Recently in European Union Category

What race is jihad terror against innocent civilians again? I keep forgetting. What race are Islamic supremacist attempts to subjugate non-Muslims under the Sharia? I always forget that one, too.

If the ENAR really wants to end "Islamophobia," here's how. They can call upon Muslim individuals and groups to:

1. Focus their indignation on Muslims committing violent acts in the name of Islam, not on non-Muslims reporting on those acts.
2. Renounce definitively, sincerely, honestly, and in deeds, not just in comforting words, not just "terrorism," but any intention to replace Western constitutions (or the constitutions of any non-Muslim state) with Sharia even by peaceful means. In line with this, clarify what is meant by their condemnations of the killing of innocent people by stating unequivocally that non-Muslim civilians, including Israelis, are innocent people, teaching accordingly in mosques and Islamic schools, and behaving in accord with these new teachings.
3. Teach, again sincerely and honestly, in transparent and verifiable ways in mosques and Islamic schools, the imperative of Muslims coexisting peacefully as equals with non-Muslims on an indefinite basis, and act accordingly.
4. Begin comprehensive international programs in mosques all over the world to teach sincerely against the ideas of violent jihad and Islamic supremacism.
5. Actively and honestly work with Western law enforcement officials to identify and apprehend jihadists within Western Muslim communities.

If Muslims do those five things, voila! "Islamophobia" will evanesce!

"ENAR Urges EU Institutions To Recognise Islamophobia As A Form Of Racism," from Bernama, March 26:

KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 (Bernama) -- The European Network Against Racism (ENAR) has called on European Union (EU) institutions to recognise Islamophobia as a specific form of racism.

The call was made following ENAR's first of its kind pan-European qualitative survey of Islamophobia, which showed that discrimination against Muslims in Europe is widespread.

Muslims continued to experience discrimination in a range of areas, more specifically in employment, education, and access to goods and services, said ENAR, which represents EU-wide network of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

According to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the ENAR study showed that Muslim women and girls are the most affected and face double discrimination on the basis of both their religion and their gender.

The report also highlighted an increase in hatred against Muslims in Europe manifesting itself as opposition to as well as protests against the building of mosques and damage to Islamic places of worship.

An uninhibited form of racism has also emerged, using freedom of expression and 'white victimhood' as justifications for promoting exclusion and discrimination, according to the report.

OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu concurred with the call made by ENAR, saying that "this is what we have been saying for a long time, that Islamophobia should be recognised as a form of racism and dealt with accordingly".

He said Western leaders need to recognise Islamophobia as a threat to peaceful coexistence and understanding among people.

The OIC has just released its fifth Islamophobia Report, which indicates the rising trends in some national policies, laws, and administrative measures that stigmatise Muslims.

The act of an enemy -- a cowardly enemy, who won't declare his intentions openly. "Sources: US behind European protest measures," by Attila Somfalvi for Ynet News, December 4 (thanks to Jerk Chicken):

The United States was behind the summoning of Israeli ambassadors by several European nations, Israeli sources with close ties to US administration officials said Monday.

"The European move is essentially an American move," one official said. "The Brits asked the Americans how to act."

The Foreign Ministry fears Europe will take further punitive steps against Israe [sic] over its decision to advance construction in the E1 area between Ma'ale Adumim and Jerusalem.

Last week Israel announced the construction of an additional 3,000 housing units in Jerusalem and the West Bank. But it was the decision to advance the planning procedures of housing units in the segment connecting Ma'ale Adumim with Jerusalem, known as the E1 project, that truly infuriated Washington and Europe.

Meanwhile, Australia also announced it was summoning the Israeli ambassador to protest Israel's moves.

"Australia has long opposed all settlement activity," Foreign Minister Bob Carr said in a statement after Israeli Ambassador Yuval Rotem's meeting with senior Australian officials.

"Such activity threatens the viability of a two-state solution without which there will never be security in Israel."...

...and with which there will never be security in Israel.

Priorities, priorities. As far as the Eurodhimmis are concerned, a rapidly Islamizing state pursuing an increasingly belligerent path toward Israel is worth supporting, even while they're going broke. "Aid amid austerity: Egypt to receive over $6bn in aid from EU," from RT, November 14 (thanks to Joe):

The European Union has approved a US$6.3 billion financial aid package for Egypt. The news comes as Europe is paralyzed by a general strike and mass protests as people are tired of deepening recession and strangled by constant budget cuts.

­The European Investment Bank is to grant Egypt 2 billion euro ($2.55 billion), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development a further 2 billion euro and EU countries will also allocate a further 1 billion euro, the office of the Egyptian president said on Wednesday.

The statement was released after President Mohamed Morsi met with EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Egypt is to sign a memorandum of understanding with IMF representatives for the loan this week. It is "a strong sign of EU's support for Egypt's path to development," the president said.

The Egyptian economy is still recovering after the overthrow of former President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 and subsequent political turmoil.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people took to the streets across the EU to protest drastic austerity measures introduced by authorities to cope with the recession.

Spain and Portugal are facing general strikes, while Greece and Italy are seeing many walkouts. Millions of people from some 20 EU nations are expected to take part in the European Day of Action and Solidarity.

