Afghan Commentary Post

    Arrest of Mohamoud Khalil is a Warning to Free Speech By Wahab Raofi The latest arrest of Mahmoud Khalil for political reasons silences critics, undermines justice and threatens our own freedom of speech. A Syrian-born Algerian citizen of Palestinian descent, Khalil had been a leader of pro-Palestine protests that consumed Columbia University’s campus life. His arrest by ICE for organizing protests and spreading hate speech against the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza — actions that resulted in civilian casualties — has ignited a heated debate on the issue of free speech as protected by the First Amendment. Many Americans believe expelling individuals for political speech sets a dangerous precedent, and outright political expulsions are rare. Instead, the U.S. government typically justifies such actions under legal violations, immigration laws or national security concerns. A statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said that Khali...

  The Mockery of ICC Justice: Why Duterte is Targeted While Putin, Netanyahu, and the Taliban  Walk Free? ICC's double standards undermine the international legal Order By Wahab Raofi On Tuesday, Philippine police arrested former President Rodrigo Duterte in Manila and sent him to the Netherlands to face charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC). “His arrest could bring victims and their families closer to justice and sends a clear message that no one is above the law. The Marcos government should swiftly surrender him to the ICC,” said Bryony Lau, Human Rights Watch’s deputy Asia director. But is this truly justice, or just a selective show of accountability? Is everyone really equal before the law? Mr. Lau, since you speak of justice, let me ask you: What about Russian President Vladimir Putin, responsible for the deaths of thousands in Ukraine? What about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accused of m...

    By Wahab Raofi Summary: Elon Musk’s efforts to bring private-sector efficiency to government operations is a compelling idea, and he could succeed if he take s a more precise, scalpel-like approach to trim unnecessary spending without jeopardizing essential functions of government. His approach has faced resistance from bureaucrats and government agencies alike . Appointed by President Trump to streamline the government, Elon Musk has been tasked with cutting wasteful spending and preventing fraud. On its face, it seems a laudable plan, but his efforts have opened significant cracks. One notable example occurred during a cabinet meeting with President Trump and about 20 others, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed frustration, accusing Musk of overstepping his bounds. According to The New York Times , Rubio had been privately critical of Musk for weeks, especially after Musk's team effectively shuttered an entire agency under Rubio's purview: the Unite...