From JPost, 25 Feb 2011, by YAAKOV KATZ:
Israeli intelligence agencies are aware of additional Syrian nuclear facilities, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Thursday, amid reports that Syria was harboring a uranium conversion reactor near the town of Marj as-Sultan, about 15 km. east of Damascus.
The German Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper on Thursday identified the location of the site, which is suspected of containing a small uranium conversion facility that is functionally related to the covert reactor at al-Kibar that the Israel Air Force destroyed in September 2007.
According to the newspaper and a subsequent analysis of satellite footage by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), the facility is reportedly intended for processing uranium yellowcake into uranium tetrafluoride (UF4), and could have been related to making fuel for the reactor destroyed in 2007.
...Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya’alon was quoted as warning Syrian President Bashar Assad “not to challenge us... Assad has already proven that he has negative intentions...We know him as someone who is connected to Iran on one side and Hezbollah on the other.”
Minister-without-Portfolio Yossi Peled told Israel Radio that Israel would not allow hostile countries to obtain nuclear weapons....
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Libyan regime's crimes against humanity
From JPOST.COM STAFF AND ASSOCIATED PRESS, 26 Feb 2011:
...A UN Security Council draft resolution circulated council members on Friday says attacks against Libyan civilians may be "crimes against humanity."
The draft resolution, penned by France and Britain said that crimes committed in Libya may warrant prosecution by the International Criminal Court in the Hague. The draft also called for an arms embargo against Tripoli, for 23 of its top leaders to have their assets frozen and for travel bans placed against them. ...an annex to it listed Gaddafi, his children, inner circle and top security and military officials.
...[UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon] said he plans to travel to Washington on Monday to discuss the Libyan crisis with US President Barack Obama.
...The unanimous decision at the end of a daylong emergency meeting of the UN Human Rights Council was dramatically preceded by the public defection of all Libyan diplomats in Geneva to the opposition — swelling the rebellion of Libyan officials around the globe. Within hours Friday, senior Libyan diplomats in Portugal, France, Sweden and at the UN's cultural and education organization UNESCO announced their rejection of Gaddafi's regime.
..."The crackdown in Libya of peaceful demonstrations is escalating alarmingly with reported mass killings, arbitrary arrests, detention and torture of protesters," UN rights chief Navi Pillay told the 47-nation council. "Tanks, helicopters and military aircraft have reportedly been used indiscriminately to attack the protesters. According to some sources, thousands may have been killed or injured."
...In an unprecedented move against one of its own members, they also called for Libya's ouster from the council. That decision has to be approved by a two-thirds majority in the 192-nation UN General Assembly, which is expected to meet on the matter next week...
...A UN Security Council draft resolution circulated council members on Friday says attacks against Libyan civilians may be "crimes against humanity."
The draft resolution, penned by France and Britain said that crimes committed in Libya may warrant prosecution by the International Criminal Court in the Hague. The draft also called for an arms embargo against Tripoli, for 23 of its top leaders to have their assets frozen and for travel bans placed against them. ...an annex to it listed Gaddafi, his children, inner circle and top security and military officials.
...[UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon] said he plans to travel to Washington on Monday to discuss the Libyan crisis with US President Barack Obama.
...The unanimous decision at the end of a daylong emergency meeting of the UN Human Rights Council was dramatically preceded by the public defection of all Libyan diplomats in Geneva to the opposition — swelling the rebellion of Libyan officials around the globe. Within hours Friday, senior Libyan diplomats in Portugal, France, Sweden and at the UN's cultural and education organization UNESCO announced their rejection of Gaddafi's regime.
..."The crackdown in Libya of peaceful demonstrations is escalating alarmingly with reported mass killings, arbitrary arrests, detention and torture of protesters," UN rights chief Navi Pillay told the 47-nation council. "Tanks, helicopters and military aircraft have reportedly been used indiscriminately to attack the protesters. According to some sources, thousands may have been killed or injured."
...In an unprecedented move against one of its own members, they also called for Libya's ouster from the council. That decision has to be approved by a two-thirds majority in the 192-nation UN General Assembly, which is expected to meet on the matter next week...
Friday, February 25, 2011
No.1 Nazi War Criminal Dr. Sandor Kepiro Indicted
From The Simon Wiesenthal Center, February 14, 2011:
Jerusalem-The Simon Wiesenthal Center today expressed its deep satisfaction that the number one suspect on its list of most wanted Nazi war criminals, former Hungarian gendarmerie officer Dr. Sandor Kepiro, was officially charged with war crimes today in Budapest in connection with his role in the mass murders of hundreds of innocent civilians carried out by Hungarian military and gendarmerie forces in the area of the Serbian city of Novi Sad in late January 1942.
...Israel director Dr. Efraim Zuroff, who tracked down Kepiro and in August 2006 informed the Hungarian justice authorities that he was residing in Budapest, the Center noted the significance of the indictment and its importance for the victims of Kepiro’s crimes and their families, as well as for Hungarian and Serbian society...
Jerusalem-The Simon Wiesenthal Center today expressed its deep satisfaction that the number one suspect on its list of most wanted Nazi war criminals, former Hungarian gendarmerie officer Dr. Sandor Kepiro, was officially charged with war crimes today in Budapest in connection with his role in the mass murders of hundreds of innocent civilians carried out by Hungarian military and gendarmerie forces in the area of the Serbian city of Novi Sad in late January 1942. ...Israel director Dr. Efraim Zuroff, who tracked down Kepiro and in August 2006 informed the Hungarian justice authorities that he was residing in Budapest, the Center noted the significance of the indictment and its importance for the victims of Kepiro’s crimes and their families, as well as for Hungarian and Serbian society...
Sweeping the eccentric, nasty, and repressive tyrant Qadhdhāfi into the dustbin of history
From The National Review Online, February 24, 2011, by Daniel Pipes:
The violent demise of the Middle East's longest-ruling leader – who came to office in September 1969, just a few months after Richard Nixon ...[is welcome].
Gaddafi (for the record, the correct spelling of his name is Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhāfi) began his rule at the tender age of 27, just as Pan-Arabist ideology was dying down; undeterred, long after others had given up on this fantasy, he remained a proponent of the notion of turning all Arabic countries into one gigantic whole. Eventually frustrated with Arabic-speakers, where the small population of Libya limited his influence, he turned south, where his outsized energy income bestowed real clout in Africa.
Fortunately for the world, every one of his hare-brained schemes came to naught. What I observed in 1981 still holds true: "For all Qadhdhafi's hyperactivity, he rarely gets his way; empty promises and fanaticism on his part have repeatedly undermined his ceaseless efforts to project power. … Qadhdhafi has won many battles but not a single war."
How deeply satisfying will it be to watch as a brave and desperate people sweep this eccentric, nasty, and repressive tyrant into the dustbin of history. How gratifying that he has alienated nearly the entire world, even the U.N. Security Council. May his ugly example serve as a permanent warning to other dictators who make war on their populations..
The violent demise of the Middle East's longest-ruling leader – who came to office in September 1969, just a few months after Richard Nixon ...[is welcome].
 Moammer Gaddafi in regalia. |
Fortunately for the world, every one of his hare-brained schemes came to naught. What I observed in 1981 still holds true: "For all Qadhdhafi's hyperactivity, he rarely gets his way; empty promises and fanaticism on his part have repeatedly undermined his ceaseless efforts to project power. … Qadhdhafi has won many battles but not a single war."
How deeply satisfying will it be to watch as a brave and desperate people sweep this eccentric, nasty, and repressive tyrant into the dustbin of history. How gratifying that he has alienated nearly the entire world, even the U.N. Security Council. May his ugly example serve as a permanent warning to other dictators who make war on their populations..
Egypt tries to reconcile 'Twin Terrors' Hamas and Fatah
From IsraelNationalNews, 25 Feb 2011, by Gil Ronen:
The Egyptian effort to mediate between Hamas and Fatah has resumed, Wasel Abu Yousef, a member of the PLO Executive Committee, said Thursday.
Abu Yousef said that senior Egyptian intelligence officer Muhammad Ibrahim will meet the Palestinian Authority senior leadership under Mahmoud Abbas next week, and will also confer with leaders of other "streams and national forces" in order to end the rift within the PA.
In an interview with Arab news agency Quds.net, Abu Yousef said that Muhammad Ibrahim's visit to the PA signals that Egypt has gone back to its role in sponsoring reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah.
...Both Hamas and Fatah are terror militias that also have political sections.
Since 1993, Israeli governments have treated Fatah as a legitimate political force, despite the fact that it continues to honor terrorist child-murderers while its subgroups take pride in point-blank executions of Jewish civilians.
