A Sleazy Little Means of Taking Over a GOP-Dominated Texas Legislature by Leftists from Team Obama

In Texas politics, a Democrat named Hugh Brady, a lawyer appointed by President Obama to serve as general counsel for the White House Office of administration, and who held that position from 2014-2017, allegedly wields significant influence in the Texas House.

This is indeed a unique political scenario that has captured the attention of Texas watchers across the nation.

It’s relevant because Dade Phelan, a Republican Texas member of its state House of Representatives has been criticized by some county Republican Party groups and earned censure resolutions, as “teaming up with Democrats to kill our Republican priorities.”

These resolutions against Phelan are formal, public condemnations of a party official whose actions allegedly violate or oppose the party platform or legislative priorities. The Republican parties of Travis, Smith, Tarrant, EllisOrange, and Harris (and possibly other) counties have condemned Phelan for ignoring or opposing Republican priorities, appearing intoxicated while presiding over official House business, and pushing through the impeachment vote and voting to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Phelan has been criticized especially for appointing Democrat Party committee chairs, which had been something of a Texas-specific tradition but which was giving Democrats in the legislative minority majority-like powers. The Republican Party of Texas and other GOP activists called for him to end this tradition. Phelan’s decision to appoint Democrat committee chairs has been seen as a significant move as the party pressured Phelan into banning Democrat chairs outright. He ignored them and nine Democrats were given chairmanships, including Hugh Brady, who got the parliamentarian’s slot.

But to fully understand this unique scenario, we must examine Hugh Brady’s background and present role in Texas politics.

Hugh Brady’s journey into politics and law began with a promising legal career. His path took a pivotal turn when he was appointed as White House Counsel during the Obama administration, requiring him to provide legal advice to the president and make decisions on legal matters. He also had the power to make decisions on legal issues, which can significantly impact the actions and policies of the president and the White House. And this is exactly how he became a prominent figure in Democrat politics. In light of his role as White House Counsel, it is imperative to raise questions like – what responsibilities and powers come with this position, and how might they extend to a state legislature predominantly controlled by Republicans?

The unexpected nature of Brady’s influence in a state known for its conservative politics has raised many other questions. Here are some points on the historical context of party control in Texas and how this scenario departs from the norm:

  • Texas is renowned for its deep-rooted Republican political landscape.
  • The GOP has traditionally dominated the Texas House.
  • Dade Phelan’s decision to appoint Democrat committee chairs has departed from the norm of having committee chairs from the majority party.
  • Phelan’s appointment of Brady and his alleged influence in the GOP-dominated Texas House has left many wondering how such a situation could transpire and what it might signify for the future of Texas politics.

How did that affect the GOP majority? Take the case of GOP Rep. Brian Harrison’s vax mandate amendment, as it was pivotal.

Harrison proposed an amendment to Senate Bill 29, which sought to prohibit government implementation or enforcement of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The proposed amendment should have passed easily in the Texas legislature but unexpectedly was killed off by Rep. Erin Zwiener, a Democrat, citing it as “not germane.”

That is strange stuff. After all, in a Republican-controlled Texas House, the power dynamics are typically straightforward. But with Democrats chairing committees, it’s as if Democrats are controlling the legislative agenda and poor Harrison couldn’t even get airtime for a vote.

Do you see how this situation challenges the established norms and what it means for the political landscape in Texas?

The rarity of a Democrat lawyer like Hugh Brady influencing what a Republican House can vote on merits has these ramifications.

Was it a scandal, or does it have a legitimate explanation?

Given the circumstance of this incident, one cannot help but question the legitimacy of Brady’s influence.

There are several possible explanations for how Democrat Hugh Brady came to be so influential in the GOP-dominated Texas House. More so because this was a scope provided by a Republican Dade Phelan, someone who cruised to victory to the House leadership position in a vote 145-3, secured by cutting across party lines, while some argue that his impact could be attributed to factors such as personal connections, political strategies, and policy priorities, yet a deeper examination of these aspects reveals a more troubling picture.

One of the most troubling aspects of Dade Phelan’s approach is his apparent willingness to work across party lines. Rather than upholding conservative principles and values, Phelan has been unapologetic about appointing Democrats as committee chairs. While seemingly designed to foster bipartisan collaboration, this tactic raises doubts about his loyalty to the Republican Party and its platform.

The allegations against Phelan are particularly alarming. Accusations of ignoring or opposing the party platform and legislative priorities and appearing inebriated while presiding over official House business point to a disturbing lack of commitment to the principles that conservative Republicans hold dear. His push for the impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton further underscores his willingness to break from conservative ranks.

If these allegations prove accurate, they could signify a troubling level of mismanagement or corruption within the Texas House. Such behavior is unacceptable and undermines the integrity of the political system. If left unaddressed, Phelan’s actions can significantly alter the political landscape in the Texas House, thereby jeopardizing the values and priorities of conservative Republicans. Turning Texas blue, as the Democrats have fantasized about for years, could become a reality and they won’t even need to get the votes to do it.

In conclusion, the influence wielded by Hugh Brady, a Democrat, in a GOP-dominated House is a deeply disturbing development in Texas politics. The actions and decisions of a person with such close ties to the Democrat party raise questions about his commitment to conservative agendas. While cooperation across the aisle can be beneficial, it must not come at the expense of traditional values. The allegations against Phelan only add to the concerns, suggesting that mismanagement or corruption may be at play. Lately, voting for Republicans has been a flop because they are not true Republicans…whitewashed tombs come to mind.

Conservative Republicans must remain vigilant and steadfast in their commitment to their principles in the face of this challenging and unique political situation. Meanwhile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is doing a yeoman’s job by seeking and endorsing solid conservative challengers to “Republican state representatives who voted to impeach him for the upcoming Republican primary.”

©2023. Amil Imani. All rights reserved.

CHAMPIONS OF FREEDOM: Prince Reza Pahlavi and President Donald Trump

Why should we support Reza Pahlavi? Because the Iranian people support him. He has the full support of Iranians inside Iran, and we must unconditionally respect their will. It would be a colossal mistake if we didn’t stand with him. Despite other opposition groups resorting to violence, Prince Pahlavi repeatedly has stated that “non-violent change is the only way to go.” “Change must come to Iran by civil disobedience and non-violence. I stress that. We can’t have change at any cost.

Surprisingly, I have noticed some similarities between Prince Reza Pahlavi and President Donald Trump. He was a successful billionaire who was happy with his empire and did not need the headache of becoming the President of the United States. But, it was his hobby, passion, and destiny to Make America Great Again.

Prince Pahlavi also led a comfortable life and did not need this distress. But something big, something more powerful, was calling him to fulfill his destiny. Although he pledged his oath to become the next in line as the Shah of Iran, he has said that he is not seeking the crown unless and until the Iranian people decide in his favor to do so. For now, his focus is not the revival of the Pahlavi dynasty, and on numerous occasions, he has stated that it is up to the people of Iran to decide their future form of government.

Pahlavi said, “After 45 years, he still finds exile painful. “I remember my childhood, I remember my country’s scenery, wherever I am in the world, I am reminded of it. I live and breathe my country. I want to do something for that piece of real estate I call home. That is my duty.”

Neither President Trump nor Prince Pahlavi was obligated to engage, endanger, and inconvenience their lives. But, they both were destined to be the agents of change. It would be fantastic to see a meeting between these two men, a landmark step toward regime change in Iran.

