Moscow Ups the Ante in Poker Game with West
TIMESONLINE: For most of the week she had seemed to be presiding over yet another fiasco for American foreign policy, yet Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, looked surprisingly chirpy as she toasted Polish officials at the signing of a new defence deal in Warsaw on Thursday.

Her hosts provided a bottle of Georgian wine for a dinner with Radoslaw Sikorski, the Polish foreign minister, and Rice leapt at the opportunity to express solidarity with the victims of Russian aggression in the Caucasus.

Despite widespread criticism of America’s failure to curb Moscow’s advance and its apparent lack of options for a punitive response, Washington appeared quietly confident that Russia’s short-term gains in Georgia would turn into a long-term diplomatic headache for Moscow, which the US may be able to turn to its advantage.

“I don’t think this is a new cold war,” Rice declared after signing an agreement to deploy part of America’s long-range missile shield on Polish soil. “It’s a difficult time but I think we shouldn’t overstate the depth of the difficulties.”

Her confidence was based in part on the continuing refusal of Russia’s former communist neighbours to be cowed by the Georgian conflict - Poland, Ukraine and Georgia have all shown readiness to continue cooperating with the West - and partly on the US State Department’s assessment that long-term Russian economic interests will force Moscow to negotiate eventually.

Yet several US analysts warned that Moscow still holds the upper hand in any future diplomatic showdown. There may be no return to cold war-era nuclear threats of what used to be known as MAD - mutually assured destruction - but East-West relations seem certain to stay in cold storage for a time.

“The events of the past two weeks have been a disaster for US foreign policy,” declared Daniel Benjamin, a foreign policy expert at the Brookings Institution in Washington. “Russia’s invasion of its neighbour is a clear demonstration that the US-led effort to integrate postSoviet Russia into the West has failed.” Moscow Ups the Ante in Poker Game with West >>> By Tony Allen-Mills, New York | August 24, 2008

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the West, Mosco

Druck auf Moskau wächst
STUTTGARTER ZEITUNG ONLINE: Moskau/Tiflis/Washington/Berlin - Nach dem weitgehenden Rückzug des russischen Militärs aus dem Kerngebiet Georgiens ist ein internationaler Streit um Pufferzonen und Kontrollpunkte in der Krisenregion entbrannt. "Angesichts der angespannten Lage kommen wir nicht ohne eine Verstärkung der Friedenssoldaten aus", sagte Vize-Generalstabschef Anatoli Nogowizyn in Moskau. Die Bundesregierung verschärfte ihre Haltung gegenüber Moskau. Berlin äußerte am Samstag die Erwartung, dass Russland den Abzug jetzt "unverzüglich gemäß dem vom russischen Präsidenten Dmitri Medwedew mitunterzeichneten Sechs-Punkte-Plan vollendet und seine Truppen vereinbarungsgemäß auf die Linien vor Ausbruch der Feindseligkeiten zurückzieht".

Die USA forderten Russland zum sofortigen Abzug seiner Soldaten aus dem georgischen Kerngebiet auf. Georgiens Regionalminister Temuri Jakobaschwili nannte die Pufferzonen "Hirngespinste russischer Offiziere". Die in acht beziehungsweise 18 Kontrollposten um die abtrünnigen Gebiete Südossetien und Abchasien stationierten Soldaten sollen nach den Worten des Generalstabs in Moskau Sabotageakte verhindern und die Bevölkerung schützen. Das russische Parlament will zudem am Montag über eine mögliche Anerkennung der Unabhängigkeit der Separatistengebiete debattieren. Druck auf Moskau wächst >>> dpa | 24. August 2008

STUTTGARTER ZEITUNG ONLINE:
Streit um Pufferzonen >>> dpa | 23. August 2008

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Nicolas Sarkozy beruft EU-Sondergipfel ein
WELT ONLINE: Der französische Präsident Nicolas Sarkozy plant wegen der Georgien-Krise für den 1. September einen Sondergipfel der Europäischen Union. Frankreich, das derzeit den EU-Vorsitz führt, kommt damit den Forderungen mehrerer Mitgliedsstaaten nach. Bundeskanzlerin Merkel hat ihre Teilnahme bereits angekündigt.

Das Gipfeltreffen soll in Brüssel stattfinden. Dabei werde es um die „Zukunft der Beziehungen“ zwischen der EU und Russland sowie um Hilfen für Georgien gehen, teilte der Elysée-Palast mit.

Der amtierende EU-Ratspräsident Nicolas Sarkozy zog bereits kurz nach dem Ausbruch des Kriegs zwischen Russland und Georgien Anfang August einen Sondergipfel in Erwägung. Sarkozy kritisierte den Rückzug der russischen Streitkräfte zuletzt als nicht ausreichend.

Auch Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel (CDU) unterstützt das Vorhaben. Ein Regierungssprecher teilte in Berlin mit, Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel (CDU) werde an dem Gipfel teilnehmen. Nicolas Sarkozy beruft EU-Sondergipfel ein >>> | 24. August 2008

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Taleban Winning War, Says Zardari
BBC: The Pakistani Taleban have "the upper hand" and should be put on the list of banned organisations in Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari, has said.

He says the world and Pakistan are losing the war on terror.

"It is an insurgency", he said, "and an ideological war. It is our country and we will defend it.

"The world is losing the war. I think at the moment they (the Taleban) definitely have the upper hand.

"The issue, which is not just a bad case scenario as far as Pakistan is concerned or as Afghanistan is concerned but it is going to be spreading further. The whole world is going to be affected by it." Taleban Winning War, Says Zardari >>> By Owen Bennett-Jones, BBC News, Islamabad | August 24, 2008

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Margaret Thatcher Is Struggling with Dementia
Photo of Margaret Thatcher courtesy of Le Figaro
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Baroness Thatcher's daughter Carol has revealed details of her mother's struggle with dementia for the first time.

In her new book, Carol Thatcher tells of her pain at haveing to repeatedly break the "truly awful" news of her father Sir Denis' death to her mother until the information sank in.

In her book, A Swim-On Part in the Goldfish Bowl: A Memoir, she wrote how her mother's "blotting-paper brain" which had always absorbed information got confused between Bosnia and the Falklands during a conversation about the war in the former Yugoslavia.

She wrote: "I almost fell off my chair. Watching her struggle with her words and her memory, I couldn't believe it. She was in her 75th year but I had always thought of her as ageless, timeless and 100% cast-iron damage-proof.

"The contrast was all the more striking because, until that point, she'd always had a memory like a website."

In the book, serialised in a Sunday newspaper, Ms Thatcher added: "From the fateful day of our lunch, telltale signs that something wasn't quite right began to emerge.

