Headlines:

• Arab League Promises Victory in Yemen; Announces Formation of Joint Force
• Obama Fights to Contain Republican Rebellion over Iran Nuclear Deal
• Agreement Done: Myanmar will buy JF-17 from Pakistan

Details:

Arab League Promises Victory in Yemen; Announces Formation of Joint Force

At the summit, held in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, Arab League Chief Nabil Elaraby read a final communiqué outlining the leaders' views. "Yemen was on the brink of the abyss, requiring effective Arab and international moves after all means of reaching a peaceful resolution have been exhausted to end the Houthi coup and restore legitimacy," Elaraby said. Speaking at the summit on Saturday, Hadi directly accused Iran of being behind the Houthi offensive, raising the specter of a regional conflict. Iran and the Houthis deny that Tehran arms the rebel movement, though the Islamic Republic has provided humanitarian and other aid. Asked at a news conference to explain vague references to "foreign powers" being behind conflicts in different Arab nations, Elaraby said, "I will answer this question indirectly. There is meddling by some neighbors, Israel on one side, Turkey and Iranian interference in several countries." Speaking after Elaraby, Egyptian President Abdel Fatteh El Sisi said leaders also agreed in principle to creating a joint Arab military force. He said a high-level panel would work under the supervision of Arab Chiefs of Staff to determine the structure and mechanism of the force. Elaraby said the chiefs of staff would meet within a month and have three more months to decide on the structure, budget and mechanism of the force before they present their proposals to a meeting of the Arab League's Joint Defense Council. "It is an important resolution given all the unprecedented unrest and threats endured by the Arab world," Elaraby said. A summit resolution said the force would be deployed at the request of any Arab nation facing a national security threat and that it would also be used to combat terrorist groups. "There is a political will to create this force and not to leave its creation without a firm time frame," Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri told a news conference. Egyptian military and security officials have said the proposed force would consist of up to 40,000 elite troops and be headquartered in either Cairo or Riyadh, the Saudi capital. The force would be backed by jet fighters, warships and light armor. [Source: Al Jazeera]

It is ironic how quickly the Arab force was assembled to conduct an invasion of Yemen, but has dithered for decades to liberate Palestine or in recent times to intervene in Syria to topple the brutal Assad. Once again! It is clear how the Arab states can work together to protect the interest of Western powers, but squabble with each other when their masters are divided.

Obama Fights to Contain Republican Rebellion over Iran Nuclear Deal

The White House was desperately trying to contain a congressional revolt against its tentative nuclear deal with Iran on Friday, amid concern that hardliners in Washington could sink the agreement before it has even been finalized. Republicans and some Democrats are demanding a say over the framework agreement, which would drastically cut Tehran's nuclear program in return for relief of sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy. Barack Obama, who has called several key legislators over the last 24 hours to convince them of the merits of the deal outlined in Switzerland, insists it will cut off every pathway that Iran could take to a nuclear weapon, and avoids a military conflict. Speaking from Tehran, the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, hailed the deal in a live address on state television on Friday, saying it would lead to a "new page" of cooperation with the international community and insisting his country would fulfil its obligations. But that view was not shared by everyone. The broad agreement, negotiated by the US and other world powers, is facing stiff opposition from Republicans on Capitol Hill and received only a lukewarm reaction from Democrats. There are several bills in the House and Senate that could scupper the deal. The most likely to receive broad bipartisan support - brought by the Republican chair of the Senate foreign relations committee, Bob Corker - would prevent sanctions relief for 60 days, providing Congress space to review the deal, which is due to be completed at the end of June. Corker said the bill will be put to a committee vote on 14 April, giving the Obama administration the two-week Easter recess to persuade Democrats not to support the legislation. Others in his party are demanding language that would effectively render the nuclear agreement a treaty requiring ratification by the Senate. The White House has said Obama would veto Corker's bill, but aides to the president are increasingly alarmed at the prospect of the legislation receiving the two-thirds majority that overrides the presidential veto. Such a scenario would seriously endanger the final stages of the talks. [Source: The Guardian]

While Iran's leadership celebrates the nuclear deal-one which sees Iran cede its nuclear sovereignty after a decade of resistance-Washington's politicians are planning to scupper the agreement to support their alley the Jewish state.

