A new advertising campaign in the fight against anti-Semitism in France aims to shock. The campaign, to be launched Tuesday, features serene images of Jesus and Mary with the slur "Dirty Jew" scrawled across them as if in graffiti. Underneath the picture appears the slogan: "Anti-Semitism: And if it were everyone's problem?" The advertisements, which will run in French newspapers over a period of about 10 days, were created by the Union of Jewish Students of France, or UEJF. The UEJF said it recognizes the startling nature of the images but says the goal is to grab people's attention. "It's a way to wake people up and make them aware," said Yonathan Arfi, the group's president, in a telephone interview. "That's what is important. Today, it is difficult to wake people up without running the risk of shocking them a bit."
He stressed that no disrespect for Catholic images or Catholicism was intended. "On the contrary, we are, more or less, paying homage to Jesus and Mary as the first to protest racism, the first who took it upon themselves to defend others," Arfi said. The Conference of Bishops of France declined Friday to comment on the campaign. The UEJF cited rising anti-Semitism in France as the impetus behind the campaign. The French Interior Ministry said this week that the number of anti-Semitic acts appears to be rebounding, with 166 counted in the first nine months of 2004, compared to 127 for all of last year. In 2002, the Interior Ministry counted 195 such acts.
France has the largest populations of Jews and Muslims in Western Europe and has suffered a rising tide of anti-Semitic crime since 2000, when tensions between Israelis and Palestinians worsened in the Middle East.
#2
DB-With the same slur written across the faces of some holy Islamic couple? I'm lovin it. It's all in the translation :)
Wouldn't be surprised to see France limit the ad to appear exclusively in the midst of maudlin programs about the poor, poor Palestinians, though, to dilute any effect. They are always so careful you see, to never never never offend any Muslim! The Palestinians must always rise to the top of the pile of abused humans, as far as France is concerned.
#3
Alot of good it will do. To be EUropean means to be antisemite. EUropeans see Israel and jews hated reminders of europes failed repeated progroms and genocides. The be a EUropean means the hate of jews and the United States.
The Blue flag with a ring of stars must rule over all. The world must be centered on Belgium.
#5
Aris you never were funny to begin with. Your neo-communist controled prevaricating anti US, antisemite EUropean media make heros out of terrorists and vilians out of liberators. You like your EUropean masters are almost 100% against everything my country does. So Why should anyone care what you think?
If I had one I would defecate on your personally sacred blue flag with the ring of stars. Right in it's center wrap it up and mail it to Belgium.
EUrope is finished. The Muslims will rule over you. EUrope will pay danegeld to them to keep their atomic tiped missles from falling on you. It is you there who need a healthy dose of paranoia. If anything I am depressed to see what has happen to you all.
#6
You are a unwitting parody of every hatemonger that has ever existed, Sockpuppet. Your posts are so emetic that I can't even stand to wade through their sewage any more. I hardly ever remember this happening to me ever before.
But (your sick ideology aside), for Chrissakes, unless you are *intentionally* seeking the destruction of meanings espoused by Newspeak, either use EU or use Europe. The meaningless amalgamation "EUrope" reveals your mental kinship to the nice people of Ingsoc Oceania.
#7
No matter how many advertisements are run they will be countered by the propaganda of the the EU media and EUrocrat elite jew haters you love to grovel to Aris. Not Europe the place Aris the EUrope a artifical construct. The EU that will willingly sell out Israel to the Arabs to stave of their own destruction for a day. The EU that says "peace at any cost."
When you actually object to something *real* instead of to your own imaginings about either me or the EU, feel free to initiate a fact-based discussion.
And your usage of "EUrope" still doesn't make sense, the word meaning to obfuscate rather than clarify. How are "EUropean media" different in identity that "EU media" or more antisemetic than "European media", for example?
#9
No, Sockpuppet, I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that Europe will happily give away Israel, at no charge.
I'm really sorry about that, Aris, because I loved the years we lived over there and the friends that we made (Santorini in August -- what beauty, what fun! and Athens, with the Germans singing oom pa pa music in the restaurant on the terrace below, while above the lights play on the Acropolis), and the relatives who remade their lives their after the war. And I do know that there are many who are not antisemites, who are not anti-American, who are thoughtful and delightful and charming.
But unfortunately, they are not the majority. More importantly, the elites in government and the media have allowed themselves to voice their most vicious thoughts, over and over again until the unthinking masses recite them on cue.
I do understand why you appreciate the EU, Aris. Greece has greatly benefitted from her membership: not just the vast amounts of money that flow in, but the safety of being within a larger 'nation', the stronger rule of law necessary to function within the larger polity, and the ego rewards of being acknowledged as the inventor of the democracy that all of Europe now benefits from - to a greater or lesser extent -- and the heirs of the oldest civilization in Europe.
But Europe as a whole is becoming ever more hate-ridden and venal. At the moment there is no way in hell my husband could drag me back, even for a visit. I wouldn't be able to keep silent, you see. This is a great change for me: even less than a year ago, I was careful to make comments to his managers about how I could be ready to move with only a few days notice, to almost anywhere (Geneva, Frankfurt or Hong Kong, for choice, but pretty much anywhere except the Muslim Middle East).
The leader of a Vancouver mosque attended regularly by a local man reported killed in Chechnya has preached the virtues of jihad and called Jews "the brothers of monkeys and swine." In a lecture posted on the mosque's website, Sheik Younus Kathrada tells an audience all real Muslims want to be martyred. "It is inconceivable that a true believer will not desire martyrdom," Kathrada says. "When we hear of our fellow Muslims in Palestine and what they're going through to try and defend that great land for us, the Muslims, that individual should wish that he was there."
In a recording of another lecture obtained by The Canadian Press, Kathrada lashes out at Israelis for killing Hamas founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin late last March. "We know what happened over the last week and how the brothers of the monkeys and the swine assassinated and murdered one of the heroes of Islam, the Salah al-Din of this day and age, Ahmed Yassin."
Kathrada tells his audience the Qur'an and its accompanying writings view Jews as treacherous people with whom Muslims will engage in an apocalyptic battle. "The prophet . . . said the final hour will not be established until such time as the Muslims will battle and will fight against the Jews," Kathrada says. "Then what will happen? Listen to the good news after that. The prophet . . . says that the stone and the tree will say 'oh Muslim, oh slave of Allah, that verily behind me is a Jew. Then come and kill him.' "
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Posted by: Fred ||
10/22/2004 4:29:34 PM ||
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Sheik Younus Kathrada tells an audience all real Muslims want to be martyred.
Well step right up, sheiky baby! Don't let us get in your way...
On Thursday night, an antiwar protestor in Milwaukee spit on a returned Iraqi war veteran, Marine Major Jerry Boyle. Boyle is a Republican candidate for Congress in Milwaukee. Boyle served in Operation Iraqi freedom and was posted to Baghdad shortly after the invasion. Although he is an underdog in the race, he has shown up for every campaign forum, where he's won high marks for his civility and willing to face hostile audiences...
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
10/22/2004 5:30:41 PM ||
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And the gutless little turd didn't even have the stones to admit it when confronted.
Mjr Boyle is a serious man, composed, restrained, and tolerant. He is also worth an infinite number of cretins like the twit spitter, who needed to be handled by his teacher, thus still a child, regardless of his age.
