I don't mind the omission of the salamis -- I'd expect the same if it were targeted towards Israeli tourists -- but the omission of churches seems excessive. The natives ARE Christians, after all.

Posted by: Robert Crawford at March 22, 2005 5:41 PM

Switzerland has the highest number of asylum seekers per capita in Europe; 80% are not being persecuted but come from countries where there is a civil war or systematic violence. This largely explains why there are 500,000 Muslims living in a nation where citizenship and permanent residency are extremely difficult to come by. But the Federal Council has the right to give the boot to foreigners in this category when they decide temporary protection is no longer necessary. This may be the safety valve that saves Switzerland from the Sharia that will surely engulf the rest of Eurabia.

Posted by: Charles Martel at March 22, 2005 6:21 PM

500,000 Muslims in Switzerland! When did they allow this invisible infiltration?

With only a total population of 7,500,000, that means this little haven in the heart of Europe now has a hefty Islamic ('Restore the Caliphate') 5th column force in place.

And I thought the Swiss were cannier than the rest of the EU multicultural dupes.

I guess all the cuckoos aren't in the clocks.

And don't delude yourself that they'll be deporting more than a few dozen people anytime soon.

Thus, with a Muslim birthrate far higher than that of the native Swiss, it should take about 60-80 years before the cross on the flag morphs into a crescent and star.

Another brilliant European immigration example for the U.S. to learn from.

If it only would.

Posted by: BigSleep at March 22, 2005 7:29 PM

You said it, BigSleep. I have said it here before, Switzerland and islam just do not go together. Talk about a fish out of water. I guess there is not a country where this scourge hasn't put down roots.

Posted by: Carolyn2 at March 22, 2005 8:18 PM

The slopes of Lac Leman are dotted with the apartments of exceedingly rich Arabs from Kuwait, Oman, the U.A.E.. Quite a few Swiss banks, top-of-the-line beauty resorts, top-of-the-line call-girl establishments, Ferrari and Porsche dealers, make their living recycling these petrodollars.

Not all of those Arabs are permanent residents. Some like to come for a week or two once or twice a year, as they hop between houses in the Gulf, London, the Avenue Foch, Marbella, the Riviera. Whether they are counted as "residents" of Switzerland or only temporary residents is unclear from the article. The Swiss are strict about citizenship, but when it is a matter of money....well, the Swiss historians have carefully described the behavior of many of their countrymen during, and after, World War II, as well all know.

Perhaps there is a Swiss version of Fortuyn or Wilders, or of the new entrant in the bravery sweepstakes, Eduard Balladur of France. Cometh the man, cometh the hour. He can't come soon enough.

Posted by: Hugh at March 22, 2005 9:52 PM

Hugh

Could you tell us more about Eduard Balladur? I haven't heard of him before.

Posted by: Voltaire at March 23, 2005 12:03 AM

It is very difficult to get Swiss nationality. I seriously doubt that many of these people have been given Swiss nationality, though I could be wrong...

Eduard Balladur was a French Prime Minister at one point, he is an Anglophile and speaks perfect English, he is also on the right side of French politics. I always had a very good impression of this man, one of the few French politicians along with Alain Madelin and Sarkozy to have any real understanding of the new global order and are not reflecting on past French glories.

Note that come the next election France will be back in the hands of the Socialists, a party who are unfit to goven due to their failure to do anything to deal with the Pension deficit for fear of upsetting the Unions following Juppe's loss and as a result made the crunch much harder than it should be. Not the sort of people to deal with a Jihad I think..., at least the current government has an approach to defend the Secular state. I will endevour to find out what Mr Balladur has been up to.

Posted by: Daffersd at March 23, 2005 4:01 AM

Edourad Balladur seems to be stating that Islam can not be modified for a kinder gentler world due to the fixed teachings of the Koran, so he seems to be raising the question of whether followers of Islam can be part of the Western world. My French is not especially good so that is my interpretation. I think he will require additional bodyguards after that statement...

Posted by: Daffersd at March 23, 2005 4:12 AM

Switzerland is less a nation-state than a confederacy of garrisons and bank vaults temporarily masquerading as a mecca (small "m") for human rights. The Swiss have a history of ruthlessness when it comes to suppressing internal rebellions and shutting their borders to "undesirables", i.e., Jews, and this proclivity will rear again in the case of its transient Muslim population. The handwriting is already on the wall: in 2003, the quasi-Nazi People's Party won the most seats in Parliament. Unfortunately, this means the baby will be thrown out with the bath water: life will likely become intolerable for the small Jewish community before the Muslims are dealt with.

Posted by: Charles Martel at March 23, 2005 7:06 AM

Charles Martel:
this is utterly abusive. If Nazis had been comparable to the supporters of UDC (in German: SVP), nobody would have heard of the modern Shoah. In America, they would be conservatives, and not even neo-so. And they took 55 seats out of the 200 in competition, which is only some weak sort of "most seats" (http://www.parlament.ch/e/homepage/wa-wahlenabstimmungen/wa-nr-nationalratswahlen-2003-resultate.htm).

Las, some Jews were stopped at our borders during WWII, it is true, and that is bad indeed. But you would have a hard time trying to make people weep on our "suppressed internal rebellions", unless you are a good friend of Ziegler's family, maybe. But then, that'd be your problem.

Posted by: ajm at March 23, 2005 10:15 AM