Simply Jews: May 2012

31 May 2012

The many-headed Hydra of the Zionism lobby(ies)

The renown scientist, the first and foremost expert in interpretation of disjointed ravings produced by Iranian first and foremost ~~stand-up comedian~~ ~~lunatic~~ president Mahmoud (the Mad) Ahmadinejad, prof. Juan Cole, Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan, the delight of Ayatollahs, the staunch defender of any Muslim fundie with a big mouth, the lone ray of light in the Western Islamophobic darkness, the...

Oops, the needle got stuck somewhere in that tirade. Anyway, Juan Cole the historian seems to be branching out into biology, where he made a discovery that will reverberate. Being a modest and unpretending servant of science, he hasn't made a lot of noise about it, but here it is, available to all in its bottomless wisdom:

The American political elite, very attentive to big money in politics and to the Israel lobbies, almost certainly is pulling for Shafiq to win.

I am willing to bet* that not a single reader of this sentence will find it, not upon the first reading. So I shall help you out: see that "Israel lobbies"?

Mark this day in your calendars. Because.

(*) But I wouldn't, so keep your change.

Via Judeopundit.

Bar price list

(Probably an old one, but still good).

Price list for barman's lies to wives calling for their hubbies:

"Just left" - $10.
"Hasn't been here today" - $20.
"Didn't see him for a few days" - $30.
"Who's it?" - $100.

30 May 2012

WikiLeaks' Assange loses sex appeal

Oops. I just wanted to make a short replacement to this CNN headline:

WikiLeaks' Assange loses sex case appeal but will fight on

But something went wrong. Anyway, some schadenfreude here couldn't be denied. Justice will be eventually carried out, even if by a bunch of militant feminists. And even if in a roundabout way, and not directly because of this, or this. Or this. Etc.

Poor Shakespeare

The final image of this production by Israeli company Habima is a stark one. Small and crushed, as if weighed down by history itself, Jacob Cohen's broken Shylock – a man who has lost daughter, fortune and home – is seen, suitcase in hand, walking away from Venice, an eternal wandering Jew. But it was impossible not to think of other displaced people, too, most particularly the Palestinians.

Curtains, please.

And this.

Some pearls of Russian wisdom

From this here gentleman:

The five messages he is carrying (from the top down) in the best possible way I can translate:

Judaism begets oligarchy
Russian orthodox church begets right to thievery (or thievery of rights, this is a nifty wordplay)
Islamism begets terrorism
Buddhism begets bums (homeless ones)
And only Marxism- Leninism begets justice, equality and brotherhood

So there!

Hat tip: L.W.

Watcher’s Council Nominations – Post Memorial Day Edition

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. – George Orwell
Welcome to the Watcher’s Council, a blogging group consisting of some of the most incisive blogs in the ‘sphere, and the longest running group of its kind in existence. Every week, the members nominate two posts each, one written by themselves and one written by someone from outside the group for consideration by the whole Council.Then we vote on the best two posts, with the results appearing on Friday.

Laura Maggi, Lauren Odes and the prudes

Some people need to get a life: their excess of prudery must play havoc with their digestion and other vital bodily functions. Two heartrending stories caused me to take another look at what seems to become a problem even in the so called enlightened societies. To start with, the story of Lauren Odes:

Rattlesnake murdered by a Walmart customer

Of course, the tame imperialist media presents the story in a different light:

A Wal-Mart customer is recovering after he was bitten by a rattlesnake in a garden department of the store chain. Mica Craig said the reptile pounced as he was shopping at the store in the north-western US state of Washington.

But the truth will always out:

The 47-year-old stamped on the serpent and was later treated at hospital with anti-venom, after his hand suffered serious swelling.

Mr Craig, of course, is in a fighting mood (watch the clip in that article, and Walmart better line up a good lawyer or three.

I suggest PETA should look into the case. Taking the life of an innocent animal like this - what a shame! I think the killer made a few slips talking to the media, like:

Mr Craig said the serpent attacked as he reached down to brush away what he thought was a stick from a bag of mulch.

Uhu... I bet... have you ever seen a rattler looking like a stick? And this:

The purchase was intended for his marijuana plants, which Mr Craig said he was licensed to grow for medical reasons.

