A Peek into Others' mind » August 15, 2008

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August 16, 2008
7:47
Truck Bomber Kills 9 as Shiite Pilgrims Travel Through Northern Iraq
» ‎ NYT > Middle East

A pickup truck exploded near the central bus station at Balad, a largely Shiite town in the overwhelmingly Sunni province of Salahuddin.

6:20
CAIR Demands Correction from Steve Emerson
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

There’s an interesting (and revealing) exchange between the Investigative Project for Terrorism’s Steven Emerson and CAIR’s Corey Saylor, in the comments (scroll down) for this article at the IPT site: Emerson Exposes Radical Ties of State Department Outreach Partners.

4:22
mideast youth speak out..
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

im pretty sure im a member of the mideastyouth blog.. at least i think i am.. in any event they have put together this video about the bahai's persecution that i wish to share with you.. at the very least - to this extent - i accede to their movement..

we have made reference to the bahai people before.. the fourth monotheistic religion/people.. from everything i have read they sound like a decent bunch to me - even if they like ahmadinejad dont "believe" in the big bad gay people.. and in any case i stand against their persecution in both iran egypt and wherever else it may be happening..

4:08
The Corsi Letter
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

Here’s the email that went out today to the Obamaton horde, about Jerome Corsi’s book:

From: DNC Rapid Response Team
Subject: Fight Swift Boating

Friend —

Yesterday, you learned about the right-wing’s latest attack: extremist Jerome Corsi and his book of the same old smears and lies.

This morning, when asked about the book, all John McCain could say about Corsi’s outrageously false attacks was, “Gotta keep your sense of humor.” Despite pledging to run a respectful campaign, McCain is just standing by while Corsi and his publisher, former Dick Cheney aide Mary Matalin, poison this presidential race.

Right now, you can take the next step by pushing back on Corsi, the media, and John McCain.

Tackle this smear campaign head on. The Obama research team released a 41-page rebuttal called “Unfit for Publication,” refuting Corsi’s rehashed distortions point by point, leaving no smear unanswered.

Arm yourself with the facts and write a letter to your local newspapers telling them to do their job by debunking this kind of garbage. And remind them that John McCain should honor his word by stepping up and denouncing this kind of low road politics:

http://www.democrats.org/unfit4publication

The right-wing smear machine is in full force — blasting out Corsi’s stale fabrications far and wide to a media that’s been eager to pick it up. In just three days, Corsi’s made front page news in both the New York Times and Washington Post.

The media are not playing their role as watchdogs, and they’re letting McCain off the hook as he allows Corsi’s despicable lies to drag this race into the gutter.

The Obama campaign has posted the full truth online so you have the tools to fight back in your community and local papers.

Can you write a letter to the editor exposing Jerome Corsi and his book for what they really are — another hack job by a desperate right-wing fabricator?

In 2004, Corsi helped launch the Swift Boat smear campaign with a book of distortions and lies he wrote about John Kerry. This time Democrats won’t be Swift Boated.

Keep up the good fight,

DNC Rapid Response Team
3:22
iPhone 3G Problems?
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

Trouble in Cupertino? What’s Wrong With the 3G in iPhone 3G?

A gaggle of early adopters are having problems with the 3G part of their new iPhone 3Gs; dropped connections, reverting to the older (and much slower) EDGE network, and transfer speeds that don’t quite bear out the advertising boasts.

A Swedish tech magazine claims to have discovered hardware problems:

Ny Teknik, Sweden’s foremost engineering weekly, obtained a report on tests conducted by unnamed experts that showed some handsets’ sensitivity to third-generation network signals is well below the level specified in the 3G standard.

So-called 3G networks offer the promise of faster Web surfing on cell phone browsers, and make bandwidth-hogging applications like video calling feasible. Phones that access 3G networks must meet certain engineering and technical specifications, which are set and maintained by the International Telecommunication Union, a Geneva-based organization.

The report said the most likely cause of the 3G problems is defective adjustments between the antenna and an amplifier that captures very weak signals from the antenna. This could lead to poor 3G connectivity and slower data speeds.

My report:

At Lizard HQ I don’t get any 3G connectivity at all; the little icon never appears. But I don’t miss it, because the iPhone connects seamlessly to the Airport wireless network (which is faster than 3G anyway).

Around Los Angeles I’ve had mixed results; the 3G icon shows up about 50-60% of the time. I’ve been unable to get connected even in some areas where the AT&T coverage map says it’s supposed to be “optimum.”

But when the 3G Juice is flowing, the speed has completely lived up to the hype so far and I’ve never reverted to EDGE or been disconnected. So I’m fairly happy with it. And I haven’t found any areas in LA where I couldn’t get on the EDGE network.

Everything else about the phone is a total gas. This is one of the coolest gadgets ever conceived. The software functions flawlessly, it syncs up with my other machines painlessly, and the user interface is nothing short of magical. If I’d seen it 14 years ago I probably would have called Bobby Jindal to perform an exorcism.

