Angry Reactions Result From News of "Jesus Scopes"

Muslim groups reacted angrily to the news that so-called "Jesus scopes" were being used by the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. The story, first reported by ABC News, noted that Michigan-based contractor Trijicon had sold up to 800,000 of the sights, which have coded Bibilical references, to the U.S. military.

A Trijicon spokesman said the practice began under its founder, Glyn Bindon, who was a devout Christian from South Africa. He was killed in a 2003 plane crash, ironically between Gunsight Mountain and Sheep Mountain in Alaska.

Upon hearing the news, Michael Weinstein, Founder and President of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation said: "It's wrong, it violates the Constitution, it violates a number of federal laws. It allows the Mujahedeen, the Taliban, al Qaeda and the insurrectionists and jihadists to claim they're being shot by Jesus rifles." The MRFF is an advocacy group that seeks to ensure the separation of church and state in the military.

The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) called for U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates to immediately withdraw from combat any equipment found to have inscriptions of Biblical references. MPAC Director Haris Tarin said in a statement, "Having Biblical references on military equipment violates the basic ideals and values our country was founded upon. Worse still, it provides propaganda ammo to extremists who claim there is a 'Crusader war against Islam' by the United States."

At least two other countries that buy scopes from Trijicon are reconsidering those purchases. First, in the U.K., a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence told the BBC that the ministry was contacting Trijicon, had been unaware of the markings at time of purchase, and realized that the markings might be considered offensive. Meanwhile, New Zealand's Defence Force told the New Zealand newspaper The Press that the Biblical quotes were "inappropriate" and would be removed. New Zealand will also ask Trijicon to remove the code from future shipments.

It is also true that the U.S. military has in place a non-proselytizing rule, to prevent providing the Taliban, al Qaeda and others such fuel for their insurgency. It is, howver, ironic, that scopes of this nature could provide ammo for our enemies.

Watch a video report:

Nubs the Dog and His Marine Master Appear on the "Today Show"

We first wrote about "Nubs the dog" way back in February of 2008. This miracle pet appeared on the Today Show today, with his master, and rescuer, Maj. Brian Dennis.

The reason for the Today Show visit with Meredith Veiera is an obvious one. It's the publication of a book, titled “Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle,” which was just published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers .

Dennis first met Nubs the dog in Oct. 2007. The name came from the fact that his ears had been lopped off, a common practice in Iraq meant to give another dog less to grab onto in a fight and also to make the dogs "tougher."

One day Dennis found Nubs the dog with a puncture wound in his side. He nursed the dog back to health and later learned the injury had been inflicted by a screwdriver.

Finally, however, Dennis' unit was going to move 70 miles away, to a new location. They couldn't take the dog with them; it was against the rules. That final day, Nubs the dog trotted alongside the Humvees as they left camp, as he always did. Dennis thought it was the last he would see of the dog.

But two days later, Nubs showed up at their new camp. It would be difficult to imagine the travails Nubs the dog faced during his trek to find Dennis and his unit again.

Eventually, the brass caught on, and said they had to get rid of the dog. Shipping Nubs the dog to Dennis' home of San Diego was going to take a substantial sum of money: $5,000. However, after Dennis fired off an e-mail to some friends, one the story hit local TV and the Internet, and the offers of help came flooding in.

Nubs the dog was shuttled through Jordan (and a veterinarian), then to Chicago, and finally to San Diego, in March of 2008. A month later, Dennis followed Nubs home.

The story is a heartwarming one, and one that shows not just the bonds of dog to man, but of man to dog. Dennis told Vieira:

“A lot of soldiers and Marines end up connecting with dogs out there. I heard from a lot of people who’ve been in Vietnam and even World War II. I guess it’s an escape. People who are dog people, they just get it. The dog comes running up to you with his tail wagging. It was an escape from the drudgery, the mundane life out there, the bad things you see at times. It was an escape and now it’s a friend.”

Watch the Today Show interview.

