by Daniel Huff*

Last Christmas, it looked like TSA might finally be getting serious.

That day, Umar Abdulmutallab very nearly brought down a jetliner using explosives hidden in his underwear. The agency’s response was swift and two-fold.

Body scanners would become the norm in major airports. When TSA first proposed this, prior to the attack, the plan faced fierce opposition. Legislation was even introduced to prohibit it. The near-miss changed the mood. Suddenly, as a former security official put it, critics of the technology had “some explaining to do.”

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By Fern Sidman

On March 1, 1973, former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir met with President Richard Nixon and his then Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger. At this meeting Meir pleaded with the U.S. president and Kissinger to apply pressure on the Soviet Union to release its Jews. Little did Meir know that her words were not only being summarily dismissed by these two world leaders but that the meeting was being secretly taped by Nixon, who possessed a vitriolic hatred towards Jews and other minorities.

Twenty-seven years later, these never before heard tapes from the Nixon Library have now been released and the New York Times has now reported that Kissinger displayed a callous indifference towards a possible Soviet inspired genocide against the Jews. “The emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union is not an objective of American foreign policy,” says Kissinger, adding that, “If they put Jews into gas chambers in the Soviet Union, it is not an American concern. Maybe a humanitarian concern.” Nixon then replies: “I know. We can’t blow up the world because of it.”

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All of poor Sweden’s disgusting political correctness has not spared it from terrorism. Swedes learned that this weekend with an attack in Stockholm accompanied by a message stating, “Now the Islamic state has been created. We now exist here in Europe and in Sweden. We are a reality…” What a big surprise. Thugs like Islamists are never afraid of cowards.

I have no sympathy for the mass of Swedes who have engaged in the worst forms of cowardice — selfish cowardice motivated by a fear of terrorism and a fear of losing the good life (”Let the rest of ‘em eat cake,” huh?). Of course, there are decent Swedes who care about freedom, true democracy, and tolerance, but I haven’t heard much from them. Mostly what I hear are stories of: growing anti-Semitism and blatant Israel-bashing; a nation with, “the most generous welfare, asylum, and immigration policies in Europe … with about 100,000 immigrants entering a country of almost 9 million every year…;” a country “where layers of ideological nonsense have been allowed to pile up for generations without stop;” and a land where, “In Muslim Neighborhoods, Firemen and Emergency Workers Refuse to Enter Without Police Protection.”

Sweden used to be a virtual paradise. I was amazed whilst wandering there in the early 80’s. I wonder if those days are gone forever. Dear Swedes: Don’t say we didn’t warn you idiots.

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By Barry Rubin

I think this lead from Jackson Diehl’s Washington Post article says it all:

“The latest collapse of the Middle East peace process has underlined a reality that the Obama administration has resisted since it took office–that neither the current Israeli government nor the Palestinian Authority shares its passion for moving quickly toward a two-state settlement. And it has left President Obama with a tough choice: quietly shift one of his prized foreign policy priorities to a back burner — or launch a risky redoubling of U.S. efforts.”

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By Jonathan Spyer

The diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks earlier this week confirm that the key strategic process taking place in the Middle East is the push for regional dominance by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The documents show that the Iranian nuclear program is only the most worrisome element of a broader effort, as there is additional evidence of Iranian involvement and interference in political processes across the region.

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… The Abacus poll also showed that Canadians have strong opinions on the question of integrating immigrants. A majority of those born in Canada (71%) and those born outside of the country (65%) agree with the statement: “Too many recent immigrants don’t want to fit into Canadian society.” …

- Toronto Sun

Canada is one of my favorite countries, and I travel there constantly. It is truly one of the world’s great liberal democracies. I’m using “liberal” in the traditional sense, meaning open-minded and democratic. Well, Canada got a bit too “progressive,” and because of things like failed Islamist bomb plots and “honor” murders, Canadians have moved towards the center, for example, re-electing a prime minister (Stephen Harper) who is a staunch supporter of Israel.

According to the poll reported on by the Toronto Sun (noted above):

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By Mark Krikorian, CIS.org

The amnesty-for-illegals crowd has found some sympathetic poster children.

Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have pledged a vote as early as this week on the DREAM Act (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors), a bill that would legalize illegal aliens who arrived here before the age of 16 and who comply with certain educational or military-service requirements.

The core principle behind this amnesty proposal is that it is aimed at those who have grown up here and are, psychologically and emotionally, Americans. In the words of America’s Voice, a hard-left open-borders group, the beneficiaries of the measure are “patriotic young Americans in all but paperwork.”

