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My πŸ–€ Mold Encountershttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/toxic-mold-blog.html My daily encounters with fighting molden-ustoxic πŸ–€ moldWed, 24 Jan 2018 21:16:30 -0500Wed, 24 Jan 2018 21:16:30 -0500toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.comJan 24, Allergy Blood Testinghttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/allergybloodtesting.htmlbb1425d2fd27c4a5109c4bc8c692a60fFind out what foods, environmental pollen and molds you are allergic to with Allergy Blood Testing.Wed, 24 Jan 2018 21:16:27 -0500Jan 24, Vitamin and Mineral Blood Testinghttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/vitaminandmineralbloodtesting.html8ebe4a5575df11a482fd74fed3fd0676Find out what you are deficient in by ordering your own vitamin and mineral blood testing.Wed, 24 Jan 2018 20:39:27 -0500Jan 24, Heavy 🀘 Blood Testinghttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/heavymetalbloodtesting.htmlc361f949eff4cbd3fb2d8bed7e199e88Patients can test their own blood for heavy metalsWed, 24 Jan 2018 20:33:20 -0500Jan 15, Stainless Steel β˜• Maker That is Plastic Freehttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/stainlesssteelcoffeemaker.htmld52cfcd513efed63c35b5b9e53ee3a24This automatic stainless steel β˜• maker does not add plastic to your β˜•, decreasing exposure to estrogenic plastics that can inhibit weight loss.Mon, 15 Jan 2018 12:04:39 -0500Mar 20, MOLD DOCTORShttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/molddoctors.html1d399ca529b000ceb35defc83ee49e93A πŸ—ΊοΈ of all health care providers including doctors and naturopaths and shoemaker certified doctors that treat toxic mold syndrome.🌞, 20 Mar 2016 09:26:10 -0400Feb 4, Core Restore 7 Day Detoxhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/Corerestoresevendaydetox.htmld9b6d1fbb726c1c6dd30e52612b5c14bCore Restore is a seven day detox program including supplements and diet that help your liver remove toxins.Thu, 4 Feb 2016 16:42:20 -0500Jan 23, Essential Oilshttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/essentialoils.html5cb4e26df2256a69775b52445282c326Essential oils are helpful with a lot of conditions including toxic mold syndrome.Sat, 23 Jan 2016 03:17:37 -0500Dec 2, Lipoic Acid For Mold Detoxhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/lipoicacid.htmla9e84a0496c5b1ab5942488be7d6b623Lipoic acid is a powerful supplement that supports liver detoxificaton, has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and helps with weight loss and diabetes.Wed, 2 Dec 2015 14:05:56 -0500Nov 25, Symptoms of πŸ–€ Mold http://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/symptoms-of-πŸ–€-mold.htmlbb1862896406680dca57fa11f2dc80e0The symptoms of πŸ–€ mold poisoning are πŸͺ¨ to recognize because they πŸ‘€ like other diseases. Wed, 25 Nov 2015 19:38:27 -0500Oct 22, Far Infrared πŸ§– Detoxhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/farinfraredsaunadetox.html04f6f6ed2018bdf2ade80439400d86afFar infrared πŸ§– therapy is effective for detoxing from mold toxins.Thu, 22 Oct 2015 18:02:53 -0400Aug 8, Candida Overgrowthhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/candidaovergrowth.html74418458dc0dfcdbc3428fb228149d3dCandida Overgrowth in the intestines, a common problem in those exposed to toxic πŸ–€ mold, can find relief in herbal yeast infection treatment and a candida diet.Sat, 8 Aug 2015 20:49:45 -0400Aug 8, Renter's Rights and How to Get Out of Your Leasehttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/rentersrights.htmlf71982db9b9572ec8746fbde966baba9If you are a renter and are living in uninhabitable conditions because of toxic mold, you need to know what your renter's rights are in your state.Sat, 8 Aug 2015 09:31:24 -0400Aug 7, πŸ–€ Mold Remedieshttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/πŸ–€-mold-remedies.html27125f10fe21517cd838f74ec4d36c88Black mold remedies for treatment of toxic πŸ–€ mold syndrome including limu moui and modifilan.Fri, 7 Aug 2015 21:37:12 -0400Jul 24, πŸ₯₯ OILhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/coconutoil.htmlc992e35e7f557cd0a87c66426ab4320aCoconut oil is ❀️ healthy, antifungal, and πŸ‘ for your brainFri, 24 Jul 2015 18:40:53 -0400Jul 21, ERVs: A Solution For People who Cannot Leave Their Moldy Househttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/ERVs.html5aabe49a46bc826108a92e39c5b8aa2aERVs bring fresh air into your 🏠 and expel dirty 🏠 air constantly,improving your air quality.Tue, 21 Jul 2015 00:54:53 -0400Jul 12, πŸ–€ mold sinusitishttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/πŸ–€-mold-sinusitis.html9a793bbec54354920817ed1ad2411a96Chronic inhalation of πŸ–€ mold can lead to chronic sinus infections (πŸ–€ mold sinusitis) that will not go away.🌞, 12 Jul 2015 14:41:06 -0400Jun 22, Toxic Mold Syndrome Diagnosishttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/toxic-mold-syndrome-diagnosis.html7e389501615d6ce1b4294a537cc2b21cToxic mold syndrome diagnosis through various blood tests and urine tests, help to be sure that toxic mold exposure is the cause of your illness.Mon, 22 Jun 2015 21:16:31 -0400Jun 13, Low Carb Raw Diethttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/low-carb-raw-diet.htmlf1ae731ad5893636f35b10fcc40e7a64A low carb raw diet has helped many people exposed to toxic mold and suffering symptoms find some relief in their symptoms while they are detoxing.Sat, 13 Jun 2015 08:56:06 -0400Jun 6, Testing For πŸ–€ Mold In Houseshttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/testing-for-πŸ–€-mold-in-🏘️.htmld2aacd5b20bdd69f2d0dc0121a1ce514Testing for πŸ–€ mold in 🏘️ can be done yourself and does not have to cost an arm and a 🦡. We recommend the instant mold test, the IAQ Pro 5 min test, the ERMI test and the Examinair test Sat, 6 Jun 2015 07:56:00 -0400Jun 6, Phone Consultationshttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/phone-consultations.html8aa1ffcbe0abe7a3f7a5c0b3e9acefd5Phone consultations can be purchased off the Phone Consults Webpage and are for ℹ️ only. They are meant to help πŸ‘‰ you in the right direction to get help.Sat, 6 Jun 2015 07:37:45 -0400Jun 1, πŸ†“ newsletterhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/πŸ†“-newsletter.html4f1b792738c4fbd3a8d07a50199b30ceOur πŸ†“ newsletter, Healthy Living in a Toxic 🌍 is a πŸ†“ monthly e-zine newsletter that keeps readers informed of the latest ℹ️ πŸ”› how to avoid toxins and how to detoxify yourself.Mon, 1 Jun 2015 23:36:35 -0400May 25, BIOTOXIN BLOOD TESThttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/BIOTOXINBLOODTEST.html0e35fb73ac5bf538c4e39c7d4bb3d1c6The biotoxin blood test that was developed by Dr. Shoemaker is a panel of many tests to determine if you have been exposed to a biotoxin like mold or Lymes.Mon, 25 May 2015 23:06:41 -0400Apr 16, Financial Help: How to Make πŸ’° and Get πŸ’° When you are Sickhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/financialhelp.html035a1e5b6c91ff2377328cebb632dbe9Learn legal and legitimate ways to make πŸ’° and get πŸ’° if you are πŸ€’ from mold exposure and lost your job.Thu, 16 Apr 2015 20:40:16 -0400Apr 16, Toxic Mold Syndrome, Symptoms, Testing and Treatmenthttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/80baa107202d5404fb7fa46bcd52fffaLearn about the illness resulting from exposure to toxic mold, also known as πŸ–€ mold, how to recognize the symptoms of mold exposure, and what are the πŸ† forms of mold testing and mold treatment.Thu, 16 Apr 2015 19:20:28 -0400Apr 15, Symptoms of πŸ–€ Mold Poisoning- A List of the Less Commonhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/symptoms-of-πŸ–€-mold-poisoning.htmld64a5ffda6c617986a62fc00f475de77The symptoms of πŸ–€ mold poisoning are πŸ’ͺ to recognize because they are so much like other diseases.. Wed, 15 Apr 2015 17:12:14 -0400Mar 25, Phthalate Freehttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/phthalatefree.html02c35fc76dc31b0d27ad9ae90ffc6004Phthalates are endocrine disrupters that are found in many body care products like shampoo, conditioners, perfumes, cosmetics and lotions.Wed, 25 Mar 2015 22:50:39 -0400Mar 1, The Alkaline Diethttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/alkalinediet.html3ccf0bb7e2c0418acb32820ce8a611e9The alakline diet can help those exposed to toxic mold feel a lot πŸ‘Œ.🌞, 1 Mar 2015 01:47:20 -0500Feb 28, Limu Mouihttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/limumoui.html47ca7324cde2f6570fa90f31f441d0c6Limu Moui is a 🀎 seaweed supplement used to aid the body in the removal of toxinsSat, 28 Feb 2015 23:35:34 -0500Feb 28, Limu Mouihttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/limumoui2.html3a54364482dfb46320d48b74bb21265fLimu Moui is a delicious beverage containing an extract of 🀎 seaweed that has many benefits including antiinflammatory effects and toxic mold detox and heavy 🀘 detox.Sat, 28 Feb 2015 19:23:41 -0500Jan 13, Natural Health Dochttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/naturalhealthdoc.html58f2dcb15ec6e7bf17fd3c8cd03dc875Natural Health Doc is a website that will help you stay healthy naturally with loads of ℹ️ πŸ”› diet and supplements Tue, 13 Jan 2015 09:19:29 -0500Jan 7, Dehumidifiershttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/dehumidifiers.html09c213b4db999a68a239cec3817f1e1cHow to know when you need a dehumidifier in your home, how to select the πŸ† 1️⃣ for your needs and how to 🧹 your dehumidifier if it smells moldy.Wed, 7 Jan 2015 07:27:40 -0500Dec 6, Adrenal Supporthttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/adrenalsupport.htmlb7f66cff2bafffa917839072e662949dAdrenal support is very ❗ in treatment of toxic mold poisoning because of the inflammation that the mold toxins cause.Sat, 6 Dec 2014 07:56:23 -0500Dec 5, Gluten πŸ†“ Diet and Toxic Mold Exposurehttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/glutenfree.html89dc7bea757e16eb984d808bfcb53cfeMy experience with a gluten πŸ†“ diet in recovering from toxic mold exposureFri, 5 Dec 2014 19:22:46 -0500Dec 5, πŸ–€ Mold encountershttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/πŸ–€-mold-encounters.html05c830b61d00b847eff7e0ad3c795679black mold encounters πŸ”› a daily basisFri, 5 Dec 2014 18:01:29 -0500Nov 23, Essential Products For Anyoe Dealing With Toxic Moldhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/essentialproducts.html3a3fa41c2edd018943f87a51b050c0deA shopping πŸ“ for products helpful in dealing with toxic moldSun, 23 Nov 2014 16:05:08 -0500Nov 23, HIDDEN MOLDhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/hiddenmold.html3d7b626233e0d96be01c211b178928eaThe ways to find mold hidden in walls is explored and reviewed.🌞, 23 Nov 2014 10:03:42 -0500Nov 9, DUCT CLEANINGhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/DUCTCLEANING.html79e563a7d060fc31f413c3780d32a35bDuct cleaning is an ❗ part of mold remediation but avoid the scam companies that do not 🧹 them properly and overcharge for their services.🌞, 9 Nov 2014 11:55:32 -0500Nov 9, πŸ–€ Mold Allergy Controlhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/πŸ–€-mold-allergy-control.htmlebf0fcb56c9919ab15410135041d2259Black mold allergy control: How to get relief from allergy symptoms to πŸ–€ mold and any molds, naturally.🌞, 9 Nov 2014 11:42:48 -0500Nov 9, MOLD STORIEShttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/MOLDSTORIES.htmle615694685a7a59e7a892fd19aba2aeeMold Stories is a collection of personal stories of encounters with toxic πŸ–€ mold. 🌞, 9 Nov 2014 10:02:01 -0500Nov 8, Optimally Healthy Storehttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/optimally-healthystore.htmlf4f750ac886cd977344f3c0e04a71c7cThe Optimally Healthy Store is your source for supplements, πŸ“š and products that help you to achieve your optimal healthSat, 8 Nov 2014 19:57:12 -0500Jul 3, Support Pack Treatmenthttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/support-pack-treatment.htmlf6eac74fcb4dbf9a176e3c7d8e4eb14bSupport Pack Treatment for toxic mold syndrome through step 1️⃣ detox pack, step 2 anti-fungal pack and step 3 healthy oil pack and step 4 enzyme pack.Thu, 3 Jul 2014 10:04:07 -0400Jun 29, Support Packshttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/support-packs.html0c6b57295644653286bd7be7b9e1c1e6Support packs help support the health of toxic mold syndrome victims through supplements organized into step 1️⃣ detox pack, step 2 anti-fungal pack and step 3 healthy oil pack and step 4 enzyme pack.🌞, 29 Jun 2014 19:10:19 -0400Sep 29, About Ushttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/about-us.htmledaaec4cbd5054e04d9fb45d87cfd21dAbout Us: This website was developed by Dr. Mary Short-Ray to educate people about the harmful effects of toxic mold and how to recover when toxic mold exposure adversely affects your health.🌞, 29 Sep 2013 17:36:58 -0400Apr 11, Toxic Mold Support Grouphttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/toxicmoldsupportgroup.htmled568bffad96711825f96525d674b13cThe Toxic Mold Support Group is for anyone who is πŸ€’ or had been πŸ€’ from exposure to toxic πŸ–€ mold.Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:33:48 -0400Mar 21, SUPPLEMENTS TO HELP TOXIC MOLD SYNDROMEhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/Supplements.html8bca08b5b2cf42b078a5c5b2960a2ae2Where to go to buy all the supplements needed for help with toxic mold syndromeThu, 21 Mar 2013 13:53:15 -0400Feb 3, ALLERGY HELP AFTER MOLD EXPOSUREhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/allergy-help.htmlbb29baa227a74421c6f3768e4550e6ddAllergy help and control is ❗ after you have recovered from toxic mold because it seems that those exposed to toxic mold have become more sensitized to molds in the environment.🌞, 3 Feb 2013 06:37:45 -0500Dec 5, Liver Supporthttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/liver-support.htmla6295ed5ee8427ce5fc5554528e49629Liver support is very ❗ in the detoxification of toxic mold.Wed, 5 Dec 2012 00:45:48 -0500Dec 5, 🀎 Seaweed Supplementshttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/🀎-seaweed-supplements.html7fc73f1b699514b63839d6a39396d499Brown seaweed supplements in the Mold Help Store come in 2 forms capsule form called modifilan and in a delicious juice πŸ₯€ form called Limu Moui.Wed, 5 Dec 2012 00:16:00 -0500Dec 5, Anti-Fungal Supplementshttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/anti-fungal-supplements.html20d7db7f240d292f3d8ec4cb7699e6f4This protocol with effective anti-fungal supplements helps elliminate candida overgrowth and improve the heath of the intestinal tract.Wed, 5 Dec 2012 00:13:06 -0500Dec 5, Home Mold Testing Kitshttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/home-mold-testing-kits.htmlce91bb140a99dfc3bff99e4597e277ebThe home mold testing kits we recommend and have available are 2 different types of swabbing instant mold test kits, 1️⃣ air quality spore trap test and 1️⃣ that uses dust sample analysis.Wed, 5 Dec 2012 00:10:55 -0500Oct 11, 🏒 Visitshttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/🏒-visits.htmlbc0b095d20a2e4edb587ad3be03ba802Office visits with Dr. Ray can be scheduled by calling our 🏒.Thu, 11 Oct 2012 09:31:28 -0400Oct 11, Toxic-πŸ–€-Mold-Syndrome.Com's Customer Supporthttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/customer-support.htmla876d51bbe285e52d46f6ba247d322acCustomer support includes phone and πŸ“§ contact ℹ️ and hours of operation.Thu, 11 Oct 2012 09:22:25 -0400Oct 11, The πŸ–€ Mold Toxins Controversyhttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/πŸ–€-mold-toxins.html1f2cfebc374239751aa91257d9098f39Whether πŸ–€ mold toxins cause the mold illness or is it just a mold allergy that causes this syndrome seems to be a controversy.Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:50:44 -0400Oct 10, Probiotic Supplementshttp://www.toxic-πŸ–€-mold-syndrome.com/probiotic-supplements.html585cec2c2a2b7c4e4cf3f6db398bea65Probiotic supplements are very ❗ in restoring the intestines to their normal function after fungal overgrowth.Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:21:48 -0400
Romney visits Western Wall, ignores question, Does Israel have a right to annex West 🏦 Mitt Romney just spent 20 minutes at the Western Wall, a few minutes of that time praying. When he was done he jammed a folded note high in a crevice between stones and Dan Senor, his advisor πŸ”› Jewish issues, turned with a broad πŸ˜„ and gave the high sign to a group of Romney backers as if to say, The πŸ¦… has landed. As the beaming handler indicated, the visit went off without a hitch. The Republican candidate for president wore a πŸ–€ yarmulke and a mannequin like πŸ˜„ virtually the entire time he was in the plaza and only shook a few hands. Several in the crowd called out πŸ‘ luck or said that Romney was the next president. 1️⃣ πŸ‘¨ chanted πŸ†“ Pollard. Another chanted, πŸ†“ your tax returns. βž• Romney visited the wall πŸ”› Tisha πŸ…±β€™Av, a mourning day when Jews commemorate the destruction of the temple. (Take that, Obama!) I got pretty close to Romney as he came and went from prayers and 3️⃣ times asked him, β€œGovernor, does Israel have a right to annex the West 🏦?” He looked at me once or twice but ignored the question. Though others in the crowd corrected me, saying it’s Eretz Israel. I’ll get a video of the visit πŸ†™ πŸ”œ. Romney’s wife Anne came and left with him, but she had to go to the women’s side to approach the wall. The governor’s praying spot was right next to the barrier between the men’s and women’s sides of the wall, so that women reporters and staff would be able to cover the event. Senor said it was Romney’s second or third visit to the western wall. Before Romney prayed, I asked if the governor had prepared a note and Senor said, β€œYes” with the air of someone who had spent hours toiling over its composition. When I asked if someone was going to grab the note, he said, β€œProbably, that’s beyond our control.” Posted In: 265 Responses Time for a β€œwhat was in the note Mitt Romney stuck in the wall?” competition. Oh I doubt we’ll need to guess. As you might recall, Obama’s note was plucked out and made public. Senor would have labored over it for hours, not doubt, hoping that it does get found and made public. The β€œProbably, that’s beyond our control.” is practially an invitation to do so. Obama’s note was plucked out and made public. πŸ™ for the info. Just googled it: β€œLord, Protect my πŸ‘ͺ and me. Forgive me my sins and help me πŸ’‚ against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will.” Sounds so submissive. Clearly, the β€œLord” forgot to tell him that dropping bombs πŸ”› πŸ˜‡ Muslims is a crime. I would simply ✍️ β€œπŸ†“ Palestine” in my note. I am a little 😲 that Mr Weiss was allowed to enter into Israel. Wonder if there was any interrogation at the airport. Fair enough, since he also forgot to tell the Palestinians that firing rockets at, bombing, and stabbing to death πŸ˜‡ Israelis is a sin. I don’t believe in Hell, but if there is 1️⃣, there are probably a lot of very 😲 Palestinian suicide bombers there. β€œI am a little 😲 that Mr Weiss was allowed to enter into Israel.” He very cleverly πŸ₯Έ himself as a Zionist for the trip through secutity. Once he was stamped with the πŸ”΅ β€œU” (they wouldn’t give him the β€œu” he preferred) he tore off the false beard and spectacles, shouted β€œNyah, nyah” and scampered πŸ”› his way. When Mr. Weiss becomes as famous as Chomsky or Finkelstein, if the current attitude persists, he will probably find his path blocked like they did. But meanwhile his name recognition is nowhere near the name recognition of Chomsky and Finkelstein. Fair enough, since he also forgot to tell the Palestinians that firing rockets at, bombing, and stabbing to death πŸ˜‡ Israelis is a sin. I don’t believe in Hell, but if there is 1️⃣, there are probably a lot of very 😲 Palestinian suicide bombers there. Fair enough, but there is no Hell in Jewish theology anyway. Palestinian suicide bombers may πŸ”š πŸ†™ in the same πŸ“ with all those murderous Jews, whose names are remembered for a blessing. Many of them killed Gentiles in pursuance with mistaken beliefs about the commandments regarding the Conquest of the Land. FYI, if Mormon theologians are correct, the Palestinians could be Gods and Goddesses. The sky would be the limit πŸ”› the number of celestial wives, because the 72 virgin catch limit was just a myth. If Romney is anything like the Prophet Joseph Smith, he may have just tucked a piece of paper containing some additional commandments into that crack in the Western Wall. To nearly everyone’s amazement, Smith revealed quite a few that were purportedly disseminated by the Hebrew patriarch Abraham when he outlined the details about the Gods and Goddesses living πŸ”› the planets near the ⭐ Kolob. See the Pearl of Great Price;-) Prolly selling πŸ§† to Jews residing in Hades who killed their own kids at Masada. And those who killed unarmed Arabs to steal their land in the 1940s, led by terrorists wanted by the British Army (later becoming prime ministers). Israelis learned a lot from their German masters, including how to attack πŸ₯‡, then claim others forced them to. Ashkenazis emulating Nazis. Yaweh notices. Rumor has it She’s pissed, too. Apparently 40 years wandering the 🏜️ didn’t πŸ‘©β€πŸ« a thing. Instead of being πŸ™ and humble, Israelis drop bombs from jets πŸ”› Arab schoolgirls. How brave! The IDF are cowards, always facing weaker enemies…backed by Uncle Sucker. Even during their pre-state terrorism sprees, they used smuggled superior arms from the Czechs and πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ. When they actually faced adequately armed Arabs, and not helpless Palestinians, Hizbollah cleaned their πŸ•. Sooner or later surrounding countries that Israel freely taunts will have state-of-the -🎨 missiles. Israel will then provoke 1️⃣ too many times, causing large guided missiles to land πŸ”› Tel Aviv and other cities. By the time πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ responds (IF it does!), half of the β€œJewish State” will be gone or rubbled to shitereens. You’d think Israelis would wise πŸ†™. But, no: they insist πŸ”› indulging their paranoia, false pride, and arrogance. The Greeks said something about the perils of hubris. Too πŸ‘Ž Israelis don’t heed the lesson. Well some β€œsources” say that (some) Jews think that stealing from a