Under deposed Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, then-Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman was the person in charge of reconciling the feuding terror militias. Suleiman is now the Deputy President of Egypt but he announced that Mubarak had transferred his powers to the army.
The Egyptian effort to mediate between Hamas and Fatah has resumed, Wasel Abu Yousef, a member of the PLO Executive Committee, said Thursday.
Abu Yousef said that senior Egyptian intelligence officer Muhammad Ibrahim will meet the Palestinian Authority senior leadership under Mahmoud Abbas next week, and will also confer with leaders of other "streams and national forces" in order to end the rift within the PA.
In an interview with Arab news agency Quds.net, Abu Yousef said that Muhammad Ibrahim's visit to the PA signals that Egypt has gone back to its role in sponsoring reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah.
...Both Hamas and Fatah are terror militias that also have political sections.
Since 1993, Israeli governments have treated Fatah as a legitimate political force, despite the fact that it continues to honor terrorist child-murderers while its subgroups take pride in point-blank executions of Jewish civilians.
Under deposed Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, then-Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman was the person in charge of reconciling the feuding terror militias. Suleiman is now the Deputy President of Egypt but he announced that Mubarak had transferred his powers to the army.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Does the Arab World Truly Want a "Palestine"?
From Middle East Quarterly, January 25, 2011, by Alessandra Grace:
A briefing by Efraim Karsh
Efraim Karsh is editor of the Middle East Quarterly and Professor of Middle East and Mediterranean Studies at King's College London. He served as an intelligence officer in the Israel Defense Forces for seven years before obtaining graduate and doctoral degrees in international relations from Tel Aviv University. He is the author of fifteen books, including Arafat's War, Islamic Imperialism, and most recently Palestine Betrayed. On January 25th, he addressed the Middle East Forum on what the leaked Palestine Papers reveal about Arab and Palestinian aspirations for a Palestinian state.
According to Mr. Karsh, the documents recently released from Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations shed some light on the position of the Palestinian leadership and neighboring Arab states toward the creation of a Palestinian state. By tracing the history of both parties, Mr. Karsh stated that neither party has ever been, nor is, truly interested in forming a Palestinian state.
He began by discussing the Arab states, arguing that they have never wanted a Palestinian state and have done the utmost to sabotage its formation. He noted that in the 1920s, both Jordan and Syria attempted to annex the territory of Palestine for themselves. He further observed that while this is not entirely surprising, it is surprising that Palestinian leaders themselves appear to not want an independent state either.
In support of this point, he outlined the history of Palestinian leadership from the founding of the PLO. For example, Arafat had opportunities to establish a state in both 1993, with the Oslo Accords, and 2000, with the Camp David meeting. In 1993, he "made sure it would be a failure," and in 2000 he rejected Barak's offer, opting for war.
Lastly, Mr. Karsh addressed the leaked documents. He emphasized the fact that their authenticity have yet to be verified, and that the Palestinian leadership has denied their validity. He underscored that if they are authentic, they may indicate that Palestinian leadership has started thinking in terms of statehood. Yet the most interesting part of the documents has been the reaction to them: the Arab world has dished out criticism and accused the leadership of betraying the Palestinian cause, even though the concessions they agreed to were minimal in comparison to those agreed to in exchange by Israel. For those who do want a two-state solution, Mr. Karsh concluded, the documents could serve as a glimmer of hope.
A briefing by Efraim Karsh
Multimedia for this itemAudio Recording  |
Efraim Karsh is editor of the Middle East Quarterly and Professor of Middle East and Mediterranean Studies at King's College London. He served as an intelligence officer in the Israel Defense Forces for seven years before obtaining graduate and doctoral degrees in international relations from Tel Aviv University. He is the author of fifteen books, including Arafat's War, Islamic Imperialism, and most recently Palestine Betrayed. On January 25th, he addressed the Middle East Forum on what the leaked Palestine Papers reveal about Arab and Palestinian aspirations for a Palestinian state.
According to Mr. Karsh, the documents recently released from Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations shed some light on the position of the Palestinian leadership and neighboring Arab states toward the creation of a Palestinian state. By tracing the history of both parties, Mr. Karsh stated that neither party has ever been, nor is, truly interested in forming a Palestinian state.
He began by discussing the Arab states, arguing that they have never wanted a Palestinian state and have done the utmost to sabotage its formation. He noted that in the 1920s, both Jordan and Syria attempted to annex the territory of Palestine for themselves. He further observed that while this is not entirely surprising, it is surprising that Palestinian leaders themselves appear to not want an independent state either.
In support of this point, he outlined the history of Palestinian leadership from the founding of the PLO. For example, Arafat had opportunities to establish a state in both 1993, with the Oslo Accords, and 2000, with the Camp David meeting. In 1993, he "made sure it would be a failure," and in 2000 he rejected Barak's offer, opting for war.
Lastly, Mr. Karsh addressed the leaked documents. He emphasized the fact that their authenticity have yet to be verified, and that the Palestinian leadership has denied their validity. He underscored that if they are authentic, they may indicate that Palestinian leadership has started thinking in terms of statehood. Yet the most interesting part of the documents has been the reaction to them: the Arab world has dished out criticism and accused the leadership of betraying the Palestinian cause, even though the concessions they agreed to were minimal in comparison to those agreed to in exchange by Israel. For those who do want a two-state solution, Mr. Karsh concluded, the documents could serve as a glimmer of hope.
Extreme "Human Rights" activism
A Islamist antisemite and supporter of genocide is outed by David Horowitz at a speech during "Israel Apartheid Week" at the University of California San Diego. Horowitz was hosted by Young Americans for Freedom.
Follow this link to visit the Horowitz Freedom Center Website.
Follow this link to visit the Horowitz Freedom Center Website.
Civil War in Libya
From Canada Post, 24 Feb 2011, by Paul Schemm:
Libya's east celebrates freedom from Gadhafi and braces for his assault
TOBRUK, Libya — Thousands in the coastal town of Tobruk celebrated their freedom from Moammar Gadhafi on Wednesday by waving flags of the old monarchy, honking horns and firing guns in the air around a city square where he once executed people.
Officers in the army units that had defected to the rebellion against Libya's leader for the past four decades pledged to defend this "liberated territory" with their lives, despite Gadhafi's threats Tuesday to retake it.
"The army in the east is with all the people," declared Maj. Salma Faraj Issa, a top aide to the general commanding the army units from Tobruk. Those units rebelled against Gadhafi after being ordered to open fire on people.
"We're ready for him if he does attack. We have rocket launchers and other weapons. We know there will be deaths, but we are prepared," said Issa, a robust woman wearing fatigues, with dyed blond hair and gold eye shadow.
Gadhafi's hold on the rest of the country slipped further amid an uprising spreading across the Arab world, inspired by the toppling of leaders in neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia. Cities and towns closer to the capital of Tripoli reportedly fell into the hands of the rebellion against his rule. Two air force pilots ejected from their fighter jet and let it crash in the desert rather than follow orders to bomb and opposition-held city.
In Tripoli, a force of militia roamed the streets to keep demonstrators from gathering.
Issa and her commanding officer arrived in Tobruk with several cars and trucks bursting with uniformed soldiers that came to join the demonstration in the main square. Some fired assault rifles in the air. In the distance could be heard the heavy staccato of a belt-fed machine-gun.
The various military units in the east have now unified their command into a single operations room, said Lt. Col. Omar Hamza of an air defence brigade as he watched the demonstrations from the street.
"They are trying to convince the others (army units in the west) to join them," he said, and were looking for ways to help the people of Tripoli, which many in the town said they had heard were being killed in large numbers.
Residents echoed the soldiers' defiance, saying they would die before accepting Gadhafi's rule again as each stepped forward to express their hatred for their longtime leader.
The raucous celebration just five days after Gadhafi lost control of this port town may have stemmed in part from the presence of journalists, just now trickling across the nearby Egyptian border.
Libyans were eager to make sure the world knew about their struggle against Gadhafi and the many crimes he committed, whether it was imprisoning their relatives or squandering the country's oil wealth on adventures in Africa instead of spending it at home.
"You see this town," said resident Ali Mohammed, gesturing to the ramshackle main square and modest buildings. "It is small. There have been no changes over the years because our petrol money goes to African mercenaries and nuclear weapons to protect Gadhafi."
Spray-painted anti-Gadhafi graffiti covered many of the buildings around the square, which was overlooked by a burned-out police station and a small, single story building that had also been gutted by fire.
"This is the place where they gathered information about people who didn't like Moammar," said Mohammed, pointing to the local branch of the Revolutionary Committees.
