Francois Hollande's Apology Tour to Algeria

Hat tip Gallia Watch


"Long may it wave"


It is not just the American president who makes apology tours. Consider the case of France's socialist president, Francois Hollande, as he went to Algeria and apologize for its colonial past. In the below blog, Gallia Watch describes France's colonial past with Algeria.


http://galliawatch.blogspot.com/2012/12/francois-hollande-in-algeria.html#links

And he took his mistress with him? Oh well, that's France.


"Bienvenue, Mademoiselle."

No word on whether Hollande apologized for France's surly waiters.

Not being an expert on France's colonial history, I won't venture an opinion on who the good guys and bad guys were here.

What the Hell! It's new years. Let all sing the Marseillaise. I even have it for you in English.

Let's go children of the fatherland, The day of glory has arrived! Against us tyranny's Bloody flag is raised! (repeat) In the countryside, do you hear The roaring of these fierce soldiers? They come right to our arms To slit the throats of our sons, our friends! Refrain Grab your weapons, citizens! Form your batallions! Let us march! Let us march! May impure blood Water our fields!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ This horde of slaves, traitors, plotting kings, What do they want? For whom these vile shackles, These long-prepared irons? (repeat) Frenchmen, for us, oh! what an insult! What emotions that must excite! It is us that they dare to consider Returning to ancient slavery! What! These foreign troops Would make laws in our home! What! These mercenary phalanxes Would bring down our proud warriors! (repeat) Good Lord! By chained hands Our brows would bend beneath the yoke! Vile despots would become The masters of our fate! Tremble, tyrants! and you, traitors, The disgrace of all groups, Tremble! Your parricidal plans Will finally pay the price! (repeat) Everyone is a soldier to fight you, If they fall, our young heros, France will make more, Ready to battle you! Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors, Bear or hold back your blows! Spare these sad victims, Regretfully arming against us. (repeat) But not these bloodthirsty despots, But not these accomplices of Bouillé, All of these animals who, without pity, Tear their mother's breast to pieces! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Sacred love of France, Lead, support our avenging arms! Liberty, beloved Liberty, Fight with your defenders! (repeat) Under our flags, let victory Hasten to your manly tones! May your dying enemies See your triumph and our glory! Refrain We will enter the pit When our elders are no longer there; There, we will find their dust And the traces of their virtues. (repeat) Much less eager to outlive them Than to share their casket, We will have the sublime pride Of avenging them or following them! "Ah wunnerful, ah wunnerful, ah"

New Years Countdown

No, I am not referring to the freezing mob in Times Square tonight. I am talking about the countdown as we go over the fiscal cliff.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/31/lawmakers-struggle-to-produce-fiscal-deal-as-ball-drop-set-to-ring-in-tax-hikes/

Today, President Obama held a pep rally in front of an assembled group of "average tax-payers" to trash the Republicans and say this,


"Middle class families can't afford it, businesses can't afford it, our economy can't afford it." 

This sounds reminiscent of "Stop me before I kill again." 

But there is good news. Congress is getting a salary hike.

"That's a big f****** deal."

Then there is your friend and mine, tax-fighter Harry Reid.

                                                                           Tonopah, Nevada. Photo by Fousesquawk 



"We really are running out of time," Reid said. "Americans are still threatened with a tax hike in just a few hours." 

If you think Harry Reid is going to save the day, tell him to get a fiscal year budget passed while he's at it-something we haven't seen in 4 years. 

And there is this from Barbara the brain surgeon Boxer:

“The latest unacceptable Republican offer would mean more pain for the middle class, poor & seniors – and more giveaways to the wealthiest,” Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) tweeted.

At any rate, the midnight deadline will be missed. While the Senate and Joe Biden are working late tonight, the House has adjourned and gone home.





What a way to spend New Years Eve.

* Urgent countdown update.

Center for American Progress on Islamophobia

The progressive "think tank" Center for American Progress (CAP) advertises itself as "an independent and
non-partisan research and educational institute". That's a pretty outlandish claim for a group established by former Bill Clinton chief of staff John Podesta.

On December 15, while attending the annual convention of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) in Pasadena, I picked up a free copy of a 2011 publication by CAP entitled, "Fear, Inc.- The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America". The writers are listed as Wajahat Ali, Eli Clifton, Matthew Duss, lee Fang, Scott Keyes and Faiz Shakir.

"Islamopohobia" is just one of the myriad of liberal themes that CAP deals with. In this publication, CAP deals with those they identify as "funders", "misinformation experts", the "religious right", the media, the political players (Republicans all) and the grassroots organizations. Here they are:

Funders

Donors Capital Fund
Richard Mellon Scaife
Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
Russell Berrie Foundation
Becker Foundations
Anchorage Foundation
William Rosenwald Family Fund
Fairbrook Foundation

Misinformation Experts

Frank Gaffney and Center for Security Policy
Daniel Pipes and Middle East Forum
David Yerushalmi
Robert Spencer
Steve Emerson

Religious Right

Pat Roberston
John Hagee
Ralph Reed
Franklin Graham

Media

Fox News
David Horowitz Freedom Center
Pam Geller
Washington Times
National Review
Christian Broadcast Network
Clarion Fund
Rush Limbaugh
Sean Hannity
Mike Savage
Glenn Beck
Mark Levin
Bryan Fischer

Political Players

Peter King
Sue Myrick
Allen West
Renee Elmers
Paul Breoun
Michele Bachmann

(All Republicans)

Grassroots organizations

Brigitte Gabriel's ACT for America
Pam Geller's Stop Islamization of America
Eagle Forum
Tennessee Freedom Coalition
State tea party movements
American Family Ass.


