Murky Waters: "Roger Waters hates me."

By: Howard Morton

Like many teenagers growing up in 1970s America, my definition of “hero” was someone who could attack a power chord on an electric guitar and make it wail. My bedroom walls were plastered with posters of such “heroes” as Led Zeppelin, the Who and the Beatles. But it was singer-songwriter-bassist Roger Waters of Pink Floyd who had a special place in my teenaged heart.
 
And now Roger Waters hates me.
 
Before his hatred of me became obsession-driven and public, I was a big fan. In fact, I’m hard pressed to recall a significant high-school memory that’s not attached to a Pink Floyd song. Roger Waters’s gloomy lyrics and atmospheric arrangements appealed to my adolescent angst. And I was especially grateful to Waters for creating Pink Floyd’s 1979 mega-hit album, “The Wall,” which helped put a nail or two on the coffin of disco.


 

Roger Waters - image by Ben Cook, Shutterstock.com

 
But we grow up and realize that sometimes our heroes are actually villains.
 
Though it’s been decades since I was a teenager (at least physically), a part of my adolescence ended when Roger Waters appeared before the United Nations last November, demonizing Israel and lying about Hamas’s real intentions toward the Jewish state.
 
In his testimony before the UN, Waters portrayed Israel as an international criminal guilty of “ethnic cleansing and apartheid.” At the same time, he lauded the terrorist group Hamas as a lover of peace. He said, “Hamas is open to permanent peace with Israel if there is total withdrawal to the 1967 borders.” He added, “I know you all know this, but where I live they don’t know this, they don’t know that that is the position of Hamas. So I’m telling them.”
 
What they also don’t know, which Roger Waters conveniently omitted, is that Article Seven of the Hamas Covenant calls for the killing of all Jews.
 
In his closing statement, Waters pleaded for the UN to, “seize this historic moment” and “declare Israel’s continued membership of the UN to be dependent on reform of its illegal apartheid regime.”
 
Yet it’s not just the UN Roger Waters wants to go after Israel. He wants other musicians to join in the fun, too.
 
As recently as last month, Waters told Electric Intifada, a pro-Palestinian website, that he asked fellow musicians to join him in boycotting Israel — though he wouldn’t say who these musicians are. But he did say he helped persuade Stevie Wonder to cancel a scheduled concert in Israel to benefit the Israeli army.
 
Since the Hamas-loving Roger Waters hates Israel so much, he automatically hates Jews. After all, anti-Zionism is really anti-Semitism. 
 
And that means my adolescent hero also hates me.
 
For those of us Jews who grew up with Pink Floyd songs as our teen-years soundtrack, the revelation of Roger Waters as a virulent Jew hater comes as a bit of a blow. But not as a complete surprise. 
 
The curious case of Roger Waters as a “hero” to classic rock fans who turned into the hero of terrorists is an extreme one. But it’s not unexpected to see that our Western cultural “heroes” are far from hero-like upon a closer look. 
 
And I’ve seen my fair share of “heroes” close up.
 
I was at a party with one of the world’s best-selling rock groups of all time (having sold over 80 million albums) and watched them feed their alcohol addiction by frantically gulping whiskey in tall glasses as though it was lemonade. Another time, I saw one of the world’s biggest comedic movie stars too strung out on narcotics too move or speak. And then there was the time I was at a Hollywood producer’s home and a famous TV actress brazenly revealed to me she was committing adultery with that producer.
 
Hardly the stuff of heroes.
 
Yet the celebrity-worshiping Western culture we live in prizes its “heroes” and places a high price tag for a souvenir (an angry note John Lennon wrote to Paul McCartney after the Beatles broke up is expected to fetch up to $50,000 at an upcoming auction).
 
And since pop culture values all things physical (beauty, wealth, athletic ability, musical talent), the real heroes remain out of the spotlight. The real heroes are those who build their spiritual strength, who work on elevating their souls and help others do the same.
 
Since I became observant, Roger Waters has long been replaced as a “hero” of mine by real heroes. The list of real heroes are too long to list, but at the top of my hero list are such spiritual greats as Rebbe Nachman of Breslev, who worked tirelessly to become a true tzadik (righteous person) and taught us how to get close to Hashem  through personal prayer (and many other methods). And Reb Natan of Breslev, who overcame unimaginable obstacles to keep Rebbe Nachman’s fire alive. And the Chafetz Chaim, who spoke to Hashem daily, rid himself of any trace of anger and taught us how to guard our tongues.
 
Also on the list are all those today who struggle to attain emuna and spread it throughout the world.
 
These are heroes. Defenders of terrorists like Roger Waters who can create best-selling albums are not.

Source: breslev.co.il 

EXODUS: Dramatic rise in anti-Semitism = French Jews are quietly moving to New York, London & Israel

VIDEO – A new report from the Jewish Community Protection Service says that anti-Semitic attacks in France increased by 58% from 2011 to 2012.

 

The Very Real Jewish Exodus From France

French Jews are quietly moving to New York, London, and Israel

The imperiled condition of French Jewry, at this point, is pretty well-trod territory. That said, one’s shock at a statistic like the 58 percent rise in anti-Semitic attacks in France last year, may not diminish.

A few weeks ago, an article chronicled the growth of a French Jewish community in the United Kingdom. To accommodate the influx, St. John’s Wood Synagogue in London started hosting French-language Shabbat services. Here’s one about the French Jews arriving in Israel at a rate of 2,000 per year.

Earlier this week, La Stampa revealed a similar expansion of French Jews in the Upper West Side of New York.

To understand what’s happening, we have to go to the Jewish Centre on 86th Street where, in March 2012, the Jewish New Yorkers urged their French counterparts to commemorate the victims of the shooting in the “Ozar Hatorah” school in Toulouse, where the jihadist Mohammed Merah killed a rabbi and three children.

