Hamas Leader Meshaal Will Never Recognize Israel

For all you pro-Palestinian tools who think that Palestinian leaders have any true desire to make peace with Israel, and that it's the Israelis that are the major stumbling block in the whole peace process, take note of this:

Khaled Meshaal, exiled Hamas leader, said of Israel during his first visit to the Gaza Strip- ever:

"Palestine is ours from the river to the sea and from the south to the north. There will be no concession on an inch of the land."

"We will never recognise the legitimacy of the Israeli occupation and therefore there is no legitimacy for Israel, no matter how long it will take."

He also said that he would free more Palestinian terrorists (though he called them "prisoners") that are still jailed in Israel. In other words, he intends on kidnapping more Israeli soldiers like Gilad Shalit, since that worked so well for them. After five years in captivity Shalit was sent back to Israel in exchange for 1,027 Palestinians, many of them terrorists who are probably itching to kill some more Israelis.

Meshaal said :

"We will not rest until we liberate the prisoners. The way we freed some of the prisoners in the past is the way we will use to free the remaining prisoners."

Meshaal went to Gaza for a quickie trip to celebrate the terrorist organization's 25th anniversary.

As long as Hamas exists, there will never be peace between Israel and Palestine.  And all you people who call yourselves anti-Zionists but not anti-Semites, take a long hard look within, because they are one and the same.

Pat Condell's Latest On Peace In The Middle East- Video

Pat Condell's latest on peace in the Middle East, or rather, why there never will be peace as long as Hamas exists.  Once again, he nails it.

One Israeli Soldier For 1,000 Plus Palestinian Terrorists- The Gilad Shalit Exchange

I was actually convinced that Gilad Schalit-  the young Israeli soldier kidnapped five years ago by Hamas militants- was dead. After all these years it just didn't seem likely, given the amount of hatred and animosity the Palestinians bear towards the Israelis.  I'm certainly happy he's allegedly  still alive, but I'm not so convinced trading one soldier  for over 1,000 convicted Palestinian terrorist is such a good idea.

Some of those Palestinians include terrorists like Nasser Iteima, who was one of those responsible for arranging a suicide bomb blast that killed 30 people, during Passover no less, at the Park Hotel in 2002. 140 people were injured.  Aziz Zalha, was one of the lynch mob animals who murdered two Israeli IDF reservists in Ramallah. Zalha is the one waving his bloodied hands in the above photo.

The soldiers were beaten, stabbed, had their eyes gouged out, and were disemboweled. At this point, a Palestinian (later identified as Aziz Salha), appeared at the police station window, displaying his blood-stained hands to the crowd, which erupted into cheers. One of the soldier's bodies was then thrown out the window and stamped and beaten by the enraged mob. One of the bodies was set on fire. Soon after, the mob dragged the two mutilated bodies to Al-Manara Square in the city center as the crowd began an impromptu victory celebration.

Along with those behind the planned Sbarro Pizzeria suicide bombing which killed men, women and 7 children, and the Dolphinarium Disco massacre, which killed 21 teens and injured 132. Then there's those involved in the Cafe Moment (Jerusalem) attack  where a suicide bomber blew up 11 people, injuring 54. There are others, of course.

So 1,000 plus militants are being released back home to join the ranks of their fellow extremists. 477 now and 550 in 2 months.  That's 1,000 more terrorists ready and more than willing and now able to focus their energy on the continued fight to eradicate the Jews in Israel. Their time in jail will probably have further fueled their hatred for the Israelis.

And negotiating with terrorists sets a terrible precedence.  Hamas is already talking about kidnapping more soldiers to free the rest of the Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

Abu Obaida, spokesman for the armed wing of Hamas, Izzadin Kassam said that Schalit, who is set to be released as part of a prisoner exchange deal, "will not be the last solider kidnapped by Hamas as long as Israel keeps Palestinian prisoners detained."

I'm happy for Schalit's family, but I fear for the other soldiers that will inevitably be targeted, and for the Israelis who will have an army of 1,000 more Palestinians ready to wage war against them.


Source: DailyMailUK, Camera, JPost

Sharia for Libya- Arab World Not Ready For Democracy

I'd like to think that the Arab world is civilized enough for democracy, but it is becoming increasingly clear that this is not the case.  At least democracy in the true sense of the word.

What the West has been touting as the "Arab Spring" - revolutions that have toppled regimes in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya- is turning out to be nothing more than a re-awakening of racist, Islamist sentiments in the citizenry and leadership of some of those countries. Rather than embracing the  freedom and equality  that is part and parcel of  democracies, countries like Libya and Egypt are taking a step backwards.

Take Mustafa Abdel Jalil, interim head of Libya's National Transitional Council, who has said that although the new government will not tolerate "extremist ideology": In other words, Libya will become an Islamic state. Sharia Law is most definitely extreme, and lacks any of the fundamentals of equality, as much as Muslims like to claim otherwise. And any country that has Sharia as its rule of law, in no way qualifies to be called a democracy.  Then there are the  allegations of racism  by the so-called rebel liberators of Libya.  Apparently, they have been trying to purge Libya of the black Africans, and as a result have been arresting and murdering them. They deny it, but according to human rights organizations, there is plenty of proof. However, the hatred is definitely there, whether true or not.  According to one rebel "Libyan people don't like people with dark skins." They also don't like Jews, evident in the anti-Semitic cartoons of Gaddafi.

