April 11, 2012—SnyderTalk Editorial: Don’t Take Shaul Mofaz’s Comments to the New York Times too seriously

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Don’t Take Shaul Mofaz’s Comments to the New York Times too seriously

On Sunday, an article that I wrote titled “War in the Middle East May Be Inevitable” appeared in American Thinker. It dealt with Moshe Arens’ assessment of Shaul Mofaz’s defeat of Tzipi Livni for head of the Kadima Party in Israel. According to Arens, Mofaz’s victory represents a tidal shift in Israeli politics. Arens presented five concrete examples of failed Israeli efforts to advance the peace agenda, and they received nothing in return except belligerence and increased terrorist activity. Arens thinks that the Israeli people are waking up to the stark reality that peace isn’t in the cards–not yet anyway.

Is Arens correct? I think he is, and that’s what my article is about, but something important happened between the time I wrote it and its publication on Sunday. On Friday, the New York Times published an article about Mofaz titled “Defying an Image With a Tilt to the Left.” It’s based on an interview with Mofaz, and according to the Times’ article:

…His [Mofaz’s] belief that Israelis want to talk about peace with the Palestinians seems counterintuitive. The issue has been fading from the public agenda, with most expressing the belief that Israel has no partner. But Mr. Mofaz says he would start with an interim Palestinian state on 60 percent of the West Bank and negotiate the rest.

Mr. Mofaz says Israel should keep the West Bank settlement blocs but give the Palestinians 100 percent of their territorial demands by swapping land. He believes that borders and security can be negotiated in a year, and that tens of thousands of settlers would leave their homes with the proper incentives. Those who remain would be forced out.

As you would expect, the Times article created quite a stir in Israel. For instance, an article in Israel Hayom titled “Mofaz: ‘Palestinians should get 100% of their territorial demands’” contained comments from several prominent Israelis about Mofaz’s remarks:

MK Ofir Akunis, chairman of the Likud Party’s rapid response team: “Kadima headed by Mofaz is the same old party under a different guise. It is a leftist party willing to retreat and fold before every Palestinian demand. When Mr. Mofaz says that 100 percent of the Palestinian demands should be met, he is taking the same stance as his Kadima predecessor. A non-demilitarized Palestinian state based on 1967 lines and partitioning Jerusalem. If that’s how he intends to open negotiations, it is better not to think about how they would end.”
Carmel Shama-Hacohen (Likud), chairman of the Knesset’s Economic Affairs Committee: “Since MK Mofaz was elected to lead the fifth-largest party according to polls, he has not stopped handing out gifts. And now he is handing out parts of Israel as a gift to the Palestinians, who refuse to negotiate with us.”
Danny Dayan, Chairman of the Yesha Council–the council of the Jewish communities of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza: “Anyone who is willing to give the Palestinians 100 percent of their territorial demands, while they simultaneously use force against tens of thousands of Israelis is not worthy of being prime minister of Israel. But no need to worry, with a platform like that he will never be elected.”
MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima): “He who returns to the warm bosom of the Left, where Tzipi Livni was, is disconnected from the majority of the public and cannot be prime minister. The real test is to see if Mofaz wants to capture the sane center-right or the Left.”

In fairness to Mofaz, the Times article also said:

He [Mofaz] said Mr. Netanyahu’s focus on Iran’s nuclear program had distracted attention from more important priorities, like making peace with the Palestinians, ending settlement building in much of the West Bank and reducing the country’s socioeconomic inequality. Let President Obama handle Iran, he said. We can trust him.

[…]

Mr. Mofaz said that Israel’s alliance with Washington was its greatest strategic asset, and that aligning Israeli policy more with Washington was necessary. Also, he said, Mr. Netanyahu has been talking too much about Iran. If the time comes when only an attack can stop Iran’s nuclear program, and “God forbid the American president decides not to attack,” he will support Mr. Netanyahu in such a move, he said. But he does not expect that to happen.

Kadima is Israel’s leftist political party, the J Street Party if you will, and Mofaz is now head of the party, so Israelis can’t be too careful when they scrutinize his remarks. Even so, Mofaz brings some impressive credentials to the table. He was born in Tehran, Iran in 1948, and he immigrated to Israel with his family in 1957. His parents were poor so he had to earn his way to the top first in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and then in politics.

