Better Informed Comment: The Real War

"Until Allah Inherits the Earth and Everyone on It"

2009-02-18T16:55:00.002-05:00

That's the name of the game in this produciton by Qaeda al-Jihad's media arm. No need to read between the lines. Just get your head out of your ass.

Lift the Fatwa against Salman Rushdie!

2009-02-12T07:30:00.003-05:00

The Iranians have been spelling out numerous preconditions for the US to meet before talks. Here's one I'd like to see the Obama administration demand: lift the fatwa against Salman Rushdie. According to the AFP story in Lebanese The Daily Star:

Iran says fatwa ordering Rushdie's death still valid
By Agence France Presse (AFP) Thursday, February 12, 2009

TEHRAN: Iran said on Wednesday that a fatwa ordering the death of British writer Salman Rushdie was still valid 20 years after it was issued by the revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. "It is natural that as long as a fatwa has not been annulled, it is still valid," foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said at a news conference suggesting that Khomeini's order was still valid.

The Indian-born Rushdie, 61, was forced to go into hiding for a decade after Khomeini issued the 1989 death sentence over his book "The Satanic Verses," saying it insulted Islam.
Khomeini's successor as supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in 2005 that he still believed the British novelist was an apostate whose killing would be authorized by Islam. - AFP

A Tale From Two Cities

2009-02-10T15:07:00.002-05:00

Washington and Tehran. Here's the headline from the WAPO story: "Iran Signals Willingness to Talk to U.S. in Fair Atmosphere." Wow! That sounds fairly positive, unlike the tone I've outlined in several earlier posts about how Iran has been responding to Obama's overtures.

Here's the Tehran Times's coverage of the same Ahmadinejad speech:

TEHRAN - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday that Iran is safe from any foreign military threat since the country has become a responsible superpower.

“Today, I officially declare that Iran has become a real and righteous superpower, and the shadow of threats over Iran has been removed forever,” the president stated at a rally in Tehran marking the 30th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Ahmadinejad also said Iran would welcome a “fundamental” and not “tactical” change by the new U.S. administration and was ready for dialogue provided talks were held in a “fair atmosphere and with mutual respect.”

U.S. President Barack Obama announced on Monday that the United States is looking for opportunities for “face-to-face” dialogue with Iran after nearly three decades without diplomatic ties. “There’s been a lot of mistrust built up over the years, so it’s not going to happen overnight,” CNN quoted Obama as saying during his first news conference. Ahmadinejad went on to say “belittlement, threats, and monopolization of science” are the arrogant powers’ means to dominate nations, but the Iranian people have surpassed all these obstacles and are now filled with self-confidence. He pointed to Iran’s recent satellite launch, saying Iran is now one of only eight countries that possess the complete cycle of launch pad, rocket, reception station, and satellite.

Iran launched its first domestically manufactured satellite, called Omid (hope), into orbit on February 2. The satellite, carried on a Safir-2 rocket, is meant for telecommunications and research purposes. Today the world is about to enter the era of logic, thought, and dialogue, and the era of force and domination is over, Ahmadinejad added.

Note Ahmadinejad's use of the phrase about the "monopolization of science." That needs to be read as American insistence that Iran not develop the capacity to build nuclear weapons.

Note also that Iran's willingness to talk reflects its confidence in its new found and self-declared status as a "real and righteous superpower."

Even less positive is the report from the FARS News Agency. Ahmadinejad's statement came at a rally at which Iranians were "chanting anti-US slogans."

"It is quite clear that real change must be fundamental and not tactical. It is clear the Iranian nation welcomes real changes. The Iranian nation is ready to hold talks but talks in a fair atmosphere with mutual respect," Ahmadinejad told a mass rally at Tehran's Azadi square. Millions of Iranians chanting anti-US slogans took to the streets of the capital and other cities of Iran on Tuesday for the annual demonstration to mark the 30th anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

In fact, at the rally Ahmadinejad came up with a new demand:

Referring to US President Barack Obama's slogan about "change in US policies", Ahmadinejad noted, "…if you (the US administration) are seeking change, try and punish the agents behind the recent wars in the region because Saddam (former Iraqi dictator) was not the sole war criminal."

The Iranian president called for trial and punishment of former US President George W. Bush, his administration, companions and accomplices as well as leaders of the Zionist regime (of Israel) for their crimes against humanity.

For reasons I cannot fathom, non of this made its way into the WAPO report.

So where does that leave Obama? Well, the Iranians are ready for talks as long as the US: lift sanctions, unfreeze Iranian assets, apologize for past actions, stop all talk about regime change in Tehran, view Iran as a "victim" of, rather than an exporter of terrorism, free the Iranian "diploamts" under detnetion in Iraq, remove the "pressure" of the Jews from the backs of American voters, and bring Bush and members of his administration and the leaders of "the Zionist regime" to trial for war crimes.

Why doesn't this crap get reported by the American media? The fact that the Iranian leadership insists on looking a gift horse in the mouth isn't Obama's fault. But the reality is that the abysmal Iranian reaction to his sincere and well intentioned approaches could be and was predicted by many, making our new president appear . . . somewhat naive. Nevertheless, all of this says far more about the American press than it does about the American president.

Jihad-by-Forest-Fire?

2009-02-09T18:43:00.003-05:00

I was watching NBC News tonight to see if Brian Williams or anyone else would mention a story making the rounds today on the web referencing an Australian news report dated 7 September 2008 about the call by the imprisoned "architect of the new al Qaeda" Abu Musab Al-Suri (background information here) to wage jihad-by-fire in Australia. Not a word from NBC News. When the program ended, I went to my PC and called up the page with the story, under the by line of Josh Gordon, that I had read in the morning. Guess what? It's gone! It was here. And if you Google it you'll still get the headline: "Islam group urges forest fire jihad theage.com.au" I suppose they pulled it because it had suddenly become too "incendiary." If the Aussies started to think that Jihadists were responsible for the fires that have killed over 170 people, well, things could get ugly. Nevertheless, you can still find a copies of the same Josh Gordon story here on a Canadian web site and here.

A little more searching revealed other stories that also pre-date the fires. Here's one from the World Tribune dated 15 January 2008. My bolding.

U.S. officials monitoring terrorist web sites have discovered a call for using forest fires as weapons against “crusader” nations, in what may explain some recent wildfires in places like southern California and Greece.

A terrorist website was discovered recently that carried a posting that called for “Forest Jihad.” The posting was listed on the Internet on Nov. 26 [2007] and reported in U.S. intelligence channels last week.

The statement, in Arabic, said that “summer has begun so do not forget the Forest Jihad.”
The writer called on all Muslims in the United States, Europe, Russia and Australia to “start forest fires.”

You can find another story here.

The news reports about the fire indicate that high temperatures, low humidity, and high winds present "perfect conditions" for these raging fires. But it is also true that the Australian government is now saying that they are beginning to suspect arson. Does that mean that Muslims set these fires? Of course not. We have forest fires in the US all the time and when it's a case of arson I can't ever recall a Muslim being involved.

Nevertheless, when you have jihadist leaders calling on Muslims to carry out fire jihad, you have to take that into consideration the next time you're looking at a major forest fire.

What happened to the public's right to know?

I wonder: if a building loaded with refugees in Gaza just blew up this evening without any clear evidence of who was responsible, would the Western media not report the incident because Muslims around the world would probably blame the Israelis and innocent Jews in Europe and elsewhere in the world might become the targets of hate-crimes? Of course they'd report it. But here we have a case where a leading al Qaeda type calls for Muslims to set forest fires, especially in Australia, we have major fires break out unlike any others known in Australian history, arson is suspected, and not only does the media refuse to report the story, they actually go out and delete earlier reports that suggest a connection.

I hope the fires are natural and that no arson is invovled. And if there are arsonists, I pray they're not Muslims.

Joe Biden's Munich Speech

2009-02-07T13:03:00.002-05:00

Excerpts. You can find the entire text here. Bolding is mine.

Excepting the crap about climate change I consider this an excellent speech. I've seen reports on the speech that stress Biden's focus on diplomacy, but he readily admits throughout that the US won its Independence through force of arms and has since secured its freedom in that same manner. "That will not change," Biden reminds his audience. Likewise he talks about multilateralism, but also makes it clear that the US will move unilaterally if that multilateralism fails to materielize. The speech offers no weakening on the need to "defeat" global jihadism, and by implication Hamas. And while he reiterates Obama's willingness to talk with Iran, Biden lays out tougher sanctions as a possibility.

He also talks somewhat loosely about not preemptive war, but "preventive actions" meant to avoid situations were we would be attacked or placed in a situation where the best option might be preemption. That's fine, but it's not clear from the speech that "preventive actions" might also include the use of force, given the fact that the tools in Biden's arsenal include the "military and diplomatic; intelligence and law enforcement; economic and cultural...."