2:06
Michael Ledeen leaves AEI:Neoconservative historian and writer ...
» ‎ War and Piece

Michael Ledeen leaves AEI:Neoconservative historian and writer Michael Ledeen has left the American Enterprise Institute, his intellectual base for almost two decades, Mother Jones has learned. The decision for Ledeen, a veteran of the Iran contra affair, and AEI to...

0:00
Israel's Barak meets with Palestinian PM
» ‎ Alarabiya.net English | Middle East

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak held talks Saturday evening on security and political matters, officials from both sides said. The two men meet at Barak's residence in Tel Aviv for discussions on "security and political questions"
0:00
GCC chides Iran over facilities on Gulf island
» ‎ Alarabiya.net English | Middle East

Oil-rich Arab monarchies in the Gulf chided Iran on Saturday for setting up facilities on an island claimed by the United Arab Emirates, two days after Abu Dhabi protested to Tehran over the move. Gulf Cooperation Council secretary general Abdurrahman al-Attiyah "strongly denounced Iran's
0:00
Shiites flood Iraqi shrine despite attacks
» ‎ Alarabiya.net English | Middle East

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims poured into Iraq's holy city of Karbala on Saturday for a rite that has become an annual show of strength for Shiites, defying bomb attacks across the country. At least six people were killed in the latest such attack, when a car bombing in Baghdad on Saturday
0:00
Mubarak, Saudi monarch discuss regional issues
» ‎ Alarabiya.net English | Middle East

Talks between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Saudi King Abdullah in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria have focused on regional developments and boosting bilateral ties. "The two leaders discussed the range of Arab issues, including recent developments on the Palestinian front...

August 15, 2008
23:41
NYT: Edwards' cover ...
» ‎ War and Piece

NYT: Edwards' cover up....
22:53
Ominous. NYT: There were no reports of ...
» ‎ War and Piece

Ominous. NYT: There were no reports of hostilities in the eastern part of Georgia on Friday, but a column of at least a dozen armored vehicles moved Friday night from Gori toward Tbilisi, the closest the Russians have come to...

21:52
9-11 Troofer's Book Debuts at Number 1
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

Jerome Corsi’s new book on Barack Obama debuted at number one on the New York Times list. But I was surprised and dismayed to learn that Corsi is a 9-11 Truther.

For me, and I suspect for many others, that is a huge, honking red “no-credibility” flag.

David Freddoso’s book, although I have not read it yet, looks like a much better bet: The Case Against Barack Obama: The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media’s Favorite Candidate.

UPDATE at 8/15/08 12:41:05 pm:

Corsi has also appeared several times on the vile white nationalist radio show Political Cesspool, a favorite haunt of David Duke. Excuse me while I retch.

21:27
Road to success?
» ‎ BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

Signs of peace and progress in Iraqi city of Basra

20:45
Settlers violence
» ‎ Sabbah's Blog

Behind closed doors, police admit ‘turning a blind eye’ to settler violence

Not unlike the NYT, Washington Post, ABC, CNN, Buzzflash, Raw Story, der Spiegel Int’l., and other media whose editors and readership condone occupation and violence against CERTAIN people…but are oh, so self righteous when it comes to other “injustices” -and just as blind about their own hypocrisy!…

[www.haaretz.com]

Police, soldiers and military officers prefer to “turn a blind eye” instead of handling incidents in which settlers attack Palestinians in the West Bank.

In a meeting held by West Bank precinct operations officer Ronen Yefet last week, participants - including a Shin Bet security service representative and a senior police and army officers - reported a recent increase in the number of violent incidents involving settlers.

The Shin Bet representative stated in the discussion that settler violence has been “intentional and planned,” adding that any Israel Defense Forces operations against settlers (eviction or demolitions) now comes with a violent “price tag.”

Police officers at the meeting criticized the IDF for reportedly saying they do not want to act against settlers, and purported comments like “Leave me alone, don’t get me mixed up with those guys.”

In response, chief of the West Bank precinct patrol unit said police also prefer not to confront settlers. “Sometimes cops also avoid acting against Jews. There are also instances where police have looked the other way in order to say ‘I didn’t see anything.’”

Palestinian actions were also criticized during the meeting. Police said Palestinians do not coordinate their farming plans with the police, which ends up causing friction with the settlers.

In the first half of 2008, particularly in the Samaria and Binyamin districts, there has been an increase in “disturbances of the peace” - the term used for harm caused by Israeli citizens to Palestinians and their property, as well as harm to Israeli security forces. Data presented in the meeting indicated that there were 429 such incidents in the first half of this year, compared with 587 incidents in all of 2006 and 551 in 2007.

At the end of the meeting, the Shin Bet representative expressed the opinion that discussions should be held with the settlers to decrease the instances of disturbing the peace. Security officials are also looking into restraining orders against known disturbers of the peace. Also, the police and IDF agreed to hold joint situation assessments. They will inform all command functions ahead of any police or military operations against settlers, in order to prepare for violent responses.

West Bank precinct spokesman Danny Poleg said in response that “In January-July 2008, 340 cases of Israelis (both right and left-wing) disturbing the peace were opened, compared to 313 cases in the parallel period last year.”

