posted 05/10/07
Here in Washington, all this week Blackwater, the private militia of Condi Rice, the US Secretary of State was the center of attention by the media, the headline news and in Congress.
Mr. Prince the very young and very rich and very powerfully connected Republican was on Capital Hill defending his company’s cold blooded murder of Iraqis and to the great surprise of many in the media especially Fox News and other Republicans and NeoCons. There was nothing wrong with the murder and killing of innocent Iraqis as long as it saves our very VIPs in Iraq. The hell with the Iraqis, who gives a damn about them any more, certainly not George Bush and Dick Cheney who went to war to save them only to kill them later and destroy the country at a very expensive price.
Blackwater, the mercenary army of the US State Department is a private militia totally funded by US tax payers and managed by the US State Department, and unlike our uniformed soldiers who have to follow the rules and subject to military discipline and the rule of law, Blackwater misfits are immune from any prosecution for any wrong doing. That is the way privatization of war efforts under Republican leadership works.
While poor US soldiers are held accountable for every wrong doings, of course and as we know, most if not all die hard Republicans and supporters of the war are COWARDS and draft dodgers and drug addicts, they chose to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to a company like Blackwater to do the job that US soldiers will be court-martialed if they commit such a crime. Of course, the slogans of these coward Republicans is supporting the troops.
Blackwater went from a company with $3 millions in contract to a company with over $300 millions in contract in couple of years and now approaching a billion. Of course all without bids and free and open competition keeping up with the Republican theme of free economy, of course as long as the recipients of the tax dollars are Republican businessmen and big time donors to Republican Party. To Republicans cheating the government is a duty, in fact an honor and part of the Republican patriotism. We may need to add to that the new standard of Republican Patriotism is looking for male to male sex in public toilets. Do not be surprised if the next time you are at an airport to see three types of toilets; men, women and Republicans.
The US State Department put up a hell of a defense in Congress, giving Blackwater all kind of excuses for killing innocent civilians and of course that was expected since Blackwater is the private army of the US State Department. Under this Republican Administration every government agency will have its own private army. A drunken Blackwater soldier killed the private guard of an Iraqi high ranking officials and the only thing that happened to him, is that he as whisked out of the country making sure he gets away with murder.
Finally after hundreds if not thousands of innocent Iraqis have been killed by the private militia of the US Department of State, Congress passed a legislation that subjects these thugs to court jurisdiction. Will see if George Bush will veto such laws upholding the Republican article of faith “though shall kill”.
Blackwater thugs and misfits must have thought of themselves as part of an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie production where heroes get away with murder. Perhaps they thought of themselves as French Foreign Legion. Of course with a big difference.
This Republican Administration will no doubt is the worst American administration in the last couple of hundred of years. Full of failures, lies and certainly have nothing to do with any of the ideals and dreams that made America the great country it is. This Republican Administration not only sanctions cold blooded murder of Iraqis but also justifies and carried out brutal and violent interrogations of suspects, contrary to what this country stand for. It is also an administration that sanctions and promote the fleecing of the US Treasury by its crooked friends and associates. And given its history of draft dodging and deferments no doubt an administration of cowards and crooks, not to mentioned incompetent stupid ideologue. Not to mention a Republican Party where its family values, private and public morality are played out at public toilets.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
For the last week or so, I have been watching with much interest on PBS Ken Burns’s documentary titled the “War”. Perhaps one of his best that can be
posted 07/10/07
For the last week or so, I have been watching with much interest on PBS Ken Burns’s documentary titled the “War”. Perhaps one of his best that can be added to his other master piece the “Civil War”.
Unlike what one would expect from a documentary with this title, the “War” is more of a human journey of people rather than a cold review of historical facts that are deprived of any sense of human drama.
Ken Burns succeeded in giving his documentary on the war that very human touch rarely found in similar documentaries. He succeeded in having living witnesses talks of the war past and present. While the entire documentary is mesmerizing and one is forced to sit and watch there were several events of the war that I thought were so moving and perhaps it brought out what is best in humanity and also what is worst.
Unlike Lyndon Johnson’s Vietnam War and George Bush’s Iraq War where the two presidents, one a Democrat and the other a Republican both have something in common. Johnson and Bush both lied to the nation and lied to the Congress to get authorization to go to wars concocted by their national security advisors that cost the nations tens of thousands of dead, hundreds of thousands of wounded not to mentions hundreds of billions of dollars wasted because our Congress and as usual failed to exercise its rights as an equal branch of government and failed to protect our national interest and the people interest. The Korean War was another make believe.
World War II was for sure the right war and for the right reasons. The US did not initiate war but has to respond to attacks on our soil as is the case with Pearl Harbor and we went to war against Nazi Germany because Hitler threatened with his killing machine and his National Socialism ideology the very fabric of societies in Europe.
Four things in the documentary that moved me the most. The first was the story of our Black citizens who were called to war and to fight for freedom and democracy overseas when they did not have that for themselves in their own country.
The second was the very moving story of Senator Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii and his war experience in Italy where he kept fighting while losing his arm. His courage war efforts earned him some forty years later with the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation highest honor. While our Black troops were segregated due to their color, their donated blood, no doubt the same color red was not segregated and contributed to saving the life of Senator Inouye.
The third was of course the tragic and so un-American experience of relocation and concentration camps for Japanese Americans and how our government, even our Supreme Court was able to justify and order all Japanese American to relocations camps. That episode is for sure a dark side of American history; we hope will never happen again. Fear and racism like now where the only reason to intern our Japanese American citizens. With the present atmosphere in this country may be it will be the turn of Muslims and Arabs to be moved to relocation and concentration camps.
The fourth was the horrific scenes of Nazi concentration camps where over 6 million Jews perished simply because they were Jews. I have seen these pictures before, but one could not help but wonder how this can happen, and it did happen. Of course the German and the Austrian people denied they knew of these concentration camps and denied the gas ovens that turned human flesh to ashes. How can these people deny this mass murder when it was taking place in so many places? Hitler was able to kill and murder, in addition to the 6 million Jews, 2 million Poles, over 4 million Russians and killed several hundred thousands of Gypsies, homosexuals and mentally and physically retarded people. Hitler did not do it alone. He has an entire army of people to do it.
World War II where Americans young and old, rich and poor, men and women all joined together to liberate Europe and Asia. This is perhaps the proudest moments in American history and our commitments to liberty and democracies around the world. Too bad, Lyndon Johnson and George Bush did not learn any thing from this war and waged their own ideological war for nothing more than their own selfish agenda and their own selfish and pity ego. When our presidents call on us to fight a war, we want these wars to be our wars not their own individual wars where we as citizens have to pay the price. World War II no doubt was the people war and not the president’s war. Ken Burns’s story of the War continues.
For the last week or so, I have been watching with much interest on PBS Ken Burns’s documentary titled the “War”. Perhaps one of his best that can be added to his other master piece the “Civil War”.
Unlike what one would expect from a documentary with this title, the “War” is more of a human journey of people rather than a cold review of historical facts that are deprived of any sense of human drama.
Ken Burns succeeded in giving his documentary on the war that very human touch rarely found in similar documentaries. He succeeded in having living witnesses talks of the war past and present. While the entire documentary is mesmerizing and one is forced to sit and watch there were several events of the war that I thought were so moving and perhaps it brought out what is best in humanity and also what is worst.
Unlike Lyndon Johnson’s Vietnam War and George Bush’s Iraq War where the two presidents, one a Democrat and the other a Republican both have something in common. Johnson and Bush both lied to the nation and lied to the Congress to get authorization to go to wars concocted by their national security advisors that cost the nations tens of thousands of dead, hundreds of thousands of wounded not to mentions hundreds of billions of dollars wasted because our Congress and as usual failed to exercise its rights as an equal branch of government and failed to protect our national interest and the people interest. The Korean War was another make believe.
World War II was for sure the right war and for the right reasons. The US did not initiate war but has to respond to attacks on our soil as is the case with Pearl Harbor and we went to war against Nazi Germany because Hitler threatened with his killing machine and his National Socialism ideology the very fabric of societies in Europe.
Four things in the documentary that moved me the most. The first was the story of our Black citizens who were called to war and to fight for freedom and democracy overseas when they did not have that for themselves in their own country.
The second was the very moving story of Senator Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii and his war experience in Italy where he kept fighting while losing his arm. His courage war efforts earned him some forty years later with the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation highest honor. While our Black troops were segregated due to their color, their donated blood, no doubt the same color red was not segregated and contributed to saving the life of Senator Inouye.
The third was of course the tragic and so un-American experience of relocation and concentration camps for Japanese Americans and how our government, even our Supreme Court was able to justify and order all Japanese American to relocations camps. That episode is for sure a dark side of American history; we hope will never happen again. Fear and racism like now where the only reason to intern our Japanese American citizens. With the present atmosphere in this country may be it will be the turn of Muslims and Arabs to be moved to relocation and concentration camps.
The fourth was the horrific scenes of Nazi concentration camps where over 6 million Jews perished simply because they were Jews. I have seen these pictures before, but one could not help but wonder how this can happen, and it did happen. Of course the German and the Austrian people denied they knew of these concentration camps and denied the gas ovens that turned human flesh to ashes. How can these people deny this mass murder when it was taking place in so many places? Hitler was able to kill and murder, in addition to the 6 million Jews, 2 million Poles, over 4 million Russians and killed several hundred thousands of Gypsies, homosexuals and mentally and physically retarded people. Hitler did not do it alone. He has an entire army of people to do it.
World War II where Americans young and old, rich and poor, men and women all joined together to liberate Europe and Asia. This is perhaps the proudest moments in American history and our commitments to liberty and democracies around the world. Too bad, Lyndon Johnson and George Bush did not learn any thing from this war and waged their own ideological war for nothing more than their own selfish agenda and their own selfish and pity ego. When our presidents call on us to fight a war, we want these wars to be our wars not their own individual wars where we as citizens have to pay the price. World War II no doubt was the people war and not the president’s war. Ken Burns’s story of the War continues.
Diaspora Palestinians Should Have their Own Representatives at the Peace Conference.
posted 10/10/07
Though preparations are underway in Annapolis, Maryland for the hosting of a Middle-East peace conference, the one called for by President George Bush, it is very unlikely that this conference will take place and if it does, the pressure is building up on the Ramallah leadership (but not the Palestinian leadership) to give up in advance many of its previously announce positions.
Secret talks are already underway between the Ramallah leadership and the Israelis and the Palestinians have already retreated from demanding a set of pronounced goals and objectives for the conference to agreeing to a set of principals that are not binding on Israel. The Ramallah leadership has appointed the brilliant negotiator Ahmed Qurai to lead the negotiation, the same man who is responsible for the disaster that is Oslo. So much so for having the best and the brightest to lead the negotiations.
The word is out that even Mahmoud Abbas the head of the Palestinian Authority confirming to his best friend Uhud Elmer that when he speaks of the Palestinian refugee’s “Right of Return” he (Abbas) is only speaking of their rights to return to the areas of the West Bank and Gaza but not to Israel of 48.
Israel with the support of the US, its partner in the occupation, having succeeded in getting the trio ( Arafat, Abbas and Qurai) to recognize Israel, without ever defining the borders of the state is now pushing for a recognition of the “Jewishness” of the State, making sure that not only it denies the right of Palestinians refugees to the possibility of return or admitting the responsibility for their exiles and expulsion, is now putting at grave risk the more than 1.4 million Palestinians who continue to reside in Israel after the 1948 war. From experience and giving the level of intellectual and legal sophistications of Ahmed Qurai, most likely he will agree to this provision just like he agreed to the continued expansion of the settlements and confiscations of Palestinian land and the continued building of the Apartheid Wall, making sure he gets a piece of the business action from Israel in return.
Dr. Salman Abu-Sitta of Al-Awda in London with doubt a great scholar and nationalist published an open letter few days ago in Al-Quds Al-Arabi, addressed to Mahmoud Abbas as both the president of the PA and chairman of the PLO warning him of the pitfalls of agreeing to such recognition. However and with all due respect the call of Dr. Abu-Sitta to reform the PLO to represent all Palestinians is little too late. The conference is only few weeks ago and there is no way Abbas-Qurai will agree to that let alone manage to that within the short time. The PLO leadership failed to reform over the last 30 years it is unlikely they will do it now.
As it stand, the Ramallah leadership, though elected by the people under Israeli Occupation is going to the conference with the claim it represent all 10 million Palestinians. Of course those in Gaza Hamastan, Ramallah Fatahland, the more than 6 million Diasporaland.
The PLO as corrupt and inept as it was even its heydays never did represent all of the Palestinian people. The Palestine National Congress was nothing more than a “yes” organization, bought and sold and traded by Arafat and his henchmen. The PNC never had the backbone or the courage to ever have a say so and sat on its behind while the Palestinian Troika of Arafat, Abbas, and Quarie committed one blunder after another. With all due respect to Dr. Abu-Sitta, the PLO is dead and died long time ago.
As a matter of urgency, I call on all of the Palestinians in the Diaspora especially those organizations committed to the right of return to convene in Washington, DC under the banner of the Palestine Agency and hold a press conference and demand a seat at the table equal to that offered by George Bush and Israel the guys from Ramallah.
It is true and no one can deny it, that the guys from Ramallah do represent the Palestinians under Occupation, having been elected in fair and open elections, However this Ramallah leadership was never elected by the Palestinians of the Diaspora and in NO way represent the Palestinians in the Diaspora, and have NO rights whatsoever to represent them and compromise their rights of return and their rights to reclaim their lost properties. Abbas can waive his rights in Safad but he has no right to waive the rights of people in Haifa, or Acca or Yafa.
Mahmoud Abbas, Ahmed Qurai and Yasser Abed-Rabou are not the Palestinian people of the Diaspora and were never elected by any one. They are the leftover of a defunct organization that lost its legitimacy long, long time ago.
A press conference should coincide with the convening of the peace conference where representatives of the Palestinians from the Diaspora from around the world make it clear to the Ramallah leadership, the Tel-Aviv leadership, certainly to Washington that only the representative of the Diaspora are the one who can make the decisions for the Palestinians of the Diaspora. Even if it means re-convening the peace conferences at a later date. Yes, Israel has to deal with the Palestinians of the Diaspora and not with guys from Ramallah or for that matter the guys in Damascus and their proxies in Gaza making such decisions. I am sure the Palestinians of the Diaspora want peace, but not the kind of peace that Abbas and Quari are out to achieve. Time for the Palestinians of the Diaspora to put their act together separate and independent of the PLO of the Palestinian Troika.
Though preparations are underway in Annapolis, Maryland for the hosting of a Middle-East peace conference, the one called for by President George Bush, it is very unlikely that this conference will take place and if it does, the pressure is building up on the Ramallah leadership (but not the Palestinian leadership) to give up in advance many of its previously announce positions.
Secret talks are already underway between the Ramallah leadership and the Israelis and the Palestinians have already retreated from demanding a set of pronounced goals and objectives for the conference to agreeing to a set of principals that are not binding on Israel. The Ramallah leadership has appointed the brilliant negotiator Ahmed Qurai to lead the negotiation, the same man who is responsible for the disaster that is Oslo. So much so for having the best and the brightest to lead the negotiations.
The word is out that even Mahmoud Abbas the head of the Palestinian Authority confirming to his best friend Uhud Elmer that when he speaks of the Palestinian refugee’s “Right of Return” he (Abbas) is only speaking of their rights to return to the areas of the West Bank and Gaza but not to Israel of 48.
Israel with the support of the US, its partner in the occupation, having succeeded in getting the trio ( Arafat, Abbas and Qurai) to recognize Israel, without ever defining the borders of the state is now pushing for a recognition of the “Jewishness” of the State, making sure that not only it denies the right of Palestinians refugees to the possibility of return or admitting the responsibility for their exiles and expulsion, is now putting at grave risk the more than 1.4 million Palestinians who continue to reside in Israel after the 1948 war. From experience and giving the level of intellectual and legal sophistications of Ahmed Qurai, most likely he will agree to this provision just like he agreed to the continued expansion of the settlements and confiscations of Palestinian land and the continued building of the Apartheid Wall, making sure he gets a piece of the business action from Israel in return.
Dr. Salman Abu-Sitta of Al-Awda in London with doubt a great scholar and nationalist published an open letter few days ago in Al-Quds Al-Arabi, addressed to Mahmoud Abbas as both the president of the PA and chairman of the PLO warning him of the pitfalls of agreeing to such recognition. However and with all due respect the call of Dr. Abu-Sitta to reform the PLO to represent all Palestinians is little too late. The conference is only few weeks ago and there is no way Abbas-Qurai will agree to that let alone manage to that within the short time. The PLO leadership failed to reform over the last 30 years it is unlikely they will do it now.
As it stand, the Ramallah leadership, though elected by the people under Israeli Occupation is going to the conference with the claim it represent all 10 million Palestinians. Of course those in Gaza Hamastan, Ramallah Fatahland, the more than 6 million Diasporaland.
The PLO as corrupt and inept as it was even its heydays never did represent all of the Palestinian people. The Palestine National Congress was nothing more than a “yes” organization, bought and sold and traded by Arafat and his henchmen. The PNC never had the backbone or the courage to ever have a say so and sat on its behind while the Palestinian Troika of Arafat, Abbas, and Quarie committed one blunder after another. With all due respect to Dr. Abu-Sitta, the PLO is dead and died long time ago.
As a matter of urgency, I call on all of the Palestinians in the Diaspora especially those organizations committed to the right of return to convene in Washington, DC under the banner of the Palestine Agency and hold a press conference and demand a seat at the table equal to that offered by George Bush and Israel the guys from Ramallah.
It is true and no one can deny it, that the guys from Ramallah do represent the Palestinians under Occupation, having been elected in fair and open elections, However this Ramallah leadership was never elected by the Palestinians of the Diaspora and in NO way represent the Palestinians in the Diaspora, and have NO rights whatsoever to represent them and compromise their rights of return and their rights to reclaim their lost properties. Abbas can waive his rights in Safad but he has no right to waive the rights of people in Haifa, or Acca or Yafa.
Mahmoud Abbas, Ahmed Qurai and Yasser Abed-Rabou are not the Palestinian people of the Diaspora and were never elected by any one. They are the leftover of a defunct organization that lost its legitimacy long, long time ago.
A press conference should coincide with the convening of the peace conference where representatives of the Palestinians from the Diaspora from around the world make it clear to the Ramallah leadership, the Tel-Aviv leadership, certainly to Washington that only the representative of the Diaspora are the one who can make the decisions for the Palestinians of the Diaspora. Even if it means re-convening the peace conferences at a later date. Yes, Israel has to deal with the Palestinians of the Diaspora and not with guys from Ramallah or for that matter the guys in Damascus and their proxies in Gaza making such decisions. I am sure the Palestinians of the Diaspora want peace, but not the kind of peace that Abbas and Quari are out to achieve. Time for the Palestinians of the Diaspora to put their act together separate and independent of the PLO of the Palestinian Troika.