There are other salient points in the speech as well. Biden indicates that the administration will continue to support missile defense systems. The administration favors the two-state solution and does not see Hamas as part of that process.

This is a classic "walk softly but carry a big stick" kind of speech. Yes, we want to talk. Yes, we want to act multilaterally. But if you don't want to talk, and if our allies doesn't want to step up and help us in Afghanistan, then we'll consider using force and on our own.

This is not a speech I would have imagined Biden giving back in September 2008. You have to wonder: what does the Obama team know now, or what has it learned, that it didn't know five months ago?

Speech at the 45th Munich Security Conference
02/07/2009

...And we must recognize new forces shaping this young century:

The spread of mass destruction weapons and dangerous diseases;
A growing gap between rich and poor;
Ethnic animosities and failed states;
A rapidly warming planet and uncertain supplies of energy, food, water;
The challenge to freedom and security from radical fundamentalism.

The False Choice Between Security and Values

In meeting these challenges, the United States will be guided by this basic principle:

There is no conflict between our security and our ideals. They are mutually reinforcing. The force of arms won our independence, and throughout our history, the force of arms has protected our freedom. That will not change. But the very moment we declared our independence, we laid before the world the values behind our revolution and the conviction that our policies must be informed by a “decent respect for the opinions of mankind.” Our Founders understood then and the United States believes now - that the example of our power must be matched by the power of our example. That is why we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. America will vigorously defend our security and our values, and in doing so we will all be more secure. As hard as we try, I know that we are likely to fall short of our ideals in the future, just as we have in the past. But I commit to you now: we will strive, every day, to honor the values that animate America’s democracy … and that bind us to you. That is why, on one of the very first days of his presidency, Barack Obama reaffirmed America’s most basic values. He made clear to the world:

America will not torture. We will uphold the rights of those we bring to justice. And we will close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. Tough choices lie ahead. As we seek a lasting framework for our common struggle against extremism, we will have to work cooperatively with nations around the world – and we will need your help. For example, we will be asking others to take responsibility for some of those now at Guantanamo. Our security is shared. So, too, is our responsibility to defend it.

What We Will Do - What We Will Ask

That is the basis upon which we want to build a new approach to the challenges of this century.

America will do more, but America will ask for more from our partners. Here is what we will do and what we hope our partners will consider.

First, we will work in partnership whenever we can, alone only when we must.

The threats we face have no respect for borders. No single country, no matter how powerful, can best meet them alone. We believe that international alliances and organizations do not diminish America’s power – they help us advance our collective security, economic interests and values. So we will engage. We will listen. We will consult. America needs the world, just as I believe the world needs America. But we say to our friends that the alliances, treaties and international organizations we build must be credible and they must be effective. That requires a common commitment not only to live by the rules, but to enforce them.
military and diplomatic; intelligence and law enforcement; economic and cultural -
That is the bargain we seek. Such a bargain can be at the heart of our collective efforts to convince Iran to forego the development of nuclear weapons. The Iranian people are a great people, and Persian civilization is a great civilization. But Iran has acted in ways that are not conducive to peace in the region or to the prosperity of its people; its illicit nuclear program is but one manifestation. Our administration is reviewing policy toward Iran, but this much I can say:

We are willing to talk.

We are willing to talk to Iran, and to offer a very clear choice: continue down your current course and there will be pressure and isolation; abandon your illicit nuclear program and support for terrorism and there will be meaningful incentives.
military and diplomatic; intelligence and law enforcement; economic and cultural -
Second, we will strive to act preventively, not preemptively to avoid wherever possible a choice of last resort between the risks of war and the dangers of inaction.
military and diplomatic; intelligence and law enforcement; economic and cultural -
We will draw upon all the elements of our power - military and diplomatic; intelligence and law enforcement; economic and cultural - to stop crises before they start. In short, we will recapture the totality of America’s strength, starting with diplomacy. On his second full day in office, President Obama went to our State Department, where he stressed the centrality of diplomacy to our national security. That commitment can be seen in his appointments, starting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It can be seen in the President’s decision to name two of America’s most tenacious diplomats – Senator George Mitchell and Ambassador Richard Holbrooke – to contend with two of the world’s most urgent and vexing challenges:

The need for a secure, just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians and the imperative of stopping the mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan from providing a haven for terrorists. In both of these efforts, America seeks your partnership. Senator Mitchell just completed his first trip to the Middle East. Above all, he went to listen. In the near term, we must consolidate the cease-fire in Gaza by working with Egypt and others to stop smuggling and developing an international relief and reconstruction effort that strengthens the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas.

Neither of these goals can be accomplished without close collaboration among the United States, Europe and our Arab partners. Then, we must lay the foundation for broader peacemaking efforts. It is past time for a secure and just Two State solution. We will work to achieve it, and to defeat the extremists who would perpetuate the conflict. And, building on the positive elements of the Arab Peace initiative put forward by Saudi Arabia, we will work toward a broader regional peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

As we responsibly draw down our forces in Iraq, the United States will continue to work for a stable Afghanistan that is not a haven for terrorists. We look forward to sharing that commitment with the government and people of Afghanistan and Pakistan and with our allies and partners because a deteriorating situation in the region poses a security threat to all of us, not just the United States. President Obama has ordered a strategic review of our policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan to make sure that our goals are clear and achievable.

As we undertake that review, we seek ideas and input from you, our partners. The result must be a comprehensive strategy for which we all take responsibility that brings together our civilian and military resources that prevents a terrorist safe have and that helps Afghans develop the capacity to secure their own future.

No strategy for Afghanistan can succeed without Pakistan. We must all strengthen our cooperation with the people and government of Pakistan, help them stabilize the Tribal Areas and promote economic development and opportunity throughout the country.

Third, America will extend a hand to those who unclench their fists.

We do not believe in a clash of civilizations. We do see a shared struggle against extremism – and we will do everything in our collective power to help the forces of tolerance prevail. In the Muslim world, a small number of violent extremists are beyond the call of reason. We will defeat them. But hundreds of millions of hearts and minds share the values we hold dear. We will reach them. President Obama has made clear that we will seek a new way forward based on mutual interest and mutual respect. It was not by accident that he gave his very first interview as President to Al-Arabiya.

To meet the challenges of this new century, defense and diplomacy are necessary - but not sufficient. We also need to wield development and democracy – two of the most powerful weapons in our arsenal. Poor societies and dysfunctional states can become breeding grounds for extremism, conflict and disease. Non-democratic nations frustrate the rightful aspirations of their citizens and fuel resentment.

Our administration has set ambitious goals to increase foreign assistance – To cut extreme poverty in half by 2015;

To help eliminate the global education deficit;
To cancel the debt of the world’s poorest countries;
To launch a new Green Revolution that produces sustainable supplies of food and;
To advance democracy not through its imposition by force from the outside, but by working with moderates in government and civil society to build the institutions that will protect freedom.
We also are determined to build a sustainable future for our planet – and we are prepared to lead by example. America will act aggressively against climate change and in pursuit of energy security with like-minded nations. Our administration’s economic stimulus includes long-term investments in renewable energy.

The President has directed our environmental protection agency to review how we regulate emissions, started a process to raise fuel efficiency and appointed a climate envoy – all in his first week in office. As America renews our emphasis on diplomacy, development, democracy and preserving our planet, we will ask our allies to rethink some of their own approaches - including their willingness to the use force when all else fails.

When it comes to radical groups that use terror as a tool, radical states that harbor extremists, undermine peace and seek or spread weapons of mass destruction and regimes that systematically kill or ethnically cleanse their own people - we must stand united and use every means at our disposal to end the threat they pose.

None of us can deny – or escape - the new threats of the 21st century. Nor can we escape the responsibility to meet them.

Renewing Our Alliance
Two months from now, the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will gather for our Alliance’s 60th anniversary. This Alliance has been the cornerstone of our common security since the end of World War II. It has anchored the United States in Europe and helped forge a Europe whole and free. Together, we made a pact to safeguard the freedom of our peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. We made a commitment to cooperate, to consult – and to act with resolve when the principles we defend are challenged.

There is much to celebrate. But we must do more. We must recommit to our shared security and renew NATO, so that its success in the 20th century is matched in the 21st. NATO’s core purpose remains the collective defense of its members. But faced with new threats, we need a new resolve to meet them, and the capabilities to succeed. Our Alliance must be better equipped to help stop the spread of the world’s most dangerous weapons, to tackle terrorism and cyber-security, to expand its writ to energy security and to act in and out of area effectively.

