A periscope, is an optical device for conducting observations from a concealed or protected position. Simple periscopes consist of reflecting mirrors and/or prisms at opposite ends of a tube container. The reflecting surfaces are parallel to each other and at a 45° angle to the axis of the tube. The Navy attributes the invention of the periscope (1902) to Simon Lake and the perfection of the periscope to Sir Howard Grubb.
For all its innovations, USS Holland had at least one major flaw; lack of vision when submerged. The submarine had to broach the surface so the crew could look out through windows in the conning tower. Broaching deprived the Holland of one of the submarine’s greatest advantages – stealth. Lack of vision when submerged was eventually corrected when Simon Lake used prisms and lenses to develop the omniscope, forerunner of the periscope. Sir Howard Grubb, designer of astronomical instruments, developed the modern periscope that was first used in Holland-designed British Royal Navy submarines. For more than 50 years, the periscope was the submarine’s only visual aid until underwater television was installed aboard the nuclear powered submarine USS Nautilus.
Thomas Grubb (1800-1878) founded a telescope making firm in Dublin. Sir Howard Grubb’s father was noted for inventing and constructing machinery for printing. In the early 1830s, he made an observatory for his own use equipped with a 9-inch (23cm) telescope. Thomas Grubb’s youngest son Howard (1844-1931) joined the firm in 1865, under his hand the company gained a reputation for the first-class Grubb telescopes. During the First World War, demand was on Grubb’s factory to make gunsights and periscopes for the war effort and it was during those years that Grubb perfected the periscope’s design.
First application of the periscope to submarine warfare is usually credited to Simon Lake in 1902, although there is a report that an Italian, Triulzi, demonstrated such a device in 1901 calling it a cleptoscope.
A modern submarine periscope incorporates lenses for magnification and functions as a telescope. It typically employs prisms and total internal reflection instead of mirrors. It may have additional optical capabilities such as range finding and targeting. The mechanical systems of submarine periscopes are typically hydraulically powered and need to be quite sturdy to withstand the drag through water. The periscope chassis may also be used as a radio or radar antenna.
Resolution of the Fiqh Council of North America Adopted in its General Body Meeting held in Virginia on September 24-25, 2011
Like other faith communities in the US and elsewhere, we see no inherent conflict between the normative values of Islam and the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Contrary to erroneous perceptions and Islamophobic propaganda of political extremists from various backgrounds, the true and authentic teachings of Islam promote the sanctity of human life, dignity of all humans, and respect of human, civil and political rights. Islamic teachings uphold religious freedom and adherence to the same universal moral values which are accepted by the majority of people of all backgrounds and upon which the US Constitution was established and according to which the Bill of Rights was enunciated.
The Qur’an speaks explicitly about the imperative of just and peaceful co-existence, and the rights of legitimate self-defense against aggression and oppression that pose threats to freedom and security, provided that, a strict code of behavior is adhered to, including the protection of innocent non-combatants.
The foregoing values and teachings can be amply documented from the two primary sources of Islamic jurisprudence – the Qur’an and authentic Hadith. These values are rooted, not in political correctness or pretense, but on the universally accepted supreme objectives of Islamic Shari’ah, which is to protect religious liberty, life, reason, family and property of all. The Shari’ah, contrary to misrepresentations, is a comprehensive and broad guidance for all aspects of a Muslim’s life – spiritual, moral, social and legal. Secular legal systems in Western democracies generally share the same supreme objectives, and are generally compatible with Islamic Shari’ah.
Likewise, the core modern democratic systems are compatible with the Islamic principles of Shura – mutual consultation and co-determination of all social affairs at all levels and in all spheres, family, community, society, state and globally.
As a body of Islamic scholars, we the members of FCNA believe that it is false and misleading to suggest that there is a contradiction between being faithful Muslims committed to God (Allah) and being loyal American citizens. Islamic teachings require respect of the laws of the land where Muslims live as minorities, including the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, so long as there is no conflict with Muslims’ obligation for obedience to God. We do not see any such conflict with the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. The primacy of obedience to God is a commonly held position of many practicing Jews and Christians as well.
We believe further that as citizens of a free and democratic society, we have the same obligations and rights of all US citizens. We believe that right of dissent can only be exercised in a peaceful and lawful manner to advance the short and long term interests of our country.
The Fiqh Council of North America calls on all Muslim Americans and American citizens at large to engage in objective, peaceful and respectful dialogue at all levels and spheres of common social concerns. We call upon all Muslim Americans to be involved in solving pressing social problems, such as the challenge of poverty, discrimination, violence, health care and environmental protection. It is fully compatible with Islam for Muslims to integrate positively in the society of which they are equal citizens, without losing their identity as Muslims (just as Jews and Christians do not lose their religious identity in doing the same).
We believe that emphasis on dialogue and positive collaborative action is a far better approach than following the paths of those who thrive on hate mongering and fear propaganda. Anti-Islam, anti-Semitism and other similar forms of religious and/or political-based discrimination are all forms of racism unfit for civilized people and are betrayal of the true American as well as Islamic values. May the pursuit of peace, justice, love, compassion, human equality and fellowship prevail in the pluralistic mosaic that is the hallmark of our nation.
Uncle E’s “Evil Quad†Stopping Pakistan Spring
Houston TX–“We need a Naya Pakistan, a New Pakistanâ€. This was the theme of the presentation of former Member of Pakistani Parliament Marvi Memon, as she spoke in front of a large gathering of guests invited at the Junior League by the World Affairs Council and Shehzad Bashir. Ms. Memon talked about the relations between USA and Pakistan at an all-time low.
Marvi Memon served in the National Assembly of Pakistan from March 2008 to June 2011. She resigned from her party and parliament sighting the corruption and incompetence in those around her and frustration with the system. She has recently launched a movement for rights and is galvanizing Pakistani’s to reject old politics and embrace clean politics.
She aspired: “Pakistan Spring may not reach the 90% of the population living under Uncle E’s “Evil Quad†(feudal, bureaucrats, army, and religious extremists), but if each one of young people with access to social networks reaches out to at least 10 countrymen with no access, the message can become widespread.â€
In a recent article, Ms. Memon has written that we dream of a Pakistan where all provinces will be woven together, as one country by just equitable power and resource sharing, and respect for each others’ diversity. Where the principles of federation are practiced versus just stated. Where the provinces will come together because of the ethos of Pakistaniyat that is non-existent today; this ethos was built on ‘unity, faith, discipline’ and humanitarian values.
Where each district’s natural and human resources are recorded, projected, increased, harnessed for the district, for the province and then for Pakistan. Where development occurs as a result of the need for standardized services versus political influence. Where development works together with climate change challenges.
A Pakistan which will cater for the backwardness of certain geographical areas by intelligent use of quota systems bringing all of Pakistan at par within a stipulated timeframe.
Where there will be food security, energy security, and water security for all. Where the local government delivers clean water, sewerage lines, electricity, gas, schools, healthcare centers and all civic amenities at standardized quality and rates across Pakistan.
A Pakistan which will give the poor safety nets on merit, instead of making them beggars. Which will promote higher education, vocational training and provide a link between education and employment.
A Pakistan which will reduce external interference, protect its sovereignty and move out of the aid trappings into self-sufficiency. Which will identify the enemies of Pakistan and either neutralize them through negotiation or eliminate them through force. Which will enforce the writ of State, disallow private militia, extend crackdown on criminal gangs inside political parties, and be tough on separatist forces. Which will not allow its territory to be used for launching attacks on other countries, nor will it allow them to launch strikes inside its own territory by having better writ of State. Which will rid Pakistan of the foreign occupying neo-colonial forces fast.