Iran has seen demonstrations before, but there was something extraordinary about the recent events: many protesters called Reza Pahlavi to return and even chanted: “Bring back the Shah.” This is incredible.

Pahlavi believes the people in Iran have “trust” in his “vision” for a future in Iran. He adds, ” They look up to me somehow because of my track record.” Indeed, his track record is impeccable, and he has always stated that it is up to the people of Iran to decide their destiny. Perhaps most Western media are unaware, but Pahlavi’s popularity in Iran has skyrocketed. They love him.

Like President Trump’s slogan ‘Make America Great Again,’ Iranians want to make Iran great again. Compelled by the inalienable right of the people to institute their government and replace it when it fails to serve its citizens in the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. Millions of Iranians representing the entire spectrum of society are demanding change from a repressive theocracy to an open secular democracy.

President Trump has been an inspiration to all freedom-loving people around the world. In a very short time, he has become a symbol of liberty. The Iranian people, with Reza Pahlavi at the helm, hope to repeat Trump’s motto of MAGA. More than four decades of rule by the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) has not only failed to advance the security and well-being of the people. It has ensnared the nation in a stifling theocracy where the rights of the governed are routinely violated for the benefit of the governing. Regime change is the only option to bring Iran back to the civilized world.

Prince Pahlavi guarantees equality to all its citizens and, therefore, demands no less than total adherence to the principle of unity in diversity, a unity of purpose that draws from the strength and uniqueness of its people.

Pahlavi said he wanted to see Iranians “determine their own fate out of their own free will” and praised U.S. President Donald Trump and his cabinet members for supporting the Iranian protesters.

In last year’s protests, “Iranians have made it very clear that they do not want the current regime, but they are unarmed and will not use violence. And so, civil disobedience becomes the best means of confrontation. When diplomacy fails, and war becomes an unfavorable option, people need to pressure the regime from the inside.”

Both President Trump and Prince Pahlavi want to make their country great. President Trump asked the American people to work together to make America great again. Let’s restore America to her rightful place as the exceptional leader of the free world rather than just another nation amongst many nations. He has already achieved his goal in under two years. Despite Prince Pahlavi’s love to make Iran great, the civilized world must realize that their interests are not with a group of frantic rapists and murderers but with a rational man who understands world diplomacy and will lead the Middle East to a beacon of peace. The Western world, including the United States, must fulfill Iran’s destiny. After all, they should take some responsibility for wreaking havoc on Iran.

Pahlavi will protect the legitimate rights of all minorities within Iran as enshrined and outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We have had enough of parochialism, discrimination, and oppression of minorities. No one in Iran will be disenfranchised based on any personal belief whatsoever.

In short, once this regime falls, it would be the greatest thing since the fall of Soviet communism. It would remove political Islam by creating a genuinely democratic, secular, and strong nation in tandem with Israeli democracy in the heart of the Islamic Ummah. It would answer a prayer just as much for the world as for Iranians.

©2023. Amil Imani. All rights reserved.

A Clarifying Moment for the West

George Washington, the father of our country, envisioned an America where people of all faiths could enjoy peace. In 1790, he wrote to the synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island: “May the children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants, while everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig-tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.”

This image from the Bible by our first president was his ideal for the nation as a whole—that we can live in peace and safety and not be harassed by our own government.

Fast forward to today. Students at George Washington University protested against “the children of the Stock of Abraham,” as they chose Palestinians over Jews after the barbaric attacks in Israel on October 7th, 2023—a date that will live in infamy.

Writing for “The Daily Signal” of the Heritage Foundation, Mary Margaret Olohon notes: “George Washington University students held a ‘Vigil for the Martyrs of Palestine’ on Tuesday evening where they mourned the Hamas terrorists killed attacking Israel….Organizers encouraged the students to bring posters, flowers, flags, and a mask or keffiyeh (Palestinian headdress) to hide their faces.”

This rally was held by the Students for Justice in Palestine chapter.

What is significant about this vigil is that it occurred on the Tuesday night (October 11) after the multiple attacks on Israel on Saturday.

And, of course, this protest of solidarity on behalf of the Palestinians was just one of many throughout the country and throughout the West. All of these took place after the horrific attacks of Hamas, including beheading Israeli babies, on October 7th.

In Australia, the anti-Jewish protesters actually chanted, “Gas the Jews,” echoing the Holocaust.

Gary Bauer, the founder of American Values, wrote: “The National Students for Justice in Palestine celebrated Hamas’s savagery by declaring the vicious attacks to be ‘a historic win for the Palestinian resistance.’ The Islamic supremacist group also claimed that 180 of its 230 chapters issued some kind of statement supporting the attack. How does this radical organization, a Hamas front-group, have 230 student chapters across the country?”

For decades in the West, we have had tens of millions of Americans brainwashed and indoctrinated, even in some of our finest schools, into the notion of moral equivalency, where, supposedly, all things are relative. There are no absolutes. What Hamas does is justified because of what Israel has done earlier.

Gary Bauer also notes the pro-Hamas’ antipathy toward Christianity, “These student demonstrators, many of whom shouldn’t be in America, also yearn for the day when they can celebrate the destruction of this country and our conquest by Islam. That is, after all, the ultimate goal, according to one top Hamas leader – a world dominated by Islam with ‘no Zionism and no treacherous Christianity.’”

But thankfully, there is pushback against the pro-Hamas protesters.

About 700 Hollywood stars, usually on the wrong side of every issue, decided to issue a joint statement in support of Israel—“those experiencing unfathomable levels of fear and violence.”

Harvard students who had declared for Hamas following the atrocities of October 7th are being denounced by Harvard ex-president Larry Summers and some Harvard donors.

It’s good to see that not everybody approves of what Hamas did in their surprise attack, killing peaceful citizens, including babies, children, and grandmothers.

On Fox News last week, Laura Ingraham highlighted the Hamas Covenant of 1988. She let the viewer read the words on the screen, while refusing to dignify the message by reading them out loud.

The Hamas Covenant 1988 includes these words: “The Day of Judgment will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jews will hide behind stones and trees…there is a Jew behind me…come and kill him.”

Robert Spencer, director of Jihadwatch.org, told me that that statement comes from the sayings of Mohammed, known as the “Hadith” (Hadith, Sahih Muslim 6985).

Dennis Prager, as I’ve noted before, makes an interesting observation about the push to destroy Israel, whether talking about Hamas or any of their fellow travelers.

The founder of PragerU said, “There are a million hatreds in the world, but there’s only one Exterminationist hatred, and that’s anti-Semitism. Anti-Semites don’t dislike Jews. I wish that was all they did, you could live with this. You can’t live with people who want to exterminate you.” Hamas does not acknowledge Israel’s right to exist.

Exterminationist hatred is the exact opposite of what Jesus declared in Israel 2000 years ago, to this effect: Do to others as you would have them do unto you for this is a summary of the Law and the Prophets.

This is a clarifying moment for the West: Will we call out barbarity for what it is?

©2023. Jerry Newcombe, D.Min. All rights reserved.

EDITORS NOTE: Things we have learned since October 7th, 2023.