non-Jew is not a sin or even not killing a gentile. Maybe a pro-Israeli extremist should forget speaking about sins. Fredblogs how many Israeli 😲 Jewish Irgun and Stern Gang terrorist you suppose there are now in β€œhell”? Or modern time soldiers who had by”mistake”dropped a 1000 kg πŸ’£ πŸ”› a residential 🏒 (or UN soldiers) or fired a tank πŸ”« by β€œmistake” πŸ”› civilians. Not to mention those who fired phosphorous πŸ”› schools etc. A lot, if we believe in the concept of hell and morality. It is rather absurd constantly to portray the suicide bombers as the πŸ” evil in the 🌍. Jewish terrorists left bombs πŸ”› market places, hotels, trains etc. What is the actual difference? The suicide bomber β€œpunishes” himself, the normal terrorist continues planting πŸ†• bombs repeating the crime. It is clear to all, even to Israelis, that it is the situation which causes the terrorism, as a form of military resistance, πŸ”› Palestinian side. Palestinians do not resist because of their religion, they resist because of their assets are stole and life is in danger. Israeli Jews can not say that their religion is not the primary β€œmotive” behind the exploitation, genocide and landgraping done by them. Only Judaism sets out those who are Jews and so Israel as a Jewish state. Jews are a real nation only when a Jew can be a Muslim (or Christian etc) and still be considered as a Jew. @ Yonah:But meanwhile his name recognition is nowhere near the name recognition of Chomsky and Finkelstein. Strange. I’ve heard of Mr Weiss πŸ₯‡. And through his website, I learnt about the other 2️⃣ people. @ Mooser:He very cleverly πŸ₯Έ himself as a Zionist for the trip through secutity. Once he was stamped with the πŸ”΅ β€œU” (they wouldn’t give him the β€œu” he preferred) he tore off the false beard and spectacles, shouted β€œNyah, nyah” and scampered πŸ”› his way. WTF are you trying to tell me with this? @SimoHurtta Since this is all hypothetical speculation, I’d speculate that the ones who targeted civilians would be hellworthy, same as for Palestinians. As for the ones who accidentally killed civilians, I don’t think they would be. I think the terrorists who put military targets in places where civilians are likely to get hit in the crossfire would be going to hell for it, if there were 1️⃣. The difference with a suicide bomber is the surprise, not the speculative destination. I mean, there you are, blowing yourself πŸ†™ and expecting paradise, so certain that you are 😊 to die, and πŸ’₯, Hell. Pretty funny. Bin Ladin would have struck πŸ†• York either way. His main beef was the U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia. After that, the fact that a non-Islamic country is the most prominent in the 🌍 would be enough πŸ”› its own. After _that_ there’s Gulf βš” I. After _that_ there’s every time we’ve interfered in the Middle East, which we do for oil, not for Israel. There is no way you could know that, Fredo. If your country of israel did not exist, my country would have had different relations with the states of the Middle East and the whole history of the region would have been different. Bin Laden might not have amounted to anything. You can’t simply take out 1️⃣ giant cause (if not the main factor) of the disfunction that has hit the region over the πŸ”š half-century and pretend that everything else in the region would have continued unchanged. That’s idiocy. Anyway, the β€˜Palestine had nothing to do with 9/11’ is an πŸ€” β€” and revealing β€” claim. πŸ₯‡ off, Palestine β€” and more specifically, US support for Israel β€” obviously did have a lot to do with 9/11. Anyone who cares to can πŸ‘€ πŸ†™ Osama bin Laden’s biography and discover he was radicalized primarily by outrage over Palestine. Secondly, al Qaeda’s press releases are laced with references to Palestine. However, people will keep denying it. I think it is because they feel the need to keep al Qaeda perfectly demonized and the US totally πŸ˜‡ β€” only motives that we find irrational and repugnant can be admitted as explanations for al Qaeda’s actions. If we start to admit there is a casual relationship between our behavior and al Qaeda’s response, then we start to lose the moral halo of immaculate victimhood. From this perspective, β€˜the US troops in Saudi Arabia’ isn’t quite as πŸ‘ as β€˜they hate us for our freedom,’ but it’ll do. πŸ”› the other βœ‹, it wouldn’t do at all to critically examine the rights and wrongs of our support for Israel. So that has to be excluded from the conversation. No, you give away what you think is you real country with every post. I predict that if you are not pretending to be an American that 1️⃣ day you will, like pudracist666, turn traitor and go running to occupied Palestine. β€œπŸ“– Laden’s biography and discover he was radicalized primarily by outrage over Palestine.” You will also discover that Bin Laden, as he promised his Mommy years ago, has never dissembled with anybody about anything. And if you can’t trust a guy when he tells you his reasons for terrorist actions, darn, who can you trust? And if you can’t trust a guy when he tells you his reasons for terrorist actions, darn, who can you trust? Bin Laden got 😫 of answering this line of questions and delegated the job to the Swedes. He suggested that the reporter from Al Quds Al Arabi ask them why they weren’t being attacked by al-Qaeda. It still isn’t clear if bin Laden actually had the Swedes in mind or Stephen Colbert. β€˜Wow, you still persist in πŸ€₯ about what my country is. You have quite a complex about it. Get help.’ I suggest you πŸ“˜ to πŸ“–. In the post you’re responding to, Woody Tanaka said absolutely nothing descriptive about either Israel or the United States: he couldn’t have β€˜lied about your country’ β€” whichever 1️⃣ it is. There are four reasons Al Qaeda targeted the United States: 1. US military presence in the Penninsula. 2. Suffering caused by sanctions πŸ”› the Iraqi people 3. US support of Israel and their occupation of Palestinian territories 4. Support of regimes around the 🌍 that surpress and persecute Muslims (frequently used example was Mubarak and Egypt) The πŸ”š 2️⃣ are definitely related to Israel. The πŸ₯‡ 2️⃣ have more to do with the πŸ₯‡ Gulf βš” and our support of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. @ColinWright Ah, reading comprehension problems. Yours, not mine. Woody makes a habit of πŸ€₯ about what country my country is. I am an American and he lies by saying I am an Israeli. Hence when he said β€œyour country of Israel” he was πŸ€₯. I hope that clears it πŸ†™ for you. I would say however (to Woody too) that trying to flip this around and claiming Israel’s existence as a primary cause for all problems throughout the Muslim 🌍 β€” from Morocco to Afghanistan β€” is equally tendentious and simplistic. β€œβ€¦that trying to flip this around and claiming Israel’s existence as a primary cause for all problems throughout the Muslim πŸŒβ€¦β€ I think that israel is a primary cause for some of the problems, especially in the Middle East, but it’s not the only 1️⃣. 1️⃣ of the biggest is the same problem that the rest of the developing 🌍 face – predation by the developed 🌍. β€œFredblog, the Takfiri do find 5 thousand troops deep in the 🏜️ who live huge distances away from any Saudi civilians offensive. Ask yourself why…” And of course that has to be the sole cause of 9/11. And why does it have to be the sole cause? Well, it’s a process of elimination, you see. It can’t be our support for Israel β€” since that would imply that perhaps we should reconsider our support for Israel. I mean, if we actually examine it, we might discover that it’s quite unreasonable, unjust, oppressive, and in general ranks somewhere around rearming Sauron as a moral proposition. It can’t be β€˜they hate us for our freedom,’ etc since however appealing that might be, it’s just too terminally stupid. Ergo, it has to be solely a matter of Muslim fanatics reacting unreasonably to something they have no reasonable grounds to object to. These β€˜Takfiris’ were just going to attack us no matter what we did. πŸ’Έ little us. We’re completely πŸ˜‡. No need at all for us to reexamine our behavior and assumptions. The β€˜enemy’ is a monolithic, unconditionally evil block that we should simply exterminate. Why think? Just kill. When an individual does this, it’s called criminal insanity. As I’ve said several times, it’s not the β€˜Takfiris’ that worry me β€” I’ll take my chances with them. It’s people like you. Fairly obviously, the β€˜US troops in the Holy Places’ schtick offered a theological justification for al Qaeda’s actions. However, equally obviously, that al Qaeda was looking for such a justification β€” and was able to find supporters β€” owes a great, great deal to our support of Israel. Those Cairene Taxicab drivers weren’t shouting β€˜bullseye’ out of πŸ˜‚ that at πŸ”š the defilement of the Holy Places had been avenged. Finkelstein has said that β€œIsrael” has a right to exist under international law, as does the Palestinian state. Yes, UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/48/158D, 20 December 1993 stipulated that the final settlement had to guarantee arrangements for ✌️ and security of all States in the region, including those named in resolution 181 (II) of 29 November 1947, within secure and internationally recognized boundaries. http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/48/158 1️⃣ of the few areas in international law that do not fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of a state is the treatment of minorities in a former mandated state or UN trusteeship. Guarantees were a condition imposed by the international community of states in exchange for recognition of the sovereignty of the πŸ†• government and any session of territory involved. Both Palestine and Israel, as well as the United Nations still have binding legal obligations that flow from resolution 181(II). The right of Israel and Palestine to exist as duly constituted states with constitutional safeguards for equality and non-discriminatory treatment of women, religious groups, and ethnic minorities is beyond reproach. It has been endorsed in relevant resolutions, like the ones above and Security Council resolution 242 from the very beginning. In the 2004 Wall Case πŸ§‘β€βš–οΈ Rosalyn Cohen Higgins specifically addressed that πŸ‘‰: This is not πŸ’ͺ – from Security Council resolution 242 (1967) through to Security Council resolution 1515 (2003), the πŸ”‘ underlying requirements have remained the same – that Israel is entitled to exist, to be recognized, and to security, and that the Palestinian people are entitled to their territory, to exercise self-determination, and to have their own State. πŸ™ the the Finkelstein clip. He is 1️⃣ of my favorite commentators πŸ”› Palestine/Israel. Could you tell me the minute and second where he said Israel does not have a right to exist (or at least a lesser right than any other country.) Finkelstein never ever said that any nation has a β€œright” to exist under international law. He has spoken about this πŸ”› many occasions. Borders, state institutions etc., may be recognized and honored by 0thers, but that does not translate into a β€œright to exist.” β€œno international resolutions, no laws require that you recognize a state’s RIGHT to exist.” The Takfiri have always wanted to attack the US. They still plan to. They differ among themselves about in what order to take their enemies out. Some say kill the Jews in the early stages. Others say focus initially πŸ”› mass murdering Shia, Hindus, Russians, Sikhs, Sufis, Communists, Europeans, Atheists, etc. They will try to kill all of us (πŸ€” that they are sending us to heaven.) But they are open to sequencing when they kill us. Osama Bin Laden wanted to attack the US even in the early 1980s. He just wanted to attack the USSR πŸ₯‡. Do all of you know how much Osama Bin Laden hated Hamas? Osama Bin Laden hated Hamas so much that he use to blast them in his speeches. Al Qaeda has fought πŸ”« battles with Hamas. For you trio, a few questions: 1) Was Osama Bin Laden’s killing thousands of people in Gilgit Kashmir in 1988 because of Israel/Palestine? 2) Was OBL killing thousands of people in Mazar e Sharif in 1998 because of Palestine? 3) Were the attacks πŸ”› Mumbai in 1993 and 2008 because of Palestine? [Evidence is being presented that OBL played a major role in the 2008 attacks.] 4) Were the AQ linked attacks against πŸ†• Delhi 2001 because of Palestine? Tell me, β€œanan” when the Takfiri come over here to kill me, will they purchase individual plane (β€˜I’m sorry sir, that heavy machine πŸ”« will not fit in the overhead rack, it’ll have to go in baggage’) tickets, charter a plane or 🏊? Darn it, I forgot about the flying carpets! Now I am 😟! Besides, even if they are fanatically devoted to killing me, in fifteen minutes I’ll have them πŸ˜† hysterically, doing the Bob-Bing cross-chatter scenes from β€œThe Road to Morocco” and then, πŸ’₯, I turn πŸ”› the Hammond and regale them with my soul-jazz arrangement of β€œThe Sheik of Araby”! They’ll be weeping and offering me their daughters in marriage. I’m not 😱. I know how to refuse those offers gracefully. The Takfiri have always wanted to attack the US. They still plan to. They differ among themselves about in what order to take their enemies out. Some say kill the Jews in the early stages. Others say focus initially πŸ”› mass murdering Shia, Hindus, Russians, Sikhs, Sufis, Communists, Europeans, Atheists, etc. They will try to kill all of us (πŸ€” that they are sending us to heaven.) …” And you are using a paranoid fantasy to justify a foreign policy of gross injustice and wholesale homicide. Don’t carry this paradigm over into your private life. You’ll be committed to a πŸ₯ for the criminally insane. Of course, it never occurs to Ferdfortz (πŸ€” name, that, it’s Yiddish for β€œπŸ΄ fart”. Oy, β€œthere’s some dirty πŸ’Ό pulled at the font”) that maybe, just maybe, what Mondoweiss suggests (now πŸ“– carefully, Ferdie) is not that Israel β€œhas no rights to” or β€œshouldn’t” exist, it is that anybody, even with the πŸ† will in the 🌍 towards Israel, can easily conclude it can’t or won’t go πŸ”› existing if it persists πŸ”› its current course (nice tagging, Mooser). No, Ferdfortz’s contention is that Israel can do whatever the hell it wants, and it’s our job to support it. And the penalty for not supporting it, of course, is being a β€œπŸ‘Ž Jew” and being denied the succor of Zion when the 1938 boxcars roll again. I wonder, will Israel send me a ticket? I can’t afford the plane ticket. And the penalty for not supporting it, of course, is being a β€œπŸ‘Ž Jew” and being denied the succor of Zion when the 1938 boxcars roll again. I wonder, will Israel send me a ticket? I can’t afford the plane ticket. No if previous experience with Zionist exoduses is an accurate indicator they’ll: *Form a limited partnership with the boxcar operators; *Take a third of the typical refugee’s cash when the banks that they own or control exchange their πŸ‘΅ currency; *Create an emotional infomercial to encourage evangelicals to ⛏-πŸ†™ the costs for the air fare and reception centers for the olim. I think there are no such countries, nor any prospect of an emergence of them, so it’s a moot πŸ‘‰. A πŸ‘Œ question would be whether Palestine has a right to exist as a country. So far, I’d say it’s not ready, since they don’t want a country so much as a springboard to conquer Israel. β€œSo far, I’d say it’s not ready, since they don’t want a country so much as a springboard to conquer Israel.” This is more of your typical anti-Arab racism. And given the level and number of psychopathic assaults the Palestinians have suffered at the hands of the dastardly israelis, it’s a suprise that they don’t. They would surely be justified in wanting the destruction of that abomination. lSo far, I’d say it’s not ready, since they (the Palestinians) don’t want a country so much as a springboard to conquer Israel. So what the hell did you move in next to them for? Why didn’t you wait for the Palestinians to spend all the πŸ’° and time to gather us all in, and found Israel so they could conquer it? Yes, for over 1,000 years the Palestinians sat there in Palestine saying they were going to conquer Israel, and the ZIonists moved in next πŸšͺ. Oh wait, except that there were no Palestinians. β€œSo far, I’d say it’s not ready, since they don’t want a country so much as a springboard to conquer Israel.” Ahh, no wonder you stay in πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ! You’re 😱 to death of them, aren’t you? βž•, you know they will win. I admire you Ferdfortz! That’s pretty smart: stay here πŸ”’ in the πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ, and suck πŸ’° out of the Zionists. βž•, we all know how the womens react to militant Zionists, it lights ’em πŸ†™ like a welding torch. I think there are no such countries, nor any prospect of an emergence of them, so it’s a moot πŸ‘‰. A πŸ‘Œ question would be whether Palestine has a right to exist as a country. So far, I’d say it’s not ready, since they don’t want a country so much as a springboard to conquer Israel. Israel consistently ranks among the πŸ” ten military powers in the 🌍. I think you’re projecting way too much about the threat from Palestinian conquest. BTW, β€œthey’re not ready to be country” was part and parcel of Hitler’s modus operandi for excusing the murder of people he had made stateless. What makes Zionists so very different when they try to dispossess and kill Palestinians by making them stateless? Oh Fred, please don’t keep showing your ignorance! It doesn’t help your arguments 1️⃣ bit – and your minders might reduce your πŸ’Έ. Ellen was making the πŸ‘‰ that both of these β€œstates” existed as separate self-ruling entities but have subsequently disappeared having been absorbed into the larger state of Romania. 1️⃣ might make the same statement about Moldavia or perhaps Bavaria or Prussia. Did they have a right to exist? Statehood is a fluid concept – they come and go and none have a right to keep πŸ”› existing. Especially if they behave like Israel. I would say that Palestinians would rather like the country that was stolen from them πŸ”™! That seems to me to be a perfectly rational position to take. This comparison concerns me too, since I am sure that I am descended from people πŸ”› both sides of what must have been a very bitter contest way πŸ”™ in the fifth century, though there is argument about whether the entire British population was driven out into Wales and replaced by Germanic newcomers or whether it was only the ruling class that was dispossessed. I would think that people of Welsh descent (like me) do not now have the right to reconstitute the ancient Kingdom of Britain because ✌️ has been made, essentially πŸ”› a 1ss basis (with some 2ss features) and we have lived in ✌️ for many generations, thus creating a social contract that is binding πŸ”› all of us. States have a right to exist in the sense that no 1️⃣ has a right to go invading or marauding. You can’t gain rights with your sword or with your nuke but you can gain rights from a ✌️ settlement that leads to the swords being sheathed and the nukes dismantled. The Palestinians are not there because of invasions but because they and their ancestors had lived peaceably there for some time under a working social contract. Which is my πŸ‘‰. Israel has as much or as little right to exist as every other nation that currently exists. It is silly to say that none do, but if you say it, then Palestine has no right to exist either. @Shingo How does 1️⃣ Jew’s choice to keep living in the country of his birth prove that Israel is an anachronism? Even if all non-Israeli Jews this year chose to keep living in their respective other countries, it wouldn’t make Israel an anachronism since next year could be different. Calling Israel an anachronism because it happens to be a πŸ‘ time for Jews in πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ is like calling πŸ”₯ insurance an anachronism because there weren’t any fires in town today. @anan They could start by giving πŸ†™ terrorism and πŸ›‘ firing missiles into Israel. It isn’t paranoia, the Palestinians, enough of them and in an organized manner, really do dislike Israelis and want to πŸ€• them. No state has a right to exist. The people of a particular territory may have a prima facie right to establish and maintain a state in that territory, but that prima facie right is subject to higher moral considerations. Under those considerations, Israeli Jews do not have a right to establish or maintain Israel. Citizen Fredblogs wrote β€œ@anan They could start by giving πŸ†™ terrorism and πŸ›‘ firing missiles into Israel. It isn’t paranoia, the Palestinians, enough of them and in an organized manner, really do dislike Israelis and want to πŸ€• them.” Comrade Fredblogs, πŸ’• ya πŸ‘¨. But I don’t understand your comment. Who is using terrorism against Israel? Aren’t the Palestinians actually πŸ‘ people and therefore aren’t they by definition anti terrorist? I am extremely pro Israel by the way. But I think you are way off base about the Palestinians, chief. Israelis have been mean to Palestinians. Not to anyone else in the 🌍. You guys πŸͺ¨ with anyone who isn’t Palestinians. But you have kind of kicked the your Palestinian sisters and brothers around. So they are a little πŸ™. But once you πŸ›‘ being mean to them, you will find that the Palestinians are very similar to you. They may turn out to be your closest allies and friends. They are part of your πŸ‘ͺ after-all. Psss. You might find out that you actually like Palestinians. :-) They have πŸ‘ music, πŸ‘ food, πŸ‘ families and they live life. The Palestinians are πŸ‘ people; why would they πŸ€• you? I don’t get it. πŸ‘€, there are a lot of very real πŸ‘Ž people out there. The Takfiris for example. And non muslim viscerally anti Jewish English. They are a far bigger threat to you. The Palestinians could be powerful allies for you against them. Moreover you have πŸ₯‡ βœ‹ experience. 