===NEXT
Obama 'Wants To Give The Iranians Nuclear Weapons'
The Saudis were supposed to be gone, not replacing America! (See 1 below.)
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America is no longer trusted nor can be depended upon so Arab states fill the breech created by Obama's lack of a cohesive foreign policy.
The White House team of advisors is as JV and dangerous as they get. (See 2 below.)
Meanwhile Obama's intelligence advisors are also thought to be clueless! (See 2a below.)
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The Selma movie, Hollywood will not make and liberals will not discuss. There is something tragically wrong about this picture! (See 3 below.)
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Hypocrisy from The New York's Time's in house and hand picked conservative. (See 4 below.)
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On April 29, I am joining a small group and having lunch with one of the local Imams. My Rabbi thought it would be important to do so and I agree., We have put together a diverse group including a local Methodist Minister, a local community activist, a local entrepreneur, a dear friend of mine and I have invited someone in local federal law enforcement.
I wish I could invite the Brit to join us: https://dotsub.com/view/
This morning I also had the pleasure of speaking with one of the most well connected former members of our State Department who served in many former administrations and sought his take on Obama's vendetta against Israel.
He pretty much validated my own thinking and believes the next 22 months will be tough as Obama seeks to escalate his contempt for Netanyhu, using the U.N. as his primary bludgeoning tool.
I also just finished a conversation with a friend who is a senior member of an organization I belong to and he too says the news coming out of the negotiations with Iran suggest Obama is prepared to give away the store to obtain his legacy. He also believes Congress will still play a significant role and Iran understands a good deal from Obama could turn out to be less than they seek and obtain if Congress holds their feet to the fire. Time will tell. (See 4a below.)
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Maureen Scott articulates my sentiments. (See 5 below.)
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So called experts have a dour view of the world's financial outlook. (See 6 below.)
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When I was associated with a major brokerage firm, which had a Washington Forum adjunct, I arranged for Former Israeli Amb. Moshe Arens to speak. to an investment group in D.C. I have always considered Mr. Arens one of the best and most articulate of the Israeli Ambassadors. Thus, I thought his perspective would be of interest at this time as Obama continues to drive nails into Israel's future as a vibrant nation!
With the passing of every day, I believe Jewish voters will abandon Obama but they will find their way back to Hillary because, though she cannot run against Obama, she does not have to run against Israel and she is enough of a savvy political animal to understand that fact. Jewish voters consider God commands they must be liberal and will always find an excuse to vote in the Democrat column. In my opinion, their connection is based on emotion and is inconsistent with logic and good sense. (See 7 below.)
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I want to wish all my Christian friends a Happy Easter Season and hope the message of peace will, one day, be embraced world wide.
Though a bit premature, I also wish my Jewish friends a Happy Passover and hope America and Israel will survive Obama.
We leave to go out of town Thursday to celebrate the Holiday with family.
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Dick
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1)The Middle Eastern Metternichs of Riyadh
by David P. Goldman
Gaming the demise of the Saudi monarchy has been a flourishing industry on the think-tank circuit for the past dozen years. Not long ago I sat in private conclaves of US national security officials with a sprinkling of invited experts where the head-shaking, chin-pulling consensus held that the Saudi royal family would be gone in ten years. A premise of the "realist" view that American policy in the region should shift towards Iran was that the Saudi monarchy would collapse and Sunni power along with it. All of us misunderestimated the Saudis.
Now the Saudis have emerged at the top of a Sunni coalition against Iran–limited for the moment to the Houthi insurgency in Yemen, to be sure, but nonetheless the most impressive piece of diplomacy in the Sunni world since Nasser, and perhaps in modern times. That attributes a lot of importance to a coalition assembled for a minor matter in a small country, but it may be the start of something important: the self-assertion of the Sunni world in response to the collapse of American regional power, the threat of Sunni jihadist insurgencies, and the Shi'ite bid for regional hegemony.
The standard narrative held that the Saudi royal family would fracture after the death of King Abdullah, leaving a sclerotic and senile generation of princes to preside over the demise of a colonial relic. After the so-called Arab Spring of 2011, the smart money bet on the Islamists, with their fusion of religious fundamentalism and modern political techniques. "Given the awfulness of post-World War II Arab lands, where even the most benign regimes had sophisticated, torture-happy security services, Islamists who braved the wrath of rulers and trenchantly critiqued the moral breakdown of their societies were going to do well in a postsecular age. What is poorly understood in the West is how critical fundamentalists are to the moral and political rejuvenation of their countries. As counterintuitive as it seems, they are the key to more democratic, liberal politics in the region," wrote Reuel Marc Gerecht in 2012.
