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In this mailing:
Hero of the
Middle East: The Israeli Messenger
by Bassam Tawil
• March 18, 2015 at 5:00 am
In its evident, inexplicable eagerness to sign just about any deal with
Iran to allow it nuclear weapons capability, the U.S. State Department has
removed Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah -- two of the world most undisguised
promoters of terror -- from its Foreign Terrorist Organizations List.Iran's President, Hassan Rouhani, has even openly admitted that Iran's diplomacy with the U.S. is an active "jihad." How much plainer does a message have to get? The Islamists have nothing but contempt for Europe's weakness. The West needs to paralyze Iran, rather than appease it. A series of significant defeats to Islamist organizations will counter the effects of their efforts to entice young people to join them, especially ISIS. In these terrible times, critical for the future of our region, Netanyahu spoke to the representatives of the American people, despite the objections of many Israelis and Americans. He was willing to accept personal, political and diplomatic setbacks in order to look after his people's security. We are all also hoping that that the government of Israel will focus even more on bringing the Arabs of Israel into the Israeli fold. Otherwise a "fifth column" could form and harden that will drive them into the open and waiting arms of Hamas and other terrorist groups. Arab-Israeli politicians might also focus more on helping such an effort, rather than, as many Arab politicians do, lash out and blame others for what is wrong -- a lazy, destructive substitute for actually helping improve the lives of their people.
Ever since Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, came back from
his recent visit to the United States, it has repeatedly been shown that he
was right to stand before Congress and issue his warnings. Tehran's
Ayatollahs have not only held a naval exercise in the Strait of Hormuz, where
they targeted a simulated a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, they also displayed
new missiles that could paralyze all the shipping in the Gulf.
Iran has already surrounded the oilfields of the Middle East, and is
openly increasing its efforts to bring down the "Big Satan," the
United States. Iran's President, Hassan Rouhani, has even openly admitted
that Iran's diplomacy with the U.S. is an active "jihad." How much
plainer does a message have to get?
"Reform"
in Turkey
by Burak Bekdil
• March 18, 2015 at 4:00 am
As elsewhere, the Turkish Islamists are programmed to cheat a naïve
Western audience, eager to be cheated."Don't be afraid. We are here to broaden civil liberties." They were partially right: they were there to broaden civil liberties -- but for devout Muslims only. Intimidation through the police power of the state has become routine practice to suppress any voice of criticism or dissent. The Islamic headscarf is free in Turkey. The country is not.
When formerly militant Islamists reflagged themselves as pro-European
Union reformists and came to power in Turkey in 2002, they launched a
propaganda campaign to send one single message to liberal Turks and a
suspicious West: "Don't be afraid. We are here to broaden civil
liberties." They were right, at least partially: They were there to
broaden civil liberties -- but for devout Muslims only.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) passionately (and quite
sensibly) asserted that a campus ban on the Islamic headscarf must be lifted
because it violated a girl student's right to dress as she deems fit. What
was wrong if a student wears a garment that manifests her faith? Right?
Right. So far, so good.
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