MFS - The Other News

                         Afternoon Posting.

• European Free Speech Under Attack. Defending the right to say that Islam is primarily a totalitarian ideology aiming for world domination.By Geert Wilders. "The lights are going out all over Europe," British Foreign Secretary Edward Grey famously remarked on the eve of World War I. I am reminded of those words whenever I read about Europeans being dragged into court for so-called hate-speech crimes.Last October, my former colleague in the Dutch parliament, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, wrote in these pages of the way in which Islamic organizations abuse our freedoms in order to limit them. "There are," she wrote, "the efforts of countries in the Organization of the Islamic Conference to silence the European debate about Islam," citing their strategy "to pressure international organizations and the European Union to adopt resolutions to punish anyone who engages in 'hate speech' against religion. The bill used to prosecute Mr. Wilders is the national version of what OIC diplomats peddle at the U.N. and EU."Indeed, in 2008 the EU approved its so-called "Council Framework Decision on combating Racism and Xenophobia," and the EU's 27 nations have since had to incorporate it into their national legislation. The decision orders that "racist or xenophobic behavior must constitute an offence in all Member States and be punishable by effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties." It defines "racism and xenophobia" so broadly that every statement that an individual might perceive as insulting to a group to which he belongs becomes punishable by law.The perverse result is that in Europe it is now all but impossible to have a debate about the nature of Islam, or about the effects of immigration of Islam's adherents. Take my own case, for example. My point is that Islam is not so much a religion as it is a totalitarian political ideology disguised as a religion. To avoid misunderstandings, I always emphasize that I am talking about Islam, not about Muslims. I make a clear distinction between the people and the ideology, between Muslims and Islam, recognizing that there are many moderate Muslims. But the political ideology of Islam is not moderate and has global ambitions; the Koran orders Muslims to establish the realm of Allah in this world, if necessary by force.Stating my views on Islam has brought me to court on charges of "group insult" and incitement to racial hatred. I am being tried for voicing opinions that I—and my constituents—consider to be the truth. I am being tried for challenging the views that the ruling establishment wants to impose on us as the truth.My trial is a political trial. It is tragic that after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, political trials in Europe were not cast onto the ash heap of history. Former Soviet dissident Vladimir Bukovsky has previously referred to the European Union as the "EUSSR." One of his arguments is that in the EU, as in the former USSR, there is no freedom of speech. I should be acquitted. My trial in Amsterdam is not about me, but about freedom of speech in Europe. As Dwight D. Eisenhower, Europe's liberator from Nazism, once warned, freedom "must be daily earned and refreshed—else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die." Today in Europe, freedom is being neither earned nor refreshed.Hmmmm.....Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin.Read the full story here.

• HT:TheAmericanDream.Recession Over Or Just Beginning? 21 “Oh Crap!” Statistics About The U.S. Economy.Is the recession over or is the economic downturn just beginning? Barack Obama and the Federal Reserve have been busy proclaiming that the U.S. economy is back on track, but the sad truth is that our economic problems look like they are about to get a whole lot worse. Without oil, our entire economy would shut down cold. Thanks to the chaos in the Middle East, oil is absolutely exploding in price. In fact, the price of oil in the United States went up more than seven dollars today. The global price of food has risen to record levels over the past 12 months and it is projected to continue to rapidly increase throughout all of 2011. This is going to hit struggling families all over the globe very hard. Meanwhile, thousands of manufacturing facilities and millions of good jobs continue to flee the United States. The gap between the wealth that we consume as a nation and the wealth that we produce as a nation continues to grow. We have attempted to fill this gap with asset sales and with massive amounts of debt, but that is a game that cannot last forever. When we come to the end of every single month, we are poorer as a nation and we are deeper in debt as a nation. From "sea to shining sea" we have become a nation that is flooded with red ink.But most Americans still buy in to the whole "American exceptionalism" thing. While it is true that there is something really special about the nation that our founding fathers originally established, the truth is that we are not guaranteed to be "the greatest nation on earth" forever. Over the last couple of generations we have really been abusing the great legacy that was passed down to us. America was once the greatest economic machine on the face of the planet. The American people were once strong and brave and of noble character. At one time, America was first in almost every major category that mattered.Are any of those things still true today? Of course not. The once great American economic powerhouse is being gutted and ripped to shreds right in front of our eyes. A large percentage of our population has become fat, lazy and obsessed with things like American Idol and Justin Bieber. We have become so dumbed-down that most of us don't even realize that something is seriously, seriously wrong with this country.The U.S. economy is on the verge of major problems. That also means that the entire global economy is on the verge of major problems. These next couple of years are going to be very interesting to watch. We truly are in unprecedented economic territory.The truth is that things are not nearly as good as the talking heads on television say that they are.The following are 21 "Oh Crap!" statistics about the U.S. economy....Read the full story here.

