Euro Falls, Wall Street Drops as Spain, Italy Turn Backs on Greece

May 23, 2011 - As the Greek debt crisis continues to linger, one of Europe's other debt "PIGS" has shown the chutzpah to lecture Greece. Spain is one of the "PIGS" (Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Spain) that threaten to drag the euro and Europe into the slop of a worsening recession. Without drastic action, the PIGS of the eurozone seem doomed. The New York Times has a good article about the Greek economic tragedy today that says, "When Greece’s financial decision makers were summoned to secret talks at a Luxembourg castle by their euro zone partners this month, they knew a tongue-lashing was coming over the country’s stumbling reform efforts." Greece deserves that tongue-lashing, but the Times went on to note that, "What they did not expect was that it would be Spain and Italy, as opposed to Germany, that would take the lead in upbraiding Greece for not pushing faster on privatization and tax overhauls." Reuters-Africa reports that Wall Street's bad day today was due largely to fears over the fate of the sickly euro. Greece's credit rating was lowered by Fitch Ratings last Friday, which gave Wall Street an entire weekend of angst before they acted out today. None of this is helping investors' confidence. The Wall Street Journal reports today that stock market's volatility index "rose to its highest level in two months on Monday as investor concern over the worsening European debt crisis carried over to U.S. markets and drove stocks down."

In Toronto, Geert Wilders Repeats His Warning About Islamization

On May 9, 2011 Geert Wilders spoke to The International Free Press Society (IFPS-Canada) in Toronto. He gave a serious warning to his audience about the Islamic threat to Western democracies. The video below contains much of his remarks. The event took place at Canadian Christian College. This was a warning about the effects of multiculturalism gone wild, and many were angered by the IFPS giving him the opportunity to speak in Canada. On Wednesday, May 11, the IFPS ran a post on their website with the accurate headline, "Geert Wilders' presence angers freespeechphobes." All Three Videos: Geert Wilders Toronto Canada 5-9-2011 Part I.wmv Geert Wilders Toronto Canada 5-9-2011 Part 2.wmv Geert Wilders Toronto Canada May 9, 2011 Part 3.wmv "I am here," he said somberly, "with an unpleasant message. I'm here with a warning. Wake up, Canada. Islam is at your gate. Do not allow it to gain a foothold here." Wilders has been outspoken about the Islamization of his native Holland (Netherlands). He has come under vicious attack for his willingness to speak out about the invasion of muslim immigrants in Europe who wish to impose Islamic law locally. "The Muslim population in Europe," Wilders said, "is largely concentrated in urban areas. Many European cities have huge Islamic concentrations." Wilders warned about the imposition of sharia law in those European cities. "In some neighborhoods, Islamic regulations are already being enforced, also on non-muslims. Women's rights are being trampled, Christians are being harassed." "Among muslim university students in United Kingdom," he said, "40 percent support support sharia and one out of three of those 40 percent consider it legitimate to kill in the name of Islam." "Wilders has certainly become a hugely controversial figure in Europe," wrote the Ottawa Citizen (May 10), "particularly in the Netherlands, where he is the leader of the third most popular political party in the country and is currently propping up a minority government, the Freedom Party, PVV. But he is also being prosecuted — some say persecuted – for alleged hate speech crimes against Muslims, including referring to the Koran as a 'fascist book' that promotes ideological views comparable to Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and saying that if the Prophet Muhammad were alive today he would 'be hunted down as a terrorist'." Read more: Controversial Dutch politician warns of 'failure of multiculturalism - Vancouver Sun Geert Wilders Goes to Toronto, Canada - iOwnTheWorld.com

Geert Wilders Warns America About Jihad (Videos)

In two stunning and powerful videos (below), "There are moderate Muslims," says Wilders, "but there is no moderate Islam.... The purest joy in Islam is to kill and to be killed." Geert Wilders, a controversial member of Parliament of The Netherlands warns of the dangers of appeasing the Islamists, both in Europe and in America. Don't believe that? Then you should read about Saudi Cleric Muhammad Al-Arifi, who recently told his television viewers that "the desire to shed blood, smash skulls, and sever simbs for the sake of Allah is an honor for the believer." Although Al-Arifi is not representative of all muslim clerics, he is hardly unique among them. Al-Arifi is the kind of guy that Wilders warns us about. Al-Arifi is the kind of guy who urges terrorists to fly jets into skyscrapers. Al-Arifi embodies all that Wilders warns us about. (Find related articles under the videos.) RELATED: More Christian Democrats trust Wilders‎ DutchNews (Netherlands) How to Keep the USA From Becoming the United States of Arabia‎ FOXNews

