לו היה מדובר באירוע חד פעמי - ניחא. אבל בצה"ל צריכים להיות מודאגים כי אם מחאת פייסבוק דוגמת "דוד הנחלאווי" תהפוך לתופעה שחוזרת על עצמה, המחיר עלול להיות כבד. על כאב הראש הביטחוני בעידן הדיגיטלי
From ynet - חדשות
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
לפני שתתפשט: לשים קץ למחאה הווירטואלית
לו היה מדובר באירוע חד פעמי - ניחא. אבל בצה"ל צריכים להיות מודאגים כי אם מחאת פייסבוק דוגמת "דוד הנחלאווי" תהפוך לתופעה שחוזרת על עצמה, המחיר עלול להיות כבד. על כאב הראש הביטחוני בעידן הדיגיטלי
From ynet - חדשות
Official: Los Angeles airport suspends take offs at request of FAA
The Los Angeles International Airport issued a "ground stop" on Wednesday suspending take offs at the request of the Federal Aviation Administration, an airport spokeswoman said.
The ground stop, which began at around 2 p.m. local time, does not affect incoming flights, said spokeswoman Amanda Parsons, who could not immediately provide the reason for the action. An FAA spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.
From JPost.com - Headlines
The ground stop, which began at around 2 p.m. local time, does not affect incoming flights, said spokeswoman Amanda Parsons, who could not immediately provide the reason for the action. An FAA spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Mad Magazine Editor Al Feldstein Dies at 88
Al Feldstein, who edited the iconic American humor publication Mad magazine for 28 years, has died at the age of 88, the AP reports. Best known for his depiction of Mad’s freckly mascot Alfred E. Neuman, Feldstein began at Mad in 1956, four years after the magazine was founded.
Together with publisher William M. Gaines, Feldstein oversaw Mad’s most successful years, and the artists and writers they recruited to the magazine came up with some of its best known and beloved features, such as “Spy vs. Spy,” “The Lighter Side of…” and “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions.”
Continue reading "Mad Magazine Editor Al Feldstein Dies at 88" at...
From Tablet Magazine
Dow Closes At A Record High, Erases Loss For Year
The Dow Jones industrial average is closing at an all-time high. A gain of 45 points Wednesday left the Dow at 16,580, four points above the record high it set on Dec. 31. The Dow hadn’t been in the black for 2014 until today. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index increased five points, or 0.3 […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Advocates: NYC Municipal ID Would Help Immigrants
Advocates for immigrants say a proposed New York City municipal ID card will help ensure that all New Yorkers can obtain crucial city services. Backers of the proposed ID card said Wednesday that non-drivers, transgender people and others also will benefit from the city-issued ID card. Wednesday’s hearing before the immigration committee of the City […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
VIDEOS: Minister Ben-Dahan: Jews Will Daven on Har Habayis
[VIDEOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] Deputy Minister of Religious Services Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan feels that anyone whose rav permits visiting Har Habayis can and should do so to daven on the holy site. The deputy minister explains his ministry is preparing regulations that will permit everyone to daven on Har Habayis and he is hopeful that […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
ראש אכ"א לשעבר: צה"ל צריך לשקול את המדיניות לגבי מותר ואסור בפייסבוק
מה שהחל כעוד תקרית שנויה במחלוקת של לוחם צה"ל בשטחים, הפך למחאת רשת חסרת תקדים נגד צה"ל. עשרות אלפים הצטרפו לקבוצת "גם אני עם דוד הנחלאווי" והצבא מצא את עצמו מתמודד עם משבר מסוג חדש. גורם בצבא: "לא ניתן לשלוט על זה. זה בור ללא תחתית"
From ynet - חדשות
Israel returns remains of Hamas militants killed in 1998
RAMALLAH: More than 1,000 people gathered in the West Bank city of Ramallah Wednesday for the funerals of two Hamas militants Israel killed in 1998, whose remains had just been returned.
From Israel News
Israel: Gasoline Price Hike at Midnight on Thursday
Israelis face an additional price hike which goes into effect on Wednesday night to Thursday at midnight, 2 Rosh Chodesh Iyar 5774. A liter of 95 octane gas at a self service pump will increase by seven agorot to 7.57 shekels, which is the equivalent of $8.75/US gallon [based on the Bank of Israel closing […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Forgotten Temple Mural Found in Vermont Carpet Store
In 1910, Lithuanian artist Ben Zion Black painted an extravagant floor-to-ceiling mural in the Chai Adam synagogue in Burlington, Vermont. The building was eventually converted into apartment units and much of the painting was destroyed during renovations. Now, a century later, the Burlington Jewish community is determined to preserve the artwork, which may be the only surviving example of a long tradition of Jewish art that was almost entirely obliterated during the Holocaust.
Burlington native Aaron Goldberg first spotted the Lost Shul Mural—as the Vermont masterpiece has been nicknamed—in the 1970s on the back wall of a carpet store that had once been a synagogue. Goldberg’s family was among the mostly Lithuanian Jewish immigrants who settled in the area in the late 1800s. In a new NPR story, Goldberg recalls admiring the painting as a child: the rays of sunlight, a crown hovering above a tablet with the Ten Commandments, and a throne supported by two lions of Judah.
Continue reading "Forgotten Temple Mural Found in Vermont Carpet Store" at...
From Tablet Magazine
Head of the Jewish Community of Ukraine: Putin wants to control Ukraine
In an interview with Tablet magazine, the chairman of the Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities of Ukraine (The Vaad of Ukraine), Josef Zissels, spoke out against Russian intentions for Ukraine and defended his support for the Ukrainian revolution despite charges that anti-Semitic elements have gained political power as a result. “Russia doesn’t want to […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Over 1M Thermostats Recalled for Fire Risk
More than 1 million thermostats are being recalled because the batteries can leak and cause a fire. The thermostats are made by White-Rodgers, but some have different brand names printed on the front, including ComfortSentry, DICO, Emerson, Frigidaire, Maytag, Nutone, Partners Choice, Rheem, Ruud, Unico, Water Furnace, Westinghouse and Zonefirst. There have been seven reports […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
אינטל וקריית גת – שיתוף הפעולה נמשך: "לתת זכות ראשונים לצעירי הדרום"
בעיר הדרומית קיבלו בברכה את הודעת ענקית הטכנולוגיה על השקעת 6 מיליארד דולר בשדרוג המפעל, אך ציינו כי מרבית העובדים אינם תושבי העיר, פרט לעובדי קבלן. "הם צריכים להשקיע באוכלוסיה יותר מבעבר", אמר מזכיר איגוד מקצועי בהסתדרות. ראש העיר: "זאת הבעת אמון"
From ynet - חדשות
Deal inked to build thousands of homes in suburb of Haifa
The Finance and Housing ministries signed an umbrella agreement with Kiryat Bialik, north of Haifa, to fasttrack construction of 7,253 housing units and double the bayside suburb’s population.
Umbrella agreements are one prong of the strategy to bring down the cost of housing, which has soared in recent years. It provides local authorities upfront funding for building infrastructure for new houses, a process that often slows the process of getting homes on the market.
