Blog

My running commentary on events: local, national, and international. Areas of special interest include Israel, Iraq, and dissidents in the Muslim world.

Muslim Freedom Fighter Arrested

March 20, 2008

On Tuesday, members of Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion, a paramilitary wing of the government, stormed the offices of Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, arrested and interrogated him. In 2003, Mr. Choudhury, editor of the...

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The Virtue in Islam Today

March 11, 2008

Tonight I was proud of New York University, my grad school alma mater. Irshad Manji, the gutsy and eloquent author of “The Trouble With Islam Today,” is getting behind something new – The Moral Courage Project at NYU’s...

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Power Trip?

March 10, 2008

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New York Governor Eliot Spitzer apologized yesterday, presumably for taking part in a prostitution ring. Apparently he was caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet with a high-priced hooker.

I don’t know all the facts here. But...

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Chatting With Hank Sheinkopf at Broadway and 98th

March 9, 2008

Tonight on the Upper West Side, while waiting for traffic to pass before crossing the street, I spotted Hank Sheinkopf, a regular commentator on CNN and other networks. He was so nice I was momentarily nostalgic for my firmly Democratic days...

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The Times They are a-Changin’

March 4, 2008

In today’s New York Times Sabrina Tavernise reports that young people in Iraq have begun to turn against extremist Islam.

“The religion men are liars. Young people don’t believe them. Guys my age are not interested in religion...

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At Least Angelina Bothered to Talk With the Troops

March 3, 2008

I’ve received a couple of comments to my last post about Angelina Jolie to the effect that celebrities are generally full of it and I should be skeptical of anything they come up with. Fair enough, but at least Ms. Jolie spoke with the...

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Angelina Gets It

March 1, 2008

On Thursday, actress Angelina Jolie published an opinion piece in The Washington Post arguing that U.S. troops should be allowed to stay in Iraq and provide the security necessary for the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) to...

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The Cyber-smear Backfires … but What About Legitimate Questions?

February 27, 2008

Following the appearance yesterday on the Drudge Report of a photograph of Barack Obama in traditional Somali dress (some lame brained attempt, it would appear, to smear him by associating him with things Muslim), Obama seems to have...

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Tune in to FOX and Friends Tomorrow Morning at 7:45 am to See the Great Julia G.Gorin

February 23, 2008

Tomorrow morning–Saturday February 23 at 7:45 a.m.– tune in to Fox News Channel to watch the illustrious Julia Gorin. Journalist, comedian, and woman for all seasons, she will appear on Fox and Friends discussing her...

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Michelle Obama’s Got Nerve

February 22, 2008

…in both the positive and negative sense. On the one hand, she’s no Stepford Wife (one thinks of Ann Romney. The only words I heard out of that woman’s mouth during her months with Mitt on the campaign trail were the strikingly original,...

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