What are the Danish people like? How would you describe them? How do they deal with immigrants? How do they deal with Muslims? Why are they so proud that they have enacted some of the harshest anti-immigration laws in Europe?

These were some of the many questions I sought to explore as I sat with brothers over cups of coffee during various discussions over three nights I recently spent in Copenhagen, Denmark. Here I was in the land of Jyllands Posten, the newspaper that initially published the disgusting cartoons insulting our Prophet Muhammad (saw). 

    Most of the Danes I encountered at the airport or in shops and other places were courteous and professional. My first impressions on arrival from London were that this is a very modern, clean and well organised city even compared to London. The streets were wide and noticeably cleaner than most streets in the UK, and unlike the British who now have an obsession with owning their own houses, the streets of Copenhagen mainly had rows upon rows of apartment blocks. If the only measure of a society's success was how modern, organised and technologically advanced its cities were, Denmark would surely rank as one of the most successful in the world. However, since societies are inhabited by diverse human beings who have to live together, there are other measures that have to be considered when looking at how civilised a society or its ideology is. How does it treat the elderly, minorities and immigrants? How does it foster harmony between people of diverse beliefs and backgrounds? And in this particular case, how does it treat Muslims who are relatively recent phenomenon on these shores? This is a common dilemma facing western societies today.

 These were some of the issues I sought to explore as I sat with an eclectic mix of Muslims. People like Suleiman, Chadi, Yunus, Anwar and many others. These young Muslim men came from a wide range of backgrounds. Some were Danish converts, others were of Moroccan, Palestinian, Lebanese, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Somali and other backgrounds, truly a reminder that this is one diverse ummah yet united by la ilaha ilallah Muhammadur rasul Allah. These Muslims were born and raised in Denmark, spoke fluent Danish and were confident Islamic activists.

 The hospitality they showed me was truly outstanding and a reminder of the hadith of the Prophet (saw): "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him be generous to his guest." [Muslim].

 I stayed in Norrebro, an ethnically diverse area with a large Muslim population. From visiting different places and discussing with a broad range of Muslims, I started to get a sense of how Muslims were perceived and spoken about by some of the mainstream politicians and some journalists. Some politicians said Islam is the problem, not just something called ‘Islamism'. Another said Norrebro should be wiped out. A politician calling for the destruction of an area in which a section of society lived! When there was gang violence between the Hell's Angels biker gang and some Muslims which involved random drive by shootings of innocent bystanders, some politician even said the Hell's Angels were defending Danish values, implying that such violence was acceptable, and the latest debate in Denmark is about patients refusing to be treated by doctors or nurses who wear headscarves (hijab)! How are Muslims expected to feel?

 The clear message seems to be that for Muslims to be accepted in such societies, it is not enough to be a law abiding citizen who pays taxes - this is what is required from other citizens - but you have to renounce some of your Islamic values and beliefs.

 In short, many of the politicians and sections of the population are unable to deal with the fact that they have a Muslim community which has some distinct and different values and beliefs. Islamic beliefs which instruct us to speak against injustice and occupation of Muslim lands like Iraq, Afghanistan and Kashmir. Islamic beliefs which also instruct us to look after our neighbour and respect the elderly even if they are non-Muslims.

 Some in Denmark and elsewhere in Europe are in a race to ratchet up a coercive assimilation policy specifically targeted at Muslims. With upcoming elections, harsh rhetoric against Islam and Muslims is proving to be a vote winner and similar attitudes exist in the UK as well.

 Don't western societies, intellectuals and governments proudly preach a belief in ‘pluralism' as one of the fundamental basis of the secular capitalist way of life? Aren't they the ones who claim to ‘live and let live'? Why the demand that Muslims must change some of their beliefs or else they will be vilified and attacked? Are these the means to create harmony between different peoples in society or does this just lead to more tensions? 

 In the way they are forcibly trying to coerce Muslims to reject some of their Islamic values, some in Europe are showing that despite the talk of pluralism and ‘freedom of belief', they are prepared to contradict there most fundamental values at the drop of a hat and display such intolerance of others especially Muslims . Isn't this a sign of weakness? This in turn raises fundamental questions about secular liberalism's ability to live with those who share a different political, intellectual and spiritual outlook such as Islam.

Taji Mustafa

Media Representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Britain

Debate on Australia's involvement in Afghanistan continues this week in the Senate. As was the case in the House of Representatives, the vast majority of contributors have backed the bi-partisan stance of the Government and Opposition in support of the war, whilst a handful of senators have dissented. Invariably however the premise of argument as to the rationale of the invasion is the same across the board: the need to combat ‘Islamist terrorism' which finds a base in Afghanistan, and the need to assist the people of Afghanistan, in particular its women, who are repressed by ‘Islamic extremism'.

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmat Allahu wa Barakatuhu,

Alhamdulillah, Peace and salutation upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, companions, and followers.

I have scrutinized all ten

Titles:

• Euro zone under threat from debt crisis, says EU
• UK general: Cannot defeat al-Qaeda
• US Offers To Lift Sanctions, Remove Sudan From Terrorism Blacklist On Condition
• Bibi can take US into war with Iran
• U.S., Uzbekistan agree to cooperate in security sector
• India not to get UNSC seat soon: US

News Details:

Euro zone under threat from debt crisis, says EU
The President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, has raised the stakes before showdown talks among finance ministers in Brussels overnight, warning the European Union could collapse unless the debt crisis that is gripping the region is resolved. With Ireland and Portugal both on the brink of a bailout, Mr Van Rompuy warned that there is a serious risk of contagion spreading across the entire continent. ''We're in a survival crisis,'' he said in a speech in Brussels. ''We all have to work together in order to survive with the euro zone, because if we don't survive with the euro zone we will not survive with the European Union.'' Advertisement: Story continues below Mr Van Rompuy's speech added to the pressure on the Irish government, which was continuing to resist international pressure to accept a bailout yesterday. Shares fell across Europe as pressure mounted on Ireland to accept an EU or International Monetary Fund bailout to stem contagion to other high-deficit euro zone countries. Portugal, which has seen its borrowing costs rocket along with Ireland's, warned that it too might need a rescue package.