Poleg said the data covers case files, not incidents. Regarding the criticism voiced at the meeting, Poleg replied “This was a meeting, one of many held by the precinct with other entities with which police are in routine contact such as the IDF, so we have no intention of commenting on things said in internal discussions.” An IDF spokesman said “The IDF performs its role in cooperation with the police and Shin Bet.”

A military source added that “irregularities uncovered in police or soldier performance are handled appropriately.”

20:32
Terrorists twisting in the wind
» ‎ Israel Matzav

Remember the Hilles clan? Let me update their story for you. After the Israeli 'human rights' groups threatened to sue because the Israeli government was going to send them back to Gaza because 'moderate' 'Palestinian' President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen decided he didn't want them, the government decided to send them to Jericho, the supposedly 'quiet' town where it sends many terrorists (think "

20:12
Arab American News: “In Defense of Prejudice”
» ‎ Israellycool

In an unbelievable move, the Arab American News - a leading newspaper that rails against perceived American prejudice against Arabs - has printed an article by the vile anti-semite “Israel Shamir” called “In Defense of Prejudice.”

“Shamir” has been denounced as a fraud by even far left anti-Zionists and goes by many other names including Jöran Jermas and Adam Ermash and probably was never Jewish (he now happily says he is Christian and he advocates all Jews converting to Christianity.)

The article is typical “Shamir”, where he says things like:

Stereotypes and prejudice are a legitimate part of our life. They are here to make our life easier. If you walk the dark streets of an urban ghetto and notice a gang of male teenagers without a single woman among them, your prejudice tells you to make a prudent detour. If a tramp in rags proposes to sell you a gold watch, your prejudice advises you to avoid the deal. If a charming stranger is eager to get bedded, your prejudice calls you to use a condom - or run away. ADL correctly states that there is a stereotype of a “malicious cabal of Jews” who are “pushing for war,” as well as that of “Jewish media-lords” that “clinch the party line.” A stereotype, or prejudice, usually is a result of many unpleasant experiences by persons who did not heed them….

A person unhappy with a stereotype or with prejudice may fight it. There is a good, hard way to fight a stereotype you dislike: act contrary to the stereotype….The Jews fought against prejudice a few times and won every time….They can do it now again. They may engage in work conducive to the general benefit, shy away from stock markets and banks, give Christmas presents, demand “troops out of Iraq, no aid to apartheid Israel.” be friendly to their non-Jewish neighbors. Do not demonize nor threaten with legal action everybody who does not agree with you. Do not turn the media into your private reserve. Try this, and an old stereotype will wither and vanish.

The stereotyping of Jews is quite justifiable, and only their behavior change will change it.

“Shamir” of course can write whatever bigoted tripe he wants, but it is telling that the Arab-American News would choose to publish this pure hate - because that newspaper seems more interested in maintaining anti-Jewish stereotypes than in fighting against anti-Arab stereotypes.

All of “Shamir”’s arguments can be used against Arabs to stereotype them as terror supporters or as anti-semitic. This obvious point is lost to the editors of this periodical, whose apparent hatred of Jews overcomes their own sense of self-preservation.

There is as of yet not a single comment on the article decrying its premise nor the flip-side that it implies against Arabs.

ShareThis

19:59
Russia Threatens to Use Nukes Against Poland
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

Barack Obama has vowed to cut funding of missile defense systems, and recently pledged to eliminate nuclear weapons from the world because, according to him, we just don’t need them any more:

CHICAGO - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Tuesday called for ridding the world of nuclear weapons, arguing that U.S. policy is still focused on the defunct Soviet Union instead of combatting the nuclear threat from rogue nations and terrorists.

Today, following the US-Polish agreement on missile defense, Russia is threatening to use nuclear weapons against Poland.

MOSCOW - A top Russian general said Friday that Poland’s agreement to accept a U.S. missile interceptor base exposes the ex-communist nation to attack, possibly by nuclear weapons, the Interfax news agency reported. ...

“Poland, by deploying (the system) is exposing itself to a strike — 100 percent,” Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of staff, was quoted as saying.

He added, in clear reference to the agreement, that Russia’s military doctrine sanctions the use of nuclear weapons “against the allies of countries having nuclear weapons if they in some way help them.” Nogovitsyn that would include elements of strategic deterrence systems, he said, according to Interfax.
19:48
Bolton on the Georgia Crisis
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

John Bolton analyzes the Russian invasion of Georgia: After Russia’s invasion of Georgia, what now for the West?

As bad as the bloodying of Georgia is, the broader consequences are worse. The United States fiddled while Georgia burned, not even reaching the right rhetorical level in its public statements until three days after the Russian invasion began, and not, at least to date, matching its rhetoric with anything even approximating decisive action. This pattern is the very definition of a paper tiger. Sending Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice to Tbilisi is touching, but hardly reassuring; dispatching humanitarian assistance is nothing more than we would have done if Georgia had been hit by a natural rather than a man-made disaster.

