We need this now more than ever

A good way to lift our spirts with the events that have been happening these last few days.

This is the song "Peace Train" being performed by Cat Stevens (today known as Yusuf Islam). It really brings forth a feeling of hope.

Iran's young people

In this BBC radio interview, three Iranian college graduates speak out about the current situation in Iran, voicing their concern for women's rights and the Islamic Republic's restriction of internet access to the misguiding phrase "Islamic fascism" and Iran's image abroad.



It is the Iranian people who can help us the most in this current political stand-off with Iran. One of the Iranians interviewed even talks about the sanctions being imposed on Iran and how the government could care less about what it is doing to the economy, because in the end Khamenei's government is able to prop itself up with revenue earned from the country's vast oil exports.

Since a military option would most likely energize support for the Ahmadinejad and Khamenei, the US should openly invite as many Iranian students as possible to study here in American colleges. The Iranians in this video talk about the wonders of studying abroad and how much they enjoy meeting new people from other cultures.

The only solutions we seem to be hearing about to confront Iran in the US media are A) bomb their nuclear installations and start another war B) sit down and have a nice chat with the rulers of the bloody theocracy while their uranium centrifuges continue to spin and money is channeled from Tehran to terrorist causes across the globe, or C) ratchet up the sanctions, something that in the end is only hurting the Iranian economy, which has already been ravaged by Ahmadinejad's failure to fulfill his promises to the Iranian middle class (he sidestepped that in his rant on Tuesday). In regards to the three options above, I say let's go with "none of the above" and instead reach out to all Iranians who desire peace and freedom.

Iranians and Americans going to school together and working for a better tomorrow...that sounds like the best idea to me.

Al-Qaeda stands alone

AQ's deputy leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri has released a new videotape, and in it, he condemns the actions of Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas. Its clear now...AQ is getting desperate, and they are now forced to lash out at anyone...even grotesque regimes that have in the past been sympathetic to their cause. The article below the attack on Iran shows the measures Al-Qaeda needs to go to in order to continue their campaign of violence.

Al-Qaida blasts Iran for working with US

Al-Qaida marked the anniversary of the September 11 attacks Monday with an hour-and-a-half video message summarizing the state of jihad, or holy war, around the world and slamming Iran for collaborating with the United States.

In the short excerpts aired on the Arab satellite news channel Al-Jazeera, al-Qaida Number 2 Ayman al-Zawahri accused Iran working with US forces.

"The guardian of Muslims in Teheran is cooperating with the Americans in occupying Iraq and Afghanistan and recognizes the two hireling governments there," he said.

Zawahri also criticized the Shi'ites for not "issuing any fatwa (edict) inside or outside Iraq calling for jihad and carrying arms against the Crusader occupier in Iraq." In militant postings, "crusaders" is shorthand for US troops in Iraq.

Zawahri has been increasingly singling out Iran and Shi'ites in his messages, most recently in April, describing the "Persians" as the enemy of Arabs and complicit in the occupation of Iraq.

The latest video featured clips of al-Qaida operations in the various fronts around the world, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia, with prominent figures from the movement discoursing on their accomplishments over the year, Al-Jazeera said.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Pakistan...

From the Pakistan Dawn:

Teenage ‘suicide bomber’ held in Nowshera

NOWSHERA, Sept 8: Security personnel arrested on Monday a teenage boy they claimed was on a suicide mission and defused his explosives-lined vest. The boy was near a church in the Cantonment area when he was apprehended.

Officials said that 14-year-old boy, Mir Janan, was from Makeen area of South Waziristan.

During interrogation, the boy is said to have claimed that he belonged to Baitullah Mehsud’s Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.

According to officials, he said that he had been brought to the area by a man on a motorbike.

The Inter Service Public Relations said the bomber was about 17 to 18 years old and his target was a security convoy.

He was spotted by two junior cmmissioned officers, Subedar Mohammad Naeem Akhtar and Naib Subedar Mohammad Rafique, who got hold of him.

The ISPR said that the boy was wearing a suicide vest packed with 10 to 15 kilogrammes of explosives. The vest was defused by bomb disposal personnel.

It is learnt that the boy also carried a hand-grenade and he tried to use it by removing its safety pin, but he was prevented from doing so.

