Will the real LIBYA please stand up?

Hillary Clinton stands with
The Muslim Brotherhood
in Libya?

(Libya: New Threat in the Middle East :: Hudson New York) Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was... greeted by "revolutionaries" in Tripoli, the capital of Libya, where the head of the LIFG and ex-Guantanamo Bay inmate, Abdul Hakim Belhadj, is presently the commander of the Tripoli Military Council, and another Islamist, Osama al-Juwaili, is the head of the Libyan Defense Ministry. Essentially, the entire military apparatus for Libya is, today, controlled by Islamists. (Hillary Clinton Meets With New Libyan Leaders in Tripoli - NYTimes.com)“I am proud to stand here on the soil of a free Libya,” Mrs. Clinton said at an Islamic conference center in the capital after meeting with the country’s interim leaders, including the chairman of the Transitional National Council, Mustafa Abdel-Jalil.

Zimbabwe militants seek restaurant boycott over ad showing leader as “last dictator standing”

It is an offense under Zimbabwe law to insult Mugabe or undermine the authority of his office. HARARE, Zimbabwe (Washington Post) A militant youth group loyal to Zimbabwe’s president is calling for a boycott of a restaurant chain whose latest advertisement depicts the aging, authoritarian president as “the last dictator standing,” state radio reported Tuesday.The radio quoted the head of the group calling for South Africa-based Nando’s to withdraw the ad that depicts President Robert Mugabe or face punitive action. Jimu Kunaka, the head of group known as Chipangano, said the restaurant chain risked action including a boycott. Chipangano is a “brotherhood” of Mugabe loyalists.The commercial that touts chicken shows Mugabe dining alone at Christmas, his empty table set for departed dictators including Moammar Gadhafi.To the soundtrack of Mary Hopkin’s hit song “Those were the days, my friend,” the commercial shows an actor playing Mugabe reminiscing about his times with former dictators. It portrays him and Gadhafi engaging in a water-pistol fight, with Gadhafi wielding a golden AK-47 water pistol.The ersatz Mugabe also makes sand angels with Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, sings karaoke with Chairman Mao, and holds overthrown Ugandan dictator Idi Amin astride a tank in a scene parodying Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in the hit movie “Titanic.” (Details)

Israelis save drowning Iranians

(YNET)(h/t Israel Matzav)Last week the father-son team went out on their daily rowing course. "The weather here is tropical," Shimshon explained. "Things can change in a second. And indeed, on the way back, the weather changed all at once. The winds got stronger and the waves grew tall."
Suddenly, they noticed two swimmers who were crying out for help. "Their Kayak had overturned in the storm and was swept away, they were left alone in the water," said Shimshon. "They didn't have much of a chance."
The two lifeguards rowed towards the drowning men. "When we reached them they were already at the point of exhaustion," nimrod noted. " "We loaded them on to the surf boat and kept rowing towards the shore, a kilometer away."
For 45 minutes the two battled against the winds and the waves with the swimmers on board. "When they came around and started talking among themselves I noticed they were speaking in Persian. I was born in Iran and speak the language. I told them in Persian: 'Don't be scared, you're in good hands," Shimshon recalls.
When they reached the shore the two, who introduced themselves as Mundar and Ali, hugged and kissed their rescuers and thanked them.
"When we told them we're Israelis they just got up and fled," Nimrod noted.

Russia slams US criticism of 'gay propaganda' bill

(Montreal Gazette / Photograph by: Alexander Natruskin, Reuters )

With the Arab Spring evolving into an Islamic winter, the Obama administration tries foreign policy one more time... nonintervention... yeah... Obama... right. wink wink...¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Police detain a gay rights activist holding a puppet of Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov during an unsanctioned protest in Moscow September 21, 2010.

