Pointless Protests

From a Western viewpoint, these protests over the film are misguided and pointless.  I just saw a protester holding a sign that said: 

"Obama!  Our patience has its limit!  Don't blame us if your citizens die!  Blame yourself!  You started it!"

What did Obama start?  If they are referencing the video - Obama had nothing to do with that video.  0%.  Zip. Nada.  You can not hold one individual accountable for the actions of another individual.  And why are you killing people anyway?  How is that solving anything?

"The US charge d'affaires Richard Hoagland was summoned to the Pakistani Foreign Office and an official protest was lodged with him. He is reported to have responded that the US government had nothing to do with the film."

This is true.  You can't complain to the US government about free speech.  Even if it hurts your sensibilities.  If a person in the US says something that legally doesn't harm anyone - for example - Mother Teresa was a child abuser and did witchcraft.  The US is not responsible for that statement.  The individual is.  Therefore, protesting against the US government is 100% pointless, misguided, ineffective, and quite frankly childish. 

Oh, and when a group of men attack Benghazi, rape and kill the US Diplomat Chris Stevens who loved & helped your country, that makes you evil gay sodomizers.  Why in the world would a man rape a man?  Isn't that forbidden in Muslim countries/Islam?  In my Western mind - that is much worse than insulting a prophet.  I guess that shows how much Libyans appreciate the assistance they got from the US last year? 

*disclaimer:  Mother Teres was not a child abuser and did not do witchcraft.  That was just an example.*

Suicide bomber kills foreigners

KABUL, Afghanistan — A suicide bomber killed 14 people on Tuesday including 10 foreigners, most of whom worked as flight crew members under contract with the United States government, officials said. The attack brought to at least 28 the number of deaths attributed to unrest sweeping the Muslim world as a result of an amateurish video parodying the Prophet Muhammad.

A spokesman for an Afghan insurgent group, Hezb-i-Islami, claimed responsibility for the bombing and said it was carried out by an 18-year-old woman.

“We claim credit for the attack by a martyrdom-seeking mujahid, an 18-year-old girl named Fatima, from Kabul, and the attack has been conducted in response to the film insulting the Prophet Muhammad and Islam,” said Zubir Siddiqi, the spokesman, reached by telephone.

In the attack, the suicide bomber drove a car full of explosives head-on into a minibus carrying foreign workers on the Airport Road, killing all 12 people aboard and two people on the road, according to the police.

The United States Embassy here said in a statement that many of the foreign victims were personnel of a private company providing services to the United States Agency for International Development and other organizations in Afghanistan. American officials confirmed that at least eight had been employed by a South African aviation charter company, ACS/Balmoral, working under contract for USAID as pilots and crew flying planes in what is colloquially known as “Embassy Air” to provincial capitals in Afghanistan. A spokeswoman for ACS/Balmoral, Candice Teubes, said all eight were believed to be South African citizens.

The authorities in Afghanistan provided conflicting accounts. An aide to Gen. Mohammad Ayoub Salangi, the police chief of Kabul, said at least six of the 10 dead foreigners were South Africans, five men and a woman; one was a Filipino, and the others’ nationalities were uncertain. Spokesmen for the French and Russian Embassies said they did not believe any of the victims were from their countries, contradicting earlier police accounts that the dead included French and Russian citizens.

So let me get this straight....  a suicide bomber blows up a van full of South African & French people in retaliation for a movie that was made by one person who happens to live in America?  America did not make the movie.  France did not make the movie.  South Africa did not make the movie.  ONE PERSON made the movie! (well, possibly a group of a few individuals).  Simply amazing....

Somalia before the war

Postcard of Mogadishu - maybe taken in the 60's?


Fiat of Mogadishu, delivery of 4 wagons to Public Works shop January 20, 1970



View of the City - (Maybe Mogadishu?)

This video shows photos and film clips of Somalia in the 60's and 70's.  Looks like they had very good infastructure, businesses, restaurants, industry, etc....  



Girl scouts - with Somlian AND European girls together.



Mogadishu City Hall - before and after


Mogadishu Stadium, built in 1978


Mogadishu Waterfront


Mogadishu 1977


Somali National University (Mogadishu). It was created in 1954. There were three campuses (1. Gaheyr - Mogadishu at KM6, 2. Digfeer - Medicine school near Digfeer Hospital in Mogadishu, and 3. Lafoole Teaching College - Lafoole). Initially the language of instruction was Italian, but later also included Somali and English. Siad Barre’s government (no bias here) really did play an important role in expanding the national university and higher education through the country in the 1970’s. Research centers were established throughout different cities with the goal of developing the national economy.
The fifteen departments of Somali National University were:
1. Department of Sharia Law
2. Department of Linguistics (Somali, Arabic, English, German and Italian)
3. Department of Livestock and Forest Management
4. Department of Education (Teaching College at Lafoole), 20 km west of Mogadishu
5. Department of Agriculture
6. Department of Geology and Mining
7. Department of Medicine (College of Medicine) near Digfeer Hospital
8. Department of Chemical/Industrial Engineering
9. Department of History
10. Department of Geography
11. Department of Science
12. Department of Mathematics
13. Department of Public Health
14. Department of Engineering
15. Department of Political Science


Schoolchildren


Mogadishu 1963


Old lighthouse for the Port of Mogadishu taken in 1988


Somali Nomads (in white) at a Market in 1969 in Xuddar(Hudar) Region, Somalia


Female employee - sometime in the 80's.