Fertility Rates and the Rise of Europastan

It's the birth rate, stupid. If you haven't visited Europe or Canada yet, do so before they disappear. The United States is not immune. This video shows the stark difference between Muslim and non-Muslim fertility rates, and graphically demonstrates the impact on Muslim demographics and on the local culture. (The murder of the unborn by abortion plays into this, too.) Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

BNP Wants Gordon Brown To Fall Down on June 4th

MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN: VOTE BNP ON JUNE 4TH" is a text message that millions of British voters are being urged to text to each other in a national grassroots effort to force a general election. The British National Party is touting the text messages as a way to get the word out. Why? To get rid of the buffoon Gordon Brown, of course, arguably the worst Prime Minister that the United Kingdom has had since God-Knows-When. I want to make it clear that while I am not endorsing the BNP, I do endorse the dumping of Brown. (I'm sure Parliament can squelch any serious weirdness from BNP.) The message on the BNP web site reads, in part: Want to get rid of Gordon Brown? Want a general election? Want to make a protest vote the politicians cannot ignore? MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN: VOTE BNP ON JUNE 4TH. Forward this to everyone in your contacts. If we send these texts to enough people they will go viral and could lead to thousands more votes on D-Day 2009. That is what is at stake, so please make the effort! So foward those texts - and this blog post - to everyone in your contacts. Heal Thyself, Great Britain! Dump Brown! Now, enjoy the lovely video of Daniel Hannan, MEP, below. Mr. Hannan thinks Mr. Brown should go, too. RELATED (video follows): Beckett set for comeback as Brown plans purge of tainted ministers Brown calls Blair in to No 10 for secret talks as crisis mounts What to look for in June's European parliamentary elections UK May Lose AAA Rating at S&P as Finances Weaken UK Labour Party faithful want Brown to quit -poll Gordon Brown set for election wipeout - Times Online MPs' expenses: artists and activists join in call for electoral reform

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Revolution in Georgia?

Today's massive protests in Georgia are getting major media coverage, but few are reporting that this seems to be the beginning of a revolution in the small European nation. (Tea Party protesters take note!) BBC reports today: Thousands of Georgians have gathered outside parliament saying they will not disperse until the president resigns. Protesters, numbering up to 60,000, blamed President Mikhail Saakashvili for defeat against Russia in August's war and said he had stifled democracy. BBC quotes Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili as saying, "There is no chance of a revolution in Georgia." However, a bulletin from Stratfor Global Intelligence says quite the opposite: This is not the first set of rallies against Saakashvili, who has had a rocky presidency since taking power in the pro-Western “Rose Revolution” of 2003. Anti-government protests have been held constantly over the past six years. But the upcoming rally is different: This is the first time all 17 opposition parties have consolidated enough to organize a mass movement in the country. Furthermore, many members of the government are joining the cause, and foreign powers — namely Russia — are known to be encouraging plans to oust Saakashvili.... If the movement does inspire such a large turnout, it would be equivalent to the number of protesters that hit the streets at the height of the Rose Revolution, which toppled the previous government and brought Saakashvili into power in the first place. Full Article at www.stratfor.com... RELATED: Georgia: Unrest and the Secessionist Regions - Strafor (with free subscription) Georgia's president under pressure to resign - The Associated Press Georgians ask Saakashvili to resign - United Press International Georgians Rally Outside Parliament, Demand President Mikhail - TransWorldNews Georgians call for President to quit 09/04 20:03 CET - euronews Georgia: Oppositon Gives Saakashvili Ultimatum to Resign - EurasiaNet Chicago News Bench RSS Feed CommieBama Hats and More