Independent and non-partisan, right?

Here is what I found striking about the book.

1 In identifying the people and organizations, the writers generally quote various statements and claims made by them on the topic of radical Islam. Many of the quotes actually read "radical Islam". There is actually very little if any refutation of the claims and statements other than occasionally quoting some other person or organization that says the referenced claims or statements are not true or that the people involved are hate groups. As just an example, in referring to David Horowitz's sponsored Islamo-Fascism Awareness weeks on college campuses, (p 88-89), "The guide peddles myths and conspiracy threats, including one that mainstream Muslim groups and organizations are actually fronts for Islamist extremists. Speakers including Robert Spencer, Daniel Pipes and Nonie Darwish echo and amplify these myths and threats." 

There is no refutation of that allegation.

Or this: "Listening to Hannity, one could hear Rep. Peter King (R-NY) agree with his host that 85% of mosques in America are run by Islamic fundamentalists after Hannity cited Steven Emerson and Daniel Pipes to prove his point" (p 93). Again, no refutation. That number, or close variations thereof, has been given by a number of sources.

Here is another one on p 89:

"The point here is that there are 150 Muslim student's associations," Horowitz said, "which are coddled by university administrations and treated as though they were ethnic or religious groups, when they are political groups that are arms of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is the fountainhead of the terrorist jihad against the West."

Assuming David Horowitz said that, where is the refutation? There is none.

Want some refutation? How about these:

"And so, the non-partisan Public Religion Research Institute found in a recent poll that there was a strong correlation between holding erroneous views about Muslims and Islam and watching Fox News" (p 98). Yes, Fox News is oft-mentioned in this booklet.

On pp 73-74, the book describes the 2010 controversy over radical figures reportedly giving sermons on Capitol Hill for Muslim employees (like interns) in the Capitol. According to the report, it was primarily Fox News and the American Center for Law and Justice that were raising a stink. The issue was reportedly refuted by investigative reporter Sarah Posner, who pointed out that the meetings had nothing to do with Friday prayers (as alleged) , rather concerned weekly meetings of various issues and an annual Iftar dinner during Ramadan for the Congressional Muslim Staff Association. Not mentioned was the fact that in 2002, Anwar al Awlaki did preside over a such a gathering. That was before he ran off to Yemen and joined the jihad over there until he was killed in a drone strike.

In attacking MEMRI (Middle East Media and Research Institute), which posts numerous videos of radical Islamist speeches and other news articles from the Middle East, we have this (pp 94-95):

"A sample of the videos on the front page of MEMRI TV.org, "Islamists in the West", section shows19 new videos with topics ranging from 'Belgian Islamist Abou Imran of Sharia4Belgium: "We will conquer the White House, Europe will be dominated by Islam" to "American Jihadist Operating from Somalia, Abu Mansour Al-Amriki, calls to Attack America, in Two New Jihadi Songs- 'Send me a Cruise' and 'Make Jihad with me'. Problem is, 12 of the 19 videos-including the two listed above-list "The Internet" as the source, instead of any verifiable news source."

That is followed by a claim by George Washington University professor Marc Lynch that MEMRI "is cherry-picking a couple of statements on fringe websites to support its own, highly-partisan interpretation..."

The above is followed by a quote from a former CIA case officer named Vince Cannistraro that "they are selective and act as propagandists for their political point of view, which is the extreme right of Likud" and a statement by Laila Lalami in The Nation, who said that (MEMRI) "consistently picks the most violent, hateful rubbish it can find, translates it and distributes it in e-mail newsletters to media and members of Congress in Washington". 

Instead of refuting MEMRI's specific videos and articles, they attack MEMRI.

For the record, I have posted many MEMRI videos of Middle East radicals preaching hate and violence, which have been translated into English sub-titles. The words literally speak for themselves. Is it bashing Muslims in general to highlight the ravings of people like Yusuf al Qaradawi, for example? I suppose the CAP could browse through Fousesquawk and quote me as saying that Qaradawi, one of the most highly respected Islamic scholars in the world-which he is- is "a mad man" and altered his picture to make it appear Qaradawi was working at McDonalds.

I am guilty.

I also note that the book uses a couple of quotes from the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League as to certain individuals or organizations. With all due respect, the SPLC has done some good work over the years and gone after some worthy targets, such as the KKK. They have also falsely labeled others-especially on the Islamophobia issue. On p 37, it is stated that SPLC has listed Stop Islamization of America as a "hate group". The ADL, under Abraham Foxman, has made a pointed effort to stay away from issues of anti-Semitism when the perpetrators are Islamic.


2 Lots of adjectives applied to the targets.

"Hate radio"
"Right-wing"
"Islamophobia network"
"hate groups"
"right-wing media echo chamber"
"manufactured hysteria"
"alarmist sharia fears"
"false facts"
"skewed studies"
"Muslim-bashing"
"anti-Muslim"

The CAP may claim that they are non-partisan (as to Democrat/Republican-which is in itself a joke), but their language gives them away. It is the standard leftist vernacular used to paint those on the right.

