Judeopundit

Monday, June 11, 2007

IRIB: "Israel on natural course of disintegration"

There is a debate in the West over what Iran's bellicose rhetoric towards Israel means. Jonathan Steele, speaking of the notorious "wiped off the map" remark, explained that "the Iranian president was expressing a vague wish for the future. He was not threatening an Iranian-initiated war to remove Israeli control over Jerusalem."

It is thus interesting to see Haddad-Adel, doing damage-control for the "countdown to destruction" remark, denying any Iranian plans to attack Israel. Of course, he might actually be taking a cue from the statements of Juan Cole, Steele, et al. Iran takes a keen interest in its image in the world, and it would certainly take note of its apologists.

From another perspective, Israel is constantly under attack by Tehran through Iran's backing of Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and Hizbullah.

Iranian denials have a way of being self-canceling. For instance, denial that Iran's nuclear program is military will be coupled with the prediction that Iran is about to become "invincible." Here we learn that "'Israel' is on the natural course of disintegration because it has emerged in the region by force." If Israel's existence is being maintained by "force," what would be the cause of its "disintegration"? Superior force?

Iran's Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel said on Sunday that the recent comments by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about destruction of 'Israel' did not mean Tehran intended to attack the occupied Palestine.

Speaking in a press conference before ending his three-day visit to the Persian Gulf state of Kuwait, the Speaker said: "what the President said is that 'Israel' is on the natural course of disintegration because it has emerged in the region by force. This issue is even discussed inside the occupied Palestine," Haddad-Adel stressed.

Asked if a deal between Iran and America would be possible over Tehran's nuclear case, as well as the issue of Iraq and Lebanon, the Speaker said: "We will not strike any deal to settle our nuclear case nor would we sacrifice the interests of the Iraqi and Lebanese peoples."

"Our stand over the nuclear issue is clear and there is no need to make any compromise with others in this regard. Peoples of Iraq and Lebanon also trust Iran and know that Tehran would make no deal with anyone over their interests out of respect for Islamic teachings," the Speaker stressed.

Asked what was his anticipation of the results of the next presidential and parliamentary elections in Iran, the Speaker said "It is difficult to say as there is complete freedom in Iran.["]

We certainly know that.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Guess who?

Update: The guy on the left is Holocaust Denier Frederick Toben . . . And the one on the right is Robert Fisk!

(Hat Tip: Tim Blair)

IRIB: "Unfair int'l relations on verge of collapse"

Whenever these stories turn to Supreme Leader pronouncements, the English becomes more inept as it strains for grandiosity. Let the Irangrish flow like wine . . .

Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei confirmed to the visiting Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his high ranking delegation that the current unfair international relations is on verge of collapse with an otherwise perspective coming to sight.

"Through their unity and perseverance, the independent and struggler countries and nations which oppose America's policies will be enhancing the line of justice in international relations and expediting the process of fair relations," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The IR Leader pointed out that a token of the prospective collapse had emerged where America's move to form a unipolar empire in the world following the fall of the Eastern bloc and the defunct USSR ended up in failure as the country at present stands most abhorred state in the world.

In the same regard, the IR Leader said, "Wherever the American President travels, in Asia, Africa, Latin America or Middle East, he faces massive protest rallies. In Europe yet he is now facing popular anger and protest. This issue has had no precedent ever in the world."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that another evidence to substantiate the collapse argument had emerged in the rise to office of anti-US movements in the world not least the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran with an ever-increasing power despite all pressures.

"In recent years, anti-US states have come to office one after another in Latin America. In the world of Islam too wherever ballot is staged in every country those groups and individuals will be voted in who have more anti-US sentiments than others," Ayatollah Khamenei confirmed.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described realization of fair international relations as a sacred objective which requires diligent effort, hope and perseverance, adding, "At time when there were two powers in the world, the Islamic Republic of Iran stood up to them by the slogan of No to East, No to West. At present too the Iranian nation has stood up to all pressure and will stay the course because the sole path toward summits of progress is to endure hardship."

