This is a false victory. This is no victory. For all that has happened is that, in order to prevent great embarrassment to the Bush Administration, the oleagineous Hamid Karzai has moved heaven and earth to prevent the forces of real Islam from carrying out their preordained verdict. This Islam, which has far more unifying power over people in Afghanistan (not the "Afghani people") than does Hamid Karzai, is not like his Islam. His Islam, the Islam of all those unrepresentative Muslims that Western governments keep mistaking for the real thing, in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Jordan and Egypt and elsewhere, is not different. What is different is that some Muslim rulers will attempt to modify the practice, as they cannot modify the tenets or texts, of Islam, in order to accommodate the Infidels and their pressure, for reasons of temporary self-interest.

Having the case dropped on a "technicality" (what was that "technicality," incidentally? Failure to file on time? What, exactly? Will anyone in the press ask?), means nothing. The principle remains intact: an apostate from Islam deserves death. It is possible, it is likely, that Abdul Rahman will receive that sentence through non-official channels. Will his future killers themselves be charged, or will they get off -- whether on a "technicality" or not hardly matters.

From this case -- not an abstract idea but a real "case or controversy" that was required by our wise and un-abstract Framers for a constitutional case to be brought to the Supreme Court for adjudication -- we can learn something. And that something is this: most people in Afghanistan, most Muslims (even your Western-suited neighbors, who keep telling you, with careful dissimulation as to its real meaning, that "there is no compulsion in religion" in Islam), do not believe that anyone has a right to leave Islam. They do not believe in freedom of conscience. They believe in "compulsion in religion."

Hold an imaginary referendum. In the voting-booth of your mind, how do those Afghanis we are helping "because all people love freedom, etc." vote in that purple-thumbed referendum? On that "death to apostates" question, more than 90% of those voting have voted the way that one who knew about Islam would have expected them to vote. And it is not as Bush and Rice would have expected, or at least not the way they hoped, for their own policies built on the sand of ignorance, they would vote.

Those thumbs, those famous thumbs? Paint them purple, paint them any damn color you want. When it comes to the fate of the individual who wishes to leave Islam, those thumbs will always, whatever color they may be painted, be pointed downward -- pollice verso.

And it will remain thus, as it does everywhere in Islam. Does someone wish to disagree? Does someone wish to deny that Islam clearly states that the penalty for apostasy is death, and that this is important, and not the ways that this or that regime may avoid, on a "technicality," carrying out such a sentence, or letting it be carried out in other ways, through threats, social ostracism, the forced divorces and seizure of property, that form the basis of the pressure that prevents such apostasy, and failing that, there is the ever-present fear of the sentence being carried out, at any moment, by some non-governmental group or individual, determined to see Islamic justice done. Not even John Esposito would dare to attempt, at this point, to convince us of that.

There are mny who still, especially outside the confines of Jihad Watch, this clear-minded hortus conclusus, who cannot bring themselves when discussing such matters even to utter or write the word "Islam" so they go into verbal contortions of the fore variety -- "radical" Islam, "extremist" Islam, and of the aft variety, "Islamofascism" and "Islamism" -- in order, absurdly, to continue to placate some Muslims, the very Muslims upon whom they hope to count, and whom they believe either exist in sufficient numbers to matter, or if not, can be willed into into existence by talking, and acting, as if they exist. If it is a deliberate strategy, it is a shallow and silly one, for it ignores the terrible effect such a false analysis has on the main public that matters -- the Infidel public, that remains largely untutored and unwary, and needs to learn.

The case itself represents Islam. The "technicality" upon which the case has been dropped represents nothing but the fear of losing, at this point, American support that Hamid Karzai and his aides deem necessary -- to Hamid Karzai and his aides.

That's it.

Posted by: Hugh at March 26, 2006 10:35 AM

To all those working so hard to save this one man, congratulations. He is now free to leave prison and be killed by a dutiful Muslim. Everyone can go back to their regularly scheduled program, case closed.

And every other apostate in every other Islamic nation is at the same risk as ever.

Solve one tiny symptom, ignore the disease.

