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Newshound
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 Posted: Fri Dec 8th, 2006 06:45 pm
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Robert Gates’ reference to an Israeli nuclear weapon was synchronized with Baker’s exclusion of Israel from a Mid East conference. The Senate confirms Gates in defense by 95-2 vote.

It appears as predicted that we are pursuing new policy line which sacrifices the traditional US-Israeli alliance for the sake of wooing Iran, Syria and Iraq’s neighbors for help in Iraq. During his senate hearings, Gates confirmed - and indirectly justified - Iran’s quest for a nuclear weapon by declaring that Iran wants the power of deterrence against “the nuclear countries surrounding them – Pakistan in the east, Russia in the north, Israel in the west and the United States in the Persian Gulf.”  Israel, backed by the US, has for decades pursued a policy of nuclear ambiguity as a powerful deterrence “against enemies bent on its destruction, while threatening no other country itself.  So here we have the designated US defense secretary who did not consult – or even inform - Israel before a disclosure that violates a confidence long-held between the two governments. Gates also said that “If Iran obtains nuclear weapons no one can promise it would not use them against Israel.”  He was then confirmed as defense secretary Wednesday by a 95-2 Senate vote. The only two opposing votes cited his criticism of the war and his view that the U.S. should engage Iran as part of a solution.

Our intelligence people in The Pentagon, which has warned against granting a role to Iran and Syria at Israel’s expense, has a new boss man in Robert Gates. He has already applied the broom to his predecessor Donald Rumsfeld’s senior aides. Some Washington pundits accused the co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group, James Baker, as forcing President George W. Bush to resort to dealing with the Iraqi Shiite-led government for the sake of an orderly US exit from Iraq. The price offered is acceptance that Iran could go nuclear within two years at Israel’s expense.

I said so in previous posts and Halvah also warned us that this would come to pass. What’s going to happen is that the group’s recommendation of a Madrid-2 peace conference for a Middle East peace would pander to the Arabs and their European backers by pushing for a full Israeli withdrawal from territories captured in the 1967 war. Israel and its supporters in the United States would have no say – “…a unique opportunity for the US to strike a deal without Jewish pressure,” as one Washington observer put it.

This sort of crude language has not been heard in Washington’s top circles since George Bush the elder was president and James Baker his secretary of state. The new-old gang has also revived the threat of an imposed “peace.” It is barely veiled in the Baker-Hamilton report’s statement: “The US cannot achieve its goals in the Middle East unless it embarks on a renewed and sustained commitment to a comprehensive peace plan on all fronts.”

kavips
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 Posted: Fri Dec 8th, 2006 12:45 pm
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I would like to know how many bombings have occured in Israel over the last two years.  And have you seen a parallel increase in the number of bombings over these two years as we have in Iraq?


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 Posted: Thu Dec 7th, 2006 03:26 pm
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As I sat with an Arab Israeli over a glass of tea in a Jerusalem café, he related to me the feeling on the streets of Islam. We were reading of the report from an American Internet news site. He spoke of the Iraq Study Group’s recommendations for an eventual withdrawal from Iraq and for dialogue with Iran and Syria.  To the average Moslem this proves "Islamic resistance" works and America will ultimately be defeated.  This feeling is also shared by senior terrorist leaders.  These militants, from the largest Palestinian terror groups in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, welcomed the policies outlined by the Iraq Study Group, which they claim recognizes Islam as the "new giant of the world." To them, the report proves that “this is the era of Islam and of jihad," (Abu Ayman, a senior leader of Islamic Jihad in the northern West Bank town of Jenin.)