According to Gadhafi's ideas of permanent revolution, the country was governed by a decentralized system of local committees that would see to the people's needs. Most described them now as corrupt and oppressive, and their headquarters were torched around the country when the demonstrations began.
People just wanting to apply for advanced degrees would have to go to the committee headquarters and prove their support for the leader, a process that could take months, Mohammed said.
Residents described arbitrary cuts in water or electricity but were unable to appeal to any kind of local government, as lodging complaints with the Revolutionary Committees could result in imprisonment.
Unlike most in this town filled with young people, Hossein Hossi has grey hair and can remember the days before Gadhafi's 1969 overthrow of King Idris — the monarch whose flag has become the new emblem of the revolution.
Tobruk, which was the site of a famous World War II battle for control of North Africa and houses a cemetery for the Allied dead, once hosted regular visitors from Britain and other countries, he recalled. Since Gadhafi came to power, they were cut off.
He also described in horror how during one Ramadan in 1986 Gadhafi ordered nightly hangings in the main square.
"In 42 years, he turned Libya upside-down," said Hossi. "Here the leader is a devil. There is no one in the world like him."
It was on Feb. 17 that Tobruk started to shake itself free of Gadhafi's long rule, as young people demonstrated in the main square and then threw rocks and stones at the police station when they were fired at.
"After seeing what happened in Tunisia and Egypt, people thought that if they stayed together they could have an effect," said Matog Saleh, 22, trying to explain why the people finally rose up after so long.
"There is not one person down there that doesn't have a bad story from him," he said while standing on the roof of the mosque watching the demonstrators wave flags and anti-Gadhafi signs in the square below. "Everyone has a relative that they don't know where they are."
Other than the burned-out symbols of the old regime, Tobruk seems intact and residents say that, at least for now, everything seems to be running fine in the total absence of central authority.
People banded together to form public defence committees to provide security and they have opened up welfare organizations to ensure people have enough to eat.
On the roads outside of town, near the new security checkpoints, residents handed out bottled water and juice to passing motorists, while flashing the V-for-victory sign to celebrate the uprising.
"I'm actually proud to be a Libyan now. My people have put themselves in front of tanks and airstrikes to get rid of dictator," Saleh said.
Libya's east celebrates freedom from Gadhafi and braces for his assault
TOBRUK, Libya — Thousands in the coastal town of Tobruk celebrated their freedom from Moammar Gadhafi on Wednesday by waving flags of the old monarchy, honking horns and firing guns in the air around a city square where he once executed people.
Officers in the army units that had defected to the rebellion against Libya's leader for the past four decades pledged to defend this "liberated territory" with their lives, despite Gadhafi's threats Tuesday to retake it.
"The army in the east is with all the people," declared Maj. Salma Faraj Issa, a top aide to the general commanding the army units from Tobruk. Those units rebelled against Gadhafi after being ordered to open fire on people.
"We're ready for him if he does attack. We have rocket launchers and other weapons. We know there will be deaths, but we are prepared," said Issa, a robust woman wearing fatigues, with dyed blond hair and gold eye shadow.
Gadhafi's hold on the rest of the country slipped further amid an uprising spreading across the Arab world, inspired by the toppling of leaders in neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia. Cities and towns closer to the capital of Tripoli reportedly fell into the hands of the rebellion against his rule. Two air force pilots ejected from their fighter jet and let it crash in the desert rather than follow orders to bomb and opposition-held city.
In Tripoli, a force of militia roamed the streets to keep demonstrators from gathering.
Issa and her commanding officer arrived in Tobruk with several cars and trucks bursting with uniformed soldiers that came to join the demonstration in the main square. Some fired assault rifles in the air. In the distance could be heard the heavy staccato of a belt-fed machine-gun.
The various military units in the east have now unified their command into a single operations room, said Lt. Col. Omar Hamza of an air defence brigade as he watched the demonstrations from the street.
"They are trying to convince the others (army units in the west) to join them," he said, and were looking for ways to help the people of Tripoli, which many in the town said they had heard were being killed in large numbers.
Residents echoed the soldiers' defiance, saying they would die before accepting Gadhafi's rule again as each stepped forward to express their hatred for their longtime leader.
The raucous celebration just five days after Gadhafi lost control of this port town may have stemmed in part from the presence of journalists, just now trickling across the nearby Egyptian border.
Libyans were eager to make sure the world knew about their struggle against Gadhafi and the many crimes he committed, whether it was imprisoning their relatives or squandering the country's oil wealth on adventures in Africa instead of spending it at home.
"You see this town," said resident Ali Mohammed, gesturing to the ramshackle main square and modest buildings. "It is small. There have been no changes over the years because our petrol money goes to African mercenaries and nuclear weapons to protect Gadhafi."
Spray-painted anti-Gadhafi graffiti covered many of the buildings around the square, which was overlooked by a burned-out police station and a small, single story building that had also been gutted by fire.
"This is the place where they gathered information about people who didn't like Moammar," said Mohammed, pointing to the local branch of the Revolutionary Committees.
According to Gadhafi's ideas of permanent revolution, the country was governed by a decentralized system of local committees that would see to the people's needs. Most described them now as corrupt and oppressive, and their headquarters were torched around the country when the demonstrations began.
People just wanting to apply for advanced degrees would have to go to the committee headquarters and prove their support for the leader, a process that could take months, Mohammed said.
Residents described arbitrary cuts in water or electricity but were unable to appeal to any kind of local government, as lodging complaints with the Revolutionary Committees could result in imprisonment.
Unlike most in this town filled with young people, Hossein Hossi has grey hair and can remember the days before Gadhafi's 1969 overthrow of King Idris — the monarch whose flag has become the new emblem of the revolution.
Tobruk, which was the site of a famous World War II battle for control of North Africa and houses a cemetery for the Allied dead, once hosted regular visitors from Britain and other countries, he recalled. Since Gadhafi came to power, they were cut off.
He also described in horror how during one Ramadan in 1986 Gadhafi ordered nightly hangings in the main square.
"In 42 years, he turned Libya upside-down," said Hossi. "Here the leader is a devil. There is no one in the world like him."
It was on Feb. 17 that Tobruk started to shake itself free of Gadhafi's long rule, as young people demonstrated in the main square and then threw rocks and stones at the police station when they were fired at.
"After seeing what happened in Tunisia and Egypt, people thought that if they stayed together they could have an effect," said Matog Saleh, 22, trying to explain why the people finally rose up after so long.
"There is not one person down there that doesn't have a bad story from him," he said while standing on the roof of the mosque watching the demonstrators wave flags and anti-Gadhafi signs in the square below. "Everyone has a relative that they don't know where they are."
Other than the burned-out symbols of the old regime, Tobruk seems intact and residents say that, at least for now, everything seems to be running fine in the total absence of central authority.
People banded together to form public defence committees to provide security and they have opened up welfare organizations to ensure people have enough to eat.
On the roads outside of town, near the new security checkpoints, residents handed out bottled water and juice to passing motorists, while flashing the V-for-victory sign to celebrate the uprising.
"I'm actually proud to be a Libyan now. My people have put themselves in front of tanks and airstrikes to get rid of dictator," Saleh said.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
United ...in bashing Israel
From Pajamas Media, February 22, 2011
...Number of UN Security Council presidential statements or resolutions on the current atrocities perpetrated by Arab and Muslim dictators in Iran, Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia,Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain. ZERO
Number of meetings called by the Security Council to discuss and consider a possible resolution or presidential statement on any of these countries. ZERO
Number of special sessions called by the Human Rights Council to draw attention to, discuss, consider a possible resolution or decision on the current atrocities perpetrated by Arab and Muslim dictators in Iran, Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia,Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain. ZERO
Number of resolutions or decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council about the lack of democracy and brutality of the governments of Arab and Muslim dictators in Iran, Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia,Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain. ZERO
Current Members of the UN Human Rights Council: Libya; Saudi Arabia; Bahrain; Egypt just concluded a three-year term in 2010.
Number of Special Sessions on country situations called by the Human Rights Council on Israel: 50% (6 of 12)
Number of Resolutions and Decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council critical of the human rights record of specific states directed at Israel: 50% (41 of 83)...
