Trey Jackson

"A Christian Club"

The Scotsman reports Austria is the lone holdout opposing Turkey's entry into the EU:

JACK Straw, the Foreign Secretary, will today resume efforts to prevent a political stand-off with Austria over Turkey's proposed membership of the European Union.

Last night Mr Straw held several hours of talks with individual ministers in a bid to break the deadlock, insisting that Austria was isolated, with the other 24 EU member states clearly expressing their desire to see the launch of formal membership talks with Turkey start today as planned.

But with no sign of a breakthrough the Foreign Secretary announced he was adjourning a meeting until this morning.

"The EU and the European people have always seen Turkey as a European state," he said before the talks, stressing that he understood Austrian concerns about absorbing the poor nation of 70 million into the European Union.

Their population is 80% opposed to Turkey's membership: a 70-million-pop.
Muslim nation, mostly poor. The Turkish minister accuses the EU of trying to
remain "a Christian club."

As if the Arab League weren't "a Muslim club," with spikes.

Maybe we ought to ask the Kurds

Hat tip Gail C, Liberal hawk

Hitchen Galloway............Mice and Men

Intellectual battle with one side missing - a vaudevillan in it's place, a poor one at that. And the Brown Shirts were out in full, spewing their hate. Galloway is vile.

Judith, the wonder, has her impressions of the debate at Keshertalk

The only thing I might add to all the detailed well thought out  posts on the debate was Hitchen's very vocal support and advocation of the Kurds to which I went wild. He spoke of it numerous times.
Yes, he sees the gross injustice of their oppression, and strongly believes as I do, that we must back them, we must save these great people and ally.

Mary at EXIT ZERO has an excellent report from where she was sitting. She can write, and has a rare sagacity. Mary's is the best account I've seen so far, SHE IS A MUST READ.

The subject of the debate was supposed to be about whether the March 2003 war against Iraq was "necessary and just". Despite that, it was mostly about establishing Leftist cred. Much of Galloway's time was spent accusing Hitchens of being an apostate, and much of Hitchens time was spent wondering why Galloway and his supporters refused to condemn the nihilists and jihadists who target working-class civilians.
Galloway got the most cheers from the non-rightwing infiltrator crowd when he condemned President Bush or mentioned his "victory" in Washington. They cheered when he demanded that we "rid the world" of George Bush and Anthony Blair. He also got cheers when he called the U.S. and Britain the biggest rougue states in the world today, that no tinpot dictatorship in the Middle East could cause more damage than an invading imperialist superpower. People were cheering for the idea that genocidal, oppressive tinpot dictatorships could never be as bad as our democracy.

We rightwing infiltrators were scattered througout the crowd. Judith, Irwin sat on the first floor on the left side. Mara sat near the press, including the BBC. I sat with Rona, Bruce W. and Pamela, a very enthusiastic Hitch supporter. Judging from the stern looks the people in front of us threw our way, they were mild-mannered Galloway supporters. The guys behind us, greying, rumpled academic types, were definitely Galloway dittoheads. Some were downright rabid. When Hitchens requested a moment of silence for the Iraqis who were sadistically murdered by the insurgency, they were among those shouting "NO! NO!" When Hitch praised the US for making life better for the Afghan people, they shouted "Who Cares?" When Galloway said that the 9/11 hijackers emerged out of a swamp created by us, their cheers didn't turn to boos.

One of them hurled the worst epithet he could think of at Pamela - he called her a zionist..........................

Read it all.............

Fascist ideals don't appeal to the poor or the oppressed, but they do appeal to the members of the wealthy and middle class who feel that they should (or must) have more power than they already do. Wealth and prosperity don't discourage fascism - as we've seen in the Middle East, wealth causes fascism to thrive.

Abracadabrah's hysterical observation;

My two favorites Hitchenisms from the night. He referred to the A.Q. Khan nuclear network as "a kind of Walmart for WMDs." And his reference to young Assad as the slobbering daupin, son of his slobbering father.

