A new spin to an old concept.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
"A Gift to You from Obama before He Takes Office"
Here's the audio of al Qaeda #2 Ayman al-Zawahiri's take on Gaza.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Iran and Syria behind Hamas Move?
The Jerusalem Post reports that the PLO leadership is accusing Syria and Iran of working with Hamas to undermine and replace the leadership of the PLO. (See this post yesterday.) I doubt that Hamas would take such a step on its own.
The Palestinian Authority on Thursday accused Iran and Syria of encouraging Hamas and other radical groups to establish a new leadership that would challenge the PLO's claim to be the "sole and legitimate" representative of the Palestinians.
The Hamas effort so far includes "all the Damascus-based Palestinian groups, including Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command headed by Ahmed Jibril." West Bank based PA officials termed the effort "the most serious challenge to the PLO since its founding."
Ahmed Abdel Rahman, a senior Fatah official closely associated with Abbas, accused the Iranians and Syrians of meddling in Palestinian affairs. "This is cheap meddling in our affairs," he said. "They are inciting some sick people like Khaled Mashaal to reject national reconciliation and to go ahead with their plans to form an alternative leadership. But these attempts are doomed to failure."
"They are seeking to take advantage of the increased sympathy for Hamas on the Arab street following the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip," the official said. "We see this as a declaration of war on the legitimate representatives of the Palestinians."
Senior Fatah official Hussein a-Sheikh stated: "This is an Iranian-Syrian plot against the PLO," he said. "We will do our utmost to thwart it."
Another senior Fatah official, Ziad Abu Ein, said Damascus and Teheran were seeking to "destroy" the Palestinian cause and to solidify divisions among the Palestinians.
The PA believes that Qatar is also behind the call to establish a new Palestinian leadership. A PA official said the Qatari-owned Al-Jazeera network had long served as a platform for Mashaal and Hamas. He also claimed that the station had been "inciting" against Fatah and Mahmoud Abbas by depicting them as traitors.
If this move succeeds, Israel will have no one to negotiate with, unless Hamas suddenly changes its policies. And if the Palestinians choose electorally to turn to Hamas, or a Hamas-like coalition of groups for representation, they'll be in for a rough time. Nor would this be good news for the Obama administration.
The Palestinian Authority on Thursday accused Iran and Syria of encouraging Hamas and other radical groups to establish a new leadership that would challenge the PLO's claim to be the "sole and legitimate" representative of the Palestinians.
The Hamas effort so far includes "all the Damascus-based Palestinian groups, including Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command headed by Ahmed Jibril." West Bank based PA officials termed the effort "the most serious challenge to the PLO since its founding."
Ahmed Abdel Rahman, a senior Fatah official closely associated with Abbas, accused the Iranians and Syrians of meddling in Palestinian affairs. "This is cheap meddling in our affairs," he said. "They are inciting some sick people like Khaled Mashaal to reject national reconciliation and to go ahead with their plans to form an alternative leadership. But these attempts are doomed to failure."
"They are seeking to take advantage of the increased sympathy for Hamas on the Arab street following the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip," the official said. "We see this as a declaration of war on the legitimate representatives of the Palestinians."
Senior Fatah official Hussein a-Sheikh stated: "This is an Iranian-Syrian plot against the PLO," he said. "We will do our utmost to thwart it."
Another senior Fatah official, Ziad Abu Ein, said Damascus and Teheran were seeking to "destroy" the Palestinian cause and to solidify divisions among the Palestinians.
The PA believes that Qatar is also behind the call to establish a new Palestinian leadership. A PA official said the Qatari-owned Al-Jazeera network had long served as a platform for Mashaal and Hamas. He also claimed that the station had been "inciting" against Fatah and Mahmoud Abbas by depicting them as traitors.
If this move succeeds, Israel will have no one to negotiate with, unless Hamas suddenly changes its policies. And if the Palestinians choose electorally to turn to Hamas, or a Hamas-like coalition of groups for representation, they'll be in for a rough time. Nor would this be good news for the Obama administration.
Covering World War II: Twenty-first Century Style II
(AP) Polish fighter-bombers today pounded refugee camps in the German town of Guben, after militants fired rockets across the border into the Polish town of Gubin, killing one Polish woman and wounding three children. The Polish government called the air strikes, conducted by American-built F-16s, acts of “self-defense” following years of rocket fire from within the Guben refugee camps across the border by militants of the Deutchen der Widerstand die Bewegung, more commonly known as Heimat. A spokesperson for Heimat claimed that the Polish strikes killed nine women and children. A SPRP (Polish Air Force) acknowledged that the strikes may have hit civilians, but were targeted at known Heimat weapon storage sites and had killed at least five Heimat militants.
“These were acts of barbarity and genocide,” Hans Hitlerson announced. “The Poles are occupying our territory,” Dieter Himmlerson declared. “We have the right to resist!”
“It’s a holocaust for the people in the Guben refugee camps,” one UNRWA spokesperson lamented. Since 1945 the UNRWA has run the Guben refugee camp, and scores of other camps along the border filled with refugees who fled the advancing Russian army. “The UN has looked after these poor refugees, and their descendants, for more than a half-century,” John Scott, head of the UNRWA organization in eastern Germany, informed this reporter.
Professor William Muller, who teaches German history at San Francisco State University, organized a march through the streets of that city in support of the Germans in the Guben camps and Heimat. “Guben was once a beautiful German town,” he informed the crowd gathered in support. “All Germans demand the right to return—to Guben, Danzig, Konigsberg, and thousands of other towns and cities lost to the Polish Entity during the Katastrophe. we are witnessing genocide and a new holocaust!" As Muller spoke, several protesters yelled “Death to Pollocks!”
Muller, who last year was tired but not convicted of funneling money to Heimat, an internationally recognized terrorist group, continued his speech:
After the war the Communists conducted a vicious ethnic cleansing campaign. Twelve million Germans were made refugees by the advance of the Red Army. Two million Germans died during this Katastrophe. Our women were gang raped. Our elders and little children were slaughtered like animals. The ten million survivors to this day live in desperate conditions in refugee camps. The Russians, British, and Americans redrew the borders. Land that had been German for centuries was now suddenly “Polish.” They drew the border right through Guden, leaving the other and Polish half of the town called Gudin. My parents were from Guden. I can go there and look across the border and see our family home, flying a Polish flag from its roof. Heimat will never accept that these historic German lands are now Polish. We refuse to recognize the existence of the Polish Entity. We have a right to resist this occupation, despite what the United States and the United Nations says.
“Pollocks are Untermenschen!” the crowd roared.
In a post-march interview, reporters asked Muller why over a half-century after the war Germans are still living in refugee camps. “Why haven’t they been absorbed into the rest of the German population?” I asked. “Germany lost the war; the UN redrew the borders; why haven’t these people been resettled? Aren’t you keeping them in these horrid camps for political purposes? Germany is a rich country. Surely these people could have been resettled. And don’t the Poles have a right to defend themselves from the Heimat rocket attacks?” another reporter inquired.
Muller slammed his fist onto the table. “The Polish-controlled American media is always trying to turn the oppressors into the victims.”
“Do you really think that the Poles control the American media?” I asked.
“Look at your new president, Obama. Where’s he from? Chicago—a city with one of the largest Polish populations in the world. We might as well call him Obamski! He’s a pawn of the Poles.”
“What about resettlement?” I asked.
“The refugees in these camps came from East and West Prussia, Silesia, and the Sudetenland. They don’t wish to live in Thuringia, Hesse, or the Palatinate. They demand to live where their ancestors lived. On ground that is sacred and German. The German refugees demand the right to return to their homes. No one had the right to take their homes and give them to the Poles. The German people have a right to fight the oppressor.”
“Does that include shooting missiles blindly into Polish towns, hitting innocent people?” I inquired.
“If the international community and the Poles would lift their sanctions against us and allow us to buy more accurate missiles, we would be happy to target Polish military installations. But this is the best we can do with our homemade “Wolf” rockets. Moreover, who is innocent? Not the Poles who live in our homes. They are occupiers and oppressors.”
Earlier in the day the United Nations passed yet another resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. The United States vetoed a more strongly worded draft resolution that condemned the Poles for the air strikes.
UN General Secretary Ban ki-Moon called for a prompt end of “the cycle of violence.” A Polish government spokesperson released the official response to the UN resolution: “We will be happy to end the strikes when Heimat agrees to recognize our right of Poland to exist and stops firing the “Wolf” rockets.” Heimat declared its refusal to halt its “resistance” until “all former German lands are evacuated and returned to their rightful owners.”
“These were acts of barbarity and genocide,” Hans Hitlerson announced. “The Poles are occupying our territory,” Dieter Himmlerson declared. “We have the right to resist!”
“It’s a holocaust for the people in the Guben refugee camps,” one UNRWA spokesperson lamented. Since 1945 the UNRWA has run the Guben refugee camp, and scores of other camps along the border filled with refugees who fled the advancing Russian army. “The UN has looked after these poor refugees, and their descendants, for more than a half-century,” John Scott, head of the UNRWA organization in eastern Germany, informed this reporter.
Professor William Muller, who teaches German history at San Francisco State University, organized a march through the streets of that city in support of the Germans in the Guben camps and Heimat. “Guben was once a beautiful German town,” he informed the crowd gathered in support. “All Germans demand the right to return—to Guben, Danzig, Konigsberg, and thousands of other towns and cities lost to the Polish Entity during the Katastrophe. we are witnessing genocide and a new holocaust!" As Muller spoke, several protesters yelled “Death to Pollocks!”
Muller, who last year was tired but not convicted of funneling money to Heimat, an internationally recognized terrorist group, continued his speech:
After the war the Communists conducted a vicious ethnic cleansing campaign. Twelve million Germans were made refugees by the advance of the Red Army. Two million Germans died during this Katastrophe. Our women were gang raped. Our elders and little children were slaughtered like animals. The ten million survivors to this day live in desperate conditions in refugee camps. The Russians, British, and Americans redrew the borders. Land that had been German for centuries was now suddenly “Polish.” They drew the border right through Guden, leaving the other and Polish half of the town called Gudin. My parents were from Guden. I can go there and look across the border and see our family home, flying a Polish flag from its roof. Heimat will never accept that these historic German lands are now Polish. We refuse to recognize the existence of the Polish Entity. We have a right to resist this occupation, despite what the United States and the United Nations says.
“Pollocks are Untermenschen!” the crowd roared.
In a post-march interview, reporters asked Muller why over a half-century after the war Germans are still living in refugee camps. “Why haven’t they been absorbed into the rest of the German population?” I asked. “Germany lost the war; the UN redrew the borders; why haven’t these people been resettled? Aren’t you keeping them in these horrid camps for political purposes? Germany is a rich country. Surely these people could have been resettled. And don’t the Poles have a right to defend themselves from the Heimat rocket attacks?” another reporter inquired.
Muller slammed his fist onto the table. “The Polish-controlled American media is always trying to turn the oppressors into the victims.”
“Do you really think that the Poles control the American media?” I asked.
“Look at your new president, Obama. Where’s he from? Chicago—a city with one of the largest Polish populations in the world. We might as well call him Obamski! He’s a pawn of the Poles.”
“What about resettlement?” I asked.
“The refugees in these camps came from East and West Prussia, Silesia, and the Sudetenland. They don’t wish to live in Thuringia, Hesse, or the Palatinate. They demand to live where their ancestors lived. On ground that is sacred and German. The German refugees demand the right to return to their homes. No one had the right to take their homes and give them to the Poles. The German people have a right to fight the oppressor.”
“Does that include shooting missiles blindly into Polish towns, hitting innocent people?” I inquired.
“If the international community and the Poles would lift their sanctions against us and allow us to buy more accurate missiles, we would be happy to target Polish military installations. But this is the best we can do with our homemade “Wolf” rockets. Moreover, who is innocent? Not the Poles who live in our homes. They are occupiers and oppressors.”
Earlier in the day the United Nations passed yet another resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. The United States vetoed a more strongly worded draft resolution that condemned the Poles for the air strikes.
UN General Secretary Ban ki-Moon called for a prompt end of “the cycle of violence.” A Polish government spokesperson released the official response to the UN resolution: “We will be happy to end the strikes when Heimat agrees to recognize our right of Poland to exist and stops firing the “Wolf” rockets.” Heimat declared its refusal to halt its “resistance” until “all former German lands are evacuated and returned to their rightful owners.”
Thursday, January 29, 2009
This Must Drive the Islamists Nuts in Pakistan
It's a trailer for a Pakistani slasher film. Derivative? Maybe?
Hamas Seeks to Replace the PLO
According to a Islamic Republic News Bureau report Khaled Mashaal, Chief of the Hamas Political Bureau, speaking in Doha rejected calls for any ceasefire unless Israel opens all the Gaza border crossings. But the more important announcement by Mashaal was that Hamas was working with other Palestinian groups to create a new umbrella organization to supersede the PLO, which began as the self-appointed and later became the officially recognized representative of the Palestinian people. [Bolding mine]
During the ceremony [celebrating Hamas's Gaza "victory] political leader of Hamas also announced an unprecedented decision regarding establishment of a new national organization for Palestinian groups instead of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
"Palestinian groups are trying to establish a new organization which all Palestinians and groups active inside the Palestine or in the other countries could be its members," he said.
"In the current situation the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is not able to act as the Palestinians' representative," he said adding, "The organization has changed into an institute to sow discord among Palestinians."
Addressing George Mitchell, the new American special envoy to the Middle East, Mashaal reiterated that in the case of ignoring the important role Hamas plays in the region, all efforts would be doomed to failure.
"The Palestine national dialogue should be carried out on the basis of the resistance and national principals," he said adding that otherwise it would be an effort to implement foreigners' orders.
Good luck, George.
It will be very interesting to see what happens in the next round of Palestinian elections, if there are any.