"Whereas previously you would never have had to say anything to her twice, because she'd already filed it away in her formidable memory bank, Mum started asking the same questions over and over again, unaware she was doing so. Thatcher's Struggle with Dementia >>> | August 24, 2008

MAIL ON SUNDAY:
Carol Thatcher: I Always Thought of Mum as Being 100% Cast-Iron Damage-Proof >>> By Carol Thatcher | August 23, 2008

TIMESONLINE:
Margaret Thatcher's Struggle with Dementia Revealed in Daughter's Memoir: Dementia is slowly claiming one of Britain’s sharpest political minds >>> By Francis Elliott, Deputy Political Editor | August 24, 2008

THE GUARDIAN:
Lady Thatcher's Daughter Writes of Dementia >>> By Allegra Stratton, political correspondent | August 25, 2008

THE INDEPENDENT:
Thatcher's Battle with Dementia, by Her Daughter >>> By Chris Green | August 25, 2008

MAIL Online:
Too Soon and Far Too Much Detail: Why I'm Saddened by Carol Thatcher's Tell-All Book on Her Mother's Dementia >>> By Amanda Platell | August 24, 2008

BERLINER ZEITUNG:
Margaret Thatcher kämpft mit Demenz >>> 24. August 2008

NZZ Online:
Margaret Thatcher leidet unter Altersdemenz: Tochter Carol beschreibt Erkrankung in ihren Memoiren >>> | 24. August 2008

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE:
Margaret Thatcher souffre de démence depuis sept ans, confie sa fille: L'ancien Premier ministre britannique Margaret Thatcher (1979-1990) souffre de démence depuis sept ans, confie sa fille Carol dans des mémoires dont des extraits sont publiés dans la presse britannique lundi >>> Londres (AFP) | 25 Août 2008

LE FIGARO:
Carol Thatcher parle 
de la maladie de sa mère: Malade depuis sept ans, l'ancien premier ministre s'est retirée de la vie publique en 2002 sur les conseils de ses médecins. La fille de Margaret Thatcher raconte pour la première fois, dans un livre à paraître dévoilé par la presse britannique, que sa mère a perdu la mémoire et souffre de démence depuis sept ans. «J'ai toujours pensé à elle comme la Dame de fer 100 % inoxydable, sur laquelle l'âge et le temps n'ont pas de prise», écrit Carol Thatcher, qui retrace le déclin de l'ancien premier ministre, aujourd'hui âgée de 82 ans >>> 25. 08. 2008

EL PAÍS:
Margaret Thatcher sufre demencia, según su hija Carol: La ex primera ministra británica, de 82 años, pierde su prodigiosa memoria >>> Patricia Tubella, Londres | 25/08/2008

CORRIERA DELLA SERA:
«Mia madre Thatcher
ora dimentica tutto»: La malattia nel libro della figlia Carol. Confonde le guerre di Falklands e Jugoslavia. E bisogna ricordarle ogni volta che il marito è già morto nel 2003 >>> Guido Santevecchi |
25 agosto 2008

IL GIORNALE:
Il triste declino della Lady di Ferro >>> di Redazione | lunedì 25 agosto 2008

THE TELEGRAPH:
Carol Thatcher, Daughter of the Revolution: Never very close to her mother, she still embodies the Thatcherite legacy. Accusations of disloyalty cannot dent the nation's affection for the Iron Lady's girl, writes William Langley >>> By William Langley | August 30, 2008

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Documentary Explores Gay Muslims’ Lives in ‘Love’
PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS: The men and women who tell their stories, sometimes tearfully, in Parvez Sharma's documentary "A Jihad for Love" have one thing in common: They all continue to believe in the tenets of Islam, regardless of having to hide their personal lives or, worse, escape their homelands because their religion considers their way of life a sin sometimes punishable by death.

The film, which was screened during this year's Frameline festival, is often fascinating and provocative, although, as a film, it feels a bit long and somewhat repetitive.

The only mention of homosexuality in the Quran has to do with Sodom and Gomorrah. Other writings known as the Hadith, a kind of Apocrypha of pronouncements said to have come from Muhammad, are cited to enforce the idea that homosexuality is a sin. That said, the official and popular attitudes toward homosexuality vary from country to country in the Islamic world. Turkey, for example, is a largely Islamic country but has no laws outlawing sexual relations between people of the same sex. In Iran and Egypt, homosexuality is specifically outlawed and the punishment can be extreme.

Sharma's film begins with a look at Muhsin Hendricks, an Islamic scholar who fought his homosexual feelings as a young man, married in the hope of sublimating his true nature, and eventually concluded that he had to find a way to live with being both a believer in Islam and a gay man. He believes that since Allah created him as he is, and because scriptural references condemn homosexual rape and not homosexuality per se, he is living a religious life as a gay Muslim. Documentary Explores Gay Muslims' Lives in 'Love' >>> By David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle | August 23, 2008

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Conception de la liberté d'expression selon Al-Munajid, Théologien saoudien

Al-Munajid - Théologien saoudien - VOSTF
by bivouac-id

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Immigrants Exploit Loophole to Gain British Citizenship in Church of England Marriages
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Illegal immigrants are exploiting a legal loophole to gain British citizenship by getting married in Church of England ceremonies.

Confidential guidelines have been issued by bishops to warn clergy of the scam, which has exploded since a Government crackdown on sham marriages was introduced in 2004.

Official figures show that the number of bogus weddings performed by Anglican priests has risen by as much as 400 per cent in some dioceses over the last four years.

Foreign nationals have turned to the Church because it is exempt from rules that require all foreign nationals from outside the European Union to obtain a Home Office certificate of approval to marry in a register office. Immigrants Exploit Loophole to Gain British Citizenship in Church of England Marriages >>> By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent | August 24, 2008

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"Ahmadinedschad ist größtes Geschenk für Israel"
WELT ONLINE: Der iranische Präsident Mahmud Ahmadinedschad lässt kaum eine Gelegenheit aus, gegen Israel zu hetzen. Ein ehemaliger Chef des israelischen Geheimdienstes hat dies nun als "Geschenk" bezeichnet. Denn wegen der unverhohlenen Drohungen habe sich die Welt hinter die Israelis gestellt.

Ein ehemaliger Direktor des israelischen Geheimdienstes Mossad hat den iranischen Präsidenten Mahmud Ahmadinedschad als "größtes Geschenk für Israel“ bezeichnet. Ahmadinedschad habe es geschafft, die ganze Welt gegen den Iran zu vereinen, sagte Epfraim Halevi dem arabischen Fernsehsender Al-Hurra. "Ahmadinedschad ist größtes Geschenk für Israel" >>> | 20. August 2008

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Death of Patriotism: How National Pride Is 'Under Threat by a Global Super-Elite'
MAIL Online: Patriotism is back in fashion. With the Union flag flying high over Beijing after the golden success of our Olympic athletes, the British public has been given a rare opportunity to indulge in unbridled expressions of national pride.

Yet, in our ever more globalised world, instinctive patriotism is being diluted. The concept of nationhood has been undermined by mass immigration and the imposition of the dogma of multi-culturalism.

Our economy is increasingly tied up with the global financial system, dominated by multinational giants which see borders as irrelevant. Supra-national bodies, such as the UN and the EU, have a mounting influence over our political governance.

The idea of national interest is sliding towards the dustbin of history.

Only last month, in a rhetorical and extravagant speech to the Israeli parliament, Gordon Brown called on the nations of the world to ensure that our era becomes ‘the century of the global community’.

In one overblown passage, he pledged to ‘make a reality of the vision of a global society in which we create global civic institutions that turn words of friendship into bonds of human solidarity’.

