by Raymond Ibrahim*

That democracy equates freedom is axiomatic in the West. Say the word “democracy” and images of a free, pluralistic, and secular society come to mind. Recently commenting on the turmoil in Egypt, President Obama made this association when he said that “the United States will continue to stand up for democracy and the universal rights that all human beings deserve” — as if the two are inseparable.

But are they? Does “democracy” always lead to “universal rights” — and all of the other boons associated with that form of governance?

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By Barry Rubin

“The People Toppled the Government,” is al-Ahram’s headline, and the general interpretation of the Egyptian revolution around the world. That’s true but only partly true. Mubarak’s pedestal was shaken by the people but he was pushed off it by the army and the establishment.

Let’s remember something that nobody wants to hear right now. The revolution in Egypt succeeded because the army didn’t want President Husni Mubarak any more. When people say things like: The army wouldn’t shoot down its own people. Why? It has done so before.

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British Prime Minister David Cameron has taken a very public stand against Islamic extremism, giving me hope that Europeans are getting tired of their teeming mass of restive, violent Muslim immigrants. Cameron spoke Saturday February 5 at the Munich Security Conference. Here is the full text of his speech. Please read it and pass it on:

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by Daniel Pipes*

Perhaps alone in the coterie focused on the Islamist threat to Europe, I am cheerful these days. That’s because I see the anti-Islamist reaction growing even more quickly than the Islamist threat itself.

The stirring speech by British prime minister David Cameron on Feb. 5, in which he intelligently focused on what he called the “hands-off tolerance” of “Islamist extremism,” including its non-violent forms, exactly fits this pattern.

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By Barry Rubin

There is no good policy for the United States regarding the uprising in Egypt but the Obama Administration may be adopting something close to the worst option. This is its first real international crisis. And it seems to be adopting a policy that, while somewhat balanced, is pushing the Egyptian regime out of power. The situation could not be more dangerous and might be the biggest disaster for the region and Western interests since the Iranian revolution three decades ago.

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Why believe the rabid, anti-Semitic, anti-Israel Big Lie being promoted by the Left (e.g., public radio’s “Democracy Now”), the Palestinian Authority, and the Islamists? Just ask Palestinians themselves, as did Pechter Middle East Polls and the Council on Foreign Relations. They found that 39% of East Jerusalem Palestinians want to be citizens of “apartheid” Israel (see also here):

… The most striking finding relates to East Jerusalemite preferences for citizenship after a two-state solution has been reached. When asked if they preferred to become a citizen of Palestine, with all of the rights and privileges of other citizens of Palestine, or a citizen of Israel, with all of the rights and privileges of other citizens of Israel, only 30% chose Palestinian citizenship. Thirty five percent chose Israeli citizenship and 35% declined to answer or said they didn’t know. A similar question asked respondents if “most people in your neighborhood” would prefer to become citizens of Palestine or of Israel: 31% estimated that most people prefer Palestinian citizenship; 39% estimated that most people prefer Israeli citizenship; and 30% declined to answer or said they didn’t know.

Furthermore, when asked if they would move to a different home inside Israel, if their neighborhood became part of Palestine, 40% said they were likely to move to Israel. …

Respondents were asked to provide the top 2 reasons they chose one citizenship over the other. Those who chose Israeli citizenship most often mentioned freedom of movement in Israel, higher income and better job opportunities, and Israeli health insurance. …

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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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… 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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In an article entitled, “Israel’s English-Language Media, AFP, Selectively Report on Israeli Poll,” CAMERA shows how the media emphasizes Jewish dislikes but minimizes or ignores Arab (Palestinian) dislikes:

… Perhaps most interesting to observers of the Arab-Israeli conflict, Jews were asked if it would bother them to have Arabs as neighbors, and Arabs were asked if it would bother them to have Jews as neighbors. Indeed, the English-language Web sites of Ha’aretz, Yediot Aharonot and the Jerusalem Post each mentioned this aspect of the poll in their coverage of the overall findings. So did Agence France Presse. But in a striking double standard, each of these news sources presented readers with only half of the picture, relaying that many Jews expressed discomfort about the idea of living next to an Arab but altogether ignoring the fact that even more Arabs expressed discomfort about the idea of living next to a Jew. …

Israeli Arab respondents expressed less tolerance for foreign neighbors; 70 percent of whom said they would rather not live beside a homosexual couple, while 67 percent said they would rather not live next to Haredi families. …

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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

–The UN annual Human Development Report for 2010 ranks Israel at number 15 of 169 countries in the world in terms of the health, education, freedom, and income of its citizens.

–Well worth reading, Steven J. Rosen, “The Arab Lobby: The European Component.” Despite the title, it also includes new information on the history of U.S.-Israel relations and on Arab lobbies in the United States.

–Danny Seaman, director of the Foreign Press Office, discusses the Western media and Israel in a long interview. But the article also includes what might be the best succinct statement I’ve ever seen on the development of Israeli worldview and perceptions:

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WASHINGTON (October 26, 2010) — Some commentators have argued that Hispanic turnout in the upcoming mid-term elections will be higher than usual, while others have argued that it will be lower. A new report from the Center for Immigration examines these claims and provides a means for evaluating them, based on data collected by the Census Bureau.

“The Hispanic Vote in the Upcoming 2010 Elections” is available online. Among the findings:

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

Never mind just the poll numbers (see here and here), you can feel it in the air. Americans are pissed — mostly at Obama and his Democratic congress. Even our “great” media outlets are admitting that Democrats are in trouble, but to varying degrees. Take the LA Times and NY Times. The former is desperately trying to put lipstick on the pig, while the latter is basically admitting the truth, though reluctantly:

The LA Times cries, “Conservatives struggle to unify for voter outreach:”

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By Andrew L. Jaffee

I tell ya,’ when I’m waiting for, boarding, or riding on a good ole jet liner, I get nervous when I see Vikings — you know, with their battle axes, swords, and especially those horned helmets. And, ya’ know, some of them have names like, “Skull-splitter.” I guess I’ll have to take flak from the local Scandinavian community, but hey, that’s how I feel. Note the widely acclaimed animated hit, “The Secret of Kells,” didn’t portray Vikings in a positive light as Vikings were the terrorists of their era.

OK, that was a bit metaphorical, but now-former National Public Radio (NPR) commentator Juan Williams similarly spoke from the heart:

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Barack Obama won 77% of the Jewish vote in 2008 (unbelievable, to me), but his disastrous domestic and foreign policies have caused a drop in one of his “core constituencies.” Survey says!:

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