• 'Arab unrest signals Messiah's coming'.Are Arab leaders being punished for religious persecution? Prominent rabbis offer explanations for Mideast uprisings.Prominent rabbis from the Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox sector have offered their own curious interpretations for the upheaval that is spreading through the Middle East, stating that the events are a clear proof that a higher power is at work.The cellular portal Haredim, which offered a collection of responses on the matter, quoted Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman, the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Lithuanian sector in Bnei Brak, as blaming the instability in the region on contemptuous attitudes towards Torah study."God does great and strange things in the world, to make them deal with the (disasters) instead of looking for ways to mind those observing the Torah and the mitzvot," he said. "Because if they don't study, it will continue to move closer to us."Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, an unconventional Lithuanian leader who is believed to have mystic powers, offered a different explanation. "It is evident that many unnatural things are happening," he said. "People have come to me and said that it's 'Gog and Magog' (Armageddon). We cannot know. But it's probable that any unrest that God creates shows that the Messiah is coming, and that we must begin to prepare for it and become stronger."The one who does not see that God is running the world, Lefkowitz concluded, is not evil, but a fool.Hmmmm.....If the Messiah is near who's the Anti christ? Read the full story here.

• UK - SAS troops 'to be deployed on the streets' to prevent terrorist attacks.SAS troops could be deployed on the streets alongside police as fears grow of a Mumbai-style terror attack on Britain, it emerged today.Plans are reportedly being considered to plant soldiers in counter-terrorism surveillance teams across Britain.The plans could see the SAS base moved from Credenhill in Herefordshire to a London barracks to slash the unit's response time.Details of the plans emerged in The Times today amid growing security fears surround the Royal Wedding later this year and the Olympics in 2012.The last time that SAS personnel were scrambled was on New Years Eve for a call that turned out to be a false alarm. But the event highlighted the distance between the current SAS base and central London.A leaked memo later revealed that security officials believe Al Qaeda’s ‘International Operations wing’ is plotting one or more attacks in Europe, including against the UK.The restricted document showed that the threat is ‘credible’ and would be designed to claim a ‘large number of casualties’.Possible methods include a suicide or car bomb or the use of ‘firearms against aircraft and airport targets’ – similar to the Mumbai machine-gun attacks of 2008.Andy Hayman, the former Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner in charge of counter-terrorism, argued that police cannot deal with a 'rampaging terrorist gang'.'The police are accomplished at collecting intelligence using long-term surveillance operations and disrupting plots,' he wrote in The Times.'But the nature of the threat demands more. They need to confront terrorists who are armed or about to commit an atrocity. 'This is likely to require a paramilitary response, which is starting to take the police specialist firearms teams beyond their level of expertise.Hmmmmm.......Not even mentioning your ennemy by name is not a good start,It displays your fear of it!Read the full story here.

• Dem Rep. Mike Capuano to Unions: Emails Aren’t Enough, Time to “Get on The Streets And Get Bloody”.A Democratic Congressman from Massachusetts is raising the stakes in the nation’s fight over the future of public employee unions, saying emails aren’t enough to show support and that it is time to “get a little bloody.”“I’m proud to be here with people who understand that it’s more than just sending an email to get you going. Every once and awhile you need to get out on the streets and get a little bloody when necessary,” Rep. Mike Capuano (D-Ma.) told a crowd in Boston on Tuesday rallying in solidarity for Wisconsin union members.Hmmmm.....All we need is another "Kristalnacht" for the new Führer to rise.Read the full dictatorship story here.