A Succesful Peace Conference May be the Price for Joint Israel-US Attack on Iran.
18/10/07
I was down in Tampa, Florida visiting my brothers and sister for the Eid and while there I always look forward to having deep and provocative discussions with my nephew Jamal, who is a reporter/journalist with a major and national newspaper.
Jamal, is well read with a house full of books, something you do not see in homes of young people. But then Jamal is too exceptional He is an avid reader in history, and he is well read and well versed in conservative ideology and thoughts and of course he and I share a very critical view of both the Bush administration and Arab politics and governments, especially Palestinian politics.
As a rule I do not patronize Starbucks Coffee due to its supports of Israeli settlers and settlement policies and theft of Palestinian properties, I agreed to go with Jamal to his favorite Starbucks for a late evening orange juice.
For over 2 hours we discussed US politics and how the Democrats are having difficulties competing with the Republicans since the Democrats do not have an ideology driven constituency. This is one area that Democrats have to work on in order to win elections and to win a solid electoral base other than the coalition it has to build and rebuild every election. The Republican Party with strong support from the religious rights and Zionist organization worked very hard over the last 30 years or more shaping a constituency shaped by dangerous ideology. The result of which we see in George Bush war on Iraq and his war on civil liberties here in the US.
Both of us, I as an immigrant and Jamal as first generation American we both shared our fear that this administration and the atmosphere of fear that drives this nation does create an immediate danger for us as Arab-Americans. Of course so far, the administration did not push for drastic measures such as interning of Arabs and Muslims in prison camps, however the possibilities are out there.
Of course the Arab-Israeli conflict was among the many topics of discussions since Condi Rice was in the Middle East promoting George Bush conference sometimes in later this year.
The problem with this conference is that Israel so far is not clear on its intentions on major issues such as ending the Occupation, Jerusalem, Settlements and of course the 48 refugees. It is very unlikely that the conference will take place. Already the World Zionist Organization is working to undermine the conference placing full page ads in the NYT calling Fatah a terrorist organization ( even though Fatah is for all practical purposes a security contractor for Israel just like Blackwater is a security contractor for the US) with a Ten Commandments that calls for the destruction of Israel. As if Zionist Jews themselves have any use or respect for their Ten Commandants.
Over the last 40 years of so, since the 67 Occupation, both Israel and Arafat worked very hard to make sure there is no clean competent leadership that can conclude peace with Israel.
Israel made sure over the years it assassinate, exile, and destroy any and all emerging leadership that has some credibility within the Palestinian community. Israel did all to make sure that the Palestinian do not have an alternative leadership to Arafat and his PLO. Again murdering all credible local and exile leadership. It killed all possibilities for an emerging leadership that can sit with Israel and negotiate peace. By all means one could not count Dahlan and Rajoub as leaders even though they served jail sentences in Israel. Israel like other colonial powers before, use jails to give legitimacy to certain prisoners who then go out and join the exiled leadership that eventually negotiate with colonial powers.
Arafat on the other hand, also made sure during his tenure as leader of the PLO that there are no competent, qualified leaders whether from areas occupied by Israel or within the exiled communities who can challenge his leadership. Arafat did exactly what Israel wanted and planned. Both shared in the goal of having no alternative leadership to the PLO leadership when it comes to negotiating with Israel.
Many smart, clean, competent, committed Palestinians died in exiles at the hands of both Israel and Arafat. Both perhaps working together perhaps independent of each other making sure only Arafat team is the one that can conclude any agreement with Israel Oslo was the first one such agreement and unless the Palestinians give up every thing there will be no second agreement.
Arafat having delivered to Israel what it wanted all along, formal recognition of Israel as a state and formal recognition of its occupation and expanding settlements, became of no use to Israel and Israel working with some of his closest aids killed him after jailing him for years creating a hero out of him instead of the total failure he was.
Many Palestinians died as a result of Arafat policy of making sure there is no alternative to him and his buddies. PLO assassination teams were dispatched to many parts of the world making sure that Arafat was the only one who can deliver peace to Israel and deliver it at Israel’s terms. It is very unlikely that the present Palestinian leadership will do any better than Arafat did. Israel never respects and honors those who betray their own people.
Too bad Israel and Arafat never allowed the emergence of a leadership that has the credibility and commitments to the Palestinian people that is competent, honest and smart. The Palestinian people are victims of Israel, Arafat and the PLO.
As for George Bush peace conference it is very unlikely it will take place. Israel and its allies here in the US especially within George Bush own administration, within the US Congress and within the media will make sure it fails. Supporting the peace conference that will end the Israeli Occupation does not fit with the loyalty and commitments to Israel of those within the power elites of Washington.
But then who knows, perhaps a successful peace conference will be the price that the Palestinians, the Arabs and Muslims will pay for a joint Israel-US attack on Iran.
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I was down in Tampa, Florida visiting my brothers and sister for the Eid and while there I always look forward to having deep and provocative discussions with my nephew Jamal, who is a reporter/journalist with a major and national newspaper.
Jamal, is well read with a house full of books, something you do not see in homes of young people. But then Jamal is too exceptional He is an avid reader in history, and he is well read and well versed in conservative ideology and thoughts and of course he and I share a very critical view of both the Bush administration and Arab politics and governments, especially Palestinian politics.
As a rule I do not patronize Starbucks Coffee due to its supports of Israeli settlers and settlement policies and theft of Palestinian properties, I agreed to go with Jamal to his favorite Starbucks for a late evening orange juice.
For over 2 hours we discussed US politics and how the Democrats are having difficulties competing with the Republicans since the Democrats do not have an ideology driven constituency. This is one area that Democrats have to work on in order to win elections and to win a solid electoral base other than the coalition it has to build and rebuild every election. The Republican Party with strong support from the religious rights and Zionist organization worked very hard over the last 30 years or more shaping a constituency shaped by dangerous ideology. The result of which we see in George Bush war on Iraq and his war on civil liberties here in the US.
Both of us, I as an immigrant and Jamal as first generation American we both shared our fear that this administration and the atmosphere of fear that drives this nation does create an immediate danger for us as Arab-Americans. Of course so far, the administration did not push for drastic measures such as interning of Arabs and Muslims in prison camps, however the possibilities are out there.
Of course the Arab-Israeli conflict was among the many topics of discussions since Condi Rice was in the Middle East promoting George Bush conference sometimes in later this year.
The problem with this conference is that Israel so far is not clear on its intentions on major issues such as ending the Occupation, Jerusalem, Settlements and of course the 48 refugees. It is very unlikely that the conference will take place. Already the World Zionist Organization is working to undermine the conference placing full page ads in the NYT calling Fatah a terrorist organization ( even though Fatah is for all practical purposes a security contractor for Israel just like Blackwater is a security contractor for the US) with a Ten Commandments that calls for the destruction of Israel. As if Zionist Jews themselves have any use or respect for their Ten Commandants.
Over the last 40 years of so, since the 67 Occupation, both Israel and Arafat worked very hard to make sure there is no clean competent leadership that can conclude peace with Israel.
Israel made sure over the years it assassinate, exile, and destroy any and all emerging leadership that has some credibility within the Palestinian community. Israel did all to make sure that the Palestinian do not have an alternative leadership to Arafat and his PLO. Again murdering all credible local and exile leadership. It killed all possibilities for an emerging leadership that can sit with Israel and negotiate peace. By all means one could not count Dahlan and Rajoub as leaders even though they served jail sentences in Israel. Israel like other colonial powers before, use jails to give legitimacy to certain prisoners who then go out and join the exiled leadership that eventually negotiate with colonial powers.
Arafat on the other hand, also made sure during his tenure as leader of the PLO that there are no competent, qualified leaders whether from areas occupied by Israel or within the exiled communities who can challenge his leadership. Arafat did exactly what Israel wanted and planned. Both shared in the goal of having no alternative leadership to the PLO leadership when it comes to negotiating with Israel.
Many smart, clean, competent, committed Palestinians died in exiles at the hands of both Israel and Arafat. Both perhaps working together perhaps independent of each other making sure only Arafat team is the one that can conclude any agreement with Israel Oslo was the first one such agreement and unless the Palestinians give up every thing there will be no second agreement.
Arafat having delivered to Israel what it wanted all along, formal recognition of Israel as a state and formal recognition of its occupation and expanding settlements, became of no use to Israel and Israel working with some of his closest aids killed him after jailing him for years creating a hero out of him instead of the total failure he was.
Many Palestinians died as a result of Arafat policy of making sure there is no alternative to him and his buddies. PLO assassination teams were dispatched to many parts of the world making sure that Arafat was the only one who can deliver peace to Israel and deliver it at Israel’s terms. It is very unlikely that the present Palestinian leadership will do any better than Arafat did. Israel never respects and honors those who betray their own people.
Too bad Israel and Arafat never allowed the emergence of a leadership that has the credibility and commitments to the Palestinian people that is competent, honest and smart. The Palestinian people are victims of Israel, Arafat and the PLO.
As for George Bush peace conference it is very unlikely it will take place. Israel and its allies here in the US especially within George Bush own administration, within the US Congress and within the media will make sure it fails. Supporting the peace conference that will end the Israeli Occupation does not fit with the loyalty and commitments to Israel of those within the power elites of Washington.
But then who knows, perhaps a successful peace conference will be the price that the Palestinians, the Arabs and Muslims will pay for a joint Israel-US attack on Iran.
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Bigotry and Racism Run Deep in the Republican Party of Virginia.
posted 22/10/07
It seems that every time the Republicans have nothing to offer to the people, they come up with the already failed “terrorism agenda”. Every Republican from Rudolph the “Reindeer” Giuliani to two unknown and obscure candidates for delegates in Virginia, Todd Gilbert of Shenandoah and Clay Athey Jr. of Warren are out to get the votes by using “terrorism” as a platform for winning elections, rather than offering voters better housing, better schools, better transportation and of course health care.
Giuliani who was the mayor of New York City when Osama Bin Laden terrorist struck the World Trade Center is using the shining, heroic moment of the men and women of the police and fire department and trading their names and bloods to his advantage in winning the Republican nomination. Nothing that Giuliani did as mayor made a difference. He was nothing more than a by-stander as the men and women of New York Police and Fire Department did what they know best. Whether it was an elephant or donkey that was the mayor it would not have made much difference.
Chicken Hawks Republicans always call on others to fight and die for the country, always try to show patriotism while they hide in their rat holes, behind shining desks and as they rob and fleece the nation and the case of the coward dope head Rush Lemphow hiding behind microphone making tens of millions of dollars insulting the intelligence of the nation.
In Virginian, these two obscured delegates who did not achieve much for their constituency in Virginia, as reported in Sunday’s edition of the Washington Post, came out with strong and inflammatory language against the Democratic Governor of Virginian, Timothy Kaine accusing him to patronizing Muslim groups and organizations that sponsor terrorism, accusing the Muslim American Society and Dar Al-Hijra Mosque in Fall Church of “maintaining radical beliefs”.
Also in today’s “Outlook” section of the Washington Post, it published an open letter titled” Why I Resigned” by Dr. Esam Omeish who resigned couple of weeks from an appointed commission that was looking at the issue of immigration. Rather than allows the Republican bigots of Virginia to destroy whatever good that may comes out of the commission, Dr. Omeish a first rate surgeon and a Muslim activists was accused of supporting Jihad when his accuser posted on YouTube a thirty second footage where the word “Jihad” was mentioned. Of course supporters of Israel went bezerk and as always become mentally deranged and rabid when a Muslim uses the word “Jihad”.
No doubt Republicans of Virginia are in desperate situation. Having lost the US senatorial race and the governor race and now facing a tough challenge in local and state wide elections are resorting to defamation and reckless statements about Arabs, Muslims and of course trying so desperate to tie Muslims in Virginia to terrorism.
Republicans of Virginian have not done the Commonwealth much good when they controlled the governor office and controlled the two US Senate seats. I do not recall a single legislation that this not so brilliant party put forward to the betterment of the state.
The Car Tax which former governor Gillmore won the election on was nothing but a big fraud and a big lie that did not materialize in any saving to the citizens other than winning him the election. The other not so brilliant idea is the stiff “over five hundred dollars” for traffic violation as a way to fight illegal immigrations. Rather than concentrating on the issue of education, transportation, job creations, health services, the Republican Party has nothing to offer the citizens except fear and bigotry and the much opportunities to Republican consultants and so called “experts” on terrorism to fleece the state and the nation.
We need to keep in mind; it is the same Republican Party that chose a liar and a felon as its candidate for the US Senate. Oliver North who made his reputation not in the battle field but in lies and disgracing the Marine uniform won the party nomination because the state Republican Party could not find one qualified candidate other than a liar and a convicted felon to represent the party in the US Senate. Of course Oliver North with more than twenty five million dollars raised by nationwide from conservatives lost the election badly, because we the people of Virginian simply did not want a liar and a felon to be our voice in the US Senate.
Ah, one last thing, about these rabid Republicans. Michael A. Ledeen, a “scholar” at the American Enterprise Institute, a NeoCon/Zionist organization writing in this weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal declaring “Victory is Within Reach in Iraq” forgetting that George Bush declared victory in Iraq few years ago. Of course these Zionist NeoCons are now working very hard to get the US into a fight with Iran as a way to protect and safe guard Israel. It is seems this country is destined by these die hard Zionist to pay blood and money to safe and protect the Jewish State. Before you know it we might end up declaring war on China because its existence might be perceived as a strategic threat to Israel. Mr. Ledeen like other Zionist Jews in the US is lobbying so hard for the US to declare war on Iran. As if their war on Iraq with its very expensive costs in American and Iraqi blood is not enough.
It seems that bigotry, racism, hate and lies run deep in the blood of Republicans that they may need some mental and physical treatments, not to mention a possible blood transfusion. Republicans are losers because they made this country a loser and because they fleeced this country with their greed and incompetence.
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It seems that every time the Republicans have nothing to offer to the people, they come up with the already failed “terrorism agenda”. Every Republican from Rudolph the “Reindeer” Giuliani to two unknown and obscure candidates for delegates in Virginia, Todd Gilbert of Shenandoah and Clay Athey Jr. of Warren are out to get the votes by using “terrorism” as a platform for winning elections, rather than offering voters better housing, better schools, better transportation and of course health care.
Giuliani who was the mayor of New York City when Osama Bin Laden terrorist struck the World Trade Center is using the shining, heroic moment of the men and women of the police and fire department and trading their names and bloods to his advantage in winning the Republican nomination. Nothing that Giuliani did as mayor made a difference. He was nothing more than a by-stander as the men and women of New York Police and Fire Department did what they know best. Whether it was an elephant or donkey that was the mayor it would not have made much difference.
Chicken Hawks Republicans always call on others to fight and die for the country, always try to show patriotism while they hide in their rat holes, behind shining desks and as they rob and fleece the nation and the case of the coward dope head Rush Lemphow hiding behind microphone making tens of millions of dollars insulting the intelligence of the nation.
In Virginian, these two obscured delegates who did not achieve much for their constituency in Virginia, as reported in Sunday’s edition of the Washington Post, came out with strong and inflammatory language against the Democratic Governor of Virginian, Timothy Kaine accusing him to patronizing Muslim groups and organizations that sponsor terrorism, accusing the Muslim American Society and Dar Al-Hijra Mosque in Fall Church of “maintaining radical beliefs”.
Also in today’s “Outlook” section of the Washington Post, it published an open letter titled” Why I Resigned” by Dr. Esam Omeish who resigned couple of weeks from an appointed commission that was looking at the issue of immigration. Rather than allows the Republican bigots of Virginia to destroy whatever good that may comes out of the commission, Dr. Omeish a first rate surgeon and a Muslim activists was accused of supporting Jihad when his accuser posted on YouTube a thirty second footage where the word “Jihad” was mentioned. Of course supporters of Israel went bezerk and as always become mentally deranged and rabid when a Muslim uses the word “Jihad”.
No doubt Republicans of Virginia are in desperate situation. Having lost the US senatorial race and the governor race and now facing a tough challenge in local and state wide elections are resorting to defamation and reckless statements about Arabs, Muslims and of course trying so desperate to tie Muslims in Virginia to terrorism.
Republicans of Virginian have not done the Commonwealth much good when they controlled the governor office and controlled the two US Senate seats. I do not recall a single legislation that this not so brilliant party put forward to the betterment of the state.
The Car Tax which former governor Gillmore won the election on was nothing but a big fraud and a big lie that did not materialize in any saving to the citizens other than winning him the election. The other not so brilliant idea is the stiff “over five hundred dollars” for traffic violation as a way to fight illegal immigrations. Rather than concentrating on the issue of education, transportation, job creations, health services, the Republican Party has nothing to offer the citizens except fear and bigotry and the much opportunities to Republican consultants and so called “experts” on terrorism to fleece the state and the nation.
We need to keep in mind; it is the same Republican Party that chose a liar and a felon as its candidate for the US Senate. Oliver North who made his reputation not in the battle field but in lies and disgracing the Marine uniform won the party nomination because the state Republican Party could not find one qualified candidate other than a liar and a convicted felon to represent the party in the US Senate. Of course Oliver North with more than twenty five million dollars raised by nationwide from conservatives lost the election badly, because we the people of Virginian simply did not want a liar and a felon to be our voice in the US Senate.
Ah, one last thing, about these rabid Republicans. Michael A. Ledeen, a “scholar” at the American Enterprise Institute, a NeoCon/Zionist organization writing in this weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal declaring “Victory is Within Reach in Iraq” forgetting that George Bush declared victory in Iraq few years ago. Of course these Zionist NeoCons are now working very hard to get the US into a fight with Iran as a way to protect and safe guard Israel. It is seems this country is destined by these die hard Zionist to pay blood and money to safe and protect the Jewish State. Before you know it we might end up declaring war on China because its existence might be perceived as a strategic threat to Israel. Mr. Ledeen like other Zionist Jews in the US is lobbying so hard for the US to declare war on Iran. As if their war on Iraq with its very expensive costs in American and Iraqi blood is not enough.
It seems that bigotry, racism, hate and lies run deep in the blood of Republicans that they may need some mental and physical treatments, not to mention a possible blood transfusion. Republicans are losers because they made this country a loser and because they fleeced this country with their greed and incompetence.
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Crooked American Executives Are Out to Fleece the World.
posted 05/11/07
The recent financial turmoil arising out losses in the tens of billions of dollars for those companies that decided to become predatory lender. The behavior of these corporations is no different from infectious germs that attach the immune system of the weak succeeding in the end to kill the patient.