Posted by: special_guest at March 26, 2006 10:53 AM

Nothing has changed and this poor soul will find his life extinguished by the hands of a crazed (normal) jihadi. Reiterating Robert's point and echoing Hugh's sentiment, nothing short of expunging Sharia from the Afghan constitution can be considered victory. Sharia runs counter to the basic human rights principles that the Administrations so wrongly, blindly thought was going to part of the "New" Afghanistan. It is saddening.

Posted by: Sheik er' Bouti at March 26, 2006 11:05 AM

So, even their Sharia courts practice Taqqiya.

There is no truth to their dismissal. It is transparently fraudulent. And they pass it off with a straight face.

So nothing in Islam can be trusted.

It is all a Muslo-Machiavellian advancement of Imperialistic Islam by any means available.

We should refuse to accept this ruling.

Islam needs to face the issue of apostasy equals death now.

Another person who has left Islam in Afghanistan should step up.

The Sharia clerics are trying to get the heat and light off of this insane practice. We cannot let them crawl back under their Ka'aba rocks.

If the debate can be fought openly, Islam may be brought to a crisis of inner belief, and save the rest of the world the battle that rightly belongs inside Islam.

The iron is hot. Another strike is crucial.

Posted by: profitsbeard at March 26, 2006 11:10 AM

The "administration" is trying to import the idea that actual(as opposed to emotive/subjective) "Truth" does not really exist. This way, every one can be "right", and serious conflict ceases to exist, or the "government" can step in using the Hegelian Dialectic to achieve "consensus"(which really has no relation to truth or falsehood-- 2 wrongs do not make a right). The convenient side-effect is if falsifiable/verifiable truth based on logic and reason does not really "exist", there is no reason to pursue it. And what we end up with is tyrannical "truth".

Posted by: kentim at March 26, 2006 11:13 AM

This is not a false victory, but an imperfect one at that. five years ago, there would of been no one to appeal with for the life of this man. the starting of Democracy we have seen Afgan come under international pressure, and we must not stop now!
Five years ago, women were being killed in football stadiums for learning to read. you cannot change people overnight, and expect instant understanding of Western Values. the clerics need to be defanged,and more pressure from the West needs to continue. Look at Saudi Arabia, you have no democracy and no hope to change in the near futur for any freedoms. compare that to the beginings of Democracy in Afganistan..there is a seed started, and we need to nuture it..as Democracy will destroy Islam!

Posted by: Lulu at March 26, 2006 11:19 AM

As a firm believer in Universal Good & Evil, I am now officially fed-up with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and President George W. Bush. Such limp dialogue on such an important subject is demeaning to the integrity of the United States of America. They should have been direct, forthright, even threatening until this man was released. Right is right. Period.

"Young democracy" -- LOL. With Shariah Law in place? You insult our collective intelligence, Secretary Rice.

Seems that Good people just sit quietly and shake our heads in stunned and disgusted wonder at the political establishment more often than not nowadays.

Posted by: Foehammer at March 26, 2006 11:38 AM

"Democracy" will not destroy Islam. Democracy would have killed this person. And may yet.
This person has been spared for the moment because the Afghan "authorities" are subservient to the US military, and this was bad press. The Afghan "authorities" do not represent the Afghan people, the choices were decided by the US(of course the reality of Islam required Sharia, but enforcement is another matter). It's naive to believe otherwise.
The same thing goes on here, the media decides who is electable.

Posted by: kentim at March 26, 2006 11:39 AM

Let us not forget the others: http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/010722.php

Posted by: Paolo at March 26, 2006 11:50 AM

Islam is a religion of intolerance. In Saudi Arabia and elsewhere it is Hinduphobic, it is Buddaphobic, it is Judaphobic, it is Christaphobic.

Islam is a religion of intolerance. Many people are thinking this and are soon going to be saying this to CAIR-style frauds and others. People are wondering why is it that folks do not have the free exercise of religion in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere? Why???? People are fed-up with Islamic intolerance and the "Islamaphobia" bs.