Kudos to Mjr Boyle - and may he win his election, despite the odds against him.
#2
That bastard, my little brother is coming home for a 10 day leave for the birth of his child from El-shithole next week. The youngest "Jersey" Jarhead would make a mess out of anyone who tried that nonsense with him, but only after I got to show that little pussy a thing or 2.
Military "jointness" is being put to the acid test by a proposal to shut down the U.S. Marine Corps recruit training facility at Parris Island, South Carolina, and moving the marine recruit training 240 kilometers to the army training base at Ft Jackson, South Carolina. The Parris Island base covers 8,000 acres, while Fort Jackson sprawls over 52,000 acres. The army has room for the marines.
The Department of Defense wants to close over twenty percent of the bases it currently uses, mainly because it has more space available than it has troops. But closing a base arouses anger in Congress, since a military base long been seen as a prime piece of patronage to keep the folks back home happy. Take away a base, and the incumbent politicians (both local and federal), are at risk of losing elections.
Closing the smaller Parris Island base, and moving its activities to an army base in the same state, appears to have overcome some of the political danger. The benefits of the move are obvious. The marines could share the army base infrastructure for training areas, food service, medical care (especially the base hospital), security and fire service, maintenance and other services.
On the downside, some new facilities will have to be built. No matter what the army has vacant and available, it will not exactly suit what the marines need. This will also be a good test of the Department of Defense's proposal that there be more "joint" bases. However, the Parris Island base carries a lot of history with it, and the marines public relations machine can muster a considerable mass of public and Congressional opinion to the cause of "saving the base." That said, most closed bases end up being a net gain for the surrounding community. But the process is contentious and painful for all concerned.
Posted by: Dar ||
10/22/2004 2:25:04 PM ||
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No military genius here, but why would the marines leave the coast to be 100 miles inland? Has the definition of "marine" changed that much?
Posted by: Mrs. Davis ||
10/22/2004 15:10 Comments ||
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No matter what the army has () available, it will not exactly suit what the marines need.
If they do move to Ft. Jackson, you can bet the DI's will order their sand fleas into the trucks to make the trip too. It just wouldn't be the same without them!!
#4
bad move - you can't get any new land for bases. Save what you have...
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/22/2004 15:39 Comments ||
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I understand costs and such but this seems foolish to me. I live in San Diego, we've got two Marine bases. Camp Pendelton (the West Coast version of Parris Island) and Mirimar Marine Air Station (the old Navy Top Gun School). If they want to save money they should consolidate aviation bases with the Navy or Air Force.
They absolutely should not move the basic training locations.
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/22/2004 16:28 Comments ||
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No F'ing way. Marine Boot is the real deal compared to the candy-assed stuff going on at Ft Jackson these days. If anything, send the Army troops thru Marine boot at PI. They'd live longer in combat.
No way PI goes away - they'll have Devil Dogs from all the past wars sandbagged across the hiway to defend Iron Mike and the whole of PI.
This one is not going to happen - no Marine in Congress will let this one get by. If anything they will close MCRD San Diego and the "Hollywood Marines" before they let PI close.
And this from an Army veteran.
Also, I dont generally like Hackworth - he is a has-been still fighting the Vietnam war - but do search out his articles on "Porcelain soldiers" and the basic training crap at Ft Jackson. You'll know why units liek the QM unit wussed out - bad basic training and piss poor NCOs that never even knew there IS a hard way, much less learned anything the hard way.
From The New York Times
As recently as January 2004, a top Defense Department official misrepresented to Congress the view of American intelligence agencies about the relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda, according to a new report by a Senate Democrat. The report said a classified document prepared by Douglas J. Feith, the under secretary of defense for policy, not only asserted that there were ties between the Baghdad government and the terrorist network, but also did not reflect accurately the intelligence agencies' assessment - even while claiming that it did. ....
The 46-page report by Senator Levin and the Democratic staff of the Armed Services Committee is the first to focus narrowly on the role played by Mr. Feith's office. .... Mr. Levin began the inquiry in June 2003, after Republicans on the panel, led by Senator John W. Warner of Virginia, declined to take part. He said his findings were endorsed by other Democrats on the committee, but complained that the Defense Department and the Central Intelligence Agency had declined to provide crucial documents.
In a statement, the Pentagon said the Levin report "appears to depart from the bipartisan, consultative relationship" between the Defense Department and the Armed Services Committee, adding, "The unanimous, bipartisan Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report of July 2004 found no evidence that administration officials tried to coerce, influence or pressure intelligence analysts to change their judgments." Senator Warner said, "I take strong exception to the conclusions Senator Levin reaches." He said his view was based on the Intelligence Committee's "analysis thus far of the public and classified records."
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Posted by: Mike Sylwester ||
10/22/2004 8:56:24 AM ||
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It is time for a serious purge over at CIA. This is happening because the previous administration politicized the agencies.
#2
the NY Times should know - they've made a living misrepresenting intel assessments for over 100 years
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/22/2004 9:53 Comments ||
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Carl Levin is an idiot,an ideologue and a ranting nincompoop.
That report is the biggest most transparent piece of fabricated, "lets tar the president on Iraq (again)" piece of tripe that has ever been produced by a Senate committeee.
How do complete morons like Levin keep getting elected?
SR71 has it right the CIA is full of political hacks, dems at that, notice all the anti bush stuff in the press oozing our from under the doors at Langley??? Get the idea that the CIA is playing politics............and supporting a guy that wanted to cut their budget in half..........
Holy Cow Feces Batman, this is really really almost laughable.
#4
it is not clear whether Mr. Hussein’s government harbored Mr. Zarqawi during his time in Iraq before the war
um, excuse me? So "Mr" Zarqawi was in fact in Iraq before the war, but it's not clear that Saddam "harbored" him??
Zarqawi needed an operation for his leg, and one of Saddam's hospitals provided it. The notion that Saddam did not know of the presence of one of the world's most dangerous terrorists, and did not support him in his attacks on Kurds and his assassination of US diplomoat Larry Foley, is laughable.
The total number of 'Palestinian'Arabs in the world by the end of 2003 was estimated at 9.6 million, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said Thursday. In its fifth statistical yearbook, it said that 4.8 million live outside the Palestinian Authority territories, 1.1 million in Israel, and 3.7 million in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It indicated that the employment rate for 'Palestinian' Arabs 15-64 years old in Israel was 41.3%, while the unemployment rate for those of the same age was 11.5%. The report added that there are 682 Arab schools in Israel, with 417,921 students. There are 1,786 mosques in PA territory, which is calculated to be an area of 6,020 square kilometers. Literacy among those 15 and older is at 91.1 percent (96.3% for males and 87.4% for females). The gross domestic product per capita in the PA areas is $1,203.40.
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
10/22/2004 3:07:33 AM ||
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the average car swarm involves 1,521 Paleos, with roughly half getting their bloody hands on a body part
Posted by: Frank G ||
10/22/2004 8:09 Comments ||
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Posted by: Frank G ||
10/22/2004 9:57 Comments ||
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All the more reason that I am DEAD against the "right of return", Gaza pullout, and a Paleo state. There is no such thing as a Palestinian. They are the trash of Arab world that the rest of Muslim states do not want.
