Blog

My running commentary on events: local, national, and international. Areas of special interest include Israel, Iraq, and dissidents in the Muslim world.

My meeting with Newt; other impressions from the RJC candidates’ forum and last debate

December 22, 2011

unknown-1.jpeg

Covering the Republican Jewish Coalition’s candidates’ forum a couple weeks back, I had the (brief) opportunity to meet Newt Gingrich (pictured above with his wife Callista, South Dakota Senator Dan Lederman, and...

Read More

Sharansky calls for support for reformers; Alusi cautions U.S. troop withdrawal a blow to human rights in Iraq; Havel, champion of democracy, dies

December 18, 2011

havel.jpg

The Washington Post just ran this thought-provoking piece on the Arab Spring by former Soviet dissident refusenik and Israeli Parliamentarian Natan Sharansky. As I wrote last spring, Recent upheavals across the mideast from Egypt to...

Read More

Newt spoke some truth – and blindsided the rest

December 12, 2011

12-10-romney-gingrich-debate2-cropped-proto-custom_28.jpg

One additional thought about Newt Gingrich’s citing, during the Republican candidates’ debate Saturday, facts regarding Palestinians’ historical identity and U.S. funding of hate education in the Palestinian territories. It...

Read More

One man with courage is a majority

December 11, 2011

Saturday evening Newt Gingrich spoke some truth about the middle east that very few people–even including Jews–have had the courage to say or write in recent decades.

gingrich-newt-hr.jpg

He may have done so imperfectly, using words that...

Read More

Romney at the RJC proposes Rudy Giuliani as potential attorney general; Gingrich floats strange idea about kids cleaning schools

December 8, 2011

ap_romney_110402_wg.jpg

Today I was fortunate to attend the Republican Jewish Coalition’s candidates’ forum in Washington D.C. and to meet several of the candidates, including Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, and Rick Santorum. More to come,...

Read More

Greetings from Republican Jewish Coalition’s candidates’ forum in DC

December 6, 2011

This week I’m reporting from Washington D.C. where the Republican Jewish Coalition is hosting its candidates’ forum Wednesday December 7. Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, John Huntsman, and Rick Santorum...

Read More

Syrian-American says younger generation ready for change

November 28, 2011

38994163_syria2031.jpg

Last Sunday the Arab League imposed a battery of sanctions against the Syrian regime. Two weeks ago, the Arab League suspended Syria from its ranks—the first such suspension of a member nation since the League suspended Egypt after Anwar...

Read More

Santorum knows his stuff on Israel

November 26, 2011

107363.jpg

Nice overview in this week’s Algemeiner Journal about the various Republican presidential candidates’ histories and stances on Israel.

As usual, Dovid Efune’s take is balanced and sharp. I agree with his assessments...

Read More

Happy Thanksgiving

November 24, 2011

turkey_joe-blake.jpg

Today and every day I am so grateful to be an American. Happy Thanksgiving.

...
Read More

UC Davis police pepper spray incident an embarrassment and sad day for freedom of assembly in America

November 22, 2011

Last Friday was a sad day for freedom of assembly and freedom of speech in America.

The pepper-spraying of a group of nonviolent student demonstrators at UC Davis on Friday appears to have been an example of excessive and unimaginative police...

Read More