This Islamic Jihad terror group is responsible for every suicide bombing in Israel during the past two years. "[With the Iraq Study Group report], the Americans came to the conclusion that Islam is the new giant of the world and it would be clever to reduce hostilities with this giant. In the Quran the principle of the rotation is clear and according to this principle the end of the Americans and of all non-believers is getting closer," (Abu Ayman)  According to Abu Abdullah, a senior leader of Hamas' so-called military wing, your Baker's report is a victory for Islam brought about by "Allah and his angels."  The Moslms think that this is not just a simple victory. It is a great one. The big superpower of the world is defeated by a small group of mujahedeen (fighters). Did you see the mujahedeens' clothes and weapons in comparison with the huge individual military arsenal and supply that was carrying every American soldier?" exclaimed Abu Abdullah, who is considered one of the most important operational members of Hamas' Izzedine al-Qassam Martyrs Brigades, Hamas' declared "resistance" department.

"It is no doubt that Allah and his angels were fighting with them (insurgents) against the Americans. It is a sign to all those who keep saying that America, Israel and the West in general cannot be defeated on the ground so let us negotiate with them," Abu Abdullah said.

Abu Abdullah said following a withdrawal from Iraq, the U.S. will be defeated on its own soil.

"America must understand that with anti-American governments in Latin America and with Islam growing and reinforcing, including in the U.S. itself, the next step would be a total defeat on their (American) land, not a relative one like they are facing in Iraq," he said. Abu Nasser, the second-in-command of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group in the West Bank, called the Iraq Study Group report a "great victory" from which other jihadist organizations can learn.

Last edited on Thu Dec 7th, 2006 03:27 pm by Halvah

Fred
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 Posted: Thu Dec 7th, 2006 03:37 am
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Long years of government service, knowledge of our political system, an ability to weigh information on both sides and judge fairly.....

These were people with a lot more experience then any of us, picked and approved by people who took a lot longer to review and decide then the quick look we have done. 

Again, you can nit-pick a few, but you can't ignore the overall level of the panel, and that their work has been pretty much accepted across the board - except for those who think they did not go far enough. 

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 Posted: Thu Dec 7th, 2006 03:02 am
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Fred - Tell me what Jordan and O'Connor could possibly add of benefit?  Don't you think the committee might have been appointed to fail in integrity?

Fred wrote:
The situation is summed up quite nicely by them saying that even if everything they recomended was followed there is no assurance that Iraq would be solved.

The Republican controlled Congress set up the ISG, and there were no arguments about the setup of the group. I think anyone attempting to nit-pick some former members is trying to sidestep the findings of the group.  This is also the opinion of William Gates, Rudy Guilliani, former SecDef Perry,  and Sen Simpson, and none of these demurred on the findings of the report.

There is no magic bullet, and I did not expect them to provide one, but I am surprised at how blunt their assessments actually are.  One can criticize the report, but I have yet to see any disagreements with the basic findings that the current plan is not working.  One can dismiss the Baker Group if you want, but then you have to provide an alternative solution.

Fred
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 Posted: Thu Dec 7th, 2006 02:04 am
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The situation is summed up quite nicely by them saying that even if everything they recomended was followed there is no assurance that Iraq would be solved.

The Republican controlled Congress set up the ISG, and there were no arguments about the setup of the group. I think anyone attempting to nit-pick some former members is trying to sidestep the findings of the group.  This is also the opinion of William Gates, Rudy Guilliani, former SecDef Perry,  and Sen Simpson, and none of these demurred on the findings of the report.

There is no magic bullet, and I did not expect them to provide one, but I am surprised at how blunt their assessments actually are.  One can criticize the report, but I have yet to see any disagreements with the basic findings that the current plan is not working.  One can dismiss the Baker Group if you want, but then you have to provide an alternative solution.

The Insyder
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 Posted: Thu Dec 7th, 2006 12:17 am
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Coogans Bluff wrote:
 Their look at the "total mideast conflict" trying to resolve the situation there will produce unrealistic actions and will no doubt have no way to deal with a nuclear Iran.  I further gather that this groupo has a "Neville Chamberlain" philosophy that could be disasterous.
Well they did say that we would get nowhere by not talking with Iran and that there is no guarantee that we would get anywhere by talking with them. Nothing ventured--nothing gained?  No venture = no gain; venture = no gain.  You cannot deal with Iran and it would be foolheardy to accept any ploy that they would use to delay any intervention in their quest for fully capable nuclear weapons.  Because once they get them, they will use them and any "settlement or agreement" thay make will be dishonored as it suits their purpose.