A little history.
Originally, the Romans called that whole area (part of Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Soddy) Palaestina. The Romans got this name from the long ago extinct, Biblical Philistine(s). The Biblical name Philistine=the Roman word Palaestina. The Romans had two reasons for the name. One, an area of land to deport to the Jews. Two, while deporting the Jews, humiliate and ridicule the Jews by send them to a land named after the people that King David defeated.
Moving forward in time, the Romans took the name Philistine "falsely" named the land Palaestina and NOW is "falsely" renamed Palestine. Again, Palestinian people DO NOT exist. There are just a melting pot of ethnically unidentifiable Arabs. See link below. Ancient Map of the Roman Palaestina
#6
Very high literacy rates and very, very, very low GDP means trouble, no matter how you slice it. No doubt the Arabs of "Palestine" do a lot better, fincancially, outside the PA territories. Crazy stuff.
#7
The total number of ’Palestinian’Arabs in the world by the end of 2003 was estimated at 9.6 million, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said Thursday.
Is this coming from some Palestinian "government" agency? If it were, I would be inclined to take anything coming from it with a grain of salt.
#11
The Arabs have historically had a bit of difficulty with hard data. You know, like who is actually winning the war in, say... 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973, now... If the Palestinians are counting all who were born but ignoring all who died, plus all the miscarriages, this might possibly approach a real number. Today. Tomorrow's number is likely to be a bit lower, so long as they refuse to live in true peace with Israel.
A new video game for home computers is being developed in Syria which allows users to assume the role of Palestinians carrying out terrorist attacks on Israeli soldiers, including at least one suicide bombing. Entitled "Under Siege", the game is slated for release by the end of the year by Damascus-based Afkar Media, according to a report in the Beirut Daily Star. Users will be able to simulate various types of attacks on Israelis, ranging from a teenage Palestinian armed with a slingshot to a 25-year old toting a machine gun. In addition, one scene is said to depict a Palestinian female suicide bomber in Jenin who hands her child over to relatives before detonating a hand grenade in a crowd of Israeli soldiers. Nonetheless, the game's developers insist that it is intended to promote non-violence. Really?
Posted by: Mark Espinola ||
10/22/2004 3:09:51 AM ||
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Afkar Media? Roumor is that it's controlled by The Mossad who use it to install back doors on the PCs of peaceful muslem gamers.
#2
Well, the attacks in the game as described are on Israeli soldiers. That right there is a lot more humane than the palestinian terrorists are in real life to begin with; was the failed school bus attack yesterday or the day before?
Posted by: Phil Fraering ||
10/22/2004 8:29 Comments ||
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I wonder if the trees talk so they can tell you that a there is a Zionist hiding behind it.
#4
I wonder if it includes firing an anti-tank missle at a school bus filled with schoolchildren. Will it show little body parts flying all over the place.
Hamas announced Thursday a competition for composing an official anthem for the movement. The deadline for submission of entries is in December.
Activists say the anthem will be sung at the movement's rallies and will compete with the famous Palestinian anthem "Biladi Biladi", identified with the PLO. Since its founding, Hamas has made use of many songs, but none of them has been adopted as an official anthem.
"In recognition of the role of an anthem in expressing principles, hopes and ideas, and the manner in which it can lend voice to the will to confront danger and defend Palestinian life and land, and make every possible sacrifice, the Hamas movement will sponsor the project of creating an anthem that expresses its unique outlook. The anthem will stand side by side with the Palestinian national anthem," the movement said.
Hamas activists have also defined the qualifying criteria: the lyrics and refrain should be "patriotic, underscoring the connection to all of Palestine, and the anthem should also be characterized by faith, and belonging to the Islamic movement."
In addition, the organizers require the hymn to be written in classical Arabic. The wording should be lofty and yet catchy, and the anthem should also not exceed six stanzas. One of the stanzas must be "cathartic," and have the "natural cadences of a refrain." The competition guidelines allow composers to submit more than one entry.
Hamas holds competition to select movement's anthem
By Arnon Regular, Haaretz EFL; hat tip to Best of the Web
Hamas announced Thursday a competition for composing an official anthem for the movement. That's because they're just a bunch of swell guys with a song in their hearts.
The deadline for submission of entries is in December. . . . First prize is a week's vacation in Gaza. Second prize is two weeks' vacation in Gaza.
Hamas activists have also defined the qualifying criteria: the lyrics and refrain should be "patriotic, underscoring the connection to all of Palestine, and the anthem should also be characterized by faith, and belonging to the Islamic movement." . . . The wording should be lofty and yet catchy, and the anthem should also not exceed six stanzas. One of the stanzas must be "cathartic," and have the "natural cadences of a refrain." It should also have a great beat, and you should be able to dance to it. Use of 80s-style cowbell in the drum track is strongly discouraged.
This is too good an opportunity to pass up. Fellow Rantburgians, submit your original compositions, or suggestions of existing compositions that might be used "off the shelf," in the Comments below.
My suggestion: "Be the Bomb" by Richmond, VA, area punk band Death is Your Language. I've never heard it, and I don't think I wnat to, but it sure sounds like something Hamas could groove to!
Posted by: Mike ||
10/22/2004 4:29:38 PM ||
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hmmm... what rhymes with cathartic? Arctic? Sephardic?
The Pentagon knows exactly where Osama bin Laden is hiding in Pakistan, it just can't get to him, John Lehman, a member of the 9/11 Commission, said Thursday. Lehman's remarks echoed those made Tuesday by Secretary of State Colin Powell, who said the al-Qaida leader was alive and operating in the western part of Pakistan. Bin Laden is living in South Waziristan in the Baluchistan Mountains of the Baluchistan region, Lehman told the San Bernardino Sun after delivering a keynote speech on terrorism at Pitzer College in Claremont. In the interview, Lehman noted, "There is an American presence in the area, but we can't just send in troops. If we did, we could have another Vietnam, and the United States cannot afford that right now."
When pressed on why the United States couldn't send troops into the region to capture the world's No. 1 terrorist, Lehman said the Baluchistan region of the country is filled with militant fundamentalists who do not recognize the legitimacy of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, a close ally of the United States. "That is a region filled with Taliban and al-Qaida members," he said, acknowledging that Pakistan's security services also are filled with many who agree with bin Laden's beliefs and would aid him if U.S. Special Forces entered the region. "Look," he said, "Musharraf already has had three assassination attempts on his life. He is trying to comply, but he is surrounded by people who do not agree with him. This is not like Afghanistan, where there was no compliance, and we had to go in. "We'll get (bin Laden) eventually, just not now."
Asked how bin Laden was surviving, Lehman said he was getting money from outside countries, such as the United Arab Emirates, and high-ranking ministers inside Saudi Arabia. "He is not a wealthy man," Lehman said. "We ran that information into the ground, and discovered he only receives about $1 million a year from his family's fortune. The rest of what he gets comes from radical sympathizers." Department of Defense spokeswoman Capt. Ronnie Merritt confirmed the U.S. military believes bin Laden is in Pakistan. However, she would not comment on Lehman's remarks, except to say that he normally didn't speak about these issues, and she was surprised he had.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/22/2004 4:25:11 PM ||
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I cannot believe that this stuff is true because a person like John Lehman shoots off his mouth. This, in my uneducated humble opinion is partly or fully disinformation..................Then again...........it could be true...........and then again.................