I cannot vouch for every quote attributed to these people by CAP. (There is a quote attributed to David Yerushalmi on blacks, for example. If true, I would denounce that.) Some of these people are not even known to me though most are, and I have even met a handful of them or attended their speeches. (I once spoke to an ACT meeting in Orange County). I may or may not be a fan of any of them-Pat Robertson, in particular, I never cared for. I may or may not agree with all of the statements quoted in the book. I will say this; the ones I have met and/or associated with are fighting the extremist, supremacist, violent, jihadist form of Islam that is, indeed, a threat to all of us. I do not believe they are against Muslims in general as a people, but they recognize that Islam, aside from its religious aspect, does have a political ideology. They also recognize that sharia law has a death penalty for certain things we don't even consider a crime in America (apostasy, blasphemy, adultery). Yet, the people who are involved in trying to keep sharia out of our own laws are painted as bigots. True bigotry would be to not protect a Muslim apostate from violent retribution or turn a blind eye to an "honor killing" of a Muslim woman because "that's their religious law".

Finally, under the Acknowledgements section, the booklet reads, "This report was supported in part by a grant from the Open Society Foundations..." The Open Society is a creation of George Soros. He is the guy who bankrolls much of the progressive projects in the country-including the CAP. If you don't know who Soros is, you should.

The CAP under Podesta is the same as what Podesta and his gang of Clinton hit-men were when Clinton was in the White House. It is a hit-squad devoted to defeating the enemies of liberalism in the US by character assassination. Their first victims were people like Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, Juanita Broaderick and other political opponents. Now they are going after anyone who doesn't agree with their leftist world view. How they enjoy tax-exempt status for being "non-partisan" is beyond me.

Interview With Geert Wilders

Hat tip Creeping Sharia

On December 27, Dutch politician Geert Wilders was interviewed by the Dutch state media. While the interview is in Dutch, it is sub-titled in English. In the interview, Wilders answers questions about his attitude toward Islam as well as the subjugation of Dutch sovereignty by the EU and the issue of freedom. This clip last ten minutes.

Senate Report on Benghazi

In the wake of the State Department's own report on the failures in Benghazi, the Senate has come out with its own report.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/30/latest-senate-committee-report-on-benghazi-terrorist-attack-faults-state/

"State Department Under Secretary for Management Patrick Kennedy told lawmakers that Libya and Benghazi were "flashing red" by the time of the attack, Lieberman said."

(See Finding 1)

Which makes it very unlikely that the situation never reached the desk of the secretary of state in the months and weeks leading up to 9-11-12.

This should put the final nail in the coffin of Hillary Clinton's presidential aspirations.

One Fine Day in Bonn

Hat tip Vlad Tepes

Christmas eve in Bonn, Germany. An Indian exchange student is accosted by two  males on the street who reportedly demand he convert to Islam. When he refuses, he is attacked and his tongue is slashed.



This week in New York, an Indian man was killed by a deranged woman who pushed him in front of an on-coming subway care. She told cops she did it because she hated Muslims and Hindus.

Both actions are wrong.

We Are Still Waiting for Hillary Clinton

"Where is baby Hillary??


Senator Lindsey Graham says that before John Kerry can be confirmed as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton must testify regarding Benghazi.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/30/graham-clinton-must-testify-on-benghazi-before-kerry-nomination-process/

Of course, Hillary is still incommunicado. She must be celebrating her selection as 2012 Fousesquawk "Jerk of the Year".

Report of UC Berkeley Police Action

Hat tip Cloud Minder and Daily Californian


Daily Californian

"Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to jail they go"



Below is an article by the Daily Californian, the campus paper of UC Berkeley reporting the results of an investigation into campus police actions at a demonstration on November 9, 2011 in which UCB campus police used batons on a group of student protesters.

http://www.dailycal.org/2012/03/24/operational-review-of-nov-9-protests-critical-of-administration-justify-police-use-of-force/

Being an adjunct teacher at UC Irvine and a former military policeman, US Customs and DEA agent, I feel qualified to comment.

The use of force by police generally allows the officer to use force that is one step above that being applied by the violator. In a fist fight, a cop is under no duty to get his butt kicked by a bigger and stronger opponent. Thus, he/she would be justified in using a baton-as Rodney King learned in LA several years ago. (The qualification in the King incident is that when resistance stops, force should also stop.) If the suspect is using a deadly weapon, say a knife, then the officer, if he or she fears his/her life to be  in danger, would be justified in firing his or her gun to stop the threat.

 As a federal agent in Customs and DEA, the great majority of the arrests I was involved in came at the moment when a drug transaction was in progress-the moment of greatest danger. Thus, most of our arrests were conducted with guns drawn. That tended to stop any idea of resistance (usually).

It was as an MP that I can more relate with the plight of the Berkeley campus police. When orders to disperse don't work, and you are not able to physically subdue or arrest people, what are your choices? When I was an MP in the 1960s, we were not issued pepper spray or mace. We carried a pistol and a nightstick. Those were our only options if our own physical force (hands) were not sufficient. Thus, in cases where people were actively fighting us with fists (or in some cases, chairs etc)  we were justified in using the baton. I only wish that pepper spray had been available to us then.

The problem for the Berkeley cops was that use of pepper spray had been banned by the campus administration. In the UC system, campus police report to a specially-designated dean for student justice or some such rot. You can only imagine what that means.

So I agree with the findings of the report. I also criticize any professor(s) who were arrested in the incident, and I criticize the professors who started a petition for the charges against the arrestees to be dropped.

The moral to be learned is that when a cop gives you an order, comply. If he or she was wrong, you can complain later. As for the administration, what would you rather have-the pepper spray or the baton?