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 Posted: Wed Dec 6th, 2006 10:28 pm
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I have to question following the recommendations of the likes of Vernon Jordan(Convicted corrupt Lobbyist) and Sandra Day O'Connor.  Who was the non-political genius who appointed them to the allegedly bi-partisan committee.  What political party is the retired Supreme Court Justice Representing?

Coogans Bluff wrote:
After hearing the "recommendations" from the Baker Study Group all I can gatherr is that they do not know what to do at all. The commission is made up of a group of people, not one of which is a military person, and yet they are going to reccomend things that may have repercussions on our own forces.  Their look at the "total mideast conflict" trying to resolve the situation there will produce unrealistic actions and will no doubt have no way to deal with a nuclear Iran.  I further gather that this groupo has a "Neville Chamberlain" philosophy that could be disasterous.

Last edited on Wed Dec 6th, 2006 10:29 pm by

Fred
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 Posted: Wed Dec 6th, 2006 08:25 pm
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I gather that they sought a comprimise so that it would not get rejected outright by the President.  They say that the current policy is not working, and come up with a few solutions....but in all honesty, there are no easy solutions.  The past mistakes have painted us in a corner.

I think the strategy of increasing the imbedded Soldiers in Iraqi units AND giving the Iraqi army the resources may be the last remaining hope. 

Coogans Bluff
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 Posted: Wed Dec 6th, 2006 03:29 pm
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After hearing the "recommendations" from the Baker Study Group all I can gatherr is that they do not know what to do at all. The commission is made up of a group of people, not one of which is a military person, and yet they are going to reccomend things that may have repercussions on our own forces.  Their look at the "total mideast conflict" trying to resolve the situation there will produce unrealistic actions and will no doubt have no way to deal with a nuclear Iran.  I further gather that this groupo has a "Neville Chamberlain" philosophy that could be disasterous.

Halvah
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 Posted: Sun Nov 19th, 2006 10:46 pm
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Emboldened by the US Democrat Party victory indicating softness on the part of the Americans, Syrian-backed Hizbullah may be poised to stage a revolution in Lebanon.  These back-room negotiations between the US and Syria may result in Israel being pressured to give up the Golan Heights. The insurgents that have plagued US troops in Iraq have for the most part entered the country from Syria. Bashar al-Assad’s “top demand” from the US and Britain is that Israel be pressured to withdraw from the Golan.

Syria will not do anything unless it has secured guarantees from Washington and London that every action Damascus takes to help them will be reciprocated. It will be a step by step scenario: these actions for those actions. The Syrian demands also include a staged withdrawal of US troops from the region. Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt warned Sunday that Lebanon is on the verge of a coup de tat staged by Hizbullah and other pro-Syrian elements. "The opposition groups are on the verge of announcing a coup in the country and we should take the brave decision to confront all options," Jumblatt said in a briefing to his ruling parliamentary faction.

Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah attacked the Lebanese government publicly Saturday, saying it lacked credibility. "The Lebanese government is in a state of weakness and is still feeling a huge defeat as the result of the last Israeli war in Lebanon," Nasrallah said in a taped address aired on Hizbullah’s Al-Manar satellite station Sunday. Nasrallah urged Lebanese citizens to be prepared “psychologically” to take to the streets in support of Hizbollah's demand for a national unity government, though he insisted he was not calling for any violence. Analysts think Nasrallah’s statements may serve as instructions for pro-Syrian elements in Lebanon to prepare to take control. Hizbullah’s unity government bid consists of a demand that the group, which answers to Syria and Iran, be given veto power on all major government decisions

The Insyder
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 Posted: Fri Nov 17th, 2006 04:58 pm
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© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

A refugee from the Muslim Middle East thinks he has discovered Islam's 20-point plan for conquering the United States by 2020 – a plan revealed in the latest issue of Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.