Unlike diseases which can be fought with anti-biotic and drugs and medical facilities, the poor and the sub-prime have no where to turn to for help. Our not so great Congress especially under the Republican leadership have left consumers and citizens at the mercy of these predators whether mortgage companies, credit card companies or even lenders. Every Tom, Dick and Harry in crooked and unethical American found an alliance in members of Congress who are willing to sell their own mothers to raise money and get re-elected.
The crisis of the sub-prime mortgage is nothing new. Every few years the great brains of crooked America sit down in their corporate board room eating fancy food and traveling by private jets, and having succeeded in buying member of Congress sit down and decide who to fleece the nation again.
Over the last 20 years or so we have witnessed one financial crisis after another. First there was the crash of the stock market where the people’s fortune and life time saving went down the drain. Then came the saving and loan association where again, the saving of average citizens went down the drain in a criminal collusion between saving and loan executives and developers and the consumers and tax payers ending paying twice to save these institutions with officers getting away with tens of millions of dollars in fees and salaries, leaving the nation holding the bag.
Then came the junk bond fiasco where corporations saw their value melt down in days if not weeks while the king makers of Wall Street where making hundreds of millions of dollars in annual compensations arising out of servicing the same corporation they helped to destroy.
Of course we not mention the Internet bubble where ideas and not real products attracted billions of dollars of investors money, where the majority of investors lost and the one who made the money where the middle brokers who raised the money from investors and who gave it to the guys with the best bullshit marketing scheme.
We need not forget the telecommunications like WorldCom and the Enron’s of the nations where people saw their life saving and pension disappear over night because executives not only lied about the financial health of their companies but lied to the very people who entrusted them with managing the companies. All along the smart kids, the analyst of Wall Street where making tens of millions of dollars in annual compensation simply because they went along with the lies and appearing on television telling consumers to buy when they supposed to warn consumers of the crooks sitting behind big and fancy executives offices.
Now that American executives succeeded in fleecing the American public they are no their way by corporate jets and first class travel, on their way to the Arabian Gulf to convince wealthy executives and financial institutions to come to American and make investments. Of course I hope the Arab Gulf people will not be fooled by these sweet talking executives who succeeded in fleecing America and are on their way to fleece the world.
Beside, Arab and Gulf investors have to be weary of members of Congress and a hostile administration that are pent of freezing the funds and assets under the pre-text of fighting terrorism. The Arab investors should be leery, if the US does not start a war to make sure all the money and wealth of the Gulf disappear then the business executives will make sure they do that. Microsoft and Bechtel are of the few exceptions of good citizenship.
No doubt at one time, no one could ever match the American executives and American corporations with their very high standard of ethics and business dealings. No more. It is much safer for the Arab Gulf wealth to go to markets in the East such as Malaysia, India and China and make investment there, since there are some business ethics remaining.
Well what about investing in the Arab countries. Well one only need to see the difficulties of getting any thing going. With ministers waiting to take their unpaid shares, while local officials putting every obstacle in the way to get paid for solving the problem. The Arab countries and Arab governments need to convince investors they are in support of investment not an obstacle to it. So far, the number of governments and countries that are obstacles to investment outnumber those who created the right conditions for investment. Transparency and not much bureaucracy are solutions to inviting investment in country of course not to mention good and fair labor laws and good and skilled and not so much lazy labor and work force.
Arab governments do not share in or guarantee investor’s losses, why are they making all of the decisions as to where and when and how to manage the investments? If government bureaucrats are that smart they will not be sitting behind desks in some ministries but will be out there making things happen.
The recent financial turmoil arising out losses in the tens of billions of dollars for those companies that decided to become predatory lender. The behavior of these corporations is no different from infectious germs that attach the immune system of the weak succeeding in the end to kill the patient.
Unlike diseases which can be fought with anti-biotic and drugs and medical facilities, the poor and the sub-prime have no where to turn to for help. Our not so great Congress especially under the Republican leadership have left consumers and citizens at the mercy of these predators whether mortgage companies, credit card companies or even lenders. Every Tom, Dick and Harry in crooked and unethical American found an alliance in members of Congress who are willing to sell their own mothers to raise money and get re-elected.
The crisis of the sub-prime mortgage is nothing new. Every few years the great brains of crooked America sit down in their corporate board room eating fancy food and traveling by private jets, and having succeeded in buying member of Congress sit down and decide who to fleece the nation again.
Over the last 20 years or so we have witnessed one financial crisis after another. First there was the crash of the stock market where the people’s fortune and life time saving went down the drain. Then came the saving and loan association where again, the saving of average citizens went down the drain in a criminal collusion between saving and loan executives and developers and the consumers and tax payers ending paying twice to save these institutions with officers getting away with tens of millions of dollars in fees and salaries, leaving the nation holding the bag.
Then came the junk bond fiasco where corporations saw their value melt down in days if not weeks while the king makers of Wall Street where making hundreds of millions of dollars in annual compensations arising out of servicing the same corporation they helped to destroy.
Of course we not mention the Internet bubble where ideas and not real products attracted billions of dollars of investors money, where the majority of investors lost and the one who made the money where the middle brokers who raised the money from investors and who gave it to the guys with the best bullshit marketing scheme.
We need not forget the telecommunications like WorldCom and the Enron’s of the nations where people saw their life saving and pension disappear over night because executives not only lied about the financial health of their companies but lied to the very people who entrusted them with managing the companies. All along the smart kids, the analyst of Wall Street where making tens of millions of dollars in annual compensation simply because they went along with the lies and appearing on television telling consumers to buy when they supposed to warn consumers of the crooks sitting behind big and fancy executives offices.
Now that American executives succeeded in fleecing the American public they are no their way by corporate jets and first class travel, on their way to the Arabian Gulf to convince wealthy executives and financial institutions to come to American and make investments. Of course I hope the Arab Gulf people will not be fooled by these sweet talking executives who succeeded in fleecing America and are on their way to fleece the world.
Beside, Arab and Gulf investors have to be weary of members of Congress and a hostile administration that are pent of freezing the funds and assets under the pre-text of fighting terrorism. The Arab investors should be leery, if the US does not start a war to make sure all the money and wealth of the Gulf disappear then the business executives will make sure they do that. Microsoft and Bechtel are of the few exceptions of good citizenship.
No doubt at one time, no one could ever match the American executives and American corporations with their very high standard of ethics and business dealings. No more. It is much safer for the Arab Gulf wealth to go to markets in the East such as Malaysia, India and China and make investment there, since there are some business ethics remaining.
Well what about investing in the Arab countries. Well one only need to see the difficulties of getting any thing going. With ministers waiting to take their unpaid shares, while local officials putting every obstacle in the way to get paid for solving the problem. The Arab countries and Arab governments need to convince investors they are in support of investment not an obstacle to it. So far, the number of governments and countries that are obstacles to investment outnumber those who created the right conditions for investment. Transparency and not much bureaucracy are solutions to inviting investment in country of course not to mention good and fair labor laws and good and skilled and not so much lazy labor and work force.
Arab governments do not share in or guarantee investor’s losses, why are they making all of the decisions as to where and when and how to manage the investments? If government bureaucrats are that smart they will not be sitting behind desks in some ministries but will be out there making things happen.
Poor American Executives; Their Companies lose Billions of Dollars, they take home hundreds of millions paid for by Shareholders and Consumers.
posted 06/11/07
During the last few weeks, the news of major financial groups losing tens of billions of dollars as a result of loses in what is called “sub-prime lending” all over the place and forms major headlines. Major financial groups lost billions in an effort to fleece the very poor targeting this segment of consumers with predatory lending practices.
Given the salaries and benefits of these top American executives, one would presume these executives are highly paid because they are smart businessmen who study their prospective decisions very carefully and not make decisions bound to cause big time losses. The question I have how can it happens that these big time executives make such big time mistakes? And end up getting paid tens of millions.
Every big time executive knows that American consumers are under constant attack from major financial companies such as mortgage companies, credit card companies, care financing companies, credit rating companies among others. All are dedicated to fleecing what they refer to as “sub-prime”. Those who are hardly making it, and who are on shaky financial grounds and who for the most part are having a hard time making ends meet.
American consumers are under attack by these big time bullies, with the support of our illustrious congress who gave the power and authority to the lobbyist to make laws that make it legal to go after these poor people and fleece them.
Financial institutions when making the decision to actively engage in predatory lending knew they are targeting a class of consumer who are “high risk” and they went ahead any way because they knew they can make quick bucks initially and they knew in the end, these high risk consumers will have a hard time meeting their financial commitments to lenders. Yet they went ahead and they knew they will lose in the end. However they also knew that while they (executives) can make hundreds of millions of dollars in salaries and compensation during a certain period of time, they knew their companies, companies entrusted to their care and proper management will lose in the end. Yet they went ahead any way with their attack and assault to fleece consumers.
Who would believe that in the US credit card companies charge consumers some 25-30 % in annual interests? Making it almost impossible for any one to pay in full the amount even if they end up paying for many years. Our Congress, full of crooks and full of members who sold their souls and ethics to big time corporations and lobbyists making it legally possible for American executives and corporation to fleece, rob American consumers and tax payers.
Only in America the land of the professional crooks “business executives” where consumers and shareholders end up paying for well organized and well executed reckless decisions causing companies to lose tens of billions of dollars.
Only in America, where business executives can lose tens of billions of dollars during their tenure as top managers and walk away with tens of millions if not hundreds of millions laughing all the way to the bank and laughing at board of directors who allows them to fleece the companies and fleece shareholders and consumers. Yes these executives have every reason to laugh all the way to the bank and have contempt for board members, shareholders and consumers.
I know of business executives who left lucrative salaries to go and sell cars to the very poor making sure the very poor end up paying for the car many times over. I also know of dealers who charged consumers thousands of dollars in added insurance and other benefits knowing that consumers will never make a use of such insurance.
It is not so surprising that someone like Stan O’Neal, the former head of Merrill can walk away with some $250 millions when he presided over the lose of some $ 7 Billions by Merrill.
Angelo Mozila the CEO of Countrywide can cash in some $ 130 millions in stock during a time when his company was about to declare billions of losses arising out of its practices of predatory lending and its active involvement in lending to sub-prime consumers.
Also it is not so surprising that the top executives of one of the major credit card companies can make over $250 millions in annual compensation when his company is charging poor consumer interest rates that are USUARY by all means. One has to wonder how many households have to scrap the $50 or $ 100 a month so that this Mr. Executives can make his $ 20 million monthly salary.
During the last few weeks, the news of major financial groups losing tens of billions of dollars as a result of loses in what is called “sub-prime lending” all over the place and forms major headlines. Major financial groups lost billions in an effort to fleece the very poor targeting this segment of consumers with predatory lending practices.
Given the salaries and benefits of these top American executives, one would presume these executives are highly paid because they are smart businessmen who study their prospective decisions very carefully and not make decisions bound to cause big time losses. The question I have how can it happens that these big time executives make such big time mistakes? And end up getting paid tens of millions.
Every big time executive knows that American consumers are under constant attack from major financial companies such as mortgage companies, credit card companies, care financing companies, credit rating companies among others. All are dedicated to fleecing what they refer to as “sub-prime”. Those who are hardly making it, and who are on shaky financial grounds and who for the most part are having a hard time making ends meet.
American consumers are under attack by these big time bullies, with the support of our illustrious congress who gave the power and authority to the lobbyist to make laws that make it legal to go after these poor people and fleece them.
Financial institutions when making the decision to actively engage in predatory lending knew they are targeting a class of consumer who are “high risk” and they went ahead any way because they knew they can make quick bucks initially and they knew in the end, these high risk consumers will have a hard time meeting their financial commitments to lenders. Yet they went ahead and they knew they will lose in the end. However they also knew that while they (executives) can make hundreds of millions of dollars in salaries and compensation during a certain period of time, they knew their companies, companies entrusted to their care and proper management will lose in the end. Yet they went ahead any way with their attack and assault to fleece consumers.
Who would believe that in the US credit card companies charge consumers some 25-30 % in annual interests? Making it almost impossible for any one to pay in full the amount even if they end up paying for many years. Our Congress, full of crooks and full of members who sold their souls and ethics to big time corporations and lobbyists making it legally possible for American executives and corporation to fleece, rob American consumers and tax payers.
Only in America the land of the professional crooks “business executives” where consumers and shareholders end up paying for well organized and well executed reckless decisions causing companies to lose tens of billions of dollars.
Only in America, where business executives can lose tens of billions of dollars during their tenure as top managers and walk away with tens of millions if not hundreds of millions laughing all the way to the bank and laughing at board of directors who allows them to fleece the companies and fleece shareholders and consumers. Yes these executives have every reason to laugh all the way to the bank and have contempt for board members, shareholders and consumers.
I know of business executives who left lucrative salaries to go and sell cars to the very poor making sure the very poor end up paying for the car many times over. I also know of dealers who charged consumers thousands of dollars in added insurance and other benefits knowing that consumers will never make a use of such insurance.
It is not so surprising that someone like Stan O’Neal, the former head of Merrill can walk away with some $250 millions when he presided over the lose of some $ 7 Billions by Merrill.
Angelo Mozila the CEO of Countrywide can cash in some $ 130 millions in stock during a time when his company was about to declare billions of losses arising out of its practices of predatory lending and its active involvement in lending to sub-prime consumers.
Also it is not so surprising that the top executives of one of the major credit card companies can make over $250 millions in annual compensation when his company is charging poor consumer interest rates that are USUARY by all means. One has to wonder how many households have to scrap the $50 or $ 100 a month so that this Mr. Executives can make his $ 20 million monthly salary.
Arafat Was Nothing but an Incompetent, Corrupt, and Failed Narcissist Fraud.
posted 14/11/07
Couple of days ago, Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority commissioned and dedicated the Yasser Arafat mausoleum at a cost of $5 millions.
For over 40 years Arafat headed the Palestine Liberation Organization as the “sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinians around the world”. For over 40 years Arafat managed the PLO as a true dictator no different from the many around the world, like Somoza of Nicaragua, Noriega of Panama, Marcos of the Philippines, Suharto of Indonesia, Ceausescu of Romania, Assad of Syria, Saddam of Iraq just to name a few of this most infamous and corrupt club.
The PLO was founded to liberate Palestine from the occupying Zionist and restore the Palestinians to their former homes in what is now Israel and of course as an added bonus the PLO was also to liberate Palestine of 67 occupied by Israel in 67. However the fact is that Arafat and the PLO not only failed to liberate one single inch of Palestinian territories either of the historic Palestine or the one occupied by Israel in 67, but made such a big mess of the liberation by producing Oslo and producing perhaps the most corrupt and incompetent leadership anywhere in the world.
Making sure that he is in charge and no one else, Arafat carried out a policy of divide and rule and used money effectively to corrupt the entire PLO and all of those in it and corrupt the Palestine National Congress guaranteeing there will never be any accountability or transparency of decisions and financial matters.
Arafat was no different from the dictators who robbed their countries blind, creating and nourishing a group of parasites around them who did their biddings from killing and murdering innocent people as a way to intimidate the public into silence, but he made sure that his PLO is never in a position to ever liberate any thing but to create a bureaucracy with bunch of misfits whose only mission is to remain on the payroll and whose objective is making sure they keep the PLO alive and themselves at the helm at any costs as we see in Ramallah..
Arafat made sure there was never any room for competency and intellect, let alone loyalty and dedications to the cause of liberation. On the contrary, he made sure the PLO leadership has nothing but yes men and women who were ready to sell their souls to the devil in return for the financial privileges Arafat arranged for them. He did buy the conscious and loyalty of bunch of people whom he has nothing but contempt for and he made sure he treated them that way.
With his death, he left behind a big mess; with many competing security organizations he sawed the seeds of the present conflict. Arafat knowing well his PLO could never liberate Palestine and could never end the Israeli occupation, he made sure he entered into an agreement with Israel where he and his PLO became a security subcontractor and manager of the occupation for Israel. While his PLO and PA were enjoying billions in fees, Israel had free hand in the occupied territories and of course free to continue its outright theft of the people land and properties. Oslo legitimized the Israeli occupation and legitimizes the expansions of settlements and of course now the Apartheid Wall, not mention the theft of water resources and undermined international law and UN Security Council resolutions as core of conditions for peace with Israel.
During his tenure, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians died and where again exiled as direct of his failed policies and where his PLO was unable to provide any protections. Billions were raised and came into the coffer of the PLO but was never accounted for, stolen by Arafat and his army of thieves who made fortunes out of the misfortunes of the millions of Palestinians who trusted their faith to Arafat.
Making sure the Palestinians could never have independent, competent and clean leadership to liberate Palestine, Arafat directly and indirectly got rid of so many potential leaders and made sure the PLO will always be the closed club for his cronies and parasites forming the core of the PLO past and current leadership.
Forty years and billions of dollars, Arafat and his cronies were unwilling and never able to create the kind of efficient, competent institutions that one day will form the core of the new and independent nation. Instead, the Palestinians got exactly what they expected, a PA with police state mentality where security agencies and mokhabarat are the nation, no different from the dictatorship regime of Assad, Saddam and Ceausescu and of course with no institutions to manage the affairs of people.
While other nations put their corrupt, incompetent and failed leadership on trial, the Palestinians celebrate the life of a failed leader and have the money to build a mausoleum to honor his memory. One has to wonder how many hundreds of millions if not billions did Arafat and his family costs the poor people of Palestine. The Palestinian people need to remember Arafat and his PLO did not liberate them and did not succeed in removing one single major Israeli checkpoint and failed to stop the expansion in one settlement and of course failed to stop the uprooting of one olive tree or the demolition of a single home. While Arafat was spending millions on his wife so she can live the good life in Paris, he did not have the money to provide the temporary housing and shelters for those who lost their homes to Israeli bulldozers.
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Couple of days ago, Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority commissioned and dedicated the Yasser Arafat mausoleum at a cost of $5 millions.
For over 40 years Arafat headed the Palestine Liberation Organization as the “sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinians around the world”. For over 40 years Arafat managed the PLO as a true dictator no different from the many around the world, like Somoza of Nicaragua, Noriega of Panama, Marcos of the Philippines, Suharto of Indonesia, Ceausescu of Romania, Assad of Syria, Saddam of Iraq just to name a few of this most infamous and corrupt club.
The PLO was founded to liberate Palestine from the occupying Zionist and restore the Palestinians to their former homes in what is now Israel and of course as an added bonus the PLO was also to liberate Palestine of 67 occupied by Israel in 67. However the fact is that Arafat and the PLO not only failed to liberate one single inch of Palestinian territories either of the historic Palestine or the one occupied by Israel in 67, but made such a big mess of the liberation by producing Oslo and producing perhaps the most corrupt and incompetent leadership anywhere in the world.
Making sure that he is in charge and no one else, Arafat carried out a policy of divide and rule and used money effectively to corrupt the entire PLO and all of those in it and corrupt the Palestine National Congress guaranteeing there will never be any accountability or transparency of decisions and financial matters.
