Furqan Shaikh
@furqanshaikh.bsky.social
I write about Religion, Philosophy, Politics, History, and Books. Medical Scientist, Aspiring Novelist, Muslim, Liberal, Pro-Palestine.
Look who just earned my vote.
April 11, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Look who just earned my vote.
And another one 👇
March 30, 2025 at 1:43 AM
And another one 👇
The US waited until its target entered a building full of innocent civilians and then bombed the entire building.
Where have we seen that before?
Where have we seen that before?
March 27, 2025 at 3:59 PM
The US waited until its target entered a building full of innocent civilians and then bombed the entire building.
Where have we seen that before?
Where have we seen that before?
Incredible. “No Other Land,” a documentary made by Palestinians and Israelis, wins the Oscar. For two minutes, 20 million Americans get to listen to some truth and humanity.
March 3, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Incredible. “No Other Land,” a documentary made by Palestinians and Israelis, wins the Oscar. For two minutes, 20 million Americans get to listen to some truth and humanity.
The DSM-5 defines Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) as involving a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy. People with NPD often expect excessive recognition for their actions and may become resentful if they feel unappreciated.
March 2, 2025 at 4:56 AM
The DSM-5 defines Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) as involving a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy. People with NPD often expect excessive recognition for their actions and may become resentful if they feel unappreciated.
Powerful stuff from Omar El Akkad’s new book “One day, everyone will have always been against this”
March 2, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Powerful stuff from Omar El Akkad’s new book “One day, everyone will have always been against this”
I agreed strongly with this post and wanted to share it here.
“Our principles should NEVER be contingent on the behaviour of our oppressor!”
“Our principles should NEVER be contingent on the behaviour of our oppressor!”
February 21, 2025 at 4:37 AM
I agreed strongly with this post and wanted to share it here.
“Our principles should NEVER be contingent on the behaviour of our oppressor!”
“Our principles should NEVER be contingent on the behaviour of our oppressor!”
So this guy used history’s biggest example of a two-state solution as an analogy to argue for a one-state annexation. Talk about missing the plot.
February 14, 2025 at 5:26 AM
So this guy used history’s biggest example of a two-state solution as an analogy to argue for a one-state annexation. Talk about missing the plot.
Netanyahu giving a surprisingly succinct defence of Palestinian resistance:
“You want a different future, you got to knock out the people who want to destroy you and destroy peace.”
“You want a different future, you got to knock out the people who want to destroy you and destroy peace.”
February 5, 2025 at 3:43 AM
Netanyahu giving a surprisingly succinct defence of Palestinian resistance:
“You want a different future, you got to knock out the people who want to destroy you and destroy peace.”
“You want a different future, you got to knock out the people who want to destroy you and destroy peace.”
This poem is presciently called “The Second Coming”
February 1, 2025 at 4:08 AM
This poem is presciently called “The Second Coming”
Yes, it was DEI:
“Donald’s Entirely Incompetent”
“Donald’s Entirely Incompetent”
January 31, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Yes, it was DEI:
“Donald’s Entirely Incompetent”
“Donald’s Entirely Incompetent”
Historically, zionists had no problem calling their efforts “colonization” until that word took on a negative valence and became bad for PR.
So yes, it is colonization.
So yes, it is colonization.
January 29, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Historically, zionists had no problem calling their efforts “colonization” until that word took on a negative valence and became bad for PR.
So yes, it is colonization.
So yes, it is colonization.
As we honor Jimmy Carter tonight, let’s remember what he courageously said about Israel and Palestine.
December 30, 2024 at 1:36 AM
As we honor Jimmy Carter tonight, let’s remember what he courageously said about Israel and Palestine.
57/ If you want to read more about how this myth arose, here is an Article by Adam Roberts, President of the British Academy.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
In the abstract, Roberts says something very prescient: "The proposition, intended to alert the world to the importance of ..."
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
In the abstract, Roberts says something very prescient: "The proposition, intended to alert the world to the importance of ..."
