Diaries Recounting Zubaydah’s Torture Should Be Given to Defense Attorneys, Judge Rules

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By Jason Leopold, Truthout

Guantanamo detainee Abu Zubaydah is expected to finally gain access to diaries he wrote during the years while he was being tortured by CIA interrogators. A federal court judge has ordered the government to turn over unredacted volumes of the diaries and other “specified” writings to defense attorneys representing Zubaydah.

Zubaydah was the first high-value detainee captured after 9/11. He was repeatedly waterboarded and subjected to brutal torture techniques by CIA interrogators at secret black-site prisons.

Although the order issued by US District Court Judge Richard Roberts on September 30 was filed under seal, Zubaydah’s attorney, Brent Mickum, said in a Truthout interview that while he could not discuss the substance of the ruling, it was his opinion that the order “should have been made public from the get-go” because “there’s nothing in [the order] that should be considered classified.”

In his motion, Mickum asked for original copies of the diaries to be released. It is not known whether Roberts’ order required the government to produce original versions of Zubaydah’s diaries. However, it is believed that Roberts’ order applies to three volumes of diaries Zubaydah wrote between 2002 and 2006, the time he spent in CIA custody and was tortured.

Those volumes, identified as seven, eight and nine, “were drafted while [Zubaydah] was in CIA custody,” according to court papers filed by Mickum last January. “Volumes 10 and 11 were completed in [Department of Defense] custody at Guantanamo, after September 2006; only these last two volumes, written after [Zubaydah] was transferred from CIA to DoD custody, were given to counsel in late 2008 by [Zubaydah] because they were in his possession.”

Mickum said he already has access to volumes one through six and 11 and 12. Though volumes one through six are unclassified, they have been designated by the government as “protected” and are not publicly available.

In a public summary describing his order, Roberts wrote that Mickum’s motion for “a preservation order and additional relief will be granted in part and denied in part, and [his] motion for an order requiring the [government] to return unredacted versions of [Zubaydah’s] diaries and other specified writings to him will be granted in part and denied in part.”

The diaries have been the subject of legal wrangling for years. Justice Department attorneys in both the Bush and Obama administrations have argued that releasing unredacted copies of the diaries would constitute a threat to national security because they contain names of government employees, including an FBI agent, and names of individuals who assisted in translating the diaries from Arabic to English, plus information about ongoing counterterrorism efforts.

Mickum has filed numerous motions in federal court accusing the government of improperly classifying the diaries – even after portions have already surfaced in public documents – and abusing the classification process related to other materials in Zubaydah’s case.

For example, last August Mickum filed court papers seeking additional copies of Zubaydah’s medical records and an in-person medical evaluation, both of which Mickum says he needs in order to “challenge the lawfulness” of Zubaydah’s detention. The court previously ordered the release of medical records related to the more than 200 seizures Zubaydah has suffered since being transferred to Guantanamo in 2006.

The Justice Department balked and filed its opposition in the matter under seal. Mickum objected to the government’s “ongoing abuse of the classification system” in a motion he filed in federal court in June. The court hasn’t ruled on that motion yet although it has been fully briefed on the matter.

Mickum said he has not been able to mount a meaningful defense because the government continuously denies his requests for documents related to Zubaydah’s time in CIA custody.

“The government is preventing us from working up the case,” Mickum said. “They are trying to keep things closely guarded.”

A Justice Department spokesman would not return calls for comment regarding Judge Roberts’ ruling.

Zubaydah has written 11 volumes of his diary in a “slender bound notebook” and has started work on volume 12, according to court papers in the case filed last January. He wrote the first six volumes before his March 2002 arrest in Pakistan.

The government’s case against Zubaydah is based heavily on entries contained in the first six volumes of his diaries, according to court papers. But the materials were designated by the government as “protected,” even though the diaries are unclassified and both the defense team and Zubaydah have access to volumes one through six.

In a July 14 motion opposing the government’s attempt to “protect” volumes one through six, Mickum said he is not permitted to inform Zubaydah “which passages the government relied upon” in the charges it prepared against him as outlined in the “factual return.”

“The Government has redacted every reference to the unclassified volumes of [Zubaydah’s] diary from the unclassified factual return,” Mickum’s motion states. “By removing every reference to the diary, the Government leaves very few of the relevant allegations against [Zubaydah] to be seen by the eyes of the public. Moreover, what is left is an incredibly misleading picture. For example, for several pages of the factual return, virtually the only words that are left unredacted are the names: Abu Hafs al-Masri, [al-Qaeda-in-Iraq leader] Abu Mas’ab al-Zarqawi, [self-professed 9/11 mastermind] and Khalid Sheik Mohammed, known al-Qaeda operative. What the public does not see if that the only reason these people are mentioned in [the government’s] factual return is that they are alleged to have been in the same city as [Zubaydah]. The Government does not even allege [Zubaydah] had direct, or even indirect, contact with them.

“What possible explanation can the Government offer to justify that the diaries are unclassified but the quotations from the diaries upon which the government relies in the factual return are classified? There is none. By doing so, the Government simply demonstrates its disregard for the fact that the authority to designate unclassified information as protected properly belongs to the court.

“It is understandable that the Government would want to avoid the public criticism that may follow from an honest discussion of who [Zubaydah] was and how the Government mistreated him, but this is not a legitimate basis for sealing information [in his] case. [This is about] the Government’s simple desire to keep information about [Zubaydah] and the case against him secret, primarily to cover up evidence contradicting its own public misstatements about [Zubaydah] as well as potential evidence of further as-yet-undisclosed government wrongdoing.”

Mickum said diaries Zubaydah kept while in CIA custody will go a long way toward establishing the brutal treatment Zubaydah was subjected to – far surpassing what the public has learned thus far from declassified \Justice Department legal memos documenting the brutal methods, such as sleep deprivation and beatings, used by CIA interrogators against Zubaydah.

He added that the diaries contain a “list of names, dates and activities” that will assist the defense in generating leads and prove that Zubaydah was not a senior member of al-Qaeda.

But by designating the material as “protected,” the government “severely hinders [the defense team’s] ability to prepare [Zubaydah’s] defense and vindicate his constitutional entitlement to habeas corpus at numerous levels.”

Mickum opined that the government would force him to have potential witnesses sign an agreement stating that they would be bound by a protective order if he were to discuss the diaries with them. Mickum said that was impractical as his investigations “are taking place all over the world” and it would also have a “chilling effect” on foreign witnesses. “Counsel are right now seeking the cooperation of witnesses in foreign countries who can corroborate the substance of [Zubaydah’s] defense, much of which is articulated in his diary,” Mickum’s July 14 court filing says. “The Government’s attempt to designate the diary as protected, if granted, would preclude counsel from conducting such crucial investigations.”

Zubaydah began keeping a diary in 1992, after he suffered a severe head injury while fighting communist insurgents in Afghanistan. The injury left “significantly impaired both his long- and short-term memory,” states Mickum’s January 14 court motion.

“He cannot remember his father’s name and dimly recalls that he looked like a movie star in the Arab world (whose name he cannot remember). He cannot remember the name of his business partner with whom he ran a news agency prior to his arrest. Long after his 1992 injury, once [Zubaydah] had recovered the ability to speak and write, he began to keep a diary. It is his memory. Without it, he is lost.”

Dan Coleman, a former FBI agent who analyzed the diaries, said he was convinced that Zubaydah was “certifiable” and was not a high-level official in al-Qaeda as top Bush administration officials had claimed. Rather, Coleman said, Zubaydah was more like heavyweight boxing champ Joe Louis, who worked as a greeter in Las Vegas at the end of his life.

According to author Ron Suskind, Zubaydah’s diaries were written in the voices of three people – Hani 1, Hani 2 and Hani 3, which, Suskind wrote in his book, “The One Percent Doctrine,” helps establish that Zubaydah was mentally ill.

Furthermore, Suskind wrote, “Zubaydah was a logistics man, a fixer, mostly for a niggling array of personal items, like the guy you call who handles the company health plan, or benefits, or the people in human resources. There was almost nothing ‘operational’ in his portfolio. That was handled by the management team. He wasn’t one of them.”

Suskind’s account closely matches what Jack Cloonan, a former FBI special agent assigned to the agency’s elite Bin Laden unit, told me in a recent interview. Cloonan said the CIA and the Bush administration were flat wrong in designating Zubaydah as a top official in al-Qaeda. Zubaydah “wasn’t privy to a lot of what I would consider to be a lot of really good operational details,” getting most of his information secondhand, Cloonan said.

Mickum denies that Zubaydah was privy to any operational details of al-Qaeda.

“My client was never, ever, even a member of al-Qaeda, much less a high-level operative,” Mickum told Truthout. “The camp he was alleged to have assisted was closed in 2000 by the Taliban. Leaders of the camp known as Khalden closed it rather than allowing it to fall under the control of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda because they disagreed with al-Qaeda’s missions and attacks on innocent civilians.” Cloonan agreed, for the most part, with Mickum’s characterization of Zubaydah.

