by Reza Molavi and K. Luisa Gandolfo*

In the 30-year reign of Iran’s Islamic Republic, there have been few controversies as serious as the one surrounding the 2009 elections. The votes that brought Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power for a second term have been challenged, not just on paper, but by citizens taking to the streets in angry protests that have only been quelled by brute force on the part of the establishment. Less well known is the upset that followed Ahmadinejad’s nepotistic appointment of Esfandiar Rahim Masha’i, the father of his daughter-in-law, to the post of first vice president. Not long after this, Iran’s supreme leader, ‘Ali Khamenei, demonstrated his personal authority over the entire political system by forcing Ahmadinejad to reconsider his appointee, leading to Masha’i’s dismissal. Masha’i had become controversial for his impolitic references to Israel and America. In a speech at a tourism convention in July 2008, for example, he had observed: “Not only we have no enemy, but we are friends with the American people, with the Israeli people, and we are proud that we are friendly with all the nations in the world.”[1]

(more…)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dafna Aviv of the Israeli Economic Mission at 713.599.0290 or Dafna.Aviv@israeltrade.gov.il

ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Representatives from the Israeli and New Mexico water and clean technology industries will gather for a business seminar in Albuquerque on February 24th for an exchange of technologies and information, to encourage joint economic development, to expand trade, and to solidify social and economic ties between the two regions. Both Israel and New Mexico have arid to semi-arid climates, and face similar challenges in water and other resource conservation. Both regions are leading centers for innovating new technologies: for water conservation, cleaning and reclamation; alternative energy technologies; and general, leading-edge research into new sciences.

(more…)

WASHINGTON (February 16, 2010) — Few economists would assert that America has a shortage of unskilled labor. Yet every year, employers are permitted to import tens of thousands of unskilled guestworkers to fill jobs the employers claim no Americans want — jobs they claim are temporary or seasonal.

(more…)

WASHINGTON (February 3, 2010) — A new Zogby poll of senior executives, business owners, and members of union households finds that each of these groups thinks the best way to deal with illegal immigrants in the country is to enforce the law and cause them to return home. This is in stark contrast to lobbyists for large companies, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which argue for legalization. The findings of the survey are consistent with surveys done by the National Federation of Independent Business, which represents small enterprises, showing strong opposition to legalization. Among unions, the leadership strongly supports legalizing illegal immigrants, but this survey shows enforcement — not legalization — is by far the option favored by union members and their families. This survey of likely voters uses neutral language and includes 7,046 members of union households, 2,490 executives (e.g., CEOs, CFOs, VPs or department heads), and 9,990 small business owners.

Among the findings:

(more…)

by Patrick Knapp*

The Obama administration is caught on the horns of a dilemma. On the one hand, it has welcomed the Gulf Security Dialogue (GSD) as a chance to further “mutual interests” with Persian Gulf states, but, on the other, it has sought pragmatic engagement with the Islamic Republic–the greatest threat to gulf security. Michael Knights, a Persian Gulf expert at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, noted in September that the “rapid advances” of the military forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) were the result of the dialogue. He predicts that they “may eclipse Iranian capabilities in the gulf within ten years.”[1] Yet the GSD’s initiatives are inadequate and need a foreign policy that stresses relationships and ideals. If policy within the gulf is to be dominated by short-term pragmatic demands, it may turn out to have unwanted consequences for other alliances in the region. That in turn could well have a negative impact on the United States.

(more…)

WASHINGTON (January 19, 2010) — A key statutory tool to prosecute identity thieves was significantly weakened by a May 2009 Supreme Court ruling in the case of Flores-Figueroa v. United States. The case held that prosecutors not only must prove that there was an identity-theft victim, but that the defendant knew he had used a real person’s identity information, as opposed to not knowing whether the information was counterfeit or real. The result is to curtail prosecutors’ ability to go after the crime of identity theft, which is disproportionately committed by illegal immigrants.

