Islamic Governance: The Doctrine of War

I am not uncomfortable with a belief that within the envelope of Islamic governance is a doctrine of war. But I am immensely uncomfortable with the lack of ability to move past Jihad 101 by many of our political pundits. They know the baker's dozen of Qur'anic ayat regarding war. They do not know that the Qur'an has seven layers of meaning. They understand that literature exists in abundance but are unable to identify the Sufi masters and historic jurists who write in the strongest terms regarding the Islamic doctrine of war. Continuance to scratch the same post again and again is beginning to annoy me. I am ready to put the cat in a bag and drown it in the nearest lake.

All nations retain a doctrine for war. Within the scaffolding of our own governance each military branch also defines their mission. Whether our nation is at peace or in need of immediate defense plans exist and are also constantly updated to cover the "what-if" scenarios across the world.

Our inability to recognize Islam as a form of governance and to unwittingly cast Islam as merely a religion which cannot be touched in any form or fashion because of religious rights has rendered us incapable of formulating policy changes and new standards for negotiation. Several years ago I sought to write on national scale regarding The Government of Allah. These attempts were soundly rejected, including the Council on Foreign Affairs which sent a response to a query to submit an article stating they "....hoped I would understand."

I don't understand. Believing that truth is a despised commodity, I now turn my thoughts to the blog audience. Weigh what I say. Respond to what I write. But let us not continue along a path which refuses to recognize Islam as a form of governance, one which has been faithfully carried along through the generations by various means and with cultural implications.

Islam does retain within its governance branches doctrine for public order (Hisbah). I have a professional friendship with a man who has a 300 page volume for Hisbah from the time of the Ottoman Sultanate. Islamic governance contains guidance for domestic and foreign policy. Doctrine of war can also be found within the reading. In coming weeks you will see a steady building of a "field guide" for Islamic doctrine of war on this page. These thoughts will not necessarily come as salvos of two or three blogs in sequence. But each will present the implements of war based on literature which determines issues such as troop configurations and considerations, treatment of POW's, dividing up the booty, treaty implementation, etc. The meta tags will read "Doctrine of War"

*Should any wish for a peek into my personal library and guidance regarding your own reading selection, feel free to write me: tammyswofford@yahoo.com



R/Tammy

Sarah Palin: Pygmalion

Newsweek engaged foul play in an attempt to sensationalize their cover and exposed the underbelly of their editorial bias this past week. But it is impossible to fault them entirely for their photo of Sarah Palin in running shorts. Ms. Palin still lacks adequate political grooming and it will be her downfall. It was a mistake when she did not decline the photo shoot for a runners magazine which also shows a troubling trend of other political calamities for a patriotic and ambitious woman.

Professional women desirous of upward mobility understand some basic rules:

*Don't show up for an interview in a knit top. The asset on display is talent and not curves.

*Upgrade the professional look to reflect the position and title desired.

When viewing the Newsweek cover this person came to mind. She looks like Mary Ann. I wish she looked like the next president of the United States.

Equally of concern is the cavalier use of the American flag as a prop. It shows lack of respect and basic understanding of flag etiquette. If you are not familiar with proper handling and display of Old Glory please take an educational moment to research the traditions surrounding this symbolic cloth.

I retain admiration for the aspirations of this unique and dedicated American woman. But Ms. Palin continues to violate some of the basic rules which allow for a smooth political ascent. She has allowed for market saturation too soon. There is little mystery left when asking, "Who is Sarah Palin?" She has put too generous a chunk of her private life out for public view. It shows lack of discretion. And while she has a lovely set of legs they should not be her selling point.

Unless she is capable of reining in the rogue impulses for media attention and submit to a rigorous educational process regarding presidential etiquette, domestic and foreign policies, issues of state, she will be ill-suited for a presidential candidate. Increasingly, she casts herself in the role of Eliza Doolittle.

Tammy Swofford

tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Keep the Death Penalty: Justice for Shaniya

It is the worst kind of news and contemplating it should cause a bit of nausea. Do take a moment and imagine the intense and terrifying suffering of a little girl after being trafficked to a pedophile bent on sadistic pleasure. It is pure sadism which allows a human to sexually violate a small child.

Let me place a bet with you. Mainstream media will not use the death of Shaniya Davis as a tool to strengthen the societal backbone. The focus will be trafficking of women, a mother as bright as an ostrich and perhaps for the brave, the nature of evil.

