1. Of course there isn’t any jihad against the US – just people defending their own country:
“Motivation for Jihad
So why is it so hard for us to understand that Muslims – perhaps including the five young men from Northern Virginia – would be motivated to become terrorists?
Because it’s hard to acknowledge to ourselves that terrorism is a consequence of U.S. policy choices and actions. No one wants to be accused of hating America, claiming that America is at fault, or saying that America deserves to be attacked – all of which are not true. But confusing fault and blame with cause and effect only results in continuing to come up with the wrong answers.
For example, New York Times columnist Tom Friedman claims that the problem is what he calls “the Narrative” of anti-American jihad. According to Friedman:
The Narrative is the cocktail of half-truths, propaganda, and outright lies about America that have taken hold in the Arab-Muslim world since 9/11. Propagated by jihadist Web sites, mosque preachers, Arab intellectuals, satellite news stations and books – and tacitly endorsed by some Arab regimes – this narrative posits that America has declared war on Islam, as part of a grand “American-Crusader-Zionist conspiracy” to keep Muslims down.
In other words, in Friedman’s view the problem is Muslims. So the solution would have to lie with changing Muslims and the Muslim world (no surprise coming from someone who was a cheerleader for invading Iraq).”
http://original.antiwar.com/pena/2009/12/17/motivation-for-jihad/
2. “US agency co-operating with Palestinian counterparts who allegedly torture Hamas supporters in West Bank
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/17/cia-palestinian-security-agents
3. What a load of hogwash – American Exceptionalism is just another word for murder:
“The contemporary error is much simpler. It is that of the proud Pharisee. We Americans wage “just wars” because we are good and righteous people who therefore have the right to use our overwhelming armies, its bombers, rockets, drones, and mines, to strike and awe people, invade their countries, whom we know to be bad because they use insurrection, conspiracy, and terrorism to resist us, and continue religious practices that displease us.
The problems of just war are not new. In the Western Christian tradition they go back to the theologians Aquinas and Suarez. They said that to be just, a war’s cause must be to vindicate an undoubted and internationally recognized crime; all peaceful means (negotiations) must have been tried in vain; the good to be done must clearly outweigh the evil that will be done by the war; there must be reasonable hope that in the end justice can be achieved for both sides; the means are licit (weapons must be limited and legitimate); and international law must be observed. By these criteria, I don’t see any just wars anywhere these days.”
http://original.antiwar.com/pfaff/2009/12/17/the-fallacy-of-good-vs-evil-in-afghanistan/
4. What a surprise:
“The House of Representatives tabled on Wednesday legislation to reform U.S. surveillance law. The two-month delay puts off a collision with a competing Senate version.
The move automatically extends provisions of the Patriot Act that would otherwise expire at year’s end. The Senate is likewise expected to delay the matter. “
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/12/spy-vote-delayed
5. “Israel’s education system does not provide equal learning opportunities for all students regardless of race, religion or social standing, a report released on Wednesday claims.
The report, compiled by the Adva Center for equality and social justice and entitled “Segregation, Inequality, and Weakened Leadership,” bases its findings on statistics including class size and budget allotments, as well as academic achievement among the separate branches of Israeli schools. The report found glaring differences between poor and rich Israelis, Jewish and Arab students and Orthodox and secular institutions.”
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1260930882959&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
6. Morons – and Obama’s science advisor Holdren was one of them:
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2009/12/scientists-considered-pouring-soot-over.html
7. What a surprise:
“Weapons of Mass Destruction Used in Gaza”
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=16600
8. “Are the Democrats Fighting the Banks?
How pathetic. President Obama sat at a table surrounded by super rich bankers, pleading with them to lend money to small businesses and workers. The media mislabeled Obama’s groveling as “encouraging,” “imploring,” and “pressing,” but a man who refuses to take action is powerless; and powerless people can only beg.
This disgraceful meeting happened shortly after Obama got “radical” on national TV, calling the bankers “fat cats” and other tough words. But words are only that.
In reality, Obama’s sudden attitude with the banking aristocracy is a shallow attempt to re-brand himself, since the American public now sees him for what he is: a willing tool of the banks, military, and the super-rich in general.
Congress, too, tried to re-cast its image with the banks recently. Like the White House, most American workers now understand the two-party system to be an extension of corporate America. Congress was thus pushed to act. What little pushing was done was quickly pushed back by the banking lobby.
The House of Representatives passed a tough-sounding but toothless banking regulation bill, which was watered down with $300 million plus in lobbying [bribing] from the big banks.”
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article24217.htm