December 28, 2024 at 12:39 AM
57/ If you want to read more about how this myth arose, here is an Article by Adam Roberts, President of the British Academy.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
In the abstract, Roberts says something very prescient: "The proposition, intended to alert the world to the importance of ..."
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
In the abstract, Roberts says something very prescient: "The proposition, intended to alert the world to the importance of ..."
In it's inaugural 2005 issue, the Human Security Report included an article entitled "The Myth of Civilian War Deaths" which traced the etiology described above. See Screenshot.
The Human Security Report is the most comprehensive annual survey of trends in warfare, genocide, and human rights abuses
The Human Security Report is the most comprehensive annual survey of trends in warfare, genocide, and human rights abuses
December 28, 2024 at 12:39 AM
In it's inaugural 2005 issue, the Human Security Report included an article entitled "The Myth of Civilian War Deaths" which traced the etiology described above. See Screenshot.
The Human Security Report is the most comprehensive annual survey of trends in warfare, genocide, and human rights abuses
The Human Security Report is the most comprehensive annual survey of trends in warfare, genocide, and human rights abuses
50/ Spencer likes to mention the US actions in Mosul. He cites it in nearly every article.
Mosul wasn't in the AOAV report of 2021, but we can look into the AOAV report of 2017.
The casualty ratio for all of Iraq in 2017 was 74%, or 1 to 3.
Mosul wasn't in the AOAV report of 2021, but we can look into the AOAV report of 2017.
The casualty ratio for all of Iraq in 2017 was 74%, or 1 to 3.
December 28, 2024 at 12:39 AM
50/ Spencer likes to mention the US actions in Mosul. He cites it in nearly every article.
Mosul wasn't in the AOAV report of 2021, but we can look into the AOAV report of 2017.
The casualty ratio for all of Iraq in 2017 was 74%, or 1 to 3.
Mosul wasn't in the AOAV report of 2021, but we can look into the AOAV report of 2017.
The casualty ratio for all of Iraq in 2017 was 74%, or 1 to 3.
49/ Here's another table from the AOAV report showing the ten worst explosive incidents in 2021. Again, what do you notice?
Apart from Israel, there's no Western power on the list. Its mostly terror attacks by groups like ISIS, Taliban, and the Assad regime.
That's the company Israel is keeping.
Apart from Israel, there's no Western power on the list. Its mostly terror attacks by groups like ISIS, Taliban, and the Assad regime.
That's the company Israel is keeping.
December 28, 2024 at 12:39 AM
49/ Here's another table from the AOAV report showing the ten worst explosive incidents in 2021. Again, what do you notice?
Apart from Israel, there's no Western power on the list. Its mostly terror attacks by groups like ISIS, Taliban, and the Assad regime.
That's the company Israel is keeping.
Apart from Israel, there's no Western power on the list. Its mostly terror attacks by groups like ISIS, Taliban, and the Assad regime.
That's the company Israel is keeping.
48/ In fact, Israel was the biggest state user of explosive weapons in 2021, Western or otherwise.
December 28, 2024 at 12:39 AM
48/ In fact, Israel was the biggest state user of explosive weapons in 2021, Western or otherwise.
47/ Look again at this table: the top 15 nations that contributed to the 1:9 statistic.
Do you see the United States or any Western power listed?
No. There's only one "Western" power in the list, and that's Israel.
Do you see the United States or any Western power listed?
No. There's only one "Western" power in the list, and that's Israel.
December 28, 2024 at 12:39 AM
47/ Look again at this table: the top 15 nations that contributed to the 1:9 statistic.
Do you see the United States or any Western power listed?
No. There's only one "Western" power in the list, and that's Israel.
Do you see the United States or any Western power listed?
No. There's only one "Western" power in the list, and that's Israel.
45/ Let's get to the FIFTH point.
Remember what Spencer wrote in that first paragraph of his first article? That 90% of casualties are noncombatants even when a WESTERN power like the United States is leading or supporting the campaign?
Remember what Spencer wrote in that first paragraph of his first article? That 90% of casualties are noncombatants even when a WESTERN power like the United States is leading or supporting the campaign?
