New Intelligence Chief fails terrorist quiz

Going by the article in the CQ, most of our political leadership doesn't know beans: http://public.cq.com/public/20061211_homeland.html Encouraging, isn't it?

You sure can pick em

Wow...I particularly like the part in CQ where Lott says "It’s hard for Americans, all of us, including me, to understand what’s wrong with these people.”

Umm...there isn't anything wrong with these people...it's a completely different culture than how Americans view culture. And the part later on when he mentions "why do they hate Isreal?" There are MANY reasons that could constitute the hatred against Isreal...all that can be found if he opened a book, read the paper or a magazine.


CQ

It just all boils down to Religion at this point. Similar idea as those pro-lifers that beat a woman to death (as well as her baby) because she decided to give it up. Or the animals rights groups that leave bombs on the doorsteps of scientists that may run tests for cosmetics on animals.
In the middle east, Islam IS the religion. Their goal, much like other religions is to eventually be "the way" for everyone's lives. For them they live, breathe and eat Islam...the relgion is also included into their laws.

As for Isreal, it depends on which side of the coin is reporting to you. They don't like the Palestinians just as much as the Palestinians don't like them. The Palestinians lived in their land for many many years...

Here's a report that sums everything up: http://www.science.co.il/Arab-Israeli-conflict.asp

This is all well and good if you are Christian, while the majority of Palestinians are not (some are Christian and Jewish but they are in the minority). Now the reason I object to what you are saying is that I am of a Palestinian background. Just so you know when you make such off-hand remarks that there is a human face behind this post.

Whether Israeli bends over backwards for the Palestinians is a matter of debate.
This is an article about Robert Fisk read it if you want to it is old but answers some of your questions. http://www.robert-fisk.com/steven_zunes_sept26_2001.htm.

As for Palestinians wanting "Jews" wiped off the face of the earth I think you will find the senitment is echoed. They have been dscribed as "animals" and "cockroaches". This article is where you can find this.http://www.mediamonitors.net/drbenalofs1.html

I put the word Jews in quote marks because I am not sure who you mean. You will find that many Palestinians are friends with people who happen to be Jewish and some Palestinians are Jewish themselves. Many also speak Hebrew. My grandmother lived in her village with Palestinian Jews and they traded in markets and were friends. I think you will find that Palestinians are against the extremely Orthodox Jewish people (who have the same feelings about them).

Uh, that's actually historically and factually untrue. Sorry

I hope you are prepared to concede that both the Palestinians AND the Israelis are doing this. I mean killing innocent people. It's not because they feel like it - to them, on both sides, they have valid political, spiritual and religious reasons for it, even if it seems like madness to us.

These people, Pelosi and those like her, are career politicians. IMO, they have absolutely no business running or heading things in which they know nothing about.

I would like to see the list of questions asked to Reyes about Hezbollah and if any of the members of Congress could answer those questions without the answers being spoon fed to them. The people supposedly running the US have never exactly been what I would term as the "best and brightest".

Bryan

Hmm...I know that we all aren't campaigning for the Chief Intelligence Officer, but how many of us knew what faith of Islam that Hezbullah and Al Qaeda was before reading the article.

Understandable though that people going into this type of position should know the basis for these questions. Most likely though they have a criminal background, rather than that of a terrorist background (err..education wise).

Of course not because suicide isn't in the Judiasm. You need to claim Jihad in the Islamic faith in order to become a suicide bomber.

No they are not suicide bombers, they don't need to be. They have all the tanks and weapons they need to kill indiscriminately. Yes that does include men, women, and children.

Interesting reading:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Sto...795364,00.html

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/S...?itemNo=757768

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/S...?itemNo=760138

Look I am not trying to totally bash the Israeli Army here. They have orders to follow (some of them are teenagers) and the Palestinians have become so dehumanized that its no longer seen as a bad thing when these things happen. This is not the army's fault but the fault of everyone who seems against this peace process from both sides.

To be honest I don't buy this either. Suicide is contrary to the Quran as well, these idiots thinking they are going to heaven to be greeted by a million virgins or whatever are in for a shock. Jihad has become so misconstrued that even Muslims don't seem to know what it means anymore.

