Covering Shari'a

A paper by Asifa Quraishi at the last ICI panel I went to made me wish - not for the first time - that the western media did a better job of covering debates within Islamic law rather than simply treating as a flat code of justice similar to the law of a state or city. Her topic was rape in Pakistan, where it is considered a sex crime rather than a violent crime. In order to convict someone of a sex crime - such as fornication - you need four witnesses who saw the actual act, and if you bring an accusation that can't be proven, then you are penalized. For violent crimes, the standard of proof is far lower. According to Quraishi, for most of history rape has been treated as a violent crime, but for some reason Pakistan lumped it in with adultery. The problems this creates for rape victims are pretty obvious. An unfortunate side effect I thought of is that when the media report these stories, they tend to just cite Islamic law as if the Qur'an were a giant law book that handed down all these exact rulings.

International Conference on Islam

Well, I'll be at this conference for most of the next couple of days. I'll post about it if there's anything exceptionally interesting. Meanwhile, interested Madison-area readers should know that registration is free and relatively unrestricted.

Mesha Stele

This copy of the Mesha Stele is in a museum in Madaba, Jordan. The original most probably dates from the 9th century BCE, and recounts King Mesha's victories against Israel, among other achievements. Oddly, this rebounds to the PR benefit of modern Israel, for it represents one of the earliest archaeological testimonies to the existence of an Israeli kingdom during that period. A translation is here, while the ancient Israeli version of events is here.

Syrian Political Parties

Joshua Landis posts an article on plans to legalize political parties in Syria. I'm sure the Syrian government will tout this as an example of reform, and can easily picture President Bush including it in his next round-up of Arab reforms which have taken place on his watch, but let's not get too excited. It might allow the opposition to organize, but will the government put in restrictions on what sorts of things they can call for? Might questioning key tenets of Syria's current governing structure be enough to get you booted from the arena, meaning all the parties have to talk about is how high taxes should be? And even if I am too cynical and Syria starts developing a real civil society, Egypt has been chugging along under the NDP for quite awhile now despite the "competition" from other parties.

End of Iraq'd

Spencer Ackerman is ending Iraq'd. He feels it was time, but the blogosphere is still poorer. His recent coverage of the situation in Tamim province (Kirkuk) was especially noteworthy.

AUT and Israel

This web site, found via Jonathan Edelstein and Imshin, makes a lot of sense.

Alive and Such

I should be back on the blogging ball pretty soon, though I really have no idea what's been going on with the world lately, other than something about a former heart surgeon with a nuclear constitution and people in red shirts handing out free coffee and donuts. However, based on my recent experiences doing a report on the Middle East Studies Title VI-A grant, I'd like to make a comment about what it means when large universities cut bureaucracy. Basically, as near as I can tell, it just means they reduce the personnel. All the same rules and regulations are still around, however, so what you really have is fewer people doing the same amount of work. This, at least, is what seems to have happened in this part of UW the past few years. So be warned when you hear someone say they're cutting the bureaucracy and not touching classroom instruction - the time lags involved will only get worse, and it won't be the bureaucrats' fault.

Library Ban

Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov is usually treated as a joke in this country, but stuff like this really isn't funny.

Wisconsin NAQT State Championship

This year's state championship tournament saw a changing of the guard in Wisconsin quiz bowl, as Wausau West High School won their first title in grand style, dressed for their senior prom while downing Wayland Academy 300-35 in the championship match. Meanwhile, the third place game featured some newcomers to medal territory, as Oshkosh West won a 210-135 victory over LaCrosse Logan. All four top teams won slots at the NAQT National Championship June 3-5 in Chicago. One team to watch in the future is probably circuit newcomer Wilmot Union, which finished back in the pack but played a major spoiler role for last year's top two - in the morning they performed a wolflike takedown of a Rufus King that otherwise rode proudly through the bracket, upsetting them to force a tie-breaker and then winning the tie-breaker to prevent King from making the play-off division. Later, they scored one of their only victories in the play-off division against defending champions Conserve School, who were undefeated before that match but who seemed to spend the rest of the afternoon oddly off balance and in the lower half of the pack.