Not to be outdone, David Cameron has joined this enthusiasm for earnest globalism. Death of Patriotism: How National Pride Is 'Under Threat by a Global Super-Elite' >>> By Leo McKinstry | August 23, 2008

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'We Should Have Trampled on Georgia', Say Russians
SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL: A quick war is the best propaganda: The conflict in the Caucasus has further strengthened the Putin-Medvedev leadership duo, according to new polls. Many Russians are hoping the pair will continue leading the country back toward's super-power status and that they will pursue that aim more energetically.

"Alexander" is the first caller on the "Curve" morning show at Echo of Moscow, a radio station critical of the government. The young listener is the first to be given the opportunity to answer the host's question about the Caucasus conflict: "Did this war make Russia stronger?"

The connection isn't great and there's fuzz in the background as he declares: "The stronger person is always more respected, and Russia has become stronger." His country may be finding itself in an increasingly isolated position internationally, but you can still hear the pride in his voice. And this young Moscow resident is far from alone in his opinion. The strong state is enjoying tremendous popularity.

For many Russians, the economic crisis of the 1990s remains a painful memory. The economic upswing that happened under Vladimir Putin's terms as the Kremlin chief not only improved the country's material situation, but also helped promote a new sense of self-confidence. That has also been evident in the days following the war in the Caucasus. In direct contrast to the Western view, Russians have emphasized the fact that the Georgians started the offensive and the war.

Indeed, most Russians are backing their government. The latest poll taken by Moscow's renowned Levada Center delivered clear results: 70 percent of the Russians surveyed said they were "in full and complete agreement" with the statement that the Russian leadership had "done everything it could to prevent an escalation of the conflict and to prevent the bloodshed." Only 4 percent claimed that the government had stoked the Georgian-Ossetian conflict in order to promote its own geopolitical interests. 'We Should Have Trampled on Georgia' >>> By Carmen Eller in Moscow | August 22, 2008

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Three Adherents of the ROP Arrested over Internet Threats to Kill the Prime Miniter
THE TELEGRAPH: Three suspected terrorists have been arrested over internet threats to kill the Prime Minister.

Two men were arrested at Manchester airport last week as they prepared to leave the country and a third, the brother of one of the other men, was detained in Accrington, Lancashire where he worked as a security guard.

Counter-terrorism sources said the arrests related to a statement which appeared on an Arabic language website called al-ekhlaas.net, which often carries messages from senior members of al-Qaeda.

The message, written in English, appeared only briefly on January 24, and claimed to be from Shaykh Umar Rabie al-Khalaila, "The leader of al-Qaeda in Britain."

In it, he demanded the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and the release of prisoners from Belmarsh high security jail in south east London including the radical clerics Abu Hamza al-Masri and Abu Qatada.

Qatada was later released after an Appeal Court ruling and put under house arrest.

It is understood the men had been under surveillance by police and two were arrested as they prepared to leave the country for Finland. Gordon Brown Terror Threat: Three Arrested >>> By Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent and Nigel Bunyan | August 23, 2008

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer Slaying Church Attendance among Women, Study Claims
THE TELEGRAPH: The old-fashioned attitudes and hierarchies of churches are causing a steep decline in the number of female worshippers, according to an academic study.

The report claims more than 50,000 women a year have deserted their congregations over the past two decades because they feel the church is not relevant to their lives.

It says that instead young women are becoming attracted to the pagan religion Wicca, where females play a central role, which has grown in popularity after being featured positively in films, TV shows and books.

The study comes amid ongoing controversy over the role of women in all Christian denominations. Last month its governing body voted to allow women to become bishops for the first time, having admitted them to the priesthood in 1994, but traditionalist bishops have warned that hundreds of clergy and parishes will leave if the move goes ahead as planned.

The report's author, Dr Kristin Aune, a sociologist at the University of Derby, said: "In short, women are abandoning the church.

"Because of its focus on female empowerment, young women are attracted by Wicca, popularised by the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Slaying Church Attendance among Women, Study Claims >>> By Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent | August 23, 2008

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Despite Pullout, Russia Envisions Long-Term Shift
THE NEW YORK TIMES: MOSCOW — As the Russian Army withdrew most of its forces from Georgia, it was becoming ever more clear on Friday that Moscow had no intention of restoring what once was — either on the ground or diplomatically.

The West wants a return to early August, before an obscure territorial dispute on the fringes of the old Soviet empire erupted into an international crisis. But Russia’s forces are digging in and seizing ribbons of Georgian land that abut two breakaway enclaves allied with Moscow, effectively extending its zone of influence.

At the same time, the Kremlin is nearing formal recognition of the independence of the enclaves, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, possibly as early as next week.

These moves indicate that despite the French-brokered cease-fire framework that Russia accepted, it is striving to maintain considerable economic and military pressure on Georgia, a close ally of the United States. The ultimate goal, it seems, is the ouster of its president, Mikheil Saakashvili, who is detested by the Russian leadership, and the installation of a government that it considers less hostile. Despite Pullout, Russia Envisions Long-Term Shift >>> By Clifford J Levy | August 22, 2008

THE TELEGRAPH:
Georgia Rejects Russian Claims of Withdrawal: Russia's defence minister has said his forces have completed a promised withdrawal from the main body of Georgia into the enclaves of South Ossetia and Abkhazia >>> | August 22, 2008

THE TELEGRAPH:
Even Today, Fighting Might with Might Is Often the Only Solution >>> By John O'Sullivan | August 23, 2008


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Obama Names Joe Biden as His Running Mate
Photo of Joe Biden courtesy of MAIL Online
MAIL Online: Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has named Joe Biden as his running mate, despite the veteran politician once admitting that Obama was 'not yet ready for the presidency'.

Mr Biden, 65, is known for being talkative and is prone to making statements which get him in to trouble.

Last year he said Mr Obama was "not yet ready" for the presidency, a remark which will now be seized upon by the Republican attack machine ahead of the general election on November 4.

Even before Mr Obama confirmed his selection this morning, McCain campaign spokesman Ben Porritt said: 'There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama's lack of experience than Joe Biden.

'Biden has denounced Barack Obama's poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realising - that Barack Obama is not ready to be president.' Obama Names 'Gaffe-Prone' Joe Biden as His Running Mate in Presidential Elections >>> | August 23, 2008

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Moskau meldet Abschluss des Truppenabzugs aus Georgien
NZZ Online: Nach offiziellen Angaben aus Moskau haben die russischen Truppen ihren Rückzug aus dem georgischen Kernland abgeschlossen. Im Laufe des Freitags war die Abfahrt von grösseren Militärkonvois in Richtung Norden gemeldet worden. Moskau meldet Abschluss des Truppenabzugs aus Georgien: Militärkonvois in Richtung Norden abgefahren >>> | 22. August 2008

LEFIGARO:
Géorgie : les colonnes militaires russes se replient >>> lefigaro.fr, avec AFP | 22.08.2008

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Another Verdict of Death from the ‘Religion of Peace’
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: LAGOS - An Islamic body in Nigeria has issued a death sentence on a man who married 80 women against the maximum of four allowed by Islam, The Guardian reported yesterday.

Jamatu Nasril Islam said in a statement that Mohammadu Bello Masaba from the central Niger state stood condemned to death unless he divorced 76 of the women in four days.