Writing premature obituaries for the Saudi monarchy wasn't a Western monopoly. Late last year a well-regarded Chinese analyst told me, "Isn't it ironic–we modern Chinese and you modern Americans are trying to prop up this medieval monstrosity!"
Compared to the White House foreign-policy camarilla–McBama and his Weird Sisters–the Saudis turn out to be Middle Eastern Metternichs. The 10-nation coalition that Riyadh assembled to counter Iranian intervention in Yemen has a broad mandate to contain Iran throughout the region. As Zvi Har'el comments in Ha'aretz: "On the diplomatic side, Saudi Arabia was able to get Sudan to break its traditional ties with Iran; Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Court for crimes against humanity, was received with great pomp and fanfare by King Salman, and at the end of his visit announced that his country was joining the coalition. He also ordered the expulsion of all the Iranian delegations from his country, handing Saudi Arabia another important asset in the balance of power against Iran. Qatar also joined the coalition despite being considered an Iranian ally. More importantly, Saudi Arabia and its allies gave themselves free license to operate in any other Arab country that chooses to join the Iranian sphere."
More importantly, the Saudis have enlisted the help of two Sunni neighbors of Iran with armies far more powerful than the Tehran's, Turkey and Pakistan. "Iran is trying to dominate the region," Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told a press conference March 26. "Could this be allowed? This has begun annoying us, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries. This is really not tolerable and Iran has to see this." That is a drastic shift the position of Turkey, which in the past sought to balance relations with all of its neighbors. Turkish support for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt against the Saudi-backed government of Gen. Fatah al-Sisi also was a source of contention with Riyadh, not least because the Muslim Brothers want to overthrow and replace the Saudi monarchy. Pakistan, heavily dependent on Saudi aid, initially rejected Saudi requests for a troop presence on its border with Yemen but now has military assistance "under consideration."
Turkey has over $320 billion in hard-currency debt, virtually all of it accumulated since 2008, and a currency that has lost 30% of its value against the dollar since mid-2014, leaving Turkish debtors with correspondingly higher debt service costs. A great deal of its foreign currency borrowing was conducted through banks, and most of the money came from the Saudis and other Gulf states. Turkey's debt constraints have pushed its economy into near-recession, with manufacturing output down by more than 2% year-on-year. Erdogan's political standing, which depended on easy credit and populist public spending, is in jeopardy. It seems likely that the Saudis have exercised the Erdogan option for which they paid a high premium over the past several years.
It isn't only that the Saudis acted without the help of the United States, but that they acted in direct contravention of a prime American objective, namely to bring Iran into the regional security architecture as an important and responsible player. The US was led along, but not informed of the particulars of the operation.
"At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday, General Lloyd Austin, head of the U.S. Central Command, said he did not learn the Saudis were actually going attack Yemen until an hour before the operation was launched. Austin, whose theater includes Yemen, would normally expect to be given more than an hour's heads-up before such a military operation. Another official with Centcom, who asked not to be named, told us Thursday evening that Austin had "indications" over the weekend that something might happen but got no final confirmation until Wednesday," Eli Lake and Josh Rogin reported today in Bloomberg News.
This is the second time in a few months that the Saudis have taken the world by surprise. The first was last September, when they initiated a plunge in oil prices by declining to reduce production in the face of a surge in US oil output. That had killed two birds with one stone, namely competition from higher-cost US shale producers, and the Iranian government budget. No one saw that coming. For those of us who enjoy surprises, Riyadh has been a welcome source of them in recent months. We look forward to more.
David P. Goldman is a Senior Fellow at the London Center for Policy Research and the Wax Family Fellow at the Middle East Forum. His book How Civilizations Die (and why Islam is Dying, Too) was published in September 2011. A volume of his essays on culture, religion and economics, It's Not the End of the World - It's Just the End of You, also appeared that fall.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Uncertain of Obama, Arab States Gear Up For War
By David Schenker And Gilad Wenig
Few organizations boast a reputation of dysfunction comparable to the Arab League’s. Over seven decades the Arab League has distinguished itself through infighting and fecklessness. But now, with the Obama administration seen as missing in action in the Middle East, the alliance of 22 countries is undergoing a renaissance. Over the weekend, the Arab League met in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, and endorsed the creation of an intervention force to fight terrorism in the Middle East.
Regional backing for the force came days after a mostly Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes targeting the Iran-backed, nominally Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen, who last week sacked the provisional capital of Aden and drove Yemen President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi into exile.
