Category: Middle East-North Africa
Elections Have Consequences for the 2020 Census
The Trump administration is overseeing the elimination of the Obama Census Bureau’s recommendations for two new complicated artificial questions for racial categories based on geography – Middle Eastern North African (MENA) and ethnicity – Hispanic-Latino, as well as a complex … Continue reading
Thoughts at the End of an Important Year
The questions are: Who is behind globalization and why is America continuing to embrace it? Worse still, some people liken the current trend with the defunct policy of global Communism advanced in the past by the USSR. Hopefully, such people … Continue reading
Trump’s Jerusalem Power-Play Leads From The Front
Power, not appeasement or concession-based “diplomacy,” has always prevailed in the history of the world, and power is demonstrated by executing a power play. The President’s new approach to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians means they can get … Continue reading
Kurdistan After the Independence Referendum: Trump Must Act
The bottom line is that, for both moral and practical reasons, the United States simply cannot allow Baghdad, Ankara, and Tehran to crush the Kurds. And even if the three partitioning countries succeed, they should recognize that Kurdish aspirations will … Continue reading
Syria and Iraq After ISIS: Is an Independent Kurdistan in the Cards?
The Kurds have not only shown that they are capable of maintaining order and stability in their autonomous zones, but have also spilled their own blood to survive and defend themselves. Forcing the Kurds to return to Arab rule would … Continue reading
Nuclear Terror Attack for Allah
CIA Director, Mike Pompeo recently stated that “the North Koreans have a long history of being proliferators and sharing their knowledge, their technology, their capabilities around the world.” They are sharing these with Iran, having helped North Korea by providing … Continue reading
Will Trump Save the 2020 Census?
Under the Obama administration, the Arab-American Institute and other Arab-American organizations supported the Census Bureau’s effort to add a separate Middle East and North African (MENA) racial category to the upcoming 2020 Census. Democrats quietly but effectively sowed the seeds … Continue reading
Trump Lets You Vote on Controversial 2020 Census Changes
The OMB’s decision on whether to implement Barack Hussein Obama’s plan to change the census to create a Middle Eastern-North African racial category and other government surveys is only part of the story. While the Obama Census Bureau has endorsed … Continue reading
Turkey, EU Partner or Temporary Collaborator?
All things considered, Turkey may never become an EU member. At the same time, however, the partnership between the two is no less important. That Turkey should be incompatible with the requirements of the Union does not mean the two … Continue reading
The People’s Mujahedin of Iran: A Most Undesirable Partner
Quite a few Iranian exiles are worried about the pro-MEK stance of some influential people in the Trump camp. The Crown Prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, has reached out to Donald Trump to congratulate him on his victory and to … Continue reading
Kill the Two State Solution
Like the old Monty Python bit, the two-state solution is a dead parrot. The shopkeepers of the press who keep trying to sell us its stiff unmoving body insist that the peace process is just pining for the Norwegian fjords … Continue reading
“The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend”: Obama, Syria, and Islamism
Apart from the loss of life and destruction, one of the tragedies of the Syraq war is that the Obama-led U.S. has pulled into the conflict on the side of the Sunni supremacists and Brotherhood-affiliates posing as freedom fighters. In this case, we must learn to think in terms of sober Realpolitik, and to acknowledge that ISIS toppling Assad is not in the U.S. interest. Continue reading
Western Civilization: Crisis of Confidence
We’re caught in an awful contradiction when we welcome into our midst members of a culture that accepts chattel slavery, the brutal subjugation of women, the murder of apostates, honor killings, murdering homosexuals, and killing those who insult their religion. Try to put yourself into the mind of a man who would murder his own daughter for being raped, daring to choose her own husband, or just getting uppity in public. Honor killings have come to Europe with Muslim immigrants, and lately to America. Continue reading
Islam is Colonialism, Palestine is Colonialism
There are Muslims in Israel for the same reason that there are Muslims in India. They are the remnants of a Muslim colonial regime that displaced and oppressed the indigenous non-Muslim population. The Muslim conquests and invasions are well-documented. The Muslim settlements fit every historical template of colonialism complete with importing a foreign population and social system that was imposed on the native population. Until they began losing wars to the indigenous Jewish population, the Muslim settlers were not ashamed of their colonial past, they gloried in it. Their historical legacy was based on seizing indigenous sites, appropriating them and renaming them after the new conquerors. Continue reading
Europe’s Security Crisis: From Tolerance to Extremism
In light of all the chaos, one might say that the metaphoric battle of civilizations has reached European soil. But such a statement would be false. There is no battle, as a battle involves two or more sides actively engaged. The only active side in this story is the radicalized, anything but tolerant, threat of Islamic terror, which is ripping into the heart of Europe and putting people of all nations and religions in danger. The other side is the passive European continent, trying to cope with the philosophy of tolerance and to figure out what it may and may not say and do. Europe sleeps and extremists recruit. No, this is no battle. It is suicide. Continue reading
Trump’s Foreign Policy Speech: Did he Jump into Bed With Putin?
