South Park: The Jihadist Is At The Gate

“South Park,” the irreverent comedy show on the Comedy Central cable television channel, apparently found its ‘bridge too far.’ After lampooning everything from God to Carrot Top, the powers that be at Comedy Central and their parent company, Sumner Redstone’s Viacom, have determined that satirization of the Prophet Mohammed is beyond the pale in the United States of America. Hence, with mind-boggling stupidity and cowardice, the First Amendment and a basic tenet of American liberty is quite simply disposed of by a businessman.

Wake up and buck up America, the Jihadist is still at the gate. He’s multiplying, and he’s not going to leave you be, no matter how nice you make.

That said, I submit to my readers the following opinion piece, written in September 2006:

The Pope makes a speech in which he philosophically quotes a 14th-century Byzantine Emperor critical of Islam and most of the Islamic world is up in arms - literally. Previously, the Middle East erupts - literally - over a cartoon. These events should not be minimized or ignored as a cultural misunderstanding or the machinations of an Islamic lunatic fringe. It is being used, like the alleged flushing of the Koran at Guantanamo, as part of the propaganda war being orchestrated by radical Islam's Goring and Goebbels. It is time to stop pretending that the West and the world of radical Islam, where terrorism is seen as a legitimate expression of political opposition, can peacefully co-exist.

When Pakistan's Foreign Minister opines, "Even if our government is pro-west, our people are increasingly not," we are right to ask, 'Why do they hate us?' There has been no paucity of hand wringing explanations such as poverty and lack of opportunity, but the answer is really very simple. In many cases they hate their governments, which are undemocratic and repressive, and correctly blame the West for supporting these governments. They hate us because their governments through their state controlled media tell them to hate us. They hate that they can't help but admire our modern world, its technological innovations and Hollywood glamour, and we, in turn, respect nothing more of theirs but the oil reserves upon which they sit, eat and pray. But, most of all, they hate us because they have been taught to hate us. Day after day, year after year, young children are taught to hate the infidel. Is there any wonder we are where we are today. Still, why would these Middle East regimes teach their children to hate the West?

One explanation is this. When government is not "of and by the people," and all is not well in the kingdom - then someone or something else must be blamed other than the government. The West, the infidels, the outsiders, have always served this purpose for Middle East rulers. By blaming the West for all that is not right the Ruler cannot be blamed. Their perfidious gambit has been this: on the one hand, behind closed doors and in English, you tell Western leaders how terrible this all is and that freedom of expression is as important to you as them; and on the other hand, you are increasing your funding to the Mullahs so they may spread their venous attacks against the West throughout the Muslim world, speak in Arabic and Farsi, and beat the drums of hatred through your state controlled media. This is a farrago of disingenuousness.

There is a war of civilizations. The first salvos were the bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon, the bombing of the US World Trade Center in 1992, the bombing of US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the attack on the USS Cole, September 11th, the Madrid train bombings in 2004, and the London Subway bombings in 2005, to name some. How many times do we need to hear, read, and experience the ranting and deeds of radical Islam before we accept that their intent is to destroy us?

It is Islam's responsibility to lift its' religion out of the hands of radicals and extremist mullahs. We have yet to hear those other voices in Arabic and Farsi.

Appeasement results from mental laziness. Calls for calm and understanding may be well meaning but they are naive, and prefer the ostrich to the lion. There is no going back the Rubicon has been crossed - the struggle has surely begun. The pundits will proffer that this is only an expression of radical Islam and not the will of the majority of Muslims. Then, where are they? Certainly not in the West Bank or Gaza after Hamas's victory. In how many other Middle East counties, given a fair election, will the extremists win? When will the Iranian citizens take to streets to demand that their government seek better relations with the West? (Note: The situation in Iran today deserves closer scrutiny.) It is foolish to believe that these peace-lovers number in the majority. It contradicts every reality.