  • Hamas wants to trade a Council on American Islamic Relation (CAIR) leader in federal prison for a U.S. Hostage. The Muslim in prison is Mufid Abdulqader, the half brother of Hamas leader Khaled Mashal, who is currently serving out his 20 years in prison sentence in a low security federal prison in Seagoville, Texas. Funding terrorists and a history of chanting terrorist threats apparently netted Abdulqader an easy ride at a low security prison.
  • After being exposed, the Biden regime put Nejwa Ali a pro-Hamas ‘F**k Israel’ employee at the Department of Homeland Security on leave.  Nejwa Ali was a former spokeswoman for the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Ali was in a position to determine who gets to come into the country as an immigrant or “asylum seeker.”
  • An ex-employee of a Hamas ally Yousra Fazili worked as a Pentagon Special Assistant for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Programs. Rep Jack Bergman is demanding answers over Yousra Fazili who worked for the Islamic terror state of Qatar and now works at the Pentagon. In 2022, she became the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs at the U.S. Department of Defense. NOTE: In late September, it was learned that Ariane Tabatabai, who had worked with the Iranian government and secretly promoted their agenda before appearing to testify in Congress, was working as the Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict.
  • United Nations refugee funds for Gaza are being used to finance terrorism and Anti-Semitism. In the wake of the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas terrorists that killed over 1,400 Israeli civilians on October 7, increased scrutiny is being centered on the ideology that fueled the barbarity that took place. Experts say that funds allocated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) have not only been funneled to terrorists in Gaza, but have also been used to fund educational materials for Palestinian youth that is rife with anti-Semitism.
  • Witnesses have testified that ‘children were tortured in front of their parents The children’s eyes were gouged out, and their fingers were chopped off.
  • The Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s chief of staff promotes  pro-Hamas rally in Minneapolis. Democratic Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison’s chief of staff on Sunday promoted a pro-Hamas rally in Minneapolis, where demonstrators called for Israel’s eradication and told Israeli “settlers” to “fuck off.” Donna Cassutt, who has served as Ellison’s chief of staff since 2019, advertised the rally in a Sunday tweet, which alerted Minnesotans that the “March for Palestine” was happening “today.” More than 1,000 pro-Hamas demonstrators went on to attend the rally in Minneapolis. Attendees brandished signs and repeated chants with the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which advocates for the destruction of Israel. One attendee, meanwhile, held a sign saying, “Settlers fuck off,” while others called to “end U.S. aid to Israel.”
  • Hamas struck a convoy of Gazans fleeing south, killing 70. IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus says a strike on a convoy of Gazans fleeing to the southern part of the Strip Friday appears to have been a false flag operation carried out by Hamas. “When you apply logic and think who would benefit from those very horrible images of children and civilians that were evacuating south and then they are apparently clearly dead, who stands to gain from that, only one organization: Hamas,” Conricus says during a Q and A session on X. At least 70 people, most of them children, were killed in the strike, which occurred on a route that Israel said should be used for fleeing Gazans. Another 200 were injured.

Watch and listen:

CAUGHT: Kingsway Regional School District in New Jersey Transitioning Kids Behind Parent’s Back!

Thanks to the brave undercover work of our informants, OMG uncovered administrators within Kingsway Regional School District in New Jersey assisting in hiding social gender transitions of students from parents!

Watch our report:

Now, you may be wondering what “social transitioning” is.

It’s supporting a child to change the social norms associated with their gender. It’s the “He/Him She/Her” switcharoo – even allowing a student to change their name from, for instance, Kevin to Karen.

Typically, this is a decision by parents to support or oppose a child’s desire to socially change their gender.

But in Kingsway, New Jersey, school officials are SUPPORTING the social transitions of students BEHIND the backs of parents!

Administrators in Kingsway are even allowing students to switch bathrooms, letting little Kevin use the lady’s bathroom while being called “Karen”!

They even went so far as to create a tiered confidentiality process to hide social transitions from parents!

But Kingsway Regions School District didn’t get away with it . . . because OMG is EVERYWHERE!

Watch our report and please support our work by contributing to our mission of expanding undercover investigative journalism nationwide.

In Truth.

RELATED TWEET:

EDITORS NOTE: This O’Keefe Media Group exposé is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

With U.S. Distracted, Biden Admin Quietly Funds Open Borders Allies

Amid the prospect of a possible government shutdown over the fiscal 2024 budget, the Biden administration’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced $22 million in grants for organizations to “help prepare lawful permanent residents for naturalization.”

The announcement drew little attention. After all, helping legal immigrants become citizens hardly seems scandalous, compared with the crises Biden’s Department of Homeland Security has created. However, several organizations receiving money from USCIS through these grants actively prioritize the push for further dismantling of American immigration law over any sort of meaningful teachings of becoming an American citizen.

Under the guise of providing support for potential future U.S. citizens, the Biden administration is funding organizations that advocate for an immigration free-for-all.

The conflict of interest is clear. This open borders administration seems to be funding support for open border policies.

Naturalization for qualified permanent legal residents is a noble pursuit. However, in the middle of a tense debate on government funding, money ostensibly intended to help in the naturalization process going to organizations whose primary focus seems to be dismantling whatever is left of order in our immigration system ought to halt any future funding of such grants.

One of the organizations, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (formerly the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, but still known as CHIRLA) received $450,000 from USCIS. In 2020, it relied on government grants for about 68% of its total revenue.

While CHIRLA received almost half a million dollars to aid lawful permanent residents in the citizenship pipeline, it’s tough to figure out how exactly it helps in that process. Its website lists citizenship-preparation workshops as a service offered, but does not show any upcoming workshops. Past events listed on CHIRLA’s website do not mention any citizenship workshops, either.

Easy to find, however, are CHIRLA’s legal services for illegal immigrants, as well as its principles, which include “immediate immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for all undocumented people.”

CHIRLA’s social media accounts do not seem to provide resources for legal permanent residents seeking citizenship, either. On the same day USCIS announced CHIRLA’s citizenship grant, the organization posted on Twitter and Instagram from Washington, D.C.

CHIRLA participated in a rally at the White House and appeared to meet with at least two members of Congress, advocating for citizenship for illegal aliens and an end to the deportation and detention of illegals.

One must wonder why an organization that seems more concerned with keeping the border open and free-for-all citizenship is receiving significant government money to provide a service that seems at best to be on the periphery of what it does.

Another organization present at the rally for illegal-immigration-for-all in Washington was CASA. CASA received $250,000 through the USCIS grant, but nothing on the organization’s website’s homepage mentions naturalization or citizenship preparation.

Its actual policy agenda is detailed on its website, which calls for extreme policy changes, including abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement — a proposal so extreme that even Democratic lawmakers have failed to defend it.

Michigan United, which received $300,000 from USCIS, also appears to do very little in supporting legal immigrants seeking naturalization, while prioritizing advocacy for a range of radical changes in Michigan and across the country.

According to events listed on the organization’s website, it has not held any citizenship classes since February. It does, however, seem to be very active in promoting open border policies.

Among victories the organization claims is preventing the requirement of E-Verify for Michigan employers. The organization also openly seeks to block Michigan law enforcement from cooperating with the enforcement of immigration law. No organization that seeks to obstruct federal law should receive federal grant money.

These groups represent just a fraction of the 65 organizations that received $22 million in total from Biden’s USCIS. This administration’s willingness to shovel money to left-wing activist groups under the guise of humanitarian support is well-documented, and USCIS’ citizenship-preparation grants are just another source of taxpayer funds used to reward the administration’s leftist allies.