Later, bomb disposal personnel had tactfully persuaded the bomber to take off the vest.

Security agencies are on the lookout for accomplices of the young terrorist.

Uncle Ayman doesn't have much to say about this in his tape. You would think someone like Baitullah Mehsud (Pakistani Taliban chief, alleged assassin of Benazir Bhutto) would have many "brave" martyrs on hand instead of having to convince 14-year olds to blow themselves up amongst fellow Muslims. A similar case like this happened in Iraq last month, involving a 16-year old girl.

Make no mistake, although AQ takes a beating every time the world sees their true face (that they kill children and target Muslims more than any other group), they did score a tremendous victory with Musharraf's ouster. Zawahiri points to this in his tape, specifically.

Tribute to a great man

Yesterday marked two years since the death of "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin--a man who devoted his life to trying to make the world a better place for people and the animals we share it with. I look forward to his children, Bindi and Bob, leading the next generation down the same path.

May he forever rest in peace...and he can do so knowing that all of his supporters, family, and friends will always be here to keep his message alive.

Here's a good perspective remembering Steve, from his homeland of Australia.

Its true, it really does feel like his death was only yesterday...I remember I first heard of his death late at night, when it was still a day earlier here in the US. The news hit me very hard, and the next 24 hours felt as if they weren't really happening.

A great man, with a true passion and an amazing story.

Putin's little circle of comrades

Here is an excellent documentary entitled "Murder by Numbers in Putinland" that delves deeply into the Russia that is currently being run by Vladimir Putin and his KGB buddies. As Georgia smolders in the aftermath of the brutal Russian invasion and the scope of the violence is unveiled in the coming days and weeks, it is important to see just who these people are—people like Putin, his hand-picked successor Medvedev, and other, more shadowy figures. One might wonder if Medvedev, the current Russian President, is spending more time in his office feeding his fish while self-appointed Prime Minister Putin runs things. The violence in Georgia is only the latest in a disturbing chain of events that can be traced back to the Kremlin.

How nice it was that this violence (the Georgia fighting) started on the opening day of the Olympics, as if the event was not overshadowed enough by China’s repressive actions in Tibet and the emerging threat of ethnic separatists targeting the games.



This documentary was released on youtube just days before Russia decided to flex its military power in the world stage against its tiny southern neighbor, and primarily deals with the assassinations of high level Putin critics, including ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvenenko and journalist Ana Politkovskaya. Unfortunately, people have a tendency to die when they speak out against Putin and his close circle. The killings that took place in 2006, along with Russia’s attack on Georgia, its support for the most despotic regimes (such as Zimbabwe’s Mugabe and Khamenei’s Iran), and its belligerent, Cold-War style actions are plenty of reason to put the west on edge. When Russia threatens to respond to the missile defense plan the US and NATO are trying to put forth in Eastern Europe, should we take them a lot more seriously?

The documentary has five parts to it and can be viewed here, for those of you who would like to see more.

Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5


*More News*

It's about time we show some support for our allies outside of a few "strongly worded statements"...

From Al-Jazeera English:

US military to take aid to Georgia

George Bush, the United States president, has said he is sending US military aircraft and naval forces with humanitarian supplies to Georgia.

Speaking from the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington on Wednesday, Bush said: "Russia must keep its word and act to end this crisis."

He said: "The United States of America stands with the democratically- elected government of Georgia, [and] insists that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia be respected."

He also said he was sending Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, to Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, to show his support for the Georgian government.

Flanked by Rice and Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, Bush warned Moscow against breaking its pledge to halt its military action and announced that a US humanitarian aid flight was already on its way to Georgia.

'Unwavering support'

He said he had spoken to Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, and Mikheil Saakashvili, the Georgian president, amid a peace push by Paris, which holds the rotating European Union presidency.

This just might be the most beautiful country in the world

A couple weeks back, I wrote a post about the complex relationship between the United States and Iran. Needless to say, I am rather alarmed by the already strained tensions that have increased since then, which is the reason I decided to write this post.