The latest agreement brings the total number of units planned through umbrella agreements to 42,000.
A RECENT front page of the veteran ‘Ma’ariv’ daily. (Ma’ariv
From JPost.com - Headlines
Umbrella agreements are one prong of the strategy to bring down the cost of housing, which has soared in recent years. It provides local authorities upfront funding for building infrastructure for new houses, a process that often slows the process of getting homes on the market.
The latest agreement brings the total number of units planned through umbrella agreements to 42,000.
A RECENT front page of the veteran ‘Ma’ariv’ daily. (Ma’ariv
From JPost.com - Headlines
UN aid chief suggests stronger action needed on Syria
The United Nations' aid chief Valerie Amos signaled to the Security Council on Wednesday that it needed to take stronger action to gain greater aid access in Syria, but France said opposition by Russia to any robust moves created the "sad impression of a dead end."
Amos said the violence and humanitarian situation in Syria, ravaged by a civil war now in its fourth year, had only worsened since the council adopted a resolution two months ago that demanded safe and unhindered aid access, including across borders.
More than 150,000 people have been killed in Syria's three-year-old civil war. Some 2.5 million people have fled abroad and 9 million people inside the country need help, including nearly 3.5 million who have no access to essential goods and services.
"Far from getting better, the situation is getting worse," Amos said after briefing the 15-member council behind closed doors. "It's absolutely horrific what's happening day by day. Children, women, men are being directly targeted."
"The Security Council, in previous situations when we have seen this, have come together around humanitarian issues and have passed robust Security Council resolutions," she said.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Amos said the violence and humanitarian situation in Syria, ravaged by a civil war now in its fourth year, had only worsened since the council adopted a resolution two months ago that demanded safe and unhindered aid access, including across borders.
More than 150,000 people have been killed in Syria's three-year-old civil war. Some 2.5 million people have fled abroad and 9 million people inside the country need help, including nearly 3.5 million who have no access to essential goods and services.
"Far from getting better, the situation is getting worse," Amos said after briefing the 15-member council behind closed doors. "It's absolutely horrific what's happening day by day. Children, women, men are being directly targeted."
"The Security Council, in previous situations when we have seen this, have come together around humanitarian issues and have passed robust Security Council resolutions," she said.
From JPost.com - Headlines
פתרון למצוקת הדיור: בתים מאופניים נטושים
ונצואלה הבטיחה לבנות מאות אלפי דירות למשפחות עם הכנסה נמוכה. איך תתמודד עם החוסר במתכות? תרסק אלפי מכוניות, אופנועים ואופניים עזובים
From ynet - חדשות
פצצה במסלול, חיות במטוס: הנמל הכי מבולגן
סורקים שלא מזהים חומרי נפץ, דרכונים בכתב יד, מחשבים לא בשימוש וגישה חופשית למסועי המזוודות. ברוכים הבאים לנמה"ת שמומחים מגדירים "סיוט"
From ynet - חדשות
Netanyahu: We'll use Shin Bet to catch 'price taggers'
Lapid, Netanyahu visit Arab town targeted in latest price tag attack, slam attacks; Lapid: They aren't patriots or Zionists, they are only criminals.
From ynet - News
Moving and shaking - The Jewish Journal of Greater L.A.
The Jewish Journal of Greater L.A. | Moving and shaking The Jewish Journal of Greater L.A. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti emphasized during an April 23 lecture at the University of Southern California (USC) that he hopes the Jewish community will continue to play a role in bettering this city. “What is our destiny, and what is our purpose ... |
From Jewish - Google News
Yes, Spider-Man Is Jewish. But Not for the Reasons You Think. - Slate Magazine
Slate Magazine | Yes, Spider-Man Is Jewish. But Not for the Reasons You Think. Slate Magazine Earlier this month, Andrew Garfield, star of Amazing Spider-Man 2, told Time Out that Spider-Man is Jewish. “He 'ums' and 'ahs' about his future because he's neurotic. He's Jewish. It's a defining feature,” Garfield explained, quickly adding, “I hope ... |
From Jewish - Google News
US brings sanctions down on Putin's judo partner
MOSCOW - Fortune has smiled on judo coach Arkady Rotenberg, bringing his businesses Google-like growth and a key role in staging the Winter Olympics. It has now brought down on him the wrath of the United States government.
Rotenberg says his success has nothing to do with personal favours from his childhood sparring partner, Vladimir Putin, and has denounced this week's Ukraine-linked sanctions on his companies as an affront to the spirit of free enterprise.
Following personal US visa bans and asset freezes imposed on Rotenberg and his younger brother Boris last month, the new measures against pipeline construction firm Stroygazmontazh (SGM) and banks SMP and Investcapitalbank have, if nothing else, thrust the media-shy sportsman into the spotlight.
SGM, 51-percent owned by Arkady Rotenberg, 62, saw revenues grow by a factor of nearly 50 after its creation in 2008 from several units sold by Gazprom. In four years, working for the state-run energy giant and others, it had laid 11,600 km (7,200 miles) of pipeline - enough to reach all the way from his and Putin's native St. Petersburg to the Pacific. And back.
From JPost.com - Headlines
White House: Oklahoma Execution Not Done Humanely
The White House says a botched execution of a death row inmate in Oklahoma fell short of the humane standards required when the death penalty is carried out. Officials halted Clayton Lockett’s execution Tuesday when he convulsed violently and tried to lift his head after a doctor declared him unconscious. He later died of an […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
The Middle East Is Awesome, And Here Are The Pictures That Prove It - Seeking Alpha
The Middle East Is Awesome, And Here Are The Pictures That Prove It Seeking Alpha Why is no one talking about the WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund (GULF)? I thought we were all starved for yield and desperate for good growth at a fair price? This was the last Focus article. It was published almost a year ago. I disagree with ... Bonuses increase in the Middle East, but bankers leaving regardless |
From Middle East - Google News
Cubic wins $4.2M follow-on order with Middle East customer - Orlando Business Journal
Cubic wins $4.2M follow-on order with Middle East customer Orlando Business Journal Cubic Corp. has won an additional $4.2 million follow-on order with an existing Middle East client. Work on the contract will be handled by the company's simulation system division in Orlando. The original contract was announced in August 2011 ... |
From Middle East - Google News
East Ramapo Tries to Heal Rifts Over School Cuts
Yesterday, a Latino pastor, a Haitian reverend, and a lot of Hasidic rabbis walked into a room in Monsey, the ultra-Orthodox enclave outside New York City. Inside were residents and elected officials of East Ramapo, the divided district where ultra-Orthodox Jews and Haitian immigrants, many of them refugees from the 2010 earthquake, have been battling over control of the local schools and, more importantly, of the money to fund them.
They were there to mark the launch of a new initiative, Community United for Formula Change, that would change the way Albany allocates money to districts like East Ramapo’s, where almost two-thirds of children—22,000 of them, mostly Jewish students sent to yeshivas—are enrolled in private schools, while the public schools serve 8,000 predominantly minority children. Parents of children who attend the public schools have accused ultra-Orthodox members of the school board of gutting the district’s programs. But those gathered yesterday said the problem is more basic than that: They simply aren’t getting enough money from the state.