...Number of UN Security Council presidential statements or resolutions on the current atrocities perpetrated by Arab and Muslim dictators in Iran, Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia,Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain. ZERO
Number of meetings called by the Security Council to discuss and consider a possible resolution or presidential statement on any of these countries. ZERO
Number of special sessions called by the Human Rights Council to draw attention to, discuss, consider a possible resolution or decision on the current atrocities perpetrated by Arab and Muslim dictators in Iran, Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia,Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain. ZERO
Number of resolutions or decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council about the lack of democracy and brutality of the governments of Arab and Muslim dictators in Iran, Libya, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia,Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain. ZERO
Current Members of the UN Human Rights Council: Libya; Saudi Arabia; Bahrain; Egypt just concluded a three-year term in 2010.
Number of Special Sessions on country situations called by the Human Rights Council on Israel: 50% (6 of 12)
Number of Resolutions and Decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council critical of the human rights record of specific states directed at Israel: 50% (41 of 83)...
Exposing Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood: Jihad Against Jews, Judaism, and Israel
From a CRUCIAL NEW REPORT ("Hitler Put Them in Their Place: Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood’s Jihad Against Jews, Judaism, and Israel"), released February 22, 2011, by Dr. Harold Brackman, the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Senior Historic Consultant:
...In Their Own Words:
THE DEATH CULT: “Degradation and dishonour are the results of the love of this world. Therefore, prepare for jihad and be the lovers of death. . . . Death is an art, and the most exquisite of arts when practiced by the skilful artist.”
———Brotherhood Founder Hassan al-Banna (c. 1940)
VIOLENCE: “History does not write its lines except with. Glory does not build its lofty edifice except with skulls. Honor and respect cannot be established except on a foundation of cripples and corpses.”
———Brotherhood Leader and Osama bin Laden’s Teacher, Abdullah Azzam (2003)
DEMOCRACY: “Democracy contradicts and wages war on Islam. Whoever calls for democracy means they are raising banners contradicting God’s plan and fighting Islam.”
———Brotherhood Supreme Spiritual Leader, Mustapha Mashour (1981)
KILL THE JEWS: “The Versailles Treaty was a disaster for the Germans as well as the Arabs. But the Germans know how to get rid of the Jews. . . . the Germans have never harmed any Muslim, and they are again fighting our common enemy who persecuted Arabs and Muslims. But most of all, they have definitely solved the Jewish problem. Arabs! Rise as one to protect your sacred rights. Kill the Jews wherever you find them. . . . God is with you.”
———Brotherhood Ally, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammad Amin al-Husayni (1943)
HITLER’S FINAL SOLUTION: “Throughout history, Allah has imposed upon the [Jews] who would punish them for their corruption. The last punishment was carried out by Hitler. By means of all the things he did to them—even though they exaggerated this issue—he managed to put them in their place.”
——————Muslim Brotherhood’s Current Spiritual Head Yusuf el-Qaradawi (2009)
THE FUTURE OF PEACE: “There is no dialogue between us [Muslims and Jews] except by the sword and rifle. . . . [We pray Allah] to take this oppressive, Jewish, Zionist band of people. . . . do not spare a single one of them. . . . count their numbers and kill them down to the very last one.”
———Muslim Brotherhood’s Current Spiritual Head, Yusuf al-Qaradawi (2009)
PLANS FOR AMERICA: “[North America is] a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the
believers so that it is eliminated and God’s religion is made victorious over all other religions.”
———Member of the Brotherhood U.S. Shura Council, Mohammed Akram, from a secret memo (1991)
WAR WITH ISRAEL: “[We will] continue to raise the banner of jihad against the Jews, [our] first and foremost enemies. . . . . resistance is the only solution against the Zio-American arrogance and tyranny, and all we need is for the Arab and Muslim peoples to stand behind it and support it. . . . We say to our brothers the mujahideen in Gaza: be patient, persist in [your jihad], and know that Allah is with you.”
———Current Brotherhood Supreme Leader, Mohamed Badi (2010)...
Follow the link to download this impactful report, which presents an "unsanitized history of the Muslim Brotherhood," and traces the evolution of its beliefs, goals and tactics. It presents an unflinching look at the Brotherhood's genocidal Jew-hatred and sheds light on The Brotherhood's global reach and its emerging impact on Egypt in the balance. (Includes full citations of the original sources for the above quotes.)
See this previous posting about the deceptive face presented by Muslim Brotherhood apologists in The West.
...In Their Own Words:
THE DEATH CULT: “Degradation and dishonour are the results of the love of this world. Therefore, prepare for jihad and be the lovers of death. . . . Death is an art, and the most exquisite of arts when practiced by the skilful artist.”
———Brotherhood Founder Hassan al-Banna (c. 1940)
VIOLENCE: “History does not write its lines except with. Glory does not build its lofty edifice except with skulls. Honor and respect cannot be established except on a foundation of cripples and corpses.”
———Brotherhood Leader and Osama bin Laden’s Teacher, Abdullah Azzam (2003)
DEMOCRACY: “Democracy contradicts and wages war on Islam. Whoever calls for democracy means they are raising banners contradicting God’s plan and fighting Islam.”
———Brotherhood Supreme Spiritual Leader, Mustapha Mashour (1981)
KILL THE JEWS: “The Versailles Treaty was a disaster for the Germans as well as the Arabs. But the Germans know how to get rid of the Jews. . . . the Germans have never harmed any Muslim, and they are again fighting our common enemy who persecuted Arabs and Muslims. But most of all, they have definitely solved the Jewish problem. Arabs! Rise as one to protect your sacred rights. Kill the Jews wherever you find them. . . . God is with you.”
———Brotherhood Ally, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammad Amin al-Husayni (1943)
HITLER’S FINAL SOLUTION: “Throughout history, Allah has imposed upon the [Jews] who would punish them for their corruption. The last punishment was carried out by Hitler. By means of all the things he did to them—even though they exaggerated this issue—he managed to put them in their place.”
——————Muslim Brotherhood’s Current Spiritual Head Yusuf el-Qaradawi (2009)
THE FUTURE OF PEACE: “There is no dialogue between us [Muslims and Jews] except by the sword and rifle. . . . [We pray Allah] to take this oppressive, Jewish, Zionist band of people. . . . do not spare a single one of them. . . . count their numbers and kill them down to the very last one.”
———Muslim Brotherhood’s Current Spiritual Head, Yusuf al-Qaradawi (2009)
PLANS FOR AMERICA: “[North America is] a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the
believers so that it is eliminated and God’s religion is made victorious over all other religions.”
———Member of the Brotherhood U.S. Shura Council, Mohammed Akram, from a secret memo (1991)
WAR WITH ISRAEL: “[We will] continue to raise the banner of jihad against the Jews, [our] first and foremost enemies. . . . . resistance is the only solution against the Zio-American arrogance and tyranny, and all we need is for the Arab and Muslim peoples to stand behind it and support it. . . . We say to our brothers the mujahideen in Gaza: be patient, persist in [your jihad], and know that Allah is with you.”
———Current Brotherhood Supreme Leader, Mohamed Badi (2010)...
Follow the link to download this impactful report, which presents an "unsanitized history of the Muslim Brotherhood," and traces the evolution of its beliefs, goals and tactics. It presents an unflinching look at the Brotherhood's genocidal Jew-hatred and sheds light on The Brotherhood's global reach and its emerging impact on Egypt in the balance. (Includes full citations of the original sources for the above quotes.)
See this previous posting about the deceptive face presented by Muslim Brotherhood apologists in The West.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Coming Plagues of Egypt
From BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 131, February 21, 2011, by Dr. Mordechai Kedar*:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In Egypt, there is almost no social contract to govern the conduct of its citizens – as there is in democratic societies. The norm, then, is to behave without inhibition, and violent confrontation is usually the standard response to conflict. With Mubarak out of the picture, and with the behavior of democratic society not yet learned, it seems likely that in the near term Egypt will be a society plagued by political intrigue and instability – providing alarming headlines almost daily. The governments of the world must be alert and vigilant for developments that could threaten the Suez Canal, the peace with Israel and regional stability.
...The citizen in a democracy imposes upon himself a strict etiquette: not to push; not to steal; not to harass women and girls; not to harm or insult others; to stop at a red light, even if it is three o'clock in the morning; not to cheat in business; to hold the door open for the person behind you; to stand in line; not to behave in a socially unacceptable manner; and other such dos and don'ts which the citizen in a democratic society feels obligated to abide by at every moment. He upholds these rules not out of fear of the regime (which is in no way intimidating), but out of self-discipline and conviction that only thus can a society run smoothly.
Thus, a democratic society is one that is based upon the self-restraint of its citizens, and this self-restraint allows society to live a life of freedom and comfort...