A Pakistan which will make headway in resolving all outstanding neighboring disputes (including Kashmir) and spread peace within and without, with zero tolerance for double games. Which will promote the economic network of dependencies and encourage healthy bilateral economic ties with all strategic partners. Which will concentrate on resolving all disputes with its neighbours, so that economic efficiencies are eliminated, and more education, more health, and more trade become regional buzz words.
A Pakistan which will ensure that the military will be under Parliament. A military which will maintain nuclear deterrence and a respectable versus overbearing conventional force after the government has made progress towards resolving its outstanding disputes. Where the military will have all provinces equally represented, where its professionalism ensures a steel defense for Pakistan’s borders, and where its cuts ensure contribution to social indicators.
CAMDEN, NJ–Trinidad born Dr.Mustapha Khan was a popular medic in Camden who really struck a cord with the people in the area as a physician. He was honored last week when the street he used to walk down to his office was renamed Dr. Mustapha M. Khan Way in his honor.
Khan, who died in 2009 at 84, retired from his medical practice the previous year. He had spent 51 years practicing medicine in the city, taking all patients who came in and treating them even when he knew they might not be able to pay.
“He found his bliss, found his home in Camden, New Jersey, in this community,†said Khan’s son, Mustapha Jr. “He really savored being a man of the people, treating everyone who came through his doors.â€
“Whether it was a little kid with a runny nose, a teenager with a behavioral problem or some adult who needed help changing a tire outside, anything he could do, he was willing to do,†recalled Khan’s son Rasheed. “He didn’t care about the reward, didn’t care about the money or accolades. That’s the kind of person he was.â€
Over the years, Khan was offered chances to practice medicine with large health systems such as Cooper, West Jersey and Lourdes. He turned them all down to ensure that he could keep practicing medicine his way in Camden’s Parkside neighborhood and helping people in a city he didn’t want to abandon.
Khan also mentored children in the area and many of them are now themselves professionals in diverse fields.
Charolette Musilms, Christians hold interfaith meeting
CHAROLETTE,NC–Mecklenburg Ministries held its first interfaith prayer meeting, designed to promote greater understanding and common spiritual ground between Christians and Muslims. The Ministries’ youth council, along with Park Road Baptist and the Muslim American Society co-sponsored the event.
Imam John Ederer explained Muslim traditions of prayer, then invited those on hand to take part in or observe the Islamic sunset prayer.
The Revs. Amy and Russ Dean, Park Road’s pastors, discussed Christian prayer, then lead vespers.
Talking and praying together, “will be a much more productive way to spend the evening than arguing over political divisions or pointing a long finger of derision at people because they are different than us,†Russ Dean said in a prepared statement.
Ramy Ahmed wins award at Technon Conference
AUSTIN,TX–Ramy Ahmed, a graduate student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University, won a Best Paper/Presentation award at the 2011 Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) Technon Conference.
Ahmed’s award is among a select group of SRC-funded projects. Hoyos said Ahmed’s work has received excellent feedback in the past three years and has had SRC project reviews with one patent already filed by SRC member companies. They also have been invited to submit a full journal article for an IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I special issue coming up soon.
Ahmed received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in electronics and communications engineering from Cairo University (Egypt). He currently is working toward his Ph.D. in the Analog and Mixed-Signal Center, under Hoyos’ supervision. During the spring of 2008, Ahmed was an intern at Rice Nanoscale Systems Laboratory at Rice University, where he worked on non-autonomous chaotic oscillators and 60 GHz receivers. In 2011, Ahmed held a summer internship with the analog and mixed-signal group at QUALCOMM Inc. in San Diego, Calif.
Ahmed’s research interests include data converters and multistandard wireless receivers. He has co-authored more than 15 publications in peer-reviewed journals and conferences and has one patent filed under the SRC/GRC patent program. Since September 2009, Ahmed is listed in Marquis Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering and Who’s Who in America. He is a member of IEEE and the Phi Kappa Phi honor society.
Anti-Muslim fliers spark debate in San Diego
SAN DIEGO,CA–A religious organization’s campaign that focuses on passing out anti-Muslim literature to students is being criticized in San Diego.
The group passes out the fliers on public property just outside of the high schools. They have gone to Clairemont High School and Kearny High School, as well as other schools in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.
The fliers say as Islam grows “Muslims become increasingly more aggressive†and “We must defend students from being recruited and radicalized into Islam.â€
The fliers have sparked safety concerns for the Muslim community.
“We’re also concerned about the bullying that’s going on in public schools. So this is only going to spark the fire of ‘Islam-a-phobia,’ possible bullying of Muslim students,†said Edgar Hopida of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
DEARBORN– From September 30th to October 2nd, the National Leadership Conference took place in Dearborn as people from over 15 states came for this prestigious event. The conference was sponsored by the Arab American Institute and ACCESS. The main topic of discussion at the conference was the 2012 election, and how the election is going to affect Arab Immigrants, and Arab Americans Nationally. And there were workshops about many topics ranging from using social websites to Muslim’s advantage, to Islamophobia in America. The speakers for the Islamophobia workshop were Wajahat Ali, and Matt Duss. “Mosques are considered to be Trojan Horses that house radical Islamists and terrorists,†says Wajahat Ali. “That is why there is such a tremendous amount of uproar about the Islamic Center scheduled to be built a few blocks away from the Ground Zero site. It is because of the Islamophobes. Examples include Zuhdi Jasser, Waleed Faris, Bridget Gabriel, Nonie Darwish, and Wafa Sultan and so forth,†There was also a session politically about the election, and why it is important for Arabs to vote. “You can control the elections because it is just like shopping,†one of the primary speakers, Mark Brewer, said on Sunday said†You look at the price, and no one forces you to buy it because you are the only one who knows your own budget. YOU choose.â€
Detroit–October 8–One of the best ways to help the Muslim community is to provide useful services to the surrounding communities. And so the Huda clinic has been providing free health care to Detroit since 2004.
An audience of about 300 watched as several speakers including two congressman spoke at a Huda Fundraiser Saturday.
Mitchell Shamsuddin spoke early in the event, speaking about the blood sweat and tears that had gone into building Huda. Imam El-Amin of the Detroit Muslim Center welcomed everyone to the mosque which has served as a home for Huda.
There was a promotional video for Huda, showing people who had received free healthcare at the facility, including non-Muslims living close to Huda who praised the friendly and helpful medical services provided at Huda, with only a short wait-time to see a doctor.
Rep. Hanson Clarke and Rep. John Dingell were in attendance. Both of the congressmen expressed their appreciation for the great work of Huda. John Dingell said “thanks to the volunteer doctors, donors, and staff. Thanks to you all and Huda.†Dingell went on to speak about the importance of healthcare in the US, pointing out the great strides towards healthcare that has been fought for and built, since 2008. “Healthcare is a right, not a privilege,†he said.
“Your mission is a superb success, and vital, and its importance is increasing as the economy suffers.â€
Hanson Clarke was very emotional at the sight of the hundreds of people in the audience, representing all of the Muslim communities in America. The three major communities are African American, South Asian, and Arab, and all three groups were not only present but are actively participating in Huda’s work, serving as doctors and other volunteers, and management.
Rep. Clarke advocated early healthcare rather than last minute help in the emergency room.
