Islam and Politics *Muslim vote splits as new issues gain focus <http://www.newageislam.org/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1366>*
In Lucknow, the capital of India’s most populous state, there’s a saying among politicians that winning the Muslim vote means clinching the election. The political adage is based on simple logic: The community tends to vote en masse for a particular party. The relevance of that saying is being tested in the 15th Lok Sabha election, not just in Lucknow—which votes on 30 April—or Uttar Pradesh, but across several states where a trend is emerging of the Muslim vote being split among parties and individuals of varied hue. -- *Ruhi Tewari, *The Wall Street Journal/ Mint** 1 Comments More...<http://www.newageislam.org/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1366> Islam and the West *Obama's Iraq: The Picture of Dorian Gray <http://www.newageislam.org/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1365>* While the US tries to present a new face, the ugliness of the occupation continues. Now it seems combat troops won’t exactly withdraw from Iraqi cities on June 30… Obama's Iraq plan is virtually identical to the one on Bush's table on January 19, 2009. Obama has just rebranded the occupation, sold it to liberals and dropped the term "Global War on Terror" while, for all practical purposes, continuing the Bush era policy (that's why leading Republicans praised Obama's plan). In the real world, US military commanders have said they are preparing for an Iraq presence for another 15-20 years<http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/129362/all_troops_out_by_2011_not_so_fast%3B_why_obama%27s_iraq_speech_deserves_a_second_look/?page=entire>, the US embassy is the size of Vatican City, there is no official plan<http://www.alternet.org/story/133676/283_bases%2C_170%2C000_pieces_of_equipment%2C_140%2C000_troops%2C_and_an_army_of_mercenaries%3A_the_logistical_nightmare_in_iraq/> for the withdrawal of contractors and new corporate mercenary contracts are being awarded<http://www.alternet.org/story/134594/obama%27s_blackwater_chicago_mercenary_firm_gets_millions_for_private_%22security%22_in_israel_and_iraq/>. The SoFA Agreement between the US and Iraq gives the US the right to extend the occupation indefinitely and to continue intervening militarily in Iraq *ad infinitum*. All it takes is for the puppets in Baghdad to ask nicely... In the latest episode of the "Occupation Rebranded" mini-series, President Obama is preparing to scrap the June 30 withdrawal timeline. -- *Jeremy Scahill**, the author <http://www.blackwaterbook.com/> of the New York Times bestseller Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army<http://www.amazon.com/dp/1560259795?tag=commondreams-20/ref=nosim> .* More...<http://www.newageislam.org/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1365> Islamic World News *Obama's new "AfPak" strategy – the view from Pakistan <http://www.newageislam.org/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1364>* *Religious-secularist mix impacts women's rights in Turkey* By Sertaç Sehlikoglu Karakas Perspectives: Morocco's family code, 5 years later By Hakima Fassi-Fihri and Zakia Tahiri Obama's first 100 days By Arsalan Iftikhar Somali piracy and Muslim-Western relations By: Hady Amr and Areej Noor * * Distributed by Common Ground News Service More.<http://www.newageislam.org/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1364> -- Syed M. Asadullah --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Asalam o Alaikum, You Are Receiving This Message, Because You Are A Member Of FOCUS ON ISLAM, A Google Group [..:: The Best Group For Nice Islamic Mails ::..] \/<<<<>>>>\/<<<<>>>>\/<<<<>>>>\/<<<<>>>>\/<<<<>>>>\/<<<<>>>>\/<>\/ You can Post Your Comments and Suggestions to Me [Moderator of this Group] on this email address: [email protected] To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.google.com/group/focusonislam/ To post messages/mails to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] Please forward our Mails to Your friends, and convence them to join our Group. Wanna subscribe to this group, send email to [email protected] \/<<<<>>>>\/<<<<>>>>\/<<<<>>>>\/<<<<>>>>\/<<<<>>>>\/<<<<>>>>\/<>\/ *********************************************************** The Official Website of Group is LAUNCHED, http://www.geocities.co -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