Here's the video report from al Jazeera.
During the ceremony [celebrating Hamas's Gaza "victory] political leader of Hamas also announced an unprecedented decision regarding establishment of a new national organization for Palestinian groups instead of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
"Palestinian groups are trying to establish a new organization which all Palestinians and groups active inside the Palestine or in the other countries could be its members," he said.
"In the current situation the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is not able to act as the Palestinians' representative," he said adding, "The organization has changed into an institute to sow discord among Palestinians."
Addressing George Mitchell, the new American special envoy to the Middle East, Mashaal reiterated that in the case of ignoring the important role Hamas plays in the region, all efforts would be doomed to failure.
"The Palestine national dialogue should be carried out on the basis of the resistance and national principals," he said adding that otherwise it would be an effort to implement foreigners' orders.
Good luck, George.
It will be very interesting to see what happens in the next round of Palestinian elections, if there are any.
Here's the video report from al Jazeera.
The Ummah's Best and Brightest
Next time someone tells you that people are driven to violent jihad by poverty and hopelessness, show them this al Qaeda video.
Obama: Tool of the "Juice"
According to Lebanese author Farid Salman. You can watch the MEMRI clip here (registration required). Bolding mine.
Farid Salman: Obama will not complete the plan of George Bush Senior. Obama was brought to power by the Jews. Let me tell you something. In my view, and I might be mistaken, the Jews brought Obama to power in order to take revenge... Before they establish the Semitic Middle East, they want to tear America to shreds, because they hate America. Obama will be the cause...
Interviewer: They want to rule...
Farid Salman: Of course. Obama will be the cause for internal strife in the U.S. In addition, they want to destroy the European Union, and thus, the Semitic Middle East will be established. It's the Jews, not the Zionists, that are doing this.
Farid Salman: Obama will not complete the plan of George Bush Senior. Obama was brought to power by the Jews. Let me tell you something. In my view, and I might be mistaken, the Jews brought Obama to power in order to take revenge... Before they establish the Semitic Middle East, they want to tear America to shreds, because they hate America. Obama will be the cause...
Interviewer: They want to rule...
Farid Salman: Of course. Obama will be the cause for internal strife in the U.S. In addition, they want to destroy the European Union, and thus, the Semitic Middle East will be established. It's the Jews, not the Zionists, that are doing this.
Who Let the Dogs Out Alert
Another released Guantanamo detainee has popped up in a video as an al Qaeda leader. Fox News reports that Saudi national Abu al-Hareth Muhammad al-Oufi, released from Guantanamo because he "insisted he had only wanted to help refugees and was not a fighter," has resurfaced as an Al Qaeda field commander "sporting a bandolier of bullets" and being hailed "as a veteran guerrilla and 'a fomenter of war.'"
Read the f---ing manual! They are taught to lie and accuse the US of torture. I'm not saying that no one has been tortured. But the fact that someone claims to have been tortured does not mean he has been. Nor does the fact that they claim to not have been fighters mean that they weren't.
Read the f---ing manual! They are taught to lie and accuse the US of torture. I'm not saying that no one has been tortured. But the fact that someone claims to have been tortured does not mean he has been. Nor does the fact that they claim to not have been fighters mean that they weren't.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Is the Concept of Hyperbole Unknown in the Arab World?
Moqavemat, a Hezbollah website, today carries this story: "Al-Ghoul: Israeli war on Gaza was the biggest holocaust in history."
Palestinian parliament member MP Mohammed Faraj Al-Ghoul, of Hamas Movement, has described the Israeli war on Gaza as the biggest holocaust in history, adding that his government would chase Israeli war criminals and file lawsuits against them.Ghoul's remarks were uttered as he received a Moroccan Parliamentary delegation visiting the PLC building that was flattened to ground in an Israeli air strike on it during the war on Gaza.
Come on! Does this guy have no concept of scale? Haven't they been beating the United States up for years for Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Was what happened in Gaza worse than that? What about firebombing Dresden? There's no need to ask, of course, about the Armenia Genocide of the Great War or the Jewish Genocide of the Second World War.
The bar for holocausts and genocide will soon be the death of a single Arab.
Palestinian parliament member MP Mohammed Faraj Al-Ghoul, of Hamas Movement, has described the Israeli war on Gaza as the biggest holocaust in history, adding that his government would chase Israeli war criminals and file lawsuits against them.Ghoul's remarks were uttered as he received a Moroccan Parliamentary delegation visiting the PLC building that was flattened to ground in an Israeli air strike on it during the war on Gaza.
Come on! Does this guy have no concept of scale? Haven't they been beating the United States up for years for Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Was what happened in Gaza worse than that? What about firebombing Dresden? There's no need to ask, of course, about the Armenia Genocide of the Great War or the Jewish Genocide of the Second World War.
The bar for holocausts and genocide will soon be the death of a single Arab.
Harry Potter: "Cultural Crusader"
And speaking of wacko Iranian beliefs (see my earlier post today), have you ever read a Harry Potter book or bought one for a child? Have you ever seen a Harry Potter movie? If you answer yes to any of these questions you have been duped by the vast global Zionist media conspiracy, according to Iranian film experts and university professors.
Yes, all we need is to establish a dialogue with the leaders of Iran and all will be well. But how can you "respect" foreign leaders who come to the table convinced that there's a vast Zionist conspiracy afoot and that Harry Potter (and the Rotary Club) is part of it?
I could go on, but I have to take a call from my controller in Jerusalem.
Yes, all we need is to establish a dialogue with the leaders of Iran and all will be well. But how can you "respect" foreign leaders who come to the table convinced that there's a vast Zionist conspiracy afoot and that Harry Potter (and the Rotary Club) is part of it?
I could go on, but I have to take a call from my controller in Jerusalem.
Ceasefire Strained
First, members of some Gazan group detonated a bomb killing an IDF soldier, then the Israelis retaliated with air strikes against the tunnels, and now a rocket was fired into southern Israel from Gaza.
Ahmadinejad Gives Obama "Cold Shoulder"
President Obama has made a start at trying to "change" American Middle East policy. Admittedly, different people see that change differently. Some of the right see a weak Obama pandering to the "Arab Street." Some on the left think that Obama's policies are starting to look like "Bush III." The harshest foreign critics of Obama have been the al Qaeda leaders, the Iranian leadership, and assorted Islamists.
Iranian President Ahmadinejad today offered his reaction to Obama's interview on al-Arabbiya. Different agencies reported it very differently. The Reuters headline was: "Iran Tells US to Show Change in Policy Not Tactics." The Tehran Times announced: "Iran welcomes change in U.S. foreign policy: Ahmadinejad." The IRNA so far has nothing on the story, but does cover a response from a lower-level Iranian official. . The Fars News Agency carried the harshest headline: "Ahmadinejad: US Should Apologize to Iran to Show 'Change.'"
What, in fact, did Ahmadinejad actually say? (Bolding mine)
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the new US administration to extend an apology to Tehran if it really intends to put Obama's campaign slogan of "change" into practice.
"The people who want to make changes in the US should apologize to the Iranian nation and compensate for their crimes against the Iranians" Ahmadinejad said during his tour of the western Iranian province of Kermanshah on Wednesday. "We welcome change provided that it will be fundamental and in the correct direction, otherwise the world should know that if any one even with new words but with Mr. Bush's literature, spirit and aggressiveness wants to speak with Iranians, their response is the one they have stressed for years," he added.
Ahmadinejad further noted inauguration of the new US administration, and stressed, "The fact that a new administration with the slogan of 'change' has come to power and said that it wants to change US policies is good as Mr. Bush's policies were inhumane, immoral and alien to the prophets' teachings." "They say we want to make changes but change can occur in two forms: One form is basic change and the other form is tactical change and changing the words they use which is political warfare," the Iranian president said. Noting that change means not interfering in other countries affairs, he reiterated, "Mr. Bush humiliated the US nation, wiretapped their phone calls and did whatever he wanted (to do) without soliciting them." A real change, Ahmadinejad said, is a change in policies which means "removing pressure from the American people and allowing them to freely decide about their fate".
Iranian President Ahmadinejad today offered his reaction to Obama's interview on al-Arabbiya. Different agencies reported it very differently. The Reuters headline was: "Iran Tells US to Show Change in Policy Not Tactics." The Tehran Times announced: "Iran welcomes change in U.S. foreign policy: Ahmadinejad." The IRNA so far has nothing on the story, but does cover a response from a lower-level Iranian official. . The Fars News Agency carried the harshest headline: "Ahmadinejad: US Should Apologize to Iran to Show 'Change.'"
What, in fact, did Ahmadinejad actually say? (Bolding mine)
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the new US administration to extend an apology to Tehran if it really intends to put Obama's campaign slogan of "change" into practice.
"The people who want to make changes in the US should apologize to the Iranian nation and compensate for their crimes against the Iranians" Ahmadinejad said during his tour of the western Iranian province of Kermanshah on Wednesday. "We welcome change provided that it will be fundamental and in the correct direction, otherwise the world should know that if any one even with new words but with Mr. Bush's literature, spirit and aggressiveness wants to speak with Iranians, their response is the one they have stressed for years," he added.
Ahmadinejad further noted inauguration of the new US administration, and stressed, "The fact that a new administration with the slogan of 'change' has come to power and said that it wants to change US policies is good as Mr. Bush's policies were inhumane, immoral and alien to the prophets' teachings." "They say we want to make changes but change can occur in two forms: One form is basic change and the other form is tactical change and changing the words they use which is political warfare," the Iranian president said. Noting that change means not interfering in other countries affairs, he reiterated, "Mr. Bush humiliated the US nation, wiretapped their phone calls and did whatever he wanted (to do) without soliciting them." A real change, Ahmadinejad said, is a change in policies which means "removing pressure from the American people and allowing them to freely decide about their fate".
Didn't we just have an election? That last line may seem cryptic, but it's not. Can you guess whom Mahmoud Ahmadinejad believes is pressuring the American people and whose control needs to be ended? Hmmm? It can't be the Republicans or Neocons, because the Democrats control the House, Senate, and Presidency. Bush is home in Texas. The Congressional Black Caucus? NOW? Who could it be except--THE JEWS! After all, given all the other wacky theories Adhmadinejad holds, I'm sure he's convinced Rahm Emmanuel, Obama's chief-of-staff, is a Mossad agent. See it here!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
One for the Books!!!! Puke Alert!
This is the most disgusting overtly anti-Semitic video I've yet to see coming out of the Islamic world. You have to register to see the clip. It's worth it, assuming you have a strong stomach. Bolding is mine.
This "cleric's" history and timeline is messed up; there are far too many errors to annotate. But he at least doesn't deny that there was a holocaust. Unfortunately, he looks to it as a model that Muslims should emulate!
Keep in mind that this guy is an Islamic "religious leader," who is being broadcast on Egyptian TV.
I'm beginning to see the power of anti-Semitism. It makes life so simple. You don't have to bother studying history, political science, economics, or anything else. If a problem arises you "Blame the Jews." "Death to the Jews!" It's all in the Qur'an.
January 26, 2009
Clip No. 1999
Egyptian Cleric Amin Al-Ansari Justifies the Holocaust, Airs Footage, and Declares: "This Is What We Hope Will Happen But, Allah Willing, at the Hand of the Muslims" WARNING: Extremely Disturbing Holocaust Footage
Following are excerpts from a show featuring Egyptian cleric Amin Al-Ansari, which aired on Al-Rahma TV on January 26, 2009.
Warning: The show contains extremely disturbing Holocaust footage.
Amin Al-Ansari: Let us examine the civil strife the Jews have caused throughout the world. Of course, we know what problems they caused the Muslims. They have always been like that, but in modern times, they only turned to the Muslims [relatively] late. They went around the world – to the East and West – because they love money, and the West was full of money – in England, France, Germany, and of course, in America, which was still a new country. This was 200 years ago. They focused on these places, and this is why they have spread in America and control the money. They immigrate to any place where there was money.
The Jews spread corruption in the land during World Wars I and II. Let me tell you a very short story, so that you understand their way of thinking. The Jews do not know how to climb from the bottom up. They do not want to meet poor people, and then climb up, in order to reach the rulers of any country. Instead, they go straight to the rulers.
In the 19th century, there was a man called Herzl, who was a scientist and had nothing to do with politics. [I don't know what he's talking about.] What did this Theodor Herzl do? He used explosives to invent a weapon. He could have invented anything else – something that would benefit the world – but no, he had to invent explosives, bombs, and missiles. Annihilation underlies their ideology. This Theodor Herzl looked for the most powerful country in the world back then. It was England, which was occupying India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, and so on. So he became close to the British prime minister, and said to him: I’ve invented something that could benefit you in your colonialist wars. [At the time of his death in 1904 Herzl was pushing for a Jewish homeland in Uganda, not Palestine.]
Balfour promised them [in fact, he did not] a state for the Jews in the land of Palestine. So the Jews began channeling all their loyalty and support to England. They began traveling all over the world in support of England. What did they do? They waged World War I, and tried to crush all the forces that were fighting England, such as Germany and other countries. They spread corruption in the land – in Czechoslovakia, in Germany, and in the republics of the USSR [Czechoslovakia and the USSR did not exist during World War I].
The corruption spread by the Jews was very great. Very great. It got to the point that the rulers themselves had no solution but to annihilate them. This was said even by the rulers of America themselves. You see that America supports Israel, but this is partly because it hates and fears Israel, since the [Jews] are corruptors. Most of the U.S. rulers said to the American people: We’d better give them a place of their own, and keep them and their evil at bay from our European countries. They wanted to places them in a country of their own, far from anything to do with the European peoples.