We will continue to develop missile defenses to counter a growing Iranian capability, provided the technology is proven to work and cost effective.

We will do so in consultation with our NATO allies and Russia. As we embark on this renewal project, the United States, like other Allies, would warmly welcome a decision by France to fully participate in NATO structures. In a recent discussion with President Sarkozy, President Obama underscored his strong support for France’s full participation in NATO, should France wish it. France is a founding member of NATO and a major contributor to its operations. We would expect France’s new responsibilities to reflect the significance of its contributions throughout NATO’s history and strengthen the European role within the Alliance.

We also support the further strengthening of European defense, an increased role for the European Union in preserving peace and security, a fundamentally stronger NATO-EU partnership and deeper cooperation with countries outside the Alliance who share our common goals and principles.

The United States rejects the notion that NATO’s gain is Russia’s loss, or that Russia’s strength is NATO’s weakness. The last few years have seen a dangerous drift in relations between Russia and the members of our Alliance.

It is time to press the reset button and to revisit the many areas where we can and should work together. Our Russian colleagues long ago warned about the rising threat from the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Today, NATO and Russia can and should cooperate to defeat this common enemy.

We can and should cooperate to secure loose nuclear weapons and materials and prevent their spread, to renew the verification procedures in the START treaty and then go beyond existing treaties to negotiate deeper cuts in our arsenals. The United States and Russia have a special obligation to lead the international effort to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world.

We will not agree with Russia on everything. For example, the United States will not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. We will not recognize a sphere of influence. It will remain our view that sovereign states have the right to make their own decisions and choose their own alliances.

But the United States and Russia can disagree and still work together where our interests coincide.

Conclusion

This conference started in the shadow of the Cold War. Now it takes place in a new century with new threats. As a great poet once wrote, our world has changed utterly - a terrible beauty has been born. We must change too, while remaining true to the principles upon which our alliance was founded.

And we must have the courage and commitment of those who came before us to work together to build together - and to stand together. In sharing ideals and searching for partners in a more complex world, Americans and Europeans still look to one another before they look to anyone else.

Our partnership benefits us all. This is the time to renew it.

Some Well Done Satire

2009-02-06T16:01:00.001-05:00

Dr. Ayman Speaks #1

2009-02-05T22:11:00.002-05:00

Here's the first part of an As-Sahab (al Qaeda's media arm) interview with Ayman al-Zawahiri, Qaeda al-Jihad's number 2. In this part Dr. Ayman claims that the Americans are losing in Iraq and Afghanistan, that he hopes the Americans send their entire army to Afghanistan, that the dogs of that country have yet to eat their fill of American flesh, and that the "Zionist Fanatic" Tom Friedman of the New York Times dictated the "Saudi" peace plan and the idea of the recognition of Israel to King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz (about 5:15 into the video). I had not known that the Saudis were under the thumb of "the Juice." Had me fooled.

Say What?

2009-02-05T17:25:00.003-05:00

The Jerusalem Post today ran a story about why human rights groups don't investigate Hamas war crimes.

It makes it quite easy regarding Hamas. It is quite clear that they are attacking and targeting civilians. When someone straps a bomb on themselves or fire missiles at civilians, the details are less important. It is clearly a war crime without even looking at the details," [Sarit Micha'eli] said. "Even if they fired a Kassam missile as a military target, the fact that it is an inaccurate weapon, it would still count as an indiscriminate attack."

Now I have it. Since Hamas blatantly ignores international law and openly targets civilians, there's no need to investigate. Whereas the Israelis, whose policy is to do their best to avoid hitting civilians, need to be investigated.

Following this logic, the Israelis should take off the gloves and announce that Gaza is a free-fire zone and indiscriminately start bombing and shelling the place. That way they could avoid all these investigations.

I have to wonder, though, if Hamas's war crimes are so obvious, how come the international community isn't calling for trials for its leadership, whereas they are calling for trials of Israelis?

If these idiotarians had been around in 1945, and Adolf Hitler and Franklin Roosevelt had somehow survived the war, I suppose we would have seen FDR on trial while Hitler wandered Germany as a free man.

Pot Calls Kettle Black Alert

2009-02-05T09:27:00.002-05:00

The Islamic Republic News Agency ran this story today.

Iran criticizes human rights violation in Canada

Tehran, Feb 5, IRNA – Iran criticized Canada for violating the rights of Muslims and other minorities as well as its recent support for Israeli crimes in Gaza Strip.

Iran made the move in the fourth summit to review human rights situation in the world which was held in UN European office in Geneva. The country’s representative in the meeting referred to the cases of human rights violations in Canada and criticized the country for its opposition to the recent resolution by Human Rights Council condemning the atrocities of the Zionist regime in Gaza.

While Canada claims to advocate human rights in the world, it supports the Israeli crimes against the civilian Gazans, he said. He called on Canada to fulfill its commitments regarding human rights without any political considerations. Referring to the problems facing Muslims and Canadians of African origin and the increasing trend of Islamophobia, he added that Muslim community in the country was under mounting pressure following September 11 attacks.

Several other countries participating in the summit objected to the country’s discriminating behavior towards the Muslims as well as its policy on the Zionist regime.

I suppose if this doesn't stop Canadian Muslims will start returning to their countries of origin where human rights are so strongly upheld. Do they stone women in Canada? Do they hang homosexuals? Do Canadian leaders talk openly of "wiping the Arabs off the face of the Earth"?

Sniper Victim in Iraq

2009-02-05T09:18:00.002-05:00

This is an incredible story I found on "The Jawa Report v3.0" blog, which has on its banner a superb quote attributed to Thomas Mann that captures the essense of our time: "Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil."

U.S. Soldier Shot by Iraqi Sniper - watch more videos

Latest Iranian Demand

2009-02-04T21:07:00.002-05:00

The Financial Times reports that Mojtaba Samareh-Hashemi, a close aid to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has stated that "dialogue with the US will succeed only if the Obama administration accepts Tehran’s right to have a nuclear programme."

So where's that leave our president? If he wishes to talk to the Iranians he has to apology for past US policies, release frozen Iranian assets, lift the sanctions regime, drop all support for Iranian dissident movements, and allow the Iranian nuclear program to progress. And then they will talk with President Obama.

About what? The weather? Maybe they could debate the Holocaust? They must be scratching their heads in the Whitehouse.

Larijani: Will not Meet with Americans in Munich

2009-02-04T20:39:00.002-05:00

There's been much speculation that Iranian and American officials would sit down with each other at the forthcoming 45th Munich Security Conference. But Iranian sources have made it clear that Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani will not met with the American officials attending the conference.

It's beginning to look like much of the American '08 campaign debate about whether or not Obama should meet with the Iranians is becoming a moot point. They don't seem like they want to, unless he's willing ahead of time to apologize, release frozen assets, and drop all sanctions.

I wonder how many cheeks our new president has?

Iranians Slap Obama Again

2009-02-04T20:30:00.002-05:00

One of the outreach programs that the Obama administration had hoped would symbolize a new beginning in American-Iranian relations was the planned trip of the American women's badminton team to an international tournament to be held in Iran starting this week. Just as Ping Pong symbolized the American opening to China back in the '70s, perhaps Badminton could have played a similar role with Iran.

Unfortunately, the Iranians have rejected the Visa applications for the team. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi told reporters: "The issuing of visa is a time-consuming procedure and this long period made it impossible for them to receive visas. Therefore they will not participate in the competition."

Maybe the Americans were slow getting their paperwork in; or maybe this is another Iranian message to Obama.

I wonder how the American women would have been expected to dress?

Hamas Steals UN Aid

2009-02-04T20:22:00.002-05:00

Gulf News carried an AP story "Hamas seizes UN food aid, says UN spokesman." [Excerpt, bolding mine]

Hamas police in Gaza broke into a warehouse full of United Nations humanitarian supplies and seized thousands of blankets and food packages, a UN spokesman said Wednesday, a rare public clash between the international agency that feeds much of the territory and the militant group that rules it. . . .

Hamas policemen stormed into an aid warehouse in Gaza City on Tuesday evening and confiscated 3,500 blankets and over 400 food parcels ready for distribution to 500 families, said United Nations Relief and Works Agency spokesman Christopher Gunness.

"They were armed, they seized this, they took it by force," Gunness said, terming the incident "absolutely unacceptable."

UN officials said the aid was kept in a local storage facility because the organization's regular warehouses were full. The UN, human rights groups and Palestinians have often complained that a blockade by Israel and Egypt has left Gaza critically short of vital supplies.

Who Let the Dogs Out Alert

2009-02-04T13:01:00.002-05:00

Let them go! Let them go! The long and the short and the f---ing jihadists.