He spoke very strongly against the past attacks on the Muslim community from, for example, Peter King. “How DARE they unfairly target Islam?†Clarke spoke very angrily about the conflation of the hunt for terror with prejudiced and biased rhetorical attacks on all Muslims.
Dr. Jukaku Tayeb said that at Huda the Muslim community is trying to “do our responsibility.†He quoted Qur`an as emphasizing the importance of giving to others without reminding them or giving them pain after helping them.
“This is a purification of ourselves and of our wealth,†he said. Also the work of Huda provided an opportunity to bring diverse communities together, including within the Muslim community, but also Huda serves as a bridge to other communities.
He pointed out the contributions of Huda’s directors, especially Eide Alawan, and of all of the volunteers and volunteer physicians–some of whom come to Huda regularly every week as if they are being paid, although they are not.
He expressed his hope that Huda would be open full time in the future.
Rami Nashashibi spoke, praising Huda as one of the fruits of Warith Deen Mohammad’s work, and Dr. Abed El-Mannan Alo also spoke.
Oct. 11 (Bloomberg) — Opponents of President Barack Obama’s $447 billion jobs plan blocked the measure in the Senate, with two Democrats joining Republicans to derail his prime proposal to help turn around the struggling economy.
The tally on the test vote wasn’t completed by early evening as the roll call remained open for Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, who was on her way back to Washington to vote in support of the plan. More than 40 senators voted against permitting debate on the measure, effectively shelving it.
The broad plan includes cuts in payroll taxes for workers and employers and provides new funding for roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called the measure a “lousy idea†that relies on proposals similar to 2009’s $825 billion stimulus, an effort he said that failed to work.
“If voting against another stimulus is the only way we can get Democrats in Washington to finally abandon this failed approach to job creation, then so be it,†said McConnell, a Kentucky Republican. Senate Democratic leaders last week revised the president’s initial proposal, partly to try to pick up more support within their party.
That scrapped Obama’s method of paying for the jobs plan, including higher taxes on families making more than $250,000 a year. Senate leaders substituted a 5.6 percent surtax on people making at least $1 million annually.
‘Tax Gimmicks’
Even so, Democratic Senators Jon Tester of Montana and Ben Nelson of Nebraska opposed the plan. “I can’t support tax gimmicks that do little to create jobs†and don’t address the need for a bipartisan deficit-cutting plan, Tester said in a statement.
Before the Senate voted, Majority Leader Harry Reid accused Republicans
— who are trying to take control of the Senate and White House in 2012
— of attempting to hamper the economy for political benefit. He said Republicans are opposing job-creation ideas they supported in previous years.
“Republicans oppose those ideas now because they have a proven track record of creating jobs, and Republicans think if the economy improves it might help President Obama,†said Reid, a Nevada Democrat. “So they root for the economy to fail, and oppose every effort to improve it.â€
Pressing Ahead
Obama vowed to press ahead and seek to get individual provisions of his plan passed by Congress.
“Tonight’s vote is by no means the end of this fight,†Obama said in a statement. As they vote on each component “members of Congress can either explain to their constituents why they’re against common-sense, bipartisan proposals to create jobs, or they can listen to the overwhelming majority of American people who are crying out for action.â€
The vote leaves Obama’s economic agenda in limbo because the political parties disagree about what should be done to lower the nation’s 9.1 percent unemployment rate, said Clint Stretch, managing principal of tax policy at Deloitte Tax LLP in Washington. Republicans seek permanent tax cuts and deregulation, while Obama and congressional Democrats want more federal spending and short-term tax reductions.
“The president’s jobs initiative is at the end of its legislative life
— not that it really had one,†Stretch said. He said the focus will likely shift away from jobs and toward the work of a congressional supercommittee that is tasked with cutting $1.5 billion from the federal deficit over 10 years.
Obama’s Plan
Obama proposes to create jobs by cutting payroll taxes for workers and employers by half, extending jobless benefits, providing aid to states for schools and emergency workers and boosting spending on public works projects such as roads and bridges. He also would provide tax breaks for employers to hire the unemployed.
The plan considered today would be financed by Senate Democratic leaders’ proposed surtax, which the U.S. Congressional Budget Office said would raise $453 billion.
Obama endorsed the leaders’ plan. He had proposed capping itemized deductions for individuals earning more than $200,000 a year and couples earning more than $250,000. He also proposed raising taxes on private equity firm managers, real estate investors and venture capitalists, and ending oil and gas subsidies.
‘Issues of Inequality’
The new method of offsetting the bill’s costs still ran into Democratic opposition. Senator James Webb, a Virginia Democrat, said he would vote to let debate start, but wouldn’t support the Senate jobs legislation as it was drafted. He said a tax on millionaires that is income-based fails to address real issues of inequality in the tax code. He said the best method to spread the tax burden would be to boost taxes on capital gains.
“The present proposal looks good at first glance; it sounds good on a TV bite, but in all respect to the people who put it forward, I do not believe it’s smart policy and it does not go where the real economic division lies in our country,†Webb said.
In the House, Obama’s plan also faces hurdles. Republicans who hold the majority oppose the tax increases, and party leaders there also have said it adds spending in many areas already bolstered in 2009’s economic stimulus measure.
House Republican leaders say some of Obama’s ideas, such as payroll tax cuts, are worth considering.
The Senate bill is S. 1660.
–With assistance from Margaret Talev in Washington. Editors: Joe Sobczyk, Ben Richardson
To contact the reporter on this story: Laura Litvan in Washington at llitvan@bloomberg.net
The Crime of Making Americans Aware of Their Own History
By William Blum
Is history getting too close for comfort for the fragile little American heart and mind? Their schools and their favorite media have done an excellent job of keeping them ignorant of what their favorite country has done to the rest of the world, but lately some discomforting points of view have managed to find their way into this well-defended American consciousness.
First, Congressman Ron Paul during a presidential debate last month expressed the belief that those who carried out the September 11 attack were retaliating for the many abuses perpetrated against Arab countries by the United States over the years. The audience booed him, loudly.
Then, popular-song icon Tony Bennett, in a radio interview, said the United States caused the 9/11 attacks because of its actions in the Persian Gulf, adding that President George W. Bush had told him in 2005 that the Iraq war was a mistake. Bennett of course came under some nasty fire. FOX News (September 24), carefully choosing its comments charmingly as usual, used words like “insaneâ€, “twisted mindâ€, and “absurditiesâ€. Bennett felt obliged to post a statement on Facebook saying that his experience in World War II had taught him that “war is the lowest form of human behavior.†He said there’s no excuse for terrorism, and he added, “I’m sorry if my statements suggested anything other than an expression of love for my country.†(NBC September 21)
Then came the Islamic cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen, who for some time had been blaming US foreign policy in the Middle East as the cause of anti-American hatred and terrorist acts. So we killed him.
Ron Paul and Tony Bennett can count themselves lucky.
What, then, is the basis of all this? What has the United States actually been doing in the Middle East in the recent past?