• Egyptian Armed Forces Demolish Fences Guarding Coptic Monasteries.Egyptian armed forces this week demolished fences surrounding ancient Coptic monasteries, leaving them vulnerable to attacks by armed Arabs, robbers and escaped prisoners, who have seized the opportunity of the state of diminished protection by the authorities in Egypt to carry out assaults and thefts."Three monasteries have been attacked by outlaws and have asked for protection from the armed forces, but were told to defend themselves." said activist Mark Ebeid. "When the terrified monks built fences to protect themselves, armed forces appeared only then with bulldozers to demolish the fences. It is worth noting that these monasteries are among the most ancient in Egypt, with valuable Coptic icons and manuscripts among others, which are of tremendous value to collectors."On Sunday February 20, armed forced stormed the 4th century old monastery of St. Boula in the Red Sea area, assaulted three monks and then demolished a small fence supporting a gate leading to the fenceless monastery. "The idea of the erection of the gate was prompted after being attacked at midnight on February 13 by five prisoners who broke out from their prisons," said Father Botros Anba Boula, "and were armed with a pistol and batons. The monks ran after them but they fled to the surrounding mountains except for one who stumbled and was apprehended and held by the monks until the police picked him up three days later."On Saturday morning, seeing that only three old monks were guarding the gate, the army returned. "When the army found that very few monks were present the soldiers, who were hiding in military vans, came out," said Father Botros, "bound the three monks, threw them to the ground and confiscated their mobile phones so as not to photograph the incident."The monks were set free after the gate and the 40 meter fence were demolished." Only four soldiers were left to guard the huge monastery."The army was here not to protect the monastery as they claimed, but to carry out their agenda of demolishing the gate" said Father Botros to activist Ramy Kamel of 'Theban Legion' Coptic advocacy. "By removing the gate and the supporting small fence, the army is giving a message of encouragement to any thief or thug to break into the monastery."On February 21, armed forces demolished the fence surrounding the 5th century old Monastery of St. Bishoy in Wadi al-Natroun in the western desert."We contacted state security and they said there was no police available for protection," Said Father Bemwa,"So we called the Egyptian TV dozens of times to appeal for help and then we were put in touch with the military personnel who told us to protect ourselves until they reach us." He added that the monks have built a low fence on the borders of one side of the monastery which is vulnerable to attacks, on land which belongs to the monastery, with the monks and monastery laborers keeping watch over it 24 hours a day.Although security officials welcomed this step., a fanatical Muslim officer at the district police headquarters named Abdo Ibrahim incited the Muslims in the neighborhood, but when the circumstances were explained to them and that the fence also secures the nearby mosque, they agreed. "Ibrahim then incited the army against us, so they came with heavy equipment and armored vehicles, insulted the monks, demolished the fence and left," said Father Bemwa. "Now the monks are left in the open, vulnerable to attacks from prisoners who are still at large or Muslim fanatics"In a related incident, Father Boulos, a monk at the Monastery of Abu Magar, also called St. Makarios of Alexandria in Wady el-Rayan, Fayoum, said that on February 21 armed forces stormed the monastery and wanted to demolish its fence and gate. He explained that after the security vacuum during the January uprising, the Monastery was attacked by thugs and Arabs armed with automatic weapons, leading to the injury of six monks, including one monk in critical condition who is still hospitalized."The perpetrators took advantage of the fact that the monastery is a nature reserve and has no fence for protection. After the incident we have built a fence around the monastery to protect it, but the environmental agency rejected it and sent for the security forces and the army to remove the fence." He added that they were given 48 hours by the authorities to demolish the one-meter high fence, otherwise the army would be back to destroy it."If no authority is in a position to protect us," said Father Boulos, "then let us do it ourselves, the way we see fit."Hmmmm.....These are the people the selfconfessed 'Christian" President Obama supports financially.When will the American people and congress say ENOUGH?Read the full story here.

