Turkey may censor Net access

Turkey's government continues to tighten its grip on communications. CNN reports that a Turkish parliamentary commission has approved legislation to block websites that insult Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Parliament still has to approve the legislation.

Meanwhile, blogger Kareem Amer remains in an Egyptian jail for criticizing the gang in charge of his country.

In the Islamic world, we're seeing two types of repressive governments: barbaric theocratic governments such as Iran's, and authoritarian secular governments such as Egypt's and Turkey's -- and, a few years ago, Iraq's under Saddam Hussein. They aren't very different in the end, but they're violently opposed to each other. One group models itself on Muhammad's fanatics, the other on all-powerful caliphs. It's what Ayn Rand called the conflict between the Witch Doctor and Attila -- one believing only in brute force, the other in the unquestionable commands of supernatural powers.

The prospect of open communication from other countries is a deadly threat to both groups. To hold power, they have to keep foreign ideas and facts out. But they're fighting a losing battle. Their only alternatives, in the end, will be to keep the whole world out or to watch the truth inexorably ooze around their defenses.

Update: Add Malaysia to the list; Reporters Without Borders says that the government is demanding registration of all bloggers.

Update 2: Or maybe it isn't.