In a nutshell, the holocausts of the Jews in Germany were because of their own deeds. They were killing Germans, kindling civil strife, inciting the people against their rulers, and corrupting the peoples. “Every time they kindle the fire of war, Allah extinguishes it.” Let me show you what corruption they caused, and what damage they inflicted upon all the countries of the world – upon peoples and governments alike. Let’s watch the holocaust that the Jews underwent, which were Allah’s way of wreaking vengeance upon them. Let’s watch what the German people, or the German army, did to them. This is, of course, a part of the corruption of Germany by the Jews.
Amin Al-Ansari gives running commentary against the backdrop of Holocaust footage
This is the Germany army. It is clear. These are children in the German army. Consecutive wars, which lasted many years, annihilated the people, so the Germans began using children as soldiers.
Look, this is Berlin. The German cities were bombed from all directions, because of the Jews, who were destroying countries... Observe the great similarity between Gaza and the German streets back then, even though Germany is a very large country.
These people like to spread corruption, and when they can’t, they look for those who can, and encourage them to do it. Back in those days, it was England that they encouraged to spread corruption. This is Germany, and this is the destruction it suffered in 1945.
Observe these cities, and think about what exactly is happening. These are the armies that Israel encouraged to corrupt and destroy the German army and country. See the rubble and the dead people on the ground. The world was dying – country and civilization was being annihilated. This is what the Jews did. The Germans were, of course, strong. When they realized that the Jews were behind all this, they took revenge on them. They were not weak, as the Muslims are today. They had something different in mind. Let’s watch what Germany did to Israel – or rather, to the Jews – so we can understand that there is no remedy for these people, other than imposing fear and terror on them.
There is one language that the Jews understand – the language of force. If you are stronger than them, they are afraid of you. That is why Allah said: “They fear you in their hearts more than Allah.” Allah said: “Prepare for them whatever force and steeds of war you can, to strike terror in the hearts of Allah’s enemies and your enemies.” The Jews is afraid of you more than he is afraid of God. When the Germans revealed the treachery and the war of the Jews against them, and the fact that they were spreading corruption in their country – let us watch how oppressors are killed by the people they oppressed.
What we have here are German graves, but let’s watch what the Germans do to the Jews. These are corpses of dead humans and the shattered bones of Jews. Here we have a crematorium, in which the Jews were burnt. These are Jews who are being prepared to be burnt. Look, these are Jews dying of hunger or by gas. Look how they round them up and put them on trucks. Note the humiliation on his face, Allah be praised. “Abasement and humiliation were brought down upon them, and they became deserving of Allah’s wrath.”
Look what starvation [the Germans] inflicted upon them. Look what humiliation. These are people being buried alive. Does this look like a human being? He is placed in a ditch to be buried alive. This is a pile of bodies. Ibn Mas’oud was right... Look, this is a barbed wire, used to crush their bodies. He and five others will be hanged with a single chain. Concentrate on this, my brothers. Watch this. Look, they are tying five heads together. These are bodies. Here they are drilling a hole in his back with a nail. This child awaits his turn. Watch their humiliation. These are corpses, Allah be praised. The [Jews] are oppressors. They are being deported. Ibn Mas’oud was right when he said: “All the oppressors are killed by those they oppress.”
These are bodies, these are dead people, these are skulls. These are the bodies of the Jews being loaded like animals. Watch this tractor clearing away the corpses of the Jews, and these are the refugees awaiting their turn to be killed. A German soldier will come now, and you will see a Jewish woman kissing his hand. Notice what humiliation, fear, and terror have struck her. See how much she is kissing his hand. Watch her humiliation. This is what we hope will happen, but, Allah willing, at the hand of the Muslims.
These are the bodies of the Jews. These are oppressors. Not so long before, they were fighting these soldiers [actually, the soldiers in the video in this section are Americans who had liberated the camp], who are now standing and looking at their corpses.
Watch, my brothers. This is the German army. These are the tractors clearing away the bodies of the Jews, in order to put them in collective pits. These are the images that the Jews are now exploiting in order to make people feel sorry for them.
These holocausts and all that are a thing of the past. But they are renewing it again and again, and have even turned it into a holiday, which will be marked in a few days. They call it the Holocaust Holiday, in which they rekindle what happened to them, for the whole world to see, so that people will feel sorry for them.
They got the whole world on its feet over these holocausts, so that they can continue to extort people politically and financially forever. They like money.
[Amin al-Ansari concludes with an anti-Jewish joke]
This "cleric's" history and timeline is messed up; there are far too many errors to annotate. But he at least doesn't deny that there was a holocaust. Unfortunately, he looks to it as a model that Muslims should emulate!
Keep in mind that this guy is an Islamic "religious leader," who is being broadcast on Egyptian TV.
I'm beginning to see the power of anti-Semitism. It makes life so simple. You don't have to bother studying history, political science, economics, or anything else. If a problem arises you "Blame the Jews." "Death to the Jews!" It's all in the Qur'an.
January 26, 2009
Clip No. 1999
Egyptian Cleric Amin Al-Ansari Justifies the Holocaust, Airs Footage, and Declares: "This Is What We Hope Will Happen But, Allah Willing, at the Hand of the Muslims" WARNING: Extremely Disturbing Holocaust Footage
Following are excerpts from a show featuring Egyptian cleric Amin Al-Ansari, which aired on Al-Rahma TV on January 26, 2009.
Warning: The show contains extremely disturbing Holocaust footage.
Amin Al-Ansari: Let us examine the civil strife the Jews have caused throughout the world. Of course, we know what problems they caused the Muslims. They have always been like that, but in modern times, they only turned to the Muslims [relatively] late. They went around the world – to the East and West – because they love money, and the West was full of money – in England, France, Germany, and of course, in America, which was still a new country. This was 200 years ago. They focused on these places, and this is why they have spread in America and control the money. They immigrate to any place where there was money.
The Jews spread corruption in the land during World Wars I and II. Let me tell you a very short story, so that you understand their way of thinking. The Jews do not know how to climb from the bottom up. They do not want to meet poor people, and then climb up, in order to reach the rulers of any country. Instead, they go straight to the rulers.
In the 19th century, there was a man called Herzl, who was a scientist and had nothing to do with politics. [I don't know what he's talking about.] What did this Theodor Herzl do? He used explosives to invent a weapon. He could have invented anything else – something that would benefit the world – but no, he had to invent explosives, bombs, and missiles. Annihilation underlies their ideology. This Theodor Herzl looked for the most powerful country in the world back then. It was England, which was occupying India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, and so on. So he became close to the British prime minister, and said to him: I’ve invented something that could benefit you in your colonialist wars. [At the time of his death in 1904 Herzl was pushing for a Jewish homeland in Uganda, not Palestine.]
Balfour promised them [in fact, he did not] a state for the Jews in the land of Palestine. So the Jews began channeling all their loyalty and support to England. They began traveling all over the world in support of England. What did they do? They waged World War I, and tried to crush all the forces that were fighting England, such as Germany and other countries. They spread corruption in the land – in Czechoslovakia, in Germany, and in the republics of the USSR [Czechoslovakia and the USSR did not exist during World War I].
The corruption spread by the Jews was very great. Very great. It got to the point that the rulers themselves had no solution but to annihilate them. This was said even by the rulers of America themselves. You see that America supports Israel, but this is partly because it hates and fears Israel, since the [Jews] are corruptors. Most of the U.S. rulers said to the American people: We’d better give them a place of their own, and keep them and their evil at bay from our European countries. They wanted to places them in a country of their own, far from anything to do with the European peoples.
In a nutshell, the holocausts of the Jews in Germany were because of their own deeds. They were killing Germans, kindling civil strife, inciting the people against their rulers, and corrupting the peoples. “Every time they kindle the fire of war, Allah extinguishes it.” Let me show you what corruption they caused, and what damage they inflicted upon all the countries of the world – upon peoples and governments alike. Let’s watch the holocaust that the Jews underwent, which were Allah’s way of wreaking vengeance upon them. Let’s watch what the German people, or the German army, did to them. This is, of course, a part of the corruption of Germany by the Jews.
Amin Al-Ansari gives running commentary against the backdrop of Holocaust footage
This is the Germany army. It is clear. These are children in the German army. Consecutive wars, which lasted many years, annihilated the people, so the Germans began using children as soldiers.
Look, this is Berlin. The German cities were bombed from all directions, because of the Jews, who were destroying countries... Observe the great similarity between Gaza and the German streets back then, even though Germany is a very large country.
These people like to spread corruption, and when they can’t, they look for those who can, and encourage them to do it. Back in those days, it was England that they encouraged to spread corruption. This is Germany, and this is the destruction it suffered in 1945.
Observe these cities, and think about what exactly is happening. These are the armies that Israel encouraged to corrupt and destroy the German army and country. See the rubble and the dead people on the ground. The world was dying – country and civilization was being annihilated. This is what the Jews did. The Germans were, of course, strong. When they realized that the Jews were behind all this, they took revenge on them. They were not weak, as the Muslims are today. They had something different in mind. Let’s watch what Germany did to Israel – or rather, to the Jews – so we can understand that there is no remedy for these people, other than imposing fear and terror on them.
There is one language that the Jews understand – the language of force. If you are stronger than them, they are afraid of you. That is why Allah said: “They fear you in their hearts more than Allah.” Allah said: “Prepare for them whatever force and steeds of war you can, to strike terror in the hearts of Allah’s enemies and your enemies.” The Jews is afraid of you more than he is afraid of God. When the Germans revealed the treachery and the war of the Jews against them, and the fact that they were spreading corruption in their country – let us watch how oppressors are killed by the people they oppressed.
What we have here are German graves, but let’s watch what the Germans do to the Jews. These are corpses of dead humans and the shattered bones of Jews. Here we have a crematorium, in which the Jews were burnt. These are Jews who are being prepared to be burnt. Look, these are Jews dying of hunger or by gas. Look how they round them up and put them on trucks. Note the humiliation on his face, Allah be praised. “Abasement and humiliation were brought down upon them, and they became deserving of Allah’s wrath.”
Look what starvation [the Germans] inflicted upon them. Look what humiliation. These are people being buried alive. Does this look like a human being? He is placed in a ditch to be buried alive. This is a pile of bodies. Ibn Mas’oud was right... Look, this is a barbed wire, used to crush their bodies. He and five others will be hanged with a single chain. Concentrate on this, my brothers. Watch this. Look, they are tying five heads together. These are bodies. Here they are drilling a hole in his back with a nail. This child awaits his turn. Watch their humiliation. These are corpses, Allah be praised. The [Jews] are oppressors. They are being deported. Ibn Mas’oud was right when he said: “All the oppressors are killed by those they oppress.”
These are bodies, these are dead people, these are skulls. These are the bodies of the Jews being loaded like animals. Watch this tractor clearing away the corpses of the Jews, and these are the refugees awaiting their turn to be killed. A German soldier will come now, and you will see a Jewish woman kissing his hand. Notice what humiliation, fear, and terror have struck her. See how much she is kissing his hand. Watch her humiliation. This is what we hope will happen, but, Allah willing, at the hand of the Muslims.
These are the bodies of the Jews. These are oppressors. Not so long before, they were fighting these soldiers [actually, the soldiers in the video in this section are Americans who had liberated the camp], who are now standing and looking at their corpses.
Watch, my brothers. This is the German army. These are the tractors clearing away the bodies of the Jews, in order to put them in collective pits. These are the images that the Jews are now exploiting in order to make people feel sorry for them.
These holocausts and all that are a thing of the past. But they are renewing it again and again, and have even turned it into a holiday, which will be marked in a few days. They call it the Holocaust Holiday, in which they rekindle what happened to them, for the whole world to see, so that people will feel sorry for them.
They got the whole world on its feet over these holocausts, so that they can continue to extort people politically and financially forever. They like money.
[Amin al-Ansari concludes with an anti-Jewish joke]
More Arrests in Turkey
The International Herald Tribune reports that nine security officers have been arrested in turkey on suspicion of plotting a coup against the government.
Sun Revolves around Flat Earth
Forget evidence to the contrary. Read the Qur'an!
While we wrestle with evolution and creationism, Islamic Science still wrestles with the heliocentric/geocentric debate.
I can't embed this one so you have to go to the You Tube link below.
ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F5kYWceTsI
While we wrestle with evolution and creationism, Islamic Science still wrestles with the heliocentric/geocentric debate.
I can't embed this one so you have to go to the You Tube link below.
ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F5kYWceTsI
Monday, January 26, 2009
Iran Seeking Ties with Zimbabwe?
Why not? Who else would offer anything to Mugabe? We're not talking about an "Axis of Evil;" we're talking about a new "Axis of Bottom Feeders!" The IRNA reports:
According to report by the Public Relations Department of Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, documentary film ‘Today Iran’ will be aired in the English language in 20 episodes each lasting 20 minutes in cooperation with Iran’s Cultural Office in Herare. The series will portray Iran’s achievements in scientific, industrial and agricultural fields.
According to report by the Public Relations Department of Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, documentary film ‘Today Iran’ will be aired in the English language in 20 episodes each lasting 20 minutes in cooperation with Iran’s Cultural Office in Herare. The series will portray Iran’s achievements in scientific, industrial and agricultural fields.
Paks Admit Swat Lost
The Daily Times of Pakistan reports that officials admit that they've lost control of the Swat district along the north west frontier [soon to be renamed Afghania] to the Taliban.
The NWFP [Northwest Frontier Province] government has lost its writ in the volatile Swat valley, the ruling ANP [secular Awami National Party] admitted in the Senate on Monday. ANP senators Haji Adeel and Ilyas Bilour said the insurgency was spilling over to the rest of the country and would “reach Islamabad sooner than Lahore”. Bilour said Taliban had demolished more than 300 schools in the region once considered liberal. Senator Razina Alam said more than 80,000 children could not go to school and 8,000 teachers had lost their jobs. Jamat-e-Islami Senator Prof Muhammad Ibrahim criticised the military saying it too had lost its writ in Swat. “How can Taliban demolish schools and behead civilians during curfew?” he asked.