• HT:Memri.Iraq Enters State Of Turmoil; Planned Mass Demonstration Supported By Sistani, Other Clerics.The organizers of the one million-strong marches planned for Friday, February 26, the "Day of Rage," asserted that they have received support from Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani as well as from Sunni clerics, labor unions, tribal chiefs and civil societies. Al-Sistani confirmed the rights of Iraqis to demonstrate against corruption and the lack of public services, provided that the demonstrations remain peaceful and avoid harming public or private property. Sheikh Assaf al-Duleimi, a Sunni cleric, hailed al-Sistani's position which, al-Duleimi said, is consistent with the national and popular position. The demonstration, also referred to by the organizers as "The Great Iraqi Revolution" or "The Bread Revolution," is planned by a group calling itself "The Youth of February 25" which, on February 20, issued its Proclamation No. 1 which calls on the population to support the uprising [intifada] of the youth for a brighter future for the Iraqis and for prosecuting those who stole the nation's wealth. The proclamation insists that Iraq will become "neither a Taliban state nor wilayat al-faqih [the "rule of the jurisprudent" – a reference to the clerical regime in Iran.] Most notable is the appeal to the security forces not to direct their weapons against "your sons and brothers. Defend them and support them. They are your future." The organizers said that all the banners carried by the demonstrators will be in support of Independent and unified Iraq.There was also a warning delivered by al-Maliki. In a meeting with tribal chiefs yesterday, al-Maliki warned that some political groups, which he did not name, might take advantage of the demonstrations to bring down the regime [which he referred to as the political process]. He blamed websites that "glorify and promote the ancien regime." He was referring to Facebook and Twitter, which are being used by the organizers to mobilize the youth.Nevertheless, he assured the demonstrators that the security forces will protect them. His promise came in the wake of an attack launched a night earlier by about 60 knife wielding individuals who attacked demonstrators who are camping at Tahrir (Liberation) Square in the center of Baghdad. One person was killed and a number of others were wounded.Some observers have warned that the Iraqi society is tribal and that if similar events occur the entire political process will collapse or will become bloody. Speaker al-Nujaifi promised, in a press conference, that he will open the corruption dossiers. In the meantime, many members of parliament, including the speaker and ministers with their families, have left Iraq in the last two days on the pretext of conducting official business abroad. Other members of parliament are visiting their provinces to talk to young people who are preparing to participate in the Day of Rage on Friday. To discourage, or frighten, the demonstrators, the ministry of interior, which is in charge of national police, issued a statement that, based on intelligence information, Al-Qaeda and elements of the Ba'th Party will be using suicide bombers and car bombs to inflict the largest possible number of casualties among the demonstrators.Hmmmm.....Damed the world became such a better place with the Obama politics.Read the full story here.

• HT:HIDF.31 Muslims convicted for setting train fire that killed 59 Hindus.Kasab, Afzal & all other Jehadis Must be Hanged Immediately.Expressing utmost appreciation to the Honourable Mumbai High Court’s verdict confirming death by hanging to Ajmal Aamir Kasab, VHP International Secretary General Dr Pravin Togadia said, “Mumbai police, Public Prosecutor Advocate Shri Ujjwal Nikam & the brave witnesses got Jehadi terrorist Kasab to justice. It requires not only courage but also an unconditional commitment to the security of the nation. But as we always see, justice is done only when it is seen to be done. Afzal Guru, the Jehadi terrorist who attacked the Parliament, is still alive even after the Honourable Supreme Court confirmed his death sentence. Process of law can not be an excuse for Jehadis whose only aim is to rule Bharat & spread Islam. Therefore, all those families who have lost their near & dear ones in various Jehadi attacks will get justice only when all those Jehadis are hanged to death.” Rahat Fateh Ali Khan of Pakistan is charged under FEMA but he is allowed to go away with just a minimal fine whereas thousands of Indians are languishing in Pak jails. Mumbai Bomb Blasts accused, Mumbai train blasts accused, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad Jehadi attacks accused are still alive & are misusing Bharat’s democracy & Bharat’s liberal law system. Al Queda has issued the statement that Democracy is unIslamic but Jehadis who attacked Bharat have been manipulating Bharat’s democratic systems. It is the need of the hour that cross-border & ingrown Jehadi terrorism is treated as the most heinous crime & the Jehadis should not be allowed to avail of Bharat’s law processes that keep such demons alive. Their being alive longer like this either pending cases or pending mercy petitions also poses great risk to Bharat’s internal security as Bharat has not yet forgotten the Kandhar incident where many ferocious Jehadis were let off due to hi-jacking. Both state & Union governments should look at such aspects seriously immediately & hang the Jehadis at once to save Bharat further.”Hmmmmm....Is a quick punishment not too easy in such cases?Read the full story here,more here.

