Based on the works of scholars, who will be revealed when the blogging for this topic ends. Works of other authors may be included, but where these are done, full acknowledgement will be made.
Advice: Those who may take offence in seeing biblical (OT) quotations or liberal discussion of OT biblical characters should not read this topic.
Thus, as Ahmad Osman put it in his book, Moses and Akhenaten, the Egyptian-Hebrew descendants of the Hebrew Yuya (Joseph) were the 4 Pharaohs of the Amarna dynasty, sometimes also called Egypt’s Solar Kings.
They were respectively:
(1) Akhenaten (originally Amenhotep IV),
(2) Smenkhare, Akhenaten's son or half-brother. There have been medical evidence to indicate that Smenkhare was a brother of Tutankhamun,
(3) Tutankhamen (originally Tutankh-aten), Akhenaten's other son or perhaps like Smenkharre, a half-brother. Tutankhamun is the most famous Pharaoh in the world, after his tomb was discovered by Howard Carter,
(4) Ay, believed to be Akhenaten's father-in-law, and the son of Yuya (Joseph).
History showed that the existence of the Amarna dynasty was obliterated from Egyptian records, with its city, Akhetaten (today's Tel al-Amarna) completely dismantled. No one knew of its existence until the late 1887, more than 3000 years later, when an Egyptian woman gathering soil at Tel al-Amarna for gardening accidentally stumbled upon a set of clay tablets.
Osman attributed the complete erasure from records of the Amarna dynasty as a deliberate effort to hide the existence of its Pharaohs who had Hebrew blood.
On Akhenaten-Moses, Osman discussed in detail the numerous inconsistencies in the Bible and showed how the Koran, which was derived from the Torah, provided a different story for Moses. He attributed some of these inconsistencies to the poor understanding of the Egyptian language by the author of the Book of Exodus and some to the deliberate intention to hide the Egyptian origin of Moses because the Hebrew hadn't quite forgiven the sufferings of slavery under their Egyptian overlords.
We shall see later that there could be a third reason - that the authors did it deliberately to hide its prophets' Egyptian origin, but for a different reason.
Osman then brought up an interesting piece of information about Amenhotep IV (or as he subsequently renamed himself, Akhenaten).
It seems that Amenhotep IV did not straightaway worshipped Aten, an earlier aspect of the Sun God Ra (or Re) or rejected the worship of Amun. He was spurned by the Amun priesthood in the royal city of Thebes because of his part-Hebraic ancestry. Because of the growing hostility towards him from the Amun-ites, his family, probably his mother, Queen Tiye, urged him to run off to Lower Egypt, near the Delta region, to a frontier town called Zarw, where he stayed with relatives.
There he became influenced by the priesthood of Ra, whose centre was at Heliopolis or On (On is the Egyptian name while Heliopolis is Greek). The priests of On as worshippers of the Sun God would have influenced his religious beliefs. This was the same On, whose head priest married his daughter off to Joseph, son of Jacob.
"And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On ..." (Genesis 41:45)
It would be only from thence that Amenhotep IV developed his monotheistic worship of the Aten. Thus, according to Osman, his monotheistic practice was as a result of his rejection by the Amun priesthood, and not because he had rejected the worship of Amun.
To be continued ……..
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
The Hypocrisy of Bush's 'Regime Change'?
500 Uzbeks have been massacred by Uzbek government troops firing into a crowd of protestors including women and children. More than 2000 have been injured. Several thousands have attempted escaping into neighbouring Kyrgyzstan from government persecution.
The tragedy arose from protests against harsh economic hardship, but the government claimed it had acted against Islamist extremists, probably to seek US approval for its Tian An Men-like excesses. The USA considers Uzbekistan under its hardline, corrupt and brutal President Islam Karimov as a close ally.
Craig Murray, a former British Ambassador to the Republic, writing for the British online Guardian wrote disgustingly of the US support for such an evil regime:
The bodies of hundreds of pro-democracy protesters in Uzbekistan are scarcely cold, and already the White House is looking for ways to dismiss them. The White House spokesman Scott McClellan said those shot dead in the city of Andijan included "Islamic terrorists" offering armed resistance.
But as reported in the International Herald Tribune, the protests were more about the harsh economic situation than any alleged extremist Islamic activity
Uzbekistan under Islam Karimov is of course a part of the US strategy to control the oil-rich region, as was a former Iraq under Saddam Hussein. The US has a notorious history of supporting evil regimes like Saddam Hussein's, the Shah's, Marcos', General Pinochet's, the Taliban's, etc, and closing an eye to their brutalities against their people.
Additionally, Uzbekistan allows the USAF to have bases on its soil, which enables the American strategy of encircling China.
Since its British ally condemned the Karimov regime for its unmitigated atrocities, the US has been under pressure to do the right thing. Condoleezza Rice has grudgingly and finally stated that she is disturbed.
‘Disturbed?’ – tells you much, doesn’t it, just as much as Bush’s often proclaimed regime change?
Related postings:
USA - Consistently Inconsistent! (4)
USA - Consistently Inconsistent! (3)
The tragedy arose from protests against harsh economic hardship, but the government claimed it had acted against Islamist extremists, probably to seek US approval for its Tian An Men-like excesses. The USA considers Uzbekistan under its hardline, corrupt and brutal President Islam Karimov as a close ally.
Craig Murray, a former British Ambassador to the Republic, writing for the British online Guardian wrote disgustingly of the US support for such an evil regime:
The bodies of hundreds of pro-democracy protesters in Uzbekistan are scarcely cold, and already the White House is looking for ways to dismiss them. The White House spokesman Scott McClellan said those shot dead in the city of Andijan included "Islamic terrorists" offering armed resistance.
But as reported in the International Herald Tribune, the protests were more about the harsh economic situation than any alleged extremist Islamic activity
Uzbekistan under Islam Karimov is of course a part of the US strategy to control the oil-rich region, as was a former Iraq under Saddam Hussein. The US has a notorious history of supporting evil regimes like Saddam Hussein's, the Shah's, Marcos', General Pinochet's, the Taliban's, etc, and closing an eye to their brutalities against their people.
Additionally, Uzbekistan allows the USAF to have bases on its soil, which enables the American strategy of encircling China.
Since its British ally condemned the Karimov regime for its unmitigated atrocities, the US has been under pressure to do the right thing. Condoleezza Rice has grudgingly and finally stated that she is disturbed.