The New York Times reports that "Eleven Saudis who were released from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and then passed through a Saudi rehabilitation program for former jihadists are now believed to have fled the country and joined terrorist groups abroad, Saudi officials said Tuesday."

Can you believe that? The report goes on to acknowledge:

The announcement further underscored the difficulties faced by the Obama administration as it prepares to close the Guantánamo detention center. All told, 14 Saudis now appear to have rejoined terrorist groups after their return from Guantánamo, including the 11 living abroad and 3 who were rearrested in Saudi Arabia after their return.

You don't say. I suppose it's a "green" thing. We recycle the jihadists.

"Jewbama"

2009-02-04T09:37:00.004-05:00

The Queens-New York-based Islamic Thinkers Society is a group purportedly committed to peaceful Dawa (prostelyzation. They offer an "intellectual" invitation to Islam. Their "about us" webpage proclaims:

Bismillah ir Rahman ir RahimInnal-Hamdalillah was-Salaatu was-Salaam `alaa RasoolillahAs-Salaamu alaikum wa-Rahmatullahi wa-Barakatuhu

Welcome to the Islamic Thinkers Society web site.

We are less than a handfull of Muslims from Ahlus Sunnah wal jama'ah who give public da'wah to society, where we invite the society to Islam(Aqeedah+Shahriah), command the good, forbid the evil and expose falsehood from every angle. Our struggle is always intellectual & political non-violent means.To find out more about our activities and about our views, we highly recommend you visit the "About Us" page first.

Thoughtful? I guess it depends on how you define "thought." Is this thoughtful?

"Beware of Jewbama" is the title of the piece. Note the picture in the bottom-right corner: "Obama & Vermin." Where have we seen this before?

I can imagine the kind of Americans who come to Islam through this type of Dawa.

And remember: this group is not operating from Peshawar, Tehran, or Jenin. No, they're right here in "The Big Apple."

More Zionist War Crimes Detailed!!!

2009-02-03T21:58:00.002-05:00

The Ma'an News Agency, which operates from the West Bank, released a list of 181 Gazans who were killed or maimed as a result of the Zionist assault on Gaza.

Sorry! I hold on. I goofed. The 181 Gazans were killed or maimed by Hamas. Fatah had 11 members executed by Hamas gunmen. A total of 58 Fatah men were shot in the hands or feet or both. Another 112 had their legs broken.

Can you imagine the outrage if the IDF had purposefully maimed 170 Gazans?

The Undersecretary of the caretaker government’s Ministry of Prisoners Affairs Ziyad Abu Ein spoke out against the rights violations and accused Hamas of “terrorism,” and said they were preventing media outlets in Gaza report on their crimes. “Our people badly need a free press capable of protecting the truth,” he said, noting that the truth was all that could counter the “terrorist procedures against patriotic Palestinians.”

Abu Ein also published a list of names and neighborhoods of those in Gaza who were killed, maimed, beaten or tortured during the Israeli war on Gaza. He encouraged aid organizations inside Gaza to check the list and contact those who have given testimony and prove the truth of the list of 181 names. Abu Ein also called on the Arab League to send a fact-finding mission to Gaza and uncover the reality behind the shocking information.

I'm certain that the Western media will follow up on these leads with the same doggedness that they pursue accusations of crimes by the Israelis. After all, Fatah has already provided the names, fates, and neighborhoods of those killed or maimed. Keep your eye out for the follow up stories on this one. And if you actually see one, please forward it to me. Maybe I'm too cynical.

Canard #1: It's All about Oil

2009-02-03T20:51:00.003-05:00

This is the first in a series of post that address various canards--false, unfounded, and misleading arguments or stories--that obfuscate the realities of American policy toward the Middle East. We hear them all the time.

#1 It's All about Oil

We have all heard the cry: “It’s all about oil!” It is a legitimate point to make in 2009 that United States policy in the Middle East is heavily influenced by issues related to petroleum supplies, but that is far too simplistic. History offers the most obvious retort. The West, and even the United States, was involved in the affairs of the Middle East long before the age of petroleum. It's not as if Vasco de Gama rounded the horn of Africa in 1497 in search of oil.

Even the United States, a relative newcomer to the Middle East, has been involved in the region since the late eighteenth century. We signed our first treaty with a Muslim state—Morocco—in 1784. No oil was involved. Algerine depredations in 1793 led the new Federal Congress to re-establish a U. S. Navy and Marine Corps in March 1794. No oil was involved. We signed a treaty with Algiers in 1796; the treaty marked the beginning of the American arms trade with the Middle East and served as our first, but far from last, “arms for hostages agreement.” No oil was involved. We fought a war with Tripoli (Libya) between 1801 and 1805. The American fleet blockaded and bombarded Tripoli (not for the last time). No oil was involved.

Even in the twenty-first century only a fool would argue that “It’s all about oil.” After all, if it was, the United States certainly would have sold out Israel decades ago.

Iranians Make New Demands of Obama

2009-02-03T16:20:00.002-05:00

The Tehran Times reports that Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani has upped the ante for President Obama. Iranian officials had earlier demanded an apology and evidence of "new thinking" before beginning official talks with the United States. On Monday Larijani expanded on and detailed what else needs to be done. "What is important," Larijani stressed, "is that Iran’s rights have been ignored and some measures have been taken (against Iran) since the revolution, including the freezing of Iranian assets, and our diplomats are also being held hostage in Iraq. The U.S. needs to untangle these knots so that it becomes clear that new thinking on peace and security has arisen in the country.”

The reports also notes:

Larijani made the remarks after the new administration of President Barack Obama has officially announced that it is ready to negotiate with Iran on matters where Tehran and Washington differ. Analysts have also said that the Munich security conference, which begins on February 6, may serve as a catalyst for a direct encounter between Iranian and U.S. officials. Larijani is one of the Iranian officials who have been invited to the Munich security conference. “I have been officially invited to the Munich conference,” Larijani said. He said his speech at the 45th Munich Conference on Security Policy will center on crises in the Middle East and Afghanistan, energy, European security, and disarmament. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will represent the United States at the annual security conference. White House National Security Adviser James L. Jones is slated to join Biden at the meeting.

Allah Sent Hitler to Put the Jews in Their Place

2009-02-03T14:22:00.004-05:00

Another teaching moment! Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi--one of those many "clerics" of the "religion of peace." I cannot imagine why the Brits tossed this guy out of the country? If the embededd video doesn't work, you can find the video here.

You can find the transcripts here. My bolding.

January 30, 2009: Hitler "Put The Jews In Their Place"

"Throughout history, Allah has imposed upon the [Jews] people who would punish them for their corruption. The last punishment was carried out by Hitler. By means of all the things he did to them – even though they exaggerated this issue – he managed to put them in their place. "This was divine punishment for them. Allah willing, the next time will be at the hand of the believers." [...]

January 28, 2009: I Will Die As A Martyr Shooting Jews Al-Qaradhawi

"To conclude my speech, I’d like to say that the only thing I hope for is that as my life approaches its end, Allah will give me an opportunity to go to the land of Jihad and resistance, even if in a wheelchair.

"I will shoot Allah’s enemies, the Jews, and they will throw a bomb at me, and thus, I will seal my life with martyrdom. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. Allah’s mercy and blessings upon you."

Why doesn't the sheikh simply make his way to the Lebanese-Israeli border with a few grenades and an AK? I'm certain the Israelis would be happy to speed the bozo on his way to Paradise. Somebody please send this "holy man" a map.

Tariq Almohayed: Hamas on Political Suicide Mission

2009-02-02T15:56:00.001-05:00

Well worth reading.

[Excerpt]

Some might ask; what about Hamas? Unfortunately the Muslim brotherhood-affiliated movement has consented to becoming an implement in the destruction of the Palestinian cause, and the sacrificing of Palestinian blood and the long history of armed and political struggle which led our region into long wars and which Hamas [now] wants to simply erase. Hamas has become involved in the Iranian- Syrian- Qatari axis as just a small wheel propping up a large base, allowing quick and easy movement, but not towards a solution that will result in a Palestinian state, rather in a return to decades of conflict in order to return the Palestinian cause back to square one.

What will happen is that the West Bank will fall under the jurisdiction of Jordan, or Gaza will declare itself an Islamic governorate, or fall under the administration of Egypt and destabilize it [Egypt]. This is something we have seen increasing over the past three weeks, although it [the destabilization of Egypt] began when Hamas executed a coup on the Gaza Strip.

Khalid Mishal's announcement of his intention to form a new Palestinian authority can only be described as a suicide attack aimed at our history, and at our future. We are the sons of the region, and that is what should be noted.

Qaddafi Calls for Single-State Solution in NYT

2009-02-02T15:30:00.002-05:00

He calls it "Isratine!" Why can't we all just be friends, sit around the fire, and sing Kumbaya?