In the military, he became a paratrooper and served in the Sayeret Matkal, an elite special forces commando unit. Mofaz saw duty in the Six-Day War, the Yom Kippur War, the 1982 Lebanon War, and Operation Entebbe. Eventually, he became the IDF’s chief of the general staff and gravitated toward politics where he became minister of defense, deputy prime minister, and minister of transportation and road safety. Currently, Mofaz is a member of the Knesset and head of the Kadima Party.

Mofaz’s remarks in his interview with the New York Times were in keeping with the party that he now leads, but his background suggests that he is also pragmatic. Evidence to support the conclusion that Palestinian leaders want peace with Israel is nonexistent. That was Moshe Arens point, and wishing and hoping by Mofaz or anyone else won’t change that reality. Besides, as the Times correctly noted, in a head-to-head matchup with Binyamin Netanyahu right now, Netanyahu would “crush him.”

At this juncture, it pays to take Mofaz seriously, but it’s not time to start hyperventilating. Arens assessment of the situation is still correct: Israeli citizens are moving to the right because that’s what the evidence indicates they must do. If the Kadima Party wants to remain relevant, it must change, too. That may be Mofaz’s most daunting challenge in the immediate future despite what he says for public consumption.

This SnyderTalk editorial first appeared in American Thinker on April 8, 2012.

To see other SnyderTalk editorials, click here.

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Thomas Jefferson

“For here we are not afraid to follow the truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it.”

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Jeremiah 51: 20-25

He says, “You are My war-club, My weapon of war; and with you I shatter nations, and with you I destroy kingdoms. With you I shatter the horse and his rider, and with you I shatter the chariot and its rider, and with you I shatter man and woman, and with you I shatter old man and youth, and with you I shatter young man and virgin, and with you I shatter the shepherd and his flock, and with you I shatter the farmer and his team, and with you I shatter governors and prefects. But I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all their evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes,” declares Yahweh. “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, who destroys the whole earth,” declares Yahweh, “and I will stretch out My hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and I will make you a burnt out mountain.”

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God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This [Yahweh] is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” (Exodus 3: 15)
“Therefore behold, I am going to make them know—this time I will make them know My power and My might; and they shall know that My name is Yahweh.” (Jeremiah 16: 21)
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘Yahweh our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 23: 5-6)

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Hosea 4: 6

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

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Top 5 digg^tm articles yesterday:

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PA Has Little Choice But to Engage Netanyahu—The Palestinians may be somewhat more amenable to restart direct negotiations with Israel, if only because since they broke off the low-level talks in Jordan in January, they have pretty much been pushed off the world’s radar screen. Indeed, next week’s meeting between PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Netanyahu may be a sign that the PA is rethinking its tactics as the world is focused elsewhere.
Are Pakistan’s Nukes “Islamic”?—Hafiz Saeed, the leader of the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba and accused of planning the 2008 attacks on Mumbai, on Wednesday taunted the U.S. at a news conference in Rawalpindi, near Pakistan’s military headquarters, a day after Washington offered $10 million for information leading to his capture.
Iran claims arrest of terror operatives tied to Israel—Official Iranian media reports “major terrorist group from the Zionist regime” uncovered and several members arrested “while preparing to carry out terrorist acts”; bombs, machine guns reportedly seized.
‘Every aspect of life is to be Islamized’—Egyptian activists translate address from Muslim Brotherhood candidate Shater, offering rare glimpse into his worldview.
Palmer calls for support in trial of murder suspects—Father of Kiryat Arba man and baby killed in crash says Israelis should show prosecutors that terror victims are not forgotten.
Syria violence kills 37, endangering truce deadline—Opposition groups say no sign of military pullout; Annan says “a bit too early” to dismiss his ceasefire plan as a failure.
Ahmadinejad: Iran can stand 2-3 yr oil blockade
Negative campaign advertising, Egyptian style
Fayyad hails popular resistance at Bil’in parley
Norway mass killer deemed sane in new finding
Bnei Brak man finds pipe bomb on car; no injuries

