Dear Rashid Shaz,

Have not yet had time to download futureislam but I must say i dont think your critical comments about the Iraqi "Resistence" in the excerpt from your editorial  that you sent to me went nearly far enough --this "resistance" is itself an imperialism -- a Sunni Arab imperialism that is out to prevent the 80 percent of Iraq that is Shiite Arab and Kurdish Sunni from exercising the authority they deserve to exercise -- and a resistance that can line up 45 Iraqi national Guardsmen who have surrendered  and then execute them (and not be condemned for this by an Arab world that is outraged when a Marine murders one unarmed and wounded gunman in Falluja.This "Resistance" which takes civilians hostage and frequently murders them, producing video press releases of decapitations, that blows up Shiite mosques where people are praying (in contrast to Falluja where the mosques were turned by  "Resistance"  snipers into legitimate targets). Nor would I characterize the American invasion -- however wrongly timed, however ill-intended, at the highest levels of the administration, and however stupidly implemented as  a"colonialism"   -- which has a precise meaning --establishing colonies and settlements as in the case of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, or historically in pre-1948 mandate Palestine .

Now having said all that if you are still interested in my being part of this ambitious initative of yours I will sign up on the basis of the participation of people like Ali Mazrui, Andulaziz Sachedina and Omid Safi -- whose work I am familiar with.

Finally might I ask you for some guidance. I note that Lord Carey is one of the individuals participating as a contributor or supporter of futureislam. Recently I was contacted by one of his close associates to lend my name and time to an interfaith venture that Lord Carey would lead to promote better understanding bneteen Muslims and Christians. In principle I would happily do this but could you tell me why the former Archbishop has a poor reputation among British Muslims ? I cannot recall any particulars but I do recall the animosity.

Thank you, wasalaam

S. Abdallah Schleifer
Distinguished Lecturer of Journalism & Mass Communication,
Director Adham Center for Television Journalism, AUC
& Publisher and Senior Editor of TBS: Transnational Broadcasting Studies
sas@aucegypt.edu / Tel: (202) 797 5422 / 3 / 4 Fax:  (202) 795 7565
www.adhamonline.com  /  www.tbsjournal.com
113 Kasr el Aini St. P.O.Box 2511. Cairo 11511, Egypt.