Continue reading "East Ramapo Tries to Heal Rifts Over School Cuts" at...
From Tablet Magazine
Israel Railways Ends Discrimination Against Talmidei Yeshivos
Good news for talmidei yeshivos in southern Israel traveling on Israel Railways. As a result of the actions of MK (Bayit Yehudi) Zevulun Kalfa and MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Rav Moshe Gafne, the discriminatory policy that existed was eliminated, to the benefit of bnei yeshivos. The official announcement was made by the director-general of the Ministry […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Russia Evokes Nazi Horrors to Bash Ukraine
Moscow calls the detention center under construction near the Russian border a “fascist concentration camp.” Inside the barbed-wire fences, the reality appears less ominous: It’s an EU-funded project to hold asylum seekers and illegal immigrants, similar to other such detention centers across Europe. The accusation is one of the more outlandish in a relentless Kremlin-driven […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Oprah Winfrey in talks with Geffen, Ellison for possible Clippers bid
Talk show host turned entertainment mogul Oprah Winfrey is in talks with billionaire media executive David Geffen and Oracle Corp CEO Larry Ellison to make a bid to buy the Los Angeles Clippers should the team become available, her spokeswoman said On Wednesday.
The statement from Winfrey came a day after the National Basketball Association imposed a lifetime ban against Clippers owner Donald Sterling for racist remarks attributed to him and moved to force him to sell his team.
From JPost.com - Headlines
The statement from Winfrey came a day after the National Basketball Association imposed a lifetime ban against Clippers owner Donald Sterling for racist remarks attributed to him and moved to force him to sell his team.
From JPost.com - Headlines
NY Proposes New Court Rules For Debt Collectors
New York’s chief judge has proposed reforming consumer debt cases in state courts with new filing requirements for collectors of so-called “zombie” debts. Judge Jonathan Lippman says many debtors discover they’ve been sued only when their bank accounts are frozen or their wages garnished. While most have no lawyer, many are confused about old, often […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
אחרי שנפרד מזוגתו: הולנד נעזב ע"י המאהבת
נשיא צרפת נשאר קרח מכאן ומכאן: ארבעה חודשים אחרי שעזב את הגברת הראשונה בעקבות הרומן החשאי עם ז'ולי גאייה, שחקנית הקולנוע נפרדה ממנו
From ynet - חדשות
China president urges "decisive actions" after Xinjiang terrorist attack
BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "decisive actions" against "terrorists" after an attack at a train station in the restive far western region of Xinjiang killed three people, state news agency Xinhua said on Thursday.
"The battle to combat violence and terrorism will not allow even a moment of slackness, and decisive actions must be taken to resolutely suppress the terrorists' rampant momentum," it quoted Xi as saying.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Autopsy Underway After Botched Okla. Execution
Oklahoma officials were conducting an autopsy Wednesday on an inmate who writhed, clenched his teeth and appeared to struggle before prison officials halted an execution in which the state was using a new drug combination for the first time. The man later died of an apparent heart attack. The autopsy on 38-year-old Clayton Lockett will […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
דגלון על קבר חלל המשטרה: "פצע טרי"
המפכ"ל דנינו ובנו של נצ"מ ברוך מזרחי, שנרצח בפיגוע בליל הסדר, הניחו דגלון על קברו. בת"א ערכו טקס לחללי הטרור: "לא ניתן להם לנצח"
From ynet - חדשות
56,730 לייקים: "גם אני עם דוד הנחלאווי"
קבוצת התמיכה בפייסבוק בלוחם הנח"ל שהודח הולכת וגדלה, במה שהופך לאחד מהמחאות הגדולות בתולדות צה"ל. בצבא מדגישים כי החייל לא הודח בשל התקרית שבה דרך נשק לעבר פלסטינים, אך נראה כי עבור תומכיו זה כבר לא משנה. דובר צה"ל: פייסבוק? כל חייל מוזמן לדבר עם מפקדיו
From ynet - חדשות
עונת הרחצה נפתחת: "המים פה על הכיפאק"
מושון ברקוביץ' הוא מציל מאז שנות ה-70', ולדעתו צריך להפעיל את החופים גם בחורף. על המחסור במצילים: "מי שחושב שהוא מתאים - תפאדל"
From ynet - חדשות
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Kerry Expresses Regret After Apartheid Remark - New York Times
Kerry Expresses Regret After Apartheid Remark New York Times Speaking to a closed-door meeting of the Trilateral Commission last week, Mr. Kerry said that if a Middle East peace agreement was not achieved, Israel risked becoming an “apartheid state,” according to an article in The Daily Beast, an online publication. |
From Middle East - Google News
VIDEO: Alleged chlorine gas attacks in Syria
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has announced it will launch an investigation into alleged chlorine gas attacks in Syria.
From BBC News - Middle East
From BBC News - Middle East
EU says Egypt mass death sentences in breach of international law
BRUSSELS - The European Union's foreign policy chief said on Tuesday Egypt's sentencing of 683 people to death breached international law and urged Cairo authorities to ensure defendants' rights to a fair and timely trial.
An Egyptian court sentenced the leader of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and 682 supporters to death on Monday, intensifying a crackdown on the movement that could trigger protests and political violence before an election next month.
The defendants were charged with crimes including inciting violence following the army overthrow of elected leader Mohamed Mursi, a senior Brotherhood member, in July after mass protests against his rule.
"These mass trials are clearly in breach of international human rights law," the EU's Catherine Ashton said in a statement.
"The exact charges against each defendant remain unclear, the proceedings lack the most basic standards of due process and the verdicts appear grossly disproportionate, failing short of complying with the principle of individual sentencing," she said.
Ashton said the EU was concerned about Egypt's compliance with its international human rights obligations, as well as "the seriousness of Egypt's transition towards democracy."
"The EU calls on the Egyptian authorities to immediately reverse this trend which jeopardizes any prospects for overcoming divisions within society and to ensure progress towards a truly democratic, stable and prosperous Egypt," she said.
From JPost.com - Headlines
An Egyptian court sentenced the leader of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and 682 supporters to death on Monday, intensifying a crackdown on the movement that could trigger protests and political violence before an election next month.
The defendants were charged with crimes including inciting violence following the army overthrow of elected leader Mohamed Mursi, a senior Brotherhood member, in July after mass protests against his rule.
"These mass trials are clearly in breach of international human rights law," the EU's Catherine Ashton said in a statement.
"The exact charges against each defendant remain unclear, the proceedings lack the most basic standards of due process and the verdicts appear grossly disproportionate, failing short of complying with the principle of individual sentencing," she said.
Ashton said the EU was concerned about Egypt's compliance with its international human rights obligations, as well as "the seriousness of Egypt's transition towards democracy."
"The EU calls on the Egyptian authorities to immediately reverse this trend which jeopardizes any prospects for overcoming divisions within society and to ensure progress towards a truly democratic, stable and prosperous Egypt," she said.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Kerry Says US Wants Egyptian Democracy To Succeed While It Addresses ‘Disturbing’ Developments
Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday that Egypt has made progress in its democratic transition but must address “disturbing” developments if its government is to have the confidence of the Egyptian people and others. The comments came as a key lawmaker said he wouldn’t allow the release of any U.S. aid to Egypt until […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
As talks' deadline expires, Bennett declares Oslo era over
Economy minister calls for strengthening Palestinian autonomy, extending Israeli law to settlements in West Bank.
From ynet - News
Dubai jails Scorpions drummer Kottak
The US drummer for the German rock band Scorpions has been sentenced to one month in jail in Dubai for offensive behaviour, local media say.
From BBC News - Middle East
From BBC News - Middle East
EU Feels Hamas/Fatah Agreement is Essential to Peace
While Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has announced Israel views the agreement between Hamas and Fatah as a cutting of ties with Israel by the latter, the European Union has a slightly different view. EU Ambassador to Israel Lars Faaborg-Andersen announced on Tuesday, 29 Nissan to Walla News that the agreement is actual an essential to […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
בנט בתום 9 חודשי המו"מ: "צריך ללמוד לחיות עם הסכסוך, אבל לא להיכנס לדיכאון"
עם סיום התקופה שהוקצבה לשיחות אמר שר הכלכלה כי "עידן אוסלו תם ואנחנו נכנסים לעידן ריאלי יותר". לדבריו, "אין פתרון מושלם. צריך לחזק את האוטונומיה הפלסטינית כי אין לי רצון לשלוט בהם. שיעשו מה שהם רוצים". ראש צוות המו"מ הפלסטיני: "ישראל בחרה בהתנחלויות ובאפרטהייד"
From ynet - חדשות
Mr. President, Leave the Strawman in Manila
President Barack Obama's defensive remarks yesterday in Manila trying to explain his foreign policy strategy have garnered substantial headlines. His refusal to describe any strategic principles and priorities was notable, as was this lament:
Typically, criticism of our foreign policy has been directed at the failure to use military force ... why is it that everybody is so eager to use military force after we've just gone through a decade of war at enormous costs to our troops and to our budget? ... Frankly, most of the foreign policy commentators that have questioned our policies would go headlong into a bunch of military adventures that the American people had no interest in participating in and would not advance our core security interests.
The president's comments were revealing of how he perceives himself and his approach to national security. Part of that self-image depends on a continuing caricature of his predecessor, George W. Bush. As a partisan matter this is not surprising, given that a big part of then-Senator Obama's campaign success in 2008 came from his critique of the Bush foreign policy. However, now that Obama is well into his second term, it is evident to just about everyone except those willfully trapped in the White House bubble that the sell-by date of strawman expired long ago.
For those willing to take a closer, more objective look, the Obama foreign policy has actually been more militarized than the president acknowledges, while the Bush foreign policy was much less militarized than the current White House caricatures of it. Yesterday I gave a lecture on the recent decades of American foreign policy, and I began by asking the audience these two questions:
First, which American president did all of the following?
- Launched a war without Congressional authorization against a Middle Eastern dictator accused of WMD possession and tyrannizing his own people, then failed to plan for post-conflict reconstruction while terrorists proliferated and the country fell into chaos;
- engaged in unilateral use of force and targeted killings without U.N. sanction against suspected terrorists, including American citizens;
- made extraordinary claims for executive power as commander-in-chief;
- called for the spread of democracy in the Middle East;
- kept terrorist suspects detained at Guantanamo Bay.
The answer is President Obama.
Second, which American president did all of the following?
- Resisted strong appeals to attack Syria over its WMD program;
- refused to attack Iran over its nuclear program, while instead pursuing multilateral negotiations and a diplomatic settlement;
- refused to attack North Korea over its nuclear program, while instead pursuing multilateral negotiations and a diplomatic settlement;
- worked to close Guantanamo Bay;
- signed an agreement with the government of Iraq for the withdrawal of all U.S. forces.
The answer is President George W. Bush.
Lest the above be misconstrued, of course many of the bullet points that I ascribe to one administration could easily be applied to the other. Obama has also refused to use force on many occasions, and Bush invaded Iraq and pursued an aggressive counterterrorism policy. My point is simply that caricatures depend on cherry-picking a few data points, rather than doing the harder work of evaluating the full range of an Administration's policies. Obama no doubt hopes that today's pundits and tomorrow's scholars will take such a fair and comprehensive approach in studying his administration. It would help if he would do the same for his predecessor.
The president's larger reluctance to articulate a doctrine or set of principles guiding his foreign policy is understandable on one level, as such doctrines can be overrated and unduly confining. But in the case of this administration, I continue to worry that it reflects a continuing approach to national security policy that is reactive, ad hoc, and unduly shaped by domestic political concerns. I have suggested before that the search for an "Obama Doctrine" is futile since Obama himself has not devoted sufficient attention to foreign policy to develop one. His dismissive response to the press query is perhaps an inadvertent confirmation of this theory. Hopefully the Administration's forthcoming National Security Strategy will help answer some of these questions.
There is one other irony in the president's lament yesterday about the criticisms of his foreign policy. Contrary to his caricature, his administration's main failing has not been the refusal to employ American military force, but rather a failure of diplomacy. Effective diplomacy includes the full spectrum of tools ranging from personal relationships with foreign leaders, to making credible commitments with allies and adversaries, to robust economic measures (including the carrots of free trade agreements and the sticks of sanctions), to security assistance that does not involve American forces. A common denominator across the range of challenges facing this White House -- including Syria, Ukraine, Iran, and Asia -- has been the insufficient use of robust diplomacy. Addressing that deficit would be a good start in redeeming the final two and a half years of the administration.
From Shadow Government
House Debates Bipartisan Fix to Health Law
The House is moving toward approval of bipartisan legislation that would exempt U.S. health plans sold to expatriate workers from having to comply with mandates under the Affordable Care Act. The measure debated Tuesday is aimed at helping U.S. insurance companies that compete overseas with foreign firms that do not have to comply with patient […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Donald Sterling Is a Blight on Jews' History in Basketball - The New Republic
DigitalJournal.com | Donald Sterling Is a Blight on Jews' History in Basketball The New Republic It's sad for all the obvious reasons, but it's also sad because basketball and the National Basketball Association have historically been a concentrated locus of Jewish-black exchange, and even solidarity. Due to patterns of racial acceptance in the ... Ethiopian-Israeli lawmaker slams Sterling in letter to NBA's Silver Donald Sterling: Blacks 'treated like dogs' in Israel Coalition Chair's Letter of Praise for 100 Shofars Protest in NYC |
From Jewish - Google News
גט מ-USA: האמריקנים שמוותרים על אזרחות
בשעה שישראלים רבים חולמים להשיג דרכון אמריקני, יש אמריקנים רבים, בהם הזמרת טינה טרנר, שדווקא מוותרים על אזרחותם מסיבות פוליטיות ואישיות, אך בעיקר כלכליות - לא רוצים לשלם מסים על חשבונותיהם בחו"ל
From ynet - חדשות
Immigrant absorption center in jeopardy
400 families of Ethiopian olim fear for their future following publication of 'invitation to receive purchase offers' on property in Jerusalem suburb of Mevasseret Zion.