“We thought [Zubaydah] would be best described as a logistical officer who managed a series of safe houses and was a great travel agent,” Cloonan said. “But to cast him and describe him as the al-Qaeda emir or leader for the subcontinent or worse … I think was a mistake…. Based on his age and ethnicity, [he] would [n]ever be brought into the inner circle of al-Qaeda.”

There was also the question of Zubaydah’s personality. “My partner had a chance to look at a lot of Abu Zubaydah’s diaries, poems and other things that he has written and he said that after reading this you just come away with the feeling that this is a guy who can’t be trusted or be given huge amounts of responsibility,” Cloonan said. “He just seemed mentally unstable…. “I’m not at all suggesting that Abu Zubaydah wasn’t valuable. Anytime you get one of these guys and get their cooperation, I think [it] is a win. You can get information that’s really valuable from people who are further down the food chain. It’s how you get the information and whether you’re getting real cooperation or simply compliance because somebody’s either waterboarding you or gets you on sleep deprivation.

“We know, and the science tells us, that people cannot recall details accurately, they can’t look at pictures, they will make things up if deprived of the bare essentials of life over the course of time. I don’t understand how you could sleep deprive somebody for 11 days and expect this person to provide you with accurate information.

“Even if they wanted to they’re probably so debilitated at this point they need to be rehabilitated before they ever give you anything.”

Zubaydah’s 2002 torture sessions were videotaped. But CIA officials destroyed the tapes and a special prosecutor was appointed to investigate whether federal laws were broken when the tapes were purged.

As I previously reported, CIA interrogators provided top agency officials in Langley with daily “torture” updates of Zubaydah. The extensive back-and-forth between CIA field operatives and agency officials in Langley likely included updates provided to senior Bush administration officials.

In justifying his torture, the Bush administration had maintained that Zubaydah was the No. 3 official in al-Qaeda and had information about pending terrorist attacks against the US. But documents, news reports, books and former FBI interrogators familiar with Zubaydah said he was a low-level figure in the terrorist organization and was mentally ill.

CIA interrogators waterboarded Zubaydah 83 times in one month, according to recently released documents, and placed him inside a coffin-like box for hours at a time. The Bush administration claimed it obtained actionable intelligence by torturing Zubaydah – an assertion contradicted by a CIA inspector general’s report on the agency’s torture and detention program.

CIA documents from a Combatant Status Review Tribunal in March 2007 revealed that Zubaydah’s torturers eventually apologized to him and said they concluded he was not a top al-Qaeda lieutenant as the Bush administration and intelligence officials had claimed.

“They told me sorry we discover that you are not number three [in al-Qaeda], not a partner, even not a fighter,” Zubaydah said during his tribunal hearing.

Mickum said volumes seven, eight and nine of Zubaydah’s diaries would shed further light on his brutal treatment while “in CIA custody and recount his torture and damaging exculpatory admission made by [Zubaydah’s] torturers and other CIA officials.”

The diaries “are critically important to show what [Zubaydah] was doing during this time frame and contain exculpatory evidence.”

Public court filings also state that Zubaydah “created other relevant writings and drawings, none of which have been returned to him.” Although Mickum said he could not describe the drawings because they remain classified, but it appears likely that they may depict Zubaydah’s torture.

“You’ll just have to use your imagination as to what they might be,” Mickum said. Zubaydah’s “really good.”

11-44

Wood Burning Stoves

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tufail

As early as Roman times stoves made of clay, tile, or earthenware were in use in central and N Europe. Early Swiss stoves of clay or brick, without chimneys, were built against the outer house wall, with an opening to the outside through which they were fueled and through which the smoke could escape. Scarcity of fuel made an economical heat-retaining device necessary, and these primitive stoves, built of clay, brick, tile, or plastered masonry, became common in the Scandinavian countries, Holland, Germany, and N France. Some exquisitely colored and glazed tile stoves, dating from the 16th and 17th cent., show traces of Moorish influence. In Russia large brick stoves formed a partition between two rooms. Because of the very long flue, which wound back and forth inside the structure, these could be heated for some hours with a small amount of light fuel.

The Franklin stove, invented in 1743 and used for heating, was the lineal descendant of the fireplace, being at first only a portable down-draft iron fireplace that could be set into, or before, the chimney.

It was soon elaborated into what was known as the Pennsylvania fireplace, with a grate and sliding doors. In common use for a period after the Revolution, it was followed by a variety of heaters burning wood and coal. The base burner, or magazine coal heater, was widely used before the general adoption of central heating.

Heating devices that we would call stoves had long been in existence, going back to Roman times. However, the stove as the chief cooking device, taking the place of the fireplace, dates only to around the mid-19th century with the widespread use of wood-burning or coal-burning cooking stoves stove, device used for heating or for cooking food. The stove was long regarded as a cooking device supplementary to the fireplace, near which it stood; its stovepipe led into the fireplace chimney. It was not until about the middle of the 19th cent., when the coal-burning range with removable lids came into general use, that the fireplace was finally supplanted as the chief cooking agency.

A cast-iron stove made in China before A.D. 200 has been found, but it was not until late in the 15th cent. that cast-iron stoves were first made in Europe. These consisted of plates that were grooved to fit together in the shape of a box. Probably the earliest of this type were earthenware stoves enclosed in iron castings decorated with biblical scenes and armorial and arabesque designs. They often bore inscriptions in Norse, German, Dutch, French, or sometimes Latin, and some were dated. Many were highly artistic specimens of handicraft. A typical early iron stove is the wall-jamb, or five-plate, stove, which was fueled from an adjoining room.

Dutch, Swedish, and German settlers of the American colonies, especially those of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, brought with them five-plate stoves or molds for casting them. Iron founding began c.1724 in America, and old forges or foundries have left records of five-plate stoves sold in 1728 as Dutch stoves or, less commonly, carved stoves. These continued to be made until Revolutionary times, when they were superseded by the English, or 10-plate, stove, which stood free of the wall and had a draft or fuel door. These 10-plate devices could cook and warm at the same time and replaced, in part, the large masonry baking oven, usually built outside the house.

11-44

Israeli’s Bid to Buy Al-Jazeera from Qatar

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PressTV

al-jazeera An Israeli media tycoon has offered to buy the pan-Arab Al-Jazeera satellite television network from the government of Qatar.

Haim Saban, has submitted an offer to the Qatari government in a bid to purchase half of the Doha -based Al-Jazeera satellite network.

The Egyptian newspaper al-Mesryoon reported Wednesday that the Israeli billionaire is currently engaged in negotiations with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, over the partial purchase of the media outlet. The talks are said to be conducted through an Egyptian mediator.

The account comes amid reports that the largest and most controversial Arab news channel in the Middle East is grappling with a terrible financial crisis at present. Saban had previously made an offer to purchase al-Jazeera in 2004, but it was turned down.

The Israeli-American magnate has supposedly made an offer of $5 billion for the popular Arabic-language news channel, in an attempt to get a hold of it and to broadcast a pro-Israeli message so as to influence the Arab opinion in favor of Tel Aviv’s hawkish regime.

Al-Jazeera spawned a media revolution in the Arab world after it was founded in 1996. The network is reliant on state financial largesse, estimated at over $70 million a year, but does not broadcast shows critical of the Qatari government. Al-Jazeera, however, does air programs leveling criticism at all other Arab governments.

Seban made his fortune by buying the rights to market the Japanese kids show, “The Power Rangers,” in America. He is a prominent supporter of Israel and the right-wing Netanyahu government. In addition, the Egyptian-born Jewish businessman is well known for his under-the-table dealings.

11-43

Tigers’ Tariq Ali Named GSC Defensive Player of the Week

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tariq ali BIRMIGHAM, AL–The University of West Alabama’s Tariq Ali was named Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the Tigers 34-14 win over then 22nd-ranked Delta State University.

Ali is the first UWA defender to take home accolades this season. The senior linebacker posted his fourth double-digit tackle effort this season, racking up 10 total stops behind five solos. The Birmingham, Ala.-native intercepted a pair of Statesmen passes and also recovered a fumble. Both of his interceptions halted DSU drives in West Alabama territory, while his fumble recovery ended DSU’s first offensive possession of the game.

The win, which snapped a season long, three-game losing streak, marked the first win over the Statesmen in Livingston, Ala. since 1993 and gave UWA Head Coach Bobby Wallace his 97th win at a GSC school.

West Alabama concludes a season-long, three-game homestand on Saturday, Oct. 17 against the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

11-43

Ramadan in Russia

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Islam on the Path of Resurgence

By Syyed Mansoor Agha

moscow mosque
File:  The Moscow Mosque

It made headlines, 10 years ago, when an Orthodox Archpriest of Russia, Viacheslav Polosin, announced his conversion to Islam. Polosin, a prominent priest of the Kaluga, a fortress city of the Russian Federation, barely 188 km. Southwest of Moscow, was holding an important position of Head of the Administration of the Committee on Relations with Public Associations and Religious Organizations of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, when he entered in the fold of Islam. He declared: “I decided to bring my social status into line with my convictions, and to testify publicly that I consider myself an adherent of the great tradition of the true faith of the Prophets of Monotheism, beginning with Abraham. And thus I do not consider myself a priest or a member of any Orthodox church.”

