Tag Archives: pakistan

Defending Freedom Around the World, except Religious Freedom

Phil Lawler at Catholic Culture raises an interesting observation about the US wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the culture of freedom in our strongest “ally” in the region, Pakistan:

The US is committed to a foreign policy that defends human rights. Yet in the countries where our troops have been fighting during the past decade, one fundamental human right—the right to religious freedom—has been diminished rather than enhanced, particularly for Christians.

In Iraq the Christian minority is in flight, hounded and Read more

Jihadists Sentenced for 12th Planned Islamic-based Attack

The Associated Press noted three of a group of 8 men were recently sentenced for conspiring to attack Marine Corps Base Quantico as well as other targets.  Known in some places as the Raleigh jihadists, the men were arrested in July of 2009.

Hysen Sherifi, [the only non-US citizen] will serve 45 years in prison; Ziyad Yaghi…got nearly 32 years; and Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan…was sentenced to 15 years.

Lawyers for the men have claimed they were

discussing terrorism rather than committing terrorist acts…But US District Judge Louise Flanagan said the men went beyond talk to planning violence.

The father of one defendant accused the judge of attacking Islam:  Read more

Military Curbs Religious Group’s Activities

According to an international paper called, interestingly enough, The Hindu, Dawat-e-Islami has attracted the attention of the Pakistani military after a policeman apparently from that group was accused of assassinating a governor.  As a result, the military has

decided to curtail the activities of a proselytising organisation in their ranks after intelligence reports warned that its growing influence in the armed forces would have serious implications.

Dawat-e-Islami, which literally means “invitation to Islam,” claims Read more

DADT: Obama Certifies Repeal, Critiques, and Questions

Below:

  • President Obama has certified appeal; September 20th marks DADT end
  • ADF “stands ready to defend” servicemembers with faith, service conflict
  • Pakistan protests US support for homosexuals, even with DADT repealed
  • Washington Times notes “smoking gun,” Executive Branch misled Congress
  • Mixon says military “not ready” for DADT repeal, critics silenced
  • US military now used to “attack” Defense of Marriage Act
  • Multiple-marriage group seeks same respect as homosexuals

Read more

Muslim Joins Military Because of His Faith

The Youngstown (Ohio) news covers the story of local Falak Mir Shafi, an immigrant from Pakistan who became a US citizen in the fast-track process provided by service in the US military. The article notes Shafi’s faith — he is a Sunni Muslim — and also attempts to highlight the “problems” of being a Muslim in the US military:

In some cases, Muslims and noncitizens have filed discrimination complaints against military branches. Atty. Mikey Weinstein, director of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, says such discrimination is as omnipresent as gravity.

The discrimination is so ubiquitous, apparently, that there are precisely zero examples provided in the article.  In fact, the counterexample is presented instead:  Read more