Can Israel Survive? Traditional pillars of the tiny democracy’s security have begun to erode.

The main pillar is not mentioned in this excellent column:  the God of Israel and of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; Our Creator and the One who promised the return of Israel to this land that He gave them thousands of years ago. One of many such promises God made to Israel is in Ezekiel 28:25-26. The Tunnel Dweller

Victor Davis Hanson

"Israel is the only liberal democracy in the Middle East and North Africa. Eight million Israelis are surrounded by some 400 million Muslims in more than 20 states. Almost all of Israel’s neighbors are anti-Israeli dictatorships, monarchies, or theocracies — a number of them reduced to a state of terrorist chaos.

"Given the rise of radical Islam, the huge petrodollar wealth of the Middle East, and lopsided demography, how has Israel so far survived?

"The Jewish state has always depended on three unspoken assumptions for its tenuous existence.   Full article here.
. . . 

"Third, Israel counted on Western moral support from America and Europe, as well as military support from the United States.
. . .

"Until there is a change of popular attitudes in Europe or a different president in the United States, Israel is on its own to deal with an Iran that has already hinted it would use a nuclear weapon to eliminate the “Zionist entity,” with the radical Islamic madness raging on its borders, and with the global harassment of Jews.

"A tiny democratic beacon in the Middle East should inspire and rally Westerners. Instead, too often, Western nations shrug and assume that Israel is a headache — given that there is more oil and more terrorism on the other side."

 Ezekiel 37:1-14: The Valley of Dry Bones prophesies the return of Israel to their land after it was long thought dead; never to leave their land again

And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God. Amos 9:15; Old Testament

Good grief, where is the fire in this president's belly?

Obama On Wheel of Fortune

"Comment from Eleanor in Hell": 01/31/2015 at 10:45 am

His favorite vowel is “I”
…to the point of wearing it out.

President Gumball . . . "Obama should make every American with a modicum of decency feel ashamed and sickened as he continues his coarse and boorish behavior. We used to be known as the Ugly American, a term used to refer to perceptions of arrogant behavior by Americans abroad, but Barack Hussein Obama truly epitomizes such genuine arrogance.
. . . 

"Ergo, Americans find themselves in a weakened position. Military morale is low and the middle class scrambles to keep up with the ever expanding executive decisions that curtail economic and political freedoms.

"So while Rome -- I mean Iraq, Afghanistan, France, Nigeria and Yemen burn, our gum-chewing president keeps displaying the new America.

"Ugly American, indeed!"

Taxpayer funded grovel to Muslims

The shame Obama must feel because of his nation. TThe man is embarrassed to stand tall as our world leader.

How to Bow in Japan  . . . "Bowing seems simple, but there are some different ways. It depends on the social status or age of the person you bow to. If the person is higher status or older than you are, it's common to bow deeper and longer, showing respect." 
Or if your nation is inferior to the other.

"Compilation of Emperor Akihito shaking hands with other foreign (and domestic) leaders, juxtaposed to Obama shaking hands with Emperor Akihito. Does anyone notice the difference? (Hint: Look at the angle created between Obama's Legs and torso)"

Ben Shapiro: The First Amendment Is Dead

Frontpage
"The first amendment is dead; long live the reign of sensitivity. Ben Shapiro explores how Americans have forfeited their fundamental rights in the name of political correctness. See the video and transcript below."

Watching America: Freedom of Expression: France vs. America . . . "Being a good sport, the law professor recognizes that the U.S. government is driven by the same motivation as France. He mentions that the Obama administration has considered installing a new blasphemy standard “to avoid a return to the old patterns of division.” When she was secretary of state, Hillary Clinton even hosted delegations to try to move this agenda forward. In France, such a backward step wouldn’t occur to any reputed decision maker. And it is Obama who declared, before the United Nations assembly, that “the future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.” What Turley omits is that many American newspapers, starting with The New York Times, published neither the cartoons nor the cover of the latest Charlie Hebdo. Even in the land of the First Amendment, freedom of expression is threatened, above all, by ... Americans.

Here’s why Trey Gowdy’s had it with Benghazi committee Dems

BizPac Review

Trey Gowdy, Elijah Cummings

. . . "And a potential clash between Gowdy and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is waiting in the wings.

"The Democratic members, headed by Maryland’s Elijah Cummings, seek veto power over the committee’s subpoenas and object to Gowdy’s examination of witnesses by only the GOP members.

