Not even your field trip to the Amalgamated Wingnut factory in fifth grade was this lame. These students were from “Isfahan universities,” but how free they were to opt in or out of this trip is not clear (what would happen if someone said “no”?). In any case, the creepiness inherent in this exercise, with […]
South Carolina hospital relents, reinstates potentially “offensive” Santa
“They did what? Darn.” The South Carolina hospital, in its efforts not to offend, wound up offending far more people, and has thought better of it. An update on this story. “South Carolina Hospital To Allow Santa Back After Public Backlash,” from Associated Press, November 16 (thanks to Kenneth): CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) “” A Charleston […]
Lebanon: Bombs target nightclub at hotel, liquor store in Christian area
Spontaneous Sharia enforcement. These attacks are less likely to be the work of Hizballah, which is busily devouring the Lebanese state from within, and more likely to be some other jihadist group. “Blasts target nightclub, alcohol shop in south Lebanon,” from Agence France-Presse, November 16: Two bombs targeting a nightclub and a liquor store exploded […]
Pakistan: “Hip-hop diplomacy” hits a snag as military briefly detains American dance troupe
They had bin Laden living nearby for all that time in Rawalpindi, but dancers with cameras clearly face a zero-tolerance policy. An update on this story. “US hip-hop diplomacy hits speed bump in Pakistan,” by Sebastian Abbot for the Associated Press, November 16: ISLAMABAD (AP) “” A U.S. attempt to smooth relations with Pakistan using […]
Afghanistan: Report suggests “U.S. officers believed Pakistani troops were providing cover for the insurgents” in late October firefight
Funny how this keeps happening. “On Afghan-Pakistan border, suspicions reign,” by Joshua Partlow for the Washington Post, November 14: FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, AFGHANISTAN “” One Tuesday evening last month, while patrolling along Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan, American soldiers came under a flurry of gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades from the vicinity of a Pakistani military […]
Iran: Massive explosion occurred during “military research” on weapons that could strike Israel
Iran is trying to put a positive spin on things, and turn a disaster into an occasion for saber rattling. Hey, when life hands you lemons… “Iran: Explosion occurred during military research,” by Ramin Mostafavi for Reuters, November 16: TEHRAN (Reuters) – A massive explosion that killed 17 troops including an officer regarded as the […]
Libyan battle anthem: “We will bring back the purity of Islam to Tripoli after all our humiliations”
“…The corresponding line in the original version of the song runs instead, “We will bring back the purity of Islam to al-Quds,” i.e. Jerusalem.” Many in the West have upheld democracy in Libya as the supreme goal, but it is a means to an end, and the end is Sharia. “The Libyan Revolution: Democracy or […]
At home with the bin Ladens: Al-Qaeda’s former second banana stops to ponder what a swell guy Osama was
“Bin Laden brought in a teacher who would threaten to beat the children with a stick to teach them the Quran, the Islamic holy book, al-Zawahri said.” Not exactly Cosby, but then again, we already knew that on so many levels. “Al-Qaida head recalls ‘human side’ of bin Laden,” by Ben Hubbard for the Associated […]
Somali jihadist: Kenya-Israel defense cooperation aimed at “destroying Muslim people and their religion”
Of course, none of this has anything to do with how al-Shabaab has been behaving. They were just going along, minding their business, waging jihad to impose Sharia while linking up with al-Qaeda and abducting aid workers from Kenya, and someone so rudely decided to resist. Someone they can’t starve into submission. “Somali militant bashes […]
Iran: Zoroastrians often forgotten victims of systematic, institutionalized abuse since Islamic revolution
Wherever there is a resurgence of Sharia, tolerance suffers, and harassment and abuse increase. “How Iran persecutes its oldest religion,” by Jamsheed Choksy for CNN, November 14: Bloomington, Indiana (CNN) — As Zoroastrian funerary processions enter the graveyard overlooking the Tehran suburb of Ray, their sobriety is often shattered by the sound of explosions and […]