The Iranian government has once again demonstrated its desire to create instability in the region with Tuesdays launch of several long-range missiles...including the Shahab 3, a ballistic missile capable of striking almost anywhere in the Middle East, and even southern Europe. However, as the West's standoff with Iran intensifies, I think it is important that people, especially Americans, get to see that Iran--as a country, people, and culture--is not evil, and that there are other options besides violent conflict. Personally, I believe that reaching out to the Iranian people and their amazing culture is the best option we have, as well as making sure that the democratic governments in Iraq and Afghanistan--Iran's most significant neighbors--flourish. I remember a broadcast of the Rush Limbaugh program one time, where the conservative host put together a parody song of the democrats. While I found that hilarious, since I am disgusted with "leaders" like Reid and Pelosi, he also went far enough to suggest that Iranians somehow hate the USA. Seeing that Iran is considered to be the largest state sponsor of terrorism, and routinely threatens Israel, it might not be hard to believe this. But fortunately for those of us who want to see a free Iran AND an absence of a third war in the region, there just might be hope.

First of all, look how beautiful these photos are. I have never had the honor of visiting Iran and experiencing what appears to be a breathtaking culture, but I certainly hope I do...perhaps in the not-so-distant future.



Azadi Tower, what a sight to see.



Before I began following events in the Middle East, I once believed Iran was a "desert". While some of it may be, this fresh fallen snow is just as beautiful as anything you might come across here in California--lake Tahoe--or my former home states, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.



There is something to remember here: as Iran's Revolutionary Guards continue to come up with more provocative antics to antagonize the west, and the United States and Israel draw up military plans of action to strike Iran, all sides should realize that the first things to be destroyed will not be Iran's brutal theocratic government...it will not be the state of Israel...it will not be the American way of life...and it will not be the forces of terrorism that has infested Iran's borders and exported their bloody ways to other countries. No, instead, the first thing to be destroyed will be Iran's most beautiful sights, places to visit, and welcoming people.

By the way, I hope that this article reflects the true nature of Iranians--that they are not sympathetic to the ways of their government, at least when it comes to having closer relations to the west

The friend of our enemy is our friend...the complex and ironic relationship between the United States, Iraq, and Iran

While writing this post, I was unable to get the lyrics to Bob Marley's renowned song One Love out of my head...it just seemed so fitting, yet so far off (Okay, I was actually playing it on my iTunes).

The position that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki and the Iraqi government are currently in is quite an interesting one. Just think, recently, on a trip to Iran, Maliki visited the tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini, while not long before that, he was over here in the United States visiting with the families of U.S. service members getting ready to deploy to an Iraq, something the Iranians are vehemently opposed to--and make clear on a daily basis. I often wonder to myself why this question is not asked more often. Sure, it does come up, but seriously, look at these two pictures below.


Here, PM Maliki is meeting with President Bush, with the flags of Iraq and the United States proudly displayed across from one another. The Iraqi government has reiterated its support for American troops to remain in Iraq to counter the insurgency, rebuild the country, and set it on the right path towards democracy. American currently has over 150,000 troops in Iraq, and even with an upcoming presidential election, that number is unlikely to be greatly reduced anytime soon (even if Big O becomes the next president, I think he'll even acknowledge the importance of staying in Iraq)...and this is at the request of a democratically elected government headed by the Islamic Da'wa Party, of which PM Maliki is a member of.

And who is one of Dawa's biggest supporters: Iran.



That is right--Iran. Here, you can see Maliki and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad holding hands in brotherly affection. I couldn't imagine that Ahmadinejad is not well aware of the fact that his Iraqi brother has stood by the side of President George W. Bush, whom Ahmadinejad routinely attacks, and vise-versa. Indeed, Iraq is in quite a precarious position between what the United States has labeled as "The Axis of Evil" and what the Revolutionaries in Iran have labeled as "The Great Satan".

On his recent trip to Iraq, Ahmadinejad stated that it was a good thing to see Iraq free of Saddam Hussein...okay, so who does he think removed Saddam Hussein? It certainly wasn't Muqtada Al-Sadr, or any other Iraqi nationalist figure with connections to Tehran. In fact, this is often tied into the debate over whether or not the United States should have gone into Iraq...some critics of President Bush believe he empowered the Iranians by removing Saddam Hussein, and there is no argument that Iran's influence in the region has grown without Saddam's regime on its western border. Yet for some reason, relations between the United States and Iran could not be at a lower point, never mind that both of them have benefited from the removal of Saddam's Hussein's regime in Iraq, as well as the ousting of the Taliban in Afghanistan, where the United States and Iran actually worked together! Much like the Government of Iraq, Afghan President Hamid Karzai is also a strong supporter of the positive influence he says is coming from Iran and the United States.

