Jerusalem Post:
Greek Coast Guard intercepts US Gaza flotilla ship
By REUTERS AND JPOST.COM STAFF
07/01/2011 18:25
'Audacity of Hope' organizers say Greek authorities approach ship shortly after leaving port; Greek authorities prohibit all Gaza-bound ships from leaving Greek ports; unclear how moves will affect overall flotilla plans.
The Greek coastguard intercepted a boat carrying US activists soon after they set sail from Greece on Friday to join a pro-Palestinian flotilla to Gaza, one of the activists said.
The boat, dubbed The Audacity of Hope, had just left Perama port, near Piraeus, for the open seas, a Reuters witness said.
Minutes earlier, organizers said that the ship's passengers were preparing to "non-violently resist any efforts to stop the boat," saying moments later that the boat "is about to set sail," followed by a message saying that the ship had departed. Through the boat's twitter feed, organizers said that a Greek Coast Guard vessel approached The Audacity of Hope as it was pulling away from the dock but then sped away.
A flotilla of boats planning to challenge Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip is expected to sail next week, after repeated delays that activists blame on Israeli sabotage. Israel has denied the accusations.
"We are just here, two miles off Piraeus. We've been stopped by the coastguard, their ship maneuvered in front of us and they are now talking to the captain, they want us to turn around," Ann Wright, one of the activists, told Reuters.
"We are non-violent, we pose no threat," she added, saying that the group was informed of the sailing ban just as it was setting off.
Greek authorities said earlier on Friday that ships bound for Gaza were prohibited from leaving Greek ports.
It was not immediately clear how the boat's departure would affect the overall flotilla plans.
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Obama Puts Us On Another List
Washington Post:
Obama campaign to go on the offensive against conservative critics of Israel stance
By Greg Sargent
Obama’s top presidential campaign advisers are putting together a plan to go on the offensive against critics of his stance on Israel, I’m told, and are assembling a team of high profile surrogates who are well respected in the Jewish community to battle criticism in the media and ensure that it doesn’t go unanswered.
Obama’s supporters say the plan is in effect an acknowledgment that conservative attacks on Obama’s Israel stance have made defections among Jewish voters and donors a possibility they must take seriously. Obama’s advisers see a need to push back even harder on the attacks than they did in 2008, in part because Obama now has a record on the issue to defend — a record that even Obama’s supporters concede has not been adequately explained.
A group of well-known figures in the Jewish community has been in discussions with senior Obama adviser David Axelrod about how to respond to the criticism, which is expected to intensify as the campaign heats up. Among them: Alan Solow, the former head of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations; former Congressmen Mel Levine and Robert Wexler; and executive Penny Pritzker.
“We will have highly credible spokespeople and surrogates speak out in a general manner in support of what this administration has done, and articulate it in a way that we think will resonate with voters who care about this issue,” Solow said in an interview. “We will meet with supporters who have expressed concerns or want to be briefed on these issues on a one-on-one basis.”
“We got close to 80 percent of the vote among Jewish Americans in 2008, but we had to aggressively bat down efforts to divide the community and to inflame,” David Axelrod told me. “Plainly we have to be at least as assiduous about it this time. If we’re passive in response it would be a mistake.”
Politico reported this week that many Jewish Dems and donors are privately expressing doubts about Obama’s Mideast policies. But the piece was largely anecdotal, and a recent Pew poll found that a plurality of Americans who identify themselves as sympathetic to Israel think his Mideast policies get the balance right between Israelis and Palestinians. And pundits have been predicting that Obama is perpetually on the verge of losing Jewish support since before the 2008 election.
But the difference now, Obama’s supporters say, is that conservatives are having some success in distorting his record. Obama supporters do in fact worry about the concerns conservatives have succeeded in sowing among Jewish Democrats, and they expect conservatives to invest substantial resources in continuing that effort.
“I can’t deny that people express to me concerns about the president’s policies,” Solow said. “But when I run through the record with them, they are by and large convinced that the president’s policies are correct.”
The effort to make this point, I’m told, will also be proactive, with surrogates publishing op ed pieces that represent the White House’s point of view. And it will include a renewed effort to highlight other aspects of Obama’s record that have gone under-discussed, like increased military cooperation between Israel and the United States.