Despite the media buildup for the speech, it’s clear that on the matter of the US-Russian relationship Trump doesn’t represent a real change from the policies of the Obama/Hillary administration. A contest between Hillary and The Donald means the Russians emerge as the winners—no matter who wins. Another Russian reset is in the cards, compounding the American weakness that Trump says he wants to do something about. Continue reading
Reversing the 1683 Siege of Vienna
On September 11 – the anniversary of the worst attack on America – in 1683, when the decisive stage of the battle of Vienna began over three-hundred years ago, the Muslim Ottoman siege was lifted and Islam was turned away from conquering more of Christian Europe. Today, Islam’s Hijrah is on the march and has returned to Europe, indeed, even invited in by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and seems about to reverse the Ottoman setback at Vienna during the late 17th Century, a third of a millennia ago. But, this time, there may not be a Polish King like Jan III Sobieski to save Germany. Continue reading
The Distance between East and West
The core of the problem is that some of the minorities hold the belief that Western women are sexually loose and are easy to seduce. This way of thinking was expressed by a former Muslim Mufti of Australia, Sheik Tag El Din Al Helaly. Al Helaly once said that women who don’t wear the head scarf, hijab, become like uncovered meat and bring upon themselves the consequences of being attacked. Continue reading
Is Turkey a Reliable NATO Ally?
Entrusted with NATO secrets and called upon to help, if the situation should warrant, Turkey’s current trajectory might, in fact, transform its trusted ally status into something completely different, something which might necessitate a rethinking of NATO’s strategy altogether, something which, in the end, might not even be called an ally. Continue reading
Extinguishing Christianity from the Middle East
It is clear that the European refugee crisis is bringing to the surface inherent problems such as the difficulty of tracking migration and dealing with transnational crimes across open borders. It also raises the issue of the limitation of state sovereignty and the centralization of power. Arguably, the EU is unable to meet the needs of its culturally, politically and economically diverse nations. Such issues might prove a risk to EU unity. Post-Paris, it is obvious now the Middle East’s strife is no longer its own. Continue reading
The Death of Europe: Is Paris the New Normal?
The European values that require Europe to commit suicide are about ideology, not language, culture or nationhood. But the incoming migrants don’t share that ideology. They have their own Islamic values. The Muslim migrants who are meant to be the retirement plan for an aging Europe are supposed to keep its ramshackle collection of economic policies, its welfare states and social programs rolling along. But they’re more like a final solution. Continue reading
Russia in Syria Reminds us of Soviet Actions in Cuba
Russian/Iranian actions in Syria represent a major gamble based on the perception of American weakness. An initial strong and swift response now will prevent the need for a riskier response in the future. Continue reading
The Rising Tide of Third World Refugees and the Plight of NATO’s Southeastern Flank
The Hungarians and others argue that for economic and cultural reasons they simply cannot accommodate the new comers. The Magyars refuse to succumb to the social engineering schemes of Brussels and prefer their country just the way it is. We should watch the European debate very carefully because it also concerns our own problems on America’s southern border. It is not Nazism to wish to protect the nation’s frontier and to uphold its cultural essence. Patriots defend their countries from all enemies: foreign and domestic. Continue reading
The Syrian Refugee Crisis is not America’s Problem
We are told that the Syrian refugees “stir the conscience” of the world; certainly not the Muslim world. The Saudis don’t want them. Jordan and Turkey have resentfully set up refugee camps without actually offering permanent legal status to them the way that Europe, Canada and America are expected to. Slovakia has announced that it will only take in Christian refugees and that’s the right thing to do. Christians are the real victims of this Muslim conflict. The vast majority of the refugees, many of whom aren’t even Syrians, aren’t. The rest of Europe should use Slovakia’s refugee policy as a model. Continue reading
Beyond Europe’s Refugee Crisis: Testing the Resilience of the West
The EU’s recent history has allowed for easy migration over its nation’s borders. If, along with innocent war victims, the doors are also opened to those whose views pose a threat to the continent’s security, this is not a solution. It has been happening for years already, and, although some fear this migratory wave could be a well disguised Trojan horse, who is to say the gates of Troy have not already been forced open by steady and continuous integration of extremely differing worldviews? Continue reading