So here's what I am wondering. First off, why won't the American and Iranian government face the reality that is inconvenient when the two nations trade barbs, accusations, and threats at each other? Second, why can't Maliki and Karzai bring this issue up, whether they are walking down a red carpet outside the White House or at a receiving ceremony in Tehran? If Iran and the United States truly see Iraq and Afghanistan as strategic allies, then perhaps it is time they trust them to play a much needed role as mediator...a positive role at mediation amongst allies could be the difference between more violence, conflict and war, and a partnership that could prove to make the world a better place in the end.

The United States and Iran will not be able to settle their differences on their own...the leaders of both countries have gone out of their way to make it as difficult as possible, unfortunately. Just look at the recent breakdown of U.S.-Iranian talks on Iraqi security. However, this appeal I am making is to the allies of both countries. A mention of this at a press conference by Al-Maliki or Karzai (whether they be with Bush, the next U.S. President, Ahmadinejad, or Khamenei) would certainly put the issue to the forefront, because it is a reality that cannot be ignored while Iran and the United States battle it out on many fronts to achieve power on the world stage.

Iraqis rally around their soccer team

Iraqis are rallying around their soccer team after Iraq's victory against China. Even amidst futile attempts by terrorists and thugs to sabotage the happiness in Iraq, Iraqis are demonstrating just how strong they stand.

TIANJIN, China, June 14 (Reuters) - Iraq kept their 2010 World Cup hopes alive and buried those of China after Nashat Akram's second half goal gave them a 2-1 win in the third round of Asian qualifying on Saturday.

Emad Mohammed scored a first half equaliser for the Asian champions but it was Akram's 66th minute strike that ensured that Iraq would go into their final group match against Qatar in two weeks with a chance of progressing whatever the result of the Qataris match against Australia later on Saturday.

"The score does not tell the story, this was a difficult game for us especially after going a goal behind," Iraq coach Adnan Hamad told reporters.

"But we are very happy that we delivered on our promise to go back home with three points."

China, who needed to win to remain in the hunt for the second trip to the World Cup finals after 2002, had the best of the game, but after taking the lead in the first half through Zhou Haibin, wasted too many chances and will remain in the international wilderness until at least 2014.

Iraqis, enjoy your victory today in soccer...I hope you will enjoy your victory over the forces of terrorism even more, and we can only hope that will be soon.

By the way, here is yet another example of Al-Qaeda's growing desperation to cause chaos and break the will of the Iraqi people. Much thanks is to be owed to the brave policeman who is mentioned in the above link.

In order to achieve real peace, war may be necessary at times

I found a very interesting article on the "Daily Mirror", a Sri Lankan media outlet. The article is about the escalation in fighting between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, an insurgent group that is seeking the creation of an independent state and has employed many tactics that have been copied by other extremist organizations around the world. Anyway, there is a big debate in Sri Lanka and among the international community over whether or not a full-scale offensive by government forces to crush the rebel movement is the best option, or if a true peace agreement combined with aggressive diplomacy would be a better road to take. Well, the government and the LTTE have already made up their minds, and have engaged in fierce fighting in the north in recent weeks, along with the LTTE's continued use of bombings and ambushes. The thing is though, much of this was happening even when both sides had signed onto a peace treaty.

When I read it, I couldn't help but think of the debate here in the United States over foreign policy. How often do politicians exchange views over whether or not we should engage Iran and Syria, or demand we withdraw from Iraq even before the insurgency has been defeated. Perhaps the USA has more in common with a tiny island-nation in the Indian Ocean than we might think. The big difference though, is that Sri Lanka's leaders are debating the next step as the fighting rages in their own backyard. Imagine if our leaders were debating the war on terrorism while it was taking place on our homeland and American cities were under siege from mortar shelling, gunfire, and suicide bombers like Sri Lanka has been dealing with for decades.

In my opinion, war is sometimes necessary to succeed in making the world a safer place in the long run, although a complex war like the one in Sri Lanka might be more difficult to address. Decisions like removing Saddam Hussein and the Taliban from power and intervening in Bosnia are certainly critical to achieving peace. No matter how hot the debate gets, sitting back and allowing someone like Saddam Hussein to massacre his own people is far from achieving "peace", and withdrawing from Iraq early would be the same.