Leading the ceremony was Zachary, 29, a transport manager from Strasbourg. “If New York is full of French Jews- he explains- it’s because in 2002, in connection with the second Palestinian Intifada, a season of physical aggression began towards us from the Arabs that still hasn’t stopped. It just brought the conflict from the Middle East onto our streets.”

From the sounds of it, the ferment of French Jewry’s plight has been a full decade in coming and not just a few years as it’s been assumed. It’s stunning to remember the way that former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon–at the height of the Second Intifada no less–infamously instructed French Jews to move to Israel for their own safety. His remarks were blasted by French leaders–both Jewish and not–including the French foreign ministry, who called on Sharon for an explanation of his “unacceptable comments.”

It’s manifested itself not just in terrorist attacks, arson, assaults, or acts like the planting of a fake bomb near the Hillel Center in Lyon earlier this week, but in language as well. For each incident of anti-Semitic graffiti, consider several thousand or more digital analogues. Writing in Tablet today, Jillian Scheinfeld outlined an actual, popular trend of anti-Semitic hate speech on Twitter.

Last October, when the hashtag #UnBonJuif reached the top three on Twitter’s trending topics list in France, a French Jewish student group, the Union of French Jewish Students, complained directly to the San Francisco-based social networking giant asking for the names of Twitter users promoting the anti-Semitic hashtag. When Twitter failed to respond, the students took their case to a French court—and won.

A court order may ultimately impel Twitter to police its users more thoroughly, but even if that accomplishment is managed, there’s still a whole world offline and in the dark.

source: http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/127076/the-very-real-jewish-exodus-from-france

Liberated Iraq calls on Arab states to use oil as 'weapon' against U.S.

Liberated Iraq calls on Arab states to use oil as 'weapon' against U.S.

FILE 2010: Workers adjust a valve at the Rumaila oil field in Basra Province. A top Iraqi diplomat urged others to 'use the weapon of oil' against the U.S. because of its alliance with Israel. (Reuters)

"What stinks is that Iraq is leading the charge to do this. The US dethrones their scum dictator and now we get the shaft from the same people we freed. Oh hold on, should I be surprised about that?? "

A top Iraqi diplomat urged Arab states to “use the weapon of oil” against the United States because of its alliance with Israel, raising more questions about the Middle Eastern nation's allegiance to the country that freed it from a ruthless dictatorship. 

The shocking statement from a democratic government in power only after the U.S. and allies ousted murderous dictator Saddam Hussein in a costly and bloody war laid bare the Middle Eastern nation’s true allegiance.

"Iraq will invite (Arab) ministers to use the weapon of oil, with the aim of asserting real pressure on the United States and whoever stands with Israel," Qais al-Azzawy told reporters in Cairo on Friday.

"Iraq will invite (Arab) ministers to use the weapon of oil, with the aim of asserting real pressure on the United States and whoever stands with Israel."- Iraqi diplomat

"The economic weapon is the strongest one to be put into effect now, to assure of standing by the Palestinian people, in light of there being no military power that can stand in the face of Israel at the present time,” he added.

The U.S. ousted Hussein, ending his bloody, 30-year reign in 2003 in the midst of a controversial and costly war. Nearly 4,500 American service members were killed and more than 32,000 wounded in a war that has cost U.S. taxpayers at least $750 billion. That figure could top $1 trillion given future health costs incurred by veterans injured in the fighting.

The oil-rich nation has by some measures the world’s third-largest reserves and, along with Arab nations such as Saudi Arabia and Libya, provides the U.S. only about 13 percent of its oil, according to the Energy Information Administration. But Arab oil producers wield tremendous influence on world prices through OPEC.

Iraq is standing with Hamas and Palestinians in the ongoing strife between them and Israel. The fighting accelerated after Israel launched its operation “Pillar of Defense” last week, aimed at stopping frequent rocket attacks that rain down from Gaza. At least 422 rockets from Gaza have been fired at Israel, whose Iron Dome defense system has intercepted 130, according to the Israel Defense Forces said. The al-Qassam Brigade, Hamas' military arm, said on its Twitter feed that it had shot 527 projectiles at Israel in that time.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has at times been critical of the U.S., and has in recent years raised alarms over his increasingly close relationship with Iran.

The sharp words from the Iraqi diplomat came just as Iraq released a commander of the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, despite assurances to U.S. it would not do so.

Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis, (R-Fla.), who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the statement shows the U.S. must stand by Israel while working toward energy independence.

“As sirens sound over Israel, we must not forget the millions of Israelis who live under the constant threat of rocket attacks from Gaza. Israel’s right to defend itself is fundamental, and U.S. policy must continue to support this," Bilirakis said. "I have long advocated for energy independence in the United States, and I firmly believe this to be more true now than ever before.”

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/11/16/liberated-iraq-calls-on-arab-states-to-use-oil-as-weapon-against-us/#ixzz2CU011jVL

Obama denies snubbing Netanyahu / can't give Israel red light

Obama meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN in 2011. (Reuters)

Obama denies snubbing Netanyahu amid chill

Netanyahu: Those that refuse to set red lines for Iran can't give Israel red light

The White House denied late Tuesday that President Barack Obama had snubbed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by rejecting his request for a meeting when he comes to the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York in late September. A spokesman confirmed an Israeli news reports that the two leaders would not meet but cited the president's uncertain and hectic election-year schedule.

"Contrary to previous press reports, there was never any request for a meeting between the Prime Minister and President in Washington, nor was this request ever denied," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor told reporters by email.

(Obama and Netanyahu later spoke by telephone for an hour "as a part of their ongoing consultations," the White House said. "The two leaders discussed the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program, and our close cooperation on Iran and other security issues. President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu reaffirmed that they are united in their determination to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and agreed to continue their close consultations going forward," it said in a statement).

Vietor's comments and the conversation came after Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported that the White House had turned down a request for talks. Haaretz said Netanyahu had asked Obama for a meeting during his stay in the United States and expressed a willingness to come to Washington to do so. Earlier, when asked about that report, Vietor had said that the two leaders would not meet.