Shariah Rules in Deutschlandistan

"Sharia Infiltrates German Courts, Schools, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs," reports Muslims Against Sharia. Dr. Sami Alrabaa writes, "Once again a German court ruled by referring to Shrai’a (Islamic law)." This is happening more and more across Western Europe and even in Canada. Alrabaa writes about a German woman who was married to an Egyptian. She called police for protection of herself "and her 17-year-old daughter from assaults by her husband. Magdi, Lisa’s husband, threatened to kill their daughter who had been raped by a man." Isn't that great? And you Liberals think Christians are nutty? The German judge who heard the case said, “Muslims have a different understanding of rape than Europeans, and this must be taken into account.” Isn't that great? The judge is so sensitive to muliculturalism! Screw the wife, screw the daughter, we must take multiculturalism into account! Isn't that just great? RELATED: Sharia Infiltrates German Courts, Schools, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Family Security Matters Sharia in Europe? European Parliament politicians make a stand Sharia Banking Conquers Europe The Brussels Journal Sharia Law & Europe News - EU Politics Today Chicago News Bench RSS Feed CommieBama Hats and More

Europe Wants To Drill There, Drill Soon

Europe wants to drill, but the U.S. Congress - Democrats, primarily - are reluctant to approve new petroleum and gas drilling projects within our own borders. An interesting report from AP today (2/22/09) tells us that the Europeans are eager to develop their ability to produce their own energy from "fossil fuels." While there have been Europeans pushing for such and effort before now, the recent Russian natural gas cut-off has spurred Europe to move faster toward the goal of energy independence. There is a great irony to this story. AP quotes Don Hertzmark, "an international energy expert," as saying that "The Europeans never bothered to develop this stuff." Here's the irony: The Europeans will do it with American technology because they have not developed their own, and while the U.S. has the ability, our federal government has essentially crushed efforts to increase our own domestic production for decades because of pressure from environmentalists. Hertzmark, reports AP, says that using American technology would save European companies years of developing their own methods. (Why re-invent the wheel?) "If the same technology works in Europe," writes AP's Mark Williams, "it could free up an enormous amount of energy, and potentially provide a buffer against cross-border disputes to the east." It's a shame that the US Congress, as a whole, doesn't seem to understand that. If the same American technology that Europe now hopes to use were actually put to full use by American companies domestically, it could provide a buffer against higher energy prices and the potential for blackmail and extortion by other nations. Enviromental activists are continuing their push for a moratorium on U.S. offshore drilling. H. Josef Herbert wrote about at Townhall.com on February 11 (emphasis added): At a House hearing, Philippe Cousteau, grandson of legendary ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, urged Congress to reinstate the offshore drilling bans that until last fall had been in effect for 25 years in Atlantic and Pacific coastal waters. "It's absolutely critical for the health of the oceans," said Cousteau, a board member of the advocacy group Ocean Conservancy. "Oil spills still occur." The argument that "oil spills still occur" is an absurd red herring. Yes, the possibility of a spill from a domestic offshore project is a possibility, but an oil spill is an oil spill is an oil spill. Whether that spilled oil comes from one of our own ships or drilling platforms, or from a foreign oil tanker en route to a US port, makes no difference to the birds and fish. Cousteau and his comrades represent the "not in my back yard" mentality taken to a global scale. Our oil consumption is supplied, in part, by drilling in other parts of the world. That foreign oil is transported in ships across vast oceans. The probability of a spill, from foreign drill to U.S. port, is greater than it would be from domestic drill to domestic port. Less distance plus less time equals less opportunity for accidents. Oil spills are not exactly common occurances. In fact, they are rare, as noted by the Minerals Management Service (MMS), a bureau in the U.S. Department of the Interior. MMS "tracks spill incidents 1 barrel or greater in size of petroleum and other toxic substances resulting from Federal OCS oil and gas activities." You can see their spill statistics at http://www.mms.gov/incidents/spills1996-2008.htm. The environmentalist radicals are almost always also opposed to "American imperialism." It is odd that they cannot connect the dots between imporation of oil and that "empire." If the United States reduced its dependence on foreign energy sources, it would simultaneously reduce our footprint on the economies of other nations. Therefore, less "imperialism." Logically, they should be cheerleading an effort to increase domestic energy production. However, logic and a basic understanding of capitalism do not fit well into their anti-business agenda. According to Williams' AP report, "European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso says the dispute between Russia and Ukraine demonstrated the need for Europe to stop keeping all of its eggs in one basket when it comes to energy sources and supply routes." Williams quotes Barroso as saying, "It was utterly unacceptable that European gas consumers were held hostage to this dispute between Russia and Ukraine," Barroso said. Indeed. It is also unacceptable that the U.S. is often held hostage to pricing whims of other oil producing nations such as Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members. It would be a great irony if Europe uses American technology to become energy independent before we achieve that worthy goal. It would be nice to be able to tell OPEC and Russia to stuff it, we've got our own. RELATED: Another Wake-Up Call? Europe Remains Divided Over Energy Security... Russian gas crisis should inform US policy Our Self-Created Energy Problem FACTBOX-Major energy pipelines in central/southern Europe NEWS WATCH: Europe Concerned Over Dependency On Russian Gas Russia deepens gas hegemony EIA - Petroleum Basic Data (U.S. Dept. of Energy) Iranian Oil Bourse Soon to Be a Reality Political Lore .com Iran Starts Oil, Petrochemicals Exchange in Tehran Iran Opens Oil Bourse to Sidestep U.S. Sanctions José Manuel Barroso President of the European Commission - Opening speech External energy conference External energy policy conference Brussels, 20 November 2006 CNB RSS Feed