The Current Refugee Crisis in Europe
Many people in Europe are asking what will happen if tens of millions of foreign refugees flood the continent? There are already a number of Muslim enclaves in Western Europe and most Muslims do not assimilate to the European culture. In fact, they challenge the European authorities by demanding the application of their own laws and customs. How much longer will Europe survive culturally and politically under such pressure? Continue reading
When Muslims Burn Jews Alive
Israelis who kill Muslims are considered pariahs. Muslims who burn Jews to death are glorified as heroes. And there are many such aspiring heroes, eager for a Palestinian Authority salary funded by American and European foreign aid and a “Get Out of Jail Free” card dispensed by Obama and Kerry. But the world is only outraged when Muslims die. It is not outraged when Muslims kill. When Muslims burn Jews or massacre Christians, it shrugs and moves on. Continue reading
One of Last Living Holocaust Survivors Offers Enduring Advice
Martin Greenfield is a world-renowned White House and celebrity tailor. He has made suits for everyone from presidents Eisenhower to Obama, LeBron James to Paul Newman, and Frank Sinatra to the cast of The Great Gatsby. Continue reading
The Myth of Iran’s Peaceful Nuclear Program
If Iran were really serious about abandoning a drive for nuclear weapons, it would have shut down its nuclear program. Not because America or Europe demanded it, but because it made no economic sense. For a fraction of the money it spent on its nuclear ambitions ($100 billion to $500 billion), it could have overhauled its decaying electrical grid and actually cut costs. But this isn’t about electricity, it’s about nuclear bombs. The peaceful nuclear program is a hoax. The deal accepts the hoax. Continue reading
P5+1 Iran Deal Reduces American Influence
The United States and Iran are not morally equivalent; we do not share the same creed, vision for the world, or idea of liberty and justice. The U.S. initiates violence only to defend the lives of its citizens or liberate people from tyranny. Tehran’s theocracy initiates violence to further expand its reach with an end goal of establishing a global caliphate under the banner of radical Shia Islam. The U.S. is a liberating force, while the Islamic Republic of Iran is a conquering one. Continue reading
Terror Immigration to America Must Stop
The United States of America faces a simple choice. We can fill our towns and cities with populations from terror zones and then act surprised when they kill us, or we can shut the doors on them. The Americans they murdered would be alive today if we had a pro-American immigration policy. We can end the bombings and the shootings. We can get rid of the TSA and the NSA. All we need is an immigration policy that puts the safety and security of Americans first. Continue reading
Is Obama’s Census Bureau Balkanizing America?
The Israeli category is more controversial with some in the Israeli-American community. In Jewish population studies, most American Jews say they are Jewish by religion. Race and ethnicity have a complicated, terrible history for Jews, and American Jewish organizations were among those opposed to census questions about religion in the past reflecting their concerns related to the Nuremberg laws. Germany’s Nazi government used information from its own census to track down Jews. Continue reading
Obama Administration Takes First Steps for New, Largely Muslim, Middle East-North Africa Census Category
According to the Pew Research Center, “Census data are vital to determining everything from how congressional districts are drawn, which local governments are required to provide foreign language ballots in elections, $400 billion in federal aid programs and enforcement of civil rights laws.” As Rashad al-Dabbagh of the Network of Arab-American Professionals, Democrat activist and former member of the Obama administration at the Census Bureau states bluntly, the “census numbers are critical for another reason: political power.” Continue reading
Gad and Arshad: A tale of two young men from two different worlds
What would happen if Gad and Arshad switched places? If Gad, the Coptic Christian, were to live and work in London, while Arshad, the Pakistani Muslim man, were to live and work in Upper Egypt? The question arises, would both experience the same problems and rewards as they do today? My answer is that they clearly would not, since it is the community with its values and ideals that makes all the difference. Continue reading
The Iran-Cuba-Venezuela Nexus and the Castro Regime’s Continuous Support for Terrorism
In an attempt to obtain unilateral concession from the U.S., General Raul Castro’s regime has toned down some of the violent anti-U.S. propaganda of older brother Fidel. Yet, his commitments to and interrelationships with anti-American terrorist groups have not disappeared.