The European Union took the lead in diplomacy, with results approaching Neville Chamberlain’s moment in the spotlight at Munich: a ceasefire that failed to mention Georgia’s territorial integrity, and that all but gave Russia permission to continue its military operations as a “peacekeeping” force anywhere in Georgia. More troubling, over the long term, was that the EU saw its task as being mediator – its favourite role in the world – between Georgia and Russia, rather than an advocate for the victim of aggression.

Even this dismal performance was enough to relegate Nato to an entirely backstage role, while Russian tanks and planes slammed into a “faraway country”, as Chamberlain once observed so thoughtfully. In New York, paralysed by the prospect of a Russian veto, the UN Security Council, that Temple of the High-Minded, was as useless as it was during the Cold War. In fairness to Russia, it at least still seems to understand how to exercise power in the Council, which some other Permanent Members often appear to have forgotten.

The West, collectively, failed in this crisis.

19:37
The Dangers of Foregoing Long-Term Assessments
» ‎ Counterterrorism Blog

I was taken by the Washington Post's Anne Applebaum's recent column on the lack of attention that led to the current situation in Georgia.

She points out, rightly, that:

The time to deal with this conflict is not now but was two, or even four, years ago. For a very long time it has been clear that there was a security vacuum in the Caucasus; that this vacuum was dangerous; that war was likely; that Georgia, an eager ally of the United States, would not emerge well from a confrontation; and that a successful invasion of Georgia, a country with U.S. troops on its soil, would reflect badly on the West.

Cowardice, weakness, lack of ideas and, above all, the distraction of other events prevented any deeper engagement. And now it may be too late.

The truth is there is virtually no effort to develop an understanding not just of the world as it is-and the Caucasus, like much of the rest of the world, is not really known in policy and intelligence circles now-but what it may look like in a decade or two.

This has to do with many issues, including the criminal structures, their overlap with terrorist group, the reach these groups have into governments and weapons supplies, what supplies remain available, and what is the present and likely future presence of radical Islam and other violent non-state actors.

There are multiple states that now operate as criminal enterprises (and Russia seems well on its way to joining their ranks) that offer the key havens for the growing criminal-terrorist nexus. For a broader look at these issues, see this paper I did for the NEFA Foundation.

These are different advantages from those offered by truly failed states or regions. Criminal states provide weapons, end-user certificates, travel documents, aircraft registries, banking facilities and much more to groups-including radical Islamist groups-who can buy or talk their way into the game in these havens. My full blog is here.
19:36
No Attack in the US Since 9-11?
» ‎ Counterterrorism Blog

This is the fourth article in the series by Madeleine Gruen and Frank Hyland on the threat of terrorism in the United States. In this article we lay out the history of plots and attacks that have taken place in the US since 9-11 in order to respond to the widespread misconception that there have been no terrorist attacks on US soil since that date.

Readers have heard the question “why have there been no terrorist attacks in the US since 9-11-2001” bandied between counter-terrorism professionals on countless occasions. These debates are premised on the false presumption that there have not been any attacks. In fact, there have been a number of attacks and there have been additional plots that did not come to fruition, due to excellent counter-terrorism efforts in some cases and due to the sheer incompetence of the conspirators in other cases. The latter condition does not disparage an incredibly hard-working, bright and dedicated CT Community. However, just as British authorities have learned in the years since 9/11, effort and competence levels evolve and it is important to recognize the patterns before conditions ripen to a point where actors are able to carry out a plot successfully, as was the case on July 7, 2005.

The Al-Qa’ida leadership has told us repeatedly that it intends to attack the United States again. As observers have learned, Al-Qa’ida has a good track record of following through with their threats. Recent history has also shown that when their efforts fail initially they have continued trying until they achieved a “successful” attack. Although somewhat more veiled, and what we might call less “successful,” racist separatist groups have also made near-constant threats. Some have followed through. In this article, we reference plots and attacks that are directly tied to the aforementioned groups, and we also present to you attacks and plots executed by individuals who were inspired by the ideology of recognized terrorist groups.

We acknowledge that one aspect or another of every example we provide to you here may be debated. You may say, “the actor’s motivations may be unclear and therefore difficult to label as terrorism,” or the situation was “all talk.” We are, however, including the following examples because we believe that they are indicative of a pattern and of the aspirations inspired by a particular brand of ideology.

19:14
Hamas proxy claims to be able to hit Ashdod
» ‎ Israel Matzav

The 'People's Resistance Committee,' the Hamas proxy that kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in June 2006, claims to have used the 'truce' to develop a rocket with the capability to hit Ashdod and other points up to 25 kilometers from the Gaza Strip. Ashdod is the home of Israel's second largest port and has a population of 200,000 (compare with Ashkelon's - which has already been hit - 120,000).

18:48
Georgia Signs 'Cease-Fire' with Russia
» ‎ Little Green Footballs

Anyone want to guess how long this latest “cease-fire” agreement will last? Georgia president signs cease-fire with Russia.