Sure. Of course. But PETA, I am confident, will win this fight, and in the future we shall know it as the Clarkston Walmart Massacre.

28 May 2012

What do these stories have in common?

Naked Man Shot as He Chewed Victim's Face

Miami police and witnesses say that an officer on Saturday fatally shot a naked man who was chewing on the face of another man on a downtown causeway off-ramp.

Chef serves his own meat and two veg

A Tokyo man cooked and served his own privates to five diners at a bizarre banquet in Japan.

Egypt's Brotherhood would keep Israel treaty: Carter

The Muslim Brotherhood may seek to modify, but will not destroy, Egypt's 33-year-old peace treaty with Israel, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said on Saturday.

Petra M-B on Iran and nukes

A brief posting, before we depart for extended stays (yes, the plural is deliberate: once retired, and with adequate funds, one travels) outside the UK and absence from the keyboard - although the emails are playing up, and british telecom is not our favourite multinational right now - I thought I'd trawl through a few of my favourite sites. As a result, I came across this, on Petra M-B's blog. It's up to her usual standard. It's on Iran and the development of nukes - isn't everything on Iran about that, these days?

By Brian Goldfarb.

27 May 2012

Viktor Dvorakovsky: an undermartyred Russian Islamist

I wouldn't have paid any special attention to this UPI story but for a slightly unusual (that is, for an avowed Islamist) name of the culprit: Viktor Dvorakovsky.

Viktor Dvorakovsky, 24, was sentenced by a regional court in Russia's southern Stavropol territory Thursday to 23 years in a high-security jail, RIA Novosti reported.

Dvorakovsky was previously convicted of charges of plotting a terror attack, attempting to kill a police officer, making improvised explosive devices, inciting racial hatred and fraud.

The key sentence, however, is here:

What turns on Silvio Berlusconi

As they say, different jokes for different blokes, or something in this vein. They also add something about no accounting for taste. However, that one is real strange:

One of the young women who attended Silvio Berlusconi's "bunga bunga" parties told a court on Friday that she dressed up as a burlesque version of U.S. President Barack Obama to entertain the former Italian prime minister.

Yeah... Silvio is a gift that keeps giving...

26 May 2012

Devrait pas nous fâcher

Apparently it means "You shouldn't get us mad". Indeed, mad students are not a pretty sight at the best of times, witness this:

Is this a student or a student's grandpa, we'll probably never know. And if he is a student, what is his major? Remedial Basket Weaving 101, suggests gnotalex. Trying not to be an ageist (which I could hardly pull off, myself being decrepit to the utmost), I would suggest archeology.

But you knew I would.

2012 UC Irvine Hate Week Post Mortem

To summarize the week of events, it was almost the same lineup of speakers we have seen regularly in the past. Boring Ben White, the ever-annoying Berkeley professor Hatem Bazian, the misguided Hedy Epstein (who doesn't realize whom she is lending support to), always radical imam Amir Abdel Malik Ali ( who belies the claims of the MSU that they are really a mainstream religious organization that rejects anti-Semitism), and this time, veterans of the Oren disruption, 4 unrepentant young men, who swear if the Israeli ambassador ever returns to UCI, they will be there to disrupt again.

Yeah, and the festivities to be repeated again. And again...

Read it all.

25 May 2012

Happy Towel Day!

To everyone who celebrates it.

The Council Has Spoken!

Council Winners

Brett Kimberlin: an American success story?

Of course, charlatans are not any nation's specialty. People who change identities, places and methods are known to escape the attention of gendarmes and judiciary for many years in many countries. But the story of Brett Kimberlin is quite unique. Starting with this (click to enlarge):

The Whited Sepulchre photo files

Quite.

24 May 2012

And then came MK Michael Ben-Ari...

I am listening to the radio this morning, trying to make sense of the yesterday's demo in the Tel Aviv's Hatikva neighborhood.

Over a thousand people demonstrated on Wednesday in Tel Aviv's Hatikva neighborhood against the influx of migrants from north Africa. The demonstrators held signs calling for the deportation of the migrants, one of which read "(Prime Minister) Bibi (Netanyahu) decide - Sudan or Israel."