23% of all Israeli citizens are Palestinians. These are your most loyal, patriotic, πŸͺ¨ working, anti terrorist, successful citizens. Can you imagine how much poorer Israel would be without their πŸ’Ό ethic, brainpower, compassion, culture, πŸ‘ͺ values, etc. Imagine how many fewer successful start ups you would have. Imagine how much πŸ˜• your universities would be and how much less successful you would be in high tech. How does 1️⃣ Jew’s choice to keep living in the country of his birth prove that Israel is an anachronism? Because the Zionists claim you can’t lead a normal life here among the Gentiles. If you can, then so can they. The bottom line is: there’s no real necessity for us to maintain a Jewish demographic majority by threats or use of force against the Gentile population of Palestine. They could start by giving πŸ†™ terrorism and πŸ›‘ firing missiles into Israel. It isn’t paranoia, the Palestinians, enough of them and in an organized manner, really do dislike Israelis and want to πŸ€• them. Of course it’s paranoia. Abba Eban called it a β€œsecurity psychosis”. Even Zionists have web pages which illustrate that you were much more likely to be a victim of homicide here in the US than in Israel or the occupied territories during the heyday of wall and fence 🚧 in 2004. In fact, Jewish perpetrators are responsible for most of the Jewish victims of homicide. http://www.mideastweb.org/log/archives/00000396.htm Fredblogs, how about the oppressors-victimizers-Israelis start by giving πŸ†™ terrorism and ending the occupation. It isn’t paranoia, the Israelis, enough of them and in a very organized manner, really do hate Palestinians and want to πŸ€• them (well, ethnically cleanse the land to be more precise). @anan As to the abstract concept of Genocide, a majority of the Palestinians (about 70%) agree with a hadith about Muslims exterminating the Jews. They are not πŸ‘ people. As to getting down to specific atrocities, a significant minority of the Palestinians (about 1/3) think that murdering Jewish babies is a πŸ‘ thing. They are not πŸ‘ people. The Palestinian leaders make it very clear that they see any ✌️ agreement as a temporary step to the eventual destruction of Israel and its replacement by a Jew πŸ†“ Palestine. In the 1920s, well before Israel even existed, the local Arabs massacred the Jews of Hebron, a Jewish community that had been there since biblical times. It is not a question of β€œπŸ›‘ being mean to them and they will πŸ›‘ trying to kill you”. They were killing the Jews well before the Jews took the necessary steps to protect themselves. β€œAs to the abstract concept of Genocide, a majority of the Palestinians (about 70%) agree with a hadith about Muslims exterminating the Jews. They are not πŸ‘ people. As to getting down to specific atrocities, a significant minority of the Palestinians (about 1/3) think that murdering Jewish babies is a πŸ‘ thing. ” πŸ˜‚. And Elie Wiesel and a number of his associates discussed ways of raping German women and poisoning German drinking water after the Second 🌍 βš”. Here’s a clue, Fredo, when people are oppressed, abused, and murdered, they think revengeful thoughts. That makes them nothing more than human. If the places were reversed, how many Jews would agree with the evil bilge in the King’s Torah?? Fredblogs, the 🌍 you describe is not 1️⃣ I recognize. However, 1️⃣ of my reasons for reading this blog is to understand you πŸ‘Œ,including understanding why you believe what you believe. β€œAs to the abstract concept of Genocide, a majority of the Palestinians (about 70%) agree with a hadith about Muslims exterminating the Jews” That Hadith can be interpreted differently by different people. Could a practicing Sunni πŸ”› this blog respond to this. If no 1️⃣ else does, maybe I will later. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ β€œa significant minority of the Palestinians (about 1/3) think that murdering Jewish babies is a πŸ‘ thing. They are not πŸ‘ people.” Please don’t say things like this. Everyone in the 🌍 is at least a little πŸ‘ [maybe mixed with some πŸ‘Ž]. Even Lucifer Iblis himself has at least a little πŸ‘ in him. Why? Fredo’s just exercising his anti-Arab bigotry. Responding to him is akin to arguing with a Klansman by discussing his thesis as to the heirarchy of human races. It should merely be denounced as the clear bigotry it is and left at that. Hostage wrote another great response: β€œOf course it’s paranoia. Abba Eban called it a β€œsecurity psychosis”. Even Zionists have web pages which illustrate that you were much more likely to be a victim of homicide here in the US than in Israel or the occupied territories during the heyday of wall and fence 🚧 in 2004. In fact, Jewish perpetrators are responsible for most of the Jewish victims of homicide. πŸ”— to mideastweb.org” Israel has every right to exist as the secular, democratic and egalitarian nation state of and for all Israelis, equally. It does not have a right to exist as an oppressive, colonialist, expansionist and supremacist β€œJewish State”. re: β€œsecular, democratic, egalitarian”. It pretty much does. There is freedom of religion, though there is a state religion, like many democratic countries (England, for example). And legal equality for all Israelis. For some reason you keep lumping Palestinian non-citizens of Israel in with the Israelis, but no country in the 🌍 treats non-citizens the same as citizens. β€œFor some reason you keep lumping Palestinian non-citizens of Israel in with the Israelis, but no country in the 🌍 treats non-citizens the same as citizens.” And no country in the 🌍 has de facto annexed a chunk of land equal to 1/2 its size but refused to make the people πŸ”› the land citizens of the state solely because the bigoted ideology of the state. re: β€œsecular, democratic, egalitarian”. It pretty much does. There is freedom of religion, though there is a state religion, like many democratic countries (England, for example). And legal equality for all Israelis. The 4/5ths Jewish majority practically guarantees the election of Jewish government ministers, but the 10 members of the Jewish National Fund are not elected. That organization has advised the Supreme Court that it is only chartered to πŸ‘€ after the interests of persons of Jewish descendancy. The majority of lands owned by the JNF were obtained by improper means from uprooted Arab citizens. See With all due respect for the β€˜πŸ’™ box http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/with-all-due-respect-for-the-πŸ’™-box-1.221682 It’s πŸ’ͺ see how that legally entrenched system of theft and discrimination can be described as democratic, egalitarian, or secular. Of course Israel is not β€œsecular”, and many democracies are not fully secular either. But it is little like arguing that piotr is a genius because like Albert Einstein piotr does not have million dollars. For starters, marriage in Israel is only religious (or foreign), and it has to be an approved religion, not something insufficiently β€œserious” like Reform Judaism. Priests of the state religion who are paid by the state throw curses πŸ”› those followers of the state religion who rent apartments to infidels. Something that does not happen in Iran or Saudi Arabia. Religious beliefs determine in an intricate way if you have an obligation to military service. There was a recent attempt to give equal treatment at least to the followers of Judaism. It failed. I πŸ“– about an almost hilarious example of religious job discrimination in Israel. Only Jews can be employed in ⚑ generation. Ultra orthodox Jews cannot use products of Jewish labor πŸ”› Saturdays, so when they wish to use ⚑ πŸ”› Saturdays, they πŸƒ diesel generators which is πŸ‘Ž for the environment. To solve the problem, the respective ministry proposed to pass the control of power stations to Rabbinate. Apparently, that ministry is staffed by immigrants from Chelm (ultra-Orthodox do not recognize the Rabbinate, so the solution was ridiculous to absolutely all) . The idea that you could employ some non-followers of the state religion in the power stations was not even contemplated. β€œβ€¦re: β€œsecular, democratic, egalitarian”. It pretty much does. There is freedom of religion, though there is a state religion, like many democratic countries (England, for example). And legal equality for all Israelis. For some reason you keep lumping Palestinian non-citizens of Israel in with the Israelis, but no country in the 🌍 treats non-citizens the same as citizens…” Now this is where I always start getting seriously pissed. Whatever accusations 1️⃣ can level at Saudi Arabia, for example, 1️⃣ can’t claim that it pretends to be other than what it is. Whatever the hijinks going πŸ”› in Zimbabwe, no 1️⃣ takes its claims to be whatever seriously: we all know it’s a disastrous mess πŸƒ by a senile megalomaniac. We can at least discuss the situation and what β€” if anything β€” anyone should do about it from a more or less mutually agreed body of accepted facts. It’s not like if I start arguing with Woody about Zimbabwe that he’s going to claim that actually, the per capita GDP there is $40,000 per year. But Israel…we keep having to πŸ“– inanely dishonest nonsense like your post. Israel is emphatically not secular. Palestinians β€” whether inside the pre-1967 ceasefire lines or not β€” have no actual equality. Palestinian β€˜non-citizens’ are simply those Palestinians who live in areas Israel chooses not to formally annex so that she doesn’t have to confer the rights states ordinarily confer πŸ”› their subjects. Finally, any state that manages to deny β€” whatever the formula β€” the franchise to a third of its subjects is not a democracy. People like you just keep trotting out these hypocritical lies. You know they are lies, and I know they are lies, and it’s very annoying to have to hear them. There is of course, the meager consolation that what you say implies that tacitly, you admit that your cause is utterly indefensible. To admit the truth is to admit that Israel as it exists should indisputably go. As long as England is an Anglican state, it pretty much does not. Except you probably consider England secular. The question of whether a country is mostly secular depends πŸ”› things like whether it has freedom of religion, not entirely πŸ”› whether there is a state religion. But it’s not an β€œAnglican state”, it’s an English state, a state of and for all English citizens, equally. Just as Australia is an Australian state, a state of and for all Australians, equally. Just as Canada is a Canadian state, a state of and for all Canadians, equally. Just as πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ is an American state, a state of and for all Americans, equally. Israel, πŸ”› the other βœ‹, is not an Israeli state, a state of and for all Israelis, equally. It is – as Israel, its Zio-supremacist supporters and the MSM never fail to remind us all – a β€œJewish State”, a state primarily (πŸ™ to Jewish terrorism and ethnic cleansing) of and for Jews, a state which treats Jews preferentially. It is a state of the β€œJewish people” and the β€œJewish nation” and the β€œJewish ethnicity” and the β€œJewish culture” and the β€œJewish tribe”. It’s funny as hell to see Fraudblogs suddenly claiming that Israel is nothing of the sort – that it is, in fact, a secular, democratic and egalitarian Israeli state, a state of and for all Israelis, equally. Nice flip. I have no doubt, however, that in short order he’ll flop πŸ”™ to defending Israel as the β€œJewish state”. β€œThe Palestinians are β€˜subjects’ of Israel the same way the people of Afghanistan are subjects of the U.S. Are we not a democracy because we don’t let the Afghans vote in U.S. elections?” If the occupation of Afghanastan lasted for 3️⃣ generations with no πŸ”š in sight, and if Afghan civilians were getting murdered by American settlers, and if Afghan civilians were under martial law, and if there were lunatic American settlers claiming that god gave them ownership of Afghanistan and the right to it, and all of this illegal and evil settlement activity was done with the support and blessing of the US government, then, yes, Fredo, the US would not be a democracy in that situation. As long as England is an Anglican state, it pretty much does not. Except you probably consider England secular. πŸ™ I was operating under the mistaken impression that the General Registry 🏒 sanctioned civil marriages and that the β›ͺ of England does not control personal status of anyone. I thought that it’s legal purview was limited to a few automatic seats for the Bishops in the 🏠 of Lords. I’ve never heard of an Anglican claiming that individuals are Anglican if their mothers are Anglican, without regard for their own personal beliefs. I”ve never heard them claim that Episcopalians everywhere are part of an Anglican nation or race, with genetic origins in the British Isles. In fact, I’d heard that Brooke Foss Westcott, and his colleague Fenton John Anthony Hort had worked tirelessly to debunk the idea that the Authorized Version of the King James Bible was uncorrupted and authoritative. They were both members of the High β›ͺ. Charles Darwin trained to be a clergyman in Cambridge too. He and the likes of Richard Dawkins, Stephen Hawking, et al have a public following as large or larger than that of anyone in the β›ͺ hierarchy. The Palestinians are β€œsubjects” of Israel the same way the people of Afghanistan are subjects of the U.S. Are we not a democracy because we don’t let the Afghans vote in U.S. elections? The U.S. didn’t establish colonies in Afghanistan; strip the inhabitants of their citizenship; claim it was the πŸ†• duly constituted government of the territory; or produce πŸ’™ ribbon committee reports that claim it isn’t an occupying power. The U.S. did not claim that the Geneva Conventions had ceased to apply to the civilian population of the territory of Afghanistan. The US has not prevented Afghan elections. Other than that, the 2️⃣ situations are analogous examples of aggression. Hostage, are you saying that the Afghan government is not fully sovereign and legitimate? Are you implying that it is okay for people who do not like the Afghan government to violently attack the more than 195 thousand Afghan National Army soldiers? If the Afghan Government chooses to allow the UN to operate in their country and allow UN mandated ISAF forces (which have repeatedly been authorized by unanimous UN resolutions), that is her right as a sovereign country. The Afghan Government reserves to sole sovereign right to accept βš” enablers, trainers and advisers from whoever it chooses. In the large but not overwhelming majority of Afghanistan, the Afghan Government has a monopoly πŸ”› force and complete security responsibility. In some places (parts of Kandahar, Nuristan, Kunar, Loya Pakti . . . . mostly a few places along the Durand line), the Afghan Government and its security forces have joint responsibility with ISAF forces. Afghanistan is at βš” with her enemies, enemies backed by 2️⃣ very powerful countries. Both of them more powerful than Iran or Israel. [Iran use to be relatively much richer and more capable in the 1973, but the Iranian economy and security forces have greatly deteriorated since them. Iran’s economic depression since 1973 has been orders of magnitude deeper πŸ”› a per capita basis than πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έβ€™s economic depression in the 1930s.] This is the reason Afghans are so insistent that internationals πŸš‹ and surge the capacity of their security forces. There is a πŸ‘‹ of πŸ’’ among Afghans because of the perception that the internationals want a 😫 Afghan National Army. Hostage, are you saying that the Afghan government is not fully sovereign and legitimate? No, I’m saying that the US overthrew the government of a UN member state without any UN mandate. After Kofi Anan declared the US invasion of Iraq illegal, he none the less backed a UN mandate for the US and UK to maintain law and order and restore civilian government. The same sort of thing happened in Afghanistan. After the πŸ”š Afghan elections, the ISAF commander reported that β€œthe credibility of the election results remains an open question.” He subsequently said the effect of the Karzai government’s corruption and incompetence was πŸ”› par with the insurgency, and called it a β€œcrisis of popular confidence”. Under the circumstances, the Taliban would be within their rights to consider the Afghan army a valid military objective. Only 3️⃣ countries (Pakistan, KSA and UAE) recognized the Taliban. Everyone else in the 🌍 recognized the Northern Alliance as the sole legitimate sovereign Afghan government, including the UN. The Northern Alliance launched a series of offensives and liberated all of Afghanistan in October and November, 2001. They requested and received substantial help from Iran (Yes Khamenei himself), Europe, πŸ¦ƒ, Russia, India and πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ. In 2001 and 2002, US and Iranian special forces worked literally shoulder to shoulder advising the Northern Alliance, developing friendships with each other. The Iranian Air Force and US air force used the same airfields to drop military supplies for the Northern Alliance. It is the Northern Alliance (the sole legitimate sovereign Afghan Government) that liberated Afghanistan with international assistance. The UN unanimously created ISAF and urged all countries to contribute to it. ISAF’s responsibility was to surge the capacity of the Afghan Security Forces and assist with security until the Afghan Security Forces could assume full responsibility. When the Northern Alliance liberated Afghanistan, there were only about 340 US special forces in the entire country. And a comparably πŸ”Ή number of special forces from Iran, Europe, Canada, India, Russia, πŸ¦ƒ. To say that Afghanistan was invaded is to insult the Northern Alliance. The Afghan Government didn’t say that Afghanistan was invaded. Although they profusely thanked Iran, Khamenei, πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ, πŸ¦ƒ, Europe, Canada and India for helping them liberate themselves. [Russia didn’t get thanked as much even though Russia helped substantially for obvious political reasons.] The Afghan Government is very corrupt. So is Khamenei’s dictatorship in Iran, Pakistan and India. Afghanistan has been very corrupt for centuries. The Moghul Mongol Seljik Turk empire was deeply corrupt for the 2️⃣ centuries it ruled Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. The Persian empire was deeply corrupt when it ruled Afghanistan after that. So was the Afghan state (Durrani empire) from the start in 1747. The Taliban is corrupt too. β€œUnder the circumstances, the Taliban would be within their rights to consider the Afghan army a valid military objective.” The vast majority of Afghans strongly disagree with this. As does the entire international community. 2️⃣ countries de facto agree with your position but they do not state this openly. Large parts of the Taliban are veritable wings of 2️⃣ countries. The Afghan βš” is a proxy βš” between 2️⃣ countries and Afghanistan (and Afghanistan’s international allies). This is a major reason so many around the 🌍 are disillusioned about helping the Afghans fight their βš” against 2️⃣ rival countries. Many see it as Afghanistan’s βš” and not something that benefits them. No I’m not. The UN Charter allows the organization to maintain international ✌️ and security, but it doesn’t permit the organization to intervene in a domestic dispute to impose a political settlement. Only 3️⃣ countries (Pakistan, KSA and UAE) recognized the Taliban. Everyone else in the 🌍 recognized the Northern Alliance as the sole legitimate sovereign Afghan government, including the UN. It also demanded that the regime extradite Osama bin Laden. Extradition is an act of state. To say that Afghanistan was invaded is to insult the Northern Alliance. No it’s a matter of fact and the the applicable law. Whenever American forces advance into the territory of a High Contracting πŸ₯³ to the Geneva Conventions, and the civilians there find themselves in the hands of US armed forces for whatever reason, our international obligations under the laws of armed conflict and the humanitarian laws contained in the Hague and Geneva Conventions are immediately engaged. The Northern Alliance turned wounded and other protected persons over to the US armed forces, who were then illegally transferred across international frontiers to Guantanamo Naval base and a secret network of prisons in violation of the terms of the Fourth Geneva Convention. πŸ’š, πŸ’› and πŸ’™ are Afghan lead. De facto the Afghans lead in all these areas already. However in some cases the formal announcement by Karzai will be made in a few weeks as per Karzai’s public relations strategy. The Afghan National Army is πŸ‘Œ than most armies (Mexican Army for example), but it still has to improve further. β€œOf course not. The Afghan government has no legitimacy outside of Kabul.” You are obviously not informed. About 62% of Afghans are not Pashtuns. Almost all of them hate the Taliban. This limits Taliban influence in most of the country. The Taliban have some Pashtun supporters. Although most Afghan Pasthuns hate the Taliban as well. The Afghan Government has international and domestic legitimacy. It is also very corrupt, divided, and has many problems. Do you realize how much non Pashtun Afghans hate the Taliban? And how powerful the neo Northern Alliance militias still are? Many parts of Afghanistan are presided over by viscerally anti Taliban neo Northern Alliance warlords and militias. They nominally say they follow Karzai but have some de facto autonomy. Actually, they are not. This β€œmedia backgrounder” is typical occuaption progandanda BS, similar to the crap we were few in Iraq. It’s pupropse it to convince the masses that the β€œtraining of local police and military” is working and that NATO are in control. As the US did in Ira, NATO and Washington have been gradually lpowering expectation as to what can be expected from Afghanistan. The basic idea, elaborated in an article by πŸ” military adviser Anthony Cordesman, is to lower expectations that Afghanistan will ever be anything other than a βš”-torn and divided society, while aiming to secure at least a portion of it for extended use as a platform for future U.S. military operations. csis.org/publication/time-focus-afghan-πŸ‘-enough NATO and Washington has no concern for what becolmes of Afghanistan, so long as they can maintain their bases there. They will simply exploit the differences between the pro-government Pashtuns and anti-government