4
POPSWorst foreign policy ever. FTA: "Wary of Iran, other Middle Eastern states are gearing up for nuclear programs, unconvinced by U.S. promises of extending a defensive umbrella." "Russia continues militarily to occupy a significant part of Georgia, an American ally, and conducts business as usual with Iran and other troublemaking states. " Worst domestic policy too. Look what he's done in just 8 months and what he plans to do. HELP!
2
POPSFurther refutation of the Obamoid "settlement freeze" formula Michael Oren is Israel's ambassador to the US. He is also an IDF veteran and a historian of some note. His book, Power, Faith, and Fantasy covers the two-hundred-years US history of relations with Arab/Muslim nations. His article here of course is in support of Netanyahu's policy towards the West Bank. That's to be expected since Oren is Netanyayhu's ambassador. But the point is that Oren/Netanyahu have some facts on their side while the Obamoids only have Power, Faith, and Fantasy
7
POPSThe Arab Peace Initiative: Arab Generosity, Israeli Intransigence 'There are no indications that the current American peace efforts are likely to produce any results. The Americans have, despite much persistence, lost the first and only round. Israel did not budge on the issue of stopping building settlements regardless of how trivial this issue is in comparison to others. Yet the Arabs have to shoulder the blame once more. To save face the American side had to deal with the issue of the settlement freeze not as a bilateral American-Israeli matter, but as part of a larger package. They conditioned Israeli compliance on Arab readiness for instant normalisation. This formula made it easy to press the claim that the Arab reluctance to start normalising must be blamed for Israeli rejection of the American demand of settlement freeze.'
10
POPSSaudis give nod to Israeli raid on Iran Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, on Friday warned that an Iranian atomic bomb could “wipe Israel off the map in a matter of seconds,” and that the Iranians could “accomplish in a matter of seconds what they denied Hitler did, and kill 6 million Jews, literally.”
3
POPSRabbi Takes Obama to School
In his almost hour-long speech, there is not a single word about Islam’s well known and checkered past. Ironically, the American president offered plenty of references to what he sees are America’s evils, such as its “colonialism” and history of slavery. “For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation,” Obama told his audience, citing a litany of American shortcomings. He failed to mention that Arab Muslims were the greatest slave traders in the history of humanity. Mr. Obama even has the unbelievable gall, when talking about the treatment of Muslim women, to condemn Western countries for attempting to stop Muslim women from using the full facial cover, or hijab. This is a symbol of Muslim subjugation of women. Obama said: “Likewise, it is important for Western countries to avoid impeding Muslim citizens from practicing religion as they see fit - for instance, by dictating what clothes a Muslim woman should
4
POPSObama and Netanyahu Meet: What's Next? by Daniel Pipes
(2) Larger strategic concerns consistently drive U.S. attitudes to Israel: Republicans kept their distance when they perceived Israel as a liability in confronting the Soviet Union (1948-70) and only warmed to it when Israel proved its strategic utility (after 1970); Democrats cooled in the post-Cold War period (after 1991), when many came to see it as an "apartheid" state that destabilizes the Middle East and impedes U.S. policies there. By now, the political parties diverge greatly; polls find Republican support for Israel exceeds Democratic support by an average margin of 26 percentage points. Likewise, Republicans endorse the United States helping Israel attack Iran far more than Democrats. Known in years past to stand up for Israel, he now accuses it of perpetuating "settler pogroms" and thus taking part in a "destructive dynamic." Question: Will the Democrats' critical views translate into a policy shift at the forthcoming summit meeting?
7
POPS Obama To Speak To Muslim World - Again Those sources were unable to explain why the president felt impelled to address the Muslim people again, or why Egypt was chosen, when US relations with President Hosni Mubarak are strained over the latter's resentment of Washington's rapprochement with Tehran and its criticism of Egypt's human rights conduct. The White House spokesman said: "I think in many ways, this is the heart of the Arab world." The address is intended for the entire Muslim world, not simply Arab Muslims. It is part of Mr. Obama's continuing effort to reach out to Muslims, as he did in a speech he gave in Turkey last month. Two high-ranking US delegations which visited Cairo in the last ten days failed to convince Mubarak that the US president's plans to engage Iran in diplomacy was not at the expense of Arab interests. After Germany, Obama will then join commemorations marking the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy as guest of President Nicolas Sarkozy.