Israel: “Assad Is Past the Point of No Return”—The consensus in the Israeli intelligence community is that Syria’s Assad sooner or later will be ousted. “Assad is past the point of no return,” says a senior cabinet minister. “He won’t be able to restore his position as Syria’s undisputed leader…. Resistance is growing, even in Damascus.”
U.S.: Despite Peres plea, Obama not weighing release of Israeli spy—White House official confirms U.S. President received personal missive from President Peres, adding that Washington’s position on granting clemency to Jonathan Pollard ‘has not changed.’
Annan: It’s too early to say if UN-sponsored Syria peace plan failed—Special envoy to war-torn country says Syrian forces have withdrawn from some areas but moved to others, adding that the situation is not as he had hoped.
Netanyahu is using Oslo Accords to annex more West Bank land—Israel’s political and security establishment, as well as the legal system, view Area C – spreading over 60 percent of the West Bank – as an integral part of the country,
Muslim Brotherhood suffers blow as Egypt court anulls constitutional panel—Ruling prevents Islamist from holding majority say in drafting new constitution; Egyptian media erupts after former Israeli Defense Minister supports Omar Suleiman’s presidential candidacy.
Small window of opportunity for a strike on Iran—If recent reports of a Netanyahu promise to postpone an attack on Iran until the fall are true, a possible strike would correspond with the pivotal weeks just before the American presidential election.
Report: Iran intecepts Israel-linked ‘mercenary’ ring—Iran’s intelligence department says suspects arrested in different parts of the country, seize large quantities of weaponry and telecommunications equipment.
Syria activists: 1,000 people killed by Assad’s forces in last 8 days—Syrian National Council says troops loyal to President Assad have intensify their onslaught in opposition areas despite saying it would accept a UN peace plan.
Ahmadinejad: Iran can withstand oil embargo ‘for years’—President of Islamic Republic says country could manage two to three years without selling oil; nuclear talks with West scheduled to begin next week.
Palestinians appeal to UN Security Council over Israeli settlements—In letter of protest, Palestinians say Israeli plans to build new settlements underscore the ‘dubious nature’ of its claims to pursue peace.
White House rejects President Peres’ plea to release Pollard—Lobby says President should refuse U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom until Pollard is freed.
Bat Yam cop shoots Dutch tourist who allegedly threatened to kill Jews—Police said the man, who has not been identified, had been living with an Israeli family since arriving in the country about a year ago.

Peres urged to refuse Obama’s award if Pollard not freed—White House says its position has not changed after President Shimon Peres sends letter to U.S. President Barack Obama with request to consider releasing Jonathan Pollard on humanitarian grounds • Pollard has been hospitalized since April 4.
Syrian conflict spills into neighboring countries—Hours before a cease-fire is set to take effect, 100 Syrians are killed and troops open fire across the Turkish border • Skirmishes also reported on the Lebanese border • Ankara: Next time, we will react • U.S.: We are shocked.
Washington’s middle of the road Middle East policy—The U.S. might want to stop “leading from behind” before it is left behind.
Israeli ban on Gunter Grass ‘infantile,’ says Salman Rushdie—Author of “The Satanic Verses,” who was the subject of an Iranian fatwa, says it’s okay to be disgusted with Grass’ poem calling Israel “threat to world peace,” but banning him is wrong • Dershowitz: Yishai’s ban “foolish and self-defeating.”
You are not cleared for landing, Israel tells pro-Palestinian activists—Israel prepares for pro-Palestinian fly-in “provocation” at international airport • Some 250 activists plan to arrive in Israel as part of “flightilla” initiative • Hundreds of Israeli police officers deployed to Ben-Gurion airport to keep the peace.
Dear serial protesters—Instead of protesting violations of Palestinian rights, why don’t you demonstrate against Palestinian indoctrination or the systematic murder of Syrians?
Son of former shah tells Israel: Aid opposition, don’t bomb Iran—Prince Reza Pahlavi calls on Israelis to help the Iranian opposition during interview aired in Israel • Pahlavi calls the current Iranian regime “fanatic,” but says a strike against the country’s nuclear sites could lead to regional war.
Settlements destroy a two-state solution, says Palestinian envoy—Palestinian U.N. observer Riyad Mansour sends letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Security Council and General Assembly, urging condemnation of Israel’s settlement activities • Quartet to meet Wednesday to discuss stalled peace talks.
US toughens stand on Iran ahead of nuclear talks—The U.S. demands that Iran stop all uranium enrichment activity three days before talks are set to begin between Iran and six Western powers • Two U.S. aircraft carriers now present in the Persian Gulf to provide the punch behind the talk, if necessary.
IDF deploys Patriot anti-missile system in Haifa—Despite new installment of Patriot missile battery at air force base in Haifa, municipality official says no instructions given from IDF for high alert • Patriot batteries were deployed in the Carmel area during Second Lebanon War and second Gulf War.
Report: Israeli citizen arrested in Egypt on suspicion of spying—Four Americans, a Norwegian and a Moroccan also reportedly arrested in Egypt on suspicion of espionage • Head of Egyptian National Security Apparatus says two American-Israeli spy cells were uncovered recently.