"The President arrives in New York for the UN on Monday, September 24 and departs on Tuesday, September 25. The Prime Minister doesn't arrive in New York until later in the week," Vietor said.
"They're simply not in the city at the same time. But the President and PM are in frequent contact and the PM will meet with other senior officials, including Secretary Clinton, during his visit."

The Haaretz report said the request was "declined" and that this "marks a new low" in relations between Obama and Netanyahu, who has publicly criticized Washington for not taking a harder line on Iran's nuclear program. (Still, Haaretz noted that "Netanyahu will spend only two and a half days on U.S. soil" and the White House "said that at this time Obama's schedule does not allow for a meeting.")

Mitt Romney has repeatedly accused Obama of shortchanging the relationship between the U.S. and Israel.

But a knowledgeable American official stressed it wasn't personal, saying Obama's schedule was in flux and emphasizing that he doesn't anticipate the president "will have any bilats [bilateral meetings with foreign leaders] at UNGA [the U.N. General Assembly] this year."

Still, Obama reportedly planned to appear on David Letterman on Sept. 18, the first day of the annual diplomatic gathering.

Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham criticized Obama for not sitting down with Netanyahu, describing themselves as "surprised and disappointed."

"It is puzzling that the President can't make time to see the head of state of one of America's closest allies in the world," they said in a joint statement. "If these reports are true, the White House's decision sends a troubling signal to our ally Israel about America's commitment at this dangerous and challenging time, especially as Iran continues to work actively toward developing a nuclear weapons capability." [1]

Netanyahu: Those that refuse to set red lines for Iran can't give Israel red light

Netanyahu launches unprecedented attack on U.S. government; U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says if Iran decides to make a nuclear weapon, the U.S. would have a little more than a year to stop it.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday launched an unprecedented verbal attack on the U.S. government over its stance on the Iranian nuclear program.

"The world tells Israel 'wait, there's still time'. And I say, 'Wait for what? Wait until when?' Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don't have a moral right to place a red light before Israel," Netanyahu told reporters on Tuesday.

"Now if Iran knows that there is no red line. If Iran knows that there is no deadline, what will it do? Exactly what it's doing. It's continuing, without any interference, towards obtaining nuclear weapons capability and from there, nuclear bombs," he said.

Also on Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that if Iran decides to make a nuclear weapon, the United States would have a little more than a year to act to stop it."

"It's roughly about a year right now. A little more than a year. And so ... we think we will have the opportunity once we know that they've made that decision, take the action necessary to stop (Iran)," Panetta said on CBS's "This Morning" program.

He said the United States has "pretty good intelligence" on Iran. "We know generally what they're up to. And so we keep a close track on them." Panetta said the United States has the capability to prevent Iran from building an atomic bomb.

"We have the forces in place to be able to not only defend ourselves, but to do what we have to do to try to stop them from developing nuclear weapons," he said.

Meanwhile, diplomats told the Associated Press on Tuesday that The International Atomic Energy Agency has new intelligence that Iran has advanced its work on calculating the destructive power of a nuclear warhead, a step toward building such a weapon.

The new findings confirm Haaretz's report several weeks ago, which quotes an Israeli official as saying that Iran has made progress toward developing a nuclear warhead.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said new intelligence obtained by the United States, Israel and other Western countries shows that the Iranian activity around the "weapon group" - the final stage in the development of a nuclear weapon - is progressing far beyond the scope known to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

On Tuesday, the diplomats said that the information - from the U.S., Israel and at least one other country - alleges the research was done within the past three years.

Iran denies that it has worked on nuclear arms and says allegations to the contrary are based on fabricated intelligence.

But the UN atomic agency gives credence to the suspicions and says it cannot disprove them unless Iran starts cooperating with its probe of the allegations.

The information comes from six diplomats who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss intelligence.

On Monday, speaking to reporters in Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, "It is not useful to be ... setting deadlines one way or another" or to outline "red lines" for how far the U.S. can allow Iran's nuclear program to advance.

She repeated that President Barack Obama has stated unequivocally that the United States will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, and that U.S. support for Israel's security is unwavering.

But she said she would not speak about ongoing discussions between the U.S. and Israel, calling such talk "not helpful for the diplomacy."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also said the administration is not prepared to make such a public commitment.

"We're not setting deadlines," Clinton said in an interview with Bloomberg Radio.

On Sunday, Netanyahu said Jerusalem and Washington were talking about pressuring Iran further. He said setting clear red lines that if crossed will prompt a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities is the only way war can be avoided.

Clinton demurred, saying negotiations were "by far the best approach" to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

"We're watching very carefully about what they do, because it's always been more about their actions than their words," she said on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific forum in Vladivostok, Russia.

Clinton emphasized that while Israel and the United States share the goal of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, they disagree over the negotiations timetable with the Islamic Republic. Israel is "more anxious about a quick response because they feel that they're right in the bull's-eye, so to speak," Clinton said, adding, "But we're convinced that we have more time to focus on these sanctions, to do everything we can to bring Iran to a good-faith negotiation."

Israeli officials were dismayed by Clinton's comments rebuffing Netanyahu's demand for "red lines."

"Such remarks won't stop Iran's centrifuges, just the opposite," one senior official in Jerusalem said, adding, "Without a clear, firm red line Iran won't stop its race to a nuclear weapon. Statements like these not only do not deter Iran, they reassure it," he said. [2]

source:
[1] http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-turns-down-netanyahu-meeting-request-201715077--election.html

[2] http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/netanyahu-those-that-refuse-to-set-red-lines-for-iran-can-t-give-israel-red-light.premium-1.464278

Israel’s real secret weapon against the Iranians: Rita Jahanforuz.

Israel’s real secret weapon against the Iranians: Rita Jahanforuz.