A special thanks to all teams who participated, and to the many people who helped out, including Kurt Walters, Kara Pezzi, David Dixon, Steve Lange, Luke Klessig, Mark Zimmer, Joel Velasco, Collin, Michael the Philosopher, Sean Kinney, Martin Bykowsky, Vince Angermeier, Ben Auer, and Nolan Salzmann.

UPDATE: I made a mistake above - Oshkosh West also won third place last year.

Business in Morocco

While collecting information to report to the Department of Education on our Title VI-A grant for this year, I found this article the Center for International Business and Research posted about the video conference course with a Moroccan University. It was interesting reading just for the brief accounts of the different business climates in the United States and Morocco. Dr. Matthews has run these courses with other parts of the world, too. (The article also made me happy because I played a small role in bringing it about. We were trying to do something with a Tunisian school that wasn't working, so when I was in Morocco last summer and got an e-mail expressing pessimism about the situation I suggested they try AUI, the reputation of which I had become acquainted with. I'm glad it worked out so well!)

UPDATE: One additional point can be made about this project's organization. Originally we had some set-up where our faculty proposed the project to a certain office, who got approval to appoach a comparable office at another school asking if they could identify a professor there who might be interested in teaching such a course. Things didn't work out at that school, though I was gone and don't know the reasons. In any case, when the AUI idea came up, Dr. Matthews just cut to the chase, e-mailed a professor there, and then faculty on both ends took the bureaucracy along for an admittedly willing ride. Liberating individual initiative wins again!

Disloyal Traitors

Courtesy of Praktike, I find an ad targeting Senator Voinovich for his stance on John Bolton. I wonder if right-wing activists these days realize how many of them sound like aspiring KGB informants, with talk of betraying the cause and disloyalty to the Great Leader. It's pretty creepy stuff, and I wish those who say they can't be on the same side of the political spectrum as Michael Moore would take a look at it.

Over a Hurdle

The Kuwaiti women's suffrage bill has passed its first reading in Parliament. It still needs to pass a second time and be signed by the Emir. Opponents continue to claim that if women enter the political arena they will neglect domestic duties.

Wikipedia (and Benedict XVI)

A Pope Benedict XVI entry was up by 11:49 a.m. CST this morning.

UPDATE: I was intrigued by Ratzinger's choice of name, as Benedict XV was fairly liberal. However, after reading this, my guess is he's going for the world peace thing.

UPDATE: Matthew Yglesias features an idea I wouldn't dismiss out of hand.

Militias and Identity

Both Juan Cole and Spencer Ackerman are blogging about moves by the new Iraqi government to hand security responsibilities over to Shi'ite and Kurdish militias. This is a political argument being made with regard to both de-Ba'athification and the presence of foreign troops, and has become the on-the-ground reality in some areas. The obvious problem, however, is that these militias are tied to political groups with an ethnic or sectarian basis, so when they go to fight the largely Sunni insurgency, it starts looking very much like an communally based civil war. The good news is that most Iraqis prefer not to identify themselves by means of their religious affiliation - Iraq is not Yugoslavia, regardless of the template the Western media is applying to it. However, if the insurgency continues and groups like the Badr Brigades and Peshmerga begin applying extreme measures in fighting it, then they will experience some of the same hostility as American forces. Precisely because they represent groups flying and Shi'ite and Kurdish identity respectively, this could easily turn into resentment against those groups leading to the very balkanization of Iraqi society which I've argued before hasn't really existed in the past.