And as many Europeans are not happy to bail out struggling EU economies at a cost of their pensions and wages, the question is how they are going to react to paying Egyptian bills.

They didn't make the exception explicitly here. But MENA reported this in September: "Arab League chief Nabil al-Araby said Wednesday that the league, along with the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the European Union and the African Union are close to formulating an international agreement penalizing blasphemy and insults to religious figures." And of course only Muslims want to criminalize "blasphemy and insults to religious figures."

Of course, al-Araby may be lying. But on the other hand, Europe has not appeared to be a bastion of free speech over the last few years.

"EU says artists are free to 'shock,'" from UPI, November 1 (thanks to Block Ness):

BRUSSELS, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- The European Union criticized Poland's supreme court for allowing prosecutors to try Adam Darski, leader of the band Behemoth, for illegal artistic expression.

At issue is the interpretation of Article 196 of the Polish penal code referring to "the crime of offending religious sensibilities." While on stage in 2007, Darski, singer in the heavy metal band, allegedly ripped pages from a Bible and referred to the Catholic Church as a "murderous cult," the EU Observer said Wednesday.

In a statement, the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, cited the European Convention of Human Rights' section on freedom of expression, noting, "This right protects not only information or ideas that are favorable received or regarded as inoffensive ... but also those that offend, shock or disturb."...

Gee, Tayyip, you promise? "Erdogan Warns EU Might Lose Turkey," by Chana Ya'ar for Israel National News, October 31:

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Tuesday the European Union will lose his nation if it is not accepted as a member by 2023. At that time, Turkey will celebrate its 100th anniversary as a republic, created following the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1923.

Erdogan's comment was the first indication of how much longer the country is willing to wait for an answer on its EU membership before finally tossing in the towel.

During a panel discussion Tuesday night in Berlin, Erdogan responded to a question on the subject by saying, “They probably won't string us along that long. But if they do... then the European Union will lose out, and at the very least they will lose Turkey.”

An overwhelmingly Muslim nation of 74 million people that has until recently been mostly secular, Turkey has pursued membership in the EU since 2005.

Its entry has consistently been blocked primarily by France and also Germany, where some 3 million Turkish nationals currently reside. Another 3 million Turkish citizens live in other areas of the EU as well.

The European Commission, which functions as the executive arm of the EU, has said that Turkey does not yet meet the required standards on human rights and freedom of speech. In addition, Turkey has completed only one of 35 policy “chapters” each candidate must finish, according to the EU....

Admission of Turkey into the EU would be suicide for Europe, as it would allow for a free flow of jihadists from the Middle East into Europe, and would make for a situation in which what is almost certain to be an Islamic state within the next few years would be calling the shots for Europe from Ankara -- because by virtue of its population, the Turks could outvote the Europeans.

Fule is a fool indeed.

"Turkey-EU: Europe wants stalled negotiations to resume," from ANSAmed, October 10 (thanks to Insubria):

(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, OCTOBER 10 - EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule expressed hope that Turkey's accession talks would be revived after the European Commission's progress report was released on Wednesday.

''Turkey is a key country for the EU, we have common interests. The European Commission recommends that the negotiations be resumed,'' Fule said. In May, the commissioner was in Ankara as Turkey and the EU officially launched a ''positive agenda'' to put the accession negotiations back on track after years of stagnation.

Turkey and the EU formally began accession negotiations in 2005, but these stalled on Turkey's refusal to recognize Cyprus.

In June, the Turkish foreign ministry announced Turkey will not attend any event presided over by Cyprus, which assumed the European Union presidency a month later.

Another stumbling block was stiff opposition from some member states, including France, with former President Nicolas Sarkozy recommending privileged partnership in lieu of full EU membership. The change of administration in France has not brought a change of policy with it.

''The keys to unblocking the situation are in the hands of both Turkey and the EU. The member states must reflect,'' said Fule. In its report on enlargement, the European Commission expressed concerns on Turkey's human rights record, beginning with the widespread use of anti-terrorism and organized crime laws. ''These lead to violations of the right to liberty and security, the right to fair trial and freedom of expression, of assembly and association,'' the report said.

Also on Wednesday, Fule rejected Turkish allegations that the EU is slack on anti-terrorism cooperation. ''We have taken steps forward on this issue, and we are working with the member states,'' the commissioner said. ''Our cooperation has improved and we have concrete proposals to make: let us now go beyond words.'' (ANSAmed).

Remember that by "criticism of Islam" the OIC and Arab League mean any honest examination of how jihadists use the texts and teachings of Islam to justify violence and supremacism. Thus such a law would leave us mute and defenseless before the advancing jihad. Remember also that Pakistan's blasphemy law is routinely used to victimize non-Muslims. If this is adopted, and if the U.S. signs on to it, it will be the death of free speech and free societies, and establish Muslims internationally as a privileged class, exempt from criticism. "Arab League eyes blasphemy bill, Syria solution," from MENA, September 19 (thanks to Benedict):

Arab League chief Nabil al-Araby said Wednesday that the league, along with the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the European Union and the African Union are close to formulating an international agreement penalizing blasphemy and insults to religious figures.