EU Hypocritical On Iran Stoning Executions

Iran executed three people by stoning them to death, a painful and barbaric method of killing. The cowardly, hypocritical fools who run the European Union have issued yet another useless condemnation of the practice. The stoning victim is buried to their neck or shoulders, and stones are then thrown at them. The law actually requires that the stones be of a size capable of inflicting pain but not big enough to kill immediately. In other words, Iranian law requires the torture of those being executed. This is part of shariah law, the laws commanded by Islam. The myopic bureaucrats of the European Union are condemning the stoning executions, as well they should. However, even as the EU condemns a barbaric aspect of shariah law, it is allowing shariah to creep into its own culture and society. The "Islamization" of Europe is well under way. For the EU authorities to condemn Iran, while allowing the expansion of shariah law within Europe, is akin to a man scolding his neighbor for beating his wife even as he himself turns a blind eye to his own wife's abuse of their child. Following is part of a report from Iran Visual News Corps (“IranVNC), an independent online multimedia and interactive news agency with content available in both Persian and English. They are based in Washington, D.C. According to official confirmation and reports from other credible sources, three people were subject to execution by stoning in the city of Mashhad in the week beginning 21 December 2008. One of the three is reported to have managed to escape the stoning pit and survived. The other two were less fortunate and were stoned to death. The European Union requests that the central authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran investigate this issue, and ensure that the practice of execution by stoning is effectively and permanently terminated in the country, in compliance with the International Covenant of Political and Civil Rights, which the Islamic Republic of Iran has signed and ratified, as well as the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons From Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, as adopted by the UN General Assembly Resolution 3452 of December 1975, which Iran has approved. FULL REPORT... Fools. Asking Iran to "investigate this issue" would be like asking a bank robber to please investigate his most recent heist. "Get back to us with the results of your investigation, won't you Mister Bank Robber? Thanks so much." It is Iran's own laws, based on Islamic religioius doctrine from 1,400 years ago. It is Iran's official policy that people be executed in such medieval ways, so to ask Iran to "investigate this issue" of stoning people to death is ignorant stupidity or, at best, empty posturing. The stoning continues in Iran. The EU wrings its collective hands, but the people of Europe had better get used to it. Today Tehran, tomorrow Brussels. RELATED: Iran hangs two murderers in public – Report Dhimmi Watch: Nine Iranians to be stoned to death for adultery (July 2008) Video of Stoning to Death - Islam in action EU has gained nothing by appeasing Iran Europe Reimports Jew Hatred The rapid Islamization of Europe Will Europe Resist Islamization? Daniel Pipes Girl, 13, stoned to death in Somalia as 1,000 watch... 'Adultery' sisters to be stoned to death in Iran (Feb 2008) Fjordman: Islamic law used by secular Swedish court Some stoning okay says Choudhary Sharia in Europe? European Parliament politicians make a stand Sharia in Europe: Islamic Norms in Secular European States Islamization and Cowardice in Scandinavia Shariah Law and Doctrine Europe's Sharia question / ISN Europe’s Jackboot Progressives Taxi drivers are refusing to carry blind passengers Celebrating Our Diversity: AIG Bailout Promotes Shariah Law, Lawsuit Claims Shariah law in Ontario, Canada - Israel Forum Subscribe to Chicago News Bench