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said Friday he signed a cease-fire agreement with Russia, which protects the former Soviet republic’s interests despite concessions to Moscow.

He said he will “never, ever surrender” in showdown with Russia, and he accused the West of inviting Russian aggression.

Russia, meanwhile, has not withdrawn any troops: Russian troops still deep inside Georgia.

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) - Russian troops in Georgia have allowed some humanitarian supplies into the city of Gori but their blockade continues.

Gori is key to the blockade. By holding the city, Russia has effectively cut Georgia in half because Gori sits along Georgia’s only significant east-west highway. Russian military vehicles are blocking the eastern road into the city. They have allowed in one Georgian bus filled with loaves of bread.

Officials say Russian troops are also in several other cities deep in Georgia. It’s not known if Russia will honor a cease-fire that calls for both sides to pull their forces back to the positions they held before fighting broke out last week.

18:46
If Musharraf Goes: Assessments and Opportunities
» ‎ Counterterrorism Blog

There are reports that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will be stepping down in the next few days in order to avoid impeachment. Musharraf has denied these reports, but the prominence of the rumors indicates strongly that the political balance of power has shifting against Musharraf - he will almost certainly be reduced to a figurehead. It is difficult to say how history will judge Musharraf. From the American perspective he was not adequately taking on Islamic extremism. But from the Pakistani perspective he was becoming an American lackey. The truth is somewhere in between. What Musharraf lacked was either the desire or the capability to take on the systemic problems bedeviling Pakistan. It is possible that with his exit from the scene, a new opportunity to take on these challenges could emerge.

On one level, Musharraf has been cooperative on counter-terror issues, arresting high-profile al-Qaeda and acquiescing to missile strikes on Pakistani territory. However, while missile strikes are a useful tool - they are no substitute for a serious policy. They have also contributed to Musharraf’s loss of standing in Pakistan, since he is seen as subordinating Pakistani sovereignty - and lives (these strikes have, unfortunately, killed civilians) - to American priorities.

On the other hand, Pakistan has not successfully taken control of the tribal areas where al-Qaeda is re-grouping. Americans would be wise to temper their criticism of the Pakistani military’s counter-insurgency efforts.

Read the complete post here.
17:14
Quilliam Responds
» ‎ Counterterrorism Blog

In July, Maajid Nawaz, the co-director of the London-based Quilliam Foundation, was in Washington, testifying before the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and speaking at a number of DC think tanks, including the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Mr. Nawaz and his colleague Ed Husain -- the author of the fascinating book The Islamist -- formed Quilliam as a "a counter extremism think tank” and are now actively attempting to take on the ideology they previously espoused. A summary of Mr. Nawaz's speech at the Washington Institute is available here.

In a July 16 posting, Jeffrey Imm took issue with some of Quilliam's stances, including their support for the grand mufti of Egypt.

Mr. Nawaz has written a response to this post and to other criticisms which have been directed at Quilliam. I am posting it on Quilliam's behalf.

"The Right and Wrong Voices," Response by Maajid Nawaz, Co-Director of the Quilliam Foundation

Since being invited to Washington in July 2008, the Quilliam Foundation has received an overwhelming response from supportive voices across the political spectrum. As a result of this work, both Ed Husain and I have been invited to return this September. Our forthcoming trip coincides with Ed Husain’s American launch of his book The Islamist, published by Penguin.

Naturally, and after observing the level of publicity our foundation has enjoyed, some voices have asked more detailed questions about our policies. I have been asked to outline our view on a number of issues ranging from our praise of the Mufti of Egypt, Ali Goma; our stance on a British religious leader Dr. Usama Hassan; our stance on Shari’ah “law” and our selection of Quilliam as a name.

The Quilliam Foundation has no formal links with Mufti Ali Goma of Egypt. However, we have named him on our website as a scholastic giant. Some have asked us whether we know of Mufti Ali Goma’s stance on suicide bombings. Firstly, let me clarify that our view on suicide bombings is on the record. We have explicitly condemned the deliberate targeting of non-combatants, in Israel or anywhere else in the world. Ed Husain directly criticised Qardawi’s fatwa justifying suicide bombings whilst in Qatar for the Doha Debates. Furthermore, I personally challenged Azzam Tamimi - Hamas representative in the UK - on this matter in a studio debate on BBC’s flagship Newsnight with Jeremy Paxman (video).

It follows, therefore, that we would naturally be concerned if figures we have named as ‘scholastic giants’ were to be discovered as supporting such actions. On July 30th 2008 a letter was sent to Secretary of State Condaleezza Rice by two prominent and respected Senators, Tom Coburn and Jon Kyl. In this letter, the Senators referred to a 2003 article in Egypt’s “Al-Haqiqa” newspaper quoting Ali Goma defending terrorist acts in Israel. The respected Senators have cited Rabinowitz, Beila and William Mayer from their paper entitled “State Department Funding ISNA’s Propagation of Islam via citizen exchange program” (Pipe Line News, 25 April 2008) as a reference for this allegation against Ali Goma.