‘Disturbed?’ – tells you much, doesn’t it, just as much as Bush’s often proclaimed regime change?
Related postings:
USA - Consistently Inconsistent! (4)
USA - Consistently Inconsistent! (3)
Australian Rednecks Jeopardise the Corby Case
The Indonesian Embassy in Canberra has received around ten death threats, in relation to Schapelle Corby’s verdict due this Friday.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer criticized the aggressive public campaign in Australia against Indonesia, in threats to boycott Bali, an Aussie favourite tourist spot, and personal harm to Indonesian diplomats, stating that if the people behind the move imagined that those would help Corby they are sadly mistaken. The opposite effect is more likely.
Precisely what I have stated in the past 2 postings on the Corby case.
Related Postings:
Schapelle Corby – A Study in Unhelpful Media Frenzy
Unhelpful Extra-Legal Support for Schapelle Corby
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer criticized the aggressive public campaign in Australia against Indonesia, in threats to boycott Bali, an Aussie favourite tourist spot, and personal harm to Indonesian diplomats, stating that if the people behind the move imagined that those would help Corby they are sadly mistaken. The opposite effect is more likely.
Precisely what I have stated in the past 2 postings on the Corby case.
Related Postings:
Schapelle Corby – A Study in Unhelpful Media Frenzy
Unhelpful Extra-Legal Support for Schapelle Corby
Monday, May 16, 2005
The Afghanistan Anti-USA Jihad
Hamid Karzai is a known American lackey, with his election to the Afghan Presidency influenced and aided by the American Administration to do the bidding of the Americans. He is constantly protected by American bodyguards. One may say rather correctly that he is a man totally beholden to the US Administration.
But, after the worst case of anti-American rioting in Afghanistan in the past week, when such a lackey warns the US against using its heavy-handed troops without his personal permission, it informs one how seriously bad the situation has developed for the Americans.
The desecration of the Koran at Guantanamo Bay has spread a jihad (in the very sense that this Islamic word has been meant to convey) that would be very difficult to control.
It’s believed that the desperate American Administration has applied pressure on Newsweek magazine, which first published the incident, to announce that the report of the desecration might have been a mistake. But no one in the Muslim world believes an iota of the Newsweek retraction, seeing it plainly as an American Administration's desperate attempt to ameliorate an already damaged situation.
But, after the worst case of anti-American rioting in Afghanistan in the past week, when such a lackey warns the US against using its heavy-handed troops without his personal permission, it informs one how seriously bad the situation has developed for the Americans.
The desecration of the Koran at Guantanamo Bay has spread a jihad (in the very sense that this Islamic word has been meant to convey) that would be very difficult to control.
It’s believed that the desperate American Administration has applied pressure on Newsweek magazine, which first published the incident, to announce that the report of the desecration might have been a mistake. But no one in the Muslim world believes an iota of the Newsweek retraction, seeing it plainly as an American Administration's desperate attempt to ameliorate an already damaged situation.
Schapelle Corby - A Study in Unhelpful Media Frenzy
The Schapelle Corby case is hotting up in Australia. The Australian media is frothing at the mouth, with condemnation of the inaction of the Australian Federal government. The government had explained that it couldn’t interfere with the judiciary of a foreign sovereign country, but has finally succumb to the intense domestic pressure that the Australian media has whipped up to ‘save’ a beautiful Australian woman at the mercy of the worst Australian nightmare, an Indonesian court.
As mentioned in an earlier post, I believe the Indonesian government has already obliged the Australian government by not demanding a death sentence as originally was to be the case. The maximum sentence now is a life sentence, but that’s still not good enough for the Australian media and some members of the public. They won’t wait for the verdict (it could well be 'not guilty').
No, they demand that Corby be virtually declared innocent immediately.
As also mentioned in my previous blog, the Indonesians may just dig in deep if they sense Australian official interference. In fact, officers of the Indonesian courts criticised Prime Minister John Howard for instructing his Foreign Ministry to provide Corby's defence team with a letter for the Indonesian court detailing an Australian Police investigation into a smuggling ring involving airport baggage handlers at Sydney Airport.
The Indonesians feel that the Australian PM may be trying to influence the decision of the Indonesian court. The Indonesian prosecutor said the Australian letter has no legal standing in the Corby case, and the presiding judge has already pointedly dismissed the PM’s letter as irrelevant.
This spells bad news for the defence in terms of mounting anger among the Indonesian judiciary. Australian Prime Minister John Howard is so worried that aggressive Australian attitude and unreasonable demands for Corby to be freed may be harmful to her standing that he has cautioned the Australian public to keep out of the Corby's case, but his advice has been ignored.
Apart from that, the Australian media has also ripped into Federal Police Chief Mike Keelty, a highly respected officer with impeccable integrity and admirable professionalism (and very much liked by his Indonesian counterparts), for allegedly bearing a vendetta against Corby when he, Keelty, dismissed a suggestion that she was blissfully ignorant of being used as a mule (drug courier) after Corby was caught with more than 4 kilograms of marijuana in her bag.
The defence team was further infuriated by Keelty's statement that there was no link between the Corby case and a cocaine smuggling ring busted recently that had involved airport handlers. They had wanted some links, no matter how tenuous, with any smuggling activities at airports to support their defence that Corby was an innocent mule, exploited without her knowledge.
The reality has been that Mike Keelty made specific statements objecting to wild allegations about Australian Police failing in its duties in the Corby arrest, and in his statement of clarification to defend his men, was condemned by the defence team and media as indicative of his alleged vendetta against Corby.
Their desperate and wild swinging accusations are more damaging than helpful as the Indonesians would be deeply offended by scurrilous insinuations about their judgement and integrity.
As I mentioned in the previous post on the Schapelle Corby case:
Hell is paved with good intentions. And these idiots know diddly squat (f***all) about Indonesian mores, feelings and pride!
Related posting:
Unhelpful Extra-Legal Support for Schapelle Corby
As mentioned in an earlier post, I believe the Indonesian government has already obliged the Australian government by not demanding a death sentence as originally was to be the case. The maximum sentence now is a life sentence, but that’s still not good enough for the Australian media and some members of the public. They won’t wait for the verdict (it could well be 'not guilty').
No, they demand that Corby be virtually declared innocent immediately.
As also mentioned in my previous blog, the Indonesians may just dig in deep if they sense Australian official interference. In fact, officers of the Indonesian courts criticised Prime Minister John Howard for instructing his Foreign Ministry to provide Corby's defence team with a letter for the Indonesian court detailing an Australian Police investigation into a smuggling ring involving airport baggage handlers at Sydney Airport.
