Puppy unlove
Dubai police do a lot of good work, but why must they come out with these sweeping statements?
"Dog fights are not happening in the country. They are prohibited," said Lieutenant Colonel Khalil Ebrahim, Deputy Director of Criminal and Investigation Department (CID).
Rape is prohibited. Murder is prohibited. Theft is prohibited. Yet they still all happen, which is presumably why we have the police force in the first place.
The fact is that illegal dog fights do happen in the UAE, as they probably do in just about every country worldwide. There's a reason that K9 executives lie when they get phone calls asking for "big dogs like Dobermans" and say that there aren't any. Because animal welfare workers are only too aware what people want such dogs for:
The police officer was responding to allegations by a disgruntled smuggler who said Pit Bull Terriers and other ferocious dogs are smuggled here at exorbitant prices for illegal dog fights. The smuggler, who did not wish to be named, said dog fights occur regularly in the winter.
He said the dogs are trained at certain desert sites where they are allowed to kill donkeys and other animals, the smuggler said. "They attack the throat," he said, and added that the dogs only attack children and other animals, never any adult human being. "The strength of their jaws is incredible," he said.
These dogs get stuffed with drugs and steroids, horribly maimed in fights, and are usually dumped somewhere in the desert when their fighting career is over. The lucky ones end up at K9 Friends and get re-homed into families. The rest die or are euthanised due to the seriousness of their condition. The new UAE anti-animal cruelty law cannot arrive too soon.
"Dog fights are not happening in the country. They are prohibited," said Lieutenant Colonel Khalil Ebrahim, Deputy Director of Criminal and Investigation Department (CID).
Rape is prohibited. Murder is prohibited. Theft is prohibited. Yet they still all happen, which is presumably why we have the police force in the first place.
The fact is that illegal dog fights do happen in the UAE, as they probably do in just about every country worldwide. There's a reason that K9 executives lie when they get phone calls asking for "big dogs like Dobermans" and say that there aren't any. Because animal welfare workers are only too aware what people want such dogs for:
The police officer was responding to allegations by a disgruntled smuggler who said Pit Bull Terriers and other ferocious dogs are smuggled here at exorbitant prices for illegal dog fights. The smuggler, who did not wish to be named, said dog fights occur regularly in the winter.
He said the dogs are trained at certain desert sites where they are allowed to kill donkeys and other animals, the smuggler said. "They attack the throat," he said, and added that the dogs only attack children and other animals, never any adult human being. "The strength of their jaws is incredible," he said.
These dogs get stuffed with drugs and steroids, horribly maimed in fights, and are usually dumped somewhere in the desert when their fighting career is over. The lucky ones end up at K9 Friends and get re-homed into families. The rest die or are euthanised due to the seriousness of their condition. The new UAE anti-animal cruelty law cannot arrive too soon.
41 Comments:
Uoooops? Does this not fall within the habitual pattern? Officially and according to most GCC nationals there is no crime, there is no youth unemployment, there is no human trafficking, there is no child abuse, there are no human rights violations, no female oppression, there is no mismanagement (alternative: tribalism, nepotism, corruption, political posting), there is no demographic problem (alternative: exponential population growth unsuitable for the extreme climatic conditions), there is no environmentally unsustainable behavior, certainly no unislamic behavior and so on …. What will be the use of another law, if there is neither awareness among the local populace, nor political will to enforce it?
I have just discovered your blog and I am already in love with it! Thanks for giving me something read-worthy and informative as I am trying to settle in Dubai :^)
"...the dogs only attack children and other animals, never any adult human being..."
wow... ONLY children and other animals...
as if they were lampposts and fire hydrants
'These dogs get stuffed with drugs and steroids, horribly maimed in fights, and are usually dumped somewhere in the desert when their fighting career is over.'
Shame on all those people for these horrible acts.
God Bless the K9 Friends & Families. You guys are the best!
sorry to say.. but dogs r just dogs..they are not endangered species or sumthin..its jus like chickens n lambs..all of these are industrially breeded..man creates..man destroys.. else nature wil be over run by canines..
anwyz I hate dog owners..the money they spend on dog food can feed atleast 10 poor kids a day. Whats more important..humans or dogs ??
Whats more important..humans or dogs ??