3
POPS30 Years on, Relations Frosty. In Israel "Cold Peace"!!!! Was Carter correct to cobble together the Camp David historic agreement on Sept 6, 2006 leading to the agreement on March 26, 1979 and the Sadat visit to Israel? Is he not worthy for being honoured as a great peacemaker for that singular achievement, given the inability of any other American leader to bring the Zionist to boot? After all, the Zionists have much the same war criminals in charge then as now!!!!
4
POPSObama Administration To Begin Talks With Syria FTA: By seeking an understanding with Syria, which has cultivated close ties to Iran, the United States could increase the pressure on Iran to respond to its offer of direct talks. Such an understanding would also give Arab states and moderate Palestinians the political cover to negotiate with Israel. That, in turn, could increase the burden on Hamas, the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza, to relax its hostile stance toward Israel. But in a region where even small steps take years to negotiate, officials sought to tamp down expectations of rapid progress. “It is a worthwhile effort to go and begin preliminary conversations,” Mrs. Clinton said, noting Syria’s wide influence in the region, as well as its troubled history with the United States. Yet, she cautioned, “we have no way to predict what the future of our relations with Syria might be.”
7
POPSFT: "Saudi patience is running out" America is not innocent in this calamity. Not only has Bush left a sickening legacy in the region – from the death of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis to the humiliation and torture at Abu Ghraib – but it has also, through an arrogant attitude about the butchery in Gaza , contributed to the slaughter of innocents. If the US wants to continue playing a leadership role in the Middle East and keep its strategic alliances intact – especially its “special relationship” with Saudi Arabia – it will have to drastically revise its policies vis a vis Israel and Palestine. The incoming US administration will be inheriting a “basket full of snakes” in the region, but there are things that can be done to help calm them down. Prince Turki is chairman, King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies, Riyadh. He has been director of Saudi intelligence, ambassador to the UK and Ireland and ambassador to the US
12
POPSIsraeli Professor Criticizes "Zionist Colonial Project"--Israel a "Rogue State" The war is part of an aim to establish "Greater Israel". Consider the author before closing your ears. He unmasks the real scheme behind the previous Israeli "withdrawal" from Gaza, up to the context of the present war, and rehearses the controversy of the creation of the state of Israel itself in a manner the media never does. This is largely the Palestinian view from a Jewish and Israeli writer, which the media never acknowledges, and therefore is blameless of the typical charges of "bigotry" or "anti-semitism" leveled at all such critics. His conclusion: ... it has become a rogue state with "an utterly unscrupulous set of leaders". A rogue state habitually violates international law, possesses weapons of mass destruction and practises terrorism. No Clipmark can do this article justice, it must read in its entirety at the source. Powerful! (Hat tip to TN for locating the the source).
4
POPSObama's Silence on Gaza Damaging His Reputation if Obama were to take a tougher (some would say more balanced) line with Israel, for example by demanding a permanent end to its blockade of Gaza, or by opening a path to talks with Hamas, he risks provoking a rightwing backlash in Israel, giving encouragement to Israel's enemies, and losing support at home for little political advantage.
7
POPSSaudi Cleric Calls for Global Jihad Against Israel, Threatens USA These statements should be viewed as signals for Saudi-British sponsored Salafi terrorist networks to wreck havoc internationally and target not only Israeli interests but even American or the interests of U.S.-allied nations. This comes amid warnings that "a third force", not the Palestinian Hamas, Islamic Jihad, nor Lebanese Hezbollah, could expand this conflict into a global threat by targeting other nations with terrorism. This would put the whole world and the incoming Obama Administration in an impossible situation regarding peace in the Middle East and U.S.-Muslim relations.
