The broader goal, it seems, is to keep both Shias and Sunnis in Pakistan busy and thereby break their united position on the Palestine and Lebanese resistance movements through the sectarian card.

This is the latest act of oppression in the cruel reign of terror initiated against the holy sites of Islam by the al-Saud dynasty. In 1925, the shrines for the four Imams and countless other companions and members of the Prophet's household in the Jannat al-Baqi and Jannat al-Mualla cemeteries were demolished by the government. Since then, the Saudi government has continued to destroy numerous other relics of Islamic history in the name of preventing "polytheism".

At a time when the world was up in arms, from South America to Europe, against Israeli brutality in the besieged Gaza strip, Egyptian silence and collusion in aggravating the humanitarian crisis by shutting off its borders, led to an inevitable collision course with the Arab masses. On its part, state-run Al-Jazeera intensified its criticism of the Egyptian stance, even more so after Mubarak's snub of the emergency Doha summit.

The financing for this campaign of hate of course came out of Saudi coffers. Shias were labeled Kafirs (non-Muslims), and violence against them was deemed permissible, and in many cases obligatory. Attacks on Shia mosques and religious gatherings began to occur, disturbing peace in the nation and affecting economic and government stability. The organization also carried out targeted killings of Shia academics, professionals, and religious scholars, the purpose being to intellectually and financially cripple the Shia community of Pakistan.

Morocco's foreign minister accused Iran of "cultural infiltration" and attempts to "implant the Shiite Muslim ideology" in the country. Specifics were scant, other than allegations of "Shiite activism" by Iran's diplomatic representatives.

With the proclaimed advent of a "new beginning" by the Obama administration, there is a pressing need for the peace movement to engage in a comprehensive study of the "New Middle East" agenda in its different aspects and dimensions. Our collective failure to critically examine this agenda on the one hand, and to circulate its underlying assumptions and necessary consequences to the Western public on the other, will inevitably expose the peace movement to accusations of adherence to an outdated, dogmatic discourse.

Both American and Pakistani human rights groups have acknowledged this near-genocide against Shias. The US Department of State's Country Report from 2008 stated that "Shia Muslims in Pakistan faced discrimination and societal violence" and confirmed the fact that Sunni Muslim extremist groups have published literature advocating violence against Shia Muslims.

Khadije Saqafi, wife of the leader of Islamic Revolution and founder of the Islamic Republic, the late Imam Khomeini, passed away in Tehran Saturday morning after a long period of illness. She was 93 years old.

Administration lawyers upheld the Bush Administration position that persons picked up around the world but transferred to Afghanistan and detained by U.S. forces there are not entitled to habeas corpus rights

Many Muslims from Saudi Arabia and beyond choose to visit Medina and the Prophet's Mosque outside of the Hajj season, particularly Shia Muslims, as they did this week.