Dogs
Hey welcome Qatar Cat...we do know u here...u are the tennis fan, right?
http://qatarcat.blogspot.com/
Shaan,
Hating dog owners doesn't achieve anything. Also, deciding how other people should spend their money is none of your business.
The point being brought here is the absolute denial that the authorities seem to be in, when it comes to issues related to human rights (and now animal rights). Actually, anything to do with rights.
There's a lot of money being spent on this now. There are directives (not too long ago) to study and enhance the UAE's image in the media globally, to combat human/animal rights accusations. Making statements such as this is not helping.
In a dictatorship (benevolent or not), one of the very few advantages is that you can control what goes out in the media. How about exerting some control on the kinds of silly statements made by the police and others? Especially the police, they seem to be the ones with most outrageous of statements (well, them and the RTA).
Salam,Its inhuman..amphetamine given to them before fights..ok chemistry 1o1 amphetamine is a pain killer a real good one...dey dont feel the pain when bitten so they can fight as nothings happened..and they usually end up dying...this is inhuman...oh prohibited it seems...prostitution is..i walk under my house i see more den 20-30 hoes jumping fr clients...its sickening..dubai should be made clean...
>>Whats more important..humans or dogs ??
Dogs - unconditional love & loyalty. Are always there for you. And of course, will not be fanatical about religion!
Mowaten69
dubai should be made clean...
It is clean, it is the best, if you believe the PR and don't look too closely...
As the owner (never liked to be any pet's "owner" though) of two dogs, it hurts even thinking that some dogs go through such things.
Thanks! Yeah tennis fan - that's me.
:^)
Pitbulls are not big dogs like Dobermans. Pitbulls have been outlawed in areas of the U.S. specifically because people train them to fight. A Pitbull can be a good pet, when the owner treats it so. For a while, where we lived in the States, it was rumored that disappearing dogs were stolen to be used as practice animals in Pitbull fights. I was often asked if I wanted to sell my black & white English Springer Spaniel when I lived in Abu Dhabi. I would never sell her, but I was warned by others that, they will use it as a "show piece," and when they're tired of it, take it out to the desert to die.
A lot of people in the Gulf are ignorant about dogs. The government should make an effort to educate people and if needed, outlaw owning Pitbulls, which probably won't stop the dog fights, but will put a major dent into the practice.
Greetings from Canada...just happened upon your blog...going to continue to check it out.
Shaan said...
sorry to say.. but dogs r just dogs..they are not endangered species or sumthin..its jus like chickens n lambs..all of these are industrially breeded..man creates..man destroys.. else nature wil be over run by canines..
anwyz I hate dog owners..the money they spend on dog food can feed atleast 10 poor kids a day. Whats more important..humans or dogs ??
Yeah, go tell Mo and other locals that their horses or camels are not important, and money spent feeding them should be spent on "kids"
H in A says :
Shaan's comment shows the key problem. "..all of these are industrially breeded..man creates..man destroys.. else nature wil be over run by canines.."
YOu have assumed humans own the planet and all else are disposable....nice! The real animal that has overun nature is humans..6 billion. Want to start controlling it by killing yourself..would be a good idea, atleast your dog will not miss you.
"A lot of people in the Gulf are ignorant about dogs. The government should make an effort to educate people"
Why should the goverment educate people about dogs? are they more pricey than human beings? dogs are haraam in islam.
Anonymous said:"Why should the goverment educate people about dogs? are they more pricey than human beings? dogs are haraam in islam."
Yes, they may be haram, but does that mean people should not be aware of other living things or their own environment? Or that dog fighting should also be haram. And if they're soo Haram, why do many Muslims own them or feed them? Looking down upon the animal world shows a great disdain for your own environment, and how you treat it. Being ignorant, just leads to more misconceptions.
Dogs are not more pricey than humans, but they are truly "man's best friend" and only someone who has come to love and know dogs would realize that.
"Why should the goverment educate people about dogs? are they more pricey than human beings? dogs are haraam in islam." - Priceless!! That is like, the ultimate statement. Last time I checked, dogs were God's creation, along with pigs. That is of course if you're religiously inclined, and I daresay you are!