"Unless Masaba repents within four days and take only four wives from the herd he remains condemned to death, according to sharia law," the statement said.

"Any Muslim who married more than the approved number of wives at a time either by mistake or out of ignorance is instructed to choose but only four and ask for Allah's forgiveness," Jamatu Nasril Islam said. [Source: Death Verdict for Man with 80 Wives] Agence France-Presse | August 23, 2008

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O’Reilly’s Homophobia Is Unbelievable! Is This Man a Fossil?

Media Matters for America: O’Reilly’s Homophobia >>>

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Die islamische Herausforderung
JUNGE FREIHEIT: Der Islam stellt eine der größten Herausforderungen für Deutschland und Europa dar. Bevölkerungs- und Kulturwissenschaftler sind sich einig: Werden die derzeit zu beobachtenden sozialen Faktoren sich nicht drastisch ändern, so wird in naher Zukunft Europa als ein „Eurabien“ zu einer kulturellen Einheit mit dem Nahen Osten verschmelzen. „Europa wird Teil des arabischen Westens sein, des Maghreb. Dafür sprechen Migration und Demographie“, schreibt der Orientalist Bernard Lewis. „Nach den aktuellen Trends wird Europa spätestens Ende des 21. Jahrhunderts muslimische Mehrheiten in der Bevölkerung haben.“ Und der Bevölkerungswissenschaftler Gunnar Heinsohn schätzt: „Spätestens in 50 Jahren wird Deutschland dann muslimisch sein.“ Eine dramatische Umschichtung der Bevölkerung, vor der selbst Apologeten des Multikulturalismus, wie der Sozialwissenschaftler Wilhelm Heitmeyer, warnen. Die JUNGE FREIHEIT dokumentiert an dieser Stelle Grundlagentexte und ausgewählte Artikel zum Thema. Lesen Sie mehr >>>

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Unglaublich! Schweizer Kirchenhistoriker fordert islamische Feiertage
Foto vom Kirchenhistoriker Markus Ries dank der Jungen Freiheit
JUNGE FREIHEIT: LUZERN. Der Schweizer Kirchenhistoriker Markus Ries hat sich dafür ausgesprochen, bestimmte katholische Feiertage durch islamische zu ersetzen.

In der Zeitung Surseer Woche sagte der Professor für Kirchengeschichte an der Universität Luzern, man könne nicht mehr allzu breit in der Bevölkerung verankerte katholische Feiertage wie beispielsweise Mariä Himmelfahrt streichen und dafür islamische Festtage einführen.

Eine baldige Umsetzung hält Ries jedoch für unwahrscheinlich

So könnten Moslems in der Schweiz ihre beiden höchsten Feiertage, das Ende des Ramadan und das islamische Opferfest, an arbeitsfreien Tagen begehen. Dem Schweizer Radio DRS sagte Ries, islamische Feiertage in der Schweiz seien zwar eine schöne Idee, er glaube aber nicht, daß sie momentan umsetzbar sei.

Allerdings werde der Druck auf die „kleinen Festtage“ mit Sicherheit zunehmen. Für die Ökumene bedeuteten islamische Feiertage jedenfalls einen Fortschritt. So könne jeder seine Religion praktizieren. [Quelle: Schweizer Kirchenhistoriker fordert islamische Feiertage] | 18. August 2008

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OIC Slams Germany Anti-Islam Meeting
RADIANCE VIEWSWEEKLY: The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) has deplored an anti-Islam conference to be held in Germany next month, urging all segments of the German society to take a firm stand against the proponents of hatred. “The OIC expresses serious concern over reports of the holding of ‘Anti Islamisation Congress’ in Cologne, Germany,” the world’s biggest Muslim body said in a statement. Koeln members were associated with neo-Nazi parties or groupings. OIC has warned that the conference was “intended to arouse anti-Muslim sentiments in Europe. “Organisers of the proposed event were motivated by racial hatred and the so-called “Anti-Islamisation Congress” is to take place on September 19-20 in Germany’s fourth-largest city of Cologne. The meeting is organised by Pro Koeln, a far-right organisation which has held five seats in Cologne’s city council since 2004.”

Meanwhile, a well-known Holocaust survivor, German Jewish writer and Holocaust survivor Ralph Giordano, has come out strongly against the planned so-called Anti-Islamisation Congress. He said he strongly opposes the international anti-Islam conference slated to take place in Germany next month, despite his critical stance on Islam. [Source: OIC Slams Germany Anti-Islam Meeting] | August 22, 2008

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Italy’s Top Cardinal Denounced Anti-Islam MP
RADIANCE VIEWSWEEKLY: Italy’s top Cardinal has denounced a far-right lawmaker for making anti-Islam statements in a church planned to host interfaith prayers in the northern city of Genoa. “(I express) total disapproval (of Italian and Euro MP Mario Borghezio’s vow to) defend Christianity against profanation by Islam,” Angelo Bagnasco, the Bishop of Genoa and President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, told Italian daily Corriere della Sera on August 9. During a rally on August 8 to protest plans by the city council to hold interfaith prayers in the church, a former hospital of the Knights of Malta in the 13th century, Borghezio burst into the church, accompanied by dozens of people waving the Northern League’s flag. The far-right MP then swore to “continue the fight of the Knights of the Order of Malta to defend Christianity.” Bishop Bagnasco said that MP has violated the sanctity of the church. “(The church is) solely a place for prayer and worship.”

The Northern League is notorious for its anti-Muslim stances. Portraying itself as a defender of Italy’s Christian roots, the League started its mission in the new government in May with bringing down a mosque in the northern city of Verona. Last September the party rejoiced the success of its campaign to halt the building of a mosque in the northern city of Bologna. [Source: Italy’s Top Cardinal Denounced Anti-Islam MP]

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – Italy)

Die Selbstzensur des westlichen Kulturbetriebs aus Angst vor radikalen Muslimen geht weiter
Buchüberzug dank dem Jörg Lau und der Welt
DIE ZEIT/Jörg Lau Blog: Die Verlagsgruppe Random House (i.e. Bertelsmann) hat die Publikation eines Romans über Mohammed und seine Lieblingsfrau Aischa gestoppt, nachdem eine Islamwissenschaftlerin vor den Reaktionen von Muslimen gewarnt hatte, deren religiöse Gefühle verletzt werden könnten.

Den ganzen Fall kann man hier im Wall Street Journal lesen. Oder auch hier.

Es ist einfach nur noch deprimierend. Man weiß nicht mehr, ob man mehr über die Inkompetenz oder die Feigheit dieser Verlagsleute schimpfen soll.

Wer braucht überhaupt eine Expertin, um zu wissen, dass eine Mohammed-Aischa-Geschichte heisser Stoff ist? Nach Rushdie, den Karikaturen, Idomeneo?

Also: entweder nimmt man so etwas in Angriff, steht dazu und zieht es durch. Wenn denn das Buch gut ist. Und da es vor der Publikation stand und schon eine Werbereise für den August geplant war, muss man doch annehmen, dass die verlagsinterne Meinungsbildung zu einem positiven Schluss gekommen war.

Oder: Man läßt es lieber.