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Business:

World:

United States:

Opinions:

Jonathan Tobin: Dems Turn Passover Into Obama Worship—How absolutely pathetic!
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Political compromise of our security—A troubling pattern of putting U.S. and allied security interests second to the Obama administration’s political priorities is now well established. If allowed to continue, it not only will make the world more dangerous, it is going to get people killed – probably in large numbers and some of them may be Americans.
Jason Koebler: Scientists Warn of Ethical Battle Concerning Military Mind Control—Advances in neuroscience are closer than ever to becoming a reality, but scientists are warning the military – along with their peers – that with great power comes great responsibility.
Ryan Lytle: A Future in Politics Less Desirable Among Today’s Pre-Law Students—Public service is attracting a different breed.
Kimberly Palmer: 11 Ways to Spring-Clean Your Finances—When spring fever hits and you start tossing out old clothes and scrubbing the floors, don’t forget to give your finances some fresh air, too. Here’s an 11-step guide to a cleaner – and healthier – financial life.
Edward Laskowski, M.D.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Hip Pain May be Relieved by Treatments Other Than Surgery—DEAR MAYO CLINIC: What exercises are recommended or should be avoided, when first experiencing pain and discomfort in the hip? I’d like some guidelines so I can put off hip replacement surgery for as long as possible.
Dick Morris: Bam’s Losing Strategy—It’s All Fear And Envy, No Hope—The shape of President Obama’s re-election strategy is coming clear. The key elements: 1) Don’t run on your record; run as if there were no incumbent, 2) Stress class warfare; exploit fear of Republican spending cuts. Harp on the negatives, 3) Hide the negatives about your record in a miasma of general pessimism. (Medicare was broken before we got here; headwinds slowed the economy.)
Debra J. Saunders: Where Are All the Moderate Democrats?— President Barack Obama chastised the media last week. “I think that there is oftentimes the impulse to suggest that if the two parties are disagreeing, then they’re equally at fault and the truth lies somewhere in the middle,” the president chided those attending the American Society of Newspaper Editors luncheon.
Thomas Sowell: Random Thoughts—Have you noticed that what modest economic improvements we have seen occurred during the much-lamented “gridlock” in Washington? Nor is this unusual. If you check back through history, doing nothing has a far better track record than that of politicians intervening in the economy.
Byron York: To Obama, Legal Precedents Are All About Politics—In 1996, Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act by huge bipartisan votes — 342 – 67 in the House and 85 – 14 in the Senate. President Bill Clinton signed the measure into law.
John Ransom: Obama’s War on Women Continues with His War on Jobs—The number one enemy of women’s health is a poor economy, and when it comes to the economy, Democrats are responsible for the worst recovery since the Great Depression. For all the rhetoric about who really cares about women, the Democrats can’t produce the goods.
David Limbaugh: Holder’s Corrupt Opposition to Voter ID Laws—Can anyone think of an innocuous reason that President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder oppose state voter ID laws?
Dennis Prager: Still the Least Racist Country in the World—In light of the tragic killing of black teenager Trayvon Martin — and the manufactured hysteria surrounding it — one thing needs to be stated as clearly and as often as possible: The United States is the least racist and least xenophobic country in the world. Foreigners of every race, ethnicity, and religion know this. Most Americans suspect this. Most black Americans and the entire left deny this.
Mona Charen: Obama’s Contempt for Law (Chavismo Comes to Washington)— Last month the Obamas hosted a White House conference on bullying. It was intended as a show of support for victims, but watching this president in action, it might just as easily have been a tutorial.
Daniel J. Mitchell: Notwithstanding the “Grand Bargain” Siren Song, there’s No Practical Argument for Tax Hikes—Many people think that my opposition to tax increases is ideological, but they’re wrong.
Paul Driessen: The Folly of E15 Anti-Hydrocarbon Policies—The Obama Administration’s anti-hydrocarbon ideology and “renewable” energy mythology continues to subsidize crony capitalists and the politicians they help keep in office – on the backs of American taxpayers, ratepayers and motorists. The latest chapter in the sorry ethanol saga is a perfect example.
Mike Shedlock: Three Reasons Gas Prices are High—The blatant hypocrisy and arrogance of president Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Hillary Clinton in the video below is simple stunning.
WaPo Editorial: The Security Council’s failure in Syria—U.N. peace plan gave Assad cover to continue killing his own people.
Randall Holcombe: Constitutional Procedures: Obamacare and More— As the Supreme Court evaluates the constitutionality of Obamacare, lots of opinions on both sides of the issue have been offered, including several here at The Beacon and President Obama’s comment that it would be unprecedented for the Court to strike it down. While there is much disagreement about the constitutionality of the law, everyone agrees on the procedure by which its constitutionality will be judged. Both supporters and critics agree that if the Court rules in favor of the law, it stays; if the Court rules against, it goes.
Anthony Gregory: The Worst Pro-Choice Argument— For many reasons, I strongly oppose state restrictions on abortion. I think women have a right to control their bodies, and the state cannot morally force them to give birth. The implications of allowing the state to mandate a woman to carry a baby to term, even if the baby inside her is regarded as a human being with the right to life, are horrifying. A pregnant woman would have no right to commit suicide, for example. Besides all this, there are many practical problems that would arise in allowing the government to have authority over this matter. I think there is much to learn from the Catholic principle of subsidiarity on this and many other issues. The state is not the proper earthly authority to deal with abortion.
Roy Spencer: New U.S. Population-Adjusted Temperature Dataset (PDAT), 1973-2012— Following up on my previous post showing that ISH station warming trends during 1973-2011 were a function of population density, I have quantified the average temperature trend increase with population density (2000 population data) over the U.S, then applied a linear trend correction to each of the stations based upon that relationship.
John McLean: Ignoring their own experts— Like previous BoM-CSIRO climate reports it showed no evidence to support its assertions, encouraged a notion that correlation amounts to proof of cause and repeated the tired mantra of “multiple lines of evidence” without stating what these were.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/