The NWFP [Northwest Frontier Province] government has lost its writ in the volatile Swat valley, the ruling ANP [secular Awami National Party] admitted in the Senate on Monday. ANP senators Haji Adeel and Ilyas Bilour said the insurgency was spilling over to the rest of the country and would “reach Islamabad sooner than Lahore”. Bilour said Taliban had demolished more than 300 schools in the region once considered liberal. Senator Razina Alam said more than 80,000 children could not go to school and 8,000 teachers had lost their jobs. Jamat-e-Islami Senator Prof Muhammad Ibrahim criticised the military saying it too had lost its writ in Swat. “How can Taliban demolish schools and behead civilians during curfew?” he asked.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
US Tilting toward India?
There were two interesting stories today in the Times of India.
The first involved statements by Vice President Joe Biden that when the Obama administration possesses "actionable intelligence" it will attack al Qaeda targets in Pakistan. The story also confirmed that the Obama administration has decided to continue the Bush policy of allowing US forces in Afghanistan to attack relevant targets in Pakistan.
The second reported the message sent to India on Republic Day from President Obama. According to the report Obama's message noted:
As Indian people celebrate Republic Day, they should know that they have no better friend and partner than the people of the United States," Obama said. Obama, who calls India a natural ally of the US and seeks inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi, in a message said: "It is our shared values that form the bedrock of a robust relationship across people and governments. Those values and ideals provide the strength that enables us to meet any challenge, particularly from those who use violence to try to undermine our free and open societies."
Taken together, these two reports should add additional pressures on Pakistan to address the charges of the Pakistani origins for the Mumbai attack.
But there's a possible added benefit. If the Obama administration is serious about putting pressures on Iran, it will need Indian help. While Iran produces and exports crude petroleum, it is an importer of refined product and much of that comes from India. Indian companies are also involved in expanding Iranian refinery capacity. If India joined a full fledged international sanctions regime against Iran, the pressure on Tehran would be far more serious than what it's been facing during the Bush years.
The first involved statements by Vice President Joe Biden that when the Obama administration possesses "actionable intelligence" it will attack al Qaeda targets in Pakistan. The story also confirmed that the Obama administration has decided to continue the Bush policy of allowing US forces in Afghanistan to attack relevant targets in Pakistan.
The second reported the message sent to India on Republic Day from President Obama. According to the report Obama's message noted:
As Indian people celebrate Republic Day, they should know that they have no better friend and partner than the people of the United States," Obama said. Obama, who calls India a natural ally of the US and seeks inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi, in a message said: "It is our shared values that form the bedrock of a robust relationship across people and governments. Those values and ideals provide the strength that enables us to meet any challenge, particularly from those who use violence to try to undermine our free and open societies."
Taken together, these two reports should add additional pressures on Pakistan to address the charges of the Pakistani origins for the Mumbai attack.
But there's a possible added benefit. If the Obama administration is serious about putting pressures on Iran, it will need Indian help. While Iran produces and exports crude petroleum, it is an importer of refined product and much of that comes from India. Indian companies are also involved in expanding Iranian refinery capacity. If India joined a full fledged international sanctions regime against Iran, the pressure on Tehran would be far more serious than what it's been facing during the Bush years.
Iranian MP Demands Preconditions for US Talks
Fars News Agency reports today that Majlis member Falahat Pisheh has urged that Iran demand the end of US sanctions before beginning talks between the two countries.
Referring to the new US President Barack Obama's statement about Iran in which he repeated the preconditions of Bush's government for talking with Iran, he said, "If the new US president seeks to pursue outdated US policies in dealing with Iran, it will not bear any results."
I think it's becoming apparent that that there are many people in the Middle East who have decided that instead of taking advantage of Obama's election to work out some new dynamic, that they prefer to simply try to take advantage of Obama. While I'm not surprised, it remains nonetheless a shame.
Referring to the new US President Barack Obama's statement about Iran in which he repeated the preconditions of Bush's government for talking with Iran, he said, "If the new US president seeks to pursue outdated US policies in dealing with Iran, it will not bear any results."
I think it's becoming apparent that that there are many people in the Middle East who have decided that instead of taking advantage of Obama's election to work out some new dynamic, that they prefer to simply try to take advantage of Obama. While I'm not surprised, it remains nonetheless a shame.
Hamas Complicates Reconciliation
The Jerusalem Post reports today that Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan has announced that Fatah must end peace talks and cooperation with Israel before Hamas will resume reconciliation talks with Fatah. In short, the only way for Palestinian political reconciliation is for Fatah to renounce those political agreements with Israel that data back to Oslo and to adopt the position of Hamas--namely the goal of the total elimination of the Jewish state. (Bolding mine)
Speaking at a rally in Beirut Sunday, Hamdan said Hamas welcomed Palestinian dialogue, but any reconciliation should be based on "a resistance program to liberate territory and regain rights."
"We say clearly that we welcome a national Palestinian dialogue but this dialogue must include those who really belong to Palestine and to the Palestinian cause," he said.
He maintained that the Israeli-Palestinian peace process had ended.
Hamas is clearly playing the "claim that you won and act like you did" game while hoping the dupes in the Arab world and the West believe you. And, to be sure, there are the Chomskys of the world who will call for the Israelis to lift the siege of Gaza, hand over billions of foreign reconstruction dollars to Hamas (none of which, I'm certain, will find their way into weapons purchases), and do everything possible so the "militants" can import longer range missiles so that the next time they can rocket Tel Aviv.
Well, if the peace process has ended, at least the Israelis don't have to worry about derailing it down the road.
Speaking at a rally in Beirut Sunday, Hamdan said Hamas welcomed Palestinian dialogue, but any reconciliation should be based on "a resistance program to liberate territory and regain rights."
"We say clearly that we welcome a national Palestinian dialogue but this dialogue must include those who really belong to Palestine and to the Palestinian cause," he said.
He maintained that the Israeli-Palestinian peace process had ended.
Hamas is clearly playing the "claim that you won and act like you did" game while hoping the dupes in the Arab world and the West believe you. And, to be sure, there are the Chomskys of the world who will call for the Israelis to lift the siege of Gaza, hand over billions of foreign reconstruction dollars to Hamas (none of which, I'm certain, will find their way into weapons purchases), and do everything possible so the "militants" can import longer range missiles so that the next time they can rocket Tel Aviv.
Well, if the peace process has ended, at least the Israelis don't have to worry about derailing it down the road.
Ahmadinejad: Iranian Revolution Most Important Event in Human History
That's right. Forget the French Revolution. Forget the Industrial Revolution. Forget the printing press. And, of course, forget the American Revolution. "President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday," the IRNA reports, "that the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran was a turning point in the history of mankind."Ahmadinejad added: “Iran’s Islamic Revolution is a global phenomenon belonging to all mankind.”
Does that mean I get to vote in the next Iranian election?
Does that mean I get to vote in the next Iranian election?
Chomsky on Obama
"Noam Chomsky, the renowned professor of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology," has essentially termed President Obama's Middle East policy "Bush 3."
I wonder if guys like Chomsky who see that what they're saying parallels what people such as the leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah, al Qaeda, and Ahmadinejad are saying ever ask themselves: "Why is that?"
Maybe I should start writing about linguistics? I wonder if Chomsky would take me as seriously as he expects others to take him?
I wonder if guys like Chomsky who see that what they're saying parallels what people such as the leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah, al Qaeda, and Ahmadinejad are saying ever ask themselves: "Why is that?"
Maybe I should start writing about linguistics? I wonder if Chomsky would take me as seriously as he expects others to take him?
More Arrests in Turkey
Alleged secular plotters were swept up again this week by the Turkish government. Only time will tell if these actions will head off a real plot or perhaps prompt one if they continue. The view from the secularists appears to be getting grim. The report concludes:
The opposition accuses the government of a witch hunt against secularists who opposed the government's efforts to raise the profile of Islam.
"The trade unions are being silenced, media organizations are being scared off," opposition lawmaker Mustafa Ozyurek told reporters outside the union's headquarters. "Turkey is fast becoming an empire of fear."
The opposition accuses the government of a witch hunt against secularists who opposed the government's efforts to raise the profile of Islam.
"The trade unions are being silenced, media organizations are being scared off," opposition lawmaker Mustafa Ozyurek told reporters outside the union's headquarters. "Turkey is fast becoming an empire of fear."
Foiled Pak Terror Strike in India?
Indian sources report that security police foiled a terrorist attack in a suburb of New Delhi on the eve of Republic Day celebrations in the capital. One of the terrorists was alive (but apaprently later expired) and identified himself and his slain partner as Pakistanis. If the report is accurate, this will do little, obviously, to calm the situation between Indian and its western neighbor.
“Police have found two AK-47s, 4 magazines, 120 bullets, 5 hand grenades, Rs 18,000 cash, detonators, 9 RDX rods and a rucksack from the car,” Brij Lal said.
“Police have found two AK-47s, 4 magazines, 120 bullets, 5 hand grenades, Rs 18,000 cash, detonators, 9 RDX rods and a rucksack from the car,” Brij Lal said.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Obama not Playing Well with Salafists
Hizb ut-Tahrir (UK) is already tearing into Barack Obama much as they did is predecessor. Their website today carried a HuT press release.
London, UK, January 24 2009 – In his inaugural address, President Obama said “to the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect”, yet his opening salvo has been to kill more innocent civilians in yesterday’s missile strikes in Pakistan.
This continuation of the Bush policy shows Obama is more a change of style than a change of substance. Reacting to this latest attacks, Taji Mustafa, media representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain said, “The 21 bodies recovered from the latest US missile strikes are Obama’s idea of a ‘new way forward’ with the Muslim world.
Obama continues Bush’s undeclared war on Pakistan because America is a capitalist state with a colonial foreign policy that seeks to maintain her domination and exploitation of the Muslim world. US Presidents come and go, policies may be amended, but there will be no real change.”
“Despite these and previous US missile strikes, there is now abundant evidence that the Pakistani government continues to allow the transit of US arms and supply oil from its refineries to the US war machine in Afghanistan. The Pakistani government is complicit in the murder of its own citizens, just like the Arab rulers were complicit in Israel’s massacre in Gaza. This is despite the fact that Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain’s delegation warned Pakistan’s London ambassador that the quickest way to stop American attacks is to cut US supply lines and fuel from Pakistan.”
Another article declares that when it comes to change and the Muslim world President Obama is heavy on style but light on substance. The piece ends with a call to Islam as a solution to the problems facing the world.
Obama’s rhetoric and speeches have raised countless hopes of fundamental change among the most desperate and disenfranchised in American society yet Obama knows that he needs the continued backing of the status quo which will in turn constrain his ability to deliver any real change.
Is this not at least ‘mildly’ disingenuous to his core people? There is clearly symbolism in his Presidency but hundreds of millions are longing for a lot more than that and would be quite insulted and angered if that’s all they got!
Capitalism is in intensive care destined for failure like Communism before it. Capitalism’s financial systems have collapsed (bringing the world economy down with it); its societies are in meltdown; and its foreign policy of colonisation whether direct or through sponsoring dictators has been exposed. The world needs to adopt a new ideology one that will do away with colonialism, social decay and the enrichment of a handful of capitalist elites. It will take more than gesture politics to revive faith in democracy.
Islam is such an ideology and the only real alternative for humankind today. The Islamic ideology ensures justice for all its citizens irrespective of race, colour and religion; builds a cohesive society based on the rule of law and representation; promotes real sustainable economic growth while guaranteeing the basic welfare of the weak and vulnerable.
"And We have not sent you (Muhammed ( saw) ) except as a mercy to mankind" Surah Al-Anbiyah 21:107
Right! All you have to do is to look to the Islamic world and it's replete with "real sustainable economic growth." If you take petroleum out of the equation, the five million Finns produce more than the 300 millions of the Arab world. But, you see, that's only because they are being held down by the West. If only they were really free and totally Islamic . . . then everything would be just fine.
The word is "Utopia." And when political movements are able to match Utopian ideals with state power, millions die.
London, UK, January 24 2009 – In his inaugural address, President Obama said “to the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect”, yet his opening salvo has been to kill more innocent civilians in yesterday’s missile strikes in Pakistan.
This continuation of the Bush policy shows Obama is more a change of style than a change of substance. Reacting to this latest attacks, Taji Mustafa, media representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain said, “The 21 bodies recovered from the latest US missile strikes are Obama’s idea of a ‘new way forward’ with the Muslim world.
Obama continues Bush’s undeclared war on Pakistan because America is a capitalist state with a colonial foreign policy that seeks to maintain her domination and exploitation of the Muslim world. US Presidents come and go, policies may be amended, but there will be no real change.”
“Despite these and previous US missile strikes, there is now abundant evidence that the Pakistani government continues to allow the transit of US arms and supply oil from its refineries to the US war machine in Afghanistan. The Pakistani government is complicit in the murder of its own citizens, just like the Arab rulers were complicit in Israel’s massacre in Gaza. This is despite the fact that Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain’s delegation warned Pakistan’s London ambassador that the quickest way to stop American attacks is to cut US supply lines and fuel from Pakistan.”
Another article declares that when it comes to change and the Muslim world President Obama is heavy on style but light on substance. The piece ends with a call to Islam as a solution to the problems facing the world.
Obama’s rhetoric and speeches have raised countless hopes of fundamental change among the most desperate and disenfranchised in American society yet Obama knows that he needs the continued backing of the status quo which will in turn constrain his ability to deliver any real change.
Is this not at least ‘mildly’ disingenuous to his core people? There is clearly symbolism in his Presidency but hundreds of millions are longing for a lot more than that and would be quite insulted and angered if that’s all they got!