While developments in Yemen added to the urgency, discussions about a pan-Arab force have been under way for months. The main driver is Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, whose country faces a terrorism problem, and he is supported by such key Sunni Arab leaders as King Abdullah II of Jordan and King Salman of Saudi Arabia.
“The task of the force,” Arab League Secretary General Nabil el-Araby said on March 26, “will be rapid military intervention to deal with security threats to Arab nations.” These threats include groups like the Houthis and Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria and Iraq.
Related Video
Foundation for Defense of Democracies Executive Director Mark Dubowitz on the Secretary of State’s concessions to Tehran as the nuclear-deal deadline nears. Photos: Getty Images
The concept of an Arab military force isn’t new. Since its establishment in 1945, the Arab League has deployed several peacekeeping and expeditionary forces, with decidedly mixed results. The so-called Arab Deterrent Force was established in 1976 to help end the Lebanese civil war. In the end, the force facilitated the Syrian army’s decades-long presence in Lebanon.
In 1982 the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) contributed troops to the Peninsula Shield Force, a detachment intended to counter Iranian subversion. With the exception of a 2011 deployment to repress a popular uprising in Bahrain, though, the 40,000-strong unit has never seen combat.
Seven Arab states participated in the U.S.-led liberation of Kuwait in 1991. After the war, the GCC agreed in principle to build a regional military inclusive of Egypt and Syria, but the effort stalled. The delay led then-chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Lee Hamilton, to take Washington’s Gulf allies to task: “What they are really doing is relying on the U.S. as their security guarantor. And if they get into trouble again, they are going to blow the whistle.”
Notwithstanding Mr. Hamilton’s warning, Washington has served reliably as the guarantor of Gulf security for much of the past 25 years. But lately, as the Obama administration has moved closer to a nuclear deal with Iran—and as Tehran has expanded its influence in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen—Washington’s traditional Sunni allies are increasingly concerned about a diminished U.S. commitment.
The willingness of Arab states to finally sacrifice blood and treasure to defend the region from terrorism and Iranian encroachment is a positive development. But it also represents a growing desperation in the shadow of Washington’s shrinking security role in the Middle East.
After the start of the Saudi-led air campaign in Yemen, United Arab Emirates Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash described the intervention as “a new page of Arab cooperation for security in the region.” Although the initial progress was promising, it is not clear the enthusiasm will endure—or be effective.
The most important Arab League contribution in Yemen would be a troop deployment. But it is far from clear that Arab states would be willing to sustain casualties. Cairo has indicated that it would send combat troops to Yemen, yet the Egyptian public may be sensitive to fatalities: 50 years ago Egypt lost 26,000 soldiers in an ill-fated military intervention in Yemen. Saudi Arabia deployed troops to fight the Houthis in 2009-10 but withdrew after three months when casualties started to mount.
There are also concerns about the military capabilities of Arab coalition partners. While Sudan, Jordan and Egypt have contributed air assets to the Yemen campaign, these states reportedly cannot fly night sorties. Consider that in the past four months, Arab allies in the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition have conducted only about 8% of airstrikes in Syria and Iraq. Already, just days into the campaign, Saudi Arabia and Sudan have reportedly lost aircraft. In the absence of a significant U.S. role, logistics maintenance and interoperability may also pose problems.
Then there is the matter of priorities. The Saudis and the Emiratis are narrowly focused on reversing Iranian gains in Yemen. Egypt, whose economy is underwritten by Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, considers Gulf security paramount.
But Cairo has other, more proximate strategic concerns. In addition to a burgeoning ISIS-led insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula, Libya is fast becoming a failed state. Earlier this year, 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians were executed by ISIS in Libya. Terrorists and weapons continue to flow across the frontier.
There is also the question of where Washington stands on more robust regional Arab military action. In February the Obama administration condemned Egypt for retaliatory airstrikes against ISIS in Libya. More recently, though, the White House welcomed Arab-coalition efforts in Yemen and is providing logistical and intelligence support.
But will Washington—which is providing air support to Iran-backed Shiite militias in Iraq targeting ISIS—provide similar backing to the Sunni Arab force? Based on how the Arab League is proceeding, the Arabs don’t appear to be counting on it.
Mr. Schenker is the director of the Program on Arab Politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where Mr. Wenig is a research associate.
2a) What else is Iran hiding?
