Political blogging experts and social media activists in Thailand face frustration against their lack of liberty to express themselves at will. Thailand´s government uses two ways to censor and control the net. Firstly, by setting up an online roadblock –which already has stopped 32,500 pages- and secondly, through a government body that monitors the websites.

The increase of internet usage across the country has caused some concerns between political leaders. Thailand focuses their internet censorship energies on social issues, especially those related to online pornography, political separatists, and gambling. But their priorities are those cyber opinions that threaten the regime’s stability.

The Thailand government has invested millions of dollars for an internet gateway that will prevent any harsh comments on the country’s supreme monarch. The same system crosses out sites owned by terrorists. The Thailand Ministry of Information and Communication Technology works closely with the companies that provide internet in the country. If the companies do not block websites which have been asked to by the government body, these businesses could lose their licenses or have their networking area limited.

Local internet providers, fearing sanctions, follow the Thai internet censorship. In more than four years, the country’s communication ministry has blocked about 15,000 websites. Today, the number of websites blocked is unknown and the reasons remain hidden to the public. This year, the Thailand government has officially endorsed Twitter’s ‘country-by-country’ censorship policy. Twitter’s new policy allows for restrictions of ‘certain types of content’ for various ‘cultural reasons.’

By reading some scholarly articles and journals, I found that Thailand is one of the most engaged countries in the world to practice internet filtering. Thailand is also listed as “Not Free” by Freedom on the Net 2011 report by Freedom house which works on censorship and freedom on the internet (read report here). Moreover, Thailand is listed in Internet Enemies Under Surveillance by Reporters Without Borders as of March 2011 (read report here). By restricting the freedom to use the net, the Thai government is converting political, social and religious subjects into a taboo.

The future of global internet freedom looks dark in spite of the growth of Thai net users. Private companies respond with more innovation to cyber security instead of promoting news ways to implement a democracy,due to fear.

Future Thai generations will see their political and social knowledge being dwindled, in spite of the new ways that modern technologies offer citizens to build a democracy. Despite the Thai government’s wish to control Thai residents’ online activities, the internet is too vital in this new era, where foreign companies look at these kind of issues in order to decide whether to invest in a country or not.

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The African Union (AU) and Somali interim governmental troops took another key town, Afmadow, in the battle against al-Qaeda backed terrorist group al-Shabab on May 31. This victory comes only days after the AU and Somali government managed to take the strategic point of Afgoye the previous Friday. With these two victories Somalia is beginning to turn the tide on the terrorist group living within its borders.

Afmadow is a city in the south of the country, an area deep within the control of al-Shabab. The town has been a prime target for the Kenyan troops who began patrolling the south of Somalia October 2011. According to the African Union commanders, al-Shabab abandoned the city without a fight as the troops approach.

This retreat may be due to al-Shabab’s failure to keep Afgoye earlier. However, the retreat could also be a strategic ploy, since al-Shabab claimed that its previous retreat from Afgoye was intentional. A Somali analyst, Mohammed Abdulahi Hassan, claims that the militants most likely do not have the force to defeat the Kenyan troops.

Although these towns have been taken, al-Shabab still controls a large part of The Republic of Somalia. However, it is losing its hold on essential strongholds and cities, such as Afmadow and Afgoye. Both contain routes that lead to all other regions of the country. Afmadow is only 115km (71 miles) from Kismayo, the home base for al-Shabab and the main port city for many of the Somali pirates.

With the city of Afgoye and the town of Afmadow under the control of the Somali government, the port city is the only remaining stronghold of the group. Hassan claims that if Kismayo falls, al-Shabab will be “in a desperate position both politically and financially.”

However there may have been some exchange of fighting in Kismayo already. Al-Shabab claims that unidentified warships attacked the city and were repelled by the al-Shabab fighters. One al-Shabab official, Sheikh Hassan Yaqub, claimed, “the mujahideen fighters opened fire and repulsed two military ships that approached the coast of Kismayo, they were coming close to the coast when they were attacked.” The war vessels then returned fire and wounded a young boy, but no other casualties occurred.

Currently there is no confirmation on which country sent the war vessels or even if they were attempting to attack the city of Kismayo yet. The Kenyan army has naval patrols close to that area, but would not confirm if its vessels were those in the clash. Nine warships owned by the European Union deployed from France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy and the Netherlands were also in the area. However, these ships are specifically reserved for the anti-piracy mission.

The interim Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali told the BBC, “hopefully the next target will be Kismayo and then we will proceed to other towns and cities…surely but slowly we are getting our country back from al-Shabab.”

In addition to the taking of Afmadow, the African Union and Somali military hope to take Kismayo by August 20. This date was set by the many disparate groups within Somalia on May 30 for the official elections to take place and the end of the interim government, yet another – although non-military – way in which the country is progressing.