2008 Prospects

Matthew Yglesias discusses the good and bad in Wesley Clark's perceived 2008 aspirations. Given the prominence I assign foreign policy in Presidential decision-making, it won't surprise readers to know that I could easily see myself supporting Clark if he decides to have another go at it. And while I've been playing coy about my attitudes, I'll also admit to being interested in Russ Feingold and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. I worry about Hillary Clinton - Republicans could run a pretty intense campaign against her based off issues like her 1994 health care plan and perceived far-leftism in much of the country. Her high job approval in New York has come in a very different environment from the pressure of a national political campaign.

Really, though, I'm being perfectly honest when I say it's too early to pick a candidate. A lot will depend on the political environment after the 2006 elections and the key issues we'll have to deal with at that time.

Afghans to Iraq

This report claims Afghanistan is sending troops to Iraq. Do I really have to explain why I don't think this is a good idea?

Kyrgyzstan Notes

I've really fallen out of the new loop lately, but over at Registan, Nathan Hamm mentions Hizb ut-Tahrir's condition in Kyrgyzstan, where the organization is holding an internal debate over how best to attract new supporters. If they're having this kind of debate, that suggests they're not aspiring to suddenly sweep to power in the aftermath of the Tulip Revolution, though I'm not sure that was ever much of a concern in Kyrgyzstan. Meanwhile, RFE-RL reports on a growing land controversy, as squatters from other parts of the country are turning up in Bishkek to demand land that was supposed to be parcelled out to them after the fall of communism. This issue looks like it could become serious, because I'm not convinced the interim government has the power to control the situation, and am worried about what might happen if things turn violent and the authorities have to forcibly choose sides.

A Path Decided

Thanks to the generosity of the University of Wisconsin Medieval Studies Program's Midelfort-Lemoine Travel Fellowship program, I'm just a few short weeks away from setting out for the Arab Republic of Egypt for some long-delayed overseas dissertation research. I promise to blog, provided I run into anything interesting over there.

History Carnival #6

Jonathan Dresner has posted History Carnival #6. I am a member of the papal working group. I could tell you more, but then I'd have to kill you.

Aleppo

This is a view of Aleppo, Syria. Judging from the pictures around it, I'm guessing it was taken from the Citadel.

Rent and Islam

The Islamic Jurisprudence Council should briefly take over Madison.

Forced Marriage Ban

Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti has banned forced marriage. That is a no-brainer for anyone who knows the basics of the Qur'an and Sunna, and it really says something about Saudi Arabia that a statement like this makes waves in 2005. As someone who studies Arab tribes, I also find it interesting that a tribal shaykh is needed to ensure the compliance of those who try to force women into marriages. The key question will be whether this measure will have teeth throughout the country.

Blogging Forecast

Expect only scattered blogging in coming days, as the amount of stuff I have to do is disturbingly large. However, in a few days I should know which country I'm travelling to this summer, which will greatly simplify the process of making travel arrangements.

TAA and Divestment

Yesterday UW-Madison's TAA discussed the Israel divestment issue, and decided to pass an amended resolution which called for divestment from companies that have military contracts with regimes around the world. If I understand it correctly, this resolution is so broad as to be useless even if the Board of Regents were inclined to listen, which they're not. I suspect that was the point.

"Man Dates"

Hugo Schwyzer and Matthew Yglesias are both blogging about the social awkwardness of something known as the "man date," apparently defined as two males hanging out together. I have no idea what they're talking about. I hang out with guys all the time, and frequently there are just two of us. I see other guys doing this. If I want to go do something, I e-mail someone and see if they want to go to it, too, irrespective of gender. (I guess Matt and Hugo are implicitly claiming that any social get-together involving a male and female alone together is a date, in which case many girls' boyfriends I know should be seriously jealous.)

Seriously, where do people get this stuff?

Feingold's Divorce

I think this puts a serious damper on Feingold's Presidential prospects. Being divorced isn't that big a problem as long as he can talk the "family values" line, but I'm not sure how he can project the right images without a wife during the campaign. It shouldn't be that way, but it is.