"The Democrats would rather debate the matter than hear what the witnesses have to say.

Gowdy, a former South Carolina prosecutor, knows that giving Democrats veto power over issuing subpoenas would mean no witnesses would be called at all.

NPR

“ 'I am unwilling to let the minority party veto subpoenas when it is clear they have prejudged the outcome of the investigation,” Gowdy said, according to the Washington Examiner.

“ 'The minority has repeatedly indicated it is unwilling to issue any subpoenas. If subpoenas are necessary for the committee to talk to relevant witnesses or access relevant documents, they will be issued.”

"Gowdy is having none of it." . . .

Saturday Smile: Polish Soldier Names His New Son After U.S. Soldier Who Gave His Life To Save Him In Afghanistan

Weasel Zippers

"On August 28, 2013, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Michael H. Ollis, 24, during a Taliban attack on a NATO base in Ghazni, eastern Afghanistan. Taliban insurgents blasted their way into the compound. As one detonated his suicide vest, Sergeant Ollis stepped in front of Polish officer, Lt. Karol Cierpica, saving his life and shielding him from the blast.

"Lt. Cierpica became a father earlier this month of a baby boy that he named “Michal”(Polish for ‘Michael’) in honor of his protector, Sgt. Ollis.

"Robert Ollis, the father of Sgt. Ollis, said he and his wife Linda were ‘delighted with the news’. According to Staten Island Live,

Robert Ollis and his wife, Linda, called the tribute to their son “unexpected” and “wonderful.” ...

More here.

‘Israel: US deal will leave Iran with 6,500 centrifuges spinning, months from a bomb’

Times of Israel

"Israel has been your most faithful ally, Mr. President "                                            " Must stay awake. Must."

. .. . "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was said to have indicated to confidants that he feels he has “no choice” but to speak out against the imminent deal, including at a controversial address scheduled for March 3 to Congress, Channel 10 said. Netanyahu does not intend to speak against President Barack Obama, or to give a partisan address, or to focus overly on sanctions, but rather to talk strongly against the deal, the report said.

"Warned that his March 3 visit and Congress appearance may harm Congressional efforts to prevent a poor deal with Iran, Netanyahu is said to be unmoved, the Channel 10 report claimed. The White House has said the March visit was not coordinated in accordance with protocol, and that Obama and Secretary of State Kerry will not meet with the prime minister, because it comes just two weeks before Israel’s general elections.

In Defense of the Right to Shame Gluten-free Hipsters

Katherine Timpf at NRO

"A blogger with Celiac disease has launched a petition demanding that NBC pull a NASCAR Superbowl ad that makes fun of the gluten-free diet trend because some people really do have to avoid gluten and therefore it’s too offensive.

“You see . . . I don’t think we’re soft or weak as the ad implies,” the blogger, who calls himself Gluten Dude,writes. “I don’t think we’re part of the problem. I think we’re a pretty strong bunch who just wants the world to move on to something else and let us handle our disease as we wish.”

. . .

"Shame them. Shame me (I’ll be fine!). Hell, even shame NBC, but don’t ask them to remove the ad just because you don’t like the joke. I ate bread today. I even plan on doing it again, and there are some people out there who would shame me for that. Please let me (and NBC/NASCAR!) keep the right to shame them back."

Why Obama Needs to Pretend the Taliban Aren’t Terrorists

Andrew C. McCarthy   "The administration makes a desperate and indefensible claim."

"No doubt because of my background investigating, prosecuting, and studying terrorism, the cynical claim by White House spokesmen that the Taliban is not a terrorist organization has annoyed me even more than the Obama administration’s nonstop lying usually does. No surprise then that I could be found railing about it on The Kelly File Thursday night.

"In that spirit, ten thoughts for the weekend:" . . .  Read the full article here.

Washington Times’ Bombshell Tapes Confirm Citizen Commission’s Findings on Benghazi

New Zeal

"As Hillary Clinton further delays the announcement of her 2016 run for the White House, more news has broken regarding her role in the 2011 disastrous intervention in Libya, which set the stage for the 2012 Benghazi attacks where we lost four brave American lives.

"Two new stories from The Washington Times expose some of the infighting among government agencies and branches of government on this controversial decision, and highlight the key role that Clinton played in initiating the war. You can listen to tapes of discussions between Pentagon staffers, former Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), and the Qaddafi regime for yourself." . . . 