Ok I found this:

O ye who believe, remain steadfast for Allah, bearing witness to justice.

Do not allow your hatred for others make you swerve to wrongdoing and turn you away from justice.

Deal justly; that is closer to true piety.

- Surah al-Maidah (5:8)
http://www.islamicinvitationcentre.c...e/actions.html

As my friend Jess would say "Oy Vey!"

They have carved up the West Bank and the Gaza Strip taking the best bits (eg. my family's olive trees we still have the deeds) and leaving them with nothing. Have you read any of the articles? Under agreements with the Palestinians were entitled to this land (Gaza Strip and the West Bank) so by Israel carving it up that was breaking the international law.

Cindy, my friend, how can you be so blind? Israelis may not have suicide bombers but there have been many instances where their strikes have killed innocent women and children.

In July of this year an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon was responsible for the deaths of 60 civilians, including women and children, and was admitted to by the Israelis who said it was a `tragic mistake'. On November 13th Israeli bombers killed two Palestinian children in the Gaza strip in a bombing attack. On the same day, Israeli soldiers used rockets to destroy a house in which a small child was sleeping - her mother found the remains of her body amongst the rubble - after which they bulldozed their farm, killing the child's 70-year-old grandmother and all of their livestock in the process.

These are just three examples. How much more do you need before you accept that there are atrocities on both sides in this tragic conflict? That no matter who was there first, or who gave what to whom, innocent people are being killed every single day, by Palestinians and Israelis alike.

You have the internet, you have access to newspapers and other sources of information. Look things up, learn, read, open your heart and your mind. Don't just sit there reading your Bible and closing your eyes to the truth of what is happening in the world. Or, if you are going to rely on your religion as your only source of truth, what about these truths?

“And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

“Seek peace, and pursue it"

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling"

"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil"

"Thou shalt not kill"

I don't think that...I just think that some of your posts have come across as very one-sided... but I know you better than that

Cindy I don't think you are a bad person. My religion has taught me to love all people of the book .I won't try and change your opinion only OUR (Jewish, Christian, and Muslim) God can do that.

I got a good laugh at the article ....

Good gave land to the Isrealites many milliniums ago but that LAND IS NOT modern day Isreal ... It was more likely modern day Iraq or Iran ... as modern day Isreal is the land of Cannen( sp) and thus belongs to the Cannenites aka Palestinanes(sp) .... at least that is what my understanding was ...

I do think one should at least know of there job before getting it .... and this guy couldnt pass a jr high exam on it

If it's wrong to kill innocent people... then what are doing? What is "collateral damage" if it isn't killing innocent people?

There is one group who is predominantly, but not officially, Christian perpetrating a war on a group who is predominantly and officially Muslim.

All three sides believe that parts of Israel were given to them by God and that parts of Israel are their Holy Land. Not one side is more right just because you are of that faith. They believe just as strongly as you that it should be theirs, and it was up until VERY recently, when western countries began mass immigration into the area and provided massive numbers of weapons and military training.

Nothing about the conflicts in the Middle East are as simple as saying one group's God said so, so it is. That is why people are still dying daily over it.

I think it's pretty pathetic. If they are in a position of leadership (and one specifically dealing with terrorism) they should NOT be failing a terrorism test. No excuses- they are in charge of our national secruity- there should be no excuses for their lack of knowledge on these topics. I don't care what their political association is.

And the people on the other side feel the same way, for the same reason, except it's their holy land and not Jewish/Christian...

As long as people feel that way, there will continue to be war, because that kind of thinking leads absolutely no room for compromise at all.

I am not sure if it is in the qu'ran, however, one of the three holiest places to muslims is in Israel. That's what the entire fight is about-- the fact that the West came back in claiming that Israel/Jerusalem is our Holy Land and we have a god-given right to it... when the people who were already there believed that they too have a god-given right to that land and had lived there for as long as there have been muslims. Muhammed, in their belief system, ascended to heaven in Jerusalem, and also it's where the Dome of the Rock is.

All three monotheist religions believe that parts of the disputed territory in the Middle East are their own Holy Land, and base that belief on a divine text that is supposedly the direct word of God. So how can we say who is right, unless we say that someone else's religion is lying?