So Much for "the New" Mahmoud Abbas

Reports of his having rejected the Palestinians' "right of return" have been greatly exaggerated.

"Gangnam Style" Saudi Style (Minus the "Sexy Ladies," Of Course)

The Wahhabis put their own distinct (gender apartheid) spin on a YouTube sensation:

How Free Speech Works in Canada--Poorly and Lopsidedly

An American Christian pastor who's no fan of Islam (to put it mildly), and who's been known to torch a Koran or two (an action I deplore--as I deplore all book burning), is barred from entering the country. But an extremist American imam who has

• said he still hoped that one day the United States would be a Muslim country ruled by Islamic law,” and that he supports accomplishing this non-violently. He says that Islam justifies the hijacking of “an airplane filled with the 82^nd Airborne” and that the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon by Hezbollah was not an act of terrorism;
• published a poem depicting the U.S. as a racist, imperialist country whose soldiers rape young girls and kill Muslim civilians without remors[e];
• objected to President Bush’s use of the term “Islamic fascists” by arguing that the Bush Administration and “neoconservatives” are the true fascists. He says it is a “big lie” that “so-called Islamic Fascism threatens Western Civilization.” He gives support to 9/11 conspiracy theories, writing that the attacks “occurred under dubious circumstances that have yet to be thoroughly examined.” He criticizes the “process of vilification” against Iranian President Ahmadinejad and characterizes Al-Qaeda, Hamas and jihadists in Iraq, Kashmir and Chechnya as fighters against unjust policies. He has condemned some of their violent tactics but supports their cause;
• preached that the U.S. was waging a war on Islam and that the government was systematically persecuting innocent Muslims, saying “they just want a pretext to get another Muslim off the street” and Muslim-Americans should wage non-violent jihad through institution-building in the U.S.;
• urged that a Muslim political agenda include “the enforcement of anti-defamation statutes” to protect minorities from bigotry. The impact this would have is that if any citizen uses a phrase like “radical Islam” and a group like CAIR says he or she is spreading hate, charges could be brought against the person;

can come into Canada for the Reviving The Islamic Spirit event, no problemo.

BTW, I notice that two notable non-Muslim apologists for Islam--Karen Armstrong and John Raulston Saul (Mr. former-Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson)--will be speaking at the shindig, as will Tariq Ramadan, whose granddad founded the Muslim Brotherhood. Should be quite the impassioned affair!

About as Delusional and Out to Lunch as It Gets Outside an Insane Asylum

Hard leftist Israeli rag Ha'aretz endorses Obama, calls him "good for Israel."

Curb Your Enthusiasm for "the New" Abbas, Mr. Peres

Dear Mr. Peacenik: If I were you (which, thankfully, I am not) I would be cautious about taking Mahmoud Abbas at his word when he claims he'd like to have another go at that fabled two-state solution. Instead, I would view his remarks in the context of his trying to hang on to power for dear life at a time when he's feeling particularly vulnernable, and in particular from his Hamas rivals in Gaza.

That is all.

Rudy G. Blows Away Obama's Military Lapdog Re Benghazi

On Piers Morgan last night, former NYC mayor Rudy G. and General Wesley Clark went mano a mano on the subject of Libya. The former bested the latter, an apologist for and abettor of Barackian fecklessness, with this parting salvo:

None of that, General, answers the question: did the President of the United States know about the two prior attacks on that consulate – one that drilled a hole in the wall of twelve feet wide? And, if he didn’t know about it, why didn’t he know about it? And if he did know about it, why wasn’t our ambassador given more security? The president was trying to paint a picture in Libya of success. We weren’t having success in Libya and he fell asleep at the switch. For months, not just that day. But for months before there were warnings, the British pulled out, the Red Cross pulled out, there were numerous attacks and the President of the United States did not increase security, there are even some reports that he reduced security. And the president hasn’t answered that question, and it’s intolerable that we’ll have this election, and the president will get away with not answering, “did he know about the prior attacks?”

"Intolerable"--yes. But also outrageous, absurd and disgusting. (Let's have a round of saliva-laden raspberries for the Clarks and the corrupt media types who have done their utmost to spike the story.)

Come On and Shill For Me, Bill!

Obama sings a song to the man who is arguably his most ardent supporter:

Bill,
I loathe you so, I always will.
I look at you and see ambition all the way.
Hey,
But am I really gonna win come Voting Day?
You were the one stood beside me
At the convention.
You told a whole raft of lies
I hope no one will mention.
But kudos and smoke won't select me
Till they elect me, Bill.

I loathe you so, I always will.
But in your voice they hear a flush economy.
Me?
I've made a mess of ev'ry measure they can see.
You are now on my side, Bill;
Your motive's not hidden.
You want your wife in the White House
Doin' your biddin'.
But kudos and smoke won't select me
Till they elect me, Bill.

I loathe you so, I always will.
But your devotion may help push me past the gate.
Fate
Has forced the two of us to put aside our hate.
Come on, Bill.
Oh, come on, Bill.
Come on and shill for, Bill.
I got the Voting Day blues.
Please shill for me, Bill.
I got the Voting Day blues.
Shill for me, Bill!...

Great Line

"If Obama is re-elected, think of the mess he is going to inherit."



"That's another fine mess you've gotten us into, Barry."

"When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Ban Transfats"

As Mark Steyn notes, they also don nifty airforce bomber jackets so the optics are appealing in a Twitpic (in this case, a pic of a twit who's eschewed his customary single-breasted so he can look like he's on top of things/look like something out of Top Gun).



Update: Bloomy's no Rudy.

Au Revoir, Les Enfants Catholique

Islam is on the verge of becoming the dominant religion in France.

Obama's Room Changer

Peggy Noonan writes that, come Tuesday,

No one knows what will happen. Maybe that means it will be close, and maybe it doesn't. Maybe a surprise is in store. But the fact that Barack Obama is fighting for his political life is still one of the great political stories of the modern era.  

Look at where he started, placing his hand on the Bible Abe Lincoln was sworn in on in 1861. It was Jan. 20, 2009. The new president was 47 and in the kind of position politicians can only dream of—a historic figure walking in, the first African-American president, broadly backed by the American people. He won by 9.5 million votes. Two days after his inauguration, Gallup had him at 68% approval, only 12% disapproval. He had a Democratic Senate, and for a time a cloture-proof 60 members. He had a Democratic House (256-178) with a colorful, energetic speaker. The mainstream media were excited about him, supportive of him.  

His political foes were demoralized, their party fractured.  

He faced big problems—an economic crash,two wars—but those crises gave him broad latitude. All of his stars were perfectly aligned. He could do anything. 

And then it all changed. At a certain point he lost the room...

Well, not the entire room. Lena Dunham, for one, still loves him.