Since these questions were raised I did my own research. I have found this source referred to by Rabinowitz, Beila and William Mayer. It is a secondary source that does not quote Ali Goma directly. Rather surprisingly, it is also a Wahabite-Islamist source, being a newspaper that explicitly promotes a Shari’ah-law based Caliphate and attacks Shi’ah Muslims as heretics. I felt, therefore, that it would be helpful for people to know who they are being asked to rely on for evidence. The following extract is taken from an article stating that by far the biggest ‘danger to Islam’ in Egypt is the modernising agenda of Mufti Ali Goma, due to his articulate, learned and popular approach to reform issues:

ليس كسابقه الذي كان دينه هو دين الحكومة إذا أحلت أحل وإن حرمت حرم !! فهو يحاول أن يكتسب مصداقية بمخالفة الرأي الرسمي للحكومة والدولة مثل رأيه في العمليات الاستشهادية مثلاً واعتبار من يقول بحرمتها أنه حمار ـ أعزكم الله ـ وذلك بعد تصريح شيخ الأزهر بأنها انتحار محرم بأقل من أسبوع, في تحدي واضح لرأس المؤسسة الدينية في مصر

He (Ali Goma) is not like his predecessor, whose religion was simply the religion of the government of the day. If such a government made something permissible (Halal), he too would make it permissible. If they were to deem something forbidden (Haram), so would he. Consequently, he (Ali Goma) tries to win over credibility by conflicting with the official state and government opinion on matters. An example of this is his opinion on martyrdom [sic] operations, and his view that those who consider them prohibited are like donkeys - may God dignify you. As a clear challenge to the head of Egypt’s theological institution, Ali Goma’s proclamation came after the statement made by the Mufti of Azhar, by less than a week, holding that such operations are to be considered prohibited suicide (Haram).

Contrary to this secondary, hostile and extremist Wahhabist-Islamist source above, we have Mufti Ali Goma’s own words. Below, he explicitly condemns suicide bombings as quoted by him directly in a reliable and professional American news magazine, Newsweek:

"As for suicide bombing, Islam forbids suicide; it forbids the taking of one’s own life. In addition, Islam forbids aggression against others. Attacking civilians, women, children, and the elderly by blowing oneself up is absolutely forbidden in Islam. No excuse can be made for the crimes committed in New York, Spain, and London, and anyone who tries to make excuses for these acts is ignorant of Islamic law (shari’ah), and their excuses are a result of extremism and ignorance."

To clarify, my claim is not that Mufti Ali Goma categorically did not support suicide bombings. In the citation above, for example, he did not explicitly mention Israel. My claim is, rather, that the evidence available and cited is definitely insufficient to popularise such a serious accusation at this moment. Mufti Ali Goma must stand innocent until proven guilty. If proven to have endorsed such a tactic, the Quilliam Foundation will be the first to concede his serious and grave error, but we will not accept it based upon Wahhabite-Islamists’ say so, and consequently Goma’s own and general condemnation in Newsweek still stands.

On the matter of support for Ali Goma, it seems rather ironic that right-wing critics share their worries over our stance, probably to their horror, with Marxists on the far-left such as the UK Guardian’s Seamus Milne, who cites the same concern in a scathing attack on our Foundation’s work.

Moving on, another question raised has been that of our gratitude for having Dr. Usama Hassan as one of our official advisors. Dr. Usama Hassan has also travelled the same path of extremism in his youth, only to mature into a progressive and enlightened voice for moderation today. He recently participated alongside Ed Hussain in an official Foreign Office delegation to Egypt to represent a more British understanding of our faith, and is now one of the leading theological voices for British Islam.

Concerns have been raised about Dr Usama’s father, Shaikh Shu’aib Hassan, who is a very conservative voice amongst Britain’s Muslim communities. Suffice to say that Dr Usama is not his father, and Shaikh Shu’aib is not Dr Usama. Dr Usama respectfully disagrees with his father on many of the problematic issues of our day. On the Caliphate, Dr Usama Hassan has stated clearly, and without reservation, in his Quilliam Foundation launch speech - only 10 minutes long and on our website - that he believes in Secularism, and that secularism was indeed always a part of traditional Islam.

Consequently, Dr Usama believes in using the name Caliphate to reclaim Muslim secularism through it, as he believes that past Caliphates always were secular in nature. The Quilliam Foundation is concerned with substantively challenging those who wish to adopt Shari’ah as state law, not with those who merely use the word Caliphate to mean a secular state; for that would be an exercise in semantics. On this note, it is perhaps pertinent to state that the Quilliam Foundation has time and time again criticised and challenged those who call for ‘Islamist Supremacism’, or the belief that the Shari’ah must be dominant as state law.

Another question raised by some quarters is the concern that William Quilliam, after whom we named our foundation, was an Islamist. Right-wing commentators may again be horrified to learn that this claim was first made by the far-left in the UK alongside Hizb ut-Tahrir UK activists in their desperate claim to traditional legitimacy.

