Comments on Reads 7/5 II

Shlomo Avineri: Neturei Karta on campus

Britain has millions of Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, atheist and Republican citizens, but none of them suggests changing the British anthem, which begins with the words, "God Save the Queen," and encompasses not only the sovereign of the entire world, but also the queen who heads of the Anglican Church of England.
In France, there are millions of Catholic and Royalist citizens who believe that the French Revolution and the terror it brought - the execution of King Louis XVI and thousands of others - were unforgiveable crimes. But none of them demands changing the anthem, "La Marseillaise," a violent and bloodthirsty Republican song that served as the battle cry of the post-Revolution French army when it invaded neighboring countries. "Do you hear the roar of those ferocious soldiers coming to slit the throats of your sons and companions ... Let's march so that [your] tainted blood will water our fields," the French sing.
…
It is a shame that there are individuals at the University of Haifa who are leading themselves down a path that is reminiscent of that of Neturei Karta. Democracy demands a fine balance between the majority and the rights of the minority, and Israel has failed to find this proper balance in many aspects of life. But one must remember that rights are not only for the minority, but for the majority, too - and certainly when it comes to the level of symbolism.

FP: Israel’s academia is full of these useful idiots and the most critical aspect of this is that they are influencing young minds. Instead of teaching them how to think independently and critically, they teach what to think. In that sense too they are just like Neturei Karta.

Caroline Glick: Israel's palace coup plotters

Unfortunately, even if the government is competent, and even if the nation stands strong, there is reason to fear that Israel will fail to successfully withstand the dangers gathering against it. Unelected, unrepresentative and irresponsible senior government officials are liable to take actions that undermine the government's ability to protect the country and weaken the public's morale and unity of purpose.
Over the past week, we received two reminders of how dire the situation is. The first reminder relates to institutional impediments to the government's freedom of action in preventing Iran from fielding a nuclear arsenal.

FP: I strongly recommend to read Glick’s column which exposes what I have been claiming for a long while: that by tradition Jews are their worst enemy. Just like the US is succumbing to corruption, incompetence and has its democracy undermined, so does Israel. In other words, Israel is indeed part of the West and suffers from the same malady of internal decline.

Eliot Spitzer: China's a Lion. Is the United States a Gazelle?

In conversations with an array of folks in Kenya and Tanzania, a major concern was China's increasing role in funding, buying, developing, building, and usurping. Who was funding the infrastructure project in downtown Nairobi? China. Who was entering long-term contracts to buy natural resources throughout Kenya and Tanzania? China. Who was funding the luxury resort on the coast of Zanzibar? China. The Chinese were ubiquitous—or, at least, their money was.
And yet I was also told over and over that there was no emotional, philosophical, or cultural connection to the Chinese. Maybe this was simply the polite veneer of my hosts, but I heard it often enough that I think it's an important point—one that is critical to understand if the United States is to maintain its place in the world.

FP: While the West bankrupts itself by throwing money down the Palestinian, Egyptian, Pakistani, Iraqi and Afghan drain, that hate America’s guts.

Michael Rubin: If a Terrorist Group Controls an Airport, What Could Go Wrong?

Just short of four months ago, I wrote a short piece here expressing concern about Hezbollah’s infiltration of Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport. The airport is a central channel for the supply of Hezbollah and an asset for which the group considers worth fighting. When Hezbollah turned its guns on its fellow Lebanese in 2008, part of its motivation was to keep control over the airport in the face of government efforts to exert its authority over the country. Lebanese said that while security officials and personnel at the airport wore Lebanese army uniforms and were largely clean shaven, they were still Hezbollah’s men.
Against the backdrop of the Arab Spring and violence in Libya and Syria, Hezbollah’s subsequent take-over of the Lebanese government has generated little attention. Not only does a terrorist group now control a major airport into which Western carriers fly, but a government which should provide oversight no longer can. No worries, though. Neither the Obama administration nor the State Department would want to make waves and raise the issue of how Hezbollah’s control of Beirut’s airport might create diplomatic tension with the new Lebanese government. Hezbollah members might screen luggage, or load it onto the airplanes which then trans-shipped anywhere Air France, Alitalia, Lufthansa or Turkish Air fly–but what could possibly go wrong?

FP: Sorry, but the West deserves all it may get from its suicidal Middle East policies.

North Koreans Reportedly in Danger of Mass Starvation

A South Korean aid organization, Caleb Mission, claims to have obtained a leaked document authored by the North Korean police that details a number of alleged crimes, including several unconfirmed reports of cannibalism. Almost all of the crimes described in the document are food-related disputes.

In one account, a male guard who could not bear his hunger killed his colleague using an ax, ate some of the human flesh and sold the remainder in the market by disguising it as mutton, the report said, without giving any further details such as when the alleged crime occurred.

FP: Flotillas? Human right activists, organizations? Alice Walker? Hello? Anybody?

Solid Majority of Jewish Americans Still Approve of Obama

Jewish Americans gave President Barack Obama a 60% job approval rating in June, down from 68% in May, but statistically unchanged from 64% in April. Thirty-two percent of U.S. Jews now disapprove of the job Obama is doing, similar to their 30% average thus far in 2011.

FP: What did I tell you?