11-28-11:Was the Israeli and Hamas Prisoner Exchange a Good Deal? [Plus: Hot Topics, Videos and 17 new articles since Thanksgiving!]

"Put plainly and simply, ‘Halal' is part of ‘Sharia' law or Islamic law. Devout Muslims eat ‘Halal' just as many Jews eat ‘Kosher' and many Catholics don't eat meat on Fridays during Lent. But the question remains, why are so many American companies selling or serving Halal even in the areas where Muslims are well below the minority?" Halal USA by Gadi Adelman Halal or "lawful" food is the Muslim equivalent of Kosher food. Why are so many American companies selling Halal meat to the exclusion of all other types of meat? ♦♦♦ CHECK OUT FSM'S NEW HOT PICKS' FEATURE: "WHAT DOES PAM THINK? "♦♦♦ Read Pam's comments and then join in the conversation! Read FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor J. Christian Adams' SHOCKING new book! Buy it here	VIDEOS * TODAY'S HOT PICKS ♦♦♦ CHECK OUT FSM'S NEW HOT PICKS' FEATURE: "WHAT DOES PAM THINK? "♦♦♦ 1. VIDEO: OWS Sympathizer Arrested for Gov. Haley Death Threat 2. VIDEO: BBC Whitewash of Islam and Forced Marriage 3. VIDEO: Bringing Hero Home: Soldier's Puppy Gives Hope to Grieving Family 4. VIDEO: Los Angeles Mayor Orders Occupy Protesters Out 5. VIDEO: FOX's Krauthammer Slams NPR's Nina Totenberg 6. VIDEO: NASA Rover on its way to Mars 7. VIDEO: MSNBC Proclaims: Taxes Too Low In America 8. VIDEO: Chris Matthews Admits: The National Media ‘Leans a Little to the Left' 9. VIDEO: Wounded Iraq Veteran Given New Home 10. VIDEO: British Foreign Office: Prepare for Riots if the Euro Collapses An Ever Darkening World Victor Sharpe The forces of Islamism, assisted by leftist allies in the West, are closing in on Israel, in an attempt to finally extinguish the only light of democracy in the Middle East. From the Grand Union Flag to the Battle of Franklin Military History, W. Thomas Smith, Jr. Commemorating this week's anniversaries of defining events in American Military History. Contrasting World Views Nancy Salvato Not all who (would) hold public office or vote for elected officials understand or respect the covenant that is made between the people and is written into our nation's Constitution. Was the Israeli and Hamas Prisoner Exchange a Good Deal? Dr. Laina Farhat-Holzman When more than a thousand Hamas prisoners were released in exchange for a single Israeli soldier, did anything good come out of it? WMD Find in Libya Justifies Removal of Qaddafi Secret mustard gas shells discovered. Ryan Mauro The discovery of mustard gas in artillery shells, part of the Libyan dictator's previously unknown chemical arsenal, shows why it was right to intervene and remove him. Intelligence Experts: Terror Group's Penetration of CIA is "Catastrophic" W. Thomas Smith, Jr. Iran funds Hizballah. When this terror group has managed to infiltrate the CIA and identify certain agents, it shows how Iran is actively targeting U.S. security. Iranian Nukes: A Weak and Predictable Response Dr. Avigdor Haselkorn Global responses to the recent IAEA report on Iran's development of nuclear weapons were predictably non-threatening and pacifist, urging diplomacy when action is needed. Senators to Obama, DHS: Stop Ignoring Illegal Alien Sanctuaries Jim Kouri, CPP Sanctuary cities give sanctuary to undocumented aliens, as a result of local ordinances that undermine federal laws. The administration has done nothing to challenge these, so far... Today's Hot Topics We choose, you peruse. 1. Pakistan Tells U.S. to 'Vacate' Air Base as Border Strike Inflames Tensions [FOX] 2. Climategate 2.0: A new batch of leaked emails again shows some leading scientists trying to smear opponents. [WSJ] 3. Putin warns West as he launches presidential bid [MSNBC] 4. Morocco's Arab Spring Election Won by Islamists [CNS] 5. Is Syria Planning to Attack Jordan? [HUDSON] 6. U.S. State Dept. on jailed Afghan rape victim: "We expect Afghan prosecutors to properly apply the law while also upholding Gulnaz's rights" [JIHAD WATCH] 7. Enraged Pakistanis burn Obama effigy, slam U.S. [YAHOO] 8. Gaza Residents March Against the 'Judaization' of Jerusalem [ISRAELNATIONALAL] 9. Pakistan secretly helps, publicly hits U.S. interests [WT] 10. Military advocates decry ‘illegal' early terminations of 157 Air Force majors [DAILY CALLER] Calling Things by Their Proper Names Caroline Glick 6,000 Americans have died in Iraq, but the administration fails to admit that the withdrawal from this unstable nation is a failure. This worrying approach extends to other global issues. Ganjgal Travesty Investigation: One Officer Shown the Door John Bernard Trying to abide by Rules of Engagement weakens soldier's abilities to defend themselves, and it seems these rules may have been to blame for the chaos in Ganjgal, Afghanistan. Waking the Sleeping Giant An American Tragedy - The Sleeping Giant Must Wake Up Maj. Gen. Paul E. Vallely, US Army (Ret) It is rumoured that Japanese Admiral Isokuro Yamamoto spoke of his regret that Pearl Harbor was an attack upon a sleeping giant. Is America still a sleeping giant? Good Riddance to "Ungrateful Volcanoes" Diana West Churchill described Iraq as "on an ungrateful volcano out of which we are in no circumstances to get anything worth having," and so it remains today. Afghanistan is no better... The War on Police Cliff Kincaid Rather than being victims of police brutality, a new video shows that Occupiers at UC Davis knew they were going to be pepper sprayed and didn't mind it. Hezbollah Boasts: "We've beaten the CIA and Mossad" Jim Kouri, CPP In Lebanon, the Iranian- and Syrian funded terror group Hezbollah claims that it has "vanquished" both the CIA and Israel's Mossad. Islamic Apartheid: Mecca and Medina Alan Kornman We hear so much about "Islamophobia" nowadays, but the accusations come from Islamists whose literalist interpretation of faith dictates that non-Muslims are inferior and must be segregated... Quote of the Day - November 28, 2011 FSM: Quote of the Day What is stealth jihad? On Thanksgiving Nancy Salvato As well as giving thanks for the bounties around us, we should also be thankful for the Founding Fathers who laid the foundations upon which America was built. Thanks for November Tom McLaughlin In Maine, people who live close to nature are more likely to be thankful for simple things like a warm home, a job, good health and the presence of loved ones. Thanksgiving - a U.S. Tradition, a U.S. Sensibility Dr. Robin McFee A truly inspiring essay on the history and current meaning of Thanksgiving in America, reminding us of what is really important about this special day - saying "Thank you." Quote of the Day - November 24, 2011 FSM: Quote of the Day On this and on every day, words of Thanksgiving... The Origins of Thanksgiving The Editor The origin of Thanksgiving has been blurred by popular myth, and even a hoax document. But the real story of Thanksgiving's origin needs no myths to make it fascinating. President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation, October 3, 1863 Abraham Lincoln The proclamation speech that made finally made Thanksgiving a national holiday, celebrated annually on the same day throughout all the states. Giving Thanks Jennifer James "Shoot! If you can keep everything you make, of course you're going to work harder. Everybody knows that."