Such an anachronistic allegation has already been dealt with on our website. We believe that William Quilliam was a political activist who had no ideological agenda, and no ideology. He hailed from a time of empire and thus spoke and behaved in accordance to the imperial politics of his day. In a typically British manner, he engaged in localised charity and localised politics, challenging his government where necessary. The Quilliam Foundation is not interested in making Muslims apolitical. We are solely interested in encouraging Muslims to engage politically as citizens, challenging where necessary, but with no ideological baggage. I am sure that readers can differentiate between the need for genuine checks and balances and between avoiding an ideologically driven fifth columnist approach. Naturally, like all, William Quilliam was a prisoner to the discourse of the era in which he was born. At no stage, however, did he make the Islamist claim that Islam was a political ideology, unlike the later founders of Islamism; Banna, Nabhani and Qutb. A rebuttal of the anachronistic claim that he was an Islamist is found on our website here.

In conclusion, we ask that people on the left and right join with us in our commitment to encourage true pluralism in Muslim political discourse, to support non-Islamist voices, to challenge the ideology and discourse of Islamism and to engender normal politics as alternatives to Islamism. As far as practicable, the right people must be encouraged and the wrong ones must be criticised. We caution that this work, vital though it is, must be tempered with a jealous protection of our liberties, especially freedom of religion and thought, rigorous academic standards and a deep understanding of the theological, ideological and social states of Islam and Muslims today. If we fail in these lofty standards we risk tarnishing the liberal alternative and losing the authority to speak as well as the moral high-ground from which to invite others.

15:41
Israel 'worry' at settler attacks
» ‎ BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

Israeli officials are reported to have raised concerns about an increase in violence by Jewish settlers in the West Bank.

14:56
nablus: city of resistance & poetry
» ‎ Body on the Line

This photograph shows one of the mountains that surrounds the city of Nablus. At the top of it, around the tuft of trees, is an Israeli Aggressive Forces (IAF) military base. Nabulsis cannot travel to the top of this mountain, a kind of panopticon that watches over Palestinians’ every move, like the drones that make [...]

14:28
'Time right' for UK Iraq troops
» ‎ BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

The outgoing commander of British forces in Iraq says conditions are right for a change in the UK mission there.

13:24
The final nail in the coffin called 1701
» ‎ Israel Matzav

On the same day that Syria and Lebanon agree to demarcate the border between the two countries - with the exception of Shaba Farms (Har Dov) which is not being marked so that Hezbullah retains a continuing excuse to attack Israel - Italian UNIFIL commander Claudio Graziano accuses Israel of violating UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and lauds his fighting force campers' excellent cooperation
13:18
Even the Saudis want Jewish doctors
» ‎ Israel Matzav

This is slightly off topic, but it's really funny so you must go read it all. Not even a teaser.

12:54
France: End of the Mitterand Doctrine?
» ‎ Counterterrorism Blog

Over the last few weeks French and Italian sources have spoken of the possible end of the so-called “Mitterand doctrine.” The doctrine, created in the early 1980s by then French President François Mitterrand, granted asylum to those members of the Red Brigades and other Italian left-wing terrorist groups who renounced violence, or, as Mitterand said in a famous speech in 1985, “broke with the infernal machine” of terrorism. Despite predictable and intense criticism from Italian authorities, the policy has been observed by all French government after Mitterand, whether socialist or conservative. Since the 1980s many (some claim more than three hundred) Italian militants have benefited from the policy, creating a new life for themselves across the Alps. For many of them the statute of limitations has run out and they are, therefore, free from the reach of Italian justice. But others, whom Italian authorities sentenced to life in prison or want for crimes to which the statute of limitations does not apply, have not been so lucky.

Since 2002, in fact, Italian authorities have engaged in a new legal/political battle to obtain the extradition of some of the militants. Two high-profile assassinations carried out by the so-called New Red Brigades led the Italians to re-focus their attention on left-wing terrorism and some links to militants who had received asylum in France were uncovered. A list of a dozen names, some of them accused of still being engaged in terrorism, was handed by the Italians to their French counterparts and new extradition requests were lodged. The requests triggered complicated and highly controversial legal battles in French courts. While no militant had been extradited until then, in 2002 French authorities handed over Paolo Persichetti, who had been sentenced in Italy to 22 years for his role in the 1987 assassination of Air Force General Licio Giorgieri. In March 2005, the French State Council expressly stated that the Mitterand doctrine had no legal value. Most recently, Nicolas Sarkozy has declared that the Mitterand doctrine goes against the spirit of judicial cooperation between European countries and declared his intention of breaking with it. Right now French judicial authorities are deciding the complicated case of former Red Brigades member Marina Petrella, convicted for murder by Italy in 1992, jailed by France in August 2007 after 15 year in the country, and currently awaiting extradition to Italy. Sarkozy has expressed his desire to extradite Petrella, but also asked Italian President Giorgio Napolitano to pardon the former Red Brigades militant (the move has led some French leftists to dub Sarkozy as a modern day Pontius Pilate…).

