Search: “Shia Muslim”

OK, it’s done.  Donald Trump has become the US’ 45th President, markets have swung wildly, people are panicking, some fear the Apocalypse.  Take a deep breath and calm down.  As the 44th President, Barack Obama, predicted last night, the sun did indeed rise this morning (even if I cannot see it in cloudy Ottawa). A […]

If there is one thing we know about terrorism it is that what we do – or what we don’t do – has a real chance of effecting what terrorist groups do.  For terrorist groups are really good at telling the world why they use violence and usually place the blame for their carnage on […]

If there is one thing that is true about all Islamist extremist groups is that they are full of hate.  They hate other Muslims.  They hate the Shia.  They hate the Sufis.  They hate non-Muslims.  They hate LGBT.  They hate choice.  They hate everything in their warped world view.  Hate.  Hate.  Hate. One other thing […]

I just know that this blog is going to get me some flack. What in heaven’s name does a non-Muslim have to say that is remotely informed or relevant about Islam?  What is an outsider doing commenting on the “soul of Islam”?  Why doesn’t this person quit before he writes something stupid? Sidenote – my […]

As worthy and beneficial as religion can be, it is nevertheless true that religion has also been behind some of the worst forms of violence.  We in the West tend to see religion as a nice thing to have although I think we are increasingly moving towards a post-religious society, at least in Canada.  Whatever […]

Now that everyone and his uncle has had a chance to comment on the nuclear accord reached with Iran, it’s my turn. (Full disclosure: I was an Iranian analyst in the Canadian intelligence community for twenty years and was even fluent in Farsi at one point – alas no more!) There is no question Iran […]