Great: Huffpo Blogger Wants Sharia, Is Official Representative of Somalian Taliban (UPDATE: Works for CAIR)

Earlier I posted on the news that the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) led Somali Unity government had appointed an American citizen, Abukar Arman, to be their special envoy to the US. This would be the same ICU that we dubbed the African Taliban because of their support for Taliban-esque sharia law. The image to the right was taken at an ICU rally in Mogadishu shortly after they came to power the first time. Yes, that is Osama bin Laden.
In that post I asked if any one knew who Abukar Arman was. Thanks to dahozho, we learn that in addition to being a "community activist", Arman is also an author at the Huffington Post.
In this post Arman advocates the implementation of sharia law in Somalia. Ironically, since he's now working for a government that wishes to impose Taliban-like sharia, he argues that Taliban-like sharia isn't, you know, the real sharia:

If by Shariah we mean the Talibanesque, self-righteous, and unjust brand currently being practiced by the Somali Neo-Islamists known as al-Shabab and Hizbul Islam, the answer is: No.

As if the ICU didn't support similar if not the same type of sharia advanced by other Islamist groups in the country. I'm not sure I understand why any Muslim who has tasted freedom wants sharia. Even moderate Islamic jurisprudence calls for penalties for blasphemy, even if they sometimes eschew the death penalty. Hence, unless one resorts to definitional tricks -- like calling anything they like sharia, and anything they don't like not sharia -- then it seems that sharia is inherently antithetical to secular governance.
But let us assume that some very liberal forms of sharia can be reconciled with modernity. If history is any guide then unfortunately the government which he now apparently represents doesn't want that.
This would be the same government that killed a 22 year old apostate for leaving Islam and embracing Christianity. That banned the watching of movies in theaters.
Now, I'm not saying that ICU Islamists of Sharif Sheikh Ahmed aren't less despicable than those of the al Shabaab. Clearly, there is more order to the murders and oppression which would accompany a real consolidation of power in the ICU and its so-called Unity government. And since the al Shabaab is clearly aligned with al Qaeda (which, I note that Arman disputes -- even though Shabaab itself makes the claim) it makes a whole lot of sense that we have to deal with the ICU as there may be no better alternatives.more..

Somali Talaban President Appoints Special Envoy to the United States Apologist Abukar Arman Columbus' Hometown Jihad.. jihadists Ambassador