I don't think the comment about educating people about dogs needs to be taken so literally. I think that the intention here is that people are horrible to animals in general, and should be made aware of how to care for them. I have seen some horrific abuses of animals here --dogs, cats, birds --I once saw a student bring a lion cub to school (though she sidestepped the issue on how they killed the cub's mother, which is what is done here after she's whelped). I think the schools here need to teach people about animals. they clearly don't know, and after all, we humans are merely the stewards of this planet.
anyone bothered to ask why dogs and pigs are haraam in Islam?
There was a dog show in Dubai a few months ago & I remember a picture in the Gulf News - of a trendily dressed young couple holding their very pitbullish looking dog! It annoyed the hell out of me, as the dog was clearly of the Staffie/Bull terrier family, but here the couple were, brazenly in public, knowing full well that type of dog is (supposedly) banned. I had to have my well travelled & much loved Staffie put down, because I couldn't bring him here, due to 'the law'.
"Cutter" Cat, good to see that you get along with dogs. A cat defending the honour of dogs! I would have to agree with Shaan though... petting dogs is certainly not allowed, just as pigs aren't. Matter of fact... the way people go bonkers over petting dogs and all that K9/feline stuff is kinda sickening. It looks pretty gay fellas.
My neighbor has a dog and I am sick of that little thing! First of all they love that dog more than their son... and then they stink up the entire neighborhood with that dog shitting everywhere! Sick man! Needless to say that mutt barks at the most bizzare times!
Oh yeah, VOTE FOR IMRAN KHAN :D
Studies show that people who are cruel to animals are usually cruel to human beings as well, and personally, I think anyone who trains dogs to fight should be hogtied and thrown into the ring to suffer the "throat attack". Make no mistake - society would not miss you.
And I don't care why dogs and pigs are haraam - they are on this planet for a reason, just like every other living thing, and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.
If you don't like it....move to another planet.
I love dogs, I've always had dogs (until I moved to the Middle East) and I even used to work in a dog training club, training more dangerous breeds. So all I can say is - you have to train the people first! No dog is born vicious. And even a "difficult" dog can be taught obedience. A dog will never attack without a reason.
I am really sorry to hear about staffie that had to be put down. Those dogs are lovely and make great family pets.
SHAAN, I will care to question! Let us just concentrate on the beneficial role that religion plays in human life, and that Islam, just as any other monotheistic religion, is concerned primarily with protecting Gods creation and thus lays great emphasis on the human well being. The reason for declaring the consumption of certain animals as a sinful act was certainly meant to protect society from the known microbial and parasitic infections, as well as the non-infectious diseases especially associated with pork diet consumption. Recurring outbreaks of trichinosis in Asia and Africa were traced back to dog and pork meat consumption. Certainly everyone is also aware that the saliva of dogs can e.g. transmit worms (therefore the quest for cleaning), etc. only that our pets in modern times are vaccinated against all these threats.
Strangely enough, you guys (as part of the shortcomings of your educational system), merely dump some indoctrination into this blog without ever considering a critical approach. “Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave” (Prophet Mohammad; pbuh) There is enough evidence that it is strongly encouraged that you should make the attempt to search for knowledge – what on earth happened to that?
There is an interesting and easy to comprehend article – however that would require actually reading a few lines from you – from Prof. Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl (Professor of Law at the UCLA School of Law) entitled: “The Search for Beauty in Islam The Lord of the Essence: A Fatwa on Dogs” (http://scholarofthehouse.stores.yahoo.net/tloofesfaond.html), which clearly shows the enlightened among us that there is nothing wrong with Islam, but only with those that abuse and misinterpret its meaning.
As the “designated caretaker” (don’t want to say owner ether) of two XXL dogs and two cats (peacefully getting along with each other), I would like to remind everyone of the enormous value that dogs as a result of their intelligence have for human beings. Besides their unconditional love and protection skills, they provide an invaluable asset in search-and-rescue missions (especially after humanitarian disasters or in the mountains), security with their superior senses (detect mines), helping in therapy, guiding the handicapped – just to name a few. My German Shepherds (50 kg) are no pets, but “dogs with jobs” and already saved several human lives (including mine). Rather trust a dog for protection, than a human being!