The Indonesians feel that the Australian PM may be trying to influence the decision of the Indonesian court. The Indonesian prosecutor said the Australian letter has no legal standing in the Corby case, and the presiding judge has already pointedly dismissed the PM’s letter as irrelevant.
This spells bad news for the defence in terms of mounting anger among the Indonesian judiciary. Australian Prime Minister John Howard is so worried that aggressive Australian attitude and unreasonable demands for Corby to be freed may be harmful to her standing that he has cautioned the Australian public to keep out of the Corby's case, but his advice has been ignored.
Apart from that, the Australian media has also ripped into Federal Police Chief Mike Keelty, a highly respected officer with impeccable integrity and admirable professionalism (and very much liked by his Indonesian counterparts), for allegedly bearing a vendetta against Corby when he, Keelty, dismissed a suggestion that she was blissfully ignorant of being used as a mule (drug courier) after Corby was caught with more than 4 kilograms of marijuana in her bag.
The defence team was further infuriated by Keelty's statement that there was no link between the Corby case and a cocaine smuggling ring busted recently that had involved airport handlers. They had wanted some links, no matter how tenuous, with any smuggling activities at airports to support their defence that Corby was an innocent mule, exploited without her knowledge.
The reality has been that Mike Keelty made specific statements objecting to wild allegations about Australian Police failing in its duties in the Corby arrest, and in his statement of clarification to defend his men, was condemned by the defence team and media as indicative of his alleged vendetta against Corby.
Their desperate and wild swinging accusations are more damaging than helpful as the Indonesians would be deeply offended by scurrilous insinuations about their judgement and integrity.
As I mentioned in the previous post on the Schapelle Corby case:
Hell is paved with good intentions. And these idiots know diddly squat (f***all) about Indonesian mores, feelings and pride!
Related posting:
Unhelpful Extra-Legal Support for Schapelle Corby
Japan: A Whale of a BS-ter
Japan claims it has a long tradition of eating whales. Whale meat is considered a delicacy, costing the earth in Japan. But in recent times, nations all over the globe save for a few whaling nations like Japan, Iceland and Norway have recognized that most whales have been hunted close to extinction. Besides, the whale is not a fish but a mammal, with a high degree of intelligence and characteristics of social community, very much like humans.
For years the International Whaling Commission (IWC) has restricted Japan’s whaling catch to about 400 minke whales, one of the more common species, purportedly for Japan's scientific research. However, these whales invariably ended up immediately in Japan’s meat markets. In short, Japan has lied its whaling ways to the dinner plates.
Of late, rich Japan has been buying votes at the IWC among the poorer countries, some of whom have no whaling tradition or concerns at all, into supporting a lifting of the current restriction to allow its BS ‘scientific research’ to include hunting the tastier humpback whales, an endangered species.
The Australians and New Zealanders, who love whales, apart from the fact that the giant sea mammals are a major part of their tourist attraction, are livid with outrage and grave concern. The Australian government, very economically beholden to Japan, has signaled to its public that it won’t be able to stop Japan should the whale-gobbling and whale-slaughtering nation hunt the humpback whales.
An Australian senator accused Japan of being ‘obscene’ and ‘insulting’ in its unbelievable attempt to sell the BS idea that it was only hunting whales for ‘scientific’ purposes.
Well, Senator, you’ll find a large number of Koreans, Chinese and SE Asians agreeing with you because they too think Japan has always been, and continues to be ‘obscene’ and ‘insulting’ by attempting to BS and whitewash their WWII heinous atrocities as only ‘incidents’.
For years the International Whaling Commission (IWC) has restricted Japan’s whaling catch to about 400 minke whales, one of the more common species, purportedly for Japan's scientific research. However, these whales invariably ended up immediately in Japan’s meat markets. In short, Japan has lied its whaling ways to the dinner plates.
Of late, rich Japan has been buying votes at the IWC among the poorer countries, some of whom have no whaling tradition or concerns at all, into supporting a lifting of the current restriction to allow its BS ‘scientific research’ to include hunting the tastier humpback whales, an endangered species.
The Australians and New Zealanders, who love whales, apart from the fact that the giant sea mammals are a major part of their tourist attraction, are livid with outrage and grave concern. The Australian government, very economically beholden to Japan, has signaled to its public that it won’t be able to stop Japan should the whale-gobbling and whale-slaughtering nation hunt the humpback whales.
An Australian senator accused Japan of being ‘obscene’ and ‘insulting’ in its unbelievable attempt to sell the BS idea that it was only hunting whales for ‘scientific’ purposes.
Well, Senator, you’ll find a large number of Koreans, Chinese and SE Asians agreeing with you because they too think Japan has always been, and continues to be ‘obscene’ and ‘insulting’ by attempting to BS and whitewash their WWII heinous atrocities as only ‘incidents’.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Jihad Over US Military Desecration of Koran?
Condoleezza Rice is in serious damage control as America’s Muslim allies turned against the USA over the Koran desecration affair at Guantanamo Bay, demanding some answers. Islamic clerics in Afghanistan have given President Bush 3 days to hand over the culprits or a jihad against America will be declared.
Hmmm, doesn't Bush now wish the matter could be conveniently handed over to the International Court of Justice instead of a band of marauding mullahs?
However General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has defiantly responded that no evidence had been found to back allegations of the desecration.
Of course, General, you’re right in a way, because the evidence has already been flushed down the toilet bowl.
I reckon this sorry aspect of an isolated, but nevertheless inflammable redneck Americanism will be worse than the Abu Ghraib’s scandal.
Hmmm, doesn't Bush now wish the matter could be conveniently handed over to the International Court of Justice instead of a band of marauding mullahs?
However General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has defiantly responded that no evidence had been found to back allegations of the desecration.
Of course, General, you’re right in a way, because the evidence has already been flushed down the toilet bowl.
I reckon this sorry aspect of an isolated, but nevertheless inflammable redneck Americanism will be worse than the Abu Ghraib’s scandal.
Myanmar's Tomulus & Temus
The legend of Rome’s founders, Romulus and Remus speaks of the twins being fed by a female wolf.
In Myanmar, we had the reverse where a Rangoon woman Hla Htay answered the zoo’s appeal to breast-feed two tiger cubs which were rejected by their animal mum.
