Brotherhood's Keeper

Are we.the Muslim Brotherhood's keeper? To a certain degree, yes, we already are ... and will be much more so if Hellary Clinton is elected president. The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) is, to many, a terrorists organization ... but it's slowly becoming our own terrorist organization as it stealthily insinuates itself into our government. President Obummer has already met with this group multiple times at the White House. And we also know that Hellary's close confidant, Huma Abedin, previously worked for 12 years for the main MB publication and that her family (father, mother, brother) are key executives in the worldwide MB organization. (If you don't know these things, read The Hill Article or, if you prefer, The Washington Post Article.) But now we find out that the Clinton Foundation employed the MB's chief spokesman, Gehad El-Haddad, for a formative five years ... see: Powerline Blog. He is now in prison in Egypt.

During the Obummer administration ... and with its support ... the Muslim Brotherhood under Morsi came within a whisker of turning Egypt into a totalitarian caliphate and now is on trial there for a series of heinous crimes. I would like to believe differently, but I am convinced the the MB tenants are ever so slowly shaping the foreign policy in the United States ... and that we are now on the doorstep of its attempt to duplicate the Egyptian experience here.

I know it is often difficult for we complacent Americans to confront a dangerous future, but now it's decision time folks.

Parallel Lines

Is there a parallel to be drawn between the current coup underway in Turkey and what happened in Egypt three years ago? To me, it appears so. Mohamed Morsi, with the tacit support of President Obummer, was elected President in Egypt in a supposedly free election. So was Recep Erdogan reelected in Turkey ... also with a nod from the current U.S. administration. Morsi rapidly began to consolidate his undemocratic control in Cairo by seeding secular Egyptian institutions with his Muslim Brotherhood cronies and fomenting radical unrest. Erdogan has clearly departed from General Mustafa Ataturk's secular vision for Turkish government and has more gradually reimposed autocratic Muslim strictures on the media and those who elected him. He has also been playing footsie with ISIS by allowing it to smuggle Syrian oil and refuges through his country ... and foreign fighters to join ISIS. Morsi clearly found the levers of power intoxicating and lined his and the Muslim Brotherhood's pockets. Erdogan recently built himself a super extravagant  $615 million royal palace ... see: Yahoo New Story ... and his son has been accused of benefiting from ISIS oil smuggling.

Morsi's excesses and attempts to crush Egypt's democracy finally inspired huge street riots and its military to stop this country's slide into a caliphate. General Abdel el-Sisi ousted Morsi who is now on trial with the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood for murder and crimes against the state. Now, Turkey is going through a similarly coup to try to wrest Erdogan firmer grip on power. Whether this coup succeeds is still very much an open question. If it doesn't prevail, the Middle East will certainly experience a great deal more innocent bloodshed.

True to form, the Obummer administration is supporting Erdogan in this putsch attempt whereas I can't help but wonder if Russia's Putin might not be pulling some other strings in this puppet show ... and he doesn't like to lose.

We should know the results of this Turkey trot fairly soon. Is Erdogan gone? Let us hope so ...

Afterward: Bloody failure ... see: Daily Mail Story. Did Erdogan set this up to cleanse things?

More: And now others are speculating the same thing ... see: Daily Mail Story.

Soft Tyranny

Governments, it seems, cannot resist the temptation to centralize their power at the expense of their citizen's basic freedoms. Just in the last few years we have seen this grab obviously occur in Egypt, Turkey, Russia, Greece, United States and now in Germany. (And I am sure there are others, less obvious ones.)

I just added Germany to this list because Merkel's clueless administration is now looking to suppress growing popular dissent to the massive immigration of Muslims into the country ... see: Breitbart Article. This is exactly the wrong path to take ... for over time it becomes increasingly narrow and therefore more difficult to perform a U-turn.