However, sometimes we overdue it with our pets in the West (when they start wearing designer outfits) and most certainly everyone should respect another persons feelings in regard to dogs. Laws and regulations can help (e.g. in the States), to keep our streets clean and to put dogs on a leash (where they belong in public areas) or keep them out of restaurants. Dogs are no toys and when I look at the situation for instance in Germany I wonder, if not a mental test of the owners should be required first, before allowing them to have dog. So I can fully understand JIGGAWATTS sentiments – we do not need to educate people on dogs, but this is just a tiny part of the bigger picture of respect and tolerance towards others. Why don’t you try to talk to your neighbor? – dialogue is an option!
Strongly disagree with QATAR Cat, because it is naïve to believe that dogs will always behave in a way we expect them too. They are still animals, with instincts that we do not fully control, no matter how well trained a dog happens to be. Numerous accidents have happened with dogs and children, because their owners underestimated this aspect and were in absolute disbelieve about what happened.
Certainly I agree with ANGELFISH and the obvious lack of compassion in the UAE for human beings demonstrates a clear correlation. Just have a look at the statement in the GulfNews yesterday about the rise of meningitis among laborers?
“[Vaccinating] saves companies from a loss of productivity" – so much for compassion and honestly speaking, even thou I am a very peaceful person, at that moment I had the urge to give him a virtual punch in his grinning face plastered over my screen. http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/07/11/10138499.html
(or leave him in a room alone with my dog and wait for instincts … ah no, then there would be nothing left of him and it would be a sinful act!)
SevenSummits,
You said it yourself: OWNERS overestimated the degree of control they had over their dogs. That's exactly what I mean. I wouldn't put a kid alone in a room with a dangerous breed - no matter how well behaved! Dangerous breeds belong where there is a need for them - as guard dogs, in the military, etc. Therefore the training that goes into these dogs is proportionate to what is expected of them. If you want a family pet - get a labrador. Then again, even labradors, if provoked, will attack! Once again, it all comes back to the owner and the degree of control over their pet. But just to let you know, there are more cases of child abuse at the hand of their parents, then their pet dogs of dangerous breeds.
Sevensummits:
You come across as an articulate and well-read person. I couldn't help, but comment on your mention of Prof. Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl - the Egyptian professor who is a self-professed "traditionalist".
May I first of all bring to your notice that the irksome doctor is actually a modernist who has rejected the ahadith as a primary source of Islamic knowledge. Anyone who knows anything about Islam will know that this rejection of the doctor is enough to caste him out of the boundaries of Islam. By rejecting ahadith and calling himself a "traditionalist" he can only fool the unsuspecting people like perhaps yourself. His education in Islam is not from the traditional source and he neither has an "ijazah" nor a "silsilah" to be preaching Islam.
As per the topic of dogs and the prohibition of petting them then that is a different matter. Yes, dogs can be very helpful in jobs that you mention. In fact, keeping dogs for such purposes is perfectly halal. But, domestic petting does not come under that permissibility. May I also add that there are plenty ahadith where people are said to have earned the pleasure of their Lord (and hence paradise) by taking care of stray dogs as part of compassion for living beings.
Secondly, you mention dogs being "impure" as the reason for Islam prohibiting their petting. Well, you are partially right there. See, the impurity of dogs is not a physical impurity (such as the saliva of dogs that you mention). If such was the case, we could take medication to remove physical impurities from our excretes and urinate while praying!
In fact, dogs are not to be allowed in the houses owing to ABSTRACT impurity - what we call "najas" in Arabic. It is a level of spiritual/abstract impurity. By the way, najas is a LESSER form of impurity. Hadath is a higher form of impurity (abstract).
Rotting vegetable is physically impure, but NOT spiritually impure therefore it is not classified as najas or hadath. Things that are spiritually impure can ONLY be identified by textual evidences (such as the Quran and Ahadith). The identification of what is "najas" or "hadath" is not of human endeavor. It is a matter that pertains to the Almighty. It follows that the removal of such spiritual impurity is also ordained by the Almighty in the textual sources I have mentioned above.
We humans can actually go to the state of HADATH impurity (which is far worse than the NAJAS impurity of dogs). For example, emission of seminal fluid or intercourse would precipitate into HADATH AKBAR (highest level of impurity). To cleanse us from this spiritual impurity, one has to do what we call "ghusl". Taking a shower seven times with the best soap or shampoo will NOT remove this impurity. Again, this method of purifying is identified by the textual sources of Islam.