Ayatollah Khamenei underlined cooperation among independent and struggler countries and nations. The IR Leader praised the relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Nicaragua as rational, courteous and beneficial to the two countries, urging for further expansion of the bilateral ties in every respect.

During the meeting, also attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mr. Daniel Ortega, the Nicaraguan President, expressed approval over the IR Leader's remarks, saying, "As you said, signs of the collapse of America's unipolar power have been emerging and the imperialism has been approaching state of defunct faster than ever."

"America is at present isolated among the nations," President Ortega added.

The Nicaraguan President touched on the ever-widening anti-US movement in Latin America crystallized in the coming to office of governments which object Washington's policies in the region.

"The American government has become stuck in the Iraqi and Afghan mire. At the same time, the popularity of the government has fallen sharply," President Ortega said.

"In such conditions, it is essential for the struggler governments and nations to work together and keep close mutual relations to foster the anti-imperialism front," the Nicaraguan President added.

Linkim 6/10/07

Haveil Havalim 120 is up! Carnival of the Insanities is up! J-pix 9 is up!

Robert Fisk: "Lies and outrages... would you believe it?"

Asharq Alawsat: "40 Years: The Real Stigma"

IRIB: "Palestinians opting for resistance"

LA Times: "Iran tightens screws on internal dissent"

Arab News: "Gift for Israel"

EOZ: "A Psychological History of Palestinian Arabs - part 4" (Follow the links to the earlier installments.)

Simply Jews: "Believe it or not"

Israel Matzav: "Fatah's connected to Iran too"

Steven Plaut: "Some Career Advice for Norman Finkelstein" (h/t: Daled Amos)

Al-Manar: "Iran warns US: your Mideast bases in our range"

Al-Manar: "Report: Hezbollah rearming under UN's nose"

Saturday, June 09, 2007

IRIB: "Palestinians push into 'Israel'"

This is an interesting example of crude pro-Palestinain spin and selective reporting from Iran's press. What follows is the entire article:

Palestinian combatants managed to push into 1948 occupied Palestine from central Gaza after a clash at the Zionist regime's 'Kissufim' border post.

The brave raid was carried out by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, saying it was a joint four-man operation with Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

It was the first such operation since June 25, 2006 when the Palestinian combatants arrested a soldier of the regime.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades belong to "moderate" Fatah. Islamic Jihad is heavily backed by Iran. According to Ynetnews.com:

Abu Ahmed, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad, told local radio stations that the four gunmen were meant to snatch a soldier but the attempt was foiled when Israeli helicopter gunships arrived on the scene.

“The aim of the operation was to withdraw with the soldier in captivity,” he said, “but the participation of Israeli helicopters prevented that.”

IDF sources reported that look-outs identified a vehicle marked with "TV" insignia approaching the crossing from the Palestinian side of the fence. According to the sources, the Palestinians made an opening in the fence and infiltrated Israeli territory.

See Solomonia

Update: Al-Jazeera refers to a "disguised vehicle" and ends with an interesting bit about kneecaps.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Islam Online: "Ask the Scholar--What is the way to proceed regarding the Palestinian issue?"

According to Wikipedia:

According to Alexa Internet, IslamOnline.net is one of the two most visited Islam-related websites on the Internet. It has forums on various issues (Politics, New Muslims, Entertainment, etc.) and other interactive venues, such as the "Ask the Scholar" section, where visitors can post a question regarding Islam and get response within days.

IslamOnline.net is owned by Sunni Muslim scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi and the Al-Balagh Charity Society in Doha, Qatar.

Qaradawi is sometimes labeled "moderate." Here is an example of the "Ask the scholar" feature on a subject of some interest. The question reads as follows: "What is the way to proceed regarding the Palestinian issue, which has, as the days pass, escalated in terms of complexity and violence?" Here is the answer:

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear questioner, thank you very much for having confidence in us, and we implore Allah earnestly to guide Muslims in all their life affairs.