"We seek a state of law, prosperity and one where sharia is the main source for legislation, and this requires many things and conditions."  

And I don't hold much hope for Egypt, as far as Sharia goes, if the Muslim Brotherhood gets its grips on the leadership of that country. And one of the few Middle Eastern lands that was a quasi- friend to Israel is now hurtling in the opposite direction. The current military dictatorship has no love for Israel, and that doesn't seem likely to change.  In fact, Arab Muslim journalist Khaled Abu Toameh, partially blames the government for inciting the recent mob attack on the Israeli Embassy.  According to Toameh, several days before the rampage, 23-year-old  Ahmed al-Shahat climbed 20 floors to the Israeli Embassy and removed its flag.  Rather than punishing the young man, he was honored for his "courageous" deed, and given both a job and an apartment. This, Toameh believes, was more than likely the catalyst for storming the Embassy- individuals hoping to get their praise and piece of the cake in a country with high unemployment.  He fears that it will only encourage more violence.

I'm sure there are some in that region who might possibly possess the intellectual means to embrace freedom and democracy, but I think the vast majority don't and probably never will.





Sources: UKDailyMail, GuardianUK,

The Truth About The West Bank Video Has The Palestinians Hopping Mad

Finally the Israelis are setting the record straight regarding the West Bank and the misconceptions about who actually belongs there; and why the term "occupied territories" (that the pro-Palestinians love to bandy about)  is completely bogus. Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, takes it to the Internet and social media to get the info out.

Not surprisingly, the video has enraged the PLO.  Dr. Saeb Erakat, chief negotiator of the Palestinian Liberation Organization's Negotiation Affairs Department, claims  the video is proof that the Israelis are the ones who are "pro-conflict".

"With this video, the Israeli government has left no doubt on its pro-conflict agenda. Now, the international community knows the Israeli government is committed to denying the Palestinian people their inalienable right to self-determination and on continuing their illegal and colonial enterprise in the occupied Palestinian territory."

The Palestinians have always been the aggressors, and Israel has simply tried to preserve its tiny,  British mandated League of Nations  piece of land. No-one seems to care that the surrounding Arab countries have oft attempted to take this land away from the Jews, by force, and that they have as much right to be there as the Palestinians.  It's time the world starts acknowledging that. 

You can't change history, although the pro-Palestinians in the world have done a good job of  lying about it, to further their own agenda.




Source: HonestReporting

Egyptian Tycoon Receives Boycotts, Lawsuits & Threats Of Severed Tongue For Posting Mickey and Minnie Mouse in Islamic Garb

Disney's Mickey Mouse has taken center stage, yet again, in the Middle East.  But this time, rather than being a tool for teaching terrorism to kids- remember Farfour the Palestinian Mouse-  he and his gal pal Minnie created a firestorm of protest against Egyptian Telecom and media tycoon-cum-politician, Naguib Sawiris.  Sawiris has had lawsuits and boycotts launched against him for posting a cartoon of Mickey with an Islamic beard and a niqab-clad Minnie from his Twitter feed. Apparently, the cartoon had already made the rounds in an email that featured the mouse couple and the quote: "this is the future of Egypt"- which is more than likely where the country is headed, given the overreaction to the post.  It probably doesn't help that after the fall of Mubarak, Sawiris formed a political party- Free Egyptians-  determined to create a secular Egypt and is a Christian Copt, to boot. As an 'infidel', he justifiably (in the minds of the Salafis who are at the bottom of all the protests) deserves all the obligatory death threats etc. that are being leveled at him, in spite of having apologized on Twitter:

 "I apologise for any who don't take this as a joke, I just thought it was a funny picture no disrespect meant! Assef!! ". [sorry]

According to various news sources, Facebook pages materialized calling for a boycott of  Sawiris' cell phone company, with one group accruing over  60,000 followers.  Although I was unable to track it down, the "We are  joking Sawiris" group supposedly had the following posted on its page:

 "If you are really a Muslim, and you love your religion, boycott his projects. We have to cut out the tongue of any person who attacks our religion."

It's quite obvious conservative Muslims lack a sense of humour. Time and again they demonstrate a serious inability to find the grace and humour in life, which is perhaps why they so often resort to violence. If they lightened up a bit, life would be  much more pleasant- and peaceful-  for the rest of the world. But no, they  consistently choose to be offended by even the most innocuous of things. Like a veiled Minnie and bearded Mickey.

Sources: ArabTimes , TelegraphUK,
photo from The Blaze

U.S. Taxpayer Dollars Refurbishing Mosques Overseas

With our economy tanking, and the suffering we will all inevitably have to endure as a result of projected federal and state budget cuts, why are we still sending money overseas to refurbish Mosques and churches in countries like Egypt and Cyprus? We are also providing computers and Internet access to local Imams in places like Mali and Tajikistan. All courtesy of U.S. taxpayer dollars. Doesn't charity start at home?