An Anti-Muslim Hate Crime in New York

Hat tip Siarlys Jenkins


Now that the person suspected of pushing an Indian man off a subway platform into the path of an on-coming subway car in New York has been arrested, it appears that the crime was motivated by hatred toward Muslims and Hindus.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/29/nyc-subway-push-victim-was-from-india-police-say/?test=latestnews

We do not yet know if the victim was Hindu or Muslim, but if the suspect's words to the police are true, it matters little. She murdered a man due to his perceived religious belief. That is unacceptable.

I don't know if this woman is mentally deranged or not. If she is sane, she deserves the harshest punishment, which, if I am not mistaken in New York State is 2nd-degree murder with a sentence of 25 years-life (too lenient in my view).

At any rate, this is a reminder to those of us who are active in the anti-Jihad movement that we must measure our words when reporting on Islamic extremism in a manner that we are not inciting violence or any form of discrimination against innocent Muslims.

Final note: A blog previously linked on this site has now been removed due to its way of reporting on this incident, which borders on approving. I reject that kind of thinking, and I accept responsibility for not having done prior due diligence.

More on Anti-Semitism in France

Hat tip Patriot's Corner

https://soundcloud.com/theworld/122820123-1

The above linked, cross-posted from Patriot's Corner, is an audio report from The World PRI on the state of anti-Semitism in France today following the massacre in Toulouse by Mohammed Merah. It is just over 5 minutes in length.

2012 Fousesquawk "Jerk of the Year"-Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton wins the Golden Penguin for 2012


Never let it be said that Hillary Clinton could only be a bridesmaid. This year, she has put it all together and won the most prestigious award of them all. Hillary Clinton wins the Golden Penguin as the Fousesquawk "Jerk of the Year" for 2012.

The end of this year puts a cap on 4 years of flying practically non-stop all over the globe as President Obama tried and succeeded in keeping her mostly out of Washington. For all the traveling as secretary of state, she has little to nothing positive to show for it.

This past year especially, Clinton outdid all her past transgressions as a power-hungry first lady. First of all, she has engaged in back-room diplomacy with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in their efforts to get some sort of defamation of religions law passed that would make it illegal world-wide to criticize Islam in any manner. Ms Clinton has apparently never heard of the First Amendment.



In addition, her embrace of the new government in Egypt has gone beyond the point of absurdity as every day, Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood have shown that Egypt will be the next Iran. This year, the State Department paved the way for a suspected terrorist with the Brotherhood to come to Washington on  an official visit.

Even as Israel now has to face a new threat from this new Egypt, Hillary, like her boss, has shown little regard for our one true ally in the Middle East, preferring to cater to the extremists. While Israel's neighbors are busy killing each other and swearing that Israel will be next, Clinton is telling the Israelis they need to make more and more concessions.

As for Africa, her chief for that region has shown great reluctance to say much if anything about the activities of Boko Haram in Nigeria as they continue slaughtering Christians and anyone who leans to the West.

In fact, Clinton has said little to nothing-at least publicly- about the on-going persecution of religious minorities throughout the Middle East.

But it was the whole Benghazi episode that put the icing on the cake. For several months this year, our ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, as well as his regional security officer were pleading for increased security for their mission in Benghazi, a city that was becoming an al Qaeda- infested stronghold. Their pleas were ignored by the suits in Washington. It would strain credulity to believe that their plight never reached the desk of Secretary Clinton.

Then, on 9-11, no less, when the mission was attacked and 4 Americans killed, the State Department was monitoring the attack in real time. I will not hold Ms Clinton accountable for the fact that our military forces were told to stand down, but I do hold her accountable for pushing the lie that the attack was a protest spun out of control over an offensive video. When the bodies came home to Andrews Air Force Base, she told the father of one of the victims that "they were going to put the video-maker in prison", which the Justice Department proceeded to do.

In addition, five days after the attack, Clinton begged off going on the Sunday talk shows pleading that she was tired. Instead, UN Ambassador Susan Rice went out there and repeated the lie over and over. As the truth came out, Rice took all the heat while those that sent her out with the lies hid in the shadows.

Even now, with Congress trying to get to the bottom of the whole sordid mess, they can't get Clinton into testify because she reportedly fell and suffered a concussion. Instead, two underlings had to go in her place.

And to add insult to injury, the State Department announced that three high-level officials had resigned over Benghazi; then we find out they have just switched jobs within the department.

With her resignation pending, (so she can prepare to run for president in 2016), we still don't know when or if she will ever have to testify under oath about her own knowledge and complicity in the whole sorry affair.

Hillary Clinton feels herself to be (with some justification) that she is above accountability. Her entire public life has been a testament to that.

So congratulations, Mrs Clinton. Your husband must be proud.

James Clapper's Lock of the Week (Wk 17)

Buckle up, sports fans. It's Clapper here with the...

LOCK of the WEEK.

It's week 17 and even though none of the teams will go 17-0 this year, I have picked out a couple of marquee match ups. So get ready, Baby, here we go.

Jets at Buffalo

This one is for all the marbles, as they say. There is no tomorrow-for either team, but both teams have a great bunch of guys in the locker room (not so great on the field).