"If," said Churchill, "a mad dog makes a dash for my trousers I shoot him down before he can bite." It was another wise Englishman who said:

"For all we have and are,
For all our children's fate,
Stand up and take the war,
The Hun (Jihadist) is at the gate! "

The Absurd Mr. Ahtisaari

The former Finnish president and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, trumpeted recently that Serbia should not be allowed to join the European Union (EU) without recognizing Kosovo's independence. It should be noted that Mr. Ahtisaari “won” his Nobel Prize for proffering a “peace plan” in 2008 that ended with the independence of Kosovo, which is to this day not accepted by Serbia or the United Nations.

Would someone please tell Mr. Ahtisaari to be quiet!

The claims by NATO and the Western media of "genocide" and "crimes against humanity" in Kosovo were false. Moreover, the war was carried out without U.N. sanction, which in my view is not a disqualifying factor, but rather a point of interest. As George Friedman of STRATFOR Global Intelligence astutely pointed out: “In 1999, the Americans and Europeans made political decisions backed by military force.” The U.N. Resolution 1244 negotiated to end the war, guaranteed Serbian interests and sovereignty in Kosovo. Yet, in February 2008, Mr. Ahtisaari supported the Albanian Kosovars' declaration of independence from Serbia: a clear violation of international law; a UN Resolution; and the principle of national sovereignty forged out of the horrors of World War II.

Recognition of Kosovo's declaration of independence was naive and absurd foreign policy. The crisis in Georgia was a direct result of American and European actions in Kosovo. The South Ossetians ran the KLA playbook and the Russians ran the NATO playbook. The lamentable little wars of independence will continue to sprout like spring poppies on the Kosovo polije.

In the last analysis, Mr. Ahtisaari, should just go away. He has no imagination; he is pedantic; and he is disingenuous. Only a pompous bureaucrat like Mr. Ahtisaari would spend $415.30 on himself for lunch when someone else is picking up the tab (reference Lunch with The Financial Times, published January 23, 2009). There will be blood. I would posit that for the next war in Kosovo, it be Finnish soldiers who do the fighting.

OBAMA STIMULUS PLAN

I was in opposition to the TARP. By all accounts the TARP has been a failure at best and a fraud at worst.

Now, the U.S. Senate will debate and vote on the House approved $819bn stimulus package past Wednesday, 28 January 2009.

It is my opinion that the stimulus package will similarly fail, in it’s current form, and do more harm than good. The resulting deficits will be disastrous. The Bush Administration’s 2008 stimulus package had no real effect. The TARP was a fraud, and resulted in a massive transfer of taxpayer wealth to the financial elite who created the economic collapse, along with government policy, in the first place. And, then used the monies to reward their greed and incompetence such as 4bn in bonuses by Merrill Lynch, and 18.2bn by other Wall Street banks.

I do not object to government intervention. Moreover, I think we have had enough tax cuts. America, as Alexander Hamilton knew, must be fiscally responsible. Prudent and sound national finances have proved to be indispensable to our country’s well being. This stimulus plan seems more like something out of the capitals of Argentina and Zimbabwe than Washington, DC. I believe that deficit spending to this extreme will lead to hyper-inflation and an even more severe economic crisis than we are now experiencing. As that fellow once said, 'do you think that money is heaven sent?'

We can’t afford to get this wrong.

"Yours Is Not To Wonder Why"

Sir, reference is made to The Financial Times' page one article, "West tells Russia to keep out of Ukraine," August 28, 2008. Mr. David Miliband, UK foreign secretary posited, "There can be no going back on fundamental principles of territorial integrity, democratic governance and international law."

Then, how does he explain NATO's 1999 military campaign against Serbia in Kosovo? He says that it's not the same. Still, the claims by NATO and the western media of "genocide" and "crimes against humanity" were false. Moreover, the war was carried out without U.N. sanction. The Americans and Europeans via NATO made a political decision backed by its military might at the time. The U.N. Resolution (1244) negotiated to end the war, guaranteed Serbian interests and sovereignty in Kosovo. Yet, in February 2008, Mr. Milibrand supported the Albanian Kosovars' declaration of Independence from Serbia -- a clear violation of international law, a UN Resolution, and the principle of national sovereignty forged out of the horror of World War II.