The demonstration ended in violence this time:

Police arrested a total of 17 people during and after a protest against African migrants in south Tel Aviv Wednesday night. Among those arrested were 11 minors and six adults. The arrests were made for rioting, attempted assault, possession of knives and looting store fronts.

Nasrallah and Draw Mohammed Day

Via Incognito the Closet Republican.

A case of creative price management and other wisecracks

California, apparently, suffers from surplus of weed. The solution was simple:

Authorities say three and a half tons of marijuana have been found floating in the ocean off Southern California.

Kristen Stewart threesome uncensored

No, no way it will appear here. Instead, a better kind of bird:

But I guarantee that it's uncensored.

23 May 2012

Monbiot vs Chomsky: get your head around it, if you can

Bob from Brockley has done another great post. Which by itself is not a scoop, since with Bob it's kinda habitual. This time it's a great and amazing post. It will shake the found... aw, what the heck - just go and read it. Hurry.

Ex-Satanist Exposes Illuminati Card Game and the NWO

I can assure you will spend an extremely gratifying and educational half an hour with this revelation. Mind you, though: the guy is way too optimistic. He thinks that the world is currently at 11:55 PM, as far as Illuminati's plans are concerned.

Tee hee.

All the news that's fit to scare us

And I did deliberately parody the NYT tagline.

I notice that this item (from the Henry Jackson Society - good guys on the Middle east - check out the reason for their name via their website) hasn't been referenced on the Simply site. So, although it's almost 3 weeks old, here goes.

The Society took its story from Ha'aretz (Snoopy, you're slipping: it's your job - and Gideon's of course - to keep an eye on these things, not leave it to someone 2000 miles away), and they head it "Will Hamas Ever Moderate?" You don't need me to tell you the answer to that (rhetorical) question.

Early in the article is this quote: "According to a Haaretz report last week, a secret vote in Hamas was conducted to elect new members to the group’s political bureau and Shura Council. The results saw Ismail Haniyeh, the Prime Minister of the Hamas’ administrative wing in the Gaza Strip, get elected to head the movement’s political bureau in Gaza." Translation: real hard-liners elected to replace/control not quite such hard-liners.

And this is important because? Well, because "Haniyeh is a noted hardliner who is less amenable to finding a political solution with Hamas’ Palestinian political rival Fatah or Israel for that matter."

It's not good, but it's hardly news, even if we do need to to be told.

By Brian Goldfarb.

A million dollar parking? What for?

That was a doubly (at least) mysterious news item for me. To start with, the name of the person who pitches the parking:

The private garage at 66 E. 11th St. is "for someone who wants complete privacy," said Prudential Douglas Elliman Vice Chairman Dolly Lenz.

How is she/he called at home (or in the office, for that matter), I wonder? And then:

"You can drive in and not be seen again," Lenz said.

Hm... a million dollar for that? I know places (including parking lots) where people drove in and where never seen again for free.

Go figure out them New Yorkers...

Khartoum points to Israel after car blast in E. Sudan, Mossad denies etc

They say.

An Israeli government spokesman declined to comment on the explosion in Sudan's east...

Of course. It's a simply absurd allegation. For many years already Israel doesn't produce any cars. And those that were produced weren't such a blast too. Rather died a natural, albeit painful death.

So there.

22 May 2012

Israel vs Iran reported, Iran vs Israel ignored

I've spent all morning and the better part of the afternoon hunting for two stories in the media. None was reported by the major news wire services and newspapers. No big surprise there, as the media has been so busy for several years now denying that the iranian leadership ever thought of harming the israeli corner of the world - rather the other way round.

Story number one, first published in the printed edition of Israel Hayom, brings us the words of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself, as recounted by Spain's former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. Israel National News reports:

"In a private discussion we held in Tehran in October of 2000, Ali Khamenei told me that Israel must be burned to the ground and made to disappear from the face of the Earth," Aznar told the audience, according to a report in Israel Hayom.

Story number two, fresh form Fars News, brings us the words of another iranian leader, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Hassan Firouzabadi:

Addressing a defense gathering here in Tehran on Sunday, General Firouzabadi said that nations should realize the threats and dangers posed by the Zionist regime of Israel.