In Egypt, however,...there is no such social contract – no rules, no laws, no restraints and no self-dictatorship. Each person does as he chooses at any given moment with no self-restraint or consideration for others, unguided by even the most basic rules of conduct. A red traffic light is a mere recommendation; bribery is the norm; anyone can build what he wants where he wants; any manager can appoint his sons, daughters and brothers-in-law to any position under him, irrespective of their qualifications; and resorting to violence against the weak is widely prevalent. The individual feels free to act on his impulses and is not required to answer for his actions and misdemeanors.
...In democratic societies, groups develop codes of conflict management through legitimate means such as debate, public organization and peaceful demonstration. Everyone abides by the same "rules of the game" which enable all groups, even if they differ in worldview and agenda, to coexist and conduct open, fair and non-violent public debate among themselves. In contrast, in a society lacking democratic experience there are no political rules, no limitations, no restraints or constraints. Groups tend to enter into violent confrontation on every issue. In fact, the Egyptian regime executed heads of the Muslim Brotherhood, while the Brotherhood and other organizations assassinated President Sadat, ministers of the Interior and police officers.
Egyptian society has just been released from the grip of Mubarak's regime. The current situation in Egypt resembles a pressure cooker whose lid has been suddenly removed. The general population's awareness of legitimate tools for conflict management have yet to form, and each group sets demands, develops expectations and is prepared to launch a struggle – sometimes violent – to realize its aspirations.
Instances of assault on police stations, looting of museums, government offices and supermarkets and even sexual assault (as CBS's Lara Logan experienced) are the result of such lawlessness, and such behavior may prevail in Egypt for some time. This is similar to what we witnessed in Iraq after the ousting of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Terrorist attacks by Islamic groups should not be ruled out either.
The army has now suspended the constitution for six months in order to impose order; in other words, to put the lid back on the pressure cooker. Nevertheless, Mubarak's National Democratic Party, the Wafd party, the Nasserites, the Socialists, the Communists, the extremist religious groups, of course, and the various "Muslim Brotherhood" Islamists will all attempt to pull in their own direction. ...Such internal struggles could create a political vacuum, drawing in foreign interference. Iran, Hamas, Hizballah and al-Qaeda are all waiting to be “called-in” for assistance by one or another Egyptian faction. Much the same happened in Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam's regime in April 2003, and to this day the Iraqi domestic political system has not yet stabilized.
The army will endeavor to lower the flames, or smother them, should they get too high. While the army has thus far not expressed any desire to take power into its hands permanently, it is certainly possible that after whetting its appetite the army will "discover" a taste for ruling, and Egypt will revert to the rule of generals.
The Muslim Brotherhood have now demanded a repeat of the elections for the Legislative Council (Majlis a-Sha'b), held last November, whose results were clearly "fixed" by Mubarak's regime. The Brotherhood won only one seat out of 454, when their electoral strength might have earned them over half the seats. If the army responds to their demands and holds fair elections, we might see an Egyptian parliament with an Islamic majority, such as in Turkey, which will appoint a government with an Islamist agenda. An Islamist president elected in fair elections together with an Islamist parliament might change the constitution to prevent the passing of the country into secular hands, as was done in Iran after the 1979 Islamist revolution.
The coming period could indeed be one of social and political unrest in Egypt, with governments rising and falling, an elected parliament unable to function, a military refraining from taking power despite its authority to do so and politicians forming and rapidly changing allies within a short period. We may also witness a series of political assassinations, as the quarreling camps seek ascendancy.
This situation of unrest could awaken within many Egyptians the wish to bring to Egypt a strong and dependable figure, with a clear, unwavering agenda. The choice will probably be one of the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, such as Sheikh Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi. Al-Qaradawi is a celebrated Egyptian in the Arab and Muslim world, an eloquent speaker, well-read and knowledgeable, and a practically-permanent guest on the "Shari'a and Life" program on Aljazeera TV. Already this past weekend, he was back preaching in Cairo, and could yet be called upon to rescue Egypt from chaos, leading the country in the Islamist direction.
In the near term, then, Egypt will likely be a society plagued by a whirlpool of political intrigue and instability – providing alarming headlines almost daily. The governments of the world must be alert and vigilant for developments that could threaten the Suez Canal, the peace with Israel and regional stability.
*Lt. Col. (res.) Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a 25-year veteran of Israeli military intelligence, is a senior research associate at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In Egypt, there is almost no social contract to govern the conduct of its citizens – as there is in democratic societies. The norm, then, is to behave without inhibition, and violent confrontation is usually the standard response to conflict. With Mubarak out of the picture, and with the behavior of democratic society not yet learned, it seems likely that in the near term Egypt will be a society plagued by political intrigue and instability – providing alarming headlines almost daily. The governments of the world must be alert and vigilant for developments that could threaten the Suez Canal, the peace with Israel and regional stability.
...The citizen in a democracy imposes upon himself a strict etiquette: not to push; not to steal; not to harass women and girls; not to harm or insult others; to stop at a red light, even if it is three o'clock in the morning; not to cheat in business; to hold the door open for the person behind you; to stand in line; not to behave in a socially unacceptable manner; and other such dos and don'ts which the citizen in a democratic society feels obligated to abide by at every moment. He upholds these rules not out of fear of the regime (which is in no way intimidating), but out of self-discipline and conviction that only thus can a society run smoothly.
Thus, a democratic society is one that is based upon the self-restraint of its citizens, and this self-restraint allows society to live a life of freedom and comfort...
In Egypt, however,...there is no such social contract – no rules, no laws, no restraints and no self-dictatorship. Each person does as he chooses at any given moment with no self-restraint or consideration for others, unguided by even the most basic rules of conduct. A red traffic light is a mere recommendation; bribery is the norm; anyone can build what he wants where he wants; any manager can appoint his sons, daughters and brothers-in-law to any position under him, irrespective of their qualifications; and resorting to violence against the weak is widely prevalent. The individual feels free to act on his impulses and is not required to answer for his actions and misdemeanors.
...In democratic societies, groups develop codes of conflict management through legitimate means such as debate, public organization and peaceful demonstration. Everyone abides by the same "rules of the game" which enable all groups, even if they differ in worldview and agenda, to coexist and conduct open, fair and non-violent public debate among themselves. In contrast, in a society lacking democratic experience there are no political rules, no limitations, no restraints or constraints. Groups tend to enter into violent confrontation on every issue. In fact, the Egyptian regime executed heads of the Muslim Brotherhood, while the Brotherhood and other organizations assassinated President Sadat, ministers of the Interior and police officers.
Egyptian society has just been released from the grip of Mubarak's regime. The current situation in Egypt resembles a pressure cooker whose lid has been suddenly removed. The general population's awareness of legitimate tools for conflict management have yet to form, and each group sets demands, develops expectations and is prepared to launch a struggle – sometimes violent – to realize its aspirations.
Instances of assault on police stations, looting of museums, government offices and supermarkets and even sexual assault (as CBS's Lara Logan experienced) are the result of such lawlessness, and such behavior may prevail in Egypt for some time. This is similar to what we witnessed in Iraq after the ousting of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Terrorist attacks by Islamic groups should not be ruled out either.
The army has now suspended the constitution for six months in order to impose order; in other words, to put the lid back on the pressure cooker. Nevertheless, Mubarak's National Democratic Party, the Wafd party, the Nasserites, the Socialists, the Communists, the extremist religious groups, of course, and the various "Muslim Brotherhood" Islamists will all attempt to pull in their own direction. ...Such internal struggles could create a political vacuum, drawing in foreign interference. Iran, Hamas, Hizballah and al-Qaeda are all waiting to be “called-in” for assistance by one or another Egyptian faction. Much the same happened in Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam's regime in April 2003, and to this day the Iraqi domestic political system has not yet stabilized.
The army will endeavor to lower the flames, or smother them, should they get too high. While the army has thus far not expressed any desire to take power into its hands permanently, it is certainly possible that after whetting its appetite the army will "discover" a taste for ruling, and Egypt will revert to the rule of generals.
The Muslim Brotherhood have now demanded a repeat of the elections for the Legislative Council (Majlis a-Sha'b), held last November, whose results were clearly "fixed" by Mubarak's regime. The Brotherhood won only one seat out of 454, when their electoral strength might have earned them over half the seats. If the army responds to their demands and holds fair elections, we might see an Egyptian parliament with an Islamic majority, such as in Turkey, which will appoint a government with an Islamist agenda. An Islamist president elected in fair elections together with an Islamist parliament might change the constitution to prevent the passing of the country into secular hands, as was done in Iran after the 1979 Islamist revolution.
The coming period could indeed be one of social and political unrest in Egypt, with governments rising and falling, an elected parliament unable to function, a military refraining from taking power despite its authority to do so and politicians forming and rapidly changing allies within a short period. We may also witness a series of political assassinations, as the quarreling camps seek ascendancy.