The shooting down of two Libyan planes in 1981 the bombing of Lebanon in 1983 and 1984 the bombing of Libya in 1986 the bombing and sinking of an Iranian ship in 1987 the shooting down of an Iranian passenger plane in 1988 the shooting down of two more Libyan planes in 1989 the massive bombing of the Iraqi people in 1991 the continuing bombings and draconian sanctions against Iraq for the next 12 years the bombing of Afghanistan and Sudan in 1998 the habitual support of Israel despite the routine devastation and torture it inflicts upon the Palestinian people the habitual condemnation of Palestinian resistance to this the abduction of “suspected terrorists†from Muslim countries, such as Malaysia, Pakistan, Lebanon and Albania, who were then taken to places like Egypt and Saudi Arabia, where they were tortured the large military and hi-tech presence in Islam’s holiest land, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere in the Persian Gulf region the support of numerous undemocratic, authoritarian Middle East governments from the Shah of Iran to Mubarak of Egypt to the Saudi royal family the invasion, bombing and occupation of Afghanistan, 2001 to the present, and Iraq, 2003 to the present the bombings and continuous firing of missiles to assassinate individuals in Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan, and Libya during the period of 2006-2011.
It can’t be repeated or emphasized enough. The biggest lie of the “war on terrorismâ€, although weakening, is that the targets of America’s attacks have an irrational hatred of the United States and its way of life, based on religious and cultural misunderstandings and envy. The large body of evidence to the contrary includes a 2004 report from the Defense Science Board, “a Federal advisory committee established to provide independent advice to the Secretary of Defense.†The report states:
“Muslims do not hate our freedom, but rather they hate our policies.
The overwhelming majority voice their objections to what they see as one-sided support in favor of Israel and against Palestinian rights, and the long-standing, even increasing, support for what Muslims collectively see as tyrannies, most notably Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan and the Gulf states. Thus, when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy.â€
The report concludes: “No public relations campaign can save America from flawed policies.†(Christian Science Monitor, November 29, 2004)
The Pentagon released the study after the New York Times ran a story about it on November 24, 2004. TheTimes reported that although the board’s report does not constitute official government policy, it captures “the essential themes of a debate that is now roiling not just the Defense Department but the entire United States government.â€
William Blum is the author of Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II, Rogue State: a guide to the World’s Only Super Power and West-Bloc Dissident: a Cold War Political Memoir.
ALLAH, ta, created all of us from a single soul and endowed all of us with special gifts and qualities that are unique to us individually. Each human being has the opportunity to make whatever we do the best.
But sometimes we forget about the special place ALLAH has placed us on. We sometimes look at the gifts of others and put them on a pedestal higher than the one ALLAH has placed us on. We will think someone is handsomer or prettier than we are. Or we might think they are smarter or have a more perfectly built body.
But ALLAH, Almighty has endowed each and every one of us with special gifts that are cause to celebrate.
This is why it is ludicrous to put other people on a pedestal higher than yours. Carry yourself in a confident manner. Hold your head high and look people in the eye as you talk to them. You are royalty. Don’t hold yourself back. Go forward and celebrate yourself with no fear. After all, no one you come in contact with is is better than you in the sight of Almighty ALLAH. You are the special creation of Almighty ALLAH. You come from the Ultimate Family…The family of ALLAH.
We should go through life with the feeling that every person and everything we come in contact with is there to serve us…because it is. I was recently in a clothing store returning some merchandise to be exchanged. The saleslady said there was no way that was going to happen because of some glitch. I told her that it certainly could happen because in this age of technology anything is possible. At this time, the manager came forward and entered a special code and the problem was solved.
Now if I had let the first lady’s pronouncement go, I would not have accomplished my goal. But with the attitude that everything and everyone was there to serve me, I was going to succeed. I was reminded of the truth of the saying, “the difference between success and failure is one more try. If you quit, you have surely failed. But if you continue, some way, somehow, you will succeed.
I am also reminded of the tenacity of the early band of Muslims who were fleeing persecution from the Meccan’s. With the enemy in pursuit of them, The Muslims sought refuge with an African Christian King on the advance instructions of the Prophet Muhammad, (as). The King Negus was about to give the Muslims up to their enemies, but being steadfast and full of faith, they quoted some Qur’an and softened the king’s heart and the Meccans’ were sent back empty handed.
Knowing your special place it should behoove you to take care of yourself. Take care of your body and mind. It is ALLAH’S gift to you. Eat sensibly and exercise regularly. ALLAH made a gift to you and it would be like a slap in the face to Him and a detriment to you if you just let it rot.
Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United States Adel al-Jubeir speaks to the media at the Mideast Peace Conference in Annapolis, in this November 27, 2007 file photo. The United States accused Iran on October 11, 2011 of backing a plot to kill al-Jubeir, escalating tensions with Tehran and stirring up a hornet’s nest in the Gulf, where Saudi Arabia and Iran have long jostled for power.
REUTERS/Jason Reed/Files
LONDON (Reuters) – You couldn’t make it up — or could you?
U.S. allegations that an Iranian spy outfit attempted to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington in a convoluted plot involving a U.S. informant posing as a member of a Mexican drug cartel seem bizarre to say the least.
Still, Washington says the drama justifies new international sanctions against Iran and Saudi Arabia’s former intelligence chief insists that “somebody in Iran†must pay the price.
“The burden of proof and the amount of evidence in the case is overwhelming and clearly shows official Iranian responsibility for this,†Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal said.
The potential consequences are dire in a tense region where the United States and Israel reserve the right to attack Iran to stop it acquiring a nuclear bomb, a goal Tehran disavows.
For starters, the row could throttle any slim chance of resuming negotiations to settle the nuclear dispute.
Saudi-Iranian acrimony has ratcheted up this year, especially since Saudi troops intervened to help Bahrain’s Sunni rulers crush protests led by the island’s Shi’ite majority and fomented, according to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, by Iran.
From across the Middle East’s Arab-Persian and Sunni-Shi’ite faultlines, Riyadh also accuses Tehran of inciting unrest among minority Shi’ites in its own oil-rich Eastern Province, and has often urged the United States in the past to attack Iran, according to diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks.
The plot suspects are Iranian-American Manssor Arbabsiar, 56, arrested on September 29 in New York, and Gholam Shakuri, said to be a member of Quds Force, the covert, operational arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. He is thought to be in Iran.
U.S. evidence rests mainly on Arbabsiar’s alleged confession that he had acted for men he thought were top Quds officials.
MOTIVE AND MEANS
Yet questions abound over the putative plot, not least the classic ones of motive and means. Many analysts are skeptical.
What could Iran hope to gain from an assassination that would have brought fierce retribution? Why try to recruit a hitman from a Mexican drug cartel instead of using its own?
On the other hand, why would the United States, even with a presidential election looming next year, go public with such accusations unless they were well founded, knowing the impact they could have on an already volatile Middle East?
“Killing the Saudi envoy in America has no benefit for Iran,†said independent Iranian analyst Saeed Leylaz. “Why should Iran create hostility when the region is boiling?
Dismissing the “very amateur scenario†as out of character, he said: “Iran might have conducted some political adventurism like denying the Holocaust, but an assassination attempt, particularly in America, is so un-Iranian.â€
It would certainly be a departure for Iran, although it has assassinated its own dissidents abroad since the 1979 Islamic revolution, and it has used Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon and Shi’ite militias in Iraq to further its own aims.
Decision-making in Tehran is murky and factional rivalry is rife. But the idea that rogue Quds elements could concoct such a momentous plot seems a stretch. That Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would authorize it seems more so.
“The United States would not blame the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) without substantial evidence,†argued U.S.-based global intelligence company Stratfor.
“However, this plot seems far-fetched considering the Iranian intelligence services’ usual methods of operation and the fact that its ramifications would involved substantial political risk,†it added.