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by Lee Smith*

The Middle East Quarterly is pleased to inaugurate a new section dedicated to the region’s current affairs. Written by scholars, journalists, and practitioners, Dateline offers succinct analyses of recent trends. Its main focus will be capitals and flashpoints, but it will offer regular reporting from the United States where many of the Middle East’s political issues are played out, and from Europe where Muslim communities have an increasingly prominent role. This feature begins with an article by Lee Smith on the imminent succession problem in Egypt as seen from Washington. –The Editors

As the Obama administration crosses its fingers in the hope that an Iraq currently without a government will somehow stabilize and justify the American blood and money spent over the last seven years, Washington has started to turn its attention to what has historically been one of Baghdad’s rival centers of Arab power — Cairo.

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By Barry Rubin

As I predicted here ten days ago, the Obama Administration has now given up attempts to get Israel to agree to a three-month freeze of construction on existing settlements.

Here is the most fascinating sentence in the New York Times’ coverage:

“Officials said the administration decided to pull the plug because it concluded that even if Mr. Netanyahu persuaded his cabinet to accept an extension - which he had not yet been able to do - the 90-day negotiating period would not have produced the progress on core issues that the administration originally had hoped for.”

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By Fern Sidman

“The right of the Jewish people to their homeland is with G-d”, declared Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas Governor and FOX News Channel TV host, as he delivered an impassioned address at the 28th annual Bet El dinner, held Sunday evening, December 5th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Manhattan.

While political insiders are suggesting that Governor Huckabee will throw his hat in the ring as a potential GOP candidate for the presidency in 2012, the Governor stopped short of doing so. “I’m not ready to announce my candidacy for president just yet”, he said. Huckabee, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, musician and public speaker, ran a close second to Arizona Senator John McCain as the Republican nominee for president in 2008.

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by Phyllis Chesler

The propaganda campaign in favor of Islam is intense, subtle, clever, elegant, vulgar, massively well-funded, and incredibly well coordinated, synchronous, just like suicide bombings often are.

This “war by other means” is even more important, partly because it continues to “gentle” the West into submission by misinforming the public and partly because this kind of stealth warfare remains curiously and stubbornly below the radar of our intelligentsia and our media.

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By Fern Sidman

Several hundred people gathered at The Helmsley Park Lane Hotel in Manhattan on Thursday evening, December 2nd, to honor Jonathan Lippman, the Chief Judge of the State of New York and the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals at the 2010 Pursuit of Justice Awards dinner, sponsored by the American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists.

Founded in 1983 as the national affiliate of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, the AAJLJ represents the American Jewish legal community through its courageous work in safeguarding the civil and human rights of Jews and others in the U.S. and abroad. The AAJLJ fulfills its mission through the establishment of multifarious programs which include the sponsorship of regular events featuring speakers and discussions on topical legal issues, the promotion of the study of Jewish law and ethics through law school courses, seminars and publications, assisting the IAJLJ in utilizing its official international status as a United Nations Non-governmental Organization (NGO) to provide diplomatic and legal assistance to Jews around the world, its publication of the AAJLJ newsletter designed to keep members abreast of the Association’s activities and topical legal subjects, and through organizing law oriented missions to Israel.

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Interview with Daniel Pipes*

Citizen Times: Mr. Pipes, you head various organizations concerning the Middle East and Islam, and are one of the best known American writers on these subjects. How did this all begin for you?

Daniel Pipes: I am a historian of Islam with a special interest in the role of Islam in public life. I received my Ph.D. in 1978, just as Ayatollah Khomeini appeared. For the first time in modern history, Islam had a large and obvious role in Western public life. What had been in the 1970s an abstract interest turned very practical. Islamic matters subsequently became very topical. That prompted me to transit from medieval history to current events. While I cover many other topics besides Islam, Islam remains central to my interests. I have a perspective I hope is useful to understand the role of Islam in politics.

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by Phyllis Chesler

Words fail me. Well — not really.

Megan Fox should think twice before dishonoring an entire movement because she disagrees with its position on reproductive rights and its analysis of marriage. My Second Wave generation of feminists bravely exposed the pre-existing epidemic of rape, woman-battering, and incest within families and we exposed the sexual harassment and sexual abuse of women at work and on the streets. We lobbied, demonstrated, counseled the victims of violence, and passed legislation to prosecute these formerly “secret” crimes — as crimes.

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The sign reads, “Delicious for Chanukak - Boneless Smoked Ham.” My grandmother would’ve been running around in circles screaming, “Oy, vey!” Maybe they could suggest some milk products to go with the ham. Found this on Facebook, and the comment accompanying the photo reads, “Dear Walmart, I think you are barking up the wrong tree. Love, The Jews:”

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