"Fitna is out
Fitna is out as a film and also as what the word implies... As I have written before the best would be total indifference against that jerk, G.W. I am glad that the issue is not framed as freedom of thought by the EU or many concerned Europeans. Because of these jerks, freedom of thought and speech issues are clouded....
- Fitna (film), a 2008 short film made by Geert Wilders
- Fitna (word), an Arabic word
Fitna (فتنة) is an Arabic word, generally regarded as very difficult to translate but at the same time is considered to be an all-encompassing word referring to schism, secession, upheaval and anarchy at once. It is often used to refer to civil war, disagreement and division within Islam and specifically alludes to a time involving trials of faith, similar to the Tribulation in Christian eschatology. The term originally referred to the refining of metal to remove dross [1], but became common in apocalyptic writings and is often used to refer to the First Islamic civil war, in 656–661 CE, a prolonged struggle for the caliphate after the 656 assassination of the caliph Uthman ibn Affan. The Second Fitna, or Second Islamic civil war, is usually identified as the 683–685 CE conflict among the Umayyads for control of the caliphate. The third one refers to the taifas in the end of the Caliph of Córdoba's rule.
Fitna is out
Okay, Geert Wilders’ movie Fitna is finally online. It was posted sometime yesterday and the English version has already been viewed over two million times. As I write this the Dutch version is at 2.5 million views. Talk about word-to-mouth!
First, the good news. Wilders did not do anything really stupid and really irresponsible like tear up or otherwise damage or deface the Koran. In other words, there is no reason whatsoever why someone should want to kill him or anybody else over this*. Besides, it turns out there already has been more than enough ado about nothing.
Online, a Violent View of Islam
THE HAGUE, March 27 -- A Dutch lawmaker known for his outspoken opposition to immigration posted a graphic film depicting Islam as a religion of violence on a maverick video-sharing Web site Thursday night after government and religious officials spent weeks trying to prevent its release.Profile: Geert Wilders
Dutch MP Geert Wilders who has produced a short film on Islam is no stranger to death threats.The new politics of EU internal security
by Hugo BradyEU interior ministers are racing to finish a raft of new legislation on terrorism, crime and illegal immigration by the end of the year. One reason for their sudden sense of urgency is politics. Interior officials are anxious to make the most of the last few months of an old regime. If ratified as expected, the EU’s new rulebook, the Lisbon treaty, will give the European Parliament powers for the first time to amend future EU laws in these areas from 2009 onwards.
Cartoonist to sue over Islam film
A controversial Danish cartoonist says he will sue the Dutch maker of an anti-Islam film over copyright.
The Euro May over the Next 15 Years Surpass the Dollar as Leading International Currency
Source: Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Faculty Research Working Paper Series
DOSSIER: Paris wants to reinforce relations with London | 26/03/2008
On an official trip to London this March 26th and 27th, French president Nicolas Sarkozy hopes to seal a "friendly entente" with England. The European press wonders whether improved collaboration between these two countries can benefit the EU.
Sarkozy hails Britain's 'courage'
The French president arrives on a state visit to Britain after calling for the two countries to work "hand in glove".Brown and Sarkozy seal 'Entente Formidable'
Two months before France takes over the EU Presidency, President Nicolas Sarkozy used his state visit to Britain to revive the Franco-British alliance, seeking stronger cooperation on energy, climate change, immigration and defence.France, NATO and European defence
policy brief by Tomas Valasek, March 2008Republican monarch seduces Queen's parliament
President Nicolas Sarkozy's trademark informality has latterly become a political liability back home in France. So yesterday he appeared to delight in the high...Franco-British fraternity hailed
Nicolas Sarkozy and Gordon Brown will today announce joint initiatives on peacekeeping, immigration, the economy and nuclear cooperation, as part of a new...Scholar denounces Muslim baptism
A Jordanian Muslim scholar denounces the Pope's baptism on Saturday of a prominent Italian Muslim convert.EU nations in disarray over Tibet stance
European governments have adopted different approaches over the appropriate reaction to China's rough handling of Tibetan protesters, exposing the EU's lack of coordination when it comes to foreign policy.Brussels Forum
In just three years, the Brussels Forum has established itself as an elite annual conference for the key players in transatlantic relations. The Brussels Forum is what Davos is for the business elite and the Munich Security Conference for the defense politicians.