This is actually an old idea from the late 1960s and early 1970s that made some sense when the Arab side was at least nominally secular, namely Palestinian Muslims and Christians. Lebanon--where Christians, Sunni Muslims, and Shia Muslims lived in brotherhood and peace--was usually offered as the model for a multi-sectarian state.

But then reality intervened in the form of the Lebanese Civil War. No one in his or her right mind would today offer Lebanon as a model for a Palestinian solution.

To further complicate matters, the "secular" Palestinian movement is increasingly dominated by Islamists who wish to live under Shari'a. Fatah's loss of Gaza to Hamas is a perfect example of such a development. I suppose Hamas would allow the Jewish population to remain in Palestine, as long as Muslims ruled and the Jews were willing to live as Dhimmis. But that's not what the Israelis have in mind.

Round 2?

2009-02-01T17:33:00.002-05:00

Hamas, having so recently "won" its war with Israel, apparently is eager to have at it again. And why not? The more Palestinians who die the bigger the "victory" in the minds of much of the Hamazis and much of the international community.

According to Hamas's Iranian controllers, most recently "Supreme Leader" Ayatollah Khamenei, both Israel and the United States are "experiencing weakness and gradual annihilation worldwide." According to an IRNA report: "Signs of promised victories by Almighty God have been revealed more than before, said the Supreme Leader."

One more push! Just one more and maybe....

These bozos have no clue what "maybe" is. I do. And it's not what they suspect. but they are right: it is only a matter of time.

"Eat Me"

2009-01-31T16:21:00.001-05:00

A new spin to an old concept.

"A Gift to You from Obama before He Takes Office"

2009-01-31T16:07:00.004-05:00

Here's the audio of al Qaeda #2 Ayman al-Zawahiri's take on Gaza.

Iran and Syria behind Hamas Move?

2009-01-30T13:44:00.004-05:00

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.

Covering World War II: Twenty-first Century Style II

2009-01-30T13:32:00.003-05:00

(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.”

This Must Drive the Islamists Nuts in Pakistan

2009-01-29T17:42:00.003-05:00

It's a trailer for a Pakistani slasher film. Derivative? Maybe?

Hamas Seeks to Replace the PLO

2009-01-29T17:16:00.003-05:00

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.

The Ummah's Best and Brightest

2009-01-29T15:21:00.002-05:00

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"

2009-01-29T15:03:00.002-05:00

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.

Who Let the Dogs Out Alert

2009-01-29T14:44:00.002-05:00

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.

Is the Concept of Hyperbole Unknown in the Arab World?

2009-01-28T19:54:00.002-05:00

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.

Harry Potter: "Cultural Crusader"

2009-01-28T16:35:00.004-05:00

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.

Ceasefire Strained

2009-01-28T16:31:00.003-05:00

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"

2009-01-28T15:54:00.002-05:00

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".

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!

One for the Books!!!! Puke Alert!

2009-01-27T18:06:00.003-05:00

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]

Obama's al-Arabiya Interview

2009-01-27T13:37:00.001-05:00

Here's President Obama's interview with al-Arabiya TV.

More Arrests in Turkey

2009-01-27T13:16:00.001-05:00

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

2009-01-27T12:54:00.003-05:00

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

Iran Seeking Ties with Zimbabwe?

2009-01-26T22:42:00.002-05:00

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.

Paks Admit Swat Lost

2009-01-26T22:23:00.002-05:00

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.

US Tilting toward India?

2009-01-25T23:28:00.003-05:00

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.

Iranian MP Demands Preconditions for US Talks

2009-01-25T15:28:00.002-05:00

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.

Hamas Complicates Reconciliation

2009-01-25T11:37:00.002-05:00

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.

Ahmadinejad: Iranian Revolution Most Important Event in Human History

2009-01-25T10:55:00.002-05:00

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?

Chomsky on Obama

2009-01-25T10:47:00.002-05:00

"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?

More Arrests in Turkey

2009-01-25T00:36:00.003-05:00

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."

Foiled Pak Terror Strike in India?

2009-01-25T00:20:00.003-05:00

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.

Obama not Playing Well with Salafists

2009-01-24T23:58:00.002-05:00

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.

Pope Reinstates Holocaust and 911 Denier!!!

2009-01-24T19:11:00.003-05:00

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.

New Feature: Covering World War II 21st Century Style #1

2009-01-21T15:54:00.003-05:00

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.

Hamas Launches Rocket under Al Arabiya TV Offices

2009-01-20T22:11:00.003-05:00

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!

Plague Report Followup

2009-01-20T21:54:00.002-05:00

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.

Holocaust Satire at Its Best

2009-01-19T22:57:00.004-05:00

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?

Iranian Pressure Point

2009-01-19T22:50:00.004-05:00

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.

Iran Declares Victory in Gaza

2009-01-19T22:16:00.003-05:00

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.

Black Plague?

2009-01-19T18:46:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-01-17T13:59:00.002-05:00

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.

Ceasefire?

2009-01-17T13:51:00.002-05:00

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.

"We’re talking black-eyed virgins, man!"

2009-01-16T14:39:00.003-05:00

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.

An Arab Perspective

2009-01-16T14:10:00.002-05:00

Tariq Almohayad has an interesting piece in today's Asharq Alwasat. Well worth reading.

Israel May Declare Unilateral Ceasefire

2009-01-16T13:50:00.004-05:00

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

Hamas/Syria/Iran Toughen Line on Ceasefire

2009-01-16T13:31:00.003-05:00

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.

West Bank Demonstration Called Off for Lack of Protesters

2009-01-16T13:21:00.004-05:00

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."

Gaza War Risks Sowing 'Seeds of Extremism': Syria's Assad

2009-01-14T23:13:00.002-05:00

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.

Quake Hits Southeastern Iran

2009-01-14T22:45:00.002-05:00

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.

Arab League Drags Feet

2009-01-14T22:28:00.003-05:00

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.

Esposito Shills for Hamas

2009-01-14T22:12:00.002-05:00

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?

Rule #1: It's Always the Fault of "The Juice"

2009-01-14T22:03:00.001-05:00

I recalled seeing this on the Peoples' Cube website here back in 2006. It's worth recycling.

Has Osama Shaken Obama?

2009-01-14T21:51:00.003-05:00

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....

Iran: OBL in League with "the Juice" and US!

2009-01-14T13:23:00.003-05:00

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.

Breaking News from J-Post

2009-01-14T13:19:00.002-05:00

The Jerusalem Post has reported that Hamas has agreed to accept the Egyptian ceasefire proposal, although details remain to be worked out.

...Osama Hamdan, the Hamas representative in Lebanon, said that Hamas's position regarding the Egyptian initiative had not changed. He said that despite reports that Hamas had agreed to the cease-fire initiative, there were still a number of differences between Egypt and the Islamist movement that needed to be addressed.

IDF Hit Hard by Hamas

2009-01-14T13:09:00.002-05:00

Don't believe the IDF's reports of how well things are going in Gaza, or so says the Information Office of Hamas's Al Qassam Brigades. They have reported today that (mispellings in the original):

1- in Jabaliya camp, the mujahideen managed to hit the Zionist army from back and from fron[t] in the farm lands. no advances.
2- In Gaza city:
A- in Al Zaytoon, Al Qassam men destroyed more than ten Zionist tanks, the Zionist fortces forced to bvack also.
B- The Zionist forces tried to inter from Tal Al Hawa the south of Gaza, but the mujahideen destroyed eight Zionist tanks, the Zionist fprces back 500 meters instead of advancing.
Note: when the resistance have victories on the ground, Zionist army hit the civlians and thier houses.

Wow! Eighteen IDF Merkavas lost in a day.

"[H]ow many dead zionists?? i wanna know, plz let them be more," one eager forum reader asks. "This brings the number of IOF soldiers killed in Gaza by the resistance since the start of the ground invasion to 45 and the number of IOF soldiers wounded to 120, according to Hamas sources," comes the reply. Those lying IDF spokespersons. Ten dead, right.

I mean, who are you going to believe: the IDF spokespersons or Gaza Gus?

AP Misinterprets OBL Message

2009-01-14T09:18:00.004-05:00

Herer's a classic example of how the mainstream media can't get things right. Here's an extract from the AP story.

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden has issued a new audiotape urging Muslims to launch a jihad, or holy war, to stop the Israeli offensive in Gaza.
Bin Laden also condemns Arab governments for preventing their people from acting to "liberate Palestine."

Doesn't the AP know that a jihad is not "holy war"? What bin Laden was actually telling the billion-plus members of the world's ummah to do was to deepen their inner spiritual struggle to become better Muslims and to show all non-Muslims how the "religion of peace" goes about settling issues.