Posted by: Frank at March 26, 2006 12:06 PM

offer him a job.

the army should appoint him head of aid ditribution in the country. make the mullahs come and kiss his hand if they want to eat.

john
http://www.attackcartoons.com

one afghan converted. ten million to go.

Posted by: attackcartoons at March 26, 2006 12:08 PM

one afghan converted. ten million to go.

Perhaps not:

Despite the risk, however, up to 10,000 Afghans have secretly converted to Christianity in recent years, disillusioned with what they see as Islam's overzealous involvement in politics.

Tom Coghlan in Kabul

Posted by: Yojimbo at March 26, 2006 12:12 PM

Rice has proved to be the most incompetent Secretary of State ever. So ignorant about Islam. Where's your 'holey' Koran now Condi?

Posted by: John Sobieski at March 26, 2006 12:19 PM

sobieski...

"diplomacy is the art of saying nice doggy while you reach for a stick"

teddy roosevelt, i think.

well ,now, it's saying "holy koran" while planning airstrikes. at least that's my hope. condi rice seems to have this irritated look in her eye whenever she has to humor them.

yojimbo
fascinating article. never heard any of that before.

Posted by: attackcartoons at March 26, 2006 12:33 PM

Every mosque and Islamic school in the United States should be required to produce a written policy that they refute the death penalty for apostacy and support freedom of conscience for anyone wishing to leave Islam. This should be signed by the immam and posted in a conspicious place in the mosque. Failure to do so would result in the revocation of their non profit charter, if they have one.

Posted by: GFB at March 26, 2006 12:40 PM

If I was Rahman, I would get out of town.

They ainta gunna expunge Sharia from any Islamic anything. Sharia is right next to collecting taxes in importance, Allah and mohammad come in third and fourth. Without Sharia you dont have any glue to hold Islam together or any barbed wire to wrap around it. Any pretense of getting rid of, or ignoring Sharia law, is just that, a pretense. Thats what we have here...a lull while they investigate further to find some reason to re-impliment Sharia. Run Rahman, run...

Posted by: duh_swami at March 26, 2006 12:42 PM

that it had been returned to the prosecutors for more investigation, but that in the meantime, Rahman would be released...

The fine print means: let's put this thing on hold for about two weeks until the Amercians forget the whole thing and get their attention focused on baseball!

Then, we'll reopen the case, quietly find him guilty, and do what is required under shariah law.

George is off the hook again.

Posted by: witness at March 26, 2006 1:05 PM

profitsbeard

re: "So nothing in Islam can be trusted."

While I think I understand your point and agree, Islam can most assuredly be trusted! It is the idiotic/cynical rendition foisted on the American public by the Bush Administration which cannot be trusted.

Posted by: allen at March 26, 2006 1:06 PM

Democracy cannot exist with Islam, either one has to go, and l know human all prefer freedoms. why do you think it is with pain of death to leave islam?
they have to kill their apposates in order to stop the rush of people leaving islam.
l heard Condi Rice this morning on Fox News, she said that with the Afganistan Constitution they have also signed another accord with the UN, about feedom of religions..etc. l know the clerics do not want to lose control, Karzai has to come out like a leader and put those clerics on trial for insighting unrest. you need a true separation of church,mosque and state, that will destroy islam. the main difference between Christians and Islam is separation of church and state, among other things. but led to the eventual reforms and freedoms we now enjoy. like l said earlier, its not a perfect victory, far from it, but a tiny step forward. with the Taliban you would not of had a change.

Posted by: Lulu at March 26, 2006 1:16 PM

Rice is CFR, along with about 400 other members of the administration, including those at the top.
Rice is an extension of Albright-- they are connected by Albright's father: Josef Korbel.
It was the same in the previous "administration", and before, and before. Dems and Repubs. Makes no difference. The CFR is our "shadow government". But there are powers connected to,and behind the CFR too. Follow the money to the source... the source of finance,credit, and fiat currency creation. They must be named, anything less is an obsfucation and an enabling action.
It's gotten too big now,their arrogance is showing them for the fakes that they are, they can't control it, the contradictions are becoming impossible to deny.