Two of the primary conservative arguments against Obama are that he called for Israel to return to 1967 lines and that he has not publicly stated with enough clarity that Israel will not be expected to negotiate with a government that includes a Hamas that has not recognized Israel’s right to exist.
The first point is false, though reasonable people can debate whether Obama was right to go public with a call for talks around 1967 lines with swaps or whether his timing was sound. Pushed on whether there’s anything to the second point, Axelrod flatly denied it.
“The president does not believe that any country can be asked to negotiate with a terrorist organization that is sworn to its destruction and unwilling to abandon that goal or embrace a peaceful settlement of the conflict,” he said. “He could not have been clearer about that.”
Obama campaign to go on the offensive against conservative critics of Israel stance
By Greg Sargent
Obama’s top presidential campaign advisers are putting together a plan to go on the offensive against critics of his stance on Israel, I’m told, and are assembling a team of high profile surrogates who are well respected in the Jewish community to battle criticism in the media and ensure that it doesn’t go unanswered.
Obama’s supporters say the plan is in effect an acknowledgment that conservative attacks on Obama’s Israel stance have made defections among Jewish voters and donors a possibility they must take seriously. Obama’s advisers see a need to push back even harder on the attacks than they did in 2008, in part because Obama now has a record on the issue to defend — a record that even Obama’s supporters concede has not been adequately explained.
A group of well-known figures in the Jewish community has been in discussions with senior Obama adviser David Axelrod about how to respond to the criticism, which is expected to intensify as the campaign heats up. Among them: Alan Solow, the former head of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations; former Congressmen Mel Levine and Robert Wexler; and executive Penny Pritzker.
“We will have highly credible spokespeople and surrogates speak out in a general manner in support of what this administration has done, and articulate it in a way that we think will resonate with voters who care about this issue,” Solow said in an interview. “We will meet with supporters who have expressed concerns or want to be briefed on these issues on a one-on-one basis.”
“We got close to 80 percent of the vote among Jewish Americans in 2008, but we had to aggressively bat down efforts to divide the community and to inflame,” David Axelrod told me. “Plainly we have to be at least as assiduous about it this time. If we’re passive in response it would be a mistake.”
Politico reported this week that many Jewish Dems and donors are privately expressing doubts about Obama’s Mideast policies. But the piece was largely anecdotal, and a recent Pew poll found that a plurality of Americans who identify themselves as sympathetic to Israel think his Mideast policies get the balance right between Israelis and Palestinians. And pundits have been predicting that Obama is perpetually on the verge of losing Jewish support since before the 2008 election.
But the difference now, Obama’s supporters say, is that conservatives are having some success in distorting his record. Obama supporters do in fact worry about the concerns conservatives have succeeded in sowing among Jewish Democrats, and they expect conservatives to invest substantial resources in continuing that effort.
“I can’t deny that people express to me concerns about the president’s policies,” Solow said. “But when I run through the record with them, they are by and large convinced that the president’s policies are correct.”
The effort to make this point, I’m told, will also be proactive, with surrogates publishing op ed pieces that represent the White House’s point of view. And it will include a renewed effort to highlight other aspects of Obama’s record that have gone under-discussed, like increased military cooperation between Israel and the United States.
Two of the primary conservative arguments against Obama are that he called for Israel to return to 1967 lines and that he has not publicly stated with enough clarity that Israel will not be expected to negotiate with a government that includes a Hamas that has not recognized Israel’s right to exist.
The first point is false, though reasonable people can debate whether Obama was right to go public with a call for talks around 1967 lines with swaps or whether his timing was sound. Pushed on whether there’s anything to the second point, Axelrod flatly denied it.
“The president does not believe that any country can be asked to negotiate with a terrorist organization that is sworn to its destruction and unwilling to abandon that goal or embrace a peaceful settlement of the conflict,” he said. “He could not have been clearer about that.”
Fox:
Qaddafi Warns of Carrying Out Attacks in Europe
TRIPOLI, Libya -- A defiant Muammar al-Qaddafi threatened Friday to carry out attacks in Europe against "homes, offices, families," unless NATO halts its campaign of airstrikes against his regime in Libya.
The Libyan leader, sought by the International Criminal Court for a brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters, delivered the warning in a telephone message played to thousands of supporters gathered in the main square of the capital Tripoli.