States should not be blamed for insults to Islam made by some individuals, Araby told reporters at the league's headquarters in Cairo. He renewed his criticism of the US-produced film that denigrates Islam's Prophet Mohamed and has sparked protests around the world, describing it as "valueless and trivial."...

The happy dhimmi Schultz

He "urged all leaders in the affected areas to do their utmost to protect diplomatic staff in their countries and to avoid all kind of inflammatory rhetoric." In other words, Sharia blasphemy laws are coming. Christianity has been ridiculed all over Europe for decades, and it never occurred to Martin Schultz then that it was important to "avoid all kind of inflammatory rhetoric." Once again, terrorism works. "EU Parliament President denounces attempts to ridicule Islam," from KUNA, September 15 (thanks to S.B.):

BRUSSELS, Sept 15 (KUNA) - European Parliament President Martin Schulz Saturday condemned the defamation of Islam linked with the release of an anti-Islam film in the US that has caused outrage in the Muslim world.

" I strongly condemn the use of religion to incite hatred and violence. In the same manner, I strongly denounce any attempt to ridicule Islam," he said in a statemet.[sic]

Schulz also condemned attacks against US and EU diplomatic missions around the world and on NATO's Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.

"I strongly condemn this unjustified violence and those who fuel it," he said and urged all leaders in the affected areas to do their utmost to protect diplomatic staff in their countries and to avoid all kind of inflammatory rhetoric.

"Otherwise they would advocate equality before the law and the observance of human rights for all." But no one particularly cares about such principles anymore.

"Beirut Patriarch: EU Doesn't Care About the Fate of Christians in the Middle East," by Jurgen Liminski for Aid to the Church via AINA, August 27:

The west's attitude to the Syrian conflict was described as "hypocrisy" and sharply criticised by the Patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church in Beirut, Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III. "For many governments it's merely a matter of economic interests. They don't really care about the fate of the Christians in the Middle East. Otherwise they would advocate equality before the law and the observance of human rights for all, including in those countries where the so-called Arab Spring has not taken place", the Beirut Patriarch claims in an interview with the international Catholic charity "Aid to the Church in Need". It's primarily a matter of safeguarding freedom of conscience and religion for all. But this equality before the law does not exist. "It is this that seriously threatens our survival throughout the region", the head of the Syriac Catholic Church stressed.

Below we publish the interview with His Beatitude Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III., Patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church in the Middle East and one of the seven Patriarchs in this region.

Interview with His Beatitude Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III., Patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church in the Middle East and one of the seven Patriarchs in this region. The Syriac Catholic Church is one of the 18 faith communities in Lebanon recognised in the Lebanese constitution. The interview was conducted by Jürgen Liminski.

Q) Your Beatitude, we hear a lot about the situation of the Christian refugees and the tensions in Lebanon. That's one side of the picture. The other is the political aspect of the Christian presence in Lebanon and in the Middle East. Is this presence at risk?

A) Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III.: "The situation of the Christians in Lebanon differs fundamentally from that of the Christians in the other countries of the Middle East. The constitution recognises 18 official religious communities, eleven of which are Christian. But the main concern everywhere is that of human rights. There's no lack of money and also no lack of vocations. We are being put under pressure by those who wish to recognise only one single religion. We Christians do not demand any special rights; we only want the same rights as everybody else. We want freedom of conscience, we want freedom of religious worship, and we also want freedom for those who don't believe anything. This equality before the law does not exist. It is this that seriously threatens our survival throughout the region."

Q) If only it were merely a matter of legal questions, that would be tolerable. But what is the practical situation?

A) Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III.: "No. The legal questions determine our practical life. They are the framework for human dignity. Our young people don't want to beg for the right to work and live in their own country. In Iraq they ask me: What should we do? Where are we still safe? And it terms of practical living it's like this: When a young man, a Christian, falls in love with a Muslim woman and she loves him, he has to become a Muslim in order to marry her. Where is the freedom of faith there? Another example: We now have a family from Iran here and they want to be baptised. But in doing this they are risking their lives. Where is the freedom of religion there? Islam does not tolerate a change of faith. There is a similar situation in Turkey. There you can see what follows when freedom only exists on paper. The goods of Christians have been confiscated and many churches have been destroyed. But the Christians were in Asia Minor before the Muslims. Rights are also officially recognised in Iraq, but nobody protects them, nobody does anything against the persecution of Christians. And now Syria. Our presence is also under threat there."

Q) Are you on Assad's side?

A) Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III.: "We're on nobody's side. I repeat: We only want the same rights as everybody else. If anything, we're on the side of the Syrian people. But if one doesn't speak out against Assad nowadays it's taken to mean that one's on his side. Do you know who they all are on the other side and whether these forces will recognise civil rights and the Charter of the United Nations?"

Q) Is the European Union wrong in supporting the rebels?

A) Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III.: "Permit me to speak quite frankly. There's a lot of hypocrisy in all this. For many governments it's merely a matter of economic interests. They don't really care about the fate of the Christians in the Middle East. Otherwise they would advocate equality before the law and the observance of human rights for all, including in those countries where the so-called Arab Spring has not taken place. More than a year ago we said that the Arab Spring would result in chaos and civil war. This is not a matter of taking sides for or against Assad or some other potentate in the region. It's a matter of equal rights for all. It's a matter of the primacy of human rights and not the primacy of one religion. Integration and living side-by-side are only possible if this primacy is respected. I said it to the government in Paris and I'll say it to you: Fundamental Islam does not want a dialogue on equal terms in the long run. If the EU were serious about its human rights principles they would openly take up the cause of the future of younger generations in the region. Let's put it like this: there's a lot of economic opportunism around."

Q) Is it any different in the Middle East?

A) Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III.: "No. The refugees who are turning up now are telling us: We trust only the Church. They come mainly from the large towns, Aleppo, Homs and Damascus. That's where they are in danger. Most of them want to move on to America, Greece, Australia or Europe. Especially the middle class who still have some reserves. They're looking for countries where they are equal before the law."

Those are rapidly vanishing.

And if you're keeping score on currently preferred terminology: "We prefer the term self-starting over lone wolf," the official told the AP on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of his work.

Stamp out lupophobia now! "APNewsBreak: Europe faces jihadist threat, from the Associated Press, March 23 (thanks to Kenneth):

With France's deadly attacks, Islamic terror has apparently struck once more in the heart of Europe _ and authorities say there's a dangerous twist: the emergence of homegrown extremists operating independent of any known networks, making them hard to track and stop.

"We have a different kind of jihadist threat emerging and it's getting stronger," Europol chief Rob Wainwright told The Associated Press in an exclusive telephone interview from The Hague. "It is much more decentralized and harder to track."

France's motorcycle gunman traumatized a nation heading into presidential elections and spread fears across the continent that the specter of al-Qaida was once again threatening daily life.

Mohamed Merah, a 23-year-old Frenchman of Algerian descent, sowed his terror over the course of a week, killing paratroopers, Jewish children and a rabbi. He died Thursday in a shootout after police raided the Toulouse apartment where he had been holed up.
Wainwright warned that Europe faces a tough challenge ahead.

Combating individuals acting in apparent isolation, he said, will take smarter measures in monitoring the Internet, better intelligence and international cooperation in counterterrorism efforts.

And he conceded that there were limits to what law enforcement officials can do. "We can't police the Internet," he said.

Other European terror authorities echoed that view, saying that apprehending suspicious individuals with no clear connections to terrorist networks is legally problematic.

"We have one law for war, one law for peace, but we don't have a law for the current situation," said Alain Chouet, a former intelligence director at France's DGSE spy agency.

"If we stopped (Merah) three weeks ago, what would people have said? 'Why are you stopping him? What did he do?'"

German officials expressed the same frustration in the case of Arid Uka, a Kosovo Albanian who gunned down two American airmen and wounded two others last year at the Frankfurt airport before being captured. Aside from illegally acquiring a handgun, the 22-year-old, who was convicted last month, had committed no crime until he shot his first victim in the back of the head.

"A group preparing an attack with bombs or other instruments is running the danger of being detected," said a high-ranking German intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

"A single person or a group of two, they have a greater chance of not being observed by security forces or getting tracked by police _ it is very hard to find individuals like this and stop them from acting."

Some experts believe that al-Qaida's new strategy is, in fact, to stop acting like a network.

Encouraging individuals to carry out terrorist attacks, without organizing them in cells, has become integral to the terrorist organization's modus operandi, said Noman Benotman, a former jihadist with links to al-Qaida and who now works for the London-based Quilliam Foundation.

"They are part of the overall al-Qaida strategy, and they are part of the instructions _ or suggestions, if you will _ for groups and individuals seeking guidance or inspiration," he said.

Benotman, who maintains contact with the jihadist community, said that since the death of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaida's strategy has evolved to include more individual attacks, rather than the heavily choreographed and expensive operations seen in the Sept. 11 attacks or the London suicide bombings in 2005.

The German intelligence official noted that al-Qaida theorist Abu Musab al-Suri published a book about 10 years ago putting forth the strategy of "leaderless resistance." The official said that with Internet propaganda, "you don't need any teacher or some other person any more to push people toward these actions."

Wainwright also sees al-Qaida's hidden influence in the France attacks.

"He was acting in line with al-Qaida inspired tactics, and although it may not have been closely coordinated, it was certainly al-Qaida inspired," he said.

Wainwright said Merah lacked the professionalism of terrorists of the past. He said the
gunman seemed divided between wanting to increase his death toll and publicizing his acts by filming his deeds and bragging about them.

"It is very telling that he filmed his exploits," he said. "Still, in spite of the mistakes, he managed to carry out significant damage. ... That is the challenge for us."

A British security official said the key to targeting this brand of individualized terror was figuring out whether people were simply thinking extremist thoughts or would truly turn violent.

"We prefer the term self-starting over lone wolf," the official told the AP on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of his work.

