http://www.liveleak.com/browse?q=Cairo Sat, 25 May 2013 23:03:38 -0400 Liveleak http://edge.liveleak.com/80281E/u/u/ll2/logo.gif http://www.liveleak.com/browse?q=Cairo Sat, 25 May 2013 18:06:13 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ce6_1369518937 LethalMutation Undercover reporter exposes sexual harassment in Egypt. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ce6_1369518937 LethalMutation Male reporter dresses as woman to expose sexual harrassment sexual harassment, drag, Egypt, Cairo, transvestite, perverts Sat, 25 May 2013 10:14:33 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f27_1369491080 Detroit Iron By James Lewis May 25, 2013 Washington rumor has it that Obama wants to be U.N. Secretary General. There are several reasons that make that likely, and if it's true, it throws new light on a lot of Obama's oddities -- including his Royalty Bows, his Apology Tours, his Muslim Sellout, and the Benghazi Cover-Up. But first -- why would Obama be planning to become the chief of the U.N. before he has even finished his second term? 1. Obama's unbounded ego. In three and a half years, Obama will be out of a job. He is 50 now and wants to soar to greater heights, because that's what matters more than anything else in his life. What's better to Obama's Napoleonic self than being U.N. Sec Gen? He is a man who wants to be worshiped by the world, and the path to that goal is clear. It is also an opportunity to carry out his internationalist and pro-Muslim convictions. Personalities like his need the excitement of taking big risks for big gains. Obama's slogan "the audacity of hope" comes from Napoleon's general, who described his war strategy as "Audacity, audacity, always audacity!" Alinsky's Rules advise: "Always act outside of the experience of the enemy." It now looks like Obama has never won a single clean election, because he has always violated the rules. He always gambles, and as long as his opponents play by the rules, he wins. Mitt Romney is a good and decent man, and IRS intimidation of political enemies is just not his way. Knowing that, the Obama campaign violated the rules deliberately, cynically, and with malice aforethought. It worked. 2. Obama's internationalist ideology. The Communist anthem is The Internationale. When Obama gave his big speech in Berlin even before the first inauguration, his first words were "Citizens of the world!" That was meant as Marxist symbolism. All the leftists in the world cheered themselves hoarse. Berlin was Marx's city, the capital of the Prussian Empire that was the model for the Communist Worker's Paradise, to be guided by the new Prussian Junkers, the Communist Party. "Citizens of the world!" was an echo of "Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!" The American media didn't bother to tell us that, but they knew. They knew. Obama constantly pulls stunts with obvious Marxist overtones. His inner circle laughs at his audacity, and he likes to clown it up for Valerie Jarrett, Michelle, Ayers, and Axelrod. Obama is a trickster, power-hungry, insatiable, and sociopathic. His enemy is us , or what Jeremiah Wright would call "middleclassness," the values that most of us try to live by. As a European Socialist, Obama does not believe in the U.S. Constitution. His appointees have no conscience about violating the Constitution, as is obvious from today's news about fundamental IRS violations, fundamental invasion of news reporters' privileges under the First Amendment, and fundamental violations of the ethics of combat commanders -- leaving soldiers under fire to the tender mercies of a vicious enemy. Obama is audacity man -- violating decent values is his specialty. Bill and Hillary found that out when he played the race card against them at the 2008 Democratic Convention. Democrats always play the race card, but never against each other. In 2008, Obama violated that rule, and he got away with it. 3. Butt-kissing tyrants. If Obama wants to run for U.N. SecGen after 2016, he needs two things: a U.S. nomination by a Democratic president and a majority vote in the U.N. General Assembly. Let's say Hillary gets elected in 2016, as Democrats now are hoping. She nominates Obama to be U.N. SecGen, to rousing cheers from the New York Times and Washington Post , the U.K. Guardian , and Workers' World . Now Obama needs a majority of U.N. General Assembly votes. By butt-kissing every throwback tyrant in sight, Obama is buying U.N. votes for himself. Obama's public bows to throwbacks like Saudi's King Abdullah and the emperor of Japan are not just another weird thing about this guy. They are strategic, with the purpose of lining up support for the future. There are 57 Muslim states. (Remember Obama's slip of the tongue when he talked about "all 57 states"? He wasn't thinking about Heinz 57 flavors. He was thinking about Muslim states.) Europe is the home of imperialist socialism. The European Union is the successor to the Soviet Union, run by an appointed political machine just like the USSR. Obama is a EuroSoc, and he will get enthusiastic support from there. South America will vote for him, because he is actively supporting leftist regimes below the border. Obama's recent trip to Mexico was full of bowing and scraping to Mexico's tender feelings about losing Texas and California in the 19th century. Blowing open the border is just another favor Obama is doing for Latin America. If you combine his unbounded ego with his penchant for audacious trickery, it becomes clear why Obama would want to be U.N. Secretary General. To U.N.-worshipers, the SecGen is the basis for a world presidency. Even if it remains a weak position, it could be a wonderful bully pulpit for Obama's endless speech habit. It would crown Obama's life achievements and allow him to crow over the United States with its old-fashioned constitution designed to limit the powers of such as The Trickster. President Obama could have used the Benghazi attack on 9/11 last year to look like the commander in chief, a role he loves to play. He could have allowed Air Force jets to strafe and bomb the gaggle of Ansar al Shari'a gunmen who overran the compound and killed what are now admitted to be six Americans, including Ambassador Stevens. This might have been Obama's Heroic Capture of bin Laden, part 2 . When Obama skips a chance to boast and strut on the stage just before an election, we have to wonder why. He is not usually shy about putting himself in the limelight. Michael Barone and Charles Krauthammer believe that Benghazi was covered up because Obama and Hillary were afraid to admit that al-Qaeda wasn't dead -- that AQ is very much alive, and dangerous as a snake. On 9/11 last year, there were not one, but two simultaneous assaults on American targets: the Cairo Embassy and the Benghazi compound. The front pages that day showed the black AQ flag flying over a burned part of the U.S. Embassy. Double-simultaneous assaults are an al-Qaeda signature, as we know from 9/11/01, when the Pentagon was assaulted simultaneously with the Twin Towers. Double-bomb attacks spell AL-QAEDA. Everybody in the Muslim world understood that on the eleventh anniversary of 9/11/01, AQ was telling the world it could strike us at any place and time. Bin Laden may be dead, but jihad keeps marchin' on. Benghazi was a secret CIA operation to smuggle arms from Libya to the "Free Syrian Army," consisting of radical Islamists. Stevens was at the arms compound in Benghazi to direct a large arms shipment. He was the Libya expert who helped to overthrow Gaddafi in the first place. Now he was shipping Gaddafi's armaments to overthrow Bashir Assad in Syria. The United States was apparently acting in collusion with radical Muslim factions, probably including al-Qaeda in the Maghreb (the Mediterranean coast of North Africa). We know that Stevens even hired another jihadist faction to guard the CIA compound. Early Benghazi reports showed that they magically disappeared on the day of the attack, as did the Libyan police. Our