Clipmarks | arifsali's 'war' clips

A Call to Action for Iraqi Civilians Lost in the misplaced War on Terror

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:22:06 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

US military forces are engaged in two major conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and participate in several more around the world in the Global War on Terror. All too often, no matter how careful the planning, civilians are hurt by bullets and bombs. What happens to them when the battle is over?

More often than not, they are left to try and pick up the pieces of their lives alone. Some have lost loved ones. Some no longer have a home. Others have been injured and can no longer provide for their families. They all deserve recognition and help.

Join us in asking our next president to support three important policies that will make a major difference in the lives of civilians living in war zones, current and future: [click here to read our three action points]

Sign this petition now and we’ll hand deliver it to the new Administration as they shape their policies in the first 100 days!

Tags: war, united states, iraq

What Will It Be Like to Have a Smart President?

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:22:28 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

The racists were present throughout the campaign and in the voting booth. But they are no longer the majority, and we will see their flame of hate fizzle out in our lifetime.

There was another important "first" last night. Never before in our history has an avowed anti-war candidate been elected president during a time of war. I hope President-elect Obama remembers that as he considers expanding the war in Afghanistan. The faith we now have will be lost if he forgets the main issue on which he beat his fellow Dems in the primaries and then a great war hero in the general election: The people of America are tired of war. Sick and tired. And their voice was loud and clear yesterday.

It's been an inexcusable 44 years since a Democrat running for president has received even just 51 percent of the vote.

Tags: america, war

'Coalition of the willing' shrinks as Japan calls off air mission in Iraq

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 04:55:12 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.dailystar.com.lb

Washington paints Tokyo's pullout as sign of 'progress'

TOKYO: Japan said Thursday it was ending an air mission in Iraq, wrapping up a military deployment which was historic for the pacifist nation but deeply unpopular among the public.

Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said Tokyo planned by the end of the year to bring back planes that flew goods and personnel into Iraq in support of the United Nations and US-led coalition.

The mission is Japan's last remaining military operation in Iraq after the country, which has been officially pacifist since defeat in World War II, ended a landmark ground deployment in 2006.

Tags: iraq, united states, japan, war

Can you find a single verse which specifically sanctions the use of violence

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:02:37 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: Interesting article, at the source

Clip Source: blogs.guardian.co.uk

One of the peculiar features of the recent rise in Islamophobia is the manner in which so many opponents of the Muslim faith try to pass themselves off as experts on the Qur'an. In the wake of the Channel 4 Dispatches programme, It shouldn't happen to a Muslim, which I commissioned for Channel 4, numerous critics on Comment is free and on the channel4.com viewers' forum tried to convince me that the Qur'an preaches violence, terror and holy war. In my experience, such critics tend not to have actually read the Qur'an in its entirety, let alone in its original Arabic script, and prefer to rely on a rather disingenuous combination of mistranslation and misquotation.

A few years ago, the prominent Canadian-Muslim scholar, Dr Jamal Badawi, offered a prize of $1 million to anyone who could find any verses in the Qur'an which referred to "holy war". The prize remains unclaimed, as the Arabic translation of "holy war" - "harb muqaddasah" - appears nowhere in the Quran.

Tags: quran, islam

Descent into Chaos: How the War Against Islamic Extremism Is Being Lost

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:37:32 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: Descent into Chaos: How the War Against Islamic Extremism Is Being Lost in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia by Ahmed Rashid

The Sunday Times review by Max Hastings: where the West has gone wrong in the war in Central Asia

Clip Source: entertainment.timesonline.co.uk

Ahmed Rashid, a Pakistani journalist of the highest narrative and analytical gifts, is baffled by the West’s almost demented indifference and folly towards Afghanistan and his own country. The stakes are huge. If either state fails, as is highly plausible, global stability will be rocked. The United Nations, Nato, the European Union and, of course, America will see their purposes and credibility set at naught.