Diplomacy is the best option available if the two sides actually want peace. For example, conflicts like the one in Northern Ireland have been resolved by doing so. Israelis and Palestinians seem to want peace, and have been holding talks even as terror groups like Hamas do everything possible to sabotage them. In the end, that conflict will have to be resolved through dialogue, and I believe that both sides understand that given the horrendous suffering the 60-year conflict has caused.

At the same time, we cannot be nieve and live in a fantasy world. Proposals like the one being suggested by Pakistan's new Prime Minister to "engage" with the Taliban (yes, the same Taliban that has been gleefully massacring Pakistanis with nail bombs, assassinating the country's leaders, and setting it on a path of death and destruction) will only lead to failure.

Peace is a difficult road and there is no single solution to acheiving it.

The Israel factor

On Friday night, I had the opportunity to visit a Synagogue and meet with the Jewish community here in the East Bay. After observing the Shabbat service, we discussed current events and politics over coffee and pastries, which I must say was a very positive and enlightening experience. I talked about my fascination with current events, as well as my desire to see as much of the world as possible, and they happily discussed with me the values of their religion and how they feel about some of the events happening in the world today. In the end, I was able to think long and hard about Judaism, Israel and the perception regarding the faith and the Jewish state.

In recent weeks, I have been offering my commentary on several political blogs. Almost on a daily basis, I have traded arguments with numerous responders, many of whom speak strong criticism against Israel. Do not get me wrong, that is perfectly fine, seeing as I myself have disagreed with some of the tactics the Israelis use in their daily battles Hamas and Islamic Jihad gunmen. However, I will defend Israel's right to exist until the very end. I believe that Israel, as well as the Palestinians, are in a fight for survival against a force that is determined to destroy both of them. That of course, is political terrorism, an evil that all too often justifies its actions under the banner of Islam.

Here's how I reached that conclusion. Keep in mind, when I say this, I am not favoring the Israelis or the Palestinians, but I am instead concerned for both of them. Both sides have certainly made many mistakes in the conflict, which is now in its seventh decade. But the analysis does not focus on that, nor does it assign blame to either side.

My analysis of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

Today, both Israelis and Palestinians are dying because of Gaza's Hamas rulers, the smaller, violent factions that go along with them, and their supporters in Iran and Syria. We all remember Hamas' bloody takeover of the Gaza strip, in which hundreds of Palestinians were killed, a move which should have drawn condemnation from even the harshest critics of Israel. All the while, rockets continue to pound Israeli border towns and the threat of the terrorists resuming their "martyrdom operations" looms in light of the deadly Dimona bombing in central Israel earlier this month. Still, there are people who continue to blame Israel for the situation unfolding in the Middle East, even as terrorists continue to slaughter innocent Muslims across North Africa and central Asia, hundreds of miles away from the daily clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants. It's often said that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the primary reasons for sparking the war on terrorism, yet in reality it appears to be just another conflict between two sides the terrorists have taken advantage of (Iraq and Pakistan also come to mind here). Notice that terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (North Africa), the Taliban, and the Somali insurgency all embrace the same murderous ideology as Hamas while using similar tactics (suicide bombings, rocket attacks, kidnappings). The big difference though, is that there are no "Zionist forces" in those countries to provoke them. There are no Israeli settlements intruding on Arab land and no "occupation" in Algeria, yet that did not stop terrorists from murdering scores of innocent Muslims and leveling entire buildings in coordinated bombings, some of which surpassed any terror attack ever committed in Israel. All the while, Palestinian terrorists that buy into the same ideology as those murderers continue to use every effort available to sabotage the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. When Israel's leaders try to meet with the peace-seeking Palestinian leadership in the West Bank, the rockets start flying. By doing so, Hamas and its supporters are stating that they have no regard for the well being of Israel or the Palestinians they claim to be defending. After the events of last year, Israelis, Palestinians, Israel critics, and Israel supporters alike should all be able to put aside their differences and reach a similar conclusion.