By Ali Alfoneh and Reuel Marc Gerecht
Ali Alfoneh and Reuel Marc Gerecht are senior fellows at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
We don’t know all that has transpired in the talks on Iran’s nuclear program being conducted in Switzerland, but we do know that the White House has shied away from a potentially paralyzing issue: the “possible military dimensions” — the PMDs — of the regime’s program. As Olli Heinonen, a former No. 2 at the International Atomic Energy Agency, has warned, outsiders really can have no idea where and how fast the mullahs could build a nuclear weapon unless they know what Iranian engineers have done in the past. Without “go anywhere, anytime” access for IAEA inspectors and a thorough accounting of Tehran’s weaponization research, we will be blind to the clerics’ nuclear capabilities.
And one of the most important issues — probable North Korean nuclear cooperation with the Islamic Republic — deserves special scrutiny. This disturbing partnership casts serious doubt on the Obama administration’s hope that President Hassan Rouhani and his team have any intention of limiting Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The unfinished North Korean-designed reactor that was destroyed by Israeli planes on Sept. 6, 2007, at Deir al-Zour in Syria was in all likelihood an Iranian project, perhaps one meant to serve as a backup site for Iran’s own nuclear plants. We draw this conclusion because of the timing and the close connection between the two regimes: Deir al-Zour was started around the time Iran’s nuclear facilities were disclosed by an Iranian opposition group in 2002, and the relationship between Shiite-ruled Syria and Shiite Iran has been exceptionally tight since Bashar al-Assad came to power in 2000. We also know — because Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the former Iranian president and majordomo of the political clergy, proudly tells us in his multi-volume autobiography — that sensitive Iranian-North Korean military cooperation began in 1989. Rafsanjani’s commentary leaves little doubt that the Iranian-North Korean nexus revolved around two items: ballistic missiles and nuclear-weapons technology.
In his memoirs, the bulk of which is composed of journal entries, Rafsanjani openly discusses Iran’s arms and missile procurement from North Korea. However, from 1989 forward, his entries on Pyongyang become more opaque — a change, we believe, indicating emerging nuclear cooperation. By 1991, Rafsanjani discusses “special and sensitive issues” related to North Korea in entries that are notably different from his candid commentary on tactical ballistic missiles. Rafsanjani mentions summoning Majid Abbaspour, who was the president’s technical adviser on “chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear industries,” into the discussions. Rafsanjani expresses his interest in importing a “special commodity” from the North Koreans in return for oil shipments to Pyongyang. He insists that Iran gain unspecified “technical know-how.”
The Iranian-North Korean contacts intensify in 1992, the year that Rafsanjani, with Rouhani at his side, launches a policy of commercial engagement with the Europeans. On Jan. 30, Rafsanjani receives intelligence minister Ali Fallahian and Mostafa Pourmohammadi, the ministry’s director of foreign espionage, to discuss “procurement channels for sensitive commodities.” On Feb. 8, Rafsanjani writes, “The North Koreans want oil, but have nothing to give in return but the special commodity. We, too, are inclined to solve their problem.” Rafsanjani orders defense minister Akbar Torkan to organize a task force to analyze the risks and benefits of receiving the “special commodity.” This task force recommends that the president accept the “risk of procuring the commodities in question.” Rafsanjani adds that “I discussed [this] with the Leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] in more general terms and it was decided to take action based on the [task force’s] review.”
It’s most unlikely that the “special commodity” and the technical know-how surrounding it have anything to do with ballistic missiles; Rafsanjani expresses anxiety that the “special commodity” could be intercepted by the United States, but doesn’t share this worry about missile procurement. In a March 9, 1992, journal entry, the cleric gloats about the U.S. Navy having tracked a North Korean ship bound for Syria but not two ships destined for Iran. Two days later, when the “special commodity” is unloaded, he writes: “The Americans were really embarrassed.”
Odds are high that even today the Central Intelligence Agency doesn’t know what Rafsanjani got from Pyongyang, but it is safe to surmise that the North Koreans weren’t clandestinely building a peaceful nuclear reactor at Deir al-Zour . CIA Director John Brennan has often asserted that U.S. intelligence doesn’t believe that the clerical regime is on the verge of making atomic weapons, and he further claimed that Langley could detect any Iranian decision to sneak toward the bomb. But Washington hasn’t guessed correctly once since World War II about the timing of nuclear weaponization by foreign powers (the A-bombs of close allies Britain and France don’t count). Odds are good that North Korea helped to jump-start Iran’s nuclear-weapons program. If so, how long did this nefarious partnership continue?
Rouhani was Rafsanjani’s alter ego. He’s undoubtedly the right man to answer all of the PMD questions that the IAEA keeps asking and the Obama administration keeps avoiding.
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3) SELMA, FIFTY YEARS LATER
Too much knowledge makes you a racist.