MOSCOW - A top Russian diplomat reacted angrily on Tuesday after the United States strongly criticized a controversial bill backed by the ruling party that calls for a ban on "homosexual propaganda."
"We view with bewilderment the American side's attempts to interfere, what's more, publicly, in the lawmaking process," foreign ministry representative for human rights, Konstantin Dolgov, told the Interfax news agency.
He dismissed as "inappropriate" comments by the US State Department last week that it was "deeply concerned" by the bill, proposed by the ruling United Russia party at the legislature of the northwestern city of Saint Petersburg.
The vaguely worded bill would introduce fines of up to 50,000 rubles ($1,598) for "public acts" promoting homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality and transgender identity.
Gay activists warn that it could be used to ban any campaign for gay rights.
Homosexuality was decriminalized in Russia in 1993, although day-to-day homophobia is still rife and attempts to hold gay pride marches have been dispersed roughly by riot police.
Legislators passed the bill in its first reading earlier this month and was expected to have its crucial second reading on Wednesday. If passed, it would then need to be approved in a final reading seen as a technicality.
But the bill's author told Russian news agencies on Tuesday the second reading was likely to be postponed until after parliamentary polls on December 4.
"Tomorrow they will not look at second readings (of bills)," Vitaly Milonov of United Russia told Interfax.
Human Rights Watch, a New York-based campaign group, condemned the bill in a statement released late Monday as "draconian."
Arkhangelsk, a city in northern Russia, has already enacted similar legislation.

in 2003 much of the left pointed out that Russia did not support our involvement in Iraq. What we forget is what Russia really was irked about was our invasion in the Balkens. Ah... the web those liberals weave for the Conservatives when the government crashes and burns

UPDATE - UN: Syrian troops killed, "sexually tortured" children, "shot indiscriminately at unarmed protesters"

Add caption

(h/t eye) There could be a Nobel Peace Prize in Bashar Assad's future. Think Yasser Arafat.

GENEVA (CBS/AP) - A U.N. probe has found that Syrian troops killed hundreds of children and committed other "crimes against humanity" since the government crackdown began in March.
A panel of independent experts says at least 256 children were killed by government forces as of early November, with some boys sexually tortured and a 2-year-old girl shot to death just to prevent her from growing up to be a demonstrator.
The panel's report to the U.N. Human Rights Council says government forces have used excessive force to "shot indiscriminately at unarmed protesters" while snipers targeted others in the upper body and head.
Their report, released Monday, said Syrian security forces along with militias were given "shoot to kill" orders to crush demonstrations.
More...

...or at the very least a visit from Angelina Jolie and some of her Hollywood pals. Maybe Oliver Stone will make a movie... Springtime for Assad.

(UK Guardian) Syrian security forces have committed "crimes against humanity" since widespread anti-government protests began in March, according to a damning UN report (pdf) that will add to the mounting pressure on the president, Bashar al-Assad.
It said that least 256 children had been killed by government forces.

no wait... bring back Angelina Jolie and the U.N. to kiss his ass again... just for the entertainment value... then be sure to condemn Israel for defending it's citizens from Syrian supported rocket fire from Gaza. come on... let's do the hypocrisy again.

Libyan Justice. 7,000 detainees, some kids. and the ICC trusts the rebels

((Samson Blinded)(AFP) ...(Seif) deserves a fair trial and he will get one. I am sure," said Salam Ali Ahmed, a shopkeeper in Zintan whose grocery shop overlooks the town's main square, packed with pictures of citizens killed in the fight to overthrow the former regime...

According to the UN, former Libyan rebels are holding 7,000 detainees, some of them teenagers. They are being kept in inhumane conditions and some have been tortured.

We have yet to see condemnations from the White House or the threat of a new humanitarian intervention in Libya...

It took a week, but J Street now regrets its board member's meeting with Hamas

(Israel Matzav) A week ago, the Washington Jewish Week reported that J Street founder and board member Kathleen Peratis met with Hamas.