A new Center for Immigration Studies report explores this issue with an eye toward offering a solution. In ‘Fixing Flores: Assuring Adequate Penalties for Identity Theft and Fraud,’ CIS Director of National Security Studies Janice Kephart does the following:

(more…)

by Matthew Levitt*

It costs a lot of money to run an insurgency. There are arms to buy, attacks to launch, bribes to pay. The local population has to be won over, and extensive networks have to be actively maintained, often involving members of various groups, criminal syndicates, corrupt officials, and independent operators such as local smugglers. Explosive devices have to be made, guns have to be brought in from abroad, volunteers have to be indoctrinated and trained.

(more…)

By David North, CIS.org

The headline above was not the headline used by the Washington Post of January 9 over an immigration policy story; the Post’s bland take was: “Immigrants invest in U.S. businesses in exchange for visas“, but either heading would have been equally accurate.

The rich have always had a way to avoid troublesome programs that weigh on the rest of us. During the Civil War, on the Union side, a young man could avoid the draft by hiring a substitute. During the Vietnam War, if you could afford to stay in graduate school for years, you could avoid that war’s draft, as former Vice President Cheney did. And it is true in the immigration process as well.

(more…)

By R. A. Sprinkle

The edge of the abyss

Although the decline of the United States has taken place over a period of decades, in retrospect, critical moments provide the dots, which, when connected create on ominous picture of conspiracy. Yes, conspiracy — the “C” word — a word stigmatized to instantly conjure in the mind visages of paranoid schizoids in tin-foil hats with eyes darting to and fro frantically in search of secret enemy agents. There is no ‘man’ behind the curtain — or so they would have everyone believe. And, in a sense, they are right; for the ‘man’ is not behind the curtain, but working openly, convincing onlookers they are seeing something other than what is before them.

(more…)

WASHINGTON (December 10, 2009) — The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) has released a new study detailing the U-6 unemployment rates among native born workers. U-6 is a broader measure of employment that includes the unemployed, people who would like to work but who have not looked for a job recently, and those involuntarily working part-time. A look at these numbers shows the situation is particularly bad for minorities, the young, and less-educated Americans. These are the workers who face the most competition from immigrants — legal and illegal.

(more…)

By Barry Rubin

Ugarte: “But think of all the poor devils who cannot meet Renault’s price. I get it for them for half. Is that so parasitic?”

Rick: “I don’t mind a parasite. I object to a cut-rate one.” –From the film “Casablanca,” 1942

Wow what a great lesson in Middle East politics! Bear with me. The issue seems obscure but the story is a treasure house of dark humor and educational value.

(more…)

By Jonathan Spyer

The Syrian Al-Watan newspaper reported on Wednesday that a two-day visit by Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz was due to begin that day. The talks, Al-Watan noted, would conclude with the signing of a joint agreement on the issue of taxes.

This is what is known as setting a low bar for success. The editors of Al-Watan have good reason for their caution. Despite the great importance being attached by some regional analysts to the Saudi-Syria talks, they are unlikely to herald a fundamental shift in regional diplomacy.

(more…)

Mexicans also Feel Mexican-Americans Should Be Loyal to Mexico

WASHINGTON — A new survey by Zogby International finds that people in Mexico think that granting legal status to illegal immigrants would encourage more illegal immigration to the United States. As the top immigrant-sending country for both legal and illegal immigrants, views on immigration in Mexico can provide insight into the likely impact of an amnesty, as well as other questions related to immigration.

(more…)

An interview with Joel Busner of B’Ahavat Yisrael

By Fern Sidman

After moving to Israel almost 10 years ago, American Jewish activist Joel Busner never thought that he’d be spearheading a campaign to help reclaim Jewish agricultural land in the Galilee that has been commandeered by Arabs, but that is precisely what he’s doing. His charitable organization, B’Ahavat Yisrael (with love of Israel) has focused it’s energy and resources on delivering food packages and providing essential services to beleaguered Jews in such places as Sderot and to those Jewish evacuees from Gaza, but now his motto has become, “it’s time to take our country back,” as he addresses the issues of saving Jewish land in the Galilee, teaching Jews about the importance of agricultural skills and reviving the concept of Jewish labor.

(more…)

By Barry Rubin

The United States — along with Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany — met with Iran in Geneva and officials, media, and experts proclaim it a success. Was its nuclear program what Iran defused or merely Western pressure?

It is widely claimed that the meeting in Geneva obtained three great achievements toward ending the long-running Iran nuclear arms’ campaign.

(more…)