Spain Sponsors Palestinian "Boycott Israeli Goods" TV Ad

The Palestinians have started airing a TV ad promoting the boycotting of Israeli goods. With their flare for the over dramatic, the ad shows a couple of men (one of them a shopkeeper) discussing the boycott. They both agree Israeli products are, for the most part, better than Palestinian goods and that this is what the Palestinians demand. A young boy, who has been listening to the conversation, opts to buy the Israeli potato chips, until he hears gun fire (obviously evil Israeli soldiers). In response, he drops his chips on the floor and asks for Palestinian chips instead. It ends with the words:

"Don't prolong the occupation's life upon our land".

Now, it's not really surprising that the Palestinians would produce and subsequently air an ad endorsing the boycott of Israeli goods, in spite of the fact that Palestinian products obviously stink. After all, they're not the only ones calling for a boycott of everything Israeli. This is something that has been going on for years. What was surprising, however, was the fact that the Spanish government and a Spanish NGO sponsored the ad. Prominently displayed at the end of the video are their logos, in case anyone has any doubts.

I suppose I'm really not surprised, but rather disgusted that a foreign government would sponsor a boycott of another democratic country. And where do the Palestinians expect to get their supplies from? They'll soon be pissing and moaning about not having enough goods.

Now go out and buy some Israeli goods!



The transcript of the TV ad as published on the Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) wesbite:

A boy enters a store and overhears a conversation.
Customer to shopkeeper: "Do you see them? They're plastering the city with advertisements about boycotting Israeli goods."
Shopkeeper: "I can't not bring in [Israeli products], because people ask for them."
Customer: "Israeli products are better than the local products."
Shopkeeper to the boy: "What do you want?"
Boy, after looking at Israeli products: "I want Israeli chips."
He takes the chips, walks to the door, and hears gunfire. He looks around, drops the chips on the floor, returns to the shopkeeper and says: "I don't want the Israeli product, I want the Palestinian product."

The advertisement ends by displaying the text: "Don't prolong the occupation's life upon our land," with the logo of the Palestinian NGO Health Work Committees, followed by the logos of the ad's sponsors:
The Spanish government,
the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
AECID (Spanish governmental humanitarian aid development),
ACSUR (a Spanish non-profit organization),
Canaan Joint Development Project for Jerusalem (Palestinian).

Saudis "Arrest" Israeli Vulture As Zionist Spy

Zionists are behind every major intrigue or catastrophe in the world, at least that's what many mostly Arab and anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists would have us believe. And some of those theories are pretty darn laughable. Take the latest out of Saudi Arabia where a tagged vulture from an Israeli university research project was 'arrested' by Saudi authorities after it flew off course and wound up in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Yes, those savvy Saudis seem to think that the evil Zionist Jews trained this vulture as a Mossad spy and sent it on its way to gather what--- roadkill?

It was obviously part of a scientific experiment, but the locals were convinced the vulture was there to spy on them.

The bird was found in a rural area of the country wearing a transmitter and a leg bracelet bearing the words 'Tel Aviv University', according to the reports, which surfaced first in the Israeli daily Ma'ariv.

Although these tags indicate that the bird was part of a long-term research project into migration patterns, residents and local reporters told Saudi Arabia's Al-Weeam newspaper that the matter seemed to be a 'Zionist plot.'

But it wasn't just the local yokels that believed this vulture was some avian version of Mata Hari, the story took flight and wound up an Internet sensation.

The accusations went viral, with hundreds of posts on Arabic-language websites and forums claiming that the 'Zionists' had trained these birds for espionage.

I'm not sure if anyone came up with any theories as to what kind of intelligence gathering a vulture might obtain, but the poor, ugly creature was detained, and one has to wonder what kind of punishment it's in for if found guilty. 200 lashes? Its wings clipped? Deprived of dead animals for 6 months?

And it's not the first time that Israelis have been blamed for something uber bizarre. Last month it was a shark attack:

The Sinai regional governor last month suggested that a shark that killed and maimed tourists on its Red Sea port may have been intentionally released by Israeli agents in order to sabotage the country's tourist industry.

'What is being said about the Mossad throwing the deadly shark in the sea to hit tourism in Egypt is not out of the question. But it needs time to confirm,' Mohamed Abdel Fadil Shousha said, according to the Sun.

What next?

Ahmadinejad's Website Hacked

Who knows who hacked Ahmadinejad's website, with the following, but whoever did has a wonderful sense of humour. This is a tad old, dating back to January, but thought it was worth a post.

"Dear God,

In 2009 you took my favourite singer - Michael Jackson, my favourite actress - Farrah Fawcett, my favourite actor - Patrick Swayze, my favourite voice - Neda.

"Please, please, don't forget my favourite politician - Ahmadinejad and my favourite dictator - Khamenei in the year 2010.

Thank you."

I don't normally condone praying for someone's death, as so many on the left are wont to do, but I don't think the world would miss a lunatic, religious fanatic with nuclear capabilities who is intent on creating the third world war so his precious 12th Imam can return to the world stage.

It was apparently up and viewable early Tuesday a.m., but seems to no longer be available. In fact, I just tried clicking on www.ahmadinejad.ir and wasn't able to access the page. It was cached on google, but is no longer there.

The person has major cojones.

More Hamas Lies- Did Israel's Mossad Really Kill Mahmoud al-Mabhouh?