Aber jetzt auf diese dämliche Art den Kulturdschihadisten eine Plattform gegeben zu haben, das ist einfach unglaublich! Eine Khomeini-treue Organsation “Husaini-Youth” rühmt sich nun, den Propheten vor erneuerter Schändung bewahrt zu haben.

Dabei hatte die Autorin Sherry Jones offenbar nichts dergleichen im Sinn.

Hier die feige Erklärung von Random House.

Deprimierend. Wo sind die anständigen Muslime, die gegen diesen Kulturdschihadismus aufstehen?
Hier ist eine, aber sie hat auch nicht viel ermutigende Neuigkeiten.

Der Geist der vorauseilenden Selbstzensur, der sich in den westlichen Köpfen festzusetzen droht, ist beängstigend. Die Muslime müssen dagegen arbeiten, wenn sie nicht eines Tages einen fürchterlichen Backlash erleben wollen, weil in ihrem Namen Freiheiten beschnitten werden, die über Jahrhunderte unter vielen Opfern erstritten wurden. [Quelle: Die Selbstzensur des westlichen Kulturbetriebs aus Angst vor radikalen Muslimen geht weiter] Von Jörg Lau | 15. August 2008

Zum Jörg Laus Blog >>>

ZEIT ONLINE:
Islam-Kritik: Proteste gegen Stopp von Mohammed-Roman >>> 19. August 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Taschenbuch) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Gebundene Ausgabe) >>>

Islamunterricht in Deutschland - Erste Stunde: Islam
SUEDDEUTSCHE: In Nordrhein-Westfalen unterrichten Lehrer in diesem Schuljahr mit dem ersten Schulbuch für islamischen Glauben. Der Band ist ein Schritt auf dem Weg zu staatlichem Religionsunterricht für junge Muslime.

"Saphir" ist arabisch und bedeutet Botschaft. "Saphir", so heißt auch das deutschlandweit erste Schulbuch für islamischen Religionsunterricht, das in diesem Schuljahr in Nordrhein-Westfalen eingesetzt werden soll. "Saphir" erklärt nicht nur die Botschaft des Koran, sondern sendet noch ein weiteres Signal: Muslimische Kinder in Deutschland haben ein Recht auf Religionsunterricht.

Doch so einfach ist es leider nicht. Ungelöste rechtliche, organisatorische und auch gesellschaftliche Fragen sorgen dafür, dass muslimische Schüler eben keinen Religionsunterricht haben, sondern lediglich "Islamunterricht in deutscher Sprache". Der sperrige Name signalisiert den Unterschied zum "normalen" Religionsunterricht für Katholiken oder Protestanten. Erste Stunde: Islam >>> Von Julia Bönisch | 18. August 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Taschenbuch) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Gebundene Ausgabe) >>>

Les magistrats français formés à la connaissance de l'Islam
IMPACT NEWS: Du 1er au 5 septembre prochains, les magistrates en formation continue participeront à la première des deux sessions consacrées chaque année à la connaissance de l'Islam prévues à l'Ecole Nationale de la Magistrature (ENM). En partenariat avec l'Institut du Monde Arabe, ce séminaire facultative est destiné à appréhender la deuxième religion de France, ses fidèles, ses pratiques mais aussi la connaissance du monde arabe contemporain.

La médiatisation à outrance d'affaires impliquant des protagonistes musulmans, présentés comme tels ou encore français d'origine maghrébine ces dernières semaines n'a fait que les maintenir sous les feux de la rampe et relancer le débat sur la connaissance de l'Islam à défaut de relancer celui sur les amalgames. Pourtant, les juges ne sont pas en reste puisque l'Ecole de la Magistrature de Paris propose aux magistrats en formation continue deux sessions consacrées à la connaissance de l'Islam. Bien que facultatives, celles-ci sont très prisées des élèves. La sous-directrice de la formation continue à l'ENM, Isabelle Schmelck, indiquait au quotidien La Croix le 8 août dernier*, une " demande très forte " si bien que celle-ci estimait recevoir " plus de candidatures " qu'il n'y avait de places disponibles. Les magistrats français formés à la connaissance de l'Islam >>> | 24 août 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Broché)
The Dawning of a new Dark Age (Relié)

Saudi Ban on Women Drivers May Be Eroding
THE TIMES OF INDIA: RIYADH: When Ruwaida al-Habis' father and two brothers were badly burned in a fire, she had no choice but to break Saudi Arabia's ban on women drivers to get them to a clinic.

Using the driving skills her father taught her on the family farm, al-Habis managed to reach the clinic's emergency entrance without a hitch.

"When I pulled up, a crowd of people surrounded the car and stared as if they were seeing extraterrestrial beings," the 20-year-old university student said. "Instead of focusing on the burn victims, the nurses kept repeating, 'You drove them here?'''

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that bans all women, Saudi and foreign, from driving. The prohibition forces families to hire live-in drivers, and women who cannot afford the $300-$400 a month for a driver must rely on male relatives to drive them to work, school, shopping or the doctor.

But there are signs support for the ban is eroding. Al-Habis' story was first published in one of the biggest Saudi newspapers, Al-Riyadh, which even called her "brave." Her father, Hamad al-Habis, praised his daughter's action.

"Why should it even be an issue?" said Hamad al-Habis in his hospital bed. "My daughter took the right decision at the right time."

Al-Habis is one of several women whose driving has made headlines. It is not clear whether the reports are a sign that more women are driving or that newspapers are just more willing to report about them. But in either case, it suggests the long-unquestioned nature of the ban is eroding.

That may in part be because of signals from the top: King Abdullah, considered a reformist, has said the issue is a social one, not religious, opening the door for society to spur change. Saudi Ban on Women Drivers May Be Eroding >>> | August 22, 2008

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US Agrees to Pull Troops Out of Iraq
THE AUSTRALIAN: NEGOTIATORS have finalised a deal which will see the complete withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by 2011, the top Iraqi heading the team said today.

Under the 27-point deal all US combat troops will be withdrawn from Iraqi cities by next June, said negotiator Mohammed al-Haj Hammoud.

The agreement has already been approved by US President George W. Bush and now needs to be endorsed by Iraqi leaders, he added.

Baghdad and Washington had agreed to "withdraw the US troops from Iraq by end of 2011,'' said Mr Hammoud. US Agrees to Pull Troops Out of Iraq >>> | August 22, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – Australia)
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Hardback – Australia)

Ruff Ruffles Feathers with a Missive on Muslims, Immigrants
CBS2CHICAGO.COM: FRANKFORT, Ill. ― An anti-Muslim e-mail allegedly forwarded by an elected official is creating an uproar in the southwest suburbs.

The American Islamic Association invited pastors, rabbis and other religious leaders in its mosque in Frankfort to discuss an e-mail sent by Frankfort Township Assessor Paul Ruff.

The e-mail called on Muslims who want to live under Islamic law to "get out of the country."

Religious leaders say the sentiment presented in the e-mail demonstrates a dangerous lack of understanding.

"To make these kind of comments against a group of people who are so loving, and so caring – I was very, very offended by that," said Jan Shaulis, Christian co-chair of the Southwestern Interfaith Team.

"We need to go together forward, not by spreading hate, but by understanding and building bridges," added Khalid Mozaffer of the American Islamic Association.