The House took an important step in ending the misuse of grant money to support radical activism by leaving funding for these grants out of its appropriations bill for fiscal year 2024. However, as additional appropriations bills make their way through the Congress and to the White House, the many pots of grant money that Biden’s departments of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, State, Justice, and more have given to pro-open borders nongovernmental organizations should be defunded.

This article was originally published by The Daily Signal.

AUTHOR

Matthew Kuckelman

Matthew Kuckelman is a research associate with The Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center.

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Giving $100 Million to Hamas Is Another of Biden’s ‘Numerous Idiocies’: Senator

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EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2023 Family Research Council.


The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

THE WAR ON X: WW III The Global War Against Islamic Terrorism — Day 13

Today is the 13th day after the unprovoked attack on innocents by Hamas on Saturday, October 7th, 2023—a date that will live in infamy. Hamas and its supporters have demonstrated moral degeneracy that knows no bounds.

Today we now understand why Hamas tortured, raped, burned alive and massacred innocent babies, women and civilians from mulitple countries. It is in the Hamas Charter. The Charter states contains such things as:

  1. The idea of Islam nullifying Israel.
  2. “…our battle with the Jews is long and dangerous…”
  3. “In the struggle against the Jewish occupation of Palestine the banner of Jihad must be raised…”
  4. “…the Palestinian cause is a religious cause…”
  5. “…the war with the Jews…”

Below is a video featuring Mohammad Kabiya, an Israeli Arab Muslim reservist in the Israel Defence Forces, telling the unvarnished truth about Hamas and Israel’s need to defend itself.

Watch: Mohammad Kabiya expose the true face of Hamas on BBC Arabic

Today we also learn the following:

  • Hamas wants to trade a Council on American Islamic Relation (CAIR) leader in federal prison for a U.S. Hostage. The Muslim in prison is Mufid Abdulqader, the half brother of Hamas leader Khaled Mashal, who is currently serving out his 20 years in prison sentence in a low security federal prison in Seagoville, Texas. Funding terrorists and a history of chanting terrorist threats apparently netted Abdulqader an easy ride at a low security prison.
  • After being exposed, the Biden regime put Nejwa Ali a pro-Hamas ‘F**k Israel’ employee at the Department of Homeland Security on leave.  Nejwa Ali was a former spokeswoman for the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Ali was in a position to determine who gets to come into the country as an immigrant or “asylum seeker.”
  • An ex-employee of a Hamas ally Yousra Fazili worked as a Pentagon Special Assistant for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Programs. Rep Jack Bergman is demanding answers over Yousra Fazili who worked for the Islamic terror state of Qatar and now works at the Pentagon. In 2022, she became the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs at the U.S. Department of Defense. NOTE: In late September, it was learned that Ariane Tabatabai, who had worked with the Iranian government and secretly promoted their agenda before appearing to testify in Congress, was working as the Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict.
  • United Nations refugee funds for Gaza are being used to finance terrorism and Anti-Semitism. In the wake of the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas terrorists that killed over 1,400 Israeli civilians on October 7, increased scrutiny is being centered on the ideology that fueled the barbarity that took place. Experts say that funds allocated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) have not only been funneled to terrorists in Gaza, but have also been used to fund educational materials for Palestinian youth that is rife with anti-Semitism.
  • Witnesses have testified that ‘children were tortured in front of their parents The children’s eyes were gouged out, and their fingers were chopped off.
  • The Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s chief of staff promotes  pro-Hamas rally in Minneapolis. Democratic Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison’s chief of staff on Sunday promoted a pro-Hamas rally in Minneapolis, where demonstrators called for Israel’s eradication and told Israeli “settlers” to “fuck off.” Donna Cassutt, who has served as Ellison’s chief of staff since 2019, advertised the rally in a Sunday tweet, which alerted Minnesotans that the “March for Palestine” was happening “today.” More than 1,000 pro-Hamas demonstrators went on to attend the rally in Minneapolis. Attendees brandished signs and repeated chants with the slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which advocates for the destruction of Israel. One attendee, meanwhile, held a sign saying, “Settlers fuck off,” while others called to “end U.S. aid to Israel.”
  • Hamas struck a convoy of Gazans fleeing south, killing 70. IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus says a strike on a convoy of Gazans fleeing to the southern part of the Strip Friday appears to have been a false flag operation carried out by Hamas. “When you apply logic and think who would benefit from those very horrible images of children and civilians that were evacuating south and then they are apparently clearly dead, who stands to gain from that, only one organization: Hamas,” Conricus says during a Q and A session on X. At least 70 people, most of them children, were killed in the strike, which occurred on a route that Israel said should be used for fleeing Gazans. Another 200 were injured.

Watch and listen:

WW III The Global War Against Islamic Terrorism — Day 13/Friday the 13th

©2023. Dr. Rich Swier. All rights reserved.

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DHS worker and former Palestinian Liberation spokeswoman Nejwa Ali is put on leave after praising Hamas terrorist attacks and saying ‘F*** Israel…we are ready for your downfall’

  • DHS officer Nejwa Ali, 36, was placed on leave on Wednesday, following the revelation of her controversial history posting anti-Semitic and extremist posts
  • It was also disclosed that she served as a spokesperson for the Palestinian Liberation Organization, which has been called a terrorist organization
  • Ali shared an image featuring paragliders armed with AK-47s with the caption ‘Free Palestine,’ glorifying the terrorists responsible for killing 1,400 Israelis

By Noa Halff For Dailymail.Com, 19 October 2023

A Department of Homeland Security officer was put on leave after praising Hamas and sharing extremist content on social media – including one post where she wrote, ‘F*** Israel … we are ready for your downfall.’

Nejwa Ali, 36, who joined the US Citizenship and Immigration Services in 2019 and held the position of an asylum officer, was placed on leave on Wednesday, following the revelation of her controversial history.

She works at assisting asylum seekers through the immigration process, before moving to Homeland Security earlier this year.

Along with years of alarming social media posts, it was also revealed that she previously served as a spokesperson for the Palestinian Liberation Organization delegation in the US – a group once led by Yasser Arafat – which has been called a terrorist organization by US officials.

In one recent post, Ali shared a disturbing image featuring paragliders armed with AK-47s with the caption ‘Free Palestine,’ glorifying the terrorists responsible for killing over 1,400 in Israel.

The Daily Wire exposed years of concerning posts made by Ali, including one in which she expressed disdain for what she referred to as ‘Israeli and American privilege.’

It’s unclear how Ali was hired in the first place in government roles and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) given her alarming previous posts and ties to the PLO.

‘USCIS strongly condemns antisemitism and the use of violent rhetoric in any form,’ USCIS spokesperson Matthew Bourke told Newsweek. ‘USCIS employees are held to high ethical standards both on and off duty, including their presence on social media. Any violation of these standards is taken seriously by the agency.’

 The Daily Wire reached Ali who angrily replied when asked about her past……

Read full article.

AUTHOR

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EDITORS NOTE: This Geller Report is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

POLICE STATE: Staunch Republican Douglas Mackey Sentenced To Prison For Posting Memes Mocking Hillary Clinton

We no longer have a country when a highly partisan, corrupt judicial system sends people to prison for posting jokes.

Freedom of speech is worth fighting for, worth dying for. Our once-great nation was founded on it, and it’s the hill we must die on.

Freedom of speech is the foundation of a free society. Without it, a tyrant can wreak havoc unopposed, while his opponents are silenced.

