News and Analysis

[posted 7/4/08]

Religious leaders voluntarily back away as Iraqi government moves to separate mosque and state in provincial elections:

• Iraq Seeks Ban on Religious Imagery in Elections (Los Angeles Times)

Government investigates alleged army takeover plot by ultra-nationalist group of former military officers:

• Turkish General calls for Calm (The National)

Government-appointed religious official in Saudi Arabia counters militant ideology following the discovery of plots against oil and security stations:

• Saudi Cleric Warns Saudis to Shun Militants (Reuters/Wiredispatch)

Nigerian woman voluntarily confesses to singing traditional music is sentenced to two months in prison or a $42 fine:

• Sharia Court Jails Female Singer for Staging Musical Concert (Daily Trust/All Africa)

Plans to phase out Guantanamo include returning suspected terrorists to their countries of origin for detainment:

• Debate Over Guantanamo’s Fate Intensifies (Washington Post)

With a history of refusing to halt uranium enrichment, Iran will answer today to an incentives offer:

• Iran Nuclear Deal Response Expected (New York Times)

Police raids result in the capturing of nine involved in network responsible for massive attacks in Southeast Asia:

• South Sumatra Terrorist Suspects Linked to Noordin (The Jakarta Post)

Continued violence and declining security strain Afghanistan’s food-producing areas:

• U.N. Warns of Food and Security Crises in Afghanistan (New York Times)

[posted 7/3/08]

Even though Afghanistan was the first front in the war on terrorism, military experts want Iraq to be secure before the planned increase of troops …

• A Shortage Of Troops in Afghanistan (Washington Post)

…Meanwhile, soldiers in Iraq feel their work has brought a lull in violence, but doubt the calm is sustainable:

• A ‘Surge’ Unit Sees Change, But Questions Its Permanence (Christian Science Monitor)

Local media and politicians condemn the new Pakistani government’s operations in Taliban regions that worry US forces in Afghanistan:

• Offensive in Tribal Area Criticized by Key Pakistani Politicians (Washington Post)

”This is a very unstable part of the world and I don’t need it to be more unstable,” says Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding a potential US-Israeli strike:

• US Admiral Urges Caution on Iran (BBC News)

Algerian imprisoned for seven years is released due to lack of evidence against him:

• Second Qaeda Suspect Freed in Britain (New York Times)

UN aid to unemployed Iraqi refugees finds its way in the hands of Jordanian service institutions:

• In Jordan, Aid for Iraqi Refugees Is Often Redirected (Christian Science Monitor)

Civil society source in Somalia suspects a political dimension in attacks on innocents and foreigners:

• Govt Denounces Attacks On Aid Workers As Abductions Continue (UN Integrated Regional Information Networks/All Africa)

Dysfunctional government means locals turn to gangs for protection and business opportunities:

• Gangs Rule North Jakarta As Local Govt Fails (Jakarta Post)

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