loyal Libyan allies. Obama was therefore directly colluding with al-Qaeda, the enemy that destroyed the Twin Towers on 9/11/01. AQ is a big part of the "Free" Syrian Army that is trying to destroy Assad, because Assad is a Shi'ite who runs a secular Baathist regime. One of our friendly radical Islamist groups, Ansar al Shari'a, simply decided to send a bloody message to America that day by killing Stevens and burning the annex. The strategic purpose of the "Free Syrian Army" is to cut the Shi'ite Crescent running from Iran through Syria to Lebanon. We are involved in a proxy war between Iran and the Sunni Arabs. We are now supporting the Sunni maniacs against Iran's maniacs. That is what Benghazi was about. One can make a case for pitting Sunnis against Shi'ites. But Obama knows perfectly well that after Assad, Syria will be run by another set of murderous fanatics. Collusion with radical Muslims is standard in this administration. That is completely, profoundly cynical, or it is simply aiding the enemy. There are many reasons for that collusion, but protecting the United States is not one of them. The policy of appeasement and treachery protects radical Islam and endangers the West. However, if Obama wants to be SecGen of the United Nations in four years, there is an extra reason to buy votes in the Middle East. None of this should ever become public knowledge, as far as Obama and Hillary are concerned. Benghazi therefore had to be covered up at any price. With Obama, personal ambition and political moves always go together. Conservatives, beware. Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/05/benghazi_and_obamas_ambition_to_be_un_secgen.html#ixzz2UJW4t8WA Follow us: @AmericanThinker on Twitter AmericanThinker on Facebook http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f27_1369491080 Detroit Iron Benghazi and Obama's Ambition to Be U.N. SecGen obama, un Mon, 20 May 2013 00:59:31 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=300_1369025846 cathy winslow Seven Egyptian Security personnel continue to be held hostage in an unknown location in the Sinai Peninsula since last Thursday. One army recruit, 4 port security officers and 2 members of state security were abducted near the border town of Rafah by Tribesmen last Thursday. Unconfirmed reports in the media suggest that the kidnappings are linked to the torturing of a Sinai militant serving a sentence in a Cairo Prison leading to the loss of his eye-sight. Similar kidnappings of security forces as well as tourists have been increasingly occurring in Sinai by tribesmen demanding the release of relatives who they say have been falsely accused of crimes. A strong legacy of mistrust between Sinai's Bedouins and the police lives on from the days of former Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak. Bedioun leaders have said that discriminating practices of the police against Bedouins continues till today under elected goverment and that such practices must end in order to address issues of security and under development in the peninsula. Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi had called in the ministers of defense and interior for an emergency meeting and government officials have said that if all attempts to free the security personal fail that force will be used. A video of the abducted soldiers blindfolded stating their names and ranks has been released online. The soldiers delivered a message to the President and minister of Defense pleading that the government release political prisoners from Sinai and relatives of the abductors saying that they can not handle anymore torture. The situation in the Sinai Peninsula has been volatile since the start of the Egyptian Revolution. The pennisula has seen lawlessness, increased violence and an almost complete halt of tourism which provided a livelihood for many of the local Bedouins and many fear that any further complications will lead to a full confrontation between the government and tribes. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=300_1369025846 cathy winslow Seven Egyptian border guards abducted near Rafah Egypt,Border guards,abducted,taken prisoner,Morsi,Rafah Sun, 19 May 2013 17:17:21 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f6e_1368998042 dfaugust 'It was a man like him that they feared would come to possess the presidency' Amid a three-pronged attack on the U.S. Constitution by Democrats, talk-radio host Michael Savage reminded his listeners that America's Founding Fathers built into the nation's founding document checks and balances that anticipated the rise of a dictator who would try to seize power. Barack Obama is the type of "petty dictator" the Founders envisioned, Savage told his national audience tonight. The top-rated talk host noted Obama expressed frustration in an interview Sunday regarding the limits imposed by the Constitution "without even understanding that it was a man like him that feared would come to possess the presidency one day." You've always known that "Liberalism is a Mental Disorder": Get Savage Solutions Obama told NBC's Matt Lauer Sunday that "people" have been "frustrated" that "I have not been able to force Congress to implement every aspect of what I said in 2008." "Well, you know," the president continued, "it turns out that our Founders designed a system that makes it more difficult to bring about change than I would like sometimes." Savage also pointed to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's disdain of the U.S. Constitution in an interview with Egyptian television in Cairo last week and a New York Times story published today that characterized the founding document as old and insufficient for today's world. Ginsburg said in the interview with Al Hayat television Feb. 1 that the Middle East country's revolutionaries should not regard the U.S. Constitution as a model. "I would not look to the U.S. Constitution, if I were drafting a constitution in the year 2012," Ginsburg said. "I might look at the constitution of South Africa. That was a deliberate attempt to have a fundamental instrument of government that embraced basic human rights, have an independent judiciary. It really is, I think, a great piece of work that was done." Savage commented that there's been "a concerted effort on the part of Obama, Ginsburg - and now the New York Times is chiming in - saying the Constitution is out of date, it's old, it guarantees too few rights and it's time to change ." "They want the Constitution to be rewritten," Savage said. The New York Times article, by Adam Liptak, began with asserting the Constitution "has seen better days." "Sure, it is the nation's founding document and sacred text," Liptak wrote. "And it is the oldest written national constitution still in force anywhere in the world. But its influence is waning." Savage surmised that Liptak's ancestors likely fled czarist Russia or a similar land "specifically so they would be protected by the U.S. Constitution." "And now their subterranean grandson, Adam Liptak, is dong the bidding of the petty dictator by saying the Constitution has seen better days," he said. Liptak wrote that the Constitution is "out of step with the rest of the world in failing to protect, at least in so many words, a right to travel, the presumption of innocence and entitlement to food, education and health care." Savage commented: "In other words, because the U.S. Constitution does not guarantee a socialist or communist view of the world, it is, therefore, useless." The Times writer also characterized the right to bear arms as an "idiosyncrasy," pointing out that only 2 percent of the world's constitutions protect that right. "Do you have any idea what is going on here?" Savage asked. "Do you realize that we have a power-mad Leninist in the White House, Barack Obama?" http://www.wnd.com/2012/02/savage-founders-envisioned-petty-dictator-like-obama/ http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f6e_1368998042 dfaugust Founders envisioned 'petty dictator' like Obama obama, tyranny, the Constitition, America, communism, socialism, progressives, propaganda, democRATs, liberals, the left Tue, 14 May 2013 21:17:25 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3d7_1368569562 LWJournal This video was created by Al Faroq Media, an Egyptian jihadist propaganda outfit that shares al Qaeda's ideology. While not an official al Qaeda propaganda arm, al Qaeda regularly uses Al Faroq's footage in its own official videos. This video brands the protest in front of the US Embassy in Cairo on Sept. 11, 2012 as an al Qaeda event. Several al Qaeda-linked jihadists are shown inciting protesters in front of the embassy. The Long War Journal has published an analysis of this video. The video is posted with permission from the SITE Intelligence Group, which first translated it. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3d7_1368569562 LWJournal Al Qaeda-linked jihadists helped incite 9/11/12 <span class="highlight">Cairo</span> protest Egypt, Cairo, US Embassy Sat, 11 May 2013 05:41:34 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e12_1368264896 english-patriot33 http://frontpagemag.com/2013/dgreenfield/american-professor-who-hates-america-stabbed-in-cairo-by-muslim-who-also-hates-america/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=american-professor-who-hates-america-stabbed-in-cairo-by-muslim-who-also-hates-america American Professor Who Hates America Stabbed in Cairo by Muslim Who Also Hates America Sometimes poetic justice is very poetic. Other times it's ironic. And sometimes it's a teachable moment about the folly of appeasement. Not that Dr. Christopher Stone will have learned anything from his experience. Leftist academics are not very educable. Not even when their Muslim teachers are stabbing them in the neck. (via Debbie Schlussel) A man stabbed in the neck near the US Embassy in Cairo on Thursday has been identified as Chris Stone, an American academic. Stone is associate professor of Arabic and head of the Arabic Programme at City University. Lebanese political science professor Asaad Abu Khalil described Stone via Facebook as a "model academic and a man who has dealt with Arabs and their causes with extreme respect, sensitivity, and support." Stone is a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause and writes frequently against Zionism, Khalil added. According to Al-Ahram, Stone told prosecutors the attack took place while he was on his way to the US Embassy to finish some paperwork for his wife. A young man enquired about his nationality and stabbed him in the neck after he said he was American. Just in case there was any doubt whatsoever about the motive, Mahmoud Badr, the stabber, who has a bachelor's degree in commerce, clarified his motive... The man who stabbed an American in Cairo on Thursday says he was motivated by a hatred of the United States. Ironically, hating the United States was something that Mahmoud had in common with Christopher. When invited to a seven year old's Israel themed birthday party, Stone declined by asserting that he didn't just hate Israel... he also hated America, writing... "If she had invited me to a party celebrating the US I suspect my response would have been the same. This is not ONLY because of the odious behavior of the US and Israeli governments, but also because of the destruction wrought in the name of nationalism in general." So presumably Christopher Stone didn't do Fourth of July parties. He did however sign a petition demanding that the NYPD commissioner step down for fighting Muslim terrorism. And wrote angry letters to the paper about the Zionist Entity. Gaza is a virtual prison, and the West Bank is on its way to being chopped up into apartheid-like cantons... Mr. Morris says the Iranian president's denial of the existence of homosexuality in Iran "underscore his irrationality." State denial of facts was not invented by Iran. Does not Israel's denial of its own state terrorism underscore its irrationality? Speaking of irrationality, Stone imagined that he could parade around a newly Islamist Egypt protected only by his hatred of the Great and Little Satan. He was mistaken. Muslim violence doesn't just hurt the "bad" Americans who watch 4th of July fireworks and like the Constitution. It also hurts good Americans who teach Arabic and hate America. Back in the day, Muslims had special clothing for Dhimmis to wear to signify their acceptance of second class status under Islamic supremacism. Stone though that his Keffiyah did the trick. Next time he'll know better. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e12_1368264896 english-patriot33 American Professor Who Hates America Stabbed in <span class="highlight">Cairo</span> by Muslim Who Also Hates America islam, muslims, terrorists, pedophiles, outlaw islam, Sat, 11 May 2013 03:22:01 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=583_1368256551 aydeo Protest against alleged Israeli airstrike in Syria, detention of Muslim cleric; protesters chant for Israel's destruction: Free Palestine from sons of monkeys. Chants of "the people want destruction of Israel" rang out Friday inside Al-Azhar mosque, the centuries-old seat of Sunni Muslim learning. The rally is the first such protest by the Brotherhood, from which Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi hails, since it gained prominence after 2011 uprising that ousted president Hosni Mubarak. Group officials say they are protesting the Israeli detention of top Palestinian Muslim cleric in the Holy Land in a rare crackdown on a leading religious figure that drew fierce condemnation from Palestinians. The demonstrators also were denouncing Israeli airstrikes in Syria that targeted alleged shipments of advanced Iranian missiles thought to be bound for Hezbollah. http://www.jta.org/2013/05/10/news-opinion/calls-to-destroy-israel-at-muslim-brotherhoods-cairo-rally http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/05/10/Egyptian-Muslim-Brotherhood-rallies-against-Israel.html http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=583_1368256551 aydeo "The people want destruction of Israel" chants during Muslim Brotherhood protest against Israel Cairo,Muslim Brotherhood,Chants,Israel destruction Tue, 07 May 2013 09:38:06 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=426_1367933176 kauan Source: http://vladtepesblog.com/?p=63522 Nassim Ben Iman is one of the best-known apostates of Islam in Germany. He has written a book of his own experiences entitled: "Der wahre Feind...warum ich kein Terrorist geworden bin" / "The true enemy...why I did not become a terrorist". In view of the present Islamic terror threat in Germany, his statements about the danger of Islam are more topical than ever. This ex-Muslim of Arab origin has a lot to tell, and offers us a deep insight into the most peaceful of all religions. As one of only a very small number, he managed to extract himself from the strict Islamic indoctrination. He tells brutal truths such as "Every Muslim is a potential terrorist". We have distilled the most important points of an extensive interview with this courageous man which we conducted in May of this year into a ten-minute video, because of the acute terrorism danger. Warning : this video is not recommended for "do-gooders" whose carefully constructed worldview could, when they watch this film, disintegrate. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=426_1367933176 kauan Brutal Truths About Islam Revealed By An Ex-Muslim Islam Islamization Muslim Koran Quran Terrorism Jihad Allah Arabs Sharia Law Arab Spring Egypt Cairo Muslim Brotherhood CAIR Mon, 06 May 2013 18:37:25 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c8e_1367879739 Baron_Kaz A recent UN survey suggested an astounding 99.3% of Egyptian women had experienced harassment of one form or another. Sixty percent of those asked said they had been touched inappropriately. Of course, the problems started within Egyptian society long before the 2011 revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak, but they do appear to be worsening. And just when the issue of sexual harassment needs decisive action, Egypt's Information Minister Salah Abdul Maksoud has caused outrage by making remarks to a female reporter that appear highly derogatory, though the minister himself is unrepentant. "In the news conference, I asked him: 'Where is media freedom?'" says the journalist involved, Nada Mohamed. "He said to me: 'Come here and I'll show you.' Then he laughed," she says. "This was clear harassment. I was shocked." As it happens, Ms Mohamed's parents both accompanied her to the news conference. "We went with Nada because things are so bad these days with security for girls, I don't want to leave her alone," says her father, Mohamed. "I call her 10 times a day if I am not with her, I am so worried." "Then the minister said what he did and I was so angry, but it was not the place to start shouting. But I am happy other people have responded." 'Anti-Islamist prejudice' There have been protests against Mr Abdul Maksoud and he has been questioned about his comments. But he has justified his actions by saying it was a turn of phrase that is common in Egypt. Salah Abdul Maksoud at news conference Salah Abdul Maksoud said there was nothing unusual about his remarks The minister remains in his post and there his been no condemnation or apology for what he said from the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist movement to which he and President Mohammed Morsi belong. Brotherhood supporters bristle at the suggestion that women's rights have been adversely affected by its rule. "The evidence is that this is simply not true," says Dina Zakariya, a television presenter and also one of the leading female voices within the movement. "I agree, there are problems, but who says it is because of the Muslim Brotherhood?" It is Ms Zakariya's view that those who blame her movement for a negative impact on women's rights are prejudiced against Islamist groups. "President Morsi is supporting an initiative, proposed by different women's organisations, calling for greater women's rights. That means he wants to meet their demands." Government 'silent' But many critics feel the information minister's remarks are more indicative of the Muslim Brotherhood's attitude towards women and their rights. Furthermore, they feel the movement has failed to take the lead in tackling a problem that already appears to have got out of hand. "It may not be their direct message that harassing women is OK, but when the government keeps silent about these issues, it makes things worse," says Someyya Hussein. Ms Hussein has twice been seriously sexually assaulted in public places. Nesma Hamoda Nesma Hamoda has been criticised by her friends for wanting to remove her headscarf She says she has witnessed harassment from boys as young as 11 or 12 years old, and feels it all starts with signals from people of power. "Clerics appear on TV inciting people, telling men they have the right to touch a girl if she is not 'properly' covered up. They should be stopped and brought to account but they are not," she says. Egyptians will tell you that women now are dressing far more conservatively than they did just a few years back. That is certainly no guarantee that they will be left alone. Many of those reporting harassment wear headscarves or even the niqab, which covers the face. But there are some young women who are reacting against the cultural flow, by removing their veils. "I originally wore the veil to fit in. All my classmates wore it," 18-year-old Nesma Hamoda says. "But now with the Muslim Brotherhood, I see women are treated like objects instead of actual human beings and I don't want to be a part of it, or a part of the 'covering it up' culture." However, Ms Hamoda says that in the current social climate, it will not be easy, and that even friends of hers have criticised her for suggesting that she remove her headscarf. "I will wait until after my exams because I know it will be a big stress, but I have to give my statement that I am against the way my country is headed," she adds. "It is clear that women in Egypt are facing extraordinary levels of sexual harassment." http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c8e_1367879739 Baron_Kaz Over 99% of Egyptian women sexually abused! Cairo Fri, 17 May 2013 16:55:36 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e6f_1368823944 english-patriot33 http://europegonemad.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/eu-donates-e-5-billion-to-islamic-fundamentalist-regime-in-egypt/ EU donates EUR 5 billion to islamic fundamentalist regime in Egypt The European Union decided to give EUR 5.000.000.000 (yes, 5 billion!) to Egypt, to support the process of democratisation in the country. Let's see what that really means. The new powers in Egypt want to introduce Sharia, which means woman, christians (koptic), etc.. will be surpressed; and freedom of speech will be non-existing. Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi officially signed into law a new constitution drafted by his own Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups, and which critics say has effectively placed Egypt under strict Sharia Law. Morsi said now that the new constitution is in place, he can focus on fixing Egypt's internal problems. But others say it will only exacerbate internal divisions and transform Egypt into a pariah state on par with the Islamic Republic of Iran. While Morsi claims the new constitution contains rights and protections for all Egyptians, its vagueness in certain areas and overt Islamic flavor has lead many to fear that radical Muslim clerics are going to play an increasingly influential role in Egypt, while minority groups and women will suffer. "It's a disaster," female Egyptian lawyer Nihad Abu El Konsam told German media. "There isn't a single article in the draft constitution that mentions the rights of women." "This constitution will set Egypt 100 years back," added Abu El Konsam, noting that the Muslim Brotherhood had purposely left "open doors" that will result in Egyptians being placed under an extremist form of Islamic rule. Hamdeen Sabahi, an opposition leader who placed third in Egypt's presidential election, said the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists have "stolen" Egypt's pro-democracy revolution, but he remains hopeful that they can be toppled. In the meantime, "Morsi may have been elected democratically, but he is not governing democratically," charged Sabahi in an interview with the Associated Press. Evidence of that was seen in Morsi's reaction to ongoing opposition to his new constitution even after it passed the referendum. The president issued a thinly-veiled warning that public demonstrations against his rule must end, because the people were tired of it. Morsi tried to accuse all who oppose him of being responsible for the nation's continuing economic woes, a tried and true tactic used by all of recent history's most successful despots. The threats seemed to be working. While the run-up to the referendum saw hundreds of thousands protesting daily in central Cairo and even marching on the presidential palace, now that it has been signed into law very few are taking to the streets. As for the European Union: the Task Force, co-chaired by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Egyptian Foreign Minister Kamel Amr declared: "In support of the ongoing democratic transformation, Egypt and the EU will work together to overcome the socio-economic challenges, thus setting an example for the region and beyond." Catherine Ashton said she was delighted with the results of the Task Force: "The past two days confirm the EU as Egypt's main partner in its historic transition. The Task Force is a new type of European diplomacy, mobilising all EU assets and working with both the public and private sectors." The European Union committed also to provide additional financial support to Egypt worth nearly EUR800 million for 2012-2013 (EUR303 million in grants and EUR450 million in loans). This is on top of the EUR449 million already provided for the period 2011-13. The European Investment Bank announced potential lending of up to EUR1.7 billion for 2012-13, and a new Task Force fund, which can provide funds of up to EUR60 million for countries in transition. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development confirmed the start of operations in Egypt and announced plans for lending of up to EUR1 billion per year http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e6f_1368823944 english-patriot33 EU donates EUR 5 billion to islamic fundamentalist regime in Egypt islam, muslims, e.u, madness, ukip, Wed, 15 May 2013 21:21:53 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cab_1368666389 MAKMAK Around $900 billion in assets across the globe are managed by Islamic banks that operate according to sharia, an interpretation of Islamic law. In recent years, so-called Islamic finance has been growing at a rate of 15-20 per cent a year, and proved remarkably resilient to the financial crisis. Proponents of the relatively new sector point to its back-to-basics financial structures, which have made it popular with a number of non-Mulsim clients who have little appetite for risk. Critics, though, say the restrictions it comes with-prohibitions, for example, on paying interest and investing in anything that involves porn, pork or booze-are archaic and unworkable. Canada, with its 1.3 million Muslims, has lagged behind countries like the U.K. and the U.S. in embracing sharia-compliant financial products. None of the country's big banks currently offer sharia-compliant services, though some smaller players do. Toronto-based UM Financial Inc., which issued home mortgages conforming to Islamic law, filed for bankruptcy last year, leaving 170 Muslim borrowers in limbo, and opening a legal can of worms. Is the firm's failure evidence that Canada should steer clear of Islamic finance; or proof that the country needs more of it-i.e. that the banks and policymakers need to bring the practice into the mainstream, with tighter rules and better oversight? We asked the experts to chime in. Tarek Fatah is the founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress, a liberal-minded grassroots organization. He is also the author of Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic lllusion of an Islamic State, among other works. Walid Hejazi is associate professor of international business at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, where he is currently teaching an MBA course on Islamic finance. What is Islamic finance? Fatah: In the words of one New York Muslim banker, Islamic finance is little more than "a $300 billion deception." According to Muhammad Saleem, former president and CEO of Park Avenue Bank, "Islamic banks do not practise what they preach: they all charge interest, but disguised in Islamic garb." In fact, Islamic finance is just one more front in the worldwide Islamist movement's attempt to depict all things Western as essentially inimical to Islam. Its foundational doctrine comes from the writings of two people: Abul Ala Maudoodi of the Jamaat-e-Islami movement in Pakistan and Hassan al-Banna of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. While these two pillars of the Pan-Islamist movement propagated jihad and war against the West, they also recognized the role international financial institutions could play in carrying out their political objectives. The theory was put into practice when the Islamist Pakistani military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq established sharia law in Pakistan, forcing the country's public-sector banks to run their operations based on Islamic principles and without the role of interest. As professor Timur Kuran, who taught Islamic thought at the University of Southern California, notes in his brilliant book Islam and Mammon: The Economic Predicaments of Islamism, "There is no distinctly Islamic way to build a ship, or defend a territory, or cure an epidemic, or forecast the weather." Hejazi: Islamic Finance allows individuals or companies to invest in conformity with the principles of Islam. In the aftermath of the financial crisis, though, Islamic finance has been extending its appeal to a wide range of clients-regardless of religion-because it relies on rather conservative and low-risk banking practices. It is critical to emphasize that sharia-compliant or Islamic financial products can be made available to anyone-not just Muslims. There are five key elements that must be avoided in Islamic finance: interest (riba); speculation (maisir); uncertainty (gharar); unjust enrichment/unfair exploitation; and unethical purpose. I will focus on the most well-known-and, I would argue, the least understood-dimension of Islamic finance: the ban on interest. Many interpret this ban to mean that money can be borrowed for free. This is not the case. Rather, it implies that the investor must have a stake in the underlying asset. What does this mean in practice? Here's an example (in which I am abstracting from differences that can arise in risk and administrative costs): Suppose you purchase a home for $300,000. Under a conventional mortgage, you may opt for a five-year, fixed-rate mortgage, say at five per cent, and amortized over 25 years. Your monthly payment would be about $1,745. Assuming that interest rates stay at five per cent, the amount that you would have to pay over the 25 year amortization period would be $1,744.81*300 months over 25 years = $523,443.00. In total, the homeowner will have repaid the $300,000 in principal plus $223,443.00 in interest. In reality, though, interest rates would vary and the mortgage would be renewed at whatever the prevailing rate is upon maturity of the mortgage. With one form of sharia-compliant mortgage, the bank would buy the home on behalf of the customer for $300,000 and then sell it to the customer for $523,443.00. It means that over the 25-year period, the customer pays the fixed payment of $1,744.81, but unlike in the case of a conventional mortgage, there are no changes in these payments over the duration of the mortgage. A second difference is that late penalties are not allowed-the bank cannot charge punitive fees if a homeowner, for example, is laid off and has difficulty making some of the payments. It all goes back to the key principles above around partnership, fairness and eliminating uncertainty. Should Canada embrace Islamic finance? Hejazi: It is in the interest of Canadians to embrace Islamic finance, both on the retail and the commercial side. On the retail side, Statistics Canada estimates that Muslims will be about seven per cent of the Canadian population by 2031. A recent study prepared for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported evidence indicating that the demand for sharia-compliant mortgages currently exceeds supply. This demand will only increase. We need to bring these Canadians into the financial mainstream and give them better access to a type of financing that is consistent with their religious principles. Doing so is entirely consistent with fundamental Canadian values and our proud history. These sharia-compliant mortgages would be profitable and self-financing-they would impose no extra cost to the institutions offering them or the Canadian government. In addition, these mortgages would be available to all Canadians, who feel that the structure of the mortgage better fits their personal risk and financial profile. Perhaps more important, though, is the commercial side. As my research has documented, Canada needs more foreign investment and our country has been slipping behind in terms of its attractiveness to foreign investors. Now, the Gulf region has a tremendous amount of excess liquidity-upwards of a trillion dollars! However, investors from that region often require their investments be sharia-compliant. The Rotman School, in conjunction