Why anyone would bother to believe information that surfaces from the land of Palestine, especially from the duplicitous mouths of the Hamas leadership, truly baffles me. Time and again they have proven to be consummate liars, and yet people are willing to believe. They have categorically denied the use of human shields, when there has been much proof to the contrary. They recently stated they would accept Israel's right to exist and turned around, a day or so later, and claimed they would never recognize Israel, which is the more plausible statement. Anyone who has read the Hamas Charter knows full well that they have no intention of nullifying the charter, which states very clearly their goals of eliminating Israel.

"Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it." (The Martyr, Imam Hassan al-Banna, of blessed memory).

They have broken ceasefire after ceasefire, claimed they are not guilty of war crimes, as per the Goldstone report, asserting that their thousands of Qassam rockets were aimed at military targets. At least Human Rights Watch called them on that one.

And now we have the latest fib filtering out of Gaza, although this one is quite laughable though intriguing at the same time. One of their head goons has died. The question is how? There are several different tales concerning his demise, but which is the truth? The first 2 you will find in various mainstream sources, the 3rd comes from a lesser known Palestinian media source. You tell me which you believe.

First of all, what we do know is that Mahmoud al-Mabhuh, or al-Mabhouh (or however people want to spell it) co-founder of Hamas' Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades , living in exile in Syria, is dead. He was found in his hotel room in Dubai. No loss there. How he died is a totally different story. The majority of news sources have published Hamas' claim, on January 29, that Israel's Mossad was responsible for assassinating al-Mabhouh on January 20, 2010. The method varies from electrocution to poisoning and suffocation, some include all 3.

So what took them 9 days or so to announce his death? As expected they have an excuse, as lame as it might be. Izzat Rashaq, another Hamas top dog living in Syria told the AP :

...that Hamas delayed the announcement about al-Mabhouh's death because it was trying to "reach the Israeli agents who implemented this operation."

Right.

Now this is where it gets interesting. The following announcement was published in a little known Palestinian news site, Maan News, on January 2oth, and updated on the 21st:

Gaza- Ma'an – Hamas' armed wings the Al-Qassam Brigades announced the death of its co-founder in exile Mahmoud Al-Mabhuh died of terminal cancer in a hospital in the UAE on Wednesday.

The Al-Qassam leader, a refugee living the Jabalia Refugee Camp until he left Gaza for the UAE, was behind a mission that successfully captured two Israeli soldiers, a statement from the brigades said.

Al-Mabhuh was captured two Israeli soldiers, Elan Sa’dun and Avi Sbortas who were captured at the in the early 1990s by Al-Qassam fighters, the soldiers were killed in military action following their capture," the statement said.

I'm not sure how long it will remain up, once this information gets out, if it gets out, but I have saved it for posterity.



So, which was it? Cancer? It has been reported that he was also ill, though Hamas has kept that under wraps. Or was it electrocution and/or poison? The latter, of course, being the more dramatic and appealing alternative to plain old cancer. Plus it would suit their militaristic goals far better than if he were to have died from a disease rather than at the hands of the evil Israelis.
They gain no traction from a simple death from, say, prostrate cancer . If Mossad was responsible, his death could be a rallying cry for more death and destruction. Blaming Israel, of course, gives them ample justification to hit back, which is exactly what they plan on doing. Khaled Mashaal had this to say:

"We will retaliate for the blood of this man who fought you (Israel) for 30 years, from one battle to the next, and was arming the resistance and supporting it night and day," Mashaal said while standing next to al-Mabhouh's coffin at his funeral in Syria.

"You (Israelis) have hurt us with his killing, but it is an ongoing war between us," he said. "This is an open war."

Not that they need much to justify their ongoing war against the Israelis, since they do that unprovoked.

It really doesn't matter how the man died, he's a terrorist, he deserved to be put to rest whether through an act of God or Mossad. What matters is that

1. It just proves people are willing to believe all of Hamas' flagrant lies.
2. The media, once again, has failed to vet the information they get from consistent liars.

An Israeli blogger found the Maan news item by a few simple google searches. How hard is it for the mainstream media to do the same before publishing what could potentially be a flat out lie.

Could The Taliban Pashtuns Be Descended From Jews?

I have no idea if there is any truth to the following, but it certainly has some fascinating ramifications, since we all know Muslims, for the most part, so virulently hate the Jews.

According to geneticists in India there is the great possibility that the Pashtuns in Afghanistan and Pakistan, yes those lovely Taliban lads, might have Jewish blood coursing through their veins. Well not in the recent past, but a very, very long time ago.

Experts at Mumbai's National Institute of Immunohaematology believe Pashtuns could be one of the ten "Lost Tribes of Israel".

The Indian study has even prompted the Israelis to look further into this possibility. They are working hand in hand with an Indian researcher, Shanaz Ali, who will conduct further research at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Tel Aviv.

The Israeli government is funding a genetic study to establish if there is any proof of the link.

An Indian geneticist has taken blood samples from the Pashtun Afridi tribe in Lucknow, Northern India, to Israel where she will spend the next 12 months comparing DNA with samples with those of Israeli Jews.

She chose those particular Muslims in Lucknow because anywhere else would have been far too dangerous, given the subject matter of the study.

And there is some interesting anecdotal evidence that could back up their claims.

Many have grown up with stories of their people being "Children of Israel". According to legend, they are descended from the Ephraim tribe which was driven out of Israel by the Assyrian invasion in around 700BC.