At long last, a sense of urgency and of what is at stake has set in with regard to Iran's nuclear program. If Iran were really in it for the electricity, why would it waste time and money bending over backwards in secrecy and subterfuge? They would not commit economic suicide just to mess with Washington and Brussels. "EU bans Iran oil imports," by Laura Rozen for The Envoy, January 23:

The 27-member European Union voted Monday to ban imports of Iranian oil, and to sanction some transactions with Iran's Central Bank.

The action, passed at a foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, immediately bans EU member states from signing any new oil contracts with Iran, and orders the phasing out of existing contracts by July 1. The EU-bloc previously constituted the second largest customer for Iranian oil after China.

"Given the EU's serious and deepening concerns over the Iranian nuclear programme, the Council today broadened the EU's restrictive measures against that country," the European Union said in a statement (.pdf) announcing the action. "Today's decisions target the sources of finance for the nuclear programme, complementing already existing sanctions."

EU officials "also agreed to freeze the assets of Iran's central bank and ban trade in gold and other precious metals with the bank and state bodies," Reuters reported.

The development came days after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Iran to respond to a proposal for new international talks on curbing its nuclear program.

"We all are seeking clarity about the meaning behind Iran's public statements that they are willing to engage, but we have to see a seriousness and sincerity of purpose coming from them," Clinton said at a news conference with her German counterpart Guido Westerwelle at the State Department Friday.

Iran "can come back to the table, as we have consistently made clear to them, and address the nuclear program concerns that the international community rightly has or face increasing pressure and isolation," she said, adding: "I want to underscore we do not seek conflict."

A U.S. official briefed on the effort to execute the Iran oil sanctions told Yahoo News Sunday that the measures are being implemented as world demand for oil is going down, and thus should be able to be phased in without a spike in oil prices. But markets do not always act logically, he noted...

No, they pretty much act like a particularly easily alarmed squirrel.

On one hand, he's an ambassador in an interview with an Egyptian newspaper. Habits of decorum prevent him from saying "Well, frankly, I think it's all going to be a train wreck" if that were his opinion. That, and, saying the wrong thing could summon a potentially unstable gaggle of protesters to the British embassy.

On the other hand, there was a mostly missed opportunity (save for the mention of the EU's position on capital punishment) here to send a message that Britain's relationship with the new regime depends on its handling of human rights. The end of the report mentions that Britain and other EU countries plan to extend financial assistance to Egypt in the near future.

In extending aid, we in the West have leverage that we are not currently using. Any future aid to Egypt must be made contingent on substantive, verifiable, and continuous improvements in:

- The treatment and legal rights of non-Muslims, the right to build churches, and reciprocal rights of conversion and visibility in public life.
- Women's rights.
- The eradication of female genital mutilation.
- Transparency and good government, due process, and rights in custody for anyone detained by the police or army.

"Hope is not a method," as the military adage goes, and it is well worth insisting on these points now, rather than waiting for another thug regime to get entrenched and comfortable. "British ambassador: Muslim Brotherhood parliamentary majority not worrying," from Al Masry Al Youm, January 14:

The Muslim Brotherhood's majority in Egypt's next parliament is not a source of worry for Britian, said British Ambassador to Egypt James Watt.

In an interview with Akhbar al-Youm, Watt said the results of the parliamentary elections reflect the choice of Egyptians and Britain will have to deal with these results.

He added that he has met with several Brotherhood leaders and the meetings have left a good impression on him. He added that he is optimistic about the future of Egypt and the formulation of policies that will achieve freedom and development.

Asked about whether Britain will hand over former Finance Minister Youssef Boutros-Ghali to Egypt, he said that Egypt has submitted a request for Boutros-Ghali, but there is no extradition treaty between Egypt and Britain. Ghali's status is being examined by the Home Office, though, he said.

Asked about funds former President Hosni Mubarak holds in Britain and the possibility of returning them to Egypt, he said that Britain has received requests, but the lack of accurate account information has impeded progress in this regard.

Mubarak's trial is an internal Egyptian affair, he said, but as a member of the EU, Britain is against capital punishment because it is considered a violation of human rights. If Mubarak is sentenced to death, that may cause disagreement between the two countries, he said.

Watt also said that Britain intends to provide financial assistance to Egypt in the near future, through its membership in the EU, the G8 and other donor institutions.

Egypt needs investments rather than assistance in this stage, he said.

You can't buy good government by throwing money at it. You can buy plenty of the opposite that way.

Britain is the biggest foreign investor in Egypt, with US$30 billion investments over the past five years.

It is ironic, but perhaps not unforseeable, that societies which are increasingly obsessed with "feelings," both as an inviolable matter of respect and as a motivation to act or believe, have at the same time become increasingly brutish and crass. Perhaps it is because everything is a bigger deal and in need of a reaction. It is fashionable to be "traumatized" by this or that and wear it as a badge of honor, at once puffing oneself up with pride for the arduous climb to the summit of the mountain one has made out of a molehill, and demanding "respect" and restitution for the trouble.

Combining that complex with a supremacist political agenda creates an explosive mix.

The other major consideration here is that Turkey's entrance into the EU has not been relegated to its proper place, in a priority spot in the "round file." This is how Turkey is behaving even without full membership in the EU. If it joins the EU, it will continue to attempt to make the EU's protections a suicide pact toward its own purposes.