Russia's Cold War Heats Up

BREAKING: Ukraine and Russia have (again) come to an agreement over natural gas, which Russia cut of last week. Millions in Europe are without heat as a result. What Russia giveth, Russia taketh away. Then giveth, then taketh, then giveth. Natural gas, used by millions to heat their homes and businesses, was shut off last Wednesday by Russia in a political dispute with Ukraine. The innocent still suffer as a result. Now, late word that an agreement was been reached has been deflated by even later word that Moscow is being stubborn. The tennis-style volleying in all of this has been dizzying. Oh, but wait - the dizziness get worse. LATE BREAKING NEWS is that Ukraine "has agreed to sign a new version of an accord to authorize monitoring of natural gas flows, paving the way to resume Russian gas shipments through the country to the rest of Europe, a European Union official said. Oy. Let's hope this agreement holds." (Source: Bloomberg.com) Meanwhile, 12 European nations continue to shiver, and there is more danger than mere frostbite. Fears are raised now that Slovakia, one of the 12 nations denied gas by Russia, will reactivate an old Soviet-style nuclear generator that has a history of safety problems. Twelve countries continued to receive no Russian gas as a result of Moscow’s claims that Ukraine was stealing supplies being piped across its land to other parts of Europe. Russia stopped deliveries of gas to Ukraine on New Year’s Day after a row over unpaid bills and new payment rates, and turned off all supplies through Ukraine last Wednesday. (Source: TimesOnline.co.uk) There are no winners in this political dispute, which is endangering lives, ruining businesses, and undoubtedly causing deaths. Not only might the Slovaks fire up that rickety old nuke plant, old fashioned smog is now a problem in parts of Europe. Desperate for heat and cooking fuel, people are burning coal, wood, paper, anything to substitute for the gas denied them by Russia. In the gas war between Russia and Ukraine, both sides are licking their wounds after 10 days of fighting. Although it appears the pumping of gas will resume and the impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands shivering and worried in the freezing winter in southern Europe should quickly pass, the damage done politically and economically to both warring parties will resist any quick fix. (Source: Guardian.co.uk) This is why the United States needs to drill more and produce more domestically. RELATED: Budapest traffic restrictions to counter pollution from gas crisis Report: Serbs protest Russian gas shortage Oil hovers above $40 as investors eye US earnings Why Russia Stokes Mideast Mayhem Subscribe to Chicago News Bench

Video: Hate and Peace in Copenhagen

Demonstrations in Denmark this weekend over the current fighting in Gaza. Blogger Ted Ekeroth writes a frightening post today about his firsthand experience in Copenhagen. Ekeroth was with the pro-Israel group. His must-see videos demonstrate the stark difference between the pro-peace, pro-Israeli demonstrators and the hate-filled, kill-all-the-jews pro-Palestinian demontrators. An excerpt (emphasis added): Today I participated in a pro-israeli manifestation for peace in Copenhagen, Denmark. The number of participants reported in Swedish newspapers is 250, but that is an understatement. My estimate is close to 1000. Our manifestation was peaceful, calm and the message was PEACE! Speaker after speaker talked about peace and coexistence and the crowd cheered as they said it. On the other side of Rådhusplatsen there was a pro-arabic demonstration. The message coming from them was something quite different. Instead of advocating for peace the arabs shouted only about hatred and death! They mainly chanted in arabic, but some parts were in Danish and then you can clearly hear their wish to kill all the Jews. Read the full post at Ekeroth's blog (in English); (original in Danish "Fredsmanifestation vs hatpropaganda") Hat tip: Gates of Vienna Subscribe to Chicago News Bench

