Lorenzo Vidino and Erick Stakelbeck at FrontPage magazine explain why the Department of Homeland Security's new policy of fingerprinting foreigners from selected countries as they enter the U.S. endangers us all and makes it more likely that a terrorist will be able to enter the country. Why? Because it leaves out several important states where terrorists are known to operate:
"On January 5, following months of deliberation, the Department of Homeland Security instituted a new security procedure requiring foreigners entering the U.S. to be fingerprinted and photographed. While the program, called US-VISIT (U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology), is chiefly intended to monitor potential terrorists who attempt to enter the U.S., it is not applied to citizens from several countries where Islamic terrorists and their supporters operate. For example, while citizens from notorious terrorist-sponsoring states like Iran and Syria are included, visitors from France and England—both growing hotbeds of Islamic militancy—are not subject to US-VISIT.
"The program, which has been implemented at 115 airports and 14 seaports nationwide, was successfully tested at Atlanta International Airport prior to its nationwide launch. The Atlanta test run produced interesting results: most notably, 21 individuals found on the FBI criminal watch list were prevented from entering the U.S. In addition, the program caused only minimum inconvenience, adding, on average, just 15 seconds to the entry process.
"Not surprisingly, the usual cast of self-appointed civil rights experts and Bush-bashing Leftists immediately criticized US-VISIT as intrusive and a violation of privacy. Charlie Mitchell, the ACLU’s Washington, DC-based legal counsel, expressed concern about 'who will have access and how people would be able to contest being included once they are on the list.' Omar Najib, treasurer of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, complained that the program would single out Arabs and Muslims. But the most ridiculous reaction came from Brazil, where Judge Julier Sebastiao Da Silva called the program 'xenophobic' and, in a fit of childish retaliation, ordered all U.S. citizens entering Brazil to be fingerprinted.
"If there is indeed a problem with US-VISIT, it will not be found in the baseless ranting of those who oppose any measure enacted by the Bush administration a priori. Rather, the program’s main flaw is that it does not apply to citizens from 27 mostly European countries, many of which have become virtual breeding grounds for Islamic militants. Citizens of countries like Holland, Germany and Italy, who are already able to enter the U.S. without a visa for up to 90 days, are also exempt from US-VISIT. Considering that European intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned about the radicalization of a significant part of Europe’s approximately 15 million Muslims, this decision leaves the U.S. dangerously exposed.
"Over the last few years, Islamic radicals carrying European passports have played a major role in international terrorism. But under US-VISIT’s present guidelines, would-be 9/11 hijacker and French national Zacarias Moussaoui, for example, would not have been fingerprinted or photographed. More Al-Qaeda sympathizers carrying European passports would potentially be able to enter the U.S. undetected as well.
"Europe is presently faced with thousands of second and third-generation European Muslims who feel detached from mainstream Western society and have turned to radical Islam as an alternative. For example, Asif Mohammed Hanif, a British-born Muslim of Pakistani origin, carried out a suicide bombing in a popular Tel Aviv pub last May, killing three people and injuring more than 50. Other European Muslims, like German citizen Christian Ganczarski, are native Europeans who have converted to Islam. Prior to his 2003 arrest in France, Ganczarski managed to reach a leadership position in Al-Qaeda and arrange terrorist attacks with the likes of the organization’s former third-in-command, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Several European countries have acknowledged that white converts like Ganczarski are a growing threat.
"While Hanif, Ganzcarski and others have acquired a European citizenship through birth, many terrorists have gained this privilege via Europe’s generous political asylum laws. For example, during the 1990s, Rabah Kebir, one of the leaders of the Algerian terrorist group FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) and several of his followers managed to obtain political asylum in Germany. Some radicals have even been known to use marriage to native European women in order to gain citizenship.
"It is common knowledge in the intelligence community that Al-Qaeda has a particular interest in recruiting operatives who carry European passports, since they draw less scrutiny from authorities. A recent phone conversation between two high-ranking Al-Qaeda members in Europe that was intercepted by Italian intelligence revealed that there are currently British, German, Austrian and Swiss citizens working for the organization. With the way US-VISIT is presently construed, all of these individuals could possibly enter the U.S. untouched.
"Despite potential problems that may arise with European countries and other allies as a result of a broadening of US-VISIT, the U.S. cannot afford to compromise in matters of national security. It is a harsh fact that our enemies have managed to infiltrate countries that are friendly to the United States. The U.S. must adjust to this new reality—expanding the guidelines of US-VISIT would be a step in the right direction."
"US-VISIT"? Ah. The bureaucratic mindset: we've got a clever acronym, so it'll have to work! ;-)
Subject: American Muslims: An Oxymoron.
Just received this from some buddies in the 187th. Thought I would pass it on, it is interesting,
very interesting.
A Colonel in the Saudi Arabian Army once told an American officer, "We can be friendly, but
we will never be friends." Can a devout Muslim be an American patriot and a loyal citizen?
THEOLOGICALLY: No. Because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of Arabia.
GEOGRAPHICALLY: No. Because his allegiance is to Mecca, which he turns in prayers five
times a day.
SOCIALLY: No. Because his allegiance to Islam demands that he make no friends of
Christians and Jews.
POLITICALLY: No. Because he must submit to the mullahs, who teach annihilation of Israel
and the destruction of America, the great Satan.
DOMESTICALLY: No. Because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge
his wife when she disobeys him.
RELIGIOUSLY: No. Because no other religion is accepted by their Allah except for
Islamic-Intolerance.
INTELLECTUALLY: No. Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is
established on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.
PHILOSOPHICALLY: No. Because Islam, Mohammed and the Quran do not allow freedom
of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot coexist. Every Muslim government
the world over is dictatorial except Turkey. ( And even Turkey is no picnic for non-Muslims.)
SPIRITUALLY: No. Because when we declare "one nation under God," the Christian's God is
a triune God while the Muslim's is one entity called "Allah," who is never a heavenly father, nor
is he ever called "Love" in the 99 excellent names.
This article by: Anis Shorrosh, a former Muslim, turned to Christ, from Nazareth, now living in
Alabama. Reprint rights granted. Here is his web site: www.focusing-on-islam.com
Commentary: And we think we can "reason" with muslims here and throughout the world?
....when you see pigs fly! And please don’t be fooled, even Turkey is hell on Earth for non-
muslims, and France, Denmark, Holland, Italy, England, and now the eastern-BOLC used-to-was
communist countries are being taken over by hordes of muslims bent on financing their jehad and
destroying the Western countries one by one. Go to www.frontpagemag.com and
robertspencer.org and www.littlegreenfootballs.com.
----------------------------------------------------
Another email message just in:
Meanwhile, Back on the Ranch here in America:
As some of you may know, one of my son's serves in the military. He is still stateside, here in
California. He called me yesterday to let me know how warm and welcoming people were to
him, and his troops, everywhere he goes. Telling me how people shake their hands, and thank
them for being willing to serve, and fight, for not only our own freedoms but so that others may
have them also. But he also told me about an incident in the grocery store he stopped at
yesterday, on his way home from the base.
He said that ahead of ! several people in front of him stood a woman dressed in a burkha. He said
when she got to the cashier she loudly remarked about the U.S. flag lapel pin the cashier wore on
her smock. The cashier reached up and touched the pin, and said yes, I always wear it.
The woman in the burkha then asked the cashier when she was going to stop bombing her
countrymen, explaining that she was Iraqi.
A gentleman standing behind my son stepped forward, putting his arm around my son's
shoulders, and nodding towards my son, said in a calm and gentle voice to the Iraqi woman:
"Lady, hundreds of thousands of men and women like this young man have fought and died so
that you could stand here, in MY country and accuse a check-out cashier of bombing your
countrymen.
It is my belief that had you been this outspoken in YOUR OWN country we wouldn't need to be
there today. But, hey? if you have now learned how to speak out so loudly and clearly I'll gladly
pay your way back to Iraq so you can straighten out the mess you are obviously here! to avoid."
Everyone in line, and within hearing distance, cheered the older Gentleman, coming forward as
they reached for their wallets.
The woman in the burkha left the store in silence...
In conclusion: The West is still smoking yards and yards of looney liberal pink ladyfinger rope, and therefore, will come within a hair's breath of self destruction before it awakes fully to the fact that eradication or iradiation is the final solution. If we don't do it -- they will! Regardless of the weapon, they will use it as soon as they get it.
dracula 2. I believe it is our government that is allowing the spread of Islam under the banner of Democracy. It is also the ignorance of the American people of what is Islam that is dragging us down the drain.
I understand the term "tolerance" but ignorance is a totally different issue...
I must comment on this incident. It shows the true midset of Muslims and how they will remain deathly loyal to Allah and the Quran or Koran. Unless we convert to Islam we as infidels can only be guaranteed one thing and that is death. I prefer life myslf and think it is time we really look at the huge danger Islam is, and it is a terrible danger to the United States and the free world as we know it. There will be no getting along with Islam as it cannot be done. I pray each and every day that we will wake up before it is too late. By whatever means necessary we must defeat this threat and it only starts with the war on terror. " For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, And for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns." Isaiah 62:1 NKJV
"I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem,
They shall never hold their peace day or night,You who make mention of the Lord, DO NOT KEEP SILENT,and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth." Isaiah 62:6-7 NKJV