Quigley(reportedly) said in the 70's that it was "scary", that methodical control had been lost and it had become "chaotic".
I think the situation has not improved(evidenced by a 300% increase in suicides since 1960(or'50)). Basically, they seem to have accepted their own lies and myths as fact, so now the "Alice in Wonderland" world has become a virtual reality. They understand psychological exploitation against others, but they did not realize that it would rub off on themselves, that eventually their own people would believe the "Big Lie".

Posted by: kentim at March 26, 2006 1:24 PM

All humans do not prefer "freedom". Evidenced by the great majority throughout history who have lived in servitude or slavery.
Evidenced by the false freedom throughout the world now. A prerequisite for freedom is choice. Our choices are artificially limited.

Posted by: kentim at March 26, 2006 1:29 PM

I should have said "suicide" -rates-.

Posted by: kentim at March 26, 2006 1:31 PM

GFB --

Right on! I have been thinking about this for a couple of days now and it also seems that we should (if we are not going to end Muslim immigration) add that important bit into the naturalization process in general.

I am not a lawyer, but it seems to me that lawyers can manipulate just about anything to come out the way they want so why not, in order to uphold our country's long defended separation of church and state - specifically negate Sharia law. Make it specifically illegal NOW.

(I say now because I remember in the 80's when people were talking about an English First bill that everyone thought was premature -- but, by the time it's enough of an issue for a lot of people to want to address, it is often too late. Cultural diversity is great but just look at the problems our newly multi-lingual society is experiencing).

So, if a couple wants to seek religious court for marital disputes, and BOTH parties want that (after private interview with regular authorities to be certain no one is being "pressured") okay fine. But, no person may be forced, ever, into any kind of religious court of any religion. Drawing it up now would seem to build a bit of a moat for Sharia. Not to say that it would stop those who want it from trying, but, they would have to be really open and obvious about what they were up to. It's hard to cross a moat accidentally and unseen...

And nobody, NOBODY, from anywhere, or from any religion should be allowed into this country if they admit/won't deny that their burning hope is to fundamentally change the way that this country is run.

It seems so simple and obvious, but so many people still aren't really paying attention.

It makes me feel better to at least know that you guys are out there.

Posted by: toleranceorappeasement? at March 26, 2006 1:40 PM

"Asked if American Christian missionaries should be encouraged to go to Afghanistan, Rice said: "I think that Afghans are pleased to get the help that they can get" but added "we need to be respectful of Afghan sovereignty."...

Translation: Not if they know what's good for them.

Posted by: Lepanto at March 26, 2006 1:55 PM

from the book:
The Media Monopoly
by Ben H. Bagdikian
published by Beacon Press, 1997

"In the last 5 years, a small number of the country's largest industrial corporations has acquired more public communications power-including ownership of the news-than any private businesses have ever before possessed in world history.
Nothing in earlier history matches this corporate group's power to penetrate the social landscape. Using both old and new technology, by owning each other's shares, engaging in joint ventures as partners, and other forms of cooperation, this handful of giants has created what is, in effect, a new communications cartel within the United States.

"At issue is not just a financial statistic, like production numbers or ordinary industrial products like refrigerators or clothing. At issue is the possession of power to surround almost every man, woman, and child in the country with controlled images and words, to socialize each new generation of Americans, to alter the political agenda of the country. And with that power comes the ability to exert influence that in many ways is greater than that of schools, religion, parents, and even government itself."
---------------------
follow the money behind the "corporations".

Posted by: kentim at March 26, 2006 2:00 PM

I forgot:
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Media/CommunCartel_Bagdikian.html

Posted by: kentim at March 26, 2006 2:00 PM

allen-

I'm using "trusted" ironically in the phrase "nothing in Islam can be trusted".

In essence, I mean we cannot cannot even 'trust' them to fulfill their stated dogmatic / terroristic intentions (-and thereby show their true gruesome face-) if the more cunning mullahs start to grasp, at the top eschelons, that they now need to pave over their evils with the shift into a 'convenient lie'. ("Rahman is mentally incompetent..." ad nauseam...)