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Obama holds key leads over Romney on top issues, personal traits: But contest is more competitive when it comes to economy, jobs, according to new Post-ABC poll.
Can couple divorce in a state that doesn’t acknowledge gay marriage?: Maryland case represents just one of the many blind spots in the legal infrastructure of same-sex marriage.
Dental X-rays linked to brain tumor, according to a new study: Tumors take years after exposure to develop into a size that can be larger than a baseball.
No free lunch in Republican budget: COLUMN | Cutting programs for the poor isn’t popular. So the GOP isn’t calling them “cuts.”
Latin American countries to U.S.: The war on drugs is not working: Spiraling violence leads some to question U.S. approach ahead of Americas summit.
Health-care law will add more than $340 billion to deficit, new study says: GOP Medicare trustee’s finding challenges thinking that law will produce savings over next decade.
Microsoft-AOL deal: A billion-dollar move in the high-tech patent game: Companies’ fixation on acquiring intellectual property is troubling to some who see a broken system.
Separate suicide attacks leave 15 Afghans dead
EU court: Terror suspects’ extradition to U.S. legal
Fact Checker: Is Obama job policy bad for women?
Suspects in Tulsa shooting confessed, police say
Amid reports of attacks, Syria claims troop pullout
GSA official put on leave after jokes on spending
Facebook to purchase Instagram for $1 billion
Virus puts federal unit in bureaucratic Dark Ages

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http://www.americanthinker.com/

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Oblivious to the Obvious: Nick Chase—Is Barack Obama’s long-form birth certificate a forgery? Definitely yes, for those of us who have spent a lifetime writing and producing technical documents.
Race, Republicans, and Democrats: Bruce Walker—With November 2012 around the corner, it is worth recounting how utterly racist the Democrat Party has been and how hostile to racism the Republican Party has been.
Obama’s Re-Election: A Stake in the Heart of the American Spirit: Lloyd Marcus—I pray and believe that Obama’s where’s-my-free-lunch Americans have not yet become a majority in our remarkable, exceptional country.
Is the EPA Just Sloppy, or Cooking the Books?: Jeffrey Folks—After issuing a hastily compiled report last year claiming a direct link between groundwater contamination and hydraulic fracturing at Pavillion, Wyoming, the EPA now admits that it may be wrong.
Chutzpah in the Grass: Jonathan F. Keiler—Nobel laureate in literature Gunther Grass wants to break taboos. Which taboos? Why the taboo against accusing the Jews of being genocidal maniacs.
The Political War of Wordgames: Cindy Simpson—Obama’s words mean whatever he chooses — even when “[h]e didn’t say what he meant…and having said that, in order to avoid misleading anyone, he had to clarify it.”
Helping Women Get What They Want: Christopher Chantrill—Women may all want safety and protection, and men may all want freedom from tyranny, but we disagree about how to get there, about the social norms needed to create the just and protective society.
This is how the media ‘fact checks’ Obama?: Interpreting what Obama might have meant to say, rather than what he actually said.
Guess who flunks the diversity test?: It turns out John Derbyshire would be comfortable sending his kids to work there.