So the point is that Israel does not seem to be the main culprit behind the violence we are seeing across the Muslim world, in my opinion anyway. Muslims have been hit the hardest since 9/11 in terms of terrorist attacks, far more than westerners as a matter of fact. To further prove that point, here is another example. Obviously, the Israeli-Palestinian crises goes back to the land dispute that started many years ago, just like the situation in Iraq between Sunni and Shia. However, as I pointed out, fuel is added to the fire when terrorists do everything they can to set off more violence. The conflict is exacerbated when rockets blast houses of innocent people and suicide bombers decimate Israeli Cafes in Tel Aviv or Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad.

As salafism and other brands of political terrorism sweep across North Africa and threaten southern Europe, even Jimmy Carter could see this coming if he would drop the whole "peace not apartheid" rhetoric and open up his eyes.

Year end review

My opinions on some of the things happening across the globe, here at home, and what the outlook will be in 2008:

Iraq: While the first part of 2007 was extremely violent (2007 saw several of the deadliest terror attacks of the Iraq war) things seem to be looking up in that country. I just read an article off of the AP about a New Year's celebration that took place in the capital. Most reports show that Iraqis are living peacefully in major Iraqi cities, including Ramadi, which at the beginning of the year was one of the most violence-plagued cities in the country, and Basra, which is now under the control of Iraqi security forces. If the plans implemented by General David Petraeus continue to work and the Iraqis continue to resist extremism the lull in violence should hold. However, it is of utmost importance that the Iraqi leaders reconcile this year. We should be taking advantage of the dramatic turn-around of events over there in order to ensure permanent success.

Global Warming: It looks like the ship has already left the dock on this one, I must admit. The hysterical Al Gore movement has succeeded in silencing those of us who dare suggest that global warming could be nothing more than a natrual cycle that has been happening for millions of years. TV shows, celebrities, and even school classrooms continue to pump out one-sided propaganda to uninformed individuals, and a growing movement has accepted the doomsday end of the world scenario put forth by Al and his followers. There is a good chance we will be hearing plenty of calls in '08 for crazy "solutions" to the "climate crisis". Suggestions that include things like dumping millions of tons of iron into the ocean and shooting rockets filled with ash into the atmosphere to simulate a volcanic eruption (like that's not going to have some unintended consequences).

Israel: 2007 was a safe year for the people of the Jewish State. While Palestinian infighting left hundreds dead in the Gaza strip and Hamas ended up taking control of that area, there was very little terrorist activity inside of Israel. Israeli security forces have managed to thwart the numerous attempts by Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aksa Martyrs brigade to carry out attacks in Israeli cities.

Pakistan: I don't really know what to say about the situation in Pakistan other than it looks like all hell is breaking loose over there. Riots continue, terrorism continues, and President Musharraf has been repeatedly attacked from all sides, including American politicians. 2008 is not looking good for that region unless the Oppostion, President Musharraf, and the international community can find a way to put aside their differences and agree that stability is the best thing for everyone, even if it means working with people you don't like. The image of President Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif shaking hands and pledging to work together to eradicate extremism would certainly send a strong message.

Afghanistan: 2007 was the deadliest year for all sides in Afghanistan, but things have appear to have quited down in recent weeks. The Taliban continues to attack on a daily basis, but the increased training of Afghan security forces has certainly weakened them. Also, reports are suggesting that Al-Qaeda and the Taliban are shifting their focus from Afghanistan to Pakistan in attempt to take advantage of the growing political power struggle over there.

Africa: As always, the world continues to forget about Africa. While a small contingent of peacekeepers has been deployed to Darfur to replace the AU forces there, violence is still continuing. Somalia is all but lost as mortarts rain down on civilian markets and an increasingly ferocious insurgency rules the streets. Rebel militia continue to terrorize the civilain population of lawless Eastern Congo and tensions are high in Kenya as the new year is welcomed in.

US politics: The Iowa caucuses are only a few days away and its completely up in the air as to who will take the lead, as far as I've been able to determine anyway. One thing's for sure, I've had enough of the angry rants and hate that comes out of Washington D.C. My suggestion for the folks in Pakistan can be applied to our own politicians as well.