He reiterated the Iranian nation and Supreme Leader's emphasis on the necessity of support for the oppressed Palestinian nation and its causes, and noted, "The Iranian nation is standing for its cause that is the full annihilation of Israel."

No further comment needed, me thinks.

Christian Toto vs Sacha Baron Cohen: about sense of humor of some Republicans

After showing some (not bad at all) examples of the right wing trashing Obama's election efforts, here is an example of an overexcited Republican: Christian Toto, a Breibart writer, tries to trash Sacha Baron Cohen, because... try to read it carefully:

Sacha Baron Cohen's "The Dictator" features a political speech that could have been stripped from any Occupy Wall Street protest.

Simply Che

Number eleven, and I am certain the subject will turn in his grave several times:

Mmm...

21 May 2012

Why Livingstone Lost Much of the London Jewish Vote

I have been neglecting my self-appointed task of providing links to items readers of this blog might find interesting. I know I've been away (and Costa Rica was wonderful), but that's no excuse now I'm back. So here's what I can only hope and pray is the last word we might need to worry about on Ken (I wanna be Mayor again) Livingstone.

To take one example from the start of this long article, 'The litany of public run-ins between Livingstone and Jews eventually broke the camel’s back. It was, to use an older Jewish phrase, “enough already.”' Dave Rich, of the CST, writing in Forward, is relating how come Labour canvassers in the just past London Mayoral elections kept getting this reaction on the doorstep when they canvasses Jewish voters. Although I wasn't canvassed, I'd have said the same.

Among the other elements is Livingstone's continued support for Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a confirmed anti-semite, misogynist, homophobic Islamist as some sort of liberal; Ken's inability to see the complexities in the London Jewish community; and his tendency to fall into the same trap as the likes of Mearsheimer and Walt. At the same time, Rich insists that, despite all this, Livingstone is, on an individual level, antisemitic, just one-eyed.

From my perspective, I think he's being very generous. But, perhaps, Rich is far more in the public world of London politics that I will ever be.

By Brian Goldfarb.

In Memoriam: one of the good guys is no more

CST had this on their website: it's a brief obituary of Vidal Sassoon. I posted the following comment on another site, when it was suggested that he was a veteran of world War 2:

Umm, Francis, he was too young for WW2, in that he was sub 18 when the war ended – even The Grauniad got that bit right. However, he did join up with the 43 Group to fight fascists on the streets of London, while a hair-dressing apprentice. There’s one lovely story from this time: he arrived at work badly bruised one morning, and when the boss asked him how he got the bruises, he reportedly said he’d tripped over a hair-band.

He did go to what was then Palestine and fought in the War of Independence in the Hagana.

He may not have been religious, but was surely very Jewish and very anti-fascist.
The CST item is well worth a read.

By Brian Goldfarb.

20 May 2012

Majid Jamali Fashi: dead because of Wikileaks?

It is possible that Assange who, via good services of his buddy Israel Shamir, already caused torture and death of opposition activists in Belarus, can chalk up a new "achievement": this time in Iran.

American elections: it is heating up, ladies and gentlemen

So prepare your favorite armchair, your drink and your snack. If you have an advantage of watching the campaign from the outside, double the quantities. Here come a few examples where the gloves come off:

Setting free the beers

Can you do this?

If you can, I want to be your friend.

And if you also got the allusion in the title of this post - I, probably, already am your friend.

19 May 2012

Happy end: toothbrush returned to owner undamaged

That is, after being swallowed:

Details.

Men are less lucky.

Is there a lesson in these two stories? I don't know, probably to buy an electric toothbrush and not to swallow things that you are supposed to wear on your outside bits.

Where the hoopoes nest

I am using the opportunity to show off one of my very few and not successful shots of a hoopoe:

For some reason hoopoe and Eurasian jay are two Israeli birds I have a difficulty to catch up with for a serious photo session. Probably due to my insufficient level of Zionism.

This opportunity was presented to me by an excellent piece ‘This includes any reference to their wildlife’ in Engage by Max Dunbar. I wouldn't spoil it by revealing the end. Just to give you the general idea: Two bent out of shape British Jooz, George Abendstern and Linda Clair (partners, as the pair is euphemistically called), severely chide (each one separately, obviously to increase the total effect) the British Communist paper Morning Star. The paper's transgression this time was using hoopoe, which is the Israeli state bird, in its daily quiz. So enjoy the article. I, meanwhile...

