Noam Chomsky Denied Entry into Israel

Israel is supposed to be one of our partners in democracy, a bastion of freedom in the Middle East.  Yet when it comes to allowing the free speech of one of its critics, Israel can be repressive:

Professor Noam Chomsky, an American linguist and left-wing activist, was denied entry into Israel on Sunday, for reasons that were not immediately clear.

Chomsky, who was scheduled to deliver a lecture at Bir Zeit University near Jerusalem, told the Right to Enter activist group by telephone that inspectors had stamped the words "denied entry" onto his passport when he tried to cross from Jordan over Allenby Bridge.

When he asked an Israeli inspector why he had not received permission, he was told that an explanation would be sent in writing to the American embassy. (link)

He was held for questioning for three hours as well:

Chomsky arrived at the Allenby Bridge at around 1:30 in the afternoon and was taken for questioning, before being released back to Amman at 4:30 P.M.

While we are still awaiting “official” word for the denial of entry into Israel, Chomsky was told the reason by one of his interrogators:

In a telephone interview with Channel 10, Chomsky said the interrogators had told him he had written things that the Israeli government did not like.

As usual Chomsky was able to put the matter into its proper perspective:

"I suggested [the interrogator try to] find any government in the world that likes anything I say," he said.

Tea Party Mask Depicts Obama with a Bloody Face

Tea Party NutJobs to Form Armed Militia

Given the paranoid nature of the tea party movement, this development is perfectly predictable. Expect these nutjobs to form more militias in other states as well.

clipped from www.huffingtonpost.com OKLAHOMA CITY — Frustrated by recent political setbacks, tea party leaders and some conservative members of the Oklahoma Legislature say they would like to create a new volunteer militia to help defend against what they believe are improper federal infringements on state sovereignty. Tea party movement leaders say they've discussed the idea with several supportive lawmakers and hope to get legislation next year to recognize a new volunteer force. They say the unit would not resemble militia groups that have been raided for allegedly plotting attacks on law enforcement officers. "Is it scary? It sure is," said tea party leader Al Gerhart of Oklahoma City, who heads an umbrella group of tea party factions called the Oklahoma Constitutional Alliance. "But when do the states stop rolling over for the federal government?"

Obama Administration Covering Up Reality in Honduras

This is straight from from the classic US posture of propping up illegitimate regimes in the Americas. It's ugly and it's wrong.

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Israel Won't Disclose Its Nukes: Netanyahu Won't Attend Nuclear Conference

Yet another Israeli outrage.

clipped from www.commondreams.org Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled a planned trip to Washington next week for President Barack Obama's 47-country nuclear security conference. He made the decision after learning Egypt and Turkey intended to raise the issue of Israel's assumed atomic arsenal at the meeting, a senior government official said on Friday. Israel is believed to be the only nuclear-armed power in the Middle East, but has never confirmed or denied it. It has not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Netanyahu saw Obama at the White House late last month to discuss the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process. But they failed to see eye to eye and bilateral ties remain strained. "The prime minister has decided to cancel his trip to Washington to attend the nuclear conference next week, after learning that some countries including Egypt and Turkey plan to say Israel must sign the NPT," the official said.

How the New Health Reform Really Works

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Man Charged with Threatening Senator Over Health Care Vote

The roaches are crawling out of the cracks.

clipped from www.huffingtonpost.com SEATTLE — A Washington state man has been charged with threatening to kill Democratic Sen. Patty Murray over her support for health care reform. Court documents say federal agents arrested Charles Alan Wilson in Yakima on Tuesday. An FBI agent's probable cause statement says Murray's office in Seattle reported the threats, which were left on voice mail from a blocked telephone number. Agents say they traced the calls to Wilson's home in Selah, near Yakima. Murray's office told the FBI it had been receiving harassing messages from the caller for months, but they became more threatening as Congress was voting on health care legislation. Excerpts of the expletive-laced messages transcribed in court documents show the caller saying he wanted to kill the senator, and it would just take one piece of lead.

The US is Shooting an Amazing Number of Innocent People in Afghanistan

This, of course, was perfectly predictable and has been known for some time, but the USA is just now admitting it.

We have no right to use rules of engagement that result in our killing innocent people in their own country. We are behaving as an imperial power does in foreign territory.

Only fool would think that such actions will not result in more terrorism. There will be blowback someday.

clipped from www.huffingtonpost.com As reported in the New York Times last week, a significant number of innocent Afghans continue to be killed by US and NATO forces despite new rules issued by Gen. Stanley McChrystal meant to help reduce civilian casualties. Indeed, the number of Afghans who have been killed or hurt by troop shootings at convoys and military checkpoints has basically remained the same since McChrystal announced his directives. "We have shot an amazing number of people, but to my knowledge, none has ever proven to be a threat," said McChrystal during a recent video-conference with troops, the Times reported.

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Road Rage Incident Over Obama Bumper Sticker

The right-wing lunatics are beginning to show their real colors. This is but one example.

clipped from www.wkrn.com NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A Nashville man says he and his 10-year-old daughter were victims of road rage Thursday afternoon, all because of a political bumper sticker on his car. Mark Duren told News 2 the incident happened around 4:30p.m., while he was driving on Blair Boulevard, not far from Belmont University. He said Harry Weisiger gave him the bird and rammed into his vehicle, after noticing an Obama-Biden sticker on his car bumper. "He pointed at the back of my car," Duren said, "the bumper, flipped me off, one finger salute." But it didn't end there. Duren told News 2 that Weisiger honked his horn at him for awhile, as Duren stopped at a stop sign. Duren said he applied his brake and the SUV smashed into the back of his car. He then put his car in park to take care of the accident, but Weisiger started pushing the car using his SUV. Duren said, "He pushed my car up towards the sidewalk, almost onto the sidewalk." Police say Harry Weisiger is charged with felony reckless endangerment

Bush Wipes Hand on Clinton's Shirt After Shaking Haitian's Hand

No Longer Isolated Incidents But a Disturbing Pattern from Tea Partiers

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Tea Partiers/GOP reactionaries explain the mean-spirited antics of their crazies as "isolated incidents." But given all the red-baiting and threatening signs, the screaming out of racial and homophobic slurs, the spitting on African American congressmen, these so-called "isolated incidents" are becoming a pattern. Olberman makes that case well.