Iranian Protesters Burn Obama's Image...

2009-01-13T13:03:00.002-05:00

...and call for his death. and the poor man hasn't even been inaugurated yet. The Times of London notes:

The demonstrators, waving Palestinian flags, some chanting “Death to Obama”, had gathered outside the Swiss embassy which handles US interests because Tehran and Washington have not had diplomatic ties for nearly three decades.

Pictures showed the president-elect’s image laid on the road for cars to drive over it and other images showed demonstrators burning an Obama poster.

I like my new president more very day. Anyone whose image they burn in Tehran must be doing something right.

Rafsanjani Calls for Privatization in Iran

2009-01-13T12:57:00.002-05:00

According to a report in the Tehran Times, Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani warned of over-reliance on oil revenues and called for economic privatization. [Extract]

The EC chairman criticized the government for its excessive dependence on oil and gas revenues, adding that with an economy that is not diversified, fluctuations in oil revenues seriously affect the national budget. He also called for the effective privatization of state-run companies as envisaged in Article 44 of the Constitution, saying this is the right way to solve the country’s problems. “Legal obstacles have been removed” but the problem is properly managing the resources of the country’s private sector, Rafsanjani noted.

Turks to Gaza?

2009-01-13T12:54:00.001-05:00

The J-Post today is reporting that the Hamas-Egyptian ceasefire discussions envision Turkish troops being deployed to Gaza. There was no comment on the story from the Israeli government.

Journalistic Disconnect

2009-01-13T12:32:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I posted about Hamas raising the "White Flag" in Gaza. Here's how the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) is today reporting the same story (bolding mine).

Victory closer at hand than ever before – PM Haniyyah

Gaza, Jan 13, IRNA – Popular Palestinian Government’s Prime Minister Esmail Haniyyah emphasized here Monday resistance will never be defeated and victory against Zionists is closer at hand than ever before.

According to the Arabic Al-Alam news network, Haniyyah who was speaking in Gaza added, “God willing, we will emerge victorious in our confrontation with the occupiers, and I assure you we are closer to embracing victory than ever before in the history of resistance against the occupying forces.” Haniyyah whose interview was broadcast live from Al-Alam emphasized that the Palestinian nation’s resistance in Gaza Strip would continue victoriously, adding, “Despite the barbarous attacks of the occupiers, the martyrdom of hundreds of women, children and elderly folks, and the loss of their own beloved family members, the resistance forces are still standing tall by grace of God, and relying on His divine assistance, and will hopefully keep resisting. Emphasizing that Gaza people’s unity has increased noticeably ever since the new round of the Zionists’ brutal attack so that Gaza residents resemble a single body today. He reiterated, “Gaza residents share their drinking water, their foodstuff, their garments, and even their houses with one another, which is the manifestation of full Islamic unity among them under such tough conditions.” Elsewhere in the interview Haniyyah touching on current status of resistance in Gaza, said, “Today we are faced with two options, namely choosing the diplomatic solution, or resistance against the occupying enemy.” He added, “We will respond positively to any initiative that would lead to ending the brutal attacks of the occupying regime and ending the siege of Gaza Strip simultaneously. The elected prime minister of the Palestinian nation emphasized, “Gaza would emerge victorious by grace of God, relying on the strong faith of the Palestinian nation, and we do nothing but performing our duties here.”

I apparently erred when I stated that Haniyaah was in the West Bank. The report states that he is in Gaza. I'm happy to learn that I was wrong.

Why Would Those Dastardly Israelis Bomb Mosques?

2009-01-13T11:55:00.002-05:00

Mosques, like churches are places of worship. They should be considered sanctuaries. Well, not exactly. As the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini wrote in his study Islamic Government (bolding mine):

Do not allow the true nature of Islam to remain hidden, or people will imagine that Islam is like Christianity (nominal, not true Christianity), a collection of injunctions pertaining to man’s relation to God, and the mosque will be equated with the church. . . .

The Commander of the Faithful [in the seventh century A.D.] was also a ruler; he ruled over all the Muslims and the whole of the broad Islamic realm. Were you more zealous than he in promoting the glory of Islam, the Muslims, and the lands of Islam! Was your realm more extensive than his! The country over which you ruled was but a part of his realm; Iraq, Egypt, and the Hijaz all belonged to his realm, as well as Iran. Despite this, his seat of command was the mosque: the bench of the judge was situated in one corner of the mosque, while in another, the army would prepare to set out for battle. That army was composed of people who offered their prayers regularly, were firm believers in Islam; you know well how swiftly it advanced and what results it obtained!

You cannot equate the nature of the church in Christianity to the mosque in Islam. It's apples and oranges, as you can see in the following IDF video.

Hamas Raises "White Flag"

2009-01-12T18:45:00.002-05:00

The J-Post reports today that Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas Prime Minister, has announced: "We will deal positively with any initiative aimed at ending the offensive." This is a change of tune from the bellicose statements issued over the weekend by Hamas officials in Damascus. Haniyeh is in hiding in the West Bank. Of course, he refused to accept defeat: "We are confident that eventually we would achieve victory and crush the aggression." Then why not keep fighting? "We have confidence in Allah because He's on our side. We are nearing victory over the Zionist war machine. After 17 days of fighting, I can say that the Gaza Strip and faith will prevail. With Allah's help, the Palestinian people will prevail over the infidels," he assured his listeners.

I guess the question now for Hamas in Gaza is: "to whom do we listen?" Prime Minister Haniyeh, or Meshaal in Damascus? I assume that Haniyeh's new line indicates that Hamas's call for a renewed Intifada on the West Bank failed, so the organization's isolation is now virtually total.

After viewing Haniyeh's speech, a Fatah official in Ramallah commented: "This speech shows that Hamas has been defeated. Haniyeh has actually raised the white flag."

How to Translate "Jihad"?

2009-01-12T13:39:00.004-05:00

I'm often asked this question by students. And my advice is simple: that's the wrong question; we need to ask how the bin Ladens of the world use the term "jihad." And them I show them this slide. It's a clear example from the Khalifa.com website. Note that the Prince (Ameer) of Jihad serves under the Khaleefah in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the military, and not of the Department of Becoming a Better Religious Muslim.

I know that for many Muslims jihad is a personal inner-religious struggle. But those Muslims aren't the ones who are...blowing people up or talking about "saving" the world with Shari'a and a global Khalifate.

Turkish Arms Cache!

2009-01-12T13:27:00.003-05:00

According to information released by the Turkish government, the arms cache uncovered by the police was composed of "two light anti-tank weapons, around 30 hand grenades, and bullets..." I find it hard to believe that if the Turkish army was planning a coup, two LAWS and thirty grenades would make a difference in the outcome. When I first read about a weapons cache, I imagined some huge stockpile of arms. This sounds suspicious.

The Usual Suspects

2009-01-12T11:09:00.002-05:00

Al Jazeera published an interesting opinion piece today by Mark LeVine, professor of Middle East history at the University of California, Irvine. Apparently Israelis have no right to defend themselves. I suppose their fate is to live under daily rocketing. A few nuggets. (Bolding mine)

The argument that this is a purely defensive war, launched only after Hamas broke a six-month ceasefire has been challenged, not just by observers in the know such as Jimmy Carter, the former US president who helped facilitate the truce, but by centre-right Israeli intelligence think tanks.

The claim that Hamas will never accept the existence of Israel has proved equally misinformed, as Hamas leaders explicitly announce their intention to do just that in the pages of the Los Angeles Times or to any international leader or journalist who will meet with them.

Exactly, they tell the Western media what it wants to hear, but when you watch what they tell their own people, and toddlers, the message is quite different and consistent.

And we have the standard crap about Israel as a "rogue" state and how it commits "war crimes." Actually, international law frees a state from having to watch out for civilian targets when the opposition purposefully uses civilians as human shields. So the IDF is actually free to strike targets where there are civilians, as long as the purpose is military, and it's Hamas that is committing the crimes.

And then we have the usual: this is only going to strengthen the hand of Hamas among the Palestinians. Well, there's a test underway for that. Meshall called for a renewed Intifada on the West Bank on Saturday. If LeVine is right, the West Bank Arabs will take to the streets. If they don't, Hamas's hand has been weakened.

Tehran: Ready to Fight to the Last Gazan

2009-01-12T11:03:00.002-05:00

The J-Post reports today that Iran is leaning heavily on Hamas NOT to accept a ceasefire. The Iranians have good reason to take that position, especially since they aren't the ones getting killed.

Turkey!

2009-01-12T11:01:00.002-05:00

The American media is finally tuning into the situation in Turkey with yesterday's Wall Street Journal report.

