Analysis, Side Feature

Views on the News – 10 July 2019

Headlines:

  • US Government Recruits Muslim ‘Scholar’
  • Imran Khan Sells Pakistan to the IMF
  • Germany says ‘No’ to America’s Syria Demands

US Government Recruits Muslim ‘Scholar’

US-born Islamic scholar, Hamza Yusuf, has faced criticism for his decision to be part of a 10-member panel chosen by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to examine the role of human rights in US foreign policy. Pompeo on Monday 9 July unveiled the “Commission on Unalienable Rights”, saying it was made up of human rights experts of “varied backgrounds and beliefs”, and that it has been tasked with reviewing “the role of human rights in American public policy”. Dr Usaama al Azami, a lecturer in Islamic Studies who studied at Princeton University in the US, said that Yusuf’s decision to work with the Trump administration was a “troubling development in Western Islam.” “For one of the West’s most recognisable and once almost universally esteemed Islamic scholars to throw in his lot with the most venal and Islamophobic administration in American history will be viewed by many Muslims as an unforgivable lapse in judgement which will not easily be forgotten,” Dr Usaama al Azami, a lecturer in Islamic Studies who studied at Princeton University told Middle East Eye.

 

Imran Khan Sells Pakistan to the IMF

Pakistan has committed to further increase the electricity tariff from next month (August) and is also bound to fully implement the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) 27-point action plan in three months as part of the $6 billion programme conditions, reveals an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report. The staff-level report further disclosed that against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s claim of imposing Rs516 billion taxes, the actual tax measures amounted to a record Rs733.5 billion. The report stated that since May 16, 2019, Pakistan had enforced “market-determined” exchange rate regime – a fact that the State Bank of Pakistan was shy to admit. It should be clear as Imran Khan reaches his first anniversary in power, that Naya Pakistan has been abandoned for much of old Pakistan where IMF interests are protected over the people.

 

Germany says ‘No’ to America’s Syria Demands

Germany has rejected America’s demands of German troops in Syria to replace the American troops. German Spokesman Steffan Seibert said Germany will continue to contribute to anti-ISIS operations, but that the framework of the coalition has always made clear that wouldn’t include German ground troops. German officials were quick to say that sending troops to Syria would almost certainly be illegal, given post-WW2 laws intended to limit Germany’s engaging in overseas adventures. The US is finding now that it cannot click its fingers and its allies come to its rescue, whether it’s Huwaei, America’s trade war or Iran, America is finding its allies more an obstacle than a partner in US global ambitions.