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http://frontpagemag.com/

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Iran’s Latest ‘Last Chance’: Jacob Laksin—Why the new round of nuclear talks is doomed to failure. …
Obama’s Foreign Policy Incompetence: Frontpagemag.com—Congressman Ed Royce speaks at the Freedom Center’s West Coast retreat….
John Derbyshire Learns What We Cannot Talk About: Bruce Thornton—Rather than banishing the issues on race Derbyshire raised, we should bring them out into the open….
The Center for American Progress’ War on Veterans: Daniel Greenfield—CAP plots to inflate health care costs for vets….
The Lies of Günter Grass: David Solway—A pitiable specimen of bad faith and muddled thinking….
Holocaust Speaker Too Controversial for Purdue Calumet?: Arnold Ahlert—Did fear of backlash from Muslim students cause the cancelation of a pro-Israel lecturer? …
Jewish Victory Against Lawfare: David Meir-Levi—But other opportunities to delegitimize Israel in the international arena remain….
Media Dishonesty and Race Hustlers: Walter Williams—The left stacks up piles of combustible racial kindling for racial arsonists to set ablaze. …
Tunisia: Muslims Threaten Church, Cover Its Cross with Garbage Bags: Raymond Ibrahim—The continuing failures of the “Arab Spring.” …

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http://www.weeklystandard.com/

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$340 Billion: DANIEL HALPER—Over the next ten years, Obamacare will add more than $340 billion to the federal deficit, according to a new study reported on by the Washington Post:
How Mitch Maneuvered the JOBS Act: FRED BARNES—It looked so easy when the bipartisan JOBS Act cleared the Senate (73-26) and the House (380-41) and was signed into law by President Obama last week. But passage of a strong bill wasn’t a snap. Only the maneuvering of Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell kept the measure from being delayed, angrily debated, and then watered down.
Senator: ‘[Obama] Going to Throw the Mormon Church at [Romney] Like You Can’t Believe It’: DANIEL HALPER—Republican senator Orrin Hatch, a Mormon from Utah, said that President Obama and his campaign will try to use Mitt Romney’s religion against the presidential candidate. “You watch, they’re going to throw the Mormon church at him like you can’t believe it,” Hatch reportedly predicted.
DNC Chair Stands By ‘Jewbags’ Aide: DANIEL HALPER—The Washington Free Beacon reported that an aide to DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Dani Gilbert, who is doing Jewish outreach for the Democrats, had Facebook postings that referenced “Jewbags.” Now, after being asked about these postings, the DNC chair is sticking with her aide.
The Psychology of Entitlements: MARK HEMINGWAY—Robert Samuelson has a strong column today on how one of the biggest obstacles to Social Security reform might be psychological. Though FDR’s original vision for the program was a “contributory pension plan” and most Americans are still under the the impression that this is what it is, the reality is that it’s structured much more like a welfare program:
Poll: Support for Supreme Court Up Since Obamacare Arguments: MICHAEL WARREN—A new poll from Rasmussen shows approval for the Supreme Court among Americans has risen since the Court held its high-profile hearings on Obamacare two weeks ago. According to the poll, which was taken on April 6 and 7, 41 percent of likely voters rate the Court’s work as “good” or “excellent,” compared with just 28 percent saying the same thing in mid-March, shortly before the oral arguments. Disapproval of the Court’s performance remains steady at 19 percent.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/

