« April 2007 | Main | June 2007 » Jewish Al Qaeda Californian
By Micah Halpern
Thursday May 31, 2007 I'm Predicting: Once upon a time there was a nice Jewish boy named Adam Pearlman. Adam's first 15 minutes of notoriety began yesterday when he appeared on a new video posted on an al Qaeda website making a series of threats and announcing a long list of demands. The demands were ludicrous, hilarious and threatening - all totally unrealistic. This new spokesman for al Qaeda is wanted by the FBI. We will be hearing more from this turban clad, bearded, Jewish son of California. Palestinian Premier Fears Death
By Micah Halpern
Wednesday May 30, 2007 I've Been Thinking: Palestinian Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh is worried that Israel might target him. His fear is justified. Hamas sponsors the lobbing of Qassam rockets into the Israeli city of Sderot. If all these things are true - which they are - Israel has the right to self-defense. THE SHAME OF SDEROT
By Micah Halpern
Tuesday May 29, 2007 Column: Israeli leadership has finally reached a breaking point. Israeli masses have finally reached a breaking point. It has taken too long - much, much too long but finally, Israel has realized that the daily bombardment of the citizens of Sderot, aka the Neglected City of the Negev, is not the status quo. Israel has finally come to realize that it is neither natural nor acceptable for Qassam rockets to fall on the streets of Sderot - first frightening, then injuring and now killing the citizens of this impoverished city. For years, literally years, Qassams fell, citizens ran for shelter, damage was assessed and life went on. But then the bombing intensified, citizens attempted to run not into shelters but out of the city, the damage was no longer limited to property and life could not go on. And that is when it all clicked. That is when the reality of the lives of the citizens of Sderot smacked the rest of Israel in the face. And then Hamas declared victory over Israel. Proudly, loudly, Hamas laughed at Israel. Hamas described the ease with which they were able to loft rockets into a significant Israeli city. At will. With impunity. How could it happen? Not how could Hamas attack an Israeli city. But how and why did greater Israel allow itself to not only accept but also embrace through neglect the fact that one of their cities would be under regular attack by the enemy, by tens of rockets every day. The answer brings shame upon the people of Israel. In the eyes of most of Israel, the city of Sderot, the hometown even of the Israeli defense minister, was irrelevant. Another reality brought forth by the bombardment of Sderot is that until now, right now, the masses of Israel saw Sderot and the inhabitants of Sderot as less than second class citizens. They were citizens no one cared much about. They were poor. They were immigrant. They are North Africans or they are from the former Soviet Republics. They do not matter. The masses of Israel thought of the people of Sderot as expendable. Not even worth the effort or the loss of time. And certainly not worth the lives of the soldiers who would be sacrificed if Israel entered Gaza in order to change the status quo and make life more bearable in Sderot by stopping the rockets. And so Israel waited, hoping it would all go away. But rather than go away, the situation intensified. And now, when Israel can do nothing other than enter into Gaza the lives of those soldiers - just like the lives of the residents of Sderot, are at even greater risk. Yuval Diskin, director of Israel's Shin Bet, the Internal Security Administration, briefed the Israeli Cabinet on the situation awaiting the Israeli army as they now enter Gaza on their quest to put a stop to the Qassams. "They'll be waiting for us with explosive tunnels, snipers, road bombs and anything else they can think of ..." the director said. But go in they must. According to my own analysis the only way Israel can put an end to this situation is by thinking short term and acting short term. Short term for the army means in and out. It means target, attack, return home. The only way to stop the bombing is to use an integrated system. Israel must hit Hamas from the air and from the ground. Israel must use Special Ops forces going in and coming out. Israel must be fast. Israel must send in surgical teams to find, hit and capture targets. It is the only way to save the citizens of Sderot. It is the only way to incapacitate Hamas. Israel must make it clear to Hamas that they are now in charge. That Israel will continue to assault from land and from air until Hamas-lobbed rockets stop falling through the sky and landing inside Israel. Short term for Sderot means looking at the situation week by week. Was this week quieter than last week? How do you measure? Determine if more adults returned home this week than last week. See if more children came home. Check the offices of trauma specialists to determine if they are feeling a dip in volume and intensity. And then Israel can think about long term solutions. And then Israel and Israelis can put the shame of Sderot to rest. Lebanon Fighting Again
By Micah Halpern
