Showing posts with label Islamic world. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Islamic world. Show all posts

Friday, August 26, 2022

Homosexuality in the Islamic World | Al Muqaddimah

In this video, we’re gonna talk about homosexuality in the Islamic World. While today, the Islamic World and homosexuality don’t seem to go together, in the past, there was a rich tradition of homosexuality being expressed through stories and poetry. While it was never completely allowed, it did become an open secret. So, without further ado, let’s get to it.

Further reading and sources: Islamic:

Homosexualities by Stephen O. Murray and Will Roscoe
Before Homosexuality in the Arab-Islamic World by Khaled El-Rouayheb
Homoeroticism in Classical Arabic Literature by J. W. Wright and Everett K. Rowson
Homosexuality in the Middle East and North Africa by Vincenzo Patanè



The word 'Al Muqaddimah', or 'the introduction' (المقدمة), comes from the Arabic verb 'to inroduce' (يقدم) [he introduces].

The book referred to is usually 'Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun' (مقدّمة ابن خلدون), details of which can be found on Wikipedia
.

Monday, October 26, 2020

Anger Spreads in Islamic World after Macron's Backing for Muhammad Cartoons

THE GUARDIAN: Calls for boycott of French goods after president’s remarks at tribute to murdered teacher Samuel Paty

France has appealed for foreign governments to stamp out calls by what it calls a “radical minority” for a boycott of French products after Emmanuel Macron’s public backing of the Muhammad caricatures.

The appeal came as anger escalated across the Islamic world over the president’s remarks at a national tribute to the murdered high-school teacher Samuel Paty last week, with Turkish leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, calling on Monday for a complete boycott of French products in Turkey.

Paty, 47, was killed after he showed his class drawings of the prophet during a debate on free speech.

After Macron promised France would not “renounce the caricatures”, a furious riposte that emerged on Friday on social media under Arabic hashtags gained momentum over the weekend. » | Kim Willsher in Paris | Monday, October 26, 2020

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Ibrahim Al-Buleihi: Progress for Arab and Islamic World Can Only Come from Western Civilization


Saudi Shura Council Member Ibrahim Al-Buleihi: Progress for Arab and Islamic World Can Only Come from Western Civilization 
The Internet, Rotana Khalijiya TV (Saudi Arabia) - July 23, 2012


MERCATORNET: The castle of backwardness: A Saudi scholar laments his culture’s aversion to rational discourse. » | Ibrahim al-Buleihi | Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Thursday, October 18, 2012

How Many Muslim Women Martyrs Do We Need Before Muslim Leaders Speak Out?

TELEGRAPH – BLOGS – CRISTINA ODONE: A 20-year-old Afghan girl has been beheaded, by her in-laws, for refusing to become a prostitute. Her mother-in-law and and a hired man cut off Mah Gul's head in the province of Herat last week.

The horrific case has confirmed the plight of women and girls in Taliban-strongholds such as Herat: it comes in the wake of the Taliban's attack on 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai, who campaigned for girls' education in Pakistan.

Surely, enough is enough? How many women martyrs do Muslim leaders need before they speak out against such misogyny?

Human Rights Watch, in its report on Afghanistan, does not mince its words: "The situation for women’s rights is particularly bad, with threats and attacks by insurgents on women leaders, schoolgirls, and girls’ schools, and police arrests of women for 'moral crimes' such as running away from forced marriage or domestic violence." That report was published two years ago, but the situation has not improved in the intervening years: so far this year, 100 attacks on girls and women have been reported. » | Cristina Odone | Thursday, October 18, 2012

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

New Dark Age Alert! Islamic Leaders Slam Obama Defence of Freedom of Speech

TIMES LIVE: Muslim leaders demanded international action to stop religious insults in a challenge to US President Barack Obama’s defense of freedom of expression at the UN General Assembly.

Obama made a strong condemnation of “violence and intolerance” in his speech at the UN headquarters on Tuesday. He said world leaders had a duty to speak out against the deadly attacks on Americans in the past two weeks caused by an anti-Islam film made in the United States.