 

Women in Radical IsLam: The Best Bellweather of Jihadist Inhumanity

WOMEN

Pakistan president slammed for rape quote Politicians and rights groups condemned President Pervez Musharraf on September 16 for saying in a US newspaper that rape has become a "moneymaking concern" with some Pakistanis believing that it was a ticket to settling abroad. Toppling walls of race and gender, Iraq's Hadid builds for the future Success came early and, most recently in the shape of a Pritzker prize, has continued for Baghdad-born architect Zaha Hadid, chosen to build an extravagantly futuristic bridge pavilion for Expo 2008 in the Spanish city of Zaragoza. Asian women leaders take terror, soaring debt woes to UN Hit by insurgencies and political problems at home, two of Asia's women leaders discussed fighting terrorism and ways to alleviate their country's foreign debts at the United Nations summit. Syrian police kill Kurdish woman in clashes over homes A Syrian Kurdish woman was beaten to death by police on September 15 during clashes as police demolished illegally built housing outside Damascus, a rights activist and a Kurdish leader said. Afghan woman election candidate escapes murder attempt A woman candidate in Afghanistan's landmark elections this weekend survived an assassination attempt on Wednesday when unknown gunmen opened fire on her in eastern Nuristan province, an official said. Women to contest chamber of commerce polls in first for Saudi Saudi women will run in elections to the board of the Jeddah chamber of commerce and industry in a first for the conservative Muslim kingdom, officials said on September 15.		Young German Turk admits to shooting his sister in honor killing HONORABLE? A drawing shows three Turkish brothers Mutlu, Alpaslan and Ayhan Surucu (L-R) during their trial in Berlin, on September 14. The three brothers face charges of murder for the 'honor killing' of their sister Hatun Surucu on February 7.(REUTERS) A young Turkish immigrant accused along with his brothers of killing his sister on a Berlin street confessed on September 14 to the crime that has sparked a debate about Islamic honor killings in Germany. Afghanistan's women candidates brave threats CANDIDATE: Shukria Barikzai (R), journalist and candidate in the upcoming Afghanistan parliamentary elections, campaigns in Kabul, on September 12. Afghanistan goes to the polls on September 18 to elect a lower house of parliament and councils in each of its 34 provinces.(REUTERS) The number that appeared on Gheida Tavaen Afif's mobile phone was unfamiliar, but she answered it anyway. "Step down or you'll be dead," a gruff voice barked. Afghan woman on vote campaign trail escapes assassination bid An Afghan woman campaigning for this month's parliamentary elections narrowly escaped death on September 7 after gunmen opened fire on her convoy in eastern Afghanistan.	Don't single out Pakistan on women's rights, says Musharraf
Don't single out Pakistan on women's rights, says Musharraf Rights groups should not single out Pakistan for criticism over violence against women despite a series of rape cases that have rocked the Islamic republic, President Pervez Musharraf said on September 7.

Kashmir woman separatist on anti-vice crusade held under public safety law

A female Kashmiri separatist arrested for harassing a romantic couple in her bid to bring morality to the majority Muslim state was charged on September 6 under laws aimed at combating insurgency.

As Iran Marches to Worldwide.............the band plays on

European and American flags were burnt in Tehran demonstration

On Tuesday several of the Revolutionary Guard and young Basijis (who are a mobilization force created by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini; they are extremely Radical and supported by the Supreme leader Ali Khamnei, who is now trying to pass them off as a part of the "student" movement in order to confuse westerners) gathered in front of the French, British and German embassies in Tehran to protest the most recent European resolution against Iran's nuclear pursuits. These demonstrators set the flags of these three countries and the U.S. and Israel on fire.

During this regime-orchestrated demonstration slogans such as: "Death to Britain", "Death to France", "Death to Germany" and finally "Death to America" were chanted and the ragtag protestors who were no more than 300 (usually due to the desperate poverty in Iran,  these "demonstrators" are paid a small fee and a free lunch and told what to do), demanded that the Uranium enrichment plant of Natanz be allowed to begin operation once again.  In front of the British embassy the protestors demanded that: "the embassy of the [British] exploiters be shut down."