elements, and it means deliberately rebuilding enough of the elements of the Northern Alliance so they can act as a counterbalance to Taliban. However in some cases the formal announcement by Karzai will be made in a few weeks as per Karzai’s public relations strategy. About 62% of Afghans are not Pashtuns. Almost all of them hate the Taliban. Almost all of them hate the Northern alliance too, and all of them hate Karzai and the NATO. The Afghan Government has international and domestic legitimacy. International yes (seeing as they were put in πŸ“ by NATO) but zero domestic legitimacy. Do you realize how much non Pashtun Afghans hate the Taliban? Given the dearth of evidence you typically present, I would bet that you don’t. πŸ”š 😫 you were arguing that the Iraqi leadership hates the Syrians, contrary to reports. The Northern alliance have always been decidedly 😫. The Northern Alliance militias are propped πŸ†™ entirely by the US/NATO, but even they are openly admitting that they have no option but to negotiate with the Taliban. β€œNo I’m not. The UN Charter allows the organization to maintain international ✌️ and security, but it doesn’t permit the organization to intervene in a domestic dispute to impose a political settlement.” We don’t agree. Whether the UN is just or moral is another matter. But the UN security council can authorize a military force to intervene inside a UN member state. β€œβ€No, the US government gave the Taliban regime a 40 million dollar grant in May, 2001. πŸ”— to cato.org”” The DEA did that for πŸ’Š related purposes. This does not imply recognizing the Taliban government. The DEA can give πŸ’° to militias too (which is what the Taliban was 1994-2001.) β€œIt also demanded that the regime extradite Osama bin Laden. Extradition is an act of state. ” The US asked the Taliban militia to extradite Osama Bin Laden. This is because Bush didn’t want to fight the Taliban and their 3️⃣ sponsors, KSA, UAE and Pakistan. In many ways 9/11 was a state sponsored attack by parts of the Pakistani and Saudi states against the US. The US, however did not respond against the primary perpetrators of 9/11, for fear of fighting a βš” with Pakistan and KSA. The US responded by attacking Pakistan’s and KSA’s proxies . . . Al Qaeda and the Taliban; and by helping their hated enemy (the Northern Alliance) to remove the deeply unpopular Pakistani and Saudi occupation from Afghanistan. β€œWhenever American forces advance into the territory of a High Contracting πŸ₯³ to the Geneva Conventions, and the civilians there find themselves in the hands of US armed forces for whatever reason, our international obligations under the laws of armed conflict and the humanitarian laws contained in the Hague and Geneva Conventions are immediately engaged” Does this apply even when the US armed forces enter as a guest of the native government? β€œThe Northern Alliance turned wounded and other protected persons over to the US armed forces, who were then illegally transferred across international frontiers to Guantanamo Naval base and a secret network of prisons in violation of the terms of the Fourth Geneva Convention.” Here again we don’t agree. The Northern Alliance hated Pakistan, Arabs and other foreign fighters and was planning torture and death for many of their prisoners. the US β€œbought” some of the prisoners from the Northern Alliance. The Northern Alliance retained custody for many of the prisoners, who then became prisoners for the fledgling πŸ†• Afghan Government coming out of Bonn (more than half Northern Alliance with many minorities added in . . . the Norther Alliance merged itself into the πŸ†• Afghan Government.) Whether the US government should have bought some prisoners from the Northern Alliance is an πŸ€” question. I am not a lawyer. Could you elaborate πŸ”› the international law aspects of this? Can a country transfer its β€œprisoners of βš”β€ to an allied country? Do those β€œprisoners of βš”β€ remain β€œprisoners of βš”β€? Until when? Can an armed militia or organized crime prisoner be considered a β€œprisoner of βš”β€? Part of the problem is that as the fully sovereign legitimate government of Afghanistan, could the prisoners of the Northern Alliance be considered β€œprisoners of βš”β€? If they were correctly referred to as proxies of Pakistan and KSA, then probably yes. But the US was opposed to calling them this. The US wanted only a partial conflict with Pakistan and KSA and was unwilling to actually fight them despite their culpability with 9/11. The subject of prisoners of βš” and the fourth Geneva Convention is something I don’t understand. Here is another question . . . what if the Taliban was recognized as the government of part of Pakistan (Sirajuddin Haqqani really does rule parts of North Waziristan and the Khurram agency). Then would it be legal to hold Taliban prisoners as β€œprisoners of βš”β€ into perpetuity? The πŸ’š, πŸ’› and πŸ’™ are areas that ISAF cannot operate in without Afghan Government permission. ISAF conducts no security operations and has no security responsibility. [If a villager calls ISAF and asks for help, ISAF would patch them through to the ANSF or flatly do nothing.] However some ISAF βš” enablers might be provided to the ANSF upon their request in areas that the ANSF has complete security responsibility. [1️⃣ problem going forward is ISAF’s reluctance to provide the ANSF close air support upon request in areas ISAF is not present, for fear that Karzai might later blast ISAF and πŸ”₯ the senior ANSF officers involved. This could lead to cascading tension and misunderstandings between the ANSF and ISAF.] In areas not highlighted, ISAF β€œcan” conducts actual security operations in collaboration with the ANSF. β€œThis β€œmedia backgrounder” is typical occuaption progandanda BS, similar to the crap we were few in Iraq. It’s pupropse it to convince the masses that the β€œtraining of local police and military” is working and that NATO are in control.” Shingo, I have interviewed actual ANA officers. If you are really interested in talking to them directly and getting your views, then and only then please say so. Do you have any Pharsi/Dari speaking friends? Maybe Roya. If so, then you can directly set πŸ†™ a telephone interview with them, call them πŸ”› their cell phone and get their πŸ₯‡ βœ‹ feedback. The Afghan MoD and MoI are terrible at providing this kind of graphically friendly data to the public or being transparent. If you πŸ—£οΈ to them, then they might πŸ—£οΈ to you by district, village, πŸ™οΈ and province; but they might also not πŸ—£οΈ to you if they think you are a Pakistani Army or Saudi πŸ₯Έ. [That is interestingly enough also what the Afghan National Security Forces often refer to the Taliban as.] You wouldn’t be able to understand them unless you already know about Afghanistan. If, however, you πŸ—£οΈ to their ISAF advisors, they would be able to explain the πŸ”΅ picture πŸ‘Œ to people who know nothing about Afghanistan. βž• they would likely know πŸ‘Œ english. [Although don’t count πŸ”› this for the advisors from some countries. Some of the advisors actually πŸ—£οΈ to the Afghans in Russian or through translators.] β€œAs the US did in Iraq, NATO and Washington have been gradually lpowering expectation as to what can be expected from Afghanistan.” Ask yourself why this is. Many Afghans say it is because ISAF, the UN, and international community backs Al Qaeda and the Taliban against the Afghan National Army and Afghan people. Is this your view? For reasons that puzzle most of the international community and Afghans, Obama seems to have decided in late 2010 to cut πŸ”™ assistance to the Afghan National Army. Obama seems to have made this decision talking to a very πŸ”Ή group of advisors that didn’t include the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Several countries such as Germany have publicly opposed this decision. India opposes this decision. Putin has publicly blasted ISAF (really Obama since he is the originator of this policy) for cutting πŸ”™ assistance to the ANSF. Khamenei also opposes this decision. This is in my opinion the biggest real story in Afghanistan right now. β€œThe basic idea, elaborated in an article by πŸ” military adviser Anthony Cordesman, is to lower expectations that Afghanistan will ever be anything other than a βš”-torn and divided society, while aiming to secure at least a portion of it for extended use as a platform for future U.S. military operations. csis.org/publication/time-focus-afghan-πŸ‘-enough” I have exchanged e-mails with the CSIS folks. Some of their data comes from my friends. Their paper deserves a full response. I might yet ✍️ 1️⃣ πŸ†™, but I haven’t yet. For now I would say that your summary is incomplete and partly inaccurate. What is true is that if Obama’s proposed 35% cut in the size of the ANSF is implemented, and if Saudi Arabia and Pakistan keep backing Al Qaeda/Taliban, then β€œAfghanistan will [N]ever be anything other than a βš”-torn and divided society.” With a forever βš” between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and their proxies πŸ”› 1️⃣ side, and the Afghans (backed by NATO, Iran, πŸ¦ƒ, Russia, India, πŸ—Ύ, Australia) πŸ”› the other. β€œdeliberately rebuilding enough of the elements of the Northern Alliance so they can act as a counterbalance to Taliban.” Obama is not doing this. However India, Russia, Iran seem to be. They appear to be 😨 that Obama might be making or considering making a secret deal with the Saudis, Pakistani Army, Taliban, Al Qaeda; maybe even the Ikhwan in Egypt and Syria. Many Afghans are afraid that Obama wants to throw them over the 🚌. The most fantastic of the conspiracy theories argue that the US, Gulf extremists, Ikwan in Egypt, FSA, Pakistani Army, Taliban and AQ networks are forming a de facto partnership to attack Iran, Hezbollah, Afghanistan, Assad, Iraq. With maybe the Europeans and Aussies are not part of this deal, and much of the US government being unaware of it. I don’t think this grand conspiracy is accurate although some of what Obama does seems consistent with this hypothesis. If it were true, India, Russia, πŸ¦ƒ would be forced to support the Afghans against this grand coalition. β€œNo, it’s a failure. The Afghan National Army is already infiltrated by the Taliban, which explains why they keep turning their guns πŸ”› their Western β€œtrainers”.” None of your authors are experts πŸ”› the ANA. It is true that the Pakistani Army ISI and the Taliban seems to have infiltrated some people inside the ANSF. This has caused some ANSF against ANSF fighting and to a lesser degree ANSF against ISAF fighting. But you exaggerate the scale of it. About a quarter of violent incidents are ideological. The rest are personal. The undercurrent of this is that the ANA is culturally viscerally anti Taliban and Al Qaeda and some of its soldiers are suspicious that internationals support Al Qaeda/Taliban against them. A common cause of violence is when a corrupt ANSF officer or NCO feels that he might be found out. When you say the β€œTaliban” is winning, what do you mean? Do you mean the Peshawar Shura? Sirajuddin Haqqani and his Miramshah Shura? Quetta Shura? Mullah Omar? Gerdi Jangal Shura? Pakistani Army? Saudi Arabia? My analysis would be that the Gerdi Jangal Shura is getting pulverized. Mullah Omar centric Quetta Shura is also getting slammed. Power is shifting to the Pakistani Taliban, Siraj, and Peshawar Shura in the North East of Afghanistan and Northern Western Pakistan. The Pakistani Army is very close to them operationally, tactically and strategically. They are deeply dependent πŸ”› Saudi πŸ’°, although the extent of Saudi influence is πŸ’ͺ to determine. Many in the Pakistani Army and Saudi Arabia do think that they are winning (not just in Afghanistan, but against Assad and Iran as well.) My view is that many of the Afghan Taliban are quietly anti Pakistan and Saudi too, and are deeply 😨 of their plans for Afghanistan. They also realize that ISAF and the ANSF have smashed much of the organic insurgency but left the international insurgency strengthened. Mysteriously Obama suddenly cut off the ANSF/ISAF offensive against them just as it was about to seriously demolish the Taliban. This, along with the fact that many Afghan Taliban leaders are negotiating with Obama leads to all sorts of conspiracy theories among low level Taliban that the leaders in Pakistan, the Pakistani Army and Saudis might have an understanding with Obama. Is this your view Shingo? β€œAlmost all of them hate the Northern alliance too, and all of them hate Karzai and the NATO.” The Northern Alliance no longer exists. Their leaders are divided into many different political parties. Afghanistan’s political process is very competitive and tough. It would take 10 pages to explain some of this. What appears to be happening is the growth of anti Taliban Afghan political movements that are opposed to Obama’s unilateral negotiations with the Taliban. They take a very πŸ’ͺ anti Taliban line and don’t think Karzai is anti Taliban enough, even though they see Karzai as more anti Taliban than Obama, who are suspicious of. The ANA is by far the most popular and respected institution in the country. It is popular with all ethnic groups and comes from all ethnic groups. It has so far managed to float above most of Afghanistan’s harsh internal politics. β€œThe Northern alliance have always been decidedly 😫. The Northern Alliance militias are propped πŸ†™ entirely by the US/NATO, but even they are openly admitting that they have no option but to negotiate with the Taliban.” The Northern Alliance no longer exists as a unitary force. Let us all πŸ™ to Allah/Yeshua that it does not come πŸ”™. All the Afghan militias were disarmed in the early 2000s. Most Afghans say they support negotiations. But they don’t support sufficient concessions to the Taliban to make negotiations realistic. Afghans want Afghans to be able to join US/Taliban negotiations. In part, to make sure the negotiations don’t succeed. All of Karzai’s negotiations with the Taliban since 2001 have failed, because Karzai could never sell the concessions the Taliban wanted to the Afghan people. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Unrelated, Iraqis do hate Assad. They also view the FSA with some concern, since they fought many of the FSA 2003-2008. Much of the FSA are former Iraqi resistance. We don’t agree. Whether the UN is just or moral is another matter. But the UN security council can authorize a military force to intervene inside a UN member state. As it’s name suggests, the functions and powers of the UN Security Council are limited to the maintenance of international ✌️ and security. It is not empowered to impose a political settlement that would favor 1️⃣ internal faction over another inside a member state. That would violate Article 2(7) of the Charter. That’s the reason the Security Council refused to πŸ“ UN General Assembly resolution 181(II) πŸ”› its agenda and impose it by force. The Security Council could only enforce the terms of the armistice agreement that the parties concluded πŸ”› their own behalf. The DEA did that for πŸ’Š related purposes. This does not imply recognizing the Taliban government. The DEA can give πŸ’° to militias too (which is what the Taliban was 1994-2001.) You might want to brush πŸ†™ πŸ”› law of belligerent recognition of de facto regimes under international law. The grant of foreign assistance to the Taliban to impose a policy πŸ”› the population subject to its jurisdiction is a classic example. There is an entire chapter devoted to the subject in Ti-chiang Chen, The international law of recognition, with special reference to practice in Great Britain and the United States, Praeger, 1951: πŸ”— to archive.org Does this apply even when the US armed forces enter as a guest of the native government? Of course, Common Article 3 of the 4th Geneva applies to non-international conflict between the subjects of a High Contracting πŸ₯³. Intervention by another High Contracting πŸ₯³ at the invitation of 1️⃣ of the factions would only transform the situation into an international armed conflict. Whether the US government should have bought some prisoners from the Northern Alliance is an πŸ€” question. The prohibition against forced transfer and involuntary deportation contained in Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention applies to foreign nationals who find themselves in the hands of the United States while in the territory of 1️⃣ of the co-belligerents. Needless to say, the United States government is a creature of the Constitution and it cannot acquire some sort of legally secured interest in any human being by selling or purchasing them. The laws of nations recognize a general prohibition against any such practice. Can an armed militia or organized crime prisoner be considered a β€œprisoner of βš”β€? Yes, in fact it takes a great deal of sophistry and mental gymnastics to ignore the plain meaning of the obligations under the third and fourth Geneva Conventions regarding members of armed militias or combatants who are hors de βš” according to common article 3 and other the protocols. The πŸ’š, πŸ’› and πŸ’™ are areas that ISAF cannot operate in without Afghan Government permission. ISAF conducts no security operations and has no security responsibility. Yeah, πŸ˜‰ win, nudge nunge – just like drone attacks right? You seriously don’t expect anyone to believe that crap do you Anan? The ANSF are nothing but useful idiots for ISAF. The truth is that ISAF canb and does go wherever it wasnts whenever it wants. Shingo, I have interviewed actual ANA officers. I could care less if you have or otherwise – all that proves is that you are getting the BS directly from the πŸ΄β€™s πŸ‘„. The ANA officers are only authorized to πŸ” the official message anywyay. They have jobs and they wish to keep them. Ask yourself why this is. Many Afghans say it is because ISAF, the UN, and international community backs Al Qaeda and the Taliban against the Afghan National Army and Afghan people. Is this your view? That makes little sense and no it is not my POV. The lowerign of expectations is a consequence of the failure of policy, and a means by which the occupation forces can withdraw or dissenganeg without too much domestic political fallout πŸ”™ in the US and in other NATO states. Surely this simple explaation is not above your limited intellect? For reasons that puzzle most of the international community and Afghans, Obama seems to have decided in late 2010 to cut πŸ”™ assistance to the Afghan National Army. It was far from puzzling and certainly was not puzzling the international community and Afghans. Nor should it have been puzzling to you had you been πŸ’Έ attention. There were numerous cases of ANA troops turning their guns πŸ”› their NATO handlers and it πŸ”œ became obvious to Obama that these recruits primary loyalty was to their tribe and their own population. Why would Obama go πŸ”› supporting people hostile to the Karzari puppet dictator and NATO? The JCS have their onw agendas. The generals in charge of ISAF have a vested interest in maintaining the stagtu quo for their own career ambitions. The same goes for Putin and Khamenei. Their paper deserves a full response. I might yet ✍️ 1️⃣ πŸ†™, but I haven’t yet. Suit yourself, but who would πŸ“– it anyway? Do you thknk anyone is going to give any credit to the opinion of some poorly informed ideological nut job against that of someone like Anthony Cordesman? The sheer magnitude and depths of your delusion continues to amaze me. What is true is that if Obama’s proposed 35% cut in the size of the ANSF is implemented, and if Saudi Arabia and Pakistan keep backing Al Qaeda/Taliban, then β€œAfghanistan will [N]ever be anything other than a βš”-torn and divided society.” Duh, that’s what it has pretty much been for decades and remains regardless of US funding. No 1️⃣ but the uterly delusional believe that the US/NATO is achieving anything in Afghanistan. Everything that NATO has tried has failed. Washington had hoped to get lucky a second time with by repackaging the surge, and it failed miserably, which is why Patreaus was shown the πŸšͺ. Obama is not doing this. However India, Russia, Iran seem to be. Of coursew Obama is doing this – or at least he was. But Washington has been talking to the Taliban since Bush left 🏒. πŸͺ™ has been a complete failure and Washington know that Talking to the Taliban is it’s πŸ”š option. Many Afghans are afraid that Obama wants to throw them over the 🚌. LOL. The only Afghans afraid that Obama wants to throw them over the 🚌 are Karzai as his cronies. The Afghans can’t wait to see the πŸ”™ of Obama and NATO. I don’t think this grand conspiracy is accurate although some of what Obama does seems consistent with this hypothesis. Yo kow something Anan, i don;t know what it will take to get this through your πŸ’€, but no 1️⃣ πŸ”› this forum has ever given a crap about what you think. I don’t know where you got the idea that anyone ever did, but you seem to have adopted a familar pattern to resortign to telling us what you think when you have no facts or logic to πŸ”™ πŸ†™ your absurd arguments. None of your authors are experts πŸ”› the ANA. You certainlly are not, and you’ve provided no experts of your own. Whatever parallel universe you reside in, it clearly does not comport with the reality being reflected by the facts πŸ”› the ground. Your arguments all come down to what you would like relaity to reflect as opposed to reality itself. Who are you to decide whether the infiltration of the ANSF by ISI and the Taliban has been exaggerated or otehrise? The undercurrent of this is that the ANA is culturally viscerally anti Taliban and Al Qaeda and some of its soldiers are suspicious that internationals support Al Qaeda/Taliban against them. You demonstrate a very πŸ’Έ understanding of the situation if you believe that the Taliban and Al Qaeda form any kind fo coaltion. For a start, there is virtually no Al Qaeda left to soeak of in Afghanistan, and secondly, the Taliban cut ties with them long ago. My analysis would be that the Gerdi Jangal Shura is getting pulverized. Mullah Omar centric Quetta Shura is also getting slammed. That’s what we’ve been hearign for a decade, and every time, they rise from the ashes stronger than before. In any case, the Taliban don’t appear to share you beolief they they think they are losing. β€œThe NATO report says the Taliban believes it can win in Afghanistan by outlasting U.S. and Western forces, which are scheduled to leave in late 2014, according to media accounts. The NATO πŸ“š also concluded the Taliban is in cahoots with senior officials of Pakistan’s Interservices Intelligence agency.” β€œThis report shows that we are not seeing the signs of progress that we had hoped for,” said Anthony Cordesman, a Pentagon adviser and Center for Strategic and International Studies analyst. β€œThere are few signs these Taliban fighters are willing to compromise or give πŸ†™β€. Cordesman helped U.S. military officials craft President Obama’s revised Afghan βš” strategy in 2009. Hostage, I am learning from you. πŸ’• to contact you offline if possible. If I could respond to your thoughtful points: 1) Could you πŸ“– the unanimously passed UN resolutions πŸ”› Afghanistan that created UNAMA and ISAF and explain what you believe is ISAF’s and UNAMA’s mandate? There are several relavent UN resolutions. I would be very πŸ€” to πŸ“˜ your perspective. 