December 28, 2024 at 12:39 AM
45/ Let's get to the FIFTH point.
Remember what Spencer wrote in that first paragraph of his first article? That 90% of casualties are noncombatants even when a WESTERN power like the United States is leading or supporting the campaign?
Remember what Spencer wrote in that first paragraph of his first article? That 90% of casualties are noncombatants even when a WESTERN power like the United States is leading or supporting the campaign?
41/ Spencer likes to say that combatants are 50% the deaths, but we will see in part 2 why that is simply not true. For now, I'm going to use the 1:3 fatality ratio (75%) that is supported by the AOAV as a very conservative and much more probable estimate.
December 28, 2024 at 12:39 AM
41/ Spencer likes to say that combatants are 50% the deaths, but we will see in part 2 why that is simply not true. For now, I'm going to use the 1:3 fatality ratio (75%) that is supported by the AOAV as a very conservative and much more probable estimate.
40/ But this is Israel's ratio back in 2021. What would be its combatant-to-civilian casualty ratio for the current way in Gaza, if we counted both deaths and injuries?
Let's do some math.
According to the MOH, the number of deaths in Gaza is 44,786 and of injuries is 106,188 as of Dec 2024.
Let's do some math.
According to the MOH, the number of deaths in Gaza is 44,786 and of injuries is 106,188 as of Dec 2024.
December 28, 2024 at 12:39 AM
40/ But this is Israel's ratio back in 2021. What would be its combatant-to-civilian casualty ratio for the current way in Gaza, if we counted both deaths and injuries?
Let's do some math.
According to the MOH, the number of deaths in Gaza is 44,786 and of injuries is 106,188 as of Dec 2024.
Let's do some math.
According to the MOH, the number of deaths in Gaza is 44,786 and of injuries is 106,188 as of Dec 2024.
39/ So what happened in May 2021?
The report already told us the answer.
The report already told us the answer.
December 28, 2024 at 12:39 AM
39/ So what happened in May 2021?
The report already told us the answer.
The report already told us the answer.
Let's look at the data in a figure instead of a table.
Here's the civilian (gold) and combatant (green) casualties by months of 2021.
For the most part, the two are close to each other (1:1) except in May 2021 when there's a big civilian spike, 1500 casualties higher than all the other months.
Here's the civilian (gold) and combatant (green) casualties by months of 2021.
For the most part, the two are close to each other (1:1) except in May 2021 when there's a big civilian spike, 1500 casualties higher than all the other months.
December 28, 2024 at 12:39 AM
Let's look at the data in a figure instead of a table.
Here's the civilian (gold) and combatant (green) casualties by months of 2021.
For the most part, the two are close to each other (1:1) except in May 2021 when there's a big civilian spike, 1500 casualties higher than all the other months.
Here's the civilian (gold) and combatant (green) casualties by months of 2021.
For the most part, the two are close to each other (1:1) except in May 2021 when there's a big civilian spike, 1500 casualties higher than all the other months.
Now look at the column "Percentage who were civilians."
Afghanistan is 55%, Syria is 57%, and Israel is a whopping 99%
Israel not only contributed to the big bad ratio of 1:9, it was the single most influential actor in arriving at the number.
The irony is so thick you could cut it with knife.
Afghanistan is 55%, Syria is 57%, and Israel is a whopping 99%
Israel not only contributed to the big bad ratio of 1:9, it was the single most influential actor in arriving at the number.
The irony is so thick you could cut it with knife.
December 28, 2024 at 12:39 AM
Now look at the column "Percentage who were civilians."
Afghanistan is 55%, Syria is 57%, and Israel is a whopping 99%
Israel not only contributed to the big bad ratio of 1:9, it was the single most influential actor in arriving at the number.
The irony is so thick you could cut it with knife.
Afghanistan is 55%, Syria is 57%, and Israel is a whopping 99%
Israel not only contributed to the big bad ratio of 1:9, it was the single most influential actor in arriving at the number.
The irony is so thick you could cut it with knife.