This game marks the triumphant return of Mark Sanchez at quarterback. That's because last week's starter, King Kong, suffered a concussion against the Chargers. (Actually, my inside source, Dick Morris, tells me Kong got into a little scrape with the cops during the week. Beat up his girlfriend, dragged her out of the house, high-speed chase with the cops, and fell off the Empire State Building. It happens to every team even the Steelers.) Thus, Rex the Wonder Coach Ryan has passed over Tim Tebow in favor of Sanchez.

 I figure this game is too close to call. I will predict cold weather, however.

My other big game is the Browns vs the Steelers.

"Daddy, what's a Brown?"

This one is normally a no-brainer, especially since the Browns have a third-string quarterback going against Ben the Brain Surgeon Roethlisberger (no pun intended) throwing to his "Fast Money" receivers-minus Mike Wallace, who will be standing on the sidelines watching the scoreboard to see if Calvin Johnson can reach two thousand yards receiving-something he thought he was going to do last year. But this is this year-so my intelligence sources tell me, and the Browns won the game they played in Cleveland 20-14. Look for the Heinz Field parking lot to be filled with cars with Ohio license plates as the Cleveland faithful make their way down the turnpike to see this classic match-up.

It should also make for a great half-time show. (Bring your camera.)

I'll pick the Steelers here, or Fousesquawk won't have me back for the play-offs.

Pittsburgh 28
Cleveland 7

Al Jazeera Interview of Marine Le Pen

Hat tip Francois Desouche

The Qatar-based Al Jazeera conducted an interview with French political leader (Front National) Marine Le Pen in Strasbourg recently. It was posted on the French blog Francois Desouche. The questions of the interviewer are in English, but Le Pen answers in French. A wide range of topics is covered including Muslim immigration in France, halal meat, religious dress, the Roma gypsies, and Israel-Palestine. Say what you will, Ms Le Pen holds her ground and says what she thinks about issues. She believes in maintaining France's cultural traditions and sovereignty. She also expresses her desire for European countries to revert to their own currencies. She believes in an eventual Palestinian state and says that while Israel has the right to its security, she feels the Israeli response to Hamas in Gaza (referring to the recent outbreak of hostilities) was disproportionate.) She also expressed concern over support for opposition forces in the Middle East quoting past examples of Iraq and Libya, where true freedom and democracy has not resulted.

My regrets to those readers who don't speak French, but I think this is well worth posting.




http://www.fdesouche.com/340363-interview-de-marine-le-pen-par-al-jazeera

A New Threat Against Egypt's Coptic Christians

Hat tip Right Side News


"The day Egyptians…feel you are against them, you will be wiped off the face of the Earth." — Dr. Wagdi Goneim


The below article appears to have been written by Raymond Ibrahim. It appears in Right Side News and can only further alarm those of us who are concerned about the fate of Coptic Christians in Egypt.

http://www.rightsidenews.com/2012122831633/world/terrorism/egyptian-cleric-threatens-egypt-s-copts-with-genocide.html

I can only hope that our government and State Department are actively engaged diplomatically here. Since we are giving so much aid to Egypt, we have a right to make that aid contingent on Egypt respecting the human rights of all its citizens.

Yasser Arafat's Planned Intifada

There has been some back and forth recently in the comment threads here about Nobel Prize winners. So how timely is this report about a Nobel Peace Prize winner, Yasser Arafat?

http://dailycaller.com/2012/12/28/yasser-arafats-widow-admits-palestinian-terror-campaign-in-2000-was-premeditated/

Yes, it sounds true because some of always knew that the ugly old bastard was a terrorist in the first place. It didn't take a genius, you know.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhh...............yeaaaaah."

In case you didn't know, the honorable Mrs. Arafat is living in grande style in Paris off the millions her late husband stole from the cause-whatever the cause was aside from wiping Israel off the face of the map and killing as many Jews as possible in the process. All that $$$ being spent in the fanciest shops in Paris.

So now we get confirmation from his wife, no less, that the guy never was a peacemaker in the first place and was never deserving of a Nobel prize. I wonder how many of Arafat's gullible admirers in the US are reading this latest revelation.

Like Rusty Kennedy of the Orange County Human Relations Commission.

Straighten your tie, Rusty.

Another Report on the MPAC Convention

Hat tip to Watchdog Wire

Steve Amundson attended the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)  Convention December 15 at the All Saints Episcopalian Church in Pasadena. He has written his observations and impressions for Watchdog Wire.com

http://watchdogwire.com/blog/2012/12/28/muslim-brotherhood-meets-in-pasadena/

I have written my own posts on the convention, so I don't have much to add. Amundson, however,  raises a good point as to the "vile" e-mails the church said they received. I think it would be a good idea for the church to release all of these e-mails for public view. I suspect a few were truly offensive, but I also suspect most were merely trying to educate the church as to some of the past actions and words from this specific organization (MPAC) that were of concern.

CAIR Complaining Again

Hat tip Investigative Project on Terrorism


Shaykh Ayed al-Qarni


This week, the Muslim American Society (MAS) and the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) hosted a convention in Chicago featuring the usual suspects as speakers. Unfortunately, one of the worst, Shaykh Ayed al-Qarni, was not allowed to enter the US from Saudi Arabia due to a minor technicality.

http://www.investigativeproject.org/3864/cair-protests-saudi-radical-exclusion-from-us

"Throats must be slit and skulls must be shattered,"


".....a source of pride … downing their planes, destroying equipment, slaughtering them, taking them hostage, and proclaiming 'Allah Akhbar' from the mosques, and the worshippers and the preacher cursing them in their prayers, and then come others begging for forgiveness, and requesting a dialogue and a ceasefire and negotiations. Who can say even one word against this true Jihad against these colonialist occupiers?" 