Sadly they didn’t take to human milk well, and aggravated by the prevailing heat, died of dehydration.
In Myanmar, we had the reverse where a Rangoon woman Hla Htay answered the zoo’s appeal to breast-feed two tiger cubs which were rejected by their animal mum.
Sadly they didn’t take to human milk well, and aggravated by the prevailing heat, died of dehydration.
USA - Consistently Inconsistent! (4)
Here again is another example of double standards hypocrisy!
The perpetrator? The United States of America, again!
Critics pointed out that while State Department website accuses Uzbek police and security services of using 'torture as a routine investigation technique', the USA provides the same law enforcement services millions of dollars in aid.
US captives requiring ‘specialised’ interrogations techniques a la Kempeitai or the Gestapo are flown quietly to Uzbekistan for torture, an American arrangement known by its secretive and euphemistic name of renditions programme which in reality possesses the most sinister and brutal characteristics.
The ‘renditions programme’ is the US globalised outsourcing of torture to their Third World brutal allies - the USA has a string of such countries like Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Iraq and even on-the-surface enemy, Syria. The CIA ships terrorist suspects there so that torture may be employed during interrogation which are not allowed in the US.
Uzbekistan has also been courted by the USA as part of the latter’s grand strategy of encircling China, and keeping a closer eye on the oil-rich region. The country’s leader, Islam Karimov, is one of the world’s most corrupt and evil dictators.
Eat your heart out, Saddam Hussein!
Related post:
BolehTalk's Neo-Kempeitai (2)!
The perpetrator? The United States of America, again!
Critics pointed out that while State Department website accuses Uzbek police and security services of using 'torture as a routine investigation technique', the USA provides the same law enforcement services millions of dollars in aid.
US captives requiring ‘specialised’ interrogations techniques a la Kempeitai or the Gestapo are flown quietly to Uzbekistan for torture, an American arrangement known by its secretive and euphemistic name of renditions programme which in reality possesses the most sinister and brutal characteristics.
The ‘renditions programme’ is the US globalised outsourcing of torture to their Third World brutal allies - the USA has a string of such countries like Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Iraq and even on-the-surface enemy, Syria. The CIA ships terrorist suspects there so that torture may be employed during interrogation which are not allowed in the US.
Uzbekistan has also been courted by the USA as part of the latter’s grand strategy of encircling China, and keeping a closer eye on the oil-rich region. The country’s leader, Islam Karimov, is one of the world’s most corrupt and evil dictators.
Eat your heart out, Saddam Hussein!
Related post:
BolehTalk's Neo-Kempeitai (2)!
Friday, May 13, 2005
US: How to Win Enemies and Piss Off People (2)
News that US interrogators at Guantanamo Bay prison had desecrated the Koran to upset Muslim prisoners, brought about a wave of stone-throwing violence in Afghanistan against US soldiers. The Afghanistan police shot into the crowd of protesting students, killing 4 and wounding dozens.
Instead of quelling the rioters, the killing further inflamed them to set fire to the Jalalabad Governor’s residence and smashed up a number of offices belonging to foreign aid agencies, and diplomatic consulates, including Pakistan’s.
The enraged rioters learned from Newsweek magazine that the US interrogators had placed the Koran in lavatories and even flushed one down the toilet bowl. Very unprofessional and redneck.
It seems that the anti-American protest has now spread to Kabul and probably into Pakistan as well.
Bet you Dale Carnegie must be rolling in his grave at the thought of his countrymen not winning friends and influencing people.
Instead of quelling the rioters, the killing further inflamed them to set fire to the Jalalabad Governor’s residence and smashed up a number of offices belonging to foreign aid agencies, and diplomatic consulates, including Pakistan’s.
The enraged rioters learned from Newsweek magazine that the US interrogators had placed the Koran in lavatories and even flushed one down the toilet bowl. Very unprofessional and redneck.
It seems that the anti-American protest has now spread to Kabul and probably into Pakistan as well.
Bet you Dale Carnegie must be rolling in his grave at the thought of his countrymen not winning friends and influencing people.
Let The Looting Begin!
US$100 million meant for Iraq’s reconstruction walked away into thin air.
The owner of the money? Iraq, through her oil sales.
The guardians of the money? US officials!
Read this and this too.
The title of this posting is technically incorrect, for the looting has long begun.
The owner of the money? Iraq, through her oil sales.
The guardians of the money? US officials!
Read this and this too.
The title of this posting is technically incorrect, for the looting has long begun.
Who was Abraham? (15)
Based on the works of scholars, who will be revealed when the blogging for this topic ends. Works of other authors may be included, but where these are done, full acknowledgement will be made.
Advice: Those who may take offence in seeing biblical (OT) quotations or liberal discussion of OT biblical characters should not read this topic.
According to Ahmad Osman, the Israelite family of Jacob who ’descended’ into Egypt to settle numbered 70 but only 69 names were noted in the Bible (Exodus Chapter 46). Osman went into detail to identify the missing 70th name. He believed that it was Tiye, daughter of Yuya (Joseph) who was already in Egypt.
He reckoned that her name was omitted from the Bible because either a woman’s name was usually left out unless she had a significant role in the story, or, the more likely reason, the Hebrews were still so bitter over the trials and tribulations leading to the Exodus, that the author deliberately refused to include her name because they didn’t want to have anything to do with an Egyptian.
Osman noticed that in the Book of Exodus, Moses royal ‘mother’ was identified as the daughter of Pharaoh.
“And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.” (Exodus 2:10)
In an earlier post of this series, we have already read how Sigmund Freud, himself a Jew who was familiar with the Hebrew language, pointed out that the name Moses didn't reflect the Biblical claim that it meant "I drew him out of the water".
However, back to the identity of Moses' mother, Osman saw that the Koran claims Moses' mother as the Queen, Pharaoh’s wife. Since Osman didn't provide the exact Koranic quote I decided to google and obtained:
“… Pharaoh's wife said, Here is joy for me and thee! Slay him not; haply he may be of use to us, or we may adopt him as a son …” (Sura 28:9)
Osman argued that the Koranic version is more plausible as ancient Egyptian custom would not have allowed an unmarried Egyptian princess to adopt a child.
Osman went on to list two possible factors for the Biblical mistake. The author of the Exodus understood that the mother of Moses was an Israelite but was also b-t Pha’ra, literally ‘the House of Pharaoh’. How could that be?