But Muslim kings and presidents and other heads of state said Western nations must clamp down on “Islamophobia” following the storm over the film which mocks the Prophet Mohammed.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, said the film was another “ugly face” of religious defamation.

Yudhoyono quoted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as saying that “everyone must observe morality and public order” and commented: “Freedom of expression is therefore not absolute.”

He called for “an international instrument to effectively prevent incitement to hostility or violence based on religions or beliefs.” King Abdullah II of Jordan, a close US ally, spoke out against the film and the violence it sparked.

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari condemned what he called the “incitement of hate” against Muslims and demanded United Nations action. » | Sapa-AFP | Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Islamic Protests Sweep Pakistan Over Anti-Mohammed Video and Cartoon

Protesters took to the streets of several Muslim countries as demonstrations gathered pace over a low-budget anti-Islamic video and cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed published by a French magazine.


Read the article here | Rob Crilly, in Islamabad and Devorah Lauter in Paris | Thursday, September 20, 2012

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Attacks on Embassies Spread in Wake of Anti-Islamic Film

THE GUARDIAN: British, German and US envoys targeted as riots erupt from north Africa to south-east Asia

A wave of anger that saw British, German and American embassies in Khartoum attacked by rioters swept across the Muslim world on Friday, with violent scenes playing out on streets from north Africa to south-east Asia.

The worst violence of the day was in the Sudanese capital, where protesters targeted the German embassy first, storming through the outer wall and setting fire to buildings and a car near the gates before they were pushed back by police firing teargas. German diplomats fled to the British embassy next door, which became the next target of the mob.

William Hague, the foreign secretary, said: "Sudanese police attended the scene, but demonstrators were able to break down a perimeter wall and cause minor damage to the compound. They did not attempt to gain access to the British embassy building." No staff had been harmed, he added. Reports said at least one of the rioters had been killed in clashes with police.

The US embassy in Khartoum, which appears to have been the next target, announced that protesters had been expelled from its compound.

Protests, mostly aimed at US embassies and galvanised by the emergence of a crude anti-Islam video made in California, were also reported in Iraq, Iran, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, Jerusalem and the West Bank, Kashmir, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Nigerian city of Jos. In Tunis, crowds of rioters throwing stones clashed with police outside the US embassy, who responded with teargas. A fire could be seen within the embassy compound and the American school in Tunis was also reported to be ablaze. Reports said two demonstrators had been killed. (+ video) » | Julian Borger | Friday, September 14, 2012

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Poll Finds Obama’s Approval Among Muslims Reaches New Lows

THE DAILY CALLER: A Pew Research survey released on Wednesday showed that President Barack Obama’s popularity has reached record lows among Muslims.

The Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes survey found the approval of Obama’s policies in Muslim-majority countries plummeted from an average 34 percent to 15 percent. In Pakistan, where Osama bin Laden was killed, approval is the lowest — coming in at 7 percent. Muslim attitudes toward America and confidence in Obama also decreased.

More than 26,000 people from 21 countries took part in the survey, taken between March 17 and April 20.

Obama’s worldwide approval has also declined significantly, especially with regards to foreign policy. And overall confidence in Obama and attitudes toward America have declined modestly. » | Meagan Clark | Thursday, June 14, 2012

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Elif Shafak: 'No Society Is Stagnant. The Islamic World Is Not Stagnant' – Video

THE GUARDIAN: Bestselling Turkish novelist Elif Shafak on multiculturalism, eastern stereotypes and the fallacy that democracy cannot work in the Middle East

To the video >>> David Shariatmadari, Elliot Smith and Christian Bennett | Monday, February 21, 2011

My comment:

This woman is talking BS! Total and utter BS at that! She conveniently omits the fact that Islam is the dominant religion in the East; and that this religion teaches its own superiority. Moreover, it teaches that Islam must prevail over all other religions, ways of life. "Stagnant" is not the word for these Islamic countries; "fossilized" would be a better, more appropriate word. – © Mark

This comment also appears here

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Christianity Under Siege in the Muslim World

View TIME photos here

Thursday, November 25, 2010

British Foreign Policy to Change Reflecting Arab Concerns on Middle East

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: British foreign policy will change to reflect Arab concerns over the Middle East peace process as part of the Coalition's efforts to seal a strategic agreement with the Gulf during the Queen's visit to the region.