After 10 years, conversion of Orthodox Christians goes unnoticed as such conversions are taking place routinely. There is a surge in Muslim population in traditionally Salvak Orthodox majority country.  The Times of London published a report on August 6, 2005, under a startling headline “Russia’s Turning Muslim, Says Mufti”. According to report: Ravil Gaynutdin, head of the Council of Muftis of Russia, announced that Russia’s population of 144 million contains 23 million ethnic Muslims – and not, as the census indicates, 14.5 million, or, as the Orthodox Church estimates, nearer to 20 million. An estimated 3-4 million Muslims are migrants from former Soviet regions, including 2 million Azeris, 1 million Kazakhs, and several hundred thousand Uzbeks, Tajiks and Kyrgyz.”

Prof Paul Goble, who is regarded as an expert on minorities in the former Soviet Union, agreed with the Mufti and noted that Islam is exponentially growing in Russia, since the disintegration of Soviet Union in 1985. He wrote: “Russia had only about 300 mosques in 1991 and now there are at least 8,000, about half of which were built with money from abroad, especially from Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia. There were no Islamic religious schools in 1991 and today there are between 50 and 60, teaching as many as 50,000 students. The number of Russians going on the Hajj has jumped from 40 in 1991 to 13,500 in 2005.” He quotes a Russian commentator predicting that within the next several decades there will be a mosque on Red Square.

According to BBC analyst, Steven Eke, population of Russia is declining by approx 70,000 people annually. However there is a surge in Muslim populated areas. Demographic data show that the average age of ethnic Russian males is around 58 years, but in Dagestan, Chechnya, Tataristan and other Muslim populated areas it is 68 years. Experts have also indicated that sex appeal in ethnic Salvak is on decline and youth are becoming least interested in marriage institution. Married couples also refrain from expanding their families. According to 2002 census national fertility rate is just 1.5 children per woman while it is 1.8 in Dagestan. Goble has even claimed that rate of birth in Muslims is as higher as 8 to 10 children per woman.

However it is evident that Islam is gradually reclaiming its lost ground in the region. During Communist hegemony, more that 7,000 mosques were destroyed or converted into clubs and other community facilities. Congregations for Friday prayers were banned and practising Muslims put on persecution and prosecution. Thousands of Imams and preachers were murdered.  During Ramadan, gangs of Communist workers stormed in Muslim localities and used harsh measures to force the faithful to break fast.

Now the situation has changed. The Qur’ān is most sought after book and new Mosques are coming up in quick succession. Recently a huge Mosque, “Kadyrov Mosqeue,” named after, Akhmad Kadyrov, the first President of Chechnya Republic was inaugurated with great fan fare. In Khazan Kremlin city in Tatar region too a grand Mosque Qul Sharif has been rebuilt on the site where a mosque and spiritual centre of Sufi Qul Sharif was destroyed, as were hundreds of other mosques in the region, after the Russian conquest of Kazan in 1552 during crusade wars under Orthodox Christian Church.

Though in most parts, authorities do not allow calling Azan on loudspeakers, people gather to offer prayers and iftars. In spite of resistance from Orthodox Clergy and Jewish Groups, Muslims are freely leading their religious life. During Ramadan these activities are more visible in Muslim areas, near and around Mosques and Muslim houses. A report from Moscow says:  Dozens of religious people came to one of the main mosques in Moscow, the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, in order to celebrate the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. Like other Muslims from across the globe, they will spend this month praying and reading the Koran on a daily basis. “There are in all, six mosques designed for 1500 persons are operating in the Russian capital city.”  Mosque officers noted that the majority of persons coming for prayers are young under 35 years of age. Kazakh people who work in Moscow also came to the mosque to say their prayers and to listen sermons. Marat Arshabayev, Imam of Moscow Cathedral Mosque said in a statement on the eve of 1st Ramadan:  “The holy month of Ramadan is a long-awaited month for every Muslim including those from Russia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Malaysia and other parts of the world. Remembering the words of the Prophet at least on these days is considered to be a great advantage for our businesses, deeds and actions.”

In the middle of the holy month, a charitable “Ramadan tent” will be established near the main memorial mosque in downtown Moscow. After sunset, Muslims and guests will be able to try hot dishes prepared by cooks from Turkey and Iran.”

A student from Ghana, who visited Moscow during the last Ramadan and spent one week there, narrates: Moscow is home to about 2 million Muslims. The atmosphere of Ramadan here is well experienced in and around the Masajid. Here, the iftaars, i.e. time for fast breaking are well organised. In the Masajids dates, water and food are provided for all visitors. Among the foreign students too, who live in hostels, collective iftaars are organised. In these Iftaars, students from in and out of the hostel are also invited, even non-Muslims also share. In the mosques after Isha taraweeh prayers are organised.  In some hostels too students offer prayers in congregation. However in some places, people disperse after iftaars, say prayers separately.” In and around Mosques, dates, Caps, Tasbeeh, Prayer Rugs and Scarves, etc. are available on stalls.

Most people prefer iftaars with their family members at their houses. Special light dishes along with dates, fruits and tea, etc. are common. Here fasting period is longer than 16 ½ hours. (On 30th August, Fajr time falls before 4 AM and iftaar at 8.36 PM.) In northern regions it is even longer. But the climate is cold and more and more people observe fast and offer Salat.

Last year more than 15 thousand Muslims along with the Minister Louis Farrakhan, offered Eidul Fitr prayer at Cathedral Mosque of Moscow. Many of them have to use their coats as Prayer Rugs. After Eid Prayer and Sermon, the Minister offered Eid Greetings in his brief address.

The new regime of President Dmitry Medvedev is sympathetic towards Muslims and wants their cooperation in nation building. Barely 20 days after Obama’s famous address to the Muslims in Cairo, President Dimity Medvedev, addressed the Arab League Conference on June 24 in the same city and insisted:  “Islam is an inalienable part of Russian history and culture, given that more than 20 million Russian citizens are among the faithful.” Consequently, “Russia does not need to seek friendship with the Muslim world as our country is an organic part of this world.” On July 15, 2009 he visited the Central Mosque in Moscow, where he stressed the importance of Islam in the Russia. “Russia is a multi-national and multi-confessional country. Russian Muslims have enough respect and influence. Muslim foundations are making an important contribution to promoting peace in society, providing spiritual and moral education for many people, as well as fighting extremism and xenophobia. There are 182 ethnic groups living in Russia, and 57 of them claim Islam as their main religion. This figure speaks for itself.” He also promised the government would continue to assist with funding organisations to train imams and teachers.

The importance of resurgence of Islam in Russia shows the dying desire for spirituality after the failure of pure materialistic philosophy of life, which was imposed upon by Communist regime on the whole USSR. However this resurgence is not without hiccups and difficulties.  Though the growth of Islam in this region is natural, some forces are creating fictitious hindrances. For example last November, Shah Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz offered to fund a Mosque and Islamic centre at Moscow, as present six mosques are not enough for two million Muslims of the city. But the Orthodox Church tried to block this offer by proposing that King must give permission to build an Orthodox Church in Makkah.

The writer is Gen.Sec. Forum for Civil Rights and a senior Urdu Journalist. Emal: syyedagha@hotmail. com.

11-43

Congrats Pres. Obama on the Nobel Peace Prize — Now Please Earn it!

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By Michael Moore

2009-10-10T214622Z_01_BTRE59817R300_RTROPTP_3_POLITICS-US-NOBEL-PEACE-OBAMA

President Barack Obama comments on winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize while delivering a statement in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, October 9, 2009.    

REUTERS/Jim Young

Dear President Obama,

How outstanding that you’ve been recognized today as a man of peace. Your swift, early pronouncements — you will close Guantanamo, you will bring the troops home from Iraq, you want a nuclear weapon-free world, you admitted to the Iranians that we overthrew their democratically-elected president in 1953, you made that great speech to the Islamic world in Cairo, you’ve eliminated that useless term “The War on Terror,” you’ve put an end to torture — these have all made us and the rest of the world feel a bit more safe considering the disaster of the past eight years. In eight months you have done an about face and taken this country in a much more sane direction.

But…

The irony that you have been awarded this prize on the 2nd day of the ninth year of our War in Afghanistan is not lost on anyone. You are truly at a crossroads now. You can listen to the generals and expand the war (only to result in a far-too-predictable defeat) or you can declare Bush’s Wars over, and bring all the troops home. Now. That’s what a true man of peace would do.