Former CIA agent Robert Baer poured scorn on the reported Iranian conspiracy. “This stinks to holy hell,†he told Britain’s Guardian newspaper. “The Quds Force are very good. They don’t sit down with people they don’t know and make a plot. They use proxies and they are professional about it.â€
CONSEQUENCES UNCLEAR
How this lurid episode in the adversarial relationships between Iran, the United States and its Saudi ally will play out in a Middle East already in turmoil is not yet clear.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Ali Larijani, said the “fabricated allegations†were a U.S. bid to divert attention from Arab uprisings that Iran says were inspired by its own Islamic revolution which toppled the U.S.-backed Shah in 1979.
Tehran has watched in glee as popular revolts have ousted U.S. allies in Egypt and Tunisia, even if Islam has not been the overt driving force behind the surge of Arab unrest – it may have more in common with Iran’s own street protests against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election in 2009.
Iran, however, is disconcerted by the upheaval in Syria, its only solid Arab ally and overland link to Hezbollah.
The fall of President Bashar al-Assad would damage Iran’s “resistance†axis and perhaps strengthen Saudi Arabia and Turkey, its main Sunni rivals for influence in the Middle East.
Major General Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Quds Force, is already on a U.S. sanctions list for allegedly supporting Assad’s violent six-month-old crackdown on dissent.
Nevertheless, it seems doubtful that any of the protagonists would want to use the alleged Iranian plot as a pretext for all-out confrontation in a region the world depends on for oil.
Given that no one was hurt, Iran, the United States and Saudi Arabia may avert any violent fallout — although Washington clearly intends to push for further international punishment of Iran for its defiance of U.S. policy.
“More U.S. sanctions will be about the limit of it,†said Alastair Newton, a former senior British Foreign Office official and now senior political analyst for Japanese bank Nomura. “The U.S. case hardly looks solid, either, so let’s wait and see.â€
U.S. officials have themselves acknowledged that the details of the plot smack of a Hollywood script, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton jesting: “Nobody could make that up, right?â€
(Additional reporting by Parisa Hafezi in Tehran, Peter Apps and Dmitry Zhdannikov in London, and Washington/New York bureaux; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)
A view of the ruins at the ancient city of Leptis Magna in Al Khums, some 81 miles east of Tripoli, in this April 15, 2011 file photo. The coastal country of Libya has all the makings for a vibrant tourism business, they say: warm weather, beaches, antiquities and proximity to Europe – all factors that helped the industry thrive in neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia. If developed, tourism could eventually help dent Libya’s high jobless rate by creating work for tour guides, drivers, restaurant workers and hotel staff, as well as help it diversify its economy away from dependency on oil and gas.
REUTERS/Louafi Larbi/Files
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – A holiday in Libya may sound like an absurdity now, but many of the country’s tour operators and officials are already starting to predict a bright future for the travel industry once the dust of war settles.
The coastal country has all the makings for a vibrant tourism business, they say: warm weather, beaches, antiquities and proximity to Europe — all factors that helped the industry thrive in neighboring Egypt and Tunisia.
If developed, tourism could eventually help dent Libya’s high jobless rate by creating work for tour guides, drivers, restaurant workers and hotel staff, as well as help it diversify its economy away from dependency on oil and gas.
The fact that operators are thinking about resuming business at all — some predicted tourists would start arriving again within a year — testifies to the relative peace that has prevailed in Tripoli and other parts of Libya since the former rebels ousted Muammar Gaddafi’s forces from the capital in August.
One company, Sherwes Travel, already advertises a three-day, 295-euro tour of “post-war Libya†on its website, featuring visits to sites in Tripoli and to the Roman ruins of Leptis Magna. Employees admit it may be a bit optimistic.
“The tour was very popular, actually. But not now, not yet,†said Ibrahim Usta, the company’s self-described international customer assistant. He said while some potential visitors had been in touch, it was not yet possible to bring them to Libya.
“We have many inquiries right now, but the problem is mainly security and visas,†he said. “There’s no (visa) system in place and many embassies are not functioning.â€
Usta and others said tourism was languishing before the revolt because of apathy, incompetence, complex visa requirements, draconian police oversight and mercurial regulations under Gaddafi’s government.
Sabri Ellotai, manager of Sabri Tours and Travel, described bringing a group of Germans in 2009 only to have them turned away at the airport because they did not have an Arabic translation for their passports — a requirement he had never heard of before.
“I heard about it (the law) at the airport,†Ellotai said, shaking his head.
He and others said they hoped the country’s new rulers — currently represented by the interim National Transitional Council (NTC) — would be able to do more with the industry when the war is over.
NTC forces are still fighting to take over Gaddafi’s hometown of Sirte and a few other bastions of Gaddafi loyalists, which has impeded efforts to set up effective government nationwide and restart oil production.
Libya’s lucrative oil and gas industry made tourism less of a priority than in Egypt and Tunisia, where it was a major contributor of jobs and foreign revenues before the uprisings in those countries.
Libyan central bank official Ali Shnebesh estimated tourism could account for between 3 and 4 percent of the economy within five to ten years, depending on how much effort the country’s new government puts into it.
“It would decrease unemployment, since we have a lot of areas that are good for tourism,†he said. “It would put thousands of our people to work in these places in many sectors — telecommunications, transportation, hotels — everywhere.â€
It is difficult to tell how much tourism contributed to Libya’s economy before the revolt because it was not tracked as a separate industry in central bank records, but Shnebesh estimated it was below half a percent of gross domestic product.
That compares to Egypt, for instance, where officials said it accounted for over 11 percent before the revolt.
There is plenty of evidence of the lax oversight at the ancient Greek colony of Cyrene, which was featured in the chronicler Herodotus’s “The Histories†and is now a UNESCO world heritage site, in the eastern Jebel al-Akhdar region.
The site is overgrown with weeds and graffiti etched onto one of its old columns. A renovation crew of Italians, Americans and French fled after the uprising started, guards there said.
Jamal Salem, 50, sitting in the afternoon sun outside a souvenir shop filled with woven baskets, photographs and ceramic statues still on display, said there weren’t many visitors even before the revolt.
“A lot of people think Libyans are terrorists, and so they’re afraid of coming here,†he said. “We hope the picture will become clearer now, and that things will get better.â€
Others lingering in the area of Cyrene said they also hoped the revolt would help stamp out what they saw as widespread corruption and regional favoritism in the industry.
“Before, companies had their headquarters in Tripoli. They brought the cars from Tripoli, they brought the translators from Tripoli, everything. Nobody here benefited from it at all,†Hussein Saleh, who volunteered to help guard Cyrene, said.
Others near Cyrene and other sites said they also hoped a new government would show more interest in preserving relics.
“We’re expecting a better future, and maybe more interest in renovating the antiquities,†said Muftah Mabrook, a 35-year-old researcher at the ancient Greek port of Apollonia, a picturesque collection of columns and other ruins set against the sea.
While such ambitions are running high, it’s too soon to say how the situation will turn out.
Tripoli’s atmospheric old city is slowly coming back to life as jewelry shops and cafes reopen up in its winding streets, for instance, but many alleys are still littered with bullet casings.
In some areas, young men with Kalashnikov assault rifles sit smoking and chatting on stoops or around street corners. They are friendly, for the most part, as they smile and wave at foreign passersby, but their presence is not likely to encourage most holidaymakers.
The relative lack of English and French language speakers, as well as the ban on alcohol, may also make it hard for Libya to compete on a large scale with Egypt and Tunisia even after the war is finished, some operators say.
But Usta, like many others, was confident the industry would eventually thrive.