Funny how installed governments, once they start to govern against the will of their peoples, suddenly want to suppress dissent ... usually with an iron fist inside a velvet glove. We saw how Morsi in Egypt, once freely elected, greedily grabbing power too rapidly ... only to be ousted by the military. Erdogan in Turkey is trying the same power grab ... only at a slightly more leisurely pace. Ditto, Putin in Russia. And here at home we have seen Obummer disregard our Constitution as he would yesterday's newspaper.

Germany's Chancellor Merkel, after a series of boneheaded statements favoring the acceptance of Muslim "refugees," is beginning to realize that she has created a massive problem not just for her country, but for just about the entire European Union. So she is having a few second thoughts ... see: Hot Air Story ... yet still while suppressing dissent.

And, although Angela Merkel has cultivated a right of center image, I think her basic politics are Euro-weenie liberal and, under stress, her true tyrannical instincts seem to be taking over. If her German voters don't shortly turn against her, they might not get another chance so poignant. I'm sorry to say that I just don't trust her.

Foxy

Fox News did our nation an important service last night when it aired an exclusive interview by its anchor, Bret Baier, with Egypt's president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (see: Fox News Story), in which the Egyptian leader said many things that American citizens should find encouraging:

1) He called for an "Arab-ready" force to battle the Islamic State (ISIS),

2) He asked Muslims around the world to stand up to the more radical elements of Islam in a religious revolution. (I have called it a reformation ... see: A Modern Crusade.)

3) He hinted that the United States may not be on Egypt's side in that it had suspended arms shipments to his country after the coup that ousted that Muslim Brotherhood dictator, Mohammed Morsi ... and still is holding back on critical needed materials.

4) When asked how his Arab allies view America's (read Obama's) leadership in the region, he responded, "Difficult question."

This interview was continually (and strangely) interrupted by transmission difficulties and didn't touch on other issues that would have been revealing ... such as Egypt's offer to the Palestinian Authority to extend the Gaza Strip lands with a huge chunk of the Sinai peninsula ... see: The Impossible Dream.

Clearly the Obama administration is still on the outs with Egypt over el-Sisi's removal of the Muslim Brotherhood from its government, but, in doing so, it is failing to recognize one of the real hopes to counter radical Islam encroachments around the world.

If el-Sisi continues on his current tack, I am convinced that history will treat him with more kindness than Obama. George Will has even gone so far to suggest that el-Sisi should win the Nobel Peace Prize. I concur.

Tourist Leverage

Apparently democratically-elected Islamists are inclined toward the tyrannical takeovers of their governments. We saw this develop in Egypt where President Mohamed Morsi jumped on a fast horse to try to outrun his political opposition ... and ended up angering many of his supporters and found himself and most of his posse behind bars after street rioting and a military coup ... see: BBC Story.

Now President Erdogan of Turkey is following this same game plan by arresting 27 of his opponents on trumped-up charges ... trying to cement his control over this Muslim country (which is also a member of NATO) ... see: Yahoo News Story. Certainly and rightfully, Erdogan's despotic moves have also estranged many countries in Europe and, I hope, many of those voters who mistakenly put him into office.

President Erdogan seems so anxious to rid Turkey of its secular heritage that he might find himself in the same super-steam bath that Morsi drew for himself. I would like to be sensitive enough to the Turkish psyche to be able to predict the outcome of this passion play. But, if tourism falls off in Turkey like it fell off in Egypt, I think that this might be a catalyst in the overthrow of this caliphate-loving Caesar. Economics very often trumps ideology.

My wife wanted us to take a cruise next year that stopped in Turkey. After some discussion about the situation there, we decided to forgo this junket. This is a shame ... for Turkey was on our bucket list and there isn't much water left in our collective pail. But, if many other tourists passing such an opportunity up, means that Erdogan, like Morsi, also must dine on bread and water for a number of years, it all would be well worth it.