In 2015, Selma is 80 percent black and now has a black mayor, a black chief of police, a black district attorney, a black school superintendent, a majority black city council, and a majority black police force.
In 2015, Selma City Schools are 97 percent black. Last year, the Alabama Department of Education’s Board of Education voted unanimously to take over Selma City Schools in the aftermath of a scathing state investigation.
In 2015, fifty years after the Voting Rights Act was passed, Selma has lost a third of its population, around 10,000 White people.
In 2015, 42 percent of the population of Selma lives in poverty, which is
twice the state average in Alabama.
In 2015, Selma is represented in the US Congress by a black woman, Rep.Terri Sewell, in the Alabama House of Representatives by a black man, State Rep. Darrio Melton, and in the Alabama Senate by a black man, nine-term incumbent State Sen. Hank Sanders.
In 2015, Selma is the fourth most dangerous city in Alabama with the third highest number of murders per capita and the fourth highest number of property crimes.
In 2015, Selma is struggling with code enforcement on numerous blighted, abandoned homes.
In 2015, Selma is one of the worst cities in which to do business in
Alabama.
In 2015, Selma is an epicenter of new HIV infections in rural Alabama.
The HIV infection rate in Dallas County is 106.8 percent above the national average.
So, the new and improved Selma in 2015 is plagued by extreme
poverty, STDs, high crime, terrible schools, a terrible business climate,
high unemployment, low property value, low civic engagement and racial
strife by the likes of Faya Rose Toure.
poverty, STDs, high crime, terrible schools, a terrible business climate,
high unemployment, low property value, low civic engagement and racial
strife by the likes of Faya Rose Toure.
Yet the Voting Rights Act was unquestionably a huge success in Selma where blacks now occupy every public office which their numbers allow them to dominate. Once you have the deserved right to vote you then have the responsibility to choose wisely.
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4)'My problem with Cruz is that he's very, very smart'
If establishment pundits can’t deny a Republican’s intelligence, then they have to claim his intelligence is a problem.
The other day, NPR’s Robert Siegel assembled his usual suspects from the New York Times, Washington Post and Brookings Institution to provide a “balanced” review of the week in politics, including the latest from Ted Cruz. These two short sentences provide a perfect example of the uphill climb Cruz and any Republican has ahead:
DAVID BROOKS of the NY Times: “My problem with Cruz is that he’s very, very smart – he’s going to Wall Street these days and impressing people with his intelligence – but he’s in the new era of performance politics. He actually hasn’t done much governing in his life but he’s done a lot of performing.”
Let’s completely skip over the attempt to connect Cruz with the evil Wall Street bankers and investors. Never mind, too, that while Obama was doing whatever community organizers do, Cruz was hard at work with the Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist and in the courtroom.
This pundit Brooks (who is supposed to be the New York Times’ house conservative) is the same guy who claimed Obama was the smartest presidential candidate ever, based on nothing but press releases and the crease in Obama’s pants. For Brooks and the others this was a good thing even though the contention was completely unverifiable by his college transcripts, which remain legally sealed and never revealed. If we are talking about a Democrat, or Obama specifically, presumed intelligence is a good thing. If we are talking about a Republican, or Cruz specifically, demonstrated and proven intelligence is a problem, according to Brooks.
I guess there’s nothing worse for MSM journalists than a smart Republican. It’s awfully hard to attack a person’s statements when his intelligence is supported by his college transcripts, his 80 U.S. Supreme Court briefs and 43 oral arguments, including nine in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, which are all public and not under lock and key. While Obama claims to have been a professor of Constitutional Law, Cruz is a proven expert and has been involved in the analysis of some of the most controversial and important legal issues presented to the Supreme Court for decades. In other words, those who can, do; those who can’t, teach, I guess.
Next, and even juicier, Brooks had a problem with the fact that Cruz is just a guy who performs speeches to big crowds of supporters. Again, if a Democrat, or Obama specifically, gives lofty well-delivered speeches to cheering fans, he’s the greatest politician to have ever graced a political stage. If a Republican, or Cruz specifically, gives an inspired speech it’s just soaring rhetoric bearing no substance.
Lastly, Cruz’s lack of governing experience is apparently a big negative worth emphasizing. Being Progressive journalists, they can’t even see the irony in their own statements. Candidate Obama not only never governed anything (and still hasn’t), he was famous for voting present on almost every piece of significant legislation presented during his time in the Illinois legislature and he spent most of his time in the U.S. Senate campaigning for president, compiling one of the worst attendance records ever. So, if a Republican, or Cruz specifically, is falsely deemed to have little or no governing experience, it’s bad. If a Democrat, or Obama specifically, is best known for his empty chair in state and federal legislatures, it’s not a problem.
