The Western Word

This Week's Editorial

WESTERN CIVILIZATION HAS NO LEADER
By Avi Davis

One would think that an appearance by a president of the United States before the United Nations General Assembly would afford an unequalled opportunity for our Chief Executive to lay it on the line: to inform that august body that its chief financier and host was no longer going to tolerate the kind of graft, corruption or venality of office which had become the hallmark of the institution ; that it would reject entirely the leadership of its Human Rights Council which is led by the most vile abusers of human rights on the planet and mocks the form of human dignity the U.N. was created to protect and enshrine; that its obsession with the Arab-Israeli conflict and its inexhaustible demonization of the Jewish state has rendered it blind to the multiple depredations of other member states in flashpoints around the globe; that is has failed, signally, to address the plight of millions of women throughout the world who live shackled by primitive rituals and social standards that enforce a form of slavery; that its willingness to be admonished by tyrants and murderers who speak the soft language of peace and justice while exhibiting no interest whatsoever in embracing either - all would have been concepts that one would expect might travel the distance from thought to words and form the bedrock of an American president’s speech.

But if you had listened to Barack Obama’s address to the United Nations on Wednesday morning, you would have heard none of these things. Nor would you have heard him fervently advocate for the benefits of democracy, the value of a free enterprise system, the social imperatives of bolstering the traditional family unit as the touchstone for civilizational survival, and the necessity for the West to arrest the alarming decline of birth rates in most developed countries.

Instead you would have heard the 44th President mouth meaningless platitudes about global cooperation; insistent admonishments about global warming and climate change; you would heard apologies for American conduct on at least three occasions and an address to the Palestinians as worthy of the bestowal of statehood, (ignoring their continuing refusal to recognize a neighboring state’s right to exist).

Those of us who have come to view the proceedings of the United Nations with a jaundiced eye, dismissing its meaningless resolutions and proceedings as little more than a theater of the absurd, must see in Barack Obama’s new form of engagement, not a signal of his statesmanship, but rather as evidence of a hapless naivety about the world’s realities. The failure to grasp that the United States stands, almost alone, as a bulwark against civilizational collapse while its allies surrender to moral relativism, multicultural doctrine and defeatism can only lead us to hang our heads in utter dismay.

The president did as much as he could within the bounds of decency to distance himself from the policies and legacy of his predecessor. But the Obama Administration’s rejection of Bush unilateralism ( which is a conceit belied by the U.N’s endorsement of the Afghan War and the fact that the Iraq War was joined by over 35 countries in an international coalition) fails to grasp that the former Administration’s impatience with a multilateral approach was the culmination of over half a century of the failure of such statecraft. Since the early 1970s, the United Nations has been hijacked by special interests and been transformed into a bully pulpit for radicals and tyrants and a mouthpiece for a rabid form of antisemitism. A succession of Administrations sought to restore balance to the institution, only to see their efforts defeated by an alliance of Muslim states and third world nations who used the United Nations as an effective club to wield against the developed world.

This week it fell to Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, to stand courageously for Western values and ideals, where Obama would or could not. In identifying the rise of fundamentalist Islam as the greatest threat to Western civilization, Netanyahu encapsulated, better than any other speaker before or after him, the true threats faced by the West:

“The primitivism of the 9th century,” he declared, “ ought to be no match for the progress of the 21st century. The allure of freedom, the power of technology, the reach of communications should surely win the day. Ultimately, the past cannot triumph over the future. And the future offers all nations magnificent bounties of hope. The pace of progress is growing exponentially.”

“This conflict,” he added, “ pits civilization against barbarism, the 21st century against the 9th century, those who sanctify life against those who glorify death.”

In those words Netanyahu made clear that the threats to Israel from Iran, Hamas and Hizbullah are not simply threats to the State of Israel, but to all countries who seek to uphold human dignity and seek to preserve and protect hard won human freedoms.

Why these words appeared only in the speech of the prime minister of a tiny nation on the shores of the Mediterranean and were not spoken or even alluded to by the leader of the Western world, might be a question for historians to ponder.

But for now that silence seems to augur a period in which Western civilization will be without an effective leader or spokesman. It will be bereft of the kind of advocacy that affirms the value of democracy, the worth of free enterprise, the fragility of human freedom and the necessity for all nations who seek to preserve these hard won assets, to stand defiantly and resolutely united in their defense..