Party Militias

Spencer Ackerman has an important post on the problem with party security organizations in Iraq:

"But the Nasiriya assault described here shows that SCIRI defines its security rather broadly, including the need to eliminate challengers to its prominence. Basically, gunmen answerable to the largest component of the dominant political slate in Iraq were prepared to assassinate the chief of police in Thiqar province because he had replaced one of their loyalists. They were able to call on some of the provincial police to aid in the hit. That prompted the police chief to turn to radical elements for protection, to the point where now the Sadrists serve as a backup force for the chief."

This is not how a democracy should function, and we can only hope these militias don't represent a force that ultimately undermines Iraq's political development.

Of New Orleans

For the first time, I'm reading about events I experienced directly on someone else's blog. I wasn't in the "Little Des Moines" van, but I was with her French Quarter group Saturday night. Her comments about the food are spot on.

Signs You Study the Middle East

Guy I Met Yesterday: "I'm from Cyprus."
Me: "Oh, that's where all the Israelis go to get married!"
Guy: {looks confused}

Covering Jerusalem

Juan Cole notes how the American media downplayed an Israeli settler protest in Jerusalem in comparison to the Muslim reaction. Many Muslims believed the settlers were planning to destroy the Dome of the Rock, something Israeli extremists have long threatened. It's possible, of course, that all the American media had information that such a threat had never been made, but it could also fall into a pattern I've noticed regarding media coverage of that area in general: The American press is reluctant to portray Israeli extremists as the crazies they really are, while seldom hesitating to do so with Palestinians. You see the same thing when anti-Semitic statements by Muslim religious figures make the news, but hardline rabbis safely preach to the choir.

New Orleans

I just spent the weekend in New Orleans, where I messed around with Matt, Craig, Dwight, Subash, Chris, Mike, Julie, and others involved in this. It was a fun time, and the weather was excellent. I ate crayfish and alligator and saw the French Quarter. Information on the main event will soon be posted here.

Bible Carnival

Ralph Luker notes the first Biblical Studies Carnival over at The Ebla Logs. Those interested in the field should go check it out.

Iraq Comments

The fact Jalal Talabani, a Kurdish leader, can rise to power in Baghdad is pretty important, though given the nature of Iraq's political system not the glowing sign of the future some will make it into. Underappreciated for daily life in Iraq is the importance of regional governments, as noted by Juan Cole. Muqtada Sadr's followers have taken over in Basra.

Superpope

The other day I wondered if we'd see some sect develop which considers Pope John Paul II the Second Coming or something. This appears to be an intermediate step.

Al-Jazeera Tour

Josh Stacher reports on a tour of al-Jazeera headquarters when he was in Doha. He makes the comment that a lot of the most interesting things in the Middle East are happening in smaller countries, and I think that's right. Al-Jazeera itself is one example, and as Abu Aardvark has noted, that network drives a lot of changes in other places. Kuwait still doesn't have women's suffrage, but when they get it they'll have a meaningful Parliament to vote for. The United Arab Emirates is considered a model for regional development. And all this happened well before President Bush even declared his first candidacy for President.

The Judas Scholars

Ralph Luker links to Ben Brumfield's comments on the Gospel of Judas. Brumfield notes even more wrong than I did with the press release, though I don't like judging academic work by the media coverage it generates, especially in Biblical scholarship. He also links to this post with lots of additional information. Those interested in all this will want to check it out.

Mustafa Mo'in's Blog

Iranian reformist Presidential candidate Mustafa Mo'in has a campaign blog, including this post on technology, education, and communication. Mo'in claims that technology is the main reason for the gap between the developing and industrialized worlds, and that it has the potential to unite all Iranians behind the goals of peace, freedom, justice and progress. He also says that the most important investment Iran can make is in youth, and that for this reason he sees raising the literacy rate as Iran's historic goal for this moment. This is a means of self-strengthening, in touch with Iran's cultural and historical self-awareness. With education will come the ability to participate in the age of technology and the possibility of social reform. Near the end, he claims he was going to write simply, but just couldn't because the future depends on the exchange of ideas.