Although Texans take quite a few hits from their more enlightened cousins on the east coast, I prefer to keep my roots in this state if for no other reason than that of support for the death penalty. Rick Halperin may disagree with me, but that is o.k. My conviction remains steadfast: some crimes are so hideous that anything less than the death penalty is a muted societal response. Below, what I wrote for the Dallas Morning News several years ago.

Tammy Swofford: Dallas Morning News Commentary

Jeff Crouere and Walter Williams: Weighing in on Healthcare Legislation

Enjoy reading the links below. I am in the research tank today. While it sounds cerebral it merely means I have had way too much caffeine while organizing my research notes which are on scraps of paper all over the house. In my previous life, I was probably a rat.

Anyway, Crouere and Williams will be great for the page.

How Now Lone Cao?

Williams whacks Pelosi

Best Regards,

Tammy

The Ugly Specter over the Recession: Christianity

*This was just too fun an article to ignore. Hence, a quick run through my immediate thoughts whilst reading it.

Our minister once said the following: "Christians say they don't study the Bible because they can't read Hebrew or Greek. They really don't read the Bible because they can't read in English." I further extrapolate that Americans in general, read the populist magazines because they are incapable of clarity of thought.

The Atlantic put out an article which was absolutely fun to read and deconstruct a bit:

"Did Christianity Cause the Crash?

"Wow! Who woulda thunk it? It was my own inbred species, the Palinski crowd, which caused all of the economic madness. Sackcloth and ashes..... here I come.

But let's look at the crime blotter for a moment:

Joel Osteen: If I see one more picture of him and wife Victoria (with her Barbie's mother look) leering out at me from a book or magazine I will need to take up drinking. The man looks like he needs to have his teeth filed down a bit but other than that little thought, it is doubtful his mega church has caused the economic crash.

Rick Warren: Mr. Purpose-Driven went to Syria, declared the Syrian government a "friendly", prayed in the name of everything but the kitchen pot during the presidential inauguration festivities and is probably a nice enough guy. His megachurch is busy feeding thousands of hungry souls in Africa as opposed to inciting economic collapse.

Pastor Garay of Casa del Padre: He will keep his car keys and the church pews will continue to be packed. As soon as the last parishioner is out the door his wife is probably busily calculating the winnings. Could HE have caused the economic crash? Further investigation required....

The article is biased. The journalist noted immigrant Latino Christians sporting "expensive cell phones" as opposed to cheaper models. She needs to visit my local hospital emergency room. I will point out people making up a rainbow of colors showing up in taxis for free care. They are wearing an arsenal of modern technology on their belts, feet clad in 150 dollar tennis shoes, tattoo parlors in motion with colorized art, and screaming for care. They buy their wants and beg their needs. I don't know if they are Christians. I do know that they are self pay and we will suck up the loss. The journalist also shows bias with this statement,"..... some of the most socially conservative churches also have extremely high teenage pregnancies, out of wedlock births, and divorce." 'Tis the reason Christians embrace the need for a Savior, Ms. Rosin.

But I do wonder if Bernie Madoff is a closet Christian. Hmmmm.

Anyway, the article was a lot of fun to read. Hats off to Ms. Rosin for brightening my day.

Did Christianity Cause the Crash?


What many Christians really believe

Tammy Swofford

Pakistan: Occupation by the Ephemeroptera

"We live among the walking dead here Tammy, potential victims of a suicide bomber lurking somewhere amongst us."

The above words came into my email today after a discussion with a professional friend from Pakistan regarding the concept of occupation forces.

While many journalists opine regarding American military forces on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan there is a distinct intellectual negation that other means of occupation exist within volatile regions of the world. It is an occupation brought about by politico-cultural milieu and the aspirations of those who concurrently wield the ability to trigger the imaginations of their followers.

In regard to Pakistan, the government is suffering under the occupation of those who embrace a world where a "day of wings" exists in which death ushers in eternal life. A promise of Paradise springs up as surely as the mayfly larvae make their way from streams of water to a world of brief flight.

The military boot does irrevocably effect the landscape where it is placed; sometimes for tremendous good, other times with mixed results. There is no disagreement on my part with my friend. This remains inescapable fact.