Arafat was no different from the dictators who robbed their countries blind, creating and nourishing a group of parasites around them who did their biddings from killing and murdering innocent people as a way to intimidate the public into silence, but he made sure that his PLO is never in a position to ever liberate any thing but to create a bureaucracy with bunch of misfits whose only mission is to remain on the payroll and whose objective is making sure they keep the PLO alive and themselves at the helm at any costs as we see in Ramallah..
Arafat made sure there was never any room for competency and intellect, let alone loyalty and dedications to the cause of liberation. On the contrary, he made sure the PLO leadership has nothing but yes men and women who were ready to sell their souls to the devil in return for the financial privileges Arafat arranged for them. He did buy the conscious and loyalty of bunch of people whom he has nothing but contempt for and he made sure he treated them that way.
With his death, he left behind a big mess; with many competing security organizations he sawed the seeds of the present conflict. Arafat knowing well his PLO could never liberate Palestine and could never end the Israeli occupation, he made sure he entered into an agreement with Israel where he and his PLO became a security subcontractor and manager of the occupation for Israel. While his PLO and PA were enjoying billions in fees, Israel had free hand in the occupied territories and of course free to continue its outright theft of the people land and properties. Oslo legitimized the Israeli occupation and legitimizes the expansions of settlements and of course now the Apartheid Wall, not mention the theft of water resources and undermined international law and UN Security Council resolutions as core of conditions for peace with Israel.
During his tenure, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians died and where again exiled as direct of his failed policies and where his PLO was unable to provide any protections. Billions were raised and came into the coffer of the PLO but was never accounted for, stolen by Arafat and his army of thieves who made fortunes out of the misfortunes of the millions of Palestinians who trusted their faith to Arafat.
Making sure the Palestinians could never have independent, competent and clean leadership to liberate Palestine, Arafat directly and indirectly got rid of so many potential leaders and made sure the PLO will always be the closed club for his cronies and parasites forming the core of the PLO past and current leadership.
Forty years and billions of dollars, Arafat and his cronies were unwilling and never able to create the kind of efficient, competent institutions that one day will form the core of the new and independent nation. Instead, the Palestinians got exactly what they expected, a PA with police state mentality where security agencies and mokhabarat are the nation, no different from the dictatorship regime of Assad, Saddam and Ceausescu and of course with no institutions to manage the affairs of people.
While other nations put their corrupt, incompetent and failed leadership on trial, the Palestinians celebrate the life of a failed leader and have the money to build a mausoleum to honor his memory. One has to wonder how many hundreds of millions if not billions did Arafat and his family costs the poor people of Palestine. The Palestinian people need to remember Arafat and his PLO did not liberate them and did not succeed in removing one single major Israeli checkpoint and failed to stop the expansion in one settlement and of course failed to stop the uprooting of one olive tree or the demolition of a single home. While Arafat was spending millions on his wife so she can live the good life in Paris, he did not have the money to provide the temporary housing and shelters for those who lost their homes to Israeli bulldozers.
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Time for The Arab People to Accept Responsibiity for Failed Nations.
posted 14/11/07
No doubts the political paralysis that is taking place in Lebanon, Palestine or Iraq has nothing to with the love and loyalty to country or what is in the best interest of the people, it has to do every thing with the best interest of a class of politicians who are at best selfish, incompetent and don’t give a damn about the country or the people.
In Lebanon and ever since the time of the late Camille Chemoun, electing a president of Lebanon or what they call in local lingo ( alestihqaq al-reasi) has been a mine field ready to explode indulging the country into a murderous civil war.
Sectarianism is the problem and the cancer that afflicts Lebanon and is the source of all of its problems and the direct cause of the death and murder of hundreds of thousands of people during the last century or so.
However the Lebanese, whether private citizens or politicians never want to admit that sectarianism is the core of the political problems and instability in Lebanon. One has to wonder why at this time and age, why the Lebanese do not force their parliament to change election laws and give the people themselves the right to directly elect and vote for a president? The Lebanese people are well educated and I am sure well qualified to make good decisions. Why they leave such a decision to elected members of parliament, who over the years failed the nation and the people? While Lebanon has the most enlightened people it has the worst class of politicians ever seen any where in the Middle East?
The situation is no better in Iraq where politicians appear on television well dressed, sitting on gold and leather chairs in fancy offices talking about what is wrong with the country, while the poor and desperate people face death every minute and every hour of the day all over the country. Rather than pulling the country together to end the American Occupation, they are working very hard to perpetuate it.
In Iraq, not only there is serious problem with politicians, ministers and members of parliament but also with religious leaders, Sunnis and Shiites who all forgot about the teaching of Islam and stand behind the sectarian conflict that took and is taking the lives of tens of thousands of innocent and poor Iraqis.
One has to wonder whatever happens to the people of Iraq, and why they allowed Saddam Hussein and his Ba’ath Party to commit the murder of hundreds of thousands of people. and allowed incompetent and corrupt politicians and religious leaders to take the nation to the abyss.
The situation among the Palestinians is no different, where selfish, corrupt and incompetent politicians, self appointed never the less, take charge of the fate of the nation for the last forty years, having failed to liberate and having succeeded in indulging the nation is petty fights that destroyed whatever sense of dignity and self-respect the people used to have.
A class of self appointed leaders who arrived from Tunis to manage the Israelis military occupation under a contract that is worth billions of dollars and who brought with them nothing but corruption, incompetence and failures.
The situation is no different with the home grown leadership sitting in Gaza who thought that (Islam is the way) and that their home made rockets and suicide bombings could alone liberate Palestine.
While the guys in Ramallah thought Oslo will end the Occupation, the guys in Gaza did not have a comprehensive and well thought out and detailed program to end the occupation.
Never could understand why the Palestinian people who claim to be the best educated in the Middle East, could ever put up with such a failed leadership all these years from the time of Hajj Amin Hussaini to Yasser Arafat to Mahmoud Abbas and Khalid Meshal?
With the tens of thousands of very well educated and well qualified professionals the Palestinian people could not find a dozen so to challenge the present leadership and for the first time give the people the chance to have hope for ending the occupation. Never understood why some of the most successful businessmen and some of the most successful and prominent intellectuals could not replace a class of politicians who are more interested in lining their pockets with ill gained income and fleece the nation rather than putting together the best and the brightest to lead the nation.
In the end, one should not blame the politicians of Lebanon, or Iraq or Palestine, for such failures. It is the people of Lebanon, of Iraq and Palestine are the one to blame. They are the one that should accept the responsibility for a failed nation.
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No doubts the political paralysis that is taking place in Lebanon, Palestine or Iraq has nothing to with the love and loyalty to country or what is in the best interest of the people, it has to do every thing with the best interest of a class of politicians who are at best selfish, incompetent and don’t give a damn about the country or the people.
In Lebanon and ever since the time of the late Camille Chemoun, electing a president of Lebanon or what they call in local lingo ( alestihqaq al-reasi) has been a mine field ready to explode indulging the country into a murderous civil war.
Sectarianism is the problem and the cancer that afflicts Lebanon and is the source of all of its problems and the direct cause of the death and murder of hundreds of thousands of people during the last century or so.
However the Lebanese, whether private citizens or politicians never want to admit that sectarianism is the core of the political problems and instability in Lebanon. One has to wonder why at this time and age, why the Lebanese do not force their parliament to change election laws and give the people themselves the right to directly elect and vote for a president? The Lebanese people are well educated and I am sure well qualified to make good decisions. Why they leave such a decision to elected members of parliament, who over the years failed the nation and the people? While Lebanon has the most enlightened people it has the worst class of politicians ever seen any where in the Middle East?
The situation is no better in Iraq where politicians appear on television well dressed, sitting on gold and leather chairs in fancy offices talking about what is wrong with the country, while the poor and desperate people face death every minute and every hour of the day all over the country. Rather than pulling the country together to end the American Occupation, they are working very hard to perpetuate it.
In Iraq, not only there is serious problem with politicians, ministers and members of parliament but also with religious leaders, Sunnis and Shiites who all forgot about the teaching of Islam and stand behind the sectarian conflict that took and is taking the lives of tens of thousands of innocent and poor Iraqis.
One has to wonder whatever happens to the people of Iraq, and why they allowed Saddam Hussein and his Ba’ath Party to commit the murder of hundreds of thousands of people. and allowed incompetent and corrupt politicians and religious leaders to take the nation to the abyss.
The situation among the Palestinians is no different, where selfish, corrupt and incompetent politicians, self appointed never the less, take charge of the fate of the nation for the last forty years, having failed to liberate and having succeeded in indulging the nation is petty fights that destroyed whatever sense of dignity and self-respect the people used to have.
A class of self appointed leaders who arrived from Tunis to manage the Israelis military occupation under a contract that is worth billions of dollars and who brought with them nothing but corruption, incompetence and failures.
The situation is no different with the home grown leadership sitting in Gaza who thought that (Islam is the way) and that their home made rockets and suicide bombings could alone liberate Palestine.
While the guys in Ramallah thought Oslo will end the Occupation, the guys in Gaza did not have a comprehensive and well thought out and detailed program to end the occupation.
Never could understand why the Palestinian people who claim to be the best educated in the Middle East, could ever put up with such a failed leadership all these years from the time of Hajj Amin Hussaini to Yasser Arafat to Mahmoud Abbas and Khalid Meshal?
With the tens of thousands of very well educated and well qualified professionals the Palestinian people could not find a dozen so to challenge the present leadership and for the first time give the people the chance to have hope for ending the occupation. Never understood why some of the most successful businessmen and some of the most successful and prominent intellectuals could not replace a class of politicians who are more interested in lining their pockets with ill gained income and fleece the nation rather than putting together the best and the brightest to lead the nation.
In the end, one should not blame the politicians of Lebanon, or Iraq or Palestine, for such failures. It is the people of Lebanon, of Iraq and Palestine are the one to blame. They are the one that should accept the responsibility for a failed nation.
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The Israeli Military and Settlers Occupation, is a Business, a Big Business.
post 25/11/07
The decision by the Arab foreign ministers to attend the Annapolis conference was the first Israel victory according to Zvi Ba’rel of Haaretz. Protestors on both side of the conflict are massing in apposition to the conference, which changed from a conference to settle the conflict to a conference to start a peace process that may take 100 years or so. Even with all of the protest and premature claims of victory there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a conference where all issues are put on the table and where US honesty and integrity if not partiality is put to the test.
Palestinians opposition group, like Israeli opposition group think that the Annapolis conference will change forever the face of Israel and Palestine and if all goes well may settle this 100 year conflict.
The Israeli Occupation of Palestine (67) has been a booming business for many Israeli and Jewish groups both in Israel and in the US and around the world. For many Jews, the Israeli Occupation of what is left of Palestine of 48 is a mission from God, a realization and revival of ancient Israel and reclamation of lost history. All of this adds up to one thing, big business, a cash cow that Zionist Jews were able to successfully use to raise close to a trillion dollars so far and more on the way.
By hook and many times by crooks, wealthy Jews and Jewish organizations, specially in the US with so much money available, some of it money fleeced from the poorest of poor Americans ( bingo games) are channeled to Israel to fund the fraudulent take over of Palestinian properties with active support from an Israeli Jewish legal system that allows and support theft, robbery and outright confiscation of Palestinians prosperities under the pre-text that this is God given and it is time to collect on God’s promise. Of course Jewish intellectuals, legal scholars, professors, educators, businessmen and most of all Rabbis simply sees nothing wrong with such actions and no one raise any issue of mortality or right or wrong as if God promise gave the Jews a blank check to do whatever they want with the land and the people living on it. In another word, there is simply nothing wrong with the Occupation that lasted for over 40 years and there is nothing wrong with all of the actions taken by Israel and the entire religious and settlers group. Morality and human values gave way to God’s promise and under such a promise every thing is permissible including murder.
On the other side of the issue, Palestinians opposition groups have been meeting in Gaza and else where to talk about Annapolis and the disaster arising out of such meeting. The Israeli Occupation has also been a booming business for many Palestinian individuals and groups. Ending the occupation is much feared by many individuals or group.
The first organization to fear ending the occupation is the PLO. For over 45 years the PLO presented itself as a “liberation” organization dedicated to restoring the historical rights of Palestinians in what is now Israel of 48 and later the mission was expanded to include the liberation of the remaining part occupied by Israel in 67.
For over 45 years, Palestinian leadership the likes of Yasser Arafat used the Occupation to justify monopoly over the cause and to use this monopoly to sustain a corrupt and incompetent leadership and to stifle any open and transparent debate and of course to silence any one that challenge such leadership. Tens if not hundreds met their death or were illuminated making sure that Arafat will never have any one who dare challenge him for the leadership let alone question his judgment.
The business of the Occupation has been excellent for the PLO and its leadership as it went about collecting and raising tens of billions of dollars from individual Palestinians and from Arab and Muslim governments. Of course without the needs for any accountability and transparency. Many if not all of the Palestinian leadership made a very good if not excellent living out of the Occupation and their continued leadership. Many made hundreds of millions of dollars from the cause, and many became very wealthy with assets in the tens if not hundreds of millions simply because they are officers or members and executives many various committees and organizations of the PLO and Fatah.
The same is true of many of the Palestinian intellectuals and professionals who learned the business of the NGO and who set so many NGOs within the Occupied Territories turning these NGO to private business, commercial and economic enterprise producing substantial income for themselves and members of their families with hardly any accountability or transparency of how the funds are spent. Of course with many donors from around the world, the occupation has been a booming business for Palestinian NGOs. The same is true of many of the heads of the Palestinian factions that also made a career out of the Occupation, whether these organizations are based in Damascus or in Gaza.
With the hope that Annapolis can bring about an end to the Israeli Occupation, there are so many Jewish and Palestinians individuals and organizations that will simply go out of business if the Occupation comes to an end.
Major Jewish organizations in the US especially the Jewish Lobby would have to look for another cause to raise money and to use and leverage this money to gain power over Congress, media and universities. With Israel at peace with its neighbors and with peace with the Palestinian what is there for them to do? Raise money for charity does not translate to power and influence over Congress and foreign policy.
The PLO, Fatah, and other liberation organizations will need to re-invent themselves and must take out “liberation” out of their names. Perhaps they become the commercial enterprise they were all along and go into real business not liberation bus selling fuel, consumers good and services. Perhaps there will be a need for these organizations to become political parties compete ting for the hearts and minds of the people and compete with each other to serve the nation. From past history, it very unlikely they will transform themselves and for sure will continue to dictatorial and corrupt parties they are and will always be.
Many heads of the NGOs would have to transform themselves into service organization serving the general public and not serving the personal interests of their officers and founders. They will have to deliver true and measured services.
Yes, the Israeli Occupation, if and when it comes to an end, will put out of business many Jews and Palestinians who made the Occupation a big business, while millions of Palestinians suffers the loss of life, property and most of all indignity of exiles.
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The decision by the Arab foreign ministers to attend the Annapolis conference was the first Israel victory according to Zvi Ba’rel of Haaretz. Protestors on both side of the conflict are massing in apposition to the conference, which changed from a conference to settle the conflict to a conference to start a peace process that may take 100 years or so. Even with all of the protest and premature claims of victory there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a conference where all issues are put on the table and where US honesty and integrity if not partiality is put to the test.
Palestinians opposition group, like Israeli opposition group think that the Annapolis conference will change forever the face of Israel and Palestine and if all goes well may settle this 100 year conflict.
The Israeli Occupation of Palestine (67) has been a booming business for many Israeli and Jewish groups both in Israel and in the US and around the world. For many Jews, the Israeli Occupation of what is left of Palestine of 48 is a mission from God, a realization and revival of ancient Israel and reclamation of lost history. All of this adds up to one thing, big business, a cash cow that Zionist Jews were able to successfully use to raise close to a trillion dollars so far and more on the way.
By hook and many times by crooks, wealthy Jews and Jewish organizations, specially in the US with so much money available, some of it money fleeced from the poorest of poor Americans ( bingo games) are channeled to Israel to fund the fraudulent take over of Palestinian properties with active support from an Israeli Jewish legal system that allows and support theft, robbery and outright confiscation of Palestinians prosperities under the pre-text that this is God given and it is time to collect on God’s promise. Of course Jewish intellectuals, legal scholars, professors, educators, businessmen and most of all Rabbis simply sees nothing wrong with such actions and no one raise any issue of mortality or right or wrong as if God promise gave the Jews a blank check to do whatever they want with the land and the people living on it. In another word, there is simply nothing wrong with the Occupation that lasted for over 40 years and there is nothing wrong with all of the actions taken by Israel and the entire religious and settlers group. Morality and human values gave way to God’s promise and under such a promise every thing is permissible including murder.
On the other side of the issue, Palestinians opposition groups have been meeting in Gaza and else where to talk about Annapolis and the disaster arising out of such meeting. The Israeli Occupation has also been a booming business for many Palestinian individuals and groups. Ending the occupation is much feared by many individuals or group.
The first organization to fear ending the occupation is the PLO. For over 45 years the PLO presented itself as a “liberation” organization dedicated to restoring the historical rights of Palestinians in what is now Israel of 48 and later the mission was expanded to include the liberation of the remaining part occupied by Israel in 67.
For over 45 years, Palestinian leadership the likes of Yasser Arafat used the Occupation to justify monopoly over the cause and to use this monopoly to sustain a corrupt and incompetent leadership and to stifle any open and transparent debate and of course to silence any one that challenge such leadership. Tens if not hundreds met their death or were illuminated making sure that Arafat will never have any one who dare challenge him for the leadership let alone question his judgment.
The business of the Occupation has been excellent for the PLO and its leadership as it went about collecting and raising tens of billions of dollars from individual Palestinians and from Arab and Muslim governments. Of course without the needs for any accountability and transparency. Many if not all of the Palestinian leadership made a very good if not excellent living out of the Occupation and their continued leadership. Many made hundreds of millions of dollars from the cause, and many became very wealthy with assets in the tens if not hundreds of millions simply because they are officers or members and executives many various committees and organizations of the PLO and Fatah.
The same is true of many of the Palestinian intellectuals and professionals who learned the business of the NGO and who set so many NGOs within the Occupied Territories turning these NGO to private business, commercial and economic enterprise producing substantial income for themselves and members of their families with hardly any accountability or transparency of how the funds are spent. Of course with many donors from around the world, the occupation has been a booming business for Palestinian NGOs. The same is true of many of the heads of the Palestinian factions that also made a career out of the Occupation, whether these organizations are based in Damascus or in Gaza.
With the hope that Annapolis can bring about an end to the Israeli Occupation, there are so many Jewish and Palestinians individuals and organizations that will simply go out of business if the Occupation comes to an end.