Anis Shorrosh, author of ''Islam Revealed'' and ''The True Furqan,'' is a Christian Arab-American who emigrated from Arab-controlled Jerusalem in January 1967.

''The following is my analysis of Islamic invasion of America, the agenda of Islamists and visible methods to take over America by the year 2020,'' Shorrosh says. ''Will Americans continue to sleep through this invasion as they did when we were attacked on 9/11?''

1. Terminate America's freedom of speech by replacing it with statewide and nationwide hate-crime bills.

2. Wage a war of words using black leaders like Louis Farrakhan, Rev. Jesse Jackson and other visible religious personalities who promote Islam as the religion of African-Americans while insisting Christianity is for whites only. What they fail to tell African-Americans is that it was Arab Muslims who captured them and sold them as slaves. In fact, the Arabic word for black and slave is the same, ''Abed.''

3. Engage the American public in dialogues, discussions, debates in colleges, universities, public libraries, radio, TV, churches and mosques on the virtues of Islam. Proclaim how it is historically another religion like Judaism and Christianity with the same monotheistic faith.

Is any of this sounding familiar to you ??

4. Nominate Muslim sympathizers to political office to bring about favorable legislation toward Islam and support potential sympathizers by block voting.

5. Take control of as much of Hollywood, the press, TV, radio and the Internet as possible by buying the related corporations or a controlling stock.

6. Yield to the fear of the imminent shut-off of the lifeblood of America – black gold. America’s economy depends on oil and 41 percent of it comes from the Middle East.

7. Yell ''foul, out-of-context, personal interpretation, hate crime, Zionist, un- American, inaccurate interpretation of the Quran'' anytime Islam is criticized or the Quran is analyzed in the public arena.

8. Encourage Muslims to penetrate the White House, specifically with Islamists who can articulate a marvelous and peaceful picture of Islam. Acquire government positions and get membership in local school boards. Train Muslims as medical doctors to dominate the medical field, research and pharmaceutical companies. (Ever notice how numerous Muslim doctors in America are, when their countries need them more desperately than America?) Take over the computer industry. Establish Middle Eastern restaurants throughout the U.S. to connect planners of Islamization in a discreet way.

9. Accelerate Islamic demographic growth via:

Massive immigration (100,000 annually since 1961).

Use no birth control whatsoever – every baby of Muslim parents is automatically a Muslim and cannot choose another religion later.

Muslim men must marry American women and Islamize them (10,000 annually). Then divorce them and remarry every five years – since one can't legally marry four at one time. This is a legal solution in America.

Convert angry, alienated black inmates and turn them into militants (so far 2,000 released inmates have joined al-Qaida worldwide). Only a few ''sleeper cells'' have been captured in Afghanistan and on American soil.

10. Reading, writing, arithmetic and research through the American educational system, mosques and student centers (now 1,500) should be sprinkled with dislike of Jews, evangelical Christians and democracy. There are currently 300 exclusively Muslim schools in the U.S. which teach loyalty to the Quran, not the U.S. Constitution. In January of 2002, Saudi Arabia’s Embassy in Washington mailed 4,500 packets of the Quran and videos promoting Islam to America's high schools – free of charge. Saudi Arabia would not allow the U.S. to reciprocate.

11. Provide very sizeable monetary Muslim grants to colleges and universities in America to establish ''Centers for Islamic studies'' with Muslim directors to promote Islam in higher-education institutions.

12. Let the entire world know through propaganda, speeches, seminars, local and national media that terrorists have hijacked Islam, when in truth, Islam hijacked the terrorists.

13. Appeal to the historically compassionate and sensitive Americans for sympathy and tolerance towards Muslims in America who are portrayed as mainly immigrants from oppressed countries.