Netanyahu’s warning to the West
Benjamin Netanyahu’s address was not only a warning but also a breath of fresh air. The Israeli leader is not afraid to recognize the evil of Islamism, unlike the Obama administration, which is unable to break with the warped post-modernist relativism that characterizes the radical left.
The Ghosts of Auschwitz in the Muslim World
It was easier to appease the Nazis. It is easier to appease the Muslim world. The Jews were not seen as a canary in the coalmine; instead, like the Czechs and then the Poles and then everyone else, they were an obstacle to making a deal with the devil. The ghosts of Auschwitz are still haunting Sudan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Gaza, Iraq, Iran and a hundred other places.
2015: A Much Darker Crystal Ball
The Middle East will remain a boiling cauldron as both al-Qaeda and ISIS continue their wars for territory and subjugation in Syria and Iraq, while targeting Saudi Arabia. Both groups are casting their eyes on other parts of the Middle East with Jordan and, ultimately, Saudi Arabia coming in their cross-hairs.
The Black Sea – New Battleground between Putin’s Russia and NATO
The Black Sea is located at a geo-strategic intersection between Europe and the oil-rich Middle East and between NATO and the Russian Federation. The annexation of Crimea by Russia and the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine add new significance to this disputed body of water. The issue of the Black Sea and the current Russo-Ukrainian conflict were discussed amply by the NATO leaders at their recent meetings.
The Islamization of Jerusalem
Chaya Zissel Braun was murdered on her first trip back from the Western Wall where the indigenous Jewish population of Israel continues to pray in the shadow of the shrine established there by the Muslim conquerors from which the racist Muslim settlers rain down rocks on the Jewish worshipers.
The Kurds and the Question of ‘Kurdistan’
The Kurds are one of the most ancient peoples of the Middle East. They are of Indo-European origin and occupy a huge land area currently divided among Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Numbering close to 30 million people, they represent one of the largest Middle Eastern nationalities. Yet, they do not have their own country.
Why Obama Hates Netanyahu
Not only did Obama fail to sideline Israel, but he’s stuck dealing with Netanyahu. And no matter how much he may view Netanyahu as an Israeli Romney, he can’t quite openly treat him like Romney because there are plenty of Jewish Democrats who still haven’t realized his true feelings for Israel.
Why the Free World Must Ban Political Islam
The purpose of this article is not to look at the religious aspect of Islamic doctrine but rather at the political system, built within the Islamic religion, which wants to impose Sharia law that claims to be the only true representation of the religion.
The Coming Caliphate: ISIS Maps its Five-to-Ten Year Master Plan
In growing numbers, citizens of Western countries are leaving their homes to fight alongside jihadists of the Islamic State (IS), formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). In the U.S., Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel stated in a recent CNN interview, “We are aware of over 100 U.S. citizens who have U.S. passports who are fighting in the Middle East with [ISIS] forces. There may be more; we don’t know.” Some cities in the United States are facing serious problems.
Moderate Islam is our new religion
I have been searching for moderate Islam since September 11 and just like a lost sock in the dryer, it was in the last place I expected it to be.
There is no moderate Islam in the mosques or in Mecca. You won’t find it in the Koran or the Hadiths. If you want to find moderate Islam, browse the newspaper editorials after a terrorist attack or take a course on Islamic religion taught by a Unitarian Sociologist wearing fake native jewelry.
Wake Up! Hamas is as Threatening as ISIS
Defenders of Hamas on the Left claim the terrorist organization merely wants to lift the blockade over Gaza, providing full freedom for the Palestinians to live in peace there. But even Hamas admits that is not enough.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees, Supported by U.S. Taxpayers, is Hamas
The U.S. provided $130 million to UNRWA in 2013. UNRWA’s continued operations in Gaza would not be viable without American funding. Congressional investigations and condemnations have led nowhere. UNRWA has adopted neutrality policies, but it has refused to put up a firewall between it and Hamas. And it can’t, because it has become an arm of Hamas. UNRWA is on the front lines of the Hamas War in Gaza.
Steadfast in her Faith, Ibrahim has become a Worldwide Symbol of Christian Persecution
Ibrahim had been accused of having converted from Islam to Christianity and she was faulted for having married a Christian, for which she was charged with adultery, as the marriage to her husband, Daniel Wani, was considered invalid under the Islamic Sharia law of Sudan.