That may mean yet further withdrawal of traditional British support for Israel, with criticism of its government already more marked under Mr Hague than it was under New Labour government.The Daily Telegraph


Whitehall officials said Foreign Secretary William Hague's decision to reach out to Gulf states in an effort to secure better diplomatic and trade ties meant Britain had to "take on board" Arab foreign policy goals.

Requesting better ties would be a two-way street, not just plea for more defence contracts and exports, they said.

"It will be a six lane highway with movement in both directions," said one diplomat. "We have to respond to what Gulf States want. If we want a long-term partnership on foreign policy, then changes in our stance have to be part of it."

The Queen arrived in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, at the start of a five-day visit that will also take in Oman.

Both countries are long-standing allies, where the royal family also has strong personal ties with local leaders. The United Arab Emirates end of the visit was rearranged after a planned tour last year was cancelled at the last minute.

The visit to Oman is to join the celebrations for the 40th anniversary of Sultan Qaboos's ascension to the throne.

But the visit has taken on a more significant, and unusually political context both with the change of government in Britain and increasing tensions with Iran a short distance away on the other side of the Gulf.

Mr Hague set improving relations with the Gulf and India as his first policy goals, and both David Cameron, the prime minister, and Liam Fox, the defence secretary, visited Abu Dhabi within a month of taking office. >>> Richard Spencer in Abu Dhabi and Damien McElroy | Wednesday, November 24, 2010

This sends out one BIG message: ISLAMIC TERRORISM PAYS! This is disgraceful! To turn our backs on Israel in its hour of need, when the Muslim world is out to destroy it is a craven act indeed. Shame on David Cameron! Shame on Nick Clegg! Shame on the British government! Shame on Whitehall! – © Mark

© Cassandra1963's comment on this development is really worth reading:
So this is the new coalition government in action is it?

Our relations with the Gulf states has always been close and friendly HOWEVER it seems that the UK must now cringe and crawl and change our foreign policies and strategic partnerships to suit islam? What price does the UK have to pay for this new arrangement?

Are we really that desperate for Arab cash that they can now summon our Queen to go barefoot and covered into their mosque and make our fake foreign secretary crawl and creep to beg for money?

The UK is being islamised at an alarming pace now and the coalition are at the centre of it, not for them the dignity and pride of HM governments of old, these Quislings just have to abase themselves and us.

Isnt it funny how WE have to note and address THEIR concerns and adapt OUR policies and alliances and interests to suit THEIRS? Look on this visit with shame and humiliation as our government crawls and creeps and cringes and gives in to demand after demand. The truth is that these states need us more than we need them, they need our support in the face of their own regional threats and we do not need to creep and crawl to them at all.

A friendship that requires one side to change its other alliances or friendships or strategic goals is no friendship at all, a friend that bullies and threatens and demands obedience from the other is not a friend at all. We are either an equal partner where we stand up for our own interests or we are a stooge lackey lickspittle unfit to have a seat at the UN top table. Trade? They either wish to trade with us or they do not, they have NO right to dictate to us about our foreign policies and alliances and how we must change to suit their prejudices and hatreds. If that is the price of a trade deal then they should really go buy their stuff from North Korea or Russia. What would they say to us if we demanded that they change their policies and goals to suit us? Yeah! they would rightly tell us to piss right off and no mistake!

What next? What other national humiliations are going to be heaped upon the the UK by this gang of Quislings? I just cannot bear the shame of what this gang of Quislings are doing to our once great nation. We look on the actions of this coalition and it is looking like the worst government we have ever had, these Quislings are in the pocket of the unelected shadow government, bought and paid for yesmen who have no honour and no shame and no morals and no patriotism in their souls.
– [Source: © Cassandra1963, commenting on The Daily Telegraph]
UKplc Goes A-grovelling!

