Nobel Laureate Naipaul is an Indo-Trinidadian of Hindu heritage who has written extensively about the radicalization of non-Arab Muslims. It would be interesting to get his thoughts on the development of Islamic fundamentalism in the Caribbean

Very polite, seems a reasonable man. The author uses kind language for his descriptors of Bakr in the beginning of the story, but he included enough info and examples to show the true Bakr, no matter his potential involvement in JFK.

as are his followers. The government of Trinidad failed her people when they gave him amnesty. Bakr now (correctly) sees the government as weak and this will only encourage him and his followers even more.

Any politician in any country that makes a deal with an Islamist is making a deal with the devil.

Very good points Tom. Salon, the article is a bit misleading as someone who was present in Trinidad during the time of the coup and knows details of the follow-up. You failed to mention that it was not the government of Trinidad and Tobago who ultimately gave amnesty to the group but the Privy Council - your reported "High Court" which is based in England. This had something to do with Trinidad and Tobago being a part of the Commonwealth. The Privy Council has made grave mistakes due to their lack of knowledge (interest?) in the country in many matters, this being the most notable. It was British officials who ultimately granted him amnesty which led to protests in Trinidad when the news broke. The next and most important factor I found that you omitted was the then Trinidadian president (note not Prime Minister), a Muslim and prominent member of the Muslim community (now deceased), Noor Hassanali. He was the driving force in restoring order to the country and defeating the coup. He was in England at the time of the takeover and rushed back to Trinidad to work with officials to restore the country. I believe he deserved some mention in the article when recounting the coup.

"a report pointing out that Trinidad and Tobago supply the U.S. with up to 80 percent of our natural gas, much of it shipped on tankers in liquid form"

not even close. all gas from T&T transported to the U.S. is in liquid form (LNG), and for now about 70-80% of our imported LNG comes from T&T, but LNG still forms a miniscule percentage of our overall natural gas use, less than 1% in 2001.

Instead of covering theses lightweights in Trinidad, maybe you could get your ace journalist, Mitchell Prothero to head back to the Palestinian Territories?

Really miss his Israel bashing in the guise of on-the-ground insights and objective journalism.

Where is Mitch these days anyway? Summer vacation in Trinidad? Starting an English school for Hamas terrorists? A waiter in a Tel Aviv restaurant?

Who in his official capacity as a South African senior government official told Palestinians yesterday to kill Jews.

http://supernatural.blogs.com/weblog/2007/06/kasrils-engagin.html

Makes Salon look like pikers.

From the article:

"Most Trinidadians still scoff at the idea of Bakr as a jihadist willing to wage war on the U.S., largely because they don't see how he would profit from it. To them, he is a gang leader out for money and power."

Sounds to me like Bakr is following in the footsteps of his prophet. The religion of peace was founded by a vicious man about whom the same could be said as was said about Bakr above.

Back to sleep, now, everyone......

Are you trying to suggest that somehow black south africans have any reason to identify with Israel in a positive manner? Please remember that the state of Israel was solidly on the side of the Apartheid SA government, and even helped them develope nuclear weapons for possible use on the blacks. I don't support calls to kill anyone of any stripe for any reason, but to somehow suggest or imply that there is not legitimate reason for hatred of Israel by black South Africans is sadly ridiculous and misses an opportunity to heal a very real rift between peoples. We ignore history at our own peril.

Answer: Are South African Zebras Black with White Stripes? Or White with Black Stripes?

Answer: They're Invisible with black and white stripes.

-- Michaelb2, your sarcasm says more about you, how you feel about this issue and the people on all sides involved than even the most verbose direct answer. Excluding your own, you really don't give a darn about anyone else. You feel absolutely certain of your position and consquences be damned. Your problem seems to arise when others don't have the same good feelings about you and yours that you do. Remember the old saying give a little to get a little? You want the right to hate and vilify others, yet have your position seen as above reproach. You are then ready to condemn and give arrogant/snide remarks as arguments when you don't like the sound of a differing opinion. Just so you know, a great many people of African descent around the world were deeply disappointed with Israel for being such close friends with the South African apartheid regime and supporting their policies. This does not mean that all such folks are anti-semites. Yet you sound as though you believe that being against bad behavior is anti-semetic if it involves Israel. You sad and self-centered hypocrite! You lack even a small amout of intellectual integrity to just come out and say what is really on your mind. You do not care about anyone except for your own people and that is that, everyone else can go to hell as far as you are concerned. That's what came across when I read many of your other posts at salon on related issues.

Do you remember your answer to my question about how many south africans may feel about the state of Israel?

"Answer: Are South African Zebras Black with White Stripes? Or White with Black Stripes?

Answer: They're Invisible with black and white stripes."

Sad sad sad. It is very sad that you believe that your hatred should result in love. Very sad and ignorant. There, now you can call me stupid or a bigot for not agreeing with you.

A better world is possible if we can all learn to work together toward it. If I have misinterpreted you and your words then I appologize, otherwise please try and become more open minded and acepting of others.