By Judy Gruen

After years of fruitless efforts trying to get Iran to divulge its true nuclear intentions, hope may be on the horizon. This is welcome news, since U.N. sanctions haven’t done it. Finger-wagging by Hilary Clinton and the “We really mean it now!” chorus has been a bust. Tehran’s “promises” to allow inspectors into their nuclear facilities are about as likely to be fulfilled as Tehran is likely to change their national anthem to Hatikva.

Rita is one Jew that even some Muslims are willing to adore.

But speaking of music, singing may be the key that unlocks the doors to the nuclear centrifuges. According to the Wall Street Journal, a Jewish singing sensation named Rita Jahanforuz has enraptured citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, giving them a reason to get up and boogie, even if they must do so under cover of darkness and under a floor-length chador. Rita was born in Iran but was whisked away by her far-sighted parents to Israel when she was a child. Now, by releasing an album in her native Farsi (Persian) she’s hotter than a just-fried falafel, and her music is being sold on the black market in her country of birth. Of course it’s great fun to imagine the sellers whispering, “Shhh! Don’t tell anyone she’s Jewish!” when they hand over the contraband. Apparently, Rita is one Jew that even some Muslims are willing to adore.

Naturally, Tehran has accused Rita of being a Zionist plot, which is a highly unoriginal accusation but apparently the best they can come up with. Personally, I think the Rita phenomenon is wonderful news. If more Iranians buy her music (in plain brown wrappers) and word leaks out that she’s Jewish, Iranians may reasonably wonder what other delightful exports from the Zionist state might make their lives a little cheerier. Iran’s main exports (oil, carpets, and terrorists) are drooping, but Israel’s economy is rocking and rolling. Despite the occasional boycott of all things Israeli from sour-faced European academic societies, exports from Israel continue to soar. In fact, they are 15,000% higher than they were in the year of Israel’s independence. Take that, Ahmadinajad.

My theory is that we can use Rita to finally solve this messy business of Iranian nukes. First, she has generously offered to sing a duet with Ahmadinejad, should she ever visit the country of her birth, hoping to parlay her feminine charm into some peaceful vibes that might penetrate the angry, soulless Iranian president.

This offer is either brave or crazy, and I salute Rita for suggesting it, but it’s really not necessary. I think that all we need to do to defuse the issue of Iranian nukes is for Israel to start packaging Rita’s CDs with other goodies from Israel before they cross the Persian Gulf. One CD can be paired with a great new antibiotic; another would have a pair of fabulous Israeli sandals thrown in, which would not only be stylish but would outlast a walk in the desert for forty years. And what Iranian woman could withstand the temptation of a lovely diamond bauble straight from Tel Aviv to brighten her otherwise bleak wardrobe? The cost to Israel of slipping in made-in-Israel products would be well worth it. Just think what will happen when the average Iranian discovers their cell phones and computer chips don’t emanate from any Arab emirate at all, but from the great Zionist entity itself! I mean, talk about an inconvenient truth.

Once it dawns on Iranians that Israel makes so much great stuff, no way will they let any wild-eyed Allah-worshipper make a single move to hurt the Jewish state. Let’s face it: once people have a taste of the good life, they get mighty ticked when others try to take it away. Let’s shower the Iranian people not with love, exactly, but with Israeli pharmaceuticals, gadgets, nanotechnology, and even stock offerings in rising Israeli technology companies. Then, I predict, hearts and minds will soften. Before you know it, they’ll be offering their own version of “So You Think You Can Dance?” on Iranian TV, starring a mellowed mullah, and perhaps a new social networking phenomenon. They could call it “Face-Block.”

Could Rita, the shimmying Jewish Israeli singing star, succeed where the endless parade of dull government suited officials have flatly failed? Why not? It could all begin with her next CD export including a Persian rendition of HaTikva.  source:

דר אין דוניה הוא השיר הפרטי של דוד אניית ושלי. כשהייתי ילדה והייתי צריכה להפרד מדוד אניית משום שעלינו לארץ שרנו את השיר הזה ומאז בכל פגישה שלי ושלו אנחנו ממשיכים לשיר אותו. בעיבוד המחודש הפכנו אותו מבלדה שקטה לשיר שלאט לאט גדל ומתעצם כמו ע

וף החול. 

Dar in Donya’ is mine and Uncle Onyat’s private song. When I was a young girl, I had to leave Uncle Onyat behind because we came to live in Israel, and I remember singing this song with him. Since then, every time we meet up we always sing it. In the new rendition, we turned it from a quiet ballad to a song that slowly but surely builds in intensity – rising like a phoenix

Rita's Site: https://www.facebook.com/rita.official

Romney pledges support for Israel - Jerusalem

Romney pledges support for Israel

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney says US has "a solemn duty" to block Iran's nuclear ambitions. ck