Tibet: Europe should use Olympics to address Human Rights in China
On the initiative of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), today in Brussels the European Parliament will debate the situation in Tibet.EDRI Protects Privacy and Digital Civil Rights in Europe
European Digital Rights (EDRI) is an organization in Europe which defends civil rights in the "information society" in Europe. As written at their website:EU-Digest: The Dutch and Their Muslims - working and living together
Sarkozy in the United Kingdom Day 2
Today is the second and final day of the Sarkozys and company's visit to the UK. The Guardian has a live blog covering today's events. Also, the video of last night's banquet in Windsor:Sarkozy in the United Kingdom
Before heading off to the United Kingdom, Sarkozy sat down with BBC 4 for a radio interview (read transcript in French). In a rather amusing moment, the journalist asked if Sarkozy's views on the UK were influenced by that fact that "Your father...could have gone to the United States, or indeed to Britain - you could be British!"France and UK to step up nuclear co-operation
A two-day bilateral summit is to culminate today (27 March) with the signing of a new accord that will see France help the UK develop a new generation of nuclear power stations.National parliaments for European democracy
WHAT? The debate on democratic deficit seems to neglect the potential that the EU already has and that is the national parliaments of its Member States. They should be understood as part of a broader EU constitutional order and be better involved in EU affairs irrespective of the outcome of the Lisbon Treaty ratification process.
Compulsory Socrates/Erasmus programme for all the EU universities students
Compulsory Socrates/Erasmus programme for all (or almost all) the students of European Universities.Grant of 1000 E. per month per student.
EU Idea: Corporate Social Responsability´s Communicative Gap
EU Idea: to reduce the Corporate Social Responsability´s Communication Gap between companies and institutions -which can help to solve social problems- and non profit organizations -that needs resources for social programmes-.
DOSSIER: How to crank up the pressure on China? | 27/03/2008
Are the Summer Olympics 2008 in Beijing at risk? The debate about how the world should act towards China in view of the events in Tibet continues. Who is in the best position to crank up the pressure: the politicians, the athletes, the IOC or the media?
Rond-Point Schuman
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It has been almost 60 years now that I have run the small newspaper shop on Avenue d’Auderghem, close to Rond-Point Schuman in Brussels. I was born here, in 1967, above the shop, in a small two-bedroom flat, growing up with two sisters and one brother. My father worked in the famous Brussels brewery of Albert Frère. My mother was a secretary, first in the brewery where she met my father, then in the High Commission, and fi nally in the Council of the EU.
Common Migration Policy
Next to the international status of refugees where the international conventions have to be respected, there should be a common European immigration policy. A European Blue Card should be introduced for economic immigrants, which would be valid for the whole EU/EEA area.DOSSIER: A new defence policy for Europe? | 28/03/2008
During their meeting in London on March 27th, the French president Nicolas Sarkozy and Prime Minister Gordon Brown advocated a rapprochement of the two countries. The European press wonders if a stronger Franco-British relation can help Europe advance in various sectors, notably the military domain.
Nato chief warns Putin over summit
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Nato's secretary-general, has warned Vladimir Putin that next week's annual summit of the 26-member alliance must not be marked by another display from the Russian president of "unhelpful rhetoric" directed at the westSarkozy and Brown list joint plans
Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy promised on Thursday to create a "partnership of pioneers" between Britain and France to tackle global crises, climate change and reform of international institutionsMedvedev should expect the west's respect – and resolve
The message from the Nato summit in Bucharest must be that, yes, the US and Europe want a better relationship, but no, they are not about to concede the restoration of Russian primacy in the former Soviet sphere, writes Philip StephensNATO's Middling Agenda
A divided NATO will not extend a blueprint for eventual membership to Ukraine and Georgia at the alliance's summit in Bucharest next week. Instead, that gathering will focus on increasing European troop totals in Afghanistan and discussing a bold proposal by President Bush to link U.S., NATO and Russian missile defense systems within a single cooperative network.Duped by The Guardian and John Hutton - nuclear and North Sea oil
What a slogan: “Nuclear is UK’s new North Sea oil”. That was the title of a front page article in yesterday’s Guardian about a pro-nuclear speech made by Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, John Hutton. Yet if you look at it more closely the story is complex…