From ynet - News
Donald Sterling: Blacks 'treated like dogs' in Israel - DigitalJournal.com
DigitalJournal.com | Donald Sterling: Blacks 'treated like dogs' in Israel DigitalJournal.com By Brett Wilkins. 9 hours ago in Sports · Brett Wilkins. Share. In a newly-released audiotape of Donald Sterling's racist commentary, the disgraced Los Angeles Clippers owner attempts to justify his bigotry by claiming black Jews in Israel are "treated ... How to lie about Israel, Part Two: The Hard Left Terra Incognita: Why is immigration so divisive? The Celebrate Parade and the 'Boycott Israel Fund' |
From israel news - Google News
Kerry draws fire for reported comment about 'apartheid' and Israel - Los Angeles Times
Kerry draws fire for reported comment about 'apartheid' and Israel Los Angeles Times Secretary of State John F. Kerry was denounced by supporters of both Israel and the Palestinians on Monday for reportedly saying that Israel could become an “apartheid” nation if it does not reach a peace deal to create a separate Palestinian state. |
From israel news - Google News
10 things: More than two dozen dead in severe storms in US
Tornadoes, flash floods, hail and thunderstorms rampage through the Midwest and South, leaving behind a wide swath of destruction and death.
From Israel News
Canadian aid group accused of helping Hamas branded as 'terrorist'
A Canadian organization that provided humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza has been formally branded a terrorist group before the start of a court battle over the revocation of its charitable status.
From Israel News
Chareidi Hikers Rescued After Losing Their Way
After losing communications with a group of chareidi hikers in Nachal Dargah, the Ein Gedi search & rescue team dispatched 20 volunteers to begin looking for the hikers. The group numbered 31 people and after they lost touch, the search & rescue officials began fearing something may have occurred. A command center was established on […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
הארי נפרד מחברתו: "הייתה תלותית מדי"
הטבעת נפלה: מקור שמקורב לנסיך הבריטי אישר למגזין האמריקני "פיפל" שהוא פירק את החבילה עם בת זוגו קרסידה בונאס. "זה פשוט לא עבד"
From ynet - חדשות
Putin sees no need for counter sanctions against West
President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia saw no need for counter sanctions against the West, but could reconsider the participation of Western companies in its economy, including energy projects, if sanctions continued.
"We would very much wish not to resort to any measures in response. I hope we won't get to that point" he told reporters after meeting leaders of Belarus and Kazakhstan. "But if something like that continues, we will of course have to think about who is working in the key sectors of the Russian economy, including the energy sector, and how."
The United States on Monday unveiled a new round of sanctions aimed at business leaders and companies close to Putin, while the European Union followed up on Tuesday by naming 15 Russians and Ukrainians to its blacklist, moving to freeze assets and deny visas.
From JPost.com - Headlines
"We would very much wish not to resort to any measures in response. I hope we won't get to that point" he told reporters after meeting leaders of Belarus and Kazakhstan. "But if something like that continues, we will of course have to think about who is working in the key sectors of the Russian economy, including the energy sector, and how."
The United States on Monday unveiled a new round of sanctions aimed at business leaders and companies close to Putin, while the European Union followed up on Tuesday by naming 15 Russians and Ukrainians to its blacklist, moving to freeze assets and deny visas.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Quick Screening Extended to International Airlines
The Transportation Security Administration is expanding its PreCheck expedited screening program to passengers on international airlines. Air Canada on Tuesday became the first international carrier to participate, with TSA officials saying other foreign airlines would soon sign on. Airlines need to first update their computer systems to embed extra information in their boarding pass barcodes […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Saudis parade nuclear missiles for the first time in defiance of US-Iranian nuclear accord
Saudi Arabia exhibited its nuclear-capable missiles for the first time Tuesday, April 29 in a military parade ending a large-scale war game. Displayed was the liquid propellant DF-3 ballistic missile (NATO designated CSS-2), purchased from China 27 years ago. This missile has a range of 2,650 km, carries a payload of 2,150 kg and a single nuclear warhead with a 1-3 MT yield. By showing off the DF-3, Riyadh was displaying its readiness for use in a potential war with Iran and its non-reliance any longer on a US nuclear shield.
From DEBKAFile
Senior Hamas official: Palestinian deal will not make Hamas change
Abbas' claim that unity government will recognize Israel is 'hollow gesture', says Mahmoud Al-Zahar, adding that unity deal won't change Gaza status quo.
From ynet - News
Sterling banned for life by the NBA
League commissioner fines Jewish owner of LA Clippers $2.5 million, says 'his views have no place in the NBA.'
From ynet - News
Possible Sabotage to Jerusalem Gas Line
The fire department was summoned to Jerusalem’s King David Street during the night between Monday and Tuesday, 29 Nissan 5774. Residents reported a very strong odor of gas. When firefighters arrived they discovered the leak was in the area of the connection of the main gas line to the underground gas tank. Firemen felt the […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
It's hotter than hot - Stuff.co.nz
Stuff.co.nz | It's hotter than hot Stuff.co.nz It used to take some serious effort to get to the Middle East, and some serious guts. This was a part of the world that intimidated people. Now, however, things have changed. Thanks to the boom in Middle Eastern air carriers, the likes of Emirates ... |
From Middle East - Google News
Rav Chaim’s Bracha and Mom Awakened After Birth
Miriam and her husband were anxiously awaiting the birth of their first born son. During delivery things took a turn for the worse and Miriam had CPR performed on her three times. She awakened a number of days ago and doctors are calling her recovery a medical miracle. For Miriam and her husband it was […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Donald Sterling Banned From NBA For Life
Donald Sterling, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, has been banned from the National Basketball Association for life. “Effective immediately, I am banning Mr. Sterling for life with any association with the Clippers or the NBA,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said this afternoon at a press conference, where he confirmed that a leaked recording of Sterling allegedly making racist remarks was authentic. Silver also announced that he would encourage the NBA Board of Governors to force a sale of the team, which Sterling has owned since 1981.
Sterling was a figure likely known only to basketball fans before this weekend, when TMZ leaked an audio recording of the octogenarian millionaire allegedly telling his girlfriend V. Stiviano not to bring black people to Clippers games and chastising her for posing with Magic Johnson in pictures posted on Instagram. The backlash was severe and immediate, with everyone from the ADL to President Obama condemning Sterling’s comments.
Continue reading "Donald Sterling Banned From NBA For Life" at...