MAIL ONLINE: Shoeless and wearing a beekeeper-style shawl and hat, the Queen walked across the world’s largest carpet last night as she met Islamic students in Abu Dhabi at the start of her five-day state visit to the Gulf.

No sooner had the Queen and Prince Philip stepped off their chartered British Airways flight from London than they were taken straight to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the country’s largest.

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The Queen in the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. Photograph: Mail Online

The floor of its main prayer hall is covered in a 35-ton carpet which took 1,200 Iranian women two years to stitch by hand.

In keeping with tradition, the Queen removed her shoes before entering and padded in in stockinged feet.

While other female members of the party wore a traditional 'abaya' or full-length cloak over their clothes and a 'sheela' or scarf, the Queen wore a gold brocade coat embroidered with Swarovski crystals over her matching dress, both designed by her dresser, Angela Kelly.

She tied a gold lame shawl over her pill box hat to cover her hair. Shoeless Queen dons 'beekeeper' hat as she visits Abu Dhabi mosque >>> Robert Hardman | Thursday, November 25, 2010

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Ffion* and William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, accompany the Queen. Photograph: Mail Online

*Liberated women everywhere will be proud of you, Ffion, I feel sure!

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Queen's Gulf visit: What the Gulf means to the UK today – The visit has taken on an unusually political flavour both with the change of government in Britain and increasing tensions with Iran a short distance away on the other side of the Gulf. >>> Richard Spencer in Abu Dhabi | Thursday, November 25, 2010

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Queen's Gulf visit: Britain and business in the United Arab Emirates – For most Britons today, thoughts of the United Arab Emirates conjure up images of gaudy hotels and beaches favoured by the new rich. >>> Richard Spencer | Thursday, November 25, 2010


SKY NEWS: Queen Visits Mosque On First Day Of UAE Trip >>> Angela Barnes, Sky News Online | Thursday, November 25, 2010

Saturday, June 12, 2010


Holy Hatred: Homosexuality in Muslim Countries

afrol NEWS: The majority of Muslim countries outlaw same-sex relationships. The seven countries in the world that carry the death penalty for persons presumed guilty of homosexual acts, justify this punishment with the Shari'a. Culture is not, however, always "against us and there are positive examples of same-sex relationships to be found in different Muslim cultures," she writes.

By Anissa Helie - I was born and raised in Algiers, of a French father and an Algerian mother. Having access to both cultures made me realize early on that racism as well as sexism were all-pervasive on both sides of the Mediterranean. It took me a few more years to come to the conclusion that homophobia was just as widespread.

Amnesty International counts at least 83 countries where homosexuality is explicitly condemned in the criminal code. Twenty-six of these are Muslim. This means that the majority of Muslim countries, including supposedly 'liberal' ones like Tunisia as well as dictatorships like Sudan, outlaw same-sex relationships. The seven countries in the world that carry the death penalty for persons presumed guilty of homosexual acts, justify this punishment with the Shari'a, or standard interpretation of Muslim jurisprudence. Though not always applied, the existence of the death penalty makes sexual minorities extremely vulnerable.

The state is not alone in practising repression. Communities and families have a part to play. In Indonesia, for example, homosexuality is not illegal. But in 1998 'Muslim militia' launched an anti-gay campaign on the island of Mindanao during which gay Muslims were terrorized, beaten up and ordered to leave or be castrated.

Jordan does not specifically outlaw homosexuality either. But that did not stop four Jordanians last year trying to kidnap their 23-year-old lesbian relative studying in the US, beating her and attempting to force her on to a plane bound for Jordan. The US police acted promptly and came to her rescue, but such an outcome tends to be the exception rather than the rule. Violence, harassment, persecution and extrajudicial or 'shame' killings are not uncommon. Sex and tradition >>> Anissa Helie, © afrol News | Undated

Monday, December 07, 2009

Turkey's Moves towards Iran Concerning United States

THE TELEGRAPH: Turkey's attempts to develop a strategic partnership with Iran are causing concern in America and are likely to dominate talks between its leader and President Barack Obama during a US visit that starts today.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is likely to discuss his country's strategic partnership with Iran during his US visit . Photograph: The Telegraph

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, has introduced a "good neighbours" foreign policy that has tilted the axis of Ankara's diplomacy in the direction of Iran, Russia and bordering states.

