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I posted the full transcript of Obama’s remarks to Turkey’s Parliament earlier but wanted to highlight a few passages that I think were particularly significant. For one thing, Obama strongly affirmed US support for Turkey’s EU membership: The United States strongly supports Turkey’s bid to become a member of the European Union. (Applause.) We speak…

Below is the full transcript to President Obama’s speech in front of the Turkish Parliament. I’ve emphasized some key points but its worth considering the speech as a whole in terms of tone and the clear respect that Obama displays for Turkish history and heritage. It’s quite a far cry from the scathing accusations of…

President Obama is visiting Turkey, which looks to be the occasion of his promised “major address” in a muslim-majority country. In some sense it’s a “safe” choice, as Turkey is seeking EU membership and clearly is trying to position itself between the western and islamic worlds. I think that a major address in Cairo would…

The Taliban’s Pakistani franchise apparently suffers delusions of grandeur: PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistani Taliban militant leader Baituallah Mehsud claimed on Saturday responsibility for an attack on a U.S. immigration centre in New York state in which 13 people were killed. “I accept responsibility. They were my men. I gave them orders in reaction to…

Barbarism has a name in Islam – hirabah. (WARNING – graphic violence) This is why we need a War on Terror (or better yet, a WOMBAT). It’s also why I favor intervention rather than isolationism. Pursuant to the debate here at Talk Islam, I reject the argument that we are “imposing” our values on other…

For over 20 years, Arab-American businessman Walid Elkhatib has run a Dunkin’ Donuts franchise in a suburb of Chicago. Now, however, the Dunkin Donuts corporation has decided to single him out for his faith, revoking his franchise: An Arab-American owner of a Chicago-area Dunkin’ Donuts store has to give up his franchise after he lost…

Today is World Autism Awareness Day: On December 18, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 62/139, tabled by the State of Qatar, which declares April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) in perpetuity. Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, Consort of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of…

My friend Razib poses an interesting question at Talk Islam asking for people’s definitions of these four terms. Here are mine: racism – bias pr prejudice towards an ethnic group. anti-semitism – hatred towards Jews (or culturally affiliated persons therof) islamophobia – fear of muslims and islam sexism – indulgence in gender stereotypes It should…

I am extremely happy to announce that my friend Wajahat Ali will be honored later this month as a rising muslim artist by the Muslim Public Affairs Council for his landmark play, The Domestic Crusaders. Here’s the press release by MPAC: The Muslim Public Affairs Council announced today that it will recognize playwright Wajahat Ali…

In an explicit bid to appease hard-line Islamists, Afghanistan’s “president” 1 Hamid Karzai has signed a bill into law that essentially legalizes rape of a woman by her husband: Critics claim the president helped rush the bill through parliament in a bid to appease Islamic fundamentalists ahead of elections in August. In a massive blow…
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