From Tablet Magazine
לבנון חוגגת: "קלוני התארס לאחת משלנו"
נשים רבות ניסו לכבוש את לב הכוכב האמריקני, אבל רק פעילת זכויות אדם מלבנון קיבלה טבעת. סבתהּ לא ידעה מיהו קלוני ותהתה למה נכדתה לא מתחתנת עם דרוזי כמוה, אך שמחה בשמחתה: "שאללה יגרום לה להצליח"
From ynet - חדשות
תעודת הצטיינות לקצין שנהרג מאש כוחותינו
סרן טל נחמן נהרג בפברואר מירי בשוגג בעוטף עזה. מפקד פיקוד דרום העניק את התעודה למשפחתו של הקצין. אחיו: "הוא אפילו לא ידע שהמליצו עליו"
From ynet - חדשות
Mass protest against 'price tag' in northern Arab town
Residents of Fureidis and Zikhron Ya'akov demonstrate against 'price tag' attack on local mosque, vehicles.
From ynet - News
VIDEO: Is two-state solution beyond reach?
A US deadline for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians has passed without any agreement being reached. Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen reports from Jerusalem.
From BBC News - Middle East
From BBC News - Middle East
Kerry backs off Israel 'apartheid' remark
In a statement released by the State Department Monday, Kerry lashed out against "partisan political" attacks against him, but acknowledged his comments last week to a closed international forum could have been misinterpreted.
From Israel News
Cop Threatens to ‘Smash the Skulls of the Yeshiva Students’
On the morning of Holocaust Remembrance Day 2014, two teachers from Yeshivas Ohr Elchanan were questioned by Beit Shean area police for making a barbeque with students near an IDF/Holocaust memorial in the Yarden Park area. Police felt the actions of the teachers, who were leading some 100 students, was an affront to the solemn […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Latest Round of Middle East Peace Talks Fail
Today marks the deadline set in July by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for Israeli and Palestinian leadership to achieve a “final status agreement,” which means that another round of peace negotiations has ended unsuccessfully.
There’s been a series of less-than-inspiring developments in recent weeks, from last week’s unity deal between Hamas and the PLO, which ended a seven-year rift between the two Palestinian factions and essentially guaranteed to bring negotiations to a standstill, to the news that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved 13,000 new settlement units during the duration of the talks. This week Kerry also came under fire this week for warning that Israel risked becoming “an apartheid state” without a solid peace deal.
Continue reading "Latest Round of Middle East Peace Talks Fail" at...
From Tablet Magazine
Kerry says NATO territory inviolable - 'We will defend every inch'
US Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russia on Tuesday that NATO territory was inviolable and the alliance would defend every inch (cm) of it.
"Today Russia seeks to change the security landscape of Eastern and Central Europe," Kerry said in a speech in Washington.
"We have to make it absolutely clear to the Kremlin that NATO territory is inviolable we will defend every single inch of it."
From JPost.com - Headlines
"Today Russia seeks to change the security landscape of Eastern and Central Europe," Kerry said in a speech in Washington.
"We have to make it absolutely clear to the Kremlin that NATO territory is inviolable we will defend every single inch of it."
From JPost.com - Headlines
Gunmen storm Libyan parliament, stop lawmakers' vote on next PM
Gunmen stormed Libya's parliament on Tuesday and opened fire, forcing lawmakers to abandon a vote on the next prime minister, witnesses said.
Parliament spokesman Omar Hmeidan said several people were wounded in the shooting by the gunmen, who were linked to one of the defeated candidates for prime minister. He gave no name.
Lawmakers fled from the building, witnesses said. The incident ended quickly but the vote was postponed until next week.
The government has been unable to control armed groups and Islamists who helped oust Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 but refuse to disarm and have carved out regional fiefdoms. Militias have repeatedly attacked the interim General National Congress (GNC) to make political or financial demands.
Hmeidan said deputies had started the final vote on a replacement for Premier Abdullah al-Thinni, who resigned two weeks ago saying that gunmen had attacked his family.
In the first ballot, businessman Ahmed Maiteeq came out on top among seven candidates. A second round between Maiteeq and the runner-up Omar al-Hasi had been meant to take place when the gunmen burst into the assembly.
Thinni had resigned just one month after his election, replacing Ali Zeidan, who was fired by deputies over attempts by rebels in the volatile east to sell oil independently.
Deadlock
The assembly is deadlocked between Islamists, tribes and nationalists, compounding a sense of chaos as Libya's fledgling army tries to assert itself against unruly ex-rebels, tribal groups and Islamist militants.
In February, it agreed to hold early elections in an effort to assuage Libyans frustrated at political chaos nearly three years after the fall of Gaddafi.
Deputies initially agreed to extend their term after their mandate ran out on Feb. 7 to allow a special committee time to draft a new constitution. But that move provoked protests from Libyans angry at the slow pace of political change.
Many people in the OPEC nation blame congress infighting for a lack of progress in the transition to democracy.
In another sign of trouble, the attorney general asked to lift the immunity of assembly president Nouri Abu Sahmain to investigate a leaked video showing him being questioned over a late-night visit by two women to his house, Benghazi MP Ahmed Langhi told Reuters.
The case has the potential to damage Abu Sahmain, who is the army commander and has quasi-presidential powers. He has disappeared from public view since the attorney general launched his investigation in March.
At the time of the incident in January, rumours surfaced that he had been briefly detained by a militia to question him about the women. He denied then he had been kidnapped.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Parliament spokesman Omar Hmeidan said several people were wounded in the shooting by the gunmen, who were linked to one of the defeated candidates for prime minister. He gave no name.
Lawmakers fled from the building, witnesses said. The incident ended quickly but the vote was postponed until next week.
The government has been unable to control armed groups and Islamists who helped oust Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 but refuse to disarm and have carved out regional fiefdoms. Militias have repeatedly attacked the interim General National Congress (GNC) to make political or financial demands.
Hmeidan said deputies had started the final vote on a replacement for Premier Abdullah al-Thinni, who resigned two weeks ago saying that gunmen had attacked his family.
In the first ballot, businessman Ahmed Maiteeq came out on top among seven candidates. A second round between Maiteeq and the runner-up Omar al-Hasi had been meant to take place when the gunmen burst into the assembly.
Thinni had resigned just one month after his election, replacing Ali Zeidan, who was fired by deputies over attempts by rebels in the volatile east to sell oil independently.
Deadlock
The assembly is deadlocked between Islamists, tribes and nationalists, compounding a sense of chaos as Libya's fledgling army tries to assert itself against unruly ex-rebels, tribal groups and Islamist militants.
In February, it agreed to hold early elections in an effort to assuage Libyans frustrated at political chaos nearly three years after the fall of Gaddafi.
Deputies initially agreed to extend their term after their mandate ran out on Feb. 7 to allow a special committee time to draft a new constitution. But that move provoked protests from Libyans angry at the slow pace of political change.
Many people in the OPEC nation blame congress infighting for a lack of progress in the transition to democracy.
In another sign of trouble, the attorney general asked to lift the immunity of assembly president Nouri Abu Sahmain to investigate a leaked video showing him being questioned over a late-night visit by two women to his house, Benghazi MP Ahmed Langhi told Reuters.
The case has the potential to damage Abu Sahmain, who is the army commander and has quasi-presidential powers. He has disappeared from public view since the attorney general launched his investigation in March.
At the time of the incident in January, rumours surfaced that he had been briefly detained by a militia to question him about the women. He denied then he had been kidnapped.