They aren't even consistent in their madness- is more what I'm getting at.

Which makes them that much more dangerous.

This tactic is already evident from knowing the time-honored Sufi ritual practice of "burning the books and artifacts of the faith" to avoid being sacrificed as heretics within Islam. They taught their pupils to pretend to 'revert' to whatever militant Islam threatened them, whether Sunni or Shi'ite.

Learned from the master of deception himself, Mohammad, the Machiavelli of the Middle East.

The 'normal' Muslim tenet of apostate murder needs the West's complete rejection, and a challenge as strong thrown back at Islam:

reform this homicidal throwback out of their faith. Or face our outraged boycott.

Posted by: profitsbeard at March 26, 2006 2:03 PM

There's a gushing little piece by one Allegra Donn in Saturdays' Times magazine. (Not online.)

It takes the form of an interview with ex-cricketer Imran Khan who now has political ambitions in Pakistan. And gushing little comments about Islam are dropped in here and there.

After reading Oriana Fallaci's book I'm starting to wonder whether some of these pieces are appearing just in the way of things or whether they are deliberately being inserted for money.

We start off with a bit of padding about how impressive Imran Khan's house is - but how "simply" he lives in it. Then socialite Taki Theodoracopoulos is quoted to say how much more "impressive", "serious", and "focused" Imran was than other people of his circle.

Here are some choice quotes:

Medina, founded by the Prophet Muhammad 1,400 years ago ... an example of a just and free society where different religious and cultural communities coexisted peacefully in what could be described as an early form of multiculturalism. For under the Covenant of Medina agreed by Muhammad Muslims, Jews, Christians and others lived side by side as equals, with their own separate legal systems.

Note this follows a bit of fluff about whether Imran is an "Islamist" or a "liberal". This morphs into a suggestion that he is both, which then drifts into a suggestion that Islam and "democracy" are fundamentally compatible.

Suggestion by movement of associations; abscence of thought. I guess this probably does deceive less thoughtful Times readers - as it may be intended to.

It apparently never occurs to the authoress that liberalism and democracy are distinct and you can have one without the other. Further, she then breathlessly drifts into her paean to multiculturalism without pointing out that "liberalism" (which she had been referring to) is incompatible with "multiculturalism". So I'll state the problem for her:

Liberalism posits universal values: multiculturalism denies them.

And we haven't even got on to what the historical situation was actually like for Jews, Christians - oh, and "others" - under sharia.

He claims the CIA financed certain madrassas in Pakistan, "to produce militant extremists to fight the Soviets" ... but he believes that "one shouldn't tarnish all madrassas with the same brush."

He claims ... yes, and while casually dissociating yourself with that "he claims", you don't research the matter yourself and put the reader straight, do you Miss? (Oh, by the way, didn't all CIA money for Afghanistan pass through the hands of ISI?)

He quotes from the Koran to illustrate how people need to live with each other.

I bet he does. Tell that to Abdul Rahman.

Posted by: Yojimbo at March 26, 2006 2:15 PM

If anyone thinks this is a victory for the free, think again.

Given Dubya's IQ, Condi's ignorance about Islam and Karen's Hughes's "priority" to appease the barbarians, this story is far fromover, much less a victory. I am afraid, given the reasons 'lack of evidence', this turn is more dangerous than the story itself. Why? Dubya still doesn't "get it", Condi, still pays tax-dollar jazya (now, perhaps increased jazya) and Karen Hughes laying a red carpet for barbarians into the White House, Bin Laden does not have to lift a finger to subjugate the White House. If anything, things look rosier for the barbaric cult, than ever, again, thanks to the useful White-House idiots.

As for Abdul Rehman, he is marked for death, just like all of us Infidels. Don't believe me? Try this:
[9.29] Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.

Posted by: Alert at March 26, 2006 2:23 PM

"socialite Taki Theodoracopoulos..."
-- from a posting above

"Socialite"? That doesn't begin to cover the tattle-tale, tattle-and-spittle-tale, tattle-and-spittle-and-tell-tale life of this anti-Israel (and therefore apologist for Islam) Taki.