MUSLIM HIT LIST ON EUROPEAN JEWS

Ominious warnings for Europe and North America: Muslim hate crimes against Jews are on the rise. The current conflict in Gaza has (some) Muslims going at Jews well outside of that troubled region. In Europe, increased attacks on Jewish people by Muslims is being reported. Despite official U.S. intelligence reports denying specific threat information as a result of Israeli action in Gaza, the Northeast Intelligence Network has confirmed increased terrorist “chatter” that specifically suggests pre-operational planning by Muslim terrorist operatives against Jewish assets and people throughout North America. “Chatter,” in the lexicon of intelligence agencies, encompasses various forms of communications, from communication intercepts to postings on Arabic language message boards. (Source) And this, out of the UK, January 7: FEARS grew last night that hate-filled Islamic extremists are drawing up a “hit list” of Britain’s leading Jews — bringing the Middle East conflict terrifyingly close to home.... British anti-terror expert Glen Jenvey is convinced online forum Ummah is being used to prepare a deadly backlash against UK Jews. His warning came as Europe was hit by anti-Semitic attacks over Israel’s push into the Gaza Strip. (Source) Remember when, in the wake of September 11, 2001, Muslims in the U.S. kept saying that they shouldn't be targeted? They were right to say that. So tell me, why are Jews in Europe and North America now the targets of Muslim hatred? RELATED: Global Islamic Terrorism Advisory Synagogue set ablaze and anti-Semitic assaults soar in UK following Israel's invasion of Gaza Islamic extremists have drawn up Brit Jew hit list Fears mount of Gaza conflict spill over in Europe Gaza killing sparks attacks on Jews across Europe Anti-Jewish Activities in Europe Rise After Gaza Incursion Burning car rams synagogue door in France Rise In Attacks On Europe's Jews Jews in Europe targeted over Gaza Muslims attacking Jews all over Europe Jews Not Welcome Hamas Deliberately Uses Human Shields Subscribe to Chicago News Bench

Lower Your Obama Expectations, Europe

Obama is not the man that Europe thinks he is. In fact, he's not the man that many of his supporters thought he was. Ask liberal Democrats who voted for him in the US and many will tell you how disappointed they are Obama for choosing so many leftover politicians for his high posts: Hillary Clinton pegged for Secretary of State, holding onto Bush's Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and so on. Europe will be disappointed for reasons other than his appointments, however. Once Europeans realized that Obama is an American first, not some borderless citizen of the world, the gloss will be a bit dimmer in their eyes. Obama is not the Messiah, of course, and although he'd like to, he has not, will not and cannot bring peace to the planet or miraculously cure diseases, and people will not suddenly stop hating each other when he becomes the president on January 20. I'm not criticizing him for being human; I've written that we should give Obama a chance before we rush to judge him on a job that is, officially, not even his yet. Swissinfo.ch has a very interesting article about Professor Stephen Monsma of the Henry Institute in Michigan. Prof. Monsma, writes Swissinfo, "warns Europeans against having unrealistic expectations: Obama might be more liberal than Bush but he would continue to put Americans first when he takes office." This is music to my conservative ears. He will "continue to put America first?" God bless him if that is so. William Ayers must be having fits over this, but it pleases me to no end. Prof. Monsma believes that many Europeans think Obama would brush America aside for some internationalist agenda. Wrong, says Prof. Monsma. "He will be a very tough negotiator," he told Swissinfo. No doubt, we know he can be and he was impressive in the campaign. But will Obama use his powers for Truth, Justice and the American Way? "There is so much enthusiasm for Obama in Europe," Prof. Monsma told Swissinfo, "even among the French. I'm sure that America's Nato allies are soon going to feel some pressure from the Obama government to send more troops to Afghanistan and we will see how excited the French are about that." RELATED: Obama and Europe: How long a love-fest? DJ Nozem: Obama and Europe More `dirty tricks' tipped From George Bush to Barack Obama

BIN LADEN SON IN SPAIN

One mass murdering lunatic is enough for the bin Laden family, apparently. One of Osama's sons wants to come into the fold of Modernity. His first step: Seek asylum in Spain. The young man seems like he's has it together. It's nice to see that he is not taking after dear old Dad. His wife, by the way, is an eyefull. One of Osama bin Laden’s sons has claimed political asylum in Spain, insisting that he is a pacifist who does not share the beliefs of the world’s most wanted terrorist. Omar Ossama bin Laden, 27, claimed asylum when his flight from Cairo to Casablanca stopped over in Madrid’s Barajas airport last night, reportedly accompanied by his British wife Jane Felix-Browne, 52, a grandmother from Cheshire. Full Story at TimesOnline...

Killing Homosexuals? Hmmmm....

