Today's Blogs

Down the Drain

Bloggers discuss anti-American protests in Afghanistan; they also respond to a possible assassination attempt against President Bush, and marvel at a theme bra that supports Japan’s attempt to privatize its postal system.

Down the drain: A Newsweek article reporting that Guantanamo Bay officials “flushed a Qu’ran down the toilet” to intimidate detainees sparked massive anti-American protests in Afghanistan on Tuesday. Four Afghans died and about 71 were injured.

Many bloggers are appalled. Conservative mystery writer Roger L. Simon points out that the Newsweek account, written by Michael Isikoff and John Barry, “comes from an anonymous source.” He writes, “For their sakes, I hope Isikoff and Barry’s source proves to be accurate because who would want these deaths on their conscience?” Ali Abdul Majid, a Texas studentwho blogs at life is like a rose, writes, “If this is true, I am appalled at the US authorties. They have not right to do that. They can use some tactics to get some information but to insult a particular faith against its people, that is simply not acceptable. I hope that they receive their due punishment.” Peaceful Turmoil’s Buddhist Dave Stump regrets, “My country continues to do an extremely poor job of conveying to the Muslim world that the Bush administration’s ‘war on terror’ is not just a new Crusade of Christianity against Islam.”

Others write that they don’t understand the fuss. “It totally amazes me that such a rumor would disturb anyone enough to march in the streets. Obviously it doesn’t take much to get these people weirded out and that is why they are so easily manipulated by their masters,” observes a commenter on Jihadwatch, the blog of Islam scholar Robert Spencer. And Blogdial’s liberal Alun Kirby notes, “But they’re not protesting about Guantanamo Bay itself and the torture of innocent Muslims, or against the pillage of Afghani oil by US companies, or against the US military rule their daily lives are subject to, or against the atrocities carried out by US troops on Afghanis over the past few years.”

Read more about the largest anti-American protests in Afghanistan since the Taliban was ousted.

Georgian grenade: Bloggers react to the news that security officers found a dud hand grenade near President Bush while he was speaking in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Tuesday.

“BRRRRRRRRR. That was too damn close,” shudders the physician blogger of De Doc’s Institute for Memetic Engineering and Polymaths’ Pursuits. “I do feel sorry for the poor bystander that got hit, standing their listening to this man who sounds like a buffoon no matter what language you speak, then a grenade hits you in the head and instead of deliverance all you get is a lousy goose egg,” remarksThe Gentle Rant’s Sean Reilly, a teacher based in Taiwan. After perusing a Democratic message-board, conservative Confederate Yankee grouches, “Some liberals were quick to place the blame on—you guessed it—Karl Rove. Yet other Democrats were outraged that someone might have threatened the President’s life overseas, when they’d prefer to have him assassinated at home.”

Linking to a CBS News story, liberal Inner-Scape warns, “Most US media won’t carry this story for fear that the truthful views of Worldwide opinions on Bush would have a negative impact on U.S. Soil.” Steven on cultureblog Squeakytoy objects to this Associated Press story noting that young people “threw plastic bottles at one another for entertainment” during Bush’s speech. “I think it’s probably intended to portray the crowd, and the Georgian people, as uncivilized and rowdy.”

Postal surprise: Bloggers are intrigued by Japanese bra-maker Triumph International’s new “Post Privatization Total Surprise Bra!” Modeled by bombshell Yu Misaki, the bra shows support for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s effort to privatize Japan’s postal system.

“The merits of the proposed privatization are very debatable, especially as the incorporated Postal Savings is one of the largest financial institutions in the world, with deposits in excess of 200 trillion yen,” writes an expat teacher on Tokyo Times. “But the use of scantily clad young ladies in promotional campaigns will no doubt go a long way in alleviating the nation’s fears.” Will Franklin of WILLisms holds that “This brilliant bit of gimmickery would probably not work in the United States, with our rich traditions of both puritanism and feminism.” And Riding Sun’s GaijinBiker notes, “As it happens, Koizumi’s plan appears to be headed for approval—although as a result of intense haggling among competing political factions, not a popular movement inspired by the charms of Miss Misaki.”

Read more about the Post Privatization Total Surprise Bra.

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