with Deloitte, Bennet Jones, Torys, and King and Spalding have developed case studies in which we looked at whether sharia-compliant financial structures would be more costly than conventional ones in the context of three major Canadian projects. Our analysis found that the costs associated with a sharia financing structure were similar to those of the conventional financing structure. Having a capability within Canada to undertake these transactions will make Canada more attractive to foreign investment, and this will help grow the economy and enhance the prosperity of all Canadians. Fatah: Canadian banks and financial institutions are already flirting with the idea. Can we blame them? Who wouldn't want gullible consumers who demand zero interest on their deposits but are willing to pay more on their monthly mortgage payments, all in the name of Islam and avoiding eternal hellfire. Islamists are lining up with such icons of global capitalism as Citibank NA, HSBC Holdings PLC, and Barclays PLC, which have all endorsed sharia banking and started offering Islamic financing products to a vulnerable Muslim population. Promoting these products, of course, are a number of prominent Muslim corporate lawyers and bankers. This push from Muslim banking executives working inside the corporate world has had some success. While the Royal Bank of Canada didn't find enough market interest for a sharia finance product it tested a few years ago, other Canadian banks are smelling easy pickings and lining up to wear the Islamic mantle. Scotiabank and Toronto-Dominion Bank have been quietly considering whether to start offering sharia-compliant products as part of the big banks' strategy to reach out to a growing "immigrant population," a politically correct way of labeling Muslims. Canada should not permit this charade of lies and deception posing as multicultural banking to segregate its Muslim population from the rest of society. If it does, there will be a huge cost to our values and to our future as well as to vulnerable Muslim-Canadians who are being blackmailed into paying more and receiving less for their banking needs. Suppose mainstream Canadian institutions started offering Islamic financial instruments, making them widely available throughout the country. How would this affect, if at all, the integration of Canada's Muslim minority? Fatah: The question assumes there is one Muslim community. I suggest there are many and they will react in different manner. My cursory study of the clients of now-bankrupt mortgage lender UM Financial shows that the company appeals mostly to customers from the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent and Caucasian converts to Islam, with Arab-Canadians and Iranian-Canadians virtually absent. Thus the integration of Canada's Muslims into the rest of society has very little to do with the success or failure of Islamic banking; it has everything to do with the failed policies of multiculturalism that encourage segregation and make it difficult to propagate Canadian values that have crystallized over 400 years of Western civilization and are the core of who we are as a country. Charlatans attempting to squeeze money out of an already marginalized minority community should be an affront to all of us-Muslim and non-Muslim alike. Hejazi: If the mainstream financial institutions offered sharia-compliant financial instruments, such as mortgages, savings accounts, mutual funds, and so on, this would go a long way towards integrating conservative Muslims into mainstream financial markets and keeping our financial system strong and sound. At present sharia-compliant financial securities are not available in the mainstream; hence conservative Muslims who feel they must use sharia-complaint financial instruments are forced to deal with smaller, less well-known, less well-funded, and likely less well-managed financial institutions. Providing these Muslim-Canadians with this option does not come with any negatives. Who opts for sharia-based financial instruments? To whom does this model appeal? Hejazi: The Financial Times reports that the assets within the Islamic finance sector have now reached US$900 billion, double what they amounted to in 2006. This growth is remarkable given that it occurred during the global financial crisis. A recent report by the International Monetary Fund attributes the growth in Islamic finance to three factors: increasing demand from the growing number of Muslims living in Western countries; growing oil wealth among the Islamic members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries; and the attractiveness of sharia-compliant financial products and services to non-Muslims seeking ethical investments or fair financial products, as well as lower-risk, back-to-basics banking. Fatah: The primary movers and shakers of sharia-based financial instruments are the rulers of the petro-dollar states of the Persian Gulf. In the working class neighborhoods of Karachi, Jakarta, Cairo or Tehran, no one buys into this "paying more and receiving less" model. They may vote for Islamist parties, but when it comes to their hard-earned money, they trust their banks and credit unions, not the mullahs bearing tickets to paradise. Even in Pakistan, which has played a pioneering role in Islamic finance, few have embraced the Islamic banking institutions. Even in Saudi Arabia, home of the Islamic Development Bank, no-interest sharia banks did not find favour with the country's monetary agency, SAMA. In fact, as pious a leader as the late King Faisal allowed SAMA to place its surplus funds in interest-bearing accounts during the country's cash-strapped years in the 1950s and 60s. One thing is for sure: Muslims have voted with their feet and their chequebooks. UM Financial, a Canada-based Islamic financial institution, recently went belly up. What lessons does the bankruptcy hold for Islamic finance in Canada? Hejazi: At present, Canadians seeking sharia-compliant mortgages and other financial products are forced to turn to institutions which operate at the periphery of the financial system, such as UM Financial, because these services are not offered through mainstream financial institutions. As is now well known, Canada's financial markets are among the most stable and well-managed globally. A collapse such as that at UM Financial is not consistent with Canada's image, nor should such institutions be able to put so many Canadian homeowners at risk. Canada needs the financial mainstream to offer these products. It is mainstream institutions that should be reaping a profit from these instruments. The demise of UM Financial makes the case for bringing Islamic finance into the mainstream even stronger. Besides, as more Canadian institutions enter the Islamic finance market, competition will force the cost of sharia-banking products down to the level of their conventional equivalents. As noted in a recent CMHC study, in Canada, sharia-compliant mortgages currently cost between one and three per cent more than comparable conventional mortgages due to their modest supply and firms' relative inexperience with these products, as well as a lack of access to funding. In contrast, sharia-compliant mortgages in the U.S. cost only 0.4 to one per cent more than their conventional counterparts. Fatah: The bankruptcy of UM Financial tells a simple truth: most Muslims would not want anything to do with financial institutions that promise a path to Paradise while enriching the pockets of those who sell Islamic indulgences. Court documents reveal that, just a few days before UM Financial went into receivership, its Sharia Advisory Board invoiced it for $2.1 million. This amount was ostensibly the fee charged for providing advice to UM Financial on the compliance of its products and services to sharia law. In a scene that could have come straight out of a Bollywood crime thriller, UM Financial CEO Omar Kalair made this payment in gold and silver bullion at a Rexdale Parking lot, late into the night. The recipient, Joseph Adam, the finance manager of Multicultural Consultancy Canada, is said to have later flown to Egypt and is now reported missing-along with the gold. Canada has no room for charlatans who bring the medieval values of the pre-industrial era into the twenty-first century. Enough of this please. (original article by Erica Alini for Macleans magazine) Here's an interesting website listing some of the institutions which fund terrorism:https://moneyjihad.