ASIAN LEADER Article- From the Widows, Orphans and those killed in Iraq

The Following article was published in the Asian Leader Newspaper highlighting the growing negativity and failure of US policy for Iraq and the Arab World as demosntrated through a Journalists shoe throw.



The Newspaper article can be read online on the Look Asia Website. Please click HERE to read

ASIAN LEADER Article- Rochdale Imam accuses Mosques of Child beatings

The following article was published in the Asian Leader Newspaper which discussed claims that Rochdale Mosques were involved in Child beatings.



The Newspaper article can be read online on the Look Asia Website. Please click HERE to read

"From the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq"

By Majed Iqbal- America's campaign led on the War on Terror, regime change in Iraq for the betterment of the Iraqi people, and winning the hearts and minds of Muslim countries was thrown into abyss when a journalist threw his shoes at the outgoing American president George Bush.

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Muntazer al-Zaidi, an Iraqi journalist who works for the Cairo-based al-Baghdadia channel, tore off his shoes and flung them at Mr Bush as he stood beside Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, during a press conference in Baghdad's Green Zone.

"This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog. This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq," he shouted before being overpowered by security guards and bundled out of the room.

The American led Nouri al-Maliki government was quick to condemn the action citing it as "shameful" demanding an apology from the journalist's Cairo-based employer, who in turn called for his immediate release from custody.

ASIAN NEWS COVERAGE: Madrassah beating claims is scare tactic

The following article was published on the Asian News Website detailing the views from various Community leaders in Rochdale on the Mosque Child beating Fiasco which has hit national press. Comments from this blog also featured in the article.



MOSQUE leaders and community members have hit back at an unpublished report by a Rochdale imam who has claimed students at some madrassahs are being regularly beaten and abused by their teachers.

Imam Irfan Chishti, a former government adviser on Islamic affairs and religious education teacher who runs the Light of Islam Academy on Milkstone Road, Rochdale, compiled the report based on interviews with victims in madrassahs in the north of England.

He told The Times, which also carried out its own investigation in Rochdale, that he was "shocked" how even victims had accepted the abuse and said there was a "culture that accepts it." He said part of the problem was that madrassah teachers were ignorant of British law which bans corporal punishment.

Both Mr Chishti's and the Times report suggest that children are regularly slapped, punched and even had their ears twisted. One student was "picked up by one leg and spun around" while another said a madrassah teacher was "kicking in my head - like a football".

Rochdale Imam accuses local Mosques of 'Child Beatings'

By Majed Iqbal- According to a new report compiled by Irfan Chishti, a government adviser on Islamic affairs and a close ally to Hazel Blears on her agenda to tackle Extremism, has stated that Muslim children are being beaten and abused regularly by teachers at some madrassas.

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Students have been slapped, punched and had their ears twisted, according to the unpublished report by the Rochdale imam based on interviews with victims in the north of England.

The times newspaper, who ran the story and claimed Exclusive coverage for it, was forthright in painting a bleak picture of Muslims In Rochdale and their institutions. It is yet to be verified as to how the report came to the attention of the times newspaper.

Rochdale Muslims have met the news with utter disgust and have been sceptical over the last months of the direct repeated references being made about Rochdale Muslims in Press and Government Circles. This news story adds to the frenzy which has gradually been whipped up in recent weeks.

Mumbai Attacks- Pakistan's ISI comes under fire

In the continued efforts and pre-Iraq invasion styled rhetoric, the US continues to jab away in any way possible at Pakistan to present the case against the country as being on the brink of disaster.



Now the intelligence services run under fire accused of in-directly supporting armed militant groups. In these endeavours old recruits from the ISI are being named by the US to be added onto the UN list of people and organisations linked to al-Qaida and the Taliban.

"It goes beyond information sharing to include some funding and training" The Times quotes one US official as saying. "And these are not rogue ISI elements. What's going on is done in a fairly disciplined way".

A report, which appeared in The Washington Post's Sunday issue, claimed that Islamabad has agreed to a 48-hour deadline set by India and the US for key suspects to be handed over to India. New Delhi was keen to see the extradition of 20 suspects including former director of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, Hamid Gul.

Condoleeza rice in her visits levelled similar accusations stating that "Pakistan has had historic links with these armed groups previously" referring to the relationship of the Intelligence services and movements operating in the Kashmir region.

Asian leader Article- Mumbai Attacks, Pakistan and the American Strategy

The below article was published in the Asian Leader Newspaper. The article looks into how the Mumbai Attacks have been used for justifications by India and America to achieve certain Political goals and are drawing Pakistan into a game which will have devastating effects for its future.





The article can be read online on the Look Asia Website.

COMMENT: Mumbai Attacks- Is Pakistan now on the Defensive?

Published on the Asian News Website

By Majed Iqbal- Pakistan's weak government, despite claiming that we are not on the back foot on the Mumbai Blasts is surely feeling the heat.

Whilst the foreign minister argues that there was no reason for Pakistan to be on the defensive over the attacks, the President, Mr zardari went as far as offering a no first-use of nuclear weapons, ignoring decades of established policy.

The apparently off-the-cuff remark in an interview with Indian media astonished Pakistanis as much as Indians.

Whilst the Foreign minister talks about not being defensive, the President does exactly that.

With no consistent line on how to tackle the Mumbai blasts scenario, Pakistan will end up presenting itself a failed state who is unable to deal with the challenges it is facing- whether economic, political or Foreign affairs.

This case which is being built internationally against Pakistan as a failed state is a pre-requisite to any further action by outside powers in an Iraq style invasion. Before that, the rhetoric now drums up against this country which from being an ally of the US, now faces being the next casualty in the War on Terror.

Mumbai Attacks, Pakistan and the American strategy

By Majed Iqbal- "The terrorist attack on Mumbai is an audacious challenge to India's Nation State. While maintaining calm and unity, we must all resolve to break the back of India's enemies. Clearly, the terrorists have declared a full-scale war on India and sought to sever the country's economic nerve with their meticulously planned carnage across the metropolis".

The words echoed by India's Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani could sum up how the Indian nation is feeling after the unfortunate events in Mumbai that took place in the last week of November as well as providing us with glimpses of where the anger is being directed at.

The blame game over who was responsible for the attacks turned into internal chaos as Indian ministers came in the firing line. Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil and national security adviser MK Narayanan submitted their resignations amid growing pressure on the Indian government to explain why it was unable to prevent the strike in which at least 172 died.

Pakistan immediately became the first target for Indian officials to point the finger of blame on which began from the onset of the crisis with hardly any investigation done. India's Deputy Home Minister, Shakeel Ahmad, told the BBC it was "very clearly established" that all the attackers were from Pakistan. "Whether they had government backing or whether there was any official involvement in it - it will come to light after proper investigation," Mr. Ahmad said.