US presidential candidate Mitt Romney has told an Israeli audience in Jerusalem that the United States has "a solemn duty and a moral imperative" to block Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability. Romney's speech on Sunday came at the mid-point of a three-nation overseas journey designed to burnish his foreign policy credentials and highlight his ability to lead on the world stage. "The conduct of Iran's leaders gives us no reason to trust them with nuclear material," Romney said, adding: "Make no mistake: The ayatollahs in Tehran are testing our moral defenses. They want to know who will object, and who will look the other way. "My message to the people of Israel and the leaders of Iran is one and the same: I will not look away; and neither will my country." The US, many of its European allies and Israel say Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon. Iran says its uranium enrichment is part of a peaceful domestic nuclear programme for energy and medical research. So far all attempts to negotiate an end to the enrichment programme have failed. Israel fears that Iran soon will have moved its enrichment facilities into impregnable underground locations, meaning time is running out to destroy them with aerial bombing. 'Self defence' Romney said the US supported Israel's right to defend itself but would not expand on his remarks, saying he would hold to US political tradition of not differing with positions taken by a sitting government. President Barack Obama has sought to dissuade Israel from a unilateral attack on Iran to allow time for tough sanctions to take a toll on the Islamic Republic's economy and further isolate the country. Obama has said the US holds open the option of military operations against Iran but has insisted now is not the time for an attack, either by the US or Israel. Cal Perry reports on Mitt Romney's visit to Jerusalem While Romney refused to criticise Obama's policy directly, he insists he would be much tougher on Iran. His policy declarations, however, show little, if any, difference from those of Obama. But by raising the issue in Israel, which sees Iran as an existential threat, Romney was obviously looking for support from Jewish and evangelical Christian voters in the United States. Romney, who received a warm welcome from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, has said he has a "zero tolerance" policy toward Iran obtaining the capability to build a nuclear weapon. "If Israel has to take action on its own, in order to stop Iran from developing the capability, the governor would respect that decision," Senor told reporters in a preview of the speech. Senor later tried to clarify his comments in a written statement, saying that the candidate "believes we should employ any and all measures to dissuade the Iranian regime from its nuclear course, and it is his fervent hope that diplomatic and economic measures will do so. In the final analysis, of course, no option should be excluded". Obama also has affirmed the right of Israel to defend itself, but in contrast to Romney, he has warned of the consequences of an Israeli strike on Iran. "Already, there is too much loose talk of war," Obama told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, an influential pro-Israel lobbying group, in March. "Now is the time to let our increased pressure sink in and to sustain the broad international coalition we have built." Romney's embrace of Israel was on display on Sunday as he met with leaders and visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem, one of the holiest sites in Judaism. Wearing a yarmulke, the candidate was mobbed by worshippers as he walked down to pray and place a note into one of the wall's crevices. Earlier, Netanyahu welcomed Romney as "a representative of the United States" and told the Republican that he agrees with his approach to the Iranian nuclear threat. "Mitt, I couldn't agree with you more," Netanyahu said. "We have to be honest and say that all the sanctions and diplomacy so far have not set back the Iranian program by one iota. And that's why I believe that we need a strong and credible military threat coupled with the sanctions to have a chance to change that situation," Netanyahu said. Olympic gaffe The trip is a chance for Romney to draw implicit contrasts with Obama and demonstrate how he would lead America on the world stage. But Romney arrived in Jerusalem on Saturday night after a difficult few days in Britain, where he made the mistake of criticising the host country's preparations for the Olympic Games. The gaffe undermined the stated goal of his weeklong trip to Britain, Israel and Poland - emphasising America's ties with longstanding allies. On Monday morning, Romney will be attending a high-dollar campaign fundraiser at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem for American supporters in Israel. The Romney campaign has reversed course and now will let reporters cover his remarks to donors, reversing an earlier ban on coverage. One of those expected to attend is Sheldon Adelson, the American casino mogul who's pledged to spend more than $100 million to defeat Obama. Donors at the event were asked to contribute $50,000 or to raise $100,000. Romney advisers say the event is expected to raise more than $1m. source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2012/07/201272917928694956.html

Condoleeza Rice Has Now Declared Israel An Occupying Force!

"Dr Condoleeza Rice Americas Secretary of State, has now declared Israel as an occupying force. She has also left the impression that the peace conference in Annapolis had the stamp of approval from G-d."

-- Stanley Zir neveragainisnow@live.com

The US appears to be intent on aiding in if not orchestrating the destruction of Israel -- May HaShem Forbid!

Genesis 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 
12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 

Under the Obama regime Egypt and other Arab countries were given to al Ikhwan (the Muslim Brotherhood) and ties with Israel have been weakened even more. Al Ikhwan Egypt immediately canceled its long standing peace treaty with Egypt and missiles are now being fired into Israel by Egyptian loyalist. Thanks in large part to Obama.
Syria will doubtless fall to al Ikhwan within weeks or months with US support to covert al Ikhwan partisans. Other countries will follow as the rise of the global Ummah continues with the support of the US and the EU.

According to authoritative reports Bain Capital corporate marauder Mitt Romney is seriously considering anti-Israel propagandist Condoleeza Rice for his vice presidential running mate. This is merely a continuation of US and EU plans to betray Israel and give the Middle East to al Ikhwan.

There is very little reason to vote for Romney over Obama  anyway (other than the fact that Romney is a US citizen unlike Obama), but this issue will be the tipping point for me. If Romney insults our ally Israel with this VP selection I for one will be sitting the 2012 election out. It will be proof positive that neither of these men are qualified to lead the nation, neither has the best interests of the US in mind, both are working for the destruction of Israel, neither are nationalists nor patriots and that in this election there is no "lesser of two evils" -- there is only evil as the citizens sleep on.

What Most People Don't Know About Candi:  BETRAYAL AT ANNAPOLISS 
                                                    By Stanley Zir 

DISTRICT COURT OF ANNAPOLIS MARYLAND

Filing November 26 2007

Plaintiffs:

UNITED NATIONS

UNITED STATES 

EUROPEAN UNION
RUSSIA                               

VERSES 

NATION OF ISRAEL

APPLICATION/ 5,415,000 Jews 

                                                                       

INDICTMENT/ Non-Compliance:                                                                           

Violation of the “Post 9/11 Allied International Security Act,” that specifically states. “No democratic nation who’s population is more than 70% Jewish is permitted to declare war on any population or nation that continually launches terrorist attacks on her, or threatens her with nuclear annihilation, if this is not in the best interests of the  United Nations United States, European Unio,and  Russia.

                                                  Allegations

• Knowingly putting the security of the nation of Israel ahead of protecting the free world against an economic catastrophe by not approving a terrorist Palestine State .
   
• Knowingly putting the security of the nation of Israel ahead of preventing a world wide nuclear war between the West and the Moslem world by not approving a terrorist Palestine State .
    
• Knowingly putting the security of Israel nation ahead of protecting the free world by becoming an economic liability to the United a States and the European Union by not approving a terrorist Palestine State .
    