Yes, We Are the Noon (N) People
Where is America led by President Obama? You, Mr. President, have surrounded yourself with advisors loyal to the International Muslim Brotherhood. You have spent billions of American tax-payer dollars to support them. You spoke strongly on their behalf every time you felt that their rights were in jeopardy. Why can’t we see you offer the same support to the Christians of Mosul? Noon is the Arabic letter that represents…
The Destruction of Christian Memory in the Middle East
“Those families leaving from the checkpoints on the eastern side of the city were harassed and robbed of their possessions […] All families who fled on the last morning reported having money, belongings, jewelry, and even documents stolen from them. Women had crucifixes torn from their necks.” The Daily Beast
How Diplomats, Reporters and Human Rights Activists Saved the Hamas Terrorists
The United Nations issued a unanimous resolution condemning Israel’s deportation of “civilians” and demanding that Israel immediately bring them back, or face sanctions. The United States voted for that resolution, along with three others condemning Israel.
Hamas’ Atrocity: It’s Not the ‘Occupation’ — It’s Islam
The bodies of three murdered Israeli teenagers, 19-year-old Eyal with his guitar, 16-year-old Gilad who had just finished a scuba diving course and 16-year-old Naftali who liked to play basketball, will be met by the same ghastly parade of pallbearers who accompany every victim of terrorism.
Senator Cruz rallies against Christian persecution, calls for the release of Meriam Ibrahim from Sudan
Under Sudan’s Islamic Shari’a law, marriage to a Christian is considered invalid and a child who is considered Muslim cannot be raised by a Christian.
Bergdahl’s Betrayal
Bowe Bergdahl’s action of disserting his post in the middle of the night in a very dangerous and hostile Afghan outpost certainly betrayed the rest of the soldiers in his unit.
Religious Cleansing: The Mass Abduction of Nigerian School Girls
On May 13 the Washington-based Hudson Institute presented a panel titled ‘A Survivor’s Account of Boko Haram’s Religious Cleansing in Nigeria’ featuring Deborah Peters a teenage girl whose father, a pastor, and her brother were killed by the terrorist group in 2011. The Hudson panel discussion revealed that “Since 2011, Boko Haram attacks have killed over 1,000 Nigerian Christians, and bombed, torched, or otherwise destroyed scores of Christian churches, villages, and homes.”
Will a Rogue General Undo Obama’s Regime Change in Libya?
It didn’t take Egypt very long to revert back to a military oligarchy with elections. That oligarchy wasn’t brought back by an armed coup in the dead of night, but by popular protests.
The Arab Spring was trumpeted by liberals as a new era in the history of the Middle East. But the Middle East is better at undoing history than the media is at writing it.
John Kerry, Another False Messiah
Dear John,
Every few years a messiah arrives in Jerusalem, shakes hands, makes demands and promises to make peace in our time. Then when the whole thing blows up in his face, he throws up his hands and flies back blaming the ungrateful Jews for not embracing his vision.
Cuban Intelligence in Strategic Alliance with Iran against the United States
While one may argue that factors such as Iran’s limited military capabilities and sheer distance diminish any conventional concerns, one should expect that Tehran, in case of a U.S.-Iran conflict would launch an asymmetrical offensive against the U.S. and its European allies through surrogate terrorist states and paramilitary organizations, where Cuban intelligence would become an invaluable asset to Tehran.
The Islamic Assault on Nigeria, Christian Persecution and the Saudi Connection
Boko Haram’s Abul Qaja also claims the group is a spiritual follower of al-Qaeda and claims they have been training and getting funding from Saudi sources. “Al-Qaeda are our elder brothers,” said Qaja. “During the lesser Hajj [August 2011], our leaders travelled to Saudi Arabia and met al-Qaeda there. We enjoy financial and technical support from them. Anything we want from them we ask them.”
Scarlett Johansson, SodaStream Episode, Expose Hypocrisy, Hostility of Anti-Israel Activists
Three weeks ago, SodaStream was just a specialty company making high-end, home-carbonation equipment and flavored syrups. Although they were publicly traded (NASDAQ: SODA), and their products were popular among enthusiasts, they weren’t quite a household name. Looking for publicity, they signed a deal with actress-model Scarlett Johansson to be their first ‘Global Brand Ambassador,’ and announced that she would appear in a Super Bowl commercial.
Egyptians say “Yes” to post-Morsi Constitution, and more, in national referendum
On the 14th and 15th of January, the people of Egypt voted overwhelmingly in a national referendum for a new Constitution to replace the pro-Muslim Brotherhood Constitution of 2012. The new 2014 Constitution was approved by an unprecedented majority of 98.1%, 19.1 million out of 20.6 million voted “yes”… Continue reading
2014: Gazing Through a Crystal Ball, Darkly
2014 opens with gathering storm clouds and the U.S. ship of state under the command of an administration pursuing increasingly dubious foreign policies and facing declining public approval. The chickens stirred up by the “Leading from behind” approach are coming home to roost, particularly in the Middle East with the White House tilt to Iran.
