FDD

Blood Libel (CM)

Natan Sharansky writes:

The al-Dura incident wasn't the only media report to inflame passions against Israel in recent years, but it was the one with the highest profile. Moreover,...the al-Dura incident is part of the insidious trend in which Western media outlets allow themselves to be manipulated by dishonest and politically motivated sources (recall the Jenin "massacre" that never was, or the doctored Reuters photos from Israel's war against Hezbollah in 2006) …

It is important to note that the al-Dura news report profoundly influenced Western public opinion. When I served in the Israeli government as minister of Diaspora Affairs from 2003 to 2005, I traveled frequently to North American college campuses. I heard first hand how Mohammed al-Dura had shaped the perceptions of young people just beginning to follow events in the Middle East. For many Jewish students, the incident was a stain of dishonor that called into question their support for Israel. For anti-Israel students, the story reaffirmed their sense of Zionism's innately "racist" nature and became a tool for recruiting campus peers to the cause. ...

It is possible, however, to deter slanderous news reporting -- and the violence that often accompanies it -- by setting a precedent for media accountability...

More here.

Algeria Terror Attacks (WP)

Today's suicide attacks in Algiers leaves us with the following thinking points:

1. The Salafi Group for Preaching and Combat (with a new name) joined al-Qaeda last Fall. It is now waging jihad against the Algerian state, civil society and democracy movements in that mostly Arab Muslim country.

2. This is an additional evidence that the War on Terror is global and not linked directly to U.S. Foreign Policy. The Jihadists in Algeria are targeting Algerians from all background while there are no US troops in that country. It is a struggle that began before 9/11 and is resuming today.

3. The ideology of the Algerian Salafists, as I described in my book the War of Ideas: Jihadism against Democracy, aim at brining down 21 Arab states and 52 Muslim Governments around the world, in addition to fighting the "infidels" wherever they can meet them.

4. In the current debate on the War on Terror, and while voices in Congress have called for banning the term "Global War on Terror," the attacks in Algeria today demonstrate that many in the West haven't yet understood the Global aim of the Jihadists. In my book, I argue that the War of Ideas has to be won at home first, so that the Global Conflict with the Jihadist can be won as well.

5. The barbaric attacks in Algiers shows that more than ever, Muslim moderates and anti-Jihadists need to rise against the Jihadi Terrorists before their societies are overwhelmed by the Salafists and the Khomeinists

6. It is to note that the attack in Algiers is linked to last week attacks in Morocco and the confrontations in the rest of North Africa and Somalia. 

Why Do They Hate Us? (CM)

Shelby Steele writes:

Islamic extremists don't hate the West because they are oppressed by it. They hate it precisely because the end of oppression and colonialism forced the Muslim world to compete with the West. Less oppression opened this world to the sense of defeat that turned into extremism. Islamic extremism is the saber-rattling of an inferiority complex. 

More here.

Syria Monitor [AV]

This week's Syria Monitor is now available. In it, Tony Badran, a Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, provides an update on the latest news affecting Syria's opposition and dissident movements.

This week's Syria Monitor reports on the regime's decision to place  travel bans on more Syrian dissidents, updates on the health of detained human rights activists, and the regime's efforts to silence dissidents.

You can sign up here to receive the Syria Monitor, which is sent out every Tuesday. You can track daily developments in Syria at the Syria Monitor blog. Previous Syria Monitors can be viewed here.

This week's Syria Monitor is now available. In it, Tony Badran, a Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, provides an update on the latest news affecting Syria's opposition and dissident movements.

This week's Syria Monitor reports on the regime's decision to place  travel bans on more Syrian dissidents, updates on the health of detained human rights activists, and the regime's efforts to silence dissidents.

You can sign up here to receive the Syria Monitor, which is sent out every Tuesday. You can track daily developments in Syria at the Syria Monitor blog. Previous Syria Monitors can be viewed here.

This week's Syria Monitor is now available. In it, Tony Badran, a Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, provides an update on the latest news affecting Syria's opposition and dissident movements.

This week's Syria Monitor reports on the regime's decision to place  travel bans on more Syrian dissidents, updates on the health of detained human rights activists, and the regime's efforts to silence dissidents.

You can sign up here to receive the Syria Monitor, which is sent out every Tuesday. You can track daily developments in Syria at the Syria Monitor blog. Previous Syria Monitors can be viewed here.

This week's Syria Monitor is now available. In it, Tony Badran, a Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, provides an update on the latest news affecting Syria's opposition and dissident movements.

This week's Syria Monitor reports on the regime's decision to place  travel bans on more Syrian dissidents, updates on the health of detained human rights activists, and the regime's efforts to silence dissidents.

You can sign up here to receive the Syria Monitor, which is sent out every Tuesday. You can track daily developments in Syria at the Syria Monitor blog. Previous Syria Monitors can be viewed here.

Syria Monitor [AV]

This week's Syria Monitor is now available. In it, Tony Badran, a Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, provides an update on the latest news affecting Syria's opposition and dissident movements.

This week's Syria Monitor reports on the regime's attempts to dismantle the Damascus Declaration coalition, its repeated raids of dissident meetings, and its attempts to impose travel bans on reformers. Also, included is a translation into English of an interview with reformist MP Ma'moun Homsi.

You can sign up here to receive the Syria Monitor, which is sent out every Tuesday. You can track daily developments in Syria at the Syria Monitor blog. Previous Syria Monitors can be viewed here.

This week's Syria Monitor is now available. In it, Tony Badran, a Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, provides an update on the latest news affecting Syria's opposition and dissident movements.

This week's Syria Monitor reports on the regime's attempts to dismantle the Damascus Declaration coalition, its repeated raids of dissident meetings, and its attempts to impose travel bans on reformers. Also, included is a translation into English of an interview with reformist MP Ma'moun Homsi.

You can sign up here to receive the Syria Monitor, which is sent out every Tuesday. You can track daily developments in Syria at the Syria Monitor blog. Previous Syria Monitors can be viewed here.

This week's Syria Monitor is now available. In it, Tony Badran, a Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, provides an update on the latest news affecting Syria's opposition and dissident movements.

This week's Syria Monitor reports on the regime's attempts to dismantle the Damascus Declaration coalition, its repeated raids of dissident meetings, and its attempts to impose travel bans on reformers. Also, included is a translation into English of an interview with reformist MP Ma'moun Homsi.

You can sign up here to receive the Syria Monitor, which is sent out every Tuesday. You can track daily developments in Syria at the Syria Monitor blog. Previous Syria Monitors can be viewed here.

Syria Monitor [AV]

This week's Syria Monitor is now available. In it, Tony Badran, a Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, provides an update on the latest news affecting Syria's opposition and dissident movements.

This week's Syria Monitor reports on the fallout from the National Salvation Front conference, including reactions from the Secretariat and news of member defections, updates on two writers being targeted by the Syrian regime, as well as news of a resolution to be considered by the European Parliament that would cancel the EU Association Agreement with Syria because of the regime's human rights abuses.

You can sign up here to receive the Syria Monitor, which is sent out every Tuesday. You can track daily developments in Syria at the Syria Monitor blog. Previous Syria Monitors can be viewed here.

This week's Syria Monitor is now available. In it, Tony Badran, a Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, provides an update on the latest news affecting Syria's opposition and dissident movements.

This week's Syria Monitor reports on the fallout from the National Salvation Front conference, including reactions from the Secretariat and news of member defections, updates on two writers being targeted by the Syrian regime, as well as news of a resolution to be considered by the European Parliament that would cancel the EU Association Agreement with Syria because of the regime's human rights abuses.

You can sign up here to receive the Syria Monitor, which is sent out every Tuesday. You can track daily developments in Syria at the Syria Monitor blog. Previous Syria Monitors can be viewed here.