There is nothing wrong with you doing what the last guy failed to do — capture the man or men responsible for the mass murder of 3,000 people on 9/11. BUT YOU CANNOT DO THAT WITH TANKS AND TROOPS. You are pursuing a criminal, not an army. You do not use a stick of dynamite to get rid of a mouse.

The Taliban is another matter. That is a problem for the people of Afghanistan to resolve — just as we did in 1776, the French did in 1789, the Cubans did in 1959, the Nicaraguans did in 1979 and the people of East Berlin did in 1989. One thing is certain through all revolutions by people who wish to be free — they ultimately have to bring about that freedom themselves. Others can be supportive, but freedom can not be delivered from the front seat of someone else’s Humvee.

You have to end our involvement in Afghanistan now. If you don’t, you’ll have no choice but to return the prize to Oslo.

Yours, Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.comMichaelMoore.com

11-43

The Year of the Bear

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By Sumayyah Meehan, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS) Middle East Correspondent

“A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.”

–Winnie the Pooh

teddyB His name is Teddy B. and he was born in China almost 2 years ago. He awoke one day to find himself sitting on the shelf of a toy store and staring into the eyes of a young Kuwait woman who had just returned home after studying abroad. A match made in Heaven, and the journey of a lifetime, was born. Known only as the ‘manager’, Teddy B’s owner prefers to remain out of the spotlight and has chosen to keep her identity a secret.

Fortunately, Teddy B. loves the limelight and has enough showmanship to fill in the gaps which he fully displays on his blog, www.YearofTeddy.com . In a recent interview, his owner shed some light on Teddy B’s adventure, which began this past August and will last a full 365-days. Teddy B’s adventures are all painstakingly documented on his blog. In her mission statement, which is displayed on Teddy’s blog, his manager writes, “Teddy is an alter ego. He willingly volunteered to be a social experiment to help create a life for someone who is trying to settle back into society.”

With a passion for photography and art, Teddy B’s manager also says that the experiment of sharing the adventures of a stuffed toy with the rest of the world is a combination of self-expression and a critique of social life in Kuwait as well as the rest of the Arab world. “People are mesmerized by Teddy’s charm. Wherever Teddy and I go, we found many people to be very cooperative and understanding of our cause,” his manager says. So far, Teddy B. has enjoyed several activities from dining on sushi to sitting a police motorbike to visiting Turkey. Only time will tell how many adventures this tiny brown bear can fit in with well over 300 more days to go on his journey.

Teddy B. is also very socially aware. He recently participated in a ‘Smoke Out’ day in which cigarette smokers all over Kuwait were asked to quit smoking for the day and dropped their packs of cigarettes into specially designated drop boxes. And next month Teddy B. will set his sights on the issue of breast cancer in Kuwait by attending a symposium. Teddy B. and his manager are also planning to auction off several of the props that appear with him in the photos on his website, including a mug that he painted all by himself, with proceeds benefiting local charities. The culmination of Teddy B’s journey will be an exhibition and book to document his adventure.

Teddy B. has become somewhat of a local celebrity in Kuwait and there is no doubt that he has enough spunk to take on the entire world. He already has more than 800 fans on Facebook and several people are following him on Twitter. And with 11 more months to go on his journey, Teddy B. is sure to have even more people peeking into his life to catch a glimpse of the bear whose heart is as good as gold.

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War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity And Genocide In Iraq

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Case Filed Against 4 US Presidents and 4 UK Prime Ministers

By The Brussels Tribunal

October 08, 2009 “Information Clearing House” — MADRID: Today the Spanish Senate, acting to confirm a decision already taken under pressure from powerful governments accused of grave crimes, will limit Spain’s laws of universal jurisdiction. Yesterday, ahead of the change of law, a legal case was filed at the Audiencia Nacional against four United States presidents and four United Kingdom prime ministers for commissioning, condoning and/or perpetuating multiple war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Iraq.

This case, naming George H W Bush, William J Clinton, George W Bush, Barack H Obama, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Anthony Blair and Gordon Brown, is brought by Iraqis and others who stand in solidarity with the Iraqi people and in defence of their rights and international law.

Iraq: 19 years of intended destruction

The intended destruction — or genocide — of Iraq as a state and nation has been ongoing for 19 years, combining the imposition of the most draconian sanctions regime ever designed and that led to 1.5 million Iraqi deaths, including 500,000 children, with a war of aggression that led to the violent deaths of over one million more.

* Destroying Iraq included the purposeful targeting of its water and sanitation system, attacking the health of the civilian population. Since 1990, thousands of tons of depleted uranium have been dropped on Iraq, leading in some places to a 600 per cent rise in cancer and leukemia cases, especially among children. In both the first Gulf War and “Shock and Awe” in 2003, an air campaign that openly threatened “total destruction”, waves of disproportionate bombing made no distinction between military and civilian targets, with schools, hospitals, mosques, churches, shelters, residential areas, and historical sites all destroyed.

* Destroying Iraq included promoting, funding and organizing sectarian and ethnic groups bent on dividing Iraq into three or more sectarian or ethnic entities, backed by armed militias that would terrorize the Iraqi people. Since 2003, some 4.7 million Iraqis — one fifth of the population — have been forcibly displaced. Under occupation, kidnappings, killings, extortion and mutilation became endemic, targeting men, women and even children and the elderly.

* Destroying Iraq included purposefully dismantling the state by refusing to stop or stem or by instigating mass looting, and by engaging in ideological persecution, entailing “manhunting”, extrajudicial assassinations, mass imprisonment and torture, of Baathists, the entire educated class of the state apparatus, religious and linguistic minorities and Arab Sunnis, resulting in the total collapse of all public services and other economic functions and promoting civil strife and systematic corruption.

* In parallel, Iraq’s rich heritage and unique cultural and archaeological patrimony has been wantonly destroyed.

In order to render Iraq dependent on US and UK strategic designs, successive US and UK governments have attempted to partition Iraq and to establish by military force a pro-occupation Iraqi government and political system. They have promoted and engaged in the massive plunder of Iraqi natural resources, attempting to privatize this property and wealth of the Iraqi nation.

Humanity at stake

This is but the barest summary of the horrors Iraq has endured, based on lies that nobody but cowed governments and complicit media believed. In 2003, millions worldwide were mobilized in opposition to US/UK plans. In going ahead, the US and UK launched an illegal war of aggression. Accountability has not been established.

The persons named in this case have each played a key role in Iraq’s intended destruction. They instigated, supported, condoned, rationalized, executed and/or perpetuated or excused this destruction based on lies and narrow strategic and economic interests, and against the will of their own people. Allowing those responsible to escape accountability means such actions could be repeated elsewhere.

It is imperative now to establish accountability for US and UK war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Iraq because:

Every Iraqi victim deserves justice.

Everyone responsible should be accountable.

We are before immoral and unlawful acts, contrary to the basis on which the international order of state sovereignty and peace and security rests. Whereas the official international justice system is closed before the suffering of those that imperialism makes a target, through this case we try to open a channel whereby the conscience of humanity can express its solidarity with justice for victims of imperial crimes.

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BOOK REVIEW: ‘The Ground Truth: The Untold Story of America Under Attack on 9/11’

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Reviewed by Enver Masud, Founder of The Wisdom Fund

johnfarmer-the ground truth “The Ground Truth: The Untold Story of America Under Attack on 9/11,” by John Farmer — senior counsel to the 9/11 Commission, claims that the government presented a “fundamentally false version of events”.

If this leads some to believe that Mr. Farmer will present the true version of events, they will be disappointed.

What the book does is expose the shortcomings of the government’s response to the hijackings on 9/11. Mr. Farmer does not question the identity of the hijackers although several were later reported by British newspapers as being alive.

He accepts the official version that 9/11 was directed by Osama Bin Laden although Bin Laden himself denied that to a Pakistani newspaper.

The FBI says they have no hard evidence against Bin Laden. They do not even mention 9/11 in their “Most Wanted Terrorists” poster of Bin Laden!

Mr. Farmer’s book basically describes how the hijackers were able to penetrate multiple layers of U.S. security: National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, FBI, the State Department’s visa offices, and airline screening.

His book may be useful to those wishing to “reinvent government.” Until that is done, says Farmer, the passage of new statutes, or the creation of new procedures, or the creation of the Department of Homeland Security leaves the U.S. vulnerable to “terrorist” attacks.

Mr. Farmer does not address the mounting evidence that the twin towers and Building 7 of the World Trade Center were demolished with explosives. He does seem to admit that United Airlines Flight 93 may have been shot down, but he makes no reference to the lack of hard evidence that American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon.

Indeed his failure to address the evidence is particularly striking where he refers to the phone calls made by the passengers and crew of Flight 93 and Flight 77.

The claim that Flight 77 passenger Barbara Olson called her husband, Justice Department’s Solicitor General Ted Olson, twice, was contradicted at the Zacarias Moussaoui trial in 2006.

The FBI reported that only two cell phone calls were made from all four planes — both from United Flight 93.