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Court backs US terror extraditions: The European Court of Human Rights backs terror extraditions from the UK to the US in one of its most important rulings in years.
Clashes blight Syria peace hopes: Hopes of a UN-sponsored ceasefire in Syria recede as Damascus shows little sign of abiding by a deadline to withdraw its troops and weapons.
Norwegian mass killer ‘is sane’: A second psychiatric report declares Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik sane enough to face trial and jail, contradicting an earlier assessment.
Egypt constitution panel halted: A court in Egypt suspends the Islamist-dominated assembly appointed last month to draft the country’s new constitution.
Killing paralyses Brussels transport: Belgium plans to beef up security on public transport after a fatal attack on a transport inspector brought Brussels trains and buses to a halt.
China jails land rights lawyer Ni
Euro shares slide on growth fears
Afghan suicide blasts ‘kill 15’
Sony doubles annual loss forecast
US boy steers school bus to safety
Monkeys ‘show rank link to immunity’

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http://rt.com/news/

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Syrian rebels ‘using Turkish refugee camps as base’: The Syrian army’s pursuit of rebels across the Turkish border has shed light on claims of rebel groups using refugee camps as safe havens. Reports suggest the Free Syrian Army could be treating them as springboards to launch incursions into Syria.
DIPs and ‘skunk oil’ to repel rioters in Britain: UK police are proving more and more inventive in their search for ‘less lethal’ ways to disperse protests. Chemical irritants, bizarrely-named ‘skunk oil’ and other ‘inventions’ are being presented as alternatives to plastic bullets.
Power shuffle in Syria may result in drought in Israel: Israel is closely watching the unrest in Syria. There are fears that a power change in Damascus could lead to a conflict over the strategically vital territories of Golan Heights – a crucial source of water for Israel.
American Enterprise in Gulf: Second aircraft carrier deployed: The USS Enterprise has been sent to the Persian Gulf, the US Navy said Monday as tensions rise over Iran’s nuclear program. It will be the fourth time in the last decade the US has had two aircraft carriers on simultaneous missions in the area.
Man stabs 3 invaders to protect family, may face life for murder: Russian businessman killed three home-invaders with a kitchen knife after they attacked his family and held his seven-month-old grandson at gunpoint. He now faces a life sentence for what may be qualified as a triple murder.
$24 billion British budget blowout in black hole F-35 project: The UK is set to fork out £15 billion, or $24 billion, for the American Joint Strike Fighter program, whose total costs are set to exceed £900 billion ($1.4 billion) over the next 50 years, making it the most expensive military project in history.
North Korean nuclear test: South’s ‘election ploy’: South Korean intelligence has claimed it has information the North is on the cusp of another nuclear experiment following its imminent rocket launch. Experts and politicians have refuted the reports, disregarding them as election tactics.
War on drugs? 110k active US troops ‘on prescribed meds’: Thousands of US soldiers are going into battle fueled by all sorts of prescription medications, be they amphetamines, antidepressants, sedatives or others. Largely unmonitored consumption of drugs can lead to aberrant behavior and mental disorders.

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http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/

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DPRK says satellite launch not to harm region: The scheduled launch of a satellite by the DPRK will not do harm to the region and neighboring countries, an official from the Korean Committee for Space Technology said Tuesday.
Iran not concerned about oil sanctions: President: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that Iran is not concerned about sanctions on its oil sales by the West.
Fortune forum to highlight “China’s New Future”: The 2013 Fortune Global Forum, a prestigious world business summit, will be held in the southwest Chinese city of Chengdu in June 2013, organizers announced Monday.
China swings back to trade surplus in March: China swung back to trade surplus in March from February’s deficit of 31.48 billion U.S. dollars, posting a 670-million-dollar trade surplus in the first quarter, the GAC said Tuesday.
China hopes irrelevant parties will stay out of S China Sea disputes: China expressed hope that companies from countries outside the South China Sea region could avoid getting involved in disputes over the sea.

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http://pjmedia.com/

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Cheer Up, Fox News Viewers: Neil Snyder—Evidence of delusions.
‘The Buffett Rule: A Basic Principle of Tax Fairness’: Bridget Johnson—The White House released a report trying to make an economic case for higher taxes on the wealthy before the Senate vote Monday.
Historically, Dems Pay Price When Inflation Hits: Patrick Reddy—Worrisome indicators hint at a return of high inflation.
The Ghosts of Rwanda and the Responsibility to Protect: Bridget Johnson—800,000 deaths later, the value of human lives is still judged by a country’s strategic value or prevailing non-interventionist sentiment.
The Establishment Position: Muslim Brotherhood Might Be Moderate: Barry Rubin—You might be a liberal if you believe the only danger America faces is the GOP.
Needed: A Marxist-Style Analysis to Understand and Combat the Extreme Left’s Hegemony—Ironically, those opposing the current hegemonic ideas and political forces in the United States and Europe must develop a Marxist-style analysis of what has happened. To call the current dominant ideas and political currents socialist, Marxist, Communist, leftist, progressive, or liberal is not meaningful and conceals a great deal. The movement must be understood on its own terms and on how it differs from its predecessors.
PJTV Exclusive: How NBC Editors Made the Zimmerman 911 Call Sound Racist: Bryan Preston—Timelines.