Evidence of ancient Jewish settlement has been found in Herat, close to Afghanistan's border with Iran, where a graveyard contains tombs inscribed in Hebrew. The Afghan capital Kabul also has a centuries-old synagogue which has long been abandoned.

If the DNA evidence does point to the Pashtuns (all 40 million strong, worldwide) being descendants of the Israelites, it could prove interesting to see how they react to the news. For the Taliban Pashtuns it could be positive: they might perhaps embrace their Jewish heritage (and by extension their Jewish brothers and sisters) and join the modern world, or they might be so horrified they'd all commit suicide. Either way, it would be good thing. However, being a realist, I doubt anything would happen. They'll continue along their merry little way killing each other and anyone else who doesn't adhere to their belief system. One can dream, though.

Wife of CIA Bomber Very Proud Hubby Was A Martyr And Killed 8 People

How sick and pathetic someone would actually be proud that her husband was a suicide bomber, but Defne Bayrak, Turkish wife of the Jordanian CIA bomber Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, double agent supreme, is definitely proud. Proud that her husband played God and killed 8 people including a fellow Muslim, a Jordanian intelligence officer. Proud that he was what she considers a martyr, but who is actually nothing more than a vile murderer. Speaking with journalists in her black chador from somewhat-secular, becoming-less-so, Turkey she said,

"I am proud of my husband. He carried out a great operation in this war. I hope Allah will accept his martyrdom, if he has become a martyr," Defne Bayrak told reporters in Istanbul, where she lives.

"I am not ashamed. He did this against the American occupation" of Afghanistan, she said, the Turkish news agency Anatolia reported.

Let's face it, this has nothing to do with the "occupation" of Afghanistan or anywhere else for that matter, it's all about supporting al-Qaeda and terrorism, since the 8 victims were in a battle against al-Qaeda and terrorism. And she's absolutely right, it is a war- against terrorism and radical Islam - though many people are too afraid to call it what it is.

As for his martyrdom? I've always wondered what happens to married Muslim jihadis, do they also get the 72 virgins when they martyr themselves? I had the impression that was just for the young, stupid, unmarried kids who are so repressed during this life time the only thing they have to look forward to is their 72 virgins. Perhaps if modern Islam banned that from the Qran, we would have fewer men sign up to blow themselves to bits. And come to think of it, what do the female suicide bombers get? Nothing? That's certainly not fair, then again, Islam isn't very fair to women.

It always amazes me how educated men and women come to be jihadists. Al-Balawi was a medical doctor, Bayrak has a journalism degree and has written and translated books.

It's sad what religious fanaticism can do to individuals.

Religious Hypocrisy In Action: Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei Loves Him Some Caviar and Dirty Jokes

So, Iran's grand religious poobah Ayatollah Khamenei loves trout and caviar! Who would have thought. Now, trout is pretty commonplace, at least in the U.S., but caviar? Excuse me, but that stuff is dang expensive, so why the heck is Khamenei chowing down on caviar when the people of Iran aren't doing so great economically speaking. And that's not the only major indulgence, according to a defector from Khamenei's private guard who spilled the beans on the religious leader.

A catalogue of the private opulence and eccentric tastes of 70-year-old Ayatollah Khamenei and his family has been compiled by Iran's opposition Green Movement from the accounts of the defector, who is said to be in hiding in France.

Smart man to be hiding in France; we all know what happens to people who criticize the Iranian regime. Although I'm not sure how safe he will be. So, other than his penchant for caviar and trout, he is also

... an avid hoarder of collectables from bejewelled pipes to fine horses; and that he suffers regular bouts of depression which are treated in part by audiences with a mid-ranking mullah who tells vulgar jokes.

Living a double life as an austere theocrat in public, and an epicure in private- no wonder he's depressed. And vulgar jokes? Ha! I guess dirty jokes are in and Prozac is out. And that doesn't sound particularly pious to be using vulgar jokes as a form of therapy. And the man's a collector of fine (and obviously expensive) things to boot. He owns 170 antique walking sticks and at least 100 of the finest horses in Iran, not to mention his palaces- all 6 of them.

Ayatollah Khamenei is claimed to have accumulated a sprawling private court that stretches across six palaces, including Niavaran, the former resident of the Shah in Tehran. Two of the palaces - Niavaran and Vakilabad - are equipped with deep, reinforced concrete nuclear bunkers said to be capable of withstanding nuclear attack. A fully functioning hospital is overseen by a former health minister.

Then we have the following:

Claims from three intelligence officials, who have also fled Iran, have additionally documented the Khamenei family's wide-reaching business connections, including interests in European manufacturers, African mobile phone companies and international commodities markets.

You wonder where all their money is stashed. Switzerland, probably. Or the Cayman Islands. But the opposition Green Movement's exiled leader, film director Mohsen Makmalbaf seems to have information regarding his investments and wants the West to act on that info.

Mr Makmalbaf claimed the Green Movement had gathered information about the Khamenei family's investments abroad. "If the Western governments are serious enough in putting pressure on the regime by applying economic sanctions, then they should follow these leads and find these bank accounts and confiscate their deposits to be returned to the Iranian people at a later time," he said.

