Iraq's American Values, Saddam's Virgins, Jordanian Honor Killings

I have been reading and hearing reports and comments about the training and arming of the Iraqi Army. Several U.S and Arab commentators have warned that the United States, in training the Iraqis, is training unreliable people who do not share American values and goals. Yet the United States trains other Arab armies, including the Saudis and Egyptians- it is highly doubtful that they share American values and goals (September 11, 2001 reminded us all of that). There is one major difference, however: unlike all other Arab armed forces, the Iraqi army answers to a freely elected government- this is one value they share with America that other Arabs do not.

At a conference in Doha to staunch Moslem sectarian tensions, a top radical Egyptian Sunni cleric, a Dr. Yosouf al-Qardawi, called on Shia's to stop converting Sunnis to their sect. That went a long way toward sealing the fate of the conference. Later al-Qardawi eulogized Saddam Hussein at a mosque, and almost guaranteed him a place in paradise. He did not, however, mention whether Saddam will also have unlimited access to virgins in his new domicile.

It looks like Lebanon is on the verge of a new civil war, unless the various factions and parties agree to a restructuring of the political system. It is clear now that the current system is untenable, simply because the largest group of the Lebanese demographic/ethnic mosaic, as represented by Hizballah and Amal, will not accept it. It is highly unlikely that the recent Paris agreement on aid will do much to change that. There are reports in Arab media that the Iranians and the Saudis, the two main influences on the opposing Lebanese factions, are working to reach an agreement. Even if they do, will their purported proxies, Mr. Nassrallah and Mr. Hariri agree? Unfortunately for Lebanon, it is unlikely that the $ 7+ billion aid money, whenever it becomes available and at whatever conditions, will flow fast enough to affect the situation on the ground.

Alarabiya reports from Jordan that a young girl was shot by her family for 'dishonoring' them by running away from home for a few days. Posthumous medical examination showed that she was still a virgin- whatever bit of family honor that strip of membrane represented was still intact. Reports claim that at least 12 women have been honor-killed by their families in Jordan over the last year, and it is very likely that many more such murder cases are not even reported, perhaps not as 'honor' killings.

Looks like most commentators agree that the Pakistani ISI, the inter-service intelligence, has resumed helping and arming the now-resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan. Most publicly agree with this assessment, except U.S officials in Washington. And we all know who is allied with and bankrolls the Taliban, or do we?
Cheers
Mohammed