Bear Mauls Militants

The war on terror has found a much needed ally: hungry bears. The BBC reports (h/t Jonah Goldberg) that a bear killed two militants and wounded a third in the embattled region of Indian-administered Kashmir. According to the article, "the militants had assault rifles but were taken by surprise - police found the remains of pudding they had made to eat when the bear attacked."

Really? Pudding?

Interestingly, this is not the first time Muslim militants have been killed by animals. Shortly after the Taliban conquered Kabul, a lion killed and ate a Taliban fighter. The militant had jumped into the cage to prove Allah would protect him, but had not considered the fact that the lion had not been fed in weeks because of the civil war. Apparently, God helps those who help themselves - in this case, the starving lion.

The militant's brother sought retribution the next day by throwing a grenade at the lion, leaving the animal blind and lame. The lion, named Marjan, survived several more turbulent years and died shortly after the American invasion. According to the World Society for the Protection of Animals, the Afghan zookeepers showed the utmost dedication in trying to care for the lion, despite receiving intermittent pay and often lacking food themselves.

Perhaps the Taliban fighter should have read his Qur'an a little closer:

According to Surah 4:173: "whereupon unto those who attained to faith and did good deeds He will grant their just rewards, and give them yet more out of His bounty; whereas those who felt too proud and gloried in their arrogance He will chastise with grievous suffering: and they shall find none to protect them from God, and none to bring them succour."

And Surah 16:49: "For, before God prostrates itself all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth - every beast that moves, and the angels: [even] these do not bear themselves with false pride"

In other words, God has created everything in the universe, whether it be man, animal or angel. All of God's creations are equal in that sense that all prostrate in submission before God. Therefore, none have cause for pride or arrogance. By jumping into that lion cage, the Taliban fighter showed immense arrogance in believing he deserved God's protection against his own stupidity, and thus God granted him the "grievous suffering" he deserved.

At least, that's my non-expert non-Muslim interpretation.

Centenarian Passion

A Somalian man claiming to be 112 years-old has married a 17 year-old girl, according to Al Arabiya. The man, Ahmed Mohamed Dhore, explained to reporters that "married life is about love and passion."

He would know. He's been married six times.

Dhore was convinced to marry again by his children and grandchildren because "his only other surviving wife was 90 and ailing."

I've talked about polygamy and underage marriage before on this blog. To briefly reiterate, there is currently an internal debate within Islam to decide whether the example set by the Prophet Mohammed creates an eternal standard for morality or whether Muslim morality should be framed by the evolving historical/cultural environment. This debate has vast implications for many issues.

In this case, polygamy and underage marriage were the norm during the Prophet Mohammed's time, largely serving as a socioeconomic safety net in an unforgiving desert wilderness. The question is whether polygamy and underage marriage should now still be practiced in modern society. While we in the West know our answer, the Muslim world is still furiously debating to determine theirs.

Which is Safer?

Last night, I got mugged a few blocks away from my Columbia Heights apartment. Maybe I looked like easy prey in my Halloween attire. In any case, a taser, gun and stolen wallet later, I began to ask the question: was I safer in the Middle East?

On one hand, I never felt unsafe in any of the countries I visited. It didn't matter what time it was, what I street I was on, what I was doing or who I was doing it with. I was safe (admittedly, girls often have a different experience). All in all, the only muggers in the Middle East tend to be the thieves who run the government and the thugs who work for it.

On the other hand, there is no hiding the political and religious violence that troubles nearly every country. While I was in Cairo, terrorists bombed the famous market/tourist trap Khan Khalili. When I was in Dubai, I met a dozen Palestinian children maimed during the January war in Gaza. In Israel, I saw a bomb removal squad detonate a suspicious package. And then there's crossing the street, an all together different kind of terror.

In comparison, political and religious violence is relatively rare in United States. But miscreants, muggers and murderers abound. They're so common place that a police officer told me to not bother reporting my mugging - too many of them to deal with.

So which is safer? The sporadic, sensational, arbitrary violence of the Middle East? Or the frequent, common, ho hum violence of the United States?