Hamas Digs In: In Damascus

2009-01-10T19:48:00.003-05:00

Earlier today I put up a post about Franco-Egyptian efforts to reestablish PA/Fatah control in Gaza and declared such an idea unacceptable to Hamas. Since then Khaled Meshaal, the Hamas political leader in Damascus, delivered a televised speech. As reported in Al Jazeera, Meshaal struck the usual notes: it's all the fault of the Israelis, what's going on in Gaza is a "holocaust," and the Israelis are losing the war and lying about their true casualties. Meshaal also called for a new Palestinian Intifada, essentially demanding that the West Bank rise up against the Israelis.

Meshaal also commented on the Hamas vision of what a ceasefire will have to include, and, not surprisingly, while his vision is not going to satisfy the Israelis, it's not going to satisfy the Egyptians or the UN either.

Meshaal's comments come as a Hamas delegation is in Egypt, together with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, to discuss an Egyptian cease-fire proposal and possible international monitoring force to enforce an agreement. Meshaal said that any international monitoring force in the Gaza strip would be treated as "occupation" force. "Before any negotiations could take place, Israel had to halt attacks, pull out of the Gaza Strip and lift the siege of Gaza," Meshaal said.

Meshaal is demanding that the Israelis stop their attacks, withdraw their forces, and give up their control of the entry points into Gaza before Hamas will halt its rockets. Not going to happen.

But Meshaal also rejected the idea of an international monitoring force entering Gaza. Since Hamas representatives have been talking to the Egyptians about the ceasefire, this means that those talks envision an international force going into the Strip, something Meshaal is trying to head off. Meshaal's pledge that Hamas will consider all such troops an "occupation" force, which is what Hamas considers the IDF, suggests that Hamas is not about to agree to the ceasefire. Nor is it likely to make countries eager to contribute soldiers to an international force. (Are they going to name it "UNIFIG"?)

The Hamazis are clearly in a bad spot. They're getting hammered by the Israelis, they are isolated, and their most important neighbor--Egypt--is party to efforts to place Fatah and a multinational force into Gaza.

Where can Hamas look for help? Hezbollah could weigh in from southern Lebanon. But if it does, while as expansion of the war would create greater international pressure, that pressure would be offset to a degree by demonstrating the incapacity of the UN and international forces to prevent such acts and would undermine UN-led efforts to guarantee Israeli security with a comparable force in Gaza. If it doesn't work in Lebanon, why will it work in Gaza?

That only leaves a renewed Intifada as a hope for Hamas. If the West Bank does not explode within a few days, Hamas's inadequacies, and growing weakness, will become evident. So keep your eyes on the West Bank.

Are the Israelis Going to "Win"?

2009-01-10T16:24:00.006-05:00

There's been a constant refrain from the media since the Operation Cast Lead began that it could not succeed. The IDF had failed in 2006 and it would fail again. Even people who understood, and perhaps even supported the Israelis, felt that the effort would probably end badly.

But if you survey the press and what's going on in Gaza, you have to conclude that Israel might just well succeed. Yes, there are demonstrations across the world, but there have been demonstrations for days. Demonstrations are a good way to allow people to blow off steam. Hundreds of thousands march in Cairo, Beirut, Damascus, and Amman, but at the end of the effort they trudge home and do not continue on to the Israeli border. The Syrians protest, but I don't see them doing anything concrete, for example mobilizing their army. Hezbollah calls for Hamas to fight on and castigates those who stand idly by, but when some Palestinians in Lebanon fire a few rockets into northern Israel, Hezbollah assures everyone that "Hey, it wasn't us!" The Iranians scream the loudest and work diligently to get Brazil to take a tough stand, but they refuse to allow the volunteers suicide bombers to leave the country. The Egyptians shoot any Palestinians who try to get out of Gaza and into Egypt, while they busily try to work out a deal to re-insert Fatah into Gaza. And on the West Bank the other 2.5 million Palestinians protest vociferously, but their major concern seems to be that they fear Hamas will drag them into something similar.

If I was a Palestinian in Gaza I'd feel abandoned. If I were a Hamas fighter, living like a hunted animal while my leaders pontificated from the safety of their offices in Damascus and called for me to fight to the death, I'd consider deserting.

It seem clear to me that the reason the UN resolution was short on specifics is because the details that we'll ultimately see mean the end of Hamas in Gaza, at least until people get fed up again with Fatah's maladministration and corruption. You can read all over the web that this or that country "supports" the Egyptian and French efforts to achieve a ceasefire. The UN press release that accompanied the resolution says just that: "The resolution welcomes the regional and international efforts under way to end the crisis, including the Egyptian initiative crafted by President Hosni Mubarak and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy, which, among other things, calls for a temporary ceasefire followed by talks on how to control the border crossings, as well as how to achieve reconciliation among Palestinian factions." But now we learn that those efforts involve re-inserting Fatah into control in Gaza. No wonder Hamas rejected the resolution. It's leaders can see what's coming.

If Hamas accepts the ceasefire plan it's finished in Gaza for the time being. If they keep fighting there's at least a chance international pressure will force an end to the IDF's operation. What Hamas really needs is to set up a massacre involving large numbers of civilians, or sit around and hope that a stray Israeli bomb hits a crowded hospital.

Hamas is in a tough spot, and it knows it. Hamas is isolated. It controls Gaza in a way that Hezbollah did not control Lebanon. That's why there was more sympathy for the Lebanese people--innocent bystanders--when they were under the Israeli gun, than there is for the Gazans, who after all voted to make Hamas their parliamentary representatives. And the Israelis have obviously learned many lessons from their 2006 operation in southern Lebanon.

Unless something changes the equation at this point, Israel, at least in the short term, is going to win. I hope the Israelis are already at work thinking about how to make the most of that victory (politically). If Fatah, with Egyptian and international support, returns to Gaza, there may not be a better time to strike a political deal.

Hamas Giving Way?

2009-01-10T16:24:00.002-05:00

I do not recall reading reports like these during the Israeli operations against Hezbollah in 2006. But Haaretz reports that some Hamas soldiers are beginning to desert.

A senior Israeli military commander involved in Operation Cast Lead said on Saturday that Hamas militants are suffering from exhaustion and are deserting battle. The commander told reporters that Amir Mansi, the commander of Hamas's rocket-launching program in the Gaza City area who was killed by the IDF on Saturday, fired mortars himself after junior Hamas operatives refused to go outside, fearing an Israeli strike.

Keeping a Weather-Eye on Turkey

2009-01-10T16:15:00.004-05:00

The Turkish police reportedly uncovered a cache of weapons linked to the alleged conspirators accused of plotting a coup against the Islamist-party-dominated government. You can find my earlier post here.

Obama Will Not Talk to Hamas

2009-01-10T15:57:00.003-05:00

The Jerusalem Post reports that the stories that the Obama administration was prepared to talk to Hamas are inaccurate. Brooke Anderson, the president-elect's national security spokesperson assured the J-Post:

US President-elect Barack Obama "has repeatedly stated that he believes that Hamas is a terrorist organization dedicated to Israel's destruction, and that we should not deal with them until they recognize Israel, renounce violence, and abide by past agreements...."

One Reason Hamas Resists Ceasefire

2009-01-10T15:48:00.003-05:00

And admittedly there are many. But this London Times report outlines a major reason for Hamas to balk. The French and the Egyptians are working on the fine print for the ceasefire under which Hamas will be displaced in Gaza by Fatah. An excerpt:

A plan to create a new foothold in Gaza for the Palestinian Authority and to bring in international monitors was being drawn up by diplomats yesterday as a UN ceasefire call was dismissed by both sides.

The plan would allow a return of the authority, led by the secular Fatah faction, to the territory 18 months after it was expelled by the Islamist Hamas. Diplomats are considering taking a triangle at the southern end of Gaza, including the Rafah crossing to Egypt and the Kerem Shalom crossing to Israel, to be policed by Turkish and French military monitors to stop arms smuggling into Gaza.

The zone would nominally be controlled by the authority, the internationally recognised Government. Such a plan would allow the crossings to reopen for the first time since Hamas seized power in Gaza in June 2007.

The plan is being negotiated as part of the Egyptian peace initiative, announced by President Mubarak after talks with President Sarkozy of France, which calls for an immediate ceasefire to be followed by talks on securing the Gaza-Egypt border and reopening the crossings.

Muslim Brotherhood: Ceasefire Israeli Scheme

2009-01-09T13:47:00.002-05:00

According to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt website: "Chairman of Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt Mohamed Akef on Wednesday said that the Egyptian-French ceasefire initiative is primarily an Israeli request in order to hide Israel"s failure in eliminating the Palestinian resistance." How odd that the Israelis rejected it.

