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| 17:57 UK time, Tuesday, 9 January 2007

Today we talked about Somalia, asking if it's ever ok for a state - wherever in the world - to pass laws that go against people's religious beliefs... Post your comment now.

You can read emails and text messages here, and of course post your own comments as well.

The programme started with a postcard from Iraq, from Sawsan, an iraqi woman who has been living in London for 10 years, who works with women refugees from Iraq here in Britain.

Somalia now, here's the first few texts:

Diligence, Nigeria.
It's dismal how people forget that terrorists only get language of violence! To people 9/11 wasnt bad, but bombing al qaeda in Somalia is.

Dauda in kaduna.
No doubt somalia will for ever be in conflict unless, justice is done and dominance interest is removed....

Mpairwe - UGANDA
The USA strikes in somalia will bring ultimate suffering to the ordinary citzens.they have made the situation worse.

Michael- Accra, Ghana
As far as i'm concerned it seems only the usa has the willpower to do what needs to be done. We need to remember this the language the terrorists understand.

Koshie, Ghana
I am begining to think the real threat to world peace is the United States of America.

Jaspher from kenya
The Somalis should appreciate and welcome the foreign forces to at least live and enjoy some peace.

We have just heard our second postcard, from Haider, who came to Britain in July 2005 to study after working for a foreign news organisation in Iraq. He explained why he decided to leave his home country and how he had been received in Britain.

Back from the news and we hear our third Iraqi postcard.
Mohammed - not his real name - and his wife ran a pharmacy in Baghdad. He says they were forced to flee to Amman, in neighbouring Jordan, in October 2005 after they were attacked because she refused to wear a headscarf. They belong to the Sabian faith, a non-Muslim minority in Iraq. They have applied for refugee status in Jordan.

We're now hearing from the lively sounding protests in London, where religious groups are gathering to protest against new laws banning discrimination against gay people in the provision of goods and services.

Arial, a protestor in London is talking to Sharon in Capetown about the issue, and Aaron, a gay man in the United States have joined the conversation. Here's some of the texts that are coming in:

MIKE, LONDON
if a state is basically secular it has every right to pass laws that might go against religious beliefs otherwise there would be anarchy.

Chris from Montreal
How sad. The poor Christians are being forced to accept other peoples life styles. Religious people want to have the right to discriminate against gays, while we have to respect their taboos. Ridiculous.

MIKE - UK
Christians are not discriminating against anyone, they are just trying to avoid being discriminated against themselves.

JIM - TORONTO
To say that it is acceptable to exclude yourself from anti-discriminationatory laws on the basis of personal belief is a dangerous precedent. Could such an argument be used by those with extreme political beliefs to exclude themselves from the laws of the land?

MIKE - Holland
This is a real laugh. All Christians are doing is using the Bible, very selectively, to thrash out at people certain Christians hate -- period.

REX, Iceland
So called 'Good Christians' have spat on me, beat me and refused me housing. Al because of my sexuality. I say BAN RELIGION

JB
As a gay man I disagree with the sentiment of the protest, but I sit at odds with the outright condemnation of this religious protest.

ANDY - UK
If christian hoteliers can hang a sign reading 'no gays', then gay hoteliers should be able to hang one which says 'no christians'. Imagine the reaction from the moronic right-wing press then!

Ken in Clevland has e-mailed this question:
To all of the protesters...
Whatever happened to the Christian motto "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" or "Judge not lest ye be judged"?

Dave at the protest is telling us why he isn't.

We're going back to Somalia now, due to overwhelming response in the first half of the programme.

Ndenwe
The world has always been a GHETTO where everybody is a gangster.The U.S attack on Somalia is not going to end terrorism. USA should abide by the phrase live & let live

Michael- Accra, Ghana
As far as i'm concerned it seems only the usa has the willpower to do what needs to be done. We need to remember this is the only language terrorists understand.

Kondwani, Malawi.
Americans are naive. They need to be subtle and learn to fight proxy wars.

ANON
Why is it that only one religion (Islam) in the world believed to be a tourorist ?


Jaspher from kenya
The Somalis should appreciate and welcome the foreign forces to at least live and enjoy some peace.

ANTI US ACTION
-----------------------------
MOIZ - Jeddah
The US has proven itself to be an autocratic republic. It always claims itself to be the bastion of Democracy & Freedom of thought but yet fails to honour it abroad.

VTOR - Brazil
Support? Since when does the US supports anyone? They are simply stepping into one more country. Al Qaeda is the greatest excuse the US has found to storm Muslim peoples.

AHMED, Kampala
US bombardment of Somalia is unfortunate as it is seen as a crusade by US against an Islamic country.

TYSON, USA
Do we have to get involved in another civil war? It seems to me that the Somalian and Ethiopian governments were taking care of the situation just fine and don't need the US at all.

Nick, UK
Does this mean the US would bomb London if they suspected a terror network there and were not satisfied with the way it was being dealt with by the UK authorities?


JASON - Canada
The only thing these air strikes accomplish is to inflame islamic sentiment for further attacks against American targets and to kill innocent people.

ANDREW - Tanzania
For the US to win this battle they need to match Al Qaeda on the ground. Their bombardments will just kill the innocent.

IBRAHIM, Canada
Let us assume that a handful of terrorists are hiding in Somali village or city. Does it justify the bombing? How about if those handful terrorists are hiding in a major western city ?

PRO US ACTION
-------------------------------
MOHAN - UK
US is justified in carrying out Air Strikes in Southern Somalia the activities of al-Qaeda need to be stopped wherever they are.

MURPH - Queensland, Australia
"one man's freedom fighter, is another man's terrorist. Game on."

Ekene - Nigeria
Americans may be a diplomatic pain in the butt but they're doing the necessary dirty jobs others don't want to do. The Somali government really need the help

JEFF, UK
It wouldn't matter what religion colour, or even species these terrorists were...you blow up US embassies and attack our allies, you become a target. Stop trying to turn this into a religious war. They attacked us, we retaliated.

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