Monday May 28, 2007 I've Been Thinking: The fighting between the Lebanese army and the terrorist group Fatah al Islam continues. We already knew that: Now we have surprising new information: Yesterday the two sides declared a truce - it was almost immediately broken. Turkey is in the Balance
By Micah Halpern
Sunday May 27, 2007 I've Been Thinking: Sometimes, an Islamic democracy and the modern world can actually coexist. Since April there have been steady protests against the Islamification of Turkey. Since the establishment of modern Turkey the country has been secular with Islamic culture. Hopefully the Turks will be able to maintain their precarious balance. Sunni vs. Sunni
By Micah Halpern
Saturday May 26, 2007 I've Been Thinking: A car bomb exploded at a funeral in Iraq yesterday. Usually, al Qaeda just targets Shiites and Western forces. So why did this happen? There is a simple answer. Internal tensions are emerging in Iraq. Elections in Syria
By Micah Halpern
Friday May 25, 2007 I've Been Thinking: Syrians are very excited about Sunday's upcoming election. Hundreds of thousands rallied in support of Assad in the streets of Damascus. These rallies are orchestrated to show the world how everyone loves these leaders. Assad is an example that proves the rule. The situation could change. Arab League Condemns Fatah al Islam
By Micah Halpern
Thursday May 24, 2007 I've Been Thinking: The Arab League has just done something it has never done before. The Arab League statement came after a long day of meetings on the topic. "strongly condemned criminal and terrorist acts." This is a significant step for the 22 member countries of the Arab League. Convicting Terrorists At Last
By Micah Halpern
Wednesday May 23, 2007 I've Been Thinking: Finally, a court has begun to convict terrorists for plotting to attack the US and joining forces with our enemies. Earlier this week a US District Court in NY convicted Rafiq Sabir, a 52 year old American doctor, of pledging allegiance to al Qaeda. Sabir, originally recruited by an FBI agent, was convicted not because he went to Afghanistan, but because authorities have him on tape taking an oath to Sheik Osama and al Qaeda. All three terrorists will do time, but anyone looking at the cases carefully will see how woefully and poorly our legal system is on this level. The reality is that this group was not really capable of putting a plan together.
Who Supports & Who Condemns
By Micah Halpern
Tuesday May 22, 2007 I've Been Thinking: Qassam rockets have become routine for the Israeli residents of Sderot. Israel is trying to counter the barrage using helicopter gunships to strike at the people launching these portable rockets. The Israeli response is justified. The Arab world has condemned the Israeli response. THE ENEMIES OF STABILITY
By Micah Halpern
Monday May 21, 2007 Column: For a long time the international community has thought of Lebanon as a wash out, a puppet state, a sorry, unfortunate mess. It's time to take a new look at this small, Arab, Middle-Eastern country. The eyes of the Western world should begin focusing on Lebanon. The Lebanese Army is now engaged in a serious fight with a new enemy, Fatah al Islam. This group, led by a Palestinian named Shahr al Abassi, came into existence only last year as a break-off from a Syrian-backed Sunni fighting group. Fatah al Islam is composed of Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestinian fighters. Lebanon's new nemesis was created in the image of al Qaeda, espousing al Qaeda beliefs and pursuing al Qaeda goals. Fatah al Islam is probably - nay, almost certainly, sponsored by Syria. The ultimate mission of this group is to bring disorder and unrest to Lebanon. The short term goal is to act as a distraction thereby preventing any investigation into the assassination of beloved, anti-Syrian, independent, Lebanese leader Harriri - believed by the Lebanese and the free world to have been brutally murdered by the Syrians. The fighting is fierce. In one day of battle the death tally was nineteen for Fatah al Islam, thirteen for the Lebanese army, six civilians caught in the crossfire and sixty civilians wounded. This particular battle took place in a refugee camp just outside of Tripoli. Fatah al Islam claims that their group is being targeted unjustifiably by the Lebanese army and that there will be just payment in return for the attacks against them. Turns out that in this case members of the group had robbed a bank and all the army was doing was doing their job and attempting to arrest the culprits. The emergence of Fatah al Islam in Lebanon and the response of the Lebanese army to fight Fatah al Islam offer us several important insights into the new workings within Lebanon and the new reality of al Qaeda terrorists. Al Qaeda is in Lebanon. Terrorists are actually thieves and thugs. Sunni/Shiite conflicts are well-documented but there are also Sunni/Sunni conflicts. Syria is still the power and influence behind much of what happens in Lebanon. The enemies of stability are the friends of terror. Lebanon has chosen to fight those enemies. Lebanon needs the support of strong, freedom-loving, friends. Important Info from the IDF
By Micah Halpern
Sunday May 20, 2007 I've Been Thinking: When the Israeli Army, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), sends out an update from the field it is a sure bet that they have important information to impart. Last night I received an IDF update: The idea is very hard to fathom. Israel has only now begun to respond and even that response is minimal. Hamas has pledged not to stop until Israel puts a stop to retaliatory aerial raids. The hard cold reality is that the only response that will stop the rockets is to wipe out Hamas and Israel is not willing to go that route. Israel Needs the US
By Micah Halpern
Saturday May 19, 2007 I've Been Thinking: A new survey of Israeli public opinion has just been released. This study was conducted by Bar Ilan University and the ADL (Anti Defamation League). 91% of Israelis said that relations with the United States are an essential component of Israeli security. Throughout the past decade Israelis have been looking for support from around the world, especially from the United States. Israelis feel that the United States is a friend. Iran is Ready
By Micah Halpern
Friday May 18, 2007 I've Been Thinking: Of course. Israel got it right. What is so surprising about the new reports is that anyone is surprised. Iran has been publicly announcing all along that they are making more and more progress. Never underestimate the other side. What's In Libya's Future
By Micah Halpern
Thursday May 17, 2007 I've Been Thinking: There are rumor and reports that Libya's Muammar Ghadaffi had a stroke. Ghadaffi is not a man who hides from the press. Ghadaffi has not adequately groomed a successor. If Ghadaffi is ill Libya is in for major change. PA Unity Break Up
By Micah Halpern
Wednesday May 16, 2007 I'm Predicting: The Palestinian Authority unity government is bound to collapse. The Mecca Accord was predicated on the idea of an independent third party interior minister responsible for the policing and safety of the Authority. He was a compromise appointment in the first place. And yet, all this week as the PA violence continues, the United States and Jordan have been pushing Israel to talk to the Palestinians. Terror: New Lessons Learned
By Micah Halpern
Tuesday May 15, 2007 Column: The arrest and capture of the terrorist cell in New Jersey was a shock to many people. More significantly, it was a learning experience for most of America. Most Americans were taken by surprise. A terrorist cell blithely operating in Southern New Jersey, only a stone's throw away from the great New York City and even closer to Philadelphia, was inconceivable, unfathomable and very, very scary. And they were shocked by the realization that not all Muslim terrorists hail from the Middle East, that in fact some of the men arrested in New Jersey were European. And then they were struck by a combination of outrage and disbelief to learn that these people, undeniable terrorists, were only charged with the crime of conspiracy to murder United States servicemen. The United States still looks at terror like any other crime and that is a serious mistake. And because the United States looks at terror like any other crime it makes it almost impossible to crack down on terrorists. And because it is almost impossible to crack down on terrorists the rate of convictions for terrorists in the United States is abysmally low and punishments for the handful of terrorists actually convicted in the US rarely go over five years incarceration. I'm not advocating an eye for an eye, I am saying to US lawmakers create a RICO act for terror. I'm saying allow for easier convictions and relax the standards on collecting information. I'm saying that these six men have been charged with crimes that do not carry much jail time and I am saying that America will once again be astounded when the case comes to trial because these six men will probably not serve any time at all even if they are convicted. The key informant in this case was actually the leader of the group. He is the person who clearly admits to having experience in weapons, the person teaching the other terrorists to be terrorists. He is the person with the plan and most importantly, he is the person that everyone else wants to please. That, fellow Americans, is entrapment. Entrapment is best defined as being induced or persuaded by law enforcement officers or their agents to commit a crime that one had no previous intent to commit. If the leader was the informant, and every indication so far leads us to assume that he was, the Federal government will have a very difficult time convicting any of these men of anything, certainly of anything substantial. These men were out to destroy our democracy. Our democracy, in its present legal state, might set them free. Iran Says Farewell to Blair
By Micah Halpern
Monday May 14, 2007 I've Been Thinking: Historians and ideologues will argue about the subject for years. Was the world a better place with Blair in a leadership role? Officially, Iran welcomed Blair's exit and expressed hope for better interaction with the new UK leadership - if they change policy. Dream on, Iran. Assad's Preconditions for Peace