Capitalism is in intensive care destined for failure like Communism before it. Capitalism’s financial systems have collapsed (bringing the world economy down with it); its societies are in meltdown; and its foreign policy of colonisation whether direct or through sponsoring dictators has been exposed. The world needs to adopt a new ideology one that will do away with colonialism, social decay and the enrichment of a handful of capitalist elites. It will take more than gesture politics to revive faith in democracy.
Islam is such an ideology and the only real alternative for humankind today. The Islamic ideology ensures justice for all its citizens irrespective of race, colour and religion; builds a cohesive society based on the rule of law and representation; promotes real sustainable economic growth while guaranteeing the basic welfare of the weak and vulnerable.
"And We have not sent you (Muhammed ( saw) ) except as a mercy to mankind" Surah Al-Anbiyah 21:107
Right! All you have to do is to look to the Islamic world and it's replete with "real sustainable economic growth." If you take petroleum out of the equation, the five million Finns produce more than the 300 millions of the Arab world. But, you see, that's only because they are being held down by the West. If only they were really free and totally Islamic . . . then everything would be just fine.
The word is "Utopia." And when political movements are able to match Utopian ideals with state power, millions die.
Pope Reinstates Holocaust and 911 Denier!!!
First, a disclaimer: I am a practicing Roman Catholic. So as I write this I'm debating whether or not I will attend Mass tomorrow.
Second, you may have already seen the reports about the Pope reinstating excommunicated Bishop Richard Williamson. Here's the operative video.
Third, the bishop isn't only a "quote-unquote Holocaust" denier, he's also a 911 denier. And here's the audio evidence for that.
Of course, we can give the bishop his due. He admits that 200k to 300k Jews did die at Nazi hands. Since we've learned during the past month that the death of 700-to-800 Palestinian civilians is a "holocaust" and evidence of "genocide," and that Gaza, in the words of Cardinal Renato Martin, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, is "like a concentration camp," is Williamson technically denying the "holocaust"?
Here's a bishop who is willing to believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah based on a handful of texts written decades and centuries after the fact, but he doesn't think there's sufficient evidence for the Holocaust? What in the hell are they drinking, let alone thinking, in the Vatican? Today was a day of shame for my church. Logging off to write my bishop.
Second, you may have already seen the reports about the Pope reinstating excommunicated Bishop Richard Williamson. Here's the operative video.
Third, the bishop isn't only a "quote-unquote Holocaust" denier, he's also a 911 denier. And here's the audio evidence for that.
Of course, we can give the bishop his due. He admits that 200k to 300k Jews did die at Nazi hands. Since we've learned during the past month that the death of 700-to-800 Palestinian civilians is a "holocaust" and evidence of "genocide," and that Gaza, in the words of Cardinal Renato Martin, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, is "like a concentration camp," is Williamson technically denying the "holocaust"?
Here's a bishop who is willing to believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah based on a handful of texts written decades and centuries after the fact, but he doesn't think there's sufficient evidence for the Holocaust? What in the hell are they drinking, let alone thinking, in the Vatican? Today was a day of shame for my church. Logging off to write my bishop.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
New Feature: Covering World War II 21st Century Style #1
Protesters marched to the White House today calling for the impeachment of President Franklin Roosevelt because of the on-going Allied strategic bombing campaign against Germany. “This is an aerial holocaust,” protester Anita Jones cried out. “Innocent civilians are being killed!” “Our foreign policy is controlled by the Jews,” Kurt Muller, who carried a sign labeled “I ♥ Hitler” screamed.
I spoke with several protesters during a pause during the march. “People in this country have to understand,” Muller stressed, “that Adolf Hitler was democratically elected. FDR talks all about the four freedoms and democracy, but he’s unwilling to allow the German people to elect their own leaders. Roosevelt is calling for unconditional surrender because he’s determined on regime change. How’s that democratic?”
Ms Jones added: “You know, like, we’re bombing the German people. We’re like blowing up their homes and stuff. But, you know, like that’s only going to make them hate us more and love Hitler more, too, you know. It’s all like counterproductive, you know.”
“Aren’t we leveling their industrial centers, too?” I asked.
“Oh yea,” she replied, “so we can eliminate the competition for American capitalists.”
“And they’re mostly Jews,” Muller added.
“But didn’t the Germans bomb Warsaw, Rotterdam, and Belgrade?” I replied.
“Well, that was self-defense!” came Muller’s response. “The Poles attacked Germany at Gleiwicz. That really happened, but that Jew Roosevelt is withholding the true story.”
“But the Roosevelt family’s heritage is Dutch,” I replied. Muller and Jones looked at each other and laughed.
“Well, what about Rotterdam and Belgrade?” I asked.
Muller and Jones chuckled. “Those weren’t German planes,” Muller explained. “They were all RAF planes painted to look like German aircraft by the British Secret Service. Everyone knows that.”
“Here, look at this,” Ms Jones spoke as she held an out-of-focus picture in front of my face. This is a photo a friend in Germany sent me of like that so-called air raid over Rotterdam. And if you look at this supposed-to-be-German plane, you can see it’s really a British Blenheim bomber.”
"You can?" I queried as she quickly withdrew the picture.
“And Germany was mistreated at Versailles,” Ms Jones then interjected, changing the subject. “You have to go back to 1918, you know, to like put things in perspective.”
The break was over and the march resumed.
I spoke with several protesters during a pause during the march. “People in this country have to understand,” Muller stressed, “that Adolf Hitler was democratically elected. FDR talks all about the four freedoms and democracy, but he’s unwilling to allow the German people to elect their own leaders. Roosevelt is calling for unconditional surrender because he’s determined on regime change. How’s that democratic?”
Ms Jones added: “You know, like, we’re bombing the German people. We’re like blowing up their homes and stuff. But, you know, like that’s only going to make them hate us more and love Hitler more, too, you know. It’s all like counterproductive, you know.”
“Aren’t we leveling their industrial centers, too?” I asked.
“Oh yea,” she replied, “so we can eliminate the competition for American capitalists.”
“And they’re mostly Jews,” Muller added.
“But didn’t the Germans bomb Warsaw, Rotterdam, and Belgrade?” I replied.
“Well, that was self-defense!” came Muller’s response. “The Poles attacked Germany at Gleiwicz. That really happened, but that Jew Roosevelt is withholding the true story.”
“But the Roosevelt family’s heritage is Dutch,” I replied. Muller and Jones looked at each other and laughed.
“Well, what about Rotterdam and Belgrade?” I asked.
Muller and Jones chuckled. “Those weren’t German planes,” Muller explained. “They were all RAF planes painted to look like German aircraft by the British Secret Service. Everyone knows that.”
“Here, look at this,” Ms Jones spoke as she held an out-of-focus picture in front of my face. This is a photo a friend in Germany sent me of like that so-called air raid over Rotterdam. And if you look at this supposed-to-be-German plane, you can see it’s really a British Blenheim bomber.”
"You can?" I queried as she quickly withdrew the picture.
“And Germany was mistreated at Versailles,” Ms Jones then interjected, changing the subject. “You have to go back to 1918, you know, to like put things in perspective.”
The break was over and the march resumed.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Hamas Launches Rocket under Al Arabiya TV Offices
And we wonder why the Israelis hit such targets! I'm sure Hamas was praying that the IDF would target the building housing the Al Arabiya offices. Can you imagine the international stink if they had. And, of course, Hamas would deny any responsibility and the UN would condemn the Israelis.
You can watch the Al Arabiya reporter's discussion in Arabic here, but for You Tube video with English subtitles turn on the CC function on the far right of the control panel or if that fails try the same here.
I came across this video on the web blog of the Elder of Ziyon.
I just had a great idea! When Obama closes Guantanamo he should house the prisoners in the same facilities that serve as homes to the major TV networks and newspapers across the country, most notably The New York Times, CNN, CBS, and MSNBC. Imagine the image of Wolf Blitzer sharing a restroom with Khalid Sheik Muhammad!
You can watch the Al Arabiya reporter's discussion in Arabic here, but for You Tube video with English subtitles turn on the CC function on the far right of the control panel or if that fails try the same here.
I came across this video on the web blog of the Elder of Ziyon.
I just had a great idea! When Obama closes Guantanamo he should house the prisoners in the same facilities that serve as homes to the major TV networks and newspapers across the country, most notably The New York Times, CNN, CBS, and MSNBC. Imagine the image of Wolf Blitzer sharing a restroom with Khalid Sheik Muhammad!
Plague Report Followup
Fox News is reporting that the "plague" outbreak at the Al Qaeda Camp in Algeria was the result of a "mishap." An unnamed intelligence source
said authorities in the first week of January intercepted an urgent communication between the leadership of Al Qaeda in the Land of the Maghreb (AQIM) and Al Qaeda's leadership in the tribal region of Pakistan on the border with Afghanistan. The communication suggested that an area sealed to prevent leakage of a biological or chemical substance had been breached, according to the official.
"We don't know if this is biological or chemical," the official said.
If true, Al Qaeda is readying a biological or chemical weapon for use against its many declared enemies, a listing on which "Crusaders and Jews" figure prominently. It's not a question of if, it's a question of when.
said authorities in the first week of January intercepted an urgent communication between the leadership of Al Qaeda in the Land of the Maghreb (AQIM) and Al Qaeda's leadership in the tribal region of Pakistan on the border with Afghanistan. The communication suggested that an area sealed to prevent leakage of a biological or chemical substance had been breached, according to the official.
"We don't know if this is biological or chemical," the official said.
If true, Al Qaeda is readying a biological or chemical weapon for use against its many declared enemies, a listing on which "Crusaders and Jews" figure prominently. It's not a question of if, it's a question of when.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Holocaust Satire at Its Best
An Iranian press--Martyr Shahbazi Publications--will soon publish Farsi and English-language editions of a book that "deals with the 'big historical distortion' of the Holocaust...."
...English and Arabic editions would be published at a ceremony in Tehran later this month when a message from Ahmadinejad would be read out. It appeared to be translations of a book which official media in September said had been published about the "fiction" of the Holocaust. "The presentation ceremony will be held on January 27 ... with the attendance of a number of government officials," Mohammad Mehdi Hemmati, who is involved in the project, told FNA. The Islamic republic news agency said in September the book had 52 caricatures plus satirical writings over 108 pages. It was published by and the Islamic student movement of the Science and Industry University. Iran staged an international competition and exhibition of cartoons about the Holocaust in 2006. That contest was held in response to cartoons published in Denmark that were deemed anti-Islamic, officials said.
Maybe Iranian TV can develop a Holocaust sitcom--a "Hogan's Heroes" approach to life in Auschwitz? No, that's not right. I'm sorry; it never happened. It wouldn't be a sitcom; it would be fiction.
Ahmadinejad. Hamas. Why would anyone in this country want to associate themselves with these lunatic anti-Semites?
...English and Arabic editions would be published at a ceremony in Tehran later this month when a message from Ahmadinejad would be read out. It appeared to be translations of a book which official media in September said had been published about the "fiction" of the Holocaust. "The presentation ceremony will be held on January 27 ... with the attendance of a number of government officials," Mohammad Mehdi Hemmati, who is involved in the project, told FNA. The Islamic republic news agency said in September the book had 52 caricatures plus satirical writings over 108 pages. It was published by and the Islamic student movement of the Science and Industry University. Iran staged an international competition and exhibition of cartoons about the Holocaust in 2006. That contest was held in response to cartoons published in Denmark that were deemed anti-Islamic, officials said.
Maybe Iranian TV can develop a Holocaust sitcom--a "Hogan's Heroes" approach to life in Auschwitz? No, that's not right. I'm sorry; it never happened. It wouldn't be a sitcom; it would be fiction.
Ahmadinejad. Hamas. Why would anyone in this country want to associate themselves with these lunatic anti-Semites?
Iranian Pressure Point
A Fars news agency report today identified one of Iran's major Achilles Heels--food! Another is refined petroleum product.
By the end of December, 2008, Iran was supplied with 3.44 million tons of grain, worth $1.182 billion. Within the last nine months of 2007, Iran purchased 160,000 tons of grain. The figure showed an 18 percent growth in comparison with the same nine months in 2008. According to the Iranian Commerce Ministry, the country needs 12 million tons of grain this year, with 7 million to be purchased from domestic producers and 5 million from abroad - the remaining 2 million tons of grain will be bought within next two months.
Over 40% of Iran's grain is imported. The figure for 2007 was about 34%. If the Obama administration wants to get tough with Iran, without using military force, sanctions against refined product and grain would do the trick.
By the end of December, 2008, Iran was supplied with 3.44 million tons of grain, worth $1.182 billion. Within the last nine months of 2007, Iran purchased 160,000 tons of grain. The figure showed an 18 percent growth in comparison with the same nine months in 2008. According to the Iranian Commerce Ministry, the country needs 12 million tons of grain this year, with 7 million to be purchased from domestic producers and 5 million from abroad - the remaining 2 million tons of grain will be bought within next two months.
Over 40% of Iran's grain is imported. The figure for 2007 was about 34%. If the Obama administration wants to get tough with Iran, without using military force, sanctions against refined product and grain would do the trick.
Iran Declares Victory in Gaza
The Islamic Republic News Agency reports that President Ahmadinejad has declared a victory in Gaza for Hamas and emphasized "that Gaza residents’ resistance was not only on behalf of the entire Palestinian nation, but also on behalf of the entire freedom loving nations of the world...." He then went on to call for war crimes trials for the leaders of the Zionist Entity. If you wish to see what victory in Gaza looks like, this UPI slideshow will give you a good idea.
I'd hate to see what Gaza would have looked like if Hamas had lost.
I'd hate to see what Gaza would have looked like if Hamas had lost.
Black Plague?