Want to comment on this article? See Avi Davis’ blog
Avi Davis is the president of the American Freedom Alliance in Los Angeles. He can be contacted at isdev@ix.netcom.com

Latest Jihad Plot Shows Need to Know Koran
by Robert Spencer (more by this author)

The still-unfolding New York/Colorado jihad terror plot -- including an Islamic imam and of a Muslim who says he downloaded bomb-making materials by mistake while downloading a “religious text” -- focuses our attention again on the role of Islam and the Koran in inciting Muslims to commit acts of violence and terror.
Since September 11, 2001, this is the single aspect of the terror threat that government and law enforcement analysts, as well as the mainstream media, have consistently ignored, downplayed, denied outright and misunderstood. And this lack of understanding of the motives and goals of those who would destroy us remains our chief handicap in formulating a truly effective response to the global jihad threat. Ask an Islamic jihadist why he is doing what he is doing, and he invariably makes reference to Koranic imperatives. Muslims who believe the Koran commands them to make war against and subjugate Infidels comprise a global movement, active from Indonesia to Nigeria and extending into Europe and North America. (Humanevents)

U.S. Charges Najibullah Zazi With Bomb Conspiracy-CAM SIMPSON and EVAN PEREZ
Terror suspect Najibullah Zazi was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in New York on charges that he conspired to use weapons of mass destruction. The 24-year-old airport-shuttle driver in Aurora, Colo., and former longtime resident of the New York City borough of Queens, faces a single count in the indictment after having already been charged with lying to authorities in a terrorism investigation. Mr. Zazi, an immigrant from Afghanistan, is a legal permanent resident of the U.S. and was expected to appear in federal court in Denver later today on the original charge of making false statements to investigators. The indictment alleges that between Aug. 1, 2008, until his arrest last weekend, Mr. Zazi conspired "together with others" in New York and elsewhere "to use one more weapons of mass destruction," a reference to the explosive devices. The indictment was unsealed after being returned Wednesday, according to court papers. In a separate filing made Thursday in support of the government's motion to keep Mr. Zazi in jail pending trial, prosecutors alleged for the first time that other people flew with him from the U.S. to Pakistan for the 2008 training. They aren't identified, but authorities have said several other people are under surveillance as part of the probe. (WSJ)

Authorities Eye Stadiums, Hotels, Storage Centers in Colorado Terror Plot Probe-FOX News
Federal counterterrorism officials warned local police to patrol stadiums, hotels and entertainment complexes for suspicious activity after the arrest of a Colorado man suspected of a far-reaching terror plot. Officials said the FBI/Homeland Security bulletins weren't tied to known threats and New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly downplayed terror fears there, saying there was no specific threat and he wasn't stepping up his forces as a result. "There is no security information on entertainment, sports, transit, no specific information ... other than the fact that in a post-9/11 world, we are concerned about a lot of things," Kelly told reporters at a Tuesday morning briefing in Manhattan. Kelly said New York City already devotes "1,000 or over 1,000" police officers daily to counterterrorism efforts. "We have not engaged in any different practices or increased our security," he said. "We are, every day, up to a level that exceeds any other city that I’m aware of." The FBI and Department of Homeland Security also issued joint alerts to police around the country to watch storage centers for any unusual behavior. Two bulletins were sent Monday to local authorities nationwide, with federal officials saying they know of no specific plots against such sites. The warnings — the latest in a flurry circulated as authorities investigate a possible bomb plot in Denver and New York City — say those sites remain attractive targets to groups like Al Qaeda. The directives came after a similar bulletin about the vulnerabilities of mass transit systems was sent out Friday. (Foxnews)

Germany on edge after fourth consecutive al-Qaeda bomb attack warning-Roger Boyes in Berlin
Germany was on edge yesterday after a fourth consecutive al-Qaeda video warned of an imminent bomb attack in Germany unless the Government withdrew its troops from Afghanistan. The threats were aimed at German voters ahead of next Sunday’s general election and were being taken seriously by the security authorities. Armed police are being deployed around railway stations, airports and Jewish institutions. The 660 orderlies at Munich’s Oktoberfest beer festival — the world’s biggest open air drinking party and a possible target — have been briefed to check the baggage of suspicious revellers. The Oktoberfest, which celebrates beer and alcohol consumption, would presumably not have many believing Muslims in the crowd. “If the German people do not use their chance to select parties that will withdraw their soldiers from Afghanistan, then there will be a terrible awakening after the election,” said the German-Morrocan jihadist Bekkay Harrach in a video carried on the website as-Sahab, which is often used for al-Qaeda propaganda. Speaking softly and in perfect German, Harrac, a 32-year old former Bonn-based student of business economics, warned Muslims that they should stay away from public spaces in the fortnight after the election and should keep their children close to them. (Timesonline.co.uk)

Al-Quds Day – Celebrating Hate and Supporting Terror-IPT News
It appeared to be a typical Al-Quds Day rally, replete with hateful speeches about the destruction of the State of Israel and the waving of Hizballah flags. The rally resembled other international versions of this year's Al-Quds Day celebration, an annual Islamist holiday initiated by Iranian revolutionary and terrorism exporter, Imam Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini. However, this event – held Friday, September 18th –wasn't in downtown Karachi or Damascus, but in downtown Washington, D.C's Sheridan Circle. The rally was organized by an employee of the Fairfax County Department of Planning and Zoning, Faheem Darab. It even featured speakers as diverse as leaders from leftist organizations, a radical Reverend and homegrown American Islamists. The event was an expression of homegrown radicalism that sprouted from the seeds of a faraway revolution in Iran and was watered by local Jihadist sentiment. Participants were greeted at the event by the prominent yellow flags of Hizballah – a group designated by the U.S. State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. In addition to this obvious display of support for a terrorist organization, the moderator of the event praised Imam Ayatollah Al-Khomeini, the initiator of Al-Quds Day and leader of the 1979 Iranian revolution. (Investigativeproject)