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
10/22/2004 16:36 Comments ||
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Capture? Was wrong with dropping 50 daisy cutters and incinerating the whole area?
Posted by: John Simmins ||
10/22/2004 16:39 Comments ||
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Shoulda been more hardass with Pakistan from the get go?
#12
I believe Lehman bases his argument on a AP article published in October 2002 in which it was claimed Bin Laden was sighted in June 2002 in South Waziristan. Ostensibly, he was being chased by a combined team of US Special Forces and Pakistani troops. The claim was made by a mysterious Rehmat Shah, reportedly an Afghan Intel officer. I do not believe that Rehmat Shah has repeated the claim, and he seems to have dropped off the face of the earth.
#14
For the record, if this were true, I can't imagine the democrat mouthpieces on the 9-11 commitee not spreading it all over the NYT months ago. Lehman knows better than to give code word information to the press, so unless he has an axe to grind, this was either deliberate or the onset of senility.
#16
It's election time. If you want your guy to win, you'll do anything, even betray your oath to God or to the nation, to see that it happens. Such people should be nailed to a redwood - about 20 feet up - and covered with peanut butter, so the squirrels will gnaw them to death.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
10/22/2004 20:41 Comments ||
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Baluchistan and South Waziristan are two seperate regions. This is a bunch of crap. If we KNEW where Osama was we have all the authorities to get him.
#20
"He is not a wealthy man," Lehman said. "We ran that information into the ground, and discovered he only receives about $1 million a year from his family's fortune. The rest of what he gets comes from radical sympathizers."
you mean the joint family business Bush - Bin laden? The Carlise Corporation? I knew bush is a crook
An Estonian light infantry platoon attached to a US Army unit since June2003 is helping to establish peace and order in one of the troubled suburbs of Baghdad. The 32man platoon, wearing the blue, black & white flag of their small North European nation on their shoulders, is referred to in Estonia as ESTPLA. In Baghdad however US troops have nicknamed the Estonian team, the Stone Platoon. The calm and tenacious soldiers of the Stone Platoon are serving with 2-12 Cav of US 1stCavalry Division. Although 2-12 Cav is a tank battalion, the Estonians are using armored trucks for patrolling. By using these trucks the Stone Platoon believes it can observe the urban area more easily and identify suspicious activities more quickly. An added advantage is that the troops in the back of the truck have more immediate and personal contact with locals. Of course if the threat requires it, the battalion can provide heavy armor to support Stone Platoon's patrols. The 2-12 Cav (and Stone Platoon) area of responsibility is Abu Ghurayb, a market suburb in West Baghdad. Normal tasking for the Estonians involves patrolling in the area, both by truck and by foot, and setting up traffic checkpoints. In addition, Stone Platoon may be required to conduct search and arrest operations, and support the operations of other US units including Special Forces. During their missions, Estonian soldiers have detained a number of suspects, and have confiscated varying quantities of weapons, ammunition and IED components. One of the highlights for the Platoon was capturing a team of ACF that was preparing for a mortar attack. [snip]Much more at link. pdf file
People or groups linked to the al-Qaeda terror network are trying to covertly enter the southern African nation of Angola, an official said on radio on Thursday, adding that the government was on alert. The Ecclesia radio station quoted Constantino Vitiaka, head of information at the national intelligence services, as saying that there was "an attempt by elements linked to al-Qaeda to come into Angola, especially through Muslim NGOs". He said the government was keeping a close watch to see if terrorist groups were being formed, the Roman Catholic radio station reported.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
10/22/2004 1:21:36 AM ||
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Be alert! Angola needs more lerts!
Posted by: Steve ||
10/22/2004 16:11 Comments ||
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Israel's justice minister said yesterday far-right rabbis who urged soldiers to disobey orders to evacuate Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip risked provoking civil war and could face prosecution. Tensions over Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's withdrawal plan have risen ahead of a parliamentary vote next week that could make or break his government and show whether Israel is ready to cede occupied land for the first time in more than two decades. Joining an outcry against ultranationalist rabbis fiercely opposed to the plan, Justice Minister Yosef Lapid told Reuters: "We have reached the outer limits of our patience with statements that could pose a danger to public security." Sharon has vowed to remove all 21 settlements in Gaza and four of 120 enclaves in the West Bank by the end of 2005 to "disengage" from four years of conflict with the Palestinians. His plan has splintered his ruling coalition and polarized public opinion. Several prominent far-right rabbis have called on religious soldiers to refuse orders to remove settlers from occupied land that they see as Israel's by biblical birthright.
I'm having large trouble understanding the opposition to the withdrawal, possibly because I'm not an Israeli. To me, looking in from the outside, it seems brilliant.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/22/2004 9:21:52 PM ||
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Its about means, achieving results and consequences. Withdrawal from Gaza potentially achieves certain results - primarily appeasing 'world opinion' especially the Euros. Were it to achieve this without significant negative consequences then I agree (with Fred) that its worth it. However, it appears it will have major negative consequences - more rockets, more terrorism, etc. If there is no real short term net benefit, then a good argument can be put forward for staying put and waiting to see what happens in the longer term. History by definition is full of unanticipated events.
#2
fred - well there are at least three considerations behind opposition to withdrawl
1. For some folks, settlement in the territiories isnt so much a pragmatic political act, as it is a religious act of redeeming the land. withdrawing from a settlement is a betrayal of a deeply religious impulse - its not so much the Far ultraorthodox who feel this was, as some of the "modern" orthodox in the settler movement, for whom the state of Israel, even with its secular components, is of messianic importance in redeeming the land.
1B. While some who hold view 1 dont value Gaza per se, they see this as setting a precedent for leaving large parts of the West Bank, where the strategic rationales for withdrawl are identical, but the religious/nstional/historical meaning of the places is greater.
2. The strategic rationale given for opposing withdrawl is that it rewards terrorism, and thus encourages it, a la the withdrawl from South Lebanon. That is why Sharon is going at such lengths to hit Hamas hard in conjunction with the withdrawl, to make clear this is NOT like South Lebanon, this is NOT a withdrawl under fire, but a positive strategic move. Hamas (and others) have an incentive, given that hes withdrawing anyway, to make it look like it IS a withdrawl underfire. Thats why the current miniwar of dead Hamas leaders versus Qassam rockets, terr attacks etc is SO important - it determines what the withdrawl looks like, and thus its strategic meaning.
3. To some degree its a matter of trust, internal politics, etc. For several decades Sharon and the Likud party have been the party of no withdrawl, of keeping the territories, ready to talk to the Pals at most about autonomy, etc. Now Sharon seems to be shifting them into a party that, like Labor, accepts territorial compromise, albeit with a tougher negotiating and war fighting strategy than Labor of today. That works fine for me, but for folks attached to the old vision of Israel, and of Likud, its a profound betrayal.
#3
Excellent itemization of positions, LH, thank you! Not certain I get it, especially where it is mainly emotional and generated from historical events, both large and small, which always seem to come into play even if rendered irrelevant by subsequent events. But, with this in mind, now I can look for the break points / ideological dividing lines. Appreciated!