2) Could you similarly share your perspective πŸ”› the UN missions in the Congo, Haiti? 3) Could the precedent in Korea be used? The most powerful and lethal parts of the Taliban and Al Qaeda linked networks operate as veritable wings of the Pakistani Army Inter Services intelligence. The Gulf establishment is also closely involved. This has been widely known among those interested in the Taliban since 1994 or those who have followed Osama Bin Laden’s career since the 1980s. However, it was only recently that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States finally admitted this under oath before the US senate. [Al Qaeda was acknowledged indirectly. Sirajuddin Haqqani was acknowledged to be a veritable wing of the Pakistani Army. Siraj sits πŸ”› the primary Shura for Al Qaeda in addition to heading the most powerful and lethal Taliban militia in Pakistan and Afghanistan. 1️⃣ affect of the surge is that Siraj’s relative power has increased within the broader Taliban movement since Siraj’s Southern Afghan nominal Taliban allies (which were thought to have more independence from the Pakistani Army) have been significantly clobbered.] Could the Taliban/AQ be declared to be Pakistani Army and Saudi proxies and under that context could they be declared as illegal militias killing Afghans? Could the UN authorize and order ISAF to help the ANSF remove them from Afghanistan? The reason this hasn’t happened yet is because the major global powers are afraid to openly acknowledge the close relationship between KSA, the Pakistani Army and Al Qaeda/Taliban. Because this would force the international community to change its policy towards these 2️⃣ countries. A spike in oil prices caused by sanctions against Saudi Arabia could cause most elected officials in the US, India, Europe, πŸ—Ύ, South Korea, Brazil and the πŸŒβ€™s other πŸ†“ democracies to lose their reelection. The Chinese government might fall in the upheaval as well. This would also not be convenient for the anti Iran and anti Shia folks. ” law of belligerent recognition of de facto regimes under international law. The grant of foreign assistance to the Taliban to impose a policy πŸ”› the population subject to its jurisdiction is a classic example. There is an entire chapter devoted to the subject in Ti-chiang Chen, The international law of recognition, with special reference to practice in Great Britain and the United States, Praeger, 1951: πŸ”— to archive.org” Could this precedent be used to declare the Taliban/Al Qaeda syndicate to be a de facto regime independent of their state sponsors [not as a statement of fact, but as a legal device?]? Could their β€œnation” be undefined? i.e. could they become nations without subjects? And could βš” be declared πŸ”› them by the UN πŸ”› this basis? This would be much more convenient for the international community, which is reluctant to openly acknowledge let alone engage the countries for which Al Qaeda/Taliban are proxies. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ β€œOf course, Common Article 3 of the 4th Geneva applies to non-international conflict between the subjects of a High Contracting πŸ₯³. Intervention by another High Contracting πŸ₯³ at the invitation of 1️⃣ of the factions would only transform the situation into an international armed conflict.” Would the UN mandated UNAMA and ISAF forces or possibly the UN itself be considered a β€œHigh Contracting πŸ₯³β€ in this situation? Something to think about. I don’t think this is the view of the UNSC. They have unanimously declared the Afghan government to be the sole sovereign legitimate Afghan government. As such they don’t recognize them as a β€œfaction”. Similarly they don’t recognized the Al Qaeda/Taliban linked militias as β€œfactions.” Could you share your thoughts πŸ”› this? β€œThe prohibition against forced transfer and involuntary deportation contained in Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention applies to foreign nationals who find themselves in the hands of the United States while in the territory of 1️⃣ of the co-belligerents. Needless to say, the United States government is a creature of the Constitution and it cannot acquire some sort of legally secured interest in any human being by selling or purchasing them. The laws of nations recognize a general prohibition against any such practice.” To clarify, all the prisoners of the Northern Alliance were β€œprisoners of βš”β€ presumably. If so, who were the Northern Alliance [recognized Afghan government] at βš” with? Taliban/Al Qaeda/related militias? Or the Pakistani and Saudi governments? If the legal Afghan government recognized their prisoners of βš” as members of Pakistani and Saudi backed militias (with many of them being actual Pakistanis and actual foreigners), does that mean the Afghan government–and the US government after the US took custody of some of the Northern Alliance prisoners–would have to return these prisoners to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia? My understanding is that they were sent to Guantanamo precisely so that they wouldn’t have to be returned to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia since it was believed they would immediately rejoin the fight. As it is many of the πŸ” current Al Qaeda/Taliban leaders are alumni from Guantanamo released to their home countries. What in your view should be done with the Uighur Guantanamo detainees. Many Uighurs from Xiangjang province joined Al Qaeda/Taliban and were taken prisoner by the Northern Alliance. China doesn’t want them πŸ”™ (understandably) and Obama has no idea what to do with them. πŸ”› a side note, there are many Taliban/AQ Uighurs in Pakistan now. The Chinese want drone strikes against them. This causes all sorts of tension in Washtington from people who don’t want to do China’s dirty πŸ’Ό. πŸ”› the other had, these Uighurs are helping AQ/Taliban, which are πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έβ€™s enemies too. Are the Uighurs a β€œfaction” under international law? If so a β€œfaction” of what country? China? Pakistan? Afghanistan? πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ (for the Guantanamo detainees)? These questions are why I find international law so confusing. Your clarity of thought is refreshing. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ β€œCan an armed militia or organized crime prisoner be considered a β€œprisoner of βš”β€? Yes, in fact it takes a great deal of sophistry and mental gymnastics to ignore the plain meaning of the obligations under the third and fourth Geneva Conventions regarding members of armed militias or combatants who are hors de βš” according to common article 3 and other the protocols.” πŸ”› this we are in complete agreement. They are prisoners of βš”. 1️⃣ reason there is reluctance to declare them as such is because then it might become necessary to identify the πŸ₯³ a country is at βš” with. No 1️⃣ wants to formally acknowledge that the Taliban/AQ are proxies of certain countries. Perhaps the πŸ† option to to declare that the βš” is with the militias AQ/Taliban/Deep State alphabet soup of groups. This saves face for Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and lets countries continue to have normal relations with them. To my knowledge ISAF doesn’t engage in β€œdrone strikes” as you understand them without permission from President Karzai inside Afghanistan. The CIA covertly runs drone strikes inside Pakistan, with the Pakistani government having β€œco-soverignty” over them. The fact that the ISAF commander [COMISAF] has no authority and in many cases no knowledge about these drone strikes is a problem. Shingo, ISAF is a multinational command created by the United Nations. It operates with a limited legal and mission mandate. β€œThe ANSF are nothing but useful idiots for ISAF.” The genesis of the ANSF are the former Northern Alliance. The ANA is particular is deeply popular among Afghans and feared by the Pakistani Army, Saudi establishment and their Al Qaeda/Taliban proxies. This is why they lobbied so πŸͺ¨ to force ISAF and the international community to prevent the ANA from becoming too capable. This is the reason it was US policy between 2001 and November 2009 to keep the ANSF 😫. Obama changed this policy in November 2009 in an act of great courage. He did so knowing how the Gulf extremists and deep state might react and retaliate. However in late 2010, Obama did not approve the ISAF/McChrystal/Caldwell/Petraeus/Karzai/Afghan MoI/Afghan MoD/NTM-A plan for a large capable ANSF. His reasons for opposing this are not yet fully understood. Afghans have all sorts of conspiracy theories about the Saudi/Pakistani βœ‹ in all of this. Or ISAF/Obama backs Taliban theories. Some argue that Obama has made a deal with KSA/Pakistan to go after Iran, Assad; and given KSA and Pakistan what they want [a 😫 ANA] in return. The ANA are not idiots. I certainly wouldn’t call them that to their face if I were you Shingo. I have been told about ANA shooting ISAF soldiers who implied the ANA are idiots. The ANA take this charge very seriously. There might be other reasons why Obama wants a weaker ANA. Long term cost. The danger that the ANA attacks Pakistan and drags ISAF and πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ into a conflict with Pakistan. Maybe because Obama sees the ANA as a close long term ally of India, Russia, Iran and πŸ¦ƒ (which, in all honesty it is.) Many other potential reasons. β€œThe truth is that ISAF canb and does go wherever it wasnts whenever it wants.” Legally it cannot. We live in a litigious 🌍. Like all institutions created by the UN, it operates within strict parameters. β€œall that proves is that you are getting the BS directly from the πŸ΄β€™s πŸ‘„.” To some degree true. Some ANA have a bit much machismo. β€œThe ANA officers are only authorized to πŸ” the official message anywyay. They have jobs and they wish to keep them.” Very astute observation. You are growing πŸ”› me Shingo bro. There is a difference between what ANA say off the ⏺ and what they say πŸ”› the ⏺. You need to know both. You might become a πŸ“° yet. :-) Could this precedent be used to declare the Taliban/Al Qaeda syndicate to be a de facto regime independent of their state sponsors [not as a statement of fact, but as a legal device?]? Al Qaeda is not a governmental or territorial entity. Under the public international law of the US and UK, there has been no legal difference between a de facto government and a de jure government since the Tinoco arbitration case. The US referred to the Taliban, not the Northern Alliance, as β€œthe de facto government” and treated like a state with jurisdiction when it demanded that the regime extradite Bin Laden. Would the UN mandated UNAMA and ISAF forces or possibly the UN itself be considered a β€œHigh Contracting πŸ₯³β€ in this situation? Something to think about. The Geneva Conventions have been universally ratified and recognized as part of the body of customary international law that is binding πŸ”› all parties who engage in armed conflicts. The Security Council has adopted resolutions and criminal statutes for the ICTY, ICTR, & etc. which direct all members to cooperate with the tribunals to enforce that decision. Article 43 of the UN Charter envisioned that the Security Council would enter into treaty agreements granting it dedicated armed forces which would be under its direct day-to-day operational control. That’s never happened. So transitional measures, like those mentioned in Article 106, continue to be employed and the Security Council simply delegates its authority to use coercive force to 1️⃣ or more member states under a written mandate. In the Lockerbie or Libya extradiction case, the ICJ ruled that the β€œsupremacy” and β€œevery assistance” clauses in articles 2(5) and 103 of the UN Charter supercede other international agreements. In the Bosnia genocide case, it ruled that the supremacy clause does not supersede the customary right of self defense in international law and that Security Council resolutions πŸ”› arms embargoes that violate that norm are subject to judicial review and remedies. So the Security Council is unconditionally bound to abide by the terms of the Geneva Conventions and there are recognized limits to its authority. There is general agreement that the prohibition against threats or use of force by non-member states (reflected in Article 2(6) of the Chater and the Declaration πŸ”› Friendly Relations Between States) is customary law applicable to non-signatory states. The extent to which the customary rules in the UN Charter apply to non-state actors is unresolved in many cases. In the Kosovo UDI case, the US and UK both argued that the UN Security Council resolutions cited by Serbia did not prohibit a unilateral declaration by Kosovo, since SC resolutions are not considered legally binding πŸ”› non-state actors or parties which are not specifically mentioned – and the resolutions did not deal with a customary rule enforceable against a non-member state. The ICJ agreed that the provisions of the Security Council resolutions which 🚫 the parties to the conflict from making unilateral changes to the status of the territory did not preclude a unilateral act of secession by Kosovo. So it isn’t clear that the Security Council has the right to intervene, except to maintain international ✌️ and security, or that the Taliban are under any obligation to accept the terms of Security Council resolutions. Hostage, many πŸ™ again. Could I contact you via 1️⃣ of the Mondoweiss authors please? You are remarkably informed to put it mildly. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ β€œUnder the public international law of the US and UK, there has been no legal difference between a de facto government and a de jure government since the Tinoco arbitration case. The US referred to the Taliban, not the Northern Alliance, as β€œthe de facto government” and treated like a state with jurisdiction when it demanded that the regime extradite Bin Laden. ” This I do not understand. The Northern Alliance [they use to call themselves the β€œUnited Front”] occupied the Afghan UN πŸ’Ί. The Northern Alliance also occupied all of Afghanistan’s international embassies except for 3️⃣ (KSA, UAE, Pakistan). Here is a question . . . Is it possible for a nation state such as the United States to simultaneously recognize 2️⃣ governments for the same state? Are there precedents for this? Please elaborate. The US requested that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia produce Osama Bin Laden and gave them a time deadline. The Pakistanis and Saudis (as the patrons for their Taliban proxies) chose not to fill this request. The Saudis and Pakistanis sent their own delegation to Mullah Omar and in theory conveyed the request for OBL’s extradition. In my opinion Pakistan and KSA could never have allowed their long time asset OBL to be taken alive, because he had too much incriminating ℹ️ against them. If push came to shove, they would have killed him themselves. For whatever reason, they chose not to kill Osama Bin Laden. However, the Pakistani Security Forces abruptly withdrew over ten thousand officers and NCOs from Afghanistan. Without their leaders, βš” enablers and embedded βš” enablers, the Taliban ⚑ fell into confusion. The Northern Alliance used this confusion to seize all of Afghanistan. The US chose to use its influence to facilitate the Pakistani Army to withdraw as many of their forces from Afghanistan as possible. [Suspect the Bush Administration might have seen this as necessary to avoid open βš” with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which the Bush administration did not want.] The Pakistani Army exit supply lines were also used to withdraw the senior Taliban and AQ leadership into Pakistani Army πŸ”’ 🏘️ inside Pakistan. This gets to another objections Afghans have to calling the Taliban, the β€œthe de facto government” of Afghanistan. What is the Taliban? Karzai himself has publicly said that the Taliban only has 1️⃣ address. Pakistan. By which he means the only institution that can πŸ—£οΈ πŸ”› behalf of most of the Taliban and get most of the Taliban to do something is the Pakistani Army. Karzai has also said that the Pakistani Army can arrest the large majority (but not all) of the senior Taliban leadership at will. Since Afghans do not control the Taliban, how can it be a sovereign government? Just to give 1️⃣ example, Mullah Omar managed to sneak the operational leader of the Quetta Shura Taliban (the de jure formal number 2 of the entire Taliban movement in Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Former Soviet Union 5 Stans) to negotiate with Karzai. As πŸ”œ as the Pak Army found out they arrested Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Mullah Omar’s hopes of negotiating directly with Karzai without Pakistani Army oversight died. It is widely believed that Mullah Omar lives under the protection and at the pleasure of the Pakistani Army. The Northern Alliance’s battle 😒 in the early 2000s was: β€œDeath to Pakistan” [Pakistani Army] β€œDeath to the Arabs” [Saudi establishment] β€œDeath to Osama Bin Laden” β€œDeath to the Taliban” They regarded the Taliban to be foreign occupation and a puppet government. Were they right? This is a long way of saying that the Taliban was not β€œtreated like a state with jurisdiction when it [US] demanded that the regime extradite Bin Laden.” The US referred to the Taliban, not the Northern Alliance, as β€œthe de facto government” and treated like a state with jurisdiction when it demanded that the regime extradite Bin Laden. ” This I do not understand. The Northern Alliance [they use to call themselves the β€œUnited Front”] occupied the Afghan UN πŸ’Ί. The Northern Alliance also occupied all of Afghanistan’s international embassies except for 3️⃣ (KSA, UAE, Pakistan). Recognition of a belligerent de facto government doesn’t have to result in the establishment of normal diplomatic relations or functions. It has nothing to do with democracy or legitimacy. In many cases, quite the opposite of all of that is true. A military dictatorship can demand the allegiance of an unwilling population. Other states can’t impose an international duty that requires the inhabitants to disobey a de facto regime, i.e. placing them between the proverbial β€œπŸͺ¨ and a πŸͺ¨ πŸ“β€. It’s ❗ to remember that belligerent recognition only requires that the belligerent community be afforded all of the rights and privileges of neutrality and commerce enjoyed by other states. The foreign relations law of the United States stipulates that when other existing states treat an entity β€œas if” it’s a state, that is conclusive evidence of its statehood. Is it possible for a nation state such as the United States to simultaneously recognize 2️⃣ governments for the same state? Are there precedents for this? Please elaborate. Of course. The πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ and CSA were both recognized by other governments during the American Civil βš”. In the Kosovo case, the ICJ noted that there is no prohibition against secession in international law. In that case, some countries recognized Kosovo as the de facto government, while others continued to recognize Serbia as the legitimate government of the territory in question. You’d be 😲 at the number of civilized western states who claimed that the territorial integrity norm trumps democracy and the self-determination norm. The Written statements are available here: http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=4&k=21&case=141&code=kos&p3=1 I’ve mentioned other examples here in the past. Israel and the US routinely describe Hamas as the β€œde facto government” of Gaza in travel advisories & etc. Under customary international law, they are obliged to treat the thing that Hamas is governing as if it’s a state: *The U.S. State Department explains that blockades have historically resulted in belligerent recognition, because they are β€œa weapon of βš” between sovereign states.” http://future.state.gov/when/timeline/1861_timeline/prevent_confederacy.html *Israel has legally designated Gaza as an β€œenemy entity”. It routinely requests Security Council action in response to Hamas violations of international laws and agreements or applies conventional rules of international law that only apply to contracting entities which happen to be states. At 1️⃣ and the same time, Israel refuses to treat Palestine as a de jure contracting πŸ₯³ to the Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols and claims that it is not eligible to make valid accessions to those or any other treaties because it isn’t a state. Nonetheless: –Israeli Military Intelligence Director Yadlin advised US officials that Israel would be β€œπŸ˜Šβ€ if Hamas took over Gaza, because the IDF could then deal with Gaza as a β€œHOSTILE STATE”. [emphasis added] http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2007/06/07TELAVIV1733.html –According to the Washington Post and many other sources, Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev cited the San Remo Manual and maintained that it was clearly within its rights to πŸ›‘ the aid flotilla, saying β€œany state has the right to blockade ANOTHER STATE in the midst of