Turkey with all the Fixin's

President Obama has been groping his way toward a cogent policy vis-a-vis Syria for over two years now … besmirching himself and the United States in the process.  Once again his tendency to tilt toward Turkey’s Islamist Prime Minister Erdogan and the Muslim Brotherhood has caused most of his headaches.  Rather than rehash some very thoughtful analyses of this foreign-policy mashed potatoes, I suggest that you read this Powerline blog entry and then return for a few thoughts of my own ... see: Powerline Comments.

Unable to recognize the perils surrounding his overt friendship with the Muslim Brotherhood, Obama has continued to bet on this losing horse.  His backing of this radical element of Islam in Egypt was instrumental in Morsi’s winning the Egyptian election … which then resulted in Morsi’s ham-handed attempts to subvert the democratic process there.  As a result we now have a large portion of the more moderate elements in Egypt and around the Middle East distrusting us … as they rightly should. Our President has created major havoc in Syria, Libya, and Egypt … costing many thousands of innocent lives … and missed a golden opportunity to neutralize Iran’s mullahs during its Green Movement … all because of his mule-like embrace of radical Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood.

President Obama’s inability to learn from his many mistakes, both domestic and abroad, is probably his worst character flaw … although I’m sure other thinkers might offer a few more malignant suggestions.  There are even those who feel that his major screw-ups are purposeful.  If that be the case, then neither God nor Allah can save us.

He Ain’t Heavy …

He’s my Brotherhood.  The Obama administration, with Hillary Clinton’s, John Kerry’s, and Chuck Hagel’s assent, has been a much too ardent supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, that extremist group that almost sunk Egyptian “democracy” in the name of democracy… and has been behind much of the bloody fulmination of the Arab Spring.  From the day Obama was first inaugurated he has shown a tilt toward this dangerous sharia-law, caliphate-driven Islamist organization. 

Now that the Egyptian military has realized the danger of Morsi and the Brotherhood running things and managed to reverse the tide … yes, unfortunately, at the cost of much blood … our Islamist-sympathizing President has chosen, in the slimy-secret way that is his wont, to cut off aid to the Egyptian military (see: The Daily Beast Story).  This fortunately will be of little consequence because Saudi Arabia, UAE, and other Gulf States have stepped up with monetary offers that dwarf our puny leverage … see: NY Times Story.

It is clear why the twenty-two million Egyptian rioters, who presaged this military takeover, felt that the U.S. and the Obama administration had betrayed them … we had.  Now we are trying to twist the knife.  Rather than standing on that phony shibboleth of “democracy” which meant nothing to the Muslim Brotherhood, the U.S. foreign policy should propound modernity and freedom from the chains of a theocracy.  We certainly support the notion of separation of church and state here at home … why not for the Arab world?  And it seems that even some mush-brained Republicans such as John McCain and Lindsey Graham are supporting Obama’s wrong-headedness.  This is unfortunate ... for it gives Obama cover for his perfidy.

The U.S. foreign policy is on the wrong track in many ways, but especially because of our support for the Muslim Brotherhood and, by proxy, for the Islamists.  The irony of this posture is that, even though we may be alienating much of the more moderate Middle East, the consequences of this bull-headed support of Islamists might be the continued undermining of Muslim theocracies and wanna-bes around the region (Iran, Turkey, etc.).  Egypt’s near-death experience has been an object lesson for these countries and I pray they may take it to heart.

Hubris

After more than four years of dumping on the Israeli Prime Minister, Bibi Netanyahu, (refusing to meet with him in New York, making him exit the White House via the back door, etc.), President Obama has made a dramatic u-turn with his first trip to Israel and the Israelis don’t know why (see: Breitbart Story ).  Actually they do suspect why … Obama’s over-sized ego has caused him to try to reach around Netanyahu and influence Israeli politics directly with his charming personality and good looks.  This tactic has worked for Obama his entire life so why not pull a Cairo (as he did in the early days of his Presidency with his speech there) and make his case directly to the people … particularly the young people … see: FT Story.

Perhaps the looming Iranian nuclear threat is one reason he wants the Israeli citizenry on his side when he opts for containment rather than confrontation when Iran finally has the bomb (my on-going speculation)?  Possibly, another aim is that he wants the Israelis to embrace Egypt’s President Morsi and the Arab Brotherhood like he himself has?  And maybe he will also try to influence them to stop their West Bank settlement expansions?  We will have to wait to hear his speech to the Israeli students to understand all of his motivations for this seeming "humble-pie" trip.  But, be assured, President Obama has not left his hubris back in Washington.

Be a Sport

Societies were supposed to have created sports  to be the palliative of the masses. Romans watched gladiators kill each other so they would not overthrow their corrupt emperors. Coming up on the Big Football Game (I’m not allowed to use the protected  term “Super Bowl” … if I did, I think I would be used as a tackling dummy for Ray Lewis), it is interesting to note how passions are aroused by a few men kicking a ball around a big field … even to the point of giving up one’s life.  Just recently 74 soccer fans died in Egypt at a riot over a grudge match there. (see: AP News Story )  Then 21 fans and security personnel were sentenced to death for their part in this melee while another 52 will go on trial in March.  These death sentences next set off another riot in which an additional 37 fans were killed and 110 injured … apparently when the funerals for the previous martyrs morphed into more sports-fan protests and then into a political riot … chanting slogans against Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi.

Now, I’ve heard of hooliganism on the part of English soccer fans, but these Egyptian uprisings seem a little over the top … particularly in that Morsi became a target of the sports fans … when such contests are supposed to assuage such feelings.  Imagine the Baltimore Ravens' fans charging the field in New Orleans next weekend … insisting that President Obama make Beyonce actually sing the words to the National Anthem … and then the 49ers' fans cornering Governor Jerry Brown … forcing him to retract  the recent income tax increases in California.  The Baltimore cheerleaders would then have at the San Francisco pom-pom wavers … to the point where all the half-time TV commercials would be scrubbed in order to televise this lascivious girl-on-girl wrestling.  Even without any fatalities, this would result, the following Monday, in a number of camera-grabbers in Congress (e.g., Chuck Schumer?) calling for the banning of “this grotesque, violent sport” (see: Breitbart Story) … or at least eliminate all the festivities therein … and all football fans should be registered and fingerprinted.

Or perhaps I'm daydreaming again?

Dubious Achievements

Since former President, Bill Clinton, has just been named “Father of the Year” by the National Father’s Day Council … see: USA Today Story, a dubious achievement if there ever was one, I thought I might also assemble a number of other recent winners of equally dubious honors.  They are:

Tim Tebow – “The Bronzed Bench” from the New York Jets

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – American Jewish Congress’s “Best Friend of Israel” Sash

Nancy Pelosi – the Plastic Surgeons’ Patient of the Year Award (the “Golden Scalpel”)

Harry Reid – Four gold-framed U.S. Budgets from the previous four fiscal years
Rush Limbaugh – Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year”

Elizabeth Warren -- Honorary Membership in the Cherokee Nation

Bashar al-Assad – UNESCO’s “Greatest Love of One’s Countrymen” Gold Medal

Joe Biden – Honorary Doctor of Philosophy from Harvard University

Anthony Weiner – Cosmo Magazine’s “Sexiest Centerfold” Award

Maya Angelou – the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

Hillary Clinton – “Most Underrated Politician” Loving Cup from the U.S. House
Mohamed Morsi – the Muslim Brotherhood’s blood-framed “Sacred Oath”

Barney Frank – “Handsomest Couple of the Year” Award from Bride’s Magazine

Justin Bieber – People Magazine’s “Most Metrosexual” Honor

Mayor Tom Menino of Boston – the Demosthenes Award for Outstanding Diction

Barack Obama – the Nobel Peace Prize

Terms of Endearment

The following is a test of your perspicacity and political savvy.   You are herein asked (as a comment to this blog) to attach one or more of these terms of endearment to one or more of the following people: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Bashar al-Assad, Joe Biden, Justin Bieber, John Boehner, George W. Bush, Dick Chaney, Hugo Chavez, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Barney Frank, Lady Gaga, Rush Limbaugh, Madonna, Barack Obama, Harry Reid, Mitt Romney, Mohamed Morsi, Bibi Netanyahu, Nancy Pelosi, Vladamir Putin, Tim Tebow  (NO PROFANITIES PLEASE!)