#5
1. remember dot com, that for some it doesnt seem emotional. They can "prove", that its a violation of Jewish law to withdraw from one square inch of the land of Israel. That some might find alternate interpretations doesnt change the fact that their derivation is part of a legalistic process, and not seen as an emotional one, even if it has an emotional basis.
It gets largely to a vision of what Israel and Zionism are. To the founding Zionists, both socialist (labor Zionist) and anti-socialist(Revisionist) Zionism was secular, modernizing enterprise of practical benefit to the Jewish people. To traditional Ultraorthodox jews it was modernist blasphemy for humans to affect history like this, besides which Zionism was contaminated by its agnostics, "immorality", etc. Orthodox Zionists reconciled their zionism and their orthodoxy, by proclaiming that G-d works in mysterious ways, using agnostics to redeem the land messianically. Which meant they could accept the secular state BECAUSE it was advancing messianic goals. After 1967 the messianic goals became tied up very closely with land in the territories (which IS much more historically redolent - read the bible, and see how unimportant most of the land in pre-67 Israel is compared to the hill country of the West Bank). For the state, and especially for Likud the party of revisionist Zionism, the branch of secular Zionism that was friendliest to the messianic settlers, to withdraw, leads to a crisis in their entire view of Israel, and of Judaism, and of G-d. Imagine how some evangelists who see the US as the chosen nation would react if Dick Cheney and Donald Rumseld said, "ya know, theres nothing special about the US in history, we're a country like any other"
This is why things are getting scary. While only a few loonies are advocating violence, relatively mainstream Orthodox rabbis are telling Orthodox soldiers to violate orders to help uproot settlements. This would seem to suggest they are putting Torah law (as they see it) above the orders of a democratic govt, and suggests that the "social contract" between secular and (most) Orthodox Israelis is breaking down.
The religious trend that I belong to, Conservative (Masorti) Judaism, says that Israeli soldiers should obey government orders.
The movement in both Israel and the US has called for saying special prayers for the safety of Ariel Sharon. I REALLY like this last move, as it sticks it in the eye of both the settlers and their Orthodox sympathizers, AND the lefties (who vomit at the name Sharon) at one and the same time. Nicely nuanced, no?
#6
It'll take me a week to simply digest the players involved, lol! Wow - killer insights, LH. And I do appreciate the irony in your closer, heh. Sharon has seemingly (obviously?) evolved, as any intelligent leader should - facing changing conditions, while the leaders of the various power bases have not - as it would likely endanger their positions. Fascinating developmental line of reasoning - and definitely overwhelming!
I can tell I need a solid backup - got a book you'd recommend that will hit all the mountain-tops without descending into the mire of a single outlook or dogma? Something fairly balanced and real-world accurate?
#7
an excellent book on the different orthodox groups in Israel, why the ones who are moderate toward secular Israelis are fanatics on the territories,while the ones who are fanatics on religion are more flexible WRT Arabs, is "Conflicting Visions" by David Hartman. An excellent work, if slightly dated.
For an overall intro to Israel, history, politics, etc, "History of Israel" by Howard Sachar.
For a history of Zionism, Walter Laquer(sp?) is the standard source, I think.
#9
In the beginning Theodore Herzl said, let there be Zionism. And the Jews were all living in diaspora, and were either poor and ignorant in the east, or assimilating rapidly in the West. And Herzl said let there be a Zionist movement. And there was a Zionist movement, and it was good.
And then arose the Eastern Europeans, David Gordon, and Achad ha Am, and Ben Gurion, and many others, who were represented the poor, and wanted to transform the peddlars into farmers and workers, and wanted to redeem the world, and were influenced by Marx. And thus emerged Labor Zionism, and it was left, thus there was contention in the ranks of the Zionists. And those bourgeois and Western Zionists who were not Labor Zionists were called General Zionists.
And lo, arose a mighty man in the East called Jabotinsky and he sayeth - the people is alright, and need no transformation, just a nation, and he denounced the Marxists, and quasiMarxists, and went beyond the wimpy liberal General Zionists, and there was now a right wing Zionism. And it was "muscular" and "in your face" and many other things that rantburger would like.
And there were religious folk, who seeing there flocks defect to the Zionists, said we too are Zionists - and these were the Mizrahi Zionists.
And lo, the Labor Zionists were the most numerous, but the Lord in his wisdom divided them up, he set moderates against radicals, and divided them up into small squabling factions, only to have them rejoin in groupings so that they remained dominant. And the people said "thus is it ever with leftists"
And the state was independent, and it was good. And lo David Ben Gurion was the PM, and led the moderate Labour Zionists, and they were called Mapai, that is Labor. And lo, he wished neither to align with Herut, that is the Revisionists, whom he hated with passion, not with the Mapam, that is the Socialists, that is the radical wing of the Labor Zionists, for that they would make a stink about his mixed economy economics, and that they would object to open alliance with the West in the Cold War. And lo, he needeth coalition support, and Mafdal, that is the National Religious Party, that is the Mizrahi Zionists, said, only make the state observe the Sabbath, and not serve pork in state institutions, and provide gold for religion, and we careth not who you make alliance with in the cold war, nor how you organize the economy. And so coalition was made. As was also made with the Liberals, that is the General Zionists.
And it was good. And the Herut, and the Mapam, they steamed in opposition, but who careth?
And over time mistakes were made. The usual mistakes of arrogant pols, and some unique to Israel. and over time the Herut gained adherents, and Mapai lost them. And the liberals, lo, divided, into a left faction called the independent liberals, who stayed with Mapai, and the General Liberals, who joined with Herut in "Gahal". and lo, Mapai was in trouble. And so Mapai joined with Mapam, and it was called the Labor Alignment. And so it was.
And lo, as it said arabs cannot fight, and so the lands were occupied. And it was good. Except that the young among Mafdal, they became more right wing, and chafed at the alliance with Labor. and lo, some Labor politicians spoke of giving the territories back as part of a deal. And so even some of Labor background, like one Ariel Sharon, broke off to a small party that was socialist but refused to give up territory. And lo, his small party merged with Gahal,and thus was born the Likud.
And then Labor screwethed it up, and nearly lost the war in 1973. And so labor was vomitithed out by the electorate - and so was a new coalition, of likud with Mafdal. and lo, it has never been the same since.
The above is of course a VERY simplified version of Israeli politics up to about 1981.
#13
I've been trying to organize this into tables to post and see if I have it right -- for about 30 minutes! I surrender. I need a book so I can "ask" (look up) the bits that didn't make sense to me, lol!
It sounds like there have been 3 basic phases...
1) Mizrahi (religious), Mapai (labor), Herut (revisionist), Mapam (socialist)
2) Mafdal (religious), Gahal (lib right), Mapam (lib left)
3) Modern Likud (right), Liberals (left), Religious (duh!)
And 88 million nuances left out, lol! Regardless of my denseness, excellent style and info, LH! *Applause*
#14
Just out of curiosity, LH, is there any sense among Israelis that you know that, if the Pallies ever DO get around to being real negotiating partners and dropping all terrorist activity, a kind of donation of land by those settlers might turn out to be a blessing? It sounds outrageous, I know, but I am curious if that thought ever occurred...