They know what you want to do to the striped hyena!

This article immersed me in a sea of confusion.

A Justice Ministry bill that would expand the state's power to track cell phone and e-mail conversations has provoked outrage from privacy advocates.

The bill would almost double the number of state agencies allowed to access such data when conducting investigations.

Currently, the only agencies authorized to obtain communications data are the police, the Military Police, the Justice Ministry unit that investigates police misconduct, the Israel Securities Authority, the Antitrust Authority and the Tax Authority.

Council Winners

*First place with 3 1/3 votes! The Noisy Room– The Fascist Boogie Fever
Second place *t* with 2 1/3 votes – Joshuapundit The New Egypt’s Politics: Who Can Demonize Jews And Israel The Most??
Second place *t* with 2 1/3 votes – Bookworm Room-Presidential Election 2012: Eddie Haskell versus Ward Cleaver
Third place with 1 1/3 votes – The Razor-The Myth of an Unbiased Media
Fourth place *t* with 1 vote – Gay Patriot- Marriage to Ann seems to have ended Mitt’s adolescent unruliness
Fourth place *t* with 1 vote – The Right Planet-Syria
Fourth place *t* with 1 vote – New Zeal-Communists in Congress? (1) Hansen Clarke (D) Michigan
Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote – VA Right! –A Million Souls Up In Heaven
Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote – The Mellow Jihadi –Breastfeeding, By Any Weans Necessary
Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote – The Political Commentator – Syosset, New York: Political smear campaign or just a big old coincidence?

Non-Council Winners

First place with 2 2/3 votes! – Mark Steyn- The Spirit of Geert Wilders submitted by Joshuapundit
Second place *t* with 1 2/3 votes – Tablet –My Mother’s Loving Silence submitted by The Political Commentator
Second place *t* with 1 2/3 votes –Via Meadia –BBC And The Jews submitted by The Razor
Third place *t* with 1 1/3 votes -Barry Rubin What Do Egyptians Want? A Democratically Elected Islamist Dictatorship submitted by Simply Jews
Third place *t* with 1 1/3 votes -Gates Of Vienna The Three Cs submitted by The Watcher
Third place *t* with 1 1/3 votes -The Daily Big Hearted Mitt submitted by Rhymes With Right
Fourth place with 1 vote FrontPage Mag -The Rise Of The Saudi SuperState submitted by The Right Planet
Fourth place *t* with 1 vote - Thomas Sowell –A Censored Race War submitted by The Watcher
Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote - Ambiance – I, Weed submitted by The Glittering Eye
Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote -The Compass –Magic Democracy submitted by GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD
Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote -All American Blogger –How to Assert Copyright Over Your Work When It’s Been Plagiarized (Video) submitted by VA Right!
Fifth place *t* with 2/3 vote -6079 Smith, W –U.S. lagging Rwanda in Healthcare? submitted by The Mellow Jihadi
Sixth place *t* with 1/3 vote -Grantland – The Inquisition of Mr. Marvel submitted by The Colossus of Rhodey

The Liberties Ratchet Effect

The Ratchet Effect is an economic term that has been used for many years. However I think the term is far better applied to effect that the two parties have had on liberty. We are right now in the throes of a political year, a Presidential one at that, where we have both parties attacking each other for their attitudes toward individual liberty.

More in this article by Andrew Ian Dodge, Andrew Ian Dodge, the Libertarian Senate candidate for Maine.

17 May 2012

Israel Inside - the movie

This critically-acclaimed film, hosted by former Harvard lecturer Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, uncovers the core values that enable Israelis to succeed against incredible odds. The film debuted on PBS in November and is being screened at more than 150 locations worldwide. For a limited time, the film is available for free online streaming. So enjoy.

This post will stay at the top of the list for the duration, so to see other new posts go down one.

On smartphone users' priorities

The story deserves a mention, since I am sure that it's relevant to all smartphone users:

The Angus Reid survey conducted last month for Rogers Communications asked 1,010 smartphone users what they would be willing to sacrifice to maintain their Internet access.