Why Canada? (CM)

Leaders of Islamic terrorist groups, from Osama bin Laden to Shiekh Yassin (the “handicapped” and “elderly” founder of Hamas), universally agree that no government is legitimate unless it is Islamic.  Establishing an Islamic state is, in fact, what most unifies jihadists around the world.            

So why Canada?  Because it is not an Islamic state.

But the drive for an Islamic state is probably not enough of a salient motivator for foot soldiers, as it is still a somewhat intellectual ideal.  Hence the slanders.  Telling young Muslims that their non-Muslim neighbors are going halfway around the world to rape Muslim women strikes a raw nerve...

Joel Mowbray has more here.

The Syria Monitor

This week's Syria Monitor is now available. In it, Tony Badran, a Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, provides an update on the latest news affecting Syria's opposition and dissident movements.

This week's Syria Monitor includes reports of a hunger strike being planned by prisoners of conscience at Adra prison, state harassment of signatories of the Suwayda petition, as well as a recap of what happened at the National Salvation Front conference that was held in London over the weekend.

You can sign up here to receive the Syria Monitor, which is sent out every Tuesday. You can track daily developments in Syria at the Syria Monitor blog. Previous Syria Monitors can be viewed here.

This week's Syria Monitor is now available. In it, Tony Badran, a Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, provides an update on the latest news affecting Syria's opposition and dissident movements.

This week's Syria Monitor includes reports of a hunger strike being planned by prisoners of conscience at Adra prison, state harassment of signatories of the Suwayda petition, as well as a recap of what happened at the National Salvation Front conference that was held in London over the weekend.

You can sign up here to receive the Syria Monitor, which is sent out every Tuesday. You can track daily developments in Syria at the Syria Monitor blog. Previous Syria Monitors can be viewed here.

The Syria Monitor

This week's Syria Monitor is now available. In it, Tony Badran, a Research Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, provides an update on the latest news affecting Syria's opposition and dissident movements.

This week's Syria Monitor includes reports on rallies being organized in Paris, London and Beirut to demand the release of Syrian prisoners of conscience; more information on next week's National Salvation Front Conference, which will take place in London; an update on the deteriorating health condition of Anwar al-Bunni, who has been on a hunger strike since being arrested two weeks ago; as well as news on the continuing harassment of signatories of the Beirut-Damascus Declaration.

You can sign up here to receive the Syria Monitor, which is sent out every Tuesday. You can track daily developments in Syria at the Syria Monitor blog. Previous Syria Monitors can be viewed here.

The Syria Monitor

This week's Syria Monitor is now available.  This week's stories include, amongst others: Syrian security arrested prominent human rights lawyer and activist Anwar al-Bunni, as part of a large wave of arrests of several activists, including prominent political activist Michel Kilo, who was detained three days ago; and, the Committee for Syrian National Democratic Action in Europe called for a gathering in front of the Institut du Monde Arabe to protest the Syrian regime's crackdown on freedom of expression and to pressure the regime to free all political prisoners, abolish emergency laws in effect since 1963, and respect international human rights treaties.

Sign up for the Syria Monitor here.  View past issues here.

The Syria Monitor

Tony Badran, FDD's Research Fellow focusing on the Levant, has started a dedicated blog, the Syria Monitor to track news about the Syrian opposition, both inside and outside of Syria. In the last few weeks in particular, the Syrian regime has cracked down on opposition leaders, forbidding meetings of more than five people, arresting activists who traveled abroad,and charging them with crimes such as inciting foreign aggression against Syria which carry life sentences.

In the Syria Monitor, Tony Badran provides recent reports not only on the fate of Syria's political prisoners, but also on the opposition's activities, including alliances being formed, meetings and conferences, statements to the media, and advocacy efforts with government officials in the United States, Europe, Lebanon and Turkey. The Syria Monitor is updated 3 to 4 times a week.

In addition, subscribers can sign up to receive a weekly e-mail digest of the blog's post or read the digest on FDD's website.