Posted by: Hugh at March 26, 2006 2:33 PM

What if Abdul Rehman had "returned" to Islam (obviously, under the sword to his neck)?

Think about that for a second....

Dubya and Condi would have heaved a sigh of relief.. "ahhhh.. thank God that wreched creature dumped Jesus and saw the light of Islam.. after all, we all know the benevolence that is in the heart of Islam". Perhaps Dubya and Condi would have called CAIR congratulating them on the 'Al-Taquiyya'. Perhaps invite CAIR for another White-House dinner, with Condi taking Shahada and Karen Hughe in a burka. No really... the above is well within the rhelm of possibility.

Dar-al-Islam 1, Dar-al-Harb 0!

But, thanks to Andrew Whitehead and Reed D Rubinsetin (no thanks to Dubya, Condy or White House),

Dar-al-Islam 1, Dar-al-Harb 1!

Posted by: Alert at March 26, 2006 2:36 PM

The telephone rang rather early, and when I picked it an English male voice said, "Hello, Taki, this is David Irving ..."

Spectator 4 March 2006

Posted by: Yojimbo at March 26, 2006 2:44 PM

profitsbeard,

Ditto.

The owners of this site and its regular commentators, on the whole, are cognizant of the reality of Islam. One does not find here, for instance, all sorts of convoluted, tortured logic attempting to nuance Islamofascism, Islamism, militant Islam, radical Islam, high jacked Islam etc. Regular users appreciate, apparently, that there is not a dime's worth of difference; Islam is simply Islam.

The Bush Administration, the MSM, and the elite of the West, however, cannot or will not accept the reality that is and has always been Islam: it is inhumane and antithetical to liberty, on its very best day. Try as this government may, no amount of politically correct gloss will suffice to hide the blemishes of a civilization whose unsophisticated proponents simply will not shut-up but, rather, on a daily basis insist on screaming to the heavens the grotesque revelation of Islam. An impolitic lot are they.

In a galaxy far, far away, when my children were toddlers, I frequently found myself the reluctant, liberal autocrat. How could it be otherwise? One simply has no frame of reference for rationally debating the dangers of dashing into the street or wandering away in the store or library. Consequently, until they were sufficiently mature, my children suffered pain for transgression and reward for acceptable behavior - sad but true. Returning to Islam, upon what frame of reference may a twenty-first century man (neuter gender) rely to converse with the unenlightened, toddler of a man of the seventh? None, I suspect. If that is the case, then, the foreign policy of the United States is in the hands of the baby boom true believers of the late Dr. Spock.

Posted by: allen at March 26, 2006 3:13 PM

duh_swami

"If I was Rahman, I would get out of town."

On his own? Like over the mountains, Sound-of-Music style? Have you seen him on TV? This guy looks like the Holy Ghost has descended upon him, and has already forgiven his executioners. I've never seen such a beatific smile in my life.

He needs to be kidnapped by our guys and spirited out of Afghanistan right after he's released, if not sooner, if we want him alive.

Posted by: ovidius_naso at March 26, 2006 3:35 PM

Sharia MUST be expunged from any supposed "democracy"--even the GW Bush Middle- East-style "Islamic democracy." This special democracy, designed for a purely Islamic country, is evidence by people voting for representation--that is ALL. This type of "Bushian democracy" exists in the cage of Islam, whose ideology and laws remain supreme.

We have two examples of it: Afghanistan and Iraq. The third "Islamic democracy" was not imposed from without but allowed to fester from within, with the encouragement of US administrations. It is of course that of the so-called "Palestian" territories. It is now controlled by fervent jihadists.

Unless it be explicitly explained beforehand to the inhabitants of any Islamic-dominated countries that GW Bush wants to liberate that after freedom for all becomes a fact, sharia will be strictly verboten, the concepts of "democracy" and "freedom" are empty words.

They are not worth spilling the blood of nor sacrificing the limbs or life of a single American liberator.