Because the author of the Exodus was unaware of the deliberate omission of Queen Tiye (an ‘Israelite’ fromhis her father’s side, but also b-t Pha’ra) from the Book of Genesis, he decided to resolve the conflicting allegiance of Moses' mum by creating the two ‘mothers’, one an Israelite who was the biological mother, and the other b-t Pha’ra, an Egyptian princess who adopted him.
Note: Osman stated that both the ancient Egyptian and early Hebrew written language initially didn’t have short vowels. Vowels were introduced much later.
Osman also explained why the author of the Exodus placed Moses’ Egyptian mum as a princess rather than a queen. The Egyptian word b-t meant ‘house’ but also signify ‘wife’, thus b-t Pha'ra would have meant Pharaoh's wife or Queen. But to a Hebrew b-t meant ‘house’ as in the sense of a building or ‘household’. He went into elaborate scholarly discussion on ancient Egyptian and early Hebrew philology, and demonstrated various misinterpretation in the story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis with regards to the no-vowel languages and the subsequent introduction of 'y' as a vowel in them.
He attributed the designation of princess rather than Queen as a result of the author’s lack of understanding of the Egyptian written language.
Thus, according to Osman, both Moses’ (Akhenaten's) real and 'adopted' mum was Queen Tiye, the daughter of Yuya (Joseph).
To be continued ……..
Advice: Those who may take offence in seeing biblical (OT) quotations or liberal discussion of OT biblical characters should not read this topic.
According to Ahmad Osman, the Israelite family of Jacob who ’descended’ into Egypt to settle numbered 70 but only 69 names were noted in the Bible (Exodus Chapter 46). Osman went into detail to identify the missing 70th name. He believed that it was Tiye, daughter of Yuya (Joseph) who was already in Egypt.
He reckoned that her name was omitted from the Bible because either a woman’s name was usually left out unless she had a significant role in the story, or, the more likely reason, the Hebrews were still so bitter over the trials and tribulations leading to the Exodus, that the author deliberately refused to include her name because they didn’t want to have anything to do with an Egyptian.
Osman noticed that in the Book of Exodus, Moses royal ‘mother’ was identified as the daughter of Pharaoh.
“And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.” (Exodus 2:10)
In an earlier post of this series, we have already read how Sigmund Freud, himself a Jew who was familiar with the Hebrew language, pointed out that the name Moses didn't reflect the Biblical claim that it meant "I drew him out of the water".
However, back to the identity of Moses' mother, Osman saw that the Koran claims Moses' mother as the Queen, Pharaoh’s wife. Since Osman didn't provide the exact Koranic quote I decided to google and obtained:
“… Pharaoh's wife said, Here is joy for me and thee! Slay him not; haply he may be of use to us, or we may adopt him as a son …” (Sura 28:9)
Osman argued that the Koranic version is more plausible as ancient Egyptian custom would not have allowed an unmarried Egyptian princess to adopt a child.
Osman went on to list two possible factors for the Biblical mistake. The author of the Exodus understood that the mother of Moses was an Israelite but was also b-t Pha’ra, literally ‘the House of Pharaoh’. How could that be?
Because the author of the Exodus was unaware of the deliberate omission of Queen Tiye (an ‘Israelite’ from
Note: Osman stated that both the ancient Egyptian and early Hebrew written language initially didn’t have short vowels. Vowels were introduced much later.
Osman also explained why the author of the Exodus placed Moses’ Egyptian mum as a princess rather than a queen. The Egyptian word b-t meant ‘house’ but also signify ‘wife’, thus b-t Pha'ra would have meant Pharaoh's wife or Queen. But to a Hebrew b-t meant ‘house’ as in the sense of a building or ‘household’. He went into elaborate scholarly discussion on ancient Egyptian and early Hebrew philology, and demonstrated various misinterpretation in the story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis with regards to the no-vowel languages and the subsequent introduction of 'y' as a vowel in them.
He attributed the designation of princess rather than Queen as a result of the author’s lack of understanding of the Egyptian written language.
Thus, according to Osman, both Moses’ (Akhenaten's) real and 'adopted' mum was Queen Tiye, the daughter of Yuya (Joseph).
To be continued ……..
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Conservative NO - Conservationist YES
A conservation caring New Zealand Labour government ordered all its squid boats back to port in order to protect the sea birds. Undoubtedly that unprecedented action would be the hallmark of a people's government who cares about values higher than sheer economic profit.
No Pagan Please, We're Christians
Albright College, an American liberal arts Methodist college has been accused of discriminating against non-Christian teaching staff. The college Provost has refused to renew the teaching tenure of a Hindu-convert, Roxanne Gupta despite the College faculty committee unanimously supporting her application. The Provost has gone against precedence.
Gupta mentioned that the college President, who sided with the Provost, made numerous sexist remarks and “had a reputation among the faculty for having different expectations of men and women.” Hmmm, maybe he was just following literally the teachings of the Old Testament, and probably voted Bush.
Gupta accused him of openly disdaining non-Christian religious beliefs at college forums that were organised by her. She stated that another teacher, a Buddhist, had also experienced the same fate.
The college president who had resigned abruptly last year could not be contacted by the press.
I wonder why, with such alleged religious bias, that the college has bothered to include non-Christian teachings?
Gupta mentioned that the college President, who sided with the Provost, made numerous sexist remarks and “had a reputation among the faculty for having different expectations of men and women.” Hmmm, maybe he was just following literally the teachings of the Old Testament, and probably voted Bush.
Gupta accused him of openly disdaining non-Christian religious beliefs at college forums that were organised by her. She stated that another teacher, a Buddhist, had also experienced the same fate.
The college president who had resigned abruptly last year could not be contacted by the press.
I wonder why, with such alleged religious bias, that the college has bothered to include non-Christian teachings?
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Panda Diplomacy
Panda diplomacy is still going on strong. Beijing has just offered Taiwan a couple of the unique Chinese creatures in conjunction with the visit of Taiwan’s Opposition leader, Lien Chen, but Taiwan’s ruling party seems reluctant to accept.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
The Second Cold War
There is a story about a Chinese wish, which carries the danger for the wisher that, when it comes true, may turn out to be a nightmare instead. For centuries, the western business dream of trading with China has been expressed in the wish of "if only every Chinaman buys a bottle of oil for his lamp."
Today, that wish has come true, literally. And the USA has found out that, true to the oracle on the nature of the Chinese wish, it has been, and will continue to be a nightmare.