This situation of unrest could awaken within many Egyptians the wish to bring to Egypt a strong and dependable figure, with a clear, unwavering agenda. The choice will probably be one of the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, such as Sheikh Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi. Al-Qaradawi is a celebrated Egyptian in the Arab and Muslim world, an eloquent speaker, well-read and knowledgeable, and a practically-permanent guest on the "Shari'a and Life" program on Aljazeera TV. Already this past weekend, he was back preaching in Cairo, and could yet be called upon to rescue Egypt from chaos, leading the country in the Islamist direction.
In the near term, then, Egypt will likely be a society plagued by a whirlpool of political intrigue and instability – providing alarming headlines almost daily. The governments of the world must be alert and vigilant for developments that could threaten the Suez Canal, the peace with Israel and regional stability.
*Lt. Col. (res.) Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a 25-year veteran of Israeli military intelligence, is a senior research associate at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Israel: A unique Western Ally
From YnetNews, February 18, 2011, by Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger:
The seismic developments in Egypt and throughout the Arab Middle East highlight Israel's unique contribution to vital US interests.
The significance of Israel's strategic added-value is underlined by uncertain and shifty Arab ideologies, policies, alliances and allegiances, by the increasing vulnerability of pro-US Arab regimes, the intensifying unruly nature of Arab societies, the exacerbation of Islamic terrorism, the Iranian nuclear threat, the deepening penetration of the Arab Middle East by Russia and China, the recent erosion of the US posture of deterrence and the expected US evacuation of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Israel's reliability, capability, credibility, stability, democracy and non-conditional alliance with the USA are anomalous in the Middle East.
Egypt - a beneficiary of billions of dollars and state of the art US military systems – enhances strategic ties with North Korea, Russia and China, agitates the Horn of Africa and Sudan, consistently votes against the US at the UN and institutionalizes hate-education. A post-Mubarak regime could overtly join an anti-US axis.
Iran's Shah had access to the most advanced US military systems. However, the Shah was toppled; from a staunch US ally, Iran was transformed into the most effective anti-US regime in the world.
Libya's King Idris granted the US, in 1954, the use of Wheelus Air Base, which became the largest US Air Force base outside the USA. In 1969, Colonel Qaddafi overthrew King Idris and Wheelus serviced the Soviet Air Force.
Turkey shifted, in 2002, from a corner stone of the US and NATO posture of deterrence to a major pro-Russia supporter of the anti-US Iran-Syria axis.
Jordan –a recipient of US foreign aid – was one of only two Arab regimes which supported Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Jordan's port of Aqaba became Saddam's most critical route of supplies during the preparations for the 1991 US-Iraq War.
Iraq was pro-Western until the1958 anti-Western coup. However, Saddam Hussein – who ruled Iraq since 1979 - gained the confidence of the US. Therefore, he benefitted from a shared-intelligence agreement, the transfer of sensitive dual-use American technologies and $5BN loan guarantees, until his invasion of Kuwait.
Yemen was assisted by the US in its war against Aden and has benefited from US foreign aid. Still, Sana'a supported Saddam's invasion of Kuwait and hosts anti-US Islamic terrorists, while occasionally fighting them.
Saudi Arabia depends on the US for its survival in the face of lethal regional threats. The 1991 and 2003 US Gulf Wars were largely induced by the concern of a Saddam takeover of Saudi Arabia. However, Riyad bankrolls the operations of anti-US Islamic organizations in the US and anti-US Islamic terrorists.
Israel, on the other hand, was described by the late General Alexander Haig, who was a Supreme Commander of NATO and a US Secretary of State, as
General John Keegan, a former chief of US Air Force Intelligence determined that Israel's contribution to the US intelligence was "equal to five CIAs."
Senator Daniel Inouye, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and former Chairman of the Intelligence Committee:
In 1981, Israel bombed Iraq's nuclear reactor, thus sparing the US a nuclear confrontation with Iraq in 1991 and 2003. In 1982 and 2007, Israel demolished Soviet surface-to-air missile batteries operated by Syria and a Syrian-Iranian-North Korean nuclear reactor in Syria. The battle tactics – which were the first ever to penetrate such advanced Soviet/Russian defense systems - were shared with the US Air Force, enhancing the US military edge over Moscow.
In 2011, US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan benefit from Israel's experience in combating Improvised Explosive Devices, car bombs and suicide bombers.
The Jewish State constitutes the most advanced battle-tested laboratory for US military systems. The F-16 jet fighter includes over 600 Israeli-induced modifications, which saved the manufacturer billions of dollars and many years of research & development. Hundreds of additional US military systems, operated by Israel, generate similar benefits, according the US defense industries a global competitive edge and expanding US export and employment.
Upgrading the current mutually-beneficial US-Israel strategic cooperation is required in light of the aforementioned benefits, and in response to the turmoil in Egypt and its potential regional ripple effects, while the US lowers its military profile in the region. For example:
The seismic developments in Egypt and throughout the Arab Middle East highlight Israel's unique contribution to vital US interests.
The significance of Israel's strategic added-value is underlined by uncertain and shifty Arab ideologies, policies, alliances and allegiances, by the increasing vulnerability of pro-US Arab regimes, the intensifying unruly nature of Arab societies, the exacerbation of Islamic terrorism, the Iranian nuclear threat, the deepening penetration of the Arab Middle East by Russia and China, the recent erosion of the US posture of deterrence and the expected US evacuation of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Israel's reliability, capability, credibility, stability, democracy and non-conditional alliance with the USA are anomalous in the Middle East.
Egypt - a beneficiary of billions of dollars and state of the art US military systems – enhances strategic ties with North Korea, Russia and China, agitates the Horn of Africa and Sudan, consistently votes against the US at the UN and institutionalizes hate-education. A post-Mubarak regime could overtly join an anti-US axis.
Iran's Shah had access to the most advanced US military systems. However, the Shah was toppled; from a staunch US ally, Iran was transformed into the most effective anti-US regime in the world.
Libya's King Idris granted the US, in 1954, the use of Wheelus Air Base, which became the largest US Air Force base outside the USA. In 1969, Colonel Qaddafi overthrew King Idris and Wheelus serviced the Soviet Air Force.
Turkey shifted, in 2002, from a corner stone of the US and NATO posture of deterrence to a major pro-Russia supporter of the anti-US Iran-Syria axis.
Jordan –a recipient of US foreign aid – was one of only two Arab regimes which supported Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Jordan's port of Aqaba became Saddam's most critical route of supplies during the preparations for the 1991 US-Iraq War.
Iraq was pro-Western until the1958 anti-Western coup. However, Saddam Hussein – who ruled Iraq since 1979 - gained the confidence of the US. Therefore, he benefitted from a shared-intelligence agreement, the transfer of sensitive dual-use American technologies and $5BN loan guarantees, until his invasion of Kuwait.
Yemen was assisted by the US in its war against Aden and has benefited from US foreign aid. Still, Sana'a supported Saddam's invasion of Kuwait and hosts anti-US Islamic terrorists, while occasionally fighting them.
Saudi Arabia depends on the US for its survival in the face of lethal regional threats. The 1991 and 2003 US Gulf Wars were largely induced by the concern of a Saddam takeover of Saudi Arabia. However, Riyad bankrolls the operations of anti-US Islamic organizations in the US and anti-US Islamic terrorists.
Israel, on the other hand, was described by the late General Alexander Haig, who was a Supreme Commander of NATO and a US Secretary of State, as
"the largest US aircraft carrier, which does not require even one US soldier, cannot be sunk, is the most cost-effective and battle-tested, located in a region which is critical to vital US interests. If there would not be an Israel, the US would have to deploy real aircraft carriers, along with tens of thousands of US soldiers, which would cost tens of billions of dollars annually, dragging the US unnecessarily into local, regional and global conflicts. All of which is spared by the Jewish State."For example, in 1970, pro-Soviet Syria invaded Jordan, threatening a domino scenario into the oil-rich Persian Gulf. The US military was preoccupied with Vietnam and could not deploy troops to Jordan. Israel was asked to mobilize its military, and the Syrian invasion was rolled back. Thus, Israel denied the USSR a major coup and spared the US a potential economic disaster, without deploying a single US soldier.
General John Keegan, a former chief of US Air Force Intelligence determined that Israel's contribution to the US intelligence was "equal to five CIAs."