“We have everything. We have the desert, we have the sea, we have mountains. We just need the right people in the right place.â€
With the government beginning to scrutinize a physician’s practice now more than ever, many physicians are starting to take a proactive role in understanding certain rules that have been implemented against them.
In January of 1992, Congress imposed and substantially changed the health care industry by introducing what is commonly referred to as the Stark law. Specifically, Stark law is comprised of Sections 1877 (42 U.S.C. §1395nn, applicable to Medicare) and 1903 (42 U.S.C. §1396b, applicable to Medicaid) of the Social Security Act.
Stark law governs physician self-referral for Medicare and Medicaid patients, and prohibits physicians from referring designated health services (DHS) to Medicare or Medicaid qualified patients to an entity where the physician, or an immediate family member of the physician, has a vested financial relationship.
Despite the unambiguous definitions, many physicians/hospitals have fallen prey to this law and have found themselves in substantial legal issues. For any physician, it is imperative for them to know and understand the basics of this law and what certain definitions mean; as the understanding of the simplest terms can help avoid potential litigation.
The following are the top three (3) definitions that many physicians often misunderstand: Please note, these definitions are not exclusive, and it is always strongly advised to consult with your attorney prior to any potential referrals that may fall under this rule.
1. Financial Relationship: An ownership or investment interest (through equity, debt or other means) in an entity; or a compensation arrangement between a physician, or immediate family member of a physician, and an entity.
2. DHS: The following are the type of services that are restricted under Stark: (i) clinical laboratory services, (ii) physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology services, (iii) radiology and certain other imaging services, (iv) radiation therapy services and supplies, (v) durable medical equipment and supplies, (vi) parenteral and enteral nutrients, equipment and supplies, (vii) prosthetics, orthotics, and prosthetic devices and supplies, (viii) home health services, (ix) outpatient prescription drugs, and (x) inpatient and outpatient hospital services.
3. Referral: Generally, a referral is considered a request by a physician for, or ordering of any DHS for which payment may can be made under Medicare Part B; in addition, it is a request by a physician to perform any DHS for which payment may be made under Medicare.
Despite these general terms, Stark law is a very complex rule that many physicians fail to take the interest in understanding. A physician who violates this rule is subject to the following penalties: denial of payment; required person would be required to refund amounts collected that were billed; and civil money penalty and being excluded from Medicare, Medicaid and other possible federal programs.
The above is simply an informative piece designed to help simplify certain terms under Stark law. Please consult with your own attorney to provide you with additional information that may be more specific to your situation and needs. Although the rule was implemented more than twenty-years ago, the government has recently begun to scrutinize the application of this rule.
Adil Daudi is an Attorney at Joseph, Kroll & Yagalla, P.C., focusing primarily on Asset Protection for Physicians, Physician Contracts, Estate Planning, Business Litigation, Corporate Formations, and Family Law. He can be contacted for any questions related to this article or other areas of law at adil@josephlaw.net or (517) 381-2663.
A passerby reads signs at the encampment in Boston, Massachusetts October 12, 2011. Occupy Boston is an extension of the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City.
REUTERS/Brian Snyder
As we gather together in solidarity to express a feeling of mass injustice we must not lose sight of what brought us together.
We write so that all people who feel wronged by the corporate forces of the world can know that we are your allies.
As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality that the future of the human race requires the cooperation of its members.
That our system must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their neighbors.
That a democratic government derives its just power from the people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the people, and the Earth, and that no true democracy is attainable when the process is determined by economic power.
We come to you at a time when corporations – which place profit over people, self-interest over justice, and oppression over equality – run our governments.
We have peaceably assembled here as is our right to let these facts be known.
They have taken our houses through an illegal foreclosure process, despite not having the original mortgage.
They have taken bailouts from taxpayers with impunity, and continue to give executives exorbitant bonuses.
They have perpetuated inequality and discrimination in workplaces based on age, the color of one’s skin, sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
They have poisoned the food supply through negligence, and undermined the farming system through monopolization.
They have profited off the torture, confinement, and cruel treatment of countless animals, and actively hide these practices.
They have continuously sought to strip employees of the right to negotiate for better pay and safer working conditions.
They have held students hostage with tens of thousands of dollars of debt on education, which is, itself, a human right.
They have consistently outsourced labor and used that outsourcing as leverage to cut worker’s health care and pay.
They have influenced the courts to achieve the same rights as people with none of the culpability or responsibility.
They have spent millions of dollars on legal teams, but look for ways to get them out of contracts in regards to health insurance.
They have sold our privacy as a commodity.
They have used the military and police force to prevent freedom of the press.
They have deliberately declined to recall faulty products, endangering lives in pursuit of profit.
They determine economic policy despite the catastrophic failures their policies have produced and continue to produce.
They have donated large sums of money to politicians, who are responsible for regulating them.
They continue to block alternate forms of energy to keep us dependent on oil.
They continue to block generic forms of medicine that could save people’s lives, or provide relief in order to protect investments that have already turned a substantial profit.
They have purposely covered up oil spills, accidents, faulty bookkeeping, and inactive ingredients in pursuit of profit.
They purposefully kept people misinformed and fearful through their control of the media.
They have accepted private contracts to murder prisoners, even when presented with serious doubts about their guilt.
They have perpetuated colonialism at home and abroad.
They have participated in the torture and murder of innocent civilians overseas.
They continue to create weapons of mass destruction in order to receive government contracts.
To the people of the world, We, the New York City general assembly occupying Wall Street in Liberty Square, urge you to assert your power.
Exercise your right to peaceably assemble, occupy public space, create a process to address the problems we face, and generate solutions accessible to everyone.
To all communities that take action and form groups in the spirit of direct democracy, we offer support, documentation, and all of the resources at our disposal.
Washington–The first post-“Revolution†election over this modern Punic realm on the twenty-third of this month is essential to the direction of the future of the Arab “Spring,†and whether a truly Islamic democratic form can be fulfilled over the region.
Your narrator takes his report from a panel, “The Jasmine Revolution and Tunisia’s Transition to Democracy†which was the first segment of the Center for Democracy and Islam (CISD), headquartered here in the District of Columbia (D.C.), Twelfth Annual Conference, “Tunisia and Egypt’s Revolution and Transitions to Democracy.â€
Radwan Masmoudi, president and founder of The CSID, began the proceedings by stating that the recent rebellions in Tunisia and Egypt “…have been [something we were] dreaming of for a long time.†The revolutions have changed the perceptions of Arabs in the West. What outsiders conceived to be stability was rotten to its core of corruption and repression. NATO’s allied Arab elite grew out of touch domestically, failing to address chronic social and economic problems. Now, it is important that these nations of the Middle East succeed! Whereas, “The whole region is going through…changes…a lot of work has to be done…,†too. Regarding the United States in particular, Dr. Masmoudi warned that now “…the United States must realize that change is coming, and they should not be afraid of change!†He suggests that this meeting recommend how the United States (and other international actors) can best support the spread of democracy in the Islamic world.
The panel of the middle of this April last consisted of Radwan Ziadeh, founder and director of the Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies (Syria) as moderator; with opening comments by Mohamed Salah Tekaya, the current Ambassador of Tunisia to the United States; Jaloul Ayed, Minister of Finance in Tunis; and, finally, Mondher Ben Ayed, a Tunisian businessman and a board member of the CSID chapter in the Tunisian capital.
Jaloul Ayed, Minister of Finance for Tunisia, asserted that, “We have a real opportunity…We can create a democratic political system free of corruption that truly respects human rights.†Minister Ayed said Tunisia’s Revolution was the first of the so-called Arab “Spring†because due to our previous history (and traditions).