This is the second time in the past week that the regime's forces have gathered in front of the French embassy in Tehran and burned that country's flag. Yesterday a spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry said that there will be no further negotiations with the Islamic Regime until all nuclear activities have halted.

(photo) French guards hiding out in French embassy in Tehran  

hat tip, my girl, busyB
 

Appeasement thy name is Europe

Let's face facts, Europe's being run by cowards
Mathias Doepfner

THE writer Henryk Broder recently issued a withering indictment: Europe, your family name is appeasement. That phrase resonates because it is so terribly true.
Appeasement cost millions of Jews and non-Jews their lives as allies Britain and France negotiated and hesitated too long before they realised that Adolf Hitler needed to be fought and defeated, because he could not be bound by toothless agreements.
Later, appeasement legitimised and stabilised communism in the Soviet Union, then in East Germany, then throughout the rest of Eastern Europe, where for several decades inhuman, repressive and murderous governments were glorified.
Appeasement similarly crippled Europe when genocide ran rampant in Bosnia and Kosovo. Indeed, even though we had absolute proof of continuing mass murder there, we Europeans debated and debated, and then debated still more. We were still debating when finally the Americans had to come from halfway around the world, into Europe yet again, to do our work for us.

 

and even Joan Collins (!) yes that Joan Collins weighs in.  She laments  Britain's loss of national identity in an Aug. 4 column for London's Daily Mail newspaper. She said her native England now regards using the country's name as "a much-frowned-upon no-no," preferring "UK" instead. Collins also lamented the hooliganism, rudeness and lack of manners she sees sweeping England.

She wrote, "I believe that when a country loses so much respect for itself that it can no longer even be identified by its historically correct name, insecurity and lack of respect filter down to its inhabitants."

In the meantime, Iran resumed work at a uranium conversion plant on Monday, fanning Western fears it may be seeking nuclear weapons and defying EU warnings that it could be referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions.

Defying the EU? Shocking isn't it?

UPDATE: MY WAY

Iran has manufactured about 4,000 centrifuges capable of enriching uranium to weapons grade, an exiled Iranian dissident who helped uncover nearly two decades of covert nuclear activity in 2002 said Tuesday.

Alireza Jafarzadeh told The Associated Press the centrifuges - which he said are unknown to the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency - are ready to be installed at Iran's nuclear facility in Natanz.

UPDATE: AUGUST 1OTH, WEDNESDAY

The bastards broke the seals

Yesterday, Iran resumed the process of turning uranium into gas, the first stage of a long process to develop fuel for nuclear energy and, conceivably, weapons. By breaking the U.N. seals today, Iran was ready to get its Isfahan enrichment plant fully up and running again.. "They're still a step or two away from fully enriching uranium

It has shown no intention, however, of firing up its plant at Natanz, where uranium goes through the final stages of processing. [says who? the Iranians? Who can believe a word they say- geez Atlas]

The Real Behind the Scenes Story on Nuclear Iran

"We have only just realized that in the offer that Europe is about to present - whether today, tomorrow, in a week, or even in two months - these two matters that are crucial to us, and which were brought up in the Paris agreement, were totally ignored by them. Therefore, we no longer see any need to continue these talks in their
current format. We believe it is now time to activate the facilities in
Esfahan. This does not mean we are abandoning the negotiations. We have
never initiated a halt in the talks..."

View video here with #790 - Iranian Nuclear Chief Reveals Details of Negotiations with Europe and of Esfahan and Natanz Activities
visit MEMRI.ORG

Update: More on the looming Nuclear Crisis

NEW CRISIS LOOMS OVER IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM

If it looks like a duck, cackles like a duck, and flies like one, could it be anything other than a duck?

This is the question that some of those interested in Iran's nuclear programme have been asking for some time.

The official line from Tehran so far has been that the programme has solely peaceful purposes. Iran needs electricity and, presumably because it does not have enough oil and natural gas to produce it with, must have recourse to nuclear energy although it may be four times costlier to generate.