Police told to treat hundreds more attacks as 'honour' crimes-Daily Mail Reporter
Hundreds of attacks are to be treated as 'honour' crimes in a new drive by police to prosecute more offenders. Prosecutors hope the drive will also ensure that victims receive more rapid protection that can save them from possible further violence or a forced marriage. Under the new guidance it will be assumed that an honour crime has been committed in any case in which there is the slightest sign that such an offence has taken place - even if the victim has not reported it. Elements of the strategy are designed to ensure that potentially vital evidence of honour-based persecution is not overlooked. It will include information for police and prosecutors on how to identify male victims amid concern that at least 15 per cent of cases involve attacks or forced marriage inflicted on men. The horrific consequences of honour violence were highlighted by an attack in Leytonstone in July in which a 24-year-old Danish man of Asian origin had acid poured down his throat and was repeatedly stabbed because of his relationship with a Muslim woman. In January 2006 Banaz Mahmod was killed after falling in love with a man her family did not want her to marry. (Dailymail.co.uk)

Italy: Algerian terror suspect arrested in Rome-AKI
Rome, 22 Sept. (AKI) - A 41 year-old Algerian man with alleged links to a terror organisation has been arrested in the Italian capital, Rome. The man is wanted by Algerian authorities for forming and participating in the Islamist organisation, the Armed Islamic Group or GIA. Police said the man had been on the run since 2003, after an extradition order was issued against him. The man, who at the time of his arrest held an Irish passport, was arrested by anti-terrorism police or DIGOS, at a hotel in Rome. He was detained after he matched aspects of a fugitive profile issued by international authorities. Italian police and anti-terrorism authorities, in conjunction with Interpol allege the man had obtained Irish citizenship after he provided slightly different data and this had enabled him to evade capture. Anti-terrorism police said the man was passing through Rome and was arrested before he was due to return to Ireland. (AKI)

Whittier Dean Targets Student After Darwish Visit, IPT News Story
Brad Mahlstedt, head of the Whittier Republican Leadership Council, is under attack for his role in bringing Nonie Darwish to speak at Whittier Law School September 22. Bill Carnahan, the school's assistant dean for student services, threatened to file a "formal complaint" against the council after IPT News reported on Carnahan's weak response to Islamist pressure against Darwish. In the weeks leading up to Darwish's speech, opponents of her message launched a campaign defaming her on Facebook and Twitter, suggesting that she was unqualified to speak about the oppression of women under sharia. But despite their best efforts, nearly 100 people were in the audience to hear Darwish at Whittier Tuesday afternoon. Her speech went off without any disruption. "We wanted to bring students to debate" the issue in a careful, non-polemical way, Mahlstedt said, adding that that goal was achieved at the Whittier event. Everyone, including audience members who disagreed with the substance of Darwish's message, "was extremely respectful. No one I spoke to felt she was a 'hate speaker,'" Mahlstedt told IPT News. (Investigativeproject)

School Blues-Matt Spivey
The American university is the anti-Disneyland... the saddest place on Earth.
Today's colleges can make MSNBC seem fair and balanced and give the term "clinical depression" a sunny and joyful flavor. It's no wonder so many prominent liberal intellectuals are angry, begrudging, and gloomy. They imbibe four to ten years of it during their college studies. And their brethren in the media give them a consistent platform for their gloom. A few years ago, the Washington Post discovered that over 72 percent of college professors classify themselves as liberal. The study showed that the most left-leaning departments are in the humanities, "where at least 80 percent of the faculty say they are liberal and no more than 5 percent call themselves conservative." Needless to say, I'm a man on an island in my field of English literature. I spent the summer working on my Ph.D. at a particular state university in the eastern part of our country, where I was exposed to misery and resentment I had only heard in rumors. Everyday was filled with the faults of conservatism and capitalism, while extolling the virtues of social justice and moral relativism. American democracy doesn't truly exist, my colleagues would say, and inequality between races, gender, class, and sexuality is as strong today as ever. America, they believe, is beholden to rich, white men who exploit others for the greed of the nation's privileged elite. (Americanthinker)