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The interim president of Somalia, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, was attacked in his armored convoy on May 28 by the al-Qeada associated group al-Shabab. The attack lasted about thirty minutes, until the African Union troops accompanying the president were forced to fire shells. According to the BBC, one Somali government soldier was killed and four were wounded in the attack. The president arrived at his destination unscathed.

The president was attacked on the Afgoye corridor near Elashu while taking a rare trip out of the capital city Mogadishu. This corridor has nearly 400,000 refugees, the world’s largest concentration of displaced people, who were forced to flee from violence attributed to criminal gangs and militia in 2007 and 2008. The president’s visit was prompted by the victory of African Union and interim governmental forces on May 25 over the al-Shabab stronghold of Afgoye.

The battle for Afgoye lasted four days and is largely considered a great victory for the Somali government and the African Union. Al-Shabab often used Afgoye as a place to launch attacks at Mogadishu, because of its proximity. The town is on a strategic crossroads that allows access to the north, west, and south of Somalia, making this particular loss a huge blow to al-Shabab. It is now likely that the members of al-Shabab are hiding in the nearby villages and farmlands. Al-Shabab has been terrorizing Somalia since 1991, when the last central government failed.

The relative instability of Somalia after the fall of its last government is what has allowed for the presence of piracy and al-Shabab control. Until the election of August 2000, Somalia was without an established government. Since then there have been several presidents who have all tried to regain control of the country from al-Shabab and have succeeded at varying degrees. Recently, President Ahmed has had great success with the removal of al-Shabab from Afgoye and the reconstruction going on in Mogadishu.

However, there are still other groups in northern Somalia that have added to the instability. Somaliland and Puntland are two areas that claim they are independent of the Republic of Somalia and have tried several times to create their own representational government or constitutional democracy. Although Somaliland has remained relatively stable it still has border disputes with Puntland and neither country is recognized by the global community.

Although al-Shabab has been defeated twice now in only a week’s time, it still maintains its hope for the end of the Somali government. A pro-Shabab website claimed that the attack was against “the head of the enemy” and that Sharif had taken refuge behind “African Union troops and white gunmen for safety.” The group also claims that the retreat from Afgoye was a strategic one and that they will be back.

African Union troops have been essential to maintaining the stability and protection of the government in Somalia. Other entities have also aided at certain times, such as the United Nations and the United States. The intervention by the United States resulted in the loss of several soldiers, most widely known from the film “Black Hawk Down.” After this failure, the US was reluctant to engage in other African affairs, such as the genocide in Rwanda.

The African Union has been the most involved in the stability of Somalia and seems to be making progress. Last year the AU, in tandem with Somali government troops, was responsible for ejecting al-Shabab fighters from Mogadishu. These same troops are those who took Afgoye and protected the president from this most recent attack. African Union forces are stationed in the capital city of Mogadishu, Ethiopian soldiers are in the south and west of the country, and Kenyan and AU soldiers also patrol the south of the nation.

There has been a presence of at least 12,000 Kenyan soldiers in the south of Somalia since October 2011. Al-Shabab has promised to exact revenge against Kenya for its presence in its country. Some believe that the group is responsible for the bombing at a busy shopping complex in Nairobi, Kenya on May 28 that injured 33 people. The Prime Minister of Kenya called this attack a “heinous act of terrorism.” Additionally, Kenya blames al-Shabab for several kidnappings and for the destabilizing of its border region.

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In a transparent attempt to win favor with the powerful tourism industry, President Obama announced that his administration will waive consular interview requirements for people renewing U.S. Visas. He also directed his administration to expand the number of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program.

Citizens of VWP nations can enter the U.S. without obtaining a Visa in advance.  The net result of both changes – counterintuitive in a post-9/11 world – is that millions of additional people will enter the U.S. with less scrutiny.

“The changes the President is making to the Visa issuance process, without Congressional approval, weaken important safeguards against terrorism and increase the potential for more Visa over-stayers,” stated Dan Stein, president of Federation for American Immigration Reform. “The longstanding requirement for an in-person interview allows trained consular officers to identify people who might pose a threat to national security or who are likely to remain in the United States illegally.”

The proposal to significantly expand the VWP program ignores explicit warnings made by the 9/11 Commission which cited the VWP as a weakness that can be easily manipulated by terrorists. “It is exceedingly reckless to operate a Visa waiver system, much less expand it, in an age where terrorists carry many different passports.

Moreover, the U.S. still has no comprehensive system that matches the entry and exit of foreign travelers to ensure we are alerted when Visa holders stay in the country illegally,” Stein cautioned. This move by the Obama administration is the latest in a two-year campaign of unilateral policy changes designed to minimize immigration enforcement.