Putting up with being offended is essential in a pluralistic society in which people differ on basic truths. If a group will not bear being offended without resorting to violence, that group will rule unopposed while everyone else lives in fear, while other groups curtail their activities to appease the violent group. This results in the violent group being able to tyrannize the others.

Social Media Influencer Sentenced for Election Interference in 2016 Presidential Race

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Office of Public Affairs

Defendant Attempted to Trick Voters into Believing They Could Vote by Text Message

A social media influencer was sentenced today to seven months in prison and fined $15,000 for his role in a conspiracy to interfere with potential voters’ right to vote in the 2016 presidential election.

According to court documents, by 2016, Douglass Mackey, aka Ricky Vaughn, had established an audience on Twitter with approximately 58,000 followers. A February 2016 analysis by the MIT Media Lab ranked Mackey as one of the most significant influencers of the then-upcoming presidential election. Between September 2016 and November 2016, Mackey conspired with other influential Twitter users and with members of private online groups to use social media platforms, including Twitter, to disseminate fraudulent messages that encouraged supporters of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to “vote” via text message or social media, which was legally invalid.

For example, on Nov. 1, 2016, in or around the same time that Mackey was sending tweets suggesting the importance of limiting “black turnout,” Mackey tweeted an image depicting an African American woman standing in front of an “African Americans for Hillary” sign. The ad stated: “Avoid the Line. Vote from Home,” “Text ‘Hillary’ to 59925,” and “Vote for Hillary and be a part of history.” The fine print at the bottom of the deceptive image stated: “Must be 18 or older to vote. One vote per person. Must be a legal citizen of the United States. Voting by text not available in Guam, Puerto Rico, Alaska or Hawaii. Paid for by Hillary For President 2016.” The tweet included the typed hashtag “#ImWithHer,” a slogan frequently used by then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. On or about and before Election Day 2016, at least 4,900 unique telephone numbers texted “Hillary” or some derivative to the 59925 text number, which had been used in multiple deceptive campaign images that Mackey and his co-conspirators tweeted.

AUTHOR

RELATED ARTICLE: RINOS WIN: Jim Jordan Withdraws, Won’t Seek Third Vote

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EDITORS NOTE: This Geller Report is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Illegal Immigration At Southern Border Hits New September Record

Border Patrol saw a new surge in illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border in September that marked a new record for the agency, according to internal agency data exclusively obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Border Patrol recorded 218,777 encounters across the southern border in September, the highest on record for the month going back to at least the year 2000, according to the data. September marks the end of fiscal year 2023, meaning Border Patrol apprehensions surpassed 2 million.

The last September high was when Border Patrol recorded 207,597 encounters with illegal migrants in 2022.

“It is the policy of CBP to neither confirm nor speak to potentially improperly disclosed information or internal documents marked as law enforcement sensitive or for official use only,” a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokesperson told the DCNF.

Click here to view “Total Encounters” on our borders.

The spokesperson also referred the DCNF to a previous statement from Troy A. Miller, senior official performing the duties of the commissioner, about the surge in illegal immigration at the southern border in August that hit 181,059 encounters.

“CBP remains vigilant in the face of ruthless smugglers and transnational criminal organizations who exploit vulnerable migrants, the same criminal organizations trafficking in lethal drugs that harm our communities,” Miller said at the time.

“Our operational tempo along the border has increased in response to increased encounters, and we remain squarely focused on our broader security mission and enforcing U.S. immigration laws. We are maximizing consequences against those without a legal basis to remain in the United States, including by processing more individuals into expedited removal than ever before,” Miller added. “The men and women of CBP continue to work, day in and day out, to protect our nation, disrupting the entry of dangerous people and dangerous goods into the country while providing humanitarian care for vulnerable individuals.”

The Biden administration announced in early October the construction of more southern border wall in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas due to a surge in illegal immigration.

In Eagle Pass, Texas, Border Patrol has been instructed to cut concertina wire erected by Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to deter illegal crossings. That area experienced a continued flow of migrants in September that largely came from Venezuela, the DCNF observed at the time.

“What is happening right here is completely against our own immigration laws, against our own constitution and we’re allowing this administration to continue to do this. We’ve seen hundreds of illegals come through here without absolutely no restriction. I don’t hear anybody seeking asylum, I don’t hear anybody talking about asylum or having a credible fear to be returning to their country,” Victor Avila, a former homeland security special agent who is running for Congress to represent a portion of south Texas that includes the town of Eagle Pass, told the DCNF during a visit to the area.

AUTHOR

JENNIE TAER

Investigative reporter.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

The Pro-Hamas ‘Insurrection’ at the U.S. Capitol on October 18, 2023

In an article titled WATCH: Pro-Hamas radicals stage ‘insurrection’ at Capitol World Net Daily’s Bob Unruh reported,

Pro-Hamas protesters staged what some are calling an “insurrection” at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, demanding Israel stop its response to the terror attack staged by Hamas on innocent civilians days ago, where whole families were burned alive and babies beheaded.

And U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican firebrand from Georgia, wondered why they weren’t being arrested.

After all, more than a thousand people, protesting at the time what they considered to be a stolen election, were arrested, often at the point of a SWAT team gun in a raid, and jailed, sometimes for years, before they were given a trial, and THEN sentenced to more jail for the Jan. 6, 2021, protest-turned riot.

Read the full article.

Given the “so-called J6 insurrection” this tops it by a long shot. The pro-Hamas insurrectionists breached the U.S. Capitol and nothing was done to stop them. Nothing. It appears that the Capitol Police have a double standard. Arrest American Patriots and ignore supporters of Hamas, a terrorist organization. To understand read the Hamas Charter. The Charter states such things as:

  1. The idea of Islam nullifying Israel.
  2. “…our battle with the Jews is long and dangerous…”
  3. “In the struggle against the Jewish occupation of Palestine the banner of Jihad must be raised…”
  4. “…the Palestinian cause is a religious cause…”
  5. “…the war with the Jews…”

Watch these postings on X and tell us which is the real insurrection. American patriots on J6 or supporters of the terrorist group Hamas:

Read some of the comments on the video posted by Ford Fischer on X:

Listen to these comments from President Donald J. Trump and  the Imam of Peace carefully.

©2023. Dr. Rich Swier. All rights reserved.

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The Audacious Hamas Attack on Israel: A Multi-Front Assault

In early October, the world witnessed a shocking turn of events in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as Hamas, the Palestinian militant group governing the Gaza Strip, executed an audacious and meticulously planned attack on Israel. This attack, unlike any seen before in the conflict, was marked by its multi-front nature and the extraordinary complexity of its execution. In this article, we delve into the intricacies of the attack, exploring the land, sea, and air operations that left Israel reeling from the audacity and sophistication of  Hamas’s assault. We also examine the strategic use of the element of surprise and the breach of Israeli defenses, shedding light on the unprecedented nature of this event.

Land Operations: A Strategic Breach

One of the most striking aspects of Hamas’s attack  was its ground offensive, which involved infiltrating several Israeli towns and military bases. This land operation was strategically bold and marked a significant breach of Israeli territory. The audacious maneuver demonstrated Hamas’s ability to exploit vulnerabilities in Israel’s defenses.

Reports indicated that a bulldozer was used to destroy Israel’s fence at the Gaza border, providing a substantial breach point for the attackers. This method showcased the attackers’ understanding of Israeli vulnerabilities and their calculated approach to breaching the border. The use of heavy machinery in the operation emphasized the level of planning and sophistication involved.