I am summarizing the answers below:

34 percent would give up alcohol
31 percent would go without chocolate
27 percent would give up coffee
6 percent of them would rather give up regular sex
4 percent would give up daily bathing
4 percent would choose the Internet over personal contact with others

Besides the importance of Internet access to so many people, the survey answers could be also compared against each other, with some interesting conclusions. For instance, that sex is almost six times more important to smartphone users than alcohol and five times more important than chocolate.

Or that unwashed smartphone users shun personal contacts* - which is rather a foregone conclusion...

Etc.

(*) Now don't get all scientific with me about this interpretation: I prefer to think so, OK?

I do love cats, but...

But there must be some limits:

Or not?

Via Findalis.

16 May 2012

Israeli European bee-eater is no turkey!

Hm... Israeli European bee-eater sounds confusing. But a quote from here may set us straight:

Turkish authorities are examining the carcass of a European bee-eater on suspicion that the bird was spying for Israel, Turkish websites and media have reported in the past couple of days.

Here is the culprit while alive:

To my shame I don't have my own picture of this one... anyway, Turkish authorities may examine till second coming: the sensitive equipment self-destroyed with the last heartbeat. Examination notwithstanding, our birds spied, spy and will continue to spy. You can take it to the bank (what your bank will do with it is another question).

And whoever is unhappy with this state of affairs should better brace him/herself: worse things are coming. Or, rather, flying:

And you better watch out, in addition to the cameras and other electronic gizmos, this thing bites like a demented adder.

Tee hee...

Tombstone and Mexican spotted owl

Let me ask you all a question: imagine you are dying from thirst, and the only way for you to get a glass of water is to disturb a Mexican spotted owl that has chosen to build a nest between you and the spring. What do you do?

Now let's make the situation a bit more complex by adding a few details and a third party. The details: you have to cross a distance of two or three miles to get to the water; the way is covered by boulders and thorns; you are weakening. The third party (let's call it Forest Service ranger) demands that you crawl in order not to disturb the said owl, oh, and by the way, you cannot crawl directly to the water - you have to crawl around, keeping at least a mile between yourself and the owl's nest. What do you do? The picture is incomplete regarding the question of whether you have any weapons on you.

After you have dealt with the two tests above, I am allowed to tell you that in fact there ain't no owl in the area. There was one some time ago... possibly.

The test above has some vague bearing on the situation that developed in the Arizona town of Tombstone. It is too exciting to retell, so read the article and/or watch this clip:

Er... what the heck: I have to quote a paragraph from that article:

A request filed with the Forest Service for information regarding their specific concerns has been stonewalled. An organization called "Goldwater Institute" has come forward to try to help the town of Tombstone and again requested this same information under the Freedom of Information act. They were told they could have the information, for a fee of $80,000.

From what I've read about Wyatt Earp, financial considerations weren't totally alien to him. Of course, today's sum of $80,000 doesn't go as far as it used to in, say, 1890. Still, Mr Earp, $80,000 and a few Forest Service functionaries - hm... it would have made an interesting meeting... and I know which side I would cheer.

Hat tip: Sara Noble.

Stupidity On Parade

Here.

15 May 2012

Oh Debka, Debka... or connect the dots...

I am still staggering after reading that Debka article with a smashing headline:

New US battle strategy against Iran in US movements and Israeli drill

The first sentence is so incomprehensible that I dare to quote only its first part:

A series of apparently unconnected military movements observed in Middle East seas and skies in the last tendays have a common factor: introduction of the new US Air Sea Battle (ASB) doctrine...

Oh, I see you don't believe me, so here goes the rest:

...which is designed to make the most of tightly coordinated operations by air, land, sea, undersea, space and cyberspace capabilities for defeating those of the enemy.

Now, I hope, you do believe.

Anyhow, the important point in that first broadside is this ASB doctrine Debka allegedly sniffed out. Now let's take a look at the connection with the Israeli drill:

The Israeli exercise, which ended May 13, practiced the new American ABS* doctrine of simultaneously massing large-scale sea and air strength against Iran on two seas, in this case, the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf. It also drilled operating in unison with their American counterparts under the same doctrine.