From JPost.com - Headlines
US offers $5m bounty for China executive
Li Fangwei, who was charged by New York prosecutors in 2009 with violating sanctions, is accused of trying to sell missile technology to Iran
From Middle East & North Africa News - FT.com
From Middle East & North Africa News - FT.com
Malaysia Assessing Possible Plane Wreckage Claim
The countries searching for the missing Malaysian jet are assessing a claim by a resource survey company that it found possible plane wreckage in the northern Bay of Bengal, Malaysia’s defense minister said Tuesday. The location is far from where the underwater and surface search has been concentrated for weeks. Australia-based GeoResonance Pty Ltd. stressed […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Monday, April 28, 2014
Frontier Airlines Now Charging For Carry-on Bags
Passengers beware: More airline fees are on their way. Another airline is promising to change the way we fly by offering cheap base fares but then adding on a bevy of additional fees. Passengers flying Frontier Airlines will now have to pay extra to place carry-on bags in the overhead bin or for advance seat […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Prosecutor Seeking 5-7 Years Imprisonment for Former PA Olmert
In the sentencing hearing for the Holyland Real Estate case, the prosecution demanded a 1.2 million shekel fine against the main defendant, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, in addition to jail time. The sentencing hearing in the Holyland Real Estate case began on Monday morning 28 Nissan 5774 in the Tel Aviv District Court. The […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Libya says Jordan to handover jailed Islamist to get kidnapped ambassador
TRIPOLI - Jordan has agreed to handover a Libyan Islamist to Tripoli to secure the release of its ambassador kidnapped in the North African country two weeks ago, Libya's state news agency LANA said on Monday.
Jordan's ambassador to Libya, Fawaz al-Itan, was snatched by gunmen who demanded the release of Mohamed Dersi, a Libyan Islamist militant jailed for life in 2007 for plotting to blow up the main airport in Jordan.
Sohar Banun, an undersecretary in Libya's justice ministry, said both countries had agreed that the ambassador would be released in exchange for Jordan reducing Dersi's sentence and allowing him to complete his jail term in Libya, LANA said.
"The Jordanian authorities expressed their total readiness to solve this crisis, confirming that the ambassador will be released in exchange for reducing the term of the Libyan prisoner and sending him home to complete his sentence," he said according to the agency.
"The crisis will be solved according to a memorandum of understanding between the two countries," said Banun, who heads a department taking care of Libyans jailed abroad.
There was no immediate comment from Jordanian or Libyan officials.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Kerry warns Israel it risks becoming 'apartheid state' if talks fail - Al Jazeera America
Kerry warns Israel it risks becoming 'apartheid state' if talks fail Al Jazeera America Israel risks becoming “an apartheid state” if there's no two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict soon, Secretary of State John Kerry said in a closed-door meeting Friday with influential world leaders. It is rare for senior American ... |
From israel news - Google News
New York: Revised Medical Marijuana Bill Limits Use Of Drug
Newly revised legislation on medical marijuana could be an indication lawmakers are coming to an agreement on allowing its use. The measure reintroduced Friday limits the number of diseases that would qualify for marijuana prescriptions. Opponents criticized the original bill for allowing prescribers to interpret what constitutes a serious condition, previously defined as severely debilitating […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
In Israel, Creating New Ways to Commemorate Yom HaShoah
A Google Israel search for alternative Yom HaShoah ceremonies this year turned up quite a few options. One could go to the Habama theater to hear singer Gilad Vital of the rock group Shotei Hanvuah perform with his father Haim Vital, a Holocaust survivor, or to the Khan theater to see a play based on Primo Levi’s If This is a Man. One could attend a ceremony in Yiddish with Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai at the Yiddishspiel theater, or hear piano compositions in Jerusalem written by the composer Victor Ulman while he was imprisoned in Terezin.
This broad range of offerings, however, is a somewhat new development. In 1999, when the Israeli writer Sarah Blau was 25, she noticed that her friends weren’t attending the country’s official Yom HaShoah commemorations. When she asked why, they told her that that while they cared about the Holocaust, the ceremonies didn’t speak to them. To fill the gap, Blau began her own Yom HaShoah commemoration.
Continue reading "In Israel, Creating New Ways to Commemorate Yom HaShoah" at...
From Tablet Magazine
Degel Leadership Meets with Maran R’ Shteinman Shlita
Degel Hatorah MKs including R’ Moshe Gafne and R’ Uri Maklev met with Maran HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita. Accompanying them was R’ Avraham Rubinstein, secretary of the Degel Moetzas Gedolei Yisrael. It appears they discussed the possibility of another meeting of the Moetzas Gedolei Yisrael of Degel Hatorah, Shas and Agudas Yisrael. […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
ראשל"צ: חטיבה נסגרת - 740 תלמידים בבית
עיריית ראשון לציון סוגרת חטיבת ביניים בשכונה בעיר ומעבירה את כל התלמידים לשכונה אחרת. ההורים מוחים ומשביתים שלושה בתי ספר: "ההחלטה לא צודקת". ראש העיר: "ההחלטה עניינית, שקולה ונבונה"
From ynet - חדשות
Around 50 mummies discovered in Egypt's Valley of the Kings
Massive archeological find in Egypt's Valley of Kings announced, with mummies from 1567 to 1085 BC unearthed.
From ynet - News
From ynet - News
Former PM Barak claims former IDF chief Ashkenazi threatened him
During a testimony given to police, Barak claimed former IDF-chief Ashkenazi was trying to hurt him and treated Defense Ministry with hostility: 'Harpaz Affair was supposed to harm me.'
From ynet - News
Palestinian students say Auschwitz trip was 'for educational purposes only'
'Those opposed to the trip' are mixing politics with education,' says professor behind controversial first Palestinian delegation visit to Auschwitz; comments came on Holocaust Memorial Day.
From ynet - News
From ynet - News
Israel begins implementing economic sanctions against Palestinians
In wake of unity deal with Hamas, bid to join UN organizations, Israel begins to implement slew of economic sanctions against Palestinians, day before talks set to reach deadline.
From ynet - News
From ynet - News
Israel Doubts Sincerity of Abbas' Denunciation of the Holocaust
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' condemnation of the Holocaust was met with skepticism by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday.
From Israel News
Eric Garcetti is the Mayor of Los Angeles—and Instagram
Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles’s Jewish mayor, is bringing the Instagram account he used on the campaign trail last year back to life. But this time, the pictures are personal, not just political.
In an article about the mayor’s photo feed, the New York Times describes the 43-year-old’s torrent of photographs as both artistically and politically ambitious. By publishing artsy snapshots of LA on social media, Garcetti is both celebrating his city and attempting to reach younger voters.
Continue reading "Eric Garcetti is the Mayor of Los Angeles—and Instagram" at...