America has been completely thrashed up one side and down the other for her theaters of operation in a post 9/11 environment. Sadly, what has not received equal thrashing is the political and educational milieu within nations such as Pakistan which have allowed for the rise of the Ephemeroptera. Physical occupation is one thing. But psychological occupation leaves the footprint of a different animal, one which is much harder to remove. It is the mole in the ground, the blind animal which gains mimicry through the blinding of the God-given senses of Pakistani nationals who believe that rapid flight is attained on the wings of a well-executed suicide bombing.

(The blog will be dormant for 3-4 days while I organize a bit of research.)

Tammy Swofford

Afghanistan: Options with Limited Warranty

Life teaches many lessons. When faced with limited options it remains important to still make a choice, not wavering after the decision-making process is complete. Choose and move forward. Such is the task of my Commander-in-Chief as he considers the request for additional troops in Aghanistan.

In this case two options exist: increase troop strength or draw down the troops and bring them home. Maintaining the current level of operations shows indecisive leadership. Honor the request or refuse the request. But the request must be addressed.

Yes, we need an exit strategy for Afghanistan. President Barack Obama may mandate force augmentation. Even so it is possible to set in motion an exit strategy as additional forces are moved into the region. But the American people are deserving of a clear voice on this issue.

Folk wisdom requires that prior to a guest moving into the home a date of departure be established. "Aunt Suzy" cannot occupy the guest bedroom until she affirms that she will vacate the space on a subsequent agreed upon date.

The government of Afghanistan also needs to be able to mark the date at this point in time. Plans exist in a vacuum until coupled with a time element. Choose the option, set the date for goal completion, keep the foot in motion.

Troop augmentation or troop draw down? These are the options which exist within a limited time warranty.

Tammy Swofford

Stand up and Shout!

Business Week ran an article titled, "The Accidental Hero". The frame for the picture was wrong. The decision of Stuart Frankel, a Subway franchise owner to knock a dollar off the price of a sandwich to generate weekend sales was a calculated business decision. I would have titled the piece, "The Power of Ideas". This success story is one which is now being heralded and the reverberation is being felt across the marketplace. A decision to engage a malleable price structure to attract a larger consumer base paid off. It has allowed for economic growth within the food industry with a trickle down effect into other markets.

Government intrusion into the private sector is taking the testicles off the bull. Bureaucratic meddling brings castration. And once the kahunas are off the bull we can forget about the next generation of viable growth. When you read about President Barack Obama's appointment of "czars" to oversee industry repeat the word "Burdizzo" three times and then check your pulse.

It is good to remember that market surges can be born on the crest of the wave of just one damn good idea. May Stuart Frankel receive a huge bonus.... which the current administration will then Burdizzo away for the "greater good".

The Czar's Favorite Economic Tool

Business Week Article


Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Veteran's Day

One of my dearest personal friends is James McEachin. I also consider him a national treasure. His talent and advocacy for the American veteran community is well-known.

Old Glory

Voices


Have a blessed Veteran's Day!

Tammy Swofford

State of Mourning: Aftermath of Attack on Fort Hood

A morning headline greeted me as I powered up the laptop. The "Healer-in-Chief" was to visit Fort Hood.

President Barack Obama is the Commander-in-Chief. It is not his job to "heal" anymore than it is to serve as a community activist involving himself in petty police matters. But he is the Commander-in-Chief of a large active duty military with a vibrant reserve military backbone. Justice is the salve for the wound here. We will receive platitudes.

Healing will be hard for many in my community. A terror act visited upon a large Texas army base was the tactical end of the journey for a seed germinated within an ideological stream. That seed, germinated to produce a destructive murderous force against fellow American officers. Our ranks have been violated.

I remember the thrill of flying to Fort Hood in a Chinook, hearing the thunder of the tanks, and on another occasion a cold weather training evolution. Each training evolution increased my understanding of the need for a national shield.

I stop and reflect. In the Navy I am promised a response in three business days if a fellow officer slaps me on the rear, requests sexual favors or behaves in a manner unbecoming an officer. Apparently, protecting my female derriere is of great importance. The same mechanism was not in place to report through the chain of command complaints and concerns regarding a Muslim officer who justified suicide bombings and made seditious statements against his oath and his government.

I will leave you to reflect on the intelligence failure of the F.B.I. and the investigative branch of the Army. Dots connected. Dots ignored.

Tomorrow my spouse and I will attend a MOAA dinner. It will be little comfort to spend the evening with fellow officers. Families and friends, will be putting their soldiers into the ground.

LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC