As Barack Obama's candidacy comes under increasing scrutiny, his
account of his religious upbringing deserves careful attention for what
it tells us about the candidate's integrity.
Obama asserted in December, "I've always been a Christian," and he has
adamantly denied ever having been a Muslim. "The only connection
I've had to Islam is that my grandfather on my father's side came from
that country [Kenya]. But I've never practiced Islam." In
February, he claimed: "I have never been a Muslim. … other than my
name and the fact that I lived in a populous Muslim country for 4 years
when I was a child [Indonesia, 1967-71] I have very little connection to
the Islamic religion."
"Always" and "never" leave little room for equivocation. But many
biographical facts, culled mainly from the American press, suggest that,
when growing up, the Democratic candidate for president both saw himself
and was seen as a Muslim.
Read "Barack
Obama's Muslim Childhood," by noted
authority on the Middle East and Islam, Dr. Daniel Pipes. Dr.
Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum and Taube/Diller
distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford
University.
Obama
introduces "Islamic Community Day" bill -- Synopsis of Bill as
introduced: Declares November 1, 1997 to be South Shore Islamic
Community Center Day.
2001
Beyond the visits to his Muslim relatives in Africa, Obama had little to
say about Islam and Muslims until the events of 9/11. After that
date, Obama begins to become more public in his support of Muslims and
their cause.
2001
Obama is protective of
civil rights for Muslims in the U.S.,
saying, "In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani
Americans have a more urgent quality, for the stories of detentions and
FBI questioning and hard stares from neighbors have shaken their sense
of security and belonging," he laments. "I will stand with them
should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."
2001
Obama
sponsors Illinois Senate Bill 750
creating the "Halal Food Act," providing for inspections by the
Department of Agriculture to ensure that all food labeled Halal is
prepared according to Islamic law.
Islamization
-- here's how it works and why Halal food plays a role.
2003
Obama calls the Iraq war "a botched
and ill-advised U.S.
military incursion into a Muslim
country."
2006
In August, Obama took a taxpayer-funded trip to Africa.
While he was in northern Kenya, he was photographed in full Muslim regalia.
The photo appears in the
February 4th, 2008 edition of "The Examiner," under the caption,
"Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is dressed in Muslim
attire while on a trip to Kenya." (Click source image to enlarge)
[Geeska Afrika caption:] U.S. Senator Barack Obama, right, is dressed as
a Somali Elder by Sheikh Mahmed Hassan, left, during his visit to Wajir,
a rural area in northeastern Kenya, near the borders with Somalia and
Ethiopia. The area is at the epicenter of a severe drought that has hit
the Horn of Africa region, after erratic and insufficient rains during
the April-June season.
2007
On February 27th, Barack Hussein Obama
said the Muslim call to prayer is "one of the prettiest sounds on
Earth."
In an interview with Nicholas Kristof, published in The New York Times, Obama recited the
Muslim call to prayer, the Adhan, "with a
first-class [Arabic] accent."
The opening lines of the Adhan (Azaan) is
the Shahada:
"Allah is Supreme! Allah is Supreme!
Allah is Supreme! Allah is Supreme!
I witness that there is no god but Allah
I witness that there is no god but Allah
I witness that Muhammad is his prophet... "
According to Islamic scholars, reciting the Shahada, the Muslim
declaration of faith,
makes one a Muslim. This simple yet profound statement
expresses a Muslim's complete acceptance of, and total commitment to,
the message of Islam.
Obama knows this from his Quranic studies -- and he knows the New York
Times will publish this fact and it will be seen throughout the Islamic world.
Regardless of Obama's religion, what message is he sending the
world's 1.2 billion Muslims?
I suppose it's easy for Obama to remember the Shahada for the 35 years
since he left Indonesia -- and in 'first-class' Arabic -- especially
since he believes the Muslim call to prayer is "one of the prettiest
sounds on Earth."
The fact that Obama can recall the Shahada after 35 years and the fact
that he believes that the daily call to prayer is "one of the prettiest
sounds on Earth" say that those Muslim prayers run through his head
often -- what does that make him?
On April 8th, Obama
shows his Muslim/Palestinian solidarity and sensitivity, by telling Muscatine,
Illinois Democratic party activists that he supports relaxing
restrictions on aid to the Palestinian people.
He
said they have
suffered the most as a result of stalled peace efforts with Israel. "Nobody is suffering more than the Palestinian people."
2007
In an
interview with the New York Times, published on April 30th, Maya
Soetoro-Ng, Obama’s younger half sister, told the Times, "My whole
family was Muslim, and most of the people I knew were Muslim." (Alternate
link)
I assume Maya thinks of her brother, Obama, as a member of her family?
Although Anna Dunham is often described as an atheist, I assume Maya thinks of
her mother as a member of her family, as well.
How else would one interpret that statement?
2008
On January 31st, Obama
told a French magazine in an interview that if he wins office, he
will hold a summit with Muslim countries to better the United States'
image in the world.
"Once I'm elected, I want to organize a summit in the Muslim world, with
all the heads of state, to have an honest discussion about ways to
bridge the gap that grows every day between Muslims and the West."
2008
On February 20, Firas Ahmad comments on "Our Obama Problem" at
altmuslim.com.
"But for many reasons, Muslims are one constituency Obama does not want
to court. With a wink and a nod, Obama's Muslim supporters
continue to work for a candidate who cannot afford to wink back at them.
Given his perceived "closeness" to Islam, and the fact that he shares a
name with a former Iraqi dictator, it could be strategic suicide for the
Obama campaign to vocally acknowledge organized Muslim support. At
a time when endorsements are worn like badges of honor, no major
candidate is looking for the Muslim vote."
Falsehoods told to prevent the denigration of Islam, to protect
oneself, or to promote the cause of Islam are sanctioned in the Qur’an
and Sunna, including lying under oath in testimony before a court, and
deceiving by making distorted statements to the media such as the claim
that Islam is a "religion of peace." A Muslim is even permitted to
deny or denounce his faith if, in so doing, he protects or furthers the
interests of Islam, so long as he remains faithful to Islam in his
heart.
Like many Islamic practices,
taqiyya was formed within the context of
the culture of Arab tribalism, expansionary warfare, Bedouin raiding and
inter-tribal conflict. Taqiyya has been used by Muslims since the 7th
century to confuse, confound and divide "the enemy."
2008
On the evening of March 4th, Obama
said that America, under his Presidency, will stop being a "bully."
(Video)
He also
said an Obama presidency would work to regain the trust of Muslims
worldwide with Washington-led aid programs in Muslim countries.
2008
Most Arab-Americans
support Obama and many feel a kinship with the Democrat, who they
say can repair America's reputation abroad.
"The American image in the outside world has been damaged, and we want
someone who will reach out to others and say, 'Let's sit at the table
and talk,'" said Saleh Mubarak, who emigrated from Syria in 1981.
"That's what attracted me to Obama. He said, 'I will sit with
Iran, I will sit with anyone.'"
"The biography, the empathy factor, they feel Obama understands the
community," said James Zogby, a senior analyst for Zogby International
and founder and president of the Arab American Institute, a Washington,
D.C., organization that researches politics and policy in the
Arab-American community.
Arab-Americans also remember a line in Obama's speech at the 2004
Democratic National Convention, "If there's an Arab-American family
being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that
threatens my civil liberties."
2008
March 10th -- Obama, is seeking, once
again, to validate, embolden, and encourage the followers of Osama
Bin Laden and other terrorist groups by removing our soldiers from a
battlefield where we have never known defeat. Worse still hundreds
of thousands of craven unthinking Americans are more than willing to
allow Obama-mania to permit Americas enemies to survive another day,
replenish their strength, and strategize again how best to harm the
United States.
2008
March 12th -- Whose Fault Is It? The Barack Hussein Obama flap,
that is. Who was the one who started this mess? Which
bigoted, anti-Islamic right wing nutjob was responsible for initially
using Barack’s incendiary middle name as a clever political device?
Sometime before Barack Obama’s middle name slipped into the realm of the
unmentionable, it was supposed to be a selling point of his candidacy.
"Well, I think if you’ve got a guy named Barack Hussein Obama, that’s a
pretty good contrast to George W. Bush," Mr. Obama told PBS’s Tavis
Smiley on October 18, 2007. "If you believe that we’ve got to heal
America and we’ve got to repair our standing in the world, then I think
my supporters believe that I am the messenger who can deliver that
message."
Somehow, that was supposed to make him better than George W. Bush, but
seeing as George W. Bush’s middle name is actually "Walker," as in
Walker, Texas Ranger, it's hard to make that argument with a straight
face. Walker beats Hussein hands down. In fact, if he could
have beat the real Hussein, he probably would have, except that our
government preferred that Saddam go down after a fight, not with a clean
blow to the jugular.
We think this means his name is now fair game for anyone.
2008
March 12th -- Was Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King on the mark last week
when he asserted Islamic terrorists would rejoice if Obama becomes the
next U.S. president?
What do the terrorists think about these policies? Well, journalist,
Aaron Klein, recently
asked
them:
Ramadan Adassi, leader of the Al Aqsa Brigades terror group in the West
Bank's Anskar refugee camp, pointed to Obama's rise to stardom as "an
important success. He won popularity in spite of the Zionists and
the conservatives."
Abu Hamed, leader of the Al Aqsa Brigades in the northern Gaza Strip,
explained the Democrat candidates' anti-war positions "prove that
important leaders are understanding the situation differently and are
understanding the price and the consequences of the American policy in
Iraq and in the world."
Muhammad Saadi, a senior leader of Islamic Jihad in the northern West
Bank town of Jenin, said talk of withdrawal from Iraq makes him feel
"proud."
"As Arabs and Muslims we feel proud of this talk," he told me for my
book. "Very proud from the great successes of the Iraqi
resistance. This success that brought the big superpower of the
world to discuss a possible withdrawal."
Abu Abdullah, a leader of Hamas' military wing in the Gaza Strip, was
more direct: The policy of withdrawal, he stated, "proves the strategy
of the resistance is the right strategy against the occupation."
What about dialogue with America's enemies, such as sit-downs with
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that Obama has so fervently
advocated?
Muhammad Abdel-Al, spokesperson and a senior leader of the Popular
Resistance Committees terror group, recently explained to me U.S.
willingness to negotiate and initiate dialogue "shows the Islamic
resistance is bringing the giant [America] to is knees."
"It would be a great achievement complemented by more and more dead
American soldiers they will carry in coffins to the U.S.," said Abdel-Al.
Post from Tony Wicher's Blog for Peace
(Hosted by the official Obama
'08 website)
A different relationship with Israel: key to Middle East peace
By Tony Wicher - Feb 16th, 2007 at 11:09 am EST
The current treatment of the Palestinians is worse than South African
apartheid ever was -- it combines the worst features of apartheid and
military occupation. The purpose of it is simply to drive the
Palestinians out. There has never been any serious intention of
allowing a Palestinian state. Israel is the product of a 19th
century ideology, Zionism, that combines good old-fashioned colonialism
with good old-fashioned segregationism. In the time of Theodore
Herzl this was considered normal, but times have changed. Israel
will not be able to complete the colonial project. It will have to
make an accommodation with the Palestinians. But a Palestinian
state is not the way. The "Green line,"”, the 1967 line, etc. must
be regarded as temporary armistice lines. They cannot be the basis
for a permanent political settlement. The only way to settle this
conflict is reunification, not partition. Israelis and
Palestinians must agree to live together as equal citizens in a
democratic state -- whether they like it or not. There is no real
alternative, other than endless war.
The treatment of the Palestinians by Israelis is the number one cause
and justification for terrorism. As long as it goes on the
terrorists can justly claim moral equivalence. As long as the
United States continues with its current unqualified support of Israel
and Israeli apartheid, it makes itself the object of terrorism as well.
This must stop. Only the United States can make Israel do the
right thing. The next U.S. administration must understand that
this is the key to Middle East peace and to defeating terrorism.
Outside this mosque (see photo at link) in Anaheim, California (State
College Drive) we finally got definitive evidence of two things:
1. Word has been out in the Islamic community worldwide for some time
(specially Indonesia and Malaysia) to begin overt support for Obama.
2. We heard rumors of the Islamic Republic of Iran also passing the word
to their American agents and clerics to support Obama but had nothing
tangible till now.
3. The photo above was taken during the last week of March, 2008 by an
AntiMullah person who happened to see this woman and was delighted to
have a camera on hand.
4. Don't be misled by there only being one person. Mosques have
been told to get the message across effectively rather than to hold
demonstrations, since there was no protest involved where numbers rather
than a "bilingual" sign become important.
Note the "bilingual" aspect uses English lettering for Persian (not
Arabic) words to reach a broader audience than writing it in Farsi
(Persian) fonts.
2008
April 9th --
Tom Bevan expresses puzzlement over a passage of the
keynote speech given by Minnesota Fifth District Rep. Keith
Ellison at the Muslim Youth Leadership Symposium this past
weekend in Illinois. According to a
report of his speech, Ellison touted the virtues of
Islamic illumination for an enlightened understanding of
current events:
Ellison went on to say if more people knew of what
Islam had to teach, the controversy created by
statements from presidential candidate Barack Obama's
former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, might not have
occurred.
Without more in the way of a direct quotation, it would be
imprudent to make too much of this passage. But it's
interesting to see Ellison speaking on events related to the
Obama campaign. In
"Louis Farrakhan's first Congressman," I took a look at
Ellison's troubling public record and past associations
before his election to Congress. Ellison's record and
associations previewed similar issues that have begun to
emerge in the course of Obama's campaign.
2008
April 9th -- A group of young men in Gaza gather before each primary in support
of Senator Barack Obama. These well-dressed young men, looking
vastly different from the street photos of the poor and depressed we
usually see, meet in an internet cafe and make random phone calls to
American voters, urging a vote for Obama. They believe he can
bring peace to the Middle East.
And, who is paying for these phone calls and for the
online-time? And when was the last time Gazans were involved in
American politics?
2008
Welcome to Obama Youth, a
website for young supporters of Barack Obama. The purpose of this
site is to provide both individuals and groups a central place to share
ideas, locate resources, organize events and communicate about
supporting the candidacy of Senator Obama. While many of us may not yet
be old enough to vote, we still have the ability to make a difference,
spread the word, and shape Obama's platform.
Why do you think the Islamic crescent was chosen by this
organization to symbolize "Obama Youth?"
And be sure to watch the short video (at link) that calls for the end of the
"useless war."
NOTE: Click the link -- a BRAND NEW
LOGO!
Here is another example of the Obamalytes scrubbing the Internet of
content that reflects negatively on the "anointed one."
In this case they have removed the original Islamic crescent, displayed
above, and replaced it with a less controversial, modified campaign
logo.
Haven't got a clue about the video?
2008
April 10th -- It was a celebration of Palestinian culture -- a night
of music, dancing and a dash of politics. Local Arab Americans
were bidding farewell to
Rashid Khalidi, an internationally known scholar, critic of Israel
and PLO operative, who was leaving town for a job in New York.
A special tribute came from Khalidi's friend and frequent dinner
companion, the young state Sen. Barack Obama. Speaking to the
crowd, Obama reminisced about meals prepared by Khalidi's wife, Mona,
and conversations that had challenged his thinking.
Obama's presence at such events, as he worked to build a political base
in Chicago, has led some Palestinian leaders to believe that he might
deal differently with the Middle East than either of his opponents for
the White House.
"I am confident that Barack Obama is more sympathetic to the position of
ending the occupation than either of the other candidates," said Hussein
Ibish, a senior fellow for the American Task Force on Palestine,
referring to the Israeli presence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip that
began after the 1967 war. More than his rivals for the White
House, Ibish said, Obama sees a "moral imperative" in resolving the
conflict and is most likely to apply pressure to both sides to make
concessions.
"That's my personal opinion," Ibish said, "and I think it for a very
large number of circumstantial reasons, and what he's said."
2008
April 10th -- Obama: Al-Qaeda is not -- where?
Barack Obama
has a problem when he gets off script. In Gary, Indiana,
Obama wants to make the point that al-Qaeda needs to be pursued, but in
Pakistan. Unfortunately. Obama almost makes a big mistake, and the
walk-back isn’t exactly effective:
Note the problem Obama creates for himself in this stumble. He
stopped just short of saying that al-Qaeda isn’t in Iraq. He
wanted to say it, but he stopped himself, and for good reason --
al-Qaeda is in Iraq. Saying otherwise would have made him look
ill-informed, and he knows it. He corrects himself to say that AQ
senior leadership isn’t in Iraq.
Given that, and given his buildup of warning how great a strategic
danger AQ presents to the US, then why does Obama want to retreat from
Iraq? We’re trying to take down the whole network. An
effective strategy would have us fighting them in Iraq and in the
Pakistan/Afghanistan theater -- which we’re doing now. We managed
to fight two wars simultaneously in 1941-1945 on much larger scales than
we face today. If he can’t walk and chew gum at the same time,
should he really be Commander in Chief? (via
Jim Geraghty)
2008
April 11th -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Friday
it was not his place to criticize former President Jimmy Carter if
he were to meet with Hamas.
2008
April 13th -- Two years ago, Hatem El-Hady was the
chairman of the Toledo, Ohio-based Islamic charity, Kindhearts,
which was closed by the US government in February 2006 for terrorist
fundraising and all its assets frozen. Today, El-Hady has
redirected his fundraising efforts for his newest cause -- Barack Obama
for President.
El-Hady has his own
dedicated page on Barack Obama's official website, chronicling his
fundraising on behalf of the Democratic Party presidential candidate
(his Obama profile established on February 19, 2008 -- two years to the
day after Kindhearts was raided by the feds). Not only that, but
he has none other than Barack Obama's wife, Michelle Obama, listed as
one of his friends, one of her 224 listed friends.
Last summer, El-Hady was questioned by the FBI concerning his knowledge
of possible conspirators in a UK-based terror plot.
Click link to see a number of other Kindhearts officials were tied to
terrorist fundraising, support and al-Qaeda.
2008
April 16th -- While Sen. Barack Obama sought to improve his relationship with the
Jewish community today by meeting with leaders Philadelphia, comments by
a Hamas political adviser this weekend could potentially hurt the
Democratic presidential candidate.
During an interview on WABC radio Sunday, top Hamas political adviser
Ahmed Yousef said the terrorist group
supports Obama’s foreign policy vision.
"We don’t mind -- actually we like Mr. Obama. We hope he will
(win) the election and I do believe he is like John Kennedy, great
man with great principle, and he has a vision to change America to make
it in a position to lead the world community but not with domination and
arrogance," Yousef said in response to a question about the group’s
willingness to meet with either of the Democratic presidential
candidates.
2008
April 22nd -- Democratic White House contender Barack Obama could not hide
his irritation Monday when asked by a reporter what he thought about
former president Jimmy Carter's meeting with Hamas last week.
"Why can't I just eat my waffle?" the Illinois senator said as he ate
breakfast in Scranton, Pennsylvania, according to MSNBC television
pictures.
Pressed again for an answer, he replied: "Just let me eat my waffle."
Adding insult to...insult, a fellow customer of the Glider Diner in
Scranton has put Obama's waffle plate -- the one on which he was focused
when rudely interrupted by reporters --
on eBay.
2008
April 23rd -- Two years ago, Hatem El-Hady was the chairman of the Toledo,
Ohio-based Islamic charity,
Kindhearts, which was
closed by the
US government in February 2006 for terrorist fundraising and all its
assets frozen. Today, El-Hady has redirected his fundraising
efforts for his newest cause -- Barack Obama for President.
El-Hady has his own
dedicated page on Barack Obama's official website, chronicling his
fundraising on behalf of the Democratic Party presidential candidate.
Not only that, but he has none other than Barack Obama's wife, Michelle
Obama, listed as one of his friends and one of
her 224 listed friends.
But his leadership of Kindhearts is not the only thing that has brought
him scrutiny by federal law enforcement officials. Last summer,
El-Hady was questioned by the FBI concerning his knowledge of possible
conspirators in a UK-based terror plot.
The Department of Justice had a very
different
version of events. According to the DOJ, Kindhearts assumed the role
of lead terrorist fundraising in the US after the government had closed
other such Islamic "charities."
"KindHearts is the progeny of Holy Land Foundation and Global Relief
Foundation, which attempted to mask their support for terrorism behind
the façade of charitable giving," said Stuart Levey, Treasury Under
Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
Not only was Kindhearts engaged in providing funds for HAMAS in Lebanon
and the West Bank, it had hired as a fundraising specialist the man
identified as the designated HAMAS bag man in the US, Mohammed El-Mezain.
And as investigative reporter Joe Kaufman revealed in "The
Black Hearts of Kindhearts," a number of other Kindhearts officials
were tied to terrorist fundraising and support, as well.
Not any more -- the Obamalytes have removed her name from
Hatem's friend's list -- busy little beavers are scrubbing away at the
web. --
Update:
Now the entire page has disappeared????
Commenting on the Iranian preference for a Democrat in the White House,
Sergei Barseghian, a columnist for the reformist Etemad Meli newspaper
noted that in Farsi,the words "Oo ba ma" would translate as
"He's with us."
The sympathy his candidacy has aroused among many Iranians stems from a
variety of factors, including his African heritage, his Muslim
family ties, and a belief that Obama would move to end Washington's
30-year Cold War with Tehran -- or at least reduce the prospect of a
U.S. military attack on the Islamic Republic. "I think people want
him to win," said Shi'ite cleric Mehdi Karroubi, the reformist former
parliament speaker defeated by Ahmadinejad in Iran's 2005 presidential
contest.
It's Obama's declared willingness to engage in "aggressive personal
diplomacy" with the Iranian leadership that has generated the most
interest among senior officials in Tehran.
"Obama is a man of engagement, a man of negotiations," one Iranian
official said. Amir Mohebbian, an analyst close to Iranian
conservative politicians, argues that "the mentality of Iranian decision
makers is ready for that."
2008
April 26th -- Yesterday's
blogger call with John McCain contained a remarkable exchange in
which McCain, noting the fact that Hamas has endorsed Obama for
President, said:
"It's very clear who Hamas wants to be the next president of the
United States. So apparently has Danny Ortega and several others.
I think that people should understand that I will be Hamas's worst
nightmare.... If senator Obama is favored by Hamas I think people
can make judgments accordingly."
5/4/08
May 4th -- On "Meet the Press" this morning Obama
mistook
Iran for Israel when talking about defending them against an Iranian
attack.
He said, "Israel is an ally of ours, it's the most important ally we
have in the region and there is no doubt that we would act forcefully
and appropriately on any attack against Iran, nuclear or
otherwise"
5/11/08
It's no surprise that
the media are in the tank for Barack Obama,
but the willingness of the New York Times to simply misrepresent the
facts -- while pretending to act as a fact-checker! -- is pretty
breathtaking. You may think the Times is an outlier, if not a joke, but
I suspect that many more news outlets are prepared to follow the Times'
lead in flat-out misreporting the facts, if that's what it takes to get
Obama elected.
The Times story is "On McCain, Obama and a Hamas Link." It takes John
McCain to task for pointing out that Hamas has endorsed Obama. The Times
reporter, Larry Rohter, says that John McCain has "again portrayed the
Democratic contender as being the favorite of Hamas, the militant
Palestinian group." Of course, this is not McCain's "portrayal;" it is
an indisputable fact that Hamas has endorsed Obama and has said that it
hopes he will be elected. But the paper's most egregious error, in its
campaign "fact check" column, is yet to come.
Rohter notes that charges and counter-charges have gone back and forth
between the McCain and Obama campaigns, but Rohter judges that McCain is
mostly at fault:
But important nuances appear to have been lost in the partisan salvos,
particularly on Mr. McCain’s side.
McCain, Rohter writes, is guilty because he says that Obama has
advocated "unconditional" meetings with Iran's President:
[I]n a fund-raising letter sent out in April, a spokesman for Mr. McCain
wrote: "We need change in America, but not the kind of change that wins
kind words from Hamas, surrenders in Iraq and will hold unconditional
talks with Iranian President Ahmadinejad."
That, the Times says, is wrong.
But, who you gonna believe -- well, here's the video -- is the Times lying --
is Obama's Campaign lying -- you decide.
Not good enough? How about the fact that Obama's web site
contains this statement:
Diplomacy: Obama is the only major candidate who
supports tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without
preconditions.
After relentlessly labeling anyone who brings up the issue of Barack
Obama’s Muslim origins as a bigot, a racist, or a lunatic, suddenly this
morning the New York Times publishes an op-ed that actually admits Obama
was born a Muslim -- and that it might cause serious problems in an
Obama presidency.
5/14/08
PowerLine blog
observes that Obama and his legion of supporters in the MSM may not
like the fact that Hamas supports his candidacy, or that John McCain and
his supporters mention this fact. But it's not difficult to understand
why Hamas favors Obama. Consider this statement by Obama regarding
Lebanon:
"This effort to undermine Lebanon’s elected government needs to stop,
and all those who have influence with Hezbollah must press them to stand
down immediately. . . It’s time to engage in diplomatic efforts to help
build a new Lebanese consensus that focuses on electoral reform, an end
to the current corrupt patronage system, and the development of the
economy that provides for a fair distribution of services, opportunities
and employment."
The naivety of this statement is staggering. As Noah Pollak asks: "Does
Obama understand that the people who 'have influence with Hezbollah'
happen to be the same people on whose behalf Hezbollah is rampaging
through Lebanon?" And does he really believe that Hezbollah and its
sponsors can be pacified or neutralized by electoral reform, an end to
corrupt patronage, and "fair" distribution of services?
Obama may well fail to comprehend the first point and believe the
second, just as naive leftists of an earlier generation thought that Ho
Chi Minh was, at root, an agrarian reformer. In any case, Pollak is
correct that "Obama is rhetorically cornered; since his only
prescription for the Middle East is diplomatic engagement, every disease
gets re-diagnosed as something curable through talking."
No wonder he's Hamas' man.
5/17/08
John McCain, speaking in front of the National Rifle Association had
some advice for young Mr. Obama:
"I have some news for Senator Obama: talking, not even with soaring
rhetoric, (unconditional)... in unconditional meetings with a man who
calls Israel a 'stinking corpse,' and arms terrorists who kill
Americans, will not convince Iran to give up its nuclear programs."
"It is reckless, it is reckless to suggest that unconditional meetings
will advance our interests."
"You know, it would be a wonderful thing if we lived in a world where we
don’t have enemies. But that’s not the world we live in. And
until Senator Obama understands that reality, the American people have
every reason to doubt whether he has the strength, judgment, and
determination to keep us safe."
And wants to know why is this open anti-Semite and supporter of Israel's
annihilation getting to discuss "the Arab-Israeli conflict" in a
private, one-on-one meeting with Obama? What was said? I
think we can do the math.
Qazwini is an agent of the Iranian government, spreading its
propaganda. He was sent to the U.S. by Iran to help radicalize his
mosque, the Islamic Center of America, which -- at the time -- was
becoming moderate with women not covering their hair and mixing with
men. All that has changed, under Qazwini.
Qazwini is very open about his support for Palestinian homicide
bombings, HAMAS, and Hezbollah, and he's a good friend of Hezbollah
spiritual leader, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah -- the man who
issued the fatwa to Hezbollah terrorists to murder over 300 U.S. Marines
and U.S. Embassy civilians in cold blood. Qazwini's mosque has
held rallies and celebrations in support of Hezbollah, and many of
Hezbollah's biggest money-launderers and agents in America are his
congregants.
Hamas leader Ahmed Yousef has been quoted saying, "We like
Mr. Obama and we hope that he will win the election."
A controversy unfolded last month when Hamas political adviser Ahmed
Yousef told Aaron Klein, author of "Schmoozing with Terrorists," and
WABC radio, his group hopes Obama will win the presidential election and
change America's foreign policy.
5/20/08
Obama displays profound ignorance of asymmetric warfare.
By stating that Iran isn't a
threat because they spend much less on defense than the US, Obama displays a
complete ignorance of how asymmetric warfare operates. The AQ "defense
budget" for pulling off 9/11, was by comparison to the US, essentially zero.
An analysis of the Iranian order of battle and where they've been spending their
defense dollars over the past 10 years would show that they are a serious threat
in certain specific areas. They've been investing heavily in coastal
batteries, anti-ship missile systems, silent diesel electric subs, and such.
They could turn the narrow strait of Hormuz into an un-navigable scrap yard
faster than the US Navy could stop them or the US Air force could neutralize
those batteries and missiles.
Are the Iranians going to bomb NYC or invade Chicago? No. Can they
be a major pain in the ass to the rest of the world if they decided to
suicidally squeeze oil shipments through the straight? Absolutely!
A persistent questioner at a campaign stop Thursday grilled Barack Obama
on his ties to a professor with pro-Palestinian views, prompting Obama
to speak at some length against "guilt by association" and about his
support for the Jewish community.
The at-times heated exchange occurred during a town hall event held at a
synagogue in Boca Raton, Fla. The questioner focused on Obama’s
relationship to Rashid Khalidi, a professor of Arab studies at Columbia
University who has drawn fire for some of his criticisms of Israel.
Obama responded by saying he has met Khalidi and spoken with him in an
academic context, when Obama was teaching at the University of Chicago.
In the 1970s, when Khalidi taught at a university in Beirut, he often
spoke to reporters on behalf of Yasser Arafat's Palestine Liberation
Organization. In the early 1990s, he advised the Palestinian
delegation during peace negotiations. Khalidi now occupies a
prestigious professorship of Arab studies at Columbia
"He is not one of my advisers. He’s not one of my foreign policy
people," Obama said. "He is a respected scholar, although he
vehemently disagrees with a lot of Israel’s policy."
Obama then objected to the suggestion that his contacts with Khalidi
mean he shares Khalidi’s views.
"Part of my philosophy … is I believe in listening to people even when I
disagree with them," Obama said. "And part of the reason that the
Jewish community in Chicago is so close to me is because they know that
on many occasions I’ve spoken out vigorously against anti-Semitism, even
in my own community, even when it’s not convenient.
Yo! Obama, exactly when is anti-Semitism
convenient? When the media is absent? When it's just you,
Michelle, Wright and Farrakhan?
5/25/08
Is Iran gunning for a victory by presidential candidate Barack
Obama?
Despite the official line that it won’t make any difference who wins the
U.S. presidency (after all, they say, America is totally under the thumb
of "Zionists"), Iranians are watching the U.S. elections closely and
rooting for a victory by the Illinois senator, who has said he's willing
to agree to unconditional talks with Iran.
"I should say, he is a phenomenon, based on what he has said so far,"
Sadegh Kharazzi, a former Iranian diplomat squarely in the reformist
camp now out of power, said. "Unless he is drawn into traditional
Democratic Party ways, his election as a president will be welcomed in
Iran."
Wrote the conservative daily Hamshahri on May 7:
Obama has adopted the friendliest strategies regarding Iran, because he
believes that America should change its policy in dealing with Tehran,
while other candidates have more hostile policies.
6/6/08
On Wednesday, Obama, appearing in front of the American Israel
Public Affairs Committee,
said Jerusalem should be Israel's undivided capital, saying,
"Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain
undivided."
Well, on Thursday, Palestinian leaders reacted with anger and
dismay to this statement, so Obama immediately flip-flopped on his
support for Israel's stance on Jerusalem, saying Palestinians and
Israelis had to negotiate the future of the holy city.
Two positions in two days -- this guy is very confused -- and let's be
very clear about this -- under pressure from Palestinians and
terrorists, Obama caved in on one of Israel's most fundamental issues.
Not a good sign for those meetings with
Ahmadinejad that Obama keeps talking about.
6/7/08
Another Terrorist In Obama-Land -- Rashid Khalidi -- Anti-Israel Agenda?
(06:03)
6/11/08
I almost don't believe what I just read in The New York Times -- and
from Thomas Friedman, no less:
"This column will probably get Barack Obama in trouble, but that’s not
my problem. I cannot tell a lie: Many Egyptians and other Arab Muslims
really like him and hope that he wins the presidency."
The MEMRI Blog
reports
that an editorial, the Saudi paper Al-Watan stated that U.S. Democratic
presidential candidate Barack Obama is more capable than anyone else of
bringing about change in U.S. policy, particularly in all things
connected to the Middle East.
The paper added that in light of Obama's intent to conduct a dialogue
with Iran, the Middle East countries should launch a dialogue with him
and help him better understand what is going on.
One can only imagine what change the Saudis what kind of change the are
hoping for.
6/16/08
FReeper, "GovernmentIsTheProblem,"
comments on this Obama quote, "Sometimes this is a difficult road
being in politics. Sometimes you can become fearful, sometimes you
can become vain, sometimes you can seek power just for power’s sake
instead of because you want to do service to God. I just want all
of you to pray that I can be an instrument of God in the same way that
Pastor Ron and all of you are instruments of God . . . We’re going
to keep on praising together. I am confident that we can create
a Kingdom right here on Earth."
HE IS TALKING ABOUT JIHAD!!!!!
The first part of this statement is the INTERNAL struggle.
"Sometimes this is a difficult road being in politics. Sometimes
you can become fearful, sometimes you can become vain, sometimes you can
seek power just for power’s sake instead of because you want to do
service to God."
The SECOND part is about the EXTERNAL struggle.
"I just want all of you to pray that I can be an instrument of God in
the same way that Pastor Ron and all of you are instruments of God . . .
We’re going to keep on praising together. I am confident that we
can create a Kingdom right here on Earth."
There are 2 jihads, he talks about them both in this paragraph.
6/19/08
Yesterday, while Obama advisers Sen. John Kerry and ex-White House
counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke were praising the Supreme Court
ruling that bin Laden can appeal to U.S. courts, Obama was wrapping up
his trip to Michigan by meeting with a group of "community
leaders."
One of those so-called leaders has been identified as Osama Siblani,
publisher of the Arab American News, and an agent of Hezbollah.
Siblani,, an open supporter of the terrorist group, was handpicked for
the meeting by the Obama campaign and Obama spoke one-to-one with
Siblani.
Siblani's brother works for Al-Manar a/k/a Hezbollah TV in Lebanon, and
Siblani's newspaper is Hezbollah's house organ in America. Sources
say Hezbollah has funneled money to the paper. Siblani was at a
small 2006 Dearborn meeting identified in the Kuwaiti newspaper, Al-Seyassah,
as a meeting of Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah's American Hezbollah agents.
Nasrallah has been a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, the
commander of Hezbolla troops in Bekaa, and a member
of the Shura Council, Hezbollah’s highest institution.
Siblani has openly praised Hezbollah, the group that murdered over 300
U.S. Marines and U.S. Embassy employees, as "freedom fighters"
everywhere from Hezbollah rallies to interviews on National Public Radio
to a Detroit radio station which constantly has him on, unchallenged.
At a 2006 pro-Hezbollah rally in Dearborn, Siblani called for the
participants to "pray for the Hezbollah martyrs."
This video
shows Siblani leading a Michigan rally and repeatedly asking, "Who is
the terrorist?" -- and the crowd responds, "Bush, George Bush." He
then goes on to question the crowd, "Who is the freedom fighter?" -- and
they shout "Hezbollah, Hezbollah" -- and this rally takes place in
America.
The very fact that Obama invited Siblani to talk with him is yet
another sign that Barack Obama has no problem with supporters of
terrorists who murder Americans.
Previously, Obama had a
private meeting with an imam who is an agent of Hezbollah and the
government of Iran. Why is he meeting with one of Hezbollah's most
important imams and agents in America, Imam Hassan Qazwini?
Why is this anti-Semite and supporter of Israel's annihilation getting
to discuss "the Arab-Israeli conflict" in a private one-on-one meeting
with Obama? What was said?
Debbie Schlussel
has written about Qazwini and his mosque for almost a decade.
He is tight with the Government of Iran, and he is an agent of the
Iranian government, spreading its propaganda. He was sent to the
U.S. by Iran to help radicalize his mosque, the Islamic Center of
America, which, at the time, was becoming moderate with women not
covering their hair and mixing with men.
All that has changed, under Qazwini.
"I will stand with them should the political
winds shift in an ugly direction." -- Barack Hussein Obama
6/19/08
Obama says if Osama bin Laden were captured on his watch,
he'd want to ensure he doesn't become a martyr if he were
prosecuted. Obama said he's not sure that the terrorist mastermind
would be captured alive.
But if he were, Obama said he would want to bring him to justice "in a
way that allows the entire world to understand the murderous acts that
he's engaged in and not to make him into a martyr."
"I will stand with them should the political
winds shift in an ugly direction." -- Barack Hussein Obama
7/4/08
The Obama campaign faces a burgeoning problem: the tendency of
certain highly-placed Muslims overseas to declare that he is of their
faith. The latest to do so is Libya's Qadhafi, in remarks made
marking the anniversary of the U.S. air raid on Libya. MEMRI provides
this
transcript:
"There are elections in America now. Along came a black citizen of
Kenyan African origins, a Muslim, who had studied in an Islamic school
in Indonesia. His name is Obama. All the people in the Arab
and Islamic world and in Africa applauded this man. They welcomed
him and prayed for him and for his success, and they may have even been
involved in legitimate contribution campaigns to enable him to win the
American presidency."
"We still hope that this black man will take pride in his African and
Islamic identity, and in his faith, and that [he will know] that he has
rights in America, and that he will change America from evil to good,
and that America will establish relations that will serve it well with
other peoples, especially the Arabs."
Americans believe that Barack Obama has every right to become a
Christian as an adult and proclaim his faith in Jesus Christ. Americans
understand that true religious identity depends on the faith one
accepts. But we deceive ourselves if we believe the rest of the
world thinks this way.
The Muslim world sees it differently. A baby born to a Muslim
father is a Muslim. One who leaves Islam for another faith is an
apostate. It's scriptural.