So now it's clear: a coordinated pincer movement from the two seas... oops, somebody forgot that Iran doesn't have an access to Mediterranean. I prefer to blame the Pentagon, they are farther away, after all, and may have missed that point.

Unless, of course, it is all done for the surprise value. Imagine Israeli Navy going at Iran from the Med, causing twenty kinds of incomprehension in Tehran, while... yeah, it could work.

I would suggest that Israeli Navy stage that attack from an even more remote location. Say, from the Barents Sea. The surprise level will simply paralyze the Iran's military.

Methinks it's quite the time to reveal the person behind what Debka call "Our military sources". Here he is:

The picture is borrowed from here. Cause they use this same source too.

(*) Notice that the doctrine is named differently this time. Obviously to confuse the enemy, who will be preparing to counter the ASB, while in reality it's ABS that will be unleashed. I would offer an even shorter acronym - BS, but how will it differ from the Debka's usual?

Haaretz, Nir Hasson and the unbearable brightness

The worthy and watchful folks of Camera caught Haaretz in a glaring (no pun intended) blooper:

You see, Western Wall as such is not the Judaism holiest site - the Temple Mount is. Well, make of it whatever you will. Camera made of it quite a big story, to me it's just another case of poor journalism/translation coupled with poor editing, and I wouldn't make a federal case out of it. Camera routinely catches Haaretz in much more serious obfuscation of truth. And these are only related to willful "sabotage" by translators. What about the body of work by, say, Gideon Levy, the baron of deceit industry - to take one example?

I was more interested in the general contents of the article. What may have caused such a long one on such a puny subject? Was it a slow day in Haaretz' office? Or is it only an external symptom of infighting in the tourism Ministry? And why was is so important to the Haaretz' soul mates from Forward that they put a long excerpt from that same piece under the Breaking News (!) rubric? Beats me.

Otherwise, I can agree with Nir Hasson, the author of the article: the whole country here is not planned with any thought about possible tourism. Heat, humidity, the sun beating down relentlessly, open spaces without any cover or air conditioning and whatnot. Take this example:

Massada - the place which popularity and fame are overshadowed only by lack of vision, care and planning displayed by the original creators* of the place. Almost around the year you can bake eggs, pastry or yourself simply by displaying the goods to the sun.

I can imagine (when I focus on it) the displeasure, incessant cursing, complaining and rising AWOL numbers of the Roman ~~tourists~~ legionnaires at the time.

Oh well, such are the ways of the idle Levantines...

(*) Take that word as you wish.

14 May 2012

Fahd al Quso's demise, blame the previous manager, Obama's campaign claims, etc

The CNN clip - the first one in a new series on Al Qaeda in Arabic Peninsula, made by Christiane Amanpour, tries to send a few messages. Or, rather, a few arrows at different targets (may it never be said that Ms Amanpour isn't politically motivated) - but the results are mostly misses.

Nevertheless, the clip is interesting, revealing quite a lot of interesting stuff. To start with, an ex-FBI agent with a better than perfect hindsight, whose ability to blame others and laud his own self is quite something. Strange that Al Qaeda survived at all with such a formidable enemy.

Then there is Ms Amanpour, who is artfully leading the said agent to blame all kinds of people in all kinds of mistakes. One has to remind oneself every minute or two that USS Cole bombing and 9/11 could hardly be put on the GWB table. One has to admit, though, that the mere fact that the previous sentence is written is a witness to Ms Amanpour being a pro.

It was quite funny to watch the part where the fact that the late Fahd al Quso wasn't brought to USA at the time (to be tried and incarcerated there), is blamed on that unmentioned party. With all her subtlety and professionalism Ms Amanpour couldn't prevent the FBI guy admitting that Yemeni government at the time objected to the step. She does, however, slip up while regretting that al Quso wasn't "rendered".

Should I remind everyone how vociferously Bush, CIA and powers that be of that time were denigrated for the CIA "rendition" activities by the media - including Ms Amanpour? Just google for "Amanpour rendition" if you want some pearls.