Agreement Done: Myanmar will buy JF-17 from Pakistan

Pakistan has clinched the first export deal for its JF-17 Thunder fighter jet. According to Defence Ministry officials, Myanmar (Burma) has finalized an agreement to purchase JF-17 from Pakistan.  JF-17 Thunder is a multi-role fighter jet jointly produced by Pakistan and China. Various countries including Nigeria, Bangladesh, Tajikistan and Myanmar had shown interest in JF-17 that costs much less than the other fighter jets of the same class such as the F-16 and the Eurofighter. The details regarding the number of planes to be bought by Myanmar and modalities of the agreement have not yet been revealed.  [Source: Daily Capital]

Once again, Pakistan's military top brass is selling weapons to countries that have appalling records of suppressing their Muslim populations.  It is well documented that the government of Myanmar and its security forces are complicit in the mass genocide of Rohingyan Muslims.

On Monday, 30/3/2015 CE the security apparatus in the area of Sahab asked Brother Mohammad Yusuf As-Sabatin to report to the security centre because, according to their claim, the police found his missing car's number plates, which he reported missing in 2008 CE, and although he told them that he bought new plates, they insisted that he comes to the security headquarters under the pretext of closing the case! When he went he was interrogated by the Preventive Security Services about his affiliation to Hizb ut Tahrir and his work with them. The issue of the missing number plates was not at all addressed, which is the reason why he was summoned! After that they accompanied him to his home; where his house was searched, he was then taken to the Security Directorate of East of Amman; he is still detained there until the time of writing this press release.

This shameful act is carried out by the "security" apparatus that claims day and night that it is keen to respect people and their rights; we demand that these apparatus immediately release our Brother Mohammad Yusuf As-Sabatin.

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Wilayah Jordan

News:

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that Washington asked to postpone military training for Syrian opposition. Çavuşoğlu stated that the train-equip program was delayed therefore. On a live interview on NTV Çavuşoğlu noting that the train-and-equip program to train Syrian opposition forces signed with the USA will soon be initialized made the following statements: "There is no delay from our side. We take decisions jointly. We establish the equipments jointly and decide jointly whom to train and will decide on everything jointly. Because of U.S. (geographic) distance, there has been a minor delay but everything is fine both politically and technically. The works are continuing." Source:Dunya Bulteni.

Comment:

The train-and-equip project which is being discussed by Turkey and the USA for a long time but still not put in action with a concrete decision signed by John Bass, Ambassador of the United States to Turkey and Feridun Sinirlioğlu, Undersecretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, on 20th February 2015. Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu who made an announcement after the signing of the memorandum of understanding stated that "the trained Syrian opposition members are expected to fight against ISIL and other terrorist groups in the region." High-ranking diplomats of Turkey gave the information that opposition groups to be trained had been chosen by a joint-selection-committee. On top of the factors which were sought to be agreed on was whom the trained opposition forces would target at.

And in January Turkish Foreign Ministry sources announced not to give details about whom these trained elements mentioned in the memorandum would fight, thus stating to enabling the opposition to fight against Assad if needed and if needed against ISIL.

Meanwhile it is well known that the USA has no solution to the Syria issue without Assad. Throughout the last 3 years in which the USA which tried to create an opposition force as an alternative to the Baath regime and in which it became highly disappointed, is not thinking in the least of a solution without Assad anymore. And Turkey professing to counter this decision of the USA says that Assad has to leave. In fact Turkey follows the USA's Syria policy exactly step by step. Therefore Turkey's statements of opposition soldiers trained under the train-and-equip project fighting against Assad are nothing more than empty words. Because everyone knows very well the train-and-equip is solely aiming at generating soldiers to fight against the sincere mujahideen groups in Syria.

Also it has become clearly visible to everybody during this Syrian Uprising that the Syrian people and the fighters refused to cooperate with cowards and traitors every time. The sincere mujahideen served as an example to those groups who thought about cooperating with the West and dissuaded them from their decisions. Even those Muslims who fight in the FSA have understood that the USA and Turkey are not trustworthy. And this is why they joined the sincere mujahideen and conquered the city of IDLIB which was under the control of the Baath regime. These are the groups who joined this Army of Conquerors: Ahrar al-Sham, al-Nusra Front, Jund al-Aqsa, Jaish Ansar al-Sunna, Faylaq Al-Sham and Liwa-ul-Haq. There are also soldiers of the FSA in these groups. This means that the soldiers whom the USA and Turkey planned to train-and-equip against ISIL and the sincere mujahidoon groups whom they regard as terrorist, joined the sincere mujahidoon and inflicted a heavy blow on Assad's army. Straight afterwards there arrived the news from Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu that the train-and-equip project had been postponed.

I ask the leaders of Turkey, if the soldiers to be trained under the train-and-equip project are to fight against the Assad regime - here there are the mujahideen who fight like lions - so why do we need to delay this project?

