Confused

The Today website is no longer providing clips of every part of the programme. No explanation, but I assume it’s something to do with the cuts. Hmm.

More importantly, as stories about failed rogue states, Islamist wars, terrorism and piracy reach a crescendo, why doesn’t anyone publicly acknowledge there’s connection between them all? The only factor that determines whether the BBC sees Islamic terrorists as good or bad seems to be whether they are known to have links with Al Qaeda.Al Shebab, Boko Harem, Hizbollah, Hamas – all apparently a-okay. Until they’re ‘known to be linked with’ Alky Ada. Then – say no more. Quite puzzling.

The current violence in Afghanistan over these burnt korans.
I’m baffled as to why everyone accepts one of the most superstitious superstitions of all the Islamic superstitions as being the outrage it apparently is. When Evan Davis spoke to Jim Muir, his empathy with this preposterous sensitivity was baffling. Who makes a fuss when the same hyper-sensitive religious fanatics burn the American/Israeli flag? Who calls for riots when mobs shout “Death to Amerika/Britain?” Who turns a hair when they call Israel a cancer and vow to excise it from the planet? All people do is say “They don’t really mean it” with a knowing smirk.

Even more strange, there are certain acceptable methods of koran disposal, it seems.
A scholarly imam with an Islamic bushel of bushy beard has to chant the holy salagagoola mechicka boola bibbidi-bobbidi-boo and throw it over his left shoulder into the Holy See.
Or it can be burnt.
See Evan? Burning’s okay after all! It must be burnt to a crisp. The mistake was leaving the fragments!
So the Afghanis who were ‘helping’ the Americans were so religious that instead of quietly whispering “look bud, finish the job properly,” they took the fragments and showed them to their mates in order to start a religiously motivated killing spree. This was helpful?

I’m baffled.

BLACK BANNERS

Talk about a sympathetic hearing. You should listen to Sarah Montague’s 8.30am interview with Ali Soufan, “the FBI’s former chief interrogator in the Middle East” who has published what the BBC chooses to call “the fullest inside account to date of the US response to Al-Qaeda” In his book Black Banners, he alleges that the US government lied about how information was gained through torture and describes the tension between the FBI and the CIA. You can see why the BBC would be keen to have him on. Ali went on to point out that “enhanced interrogation” does not work (another BBC meme) and that those wicked Americans encouraged Al Queda by liberating Iraq. Classic one sided stuff from Today as they continue to wage war on the US for daring to wage war on Al Queda. Give the interview a listen if you can bear it.