The Maritime Dimension: Sea Operations

To add another layer of complexity to the attack, Hamas also utilized sea operations as part of its offensive strategy. While using the sea as a battleground in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not unprecedented, Hamas’s incorporation of this dimension in the recent attack was unexpected. It showcased the group’s adaptability and determination.

Hamas attempted to breach Israeli defenses from the Mediterranean Sea, further complicating Israel’s response. This maritime element highlighted the group’s evolving tactics and the need for Israel to secure its coastal borders and land defenses. The inclusion of sea operations signaled Hamas’s intent to exploit every possible avenue to achieve its objectives.

Aerial Assault: Rockets Targeting Civilians

Hamas’s audacious attack was not confined to land and sea; it extended to the skies. The militants launched a massive barrage of rockets into Israeli territory, specifically targeting civilian areas. This aerial assault marked a significant escalation in the conflict, posing a grave threat to Israeli civilians and soldiers alike.

The use of rockets as a strategic tool underscored  Hamas’s intent to inflict maximum damage and chaos. The group aimed to create fear and disrupt daily life in Israel by targeting civilian areas. The barrage of rockets resulted in casualties among Israeli civilians and soldiers, further exacerbating the crisis and intensifying the Israeli response.

The Element of Surprise: Catching Israel Off-Guard

One of the critical factors that made this attack so audacious and successful was the element of surprise. Hamas meticulously planned the timing and scale of the assault to catch Israel off-guard. The attack occurred when Israel was not fully prepared, as many military personnel were off-duty due to a Jewish holiday. The surprise assault by Hamas militants on Saturday saw gunmen crossing the border with a heavy barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.

By launching the assault during this period of minimal preparedness, Hamas exploited a crucial vulnerability in Israel’s defense posture. This tactical maneuver highlighted the group’s deep understanding of Israel’s military calendar and ability to capitalize on perceived weakness. Needless to say, the attack was coordinated and required a level of intelligence and preparation on the part of Hamas, which reportedly blindsided US and Israeli intelligence.

The Complexity of Hamas’s Operation

In summary, the recent Hamas attack on Israel  stands out not only for its audacity but also for its remarkable complexity. The multi-front nature of the assault, involving land, sea, and air operations, demonstrated a level of sophistication that had not been witnessed before in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hamas’s exploitation of  vulnerabilities in Israel’s defenses, such as the bulldozer breach and the timing of the attack during a Jewish holiday, revealed a calculated approach to achieving its objectives. The group’s use of rockets to target civilian areas underscored its willingness to escalate violence to new heights.

The attack was a massive security and intelligence failure, and Israel’s blockade policy will probably be tightened. The sheer quantity of intelligence Israel collects on Hamas and the group’s constant activity and organizing may have played a role in obscuring plans for this particular attack amid the endless barrage of potentially credible threats. The domestic feuds of the past few months might have contributed to the Gaza attacks, and the attack was an intelligence failure that may take Israel years to unravel.

It is a stark reminder of the ever-evolving nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the need for constant adaptation to emerging threats.

©2023. Amil Imani. All rights reserved.

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‘Totally Inappropriate’: Trump Rips Biden For Sending $100 Million In Aid To Gaza

Former President Donald Trump blasted President Joe Biden Wednesday for sending $100 million in humanitarian aid to Palestinians, calling the move “totally inappropriate.”

Biden announced the aid Wednesday, just days after the United Nations Relief and Works Agency posted on X that Hamas stole fuel and other relief supplies. Hamas attacked multiple locations in southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing over 1,400 people and taking over 200 hostages.

WATCH:

“This is being led by Iran and you would have never seen this happen. You wouldn’t have seen Ukraine happen either,” Trump said during a break in his civil trial on allegations of fraud.

“You had something about the fact that Biden is sending $100 million to the Palestinians?” Trump asked a reporter.

Israel urged residents of Gaza to evacuate Friday, citing the potential for ground operations against Hamas. People were reportedly killed when a rocket fired by Islamic Jihad hit a hospital in Gaza, according to assessments by U.S. intelligence, even as many media outlets initially echoed claims by Hamas that Israel was responsible.

“I think right now, it’s totally inappropriate. It’s so inappropriate to be doing that right now,” Trump said. “He’s over in Israel and he’s giving money to the Palestinians. I think it’s very inappropriate.”

Biden also received criticism for making concessions to Iran, including arranging for the release of $6 billion held by South Korea for humanitarian aid in exchange for Iran freeing five Americans it held prisoner.

AUTHOR

HAROLD HUTCHISON

Reporter.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.


All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Biden Pact Would Force U.S. Soldiers to Die for Saudi Arabia

Even before anti-American ideologues held public rallies justifying terrorist violence in the name of “decolonization,” Joe Biden sought to hammer out an agreement that could force American soldiers to fight and die for Saudi Arabia. The terms could also give the Saudis, the world’s foremost funders of radical Islam, access to a “civilian” nuclear program and rein in Israel’s response to terrorist attacks.

The Biden administration has sought to build on President Donald Trump’s Abraham Accords by getting Islamic nations such as Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel. But in exchange, the Gulf states hope to receive an “ironclad” mutual defense agreement: If they are attacked, the U.S. will come to their aid. The Saudis also seek increased arms sales and U.S. assistance in developing “peaceful” nuclear technology. Each step would be counterproductive — as would unequally yoking Washington with Riyadh.

Marching to Mecca?

History proves an enlarged U.S. military presence provides a tantalizing target for Muslim terrorists. In a prelude to 9/11, al-Qaeda killed 19 American servicemen by blowing up the Khobar Towers in 1996. Osama bin Laden later said he intended the bombing “to drive out the enemy who has occupied our land … and to rid the land of the two Holy Mosques from their presence.” Increasing the U.S. military footprint would present no less incitement or excitement for the region’s bountiful extremists 25 years later.

America certainly does not need a defense pact with the Saudis because we lack opportunities to intervene in irrelevant or counterproductive foreign wars. According to Tufts University professor Michael Beckley, by 2015 the U.S. had some form of defense pact with 69 nations around the world, requiring the U.S. military to protect two billion people, or one-quarter of the Earth’s population. Yet the pronoun-obsessed U.S. military cannot fight two wars at the same time.

Remember, too, that any U.S. military conflict in the Middle East will be presided over by President Biden, who considers the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan one of his foreign policy successes, who abandoned U.S. civilians in Afghanistan, and who has taken exacting time in rescuing American citizens from war-torn Israel. After miring the military in a fruitless proxy war with Russia in Ukraine that depleted our munitions stockpile, Biden now seeks to open a second front in the Middle East. China may determine it has become an opportune time to open a third front in the South China Sea, possibly punctuated by a North Korean nuclear explosion over the Sea of Japan. This could be followed by the attack of a Hamas sleeper cell in the American heartland.

While a Biden defense pact might fall short of a NATO-style agreement, it could resemble Barack Obama’s plan to confer Major Non-NATO Ally status. Among other things, that would make Muslim states “eligible for consideration to purchase depleted uranium ammunition.”