Yet, as Rashid writes: “The international community’s lukewarm commitment to Afghanistan after 9/11 has been matched only by its incompetence, incoherence and conflicting strategies — all led by the United States.” Meanwhile, in Pakistan, Washington’s commitment, since 2001, to support President Pervez Musharraf’s military dictatorship rather than to promote the interests of the Pakistani people, “has created immense hatred for the US army and America, hatred that penetrates all classes of society”.

Tags: book, reviews

"Arab = Muslim = Terror = War"?

Thu, 22 May 2008 22:51:35 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: Via Eboo Patel's blog

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

Many people mistakenly assume that all Arabs are Muslims or that all Muslims are Arab. Neither of these assumptions are correct.

Worse yet, Arabs and Muslims are continuously and incorrectly associated with terror and war.

[Video]

Tags: arab, islam, muslims

Former President Carter To Be Tried For Peace Crimes

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 01:11:31 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.theonion.com

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND—An international peace-crimes tribunal commenced legal proceedings against former U.S. President Jimmy Carter for alleged crimes against inhumanity Monday.

"Jimmy Carter's political career includes a laundry list of anti-war-making offenses," said chief prosecutor Charles B. Simmons. "Carter's record of benevolence, diplomacy, and respect for human life is unrivaled in recent geopolitical history. For millions, the very sight of his face evokes memories of his administration's reign of tolerance."

The former president, whom Simmons described as "relentless in his naked pursuit of everlasting global peace," has been sought by peace-crimes officers in the international war-making community for decades.

Police apprehended Carter on July 25 in South Florida, where he was building low-income housing as a part of a Habitat For Humanity project. Shortly thereafter, he was extradited to Geneva, where he will be prosecuted for "grossly humane acts against all nations."

Tags: humor, politics

Silencing the drums of war

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:39:25 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: english.aljazeera.net

Imagine if Muslims, Jews and Christians decided to combat that noise with musical, cultural and religious harmony of their own? Perhaps the three Abrahamic faiths could drown out, and even silence, the war drums that seem to grow louder each day.

Such a strategy is being tested by performers of A Mystical Journey, a 2008 US tour that features dozens of Sufi musicians from across the Muslim world, including Pakistani rock superstar Salman Ahmed, Algerian chaoui (Berber) legend Houria Aïchi and the Dalahoo Sufi Ensemble from Iran.

Their concerts, which premiered in Canada, are spiritually uplifting tributes to the often ferocious joy and love that have long characterised mystical Islam's experience with the divine, and through it, humanity's potential for spiritual transcendence and renewal.

Tags: music, islam, spirituality, war, peace

Names of the Dead

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:40:52 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: Small news piece but significant.

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

The Department of Defense has identified 3,968 American service members who have died since the start of the Iraq war. It confirmed the death of the following American on Thursday:

PANIAGUA-MORALES, Jose A., 22, Cpl., Army; Bell Gardens, Calif.; Second Infantry Divi- sion.

Tags: war, dead, united states

Over one million Iraqis killed by war

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:21:15 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.opinion.co.uk

Further survey work undertaken by ORB, in association with its research partner IIACSS, confirms our earlier estimate that over 1,000,000 Iraqi citizens have died as a result of the conflict which started in 2003.

Following responses to ORB’s earlier work, which was based on survey work undertaken in primarily urban locations, we have conducted almost 600 additional interviews in rural communities. By and large the results are in line with the ‘urban results’ and we now estimate that the death toll between March 2003 and August 2007 is likely to have been of the order of 1,033,000. If one takes into account the margin of error associated with survey data of this nature then the estimated range is between 946,000 and 1,120,000.

Further information about the research, our calculations, questionnaire wording and data tables is available by clicking on the links below. Also available is an article providing background on IIACSS and its founding director Dr. Munqith Dagher.

Tags: iraq, death, war, united states

WW1 photos - unusual

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:24:01 GMT

clipped by: righthand

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

Senegalese soldiers have found billets in a shack

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

A group of Spahis, Algerian soldiers

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

North-African soldiers

In total the French colonies donated 587,000 soldiers to the warfare

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

Impetuous Algerians

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

Operating Room

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

Horse Shoe

ilitary smithy in the Netherlands

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

Austrian prisoners-of-war, Russia, 1915

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

On a handcar outside Petrozavodsk on the Murmansk railway, Russia, 1915.