Minister Ayed paid tribute to the “spontaneous, leaderless and party-less†Revolution. At the present, among the primary challenges facing the current transitional government preparing for elections are maintaining security and managing the expectations of the people. Although the security situation is improving, “the reality is, the government cannot meet the people’s demands immediately.†The transitional government is focusing on four main priorities: reducing unemployment, restoring economic growth, reducing regional disparities, and assisting Tunisians in need. With a population of 10 million, 600,000 are unemployed, with large numbers of recent graduates unable to find work, also.
Curiously, the country’s tourism and export sectors employ about one million workers and support 50 percent of the population, but both have been severely impacted by the Revolution.
The new government intends to create twenty thousand additional jobs in the public sector and to recruit an additional twenty thousand more into the military. We, further, anticipate a growing economy to absorb another twenty thousand workers in the private sector, yet it is “a drop in the bucket,†but, moreover, “a good start.†Their Program Hope, an expanding new project, will provide small cash stipends to recent graduates to help them enter the labor market.
To restore economic growth the Ministry of Finance is commencing major initiatives on infrastructure and finance reformation. “We need a serious reform of our entire financial system…. These problems developed over a long time and will require a long-term solution.â€
Efforts have begun to reduce regional disparities in microfinance projects and advice to small and medium-sized enterprises. Simultaneously, on the social front, the government is providing subsidies to families that have suffered financially since the Revolution.
The government is attempting to obtain the wealth with which the former President Ben Ali absconded. The Finance Minister attested that the process has been “complicated and technical,†so as not to disrupt viable companies or to destroy the banks. Real estate rightfully belonging to the State will go back to the government while stolen financial assets will go back to the banks.
The transitional government acknowledges it does not have a mandate to engage in major structural changes; therefore, it simultaneously wishes to prepare for the next (elected) government while meeting the current pressing demands of the people. “We believe that the spark that began in Tunisia will give us a tremendous responsibility to make sure that this transition becomes a successful one! Failure is totally unacceptable!â€
Your reporting author summarizes that Minister Jaloul Ayed acknowledges the necessity of stemming the institutional corruption of the past; there is a requirement for a wide-ranging political debate; also, to commit the Republic to development; and, thereby, the establishment of stability for foreign investment capital to thrive.
Mondher Ben Ayed, a Tunisian businessman and a board member of CSID-Tunis, opened his remarks with a review of the security situation. The army and the police are smaller than both internal and external threats demand. In actuality, “The army is…only 35,000 troops that are not even trained well or equipped.†Succinctly, external and internal securities are issues.
Mr. Ben Ayed gave the exact figures to which Jaloul Ayed only intimated in his assessment of the economic challenges ahead. The latter predicted that unemployed might rise to 700,000 before it starts to fall. To be exact, 350,000 persons are employed in the tourism industry. This will be a bad year for that sector! “Right now, foreign debt is up, foreign investment is down, and the budget deficit is exploding because of food and energy subsidies to the people…We have lost our trade with Libya…and the banking system is weak with lots of bad debts.â€
“We are facing major economic challenges,†but despite this gloom, Mr. Ben Ayed still remains optimistic. “Before the revolution, Tunisia had strong economic fundamentals,†a high literacy rate, equal status for women, and a strong middle class. Even with the massive corruption, the country experienced four years of 5-percent annual growth. “If we can take out corruption, we should be able to achieve 7 or 8 percent of growth per annum,†but “We need financial aid for a two-year transitional period, after which we will be fine.†The United States and Europe are essential to our “Revolution’s success.
“We have had more political change in the past…months than in the previous fifty years… all these changes have been made under existing civil law in an ad-hoc environment.†A new Election Commission and Code has been produced. The upcoming elections scheduled (for this month) will engender a new 200-member parliament that will, likewise, draft a new constitution.
We have experienced momentous political changes. After a new Constitution we shall proceed towards a Presidential election, and, thus, hopefully, will be “…solving our problems…â€
Finally, the convener of the Conference, Radwan Masoudi, noted that, while religion will continue to be a major force in the country (Tunisia is 98 percent Muslim with a long tradition of moderation), “…no one wants a theocratic state—everybody wants a democratic civil state that fully respects human rights and Islamic values and culture.â€
The challenge will be “to find a good balance between Islamic religious values and democratic values….I think Tunisia is well placed to develop…a moderate Islamic state.â€
A boy rides a bike along a road in Kabul October 12, 2011. REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail
Operation Enduring Freedom – the dreadfully misnamed ten-year US occupation of Afghanistan – has turned into Operation Enduring Misery.
The renowned military strategist, Maj. Gen. J.F.C Fuller, defined war’s true objective as achieving desired political results, not killing enemies.
But this is just what the US has been doing in Afghanistan. After ten years of war costing at least $450 billion, 1,600 dead and 15,000 seriously wounded soldiers, the US has achieved none of its strategic or political goals.
Each US soldier in Afghanistan costs $1 million per annum. CIA employs 80,000 mercenaries there, cost unknown. The US spends a staggering $20.2 billion alone annually air conditioning troop quarters in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The most damning assessment comes from the US-installed Afghan leader, Hamid Karzai: America’s war has been “ineffective, apart from causing civilian casualties.†Washington’s goal was a favorable political settlement producing a pacified Afghan state run by a regime totally responsive to US political, economic and strategic interests; a native sepoy army led by white officers; and US bases that threaten Iran, watch China, and control the energy-rich Caspian Basin.
All the claims made about fighting “terrorism and al-Qaida,†liberating Afghan women and bringing democracy are pro-war window dressing. CIA chief Leon Panetta admitted there were no more than 25-50 al-Qaida members in Afghanistan. Why are there 150,000 US and NATO troops there?
Washington’s real objective was clearly defined in 2007 by US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher: to “stabilize Afghanistan so it can become a conduit and hub between South and Central Asia – so energy can flow south.â€
The Turkmenistan-Afghan-Pakistan TAPI gas pipeline that the US has sought since 1998 is finally nearing completion. But whether it can operate in the face of sabotage remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, Washington has been unable to create a stable government in Kabul. The primary reason: ethnic politics. Over half the population is Pashtun (or Pathan), from whose ranks come Taliban. Tajik, Uzbek and Hazara minorities fiercely oppose the Pashtun. All three collaborated with the Soviet occupation from 1979-1989; today they collaborate with the US and NATO occupation.
Most of the Afghan army and police, on which the US spends $6 billion annually, are Tajiks and Uzbek, many members of the old Afghan Communist Party. To Pashtun, they are bitter enemies. In Afghanistan, the US has built its political house on ethnic quicksands.
Worse, US-run Afghanistan now produces 93% of the world’s most dangerous narcotic, heroin. Under Taliban, drug production virtually ended, according to the UN. Today, the Afghan drug business is booming.
The US tries to blame Taliban; but the real culprits are high government officials in Kabul and US-backed warlords.
A senior UN drug official recently asserted that Afghan heroin killed 10,000 people in NATO countries last year. And this does not include Russia, a primary destination for Afghan heroin.
So the United States is now the proud owner of the world’s leading narco-state and deeply involved with the Afghan Tajik drug mafia.
The US is bleeding billions in Afghanistan. Forty-four cents of every dollar spent by Washington is borrowed from China and Japan. While the US has wasted $1.283 trillion on the so-called “war on terror,†China has been busy buying up resources and making new friends and markets.