It was one of the largest pro-government rallies in recent months, signaling that Qaddafi can still muster significant support. A green cloth, several hundred meters long and held aloft by supporters, snaked above the crowd filling Tripoli's Green Square. Green is Libya's national color.
Qaddafi spoke from an unknown location in a likely sign of concern over his safety. Addressing the West, Qaddafi warned that Libyans might take revenge for NATO bombings.
"These people (the Libyans) are able to one day take this battle ... to Europe, to target your homes, offices, families, which would become legitimate military targets, like you have targeted our homes," he said.
"We can decide to treat you in a similar way," he said of the Europeans. "If we decide to, we are able to move to Europe like locusts, like bees. We advise you to retreat before you are dealt a disaster."
It was not immediately clear whether Qaddafi could make good on such threats.
Qaddafi Warns of Carrying Out Attacks in Europe
TRIPOLI, Libya -- A defiant Muammar al-Qaddafi threatened Friday to carry out attacks in Europe against "homes, offices, families," unless NATO halts its campaign of airstrikes against his regime in Libya.
The Libyan leader, sought by the International Criminal Court for a brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters, delivered the warning in a telephone message played to thousands of supporters gathered in the main square of the capital Tripoli.
It was one of the largest pro-government rallies in recent months, signaling that Qaddafi can still muster significant support. A green cloth, several hundred meters long and held aloft by supporters, snaked above the crowd filling Tripoli's Green Square. Green is Libya's national color.
Qaddafi spoke from an unknown location in a likely sign of concern over his safety. Addressing the West, Qaddafi warned that Libyans might take revenge for NATO bombings.
"These people (the Libyans) are able to one day take this battle ... to Europe, to target your homes, offices, families, which would become legitimate military targets, like you have targeted our homes," he said.
"We can decide to treat you in a similar way," he said of the Europeans. "If we decide to, we are able to move to Europe like locusts, like bees. We advise you to retreat before you are dealt a disaster."
It was not immediately clear whether Qaddafi could make good on such threats.
Tell Me Again Why We Haven't Turned Tehran Into A Parking Lot?
Wall Street Journal:
Iran Funnels New Weapons to Iraq and Afghanistan
By JAY SOLOMON
TEHRAN—Iran's elite military unit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has transferred lethal new munitions to its allies in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent months, according to senior U.S. officials, in a bid to accelerate the U.S. withdrawals from these countries.
The Revolutionary Guard has smuggled rocket-assisted exploding projectiles to its militia allies in Iraq, weapons that have already resulted in the deaths of American troops, defense officials said. They said Iranians have also given long-range rockets to the Taliban in Afghanistan, increasing the insurgents' ability to hit U.S. and other coalition positions from a safer distance.
Such arms shipments would escalate the shadow competition for influence playing out between Tehran and Washington across the Middle East and North Africa, fueled by U.S. preparations to draw down forces from two wars and the political rebellions that are sweeping the region.
The U.S. is wrestling with the aftermath of uprisings against longtime Arab allies from Tunisia to Bahrain, and trying to leave behind stable, friendly governments in Afghanistan and Iraq. Iran appears to be trying to gain political ground amid the turmoil and to make the U.S. withdrawals as quick and painful as possible.
"I think we are likely to see these Iranian-backed groups continue to maintain high attack levels" as the exit date nears, Maj. Gen. James Buchanan, the U.S. military's top spokesman in Iraq, said in an interview. "But they are not going to deter us from doing everything we can to help the Iraqi security forces."
In June, 15 U.S. servicemen died in Iraq, the highest monthly casualty figure there in more than two years. The U.S. has attributed all the attacks to Shiite militias it says are are trained by the Revolutionary Guards, rather than al Qaeda or other Sunni groups that were the most lethal forces inside Iraq a few years ago.
In Afghanistan, the Pentagon has in recent months traced to Iran the Taliban's acquisition of rockets that give its fighters roughly double the range to attack North Atlantic Treaty Organization and U.S. targets. U.S. officials said the rockets' markings, and the location of their discovery, give them a "high degree" of confidence that they came from the Revolutionary Guard's overseas unit, the Qods Force.