#15
oh, dear, poor PD. its not nearly that simple. First let me apologize, its hard to keep things clear when one is being literary.
Mizrahi was a "movement" like Revisionist zionism - that meant it existed in the diaspora, in clubs, youth groups, etc, as well as in mandate palestine. Labor zionism of that period (pre-state 1920 to 1948) includes at close to a dozen different groupings, which varied on several issues, though primarily on how "red" they were - from the notion that they were essentially Zionists, who happened to want to limit capitalism, to the notion that the whole point of the enterprise was to establish an ideal society. Post 1948 its Herut, Liberals, Mapai and Mapam, plus Mafdal. Oh, and also some communists and ultraorthodox groups. Gahal is formed in 1965 IIRC. Post 1967 its roughly Gahal, Labour aligment, Independent Liberals, and Mafdal. But of course the Labour alignment is only an alignment, not a party. That means they Mapam and Mapai share a list in Israels prop rep system, but retain seperate organizations. Ditto for Liberals and Herut within Gahal, IIRC. Oh, and around 1962, Ben Gurion, who was no longer PM, found Labor too "left" and broke away to form his own small centrist party (which included Shimon Peres, no less) and then went BACK to Labor later. Indeed small centrist parties are always forming, then usually collapsing. Aside from the Ben Gurion group, and the Independent Liberals, there was Ratz (Arch secularist-feminist), dash (Good government, centrist) Shinuih (secularist good govt remnant of Chadash, which now has a distinct pro free market view - which by all rights should have been the Liberals turf, but the more right wings liberals (largely small business types ended up in the Likud patronage machine, shinui is more yuppie).
oh and then there is the far right. And the arab parties. including the arab communists, who have had an on and off relationship with the Jewish communists. Who have had a complex relationship with the far left of Mapam.
reasons its so complex.
1. Proportional representation
Its SO easy to start a new party, and get seats in the knesset, which can be bargained for goodies.
2. cross cutting loyalties -Mapam was historically both left of Mapai on economics and softer on the arabs. and more staunchly secularist.In recent years there are israelis who are soft on the arabs, but want nothing to do with socialism, and rump socialists who are no more pro-Arab than Mapai voters. Not to mention some leftists (and centrists) for who secularism is VERY important, and some who will bargain it away for security policy or economics. With parallel differences on the right. Oh, and the importance of personal ties in a small country, where the leaders all know each other, and were personal friends with the founders of their movements, or their country. Imagine if Dubyas father was a not just prez, but a pal of Alexander Hamilton, while Kerry had known Thomas Jefferson in his youth.
#16
Those Israelis I know who want a territorial compromise dont think much of the settlers, and dont expect them to "donate" anything (BTW, im not sure the settlers actually OWN the land - real estate law in Israel is a fairly complex thing, IIUC)
#17
Lol - I'll go back to "I surrender" and buy a book or three, heh. Thanx - it's 10x the party thingy. I'm sure the EUnuchs would love this shit. Sounds like just plain old shit to have 40 flavors of chocolate, to me!
The govt - Likud (right wing, secular but traditional, includes elements more commited to free market, and some not so much) Shinui - (centrist on national security, pro-free market, staunchly secularist) Mafdal (modern orthodox, right wing on security, flexible on economics)
"right opposition" Agudah - European ultraorthodox jews, very religious, fairly hawkish on security, flexible on economics, wont join a govt that has Shinui in it. Shas - Afro-Asian ultraorthodox Jews, flexible on security, commited to welfare for their poor constituents, very religious - wont site in govt with Shinui.
Two small secularist right wing parties that left govt when sharon moved towards withdrawl.
Left opposion - Labour - "liberal", centrist to moderate dovish on national security, moderately left on economics (though now includes small leftist faction) flexible on religion. Meretz (actually theyve changed their name, and brought in some more left renegades from Labor) Strongly dovish, secularist, moderately left on economics. Several arab parties.
Now both Mafdal and Likud are divided on the withdrawl. Mafdal is slipping out of the govt, though there are still a few cautious types who want to stay in, to influence from the inside. If labor joins, theyre gone. About half of Likud is very unhappy, but they also know that without Sharon at the helm, they lose seats. They follow Bibi (hardline, profree market) and are trying to have it both ways. Likud though not religious, is "traditional" and would be very uncomfortable in a coalition with secularists without at least one religious partyu on board.
Labor is pro-withdrawl. Some are itching to get back into the govt, others are more reluctant.
Meretz wouldnt vote against the withdrawl, but distrusts the strategy (they WANT to talk to the Pals) and WONT join the govt. Labor-Likud-Shinui govt would have enough votes, but Likud wouldnt like being in it. Shas could be brought on board for sufficient bribes, but Shinui would have problems with that.
#19
Whoa - a current Rosetta stone of Israeli politics!
This thread goes in my perm bookmarks, now. That last comment is what I was looking for so I could make sense of the headlines - and the various reactions. The Gaza pullout, being the topic at hand: how each faction was reacting was incomprehensible. Using the thread in toto, it should make sense. I've gotta read this slowly and carefully, then re-read the story.
MASSIVE THANX, LH! You've earned a pass for the rest of the year from me. You can even tell people I'm crude and rude if you want, lol, not that you've hesitated in the past!
Take Bibi - hes a secular guy, but friendly to the religious. Hes hardline, though he wasnt always seen that way. Hes pro-free market. But above all, hes deep Herut, with an abiding hatred for Labor and the Israeli left. He was brought up in the US, although his dad was a fervent Zionist. Ya know why? His dad who was a prof of Jewish history couldnt get a job at an israeli univ. according to bibi and his friends cause the dad was herut, and Ben Gurion made sure no one who was herut got any job he had any influence over. Its personal, and its deep.
Sharon, OTOH, was brought up on a kibbutz. he didnt break with labor till after 1967, essentially ONLY over security policy. He doesnt have the deep Herut roots, and he doesnt have the deep animosity to Labor (though he DOES have deep animosity to Arafat)
#21
What's the name of the guy who emigrated from Russia. Ultra-hard right, proponent of settlements, quoted fairly often in MSM. Speaks good English with slight Russian accent. Prolly in one of the hard religious groups. He seems to be a touchstone, pivot-type, who helps swing alliances in and out of power.
wasnt always seen as quite so right wing. Led party of Russian immigrants (though ISTR they merged into Likud recently) Most Russian immigrants are secular, and his party tried to stay in the center on religious issues, though Sharanskys wife is orthodox. I dont know Sharanskys position on Gaza - I suspect hed support it, on the strategic basis that moves Fred. OTOH I could see him playing games between Bibi and Sharon.
#23
Secular - oops, had him tagged backasswards! He sure is a favorite for quotes among MSM - especially CNN. I used to be a captive audience for CNN / MSNBC (because the Saudi Satellite system, Orbitz wouldn't carry Fox) and saw him many, many times. They always seemed to pose him or Peres and the voice of moderation when they were slamming Sharon.
