The Political Conundrum!

Today FDD's Center for Terrorism Research brings you the fifth installment of our Voices of the Awakening series, authored by Sterling Jensen. The series is designed to provide Westerners a better understanding of ongoing developments in the Iraqi Awakening movement. This regular feature includes critical translations of Awakening news and documents, Jensen's observations and analysis, and occasional interviews with the movement's leaders.

This week the Awakening's web site reported on a number of local, national, and international issues -- including promoting local sports, encouraging women's education, and reporting on religious matters. An excerpt from our update:

Response to the Fabricated Lies of Omar Al-Baghdadi: The Awakening is the Conscience of Society. Responding to allegations made by Omar al-Baghdadi, the supposed leader of the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), that the ISI is supported by the people, the Iraqi Awakening attacks al-Baghdadi's claims. The Awakening says that his imaginary State relies on terrorizing and destroying the people. The Iraqi Awakening is the conscience of the people because it was the people rising with the Awakening against terror that made Iraq more united and secure....

The Mufti of Saudi Arabia Deems Those Who Follow al-Qaeda as Being the Reason of Chaos: In an interview with Asharq al-Awsat the head mufti of Saudi Arabia blames al-Qaeda for chaos and destruction to Muslims. The Mufti asks Muslims to look at the deeds of al-Qaeda to see how they have brought this misfortune to Muslims. He says he completely supports and is satisfied with those who counter al-Qaeda’s ideology....

INSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE: Much of the Awakening’s credibility came from the fact that religious scholars and imams in Anbar supported the tribal movement against al-Qaeda and insurgent activity. Reporting al-Baghdadi’s religious claims and countering them, then reporting the Saudi mufti’s statements against al-Qaeda and his support for those who flight it, is a calculated move by the Awakening to increase their religious credibility. The Awakening wants to fight Al-Qaeda’s message, and will need fellow Arab support to do it. The late Sheikh Abdul Sattar Abu Risha would often respond to criticism about allying with the Coalition Forces by saying “al-Qaeda came to our land and has destroyed it more than the Americans. They have used terror to spread their message. That isn’t Islam, that is anti-Islam. We do not only fight with the Americans against these perpetrators, but with anyone who is against their message.” He would say that since it’s not a shame for Saudis, Jordanians, Kuwaitis, Qataris and Emiratis to work closely with the Americans for their security, why must Iraqis be blamed and punished for working with the Americans for Iraqi safety?

For the entire Voices of the Awakening, update, click here.

The next president, John McCain or Barack Obama, is expected to be a penny-pinching commander in chief when it comes to buying new military weapons. And that's bad news for the Air Force's push to buy scores more F-22 Raptors, a supersonic jet fighter built to dominate enemy airspace.

Six Army brigades, a National Guard unit, and three military headquarters have been ordered to deploy to Iraq next summer in a move that would allow the U.S. to keep the number of troops largely steady there through much of next year.

Wall Street snapped back Tuesday after its biggest sell-off in years amid growing expectations that lawmakers will salvage a $700 billion rescue plan for the financial sector. But the seized-up credit markets where businesses turn to raise money showed no sign of relief.

Italian anti-Fascist resistance veterans have reacted angrily to Spike Lee's film Miracle at St Anna, which deals with the exploits of black US soldiers in Italy during World War II, but also with a massacre of civilians committed by Nazi troops.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Domestic Nuclear Detection Office and the National Science Foundation announced on September 30, 2008 approximately $3.1 million in new grant awards to academic institutions for the fiscal year 2008 Academic Research Initiative. The Academic Research Initiative (ARI) program was initiated in 2007 to foster pioneering research in radiological and nuclear detection at academic institutions and build the nation’s intellectual capital in nuclear sciences and engineering.

The Department's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office and the National Science Foundation awarded $3.1 Million in academic research initiative awards on September 30, 2008.

Hijackers of the Ukrainian ship off the Coast of Somalia clashed overnight on Sept. 29, killing three of their own, according to the Mombasa-based maritime group of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said today he has asked the king of Saudi Arabia to help facilitate peace talks with the Taliban in order to bring an end to the Afghan conflict. Taliban leader Mullah Omar, meanwhile, is offering western forces a safe retreat from Afghanistan if they agree to withdraw.

About 100,000 veterans residing in government-run facilities can no longer vote because they cannot register without assistance from volunteers. But rights groups wanting to help the vets register say the Department of Veterans Affairs is creating hurdles for them.