22. mars 2006

On this day in history... On March 22, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Beer and Wine Revenue Act, which also had the effect of legalizing wine and beer. In December the same year, the disastrous 18th Amendment was surpassed by the 21st, ending the Prohibition.  10:38:00 PM    comment []  trackback []

Afghan convert may be spared on 'insanity' grounds The threat of a death penalty against Abdul Rahman, an Afghani accused of converting from Islam to Christianity, is for once uniting former foes in the west in condemnation, and is a clear warning that the people in Islamic countries have a long way to go to accept fundamental human rights. We should have no illusions that Afghanistan — in many ways the backwater of the Islamic world — will soon embrace Western-style religious pluralism. But the trial of Abdul Rahman, who faces a potential death sentence for converting to Christianity some 15 years ago, is an affront to civilization. If there is always a balancing act between accommodating the religious beliefs of a traditional society like Afghanistan and coaxing it toward reform, the Rahman case is not a close call — killing or jailing someone for his religious beliefs is always wrong, and is especially galling in a country so dependent on American military forces and aid. The official US reaction was embarrassingly slow in coming, considering the clout the country has in Afghanistan, but President Bush has now voiced his concern, at least. "We expect them to honor the universal principle of freedom," Bush said. "I'm troubled when I hear, deeply troubled when I hear, the fact that a person who converted away from Islam may be held to account. That's not the universal application of the values that I talked about. I look forward to working with the government of that country to make sure that people are protected in their capacity to worship."  Presumably, there has been some diplomatic work behind the scenes, and the Afghans may have found a way to sidestep, instead of solving, the problem. Abdul Rahman, 41, has been charged with rejecting Islam, a crime under this country's Islamic laws. His trial started last week and he confessed to becoming a Christian 16 years ago. If convicted, he could be executed. "We think he could be mad. He is not a normal person. He doesn't talk like a normal person," prosecutor Sarinwal Zamari told The Associated Press. Moayuddin Baluch, a religious adviser to President Hamid Karzai, said Rahman would undergo a psychological examination. "If he is mentally unfit, definitely Islam has no claim to punish him," he said. "He must be forgiven. The case must be dropped." The idea that anyone leaving Islam is insane is no less revolting, even if it saves the life of one man. The problem isn't going away. I don't think this was what thousands of soldiers from many countries risked their lives for, bringing democracy to Afghanistan. 10:27:56 PM    comment []  trackback []

The consequences of a loss in Iraq The WSJ is seeing the signs of a weakening US resolve in Iraq, and warns against the consequences of losing the war. Yet there's no denying the polls showing that most Americans are increasingly weary of the daily news of car bombs and Iraqi squabbling and are wishing it would all just go away. Their pessimism is fed by elites who should know better but can't restrain their domestic political calculations long enough to consider the damage that would accompany U.S. failure. A conventional military defeat is inconceivable in Iraq, but a premature U.S. withdrawal is becoming all too possible. The utter loss of US credibility after an Iraqi defeat would certainly embolden Iran and Syria, and strengthen the extremists in all Islamic countries. Previous examples of quick retreats in Lebanon and Somalia were instrumental in convincing Osama Bin Laden that the US - and the west generally - was weak and decadent, and would quickly retreat under attack. I hasty withdrawal from Iraq would multiply the terrorists' resolve many-fold. More directly, a coalition withdrawal would create a power vacuum that many would be eager to fill. The fall of the Soviet Union lead, in many ways, to the war on terror, catapulting any ambitious state into challenging the US "hegemony."  Iran is one obvious state that is eager to fill a power vacuum in a weak and split Iraq, but it is certainly not alone. An Iraqi defeat will undoubtedly lead to a US isolationism for years, maybe decades, leaving the world stage for a number of ambitious powers. If those who decry American dominance are complaining now, they should rather think about the games an emboldened Iran, Islamist extremists worldwide, and also Russia and China, will play. 10:18:25 PM    comment []  trackback []

ETA halts violence Basque terrorist organisation ETA has declared a permanent ceasefire: In a statement released to Basque media, the group said its objective now was "to start a new democratic process in the Basque country". Now we'll see if it is an honest effort or a tactical retreat from the ETA. 6:11:30 PM    comment []  trackback []

One third of the French say they are racists Disturbing poll results in France: Some 33 percent of 1,011 people surveyed face-to-face by pollsters CSA said they were "somewhat" or "a little" racist, up 8 percentage points from last year, according to an annual report by the National Consultative Commission for Human Rights. The poll asked the question "When it comes to you personally, would you say you are ..." followed by a list of options: somewhat racist, a bit racist, not racist, not very racist, not racist at all and don't want to say. The poll revealed deep economic and social anxiety, Joel Thoraval, the commission's president, said in a statement released to coincide with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Notably, the poll was conducted shortly after the urban rioting. 7:44:55 AM    comment []  trackback []

© Copyright 2006 Jan Haugland. Last update: 01.04.2006; 13:23:12.