There are more red flags than a May Day parade, but will the EU heed them? "Turkish court accepts online blasphemy case, ECtHR ruling precedent," from Today's Zaman, December 27:

A Turkish court has accepted an indictment filed against a man who allegedly insulted Islamic values online by a prosecutor who cited an earlier ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

The lawsuit was filed against A.M.S. over his remarks allegedly insulting Islamic beliefs on Ekşi Sözlük (Sour Times), a website on which contributors share their comments on various issues and incidents in Turkey. In the indictment she prepared over a criminal complaint filed against A.M.S. by an individual, İstanbul prosecutor Nurten Altınok referred to a 1994 decision of the ECtHR in the Otto-Preminger-Institut v. Austria case. The case concerns an application by the Austria-based Otto-Preminger-Institut at the European court over the ban of a movie by the Austrian government in 1985, on the grounds that it insulted the Christian religion.

The applicant claimed a violation of their freedom of speech under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which provides the right to freedom of expression. The court, however, found no violation of the convention and said the interference with the applicant association's freedom of expression was prescribed by law but the seizure and forfeiture of the film were aimed at “the protection of the rights of others” -- namely, the right to respect for one's religious feelings, and at ensuring religious peace. The court assessed the conflicting interests of the exercise of two fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the convention and concluded that the Austrian authorities did not overstep their margin of appreciation.

Prosecutor Altınok, who says the suspect went beyond the limits of freedom of speech by ridiculing Muslim prayer rituals and the Islamic belief that the universe was created by God, seeks up to one-and-a-half years in jail for A.M.S., who said in his testimony that he did not intend to commit a crime nor to target a group or individual with his comments.

The plight of the woman in this report, Gulnaz, first came up in this story, in connection with an EU documentary that was at the time deemed too dangerous to the women featured in it (or perhaps too politically damaging) to be shown. That story also revealed the fact that half of the women in Afghan jails are there for "moral crimes."

Gulnaz herself is a victim of Sharia, and particularly of the demand for four witnesses to support the allegation of a sexual crime, as stipulated in Qur'an 24:13. A woman alleging rape must produce four witnesses, or invite charges of adultery.

Sharia is enshrined in the Afghan constitution as the highest law of the land, thereby hard-wiring the entire society against reform: any proposed legal reforms will go against Sharia as it has been practiced for centuries. And so, here we are. And there is Gulnaz.

"Afghan woman's choice: 12 years in jail or marry her rapist and risk death," by Nick Paton Walsh and Masoud Popalza for CNN, November 22:

Kabul (CNN) -- The ordeal of Gulnaz did not simply begin and end with the physical attack of her rape. The rape began a years-long nightmare of further pain, culminating in an awful choice she must now make.

Even two years later, Gulnaz remembers the smell and state of her rapist's clothes when he came into the house when her mother left for a brief visit to the hospital.

"He had filthy clothes on as he does metal and construction work. When my mother went out, he came into my house and he closed doors and windows. I started screaming, but he shut me up by putting his hands on my mouth," she said.

The rapist was her cousin's husband.

After the attack, she hid what happened as long as she could. But soon she began vomiting in the mornings and showing signs of pregnancy. It was her attacker's child.

In Afghanistan, this brought her not sympathy, but prosecution. Aged just 19, she was found guilty by the courts of sex outside of marriage -- adultery -- and sentenced to twelve years in jail.

Now inside Kabul's Badam Bagh jail, she and her child are serving her sentence together.

Sitting with the baby in her lap, her face carefully covered, she explains the only choice she has that would end her incarceration.

The only way around the dishonor of rape, or adultery in the eyes of Afghans, is to marry her attacker. This will, in the eyes of some, give her child a family and restore her honor.

Incredibly, this is something that Gulnaz is willing to do.

"I was asked if I wanted to start a new life by getting released, by marrying this man", she told CNN in an exclusive interview. "My answer was that one man dishonored me, and I want to stay with that man."

Tending to her daughter in the jail's cold, she added: "My daughter is a little innocent child. Who knew I would have a child in this way. A lot of people told me that after your daughter's born give it to someone else, but my aunt told me to keep her as proof of my innocence."

Gulnaz's choice is stark. Women in her situation are often killed for the shame their ordeal has brought the community. She is at risk, some say, from her attacker's family.

We found Gulnaz's convicted rapist in a jail across town. While he denied raping her, he agreed that she would likely be killed if she gets out of jail. But he insists that it will be her family, not his, that will kill her, "out of shame."

Whether threatened by his family or hers, for now, jail may be the safest place for her.

Shockingly, Gulnaz's case is common in Afghanistan.

CNN asked a spokesman for the prosecutor to comment on the case. The reply was that there were hundreds such cases and the office would need time to look into it.

But Gulnaz's plight has found international attention because of a dispute between the European Union and a team of documentary makers hired to report on women's rights in Afghanistan.

The documentary makers filmed a lengthy report on Gulnaz and other women, showing her talking openly about her fate. They showed the film to the EU, who were paying for it as part of a project on female rights here. After viewing it, the EU decided to spike the project.