This is how Somali women use to dress back in the day. Effortless style. From their accessories to headscarf’s, shawls and not to mention gold. They had beautiful skin with no need for toxic makeup as well. You don’t see this anymore :(.
All people know of Somalis is current day Somalia, but there was a time when Somalis were really happy (well some) and life was good and people dressed well, had parties, went to the beach, worked hard. Somali women had a lot more freedom than any of the women in the Arab/Muslim world and beyond Africa as well. They could go to school, work, drive, wear whatever they wanted. They were not oppressed. They had culture. Somalia was very cosmopolitan once. Sad to see what it has become today.   (quote from a Somali)


Mogadishu


Air Somalia 


1970s Somali Women's Basketball Team

All photos and info are from http://vintagesomalia.tumblr.com/ 

World leaders react to the killing of Christ Stevens and other consulate staff

World leaders and other international figures have been reacting to the killing of the US ambassador to Libya and three other Americans in an attack on the US consulate in Benghazi.

US President Barack Obama

"I strongly condemn the outrageous attack on our diplomatic facility in Benghazi, which took the lives of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. Right now, the American people have the families of those we lost in our thoughts and prayers."

President of Libya's national assembly Mohammed Magarief

"We apologise to the United States of America and to the American people and to the whole world for what happened, and at the same time we expect the rest of the world to help us face these cowardly criminal acts."

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton

"I am deeply shocked by the despicable attack. I condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms. I call on Libya to take all necessary measures without delay to protect the lives of all diplomats and foreign staff."

Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen

"I strongly condemn the attack on the US mission in Benghazi. Such violence can never be justified. I welcome the Libyan president's condemnation and condolences and his pledge of his government's full cooperation."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague

"The UK condemns the brutal and senseless attack. We send our condolences to the people and government of the United States and stand with them in this. These diplomats were serving not only their own country but the people of Libya and were working for the peace and stability of Libya in the future."

French President Francois Hollande

"France demands that the Libyan authorities shed all possible light on these odious and unacceptable crimes, identify the culprits and bring them to justice."

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti

"We will continue to support the government of the new democratic Libya, which we are sure will spare no effort in preventing Libya's new course from being hijacked. We condemn with maximum firmness this brutal act."

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert

"The federal government condemns in the strongest terms the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt. Such violence against diplomatic facilities can, and may, never be a means of political debate, of political action."

Russian foreign ministry

"We strongly condemn any attacks on foreign diplomatic posts and their staff as terrorist acts which can have no justification."

Afghan Dining Etiquette

There are many differences between Afghan and Western dining etiquette.  One should always remove shoes at the door when visiting a home. When dining at someone’s home, guests will be seated on the floor, usually on cushions.  Guests should wait for the host to show them where to sit. Food is served on plastic or vinyl tablecloths spread on the floor.  If possible, one should sit cross-legged.  Otherwise, sit as comfortably as possible.  Sitting with legs outstretched or with the feet facing people is considered rude.  When guests are present in Afghan homes, males eat separately and typically prior to females and children.

Food is generally served communally with everyone sharing from the same dish.  Since food is often eaten directly with the hands, cleanliness is extremely important.  A bowl or basin is often provided for hand washing, just prior to meals. The left hand should be used as little as possible and is NOT to be used in a communal bowl.  Food is taken with the right hand, but both hands can be used to eat once food is taken from the communal bowl.  Food should be taken only from the portion of the communal plate directly in front of you. Food is usually scooped up into a ball at the tip of the fingers, and then eaten. Guests unfamiliar with customs and etiquette should always watch, learn and follow the lead of the host or others familiar with the culture.

Afghan cuisine is influenced by South and Central Asian, Chinese and Iranian cooking.  The traditional meal is a rice and meat dish, known as pilau, in which the rice has been cooked with other ingredients, taking on the color and flavor of those ingredients. The rice is usually cooked with meat juices, but sometimes vegetables are substituted.  The most famous Afghan pilau is likely Qabuli pilau. There are many variations of this dish, but typically pieces of lamb are covered with a pilau that includes strips of carrots and currants. Another popular Afghan dish is aushak, scallion-filled dumplings with meat sauce and yogurt, sprinkled with mint.

Kabobs are the Afghan equivalent to fast food.  Kabobs are made of skewered meat (lamb, mutton, or beef) and vegetables.  You will most likely find a kabob shop in any Afghan city or town.  A kabob shop will feature several kinds of kabobs, along with bread and possibly vegetables or salad. Muslim dietary rules prevent most Afghans from eating pork.  A vegetable soup with bread in it known as shoorwa [SHORE-wah] is also quite common. Afghan bread comes in slabs, or in round flat loaves (not to be confused with Middle Eastern pita bread) that have been baked inside large clay ovens called tandoors.

Because of cattle and sheep herding, dairy products are traditionally an important part of the diet.  Yogurt and dairy products are common staples.  Snacks may include sugarcane, pudding, nuts, seeds, apples, grapes, apricots or oranges. Curd is also thoroughly drained and then dried in small hard balls for future use in cooking. Boiled curd is often eaten for breakfast. Fresh vegetables and fruit, when available, are also an important part of the diet. Tomatoes, spinach, potatoes, peas and carrots, cucumbers and eggplant are common vegetables.

In rural Afghanistan, regular midday meals are not eaten, but people carry around nuts and dried fruit for energy throughout the day. Urban diets are typically more varied than rural diets, but food and money shortages are severe at times in all areas.