It is also a clear effort to appeal to business interests in an election year. The timing and location of the announcement is designed to boost the President’s sagging popularity in Florida, a state he believes he must win in November.

“President Obama claims his new initiatives will create jobs. If the President really wants to change immigration policy to expand jobs, he’d restore credibility to our immigration system by securing our border, stepping up interior enforcement, supporting mandatory E-Verify, and substantially reducing legal immigration.

That would reduce foreign competition for scarce jobs that Americans need.  And in the process, not one of those things would jeopardize national security,” Stein concluded.

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TLC’s groundbreaking series, “All-American Muslim”, explores the lasting impact the tragedy of 9/11 has had on the cast and their community, as they also experience a backlash by some of their fellow Americans because of their faith. This revealing installment is arguably the most nuanced and complex view about the terror attacks from the American Muslim perspective ever seen on television.

The episode, The Day the World Changed, centers on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Whether it is Deputy Chief Mike Jaafar focusing on the safety of his officers, while reflecting on the loss of first responders a decade ago; or Lila Amen participating in a city-wide public memorial service, but without her children who refuse to go; or Bilal and Shadia Amen making a visit to Ground Zero to see “the place that changed his life” – there is a wide array of reactions and responses to the tragic events brought on by Osama bin Laden.

“When I first heard it was a Muslim extremist that had done this, immediately, my thought like every other Muslim’s thought was these people are not Muslim. Who are these people? Where did they come from? I’ve never heard of the Taliban. I’ve never heard of Osama bin Laden,” says Nina Bazzy in the episode. “They’ve labeled themselves as Muslim. But they are not Muslim. A real Muslim would never do anything like that.”

This powerhouse installment of the series is receiving advance praise from a diverse range of influential voices.

“All-American Muslim” offers us a unique opportunity to step into the shoes of our Muslim neighbors and experience the pain and suffering they have endured, not just once, but twice, ” said Reverend Dr. Katharine Henderson , President of Auburn Seminary in New York. “The first time because terrorists attacked their country on 9/11, and the second time because some fellow Americans turned on them, simply because of their religion, which is absolutely unacceptable.”

“At a time when perceptions of Muslims are at an all-time low, “All-American Muslim” has managed to flip the switch and help many Americans see the commonalities we share with one another,” said Eboo Patel, president of Interfaith Youth Core and a member of the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships advisory council.  ”By showing the gray areas, not just the black and the white, the series has laid bare the complex and valid range of emotions that these families have experienced over the past ten years. And, instead of sound bites, this nuance adds value by showing very real, very human responses to the events that changed our world.”

Another hot-button subject is touched upon as Bilal and Shadia go to NYC to visit tattoo artist Ami James, of NY Ink fame. Bilal worries that Ami’s past in the Israeli military may become a source of friction between them.

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I have waited a few days out of respect for 9/11 to say my piece. Although like everyone else, the images and memories of 9/11 are forever with me, I don’t have the same feeling about it as most others. Celebrating the ten year anniversary does not make me particular proud to be an American.

All over Facebook and in the media, people use the anniversary as a way to celebrate the fact that our country survived the worst terrorist attack on American soil. But, did we survive? To me, it seemed like our nation’s complete mentality changed on that day. Instead of hope and optimism, we became scared. No longer wanting to help others or welcome immigrants, we became paranoid.

Every day, it becomes increasingly difficult to find a reason to be proud to be an American. Yes, we like to say that phrase, especially on anniversaries of horrific tragedies and holidays, but are we really proud? The income gap continues to grow in our country, as we become a banana republic where only the wealthy one percent has any power.

More than 45,000 uninsured Americans are uninsured and with no healthcare, children die of treatable diseases. We execute poor men who have been railroaded because they cannot afford lawyers while letting rich men off scot-free even though their greed caused the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

We start two wars to fight against an idea and a small sect of radical fundamentalists. We are restricting voting rights to millions of Americans because suddenly Jim Crow laws are back in vogue. We hate a particular religious group because men who perverted their religion were responsible for 9/11 while our own “Christian” religion has become an instrument of hate.

In 2008, it almost seemed like maybe we were letting go of the 9/11 post apocalyptical period. Maybe we could have hope and change and move forward from that day. We elected our first black president, even though he is only 50 percent black. But, the last three years, things have become even worse.

Instead of focusing on the growing unemployment and recession, we worry about a pretend Mosque in New York City or where the President was born. Nothing is accomplished because the focus remains on the negative. The last decade has been bleak. My twenties were spent in a country that seemed comparable to communist Russia.

The media controls the message and the message has been on asinine stuff for ten years, so that the simpletons won’t become enraged at the direction of our country. Let’s focus on Angelina Jolie and Kim Kardishan so no one will notice how many rights we have lost. Pay attention to gay marriage, abortion and those damn welfare mothers who are taking your money so you don’t notice billionaires like the Koch Brothers who are controlling politics and court decisions while raping your mother.