• Knowingly putting the security of the nation of Israel over protecting the free world ahead of becoming a direct threat to a democracy initiative in Iraq and in the Islamic world by not approving a terrorist Palestine State
  .  
• Knowingly putting the security of the nation of Israel nation over protecting the free world by giving Iran a free pass to blackmail the United States on the oil market along with their OPEK brethren by not approving a terrorist Palestine State .
  .  
• Knowingly putting the security of the nation of Israel nation over protecting the free world that was responsible for America not receiving the full support of the European Union in the war against terrorism by not approving a terrorist Palestine State
  .  
• Knowingly putting the security of the nation of Israel over protecting the free world that has resulted in Iran ’s capacity to provide Russian and China the economic incentives they need too put America and its civilization out of business by not approving a terrorist Palestine State .
    
• Knowingly putting the security of the nation of Israel nation over protecting the free world by setting the stage for potential conflict between the nations of the free and remaining secular totalitarian nation in the world over oil revenues by not approving a terrorist Palestine State .
  .  
• Knowingly putting the security of the nation of Israel ahead of protecting the nations of the free world validating Iran reasons for developing a nuclear bomb in the Islamic world by not approving a terrorist Palestine State .

                 ANNAPOLIS AND BEYOND

Who has turned the Lions of Israel into sheep being lead to the slaughter? Israel you need only ask yourself: who removed the Star of David from Jerusalem when you gave your support to President Bush to broker a peace agreement in Annapolis for you, with a population that freely elected terrorists officials, believing that this was absolutely necessary to bring peace to the region?

Dr Condoleeza Rice Americas Secretary of State, has now declared Israel as an occupying force. She has also left the impression that the peace conference in Annapolis had the stamp of approval from G-d. Two weeks before the conference she visited a Bethlehem church and spoke with the Greek Patriarch in Jerusalem , and now has received support from leaders of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths for the planned Annapolis , Maryland conference on the Middle East .

She went on to say:

These same Muslim sheiks, church officials and the chief rabbis in Jerusalem issued a joint statement that recognized the Israeli presence in Judea and Samaria as "occupation," stating, "Palestinians yearn for the end to occupation and what they see as their inalienable rights, Israelis long for the day when they can live in personal and national security. Together we must find ways of reaching these goals.

Source: http://jewtoo.multiply.com/journal/item/267/Condoleeza-Rice-Has-Now-Declared-Israel-An-Occupying-Force

Glenn Beck's Fiery Speech

Glenn Beck's Fiery Speech COLlive.com 

Watch conservative commentator Glenn Beck's fiery speech at the dinner benefiting the Gush Katif Museum held in Crown Heights. source:

'Israel itself must decide on Iran strike'

Jerusalem: Leading US Republicans told Israel on Tuesday it must make up its own mind whether to launch a preemptive strike on Iran if the Islamic republic seeks to arm itself with nuclear weapons.


Visiting Jerusalem at the head of a delegation of five senators, former presidential candidate John McCain said Iran was pursuing a nuclear arms programme, sponsoring militant groups and was "openly committed to the destruction of state of Israel."


"Israel probably is most capable of determining what the threats are to their national security,' he said in a press conference. "I think they are a sovereign nation and their assessment is one that if I were an Israeli citizen I would rely on more than that of another government."


In an interview at the weekend, top US military commander Martin Dempsey bluntly said it would be "premature" to launch military action against Iran.


"A strike at this time would be destabilising and wouldn't achieve (Israel's) long-term objectives," he said.


On Sunday, Britain's foreign secretary William Hague said it would not be "wise" for Israel to take military action against Iran, echoing comments earlier this month by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.


Senator Lindsey Graham, a fellow Republican in McCain's delegation, said "I think that the comments telling Israel what to do and not to do vis-a-vis Iran are very unhelpful."


"I just want to tell our Israeli friends my advice is never lose control of your destiny," Graham said. "You do what is necessary to control your own destiny and you have my full blessing."


Israel is calling for harsher international sanctions against Iran, which denies pursuing nuclear arms, but the Jewish state refuses to rule out using force if other options fail.


In 1981, Israel launched a pre-emptive strike on the unfinished Osirak reactor outside the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, leaving US officials stunned and earning it a sharp rebuke from its American ally.  source:


FYI


McCain didn't get the memo It's already been decided in 1981...


Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin enunciated what came to be known as the Begin doctrine: "On no account shall we permit an enemy to develop weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against the people of Israel." This doctrine has been used by Israeli politicians to justify a possible attack on Iran's project to develop a nuclear facility.


Begin formed the doctrine to justify the Israeli attack on the Iraqi nuclear reactor Osirak in Operation Opera in 1981.

"Of course it is imperative to ensure that military action would be effective, as well as to take into account the price Israel might pay as result. But such discussion should not be held in a public forum, as media speculation dilutes Israeli deterrence and gives Iranian leaders the feeling that Israel has eschewed the military option. If Iran comes to the conclusion that Israel will not strike then nothing will stop the ayatollah's regime in its quest for nuclear arms."

Israel's nuclear weapons factory at Dimona.

Newt Gingrich Interview Hannity - "The first four Executive Orders are..".

EXECUTIVE ORDERS NEWT GINGRICH WILL SIGN ON THE FIRST DAY 



The first four Executive Orders President Newt Gingrich will sign are…


1. Eliminate the thirty-nine White House "Czar" positions created during the current administration. The president does not have the authority to appoint bureaucrats to power who are not accountable to the Congress.

2. "Mexico City Policy" of Respect for Life. Reauthorize President Ronald Reagan’s policy – also known as the "Mexico City Policy"— to stop tax payer dollars from being used to fund or promote abortions in foreign countries.

3. Restore conscience clause protections for Healthcare Workers. No American working in a medical environment should be forced to perform any procedure that he or she finds morally or ethically objectionable based on religious teaching. This protection should include, but not be limited to abortion. Existing conscience clause protections need to be strengthened.