The Sun reported today that forty (40) Al Qaeda types in Algeria have succumbed to "The Plague." Anti-terrorist experts have expressed a hope that the Algerian brothers may spread the plague to other cells between the Maghreb and Afghanistan.This is an interesting story. Did the jihadists just pick up the disease from fleas? Will they blame the West of using biological warfare agents? Will they follow the medieval European example and "blame the Jews"?
Or is this story evidence that the jihadists are victims of their own effort to create a bacteriological weapon of their own for use against the West?
Saturday, January 17, 2009
I have no doubt that hundreds of Gazan civilians have been killed by IDF fire. I'm sure that some were the victims of erroneous attacks by the Israelis. The IDF makes errors. Several Israeli soldiers were the victims of fratricidal attacks, commonly referred to as friendly fire. In combat, things go wrong.
But if you study the IDF footage below, there should be no doubt about why most of the Palestinian civilians who were killed became victims. You can see AAA and mortars deployed on the rooftops of civilian residences. About a minute into the clip you see IDF air strikes with precision-guided bombs hitting weapon storage depots. The secondary explosions, as the stored weapons cook off and blow, are often larger and more extensive than the explosions caused by the actual IDF bomb. What happens to the civilians who live in the vicinity of such secondary explosions?
Hamas knows exactly what it's doing. It brags about how it uses civilians for protection. You have to wonder how many were actually killed by Hamas's own exploding munitions stockpiles placed in civilian neighborhoods.
I've posted this Hamas video before, but in case you're new to this blog and missed it, here it is again.
But if you study the IDF footage below, there should be no doubt about why most of the Palestinian civilians who were killed became victims. You can see AAA and mortars deployed on the rooftops of civilian residences. About a minute into the clip you see IDF air strikes with precision-guided bombs hitting weapon storage depots. The secondary explosions, as the stored weapons cook off and blow, are often larger and more extensive than the explosions caused by the actual IDF bomb. What happens to the civilians who live in the vicinity of such secondary explosions?
Hamas knows exactly what it's doing. It brags about how it uses civilians for protection. You have to wonder how many were actually killed by Hamas's own exploding munitions stockpiles placed in civilian neighborhoods.
I've posted this Hamas video before, but in case you're new to this blog and missed it, here it is again.
Ceasefire?
The Israelis are apparently ready to stop but no one is certain what Hamas will do. PM Olmert will address the Israeli public at 3:00 pm EST. According to Al Jazeera:
...Hamas on Saturday threatened to ignore such a cessation and continue fighting."Clearly, we have nothing new to propose ... either we hear what we have proposed [is accepted] or we will go back to the battlefield," Osama Hamdan, Hamas's representative in Lebanon, said. "The [large] number of our martyrs will not push us to surrender, but to insist on resistance."
Speaking at a forum in Beirut, Hamdan called on Arab leaders to stand by the Palestinian "resistance", and urged European nations to cut ties with Israel for its "crimes" in Gaza.
An unnamed Israeli official told the AFP news agency that Israeli troops would remain in Gaza in the event of any such ceasefire being called."If they [Hamas] decide to open fire, we will not hesitate to respond and continue the offensive," the official was quoted as saying.
...Hamas on Saturday threatened to ignore such a cessation and continue fighting."Clearly, we have nothing new to propose ... either we hear what we have proposed [is accepted] or we will go back to the battlefield," Osama Hamdan, Hamas's representative in Lebanon, said. "The [large] number of our martyrs will not push us to surrender, but to insist on resistance."
Speaking at a forum in Beirut, Hamdan called on Arab leaders to stand by the Palestinian "resistance", and urged European nations to cut ties with Israel for its "crimes" in Gaza.
An unnamed Israeli official told the AFP news agency that Israeli troops would remain in Gaza in the event of any such ceasefire being called."If they [Hamas] decide to open fire, we will not hesitate to respond and continue the offensive," the official was quoted as saying.
Friday, January 16, 2009
"We’re talking black-eyed virgins, man!"
I'm sure that right after this interview, these guys hopped a bus to Gaza to join the fight. Hamas must need chaplains. Watch the video! I've appended some excerpts below.
The reason for the 1967 defeat, for the 1948 calamity, for the loss of all our lands, for the fall of Baghdad, for the occupation, for Darfur, for the problems in South Sudan, for the colonialism that lasted throughout the 20th century is our hatred of death. Sheik Amin and I reached the TV station together, and without arranging this in advance, we decided to come here to fight the hatred of death. We must love death, just like the companions of the Prophets.
[...]
The martyr gains martyrdom for the sake of Allah. He is absolved with the first drop of blood. There are five liters of blood in the body. If someone’s heart is cut open – will those five liters flow out immediately? No. With the first drop of blood, you are absolved, and surely with the next drops, there will be other blessings. With every drop of blood that drains from your body for the sake of Islam and God, you get blessings, the firs of which is that you don’t owe anything anymore - all your debts and bills are covered.
He is absolved with the first drop of blood, and sees his seat in Paradise. When he dies, it’s not that the Grim Reaper appears by his head. His death is like a movie, in which he sees images of Paradise. He sits and watches these images, and his soul ascends to Allah. When Abraham died, the angels gave him sweet basil to smell, and his soul departed. A man smells a beautiful flower – a flower from Allah, not from this world – and he meets God. How can we possibly fear death? This fear of death must stop.
[...]
You do not feel the blows of the sword on your body, or the bombs, or the missiles from airplanes. Not at all. Allah turns the sword blows and the bombs into angel kisses on the body of the martyr. The angels kiss you, man. Imagine an angel kissing you on the forehead, and if it is a little boy, the angels take him straight to Paradise. What do we live for? We should be crying over us, the living. We congratulate the relatives of whoever died for the sake of Allah. We congratulate these [martyrs] themselves.
[...]
There are black-eyed virgins ready for you. The martyr gets at least two of the virgins of Paradise, and they embrace the martyr. Imagine a black-eyed virgin embracing the martyr. While people carry the body to be buried, a black-eyed virgin is embracing him. We’re talking black-eyed virgins, man! All you guys who are looking for the women and girls of this world... True, a righteous woman is a good thing, but the martyr gets something even more valuable – a black-eyed virgin. Do you know what a black-eyed virgin is? When she laughs, she overshadows the light of the sun and the moon. She has beautiful laughter. Sometimes you hear or see girls or women with beautiful laughter. Imagine – when the black-eyed virgin laughs, she overshadows the light of the sun and the moon. Who wants to get married? Who wants black-eyed virgins?
[...]
A black-eyed virgin, man. When she smiles, she overshadows the light of the sun and the moon. If she were to spit into a raging salty sea, like the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, or the Red Sea, the raging salty seas would turn into sweet water – just from her spit.
[...]
Immediately after that, the martyr is spared the torments of the grave. The grave... The grave... Even if there were no other torments, the grave would be enough. The grave... May God spare me and you. The martyr is spared these torments. Sorrow and pain is the lot of those who live.
[...]
Then, he is married off to 72 virgins of Paradise. Allah Akbar – 72 virgins of Paradise. I have already described them to you. They greet him with singing, with beautiful words, such as: Oh friend of Allah, I have never seen anyone as perfect and handsome as you. I wish women would learn from the virgins of Paradise.
[...]
Hating the enemies of Allah is very important. We must teach our children, our youngsters, our brothers, and all the Muslims to hate the accursed Zionist Jews. Why not? They teach their children to hate us. Our hatred of the Jews is based upon our faith. The Koran tells us to hate them, not to love them.
[...]
We want to make our children love Jihad for the sake of Allah, to teach them what sacrifice is, what it means to love Jihad for the sake of Allah. We too, as fathers, must learn this. The peak of my happiness as a father is to raise a martyr, and to sacrifice him in the battleground of Jihad for the sake of Allah. The peak of my happiness would be to do what the Prophet’s companions did. Every mother should raise her son, and nurse him – together with her milk – with the love of Jihad for the sake of Allah, with the love of Paradise.
The reason for the 1967 defeat, for the 1948 calamity, for the loss of all our lands, for the fall of Baghdad, for the occupation, for Darfur, for the problems in South Sudan, for the colonialism that lasted throughout the 20th century is our hatred of death. Sheik Amin and I reached the TV station together, and without arranging this in advance, we decided to come here to fight the hatred of death. We must love death, just like the companions of the Prophets.
[...]
The martyr gains martyrdom for the sake of Allah. He is absolved with the first drop of blood. There are five liters of blood in the body. If someone’s heart is cut open – will those five liters flow out immediately? No. With the first drop of blood, you are absolved, and surely with the next drops, there will be other blessings. With every drop of blood that drains from your body for the sake of Islam and God, you get blessings, the firs of which is that you don’t owe anything anymore - all your debts and bills are covered.
He is absolved with the first drop of blood, and sees his seat in Paradise. When he dies, it’s not that the Grim Reaper appears by his head. His death is like a movie, in which he sees images of Paradise. He sits and watches these images, and his soul ascends to Allah. When Abraham died, the angels gave him sweet basil to smell, and his soul departed. A man smells a beautiful flower – a flower from Allah, not from this world – and he meets God. How can we possibly fear death? This fear of death must stop.
[...]
You do not feel the blows of the sword on your body, or the bombs, or the missiles from airplanes. Not at all. Allah turns the sword blows and the bombs into angel kisses on the body of the martyr. The angels kiss you, man. Imagine an angel kissing you on the forehead, and if it is a little boy, the angels take him straight to Paradise. What do we live for? We should be crying over us, the living. We congratulate the relatives of whoever died for the sake of Allah. We congratulate these [martyrs] themselves.
[...]
There are black-eyed virgins ready for you. The martyr gets at least two of the virgins of Paradise, and they embrace the martyr. Imagine a black-eyed virgin embracing the martyr. While people carry the body to be buried, a black-eyed virgin is embracing him. We’re talking black-eyed virgins, man! All you guys who are looking for the women and girls of this world... True, a righteous woman is a good thing, but the martyr gets something even more valuable – a black-eyed virgin. Do you know what a black-eyed virgin is? When she laughs, she overshadows the light of the sun and the moon. She has beautiful laughter. Sometimes you hear or see girls or women with beautiful laughter. Imagine – when the black-eyed virgin laughs, she overshadows the light of the sun and the moon. Who wants to get married? Who wants black-eyed virgins?
[...]
A black-eyed virgin, man. When she smiles, she overshadows the light of the sun and the moon. If she were to spit into a raging salty sea, like the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, or the Red Sea, the raging salty seas would turn into sweet water – just from her spit.
[...]
Immediately after that, the martyr is spared the torments of the grave. The grave... The grave... Even if there were no other torments, the grave would be enough. The grave... May God spare me and you. The martyr is spared these torments. Sorrow and pain is the lot of those who live.
[...]
Then, he is married off to 72 virgins of Paradise. Allah Akbar – 72 virgins of Paradise. I have already described them to you. They greet him with singing, with beautiful words, such as: Oh friend of Allah, I have never seen anyone as perfect and handsome as you. I wish women would learn from the virgins of Paradise.
[...]
Hating the enemies of Allah is very important. We must teach our children, our youngsters, our brothers, and all the Muslims to hate the accursed Zionist Jews. Why not? They teach their children to hate us. Our hatred of the Jews is based upon our faith. The Koran tells us to hate them, not to love them.
[...]
We want to make our children love Jihad for the sake of Allah, to teach them what sacrifice is, what it means to love Jihad for the sake of Allah. We too, as fathers, must learn this. The peak of my happiness as a father is to raise a martyr, and to sacrifice him in the battleground of Jihad for the sake of Allah. The peak of my happiness would be to do what the Prophet’s companions did. Every mother should raise her son, and nurse him – together with her milk – with the love of Jihad for the sake of Allah, with the love of Paradise.
Israel May Declare Unilateral Ceasefire
I guess they've run out of targets.
Haaretz a few minutes ago (1:48 pm EST) reported that the Israeli cabinet will meet Saturday to discuss the possibility of a unilateral ceasefire. The reports does not mention when the IDF would withdraw from its present positions in Gaza. The decision is no doubt linked to an agreement reached today between the United States and Israel, appended below.
Recalling the steadfast commitment of the United States to Israel's security, including secure, defensible borders, and to preserve and strengthen Israel's capability to deter and defend itself, by itself, against any threat or possible combination of threats;
Reaffirming that such commitment is reflected in the security, military and intelligence cooperation between the United States and Israel, the Strategic Dialogue between them, and the level and kind of assistance provided by the United States to Israel;
Taking note of the efforts of Egyptian President Mubarak, particularly the recognition that securing Gaza's border is indispensable to realizing a durable and sustainable end to fighting in Gaza;
Unequivocally condemning all acts, methods, and practices of terrorism as unjustifiable, wherever and by whomever committed and whatever the motivation, in particular, the recent rocket and mortar attacks and other hostile activity perpetrated against Israel from Gaza by terrorist organizations;
Recognizing that suppression of acts of international terrorism, including denying the provision of arms and related materiel to terrorist organizations, is an essential element for the maintenance of international peace and security;
Recognizing that the acquisition and use of arms and related materiel by terrorists against Israel were the direct causes of recent hostilities;
Recognizing the threat to Israel of hostile and terrorist activity from Gaza, including weapons smuggling and the build-up of terrorist capabilities, weapons and infrastructure; and understanding that Israel, like all nations, enjoys the inherent right of self defense, including the right to defend itself against terrorism through appropriate action;
Desiring to improve bilateral, regional and multilateral efforts to prevent the provision of arms and related materiel to terrorist organizations, particularly those currently operating in the Gaza Strip, such as Hamas;
Recognizing that achieving and maintaining a durable and sustainable cessation of hostilities is dependent upon prevention of smuggling and re-supply of weapons into Gaza for Hamas, a terrorist organization, and other terrorist groups, and affirming that Gaza should not be used as a base from which Israel may be attacked;
Recognizing also that combating weapons and explosives supply to Gaza is a multi-dimensional, results-oriented effort with a regional focus and international components working in parallel, and that this is a priority of the United States' and Israel's efforts, independently and with each other, to ensure a durable and sustainable end to hostilities;
Recognizing further the crucial need for the unimpeded, safe and secure provision of humanitarian assistance to the residents of Gaza;
Intending to work with international partners to ensure the enforcement of relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions on counterterrorism in relation to terrorist activity in Gaza;
Have reached the following understandings:
1. The Parties will work cooperatively with neighbors and in parallel with others in the international community to prevent the supply of arms and related materiel to terrorist organizations that threaten either party, with a particular focus on the supply of arms, related materiel and explosives into Gaza to Hamas and other terrorist organizations.
