governmentality

Saudi Cleric Wants Holy Mosque in Mecca Demolished

A controversial Saudi cleric is calling for the demolition of the Holy Mosque in Mecca--yes, that's the same mosque that 2 million Muslims make the Hajj to each year. 

But he wants to build a new one in its place.

Sheikh Youssef al-Ahmad told the Saudi-based Bedaya satellite television channel Wednesday that the mosque should be demolished and replaced with a new one featuring "10, 20 or 30" floors.

Why? It could be for the reason that each year there are plenty of injuries because there are too many people for the space it's in.

However, that's not the reason.

The new mosque, with all its floors, would allow men and women to be segregated.

And if you think he's playing around, think about the fatwa he issued calling for the death of anyone who allowed men and women to mix.

Read the full al-Arabiya report here.

Brooklyn's Gowanus Canal of the Most Toxic in U.S.

Turkey Airs TV Show Causing Diplomatic Row with Israel

Earlier this year, I posted about Turkey recalling their ambassador to Israel over a Israel's reactions to a Turkish television show. The show, "Farewell," depicts the brutality of the IDF during the invasion of Gaza through a love story between the lead characters.

Well, that controversial prime-time television show is set to be aired starting Saturday, according to a report from al-Arabiya.

Several scenes in the series depict the IDF using firearms against unarmed Palestinians whose only weapon is rocks. A soldier is seen kicking the body of a dead Palestinian boy while his mother runs towards him in tears. Another soldier shoots a Palestinian girl who is seen smiling right before she receives a bullet in her.

And here's what Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman had to say on the matter:

"Broadcasting this series is a serious case of state-sponsored incitement,” said Lieberman. “Such a series, which doesn’t even have a weak connection to reality, and which presents the IDF's soldiers as murderers of innocent children, is unworthy of being broadcast in enemy states, let alone in a country which has full diplomatic relations with Israel.”

Of course, Avigdor Lieberman himself doesn't even have a weak connection to reality. And if anybody knows about state-sponsored incitement...

Read the full report at al-Arabiya.

5 Things to Watch for This Week: 3/15/10

1) Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear, with a half-hearted apology, that there will be no change to the Israeli policy decision on settlements. Is the U.S. going to move beyond the "we condemn the settlements" statement and take any action whatsoever against Israel? Or will just be more of the same light scolding while giving Israel the upper hand on all matters?  

2) Condemnation won't be enough for the deaths in Cuidad Juarez yesterday. What will the U.S. do, tangibly, in retaliation for the brutal assassination of the three connected to the U.S. Consulate in Mexico?

3) Was that really a democratic victory in Iraq last week? More independent monitor reports are coming out this week.

4) Since investigative journalists are doing the leg work, will Congress follow with their own investigation into private contractors hired as hitmen?

5) Are Thai protesters going to be successful in getting their parliament dissovled?

The Making of Tim Geithner

Morning Quickfire: 3/15/10

AIPAC Hits the White House (Politico)

Netanyahu Offers Apology, But No Shift in Policy (New York Times)

When Senate Appointments Go Well (Washington Post)

Petraeus to Make Rounds on Capitol Hill (The Hill)

Yemen Detains Iranian Ship; Questions Over Cargo

Today, Yemen's security forces detained a ship captained by an Iranian with 14 Pakistani crew members in Yemen's waters.

The ship, which state media said had entered Yemeni waters illegally, was held after fishermen reported its presence to authorities. The crew, 15 Pakistani sailors and an Iranian captain, are being investigated and the ship searched.

"The security apparatus in the Socotra archipelago does not rule out that the Iranian ship may have been involved in smuggling drugs to Yemen," the Defence Ministry's online newspaper said. It did not say when the ship was detained.

Strange that it's drugs Yemen is concerned about rather than, say, a major weapons shipment.

Read the full Reuters report here.

Sunday Talk Shows: 3/14/10

On tap this week:

NBC's Meet the Press: Senior White House Adviser David Axelrod, Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Fmr. Senior Adviser to President Bush Karl Rove and NYT's David Brooks and Thomas Friedman.

CBS' Face the Nation: White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), President of America's Health Insurance Plans Karen Ignagni.

ABC's This Week with Jake Tapper: White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), ABC News' George Will and Cokie Roberts, Democratic Political Strategist Anita Dunn, Chairman of the Republican State Leadership Committee Ed Gillespie. 

Get the full line-up at FishbowlDC.

Israel Closes Off West Bank for 48 Hours

Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak has imposed a closure on the West Bank for the next 48 hours.

The action was taken "for security reasons" including a risk of attacks, the spokesman said Friday. The area was sealed off at midnight on Thursday.

Since the outbreak of the second Palestinian uprising in September 2000, Israel has usually sealed off the West Bank ahead of major holidays, saying the move is necessary to prevent attacks.

This was the first time such a measure was taken outside of a major Jewish occasion.

Barak's decision certainly has nothing to do with Biden's visit since he's already left for Jordan and soon after will  return to the U.S.

Other reports are hinting that the decision has to do with the clashes that have occurred over the last two weeks after Friday prayers, but there's no confirmation of that yet.

Read the full AFP report here.

Fahgettaboudit: Eric Massa

As entertaining as this bizarre set of events are, it's time to get over Eric Massa.

If you haven't read Joshua Green's piece at The Atlantic, go ahead and do that. And if you haven't read up on the ethics committee's decision to close the investigation, read Justin Elliott's piece at TPMDC.

Go ahead, get it out of your system.

Because Rep. Patrick Kennedy has it exactly right.