The ghost of Osama bin Laden must be smiling.
The US can’t afford this endless war against the fierce Pashtun people, renowned for making Afghanistan “the Graveyard of Empires.†But the imperial establishment in Washington wants to hold on to strategic Afghanistan, particularly the ex-Soviet air bases at Bagram and Kandahar. The US is building its biggest embassy in the world in Kabul, an $800 million fortress with 1,000 personnel, protected by a small army of mercenary gunmen. So much for withdrawal plans.
The stumbling, confused US war in Afghanistan has now lasted longer than the two world wars. The former US commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McCrystal, just said Washington’s view of that nation is “frighteningly simplistic.†That’s an understatement.
Facing the possibility of stalemate or even defeat in Afghanistan, Washington is trying to push India deeper into the conflict. This desperate ploy, and nurturing ethnic conflict, will ensure another decade of misery for Afghanistan.
Columnist and author Eric Margolis is a veteran of many conflicts in the Middle East, Margolis recently was featured in a special appearance on Britain’s 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 orDomination?: Resolving the Conflict Between the West and the Muslim World
He is an award-winning, internationally syndicated columnist. His articles appear in the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, Times of London, the Gulf Times, the Khaleej Times and other news sites in Asia.
ANN ARBOR, MI–Computationally generated cardiac biomarkers — morphologic variability (MV), symbolic mismatch (SM), and heart rate motifs (HRMs) — can accurately stratify the risk of cardiovascular death after acute coronary syndrome (ACS), according to a study published in the Sept. 28 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
Zeeshan Syed, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues investigated the utility and prognostic ability of MV, SM, and HRMs to stratify the risk of death after ACS. The biomarkers were derived from the continuous electrocardiographic data collected during the TIMI-DISPERSE2 clinical trial through machine learning and data mining methods. The biomarkers were tested in more than 4,500 participants of the Metabolic Efficiency with Ranolazine for Less Ischemia in Non-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 36 (MERLIN-TIMI36) clinical trial.
The investigators found that there was a robust correlation between all three computationally generated cardiac biomarkers and cardiovascular death over a two-year interval after ACS. The information derived from each biomarker was independent of the information in the other biomarkers, as well as the information provided by existing clinical risk scores, electrocardiographic metrics, and echocardiography. The model discrimination as well as precision and recall of prediction rules based on left ventricular ejection fraction significantly improved with the addition of MV, SM, and HRMs to existing metrics.
In preparation for Eid al-Adha, many in the community are eager to find out if the final date has been announced. ISNA follows the decision of the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) to determine the date for both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. In the case of Eid al-Adha, the Fiqh Council uses the date determined by the Hajj authorities in Makkah.
This date has only been tentatively calculated at this point for Sunday November 6, 2011.
The official date will be announced by the Hajj authorities, and followed by FCNA and ISNA, later this month. As soon as the Hajj authorities announce the official date, FCNA and ISNA will let the community know. ISNA will send an email announcement to every person on our mailing list and will also post it at the top of our website.
For more information, please refer to a statement released by FCNA earlier this week regarding the determination of the date of Eid al-Adha in the year 2011 (1432).
Boston Correspondent Karin Friedemann reports on growing “Occupy Boston†phenomenon
By Karin Friedemann, TMO
Since the end of September, hundreds of protesters under the banner “Occupy Boston†have set up camp in downtown Boston, Massachusetts to support the ongoing “Occupy Wall Street†protests in New York. Their demands are varied, but seem to be focused on unemployment, rising food prices, and the unfairness of billions of dollars of tax money being spent on useless wars and bank bailouts while the American dream of home ownership and “a chicken in every pot†steadily dies, as ordinary citizens lose their financial security.
Tents have filled up a public park while crowds chant slogans such as “Tax the Rich,†hold up hand made signs and fill the air with music and drumming. Celebrities have come to perform, and the homeless have been receiving free food and clothing. Compared to the scene in New York, Occupy Boston is enjoying a festive atmosphere despite the chilly weather, free of tension without any hint of police brutality. Various people drop by with donations of money, food, blankets and kind words, while the number of campers continues to grow.
The mayor of Boston, Thomas Menino and the governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick have decided that there will be no arrests of protesters and have in fact stated publicly that they support the right of citizens to express their opinions. The protesters have been told they are free to camp out as long as they choose.
Media criticism has focused on the cost upon taxpayers to pick up the garbage and provide the tent city with electricity. It is highly probable that the City of Boston has decided to avoid the bad press that comes along with police violence against angry mobs. It is also much cheaper to provide these very basic services to the protesters than to arrest and detain them and then pay for all of them to go to trial and provide them all with court-appointed lawyers. Furthermore, there might be some quiet agreement with the slogan “Tax the Rich†among many in the leadership, for this is one of the principles upon which the State of Massachusetts operates, as the only state in the US that provides free health insurance to the lower middle class.
Massachusetts is already well-known as the US state which takes the best care of its poorer citizens out of its wealthy tax base, providing government-subsidized child care starting from the age of one month, after school and summer programs for teens, nearly free sports programs, food and cash aid and reduced housing prices for the poor. Yet it is still not enough for everyone to feel secure. The working middle class is hardest hit by the economy since they do not qualify for most of these programs and often go into debt trying to provide for their families due to medical bills, childcare or the high price of gasoline.
Occupy Boston is not your usual group of punks and hippies with nothing else to do but complain. The movement has been joined by college students, nurses, pilots, and other workers. As I drove on the highway today past the electrical workers’ union I saw a fancy electrical sign reading “We the People Occupy Boston.â€
America’s largest labor union, the AFL-CIO with 11 million members has backed the growing movement, stating: “The Wall Street banks and the largest corporations refuse to pay their fair share of taxes while our infrastructure crumbles. They sit on record profits while the rest of the country suffers, and they still refuse to put people back to work.â€
The Boston Herald reports that many of the elderly are showing their support. A retired 71-year-old gentleman, who ran his own corporate headhunting firm, visited the tent village yesterday afternoon to advise the young people to focus on making clearer demands. “I’d like to see the group more focused on applying pressure to specific areas,†he stated.
Some feel it makes no sense using so much personal energy to speak out against such a vague term as “Corporate Greed†without actually naming names of bankers or lobbyists who should go to jail, for example, or demanding some specific reforms of the process of electing public officials. Specifically, Occupy Boston could use its voice to demand universal health care for all of Massachusetts, a measure that would even save the rich thousands of dollars a year. MassHealth is the best health insurance in America, with zero co-payments and even free replacements for broken eyeglasses. Preventing disease is so much less costly than treating it.
Occupy Boston is a unique and bizarre political situation, where banks and financial corporations have opened their doors to the hundreds of anti-bank anti-corporation protesters to let them use the toilet. The unrest seems to be good for local capitalism, since all these people have to eat. One of America’s leading pro-Israel advocates Rabbi Michael Lerner has been actively recruiting Jews to participate in the protests – perhaps to steer the conversation away from cutting US aid to Israel, which would be an obvious way to quickly make more money available to the masses of disgruntled Americans.
Even more contradictory are the conflicting views of the people involved. Right-wing Libertarian protesters demand an end to the credit-based economy and want to return to the Gold Standard, while the Leftists and Liberals simply want to steer more borrowed government money into improving and expanding welfare programs. But most are in agreement that jobs are more important than foreign wars and that the government needs to focus more on its citizens not the demands of corporate lobbyists.
Karin Friedemann is a Boston-based freelance writer