• BigPeace.North Korea and Iran’s Joint Nuclear Bomb Test.On December 30 of 2010, I revealed in my article, “Is Iran About to Test a Nuclear Bomb In North Korea?” that according to reports from inside Iran, a team of Iranian nuclear scientists have been sent to North Korea and that the two governments have agreed to a joint nuclear test in North Korea with a substantial financial reward for the Kim Jong-Il government. Also, that in order to avoid a possible military reaction by the West, Iran is working covertly with North Korea until such a time they are capable of weaponizing their ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads.Reports today in The Korean Times suggest that North Korea is preparing for its third nuclear bomb test by digging additional tunnels at the Musudan-ri Launch Facility. “It’s obvious that North Korea is preparing for a third nuclear test,” the source said on condition of anonymity, adding that multiple tunnels are being dug so that Pyongyang can choose the best one to conduct the test. The facility, located in Punggye-ri in the country’s northwest corner, is the site of the North’s previous tests in 2006 and 2009.It is no secret that Iran and North Korea are collaborating in a ballistic missile program. The North Koreans provided Iran with the technology and know-how to build the Shahab-3 medium-range ballistic missile, which is a copy of the Nodong-1 missile. The Shahb-3 missile has a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles), which covers all of the U.S. military bases in the Middle East and the entire country of Israel.Most alarming, recent WikiLeaks releases reveal that Iran obtained a cache of advanced missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads (based on a Russian design) from North Korea. Now, for the first time, Iran has the capability to target every capital in Western Europe.Just days ago Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, commander of the Revolutionary Guards, talked about a project that will take the world by complete surprise: “Allah willing, in the near future we will witness the ‘miraculous project’ of the guards, which will shock the world.” In another recent statement, Gen. Mohammad Reza Naghdi, commander of Basij forces, made a promise to the Basij commanders that both Israel and the United States would be destroyed soon. He continued: “With the destruction of these two evil countries, the world will become free of oppression.”I have indicated in many of my articles (going back before President Obama’s appeasement approach toward Iran), that neither negotiations nor sanctions will work. Hmmmmm......Read the full story here.

• Peres: All of Europe under nuclear threat.On visit to Spain, president also criticizes Gaddafi for 'spending more on clothes than on people'.President Shimon Peres warned against the Iranian nuclear threat Wednesday, also inveighing against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi amid bloody protests signifying the possible overturning of his regime. In a speech Peres gave before senior journalists and diplomats in Spain, Peres said Gaddafi was concerned only for himself. "You can see by his outfits how much he spends on clothing rather than on people," he said.On the rapidly spreading protests in Arab states Peres said, "Israel supports the strengthening of democracy and peace in the Middle East. The youth of the region demand freedom, equal opportunities, and the right to live decently and we applaud this.Peres also offered a calmer reaction than other Israeli officials to the passing of Iranian ships through the Suez Canal Tuesday."The Iranian ships are a cheap provocation and not a threat," he said. However, he also had a warning for European countries regarding the Islamic Republic. "You are sleeping. One day you will wake up with nuclear warheads pointed at Madrid," he said."The real threat stands as a clear warning sign to Europe and the entire world: Iran is developing nuclear weapons for mass destruction, and when nuclear weapons reach the hands of terror organizations, Iran's satellites, all of Europe's capitals will be under existential threat," Peres warned."Leaders who have their pictures taken beside Ahmadinejad should be ashamed, and he must not be invited to march on the UN's red carpets."Hmmmm.....We know by now the new "Axes of evil" but where does Obama stand in view of his love for Turkey and other Muslim countries?Read the full story here.