Major Jewish organizations in the US especially the Jewish Lobby would have to look for another cause to raise money and to use and leverage this money to gain power over Congress, media and universities. With Israel at peace with its neighbors and with peace with the Palestinian what is there for them to do? Raise money for charity does not translate to power and influence over Congress and foreign policy.
The PLO, Fatah, and other liberation organizations will need to re-invent themselves and must take out “liberation” out of their names. Perhaps they become the commercial enterprise they were all along and go into real business not liberation bus selling fuel, consumers good and services. Perhaps there will be a need for these organizations to become political parties compete ting for the hearts and minds of the people and compete with each other to serve the nation. From past history, it very unlikely they will transform themselves and for sure will continue to dictatorial and corrupt parties they are and will always be.
Many heads of the NGOs would have to transform themselves into service organization serving the general public and not serving the personal interests of their officers and founders. They will have to deliver true and measured services.
Yes, the Israeli Occupation, if and when it comes to an end, will put out of business many Jews and Palestinians who made the Occupation a big business, while millions of Palestinians suffers the loss of life, property and most of all indignity of exiles.
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Blaming America for Every Thing.
posted 24/11/07
Ever since I was a young boy growing up in Palestine, I heard the standard and often spoken words” America is always to blame”. The Majority of Arabs and Muslims blame America for every thing from failure of political systems and institutions, to failure in crops , failure in accountability and transparency, failure to tackle the presence of corruptions and incompetence, and of course failure to bring about political reforms and much needed changes.More…
Yes, America is to blame for some things, but not every thing. Why no one in the Arab world take the blame for centuries of failures? Why no one in the Arab world whether citizens, intellectuals, professionals, businessmen, and political and military leaders do not accept, perhaps lacks the courage to accept the responsibilities for such failures?
In Lebanon, political leaders and citizens blame America for failure to elect a new president, yet no one ask the question, “what about blaming a failed and outdated political system and blaming the war lords and family lords for such failure”?
Yes, American did supply the weapons and the bombs that killed thousands of Lebanese and destroyed Lebanon, but America did not force an outdated sectarian system on the Lebanese and is not responsible for the fleecing of the country.
With the exception of Professor Clovis Maqsoud of the American University in Washington, and Amin Al-Naqash, an intellectual and political analyst, NO Lebanese politicians or citizen whether from the majority and minority dare to speak out and come out openly and frankly and say, “Hey, this sectarian political system did not serve Lebanon well and must be changed”. It seems keeping a defunct sectarian system that serves the narrow interests of certain established political families but does not serve the interests of Lebanon, all of Lebanon with its entire 17 different sectarian group is ok. Do not understand why the citizens do not force change?
In Palestine, the story is no different. It is true that America did cancel the democratic vote that brought Hamas to power through political and economic boycott of the new government, but no one blame Fatah for also canceling the results of the election with its consistent failure to admit, it lost the election and for its refusal to hand over the government to Hamas. Every one blame America for the corruption of the Palestinian Authority, but no one blames those within the Palestinian Authority who robbed and fleeced the entire nation and stole billions of the people’s money.
Every one blame American for supporting a police state within the Palestinian Authority, yet no one blame those Palestinians responsible for running and operating such a police state and operate a security organization whose sole function is to terrorize the citizens.
In Iraq, the Arabs blame America for the terrible problems in Iraq, yes, of course, America is to blame for war on Iraq, blamed for the occupation and mismanaging the occupation and for corrupting the system. Yet, no one dare to speak out about the crimes of Saddam over 30 years. No one blame Saddam for taking Iraq and its wealth and people to the abyss with his dictatorial and criminal enterprise.
Every one blame America for the war between Iraq and Iran, yet no one dare to blame Saddam for agreeing to be the tools for taking both countries to war and ruining the economy of both countries, killed and murdered millions and of course took the country to the poor house. Every one knew Saddam was America’s boy yet no one blame Saddam for all of the ills of Iraq. Moreover, never understood why the Iraqis and the Palestinians do not take and accept the responsibilities for accepting and allowing such corrupt, dictatorial regime to co-opt them and undermine them and simply stated” bought the silence of every one”.
The same is true of Syria, Egypt, Sudan and many of the Arab countries. Every one from the average citizen to political leaders including opposition blame American and its interventionist policies. Yet no one blame the leaders who failed to properly manage and carry out the reforms needed and failed to bring about modern nation states. Every one blame America, yet no one blames the likes of Assad, Saddam, Arafat, Abbas, Qadaffi, Al-Bashir, and Mubarak for the ills and misfortune of their respective countries.
American is to blame for not living up to its ideal of promoting democracy and transparency and supporting honest governments, and for supporting Israel and supplying it with the missiles, jet fighters and cluster bombs to kill Arabs. America is also to blame for its stupid and reckless international policies that brought nothing but disaster for America and the world. But America is not to be blamed when political systems and leadership in the Arab world makes it possible for America to manage and operate dictatorial regimes and suppress freedoms and democracy. We can blame the Zionist, the NeoCons, Marion Robertson, Bibi Netanyahu, Israel, George Bush and Dick Cheney all we want, and that does not change a thing. We need to keep in mind the millions who were killed by dictatorial leadership and the thousands of billions wasted on stupid useless wars doomed to fail from the very start. It is time for the Arab people to accept total responsibility for such continued failure.
Ever since I was a young boy growing up in Palestine, I heard the standard and often spoken words” America is always to blame”. The Majority of Arabs and Muslims blame America for every thing from failure of political systems and institutions, to failure in crops , failure in accountability and transparency, failure to tackle the presence of corruptions and incompetence, and of course failure to bring about political reforms and much needed changes.More…
Yes, America is to blame for some things, but not every thing. Why no one in the Arab world take the blame for centuries of failures? Why no one in the Arab world whether citizens, intellectuals, professionals, businessmen, and political and military leaders do not accept, perhaps lacks the courage to accept the responsibilities for such failures?
In Lebanon, political leaders and citizens blame America for failure to elect a new president, yet no one ask the question, “what about blaming a failed and outdated political system and blaming the war lords and family lords for such failure”?
Yes, American did supply the weapons and the bombs that killed thousands of Lebanese and destroyed Lebanon, but America did not force an outdated sectarian system on the Lebanese and is not responsible for the fleecing of the country.
With the exception of Professor Clovis Maqsoud of the American University in Washington, and Amin Al-Naqash, an intellectual and political analyst, NO Lebanese politicians or citizen whether from the majority and minority dare to speak out and come out openly and frankly and say, “Hey, this sectarian political system did not serve Lebanon well and must be changed”. It seems keeping a defunct sectarian system that serves the narrow interests of certain established political families but does not serve the interests of Lebanon, all of Lebanon with its entire 17 different sectarian group is ok. Do not understand why the citizens do not force change?
In Palestine, the story is no different. It is true that America did cancel the democratic vote that brought Hamas to power through political and economic boycott of the new government, but no one blame Fatah for also canceling the results of the election with its consistent failure to admit, it lost the election and for its refusal to hand over the government to Hamas. Every one blame America for the corruption of the Palestinian Authority, but no one blames those within the Palestinian Authority who robbed and fleeced the entire nation and stole billions of the people’s money.
Every one blame American for supporting a police state within the Palestinian Authority, yet no one blame those Palestinians responsible for running and operating such a police state and operate a security organization whose sole function is to terrorize the citizens.
In Iraq, the Arabs blame America for the terrible problems in Iraq, yes, of course, America is to blame for war on Iraq, blamed for the occupation and mismanaging the occupation and for corrupting the system. Yet, no one dare to speak out about the crimes of Saddam over 30 years. No one blame Saddam for taking Iraq and its wealth and people to the abyss with his dictatorial and criminal enterprise.
Every one blame America for the war between Iraq and Iran, yet no one dare to blame Saddam for agreeing to be the tools for taking both countries to war and ruining the economy of both countries, killed and murdered millions and of course took the country to the poor house. Every one knew Saddam was America’s boy yet no one blame Saddam for all of the ills of Iraq. Moreover, never understood why the Iraqis and the Palestinians do not take and accept the responsibilities for accepting and allowing such corrupt, dictatorial regime to co-opt them and undermine them and simply stated” bought the silence of every one”.
The same is true of Syria, Egypt, Sudan and many of the Arab countries. Every one from the average citizen to political leaders including opposition blame American and its interventionist policies. Yet no one blame the leaders who failed to properly manage and carry out the reforms needed and failed to bring about modern nation states. Every one blame America, yet no one blames the likes of Assad, Saddam, Arafat, Abbas, Qadaffi, Al-Bashir, and Mubarak for the ills and misfortune of their respective countries.
American is to blame for not living up to its ideal of promoting democracy and transparency and supporting honest governments, and for supporting Israel and supplying it with the missiles, jet fighters and cluster bombs to kill Arabs. America is also to blame for its stupid and reckless international policies that brought nothing but disaster for America and the world. But America is not to be blamed when political systems and leadership in the Arab world makes it possible for America to manage and operate dictatorial regimes and suppress freedoms and democracy. We can blame the Zionist, the NeoCons, Marion Robertson, Bibi Netanyahu, Israel, George Bush and Dick Cheney all we want, and that does not change a thing. We need to keep in mind the millions who were killed by dictatorial leadership and the thousands of billions wasted on stupid useless wars doomed to fail from the very start. It is time for the Arab people to accept total responsibility for such continued failure.
The Lebanese Sectarian System Reduced Citizens to a Big Zero.
posted 18/11/07
Few minutes ago, I received an email from Al-Hewar Center in Washington enclosing an article written by professor Clovis Maqsoud titled (not correct) 72 hours separate salvations from chaos. 72 hours separate success or failure of having a new president.
Professor Clovis , no doubt on of the very few imminent Arab intellectuals committed to Arab liberations and causes, and one of the very few Arab intellectuals who were not on the payroll of Arab governments, who dared to challenge Arab governments and people toward liberation and democracy.
The article as I read it is an indictment of the sectarian political system in Lebanon and a clear indictment of the Lebanese political and sectarian system of war and sectarian lords.
At a time when both the majority and minority calls for freedom and independence for Lebanon, we can see a number of international politicians and statements and every who’s who, except Arabs, come to Lebanon to help in the selection of a new president. If any thing, this shows that decisions and decision making in Lebanon is not a Lebanese prerogative but an international one without the Lebanese people having a say so.
The sectarian and war lord and family lords system in Lebanon takes away much of the sovereignty of Lebanon and reduces the Lebanese people to a big “ZERO” when it comes to the fait of the nation and taking charge of the future of the nation.
The Lebanese with much sadness allowed their politicians to hold the nation and the citizen’s hostage to the different sectarian and family leadership. It is difficult to believe that the Lebanese people do not take the bull by the horn and bring to an end once and for all this sectarian politics that cancelled the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon since its “independence”.
It is so difficult to believe that in this day and age, that the “Church” makes the decision for the entire nation at a time when there is a move world wide to separate “church and state” so that the citizens and not the clergymen make the political decisions and subsequently all economic and social decisions and set the nation forward. There are no reasons for the Lebanese to go to exiles rather than change they very system that brought them nothing but war, conflict and exile.
It is also so surprising that so far there has been no popular movement calling for the cancellations and eliminations of the sectrarian/ta’efia in a country with such a sophisticated and much politicizes citizenship.
Hundreds of thousands went the streets to reclaim Lebanon from the Syrian military and political occupation and hundreds of thousands took to and occupied downtown to force a change in government. Yet both the majority and the opposition never dared to take on the issue of sectarian politics demanding an end to such an outdated system.
One thing for sure, the Lebanese sectarian system is hostage to the clergymen and the heads of religious parties ( Christians, Sunnis and Shiites) must come to an end and it is time for the citizens and not the politicians or the heads of church or mosques to makes the decisions for the nation. The Lebanese have no one to blame but themselves. I do not think that a new president no matter who he is will make much difference in a country divided along sectarian lines and paralyzed by a very corrupt and outdated political system that reduced people power to ZERO.
Few minutes ago, I received an email from Al-Hewar Center in Washington enclosing an article written by professor Clovis Maqsoud titled (not correct) 72 hours separate salvations from chaos. 72 hours separate success or failure of having a new president.
Professor Clovis , no doubt on of the very few imminent Arab intellectuals committed to Arab liberations and causes, and one of the very few Arab intellectuals who were not on the payroll of Arab governments, who dared to challenge Arab governments and people toward liberation and democracy.
The article as I read it is an indictment of the sectarian political system in Lebanon and a clear indictment of the Lebanese political and sectarian system of war and sectarian lords.
At a time when both the majority and minority calls for freedom and independence for Lebanon, we can see a number of international politicians and statements and every who’s who, except Arabs, come to Lebanon to help in the selection of a new president. If any thing, this shows that decisions and decision making in Lebanon is not a Lebanese prerogative but an international one without the Lebanese people having a say so.
The sectarian and war lord and family lords system in Lebanon takes away much of the sovereignty of Lebanon and reduces the Lebanese people to a big “ZERO” when it comes to the fait of the nation and taking charge of the future of the nation.
The Lebanese with much sadness allowed their politicians to hold the nation and the citizen’s hostage to the different sectarian and family leadership. It is difficult to believe that the Lebanese people do not take the bull by the horn and bring to an end once and for all this sectarian politics that cancelled the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon since its “independence”.
It is so difficult to believe that in this day and age, that the “Church” makes the decision for the entire nation at a time when there is a move world wide to separate “church and state” so that the citizens and not the clergymen make the political decisions and subsequently all economic and social decisions and set the nation forward. There are no reasons for the Lebanese to go to exiles rather than change they very system that brought them nothing but war, conflict and exile.
It is also so surprising that so far there has been no popular movement calling for the cancellations and eliminations of the sectrarian/ta’efia in a country with such a sophisticated and much politicizes citizenship.
Hundreds of thousands went the streets to reclaim Lebanon from the Syrian military and political occupation and hundreds of thousands took to and occupied downtown to force a change in government. Yet both the majority and the opposition never dared to take on the issue of sectarian politics demanding an end to such an outdated system.
One thing for sure, the Lebanese sectarian system is hostage to the clergymen and the heads of religious parties ( Christians, Sunnis and Shiites) must come to an end and it is time for the citizens and not the politicians or the heads of church or mosques to makes the decisions for the nation. The Lebanese have no one to blame but themselves. I do not think that a new president no matter who he is will make much difference in a country divided along sectarian lines and paralyzed by a very corrupt and outdated political system that reduced people power to ZERO.
Jerusalem for All; Is too Important to be left to the Present Israeli and Palestinian Leaderships!
posted 18/11/07
Istanbul, that very beautiful city recently (November 15-17) hosted the first Al-Quds International Institution (Jerusalem Forum) with more that 2,000 delegates from all over the world attending the conference with the objective of making sure that Jerusalem will always have a Muslim and Christian presence and that such communities will never be excluded from the city as a direct result of the continuous Jewish war on Jerusalem.
The conference initiated by the International Jerusalem Establishment in cooperation with the Turkish Organizations for Endowments and Federations of Public Societies. This is indeed the first such efforts on the part of Muslims and Middle East Christians to stand up and make sure they are present and will always be present in Jerusalem.
For over 60 years ever since the founding of Israel, Jerusalem was administer first by Jordan until the 67 War with the resulting transfer of the entire city of Jerusalem, East and West under the total control of Israel.
It is true that there was a separation wall between East and West along the armistice line of 48 and it is true that Israelis were not permitted to visit and worship at the Wailing Wall; however Jordan never planned and carried out anything that will erase Jewish history in Jerusalem. Unlike Israel which is making sure that its 67 War does not stop and its assault on Jerusalem never stop making sure that it erases all Muslim and Christian presence in the Holy City.
The Palestinians especially under Arafat PLO never gave Jerusalem any importance and when Arafat and the PLO had tens of billions in its coffers never took any concrete steps to help the Arabs, Christians and Muslims, to withstand the on going assault on their presence in Jerusalem and never had a well funded plans to offset the well organized ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem of its Muslims and Christians citizens, which culminated in the ethnic cleansing of more than 100,000 Arab citizens who were forced to leave the city where they lived for centuries to allow room for new immigrants with suspected Jewish origin to move in and take their place.
Neither the PLO nor the PA took any steps to give Jerusalem the importance and the priorities needed to offset the Christian-Zionist and Israeli Jewish efforts to make the city “Jewish” at the exclusions of Arab Christians and Muslims. With the very limited support Arafat gave to the late Faisal Hussaini, there was never the kind of financial support to offset the billions being spent by Israel. Arafat later on withdrew the carpet from underneath Faisal Hussaini when he sensed Husssaini may be a potential and competitive leader.
Jerusalem as a city does not belong to the Palestinians only and it will be a fatal mistake for the city if the present leadership of both Fatah and Hamas took total control and manage the affairs of the city. Both organizations and based on their experience of managing liberation not to mention garbage collections are simply unfit, and unqualified to look after and represent the world interest in the City of Jerusalem.
Future forums on Jerusalem must take into considerations that this city is not a Palestinian or an Israeli city; it is a city of the world. It is city for the Jews, for the Christians and for the Muslims and the world’s interest is not limited to holy and historical building but goes beyond toward the city and its unique culture and civilizations.
Jerusalem for All must not be left to the Israelis to make the decisions that affect other communities, and the world must never allow Israel to continue with its ethnic cleansing and exclusions of all non-Jews from the city. In the same time, the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah and Gaza lacks the vision and credibility to represent the interests of all citizens of Jerusalem, Jews, Christians and Muslims.
Jerusalem for All is too important to be left to the Lieberman and the Netanyahu of the Jews and too important to left to the like of Marion (Pat) Robertson and US Christian -Zionists and too important to be left to the like of Abbas or Qurai. What Jerusalem need more than any other times, is international leadership that has the qualifications and competence to represent and look after the interest of ALL the people of Jerusalem, Jews, Muslims and Christians.
Next May 2008, Israel announced that both former presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush will lead the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the foundation of Israel. Of course both presidents will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of a country that continues to be at war with all of its neighbors, they are celebrating a state that until now does not have declared borders and believe that its borders should be decided by its army. Both former presidents will be celebrating Israel that hosted more than 1 million Palestinians in its jails during the last 40 years. Both presidents will be celebrating a state that dropped more than one million cluster bombs on civilians’ targets in Lebanon and the forced exiles of more than 5 million Palestinians. This is a country that forbids (Arab) Muslims and Christians of a certain age from entering the city.
Both presidents will be celebrating the birth of country that builds Apartheid Wall separating Palestinians from their homes, families and farms and schools. They will be celebrating a country with a policy of destroying Palestinian homes as a matter of standard public policy. They are celebrating a nation whose legislative body in the middle of the night passes legislation depriving Palestinians of their rightful property. First they ethnically cleans the city of its Arab citizens and then they pass legislation to take over their properties under the laws of Absentee ownership.