Objectively, I'd have to go with the Middle East (I have no data, just anecdotal evidence). But safety hinges not so much on objectivity but on a psychological state of mind. There is a certain perverse logic to mugging. They took my money so they can spend it. I can understand that. In contrast, it's much harder to rationalize a bomb that indiscriminately kills civilians to make a political or religious point. It is that incomprehensibility that makes terrorism so frightening. And, in turn, it is what gives the Middle East its over-exaggerated reputation for danger.

Gaza Tunnels and Rockets

Time Magazine just released a great photo album about the Gaza Tunnels. To give a quick background, Gaza has been under a strict blockade by both Israel and Egypt since the militant Islamist Hamas took control. The effect on the everyday lives of Gazans has been devastating, with up to 80% of the population reliant on some type of assistance.

In response to the blockade, Gazans have constructed countless tunnels underneath the Egyptian-Gaza border. Originally intended for military goods, a veritable boom economy has sprouted around the tunnel system. All kinds of products now make the subterranean trip beneath the border, including animals for the Gaza zoo (though it was cheaper to paint stripes on a donkey than bring in a real zebra) . If you're interested in taking a trip yourself through the tunnels, check out this video by Current TV contributor and Gaza resident Zouheir Alnajjar.

However, we shouldn't forget why the blockade was originally instituted. Israel has been under intermittent but terrifying rocket attacks for years, both from Gaza and Lebanon. Besides his video on the tunnels, Alnajjar also provides an unsettling glimpse into the process of building and firing a Qassam rocket. But I'll embed this video by Jaron Gilinksy, also from Current, that shows a Katyusha rocket attack from Lebanon in 2006 that hits as he conducts an interview about that very topic.

I'm Not the Next Great Pundit

The Washington Post is hosting a contest to determine America's Next Great Pundit. Almost 5,000 people submitted op-eds to become one of ten finalists, who will now go on to duke it out in a Survivor-like competition. The ultimate winner gets a column in the paper for 13 weeks. Considering one of the finalists is a Nobel laureate, it's not much of a surprise I didn't get chosen. In any case, here's my failed submission:

I recently visited the Israeli Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem that memorializes the victims and honors the countless heroes who resisted the Nazi genocide. The museum cuts like a chasm on top of Mount Herzl, creating a near-overwhelming feeling of constriction as the walls close ever tighter around you. By the end, it’s hard to breathe.

I thought I had left the Holocaust behind me when I returned home to the United States. I was wrong.

Apparently now in Washington, issues are too cumbersome, earnest debate too burdensome. It’s much easier to claim you caught the other side practicing their best “Sieg Heil!” in front of the mirror. Like Yad Vashem, American politics has become suffocating.

When Jews discuss the Holocaust, we often invoke the mantra “Never Again.” We promise ourselves that never again will the Jewish people submit to subjugation and annihilation. We promise ourselves that never again will the Jewish people precariously cower behind the inconsistent protection of other nations. Most importantly, we promise ourselves that never again will the Jewish people allow a similar fate to befall another group.

Listening to the rhetoric, it appears some American politicians have adopted the same “Never Again” creed. In fact, it seems they see a looming Holocaust everywhere they look, exaggerating comparisons to inflame emotions. Thus, intellectual integrity is sacrificed for political points.

Take for example Congressman Grayson’s (D-Fla.) speech blaming Republicans for the “Holocaust” of allowing thousands of Americans to die from lack of healthcare. While letting so many Americans slip through the cracks is simply despicable, it hardly compares to a system designed to efficiently murder six million people. But at least Rep. Grayson seeks to address a real problem, unlike the ridiculous and harmful myth of Nazi-inspired death panels.

Every spurious claim of genocide not only cheapens the political debate, it also dishonors the memory of the victims of the real Holocaust. Worse yet, for every real genocide we allow on our watch – like Cambodia, Rwanda and Sudan – we fail our moral obligation to humanity that underpins the “Never Again” creed. Clearly, some politicians have lost the right to ever again say “Never Again.”

When visitors of Yad Vashem funnel out of the museum, they suddenly find themselves atop Mount Herzl overlooking the lush Israeli countryside. Both figuratively and literally, they can finally take a breath of fresh air – a gift we desperately need now in Washington.