14. Nullify America's sense of security by manipulating the intelligence community with misinformation. Periodically terrorize Americans with reports of impending attacks on bridges, tunnels, water supplies, airports, apartment buildings and malls.

15. Form riots and demonstrations in the prison system demanding Islamic Sharia as the way of life, not America's justice system.

16. Open numerous charities throughout the U.S., but use the funds to support Islamic terrorism with American dollars.

17. Raise interest in Islam on America's campuses by insisting freshman take at least one course on Islam.

18. Unify the numerous Muslim lobbies in Washington, mosques, Islamic student centers, educational organizations, magazines and papers by Internet and an annual convention to coordinate plans, propagate the faith and engender news in the media.

19. Send intimidating messages and messengers to the outspoken individuals who are critical of Islam and seek to eliminate them by hook or crook.

20. Applaud Muslims as loyal citizens of the U.S. by spotlighting their voting record as the highest percentage of all minority and ethic groups in America.

Shorrosh is a member of the Oxford Society of Scholars, has traveled in 76 countries, and is a lecturer and producer of TV documentaries. ''Islam Revealed'' is a bestseller now in its eighth printing. His forthcoming 10th book, from which the 20-point plan is abridged, is titled ''Islam: A Threat or a Challenge.''

''The True Furqan'' is also available for viewing on Islam-Exposed.org. Shorrosh's new website is Focusing-on-Islam.com.

dragonlilly8
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 Posted: Mon Oct 30th, 2006 05:56 am
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no one else wrote: Fred, you studied the Five Pillars for a different reason.  You were going into a foreign land whose religion is far different from yours.  You were going as part on an army.  School children have not the same reason.

Koran/Quran

Sura 9:11

 

Since America is typically represented by an eagle, the radical Muslim clerics should read up on their Muslim passages. The following verse is from the Koran (the Islamic Bible):

                                                    Verse 9 : 11
For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle.  The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair, still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace.




Maybe you should investigate your sources more thoroughly.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/quran911.asp

 

The actual verse in the Qur'an:

Surah 9. Repentance, Dispensation

11. But (even so), if they repent, establish regular prayers, and practise regular charity,- they are your brethren in Faith: (thus) do We explain the Signs in detail, for those who understand.


http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/QURAN/9.htm

Last edited on Mon Oct 30th, 2006 05:57 am by dragonlilly8

Fred
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 Posted: Mon Oct 30th, 2006 01:16 am
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I refuse to be an apoligist for stupidity.  The original reference was about a kid studying Islam in school...I guess the parents felt they had not done a good enough job raising their child and were afraid they could be swayed by a sixth period social studies class.

I was not aware that students could not pray in schools.  Students are free to pray at lunch, they are free to pray in between classes, they are free to pray before and after school. 

Whenever I have read of a Muslim kid in school praying, it is always a choice he does instead of eating, or before soccer practice. I do know that the local schools WILL allow students who are attending religious retreats an abscence, so they do allow kids the time for this.

Kids are always free to carry Bibles, or even go to the library to check them out, contrary to right wing propaganda.  Go ahead, give the local school libraries a call and check. They are in the reference section, if you want to check yourself.

Islam is not an evil religion, or at least is no more or less then some other religions.  It is a fact of modern life that kids will come into contact with friends and neighbors who practice this faith....it would be ridiculous to think that studying the pillars is converting them anymore then reading Thor or Odin is trying to recruit them as believers in Norse mythology.

 

 

Last edited on Mon Oct 30th, 2006 01:17 am by Fred

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 Posted: Sun Oct 29th, 2006 11:53 pm
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LCR wrote: The only religious victims in the US are God fearing Christians & Jews.And a big AMEN to that!

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 Posted: Sun Oct 29th, 2006 11:12 pm
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The only religious victims in the US are God fearing Christians & Jews.