Mr. Farmer has done the 9/11 truth movement a favor. By revealing the government’s conspiracy to lie about its response to 9/11, Mr. Farmer casts serious doubt on ALL the findings of the 9/11 Commission.

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Harun Yahya – Secrets of the Hypocrites

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2. They Imagine Themselves to be Very Intelligent

Hypocrites place a great deal of trust in their own intelligence, despite their not actually possessing any true wisdom at all. They are unable to appreciate the dire nature of their situation. They live imagining that their every deed and every decision is the best ones possible. In particular, they regard themselves as their own sole authority on matters of religion. Because of this twisted logic, they also imagine that believers are on the wrong path. Their illogical ideas are revealed in the following verse:

And when the hypocrites and those with sickness in their hearts said, “These people have been deluded by their religion.” But those who put their trust in Allah will find Allah to be Almighty, All-Wise.

An-Anfal: 49

As can be seen from the verse, since they imagine that only they are on the true path, they do not appreciate believers’ wisdom. Yet the truth is, believers constitute the only community on Earth on which Allah has bestowed pure wisdom. Nonetheless, hypocrites regard themselves as superior to everybody else, and whenever believers are cited as role models in living by the religious morality, the hypocrites make it clear that they remain unimpressed by their intelligence. These inaccurate ideas on the subject of believers lead hypocrites into a grievous position, as is revealed in another verse:

When they are told, “Believe in the way that the people believe,” they say, “What! Are we to believe in the way that fools believe?” No indeed! They are the fools, but they do not know it.

Al-Baqara: 13

As revealed in the verse, hypocrites are “fools” because they tell the most unpleasant lies and imagine that even though they prepare snares with no foundation to them, believers will not catch on and that the messenger will not bring these strategies into the light of day. However, when the time comes, Allah shows them and other people the humiliating position they are in.

3. They Imagine Themselves to be Profiting

Another aspect that separates the hypocrites from the community of the faithful is that in living by the religious moral values, they constantly hold themselves back. It is revealed in the Qur’an that in the struggle waged by the community of the faithful, hypocrites seek to keep themselves as far as possible to the rear, and behaving always in a reluctant manner:

"Among you there are people who hang back and if you encounter a setback then they say, “Allah has blessed me in that I was not there with them.”

An-Nisa’: 72

By not submitting to Allah and His messenger, not engaging in the struggle, spending generously or performing a great number of other observances, hypocrites imagine that they are profiting, and consider performing these observances disadvantageous. Therefore, since they do not seek Allah’s approval and regard themselves as unflawed, performing these observances seems a task of enormous difficulty for them.

We can set out a few points on which hypocrites imagine themselves to be ahead of the game by holding themselves back:

a) They Avoid the Struggle

Since they are devoted to the life of this world, hypocrites have a great fear of death, and the very thought of death makes them very uneasy. They never reflect that death is a commandment of Allah, or consider maintaining their religious observances until the moment of their death arrives. Indeed, Allah describes the situation of the hypocrites in the time of the Prophet (saas). They imagined that not going to war would keep them out of danger of death, and so regarded making excuses for not going to war as a sign of healthy intelligence. In the Qur’an, Allah tells of the joy they felt at hanging back during the war:

Those who were left behind were glad to stay behind the Messenger of Allah. . . .

At-Tawba: 81

The fact is, however, that death can strike anyone anywhere. Since hypocrites think on only a superficial level, they never bring this point to mind. There is no guarantee that death will not come to someone who hangs back from danger in his own home. Yet as stated at the outset, hypocrites lack the understanding to comprehend their own superficiality. They therefore see any temporary salvation or brief postponement as putting them ahead of the game.

b) They Do Not Co-exist with Believers

Allah has revealed that He will test the community of the faithful with both good and evil. Believers are subjected to tests in this world in order to attain the Hereafter. Therefore, they experience various events, some of which may appear auspicious and others not, but Allah eventually turns them all to the advantage of believers. Since they are aware of the secret of the testing to which they are subjected, they always display the same enthusiasm and effort in competing to earn Allah’s approval. They never fall prey to fear or despair.

However, in the community of the faithful, there is another group who fail to grasp the secret of the test and look only at the surface of events. As discussed a little earlier, hypocrites seek to keep themselves as far from troublesome events as they can. If their means permit, they even stay far away from the community of the faithful, since they are unwilling to face the same difficulties that believers do. Indeed, Allah has informed believers—by means of examples from the past, but with particular reference to times of war—that hypocrites prefer to watch believers from as great a distance as possible:

They think that the Confederates have not departed and if the Confederates did appear then they would wish they were out in the desert with the Arabs, asking for news of you. If they were with you they would only fight a very little.

Al-Ahzab: 20

Another verse reveals how hypocrites, who seek to remain at a distance from believers and not to be affected by the events that befall them, see themselves as profiting from this:

If good happens to you it galls them. If a mishap occurs to you, they say, “We made our preparations in advance,” and they turn away rejoicing.

At-Tawba: 50

c) They Do Not Obey the Messenger of Allah

Obedience to the messenger of Allah means holding Allah and His Book above all things, because obedience to Allah and the Qur’an means obedience to His messenger. Believers who are sincerely devoted and obedient to Allah display the same devotion and obedience towards His messenger. The messenger of Allah is of greater value to them than their own lives or desires. The Qur’an refers to believers who protected the Prophet (saas) at the cost of their own lives, who went off to war with him, and who held him above their own selves.

The hypocrites of the time did not go off to war, however. They regarded themselves as exceedingly advantaged and intelligent because they were not obliged to protect the Prophet (s). Those hypocrites who did join the troops, but who then became frightened and turned back, failed to heed the call of the Prophet Muhammad (s) to them, and fled without looking back:

Remember when you were scrambling up the slope, refusing to turn back for anyone, and the Messenger was calling to you from the rear. . . .

Ali ‘Imran: 153

They imagined that this flight was their salvation. The fact is, however, that by departing from the command of the Prophet’s (s), they made a grave error. They earned Allah’s displeasure and were thus condemned to eternal suffering.

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Pilots on Food Stamps

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By Michael Moore

October 12, 2009 — We’re on the descent from 20,000 feet in the air when the flight attendant leans over the elderly woman next to me and taps me on the shoulder.

“I’m listening to Lady Gaga,” I say as I remove just one of the ear buds. I know not this Lady Gaga, but her performance last week on SNL was fascinating.

“The pilots would like to see you in the cockpit when we land,” she says with a southern drawl.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No. They have something to show you.” (The last time an employee of an airline wanted to show me something it was her written reprimand for eating an in-flight meal without paying for it. “Yes,” she said, “we have to pay for our own meals on board now.”) The plane landed and I stepped into the cockpit. “Read this,” the first officer said. He handed me a letter from the airline to him. It was headlined “LETTER OF CONCERN.” It seems this poor fellow had taken three sick days in the past year. The letter was a warning not to take another one — or else.

“Great,” I said. “Just what I want — you coming to work sick, flying me up in the air and asking to borrow the barf bag from my seatback pocket.”

He then showed me his pay stub. He took home $405 this week. My life was completely and totally in his hands for the past hour and he’s paid less than the kid who delivers my pizza.

I told the guys that I have a whole section in my new movie about how pilots are treated (using pilots as only one example of how people’s wages have been slashed and the middle class decimated). In the movie I interview a pilot for a major airline who made $17,000 last year. For four months he was eligible — and received — food stamps. Another pilot in the film has a second job as a dog walker.

“I have a second job!,” the two pilots said in unison. One is a substitute teacher. The other works in a coffee shop. You know, maybe it’s just me, but the two occupations whose workers shouldn’t be humpin’ a second job are brain surgeons and airline pilots. Call me crazy.

I told them about how Capt. “Sully” Sullenberger (the pilot who safely landed the jet in the Hudson River) had testified in Congress that no pilot he knows wants any of their children to become a pilot. Pilots, he said, are completely demoralized. He spoke of how his pay has been cut 40% and his own pension eliminated. Most of the TV news didn’t cover his remarks and the congressmen quickly forgot them. They just wanted him to play the role of “HERO,” but he was on a more important mission. He’s in my movie.

“I hadn’t heard anywhere that this stuff about the airlines is in this new movie,” the pilot said.

“No, you wouldn’t,” I replied. “The press likes to talk about me, not the movie.”

And it’s true. I’ve been surprised (and slightly annoyed) that, with all that’s been written and talked about “Capitalism: A Love Story,” very little attention has been paid the mind-blowing stuff in the film: pilots on food stamps, companies secretly taking out life insurance policies on employees and hoping they die young so the company can collect, judges getting kickbacks from the private prison industry for sending innocent people (kids) to be locked up. The profit motive — it’s a killer.

Especially when your pilot started his day at 6am working at the local Starbucks.