But the most interesting and most troubling part of the whole (for me at least) isn't related to the past. I mean the repeated (for a good reason and with enough supporting information) statements about Al Qaeda going, if not as strong as yesterday, still quite strong and not planning to disappear anytime soon. And the same, according to that clip, goes for Taliban, which isn't getting weaker with time - just the opposite.

The reason I mention this is because of the Obama's campaign, which (while it's not any of my business) produces victory statements every other day, declaring both Al Qaeda and Taliban devastated by the might of the current POTUS. One doesn't have to read between the lines, the current administration is openly preparing to leave Afghanistan and to drastically reduce the effort in the battle against Al Qaeda.

Two big mistakes - and afterward it will become everyone's business.

13 May 2012

And what libertarians say about gay marriage

Andrew Ian Dodge, the Libertarian Senate candidate for Maine:

Norman Finkelstein: The BBC Legitimises a Crank

I would say "The BBC beats a dead horse", but this is the headline chosen for a Henry Jackson Society editorial (no link, unfortunately, the site is a bit of an enigma). So here is the full text:

The BBC has a strange set of editorial guidelines. A ccording to a leaked memo sent to BBC staff by the network’s senior manager, Abu Qatada – Al-Qaeda affiliate and indefinite London resident –can only be classified as a “radical” because to call him an “extremist” would be a “value judgment”. Yet apparently, the Beeb has no problem using the darkly suggestive term “Jewish lobby” to frame a debate over whether or not a certain ethnic minority in the United States has got a succession of US presidents “in thrall” to its demands.

And another meshuggener: Neturei Karta leader Meir Hirsch welcomes Raed Sallah upon his return from Britain

No comments required.

Nebraska Woman Gives The Most Amazingly Bonkers Anti-Gay Rant Ever

Warning: it could be contagious, I surely couldn't say.

Details.

11 May 2012

Special report:

Irish journalist slams silence of politicians in face of 'group anti-Semitism' mindset; says that in Ireland either one obeys anti-Israel orders of left-wing mind-thugs, or one is lynched.

And somehow it goes together with another op-ed:

From the outside, Western faculties appear as genteel oases of wisdom and knowledge. In truth, institutions of higher education are becoming brutal offspring of anti-Jew hatred. Famous faculties that have been an historical cradle of European civilization are sacrificing freedom and Israel to barbarism and obscurantism.

Not a pleasant reading, both of these articles, but necessary.

Hat tip: Fred Lapides.

Update: The first article should be read with a grain of salt, keeping in mind the following comment by Shaun Downey (aka Jams O Donnell), to whom I defer on the matter:

The first article made grim reading... until I noticed the by-line and saw it was written by Kevin Myers. The man is a total arse, Personally I would give more credence to, say, George Galloway than I would to him.. That's the esteem I hold him in.

It's not that what he says is inaccurate as such but overall it is a concatenation of largely unrelated events to justify his views. he does . There certainly has been an undercurrent of antisemitism in Irish society. The Limerick "pogroms" of the early 20th century did happen. Most of Limerick's Jewish community went to Cork where they were pretty much welcomed (but then being of Cork parents, I am a little biased towards the People's Republic!)

The De Valera condolences incident is also true. Much as I dislike De Valera intensely (he was a dead hand on the development of the country), his motives were not to support Hitler as such.

It's hard to describe De Valera's mindset. He was a highly intelligent, but very small minded man. He also had a highly misplaced sense of protocol. He also led a nation that was obstinately neutral de jure (although de facto Ireland leaned heavily towards the allies).

When Roosevelt died De Valera did not visit the US embassy to sign a book of condolence, This my be due to the fact his personal relations with the Ambassador David Gray were poor ( the British representative in Dublin, Brendan Maffey, had a far better relationship with De Valera, although it could be rocky at times). Flags were flown at half mast and the Dail rose to show their respect for Roosevelt.

De Valera's visit to see Hempel, the German Ambassador, was probably in part a make of personal respect for Hempel, a warped sense of protocol and perhaps a sense of contrariness. It was an idiotic act on De Valera's part but should not be seen as an endorsement of the Reich.

In linking these acts to the stupid acts of pro-palestinians in intimidating a band from touring Israel, Myers is throwing in the kitchen sink and wrecking his argument.