Before defecting, the bodyguard was one of a 200 personal security force for Khameini. I suppose you'd need that many when you are so loved. The fact that he denied rumours that Khameini also indulges in opium, which seem to be pretty widespread in Iran, seems to lend credence to his claims regarding the Ayatollah's other excesses.

None of this is surprising, of course, considering most of the ruling elite in authoritarian, totalitarian, communist, Islamic or other oppressive regimes always prosper while the population suffers.

There's nothing worse than religious hypocrisy.

Taliban Should Join Afghan Forces Says NATO's Brit General Barrons

NATO's Senior British Major General Richard Barrons has suggested that the Taliban must be allowed to join Afghan forces (police or army), if they make nice with the Afghan government. Is this man on crack? Or am I totally missing something here, because the idea is absolutely, categorically insane. That's all our men and women need in Afghanistan. It's hard enough for them- living under horrendous conditions in a barren, hostile land- but to actually have the enemy within their camp, not knowing which one might pull a gun and shoot you in the head is not an added pressure they need to deal with. The Taliban are not our friends, they are not to be reasoned with. They are insane, religious fanatics who, when push come to shove, are going to chose Mohammad and Allah over some crusading infidel, and the sooner our leaders (both military and political) come to terms with that perhaps something might get accomplished in that God-forsaken land.

It's not like infiltration hasn't happened before.

In two separate incidents last week, a Taliban bomber wearing a military uniform and a suicide vest entered a base in Khost and blew himself up inside the gym, killing eight Americans thought to be CIA officers, and an Afghan soldier killed a member of the US forces and wounded two Italian soldiers when he opened fire at an army base in western Afghanistan. In November, a rogue Afghan policeman shot dead five British soldiers while serving alongside them.

Fighting alongside people when you have no clue whether they're friend or foe is not a good idea, no matter how great the general thinks it might be. He is also talking about making sure the Taliban are given senior positions in Hamid Karzai's government. Well, isn't that just peachy. First it's a few, then a few more and eventually they take over the Afghan government because like the idiots in Gaza who voted for Hamas, the people will vote in the Taliban- even if it's out of fear and intimidation. Or they'll just co-opt the government through a coup, because there is no democracy under extremist rule.

And Nato is apparently willing to spend a bunch of money on these Taliban soon-to-be Afghan soldiers and police officers.

He spoke as the coalition prepares to spend millions of pounds on jobs and training for Taliban footsoldiers if they agree to lay down their arms. The schemes is designed complement Barack Obama's 30,000-strong troop reinforcement surge, which begins in earnest in the New Year.

Okay, so let me get this straight, they're supposed to lay down their arms, which will then be replaced with NATO-approved arms? Great, so now the Taliban parading around as NATO troops will have more targets to choose from. It'll be far easier to massacre the 30,000 new U.S. troops that are about to enter the fray. How about adding more NATO troops from other countries, so they can get massacred too? They'll be like sitting ducks.

For some reason Barrons thinks NATO can negotiate with the Taliban and that the fight is not ideological but more a lack of prospects.

The general said this year's push led by the senior Nato and US commander, Gen Stanley McChrystal, would include Afghan-led efforts to persuade Taliban to give up their fight.

Eight years on, coalition commanders have accepted that military might alone will not end the increasingly bloody insurgency. They do however, believe the majority of fighters are open to negotiation if they can be given an alternative.

Gen Barrons, who discusses previous insurgencies with a scholarly air, said most Taliban were motivated not by entrenched ideology but by lack of money and jobs, local grievances, or a sense of injustice at government corruption.

I hate to disillusion him but it's mostly about ideology. I'm sure lack of money and jobs probably doesn't help the situation, but bottom line is they want Afghanistan to revert back to Taliban governance. And that's exactly what will happen if they are allowed to reintegrate into Afghan society. When are they going to open their eyes and realize that? In the meantime, if they do integrate Taliban fighters into Afghan forces, we can expect a lot more tragedies like we have seen recently.

Jihad A Family Affair- Wife of al Qaida's #2 Henchman Calls On Women To Join Jihad

How heart-warming, Jihad is becoming a family affair. Al Qaida has been recruiting men and their male children, and now their wives are being called into action by none other than the wife of Osama Bin Laden's number 2 henchman, Ayman al-Zawahiri. So now, instead of being asked to stand by their men by giving birth to and raising Jihadi babies and donating money, the women are being asked to join in the fun. Although unverified, Umaima Hassan posted her message on the internet- apparently the first time an al Qaida wife has encouraged others to fight and/or blow themselves up- telling women it was an "obligation" to fight. She did add that it would challenging since

"Fighting is not easy for women, because she needs a male guardian at her side."

I guess making it a family project would deal with that issue quite well.

NBC News counterterrorism analyst, Evan Kohlmann, said Umaima

wrote specifically of "martyrdom" and "how many sisters carried out a martyrdom operation in Palestine, Iraq and Chechnya, and caused the enemy high costs and caused the enemy a big defeat. We ask from Allah to accept them and connect us with them with goodness."

Kohlmann seems to think there might be a shortage of jihadi fighting machines, hence the call for female participation. My question is, if women go off to fight, who is going to raise the next generation of jihadis? Not that I care. Maybe Umaima and the whole family (along with all her friends and relatives) will strap on bombs and get blown up together. That would solve the al Qaida problem quite nicely.

"Umaima? Yo Mama!"