So to re-iterate, the prohibition of petting dogs has to do with SPIRITUAL IMPURITY and not PHYSICAL IMPURITY. Dogs are creations of Allah and have feelings. We should respect animals and their feelings. But, where the Law of God stretches a line as per spiritual uncleanliness then we have to follow it as it pertains to Allah's All-Encompassing Knowledge. It is in line with this fact that Muslims are not to keep dogs in their homes.
I have tried to put this as simply as I could and I hope this helps. May I also mention that there is a verse in the Qur'an where Allah (SWT) mentions how non-believers are not to enter the precincts of Makkah and Madeenah owing to their NAJASAH. This again is the spiritual impurity that I have talked about. It is not meant as an offence by any stretch of the imagination.
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Al-Republican,
I didn’t even have a chance yet to elaborate on the other topic with the “caving in” theory as well as a few other notions .. ;-), since I have a few deadlines to meet and was just a quick write up in defense of “man’s best friend”. Very cute PPS for everyone on the topic under http://www.esnips.com/doc/49c4ab96-012c-4f1f-949e-8edd1bf5c1d1/Mans-Best-Friend
Anyhow the response is still coming! First of all I am not offended in any way, because a critical “Niqash” should never lead to such a reaction. What you do not know yet is, that I grew up in a partly Islamic country following Maliki school of Islamic thought (my dad worked and still works as an engineer for technical assistance) and most of these concepts are not new to me. By mentioning the works of Prof. El Fadl, it was simply to get the point across that there are different interpretations, without any judgment of his approach whatsoever. By choosing a “reformist” or let us say a more liberal viewpoint, I was merely hoping that everyone participating in SDs blog would have a chance to relate to these arguments. Certainly I am aware that he is criticized in the Islamic world for his sometimes shallow approach, but on the other hand please be tolerant enough to see the value in his work in regards to inter-religious relations. I am sure that you are not content with what is happening these days on our planet either and it is not a solution to have a negative attitude towards just anything that could be considered a “Western attempt”. Tolerance and dialogue are two prerequisites to any feasible solution. Here is a website from Germany you may hate as well, but please try to give a little credit to effort. :- ) http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_softlink.php?wc_c=365
In my work, I frequently have to deal with issues that are somewhat interrelated with Islam and of course I have two professional advisors (one is a liberal and one is a conservative scholar) that will make sure that I treat the topic with the careful sensitivity that it deserves. Of course this is not related to dogs, but more on issues such as democracy, human security and development – my job is to mediate (and as a result get attacked from both sides) For instance, in my opinion, it is a human rights violation to impose a headscarf (or hijab) ban in some countries in the EU and I will fight for freedom, tolerance and equal rights as long as there is a chance. But while in my work I have to be absolutely neutral and present different aspects of Islamic thought, in my personal opinion Islam is a very flexible religion, which can adequately adjust to the challenges of modern times, but again it is also the most contemporary abused and misinterpreted religion. (more in addition to my comments on the traditional socio-cultural constraints in the other post)
QATAR CAT. I am glad we agree and don’t we all love Labradors. :-)
Sevensummits:
Your effort is appreciated and I just thought presenting the orthodox views on the matter was of significance as the Islamic Sharee'ah lays great emphasis on ijma` (consensus).
In any case, I am fine with the views of Dr. Abul Fadl as long as he is honest enough in admitting himself as a "modernist". Intentionally delving in unscrupulous methods of fooling the public does not do justice to scholarly discourses. The professor has vehemently criticized (a terrible understatement) the traditional school of thought when he is no authority in those fields. Since you presented him as the "enlightened" segement of Muslim society and those who hold a view on this issue contrary to his as people who "abuse and misinterpret" Islamic law, I think you lost your objectivity there.
Nevertheless I will go through the links you have provided, in sha Allah.
"If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that
certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons." -- James Thurber
It says something very significant about a religion that abhors dogs as substandard spiritually and celebrates suicide bombers
Al-Republican,
Ouch – how on earth did you get to this conclusion??? When I said “you guys”, I was referring to SHAAN & Co that are throwing rude and illogical remarks into our blogosphere. (For instance our troublesome female, you know who I am referring to and I was honestly disappointed to read from you that she still deserves respect?) Certainly I was not referring to either “UAE nationals”, “Muslims” or any other ethnical selection!!!