More here: Qaddafi was willing to step down peacefully but Hillary prevented it

The Washington Times has revealed that Hillary Clinton stepped in to quash the discussions. She would have never done this without Obama’s express permission. Now why, I ask you, would two diehard liberals dedicated to “world peace” for their entire lives miss a perfect opportunity to avoid a civil war? Was it a blood lust desire to see Qaddafi murdered by revolutionaries as payback for Pan Am 103? Nothing of the sort. Obama has shown himself more than willing to shed American blood when it serves no useful purpose. If America has something to gain, only then will he back off.

 

Hatin’ on the Police – an Old Communist Strategy. Helped by this anti-police rap video.

Gulag Bound  "The second half of 2014 was marked by a very intense anti-police campaign from the US left.

"In an obvious attempt to destroy public confidence in local police forces, every black death at the hands of uniformed officers was trumpeted across the nation as proof of endemic police racism.

Notice the website on the signs? It's the Revolutionary Communist Party 

"This is an old communist game, but unfortunately not enough people know history.

"Below are extracts from the testimony of Mr. Bellarmino Joe Duran, a plasticizing press operator and an FBI informant, working in the West Side Mexican Branch of the Communist Party of Denver, Colorado.

"Mr. Duran was active in the Denver Communist Party from 1948 to 1956.

"This testimony was given to the “Investigation of Communist activities in the Rocky Mountain area.” Hearings conducted 

"May 15 and 16, 1956, by the COMMITTEE ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

"Note what Mr. Duran has to say about the Communist Party’s campaign against the Denver police in response to government investigator Arens . . ."

What do we want?

Blah, blah, blah

When do we want it?

NOW!

You’ll Be Shocked to Read Who Helped Create This ‘Deeply Disturbing’ Cop Killing Music Video via The Freedom Fighter's Journal

"A pair of New York City lawyers are facing heat for participating in a music video that decries police shootings of young black men and calls for police to be killed in return, Gothamist reportedThursday.

"The two lawyers with the taxpayer-funded Bronx Defenders appeared in a December WorldStarHipHop music video and allowed their office to be used in the video as well.

"The song’s lyrics call for cop killing, and at the beginning of the video, two black men are shown pointing guns at the head of a white man dressed as a police officer." . . .

Brought to you by the good people at...

The Bronx Defenders web site denies their association with this video in a new pop-up disclaimer.

NYC And DOJ Funded Legal Services Organization Involved In Video Inciting Killing Of Police   The video here.

. . . "Once it was discovered and the city started investigating, then members of the organization purportedly lied to the investigators.

"Not only is this organization funded by NYC taxpayers, but it’s also American taxpayer funded through an Eric Holder Justice Department grant. According to New American, the DOJ gave this organization $1.5 million." . . .

Qaeda in Yemen says France top enemy because the US under Obama is weak

"Dubai (AFP) – The ideological leader of Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) said Friday that France had surpassed the United States as the top enemy of Islam.

"  With the “weakening” of the United States in recent years, France has replaced America in the “war on Islam,” Ibrahim al-Rubaish said in an audio message published by AQAP’s media arm on YouTube." . . .

Michelle Malkin:  To call President Obama's Afghanistan policy a mess is a colossal understatement.  " . . . It's a bloody, incompetent and treacherous disaster.
"Our military heroes and families, God bless them, refuse to stay silent about the consequences. Consider these three national security fiascos:"

Obama has agreed to 80 percent of Iran's demands in nuclear talks, Israeli officials tell Ch. 10  . . . "According to unnamed officials, Washington “has given the Iranians 80 percent of what they want” out of the negotiations, Channel 10 is reporting.
"Jerusalem officials appear alarmed at the prospect that the United States will soon strike a deal with the Iranian regime that will leave it with a “breakout point” of months before it can gallop toward the bomb."  The WH says nonsense.

America’s Anti-Israeli President  "The Obama administration is unusually petty and sophomoric. The attacks leveled against Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, are part of a troubling pattern in which officials in the Israeli government–including and especially Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu–are vilified."
. . .
"Perhaps given President Obama’s history–including his intimate, 20-year relationship with the anti-Semitic minister Jeremiah Wright–this shouldn’t come as a surprise. But that doesn’t make it any less disturbing."

Just words? Not to our Wordsmith-in-Chief

http://www.investors.com/editorial-cartoons/michael-ramirez/737198