The EU said it was concerned about the safety of the women in the film: they could be identified and might face reprisals. The filmmakers however suspect -- citing an email leaked from the EU delegation -- that the EU might also be motivated by its sensitive relationship with Afghan justice institutions, since he film shows the Afghan justice system in a very unflattering light.

The leaked email says: "The delegation also has to consider its relations with [Afghan] Justice institutions in connection with the other work that it is doing in the sector."...

Turkey has decided that now is the time to play hardball over Cyprus; inclusion in the E.U. would mean having to deal with Cyprus as a fellow member state and complicate efforts to legitimize the Turkish land grab and occupation. And so Ankara is attempting to blackmail the E.U. by threatening to deprive the union of its presence. The only problem is, plenty of Europeans don't think that would really be such a bad thing.

"Turkey says EU ties will freeze if no Cyprus solution," by Tulay Karadeniz for Reuters, July 13:

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish relations with the European Union "will freeze" if Cyprus takes over the EU presidency in July 2012 without a solution to the divided island's future, Turkey's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Ahmet Davutoglu made his comments as the European Union's enlargement chief said in a visit to Ankara that he wanted to see "a new momentum" in Turkey's membership process now that Turkish parliamentary elections were over.

Muslim Turkey started accession talks in 2005 but progress has been slow, largely because of a conflict with Cyprus over a breakaway state on the island recognized only by Turkey.

U.N.-sponsored peace talks between the two communities on Cyprus have stumbled since they were relaunched in 2008.

"If the Greek Cypriot side stalls negotiations and takes over the presidency of the European Union in July 2012, this means not only a deadlock on the island, but also a blockage, a freezing point in Turkey-European Union relations," Davutoglu told a news conference.

"Unfortunately there is one thing standing between me and that property: the rightful owners." - Hedy Headley Lamarr, Blazing Saddles

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele, in an apparent response to Davutoglu, said all sides should remain focused on a long-term solution to the Cyprus dispute.

"This is not the moment to speculate on any other outcome than a comprehensive settlement," Fuele told reporters, adding that it was time for Turkey to focus on its relations with the EU and reforms needed before it can join.

Cyprus was divided by a Turkish invasion in 1974 that was triggered by a brief Greek-inspired coup. Its Greek Cypriots represent the island internationally and in the European Union, while Turkey is the only country to recognize the Turkish Cypriot state.

The Cyprus dispute is a major obstacle for Turkey's EU bid, in addition to opposition from EU heavyweights France and Germany.

Greek Cypriots say Turkey cannot join the bloc until the Cyprus conflict is resolved.

"We should take measures now to prevent this blockage," Davutoglu said, adding that such measures should be taken before the end of this year.

The EU says Ankara must meet a pledge to open up traffic from the Greek Cypriot part of the island under a deal known as the Ankara protocol. Turkey says the EU should end its blockade of the Turkish Cypriot enclave.

"We want to see a new momentum in Turkey's EU membership process now that the Turkish elections are over," Fuele told a news conference with Turkey's EU Minister Egemen Bagis....

This should be taken as an instructive preview of how Turkey would behave within the E.U.

In Human Events this morning I discuss the latest bit of fantasy-based policymaking coming from the capitals of the U.S. and Europe:

The suicidal side of the Western elites’ pervasive tendency toward fantasy-based policy making was on full display last week when the U.S. and the European Union both announced that they were opening formal contacts with the Muslim Brotherhood, a group dedicated, in its own words, to “eliminating and destroying Western civilization from within, and sabotaging its miserable house.”

“We believe, given the changing political landscape in Egypt,” said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, “that it is in the interests of the United States to engage with all parties that are peaceful and committed to nonviolence, that intend to compete for the parliament and the presidency. And we welcome, therefore, dialogue with those Muslim Brotherhood members who wish to talk with us.”

“Peaceful and committed to nonviolence”—this is the basis in both America and Europe for the legitimization of the Muslim Brotherhood. For following quickly after the Obama administration’s announcement came a similar one from the European Union. Michael Mann, a spokesperson for European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, explained: “We are always open to dialogue with anyone who is interested in democracy.”

Clinton and Ashton thus join the long line of Western officials who have confused democracy with the practice of voting itself, and taken the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood is not committing terrorist acts in Egypt as an indication that it shares Western values, ignoring the obvious fact that the Muslim Brotherhood is dedicated to ideals that all free societies should oppose.

The Muslim Brotherhood, contrary to “intelligence” chief James Clapper’s laughable claim that it is “largely secular,” is dedicated to establishing an Islamic state in Egypt and implementing the Islamic law that has no room for democratic principles, does indeed employ violence against dissenters and miscreants, and tramples upon minority rights and women’s rights.

Obama and the EU should take careful note of all that, but given their own hard-line anti-Israel stances, they’re less likely to be concerned about the movement’s inveterate anti-Semitism. Yet not only does the jihad terrorist group Hamas style itself as the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine, but recently the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Badie said: “Allah has warned us the tricks of the Jews, and their role in igniting the fire of wars … and they labor hard to spread corruption on Earth. And Allah does not love the spreaders of corruption.”...

There is more.