White Guilt Awareness Day- Caroline Rushing
If you are straight, white, and male, please stand up. Congratulations, you are more privileged than you probably ever realized. Because of your blessed birth, you are responsible for the victimization of thousands of your underprivileged peers. You may not be aware, but implicitly you hate, resent, and distrust everyone who does not look like you. How does this make you feel? No, do not answer. Instead, allow us to tell you how you should be feeling. You should be feeling extremely guilty and ashamed, and in order to move past your racist tendencies and make amends for being born privileged, you should apologize to those you victimize daily. Now, tell us how you feel. The above sums up the way the Left deals with diversity. I have witnessed this firsthand during “diversity day” for a leadership conference just this past summer at the University of Virginia, where I am a rising third-year student. This kind of indoctrination from the Left is not unique to my school. Allow me to walk you through the day I call “white guilt awareness day.” (Humanevents)

Exclusive: Hizballah – ‘The Most Capable and Disciplined Terrorist Organization in the World’-W. Thomas Smith, Jr.
FOX News is reporting what we’ve been saying for at least two years – and which terrorist sympathizers and their paid cronies have tried to keep from public awareness – that is, Hizballah may well be the most dangerous terrorist organization on the planet, posing even a greater threat to the U.S. than al Qaeda. According to the FOX segment, Friday, “Hizballah reportedly has operatives in the United States. Two years ago, a Hizballah agent was arrested after infiltrating the FBI and CIA.” True. Though few Americans are actually aware of this, thanks to a heavily financed counter-media, propaganda, and disinformation campaign aimed at soft-soaping the Lebanon-based, Iranian-Syrian-supported terrorist organization as simply a Lebanese political party with guns; and – as a part of that campaign – discrediting or destroying anyone who might aggressively take Hizballah to task. Former U.S. Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff said, “We know there are people who have raised money for Hizballah, and committed crimes to generate profits for Hizballah. (Familysecuritymatters)

Are the News Media Scared of ACORN?-Floyd and Mary Beth Brown
Why the refusal to report?
"Is ACORN Intentionally Structured As a Criminal Enterprise?" is the title of a July 2009 U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform report by Congressman Darrell Issa. The report draws some shocking conclusions: "The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now has repeatedly and deliberately engaged in systemic fraud. Both structurally and operationally, ACORN hides behind a paper wall of nonprofit corporate protections to conceal a criminal conspiracy on the part of its directors..." It is a shocking statement to absorb: “to conceal a criminal conspiracy." Yet you won’t see this on your TV unless you happen to be watching Fox News. Others are refusing to report this corruption. America is a country that is dependent on a dynamic, bombastic, independent and informative free press. During every period of great change and trial, we have relied on the honesty and unbridled courage of America's press to help us find solutions to our problems. Pamphleteers helped launch the American Revolution. (Frontpagemagazine)

Christian couple face losing hotel after criminal charges for offending Muslim woman-John Bingham
A Christian Couple face losing their livelihood after being charged with a criminal offence for offending a Muslim woman by saying that Islamic dress is oppressive. Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang are awaiting trial accused of breaching public order by insulting a guest at their hotel in Aintree, Liverpool, about her religion. The couple, who are members of an evangelical congregation, were arrested by police after getting into a discussion with the woman about the differences between Christianity and Islam earlier this year.Mrs Vogelenzang, 54, is understood to have described Muslim dress as putting women into “bondage” while her husband, 53, allegedly described the Prophet Mohammed as a “warlord”. The Christian Institute, which is finding the Vogelenzangs’ defence, said that the case showed that Christians are suffering growing “persecution” by officials who use the law to prevent them speaking about their faith. It is understood that the couple’s business, the Bounty House Hotel in Aintree, has suffered a major drop in takings because of the case. Friends said that they had seen bookings fall by up to 80 per cent after a local hospital stopped an arrangement in which it recommended the hotel to people attending courses there after hearing that the owners were facing criminal charges. (Telegraph.co.uk)

Royal Devon and Exeter hospital bans nurse’s crucifix-Deborah Lewis
A NURSE says she has been banned from working with patients because she refuses to remove her crucifix necklace on the wards. Shirley Chaplin is taking her local NHS trust to an employment tribunal after the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital in Exeter took her off duty in July when she refused to remove her cross. Hospital chiefs said she had to take off the pendant or pin it inside her clothes because of health and safety risks. Chaplin is reportedly claiming at the tribunal that she has been targeted because of her faith. She will meet her employers tomorrow to discuss her future. She is said to have been threatened with suspension or told she must accept an administrative role if she refuses to comply. The Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that a nurse had been requested to remove her necklace in line with uniform policy, but said she had not been suspended. Her case is the latest example of an employee claiming victimisation because of wearing a crucifix. Chaplin is being advised by Paul Diamond, a human rights barrister specialising in the law of religious liberty. He also advised Caroline Petrie, a nurse who was suspended in February this year at a hospital in Weston-Super-Mare for offering to pray for a patient. She was later reinstated. (Timesonline.co.uk)