Palestine is the land of Isra' and Mi`raj (Night Journey and Ascension). It is the blessed land where Jesus was born and Muhammad led all other Prophets in Prayer. Thus, it is the duty of every sincere Muslim to spare no efforts in backing its people and contribute in the so many efforts to restore this land.

In this regard, we would like to furnish you with the following fatwa issued by the late Saudi scholar Sheikh `Abdul `Azîz Ibn Bâz, in which he states the following:

Certainly, Muslims feel much pain and great sadness at the deteriorating situation in Palestine, with matters going from bad to worse, escalating in complexity as the days pass. This is due to the differences among the neighboring countries, and their lack of united resistance against their enemy, and their lack of adherence to the Shari `ah, which is an indispensable yardstick for victory.

The neighboring countries need to rush to unite in their resistance (against the enemy) and adhere to the Shari `ah in confronting this issue, which concerns them and the entire Muslim world.

It is worth stressing here that the Palestinian issue is an Islamic issue from the beginning (right through) to the end. However, the enemies of Islam have spared no pains distancing the Palestinian issue from the Islamic path and conveying to the non-Arab Muslims that they have nothing to do with the case, for it is an Arab issue. It appears they have succeeded in this to a certain extent.

That is why I feel it is not possible to reach a solution regarding this issue unless it’s perceived as an Islamic issue, and unless Muslims support one another in attaining salvation and launching Jihad against the Jews in an Islamic manner. This will help in restoring the land to its rightful owners (the Palestinians) and forcing the trespassing Jews to return to the lands where they came from.

No doubt, the truth shall prevail, falsehood will perish and all rightful owners will one day return to their lands under Islamic rule.

The site links to this item from the main page with the title "Palestine: Sunshine Will Come."

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Amir Taheri: "Forget the 1967 War! Think of This Summer's War"

This is a very important article from one of the leading Middle East analysts. It is refreshing to see all the pieces put together correctly, but overall, the news is not good. Notice that Hamas is called "Salafist":

[...] Right now, the new status quo as shaped by last summer's war between Israel and Hezbollah is under threat in Lebanon. The Islamic Republic in Iran and Syria are determined to break Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's government and transform Lebanon into a gun pointed at Israel. [...]

The status quo is also under threat in the Palestinian territories where what looks like a bourgeoning civil war is already under way at least in Gaza. The Islamic Republic and Syria have joined forces with the international Salafist movement of which Hamas is a part to make sure it does not lose the coming civil war. At the other end of the spectrum, Israel is unlikely to sit back and see Al Fatah, its possible interlocutors in any future peace talks, destroyed by Hamas. [...]

The current avalanche of material about the Six Days War of 1967 has paid little attention to the fact that it came after a long period of proxy war waged by Egypt against Israel through Palestinian armed groups. Although the actual 1967 war was provoked by Egypt's President Jamal Abdul Nasser, possibly egged on by his Soviet allies who hoped to destroy the Israeli nuclear program, it is unlikely that the Jewish state would have tolerated the proxy war waged against it for long before turning into a larger conflict.

The question today is how long it would take before Israel decides that the cost of a long proxy war against it far outweighs that of a broader but shorter war against those who pull the strings from Damascus and ultimately Tehran.

A few weeks ago, there was much talk in Israel of a possible return to peace talks with Syria. Some Israel strategists were even deluding themselves with the theory that Syria would walk away from its Iranian allies in exchange for the prospect of recovering the Golan Heights.

Now, however, almost no one in Israel shares such illusions. Hence, the recent string of statements by Israeli military and political officials about the Jewish state's readiness to take military action against Syria. [...]