Minor technicalities.

http://www.masicna.com/conv2012/2012GuestSpeakers/tabid/118/post/sh-ayed-al-qarni/Default.aspx

Here is the sad announcement made to the attendees.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Unpleasant-News--Dr--Ayed-Al-Qarni-denied-access-to-board-plane-.html?soid=1103542047386&aid=AkU-u_-gD18

And of course, there is always the ubiquitous CAIR CEO, Nihad Awad, the Islamists' own version of Gloria Allred, who was last seen in Qatar hanging on the arm of the Jew-hating, infidel-hating, puppy-hating  Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader, Yusuf al Qaradawi. Now Awad is going to complain on behalf of al Qarni's "right" to enter the US.



Hopefully, Awad's pal at DHS, Janet Napolitano, will not fire the official who kept this guy off a plane to Chicago.

2010 Fousesquawk "Jerk of the Year" Janet Napolitano

(That reminds me, I have an important selection to make next week.)



Thus far, there has been no comment from White House press spokeshole Jay Carney (no relation).

However, somebody at the State Department obviously screwed up.

"Although Dr. Al-Qarni was granted the American visa weeks ago,...."

What say you, Madame Secretary?

By the way, anybody seen her around lately?

Dueling Opinions on Apostasy in Islam

Lately, I have been writing quite a bit on the controversy over whether there is a death sentence in Islam for those who leave the religion. It is a question I have discussed, albeit briefly, with some Islamic experts such as Muzammil Siddiqi, Maher Hathout, and MPAC director Salam al Marayati (which I have posted on this site). For example, Marayati told me on December 15 that the Koran says nothing about apostates being put to death. Yet, others say that it can be found in the Hadith and that the major schools of Islamic jurisprudence have affirmed it.

As I continue to research this burning question, I have dug up two sources on each side of the fence, which the reader can accept or reject. The first is a Christian site, Answering Islam, which does research on Islam and concludes that death for apostates is, indeed, part of the religion. On the other side of the fence is a site called Answering Christianity, a Muslim site which is devoted to rebutting the claims of Answering Islam. I am not vouching for the expertise or credibility of either site, but they do seem to have done their research.

First is an article on Answering Islam by a writer known as Silas. He makes the case that the Koranic verses are subject to interpretation, but that the Hadith are much clearer that apostasy is punishable by death.

http://www.answering-islam.org/Silas/apostasy.htm

In regards to the reference to the major schools of thought in Sunni Islam, I have attached the below Wikipedia entry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunni_Islam#Differences_in_the_Schools

In regards to the Malik, Hanafi and Hanbali schools, Silas claims that they are clear that the punishment for apostasy is death.

In rebuttal, we have an article from Answering Christianity.

http://www.answering-christianity.com/apostates.htm

(If you also want to read the 9-11 article that claims that Israel took down the twin towers, feel free to do so.)


7-  Conclusion:
"As we clearly see from the Noble Verses above, apostates are no longer to be killed in Islam.  I am not here promoting apostates, but there is no reason to kill someone who doesn't deserve to be killed.  Certainly if the apostate is hostile toward the Muslims and joins the enemy in a war against them, or tries to corrupt the Muslims in the Muslim lands by trying to convert them to his/her new deviant religion, then the matter becomes different.   But if a Westerner today for instance embraces Islam for a while and then changes his position due to the overwhelming false anti-Islamic media, then certainly killing that person would be a grave sin and a big mistake."

(Emphasis mine.)

I highlight the distinction between the silent apostate vs the public apostate who takes more positive action because this point seems to come up again and again. When I posed the question to Imam Muzammil Siddiqi at Loyola Marymount University this year and gave as examples people like Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Wafa Sultan, and Nonie Darwish, he brought up the example of Afghan Muslims who fought on the side of the Soviets and referred to that as "treason". (He did not explicitly say that apostates who criticized Islam publicly should be put to death, but he did draw some sort of a distinction between them and those who left the faith silently and never spoke out. He said that in his opinion, the latter should be left alone.)

http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2012/04/muzammil-siddiqi-and-freedom-pledge.html

The question is important because freedom of religion in the US is absolute and nobody should have to fear death for changing their religions whether they speak publicly about it or not. Treason relates to betraying your country during war-not leaving or criticizing your religion. It is also important because the assimilation process can also involve a changing of religions in succeeding generations-as exemplified by many of our Asian-Americans.

The subject merits further research-and discussion. As is my wont, I would welcome any feedback from my Muslim readers.

Lisa Jackson Quits

Lisa Jackson aka Richard Windsor


Yet another controversial Obama appointee is in the news for all the wrong  reasons. Lisa Jackson is resigning from the EPA so she can "spend more time with her family".

No mention of whether it is the Jackson family or the Windsor family.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/27/attorney-claims-epa-chief-resigned-over-alias-email-accounts/

And here's the real laffer as reported on Fox News today. Jackson says as she is leaving, she "is confident that the ship is sailing in the right direction".

"Which way to the California?"


Well, I may be old fashioned, but where I come from people who use ficticious names usually have something to hide.

"Uhhhhhhh.........................yeaaaaaah."