• UK - Teenager battered for refusing arranged marriage after father sold her as £10,000 bride.A brave teenager has spoken for the first time of the harrowing ordeal of being beaten up in an arranged marriage after her father tried to sell her for £10,000.The 15-year-old girl was tricked into flying to Pakistan then forced to marry a 31-year-old man so he could get a British passport.She has described how she feared she would died after being hit, scarred with broken glass and locked up for reusing to get married.Her harrowing story has been revealed as part of BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat investigation into forced marriages.The girl, who would not be named, said: 'It was just about the money. He was literally selling me and my nationality so I could bring the person back.'In pounds, it would have been about £10,000.'He whacked me across the face, then I started rebelling more, saying ''no''. Then he got a glass and scarred my arms. He had somebody holding me from behind and he got a glass and was cutting very deep.'I thought he might kill me. I thought I was going to die.'The beatings started when the young girl refused to get married. She was then locked up without food or water.Fortunately she summoned her strength and escaped to the British High Commission in Pakistan. She then returned home and was reunited with her worried mother.Figures obtained by Newsbeat show that her ordeal is one of many suffered by an estimated 1,735 potential forced marriages involving British citizens in 2010.It is believed that a third of the girls in arranged marriages are under 18. Newsbeat claims that the youngest was just 13.Hmmmm......Sharia law and human rights are the same?Read the full story here.

• HT:JoelRosenberg.Netanyahu prepares to name new National Security Advisor : Who is Yaakov Amidror?Amidst historic and tumultous upheaval underway from Morocco to Libya to Egypt to Iran, Israel’s national security advisor has just stepped down. Filling this position with the right person will be critically important. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to appoint Major-General (res.) Yaakov Amidror as the new National Security Advisor,” reports the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot on its website. “If selected, Amidror will replace Uzi Arad, who announced his retirement on Sunday. Amidror, the former commander of the IDF’s National Defense College, retired from the IDF in 2002 and has been known in recent years for his hawkish views, including his support for the reoccupation of the Gaza Strip.”I’ve met General Amidror several times over the years, and interviewed him for my first non-fiction book, Epicenter. I believe he would be a strong choice — he’s smart, experienced, and able to look over the horizon and see future threats clearly. Interestingly, he is a deeply religious Zionist who believes that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is ultimately looking out for State of Israel, along with the IDF. That’s not common among senior Israeli military leaders, but I believe it would be a useful perspective.General Amidror "If you ask me for my assessment — and that’s what I have done for 25 years, doing assessments — I believe it is almost impossible to stop Iran without military force.”Hmmmm.....Sounds like a very good choice,I wonder how he feels about Obama?Read the full story here.

• HT:TheEconomist.Birthers they want a do over. Thus the inimitable prose stylings of Tea Party Nation. And, because it's just too good not to pass it on : Yet, they do not take a moment to consider why this is important. If Barack Obama is proved to be ineligible to be President, everything he has done is wiped out. Obamacare is gone. The START treaty is gone. The liberal lunatics Obama has appointed to the Federal Judiciary, including the two he has put on the Supreme Court are gone....What are the chances of success? Who knows? Why do football teams run the flea flicker play? It does not work all of the time, but when it does, the results are spectacular. Why should conservatives all hope this works out? Because this wipes out almost everything the Obama regime has done. We get a do over.Hmmmmm.....Somehow i don't think even if you can prove this case,that he will relinquish power........ever!Read the full story here.