From Tablet Magazine
America Got Game
My friend, Kim Holmes, a distinguished fellow at the Heritage Foundation, has written a wonderful book called Rebound that analyzes what made America great, what caused us to get off course, and how to return to greatness. This is not a "let's manage decline" book, but a "let's tap what made us great, build on it, and ensure that America leads for the rest of the 21st century" book. I am particularly taken by his prescriptions for how we shape a freer, more prosperous world. The title, Rebound, comes from basketball (of course), and he reminds the reader that one player's miss offers another a chance: The rebound, he argues, often goes to the player with the most skill and determination, and basketball is about making the most of opportunities, learning from mistakes, and making the least mistakes.
Holmes cites a series of changes in values, as well as social and financial indicators -- all going the wrong direction. The sum of these indicators is what is driving the average American, according polling, to have less confidence in the future, and to sense that something is very wrong with the country. What are the stakes if we don't change the path we are on? First, Holmes says, it will be far harder to achieve the American dream, and second -- and far more dangerous -- America could lose the "mastery over its own fate and security." In other words, decline would take America's independence of movement, reduce its options and, in essence, lose a significant part of our freedom.
Decline, he argues, is not something that happens overnight -- it is gradual, progressing over decades and driven by the slow acceptance of more limited financial, societal, and global horizons for the United States. Decline also isn't a foregone conclusion. Americans shaped their destiny and they can correct, putting themselves back on the right course -- that is, after all, how American got to great in the first place. But the book isn't a pitch for recreating the past or embracing nostalgia. Instead, it asserts the importance of regarding the lessons of the past and applying them to the challenges of today; there are some things from the past that are best left behind and some of the changes in society have made America better.
Holmes's telling starts with what made America great -- its people, its sprit, and its form of government. The values that made America great, such as frugality, hard work, honesty, and deferred gratification of various appetites, were operational from 1775 until about 1956. Mediating bodies such as churches and a rich network of self-organized civil society institutions, which created deep social capital, played a central and constructive role in the shaping of America.
So what went wrong? The values that once made America great were replaced: A counterculture became the establishment, government displaced civil society, and non-government actors were weakened in the process. In the last 50 years our constitutional form of government has been weakened and warped.
Foreign policy is where the book is strongest -- that's what Holmes does for his day job, and he saves some of his strongest criticism for what he calls the New Liberal Internationalism. He pins the birth of this movement to Noam Chomsky's 1967 article in the New York Review of Books, "The Responsibility of Intellectuals," that argued that the architects of Kennedy and Johnson's foreign policy (in line with a tradition of "American progressivism") were committing treason against their own class and the truth that America was too nationalistic -- the "pious posturing about liberty was merely a cover for greedy capitalists who wanted to dominate world markets," as Holmes paraphrases. American idealism in foreign policy, Chomsky argued, was an intentional lie.
Holmes wrote this book before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and he argues, presciently, that, "the world is too small for us to hide. And if there is anything that we learned from World War II -- and from neglect of Al Qaeda in the 1990s-it should be this: there are no impermeable national borders when it comes to U.S. national security." His vision for a strong strategic agenda for the United States today demands that it: maintain a global balance of power; ensure absolute military superiority over potential foes; prevent terrorists from killing us or our friends, or taking over countries; undertake military interventions only when our national security requires it; avoid the diplomatic minutia of the new liberal internationalism; and create a global economic freedom agenda. All I can add is "amen."
The section calling for a global economic freedom agenda will almost certainly get the least attention. As someone who thinks about and works on soft power issues and how to make them work for the United States, I found his recommendations fascinating and constructive. Holmes argues that national security is not just about armies but about the world economy and he argues that the United States has a big role in restoring the health of the global economy because doing so is in our national interest. It should contribute to the transformation of developing country economies by encouraging their liberalization and invest in higher standards of governance (something I have written about for the Center for Strategic and International Studies here).
He argues for more attention to the rule of law and eliminating corruption as ways of reducing inequality. I can't agree more. He also argues the global free trade system should be revitalized, which also sounds like a good idea to me. He argues that the United States should be exporting and promoting free enterprise in a much more focused and systematic way. He advocates the use of foreign assistance and diplomacy capital to encourage private property and, interestingly, thinks that we should be fighting "crony corporatism" of state owned enterprises, such as those in China, which is a problem for many countries. This global economic freedom agenda, he correctly says, should be based on the fundamental human right to be economically free.
How do we best grab the jump ball and take another shot at greatness? Holmes argues that there will be some event or events that will wake us from our lethargy and that it will require sustained leadership. This means, to me, that Republicans will need control of one or both houses of congress, and that we will need a Republican president who runs on this vision and brings the Republican party, the American people, and ultimately the Democratic party along with us.
From Shadow Government
בני 15 נפצעו מפגיעת אלטעזאכן: 'היו שיכורים'
שני הנערים צעדו בצדי הכביש במפרץ חיפה. נהג האלטעזאכן טען שהם התפרצו לכביש והמשטרה חושדת כי הם היו שתויים. אחד הנערים נפצע קשה, האחר בינוני
From ynet - חדשות
Rav Yisrael Meir Lau Shlita: Jews in Berlin Have Learned Nothing
In a Holocaust Remembrance Day interview Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi HaGaon HaRav Yisrael Meir Lau Shlita commented on Jews living in Berlin today. “Any Jew is a Holocaust survivor” exclaimed the rav, who himself is a child survivor of Buchenwald. Speaking with Walla News the former Chief Rabbi of Israel explained he lost his parents […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
פלסטינית באושוויץ: 'מי שמשווה לנכבה טועה'
"בוגד, מכרת את עצמך ליהודים", היו התגובות לביקור של מרצה ו-27 סטודנטים פלסטינים במחנה ההשמדה. כולם שתקו, פרט לאחת
From ynet - חדשות
Israeli App 'Cups' Wants To Make Your Coffee Cheaper
Is your coffee consumption costing you more than you’d like? An Israeli app called Cups wants to change that. Slate reports that the app, which launched last week in New York City, offers coffee drinkers a monthly subscription plan for unlimited coffee at a variety of coffeeshops.
Cups was created in Tel Aviv in 2012 and expanded to Jerusalem before setting its eyes on New York. For $45 a month, you can use the app to order as much tea and basic coffee as you want from participating locations. For $85 you can drink lattes, iced coffee, and other espresso drinks. “Our goal for Manhattan,” Gilad Rotem, a co-founder of the app, told Slate, “is 200 coffee shops, which is the same number as Starbucks locations.”
Continue reading "Israeli App 'Cups' Wants To Make Your Coffee Cheaper" at...
From Tablet Magazine
Jewish Venezuelan Sues For Lack Of Kosher Meals In Alabama Prison
A Jewish Venezuelan man imprisoned in an Alabaman prison is claiming that he is not being served kosher food and has filed a suit with a U.S. District Court, reports the Huntsville Times. However, according to the spokeswoman of the county’s sheriff department, all food at the prison is prepared on site and meets the […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
"אמא, קראו לי קוֹפה כי אני אתיופית"
אחרי שהגישה תביעה נגד נהג הסעות שלכאורה אמר לבתה "קופה, לכי לגן חיות", סיפרה האם את שאמרה לה בתה: "היא הושפלה, הבכי שלה היה מעורב גם בכעס". הנהג: "הכול שטויות, לא אמרתי"
From ynet - חדשות
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