Police Arrest Iraqi-American Father Who Ran Over Westernized Daughter

Georgia police have arrested Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, who is suspected of running down his daughter because she was becoming too "Westernized" and was not living according to their traditional Iraqi values. The incident actually occurred in Arizona on Oct. 20, and Almaleki had been on the run.

The father was upset that his daughter, Noor Faleh Almaleki, 20, of Surprise, AZ, had become too "Westernized" and he aimed his car at her Oct. 20 in a Peoria, AZ parking lot. Noor Faleh Almaleki is currently hospitalized with serious injuries.

A second woman, 43-year-old Amal Edan Khalaf, also of Surprise, suffered non-life threatening injuries. Police say the women are roommates; additional information indicates that Khalaf is the mother of Almaleki's boyfriend.

Faleh Hassan Almaleki was arrested at the Atlanta airport when he arrived on a flight. It's unclear where he is currently being held.

Iraqi Shoe Thrower Killed by U.S. Soldiers

Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi was freed Tuesday spending nine months in jail for throwing his shoes at then-U.S. President George W. Bush during his last visit to Iran. One day later, on Wednesday, in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, a Fallujah man was shot and killed after throwing a shoe at a U.S. army vehicle.

According to witnesses, Ahmed Latif, 32, shouted abuse at the soldiers before throwing a shoe at a U.S. Army vehicle. He was shot dead as soldiers at first thought it was a grenade attack. The sole of the shoe is considered a severe insult in Arab cultures.

Further, witnesses indicated that Latif was mentally disturbed. The US military's official stance was that the incident was treated as a suspected grenade attack. They said:

“Positive identification of the attacker was made, and US forces fired in self-defence wounding the attacker.

“Local Iraqi police secured the scene and transported the wounded attacker to a local hospital for medical care."

It was later confirmed that Latif died of his wounds.

In the original incident, as he threw his shoes, Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi shouted in Arabic: "This is your farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq." Watch the video below.

Numerous Rewards Await Bush Shoe Thrower

Muntadar al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw both of his shoes at then U.S. President George W. Bush during a press conference in Iraq in December of 2008 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday. He was sentenced to one year, six months for each shoe, but he is being released early.

While huring his shoes at Bush, Al-Zaidi shouted "This is your farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq." The hilarious video is below.

No one has offered the "72 virgins" you might recall, but according to reports, Al-Zaidi has been offered a number of rewards for his "crime."

• The Emir of Qatar has pledged a golden statue of a horse

• An organisation headed by the daughter of Col Gaddafi of Libya awarded him a medal

• An Iraqi living in Morocco has offered the hand of his daughter and women from across the Arab world rang his newspaper asking to marry him

• His company has bought him a new house

• Businessmen have offered to club together to buy him a sports car

• He has been offered jobs by several Arab television networks

• A Saudi businessman offered to buy one of the shoes for $10 million, but they were instead tested for explosives by the US military and then burned

Is that enough reward for time in prison? You'd have to ask Al-Zaidi.

Watch the video:

Bush Shoe Thrower to Get Out Early, For Good Behavior

Remember Muntadar al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw both of his shoes at then U.S. President George W. Bush during a press conference in Iraq in December of 2008? He was sentenced to one year, 6 months for each shoe, but it now appears he will get out early.

The sole of the shoe is considered a severe insult in Arab cultures.

Originally, al-Zaidi had been sentenced to three years, but the sentence was reduced to 12 months because he had no prior record. According to his lawyer, Karim al-Shujairi, al-Zeidi will now be released on Sept. 14, three months early.

Apparently the early release is for good behavior. al-Shujairi said, "We have been informed officially about the court decision. His release will be a victory for the free and honorable Iraqi media."

al-Zaidi's act of defiance made him a national hero to many Iraqis. The Iraqi administration, of course, demonized him, but many Iraqis emulated his act in nationwide protests, and sales of the so-called "Bush Shoe" (the Ducati Model 271), skyrocketed.

Neither Bush, nor Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who was standing next to him, was injured, but Bush was forced to duck, and al-Maliki was embarrassed publicly. As he threw the shoes, al-Zaidi shouted in Arabic: "This is your farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq."

Watch the video below.