11-43

Misconduct by the Clergy

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By Dr. Aslam Abdullah, TMO Editor-in-chief

We are repeatedly  reminded by our scholars to cover the mistakes of others so that God could cover ours. Each one of us is vulnerable to make mistakes as said by the Prophet (s) “Every son of Adam makes mistakes, and the best of those who make mistakes are those who repent.” (At-Tirmidhi)

The Quran strongly recommends that evil should not be publicized except in situations where heinous acts of deviation have been committed.

One of the most heinous acts of deviation as defined in the Quran is hypocrisy. The Quran reminds us that the most reprehensible sin in the eyes of Allah is a word that is not substantiated by actions. For this reason Prophet Isa (Jesus) once said referring to the clergy ‘do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach” He elaborated that ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth.”

The sexual misconduct of Catholic, Protestant and Jewish religious leaders is often reported in our newspapers and other media networks. Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Baker and Ted Haggard are a few names that every one remembers for their gross deviation from the values they espoused.

Are Muslim religious leaders immune from this deviation? A recent case reported from Southern California suggests that human beings regardless of their religious labels often show signs of weakness in their social behavior. The services of a very popular religious figure who had attracted hundreds of Muslim youth to his congregation were terminated suddenly  because of his alleged sexual misconduct. It is reported that the religious scholar had allegedly sexually harassed and abused girls and women who had come to him for counseling or learning the faith. The alleged victims reported the matter to the law enforcement authorities and presented their case before the Board of the Masjid through their attorneys. The evidence was so compelling that the Board terminated the services of the accused without having a second thought.

It is really sad to see the fall of a religious scholar who had always emphasized the supremacy of a divinely ordained moral code of conduct in every aspect of life. It is really sad to find a preacher violating his own preaching and reportedly using his religious position to mislead his disciples. Human beings always find them in a tempting situation and true servants of Allah are those who turn away from those situations returning to the values they hold supreme.

However this brings up a very serious issue that Muslims have so far felt shy addressing openly. How should our Islamic centers and Masajid deal with issues of sexual harassment and abuse or misconduct and financial misappropriation and other violations of basic Islamic principles by its office bearers of board members?
Here are a few suggestions to ensure that such issues are dealt effectively.

1. Masajid and Islamic Centers must have clearly defined policies integrated in their by laws or other officially adopted documents that define misconducts and appropriate procedures to deal with them.

2. Board members must act responsibly and refrain from assuming any office if they have been involved in any misconduct as defined by the Masjid by laws and policies.

3. The Imam and religious directors must go through a process of background check.

4. Directors and employees of the masjid or centers or Islamic organizations must never be allowed to be in privacy with members of opposite sex or minors.

5. Masajid should have proper dress codes for all those who attend it for prayer and other services.

6. Masajid should also have Islamically approved attire for those who are visitors.

7. Masajid must also adopt rules of conduct among those who attend the masjid focusing on modesty and decency.

8. If and when these deviations take place, the management must not feel shy of announcing it to the community so that the future victims can be protected.

9. In case of a flagrant violation, law enforcement authorities must be contacted and the matter must be dealt with according to the law of the land.

10. Masajid and Muslim organizations should develop an intensive course on sexual harassment to be attended by the members of board of directors, trustees and all the employees.

11. It should be made clear that the fall of an individual is not the fall of an entire faith.

These policies will help us develop a comprehensive program to deal with the situation, but we must not forget that the real urge to follow the divine guidance come from our own inner strength. Without that nothing works, as was evident from the case reported.

Religious leaders owe it to their congregation to be a role model in values they preach and propagate and not the opposite.

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Iraq Investment Still Hindered by Politics, Bureaucracy

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By Missy Ryan and Khalid al-Ansary

2009-10-13T142509Z_1384436463_GM1E5AD1Q7K01_RTRMADP_3_IRAQ-OIL

Iraq’s Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani (R) and Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh smile before holding a joint news conference in Baghdad, October 13, 2009. Iraq is in the final stages of negotiating deals for oilfields left over from a June energy auction after oil majors put forward new bids for production targets and accepted Iraq’s fee terms, a top official said.  

REUTERS/Saad Shalash

BAGHDAD, Oct 7 (Reuters) – Political deadlock is undermining efforts to secure investment in Iraq, a top U.S. official said, just as Washington prepares to host a meeting aiming to put end to lingering business doubts about a nation studded with risk.

Patricia Haslach, who oversees U.S. efforts to transform Iraq’s struggling economy, said the United States had provided $52 billion in civilian development aid to Iraq since 2003.

The Obama administration says it is time that a country with vast oil resources stand on its own two feet.

“The ball is in their court now. They can’t just say, ‘We want you to invest here,’” Haslach said in an interview.

“It’s going to take a commitment from the government of Iraq to make the necessary changes … that means the elected officials and the ministries have to make the hard decisions.”

Over 300 Iraqi politicians and businessmen will gather in Washington on Oct. 20-21 for a conference sponsored in part by the Obama administration and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Some 800 companies are expected to take part, said Sami al-Araji, head of Iraq’s National Investment Commission.

“The goal is to show those outside Iraq that this country is rich with potential,” Araji said.

It is not the first time, though, that investors have heard the pitch for Iraq, which U.S. officials predicted in 2003 would be awash with western firms hoping to exploit the world’s third largest oil reserves and invest in housing, farming and more.

Almost 10 meetings have been held, most recently in London in April, since 2003 in hopes of drumming up investment needed to resurrect stagnant state industries and modernise an economy in shambles after decades of war, mismanagement and sanctions.

But six and a half years after the invasion, even as the bloodshed fades, strikingly little has changed.

Talk But No Action

Oil majors including Royal Dutch Shell <RDSa.L> and BP <BP.L> are hesitantly signing up to work in Iraq, but the opening up the oil sector has gone more slowly than hoped and it could be years before jobs and other benefits trickle down.

Outside of oil, there is very little western investment.

Swedish truck maker Scania <SCVb.ST> and German carmaker Daimler <DAIGn.DE> are taking steps to invest traditionally, but few foreign firms are on the ground in a country where western executives still require a pack of heavily armed bodyguards.

U.S. officials are keeping expectations about the conference modest, warning already there will be no announcement of major investment deals. Iraqi businessmen won’t need much convincing.

“There have been a lot of speeches but not much action,” said Abbas Shamara, owner of an Iraqi investment group.

Hameed al-Iqabi, head of a business union, said laws from Saddam Hussein’s statist, centralized economy were a hindrance.

Nor do an opaque bureaucracy and widespread corruption help. Banks are not yet integrated globally and credit is scarce.

“Most companies do not cite security as their major impediment to investing here. They actually cite the investment climate,” Haslach said. “Issues relating to land ownership, issues related to contracts, arbitration, all the basics.”

Business-friendly changes to Iraq’s investment legislation, allowing foreigners to own property in certain cases, are now being examined by lawmakers and could be voted on shortly.

Other legislation has stalled in parliament, where Arabs and Kurds battle over oil rights and a rift grows between majority Shi’ites loyal to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and their peers.

Maliki recently assailed lawmakers for shooting down a $70 billion investment proposal in housing, hospitals and much more.

“We need to separate politics from the economy,” Iqabi said.

Few expect politicians to make unpopular concessions before national elections in January 2010, so key laws will most likely wait for the next parliament to be formed, perhaps by spring.

Resource nationalism may figure prominently before the vote, which could heighten resistance from some quarters to weaning Iraq off decades of deep state involvement in the economy.

“Iraq is emerging from many years of isolation from the global economy,” Haslach said. “We think the time is right for them to make some progress with regard to the private sector.” (Editing by Toby Chopra)

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Michigan Muslims Invite You!

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Press Release

The Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan (CIOM) is organizing a coordinated mosque open house event “at a mosque near you” on October 17, 2009.

There will be guided tours of all seven participating mosques, and complimentary refreshments will be provided.  There will be presentations on Islam, and question and answer sessions.

Participating mosques include the American Moslem Society (9945 W. Vernor Hwy, Dearborn); Islamic Organization of North America (IONA), 28630 Ryan Road, Warren; the Muslim Community of the Western Suburbs (Canton Mosque, MCWS), 40440 Palmer Rr., Canton; The Muslim Center (TMC) 1605 W. Davison, Detroit; Islamic Association of Greater Detroit (IAGD), 879 W. Auburn Rd., Rochester Hills; Islamic Community of As-Salaam Michigan (ICAM) 21628 Fenkell Dr., Detroit; and the Islamic House of Wisdom (IHW), 22575 Ann Arbor Trail, Dearborn Heights.

Timing of the event:  AMS:  10A – 4P; MCWS:  11A – 4P; IAGD: 10A – 4P; IONA:  11A – 4P; TMC:  10A – 4P; ICAM:  11A – 4P; IHW:  6P – 9P.

Support your local mosque in reaching the local community.

Please attend!

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New America Media Hosts Investigative Reporting Workshop at Wayne State U.