Nonie Darwish Under Fire Today-Phyllis Chesler
She founds a new organization: Former Muslims United
Not again. Ah, yes again and again until we have won this war of ideas.
Nonie Darwish, the warmest, sanest, least prejudiced Egyptian whom I know, has both been attacked and has not been defended by the administrative elite at the Whittier College Law School where she is scheduled to speak later today. According to Steven Emerson [1], the Muslim Student Association on campus defamed Darwish and tried to stop or at least delay her presentation. Not surprising. They specialize in such demonization and censorship campaigns. Darwish [2] pleads the case of Muslim women whose human rights are seriously violated by shariah law. But the academic administrators at Whittier Law School have not strongly defended her right to speak, nor have they praised her work. This is unforgivable; according to Emerson, many happen to be women who are also feminists. Alas, this is also not surprising. I wrote an entire book about this phenomenon: The Death of Feminism. What’s Next in the Struggle for Women’s Freedom [3] I have written [4] about Darwish [5] before. I admit it: I adore her for her courage. Darwish is also the founder of ArabsforIsrael—c’mon, this woman warrior has guts. (Pajamasmedia)

PM rips UN for Ahmadinejad 'disgrace', Goldstone report-JPost.com Staff
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday spoke before the United Nations General Assembly, calling to task the nations of the world on the international body's responsibility and criticizing them for not standing up to it. "The UN was founded after the carnage of World War II," Netanyahu said, adding the organization was "charged with preventing the reoccurrence of such horrendous events. "Nothing has impeded" the work of the UN, he said, "more than the systematic assault on the truth. "Yesterday the president of Iran stood at this podium spewing anti-Semitic rants… Just a few days earlier he claimed the Holocaust is a lie. "Last month I went to a villa in a suburb of Berlin called Wannsee," Netanyahu recalled a visit to the pastoral villa, where over just a few hours on January 20 1942 the Nazis devised the Final Solution - the decision to exterminate the Jews from Europe. Netanyahu then dramatically showed a facsimile copy of Final Solution documents drafted in Wannsee. "Is this protocol a lie?" he asked. "Is the German government lying?" "The day before I was in Wannsee," Netanyahu continued, "I was given in Berlin the original construction plans for the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. "These plans I now hold in my hand," he said, as he was showing the worn-out blueprints to the assembly. (Jpost)

Ahmadinejad proud of Shoah denial-AP and jpost.com staff
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said he is proud that the West was outraged by his denial of the Holocaust, according to Iran's state news agency. The report by IRNA on Monday quoted Ahmadinejad as saying that angering the world's "professional man-slayers" - an apparent reference to Israel and some in the West - is a source of "pride for us." He did not elaborate further. During a speech on Friday, Ahmadinejad reiterated his doubts about the Holocaust, questioning whether it was a "real event." The remarks drew swift condemnation from the West. The Iranian president was speaking at Quds Day, an annual anti-Israel commemoration in Iran. He said the Holocaust had been "a false pretext to create Israel." He also called on all Muslims to confront the "Zionist regime [as] a national and religious duty." Over the weekend, the European Union condemned Ahmadinejad's denial of the Holocaust, saying it encouraged anti-Semitism and hatred. (Jpost)

The Moral Inversion of Richard Goldstone-Melanie Phillips
So now we can see how Richard Goldstone thinks he has preserved his judicial reputation while perpetrating a blood libel against Israel. He has produced a report which, as anticipated, finds that Israel committed all the ‘war crimes’ during Operation Cast Lead of which his Mission members had decided it was guilty before even starting their deliberations, along with the NGOs whose unremitting hostility and malice towards Israel and history of peddling Palestinian propaganda as fact did not deter the Mission from uncritically accepting their evidence as the truth, thus finding Hamas guilty of no crimes at all -- except one. That was, by an amazing coincidence, the one set of crimes it committed which the world was forced to acknowledge actually happened – the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel with the sole intention of killing Israeli civilians. By referring to this en passant, devoting minimal attention to it in the course of his 570- page report the vast majority of which is devoted to allegations against Israel, he engineered the ‘even-handed’ headline he needed to maintain his credibility:
There is evidence that both Israeli and Palestinian forces committed war crimes in the recent Gaza conflict, the official UN report says. (Spectator.co.uk)

United Church of Canada helps fund Jewish anti-Zionists
TORONTO-JERUSALEM (Arutz-7) – The United Church of Canada (UCC) has donated travel expenses to a new Jewish organization that hosted Muslims at a convention backing a boycott of Israel, according to the National Post. The Protestant church group admitted that it donated $900 to the organization but said that officials did not need to authorize the donation because of its small size. However, United Church officials told the National Post that the description of the event that led to the creation of the Independent Jewish Voices was “consistent with our overall policy that the end of the occupation must come in order to bring peace and justice.” The expenses were earmarked for a two-day Alliance of Concerned Canadians conference, which provided the catalyst for the formation of the new group. Among delegates who were invited and whose travel expenses were defrayed were “members of Jewish-Muslim, Jewish-Arab and Jewish-Palestinian groups.” B’nai Brith Canada denounced the UCC for funding an event that led to the founding of Independent Jewish Voices (IJV), a reputed fringe anti-Israel and anti-Jewish organization. “The principle behind this unprincipled move by the UCC is now clear for all to see,” said Frank Dimant, CEO of B’nai Brith Canada. “The United Church has been caught red-handed funding organizations that create division and strife within the Jewish community. (Jewishtribune.ca)