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/sharia-banks-that-fund-terrorism/ http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cab_1368666389 MAKMAK Does Islamic finance have a place in Canada? islamic finance, global, currency, markets, stocks, stock market, dow, NASDAQ, Wall Street, TSX, Canada, MAKMAK Wed, 15 May 2013 12:07:17 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1e5_1368633297 m16carbine Extract from Damascus Courts the West: Syrian Politics, 1989-1991 , pp. 3-6, by Daniel Pipes. Today, the author of the 1991 article currently prefers Assad Jr. to his alternative. Hafez al-Assad vs. Saddam Hussein (1991) Hafez al-Assad and Saddam Hussein have much in common. They are about the same age (Saddam was born in 1937, Assad in 1930) and come from minority backgrounds. Both grew up in an impoverished countryside with a twentieth century tradition of exporting people to the cities. Both experienced Egyptian prisons and have effectively ruled their countries since about the same year (1972 for Saddam, 1969 for Assad). Both imposed an extreme centralization, to create a stable order where turmoil had previously prevailed. Both are far more interested in building their militaries than their countries. Each of them looked to Moscow for primary support, but on occasion wooed the U.S. government. Both rely extensively on the terrorist instrument. They have claimed to represent the Palestinians and sought to control weak neighbors. In personality, they share vaulting ambitions, a passion for secrecy, and a Manichean outlook that divides the world into agents and enemies. Both tend toward brinkmanship and a readiness to sacrifice the interests of their countries for personal and ethnic interests. Their political systems rely to a strikingly parallel degree on Ba'ath Party control, the pervasive use of informants, and brutality. (Middle East Watch found torture in Iraq to be &quot;used routinely&quot;; Amnesty International has termed the Syrian jails &quot;almost a research center for torture.&quot;) Though life in Syria is an iota better,^ the two dictatorships in the Fertile Crescent are about as similar as any pair of governments on the planet. The two men also differ profoundly. Where Saddam revels in brutality for its own sake, Assad resorts to it as an instrument of power. The one kills with his own hands, the other keeps his distance from such unpleasantries. Saddam's ambitions know no limit: he seeks to become both the greatest leader in Iraqi history and a giant on the world stage; his dreams of glory distort practical decisionmaking. In contrast, Assad knows his limitations and acts within their parameters: the conquest of Lebanon and the perpetuation of Alawi rule are quite enough for him for now, thank you. Saddam's overt aggression makes him enemies everywhere; Assad's is cloaked in an ambiguity which allows hostile states the luxury of ignoring his trespasses. Both leaders follow policies which the outside world often finds difficult to understand, but while Saddam confuses observers through stupidity, Assad does so through subtlety. While Saddam and Assad both engage in international brinkmanship, only Assad can reliably locate the brink. Saddam displays an increasingly uncontrollable streak of impatience and has a terrible sense of timing (the invasion of Kuwait could not have occurred at a worse moment from the Iraqi point of view); Assad is infinitely deliberate and has a most refined timing (the seizure of Beirut in October 1990, fifteen years after Syrian military involvement in Lebanon began, was a political masterpiece). More broadly, Saddam Hussein showed in 1990-91 that he may be one of the worst strategists and tacticians of history; in contrast, Assad rightly prides himself on his skills as a military planner. Like his adopted namesake, the lion, Assad is a patient operator. He probes his opponents' weaknesses, waits for the right moment, chooses the most advantageous field of battle, and strikes. In this way, Assad has defeated one enemy after another-the Muslim Brethren, Lebanese militias, American troops in Beirut, Israelis in south Lebanon, and Iraqi armed forces. Observers are in agreement as to his impressive skills. Thus, Annie Laurent and Antoine Basbous see his main characteristics as &quot;patience and a taste for secrecy.&quot; Dov Tamari concludes that &quot;the Syrian regime has demonstrated patience and restraint on the one hand, persistence and stubbornness on the other.&quot; Imagine-to take this comparison one step further-that Assad ruled in Baghdad, and that he wanted to bring Kuwait, with all its wealth and coastline, under his control. What would he have done differently from Saddam? Everything. He would have prepared the way years ahead of time by hosting Kuwaiti dissident movements in Baghdad and laying repeated but elliptical claims to Kuwait. When the time was right, he would have solicited an invitation from bona fide Kuwaiti leaders to send Iraqi troops into Kuwait. Rather than seize the whole country, he would have taken only some slices of it (the Rumayla oil field, Bubiyan and Warba Islands) and worked to get his allies and agents into power. The outside world would surely have protested, but Assad's salami tactics would have allowed him to take Kuwait without sustained armed opposition. In the end, just as everyone acquiesced to his seizure of Lebanon, so they would have gone along with his control over Kuwait. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I also extracted an interesting 2005 interview with Der Spiegel where Bashar al-Assad discusses Saddam and the differences with his father. It's also interesting in showing the difficult situation Bashar inherited from his father, and his allusions to the Algerian Civil War (1991-2002) , which is similar to how he views his current crisis. SPIEGEL: Mr. President, there are tentative movements toward democracy here and there in the Arab world. But there is little evidence of that in Syria. Why not? Assad: Well, it just happens that the Arab states develop at different rates and under different historical conditions. Egypt, for example, has not experienced as many coups as Syria. Besides, Cairo signed a peace treaty with Israel, whereas we remain in neither a state of war nor a state of peace with Israel. Incidentally, our development only began a few years ago, so of course expectations will vary widely. But the main issue is that we in Syria have at least opened up a dialogue about it. SPIEGEL: But it's taking longer than many would like. Assad: The pace of our development depends upon the challenges that we must face, which we cannot always influence. For example, we have to deal with foreign powers meddling in our internal affairs. SPIEGEL: You mean the Americans' demands for more democracy and for putting an end to support for terrorists? Assad: The more meddling there is, the slower the pace of development in Syria. After all, the democratic process should pervade the entire country. Naturally, the unresolved Middle East conflict also slows down development. And then there is the question of what should be our greatest priority -- political development or economic growth. SPIEGEL: Are they mutually exclusive? Assad: There is a tremendous gulf between the two objectives. To promote growth, we urgently need help from the European Union. For many of the Syrians I meet, poverty is a far greater concern than the outlook for a democratic constitution. Besides, there is also terrorism, which stands in the way of