2. The United States will work with regional and NATO partners to address the problem of the supply of arms and related materiel and weapons transfers and shipments to Hamas and other terrorist organizations in Gaza, including through the Mediterranean, Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and eastern Africa, through improvements in existing arrangements or the launching of new initiatives to increase the effectiveness of those arrangements as they relate to the prevention of weapons smuggling to Gaza.
Among the tools that will be pursued are:
· Enhanced U.S. security and intelligence cooperation with regional governments on actions to prevent weapons and explosives flows to Gaza that originate in or transit their territories; including through the involvement of relevant components of the U.S. Government, such as U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Special Operations Command.
· Enhanced intelligence fusion with key international and coalition naval forces and other appropriate entities to address weapons supply to Gaza;
· Enhancement of the existing international sanctions and enforcement mechanisms against provision of material support to Hamas and other terrorist organizations, including through an international response to those states, such as Iran, who are determined to be sources of weapons and explosives supply to Gaza.
3. The United States and Israel will assist each other in these efforts through enhanced sharing of information and intelligence that would assist in identifying the origin and routing of weapons being supplied to terrorist organizations in Gaza.
4. The United States will accelerate its efforts to provide logistical and technical assistance and to train and equip regional security forces in counter-smuggling tactics, working towards augmenting its existing assistance programs.
5. The United States will consult and work with its regional partners on expanding international assistance programs to affected communities in order to provide an alternative income/employment to those formerly involved in smuggling.
6. The Parties will establish mechanisms as appropriate for military and intelligence cooperation to share intelligence information and to monitor implementation of the steps undertaken in the context of this Memorandum of Understanding and to recommend additional measures to advance the goals of this Memorandum of Understanding. In so far as military cooperation is concerned, the relevant mechanism will be the United States-Israel Joint Counterterrorism Group, the annual Military to Military discussion, and the Joint Political Military Group.
7. This Memorandum of Understanding of ongoing political commitments between the Parties will be subject to the laws and regulations of the respective parties, as applicable, including those governing the availability of funds and the sharing of information and intelligence
Haaretz a few minutes ago (1:48 pm EST) reported that the Israeli cabinet will meet Saturday to discuss the possibility of a unilateral ceasefire. The reports does not mention when the IDF would withdraw from its present positions in Gaza. The decision is no doubt linked to an agreement reached today between the United States and Israel, appended below.
Recalling the steadfast commitment of the United States to Israel's security, including secure, defensible borders, and to preserve and strengthen Israel's capability to deter and defend itself, by itself, against any threat or possible combination of threats;
Reaffirming that such commitment is reflected in the security, military and intelligence cooperation between the United States and Israel, the Strategic Dialogue between them, and the level and kind of assistance provided by the United States to Israel;
Taking note of the efforts of Egyptian President Mubarak, particularly the recognition that securing Gaza's border is indispensable to realizing a durable and sustainable end to fighting in Gaza;
Unequivocally condemning all acts, methods, and practices of terrorism as unjustifiable, wherever and by whomever committed and whatever the motivation, in particular, the recent rocket and mortar attacks and other hostile activity perpetrated against Israel from Gaza by terrorist organizations;
Recognizing that suppression of acts of international terrorism, including denying the provision of arms and related materiel to terrorist organizations, is an essential element for the maintenance of international peace and security;
Recognizing that the acquisition and use of arms and related materiel by terrorists against Israel were the direct causes of recent hostilities;
Recognizing the threat to Israel of hostile and terrorist activity from Gaza, including weapons smuggling and the build-up of terrorist capabilities, weapons and infrastructure; and understanding that Israel, like all nations, enjoys the inherent right of self defense, including the right to defend itself against terrorism through appropriate action;
Desiring to improve bilateral, regional and multilateral efforts to prevent the provision of arms and related materiel to terrorist organizations, particularly those currently operating in the Gaza Strip, such as Hamas;
Recognizing that achieving and maintaining a durable and sustainable cessation of hostilities is dependent upon prevention of smuggling and re-supply of weapons into Gaza for Hamas, a terrorist organization, and other terrorist groups, and affirming that Gaza should not be used as a base from which Israel may be attacked;
Recognizing also that combating weapons and explosives supply to Gaza is a multi-dimensional, results-oriented effort with a regional focus and international components working in parallel, and that this is a priority of the United States' and Israel's efforts, independently and with each other, to ensure a durable and sustainable end to hostilities;
Recognizing further the crucial need for the unimpeded, safe and secure provision of humanitarian assistance to the residents of Gaza;
Intending to work with international partners to ensure the enforcement of relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions on counterterrorism in relation to terrorist activity in Gaza;
Have reached the following understandings:
1. The Parties will work cooperatively with neighbors and in parallel with others in the international community to prevent the supply of arms and related materiel to terrorist organizations that threaten either party, with a particular focus on the supply of arms, related materiel and explosives into Gaza to Hamas and other terrorist organizations.
2. The United States will work with regional and NATO partners to address the problem of the supply of arms and related materiel and weapons transfers and shipments to Hamas and other terrorist organizations in Gaza, including through the Mediterranean, Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and eastern Africa, through improvements in existing arrangements or the launching of new initiatives to increase the effectiveness of those arrangements as they relate to the prevention of weapons smuggling to Gaza.
Among the tools that will be pursued are:
· Enhanced U.S. security and intelligence cooperation with regional governments on actions to prevent weapons and explosives flows to Gaza that originate in or transit their territories; including through the involvement of relevant components of the U.S. Government, such as U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Special Operations Command.
· Enhanced intelligence fusion with key international and coalition naval forces and other appropriate entities to address weapons supply to Gaza;
· Enhancement of the existing international sanctions and enforcement mechanisms against provision of material support to Hamas and other terrorist organizations, including through an international response to those states, such as Iran, who are determined to be sources of weapons and explosives supply to Gaza.
3. The United States and Israel will assist each other in these efforts through enhanced sharing of information and intelligence that would assist in identifying the origin and routing of weapons being supplied to terrorist organizations in Gaza.
4. The United States will accelerate its efforts to provide logistical and technical assistance and to train and equip regional security forces in counter-smuggling tactics, working towards augmenting its existing assistance programs.
5. The United States will consult and work with its regional partners on expanding international assistance programs to affected communities in order to provide an alternative income/employment to those formerly involved in smuggling.
6. The Parties will establish mechanisms as appropriate for military and intelligence cooperation to share intelligence information and to monitor implementation of the steps undertaken in the context of this Memorandum of Understanding and to recommend additional measures to advance the goals of this Memorandum of Understanding. In so far as military cooperation is concerned, the relevant mechanism will be the United States-Israel Joint Counterterrorism Group, the annual Military to Military discussion, and the Joint Political Military Group.
7. This Memorandum of Understanding of ongoing political commitments between the Parties will be subject to the laws and regulations of the respective parties, as applicable, including those governing the availability of funds and the sharing of information and intelligence
Hamas/Syria/Iran Toughen Line on Ceasefire
The likelihood of a ceasefire in Gaza declined today when Hamas and Iran took a hard line a summit underway in Doha, Qatar. [Reports from Haaretz and Al Jazeera] Hamas has five demands that must be met before it will agree to a ceasefire.
1. The reciprocal truce would begin on Saturday and be followed by the immediate transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
2. The Israel Defense Forces must pull all of its troops out of the coastal territory within the first week of the truce.
3. The flow of trade in and out of the Gaza Strip must be renewed and monitored by observers from Egypt, Europe, and Turkey.
4. The Rafah crossing must be reopened and supervised by Palestinian Authority security forces and international observers, until a Palestinian unity government has been established and can take its place.
5. The truce would be instated for one-year with an option for renewal.
I consider this good news for the Israelis, since it will allow them to continue their operations for a few more days. The idea that Hamas will only be bound to adhere to a ceasefire for one year is unacceptable. It's certainly consistent with Hamas's philosophy of a ceasefire, but offers no guarantee that after rebuilding Hamas won't start rocketing Israel once again. Nor do any of the five points address the Israeli and American view that any agreement has to include procedures that would prevent Hamas from rebuilding its arsenal. That's why the Israel's have been blockading the Strip in the first place. The most troubling of the crossing, at Rafah along the Egyptian border, in the Hamas scheme will ultimately be "supervised" by forces from a "Palestinian unity government," that is one that wold include Hamas.
Given the faltering nature of anti-Israeli sentiment around the world, evident even in the West Bank, continued divisions among the Arab states, and obvious differences between Hamas leaders actually under fire in Gaza and those safely ensconced in Damascus, I suspect that the Israelis will continue their attacks at least until Hamas yields a bit more.
1. The reciprocal truce would begin on Saturday and be followed by the immediate transfer of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
2. The Israel Defense Forces must pull all of its troops out of the coastal territory within the first week of the truce.
3. The flow of trade in and out of the Gaza Strip must be renewed and monitored by observers from Egypt, Europe, and Turkey.
4. The Rafah crossing must be reopened and supervised by Palestinian Authority security forces and international observers, until a Palestinian unity government has been established and can take its place.
5. The truce would be instated for one-year with an option for renewal.
I consider this good news for the Israelis, since it will allow them to continue their operations for a few more days. The idea that Hamas will only be bound to adhere to a ceasefire for one year is unacceptable. It's certainly consistent with Hamas's philosophy of a ceasefire, but offers no guarantee that after rebuilding Hamas won't start rocketing Israel once again. Nor do any of the five points address the Israeli and American view that any agreement has to include procedures that would prevent Hamas from rebuilding its arsenal. That's why the Israel's have been blockading the Strip in the first place. The most troubling of the crossing, at Rafah along the Egyptian border, in the Hamas scheme will ultimately be "supervised" by forces from a "Palestinian unity government," that is one that wold include Hamas.
Given the faltering nature of anti-Israeli sentiment around the world, evident even in the West Bank, continued divisions among the Arab states, and obvious differences between Hamas leaders actually under fire in Gaza and those safely ensconced in Damascus, I suspect that the Israelis will continue their attacks at least until Hamas yields a bit more.
West Bank Demonstration Called Off for Lack of Protesters
In a post last week I argued that Hamas's best chance to save itself from defeat was a renewed Intifada in the West Bank. An article today in Haaretz suggests that there's not likely to be a new Intifada. According to the report:
It's quiet in Ramallah. At the northern entrance to the city, not far from the mall, a new fountain spouts water. Next to it lies a sign in English: "Gaza under fire." But it seems the Gaza Strip has never been so far away. Tel Aviv, meanwhile, feels closer than ever. Almost every day at 1 P.M., a demonstration leaves Manara Square in the city center, expressing support for the residents of the Gaza Strip. The number of participants has declined, however, on a daily basis, and on Wednesday the demonstration was called off for a lack of protesters.
The Al Jazeera bureau chief in the West Bank commented:
The residents of the West Bank lost a great deal in the course of the last Intifada, but saw no achievements. They are very afraid of more losses, mainly in light of the crisis of confidence between the Palestinian street and its leadership.
The report also outlines other reason for the failure of the West Bank to explode.
...it is difficult not to get the impression that the relative apathy of the Palestinians in the West Bank stems from several reasons that the public does not like to bring up, certainly not in times like these. First and foremost, the historical gaps between the residents of the West Bank and the Strip. The residents of Ramallah and other West Bank cities have always looked down on their brethren in Gaza. Second, the Hamas coup in the Strip about a year and a half ago left behind quite a few scars. To see innocent Palestinian citizens killed in bombings is sad, but for quite a number of Fatah supporters, Hamas brought this upon itself. Mohammed, a 46-year-old businessman, offers another reason for the apathy: "We're afraid to see the tanks outside the house again."
It's quiet in Ramallah. At the northern entrance to the city, not far from the mall, a new fountain spouts water. Next to it lies a sign in English: "Gaza under fire." But it seems the Gaza Strip has never been so far away. Tel Aviv, meanwhile, feels closer than ever. Almost every day at 1 P.M., a demonstration leaves Manara Square in the city center, expressing support for the residents of the Gaza Strip. The number of participants has declined, however, on a daily basis, and on Wednesday the demonstration was called off for a lack of protesters.
The Al Jazeera bureau chief in the West Bank commented:
The residents of the West Bank lost a great deal in the course of the last Intifada, but saw no achievements. They are very afraid of more losses, mainly in light of the crisis of confidence between the Palestinian street and its leadership.
The report also outlines other reason for the failure of the West Bank to explode.
...it is difficult not to get the impression that the relative apathy of the Palestinians in the West Bank stems from several reasons that the public does not like to bring up, certainly not in times like these. First and foremost, the historical gaps between the residents of the West Bank and the Strip. The residents of Ramallah and other West Bank cities have always looked down on their brethren in Gaza. Second, the Hamas coup in the Strip about a year and a half ago left behind quite a few scars. To see innocent Palestinian citizens killed in bombings is sad, but for quite a number of Fatah supporters, Hamas brought this upon itself. Mohammed, a 46-year-old businessman, offers another reason for the apathy: "We're afraid to see the tanks outside the house again."
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Gaza War Risks Sowing 'Seeds of Extremism': Syria's Assad
So states a report from Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV. Assad told a British reporter: "The effect of war is more dangerous than war... sowing seeds of extremism and terror around the region...."