Revving Up the Mideast Nuclear Arms Race

Biden’s negotiators are more likely to approve the Saudis’ request for help with their nuclear program — purportedly intended to provide nuclear power for a nation that sits atop 259 billion barrels of untapped oil. History should be a guide here, as well. The Saudis could violate the agreement’s strictures to develop nuclear weapons, as North Korea did after Bill Clinton agreed to a 1994 deal hammered out by former President Jimmy Carter giving Pyongyang two light water nuclear reactors. Barack Obama incorporated a similar model into the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) for Iran. Now Biden would like to widen the circle by furnishing Saudi Arabia with access to fissile nuclear material, bolstering the Saudis’ nuclear arms race against Iran … and Israel.

‘Can Two Walk Together, Except they be Agreed?’

To sustain such potentially catastrophic risks, this agreement would have to promote significant U.S. interests. Yet it is unclear how enhancing Saudi aims advances U.S. values. No fewer than 15 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 hailed from Saudi Arabia. While the State Department classifies the kingdom as “a full partner and active participant” in counterterrorism efforts, Saudi Arabia is also the world’s leading funder and exporter of Wahhabi Islam — the fundamentalist Islamic ideology that fueled the terrorism of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda, and ISIS. Saudi Arabia has reportedly spent $86 billion promoting Wahhabi Islam globally over the last 50 years, funding 24,000 madrassas in Pakistan in 2016 alone.

Although then-candidate Pete Buttigieg branded Islamism as “not unlike Christianity,” wiser analysts understand no president should risk U.S. troops to promote Saudi interests. “Saudi Arabia is actively undermining American interests in the Middle East while the United States continues to provide security for the kingdom,” writes Jon Hoffman of the Cato Institute. “Unwavering U.S. support has emboldened Riyadh to pursue reckless and destabilizing policies because it is comfortable in the assurance that the United States will come to its aid and not hold it responsible for its actions.”

Why would the U.S. enter a pact with such a nation? “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). What fellowship hath the Land of the Pilgrim’s Pride with the cradle of al-Qaeda?

Subverting the Will of the People

No wonder a majority of Americans (58%) say a mutual defense agreement with the Saudis would be a “bad deal for the U.S., and there is no justification for committing U.S. soldiers to defend Saudi Arabia,” according to a Quincy Institute/Harris poll taken last month. Pollsters found “no significant differences on views of this deal among political affiliation.” But then, the will of the American people rarely rules anything, especially foreign policy. Most Americans opposed our undeclared wars and military interventions against SerbiaKosovoLibya, and Syria, as well as additional foreign aid to Ukraine. All proceeded apace.

President Biden has already subverted democracy by pursuing a policy 180-degrees away from his 2020 campaign promises. “I would make it very clear we were not going to in fact sell more weapons to” Saudi Arabia, Biden assured Democratic primary voters during a 2019 debate. “We were going to in fact make them pay the price, and make them, in fact, the pariah that they are.” But Biden has since announced that he will not, in fact, do that. Last July, Biden fist-bumped the blood-soaked hand of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who ordered his military to murder Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi and dismember him with a bone saw inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey.

The Biden administration seems ready to sideline the American majority once again. When Biden officials signed a similar defense agreement with Bahrain last month, they did not submit it for Senate ratification. The agreement, which an administration official described as “legally binding,” requires the U.S. to “implement appropriate defense and deterrent responses as decided upon by” the two nations. Instead, Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the document, and perhaps its adoption process, as “a framework for additional countries” to follow.

Sapping U.S. Strength for Saudi Success

History, too, should make us realize that needless foreign military interventions degrade America’s power and prestige. On Monday, The Wall Street Journal ran an article titled “How the Israel-Hamas War is Tilting the Global Power Balance in Favor of Russia, China.” It explained the Israeli conflict is already “affecting the global balance of power, stretching American and European resources while relieving pressure on Russia and providing new opportunities to China.” That came before the United States tapped 2,000 U.S. troops for possible deployment to the Middle East — and sent an additional 2,000 members of the Marine Expeditionary Unit moving toward Israel via the Red Sea. The ground forces are poised to join two U.S. aircraft carriers, the USS Ford and the USS Eisenhower, in patrolling the region.

If this is true of a war that had not yet formally embroiled U.S. troops, imagine a war fought alongside a member of BRICS. In August, Saudi Arabia and five other nations asked to join BRICS — the Chinese-led global coalition intended to become a regional counterweight and eventual successor to U.S. global hegemony. The new members will form “BRICS plus six” on January 1, 2024.

A treaty with Saudi Arabia fulfills the typical leftists’ criteria for waging war: It serves no U.S. interests; it pursues Marxist “decolonization”; it advances fundamentalist Islam; and it increases the power of the president and/or international bodies at the expense of constitutional checks-and-balances and American sovereignty, respectively. But, in true progressive fashion, this treaty would go further: It would force U.S. soldiers to actively war against American interests.

A Tool of Left-Wing Foreign Policy

The Left also hopes to use the Saudi defense agreement as an additional locus of pressure against Israel. Two weeks ago, 20 Democratic senators — including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Raphael Warnock, and John Fetterman — signed a letter tentatively opposing the measure. “A high degree of proof would be required to show that a binding defense treaty with Saudi Arabia — an authoritarian regime which regularly undermines U.S. interests in the region, has a deeply concerning human rights record, and has pursued an aggressive and reckless foreign policy agenda — aligns with U.S. interests,” they wrote. But they eventually got around to their real concern: the fear that the Biden administration would be too pro-Israeli. “[T]he agreement should include meaningful, clearly defined and enforceable provisions” aimed at “preserving the option of a two-state solution,” especially “a commitment by Israel not to annex any or all of the West Bank.”

The U.S. has no formal treaty commitment to defend Israel from military attacks. Should we sign such a treaty with Saudi Arabia, U.S. soldiers could one day fight in the Middle East to “defend” Riyadh against Tel Aviv.

The Israeli-Hamas conflict has momentarily scuttled the Saudis’ interest in pursuing the agreement as it stands. MBS kept Blinken “waiting several hours” Sunday night, according to The Washington Post, arriving the next morning. Instead, the Saudis entered talks with Iran. But Biden officials remain optimistic they can foist this pact on the American people. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told “Meet the Press” on Sunday, “There’s not some kind of formal pause” in the talks,” because “the long-term goal” of inking a mutual security defense pact with the Saudi kingdom “remains very much a focus of U.S. foreign policy.”

A U.S. defense pact with Saudi Arabia would be a ludicrous policy under any president, worthy of being invalidated by any Congress. Should Biden’s team approve the pact, Congress should pass legislation annulling it at once. U.S. soldiers should never become the janissaries of the Wahhabi Islamic kingdom.

AUTHOR

Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson is senior reporter and editor at The Washington Stand.

EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2023 Family Research Council.


The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

America’s Universities Reap What They Have Sown

America’s elite institutions are shuddering from the impact of the outbursts of anti-Semitism on their campuses. Their spasms of panic are animated less by the Israel-hatred and hostility to Jews emanating from their students than by something even atheist materialist postmoderns find terrifying: loss of income.

From Harvard to Berkeley, universities long-reputed to be the nation’s — and often the world’s — finest have proven to be cauldrons of seething bigotry. But it’s bigotry of a specific kind, aimed at Jews and the State of Israel.

This is not new; it’s been simmering for years. As journalist Seth Mandel reports, many universities’ “diversity, equity, and inclusion” agenda is substantially anti-Semitic. Numerous incidents of anti-Semitism have been well-documented, and the U.S. Department of Education currently is reviewing reports of anti-Israel and anti-Jewish behavior — even by some professors — at the City University of New York and its law school, UCLA, U.C. Berkeley, George Washington University, the University of Vermont, the State University of New York at New Paltz, and the University of Illinois.