Idaho Observer
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 Posted: Sun Oct 29th, 2006 10:10 pm
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Have you now become an apologist for Islam?  As the spokesman for the Democrats on this forum perhaps we had better be aware of the Dems who, by and large, would be soft on terrorism and defense of this country. Maybe the Islamists had best better undersatnd US.  It is they who should adapt and not us adapting to them.  Ban any form of Christianity in schools but for the sake of PC, allow Islamist preaching in schools.

In some schools they allow Muslims "pray time" on school property but deny anyone else their time.  Democrats.  Bah! It is their socialist ideas that promote this stuff.

Fred
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 Posted: Sun Oct 29th, 2006 08:58 pm
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We studied the Five Pillars to better understand the people.  That is the main reason the schools have the programs as well.

no one else
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 Posted: Sun Oct 29th, 2006 08:26 pm
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Fred, you studied the Five Pillars for a different reason.  You were going into a foreign land whose religion is far different from yours.  You were going as part on an army.  School children have not the same reason.

Koran/Quran

Sura 9:11

 

Since America is typically represented by an eagle, the radical Muslim clerics should read up on their Muslim passages. The following verse is from the Koran (the Islamic Bible):

                                                    Verse 9 : 11
For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle.  The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair, still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace.

Fred
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 Posted: Fri Oct 27th, 2006 12:31 am
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Islam should be embraced as much as Christianity, Judiasm, and every other religion. Most students are more familiar with Christianity then other religions, so studying it, to the extent that religion should be studied in school, should be understandable. They are not studying it to convert people anymore then analyzing "The Scarlett Letter" is trying to convert the students to Puritanism.

As for studying the five pillars of Islam....I had to memorize them as well as a lot of other stuff before I went to Iraq. Does that mean the U.S. Army is embracing Islam?

Newshound
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 Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 09:20 pm
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Islam is being taught in the nation's public schools as a religion to be embraced because "organized Islamists have gained control of textbook content," according to an organization that analyzes textbooks. Read the latest now on WND.com.
http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52623

Halvah
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 Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 03:21 pm
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MYTH

“Zionism is racism.”

FACT

No, no, no! Zionism is far from being racist. You may be alluding to the fact that back in 1975, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution slandering Zionism by equating it with racism. In his response to the resolution, Israel's Ambassador to the UN at the time, Chaim Herzog, noted the irony of the timing, the vote coming exactly 37 years after Kristalnacht, (The Night of Glass) the night that the Nazis in Germany raided Jewish establishments and intimidated them by breaking windows and burning those establishments. 

What Zionism is, is the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, which holds that Jews, like any other nation, are entitled to a homeland.  It is natural that they occupy the land of their origins, Israel.

History has demonstrated the need to ensure Jewish security through a national homeland. Zionism recognizes that Jewishness is defined by shared origin, religion, culture and history. The realization of the Zionist dream is exemplified by more than five million Jews, from more than 100 countries, who are Israeli citizens.

Israel's Law of Return grants automatic citizenship to Jews, but non-Jews are also eligible to become citizens under naturalization procedures similar to those in other countries. Approximately 1,000,000 Muslim and Christian Arabs, Druze, Baha’is, Circassians, and other ethnic groups also are represented in Israel's population. The presence in Israel of thousands of dark-skinned Jews from Ethiopia, Yemen and India is the best refutation of the calumny against Zionism. In a series of historic airlifts, labeled Moses (1984), Joshua (1985) and Solomon (1991), Israel rescued almost 42,000 members of the ancient Ethiopian Jewish community.

Zionism does not discriminate against anyone. Israel's open and democratic character, and its scrupulous protection of the religious and political rights of Christians and Muslims, rebut the charge of exclusivity. Moreover, anyone — Jew or non-Jew, Israeli, American, or Saudi, black, white, yellow or purple — can be a Zionist.

By contrast, the Arab states define citizenship strictly by native parentage. It is almost impossible to become a naturalized citizen in many Arab states, especially Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Several Arab nations have laws that facilitate the naturalization of foreign Arabs, with the specific exception of Palestinians. Jordan, on the other hand, instituted its own "law of return" in 1954, according citizenship to all former residents of Palestine, except for Jews.

