Political Concepts

Views on the News – 16 Aug 2014

Headlines:

• Saudis Give $100 Million to U.N. Fight on ‘Terrorism’

• Amnesty Slams US over Civilian Deaths in Afghanistan

• A Chinese City Plans to Ban Muslim Clothing to Fight Terrorism


Saudis Give $100 Million to U.N. Fight on ‘Terrorism’

Increasingly worried about the spread of Islamist militant extremism reaching its own doorstep, Saudi Arabia donated $100 million to a fledgling United Nations counterterrorism agency on Wednesday and expressed hope that such an infusion — 10 times what the Saudis gave to help create the agency three years ago — would strengthen its abilities and set an example for other donor countries. The money was the second big contribution by Saudi Arabia to the United Nations in the past few months, largely in response to crises caused by the ascent of radical Sunni Islamist militancy in the Middle East. With its vast trove of petroleum wealth, Saudi Arabia’s Sunni monarchy has also provided grants and loans worth more than $1 billion to help strengthen Lebanon’s armed forces, which have recently battled ISIS fighters on the Syria-Lebanon border. The Saudis are also huge financial underwriters of Egypt’s new anti-Islamist government and have been somewhat silent about Jewish State’s war against Islamist militants in Gaza. At a ceremony in the 38th-floor offices of Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, top Saudi diplomats gave him the $100 million for the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Center, an agency that was first proposed by the Saudis’ King Abdullah in 2005 and formally inaugurated in 2011 with a $10 million contribution by Saudi Arabia. Mr. Ban expressed thanks for “this generous donation” and urged other United Nations members “to follow the example of Saudi Arabia by investing in the center’s efforts.” Adel bin Ahmed al-Jubeir, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, who attended the ceremony, said the money was meant to “help provide the tools, technologies and methods to confront and eliminate the threat of terrorism.” Later in a telephone interview, Mr. Jubeir described the initial $10 million contribution as “seed money” that had been meant to get the counterterrorism center started, and said there were no strings attached to how it uses the $100 million. The new Saudi donation to the center, Mr. Jubeir said, reflected King Abdullah’s effort to “make sure it becomes an effective player in countering terrorism around the world.” Outside scholars in Middle East politics said the Saudi donation was part of a broader effort by the Saudi monarchy to contain a problem that it has indirectly helped to create through the support of the armed Sunni opposition in Syria’s civil war. [Source: New York Times].

So the Saudi’s once more a spearheading efforts to fight Islam under the guise of terrorism. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَن يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ

“Have you seen those who claim to believe in the revelation revealed to you and the revelation revealed earlier? They seek the ruling of taghoot (non-Islam) although they have been ordered to disbelieve in it.”

(An-Nisa, 4:60)

Amnesty Slams US over Civilian Deaths in Afghanistan

The human rights group Amnesty International sharply rebuked the U.S. military justice system on Monday, saying it had failed to hold American soldiers accountable for “unlawful killings and other abuses,” giving Afghan victims little chance of seeing justice. Detailing its criticism in an extensive report titled “Left in the Dark,” Amnesty focused on civilian deaths caused by military operations in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2013 and said the “U.S. military’s investigative and prosecutorial practices fall far short of what is needed to ensure accountability for alleged crimes against civilians.” The report, based on interviews with 125 Afghan victims, their family members and eyewitnesses to the attacks, detailed 10 different incidents that ended with the deaths of at least 140 civilians, including at least 50 children. Among the incidents was a late-night raid on a home in February 2010 in Paktia province that left two pregnant women, two criminal justice officials and a teenage girl dead. “Thousands of Afghans have been killed or injured by U.S. forces since the invasion, but the victims and their families have little chance of redress. The U.S. military justice system almost always fails to hold its soldiers accountable for unlawful killings and other abuses,” said Richard Bennett, Amnesty International’s Asia Pacific Director. The report notes that over the last five years, there have been only six cases in which military members were prosecuted for unlawfully killing Afghan civilians. The most notable case is that of Army Sgt. Robert Bales, who admitted killing 16 Afghan civilians in 2012 and was sentenced to life in prison without parole last year. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), also implicated in the report, responded by saying that it “investigates all credible reports of civilian deaths and injuries when tactical circumstances allow,” adding that it “takes steps to minimize the risk to civilians during military operations.” NATO, which will end its combat mission in Afghanistan by the end of this year, added that there had been a “significant reduction” in civilian casualties as a result of its operations. [Source: Aljazeera]

The crusaders will not stop fighting and killing Muslims in Afghanistan until they have forcibly converted and subdued the Afghans. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

وَلَا يَزَالُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَرُدُّوكُمْ عَن دِينِكُمْ إِنِ اسْتَطَاعُوا

“And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able.”

(Al Baqara: 217)

A Chinese City Plans to Ban Muslim Clothing to Fight Terrorism

The city of Karamay in China’s turbulent Xinjiang region is currently hosting the 13th Xinjiang Sports Games. To keep the competition safe from terrorism, the city government announced an unusual safety measure: A ban on “abnormal” Muslim-associated clothing and hairstyles on public transport. Xinjiang is home to the Uighur people, a Muslim minority that has a tumultuous relationship with Beijing. Uighurs have long accused the Chinese government of trying to stamp out their cultural and religious practices, and Karamay’s announcement on August 4 banning so-called “five abnormal appearances,” which include headscarves and clothes with Muslim emblems like crescent moons, is just another example, they say. Twitter user @uponsnow shared a copy of the poster that accompanied the news: “Face veils, hijabs, burqas, outfits with crescent moon and stars and men with long beards — the above five types of people are forbidden on public transport. Outfits with crescent moon and stars are banned.” The ban is billed as a “temporary measure” for the Xinjiang Sports Games, but Charles Liu from Nanfang.com noted that it will likely become a long-term policy. As early as June 4 this year, authorities in Xinjiang began pressuring the public to stop wearing Muslim outfits because they’re “not normal”. Last month, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Xinjiang government even banned its civil servants from the religious practice of fasting. The news on the ban of the “five abnormal appearances” was highlighted in major news portals and on social media, sparking some extreme reactions. Many Chinese approved of the policy, with some even suggesting that the ban be extended all across the country. “This is the right way,” said one Weibo commentator on the page of the Chonqing Morning Post. “Religious practice should be restricted to temples. The public space should be secular.” Others demanded that Muslims “become secular” and praised the notion of an “iron fist” in dealing with Uighurs. But others questioned the effectiveness of the ban. “Sometimes I am also frightened by those Xinjiang people wearing black dresses,” said another Weibo user. “But long beards don’t mean anything and should not be connected with terrorists. If they are banned from public transport, the more traditional Xinjiangese will be frustrated.” Another commenter reminded people that even an ideologically-approved figure would be hurt by the ban: “Karl Marx also had long beard since he was young…” [Source: PRI]

The Chinese government is persistently undertaking measures to suppress the Muslims Xingjang only because of their Iman. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

وَمَا نَقَمُوا مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا أَن يُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّـهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ

“And they resented them not except because they believed in Allah , the Exalted in Might, the Praiseworthy.”

(Al Baruj: 8)