See, I would never propose that. Really. It's, well, it's just wrong. Some Muslims in Europe, however, just can't make up their minds as to whether or not killing homosexuals is, you know, the right thing to do. Certainly there are Muslims outside of Europe who feel the same way; after all, they line homosexuals up against a wall and stone them to death or crush them to death by pushing the brick/stone/cinder block wall over on them. But let's stay with these particular Muslims, living in Norway, who can't make their minds up about killing homosexuals. Now, if you're a Liberal, the PC thing to do would be to say, "Ah, but it's all relative and it's a cultural thing. Golly, that's how their culture does it. Who are we to tell them what to do?" The report about an Islamic council in Norway: By Bruce Bawer - For a case in point, I will refer the reader to an episode I’ve mentioned previously in this space — an Oslo debate last November at which the deputy chairman of Norway’s Islamic Council, Asghar Ali, refused to reject the death penalty for gays. When Senaid Kobilica, the head of the Islamic Council (which represents 60,000 Muslims), was asked where he stood on the question, he replied that he couldn’t give a definitive answer until he got a ruling from the European Fatwa Council. This week it was reported that he’s still waiting... FULL POST at FrontPage Magazine... Of course, the Truly Correct thing to do is to condemn, loudly, the atavistic, primitive brutality that could allow even a moment's hesitation in deciding whether or not to kill homosexuals. I say let 'em live. To be fair and balanced, however, there is also this story out of England: Sharia law incompatible with human rights legislation, Lords say. Good lord, common sense in the UK? Perhaps there is still a glowing ember of reason...

RUSSIA'S FIGHTING WORDS

Cold War, Part II. More fallout from Russian aggression in Georgia. Reactions to reactions to reactions. Duck and cover, comrades. Russian news agencies Wednesday quoted a top military officer as warning that Russia could target U.S. missile defenses in Europe with ballistic missiles.... If only President Truman would have let General Patton march to Moscow in 1945, everything would be hunky dory today... Head of strategic missile forces General Nikolai Solovtsov said that Russia could make use of some “counter measures” if the United States goes ahead with plans to place missile defense components in Poland or the Czech Republic, as this could pose a strategic threat to Russia. MORE from Pat Dollard... According to The Hindu newspaper (India), former Soviet slave nations are freaked out by Russia's recent land grab in Georgia. Vladimir Radyuhin writes this for The Hindu: Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Poland had agreed to host the U.S. missile shield as “revenge” on Russia for its military action in Georgia. Washington and Warsaw signed an agreement to base 10 missile interceptors in Poland on August 14, two days after Russia put down Georgia’s military offensive in South Ossetia. MORE at The Hindu... The Hindu also notes: Washington quickly dismissed the Russian draft as a ploy to divert attention from Moscow’s failure to withdraw its troops from Georgia. Mr. Lavrov said the plans of the U.S. and NATO to rearm Georgia showed they had not learnt any lessons from last month’s events. Fingers are pointing, the blame game is on, nothing will be resolved. Various staff writers at spacewar.com touch on that: Washington insists its shield -- endorsed by all 26 NATO member states earlier this year -- is to fend off potential missile attacks by what it calls "rogue states" such as Iran. Moscow says the system is part of an effort to encircle Russia and undermine its nuclear deterrent. MORE from spacewar.com... The reality is that tensions are high between the US and the former USSR. It is also reality that nations such as Poland, brutalized and held in bondage for many decades by Russia (witht help KGB agents such as Vladimir Putin) have asked the US for new weapons systems to ward off possible Russian attacks like we saw recently in Georgia. It's hard to blame those nations. They spent most of the 20th Century under Moscow's iron thumb. They are not eager to repeat that experience. You might want to look around your neighborhood and make a note of any remaining fallout shelters. You know, just in case. RELATED: Russian Army Chief: U.S. Interceptor Missile Could Trigger Russian Strike - 12/17/2007 Bomb Shelter + Storm Protection,Shelters,Nuclear,Biological ... Living in the Atomic Age - NebraskaStudies.org

TODAY GEORGIA, TOMORROW UKRAINE?

"Today, Georgia; tomorrow, Ukraine; the day after, Estonia? " That's what Max Boot asks in his LA Times column. He urges the US to stand up to Russian aggression. "By crossing Georgia's borders, the Russians have committed their worst violation of international law since the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979," he notes. FULL COLUMN...

