American Bravery: Aslam Abdullah

Dr. Aslam Abdullah is editor of the Muslim Observer and director of the Islamic Society of Nevada, Las Vegas, as well as the director of the Muslim Electorates Council of America.

Dr. Abdullah wrote a brilliant article titled "Kill Us, Too: We Are Also Americans." Here's an excerpt:

"The leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, recently issued a decree to its supporters: Kill at least one American in the next two weeks "using a sniper rifle, explosive or whatever the battle may require."Well, Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, I am an American too. Count me as the one of those you have asked your supporters to kill.I am not alone, there are thousands of Muslims with me in Las Vegas, and many more millions in America, who are proud Americans and who are ready to face your challenge.
You hide in your caves and behind the faces of civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq. You don't show your faces and you have no guts to face Muslims. You thrive on the misery of thousands of Muslim youth and children who are victims of despotism, poverty and ignorance.

During the past two decades, you have brought nothing but shame and disaster to your religion and your world.You said you "invite you not to drop your weapons, and don't let your souls or your enemies rest until each one of you kills at least one American within a period that does not exceed 15 days with a sniper's gunshot or incendiary devices or Molotov cocktail or a suicide car bomb -- whatever the battle may require." I invite you to surrender, to seek forgiveness from God almighty for the senseless killing you and your supporters are involved in and repent for everything you have done. Read the whole thing plus some comments from Muslims and non-Muslims.


Captain Nancy Pelletier and other Canadian military personnel distributed kites in the colours of the Canadian flag in several densely populated neighbourhoods of the Paghman quarter. Here, a child poses with kites and a flag that he received from the Canadians. Under the Taliban, flying kites or even possessing kites was punishable by death.

Canadian Bravery: Canada has responded to the Afghan government's appeal for long-term development investments. We renewed our commitment to Afghanistan in March 2004 with $250 million in new funds for development assistance between 2005 and 2009. That contribution has been distributed as follows: $100 million in 2005-06, $60 million in 2006-07, $50 million in 2007-08 and $40 million in 2008-09. In March 2006, CIDA reallocated an additional $40 million to Afghanistan to maintain the funding level at $100 million for 2006-07. Most recently, on May 17 2006, Prime Minister Harper announced a further $310 million in development funding to Afghanistan. These additional funds will maintain CIDA's funding level at $100 million per year through to 2010-11.Canada's total allocation of development assistance to Afghanistan over the 2001 to 2011 period is almost $1 billion.

The men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces have collected and stored more than 12,000 heavy weapons such as artillery, tanks, and rocket launchers and have assisted with landmine education, demining and the destruction of ammunition stockpiles. The nation of Canada has provided savings and microloan services to more than 150,000 Afghan small business owners, 90 percent of them women.

Kabul, Afghanistan: The crew of a Bison Armoured Ambulance stand by ready to render medical assistance if required as Combat Engineers clear the area surrounding the scene of a minestrike near Kabul, Afghanistan.


An Iraqi man and Polish army Maj. Peter Lewandowski, assigned to the Civilian Military Cooperation Unit, strap the man's disabled daughter into her new wheelchair at Camp Echo, Iraq, Oct. 3, 2006. The Polish CIMIC funds, contracts, and inspects projects. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dawn M. Price.


A U.S. Army soldier from the 10th Mountain Division gives medicine to a local man during a medical civil aid project being conducted in Gawmesak, Afghanistan, Oct. 1, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ethan Anderson.

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