Neither Tehran nor Damascus appears to have thought of an alternative in case their current policy of waging proxy becomes too risky. Last week, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of the Islamic Republic made this clear by asserting that the "countdown for the destruction of Israel" had begun with the proxy wars waged against it from Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. There is some evidence that at least part of the Syrian leadership shares Ahmadinejad's illusion.

The problem for those who depend on proxy wars as an instrument of strategy is that, at some point, they may lose control. Like all wars, proxy wars develop their own internal dynamics and, because history is never written in advance, no one, not even those who unleash them in the first place, can set their full course at will.

The overall regional picture becomes even grimmer when one takes into account the proxy wars that the Islamic Republic is waging in Iraq, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan and, more recently, even Turkey, sometimes with Syria as its Man Friday.

Will the Middle East have another summer war soon? It is hard to say. One thing, however, is certain: the situation in the region has reached a degree of dangerous instability that it might not last to the end of the year.

Read the rest.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Friday, June 08, 2007

Don't mess up our unity

More on Sudan's steadfast efforts to resist the latest plots of the World Arrogance. From IRIB:

Sudan faced mounting pressure over peacekeeping force which it believes will serve as a tool by its enemies to mess up the country's unity.

American Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad warned Khartoum that it must quickly accept the deployment of a joint African Union-UN force in Darfur or face UN sanctions, including the imposition of a no-fly zone over the region.

Speaking in an imperialistic tone, he told reporters that if Sudan does not act quickly, "We intend to push for more multilateral sanctions" (that) will include the imposition of a no-fly zone over Darfur."

Voice modulation is one of the principle techniques of the imperialist powers.

Sudan has repeatedly voiced out its concern over the joint force. The Sudanese officials believe the joint 'peacekeeping' force is a tool in the hands of imperialistic powers to control the region and interfere in the country's internal affairs.

Meanwhile ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo urged the UN Security Council in Sudan to press Khartoum to hand in Ahmed Haroun, Sudan's Secretary of State for Humanitarian Affairs and former minister in charge of Darfur, and Ali Kosheib, a Janjaweed accused baselessly for war crimes in Darfur.

Khartoum rejected the ICC's jurisdiction, and made it clear it would not hand over the two men, saying that as it did not accept the establishment of the ICC, the court had no jurisdiction over its citizens.

Also at IRIB: "IRI persevering in its path more steadfastly than ever." They're always reaching new heights.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Thursday, June 07, 2007

MPAC-UK: "Outrage As Israeli Regime To Tag British Products"

I guess they'll only be buying British-made drool buckets:

This week the racist regime of Israel has backed a proposal to boycott Britain. In the proposal they have suggested that British made products are stamped with the words “This country is involved in an anti-Israel boycott”. The boycott itself was morally and ethically justified against a state which is "worse than South Africa Apartheid" – Not our words but those of a South Africa Jewish activist.

Now, it is time to stand up for Britain!

The Pro British Muslim Public Affairs Committee makes this much loud and clear: We will back the British farmers whose products are being tagged with the labels and we, the British people, will expose those Pro-Israeli supporters who have sold out Britain for their careers.

How dare these British MP's condemn the British people for boycotting Israel? Do they not see Israel’sabuses? It's use of children as human shields; the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian villages; the denial of basic human rights to the Palestinians; the refusal to meet Amnesty International delegates for meetings and information about policies; the denial of the Palestinian people to the right to freedom of movement; the Israeli policy of collective punishment (which by the way is outlawed: “… Collective penalties … are prohibited… Reprisal against protected persons and their properties are prohibited”. (Article 33, IV Geneva Convention); the implementation of discrimination“… all protected persons shall be treated with the same consideration by the Party to the conflict in whose power they are, without any adverse distinction based, in particular, on race, religion, or political opinion”. (Article 27, IV Geneva Convention). We can go on but it would take 40 years [why 40 lol] [brackets and drivel in original] to list to the all the injustices committed by the Apartheid state. gross human rights

The Muslim Public Affairs Committee is asking fellow British Citizens to start purchasing home made British products and to start a boycott of all apartheid products, and those who stock apartheid products here in Britain. A prime example being the unethical retailer Marks & Spencer's.