Because you are lying. Because you cannot find any soldiers to train under this project. Because the USA is very angry that the mujahideen conquered IDLIB. Because even the FSA soldiers you wanted to train with the USA, have linked arms with the sincere ones (Muhlisoon) and are running from victory to victory in IDLIB. Also, you wanted to set up a temporal government in IDLIB via the NCSROF (Syrian National Coalition). Now, however the muhlisoon have told the NCSROF never to enter IDLIB. They refused the temporal government. And this angered the USA even more. And then the postponement of the train-and-equip project was announced. And now, you as the Turkish Republic get up and speak with the mouth of USA and invent unashamedly a lie that the train-and-equip project was delayed due to some technical problems. Whereas this project was delayed due to the IDLIB victory. Because those soldiers whom you regarded as moderate fought on the side of the sincere mujahideen. You live with and are grieved upon the fear of losing the FSA soldiers after training them to the ranks of the sincere mujahideen.

It is a shame that the Turkish Republic did not become wiser during the Syrian Uprising. It has set on the tail of the USA and the West. It expected action by the NCSROF who virtually waited like vultures on the field of Syria. Cluelessly twisting in the wind; the USA seeks a remedy in Turkey, while Turkey seeks a remedy in the sold commanders of the NCSROF and FSA. The USA has no trust in NCSROF. Because the NCSROF has no total control over any of the groups in Syria.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Mahmut KAR

News:

A tenth of 12 to 13-year-olds fear they are "addicted" to pornography, an NSPCC ChildLine survey has concluded.

One in five of nearly 700 youngsters surveyed said they had seen pornographic images that had shocked or upset them, researchers found. The charity also says that 12% of those surveyed said they had taken part in, or had made, a sexually explicit video. They tell ChildLine that watching porn is making them feel depressed, giving them body image issues, and making them feel pressured to engage in sexual acts.

Dame Esther Rantzen, ChildLine's founder said it was shocking that children as young as 11 are approaching the helpline with concerns about pornography. "Young people are turning to the internet to learn about sex and relationships," she said. "We know they are frequently stumbling across porn, often unintentionally, and they are telling us very clearly that this is having a damaging and upsetting effect on them. "Girls in particular have said they feel like they have to look and behave like porn stars to be liked by boys."

Comment:

Western society has defined pornography as empowering and a true marker of female expression and liberation, hence its rabid spread and ease of access. The reality is that it's an abomination, posturing to serve male lust, the ultimate in a perverse objectification.

The fact that children as young as 11 years old are addicted to it, proves not only the evil nature of pornography and its ability to corrupt even a pure soul; but also how freely available it has become, via smartphones in particular, making it almost impossible to regulate by parents. The devaluing and near dehumanizing of women is inciting all manner of violence against women, in the home, workplace and even rapes at school by children as young as 9!

The billion-dollar entertainment and advertising industries, as well as the massive beauty and fashion industries have objectified the woman to a completely unrealistic, narrow, superficial image; one of a sexual commodity who's worth is economically quantifiable. Such exploitation is inevitable under the Capitalist ideology, which by default will always prioritize profit making regardless of the consequences.

Liberalism and the free market have enabled the view and worth of women to become a deformed concept, where soaring rape statistics bare witness to a near post apocalyptic nightmare. Feminist Robin Morgan said, "Pornography is the theory, rape is the practice". In the US a woman is raped every minute and the Times of India reported NCRB records of ninety-three rapes every day, and an increase of nine thousand rapes between 2013 and 2014. Considering unreported incidents, the actual numbers are estimated to be at least double.

It is a fact that true empowerment of women can only be guaranteed through the holistic implementation of Islam via the Khilafah "Caliphate" system where the predominant view will be the societal view of women; one enshrined and shaped only by the Ahkaam Sharia, which fully supports and encourages the need and role of women in education, business and work, as well as homemakers, who literally stabilize the community from inside out, via their roles as mothers, teachers, and through support networks they can influence. The value of women will be based upon her intellect and character, as oppose to her physical appearance. Our beloved Rasool Allah saws said,

«الدُّنْيَا مَتَاعٌ، وَخَيْرُ مَتَاعِ الدُّنْيَا: الْمَرْأَةُ الصَّالِحَةُ»

"The world and all things in it are precious, and the most precious thing in the world is a virtuous woman." (Muslim).

This high status is further ensured by removing the sexual element from society and restricting it to the personal and private life via the ahkaam of hijab, segregation of the sexes and the prohibition of taking work or any role which sexually exploits the woman such as advertising and pornography.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Maleeha Hasan