Jerusalem of All is too important to be left to Palestinian and Israel leadership to decide the future of such city. What we need is to gather more than one million person in Washington, yes, Washington, to demonstrate and demand a Jerusalem for All, to take place and coincide with Israel celebration of its 60th anniversary. A million will be a good message for the American administration which the political and financial sponsor of Israeli Occupation of Jerusalem and a strong message to US Congress that the people of the world will not accept any thing less than a Jerusalem for All. An open, united city for Jews, Christians and Muslims and a city for the world.
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Istanbul, that very beautiful city recently (November 15-17) hosted the first Al-Quds International Institution (Jerusalem Forum) with more that 2,000 delegates from all over the world attending the conference with the objective of making sure that Jerusalem will always have a Muslim and Christian presence and that such communities will never be excluded from the city as a direct result of the continuous Jewish war on Jerusalem.
The conference initiated by the International Jerusalem Establishment in cooperation with the Turkish Organizations for Endowments and Federations of Public Societies. This is indeed the first such efforts on the part of Muslims and Middle East Christians to stand up and make sure they are present and will always be present in Jerusalem.
For over 60 years ever since the founding of Israel, Jerusalem was administer first by Jordan until the 67 War with the resulting transfer of the entire city of Jerusalem, East and West under the total control of Israel.
It is true that there was a separation wall between East and West along the armistice line of 48 and it is true that Israelis were not permitted to visit and worship at the Wailing Wall; however Jordan never planned and carried out anything that will erase Jewish history in Jerusalem. Unlike Israel which is making sure that its 67 War does not stop and its assault on Jerusalem never stop making sure that it erases all Muslim and Christian presence in the Holy City.
The Palestinians especially under Arafat PLO never gave Jerusalem any importance and when Arafat and the PLO had tens of billions in its coffers never took any concrete steps to help the Arabs, Christians and Muslims, to withstand the on going assault on their presence in Jerusalem and never had a well funded plans to offset the well organized ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem of its Muslims and Christians citizens, which culminated in the ethnic cleansing of more than 100,000 Arab citizens who were forced to leave the city where they lived for centuries to allow room for new immigrants with suspected Jewish origin to move in and take their place.
Neither the PLO nor the PA took any steps to give Jerusalem the importance and the priorities needed to offset the Christian-Zionist and Israeli Jewish efforts to make the city “Jewish” at the exclusions of Arab Christians and Muslims. With the very limited support Arafat gave to the late Faisal Hussaini, there was never the kind of financial support to offset the billions being spent by Israel. Arafat later on withdrew the carpet from underneath Faisal Hussaini when he sensed Husssaini may be a potential and competitive leader.
Jerusalem as a city does not belong to the Palestinians only and it will be a fatal mistake for the city if the present leadership of both Fatah and Hamas took total control and manage the affairs of the city. Both organizations and based on their experience of managing liberation not to mention garbage collections are simply unfit, and unqualified to look after and represent the world interest in the City of Jerusalem.
Future forums on Jerusalem must take into considerations that this city is not a Palestinian or an Israeli city; it is a city of the world. It is city for the Jews, for the Christians and for the Muslims and the world’s interest is not limited to holy and historical building but goes beyond toward the city and its unique culture and civilizations.
Jerusalem for All must not be left to the Israelis to make the decisions that affect other communities, and the world must never allow Israel to continue with its ethnic cleansing and exclusions of all non-Jews from the city. In the same time, the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah and Gaza lacks the vision and credibility to represent the interests of all citizens of Jerusalem, Jews, Christians and Muslims.
Jerusalem for All is too important to be left to the Lieberman and the Netanyahu of the Jews and too important to left to the like of Marion (Pat) Robertson and US Christian -Zionists and too important to be left to the like of Abbas or Qurai. What Jerusalem need more than any other times, is international leadership that has the qualifications and competence to represent and look after the interest of ALL the people of Jerusalem, Jews, Muslims and Christians.
Next May 2008, Israel announced that both former presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush will lead the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the foundation of Israel. Of course both presidents will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of a country that continues to be at war with all of its neighbors, they are celebrating a state that until now does not have declared borders and believe that its borders should be decided by its army. Both former presidents will be celebrating Israel that hosted more than 1 million Palestinians in its jails during the last 40 years. Both presidents will be celebrating a state that dropped more than one million cluster bombs on civilians’ targets in Lebanon and the forced exiles of more than 5 million Palestinians. This is a country that forbids (Arab) Muslims and Christians of a certain age from entering the city.
Both presidents will be celebrating the birth of country that builds Apartheid Wall separating Palestinians from their homes, families and farms and schools. They will be celebrating a country with a policy of destroying Palestinian homes as a matter of standard public policy. They are celebrating a nation whose legislative body in the middle of the night passes legislation depriving Palestinians of their rightful property. First they ethnically cleans the city of its Arab citizens and then they pass legislation to take over their properties under the laws of Absentee ownership.
Jerusalem of All is too important to be left to Palestinian and Israel leadership to decide the future of such city. What we need is to gather more than one million person in Washington, yes, Washington, to demonstrate and demand a Jerusalem for All, to take place and coincide with Israel celebration of its 60th anniversary. A million will be a good message for the American administration which the political and financial sponsor of Israeli Occupation of Jerusalem and a strong message to US Congress that the people of the world will not accept any thing less than a Jerusalem for All. An open, united city for Jews, Christians and Muslims and a city for the world.
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Time to Start Monitoring Teachings and Text Books of Jewish Yeshivas! Jewish Yeshiva Students Spiting on the Face of Christian Clergymen.
posted 16/11/07
The Washington Post on October 18th carried a story that an organization called US Commission on International Religious Freedom recommend the closing down of the Saudi Academy based in Alexandria, VA under the pretext that the Saudi Academy follows curriculum that teaches and promote hate of Jews, Christians and Shiites. Of course and as expected the organization did not bother to see and review the books used at the US based school, relying on hearsay and what it is told to do by powerful Christian-Zionist organizations and the Jewish lobby.
That of course reminded me of a story that I can across couple of days ago. Haaretz the Israeli daily carried in its 12/12/2004 a story written by Amiram Barkat titled ” Christians in Jerusalem Wants Jews to Stop Spitting on Them” a story that no American newspaper dared to publish and no columnist dare to write about out of fear of retaliations by certain Jewish groups in the US and certainly out of fear of losing their jobs and advertising revenue.
I am not so surprised by such behaviors of these Jewish Yeshivas students who for the most part are sponsored by US Jewish groups and who have no job in life other than to study the Torah and the Talmud and harass Palestinians on a daily basis when not in classes, destroying their farms and killing their live stocks and poisoning water wells, and committing frauds with substantial funding support from major and well known Jewish sponsors as they go about trying to take over Palestinian properties, by hooks and by crooks.
It seems the Jewish Yeshivas students are no different from Muslims studying in the Madrasas of Pakistan, who are taught to distain and contempt for other religions who are the subject of monitoring by this organization called US Commission on International Religious Freedom. Of course, we all know and we are reminded on a daily basis by Jewish and Christian organizations in the US of the efforts they put in monitoring Muslim schools. Of course this organization and others like it, never bother to look into what the Rabbis teach at these Jewish Yeshivas. Certainly they do not teach love they neighbor or teach the Ten Commandments.
However when the issue comes to Jewish Yeshivas students being taught by Rabbis to hate others, contempt for non-Jews and revenge with claimed sources in the Torah and the Talmud, no one bother to dare question any thing that goes on within these Yeshivas. One has to wonder what is the difference between the Muslim students at the Madrasas and the Jewish Yeshivas students who have nothing but contempt for others? Why the teaching of one is wrong and the teaching of the other is ok? Why do these organizations dare to challenge the Madrasas but not the Yeshivas?
The report in Haaretz goes on to state that many Christians clergymen have been subjected to such abuse by these Jewish Yeshivas students who are being taught modern Zionism and modern Jewish values. It is too bad Israeli judicial and police institutions do not take any actions to stop such abuse and in fact look the other way when such incidents take place. This reminds me of the days when police in the South used to look away when racists Whites harass and abuse Blacks even lynching them. What is the difference between the behaviors of these racists Whites and the actions of these Jewish Yeshivas students? Non what so ever.
Not only due these Jewish Yeshivas students spit on the face of Christian clergymen but also spit at the very symbol of Christianity, the Cross. The report include an incident where a young Jewish Yeshivas student” spat on the Cross being carried by the Armenian Archbishop during a procession near the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City, the archbishop’s 17th century cross was broken during the brawl”.
Such incidents are not isolated. Yesterday, the same Israeli newspaper, Haaretz carried a video of Jewish settlers hurling stones and kicking innocent Palestinians in Hebron, and shows young Jewish women hurling Molotov cocktail against Palestinians homes in the old city of Hebron. All of this takes place, whiles the Israel Army stand nearby protecting Jewish groups as they go about committing Crystal Nights against Palestinians on daily basis. No one could forget the behavior of young Nazis as they went about destroying Jewish properties in Munich, why should we allow these Yeshivas students and Jewish settlers commit the same crimes committed by the Nazis.
Perhaps Muslims and Arab Christians should form US based organization to look into the teaching of all Jewish Yeshivas and see and review what the Rabbis are teaching these young people. Would the US Commission on International Religious Freedom include Jewish Yeshivas in Israel within its scope of activities? Documented evidence is all over the place confirming Israeli Jewish Yeshivas teaches hates, contempt and even promote killing and murder of Palestinians and non-Jews. The behavior toward Christian clergymen in Jerusalem is a result and a byproduct of such teachings.
The Washington Post on October 18th carried a story that an organization called US Commission on International Religious Freedom recommend the closing down of the Saudi Academy based in Alexandria, VA under the pretext that the Saudi Academy follows curriculum that teaches and promote hate of Jews, Christians and Shiites. Of course and as expected the organization did not bother to see and review the books used at the US based school, relying on hearsay and what it is told to do by powerful Christian-Zionist organizations and the Jewish lobby.
That of course reminded me of a story that I can across couple of days ago. Haaretz the Israeli daily carried in its 12/12/2004 a story written by Amiram Barkat titled ” Christians in Jerusalem Wants Jews to Stop Spitting on Them” a story that no American newspaper dared to publish and no columnist dare to write about out of fear of retaliations by certain Jewish groups in the US and certainly out of fear of losing their jobs and advertising revenue.
I am not so surprised by such behaviors of these Jewish Yeshivas students who for the most part are sponsored by US Jewish groups and who have no job in life other than to study the Torah and the Talmud and harass Palestinians on a daily basis when not in classes, destroying their farms and killing their live stocks and poisoning water wells, and committing frauds with substantial funding support from major and well known Jewish sponsors as they go about trying to take over Palestinian properties, by hooks and by crooks.
It seems the Jewish Yeshivas students are no different from Muslims studying in the Madrasas of Pakistan, who are taught to distain and contempt for other religions who are the subject of monitoring by this organization called US Commission on International Religious Freedom. Of course, we all know and we are reminded on a daily basis by Jewish and Christian organizations in the US of the efforts they put in monitoring Muslim schools. Of course this organization and others like it, never bother to look into what the Rabbis teach at these Jewish Yeshivas. Certainly they do not teach love they neighbor or teach the Ten Commandments.
However when the issue comes to Jewish Yeshivas students being taught by Rabbis to hate others, contempt for non-Jews and revenge with claimed sources in the Torah and the Talmud, no one bother to dare question any thing that goes on within these Yeshivas. One has to wonder what is the difference between the Muslim students at the Madrasas and the Jewish Yeshivas students who have nothing but contempt for others? Why the teaching of one is wrong and the teaching of the other is ok? Why do these organizations dare to challenge the Madrasas but not the Yeshivas?
The report in Haaretz goes on to state that many Christians clergymen have been subjected to such abuse by these Jewish Yeshivas students who are being taught modern Zionism and modern Jewish values. It is too bad Israeli judicial and police institutions do not take any actions to stop such abuse and in fact look the other way when such incidents take place. This reminds me of the days when police in the South used to look away when racists Whites harass and abuse Blacks even lynching them. What is the difference between the behaviors of these racists Whites and the actions of these Jewish Yeshivas students? Non what so ever.
Not only due these Jewish Yeshivas students spit on the face of Christian clergymen but also spit at the very symbol of Christianity, the Cross. The report include an incident where a young Jewish Yeshivas student” spat on the Cross being carried by the Armenian Archbishop during a procession near the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City, the archbishop’s 17th century cross was broken during the brawl”.
Such incidents are not isolated. Yesterday, the same Israeli newspaper, Haaretz carried a video of Jewish settlers hurling stones and kicking innocent Palestinians in Hebron, and shows young Jewish women hurling Molotov cocktail against Palestinians homes in the old city of Hebron. All of this takes place, whiles the Israel Army stand nearby protecting Jewish groups as they go about committing Crystal Nights against Palestinians on daily basis. No one could forget the behavior of young Nazis as they went about destroying Jewish properties in Munich, why should we allow these Yeshivas students and Jewish settlers commit the same crimes committed by the Nazis.
Perhaps Muslims and Arab Christians should form US based organization to look into the teaching of all Jewish Yeshivas and see and review what the Rabbis are teaching these young people. Would the US Commission on International Religious Freedom include Jewish Yeshivas in Israel within its scope of activities? Documented evidence is all over the place confirming Israeli Jewish Yeshivas teaches hates, contempt and even promote killing and murder of Palestinians and non-Jews. The behavior toward Christian clergymen in Jerusalem is a result and a byproduct of such teachings.
God Makes Frequent Visits to Virginia Beach to Meet with Marion Robertson; I wonder if Home Land Security Submit God for Finger Printing?
posted 15/11/07
Few weeks left for Marion Robertson (Pat) prediction of the end of the world and of course the coming of Christ and the destruction of the Jews or their conversion and the appointment of Marion Robertson as the Prime Minister of a new Israel.
It seems that Marion Robertson who became a multimillion selling PS too many of his listeners on the 700 Club is the only one God chose to speak to. Even George Bush and Bin Laden, or the Pop do not claim special relationship with God and do not make the same claim that Marion makes.
You see God actually has nothing to do and when HE gets bored about the many ills of the world and gets fed up with the prayers of the poor and the forgotten of the world decided to take brake from world affairs and descends to Marion house in his bedroom and wakes Marion up for a chat and advice. We do not know if Marion wife is present during these very frequent visits from God since Marion do not share with us the setting for God’s visit to Marion and does not share with us if God gets a hot glass of milk since HE travels a long way to meet with Marion.
Well, Marion tells his 700 Club that God told him during a January 2007 visit that the US will be hit with a terrible attack that kills tens of thousands. Of course Marion claims he was not clear whether the attach is nuclear or not. However Marion is sure the world will come to an end, cheating George Bush out of his last year in office.
With frequent visits from God, Marion tells us on another occasion this time on 6 May 2006 that a great Tsunami will hit the Northwest with catastrophic storm. Well, it seems that God changed his mind without clearing it with Marion.
Marion is not only an expert on things that has to do with God, or the last day, but he also an expert on leftist professors who terrorizes American universities and poison the minds of clean cut Americans. On a March 21, 2006 televised 700 Cub, Marion commenting on David Horowitz book ” The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America” claims there are some thirty to forty thousands left wing professors who are murderers, racists, sexual deviants and supporters of Al-Qaeda. Of course to Horowitz and Marion these professors do not meet the requirement of the obligatory loyalty to Israel and to Zionism, and as such they are deemed enemies of Israel and subsequently of the US.
Forty years after the 1967 War and the conquest of Israel of the Dome of the Rock and East Jerusalem, Marion believes, not so sure if God made such a visit Virginia, that the end of the world is coming and we need to prepare for the second coming of Christ. Of course, Muslims and Jews will be put to the sword, except those who sign up for Marion 700 Club and of course if one is to follow up the teaching of Marion blood will flow in Jerusalem and will reach the neck, much more than when the Crusaders killed over 70,000 Jews and Muslims when they conquered Jerusalem.
Now Marion is a close ally of theocratic Jews like the late Rabbi Meir Kahana who believed and taught his disciples that war against the Arabs and Muslims is a must and that killing of Arabs and Muslims is a way to salvation and the creation of a true Jewish state that has no room for secular Jews.
Tens of thousands of Kahana followers known as the Hill Top Jews receive substantial funding and subsidies from both Israel and the US. These Hill Top Jews well organized and well trained to carry out terrorist’s activities against Palestinians receive much logistical support and protections from the Israel Defense Forces as they go about terrorizing Palestinian population and go about shooting and killings.
These Hill Top Jews, who are professionals at stealing Palestinian properties and destruction of Palestinians farms and live stock are committed to war and committed to the spelling of blood, both Jewish and Arabs as a way to redeem themselves and of course to help and expedite the coming of the Messiah.
While Marion and the Hill Top Jews are allies, it seems that Marion is much more of a buddy to God while the Hill Top Jews are much closer to the Messiah. As a Muslim, I have to admit, I am very confused if the Messiah of the Hill Top Jews is the same as God, Marion’s friend. However I do think I read somewhere that the coming Messiah is not God, but the Messiah who rules before God takes over and destroys everything.
Tens of thousands of Jews from all over the US and in Israel make annual pilgrim to the grave of Rabbi Kahana grave. The Rabbi, keeping to the good teaching of the Torah, advocated revenge and the killing and murder of Arabs and their forced transfer out of Israel. It seems that substantial number of Jews and Christians have some thing in common with our Muslim Jihadists. All believe in revenge, killing, murder, death, and blood, destruction of communities as a way to please the gods and as a way to salvation. Perhaps Bin Laden and the Kach Jews should each have their own 700 Club as a not for profit 503 (C) American organization.
Waiting for the next visit from God to Marion in Virginia Beach, stay good and do good since the end is coming in couple of weeks. If you are an American executive with business in sub-prime lending, I suggest you should fleece the largest number of the poor and wicked before it is too late and take the money and invest it with Marion 700 Club, since he is a good buddy with God and you will be assured of a first class trip to heaven. Marion just might, invite you to meet God for cocktail
Few weeks left for Marion Robertson (Pat) prediction of the end of the world and of course the coming of Christ and the destruction of the Jews or their conversion and the appointment of Marion Robertson as the Prime Minister of a new Israel.
It seems that Marion Robertson who became a multimillion selling PS too many of his listeners on the 700 Club is the only one God chose to speak to. Even George Bush and Bin Laden, or the Pop do not claim special relationship with God and do not make the same claim that Marion makes.
You see God actually has nothing to do and when HE gets bored about the many ills of the world and gets fed up with the prayers of the poor and the forgotten of the world decided to take brake from world affairs and descends to Marion house in his bedroom and wakes Marion up for a chat and advice. We do not know if Marion wife is present during these very frequent visits from God since Marion do not share with us the setting for God’s visit to Marion and does not share with us if God gets a hot glass of milk since HE travels a long way to meet with Marion.