I can only hope that the color will return to our country now that we have survived the first decade after the terrorists shot down our hope and dreams. However, I don’t really see it. Yes, we survived. But, we aren’t any better for it. We did not get any stronger after this tragedy.

We became scared little kids and I am not proud to be an American in 2011. Not even a little bit. I know our country can do so much better. We can help out neighbors and preach love instead of hate. I know we have the ability to do it, but we are so far away from that vision of America. I don’t know if I will see it in my lifetime.

 
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The Obama Campaign may be fighting back against the Tea Party Republicans who have hijacked any sort of meaningful dialogue. An Obama adviser went on the offensive on a television appearance while the President had a heated exchange with a tea party activist.

Former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs went on MSNBC on Tuesday. Gibbs, who now serves as a re-election advisor for the president, criticized Republicans, saying that they must decide whether they’re going to “swear allegiance to the tea party” or work with Democrats to create jobs.

He advised Congress to “pay attention to creating jobs again.” He also suggested that some Republicans “do not want to see this economy get better” because they know continuing misery will likely improve their election prospects.

Gibbs says Obama favors a number of moves to help businesses step up hiring. He says “the president is not focused on keeping his job, most of all. He’s focused on creating jobs for the American people.” He reported that Congress likely will be asked to continue payroll tax relief.

Looking ahead to 2012, Gibbs said, “We’re not running against George W. Bush.” He added, “But many of the policies that got us into the mess that we’re trying to dig out of now, are the same policies that the frontrunners for the Republican nomination seek to go back to.”

Meanwhile in Iowa, the tea party confronted Obama about vice president Joe Biden’s remarks earlier in the month comparing the tea party to terrorists. “He said we were acting like terrorists,” Iowa Tea Party activist Ryan Rhodes said, confronting the president after the Decorah town hall as Obama worked a rope line of audience members. “What we stand for is limited government and a balanced budget,” Rhodes continued.

“First of all, in fairness to this gentleman who raised a question, I absolutely agree that everybody needs to try to tone down the rhetoric. Now, in fairness, since I’ve been called a socialist who wasn’t born in this country, who is destroying America and taking away its freedoms because I passed a health care bill, I’m all for lowering the rhetoric.”

Obama later countered that Biden was making the point that almost failing to raise the debt ceiling was irresponsible. “He wasn’t objecting to the balanced budget amendment, he was objecting to us almost defaulting,” Obama said. As Rhodes persisted, and Obama continued to shake hands, the president added, “It doesn’t sound like you are interested in listening.”

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Sarah Palin and GOP presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann are outraged over a comment that vice president Joe Biden made during the excruciating long and dragged out debt ceiling negotiations.  According to Polico, Biden suggested that Tea Party-backed lawmakers “acted like terrorists” during the debate over the debt ceiling. This comment caused Bachmann and Palin to begin huffing and puffing.

Of course, you should note the context of the comment. Of course, Palin and Bachmann should too. Rep. Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania, who apparently asserted that “[w]e have negotiated with terrorists” during a closed-door meeting with House Democrats about the deal to raise the debt limit. Biden’s response; “They have acted like terrorists.”

Palin appeared on Fox News’ “Hannity” on Tuesday night to showcase the mock outrage. “If we were real domestic terrorists,” Palin explained to host Sean Hannity, “President Obama would be wanting to pal around with us, wouldn’t he? He didn’t have a problem palling around with Bill Ayers back in the day when he kicked off his political career.”

Although Palin has tried to connect Obama to Bill Ayers, a 1960s Weather Underground member, no serious connection exists. Obama did not “pal” around with Ayers, according to the Associated Press.  They worked on community boards and Ayers hosted a political event at the beginning of Obama’s career .

Palin went on to defend the tea party. “I’m not just going to roll over with a sticker plastered on my forehead that says, hit me baby one more time, call me a terrorist again, call me a racist. Those things that Tea Party patriots have been being called over these months. It is unfair, it’s hypocritical of the other side doing that. And enough is enough. And I’m going stand up for those fiscally conservative patriotic independent Americans who wants the best for this country.”

Really, Palin? Being called something is unfair? And while you are complaining about being called something, you are implying that Obama is friends with a terrorist. I am not sure you understand the definition of hypocritical, but look in the mirror and you will get it. Your party brought up the whole calling the other side terrorists. If you want to criticize someone, start with Rep. Doyle.

Bachmann responded to the comments in an e-mail on Monday night, “Only in the bizarro world of Washington is fiscal responsibility sometimes defined as terrorism.” And only in bizarro world is fiscal responsibility linked to a refusal to increase revenue.

Jeffery Stone / Shutterstock.com

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