It's time we stood up against the apartheid states economical blackmail. Yes, we are the British people who throughout history stood out against injustice and now it's Israel's turn. The justice of the British people is here.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Mehr News: "Haddad-Adel asks Islamic parliament speakers to save Al-Aqsa"

The most time-tested method of stirring up anti-Israel hysteria in the Middle East is to pretend the Al-Aqsa Mosque is in danger:

On the threshold of the 40th anniversary of the occupation of Qods by the Zionist regime, Iranian Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel sent parliament speakers of Islamic countries an open letter condemning the act on Wednesday.

Haddad-Adel called on the parliament speakers to take serious and coordinated action in response to the desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the destruction of a part of the world’s culture and civilization by the Zionist regime.

“As a result of the vast excavations of the Zionists and their actions in recent months, the religious and historical sites of the city, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque, are under continuous threat,” he said in the letter.

All countries, the followers of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, all lovers of human culture and civilization, and all those who seek justice and respect human dignity should rise up together to help Qods and the oppressed people of Palestine, to liberate the cradle of divine religions and its holy sites from the threat of the Zionists, and to end the occupation of this holy land, Haddad-Adel wrote.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

"criticism is a virtue that is not practiced here . . . we are creative in the art of accommodating ourselves and others to delusion"

I continue to be impressed by things I read in Asharq Alawsat. This is one of the more interesting pieces I have seen about the "setback," what Arabs call the '67 war:

[...] Can the West go back to the time of the Thirty Years’ War between the Catholics and Protestants? Can the revolutions that once overthrew regimes return once again to European capitals? Can the West go back in time to the Kingdom of Prussia era, or even to the time of Bismarck?

Their time marches forward and crosses the past after assimilating and incorporating it into the fabric of the present. Theirs is a past that does not strangle the present but rather enriches it, relieving the past from the pressure of the present and setting the present free from the shackles of the past.

But this is not the case in our part of the world! The past overshadows the present while the present begs for the crumbs of achievement from the past to live on, but neither succeeds in living independently away from the child-like resort to the past, nor can it let go of that past without exaggerating, distorting and even damning it every time it experiences a ‘setback’!

Our time is cyclical and our problems keep revolving until our minds are made dizzy. For forty years, we have talking about victory without a victory, and preaching a unity when none existed – although this same unity is not necessarily the solution inasmuch as it doesn’t need to be a realistic idea that conforms to the geographical and historical conditions. Still, this is what was said and is still being said with a repeated frequency that induces laughter and tears!

Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, the symbol of media defeat, is still talking and talking and talking through his forum on ‘Al Jazeera’. What does this mean?! It means that criticism is a virtue that is not practiced here and that we are creative in the art of accommodating ourselves and others to delusion.

A movement for a new awareness should have been launched, in addition to the removal of the symbols from that cyclical cultural, social and political era. We should have reviewed our history and entire discourse and recognized our true stature – without lies. Moreover, we should have determined our capabilities whilst discerning truth from falsities. A rational shock should have occurred to shake off history, examine the present and come up with an explanation as to why our part of the world has been resisting development, power and growth!

Imagine, after forty years since the defeat and too many promises made about the war to restore our dignity, we are now talking about Fatah al Islam, Osbat al Ansar and Jund al Sham in the Palestinian refugee camps!

In Gaza, both Hamas and Fatah are slaying one another while the world is fed up with us and our endless crises. [...]

Contrast that with the MPAC-UK site. An upcoming Al-Jazeera program, we are told

will explain the truth behind the 6 Day War. It was not, as some incorrectly claim, a pre-emptive strike but rather a well planned military offensive by Israel against its Arab neighbours.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

"DPRK Strives to Prevent Global Warming" (under the wise field guidance of Al Yong Gore)

From (North) Korean News. I feel cooler already:

The abnormal climate phenomena caused by global warming has been raised today as a hard problem in the world.