An industrially awoken China for the past couple of decades or more has worked very hard to be the new emerging economic powerhouse of the world. In fact, her economic activity is reputed to be what has been holding the global commerce intact for several years. This is a tribute to her new economic might, and mind you, she hasn't even gained full potential as yet. Due to the expanding and intense business, commercial and industrial activities, China is a very thirsty nation, but not for Coca Cola.
China needs fuel of all sorts, particularly oil. For the Chinese economic juggernaut to continue on its high speed course, she must secure the fuels, at any cost. And China has been doing that, but with a smile and many RMBs, rather than with the military aggression of shock and awe.
She knows that her principal competitor for purchase of oil, control of its assured supply and strategic domination of energy rich (oil and other fossil fuel) resources is the USA, who is currently the world's biggest consumer of oil, but to China, not for long.
China has already overtaken Japan's No 2 position in the list of oil guzzlers, and is gradually but steadily catching up with America.
In the short to medium terms China can't and doesn't expect to surpass the USA in military superiority, so she applies instead 'silken' diplomacy. Her envoys in Armani suits and Rolex watches smile their way into Venezuela where an anti-USA Hugo Chavez has been more than delighted to sell to the Chinese, at a price of his own choosing too. China is more prepared to pay a higher price than the USA because of her low labour cost and higher productivity.
Already, there is talk of an oil pipeline from Venezuela through Colombia westward to the Pacific coast of South America, to facilitate supply of oil to China.
China hasn't stopped there. She has secured oil deals in Sudan, signed a humungous US$100 billion gas deal with Iran, US$3.5 billion Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline, other fuel contracts with the neighbouring 'stan' nations. Undoubtedly Iraq must be also within her sight, very much to the USA's consternation. That might have been the reason for the Bush Administration to use money, diplomacy and behind-the-scene forceful persuasion to place Ahmad Chalabi in the new Iraqi cabinet as acting Oil Minister, but then, for how long?
China has signed a multi-billion long term contract with Australia for the supply of gas, and purchased and invested in multi-billion dollar deals in Indonesia's energy sector.
Its excellent relationship with Myanmar puts her ahead of the USA and European competitors for any discovered oil there. I am sure we may expect Chinese generous overtures for long term contracts for Malaysia's oil and gas. There are even rumours that the age-old dream of the Kra Isthmus canal or an oil pipeline across the isthmus may be sponsored and financed by a thirsty China, who doesn't trust the vulnerability of the Malacca Straits because of both potential terrorist activity and the US recent interest in the narrow sealane.
Forget the lies about WMD, al Qaeda links or even 'regime change'. The USA invaded Iraq because of fear of losing control of the oil produced in the Middle-East to competitors, chief among whom would be China. Prior to the invasion, Chinese technicians were in Iraq laying optic fiber cables for Saddam Hussein's government, which the US accused would improve Iraqi air defense. But the US was more worried of the trade relationship.
The Chinese growing presence in the oil rich Middle-Eastern nations would have convinced the Americans that its previous strategy of allowing a Saddam Hussein to control the buffer state of Iraq, between hostile but oil-rich Shiite Iran and oil-rich Sunni Saudi Arabia, was no longer viable. The Americans are also frantic about China's hugh purchases of oil in Iran and the regional nations. Recently it warned an equally thirsty India not to go ahead with a gas line from Iran through Pakistan to the sub continent, on the pretext that India shouldn't break an American sanction on Iran because of her nuclear programme. That explanation sounded rather hollow considering the USA tolerates a nuclear irresponsible Pakistan next door. The truth is the US doesn't like the idea of Iran's energy resources being channelled in a permanent manner to other nations like India or China.
The USA is identifying resource-rich regions, delivery routes, choke points like the Malacca Straits, and the countries that it can marshal on to its side, all to contain China and her Thor-like frightening thirst, and perhaps even India, a soon-to-be oil-thirsty nation.
The second Cold War had started without our notice because it moved onto the world stage on oil-greased hinges. This time the global conflict is over black gold rather than political ideology. The battle lines are drawn. The USA, Japan and any nation the Americans can 'recruit' to encircle China on one side, and China and possibly India on the other.
"If only every Chinaman buys a bottle of oil for his lamp."
Today, that wish has come true, literally. And the USA has found out that, true to the oracle on the nature of the Chinese wish, it has been, and will continue to be a nightmare.
An industrially awoken China for the past couple of decades or more has worked very hard to be the new emerging economic powerhouse of the world. In fact, her economic activity is reputed to be what has been holding the global commerce intact for several years. This is a tribute to her new economic might, and mind you, she hasn't even gained full potential as yet. Due to the expanding and intense business, commercial and industrial activities, China is a very thirsty nation, but not for Coca Cola.
China needs fuel of all sorts, particularly oil. For the Chinese economic juggernaut to continue on its high speed course, she must secure the fuels, at any cost. And China has been doing that, but with a smile and many RMBs, rather than with the military aggression of shock and awe.
She knows that her principal competitor for purchase of oil, control of its assured supply and strategic domination of energy rich (oil and other fossil fuel) resources is the USA, who is currently the world's biggest consumer of oil, but to China, not for long.
China has already overtaken Japan's No 2 position in the list of oil guzzlers, and is gradually but steadily catching up with America.
In the short to medium terms China can't and doesn't expect to surpass the USA in military superiority, so she applies instead 'silken' diplomacy. Her envoys in Armani suits and Rolex watches smile their way into Venezuela where an anti-USA Hugo Chavez has been more than delighted to sell to the Chinese, at a price of his own choosing too. China is more prepared to pay a higher price than the USA because of her low labour cost and higher productivity.
Already, there is talk of an oil pipeline from Venezuela through Colombia westward to the Pacific coast of South America, to facilitate supply of oil to China.
China hasn't stopped there. She has secured oil deals in Sudan, signed a humungous US$100 billion gas deal with Iran, US$3.5 billion Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline, other fuel contracts with the neighbouring 'stan' nations. Undoubtedly Iraq must be also within her sight, very much to the USA's consternation. That might have been the reason for the Bush Administration to use money, diplomacy and behind-the-scene forceful persuasion to place Ahmad Chalabi in the new Iraqi cabinet as acting Oil Minister, but then, for how long?
China has signed a multi-billion long term contract with Australia for the supply of gas, and purchased and invested in multi-billion dollar deals in Indonesia's energy sector.