One Fine Day in the Netherlands

http://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2012/Dec/27308/amsterdam_asylum_seekers__not_my_problem.aspx

Asylum seekers from Somalia, Sudan, and Eritrea. "Undocumented" no less, according to the above article, which is sympathetic to the asylum-seekers. What are they seeking asylum from? Mostly from poverty. There are millions like them all over the world. In their own dysfunctional countries, there is no opportunity for people who are born poor to rise as is possible in the West. Yes, some of them are also fleeing the usual civil wars and sectarian strife.



At the MPAC conference which I attended in Pasadena on December 15, I happened to meet a very nice Ethiopian family of five. There were three teenagers, the oldest of which was about to enter USC. The father and his wife had also been refugees from Ethiopia. First, they had been in a refugee camp in Sudan, from which they eventually came to the US several years ago. The father was an electrical engineer.

My point is that the above example is the kind of immigration we welcome. Traditionally, the US has been quite successful in bringing in people with education, skills, and a clean background-people who have assimilated and helped the country advance. The Europeans, on the other hand, have never seemed to get it right. Either they were getting people from their former colonies or inviting in manual laborers to do the work educated Europeans would not do. In the meantime, they never gave a thought to assimilation, just letting them reside together in suburbs outside the large cities and fester. In addition, they had-and still have- the gypsy camps, which is another issue in itself.

When I was a soldier in Germany back in the 1960s, I was able to witness the early stages of this migration as the Turks were replacing the Italians as the favored workers. To be sure, the Turks were subject to discrimination, but they persevered, and many families began to prosper and assimilate as their children attempted to move up the ladder. The Turks in Germany are still there, some assimilated, some not. Unfortunately, like their nation itself, some are being caught up in the Islamic wave. Crime is still a problem.

As for the situation in Holland, compassion is a good thing, and the so-called First World is heavily involved in helping true refugees around the world. My own country, the USA, leads the way in that regard.

At some point, however, each country has the sovereign right and responsibility to control who enters the country. The first requirement should be that the person has the means and the skills to make a positive contribution to the society and not be a burden upon that society. In the case of Europe, that ship has long since sailed.

When you have "undocumented" people living on the streets, you have a problem-no matter what the mayor of Amsterdam says.

Albania: Who Knew?

Tiny Albania; the most mysterious country in Europe.

In 1995, as I was winding down my career with DEA, I was in Warsaw participating in a regional training seminar for drug cops from various countries in that part of Europe. By chance, one of the students was a cop from Albania. He was pointed out to me as one whose English was limited, but spoke Italian. When I went over to make his acquaintance by speaking to him in Italian, his response was, "Grazie a Dio" (Thank God.) He had someone he could communicate with.

My only other experience with this mysterious land was one summer in the 1980s when I was living in Italy and vacationing at Barletta. On the beach, we could actually see the coast of Albania in the distance.

That is the sum total of my experience with Albania.

So now we come to a recent UN vote on Palestinian  non-member observer status in which Muslim-majority Albania did not go along with the expected "yes" vote. (They abstained.)  That incurred the enmity of Turkey, a heretofore moderate Islamic-majority country now under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdodan.

(Hat tip Center for Islamic Pluralism)

http://www.islamicpluralism.org/2161/albania-abstention-on-palestine-un-vote-and

It is heartening to see Albania emerging from the Dark Ages, but sad to see Turkey going the other way.

Who Killed Susan Rice? (Ch 4)

The Latest Agatha Christie Suspenseful Who Dunnit





http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2012/11/who-killed-susan-rice.html (Ch 1)

http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2012/12/who-killed-susan-rice-cont.html (Ch 2)

http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2012/12/who-killed-susan-rice-ch-3.html (Ch 3)



As the Orient Express continues its (winding) journey to Paris, Justice Department sleuth Dick Holder finds himself seated alone in the train's bar. It is past midnight and he has had a few too many highballs as he tries to make sense of all he has learned about the murder of Susan Rice. Earlier, he had been given shocking information from Agent McClain of the ARB (Accountability Review Board).

(Hat tip Young Frankenstein)

Who were these "Evangelical Zionists, anyway? He had looked in his dictionary as well as the train's library encyclopedia, but could find nothing on them. Who were they? What had happened to Victoria, Snapper, and Morelli? When were they going to be able to talk to Harriet Clanton?

When were they ever going to get to Paris?

"Bartender,"

"Oui, Monsieur?"

"Gimme another drink."

"Oui, Monsieur."

As Dick Holder was reaching into his pocket for a few more Euros, he looked over at a corner table near the door. What he saw shocked him to his core.

There sitting at the table and chatting away were Victoria, Snapper, and Morelli.

"But I thought they were dead, "thought Dick Holder to himself.

Tossing down his drink in one gulp, Dick Holder got up and staggered from the bar. He proceeded down the corridor straight to Agent McClain's compartment.

"Open up!" he shouted as he banged on the door.

"What the Hell is going on?" said McClain as he opened the door with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

"Come quick! I just saw Victoria, Snapper, and Morelli sitting in the bar!"

McClain shrugged, snuffed out his Gauloises, and answered, "I think you've had one too many."

"No, no. They're there. Come on. I'll show you."

Putting on his black leather overcoat, McClain followed Dick Holder back to the bar. Upon entering, Dick Holder anxiously pointed to the corner table.

But there was nobody there.

"So where are they?" asked McClain with a smirk on his face.

"They were here just a minute ago, I tell you."

Just as McClain was turning to go back to his compartment, Dick Holder turned to the bartender.

"You saw them, didn't you?"

"Saw who, Monsieur?"

"The three people who were sitting here." 