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http://www.nationalreview.com/

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“The scales at my doctor’s office said I weighed 201 when I began drinking the B-Skinny coffee. Today, four weeks later, my scales said I weigh 188. I love this stuff.” Pat Parks

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http://www.commentarymagazine.com/

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Can Obama Interpret Iran’s Mixed Signals?: Jonathan S. Tobin—As we first noted last week, Iran’s program of diplomatic gamesmanship aimed at confusing and unnerving the Obama administration has begun. Last week, the Iranians started to dicker about the site of the scheduled talks with the West about their nuclear program that had already been decided. Now, as this report shows, the Iranians are proceeding to muddy the waters further by sending out conflicting messages–with one of their high-ranking officials signaling their willingness to compromise on their uranium enrichment and another that they would not.
A Powerful Argument for Voter ID Laws: Alana Goodman—The latest video out by James O’Keefe is a powerful argument for voter ID laws, with a cameo from Eric Holder (actually his would-be voting impersonator). As a requisite disclaimer, O’Keefe has been accused of selectively editing videos in the past, but this one appears to include the full conversation.
From Healer to Divider-in-Chief: Peter Wehner—It has become a familiar refrain: conservatives reach for “wedge” (read: social) issues in presidential campaigns in order to distract and divide voters. That narrative has always been suspect. But I wonder when it will dawn on political reporters and commentators that it is Barack Obama who is compulsively reaching for “wedge” issues in the hopes of dividing Americans against one another.
Freedom in Post-Democratic Europe: Seth Mandel—If America must shoulder the burden of global security because others will not or cannot, America also shoulders the burden of a global idealism always present, if dormant, that is now–20 years after the fall of the Soviet Union–again rearing its head on a massive scale throughout the Arab world (and in Iran and to some extent, Russia). Today, Washington Post Editorial Page Editor Fred Hiatt wonders aloud why President Obama has remained so dismissive toward the outward expression of freedom for its own sake.
Egyptian Outlook Grows More Desperate: Jonathan S. Tobin—While the Obama administration appears to be convincing itself that there’s nothing wrong with the Muslim Brotherhood acquiring a monopoly on power in Egypt, it looks as if that country’s military is panicking about the prospect. Though the Egyptian presidential race–in which the Brotherhood’s candidate and one from an even more extreme Islamist party are the favorites–may be in a state of flux, the decision of a former key member of the army leadership to enter the race may be a sign the generals are far from confident about what may be about to happen in Cairo.
Romney Pulls Anti-Santorum Ads in Respect for Hospitalized Daughter: Alana Goodman—Mitt Romney didn’t have to cancel his anti-Santorum ads (at least there wasn’t any obvious political pressure for him to do so), but it was the right thing to do. The Romney campaign was set to bombard Rick Santorum with negative ads in Pennsylvania, a state Santorum will have even more trouble winning now that he’s canceled his campaign events for the next few days to stay by his young daughter Bella’s hospital bedside.
Mitt-Bibi Controversy? Aren’t Allies Supposed to Be Friends?: Jonathan S. Tobin—For generations, historians have lauded the friendship that existed between Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill as being a crucial element that made the wartime alliance between the United States and Great Britain a success. But apparently there are some people who aren’t as happy about the prospect of close relations between a would-be U.S. president and the head of the government of one of America’s closest allies. TheNew York Times devoted a portion of the cover of its Sunday edition and considerable space inside to a feature that detailed the ties between likely Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that go back to the 1970’s when both were young men working at the Boston Consulting Group
Operation “Romney-is-Human” Begins: Alana Goodman—One of the biggest challenges for the Romney campaign will be humanizing him, and his down-to-earth wife is clearly the most powerful weapon it can deploy on this front. The campaign released a sentimental video today of Ann Romney discussing the ups and downs of raising their five sons together, as old home movie footage and pictures play in the background.

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