democratic development. We simply have to act as quickly as possible to keep things moving forward. SPIEGEL: But you don't exactly make it easy for your fellow Syrians. Political parties are permitted, but they are immediately prohibited as soon as they form, while members of the opposition are arrested. Assad: But you've been talking to opposition leaders in our country. If we were to arrest them all, there wouldn't be enough space in our prisons. SPIEGEL: Most members of the opposition with whom we spoke have spent many years in prison. Assad: But now they're out again. You can't simply equate the situation in the West with the situation in our country. Take religion, for example. In Great Britain, an author published a book in which he claimed that Jesus Christ had children. Such statements don't trigger civil unrest and bloodshed in Europe. But write similar statements about Islam in Syria and you might see bloody uprisings. SPIEGEL: What does that have to do with real opposition in Syria? Assad: When we put someone on trial, we're not trying him as a person. Instead, what concerns us is that he does not attack the population's religious and ethnic structure. The umbrella of stability must not be damaged. We gave the go-ahead for the formation of parties two months ago, and we are currently taking a very close look at these parties. I certainly don't dispute the contention that we do not have a well-developed system of political parties yet. I simply wanted to show you where we have to be cautious. SPIEGEL: What exactly are you afraid of? Assad: Developments like those in Algeria since 1991. At that time, the government misjudged the people, and the Islamists threatened to assume power. To this day, the Algerians are paying the price for this miscalculation with their own blood. SPIEGEL: Look at the example of Riad Seif, a self-made businessman and member of the Syrian National Assembly. He criticized the omnipotence of the monopoly and was sentenced to five years in prison. Assad: He questioned the unity of the nation, and we happen to have a law that calls for penalties for those who assail the mosaic of the various ethnic and religious groups. SPIEGEL: Wasn't Seif merely questioning the distribution of power? Assad: No, no one is put on trial for attacking me personally. But assaulting the composition of Syrian society is simply too explosive. SPIEGEL: Journalists, too, are prevented from doing their work and sometimes even thrown in prison. When will you have true freedom of the press? Assad: We have never locked up anyone because of his personal opinion. SPIEGEL: A correspondent for a large Arab newspaper, Al-Hayat, was recently sent to prison for several months. Assad: That's a different issue. Under Syrian law, a journalist is not allowed to report on military matters. This may be wrong or right, but that's just the way it is. SPIEGEL: You said that fighting poverty is more important than democracy. Does this mean that you intend to emulate the Chinese model: economic liberalization without political reforms? Assad: When I say that the economy takes priority, it certainly doesn't mean that we relegate political reforms to the back seat. The economy may have taken priority in the last five years -- that's because it is important to improve the general standard of living. It's a dangerous thing when someone gets up in the morning and has nothing to eat. If I say to that person, &quot;I intend to allow you to have political parties,&quot; how will he responsd? We don't care if this is the Chinese model or something else. Our actions reflect the needs of our country. SPIEGEL: When will there be a recognizable democratic multiparty system in Syria? Assad: It took us five years to achieve a societal dialogue. Now we are in the second phase, in which we begin discussing parties. It won't happen that quickly. For example, the same process took three years in Morocco. SPIEGEL: Will it happen before the 2007 general election? Assad: It's very likely, but you just can't make long-term predictions in our corner of the world. I cannot afford to make mistakes. Instead of jumping forward too quickly and possibly falling on our faces, we prefer to divide our tasks into smaller steps. SPIEGEL: How do you propose to prevent the Algerian model -- the formation of religious parties that are democratically elected, but then act undemocratically? Assad: Once again, we cannot apply Western standards to development in the Orient. In Germany, you may have a religious Christian party, the CDU (Christian Democratic Union), but it has effectively assimilated itself into the fabric of the country. In return, your history prevents you from having any large nationalist parties. Our experience has shown us that the situation in Syria became stable because the entire society is secular. We must preserve that. SPIEGEL: In many of his speeches, United States President George W. Bush has complained that freedom must all too often take a back seat to stability. Do you feel he is addressing you with these comments? Assad: Freedom and democracy are nothing but instruments, just like stability. The goal is called progress and growth. Anyone who puts freedom ahead of stability is hurting growth. Besides, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and Iraq aren't exactly models of freedom. SPIEGEL: Washington sees you as a sort of &quot;Saddam-light.&quot; Assad: There were real hostilities between the regime of Saddam Hussein and that of my father. Fifteen thousand Syrians lost their lives in these conflicts. Whereas I involve people from outside the party in the decision-making process, Saddam only permitted his own opinion. If we had taken the approach Saddam took in Iraq, I wouldn't feel safe walking on the street with my wife and children. Saddam was constantly in hiding. The fact that there are people who criticize me doesn't mean that people hate me. SPIEGEL: Your father supported the first President Bush in the 1991 Gulf War. You, on the other hand, were a vocal critic of the war in 2003. Assad: The first war was about the liberation of an Arab people suffering under occupation. The more recent war led to the occupation of an Arab country. There's a huge difference. SPIEGEL: Do you sympathize with the insurgents who are fighting the occupation troops and the new government in Iraq? Assad: There are terrorist operations in Iraq that claim the lives of innocent people; those we reject categorically. But there is also a resistance movement, and that's a different issue altogether -- a completely normal issue. SPIEGEL: Are suicide attacks a legitimate weapon against the occupation forces? Assad: Even the religious scholars disagree on that question, but I have the impression that most are in favor of these attacks. But this is a hypothetical debate. A person who is absolutely determined to blow himself up isn't about to ask you or me for our opinion. This debate is a waste of time. SPIEGEL: The American government has accused you of facilitating access to Iraq through Syria for the insurgents. Assad: It also accused Saddam of having weapons of mass destruction. But seriously, if you ask Americans whether they've been successful at sealing the border with Mexico, they'll tell you that it's a very difficult proposition. We've made it very clear to the Americans that it's impossible to completely control our border with Iraq. But we also tell them that the war itself is what's causing the chaos. It's not exactly fair to make a mistake yourself and then start blaming others for it. SPIEGEL: The American government has classified Syria as a &quot;rogue nation.&quot; Are you concerned that Washington plans to remove you from office? Assad: Look at the results of regime change in Iraq. You can't possibly claim that it was successful. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1e5_1368633297 m16carbine Hafez al-Assad vs. Saddam Hussein (1991 article) Assad, Syria, Syrian Civil War, Islamism, Saddam Hussein, Bashar al-Assad, Hafez