UK general: Cannot defeat al-Qaeda
Britain's most senior officer has been quoted as saying that al-Qaeda can never be completely defeated. David Richards, chief of the defense staff, said on Sunday that outright victory is "unnecessary" as long as governments are able to contain the fighters. "First of all, you have to ask: 'Do we need to defeat it (al-Qaeda) in the sense of a clear cut victory?'" Richards told British newspaper the Sunday Telegraph. "I would argue that it is unnecessary and would never be achieved ... but can we contain it to the point that our lives and our children's lives are led securely? I think we can." His comments are the latest from western military leaders and politicians who have been paving the way for coalition forces to exit Afghanistan over the coming years, even though the Taliban remains a significant threat to security there. Barack Obama, the US president, and David Cameron, the British prime minister, hope to start bringing troops home next year. Richards underlined Britain's aim to end its combat role in Afghanistan by 2014-15 but did not estimate how much longer after that coalition troops would need to support Afghan security forces. Richards, who became head of Britain's armed forces last month, said the region should be stabilized before any withdrawal is completed. "We are equally clear that we have got to support the operation thereafter to make sure that our legacy is an enduring one," he said. British soldiers have been fighting in Afghanistan since 2001 as part of a US-led force.

US Offers To Lift Sanctions, Remove Sudan From Terrorism Blacklist On Condition
The United States has offered a number of incentives to Sudan if the leaders of the African country choose a path of peace and successfully conduct the proposed referendum. Addressing a UN Security Council meeting in New York on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said that it is ready to withdraw Sudan from the black list of state sponsors of terrorism if the Government fulfills the North-South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), resolves the future of Abyei by holding the referendum, and then recognizes the will of the people in the South.  She also announced that the Obama Administration is prepared to lift U.S. sanctions, work toward international debt relief, increase trade and investment, and forge a mutually beneficial relationship if the Government of Sudan commits to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Darfur and takes other steps toward peace and accountability. The January 9 referendum decides whether the oil-rich southern region of Abyei, where most people are Christian or follow traditional religions, should secede from the Arab-dominated mostly-Muslim north.

Bibi can take US into war with Iran
A former CIA member says the Israeli premier can take US into war with Iran but Washington is not prepared for such a confrontation. US Republicans, riding a wave of economic discontent, took over the House of Representatives in mid-term polls, dealing a heavy blow to President Barack Obama. Analysts say control of the House will now give Republicans enough power to slam the brakes on Obama's agenda. "On Iran, there's no difference between Democrats and Republicans. They're very comfortable with the idea that a foreign leader like [Benjamin] Netanyahu can take 300 million Americans to war whenever he wants," said counterterrorism expert Michael Scheuer, who has worked with the Central Intelligence Agency for more than 20 years. "The election was a disaster in terms of increasing the chances of another war that we don't have the resources to fight, and we won't have the will to win," Newsmax quoted Scheuer as saying. He criticized Obama for "saying the country can handle another 9/11 attack," and added, "It's a foolish comment of a man who is only moderately talented in terms of international affairs." "Given the disastrous state of our economy, I'm not so sure we could handle all the effects of an attack." Scheuer expressed doubt that gaining control of the US House by Republicans would improve anti-terrorism efforts, adding that "I don't think there's any real difference between Obama and his party and the Republicans." "They're still fighting an enemy that doesn't exist, an enemy they believe is attacking us because we have elections..." Scheuer said no problem would be resolved "until they [US officials] understand we're being attacked because of our foreign policy and what we do in the Muslim world, we're never going to understand the motivation and size of the enemy."

U.S., Uzbekistan agree to cooperate in security sector
The U.S. Embassy to Uzbekistan said on Wednesday the U.S. Central Command and Uzbekistan's Defense Ministry had signed a security cooperation program for 2011. "The program outlines a series of mutually agreed-upon engagements and training opportunities for fiscal year 2011," the embassy said. The move comes during a visit of U.S. Central Commander General James Mattis to this central Asian country. During his visit, Mattis and Uzbek Defense Minister Kabul Berdiev also exchanged opinions over regional security issues and Afghanistan issue. The United States used an airbase in Uzbekistan as part of operations in Afghanistan from 2001 until 2005, but now has since relied exclusively on the Manas facility near Bishkek, capital city of Uzbekistan's neighboring Kyrgyzstan.

India not to get UNSC seat soon: US
Robert Blake, US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, told a briefing at Washington's Foreign Press Centre that the expansion of UNSC was, "a very complex process that has to take place - many, many contenders for permanent seat - there is a whole question of veto". The United States, he said, "needs to have a very serious and detailed conversation with all our friends who are competing for these seats". During a visit to India last week, President Barack Obama endorsed India's bid for a permanent seat in the UNSC saying that the world body needed reforms to accommodate the changes that have taken place since the World War Two. "I would caution against expecting any kind of breakthrough anytime soon," Mr. Blake said. "I think the President and others have made it clear that this (reform) is going to be a long and complicated process and those we are committed to a modest expansion both of permanent and non-permanent seats," he said. The official said the only "real change" Mr. Obama announced was US support to India's permanent seat in the 15-membered UNSC, but "we have always been clear that this is going to be a long-term and very complicated process".