The UN Environment Programme set "Global Warming" as the theme for this year on the occasion of the World Environment Day (June 5), since it threatens the life and security of humankind.

Organized on the occasion of the day in the country were colorful events including a scientific symposium and a national seminar on reducing the emission of atmospheric green-house gases and preventing global warming, and film shows for arousing profound social interest in the issue.

Jong Hyong Il, a department director in the Ministry of Land and Environment Preservation, told KCNA that the DPRK which has been suffering from the upward temperature in recent years is conducting varied activities in accordance with the world trend for preventing such phenomena. He went on:

It deepens the scientific researches into elevation of energy efficiency and utilization of regenerated energy and directs efforts to the work for applying the results.

The construction of large and minor hydro-power stations is being pushed ahead through an all-people movement and application of wind power positively encouraged.

An effort to improve the efficiency of solar batteries is being made, too.

Meanwhile, a brisk tree-planting campaign is being launched to increase the adsorption of carbon.

The DPRK, a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol and the Montreal Protocol on Substances Destroying Ozone Layer, is doing its best to restrict and reduce the emission of atmospheric green-house gases as much as possible.

Total economic collapse is also good for reducing carbon emissions: no factories, no cars . . .

Monday, June 04, 2007

AP: "1,683 Guitarists Play 'Smoke on Water'"

Splurmp splurmp splurmp
splurmp splurmp spla-splurmp
splurmp splurmp splurmp splurmp splurmp

Splurmp splurmp splurmp
splurmp splurmp spla-splurmp
splurmp splurmp splurmp splurmp splurmp

Splurmp splurmp splurmp
splurmp splurmp spla-splurmp
splurmp splurmp splurmp splurmp splurmp

Via SFGate.com:

More than 1,680 guitar players turned out, tuned up and took part in what organizers say was a world record rendition of Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" — a song that was the first many of them ever learned.

Some came from as far away as California and Germany on Sunday to take part in a Kansas City radio station's effort to break a Guinness world record for the most people playing the same song simultaneously. The record had been 1,323 people playing the same song in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1994.

"It was cool to see little kids playing, people who had been playing for their whole lives, like older people, and then I'm sure there were people like me who just picked up the song a couple days before," said Autumn McPherson, of Winfield, a senior at the University of Kansas.

Preliminary numbers show 1,683 people played the popular early '70s guitar riff on Sunday at Community America Ballpark.[...]

Was the rolling truck stones thing just outside?

Juan Cole sharin' Karin

Remember Karin Friedemann, utterer of the immortal words "Every Jewish family in America that has any property in the Holy Land needs to be prosecuted as part of an organized criminal network"? Guess who just linked approvingly to one of her articles!

Click to enlarge image. Here is an excerpt (not the passage Juan chose) from the article he likes so much:

[Charles] Jacobs' pro-Israel advocacy organization spearheaded the campaign to vilify the Islamic Republic of Sudan, and provided huge quantities of lurid, both popular and pseudo-academic material, in which Sudan is described as a "terrorist, genocidal" state engaged in a "holy war." Charles Jacobs' carefully designed "PR puff pieces" about "slavery" in Sudan have managed to secure national media coverage.

While pro-Palestine activists have long struggled to halt public funding of Israel, the dishonest "Save Darfur!" campaign, put together by DP friends and trainees, is the quickest divestment success in history. Sudan divestment resolutions have become law in Iowa and are in the process of approval in 12 states. The JCRC coordinating with the David Project has further poisoned human rights discourse with this effort to turn Arab and African Americans against each other.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Reptile media, anyone?