5
POPSZionist dictate to Catholics now!!!? Israel and the Vatican only established full diplomatic relations in 1993 and since then there have been other disagreements, over issues including the taxing of church property in and around Jerusalem and permits for Arab Christian clergy to travel through the occupied West Bank. Pope John Paul II visited Israel in 2000, the first pope to do so, but Pope Benedict XVI appears to have no plans to visit in the near future. On Sunday, the Israeli president, Shimon Peres, said the row over the photo caption should not prevent a papal visit, though he too was critical of Pius. "We have reason to believe that Pius XII didn't do enough to save Jewish life. I don't want to pass judgement," Peres said. "If there is evidence then it should be checked carefully. The visit to the holy country is nothing to do with anger or disputes. It's holy all the time. It is holy for all of us."
3
POPSSaudis Pushing U.N. Démarche Against Israel The dispute over oil appears to be part of a larger rift between the two countries, with a London-based Al-Quds al-Arabi reporting recently that relations have reached their lowest point in years. The Saudis seek strong American backing against Iran," Mr. Gold, a former Israeli U.N. ambassador who has written extensively on the kingdom, said. "They don't want to hear from Condi Rice about diplomatic progress between Abbas and Israel. They want to know what America is doing about Iran." The Saudis, he said, base their policies on their strong alliance with America — or on Arab consensus. When the Israeli government earlier this month announced that it was planning to build nearly 900 new housing units in Jerusalem, ecretary-General Ban issued a strong statement: Israel's "continued construction in settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory" violates international law and Israel's obligations under the road map and the Annapolis process.
8
POPSLeFigaro-Pt2: Bush attack on Iran Israel, Hezbollah and Gulf Monarchies Preparing for the Possibility of Strikes in Iran ... Le Figaro '"The real signal of the imminence of operations will be Israel's deployment of the anti-missile Patriot-Arrow shield designed to intercept a maximum number of the missiles that could be sent against the Hebrew State," concludes a diplomat well-acquainted with Israel. They're still only at the start of the Patriot-Arrow partner integration.' 'Convinced that the American fiasco in Iraq prohibits any new adventurism, the Iranian government continues not to believe in a war. But in Tehran, where the government and its warrens are showing signs of nervousness; people are also going into overdrive. How else to interpret the rapprochement between the army and the Pasdaran, or the heightened surveillance around officials formerly responsible for nuclear issues, like Hussein Moussavian?'
0
POPSARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT AT HEART OF MID-EAST PROBLEMS
Well, the truth is out! Should the United States continue to support (along with Israel) a blockade on food, etc. to the starving displaced people of Palestine or not? Or should we finally "recognize" that the Palestinians would "recognize" Israel's right to exist if Israel would "recognize" Palestine's right to exist? After all, they already do exist! In fact, Palestine existed for approximately 2000 yrs. before 1948 when they were suddenly displaced. And what about that 1967 border? It went right through the middle of Jerusalem, giving Israel the west side (West Bank) and Palestine the east side (East Bank). Maybe both sides should realize that compromize is the way to go. There will NEVER be peace unless someone gives in on that issue and I have a feeling it won't be the Arabs. And what about what is best for the citizens of the U.S.? Shouldn't we think of ourselves? Shouldn't we do anything possible to encourage good U.S.-Arab relations? Or should we just keep on dying?
1
POPSWhat is peace? A quote from Fr. Elias Chacour, a Palestinian Arab Christian and an Israeli citizen. Wrote the book 'Blood Brothers.'
3
POPSCRS Reports on the Middle East - Israel I only clipped some of the reports on Israel & Lebanon. (I only wanted to clip the first one: Israel: Background and Relations with the United States , but couldn't help myself clipping more on the topic. Click source site; it's full of reports on the middle east. Browse the source site, it's filled with info on Secrecy and Information Policy Intelligence Homeland Security Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Conventional Weapons Systems Terrorism General National Security Topics Middle East Foreign Policy and Regional Affairs Space Policy. From CRS: Congressional Research Service.
2
Pops
Newest Clips
Latest Comments
Most Pops
Print
Save
Turn on live update