Iran: Well, what's there to say about in Iran..."Peace in our time" comes to mind. After all, the NIE did release a poltiically driven hatchet peace...Sorry, I mean report, about Iran's nuclear ambitions. Iranian money continues to flow to Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad and centrifuges continue to spin in the Islamic Republic. There's still hope though, hope that the Iranian people can find a way to phase out this terrible regime with their desire for freedom and democracy, as the ongoing protests among the young people of that country continue to show.

Well, these are some of my opinions as we head into the new year. Let's see how we do in '08.

48 hours in this world

Reporting on the war on terror...well, there's been no let up in extremist terrorism all over the world these last couple of days.

*update* Algeria: Al-Qaeda in North Africa is claiming responsibility for two suicide truck bombings in the capital city of Algiers. One of the bombs targeted the UN headquarters, while the other exploded outside of a university and sheared through a bus carrying college students. The death toll is still unclear, but it appears to be 34, with a half dozen others still missing. At least 11 UN staffers are among the dead.

Iraq: Less than 24 hours after the Algiers attack, bomb-rigged cars in the southern Iraqi city of Amarah exploded within minutes of each other, killing 28 people and injuring scores more. While security has dramatically improved in Baghdad and Anbar province, analysts fear Al-Qaeda or Iranian-backed Shiite militias could try to carry out spectacular attacks in other less secure provinces.

Lebanon: A car bomb in the capital, Beirut, assassinated a Lebanese Army General and his driver. The General had overseen the bloody siege of a Palestinian refugee camp in the north, where Al-Qaeda allied militants battled the Lebanese Army for three months.

Israel: Palestinian militants fired off nearly two dozen rockets into southern Israel, some of which crashed into homes and wounded four Israelis. One woman was injured when a rocket hit a synagogue. This comes as Israeli forces continue to battle Islamic Jihad cells operating on the border.

Pakistan: Two suicide bombers attacked a security checkpoint in the SW city of Quetta. Five security officers were killed and 22 people were injured, including, civilians. The good news is that the Pakistani Army appears to have defeated radical Islamic fighters in the scenic Swatt Valley in the northwest and has taken control of the area.

Afghanistan: An IED blasted a civilian vehicle in the country's south, leaving six dead. This comes as British and Afghan forces routed the Taliban from the town of Musa Qala, where the terrorists had been in control for months.

India: A bomb planted on a rail line ripped through a train coach and killed five in the country's east. Numerous rebel groups as well as Islamic militants operate in the area, and its unclear who was responsible.

Somalia: Al-Qaeda linked Islamic militants shelled one of Mogadishu's biggest markets with mortars, leaving 12 dead and dozens injured. Separately, a gun battle between security forces and militants left five dead.

Conclusion: While our allies seem to have scored several victories recently, it looks like the terrorists are still active and are even going on the offensive in places like Somalia, including attacks on innocent civilians. Isolating Musharraf in Pakistan and angering the Israelis with this NIE report on Iran is definitely not helping. In addition, its pretty clear Al-Qaeda and other terrorists delight in the political deadlock here in the US between President Bush and the dem congress.

Sri Lanka: the long road from tragedy to peace

Imagine a conflict that combines the ferocious terrorist attacks seen daily in the Muslim World with the the ethnic cleansing that continues to reciprocate in Africa. In the last eighteen months, tensions have been simmering in Sri Lanka, a tiny island nation off the coast of India. Violent clashes have erupted between goverment forces and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, also known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE. Over the last 25 years, the conflict has killed well over 70,000 people. The rebel held north continues to be a hot spot with daily fighting. Just recently, violence flared when the two sides engaged one another. Some forty people are believed dead, although like so many other bloody conflicts, its nearly impossible for independent sources to verify the reports. Separately, a civilian passenger bus traveling through the countryside was hit by an IED believed to have been planted by rebels. Fifteen people died and dozens more injured. So far, all attempts at getting the factions to abide by a 2002 ceasefire have failed. Earlier this year, government forces moved in and recaptured the country's east, a region that had been controlled by the Tamil Tigers for years. Last year, the Tigers succeeded in carrying out their deadliest attack to date when a suicide truck bomber detonated his payload amidst a crowd of sailors and civilians and slaughtered well over 100 people. If the attack had been in Baghdad and resulted in the deaths of American soldiers, there would be no question you would be reading about it on the front page of the newspaper. But because Sri Lanka is nothing more than a third world island nation, its tragedy is largely ignored in the civilized world.