To single out Jewish self-determination for condemnation is itself a form of racism. When approached by a student at Harvard in 1968 that attacked Zionism, Martin Luther King responded: "When people criticize Zionists, they mean Jews. You're talking anti-Semitism."

The 1975 UN resolution was part of the Soviet-Arab Cold War anti-Israel campaign. Almost all the former non-Arab supporters of the resolution have apologized and changed their positions. When the General Assembly voted to repeal the resolution in 1991, only some Arab and Muslim states, as well as Cuba, North Korea and Vietnam were opposed. All of these nations are either theocracies, dictatorships or Communist, all enemies of the United States. 

It was the Muslims that restricted Christians from access to Jerusalem when they controlled it.  When we took over we granted Christians access to their holy sites and remains so to this day.  No one is arrested for preaching Christianity, however, there are no Christian preachers active in Israel.  We do frown upon it.  Try preaching Christianity or any other religion in any Muslim country.  You most likely would face the death penalty.

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 Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 12:21 pm
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With all due respect, hasn't even the U.N.  labeled Zionism as a racist entity? Don't the Jews discriminate against blacks and Orientals and Arabs?  I heard that people have been arrested for preaching Christianity in Israel.

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 Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 11:18 am
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Cobra wrote: Can we not trace the conflict back and place the blame on "Zionism?"  Are not the Zionists racist concerning Muslims and Christians?  I do not subscribe to the long debunked "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" but generally, doesn't Zionism include world expansion of Jewery?
Zionism is the national movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel, advocated, from its inception, tangible as well as spiritual aims. Jews of all persuasions, left and right, religious and secular, joined to form the Zionist movement and worked together toward these goals. Disagreements led to rifts, but ultimately, the common goal of a Jewish state in its ancient homeland was attained. The term "Zionism" was coined in 1890 by Nathan Birnbaum, a writer and political activist who also used the pseudonym of Mathias Archer. There are Jews who criticize or oppose Zionism and are usually the Orthodox Jews and the Hassidic Jews and they maintain that Israel can only be regained miraculously. (The coming of the Messiah) They view the present state as a blasphemous human attempt to usurp God’s role, and they work to dismantle Israel. However, unlike many gentile anti­ Zionists, they firmly believe in the Jewish right to Israel, but only at that future time of redemption. The best ­known of the religious anti-­Zionists are the Neturei Karta.  Zionism is not racism nor is it colonialism.  The term is far too often misused, abused, and used in a derogatory fashion to foster resentment against Israel and Judaism in general.

LMAO
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 Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 03:11 am
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http://www.appealforredress.org/index.php

Fred
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 Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 02:43 am
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I don't think Zionism is an expansion of world Jewish power....it was/is a movement to establish their homeland. Perhaps reclaiming all of their land according to Bibical writings might be considered Zionism, but I really don't believe the Jewish goal is expansion of their faith.  They believe that they are the Chosen People, and really aren't big on converting people.

Duncan Idaho
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 Posted: Wed Oct 25th, 2006 05:53 pm
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I think that the Cobra was referring to the conflicts with Israel and not Iraq.  But I do agree with your comments fully.

Fred
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 Posted: Wed Oct 25th, 2006 04:41 pm
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Two things....

One can not fight for anothers freedom. At some point, they must want freedom more then you want it for them.

There are two kinds of support in this war..there is the yellow ribbon on the back of your SUV or minivan, and there is real support. If you have sent a package to a serviceperson, if you have sent someone a letter, if you have sent them an email, you have supported the troops. If you have worked in an industry or government agency that is connected with the DoD, you have supported the troops. If you have bought a returning guy or gal a beer, or if you have thanked them if you saw them at the airport, you have supported the troops. Heck, if you have thanked any of the servicepeople for their service....you have supported the troops.