Fighting for religious freedom: The plight of Saeed Abedini and America’s response
“I was devastated to learn that the [Obama] Administration didn’t even ask for my husband’s release when directly seated across the table from the leaders of the government that holds him captive.” Naghmeh Abedini
Netanyahu to U.S. Jews: The time is now to “speak up” about Iran
Jerusalem, Israel – In a rousing speech to attendees at the annual General Assembly meeting of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNAGA), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his audience Sunday evening that Iran was an “historical killer,” that cannot, under any circumstances, be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. The Jewish Federations of North America represent 153 Jewish communities in North America. Netanyahu pleaded with those in attendance to speak up now about Iran because time is running out to stop their nuclear program.
The war in Syria: Building upon the sand?
In Syria, the endemic conflict that lays siege to Christianity, where it once stood as a partner of Assad’s strategic minority rule, consumes the region. At the advent of the Arab Spring, anti-government violence was ignited into a nationwide uprising that has not abated since 2011.
Congressman Steve Stockman: Justice Department cannot be involved in Benghazi investigation
WASHINGTON — “Having an independent investigation on Benghazi means not having the Justice Department interfering in any way” declared Congressman Steve Stockman (R-TX), in an exclusive interview with SFPPR News & Analysis. Stockman has joined a growing list of Republicans calling for an independent, bi-partisan Special Select Committee to investigate the remaining questions surrounding the terrorist attack of September 11, 2012 in Benghazi, Libya. He elaborated on his position saying “you cannot have people that may be involved in a cover-up also investigating that cover-up.”
World Summit on Counter-Terrorism
HERZLIYA, Israel – The 13th annual World Summit on Counter-Terrorism ran Sunday through Wednesday, September 8-11, and was hosted by the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya. Sponsored by the IDC’s International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) founded in 1996 by Dr. Boaz Ganor, the Summit is now a must event for the growing counter-terrorism community. The Summit is held the week of 9/11 to commemorate the victims of the biggest terrorist atrocity ever to occur and marks the 12th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in New York by Islamist terrorists.
Where is Obama’s red line in Egypt?
In the aftermath of President Mohamed Morsi’s ouster in Cairo by the military on July 3, Christian shops have been marked with red graffiti just before being attacked, a reminder of the infamous time in biblical history when the Israelites had to mark their doors with the blood of lambs in order to be spared the wrath of God manifested through the Angel of Death. This time, Christian doors are marked in this way as a sign of condemnation and vengeance.
The Brotherhood’s Currency of Blood
Like all terrorist organizations, the Muslim Brotherhood has only one commodity to trade in. Blood. In the war of ideas for the future of Egypt, the Brotherhood had nothing to offer but the blood of its followers and victims. It has no new ideas. It has no record of accomplishments. It has no vision for the future except the same old corruption and authoritarianism cloaked in a deceptive Islamist garb.
The ‘Responsibility to Protect’ Doctrine and Proxy Wars
Who will intervene and tip the scales next in the already far too internationalized proxy wars of the Middle East? Will the USA choose to initiate an overt intervention in Syria as it did in the Libyan civil war, under the UN’s multilateral Responsibility to Protect (R2P)? Or can the situation remain as it is?
From Arab Spring to Christian Winter
In the Middle East and North Africa, the ongoing civil wars of an increasingly sectarian nature are reportedly putting more and more Christians in harm’s way.
In Syria, Assad’s Shawarma Republic is Burning
Syria is burning, not because of the Arab Spring or Tyranny or Twitter, or any of the other popular explanations. The fire in Syria is the same firestorm burning in Iraq, in Turkey, in Lebanon and throughout much of the Muslim world. It has nothing to do with human rights or democracy. There is no revolution here. Only the eternal civil war.
Syria’s religious fault lines: the plight of Christians in the Middle East
Though the Syrian civil war continues to rage, it’s mostly defined as a Sunni versus Shiite conflict, where the plight and suffering of this country’s ancient Christian communities is increasingly becoming an influential factor.
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, the Military and Democracy
Egypt’s revolution involved two sets of Western educated elites tugging at a poor post-feudal population that wants cheap bread and some kind of stability, but is filled with simmering anger over a multitude of things.