Yeah, its another post from Korean News. This one is entitled "Imperialists' Ideological and Cultural Poisoning Accused":

The imperialists' moves for capitalistic ideological and cultural poisoning are their vicious counter-revolutionary ideological offensive aimed at benumbing the sound thinking and consciousness of people and destabilizing and degenerating the anti-imperialist independent countries.

Rodong Sinmun Sunday observes this in a signed article.

It goes on:

The imperialists are keen to spread capitalist idea and culture in a bid to wipe out the revolutionary thinking and consciousness.

It is their calculation that they can not only make their ideology and culture prevail over the whole world but easily win over the people of progressive countries and realize their wild ambition to dominate the world if they effectively use their reptile media without resorting to the force of arms. For this reason, they spend an increasing amount of money every year for boosting the number of reptile media, sharply boosting the quantities of propaganda materials and making them more reactionary and obscene in their contents.

All the propaganda materials produced by the imperialists are without exception most reactionary as they diametrically run counter to progressive ideology and culture and play a very harmful role.

Their moves for ideological and cultural poisoning adversely affect the struggle of the people for independence against imperialism.

There is one weapon in the imperialist arsenal more sinister and destructive than any other: paragraph development!

The struggle against imperialism precisely means a showdown between forces and ideologies. It is impossible to advance revolution and protect the gains of revolution already achieved unless people are equipped with progressive thought and get working class awareness.

The struggle against the capitalist ideological and cultural poisoning means fierce confrontation with imperialists and a struggle to defend the country's sovereignty without gunfire.

The Korean people will thoroughly frustrate the imperialists' vicious capitalist ideological and cultural poisoning with a high degree of revolutionary vigilance, firmly defend the socialist political and ideological position and thus powerfully accelerate the building of a great prosperous powerful nation, the article concludes.

In case you were wondering, I don't actually read these things before posting them--that's your job!

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Al Manar TV: "Ahmadinejad: Countdown to Israel destruction has begun"

The Western media has been reporting on this speech and its "desruction" rhetoric, while the English versions of the Iranian news agencies have been keeping their noses relatively clean with references to "enemies who are on the verge of collapse," but nothing with "Israel" and "destruction" in the same phrase. I was hoping to find something straight from the horses mouth, or at least one of the horse's allies, and here it is: "Ahmadinejad: Countdown to Israel destruction has begun" from Hizbullah's Al Manar TV:

The countdown to Israel's destruction has begun, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a speech commemorating the death of Iranian revolution leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on Sunday. "The arrogant superpowers and the Zionist regime invested all their efforts during the 33-day war, but after 60 years, their pride has been trampled and the countdown to the destruction of this regime has been started by Hizbullah fighters," the president was quoted as saying by Iranian news agency Mehr.

Ahmadinejad added that "with the help of all the Lebanese and Palestinian fighters, we will witness the destruction of this regime in the near future… Anyone who works for God and believes in the power of the people will prevail." "We are already witnessing the repercussions of the surrender. The people of Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Afghanistan and all over the world are joining this river that will soon be linked to the ocean of truth and justice," he said.

Ahmadinejad said that according to Imam Khomeini's teachings, "no power can stand in the way of a people's will for independence."

Crossposted on Soccerdad

Update: Fars News (possible security threat) now has the following:

Ahmadinejad said last summer's war between Israel and Hezbollah showed for the first time that the "hegemony of the occupier regime (Israel) had collapsed, and the Lebanese nation pushed the button to begin counting the days until the destruction of the Zionist regime."

"God willing, in the near future we will witness the destruction of the corrupt occupier regime," Ahmadinejad was quoted by IRNA as saying during a speech to foreign guests mostly from African, Arab and neighboring countries who attended ceremonies marking the 18th anniversary of the departure of the Late Founder and Father of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini.

Linkim 6/3/07

Haveil Havalim 119 is up at Soccer Dad! Carnival of the Insanities is up!