Western countries providing asylum/tolerating the presence of terrorists wanted in other Western countries and even turning a blind eye to their continued activities is hardly a French exclusive. The now popular term “Londonistan” was coined (together with Beirut-on-the-Thames) in the mid-1990s, ironically, by French intelligence officials upset at the British government’s policy of harboring Islamist terrorists, including those who France deemed responsible for the 1995 bombings of the Paris metro. By the same token, Britain has had similar complaints towards the attitude of the U.S. government. London has accused Washington of providing a safe haven for Irish terrorists from as early as the 1850s, when hundred of “Fenians” formed groups in the United States to carry out attacks against Britain. And Italians, who have been so quick at criticizing the French, tolerated the activities of Palestinian terrorists on their soil for decades (just yesterday Italian daily Corriere della Sera ran an interesting interview with former PFLP spokesman Bassam Abu Sharif in which the militant openly recounted how Italian secret services allowed his and other Palestinian groups to operate in the country and transport weapons in exchange for the promise not to attack Italy—the fact has been recently confirmed by former Italian President and Prime Minister Francesco Cossiga, who even said that the 1980 bombing of the Bologna station, which killed 85 people, could have been the result of the accidental detonation of two suitcases of explosives Palestinian militants were transporting by train).

The Mitterand doctrine presents differences from these cases, as its precondition was that only those who renounced violence could benefit from it. Its defenders claim that the Italian militants who have moved to France under its auspices have built families and lived a peaceful life since then and cannot pay for crimes committed more than 30 years earlier. Moreover, they claim that the French state cannot fail to maintain its promise and turn its back on those who relied on its word 25 years ago. Its critics counter these arguments with the right of the victims’ families to see justice been served. Moreover, judicial cooperation on extraditions and the respect of other member countries’ sentences have become cornerstones of the EU counter-terrorism strategy and the Mitterand doctrine runs directly athwart them. Soon France will decide on the Petrella case and, probably, on other similar, showing which argument will prevail.

11:47
Bomber Kills 18 on Shiite Pilgrimage in Iraq
» ‎ NYT > Middle East

A suicide bomber blew herself up in a tent filled with women on a religious pilgrimage, Iraqi security officials said.

11:20
UNIFIL Our Love For Hizbullah?
» ‎ Israellycool

The Commander of UNIFIL continues to show how utterly useless both he and his troops are.

Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Maj.-Gen. Claudio Graziano on Thursday accused Israel of violating UN Security Council Resolution 1701 that brought an end to the Second Lebanon War.

During a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Graziano cited the IAF forays over Lebanon and the village of Ghajar, which he called “a permanent violation of 1701″ and “a permanent area under occupation.”

A further violation, according to Graziano, was Israel’s failure to provide maps of all the locations where it dropped cluster bombs during the 2006 war.

In contrast, he said that the UN enjoyed excellent cooperation with Hizbullah and with the local Lebanese people.

Ain’t that the truth.

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11:00
What’s Missing?
» ‎ Israellycool

Palestinian youth ready to lob stones at the Israeli army during clashes at the entrance to the West Bank village of Nilin close to the city of Ramallah on August 14 2008. Over the past four years, Nilin has been the scene of near daily demonstrations against Israel’s barrier of concrete and steel that cuts through parts of the West Bank. Israel says that the barrier is needed for its security, critics describe it as a land grab. Earlier in the week a young Palestinian boy was fatally shot in the back of the head at one such demonstration in the village.

Yeah, I’m sure the man in the foreground is just drinking. Kind of like Popsicle Man, only with a hankering for treats of the liquid variety.

Alternatively, he’s going to lob it at the troops, which is dangerous enough because it’s glass, and could be even deadlier if he decides to get creative in the Molotov sense.

Not that stones don’t do a lot of damage themselves. But the point is AFP are once again being dishonest.

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9:56
Reaching His Outer Limits
» ‎ Israellycool

Apparently, there are things that even William Shatner won’t do:

William Shatner sat in a drab office staring at a TV monitor displaying a message he was supposed to read to a fan while signing an autograph, but Star Trek’s Captain Kirk wasn’t very happy.

“I can’t do this, this is crazy,” Shatner said.

The message on screen – which was submitted by the fan – was just too odd. But as an investor and partner in Live Autographs, a new video service in which celebrities appear on camera to deliver a personalized greeting as they sign an autograph, Shatner had to say something.

“Are you nuts? You want me to say, ‘When I’m smoking and sipping whiskey with Allen’ – who’s Allen? – ‘I’m secretly thinking of you and your dog?’

“I can’t say that,” Shatner added, glaring into the camera, his words dripping the trademark irony he has summoned in countless TV performances, including his Emmy-winning role as Denny Crane on the courtroom drama Boston Legal.

Here’s a reminder of what he will do:

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9:00
World Briefing | Middle East: Israel: Witness in Olmert Case Won’t Return for Further Testimony
» ‎ NYT > Middle East

The American businessman in a corruption investigation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will not return for more cross-examination in Jerusalem.

8:59
Living in fear
» ‎ BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

Struggling to cope with Iraq's everyday violence

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A Peek into Others' mind » August 15, 2008

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