(Note: This post has been influenced by Dr. Atefeh Oliai's comments in my Persian journal.)

John Paul II

Despite my belief that John Paul II was one of the greatest popes of all time, I'm stunned by the extent of the global reaction. Here are some noted links:

*Youssef Ibrahim in Gulf News writes of "a general of peace."
*In Khaleej Times, Muhammad Galadari describes why John Paul II was different from other popes.
*Abu Aardvark discusses more reactions from the Arab world.
*Al-Jazeera has an editorial cartoon on the pope.
*People in Hiroshima and Nagasaki remember the pope.
*The Washington Post has extensive coverage.
*Thailand is just one largely non-Catholic nation flying flags at half staff.
*Ed Kilgore discusses him as the first post-European pope.
*Hugo Schwyzer posts his own reflections.
*Matthew Yglesias reads Lamorem exercens.

Stay tune for further updates.

That Feingold Guy

Over at Dean Nation, Aziz is trying to figure out Russ Feingold's appeal. I'm curious what sort of discussion will develop.

World Series

New York Yankees def. Florida Marlins in 5.

I don't do individual awards. And now I really need to get on a travel grant application to see if I can escape to Egypt this summer.

Mehmet Ali Agca

Former would-be papal assassin Mehmet Ali Agca is mourning the pope's death, while his brother may attend the funeral. I wonder how Agca will be portrayed in religious writings 500 years from now, assuming John Paul II is canonized. Pontius Pilate was canonized in the Ethiopian church.

UPDATE: Just to clarify, I don't expect Mehmet Ali Agca to be canonized or anything. That would be a little strange. I was just noting the myriad ways people can be interpreted in religious stories.

National League Predictions

NL East

Atlanta
Florida
Philadelphia
New York
Washington

The addition of Tim Hudson guarantees Atlanta will make it 14 straight. Florida has a strong rotation and a well-balanced offense that will see them get the Wild Card. Philadelphia's managerial change won't help them as much as some think, and the Mets are way over-hyped - they've added a couple of stars, but the rest of the positions are still manned by nobodies. Washington will just be glad to play in a city with baseball fans.

NL Central

St. Louis
Cincinnati
Chicago
Houston
Pittsburgh
Milwaukee

The Cardinals will win this division, and probably repeat for best record in the NL. Really, take a look at the Reds. The Cubs will struggle on offense, but their pitching gives them a real chance to make a move. The Astros will struggle more on offense than the Cubs while relying on less pitching. The Pirates and Brewers will occupy their familiar spots near the bottom.

NL West

San Diego
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Arizona
Colorado

The Padres will just slip past the aging Giants, though if Bonds comes back earlier than expected that could all change. The Dodgers' interesting offseason moves lower them to third. Arizona again has the nucleus of a good team, but are a starter and a bat short of contention. Colorado will have the worst record in baseball.

Pope in Arab Media

Ayad reports how the Arab media covered the pope's death. (Thanks, Praktike!)

Casablanca

This is central Casablanca at night.

Perspective

Pope John Paul II has personified the values of compassion and integrity. He played a huge political role in hastening the fall of communism and gaining the ability to embarass world leaders on issues such as Iraq. He left a theological legacy in the idea of the "culture of life" that will long survive him. He changed the definition of the papacy so that now people expect a global pastor rather than just a head of the hierarchy. So I ask in all seriousness, is John Paul II the greatest pope of the last five centuries?

UPDATE: See also Josh Marshall.

UPDATE: Kid Oakland's thoughts are also worth reading.

History Carnival #5

History Carnival #5 is now up. Read it if you dare.

Joe Gratz

Congratulations to former quiz bowl teammate and friend Joe Gratz for making CNN.

Travel Warning

This is a rather novel development. An on-line jihadist forum has issued a travel warning for Islamist militants seeking to cross Syria, saying that the danger of arrest is high and they should use caution.

Kringle Candidate

Russ Feingold is handing out kringles!