Obama's Triumph des Willens

Huge political rallies in Germany make me nervous, especially when the center of attention is a junior US Senator who is bending over backward to apologize to the children and grandchildren of the genocidal Third Reich for past misdeeds of his own great nation. As Erik Erickson writes, "Not Since 1939 Have So Many Germans Turned Out To Hear A Politician in Berlin."

No, I am NOT comparing Obama to Hitler, not at all. He's no Nazi, he's a Marxist Communist. Duh.

There are eerie similarities between the old Hitler rallies (the mania, the hyperemotion, the Leni Riefenstahl-esque production quality) and the recent massive rallies for Obama, another charismatic faux messiah. Riefenstahl's best known effort was Triumph of the Will, a propaganda film that documented a 1943 Nazi rally in Nuremberg. She documented many of Hitler's other rallies and speeches and had a heavy influence on the choreography of those events. Many of Obama's photos are weirdly reminiscent of Riefenstahl's portrait work. Coincidence? Or inspiration?

Obama recently drew a crowd in Germany that was estimated at 200,000. Let's see, get my calculator out here... at the end of 2004, Germany's population was 82.5 million. 82,500,000 minus 200,000... that leaves at least 82,300,000 Germans who did not attend the rally.

Germans - that is, Germans who are not citizens of the Unites States - can't vote in the US, although the Democrat Party is undoubtedly working to overcome that problem. The Democrats already register hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens in the US, and encourage them to vote. Democrat salivary glands must have been working overtime at the sight of 200,000 non-Americans at a rally. "Ach," they must be thinking to themselves, "eef only vee could get deezen Volken zu voten!"

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Why Obama Chose Germany
Obama Dissing Our Troops
Obama Sucks Up to Germany, Scorns US Troops

Obama Pissing Off European Leaders

European leaders are not pleased with Barack Obama. Many feel snubbed by Obama, a rank amateur in foreign relations and diplomacy whose campaign team is composed of rank amateurs in foreign relations and diplomacy. To wit, this report yesterday: Obama's team has left no doubts about the fact that it considers German Chancellor Angela Merkel to be the strongest leader in Europe at present. Their reasoning: Sarkozy hasn't been in office long enough yet and Brown has been swept up in a domestic crisis. US Congressman Robert Wexler, a Democrat, recently spoke on behalf of Obama on Germany's N-TV cable news channel, emphasizing that German-American relations were the "most established." Even if it was true that German-American relations were the "most established," (it is not, actually), to say so publicly is a lousy public relations move on the part of Team Obama. If Obama becomes our next president, he will move into the White House with a load of bad foreign relations already waiting to be taken care of on his desk in the Oval Office. But not even the Germans are totally satisfied. They are calling for further one-on-one meetings with Obama -- conversations that, according to information obtained by SPIEGEL ONLINE are not very likely to happen. If he keeps to his itinerary, Obama will meet German politicians before he gives his speech on Thursday evening. FULL ARTICLE at Der Spiegel... RELATED: Fawning, groveling, Euro-lickspittle Press for Obama One Reporter Greets McCain Plane in NH Dick Morris: Obama Is A European Socialist Who Will Cause A Third War In Iraq Obama's Europe Trip: Conflict over Berlin Visit... Obama's Europe Blindspot: Why Did He Skip Europe's Institutional Heart?

"Europe's bin Laden" Captured

They caught the bastard, and he will now stand trial for war crimes. Radovan Karadzic, former Bosnian Serb leader, was one of the most wanted men in the world until he was caught early this week. Accused of genocide and other major crimes against humanity, Karadzic was passing as a doctor (see before and after photos, right). The arrest was a neat police operation, and European governments are all very happy about it. This is a drama that few Americans were aware of, but is gripping to nearly all Europeans. From Der Spiegel today: Radovan Karadzic, 63, president of the Republika Srpska in Bosnia from 1992 to 1996, looked emaciated when he was arrested in Belgrade on Monday night, according to the Serb authorities. He was interviewed by an investigating judge until 2.30 a.m. on Tuesday morning [German time].... The arrest has also given much-needed impetus to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague. FULL STORY... RELATED: Profile: Radovan Karadzic [BBC] Profile of the former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic. frontline: the world's most wanted man [PBS] A report on Serbian war leader Radovan Karadzic, examining who he is and why he has been indicted by crimes against humanity and genocide.