If all you have done is put a ribbon on your car, or thought of the troops while you sang along to a Toby Kieth song....you have NOT supported the troops.

hey you
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 Posted: Wed Oct 25th, 2006 04:07 pm
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Why are we fighting  in the Mid-East?

Look around and see what we have all in the name of war here in America 

War between man , state or country has long been a problem that many do not understand and will not understand in the future.

I do not agree with the lost of any life rather it be American or not but fighting for freedoms is just part of the nature of man kind! Though out the years these wars have been proven to be just in many cases. The men and woman who have died for the cause of freedom rather it be their choice or their lives taken will never die in vane. In a perfect world  will there be wars ? A question that never will have a answer.

Just support the men and woman who choose to defend the right for freedom in our country and others . They knew the dangers when they became soldiers and to have their country men at home fighting among them selves about their choice does not show solidarity.  

Rather you be Democrat , Republican or a Independent party we as people should stand behind our Military Forces

 


Last edited on Wed Oct 25th, 2006 04:18 pm by hey you

Cobra
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 Posted: Wed Oct 25th, 2006 01:34 pm
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Can we not trace the conflict back and place the blame on "Zionism?"  Are not the Zionists racist concerning Muslims and Christians?  I do not subscribe to the long debunked "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" but generally, doesn't Zionism include world expansion of Jewery?

Boo
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 Posted: Mon Oct 23rd, 2006 04:16 pm
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I read that in Iraq, this guy AlSadr commands a 16,000 man militia and is aided by Nazrallah, the Hesbollah chief to keep things stirred up.  Nazrallah commanded to all insurgent groups to keep up and increase the fighting in Iraq so that the situation can always be in the forefront of the news.  He said that all Muslims should kill at least one American and British soldier per day and that the war (for them) will be won not in Iraq but in the USA.  He says that the American people have lost their will and will force a withdrawl and a change in the Congress. So much for those who say that the Muslims don't want to influence the elections.

Halvah
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 Posted: Sun Oct 22nd, 2006 04:22 pm
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Why the Arabs Fight - Part 1

To understand why the Arab militants of Hizballah and Hamas are intensifying their aggression towards Israel at this time one must begin with the January, 2006 election.  The democratically conducted election resulted in Hamas, sworn to Israel’s destruction, defeating the PLO’s Fatah in the Palestinian general vote. Hamas’ political leader in the Gaza, Ismail Hania became Prime Minister and began his attempts to prove that Hamas could govern aside from engaging in combative actions.  Hania tries to project himself as a moderate, which he is not.  Since the world considers Hamas as a terrorist organization, they are boycotted financially and politically by America and the European Union.In late June of this year, Hania reached an uneasy agreement with Palestinian Authority leader President Mahmoud Abbas on a unified platform that would implicitly recognize Israel on the condition that it would retreat to its 1967 borders.  The recognition of Israel is anathema to Hamas’ hard liners who believe that God gave all the lands of the Middle East to the Muslims and that the Jewish state is therefore accursed.  This is directly contrary to the Abrahamic promise as believed by Jews and Christians alike.  To the Hamas hard liners (and radical Islam also), any moves towards accommodation threaten Hamas’ reason for being in the first place.

 Kept in line from any aggressive actions, Hamas kept a cease-fire from March 2005 up until last June when they resumed firing rockets into Israel with weapons supplied by Iran and Syria through Egypt.  On June 25, 2006, Hamas decided to try a new tactic by digging a tunnel under the Gaza fence and killing two Israeli soldiers and capturing Corporal Gilad Shalit, who remains unto this day in captivity.  This is the initial precipitating event which led to the 36 day Lebanon war.  The Israeli response was to militarily attempt a rescue of Shalit and to stop the rocket assaults into Israel.  In the meantime, Hizballah, created in 1982, had internal political incentives to act against Israel, confidant of their six-year buildup of tunnels, bunkers, weapons cashes, and rocket launch sites, under the noses of the UNIFIL.

Last edited on Sun Oct 22nd, 2006 04:22 pm by Halvah


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