Sunday, June 22, 2014

"I was the youngest...I was the oldest...:



This is a bit of a primer to what sincerely is the status in the USA.

He has an addiction there is no cure for and that is the addiction to power. I am sure the taste is rather sweet, but, in Cheney's hands it spells death. There IS no such thing as a war on terror. The Mideast is a frustrating place unless one TRYS to understand it.

I did see this special on Mr. Cheney when it aired on Showtime. Maybe I was one of the few, but, it validated everything I have thought about his focus and very lengthy career. Sometimes I think those that make it into elected office believe it is possible to have a lifelong career, but, this is a democracy where power changes hands regularly under the US Constitution.
December 19, 2013
Dubai: Two Al Qaida supporters (click here) in Qatar and Yemen have been added to the US Treasury Department list of terrorists.
Abdul Rahman Bin Umair Al Nuaimi, 59, and Abdul Wahab Mohammad Abdul Rahman Al Humaiqani, 41, were designated global terrorists for allegedly being “at the centre of global support networks that fund and facilitate terrorism.”
“Al Nuaimi was designated for providing financial support to Al Qaida, Asbat Al Ansar, Al Qaida in Iraq, and Al Shabab, and Al Humaiqani was designated for providing financial support to and acting on behalf of Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP),” the Treasury said in a statement released on Wednesday in Washington.
“Al Nuaimi is a Qatar-based terrorist financier and facilitator who has provided money and material support and conveyed communications to Al Qaida and its affiliates in Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Yemen for more than a decade. He was considered among the most prominent Qatar-based supporters of Iraqi Sunni extremists,” the statement said...

While The West has a sincere objection to this type of generosity, it is cultural dating back centuries. Within the Muslim faith there is an understanding of 'need' vs 'greed.' It is understood the talented often find themselves with exceptional wealth. It is also understood through their morality wealth has a responsibility to others. Where that form of generosity draws fire from The West is illustrated with Abdul Rahman bin Umair al Nuaimi and Abdul Wahab Mohammad Abdul Rahman al Humaigani. 
December 16th of 2013 is not that long ago, haven't these men heard of "The War on Terror?" Don't they have reverence for life and don't they know the people receiving those monies will kill others?
Yes, they do know. They don't worry about it because that is not their responsibility. Their responsibility is defending the faith. No, they are not running terrorist networks nor are they interested in running terrorist networks. But, they do recognize someone coming to them deeply worried about the faith and honoring Allah. 
Takbīr is an Arabic phrase otherwise stated as Allāhu Akbar.  It is usually translated as "God is [the] greatest," or "God is great".  It is a common Islamic Arabic expression, used in various contexts by Muslims; in formal prayer, in the call for prayer, as an informal expression of faith, in times of distress, to express celebration or victory, or to express resolute determination or defiance.
It is safe to say this is an expression that takes on many definitions, but, it is similar to a short prayer.
Jihad is part of the faith. It is a legitimate word in the Quran. 
Each of the 164 Jihad verses (click here) in this list was selected based on how clearly and directly it spoke about Jihad, at least when considered in its immediate context. Most of the listed passages mention a military expedition, fighting, or distributing war spoils....
Unless there is a second coming of Mohammad it is a safe bet the word Jihad it not going to disappear from the Quran. And the Quran is not like Hebrew text where by Rabbis write commentary about modern ideas and applying them to Jewish life or as in Midrash which assists in explaining the text of the documents. The Quran to my knowledge is set in stone. Not very different than Christian text whereby the only change in belief/culture of the teachings in the Bible is through a Roman Catholic Pope or a convening of a council such as Vatican 2. As a side note I have been wondering if Pope Francis ever contemplated another ecumenical council. 
But, the point here is Jihad is a valid word in the Quran. It isn't going to disappear simply because The West wishes it so. The entire definition of "The War on Terror" depends on the definition of Jihad. The war of and on the individual. If there was ever such a thing as The War on Terror it would be a permanent aggression by The West of the Middle East Arab nations. It would never relent. 
The best way I can think of to illustrate this is with John Walker Lindh. He was in the right place at the wrong time. He didn't go to Pakistan and ultimately Afghanistan to kill Americans, however, he did to for the practice of Jihad. It was a spiritual journey for him. Unfortunately, when he met bin Laden in a meeting little did he realize there were attacks planned against the USA using passenger jets. He was in Afghanistan for his own reasons, not to wage Jihad against The West.
John Walker Lindh is not that unusual. There are many young men of the Muslim faith that seek their spirituality through such missions as Jihad. This isn't really a war on terror because The West finds killing an abhorrance in the manner of a suicide bomber. It is a war on extremists that carry out Jihad as it is asked of him in defense of their faith. 
At one time within the Israel-Palestine conflict it was known the families of suicide bombers have received substantial financial support after the death of their son in his devotion to his faith. That is all part of the generosity of the faith and not simply a pay off. It is more spiritual than that. 
The USA has to close the door of citizenship behind citizens that leave the country to fight Jihad in a foreign nation. The USA has to stay out of countries where it has aggressively killed indiscriminately for the sake of faux priorities. If the USA were to deploy again into Iraq it might be the forces on the ground would simply focus on destroying us and not each other. It is over for the USA in the Middle East. Support allies such as Jordan and Israel. 
So, close. So, very, very close. (click here)

In 105 degree heat.

Iraq can wait until later. No one is rolling out the welcome sign for the USA. It's all good.