It’s amazing how much hypocrisy David Brooks from the New York Times can pack into one short statement.
4a)PA Mufti, the PA's top religious leader:
Muslims have religious obligation
to "liberate Palestine"
by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
The Mufti of the Palestinian Authority Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, appointed in 2006 by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to the position of most senior religious leader in the PA, told a conference of "Muslim scholars and delegations from over 46 countries" that Israel must be destroyed in the name of Islam:
"The land of Palestine is waqf (i.e., inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law). It must not be relinquished nor must any part of it be sold... It is the duty of the leaders of the [Islamic] nation and its peoples to liberate Palestine and Jerusalem."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 23, 2015]
This statement - that according to Islamic law "Palestine is waqf... and must not be relinquished," but should be "liberated" - imposes prohibitions and obligations on all Muslims. First, according to the PA religious leader, all Muslims are prohibited from recognizing Israel's existence or signing a genuine and permanent peace treaty with Israel that "relinquishes any part" of "Palestine," meaning all of Israel. Second, he told the world's Muslim delegations that they and all Muslims have a religious obligation to "liberate Palestine" - meaning to destroy Israel.
Palestinian Media Watch recently reported that a similar statement was made by Mahmoud Abbas' Advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash, the second most important religious leader in the PA:
"The entire land of Palestine (i.e., includes all of Israel) is waqf (i.e., an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law) and is blessed land... It is prohibited to sell, bestow ownership or facilitate the occupation of even a millimeter of it."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Oct. 22, 2014]
The PA is increasingly adopting Hamas' ideology prohibiting recognition of Israel and demanding its destruction, not only in the name of Palestinian nationalism, but in the name of Islam. The language used by both the Mufti and Abbas' advisor is almost identical to the language in Hamas' charter:
"The Islamic Resistance Movement [Hamas] believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic waqf consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgment Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up."
[Hamas Charter, Article Eleven]
Abbas' advisor Al-Habbash recently stated explicitly that "Palestine's" destiny is to replace all of Israel through a combination of diplomacy and violence:
"All of this land will return to us, all our occupied land, all our rights in Palestine - our state, our people's heritage, our ancestors' legacy - all of it will return to us even if it takes time. Patience is the key to victory, and we are patient. In terms of resistance, all options are on the table, and in terms of diplomacy as well."
[Official PA TV, Dec. 12, 2014]
Other PA religious officials are following these two leaders and increasing Islam-based hate speech and Antisemitism. Imad Hamato, the host of a PA TV program teaching Islam and a professor of Quranic Studies, taught in February that Allah Himself determined that Jews are causing "corruption" in the land, and that humanity therefore "will never live in comfort" because of them:
"Humanity will never live in comfort as long as the Jews are causing devastating corruption throughout the land... An old man told me: If a fish in the sea fights with another fish, I am sure the Jews are behind it. As Allah says: ''... They strive throughout the land [causing] corruption, and Allah does not like corrupters'' (Sura 5:64)."
[Official PA TV, Feb. 27, 2015]
These represent only a few among many recent examples of the PA's adoption of radical Islamist ideology as its world view. At a Fatah celebration in January 2012, the Mufti cited an Islamic source that Muslims are destined to exterminate all Jews, and that Fatah's battle today against the Jews of Israel is part of that war of extermination:
"47 years ago the [Fatah] revolution started. Which revolution? The modern revolution of the Palestinian people's history... The reliable Hadith (tradition attributed to Muhammad), in the two reliable collections, Bukhari and Muslim, says:
'The Hour [of Resurrection] will not come until you fight the Jews. The Jew will hide behind stones or trees. Then the stones or trees will call: 'Oh Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.' Except the Gharqad tree [which will keep silent].'
Therefore it is no wonder that you see Gharqad surrounding the [Israeli] settlements and colonies. This is Palestine, when we talk about it, from the beginning of the Jihad, with the continuation of the Jihad, with the struggle, and with the way of the Martyrs."
Therefore it is no wonder that you see Gharqad surrounding the [Israeli] settlements and colonies. This is Palestine, when we talk about it, from the beginning of the Jihad, with the continuation of the Jihad, with the struggle, and with the way of the Martyrs."
[Official PA TV, Jan. 9, 2012]
In spite of significant international condemnation following Palestinian Media Watch's exposure of the Mufti's speech calling for genocide of Jews, the Mufti refused to retract the statement and Mahmoud Abbas did not remove him from office.