Since Hamas launched its atrocity-laden attack on Israel on October 7, there have been outbursts of unrestrained Israel hatred at some of our country’s most storied places of higher education. Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania are among the schools at the center of the storm, but not just because so many of their students have signed odious petitions and blamed Israel for Hamas’s morally squalid assault.

These expressions of anti-Semitism have led many previously generous donors to pull their pledged donations. For example, former U.S. Ambassador to China John Huntsman has written to the president of the University of Pennsylvania that the institution is “deeply adrift in ways that make it almost unrecognizable.” Huntsman, a Penn alum and billionaire whose family has long supported the school, wrote that “the University’s silence in the face of reprehensible and historic Hamas evil against the people of Israel (when the only response should be outright condemnation) is a new low.”

Financier Kenneth Griffin, who “has donated more than half a billion dollars to Harvard University,” placed a call to the school’s president expressing dismay that Harvard had been so tepid in response to a public letter produced by 30 student groups blaming Israel for Hamas’s attacks. “Asked if his hedge fund Citadel would hire the head of a student group that signed the Harvard letter, his answer was an unequivocal no. ‘Unforgivable,’ he said.” Griffin then asked, “How do you end up in such a twisted place?”

So, with money on the line, university leaders are now almost falling over themselves condemning Hamas and its brutality. Better late than never. But there’s a larger issue at stake.

For decades, America’s top colleges and universities have become home to far-left academics who denigrate America’s founding, its history, and its basic principles. The United States is cast as a global villain and portrayed as little more than politically bankrupt and racially and economically oppressive. This is not about an honest accounting of the nation’s failures but an almost exclusive emphasis on her faults, omitting all that is noble in our past and worth upholding in the present.

So with Israel: According to some of America’s most talented young people, a little country founded after a mid-century genocide of six million Jews, occupying about 8% of the land mass of the Middle East, surrounded by Islamists for whom nothing short of Israel’s utter destruction will be enough, is at fault for the attacks and attempted conquest to which it so often has been subject. This mentality is, in part, the fruit of the propaganda to which they have been subject in the name of education. And fearful of offending those who scream the loudest, university leaders have cowered upon hearing such “woke” shibboleths as (so-called) justice, “triggering,” and so forth.

Even more, the unwillingness of college heads to articulate clear moral rights and wrongs stems from their own denial of objective, knowable, and unchanging truth, truth revealed by the Creator, Who our Declaration of Independence heralds as the author of our inherent rights. So, why is it unsurprising that impressionable students, many if not most raised in religiously vacuous homes and taught in faith-hostile schools, would gravitate to the grimy alleyways of anti-Semitism? That, Mr. Griffin, is why we are now in “such a twisted place.”

Donors to prestigious institutions are shocked by what they are seeing. Where have they been? And what do they expect? As C.S. Lewis wrote prophetically in “The Abolition of Man,” “We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.”

AUTHOR

Rob Schwarzwalder

Rob Schwarzwalder is Senior Lecturer in Regent University’s Honors College.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. All rights reserved. ©2023 Family Research Council.


The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

UN Refugee Fund for Gaza Is Being Used to Finance Terrorism and Anti-Semitism, Experts Say

In the wake of the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas terrorists that killed over 1,400 Israeli civilians on October 7, increased scrutiny is being centered on the ideology that fueled the barbarity that took place. Experts say that funds allocated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) have not only been funneled to terrorists in Gaza, but have also been used to fund educational materials for Palestinian youth that is rife with anti-Semitism.

UNRWA was established in 1949 by the U.N. General Assembly with the original purpose of aiding the refugees that resulted from the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Since then, the fund has been renewed almost every year and has grown astronomically to a current annual budget of over $1 billion. The Biden administration contributed $153.7 million in U.S. taxpayer dollars to the fund in June, which the UNRWA commissioner claimed would “help us keep over 700 schools and 140 health centres open over the next months.” For decades, however, the fund has been embroiled in controversy, as reviews of the fund’s expenditures showed that a significant amount of money was going to terror-group affiliates.

In 2018, the Trump administration ended funding for UNRWA due to the corruption that was uncovered. A report found that less than 5% of the population that it funded actually met the original definition of a “refugee.” But as experts have observed, this was only the tip of the iceberg. It was found that a number of the UNRWA staff working in Gaza had personal ties to terrorism and that “UNRWA schools in Gaza have been used by Hamas to launch rockets against Israel.”

What has become particularly distressing to observers is how the money is being used to fund schools that indoctrinate Palestinian youth to hate Israel and the Jewish people. On Monday, Itamar Marcus, founder and director of Palestinian Media Watch, joined “Washington Watch with Tony Perkins” to discuss the situation.

“Our first report on Palestinian schoolbooks … was in 1998, and they were filled with poison,” he explained. “At that time … [an] American representative said, ‘I read this material and I wanted to vomit.’ It’s just unimaginable.’ Americans condemned it then, and the United States continued funding the Palestinian Authority year after year after year, knowing what was happening already then.

Marcus continued, “[W]e did a report in 2007, which I decided to release in the Senate, and I turned to Hillary Clinton. I wanted a Democrat … someone who would [not] be automatically pro-Israel. And she appeared at a press conference with me … [and] said, ‘The Palestinians are profoundly poisoning the minds of their children.’ And that was 2007. I call the Palestinians who are running through the streets today murdering Israelis, the Hamas, as well as the Palestinian Authority, Fatah people, the mainstream. They are the poisoned generation. They were brought up on hate, on demonization. And that’s what we have today.”

Marcus went on to describe the specific beliefs that have been espoused by religious authorities in Gaza.

“Mahmoud Abbas is the head of the Palestinian Authority — he’s seen as the moderate,” he noted. “He has a personal adviser on Islam … name[ed] Mahmoud al-Habash. He went on TV and he said that the Jews have been the enemies of Islam since the beginning of time, literally since the time of Adam. … [He also said] when you see a Jew, it actually might be Satan in the form of a human. … He literally said that the Jews are subhuman. [He also] said that the Jews are humanoids — creatures that Allah created in the form of humans but aren’t really humans. So you’ve got the top religious figure in the Palestinian Authority [saying] that Jews are actually subhuman, either Satan or animals, but they’re humanoids, so of course you can kill them.”

Marcus also pointed out that Palestinian textbooks for schoolchildren include quotes from a hadith (an Islamic tradition attributed to Muhammad) that commands Muslims to kill Jews, and that TV programs owned and controlled by the Palestinian Authority teach children similar lessons. “Children have said they’ve learned in school to hate the Jews and kill them,” he noted. “We’ve had many, many chants and children’s programs where they talk about the Jews being the descendants of apes and pigs. … And one of the worst things that they’ve taught these kids is that they should go out and die for Allah, that if they [fight] against Jews and they’re killed, that’s the best thing that can happen to them.”

Perkins further wondered if peace is possible when Palestinian youth are taught that Israel has no right to exist.

“They deny Israel the right to exist as a state, and they deny Jews the right to exist as individuals,” Marcus somberly emphasized. “Those two together make peace impossible.”

AUTHOR

Dan Hart

Dan Hart is senior editor at The Washington Stand.

EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved. ©2023 Family Research Council.


The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.