U.S. defense officials are also increasingly concerned that Iran's stepped-up military activities in the Persian Gulf could inadvertently trigger a clash. A number of near misses involving Iranian and allied ships and planes in those waters in recent months have caused Navy officials to call for improved communication in the Gulf.
Iran Funnels New Weapons to Iraq and Afghanistan
By JAY SOLOMON
TEHRAN—Iran's elite military unit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has transferred lethal new munitions to its allies in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent months, according to senior U.S. officials, in a bid to accelerate the U.S. withdrawals from these countries.
The Revolutionary Guard has smuggled rocket-assisted exploding projectiles to its militia allies in Iraq, weapons that have already resulted in the deaths of American troops, defense officials said. They said Iranians have also given long-range rockets to the Taliban in Afghanistan, increasing the insurgents' ability to hit U.S. and other coalition positions from a safer distance.
Such arms shipments would escalate the shadow competition for influence playing out between Tehran and Washington across the Middle East and North Africa, fueled by U.S. preparations to draw down forces from two wars and the political rebellions that are sweeping the region.
The U.S. is wrestling with the aftermath of uprisings against longtime Arab allies from Tunisia to Bahrain, and trying to leave behind stable, friendly governments in Afghanistan and Iraq. Iran appears to be trying to gain political ground amid the turmoil and to make the U.S. withdrawals as quick and painful as possible.
"I think we are likely to see these Iranian-backed groups continue to maintain high attack levels" as the exit date nears, Maj. Gen. James Buchanan, the U.S. military's top spokesman in Iraq, said in an interview. "But they are not going to deter us from doing everything we can to help the Iraqi security forces."
In June, 15 U.S. servicemen died in Iraq, the highest monthly casualty figure there in more than two years. The U.S. has attributed all the attacks to Shiite militias it says are are trained by the Revolutionary Guards, rather than al Qaeda or other Sunni groups that were the most lethal forces inside Iraq a few years ago.
In Afghanistan, the Pentagon has in recent months traced to Iran the Taliban's acquisition of rockets that give its fighters roughly double the range to attack North Atlantic Treaty Organization and U.S. targets. U.S. officials said the rockets' markings, and the location of their discovery, give them a "high degree" of confidence that they came from the Revolutionary Guard's overseas unit, the Qods Force.
U.S. defense officials are also increasingly concerned that Iran's stepped-up military activities in the Persian Gulf could inadvertently trigger a clash. A number of near misses involving Iranian and allied ships and planes in those waters in recent months have caused Navy officials to call for improved communication in the Gulf.
God Bless the King: Obama Says He Doesn’t Have to Answer Whether War Powers Resolution Is Constitutional
IMAGINE THE INCREDIBLE CACOPHONY THIS JULY 4th IF THIS WAS BUSH’S STATEMENT!
President Barack Obama told reporters he does not have to answer the question of whether the War Powers Resolution is constitutional.
“There may be a time in which there was a serious question as to whether the War Powers Resolution was constitutional. I don’t have to get to the question,” Obama said during a White House news conference Wednesday.
Stealth Jihad? Why the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case matters
Up now at Jihad Watch is "The case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn" (aka DSK), in which I discuss the recent developments regarding this case. It turns out that DSK's accuser, a devout Muslim woman who migrated to the US from Africa under questionable circumstances, was trying to profit from whatever happened in that hotel suite in New York. That, and many other reasons, is why the legal case against DSK is rapidly unraveling.
Furthermore, it also turns out that DSK's accuser has a very shady past and is finally getting caught up in her own web of treachery and lies. She's associated with drug dealers, money launderers and other assorted criminals, she's lied on her taxes, she's repeatedly lied to prosecutors -- and that's just what we know so far.
The forensic evidence strongly points to some sort of sexual intercourse between DSK and the Muslima, but there's clearly more to this sordid story. DSK's accuser, with her apparent clumsy extortion attempt of a rich, powerful Jew, fits into a long, time-honored Muslim pattern of criminality. Her example of 'stealth' jihad to use infidel laws to her own ends holds true to Islamic traditions of thieving, parasiting, and otherwise exploiting 'infidels'.
Read it all.
Furthermore, it also turns out that DSK's accuser has a very shady past and is finally getting caught up in her own web of treachery and lies. She's associated with drug dealers, money launderers and other assorted criminals, she's lied on her taxes, she's repeatedly lied to prosecutors -- and that's just what we know so far.
