BBC: Profile: Hakimullah Mehsud

Profile: Hakimullah Mehsud


Hakimullah Mehsud, who the Taliban say is their new leader in Pakistan, came to prominence in 2007 after a number of spectacular raids against the army. [More]


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How futile it is to drop bombs from 20,000 feet in the air to kill the leadership of an organization whose ranks are quickly replenished by young men like Hakimullah Mehsud. Hakimullah had no education but from a madrasa. How different would his life had been and the conflict in Pakistan would be if we, who have so many opportunities ourselves, had cared whether he had any... 


-- The Kettle Rumbles

BBC: 'Living wage' identified for Asia

'Living wage' identified for Asia 

Labour Behind the Label, a group that campaigns for garment workers, has calculated a wage it says should be used as a minimum for workers in Asia. [More]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

FEER: Why Islamic Extremists Hate India

October 2009

Why Islamic Extremists Hate India

by Salil Tripathi

EXCERPT: [...]India is a danger because by its pluralistic nature it is a real threat for Islamic extremists. Not only does India have the world’s third-largest Muslim population (Pakistan finally overtook India recently), despite domestic differences with the majority Hindus, Indian Muslims have remained loyal to the Indian state, and have fully embraced democracy. While many Muslims live in poverty in India, so do other Indians, including Hindus. And Muslims alone are not victims of human rights abuses in India. What’s more, talented Muslims have often reached the top of Indian corporations, judiciary, armed forces, bureaucracy, and other fields, entirely on merit. They are able to express their grievances through the democratic system. It is no surprise, then, that of all the recruits al Qaeda has been able to attract around the world, barely a handful of Indian Muslims have been swayed by al Qaeda’s nihilist ideology. [MORE]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

CAI: A quote from a CAI teacher

I was catching up to reading a CAI newsletter and came upon the following quote, which I think summarizes much of the good the CAI's work does for the communities they serve and the world at large:

"If you can't read, then you must believe what the imam tells you," said Shaukat Ali, a former Kashmiri freedom fighter and Taliban member who now teaches at the Gundi Piran school. "If you are only a listener, not a reader, if you cannot read the language, you can get the wrong idea. And that is a misfortune. But slowly, slowly, we can encourage modern education, encourage people to send boys and girls to school. If we invest, it will come back to us. We have to deal with problems of tradition and culture. But we can stop extremism. If people are educated, we can fight against poverty, cruelty, and injustice."

These words, coming from someone who was a militia and Taliban member, but now is a teacher for the CAI school, is so poignant. I am amazed at the wisdom, courage, and open mindedness of the CAI staff.

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Some Insight on the CAI Logo

Taken from CAI Newsletter:

"The Central Asia Institute Logo depicts a mother wearing a traditional scarf, holding her child and embraced by mountains. Her sleeve suggests a book and reading, while the river signifies the hope that education and literacy bring. The crescent moon and star pay respect to the communities that CAI serves, which are of Islamic tradition and faith. The mountains are the Karakoram, Pamir, and Hindu Kush ranges (the greatest consolidation of high peaks in the world), which are integral to the communities Central Asia Institute serves. The color blue represents the Lapis stone (Lapis lazuli) and blue Topaz, unique to Central Asia. The logo was designed by Brynn Breuner of the San Francisco Area in 1995. www.taewindmedia.com"

-- The Kettle Rumbles

BBC: Rare glimpse inside hidden Turkmenistan

Rare glimpse inside hidden Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan has remained largely closed to the world since its independence from Soviet rule in 1991. The BBC's Rayhan Demytrie took advantage of a Silk Road car rally to see the country. [More]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Gulf Times: Suspected Taliban rebels bomb school

Suspected Taliban rebels bomb school

Suspected Taliban militants bombed a primary school on the outskirts of Peshawar yesterday, underscoring the Islamist threat in northwest Pakistan despite a series of military offensives. [More]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

NY Times: Real Men Tax Gas

Real Men Tax Gas

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

Published: September 20, 2009

There is something wrong when our country is considering sending more troops to Afghanistan, but can’t even talk about a gasoline tax to reduce our dependency on oil. [More]

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The man has a point. Who are really the "cheese eating surrender monkeys" if the country is willing to send young people to fight (and die) in Afghanistan, but won't tax oil to fund the deficit and promote energy independence?