Hamas: We Do Not Recognize Abbas as President

2009-01-09T13:21:00.002-05:00

While the UN calls for Palestinian reconciliation, the Palestinian Information Center reports:

BEIRUT, (PIC)-- The Hamas Movement on Wednesday reiterated its rejection of extending the tenure of PA chief Mahmoud Abbas after it expires on 9/1/2009. Osama Hamdan, the movement's representative in Lebanon, expressed regret that Abbas did not assume his responsibility towards the Palestinian people in Gaza in face of the Israeli aggression. In a press statement, Hamdan said that no new political stand was taken by Abbas that would justify re-consideration of Hamas's position regarding end of his tenure. Abbas did not display any positive act for the sake of Gaza but rather adopted the American stands in this regard, he elaborated.

Abbas's presidential term technically expires today, although he intends to remain in office. In early December, before the crisis in Gaza, he postponed the Presidential election. The BBC story that reported Abbas's decision, also contains an interesting footnote on a poll. The report states (bolding mine):

If elections were held now in Gaza and the West Bank, the PCPSR poll indicated his [Abbas's] secular nationalist Fatah party would take 42% of votes while Hamas, the rival militant Islamist organisation which controls Gaza, would win 28%. The poll also suggests 40% percent of Gazans wish to emigrate, compared with 25% in the West Bank.

That 40% number suggests that even before the latest crisis, the average Gazan was not all that happy with the job Hamas was doing running the Gaza Strip. And if those numbers are adequate, of the roughly 4 million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, 1.3 million (700,000 in the West Bank and 600,000 of the 1.5 million in Gaza) would prefer to live somewhere else.

Another Excellent Reason to Support Israel!!!

2009-01-09T13:20:00.002-05:00

Just in case you need one.

IDF Chains Its Soldiers to their Tanks...

2009-01-09T13:12:00.003-05:00

...so they don't flee the field of battle. What, you didn't know that? Here are a few comments posted recently on the Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades English forum. Several of the comments come from people in "Palestine."

Alqassam spokesman told Alquds TV that a member of the brigades kidnapped a zionist soldier in Gaza. When the Israelis realised that, they went insane and fired randomly tens of shells and missiles. Then a war plane killed them both. Alqassam fighter was identified as Mohammed Alrifi.

[F]ighters in the field as well as ppl living there said they heard the israeli soldiers cry like babies running for their lives!!

Al-salam Alykom, One of beloved brothers Al-qassam feild leaders has said it,, they wear pampers. and in the Karamah Battle,, they were tied/chained to their tanks so they don't run,,

Hamas Rejection of Ceasefire

2009-01-09T12:30:00.002-05:00

Al Jazeera has published an interview with Musa Abu Marzouq, deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, who operates from the safety of Damascus. Excerpts (bolding is mine):

Al Jazeera: Under what conditions will Hamas agree a ceasefire with Israel?
Abu Marzouq: We have three conditions for any peace initiative coming from any state.
First, the aggression of the Israelis should stop. All of the gates should be opened, including the gate of Rafah between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Finally, Israel has to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. We are not saying we will stop firing rockets from the Gaza Strip to Israel - we are only talking about stopping the aggression from the Israelis against the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. When others talk about a ceasefire, they are saying all military operations should stop. But we are sending a message [by firing rockets]: "We will not surrender. We have to fight the Israelis and we will win this battle." We know we are going to lose a lot of people from our side, but we are going to win, inshallah.

Interesting view of the ceasefire--you stop firing at us and withdraw and we keep firing.

And then there's this:
Al Jazeera: Has Hamas had any contact with the administration of Barack Obama, the US president-elect?
Abu Marzouq: No, we haven't had any direct contact.

Does Abu Marzouq's qualification of "direct contact" suggest that there have already been indirect contacts? Recent news reports have suggested that the Obama administration plans to talk, if indirectly, to Hamas. Are they already doing so?

The UN Resolution: The Devil's in the (Missing) Details

2009-01-09T11:37:00.004-05:00

I've read many stories about the UN Security Council Resolution that Israel and Hamas have recently rejected, but had not found a copy of the entire document. You can find it here. Bolding is mine.

“The Security Council,
“Recalling all of its relevant resolutions, including resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 1397 (2002), 1515 (2003) and 1850 (2008),
“Stressing that the Gaza Strip constitutes an integral part of the territory occupied in 1967 and will be a part of the Palestinian state,
“Emphasising the importance of the safety and well-being of all civilians,
“Expressing grave concern at the escalation of violence and the deterioration of the situation, in particular the resulting heavy civilian casualties since the refusal to extend the period of calm; and emphasising that the Palestinian and Israeli civilian populations must be protected,
“Expressing grave concern also at the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza,
“Emphasising the need to ensure sustained and regular flow of goods and people through the Gaza crossings,
“Recognising the vital role played by UNRWA in providing humanitarian and economic assistance within Gaza,
“Recalling that a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved by peaceful means,
“Reaffirming the right of all States in the region to live in peace within secure and internationally recognized borders,
“1. Stresses the urgency of and calls for an immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza;
“2. Calls for the unimpeded provision and distribution throughout Gaza of humanitarian assistance, including of food, fuel and medical treatment;
“3. Welcomes the initiatives aimed at creating and opening humanitarian corridors and other mechanisms for the sustained delivery of humanitarian aid;
“4. Calls on Member States to support international efforts to alleviate the humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza, including through urgently needed additional contributions to UNRWA and through the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee;
“5. Condemns all violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism;
“6. Calls upon Member States to intensify efforts to provide arrangements and guarantees in Gaza in order to sustain a durable ceasefire and calm, including to prevent illicit trafficking in arms and ammunition and to ensure the sustained re‑opening of the crossing points on the basis of the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access between the Palestinian Authority and Israel; and in this regard, welcomes the Egyptian initiative, and other regional and international efforts that are under way;
“7. Encourages tangible steps towards intra-Palestinian reconciliation including in support of mediation efforts of Egypt and the League of Arab States as expressed in the 26 November 2008 resolution, and consistent with Security Council resolution 1850 (2008) and other relevant resolutions;
“8. Calls for renewed and urgent efforts by the parties and the international community to achieve a comprehensive peace based on the vision of a region where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace with secure and recognised borders, as envisaged in Security Council resolution 1850 (2008), and recalls also the importance of the Arab Peace Initiative;
“9. Welcomes the Quartet’s consideration, in consultation with the parties, of an international meeting in Moscow in 2009;
“10. Decides to remain seized of the matter.”

A few points: Hamas has publicly and repeatedly rejected several principles that underlay the resolution: "durable ceasefire," "Intra-Palestinian reconciliation," the two-state solution, and the idea that the two states should be Democratic (Shari'a-based law is by definition undemocratic). And then there's this in the news release from the UN:

The measure, which recalls that “a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved by peaceful means”, capped days of intense ministerial-level negotiations at United Nations Headquarters after Arab leaders and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas flew to New York for urgent meetings with United Nations Secretary‑General Ban Ki‑moon and Security Council diplomats to craft a binding resolution to end the fighting, which began on 27 December, when Israel launched a major offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas rocket attacks.

This is curious wording. The resolution admits that the Israeli offensive was launched in "response" to the "Hamas rocket attacks," yet it marks the date of the crisis to the Israeli operations "which began on 27 December." Why not date the start of the crisis with the firing of the first Hamas rockets after the ceasefire expired?

The main point, I suspect from the Israel point of view, is what the resolution fails to address. What international body or group is going to go in on the ground in Gaza to insure that more rockets are not fired and that Hamas does not continue to smuggle in weapons, including the longer-ranged Chinese-made, Grad rockets? The Israelis are being asked to do something concrete--halt operations, withdraw, and open up supply corridors--Hamas is being asked to stop firing its rockets and to promise, under the watch of a yet-to-be-detailed international effort, not to rebuild its arsenal. What does the UN intend to do if Hamas refuses reconciliation with Fatah? And what does the UN intend to do if the Hamas terrorist-state in Gaza is not run democratically?

At least in Lebanon in 2006 the ultimate ceasefire agreement included specifics involving UNIFIL, although the Israelis know damned well that even in that case international supervision has not prevented Hezbollah from moving back into southern Lebanon and rearming.

"Splendid Blessings": AKA Genocide

2009-01-08T15:46:00.002-05:00

Another Palestinian cleric from the "religion of peace" calls for the extermination of the Jews. What else can he say? As he points out, it's all in the Qur'an.

The Word's Sharia

2009-01-08T15:15:00.003-05:00

Here's an interesting video I came across on the Jawa 3.0 Beta blog. It begins with Hamas thugs shooting up a Fatah wedding party in Beit Hanoun in 2007 where the men (no women allowed) were celebrating and singing.