Egypt—Lack of Democracy Isn’t the Problem
The globalists, foreign policy wonks, and the media are all in an uproar over the Egyptian military ousting the elected Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt. Their angst was visible for all to see. On the one hand, there was growing awareness that “democracy” in Egypt under the Brotherhood was not moving towards the dream of a universal Western-style democratic government.
Obama’s Dangerous Nomination of Samantha Power
With the nomination of Samantha Power as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations replacing the infamous Susan Rice, Barack Obama has filled out his second term foreign policy team, and it isn’t pretty. With the appointment of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense, to that of John Kerry as Secretary of State, the Obama administration has unsurprisingly failed to appoint a responsible foreign policy team that is willing to promote strong American interests in the Middle East.
Kerry’s Mythological Peace Process: Israel and the Terrorists
Few figures in American political life have been as consistently wrong as often as John Kerry. The former Senator bet on every Communist leader and Middle Eastern tyrant he could find only to watch the wheels of history roll over his mistakes. And now as Secretary of State, Kerry is at it again. In between peddling a Syrian peace process that no one but him believes in, he took a break to peddle the even more discredited peace process between Israel and the terrorists.
Boston Bombings: The Russian Question
It appears the Boston perpetrators, Tamerlan and his younger brother Johar (Dzhohar) Tsarnaev, were homegrown, Internet empowered jihadists. But Russia’s part in the deadly game remains murky.
Smart Power Iran
Iran plays smart. We do not – unless the objective is to stay engaged for engagement’s sake. That really worked neatly during the Cold War and we had the Soviets exactly where we wanted them: engaged. Thus, for most of the conflict we did not accomplish anything save for staying engaged. The fallacious assumption was that the impotent engagement saved us from a nuclear war, as if the Kremlin…
John Kerry’s first foreign trip: Much ado about nothing
On March 6, Barack Obama’s new Secretary of State, John Kerry—who succeeded Hillary Clinton as a result of the fallout following the terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi last September 11 — has returned home after an eleven-day nine-nation grand tour. During his first trip abroad as head of the Department of State, he visited the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
Hillary Clinton’s Benghazi Testimony: It Makes All the Difference in the World!
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived back in the Senate, after dodging a few falling safes, multiple banana peels and an ornery dog named Henry, to give a carefully prepared histrionic rant which can be summed up, “I do care a lot” and “None of this was my fault” and “What difference at this point does it make?”
Appeasement: Allah Akbar and Ho Ho Ho
In 1997, Mohammed T. Mehdi, the head of the Arab-American Committee and the National Council on Islamic Affairs, lobbied to have a crescent and star go up at the World Trade Center during the holiday season.
Susan Rice: post-9/11 agent of influence for Riyadh?
The “Holy Trinity” embracing their adopted UN policy of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) in the Obama Administration consists of Samantha Power, Hillary Clinton, and Susan Rice.
Mali crisis precipitated by civil war in Libya engenders U.S.-Africa strategy
Northwest Africa’s landlocked country of Mali has now replaced Somalia as the continent’s prime failed state.
The Gates of Jerusalem are the new Gates of Vienna
The endless wars with Israel are not really about the Jewish State. Nor are the wars about the Arabs living in the territories that Israel lost in 1948 to Jordan and Egypt and recaptured from them in 1967.
A Moment of Truth in Israel
Seven years ago the Israeli government decided to forcibly evict the Jewish residents of Gaza and withdraw all bases and forces from the area.
Obama’s Greatest Foreign Policy Error
Obama’s greatest Foreign Policy error was the same one that had been made by Bush and by numerous past administrations.
Look to the Lady Who Could Lead
Hillary is facing a Monica moment. With the unveiling of the Benghazi catastrophe, ‘disgraceful, embarrassing and deadly’ is the obvious description used to portray current U.S. foreign policy.
Al-Qaeda in Libya: Assassination in Benghazi
The assassination of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, and three other Americans can be analyzed thus:
Anti-American Savages of the Post-American World
The past week has shown us what a Post-American world looks like and it isn’t a batch of treaties that lead to men and women from around the world meeting to decide how to feed the hungry, clothed the naked and take everyone’s guns away to banish violence from the world.
A Bloodless Victory: Obama’s Clean War in Libya
Obama’s clean war in Libya, the one that was won by lying to the UN and then dropping bombs and flying away while ragged bands of fighters whittled away what was left of the decrepit Libyan military, doesn’t look so clean anymore.