Well, Marion tells his 700 Club that God told him during a January 2007 visit that the US will be hit with a terrible attack that kills tens of thousands. Of course Marion claims he was not clear whether the attach is nuclear or not. However Marion is sure the world will come to an end, cheating George Bush out of his last year in office.
With frequent visits from God, Marion tells us on another occasion this time on 6 May 2006 that a great Tsunami will hit the Northwest with catastrophic storm. Well, it seems that God changed his mind without clearing it with Marion.
Marion is not only an expert on things that has to do with God, or the last day, but he also an expert on leftist professors who terrorizes American universities and poison the minds of clean cut Americans. On a March 21, 2006 televised 700 Cub, Marion commenting on David Horowitz book ” The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America” claims there are some thirty to forty thousands left wing professors who are murderers, racists, sexual deviants and supporters of Al-Qaeda. Of course to Horowitz and Marion these professors do not meet the requirement of the obligatory loyalty to Israel and to Zionism, and as such they are deemed enemies of Israel and subsequently of the US.
Forty years after the 1967 War and the conquest of Israel of the Dome of the Rock and East Jerusalem, Marion believes, not so sure if God made such a visit Virginia, that the end of the world is coming and we need to prepare for the second coming of Christ. Of course, Muslims and Jews will be put to the sword, except those who sign up for Marion 700 Club and of course if one is to follow up the teaching of Marion blood will flow in Jerusalem and will reach the neck, much more than when the Crusaders killed over 70,000 Jews and Muslims when they conquered Jerusalem.
Now Marion is a close ally of theocratic Jews like the late Rabbi Meir Kahana who believed and taught his disciples that war against the Arabs and Muslims is a must and that killing of Arabs and Muslims is a way to salvation and the creation of a true Jewish state that has no room for secular Jews.
Tens of thousands of Kahana followers known as the Hill Top Jews receive substantial funding and subsidies from both Israel and the US. These Hill Top Jews well organized and well trained to carry out terrorist’s activities against Palestinians receive much logistical support and protections from the Israel Defense Forces as they go about terrorizing Palestinian population and go about shooting and killings.
These Hill Top Jews, who are professionals at stealing Palestinian properties and destruction of Palestinians farms and live stock are committed to war and committed to the spelling of blood, both Jewish and Arabs as a way to redeem themselves and of course to help and expedite the coming of the Messiah.
While Marion and the Hill Top Jews are allies, it seems that Marion is much more of a buddy to God while the Hill Top Jews are much closer to the Messiah. As a Muslim, I have to admit, I am very confused if the Messiah of the Hill Top Jews is the same as God, Marion’s friend. However I do think I read somewhere that the coming Messiah is not God, but the Messiah who rules before God takes over and destroys everything.
Tens of thousands of Jews from all over the US and in Israel make annual pilgrim to the grave of Rabbi Kahana grave. The Rabbi, keeping to the good teaching of the Torah, advocated revenge and the killing and murder of Arabs and their forced transfer out of Israel. It seems that substantial number of Jews and Christians have some thing in common with our Muslim Jihadists. All believe in revenge, killing, murder, death, and blood, destruction of communities as a way to please the gods and as a way to salvation. Perhaps Bin Laden and the Kach Jews should each have their own 700 Club as a not for profit 503 (C) American organization.
Waiting for the next visit from God to Marion in Virginia Beach, stay good and do good since the end is coming in couple of weeks. If you are an American executive with business in sub-prime lending, I suggest you should fleece the largest number of the poor and wicked before it is too late and take the money and invest it with Marion 700 Club, since he is a good buddy with God and you will be assured of a first class trip to heaven. Marion just might, invite you to meet God for cocktail
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Aljazeera International, it is about time!
posted 17/11/06
Aljazeera International was launched last week with generous funding by the Emir of Qatar. I have to admit I am one of those living in the west for such a long time, who simply stopped watching US television and CNN with the exception of PBS when I am home.
From what I read in the press and reviews, Aljazeera International will be broadcasting 24/7 and promoted as the international satellite channel with a mission to bring the views of those long neglected by the US and western media.
Shortly after September 11, the New York Times, CBS and ABC, the German and Japanese televisions visited our house in Fairfax, Virginia to see where someone like me, and Arab-American, professional and a US Army veteran gets the news and of course it is from Aljazeera, certainly not Fox News or CNN.
My biggest complaint about the US and western media is the fact that it does not give fair coverage of the Palestinians under occupation, Israel’s continued occupation, its destructions of entire town and villages and uprooting of trees and its failure to cover the crimes of Israel and its crimes of occupation and give coverage only to the “innocent” Israeli victims and its captive soldiers and never mention the more than 10,000 innocent Palestinians hostages in Israeli jails. Even an organization like the BBC gives 5% coverage to the Palestinians while giving Israel 95% of its coverage.
One of the main reasons that I watch PBS is the in-depth coverage of major news, its independence of certain pressure political and religious lobbies and groups and most of its famous program “Front Line” There is no other similar program with such in-depth coverage of issues and topic. If I want to get my information right, I turn to PBS and watch Front Line and of course I do watch Aljazeera. These are my two souce of news, with Alarabia to follow.
Yes, it is time for Aljazeera International and yes, it is also time for people of the world to have a different perspective on the news from that of CNN, Fox and BBC, and yes, it is time for the news from Africa, Asia and the Middle East to be a focus of an international news organization and not simple sound bites.
The Arabs should have invested in such an international news organization some 20 years ago. However all is not lost and it is never too late. Israel and its Zionist agenda always have an open forum in US media especially Fox News and major newspapers and the Arab point of view hardly ever get a hearing. There is never fair coverage.
I am watching Aljazeera International now as I write this note, and all I can say, it is very professional and yes, it does give major coverage to Arab and Muslim issues and yes, there is nothing wrong with that and yes it is time to challenge the primacy of the CNN.
I thank Qatar for the challenge it has taken to bring issues of concern by the people in the Middle East, Africa and Asia to the forefront and give the people of the world a different perspective on the news and issues coming out of the region. It is time for the people of Africa, Asia and the Middle East to tell their stories without going through censorship and without going through filters and too much editing by news editors sitting in New York, Washington or London and who can be fired at any time for taking Israel and its crimes on. News editors are always at the mercy of the Israeli lobby and serve its wishes.
Aljazeera International was launched last week with generous funding by the Emir of Qatar. I have to admit I am one of those living in the west for such a long time, who simply stopped watching US television and CNN with the exception of PBS when I am home.
From what I read in the press and reviews, Aljazeera International will be broadcasting 24/7 and promoted as the international satellite channel with a mission to bring the views of those long neglected by the US and western media.
Shortly after September 11, the New York Times, CBS and ABC, the German and Japanese televisions visited our house in Fairfax, Virginia to see where someone like me, and Arab-American, professional and a US Army veteran gets the news and of course it is from Aljazeera, certainly not Fox News or CNN.
My biggest complaint about the US and western media is the fact that it does not give fair coverage of the Palestinians under occupation, Israel’s continued occupation, its destructions of entire town and villages and uprooting of trees and its failure to cover the crimes of Israel and its crimes of occupation and give coverage only to the “innocent” Israeli victims and its captive soldiers and never mention the more than 10,000 innocent Palestinians hostages in Israeli jails. Even an organization like the BBC gives 5% coverage to the Palestinians while giving Israel 95% of its coverage.
One of the main reasons that I watch PBS is the in-depth coverage of major news, its independence of certain pressure political and religious lobbies and groups and most of its famous program “Front Line” There is no other similar program with such in-depth coverage of issues and topic. If I want to get my information right, I turn to PBS and watch Front Line and of course I do watch Aljazeera. These are my two souce of news, with Alarabia to follow.
Yes, it is time for Aljazeera International and yes, it is also time for people of the world to have a different perspective on the news from that of CNN, Fox and BBC, and yes, it is time for the news from Africa, Asia and the Middle East to be a focus of an international news organization and not simple sound bites.
The Arabs should have invested in such an international news organization some 20 years ago. However all is not lost and it is never too late. Israel and its Zionist agenda always have an open forum in US media especially Fox News and major newspapers and the Arab point of view hardly ever get a hearing. There is never fair coverage.
I am watching Aljazeera International now as I write this note, and all I can say, it is very professional and yes, it does give major coverage to Arab and Muslim issues and yes, there is nothing wrong with that and yes it is time to challenge the primacy of the CNN.
I thank Qatar for the challenge it has taken to bring issues of concern by the people in the Middle East, Africa and Asia to the forefront and give the people of the world a different perspective on the news and issues coming out of the region. It is time for the people of Africa, Asia and the Middle East to tell their stories without going through censorship and without going through filters and too much editing by news editors sitting in New York, Washington or London and who can be fired at any time for taking Israel and its crimes on. News editors are always at the mercy of the Israeli lobby and serve its wishes.
It takes Howard Stern 42 seconds to make $1,000 while it takes a policeman 43 hours to make the same amount. Something must be wrong!
posted 18/11/06
In its November 6 issue, Time Magazine, not only had an interesting cover and story on George Bush dubbing him the Lone Ranger, but it also ran an even more interesting story “Home Truth” about America; its politics, religion, income, population and population distribution and of course immigration, the subject of local election in the town of Herndon, Virginia, out to get those “illegal and dangerous immigrants”.
What struck me most about Time’s article was a little chart, a column of people, profession and income. It listed names and professions and the amount of money it takes to make $1,000. This is how it goes; Howard Stern, the radio host makes $1,000 in 42 seconds while a policemen and a teacher make the same amount of money in 43 hours. A janitor, no doubt an immigrant and possibly cleaning Howard Stern’ office makes that the same amount in 103 hours or 2.57 weeks and is at risk of being thrown out of country.
Of course all of us have heard of Howard Stern or even at one time or another watched his show late at night. But for someone to make that kind of money, $1,000, in 42 seconds is simply a telling a bout America and its core priorities. It takes Dr. Phil McGraw 2 minutes and 42 seconds to make a $1,000 and it takes an average doctor attending patients in a hospital or clinics 13 hours and 5 minutes to make the same amount of money that Dr. Phil makes telling people what they want to hear.
Howard Stern is the host of the Howard Stern Show on the subscription fee based Sirius Satellite Radio. He moved there on January 9, 2006 and his show is broadcast 4 times/week one week and 5 times/week another week.
Mr. Stern knew how to “outrage” America and how to insult its core sensibilities and laugh all the way to the bank. His show is all about things “outrageous” outrageous racial and sexual slurs and insults, and of course “outrageous” in the kind of people who appear o the show. That is where Americans seems not bothered with such payments.
With that kind of income disparity, it seems clear that America and its people put premium on outrageous things and do not give much value or don’t give a damn about critical services such as teaching, police and fire protection and of course medical services. It is hard to believe that our own teachers, policemen and firemen, the key elements in providing protection and education to our own families, children and homes are not thought of much and in most cases live on borrowed money and credit cards to make ends meet. I do not understand why we, in a county like Fairfax, perhaps the richest county in the US do not pay teachers, policemen and firemen, the average medium income for the county. What is wrong with policemen or firemen who put their lives on the line every day to make $80,000 or $100,000? I see nothing wrong with that. However I do see a lot wrong with someone like Howard Stern making $1,000 every 42 seconds only because he insults our sensibilities. It seems we always reward such TV and radio personalities for being outrageous and we do not reward our policemen, firemen and teachers because they are courageous and provide us with critical services. That is one reason why I do not subscribe to Sirius Radio, as I do not wish to contribute any money toward an ever-increasing income of someone like Howard Stern, but will be very happy to add few hundred dollars to my taxes to reward our own policemen, firemen and teachers in Fairfax County and across America. It is time to vote our dollars and recognition to those who deserve it and not to those who insult us.
In its November 6 issue, Time Magazine, not only had an interesting cover and story on George Bush dubbing him the Lone Ranger, but it also ran an even more interesting story “Home Truth” about America; its politics, religion, income, population and population distribution and of course immigration, the subject of local election in the town of Herndon, Virginia, out to get those “illegal and dangerous immigrants”.
What struck me most about Time’s article was a little chart, a column of people, profession and income. It listed names and professions and the amount of money it takes to make $1,000. This is how it goes; Howard Stern, the radio host makes $1,000 in 42 seconds while a policemen and a teacher make the same amount of money in 43 hours. A janitor, no doubt an immigrant and possibly cleaning Howard Stern’ office makes that the same amount in 103 hours or 2.57 weeks and is at risk of being thrown out of country.
Of course all of us have heard of Howard Stern or even at one time or another watched his show late at night. But for someone to make that kind of money, $1,000, in 42 seconds is simply a telling a bout America and its core priorities. It takes Dr. Phil McGraw 2 minutes and 42 seconds to make a $1,000 and it takes an average doctor attending patients in a hospital or clinics 13 hours and 5 minutes to make the same amount of money that Dr. Phil makes telling people what they want to hear.
Howard Stern is the host of the Howard Stern Show on the subscription fee based Sirius Satellite Radio. He moved there on January 9, 2006 and his show is broadcast 4 times/week one week and 5 times/week another week.
Mr. Stern knew how to “outrage” America and how to insult its core sensibilities and laugh all the way to the bank. His show is all about things “outrageous” outrageous racial and sexual slurs and insults, and of course “outrageous” in the kind of people who appear o the show. That is where Americans seems not bothered with such payments.
With that kind of income disparity, it seems clear that America and its people put premium on outrageous things and do not give much value or don’t give a damn about critical services such as teaching, police and fire protection and of course medical services. It is hard to believe that our own teachers, policemen and firemen, the key elements in providing protection and education to our own families, children and homes are not thought of much and in most cases live on borrowed money and credit cards to make ends meet. I do not understand why we, in a county like Fairfax, perhaps the richest county in the US do not pay teachers, policemen and firemen, the average medium income for the county. What is wrong with policemen or firemen who put their lives on the line every day to make $80,000 or $100,000? I see nothing wrong with that. However I do see a lot wrong with someone like Howard Stern making $1,000 every 42 seconds only because he insults our sensibilities. It seems we always reward such TV and radio personalities for being outrageous and we do not reward our policemen, firemen and teachers because they are courageous and provide us with critical services. That is one reason why I do not subscribe to Sirius Radio, as I do not wish to contribute any money toward an ever-increasing income of someone like Howard Stern, but will be very happy to add few hundred dollars to my taxes to reward our own policemen, firemen and teachers in Fairfax County and across America. It is time to vote our dollars and recognition to those who deserve it and not to those who insult us.
Why new Jewish immigrants are full of hate and racists, do they have a problem with being "Jewish" in the first place!
posted 19/11/06
“…. Settlement can thus develop under the protection of a force that is not dependent on the local population, behind an IRON WALL which they will be powerless to break down. ….a voluntary agreement is just not possible. As long as the Arabs preserve a gleam of hope that they will succeed in getting rid of us, nothing in the world can cause them to relinquish this hope, precisely because they are not a rubble but a living people. And a living people will be ready to yield on such fateful issues only when they give up all hope of getting rid of the Alien Settlers. Only then will extremist groups with their slogan ‘No, never’ lose their influence, and only then their influence be transferred to more moderate groups. And only then will the moderates offer suggestions for compromise. Then only will they begin bargaining with us on practical matters, such as guarantees against PUSHING THEM OUT, and equality of civil, and national rights.” With these word printed in Haaretz Daily 1923, Ze’ev Jabotinsky, the father of Revisionist Zionist, later the Likud declared his “Road Map” to get rid of the Palestinians, making sure they have no other choice but to give up all hope and accept the conditions laid out by the Zionist settlers. Transfer or Ethnic Cleansing of Palestinians from Palestinians is the hard-core philosophy and ideology of Zionists, whether on the liberal left or the extreme right. Zionist leaders from Ben-Gurion, Moshe Sharett, Ze’ev Jabotinsky, Haim Weizman, Yosef Weitz, Avigdor Lieberman, Shimon Perez, and Bibi Netanyahu among others, all subscribe to the racist and fascist ideas of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, not only to achieve a “Jewish Majority” in Palestine, but also to enable Israel and the Zionist movement to steal their land and property. It is a double edge sword with two missions achieved in one stroke. Of course to do that, the Zionist have to implement harsh measures, including the killing and murder of the largest number of innocent people. This was the case back in the 40’s and this is the case now in Gaza and the West Bank. Except this time around the Palestinians are not going anywhere. It is so ironic that the most committed advocates of such measures against the Palestinians happened to be European and American Jews, who somehow have some real issues and problems with being “Jewish” in their home countries. How could any one explain the ideology of these “immigrant/settlers” coming from Moldavia, Odessa or Poland or Brooklyn? These Jewish immigrants are so hostile, full of hate with racist attitude toward the Palestinian, not only they wish Palestinians simply disappear, but they also advocate their liquidations, assassinations and targeted killing. Of leading Palestinians as the case with the new deputy prime minister, Lieberman. They must have some serious psychological problems, perhaps too angry with themselves being born Jews. How can any one explain such attitude, ideology and philosophy? More to follow.
“…. Settlement can thus develop under the protection of a force that is not dependent on the local population, behind an IRON WALL which they will be powerless to break down. ….a voluntary agreement is just not possible. As long as the Arabs preserve a gleam of hope that they will succeed in getting rid of us, nothing in the world can cause them to relinquish this hope, precisely because they are not a rubble but a living people. And a living people will be ready to yield on such fateful issues only when they give up all hope of getting rid of the Alien Settlers. Only then will extremist groups with their slogan ‘No, never’ lose their influence, and only then their influence be transferred to more moderate groups. And only then will the moderates offer suggestions for compromise. Then only will they begin bargaining with us on practical matters, such as guarantees against PUSHING THEM OUT, and equality of civil, and national rights.” With these word printed in Haaretz Daily 1923, Ze’ev Jabotinsky, the father of Revisionist Zionist, later the Likud declared his “Road Map” to get rid of the Palestinians, making sure they have no other choice but to give up all hope and accept the conditions laid out by the Zionist settlers. Transfer or Ethnic Cleansing of Palestinians from Palestinians is the hard-core philosophy and ideology of Zionists, whether on the liberal left or the extreme right. Zionist leaders from Ben-Gurion, Moshe Sharett, Ze’ev Jabotinsky, Haim Weizman, Yosef Weitz, Avigdor Lieberman, Shimon Perez, and Bibi Netanyahu among others, all subscribe to the racist and fascist ideas of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, not only to achieve a “Jewish Majority” in Palestine, but also to enable Israel and the Zionist movement to steal their land and property. It is a double edge sword with two missions achieved in one stroke. Of course to do that, the Zionist have to implement harsh measures, including the killing and murder of the largest number of innocent people. This was the case back in the 40’s and this is the case now in Gaza and the West Bank. Except this time around the Palestinians are not going anywhere. It is so ironic that the most committed advocates of such measures against the Palestinians happened to be European and American Jews, who somehow have some real issues and problems with being “Jewish” in their home countries. How could any one explain the ideology of these “immigrant/settlers” coming from Moldavia, Odessa or Poland or Brooklyn? These Jewish immigrants are so hostile, full of hate with racist attitude toward the Palestinian, not only they wish Palestinians simply disappear, but they also advocate their liquidations, assassinations and targeted killing. Of leading Palestinians as the case with the new deputy prime minister, Lieberman. They must have some serious psychological problems, perhaps too angry with themselves being born Jews. How can any one explain such attitude, ideology and philosophy? More to follow.