That J Street board member is Kathleen Peratis (also an initial founder of the group), a partner at the New York law firm of Outten & Golden LLP. She also co-chairs the Middle East and North Africa Advisory Committee of Human Rights Watch.
Peratis recounted her time exploring Gaza's illicit smuggling operation in a recent article for The Forward.
While Peratis was not in the Gaza Strip at J Street's behest, I can't help but wonder why a prominent member of the American Jewish community was canoodling with Hamas - a known terrorist group that you might recognize from its previous appearances in "The Bombing of Israeli Citizens" and "The Violent Kidnapping of an Israeli solider." (J Street did not officially sponsor Peratis' trip, but it was happy to circulate her article to members of the J Street family -- as well as reporters and others -- via the group's daily news round-up.)
Asked what to make of Peratis' eyebrow-raising article, a J Street official said that Peratis does not speak for the group on this issue.
J Street spokesperson Jessica Rosenblum, in fact, went on the record to say that "J Street believes that Hamas' consistent opposition to the peace process, its support for terror against Israeli civilians, its use of violence for political purposes and its denial of the Holocaust are reprehensible."
Peratis, however, recounts her experience as a fun-filled joy fest spent with friends. She quotes one smuggler as saying: "Please tell your friends that Hamas people are ordinary people. We are not barbarians."
Right. "Ordinary people" who routinely murder innocent men, women, and children -- and assassinate their own political adversaries. (Though not every resident of Gaza, of course, is a terrorist. Far from it.)

It took a week of handing out her article but J Street has finally decided that Peratis' meeting wasn't a good idea.

J Street strongly regrets the recent meetings by its Board member Kathleen Peratis with members of Hamas and the articles that she has written about her visit to Gaza.
J Street’s policy clearly states our belief that “Hamas’ consistent opposition to the peace process, its support for terror against Israeli civilians, its use of violence for political purposes, and its denial of the Holocaust are reprehensible.”
In our view, J Street leaders – directors and staff – should not meet with Hamas.
...
Ms. Peratis was advised prior to her trip of J Street’s view that its leaders should not meet with Hamas[1]. We deeply regret that she chose to meet with Hamas representatives anyway.
She did not represent J Street in the meetings she did have, and her writings do not in any way reflect the views of J Street.

But of course, they're not going to kick her off their board or something even though J Street leaders 'shouldn't meet with Hamas.' Think of all the money she's given them. I mean, what's important in life?

the blond next to Puff Daddy is the J Street spokes-bimbo?

...I took your story in a low key way... and then I ran across a name... just a name. I was wondering what about it struck me as familiar. Jessica Rosenblum,.... Jessica Rosenblum,.... who is that? why do I know the name. so I did a google image search. It is hard to believe that a serious spiritual organization would choose someone who has the lifestyle of Paris Hilton as a spokesperson. I know it is J Street... and I know most of us are no longer fooled or angered by what they say, but it is hard to believe that these people are taken seriously by even the most left wing of publications. It's beyond reason... it really is insane to imagine that a woman like her is considered a spokesperson for anything. I wouldn't trust her with a public relations job for a hair salon, let alone a religious ahem ...excuse me secular political elitist snobs... or whatever. whatever. whatever. whatever.

Yes Obama Wants to Win

(FROM THE SULTAN) Using leftist occupations of public spaces in major cities as the kickoff to a campaign. How many people saw that coming and how many expected it to work? But it worked well enough to engage the younger voters who helped boost him last time around. And it's not the end of the show.
It's tempting to see Obama as another Carter or Dukakis, a malaise ridden liberal, but while he has a good deal in common philosophically with them, his image and his campaign have little in common with theirs. And it's also worth remembering that Reagan's defeat of Carter was not nearly as easy as some would make it out to be.
Reagan's victory might not have been nearly so decisive without the involvement of an independent candidate who drew votes from Carter. And even that victory was not always inevitable. Before the debate, Reagan was polling behind Carter. Had Carter avoided debating Reagan and avoided challenges from the left, it's not inconceivable that he might have pulled off a second term. (YES HE CAN?)