Perhaps Bush and those of like diminished capacity that surround him are satisfied to build schools and provide comforts for a voting public choosing to live under sharia. Americans must not allow the use of their armed forces to promulgate "democracy" under the steel grip of the demented "messenger's" Islamic law.

Posted by: unicorns62000 at March 26, 2006 3:44 PM

The fact that he wasn,t killed means nothing,if the world hadn,t spoken up and condemned the situation he would be dead.

How can anyone believe we can share a country with these people.

Posted by: stevenz at March 26, 2006 4:01 PM

Another successful day at court !!
-----------------------------------

obviously using the Perry Mason book of law for reference on justice and legal procedures.

Very disturbing, No seriously, if this is how the courts work in Afghanistan, heaven help them if a real case requires real justice.

Obviously this was a political decision , and even though it is a positive outcome for Abdul Rahman, it sidetracks the reality of the situation and that is:-

"ISLAM IS A DEADLY RELIGION"

and should not be taken up lightly.

Unforunately for those children indoctrinated at a very early age into this religion, the future bodes ill for them if they should suddenly gain a concience

Posted by: Peter at March 26, 2006 4:17 PM

"Allegra Donn in Saturdays' Times magazine"

Poor Ms. Donn, to have to bear such an impossibly tacky name throughout her life and, worse, in print....It kind of explains why she writes what she writes, doesn't it?

Posted by: ovidius_naso at March 26, 2006 4:27 PM

one afghan converted. ten million to go.
Posted by: attackcartoons at March 26, 2006 12:08 PM
=================
But in Kabul's mosques last week, talk about the Rahman case was uncompromising. "Rejecting Islam is insulting God," said Mullah Abdul Raoulf at the large Herati mosque. "Cut off his head!"
http://www.portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/03/26/wafg26.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/03/26/ixworld.html
=====================

What will the real cost of Raman's relase cost the US taxpayer??? $10 to $50 million????
--------------------

Christian Raman does not stand a chance to survive when released unless US troops take him to a safe location.

Being executed for converting from Islam to being a Christian by the Islamic public instead of by the the Islamis courts is still murdered by Islam.

As the Muslims see it, he is just one of tens of thousands of previous Muslim murdered Christians and others across the world. Muslims just think "What is the big deal?????????".

Posted by: Texican at March 26, 2006 4:45 PM

Good article Yojimbo,

I've often wondered what kind of petty god takes such insult from one or many who choose to worship differently. Why does this god of their's need such a zealous and violent defense?
My God loves all and his commandment is to LOVE each other the way He loves us. No matter how you slice it(no pun intended) ISLAM is the poison tree and Sharia the poison branch from which Jihad the poison fruit grows.

Posted by: WIDEAWAKE at March 26, 2006 5:18 PM

Abdul Rahman put his own life on the line and did not give in. He could have; he could have merely told the Muslim prosecuters that he had reverted back to Islam exclusively, while secretly maintaining his Christian beliefs. He did not give in, and this is why his story came into the media spotlight. And he did more than just defend Christians; he stood up for all of humankind in the name of freedom of conscience. (Now the Afghan government is trying to get this story out of the spotlight, in order to protect that Islam-overrides-everything-else ammendment power [call it Islamic abrogation power] in their constitution, to which they will quickly resort once the westerners leave). And if our troops were not there now, putting their lives on the line, he would have been executed.

He may still be executed by ordinary Muslims, many (most?) of whom support the death penalty for apostacy. As Texican says, this man (and thousands of others like him) needs protection and we need to notify our politicians not to let up with the pressure.

Posted by: Archimedes at March 26, 2006 5:36 PM

The plight of Abdul Rahman and the hundreds of thousands of other Christian who face death must continue to be reported on and talked about. The ugly, disgusting truth of what goes on behind the "religion" of islam cannot go quiet, just because the Afghani court is backing off this one case.

The truth must keep being told, that islam equals tyranny, ignorance, and death.

Posted by: yohannbiimu at March 26, 2006 8:06 PM