The following is a longer translation of the PA Mufti's ruling that Islamic law prohibits making permanent peace with Israel:
"The State of Palestine participated in the discussions of the 22nd session of the conference of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Kuwait. Palestine was represented at the meeting by the Supreme Shari'ah Judge of Palestine and President [Mahmoud Abbas'] Advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs Mahmoud Al-Habbash, and the [PA] Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories Sheikh Muhammad Hussein.
The meeting was held in the presence of Muslim scholars and delegations from over 46 countries... The Academy will discuss several political, economic, social and medical issues in the context of Islamic Shari'ah law... The [PA] Mufti headed a meeting under the headline 'Jerusalem: its virtues and visits to it' in which he stressed: 'The land of Palestine is waqf(inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law). It must not be relinquished nor must any part of it be sold... He clarified: 'It is the duty of the leaders of the [Islamic] nation and its peoples to liberate Palestine and Jerusalem, to prevent the Judaization in it, to support its residents and strengthen them - everyone according to his ability and to the extent possible."
[Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 23, 2015]
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5)The Architect of
Destruction
Barack Obama appears to be a tormented man filled with resentment, anger, and disdain for anyone of an opinion or view other than his. He acts in the most hateful, spiteful, malevolent, vindictive ways in order to
manipulate and maintain power and control over others.
Perhaps, because, as a child, he grew up harboring an abiding
bitterness toward the U.S. That was instilled in him by his
family and mentors…it seems to have never left
him.
manipulate and maintain power and control over others.
Perhaps, because, as a child, he grew up harboring an abiding
bitterness toward the U.S. That was instilled in him by his
family and mentors…it seems to have never left
him.
It is not the color of his skin that is a problem in America.
Rather it is the blackness that fills his soul and the hollowness in his heart where there should be abiding pride and love for this country.
Think: Have we ever heard Obama speak lovingly of the U.S. Or its people, with deep appreciation and genuine respect for our history, our customs, our sufferings and our blessings? Has he ever revealed that, like most patriotic Americans, he gets "goose bumps" when a band plays
"The Star Spangled Banner," (no he gets goose bumps when he
hears the ''Muslim call to prayer" (his words) or sheds a tear
when he hears a beautiful rendition of " America the
Beautiful?" Does his heart burst with pride when millions of
American flags wave on a National holiday - or someone plays
"taps" on a trumpet? Has he ever shared the admiration of the
military, as we as lovers of those who keep us free, feel when
soldiers march by? It is doubtful because Obama did not grow
up sharing our experiences or our values. He did not sit at
the knee of a Grandfather or Uncle who showed us his medals
and told us about the bravery of his fellow troops as they
tramped through foreign lands to keep us free. He didn't have=0
grandparents who told stories of suffering and then coming to
America, penniless, and the opportunities they had for
building a business and life for their
children.
"The Star Spangled Banner," (no he gets goose bumps when he
hears the ''Muslim call to prayer" (his words) or sheds a tear
when he hears a beautiful rendition of " America the
Beautiful?" Does his heart burst with pride when millions of
American flags wave on a National holiday - or someone plays
"taps" on a trumpet? Has he ever shared the admiration of the
military, as we as lovers of those who keep us free, feel when
soldiers march by? It is doubtful because Obama did not grow
up sharing our experiences or our values. He did not sit at
the knee of a Grandfather or Uncle who showed us his medals
and told us about the bravery of his fellow troops as they
tramped through foreign lands to keep us free. He didn't have=0
grandparents who told stories of suffering and then coming to
America, penniless, and the opportunities they had for
building a business and life for their
children.
Away from this country as a young child, Obama didn't delight in being part of America and its greatness. He wasn't singing our patriotic songs in
kindergarten, or standing on the roadside for a holiday parade
and eating a hot dog, or lighting sparklers around a campfire
on the Fourth of July, as fireworks exploded over head, or placing flags
on the grave sites of fallen and beloved American heroes.
Rather he was separated from all of these experiences and doesn't really understand us and what it means to be an American. He is void of the basic emotions that most feel regarding this country and insensitive to the
instinctive pride we have in our national heritage. His opinions were formed by those who either envied us or wanted him to devalue the United States and the traditions and patriotism that unites us.
instinctive pride we have in our national heritage. His opinions were formed by those who either envied us or wanted him to devalue the United States and the traditions and patriotism that unites us.