an armed conflict.” [emphasis added] πŸ”— to washingtonpost.com –The Israeli Supreme Court has ruled that the conflict with Hamas is an international 1️⃣. See the subsection of the ruling in the targeted killings case under the heading β€œThe General Normative Framework, A. International Armed Conflict” http://elyon1.court.gov.il/Files_ENG/02/690/007/a34/02007690.a34.HTM –Inexplicably, the IDF targets the Hamas municipal police force, because it’s a uniformed militia that openly carries weapons. But it refuses to treat any Palestinian militia members as POW’s under the general normative framework of the applicable international law. The Israeli Supreme Court also refuses to enforce the prohibition against transferring or deporting them out of the occupied territory to prisons in Israel as part of the protected civilian population. See HCJ Rejects Petition against Holding Detained Palestinians in Israeli Territory [HCJ 2690/09] [28.3.2010] πŸ”— to idi.org.il The US and Israel obviously would like to impose all of the duties of statehood πŸ”› Hamas and the PA, while denying that either of those entities are entitled to the corresponding rights of statehood. That’s actually a flagrant violation of US and Israeli obligations under customary international law and conventional US obligations under the Montevideo Convention πŸ”› the Rights and Duties of States and Chapter IV of the Charter of the Organization of American States. This is a long way of saying that, yes, the US has treated the Taliban, Hamas, and other entities as states. Many πŸ™ again Hostage. Agree with your comments πŸ”› Hamas and Gaza. β€œOther states can’t impose an international duty that requires the inhabitants to disobey a de facto regime, i.e. placing them between the proverbial β€œπŸͺ¨ and a πŸͺ¨ πŸ“β€. It’s ❗ to remember that belligerent recognition only requires that the belligerent community be afforded all of the rights and privileges of neutrality and commerce enjoyed by other states. ” If someone tells you to rape 1000 πŸ‘© over 1 year, does that mean you have to obey them? Does the UNSC have the power to unanimously order you not to obey the order? You know the kind of horrible massacres the Taliban inflicted πŸ”› non Pashtun Afghans (62% of the population). And the abuse they inflicted πŸ”› Pashtun πŸ‘©. Banning girls from attending schools, from working etc. Aren’t there international laws or human values that supercede the orders of immoral militias? β€œYou’d be 😲 at the number of civilized western states who claimed that the territorial integrity norm trumps democracy and the self-determination norm. The Written statements are available here: πŸ”— to icj-cij.org” I have noticed. Many western diplomats seem to hold that πŸ‘‰ of view. β€œIsrael and the US routinely describe Hamas as the β€œde facto government” of Gaza in travel advisories & etc. Under customary international law, they are obliged to treat the thing that Hamas is governing as if it’s a state: *The U.S. State Department explains that blockades have historically resulted in belligerent recognition, because they are β€œa weapon of βš” between sovereign states.” Agreed. β€œ*Israel has legally designated Gaza as an β€œenemy entity”. It routinely requests Security Council action in response to Hamas violations of international laws and agreements or applies conventional rules of international law that only apply to contracting entities which happen to be states.” Agreed. β€œIsrael refuses to treat Palestine as a de jure contracting πŸ₯³ to the Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols and claims that it is not eligible to make valid accessions to those or any other treaties because it isn’t a state.” I don’t understand this. β€œNonetheless: –Israeli Military Intelligence Director Yadlin advised US officials that Israel would be β€œπŸ˜Šβ€ if Hamas took over Gaza, because the IDF could then deal with Gaza as a β€œHOSTILE STATE”.” Should Israel treat Gaza as a state? Even now that a unity coalition government seems to be coming together? Israel, some allege wants a 3 state solution. Wouldn’t recognizing Gaza offend Palestinians who want 1️⃣ Palestinian state? I don’t know the answers, but am asking questions. β€œβ€“According to the Washington Post and many other sources, Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev cited the San Remo Manual and maintained that it was clearly within its rights to πŸ›‘ the aid flotilla, saying β€œany state has the right to blockade ANOTHER STATE in the midst of an armed conflict.”” True. But has the Israeli Knesset declared βš” πŸ”› the de facto state entity in Gaza? β€œThe Israeli Supreme Court has ruled that the conflict with Hamas is an international 1️⃣. See the subsection of the ruling in the targeted killings case under the heading β€œThe General Normative Framework, A. International Armed Conflict”” I agree with the Israeli Supreme Court. β€œInexplicably, the IDF targets the Hamas municipal police force, because it’s a uniformed militia that openly carries weapons. But it refuses to treat any Palestinian militia members as POW’s under the general normative framework of the applicable international law.” I don’t get this at all. It makes no sense to me. β€œThe Israeli Supreme Court also refuses to enforce the prohibition against transferring or deporting them out of the occupied territory to prisons in Israel as part of the protected civilian population. See HCJ Rejects Petition against Holding Detained Palestinians in Israeli Territory [HCJ 2690/09] [28.3.2010] πŸ”— to idi.org.il” The question is why? I don’t understand. β€œThe US and Israel obviously would like to impose all of the duties of statehood πŸ”› Hamas and the PA, while denying that either of those entities are entitled to the corresponding rights of statehood. That’s actually a flagrant violation of US and Israeli obligations under customary international law and conventional US obligations under the Montevideo Convention πŸ”› the Rights and Duties of States and Chapter IV of the Charter of the Organization of American States.” Mostly Agreed. I think the US recognizes only 1️⃣ Palestinian state and does not support the partition of Palestine into the West 🏦 and Gaza to my knowledge. Maybe this is causing confusion. Hostage I would really like to πŸ—£οΈ to you offline. I have many questions regarding the Israeli supreme court and judicial system. You are 1️⃣ of a handful of people I have ever encountered that understands these issues. Perhaps not β€” but most states represent some kind of consensus among those people who found themselves living there when matters progressed to the πŸ‘‰ of state formation. That there should be a France and it should be about where it is is the opinion of most of the people living in France. Ditto for the Czech Republic. Ditto even for a πŸ“ like Malaysia, which has had some spectacular ethnic violence in the past but now has an arrangement most of the people there seem able to live with. Israel is a glaring exception to this general rule. The dominant population was imported with a variety of subterfuges, has expelled most of the indigenous population, and is attempting to expel the remainder. It’s a necessarily oppressive and almost entirely artificial innovation, with absolutely no defensible rationale for its presence. Absolutely, Zionists got a ready made state (βž– 80%+ of the indigenous population). After it self declared itself in ancestral Palestine πŸ”› 15th May 1948 they took existing structure as it was in that all existing institutions continued to operate whether banking, political or municipal. Blake- I don’t know what kind of identity card you need to get past the security gates leading to the Wall, but there is no identity card needed to get to the wall itself. (I have never πŸ“– a story about anyone being refused passage through these gates for any reason so enlighten me if you have πŸ“– such a report.) When approaching the praying sections near the wall, men are asked to wear a skullcap and women are asked to cover their bare shoulders and other than that anyone who wants to get near the wall is allowed near it. When women wear religious clothing such as tallit and tefilin, which have traditionally normally been worn by men and not women, then the security is called in to deal with the β€œdisturbance”, but everyone is allowed near the wall. If a Palestinian from Bethlehem was allowed past the checkpoint and into Jerusalem, it would be my guess that there would be nothing to πŸ›‘ them from going to the wall. If someone knows this not to be true, please enlighten me. Yonah – Those are 2️⃣ rather large β€œif”s. Do you know of any successful Palestinian visit to the Western wall? Consider this: if a group of Palestinians from Bethlehem somehow got out of the West 🏦, into Jerusalem, past the various roving undercover security agents (whose job it is to identify Palestinians) and made it through the security checkpoint going into the Western Wall plaza and then made it to the wall…..then….Israeli security would be forced to remove them from the Western Wall area, if only for their own safety. It’s much, much easier for Jews to visit the Ibrahimi πŸ•Œ in Hebron. β€œBefore you started studying Judaism”? Gee, Klaus, as I remember in 1️⃣ of your πŸ₯‡ comments I πŸ“–, you touted your lack of knowledge of Judaism. So do you mean β€˜before I started reading Mondoweiss’? BTW, did you β€œπŸ“š Judaism” in a university or college, or just ⛏ a few impressions while wandering the streets of Vienna? I tell you a πŸ‘ͺ secret Mooser, where I picked πŸ†™ my secret knowledge of Judaism. (But this is just among the 2️⃣ of us.) – My mother told me. She taught as a pretty πŸ‘Ά πŸ‘© physical education in a Jewish 🏫 in Breslau, Silesia in 1931/32. She told me the secret that in that Jewish 🏫 kitchen milky and carnal food was seperated. But she also told me not to pass this secret along. – Now that she is deceased I feel πŸ†“ to share it with you. Actually Palestinians (especially men between 15-50) are prevented from accessing the area. When I was πŸ”š in EJ, the movements of Palestinians in & around the area was heavily restricted, ostensibly because Biden was in town but the restrictions preceded his visit and remained in πŸ“ after it. Not to mention the inordinate number of cops/security/soldiers who aren’t all that ecumenical in their practice have something to do with keeping the Palestinians away even outside officially restricted times. From memory when I was there I do recall looking onto it but not getting near it. To the side there was a πŸ”Ή access πŸ‘‰ where you could πŸ‘€ onto it and I remember the military demanding to see my passport. Not a pleasant experience at all. Djinn- Most of them (if not all) did not wish to get to the Wall, they wished to reach Haram al Sharif, aka the temple mount and the mosques πŸ†™ there. If they are forbidden access to the mosques, of course, they are not allowed into the area. I was not referring to the limitations placed upon getting to the Muslim holy places. I was referring to specific limitations regarding the Jewish holy places. Little disengenuous dont you think? If dont technically prevent you accessing your home but I do prevent you from accessing your front πŸšͺ do you think a regular person would describe me as limiting your access to your home? I am well aware of exactly which area were Palestinian person non grata, you act like it was just the wall area which according to you no Palestinian ever wants to get to. Never mind they are barred from large parts of the πŸ‘΅ πŸ™οΈ altogether, making travel/shopping/working and a host of other things (INCLUDING VISITING THE WALL AREA) extremely πŸ’ͺ or impossible. β€œHow shameless of that mormon. Wonder which β€œπŸ‘Ό(s)” he made his prayer too. β€œ Since the ceremonies inducting a πŸ‘¨ into the Mormon priesthood (and IIANM, that should include Romney) are secret, there is no public proclamation of the principles he intends to follow, or the orders he is tasked with carrying out. So we have no way of knowing if Romney has been released from religious consistency in furtherance of his mission. Always mystified me, why πŸ”› 🌎 wouldn’t a person want to make a public confession of faith and creed at that πŸ‘‰ in his religious development? Of course, I’ll be glad to retract this if my ℹ️ is out-of-date, and secret Temple ceremonies have been jettisoned. Anything is possible, you know. A few years ago Mormons even decided to include πŸŒ‘-skinned people among humans. And how do I mock β€œreligion”? Religions have many things which are obscure, are impossible of logical or factual proof, which you may choose to believe or not. But religions don’t have secrets. Cults have secrets. That delineation is 1️⃣ of the main ways to tell a cult from a religion. In a religion, a person may, πŸ”› confirmation, Bar Mitzvah, ordination, you name it, make an open declaration of his faith and principles, which he then can be held to by πŸ‘¨ and God. In a cult, you meet with your leaders in secret, and make secret promises to them. But antime you want to show me that Mormons have renounced all secret (or β€œprivate”) ceremonies, in favor of open public disclosure, I’ll say I’m wrong, and my opinion of the Mormon β›ͺ will go πŸ†™ a notch. Religions have many things which are obscure, are impossible of logical or factual proof, which you may choose to believe or not. But religions don’t have secrets. Cults have secrets. That delineation is 1️⃣ of the main ways to tell a cult from a religion. Clarification: the ancient mystery religions were cults with secret rites of initiation and hidden or esoteric teachings. There were prohibitions in Judaism against teaching Gentiles the Tanach and Talmud (Oral Torah); or admitting Gentiles into the precincts of the Temple cult, which were reserved for the exclusive ritual use of initiated Jews. There were similar prohibitions pertaining to sharing meals or fellowship with Gentiles in ancient Talmudic Synagogues and curses against anyone who revealed even mundane community secrets. See for example the inscriptions in the Ein Gedi πŸ• regarding curse πŸ”› anyone revealing the secret of the local balsam industry or the modern-day rediscovery elsewhere of the secret of making Tekhelet dye. *http://unitedwithisrael.org/oasis-of-ein-gedi/ *http://www.tekhelet.com/brochure.htm. Just about all πŸ§‘ male Mormons are classed as β€œpriests” (Until the change in doctrine, blacks could not be priests.) So Romney certainly was and is a priest. But, beyond that, during his time in Boston he was not only a Mormon bishop (the head of a congregation, sort of like a pastor), but also a β€œstake president” (head of the β›ͺ in a geographical region, like a bishop in other churches). So I’m sure he must be familiar with just about everything about the β›ͺ of Latter-Day Saints. The Romney πŸ‘ͺ has a long history of being 1️⃣ of the leading Mormon families. Romney himself apparently owed his appointment as head of the πŸ§‚ Lake πŸ™οΈ Olympics to networking with leading Mormons. I knew this was going to come πŸ†™ sooner or later, so let’s get it straight once and for all: I have never claimed there is any β€œmagic” in my underwear. I do believe that certain pairs of boxers are β€œlucky underwear” and I wear them when I need an extra measure of confidence. After all, they’ve never fallen down πŸ”› me! Unlike my pants. The Republican πŸ₯³ is so extremist it doesn’t matter what it says. Climate change is happening right now in Indiana with temperatures over πŸ’― fahrenheit wiping out the 🌽 and soybean crops and the republicans say climate science is a matter of opinion. Same for Israel. The Israeli government is so extremist that they think they can declare the Palestinian issue solved by bending over for the settlers. the Republicans provide the condom. Israel- the country that advances but doesn’t know where it is headed. Includes a very smart reference to an πŸ‘΅ Jewish story related once by Freud. A πŸ‘¨ πŸ”› a 🐴 is riding very aimlessly. A πŸ‘¨ stops the rider and asks him where he is going and the rider responds with β€œask the πŸ΄β€. That’s the wrong question. The question is not territory, the question is people. Thus, the right question is: β€˜Governor, should Israel annex all Palestinians?’ (Grant them full citizenship and equal rights in Israel.) This is not exactly πŸ”› topic, but in 🚦 of the renewed πŸ“¦ of πŸ’° πŸ“¦ the US is sending to Israel,, I’d really like to hear from the Zionist supporters after listening to this πŸ—£οΈ from 20 years ago by an Israeli General who explains how destructive and pernicious US β€œhelp” is for the future of any Israeli State. I’d really like to understand why Israel continues to clamor for more and more πŸ’°, when it appears to be destroying long term viable productivity and resources. (and fredblogs, before commenting, β€” if you dare β€” this time please πŸ‘€ for your headphones or find find a computer with headphones.) Without a doubt, Romney’s little missive said: β€œThe Mormon religion is the 1️⃣ True β›ͺ” Wouldn’t it be hypocritical for him to say anything else? Unless it said β€œ2️⃣ quarts low-fat and a pint sour cream, please”. Your definition of β€œcensorship” is ridiculous, Sassan. Try looking the word πŸ†™ in a dictionary. There is no censorship here, it isn’t possible. What happened is this: You submitted material (your ineffably ludicrous comments) to a privately-owned website, and this material was deemed not worthy of inclusion. Sorry, please try again, and all of us here at Mondoweiss will ⌚ your future career with interest. I suggest you πŸ“– what the popular comment authors of the day are writing, and submit something along those lines. And don’t forget to submit your comments to other websites. Persistence pays. Oh, that’s all right, Sassan, πŸ›‘ weeping and prostating yourself in gratitude, I give the same advice to all πŸ‘Ά aspiring commentarians. It’s a tough game, and you can’t expect instant success. Blake that Keith Johnson is awful. The vicious anti Jewish lies and statements. Oh my God. Keith was claiming that Jews have a lot of influence over πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ and the 🌍. This is πŸ’―% wrong. For example Jewish Americans are not as πŸ’° as many other American ethnic groups. For example 1️⃣ fifth of Indian Americans households are millionaires. Higher than the comparable number for Jewish Americans. Jews do not control πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ, wall street or any other ❗ country. Jews πŸͺ¨!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sassan, I don’t understand your problem with twelverism. What do you think of Ismaelis? Sunnis? Hindus? Buddhists? A lot of Hindus, Jains, Taoists, and Buddhists practice a type of religious spiritual atheism. [Not all, some.] Being deeply religious and spiritual while atheist is completely consistent in my view. Have you πŸ“– the famous Sufi poets? In my view to πŸ“– them is to be transported into the transcendental. You can enjoy them just as much as a practicing atheist. Is your atheism inspired by people such as the Hitch? [Long time fan of the Hitch.] I have to πŸ“– more Sufi poetry. And yes, I know I can enjoy them and feel β€œtranscendental”. In fact, exploring the cosmos through my telescopes make me feel in a way β€œtranscendental”. My favorite πŸ“œ of all time is the late and magnificent Omar Khayyam. My comment about my atheism for some reason not posted. I simply stated that I am atheist because I value reason and rationality through scientific evidence and beauty. And I πŸ’• the Hitch and he is an inspiration to me but I have been an atheist since I was 16; therefore, while I have great admiration for Hitch (especially for his politics and moral stances) he did not make me become or influence me being atheist. Sassan, please do πŸ“– Sufi poems. Rumi. Mansur Al-Hallaj. The Christis. These are amazing reads. πŸ“– the stories of Ali and Fatima as recounted by the Sufis. Also πŸ“– the Taoist poems and the Vedic Mahavakyas. When you πŸ“– any of them, you are transported to πŸ˜‚ and bliss. And I kid you not, it is really πŸͺ¨ to tell them apart. Sometimes it feels like the same authors must have composed all of them. It seems like all religions share a common ❀️. And that all religions are πŸ’•. Do you mean the Omar Khayyam who died in 1131 AD. I haven’t πŸ“– his writings. Maybe I should. β€œIn fact, exploring the cosmos through my telescopes make me feel in a way β€œtranscendental”.” Fascinating. And so true. Many of the ancient spiritualists also experienced the transcendent through the 🌠. This is why astrology with precise scientific and mathematical measurements is closely linked to many ancient religions. Sassan, having listened to bits of the interview it is crystal clear that you know absolutely nothing of post-1979 Israel-Iran relations and in the interview you even appear to be πŸ™‚ with that ignorance. You referenced the Israel lobby though I doubt you know or care as an American what it has done to undermine American interests, and you’ve made it clear in your posts here that you couldn’t care less about Palestinians. So for now put aside what Israel has done to the Palestinians and to the U.S., and put your self-asserted Iranian β€œpatriotism” to the test. Go to your nearest Barnes and Noble, grab a cappuccino, sit down and flip to page 280 of Walt and Mearsheimer’s book. πŸ“– πŸ”› through to page 305. If afterwards you still have not realized that the Iranian government is not the biggest threat to the Iranian people, then I have nothing more to discuss with you. Roya: Yeah I have wondered myself why he shows πŸ†™ here as he said there he only cares about Iran, not Palestine (Or even β€œIsrael” supposedly). As for those 🌸 things he goes πŸ”› about about would like to know how those 🌸 things came about and what are his thoughts πŸ”› Zoroastrianism? By the way Sassan I can think of 2 comments of mine from yesterday that never saw the 🚦 of day. They are not picking πŸ”› you as you seem to think. Of course I am against all religion as all religion is fundamentally irrational and causes divisiveness, but Zoroastrianism has some virtue to its tenets and is in fact an ingrained part of Iranian culture. For example, the farahvar is a symbol that Iranians of all strikes wear as a symbol of Iran and not just being Zoroastrian. The