When will the European Union allow European countries to defend themselves against the Islamic immigrant influx?

The EU works hard to stop its member states from reinstating control of their national borders. Several countries have been working hard to find loopholes in the directives from Brussels -- and Norway has found one. From a Norwegian news report:

The Norwegian Justice minister wants more police officers to patrol along the country's border, and claims that more border controls will reduce asylum growth further. Last year there was a reduction in the number of arrivals by 42 percent compared with the year before. Østfold Police District's commitment to cross-border controls should be given a lot of credit for this, said Justice Minister Knut Stortberget to TV 2. ... After Norway joined the Schengen Agreement, the checking of EU citizens at the borders came to an end. But the police are allowed to carry out checks near the border to enforce immigration rules. In the first half of this year the border team at Østfold Police District 344 arrested asylum seekers. Most were illegal immigrants. Border police also uncovered 24n attempts at human trafficking in the same six months.

In FrontPage this morning I discuss the headlong rush to open talks with the Muslim Brotherhood:

Following quickly after the revelation that the Obama administration had resolved to establish contact with the Muslim Brotherhood, the European Union has announced that it, too, is interested in talking with the group. Michael Mann, a spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, explained: “We are always open to dialogue with anyone who is interested in democracy.” Ashton thus becomes the latest in a long line of Western officials who have confused democracy with the practice of voting itself, and ignored the manifest fact that the Muslim Brotherhood is dedicated to ideals that all free societies should oppose.

Among those officials also are a great many at the highest levels in Washington, where wishful thinking about the Brotherhood (and other matters Islamic) not only prevails, but is the guiding force in formulating Middle East policy. After all, it was the spectacularly clueless intelligence chief James Clapper who labeled the group “largely secular,” demonstrating abject ignorance not only of the meaning of the word “Muslim” in the group’s name, but of its own stated goals and agenda, which have been consistent since it was founded.

Contrary to claims that it is a moderate organization, the Muslim Brotherhood is actually the prototypical Islamic supremacist, pro-Sharia group of the modern age. [...]

And just weeks ago Dr. Kamal Al-Helbawy, former Muslim Brotherhood spokesman in the West, declared: “Our thinking and our affiliation are to the exalted Allah. Our affiliation is to Islam. The global state of Islam is our ideal…How will countries like Bahrain or Qatar defend themselves? Why shouldn’t we have a country called ‘The United States of Islam’?”...

There is more.

These guys were "served with deportation orders after being convicted of burglary, threats to kill, robbery and dealing in class A drugs." But to send them back to Somalia would violate the "prohibition of torture and of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." Do the British people have any right to be protected from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment?

"Somali criminals must stay in UK, rules European Court," from the BBC, June 29 (thanks to all who sent this in):

The UK must not deport two Somalis convicted of serious crimes because to do so would endanger their lives, the European Court of Human Rights says.

The Strasbourg judges said the UK's duty to protect the two from torture or inhumane treatment was "absolute".

The pair, aged 24 and 42, were served with deportation orders after being convicted of burglary, threats to kill, robbery and dealing in class A drugs.

The ruling sets a legal precedent for 214 similar UK cases involving Somalis.

Abdisamad Adow Sufi (24) and Abdiaziz Ibrahim Elmi (42) are being held at immigration detention centres in the UK.

In 2007 they appealed to the Strasbourg court, arguing that they would face death or serious injury if the UK deported them to the war-ravaged capital Mogadishu.

The seven judges accepted that there would be a violation of Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment) of the European Convention on Human Rights if the pair were sent back to Mogadishu.

The court ruling said the judges "reiterated that the prohibition of torture and of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment was absolute, irrespective of the victims' conduct".

"Consequently, the applicants' behaviour, however undesirable or dangerous, could not be taken into account."

The court told the UK to pay Mr Sufi 14,500 euros (£13,000) and Mr Elmi 7,500 euros (£6,716) for costs and expenses....

1ère Rencontre Wilders Freysinger à la Haye le 9... by enquete-debat

Pamela Geller has background:

Perhaps we are witnessing a new political movement of international Western-allied nations to preserve our hard-won freedoms. Here Geert Wilders, the Dutch MP and extraordinary defender of Western values, meets for the first time with Oskar Freysinger, a politician of the Swiss People's Party, the largest party of the Swiss parliament. Oskar, an outspoken critic of Islamic supremacism, is best known as the architect behind the ban of Swiss minarets (symbol of Islamic domination). A true hero. His courageous stand on many issues ("The Muslim Brotherhood is far more dangerous than Al Qaeda") has made him a target for death and violence. He was the victim of an arson attack; his enemies tried to burn down his house.

Of course this is what is most needed, an international movement in Western countries fighting against Islamic supremacism, domination and cultural annihilation. What American politician will align with these men of valor?

I don't know what politician will, but I am very happy to say that I'm scheduled to speak in Berlin on September 3 at an event at which Wilders and Freysinger will also appear; it is being organized by their German counterpart, the courageous René Stadtkewitz. I hope that Wilders, Freysinger, and Stadtkewitz are just the beginning of a new political movement that will ultimately sweep Europe and America as well.