The Campus War Against Israel and the Jews: Sondra Hale-Claude Cartaginese
A feminist author and a professor of anthropology, Near Eastern Studies, and Islamic Studies at UCLA, where she also has had a long association with the campus Women’s Studies Department, Sondra Hale’s early interest in Africa led her to travel to Sudan, where she claims to have “learned my feminism from Sudanese women” who “were the strongest and most accomplished women I’ve ever met.”
This trip to Sudan -- which inculcated Hale with a strong affinity for African, especially Arab Muslim-African culture -- planted the seed from which her later radical feminist and pro-Arab ideas would help form a worldview that blends radical feminism with a passion for the Palestinian cause on the one hand, and vitriolic hatred for the United States and Israel on the other. After receiving her Ph.D. from UCLA in 1979, Hale was eventually was appointed as chair of the Women’s Studies program. In 1982 she became embroiled in controversy over the direction the program was taking. It had come to light, via an Associated Press article, that she was teaching her classes from a decidedly radical-feminist, “imbalanced” point of view with an “emphasis on lesbianism and an advocacy of it.” (Frontpagemagazine)

When Did Anti-Zionism Become An International Issue?- Alex Grobman
For more than 20 years after the establishment of the State of Israel, anti-Zionism was a regional phenomenon - a conflict between Arab and Jewish national movements in the Middle East. In the Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe, the Soviets exploited antisemitism for political purposes, but it was seldom part of international debate until after the Six-Day War in 1967. By the end of the 1960s, and since 1975, anti-Zionism became international in scope. It first appeared in the universities in the West where the New Left, in cooperation with Arab student associations, attacked Israeli policy. 1 When the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 3379 on November 10, 1975, and declared "Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination," it significantly expanded anti-Zionism into the sphere of international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and therefore into Third World countries. This was accomplished in collaboration between the Arabs and the Soviet Union that endowed anti-Zionism with legitimacy and official recognition.2 (Americanthinker)

TERRORISM, security and policy

Chemicals a Focus of U.S. Bomb Probe-CAM SIMPSON and EVAN PEREZ
WASHINGTON -- Federal investigators probing an alleged bombing plot with suspected ties to al Qaeda are trying to track purchases of chemicals that could be used to make explosives, as three men charged as a result of the probe appeared in court Monday. Two officials familiar with the probe said investigators were combing records on the purchases of chemicals, particularly hydrogen peroxide, that could be used to make bombs. Peroxide-based explosives were used in a deadly attack on London's subway and bus system in July 2005, and al Qaeda's interest in such explosives has been a top concern for the Federal Bureau of Investigation for almost two years, according to intelligence assessments made public. The officials stressed that the potential target of any plot remained unknown. But one of the officials said that much of the evidence authorities have gathered in raids on homes in New York City and a suburb of Denver, Colo., was suggestive of a plot to attack trains or buses, although there was no specific evidence of such a plan. (WSJ)

Taliban targets descendants of Alexander the Great-Dean Nelson in New Delhi and Emal Khan in Peshawar
For centuries, the blond-haired, blue-eyed people of the Kalash tribes of North West Pakistan have lived a libertine lifestyle. The group, believed to be descendants of Alexander the Great's invading army, were shielded from conservative Islam by the steep slopes of their remote valleys. While Sikhs, Hindus, and Christians were slowly driven out of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province by Muslim militants, the Kalash were free to drink their own distilled spirits and smoke cannabis. But the militant maulanas of the Taliban have finally caught up with them and declared war on their culture and heritage by kidnapping their most devoted supporter. Taliban commanders have taken Professor Athanasion Larounis, a Greek aid worker who has generated £2.5 million in donations to build schools, clinics, clean water projects and a museum. They are now demanding £1.25 million and the release of three militant leaders in exchange for his safe return. According to local police, it was Professor Larounis's dedication to preserving Kalasha culture that Taliban commanders in Nuristan, on the Afghan side of the border that made him a target. (Telegraph.co.uk)

Islamists in Pakistan Recruit Entire Families from Europe-Yassin Musharbash and Holger Stark
The German government is trying to secure the release of a group of suspected German Islamists who were arrested by Pakistani authorities while making their way to a jihadist colony in the Waziristan region along the Afghan-Pakistani border. Entire families from Germany are moving to the region to join the jihad. The young speaker, who calls himself "Abu Adam," praises the stay in the mountains -- almost as if he were shooting an ad for a family holiday camp. "Doesn't it appeal to you? We warmly invite you to join us!" Abu Adam says, raising his index finger. He lists all the things this earthly paradise has to offer: hospitals, doctors, pharmacies as well as a daycare center and school -- all, of course, "a long way from the front." After all, they don't want the children to be woken up by the roar of guns.The latest recruitment video from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) is a half-hour in length and is addressed to our "beloved" brothers and sisters back in Germany. (Spiegelonline)