Read all of Amir Taheri
Asharq Al-Awsat

 

hat tip: onebusygirl (bee) - love that girl

Fundamentally, we're useful idiots

Excellent piece by Anthony Browne on Times Online

As the rest of Europe acts, extreme Islamists take advantage of British naivety

ELEMENTS WITHIN the British establishment were notoriously sympathetic to Hitler.

Today the Islamists enjoy similar support. In the 1930s it was Edward VIII, aristocrats and the Daily Mail; this time it is left-wing activists, The Guardian and sections of the BBC. They may not want a global theocracy, but they are like the West’s apologists for the Soviet Union — useful idiots. Islamic radicals, like Hitler, cultivate support by nurturing grievances against others. Islamists, like Hitler, scapegoat Jews for their problems and want to destroy them. Islamists, like Hitler, decree that the punishment for homosexuality is death. Hitler divided the world into Aryans and subhuman non-Aryans, while Islamists divide the world into Muslims and sub-human infidels. Nazis aimed for their Thousand-Year Reich, while Islamists aim for their eternal Caliphate. The Nazi party used terror to achieve power, and from London to Amsterdam, Bali to New York, Egypt to Turkey, Islamists are trying to do the same.

hat tip: ChasMartin

Forgive my Skepticism

For Israel and France, it's a 'new honeymoon'
International Herald Tribune
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel and President Jacques Chirac of France staged an emphatic show of unity here in an attempt to put years of diplomatic backbiting behind them.

"Chirac, regarded by many Israelis as pro-Arab, has not gone to Israel since 1996, when he angrily shouted at the police and accused them of limiting his movements during a tour of Jerusalem."

What is important for France, and for the whole world, is to first start with the withdrawal from Gaza," Douste-Blazy said. "It is concrete. It's something palpable that starts Aug. 15."It must happen peacefully. There must not be terrorist acts. That's what we told Prime Minister Sharon.

What is important for France, and for the whole world, is to first start with the withdrawal from Gaza," Douste-Blazy said. "It is concrete. It's something palpable that starts Aug. 15.

 

"It must happen peacefully. There must not be terrorist acts. That's what we told Prime Minister Sharon

Am I missing something here? Israel has NEVER CONDUCTED A TERROR ATTACK -EVER -Atlas

A Glimpse at World Headlines, Hence I Refuse to Kiss their Ass - Bah Dah Bing!

l'Humanite, July 13, France

The Malady of American Democracy - and Its Causes
Edited English             Text
Original Article (French)
            Article in English (Machine Translation)

Liberation, July 14, France

One Day the Americans Will Learn ... 'Fighting Terror is Not a War'
Edited English             Text
Original Article (French)
            Article in English (Machine Translation)

                                     

What are those Eurabians Smokin? Cyanide?

yeah yeah, thats the ticket......have the largest state sponsor in the Middle East resume Nuclear Buildup .......so that all their little nuke children Hamas, Hizbollah, etc can partake in the nuclear festivities - Atlas

Iran urges EU to accept resumption of some nuclear work

Iran has called on the European Union to agree to Tehran resuming some sensitive nuclear work to prevent a collapse of talks, a nuclear negotiator said.

Iran has repeatedly said it would end its freeze on uranium enrichment -- a key process in the nuclear fuel cycle -- if it is not satisfied with the progress of talks with the Europeans on its nuclear activities.

"One of our minimum (demands) is that the suspension is partially lifted," said a letter from Iran's chief negotiator Hassan Rowhani to the EU, negotiator Ali Agha Mohammadi told the student news agency ISNA.

The EU-3 -- Britain, France and Germany -- have been holding talks to encourage Iran to provide guarantees that its nuclear programme is not aimed at building the atomic bomb, in return for various trade and political incentives.

Tehran has previously simply sought EU recognition of its right to enrichment to be included in proposals due to be submitted by the Europeans by August 1.

"For negotiations to continue, the Europeans must accept the minimum reduction in the length of the suspension (called for) by Iran," said the letter.

afp