Ankle Pecker
Ass Wipe
Babinzo
Badonkadonk

Blaggard

Blatherskite

Boob
Bubblehead
Bumpkin

Charlatan
Chawbacon
Chowderhead
Clown
Cockalorum
Cockroach

Coxcomb
Creep

Curmudgeon
Despot
Diaper Licker
Dolt
Doofus
Drip

Dunderhead
Dweeb
Fliptwiddle

Fop
Fruitloop
Guttersnipe

Harridan
Hick
Honeyfugler
Horndog
Horse's Petute
Ignoramus
Imp

Jackanape

Jamoke
Knave
Kook
Leech
Lickspittle
Lout
Lowlife
Meathead

Misanthrope

Miscreant
Moonbat
Mooncalf

Mountebank

Mugwump
Muttonhead

Namby Pamby

Nebbish

Nimrod
Ninnyhammer

Noddy

Nudnik
Oinker
Peck's bad boy

Pecksniffian

Pettifogger
Pillack
Pipsqueek

Poltroon
Pond Scum

Popinjay
Puddin Head
Puke
Puzzlewit

Quidnunc
Quisling

Rapscallion

Rascal
Reprobate

Rogue
Rotter
Rumpswab
Scallywag
Scamp
Scapegrace

Schlemiel

Schmozzle
Schmuck

Schlub
Scoundrel

Shlump

Shmegegi

Shrew

Skellum

Slattern
Sleezeball
Snake Oil Salesman

Snollygoster

Sop

Troglodyte
Twerp
Twit

Varlet
Wack-a-doodle
Wisenheimer
Wingnut
Wise Ass
Wowser
Yahoo

Yenta

Yokel

The Niqab Curtain

The Niqab Face-Veil

Now that Egypt is fully radicalized … given that the Muslim-Brotherhood’s rammed-through constitution has been “endorsed” by the people and signed into law by Egyptian President, Mohamed Morsi, it looks very much like this previous tourist attraction will cut itself off from the Western World and follow in the tracks of Iran back into the 8th century ... causing Israel (and the United States) fits over the coming years … see: Egypt's Constitution Becomes Law

Our current Administration (read Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama) not only did not resist this event, it is pretty clear that they helped bring it about.  There is a very interesting chronology of how this abetting took place in the following article … please read it in its entirety and don’t be surprised if a few scales fall from your eyes … see: Egypt's Avoidable Descent

To me the big question is … why?  Why would we create in Egypt the same kind of problems that we have been experiencing with Iran (and Syria) for more than 30 years?  Are we banging our heads against another wall only because the first one was so soft?  Are we allowing the Middle East to morph into one huge caliphate because it will benefit any of our foreign policy interests?  Hardly.

I can only come up with one admittedly far-fetched answer.  Hillary and Barack are joined at the hip over their deep-seated hatred of Israel.  They have both signaled this animus over and over again … yet it is continually papered over by most media outlets.  This hatred must be enormous for this daring-duo to allow what is clearly going to transpire over the coming decades when this caliphate is being formed … with one Muslim country after another being swept into the gravitational influence of this Sharia-law black hole.  Just as Churchill recognized in 1946 that an Iron Curtain was being pulled across Eastern Europe, so a niqab is now being drawn over the face of the Middle East.  And it's clearly very much a product of our current Administration's demented doing (just as the Iron Curtain was an outgrowth of FDR's failing health.)