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

Parade

The Australian Light Horse Brigade on parade in a Palestinian desert, 1918.

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

A soldier of the Australian Light Horse Brigade gathers anemones

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

Camel Ambulances

Another Palestine picture

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

A welcome stop for the Imperial Camel Corps

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

You can almost hear the sound of this French gun

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

French soldiers on bivouac near a shallow stream

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

Wounded Brother

Frères d'Armes, brothers in arms, is the text on this French postcard

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

Flying Pig

Anzac soldiers

loading a trench mortar

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

Heavy Fight

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

A German Feld Lazaret (field hospital)

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

One-handed

English prisoners-of-war at work

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

A Belgian woman is cooking for the soldiers during a pause in the fighting

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

Ambush

Clip Source: greatwar.nl

Spy

Tags: war, history, photos, ww1

A Jihad for Love

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 05:11:52 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.ajihadforlove.com

Fourteen centuries after the revelation of the holy Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Islam today is the world's second largest and fastest growing religion. Muslim gay filmmaker Parvez Sharma travels the many worlds of this dynamic faith discovering the stories of its most unlikely storytellers: lesbian and gay Muslims.

Filmed over 5 1/2 years, in 12 countries and 9 languages, "A Jihad for Love" comes from the heart of Islam. Looking beyond a hostile and war-torn present, this film seeks to reclaim the Islamic concept of a greater Jihad, which can mean 'an inner struggle' or 'to strive in the path of God'. In doing so the film and its remarkable subjects move beyond the narrow concept of 'Jihad' as holy war.

Parvez Sharma is blogging at http://www.ajihadforlove.blogspot.com

Tags: muslims, homosexuals, gay, religion

Polar Bears arrested for blocking the entrances to the Capitol

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 22:23:10 GMT

clipped by: arifsali
clipper's remarks: I know, they must have done something wrong.

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - About 60 peaceful demonstrators, including several dressed as polar bears, were arrested outside the U.S. Capitol on Monday protesting the Iraq war and global warming, authorities said.

"People are being arrested out here because you (Congress) are not doing your job," antiwar activist Ann Wright shouted into a bullhorn.

Demonstrators were arrested on charges of unlawful assembly and blocking entrances to the Capitol, which was ringed by members of the U.S. Capitol Police.

Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, a police spokeswoman, said, "We've had about 60 arrests." She said she had received no reports of violence.

About half a dozen demonstrators dressed in fluffy white outfits held a banner reading, "Polar bears for solutions to war and global warming."

Tags: united states, politics, war

A Discussion with the legendary anti-war activist Daniel Ellsberg

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:44:57 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: mwcnews.net

Some events in history seem to repeat themselves as time-modified replicas, if not exact copies. And there are chroniclers of those events – participants at times – who bestow an undisputed clarity in the analysis of many of these conflictive situations. Daniel Ellsberg has been such a person, participant and chronicler, on the Vietnam War; and a continuing participant for four decades in the effort to bring peace.

We could not think of a better candidate than Dr. Ellsberg to provide us with some insight on the present conflict in Iraq; the prospect of a war with Iran; and even some thoughts on US foreign policy – and the possibility of change.

Tags: anti-war, history

Israel labels Gaza 'enemy entity'

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:26:47 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: english.aljazeera.net

Israel's security cabinet has declared the Gaza Strip an "enemy entity", opening the way for cuts in fuel and other vital supplies to the territory.

Hamas issued a statement in response, saying that the security cabinet's announcement on Wednesday amounted to a "declaration of war".

Sand barriers have been built on some Gaza streets
in anticipation of Israeli raids [Reuters]

The office of Ehud Olmert, Israel's prime minister, said his security cabinet approved the "enemy entity" classification and there would be "limitations on imports to the Gaza Strip and a reduction in the supply of fuel and electricity".

Tags: israel, palestine, gaza, war, hamas, politics