Please read carefully: I said “….which clearly shows the enlightened among us that there is nothing wrong with Islam, but only with those that abuse and misinterpret its meaning.” ENLIGHTENED in this context is referring also to you, Rosh, Localexpat, B.D., Ash and numerous others – basically everyone that can put down some critical argument, without dumping some “…” (insert the word you find most appropriate).
As my favorite “radical conservative” on this blog, you will not by any chance try to tell me that Islam is not immensely misused and misinterpreted in the region????? I would like to remind you of ideas such as modesty, compassion, honesty, fidelity and so on …. ah, you know them better than me. Of course these are virtues we should all possess, but at least some of us are honest enough to admit, that we are not so perfect. I have the greatest respect for any seriously religious person and I have seen some fantastic deeds from some of them, especially when it comes to helping the deprived. However, especially in the UAE it is exactly those that are pretending to be so pure and conservative, that are really not like this at all. (Of course, as a result of socio-cultural pressures!) Please don’t remind us now of two presidents, that one was swearing to God that he was not screwing around and the other miraculously found Gods permission to not mind our own business – ok – we are not talking about ours or your elites, we are talking about the ordinary citizen – like you and me.
LOL from Germany :-)
Sevensummits:
I am flattered to know that I am your "favorite radical conservative" hahaha :) Who are the others on your esteemed list? Please don't tell me I am on the same list as Dr. Abul Fadl! I will try to take that as a compliment anyway :P
See, I respect i*maginate like I respect any other woman. I have great respect for SD, too. I have at times disagreed with i*maginate. But, I respect that i*maginate even with her womenly obsessions like her manicured nails and other-things-girly, has the magnanimity to accept the truth in the religion of Islam as it is. She can quite clearly cut through the spin and I really respect that.
In a similar way, I have immense respect for SD for her propensity to speak up for truth. My disagreement with her is purely on a philosophical level otherwise I find myself in agreement with most of what she writes about. I also appreciate her ability to succinctly (coupled with her humurous wit) put across her thoughts rather than the huge rejoinders that I find myself jotting every alternate day.
I actually decided to comment on this blog frequently when I noticed how most people here had lots of misunderstandings about Islam. I can safely say that the frequency of "hate" comments have reduced dramatically since when I first came here (or maybe its summer time and everyone is on a break!). Unfortunately, the comments section in this blog has become a magnet for people who have real disgust and hate for the religion of Islam. I thought it would be a good idea to at least introduce these ideas and I even risked my own image as I am seen as a "radical conservative" as you yourself put it.
People who know me in real life will tell you that is just not the case. Quite frankly, I would never want to meet some of the people who comment here. Oh well, what can you expect from a radical person as myself? :P
Question: What would happen if SevenSummits and Al-Republican are locked away in a room to continue their "dialog"?
Answer: A seemingly civilized discussion will turn into a heated argument eventually ending in Al-Republican slitting SevenSummits' throat, in true halal way of course!
Moral of the story: No matter how much education these people acquire, they will never be in touch with civilization or reality. Educated doctors planning to mass murder people in UK on cue from the bearded cavemen from Pakistan is a blaring example of this truth.
Anon @ 07:24,
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha – thanks for making me laugh. No need to worry about us … Al-Republican would not even start a heated discussion with me – I am 100% sure even without knowing him. Sorry, your probability here is next to zero. However we might be seriously concerned about folks like you!
Just to bring to your attention, that such incidents happen all over the world, within every culture or religion, irrelevant of the offenders education. Being German, I have to look back at the most hideous crimes against humanity and certainly this should be a warning to everyone not to repeat such terrible mistakes (skipped a history class by any chance?) …. and even worse, those were not deprived and frustrated individuals, but mainly educated citizens.
Relax SevenSummits! You still seem to be the more sensible one of the lot. However your statement, "I am 100% sure even without knowing him" leaves a lot to be desired as far as judgment is concerned ;-)
H in A says:
sorry, seven summits and al rep to butt in on your fountain of wisdom. but in no other country would educated people waste so much time spewing fancy sounding interpretations of rubbish.case to point is the dog and pork issue. it was written at a time obviously someones mom was bitten by a rabid dog and died, and someones third wife died of tapeworm from pork.
times have changed buddies, if your author was alive now, you guys wouldnt be eating birds like chicken for rest of your life ( bird flu) nor keeping cats ( toxoplasmosis), or any animal for that matter ( beef...lamb...do you want me to even start what all diseases you can get from these..).