By Micah Halpern
Sunday May 13, 2007 I've Been Thinking: President Bashar Assad of Syria addressed his new and powerless parliament this past Thursday on the prospects of peace with Israel. Assad had several points to make. This is what he said: What Assad is really saying is that he has a basic precondition for peace. The reality is that Syria has no interest in peace. The Muslims of Michigan
By Micah Halpern
Saturday May 12, 2007 I've Been Thinking: The Muslims of Michigan have recently signed an agreement to set aside the centuries old dispute between Shiites and Sunnis. After some recent violence the leaders have decided to put aside differences and unite by creating a treaty. Why is it impossible to unite Shiites and Sunnis? This Michigan Agreement is based on a perception of Muslim unity. It is predicated on the belief that the sides can unite against a common enemy and set aside theological differences. But in reality they cannot. The hostility between Shiites and Sunnis goes too deep and has been there for so very long. A takfir is a takfir and with a takfir comes persecutions and even deaths. VIolence in France
By Micah Halpern
Friday May 11, 2007 I've Been Thinking: Most Americans really do not care what happens in France. Nicholad Sarkozy just won the presidential election. French authorities say that things are calming down. Mainstream France is beginning to understand that the country needs to conform to the standard set by the rest of the West. The violent few still want to frighten the rest of France and that will just backfire. That is how and why Sarkozy came to be elected. Sunnis and Shiites United
By Micah Halpern
Thursday May 10, 2007 I've Been Thinking: The US Army Spokesperson for Iraq made a fascinating assertion today. Iran is Shiite. The answer is Machiavellian. The groups that Iran supports are almost unilaterally dedicated to expelling the US from Iraq and the entire region. Until now, Western logic has missed the greater point and fallen short of understanding the enemy. NASRALLAH, WINOGRAD, DEMOCRACY
By Micah Halpern
Tuesday May 8, 2007 Column: Know thine enemy the phrase goes. Good advice, but to borrow from another popular saying, a little easier said than done. One of the best ways of knowing what an enemy is really thinking, planning and plotting is to listen to what is being said. Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the undisputed leader of Hezbollah, recently gave us a glimpse of his thinking, a peek into the mind of this enemy, an opportunity to see the wheels turn, to understand how his decisions are made and how his conclusions are determined. He gave us insight into his analysis and his own world view. This true enemy of the West and Israel, and of everyone and everything outside his own religious domain regularly speaks to his adherents through the medium of television and radio. Nasrallah is most often seen and heard on Hezbollah stations, but sometimes, when he has an important message intended for greater audiences, he ventures out of home court and finds a larger arena through which to speak his mind. The round faced cleric with the steely eyes is most often heard delivering sermons. He is a Sheikh and he is a leader and his chosen method of delivery is religiously motivated but with a modern twist. His sermons always, inevitably, deal with political and practical issues. Never are his sermons strictly theological, they are always grounded in the here and now. I listen very carefully to most of the comments of Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. I paid even closer attention to his spoken observations on the occasion of the release of the Winograd Commission, the partial report issued by Israel devoted to an analysis of the process that went into decision making this past summer in their war with Hezbollah. He began by describing to his audience what the Commission was and why it was indeed named the Winograd Report. And then he applied his own logic to the report. Speaking on Iranian television, in his own, translated, words, Nasrallah said: "Winograd is the Israeli leader appointed chairman of the commission established following the failures of the last war, as the Israelis put it." He went on: "The commission has determined once and for all the issue of victory and defeat. There are those in Israel who say that they won and those who say they lost. The commission has determined they lost. There are over 100 occurrences of the word defeat in the report. That is the result." He had more to say on the issue. This time for his forum Nasrallah chose the opening of a book fair in Southern Beirut that was held on a lot that had been leveled by Israel during the summer war. Nasrallah continued his theme. Nasrallah said: "I stand here today not in order to attack Peretz. Peretz said that 'Nasrallah will never forget the name Amir Peretz.' I tell him, you are right, I will never forget that name." Nasrallah has never complimented Israel - not about anything, certainly not about performance during war. These statements were intended to be perceived as a jab at Israel. Nasrallah wanted to show the Arab world the foibles of Israel. But he showed