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By Adil James, MMNS

mannygarciaphone3 Detroit–October 10-11–Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), together with New America Media (an ethnic media advocacy and organizing body) and Wayne State University, conducted a training session this past weekend to help ethnic media reporters improve their reporting skills.

Investigative Reporters and Editors is according to its own website a “grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting.” It was formed in 1975 to provide a forum for journalists around the world to help each other by sharing story ideas, newsgathering techniques and news sources.

IRE’s mission is to foster excellence in investigative journalism by providing training, resources and a community of supportto investigative journalists, promoting high professional standards, protecting the rights of investigative journalists, and ensuring the future of IRE.

The session covered investigative aspects of current hot topics such as tracking stimulus spending, covering immigration, developing sources, going deeper into issues, using technology and new tools to connect with your audience, and covering education and youth issues.

The session began with a brief introduction of the participants, then each of the substantive subjects was delved into by the professional reporters who were present, including Manny Garcia of the Miami Herald, Antonio Olivo of the Chicago Tribune, Bankole Thompson of The Michigan Chronicle, Andrew Humphrey of WDIV Detroit, Michael Grabell of ProPublica, and Chastity Pratt Dawsey of the Detroit Free Press.

Suzanne Manneh and Aaron Glantz of New America Media were in attendance at the event, and IRE was respresented by Doug Haddix.

Ms. Manneh said of the event that a part of the purpose was to help media outlets “reach out more to their own readership,” and she said the IRE reporter trainers at the event spoke about connecting to sources by establishing a trust relationship with someone either in city hall or in community organizations.

About 15 different media outlets were present, including Arab media, Latino media, African American media, and Asian media.

Manny Garcia of the Miami Herald, one of the event’s trainers, spoke about his previous experience of being a successful salesman and the importance of continuous contact with potential buyers and also with potential sources. 

One of the main benefits of the meeting was developing the feeling in the relatively small ethnic media outlets of a sense of brotherhood with the much larger and more established traditional newspapers, and a sense of shared struggle and work.

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Community News (V11-I43)

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NJ Muslims endorse Corzine

sen_jon_corzine_photo BERGEN, NJ–Governor Jon S. Corzine today was endorsed by the New Jersey Muslim American Committee and American Muslim leaders from across the State at a rally of more than 200 New Jersey Muslims held at The Nile Restaurant in North Bergen Township.

“I am proud to be endorsed by New Jersey’s Muslim American Committee as well as by such a distinguished group of leaders from throughout the State’s Muslim community,” said Governor Corzine. “The American Muslim community is continuing to grow in size and will be a significant force in Democrats achieving Victory this November. With the support and partnership of leaders from New Jersey’s Muslim Community we will continue to move New Jersey forward and protect the values that matter most to hard working families across the State.”

“Jon Corzine recognizes that American Muslims are an important part of the fabric of New Jersey –he stands for the issues that we believe – from educational opportunities for our children to quality healthcare to support for seniors to protecting and assisting the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Freeholder Bilal Beasley (D-Essex). “We must do all we can to re-elect Governor Corzine who shares our values and has fought to protect the issues that matter most to our community.”

Governor Corzine was endorsed by the current Committee of Elected Muslim Officials including: Freeholder Bilal Beasley, Essex County; Mayor Wayne Smith, Irvington; Mayor Mohamed T. Khairullah, Prospect Park; Councilwoman Maha Kandis, Haledon; Councilman Clinton Higgs, Lawnside; Councilman Terrence Love, Passaic; Councilman Aslon Goow, Paterson; Councilman Hassan Fahmy, Prospect Park; Council President Adnan Zakaria, Prospect Park; Councilman Mohammed Hameeduddin, Teaneck; Commissioner Mounir Almita, Haledon of Education; and Commissioner Salim Patel, Passaic Board of Education.

Former members of the Committee of Elected Muslim Officials and statewide leaders who also endorsed Governor Corzine include: Councilman Jimmy Small, East Orange; Councilman Khalil Kasht, Prospect Park; and Commissioner Dr. Fehmi Khairullah, Prospect Park Board of Education.

“New Jersey’s Muslim American Committee is proud to endorse Jon Corzine today – we are strong supporters of Democratic values which mirror what matters most for our community,” said Mayor Wayne Smith (D-Irvington). “Governor Corzine has brought health care coverage to nearly 100,000New Jersey children, he made paid family leave the law so that New Jerseyans now get paid while caring for a sick loved one or new baby and he has shored up the State’s safety net for the most needy residents of our state. By re-electing Governor Corzine we can ensure that the principles that matter to American Muslims and every New Jersey family are protected.”

Islam Day celebrated in Ohio

YOUNGSTOWN, OH–Muslims in Ohio celebrated the official Islamic Day in Ohio last Saturday. In 1987 the then Gov. Richard Celeste had declared second Saturday in October to recognize the state’s Muslim.

As part of the this recognition several events are held across the state include a conference. This year it was held in Dayton and focused on ways Muslims can serve the state by undertaking diverse projects such as helping at free clinics, food banks and shelters, said Dr. Khalid Iqbal, a Liberty pediatrician and president of the ICO.

“All over the U.S., the population of Muslims is increasing tremendously,” said Iqbal, adding that a main goal of the ICO and the Islamic day are to improve understanding and to enhance the image of Islam by the population at large.

The Islamic Society of Greater Youngstown also held an open house.

NC Muslims celebrate ‘Eid’ Festival

CARY, NC–Muslims in the Triangle area held a two day festival as part of the Eid celebrations. It was held at Cary’s Booth Amphitheatre.
More than 1,000 people turned out for the event.

There are an estimated 30,000 muslims around the triangle and festival organizers plan to continue sharing their culture for years to come.

“It’s a very large community,” NC Eid Festival Chairman Nadeem Iqbal told the NBC. “(It’s a) very open community and they definitely would like to be considered a part of the fabric of this society.”

A large number of non-Muslims also participated in the event.

Muslims and Mormons work together at Salt Lake U.

SALT LAKE CITY,UT–Muslim and Mormon youth in Salth Lake City are working together to fight hunger and to take on other projects, reports Mormon Times. Latter-day Saint and Muslim young adults tie quilts recently at the Salt Lake University Institute.

Mormons also worked with young women from Muslims United Against Hunger in a two-part project: a food drive and making quilts for Salt Lake area refugees.

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Houstonian Corner (V11-I43)

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Millions of Rupees Welfare Funds Lapse in India Every Year: AFMI needs to Become More Pro-Active in this: Justice M. S. A. Siddiqui at AFMI-Houston Annual Dinner

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Every year coinciding with the USA National Convention of the philanthropic charity organization the “American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin (AFMI)”, annual dinners are organized by various local chapter of AFMI.

This year AFMI-Houston did an excellent Ramadan Iftar-&-Dinner Party in Royal Center, where more than 300 persons in attendance. AFMI Houston also took the initiative and organized this last Friday October 09, 2009 the Annual Dinner of AFMI-Houston right after the 19th Annual Convention of AFMI held at West Lake, Ohio. This event at the Westin Oaks Galleria Hotel was co-sponsored by the Islamic Medical Association (IMA).

In attendance were the Keynote Speaker Honorable Justice M. S. A. Siddiqui, Chairman of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions in India; Honorable Sanjiv Arora, Consul General of India in Houston; Honorable M. J. Khan, City of Houston Councilman; Shaukat Khan, President AFMI National; Dr. Syed Azeemuddin, V.P. AFMI from Houston; Intesar Ahmed, Trustee AFMI & Editor Muslim Observer; Naseer Alam; Ayaz Quadri; and several prominent AFMI, IMA & Houston Community Members.

Honorable Sanjiv Arora admired the earnest work of AFMI in the field of education, especially in the light of goals set by Millennium Development Program for Education across the world particularly as determined by the Government of India for the Year 2015. “We have not yet got those goals materialized and the continuous hard work and dedication of AFMI in the field of education is much needed for India to achieve the vision. I want to have a most purposeful dialogue with the Office Bearers of AFMI to more the things forward,” added Mr. Arora.

Picture U “Our Christian Brethren have taken full benefits of the welfare schemes in India. In the field of education, HRD website of Government of India provides all the information about social sector programs, like health, education, literacy and high school learning. There is need for AFMI to tap into these and other resources and I can guide you all. Sadly every year about 14,000 Crore of Rupees lapse, since no one utilizes those resources,” informed Honorable Justice M. S. A. Siddiqui. He also cited the historical facts, which have resulted in the Muslims to be behind in various fields and asked for the need to have positive approach in resolving issues of Muslims and other minorities in India. “I have found everybody is willing to help, including BJP and RSS, who have invited me as Chief Guests at their events and have promised to assist in the educational programs of Muslims, by donating books, uniforms and other services.”