So, would George Bush, Condoleezza Rice, David Miliband, et al, please shut up! As leaders of western democracies "theirs is not to wonder why"-- theirs is to know. The crisis in Georgia was a direct result of American and European actions in Kosovo (Serbia). You are not right. And today, more importantly, you are not might.

Therefore, I pose to you this question: Did you really like the first Crimean War? Do we really need a sequel? So honor the Light Brigade and remember, "Some one had blunder'd...Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred."

In the last analysis, we do not need another war masked by pretense.

World Cup Diplomacy for Zimbabwe

Sir, With reference to The Financial Times' June 24th editorial on Zimbabwe, "it is time for Africa to ostracize Mugabe's regime," I clearly concur, yet I would proceed on.  The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa may be the carrot and solution to end the troubles in Zimbabwe.

Mr. Mugabe's thuggish despotic regime could not be in power with out the tacit support of other African nations -- in particular South Africa.  Gideon Rachman has rightfully pointed out that 'South Africa has more power over Zimbabwe than any other country in the world' ("Paths out of Zimbabwe's dead end," June 24).  Mr. Mbeki, the President of South Africa, has had no solution thus far for his neighbor's horrific and dehumanizing mess.  Rather, Mr. Mbeki has enabled Mr. Mugabe to stay in power, and hence South Africa has become part of the problem.

If apartheid was unacceptable -- and it was -- then so too is a Mugabe government in Zimbabwe today.  The world needs to have Mr. Mbeki and South Africa understand this as well.  Only an outside force like South Africa can depose the ill that infects Zimbabwe.  Perhaps if South Africa fully appreciates that the troubles in Zimbabwe have destabilized herself as a proper venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, she will take action to end the Mugabe rule of Zimbabwe and save the games.

"I Am Of Ireland"

Published : June 21 2008 03:00 The Financial Times Limited 2008

Sir, With reference to the FT's analysis of the Irish No Vote on the Lisbon Treaty: I would proffer that the only reason for incredulity is that the European Union let a democratic vote happen. 

A constitution, even one called a "treaty," is a document of principle -- it is a pearl. It is not a document of subsidies and superfluous special privileges for the elite. It is not pork.

I believe that it would be naive to think that the ruling elite and their stakeholders have not always used government for their own interests. Yet, in today's complex global society, there is now a price to be paid. Given a choice, as were the Danes in 1992, the French and Dutch in 2005, and now the Irish in 2008, an intelligent and informed populace will reject this folly, aka the Treaty of Lisbon. It is not that they know not what they do -- it is precisely that they do know what this treaty represents.

A blow for freedom has been struck. A blow in opposition to supercilious bureaucrats. A blow for the good sense of the common man -- he knows better than to give pearls to pigs. So, today, take a drink and say: "I am of Ireland."

Kosovo: There Will Be Blood

I am not a Serb. I am not an Albanian. I am an American. I have lived in the homes of Serbs in Bosnia, and Albanians in Kosovo. I can count both as my friends. In April of 2007, I wrote that Kosovo Independence is folly, and by extension, that George Bush and Condoleezza Rice are fools. I stand by that analysis.

Recognition of the Albanian Kosovars' Independence proclamation by the US, UK, France, and Germany, is catastrophic foreign policy. It is the worst foreign policy decision since Munich.

Martin Gilbert and Richard Gott wrote this in their brilliant book, The Appeasers, "They sought to ignore the lessons of the past ... and were prepared to sacrifice common sense for the sake of their desire." This desire to recognize an injustice that never took place will engender grave consequences around the world.

There will be blood. I can easily predict what will happen next and where. The lamentable little wars of independence will sprout like spring poppies on the Kosovo polije.

Yet, there may be a way out of this. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has yet to weigh in on this event. He could declare the proclamation a violation of UN Resolution 1244. And, call an emergency meeting of the Security Council, which in effect, could turn back the clock and bring some sanity to the state of international order.