The forensic evidence strongly points to some sort of sexual intercourse between DSK and the Muslima, but there's clearly more to this sordid story. DSK's accuser, with her apparent clumsy extortion attempt of a rich, powerful Jew, fits into a long, time-honored Muslim pattern of criminality. Her example of 'stealth' jihad to use infidel laws to her own ends holds true to Islamic traditions of thieving, parasiting, and otherwise exploiting 'infidels'.
Read it all.
Friday, July 01, 2011
I KNEW IT!!! THE 4TH OF JULY IS ALL PART OF THE VAST RIGHT-WING CONSPIRACY!!!
Harvard: July 4th Parades Are Right-Wing
By Paul Bedard
Democratic political candidates can skip this weekend's July 4th parades. A new Harvard University study finds that July 4th parades energize only Republicans, turn kids into Republicans, and help to boost the GOP turnout of adults on Election Day.
"Fourth of July celebrations in the United States shape the nation's political landscape by forming beliefs and increasing participation, primarily in favor of the Republican Party," said the report from Harvard. [See political cartoons about the 2012 GOP field.]
"The political right has been more successful in appropriating American patriotism and its symbols during the 20th century. Survey evidence also confirms that Republicans consider themselves more patriotic than Democrats. According to this interpretation, there is a political congruence between the patriotism promoted on Fourth of July and the values associated with the Republican party. Fourth of July celebrations in Republican dominated counties may thus be more politically biased events that socialize children into Republicans," write Harvard Kennedy School Assistant Professor David Yanagizawa-Drott and Bocconi University Assistant Professor Andreas Madestam. [Enjoy political cartoons about President Obama.]
Their findings also suggest that Democrats gain nothing from July 4th parades, likely a shocking result for all the Democratic politicians who march in them. [Check out editorial cartoons about the Democrats.]
"There is no evidence of an increased likelihood of identifying as a Democrat, indicating that Fourth of July shifts preferences to the right rather than increasing political polarization," the two wrote.
The three key findings of those attending July 4th celebrations:
- When done before the age of 18, it increases the likelihood of a youth identifying as a Republican by at least 2 percent.
- It raises the likelihood that parade watchers will vote for a Republican candidate by 4 percent.
- It boosts the likelihood a reveler will vote by about 1 percent and increases the chances they'll make a political contribution by 3 percent.
What's more, the impact isn't fleeting. "Surprisingly, the estimates show that the impact on political preferences is permanent, with no evidence of the effects depreciating as individuals become older,"said the Harvard report.
Finally, the report suggests that if people are looking for a super-patriotic July 4th, though should head to Republican towns. "Republican adults celebrate Fourth of July more intensively in the first place."
Just a little compendium for the 4th
Treasury confirms deadline for raising debt limit
Treasury officials confirmed the Aug. 2 deadline in a monthly update that assesses the nation’s borrowing situation. The United States reached the $14.3 trillion limit in May. Higher revenue and accounting maneuvers have allowed the government to keep paying its bills in the interim.
AFRICOM: AF, Navy still flying Libya missions
Air Force and Navy aircraft are still flying hundreds of strike missions over Libya despite the Obama administration’s claim that American forces are playing only a limited support role in the NATO operation.
Union curbs rescue a Wisconsin school district
The Kaukauna School District, in the Fox River Valley of Wisconsin near Appleton, has about 4,200 students and about 400 employees. It has struggled in recent times and this year faced a deficit of $400,000. But after the law went into effect, at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, school officials put in place new policies they estimate will turn that $400,000 deficit into a $1.5 million surplus. And it’s all because of the very provisions that union leaders predicted would be disastrous.
In the past, teachers and other staff at Kaukauna were required to pay 10 percent of the cost of their health insurance coverage and none of their pension costs. Now, they’ll pay 12.6 percent of the cost of their coverage (still well below rates in much of the private sector) and also contribute 5.8 percent of salary to their pensions. The changes will save the school board an estimated $1.2 million this year, according to board President Todd Arnoldussen.
Republicans Seek ‘Slash and Burn’ Cuts to Slow U.S. Economy, Schumer Says
Charles Schumer, the Senate’s No. 3 Democratic leader, accused Republicans of seeking to slow the U.S. economy for political gain in the debate over cutting budget deficits. He insisted Democrats have the “upper hand” in the negotiations.