Senator Daniel Inouye, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and former Chairman of the Intelligence Committee:
"The intelligence received from Israel exceeds the intelligence received from all NATO countries combined."He assessed that Soviet military hardware which was transferred, by Israel, to the USA (P-12 Soviet radar in 1969, Mig-21 and Mig-23 Soviet fighter aircraft in 1966 and 1989 respectively, etc.) tilted the global balance of power in favor of the USA and amounted to a mega-billion dollar bonus to the USA.
In 1981, Israel bombed Iraq's nuclear reactor, thus sparing the US a nuclear confrontation with Iraq in 1991 and 2003. In 1982 and 2007, Israel demolished Soviet surface-to-air missile batteries operated by Syria and a Syrian-Iranian-North Korean nuclear reactor in Syria. The battle tactics – which were the first ever to penetrate such advanced Soviet/Russian defense systems - were shared with the US Air Force, enhancing the US military edge over Moscow.
In 2011, US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan benefit from Israel's experience in combating Improvised Explosive Devices, car bombs and suicide bombers.
The Jewish State constitutes the most advanced battle-tested laboratory for US military systems. The F-16 jet fighter includes over 600 Israeli-induced modifications, which saved the manufacturer billions of dollars and many years of research & development. Hundreds of additional US military systems, operated by Israel, generate similar benefits, according the US defense industries a global competitive edge and expanding US export and employment.
Upgrading the current mutually-beneficial US-Israel strategic cooperation is required in light of the aforementioned benefits, and in response to the turmoil in Egypt and its potential regional ripple effects, while the US lowers its military profile in the region. For example:
- Upgrading the port facilities of Ashdod for use by the Sixth Fleet;
- Pre-positioning, in Israel, US homeland security systems, combat aircraft, missiles, tanks and armed personnel carriers, which would expedite US missions to preserve pro-US Arab regimes;
- Constructing, in Israel, US military facilities;
- Establishing a bi-national defense industrial cooperation fund, leveraging each country's competitive edge.
Enhancement of US-Israel strategic ties is natural and imperative in light of Israel's capabilities and the unique US-Israel common denominator: shared-values, joint-interests and mutual-threats.
WAKE UP! Islamism is bringing the frog to the boil.
From Pajamas Media, 19 Feb 2011, by Rachel Lipsky:
On Dec 4th I attended an interfaith event about which I wrote an article on Pajamas Media, “Where Islamism starts, Interfaith Dialogue Stops.”
At the event, I wanted to share a quote from a document stating the mission of the Muslim Brotherhood in the U.S: “a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within [...].”
To my dismay, as I was about to read the quote, the host, Rev. Yorty, wouldn’t allow me to do so, stating that he did not want to discuss politics. However, he and his cosponsor guest, Reform Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld, allowed other participants to defame Israel with impunity. For them, criticizing Israel did not seem to fall under the rubric of “discussing politics.”
I left the room, not imagining that within weeks I would face these individuals with such low moral standing yet again.
But on January 29th, two Muslim Brotherhood affiliate organizations — the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and the Muslim Students Association (MSA) — invited and sponsored Imam Rauf as a keynote speaker at the University of Buffalo. And who do you think participated in the interfaith panel session along with Imam Rauf? You guessed correctly. The same Presbyterian Pastor Thomas Yorty and his cosponsor Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld, who joined Imam Rauf to discuss “how Americans of all faiths can work together for lasting peace.” They both spoke favorably of Imam Rauf and supported the work of MPAC. Overall, the interfaith session was devoid of any theological substance. Instead, the same superficial clichés often repeated during these events were offered yet again with petty statements like “We need to improve our knowledge of other people’s religions.” Of course, during the first event I tried to “improve our knowledge” of the political tenet of Islam, but to no avail. They sabotaged critical thinking and rejected any dissent from their rigid narrow-minded creed.
In the Q&A last session with Imam Rauf, a question was asked about persecution of Christians in the Middle East. Pastor Yorty responded: “Christian persecution is not a topic I know much about.” If the pastor knows nothing about his fellow Christians (hundreds of thousands of murdered Christians in the past three decades), how can he be trusted on interfaith dialogue between Muslims and Christians?
The rabbi’s response to the same question was that Christian persecution in the Middle East is NOT religiously oriented; rather, it’s all political. For example, he stated that Christians who left Beit Lechem did it because of “political fear.” Unfortunately, this stunning response was not followed with any evidence.
Next, a question was asked about the rise of the new anti-Semitism. Rabbi Rosenfeld responded that “lousy economics” has been the reason for the hatred, assuring the mostly Muslim audience of some 150 individuals that anti-Semitism is currently “much less than ever before.” The rabbi also blamed the media for exaggerating anti-Semitism. Surely, the “rabbi” is unaware that his statement is strongly contradicted by the FBI, the CIA, and the U.S. State Department.
The same Rabbi Rosenfeld showed no inhibition in mocking his political opponents. He referred to those who raise the alarm on the supremacist doctrine of Islam as “wacko” and “extremists” and even asked his embracing audience: “don’t you have to laugh at some of these people?” The rabbi’s partner, Pastor Yorty, used the word “haters” to describe opponents of his views.
I primarily attended this event to hear what the controversial Imam Rauf had to say. Yet I found the comments of the pastor and the rabbi more distressing. This is not because Imam Rauf has gone through an epiphany and now displays a drastic change of heart. After all, I have heard the imam a few times throughout the years, at the Chautauqua Institution, and I am used to his polished tone and deceptive language.
The organizer of this program is the president of MPAC Western New York chapter and on their national board. In Feb. 2008, Dr. Khalid J. Qazi ran a similar program titled “Understanding Islam,” together with the aforementioned Rev. Yorty. There, Mr. Qazi falsely asserted that Israeli laws institute hate, that Jews rejoice when Palestinians are murdered, and that Jews “got all the goodies after World War II.” While he persistently attacked Israel and Jews, he barely addressed the topic of “Understanding Islam.” Additionally, in the MPAC newsletter of April 2009, Qazi asks “how and why the world could stand by while the state of Israel is subjecting Palestinians to a Holocaust in their own homeland.”
In spite of these outrageous and offensive statements by Dr. Qazi, he still has been accepted by his Jewish and Christian counterparts — while, at the same time, they demonstrate contempt toward their opponents, who are genuinely concerned about what Dr. Qazi and his like really are all about.
Lt. Col. Allen West, newly elected Republican congressman from the state of Florida, shared his concise assessment of political Islam during a panel discussion on the topic. “This is not a religion,” he said, that “you are fighting against. You are fighting against a theo-political belief system [... and] until you get principled leadership in the United States of America that is willing to say that, we will continue to chase our tail, because we’ll never clearly define who this enemy is.”
The question for Rabbi Rosenfeld, Rev. Yorty, and their supporters is: how can they label people with differing viewpoints, or anyone challenging their views, as “extremists” and “wackos”? Is this an honest dialogue? Where is the “principled leadership” among Jewish and Christian clergy who would take the politically incorrect stand and clearly spell out what we are up against? We need ordained religious leaders with intellectual honesty to come forward and let their voices be heard.
One positive outcome to draw from Egypt’s crisis is the public’s elevated awareness about the Muslim Brotherhood. It is now clearer to many that the Brotherhood’s members are exploiting our open societies and political system right here in our own communities.
The media’s role in deflating the Brotherhood’s dangerous agenda is profound. But other segments of our society are equally guilty. And so, to learn how steadily and consistently the West is losing to a totalitarian political doctrine, read this account. On the surface it may seem an insignificant episode, but assuming it is the model for interfaith or “twinning” devotees, it should be illuminating.On Dec 4th I attended an interfaith event about which I wrote an article on Pajamas Media, “Where Islamism starts, Interfaith Dialogue Stops.”
At the event, I wanted to share a quote from a document stating the mission of the Muslim Brotherhood in the U.S: “a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within [...].”
To my dismay, as I was about to read the quote, the host, Rev. Yorty, wouldn’t allow me to do so, stating that he did not want to discuss politics. However, he and his cosponsor guest, Reform Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld, allowed other participants to defame Israel with impunity. For them, criticizing Israel did not seem to fall under the rubric of “discussing politics.”
I left the room, not imagining that within weeks I would face these individuals with such low moral standing yet again.
But on January 29th, two Muslim Brotherhood affiliate organizations — the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and the Muslim Students Association (MSA) — invited and sponsored Imam Rauf as a keynote speaker at the University of Buffalo. And who do you think participated in the interfaith panel session along with Imam Rauf? You guessed correctly. The same Presbyterian Pastor Thomas Yorty and his cosponsor Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld, who joined Imam Rauf to discuss “how Americans of all faiths can work together for lasting peace.” They both spoke favorably of Imam Rauf and supported the work of MPAC. Overall, the interfaith session was devoid of any theological substance. Instead, the same superficial clichés often repeated during these events were offered yet again with petty statements like “We need to improve our knowledge of other people’s religions.” Of course, during the first event I tried to “improve our knowledge” of the political tenet of Islam, but to no avail. They sabotaged critical thinking and rejected any dissent from their rigid narrow-minded creed.