National security adviser says Iran advancing in making medium-range missiles-Bill Gertz
White House National Security Adviser James L. Jones says President Obama's decision to abandon a long-range missile defense site in Eastern Europe was driven by U.S. intelligence concerns that Iran is further along than previously thought in developing medium-range missiles that could strike Western Europe and the Middle East with nuclear warheads. "We think they are heading toward weaponiz[ing] these missiles, which obviously we want to dissuade them from doing," the retired four-star Marine general told The Washington Times, explaining why U.S. officials dramatically shifted from years of focus on guarding against longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Gen. Jones also acknowledged that the policy shift announced on Thursday will pay "an ancillary benefit" to U.S. efforts to improve relations with Moscow, taking issue with a statement by White House press secretary Robert Gibbs that the change was "not about Russia." "The fact is, there is clearly a relationship here in all of these issues," he said. "We are trying to reset the relationship with Russia, based on one of mutual respect and mutual interest." (Washingtontimes)

Erring on the side of incaution-John Bolton
President Obama's decision not to deploy anti-ballistic missile defense assets in Poland and the Czech Republic is unambiguously wrong. It reflects an unrequited concession to Russian belligerence, an embarrassing abandonment of two of America's strongest European allies, and an appalling lack of understanding of the present and future risks posed by Iran. Worse, this unforced retreat of American hard power clearly signals what may well be a long American recessional globally. First, Mr. Obama's capitulation was about Russia, not about Iran. Russia has always known that former President George W. Bush's national missile defense project was not aimed against Russia's offensive nuclear capabilities, neither in scope nor in geographical deployment. To the contrary, our common interests in defending against threats from rogue states should have led to missile-defense cooperation, not antagonism. What has really agitated Russia was not that the sites were for missile defense, but that they were an American presence in former Warsaw Pact countries, Russia's now-defunct sphere of influence. (Washingtontimes)

Exclusive: Why Is Appeasing the Russians More Important than American and Allied Security?-James Carafano, PhD, Presidential Policy: Does It Make the Grade?
Last week was perhaps the worst for this White House so far. The administration earned its first “F,” when the president cancelled plans to emplace a missile defense shield in Western Europe that would protect our allies, U.S. bases overseas, as well as the American homeland from a long-range missile threat from Iran. The Iranian missile threat is growing. It is stunning to hear government officials claim that they cancel defenses because they are “less” concerned about an Iranian threat. Even assertions from the administration that intelligence suggests the threat is not there yet proved pretty empty, when the White House later admitted they had “no new intelligence,” they were just interpreting the available intelligence “differently.”
Administration claims that they would replace the cancelled missile shield with a “better” system also rang hollow. When running for president, Obama declared that he wanted “proven and cost effective” missile defenses. The missile defense shield planned for Western Europe would have satisfied both these criteria. Currently, the Pentagon has no practical alternative available. It will take years to develop a system capable of defending all of Europe and the U.S. from an Iranian threat. At this point the cost of that system is completely unknown. It is also not clear where that money would come from. The administration just cut 15 percent from the missile defense budget. (Familysecuritymatters)

Still Handling Homeland Security With a 9/10 Attitude Michelle Malkin
Terror suspect Najibullah Zazi has done us all a favor. But is it enough to rouse a nation in permanent snooze-button mode? The arrest of Zazi, a Colorado-based Afghan airport shuttle driver who counterterrorism officials believe may have been plotting bomb attacks on New York City mass transit trains, raised alerts on rail lines across the country. A joint FBI-Department of Homeland Security assessment issued Monday warned law enforcement agencies about the use of improvised explosive devices against passenger trains overseas. Zazi was allegedly trained in manufacturing liquid explosives with hydrogen peroxide — the same material used in the London subway attacks in 2005. FBI/DHS analysts have recommended random sweeps and patrols at rail stations and terminals as deterrents. The bust reminded America that while the annual September 11 memorials are over, the jihadi threat looms. Yet, homeland security remains crippled by a 9/10 mentality. (Frontpagemagazine)

Dollar under scrutiny at G20 summit-P.Parameswaran
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (AFP) – The embattled US dollar is expected to come under scrutiny at a summit of developing and industrialized nations following China-led calls to review its role as a reserve currency. The dollar issue is bound to surface at the two-day meeting in Pittsburgh as US President Barack Obama and other leaders of the Group of 20 economies debate a new framework for tackling the so called global "economic imbalances" blamed for fuelling the latest financial crisis. "Though not clear how the plan would be enforced, it would involve measures such as the US cutting its deficits and saving more, China reducing its reliance on exports and Europe making structural changes to boost business investment," analysts at French bank Societe Generale said in a report. Some argue that the financial crisis resulted from imbalances between savings and investment in major economies, which have led to large current deficits, as evident in the United States, and surpluses, as enjoyed by China.