#25
as of April 24 of this year, he was opposed to disengagement. Oh, and his party (israel b'aliyah - Israel on the ascent, or Israel in immmigration - its a pun in Hebrew) DID merge into Likud. Oh, and while his party is secular, its true he leans religious FOR a Russian immigrant. Again its complex. Theres bitterness between the Russians and Shas, (many of whose poor constituents resent the successful Russians) and which used their control of the Interior Ministry to make problems for Russians. Mafdal OTOH (and i should call in NRP, as the anglo press in Israel does) is not at all mean to the Russians, so he works well with NRP.
But its silly (NOW) to consider him more moderate than Sharon.
#26
So he's recently been migrating (heh) toward the Sharon Gaza play? Personally, I thought the Gaza idea was an obviously brilliant tactical move the minute I digested its implications.
What has made a near-hash of everything, of course, is the geographical separation of Gaza and West Bank Arab areas. Phreakin' UN lunacy. The descendents of Sykes & Picot should be offered up to Israel as sacrifical lambs, lol!
Man, this is too much to absorb all at once. Gotta re-read this thread 8 or 10 times, lol!
#27
ya want your head to spin read this
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/492060.html
I like the fact that she notes that there are two leftist factions protesting FOR the withdrawl, one of which calls for talks with the Pals, one of which doesnt, and BOTH are headed by the same leftist pol - as the reporter says, "thats the way it is on the left" :) !!!!
Why not do it? Assuming YOU dont want any withdrawl from the West Bank (not my position, but the position of the settler movement and their supporters) you have to ask if you trust Sharon - is this a move to SOLIDIFY control on the West Bank, or to lead to further withdrawl? Which is more important, strategic overstretch and conserving military resources, or maintaining the consistency of your position. Folks on the far right, not surprisingly, are more concerned with consistency of legal and moral position than with counting costs. and then there is the gut image - Jews expelling Jews. Why should Gaza be Jew free they ask, with all the overtones of that. (Yah, well we know theyre not interested in living in Gaza as citizens of Palestine - OTOH its pretty clear that not wanting to do so is pretty sensible)
I mean I certainly dont agree with them - you can imagine, PD, how diametrically opposite their approach to politics and the world is to my own. But I kinda understand where theyre coming from.
#28
theres alot i dont know. I really dont know what Sharon intends to do in his heart of hearts - if the withdrawl is to strenghten Israels hand for negotiations, or to avoid them. It dont bother me, cause i dont see negotiations on the offing anyway.
I also dont know if what we get is A. A takeover by Dahlan. B. A takeover by Hamas, or an Arafat - Hamas coalition or C. Total chaos. All of which have different strategic implications.
#29
As I said, I need to digest a LOT before I'll even have a clue regards the internal machinations of Israeli politics, BUT (lol!) that doesn't prevent me from having an opinion, which is:
1) There will never be a negotiated settlement that holds, Period.
2) If Iran is defanged, and Israel builds the wall, and I don't really care what line it follows, Green or otherwise, as long as it is finished - Israel will gain about a decade of relative peace and the Paleos will descend into cycles of chaos. Who cares who rules, I sure don't and believe it won't matter - as long as they do it to themselves, not Israelis.
3) When the WMD's finally escape the bounds and are loosed within Arab states, what will follow will be genocide, in fits and spurts. It is likely that the bad guys will get the first shot in, cuz someday someone willing to use it will get it without anyone being the wiser in advance.
a) So the bad guys will hit Israel with some WMD
b) Israel will respond - massively - and eliminate the source - forever.
Repeat every few years or so, until there is either no more Israel or no more sources from which to attack Israel.
Meanwhile, the same process will probably apply to the US vs Islam. Increasing odds of success until it happens, a flurry of figuring out who and where - then massive retaliation. Repeat until no one is stupid enough to do it again.
Both are semi-genocide situations, in effect. I see the US and Israel as the primary bastions against Islamic insanity. Israel is, geographically, so small that it can't take many area-denial hits and still exist as a viable entity - so its retaliatory strikes must actually be greater and more intense than those of the US.
#32
I reluctantly agree with you, .com. I see our ops in Iraq and the attempt at change there a last best effort in turning around the oil-rich but good sense poor ME. The arabs project everything on Israel as their boogieman. If somewhat peaceful change does not happen in the oil-rich states of the ME, than it will be massively self destructive. Nobody thinks about Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the effects that ONE bomb each did. That should have been lesson enough. I am afraid that humankind will have to learn again, and my guess that it will be relearned in Iran or Pakistan.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
10/22/2004 18:31 Comments ||
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VIENNA: Iran is behind "terrorism" in the West Bank, visiting Israeli President Moshe Katzav charged Thursday. "Iran is very active in the area of terrorism" and "between 60 and 70 percent of West Bank terrorism is carried out by the Hezbollah (Lebanese Shiite movement) which is financed by Iran," he told the Austrian news agency APA. "Iran is not just a totalitarian state, it also backs terror in the Middle East as well as international terrorism," he added. Katzav, who is on the first-ever visit by an Israeli head of state to Austria, also stressed that Iran's nuclear program was a threat "to Israel and Europe". "Why does Iran need rockets with a range of 3,000 kilometers (1860 miles)? Why does Iran invest in the development of weapons of mass destruction," he rhetorically asked.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/22/2004 11:16:27 PM ||
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#1
All the more reason to reduce Iran's exposed nuclear facilities to rubble.
#2
Typical, the Israelis would say that as Iran is
next in their scope in order to become a regional power. Suppose they won't let the UN inspect their nuclear facilities! Mossad causes a lot of problems and blame it elsewhere !
Posted by: Dove ||
10/22/2004 2:27 Comments ||
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#3
Iran without nukes (and turbans) => peaceful emerging economic powerhouse of the Persian Gulf
Meanwhile, Jordanian Prime Minister Faisal Al-Fayez will reshuffle his Cabinet in coming days to strengthen his hand in tackling a vocal Islamist opposition, while keeping pro-Western reformists in place, officials said yesterday. Several ministerial posts will be eradicated in the reshuffle expected to affect at least 10 ministries in the 20-member Cabinet, which includes three women ministers, officials said. They said pro-reformists would remain in office. Officials say a new reshuffled Cabinet could be sworn in as early as tomorrow and will help Fayez counter the Islamist opposition with 17 seats in a tribal Parliament.
Fayez, the son of a tribal leader with traditionally close ties to the monarchy, was appointed from within the palace entourage, unlike past premiers drawn from the civil service. The expected revamp is seen as an attempt to revitalize the Cabinet after criticism by liberal Jordanians for its failure to make the sweeping political and economic liberalization changes they wanted in the new post-Iraq war climate. With rising bloodshed in neighboring Iraq and across the kingdom's western borders, Fayez is worried Islamists will step up a campaign to incite attacks on its pro-Western polices and whip up anti-US sentiment that could encourage violence.
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10/22/2004 9:19:50 PM ||
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#1
If at all.
Perhaps only as an element of a strings of events that would reshape ME.
The last senstence is loosely related to the previous one in the second paragraph. Sounds more like an unfilfulled yet prophecy ("I tolda'ya while back, dat's what dey would do, dat's why we have to whack'em now").
#2
Well if he is worried about restless natives he could send all the rest of Palestinians there to Lebanon I am sure they have plenty of friends and family there. Safer for him.
A new study has found that it is not likely that Al Qaeda has explicit and dedicated infrastructure to recruit Pakistanis for its operations, rather it relies upon a web of informal relations with groups based in Pakistan to gain access to operational collaborators and individuals to execute attacks within Pakistan.
