-Furqan: Brotherhood, Courage & Loyalty In ‘Abbas Bin ‘Ali

Latest edition (August 31/06) of Respected Alim, Hujjatul Islam Wal Muslimeen Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi's Al-Furqan, titled: Brotherhood, Courage & Loyalty In ‘Abbas Bin ‘Ali is now available.

This edition and all past editions of Al-Furqan can be found here.