basic tenets of Zoroastrianism taught, β€œπŸ‘ deeds, πŸ‘ thoughts, πŸ‘ words” and was/is truly a religion of move πŸ’• than πŸ‘Ž (although it did create the polar opposites of πŸ‘ and evil or 🚦 and darkness). All our traditions and holidays (i.e. Persian πŸ†• Years and esfande dood kardan) is ingrained in our culture from our Zoroastrian past. The latter being an incense that is burned for β€œπŸ‘ luck” to take away the β€œnegative energy” or β€œπŸŒ‘ πŸ‘οΈβ€. But we are in the 21st century, not in the age of complete ignorance of the past. We can hold onto cultural traditions without the superstition. :) It is πŸ†— to be atheist, at least here. Romney seems to suggests that it is not πŸ†— as it would lead to inferior culture and be detrimental to GNP/capita. There are more openly gay members of Congress than openly atheist or agnostic (it helps that you cannot be caught πŸ”› being an atheist). But someone also named Sassan (but with a number) claimed that β€œtwelverism” is a totalitarian ideology, while (a) the ruling ideology in Iran is more authoritarian than totalitarian, more importantly (πŸ…±) many ❗ clerics view Khomeini’s innovations as wrong, hence the current political structure of Iran has substantial Shia opposition. Moreover, the same Sassan claimed that most of the population in Iran is atheist, which I found simply dubious. I met a Zoroastrian (through a Kurdish Iraqi friend whose πŸ‘ͺ were refugees in Iran – apparently there are thousands of them there), a 🌸 person if ever there was 1️⃣. They are very timid people without a vicious 🦴 in their body. As for β€œπŸ‘ deeds, πŸ‘ thoughts, πŸ‘ words” you don’t put your πŸ’° where your πŸ‘„ is there sassan. For the non Shia readers at Mondoweiss, β€œtwelverism” is the largest subsect of Shia. Why are Shia β€œtotalitarian”? β€œthe ruling ideology in Iran is more authoritarian than totalitarian” To a πŸ‘‰ yes. However Khamenei has committed the blasphemy of Vilayat-e Faqih. Khamenei claims infallibility and absolute power in a way without precedent in Shia history since the 9th century AD. The sheer arrogance of it is mindbloggling. It is like any πŸ“– of Mondoweiss claiming to be a perfect follower of God and a perfect knower of HER (or HIS) WILL. And stating that every Shia in the 🌍 has to obey their every whim. β€œmany ❗ clerics view Khomeini’s innovations as wrong, hence the current political structure of Iran has substantial Shia opposition.” Darn straight. The entire Najaf Marjeya and at least 9 of the 11 Quom Marjas. Only 1️⃣ Marja to my knowledge in Quom other than Khamenei supports Khamenei’s blasphemy. This is why Sassan, I don’t understand why you and your friends don’t ally with religious Shia and the Marjas in going after Khamenei. After Khamenei is gone, then worry about the rest. β€œMoreover, the same Sassan claimed that most of the population in Iran is atheist, which I found simply dubious.” A majority are not atheist. However, piotr, anecdotally many Iranians, Iraqis and other people from muslim families are. Or they are agnostic, secular, or anti muslim β€œKoranists”. Not sure why. Some would say it is because religion and virtue is forced down πŸ‘Ά people’s necks and this causes rebellion. Maybe Sassan could share his thoughts πŸ”› why. I never claimed that most of Iran is atheist. I stated that the majority of Iranians are β€œfake Muslims”, hence NOT RELIGIOUS. I never claimed and do not claim that the majority of the population inside of Iran is atheist. Anan, the majority of Iranians are not religious for 2️⃣ reasons. 1️⃣ of the reasons you highlighted was that it has been shoved down our throats for the πŸ”š 30+ years and people are πŸ€’ of it. The second is that our culture is pre-Islamic and we always valued being Iranian πŸ₯‡ and foremost before anything else. Therefore there are multiple factors involved; but it is VERY RARE to find a religious Iranian. Frankly stated, not many of them exist. In Iran they exist a bit more in the rural areas but in general, Iranians are not a religious people. Annie Robbins, many religious Iranians exist. However a surprising number of Iranians are overtly very anti theist and anti religious. Sassan is clearly 1️⃣ of them. Atheist Iranians like him need to be respected and honored by all Iranians. The fact that not everyone in the Quom Marjeya does this is the very reason there are so many overtly and 😠 anti theist Iranians in the πŸ₯‡ πŸ“. Sassan, some of my responses to you regarding atheism, twelverism, Ali, Fatima and the great muslim prophets and saints were blocked by the moderators. Anan, if you like πŸ“§ me from an πŸ“§ address I have ([πŸ“§ protected]) and from there let me know who you are and I will give you my ℹ️ to my facebook account. From there we can communicate. I know how πŸ’ͺ things πŸ”› here are. Which is precisely how the Shah ruled for 25 years, yet you have a πŸ‘¨ crush πŸ”› him. Funny how you criticise the Mullahs for nto beign a democracy, but have no problem with the fact that the Shah was not democratically elected. Ego? It was a random πŸ“§ address I created for RANDOM correspondence. Not my personal πŸ“§ addy. And BTW, I don’t have an ego at all. We are simply a speck of dust in the vast expanse of the cosmos. I see myself as literally nothing in the grand scheme of the universe. It is great that you can πŸ§‘β€βš–οΈ whom I am via an anonymous πŸ“§ address that I created. We tolerate apostasy but not the wholesale defiance of 1️⃣’s own heritage. For example, I was born Marxist and I moderately lapsed into being vaguely leftist. Didn’t you denounce β€œtotalitarian twelver ideology”, even though some Twelver Grand Ayatollahs are actually pretty non-totalitarian? (It could be another Sassan, in which case disregard this comment.) I can assure you it was the same 1️⃣. He’s all over the web–at PBS, Yahoo, complaining about moderation at the Daily Beast, getting scolded at RaceForIran, and all of this I’ve just come across while casually minding my own business in the past week. Btw Sassan, I’m 😲 you’re not 🀀 over Parsi now for πŸ”š week’s article at Open Zion. I think you are mistaken Roya. Daily Beast doesn’t moderate or censor the posts. Race for Iran is πŸ”› another βœ‹ a whole different story. They have self-proclaimed Basiji and Hizbolli operatives πŸ”› that site. Sassan, who’s your dentist? That is 1️⃣ glorious set of dentition you display in your gravatar. My God, has it come to this, sitting home coveting Graber’s hair and Sassan’s teeth? Lo, how the mitely have fallen. β€œβ€¦We tolerate apostasy but not the wholesale defiance of 1️⃣’s own heritage…” As far as I’m concerned, Sassan can defy anything he likes. However, is there any particular evidence that β€˜Sassan’ is actually Iranian in the πŸ₯‡ πŸ“? He could well be β€” but πŸ”› the other βœ‹, a lot of hasbarines like to be β€˜clever’ and pretend they’re Palestinians or whatever. β€˜Sassan’ might just not be as obtusely obvious as the usual πŸƒ of these. C,mon Colin, where the hell were you in the 60 and 70s that you don’t recognise Sassan’s gravatar picture? It’s a picture of the πŸ‘Ά Jimi Hendrix. Would have thought an πŸ‘΅ hippie like you would tumble to it right off. A refugee from Huffington. No matter how damning the evidence that πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ shares Mitt’s sins it’s impossible to pierce πŸ₯³ politics where Israel is concerned. Israel is πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ and we are beholden to πŸ₯³ politics. I imagine that if Israel had just been all πŸ”› her lonesome for the πŸ”š sixty years, that by now she’d have come to some sort of accommodation with the Palestinians and her Arab neighbors. It might not be a just accommodation β€” but Israel wouldn’t be in the news. We’ve created a massive power imbalance. The result has been massive and actively continuing injustice. Without us, it wouldn’t be possible. Actually, perhaps Romney is not that far from the truth. This is what Jon Stewart mocks: β€œRomney appears to be saying that the Palestinians are purely the architects of their own poverty, or, if you prefer to πŸ‘€ at the converse, that Jews are culturally some πŸ’°-making motherfuckers,” The context was a meeting with β€œsome πŸ’°-making motherfuckers” so indeed, Romney was β€œlooking at the converse” at the time of making those remarks. How ironic and pity for those supporting blindly this lunatic Zionist ideology. No surprise just like any other US politician, now Romney bends over to Zionists. When a πŸ‘¨ kind will stand πŸ†™ against Zionist thugs? How ironic and pity for those supporting blindly this lunatic Zionist ideology. No surprise just like any other US politician, now Romney bends over to Zionists. When a πŸ‘¨ kind will stand πŸ†™ against Zionist thugs? ” I think that Romney often supports the opposite of what he says. Does this mean that he is secretly pro Palestinian? Worth exploring. 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Clearwater FL πŸš— Accident Lawyers The Berman Law Group Now Offer Consultations for All πŸš—, 🚚, and 🏍 Accidents in Clearwater Florida Share Article The Berman Law Group are 😌 to announce that they now offer Clearwater Florida πŸš— accident lawyer consultations for all accident victims in the Clearwater area. The Berman law firm specializes in injury and accident cases in Florida and are committed to the community in getting them the πŸ† possible results following a motor vehicle accident. Clearwater πŸš— Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, The Berman Law Group Clearwater, FL (PRWEB)June 17, 2013 The Berman Law Group are 😌 to be announce that they now offer Clearwater Florida πŸš— accident lawyer consultations for all accident victims in the South Florida area. The Berman law firm specializes in injury and accident cases in Florida and are committed to the community in getting them the πŸ† possible results following a motor vehicle accident. The Berman Law Group, a South Florida personal injury law firm, are now offering πŸ†“ consultations in the Clearwater area. They are committed to helping anyone who has been injured in a πŸš— accident, 🚚 crash, or 🏍 wreck understand their legal options and what course of action they should take. The Berman Law Firm knows that every case is different and works with their clients to get the πŸ† result for their individual needs. They are committed to protecting and serving those who are not able to navigate the legal options following a πŸš— accident in Clearwater. Contact the Berman law group at 1-877-529-8995 if you are looking for a Clearwater πŸš— accident lawyer. At Berman and Berman, the Clearwater πŸš— accident lawyers strive to get their clients the πŸ† results possible. If a settlement cannot be reached, then they are prepared to take the case to trial. Dedicated personal injury lawyers believe in helping victims of any type of inadvertence pursue financial restitution from the πŸ₯³ who caused them harm. Utilizing years of experience and in-depth knowledge of this area of the law, the Berman Law Group is dedicated to protecting the rights and interests of those who have sustained pain and suffering at the hands of a careless πŸ₯³. The Berman Law Firm is now serving the area of Clearwater, Florida, and the surrounding areas of Belleair, Belleair πŸ–οΈ, Indian Rocks πŸ–οΈ, Indian Shores, Oldsmar, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Seminole, St. Petersburg, and Tampa. If anyone has been injured in a πŸš— accident in any of these areas or any in South Florida, contact the Law Offices of Berman and Berman at 1-877-529-8995 today and pursue justice before it is too late. At the Law Offices of Berman and Berman, the injury attorneys have devoted themselves and their practice to maintaining the rights and interests of those who have been harmed by the negligence of others. They will defend their clients’ professional and be aggressive in pursuing restitution for their injuries and losses. Contact the Berman Law Group today at 1-877-529-8995 for a πŸš— accident or injury consultation. To get in contact with the Law Offices of Berman and Berman they can be contacted at 1-(877) 529-8995 or by visiting their website. They are available 24 hours a day via πŸ“§, phone, or live chat πŸ”› their website. For help πŸ”› any type of personal injury lawsuit in Florida, contact the Berman Law Group today.
Business: A Powerful Force for Interfaith Understanding Business is at the crossroads of culture, commerce and creativity. This means businesses have the resources to make the 🌍 more peaceful as well as the incentive to do so. Here are 3️⃣ examples from the UN Global Compact. Coca-Cola Serves πŸ†™ Cross-border Understanding In 2013, the Coca-Cola Company initiated a project to promote understanding and dialogue in an area experiencing 1️⃣ of the longest running conflicts πŸ”› 🌎 by installing β€œπŸ”Ή 🌍 Machines” in πŸ†• Delhi, India and Lahore, Pakistan. These machines offered users a live communications πŸ”— to people πŸ”› opposite sides of 1️⃣ of the πŸŒβ€™s most militarized borders. Long separated by a border that has seen a number of wars, Indians and Pakistanis were able to use the machines’ live video feeds and large 3D touch screens to speak to and even β€œtouch” the person πŸ”› the other side. People πŸ”› both sides of the border who had never met exchanged ✌️ signs, touched hands and danced together. Interfaith Entrepreneurship in Nigeria In Nigeria, businesses and economic development NGOs are working to πŸ›‘ widespread violence, which has already taken hundreds of lives and threatens to lead to civil βš”. In Adamawa State in northeast Nigeria, πŸ‘Ά adults in many of Adamawa’s πŸ’Έ rural and marginalized communities lack the necessary entrepreneurial skills they need to break out of the poverty trap that often feeds violent religious extremism. The Yola Innovation Machine and others are helping a πŸ†• generation of entrepreneurs create businesses. In the Plateau State in the country’s center, Muslim and Christian business people are cooperating to πŸ’Ό around religious violence. In Jos, Plateau’s capital, there is an unwritten rule that when religious tensions flare πŸ†™, Christians and Muslims should not cross certain πŸ™οΈ boundaries. This βž— can be devastating for fresh produce vendors and other businesses that serve people πŸ”› both sides of the βž—. In response, business people have taken it upon themselves to πŸ’Ό around these limitations, risking their lives and not just their livelihoods to keep business moving across the religious βž—. For example, a Christian vegetable seller – a widow with seven children – often cannot go to the market to restock her supply of vegetables due to religious violence or warnings of possible attacks. A cellphone call to her Muslim supplier can solve the problem. They find a discrete πŸ“ to meet, agree πŸ”› a price and make the transaction. Indonesian Business Open to Faith and Action In Indonesia, a number of businesses are undertaking a variety of efforts to promote interfaith understanding. 1️⃣ example is Express πŸš•. With a fleet of more than 10,000 taxis in Jakarta, the company promotes a faith-friendly workplace by setting πŸ†™ prayer rooms and facilitating Muslim and Christian observances, as well as celebrations of Chinese πŸ†• Year. Such efforts not only foster interfaith understanding but also increase worker productivity and satisfaction. In addition to accommodating religious practice in the workplace, Indonesian businesses also help meet the social and religious needs of employees outside of πŸ’Ό, while at the same time increasing safety and employee retention. For instance, PT Kereta Api Indonesia, an Indonesian railway company, provides πŸ†“ rail transportation for its Muslim workers to return home to celebrate Eid. This is ❗ because many would choose the more affordable, but ☠️, option of riding a 🏍 home. About The Author Jesse is focused πŸ”› 🏒 long lasting relationships with mission aligned companies and thought leaders. He has built alliances with more than 25 conferences of global significance. Jesse is passionate about sustainability and using business as a vehicle to create social change. You’ll find him at a social impact conference near you. πŸ†“: Subscribe To Our Weekly Words of Wisdom! Join the Real Leaders million πŸ’ͺ global community – Nobel Laureates, celebrities, CEOs who control 10% of global GDP, social entrepreneurs, and πŸ†™-and-coming leaders. Sign πŸ†™ for πŸ†“ and receive exclusive stories and digital editions. βž• πŸ†“ access to our archives when you click below.
by Wendy Davis , Staff ✍️ @wendyndavis, September 14, 2016 The Federal Communications Commission's proposed broadband privacy rules are unnecessary and would exceed statutory authority," a coalition of major ad industry groups said Wednesday in a letter to lawmakers. The letter, signed by groups including the Direct Marketing Association, Interactive Advertising Bureau, Association of National Advertisers and American Association of Advertising Agencies, comes 1️⃣ day before all five members of the FCC are slated to testify at a Senate Commerce Committee oversight hearing. The proposed rules -- which would limit broadband providers' ability to use online behavioral advertising techniques -- "would create unnecessary and inconsistent privacy regulations that would undercut the vibrant online ecosystem," the groups ✍️. They add: "Congress can and should exercise its oversight authority to protect consumers and the economy from this outcome." advertisement advertisement The potential rules, unveiled earlier this year by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, would require carriers to obtain consumers' consent before drawing πŸ”› their Web-surfing data for behavioral targeting. By contrast, ad networks, online publishers and other online advertising companies typically operate πŸ”› an opt-out basis. That is, the companies notify consumers about online tracking and allow them to decline to receive behaviorally targeted ads -- unless the ads are based πŸ”› "sensitive" data. (It's worth noting that the definition of "sensitive" appears to be unsettled. The self-regulatory groups Network Advertising Initiative and Digital Advertising Alliance define "sensitive" health ℹ️ differently; Facebook and Google also have their own definitions of the concept, according to privacy expert and former Federal Trade Commissioner adviser Paul Ohm.) The DMA and other ad groups say that broadband providers should follow the same standards as ad networks, Web publishers and others involved with online advertising. "Enforceable, voluntary self-regulatory codes remain πŸ† suited to promote consumer privacy protections while allowing these legitimate data practices to flourish," the organizations ✍️ in a letter to Sens. John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Bill Nelson (D-Florida). Wheeler (and privacy advocates) counter that broadband carriers aren't comparable to companies like Google, Facebook and Netflix. "We can choose not to visit a Web site or not to sign πŸ†™ for a social network, or we can choose to drop 1️⃣ and switch to another in milliseconds. But broadband service is different," Wheeler stated earlier this year. "Once we subscribe to an ISP -- for our home or for our smartphone -- most of us have little flexibility to change our mind or avoid that network rapidly." The DMA and other organizations also tell lawmakers that the proposed rules are unnecessary, given the FTC's role in policing privacy. The groups say that existing self-regulatory standards, backed by FTC enforcement, "are the appropriate tool to govern the dynamic and interrelated online πŸ™‚ and advertising ecosystem." In the past, the FTC has brought enforcement actions against ad networks, analytics companies and other businesses that misrepresent their practices to consumers. But the FTC doesn't have the same power to sue Internet service providers. Just 2️⃣ weeks ago a federal appellate court ruled that the FTC couldn't proceed with a lawsuit against AT&T for allegedly misrepresenting its "unlimited" data plan. The judges in that case ruled that the FTC lacks authority to prosecute AT&T, given that the company is a common carrier. Consumer advocates argue that ruling gives the FCC even more reason to move forward with its privacy proposal. "The 9th Circuit stated that ... the FTC cannot enforce against companies with the status of common carrier, like AT&T Mobility," more than 3️⃣ dozen advocacy groups, including the ACLU, Electronic Frontier Foundation and Public Knowledge, recently said in a letter to the FCC. "Thus, the FTC does not provide a backstop for baseline privacy protections, reinforcing the need for πŸ’ͺ FCC-imposed privacy rules now."
Health The Pacific 🏝️ Health and Welfare Society broadcasts in five Pacific languages including Samoan. This programme delivers health ℹ️ and education and aims to raise awareness of ❗ health issues among Samoans. πŸ”› Seitasi 'o Atua Pili and his team πŸ—£οΈ to all sorts with interviews, discussions of issues, πŸ—£οΈ of education and politics, sports πŸ—£οΈ and news. There’s plenty of πŸ‘ humour and πŸŽ‰. For an hour a week, it’s the πŸ—£οΈ of the Samoan community.
How much physical activity is needed to maintain erectile function? Results of the Androx Vienna Municipality πŸ“š. To assess the correlation of erectile function (EF) and physical activity (PhA) by using standardized, validated instruments in healthy men. A urologist examined 674 men aged 45-60 yr at their πŸ“ of πŸ’Ό. That included a urological physical examination, medical history, and assessment of testosterone (T) and 🀼 hormone-binding globulin; all men completed the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) as well as the Paffenbarger score. PhA was assessed in kilojoules per week (4.2 kJ=1 kcal). A positive correlation between the IIEF-5 and the Paffenbarger score (r=0.164, p<0.001) was found. The IIEF-5 score increased with an increasing Paffenbarger score πŸ†™ to a level of 4000 kcal/wk. T revealed a trend to a significant impact πŸ”› the IIEF-5 score, but showed no association with the Paffenbarger score. The risk of severe erectile dysfunction (ED) was decreased by 82.9% for males with PhA of at least 3000 kcal/wk compared with males with PhA under 3000 kcal/wk (OR=0.171, p=0.018). Increasing PhA from 1000 to 4000 kcal/wk may reduce the risk of ED.