He has never given a speech that is filled with calm, reassuring, complimentary, heartfelt statements about all the people in the U.S. Or one that inspires us to be better and grateful and proud that in a short time our country became a leader, and a protector of many. Quite the contrary, his speeches always degenerate into mocking, ridiculing tirades as he faults our achievements as well as any critics or opposition for the sake of a laugh, or
to bolster his ego. He uses his Office to threaten and create fear while demeaning and degrading any American who opposes his policies and actions. A secure leader, who has noble self-esteem and not false confidence, refrains from showing such dread of critics and displaying a cocky, haughty attitude.
to bolster his ego. He uses his Office to threaten and create fear while demeaning and degrading any American who opposes his policies and actions. A secure leader, who has noble self-esteem and not false confidence, refrains from showing such dread of critics and displaying a cocky, haughty attitude.
Mostly, his time seems to be spent causing dissension, unrest, and anxiety among the people of America, rather than uniting us (even though he was presen ted to us as the "Great Uniter"). He creates chaos for the sake of
keeping people separated, envious, aggrieved and ready to argue. Under his leadership Americans have been kept on edge, rather than in a state of comfort and security. He incites people to be aggressive toward, and disrespectful of, those of differing opinions. And through such behavior, Obama has lowered the standards for self-control and mature restraint to
the level of street-fighting gangs, when he should be raising the bar for people to strive toward becoming more considerate, tolerant, self-disciplined, self-sustaining, and self-assured.
Not a day goes by that he is not attempting to defy our laws, remove our rights, over-ride established procedures, install controversial appointees, enact divisive mandates, and assert a dictatorial form of government.
- Never has there been a leader of this great land who used such tactics to harm and hurt the people and this country.
- Never have we had a President who spoke with a caustic, evil tongue against the citizenry rather than present himself as a soothing, calming and trustworthy force.
- Never, in this country, have we experienced how much stress one man can cause a nation of people - on a daily basis!
Obama has promoted the degeneration of peace, civility, and quality of cooperation between us. He thrives on tearing us down, rather than building us up. He is the Architect of the decline of America, and the epitome of a Demagogue.
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6)
Experts Fear World May Be Headed for Yet Another Financial Crisis
Only six years after the end of the worst financial crisis since the 1930s some experts are worried another one may be on its way.
Some are "warning that the global community has failed to learn the lessons of the Greek debt crisis — or even of Argentina’s default in 2001, the consequences of which are still being contested furiously in courts on both sides of the Atlantic," writes The (U.K.) Guardian's Heather Stewart.
Some of the concern stems from the soaring dollar, plunging oil prices and the Federal Reserve's preparation to raise interest rates.
Some are "warning that the global community has failed to learn the lessons of the Greek debt crisis — or even of Argentina’s default in 2001, the consequences of which are still being contested furiously in courts on both sides of the Atlantic," writes The (U.K.) Guardian's Heather Stewart.
Some of the concern stems from the soaring dollar, plunging oil prices and the Federal Reserve's preparation to raise interest rates.
The dollar has reached multi-year highs against a range of currencies in recent weeks, oil prices have hit six-year lows, and many economists expect a Fed rate move in September.
"We’re going to have another financial crisis," Ann Pettifor, director of Policy Research in Macroeconomics, told The Guardian.
"Brazil’s already in great trouble with the strength of the dollar; I dread to think what’s happening in South Africa; then there’s Malaysia. We’re back to where we were, and that for me is really frightening."
Borrowing by developing countries soared 40 percent to $17.3 billion in 2013, according to World Bank data.
“Brazil’s economy is likely to be seriously tested as the greenback rises; Turkey, Malaysia and Chile have large dollar-denominated debts and sliding currencies; and a string of African countries face sharp rises in debt repayments. Ghana and Zambia have already had to turn to the IMF to ask for help,” The Guardian warns.
“Absolutely nothing has changed since the crisis,” Pettifor said.
Meanwhile, the combination of falling inflation and rising asset prices in the United States and elsewhere is creating a conundrum for central bankers, says Wall Street Journal columnist Alen Mattich.
U.S. consumer prices were unchanged in the 12 months through February, and the S&P 500 index stands less than 3 percent from its record peak.
"The balancing act required to manage the tricky scenario of falling inflation and rocketing asset prices has many a policymaker sounding nervous, and with good cause," Mattich writes.
For example, St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard told the Financial Times that the Fed risks igniting asset bubbles with "devastating consequences" if it doesn't raise interest rates soon.
But for the most part, it's "clear that central bankers will mostly play down bubble risks (they’ve seldom identified bubbles except with hindsight and not always then either) and keep their focus on the main real economy metrics: inflation and unemployment," Mattich says.
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