Turkish frustration with a series of setbacks for its bid to join the European Union triggered a search for a foreign policy that reflect its historical interests in the Middle East, Caucasus and Islamic world.

Foreign intelligence officials sounded an alarm over Turkish manoeuvring closer to Iran, which has undermined the international campaign to isolate the Islamic regime. In particular it has allowed key members of the Islamic regime to move large sums of money – up to $10 million per day – into the global financial system.

Turkey has become a prized outlet for Iranian transactions since a tight regime of sanctions cut off Iranian banks from international finance.

Turkey was one of a handful of countries that refused to support a reprimand imposed on Iran over its failure to declare secret nuclear facility last month. Iranian activists have complained that the regime's agents can operate with impunity in a country that was once a safe haven for those fleeing persecution. >>> Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Monday, December 07, 2009

Friday, September 18, 2009

The Gay Sons of Allah: Wave of Homophobia Sweeps the Muslim World

To identify anyone trying to use homosexuality as an excuse to get out of military service, army doctors ask to see photos or videos showing the recruits engaging in sex with a man. And they have to be in the "passive" role. In Turkey being in the active role is considered manly enough not to be proof of homosexuality.

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: In most Islamic countries, gay men and women are ostracized, persecuted and in some cases even murdered. Repressive regimes are often fanning the flames of hatred in a bid to outdo Islamists when it comes to spreading "moral panic."

Bearded men kidnapped him in the center of Baghdad, threw him into a dark hole, chained him down, urinated on him, and beat him with an iron pipe. But the worst moment for Hisham, 40, came on the fourth day of his ordeal when the kidnappers called his family. He was terrified they would tell his mother that he is gay and that this was the reason they had kidnapped him. If they did he would never be able to see his family again. The shame would be unbearable for them.

"Do what you want to me, but don't tell them," he screamed.

Instead of humiliating him in the eyes of his family, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of $50,000 (€33,000), a huge sum for the average Iraqi family. His parents had to go into debt and sell off all of their son's possessions in order to raise the money required to secure his freedom. Shortly after they received the ransom the kidnappers threw Hisham out of their car somewhere in the northern part of Baghdad. They decided not to shoot him and let him go. But they sent him on his way with a warning: "This is your last chance. If we ever see you again, we'll kill you."

That was four months ago. Hisham has since moved to Lebanon. He told his family that he had decided to flee the violence and terror in Baghdad and that he had found work in Beirut. Needless to say he didn't disclose the fact that he is unable to live in Iraq because of the death squads who are out hunting for "effeminate-looking" men.

In Baghdad a new series of murders began early this year, perpetrated against men suspected of being gay. Often they are raped, their genitals cut off, and their anuses sealed with glue. Their bodies are left at landfills or dumped in the streets. The non-profit organization Human Rights Watch, which has documented many of these crimes, has spoken of a systematic campaign of violence involving hundreds of murders.

Restoring 'Religious Morals'

A video clip showing men dancing with each other at a party in Baghdad in the summer of 2008 is thought to have triggered this string of kidnappings, rapes, and murders. Thousands of people have seen it on the Internet and on their cell phones. Islamic religious leaders began ranting about the growing presence of a "third sex" which American soldiers were said to have brought in with them. The followers of radical Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, in particular, felt the need to take action aimed at restoring "religious morals."

In their stronghold, the part of Baghdad known as Sadr City, black-clad militiamen patrol the streets, on the lookout for anyone whose "unmanly appearance" or behavior would make it possible to identify them as being homosexual. Often enough long hair, tight-fitting t-shirts and trousers, or a certain way of walking were a death sentence for the persons in question. But it's not just the Mahdi army who has been hunting down and killing gay men. Other groups such as Sunni militias close to al-Qaida and the Iraqi security services are also known to be involved.