4. Respect Each Sovereign Nation’s Choice of its Capital. Each sovereign nation, under international law and custom, may designate its own Capital. Accordingly, the U.S. State Department should be instructed to respect the choice of each sovereign nation and place the American embassy in their Capital. (Israel is the only country the United States discriminates against in this regard. The people of Israel have designated Jerusalem as their capital. Yet the United States retains its embassy in Tel Aviv.)

Contrast Newt wants to repeal Obamacare, Mitt wants to fund Obamacare?

Mitt Romney Wants to Fund Obama Care!!!

Romney. The guy who lost to McCain, who lost to Obama.

Good Choice?


Insanity: doing the same thing over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein

No Room for Allen West- or You- in Romney’s GOP

By John Ransom

With Friends Like Romney's . . .

Norm Coleman tells voters the GOP won't repeal ObamaCare.

This is the same GOP gang that gave us Charlie Crist, Romneycare, real estate bailouts, automaker bailouts, abortion bailouts, assault weapon bans.
Yeah, yeah, Obama is the Devil, but Mitt and company have been willing accomplices.

Get ready for the all new GOP, under the lead of Mitt Romney.

It’s a GOP where the Tea Party won’t be welcome, where the federal government will continue to bailout out banks and unions and everyone who’s anyone will continue to make money- except of course you and me.

We’ll just continue to get stuck with the 100 year mortgage payment, as the GOP continues to be the “tax collector for the welfare state,” in the WSJ’s apt phrase.

That’s the takeaway from Florida where Florida Representative Will Weatherford, a Romney proxy, helped redistrict Tea Party favorite Congressman and retired Col. Allen West into a much more liberal district than he previously represented.

I guess Tea Party ideas of limited government and fiscal responsibility aren't wanted in the GOP under Mitt.

Writes the Florida political blog the Shark Tank:

West’s congressional district inexplicably sheds the most out support as compared to all other incumbent Republican and Democrat Congressman. A few weeks back we quoted an unnamed legislator saying that, “Allen West was screwed”, a statement which was originally made about made five months before the purposed maps were made public, leading insiders to believe that the fix was in against Allen West. But in light of Weatherford’s comment, it is increasingly clear that this is a fait accompli. 

Republicans control both houses of the Florida state legislature plus the governor’s office and could have written the new congressional districts however they wanted. But they decided to throw a bone to liberals in the state by redistricting Allen West out of a job.

Why should that surprise anyone?

Throwing a bone to liberals is the thing that Romney, McCain, Dole, Bush and company do best. They recoil under the assault of the left-wing media in this country, seeking refuge in the “bipartisan” label, reaching across the aisle to “get things done” so that they can hit the cocktail circuit and make jokes about guys like Col. West…oh, and you too.   

This is the same GOP gang that gave us Charlie Crist, Romneycare, real estate bailouts, automaker bailouts, abortion bailouts, assault weapon bans.

Yeah, yeah, Obama is the Devil, but Mitt and company have been willing accomplices.

And because of that complicity, conservatives will under-vote for president in 2012 rather than support another Bush-Dole-Bush clone in the White House. Heck, there are lots of positive things to say about the Bushes and the Doles, but little good to say about Romney.

He’s Bush-Dole without character.

But give him this: The guy really, really wants to be president. Toward that end, he’ll say anything you want to hear just as soon as he knows what you want to hear. So don’t believe anything that comes out of Romney’s mouth. When he says “read  my lips,” you should plug your ears- and just imagine Mitt saying whatever you want to hear.

It won’t matter anyway. 

As Romney advisor, former Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman- you know, the guy who lost to Al Freakin’ Franken?- admitted recently, Romney is not going to repeal Obamacare no matter what he says on the campaign trail. 

Observes the Wall Street Journal:

It was a remarkable admission, especially given the aspiring Republican President whose ear Mr. Coleman happens to have. Then again, it may also be evidence of his kind of crack political thinking that couldn't outwit Al Franken of all people in the 2008 race and again in the 2009 recount and thus provided the 60th Senate vote for ObamaCare.

The larger point is that the path of least political resistance for the GOP would be to revert to its historic minority role as tax collectors for the welfare state, and this temptation is especially strong for health care. No one doubts that repealing and replacing ObamaCare will be a hard slog if the party does take the White House and Senate in 2012, namely because the American political system is designed to make change hard (even if those controls failed in 2010 amid Democratic abuses). Mr. Coleman's advice is, essentially, why bother trying.

But that hasn’t stopped Romney from bravely telling us that Obamacare’s individual mandate is unconstitutional, while Romenycare’s individual mandate is not.

The Obamacare repeal will be Mitt’s 0-97 vote in the Senate, just the way Obama’s budget was an oh-fer in 2011.

Oh-well-they-tried.

And here it is: Romney is lying to you one way or another.

He’ll keep one big, fat Obamacare or he’ll try to foist on you 57 varieties of Romneycare that add up to the same thing.

But in either case, like Allen West, the rest of us will pay the price for Romney’s intellectual inconsistencies in pursuit of the great, white house.

Because if Romney wins the nomination, expect neither hope nor change for the GOP.

Expect four more for Obama or in the best case scenario, Obama lite.  source:

Top Three Conservative Arguments About Romney’s Record No One Has Made Effectively

Republicans listening to last night’s primary debate might have been surprised to hear the question asked of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney by Fox News Channel’s Juan Williams.

“Gov. Romney, Speaker Gingrich says your record of support for gun owners is weak,” Williams said. “You signed the nation’s first ban on assault weapons in Massachusetts and steeply increased fees on gun owners in that state, in fact by 400 percent. How can you convince gun owners that you will be an advocate for them as president?”

Romney answered that the legislation he signed “was crafted both by the pro-gun lobby and the anti-gun lobby. Massachusetts has some very restrictive rules and the pro-gun lobby said, ‘You know what, this legislation is good for us, it includes provisions that we want that allows us, for instance, to cross roads with weapons when we’re hunting that had not been previously allowed.’ And so the pro-gun folks in our state, the Gun Owners Action League and others said, ‘Look, we would like you to sign this legislation.’ And the day when we announced our signing, we had both the pro-gun owners and anti-gun folks all together on the stage because it worked. We worked together. We found common ground.”