Raising the rhetorical stakes while party leaders are far apart over a plan to cut the deficit and increase the U.S. debt limit, Schumer said Republican leaders are seeking deep spending cuts as part of an effort to slow U.S. growth and hurt President Barack Obama’s chances of winning re-election next year.
“It is becoming clear that insisting on a slash-and-burn approach may be part of this plan,” Schumer said today at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington. “It has a double benefit for Republicans: It is ideologically tidy and it undermines the economic recovery, which they think only helps them in 2012.”
_________________________________________
I think, little man, your therapist should have warned you about projection
So, while the debt limit is being approached and Obama REFUSES for WHATEVER REASON to sit down with the republicans, we are spending billions bombing Libya for no reason of national importance or security, and the entire BELIEF SYSTEM of the progressive left, Obama and his entire FRINGE, is UTTERLY vanquished by the facts of the physics of the laws of nature in the Wisconsin School system, and because the disaster of this economy which is so destroyed is CANNOT PRODUCE JOBS is UNDENIABLE, Schumer is leading the dems to BLAME REPUBLICANS FOR TANKING THE NATION?
Is that really the way the progressives want to go?
John Malcolm beckons.
In 2011 affirmative action is not only racism, but denigrates the professional and outstanding achievements ...
In 2011 affirmative action is not only racism, but denigrates the professional and outstanding achievements of Americans who happen to ‘belong’ to ‘groups’ OFFICALLY BRANDED AS TOO ‘BURDENED’ TO SUCCEED ON THEIR OWN
Mich. ban on race in college admissions illegal
A federal appeals court has struck down Michigan’s ban on the consideration of race and gender when enrolling students at public colleges and universities.
In a 2-1 decision Friday, the court said Michigan’s Proposal 2 is unconstitutional because it burdens minorities. It was approved by voters in 2006.
The University of Michigan and other public schools have been forced to change admissions policies offering preferential treatment based on race and gender.
The ban was placed in the Michigan Constitution after getting 58 percent of the vote nearly five years ago. It affected government hiring as well as college admissions.
In 2008, a federal judge in Detroit upheld the law, saying it was race-neutral because no single race can benefit.
THE CONSTITUTION GUARANTEES WE SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS THAN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.
THIS IS NOT THAT.
- Obama’s election and its effect on perceived racial bias (thegrio.com)
- Rethinking affirmative action | Nicolaus Mills (guardian.co.uk)
- Should Affirmative Action End? (arthurdobrin.wordpress.com)
- What College Admissions Officers Look For: How Do Colleges Read Applications? (education.com)
- Kairys on Unconscious Racism (lawprofessors.typepad.com)
ZOA asks Delta to end its relations with Saudi Arabia
The ZOA has confronted Delta Airlines over kowtowing to Saudi discrimination:
The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) on Wednesday asked Delta Air Lines to end its new 'Sky Team' alliance with Saudi Arabian Airlines, saying it would lead to discriminatory practices against Jewish travelers.Sorry, but as long as they ally themselves with the Saudis and tolerate their discrimination, no sale.
The request was made in writing to Delta CEO Richard H Anderson after his company effectively washed its hands of any responsibility for discrimination its Sky Team partners may engage in.
"We write on behalf of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), the oldest and one of the largest pro-Israel organizations in the US, regarding Delta Air Lines’ decision to add Saudi Arabian Airlines to its SkyTeam in 2012," The letter began.
The ZOA letter then outlined Delta's and Saudi Arabian Airlines' respective policies, noting the official website of the Saudi Supreme Commission of Toursim "reflected that it was the policy of the Saudi Arabian government to deny visas to, among others, (1) anyone holding an Israeli passport or holding a passport with an Israeli arrival or departure stamp; and (2) 'Jewish People.'"
A US State Department report on Saudi Arabia was also referenced in the letter.
"According to the State Department, women visitors must be met by an authorized sponsor upon arriving in Saudi Arabia. A married woman must have her husband’s permission to leave Saudi Arabia – even if she is a US citizen and even if her husband does not have Saudi nationality. In addition, homosexuals are not welcome in Saudi Arabia. They have been imprisoned and even executed in Saudi Arabia," the ZOA wrote.
