Archives for 2006

Two items are of interest here. One is the manifestation of “deepening social and religious conservatism” in another Mideast nation considered an ally by the US. The other is the upsurge in Shi’ite political power, and its obvious implications on the larger Sunni-Shi’ite tensions in the region, including Iran’s ambitions to expand its power and […]

An important update to the US Airways Imam Rage controversy. Audrey Hudson in the Washington Times (thanks to all who sent this in) reveals that they were acting far more provocatively than previous reports have indicated. Muslim religious leaders removed from a Minneapolis flight last week exhibited behavior associated with a security probe by terrorists […]

He asks for dialogue and brotherhood. Who in the Islamic world will reciprocate? By Brian Murphy for Associated Press: ANKARA, Turkey – Pope Benedict XVI began his first visit to a Muslim country Tuesday with a message of dialogue and “brotherhood” between Christians and Muslims in an attempt to ease anger over his perceived criticism […]

In this morning’s feature article at FrontPage I discuss the Pope’s trip to Turkey (news links in the original): Pope Benedict XVI is set to arrive in Turkey on Tuesday, and tensions are running high. Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turk who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981, wrote to Benedict: “Your life is in […]

“War is imminent. There is no other alternative.” Somali Jihad Update: “Islamists mass troops on Ethiopian border,” from Business Day, with thanks to D.: MOGADISHU “” Somalia’s powerful Union of Islamic Courts began massing thousands of troops on the border with Ethiopia over the weekend, days after Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said he was […]

I’m glad to see that Erdogan has turned around on this. By Benjamin Harvey for Associated Press: ISTANBUL, Turkey – Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to meet Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday, a change of plans that appears to signal openness to a visit that has angered many Turks. Small protests broke out in […]

No real surprise here. “Hezbollah Said to Help Shiite Army in Iraq,” by Michael R. Gordon and Dexter Filkins in the New York Times, : WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 “” A senior American intelligence official said Monday that the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah had been training members of the Mahdi Army, the Iraqi Shiite militia led by […]

That is, Cat Stevens. In “Sending a Grim Message” in the New York Sun, Bruce Bawer tells the grim story (thanks to Nick Danger): The Nobel Peace Prize Concert will be held in Oslo on December 11 and broadcast around the world. The Norwegian Nobel Committee doesn’t much care for Americans these days (except for […]

Hakan Tastan and Turan Topal Update from Compass Direct: November 27 (Compass Direct News) — A criminal trial against two Turkish Christians accused of “insulting Turkishness” and inciting hatred against Islam grabbed national media coverage as religious tensions mounted before the visit of Pope Benedict XVI tomorrow. A cluster of TV cameras, microphones and clamoring […]

While the imams continue to do all they can to make this into an incident that will end all scrutiny of Muslims in airports, US Airways is still refusing to kowtow. From RTTNews, with thanks to Twostellas: (RTTNews) – A spokeswoman for the US Airways Group Inc, the operator of the plane from which the […]