Lebanon, more democracy to match it’s freedoms.
posted 19/11/06
In today’s Asharqalwsat, the columnist Samir Atallah used a quote from the former Lebanese prime minister, and I might add a Sunni, a quote that made me stop to think about writing this posting. Dr. Salim Al-Hos, alumni of Indiana University, was quoted as saying that Lebanon is about lots of freedoms and little democracy. How can any one disagree with that?
Lebanese, like Israelis always brag about their “democracy” and how their respective countries are a light unto other nations. Well, let us not take such statements too seriously otherwise George Bush might get a new ideas about democracy at home, in the US.
The sad facts and in both cases, in Israel and Lebanon, are built around and are “designer” democracy where ethnicity and religious affiliation, sectarian loyalty are at the core of such democracies. We know about the Jewish State and its special and selective democracy, where generals, murderers and criminals rule the country just like a mafia. In Lebanon, it “families” that rule Lebanon and it is the sectarian affiliation that is the basis for such a state. How can both countries, in the 21st century meets the requirements of modern day democracy, where citizenship, its rights and privileges are not based on religious affiliations and ethnicity, but where citizens are equal in the eyes of the law irrespective of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin.
In Israel non-Jews are thirds, perhaps tenth class citizens with rights and privileges are exclusive of Jews and where indigenous people, the “natives” Palestinians are at the mercy of the Jewish state every day of the week, with the possibilities of losing their property and land if not their lives to trigger happy and new Jewish immigrants.
Lebanon was and will always remain, a sectarian state, where citizenship and its rights and privileges are always defined by ‘religious affiliation” or “taifa”, not simply with the birthright. Where loyalties even among the most educated belong to the leadership of the “taifa” and not to the state. Lebanon is also most famous for its “families” like the Jumblat, Shamoun, Jemael, Arsalan, Asa’ad, Frenjeih and recently Harriri. So far Sayed Hassan Nasrallah and Nabih Berri did not try to build a ‘dynasty” where the mantle of power and authority is passed on from father to son irrespective of competence.
For a long time there was a collusion between the Maronite Christians and their Beiruti Sunnis where political and economic powers where shared between these two groups. The late Rafiq Al-Hariri changed all that being the son of Said and not Beirut. Lebanon is also the country, with the support of the late Hafiz Assad that appointed a criminal and mass murderer of Palestinians in Sabra and Shatilla as a minister. Also in Lebanon, leaders of militias responsible for the murder and killings of hundreds of thousands are the rulers and decision makers in the country, and where those responsible for the disappearance of tens of thousands roam free and are considered ‘socialites” invited to the best of restaurants and to national debates that determine the future of the nation.
Perhaps what Lebanon needs more of, is democracy to match its freedoms. Yes, there are lots of personal and social freedoms, but the most basic freedoms of all, the rights and privileges of citizens are dictated by old and rotten ideas of sectarian affiliations. Of course, unless and until such time, Lebanon gets over its “sectarian burden” Lebanon and its people will never be free and democratic. Of course Israel is a mental “Jewish” case and the only solution for Israel and its sectarian democracy is a one state solution, only then can the Jews reclaim the long stated phrase “a light unto other nations”. The only light now is the one coming from a tank and an F-16 killing and murdering people.
In today’s Asharqalwsat, the columnist Samir Atallah used a quote from the former Lebanese prime minister, and I might add a Sunni, a quote that made me stop to think about writing this posting. Dr. Salim Al-Hos, alumni of Indiana University, was quoted as saying that Lebanon is about lots of freedoms and little democracy. How can any one disagree with that?
Lebanese, like Israelis always brag about their “democracy” and how their respective countries are a light unto other nations. Well, let us not take such statements too seriously otherwise George Bush might get a new ideas about democracy at home, in the US.
The sad facts and in both cases, in Israel and Lebanon, are built around and are “designer” democracy where ethnicity and religious affiliation, sectarian loyalty are at the core of such democracies. We know about the Jewish State and its special and selective democracy, where generals, murderers and criminals rule the country just like a mafia. In Lebanon, it “families” that rule Lebanon and it is the sectarian affiliation that is the basis for such a state. How can both countries, in the 21st century meets the requirements of modern day democracy, where citizenship, its rights and privileges are not based on religious affiliations and ethnicity, but where citizens are equal in the eyes of the law irrespective of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin.
In Israel non-Jews are thirds, perhaps tenth class citizens with rights and privileges are exclusive of Jews and where indigenous people, the “natives” Palestinians are at the mercy of the Jewish state every day of the week, with the possibilities of losing their property and land if not their lives to trigger happy and new Jewish immigrants.
Lebanon was and will always remain, a sectarian state, where citizenship and its rights and privileges are always defined by ‘religious affiliation” or “taifa”, not simply with the birthright. Where loyalties even among the most educated belong to the leadership of the “taifa” and not to the state. Lebanon is also most famous for its “families” like the Jumblat, Shamoun, Jemael, Arsalan, Asa’ad, Frenjeih and recently Harriri. So far Sayed Hassan Nasrallah and Nabih Berri did not try to build a ‘dynasty” where the mantle of power and authority is passed on from father to son irrespective of competence.
For a long time there was a collusion between the Maronite Christians and their Beiruti Sunnis where political and economic powers where shared between these two groups. The late Rafiq Al-Hariri changed all that being the son of Said and not Beirut. Lebanon is also the country, with the support of the late Hafiz Assad that appointed a criminal and mass murderer of Palestinians in Sabra and Shatilla as a minister. Also in Lebanon, leaders of militias responsible for the murder and killings of hundreds of thousands are the rulers and decision makers in the country, and where those responsible for the disappearance of tens of thousands roam free and are considered ‘socialites” invited to the best of restaurants and to national debates that determine the future of the nation.
Perhaps what Lebanon needs more of, is democracy to match its freedoms. Yes, there are lots of personal and social freedoms, but the most basic freedoms of all, the rights and privileges of citizens are dictated by old and rotten ideas of sectarian affiliations. Of course, unless and until such time, Lebanon gets over its “sectarian burden” Lebanon and its people will never be free and democratic. Of course Israel is a mental “Jewish” case and the only solution for Israel and its sectarian democracy is a one state solution, only then can the Jews reclaim the long stated phrase “a light unto other nations”. The only light now is the one coming from a tank and an F-16 killing and murdering people.
Time for an Islamic Renaissance and to dump Al-Azhar.
posted 21/11/06
The case of the “top” Islamic cleric in Australia. Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly and his assumption that unveiled women invite rape and a similar retarded “fatwa” from Sheik Mohamed Kamal Mustafa, the former imam of the Spanish southern town of Fuengirola who published a book called” Women in Islam” in which he finds justifications if not promotion of “wife beating” as a way to solve marital problems and we need to add to that the likes of Syed Ikram Jilani of Oslo among others, raises serious problems and issues about how low can these “Islamic” clerics takes Islam.
Perhaps unlike other religions with a well defined hierarchy of “priest hood” and rabbinic hierarchy, there are no such hierarchies in Islam, and any Islamic hierarchy of “imams” is an invention of modern states but not of the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran has more faith and trust in the judgment of individuals that did trust in these new “inventions”.
These days, every Mohamed, Ali and Mahmoud or Taj eldin who failed at other professions becomes expert on Islam and takes over a mosques, such as the case in England, USA, Australia, among others, where mentally retarded and semi-illiterates becomes imams and start giving fatwas left and right and start to be the ugly, illiterate and retarded face of Islam.
As a testimony of how low these mentally retarded and illiterate imams came to be we are not surprise that some of these think that the mentally retarded and murderers Taliblans are the “perfect” caliphates putting forward the Taliban state as a model of an Islamic state. There must be something very wrong with these people. Simply mentally sick.
If Islam and early Muslims who opened the world to Islam where of such mentality and attitude, for sure Islam would not have left Mecca and would have been a religion that died before it started. These people and so many like them forget that Islam is a religion and faith of knowledge, of science, of education, of travel and most of all of social justice, with very strict and high standards of criminal accusation and convictions.
With so many of these illiterate and retarded imams, who not only hijacked our mosques, but also hijacked our faith, perhaps it is time for Islam to have another renaissance, similar to that of Europe in the Middle Ages. Perhaps what we need now more than ever is a “reformation movement” that will redefine again Islam as the way it was intended for “all ages”. Enough with today’s imams going back to thousands of years to find true and intelligent answers to days issue and concerns of Muslims. We all know that the “door” of “Ijtihad” or prudence was closed some centuries ago, as if modern day scholars are unable to reach for the truth except to going back in time. If Islam is the faith for all times, then we need scholars for the future and not only for the past and yes, why not for a new ‘reformation” movement that can take Islam to the future instead of keeping it in the past. Perhaps it is time for Muslims and those attending mosques to get more educated and more enlightened “imam:” than the retards we are getting these days to lead us in prayers. When I go to mosques I want to hear an intelligent and enlightened sermon, not to hear some imbecile who happens to recite few suras and never read another book in any language to give and share his ignorance with the believers. I am sure there are enough Islamic scholars in the US to take charge and lead us forward and liberate Muslims from retarded imams such as Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly or Sheik Mohamed Kamal Mustafa or someone like Abu-Hamza Al-Masry. It is time to throw out these retards out of the mosques and reclaims our mosques again. Who said that Al-Azhar have to be the only “religious” reference for Muslims. There are enough intelligent and smart scholars in the US and Europe to lead the way to an Islamic Renaissance.
The case of the “top” Islamic cleric in Australia. Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly and his assumption that unveiled women invite rape and a similar retarded “fatwa” from Sheik Mohamed Kamal Mustafa, the former imam of the Spanish southern town of Fuengirola who published a book called” Women in Islam” in which he finds justifications if not promotion of “wife beating” as a way to solve marital problems and we need to add to that the likes of Syed Ikram Jilani of Oslo among others, raises serious problems and issues about how low can these “Islamic” clerics takes Islam.
Perhaps unlike other religions with a well defined hierarchy of “priest hood” and rabbinic hierarchy, there are no such hierarchies in Islam, and any Islamic hierarchy of “imams” is an invention of modern states but not of the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran has more faith and trust in the judgment of individuals that did trust in these new “inventions”.
These days, every Mohamed, Ali and Mahmoud or Taj eldin who failed at other professions becomes expert on Islam and takes over a mosques, such as the case in England, USA, Australia, among others, where mentally retarded and semi-illiterates becomes imams and start giving fatwas left and right and start to be the ugly, illiterate and retarded face of Islam.
As a testimony of how low these mentally retarded and illiterate imams came to be we are not surprise that some of these think that the mentally retarded and murderers Taliblans are the “perfect” caliphates putting forward the Taliban state as a model of an Islamic state. There must be something very wrong with these people. Simply mentally sick.
If Islam and early Muslims who opened the world to Islam where of such mentality and attitude, for sure Islam would not have left Mecca and would have been a religion that died before it started. These people and so many like them forget that Islam is a religion and faith of knowledge, of science, of education, of travel and most of all of social justice, with very strict and high standards of criminal accusation and convictions.
With so many of these illiterate and retarded imams, who not only hijacked our mosques, but also hijacked our faith, perhaps it is time for Islam to have another renaissance, similar to that of Europe in the Middle Ages. Perhaps what we need now more than ever is a “reformation movement” that will redefine again Islam as the way it was intended for “all ages”. Enough with today’s imams going back to thousands of years to find true and intelligent answers to days issue and concerns of Muslims. We all know that the “door” of “Ijtihad” or prudence was closed some centuries ago, as if modern day scholars are unable to reach for the truth except to going back in time. If Islam is the faith for all times, then we need scholars for the future and not only for the past and yes, why not for a new ‘reformation” movement that can take Islam to the future instead of keeping it in the past. Perhaps it is time for Muslims and those attending mosques to get more educated and more enlightened “imam:” than the retards we are getting these days to lead us in prayers. When I go to mosques I want to hear an intelligent and enlightened sermon, not to hear some imbecile who happens to recite few suras and never read another book in any language to give and share his ignorance with the believers. I am sure there are enough Islamic scholars in the US to take charge and lead us forward and liberate Muslims from retarded imams such as Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly or Sheik Mohamed Kamal Mustafa or someone like Abu-Hamza Al-Masry. It is time to throw out these retards out of the mosques and reclaims our mosques again. Who said that Al-Azhar have to be the only “religious” reference for Muslims. There are enough intelligent and smart scholars in the US and Europe to lead the way to an Islamic Renaissance.
Time to bring the Lebanese civil war to an end!
posted 23/11/06
The assassination and cold-blooded murder of Pierre Jumael is a reminder that the Lebanese Civil War is not over yet and it will not be over until such time the Lebanese decide for themselves if they want a continuation of the war or they want a new, democratic and non-sectarian Lebanon.
I am one of those who may not forgive the Phalange Party and its leader Samir Geagea or the late Bashir Jumeal for the crimes committed in Sabra and Shatilla and the tens of thousands of innocent Lebanese killed during the war and the tens of thousands remain missing and specially their alliance with the criminal Israeli Defense Forces against Lebanon and against the Lebanese.
However the murder of the young and innocent Pierre Jumael is a cowardly act and it is intended to ignite the civil war again, and it is intended to make Lebanon again a blood path. I agree with Jihad Alkhazen when he said in his column today in Alhayat, that “ he does not accuse any one and does not exonerate any one” in this murder. However we know that both Syria and Israel have always played a major hand and roll in all political and sectarian assassination and always will have blood on their hands. The Syrian regime of Bashar Al-Assad is not different from his late father’s regime, with many murderers and killers high in government.
The murder of Rafiq Harriri, Basem Flehan, Samir Qasir, Gibran Tueni, George Hawi and the attempted murder of Marman Hamadi and May Shydiaq is a reminder of the long and murderous arms of the Syrian Ba’athist regime. No one believes that the late Ghazi Kan’an simply killed himself; he was murdered by the regime. Who else but Syria that killed Salim Al-Louzi and the late Kamal Jumblat?
What is surprising is the fact than non of the above murders have been solved and non of those accused of these murders and the murders of thousands of Palestinians in Sabra and Shatilla and Tel –Za’ater have ever been brought to trial. This is the sad thing about Lebanon. No one within Lebanon either have the determination, the skills not the courage to come forward and open a board of inquiry into all these murder and bring these murders to close, even it the accused are in absentia. No one can convince me that in all Lebanon, there are no competent and qualified criminal investigators that can open public hearing into these murders and attempted murder.
The murder of the young and innocent Pierre Jumael must be urgent calls for all Lebanese from all walks of life and from all political persuasions and religious sects to rise up to the occasion and have the courage once and for all and bring about a closer for the Lebanese Civil War. The first step will be for the Lebanese to hold a “referendum” on ending the sectarian system that is the cancer of Lebanon. It is time to go beyond Taif and to come up with something more original. Taif was to end the civil war, but not to rebuild Lebanon into a new modern and democratic state with religious and sectarian affiliation have no place and no role in Lebanese politics. It is time for all Lebanese to be equal citizens with equal opportunities. Let us never forget that Israel is the enemy number one for Lebanon, and always makes sure that the civil war never ends. It is time for the Lebanese to tell Syria and Israel that they are mature enough and that they will rebuild a new Lebanon that will be a challenge to Israel, Syria and the US and to all Arabs. May Allah/God have mercy on the soul of Pierre Jumael. Yes, he died a martyr for Lebanon.
The assassination and cold-blooded murder of Pierre Jumael is a reminder that the Lebanese Civil War is not over yet and it will not be over until such time the Lebanese decide for themselves if they want a continuation of the war or they want a new, democratic and non-sectarian Lebanon.
I am one of those who may not forgive the Phalange Party and its leader Samir Geagea or the late Bashir Jumeal for the crimes committed in Sabra and Shatilla and the tens of thousands of innocent Lebanese killed during the war and the tens of thousands remain missing and specially their alliance with the criminal Israeli Defense Forces against Lebanon and against the Lebanese.
However the murder of the young and innocent Pierre Jumael is a cowardly act and it is intended to ignite the civil war again, and it is intended to make Lebanon again a blood path. I agree with Jihad Alkhazen when he said in his column today in Alhayat, that “ he does not accuse any one and does not exonerate any one” in this murder. However we know that both Syria and Israel have always played a major hand and roll in all political and sectarian assassination and always will have blood on their hands. The Syrian regime of Bashar Al-Assad is not different from his late father’s regime, with many murderers and killers high in government.
The murder of Rafiq Harriri, Basem Flehan, Samir Qasir, Gibran Tueni, George Hawi and the attempted murder of Marman Hamadi and May Shydiaq is a reminder of the long and murderous arms of the Syrian Ba’athist regime. No one believes that the late Ghazi Kan’an simply killed himself; he was murdered by the regime. Who else but Syria that killed Salim Al-Louzi and the late Kamal Jumblat?
What is surprising is the fact than non of the above murders have been solved and non of those accused of these murders and the murders of thousands of Palestinians in Sabra and Shatilla and Tel –Za’ater have ever been brought to trial. This is the sad thing about Lebanon. No one within Lebanon either have the determination, the skills not the courage to come forward and open a board of inquiry into all these murder and bring these murders to close, even it the accused are in absentia. No one can convince me that in all Lebanon, there are no competent and qualified criminal investigators that can open public hearing into these murders and attempted murder.
The murder of the young and innocent Pierre Jumael must be urgent calls for all Lebanese from all walks of life and from all political persuasions and religious sects to rise up to the occasion and have the courage once and for all and bring about a closer for the Lebanese Civil War. The first step will be for the Lebanese to hold a “referendum” on ending the sectarian system that is the cancer of Lebanon. It is time to go beyond Taif and to come up with something more original. Taif was to end the civil war, but not to rebuild Lebanon into a new modern and democratic state with religious and sectarian affiliation have no place and no role in Lebanese politics. It is time for all Lebanese to be equal citizens with equal opportunities. Let us never forget that Israel is the enemy number one for Lebanon, and always makes sure that the civil war never ends. It is time for the Lebanese to tell Syria and Israel that they are mature enough and that they will rebuild a new Lebanon that will be a challenge to Israel, Syria and the US and to all Arabs. May Allah/God have mercy on the soul of Pierre Jumael. Yes, he died a martyr for Lebanon.
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