HatTip: Weasel Zippers

Female Genital Mutilation Gets Up To Life In Prison In Uganda

There's good news out of Uganda regarding female genital mutilation (FGM)- one of the most barbaric, backwards and abusive practices forced on young females in parts of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and elsewhere. The Ugandan parliament has just passed a law banning female circumcision, a traditional right of passage performed on young girls under the age of 15, without their consent. An horrific cultural, and sometimes religious practice, which predates Islam and Christianity, the genitalia of the child is wholly or partially removed.

Sometimes the remaining flesh is stitched closed, a practice called infibulation, leaving only a tiny opening for urination and menstruation, and making intercourse and childbirth painful.

It's estimated 2 to 3 million mutilations are performed per year, and there are anywhere from 130 to 140 million women worldwide who have been tortured through female genital mutilation; at least those still living, since it's common for girls to die during the procedure or from complications, including infection. And it is torture in many instances where anesthesia is not used, and the methods can be very primitive-

“I have never been traumatised my whole life,” reported MP Margaret Muhanga as she testified to her witness of FMG. “They used a sharp stone and cut off the girl’s clitoris…Imagine your daughter being treated like that.”

“The Lord was not stupid to put it the way he did,” said Ngora MP Francis Epetait. “All those accessories had their purpose. It is very stupid for man to claim to be wiser than God.”

The sentencing structure varies depending on certain factors
- 10 years for those caught performing FGM.
-Life in prison if the child dies, contracts HIV or is eventually disabled. It seems the risk of HIV AIDS is much higher for those who have been circumcised.

The Bill passed unanimously, although stopping the practice will be very difficult. Though it has been banned in other African countries, Egypt and elsewhere, it is still far too prevalent. Old habits die hard, and unless you start a massive re-education programme the horrific practice will continue. At least this is a step in the right direction.

Islamic Tolerance- 59 % of Muslim Turks OPPOSE meetings of OTHER religions

Muslims rabidly defend their tolerance of other religions (I have often debated them) and yet in mostly secular Turkey, a survey conducted in 2008 shows well over 50% of the Muslim-dominated country opposes adherents of other religions openly worshipping and sharing their faith.

Fully 59 percent of those surveyed said non-Muslims either “should not” or “absolutely should not” be allowed to hold open meetings where they can discuss their ideas. Fifty-four percent said non-Muslims either “should not” or “absolutely should not” be allowed to publish literature that describes their faith.

The study conducted by member nations of the International Social Survey Program (ISSP) in 2008 (and to be published in 2010) also found that 40% of Turks (90% of whom are Sunni Muslims)

had “very negative” or “negative” views of Christians. In the random survey, 60 percent of those polled said there is one true religion.

And we know what that "one true religion" is for Muslims, and it's not Christianity or Judaism.

The ISSP is an international organization that commissions various polls and surveys (that are political or social in nature) from its 43 member-nations. Turkey was the only Muslim country that participated in this particular study.

Although 42% claimed they believed in religious tolerance, 49% said they "absolutely" or "most likely" would not

support a political party that accepted people from another religion.

A paltry 13 percent had a “very positive,” view of Christians, while 7 percent had a “positive” view. The article in Compass Direct News does not mention views on other religions, but I'm positive the tolerance level for Jews, in particular, would be far less, or non-existent.

The study in Turkey was conducted at Sabanci University by several professors, and according to one of them, Ali Çarkoglu, most of the blame for religious intolerance can be firmly placed on the educational system

...which mandates religious studies for both junior high school and high school students – classes in which Christians and Jews “are not even mentioned” or are portrayed as “the others,” Çarkoglu said.“That instills in these students a severe point of view of intolerance,” he added.

Of course, this isn't anything new or surprising. It happens all over the Middle East and in Muslim-majority countries; even in Muslim schools in this country and elsewhere!

So while Muslims worldwide cry foul on the banning of Minarets in Switzerland, and piss and moan about intolerance, they are far too blind and in denial to admit their own massive intolerance.

Obama's Reach-Out-And-Touch-A-Terrorist Style Diplomacy Not Working!

In a recent interview with the New York Times, our feckless leader, Barack Obama, said he was mulling the idea of reaching out to the moderate elements of the Taliban. Moderate elements of the Taliban? Has no-one bothered to explain to our commander-in-chief that no such thing exists? There is no moderation in fundamentalist Islam. It's all about compulsion, oppression and expansion. Moderates don't exist. It's an oxymoron. And only morons would think they can somehow reason with those whose ultimate goal is global domination.

Even the Taliban think he's a moron. They turned down his offer calling it "illogical". Which it is. Sad to think that a bunch of ignorant, sheepherders in the vast expanses of Afghanistan have more cognitive reasoning abilities than the current President of the United States of America.

Taliban spokesperson, Qari Mohammad Yousuf, scoffed at the idea of dignifying Obama's proposal with a response:

"This does not require any response or reaction for this is illogical. The Taliban are united, have one leader, one aim, one policy...I do not know why they are talking about moderate Taliban and what it means? If it means those who are not fighting and are sitting in their homes, then talking to them is meaningless. This really is surprising the Taliban."