The group also tried to meet with Ruff, but he declined to talk about the issue. [Source: Religious Leaders Infuriated by Anti-Muslim E-Mail: E-Mail Was Allegedly Forwarded by Frankfort Township Assessor]

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Despite outrage from the local Muslim community, a Frankfort Township official did not apologize Wednesday for circulating an e-mail with anti-Islamic sentiments.



"The e-mail's basic message was that people coming to this country should adapt," Township Assessor Paul Ruff said in a statement. "This wasn't a hateful e-mail, but one that touched upon a sentiment in this country and around the world that immigrants have to adapt to their new homes."



Statements in the e-mail were attributed to former Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who a few years ago ignited controversy with criticism of Islam and statements asserting that immigrants need to adapt to their new country.



Ruff said he did not write the content of the e-mail, and its origins were unknown.

The flap has drawn the ire of the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Chicago and members of a mosque in Frankfort, prompting residents and religious leaders to hold a town hall meeting last week to discuss discrimination against Muslims. Ruff did not attend the meeting. Frankfort Township Assessor Paul Ruff Stands By E-Mail on Islam, Immigrants: Official does not apologize for distributing missive in June >>> By Mary Owen, Chicago Tribune reporter | August 20, 2008

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Robert Spencer: Random House and the Islamic War against Free Speech
FRONTPAGE MAGAZINE: Although when Random House canceled publication of Sherry Jones’ trashy novel about Muhammad’s nine-year-old wife, Aisha, it was succumbing not to actual threats but to the sheer prospect of threats, no one has accused the venerable publisher of “Islamophobia.” Even in today’s hyper-politically correct public square, everyone seems to take for granted that when certain Muslims don’t like something, they threaten to murder the people involved. Random House’s pre-emptive self-censorship constitutes tacit recognition of what Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the Secretary General of Organization of the Islamic Conference, recently termed the “red lines that should not be crossed” -- lines he was dictating to the West. “In confronting the Danish cartoons and the Dutch film ‘Fitna’,” Ihsanoglu declared, “we sent a clear message to the West regarding the red lines that should not be crossed. As we speak, the official West and its public opinion are all now well aware of the sensitivities of these issues. They have also started to look seriously into the question of freedom of expression from the perspective of its inherent responsibility, which should not be overlooked.”

Random House paid $100,000 for Sherry Jones’ racy historical novel about Muhammad and his nine-year-old wife, Aisha, The Jewel of Medina, only to withdraw the book just days before its scheduled August 12 publication date. Random House deputy publisher Thomas Perry explained that they decided to drop the book after receiving, “from credible and unrelated sources, cautionary advice not only that the publication of this book might be offensive to some in the Muslim community, but also that it could incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment.” They decided “to postpone publication for the safety of the author, employees of Random House, booksellers and anyone else who would be involved in distribution and sale of the novel.”

Sherry Jones is an unlikely candidate to be the next Salman Ruhdie, and her novel is hardly in the same league as Dutch politician Geert Wilders’ film Fitna, which vividly depicted Muslims acting upon the dictates of the Qur’an’s violent passages. The Jewel of Medina, by contrast, is a Harlequin Romance-level trivialization of Muhammad’s marriage to Aisha, luridly depicting the child as finding, at the moment of the consummation of her marriage to Muhammad, “the bliss I had longed for all my life” – yes, her entire nine years. Random House and the Islamic War against Free Speech >>> By Robert Spencer | August 22, 2008

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The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Paperback, direct from the publishers (US) >>>

Saudis Warn: Israeli Products Are Cancerous
THE JERUSALEM POST: Saudi trade officials are warning against what they claim to be cancerous products made in Israel and other countries that are allegedly being smuggled into the kingdom.

The Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry said smugglers are bringing in the products through Djibouti, Yemen and Somalia. The chamber was urging importers and traders to be watchful regarding this merchandise.

The products, said to be manufactured in Israel, China and Taiwan, include pesticides, agricultural fertilizers, children's toys, canned foods, perfumes, cigarettes, juices and candy.

Israel and Saudi Arabia have no diplomatic relations. Saudis Warn: Israeli Products Are Cancerous >>> By Rachelle Kliger / The Media Line News Agency | August 22, 2008

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United Kingdom: Government Unable to Control Borders
DAILY EXPRESS: Immigration has hit record levels with 1,650 people moving to the UK every day.

The number of foreigners living here has risen by 1.1million in three years – enough to fill a city the size of Birmingham.

More than one person in 10 now living in the UK is foreign born. The number of people leaving the country has also reached unprecedented levels and nearly half of them are native Britons.

Statisticians had expected net immigration to have fallen by now but so huge is the influx that instead it is continuing to rise.

Soaring numbers of births to foreign mothers are adding to the population explosion. Figures also show there are now more pensioners in the UK than children for the first time. The startling statistics led to calls last night for an annual limit on immigrant numbers.

Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch UK, said: “Our society is being fundamentally changed against the clearly expressed wishes of the public.” 1,650 New Migrants Invade UK Every Day >>> | August 22, 2008

SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL:
Germany Reports Hike in Childbirths: The goverment has predicted that Germany's population will shrink radically in the coming decades, but the announcement this week that more babies were born in 2007 than in any year since 2001 comes as good news. Does it mean the country's new family laws are working? >>> rbn -- with wire reports | August 21, 2008

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Russia, West Remain at Odds on UN Resolution
IRISH TIMES: Russia and key Western nations remained at odds last night over a UN resolution aimed at bringing peace to Georgia, with the US, France and Britain insisting on immediate withdrawal of Russian troops and a commitment to Georgia's territorial integrity, according to UN diplomats.

Russia put its draft resolution, which restates and endorses a six-point peace plan promoted by French president Nicolas Sarkozy and signed last week by Russia and Georgia, into a final form that can be put to a vote in the UN Security Council. But Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin did not indicate when he would call for a vote. 



"Our draft resolution is a reconfirmation of the six-point agreement, and there's no territorial integrity in the six principles," Mr Churkin said after a council meeting yesterday called by Russia. "We believe the six principles are clear and already implemented." 



But the US and its European allies have criticised Russia for remaining in Georgia and performing military operations despite last week's cease-fire. The agreement says both Russian and Georgian forces must move back to positions they held before fighting broke out August 7th in Georgia's South Ossetia region, which has close ties to Russia. 



The American, British and French envoys made clear yesterday that they won't accept a resolution that doesn't include clarifications of the six-point plan including an immediate Russian withdrawal and reaffirmation of Georgia's territorial integrity. Russia, West Remain at Odds on UN Resolution >>> | August 22, 2008

SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL:
A New Arms Race with Russia?: Moscow isn't really afraid of the US missile defense shield. A day after the US signed an important deal with Poland, German commentators say that Russia is merely pining for the good old days of the Soviet Union >>> | August 21, 2008

THE NEW YORK TIMES:
Russia never Wanted a War >>> By Mikhail Gorbachev | August 19, 2008

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Iran Condemned for Youth Hanging
BBC: Amnesty International has condemned the hanging in Iran of Reza Hejazi, who was executed for a crime he committed when he was under 18 years old.

Hejazi was aged 15 in 2004 when he was among a group of people involved in a dispute which resulted in a man being fatally stabbed.

