Archive for the ‘General’ Category

Intolerance or rationality?

Friday, March 9th, 2007

By Vic Rosenthal

An Israeli professor has generated a storm of criticism in Australia:

According to [Prof. Raphael] Israeli [of the Hebrew University], who didn’t back down when he was approached by the national press, the experience of the West proves that when a Muslim minority becomes more than one-tenth of a country’s population, it bodes ill. “When the Muslim population gets to a critical mass you have problems. That is a general rule, so if it applies everywhere it applies in Australia.” Even though their numbers are still well below that in Australia, complained Israeli, “they are so vocal, and they make so much noise,” that it’s incumbent on the state to implement a “preventative policy” that will leave the Muslim citizens as a “marginal minority” before life becomes “untenable.”

Dr. Colin Rubenstein, president of the Australia/Israel Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) [the “establishment” so roundly criticized recently by left-wing Jews! — ed], harshly criticized Israeli’s “unacceptable and unhelpful” views, saying that the Council “will not be co-hosting any of his further appearances in Australia.” — Ha’aretz

Is this a racist or “islamophobic” (I hate this word) sentiment that should be shouted down, or is it a political statement that can be true or false?

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Missing Iranian official may connect Iran with Iraqi Mahdi militia

Friday, March 9th, 2007

There’s been lots of speculation about whether an Iranian official who recently disappeared may have defected to the West or been kidnapped by the US or Israeli intelligence, and about what information he can provide:

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A tempest in a teapot

Thursday, March 8th, 2007

From YNet:

“It seems that the prime minister and Nasrallah are getting their stories straight,” an outraged MK Effie Eitam told Ynet Thursday on Olmert’s statement that the second Lebanon war was planned beforehand.

All throughout the war and afterwards, Hizbullah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah defended himself from public criticism by claiming that Israel had already been planning the war and that it “jumped at the chance” to strike.

According to Haaretz, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Winograd Commission that a military operation in case of a kidnapping incident along the Lebanese border was planned as early as March, 2006, four months prior to war.

Several MKs criticized Olmert’s statement, which they said backs up Nasrallah’s repeated claims, and could jeopardize Israel ‘s credibility.

Much as I hate to defend Olmert, I need to make the point again — as I did in the case of the ‘plan’ to bomb Iran — that military contingency plans are not the same as the government deciding to do something.

All of those generals have to have something to do during peacetime, and it consists of making “what if” types of plans. There is no evidence that the government made a decision to go to war in advance of the kidnapping of the soldiers and the accompanying rocket attack.

Indeed, judging by the conduct of the war, it’s hard to believe that advance planning of any kind was done.

Saudis remain in the dark ages

Thursday, March 8th, 2007

I can’t add anything to this. I’m sure it has appeared in many blogs, but I want to make sure that everyone knows exactly what kind of savages we seem to have chosen for our allies in the Mideast.

From Khaleej Times (UAE), March 7:

RIYADH – A Saudi woman who was kidnapped at knifepoint, gang-raped and then beaten by her brother has been sentenced to 90 lashes — for a meeting a man who was not a relative, a newspaper reported on Monday.

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Israel arrests terrorists… no, members of “security forces”

Wednesday, March 7th, 2007

Various sources report that Israel has stormed the Palestinian Military Intelligence headquarters in Ramallah and arrested 18 Palestinians:

In the West Bank town of Ramallah, about 100 Israeli Army vehicles surrounded the building in the early hours, with troops ordering people to come out before they moved in.

The Israeli Army said it had arrested 18 people who heeded its call through loudspeakers to surrender. The army said they were involved in shooting attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers and in attempts to kidnap Israelis.

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