"No, Monsieur. You were the only one here for the last hour."

Shaking his head, Dick Holder sat down at a table by the window. Dawn was breaking.

"I don't get it. I coulda sworn I saw them."

Agent McClain sat down without saying a word. After a couple of minutes, he finally said,

"You're taking this a bit too seriously, Dick."

"I know," answered Holder gazing out the window. "But I keep thinking of poor Susan Rice, dead with that knife sticking in her back. She was going places. Now she's dead."

"Don't worry, said McClain. There's plenty more where she came from."

Suddenly, Dick Holder pointed out the window at a passing sign. "Look!"

"Where the hell are we??" yelled Dick Holder. "We're not going to Paris. We're almost in England!"

"Relax," said McClain lighting another Gauloises. "We're taking the scenic route. We'll be there soon."

"But when? When?"

"In time."

"And when are we gonna interview Harriet Clanton?" asked Dick Holder.

"In time. In time."

Dick Holder took a deep breath and looked out the window. He could see the English Channel appearing on the horizon.

"I don't get it," he said. "No Harriet Clanton. Victoria, Snapper, Morelli. First they're dead, then I see them, then I don't." 

"Did I say they were dead?" interrupted McClain.

".....Evangelical Zionists, some strange pastor out in Pasadena, a video.  Now here we are almost out of France. "None of this damn story makes any sense, you know."

McClain stared back at Dick Holder.

"I know. I know."

To be continued..........

Spain's Slanted Press

Hat tip to Spain, Israel and the Jews


The website Spain, Israel and the Jews is linked to Fousesquawk because it gives a good insight into the problems of Jews in Spain. It also highlights the bias of the Spanish news media when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This article (below) from last month describes an article in El Pais ( a major Spanish newspaper) about the Dutch government, which shows the paper's bias against Israel. You can also read the El Pais article itself if you read Spanish.

http://spain-israel-jews.blogspot.com/2012/11/how-to-incite-hatred-against-israel.html

A few years ago, there was a piece floating around the internet purportedly written by a Spanish writer that lamented Spain's historical rejection and driving out of the Jews and replacing them with a new population of arrivals who had no respect for Spanish culture and traditions nor contributed anything to society other than crime, welfare costs, and more intolerance. The actual identity of the writer was called into question, and I don't know if he or she was ever really identified. What difference does it matter? The words were valid.

Christmas in Bethlehem

Hat tip Israel Today

So how do Christians in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, celebrate Christmas? With much difficulty. The city is located in the West Bank and has a Palestinian Muslim majority.

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23586/Default.aspx

Christmas in Iran-Christian Pastor Re-Arrested

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/12/26/iran-re-arrests-pastor-nadarkhani-on-christmas-day/?test=latestnews

I wonder if all the Western apologists for the Iranian regime have heard this news.

Rabbi Ysroel Dovid Weiss
George Galloway
Yvonne Ridley
Abdul Alim Musa
Ghassan el-Eid

Just to name a few.

Maintaining Honor in the Middle East-and at Home

Hat tip Al Jazeera

Yes, a tip of the hat to Al Jazeera for this report that Jordan is maintaining its honor in the matter of husbands killing their wives. It seems that Jordan's version of the OJ jury (its parliament) quashed a move by the senate to stiffen penalties for would-be OJs.

(Not that senate. It has no honor.)


http://www.aljazeera.com/archive/2003/09/2008410102158508644.html

But that's old news. More recent is the statement by Mahmoud Abbas, the guy Israel is supposed to negotiate with in the West Bank, that there are no plans to crack down on so-called honor killings in his neck of the woods either. The below report comes from Jihad Watch, which also makes the fantastic claim that 91% of honor-killings world-wide are carried out by Muslims.

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2012/12/moderate-palestinian-authority-no-plans-to-outlaw-honor-murders.html






(The other 9%)

Of course, there isn't much we can do about these things happening in places like Jordan or the West Bank; all we can do is enforce our own laws against murder here in the US (OJ notwithstanding). That means no court can entertain any argument of mitigating circumstances of "honor" due to any cultural or religious considerations.


Shaima Alawadi

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/08/us-crime-beheading-idUSTRE71703F20110208


Assiya Zubair Hassan

But there is, indeed, honor. Once again, I post the brave words of a young Pakistani-Muslim American woman from New York named Darakshan Raja at the MPAC convention in Pasadena on December 15 as she speaks about her professional specialty, domestic abuse.

http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2012/12/darakshan-rajas-speech-at-mpac.html

That is honor.

Those Benghazi "Resignations"

Remember when the State Department announced that three high-ranking officials had resigned over the whole Benghazi mess?

  "Yeh, Ah  did."

Well, think again. It seems that at least one is still hanging around.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/26/state-department-official-who-resigned-after-libya-findings-reportedly-staying/

"Ros-Lehtinen, who last week held a hearing on the Sept. 11 Benghazi attack, said it appears the department officials who were supposedly reprimanded "are more or less on vacation."

"Asked for comment, a State Department spokesman referred Fox News.com to the statement originally put out on Dec. 19. 

That statement said that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "has accepted Eric Boswell's decision to resign as Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security, effective immediately," and that the three others were "relieved of their current duties."

The statement did not specifically claim Boswell was leaving the department -- at the same time, it made no mention of Boswell being reassigned to another desk. "

"It all depends on what your definition of 'is' is."

Tune in next week, folks for the next installment of "The Most Transparent Administration in History".