On electing a Christian in Jordan Islamic group (IAF)

According to the UPI, Jordan's Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, elected the first Christian to its leadership. The IAF said on its Web site Monday that Aziz Masaadeh, 44,who joined the group five years ago has been chosen in the administrative board of its branch in Amman. Mr. Masaaded will run on the third circle Christian seat on behalf of the IAF.

Whether this move reflects a change in the IAF's primary mission to establish an Islamic state that follows a strict rule of Al shariah law to all citizen of Jordan, or a "PR" attempt to boost the organization's image as being one that is tolerant enough to accommodate non-Muslims, one can only speculate!

My take on the IAF, is that it has a non Jordanian Agenda. For the last two decades, the IAF almost always chose to be in the wrong side against Jordan's national interests. The list includes the crisis with Hamas, Iran, Zarqawi and others to say the least. I also despise the IAF's sets of priority as they care more for their Muslim or ideological non-Jordanian brothers who live thousand of miles away form them over their non-Muslims or secular Jordanian citizens who might live across the street from their homes and offices.

The problem with this move in my opinion can be summarized with the fact that Mr. Massadeh who I do not know much about does not understand the idea behind the quota system. In my opinion, the quota system which was established in the first place to give minority groups (women, ethnic or religious groups) a voice, opinion and representation in the parliament so that their rights can be protected from the majority. Now I am not sure if this minority who happens to be Christian and lives in that geographical area would appreciates the fact that their representative assimilated too far to join a group that would endanger their rights to worship and thrive. Call me biased but Freud was right when he said," the best prediction of the future is the past," and so far the IAF's past records toward minorities in general was not the brightest.

"Bombed-out Beirut" image wins

This picture won the World Press Photo of the year Award. It shows a group of young Lebanese driving through a South Beirut neighbourhood devastated by Israeli bombings. The photo which was taken by US photographer Spencer Platt captures the magnititude of complexity of the Lebanese society.

"It has the complexity and contradiction of real life, amidst chaos. This photograph makes you look beyond the obvious," Jury chair said in a statement announcing the winners. The image contrasts a group of friends against a background of the wreckage of a collapsed building. Tellingly, one woman grimaces as she uses her mobile phone to send a text message to a friend, while another, wearing sunglasses, covers her nose with a handkerchief.

The Ministry of "healthy death"-Only in Iraq

The Iraqi Health Ministry, which is controlled by "Al-Sadr group; an extreme Shiite militia" has changed its mission from healing the sick to killing them, and NO I am not talking about euthanasia or "mercy killing for the terminally ill patients." I am talking about killing the healthy ones.

This week Iraqi special forces, backed by U.S. troops, stormed the Health Ministry complex in downtown Baghdad, detaining Deputy Minister Hakim Zamili, a Sadr loyalist. This "little devil," who dresses as an Angel managed to transfer the Ministry of Health over the last year into a house of horrors where health officials disappear on their way to meetings, never to be heard from them again. According to media reports, Sunni Arabs have been abducted and killed while trying to retrieve the bodies of slain relatives, forcing many families to leave their loved ones behind and violate Islamic rules on burial. The deputy also is accused of using the ministry's ambulances to transport fighters and use the ministry budget to fund Almadi Army terror activities. Even U.S. officials who typically travel in cocoons of security abandoned visiting the Ministry citing that the threat level is too high.

Of course this move to detain this "little devil," I mean "official" sparked a strong reaction within some people in the Shiite community and some Arab media agencies who described this action as an unlawful kidnapping by the "Greatest Devil" and an attack on the "dignity of all Iraqis." Well... may be not all Iraqis!

Funny shaikh on "Ikbis"

"Ikbis," which is for Arabs what "Youtube"is for the Western World features a hilarious vedio of a funny shaikh on a talk show that appeared on "Aljazeera."
Honestly, I can not remember the last time that I laughed so hard after watching a video, but this was absolutely funny. Somehow, I think we tend to internalize a fixated image of religious clerks as very serious and miserable folks who do not joke and take this life very seriously. However, clearly this shaikh proves that one can have it both ways; be religious and funny. Enjoy the vedio.

Jordan and the torture allegations

Jordan was in the news last week. A U.N. human rights investigator stated that torture is both widespread and routine in Jordan, especially to extract confessions from terror suspects. The report also stated that security forces enjoy total impunity. The report which was written by Manfred Nowak, a United Nations special rapporteur for torture, called on the Jordanian government to investigate and prosecute all allegations of torture and ill-treatment and also make changes to domestic laws including the constitution.

Although, I reject the practice of any form of torture, the report was fishy to say the least. For example, Nowak's report demanded from the government of Jordan to desolate Al Jafr facility in the south. He called the latter "a punishment centre" which should be "closed without delay" due to extremely harsh conditions and routine torture practices. What Mr. Nowak did not know was that His Majesty the King actually ordered the closure of this facility in December last year and directed the authorities to transform it to a "rehabilitation center".

The report also failed to mention that Jordan was the only country in the region to provide an access to the UN to conduct its investigation. On that regard, Nowak's report was based on interviews with more than 40 detainees and senior officials in Jordan, and is to be examined by the U.N. Human Rights Council. The 47-member state forum opens its next four-week session in Geneva on March 12.

On the other hand, the government's response to the report was unprofessional and embarrassing to say the least. The Minister of foreign affairs denied the allegations immediately. Instead of promising an investigation or even studying the report, the government jumped to defend its policies and practices. The question of the day is if the Government will ever have a smart spokesman/woman to defend the country's interest and image.