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Zealots 'Talibanizing' Iraq ban falafels, goatees at gunpoint
London Telegraph via Washington Times ^ | June 4, 2006 | Aqeel Hussein

Posted on 06/04/2006 11:05:17 PM PDT by churchillbuff

BAGHDAD -- As the purveyors of nothing spicier than the odd dash of hot chili sauce, Baghdad's falafel vendors had never imagined their snacks might be deemed a threat to public morality. Now, though, their simple offerings of chickpeas fried in bread crumbs have gone the same way as alcohol, pop music and foreign films -- labeled theologically impure by the country's growing number of Islamic zealots. In a bizarre example of Iraq's creeping "Talibanization," militants visited falafel vendors a couple of weeks ago, telling them to pack up their stalls by today or be killed.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Israel
KEYWORDS: iraq; islamofascism
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1 posted on 06/04/2006 11:05:18 PM PDT by churchillbuff
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To: churchillbuff
I love falafels. Its my favorite Middle Eastern fast food. This is the first time I'm heard of it beeing deemed as un-Islamic cuisine. Bizzare.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")

2 posted on 06/04/2006 11:07:42 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: churchillbuff

Thats what we are fighting for, a constitution that states:

NO LAW SHALL CONTRADICT I S L A M.

If the Kurds have any sense they will declare independence before the 60 percent DAWA-SHIITE-IRAN axis of evil bloc sinks the entire country.


3 posted on 06/04/2006 11:09:31 PM PDT by TomasUSMC ((FIGHT LIKE WW2, FINISH LIKE WW2. FIGHT LIKE NAM, FINISH LIKE NAM.))
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To: churchillbuff

"I said I was just feeding the people, but they said there were no falafels in Muhammad the prophet's time, so we shouldn't have them either."

"I felt like telling them there were no Kalashnikovs in Muhammad's time either, but I wanted to keep my life."

This would be a joke if they weren't killing people over it.


4 posted on 06/04/2006 11:09:52 PM PDT by I still care ("Remember... for it is the doom of men that they forget" - Merlin, from Excalibur)
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To: churchillbuff
Even the Arab addiction to cigarettes is being challenged, with insurgents declaring smoking bans in at least one Sunni district.

... and, once again: the behavioral nannies of the hard left (the anti-smoking Nazis, in this instance) and the Islamofascists find common cause.

5 posted on 06/04/2006 11:13:29 PM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle ("It'sTime for Republicans to Start Toeing the Conservative Line, NOT the Other Way Around!")
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To: Alouette; SJackson; veronica; Slings and Arrows

Ping


6 posted on 06/04/2006 11:14:02 PM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle ("It'sTime for Republicans to Start Toeing the Conservative Line, NOT the Other Way Around!")
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To: Allegra

Can you please tell me what truth, if any, is behind this story?


7 posted on 06/04/2006 11:14:30 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Pray for peace, prepare for war.)
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To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle

Thanks for the ping. I'm witholding judgement until I hear from Allegra - my BS meter is starting to tingle.


8 posted on 06/04/2006 11:16:16 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Pray for peace, prepare for war.)
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To: churchillbuff

The Iraqi people had better get the guts to fight back at these Outsiders. I just saw a film and the majority of these Rats are Foreign to Iraq. Saudis,Kuwaitis,Jordanians,Egyptians, Syrians. If the iraqi
people keep protecting them they will take over and they will wish Saddam was back in Power.


9 posted on 06/04/2006 11:17:56 PM PDT by LtKerst (Lt Kerst)
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To: churchillbuff

At the risk of being flamed, I think it's fair to ask why, three years into the reconstitution of Iraq, these guys are still able to roam the streets of Baghdad at will.


10 posted on 06/04/2006 11:18:08 PM PDT by kms61
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To: TomasUSMC
I believe these are Al Qaeda Sunni extremists. Even the mullahs of Iran haven't been so stupid as to ban all of life's little pleasures. They would not be obeyed.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")

11 posted on 06/04/2006 11:19:01 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: kms61
Because the Iraqi police have been infiltrated and are otherwise corrupt.
12 posted on 06/04/2006 11:19:40 PM PDT by zarf
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To: churchillbuff
ban falafels, goatees at gunpoint

Both good ideas. I am posting my support for the goons on this one.

13 posted on 06/04/2006 11:27:20 PM PDT by sam_paine (X .................................)
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To: churchillbuff

shoot all the zealots


14 posted on 06/04/2006 11:32:43 PM PDT by LeoWindhorse
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To: churchillbuff

When falafel is outlawed, only outlaws will have falafel.

(Regardless of "theological impurities" it is damned tasty!)

Iraq needs more patriots willing to stand up and vow, "They can have my falafel when they pry it from my cold dead jaws."


15 posted on 06/04/2006 11:33:04 PM PDT by Triggerhippie (Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.)
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To: LeoWindhorse
"Death to all fanatics!"
--Malaclypse the Younger
16 posted on 06/04/2006 11:34:56 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Pray for peace, prepare for war.)
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To: churchillbuff

I'll take a Big McFalafel and a side of fries


17 posted on 06/04/2006 11:40:08 PM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life)
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To: I still care

"I said I was just feeding the people, but they said there were no falafels in Muhammad the prophet's time, so we shouldn't have them either."

"I felt like telling them there were no Kalashnikovs in Muhammad's time either, but I wanted to keep my life."

This would be a joke if they weren't killing people over it.


I'll bet they didn't have Halvah back then either. I have a feeling that if they try to take away halvah from the typical "man on the street", they'll find out what a real "uprising" is all about.

Arabs love their sweets, and IMO it just doesn't get much better than Halvah, which, like falafel, tahini, and various other foods, is also enjoyed by Arabs and Jews (and everyone else who's tasted it!) The main difference IMO is that everyone loves Halvah -- and as treats go, it's about as god as it gets.

Can you visualize the headlines? "Large group of terrorists found torn limb from limb after they attempted to forbid the consumption of halvah. Large group of smiling bystanders with sticky substance on lips and teeth claimed ignorance of the matter."

Peace through better confections, LOL!

18 posted on 06/05/2006 12:10:26 AM PDT by Don Joe (We've traded the Rule of Law for the Law of Rule.)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Thanks for the ping. I'm witholding judgement until I hear from Allegra - my BS meter is starting to tingle.
Why would you doubt it? This is SOP for that bunch. It's what they do. This is hardly a groundbreaking news; it's not like they're suddenly doing something different from their normal behavior.
19 posted on 06/05/2006 12:12:55 AM PDT by Don Joe (We've traded the Rule of Law for the Law of Rule.)
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To: Slings and Arrows; KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Can you please tell me what truth, if any, is behind this story?

I haven't seen any evidence of these things. In fact, one of our Iraqi employees brought us some food from a local restaurant Saturday (they do that once a week or so; it's much better than the chow hall crud) and there was falafel included.

Alcohol and pop music are still happening here as well. The liquor stores around Baghdad are open and thriving.

So if there's any truth at all to this story, it might be that something like this is happening and is isolated to some small area and the story's being grossly exaggerated. (Gosh! Imagine the media doing THAT!)

However, when my local buyer gets back from his rounds today I'm going to ask him about this.

20 posted on 06/05/2006 12:24:54 AM PDT by Allegra (Thread Hijacker Extraordinaire)
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