He was hanged in the city of Isfahan on Tuesday, Iranian media said.

Amnesty says the execution of juvenile offenders is prohibited under international law.

The rights group also says the Iranian authorities failed to give 48 hours' notice of the execution, in contravention of Iranian law. Iran Condemned for Youth Hanging >>> | August 20, 2008

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Edward Luttwak*: The Party’s Over for Europe: The Bear Is Back
GLOBE AND MAIL: South Ossetia may be very small, but it has become the scene of an event of colossal proportions: the return of Great Power politics, in which tanks are the deciding factor, not "soft power," let alone international legitimacy.

This huge change follows inevitably from Russia's regression to its own historic version of empire, which existed under the czars and was revived by Stalin. It is based on a tacit bargain: The Russians accept authoritarian rule and the loss of personal freedom in exchange for an imperial role on the global scene, starting with the "near abroad" - countries such as Georgia that used to belong to the Soviet Union.

For all its weaknesses, the Russian Federation has all it needs to function as a Great Power, from a determined ruling elite to a vast nuclear arsenal, adequate military forces now being modernized, and a revitalized intelligence service. Hence, the reversion of Russia to the dangerous rules of Great Power politics compels all others to change their behaviour as well - it is not a game, and participation is not voluntary.

Understandably, the Poles were the first to react. After bargaining with the Americans for months to extract more rewards for accepting a small anti-ballistic missile base on their territory, within hours of the Russian advance into Georgian territory, they dropped all their demands to sign on the dotted line. Other reactions may be much less obvious but could be much more important. Japan, for example, is likely to draw even closer to the United States, while China's rulers might be influenced in a most unfortunate way. After leaning this way and that, they had seemingly decided that maximum economic success was more valuable than a fast buildup of military strength; they may now revise their priorities.

The most direct impact, however, will be on Europe and the North Atlantic alliance. All through the Cold War, it was a truly operational organization, in which every member had to be ready to fight in defence of every other member. There were serious defence plans for vulnerable borders that were realistically exercised by hundreds of thousands of troops, and periodic airlifts to bring reinforcements to exposed frontiers as a reminder of what would happen in war. The Party’s Over for Europe: The Bear Is Back >>> By Edward Luttwak* | August 21, 2008

*Senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – Canada) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Hardback – Canada) >>>

Russland stoppt Zusammenarbeit mit der Nato
DIE PRESSE: "Bis auf weiteres" legt der Kreml die militärische Kooperation mit dem Militärbündnis auf Eis. Nato-Sprecherin Romero erklärt, die Nato nehme "diese Entscheidung zu Kenntnis".

Der Krieg zwischen Russland und Georgien hat das Verhältnis zwischen dem Kreml und der Nato deutlich verschlechtert. Am Donnerstag hat die Regierung in Moskau nach Angaben des Militärbündnisses die militärische Zusammenarbeit offiziell aus Eis gelegt. Russland stoppt Zusammenarbeit mit der Nato >>> 21. August 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Taschenbuch) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Gebundene Ausgabe) >>>

Ghadhafi-Sohn zieht sich aus der Politik zurück
NZZ Online: Der Sohn des libyschen Staatschefs Muammar Ghadhafi, Seif al-Islam Ghadhafi, hat seinen Rückzug aus dem politischen Geschehen des Landes angekündigt.
Tripolis (sda) Der Sohn des libyschen Staatschefs Muammar Ghadhafi, Seif al-Islam Ghadhafi, hat seinen Rückzug aus dem politischen Geschehen des Landes angekündigt.

«Ich habe beschlossen, mich nicht mehr in Angelegenheiten des Staates einzumischen», sagte der 36-Jährige vor tausenden jugendlichen Anhängern in der Stadt Sebha. Ghadhafi-Sohn zieht sich aus der Politik zurück: Bildung einer «starken Zivilgesellschaft» gefordert >>> 21. August 2008

BBC:
Gaddafi Son Retires from Politics >>> | August 21, 2008

IOL.CO.ZA:
Seif to Follow Father's Footsteps?: Tripoli - Seif al-Islam, son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, is increasingly seen as the successor to his father, despite publicly ruling out any dynastic ambitions in the north African country >>> | August 21, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Taschenbuch) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Gebundene Ausgabe) >>>

Russians Find It Hard to Quit Smoking

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Dust Jacket Hardcover, direct from the publishers (UK) >>>
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Fear of New Mid East ‘Cold War’ as Syria Strengthens Military Alliance with Russia
TIMESONLINE: Syria raised the prospect yesterday of having Russian missiles on its soil, sparking fears of a new Cold War in the Middle East. President Assad said as he arrived in Moscow to clinch a series of military agreements: “We are ready to co-operate with Russia in any project that can strengthen its security.”

The Syrian leader told Russian newspapers: “I think Russia really has to think of the response it will make when it finds itself closed in a circle.”

Mr Assad said that he would be discussing the deployment of Russian missiles on his territory. The Syrians are also interested in buying Russian weapons.

In return Moscow is expected to propose a revival of its Cold War era naval base at the Syrian port of Tartus, which would give the Russian Navy its first foothold in the Mediterranean for two decades. Damascus and Moscow were close allies during the Cold War but the Kremlin’s influence in the region waned after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Yesterday’s rapprochement raised the possibility that Moscow intends to re-create a global anti-Western alliance with former Soviet bloc allies.

Many in Israel fear that the Middle East could once again become a theatre for the two great powers to exert their spheres of influence, militarily and politically. And with Israel and the US providing military backing to Georgia, Russia appears set to respond in kind by supporting Syria. Fear of New Mid East 'Cold War' as Syria Strengthens Military Alliance with Russia >>> By Kevin O’Flynn in Moscow and James Hider, Middle East Correspondent | August 21, 2008

SPIEGELONLINE INTERNATIONAL:
Poland Risks Serious Confrontation with Russia: The Cold War is returning to Poland. Warsaw wants to further tighten ties with Washington and it has used the US missile defense system to do so -- against massive opposition from Moscow. In return, the Poles will now be given Patriot missiles to protect themselves >>> By Jan Puhl | August 20, 2008

NZZ Online:
Israel warnt Moskau vor Waffenlieferungen: Syriens Präsident Asad zu Besuch in Russland >>> | 20. August 2008

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Russia Military Not Quitting Georgia
THE INDEPENDENT: Russia's military has no plans to leave Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia or the buffer zone around it, a senior Russian military official said today.

"We are not planning to leave anywhere...," Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of the Russian military's General Staff, told a news conference, when asked if the Russian military would remain in South Ossetia and the surrounding zone.

Meanwhile, Russian forces today took up positions at the entrance to Georgia's main Black Sea port city, excavating trenches and setting up mortars facing the city despite Russia's promise to pull back troops from territory deep inside Georgia.

Several armored personnel carriers and troop trucks blocked the bridge that is the only land entrance to Poti and another group of APCs and trucks were positioned in a nearby wooded area.