Universal Muslim Economic Failure
If Romney accomplished nothing else during his Israeli visit, he did manage to offend every single Palestinian Arab terrorist group, all of whom, the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP and the DFLP, issued press releases denouncing him.
Romney’s New Middle East Policy
There was once a time when the Middle East was a minor sideline in American foreign policy.
Bibi the Survivor: All Politics is Local
Thirteen years after he was sent packing by Bill Clinton’s political consultants and a phony third party, Bibi Netanyahu has become a political survivor.
Showdown in Syria
The architects of the Libyan disaster in France, the UK, the United States and Qatar have decided that Syria is the next step in replacing dictators with Muslim Brotherhood allied “democratic” parties.
Budgeting in Terrorism: Obama’s Misdirected Foreign Policy
President Obama’s annual message to Congress increases the State Department budget for FY 2013 by 1.6 percent and would establish the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Incentive Fund costing $800 million.
Has Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Crossed His Own Zone of Immunity?
David Ignatius, senior opinion writer for the Washington Post, was traveling with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta when a firestorm erupted over his column, “Is Israel Preparing to Attack Iran?” Not because Ignatius has questioned whether such an act is possible, but because he admitted Panetta believes an attack is imminent.
Countdown to Zero in Tehran and Jerusalem
There was a time when Israel did not deal with existential threats by urging the Americans to do something. That time was fairly recent.
Should We Intervene in Syria?
Forget all the talk about democracy and a revolt against tyranny, the choice here isn’t being a tyrant and a populist movement, it’s which species of Islamists will come out on top. On one side is Iran and on the other are the Gulf States and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Newt Gingrich and the “Invented” People
Newt Gingrich has come under fire from liberals, Palestinian leaders and some of his Republican presidential opponents for calling the Palestinians an “invented” people.
A Badly Invented People
In the post-news environment, media no longer exists to report, it exists to disseminate glib talking points that sound good at first, but don’t stand up to examination.
The End of the Peace Process
The “peace process” which created two terrorist states inside Israel may have begun in Oslo, but it ended in Cairo.
The Devil’s Smile
Why is Ahmadinejad smiling? The answer is not a terribly complicated one.
The Tyrant is Dead, Long Live the Tyrant
The tyrant is dead, and the head of Libya’s Transitional National Council, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, (who was also Gaddafi’s former Justice Minister), has declared that Libya has been liberated.
Analysis: Abbas and Netanyahu UN Speeches
As world leaders descended upon New York City for the 61st annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, the main question on the minds of most delegations and observers was the fate of the Palestinian territories.
Obama Address to UN General Assembly Projects Erratic Middle East Policy
As tension between Israelis and Palestinians reach startlingly high levels, President Obama delivered an address at the United Nations on September 21, attempting to calm heightened animosity between the two people and discuss America’s vision for the future of the Middle East.
The End of Palestine
In the spring of 1964, while the Vietnam War was underway, the space program had brought close up photos of the moon, and the Beatles were topping the charts; the Arab League convened to try and find a way to complete the ethnic cleansing of Jews from Israel.
The End of Normal
The Arab Spring didn’t accomplish a whole lot beyond swapping out a handful of dictators for their more obscure henchmen and Islamist allies, but it did kill the treaty model of regional normalization completely dead.
Burying the Arab Spring
It was only three months ago that you could hardly open a newspaper without encountering columns full of growing predictions about the revolution sweeping the Middle East.
Et Tu, Obama?
When Julius Caesar was being stabbed to death by Roman Senators he observed that Marcus Junius Brutus was one of his assassins.
Netanyahu to Congress: Without Legitimacy and Security There Can Be No Peace
Less than a week after President Obama revealed a new U.S. strategy for Middle East relations, Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress.
President Obama’s Middle East Address: From Arab Spring to Israeli Winter
In a speech originally intended to advance his administration’s policy of Muslim outreach, President Barack Obama injected controversy into otherwise already strained U.S.-Israeli relations, while appeasing the Arab street.
Libyan Folly
The German Chancellor Otto van Bismarck once remarked that the Balkans weren’t worth the bones of a single Pomeranian grenadier.
Is Egypt the Next Iran?
A wave of chaos is sweeping Arab countries leading many to proclaim it as a wave of democracy that is emerging in its wake.
Obama’s Plan to Destroy Israel
If there’s one thing that the Carter Administration can be given credit for, it’s creating the new wave of Islamist terrorism, both Sunni, operating out of Afghanistan, and Shiite, operating out of Iran.