-- The Kettle Rumbles

NYTimes: Purge of Iranian Universities Is Feared

Purge of Iranian Universities Is Feared

By MICHAEL SLACKMAN

Published: September 2, 2009

Recent speeches by Iranian leaders have stoked fears that the government will purge universities of professors and curriculums deemed “un-Islamic.” [More]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

The Lede: Iranians Say Prison Rape Is Not New

The Lede: Iranians Say Prison Rape Is Not New

By By Robert Mackey

Published: August 28, 2009

Two prominent members of Iran's human rights community have published essays on Iranian Web sites arguing that far from being a new phenomenon, prison rape has a long history in the Islamic Republic. [More]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

NYTimes: To Save Afghanistan, Look to Its Past

To Save Afghanistan, Look to Its Past

By ANSAR RAHEL and JON KRAKAUER

Published: September 11, 2009

Any one of the crises Afghanistan faces would justify convening a loya jirga, or grand assembly. But the most compelling reason for doing so is to select a president. [More]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Book Project Update

Sorry for the lack of updates of recently. I've started taking classes after work, and that is taking a considerable amount of time. I continue to work offline though. This afternoon I sent 8 books to Japan, 2 books to London, and 1 book to New Jersey. It cost me $115 in shipping altogether but if even a few of those books manage to inspire one or two people, then the $115 would be worth it.

Farzeen from New York recently left me a message which made me feel good about the money and time I am spending on the project. After reading Book 15, she wrote:

Personally, for someone who is at somewhat of a crossroads in my career, I found the story truly inspirational The idea of the Three of Cups Book Project is brilliant in how we try to spread this message out there. I hope for each of us who participate in this project, in the coming years, whenever we are touched by a story, an incident, and at that moment if we mentally make a promise to make a change, however small, we do follow through with it.

I made a commitment several months ago to give away 200 copies of the book and try to raise $50,000 for the CAI. Though I have been slowed down by work, life "stuff", and the speed participants are getting through the book, I continue to be committed to the 200 book goal. I'm actually down to 3 books, and need to buy more soon. I have about 40 books in circulation now.

Thank you, Farzeen and other project participants, for inspiring me to continue even as things become much more inconvenient.



-- The Kettle Rumbles

NYTimes: A School Bus for Shamsia

A School Bus for Shamsia

By DEXTER FILKINS

Published: August 23, 2009

A writer returned to Afghanistan to buy a bus for Afghan girls who were attacked on their walk to school. But it turns out giving isn’t always easy. [More]

-- The Kettle Rumbles

NYTimes: The Women’s Crusade

The Women’s Crusade

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF and SHERYL WuDUNN

Published: August 23, 2009

The liberation of women could help solve many of the world’s problems, from poverty to child mortality to terrorism. [MORE]

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Some of these people are truly amazing. Seeing what other people have to go through just to be able to read or provide for their kids makes so many of the things that concern people in my world so trivial. When I find myself wasting time, I think about stories like Tererai's. She spent much of her life being told to not educate herself, not to go beyond what was expected of women like her. She was beaten and punished for trying, but in the end, a cattle herder from Zimbabwe DID go to America, IS making a difference for the lives of her children and her people, and WILL achieve all her dreams, including getting a PhD. Wow.

I think we should all ask ourselves what it is exactly that we're doing with our time, wealth, and education. There is more to life than entertainment and luxury.

-- The Kettle Rumbles

Motherhouse, A Social Business in Bangladesh Started by a Japanese Entrepreneur

A friend of mine recently decided to leave the corporate world behind to do something she can be really passionate about. She will be joining Motherhouse, a social business in Bangladesh started by a Japanese entrepreneur. Yamaguchi started Motherhouse after realizing that like most people working in charity organizations that focus on developing countries, she had no experience being in a developing country. She soon made her way to Bangladesh . While trying to figure out a way to help the people there, she discovered the jute fiber, and decided she would try to sell products made in Bangladesh to Japan. Despite the alien surroundings and hardships of living and doing business in Bangladesh, Yamaguchi managed to succeed and build an organization that has inspired my friend to join them and fulfill an inherent need to do something better in her life.

-- The Kettle Rumbles