I'd call that a pretty fine distinction, myself...
The study was made by Dr Christine Fair of the US Institute of Peace and is due to appear in an academic journal. The research for the study was carried out while she was with the Rand Corporation. The investigation found that historically individuals in Pakistan have been drawn to militant outfits (tanzeems) mostly due to dynamics in the Indo-Pakistan security competition. However, many observers believe that this may be changing and suggested that the pervasive anti-US sentiment may motivate new cadres to join militant outfits as well. There are groups that are traditionally focused on Kashmir such as Jaish e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LT); and groups that have traditionally been sectarian in nature, such as each of these groups has received state support in various guises over the years. The study found that Kashmir-focused outfits have enjoyed extensive and enduring patronage of the ISI and the Pakistan Army.
I think we've noticed that, despite the repeated denials from the parties concerned...
Sectarian groups have also been engaged by various state and central governments. Gen Pervez Musharraf's participation in the US-led global war on terrorism has led to an extensive set of efforts to counter militancy within Pakistan. There is no evidence to suggest that Pakistan has made a strategic decision to abandon militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. It will attempt to both maintain this reserve capability while seeking to restrict their activities to a threshold that will not prompt Indian, US, or other international response.
Perv and ISI still haven't caught on to the fact that you just can't domesticate terrorists. That single fact could likely be Perv's downfall, to the detriment of the rest of the world.
#3
The report may be right, as far as it goes. The author focuses on tanzeems which were creations of and for the Indo-Pakestani conflict. But, she neglicts to mention the several thousand madrassahs funded by Saudi and Deobandi radicals and supported by the ISI. These supply the jihadis manpower requirements. Fraud by exception.
Rauf Siddiqui, home minister of Pakistan's Sindh province, has vowed to fight terrorism. "Terrorists cannot be eliminated overnight. Every member of society should play his role and people should work together in a cohesive way to get rid of this curse," said Rauf, who was here [in Soddy Arabia] to perform Umrah. The government has done well to maintain peace in the country.
"Well, relatively well, anyway. I mean, things could be worse. Couldn't they?"
"On our part, we have decided to eliminate the culture of street terrorism, fake encounters and extrajudicial killings in Sindh," he said, adding that the government of Sindh is mapping out comprehensive plans to root out crimes. "We are planning to install surveillance cameras in the sensitive areas of various cities to monitor criminal activities," said Rauf.
"Smile for the camera, Mahmoud!"
"Cheese! [KABOOM!]"
He claimed that police performance had improved. Regarding the situation of prisoners, he said: "A plan is under way to grant amnesty to those involved in minor crimes, while those serving life terms will be allowed to spend one or two days with their family once in six months."
That should make things all better, by Gum!
"Ramadan is a blessed month and we should observe its sanctity, but some people fail to refrain from indulging in unlawful acts like hoarding essential commodities and malpractices in this holy month," he said.
Some people fail to refrain from slaughtering each other, too. I dunno why that is...
"In order to keep the situation under control, a special committee has been formed to monitor them and I will personally watch their activities," Rauf said.
Yes, by Gawd! That's it! Form a committee! Now, why didn't I think of that?
He warned them to keep their hands off all such practices or face punishment. "Killing of scholars was an act of cowardice and the culprits will be apprehended soon," Rauf said while expressing grief over the killings of Mufti Jamil Khan and Maulana Nazir Taunsavi.
"Gonna bring 'em in any time now. I can feel it in my bones..."
"Pakistan is a developing country and is still in the process of stabilizing itself, hence we all should join hands and work together for the prosperity of our country."
"I mean, it's only been goin' on 60 years now..."
Rauf further said, "It is the need of the hour to allow President Gen. Pervez Musharraf to retain his army post. While the Parliament has passed the bill allowing Musharraf to retain his army post, the opposition agitation is nothing but a waste of time. Instead, they must do constructive social work in their constituencies with a view to bringing prosperity to the people who voted for them."
Posted by: Fred ||
10/22/2004 10:01:55 PM ||
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President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday reiterated his determination to counter subversive actions by foreign saboteurs and their local facilitators. "We shall not allow these terrorists to hold our society hostage to their malicious agendas," the president said while chairing an important meeting of corps commanders at General Headquarters. "Pakistan will not be deterred by sporadic terrorist activities aimed at tarnishing its image and sabotaging domestic peace," the president said.
"Though we'll keep trying to domesticate terrorist groups. Eventually we may get it right..."
He appreciated the security forces combating terrorism in challenging environments of the tribal areas with exemplary courage and devotion. He paid rich tribute to the bravery of officers "who laid down their lives for the nation's benefit". The president also appreciated the role of other law enforcement and intelligence agencies that have nabbed top terrorists and broken networks, a press release issued by Inter Services Public Relations said. He said Pakistan was a responsible country and would continue to play a role in eradicating global terrorism. He called the recent kidnapping of two Chinese engineers unfortunate but said that couldn't affect Pakistan-China relations and attempts to disrupt development projects would be foiled.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/22/2004 10:09:16 PM ||
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Justice Bashir A Mujahid of the Lahore High Court (LHC) will retire on October 31. After the retirement of Justice Mujahid, the number of LCH judges will be 34. The LHC has a constitutional capacity of 50 judges.
Somehow, I feel more secure knowing that the Lahore High Court won't have a sitting justice named "Mujahid." I'm not sure why...
Posted by: Fred ||
10/22/2004 11:03:40 PM ||
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Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has directed FM radio stations to stop rebroadcasting foreign programmes. The authority had issued a circular to all FM radio stations to stop relaying programmes through their radio networks, sources said on Thursday. The PEMRA decision came after a Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict restrained an FM radio station from rebroadcasting BBC programmes on October 13. On behalf of FM 103, Muhammad Imran had submitted a petition claiming PEMRA had threatened to cancel the radio's license on the grounds that the broadcasting of the BBC Urdu service programmes violated electronic media regulations. The LHC directed PEMRA not to cancel the license of FM 103 and barred the radio station from rebroadcasting any foreign radio service programmes.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/22/2004 10:24:24 PM ||
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#1
O Horrors! We won't be able to hear the Beeb in Lahore no more!
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
10/22/2004 11:42 Comments ||
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Hugh Hewitt's audience in South Waziristan must be devastated.
Posted by: Mike ||
10/22/2004 16:30 Comments ||
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"Maaaabel!!!! Tahm ta break out th' shortwave!!"
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
VIENNA: Iran is behind "terrorism" in the West Bank, visiting Israeli President Moshe Katzav charged Thursday. "Iran is very active in the area of terrorism" and "between 60 and 70 percent of West Bank terrorism is carried out by the Hezbollah (Lebanese Shiite movement) which is financed by Iran," he told the Austrian news agency APA. "Iran is not just a totalitarian state, it also backs terror in the Middle East as well as international terrorism," he added. Katzav, who is on the first-ever visit by an Israeli head of state to Austria, also stressed that Iran's nuclear program was a threat "to Israel and Europe". "Why does Iran need rockets with a range of 3,000 kilometers (1860 miles)? Why does Iran invest in the development of weapons of mass destruction," he rhetorically asked.