UN plans 'shock therapy' for world leaders on environment-Suzanne Goldenberg
Pared-down summit will force heads of rich states to listen to those of third world in hope of kickstarting radical action
The United Nations is planning a form of diplomatic shock therapy for world leaders this week in the hope of injecting badly needed urgency into negotiations for a climate change treaty that, it is now widely acknowledged, are dangerously adrift. UN chief Ban Ki-Moon and negotiators say that unless they can convert world leaders into committed advocates of radical action, it will be very hard to reach a credible and enforceable agreement to avoid the most devastating consequences of climate change. As the digital counter ticking off the hours to the Copenhagen summit – which had been supposed to seal the deal on climate change – hit 77 days today, progress at the UN summit in New York is seen as vital. Nearly 100 heads of state and government are to attend the summit, for which a pared-down format has been devised. "We need these leaders to go outside their usual comfort zones," said one diplomat. "Our sense is that leaders have got a little too cosy and comfortable. They really have to hear from countries that are vulnerable and suffering." (Guardian.co.uk)

Vapor Trail: The UN's Plan for Higher Education-Peter Wood
September a year ago, Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, addressed a meeting of the International Association of University Presidents in the Chilean coastal city (famous as a beach resort and destination for international gamblers) of Viña del Mar. He said the usual things about the importance of education and then announced a new UN initiative: “Academic Impact.” I must admit that the name puts me off. I used to tell my students in Rhetoric that they ought to reserve the word “impact” for the meeting of bugs and windshields and other such hapless collisions. But perhaps the analogy holds. When the United Nations and university presidents get together, nothing good can be expected. Ban Ki-moon explained that the United Nations Department of Public Information would oversee “Academic Impact,” and left it at that. He didn’t say what impacts Academic Impact would be impacting, but concluded by calling on the university presidents to do their parts “to promote and sustain the concept of the Universal Citizen cutting across cultures, religions and backgrounds, promoting the kind of education that can foster the spirit of universality among your students.“ (NAS)

In Surprise, Moon Shows Signs of Water-Kenneth Chang
There appears to be, to the surprise of planetary scientists, water, water everywhere on the Moon, although how many drops future astronauts might be able to drink is not clear. Data from three spacecraft indicate the widespread presence of water or hydroxyl, a molecule consisting of one hydrogen atom and one oxygen atom as opposed to the two hydrogen and one oxygen atoms that make up a water molecule. The discoveries are being published Thursday on the Web site of the journal Science. “It’s so startling because it’s so pervasive,” said Lawrence A. Taylor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, a co-author of one of the papers that analyzed data from a National Aeronautics and Space Administration instrument aboard India’s Chandrayaan-1 satellite. “It’s like somebody painted the globe.” For decades, the Moon has been regarded as a completely dry place. The dark side is more than ice cold, but when it passes into sunlight, any ice should have long ago been baked away. (NYT)

Very civilised savages: A new exhibition asks who were more brutal - the Aztecs, or the 300 Europeans who annihilated them?-Tony Rennell
The battle-hardened, armour-clad soldiers stopped in their tracks and stared in amazement. Rising out of the waters of the vast lake before them was a majestic island-city of wide streets and white stucco-fronted houses. Bathed in bright sunshine and against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains, palaces and temples towered into the clear blue sky. 'Glorious!' exclaimed the Catholic monk who accompanied the gold-seeking adventurers from Spain on their journey of exploration from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. They might have expected to find little more than a settlement of mud huts when they landed on this foreign shore more than 5,000 miles from home. Instead, gleaming there in the winter sunlight of November 1519, was the magnificent capital of the rich and thriving Aztec civilisation. It went by the name of Tenochtitlan and was larger than any place these Europeans had ever seen or even dreamed of. (Dailymail.co.uk)

Charles Darwin and religion. He shook the status quo, but Darwin never publicly denied God. By Ellie Levenson.
It would be wrong to see Darwin's spiritual journey as going from wholeheartedly embracing religion to becoming its scourge. In fact, Darwin was a very measured man: he never attempted to argue people out of their faith and repeatedly stated his belief in a creator. It is possible, though, to see Darwin's own beliefs in three stages. The first was as a young man – when, giving up his medical studies at the University of Edinburgh, he went to Cambridge University with the idea of becoming a clergyman. This remained his plan during his early days on HMS Beagle, where he was even teased by fellow crew members for being rather pious. But two things happened during the voyage to put a halt to this. First, Darwin's financial situation improved, which meant he would not need that kind of regular career. And second, he came to realise that, although he still believed in God, he did not cleave to some of the beliefs that it was important for a clergyman to hold. During this phase, Darwin thought a lot about Christian doctrine. One idea he particularly rejected was that of eternal damnation for non-Christians. The deaths of his atheist father in 1848 and daughter Annie in 1851, no doubt, underscored his conviction. (Telegraph.co.uk)