Homosexuals in Iraq may be faced with an exceptionally dangerous situation but they are ostracized almost everywhere in the Muslim world. Gay rights organizations estimate that more than 100,000 gay men and women are currently being discriminated against and threatened in Muslim countries. Thousands of them commit suicide, end up in prison, or go into hiding.

Egypts Starts to Clamp Down

More than 30 Islamic countries have laws on the books that prohibit homosexuality and make it a criminal offense. In most cases punishment ranges from floggings to life imprisonment. In Mauritania, Bangladesh, Yemen, parts of Nigeria and Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Iran convicted homosexuals can also be sentenced to death. >>> Juliane von Mittelstaedt and Daniel Steinvorth | Thursday, September 17, 2009

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Obama to Address Muslims in Egypt

Obama, you are trying to brush off the differences between Muslims and Christians by stating that Muslims are “just like us”; they “simply have a different religion”.

Who are you trying to kid, Mr President? Whose eyes are you trying to pull the wool over?

It just so happens, Mr President, that the ‘religion’ of Islam is not only a proselytizing religion, but it is an expansive, belligerent religion, too – a 'religion' on a mission to take over the world! Because of weak politicians like you, Mr President, they are doing a pretty good job of it, too. And, Mr President, if you have forgotten, it happens to be the ‘religion’ which attacked the United States on 9/11! Have you forgotten that, Mr President? Or are you just conveniently forgetting it, perhaps because you don’t have the balls to deal with reality?

Instead of prancing and dancing and walzing and poncing around the world making excuses for your country, you’d be better off, and far more respected by the Muslim world, if you grew a backbone.
– ©Mark


BBC: US President Barack Obama will give a long-awaited speech on US relations with the Muslim world on a visit to Egypt, the White House has announced.

He will travel to Egypt on 4 June and a day later arrive in Germany for a visit to Dresden and the site of the Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald.

During his election campaign, Mr Obama promised to make a major speech on ties with Muslims early in his presidency.

Egypt arguably represented "the heart of the Arab world", a spokesman said.

In Turkey last month, the president declared that the US was not at war with Islam and he called for a greater partnership with the Muslim world.

Right from the start, Barack Obama has made clear he wants to rebuild relations with the Muslim and Arab world, the BBC's Jonathan Beale reports from Washington.

With so many events in so short a space of time, it is going to be a carefully choreographed trip, our correspondent says.

'Extending the hand'

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked if Egypt was an appropriate venue for the speech, given its poor record on human rights.

"The scope of the speech, the desire for the president to speak, is bigger than where the speech was going to be given or who's the leadership of the country where the speech is going to be given," he replied.

"This is a continuing effort of the president to engage the Muslim world," he added.

"All of this gives the president the opportunity hopefully to extend the hand to those that in many ways are like us but simply have a different religion." >>> Friday, May 8, 2009

Friday, March 13, 2009

Obama Talks to Indonesia, Saudi Leaders on Economy

THE WASHINGTON POST: WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama discussed the global economic crisis with his Indonesian counterpart on Friday and explained his commitment to forging better relations with the Islamic world, the White House said.

The U.S. president also discussed the economic crisis and the upcoming Group of 20 summit of developed and developing nations in phone calls with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines, the White House said in a statement.

In a wide-ranging conversation with Indonesian President Bambang Yudhoyono, Obama spoke of the need for close cooperation in confronting the economic crisis, it said.

"They agreed to advance our comprehensive partnership with a focus on issues, including education, health care, climate change and counterterrorism," the statement said.

"The two leaders also discussed regional and international issues, including the president's commitment to a new and different kind of relationship with Islamic communities around the world," it said. "They also discussed how to make progress on democracy and human rights in Burma."

Obama spent part of his childhood in Jakarta and attended school there. After a previous conversation, Yudhoyono told a local newspaper that Obama had greeted him in Indonesian. >>> Reuters | Friday, March 13, 2009

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – USA)
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Hardcover – USA)