Although Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has promised that his forces would pull back by tomorrow, Russian troops appear to be settling in for a long presence, raising concern about whether Moscow is aiming for a lengthy and intimidating occupation of its small, pro-Western neighbor.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili told The Associated Press that Russia was thinning out its presence in some occupied towns but was seizing other strategic spots. He called the Russian moves "some kind of deception game."
"(The Russians) are making fun of the world," he declared. Russia Military Not Quitting Georgia >>> AP and Reuters | August 21, 2008

WELT ONLINE:
Georgien - Russland verspricht sofortigen Truppenabzug: Russland will den Truppenabzug beschleunigen: Bis heute Abend soll sich die Armee aus georgischem Kerngebiet zurückziehen. Es sollen aber mindestens 500 Mann in Südossetien stationiert bleiben, um eine Pufferzone zu bilden. Nach Angaben eines US-Militärs gehe der Rückzug allerdings im Schneckentempo voran >>> | 22. August 2008

LE FIGARO:
Mikhaïl Saakachvili : « Moscou a décidé de se mesurer à l'Otan »: Le président géorgien explique au « Figaro » pourquoi la communauté internationale ne devrait pas faire confiance aux promesses du Kremlin >>> Propos recueillis à Tbilissi par Adrien Jaulmes | 21/08/2008

LE FIGARO:
L'ambassadeur de France en
Géorgie bloqué par les Russes: L'ambassadeur de France à Tbilissi, Éric Fournier, a été retenu jeudi pendant deux heures et demie par les forces russes. Paris a jugé l'incident «inacceptable» >>> De Laure Mandeville | 21/08/2008

LE FIGARO:
L'Ossétie du Sud réclame son indépendance: La capitale, Tskhinvali, a été la ville la plus touchée par les offensives croisées des troupes géorgiennes et russes >>> D’Adrien Jaulmes | 21/08/2008

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Not Only Is Freedom of Speech Threatened by Muslims, So Is Freedom of Religion
RIGHT SIDE NEWS: Persecution of Christians and Jews is not new in this world. Although such condemnation for religious beliefs goes back thousands of years, Nazi Germany developed it into an art form with the wholesale murder of Jewish people. Of course, the Nazis didn't limit atrocities to Jews, they spread their horror around but Nazis were mainly interested in eliminating the Jewish population.

In their hatred of Jews, they were not alone; Muslims aided and abetted the Nazis since they shared a belief system that relegated Jews to the category of "dogs and apes", as the Koran teaches Islamic adherents. However, unlike the Nazis, Muslims disdain all religions other than Islam. While Muslims complain bitterly about any perceived insult to Islam and any acts of disrespect for the Koran, it is not only accepted but prescribed by Islam to destroy the Holy Bible and those who worship the word of God as opposed to the Islamic reverence of Allah.

Muslims have succeeded in intimidating much of the world so that by actual and the threatened violence the Western World accepts restrictions on freedom of expression lest Muslims be offended. The prime mover of this pressure on the world is the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). With the help of endless petrodollars and fear of violating political correctness, the OIC has managed to have their way across the globe; they have also become the largest lobbying body of nations within the United Nations and are urging an anti-Christian and Jewish agenda with full force.

The Organization of the Islamic conference has actually succeeded in attaining passage of UN resolution in the General assemble called "Combating Defamation of Religions." This harmless sounding title is in reality a deceptive name for targeting men and women of faith who speak out in any way against Islam or reveal the atrocities committed in the name of Islam on behalf of Allah. If Muslims had their way, not only would discrimination against Christians and Jews be practiced universally but any proclamation of a faith other than Islam would be punishable by imprisonment or even death. Supreme Court Justice Scalia said in a recent dissent, "America is at war with radical Islamists"; in this he was not only correct, he was issuing a warning to the world that to overlook or ignore the intrusion on civil rights by these enemies of freedom would result in the worst form of tyranny not seen since the Nazi regime.

As the American Center of Law and Justice wrote recently:

"We are seeing worldwide persecution of Christians as part of the radical Muslim mission to "take the world for Islam" - by purging Christianity from the face of the earth. Not Only Is Freedom of Speech Threatened by Muslims, So Is Freedom of Religion >>> By Vincent Gioia | August 20, 2008

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

Official: Yemen Detains 9 People for Converting to Christianity
FOXNEWS: SAN'A, Yemen — Yemeni police have detained at least nine people this year for converting from Islam to Christianity, a security official said Tuesday.

The nine were arrested between May and early August and remain in police custody, said the official.

Converting from Islam to any other religion is illegal in Yemen and can be punishable by death. But in previous cases, those arrested are usually released after they revoke their new faith and pledge to return to Islam.

Three of the nine were detained in west of the capital, San'a, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. He declined to provide details about the others.

A family member of one of the detained said he fears those arrested could face torture or abuse in prison. The family member, who declined to be named because of security concerns, said Hani el-Dahayni, 30, was detained in May after police stormed his office and confiscated computers and compact discs.

Separately, police detained six Iranians who are followers of the Baha'i faith and have lived in Yemen for three decades, the security official said. The six were accused of being members of a rebel group, he said. Official: Yemen Detains 9 People for Converting to Christianity >>> Associated Press | August 19, 2008

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Celebrating Birthdays and Wedding Anniversaries Is Un-Islamic, Says Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti
ARAB NEWS: JEDDAH: Celebrating birthdays and wedding anniversaries has no base in Islam, Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Alsheikh has said.

The mufti made the comments while answering a question from Al-Madinah newspaper after prominent Qassim-based scholar Salman Al-Oadah issued a fatwa saying that celebrating such occasions was not against the rules of Shariah.

“Such a call is against righteousness. A Muslim should thank Almighty Allah if his children are healthy and if his married life is stable as the years pass by. He should say: Alhamdu Lillah for His generosity and kindness,” said Al-Alsheikh, who is also the chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars and the head of the Presidency for Scientific Research and Religious Edicts (Dar Al-Ifta).

Speaking on satellite television last week, Al-Oadah, who is the general supervisor of the Islamtoday.com website, created controversy after ruling that there is nothing un-Islamic in celebrating wedding anniversaries and birthdays.

“It is normal for a son or daughter to celebrate birthdays. They can invite their friends for a meal on this occasion. I see nothing wrong in this,” he said.

Al-Alsheikh, who is the highest religious authority in the Kingdom, said Muslims only have two official celebrations — Eid Al-Fitr, which is celebrated at the end of Ramadan, and Eid Al-Adha, which is celebrated on Dhul Hijjah 10. He added that Muslims also have a weekly Eid, which is Friday.

The mufti said that the celebration of other occasions such as birthdays, wedding anniversaries and mother’s day were un-Islamic. Grand Mufti Rejects Al-Oadah’s Fatwa >>> | August 20, 2008

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Russia Condemns US Missile Deal
Watch video: The signing of the US and Polish defence agreement >>>
BBC: Russia has warned that a US-Polish missile defence deal creates a new arms race in Europe and beyond.

A foreign ministry statement said that Moscow "will be forced to react, and not only through diplomatic demarches". It did not elaborate.

The comments came just hours after the US and Poland signed the deal to locate 10 US interceptor rockets in Poland.

The US says the system will protect the US and Europe against missiles from "rogue" states such as Iran. US Condemns US Missile Deal >>> | August 20. 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Dust Jacket Hardcover, direct from the publishers (US) >>>
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