How embarrassing is that? It seems the pied piper of Illinois truly believes his own hype- that since a huge portion of the entire world elevated him to status of superhero, celebrity and God, he'll somehow miraculously manage to turn terrorists into evolved, civilized, productive citizens of the world. It 'aint gonna happen.

Obama has made overtures to other questionable types, and has also been rebuffed. Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said, of Obama's efforts to bring change to the international arena, and Iran, specifically:

"We welcome change provided the change is fundamental and in the right direction. If you talk of change in policies, withdraw your forces from Afghanistan. If you say change in policies, then halt your support to the uncultivated and rootless, forged, phony, killers of women and children Zionists and allow the Palestinian nation to determine its own destiny."

Translation: take a hike, O-man! He also, apparently, wants apologies and compensation for U.S. "murderous crimes" against Iran, before he's willing to take Obama's hand in friendship. Specifically,

the CIA-backed overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953, U.S. support of Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war between 1980-88 and the downing of an Iranian civilian plane and killing of 290 passengers by a U.S. warship in 1988.

When will Obama come to the realization that there are times when diplomacy simply does not work. It merely demonstrates weakness, and this obvious weakness simply empowers our enemies.

Why Israel Is NOT An Apartheid State

March 1 through 8 was the week moonbats, lefties, anti-semites and others of the same ilk celebrated Israeli Apartheid Week. This is the fifth year these ill-informed, supremely ignorant types have participated in what amounts to an Israeli bash-fest:

IAW is an international series of events held in cities and campuses across the globe. The aim of IAW is to educate people about the nature of Israel as an apartheid system and to build Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaigns as part of a growing global BDS movement.

'Apartheid' along with 'genocide' are two words people love to associate with Israel, neither of which apply, in any way, shape or form.

First of all, let's take a look at the true definition of 'apartheid'- According to freedictionary.com 'apartheid' is an Afrikaans word, meaning:

1. An official policy of racial segregation formerly practiced in the Republic of South Africa, involving political, legal, and economic discrimination against nonwhites.

2. A policy or practice of separating or segregating groups.

3. The condition of being separated from others; segregation.

If the Arabs in Israel had no rights, were not allowed positions in the government, not allowed to attend universities, not allowed in hospitals, then perhaps Israel could be called an apartheid state, but this is far from the truth. Unlike the blacks in South Africa who were truly discriminated against, non-Jews in Israel have more rights than non-Muslims in Arab countries. In fact, if we want to get technical, most Arab countries are guilty of apartheid- are there any Jews in the Palestinian government? Saudi Arabian government? I think not.

I read a great post on Instablogs (my other blogging home) that lists all the reasons why Israel is not an apartheid state. Here are some snippets:

Apartheid IS: A deliberate government policy of social, political, economic, educational and physical separation and discrimination between the people of a single country based solely on race, such as existed in South Africa.

Apartheid IS NOT: A situation in which two people of the same race, for example two SEMITIC peoples, are at war.

Apartheid IS NOT: A situation in which one of these nations, having lost its own state in an attempt to destroy the state of the other, finds itself conquered by the nation it had tried to destroy.

Now, to believe that “Israel is an Apartheid state”, you have to believe the following:

1) That Islam and Judaism are races, not religions.

2) That the entire area of Palestine as defined by the League of Nations, including Israel, the West Bank, Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights and Jordan is a single national entity.

3) That the self-declared Palestinians are legitimate citizens of the State of Israel (which, by their own admission, they are not and do not wish to be).

4) That the state of Israel, or indeed any state, does not have the right to defend and protect its citizens from belligerent actions by foreign entities.

Israel is not perfect (is there any country that is?) but there is no way you can claim it guilty of apartheid.

As further proof that Israel does not discriminate against its non-Jewish population, Ishmael Khaldi, the vice consul of Israel (based in San Francisco), just so happens to be an Arab Bedouin AND a Muslim. A proud Israeli, he wrote a scathing commentary in the San Francisco Chronicle about the fallacy of proclaiming Israel as an apartheid state and how those who continue to propagate such hateful ideology are doing more harm than good.

You are part of the problem, not part of the solution: If you are really idealistic and committed to a better world, stop with the false rhetoric. We need moderate people to come together in good faith to help find the path to relieve the human suffering on both sides of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Vilification and false labeling is a blind alley that is unjust and takes us nowhere.

You deny Israel the fundamental right of every society to defend itself: You condemn Israel for building a security barrier to protect its citizens from suicide bombers and for striking at buildings from which missiles are launched at its cities - but you never offer an alternative. Aren't you practicing yourself a deep form of racism by denying an entire society the right to defend itself?

Your criticism is willfully hypocritical: Do Israel's Arab citizens suffer from disadvantage? You better believe it. Do African Americans 10 minutes from the Berkeley campus suffer from disadvantage - you better believe it, too. So should we launch a Berkeley Apartheid Week, or should we seek real ways to better our societies and make opportunity more available.

You are betraying the moderate Muslims and Jews who are working to achieve peace: Your radicalism is undermining the forces for peace in Israel and in the Palestinian territories. We are working hard to move toward a peace agreement that recognizes the legitimate rights of both Israel and the Palestinian people, and you are tearing down by falsely vilifying one side.

So there you have it, Israel is NOT an apartheid state, but idiots never care about the truth. Too bad the ignorant happen to be the most vocal.

Hat Tip/Tundra Tabloids