the rest of the world, the Western world, something else. Nasrallah showed us that he has a deeper understanding of democracy and a higher respect for committees of inquiry than we had ever suspected of him. Most importantly, Nasrallah showed that he monitors Israeli news very carefully and that his own policy is determined by what he sees and perceives as going on in Israeli society and government. His perceptions, however, are not always on target. Whatever understanding of democracy Nasrallah showed was shattered by his personal conspiracy theory - a theory that the United States forced the hand of Israel during the war. The Arab world is rife with conspiracies. This one is blatantly false. The reality is that the United States did not force Israel at all into this war with Hezbollah. The United States took a step backwards giving Israel a free hand. The ultimate irony is that had Israel listened to the United States, the war would have taken an entirely different form and there never would have been a Winograd Commission. The urging of the United States to Israel during this war was to take off the kid gloves and forge ahead. Nasrallah and the Arab world celebrated the Winograd Report without really understanding the Winograd Report. Democracies gain their power through voting. Commissions and rallies and protests can help sway governments and formulate policy - but nothing is more important than the voice of the people as heard on election day. And that is something that Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah and the enemies of democracy and the West have never experienced and will never know. Mickey Mouse and Hamas
By Micah Halpern
Tuesday May 8, 2007 I've Been Thinking: If you saw him, you would swear you were looking at Mickey Mouse. Forget copyright infringement for a minute - this is much worse. Farfur thrives on violence, fighting and unrest. Everyone loves Mickey. Remember: CHORUS: There is just one moon and one golden sun Zawahri Slams US
By Micah Halpern
Monday May 7, 2007 I've Been Thinking: Osman bin Laden's number 2, Dr. Ayman Zawahri, is at it again. Zawahri took a jab at the US Congress on the occasion of the vote to reduce United States forces and spending in Iraq. Zawahri has been the voice of al Qaeda ever since bin Laden dropped off the media radar. The US is Out of Touch
By Micah Halpern
Sunday May 6, 2007 I've Been Thinking: The US just submitted Benchmarks for Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA) to Israel and the Palestinians. This diplomatic document pinpoints exactly where the United States stands when it comes to Israel and the Palestinians. The document contains a list of items to be dealt with and then dates of implementation next to each item, hence the title benchmark. Does the US actually believe that because they put it in writing Hamas will adhere to the will of the United States? For shame. The Violinist Wore Red
By Micah Halpern
Saturday May 5, 2007 I've Been Thinking: So this is how it went: The violinist was a woman. Red is a particularly problematic color for a woman to wear in many cultures. Even the Egyptians, cultural cousins of the Iranians, are guilty of faux pas. Let Them Have Nukes
By Micah Halpern
Friday May 4, 2007 I've Been Thinking: Iran is racing towards nuclear development. While Iran and the West may be at odds over the situation, this is not a purely black and white issue. What precisely is the grey area? The Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty permits members the right to develop nuclear energy - as long as those countries are monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency of the UN.(IAEA) The executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Claude Mandil, put ti perfectly. He said: "I don't see why a country like Iran could not have nuclear power as part of its energy mix." This could very well be the compromise everyone had been looking for. Condi's Syrian Agenda
By Micah Halpern
Thursday May 3, 2007 I've Been Thinking: Rumor has it (and it has been already confirmed) that US Secretary of State Condi Rice met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moualem. There is no doubt about Rice's agenda: And there's more. Any discussion with Syria assumes that Syria can and will and wants to deliver. That is where everything falls apart. Delivery for Syria means turning their back on Iran. I do not trust Syria to be a reliable partner. Diplomats beware. Will Olmert Resign
By Micah Halpern
Wednesday May 2, 2007 I'm Predicting: A scathing report pointing the finger of blame at the prime minister of Israel for improper decision making during the summer war with Lebanon has been released and is all any Israeli can talk or think about. Only a synopsis of the Winograd Report has been released. Why? Because that is not the way democracies work. No leader relies on ratings unless it is the eve of an election. If there is change - it will not happen before the summer and elections will only be held in the fall, after the high holidays. That is how the system works in Israel. Powered by Movable Type Site design by Sekimori
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