Romney’s overall gun record is more mixed that that. The Gun Owners Action League that Romney cites issued a February 2007 report  asserting that Romney made “some rather serious political missteps” early in his administration, though “relations dramatically improved,” and eventually Romney became the most supportive governor of the group’s issues since 1979.

But the larger issue for voters may have been: Romney raised fees on guns? He did? Where? How? When?

Indeed, largely due to the inability of Romney’s competitors to run credible national campaigns that include voter registration and Get-Out-the-Vote, fundraising, event planning and– for the purposes of this discussion — opposition research, the governor has not had to answer many items about his record.

I’m not judging Gov. Romney as having done anything wrong in any of the below stories. Indeed, there will be readers who peruse the below and approve.

But these are aspects of Romney’s record that conservative Republican primary voters are almost certainly unaware of, and in which they may be interested — certainly more so than the attacks that have so far been leveled, such as the populist digs at Romney’s time at Bain Capital, which have in many ways solidified support for the front-runner among some business conservatives.

For whatever reason — likely because of the anemic opposition research efforts in Romney’s rivals’ struggling campaigns — these aspects of the Romney have not been raised.

Here are the Top Three Missed Opportunities for Conservative Attacks:

1. Free Cars for Welfare Recipients?

In 2006, Romney started a program to provide welfare recipients without access to public transportation with free cars. The idea was to provide them with a way to get to work so they could eventually get off welfare.

The cars were donated by charities, while Massachusetts taxpayers funded — as the Boston Herald reported in 2009 — “repairs, registration, insurance, excise tax, the title and AAA membership for one year.”

Romney’s Department of Transitional Assistance started the program, officially called “Transportation Support,” and nicknamed “Welfare Wheels” by the Boston Herald.

You can read more about the program HERE.

The program was discontinued in 2009.

“I don’t care who started it,” said then-state senator (now U.S. Senator) Scott Brown, a Republican. “In this day and age, it’s not appropriate. I mean, we’re paying for Triple A? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“We can’t be giving out freebies,” Democratic state Sen. Steven Baddour said. “At a time when we’re cutting programs across the spectrum and working families are struggling to pay the bills, this program is just too rich for this budget.”

In 2011, Romney for President spokeswoman Gail Gitcho defended the program to the Herald, saying “over 80 percent of participants have moved off of welfare.” In 2006, the program cost Massachusetts taxpayers $400,000; Gitcho claimed over three years the program saved the state almost $1 million in welfare payments.

2. Early Release for Prisoners Serving ‘Life’ Sentences Peaked Under Romney

Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum got into a back-and-forth last night about voting rights for felons. Santorum brought up the issue, because a Romney-supporting super PAC is depicting him as supporting prisoners getting voting rights, in his view, as opposed to giving rights to those who have served their time, earned parole, and paid their debt to society.

While Santorum was hoping to show that Romney was a hypocrite — the law in Massachusetts while Romney was governor was more permissive than what Santorum had voted for — the debate allowed Romney to say, “I don’t think people who have committed violent crimes should be allowed to vote again. That’s my own view.”

What Santorum may or may not know is that, according to a 2011 analysis by the Boston Globe, “over the past 20 years, the percentage of inmates paroled while serving a life sentence … peaked in 2004″ — when Romney was governor — “and when all seven members of the state Parole Board had been appointed or reappointed by Republican governors.”

And that, according to the Boston Herald in 2008, “Some 118 killers and rapists were sprung early from prison under former Gov. Mitt Romney’s watch … allowed to walk out the gates by the Department of Correction by claiming so-called ‘good time’ that in some cases substantially reduced their sentences.”

That’s likely more of a concern to Republican primary voters than those ex-cons’ suffrage.

The Romney campaign has pointed out that the governor’s first two nominees to the Parole Board were rejected by The Governor’s Council as too hard-line. A majority of the appointees on the Parole Board were not Romney’s until late 2005. As governor, Romney did not issue a single commutation or pardon, and he tried, to no avail, to reinstate the death penalty.

3. Free Abortions

“On every piece of legislation, I came down on the side of life,” Romney said at the Family Research Council’s Values Voters Summit in 2007.

That’s a matter of interpretation.

For instance, Romney’s Massachusetts health care reform law created an 11-member “Health Care Connector Board” that would ensure affordable pricing for various health insurance plans. Romney appointed actuary Bruce Butler, CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts Rick Lord, and economist Jonathan Gruber. Four administration officials from Romney’s cabinet were also appointed to the board, per the law: his Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance; the Medicaid Director in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; the Commissioner of Insurance; and the Executive Director of the Group Insurance Commission.

The law also allowed the governor to appoint the executive director of the Connector Authority, and Romney picked senior vice president for policy development at Tufts Associated Health Plan Jon Kingsdale.

Kingsdale wrote a memo to the Connector Authority recommending that for abortions, insurance companies require co-pays between $0 and $100, depending on income level. In September 2006, that was approved by the Connector Authority. Every health care plan offered to low-income Massachusetts residents covers abortion.

Want to see for yourself? Go to this archived page from the 2006 Connector Authority,  and download the “Commonwealth Care Frequently Asked Questions” at the bottom left side of the page.

At the 2009 Value Voters Summit, Mike Huckabee said, “The only thing inexpensive about Massachusetts’ health care bill is that there you can get a $50 abortion.”

The Romney campaign’s response is to assert that “The Connector Authority” is independent and separate from the governor’s office. That’s technically true, but the majority of members of the Connector Authority were appointed by the governor one way or another.

(UPDATE: The Weekly Standard’s John McCormack points out thatGingrich has indeed made the abortion argument — just maybe not effectively. So I am adding the link and I changed the title to “effectively,” though I haven’t seen the other two items mentioned above even uttered by Romney’s rivals.)

-Jake Tapper