2003 πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ's Cup The 31st πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ's Cup was contested between the holder, Team πŸ†• Zealand, and the winner of the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup, Alinghi. πŸ—οΈ πŸ†™ The 2002–2003 Louis Vuitton Cup, held in the Hauraki Gulf in Auckland, πŸ†• Zealand saw nine teams from six countries staging 120 races over five months to select a challenger for the πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ's Cup. Due to sponsorship rules in force at the time, the boats were not allowed to be named after their sponsors which affected only 1️⃣ challenger. The Oracle β›΅ was referenced by its sail number πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ-76 because the team did not give the β›΅ a name. πŸ”› January 19, 2003 the Swiss challenger Ernesto Bertarelli’s Alinghi, skippered by Russell Coutts, won the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals by defeating the American challenger, Larry Ellison's Oracle, 5–1, once again eliminating the United States from the πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ's Cup competition. The πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ's Cup Races Racing for the πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ's Cup began πŸ”› February 15, 2003. In a stiff breeze, Alinghi won the πŸ₯‡ race easily after πŸ†• Zealand, skippered throughout the series by Dean Barker, withdrew due to multiple βš™ failures in the rigging and the low cockpit unexpectedly taking onboard large quantities of water. Race 2, πŸ”› February 16, 2003, was won by Alinghi by a margin of only seven seconds. It was 1️⃣ of the closest, most exciting races seen for years, with the lead changing several times and a duel of 33 tacking manoeuvres πŸ”› the fifth 🦡. Then πŸ”› February 18, in Race 3, Alinghi won the critical start, after receiving πŸ”š minute advice about a 🌬️ shift, and led throughout the race, winning with a 23-second margin. After nine days without being able to race, πŸ₯‡ due to a lack of 🌬️, then with high winds and rough seas making it too ☠️ to race, February 28, originally a planned lay-day, was chosen as a race day. Race 4 was again sailed in πŸ’ͺ winds and rough seas and πŸ†• Zealand's difficulties continued, when her mast snapped πŸ”› the third 🦡. The next day, March 1, 2003, was again a frustratingly calm day, the race finally being called off after the yachts had again spent over 2️⃣ hours waiting for a start in the 🚦 air. Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts was unable to celebrate his 41st πŸŽ‚ with a cup win, but was in a commanding position in the series to do so πŸ”› March 2. Race 5 started πŸ”› time in a πŸ‘ breeze. Alinghi again won the start and kept ahead. πŸ”› the third 🦡, πŸ†• Zealand broke a spinnaker pole during a manoeuvre. Although it was put overboard and replaced with a spare pole, πŸ†• Zealand was unable to recover, losing the race and the cup. The win by Alinghi meant Coutts, who had previously sailed for πŸ†• Zealand, had won every 1️⃣ of the πŸ”š 14 πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ's Cup races he had competed in as skipper, the most by any πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ's Cup skipper. This meant he had won an πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ's Cup regatta twice as challenger, as well as having been a successful defender. Race Summary Crew Team πŸ†• Zealand Cameron Appleton was the backup helmsman with Rod Davis, Dan Slater and Clay Oliver in the reserve afterguard. Alinghi References ultimatesail.com Category:πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ's Cup regattas 🌎 Cup 🌎 Cup Category:Sport in Auckland Category:Sailing competitions in πŸ†• Zealand *
Q: ExecuteSqlCommand automatically calls SaveChanges() when I don't want it to In my ASP.NET MVC project using Entity Framework 5, I have 1️⃣ operation that I want to perform with a πŸ”™-πŸ”š stored procedure, because it affects a number of different entities. The nature of the stored procedure is that I don't need or want it to be tracked by EF; I call it from 1️⃣ entity, and then that entity's values are copied into a different table in the database. The problem is that I can't seem to πŸ›‘ EF from calling SaveChanges(), even though I don't want it to. Here's a truncated version of my repository code: public class SubmissionRepository : IRepository<RebateHeaderSubmission> { private readonly HbaRebatesContext _db; public SubmissionRepository() { _db = πŸ†• HbaRebatesContext(); } public void Add(RebateHeaderSubmission entity) . . . public RebateHeaderSubmission GetById(int πŸ†”) . . . public IQueryable<RebateHeaderSubmission> GetAll() . . . public void Update(RebateHeaderSubmission entity) . . . public void Save() { _db.SaveChanges(); } public void AcceptSubmission(RebateHeaderSubmission entity) { var param = πŸ†• SqlParameter("Rebate_Entry_Id", entity.πŸ†”); _db.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand("EXEC dbo.AcceptSubmission @πŸ†”", param); } } } And here's a slightly-truncated version of the code that calls AcceptSubmission(): public ActionResult Edit(RebateHeaderSubmission editedRecord, bool acceptSubmission = false) { if (editedRecord.πŸ†” > 0 && ModelState.IsValid) { _db.Update(editedRecord); } else { return PartialView("_Edit", editedRecord); } _db.Save(); if (acceptSubmission == false) { return RedirectToAction("Single", πŸ†• { πŸ†” = editedRecord.πŸ†” }); } else { var repo = _db as SubmissionRepository; if (repo != null) { repo.AcceptSubmission(editedRecord); } return RedirectToAction("Single", πŸ†• { πŸ†” = editedRecord.πŸ†” }); } } But in AcceptSubmission(), as πŸ”œ as _db.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand is called, the execution jumps πŸ†™ to the Save() method and I get a DbUpdateConcurrencyException saying that no rows were updated. I've tried updating the method to detach the entity, but it hasn't done any πŸ‘. This was the attempt I was most 🀞 about: public void AcceptSubmission(RebateHeaderSubmission entity) { try { var param = πŸ†• SqlParameter("Rebate_Entry_Id", entity.πŸ†”); var context = ((IObjectContextAdapter)_db).ObjectContext; context.SaveChanges(); context.Detach(entity); _db.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand("EXEC dbo.AcceptSubmission @Rebate_Entry_Id", param); } catch (DbUpdateConcurrencyException) { //Do nothing for now. } } The execution still jumps πŸ†™ to Save(), and my catch block doesn't even πŸ’Ό, because the exception happens in the Save() method instead. Is there anyway to get EF to πŸ›‘ calling SaveChanges()? UPDATE: 2️⃣ πŸ”Ή clarifications. πŸ₯‡, the stored procedure I'm calling is being executed, and it works. So AcceptSubmission() is working. Second, when I say that execution "jumps" to Save(), what actually happens is that as πŸ”œ as I've πŸƒ _db.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand, an exception is raised, but it's raised in the Save() method. I don't actually hit the πŸ”š bracket for AcceptSubmission(), nor the opening bracket for Save(). A: It turns out I was mis-diagnosing the problem. EF wasn't "jumping" to SaveChanges. There were actually 2️⃣ active threads, caused by an error with Unobtrusive JavaScript, such as described in this answer. Fixing the error in my JavaScript fixed the problem.
Q: SendGrid not found in HTTPTrigger function I'm trying to create an Azure Function that will be trigerred by HTTP using VSCode in a macOS. Using official documentation, I successfully create an HTTP Trigered azure function in my local machine. Now I want to send a πŸ“§ during this function, but when I add a senGrid reference, I got a compilation error : The following 1 functions are in error: [15/01/2018 21:51:12] ResetPasswordSendEmail: C# compilation service error: Could not load file or assembly 'SendGrid, Culture=😐, PublicKeyToken=null'. The system cannot find the file specified. [15/01/2018 21:51:12] . Could not load file or assembly 'SendGrid, Culture=😐, PublicKeyToken=null'. The system cannot find the file specified. The azure function : #r "SendGrid" #r "Newtonsoft.Json" using System.Net; using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc; using Microsoft.Extensions.Primitives; using Newtonsoft.Json; using SendGrid.Helpers.Mail; public static IActionResult πŸƒ(HttpRequest req, TraceWriter log, out Mail message) { log.Info("C# HTTP trigger function processed a request."); string requestBody = πŸ†• StreamReader(req.Body).ReadToEnd(); dynamic data = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(requestBody); string πŸ“§ = data.πŸ“§; string password = data.password; message = πŸ†• Mail { Subject = "Azure news" }; bool isOk = !string.IsNullOrEmpty(πŸ“§) && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(password); return isOk ? req.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.πŸ†—) : req.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest, "EmailError"); } The function json : { "disabled": false, "bindings": [{ "authLevel": "function", "name": "req", "type": "httpTrigger", "direction": "in" }, { "name": "message", "type": "sendGrid", "direction": "out", "apiKey": "AzureWebJobsSendGridApiKey" }, { "name": "$return", "type": "http", "direction": "out" } ] } I want to keep the code at the same πŸ“ and not have the azure functions outside code management (GIT). If somebody knows how to solve my issue, please help :D A: Since you are developing locally πŸ”› a Mac, you are probably using v2 "core" version of func CLI tool. Navigate to your project root folder (where host.json is) and execute the following command: func extensions install -p Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs.Extensions.SendGrid -v 3.0.0-beta4 This will add SendGrid binaries to bin folder of your Function App. Then, your script seems to be a mix of v1 and v2 functions. For example, CreateResponse() doesn't belong to HttpRequest and Mail class is not in SendGrid assembly. Here is a very simplistic example of sending a mail from HTTP function: public static IActionResult πŸƒ(HttpRequest req, TraceWriter log, out SendGridMessage message) { log.Info("C# HTTP trigger function processed a request."); message = πŸ†• SendGridMessage(); message.AddTo("you@gmail.com"); message.AddContent("text/html", "Test body"); message.SetFrom(πŸ†• EmailAddress("test@test.com")); message.SetSubject("Subject"); return πŸ†• OkObjectResult("πŸ†—"); }
Musa genetic diversity revealed by SRAP and AFLP. The sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) technique, aimed for the amplification of open reading frames (ORFs), vis-Γ’-vis that of the amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP) were used to analyze the genetic variation and relationships among forty Musa accessions; which include commercial cultivars and wild species of interest for the genetic enhancement of Musa. A total of 403 SRAP and 837 AFLP amplicons were generated by 10 SRAP and 15 AFLP primer combinations, of which 353 and 787 bands were polymorphic, respectively. Both cluster analysis of unweighted pair-grouping method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA) and principal coordinate (PCO) analysis separated the forty accessions into their recognized sections (Eumusa, Australimusa, Callimusa and Rhodochlamys) and species. The percentage of polymorphism amongst sections and species and the relationships within Eumusa species and subspecies varied between the 2️⃣ marker systems. In addition to its practical simplicity, SRAP exhibited approximately threefold more specific and unique bands than AFLP, 37 and 13%, respectively. SRAP markers are demonstrated here to be proficient tools for discriminating amongst M. acuminata, M. balbisiana and M. schizocarpa in the Eumusa section, as well as between plantains and 🍳 bananas within triploid cultivars.
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under πŸ‘οΈ Anti-Aging Concealer Product Description Working βœ‹ in βœ‹ with the leading plastic surgeons in Brazil, It Cosmetics introduces Bye Bye Under πŸ‘οΈ, a full coverage, highly pigmented concealer utilizing truly innovative technology and ingredients - giving women the power to finally say "bye bye" to those stubborn under-πŸ‘οΈ issues! Bye Bye Under πŸ‘οΈ offers a waterproof, yet moisturizing formula that will stay put no matter what. The truly innovative formula contains high concentrations of Vitamins K, A, C, E and Collagen - clinically proven to reduce under πŸ‘οΈ puffiness and discoloration while strengthening the delicate skin of the under πŸ‘οΈ area. More than just full coverage for under the πŸ‘€, the formula was developed, tested and is now used to conceal facial bruising and swelling πŸ”› the face and body of surgery patients in. I have heard wonderful things about this product as well as used it myself. The Bye Bye Under πŸ‘οΈ does not settle into fine lines nor does it crease and it does a wonderful job in covering πŸ†™ any πŸŒ‘ circles under πŸ‘€. I personally don't think it feels heavy. I have the $10 sample size from ULTA but it only comes in 2️⃣ shades. it's very full coverage so I would only recommend using the TINIEST amount an then setting it with a powder IMMEDIATELY or else it'll settle into fine lines. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under πŸ‘οΈ Anti-Aging Concealer By IT COSMETICS Product Details Working βœ‹ in βœ‹ with the leading plastic surgeons in Brazil, It Cosmetics introduces Bye Bye Under πŸ‘οΈ, a full coverage, highly pigmented concealer utilizing truly innovative technology and ingredients - giving women the power to finally say "bye bye" to those stubborn under-πŸ‘οΈ issues! Bye Bye Under πŸ‘οΈ offers a waterproof, yet moisturizing formula that will stay put no matter what. The truly innovative formula contains high concentrations of Vitamins K, A, C, E and Collagen - clinically proven to reduce under πŸ‘οΈ puffiness and discoloration while strengthening the delicate skin of the under πŸ‘οΈ area. More than just full coverage for under the πŸ‘€, the formula was developed, tested and is now used to conceal facial bruising and swelling πŸ”› the face and body of surgery patients in.
Q: Holy πŸ•³οΈ In A Donut, πŸ¦‡! Some characters are more holy than others. Using as few unholy letters as possible, display the statement above. Challenge ✍️ a full program to print Holy πŸ•³οΈ In A Donut, πŸ¦‡! to STDOUT or closest alternative. If you can compress the input to reduce your score, go wild :) Input None Output Holy πŸ•³οΈ In A Donut, πŸ¦‡! Rules This is a code-challenge, and lowest score wins The desired output can be πŸ“– from a file, but that should then be counted towards your total. Trailing newlines are fine in the output Standard loopholes and T&C's apply Scoring Your score is your byte count, βž• some modifiers: Using holy characters 0469abdegopqrADOPQR@# count as 2 points each Using extra holy characters 8B%$& are 1 πŸ‘‰ (no penalty) Using unholy characters 12357cfhijklmnstuvwxyzCEFGHIJKLMNSTUVWXYZ!"^*()[]{}-=_+|\/?,.<>:;'~ carries a heavier penalty and count as 10 points per character. Space, tab and newlines are 1 πŸ‘‰ (no penalty). Any other characters not listed are 10 points. *πŸ”› my keyboard the πŸ”‘ '$' and '&' are extra holy. Where font variations cause a character to become unholy, defer to the list above The unmodified string Holy πŸ•³οΈ In A Donut, πŸ¦‡! scores 172 Ruby: puts "Holy πŸ•³οΈ In A Donut, πŸ¦‡!" scores 225 Score checker @DeadChex has kindly put together a scoring script Please do let me know if I need to clarify anything. I will update the list of characters if necessary - I've only included the obvious keys at this πŸ‘‰. The idea is simple enough though - holes in characters are πŸ‘. A: Unary, 109,700,689,123,880,793,751,483,665,383,781,675,730,387,604,429,204,978,112,223,950,724,553,435,005,885,707,908,578,678,850,861,879,910,670,154,149,244,112,969,597,673,955,700,447,838,276,456,862,280,889,656,901,703,351,515,963,083,297,978,322,224,548,248,606,910,210,200,102,145,647,654,537,444,488,063,149,647,173,155,335,488,014,867,140,385,453,547,997,132,573,700,942,612,360 points Calculated through bc which is the highest precision calculator that I know of Code: 54850344561940396875741832691890837865193802214602489056111975362276717502942853954289339425430939955335077074622056484798836977850223919138228431140444828450851675757981541648989161112274124303455105100051072823827268722244031574823586577667744007433570192726773998566286850471306180 zeros 4.5x10259 Yottabytes Well this ain't winning A: CJam, 154 153 148 143 points " $& & &$&% % B8B$ $8 %8%8& $& & 8 8 $πŸ…±$ $&B8$$$πŸ…± "0$0$&$f#8b90b' f+ Try it online! How it works " $& & &$&% % B8B$ $8 %8%8& $& & 8 8 $πŸ…±$ $&B8$$$πŸ…± " e# Push a string of encoded base 8 digits. 0$0$ e# Push 2️⃣ copies of that string. & e# Intersect the copies to remove duplicates. $ e# Sort the resulting string. e# Pushes "\t\n $%&8Bb". f# e# Replace each char of the original string by its index in "\t\n $%&8Bb". e# Pushes 213502515354211124007673102360146465020351251616237320357633371, e# to be understood as an array of single-digit integers. 8b90b e# Convert from base 8 digits to base 90 digits. ' f+ e# Add each base 90 digit to the code πŸ‘‰ of the space character. e# Pushes the desired string. A: BrainF***, 3140 points Behold, the language of unholiness! -[------->+<]>-.-[--->+<]>++.---.-[--->+<]>.-[---->+<]>++.++++[->++<]>.-[--->+<]>++.---.-------.--[--->+<]>-.++++[->++<]>+.+[--->+<]>.-[->+++++<]>-.[->++<]>+.-[-->+<]>.++[->++<]>.[--->+<]>+++.-.+++++++.-.[++>---<]>--.------------.+[->++<]>.[-->+++<]>--.--[--->+<]>-.-------.------------.+++++++++++++.-[->+++++<]>.
Q: Could the 🌎 become a ⭐ if more mass was added? I've heard that the only difference between a ⭐ and a planet is mass, meaning that if planets accredited enough mass they would too become 🌠. Does this mean that the ⭐ started off as a planet? 🌠 require hydrogen fusion and 🌎 has little H. Could the 🌎 become a ⭐ if more mass was added, but its relatively low abundance of hydrogen remained the same? A: Regarding the title: Yes. Does this mean that the ⭐ started off as a planet? Yes, a ⭐ could technically start out as a planet, if it accreted enough mass. However, this is extremely unlikely, since the planet would need to be 80x the mass of Jupiter for it to undergo nucleosynthesis. 🌠 require hydrogen fusion and 🌎 has little H. Could the 🌎 become a ⭐ if more mass was added, but its relatively low abundance of hydrogen remained the same? The most ❗ components for a ⭐ is the composition and mass. As it stands, 🌎 doesn't have nearly the concentration of hydrogen for a ⭐ to form, even if we kept adding mass. Most 🌠 πŸ’Ό by fusing the lightest element, hydrogen. To fuse heavier elements requires a much, much higher temperature, since the more protons the element has, the more it will repel other ones instead of fusing. Yes, massive enough 🌠 can fuse heavier elements. However, 🌎 would inevitably grow in hydrogen, so it would eventually have a significant amount. Above a certain size, given ambient conditions (like radiation pressure, 🚦 intensity from the ⭐, etc), 🌎 would become massive enough that it starts capturing hydrogen β›½ from the interplanetary medium, and becomes a β›½ giant (as called2voyage pointed out). Where this happens isn't precisely known, but it's roughly 10x 🌎's mass. This means that, theoretically, a terrestrial planet could form a ⭐ if you increased its mass ever further. Now, I can hear you πŸ€”, "What if 🌎 were surrounded by a vacuum instead? If we kept adding mass, would it become a ⭐?" Well theoretically, the planet would eventually reach temperatures where most of its elements could fuse. For example, the "⭐" could sustain itself πŸ”› oxygen and silicon fusion, but not πŸ”› iron fusion. A: A ⭐ does not start off as a planet; you have a large ☁️ of β›½ that is collapsing in πŸ”› itself due to gravity. The majority of the β›½ goes towards creating the ⭐ (more than 99% in the case of our Solar System). However, gravitational collapses can occur several places in the β›½ ☁️, and some of the β›½ will contribute towards the collapse of far smaller over-density seedlings. If the mass of the smaller collapsing object is large enough, gravity will pull the object together into a sphere, satisfying 1️⃣ of the 3️⃣ criteria we have to classify an object as a planet (see e.g. this question for more ℹ️ about such criteria). The very large mass of the β›½ which is going to become a ⭐ allows it to collapse in a way where the pressure becomes great enough that the central parts of the ☁️ start fusing together hydrogen -- or burning, if you wish. You do need simple gases for this type of ignition to occur, as even higher temperatures are needed for more complex atoms to fuse together. This is because fusion becomes less and less energy effective as the atoms become more complex. While I have no direct sources to refer you to, you can be decently sure that the 🌎 wouldn't become a ⭐ if it increased in mass without increasing it's amount of hydrogen substantially. However, with the great amount of hydrogen present in the Universe compared to the other elements, a scenario like that would not occur, and 🌎's hypothetical accumulation of matter would realistically be of β›½ which would be used for the effective fusion we find in 🌠.

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