My God! Now the Arabs in the region will start conducting suicide attacks and myriad terrorist (excuse me; make that "militant") strikes! Don't the Israelis realize that their actions have turned a complacent, peaceful, tolerant, population into a bunch of violent anti-Jewish terrorists (sorry again, I meant to say militants)?
"Sowing the seeds of extremism and terror"? Come again? Those seeds were planted 1300 years ago. And those seeds have become not just your common tree; we're talking major anti-Semitic flora here. As a Hadith records: "The Prophet said: the Jews will hide behind the rock and tree, and the rock and tree will say: oh servant of Allah, oh Muslim this is a Jew behind me, come and kill him!"
You have to love a religion in which even the rocks and trees can be hateful and anti-Semitic.
My God! Now the Arabs in the region will start conducting suicide attacks and myriad terrorist (excuse me; make that "militant") strikes! Don't the Israelis realize that their actions have turned a complacent, peaceful, tolerant, population into a bunch of violent anti-Jewish terrorists (sorry again, I meant to say militants)?
"Sowing the seeds of extremism and terror"? Come again? Those seeds were planted 1300 years ago. And those seeds have become not just your common tree; we're talking major anti-Semitic flora here. As a Hadith records: "The Prophet said: the Jews will hide behind the rock and tree, and the rock and tree will say: oh servant of Allah, oh Muslim this is a Jew behind me, come and kill him!"
You have to love a religion in which even the rocks and trees can be hateful and anti-Semitic.
Quake Hits Southeastern Iran
It measured 5.3 on the Richter Scale, according to a report from the Fars News Agency. I wonder if there's some way they came blame the quake on the Zionists or the Americans?
This report reminds me of a story. Back in 1990 during the buildup to Desert Storm I worked in the Pentagon in the USN's OP-603. At our daily intel briefing one morning, a young lieutenant informed us that a strong quake had hit northwestern Iran. As a joke I commented: "They'll blame us." Everyone laughed and the briefing went on. They next morning the lieutenant came back from the briefing for intel officers all excited. He excitedly announced that "Dr. Palmer was right!" He then proceeded to tell us that the Iranians had accused the US of setting off an underground nuclear device in Turkey to cause the earthquake. My uniformed navy friends were much impressed at my foresight. I didn't tell them I'd only be joking. But that nevertheless says something about the Iranians and the mental frame of mind in which they live.
This report reminds me of a story. Back in 1990 during the buildup to Desert Storm I worked in the Pentagon in the USN's OP-603. At our daily intel briefing one morning, a young lieutenant informed us that a strong quake had hit northwestern Iran. As a joke I commented: "They'll blame us." Everyone laughed and the briefing went on. They next morning the lieutenant came back from the briefing for intel officers all excited. He excitedly announced that "Dr. Palmer was right!" He then proceeded to tell us that the Iranians had accused the US of setting off an underground nuclear device in Turkey to cause the earthquake. My uniformed navy friends were much impressed at my foresight. I didn't tell them I'd only be joking. But that nevertheless says something about the Iranians and the mental frame of mind in which they live.
Arab League Drags Feet
Al Jazeera reports that as the IDF pounds Gaza, Arab leaders debate not what to do, but where to meet.
"Due to the escalation in the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip, King Abdullah called for an emergency meeting for the GCC countries in the Saudi capital," the statement on Wednesday said.
Saudi plans for the summit in Riyadh on Thursday came a day after Qatar unveiled its own plan for an Arab League summit on the war to be held in Doha, the capital of Qatar, on Friday.
King Abdullah, the Saudi monarch, and Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, have refused to attend the Qatar summit and said they prefer to hold consultations on Gaza on the sidelines of the Arab economic forum to be held in Kuwait next week.
The Arab League later said there was no quorum to convene a summit in Qatar.
Sounds like an emergency to me.
"Due to the escalation in the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip, King Abdullah called for an emergency meeting for the GCC countries in the Saudi capital," the statement on Wednesday said.
Saudi plans for the summit in Riyadh on Thursday came a day after Qatar unveiled its own plan for an Arab League summit on the war to be held in Doha, the capital of Qatar, on Friday.
King Abdullah, the Saudi monarch, and Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, have refused to attend the Qatar summit and said they prefer to hold consultations on Gaza on the sidelines of the Arab economic forum to be held in Kuwait next week.
The Arab League later said there was no quorum to convene a summit in Qatar.
Sounds like an emergency to me.
Esposito Shills for Hamas
Wow! This was even worse than I would have expected from Esposito. He writes (bolding mine):
The pretense for the bombings and threat to invade Gaza with ground troops is HAMAS breaking the ceasefire by shelling Israel. However, HAMAS started shelling after the talks to renew it failed. Israel ignores the fact that during the ceasefire, Israel put up blockades to stop essential goods from getting in. The siege created a humanitarian catastrophe for Gaza's 1.5 million Palestinian residents by restricting the provision of food, fuel, medicine, electricity, and other necessities of life. The US and Europe were complicit in the blockade of a democratically elected HAMAS government, a siege whose primary victims have been Gaza civilians. HAMAS militants vented their anger by firing rockets.
First, the talks to renew the ceasefire "failed" because Hamas refused to agree to a renewal. Second, while it's true that Hamas democratically came to control the PA parliament, that's not how they came to control Gaza. The drove their opponents, mostly Fatah, out by force and killed hundreds.
Then there's this nugget: "Despite the fact that the militant[']s shelling did not kill a single Israeli, Israel acts as if it has been driven to a 'fight to the bitter end.'" I guess it's alright to shoot at people as long as your aim is bad, at least if they're "juice." I guess the Israelis are supposed to sit around and wait for Hamas's aim to improve. Professor Esposito: Exactly how many Jews have to die before they're allowed to defend themselves?
Come to think of it, the Japanese only killed 3,000 Americans at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. And what right did we have to the Philippines, Guam, or Wake? Wasn't our war in the Pacific a vast overreaction? Didn't we employ disproportionate force?
The pretense for the bombings and threat to invade Gaza with ground troops is HAMAS breaking the ceasefire by shelling Israel. However, HAMAS started shelling after the talks to renew it failed. Israel ignores the fact that during the ceasefire, Israel put up blockades to stop essential goods from getting in. The siege created a humanitarian catastrophe for Gaza's 1.5 million Palestinian residents by restricting the provision of food, fuel, medicine, electricity, and other necessities of life. The US and Europe were complicit in the blockade of a democratically elected HAMAS government, a siege whose primary victims have been Gaza civilians. HAMAS militants vented their anger by firing rockets.
First, the talks to renew the ceasefire "failed" because Hamas refused to agree to a renewal. Second, while it's true that Hamas democratically came to control the PA parliament, that's not how they came to control Gaza. The drove their opponents, mostly Fatah, out by force and killed hundreds.
Then there's this nugget: "Despite the fact that the militant[']s shelling did not kill a single Israeli, Israel acts as if it has been driven to a 'fight to the bitter end.'" I guess it's alright to shoot at people as long as your aim is bad, at least if they're "juice." I guess the Israelis are supposed to sit around and wait for Hamas's aim to improve. Professor Esposito: Exactly how many Jews have to die before they're allowed to defend themselves?
Come to think of it, the Japanese only killed 3,000 Americans at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. And what right did we have to the Philippines, Guam, or Wake? Wasn't our war in the Pacific a vast overreaction? Didn't we employ disproportionate force?
Has Osama Shaken Obama?
Remember the Obama campaign's criticism of Bush for not hunting down Osama bin Laden? Well, now, getting OBL isn't necessary. As the Times of London reports:
As recently as October 7, in a presidential debate, Mr Obama said: "We will kill bin Laden. We will crush al Qaeda. That has to be our biggest national security priority."
But yesterday, the President-elect adopted far less aggressive language, saying his "number one priority" was to protect America from further attack.
"I think that we have to so weaken [bin Laden's] infrastructure that, whether he is technically alive or not, he is so pinned down that he cannot function," he said. "And I'm confident that we can keep them on the run and ensure that they cannot train terrorists to attack our homeland."
Actually, I think Obama's correct, as was Bush. It would be foolish to commit major forces to run this guy down. And, of course, Obama's seeing whatever intel Bush has been looking at. So I respect the fact that Obama's made the adjustment. Nevertheless....
As recently as October 7, in a presidential debate, Mr Obama said: "We will kill bin Laden. We will crush al Qaeda. That has to be our biggest national security priority."
But yesterday, the President-elect adopted far less aggressive language, saying his "number one priority" was to protect America from further attack.
"I think that we have to so weaken [bin Laden's] infrastructure that, whether he is technically alive or not, he is so pinned down that he cannot function," he said. "And I'm confident that we can keep them on the run and ensure that they cannot train terrorists to attack our homeland."
Actually, I think Obama's correct, as was Bush. It would be foolish to commit major forces to run this guy down. And, of course, Obama's seeing whatever intel Bush has been looking at. So I respect the fact that Obama's made the adjustment. Nevertheless....
Iran: OBL in League with "the Juice" and US!
Wow! Those tricky Zionists are really something. Who would have thought that Osama bin Laden is working for "the Juice." The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) asked today, apparently missing news of the release of OBL's latest audio tape, "Where is al-Qaeda?" (bolding mine)
Tehran, Jan 14, IRNA – Al-Qaeda’s silence against Gaza incidents reveals that unlike its claims, the terrorist organization seeks to pave the way for US and Zionist regime’s further hegemony on the region, said an analysis with IRNA’s Research and News Studies Office.
After a lapse of 19 days since the start of attack on Gaza by the Zionist regime and martyrdom and injury of 5,500 people, Al-Qaeda which claims to be leader of struggles against the US and Zionist regime has not yet taken a suitable action to that effect. Gaza war clarified the border between Islam and atheism and genuine Islam and American-style Islam because as the Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said, Zionists are attempting to pave the way for their hegemony in the region by strengthening the anti-Islam front in the region. Al-Qaeda’s silence against the massacre of women and children in Gaza reveals its covert cooperation in diverting public opinion from the Israeli crimes in Gaza Strip. Murder of tens of pilgrims in Kazemein, Iraq, and massacre of many mourners in Hosseinieh in Pakistan are among the missions entrusted with the group. Gaza incidents revealed the true nature of Al-Qaeda and other groups supported by the US. Al-Qaeda terrorist groups such as Abu Hafs have already tried to expand their clout in occupied territories to pave the conditions for profiteering by the Zionist regime and Egypt for introducing Hamas as inefficient in establishing security in the region. However, Hamas Spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri immediately announced that anyone who threatens public interests will be prosecuted. “We do not intend to incite Al-Qaeda to carry out terrorist attacks in the region or world. Islamic Republic itself is a victim of terrorism and have on several occasions condemned massacre in Gaza through official channels.” The point in question is that Al-Qaeda has never undertaken terrorist acts in Israel or against it since its emergence. Al-Qaeda dragged the US to the region under the pretext of fighting terrorism which attempted to introduce Islam as the origin of terrorism given the increasing number of the westerners converting to Islam. Although Osameh bin Laden and Ayman Al-Zawahiri, another prominent leader of the terror group, have announced targeting the Zionist regime’s interests, they did nothing except adopting a political stance vis-à-vis the massacre taking place in Gaza. Since Hamas and Hezbollah’ turning to a resistance has threatened the very being of Al-Qaeda, it has kept silence against Gaza incidents. The idea of resistance which has been transformed to an all-out current in the region is the main enemy of the Zionist regime and its allies.
I never would have guessed.
Tehran, Jan 14, IRNA – Al-Qaeda’s silence against Gaza incidents reveals that unlike its claims, the terrorist organization seeks to pave the way for US and Zionist regime’s further hegemony on the region, said an analysis with IRNA’s Research and News Studies Office.
After a lapse of 19 days since the start of attack on Gaza by the Zionist regime and martyrdom and injury of 5,500 people, Al-Qaeda which claims to be leader of struggles against the US and Zionist regime has not yet taken a suitable action to that effect. Gaza war clarified the border between Islam and atheism and genuine Islam and American-style Islam because as the Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said, Zionists are attempting to pave the way for their hegemony in the region by strengthening the anti-Islam front in the region. Al-Qaeda’s silence against the massacre of women and children in Gaza reveals its covert cooperation in diverting public opinion from the Israeli crimes in Gaza Strip. Murder of tens of pilgrims in Kazemein, Iraq, and massacre of many mourners in Hosseinieh in Pakistan are among the missions entrusted with the group. Gaza incidents revealed the true nature of Al-Qaeda and other groups supported by the US. Al-Qaeda terrorist groups such as Abu Hafs have already tried to expand their clout in occupied territories to pave the conditions for profiteering by the Zionist regime and Egypt for introducing Hamas as inefficient in establishing security in the region. However, Hamas Spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri immediately announced that anyone who threatens public interests will be prosecuted. “We do not intend to incite Al-Qaeda to carry out terrorist attacks in the region or world. Islamic Republic itself is a victim of terrorism and have on several occasions condemned massacre in Gaza through official channels.” The point in question is that Al-Qaeda has never undertaken terrorist acts in Israel or against it since its emergence. Al-Qaeda dragged the US to the region under the pretext of fighting terrorism which attempted to introduce Islam as the origin of terrorism given the increasing number of the westerners converting to Islam. Although Osameh bin Laden and Ayman Al-Zawahiri, another prominent leader of the terror group, have announced targeting the Zionist regime’s interests, they did nothing except adopting a political stance vis-à-vis the massacre taking place in Gaza. Since Hamas and Hezbollah’ turning to a resistance has threatened the very being of Al-Qaeda, it has kept silence against Gaza incidents. The idea of resistance which has been transformed to an all-out current in the region is the main enemy of the Zionist regime and its allies.
I never would have guessed.
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