Its excellent relationship with Myanmar puts her ahead of the USA and European competitors for any discovered oil there. I am sure we may expect Chinese generous overtures for long term contracts for Malaysia's oil and gas. There are even rumours that the age-old dream of the Kra Isthmus canal or an oil pipeline across the isthmus may be sponsored and financed by a thirsty China, who doesn't trust the vulnerability of the Malacca Straits because of both potential terrorist activity and the US recent interest in the narrow sealane.
Forget the lies about WMD, al Qaeda links or even 'regime change'. The USA invaded Iraq because of fear of losing control of the oil produced in the Middle-East to competitors, chief among whom would be China. Prior to the invasion, Chinese technicians were in Iraq laying optic fiber cables for Saddam Hussein's government, which the US accused would improve Iraqi air defense. But the US was more worried of the trade relationship.
The Chinese growing presence in the oil rich Middle-Eastern nations would have convinced the Americans that its previous strategy of allowing a Saddam Hussein to control the buffer state of Iraq, between hostile but oil-rich Shiite Iran and oil-rich Sunni Saudi Arabia, was no longer viable. The Americans are also frantic about China's hugh purchases of oil in Iran and the regional nations. Recently it warned an equally thirsty India not to go ahead with a gas line from Iran through Pakistan to the sub continent, on the pretext that India shouldn't break an American sanction on Iran because of her nuclear programme. That explanation sounded rather hollow considering the USA tolerates a nuclear irresponsible Pakistan next door. The truth is the US doesn't like the idea of Iran's energy resources being channelled in a permanent manner to other nations like India or China.
The USA is identifying resource-rich regions, delivery routes, choke points like the Malacca Straits, and the countries that it can marshal on to its side, all to contain China and her Thor-like frightening thirst, and perhaps even India, a soon-to-be oil-thirsty nation.
The second Cold War had started without our notice because it moved onto the world stage on oil-greased hinges. This time the global conflict is over black gold rather than political ideology. The battle lines are drawn. The USA, Japan and any nation the Americans can 'recruit' to encircle China on one side, and China and possibly India on the other.
"If only every Chinaman buys a bottle of oil for his lamp."
Monday, May 09, 2005
Eternal Sweetheart of the Two China's
"By day, Deng Xiaoping rules mainland China, but by night, Teresa Teng rules!"
Teresa Teng, undoubtedly the best known and most loved singer in the Chinese world, was also affectionately known as Little Teng while Teng Hsiao-ping or Deng Xiaoping was Big Teng.
She was beautiful, had the voice of a nightingale, and was deeply adored by both sides of the bamboo curtain even during the Cold War days. The Taiwanese government used to drop recorded cassettes of her songs into mainland China with the use of balloons as part of the cross-straits propaganda war.
Teresa Teng, passed away in Bangkok on 08 May, yesterday 10 years ago as a result of severe asthmatic complications. Her fans from both China’s continue to remember her through her songs, commemorative music parks, website and the strangest thing for Chinese (and an amazing indication of their affection for her), visits to her gravesite.
They call her their eternal sweetheart.
Teresa Teng, undoubtedly the best known and most loved singer in the Chinese world, was also affectionately known as Little Teng while Teng Hsiao-ping or Deng Xiaoping was Big Teng.
She was beautiful, had the voice of a nightingale, and was deeply adored by both sides of the bamboo curtain even during the Cold War days. The Taiwanese government used to drop recorded cassettes of her songs into mainland China with the use of balloons as part of the cross-straits propaganda war.
Teresa Teng, passed away in Bangkok on 08 May, yesterday 10 years ago as a result of severe asthmatic complications. Her fans from both China’s continue to remember her through her songs, commemorative music parks, website and the strangest thing for Chinese (and an amazing indication of their affection for her), visits to her gravesite.
They call her their eternal sweetheart.
US Submarine Sank Russian Submarine Kursk?
The sinking of the Russian submarine Kursk in 2000 was originally attributed to a perilous state of disrepair and unaffordable maintenance in the Russian Navy. The accident also caused enormous political damage to President Putin.
There is now a newly revealed cause of the sinking. It was not an internal chemical explosion in the torpedo bay as supected but rather the hostile action of the USN nuclear submarine Memphis.
The aggravated confrontation arose from the standard shadowing of the Kursk during a naval exercise by 2 USN subs. Following an accident, a mild collision with one, the Russian intentions were misunderstood by the other USN sub, the Memphis, whose captain decided to pull the trigger. The Kursk didn’t stand a chance from the unexpected US torpedoing at virtually point blank range.
When then didn’t WW III erupt? Apparently the Washington-Moscow hotline rang really hot, with Bill Clinton and Putin covering up the scandal for reasons of diplomacy and improving relationship. The USA cancelled a US$10 billion Russian debt for Putin as covert compensation.
There is now a newly revealed cause of the sinking. It was not an internal chemical explosion in the torpedo bay as supected but rather the hostile action of the USN nuclear submarine Memphis.
The aggravated confrontation arose from the standard shadowing of the Kursk during a naval exercise by 2 USN subs. Following an accident, a mild collision with one, the Russian intentions were misunderstood by the other USN sub, the Memphis, whose captain decided to pull the trigger. The Kursk didn’t stand a chance from the unexpected US torpedoing at virtually point blank range.
When then didn’t WW III erupt? Apparently the Washington-Moscow hotline rang really hot, with Bill Clinton and Putin covering up the scandal for reasons of diplomacy and improving relationship. The USA cancelled a US$10 billion Russian debt for Putin as covert compensation.
Who was Abraham? (14)
Based on the works of scholars, who will be revealed when the blogging for this topic ends. Works of other authors may be included, but where these are done, full acknowledgement will be made.
Advice: Those who may take offence in seeing biblical (OT) quotations or liberal discussion of OT biblical characters should not read this topic.
Keith Laidler in his book The Head of God quoted extensively from the work of Ahmad Osman, the Egyptologist-author, who identified Moses as the Pharaoh Akhenaten. I decided to read first hand Osman’s account, and obtain a copy of his book Moses and Akhenaten: The Secret History of Egypt at the Time of the Exodus.
As it just arrived recently I haven’t as yet completed reading the fascinating document but of the part that Laidler quoted, Osman gave a highly plausible and very detailed account of why he thought the two personalities, Moses and Akhenaten were the same person.