Hitchens on Hitchens

Bibi on the British academic boycott (courtesy of Israel Matzav)

NY Times on the boycott

Chicago Sun-Times on double standards (h/t: Daled Amos)

Simply Jews on the boycott

Kramer on Mideast Studies

Joseph Hertzlinger on "Cruelty to Mathematics"

Amir Taheri: "Iraq: When Will the Americans Leave?"

Friday, June 01, 2007

What 's really wrong with the proposed British academic boycott of Israel

There is a recent, well-meaning Daily Kos post called "The Folly of the Academic Boycott of Israel," and it offers the usual wishy-washy left-wing reasons against it: it won't help, it injures academic freedom, it hurts academics sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, etc. It should not be necessary, but it in the face of such feebleness, it might be useful to review what exactly is wrong with the proposed boycott.

Israel is a liberal democracy. Its political center of gravity is somewhat to the left of that of the United States. That is not just a description of what it is but how it has acted. Israel has maintained the upper hand (although just barely) in a protracted and very difficult struggle with an enemy that will not accept its existence.

Israel has not had the stomach to take actions harsh enough to decisively defeat its enemies, and it recently damaged its security by handing over territory to an enemy that every reasonable person assumed would use the territory as a military asset. It was acting partly and incredibly, as it has in many instances, out of sympathy with its enemy. Israel (unlike its enemies, actually) has not done anything to merit a boycott.

On June 30, 2004, Israel's Supreme Court ruled that the route of the much-maligned security wall had to be changed because it was too injurious to Palestinian interests. A ruling equivalently sympathetic to people hostile to the interests of the society making the ruling would be unthinkable in a large number of countries hostile to Israel, and for what its worth, Israel is morally superior to all of them.

Supporting the proposed boycott is an act of solidarity with the Izz-ad din Al-Qassam Brigades, the Al-Quds Brigades, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Abu Hitler (a real person--in fact, several real people), Carlos the Jackal, Imad Mugniyah, Iran, Syria, North Korea, and the PFLP. It is an act of retroactive solidarity with Nicolai Ceausescu, Walter Ulbricht, and the Red Army Factions. It is an offense to political moderation, common decency, and, yes, the Jewish people. It embraces evil, and its advocates should be evicted from the community of the reasonable.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Thursday, May 31, 2007

BBC: "Lebanese opposition party Hezbollah has condemned . . . "

Opposition. Party. I suppose there is a journalistic convention that one identifies things and the BBC thinks that it is more important to be neutral than to actually dispel the ignorance of the three readers out there who do not know what Hizbullah is.

Lebanese opposition party Hezbollah has condemned a UN Security Council vote to set up a tribunal to try suspects in the killing of Rafik Hariri.

The ex-PM and 22 other people died in a huge car bombing in Beirut in 2005.

A UN inquiry has suggested that Syrian and Lebanese intelligence forces played a role - which Syria denies.

The pro-Syrian Hezbollah group, which has previously blocked a parliamentary vote on the plan, said the UN decision violated Lebanese sovereignty.

"Pro-Syrian"? Wouldn't "Syrian-backed" (and Iranian backed) be a more informative way to put it? I suppose the story must avoid stating the obvious at all costs: Hizbullah opposes the tribunal because it works for the guilty party. Perhaps if you read the whole article from start to finish you kinda sorta get the idea. They're subtle, those journalists.

"The resolution, as much as it constitutes a violation of the Lebanese state and an attack on its internal affairs, it is contrary to legal rules and the charters and principles of the United Nations and the objectives for which it was established to achieve," the statement said.

The resolution was "illegal and illegitimate at the national and international level", the group added. [...]

Read the rest if you are more patient than me.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Spot Open on Watcher's Council

Watcher of Weasels has just announced that there is an open spot on the prestigious Watcher's Council. If you are a blogger and are not too busy flaying the plots of the Yankee Imperialists, strengthening the unity of the Ummah, or building a great powerful prosperous nation with the might of Songun, you might want to apply to join. (Image source.)