By Gary Gerofsky

The far left of center Canadian New Democratic Party (NDP) has been an option that a minority of voters in Canada considered seriously. Federally, they have never been in power and, of the three main parties (Conservative, Liberal and NDP), the NDP always came in third. Provincially they have held power in Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and partially in the Yukon.

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by Sterling Jensen*

The Middle East political storm of early 2011 has had an interesting impact on Iraq. Though the government was confronted with almost daily demonstrations, which led to a number of high profile resignations and the use of force to suppress political dissent, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki felt sufficiently confident to boast that “Iraq has become the most stable country in the region.”[1] While this may seem a bold claim given the recent past, Maliki is not alone in showing confidence in Iraq’s prospects. The Sadrists, Kurds, and leaders of the primarily Sunni Iraqiya bloc have been equally upbeat about the country’s prospects while many Iraqi insiders believe that their battle-torn country will not only weather the instability but will also serve as a model for democracy.

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by Daniel Pipes*

To keep Kurds out of parliament, the military authors of the 1982 Turkish constitution instituted the unheard-of threshold of 10 percent, meaning that a political party that won less than that proportion of the total vote did not gain any seats. This rule has had a huge impact on Turkish political life, especially in 2002, when it transformed the AK Party’s third of the votes into two thirds of the seats. It has also caused the ruling AKP party, despite its increasing popular vote, to control a steadily smaller number of the 550 seats. Note in particular the bolded numbers:

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By Barry Rubin

Amr Moussa, probably Egypt’s next president, has given a comprehensive picture of his views, a foretaste of the likely policies of someone about to become the Arab world’s most powerful person. One thing he said is particularly important and shocking. Read on.

Moussa, former Egyptian foreign minister (1991-2001) and head of the Arab League until his resignation takes effect on May 15, is a figure from the Egyptian establishment and the old regime. But which aspect of the old regime: that of the centrist Husni Mubarak, the moderate Anwar al-Sadat, or the radical Arab nationalist Gamal Abd al Nasser?

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By Barry Rubin

Remember when we were told that the Muslim Brotherhood was moderate and weak? Why it was so benign that the Brotherhood had even promised only to contest one-third of the seats. And a revolutionary Islamist, antisemitic and genocide-oriented, anti-American, anti-Western, and anti-Christian organization would never lie to us, right?

I mean you can call for all of the Jews in the world to be wiped out; demand a jihad against America; and work day and night for decades to bring to power a totalitarian Islamist state that would chop off limbs, stone people, and murder anyone who didn’t want to be a Muslim any more. But you would never, ever deceive an American reporter!

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by Daniel Pipes*

The Economist asked Anoush Ehteshami of Durham University and Daniel Pipes to address the motion: “Egypt will become a democracy within a year.” Ehteshami’s response in favor can be read here. Mr. Pipes’s response follows below.

Two reasons lead me to assert that the Arab Republic of Egypt will not boast a democratic political system at this time next year.

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By Thomas Drewing

The GOP still doesn’t get it. They think that people will be mollified by the appearance of taking the Constitution and “We The People” seriously. And they know that far more people will be satisfied by the “news” that they are going to actually read it aloud, than will actually tune in and listen to that very reading.

What is lost on many of them though is the fact that this will be the first time many, if not most, of the actual Congress Critters themselves, have actually heard the words our country is founded upon. And in their desire to appear as though they have gravity and thoughtfulness, they will sit there, and place themselves in a thoughtful appearing state to listen. And actually… that is enough to make the difference.

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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 Daniel Pipes*

As Americans learn more about Islam, the aspect they find most objectionable is not its theology (such as whether Allah is God or not) nor its symbolism (such as an Islamic cultural center in lower Manhattan) but its law code, called the Sharia. Rightly, they say no to a code that privileges Muslims over non-Muslims, men over women, and contains many elements inimical to modern life.

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By Barry Rubin

What effect will the congressional elections have on U.S. foreign policy generally and Middle East policy in particular?

It isn’t a matter of the individual candidates, since nobody lost or won who will have some big influence on U.S. policy in the next couple of years. The important factor is to what extent the White House hears the message being delivered by the electorate, which of course is largely concerned with domestic issues. Even, by itself, will a Republican majority in the House of Representatives force any shift since the White House really does control foreign policy?

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Now that Republicans have taken the House and strengthened their hand in the Senate, will they deliver what voters want — good, common sense centrist legislation — or will they pursue an extremist agenda just like the Democrats did in 2008? Hello? Is anyone in Washington listening? But the plot thickens, and the politics of the next 2 years will hinge on three yet too-close-to-call Senate races:

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by Daniel Pipes*

A new German political party, Die Freiheit (The Freedom), had its inaugural meeting on October 28 in Berlin. I was in town, so its leadership invited me to be the only non-member of the nascent party to witness and report on its founding constituent assembly.

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One of President Obama’s 2008 campaign promises was to reach out to and work with Republicans. That obviously never happened as he’s now back-peddling on calling some American citizens — Republicans — the “enemies” of Latino voters. Doi, Mr. Obama, but most of the Republicans I’m voting for are Hispanic/Latino.

A day before the pivotal midterm elections, President Barack Obama pulled back from remarks he made last month when he called on Latino voters to punish their “enemies” on Election Day. In an interview Monday with radio host Michael Baisden, Obama said he should have used the word “opponents” instead of enemies. …

Republicans were quick to criticize the president’s remarks. House Minority Leader John Boehner was expected to use Obama’s words in an election eve speech in Ohio to paint the president as a staunch partisan.

“Sadly, we have a president who uses the word ‘enemy’ for fellow Americans, fellow citizens. He used it for people who disagree with his agenda of bigger government,” Boehner said, according to prepared remarks released in advance of his speech.

Obama’s original comments came during an interview with Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo, a Hispanic radio personality. Piolin questioned how Obama could ask Latinos for their vote when many don’t believe he’s worked hard to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

Obama responded: “If Latinos sit out the election instead of saying, ‘We’re gonna punish our enemies and we’re gonna reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us,’ if they don’t see that kind of upsurge in voting in this election, then I think it’s gonna be harder.” …

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From an article in the POLITICO entitled, “The twilight of Harry Reid?:”

… Asked how he could be so confident when polls have consistently shown his opponent ahead for weeks, Reid’s frayed nerves came to the surface. “I’m not going to get into this poll stuff, OK?” he snapped, pale eyes flashing. “We’re satisfied where we are. We’re fine, OK? So, I’m not going to get into polling with you. All you have to do is look at early voting.” …

Poor Harry and his frayed nerves.

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Of course, I’m being facetious when I say, “Dark Side.” Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid have done so much damage in 2 years that Democrats are sick and tired of their own party, as well as incumbents in general. Time for the “change” to be changed:

Republican Susana Martinez had a double-digit lead over Democratic Lt. Gov. Diane Denish heading into New Mexico’s gubernatorial election Tuesday, a new Journal Poll found.

Martinez’s lead had widened to 10 percentage points compared with the last poll, in late September, when she had a six-point lead.

One of the reasons for Martinez’s lead was that one-fourth of Democrats surveyed crossed over and said they would vote for her. …

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