Fortunately for you guys nobody pointed a finger at them and so it is okay to eat cow and keep cats or whatever.:-)
cmon guys, grow up..all your interpretations and trying to bring science to bullshit is childish and laughable.stick to mumbo jumbo voodoo. that is better for you than science.
Anon@14:07 (and for God’s sake give yourself some ID, please!),
Thanks for the compliment. :-) No need to worry about my judgment thou, since it has kept me alive so far in the most dangerous countries and regions on this planet. So either I have a *d..n* lot of luck (quite possible), the Almighty is constantly protecting me (very possible), I am not the type of person people shoot at (at least so far), they would beg to return me, if ever kidnapped (too troublesome) or I have an unbeatable weapon “an great sense of humor”.
When it comes to human beings, I always believe in their integrity until proven otherwise. Makes you shiver, correct? Sometimes it is wise to ask for the reason why someone is trying to threaten you on a WORLDWIDE SCALE and often the causality will be a lot simpler than most of us suspect. In the majority of cases this individual with a weapon of some sort is just a victim of great injustice as a result of “bad governance” (in all its aspects) and is merely trying to extract a bribe from you to feed his family. Sometimes these fellows have not seen any remuneration for several month and both, you and me, would do exactly the same unethical thing, if put into the same position – even if we will never be able to even closely imagine how it feels like to starve or see your child die, because you do not possess the five USD it would require to buy the needed medication. It is so easy to pass a judgment, while sitting well fed in your office. Once again, for other readers … we are talking about a worldwide scale here, not about the special motives of e.g. drug addicts or fundamentalists)
The perceived radicalization, you were referring too is often viewed as a result of immense frustration (oppression, unemployment, knowledge gap) especially with the unprecedented youth bulges we will be confronted with in the MENA region as a result of their irresponsible pronatalist policies. Saudi will be the first GCC country to feel the results of growing internal instability and they are just a border away. While this sociopolitical environment is the perfect breeding ground for any type of brainwashing activity, we certainly cannot make any assumptions about the kind of people who might become terrorists, since we still lack the necessary social research and especially the dialogue with local stakeholders to even make this possible. Nevertheless we should honestly concentrate more on the future potential of Islamist terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa and the threat it poses and especially on the sponsors of this development.
Currently we do not have any feasible recommendations whatsoever – nobody in their right mind that has some insights into what is happening around the Persian Gulf would dare to come up with a “road map”, well at least nobody that is responsible!!! As a scientist, I can frequently observe how many of my Western colleagues, come up with assumptions and recommendations for developing countries, without even attempting to grasp the cultural environment of a given region. Moreover, especially when it comes to the GCC we are facing the problem that there is only a miniscule amount of local research coming out of these nations and obviously this vacuum is a threat to drawing the right conclusions. (the example of Iraq should be serious enough). Every researcher familiar with the region and especially EVERY ARAB could have told us that the imposition of Western values and assumptions is not going to work. Week after week I have to scan through thousands of official pages that are all based exactly on these false assumptions and are therefore totally redundant when it comes to feasibility in the GCC. It is certainly time, that we wipe away our illusions of “good governance” and deal with the realism of these countries. In fact, we do not need a war against terror, but maybe just the notion to sit down and listen. In recent years, much political controversy has arisen over the question of humanitarian intervention and the effects it is presumed by many to have on the question of state sovereignty, the real question is how much trading in of the “responsibility to protect” has happened in order to protect our own economical interests? We Westerners living or traveling to the Gulf are certainly aware of this fact and still play along with our dirty politics. At least we should set a good example and admit that we have made some mistakes and allow this to be the first step towards “participatory dialogue”.
Cheers from Germany :-)
yeh well i had a 6 month old beautiful little pit bull puppy with not an ounce of fight in him also castrated to calm him down. we have had pit bulls for yrs and none of them have we had problems with fighting. but this little puppy was taken from our garden in al barsha and we never saw him again and this was just before xmas. please if anyone sees a black pit bull about 8 months old call me on 0508758927. we think it was taken by dog fighters and we really loved that dog.
thanks guys
mike jay
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