The ZOA, citing these facts, then asked Anderson to terminate Delta's agreement with Saudi Arabian Airlines.
Delta issued an official statement on Wednesday saying that it does not support discriminatory policies based on race, religion, gender, nationality, or age.
The airline also explained the terms of its agreement with the Saudi carrier are limited to booking services and "simply allow passengers to book tickets on multiple carriers."Unless Delta can prove they're able to drop this sick alliance, their business is one worth boycotting and saving money on.
While acknowledging Delta's explanation of the terms, the Zionist Organization of America, in its letter, "urge(s) Delta to retract its decision to add Saudi Arabian Airlines to its SkyTeam because, quite simply, it is the moral, ethical and right thing to do."
Saudi Arabian carriers regularly enact their country's discriminatory policies against Jews, other non-Muslims, and women.
Warning: Extremely Graphic Images - Woman Beheaded In Front of the Kaaba
UPDATED BELOW & bumped
It is claimed this beheading takes place "in front of the Kaaba", which is a holy meteorite that Muslims believe Allah sent to Earth as some sort of revelation.
How we are supposed to know that, indeed, this is in front of the Kaaba, I have no idea. I suppose none of us has ever been on Hajj, right?
From Will at The Other News:
Anyway, if really does take place in front of the Kaaba, well, it tells you even more about Islam than you knew before.
midnight rider updates:
This doesn't seem to be in front of the Kaaba but that doesn't matter.
You may remember some months ago we (and many others) reported on an Indonesian maid working in Saudi Arabia who had claimed she was abused by her Saudi employer and had killed him. She was condemned to death.
This, apparently, was the execution this past weekend.
The story from the Telegraph and the video from an ME newscast:
Maid's beheading in Saudi Arabia halts Indonesian domestic worker scheme
Indonesia will suspend sending domestic helpers to Saudi Arabia after the beheading of a maid convicted of murdering her Saudi employer.
Migrant worker Ruyati binti Sapubi, 54, was executed after she was convicted of murdering her Saudi employer, Khairiya bint Hamid Mijlid, with a meat cleaver.
The maid carried out the killing after she was denied permission to leave the kingdom and return to her family in Indonesia, according to officials in Jakarta.
"The Indonesian government has decided to impose a moratorium on sending workers to Saudi Arabia," labour minister Muhaimin Iskandar was quoted by state news agency Antara as saying.
The report did not provide further details but local media indicated the move was aimed at domestic workers, who make up about 70 per cent of the 1.2 million Indonesian workers in the Gulf state.
The suspension will take effect on August 1 and will remain until the Saudi government agrees to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to protect Indonesian workers' rights, Iskandar said.
Saudi Arabia apologised for failing to inform Indonesia of the beheading, while Jakarta formally protested to Riyadh over the execution.
"The ambassador apologised and regretted the situation and said that such a thing wouldn't happen again in future," foreign ministry spokesman Michael Tene said.
Indonesia recalled its ambassador to Riyadh earlier this week for consultations.
In a second case, a court in the Saudi capital Riyadh had sentenced Indonesian maid Darsem to death for murdering her Yemeni employer in December 2007 in what she called an act of self-defence as the employer had tried to rape her.
Indonesian officials had said she could escape the sentence if she received pardon from the family, who forgave her in January on the condition that she pays the compensation or "diyat" of two million riyals ($533,000).
The Indonesian government will pay the compensation ahead of July's deadline, Mr Tene said.
"The full amount has been transferred to the Indonesian embassy in Riyadh and a team from the Foreign Ministry will be flying there tonight to oversee the payment process. We hope her life will be spared," he said.
The women's cases are the latest in a string of incidents involving Indonesian menial labourers in the Middle East. This week authorities in Saudi Arabia discovered a Sri Lankan maid who had been kept against her will without pay for nearly 14 years by her local employers.
Human rights groups say workers from countries such as Indonesia, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka underpin the Gulf states' economies but face extreme forms of exploitation.
Avenging Apostate (who, of course, was a Muslim) writes to tell me this DEFINITELY was not in front of the Kaaba.
Midnight Rider writes that that is not important to the story. And, he is correct, of course.
However, IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE CREDIBILITY OF THE ANTI-JIHAD MOVEMENT THAT WE DON'T JUST MAKE SHIT UP.
From Avenging Apostate:
It is claimed this beheading takes place "in front of the Kaaba", which is a holy meteorite that Muslims believe Allah sent to Earth as some sort of revelation.
How we are supposed to know that, indeed, this is in front of the Kaaba, I have no idea. I suppose none of us has ever been on Hajj, right?
From Will at The Other News:
Anyway, if really does take place in front of the Kaaba, well, it tells you even more about Islam than you knew before.
midnight rider updates:
This doesn't seem to be in front of the Kaaba but that doesn't matter.
You may remember some months ago we (and many others) reported on an Indonesian maid working in Saudi Arabia who had claimed she was abused by her Saudi employer and had killed him. She was condemned to death.
This, apparently, was the execution this past weekend.
The story from the Telegraph and the video from an ME newscast:
Maid's beheading in Saudi Arabia halts Indonesian domestic worker scheme
Indonesia will suspend sending domestic helpers to Saudi Arabia after the beheading of a maid convicted of murdering her Saudi employer.
Migrant worker Ruyati binti Sapubi, 54, was executed after she was convicted of murdering her Saudi employer, Khairiya bint Hamid Mijlid, with a meat cleaver.
The maid carried out the killing after she was denied permission to leave the kingdom and return to her family in Indonesia, according to officials in Jakarta.
"The Indonesian government has decided to impose a moratorium on sending workers to Saudi Arabia," labour minister Muhaimin Iskandar was quoted by state news agency Antara as saying.
The report did not provide further details but local media indicated the move was aimed at domestic workers, who make up about 70 per cent of the 1.2 million Indonesian workers in the Gulf state.
The suspension will take effect on August 1 and will remain until the Saudi government agrees to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to protect Indonesian workers' rights, Iskandar said.
Saudi Arabia apologised for failing to inform Indonesia of the beheading, while Jakarta formally protested to Riyadh over the execution.
"The ambassador apologised and regretted the situation and said that such a thing wouldn't happen again in future," foreign ministry spokesman Michael Tene said.
Indonesia recalled its ambassador to Riyadh earlier this week for consultations.
In a second case, a court in the Saudi capital Riyadh had sentenced Indonesian maid Darsem to death for murdering her Yemeni employer in December 2007 in what she called an act of self-defence as the employer had tried to rape her.
Indonesian officials had said she could escape the sentence if she received pardon from the family, who forgave her in January on the condition that she pays the compensation or "diyat" of two million riyals ($533,000).
The Indonesian government will pay the compensation ahead of July's deadline, Mr Tene said.
"The full amount has been transferred to the Indonesian embassy in Riyadh and a team from the Foreign Ministry will be flying there tonight to oversee the payment process. We hope her life will be spared," he said.
The women's cases are the latest in a string of incidents involving Indonesian menial labourers in the Middle East. This week authorities in Saudi Arabia discovered a Sri Lankan maid who had been kept against her will without pay for nearly 14 years by her local employers.
Human rights groups say workers from countries such as Indonesia, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka underpin the Gulf states' economies but face extreme forms of exploitation.
Avenging Apostate (who, of course, was a Muslim) writes to tell me this DEFINITELY was not in front of the Kaaba.
Midnight Rider writes that that is not important to the story. And, he is correct, of course.
However, IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE CREDIBILITY OF THE ANTI-JIHAD MOVEMENT THAT WE DON'T JUST MAKE SHIT UP.
From Avenging Apostate:
I just read your post on the beheading. Just wanted to comment on that.
1) I have been to both Mecca and to the mosque that houses the kaaba many times. This beheading is not taking place in the vicinity of the kaaba. Maybe in Mecca but not in front of the kaaba.
2) the kaaba itself is not the meteorite, the kaaba is the square building that is covered with black cloth (don't know if you've ever seen it on tv). The meteorite is sort of the corner stone of the kaaba. The meteorite is called "hijr-e-aswad", if you were wondering.
3) the more we buy Saudi oil, no matter where we are, the more we support beheadings of innocent people in saudi arabia, where beheadings are a state practice usually applied to punish non muslims or muslims of "lower classes" or what saudis see as "lower races". Oh not just oil but anything made in saudi arabia!!
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