Apparently Joseph, he of the technicolour coat, was Yuya, the famous Grand Vizier to Tuthmoses IV, the Pharaoh who had a strange dream while sleeping at the place where the Sphinx was buried. In the dream, the Sphinx told him he would be Pharaoh if he cleared the sand off the buried mysterious monument. He did so, and lo and behold, the Sphinx was revealed from the digging.
Tuthmoses IV’s grandfather was Tuthmoses III, the powerful Pharaoh-conqueror, acclaimed as the Egyptian Napoleon who ruled from the Nile to the Euphrates.
Tuthmoses IV in turn was the father of Amenhotep III and thus the grandfather of Akhenaten.
Yuya’s daughter was Tiye, whom Amenhotep III (Akhenaten’s dad) fell in love with. Yuya also had a son called Ay.
However, when Amenhotep III (Akhenaten’s dad) was still a very young prince, he had to marry his sister, Sitamum who was still an infant, in order to inherit the throne – note: some historians put Sitamun as his and Queen Tiye's daughter, whom he, the father-Pharaoh, also married.
Remember all those seemingly incestuous marriage had to do with the matrilineal succession of Egyptian royalty - note: it is also interesting to learn that Judaism follows a similar matrilineal lineage.
But once the marriage to Sitamun was taken care off to secure the royal succession, Amenhotep III married his real love, Tiye. Among his royal progenies was Amenhotep IV, soon to be Akhenaten the heretic King.
So was Joseph (Yuya) the father-in-law of Amenhotep III? In the Bible, Joseph was quoted as saying to his brothers, asking them to bring his father Jacob into Egypt:
“Haste ye, and go to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 45:9)
We’ll return to this Biblical quotation later on.
To be continued ……..
Advice: Those who may take offence in seeing biblical (OT) quotations or liberal discussion of OT biblical characters should not read this topic.
Keith Laidler in his book The Head of God quoted extensively from the work of Ahmad Osman, the Egyptologist-author, who identified Moses as the Pharaoh Akhenaten. I decided to read first hand Osman’s account, and obtain a copy of his book Moses and Akhenaten: The Secret History of Egypt at the Time of the Exodus.
As it just arrived recently I haven’t as yet completed reading the fascinating document but of the part that Laidler quoted, Osman gave a highly plausible and very detailed account of why he thought the two personalities, Moses and Akhenaten were the same person.
Apparently Joseph, he of the technicolour coat, was Yuya, the famous Grand Vizier to Tuthmoses IV, the Pharaoh who had a strange dream while sleeping at the place where the Sphinx was buried. In the dream, the Sphinx told him he would be Pharaoh if he cleared the sand off the buried mysterious monument. He did so, and lo and behold, the Sphinx was revealed from the digging.
Tuthmoses IV’s grandfather was Tuthmoses III, the powerful Pharaoh-conqueror, acclaimed as the Egyptian Napoleon who ruled from the Nile to the Euphrates.
Tuthmoses IV in turn was the father of Amenhotep III and thus the grandfather of Akhenaten.
Yuya’s daughter was Tiye, whom Amenhotep III (Akhenaten’s dad) fell in love with. Yuya also had a son called Ay.
However, when Amenhotep III (Akhenaten’s dad) was still a very young prince, he had to marry his sister, Sitamum who was still an infant, in order to inherit the throne – note: some historians put Sitamun as his and Queen Tiye's daughter, whom he, the father-Pharaoh, also married.
Remember all those seemingly incestuous marriage had to do with the matrilineal succession of Egyptian royalty - note: it is also interesting to learn that Judaism follows a similar matrilineal lineage.
But once the marriage to Sitamun was taken care off to secure the royal succession, Amenhotep III married his real love, Tiye. Among his royal progenies was Amenhotep IV, soon to be Akhenaten the heretic King.
So was Joseph (Yuya) the father-in-law of Amenhotep III? In the Bible, Joseph was quoted as saying to his brothers, asking them to bring his father Jacob into Egypt:
“Haste ye, and go to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 45:9)
We’ll return to this Biblical quotation later on.
To be continued ……..
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Will US Army now Sacrifice Pigs to Gods?
From the International Herald Tribune:
Viveca Novak's new book ‘Inside the Wire’, written in collaboration with Erik Saar details the latter's six-month tour in the US military prison at notorious Guantánamo.
The book claims the former commander, Major General Geoffrey Miller, who ran the prison on the base from late 2002 until March 2004, participated in hiding detainees from the Red Cross after guards had shaved their hair and eyebrows as punishment.
Erik Saar, an interpreter at the camp stated:
"The missing eyebrow trick made some camp officials nervous because of the potential for the Red Cross to take note, so on occasion these detainees were slapped in a special isolation cell, hidden away from Red Cross scrutiny.”
"Miller had also exaggerated the value of the information interrogation teams gleaned about Al Qaeda and the Taliban in order to justify the operation's heavy cost, both in terms of taxpayer dollars and international criticism of President George W. Bush's decision that the Geneva conventions generally did not apply in Afghanistan.”
The account of what occurred in Guantánamo Bay was horrifying! Beatings, torture, deliberate humiliations, etc just like the infamous Abu Ghraib prison.
I wonder what the recently demoted former commander of Abu Ghraib prison, Colonel (former Brig Gen) Janis Karpinski will say to the double standards.
Related Posting:
US Army Sacrificed Goats to Gods!
Viveca Novak's new book ‘Inside the Wire’, written in collaboration with Erik Saar details the latter's six-month tour in the US military prison at notorious Guantánamo.
The book claims the former commander, Major General Geoffrey Miller, who ran the prison on the base from late 2002 until March 2004, participated in hiding detainees from the Red Cross after guards had shaved their hair and eyebrows as punishment.
Erik Saar, an interpreter at the camp stated:
"The missing eyebrow trick made some camp officials nervous because of the potential for the Red Cross to take note, so on occasion these detainees were slapped in a special isolation cell, hidden away from Red Cross scrutiny.”
"Miller had also exaggerated the value of the information interrogation teams gleaned about Al Qaeda and the Taliban in order to justify the operation's heavy cost, both in terms of taxpayer dollars and international criticism of President George W. Bush's decision that the Geneva conventions generally did not apply in Afghanistan.”
The account of what occurred in Guantánamo Bay was horrifying! Beatings, torture, deliberate humiliations, etc just like the infamous Abu Ghraib prison.
I wonder what the recently demoted former commander of Abu Ghraib prison, Colonel (former Brig Gen) Janis Karpinski will say to the double standards.
Related Posting:
US Army Sacrificed Goats to Gods!
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