In the Q&A last session with Imam Rauf, a question was asked about persecution of Christians in the Middle East. Pastor Yorty responded: “Christian persecution is not a topic I know much about.” If the pastor knows nothing about his fellow Christians (hundreds of thousands of murdered Christians in the past three decades), how can he be trusted on interfaith dialogue between Muslims and Christians?
The rabbi’s response to the same question was that Christian persecution in the Middle East is NOT religiously oriented; rather, it’s all political. For example, he stated that Christians who left Beit Lechem did it because of “political fear.” Unfortunately, this stunning response was not followed with any evidence.
Next, a question was asked about the rise of the new anti-Semitism. Rabbi Rosenfeld responded that “lousy economics” has been the reason for the hatred, assuring the mostly Muslim audience of some 150 individuals that anti-Semitism is currently “much less than ever before.” The rabbi also blamed the media for exaggerating anti-Semitism. Surely, the “rabbi” is unaware that his statement is strongly contradicted by the FBI, the CIA, and the U.S. State Department.
The same Rabbi Rosenfeld showed no inhibition in mocking his political opponents. He referred to those who raise the alarm on the supremacist doctrine of Islam as “wacko” and “extremists” and even asked his embracing audience: “don’t you have to laugh at some of these people?” The rabbi’s partner, Pastor Yorty, used the word “haters” to describe opponents of his views.
I primarily attended this event to hear what the controversial Imam Rauf had to say. Yet I found the comments of the pastor and the rabbi more distressing. This is not because Imam Rauf has gone through an epiphany and now displays a drastic change of heart. After all, I have heard the imam a few times throughout the years, at the Chautauqua Institution, and I am used to his polished tone and deceptive language.
What I did not anticipate was the eagerness of Jewish and Christian clergy leaders to capitulate to a mostly Muslim audience [some of whom] believe in a doctrine of Islamic world conquest supported with a dogma which aspires to destroy our way of life, a real threat to our liberties in our Western civilization.
These two clergymen ignored and belittled the horrific suffering of their own people. The persecution of Christians by Muslims was not an issue the pastor “knew much about,” and new anti-Semitism, instigated mostly by Muslims, was “much less than ever before,” merely exaggerated by the media. Of course, anyone who follows world affairs, even occasionally, knows how ludicrous their claims are. These two individuals preferred ingratiating themselves in front of their Muslim counterparts rather than challenging this particular audience to defend the rights of religious freedom and stand up against persecuting people with differing religious views. These clergymen and those who support them betray their communities by ignoring the looming issues and declaring platitudes, all under the name of progressiveness and multicultural understanding.The organizer of this program is the president of MPAC Western New York chapter and on their national board. In Feb. 2008, Dr. Khalid J. Qazi ran a similar program titled “Understanding Islam,” together with the aforementioned Rev. Yorty. There, Mr. Qazi falsely asserted that Israeli laws institute hate, that Jews rejoice when Palestinians are murdered, and that Jews “got all the goodies after World War II.” While he persistently attacked Israel and Jews, he barely addressed the topic of “Understanding Islam.” Additionally, in the MPAC newsletter of April 2009, Qazi asks “how and why the world could stand by while the state of Israel is subjecting Palestinians to a Holocaust in their own homeland.”
In spite of these outrageous and offensive statements by Dr. Qazi, he still has been accepted by his Jewish and Christian counterparts — while, at the same time, they demonstrate contempt toward their opponents, who are genuinely concerned about what Dr. Qazi and his like really are all about.
Lt. Col. Allen West, newly elected Republican congressman from the state of Florida, shared his concise assessment of political Islam during a panel discussion on the topic. “This is not a religion,” he said, that “you are fighting against. You are fighting against a theo-political belief system [... and] until you get principled leadership in the United States of America that is willing to say that, we will continue to chase our tail, because we’ll never clearly define who this enemy is.”
The question for Rabbi Rosenfeld, Rev. Yorty, and their supporters is: how can they label people with differing viewpoints, or anyone challenging their views, as “extremists” and “wackos”? Is this an honest dialogue? Where is the “principled leadership” among Jewish and Christian clergy who would take the politically incorrect stand and clearly spell out what we are up against? We need ordained religious leaders with intellectual honesty to come forward and let their voices be heard.
If individuals like these clergymen, who are enamored with their alleged “partners for peace,” genuinely want to know “how Americans of all faiths can work together for lasting peace,” for a start, why not discard the politically correct drivel and deal with the vital issues no matter how unpleasant and disturbing they are? I question whether there would be interfaith sessions and “twinning” projects if educated people of courage seriously challenged many of the thorny issues related to the political doctrine of Islam[ism].
For now, interfaith dialogues provide quenching Kool-Aid for spineless leaders as the innocent masses remain oblivious and in danger — while the Islamists laugh all the way to Mecca.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Tariq Ramadan: Western Apologist for Islamist Totalitarianism
Now that the pot is boiling throughout the Middle East, the stirrers in the West are out in their suave suits, trying to hoodwink us into being relaxed about the threat of totalitarian Islamism.
However, the Muslim Brotherhood, which was the brainchild of al-Banna, was totalitarian, extreme, violent and racist from its beginnings in 1928. It's slogan was and is:
Tariq Ramadan: apologist for his grandfather, Hassan al-Banna, founder of Islamist totalitarianism and terrorist "martyrdom"
In an op-ed in the New York Times, 8 February 2011, Tariq Ramadan writes of his grandfather, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood:
"...The writings from between 1930 and 1945 of Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Brotherhood, show that he opposed colonialism and strongly criticized the fascist governments in Germany and Italy..." [It's in the New York Times, so it must be true...ha-ha-ha!!]
However, the Muslim Brotherhood, which was the brainchild of al-Banna, was totalitarian, extreme, violent and racist from its beginnings in 1928. It's slogan was and is:
"God is our purpose, the Prophet our leader, the Qur'an our constitution, Jihad our way and dying for God's cause our supreme objective."
Hassan al-Banna: facsist lover of death
Al-Banna's goal was not restricted to Egyptian politics nor Islamic scholarship. He wanted no less than global dominance, and preached a love of death to achieve it. Does this sound like "anti-colonialism"?...
"...we will not stop at this point [freeing Egypt from secularism and modernity], but will pursue this evil force to its own lands, invade its Western heartland, and struggle to overcome it until all the world shouts by the name of the Prophet and the teachings of Islam spread throughout the world. Only then will Muslims achieve their fundamental goal… and all religion will be exclusively for Allah."
(Habeck, Knowing the enemy - p. 120)
My brothers! The ummah that knows how to die a noble and honourable death is granted an exalted life in this world and eternal felicity in the next. Degradation and dishonour are the results of the love of this world and the fear of death. Therefore prepare for jihad and be the lovers of death. Life itself shall come searching after you. ...You should yearn for an honourable death and you will gain perfect happiness. May Allah grant myself and yours the honour of martyrdom in His way!
...so much for "anti-colonialism"...
As for al-Banna's so-called criticism of Fascism, see the Encyclopedia of the Middle East background to the man:
The growth of the Muslim Brotherhood was accompanied or caused in part by the fact that Al-Banna associated it with the German Nazi party and the Third Reich. From the ideological point of view, the Jew hatred, authoritarianism, addiction to violence and desire to defeat the British of both the Muslim Brothers and the Nazis were quite enough to make the two movements find common cause.
The Brotherhood’s political and military alliance with Nazi Germany blossomed into formal state visits, de facto ambassadors, and overt and covert joint ventures. The Muslim Brotherhood transformed Nazi anti-Semitism into a Muslim version, providing Arab translations of Mein Kampf (translated into Arabic as “My Jihad”) and other Nazi anti-Semitic works, including Der Sturmer hate-cartoons, adapted to portray the Jew as the demonic enemy of Allah rather than the German Volk.
When World War II broke out, al-Banna worked to firm up his alliances with Hitler and Mussolini. He sent them letters and emissaries, and urged them to assist him in his struggle against the British and the westernized regime of Egypt's King Farouk. The Intelligence Service of the Muslim Brotherhood vigorously collected information on the heads of the regime in Cairo and on the movements of the British army, offering this and more to the Germans in return for closer relations.
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