In an op-ed I recently put together, I brought up the Tamil Tigers use of suicide bombing. Why is this phenomanon so significant? Well, the Tigers are not Muslim, nor do they sacrifice themselves for a higher power. The LTTE leaders have a way of convincing their followers that the creation of an ethnic Tamil state is worth dying for. Over the last fifteen years, the LTTE has carried out more than 200 suicide attacks, more than any of the Palestinian groups that routinely attack targets inside of Israel. Believe it or not, the Tigers perfected the explosive belt that many Islamic terrorists use to conceal beneath their clothing. Last month, a female Tiger bomber was caught on camera blowing herself up in the office of a government minister. That attack preceded an even more devastating one. Hours later, a parcel bomb blasted a busy commercial district outside of the capital, Colombo.

In addition to the continuing terrorist attacks, the Tigers and even the government have been accused of ethnic massacres and carrying out attacks on civilians. Over 32,000 civilians are believed to have been killed in the conflict, a long with tens of thousands of government forces and rebels. There have been notable events in which the Tigers capture Sri Lankan security forces and execute them, although the group has at times pledged to abide by the Geneva Convention. They have also attacked minorities, such as Muslims, and even forcibly expelled them from the Jaffna Peninsula, where the LTTE runs its unrecognized Tamil Eelam de facto state. Aid workers have also come under attack in the war-torn country. Last year, seventeen aid workers were hacked to death with machetes and discovered several days later. Because of the increasing danger, humanitarian operations to bring aid to the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire have become increasingly difficult.

The Sri Lankan Civil War is just another example of a tragedy that seems to have no end in sight. Just like the other humanitarian crises throughout the world, it does not help that the vast majority of Americans know little about it or have no idea that a civil war is even taking place in Sri Lanka. The saddest thing is, from what I've seen anyway, is that it looks like a really beautiful country with lush jungles and a rich, blue coastline. If the Sri Lankans could reach a peace deal and work together to rebuild their country, it could probably make a great tourist destination for westerners seeking to relax and experience the nation's culture. Closing the chapter of civil war would be a great thing for the people of Sri Lanka who would love to just live in peaceful lives. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like either of the warring factions want to take any steps down the long road from tragedy to peace.

24 hours in this world

November 23rd-24th is an example of just how dangerous the world has become:

India: 16 people were killed in a series of bicycle bombs exploded outside of several courthouses in three northeastern towns. Indian intelligence fears terrorists are trying to spark a war between majority Hindus and Muslims.

Pakistan: Suicide car bombers killed as many as 35 people in the city of Rwalpindi, south of the capital Islamabad. Most of the casuaties were elite ISI specailists onboard a bus, while the other attacker hit a military checkpoint. Dozens more were wounded.

Afghanistan: A Taliban bomber killed 7 children and an Italian soldier working on a bridge in Kabul. Also, 7 Afghan police and an Australian soldier died in a fierce gunfight with Taliban militants.

Iraq: Twin blasts hit Baghdad and the northern city of Mosul. 28 people died in the attacks, the first of which hit a pet shop in Baghdad and is being blamed on Iranian-backed Shiite militiamen.

Lebanon: The Pro-Syrian president left office without a sucessor, forcing the army to send tens of thousands of soldiers onto the streets of Beirut. Many fear a power vacuum could re-ignite warring factions and throw the country back into civil war.

Congo: Renegade General Laurent Nkunda and his Tutsis rebels launched an attack on army positions in the lawless east. Local Congolese are reporting explosions, shelling, and machine gun firing raining down on the countryside. So far, the largely impotent UN force has been unable to reach the area.

Helping to make the world a better place

I have requested permission to enter a mosque in San Francisco, where I would like to get a chance to hear the Muslim community's feelings about some of the things happening in the world today. If all goes well, I could head over there on Monday. This outreach is part of an investigative journalism piece I have decided to put together. My goal is to get an understanding of where the country stands morally and politically over the next few weeks, with a plan of putting it all together in an op-ed I would like to submit to one of the local newspapers by the end of the year. In addition to the Muslim Community, I also plan on visiting the Israeli consulate in San Francisco and the offices of some anti-war and pro-troop movements like "World can't wait and "Move America forward". Each visit is sure to bring about some very different views and opinions, but that's what America is all about.