Intesar Ahmed made a slide presentation of philanthropic activities of AFMI in the fields of education, social uplift and disaster management in India. In their presentations, Shaukat Khan and Dr. Syed Azeemuddin encouraged everyone to participate with munificent donations in the educational programs of AFMI. Honorable M. J. Khan lauded the selfless work of AFMI. Program ended with Comedy Poetry by Ayaz Quadri and Malik Saeedi Sahab.

For more information on AFMI projects and activities, one can call: Shaukat Khan: 832-867-2522; Dr. Syed Azeemuddin: 281-561-9191; Intesar Ahmed: 713-933-5859; and Ayaz Quadri: 832-541-5678.

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VHP’s Communal Plans Checked In UP

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By Nilofar Suhrawardy, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS) India correspondent

NEW DELHI/FAIZABAD: Inciting communal fire over the controversial Ayodhya issue is no more as simple a game as it seemed earlier for extremist elements responsible for demolition of Babari Masjid (Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh) on December 6, 1992. Rather than remain a mute spectator to attempts made by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders to provoke communal tension in twin cities of Ayodhya-Faizabad, the local court and police have taken action against them. The police arrested Gyan Kesarwani, vice president of VHP’s area unit and Ashok Kumar Gupta, a local VHP leader active in Ayodhya and Faizabad on October 2. Over the last two years, during Dussehra and Durga Puja festival season, Kesarwani and other extremists were trying to create communal tension that may lead to communal riots in the sensitive area, Senior Superintendent of Police (Faizabad) RKS Rathore said.

“Last year and this year, during Ram Baraat, Ram Vivaah and Dusshera ceremonies they tried to create communal riot by keeping peaces of meat on the way of the passing procession,” Rathore said. In a bid to fuel Hindu-Muslim communal clashes, this time Kesarwani and Gupta incited some anti-social elements to attack a Muslim-dominated  locality. They attacked shops of minority community and communally abused them to create a riot type of situation, police sources said.

Investigating Officer O.P. Singh told the local Faizabad court that Kesarwani and Gupta were running a gang, which was involved in criminal activities particularly during the festival season. Additional District Judge R.S. Yadav ordered framing of charges under the Gangster Act against the two VHP leaders (October 8).

The Faizabad court’s decision together with the role of police in framing charges against VHP leaders certainly indicates that the authorities cannot be blamed for turning a blind eye to criminal and/or communal activities the Hindu extremists are engaged in. Besides, while extremist elements associated with saffron brigade are still hopeful of inciting communal passion across the country over the Ayodhya-issue, clearly it is no more an easy task for them. One, the common Hindus and Muslims seem to be in no mood to be taken for a ride and be incited towards communal violence, which only spell loss of lives and economic damage for them. Secondly, the local political leaders have finally accepted the reality that ignoring such moves and allowing communal fire to pick up would spell political loss for them in future elections. The political loss suffered by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the national parliamentary elections in 2009 and earlier in 2004, clearly signaled that the country did not want to see a repeat of Gujarat –carnage (2002) in any part of the country.

Amid this backdrop, it is not surprising that the VHP has this year decided to cancel “shila pujan” program, which was earlier scheduled to be held in the coming month to mark the 20th year of Ram temple movement. The three-day gathering of VHP activists was scheduled for November 9, 10 and 11. The decision to cancel the program was taken after a joint meeting of VHP chief Ashok Singhal and Mahant Gyan Das, the national convener of Dharam Rakcha Manch (religion defense forum), VHP’s local spokesman Sharad Sharma said (October 9). The program would be held a year later at a national level. It has been delayed, according to VHP media-in-charge Sharad Yadav, due to engagement of religious and party leaders in preparations for the Kumbha 2010, a major Hindu pilgrimage that takes place four times every twelve years, rotating among four locations: Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik.

The VHP had no option but to cancel its November “shila pujan” program. The administration had denied VHP the permission to hold the program, Rathore said.
Slapping of Gangsters Act against top VHP leaders certainly indicates that UP government has no inclination to let them incite communal violence over the Ayodhya-issue. The same is suggested by administration’s decision to refuse them permission for the much-awaited November program, also directed towards creating hype over Ayodhya-issue.

With the Uttar Pradesh government on guard against possible disturbances in the festival season, with Diwali on October 17, security has been stepped up in sensitive areas in Ayodhya. In addition, around 40 hi-tech cameras have been fixed at the sensitive site, according to UP Additional Director General of Police (law and order) A.K. Jain.

Clearly, with Chief Minister Mayawati, also Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief, heading the Uttar Pradesh government, VHP and other extremist elements cannot play with politico-communal fire here (UP) as they desire to. On her part, having swept to power in UP to form a single-party state government in 2007, Mayawati cannot take the risk of letting extremist elements weaken her base here. Even though her party has not performed as well as she expected in 2009 parliamentary elections, Mayawati is definitely in no mood to be pushed out of power from UP before she completes her five-year term. Besides, her priority is to ensure return of her party to power in UP in the next state-assembly elections. This explains the gradual but definite moves being taken against attempts made by extremist elements such as VHP to incite communal violence in sensitive parts of UP.

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What Lies Beneath the War in Afghanistan

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By Eric Margolis, Toronto Sun

[Eric Margolis is a columnist for The Toronto Sun. A veteran of many conflicts in the Middle East, Margolis recently was featured in a special appearance on Britains Sky News TV as the man who got it right in his predictions about the dangerous risks and entanglements the US would face in Iraq. His latest book is American Raj: Liberation or Domination?: Resolving the Conflict Between the West and the Muslim World]

Truth is war’s first casualty. The Afghan war’s biggest untruth is, “we’ve got to fight terrorists over there so we don’t have to fight them at home.”

Many North Americans still buy this lie because they believe the 9/11 attacks came directly from the Afghanistan-based al-Qaida and Taliban movements.

False. The 9/11 attacks were planned in Germany and Spain, and conducted mainly by U.S.-based Saudis to punish America for supporting Israel.

Taliban, a militant religious, anti-Communist movement of Pashtun tribesmen, was totally surprised by 9/11. Taliban received U.S. aid until May, 2001. The CIA was planning to use Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida to stir up Muslim Uighurs against Chinese rule, and Taliban against Russia’s Central Asian allies.

Al-Qaida only numbered 300 members. Most have been killed. A handful escaped to Pakistan. Only a few remain in Afghanistan. Yet President Barack Obama insists 68,000 or more U.S. troops must stay in Afghanistan to fight al-Qaida and prevent extremists from re-acquiring “terrorist training camps.”

This claim, like Saddam Hussein’s non-existent weapons of mass destruction, is a handy slogan to market war to the public. Today, half of Afghanistan is under Taliban control. Anti-American militants could more easily use Somalia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, North and West Africa, or Sudan. They don’t need remote Afghanistan. The 9/11 attacks were planned in apartments, not camps.

The United States should not be waging war on Taliban. However backwards and oafish its Pashtun tribesmen, they have no desire or interest in attacking America. Even less, Canada.

Taliban are the sons of the U.S.-backed mujahidin who defeated the Soviets in the 1980s. As I have been saying since 9/11, Taliban never was America’s enemy. Instead of invading Afghanistan in 2001, the U.S. should have paid Taliban to uproot al-Qaida.

The Pashtun tribes want to end foreign occupation and drive out the Afghan Communists, who now dominate the U.S.-installed Kabul regime. But the U.S. has blundered into a full-scale war not just with Taliban, but with most of Afghanistan’s fierce Pashtun tribes, who comprise over half the population.

Obama is wrestling with widening the war. After eight years of military operations costing $236 billion US, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan just warned of the threat of “failure,” a.k.a. defeat. Canada has so far wasted $16 billion Cdn. on the war. Western occupation forces will be doomed if the Afghan resistance ever gets modern anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles.

The U.S. is sinking ever deeper into the South Asian morass. Washington is trying to arm-twist Pakistan into being more obedient and widening the war against its own independent-minded Pashtun tribes — wrongly called “Taliban.”

Washington’s incredibly ham-handed efforts to use $7.5 billion US to bribe Pakistan’s feeble, corrupt government and army, take control of military promotions, and get a grip on Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, have Pakistan’s soldiers on the verge of revolt.

Obama has been under intense pressure from flag-waving Republicans, much of the media, and the hawkish national security establishment to expand the war. Israel’s supporters, including many Congressional Democrats, want to see the U.S. seize Pakistan’s nuclear arms and expand the Afghan war into Iran.

Obama should admit Taliban is not and never was a threat to the West; that the wildly exaggerated al-Qaida has been mostly eradicated; and that the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan is causing more damage to U.S. interests in the Muslim world — now 25% of all humanity — than Bin Laden and his few rag-tag allies. The bombing in Madrid and London, and conspiracy in Toronto, were all horribly wrongheaded protests by young Muslims against the Afghan war.

We are not going to change the way Afghans treat their women by waging war on them, or bring democracy through rigged elections.

I wish Obama would just declare victory in Afghanistan, withdraw western forces, and hand over security to a multi-national stabilization force from Muslim nations. Good presidents, like good generals, know when to retreat.

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